Chapter 13 – Where the Road Goes

"I'm sorry Akane", the words came from deep inside of his soul.

"What are you sorry for," she held herself up on an elbow.

"Lie back down Akane," he came to her, his hands gently pushing her shoulders down. "I'm sorry for having been a fool," he whispered looking away.

"What brought it on, Ranma?" she looked at him, really looked at him and he smiled sadly.

"Everything Akane. The accident, you getting hurt, my fear of losing you, Shampoo trying to hurt you," he looked down at her as her mouth silently opened in surprise.

"Shampoo... You knew about her?" Akane's question was a whisper.

"Yeah, I knew but then it hadn't mattered Akane. Then it had just been the whole nightmare suddenly taking over my life again, catching up with me and engulfing me. And I did what I used to do Akane. I lashed out at you. I'm so sorry," his eyes showed his utter shame; his hand trembled as he lay it down on hers. "I know I acted as a fool Akane but it was hurting so much inside and there was so much confusion in my mind. All I wanted to do was to take you away from it all," he stared away and then continued, "And get away from all this madness too. I am tired too Akane. Tired of the girls, the fights, tired of hurting, Akane. Of always having to look out. And Shampoo's act just threw me over the edge. I wanted to hit out and I did it at you. I'm so sorry Akane. So sorry. I just lost control."

He got off the edge of the bed where he had been sitting and walked to the window. His whole posture was one of defeat and for the first time of her life, Akane listened to Ranma relate his fears, his view of his life to her.

"I know that you would never try to commit suicide or try to hurt yourself. That's not you. I know that Akane," he grew silent and she waited. "And I know that if I had lashed out at Shampoo then, I would have killed her Akane," his eyes tore to hers and there was killing rage in them as he clenched his fists.

"I'm so sorry that I hurt you instead," guilt ate at his insides and he had never felt so worthless, so desperate before. Neither had he felt so lonely. His salvation was her and his life was her. And all that he had ended doing was hurting her. Hurting her emotionally and now physically. What kind of man was he?

"It was easier to fall back in the role of the old Ranma than let the rage out, because then I wouldn't have been able to control it," slowly the feelings became words.

"It kept me from doing something that I would never have been able to take back." he finished slowly. He looked at her with tortured eyes, eyes that were so much like hers, feelings that were so much like hers.

And he was just a man – she realized – he was just a man, someone who stumbled, someone who fell, a man who was strong and yet not invincible. A man who loved with everything he had, a man who tried his best even though he knew that sometimes it was not enough but who never stopped trying, a man who felt so much pain because he had hurt her. And she realized that she did love him, love him with his flaws and so many of his qualities. Love him for his strength and his fragility. Love him because of his smiles, his tears, the tentative steps his heart took, his strength of character, the mistakes he admitted he to, his honor and so many other things. She had loved him for a long time, she realized, and had hidden from it. But now it was too late. Much too late. Now he was already her man.

And his eyes only said, "And I can't help myself, please help me girl,"

"Ranma," she smiled slowly, tremulously.

"Akane," his whisper was tortured and he came to her, pulling her so gently to him as slowly he lay down on her bed. He pulled her close to him, so close, as close as he could.

"Why do we always seem to be making up Akane? Why are things always pulling us apart Akane? Why are we always hurting Akane?" he whispered against her neck where he had buried his face. And she held him to her, held him like a child, caressing his hair.

"Maybe we should let the love grow Ranma, maybe we should stop holding back, maybe we should follow the road," it was the only answer she found.

He lifted eyes full of tears, full of pain for her and yet holding so much love to gaze up at her before hiding back his head under her chin and she could only feel the tears that wet her neck. And she let him cry. She held the strong man who was hers and let him cry. She let him cry away the pain, the hurting, the rage and the anger. She held him and let him cry away his grief, his loss and his guilt. And she understood their love, the love that made them take care of each other, the love that made them protect each other.

He fell asleep against her and she smiled as she laid her cheek against his head and lowered her lids too. Peace, unending peace seemed to encompass both of them as sleep pulled them in its arms.

Mousse gently opened the door and his heart smiled when he saw the two. He stood before the half-opened door holding the handle and watched them for a long time. A very long time. And deep down in his heart, there was a twinge. A twinge of awakening. Awakening to beauty, to life, to loving again. And that made him smile as he closed the door and stepped away. His long steps took him to a chair in the corridor and he sat down comfortably, stretching his long legs before him and crossing his ankles. A passing nurse jumped lightly over them and smiled shyly at him and Mousse smiled gently back at her. It had been a long time since he had smiled to himself, a long time since he had smiled for anyone but Shampoo. It had been time to grow up and he was glad that he had done it with the people who had welcomed him in their midst. Very much glad. He finally felt at peace with himself after a long time. He finally felt completely happy after a long time. His soul no longer felt ashamed, no longer hid from all the things that he had accepted for Shampoo, all the things that he had endured. And he knew that it was not her fault, it was his. She had been herself but he had been blind. Yes – he thought – she had been right, he had been a blind duck. He smiled at the thought. Once his heart would have squeezed with pain at the thought, now it felt freed. Freed from it all. He had been disillusioned, he had been heart-broken. But now he was healing and free. Maybe, it was even time to take care of his eyes. He pulled off his glasses and stared fuzzily at them. They were a little blurred as he squinted to see them and a soft laugh, made him lift his head.

Ranma was leaning against the wall smiling at Mousse. He came forward and sat down beside Mousse, leaning his head back, stretching his legs too.

"Thank you Mousse," his strong voice thanked a friend.

"Any time Ranma," Mousse smiled slowly back.

"I am sorry friend," he added seriously.

"I understand," and the Chinese man did understand.

"She forgives me, always forgives me. Where does she find so much forgiveness?" Ranma slowly asked.

Mousse thought about it for a moment and gave Ranma the answer that his own heart gave him, "In her love. It gives her strength, power and life. It hurts her and yet it is the center of her life. It is an essential part of her."

Ranma stared at Mousse and slowly he smiled as his friend, "Yes... so much a part of me." And Mousse nodded. They went silent, enjoying each other's company, enjoying the rest.

"Do you like Akane, Mousse?" Ranma dropped in the silence.

And Mousse smiled to himself as he replied, "Who doesn't?" he teased Ranma and then added, "Yes I do."

"But I like you just as I like her friend," he set his friend's mind to rest and inwardly smiled. Yes, he loved those two – he thought – maybe one a little more but he loved them both. And he let his head fall back. And the two young men each got lost in their thoughts, both with a smile on their lips.

Kuno got back from the garage with a grim expression on his face and rage boiling in his veins. His hands were clamped down on the steering wheel and his face set as he drove back to the hospital. The guilt that had ate at him had been blown away. The questions, "Why did I have to give her that car? What didn't I give her another? So many cars in the garage at home and I chose to give her that one," that had taunted him had all disappeared and hate had replaced the guilt.

 He had spent the afternoon with the mechanic. He had just hoped that he could leave the car with the mechanic and come back to the hospital but one single sentence had kept him there when he had explained the situation.

"Faulty brakes? There was nothing faulty two weeks ago when Miss Tendo left with the car."

"Maybe something went wrong," the young man had tensed as he had said it.

"Nothing could have gone wrong. The car had been as good as it can get. And I don't make mistakes!" the mechanic had snapped.

Kuno had followed the mechanic to the car as the latter had started to work on the crushed car.

"Are you going to stay?" he had asked with a look over his shoulder.

"Yes," the answer had been bitten out.

"Then help me and pass me the tools," the answer had come. And his afternoon had been spent as the mechanic had taken the car apart.

Three hours, later, the man finally came out from the hood, grimy and serious.

"The brakes have been tampered with," the man stated.

"What do you mean?" Kuno's heartbeat sped up.

"The oil relay cable between the discs and the brakes has been cut," he explained and Kuno watched his grave eyes as anger surged.

But it was all held in tight control as he asked the man.

"Are you sure about it?"

"I spent two hours trying to find another reason. But the brakes were tampered with and it was an amateur." The man shook his head and the look in his eyes were sad and sorry as he told the young man, "Tell Miss Tendo to take care of herself."

Kuno watched him walk away his heart growing cold. Cold as ice. He got back in his car and drove back to the hospital, his mind working furiously. He found Nabiki asleep. Tofu laid a hand on the young man's shoulder as Kuno sat besides Nabiki, his elbows on his knees, hands joined as if in prayer as he sat forward, watching the sleeping girl.

"She complained about a hard headache after you left and we gave her a sleeping pill. Everyone but Akane has been around." Tofu squeezed the young man's shoulder once more before leaving.

Kuno nodded and stepped up to Nabiki. He caressed her cheek as his mind even refused to go over the possibility that things could have ended differently. He stayed with her for some time, needing the reassurance that she was still here, that she was still as alive as she was in his heart.

Then he went in search of Ranma and found both the latter and Mousse each sprawled in a chair. He let himself fall in a chair beside them. Ranma opened an eye and asked, "Hard afternoon?"

"Yeah," he sighed.

"Us too." And Ranma proceeded to tell him about Shampoo.

Kuno's spine straightened as he finished.

"It was her," he stated and captured both Ranma's and Mousse's attention as they stared at him uncomprehendingly.

"The brakes of the Nabiki's car had been tampered with. I spent the afternoon with a mechanic checking out the car. He was adamant; the brakes had been tampered with. An amateur he called the person," Kuno watched understanding dawn on both men's faces. And watched their flared auras. Watched them both bring anger and rage in control just as he had.

Ranma was already on his feet as he breathed out in a deadly voice, "I am going to kill her." And found himself blocked by the bodies of Mousse and Kuno both before him.

"Calm down," a hand was laid on his shoulder and another on his arm.

"We have to take care of this calmly. Nabiki and Akane have already gotten hurt, we don't want anyone else hurt," Kuno stared at Ranma as he reasoned and Ranma saw the same burning rage in the other man's eyes and slowly he nodded.

Shampoo sang to herself as she cooked. The door opened and she turned with a smile to greet her great grandmother. And her smile froze as Cologne entered with an Elder from the Amazon tribe. She went to the two old women and bowed respectfully.

"Hello great Elder," she murmured.

"Hello Shampoo," the old wizened woman replied.

Shampoo brought the two women up to date with the news of everything that had happened in Nerima, omitting a few parts. The Elder sighed and slowly told Shampoo,

"You have one month to find a way for your future husband to accept to come back to us to China. After that, if you do not succeed, we will return to China alone and you will have to face the consequences. This has gone on long enough. Now it ends. In the meantime, I will be staying here until our return," she turned away from Shampoo and Cologne led her to the room. Shampoo stared at the Elder's back and grinned to herself. Don't worry; Airen will be coming back to us, I'll make sure of it. And the arrogant Amazon flipped her hair over her shoulder and returned to her cooking.

"Shampoo," she turned to find Cologne on the top of her walking stick and watching her.

"What is great grandmother?" she asked.

"Were you the one who caused the accident, Shampoo?" Cologne's keen eyes were trained on Shampoo as the latter hesitated and finally nodded.

"Child, didn't I ask you to wait for me, that we would find a solution?" Cologne shook her head at her great granddaughter.

"Time running out great grandmother, I need to do something" was her answer.

"Is there any way for son-in-law to find out?"

"Shampoo already burn chinese book about car and Ukyo help too," she added to reassure Cologne.

"Ukyo?" Cologne was surprised. The girl had not seemed the type. "Are you sure about her?" Cologne insisted and Shampoo nodded in response.

"Well, I hope you know what you are doing child. With the Elder here, I cannot be of any great help to you. I have to be by her side. Make sure that she never finds out about this or you know what will happen," Cologne warned her in a low voice.

"Don't worry great grandmother, Shampoo take care of things and one month we go back to China with Airen," she reassured Cologne with a smile.

Cologne stared at her great granddaughter and sighed to herself. Shampoo had the arrogance of youth and of being the best amongst the Amazons. But many times when arrogance grew and was misplaced, it brought only grief. A worried frown creased her brow as she hopped away. But then maybe the time had come for Shampoo to learn the lessons of life. Maybe the time had come for Cologne to stop protecting the child if she wanted her to become a true and proud Amazon, instead of the spoilt girl who believed she could have everything that she wanted, that she seemed to be right now. She had tried to protect Shampoo and maybe she should not have. Maybe it was time to let life start to teach her to be a woman, maybe it was time to let her follow her own way, go along her own road in life.

My Notes :

The chapter was not a very likeable one I agree, it kinda broke everything but I needed to break everything and I hope this chapter helps you understand why.

Thanks for the reviews, I found so many different views and that helps a lot. It especially helps me to keep everything in perspective.

To Patirick : I have used "will" instead of "shall" because Akane believes that she will be walking soon. So the "will" states the faith that she has in it.

If I've misunderstood what you were trying to tell me, let me know.

To taku : Yes, he does shake her. In anger, many times we don't think when acting and Akane did get hurt. And I used "violently" to evoke his anger. I'm looking into it but I haven't yet made any changes.

Thanks for it all; u guys have helped me a lot with the story ^_^