Disclaimer: Ranma and Co are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. I'm just borrowing her awesome characters!

Whew... can't believe I finally managed to get this one done. To anyone who left reviews for this story, or anyone reading and enjoying I thank you and am glad!

Now on with it!

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Akane arrived at the restaurant a little before noon. The day was bright and sunny, with just a hint of a summer breeze. Ukyo was already there and waiting for her on the patio, soaking up the warm and inviting weather. She smiled when she saw Akane, gesturing her over with a wave of her hand. Akane returned her smile, weaving through a number of tables until she'd made her way over to her.

"Hey sugar," Ukyo called out her usual greeting, as Akane slid into the chair opposite her friend.

"Hey yourself," she returned cheerfully, her smile widening.

"You're in a good mood," Ukyo observed grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I saw you with Mr. Wonderful the other night. He's quite the hunk."

Akane raised her eyebrows inquisitively. "You saw that did you?"

Ukyo gave an excited nod. "Spill it girl. I want all the details."

Akane let out a small laugh, leave it to Ukyo to get right to the point. She was interrupted in having to answer however, when the waitress suddenly came over to take their order.

"Okay," Ukyo said once they were alone again. "Tell me everything. Leave nothing out."

Akane was silent for a moment, collecting her thoughts. She wasn't even sure there was much to tell. She realized suddenly that she barely knew Ranma, a fact not lost on her, considering how close she had come to giving herself to him last night. If he hadn't pulled away…

"Come on girl," Ukyo urged impatiently.

Akane took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Well," she began. "His name is Ranma. I already told you how we met."

Ukyo gave a sharp nod. "Yeah, I would have loved to have seen the look on Takeshi's face when he stepped in."

Akane smiled at the memory. "Yes, it was quite a sight."

"So aside from being a hero and a total hunk what's he like?"

"Uh," Akane said, wondering what Ukyo would think of her if she knew how willing she'd been to give herself over to a man she barely knew. What would she say when she told her how strong the attraction had been? That the lust had nearly overwhelmed her, so much so that she was willing to do almost anything to have it satiated.

Ukyo watched fascinated as Akane, lost in her thoughts, suddenly started to blush.

"Akane?" Ukyo reached across the table and shook her friend's hand slightly, a look of wonder in her eyes. "Wow, he must be something else."

"Huh?"

"You're blushing."

"Am I?" Akane's hand flew to her face, feeling the warmth from the slight flush. She closed her eyes and shook her head somewhat embarrassed, a small smile finding its way to her lips.

"I'll say it again, wow."

"I'm sorry, Ukyo," Akane confessed. "I don't know what has come over me lately. Ever since I met Ranma I've been feeling kind of strange."

"Strange?" Ukyo asked, a bit of concern creeping into her voice. "What do you mean strange?"

"You're going to think I'm crazy." Akane replied, thinking once again of the dream she'd had the night before.

"Try me."

Akane sighed, bringing her gaze up to meet her friend's. "He makes me feel things I have never felt before. It's so powerful, almost overwhelming."

Ukyo gave a short laugh, relief flooding through her. "Hell sugar, that's not strange. Sounds like love to me."

Akane simply shook her head. "I don't know. It's like I have no control where he's concerned. I barely know him and yet…."

She let the sentence trail not knowing how to finish the thought. Ukyo, being her usual blunt self finished it for her.

"And yet you want him like you've never wanted anyone else before?"

Akane felt her face flush once more, as Ukyo's suggestion brought back last nights dream with full force. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, giving Ukyo a slight nod.

"Akane, you're not abnormal," she reassured her. "Hell, he's hot and it's only natural for you to want him. All I can say is it's about time! I was beginning to worry about you there for awhile."

"It's not just that…. it's…." Akane once again let her sentence trail as she noticed the waitress coming back with their order. It was only when they were alone once again that Ukyo urged her to continue.

"Come on sugar, something is obviously weighing on your mind. What is it?"

Akane took another deep breath and let it out slowly, wondering again if she weren't just losing her mind.

"It's crazy Ukyo," she admitted. "Ever since I met him I've been having these dreams. Only they don't seem like dreams at all. They seem so real."

Ukyo gave her friend an intrigued look. "What kind of dreams?"

She watched as Akane struggled to find the words to explain, her face flushing a deeper crimson with her effort, and knew instantly that the dreams were of a romantic nature. When Akane still remained silent Ukyo spoke her thoughts aloud.

"Are you trying to say that the dreams are sexual?"

The suggestion brought back last night's dream with full force, and Akane had to close her eyes against the onslaught of lust that rose suddenly inside of her.

"I guess that answers my question," Ukyo said, amazed at the strength of her friend's reaction. "Akane…."

"I know," Akane replied, opening her eyes to stare at her friend. "It's scaring me too, but at the same time…. I…. I don't want it to stop."

Ukyo eyed her friend with some concern. "You said they don't seem like dreams at all. What exactly do you mean by that?"

"It's hard to explain," Akane began, searching for the right words to describe what it had felt like. "I couldn't see him in the first one. I just had a sense that he was there. It was like I could feel everything that he was feeling, as if he had somehow transferred it to me."

She shook her head even as she said it, knowing how crazy it all sounded.

"Honestly Ukyo, I've never felt anything like it. It was so intense that I thought I might burst with it. At the same time I was helpless to do anything but give into it, and even though I wanted to scream with the intensity, I didn't want it to stop either."

Ukyo sat amazed, watching as Akane's breath began to quicken, her eyes starting to go glassy with just the memory of it.

"Ukyo," she confessed, her voice lowering in an almost conspiratorial sort of tone. "It happened once while I was awake."

Ukyo stared at her friend, concern beginning to creep back into her expression. She could understand perhaps an overactive imagination, coupled with the fact that Akane hadn't had sex in quite some time, manifesting itself in a dream, but this last was something else entirely.

"When you are awake?" Ukyo repeated dumbfounded. "What do you mean?"

Akane took a deep breath and tried to explain. "Well, after he walked me home after my set last night, I invited him up for a drink, and as we sat there talking you could almost feel it."

"Almost feel what?"

Akane gave a short sigh. "It was like there was this electric charge between us. It was so strong. I could tell he was trying to hold himself back so I gave into it and kissed him."

Ukyo leaned in closer. She could feel herself getting caught up in what Akane was telling her. "And….?"

"And all of a sudden it was like this floodgate opened. I was instantly bombarded with this overwhelming feeling of desire. It knocked the breath out of me. I could feel his emotions, his sensations, all the hunger he had for me was suddenly inside of me so intensely that I wanted to scream. I swear Ukyo. I thought I would have an orgasm right then and there."

Ukyo sat with rapt attention, unable to believe her ears, but fascinated all the same. She had to admit, Akane's little story had her more than a little intrigued.

"Did you give into it?" Ukyo asked eager to hear more.

"I would have," Akane replied, almost breathless. "Oh Ukyo, I so would have, but he pulled away. I could sense his fear. It was like he was trying to shield me from something. I knew how much he wanted me. I felt it, and yet his fear overrode everything. I could feel how hard it was for him to pull it back. And then he said something that was so strange."

Now it was Ukyo who sounded almost breathless. "What?"

"He said that I didn't know what I was asking."

Ukyo's brow furrowed in confusion, "I don't understand."

"That makes two of us," Akane replied. "Then, just when I was at my most confused, he kissed me, and I mean hard, and I was lost. I mean really lost. It's as if he has this power over me. The want and need is so strong that I almost can't bear it."

Ukyo drew in a deep breath and let it out, shaking her head slowly. "I can think of worse problems, but I can see where you might be concerned."

Akane merely nodded. "Yeah," she agreed. "And another strange thing was something he said right before he left. He told me he'd see me in my dreams. Sure enough, that night I had another dream. In this one I was able to see him. It wasn't just the sensations."

Akane swallowed hard as the memories came flooding back.

"I had no control over myself, or what I was feeling. All I could do was surrender to him. It was like my mind was not my own. He made me feel so desired, so cherished and loved all at the same time. I never wanted it to stop, even though the intensity of it bordered on pain. I woke up exhausted and soaked in sweat. My nerve endings were still tingling with the effort."

Ukyo stared at her friend incredulously. She felt her own breath quicken at the images Akane had evoked. "And you think he caused this to happen?"

"I know it sounds crazy," Akane replied, wondering if she hadn't really lost her mind. "I mean, how is it possible?"

What are you going to do?"

"What can I do?" Akane said, trying to get her emotions back under some sort of control. Just talking about it had started to send her lustful feelings into overdrive. "Ukyo, I want him with such force it's frightening. I couldn't resist him if I tried. It's scary, but at the same time it's…. it's…."

"Exciting, thrilling, exhilarating," Ukyo offered.

"Yes," Akane stated simply. "Oh God Ukyo, what's happening to me?"

Ukyo simply shook her head. "Do you really think he's somehow sending these… sensations… like some sort of telepathy?"

Akane shrugged her shoulders. "It's crazy I know. I mean, how can that be and yet what else could it be?"

"Maybe it's not so crazy."

Akane stared at her friend, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Well," Ukyo began, "I've heard of people who are sensitive to this kind of thing."

"Sensitive?"

Ukyo nodded. "Yeah, they seem to have a more acute awareness of people's emotions."

"You mean like an Empath?"

"Exactly," Ukyo replied.

"Okay," Akane reasoned. "So he picks up on my emotions, but how is it that he can transfer what he's feeling to me?"

Ukyo shrugged. "Let's think about this. Have you noticed anything else about him that might be out of the ordinary?"

Akane took a long sip of her wine and thought back to that first encounter with Ranma. How he'd come out of nowhere without making a sound. How he'd merely told Takeshi to let her go, and how he'd simply complied without hesitation. She had been so grateful for his assistance that she'd put these troubling instances out of her head, had outright dismissed them in fact. This sudden revelation astounded her, considering how quickly she had been willing to hand herself over to him last night.

She shivered inwardly.

"Akane," Ukyo reached out and gently touched her friend's hand.

Akane gave a startled jump, as she was suddenly forced out of her reverie.

"Huh?"

"You okay?" Ukyo asked, concern filling her voice. "You seemed out of it there for a minute."

Akane shook her head as if to clear it. "I'm sorry Ukyo," she said. "Come to think of it there are a few things I can think of that are a bit odd."

Ukyo narrowed her eyes slightly. "Such as?"

"Well," Akane began, "For one thing, that night he saved me from Takeshi it was as if he came out of nowhere, like he had simply dropped out of the sky, and he did it without so much as a sound. I heard nothing until he told Takeshi to let me go. In fact I remember his voice startling me."

Akane was silent for a moment, her thoughts racing to things she had thought of as strange, but had dismissed, thinking it was all just in her mind.

"What is it?" Ukyo urged.

Akane shook her head embarrassed. "Oh, it's nothing."

"Come on Akane," Ukyo insisted. "What might seem insignificant can sometimes be the key to unlocking the whole thing."

"It's just…" Akane began only to shake her head again, knowing Ukyo would simply think she was nuts.

"Just what?" Ukyo encouraged, urging her friend to let it all out. "It's okay sugar. I promise I won't think you're crazy. Besides it may make you feel better if you talk about it."

Akane sighed, giving her friend a look that was full of appreciation. She knew she could always count on Ukyo.

"Well," she said. "I noticed that both times I saw him in the club he'd order a beer but never drink it. Same thing when he was at my apartment the other night." Akane laughed, saying it out loud sounded even more ridiculous than it had in her head. "Honestly, I'm just being silly."

"Nonsense," Ukyo insisted. "It is a bit strange. Why order it if you aren't going to drink it?"

"Yeah, but what's even more strange is the fact that he was able to give Takeshi Kuno a command and have him obey it instantly. I have never seen Takeshi back down from anything. And Ukyo, I watched Takeshi's reaction. I thought it was all in my head, but his body actually jerked when Ranma made the suggestion, like he'd been poked with a cattle prod. And he couldn't stop staring at Ranma, as if he were in some sort of trance."

"So, you're saying that he was able to plant the suggestion in Takeshi's head?" Ukyo asked, her wonder growing with every word Akane uttered.

"I don't know," Akane replied with a sigh. "I'm losing my mind right?"

"Not necessarily," Ukyo returned. "Anything else you can think of?"

Akane thought for a moment. "Actually, the first time he touched me, I felt this warm tingling sensation suddenly flow through me. I have to admit it sort of startled me at first, but it also gave me a thrill at the same time. And then last night I met his friend."

Ukyo raised her eyebrows her interest growing. "He has a friend?"

Akane had to smile at Ukyo's suggestive tone. "I don't think you'd be interested in this one Ukyo. He's…. I don't know… he sort of gave me the creeps."

Ukyo gave her friend a disappointed look. "Ah well, story of my life. Anyway, go on," she urged.

"It was weird. I got the sense that the two of them were somehow carrying on their own private conversation. One I couldn't hear. I assumed it was due to their close friendship. Now I'm not so sure."

Ukyo stared flabbergasted. "You think his friend has these abilities too?"

"I know how it sounds, but you didn't see their exchange. I got the distinct feeling that Ranma wanted him to leave. He gave him this intense stare, and I swear Ryoga winced, as if he'd been struck. He even complained of a sudden headache."

Ukyo stared at her friend wide-eyed. "You said this guy gave you the creeps? You think Ranma knew this?"

After a moments thought, Akane nodded. "Yes," she replied. "In fact he even brought it up later at my apartment." She furrowed her brow in concentration, certain now more than ever that something out of the ordinary was going on, and that it all centered around Ranma.

"Okay, let's go back a bit," Ukyo ventured. "You said you could feel his fear. That he was trying to shield you from something. What do you think it was?"

Akane shook her head, trying to imagine what he had to fear from them submitting to the desire they obviously both felt. Along with his cryptic suggestion that she didn't know what she was asking by wanting to give into it.

"Honestly Ukyo, I don't know," she finally admitted. "He said it was complicated."

"Complicated?"

Akane nodded. "So I asked him if there was a wife or another woman and he assured me that there wasn't."

"Okay," Ukyo said, urging Akane with her tone to continue.

"I thought then that he simply didn't want to take advantage of me, because the feelings were so strong, and yet we really didn't know that much about each other. So I told him I was a big girl and that it was what I wanted. He told me he that he couldn't—wouldn't do this to me. Then he gave me that line about seeing me in my dreams and he left."

"And presto, there he is in your dream," Ukyo said absently.

"Exactly," Akane replied.

Ukyo mulled this over for a moment. "So, for some reason he was afraid of giving into the moment when he was with you, but he felt free…."

"….to come into my subconscious and indulge in his desire." Akane finished for her, stunned by her own revelation. "Now the question is how and why?"

"Have you thought of asking him about it?"

"Ukyo, it was hard enough to share this with you. If you weren't my best friend…." She let the thought trail. "Even I have trouble believing it and I'm the one it happened to."

Ukyo reached across the table, taking her friend's hand in her own and squeezing it, offering support. Akane smiled and squeezed back, thankful for the kind gesture.

"You do realize if you want to pursue this relationship you are going to have to confront him."

Akane gave a tired sigh. "I know."

"Question is, are you sure you want to pursue it?" Ukyo inquired, the look of concern returning to her face. "I know the attraction can be alluring, but if he can do what you think he can…." Ukyo let her sentence trail, unable to finish it.

Once again Akane finished it for her. "What does that make him?"

Ukyo nodded silently, her expression one of compassion. Akane gave another tired sigh. If Ranma were invading her dreams, whether or not she wanted to pursue a relationship with him might not matter. She wouldn't be able to resist him. She knew it as surely as she was sitting here. She pushed the thought away. Ukyo was right, no matter what she would have to have a talk with Ranma.

She gave her friend a small smile. "Thanks Ukyo."

"What for?"

"For always being there, and for helping me talk all of this out. Also for not thinking I've gone totally off the deep end."

Ukyo returned Akane's smile with one of her own. "Sure sugar," she replied wholeheartedly. "Hey, what are friends for?"

Akane watched as her friend opened her mouth to say something more, and then stopped herself, giving a small laugh.

"What?"

Now it was Ukyo's turn to shake her head. "Nothing, now I think I may be the one going off the deep end."

"Come on Ukyo," Akane pleaded. "You were the one that said even things that seem insignificant might not be."

Ukyo continued to shake her head. "Really, Akane it's stupid."

Akane gave her friend a prodding look to which Ukyo finally relented.

"I was just thinking of all the things you mentioned, and that if this were some sort of horror movie Ranma could play the vampire." Ukyo giggled again at the ridiculousness of it. After all, there were no such things as vampires. "I told you it was stupid."

"A vampire," Akane returned flabbergasted, but something nagged in the back of her mind at the suggestion.

"Yeah, you know, the whole mesmerism bit, the fact that you haven't seen him drink or eat, or that trick of showing up out of nowhere without a sound."

Akane's thoughts began to race around the impossible. But there are no such things as vampires, her mind protested. Again she went over in her head all the small things about Ranma that she had pushed away, things she hadn't wanted to think about, that she'd chalked up to her ever growing imagination and wonder. Her mind reeled with the prospect.

"Earth to Akane," Ukyo said, waving her fork in front of her friend's eyes. "Come in."

Akane blinked; forced once again from her thoughts. "Huh?"

"You spaced out again."

"Sorry."

"You're not taking what I said seriously are you?" Ukyo asked. "I was only kidding you know."

Akane shook her head. "Of course not, there are no such things as vampires."

Even as she said it the nagging feeling remained. What if…. her mind protested, what if she were wrong. The concept left her feeling both strangely excited and yet thoroughly terrified.

"Oh good," Ukyo replied. "You had me worried there for a minute."

Akane gave her friend a reassuring smile, which Ukyo returned wholeheartedly. Akane was glad that at least one of them was feeling comforted.

"So," Ukyo continued. "When am I going to get to meet this mysterious man of yours? You have me totally intrigued."

Akane gave Ukyo another smile, this one genuine. "Oh, I'm sure I can arrange something."

With that they began to chat easily about other mundane things, and Akane suddenly found herself beginning to relax, as she relegated the questions surrounding Ranma's mysterious behavior to the back recesses of her mind.

It wasn't until much later, when she was once again alone with her thoughts that the uncertainty began to come creeping back in.

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Just trying to set things up for later, hope you all enjoyed:)