Author: Furiousmonkey

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma

PS: I live in Ireland, so I use English spelling, not American, so don't beat me for that!

Ranma- Love at last!

Chapter 12- Moments

A/N. Hi everyone!

Once again, sorry this took so long. Thank you so much for your votes by the way. One side is clearly winning, but I will keep the poll open for some time longer.

So here we go! Hope you like it! ( Please review!)

Tendo Dojo: Akane's Room

A fine layer of dust covered the ground near the hole that Akane had recently made. She and her sister were presently kneeling at the edge of said hole. Both heads were directly above it, peering in and trying to make something out.

" Well, what do you think it is?"

Akane looked at her older sister who had just asked her a question. She shrugged and replied,

" Don't know. Looks like a biscuit tin, or something."

Nabiki gestured at the hole and said,

" Well take it out then!"

Sighing, Akane carefully stuck in both her hands and gingerly grabbed. She lifted it out slowly and placed it on her lap. It was indeed a biscuit tin. It was large and looked very worn. Not to mention dusty. Akane lifted it and looked at it from all angles, even from underneath. Not finding anything special she returned it to her lap. It was only then that she noticed the tag on the top of the tin. She wiped away the obscuring dust and read the tag.

"Her mementos"

Her heart jumped, it was Ranma's writing!

Nabiki, who couldn't make out what the tag said from where she was sitting, began to protest,

" Hey Akane! What does that say?"

Akane blankly looked at her sister. Instantly, she looked back down at the box and began prying open the cover. It opened easily. She limply handed the cover to her sister, who began inspecting it meticulously. No doubt she recognised Ranma's writing too.

Looking at the contents, Akane almost fainted. In complete shock, she froze. The tin slid from her knees and onto the floor. Nabiki looked up from the cover, which she dropped immediately.

She slid the box over to her and said,

" What's all this junk?"

She then began lifting things out of the box,

" A picture of you? A bunch of hair held by a ribbon? A strip of duct tape with lipstick mark on it? A weird jewel with a double-sided face? A bag of weird lookin' cookies? Torn dolls clothing? A small silk cloth pouch and a scarf that looks like it's been eaten by moths?"

Nabiki held up the offending scarf and looked over at her sister. She was still in shock.

" Akane are you okay?"

Nabiki shook her hand in front of Akane's face. Finally Akane turned and looked

at her. She was still in shock. Nabiki offered her sister the scarf with an inquisitive look.

Taking it in both hands, Akane stared blankly at it for some time.

Nabiki, who was beginning to get impatient, asked,

" Hey Akane what is it? Is it yours? What does it mean?"

Akane raised her head ad looked at Nabiki. She could see tears in Akane's eyes. She asked again,

" What does it mean?"

Akane clutched the scarf tightly and jumped up. Her eyes were suddenly burning with anger. Her blue aura was visible around her. She screamed,

" It Means! You RUINED MY WEDDING!"

Akane brought her open hand back over her shoulder and swung it with such force that Nabiki was knocked back five feet before skidding to a halt. Sitting upright, Nabiki brought her hand up to touch her now burning cheek. It was very tender and it was burning. Looking up in shock, Nabiki saw Akane standing still with her hands limply at her side; her eyes were filling with tears.

Her burning cheek completely forgotten, Nabiki scrambled to her feet. Slowly she began edging towards her distraught sister. With a worried edge to her words she asked,

" Akane? Are you okay sis?"

Akane hung her head so that her bangs were covering her eyes and she began sobbing.

Nabiki rushed forwards just as her sister began collapsing to her knees. Catching her before she properly fell, Nabiki gently let her fall to her knees.

Akane grabbed her sister's blouse and began sobbing uncontrollably into it. Nabiki in turn put her arm around her sister's shoulder and tried to comfort her.

Throughout Akane's incomprehensible babble, Nabiki managed to pick up a few words. Most prominent among them were, " My wedding", " Ruined", and " Ranma".

Behind them the door slid open, Nabiki turned around and saw that Kasumi was at the door. She had come to see what was happening after hearing some shouting and a loud slapping noise. Seeing the red mark on Nabiki's face, Nabiki trying to comfort a hysterical Akane and Ranma's stash of mementos lying all over the floor, Kasumi understood immediately what was going on, Akane had finally found Ranma's stash of mementos.

Kasumi had known about them for some time, having stumbled across them in Ranma's chest of drawers a while ago. Ranma had pleaded with her not to tell Akane of them. Kasumi had just smiled and suggested to Ranma that if he didn't want anyone to stumble across them, that he should hide them under the loose floorboard in his room. Ranma thanked Kasumi greatly and ended up helping her around the house for a while. Akane had then taken this as Ranma trying to get close to Kasumi. She confronted Kasumi about it. Kasumi laughed lightly and she told Akane that she needn't worry about Ranma. Akane wasn't fully convinced so Kasumi told Akane that her time with Ranma would come and that they were perfect for each other. This had shut an incredibly embarrassed Akane up at the time and she ended up lightened up on Ranma a bit.

Without saying a word, Kasumi smiled and nodded at Nabiki and quietly left.

Nerima streets

Life for a certain martial artist was getting more and more complicated by the day. He was being forced to spend time away from the girl he loved and was too afraid to tell. His first real friend had properly, and absolutely admitted to loving him, he didn't feel the same way. And he had just found out about the horrible life that she had been suffering under because of him and his father.

Walking around the streets with his hands in his pockets, he was trying to sort things out in his head. It wasn't working; everything just kept going in circles.

Akane….Ukyo….wanting to punish Ukyo's father….and his…. Akane….Ukyo….wanting to punish Ukyo's father….and his………..

The gray clouds still hung low as he began to close in on a familiar bridge. But they were no longer threatening to break into a storm at any moment. Without thinking about it, he walked down the slope to the waters edge. Lying down, he put his hands behind his head and started watching the first rays of sun break through the clouds.

The sudden improvement in the weather lightened his mood a little and gave him hope. Maybe there was a solution to this mess after all.

By the time the first rays of light were falling on Ranma's face he was already fast asleep from pure exhaustion.

….. The sky was blue, not a wisp of cloud flew across it. The sun shone brightly and warmed Ranma's face as he sat up. Surprised he looked around. No longer was he lying on the grass at the bottom of the canal, but in a field of beautiful, blooming, yellow flowers. Beautiful, twittering birds flew overhead, swirling, ducking, weaving and dancing to the current of a gentle zephyr. Beyond the sea of yellow he could see a lush green bamboo forest. And beyond that, scenic snow tipped mountains. Looking the other way his breath got stuck in his throat. A glittering stream, with crystal clear water ran by his feet. Coming from a shimmering lake. At the other end of the lake was the most awe-inspiring waterfall. Perfectly clear and shimmering water churned and fell over three hundred feet. Before diving gracefully into the shimmering lake. Ranma couldn't make out the tip of the waterfall, as the sun shone from directly behind it.

The bright sunlight was blinding him, so Ranma looked down and rubbed his eyes.

' What is this place?'

Looking up and around again he said aloud,

" Where am I? This place is heaven on earth!"

" Not quite, Ranma!"

Ranma recognized the voice instantly. He turned in confusion to see the girl that dominated his dreams sit beside him. How did she get there? She wasn't there a moment ago! Akane was looking at the clouds with a peaceful smile playing on her lips. She was wearing a beautiful yellow sundress, the one she always wore. She wasn't wearing any shoes, leaving her feet exposed. The grass tickled her feet as she sat there, hugging her legs to her body. Without turning to look at him she smiled and calmly said,

" Hello Ranma!"

Ranma was dumbstruck, where was he? Why was Akane here? Why wasn't her ankle swollen? Regardless of the questions flying around in his head, Ranma's mouth opened and replied,

" Heya 'Kane!"

What the hell? Why is she here that's what he should be asking! Why couldn't he move his mouth? Everything was on automatic. Akane continued. Sounding a lot more serious,

" We have to talk Ranma."

Once again Ranma found himself sitting in the back row as his mouth did everything for him,

" About what?"

Akane removed her hands from around her knees and brought them back. Gently pressing them on the fresh grass, she leaned back.

" We need to talk about us."

Ranma had pretty much taken the role of a spectator at this stage. Playing the part of the audience as he watched himself and his love play their parts upon the stage,

" What about us 'Kane?"

" About us as a couple."

Ranma wanted to shout out in protest, but once again he was forced to watch.

" What about us as a couple."

Akane, still looking up at the sky answered with a hint of worry in her voice,

" Are we strong enough?"

Ranma was flabbergasted, and continued watching the scene unfold in front of him,

" Why wouldn't we be?"

Akane's answer was quick,

" Because we always fight!"

But Ranma's reply was even quicker,

" But I love you!"

Ranma was pretty much dying from embarrassment inside his head. Why was he saying these things?

" Will that be enough Ranma? We always fight. My cooking is terrible. I get jealous of the other girls. You make fun of my figure. I have a temper. You have a mouth.

Will we pull though that?"

Ranma smiled and said,

" None of that matters… sure it's true. But we are far stronger than that. Nothing can take you from me. Especially not me! Just by being imperfect, you are perfect in every way."

Akane turned and looked at him for the first time. Love was written all over her face,

" Thank you Ranma!"

She slowly leaned towards him and closed her eyes. Finding that he was in complete control again, Ranma panicked for a split second. But it quickly passed. Nothing was taking this from him. Especially not him!

Leaning towards her slowly, his own eyes closed.

He finally understood. As his eyes closed, scenes from his future life flashed in front of him.

There were good times, there were bad times, there were fights, there was romance, but above all there was love. And no matter what, he wasn't going to desert her, through to old age where the two sat on the porch of the dojo, bickering together about the youth of the day. But above all, together! They would stick through it all, no matter what would stand in their way.

Opening his eyes slightly he watched Akane move closer and closer. They were standing and it was now night. The fireflies danced above the plains and around them. And stars twinkled in the night sky. As the distance between them closed, time slowed. Her perfect lips came closer and closer. He closed his eyes again.

….After what seemed like an eternity, they touched….

The feeling blew him away. Opening his eyes again he watched a now beautifully glowing Akane drawing back. She smiled and looked upwards. Spreading her arms out, the glow became brighter, illuminating the night sky. But it didn't blind him. He watched on.

Suddenly, Akane gracefully burst into thousands of glowing fireflies. They spun around Ranma. Lifting him up into the air, he floated as they flew around him, before shooting up into the night sky to take their place among the stars

It was the most beautiful thing Ranma had ever seen. Closing his eyes, he smiled…….

Ranma opened his eyes and was instantly blinded by the bright light.

As his eyes adjusted he saw that he was back in Nerima. Above him, a smugly smiling Mousse and an angry, but beaten up looking Ryoga were looking down on him.

Mousse folded his arms and said,

" Ahh Saotome! You're awake! Have we got news for you!"