Akane laid sideways on her futon, facing the small porch attached with the room. Cold wind was blowing softly from the open window, making her shiver as she curled up in her blanket. It's been hours since she tugged herself comfortably in her sheet, trying her hardest to try and sleep the night away. But all she could do was toss and turn as sleep refused to come to her anytime soon. She tried to meditate, she even closed her eyes for several minutes to force the sleep on her, but the result was futile. The two ladies beside her laid still as they slept peacefully. Their slow rhythmic breaths were like a lullaby in her ear. But it was as if her mind refused to hear any lullaby, only the sound of the breaking of the Dojo was ringing in her ear over and over again, making her even more depressed as the second passed.

Akane sighs as she stops trying to sleep and looks out of the window. She noted that it was a full moon tonight, the night was so beautiful, she just wished she could just go to the roof and enjoy the view and forget everything that happened today. She just wishes to go into a deep slumber and wake up to find that it was all just a horrible dream, nothing else, her Dojo, her house, everything is as it was yesterday, nothing has changed …And, they are still at the Tendo house.

But she knows very well, this won't be possible now... Nothing will be the same anymore. Her dream, her childhood, it's all shattered into pieces. There is no escaping from it... She doesn't even know what the future holds for her anymore. Nothing is making any sense to her mind..

'What will happen now? Why did it have to happen now? Everything was going so smoothly in my life for a change, but now… How long are we going to keep staying here? We can't just bother people..'

She couldn't think much as some movement from outside the window made her alarmed as she rubbed her eyes to see clearly. She was surprised to see Ranma poking his head upside down and when their eyes met, he gave the brightest smile to her.

He slowly climbed down from the roof to the porch from the open window. Akane was still laying still with awe in her face, her eyes wide with shock as she saw him tiptoeing to her side. She looked up at him with a dumbfounded expression as he sat beside her and laid his finger over his lips to indicate her to keep silent. She nodded her head as he smiled and offered his hand out for her to take. She looked at his hand for some moments, then hesitating for some seconds she finally pulled her hand out from the cover and rested her hand over his.

He gently tugged her, making her sit up on the futon as he made her walk with him. When they reached the porch, Ranma instantly went up to the roof again and hung his hand to help her to climb up to the roof. Akane again hesitated a bit as she looked down at her cloths and said to him, whispering,

"Ranma, these pants are too long. I will fall if I.."

"Hey, I won't let you fall.. Trust me.. Now come up."

Akane sighs as she nodded and clenched his hand tightly. Ranma gripped her hand and pulled her up carefully. When they reached the roof, Akane almost tipped because of her long pyjama pants but Ranma held her in place as he put both his hands over her shoulder to steady her.

She sighed in relief, but when she realized their current position, her face flushed bright red as she hastily looked up at him. His expression was the same as hers, he gulped loudly when their gazes locked as he still held onto her tightly. Then suddenly, he cleared his throat and said in a low voice,

"Let's go sit over there.. " Akane nodded at him again as Ranma guided her to where they would sit. "Watch yar steps, Kane.."

"Okay.."

Soon they comfortably sat side by side on the roof. They both were silently gazing the sky, not talking, lost in their own thoughts. Ranma was thinking of ways to approach her correctly and to engage themselves to talk with each other with ease, but for some reason his mind became fully blind. He cleared his throat to start talking, but before he could start saying anything to her she started whispering in a low voice,

"Thank you, Ranma.." She started while facing the night sky.

"Uh! " Was his brilliant start.. "But, for what?!" He asked her, feeling confused.

"For bringing me up here.. I was actually wishing to come up on the roof to see the open night sky, I wanted to take some fresh air.. My wish has kind of came true, you know.." She paused for a second and then said with a depressed wavering tone, "But… I don't think…. my other wishes will ever gonna come true.."

Hearing her depressed tone, Ranma turned his gaze towards her and asked her in a low voice,

"What were ya wishing for?!"

Akane shakes her head and said while still avoiding looking at him,

"I… I wished to wake up and find that, whatever has happened is nothing but a bad dream…a terrible nightmare.. " She bits her lower lips as she turns her teary eyes towards him and says in a trembling tone, "My dojo is still there and… and.. everything's the way it was before and nothing has changed, Ranma… But.. but, that's so silly of me. I am just talking like a baka you always accused me of being, right? We can't change what just happened... It's.. It's all gone.."

She couldn't stop her tears anymore as she broke down in front of him. She hides her face with both her palms and to control the sound of her sobs. Ranma was not prepared for all this and got fully taken aback when she started sobbing like that. He didn't have any clue as to what he could do to make her stop crying. He came up here to meet her so that he could get some reaction from her. But not like this! This is too much for him to handle.. He just can't see her broken like this, he can't hear her crying like this.. He wants her to stop, but he doesn't know how to make her stop..

Hesitating at first, but giving up at last, he awkwardly wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in a friendly hug as he kept rubbing her arms to make her stop crying.

"Hey… Kane.. Please stop crying.."

Still hiding her face behind her palms, she shook her head over his chest and said while sobbing,

"Ranma.. What will I do now? It was my everything, all that I have.. My childhood, my dream, my future, all just crumbled in front of my eyes.. I have nothing left.. "

"Kane, don't say it like that.."

"Ranma, You don't understand.."

"NO! It's you, who don't understand, Kane.." That tone of him made her sobbing stop as she sniffed and listened to him carefully, "You have to understand that you are not alone in all this. We are all here for you….. I… I am with ya, Kane. We are in this together.. You have to understand that whatever happens from now on, we will face it together.."

"But… Ranma.."

"No buts...!" He said as he made her look at him by putting his hand over her shoulder. She looked up at him with bloodshot puffy eyes as he gripped her shoulder tightly and said in a serious tone,

"What is wrong with you, Akane? Do ya have any idea how I felt when I heard about that news, tomboy? I was just hoping and wishing to find you guys safe and not harmed. And I was so relieved when I saw all of you are safe. It was just property damage, Dojo or whatever, Kane.. You guys are safe and now here with us, that's the most important thing for me and that should also be the most important thing for you too, baka.."

Akane looked at him with helpless eyes. She averted her eyes from him because the intense way he was looking at her was making her nervous all of a sudden. Then she heard him asking her in a low, unsure voice,

"Or… or you're not comfortable staying here with me... Do you.. Do ya hate the idea of staying here with us so much?"

The way he asked her those questions made her look up at him in haste. She took a sharp breath when she noticed how hurt he was looking..

"Ranma! What are you saying? This hasn't even come to my mind, dummy!"

Ranma huffed and said, "Look who's talking!"

"Ranma!" Akane sighs and tells him in a low voice, "How could you even think like that?"

"Ya are not leaving me any other choice to not think like that.." He grumbled, turning his gaze away from her.

"Ranma, please look at me. Its not what you are thinking at all... Why would I ever feel uncomfortable staying with you, baka? I am used to it now… And if I be honest with you, I.. I used to feel uncomfortable when you guys left the house.. "

"Really!?" Ranma asked and turned to her with hopeful eyes, releasing the breath he was holding. When he saw her nodding at him, he smiled at her cheekily and said arrogantly,

"Now ya said it tomboy! Of course, you would feel sad to see me leaving ya.. I know you can't stand living without a handsome hunk like me.."

"Ranma!" Akane growled and narrowed her eyes at him, "You are impossible..! I just can't believe it! Here I am, being honest with you and you're saying that to me! I should have known better.."

She tried to forcefully make him take his hands off from her shoulders, but the more she tried the more he tightened his hold on her.

"Ranma! Leave me now..!"

"Never.." His voice was deep and genuine when he said that, she stopped her struggling and looked up at him. She was surprised to find him giving her a warm look as he whispers to her,

"I am sorry, kay? I was just kidding with ya.. And if I also be honest with ya tomboy then.. the feeling goes mutual, ya know..." Akane stopped moving and looked up at him with wide unbelievable eyes, then she heard him saying, "Look, I am sorry, but I have to admit, I am kinda happy that you guys are gonna stay here from now on. Sorry for being selfish, but it's like I can't control this feeling of happiness that you are staying in here. Look, I am now very used to living with ya all, I also used to feel uncomfortable when I used to wake up to find no one was yelling at me to wake up to go to school or pulling my braid to make me move. I just missed all of that craziness of my life, Kane. I know the situation is not the same anymore and we all have to tightly adjust here. But.. We could try to make it possible, right? I know, it won't be as relaxing or as solitude as it used to be at the Tendo house, but we could at least try…?"

He asked the last part in a low uncertain voice, looking at her hopefully, dreading her answer.

Akane was shocked when her so-called insensitive fiance said all this to her like that. Suddenly, She started to feel so light-hearted. The words were said with so much honesty and innocence that it cuts off all the doubts and fear she was feeling before. She didn't wanted to cry but her traitor tears didn't listen to her as it kept falling from her eyes, making him flinch and worried at the same time,

"Hey, did I say something that I shouldn't have?"

Still pouring tears, she sniffed and smiled at him. She shook her head as he slowly put his hand over her cheek to wipe the tears clean. Akane sighs with a heavy heart and without thinking about what she was doing anymore, she wrapped her arms around his waist sideways, as she laid her head over his chest.

Ranma became steal like an iron as he asked her in an unsure tone,

"Kane?"

"Keep quiet baka and hug me the way you did in my house today.."

"I hugged you? Really!"

"Ranma!" She gently smacked his chest , still crying.

Ranma chuckled and circled his shaky arm around her shoulder and hugged her as she asked him to do. He heard her sighing and burying her face deeper on his chest. In any normal situation, they wouldn't even think of doing what they are doing now. But they both know very well that it's not an everyday situation that is happening right now. Ranma could feel her crying in his arms but he kept quiet and kept hugging her closer to support her. He wanted to say so many things to her, to ease her uneasiness, to ease her pain. But it was as if he lost all his words and couldn't do anything but stay by her side. Then after some moments, he heard her saying with a broken tone,

"Is everything going to be fine, Ranma? Will things ever be normal again?"

Ranma paused for a second and then decided to give her an honest answer. He cleared his throat and said to her in a serious tone,

"I don't know, Kane… I really don't have an answer for that.. But one thing I know is that, we both have endured much worse situations than this. And I believe that, if we stay together, nothing can stop us from achieving success.. Just believe in us for now, Kane.. We will try to make things work for us.. Okay?"

Ranma finished as he squeezed her hand with his other hand. He felt her squeezing his hand back in response as she nodded and sniffed.

Soon, after some time, her sniffing stopped and she closed her eyes. Ranma heard her slow breathing and the way she fully slumped over his chest, it made his doubt clear that she fell asleep in his arms. He sighs smiling as he laid his head over her head, suddenly feeling sleepy himself. The day was indeed tiring, but he didn't want to leave the feeling of hugging his tomboy closer to him this fast. His whole heart and mind was filled with some unknown calmness as he kept hugging her closer to him. He doesn't want to break the comfort he was feeling at that moment this easily.

'Just a little bit longer..'

He thought to himself as he tightened his grip on her and made her falling body lean into his chest again. After an hour or so, he silently carried her to her room as quietly as possible, he laid her comfortably on her futon as he put her blanket over her. He smiled fondly when he saw her smiling in her sleep. He smiled and stood up as he made his way towards his own room.

Akane woke up in the morning, feeling fresh and well-rested. At first she was confused to wake up at an unknown place like this, but soon her memories came back to her, making her feel sad for all that happened yesterday. Then, like a bulb turned on, the talk with Ranma the previous night came to her mind, making her blush and warm all over again. Then some of what he said to her came to her mind, making her smile,

'I just missed all of that craziness of my life, Kane….. I am kinda happy that you guys are gonna stay here from now on….I believe that, if we stay together, nothing can stop us from achieving success..we could at least try…We will try to make things work for us..'

Ranma's voice came to her mind as she sighs and thought to herself,

'I just can't believe how gentle he was! I know he is not the jerk I always accuse him of being, well not fully.. But.. whatever he said yesterday to me, it really means a lot.. That dummy.. How can he be such a jerk and sweet all at once..! Oh Ranma..'

She smiled thinking that as her eyes tears up for her unwanted fiance…..

Ranma was having a great sleep, he forgot when was the last time he slept this comfortably. He was having a great dream, a lopsided smile plastered on his sleepy face as he kept sleeping the day off… No care in the world, he hugged his blanket tightly as he tossed and turned on his deep slumber.

"Ranma! Ranma, wake up!

Ranma frowned and turned his back from the voice as he mumbled sleepily,

"Go away, Kane.. Let me sleep.."

Akane stopped thumping the door and sighs, "Ready or not, here I come, Ranma.."

Saying that Akane opened his shoji door and went to him and sat beside him. She started shaking his body to make him wake up as she said with an annoying tone, "Oh honestly! We are already late for school and you are sleeping here like a baby!"

"I don't wanna go.." He mumbled sleepily as he covered his face with the blanket.

That made her even more ticked off as she snatched the cover off from his face and started yelling, "WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD! OR I WILL DUMP COLD WATER ON YOU!"

"OH! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, WILL YA, YA UNCUTE TOMBOY!" He stopped yelling and opened his eyes in confusion, he rapidly blinked his eyes and said, "Tomboy!?" He turned to face her and was surprised to see her frowning down at him.

"Akane?"

Akane shook her head at him and stood up as she started to go towards the exit. Then turning towards his surprised form she told him,

"Don't make me wait for too long, Ranma.. Or else I am gonna leave without you.."

Saying that she smiled at him and closed the door behind her. Ranma kept looking at her retreating form. The sound of the closing door brought him back from his surprised stance. He flopped back to his futon as he looked up at his ceiling, a big smile was plastered over his handsome face as he thought to himself,

'Huh! As if I would ever let ya leave me tomboy..'

A/N: I thought I would take it easy this time and write slowly. As some of you know I was not feeling well last week, so I was relaxing and taking my sweet time. But then suddenly, I got a Guest comment saying to me "write fast", and I was like, Okay oaky! HAHA! So I wrote as faster I could.. And I hope that you guys will like it... Let me know, okay? As I always say, your comments works like a reward to my all hard works.. Thank you all so much who commented this fic and followed it and favorited it... It really means a lot to me.. Thank you so much ! See you soon.. :) :)