So I left…

Just like that… I got in a plane and left for good.

I left him.

It was weird how fast things happened at the end.

How suddenly it felt like it was the end of the world and the next second everything was still there.

Unmoved.

I remember thinking, -even as the plane was taking off- maybe he's coming for me. Maybe he's stopping me. Maybe he…

There were so many maybes at the end.

I pictured all this different scenarios…

I fooled myself until I couldn't anymore…

And then…

I woke up.

Truth is, at the end, he didn't even show up to say goodbye.

CLOSURE

He looks at her from afar at first, just a glimpse of her. Shyly, he uses the distance to hide away from her view.

He gets closer and now watches her from outside, through a window. And he can't help feeling a little bit stalker-ish. She's completely unaware of his presence. She's working, moving around, serving tables, a smile on her face.

And he thinks -he knows- he should have said something before leaving. He should have at least say goodbye -even if he left for only a few weeks-. She deserved it.

Akane deserved it too…

Suddenly she looks up, surely feeling his eyes on her. Their gazes meet. She seems surprised, but the surprise is soon gone leaving only weariness instead. She frowns. He waves tentatively. She cocks an eyebrow at him and shakes her head. You're hopeless, she mouths the words. And he nods. It's the truth.

"I'm taking five," Ray announces and takes her apron off.

Outside, Ranma is waiting. He sees her getting closer and braces himself, not sure of what's to come.

"Long time not seen," she starts. "Quite an act of disappearance you pulled there, huh?"

He looks down, subdued. "Sorry about that."

"It was only a few weeks," she says shrugging sourly.

"I really am sorry Ray. I just… I couldn't take it anymore."

She watches him closely. "You could have just told me, you know? You didn't need to run away from me."

He keeps quiet, never a good one with confrontations

She shakes her head, smiling ruefully. "Don't worry about it," she says looking away. "We were never really meant to be."

"I never meant to—"

"I know," she cuts him off reassuringly. And she does know. She knows him. The girl sighs. They were friends, that's how it was supposed to be. "So where have you been?"

"Away. Training." He answers simply.

Ray watches him closely and waits.

"I left after we fought. Nabiki told me I wasn't wanted and I really didn't feel like staying anymore."

She frowns. "You left during the party?"

"Only took my clothes with me. I didn't say goodbye Ray. I just left. That's why you haven't heard of me."

"What about Akane?"

She sees pain flashing in his eyes. The boy shrugs. "Guess she left… didn't stay around to see her doing it."

The girl closes her eyes sadly. "Oh, Ranma," she says pitifully.

"Don't do that," he replies, frowning.

"You should've stayed. You should've told her."

"Told her what?"

"Anything Ranma, you should have… I don't know," she sighs. "Did you… did you ever told her you loved her?"

"What?"

"You didn't, did you?"

"Look Ray, I don't want to talk about this." And he starts building a wall up, and she sees through it, and she cannot stop.

"I don't want either Ranma," she says bitterly. "But it's wrong not to do it. You know I… I met her."

"What do you mean?"

"Akane… she's nice. And this is just wrong."

"Why? Did she tell you anything?" He can't help but hope… it's what he always does, even when he knows it's hopeless.

The girl smiles softly. "She really cares about you Ranma. You should have told her when you had the chance."

He sights, troubled. "It wouldn't have made a difference."

"You don't know that."

"You think it could---"

"I don't know either," she cuts in. "You know Ranma, Sometimes it's sad how things turn out at the end." She says softly, shrugging. "But then again," she hints. "Who gets to say when it's all over, right?"

To be finished in "Redemption"

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I want to thank everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. It's the first time I get so many reviews in a chapter for this story. There usually only four or five of them so I was more than pleased. Thank you, really.

Oh, and if you can, please review this one too. I felt it was a little hurried at the end so I would really like to know what you thought about it.

Oh… and I'm looking for beta readers that'll help me fix my grammar. You see I want to fix this story after is finished. And I'm also looking for help on my other story "Venom" it's a translation from a fic I'm writing in Spanish and I don't want it to be awkward. So, if anyone is interested please let me know.

Ok, that's it.

Thanks again and bye bye!