CHAPTER ONE : A NEW SPARK IS BORN
In the 4 years that Ranma Saotome and his father Genma had been living with Soun Tendo and his 3 teenage daughters, an unspoken bond has been formed between the two families that no one can ever really put into words. Despite the constant objections by Akane with regards to her family arranged marriage to an equally reluctant Ranma. That bond was now about to be tested in a way that no one could have ever anticipated as Ranma-San laid comatose in a hospital bed.
Every member of the Tendo-Saotome family and close friends came by the General Hospital Of Nermia as often as they possibly could do. All that is except for one. Akane refused to leave her fiance' bedside during his ordeal. Of course, Akane claimed during that time that she would've done the same thing for anyone in the family, but she refused to admit to anyone including herself why she was doing this. Everyone knew that she couldn't be convince of that reason.
Hours slowly passed into days as Akane kept up her vigil over Ranma. The hospital tried on several occasions to convince Akane that she needed to go home and get some sleep, but to no avail. Of course, several orderlies got busted noses in the attempt before the hospital put a roll away cot in the room for Akane to sleep on when she needed it.
By the time that day 5 rolled around, Akane started to lower her guard and finally started to realize what her friends and family had seen blossom over the past 3 years. Akane was truly, madly, and deeply in love with Ranma and the same for him.
Even though Ranma was comatose, her heart told her that he could still hear and feel her. Instinctively, Akane took Ranma' right hand in her hands and slowly placed the back of his well calloused hand to her left cheek. As Akane rubbed his hand slowly across her cheek, she began to think to herself that this wasn't exactly how she wanted to express her love to Ranma, but the time had come for her to say the words out loud to hear herself say it. She told herself," Ranma, you jerk! I have been doing everything in my power over the last few years since you came to live with us to avoid this type of moment. But I guess that the ancestors have spoken. You have been a royal jerk at times and I am admittedly hard to get along with a lot of times also.".
Akane finally spoke the words that she never thought that she would ever say aloud to Ranma," Ranma. I love you, ya big jerk.". A wave of ecstacy crashed over Akane as she knew that a great burden had been lifted off of her shoulder now that she said those words that would have made her father extremely happy. But nothing could prepare her for the response that she got," I love you, too.".
A slightly bruised and sore Ranma uttered his response as he slowly tried to lift his ravaged carcass up in the bed with a silent encouragement from Akane. Afraid that this moment was a dream or something, neither of them dared to speak anything as their joyful eyes locked in a stare.
Their joyous moment was soon shattered by a higher pitched voice from the second hospital bed. Akane recognized it as the voice of Ranma' girl side, AKA Ran-Chan. "I love you both!".
Hearing his girl side' voice again made Ranma-San very nervous as he recalled when Happosai had spilt them once before and she almost destroyed him. Seeing the intense fear on his face, Akane tried to calm Ranma down and began trying to explain the events of the past five days to him.
" Look, Ranma. There is a lot that has happened in the last few days that you need to know about. But I can't tell you if you don't calm down a bit. This is some heavy duty stuff that you and Ran-Chan need to know about.". Ranma-San did calm down a bit as Akane continued explaining," Do you remember that morning that you were late for school because the scene with Shampoo?", pausing as Ranma hesitantly shook his head yes," Well it seems that when you got a few feet from the gates of the school, when you were struck by a bolt of blue lightning. For about a minute, the Ranma that had just been struck was floating in the air. But when you came down, Ranma and Ran-Chan laid out cold on the ground where the lightning had struck you a few moments earlier. That's pretty much how it happened. And now you both are here in the hospital.".
Ranma slowly processed all of the story that Akane laid at his feet with a bit of harsh reality that he knew it was true. Ranma asked Akane," Does the family know about this? How are they taking it?".
Akane replied," They are actually ecstatic about it in many ways, but your dad hasn't really said much about it since it happened. I'm not really sure about how he is taking the news. No one has been able to get through to him. I'm sure that he will be excited to hear that the both of you are awake now.".
Akane was about to say something else when al of their friends and family soon engulfed Ranma, Ran-Chan, and Akane with a flurry of hugs, emotions unhinged, and laughter that filled the room.
Feeling the need to be alone to work out their new found relationship, Akane and Ranma-San quietly sneaked out of the room for some private time and talk. A new spark was born amidst a long river of denial.