Author's note: I finally got this done! I'm so happy! I am sorry to end the story, but I need to move on to greener pastures.
Akane dried her tears and looked up at Ranma. "Do you really mean that? Oh God! What have I done to myself?" she was beginning to cry again. "Ranma still loved me when I was destroying my life. He loved me when I constantly insulted him. How could I have been so blind? I don't deserve Ranma." Ranma lifted her chin and studied her face. She looked emaciated. Where had her former beauty gone? Did that even matter? Akane was sick, and she needed his help. "You need to eat something. I'll cook it. When you're done, take a bath. Kasumi's at the store and won't be back for a while. Akane, I won't rest until you are yourself again," Ranma was still scared for her. What was she going to do about school? Maybe he could convince the teachers to give her makeup work. She was after all, one of their best students. He would also have to do something about Keitaro. Akane had already pummeled him, but Ranma could not sleep at night if that asshole were still out there attacking girls. "I need your clothes. We are going to the police and reporting Keitaro." Akane's head was spinning. How could she tell the police about the pills? Would they arrest her? "Ranma, I can't. I don't want to report anything. I just want to live my life again." Ranma knew that Akane should report Keitaro, but she obviously wanted to let it go. If that was what she wanted, he would keep everything a secret. "Fine, let's get you cleaned up."
Several weeks later, Akane was back to herself. Her teachers were hesitant to give her makeup work, but they finally gave in. Slowly, Akane brought her grades up from D's and F's to A's and B's. She had gotten herself to a healthy weight, and was seeing a therapist about her cutting and issues with Ranma, although they seemed to be disappearing. Everything in her life was back to normal.
One beautiful afternoon, Akane was walking home from school with her friends. Two mean looking girls stood on the road in front of them, blocking their path. Akane recognized them from her old group. She began to walk the other way when one punched her in the shoulder. "Hey, Tendo." their pushes were getting more aggressive. "Did you think you could just leave us like that? Did you?" Pushes turned to slaps, and left Akane's face raw. The girls pushed Akane to the ground. They kicked her over and over until her face was bleeding. She knew she couldn't fight back. If she did, it would only mean they would attack someone else with more intensely. All she could do was sit, and take it.
Akane limped home slowly. When Ranma saw the state she was in, he went into a panic. "What could have happened to her?" he wondered. "Why would she let herself get beaten so badly?" Akane looked up into Ranma's eyes and said, "Some girls beat me up. I couldn't fight back because they were amateurs, and I could have killed them." That certainly explained why she was so cut up, but Ranma still didn't understand why anyone would try to do that to someone as strong as Akane. "Were they girls from your old group?" Ranma knew they were before the asked. Did that mean she was safe? Could she go anywhere without being confronted? "Don't worry Ranma; they said that they would do that to anyone who tried to leave. I'm free. My past is gone, and all I need now is you." She walked up to him, despite her searing pain, and kissed him on the mouth. Ranma was shocked. He had told her how he felt, but things stayed normal. Her spontaneous display of affection was strange, but in a good way. Her fingers ran through his black hair. Slowly Akane entered Ranma's mouth with her tongue. They danced, battled, and tasted each other. Ranma pulled her closer to him and held her around her waist. He felt her press against him, and responded by lifting her and carrying her into the dojo, not stopping until he got to her bedroom. Akane ran her hands over Ranma's hard chest. "Oh God! I love the way he touches me. I want this to last forever," Akane detached herself from Ranma. "Ranma, I love you." Ranma looked down into her eyes and knew that he wanted to be with Akane Tendo for the rest of his life.
The End
A/N: I know the ending sucks. It does, but I had to end it there. Don't ask, I just did.