"Akane is a tough girl. I'm sure she'll be fine," Dr. Tofu told Kasumi as they stood next to the open front door.
"I hope so," Kasumi replied worriedly, her brow furrowed in concern and her hands clasped together from nerves. Unexpectedly, Tofu wrapped Kasumi in his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Pulling back slightly and gently lifting her face up to his with a knuckle on her chin he smiled and said in an assuring voice, "She'll be just fine."
Quickly, he kissed her cheek before turning and walking out into the rain leaving a flustered Kasumi to watch him from the open doorway.
Ranma sat on the kitchen counter to wait for Kasumi's explanation. At the sink, Nabiki was silently doing dishes to help Kasumi. The kitchen was silent except for the clink of the dishes in the sink and the steady drumbeat of the rain outside. Ranma looked towards the doorway when he heard Kasumi's footsteps coming down the hallway and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nabiki turn off the faucet and dry her hands on a dish towel.
"Dr. Tofu says she's fighting pneumonia again," Kasumi informed them as she entered. At this, Nabiki swore softly.
"Seriously?" Ranma asked incredulously, "It's too fast for that isn't it?"
"Akane has always been susceptible to it. We could never figure out why though. Ranma, do you know if she walked home in the rain?" Kasumi inquired, taking a seat at the small table that was in the kitchen.
"She did," Ranma answered, hiding the horrible guilt he felt. He knew he had grabbed the last umbrella. He had thought she would have gotten irritated at him and he secretly liked how passionate she got when annoyed. He hadn't known that she wouldn't get mad this time. He hadn't known that she would get this sick. He hadn't known that he'd be so scared that the girl he loved-!
The thought stopped him in his tracks. Love? Cautiously, he thought the word to himself again. Honestly, he wasn't completely sure what it was he felt. He mentally shook himself. Either way this wasn't the time to be debating.
"Nabiki, if you'll take the late night shift I'll take the early morning shift," Kasumi offered.
"Shifts?" Ranma asked.
"Yeah. We'll have to keep watch on Akane so her fever doesn't get worse," Nabiki replied, "I can't take the late night shift though. I have those college test prep classes. I can't miss those."
"I'll take the late one," Ranma said. Kasumi sighed in relief and smiled. She was usually an early riser and would probably not have gotten much sleep if she had to do the late night shift.
"That would be very helpful Ranma. If you could stay up till maybe 4 a.m. I could be up by then for sure," Kasumi said.
"Sure. No problem," Ranma agreed.
Later on after dinner Ranma sat in front of the couch, where Akane lay resting. Gently he dabbed off the sweat from her fever flushed face. Each irregular breath rasped past her lips while her eyes moved incessantly behind closed lids. Softly, he brushed a tendril of her short onyx hair from her face. Suddenly. her body was racked by powerful coughs and spasms, leaving Ranma to stroke her back helplessly. As the fit died down, Akane's eyes opened, her usually sparkling eyes dull from the fever. Sluggishly, her eyes roamed around and settled on Ranma's face.
"Wha? Where-?"Akane rasped questioningly before fighting off another cough.
"Shh. You're at home," Ranma answered soothingly, his hand moving to stroke down her hair, "Try not to move too much ok?" They lapsed into silence while he let her drink some water slowly and take some medicine.
"You should have mentioned that you get sick like this easily," Ranma said quietly after a few moments."
"Thought you would have laughed. You think I'm weak enough as it is," Akane returned softly to avoid triggering another fit.
"Maybe at first but I'd have to be much more stupid to continue that opinion after knowing you this long. You may not be super strong but you have a different strength. You are you and that is a strength that only you have. Maybe it does not beat hundreds of opponents all at once but that doesn't make it weak. I don't think you're weak," Ranma whispered, his eyes locked with hers, "Honest."
"I don't think I get it but than-"Akane started but was cut off by another coughing fit. Stroking her back again, he waited until the spasms ceased before saying, "We can talk about it later. Just get some sleep now ok?"
Sleepily, Akane nodded. A few moments later, she was back to sleep. Ranma continued to stroke her hair until he heard footsteps coming towards the living room. Turning, he saw Kasumi come in and patted the floor next to him for her to sit with him. When she joined him he whispered, "I'm scared. I've never seen her like this. She's so weak and she can barely even talk. And there's nothing I can do."
Placing a hand on Ranma's shoulder, Kasumi whispered back, "I believe everything will be fine Ranma. Panicking isn't going to help right? So we do our best with what we can do and trust that it will work. Go get some rest Ranma. Nabiki's taking early night shift since she has to study anyway. She'll wake you up at midnight."
Nodding, Ranma got up from the floor and began making his way to the stairs. About halfway up the stairs, a rasping cough echoed from down the hallway. Continuing upstairs slowly, Ranma thought to himself, 'I don't think I'll sleep much though.'
