As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated.
All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

Please Enjoy!
Coutuva.

Little Red - Part Four

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"Finally figured it out, huh?" Ranma sighed at length, with a shake of his head. "Took you long enough," he added, snapping her out of her shock. "We went through a lotta crap, but we did it. I've had her since she was four years old," he explained, settling to a fallen log. "After I left Nerima, I made her my personal mission. I didn't care when, I didn't care what it took - I was gonna get her back," he stated, his eyes still on her.

It took a moment, but somehow, she found her voice.

"God, Ranma... I can't believe it. You actually did it," she breathed, finally meeting his gaze.

"Damned straight. I told you back then, Akane. She's my daughter, and there ain't no force strong enough to keep me away from her. I swore to you and everyone else that I'd find her and get her back - and that's exactly what I did," he responded, his eyes flashing despite his calm tone.

That was when it hit her. Her jaw fell open as she tried to find something - anything - to say, but the words just wouldn't come. Finally, she dropped her face to her hands - and wept.

"I... I'm so sorry, Ranma. I... Couldn't help it. This... This has been torturing me for years. I... Still have nightmares about it," she sobbed, at which he shocked her by only smiling knowingly.

"I'm not surprised. I know how much it hurt me," he commiserated, rising to walk toward her. "Especially since I wasn't around to stop it," he added, a touch of darkness in his tone.

She withered again. "Sorry... I... Was alone... And I was afraid... And I knew I couldn't face you. I just couldn't. I knew doing it would make you angry, but I was more scared of what would happen if I didn't. And with you and your Dad gone on that trip..."

Ranma huffed. "Kinda figured. But, what's done is done, right? Can't do anything to change that now," he responded, stunning her again.

"W-what?" she gasped, gaping back at him. "But... I thought..." she attempted, but he only shook his head.

"I was. For about the first five years. If I'd have seen you then..." he trailed off, a strange tone to his voice. "But, as I began to raise Red, I came to realize you'd actually done me a favour. For the first time in as long as I could remember, I was *really* enjoying my life. I was happily married to an amazing woman, had a wonderful, growing family, and was working at something I discovered I loved. In short, I had it all," he went on, a smile returning to his face.

She looked up at him in utter amazement, having already figured she was street okonomiyaki at least three times over. All Ranma did was chuckle. Finally, he walked up and extended his hand.

"Let's head back, Akane. I just heard the kids come in from picking up the new horses," he smiled, lifting her to her feet. She was still too overwhelmed to do much more than nod and follow along.

Even as she settled on her horse, her mind continued to reel, until she caught a glimpse of the headstone. For some reason, she found her eyes drawn to it.

Ranma apparently noticed.

"You woulda probably liked her," he sighed, into a small, wistful smile. "She was the warmest, most caring person I've ever known. She was pretty too, but not like a fashion model or anything. Had cinnamon eyes that could melt steel, and real soft skin. She kinda reminded me of Kasumi, because she could say more with a look than most people could in a sentence," he noted, his face softening. "We met when I was still working at the Dojo in town - before I started here. Over time, she found out about my 'mission', and out of the goodness of her heart, just decided to help me. Truth is, without her family's money and connections, I'd probably still be fighting," he went on, looking back at the stone. "During the endless bureaucratic crap and court cases, we fell in love, and eventually married. The very next day, she insisted that we apply for the adoption as a family unit, and it helped. We finally got Atsuko. The boys came along later. Akiko-chan loved them all, and raised them like they were her own, but she was especially fond of Atsuko. They kinda bonded from the start - hell, she even gave her the nickname 'Little' Red, since she was the second redhead in the family," he noted, a fond smile parting his face.

Akane found she couldn't help smiling, even as she wiped at her face. "She sounds wonderful. I wish I could have met her," she remarked, sighing. "Even just to say thanks," she added to herself, her heart twisting.

"Let's go, Akane. They could use a hand getting the horses settled," Ranma noted, looking back at the plot one more time. "Oyasumi nasai, Akiko-chan," he whispered emotionally, at which she actually felt a tear.

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As they cleared the brush and approached the main yard, She couldn't help but notice how Ranma brightened when he caught sight of his family. Just as she started to smile at the excited glint in his eyes, a whoop went up from beside the large rig backed up to the stables.

Instantly, Ranma urged his horse into a gallop, racing toward the figures now running toward him. Akane had to hold her own horse back, but still smiled at the sight of Ranma's flying dismount to scoop his daughter into a spinning hug.

The two boys immediataely flanked him, getting on his case for trying to get out of bedding the new horses. Their laughter could be heard echoing off of every structure in the area.

Eventually, Akane walked her horse up to the arena rail and climbed off, tying the animal off with something that resembled a slip knot. She deliberately stayed away from the commotion of the unloading, not only to be out of the way, but to give herself a chance to let everything that had happened soak in.

Before long, she saw Ranma notice her standing by the rail, and start to walk toward her. As he did, he gestured for Atsuko to join him. "Yo, Akane - what you doing over here?" he asked, striding up to her with a grin.

She shuddered at their approach, praying she'd be able to maintain her composure around Atsuko. From what she recalled of her first brief conversation with Ranma, she was certain Atsuko had no idea who she was, and assumed he wanted to keep it that way.

As soon as Atsuko caught sight of her face, she immediately gasped. "You! You're that Filmmaker!" she smiled, elbowing her father. "See, Dad? I told you she was a looker!" she teased, winking.

She flushed. Ranma shrugged. Atsuko laughed.

"So I'm a looker, ne? What's this, Saotome? You using your daughter to scope for prospects?" she intoned, raising Atsuko's eyebrows and drawing a tired eyeroll from Ranma. Inwardly, she was grateful for the escape hatch.

"Uh... Lemme guess; you two already know each other, don't you?" Atsuko asked, eliciting grins from both of them.

"Hai. Very well. We're old... Friends. That's why I was so interested in your name, Atsuko-chan," Akane explained, trying to be casual as she looked the girl over with new eyes. Suddenly, she seemed even more beautiful and even more perfect, adding a new kind of pain to the ache in her chest.

"Okay... Gimme a sec to get my foot out of my mouth," she frowned, shaking her head. "And here I was trying to get him to handle the business with you personally, so he'd actually meet someone," the girl smirked, at which Ranma shrugged. "Papa no Baka."

Akane couldn't help but break out laughing, and when Ranma followed suit a second later, she lost it again.

"Hey... It wasn't that funny," Atsuko blinked, regarding them both like they were crazy.

"It's a long story," Ranma finally explained, between laughs.

"Must be," she smirked, looking back and forth between them.

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After the horses were fed, watered and all their tack stored away, Akane stood beside a smiling Ranma as Atsuko drove the rig to the shed. "She drives trucks, too?" she asked, more impressed with the girl every minute.

"Hai. She's better than the guy we had hired for it, so we let her do it now. She can back an eight-stall down an alley if she has to," he noted, proudly.

"She really is incredible," she breathed, realizing sadly that if Ranma kept talking, she was going to lose it. "I... Better get back to my room now, Ranma," she stated, trying to smile through her stinging eyes. "I... Have to get my work done eventually," she sighed, pulling out her phone. "It was really..." she began again, only to be cut off by his hand landing on her shoulder.

"Okay, I'll get Red to drive you - I got some things to do so we're ready for the morning crowd. Uhm... Why don't you just get your stuff and come back? You can leave from here in the morning with a real breakfast under your belt. Hiro is an expert cook," he suggested, smiling his famous smile.

"Sure... I'd... Actually like that," she smiled back, despite her surprise at the offer. She had expected he'd be glad she was leaving. Her heart actually skipped a beat when she found herself wondering if things really were behind them now - which made her feel better than she had in years.

"Great! I'll set it up," Ranma smiled, apparently also quite pleased.

Ten minutes later, she and Atsuko were on their way back to town, chatting idly about horses and the film. As the trip progressed, Akane began to notice that Atsuko seemed preoccupied. At first, she wasn't sure if it was a real impression, or just her still rather unsettled state making her suspicious, but as time went on, her curiosity got the better of her. "Is something bothering you, Atsuko-chan?" she asked, carefully.

"Hai. I'd like to ask you something. You said you're an old friend of my Dad's, right? Does that mean you're from Nerima?" the girl responded pointedly, glancing over at her.

"I am. We grew up there," she supplied, getting the distinct impression she wasn't going to like where the conversation was going.

Atsuko sighed. "I see you're wearing my Dad's emergency clothes, and I noticed how familiar you are with him. And I noticed something else - the way you were looking at me tonight," she stated, sounding as if she was building a case. Akane felt her stomach tighten.

Atsuko glanced over at her once more - and seemed to set herself. "Please forgive me, but I have to ask you this; are you... My mother?" she asked, amazingly calmly.

Akane shuddered, then slowly deflated. "How... Did you know?" she finally asked weakly, expecting the worst.

"Akiko told me - just a few days before she passed away. She wanted to be sure... I would know my real mother someday," the girl replied, her voice tight. "She always told me I was adopted, just... Not like my brothers. Dad wouldn't ever say anything about it. Finally, she did, but made me promise never to tell him that I know," she added, sniffing.

Akane, her own eyes stinging again, drew a long breath and steeled herself. "I think Akiko... Was a very special person... And it looks like I owe her a lot," she began, fighting to steady her voice. "I really, really wish wish I'd have been able to be more like her," she stated, staring at the fingers she had enmeshed on her lap. "In a weird sort of way... I'm actually glad things worked out the way they did. She did a wonderful job with you; and with Ranma. I couldn't... Have asked... For more..." she trailed off, as the years of regret and remorse finally surged through her shattered defenses.

A moment later, she felt the vehicle lurch to the gravel shoulder and jerk to a stop. Gasping, she raised her head to check on Atsuko, only to find herself being pulled into an urgent, heartfelt embrace.

"No No Noooo... I've been praying I'd get to meet you, no matter what," she sniffed into Akane's ear, starting to cry herself. "I don't care about anything else, and I don't even want to," she added, tightening her hug.

"Atsuko-chan... I'm so sorry... And I've missed you so much," she sobbed back, shifting around to return the hug. "I can't lie to myself - or anyone else any more. I've loved you since the day you were born, and hated myself for what I did..." she blubbered, only to feel a finger press across her shuddering lips.

"I love you too, Mom..."

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Ranma looked up from his Equestrian Monthly magazine, his acute hearing detecting a familiar sound. Beside him, Kin and Hiro also looked up.

"Sounds like Red," his son Kin drawled, to a chorus of nods. A few moments later, he smiled as Atsuko drove into the yard. Just as he went to rise from his deck chair, he smiled even more broadly as Akane's car pulled in behind her.

Walking across to the steps, he watched as the two women got out of their vehicles and met each other - then almost face-faulted as they hugged happily. His face stayed disjointed as they held each other for a few more seconds, then separated and walked toward him - holding hands.

It was a scene torn from his fondest dreams - and he immediately knew who was responsible for it. "Arigato, Akiko-chan," he thought to himself, his chest tightening. He had wanted to gauge Akane's reaction before telling Atsuko, but his wife had apparently known better.

By the time they reached him, he had managed to regain his composure, and was smiling so wide his face hurt. "So what does this mean?" he asked, cagily.

"It means I found my Birth Mother!" Atsuko almost squealed, hugging Akane again. "And better yet, I actually like her!" she added, teasingly.

Akane only smiled ecstatically - and nodded emphatically.

He couldn't believe his ears. "At last!" he shouted, immediately scooping both women up and hugging them to him, laughing like a man possessed.

"Careful, Dad! You're going to break Mom in half!" Atsuko laughed, thumping his shoulder weakly.

He stopped in mid-laugh, the word shooting through his brain like a katana. Instantly, he looked at Akane, whose face was inches from his. He had to look twice at what he saw, just to make sure he was actually seeing it.

She was looking over at Atsuko, her cheeks glowing, her dark eyes misty - and her face bearing a mixture of pride and happiness. "Mom..." she repeated softly to herself, a tear rolling from her eye.

"It fits - just like I always knew it would," he commented, smiling gently as she turned to face him. She looked into his eyes for a long moment, then threw her arms around his neck.

"Ranma no Baka," she sniffed, hugging him tightly.

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END - Little Red A Ranma1/2 Fanfic By Coutuva

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