Here you come again
Just when I've begun to get myself together
You waltz right in the door
Just like you've done before
And wrap my heart 'round your little finger
Here you come again
Just when I'm about to make it work without you
You look into my eyes
And lie those pretty lies
And pretty soon I'm wonderin'
How I came to doubt you

"Here You Come Again" by Dolly Parton

I guess I've always believed that timing is everything. If I wasn't late for most job interviews I went to, I might not work at Creepy Marv's.

Oh damn, I had to go back today.

Anyway, back to timing, it has always been a big part of my life. Many a bathroom walk in would be averted, the kiss from Shinosuke, and the two hours on my front steps waiting for a boy who would never come.

So, when I woke up in my bed, in an old oversized t-shirt and panties, and under all my warm covers: I was a little surprised.

It seems I fainted after reading the note. Well, it was frightening beyond belief, but still, that was pretty bad. I felt my cheeks go red.

How had I changed? Had it been me? Where the hell had Hiroshi gone?

I turned to my side table alarm clock, which was only a clock and a little bit of a radio at this point, and groaned when I noticed it was six thirty in the morning.

I rubbed my ribs and cringed. My cringe turned into a yawn and I was now fully awake, staring at the stucco on my ceiling. I pushed back the covers and flipped my bare legs over the side.

I had waxed them a week ago and they were all nice and smooth. I ran a hand over them and smiled, they felt silky.

Sure, I couldn't afford silk sheets, but my legs sure felt like it.

My Dad was always trying to give me money. He hit it big with an inheritance and, ever since, has tried to buy me the world. Well, I enjoyed it a bit at first but now I didn't want a thing to do with it. I treasured my independence, my free thought, and when he gave me money I felt so bad.

I slipped into my big purple bunny slippers, underneath my bed just in case someone was to come in here with me and wouldn't laugh at me for them.

I dragged myself into the kitchen, through my door, and wiped my eyes, shielding them from the sun.

I yawned and let out a little sound as I stopped.

I walked to the fridge, opened it, and stared inside. There was a bit of morning light in the room but the leering light still struck me as amazing. I looked to the window and noticed a lump on my couch.

I strolled over curiously. What the hell was that? After last night, things began to freak me out a bit more. I took my favourite mug from the counter, ceramic and quite hittable.

I stared at the sleeping figure. His hair was tussled over his face, growing an inch shy of his ear, but shaggy still the same. It was light brown and hadn't lost its gorgeous highlights. His face was calm, no disguises, and his arm was over his stomach, the other above his head. He was sprawled over the couch and looked absolutely adorable.

So this whole kiss thing last night had to be put on the back burner for a while. I mean, kiss or death threat, what took precedence?

I was beginning to think his lips put up a very good argument.

I stood above the couch, the sun gazing in a bit, low lighting the room and making it feel warmer some how. Of course, it could have been Hiroshi's figure making me feel so hot.

That, of course, was just one explanation.

I slumped over the top of the couch, head on hands on couch.

I tilted my head and stared at the sleeping man.

He had stayed the night to protect me. I wondered if it was the cop in him, or the man in him that made him stay. I didn't think he would. After all, our last real encounter had been with a tree.

See, when I was 19, and all the girls still mumbled about him horrendously, I didn't notice. I was grieving for things and had just gotten a job picking up golf balls at a driving range; my speed and agility giving me the edge for the job. Since I cost a lot less than a machine and its gas and maintenance I was paid well.

So one day, after what I thought was the first week of a beautiful relationship with Hiroshi, a boy from high school that picked me up from a bar and swept me immediately off my feet and straight into bed, I heard two girls talking as they golfed. I was re-depositing balls and my large visor hid my face. They were talking about the boys' bathroom walls of Kikyo's Bar, this was at a time when I still referred to men as boys and was probably right, and how they advertised Akane Tendo as a magnificent applicant for a date.

My face went red with anger and I sort of went crazy. I stole a golf cart and was riding down the street to find him when I noticed him talking up some girl n the park. I zoomed over, amazed at just how fast they could go, and as he noticed he began to run. I yelled and screamed and at the end I rammed him with my golf cart, flinging him into a near by tree.

When people asked me why I did it, to this day, I simply explain the bastard deserved it.

So, when I see him coming near him again, seven years later, my eyes flare and my heart pinches with a strange mix of guilt and desire.

Relationships are definitely worse than throwing up.

Plus, they leave an even worse aftertaste.

I studied his face, the worried twitch his eyes sometimes moved to obvious signs of a dream.

I thought about the note for a second, and the break in. So, I had to think of the facts, of what this person knew. So far they knew where I lived, where I worked, and where I ate. They knew about Sayuri's murder three years ago, and they knew about my reunion. It frightened me, the thought they were watching right now.

Okay, I didn't have to panic. I knew what I should do; work with the police, but my heart told me to b-line to Ranma. Ranma was a dangerous man. Dangerous men, if on their good side, were a very nice accessory at this point.

Of course, working this out was the only possibility in my mind. I had never been the type of girl to just let things lie and wait for them to happen. I was the first to attack and I would do it furiously.

Hiroshi wouldn't help. He would tell me to let the cops do it themselves, but I knew I would be back logged and they didn't have the man power or power in general, to take action first.

So there was only Ranma, only the danger, to help me out.

Someone groaned and I opened my eyes, not realizing until then they had been closed.

Hiroshi scrunched his face and stretched, his shirt riding up a bit to show his rock hard abs. I froze.

I cooled off by remembering the notes on me on the bar bathroom so long ago and picked up a pillow and smacked him in the face with it.

He shot up and jumped to his feet. "What? Who are you? Don't you touch her!"

I felt bad that he woke up ready to protect me, but driving him up a tree had just not been enough.

"Thanks for staying and all, but I've got to get to work." I grinned cheekily.

He stared back, scratching his hair which at this point could only be properly called a mop. He still managed to make it looked gorgeous though, which added to my fury.

He eyed me suspiciously. "Sweets, it's six thirty in the morning, you don't go in until ten."

Damn him and his knowledge of my schedule!

Wait a minute, how in the hell did he know that? And how had he been in here last night?

I tried to lie. "I'm going in early today, to make up for lost time."

He saw right through it.

"Liar." He grinned.

I receded. "Fine, I'm going to talk to someone."

He folded his arms, still standing. "Who?"

I huffed. "An old friend." I threw up my hands. "And who are you, my mom?"

He smirked. "Which old friend?"

I thought of Ranma in my head. His bright eyes, clouded over with lost emotion and hard times, shone bright in my head. His muscular arms and rock solid stomach made me blush with the thought of him. I felt a bit guilty for last night, but I would have to swallow my pride and say sorry if I was to get his help.

Hiroshi noticed the blush.

"Oh." He said, kind of flatly. "Him."

Jealous? I think so. Oh Akane, you wonderful seductress.

"Yup."

He paused for a second then smiled. "Uh, Akane?"

"Yeah?" I said, in a know-it-all voice.

"How are you gonna talk to him if you don't have his number or his address?"

What? Who did he think I was, not having a simple number or-

Damn it, he was right.

Jin! The guy I went shopping with, and hung out with the whole day, gave me his number. I could just phone that and pretend to talk to Ranma. It was written on the inside of my thigh, so as to not be shown in the dress and when I pulled up the shabby t-shirt, Hiroshi's eyes widened.

"Akane, so early in the morning?"

I sneered. That man only thought about one thing.

"Ranma gave it to me –uh- last night. Yeah, on our date."

Hiroshi stopped. "So, mystery man was Ranma?"

Hmm, should I tell him I went out with a man he is already threatened by, or tell him I got stuck up? Obviously, I'd lie my pants off, that is hypothetically since I wasn't wearing any pants.

"Yep!" I chirped.

I dialled in the number on the phone kept next to the couch and waited as it rang. I hoped Jin would go along with it. He had told me to phone him the next day and tell me how it went.

Hiroshi looked at me suspiciously.

"Get out, this is a private conversation." I chided.

If he did, I could just talk about anything for a while with him.

"Nope, this is part of security for your own good. If I left, someone could jump in the window and stab out your phone connection. That is, unless you have something to hide?" He kept his arms folded and sat back on the couch smugly.

I grinned and laughed nervously. "Nope, nothing at all!"

He nodded and waited for me to screw up.

Okay, screw him, Jin would go along hopefully.

I heard the rings. Three, until a chirpy voice picked up.

"Hey!" I practically yelled into the phone out of nervousness.

Hiroshi tilted his head in interest and I sneered at him and stuck out my tongue.

"You wish." He said.

Dick.

"Hello? Who's there?"

Oops! I had forgotten about Jin!"

"Hey! It's Akane. How are you?"

He answered quickly and nicely, "Akane? Oh, grocery store, gorgeous girl. Wow, that's a real popular name . . . So how did the date go?"

I stared at Hiroshi for a second. "Well, it didn't really 'go'."

Hiroshi couldn't know what I was talking about, so I could somehow talk to both of them, right?

When I had been younger, I could multitask like nobody's business, but the whole lying and talking to two people, one imaginary at the moment, really confused me.

"He didn't show? Yes he did. I know he did, I sent him there. Did you wear the dress?"

I nodded into the phone. "I had my coat on for a bit and then took it off. "

Hiroshi raised a brow and I shot out of my conversation.

"I had a great time though, Ranma, can I talk to you about something?" I screeched, overly cheerful into the phone.

There was silence on the other end. "Ranma? You want to talk to Ranma?"

I stared at Hiroshi. "Yep."

He was taunting me.

Jin said nothing for a few seconds and then a gruff voice interrupted the silence.

"Yo."

My stomach churned.

It had just woken up and was grouchy and probably all distraughtly sexy.

It was Ranma.

My mouth dropped and Hiroshi looked uncomfortable. "You okay?"

I nodded, slapping a stupid smile on my face again.

"I need to see you today, alright?" I said cheerfully.

Ranma was looking condescendingly at his phone; I knew he would, it was just like him to.

"How the hell did you get this number?"

I stared at the phone, ready to scream at him, when I noticed Hiroshi's perked ears.

"Oh around, y'know? Meet me at the Starbucks on 8th in fifteen." I paused while he said nothing. "Aw thanks, I had fun too, bye!"

I hung up and turned off the ringer, just in case he phoned back.

I smirked at Hiroshi and crossed my arms. "Well, I've got to go, but thanks for the security."

He hopped up and grabbed me in his arms, stroking up and down my left, and staring me in the eyes. Breathing down my neck, and cradling me in his arms made me feel like he was my shell. It all happened so fast that he made me lose my breath.

Bastard.

He made his voice gruff and sexy. "Sweets, be careful."

Then he kissed me on the forehead and grabbed his things on his way out, never looking back.

I needed a table fan.

I ordered my iced, tall, extra-caramel caramel macchiato and sipped up the yummy liquid. I sat outside.

It was a gorgeous sunny day, and the sun shone down on my face. The instant warmth was nice but made me want something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

It amazed me I made my way out of the apartment this morning. Someone was out to kill me, but I realized that for most of my life that had been the case. I wasn't going to let a little thing like severe death threats get in my way.

Someone pulled up another dark green plastic chair across from me and it suddenly got a lot warmed.

I perked.

"Hey Ranma." I greeted, not even having to look up from my drink.

His lips curled up. "Yo."

I looked up, with much pain. Okay, all I had to do was say sorry and he would help.

I breathed out. "Ranma, I'm sorry for blowing up."

He shrugged. "Meh, I deserved it."

He looked suspicious. "Why?"

What did he mean "why"? A girl could say sorry if she wanted to. Besides, even if I didn't want something I was definitely mature enough to say sorry anyway . . . probably.

I huffed up like a blowfish. "I'm mature Ranma; I can accept that it was wrong to douse you with water for being a big prick and leaving me at a very crucial moment, and emotionally scarring me for a very long time."

Okay, so that was a little emotional too.

He grinned. "Aren't you the little lady now, a debutante right?"

I stared back at him. He was wearing all black again; cargo pants, black t-shirt and black nylon vest over it.

Yum.

I shook my head to get the thoughts of him out.

"So, why'd ya call me here?" He asked, slyly taking my drink and sipping up half of it.

"Hey!" I yelled, grabbing at it with earnest.

You could get me a job smiling at dead people, stand me up on prom night, and even threaten to kill me, but if you take my Starbucks your ass is grass.

"Listen, I need your help." I told him.

It was damn hard swallowing the fact that I wanted to pummel him, but I sucked it up.

"With what?" He asked.

He rested back and folded his arms over his chest.

"Well, I've been sort of threatened . . . a few times now . . . those have to do with the break in. . . and I need your help."

He tensed. "What kind of threats?"

I looked up, guilty for no apparent reason. "Death threats."

It made my mouth dry and my body shake thinking about the note. I took it out of my pocket and handed it to him across the table. When our hands touched my eyes shot up for a glance at his peepers. I licked my lips nonchalantly and he watched them.

"You did that on purpose."

"No!" I jumped a bit and pulled back my hand.

He sat back with the note and studied it. "Liar."

I didn't say anything as he read it and his face darkened.

"Got any suspects?"

"Well, they knew about my blind date, and about, well, about Sayuri's murder."

He glanced up. "How long ago was that?"

"Years ago, but it still hurts today. She was a reporter, and we were good friends."

My eyes teared up a bit at the memory. There were far worse things than being stood up at prom.

"I loved her like a sister."

"Did you ask Hiroshi about that?" He asked, pocketing the note.

"No, why?"

I knew why. Hiroshi used to go out with Sayuri. Then again, Hiroshi used to go out with everyone.

"They seemed kinda close last time I checked."

"Last time you checked they were worrying about finals, Ranma."

He rolled his eyes. I didn't mind because it showed I finally got under his skin.

"Babe."

"Mhm Ranma, that's right. Please, let's not get into this. I brought it up, I'm sorry."

I was such a good person, stopping the fighting. Go me.

"Yeah, you're really bad like that."

WHAT?

"Are you kidding me? I can't believe you would even say th-"

I stopped mid sentence because he had hung his head back and started laughing.

"Babe, I was jokin'. Damn, you're easy to piss off."

I smiled. You had to when a boy like Ranma Saotome laughed. He was contagious, like a virus.

"So are you gonna help or what? I've gotta get to work."

He coughed to clear his head and scratched the back of his head adorably. "Yeah, well it seems I have been hired around Nerima so I'll be here for a bit. I might as well help ya out."

He stared up at me with half lidded eyes and a dark voice. "For a price."

I gulped. "Like my head?"

He grinned and stood up, walked over to my side of the table, and picked me up to stand in front of him. He tipped my head back with his delicately experience fingers and pulled me close, rubbing his hand up and down the small of my back, circling and making me all buzzy. He closed in, his hair falling into his eyes a bit, but framing it perfectly. I was hopelessly lost in him. After staring into my eyes for a few seconds he tugged me in and pulled me into a kiss fuelled with more emotion than ever before experienced by either of us. We rushed at the beginning, frantically loving the fact that we were able to touch without interference by some outside force, but slowly patterned into a sway of deep, luscious kisses. I melded into his form and pulled him in closer with my hands in his hair and around his neck. He suddenly kiss me with such urgency, such frequency, that I actually felt my knees buckle; and then he pulled away.

I fell over into my chair and pushed the hair out of my eyes. He stood in front of me smiling with his hands on his hips.

I wasn't gonna let him know he made me into jelly.

"Oh, so that's your advanced payment?" I asked, looking up at him, trying to hide the blush and the fact that I was impressed beyond belief.

Damn, but he was good.

"Nope." He smirked, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "That was for last night; and by the by," he swooped down and whispered in my ear, "That was nothing."

Oh my.

A/N: Can I still have the lyrics at the beginning of each chapter or is that not allowed now? Thanks for the reviews guy, you rule. This one was a tad longer and took a bit longer to write. I've been working manically this week which means less time to write. So thanks for reading, and please tell me what you think!

Erie Maxwell: I agree "dear" is creepy, eh?

Vaniah: I am trying to get that Akane has matured a bit, but not a lot. Plus, I'm writing from reading the manga, not only the anime.Yeah, this update wasn't as speedy, but I'm busy at work (Dairy Queen is a cruel mistress)

Bubbly Minx: Oh the Ranma and Akane sexual tension will begin and go on. Yet, so will the Hiroshi tension. Hmm, interesting plot: Ranma out to kill Akane . . . could it be true?

Misakichi1: There you go; updating is done and done.

Motokonobaka: Jin's an original character. I've never watched FAKE, heard it was excellent though. I'll definitely look into it now.

Reaper2040: Thanks, I love Grosse Pointe Blank. I was worried it was too Evanovich, so I'm putting in some other elements, hope you notice! Excellent scenario there, I love your ideas.

Ikerana: Oh gee, I haven't exactly figured out when the reunion is yet. I'm thinking it will be the last few chapters, the big shebang at the end.

Angela Jewell: Akane and Ranma are nuts, and so anything could happen. Watching Akane kick butt is such fun!

WhiteTigress666: Thanks so much; and her outburst was really fun to write too.