Chapter 5 Aftermaths
Later that evening, the floor nurse came by to check on Nabiki. When she saw Ranma, Akane and Kasumi sitting there holding Nabiki's hand, she said softly, "I'm sorry, visiting hours are over. You three will have to leave."
They just glared at her and simply said in eerie unison, "We're staying here with our sister. End of discussion."
The nurse looked at the expression on the three faces looking back at here and gulped. She slowly backed up, only to run into Tofu, who had just entered the room. He guided her away, saying, "I've cleared it with the hospital. They're allowed to stay." He firmly closed the door behind them, leaving Ranma and the two girls gazing at the small, still body lying in the bed in front of them.
"She'll be all right, Akane. I know she will," Kasumi said, standing up so she could hug both Ranma and Akane.
"Biki-chan, come back to us," Ranma whispered.
"Sis, don't leave us, please," Akane begged softly, tears dripping from her eyes.
Kasumi sat back down in her chair and then the three of them returned to holding Nabiki's hand with theirs. They gazed at her in hope, praying that she would be okay and return from the darkness that was holding her captive. Suddenly, a bright, white aura flared, surrounding the three of them, and then grew to encompass Nabiki as well.
"Oh my, this is interesting. I've never felt this kind of aura before," Ranma said as he sat there stunned.
'That's my line,' Kasumi thought with a mental snicker.
Akane asked with a hint of panic in her voice, "What's going on here?"
The aura stayed for several long heartbeats until it faded. A feeling of peace filled the room as the three of them collapsed in exhaustion, still holding Nabiki's hand.
Late that night, Nabiki slowly woke up. She couldn't figure out where she was at first, and there was a strange whistling sound coming from somewhere. The last thing she remembered was the feeling of utter despair and self-hatred that had led her to slit her wrist and then watch the blood come gushing out, and the sound of Ranma crashing through the window yelling at her to stop. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what she had tried to do. As her eyes finally adjusted to the bright lights, she saw that she was in a hospital room, with Ranma and her two sisters fast asleep. Both of her sisters were resting their head on Ranma's shoulder and the strange whistle she was hearing was Ranma gently snoring. All three of them were somehow holding her hand. She slowly tried to sit up, which caused Kasumi's eyes to snap open.
"Nabiki, you're back. Thank Kami for that," Kasumi breathed, the love in her voice plain to hear, "We were so worried about you."
Nabiki sighed in relief to hear her sister's kind voice again. "Thanks, Sis," she said hoarsely, "I'm so sorry I did this to you." She gratefully drank the water her sister handed her.
Kasumi leaned over and hugged her sister, saying, "Don't you dare scare us like this again. I'm so sorry about this afternoon. I was so angry at what you had done, I didn't want to see how badly you were hurting." Kasumi began sobbing in anguish at what she had caused her sister to do.
"Sis, it's okay. We both screwed up this time. What I did this afternoon wasn't your fault anyway," Nabiki said bitterly, "I did it all on my own with no help from anyone. It just felt like I had no friends at all and then when Saotome tore into me when I got home, that just made me feel more depressed. I guess you could say what he said to me was the last straw. I didn't feel like I deserved to live."
A gentle voice said quietly, "Sis, you have at least three friends, because the three of us are sitting in this room. I'm sorry I wouldn't let go of my anger today. Ranchan tried to tell me you were hurting as well and I just wouldn't let myself care. You were right the other day, whatever you've done, you're still my sister and I love you, warts and all." Nabiki looked over to see Akane smiling in relief that her sister was alive and well.
"Akane, can you even forgive me for trying to steal Ranma away from you? I was so hateful to even try. I'm so sorry, Sis," Nabiki cried, the tears beginning to fall from her eyes.
Akane said softly, "Sis, I don't know if I can. The fact that you tried still hurts, but it doesn't change the fact that I still love you. When I thought that you might not make it, I almost died inside thinking that if I had reached out like Ranchan tried, you wouldn't have done this." Her tears began to fall, joining her two sisters.
"Would you three keep it down, I'm trying to - wait a minute, Nabiki you're back!" Ranma said as he leaned over and hugged Nabiki.
Nabiki started turning blue as she tried to say, "Ranma, can't breathe."
"Baka," Akane said as she gently swatted him on the head, "Are you trying to put her back to sleep?"
Ranma looked sheepish as he let go of Nabiki. "Sorry, Biki-chan. You had me scared to death. I was afraid that I had gotten to you too late," he said gently.
"I'm so glad you cared enough to save me, Ranchan," Nabiki said tenderly, "Actually, I'm glad all three of you are here showing that you care." She choked back a sob, and continued, tears still streaming down her face, "I was so afraid that I had lost you three through my stupidity."
Akane replied, tearfully as well, "Biki-chan, I'm just sorry that this is what it took to get us back together." Then she giggled, "The three of us are as bad as Father, look at us crying like this."
"Acchan, could I borrow your fiancé for a minute? I promise to give him back," Nabiki said softly, "I need to talk to him alone, if that's okay with you."
Akane hesitated for a moment, a slight frown on her face. Then she said, "Sure, Sis." She left with Kasumi and shut the door behind her after giving Ranma a piercing look.
"Ranchan, I wanted to thank you privately for saving me, not just this afternoon but for the times since as well," Nabiki said seriously, "Even though you had rescued my body this afternoon by keeping me from hurting myself more and getting me here, my spirit was still dying. I was lost somewhere in the darkness. Then I heard your voice and felt your hand in mine and you drew me back. And then later, I felt this warmth and I knew that you loved me and didn't want me to go. That's what finally saved me and made me realize that I wanted to live still."
Ranma started to protest, a panicked look in his eyes, but Nabiki interrupted him with a sad, yet gentle laugh. She said, "Hush, dear Ranma. I know you don't love me the way you love Akane, baka. I just meant that your friendship, your love of me as a sister, was enough to bring me back. You don't have to panic, this episode has changed me. I'm not quite the same person that I was before, that person did die yesterday, and I can't say that I'm sorry to see her go. She has done several things that I'm not proud of and I'm going to try to be a different person starting today." She smiled fondly at him and continued, "I don't know how soon the two of you want to get married, but if I can help, let me know. I want you to be happy and maybe I can start making amends by helping you get there."
"Thanks, Biki-chan. I know how hard this must be for you though. Besides, it wasn't all me, your two sisters love you just as much as I do," he replied, nervously scratching the back of his neck. "This is the Nabiki I thought I saw before, I'm glad to see she's back," Ranma continued. Nabiki blushed as Ranma gazed at her. "Hee, hee, looks like the Ice Queen did decide to melt, I don't ever remember you blushing like that before," he teased softly. He laughed gently at her.
"You better let your fiancée in, she's probably worried herself sick thinking I'm in here trying to seduce you," Nabiki teased.
Ranma looked worriedly at her as he said, "Nabiki, Akane is going to be sensitive about that for a while, especially with you. Don't make jokes like that, at least not where she might hear you, okay?"
His intensity as he stared at her scared Nabiki as she smiled weakly. "You're right, Ranma. That wasn't particularly clever of me to say, was it?" she responded. Ranma walked over to the door and opened it, looking very surprised when neither Akane nor Kasumi were hovering in the doorway. A few moments later, the two of them came walking in, Akane latching possessively onto Ranma as Kasumi breezed by to check on Nabiki.
"I decided to wait until morning to let everyone know that you woke up, Sis. I don't see the need for a crowd of people showing up right now. Do you guys want to go back home and try to get some sleep, or just crash here?" Kasumi said.
Ranma looked at his fiancée and then replied, "I think we can go to Mom's and get a little more sleep there. I don't feel like dealing with Genma right now. Tomorrow will be soon enough. I need to talk with him and explain some things to him, but right now I'm so tired that I'd just beat him to a pulp. While that would make me feel better, it won't solve anything." His voice got colder as he continued, "He said some things to you yesterday that went too far. I need to finish what I started the other day and make him understand that he is no longer welcome in my life." The room dropped noticeably in temperature until Akane squeezed him in a hug and whispered something in his ear. "Thanks, Acchan," Ranma said gratefully. He leaned over and kissed Nabiki lightly on the cheek and said, "You get some sleep too, Nabiki. It will be a circus in the morning and you need to be awake for it. Akane and I need to speak to your father and I want you awake in case he tries to cause any more trouble."
Akane walked over to Nabiki and kissed her lightly as well. "Ranchan's right, Nabiki. We'll see you again in the morning after we wake up," she said. They waved goodbye and left, heading for Nodoka's home.
"Sis, can you stay for a while? I need to talk to you," Nabiki asked, anxiously.
Kasumi looked at her sister in concern and said simply, "Of course, Nabiki. I can stay as long as you need me to."
Nabiki hesitated for a moment gathering her thoughts and then asked, "Are you two going to move back home soon, Sis? It's been hell not having you there, and we really need you there. Not for doing the housework, but because you're the peacemaker in the family."
Kasumi sighed and replied, "I haven't talked to Tofu about it yet. We're both still angry with Father and Mr. Saotome. I'm not sure I want to move back if that useless freeloading panda is still there."
"I think Ranma may have something in mind for Saotome. What I need is your helping in convincing Father to agree to let Ranma and Akane marry as soon as possible. If you make that one of your conditions for moving back, I'm sure he will cave in," Nabiki said.
Kasumi looked at her sister in surprise and asked, "I thought you loved Ranma. Why are you trying to get them married so quickly?"
Nabiki blushed and replied, "I'm trying to make amends for what I did. The sooner I get them married off, the sooner Akane will forgive me for what I tried to pull." Then she whispered, "And the sooner I can begin to forgive myself as well."
"Nabiki, I'll talk to my husband about moving back, but I think we'll wait until you're ready to come home first. Now do you want to tell me what's really troubling you?" Kasumi replied.
"What do you think, Kasumi? The man I love doesn't love me the way I want him to. Even worse he loves my sister and wants to marry her. That's why I was desperate and did what I did. You wouldn't understand!" Nabiki cried.
"Why wouldn't I understand? What gives you the idea that I don't still love Ranma? I do and always will," Kasumi said quietly, "When Tofu asked me to marry him, I didn't give him an answer right away. I waited until Ranma came home and I told him that Tofu had proposed. I don't know what I expected, but he told me that I belonged with Tofu. He deliberately pushed me at Tofu. Don't misunderstand me, I love Tofu, and I definitely don't regret marrying him. I've never been happier, but I still felt a great deal of regret when Ranma said he loved Akane. Every once and a while, I still look at Ranma and wish he had told me something different. After all, he does have a great body." Kasumi grinned at the shocked expression on her sister's face.
"And I thought you were a happily married woman who wouldn't look at another man," Nabiki teased gently, after getting over her shock. Then she sobered and said, "So what you're telling me is that I need to get on with my life. Ranma's made his decision, and I should have respected it."
Kasumi smiled at her and replied, "Basically yes. You're an attractive woman, Nabiki. You're smart and ambitious, with a wicked sense of humor. The only thing that's been wrong is that you've been pushing people away because of the image you have. If you want friends, all you need to do is change that image. If you want guys to start chasing you, that'll do it."
Nabiki grimaced and said, "So I guess I did this to myself. Well, I already decided that I didn't like who I was before, so it shouldn't be a surprise that other people didn't like who I was, either. I wish I'd talked to you before. You might have kept me from making some of the mistakes that I've made if I had." She yawned and said, "I think I can get back to sleep, now. Why don't you head on home, you could stand some rest as well."
Kasumi smiled and said, "I'll just stay here with you. I'd have to be back here soon enough as it is." She leaned over and kissed her sister and then made herself comfortable in the chair. Nabiki turned the light out and then nestled herself in the bed.
"Thanks, Sis," Nabiki said, then she drifted back off to sleep. Kasumi watched over her sister until her eyes finally grew too tired, and she finally fell asleep herself.
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Ranma was a little worried as they walked home from the hospital. Akane was being extremely quiet, as if something was weighing on her mind. Every once in a while she would look at him, and open her mouth as if to say something, but then she would shake her head and stay silent. Finally, Ranma had enough. He stopped walking, and turned to her and asked, "What's the matter, Acchan? Something is really got you going or something."
Akane hesitated for a long time, then she began blushing. Ranma simply waited patiently for her to decide to get whatever it was off her chest. Finally, she gave a little laugh and said, "I'm still too possessive, I guess. When Nabiki asked to talk to you privately, I got worried about what she might tell you."
Ranma smiled, and said, "There really wasn't much. She just wanted to express her gratitude for me saving her yesterday, is all. And then to apologize again for what she tried to do before. She wants to help the two of us get married as soon as we are ready."
Akane stared at him in shock and replied, "She wants to what?"
"I think she honestly wants to make amends, Acchan. It sounded like she took a long hard look at who she had turned into and didn't like what she saw. I think we're gonna see a different Nabiki soon. Does that make you feel a bit better, now?" Ranma replied gently.
"Yes, I think it does, Ranchan. I hope you're right about her wanting to change. I think she has been very lonely the last few years. I think maybe the reason she reacted so strongly toward you was because you were friendly toward her and didn't push her away," Akane replied thoughtfully.
"Okay, that's enough of this. We still need to get home. Knowing Mom, she's probably half awake waiting for us," Ranma said.
He started to turn toward home, but Akane put her hand on his arm and pulled him to her. She reached up and kissed him lightly, and said, "Thanks for being so patient with me, Ranchan."