Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, please do not sue.
The Long and Winding Road
Lead Me to Your Door
Ranma pulled away from Akane and smiled at her. She smiled back at him and realized just how much she had missed him. He grabbed her hand and began walking in the opposite direction of the Tendo Dojo.
"Come on Akane."
"Ranma, the house is that way."
"I know which way the house is, but we need to talk." She pulled her hand from his and he turned to look at her.
"Look Ranma, I'm a little tired and I don't really want to have to tell my story twice. It would just be a lot easier if…" He grabbed her hand again.
"Akane, they gave up on you a long time ago, they can wait until to hear your story. But I've been looking for you everyday, and as far as beingtired, we'll be sitting down."
Akane liked this new, mature Ranma, but she had to wonder how much of him had actually changed. So, she smiled and nodded.
"Fair enough."
They ended up at the park. She had expected that they would either end up here or at the school's roof, of course the park was closer. They sat down at a bench near the fountain, which reminded Ranma.
"I'm not cursed anymore." She was staring at the fountain.
"I know."
"How?" Akane's eyes widened and she turned towards Ranma. Nabiki had done so much for her and she didn't want anyone getting mad at her.
"Um, remember you were on that trip when I…I just figured that it worked out."
"Oh…" Akane wasn't quite sure, but it seemed like Ranma believed her.
"So what else has been going on since I left? Have you gotten any more fiancées? Or maybe you finally picked one of the many you already have?" Akane giggled a little, thinking that she was making a joke, Ranma felt differently though.
"That's not funny Akane." She stopped.
"It was just a joke Ranma. I'm only trying to keep the conversation light." Ranma stood up and kicked a rock.
"First of all, my pop made all those engagements and I had nothing to do with any of them! And no, he hasn't made anymore, I've made sure of it! And as far as those other girls go…they still try, but that doesn't mean they're getting anywhere!" Ranma kicked another rock.
"You didn't really have to answer, it was rhetorical." Ranma gave Akane a stern look.
"What happened Akane? I came back from my trip and find out you had left. No notes or anything, no one had any idea where you had gone…why?" He plopped down on the ground in front of her and stared.
"Ranma, do you know what happened the day you left?"
"Something happened?" She rolled her eyes.
"Geez, I thought someone would have told you. I had gone out to the store and was attacked near Dr. Tofu's office. I left my money at home and Kasumi was bringing it to me and all she saw was a blur leaving the scene. Later, when I woke up and talked to Dr. Tofu told me what he had heard. It was one of your fiancées, and before you ask, I'm not going to tell you. It's not important anymore…" She paused for a second thinking about that day and remembering how mad she was at Ranma for not being there, but she was more angry at herself for needing him to be.
"Anyway Ranma, after that I realized how much of a damsel in distress I was when you weren't around. I mean before you showed up I was fighting off a bunch of guys daily and then all the sudden it seemed as though I stopped fighting altogether."
"Akane you didn't…"
"Please, just let me finish. At first I was just going to do some extra training in the dojo, maybe force my dad into sparing with me. But after a while I knew that that wouldn't work. I mean using air as an opponent wouldn't get me very far. So I decided I needed to go away to train. And I did, and I've gotten better. Granted, I've still got a ways to go, but I decided it was time to come home."
"Who were you training with?" Akane smiled, looked away from Ranma, and blushed.
"What makes you think I was training with someone?"
"You said that you didn't want to fight air, and unless someone was with you, you were." He really doubted that she had fought animals in the mountains likeRyoga, buthe hoped she had.He wanted to catch her eyes, but she wasn't allowing it. Ranma was beginning to regret having this conversation.
"That doesn't matter either. What matters is that I'm back now and maybe tomorrow we can spar and you can see what I've learned." He stood up and picked up her luggage.
"I have work tomorrow." Akane could tell he was bitter about what she said, or what she didn't say, rather.
"Oh that reminds me! I learned how to…" Akane caught herself before she blew it. She was able to fix her earlier blunder, but there would be no way to save her if she led on that she knew where he worked. Ranma had looked back at her, waiting for the rest of her statement.
"You learned how to what?"
"Um…cook! I can cook now. Maybe when you get back from work I can make us something to eat and then we could spar." A look that Akane remembers well graced Ranma's features. She grabbed her luggage from his hands and began walking out of the park.
"If you don't believe me then you don't have to eat it, but you could at least wait until you see the food before getting scared, you jerk." Ranma ran up behind Akane and took the luggage back.
"I know, some old memories just snuck up on me, that's all."
"Sure Ranma. Let's go home, but I don't really want to be up half the night talking to my family so when you go in could you make a lot of noise, then I'll sneak in my bedroom window.
"Um, that might be difficult."
"Why? Is the window locked, because I could break into…"
"No, it's just…your room is sort of…it's being used right now."
"By who!" Ranma's face got redder.
"Me."
I'm not as happy with this chapters as the others, but I decided to post it because I just got another job and so I probably wont have as much time to sit down in front of the computer this weekend. On another note, I didn't know about the Ranma/Ukyo fic of the same name and I am sorry to anyone who was confused. I'll put something in the summary to help clear things up. As always, comments and criticism welcomed and appreciated. Thanks.
