A.N. I thank you all for your kind words. They are a great help to me. If I haven't already done this, I will Disclaim any ownership of Ranma Nibunnoichi, as they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video, Kitty, and a bunch of shareholders. This story will probably be less frequently updated than my other stories, as I usually only write the chapters when I'm angry or depressed. I have four others to work on, and I can only update during weekends, as school prevents me updating quickly.

"Speech"

Thoughts

Red Shoe Sunday

Nabiki was dreaming. She was standing on a frozen lake. A thick fog had settled in, and was obscuring everything more than ten feet away from her.

"Nabiki." A voice called to her through the mist. Nabiki moved towards it, shivering.

"Who's there?" The voice gave no reply. She continued to move towards the voice, trying to identify its giver.

"Nabiki." The voice was coming from the other direction now.

Maybe I passed him.

"Who are you?" She asked. She kept walking, and she tripped over something. When she turned to look at whatever it was. She gasped and -

She woke up.

"GOD DAMN IT! That's the third time this week." Nabiki groaned. Ever since she had talked to Ranma she had been having this dream. She wondered if anything was going to change on Saturday.

Saturday was the first day that she could gather Hiroshi, Daisuke, and Kasumi to go over to Dr. Tofuu's. She and the two boys had to wait until school was over. Since it was about seven, she decided to get up, groggy though she was.

Kasumi was making waffles. She had gotten the recipe from some nice, elderly ladies from down the street that always seemed to be baking something. Kasumi cooked them like she did anything else.

Perfectly.

"Oh! Nabiki, you're up early."

"Yeah. I had that dream again." It took her a couple of minutes, but she managed to get it out.

"Oh. Dear. That's not any good is it?"

"No, it ain't sis." Nabiki said looking for the hot cocoa mix.

"We're out of instant cocoa. You'll need to get your coffee." Kasumi said, not even looking at her sister.

"You heard from Tofuu yet?"

"Oh, yes, Ono called. He said we should all bundle up because his heating's busted." Nabiki frowned. Ranma was still chilling the building.

"Oh. I'll tell Hiroshi and Daisuke."

"Please do." Nabiki had just sit down with her mug and had begun to drink. Akane and the two 'adults' were sleeping in, so now was as good a time as any.

Nabiki dialed the numbers, and called up the two boys. She told them that Tofuu's building was frozen over, and they would need extra coats.

The moment had come. They would try and bring Ranma to a calm state of mind. If that was even possible anymore.

Kasumi shivered. Dr. Tofuu was calm enough to explain the situation to everone. Hiroshi and Daisuke were wide-eyed, and Kasumi had her face in her hands.

"I feel really stupid right now. I mean, Hiro and I know Ranma really well, and we didn't see this coming. He eaten yet?"

"Barely. I took him some Sausage and bacon, along with fresh biscuts. He ate them, but it took him a while." Dr. Tofuu had his eyes on the ground.

"He'll talk. He talked to me, so, he'll probably talk to us." Everyone nodded, and the moved to where the stairs started.

"Before you go, let me tell you this. Do not mention anyone from outside of the school. The night has allowed Ranma to brood. He tried to deck me for even mentioning Ryouga's name. So, please, for your own safety, don't." Dr. Tofuu sounded gravely serious. They nodded.

As they ascended the stairs, they heard a ruffling of sheets and a loud THUD! Nabiki was very worried. She hoped that Tofuu had heard that, because if she was right, an Amazon was probably in the room next to Ranma. Nabiki increased her pace, and everyone followed suit.

Nabiki opened the door. Shampoo was imbedded in the wall. Obviously, she had gotten wind of where Ranma was from someone else. She hadn't let it slip at school. Maybe Akane told her.

Kasumi and Daisuke picked up Shampoo and carried her down to Dr. Tofuu, who, with a loud SNAP, reset her shoulder, and began applying disinfectant to the cuts on her body. She had come ill-prepared for the confrontation in Ranma's room. Cologne came in a few moments later. Daisuke glared at her, and Kasumi promptly left the room.

"Good Lord, Tofuu, haven't you heard of heating?" She asked. Dr. Tofuu turned his head, and nodded.

"Yes Cologne, I have. However, Ranma nearly broke it when he got here."

"Really? Why does he want it so cold."

"Not so much that he wants it that way, but that his body is making it the way he feels - cold and alone."

"And yet, he attacks my Granddaughter when she comes to cheer him up." Dr. Tofuu sighed.

"He is currently incapable of dealing with anyone whom would call themselves his fiance. His heart has been broken, and it needs time to mend away from the normal craziness that he lives in." Cologne looked at her heir.

"Right. When will he be released?"

"I don't know. How often is Shampoo going to try this?" Cologne looked down.

"I see. I will keep her out of your hair. Do not keep Ranma from us too long."

"If all proceeds well, she can be around him in two months, and even then, he maybe a little ... let's call it unresponsive to her advances." Cologne nodded.

"I help as much as I can. He is too good a person to lose." Dr. Tofuu nodded.

"Indeed."

Nabiki and Hiroshi were standing in Ranma's room, looking somewhat ruffled by the events that had just proceeded.

"So. How much she pay you?" Ranma said, his back to them.

"She didn't come to me. I don't know who told her."

"Yeah. Right. Dr. Tofuu would seriously tell them." Ranma had gone into sneering mode.

"No. I did not tell her! I haven't said anything to anyone Dr. Tofuu told me couldn't know."

"How can I believe that?"

"You said you would leave the Dojo if you got out of here. I believed you, though I didn't want it to be true."

"Dude, I don't know much about what the hell's going on, but I do know that you need to get out of here. You'll lose your edge and all that stuff you normally worry about." Ranma didn't respond for a while. Kasumi and Daisuke walk into the room.

"Hello, Ranma."

"Heya Pal." Ranma grunted. He didn't want them to be here, he couldn't deal with the emotions. But they wanted to help. Who was he to refuse them?

"What do you all want?"

"We want you to get better. That's it Ranma. No one's even demanding." Nabiki said, trying her best to keep a straight face. She wanted to let him know that she wasn't trying to hurt him.

"I'm not ready to face them again." Ranma whispered. Kasumi moved over to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Ranma. Please. We all miss you very much. I miss our conversations at meal time. I want my friend back." Ranma's resolve began to crack.

"Dai and I want to see our friend at some time during the day." Daisuke nodded.

"I ... I ..." Ranma began to tear up. Kasumi and Nabiki moved in, and cradled the boy. Hiroshi and Daisuke passed tissues over when they were asked for.

"I want to know who told you to go see Ranma." Cologne had tied Shampoo to her bed. Shampoo was being fussy on her source of the information. Cologne needed to cut it off before she completely ruined any chance of her getting with Ranma.

"You'll have to tell me. Ranma is in no condition to see anyone other than Kasumi, Nabiki, Hiroshi, or Daisuke." Shampoo pouted.

"Ranma well enough to see Shampoo!" She yelled. Cologne popped her with her cane.

"No, he isn't. Just because his body works, doesn't mean his spirit is well enough to take the strain of your visit. You are not to visit him until Dr. Tofuu gives the OK, and I want to know who told you that he was even there." Cologne was posed in a way that wouldn't yield good results for Shampoo if she continued to be silent.

"Pervert Girl tell Shampoo."

"I see. She really does dislike the boy, doesn't she? Well, now, at least your only competition is the Kuonji girl." Cologne lit her pipe, and began to smoke. She severed the binds on Shampoo, who instantly got up from her spread-eagle position.

"See to it that you let Ranma heal before your next visit. And wear something other than your minidress! Its the middle of winter for crying out loud!"

Hiroshi and Daisuke were gone. Tofuu was out on a house call. It was just Nabiki and her sister. Kasumi was curled up in a chair, asleep.

"Nabiki?" Ranma had started a conversation. He was improving.

"Yes?" Ranma's voice was raspy.

"Would you miss me if I died?" Nabiki quickly hurried over to Ranma.

"Hey, kid, look, getting rejected isn't a good reason to end your life."

"Just answer the damn question." He said, no emotion in his voice, and his head flopping down on the pillow.

"I'd miss you." Ranma smirked.

"Well, at least I know there'll be people there..." Ranma said. Nabiki went rigid.

"You just said-"

"I don't have a choice in the matter. I'm cold Nabiki. When Akane rejected me, it wasn't just me. It was all of me. She thinks of me as a freak. As a person, I might have gotten over it, but my mind can't take it. I'm freezing to death Nabiki. And I'm utterly powerless to stop it." Ranma was crying freely at this point.

"You're scared?"

"Like hell I am. I'm terrified. This is the one time in my life that I have been truly helpless." Ranma's head flopped down onto the pillow, and Nabiki quickly moved to see if he was still alive.

Alive with patches of frost on his skin. Nabiki's heart went out to him in that moment. His throat looked like it was being ravaged by a icicle. Nabiki scooted as close as she could.

"What's happening to you?" She asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Lady Winter finally got to me." Ranma closed his eyes. Nabiki embraced him.

"Don't you dare Soatome! Don't you dare die on me!" She was almost screaming, but Kasumi still hadn't woken up. With a sudden jerk, Nabiki fell on top of Ranma, soundly unconscious. It almost sounded like the wind was whispering

"Let the games begin."

Nabiki was back out at the frozen lake. The haze was gone. The sky was cloudy, and it was lightly snowing, but she could see now.

"Nabiki!" The voice called to her. It sounded vaguely familiar.

"Who's there!" She shouted back. The voice didn't answer her question, instead opting for,

"Help!" Nabiki moved towards the voice, going slowly.

And what she saw absolutely shocked her. Ranma's face was imbedded in the ice. He smiled, miserably, and closed his eyes. Nabiki began to claw at the ice.

"NO! NO! NO!"

"Do you care for him?" Nabiki whirled on the new voice. Standing before was a stately looking woman, dressed in an elegant blue and white full kimono. In one hand was an icy septer, and he skin was pale white, tinged blue.

"I ask again, do you care for him?" Nabiki gathered her wits, and shouted.

"DID YOU DO THIS TO HIM!" The lady was not moved, and said,

"Time is running out. Do you?" Nabiki stepped back at this. Did she care for Ranma?

"Yes. Yes I do." The woman smiled.

"Then show me. Go to him, and reach out." She started floating backwards.

"But I have!" Nabiki said, giving chase. The woman smiled knowingly.

"You know what I speak of! Wake, now, before he is gone forever!" Nabiki stopped, and ran back to Ranma. The dream ended, and Nabiki looked down at Ranma.

She smiled. There was no witty comment, just action. Nabiki would look back and think that was the most impetuous and rewarding thing she had ever done in her life.

"You did well, Whisper. Is he ready?"

"Of course, my lady. The lad is recovering. His life shall begin to resolve soon."

"Good. It would not do to leave my patron's best guardian in such a terrible position."

A.N.

Thank you all for your positive reviews. I will answer all questions posed by everyone to the best of my ability without ruining the plot.

MingShun - The comment on Ryouga was to make sure Akane didn't complain. Nabiki really wanted the boy out of the house so that her sister and him couldn't get a chance to plot. By themselves, they will fail against Ranma. Together, they have the slightest chance of succeeding.