Disclaimer: I don't own the Ranma ½ gang (dammit

Disclaimer: I don't own the Ranma ½ gang (dammit!) They belong to the genius RumikoTakahashi. I'm just an admiring fan who desperatly wants to write fan fictions for the enjoyment of other Ranma fans. So don't sue me!

Author's Notes: This is a one-shot. I've been tossing it around for a while, and it won't leave me alone to finish 'Our Little Secret.' (I promise, I will finish that as soon as possible.) I might, just MIGHT to a second chapter for this if the reviews are good and a lot of people ask for a sequel. Otherwise, this is remaining a one-shot fanfic. I have no clue where this fits in in the Ranma timeline (sorry!) Oh, and there is an OOC warning on this fic, too.

On With The Story!

~

Ranma was restless. Ever since he had retired to his futon that evening, he found that he could not sleep. Ranma faked it when his father stumbled in in panda form, drunk as a pig. His father fell asleep shortly after, the stench of sake filling the small room.

Ranma just lay on his futon, thinking. She doesn't care for me. I mean, why should she? To her, I'm a pervert, a jerk, a… a freak. Damn his father. Damn Jusenkyo. Damn his cursed body! She could never love a freak like him. She didn't want to be his fiancee. He shouldn't hurt her like this. He would have to find a cure for his curse. Then she would love him.

His thoughts had convinced him. He stood from his futon in one fluid motion. He dressed in his normal red Chinese shirt and black pants. Fetching his backpack from the corner, Ranma gathered his meger belonings and began to put them in the bag.

When he had finished packing those, he reached for the box in the bottom of one of the dresser drawers. He fingered the lock, then pulled a key on a string from under his shirt. He slipped the key in the lock and opened the small box. The box contained his most prized possesions. He sorted through all the pictures of him and Akane together. He put thoe pictures in his backpack. Then he reached the cookie. He stared at the little rabbit shape. Akane had made him those cookies in Home Ec so many months ago. He was about to taste them when Kodachi intruded and almost threw out those cookies. He didn't remember how, but he had gotten those cookies back and had eaten them. They had tasted good. He tried to tell Akane that he had liked her cookies, but he couldn't build up enough courage to tell her. Instead, he insulted her cooking more.

He held the cookie tenderly. The cookie was old and stale, probably closer to pertified, but he still kep it. He couldn't bear to throw it away. He put the cookie in his pocket. It was safer there.

~

Akane woke up in the middle of the night. What woke her up, she didn't know. She stared at the ceiling, and got out of bed to get a drink of water. As she walked down the hallway, she thought she heard someone moving around in Ranma and his father's room. Akane froze.

~

Ranma stopped packing. Was someone walking down the hallway?

~

If some one was in their room, Ranma could deal with them. Akane continued down the hallway.

~

Nah, his imagination is playing tricks on him. It was nighttime. The house was just settling. No one was in the hallway. Ranma went back to his packing. Ranma reached for his schoolbag, and took out some paper and a pen. He scrawled a quick note for his father, and one for the Tendos. Then, he hefted his bag onto his shoulders, and slipped from the room.
~

Akane was in the kitchen when she heard someone descending the stairs. She padded silently to the door of the kitchen, nerves on the edge and ready to pounce on the intruder. Ranma emerged from the shadows of the staircase. Akane relaxed, a worry taking place of surprise when she noted the backpack on his shoulders. Ranma was surprised to see her as well.

Akane regained her composure first. "Going somewhere, Ranma," she whispered a little too loudly.

Ranma put his finger to his lips. "Yes, I'm leaving."

"Why?"

Ranma couldn't think of a reason why. Then an idea popped into his head. "To find a cure for my curse." He tried to push his way past Akane to the door, but she stood stubbornly in his way. Ranma put his hand in his pocket and fingered the cookie. Could he tell her now, now that he was leaving her life forever?

"But Ranma, you know there is no cure. You known that ever since Jusenkyo was destroyed!" Akane's voice rose.

Ranma sighed. "Alright, I'll tell you the real reason." Ranma faltered. Akane tried to look into his blue eyes, but he kept them focused on the floor. "I-I-I know you hate me. You think I'm a freak, and you could never love me." Akane was taken aback. Ranma pushed past her as she mentally went over what he had just said.

~

Kasumi woke. Was she hearing voices downstairs?

~

Akane ran to Ranma. She grabbed his arm. "No, Ranma," she shouted, "don't go! That's not,"

Ranma cut her off, shaking free of her grasp. "I don't have a place here anymore!" Ranma ran out the door. Akane followed a few steps, then collapsed to her knees.

"But you do have a place here, in my heart," she whispered. Akane's eyes filled with water. Softly, she began to sob.

~

Kasumi heard the shouts and ran downstairs. She saw Ranma slam the door shut, and noticed her sister crying on the floor. "Oh my, Akane! What's wrong?" Kasumi rushed over too comfort her sister.

"He left me," she whispered. "He left me!" She shouted that this time. Soun, Genma, and Nabiki came running down the stair to uncover the source of the midnight disturbance. When Soun heard Akane shout, he began to bawl.

"Saotome, now our school will never be joined! WHAAAAAA!!!" The two men cried on each others shoulders.

Akane lifted her face from her hands. "It's still not too late," she whispered.

"What are you talking about," asked Kasumi. Akane leapt up from her crouched position. She ran to her shoes, and hurridly pulled them on.

"I'm going after him! It's still not too late!" Akane ran out the door into the rain.

~

Ranma was glad that he had brought his umbrella. Otherwise he would be female at the moment. Ranma sighed and trudged down the street. He couldn't bear to leave Akane. He kept seeing her face.

~

Akane shivered. She finally realized that she was only in her pajamas, and now they were soaked through. But she continued to run down the streets of Nerima, calling Ranma's name

~

Akane's face was so vivid in his memory. Damn it, he could almost hear her voice calling him. Wait, that wasn't his imagination! Someone was calling his name! He looked back in the direction in which he had come. He could see someone running towards him.

~

Akane could finally see someone. She started to cry again and called Ranma's name louder. She ran faster than she had ever run before. She could tell she was getting her second wind. Her breaths weren't coming as hard as before. Her feet pounded the pavement as the figure got closer. The wind pelted the rain into her face and ripped her breath from her lips. Still, she continued to run. She could feel the slight twinge of a cramp forming at her side. She ignored it and willed herself to run faster.

~

Ranma stared in disbelief as the figure approached him. Akane had followed him this far? Had their parents sent her? He noticed she was in her pajamas, and she was running hard. Akane ran up to him and collapsed against him. "Akane! What are you doing out here? You could get sick!" Ranma noticed she was crying. "Hey, Akane, is something wrong," he asked gently. Akane gasped for breath. She had finally found him. She wasn't letting him go again.

"Everything you said," Akane sobbed, "wasn't true." Ranma was speechless. "I don't think of you as a jerk, or a pervert, or a… a freak. Everything I said was in retaliation to every name you called me. And you do have a place there. You'll always have a place in my heart as well." Akane gave in to her tears once more.

Ranma hugged her sobbing form with one arm, holding the umbrella with the other. Ranma smoothed her wet hair as best he could. They stood there, him holding her, her crying, in the rain.

~

Author's Notes: As I said, this is a one-shot. But if anyone has any ideas for a second chapter, please e-mail me. Also, could anyone tell me a site where I can read Ranma comics in English? If so, either leave it in the review, or e-mail it to me. Comments? Questions? Suggestions? E-mail me at horsecrazy217@hotmail.com. 'Till next time! Ja ne!