Nabiki met Kasumi at the train station.

"What did you forget what was so important Nabiki?" Kasumi asked, she didn't seem bothered that they had to wait an hour for another train.

"Oh I forgot my camera," she said with a bright smile, she knew that one picture alone was going to make her tens of thousands of yen.

"Were Ranma and Akane getting along alright?" Kasumi said as they sat back on a bench to wait.

"They were getting along just fine from what I saw," Nabiki said with a suggestive tone.

"Oh that's nice, I hope they don't fight too much while we're gone," Kasumi replied. As always she was oblivious.

Akane sat and stared as Ranma served her a bowl of perfectly made ramen, she had been a little insulted that he had offered to make dinner instead of asking her to do it but in the interest of squishy love feelings she decided not to make it an issue. He noticed her eyes on him and frowned.

"Don't go telling anybody I made you dinner okay?" he said as if cooking was some kind of attack on his masculinity.

"Okay," she said softly. The whole night had been like a dream… again. He said that he loved her and he wasn't trying to take it back. They had kissed and kissed until Akane's stomach started grumbling and after earning a black eye by teasing her about it Ranma went down stairs to start dinner. Akane bit into a piece of chyashyu in her ramen and frowned.

"What?" he said defensively.

"This is really good," Akane said once again she found his cooking ability devastating. "I don't get it. Why can't I do that?"

"It's okay Akane, that kind of stuff doesn't really matter," he said with a little smile. They ate dinner quietly and soon found themselves in Akane's bedroom. Ranma had brought his sleeping bag; unsure of weather the invitation to stay included everything.

"Ranma…"

"Yeah?" Ranma said sitting on her bed next to her, leaving enough space to avoid upsetting her if she didn't want anything in particular.

"Will you say it again?" She asked twiddling her thumbs shyly.

"Why you don't believe me?" he asked with a frown.

"It's not that… it's just… never mind." She said with a frown deeper than his. Before she even realized it Ranma was leaned over her and kissing her passionately again. He brought one knee up as he positioned himself over her awkwardly; wanting to lie her down on the bed but not knowing if it was alright. With another surge of courage Ranma decided.

"Akane… can we… I mean, I want to…" he blushed and tugged at Akane's top, sliding his hand inside shyly and caressing her stomach. "Do you want me?"

Akane nodded, with a little smile that made his stomach flutter.

"What right now?" He said sheepishly turning a deep red.

"If you don't want to…" Akane said standing up and moving away form him a few steps.

"Akane…. I…" he froze up. "You don't mind?" his voice trembled a bit and she smiled down at him and then shook her head. Ranma stood up and unrolled his futon on the floor, he didn't know what he was supposed to do but he felt incredibly tense. He has wooed her and kissed her and taken her out to dinner, told her he loved her and now after all that he was scared and he didn't want her to know it. He sat down on his futon and Akane still stood in front of him, looking at him as if trying to figure him out.

"Does that mean… that you'll marry me?" Ranma turned so red that she thought he was going to collapse, and the question hung in the air for a few long moments, his chest tightening with every second. "I-I mean some day… maybe," he trailed off staring down at his hands.

"Maybe…" she said softly turning a bright red to match him, "If you want to…"

"I do—I mean," Ranma chuckled nervously and scratched his head.

"Ranma…." She said softly drawing his eyes up to her; he noticed the way her eyes sparkled as she looked at him and the way that she tentatively unbuttoned her sweater.

"Yeah?" he asked swallowing nervously as she knelt down next to him. Akane kissed him slowly, caressing his cheek gently, her hand trailing across his neck and fiddling with his shirt. As she pulled away he asked again his voice huskier and low, "yeah?"

"Will you hold me?" she asked softly, looking up at him from under her lids seductively.

"Okay…" He said reaching for her; she just shook her head at him.

"If you want… you could come to bed with me…" she said embarrassed that she wanted to be close to him so badly, and that she had to ask so blatantly. Akane took his hand and pulled him up with her, leaning back toward the bed.

"Can we… um kiss more first? I mean…" He looked so nervous she couldn't help but giggle. She sat him down on her bed and sat down flush next to him.

"Okay," she said before kissing him again gently, passionately. She did her best to hide her wantonness. He unbuttoned her sweater the rest of the way and ran his hands over her silky shoulders, enjoying the way that she signed happily and leaned into his hands. Ranma unhooked her bra deftly and he tentatively touched her breast, first just poking her nipple lightly as they kissed, making sure that it wouldn't drive her away and trying to find the right way to hold her. He ran his fingers over her breast making her shiver lightly and then held it in his palm, squeezing her nipple gently as his tongue caressed hers. Akane leaned into him feeling his thigh gently and then moving her hand up caressing the hard muscles of his stomach, they flexed under her hand making her giggle against his lips. He twitched under her hands and she pulled away from their kiss, the warmth still surrounding her.

"Don't be shy, Ranma…" she moaned at him, making his stomach tighten happily.

"I-I'm not," he lied with a little pout, trembling fingers caressing her breasts. "I just… I mean…" He wanted to say that he had never done this before, but he feared that reminding her of whatever had happened between them might upset her and ruin the moment between them. Akane's breasts were so soft to the touch, her back arched to meet his hand as he pulled away. Ranma was stiff with desire, but he still felt like it was too soon. "We have all week right?" He said kissing her neck firmly, feeling his way around her back and her hips.

"You think?" She asked with mock antagonism, he pulled away from her and squinted.

"Are you trying to pick a fight with me?" He asked with a pout.

"Only a little," she said kissing him again.

"You're really un-cute," he teased, pulling her close for a moment and then standing up.

"Where…"

"I'm going to put my night clothes on… I'll be back."

After Ranma changed he took his time going back upstairs, it wasn't that he didn't want to be with Akane but he was a little over whelmed. He never expected things to move so quickly, he never expected to be invited to bed so soon, although it served him right for confessing in the bathtub. Ranma walked out to the Dojo, the light was on.

"Hey," Ranma said, looking over at P-Chan. "How you doin Ryoga?" Ranma dashed into the kitchen and grabbed a teapot that had been setting on the warmer. P-Chan stretches out into a completely naked Ryoga.

"What do you want…?" Ryoga asked sullenly.

"I dunno, I wanted to see how things were I guess. It's been awhile…" Ranma was beaming and it makes Ryoga glower even more.

"You finally came to gloat about how you finally won Akane?" He asked staring at his hands bitterly.

"Well now that you mention it… She did say she loved me?" He said brightening up even more. "Actually… I'm about to go to bed…" he said scratching his head; he realized he shouldn't make her wait too long; she did have a short temper.

"And I assume you'll be sleeping together?" Ryoga said, not looking up.

"Hey, why would you go and assume Akane would do a thing like that? She's too good for you to think about like that," Ranma frowned suddenly feeling very possessive and protective.

"Why would I assume? You had sex when I was asleep in the room!" He shouted. Ryoga's eyes were bloodshot; he has definitely been loosing sleep.

"Well, that doesn't sound like me," Ranma said scratching his nose. "I know how you feel about her… and its not like I would want to share…I mean she's my fiancée, what business would you have being there anyway?" He knew that P-Chan almost always slept with Akane and he had always hated it, but now he wasn't going to accept it anymore.

"Listen to you. Of coarse you know how I feel. You snuck in when I was asleep and did that with dear sweet Akane…" Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Really? I did…?" Ranma asked with a blank look that only infuriated Ryoga.

"Don't pretend you didn't know. You evil son of a…"

"Hey now, don't get too excited. I just don't remember…"

"Are you trying to make a fool of me?" Ryoga growled.

"I can't believe I was so aggressive… maybe that's why she's so…" Ranma turned beet red. "She's expecting so much…"

"Damn you! Acting like being with Akane is some kind of chore. I'll kill you!" he shouted, but knowing that Akane loved him he wouldn't. Ryoga never wanted to do anything to hurt her, even if he thought Ranma was an undeserving swine.

"I am not. I just don't know what to do…"

"You seemed to know what you were doing before."

"Yeah… well now I don't and I just don't want to disappoint her…"

"Well then what are you doing here?" Ryoga said softly.

"Thanks man… you can stay if you want… but you don't get to sleep with Akane anymore." Ranma said as he stood up, his voice was steady and challenging.

"I know." Ryoga said, staring out into the darkness.

By the time Ranma came back upstairs Akane was sitting up in bed, wearing her cute little yellow pajamas and reading a book. She didn't look up as he walked in.

"What took you so long?" Her voice was a little heavy, almost threatening. She wouldn't take any more uncertainty from him.

"I just wanted to make sure we were alone…" he said softly. "And I was thinking that we really do have all week so I mean…we could just go kinda slow right?" He said, standing awkwardly as she looked up at him. "I mean… we've taken so long to get here… I don't want to screw it up or anything…" he said very softly. She smiled at him slowly, her eyes bright and hopeful, making his heart pond faster and faster.

"Are you coming to bed?" She asked noncommittally.

"Okay, yeah…" He said, turning out her light and slipping under the covers with her. It was a tight fit; there was no way to lay there without touching her. Ranma shifted around awkwardly for a moment and then pulled her into his arms. She smelled like orchids and her hair was so soft. Akane sighed as his body eased against hers. "Is this okay?" He asked softly, Akane put her arm around him, leaned up and kissed him as a response. "You really love me?" He asked, rubbing against her a little and stiffening at the sensation.

"Really," Akane said and they snuggled together and drifted off to sleep.