"Ranma!" Akane Tendo's eyes filled with tears as she watched her fiancé crumple to the ground. High above him, Ryoga Hibiki laughed evilly.

"Nooo!" Akane rushed towards Ranma and fell beside him. Weakly, Ranma opened an eye to greet her.

"Don't-go-," Akane sobbed. "P-please d-don't l-leave m-me!"

"I won't," Ranma assured her wearily. "I'll wait for you." With that, he sucked in his last breath.

Akane put her face on Ranma's chest and cried.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~

Akane screamed and woke up. Panting heavily, she ran to Ranma's room. Again, he wasn't there.

Leaning against the wall, tears leaked out of her eyes. That nightmare had been haunting her ever since Ryoga had killed Ranma. Night after night, day after day. Why won't they stop? Even after Akane had beat up Ryoga in fury, and almost killed him too.

"Akane?"

Akane looked up. Kasumi was there.

Her older sister looked down at her in worry. "Oh, Akane, no. The nightmare again, right?"

Akane burst into tears. "Oh, I miss him so much! Why did he have to go?"

Kasumi sighed. "Some of us don't realize what's what until it's too late. You and Ryoga are the ones right now, unfortunately."

Akane glared through her misty tears. "I'll NEVER forgive what he did to Ranma!" "He was foolish, Akane. He couldn't see through his jealously, that Ryoga. Thinking that once Ranma was out of the way, he could have you. Akane, he loved you. I'm not saying that what he did was smart, but he did love you dearly. Ranma too. Now if Ranma says he's going to wait, he will."

Akane sniffed. "Oh what I wouldn't give to see Ranma again!" she whispered.

Kasumi smiled. "You will, Akane. And no," she added when she saw Akane's horrified face," you don't have to commit suicide. No one is going to kill you. Ranma loves you, and he won't leave you. I just know it!"

"I know." Akane sighed a shaky sigh. "I just wish I had a chance to tell him what I felt before.he left." New tears burned at the corner of her eyes.

"You'll get a chance soon, I know," Kasumi said kindly. "Soon, real soon. Now try and go back to sleep, it'll be morning soon." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~

Now why did they tell me to go here? Akane thought as she wandered along the courtyard borders. Her father, sisters, and Ranma's father had told Akane to go to the "courtyard place" behind Kendo Park. What on earth did they know that she didn't?

Sitting down on a park bench, Akane heaved a heavy sigh. She looked around impatiently, and waited.

There was a sudden tap on her shoulder. She looked around and saw-

"Ranma?" She squinted at the ghostly, yet solid-looking figure. "Ranma?!?!"

What appeared to be Ranma smiled. "Akane.it's me.Ranma" He grinned nervously, as though he didn't know how to react.

"Is it really you?" Akane asked cautiously. What if it was another plot for Ryoga to plead for Akane's forgiveness? What if it was her family's way of saying, Ranma will always be there? It had been one year since the dreadful day, and she had learned not to trust everything she saw.

"Yes, it is," Ranma smiled. Akane gasped. It WAS him! It was the smile she saw everyday, the smile that substituted for sheepishness, for everything he stood for. Seeing this, Akane rushed into his arms.

"Ranma.Ranma!" Akane cried gratefully. "It IS you, it truly is!"

"I told you, I would never leave you.I love you, Akane."

At this, Akane started sobbing. "Ranma, I never told you this, but"- she bowed her head, embarrassed-"I feel the same way."

Ranma smiled, and held her chin up. "You're cute when you do that."

"Ranma-"

Ranma wrapped Akane in his arms. "I love you Akane." The two stood there, for what seemed like forever.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~ It's kinda short tho, huh? Ah well! Isn't it sweet? I wanna thank litoblueanjel for helping me with it during French class! Hee hee!