Living the Martial Way

Chapter 8

I headed back to the Tendo's as soon as Kasumi told me what was wrong. Mom insisted on coming too, I didn't argue. When we arrived at the dojo I barely paused long enough to take my shoes off before dashing upstairs to Nabiki's room. It wasn't until I saw her that I stopped. She didn't even seem to notice me in her doorway. Instruments were scattered around her. A flute, shamisen, and a violin were on the floor, with a harp currently being played. Tears were still rolling down her face in a steady stream. I moved closer to try and get her to acknowledge me when I saw it, she had been playing for so long…that her fingers had been torn open. There was blood all over the harp strings. I panicked. I lunged forward and threw the harp out of her hands. She went catatonic with the loss of her security blanket and was like a statue as I pulled her into my arms.

I try to console her. "Shhh, it's ok Nabiki. It's me, you're safe."

That gets a reaction out of her. She lets out a wail that makes me think her soul is being torn apart, grabbing onto me as if I'm the only real thing in the world. I hold her tight to me as she weeps. Mom and the other Tendos rushed to the door when they heard her scream but whenever any of them try to come into the room Nabiki wails again and buries herself deeper into my arms.

They finally get a clue when I kick the door shut.

I just sit there, holding her. I think about the girl in my arms, wondering what could have torn her apart so severely. I continue holding her even after she falls asleep in my arms. When I go to get the first aid kid I found her thrashing about in her sleep, moaning in fear of her own inner demons…I didn't let go of her again.

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I woke up slowly, trying to recall what happened. When it comes back to me I cringe, burying my face into Ranma's chest I start crying again. I don't know how I knew it was him, I just did. He comes awake instantly, holding me close, whispering words of comfort and support.

"Ra-" My voice croaks from all the crying, I can't talk. I feel him take my hand and place it on a cold glass. 'Must be water.' I bring it to my lips and start to gulp it down when he stops me.

"Not so fast, you'll make yourself sick." The concern in his voice stuns me. It sounds like he's been crying too.

After a few small sips I try to speak again. "Ranma…How long have you been here?"

"…Fourteen hours. You've been asleep for almost all of it."

"I'm sorry." I lower my head and try to pull away from him. 'He must think I'm worthless.'

He only pulls me tighter to his body. "Don't apologize." The concern in his voice outweighs the forcefulness of his tone, but I'm still stunned by its intensity. "You have nothing to apologize for, do you understand? Nothing. I will stay here as long as you need me to. All I care about right now is making sure you are alright."

I don't know what to say. It's been so long since anyone has been so…there for me. 'No one has just sat and held me, waiting for me to cry myself out. Not even daddy, Kasumi or Akane would wait like this.' I know it's wasn't because they didn't care, but more because they didn't understand what was upsetting me. I turn my face towards Ranma's. "…Thank you." I start crying again. Resting my head in the crook of his neck I add, "Thank you so much."

"Nabiki, I…you're welcome."

I think I must have dozed off because the next thing I heard was Kasumi calling everyone to dinner…Ranma hadn't moved.

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I stay with Nabiki as much as I can. When she's cleaning up for dinner I stay right outside the bathroom. During the meal I keep her hand in mine. It's clear that she still needs the emotional support and I will give that to her. I will support her for as long as she needs me to.

She's clearly still exhausted so after dinner I help her to bed. Sitting there, watching her sleep, I can't help but wonder how I've fallen for her so quickly. 'She's pretty, but that isn't all of it…She's nice, but so are the others…' My thoughts trail off when Mom knocks on the door and comes into the room.

"Kasumi thought you might want a futon for the night." She says as she prepares the bedding.

"Thanks."

After she finishes, Mom sits next to me. "You're worried about her, aren't you." I nod. "You care about her." I nod again. "What are you going to do?"

I shrug, "Wait."

"Wait for what?"

"…For her to wake up."

Mom hugs me, "I'm very proud of you Ranma. I want you to know, even if you and Nabiki don't end up with that kind of relationship, I think that you're both exactly what each other needs." She leaves after that, softly closing the door behind her.

'Exactly what each other needs? Yeah, I think we already knew that…We've both been through so much…Even with all the good in our lives we've both dealt with a lot of pain…Too much pain. I don't think I could ever just be friends with her though…Even though I've only known her two days…It's scary but…'

I squeeze Nabiki's hand as she sleeps. "I love you."

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I feel Ranma at the foot of the bed when I wake up the next morning. I slip out of bed without waking him only to trip on a futon. 'He slept as close to me as he could, even though…' I smile a bit at how sweet he is.

Heading downstairs after washing up, I overhear Daddy talking with Auntie Nodoka.

"I just don't know what to do, everything we had was in the house." Auntie sounds like she's near tears.

"Nodoka, please calm down. I've already told you, you and Ranma are welcome to stay here as long as you like."

"But I couldn't impose-"

"I insist. I've already spoken with the police and they believe that the fire may very well have been deliberate. I'm worried about the two of you, and I would feel better knowing that you were both here and safe."

"I…I just can't believe that Genma would…"

I feel a hand on my shoulder and tense briefly before I realize who it is. Ranma steps into the sitting room.

"Believe it mom…he's done some pretty bad stuff. And I think we all know how he acts when he doesn't get to have his way."

Auntie gasps at Ranma's tone. "Ranma please, I know he's not the best person but he's still your father and-" Ranma cuts her off.

"No he isn't. He lost the right to call me his son when he took me away from you. For eight years mom. Eight fucking years! He beat me. He used me. He tried his damnedest to take away everything good that happened in my life. He took me from my friends. He disrespected my instructors. He wouldn't even let me think for myself! I had to hide who I really was because if I didn't then…then he would…" Ranma trails off. He's holding back his tears but I can hear how badly he wants to cry.

'My turn. It's my turn to comfort him.' I walk up to him and take his arm, leading him away. I start to take him back to my room but instead feel him pull me towards the dojo.

When we get there he sits me down in the center of the room and sits in front of me. I hear him sigh before he begins.

"Sorry. I…I just hate him. I hate him so much Nabiki. He…He made my life a living hell. Whenever I was with him I always…I always had to…" He chokes back a sob.

I move close and hug him to me. It seems to be what he needed as he starts crying. Nothing as loud as when I was, but it was still just as painful as it is necessary. He tries to regain his composure and pull away.

"Ranma, I'm not the only one who needs to cry. You stayed with me for over a day, I'm going to stay with you as long as you need it."

He still managed to pull out of my hug, only to pull me into one. "I prefer it this way is all." He says with a bit of a chuckle. We stay like that for awhile before he speaks again.

"…He beat me Nabiki…He beat me everyday. Calling it sparring or training. He usually didn't even bother with a warning. If I was walking too slow he'd beat me. If he was hungry he'd beat me. If I cried he'd beat me. If I begged him to stop he'd…I only begged once…he broke my arm." He places my hand on his forearm. I feel a smaller, softer scar then the others.

"Ranma, I-"

He keeps talking, he needs to let this out. "The other day…The other day you asked about my scars…Are you sure you want to know?"

I nod. I'm afraid of what he's going to say.

"…I was six. He had found a book of "Ultimate training techniques" and thought that they were a good idea. He didn't use them himself, oh no, he didn't need to. After all, if you can beat up your son everyday then you must already be an excellent fighter. There was one where…where it was supposed to make you as agile as a cat. So he…He dug a pit. And he got all the cats he could find and threw them in. Then he waited…he waited for them to get hungry. Then he covered me in mice and fish and…and he threw me in and covered the top. He left me in there! And when it didn't work he did it again! And again! And he kept doing it! He kept throwing me into that fucking pit over and over again! He…He…" Ranma's voice broke as he started crying. Holding me the way I was holding him just a few hours ago.

I just held him as best I could while I warred with my own thoughts. I was stunned. No, stunned isn't the word for it. I was appalled that anyone, even Genma, could do that to their own child. That his own father had done that to him, and felt no remorse for it? 'Oh God. No, no I won't throw up. Oh my God!' I turn my face towards Ranma's, "Ranma?"

"Yeah?" 'Thank God he's calmed down.' I think.

"Is the porch door open?"

"…Yes."

"Good." I run out of his arms and begin to vomit onto the ground. I'll never forget how he came and held my hair out of the way. How he rubbed my back. How he ignored his own pain and held me as I sobbed, as I wept, as we wept together, as we shared each others pain…I think that that was when I knew how much I loved him.

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My apologies for the long delay. I had some company this weekend so I wasn't able to do much writing. At any rate, here is the latest chapter. I realize that the story is getting darker, I promise that it will be worth the read. Despite the emotional turmoil, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I again look forward to hearing from you all. The reviews have been absolutely amazing. It took over 130 reviews before I got one that I considered negative. Thank you all for taking the time to respond, be they negative or positive comments and criticisms, all reviews are welcome and appreciated.