Chapter 13

Ranma desperately tried to remember the CPR techniques that she had seen on TV. She quickly began the series of chest thrusts and mouth to mouth that fortunately brought Kasumi quickly back to consciousness.

Kasumi looked up and Ranma and gave a weak smile. "What happened?" she whispered.

"You cracked your head against the floor when you fell" She choked out the next part. "You stopped breathing..."

Her voice was still shaky. "I'm lucky you knew what to do."

A strange look appeared on her face. "Yeah, you're right. But I was lucky too. Lucky and stupid!" she growled.

"Stupid? what do you mean?"

"We've been here for what? Over 4 months! And this whole time I've just been hoping that we'd never need any doctor for anything. All this time I've always said how a Martial Artist's duty was to protect people, but what good is it if something as simple as a fall, or something worse like an appendix going bad is enough to...take you away."

"Ranma! We both know that there are risks involved with staying here. You just saved me, why are you so mad at yourself?"

Her eyes bored into her. "Because, we don't know if we'll ever get back. You know it, I know it. I know I've said I'd get us back, but we both know that I still have no clue. I'm spending all of my effort on getting back, but ignoring taking care of us while we're still here."

Wow she thought she...he really is growing up.

"What if we can't get back? What then? You've told me before how much you're enjoying this, but I've never said anything to you about it."

Kasumi stayed quiet, if this were going where she thought it was, she didn't want to spook her.

She continued in a softer voice. "Kasumi, I know it sounds weird, but I've never had more fun than I have this last four months. It's been like a wonderful dream. You're..." she stopped, and tried to focus her thoughts. "You're the best friend I've ever had. Yeah, I always said that Ukyo was my friend, and she was...or is...but that was nothing compared to this. I look forward each day to spending more time with you. You are kind, and beautiful, and the most wonderful person I've ever known. "

She paused again, seeming to build up nerve. "Kasumi, I'd love to get home again and see everybody, but if we can't, I won't care...I wouldn't trade this for anything, or anyone."

Kasumi was filled with turmoil. Okay, this is it. This is the perfect time to bring up Akane. I think I know what she feels, but she needs to admit it to himself. "Ranma, what about...Akane?"

She pulled back slightly, and she could see the turmoil in her face. "Kasumi, if you'd asked me that six months ago, I'd have had a quick answer for you. I guess she was the first girl that really showed me any kindness. She helped me a lot while I was at your house, and I think in some ways she really cares for me. The problem is, I can't take the anger from her. Every time she didn't believe in me, or falsely accuse me, it hut...it hurt a lot. I don't think I really realized how bad it was until I saw something better."

"What do you mean?"

"I always thought I loved Akane. You have to realize, compared to my Dad, she was a princess" she laughed at that. "If the people you know only show you anger, you get desensitized to it." She stopped, looking uncomfortable again.

"Go on" she prodded.

"Kasumi, you are like an Angel" she started to gush. "I didn't know how nice somebody could be until I've spent this time with you. And it's not just that you're nice, it's that you are a wonderful person. You've made me laugh, made me learn, made me proud to be who I am. Heck, I've even become comfortable in this form." She looked down at her ample chest. "Well...at least more comfortable" she blushed, looking back up to Kasumi. She breathed in deep, let it out, took one more and then stated. "It all comes down to this, I don't care about what happened in the past. I don't care what Akane thinks, I value your friendship more than anything. If it means Akane hates me...so be it."

Wow, so far, so good she thought, but "Oh my" is all that came out.

"Look, I don't know what you think of me, and I don't know how you really feel about this curse...no, condition...of mine, but I do know that I'd like you for...a friend for as long as we are here. And I promise you, I'll take care of you. If that means learning a lot more than Chinese, then that's fine with me."

This is my best shot at knocking him out of the mindset he's been in for so long... She sat up next to him. "Ranma, I know you've had a tough life, and haven't had the best luck with relationships, but don't sell yourself short, I think we might be able to be even more than friends...if you'd like." As she finished, she leaned forward and gave him a brief, but heartfelt kiss. She had steeled herself for the possibility that when this time came, he may not be a male. She was definitely more comfortable with him being male if it came to show any affection, but she had already decided that if Ranma was female, it wouldn't be a show-stopper. As she leaned back and watched the "Ranma operating system" come to a complete stop, she was glad she was prepared for this eventuality.

It took Ranma a good while to come out of the daze she had entered when kissed. "Wow..." is all she could force out. She tried to be a little more eloquent about her response, but all that would come out was another "Wow..."

Kasumi smiled at his simple response. "What's the matter Ranma, I thought you were prepared for anything, don't tell me I've actually caught you by surprise?"

"Uh...yeah?" she managed to get out. "I didn't know if you felt that way about me."

Now was the time to be confident. Ranma would detect any show of uncertainty and interpret it as a negative signal. "Let's just say I'm open to explore the possibilities. Actually, I guess I'd be more accurate if I said was was hopeful about the possibilities. In the time we've been here, I've come to know you a lot better than I ever knew you before. Let's just say that it's altered my opinion about 'younger men.'"

Ranma waited, thinking about how to say the right thing this time. She didn't want to blow it by saying something stupid. In the end, she decided to be as honest and direct as possible. "I'd like that Kasumi, I'd like that a lot. And if it means anything, I feel the same way. I'd always wondered what it was like to have a real girlfriend, I suppose this must be what it is like."

He looked at her with an unsure, quizzical look. "So what do we do now?"

"Ranma, that's the easy part, we just do what we've been doing all along. The only difference is that we have at least acknowledged it. With nobody here to bother us, we can take it at our own pace, and let it develop naturally, without forcing anything."

"But Kasumi, I'm not exactly natural like this."

"Ranma, you are who you are, no matter what you look like on the outside. You don't become a different person, you just look like one. It doesn't bother me, I see the real you no matter what you look like."

Ranma stood up and reached out to give Kasumi a hand. "Sounds good to me." He helped her up and they walked back to the house like they had many times before after practice. The only difference is that this time they were holding hands.

--

The months flew by as Ranma and Kasumi threw themselves into their studies of Chinese. Each day was dedicated to physical exertion in the morning, followed by studies in the afternoon. After the incident in the dojo, Ranma had begun collecting medical books as well. He had taken his vow to Kasumi seriously, and did not want to be unprepared for any medical emergencies again.

Kasumi found she was surprised at herself. She knew Ranma wasn't like most other boys, but she still expected Ranma to be more...forceful once she admitted that she was interested in him. Instead, he remained cautious. The romance that was developing moved slowly, but surely. She was surprised because she found herself becoming impatient with its rate of progress. She assumed that in some ways, his innocence and concern about being too overbearing were acting as catalysts to her own emotions. She knew that usually it was the male that was the initiator when it came to romance, but more than once she had to let him know that it was okay to show the emotion, that she didn't think he was some kind of 'pervert' as her sister was so fond of labeling him as.

It was almost a month after the scare in the Dojo. Kasumi had managed to get Ranma to relax enough that they often held hands and stayed close, but Ranma really hadn't initiated anything yet. Oh she enjoyed the continued closeness and more relaxed conversations that he was now capable of, but she was hoping for more. They were finishing a walk down to the small store at the bottom of the mountain they lived on when Ranma said "Kasumi, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Of course Ranma, what is it?"

He stopped and walked over to a large set of rocks that they could sit on. He motioned Kasumi to sit down, and after she chose a spot, he sat down next to her. "Kasumi, I don't know what to do..."

"About what?" she wasn't sure where this was going yet.

"About Akane..."

"Oh. Okay..." Come on Ranma, do the right thing this time, don't live for other people's commitments, live for your own Kasumi thought.

"Well, I guess I'm technically still engaged to her. The problem is, I don't think I want to be any longer."

"And why not?" After all this time of waiting, she wasn't about to let him off easy!

"Aw...you know why..."

She kept the neutral look on her face with great difficulty. "Well, I think I do, but I think it would be best if you told me yourself, don't you"

Ranma blushed with embarrassment. She was right of course. Over the months she'd shown him that being open and honest with your feelings did not get you pounded every time. Ranma Saotome isn't afraid of anything, I can do this! "Because I like you instead. I...l-l-l-love you." He looked into her brown eyes, and knew that he did indeed love her. He never knew what affection with a descent person was until he was with Kasumi. He gazed into her serene face, and knew that he had to let her know how much he cared. "I love you very much. I know I haven't been very good at showing how much I care about you..."

"Oh but you have Ranma, you have very much" she giggled. "You just don't realize it, do you?"

"Nope, guess not. Anyways, I just want you to know, that I love you, and that I don't care that we're stuck here, I couldn't imagine being with anyone else." And with that, he leaned forward, and kissed her.

This wasn't like the brief kiss in the dojo. Ranma had decided that if he was going to do this, he was going to do it right. To be honest, all he knew how to do was just a longer version than in the dojo, but this time, he was an active participant.

Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! Oh my! Kasumi's mind raced. The first time she kissed Ranma he had been a girl, and she was trying to show her affection, but it was a one way kiss. This time, Ranma was an active participant, and it exceeded every expectation she had. He wasn't aggressive, or pushy, she just felt the love flow from him like a mighty current, and she was happily carried away.

--

Kasumi didn't know it, but Ranma savored every day of their time together. He was so happy being with such a wonderful girl, that he was afraid of advancing the relationship for fear of rejection. After sixteen years of virtual abuse, he relished every day of the love and caring that Kasumi gave him.

Kasumi surprised him in another way. She was becoming a Martial Arts prodigy in her own right. Everyone had assumed that Akane was the Martial Artist of the family, but Ranma now knew better. After nine months of training, she was easily Akane's equal. Much of her advantage came from her ability to remain calm and centered in the heat of battle. No matter how much Ranma tried to taunt her during practice, she remained focused on her attack. He had already seen traces of a battle aura forming, and anticipated that within the next few months, she would be ready for Ki based moves as well. He truly enjoyed sparring with Kasumi, and had recently felt comfortable enough to do so as a male, which Kasumi took as the highest compliment. She had once again demonstrated to him that girls were not weak, and finally that sparring was not hitting.

They both estimated that they had at least several more months to go before they should hazard a trip to the Amazon village. Ranma's progress at self-education was rivaling Kasumi's progress as a fighter. They egged each other on by making silly challenges out of the slightest things.

All in all, they both were enjoying life so much, they hardly thought about life the way it was before they came here.

Eight months after their arrival, Ranma found Kasumi out in the yard looking at the sunset.

"Hello Ranma, isn't it a beautiful evening?"

He sat down next to her and put his arm around her. "It sure is. Another day in paradise."

"It is very nice." She snuggled in close to him. "So what did you get in town today?"

"Oh, just looked for some supplies." He seemed nervous about something though. Kasumi knew him well enough now to spot the subtle signs. Ranma couldn't tell a lie if his life depended on it, and anything that even hinted at secrecy upset him.

"What kind of supplies?"

"Oh, nuthin special. I did find something you might like though." He reached into his pocket.

"You found some chocolate?"

Ranma smiled. Who knew that Kasumi was a closet chocolate-aholic? "Nope something I thought you'd like even better."

He had her interest now. "What? What?"

He pulled out the small black felt box and opened it, showing the heart-shaped diamond ring inside. "Kasumi Tendo, will you marry me?"