Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ nor profit from this fanfiction.

The Final Goodbye

by MalletGirlAkane

The bus was filthy and smelled strongly of vomit and cleaning solution. Obviously someone had tried to mask the former scent with the latter, but had only succeeded in making a combination which even more nauseating. The heat and press of bodies on the nearly full bus only made it worse. There were no less than three screaming children aboard and everyone had developed a bit of a headache. Tempers were high and patience short. The young woman with long, dark blue hair considered herself fortunate to have found a seat by herself near the back.

It was with great reluctance, then, that she raised her eyes from the magazine she had been perusing when a male voice asked, "Is this seat taken?" She had hoped that this latest stop would actually let people off rather than taking on more passengers, but apparently they felt the need to cram a few more aboard. Suppressing a sigh she turned to welcome the stranger to have a seat but discovered, to her shock, that he was not a stranger.

"Ra-Ranma?" she gasped in a soft voice.

His face reflected puzzlement for a moment but quickly cleared with realization, "Akane?"

They stared at each other in speechless surprise for a moment until the bus jolted into motion. "Please, sit down," Akane said, quickly pulling the small bag at her feet farther over towards the wall. Ranma gave her a small, awkward smile of thanks and complied.

Determined not to allow another uncomfortable silence, Akane tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, "Nice ride, huh?"

He chuckled in that low, throaty way that always sent shivers down her spine. Like a magnet, he drew her eyes. It had been so long since she had seen him last; he hard hardly changed and, at the same time, looked completely foreign to her. He wore the same Chinese outfit as always, his hair was in the same, if slightly longer, braid. He had filled out, though. Ranma had always been muscular but now his chest was wider, his shoulders broader, he looked less like the boy of her memories and more like the man he was. His face was more angular as well, she noticed, and there was a tiredness about his eyes that did not belong there.

She wondered what he saw, when he looked at her. She supposed she had not changed much either. Since he left she had grown her hair long again, she would guess that it was about the same length now as it had been when he first met her. She supposed she must have matured as well, her cheeks certainly had less baby fat and her body was more womanly. With a wry grin she thought that she would never match him for curves. She could not help but wonder if he saw the same world-weariness in her eyes that she saw in his.

"Fortunately I get off at the first stop. Has it been a long trip for you?"

She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly in response, eliciting another chuckle. His laughter brought a small smile to her lips. Yes, she had certainly missed him. "What about you? Where are you headed?"

A fond smile lit his eyes, "I'm going to pick up Takara (1), she's been staying with Ukyo's folks all week."

Akane felt a pang of sadness wash through her. Silly, really; she had been certain she had gotten over this a long time ago. Regardless, memories flooded her mind unbidden. She recalled the day after their failed wedding, when Ranma had declared that he had had enough and left for China to find a cure. Ukyo had followed him. Akane supposed that she should have followed too, but somehow she had always been convinced that he would return to her. Could that really have been eight years ago?

Another memory drifted to the surface. After Ranma's departure, Genma had left as well. He came to visit once or twice. One year he brought news of the birth of Ranma and Ukyo's daughter, Saotome Takara. She must be about five by now. Akane wondered what the child looked like, whether she took after Ranma or Ukyo more.

"How... how is Ukyo?" she asked, forcing her voice into a pleasant tone.

His eyes hardened. "I wouldn't know," he practically spat, "I haven't seen her much lately."

She studied him out of the corner of her eye. He had tensed, his hands clenched into fists and a vein protruding on his neck. His face was outwardly calm but she could see hurt and betrayal in his eyes. Struggling to contain the curiosity which threatened to overpower her she replied with a simple, "Oh."

He turned towards her angrily but, on seeing her regarding him with sympathetic, brown eyes, his features softened. In a pained whisper he said, "She left. With..." A low growl escaped his lips, "With Ryoga."

Akane gasped, a hand coming to her lips.

"Now she doesn't even talk to me. Just takes Takara away every other month and drags her all over Japan. Chasing after him, selling okanomiyaki as they go. I swear, if I never smell another okanomiyaki for the rest of my life it will be too soon."

Ranma turned away from her, glaring a hole in the headrest of the seat before his own. The blue-haired woman laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and said, sincerely, "I'm sorry."

He sighed heavily, "But at least she's coming home now..."

"Takara?"

He nodded, joy returning to his eyes. "I've been goin' crazy without her. You should see her, Akane. She's so beautiful. And she's smart too!"

"Have you started teaching her The Art?"

His voice rang with pride, "Oh man! She takes to it like a duck to water!"

Another wave of regret washed over her; thinking of things which might have been, wondering what it would be like to have him bragging about their daughter. Wistfully, she twisted the ring on her left hand while she listened to Ranma describe his daughter's progress.

He paused in his description of Takara's training, noticing her actions. Softly, he asked, "Who is he?"

Akane shot a glance at her former fiance and, unable to resist, asked, "Do you remember Kuno Tatewaki?"

"What?" he yelped, trying to leap to his feet and failing in their cramped quarters. He only managed to bang his head against the luggage rack. Sinking back into his seat, rubbing his sore head, he muttered in a slightly quieter, though no less incredulous voice, "You can't be serious."

Akane shot a glare at the passengers who had turned to watch the show then turned a smirk to Ranma, "Of course I'm not serious. The only person in the world less likely to marry Kuno is you... maybe."

Ranma crossed his arms and tried to look upset at her little joke but did not pull it off very well. "Then who?"

She shook her head, lowering her eyes to the ring. It was very simple gold band, no frills. She supposed it fit her marriage well. In a tired voice she said, "No one you know, Ranma. Ours was a marriage of convenience more than you and I ever were. He needed someone to take care of him and I needed someone to take care of." She shrugged.

Ranma frowned, "You don't love him." It was not a question.

She did not reply but her shoulders hitched in what might have been another shrug.

"Any kids?"

Akane snorted, "I don't... I doubt we will have any."

Ranma stared at her, incessantly twisting her wedding band. Quietly he said, "But you've always wanted kids."

She shook her head heavily and turned her face from him, watching the world pass by outside the bus window. After a few minutes she said, "This is your stop, isn't it?"

He glanced past her but need not have as, at that same moment, the conductor announced his station. He looked at the woman leaning against the windowpane, staring at the world without really seeing anything. She was as beautiful as he remembered. Tenatively, he reached a hand towards her but let it fall before it made contact. "Akane," he said at last, "...If ya ever need anything, you know I'd come runnin', right?"

She did not turn to him but a tiny smile formed on her lips, "I know."

At a loss for words, Ranma sat looking at her for another minute before getting heavily to his feet and making his way off the bus. He stepped out onto the platform, looking around for a familiar face. He knew that Takara's grandparents expected him to pick her up at their house so was not surprised at the lack. He shot a glance over his shoulder but could not make out the face of his once-betrothed behind the dark glass. Shoulders sagging slightly, he turned and headed towards the exit.

A soft voice stopped him, "Ranma..."

He turned to find her standing behind him, eyes lowered. He glanced questioningly at the bus but she murmured, "I have about ten minutes before they leave again."

"What is it?"

With an effort, she raised her dark eyes to his own piercing blue. "You said... if I ever needed anything...?"

"I meant it."

"I... do..." her voice trailed away and she would have looked away again had he not reached out and caught her chin in his warm hand.

Tenderly, he asked, "What is it?"

She swallowed a few times, tears forming in her eyes under his soft gaze. At last she said in a breathy whisper, "Kiss me."

His eyes widened and his hand dropped from her face, "What?"

Akane bit her lip, using her new-found freedom to turn away from him again. In a small, guilty voice, she said, "Please... There is no love in my marriage. No passion. Just once... just once I would like a kiss that meant something. A memory to wrap myself in when I'm lonely..."

She broke off when he turned her face back to him again. With a look of quiet understanding he stepped close to her and gently pressed his lips to her own. She gasped softly against him as electricity hummed up and down her being. Suddenly her legs went out from beneath her as Ranma dipped her back, deepening the kiss immensely. Warm waves of longing and regret washed over the couple as he held her tightly to him. Tears slipped down her cheeks to their joined mouths, tainting the sweet embrace with a hint of salt. Her body was limp, clinging to him desperately, begging him to hold her forever.

Of course, he could not.

When at last he released her, they stood close to each other, breathing heavily. Slowly, without a word, she turned away from him. "Akane..." he said.

She shook her head, "Thank you, Ranma. I will never forget that." She wiped away a few tears, "But I'm married. You know I could never... Goodbye, Ranma."

He stared at her back, her shoulders shaking with tiny sobs. If Akane was one thing, it was loyal. She would remain loyal, whether he deserved it or not, whether she was happy or not, until he left her for good. Ranma, much to his regret, was more intimate with that truth than he cared to be. "...goodbye, Akane."

I love you.

Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo never saw each other again.

(1) According to Takara means 'treasure'.

Author's Note:

This is not my normal style. Really, I'm a happy ending type of girl. This story has just been begging to be let out of my brain, so I had to go along with it or I would never be able to write what I want. Unfortunately now I'm all depressed and probably won't be able to write anything for a little while anyway. Sigh.