Note: These characters don't belong to me, they are someone else's property!

" " when someone talks

Italics when someone thinks

What the future holds

Chapter 3: The mirror

Ranma turned his face towards her looking wounded and midly irritated, but didn't say anything.

"Ranma…I...I'm glad I found you here...I (she took a big breath) I'm sorry. I know I probably overreacted a bit"

Akane didn't often apologise to him, but felt it was necessary in order to salvage any kind of chance she had of turning this night into the one where they would finally sit down, talk and clarify where they thought their crazy relationship was heading. She took a deep breath and pushed her pride to one side.

"I didn't mean to sound as harsh, it's just-"

"It was my fault anyway for pissing you off" Ranma interrupted "I kinda have a knack for that don't I?"

She didn't expect his brassh interjection and was momentarly shocked but managed to quickly regain her composture and continue her attempt to build bridges.

"I didn't mean what I said, you know...about breaking up our engagement" She was trying her best to sound as sincere as possible.

"Yeah you did" he answered coldly.

Akane sighed in frustration "No! No I didn't. Look, the last thing I wanted tonight was to fight with you so please let's just forget about this"

Ranma wasn't looking at her, it seemed like he found the pebbles on the ground more interesting at that very moment in time.

"If you didn't want to fight with me then why did you humiliate me in front of everyone?" He said as he finally looked up at her.

Akane had no answer. Is that what he really thought? That she wanted to humiliate him?

"That was not my intention"

"You took his side over mine. You always take everyone's side over mine. I don't know why, I always help ya don't I? I always believe ya, I always take your side, but you…you just hate my guts don't you?" He gave her a steely look.

Akane looked shocked at his outburst. She had not expected that retaliation from him "I don't hate you! Not at all. It's just you always seem to hurt people somehow and if they are my friends I won't stand by and do nothing"

"Oh, so you don't care if it's me who gets hurt then" He replied.

What is it with all these comebacks? Akane felt another crushing blow. Was that really what he thought of her? That she didn't care about his feelings at all? How could he be so wrong? It pained her to know she had instilled such a perception of indiference towards him. She somehow had to turn things around, this conversation was not heading the way she had hoped.

"No, that's not what I meant. And anyway, I don't know why you're so hurt, you get insulted by other people on daily basis and don't seem to care!"

Ranma chuckled in disbelief and looked up "You don't get it, do ya? I thought you were smart…"

Akane felt insulted. What was he trying to imply? "What do you mean?"

"You know as well as I do why I threw that drink over him" Ranma looked her straight in the eyes.

She was trying her best to understand what he was trying to imply but was distracted by his beautiful big blue eyes. Oh how she loved those eyes, filled with fire and life .She'd never seen any one who could rival the gorgeousness of them. She could easily get lost in them and forget all that was going on in the world when she looked into them. She had always wondered where he had inherited his eyes from, thankfully he did not have any of Genma's physical traits, having had the good fortune to share his mother's features.

Akane snapped out of her reverie when he suddenly looked away, as if tired of waiting for her response.

Akane's heart started racing, could it be that he was admitting to being jealous of the new student? "No, I don't...you said you did it to kill a wasp…so if that's what you did it for then I believe you..." She replied playing dumb.

She didn't want to rely on assumptions anymore, she was tired of playing guessing games with him. She wanted to force him into being honest and straighfoward for once. Whether it was for better or for worse.

"Oh come on Akane" Ranma almost pleaded as he took a step closer to her, leaving only a small gap between them, small enough to make her nervous.

"So tell me then, I just wish you would be honest with me for once" She dared him.

"I...really? Do you not think I'm honest with you?" He asked in surprise.

"Not when it comes to feelings Ranma, I just never know what to think anymore" She answered.

"My feelings are...erm..geez Akane, this is really hard for me, it's not something that I'm good at...feelings..." He confessed looking rather embarrased but still keeping the short space between them.

He could see she was waiting for a better response than that so he drew courage from places he had not known he could draw courage from before to try and satisfy her question.

"You know that I... that I…that I have feelings for you…" He said looking towards the ground avoiding eye contact. He wished he could have been better with words, he wished he could have provided her with the deeply romantic love confession she was probably craving for, but he was not ready for it. This had been a major step for him and was as best as he could give her for the time being.

Akane started trembling "Wh…what?"

"I can't stand it. I just can't stand it when other guys drool over you, and when you're all nicey nice to them it makes my blood boil. So yeah...that" He continued.

"I…I didn't know" Akane said perplexed.

"I think you do. It's kinda obvious"

There was a long silence between them, Akane needed time to process what she had just heard him say. Had that been a love confession? It had been too ambiguous for her to truly know. He had finally accepted that he was jealous of other guys and stated clearly that he had feelings for her. What those feelings where exactly had remained unsaid but this was Ranma and he wouldn't admit to this kind of thing if it wasn't serious. It was as much as she was going to get from him and for now it was enough.

She was elated. She wanted jump up and down with joy, she wanted to squeeze him until his eyes popped out of his orbits and she wanted to rund around shouting 'In your face!' to his other so called 'fiancées'. She felt she ought to tell him how she felt too, as she didn't want him thinking it was all one sided on his behalf.

"Ranma I...I have feelings for you too" She said almost giggly.

"Bullshit"

Akane almost collapsed in shock, she had just confessed her feelings (kind of) for him and he didn't believe her!

"It's true you jerk!" She replied outraged.

Ranma gave her a sympathetic look "Yeah right. You don't have ta say that just to make me feel better you know?"

"I'm not saying it for that reason you dummy! I'm saying it becasuse it's true. I do have feelings for you. You are not the only one who gets all worked up and jealous you know…or haven't you noticed...It's kind of obvious too?" She asked him.

He remained quiet and seemed to be thinking through what she had said. Suddenly, he smiled, and as he did he reached out , took her by her waist and pulled her into a gentle embrace.

She was surprised he had initiated physical contact , but also pleased about it so she responded by placing her arms against his chest almost reaching for his shoulders. They remained like that for a few moments until he loosened his hold on her, but only to enable him to bend lower his head down and kiss her.

Never in her whole entire life had she felt so happy. She was sure she could hear fireworks going off in the sky. At last, after so long, after years of waiting, fighting and crying for him it was really happening. They were kissing. It was slow, gentle, warm and wonderful. She was sure she deserved it after all the pain she had went through in her life. Nothing she had ever tried tasted sweeter than his lips, and nothing she had ever inhaled was better than his scent. She never wanted that moment to end, but it did, and a lot quicker than she had wanted it too.

Ranma had broken the kiss. Why? Did he not like it? Because she sure did!

"Er…I'm sorry, I don't think this is right…" He said awkwardly.

"What?" She asked incredulously.

"Akane don't take this the wrong way but I don't think it's right for us to do this now. Not while I have all these fiancées and there is all this massive mess about the whole engagements thing" He tried to explain.

"What? It was you who kissed me!" She said apalled as she felt her heart heart shattering into a million pieces.

"I know..and I'm sorry, but you do understand don't ya ?" He looked genuinely scared at this point.

Was he kidding? Had she heard him correctly? She couldn't believe what he had just said…it was wrong because of his other fiancées? To HELL with them! They weren't even his real fiancées! How could he even think about them at a moment like this! She felt her anger rising to levels it had never reached before.

"I can't believe you Ranma Saotome! All you can do now is think about your "other" fiancées?"

"Calm down, try to understand me, I want things to be sorted out before we...well...you know..." He tried to explain without really making any sense Damn!Why am I so shitty with words!?

"Calm down? You want me to calm down?" She chuckled exasperatedly "If you care so much about what they think go ahead and marry one of them, cause you're sure as hell not going to marry me!" Akane said as she stormed off.

"Akane wait!" Ranma grabbed her arm trying to stop her.

"Don't you dare touch me! Leave me alone" she said as she tore his hand off her and disappeared into the darkness of the night.

Ranma couldn't believe what had just happened. He had got Akane and lost her all in about the space of three minutes! Man he was the king of screw ups! I can't believe I've fucked things up again! she's never gonna forgive me for this one!He thought mentally kicking himself.

He was still cursing himself for what he had just done as he saw someone approach him, it was a girl, but it wasn't Akane.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" She asked.

"Meiko!" He said as he finally recognised who it was.

"You shouldn't be here, you're missing all the fun" She stated playfully.

"Well... yeah right, but erm…listen, no offence but I kinda wanna be alone right now if you don't mind" He tried to say as tactfully as he could. Although tactfulness was definetely not his forte.

"Oh, Am I disturbing you? I'm so sorry! I'll go now and leave you in peace" She pretended to be hurt.

Ranma fell for her deceit and felt immediate guilt "I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound rude it's just I need to clear my head from some stuff" He explained to her.

"Oh, I see, anything I can help you with?" She asked coyfully.

"No" He replied curtly.

She insisted "It's about a girl isn't it?"

"…."

"Well, no need to say more. This is your lucky day because I am an expert at this stuff" she said happily.

"…."

"This girl you look so miserable about doesn't deserve you, believe me" she said whilst stepping closer to him.

"A guy as popular and good looking as you shouldn't be out here alone, you should be with a girl who treats you good, who gives you everything you need" As she finished this sentence she walked right up to him and started kissing his neck. Ranma tensed up and in shock pushed her away from him.

"Wow! What are you doing?" He asked nervously.

"What does it look like?" She said as she looked at him longingly.

"Er..listen, I'm sorry. No offence or anything, I think you're really cute and all but I can't do this. I'm engaged…" He tried to explain.

"Oh yes, Akane Tendo…look, don't want to be funny but forget about her. She hates you and she doesn't want anything to do with you, she tells us everyday" She said venomously.

"She does?" He asked hurt.

"Yes, she does. She definetely does not love you, and what's more, I think she's in love with the new guy. I think they would make a great couple, don't you think?" She said as she got closer to him once again.

Those words echoed in his head over and over again, she didn't love him , she hated him, she didn't want anything to do with him. He was totally paralysed, like in another world, he was immersed so deeply in his thoughts that Meiko took advantage and jumped over him and kissed him. He recovered within seconds and pushed her off.

"What the hell are ya doing!?" He yelled at her in disgust.

And just as he lifted his head up he saw her. Akane. She was in front of them, staring wide eyed, tears building up. She gave him a killer look and ran off.

Oh shit!why does this always happen to me! He thought as he started running after her.

Meiko just stood there and watched as Ranma ran after Akane. It was the first time in her entire life that she had been rejected by a guy and was furious.

"Go ahead and run after her! You're only a pair of stupid jerks anyway! You deserve one another!"Meiko screamed angrily towards Ranma.

He didn't give a shit about Meiko, all he cared about now was getting to Akane so he could set things straight. He was only a few meters behind her when they got home, they both ran through the front door and up the stairs while their fathers looked on at them amusingly.

"Looks like they had another fight Tendo!" The sign panda Gemna held said.

"Yes! That's just normal in a young couple in love Saotome" Soun replied as they both began to laugh.

Akane got to her room, slammed the door closed and locked it. When she turned round she couldn't believe it. Happosai was in her room stealing her underwear. That was the last thing she needed at this moment in time. She was so mad she kicked him with all her strength out of the window while she called him and old pervert. As he flew out the window something fell from his pocket onto her desk. It was a mirror. The mirror he used to travel in time which worked when tears fell on it. She didn't notice the mirror and she just sat over her desk and sobbed.

She couldn't believe it, Ranma had said that he had feelings for her one minute and was kissing another girl the next. What a liar he was, and she foolishly believed him. And for her so called 'friend' to do that to her too! Meiko knew exactly how Akane felt for Ranma, even though she had kept denying it. Girls just knew. So why out of all the boys in the school did she have to go for him? what kind of friend does that?And what kind of fiancé does that too? She hated them both!

Meanwhile Ranma had climbed over the roof and was now in front of Akane's room. He was able to jump in through the Happosai shapped hole in the window.

"Get out of here! Right now" Akane threatened.

"Wait a minute! Let me explain!" He begged.

"There is nothing to explain Ranma! You didn't waste time, two seconds after I turned around - because you rejected me must I add - you start kissing another girl!" Akane's anger was obvious.

"Listen, It wasn't what it looked like, she jumped over me!" He protested.

"Oh yes ! I forgot you're a woman magnet! Women just throw themselves at you and you are so helpless that don't have any hands to stop them?!" Akane said sarcastically.

"I did stop her! Akane, I am tellin' ya the truth, for once in your life will you please believe me?" Ranma said in despair.

"I'm sorry but I can't. It's over. Tomorrow we will tell our fathers the engagement is over and that there is nothing they can do about it. There's no way back" Akane stated.

What?" He asked dissapointedly.

"You heard"

"But-"

"No buts. You rejected me Ranma. There is nothing left to say"

"I didn't reject ya"

"You made it pretty clear when you broke up our kiss as it wouldn't have been fair on your other fiancées"

"That's not what I meant at all"

"Then what did you mean?"

"Well...erm, you know, the trouble, and all that"

"What? I haven't a clue of what you are saying"

"To be honest I haven't a clue myself. I ain't good with words. I'm strugglin' to explain here,but it's definetely not what you are thinkin', I can tell ya that" he said trying in vain to placate her.

"Just let me save you the trouble then. You're free. Now go" Akane said tired of his vague and lame explanations

"So you really want to break the engagement?" Ranma asked looking almost hurt.

"Why should this nonsense continue? I want to be with you but it just hurts too much! What kind of life am I going to have if I stay with you? Are we ever going to be happy? I just don't think we're meant to be together" Akane said as she started to cry harder.

Ranma was on the verge of tears too.

"I wish I could see things five years from now! If I could ever be happy by your side or not!" Akane said in dispair just as a tear dropped from her eye on to the mirror below that Happosai had dropped on her desk earlier.

Suddenly a bright white light filled the room and a big flash blinded their eyes for a few seconds.

When the light disappeared Ranma opened his eyes and looked down onto Akane's desk. As soon as he saw the mirror he had realised what had just happened. They had travelled into the future, just how Akane had wished.

"What was that?"Akane asked surprised.

"You wished to see what things would look like in 5 years time…and I think your wish has came true…" Ranma said.

"What do you mean?" Akane asked confused.

"Look, Happosai's magic mirror" Ranma said pointing towards the mirror on top of the desk "Just as you wished to see the future a tear must have fallen from one of your eyes onto the mirror and now we've travelled 5 years into the future!" He explained.

"How do you know?" Akane asked.

"I've used that mirror before and I know how it works" He continued explaining.

"Oh my God! We must get out of here right now! " Akane said as panic took over her she jumped up from ther chair. In doing so she accidentally knocked the mirror off the desk onto the floor making a crashing sound and causing them both watch in horror as it shattered into pieces.

"Arghhh Noooo! You broke it! You clumsy tomboy! How are we gonna get outta here now?" Ranma yelled in exasperation.

Akane just started crying again. Ranma hated to see her cry.

"Akane, don't cry. We'll get outta here somehow, I promise you…" Ranma tried to reassure her.