Chapter 9 – Eye of the Storm

Shampoo jumped from one rooftop to the other swiftly moving, never looking back, all senses alert to the smallest approach. She knocked one on the door at Ucchan and Ukyo immediately opened the door and Shampoo disappeared inside.

"What do you have?" was Ukyo's immediate question.

"Good news," came the answer.

And a few hours later, the plan was finalized. Ukyo turned away form Shampoo and asked hollowly,

"Where's Mousse?"

"Blind boy beaten up. Now no more annoy Shampoo," she shrugged her answer.

Bile rose in Ukyo's mouth as the door gently clicked shut behind Shampoo. But she fought it down and turned away resolutely and went on to open Ucchan for the evening crowd.

Shampoo swore expletively when she found the destroyed cage. She kicked it violently to the corner of the room and then she smiled and shrugged. So duck boy got away – she thought – he will just go die somewhere, as hurt as he was. And she started to cook. She would soon have to open the Nekohanten for the evening.

Akane ran, swinging the basket and making the bottle of soy sauce jump around. She jumped when she heard the eerie whisper. And then something in it drew her.

"Help me pleassseee," something pleaded as it huddled in the dust and dirt.

Akane let go of her basket and ran to the figure. It lay curled up on its side, moaning pitifully like a hurt animal.

"Oh God!" Akane reached gingerly to touch it. The figure painfully turned towards her and Akane realized that it was a man.

"Are you ok?" she asked as she gently pushed back the long hair that fell on the man's face. His face was bloody and piece of glass was deeply embedded in one cheek. She touched his other cheek and found it scratched. Pity welled up in her and she caressed his cheek trying to comfort him before slipping her hands under his armpits trying to drag him up.

"Come on," she muttered, "You've got to help me here. I won't be able to do this alone."

The figure seemed to respond to the voice as it slowly started dragging his feet up and holding down on Akane for support. Akane gradually managed to get the man to his feet and slowly, so slowly, they started to move, one step at a time.

"Come on, I'll take you home and we'll call doctor Tofu there. He'll take care of you. Come on," she never ceased her incessant low chatter. It seemed to help as they went on. Whenever she stopped, the man would moan. It seemed her voice was bringing him comfort, so she started to talk about her life, telling him about Ranma, about the institute. They were both still dragging their feet when Ranma came running. He stopped abruptly when he saw them and his aura suddenly flared. Akane lifted her eyes and he understood and was running to them.

"What happened?" he lifted a shoulder to slip it beneath the man's and relieve Akane.

"I found him like that. He's badly hurt Ranma," she breathed out.

He nodded and together they hurried home. The man leaned completely on both of them and seemed to have passed out. The whole family came running as they arrived. They laid the man on an improvised futon in the living room and Kasumi hastily brought a bowl of warm water and a few pieces of cloth while Nabiki called doctor Tofu. Akane gently wiped the bloody mess off the man's face and gasped.

"What?" Ranma was staring intently at her and when she cast her eyes down, he followed her gaze and  gasped too on seeing the man's face. "Mousse," he breathed out.

"Oh my God, who could have done that to him?" Akane whispered and Ranma shook his head soberly.

Doctor Tofu soon arrived and the sight of the mutilated man stopped him dead in his tracks. Ranma and Akane left Mousse to him and went to sit in the dojo. Both of them were silent and then Ranma pulled Akane in his arms. He needed her presence right now, her warmth, her softness. He just needed to touch her. She pulled him closer and together they stayed that way until Kasumi came to call for them. They needed no words, no gestures; they just needed each other's closeness.

"What happened Ranma?" Tofu asked.

"I don't know Doc," Ranma lifted his eyes to Akane and she answered, "I found him in an alley. I just tried to help and then you came, Ranma. That's all," she finished.

"Well, somebody's hurt him bad. He's got several broken ribs and his left leg's broken too. He has several deep gashes in his back and even more bruises. His face will heal but it is likely that he will have a scar," Tofu held the shudder the started to run up his spine and added, "I have done all that I could. Now he has to rest." The company was silent. Whoever has hurt him wanted to be cruel – he thought – but kept his thoughts to himself.

They dined almost in silence and Tofu left right after. A feeling of uneasiness weighed down in Ranma's stomach. He dropped a futon in Akane's room without a word and started to get ready for bed. She opened her mouth to ask him about it and then closed it. Instead she went up behind him and slid her arms around him and laid her cheek against his broad back. He grasped her hands and lifted them to his face.

"God Akane, what's happening?" he gasped against her hand.

"I don't know Ranma, I don't know," she whispered against his back and he swiftly turned to embrace her.

When Ranma woke up Akane was gone. He ran downstairs still in his shorts and found her helping Mousse to drink a cup of tea. He killed the jealousy than suddenly rose and instead came to sit down beside her.

"Are you ok, man?" he voiced his concern.

"Thank you," his voice was slow and painful.

"Thank Akane, man, she's one who found you and brought you home. I only gave a hand," Ranma smiled.

Mousse slowly inclined his head towards Akane and she smiled gently at him.

"What happened Mousse?" Ranma was the one to ask the question. Nabiki's ears peaked up and she took the rest of the stairs in a run.

Mousse was silent for a long time before the low whisper, "I was in a fight with someone I cannot beat," Ranma jumped.

"Who was it Mousse?" was the immediate question.

The young man hesitated. "Someone I once knew." He turned away ending the conversation.

Akane nodded to Ranma and the latter murmured to Mousse, "Com'on let me help you," as he held Mousse arm to lay him back on the futon.

"Thank you for your kindness. Don't worry, you do not risk anything from him" was the last whisper from the chinese young man before he turned away and lay curled up on his side, shutting them all out.

Ranma sighed at he watched Mousse. He seemed so tired out to Ranma, exhausted. Ranma wondered who it had been that had been so cruel to the young man. But he took Mousse to his word. He knew Mousse would have warned them if there had been danger. But still there was fear in his heart. He did not know why or what was feeding this fear but it was there. He did not understand but it was present.

The weekend slipped by, both Ranma and Akane alternating between spending time together and spending time with Mousse and their family. Ranma watched her and she never seemed happier. It seemed like she had everything she ever wanted. She was positively glowing. Even Mousse noticed it but his laughter was soft as he told Ranma "Love works miracles, doesn't it?" as Ranma's eyes followed Akane.

"Yes, it does," Ranma whispered back and his eyes twinkled as Akane laughed. He had to drag his eyes back to Mousse and he started at the deep sadness in Mousse's eyes.

"Are you ok man?" he asked and Mousse shook his head. "Do you wanna talk about it?" he added and again got a head shaking.

"You sure have changed Ranma," Mousse smiled at him. They had gone from being enemies and now were friends.

Saturday seemed to slip into Sunday and too soon the weekend was over. Akane was going back. Ranma stood leaning against the doorjamb as he watched her pack up her few things and she grinned at him.

"Hey I am coming back you know," she smiled at him and he slowly smiled back and nodded.

"Then what is it?" she lifted a brow.

He stared at her for a long moment before answering, "I don't know what's going on but I don't feel quite right Akane,"

"I know Ranma, I can feel it too," her face was serious. He stalked to her and pulled her close. He wanted so much to ask her not to go. He wanted so much to ask her to stay with him. Where he could see her and know that she was ok, where he could take care of her, where he could protect her. But that was the reason why he had trained her, so that she would be able to take care of herself, he reminded himself. And now, she could easily take on both Ukyo and Shampoo. He smiled at the thought.

"It's gonna be ok Ranma. I will be alright," her beautiful smile was for him and he melted inside. He hugged her and smiled as he picked up her bag.

"I hope it works out with Ukyo," she told him.

"Yeah, so do I. She an old friend and I don't want to lose her," he replied, "I'm glad she phoned and I'm glad that we'll finally get to talk," he smiled. "Sorry I wanted to drop you off at the station. But this is the only free moment of her Sunday before the evening crowd."

"I know," she laid a hand on his arm. "I hope you get your friend back," her smile grew and he shook his head ruefully. She gave him so much.

She hugged Soun and Genma at their Go board and their "Be careful" was said with them waving but still sitting at the Go board, Kasumi was hugged in the kitchen and Mousse smiled at her as he sat before the open doors staring at the back yard. He seemed to be healing up quite quickly just as Ranma did. But still the pain was visible in him whenever he moved. It would be some time yet before he was back to normal.

"Thank you Akane, for everything," he smiled up at her as her eyes twinkled at him and she replied,

"You're welcome Mousse. Take care of yourself. I want to see you up when I'm home next week-end."

"I will," he couldn't help but smile back.

"You'll be here, won't you?" she searched his eyes and when he hesitated, she added hastily, "Promise?"

He slowly nodded wondering how she had known that he was planning to pack up and leave as soon as he could.

"I will be here next week-end, Akane Tendo," and she suddenly reached down and hugged him murmuring, "Good."

He stared at her back as she walked away and she turned and waved as she reached the door, "Bye everyone," and was sent off with a flurry of "Byes".

"Take care of yourself too Akane Tendo," Mousse whispered to the wind. Somewhere he was starting to understand why Ranma refused to ever give her up and he smiled to himself at his thoughts and joined Soun and Genma at their Go board. After all the nagging that they had done to Mousse for the last few hours, they were overjoyed to see their labor bear fruit and watched him settle down beside them with huge smiles on their faces.

Nabiki was already outside leaning against the car hood and tapping her fingers.

"Goodbyes said?" she inquired.

"Not yet," came the reply as Akane turned to Ranma and hugged him.

"Take care of yourself," she smiled up, safe in his arms.

"Promise me that nothing will happen to you," his voice was suddenly urgent as his gut clenched.

She reached up and touched his cheek. "Nothing will happen to me, I promise," she smiled so gently.

His smile was tender in return, so simple and so tender that it made her heart ache and then he kissed her. Kissed her like there was no tomorrow. Kissed her like she was the only one who existed for him. Kissed her like she held his heart in her hands.

And she gave him back feel for feel, emotion for emotion.

They were both breathless when the kiss ended and Akane took her bag form him. But still he held her,

"Akane, I love you," his serious eyes showed the sadness in his heart and he let her go.

Nabiki sighed loudly. "Finally!" she muttered, loud enough for all present to hear and got into the driver's seat.

Akane looked back at the man standing a few feet away, staring at her with so much sadness and felt like running back to him and staying in his arms forever. She almost ran back but then banked in the impulse.

She waved and got in the car, staring at him and her words barely reached him, "Me too, in a way Ranma..."

Then the car roared to life and Nabiki experimentally pushed down the accelerator a few times before the car roared away.

Ranma's heart jumped when he heard Akane's soft words. It did not matter that he had not really caught what she had said or that his mind could have made up the words he thought he had heard, for the look in her eyes were enough. A smile erupted and then died just as abruptly when something suddenly reared up and rebelled fiercely at her leaving, in the deepest part of him. Ranma's feet stepped forward and he was filled with an urgency that he had never felt before.

"No!" he screamed at the speeding car.

My Notes :

Sorry for the late update but I was swept off my feet yesterday.

I read all your reviews and you guys really do know how to encourage someone to write :o))

I think I'm gonna recommend you all as pre-readers to authors (well, I don't know any but who knows?).

Thanks for all of it.

Rhiannon