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"Bottom line is, even if you see 'em comin',

you're not ready for the big moments.

No one asks for their life to change, not really.

But it does.

So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No.

The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that.

It's what you do afterwards that counts.

That's when you find out who you are.

You'll see what I mean."

Whistler

"Buffy The Vampire Slayer"

* * *

"Wow, Sis, sleep at all last night?" Nabiki's eyebrows raised slightly as she took in her younger sister's appearance that morning. Akane slowly trudged down the stairs, her feet creating a barely perceptible swishing sound. There were dark, purplish smudges under her brown eyes. The eyes themselves were rimmed with red, puffy from crying. She looked toward Nabiki and shrugged, a slight lifting of her shoulders and knelt at her usual spot, failing to acknowledge the silent boy next to her. She picked up her chopsticks and picked up a small clump of rice from her pink bowl.

Ranma lifted his chin slightly, enough to gather the site of her within his peripheral vision. The slight moment, the glance that had not quite been a glance, went unnoticed by her. He gulped softly and looked back down at his nearly empty plate. He just didn't have the energy to fight for his food that morning.

"Speaking of sleep, Ranma, where were you last night?" Genma glanced at his son, who was pushing the food that his father hadn't stolen, around his plate halfheartedly. Genma nudged his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and studied his son. The normally vibrant pigtail hung limp against his back that bore incredibly hunched and tense shoulders. I knew it, the boy's out of practice, been slacking off. Well, I'll make sure he hasn't gotten too soft after breakfast.

"Out," came the muttered reply.

"Coming home at four thirty in the morning is a pretty long out, don't you think, Boy? A martial artist without sleep is no martial artist at all."

"Four thirty? Was the fight that bad?" Nabiki quickly slid her head to face Ranma. Finding no gaze to meet there, her eyes swiveled back to Akane. "So, Akane, tell. What happened?" Akane set down her chopsticks with a small sigh.

"Well, last night, Ranma and I ended the engagement. . for good this time."

"Oh sure, Akane. . no really, what happened?"

"I mean it Nabiki, it's over." Akane turned towards her father, whose chin had begun to tremble. "I'm sorry, Dad, I'm sorry. . but I just can't do this anymore. I'm tired, tired of the fights, the misunderstandings. . I just can't marry someone who doesn't love me, Dad, not even for the sake of the family honor. It's not. . not. . I'm-" She stood and walked over to the door. "I'm sorry," she whispered and stepped outside, shutting the door firmly behind her. The room held no sound for a very brief moment. The only noise that could be heard were the faint storm clouds in the distance, their rumblings foretelling the mournful day ahead. But that fortune was only heard for a moment as said before because then, the shouting began.

"Raaaaannnnmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!"

"Ranma! What have you done this time? Apologize to your fiance right now!"

"What did you do to my little girl?!?"

"Does honor mean nothing at all to you, Boy?!?"

"My poor little girl, how could you?!?"

"And all this time I thought I had raised you right!" Genma gripped Ranma by his blue shirt collar and glared at him menacingly before thrusting him harshly back to his spot. "I'm so ashamed."

"Dad, quit the waterworks." Nabiki complained and sent a pained look towards Kasumi, who lifted empty hands to the side and shook her head. "Ranma, would you please say something?"

"I don't want to talk about it." That cut Soun's sobs short.

"Ranma. "

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" Ranma's fists crashed against the table, vibrating the dishes. "I'm outta here." He rose and walked towards the door leading to the dojo.

"Oh, come on, Ranma, don't tell me your going to make a dramatic exit as well. The people have a right to know why this happened." Nabiki's eyes widened considerably as she was suddenly presented with a face full of furious Ranma.

"You want to know why it happened?" The blue-gray eyes narrowed as the sentences came from tightly strained lips. "It happened because she can't stand the site of me. It happened because I screwed up. . again. It happened because she wanted it to!" He straightened abruptly and turned toward the door once more. "And I care about her too damn much to hurt her again by bein' her fiance when she obviously doesn't want one. Family honor can go to hell for all I care!" With that, he turned and stormed out the door. A few seconds later, a series of loud bangs and crashes could be heard from the dojo.

"Well. . ahem. . that was an interesting development." Nabiki picked up the leather bound notebook that sat at her side and stood up slowly. "I'm going out. Ta ta everyone." I give this little spat about a week to last.

"Did you hear what I heard, Tendo?" Genma jumped to his feet, a wide grin plastered across his face.

"He said he cares about my little girl!" A grin of equal capasity accompanied with dozens of tears came about from Soun as he joined his life-long friend in standing.

"The schools will be joined, Tendo!"

"That they will, Saotome!" The two grown then proceeded to take out their celebration fans, and locked arms to wirl around the room in joyas abandonment.

Kasumi sighed and stepped over to the half open door, viewing Ranma. Through one of the dojo windows, she could see his visciously going through practice dummy after practice dummy. I can't stand this anymore. Neither of you should have to hurt this much. Anyone can see how much you care about eachother, everyone but yoursealves. Well, this is the last straw. Kasumi Tendo is tired of standing on the sidelines.

* * * *

Ukyo glared out the window at the storm clouds in the distance. Just great. It just had to rain on a Sunday, my busiest day of the week. Oh well, no crying over rotten luck, just deal with the fact that your income'll be a little less this week. But hey, on the bright side, Ranma honey will be here soon. He always comes just after breakfest on Sundays. They just don't feed him enough there. She looked up from her grill with a bright smile on her face when she heard the door swing open. "Hey, Ran—Akane! What are you doing here?" The smile died as she viewed the utter downcast set on her friend/rival's face. "Hey, Sugar, you all right?" The youngest Tendo gave a slight nod as she slid up on one of the stools.

"Yes, I'm fine, Ukyo, just a little hungry." Akane's slight grin failed to reach her eyes.

"S-sure, no problem. One deluxe okynomiaki, coming right up! Seafood okay with you?" She flipped the spatula and the wad of doe landed with a satisfying sizzle on the steaming grill.

"Seafood's fine." The next few moments were quiet, the only sounds made by the occasional hiss and snap of the fryer. While waiting, Ukyo picked at an old sauce stain on her shirt while Akane sat staring at her fingers. Eventully, Ukyo deftly flipped up the finished Okynomiaki with a grace found nowhere else and tossed in on a plate. She slid the dish in front of her guest with a cheerful smile.

"Here ya go! Now eat it up before it gets cold!" Jeez, she's looks like she was run over by a truck.

"Thanks Ukyo." Akane picked up her fork, slowly digging in.

"Another fight, huh?"

"How did you know?"

"Well, Ranma came by last night to tell me about it." Akane set down her fork gently, to the side of her plate.

"He did? What did he tell you?" Ukyo grit her teeth against the tears that filled Akane's eyes. Damn, guess I shouldn't have mentioned last night.

"Just that you, ah, broke the engagement. . is that true, Akane?" She came around the counter to hop on the stool next to Akane.

"Y-yes. . I did." Akane turned suddenly in her seat, grasping the hands that rested in Ukyo's lap. "Ukyo, did I . did I do the right thing?" Her hands squeezed tightly, her eyes pleading for an answer. "Was breaking it off the right thing to do? Did I go too far?"

She. . she looks like she wants me to tell her she didn't do the right thing. . That she just overreacted. A picture flashed through her head, a picture of a grinning boy with a pigtail. But. . but if I do, then they'll be engaged again and I'll be, I'll be. . alone.

"Ukyo?" Akane frowned in slight concern over the pained expression on Ukyo's face. "Ukyo? Are you okay?" The chef blinked and threw out a small smile.

"I'm fine, Akane, and you should be too." The smile grew as she jumped up and over the counter to plop another Okynomiaki paddy on the grill. "You did the right thing Akane. You don't desearve to be treated like that. Breaking off the engagement like that was the best thing you could do. I mean, look at the way he treats you. He always makes fun of you, calls you a tomboy, uncute. . do you really want to marry someone who insults you all the time?" Akane turned slowly on the stool to stare down at the half full plate. "I know I wouldn't. You're too good of a person to receive that kind of attitude from your fiancé. You're too good for him." Akane slowly straightened, resolve tightening her features.

"You know what? You're right, Ukyo. I am too good for him and I have to stop wasting my time with a relationship that was never there to begin with."

She went for it. Hook, line, and sinker.

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