A.N.: Wow, I just realized that this fic is going to be really perfect. A nice even 20 chapters. From this point on, it's happy happy happy! And if you'd like a continuation to this fic (aka babies) let me know… or it could really be just anything! I'm thinking of adding a lemon to the next chapter, but it might have to be chopped for the version. I'm so happy! My goal for the next few weeks will be getting this fic done, because I'm basically on the home stretch… there's only a little bit left! Its really amazing I haven't written this fic since when…December? Until yesterday, i had very little intention to continue, but I got an urge to write, and thus-here we are. Please enjoy and review! Get back to me on the after story thing! (I'm thinking of a journey to get rid of the curse, and graduation and more weddings and tying up lots of loose ends… hey I'm convincing myself to do this! LOL)

Chapter 18: Ranma…Come Back To Me…

Akane was paralyzed with fear. Ranma with his quick martial arts reactions grabbed Akane and maneuvered them to be under the bench. Time did not permit. Akane was pushed safely under the bench, but Ranma didn't make it in time.

She was in shock, and too scared to move. Cold rain fell hard, and the water splattering on her face finally got her out of her shock. Breathing hard, she turned over to see where Ranma was.

"R-Ranma!" she shouted, seeing the now transformed Ranma lying unconscious near her. Was he hurt? Where was he hurt? Why was he unconscious? She desperately needed the answers as these questions ran through her mind.

She freed herself from the bench and kneeled over Ranma. She was still alive and breathing. There was a big gash on her forehead, which led her to the conclusion that he had been hit on the head by the branch.

"Ranma! Ranma!" She shouted, trying to wake the now transformed Ranma up. People who saw the lightning strike came over to investigate. The rain came down hard and cold as ice, and Akane was scared to death. Everything became blurry, and then went black, as Akane collapsed on top of Ranma.

"Hey! Get a doctor! A tree branch just fell on these two girls! Hurry!" a voice shouted.

Akane awoke to a warm and comfortable bed. The Tendo's and Saotome's were all looking at her with anxious expressions.

"Akane! Dear!" Akane's father said as she woke. She remembered what happened and shot up.

"Ranma!" she yelled, looking around for him, and seeing him lying in a bed next to hers. His face was bandaged and he still looked unconscious.

Everyone made Akane settle back down because she was trying to get out of bed to see Ranma.

"He's allright, Akane. Please, tell us what happened." Genma spoke.

Akane nodded and sat back in the bed.

She went into an explanation of what happened, leaving out the reasons for her seeking the asylum of the tree, and their conversation. Reliving the experience, short as it was, was still a great emotional strain. Tears welled up in here eyes, and the nurse came into the room, telling everyone that visiting hours were over. Akane was obviously staying at the hospital overnight, because she was still severely shaken. The nurse waited for the family to say their goodbyes and to leave. She told Akane Ranma's condition and gave her reassurance that it wasn't severe.

As soon as the nurse was gone, Akane jumped out of her bed to see Ranma. He was still unconscious. She sat on the edge of his bed and took his hand. She spoke with tears in her eyes.

"Ranma, I'm so sorry. Please, you have to wake up. You have to come back to me, Ranma. I love you so much. It doesn't matter whether or not your memories come back. It doesn't. I will always love you. We can make new memories together. All I want is for you to come back to me. Please Ranma, come back." She sobbed into his chest. "Come back, Ranma." She held onto him, sobbing and praying for him to wake up. She cried herself to sleep, still holding him tight.

The sun shone brightly on Ranma and Akane. He stirred first. He slowly opened his eyes and felt so weird. True, his head hurt a little, but the weirdness was something internal. Akane's weight was soft and gentle against him. He loved the familiarity of it.

He brought a hand up and gently smoothed it through his lover's hair. She looked beautiful and peaceful. She stirred and looked up.

"Ranma! You're okay!" she said, un latching herself from him. He looked at her, at relieved look in her eyes. Staying silent, he gently grabbed her and held her, so he could look at her with out her moving.

"Ranma, what are you-" she started and was cut off when he covered her lips with his hand.

"Akane, I could hear what you were saying to me. Thank you for your love and devotion to me, even when I lost my memories. Just—thank you, for everything." He took her into a desperate embrace and took her lips into a passionate kiss. When he let go, she looked into his eyes. And started crying.

"Ranma, it's you." She cried onto his shoulder, and then kissed him again.

"I feel like I haven't seen you for such a long time." Ranma said. "I was struggling so hard to come back to you. And now I've finally made it back to you." He said. Akane was still crying. He cradled her in his lap and held her tightly.

"You came back to me, Ranma. You came back." Was all Akane could say.

"I felt like I would die if I didn't get back to you. Not being with you was the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I will never let you out of my sight again." He said, breathing deep.

"Ranma, I will always be with you. I love you so much." Akane whispered.

"Let's get married Akane. Let's get married as soon as possible. I want you to be my wife, and I want to be your husband." Ranma said with all seriousness. Akane answered him with a kiss that made his soul scream.

"Oh, so as soon as he's conscious, you want to deprive him of air? That's very smart." The nurse said as she walked into the room. Akane and Ranma stopped at the shock of being walked in on, and then realized that it was a hospital, where they didn't have that much privacy.

"Sorry ma'am, it was my doing." Ranma said.

"Well, I guess it shows that you aren't hurt too bad." The nurse smiled a motherly smile. She left some breakfast for them, and told Akane to feed him if necessary, with a wink.

"No, don't even think about it Akane, I can do it myself!" Ranma said, not wanting to be treated like a child.

"But Ranma, you don't want to make a mess. Why don't you just let me do it?" Akane said slyly. She held up chopsticks with food. Ranma opened his mouth to speak, but Akane shoved the food in. he tried to resist as much as he could, but eventually gave in, realizing that resistance was futile against Akane.

The doctor was in to examine both of them after breakfast. Akane was fine, and Ranma was released as well, with a promise to take it easy. The doctor put a smaller bandage on Ranma's cut and left to let them dress.

The families of the two arrived and took them both home. Everyone was so happy that Ranma had regained his memories. During the walk home, Ranma hung back a little to talk to his mother.

"Mom, how soon can Akane and I get married?" he asked in a low voice. She looked at him and realized how much of a man he'd really become.

"Ranma, you can get married whenever you want. I mean, if you'd like preparations and all the proper arrangements, it'll take a few days. I can have everything ready on Saturday." She said.

"Thanks mom, Saturday sounds perfect." He smiled and pecked her on the cheek. He then caught back up to Akane and whispered to her.

"We wed Saturday." He said softly, smiling and grabbing her hand. Akane squeezed his hand to show her excitement. Then, a quick thought popped into her head.

"We should go tell Ukyo and Ryoga!" she said. "They are probably still worried about you, Ranma. We should go tell them, and also tell them about Saturday."

The two of them excused themselves from the group walking home and made their way to Ucchan's, the okonomiyaki shop where Ukyo and Ryoga were.

As they walked in, Ukyo shouted "Welcome to Ucchan's!" before she even realized who it was.

"Ranma! Akane! Hello!" she beamed. Ryoga looked up hearing her shout the names of his two close friends. Ukyo threw okonomiyaki fresh from the stove to Ranma, who caught it with a childish smile. Ukyo spotted the bandage on his forehead and rushed over.

"Ranma, how did you get hurt?" She asked. Ryoga was looking on from his spot behind the counter. Ranma put a playful look on his face.

"Oh, its nothing really. Just a small price to pay for getting my memory back." He shrugged simply. Ryoga hopped the counter and made his way over. Ukyo practically jumped onto Ranma, hugging him tightly. The okonomiyaki fell to the floor with a light thud.

"Oh Ranma, that's so wonderful!" she almost cried. Ryoga was happy, but didn't hug onto Ranma like Ukyo. He looked at Akane and knew that she was the happiest girl in the world, and was happy for her. He knew he'd have to let go of the love he always held for her and admit that he had been defeated by Ranma, but it wasn't so hard. It didn't mean he didn't love her, it just meant that he was moving on. If loving her meant stepping aside, that was ok. He wanted her happiness above anything else, and if it was Ranma who made her happy, so be it.

Besides, he had Ukyo. They were both heart broken because they couldn't have the ones they loved, but they were healing together, and forming a really great bond. Their bond was even evolving into something more, perhaps they'd be in a deep relationship soon.

Ukyo finally let go of Ranma, and wiped her tears. Perhaps they were tears of happiness or tears of sorrow, but she put a smile on her face either way.

"we also came to tell both of you something else." Akane said. She nudged Ranma, and he spoke.

"We're getting married on Saturday." Ranma said simply. Ukyo and Ryoga smiled for them and they all sat to talk about details.

Ranma and Akane walked home about an hour later, thrilled to be in each other's presence. It wasn't the same to have a Ranma with amnesia. Akane would have dealt with it if she had to, because either way, she loved him, but her Ranma was who she wanted.

Ranma, of course didn't care about the little bump on his head. He'd received worse in battles with Ryoga and Kuno. He wouldn't allow himself to miss a day of school, or worse, not be with Akane.

It was weird, because he remembered bits and pieces of what happened while he had amnesia. He remembered a lot of the emotions he felt, like the need to remember, and the fear of never doing so. His love for Akane was always there, and it was comforting to know that his entire being loved Akane, even without the memories they shared.

The next few hours passed without much stress. Nodoka told everyone of the wedding being on Saturday, and the fathers wanted to go crazy, but decided to restrain themselves after the girls defended Ranma, not wanting his injuries to worsen. Everyone was getting ready for bed, and Akane and Ranma were somehow left in the living room alone. Akane could feel the question Ranma was about to ask. She took hold of his hand and pulled him.

"Let's go." She blushed a little, without knowing why. They entered her bedroom and she closed the door behind them. She tried to pull Ranma again, but he pulled back, making her look up. He pulled her into a hug, sighing heavily.

"Akane, I want you more than life itself, but I want to wait. I want to make our wedding night perfect. Please wait with me until then." He said softly. She nodded into his chest.

"I just want you with me, Ranma. We've been apart for too long. I just want to hold you and feel you next to me." Akane said.

Akane and Ranma squeezed ever so perfectly into her smallish bed. Ranma wrapped his arms around Akane, making her feel the best she's felt in a long time. He loved how she felt against him. She was the perfect size, shape, everything. He kissed her head gently before snuggling even more. They were asleep within minutes dreaming the sweetest of dreams.