Ranma's Cured?

Chapter 16: Reconciliations Part 3

Ranma lightly touched her lips, remembering Yuka's 'gift' of gratitude. She was reminded of Ukyo, Shampoo, Daisuke and even Akane. So many people were willing to love her, but she wasn't sure if she was even willing to love ANYONE back.

The scars were too deep, too painful.

Akane had managed to shoo away the other girls, but Yuka remained by Ranma's side. Akane had taken the girl to the bathroom to get cleaned up, after informing Yuka's parents that she was staying at their apartment.

Ranma sighed. She didn't want to cause Akane any problems, and knew that this would just add to everything. But, they couldn't just abandon Yuka-cha; she was the one coping the worst with everything.

She couldn't abandon someone in need, not ever.

Akane washed Yuka's back. The other girl had her head down low, not looking at Akane. She probably felt ashamed, like she had betrayed a sacred trust or something. Or maybe she was still thinking about earlier, what happened with those...men.

"Come on, Yuka." Akane said, trying to get SOME response out of the girl. "Talk to me."

Yuka continued to stay silent.

Akane sighed. "What's with the silent treatment?"

"....Ranma-san is mine." Yuka said at last. "I won't let you take her from me."

Akane was taken aback, and she became quite flustered. "Duh...I...uh....It's not like that! We are merely friends."

"But you want more than that."

Akane opened her mouth to protest, but the tomboy sagged in defeat. "You're right. Everyone's right. But, I can't act upon it. It would be a betrayal of Ranma's trust. And besides, she isn't ready for a relationship, not right now, not with ANYONE." She smiled friendlily. "But, just because we both like her, doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"But..."

"Hey, Ukyo and I are friends, and she's technically my rival. Just because we both like the same person doesn't mean we have to be at each others' throats."

Yuka sighed. "I guess you're right...but, it wasn't like that before, so why...?"

"It would hurt Ranma if any of us started fighting for some stupid reason." Akane answered. "The LAST thing she needs is for everything to go back to the way it was before." She laughed sardonically. "That's what determines a lot of my actions nowadays: Ranma's sake. I am dictated by what she needs, what will hurt her and what will make her happy. I'll do whatever it takes to make her happy, even if it means sacrificing my own."

Yuka stared up at her, the full weight of the tomboy's words hitting. She got up and hugged the other young woman.

Akane blushed. "Yuka-chan...Maybe you could....I dunno...put some clothes on, please?"

Yuka blinked, and jumped away with an 'eep'. Akane giggled, getting ready to go into the hot bath.

"Well, we should hop in first, before anything else."

Yuka nodded, a little embarrassed, and joined the tomboy.

Kasumi sighed. The house seemed so empty without Ranma and Akane to cause a ruckus. In fact, it reminded her painfully of when their mother had died. It was so quiet and oppressively empty.

Her father once again sat silently at the table, possibly thinking on things as usual. No matter what, there was no way for him to rectify the situation, no matter how hard he tried. And the blame was his.

She longed to go back to Haven and meet up with Karin. She was the only light in her life right now.

Sure, it had been surprising at the time when she realised that she was falling for the charming, witty and quietly seductive club owner, but in time she had accepted these feelings, and Karin had returned these feelings in kind.

But, her shift didn't start till later. Until then, she would play the 'good little maid' a while longer, and take care of her family.

Nabiki wandered around, trying to get the scoop on where Kasumi kept disappearing to. Daddy had ordered her to do so, and he was becoming increasingly insufferable, and she didn't want to grow through the trouble that would follow should she refuse. Besides, it might be profitable.

She spotted Kasumi, who had left after preparing dinner, and she quickly followed her older sister, being sure not to be seen.

Kasumi came to the back door of some club, and knocked. A young, white haired woman quickly came out, smiling, and pulled Kasumi into a deep, passionate kiss.

Nabiki stared, grinning, and took a picture. This could come in handy, in various ways.

Kasumi turned, frowning as she separated from Karin's embrace. "Nabiki, come out, I know you're hiding."

Nabiki stepped out, sheepishly. "Sorry, Kasumi. Daddy wanted me to check on you." She smirked. "But I didn't expect you to be in this kind of position. What will daddy think of this?"

Kasumi ran over and grabbed the camera out of Nabiki's hands. The moneylender looked up at her sister, who was glaring angrily.

"I know what you've been doing." Kasumi said angrily. "You have been causing trouble for Ranma and Akane. You've been turning everyone against them, and have used THEIR suffering to line your POCKETS!" She crushed the camera in her hand, shocking Nabiki at her level of strength. "Do you really think I'm Scared of you, or your petty threats? I am not, and I don't care what you do to me, but if you continue to cause harm to Ranma, Akane or ANY of their friends, I will make you wish you hadn't. And don't even THINK of laying a finger on Karin-chan."

Nabiki backed away slowly, but maintained her smirk, trying to maintain the upperhand. "You can't stop me from telling daddy."

"Please, as if you were here for his sake." Kasumi said dismissively. "The only reason you came here was because you hoped to get something out of it yourself. And, if you think that telling father about this will change anything, it won't. I don't care what he thinks, or what you think, for that matter. I am my own person, not your personal slave! Now leave, before I make you regret it."

Nabiki gulped. She could tell by the look in her sister's eyes that she meant every word. She wasn't a fighter, and judging by Kasumi's level of skill, the mercenary wouldn't even last half an hour. She scowled in defeat.

"Fine, but when I tell daddy, you'll be the one who regrets it."

"Run then, little sister, and hide behind father. It's what you're best at."

Nabiki ran off, glaring angrily behind her.

'You'll pay for this, Kasumi. You'll pay.'

Akane and Yuka sat on the couch, watching TV. Akane never really did that since Ranma had first entered their life, but now things had gotten to a relative quiet point. Ranma was in the kitchen, cooking dinner for the three of them.

The doorbell rang, catching the attention of the two girls in the lounge room.

"Akane-chan!" Ranma called from the kitchen. "Could you get it for me? I'm kinda busy."

"Fine." Akane replied, getting up. Yuka looked up at nervously, and the tomboy smiled back reassuringly. "Don't worry; nothing's going to happen to you. Just sit back and watch the show."

Yuka nodded, and turned back to the TV, still unsure.

Akane walked over to the door and opened it. She stared in shock and disbelief, for Nodoka Saotome stood in front of her, waiting to be invited in.

"Excuse me," The older woman asked, "could I come in?"

Akane glared. "After the way you treated Ranma? I don't think so." She tried to slam the door shut, but Nodoka wedged her foot and her hand in the frame.

"Please," she begged. "I just want to talk to my son. Please, just once, and I promise I won't ever bother you again. I just....I NEED to speak with him."

Akane glared. "You disowned her when she needed you most, and you made it pretty clear last time that you didn't want to see her again. Besides that, she has been deeply traumatised, and doesn't need YOU dredging up old memories."

"Please." Nodoka begged, near tears. "I need to see him. He's my son."

"Akane, who is it?" Ranma asked, and peered down from the distance, having finished cooking. She stared; pale, at the woman wedged in their door. "Mommy?"

"Ranma!" Nodoka cried out. "I know I've done you wrong in the past, and I know there's no way I can make up for it, but please, just let me in! I need you..." She began sobbing, having lost all her dignity and pride.

Ranma gulped, sweating nervously. "Akane, let her in."

"What!?" Akane gasped out in shock. "Are...are you sure?"

Ranma nodded. "She's my mom. If there is any way I can fix things with her, I'll go for it. Let her in."

Akane sighed, relenting, and opened the door, allowing the older woman to enter.

Nodoka ran over and embraced her child in a tight hug. She fell to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry. I...I just hope you can forgive me..."

Ranma hugged back, smiling. "I never hated you, never."

Kasumi had returned home, and found her father waiting for her in the main hallway. He looked very displeased.

"Hello, father." Kasumi said pleasantly. "You seem upset. What is the matter?"

"The matter is you have been running off, without my approval, and have been gallivanting around....FORNICATING with another woman! Do you think I would ALLOW this...this...perversion!?"

"What!?" Kasumi was taken aback by this. "I...I thought that this wouldn't bother you?"

"Why would you think that!? Because I allowed Akane to be engaged to Ranma? That is not the same thing! He was a man with a curse, one that he fought hard against! But now he's just some pathetic shadow, less than a man! I will not allow you, my oldest daughter, to ruin your life like your little sister! You will no longer see that...woman, and instead you shall follow up on that young doctor's infatuation with you."

Kasumi growled. "So, this is how you really are. A narrow minded, selfish FOOL! Fine then, if you hate it so much, I'll leave!"

Her father blinked, surprised. "What...?"

"I love Karin, no-one else! Sure, Tofu-sensei is a nice man, and can be little entertaining at times, but I don't want to MARRY him! No-one can force me, not even you father. Why can't you accept this as who I am, rather than some act of rebellion like you think it is? If...if you won't allow me to live my life, then I'll leave. At least then, I won't have you telling me what to do with my life anymore." She turned away. "I'll come back for my things, and then I'll be gone for good. For now, I don't want to see your face." She ran off, making sure not to face him. She didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes. She wouldn't give him, or Nabiki, the satisfaction.

Soun stared after her. This was it, his family was falling apart, and there was nothing he could to stop it. If anything, he could only exacerbate it.

Ranma prepared some tea and some food for her mother, who would most likely be hungry by now. Nodoka had tried to refuse, but her child wouldn't take no for an answer.

Akane sat on the other side of the table, glaring at the older woman, who tried to avoid the young girl's gaze. Akane didn't like her, not after what she did to Ranma. Nothing will change that, nothing.

Ranma came back, setting down some green tea for everyone, as well as a plate of okonomiyaki.

Akane stared at her. "I didn't know you could make this."

Ranma grinned. "Well, Ucchan taught me how, and I didn't know what else to make, so..."

"I'm...not sure how to eat this...." Nodoka admitted.

"Just use your hands!" Ranma replied brightly. "That's what I do."

Nodoka uncertainly took the pizza/pancake and took a small, dainty bite. Her eyes widened, appreciating the taste.

"So," Akane asked suspiciously, "why are you here?"

Nodoka sighed. "I wish to make amends for my actions. AT the time, I had believed that I was doing the right thing, that it was the honourable thing to do. But, after seeing how broken my son has become....I couldn't stand it." She started sobbing.

Ranma reached out an arm, concern etched on her face. "Mom..."

"Did you know...I always wanted a daughter?" The older woman continued. "I thought...with your curse, and everything that followed...that it was some sort of cosmic joke against me. I wanted a daughter, but I was so proud of having such a manly, wonderful son. And when...when we saw you like that....mixed like that, we couldn't handle it. We were ashamed of you, and we were ashamed of ourselves, for being unable to do anything about it." She looked up at her child. "Ranma....you father's....not well...."

"Oh god..." Ranma choked out. "Was it...did I...?"

Nodoka shook her head. "It had nothing to do with you. Your father....he...he has not taken care of himself, and it's....it's finally catching up with him. He's in the hospital right now because of your injuries, but during the examination...they found out....they're saying he might die." He she started sobbing again. "We...we realised that....we needed our family together, more than anything, even honour or pride. Ranma....we just want to make amends...we just want you back..."

The former boy ran over and embraced her mother, crying. "I wouldn't want anything else, mom."

"Now hold on!" Akane cried, slamming her hands on the table. "They abandoned you, for completely stupid and selfish reasons, without even giving it a second thought. And now you're just going back to them, as if nothing happened!?"

"Akane," Ranma replied. "They're my family. I can't just abandon them. I...I don't want to be the same. If they need me, I won't push them away out of spite. I'm not like that. Can't you understand, Akane-chan?"

Akane looked like she'd been struck, and she lowered her head shamefully. "Fine...go to them...leave me..."

The young woman turned to the tomboy. "Akane, what makes you think I'll leave you? I still need you....you're as important to me as anyone, maybe more so. How can you possibly think I'd just up and leave you, when I still need you so much?"

Akane looked up at her, eyes shining in hope and happiness, and the former boy gave her a small, teary smile.

Akane couldn't help but smile back.

Later, Nodoka had brought them over to the hospital, where Genma was about to have an operation. It seemed that there were problems with his heart, as well as his kidneys and stomach, and they needed to operate, but there was no guarantee it would be successful.

Ranma had been allowed to see her father, who she had been estranged from for so long, and he smiled up at her.

"How's my little girl?" He said. He seemed out of it, though why she could not guess. Perhaps it was the medication he was taking, or something.

"I...I'm fine, Pops."

"Are you happy?"

She was hesitant. "I...I'm getting there."

He smiled. "Good. I couldn't stand to see my daughter unhappy. Have you met anyone you like?"

She shook her head. "I'm not really sure..."

"That's fine. Take as long as you need, there is no rush. I am just thinking of you happiness. I want you to be happy, above all else."

She blinked. She had never expected to hear those words from him. She sniffled, and bowed, hiding the tears that were welling up. "Thank you...poppa." She embraced him, which he happily returned.

She was soon shooed away, and her father was wheeled into the operating room. Nodoka held her as she cried, worried about her father's well being. Akane watched her, concerned, wishing there was something she could do to help the poor young woman.

Sadly, the only thing that would help they had to wait for, and even then, it might not be what they want...

Sorry this took me so long to finish, but I was having a little trouble with what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go.

If you do not like this, I am dreadfully sorry.

And, for once, no foreshadowing. We've had enough of that, so instead we move forward with the plot.

Hope you enjoyed it, and please comment.