Hi guys, sorry for making you wait for so long. Holidays and after are always the worst for me.

Chapter 7

Cane grinned when she saw her house. It was nice to be home. Trying to be nice-nice with

Shinnosuke was starting to grate on her nerves. Not to mention the fact that there was going to be a party tonight and she had sorely missed Nabiki, not that she would ever admit that out loud. She turned to the two men behind her; both were apparently relived to finally have reached a destination after miles of endless wandering. "Well, this is it." She gestured a hand toward the house. "My humble abode."

Ryoga sighed with relief. "Finally!" He glared at Cane. "Ya know, we would have been here sooner if you had taken my short cuts."

Cane smirked. "If by sooner, you mean next week, then you're probably right."

Ryoga snorted, but couldn't keep a grin from teasing his lips. "Ha Ha, very funny." He suddenly pointed excitedly down at one of the two vehicles in front of her house. "Hey! That's my wife's truck!"

Cane raised an eyebrow at Ryoga. "You mean I didn't tell you earlier? Kasumi got a couple of letters from Nabiki and Akari, both stated that they are coming for a visit, so Kasumi decided to throw a party." Cane put her arms behind her head and sighed wistfully. "I bet Kasumi, Shampoo, and Ukyo all had a great time today, ya know, cooking for the party and all. I wish I had stayed."

"Well, I'm glad you decided to go." muttered Shinnosuke under his breath.

"What was that?!" growled Cane. She held a fist under his nose.

"Uh...I said...Who are you... girl I don't ...know. Heh. Heh." He sweat dropped.

"Come on you guys!" Yelled Ryoga over his shoulder as he started down the hill. "You coming or what?"

Cane grabbed Shinnosuke by the sleeve and shoved him ahead of her. She grinned as he toppled. He's a lot more annoying then she remembered. She couldn't help but admire his physic though. 'Still sexy as ever. The rotten bastard!'

Shinnosuke notice the way her gaze traveled over him and smirked. "Undressing me with your eyes?"

Cane let out a cry of outrage. Her cheeks became bright red, wither or not it was from anger or embarrassment was uncertain.

"Here," he said putting his arms behind his head and flexing. "let be give you a better view."

Cane sweat dropped. "And to think, you used to be such a shy, sweet boy." She shook her head and began to follow Ryoga. "Forget it, Don Juan, it would never work out between us..."

"Why's that?" He challenged.

"You annoy me." was her flippant response.

*******************************

*Splash!* "Ahhh!" shouted Onna-Ranma waking up with a start. "That's cold!" Ranma looked up at her tormenter, Nabiki. "Wha'ca do that for?!"

"You told her." was the girls' curt remark.

"Huh?" Ranma frowned. "What're you talkin' about."

"Akane-chan knows she's in the future."

"Oh," said Ranma sheepishly. "That."

"Yes. That." Nabiki crossed her arms over her chest. "You want to tell me why you took it upon your self to disclose this information to Akane-chan without telling the rest of us."

Onna-Ranma put an arm behind her head, looking sheepish. "She was so upset...I thought it was a good idea at the time. Its no big deal."

"That's where your wrong Ranma. It was safer for her to think that her family was out of town then to let her know that she is in the future."

"What do you mean 'safer'? You know I would never let anything bad happen to her."

Nabiki sighed. "Poor simple minded Ranma," she gave her a stern glance. "If Akane knows what is going to happen, it gives her the power to choose a different outcome. Just think, if she knows how annoying you are she might find a way to make sure her engagement to you never happens...get it?"

Onna-Ranma visibly shuddered.

"Is that what you want?" She asked.

Onna-Ranma pouted. "Its not like I care or nothing, that stupid tomboy can do what ever she wants!"

"Oh, really?" Said Nabiki. "Well then, I'll just let Akane-chan know that Mousse is all hers."

"Nabiki! You can't do that! It would be mean!" Onna-Ranma stood, completely furious with the older girl. "She'll kill him with her poisonous cooking! Not even Mousse deserves such a fate. Now me on the other hand..." Said Onna-Ranma, hauntingly waving a hand. "I'm used to her nasty concoctions. I'm probably the only man alive who can stomach it, and that's why she needs to stay my fiancé."

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Your logical 'elucidation' astounds and mystifies me, Ranma." She sighed. "All I'm saying is watch yourself okay?"

The red head nodded.

"Alright, lets go eat. I'm sure you're dying of hunger."

"How'd you know I was dying of hunger?"

Nabiki smirked as they excited the room. "And when are you not dying of hunger?"

In the kitchen Kasumi smiled as Nabiki and Onna-Ranma entered the room, and sat at the breakfast table to eat. "Good morning, have either of you two seen Akane-chan this morning?"

"I certainly did, and she knows about the whole time travel thing, blabber-mouth over here," she jerked a thumb at Ranma. "told her everything."

"Hey," said Ranma defensively. "she had already figured it out, I jus' kinda filled in the blanks for her."

"Well," said Kasumi kindly. "Akane has always been a very bright girl. I supposed it was only a matter of time before..." Kasumi was interrupted when a young voice shouted from the top of the stairs.

"I'M HERE!" There was a thudding sound as Akane-chan ran down the stairs into the foyer.

"Speak of the devil..." muttered Onna-Ranma. She cringed when Kasumi glared at her. "I meant speak of the Angel, of course."

"Good morning, Oneechan!" Akane said excitedly to Kasumi as she made a beeline for Nabiki's lap.

"Good morning, Akane. I've made your favorite." Kasumi gestured at the food on the table.

"Woohoo!" Akane yelled excitedly as she landed on Nabiki's lap, causing the older girl to groan. "You're the best, Kasumi!" She dug in.

"Yes," said Nabiki sarcastically to the young girl eating off of her plate. "You can have it I wasn't hungry anyways."

Akane-chan then began to talk and eat at the same time. "Since I'm in the future an' all, I thought I should go see what things are like around here. Ya know, like my friends, places I used to hang out and..." Her eyes fell on Onna-Ranma. "Who are you?"

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Akane hurried back through the forest as quickly as possible. She must have cried herself to sleep in the shrine, because one minute she was sobbing over Ranma's cruel misfortune and the next thing she knew she was rubbing her eyes as the sun went down. 'Kasumi's probably worried sick.'

When she did finally reach the house she could see that the festivities had already started. She approached the house cautiously not sure what to expect. When she saw a familiar figure standing at the door she sighed with relief. "Hi, Kasumi!" She called out.

The Older women's worry lines softened as her time-swept younger sister approached. "Akane, where have you been? Everyone was worried about you!"

Akane blushed. "I went to visit Ranma."

Kasumi raised an eyebrow. "Really, Akane," said Kasumi with disapproving look. "it's bad enough when Cane stays at the shrine for hours at a time, but for you to follow suit?" She tsked.

"Sorry." Akane apologized quietly.

A heavy bout of laughter came from inside. Bring a smile to Kasumi's lips. "Well, come on, we don't want to miss out on all the fun.

Akane giggled. "Alright."

Cane looked up as the two women walked through the door. "Itza bout time." she said in a slurred voice to Akane. "I though' ya ranaway or shomethn'" Cane took a big swig out of the flask in her hand before passing it to Ryoga.

Akane's jaw dropped. Cane's drunk! and from the looks of it Mousse and Ryoga weren't too far behind. .

"Wellzer." said Cane, clumsily getting to her feet to join Akane in the center of the room.. "Bes' get sarted onna inna...ah...waszat word? Inta...uh...inra...hmmm...intraduckshins?"

"Introductions?" supplied the chic women, sitting in a love seat next to Ukyo. The woman was dressed to kill from the top of her perfectly styled hair to the bottem of her 'ever-so-fashionable' Guicci long black boots. She was diffidently not someone you could easily over look. She was wearing a short, sexy red dress that that fit her curves to perfection. It came only to mid thigh and the neck line plunged dangerously. A thin gold necklace adorned her throat with a beautiful jewel encrusted heart shaped pendent attached She was sitting with her legs and arms crossed, watching Cane make a fool of herself with half lidded amusement. Squeezed between her and Ukyo's thighs was a pretty little two year old girl who, except for having curls in her hair, was the spitting image of the confident woman sitting next to her.

"Yeah. Tha's the one, tha'ks 'biki." Cane's arm around Akane tightened. "Tha's Nabiki, Akane."

Nabiki's eyes turn toward her younger sister, ten years removed, and gave her a smirk of acknowledgement.

Akane blushed and smiled back. 'She's so beautiful. She must've done real well for herself, and is that her daughter? Hmmm...I wonder who the father is. Bet he's loaded.' Her eyes scaned the room. 'Funny, I don't see any guy here that I haven't met already. Did she come without him?'

Cane frowned, not seeing the silent exchange between the two woman, assumed Akane didn't see who she was talking about. She pointed toward her older sister. "That's Nabiki ri' dere, Akane."

Akane nodded.

"Sheez sitting on th' luv seet."

"Okay."

"Shez th' one inna red...uh...dress."

"Alright, got it."

"Shez shitting next to Ukeyoh."

"ALRIGHT ALREADY, I KNOW WHO NABIKI IS!!" Akane's face turned bright red as her blood pressure shoot through the roof. She wondered if killing yourself was grounds for an acquittal or a plea of insanity.

"Shesh, bite my head off, why don' cha." She turned to a woman sitting in a rocking chair holding a baby in her arms. "An' tha's...uh..."

"Akari." Akane murmured. While everyone else had changed and showed signs of age Akari looked exactly like Akane remembered.

"Hello, Akane. When Kasumi told everyone that Cane had traveled back through time to get her younger self none of us believe her, but here you are." She tenderly held up the baby so Akane could she it. "This is my new little girl, her name is Jun."

Akane leaned over to get a better look at the baby. "She's beautiful." Akane started when a door suddenly slammed open and a new comer entered the room.

"Behold! Mine ears doth not deceive me! Akane Tendo, my fierce tigress, hath once again graced my presence with her abounding loveliness. Come hither to mine arms, my love." He leapt at her.

Akane let out a shriek and planted a fist in his face.

He frowned. "That hurt you know."

Nabiki sat laughing on her side of the room. "Apparently she remembers you as well, Kuno baby."

Kuno crossed his arms and leaned his head to the side in contemplation. "Ah yes, Akane did say she would turn the hands of time to retrieve her younger person. How very strange for you." He nodded. Looking around the room his eyes finally fell on Cane. Who was laughing and joking with Ryoga and Mousse at the other side of the room. "I trust she has already preformed formal introductions."

"Well, I wouldn't say formal, exactly." Said Akane ackwardly.

Nabiki looked at her husband with a bored looked. "Cane neglected to introduce our daughter to her."

"What!" Roared Kuno. "I simply can not allow this travesty to go forth another minute!" Kuno strode quickly to the little girl sitting between Nabiki and Ukyo.

"Daddy!" She exclaimed. Holding out her arms.

He smiled proudly down at her before lifting her up and holding her out in front of him the way the baboon in 'The Lion King' held up Simba. "Before you," He called out in a booming voice, causing everyone in the room to stop what they were doing to see what Kuno was up to now. "is Patto Kuno, the undefeated spelling bee champion. Known to all her peers and loved ones as the shimmering sun of Furinkan pre-school."

Patto held up two fingers and posed like her Daddy had taught her. She giggled.

Ukyo turned to Nabiki. "Shimmering sun?"

Nabiki shrugged. "News to me."

Shampoo had a confused expression. "I thought she Burning candle."

"No, no," Said Konastu scratching the back of his head. "I'm pretty sure she was the Crashing waves the last time we met."

Everyone had a good laugh and went back into conversation. Akane was having a blast. Listening to them reminisce about things that had happened to her yet, watching the kids play. Ming and Koji pretended they were husband and wife and that Patto was their child, while Okinawa pouted and said it was a stupid game. Everyone seem to get along so well like they were all one big happy family. She sighed. 'I wish we were like that now. It would be nice to have Shampoo and Ukyo allies instead of enemies.'

As it got later Akane decided to sneak away and go to bed, after all, she'll be training with Cane tomorrow. There's no telling what that madwoman had in store for her. When she reached her room she was surprised to find someone in there already.

"Oh. S...sorry, I didn't know this room was taken." As he began to exit Akane got a good look at his face.

"Shinnosuke?!" She ran up to him giving him a big hug. "Don't go! I'm glad your here!"

"A...Are you sure? You didn't seem very happy to see me..."

"Of course I'm sure! I've missed you!"

He frowned. "So you're not angry with me anymore?"

Akane looked at him puzzled. 'Angry? why would he think I was angry? Was it because he told me he loved me? Oh, Shinnosuke.' "I'm not angry at you. In fact, It...was kinda nice."

"Really?!" He gaped at her, and suddenly his face became joyful. "Then allow me to make you feel 'nice' once again." Then holding her cheeks he brought his lips down upon hers.

End of Chapter 7

Bad Shinnosuke bad! You would think that after all that time a guy would learn to keep his hands to himself. Anyway I'll be getting the next chapter out much quicker then this one. Thanx for being Patient.