Faded Away

"Akane" Ranma began and looked away just as soon as he said it. "Ranma." She quickly turned to him and hugged him tightly as she tends to do when she hugs things. Ranma was frozen in his spot as she leaned her head into his chest. "You're not going to push me away again right?" Akane questioned. Ranma didn't react so she smiled and loosened the strength of her hug. She sighed as she placed her head on his chest again and she took in a breath and exhaled after. They stood there a few seconds before Akane began to cough. She backed away and turned from Ranma still coughing more. She was nearly choking and loosened her scarf. Ranma went over to her quickly. "Akane are you okay?" Ranma questioned as she stopped.

"Ranma! How could you take advantage of me!" Akane said with tears in her eyes as he jumped away. "Wh-what?" Ranma stammered. "You lied to me?" Akane questioned. "What do you mean Akane?" Ranma quickly asked as he slunk away from her slowly. She was crying now, but also had an angry face on her. "You told me things that weren't true." Ranma stopped and stared at her with interest. "Akane? Do" He shook his head. "Do you remember me?"

Memory Seven:

Akane stopped, but continued to be angry. "Y-yes. I remember everything now. You told me the truth, but you still failed to tell me things." Akane stated with anger. "Well, everything we've been through is unbelievable and I realize you would never believe it if you hadn't seen it." Ranma explained looking away. "So what now? Do you hate me?" Ranma questioned.

"Not so much, but I'm more disappointed." Akane replied as she tried her best to be far from him, yet still near him. "I can't help being mad at you though. I mean you just had to leave and then come back and lie your ass off. I hate it that you can never tell the truth." Akane remarked as she clenched her fists. "Hey, but I came back." Ranma responded defensively. "It ain't my fault you guys forgot me."

"Ranma, I've been thinking about you all this time. I mean, I had this weird feeling I" Akane muttered. "Akane I know. I mean you kept asking me all those weird questions regarding my relationship with anyone." Ranma interjected.

Akane grimaced and looked away with a blush. "I did didn't I? I thought I loved you." Akane explained as Ranma moved closer. How can you think it and not mean it?" Ranma questioned. "I could say the same to you." Akane responded in defense.

Ranma looked away from her and then looked back to her angry eyes. "Akane, I don't think I love you. I definitely love you." Ranma replied struggling to hold in what he said. Akane stared at him in shock and confusion. "I, I, can't believe you'd say that!" Akane stammered punching Ranma's forehead and running off in embarrassment.

"H-hey Akane!" Ranma after recovering quickly from the attack gives chase. With a good jump Ranma cuts off Akane and stops her. "I ain't lying. I actually meant that." Akane shook here head in disbelief. "Did you?" She asked sarcastically. She knew he couldn't love her.

"I do, not did." Ranma responded with a serious face. "I only just realized it though. I mean, once I lost you I found that I actually missed you Akane. Even if you are some macho, tomboy who acts more like a guy than a girl." Ranma explained, but all Akane heard was the first and last sentence. In response she punched him in the gut and turned away near crying. "Well, I'm sorry I can't be as good-looking as Shampoo or act like the rest of them." Akane said sarcastically.

Ranma regained his composure once more. "Didn't you hear me?" He roared. "I said I loved 'ya! Why'd you hafta do that?"

"You are so, arrogant." Akane said giving Ranma the "cold shoulder" and beginning to walk off. Ranma stretched out his arm to grab her own. It seemed like he was trying to touch the other side of the Grand Canyon. Finally he was able to grasp her arm and hold her there with him. "I like the fact you're a stubborn tomboy though. If you weren't that way you'd be that Akane who took your place while you forgotten me. I like you much better this way than the other."

"Oh, Ranma." Akane hung her head low. "I'm confused. I mean I've been going around a good three weeks not knowing who you were, but suddenly you're back and proclaiming your love for me." She turned to him as he moved his hand to wipe away her tears. "Akane, I understand if 'ya don't wanna say anything back."

"That's the problem!" Akane explained. "I want to say I lov, I like you, but it won't come out." Akane continued stopping to cough once. "I want to be like the other me and be able to get even close to saying I do."

"Akane, you are still that Akane. That Akane couldn't be you, but you can be that one." Ranma mentioned. "That means you can say it, but you just are having doubts now. You know a lot about me, but that Akane didn't know anything much." Ranma explained with a sigh. "What about the others? Do you need them to remember you?" Akane asked trying to get away from that other subject.

"Yes, but I don't think that would be all that good. I mean I want to be my father's son again, but I ain't going to go through all that other crap he does." Ranma replied. "All I really want is a home Akane. Can you give me that?" Ranma asked seriously. She had never seen this side of Ranma before; he was actually open with his feelings. All of this change in him just because people forgot him. "I can give you that Ranma. I can't say you mean anything to me, but I can provide you with a place to return to."

Ranma smiled for the first time in a long time. "Thanks Akane." Ranma began on his way for the Tendo home with Akane to his side. "You know that you'll have to act like you don't know what you do." Akane nodded and formed a smile. "Ranma, this means our engagement never happened right?" Ranma stared at her and followed with a hesitant nod. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Ranma, we don't have to worry about that so much then." Akane replied. "If I don't have to marry you, I can do this." Ranma and she stopped as Akane nervously looked at him. She swallowed once and relaxed. "Ranma, I do love you."

Ranma stared at her as she did the same in turn. Neither knew what was supposed to happen next. Were they to hug, or kiss even? Ranma shrugged. "That's good to know. At least we can agree that we both love me." Ranma stated slyly as he began again for the dojo.

"H-hey!" Akane muttered following after him. "Don't you mean to say that you love me as well?" Ranma looked back to her. "I could say that, but you know I do already so what's the point?" Akane clenched her fists. "Still, you could have said it again. You ruined the moment!" Akane declared.

"Akane, do you want to go on a date? I never asked a girl on one for real before, and I'd actually like a real date with a girl with no attachments for once." Ranma commented. "I wouldn't say I don't want to." Akane replied nervously.

"Do we even need a date?" Ranma questioned aloud. "I mean, we already know a lot about one another, and we've done all that usual date-type stuff." Ranma explained. "Well, it isn't exactly the same Ranma. I mean dating, and what we did are two separate things."

"How so? I mean aren't dates done so 'ya can get to know the person?" Ranma wondered. "Well, I suppose they are, but there's more to them, but I just can't explain it. It's different alright?" Akane stated finally fed up with talking about it with Ranma.

"If that's the case I say I should take you out to dinner, or something like that." Ranma explained. "As much as I'd like that I think I should decline." Akane replied. "Huh? Why?" Ranma asked. "Because then we'd have the same problems as before. Our fathers would be trying to get you engaged to me while Nabiki would be cashing in on all of this."

"Well, we have an advantage then. If we know what they'll try we can prevent it." Ranma returned. "It's not so simple Ranma." Akane noted. "Why not? It sounds easy enough." Akane ignored him as they entered the Tendo home from the backyard. "We shouldn't worry about them."

"You never did think ahead have you? You are just concerned with what you feel." Akane responded. "Hey! You're just as selfish as I am. You never pay attention to what I try to tell 'ya." Ranma argued. "Huh? Did you just say something?" Akane sarcastically asked. Ranma let out an aggravated moan as they sat at the table. "How was it that I remembered you Ranma?"

Ranma thought that over for a moment. "I have no idea. Wait! That powder that Mousse had that would restore memory of me. It broke and it musta got on my clothes. That's why when you hugged me you remembered." Ranma explained in shock. "I should clean my clothes."

"There's a change of your clothes in the back of your old closet. I'm going to go see my father. I'm going to need an excuse to let you stay here." Akane explained. "Eh, maybe we should just go with the fiancée bit." Ranma suggested as a joke.

"Did someone say 'fiancée'?" Soun asked as he popped into the room. "Oh, Ranma. What brings you here?" Soun asked as the two teens looked to one another not knowing what to say. "He's decided to stay here dad. Right Ranma?" Akane mentioned. "Uh, right." Ranma said with a nod. "I, uh, think it's best if all of the followers of the Anything-Goes martial arts stay together in the same dojo." Ranma fabricated.

"How true." Soun noted. "Hmm. I guess we can put you somewhere. How about the closet under the stairs?" Soun questioned. "Dad we can't put guests there." Akane commented. "Well, every other room is taken already. Except master Happousai's of course, but he's due back anytime." Soun continued in thought. "I think that's a good place for me to stay." Ranma said with an arrogant smirk. He was going to get that freak good when he came back and in the end Ranma will be the best.

"Do you think that's wise?" Sound questioned with unease. "Oh yeah. If he gives any trouble I'll just beat him up." Ranma replied. "What?" Sound shrieked. "You can't be serious? You'd actually fight the master at full strength?" Ranma nodded causing Soun to collapse. "Uh, is he okay?" Ranma asked leaning over the table to look at the Tendo father. "You know how emotional he gets." Akane mentioned.

"Anyway, I should get to bed. Akane, I want to say that what I said earlier was true." Ranma stated as he stood up. "So, yeah. Good night." Ranma said as he left the room behind. "Ranma. What do I do with you?" Akane wondered as she stared out to the yard.

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That took some time. Anyway, I apologize for the lateness and also the lack of effort. This isn't the best of chapters, but hey, it could be worse so give me credit. No flames. On a side note: Thanks to all that reviewed the last chapter.