"We think there is always a tomorrow, so why expose our feelings today? Why risk being vulnerable? Why take the chance? Because today, what we love, what we feel, what is real, is what we have. Tomorrow, it may all change."
--Small Miracles
Ranma couldn't understand it. She had left, gone, flittered away. The sand he had had in his hands had sifted through his fingers. He had been walking at such a slow pace, that he didn't realize it was half an hour later when he returned. The house was still quiet, silent beyond reason.

Ranma started walking to the table once getting into the house, sitting in his proper place, turning to his right and staring down at the emptiness beside him. And he sat there, staring for the next few hours, the sun gleaming more and more every minute. Ranma didn't notice.

"Morning Ranma," Kasumi chimed, "Oh, I noticed Akane wasn't in her bed, is she down here?"

Ranma flickered up at this; Kasumi's voice seemed to stall slightly.

He turned into his lap then, "she's gone."

"To the store?" She asked.

He looked up at her patronizingly, "Yeah, she's gettin' milk and cookies."

"You don't have to be rude Ranma," Kasumi smiled, more than ever; "I'll get you some breakfast now!"

She left the room humming lightly and Ranma crinkled his face even more; he wanted to wake up. This could not be happening. She had left. She had actually left. Ranma didn't understand how the universe let this happen.

Everyone started to pile in. Soun was weeping, Genma consoling him, and Nabiki rolling her eyes.

"She's left before; she'll be back soon," Nabiki rationalized.

Ranma stood at the door, listening angrily.

Soun would hear none of it, "Ranma, she is out there alone! Go, be with her!"

Ranma almost nodded, but Nabiki interrupted his silent gesture.

"Akane specifically asked for him not to go after her," Nabiki reminded him, pointing to the gloomy Ranma. She smirked, "And she's not alone, she's got a master of martial arts with her! He's saved her life before."

Ranma clenched his fists, and teeth.

Soun's head perked up, "That's true; more than once, even!"

Ranma seethed.

Genma coaxed Soun on, "And he was a guest in your house!"

Ranma seethed even more.

"True again Saotome!"

Nabiki helped some more, "And she obviously trusts him," she turned slightly to Ranma, "and wants to be by him. Remember: she left school, and her family, for his plight!"

"Yes," Soun cheered.

"And he was a fine match to me, like the son I never had," Genma gleamed.

Ranma could take it no more. He swiveled on his heels, face red, "Has anyone even noticed THAT I WAS ALL THOSE THINGS FIRST! WHY DO YOU CHOOSE HIM OVER ME?"

Everyone turned to stare at his hot, angry face. In the silence his embarrassment took over and he laughed, seeming quite defeated. He turned again and huffed himself out his window and up on the roof, letting the sun burn his face.

They had been walking all morning and all day. Dawn to dusk was what she expected, with what Akane could not respectively call "breaks". They were more like stopping to tie your shoes. As she sat panting, Shinosuke would scout around, not exactly knowing what was next, but looking like he had a fairly good idea.

Akane suddenly brought up a thought, "Shinosuke," he turned earnestly, "where are we going?"

"To find someone," he told her readily.

"Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Your grandfather," Akane retorted good-naturedly.

"Oh, where is he?" He asked curiously.

Akane rolled her eyes, and then smiled lightly, "Look in your shirt pocket."

He did as he was told and found the letter. He dug into the other to look for more; worried it was not what Akane had been talking about, when he pulled out another sheet of paper, scrawny writing and drawings all over it.

He gave it to Akane and looked on, interested yet again, "What is it?"

Akane looked it over, feeling the page intrigued. Her hands rolled bumpily over the crevices and divots in the paper. There were also levitated parts, formed in long thin bunches.

"Akane," He asked, waking her from a mesmerized state, "what is it?"

"It's," she stared, stunned, "a map . . ."

Ranma tossed and turned, worried that his deep sleep would be haunted by another dream, knowing it was coming.

In this one, Ranma found himself in heavy armor, tugging at him slightly every time he breathed. He tried to raise his hand and felt a large heavy object in it. A long, broad sword was pointed to the ground, piercing the earth, and he was left there to do nothing. He grasped it with his other hand, pulling, yanking at it. To no avail, he stood there unhappy and frustrated.

Just then, he heard a shrill scream. It was distinct, it was Akane.

He jerked his head up and screamed her name. She was in the clutches of a dragon, green and emerald clad. Ranma hollered at it and she just kept yelling, nothing in particular.

He yelled to the monster and it disappeared, leaving Akane to fall gracefully to her feet, looking like a goddess, or an angel, or something. She stared blankly at him, past him. She was in flowing white robes, more than there were before. A thin circlet of gold spun through her hair. The wind rustled her garbs, and yet, there was no wind. Ranma stood silently, staring; one hand still stuck on the sword. She stared at him now, running cold chills down his spine.

"Akane..."

She perked her ears at her name, "What's the password."

Ranma looked concerned, "What password?"

Akane calmly waited a few more seconds, "the password, please."

Ranma felt impatient, "I don't know what it is."

Akane smirked, "Yes you do. Say it and I shall come to you. Or would you rather I stay with him?" She turned to stare at the dragon drolly.

Ranma tried to move but his hand was glued to the sword, "Yer gonna have to come to me."

Akane nodded, "I can not; you have not said the password."

Ranma was confused, "But I can't!"

Akane turned in to his eyes again staring idly, "then I suppose you had better come to me."

And then, as suddenly as se had entered, she vanished.

Ranma awoke with a fiery start. He was not giving in that easy.

"A map?" Shinosuke mirrored.

Akane nodded, looking over it. She saw a small town labeled "Nerima" in near scribbles. She followed the dotted line, tracing it up to a bumpy section labeled, "The Dark Mountains". The letters crept spider-like down the page. She studied the map, taking out a piece of paper from her bag and tracing it lightly with a pencil, trying as best she could to copy it. According to the map, they were no where near the end of their journey.

"Shinosuke, where did you get this?" Akane stared down at it, still in amazement.

"I have no clue," Shinosuke admitted truthfully.

She turned to him, stood up, and placed one hand on each side of his face, "Remember," she willed, tightly shutting her eyes and hoping as hard as she could, "for me!"

His eyes flickered, shut just as tight, "I came home and men were carrying off Grandpa. One of the men dropped this. They were too fast, I couldn't stop them," she saw a tear roll down his cheek; "It's all my fault!"

"No, Shinosuke, it's really not," she took him in her arms and let him sit with her, holding him for more than a few moments. It was about time for a rest, and they both fell asleep like that, him in her arms with the map hidden by her.

Ranma shuddered for some reason unknown to him. He shrugged it off and went to get back up again. It was mid-afternoon now; he walked downstairs to find something missing. He walked into every room, staring in every direction for the certain something that just was not there. Finally, he got to Akane's room, tiredly leaving all his masks behind. He opened the door, shut it tightly behind him, walked to her bed and lay down, staring at her floor. Damn, he missed her.

No, he would not miss her; he would not give into his emotions like that!

He sprang off the bed and ran down stairs, out the door, and just about all the way to Ucchan's. He was huffing and puffing, feeling the pressure on his chest rise and fall. He opened the door, stepping over the threshold noisily.

Ukyo looked up from what she was doing instantly, "Ranma honey! Would you like some food; I just finished making half a dozen Originals!"

Ranma let himself fall onto one of the stools across from her, hot plate between them, "Naw, I'll just have some water," he stared at the grill as Ukyo stared at him, shell-shocked, "maybe some crackers."

"What are you so unhappy about, sugar?" The look on her face verified the concern heightened in her voice. Ranma couldn't avoid it, he had to tell her.

"You'll be happy to know," he told her, letting his deep blue eyes entwine with her brown ones, "that you have one less competitor."

Ukyo looked hurt, "You aren't talking about Akane are you?"

He looked at her again. Something inside him spoke; his lips never quivered.

Ukyo rolled her eyes, "Sorry I asked."

"Whatever, I don't need her," Ranma resolved, biting his lip, "I can get a lot more done around here than if she was still around, right?"

"Right," Ukyo agreed enthusiastically, "but who is she with?"

Ranma grinned jovially, "She's with Shinosuke; her loooover." Ranma scrunched up his face and then tossed the expression angrily.

Ukyo grinned, "Really Ranma?"

He nodded ferociously, "Oh yeah, they can go make babies, I don't care at all."

"Really Ranma?"

"Yep."

"And when she comes to say hello, and there are little Akane's, and they aren't yours?"

Ranma stayed quiet.

Ukyo supposed it was mean, but he deserved it. For being so damned unreasonable he at least needed that; she had accepted he loved Akane, but still something made her want him. She couldn't let go of someone like him all at once.

"I'll be fine. Except if they have his hair, or his dimples, or his eyes, or his gums," Ranma moped.

"His gums?"

Ranma nodded solemnly, "He has excellent oral hygiene. I'll give him that."

Ukyo nods, "Yes, that and, of course, Akane."

Ranma flipped his hair back, "She can do as she pleases. They're kids'll turn out ugly anyway. And, I bet they'll be mean, and horrid, and smell."

Ukyo rolled her eyes, laughing, "At least they'll have each other."

Ranma sat frozen, grinning spitefully, "Yeah; lucky, lucky them."

Akane awoke soon later. She had never been one for naps. She stared at the man, resting his head on her lap. She softly moved it, inch by inch, onto his back pack. She moved herself away and got up quietly. Stretching as far as she could, she made way for her bag; she needed water. She reached in, taking out a few things to find one of her water bottles. First, she took out some clothes, her sleeping bag, and then a notebook she had forgotten was in there.

She stared at it for a second. The sun hit it and made the red brighter than ever. She moved her hand lightly over the front, closing her eyes and clearing her mind.

"Now, why did I bring you?" Akane looked at the cover, "Journal" written on it, "Oh yeah, I nearly forgot."

She flipped through it quickly and tossed it aside lazily. At once a small clip of paper flew out and fell right to her feet, "what's this?"

She slowly bent to pick it up, surveying the back cautiously. It was blank, she flipped it over. There, on the other side, was a picture of her and Ranma . . . smiling.

She closed her eyes and tucked it back into the notebook, letting it rest in her lap, closing her eyes again, resting by a nearby tree, "There you go; right where you belong."

She stared forward at the dusty path ahead, "Oh Ranma," she whispered, "you big dummy."

Ranma was not upset, he couldn't be. He had gone home again and was now sitting on the roof, staring at the shingles. All at once the scene changed and Ranma was not alone with the shingles anymore. Ryoga stood, two meters away, angry as hell.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ryoga was seething, if steam could, it would be going out of his ears at the next possible instant.

Ranma turned bored, "What d'ya want, pig boy? I ain't in the mood for a fight just now."

Ryoga stepped back, shocked, "Ranma Saotome; not in the mood for a fight?"

Ranma stared at the ground again, "I'm weak; it wouldn't be a fair fight."

He scoffed, "What are you still doing here?"

Ranma snorted, "I live here ya brick-head."

Ryoga pointed a finger threateningly in his direction, "Why are you not with Akane?"

"She's with Shino-"

"She's gone, not with you. Chose somebody else, is that it Ranma?"

Ranma's eyes burned, "It's not like I care anyway!"

Ryoga kept taunting, "So what do you think they're doing right now?"

And then he stopped talking. And Ranma hated that because then his mind started reeling out all possible situations they might be in. Akane and . . . anybody else but him.

"Lucky him, eh? Sure, you could beat him, but the thing that matters most," Ryoga lingered, "you could never win by pummeling in some guy's face. Angry she chose somebody else, somebody better?"

Ranma had had it. Everyone had been pushing him all day, and this was the end. He had walked to the edge and hopped off. Actually, more like forcefully pushed off by the people he seemed to surround himself with everyday.

"Ryoga," Ranma twitched, "you want me angry, huh? Is that it? Well," his aura burst blue, "it's yer lucky day then!"

At that he swooped forward and thrust his fist as hard into Ryoga as he could. It would have been a good hit too, if Ryoga hadn't have moved . . . slowly at that.

"C'mon Ranma, try harder," Ryoga provoked, a tad worried.

"I-I-I can't," Ranma resigned, slumping down, tired.

"What?" More worry entered Ryoga's voice.

"I give up," Ranma told him, "not on the fight," he pointed out urgently.

Ryoga raised an eye brow, "Then what?"

He shrugged, "Just in general."

Ryoga calmed and walked over to him, sitting himself adjacent to his sometimes friend, "You have to go after her."

Ranma shook his head fervently, "Nope, nada, I can't."

Ryoga sighed, "Why is it always pride first with you. You know," he pointed out, looking at the sky, "Akane's going on a dangerous little escapade with that guy."

"Who'd forget his own head if it wasn't tied to his neck," he grimaced, "and she chose him."

The confusion in his voice was apparent.

"We've gone through this scene before Ranma," Ryoga detected warily, "and you know what I'm gonna say next."

Ranma sighed, "Yep, you're gonna say ya love Akane and even if she's in love with a stupid, ugly, weak idiot," Ranma breathed out, "you're still gonna love her, and help her . . . 'cause she's happy."

If custom had allowed it Ranma probably would have shed a tear right now.

Ryoga laughed, "Yeah, now if only you could say that."

Ranma nodded, "You're tellin' me!"

When Shinosuke awoke the next day Akane was already up. She had packed her things neatly and copied out the map about four hundred times. Shinosuke stared at the pieces of paper all around, "Morning."

As in explanation, Akane replied, "Yeah, I got bored. Sorry."

Akane had just been finishing another one when he had said hello. She noticed the big black blot she had made by holding the felt in one place, "Oh damn."

He laughed agreeably.

Akane decided that was what he was: agreeable. He had a bit of mystery though. She stared at him, smiling so kindly. And he loved her, he had no problem admitting that; but she couldn't let herself love him, something was stopping her.

"Akane," he stared at the ground, "where are we going today?"

She stared down at her map, fondly, "The Dark Mountains". Odd," she mused, looking at the original.

"What?" He asked sweetly, curiosity apparent.

Akane lifted the map to his face, "It says something underneath that's been puzzling me."

He laughed, "It's probably just to scare off the weak willed," he took the map and read aloud the small passage, "Mind the Mountains"? We'll be there before the day is done, if not sooner."

Akane sprung up, letting out the chill that had crawled up her back, "C'mon Shinosuke, we'd better get over to them."

He nodded obediently and grabbed his back pack. Akane picked up the last of the maps and things she had taken out to draw them all. The last thing was her journal and the map she had finished, but had the ink blotted on it. She decided she would throw that one away.

She set it down and picked up her journal, leafing through it for the picture, "Well Ranma, I suppose getting around to this would happen soon than later. It's time to move forward."

She took out the picture and, along with the map, set them down under a tree.

Ranma awoke, quite early in the morning, to find someone shaking him sporadically. He was sitting up in and instant, guarding himself and readying for a fight.

"Really Ranma honey, it's cold out here. I can't believe you didn't go in. Need somebody to warm you up?"

He groggily held his head, sleeping on shingles felt different now.

"Get up you lazy ass," Someone who sounded a lot angrier instructed, kicking him.

"Hey, don't you be saying that to him!"

"You get him up then!"

"Fine, I will!"

"Good luck!"

Someone nudged him gently, "Sugar, it's time to go."

Ranma finally opened his eyes to see the gleaming light of day. After said eyes adjusted he stared horrified at the smiling pair in front of him.

"Ukyo . . . Ryoga . . . what are you doing here?"

Ranma knew, he shouldn't have asked. Even when they told him he couldn't believe it. His brain was faster than his body.

"We're going to get Akane back," Ryoga instructed.

"Don't worry, he's not leading us," Ukyo put in joyfully.

Ranma stared at them point blank.

After a long pause he responded simply, folding his arms and pouting, "No."

They looked at each other, "Aww, isn't that cute; he thinks he has a choice!"

Ryoga laughed sarcastically, "Utterly so."

Ranma tried to move but was too late. He wished he'd had time to say goodbye to the roof.

Akane and Shinosuke had been walking for a while now and finally fell upon the opening of a large amount of caves, "So I suppose these are them."

"Be careful Akane," Shinosuke warned, "there are dangers here you've never seen."

Akane laugh nervously, "And you're such an expert."

They walked in.

It was dark dank, and quite true to what a cave would be thought to smell, sound, and feel like.

Akane couldn't speak out of fear. Shinosuke wouldn't speak out of worry.

"Welcome. I always love company."

A/N: Yeah, I think this is how long the chapters will be. I'm going try to get a chapter up every one or two weeks. I am flounced with homework at school, but I'll try to update sooner rather than later. Review!