** I do not own Ranma 1/2. That masterpiece is the property of Rumiko Takahashi. **
"Shhh… Megami please stop crying. I don't know what else you want. Come on, sweet pea." Ranma gently bounced the baby on his shoulder as he walked around his bedroom. Megami was using a very strong set of lungs to make sure her displeasure was known.
Akane slowly opened the door to see Ranma with bags under his eyes, hair a mess and a good amount of spit up on his shirt. "Oh, Ranma.." She sighed.
Ranma looked over at Akane. "Sorry she woke you up. I don't know what she wants. I've fed her, changed her, rocked her.." Ranma appeared desperate and lost.
"Maybe.. maybe she wants her mother?" Akane suggested. "Did Kaze give you anything that might smell like her?"
Ranma shook his head. "No, but that's a good idea to ask him about tomorrow." Ranma paused for a moment. "I guess, actually, that would be today. What time is it?"
Akane half smiled. "It's 3 o'clock in the morning."
Ranma sighed and kept gently bouncing the baby. Akane half smiled at him. Seeing Ranma as a father, even a clueless one as he is now, was surprisingly quite endearing. Ranma looked at Akane again. "What? Why are you watching me?"
Akane chuckled. "You're a dad. Out of nowhere. It's just weird," she said. "You're doing a good job, Ranma."
Ranma scoffed. "Definitely up there on the weirdness scale, but I don't think I'm doing too good if she's crying like this."
Kasumi poked her head into the room. "Everything okay?" She asked.
"I can't get her to stop crying." Ranma said, frustrated.
"Oh, Ranma. You look awful. Do you mind if I give it a try?" Kasumi asked.
Ranma didn't have to be asked twice and immediately brought Megami over to Kasumi to hand her off. Kasumi smiled at the baby and rocked her with a light bounce, the same as Ranma had been. Kasumi started humming a lullaby as she moved gracefully with the infant. Kasumi radiated maternal instincts and soon Megami began to settle. The crying noises slowly subsided and the baby drifted off to sleep.
Ranma's jaw dropped. "How did you do that, Kasumi?"
"You forget, Ranma. I had two little sisters to help take care of." Kasumi smiled and brought Megami over to the new bassinet that Nodoka had bought for her granddaughter earlier the day before. Megami made some cooing noises and she snuggled in to her bed as she fell into a deeper sleep.
"Thank you so much. I have no idea what I'm doing. This is the hardest challenge I've faced yet." Ranma said with his eyes half shut.
Akane and Kasumi giggled lightly. "Parenthood isn't supposed to be easy, Ranma. That's why we are supposed to wait until we are ready. Should have thought about that before.." Akane stopped herself, as she realized she wasn't being helpful. "Nevermind. Get some sleep while you can. Will you be going to school?" Akane asked.
Ranma shrugged. "I have no idea what I'm supposed to do about school. This is like some crazy dream. I am living in a fog." He told her.
"Maybe it's best if you take a couple days to settle into your new reality. Akane can get your homework, right Akane?" Kasumi suggested.
"Sure. That sounds like the most sane thing to do right now. Get some sleep before you fall over." Akane told him.
"Thanks guys. I don't know what I'll do once my parents move us out of here." Ranma smiled and then fell on his bed, instantly falling into a deep sleep.
Kasumi and Akane quietly left the room.
"Hey, Kasumi. Where's Ranma?" Akane asked as she entered the dojo after returning home from school, noticing her sister cooing and smiling at Megami, who was wrapped in a blanket in her arms.
Kasumi smiled up at Akane, in complete bliss over her current situation. "I let Ranma go have a nap. Having a new baby is hard work." Kasumi turned her attention back to the baby.
Akane sat beside Kasumi and looked over at Megami. "It's still so strange how this baby showed up out of nowhere. It's hard to picture Ranma as a father, especially this young." She told her sister.
Kasumi smiled. "We all have to deal with what life throws at us. A baby is a blessing, even if she doesn't come along the way we think they should or at the right time."
Megami started to fuss. Kasumi rocked her and picked up the bottle she had prepared beside her. She brought the bottle to Megami's mouth, who immediately took the bottle, making sucking noises.
Akane smiled. "She's so cute. I can't help but feel for Ranma. I was so angry with him, but I definitely have found some forgiveness through all this. This must be so hard on him. He doesn't even have a second to grieve Miyuki's death. This whole thing is just mind blowing. Did he get to talk to Kaze yet today?" She asked her sister.
"Ranma hasn't left the house, so I don't think so. He's been quite preoccupied." Kasuki told her.
Akane nodded. "I think I'm going to head over to see him, then. I'm going to see if he has anything that smells like Miyuki. It might help with her being up most of the night. Maybe we can all get some sleep if it works." She informed Kasumi.
"That's a great idea, Akane! If you'd like, I can put Megami in her stroller and she could visit her uncle. I'd like to come along, though, since Ranma trusted her to me while he was sleeping." Kasumi smiled.
Akane nodded. "That would be really nice for him, I think. I'm sure he's missing his sister very much right now," she said.
Kasumi finished feeding Megami, placed another blanket over her shoulder and brought the baby up to be burped. She started patting her back until she let out an impressive belch. Akane giggled.
"You're really good at all this, Kasumi," Akane complimented her sister.
"Thank you. I hope that one day I will get to be a mother, but for now I am happy to just be trusted to help this sweet girl," Kasumi said as she placed the baby in her new stroller. She put a weather guard around the baby, then turned to Akane. "We are ready!" Kasumi turned the stroller to leave. Akane smiled and followed her sister out the door.
Akane and Kasumi walked along the streets of Nerima, Kasumi pushing the stroller and Akane walking along beside her sister. Kasumi was smiling the entire time. "It's so nice to be able to bring her for a walk," Kasumi beamed.
"Akane!" Ukyo spotted her. Ryoga, as per usual these days, was by her side.
Akane waved at Ukyo as Ukyo and Ryoga approached them.
Ukyo bent over to look at the baby. "Wow! She's so tiny and cute! She looks brand new! Are you babysitting?" Ukyo asked.
Kasumi's smile grew. "I am!"
Ukyo stood. "Well, she's very cute. Her parents must be very proud."
Akane winced. Ryoga noticed. "Hey, Akane, what's wrong?"
Akane looked at Ryoga and Ukyo and sighed. "I think you two better go talk to Ranma. This isn't our news to share."
Ryoga looked confused. "Ranma? What does he have to do with a baby?" He asked.
Ukyo took a harder look at the baby. "The baby.. is blonde. Blonde isn't exactly normal for a Japanese baby. Kasumi, who's baby is this?" Ukyo asked suspiciously.
Kasumi nervously smiled at the pair. "You two should really go talk to Ranma. He was sleeping when we left, but I'm sure he will be up soon."
Ukyo crossed her arms. "You're really not going to tell me what's going on?" She looked at Akane.
Akane sighed. "I don't think that's right. You're Ranma's best friends. He needs to tell you what's going on."
Ukyo frowned and looked at Ryoga. "Let's go, Ryoga. Something is going on here and I need to know what it is." Ryoga nodded, knowing better than to argue with Ukyo when she's determined like this.
"We will see you at our house soon!" Akane told them as they left.
Akane and Kasumi started walking again toward Kaze's house.
Knock, knock, knock.
Kaze answered the door. "Akane! Kasumi! What brings you by? I was going to check in on Ranma and the baby later today. I'm happy to see you brought her. How is she settling in?"
Akane smiled. "That's partly what I wanted to talk to you about. Also, how are you doing, Kaze?"
"I'm as good as can be expected, I guess. Come in!" Kaze invited them inside.
Akane walked in and turned to help Kasumi with getting the stroller through the door. They walked into the family room and left Megami sleeping in the stroller to the side.
"So, what's up with the baby? What did Ranma choose to name her?" Kaze asked.
"He decided to go with Miyuki's wishes and name her Megami." Kasumi smiled.
"Ranma has been having a hard time at night with her. She isn't sleeping much, although the stroller seems to work pretty well. We were wondering if you had anything that might smell like Miyuki. We thought maybe that would help her." Akane explained.
Kaze thought to himself for a moment. "She has some clothes and things left here. Let me go look in the dirty laundry- maybe she wore something that isn't too dirty that may still have her scent on it." Kaze got up and headed toward the laundry.
Akane looked at Kasumi and crossed her fingers.
Kaze returned a few minutes later with a couple items. "I found a big t-shirt that Miyuki used as a night gown and a throw blanket she used to relax at night. It's been months, so I'm not sure if it will be useful, but worth a shot. It's nice for the baby to have something of her mother's anyway. I was also thinking," Kaze got up and moved to the mantle to pick up a photo. "Maybe Megami would like to have a photo of her mother in her room. I know she won't recognize her in a photo, but she could keep it for when she's older and has questions. There aren't a lot of photos of Miyuki, so keep this one safe." He handed the photo to Akane.
"That's really kind of you, Kaze." Kasumi told him.
Akane nodded. "Yeah, she's really lucky to have an uncle like you." Kaze blushed.
"Thanks, ladies. Should we head back over to your place and check on Ranma?" Kaze asked. Both girls nodded.
Ukyo knocked on the door at the Tendo house somewhat urgently. Nodoka answered the door. "Yes? What is it? Oh, Ukyo. Ryoga. What's the matter? Why are you knocking so hard?" she asked.
"Sorry, Mrs. Saotome. We need to see Ranma. Kasumi and Akane told us we should talk to him after we saw them out with a baby." Ukyo explained.
"I think he's still sleeping. He didn't get a lot of sleep last night. Go ahead up to his room and wake him up. He should probably get up soon anyway." Nodoka let them inside.
Ukyo and Ryoga bowed. "Thank you, ma'am." Ryoga said. "We really appreciate it." Ukyo added.
Ukyo grabbed Ryoga's hand and walked upstairs to Ranma's room. Ukyo knocked on the door. Nothing. Ukyo knocked louder. She heard a very slight groan. "Too bad, I'm coming in!" Ukyo said out loud to Ranma through the door before opening it. Ukyo and Ryoga stood in shock in the doorway at what they were seeing. A bassinet, bottles, diapers, baby clothes.. "What the hell is going on?" Ukyo asked, looking at Ryoga.
"Beats me. Wake him up." Ryoga answered.
Ukyo approached Ranma. "RANMA!" Ukyo yelled after getting nice and close.
Ranma shot out of his bed into a battle pose. "Wha- what?!"
Ukyo let out a little chuckle at her success. "Ranma. We have some questions for you." Ukyo told him as she gestured to the baby items all over his room.
"Oh," Ranma scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. That. That can be explained, but it's pretty wild." he told them.
"We are listening." Ryoga told him.
"Hold on. I need to go get her." Ranma walked past them and down the stairs. He started looking all through the house for Kasumi. "Where is she?" Ranma started to panic and started looking around more frantically. "Where's Megami?!"
Nodoka appeared in front of Ranma. "Ranma, calm down!" Ranma stopped in his tracks. Ukyo and Ryoga were now behind Ranma, looking at the scene in bewilderment. "Ranma, she's with Kasumi. She's okay. They just went to see Kaze."
Ranma let out a breath of relief. "I need to go find them." Ranma said.
"Ranma, sit down." Nodoka ordered. Ranma listened and sat at the table. "You need to relax. They will be back soon. The baby is okay."
Ryoga and Ukyo sat at the table with Ranma, in stunned silence. Nodoka looked at Ranma's friends and then to Ranma. "I think your friends are looking for an explanation. I'll go make some tea." Nodoka said as she got up from the table and walked into the kitchen.
Ranma looked at his friends. Ukyo gave him a look and said, "Well?"
Ranma sighed. "It's a long story guys. Long story short, though, is.. I'm a father." he told them.
"What?! How?!" Ukyo and Ryoga said in unison.
"I'm sure I don't have to explain to you two about the birds and the bees." Ranma almost chuckled.
"Who's the mother and where is she?" Ukyo asked.
"Who do you think? It's clearly not Akane and I've only been involved with one other woman." Ranma said in mild frustration.
"Miyuki?" Ryoga asked.
"Yes. It's Miyuki." Ranma said, exasperated.
"I thought the baby looked like her." Ukyo said.
"You saw her?" Ranma asked.
Ukyo and Ryoga nodded. "So, where's Miyuki?" Ukyo asked.
Ranma looked down at the table, his eyes watering. He looked away from his friends. "I.. she's.."
"Ranma what is it?" Ryoga asked.
"She died." Ranma choked on the words as they came out of his mouth.
"What?! How?!" Ukyo said.
"I guess the Spring of Drowned Man actually ended up working, it just didn't change her right away because she was already pregnant. Then, it caused all kinds of issues up in the heavens once the baby was born," he explained.
"Oh my.. Ranma, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say." Ukyo said.
"Yeah, man. That's really rough. I'm sorry you're going through this. Why didn't you say anything about becoming a father before now?" Ryoga asked.
Ranma let out a frustrated breath. "Because no one in the know thought that the father of the child deserved to have that information until after she was already born." Ranma said with anger in his voice.
Ukyo and Ryoga looked at each other in shock.
"I haven't really processed any of this yet. Please keep this to yourselves for now. I don't know how Shampoo or Kodachi will react and I want to keep her safe. She's all I have left of Miyuki. I don't even have a photograph. I don't know how I feel or what I'm even doing with myself right now. I just know I have to take care of that baby." Ranma explained further.
"Wow, Ranma. What can we do to help?" Ukyo asked.
Ranma smiled at her. "Just.. keep being my friend."
"We're home!" Kasumi announced as Akane, Megami, Kaze and herself walked in the front door.
Ranma got up out of his seat as fast as he could and met the group at the door. He immediately picked Megami up out of the stroller, placed her on his chest and hugged her. He looked at Akane and Kasumi with anger in his eyes. "Thank you for watching her. Please don't take her out without me knowing." Ranma said sternly.
Akane and Kasumi looked shocked. "Oh. Okay, Ranma. We won't. I just thought a walk would be nice for her." Kasumi told him.
"Kaze gave us some items that may smell like Miyuki. One is a throw blanket that she can keep as a memory item of her mother. Also, he gave her this photograph," Akane handed the photo to Ranma.
Ranma took his other hand and grabbed the photo. He stared at the photo with some intensity as his eyes watered and a single tear fell. He looked away and handed the photo back to Akane. "I'm sorry. Can you take this? I can't right now," he said as he walked away back to the table and sat with Megami now laying in his arms.
Kaze looked at Kasumi and Akane with concern before the three of them went to join the others at the table.
Ukyo moved her position to be able to get a good look at the baby. "She looks just like her, but I see a little of you in there, too, Ranma." Ukyo said.
Ranma half smiled at Ukyo. "Thanks, Ukyo." he sighed. "I know this may seem exciting in some capacity, but I'm way too young to be a father." he said.
Ryoga nodded. "You got that right! But, she's here now so may as well adjust." he said.
"Yeah. I'm trying. It's not like it's a little adjustment. There's a lot to take in and even more to learn. So far, I've learned that babies are a lot of work." Ranma said as Megami began to wake up.
Megami looked around a little bit then closed her eyes again before letting out a very loud cry.
Ukyo and Ryoga covered their ears. Kaze brought Ranma the throw blanket. "Here, Ranma. Try this. We can see if it works." he said.
Ranma took the blanket and quickly wrapped it around Megami. Megami immediately calmed down. "Wow, it worked!" Ranma said with a massive amount of relief. "Thank you for this, Kaze." he nodded to Kaze.
"You are family now, Ranma. That is my niece. I will always help when I can." Kaze smiled.
Ranma returned his gaze to the baby. He had spent a lot of time staring at her when she wasn't crying. The wheels in his head were turning in every direction, flooding his mind with thoughts and emotions he couldn't even begin to comprehend. He did know that when he looked at this baby, his heart felt full. When he couldn't find the baby, he felt like a piece of his heart was missing. This must be what fatherhood feels like.
"Uh.. Ranma?" Ukyo asked.
"Yeah, Ucchan?" Ranma answered.
"I think you need a shower. You're a mess and you stink," she told him as she pinched her nose and squished her face.
Ranma chuckled. "Yeah. Probably. I will, I just need a minute with her," he kept his gaze on the baby the entire time. "I'm sorry you're stuck with me, sweet pea. I'm sorry you won't know your mother. You and me against the world, eh?" Ranma spoke to the baby while his friends watched.