Ryoga sighs as he slowly makes his way towards Ranma's house. He couldn't sleep all night as various nightmares were coming to him, disturbing him to no limits. That's the reason why he woke up late this morning, to find that he was all alone sleeping at his house. His breakfast was ready on the table, but he was getting worried where his family might went to. After waiting for them for several times, he gave up on waiting and decided to go and search for them. Ryoga again sighed heavily as he remembered the disturbing nightmare which was hunting him all night.

In his dream, he saw, In an unknown park, he was wandering aimlessly.

'where am I…' Ryoga loudly said to no one in particular. Then he saw in the distance, a beautiful woman was standing wearing a beautiful red dress and when she turned around he instantly recognized her. His features were relieved as he found his beloved Wife Ukyo was smiling at him and waving at him.

"Ukyo!" Ryoga screamed cheerfully as he started to run towards her and saw with delight as she also started to come towards him. Then he stopped . He became frozen to his place as he saw the scene which was playing in front of his eyes.

He saw with horror filled eyes as out of nowhere, Akio appeared suddenly, wearing the same coloured outfit as hers. He saw as they ran towards each other and hugged eachother tightly. He looked with stunned eyes, as Akio slowly got down on his one knee and pulled out the biggest diamond ring he had ever seen in his life, for Ukyo as he asked her..

'Ukyo Kuonji..Will you marry me?'

He heard as Ukyo squealed in delight as she nodded her head rapidly as she instantly said yes to him. Akio then stood up hastily as he puts the ring on her delicate finger and swift her off the ground as he swirls her in happiness. Ryoga could hear their laughter and declaration of love for each other, over and over again. But his eyes went wide with horror when he saw them leaning closer for a kiss. That made him snap to reality as he tried to go to them to stop them, but to his horror someone was pulling his leg back, not allowing him to move at all. He angrily looked down at the person and saw Rio was pulling him as he asked him while frowning at him..

'Dad! Why my dress is not pressed yet? Why haven't you made my bento yet? Why did you make me do the wrong homework? Why is the house is so dirty? Why did you kept the dishes uncleaned? Why my dress is dirty. When are you going to clean it? When are you going to cook? I am hungry, dad…..'

He saw with depression, as Rio continued to accuse him. He then turned to see Ukyo and saw them running towards the horizon hand in hand. As he desperately screamed for her to come back to him.

And that's how he woke up. Sweating, panting hard, his throat sore from yelling. He then swallowed and composed himself slightly to start the day, to see his wife's beautiful face, to see she was still with him.

Now that he was making his way towards Ranma's house he started to think to himself. 'I have to fix it all. Yes! I agree that I was not behaving so lovingly towards my wife. Almost forgot to praise her these few years. And I know she deserves more happiness than what I am giving her. But I won't repeat my mistakes anymore. I will make sure I will do all that which will make her happy and help her out on her chaos. I promise, I will make everything better for us from now on.'. His mind set, he stood in front of Ranma's door and without thinking of knocking, he opened it and stopped dead shocked..

He looked with horror filled eyes, as his dream was turning into reality in front of his eyes. As he saw, Akio was kneeling on the ground in front of Ukyo. While Ukyo was blushing beautifully and an elegant smile was plastered on her face. Akio was smiling up at her dazzlingly as he asked her with a manly hard tone…

"Will you be a part of my life? Will you marry me?.."

But before she could reply to him, they heard a loud screaming coming from the doorway. The sudden outburst made all their blood go cold as Ukyo shrieked with fear as Akio stood up hurriedly and puts his arm over her shoulder to calm her down. That makes Ryoga's blood boiling with more anger, he then started yelling his heart out,

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE!"

He was breathing heavily as he said all this. His sense lost, he couldn't see clearly as the anger blinded his visions completely. Then he saw, Ukyo was glaring at him furiously, Akio was shaking his head at him in disbelief and suddenly he saw as Ramna joined behind them with a frown on his face. Then he felt as someone started to tug his pant, as he looked down he saw Rio and Ren was looking at him with astonished eyes as they asked him,

"Why are you so angry, papa?" Rio asked.

"What's the matter, Ryoga uncle..?" Ren asked, equally confused.

Ryoga looked at all of them dumbfounded. Then he asked them while screeching his head,

"It's not what it looks like.. right?"

Ukyo shook her head at him and huffed at him as she said, "I just can't believe you.. "

"But what were you guys doing?"

"Excuse us." Akio interveins, "We were just TEACHING our Ranma here how to propose a certain person.."

"Exactly..!" Ukyo joined irritably.

Ryoga looked at them back and forth, as he digested the unexpected news as he asked them, uncertain,

"Propose?" They all nodded as he asked again, "to AKANE?!"

"Who else? Do you have anyone else in your mind for him,huh?" Ukyo asked annoyingly, making Ranma uncomfortable with her sudden question.

Ryoga started laughing nervously. As they all started to ignore him again, doing what is really important for the moment. Akio then turned to Ranma and told him urgently,

"Hey, buddy.. Please try to understand.. We have very little time left.. And if you failed to propose her today, then it will be so hard for her to manage her sisters all by herself. You still love her right?" Akio asked him with a serious expression.

Ranma blushed slightly, but answered him honestly, "Yes.. I do. I never stopped loving her for a second."

Akio smiled brightly at that and said, "I am really glad to hear that, Ranma. And I know, Akane's feelings for you are the same. Yes, she moved on in her life. But, she never stopped loving you. She always used to tell me that she didn't believe what you had written on that letter that day and she had this hope in her heart that, one day you might come back to her. Kami-sama has given you guys a wonderful opportunity my brother, please don't ruin it."

Ranma's eyes slightly teared up hearing what he just said, he blinked his eyes rapidly to control his emotions. Then he nodded his head and said, "Yes, I will do my best."

Akio could tell that Ranma was still struggling with his emotions and something was bothering him. So he asked him,

"Hey, tell me what is bothering you.. You know you can trust me brother.."

Ranma sighs as he looks down at his fisted hand and tells him honestly, "I don't know, Akio.. It's just, I am just.. I always get panic whenever I think about asking her to ma.. marr.. marry me.. I don't understand why it is happening.. My chest get this tightening feelings…. How can I make ya understand buddy.. I am sure you are thinking I am doing this because I am a coward or something." Ranma sighs with defeat. But when he saw Akio was smiling at him and shaking his head at him, he looked at him, feeling confused.

"I understand why you are feeling like this my friend and trust me, coward is the last thing that would come to my mind about you." Akio sighs and as he begins again, "You are having difficulty to express this, is not surprising to me at all. This is happening to you because my friend, you both have gone through a bad experience when you were close to getting married with each other. That's why.. That dread alone is making your chest tightened with fear." Akio said, smiling as he eyed him seriously. Hearing him say it like that, Ranma looked up at him with sorrow in his eyes.

"How can you be sure that this is the reason why he is acting the way he is?" Ukyo asked him confused, because for the last one hour they were trying their hardest to make him do and say the marriage word. But every time, he was failing miserably. She thought that Ranma was still acting like his old teenage self. Not ready to bow down first. But when Akio put it like that, she started to feel guilty about misjudging him.

Akio turned to Ukyo and said while giving her a sly smile, "Because, my dear. I am a Psychiatrist, myself. That's how.."

"REALLY!" Ukyo asked him, not believing her ears.

"YOU ARE WHAT!" Ryoga asked, equally shocked.

Akio sighs as he tells them, "Now don't look this surprise guys.. It's embarrassing.."

Ukyo giggled and apologized to him and said, "Akio..So you are, Akane's…."

Akio turned to Ranma, who was looking at him expectantly for an answer, as he started saying,

"Look, long story cut short, Akane was my father's patient. My father is a well-known Psychiatrist himself. Dr. Tofu and my dad are very good friends. So Tofu and Kasumi had brought Akane to us, when she was not.. in.. a… good.. shape at all." He said the last part slowly to make his point clear and looked at Ranma.

Ranma's Whole body got stiffened as he asked him with sorrow filled tone,

"Akio, Can you please tell me, what happened to Akane back then?"

Akio sighs as he begins saying, "Ranma, when her sisters had brought her to our place, she was completely a different person that you are seeing her now. Neither she used to cry or smile, she just used to move with motions. Like, she was living but not really. Kasumi left after she settles Akane and Nabiki in my apartment. From there we started living together as roommates. My father always took care of her, giving her treatments for her fast recovery. Soon she busied herself with her study and the change of place really helped her a lot to calm her mental stress, plus.." Akio cleared his throat as if he was contemplating whether he should continue his talking or not.

Ukyo came forward and asked him , "Akio, why did you stop? What happened?"

Akio puts his hand behind his head in an uncomfortable manner as he said, "Well dear. She had somehow mixed up with my overcomplicated, messy life that I was living. A near kidnapping incident, by my own girlfriend, had made me realize how Akane really is. I was so dumb that time, I fell for that lady's trap. Akane tried to warn me, but I misbehaved with her, not trusting a single word she had told me. But she was too stubborn and saved my back when I almost got myself in danger. From that day on, I never left her side. I wanted to help her come out of her depressed state so badly that I constantly started to annoy her to no limits. I wanted her to be like me and i wanted her to live a carefree, messy life like I used to live back then. But the opposite thing happened with us, as she was the one who had made me change completely. So, in the process of changing each other, our personality mixed up. Hahaha.. When we first met, I was studying in my second year because my father wanted me to be a doctor like him. But, honestly I had no intention to become one. But, I started to take it seriously when I saw her child like smile. I wanted to become a person that I am now, only because I wanted Akane to live a normal life she deserves. So, here I am. Now officially her Dr., who is taking care of her personally.." Akio finished proudly.

"Wow!" Ryoga exhaled while saying this.

Akio noticed Ranma was still silently looking at him with a guilt look. He sighs and says to him,

"Hey, you don't have to feel guilty about nothing.."

"But it was all my fault that she had suffered like this." Ranma said while lowering his head.

Akio hastily puts his hand over his shoulder and grip it tightly as he told him with a hard tone,

"LOOK, ENOUGH OF THAT! Whatever happened Ranma, neither it was your fault nor it was Akane's. So STOP thinking like this. Life has given you a chance to start anew, don't ruin it man. Try to understand, it's now or never, or ever. You got my point? That time you didn't had any other choice, but now you have everything on your hand. If you miss this opportunity man, I don't know what to say to you anymore."

Ranma nodded his head as Akio continued again, "I promised Akane that I won't let you guys separate anymore. Please Ranma, if you really love Akane and want good for her, then you have to overcome all your fears and tell her how much you love her.."

"Yes, Ranma! Buddy, you have to do it for Akane. Otherwise, she might go back to her depressed state again." Ryoga said while worrying.

"Yeah, Ryoga. You are right." Akio intervened, " But Not only Akane, Ranma may also. So please, stop ruining yourselves. You both need each other to live. After treating her for all those years, now I know, the only medicine she needs is you, Ranma..."

Ranma nodded is head with new found determination as he told him, "Yeah.. I won't mess this time.."

"Okay, then let's start again.." But before they could do furthermore, they heard a car stopping nearby.

"Yay! It's Angle, it's Angel.." Recognizing the cars sound, both kids started to cheer up with joy as they started to jump up and down.

Ranma's heartbeat stopped with nervousness. She was supposed to come in the evening, it's too early for her to come. He was not fully ready yet. Ranma gulped and thought to himself, 'I don't care if it's early or late. I will tell her now.. no matter what!'

"That, desperate princess of mine. She just can't wait for a few more hours now, can she?" Akio said teasingly as he eyed Ranma and gave him an encouraging nod as he told him, "You ready?" Ranma smiled at him and nodded at him. Then Akio said, "Wait here, I will drag her here. Aww It would be too much fun to tease her now for her impatience. Haha.." Akio said excitedly as he hurried went out from the house to meet Akane.

Ranma saw with a warm smile as Akio left to greet Akane with his teasings. He was mentally preparing himself, but he jerked up in surprise as Akio hurriedly ran back up to them with a horrific expression on his face. He then whispered to them frantically, urgently,

"Hide me! Right now!" He started to search for a hiding place as he started to panic more, "Owe! Just help me guys, we don't have time.."

"Here.. come hide in here, Akio.." Ukyo said hastily, as she showed him to hide behind the bed. When he went behind to hide there, Ukyo swiftly pulled the bedsheet down to the foot side, to hide him properly. Then they all heard as some footsteps were approaching them as someone knocked on the door.

"Can we come in?"

Ranma and all of them turned their head to look at the person with a surprise, recognizing the voice immediately. Ranma's whole body tingled with warmth when he heard her voice as he looked up at her with a warm smile on his face as he whispered,

"Kasumi- Onechan.."

Kasumi stood at the doorway, pausing for a second, looking at them all at once. She looked at Ranma then, and when she heard him calling her like that, she gave a shuddering breath and said plainly,

"Long time no see, Saotome Ranma. May we come in?" Kasumi asked firmly, composing herself a bit.

"Oh, please.. You don't need to ask me.. Please come." Ranma said as he welcomed Kasumi and Nabiki both to enter his house without any hesitation.

"Oh, thank you.." They both entered the house silently as Kasumi started roaming her eyes to his house as she said, "Wow! It's a nice cozy house you have in here." Kasumi said in awe as Nabiki stood in a corner, quietly observing all that was happening. Kasumi then saw Ren was trying to hide behind her dad, as she asked him, "Is that your and Shampoo's Daughter, Ranma?"

Ranma felt a tingle run through him as he set aside his uneasiness and answered her, "She is my daughter, Ren."

"And this must be Ryoga and Ukyo's son, Rio! Right?" Kasumi said as she saw them nodding their heads. She then came closer to them and gave them some treats as she asked them,

"Hi there. I am Kasumi, your Angels Onechan. Nice to meet you dears. Now, Why don't you kids go somewhere else and enjoy your treats while I am talking to your father here.."

Ren looked up at her dad for permission and when she saw him nodding his head, she deliberately took the offering treat as they said thanks to her and bowed down to her. Then, she took Rio's hand and went to his house to enjoy their treats together.

Kasumi smiled sweetly looking at her retreating figure as she told them, "They are such sweethearts. No wonder why my Imouto became too attached to them." Then she slowly turned to Ranma and smiled at him and said,

"So, Ranma, the truth is.. Actually it was quite surprising for us to find you here. And the most heartbreaking thing for us was when we found out that my sister had hidden this matter from us for so long now. It was actually upsetting for us, because for the past few years now, she never kept any secret from us. But now…" her voice suddenly turned cold as she looked at Ranma narrowly as she continued with venom, "She started lying to her own sisters."

Ranma started sweating hard as he tried to reason her with broken tone, "Kasumi- Onechan, please there might be some reason for that. She never…"

She cut his speech in the middle as she told him in a silly tone, "Well of course there was a reason for that! And the reason is you. Because she wanted to help you."

Ukyo came forward as she told her polity, "Kasumi-san, please listen to us… I am sure Akane had told you all that happened with Ranma.. That it's not his fault that this happened…"

"Of course! It was never his fault from the beginning! Wasn't it? It's actually all our fault to drag their engagement forcefully for so long. He was honest with us all the time about his feelings about Akane, but we choose to ignore that fact. He constantly used to insult my imouto in front of all of us, but we decided to dismiss it. He always used to deny any feelings for her, but we chose to put a blindfold on our eyes. He was always truthful with what he wanted, but IT WAS US, who didn't realize it on time." Kasumi said scarcely.

"Kasumi -san, please…" Ukyo couldn't say more, as Ranma suddenly stopped her by holding onto her hand tightly.

"I would really appreciate Mrs Hibiki, if you stop interfering in the middle of my talking." She gave a look to Ukyo which left no room for her to argue, as she continued again, "Thank you.. So where I was.. Oh, Ranma's fault. Nope, it was never his fault. It was ours really. And guess what? We paid for it. And We paid for it dearly, didn't we Nabiki!"

Nabiki looked at them with pain in her feature as she averted her eyes from them as she completely dismissed talking to them.

Kasumi shook her head in utter dismay as she looked at them one by one and started to talk to them heatedly,

"Selfish! SELFISH! Is what you guys were. And surprisingly, you still are..."

Ranma looked down as he listened to her with complete silence. In his mind he knows, he knows that the things which she was saying were all true and he won't stop her. He would listen to her, no matter what. Because he knows well, he deserves it all.

"Wow! Really, Wow! I am surprised beyond my imagination! I really don't know what to say to you anymore Ranma. What Shampoo did to you was wrong. Very wrong. But why haven't you thought of telling it to us back then, Ranma? Forget about telling us, you hided this matter with the person from whom you had seeked comfort from! From that person, who had supported you blindly that time! How could you Ranma?" Kasumi shook her head in dismay as she continued, "It was always you. Who made decisions, isn't it Ranma? Whether you wanted to move forward on your relationship with her or just to push her away, it was always your decision to make. It was all your decision, which fiancé you wanted to marry or wanted to hang around with or wanted to pick a fight with. It was always you.. That's how you got the privilege to use her, when you needed comfort from her. Mentally and physically, of course!" She said the last part more heavily as she continued, " Then you and Akane suddenly decided to get marry! You didn't even tell her that time also. And on top of that, you decided to leave her on her wedding day. Leaving her what! A special note, where again you could have written to her all the truth, but what you write in there? Umm, let me remember.. Oh yeah! The silly words like, You have used her, you don't want her, you want Shampoo, you guys are having a baby, happily ever after and what not! You Never thought for a second, what impact it will leave for my sister…What impact that a tomboy would have if she finds out, a guy just comes and uses her and throws her after he had finished with her."

Kasumi smirked humorlessly at him as she told them, "You must be thinking that time, if Akane would know you have used her for your need only, she would instantly start to hate you and all that. You lived with my sister for almost four years, Ranma. And you knew her this little? And did you forget how Shampoo really is? How could you decide to marry my sister without solving that matter with Shampoo! And you guys!" She hastily turned her heated glare to look at all of them, "I felt so pity for my sister, she couldn't even manage to make one good friend in her long life back then. How shameful it was!" she turned her face towards Ukyo and Ryoga and told them with disappointed,

"I can't blame Ukyo much, she always wanted to harm my sister that time . But, Ryoga you!? You used to love my sister, isn't it! Why didn't you come to us and tell us everything that happened? I understand that Ukyo was pregnant at that time, but you could at least tried…"

Ryoga looked down in shame as he told her, "Onechan,I am sorry. But we thought, if she started hating Ranma, then it would be easy for her to move forward in her life.. That's why we kept our distance from her.."

Kasumi sighed heavily as she said with a big smile on her face, "Move forward! Hmm.." She laughed slightly, "So easy to say, huh guys? But guess what happened!" Then her facial expression changed to the darkest one they have ever seen on her face, "She almost died, alone…. Yes! You heard me right, dears. You guys almost succeed in killing her.. But unfortunately, Kami Sama had saved her. How unfortunate is that, isn't it?"

Hearing her say it like that, Ranma hastily looked up at her and begged her, "Please, Kasumi Onechan. Please, don't say it like that. Please.."

"I am no one's Onechan! I have only two sisters, and that's all. I am only their Onechan." Kasumi was feeling so angry at them that she started to talk to them with greeted teeth as she feasted her hands tightly, "DON'T WORRY. I won't bore you guys by telling you how we managed to bring her back to life. But now, when she started living her life again, YOU RANMA SAOTOME, again came back to her life to ruin her! And you DARED to get closer to her! HOW COULD YOU! AREN'T YOU GUYS SATISFIED RUINING HER YET? WHAT YOU WANT, HUH? TO KILL HER ? THEN DO IT! BECAUSE WE CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE! SHE HAD SEIZURES AGAIN ONLY BECAUSE OF YOU, RANMA. WE CANNOT SEE HER SUFFER MORE BECAUSE OF YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? JUST KILL HER ONCE AND FOR ALL, SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY FOR HER WELLBEING ANYMORE.."

"NO KASUMI!" Nabiki hurriedly came forward as she held onto Kasumi's shoulder tightly, forcing her to look at her, "You are in no shape to talk like this. This could harm you. I won't allow it.."

"BUT WILL THEY UNDERSTAND, NABIKI? WOULD THEY CARE WHAT WE WENT THROUGH TO GET HER BACK? NOW, THEY WILL AGAIN PLAN TO BRING HER TO THEIR LIFE, SO THAT AKANE COULD BABYSIT RANMA'S CHILD. HOW DARE THEY THINK LIKE THAT..! AND WHAT IF SHAMPOO COMES TO RUIN AKANE AGAIN?! OUR IMOUTO ALWAYS ACTS DUMB WHEN IT COMES TO RANMA.. BUT WE CAN'T ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN, NABIKI! WE CANT LET THEM USE OUR SISTER AGAIN! YOU HEAR ME! I AM STILL ALIVE FOR MY SISTER.. WHAT THEY THINK, SHE HAD NO SHADOW OVER HER HEAD? BECAUSE OUR MOTHER IS NOT WITH US, AND WE HAVE A FATHER WHO IS SO INSENSITIVE, THAT THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HER AGAIN? WE CAN'T ALLOW IT, NABIKI! WE JUST CAN'T HAND HER OVER TO THIS SELFISH PEOPLES HERE, WHO WILL ONLY USE HER FOR THEIR NEED. NO, NO.."

"I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, KASUMI. BUT PLEASE, if you panic like this, it could harm your child. Please calm down." Nabiki said slowly as her lower lips started to tremble. Kasumi sighs as she closes her eyes to calm her nerves, then Nabiki says to her, "Leave it to me. I will talk to them.. You head home, Please onechan."

Still closing her eyes, Kasumi nodded her head at her and whispered to her, "Okai. I will send the car for you.."

"No need.." Kasumi looked up when she heard Nabiki say it so casually as she continued, "Akio, will drop me home. Won't you Akio?"

Akio sighed with defeat as he slowly stood up from his hiding place.. Kasumi was shocked when she heard what Nabiki said, but soon her surprise turned into anger, as she glared at Akio. Akio looked down in shame as Nabiki said,

"Next time, make sure to hide your shoes with you, Akio." Nabiki said as she shook her head in dismay and asked Kasumi, "Please go home sister." Kasumi nodded her head and started walking towards the door. But before leaving fully, she glared at all of them while shaking her head in complete disappointment.

Nabiki sighed as she turned to look at them. She saw, Ranma's head was still down, not meeting anyone's eyes, his face had no expression at all as he clutched onto Ukyo's hand tightly. Ukyo was crying silently while biting her lips, her body was shaking slightly. The only person who was looking composed at that moment was Ryoga, who stood with a sad face, his features broken as he kept glancing at his wife's direction. Akio sat on the bed making a sound as he puts his hands over his hair and started to pull it in complete frustration. Taking a deep breath, Nabiki finally cleared her throat and said,

"Before I start.. Please Ryoga, can you give me a glass of water?"...

A/N: Coincidentally, I am posting this chapter the day after Mothers day happened. Before you guys go against it, let me tell you this. Love doesn't happen only with boys and girls. If your family loves you they can go to any length to protect you. Like Ranma, if he sees Akane is suffering because of someone, would he allow that person to come to her life again? No, never. That's how my dear readers, please understand, Kasumi questioning Ranma is a normal thing to me.

Because, I always feel so bad for my Akane. 1st she is a motherless child and the way everyone, means, Ranma, Ukyo, Shampoo, they all treats her is always so heartbreaking for me to watch. She Always had to prove herself to everyone. Why? And there we never saw a single person who stood for her. Only Ryoga respects her. But, we don't want Ryoga in her life. We want Ranma. So, if someone comes and pinpoints it to him, then he would definitely understand. What type of family the Tendo's would be, if they just blind foldedly gives their kids hand to someone who had left her years ago. Don't worry.. Everything is gonna be just fine.

Whatever happens, always remember, Ranma and Akane will definitely have a happy ending.

Don't worry :)