Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma.. I bet he gave Takahashi-san many headaches. No Place That Far is by Sara Evans and Vince Gill, so I, obviously, don't own that, either.
No Place That Far
Akane woke up with a yawn, futilely trying to block the sunshine from her eyes. She smiled as she draped her arm over her eyes, and yawned again. Then she attempted to go back to sleep, chasing the elusive tendrils slowly, slowly receding from her mind. She'd almost caught them when...
"Dad! Come see what I can do!" echoed up through the house, and Akane was jolted back to reality. She sighed, and moved her arm, throwing off the covers with an easy kick. She rolled out of bed with another yawn, knowing Ranma was already awake, even if Ryou's call hadn't shouted that fact to the whole neighborhood. She wandered down the hall and into the bathroom, her clothing for the day draped over one arm, and closed the door behind herself.
Thirty minutes later, she re-emerged, blue-grey hair pulled back into a long braid running the length of her back, loose end swinging just below her hips. She wore dark blue jeans and a loose white blouse, both snug at the waist due to her expanding stomach. She was barefoot, but since it was summer, and quite warm, that didn't bother her. She walked down the stairs, expertly moving to one side as a short, black haired blur raced by on its way up the stairs. Akane shook her head, a smile gracing her face as she reached the bottom of the stairs and looked into the living room to see Ryou showing off his latest kata to Ranma.
"Ryou, the dojo is outside," she drawled, lazily.
"But Mom!" Ryou whined in reply, dropping out of the kata and into a pouty stance, folding his arms.
"But nothing," Akane replied. "That's what the dojo is there for, whereas you could knock down a lot of stuff in here."
"Feh," was his response as he turned around and dropped to the floor and sitting there. Akane giggled, then wrapped her arms around Ranma.
"Good morning, Ranma," she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Mornin'," he replied, rubbing her back. "Ryou's gettin' good."
"With you for his father, that really doesn't surprise me," was Akane's wry response. "Is breakfast almost ready?"
"Kasumi called an' invited us out. So we'll be leavin' as soon as Kai finds himself some clean clothes."
Akane grinned, tugged on Ranma's pigtail, and walked towards the kitchen. "Tea's on the table, by the way," Ranma called after her, and she called her thanks. As she sipped the light green tea, Akane let her mind wander. Hard to believe it's been fifteen years since Ranma and I met, she thought. Harder still to believe that Kai and Ryou are going to turn eight next week.
The twins had been a surprise, since only one of them had shown up on the ultrasounds, and Dr. Tofu had only heard one heartbeat. After they'd managed to get over the surprise, Ranma and Akane had had a good laugh. When the twins had hit two, they'd decided that they were going to wait a few years before they had their next. The two boys had proved to be as big of trouble makers as Ranma had purportedly been, but they didn't really mind the work it took to keep the two out of as much trouble as possible.
I hope this one's a girl.. And not twins, Akane thought with a laugh as she set her free hand on her stomach. She watched through the doorway as Ranma herded Ryou upstairs to change clothes, and smiled, running her finger around the rim of her tea cup. He's a good father. Not to mention a good lover, she added with a faint blush. I don't even want to think of what life would be like without him.
--I can't imagine any greater fear
Than waking up without you here.--
"Akane, can ya get Kai ta go faster, please? We do have ta be at the clinic in ten minutes," Ranma called, voice floating down the stairs from where he was "helping" Ryou change.
"Sure thing," Akane replied, and stood up, leaving her tea cup on the table. She padded up the stairs and into Kai's room, which had been hers years before. She shook her head, smiling, when she saw Kai sitting in nothing but his underclothes on his bed, chin propped up on one hand while the other traced designs on the comforter. His eyes stared blankly out the window, filled with dreams and hopes as he paid no attention to his surroundings. Akane walked on cat feet over to his bed, and set her hands on his shoulders, making the boy jump. He turned his head backwards to look up at her, and she squeezed his shoulders gently.
"Hurry up and put your clothes on, Kai," she told him.
"Okay, Mom," he replied, chocolate brown eyes smiling up at her. He scrambled off the bed and over to the dresser, and began pulling some clothes out. "Maybe you should go help Dad and Ryou."
"Maybe I should," Akane replied, and looked out into the hall to see Ranma froghopping Ryou towards them, the boy wearing a disgruntled expression and Ranma laughing. "Or maybe he's already ready."
"What?" Kai asked, sticking his arm through a sleeve. "That's a record."
Akane laughed. "Yes, it is."
--And though the sun would still shine on
My whole world would all be gone
But not for long...--
"Done!" Kai cheered, and tied the last loop on the cloth belt that held his pants up. He grinned, and Akane offered him her hand, which he gladly took, and the two walked down the stairs, followed by Ranma with Ryou slung over one shoulder. The four put their shoes on and left the house, heading for Dr. Tofu's clinic where Kasumi, Tofu and their children would be waiting. The two boys bounced the whole way, trying to best the other, while Akane and Ranma watched, holding hands and smiling.
"Did ya ever think we'd end up like this?" Ranma asked quietly, then told Ryou not to break Kai's arm.
"I'd dream about it," Akane replied. "But with all the shit Daddy and Genma would do, it seemed pretty impossible."
"Yeah," Ranma agreed. "Makes ya glad we decided ta run away ta America, huh?"
"Yep. They may be a handful but they're worth it. And so are you."
"Hey, was that an insult, ya uncute tomboy?" he asked teasingly.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Macho jerk," Akane shot back, grinning. Then she tiptoed and kissed his cheek. "We used to be so immature."
"Whaddaya mean, 'used ta'? We still are."
"So true," she agreed, and they both laughed.
--If I had to run
If I had to crawl
If I had to swim a hundred rivers
Just to climb a thousand walls
Always know that I would find a way
To get to where you are
Cause there's no place that far.--
Ranma then trounced the twins, and they walked into the small yard around the clinic with Ranma carrying both giggling, squirming boys under his arms and Akane ignoring their pleas to be rescued. Kasumi smiled at the sight, and tugged on her nine year old daughter's hair bow. The girl stuck her tongue out at her, and Kasumi giggled.
"Hey, sis," Akane called, ignoring another plea from Kai.
"Hello, Akane," Kasumi responded. Fifteen years had added some laughter lines to her face, and some grey to her pale brown hair, but she was still the same Kasumi she had been. "Have the twins been behaving themselves?"
Akane picked up her youngest nephew, three years old and as cute as could be with his small glasses, and settled him on her hip. "As well as can be expected," she replied. "Ryou somehow conned Kai into helping him spray paint the rocks around the koi pond, so they'll be spending the day cleaning the rocks."
"Oh, my," Kasumi responded.
"Yup. You're lucky yours are so well behaved," Akane sighed, gently extracting her braid from Akira's grip.
"Keitaro tried to scale the school building yesterday," Tofu interjected as he and Keitaro joined the women.
"Really?" Akane asked, arching her brows. "Why?"
"Apparently Hiiro dared him," Tofu responded. "And being the age he is, he couldn't just say no."
"Of course not," she agreed sarcastically. "I bet the twins will try to do the same when they're his age.. Purely for fun, of course."
"Probably," Tofu agreed blithely. Ranma and the twins walked over, each boy trying to push Ranma's hands of their heads, but not even succeeding in moving the hands even a little bit. Tofu smiled in greeting, and said, "Well, since we're all here, we should get going."
"Yay, food!" Ryou and Kai chorused, much to the amusement of the adults. The twins and Keitaro struck up a friendly argument as they walked along, while Hiromi walked between Akane and Kasumi, talking with Akira. Ranma and Akane talked quietly, subjects ranging from old memories to hopes for the baby growing inside Akane.
--It wouldn't matter why we're apart
Lonely miles, two stubborn hearts.--
Akane's mind wandered, and was brought back to the present by Ranma waving his hand in front of her face.
"What're ya thinkin'?" he asked when Akane blinked at him, coming out of her daydream.
"About a song I heard while we were in America, and listen to whenever I can," she answered.
"A good one?"
"Yeah. Makes me think of you every time I hear it," she answered with a smile.
"Has ta be good, then," Ranma decided, and laughed when she smacked his arm.
"You and your ego," she sighed, and laughed. "For your information, a lot of songs I hear remind me of you."
"All the better." Akane arched her brow at him, then handed Akira to Kasumi. Ranma took the hint and began to run, with Akane hot on his heels.
"We'll meet you there," Kasumi called as the two ran off, Ranma taunting Akane and Akane yelling, "Get back here and take your punishment like a man, you egoistic jerk!"
"No wonder Ryou and Kai are such handfuls," Tofu observed, and Kasumi laughed.
--Nothing short of God above
Could turn me away from your love
I need you that much..--
"That's true," Kasumi agreed. "But I've never seen anyone else as close as they are."
"I always knew they would get together," Tofu said softly, after a pause in the conversation. "It was just a matter of time."
And them not being bothered by all Ranma's other fiancee's, Kasumi tacked on, silently. I'm glad I helped them disappear to America.
Halfway across Nerima, standing on top of the water tower, were Ranma and Akane, both laughing. They watched the traffic while they caught their breath, the interweaving paths of the many different colored cars making an almost hypnotizing mood.
"Ranma?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you ever wonder what happened to Ukyo?" Akane asked quietly, and turned to face him.
Ranma nodded. "Yeah. I know it sorta broke her heart when we came back an' you were a few months pregnant, but she's still my first friend."
"I think that if she hadn't been so," she paused, searching for the right word, "obsessed, with you, Ukyo and I could've been good friends."
"That woulda been nice," he agreed. "Ya know, watchin' ya and her talkin' about whatever crossed your minds. An' I bet she woulda liked helpin' with Ryou an' Kai."
"Probably, but she always seemed the sort to like her restaurant better than any kid."
"Maybe, an' then again maybe not," Ranma replied. "But why'd ya ask, anyway?"
Akane turned to face the city again, wind blowing her braid out behind her. "Because I was about this far along with the twins when she disappeared."
"Oh. It's been a while, ain't it?" he observed.
"Yeah," she agreed. "And you're still stuck with me."
"Wouldn't have it any other way," he replied softly.
--If I had to run
If I had to crawl
If I had to swim a hundred rivers
Just to climb a thousand walls
Always know that I would find a way
To get to where you are
Cause there's no place that far.--
They rejoined the others just outside the Nekohaten, which was being run by Shampoo and her husband Ryu Kumon. When those two had announced their marriage, Ranma had face-faulted into the floor, and stayed there. Although Ryou and Kai, at the time three, jumping on his back and yelling, "Whee! Horsey!" might've had something to do with that. The bell above the door rang as Tofu opened the door for the others, and Shampoo looked up. She smiled happily, and called, "Nihao!"
"Hey there Shampoo," Akane replied, walking oddly since Akira had decided to attach himself to her leg, and was giggling madly with every step Akane took. Shampoo giggled at the sight.
"You guys want breakfast?" she asked, moving around the counter.
"Yes," Akane answered, but was drowned out by cheers of approval by the twins. Shampoo shut them up by taping their mouths shut. Happened every time, and every time the boys failed to learn.
"You two are lucky Xian Li's already awake," Shampoo scolded. "Otherwise you'd get to help me cook."
They looked at each other, and shuddered. Although they hadn't inherited Akane's awful cooking skills, they didn't like to cook. But Ranma made them help him every night with dinner, making sure they knew how. "Sorry, Aunt Shampoo," they chorused.
"It's alright, you're forgiven," she replied airily. "Make yourselves comfortable while I get your breakfast cooking."
She disappeared into the kitchen area, and everyone did as they were told. Breakfast was a noisy affair; it couldn't be otherwise, with Ryou, Kai and Ranma there. The group left the Nekohaten an hour later with full stomachs, and the usual invitation to "come back anytime!" Tofu, Kasumi and their children headed back to the clinic - Tofu had become quite well known, and even if he hadn't, there were still the regular patients to handle. Akane talked quietly with Shampoo as Ranma got ganged up on by the twins and staggered around, trying to remove the "leeches!" from himself, the process of which involved much laughter and tickling.
Shampoo retreated back inside as the day's customers began trickling in, and Akane observed her husband and sons, shaking her head and laughing. "Who wants to go to the fair?" she called.
"Me!" three voices responded, and she doubled over laughing. So predictable! But infinitely fun.
------------------
Ranma smiled at Akane as Ryou and Kai clung to him in their sleep; running around the fair all day had tired them out and neither had protested when Ranma offered to carry them home. Akane smiled back, then softly began to sing.
"--If I had to run,--" she started, and Ranma grinned and sang backup like he had many times while they'd lived in the US. Side effect of moving: they'd both discovered they liked to sing, and were, at the very least, decent at it.
"---If I had to run.---"
"--If I had to crawl.--"
"---If I had to crawl.---"
"--If I had to swim a hundred rivers
Just to climb a thousand walls
Always know that I would find a way
To get to where you are
Cause there's no place that far.--"
Ranma smiled as Kai cuddled closer and Akane leaned her head against his arm. "Tired?" he asked softly.
"Yeah, but it was a lot of fun," she answered.
"It was," he agreed as they walked inside the house, and kicked off their shoes. Akane took the twins' shoes off and trailed behind Ranma up the stairs. They put the boys to bed, then retreated to their own bed. As Akane curled up next to Ranma, she murmured, "--Baby there's no place that far...-- I love you, Ranma."
"Love ya, too, Akane," he replied, pulling the blankets up over both of them. "Sweet dreams, love."
"Always, with you here."
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OoooOooooOOOOooooOooo... Over two and a half thousand words, not counting this A/N, or the disclaimer. Random fact I felt like sharing, yo. This isn't my best songfic.. I think Once You've Loved Somebody takes that title. But I love this song, and wanted to write a fic.. So I did. Next from me will probably be an Inuyasha fic.. Songfic, to be precise. Ah well. And I know I'm gonna get requests to add another chapter to tell what happened to Ukyo, but since I've never seen her in the anime (and I haven't read the manga), that won't happen. Sorry.
I'm running out of things to say so I'll shut up and let you guys review! Go on! You know you wanna! It's sooo easy! But flames will be used to heat ramen for Inuyasha, Ranma, and Naruto, just so you know!
Yeeeaaaa... Shutting up now.
--Myuu