Here we go again!

I'm truly amazed at all the reviews I've gotten. I was hoping for about one or two reviews per chapter, if even that.. But the response I've gotten so far... I'm shocked! XD And very happy too, thanks for the encouragement everyone. :-)

You can also read this story at my homepage which should prove more easy for your eyes, I hope :-)

Oh well, author notes at the end of the chapter!

HONORLESS MAN

chapter 04 - Broken

By: Ufomanne

Email: Rahwin and add the domain listed above.

Prereading of this chapter I owe to my master, the mighty Kyrian! bows several times Kyrian is such a kind master!

Ahem now on with the story

Tired
I'm so tired
Lost my will
To smile
To laugh
To live.
Tired
I'm so tired
Why didn't you listen?
Now my soul is dead
I'm just a shell
Drained of life.

Tired
I'm so tired
I wish to just lie down
Close my eyes and sleep
Sleep until someone smiles
Until someone laughs.

Tired
I'm so tired
I know you didn't see
My quiet plea
But did you have to kill me?
By those blind and uncaring words.

Tired
I'm so tired
Standing here, hollow eyes
Wish to sleep.

To turn from this.

World of lies.

Ranma lay on the floor of the dojo, silently watching the shadows slowly swallow the ceiling in the slow coming of night. The slow breath of Kasumi softly caressing his neck and cheek, she had slowly fallen asleep after having cried herself empty. She still lay on top of him, seemingly comfortable with her current bedding, sometimes hiccupping as the after effect of her emotional breakout still lingered, even in sleep.

How long they had been laying there Ranma didn't know, but it was well into the evening. The wooden floor of the dojo was slightly uncomfortable to lay upon, even with the cloth between it didn't become very much more soft, but the warm closeness to Kasumi was soothing, and Ranma didn't want to move, he was too tired to move.

The rain had gradually slowed down, now only a slight drizzle remained, almost impossible to hear from Ranma's position. As he lay there staring but not really seeing, slowly caressing Kasumi's back with his right hand, he felt numb, as if his mind simply could not generate enough energy to function properly anymore. He felt numb, but was not totally cut off from himself as he had been before.

It was hard, he had been laying there trying to sort out what he felt for what he had almost done, he tried to dredge up any sort of guilt or any emotion that would tell him that what he was doing was wrong, but he couldn't. He felt pain thinking about how he hurt Kasumi, and a little bit frightened at the violent reaction that he got from her, it was so unexpected. But somehow, he had felt before that she was somehow like him, hiding behind a false façade, he was shocked at how right his gut feeling had been.

He lay there, not really thinking, not really feeling. It felt calm in a good way, empty, but not really bad.

Finally deciding that it maybe was time to try to move, Kasumi should not be sleeping in the slightly cold air of the Dojo, even if their shared warmth seemed to keep her comfortable. Slowly Ranma began to sit up, holding Kasumi still against his chest and picking up her legs at the knees, so she ended up sitting in his lap. Remarkably enough she didn't react except making a small complaining sound at being moved. Ranma looked down at her with some surprise, and thought with some amount of wonderment at how tired she must be.

Ranma looked around in the dojo, without the low rumble of the rain on the roof it was almost totally quiet inside the dojo, the shadows and silence giving the building a feeling of being in another realm, separated from the rest of the universe. A feeling that normally would perhaps make him a bit uncomfortable did not touch him at all now, and he sat there for a little while, studying the shadows and relishing the warmth from Kasumi and the feeling of being outside the rest of the world.

After a short moment he spied the tanto as a slightly darker shadow on the floor a small distance from his position, and then looked down at the cloth that he sat on. Quickly deciding that those things could wait until later, he folded his legs up under him and carefully stood up, carrying Kasumi with him. Kasumi mumbled something into the crook of his neck, but didn't seem to wake, or was simply too tired to try to move at the moment.

He moved slowly toward the door to the outside, a feeling that might be fear slowly creeping up inside of him at the thought of meeting the world again, to see the people he knew in the face once more. There was nothing to fear, because there was nothing left to lose, but still...

He carefully opened the door of the dojo, making sure he didn't disturb the woman in his arms. Then he slipped out into the hall to the rest of the house. Padding as silently he could, begging fervently in his mind to avoid meeting anyone while having Kasumi in his arms, he walked down and glanced into the hall that led to the family room, seeing the light on, but it seemed like the rest of the house was dark, quiet and dark.

Ranma carried Kasumi up the stairs, halfway Kasumi started to mumble something and Ranma froze in his step to try and listen to what she said, he could only make out his own name once, and the rest was mumbled so incoherently he couldn't understand what she was saying. He stood there for a minute and pondered what she might dream about as it didn't seem to be a nightmare, finally giving up he walked the rest of the dark stair up to the second floor. He listened carefully after any sign of activity, there was no light in any of the rooms, and the faint sound of both Nabikis and Akanes slow breaths was faintly recognisable by his sensitive ears, them and Kasumis breath and heartbeat. Surprisingly no sound of snoring from the guestroom. Briefly wondering where Genma went Ranma sneaked into Kasumis room.

With his sight long since used to the dark he walked up to the bed and, albeit a little clumsily, swiftly got rid of the bedsheets, and very carefully put Kasumi down on the bed. He studied her passively for a moment, taking in the gentle features relaxed in sleep, then he covered her up with the bed sheets, not daring to even think about helping her out of her clothes. Sighing deeply he then sat on the floor beside the bed, leaning against the bed.

"What am I supposed to do now?" He asked himself in a whisper, turning his hands and staring at his palms, looking at every crease and rough line that made them what they were. 'What can I do? I have nothing left, I'm useless this way.' Silently wishing he could cry, or do anything to let some of the pain inside of him escape. 'I guess I have to talk to Soun first, hopefully he will let me stay for a little bit. Or else I'll have to find somewhere else to sleep'

Tiredly he rose, suddenly feeling exhausted. He looked at Kasumi once more, suddenly feeling a bit ashamed that he was in her room without her permission, while she was sleeping. Without a sound he exited her room, and with one last glance full of confusion and doubt at the sleeping girl he closed the door. He stood outside the door for a while, not really sure about what he should do, he was very tired, but he didn't feel like sleeping. Somehow he wished he could go back into the room and sit down at the spot he left and wait. Wait for something to happen, it was much safer in there, much safer with her. He thought about the feelings she brought out in him, she was the only person he knew that wasn't directly tied to any pain, although it hurt to see her sad.

Dismissing that particular train of thoughts he made his way towards his room, intending to enter, maybe then he would come up with some idea as of what he should do. Reaching out with his hand he froze when he thought of what might be behind the door. He didn't hear anything, but the chance for Genma being taken here to rest was very big. Ranma really didn't feel like seeing that fleabag of a panda right now, not now, hopefully never. With a grimace of disgust at Genma, and himself, he let his hand go back to his side. He started down the stairs instead.

'Maybe someone left something to eat. Heh, always something to do.' he wasn't hungry really, but his stomach felt empty. He felt a little better having a goal, and continued his way down the stairs, and toward the kitchen.

Once down the stair he suddenly stopped, the light in the family room was still on, someone was there, or someone forgot to turn the light off. Ranma really didn't feel like facing anyone right now, he felt the panic slowly creep up his stomach, and up his throat. All his defences were down, he had no energy to defend himself anymore and he was afraid that if anyone said or did something of the usual against him, he would just break again, and never be able to survive.

With some trepidation he approached the room, the lighting in the ceiling was dark, but a lamp in the left corner was lighted (which he couldn't see, but it had to be that lamp) casting a soft glow over the otherwise dark room. Soundlessly Ranma walked toward the doorway to the room, if he walked really quiet whoever was in the room wouldn't notice him before he saw who it was, and could flee if it was the wrong person. He saw a shadow of a figure sitting close to where the shogi table usually were.

"Ranma." The simple uttering of his name, said with a calm tone that seldom was heard in the house, made Ranma start, and was almost on his way to bolt, but finally relaxed.

"Tendo" Ranma said with a subdued voice, stepping fully into the room, seeing the patriarch of the Tendo family sitting in his usual place at the shogi table, silently watching the setting of the game. Beside him stood a small bottle of sake, the small glass held in Soun's hand, resting in his lap.

"Nodoka was here, she took Genma with her to their house, he won't be returning." Soun said, a contemplative note to his voice, his gaze never leaving the game. His back partially turned to Ranma, he looked tired, but still, in some way, more aware than Ranma had ever seen him. There was a definite difference. Ranma stood still, not sure what to do, silently fearing and expecting to get attacked by a demon head, or be screamed at, but Soun didn't seem to go in any of the expected paths, and Ranma was not sure if it was good or bad.

Slowly walking into the room, concentrating on keeping calm, Ranma directed his gaze to the game table, the little stones laid out in what seemed to be a complicated problem. Finally he came to a halt a respectable distance from Soun, facing his side, and sat down.

"This here is a problem I've never been able to solve" Soun said in a tone that hinted that he was concentrated on the problem at hand. "The setting has one solution, one stone to be moved to guarantee victory, but if the wrong stone is moved, then you loose instantly." He sighed slowly, and took a sip of his glass of sake, still staring at the board.

"I can't see the stone that needs to be moved, every move I can imagine will result in failure." Souns voice almost broke when he spoke, but still not showing any emotions other than calm reflection.

Ranma stared at the stones set out, for the first time in his life realising what might be the reason to play such a game. He didn't know the rules, so it was just stones laid out on an ornate little table for him, but he realised that to Soun it was much more than that. Soun shifted his position and took another sip of the sake in his hand. Then he spoke again, his eyes not leaving the board.

"I think I finally realised what I was doing wrong, I was always so concentrated on seeing what moves would make me fail. I blinded myself for the move that would win." After finishing he fell silent, and the silence slowly stretched, until Ranma finally could form what he wanted into words.

"Tendo, I" and trailed off as he was interrupted by Soun.

"All I dreamed of was the joining of the schools, to see my daughters happy." Soun clenched his fist and looked at it with a frustrated frown, then suddenly relaxed, and opened his fist, still studying it.

"Maybe you can't put the responsibility to make your dream come true on someone else, maybe you can't live on hope and dreams alone." Soun quickly swallowed the rest of the sake in his glass after becoming quiet once more, then he turned to Ranma, studying him with an intense gaze.

"I'm sorry, this old man has much to think about right now, did you want anything?" He asked in a tired tone. Ranma looked at him for a second, then bowed down in his sitting position.

"I would like to ask for permission to stay, I don't have anywhere to go, and I - " After hesitating for a few moments Ranma spoke with a strangely neutral tone, but was suddenly interrupted by Soun, making Ranma look up once more.

"You can stay, for now at least, I need to think this over before deciding what to do, but you are welcome to keep using the guestroom." Soun leaned closer and his features firmed into an intimidating expression, pointing at Ranma with his hand. "But mark my words boy, hurt any of my daughters and I will never forgive you" Ranma nodded quickly at this, a little unnerved at Soun's display of determination. Soun then turned back to the shogi table, and seemingly ignored Ranma. Feeling this as a sign that the Tendo patriarch wanted to be left alone, Ranma rose gracefully and headed once more toward the kitchen.

After fumbling around for the lighting switch for a little while Ranma quickly found something to eat, and satisfied his immediate need for food, taking no great pleasure in doing so, but none the less feeling a little better afterward, and a little sleepy too. Avoiding the family room with Soun still staring at the game, Ranma soundlessly climbed the stairs and slipped into his room.

Shutting the door behind him, he looked around in his room. It seemed that Soun was right, all of Genma's things were gone, leaving only Ranma's bedroll and backpack at one side of the room.

Such an empty room.

Ranma slowly took off his clothes, and then went to bed, staring up at the ceiling until sleep slowly came.

Ranma opened his eyes, staring at one of the walls in his room, the darkness still enveloped everything. He woke up a little while ago, and even if he had tried, he could not fall asleep again, not with all the thoughts whirling inside his mind.

He rolled onto his back, shifting his view to the ceiling, and sighed. He didn't want this, he didn't want to be here. Why couldn't he just let it go? The pain inside of him made it feel like something was crushing his chest, making it hard to breathe, the need to escape was like panic slowly seeping out of his center, making him want to scream, to run. What was left to stop him? Nothing, except

He promised, damn his weak soul, he had promised to stay.

"Kasumi" He whispered into the dark. Why did she care so much? He didn't deserve any kindness, but still she cared, and he promised. He must try, if not for himself, so for her.

He hoped he had the strength to keep his promise.

Finally giving up on any more sleep this night Ranma slowly sat up, glancing at the window in his room to try and distinguish any sign of an approaching dawn. Seeing none he let out a slow breath, and started to dress himself in his usual garb, then stretching quickly to get his body to full functionality.

Giving a big yawn he slid his door open, and silently made his way downstairs. After making sure that the light in the living room was out this time he stepped into said room, looking around, not really sure what to do when it was still dark.

'Hmm, what to do, what to do I can't just sit and stare at the wall and wait until something happens' Ranma mused, although, the proposition of wallstaring maybe wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Laughing humourlessly at his own uncharacteristic thoughts he turned and walked towards the dojo, deciding that some training in the darkness might be nice, and have the added benefit of giving him the chance of hiding the evidence of his other previous activities in the dojo.

After getting rid of the cloth and setting the tanto at its proper place Ranma walked to the centre of the dojo and assumed a loose stance. Closing his eyes he tried to calm himself, to find his own balance once again, and incorporate the new experiences and feelings in the image of himself. After reaching the first small grip of control over his emotions Ranma started to move, a slow and deliberate kata slowly flowed from his body. Not constructed to make one better at fighting enemies, but to heal and strengthen ones mind and heart.

Gracefully gliding with the simple motions Ranma slowly felt himself coming together once more. Since the day he learned this kata he had never really used it, because he couldn't understand what need the motions coupled with the mental exercises would really have. Now it seemed to be perfectly clear. After a good while ranma started on the last sequence of moves of the exercise, feeling a lot calmer and a little excited, as he could almost feel the calmness and contentment on the other side of the finished kata. Suddenly he hesitated just a little bit, and the form of the sequence was totally ruined.

A small frown appearing on his brow, Ranma tried to keep his emotional balance and began the sequence once more, trying to correct the mistake he made. Still the same hesitation appeared, and thus the kata was disturbed again. It was like something just couldn't comply with his wish of completing the kata, as he was running up a slope with increasing incline, making it harder and harder to climb, and just at the peak of the hill he lost his grip and slid all the way down again. He tried to complete the kata once more, but wielded the same result.

Abruptly coming to a stop, Ranma stood shaking in the middle of the dojo, feeling like screaming out the unfairness of the situation. His emotions once more in disarray Ranma felt like lashing out, to destroy the walls, the floor, anything. Slowly getting a hold of himself, but still needing an outlet for his frustration and anger.

"Feh, anything goes, as it's said." He muttered, and then lashed out in the fastest and most violent kata he could remember. Grunting as he exerted himself as much as was possible and pushing through the movement with all the speed and strength he could, moving with deadly grace across the floor, flying through the air, rebounding off the roof and walls to maim his would-be enemies.

Slowly getting lost in the carnage in his mind Ranma slowly turned onto autopilot, and his movements smoothened out and lost their unsure trembling. After a good while, he finally came to a stop, he sat down, panting heavily from the intense exertion, after having regained his breath he stood up and slowly started to begin some cooling down exercises. After some stretching Ranma felt tired, but somewhat invigorated, he looked outside and saw that the sky started to shift from black to a dark blue, the clouds had started to part, showing slowly fading stars.

'Hmm, seems like I lost track of time a little' Ranma mused, staring up at the sky. 'I think Kasumi usually gets up around this time, hmm'

He slowly made his way into the house, and quietly climbed the stairs, heading for Kasumi's room. Carefully sliding the door open just a little bit he looked inside. When nothing alarming was seen he slid the door open enough to enter he room. He closed the door after him and tip-toed to the bed, where Kasumi lay quietly, Ranma smiled a little at the cute way she had tucked one hand under her cheek. He stood there staring at her, unable to move his eyes from her countenance, not really thinking or feeling anything, just being captivated by the sight of her. Finally he snapped out of his trance, seeing that Kasumi was still sleeping deeply. Ranma carefully pulled the curtains to cover the window and then silently left the room, lingering in the doorway to look at Kasumi's sleeping form before letting the door shut.

Quickly washing the sweat from his training in the bathroom, not taking any time to really take a bath, just washing himself with cold water and then splashing himself with warm water to turn him into a man once more. Then he made his way to the kitchen, stopping in the doorway, staring at Kasumi's domain.

'Might as well try to let Kasumi get some sleep' He thought as he stepped into the kitchen, rummaging through the drawers and different cupboards, surveying the existing resources in the tidy kitchen. Finally deciding what he should make, he started to prepare the selected dishes. Trying to concentrate on mundane things to make the pain go away, to function again, to move, Ranma burried himself in the making of food, almost as he did with the previous training.

After an hour of intense activity Ranma was finally adding the last touches to the breakfast table, trying to make it look as much as Kasumi's work as possible. He was far from as good as her at cooking, but he thought that he had succeeded in at least making a pleasant breakfast.

The sun was climbing over the horizon, and was colouring the few clouds that remained on the sky orange, any time now the rest of the household would wake up, and Ranma was planning on making himself scarce before that happened. He froze in his position when someone walked into the room, but he hadn't heard anyone going down the stairs so it had to be Soun, he turned his head and did indeed see the man standing there, looking a little tired.

"Good morning Ranma" He mumbled, sitting down at his customary place at the table, and bringing up the newspaper he had brought with him, starting to slowly flip through it. Ranma looked at him a little surprised, but then snapped out of it and went into the kitchen and fetched all the food, bringing it out and quickly setting it on the table, he then sat down and cleared his throat, Soun lowered his newspaper, and looked inquiring at Ranma.

"Well, Kasumi didn't feel very well this morning, so I told her to stay in bed, she's sleeping now. I've made the breakfast today, I hope it doesn't taste too bad" Ranma scratched the back of his head, looking nervously at Soun.

"Hmm, that's all right Ranma, are you sure Kasumi is all right? I wouldn't want her to come down with something bad." Soun seemed to be a little perturbed that Kasumi didn't feel too well, but still didn't start the water works, or even question what Ranma had done to her to make her sick, which made Ranma a little shocked, but it was still a relief.

"I don't think so, I think she's just tired. Um I won't join you for breakfast, I I have something else to do, yeah" Ranma said, making a valiant try to sound convincing with his excuse, and failing badly.

"Mhmm, sounds good" Soun mumbled noncommittally, already lost in the newspaper once more. Ranma looked at Soun with an incredulous stare, but quickly recuperated and stood up, then made it to the kitchen once more, fetching the food he had put aside for himself, and then went to the living room, passing Soun, and then out in the backyard. Pausing slightly, he turned around to Soun.

"You can tell the others to just leave everything as it is when they're finished, I'll fix it later" Soun looked up a little surprised, and then nodded absently returning to his paper. Ranma shook his head and then jumped up on the roof, seating himself comfortably he started his own breakfast, trying not to inhale it as he usually did, but to take his time for once.

He could hear the others entering the room down there and start to eat, not seeming in a talkative mood as their breakfast was as quiet as his. Slowly finishing his meal, Ranma carefully put the bowl and other utensils down on the roof and laid back, staring at the sky. Slowly breathing out and closing his eyes. He felt so tired, and this was all so pointless. He never had a chance against his problems, and nothing he could do would solve them. Maybe telling his fiancées of his loss of name would satisfy them, but he doubted it. He would never be able to solve it, there was no chance at all. He wished he just could lie here, and never move again, to just to fall asleep and never wake up again, maybe he could dream some dream where pain was just a fantasy. He was just too weak, this was too hard, and he was so weak. He had tried, he gave his all, but still it was not enough. Ranma turned onto his side and curled up in semi-foetal position.

'I just wish I could escape all the pain, any way possible. But the only option that seems to work is unacceptable, at least to others' Ranma mused, still with his eyes closed, his face relaxed and unreadable. 'Maybe I should just go into a fight with someone, maybe Ryoga, and just loose for real. I'd be dead for sure, and at least Ryoga would be more than happy to finally have his revenge.' He rolled on his back again and smiled a humourless smile up at the skies.

After a while of thoughtless staring at the morning sky Ranma noticed that Akane and Nabiki was leaving for school, and suddenly realised that he should too. Making a grimace at the twisting feeling the bare thought of going to school gave him, he shuddered and quickly decided to skip school.

'I wish I never would have to go to that hellhole ever again' he thought sourly as he rose, and deftly jumped down to ground level. He went to the table and started to move the dishes to the kitchen, and grumbling jumping up on the roof in between to fetch his own dishes that he forgot.

When he had finished collecting the dishes he started to fix some of the meal he put aside as he did with his own breakfast, and quickly set the table for one person. He was just about to return to the kitchen when Soun walked into the room again and cleared his throat, Ranma looked up, curious and a little on his guard.

"I'm going out, I won't be back until dinner. Can you tell my daughters when you get the chance Ranma?" Soun said, with a little uncertain voice, and when receiving a nod from Ranma he turned around and a minute later Ranma heard the door open and close. Ranma scratched his head, shrugged and continued with his task.

'I wonder if Kasumi is awake yet...' he thought as he straightened himself from finishing the last part of his preparations. Rubbing his eyes tiredly he stretched, and then went to see if she had awakened or not. Starting up the stairs he idly noted the slightly different colours in the wood of the walls, the signs of new material added to repair damages to the house. Ranma thought about how many times he had his head punched through a wall in this house, either he had lost too many brain cells and was starting to have a bad memory, or he just lost count.

"Ranmaa!" His name screamed in total anguish ripped him from his musings with its desperate urgency. The scream came from Kasumi's room, and almost like magic he suddenly was at her door, and shoved it open with as much speed he could muster, and threw himself into the room to maim whatever person or thing was threatening Kasumi's life.

Ranma wildly looked around in the shadowed room, and hesitated a little when he noticed that there was no one in the room beside himself and the distraught girl in the bed. Kasumi, who had been sitting up in the bed with her face buried in her hands crying her eyes out gasped as she saw him rush into the door and tried to rise and get to him as fast as possible,. She got up, stumbled and started to fall as the bed sheets still tangled in her legs made themselves known, and she fell. Ranma lunged forward and managed to catch her before she hit the floor, and then kneeled down to set her down safely, all the while Kasumi was gripping the front of his shirt and desperately pressed herself against him, sobbing into his shoulder. Ranma hesitated, not really sure how to feel or react, he carefully put an arm around her, trying to comfort her.

"What happened Kasumi? Are you hurt, what's wrong?" He said with a soft voice. Kasumi continued to sob into his shirt, but slowly seemed to regain her composure. Ranma felt rather pathetic in his lack of experience in this kind of situation, and just slowly caressed the girls back while rocking slightly from side to side. Finally Kasumi relaxed, and drew a deep breath, and mumbled something into his chest that Ranma didn't really catch.

"Eh? What did you say?" Ranma asked, trying to make his voice as calm and caring as he could.

"You d-died... I, I saw you die and I couldn't do anything" Kasumi trembled as a heavy sob tore through her, and she started crying full out again, repeating the words 'couldn't do anything' over and over to herself, clutching Ranma as if he would disappear if she didn't hold on hard enough.

"I'm here, I'm not dead, it was only a nightmare." Ranma told her with his most soothing voice, almost on the verge of crying himself, because she was in pain, and because he felt guilty he couldn't say more, to assure her that he would never disappear, that everything would be all right, he didn't believe in it himself, and he couldn't bring himself to lie.

Sitting there hugging each other, one crying, seeking comfort with the one that in a way made her cry, and one trying to withstand the despair that tried to swallow him. After some time Kasumi calmed down again, only a sob or two escaping, but she didn't move from the position which they were in. After yet more time Ranma wondered if she had fallen asleep again, but as he sat there considering how to take her to the bed again without waking her Kasumi a little embarrassedly sat up and dried some of her tears from her face with her arm. Sitting in front of him, she didn't meet his concerned gaze, and looked increasingly embarrassed.

"I, I'm sorry, I don't know what" She started, sounding apologetic, but trailed off, as Ranma interrupted her.

"It's ok, really. Do, do you want some breakfast?" he asked, tentatively. Kasumi looked a little surprised at his question, then noticed that the curtains hid some of the light, but didn't hide the fact that it was a sunny morning outside.

"Oh my! I need to make breakfast, ooh, I have to get Akane and Nabiki their lunches too, oh no I'm too late!" Kasumi stumbled upright, with Ranma quickly jumping up in front of her and holding up his hands, quickly waving them, with an almost as panicked expression as Kasumi.

"No no, you don't have to do that, I did it. I asked if you wanted some breakfast, nothing else." Kasumi's rising worry faltered when she heard Ranma, and looked a little confounded.

"That was very nice of you Ranma, but why? I mean" Kasumi asked, but didn't come up with anything to continue with without being rude. Ranma looked a little embarrassed, having completely forgot about a minute ago, rocking a little on the balls of his feet, and scratching the back of his head.

"Ah, well I was thinking that you were tired and, uh, needed some sleep, so I made breakfast and stuff. I figured they could stand being without your food for one morning and tolerate mine" Ranma tried to explain, idly noticing how Kasumi's dress had fallen off one of her shoulders in a display of soft, milky skin, and then hastily looking away. Kasumi looked down on her shoulder to look what made Ranma react like that, blushing she quickly fixed her dress and then glanced at Ranma, who was tensely looking at the wall with great interest, as if he was ready to be accused for being a pervert any second now. After a little while with nothing happening, he tentatively glanced back at Kasumi, and then turned back looking a little embarrassed, inwardly cursing himself for expecting any violent reaction from Kasumi.

"Hmm, sorry" He said, just to be sure. Kasumi tilted her head to the side a bit, as if asking what he was talking about, just as she was trying to minimise the wrinkles in her dress.

"I told your dad that you weren't feeling well so he let you sleep in... I was thinking that you maybe would like some breakfast too, I've got some at the table if you want it." Ranma added as an afterthought. Kasumi nodded and smiled a tentative smile.

"Yes, that would be nice, I'll come down in a minute. I'd better... change." Kasumi looked just a bit embarrassed at her generally dishevelled look, but her smile was still in place.

"Oh! Right." Ranma responded, and quickly left the room and went downstairs once again, feeling a little confused as to why his heart was beating so fast, but he shrugged it off, must have been the fright of Kasumi screaming as if she was being murdered just some minutes ago...

When he reached the family room he made sure nothing was missing at the table, and then proceeded to the kitchen and started on the dishes that were waiting for him. Five minutes later, when he was immersed in his own little martial arts dishwashing contest Kasumi came down, much refreshed in clean clothes, and looked almost a little disbelievingly at the meal set out for her. Hesitating just for a couple of seconds she deftly sat down, and started on her food. She smiled happily at the taste of the food, it was maybe not the class of her own cooking, but it was someone else's cooking, and it was made for her, thus it was the best meal she had had in a long time.

Hearing the somewhat noisy Ranma rummaging around in the kitchen Kasumi sat there and savoured her food, looking out the open shoji and out in the small garden with its pond, and the morning sun that soothingly caressed the world.

Somehow the dream of just a few minutes ago felt so far away.

But the ache deep in her heart whispered of another truth...

To Be Continued

Authors notes:

Well, that was that. I expressed the feeling I wanted to in the first three chapters, so I'm looking for a new feeling to express, and thus it's going pretty slow. But I'm on my way no doubt. This fic will be finished! :-)
I apologise for this chapter, as I feel it's way below the quality of the other chapters, but I will strive to become better! This might seem like a meaningless chapter, where not much happens, but I assure you, it's an integral part of this story. Nothing is without meaning.

And, a call for help: I need prereaders! I need help with my evil grammar and spelling
So if you feel inclined to help me, then give me a call. I have several Ranma fanfics in the planning/writing stages, and some help would be great.

Please send comments and criticism to the email listed at the top

Or just press the button down there XD
If you feel like it of course!