CHAPTER 3

This chapter had some missing parts too. They were having a baby shower and at some point Genma, Ranma's dad, had given him money and Ranma just knew it was stolen because Genma was always broke. I used to have a reason for Genma having the money, but I don't remember exactly why. What I know is it tied into Ranma and Akane's reasoning to go back to Junsenkyo Springs where Ranma and others got cursed to turn into different forms with different water temps. So, I decided to mend those things up here in the Chap.3 repost towards the end. :)

Ranma blinked slowly in the darkness of their room. After a long day of demonstrating a basic taikyoku to rowdy Nerima kids, Ranma wondered why he couldn't sleep. That morning had bothered him. Maybe he should have just kept it all to himself. Akane stirred and gazed up at Ranma through her heavy eyelids. Ranma slid his hands along her hips and muttered, "Don't wake me up." Akane moaned softly and pressed her body into Ranma's warmth. Ranma hugged her close, and then they were both still again.

...Vruuum!…

Ranma's eyes shot open. The room was bright. Akane was nowhere in sight, and she wasn't wrapped around his body, like usual. He froze, and then he fumbled off of his futon, thinking he was late for class again. Then, he remembered he didn't have class. A streak of light from a vacuum cleaner glowed behind the bedroom's thin shoji panels.

Ranma pushed open the shoji to see Kasumi in house clothes and her hair pinned back on her head. She was breathing through a surgeon mask. The vacuum roamed the carpet and roared throughout the house. Red streamers were draped across the lightware and all over the walls. Ranma plugged his ears before yelling, "What the hell is going on?!"

Kasumi stopped the vacuum. As it died, she pulled down her mask and spoke. "Cleaning." Kasumi glanced at Ranma's yellow boxers. "Everyone's coming in a few hours, so get dressed. And please look your best."

Ranma rubbed his eyes. "For what?"

"It's a surprise. Hayakushite!" Kasumi ushered him to hurry up, and then smiled sweetly. She re-adjusted her surgeon mask. The vacuum screeched to life again and hummed loudly over the main room's rug.

"Morning, son!" Soun slapped his son-in-law on the back, carrying a featherduster.

Ranma slammed their bedroom door. His curiosity was high. They had a surprise? For him?

Ranma followed Kasumi's instructions to dress nicely. He pulled one of his most loved Chinese suits, the one with a golden dragon winding the front that he almost never wore, over his head. He then slid into fitting black pants and a pair of silk slippers.

Kasumi balanced stacks of home-cooked dishes into dining as more of the family poured in to the Tendo home. Nabiki Tendo, the middle sister of the Tendos, arrived. She hugged Ranma when she saw him. Her affection caught Ranma off guard. Nabiki, always picking up on the little things, felt her brother-in-law's stiff embrace. "I knew it." She whispered against his cheek. "You don't have a clue what this is, do you, Ranma-baby?"

Ranma rolled his eyes between them. "If you know, just tell me!"

Nabiki smirked and pulled away as if he hadn't said anything. Akane appeared behind her and asked her how her business internship in Yokohama was going.

Soun ran up and hugged his youngest daughter, nearly breaking her spine as he cried tears of joy. "You grew up so fast!" Soun sniffled into Akane's hair. Akane croaked out her agreement. Mr. Tendo only relented when Kasumi gently pried him off of Akane so that she could breathe.

Ranma's eyes bulged when Genma, his dad, and Nodoka, his mom, also walked inside of the house. "Ma? Oji?"

Nodoka Saotome pressed her palms to Ranma's cheeks. "How are you?"

Ranma blushed. "Fine, ma."

"Don't you look so manly?" Nodoka grinned and kissed both of his cheeks, causing her son's face to redden even more. Without thinking, Ranma found himself embracing Nodoka's colorful kimono. The fresh powder on his mother's skin made him feel peaceful. Then, Nodoka turned to excitedly greet Akane and the Tendo sisters.

Genma Saotome's meaty hand slapped Ranma on the shoulder and shook him. "Don't get too tied down yet!" Genma chuckled. He still wore the same gi and thin-wire glasses that he always did.

Ranma felt relieved by seeing his father again after almost an entire year since his parents had moved away from him. Pops looked younger when he smiled like that. Ranma wanted to hold him (as unbelievable as that sounded) but he couldn't bring his feet to move.

Mr. Saotome saw the hesitance of his expectant son. "How are you doing, boy?" The question had an oddly sincere overtone that Ranma didn't miss. Genma needed a real answer.

How was he? He was supposed to know how to raise a human by nine months, and Akane hadn't given him any for weeks.

"I'm great." Ranma began. Then, Ranma pouted. He looked too happy.

Mr. Tendo appeared beside Genma. "The last time I remember being this proud was when Kasumi was born. Things like this make you feel young again, right, Saotome?" Soun and Genma shared a deep, hearty laughter. Genma wandered away towards the scent of pork buns.

Something about the way they had laughed made Ranma roll his eyes.

Suddenly, Ranma felt Mr. Tendo shake his hand animatedly. "Arigatou!" Mr. Tendo gave his young son-in-law a kind of smile that Ranma had never seen before; it made him nervous. Ranma bowed slightly at Akane's father because he felt he needed to. It was a gesture Ranma only did rarely, but it wasn't missed on Mr. Tendo, who returned Ranma's action with a deeper bow. Soun joined the others that sat on their heels before Kasumi's home cooking that was outspread on the dining table.

Ranma gripped Akane's arm when she started to follow him. "Hey." He muttered. "What's all this for?" Ranma slanted.

Akane replied, "For us." Akane gave him a giddy, hopeful smile. It was kinda...cute. It was a big difference from yesterday, at least. Ranma's cheeks lifted a little when Akane's hand touched his hand on her arm.

"Hey."

Ranma and Akane spun towards the door at the sound of a familiar voice. "Ryouga?! What are you doing here?" Ranma shouted, watching Akane race to the front.

"Akane!" Ryouga Hibiki beamed. Ryouga hugged Akane instantly. Even though Akane was married, some of Ryouga's feelings for her hadn't passed. He didn't hold back another kiss on her cheek, like he had done at Akane's wedding reception. Ranma steamed, but never did anything about it.

Ryouga timidly entered the Tendo dojo's main house. A fang-toothed smile came easily. "I heard about the news. I wouldn't miss a baby shower for anything."

Ranma nodded to himself as Akane giggled. A baby shower. With all of the red string thrown around the place, it should have been obvious.

He lifted a present into Ranma's hands. "My girlfriend Akari wanted me to give you this." He watched Ranma turn the medium red box over and back upright in his hands. "It's from both of us, actually." Ryouga rested a hand on Ranma's shoulder and removed it conclusively. "Congratulations." Ryouga's eyes shimmered with regret, but they mostly were full of happiness for Akane's new family.

"Um, thanks." Ranma nodded, not really knowing what to say. Their shared gazes made the moment seem longer than it lasted. Ryouga smiled warmly at Ranma again, and then turned to leave.

Mrs. Saotome gripped Ryouga's long yellow sleeve. "Don't leave yet! We haven't eaten!" Akane's grin faltered. "You're staying, right?"

Ryouga eyes shifted back at Akane's husband. "If everyone's okay with it, then I'll stay."

"It's not like you need my permission or anything." Ranma answered for Akane. Didn't Ryouga get that he was a family friend yet? "Stay as long as y'want."

Edit:

Two plates of pork buns in, Ranma loosened up even more with everyone at the table. His dad kept looking at him with a stupid smile on his face, but Ranma couldn't fight the feeling to smile back anymore. Even in the aftermath of one of his first more uncomfortable fights with his new wife, he finally felt like things were falling into place. Not to say he was on board with the whole baby shower thing, or baby thing, but it felt nice to be thought of and cared about by his family and the Tendos.

Like on cue, he felt a soft hand carry down his arm. He watched Akane's hand fold into his hand under the table. Only Kasumi noticed Ranma's blush, but knew it was polite not to stare. She smiled gently as she went for another bite of food.

"I'm so happy," Akane muttered to Ranma.

"Does this mean you're not mad at me anymore?" He said.

"Of course I am, baka!" Akane frowned. Quickly, her smile returned. "But this makes me feel a little better."

Genma suddenly held up a wilted envelope, sending everyone into silence. "There's one last gift you didn't open," he said. "Mine."

Ranma felt everyone's eyes ogling him as he accepted the large envelope and tore it open. It was thousands of yen-lots of it.

"Ranma?" Akane voiced in surprise. She grabbed a handful to see if it was real. Then Ranma smelled it-and licked it-and knew it was real too.

"What the hell?" Ranma whispered. "How did you get all this-"

"-honeymoon money?" Genma said. "I've been savin' it! It's a little overdue, but now's a good a time as any."

"Ooh," Nabiki whispered to Kasumi. The sisters giggled together at Akane's shocked expression. Mister Tendo cried in happiness at his youngest daughter's first honeymoon.

"Bullshit!" Ranma yelled. "You can't even save the groceries for breakfast!"

"It may not seem like it, but there was a time when I did care about your future. I thought a little robbery could one day advance the Anything-Goes-Martial-Arts style. Now, I have a better reason. For my grandboy."

"How do you know it's a boy?" Nabiki muttered.

"Thank you, but, this is still way too much for a vacation," Akane said to her father-in-law.

"It's for your travel expenses!" He replied. "Have you forgot how expensive it is to train in China, girl?"

"Train?!" Akane said. Just then, a thick brochure fell out of the envelope when Akane shook it empty. She and Ranma both sifted through it.

"I never knew this day would come so soon, but there's one martial arts style you two have yet to master to carry on my name the way y'should."

"Mommy-Daddy Martial Arts Masterclass?" Akane sounded aloud, reading the brochure title. "A week-long intensive style taught exclusively at Junsekyo Springs-"

"-winning Mommy and Daddy get a years' worth of Nannichuan?!" Ranma finished angrily. "Come on, Pops-you just want me to win so you won't be a fat ass panda for the rest of your life!"

"Who said I wanted you to win the water?" Genma said. "I've been meaning to teach this form to ya, but it's been too long since I've had to use it. But with that mouth of yours, you would have been a handful without it!"

Ranma blurted, "what 'Daddy' style did you specialize in? Deadbeat?"

Soun jumped in. "Enough, son! He sounds serious. Maybe you should consider the training. It is a gift, anyways." Soun whispered to Genma, "I could use a vacation too, you know. Could I join them?"

"You and I are both too old for even the mildest styles, and your wife is dead," Genma reminded Soun. "Think about it Ranma, Akane. But I will only give you tonight. I have a million better things to use my money on."

"Your money, sure," Ranma scoffed. However, he was already turning over the trip in his mind, thinking of where he last put his travel compass. He felt a little guilty at still having some taste for the Nannichuan that could still reverse his own spell.

"Pass the salt," Ryouga said.

"Stop thinking so hard, China-boy. I can hear it at this point," Akane whispered once she and Ranma were nestled in their futon. In Akane's dark house, they could both faintly hear the chirping of insects outside and Nabiki's snoring.

"I'm not! I just...damnit, I dunno," Ranma replied. He didn't exactly know what to say, but knew Akane would know the truth.

"I don't care that you still want the Nannichuan. I think you'll always want that stupid water. Even though it's caused us so many problems already."

Ranma felt her face become lax on his chest. "Does that bother you?" he said.

"No," she whispered back. "I don't care if you turn into a girl in the rain, or from a water pail, or in a cold bath. You're still you, and a spell can never change that. I just want you."

Ranma's heart skipped a beat. She had always reminded him of that when he most needed her to say it.

"I don't want you to be a perfect father to our baby. I just want you to be the father. We'll go together, and learn to be parents, together. What do you think?" Akane said. Akane felt her heart flutter when Ranma's strong arms held her tightly as he faced her, and she was surrounded by his scent. An undoubted 'yes'.

"Are you still mad at me?" Ranma said.

"Yes," Akane chortled, feeling a shiver at the glint in his eyes.

"It sounds like you already changed your mind," Ranma said. He gingerly pressed her lips to his and relished in her hums of contentment into the night.