Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

All around the yard, the petals of the neighboring cherry blossom trees scattered themselves on the ground. In the midst of all the springtime merriment, sat two female adults on a blanket underneath the shade next to a small koi pond. Their feet slowly kissing the top of the water as the fish swam around them. Bales of soft laughter escaped their lips as the two friends chatted animatedly.

The paler if the two with a fair complexion turned a hurried cheek to her friend, "How wonderful...our kids will grow up together." A smile grew on the auburn haired woman, "Of course...they'll be such good friends, just like us Noriko."

"I hope so," Noriko said as she turned her head to see her other two girls inside the house with Soun and Genma, watching cartoons. Their laughter was carried out by the wind to the yard. Nodoka offered her pinky finger and Noriko obliged by encasing her own around it.

"Pinky swear."

-#-

"He's so cute," Noriko said as Ranma wrapped his little hands around her own larger one, his bright blue eyes shining in the sunlight, "So handsome!" Nodoka giggled as her son wiggled around in her arms while her ever so pregnant friend stood before her with her two other girls' clutching the hem of her skirt.

"And you said his name is...?" Noriko questioned as the little boy tilted his head and smiled a cute smile. "Ra-n-ma," Nodoka sounded out, "Ranma."

"How nice," Noriko said in a baby voice as she pinched his cheeks softly, "Hello little Ranma. Hello."

-#-

"It was a difficult delivery, but she managed to pull through." Soun said as his kids sat on his lap. His eldest looked worried as she asked, "So mommy is gonna be okay? And our little sister too?"

Soun smiled down at her as Nabiki cocked her head in curiosity as she listened in, "Yes, baby girl...mommy's fine and so is Akane."

"Akane?" the two girls chirped. Soun nodded, "Yes, Akane's the name of your sister."

"Cool!" Nabiki commented as she pulled on her father's shirt, "Can we seem them, daddy? Can we?" A nurse came and said a few words to him before he answered, "In a little while."

-#-

"You look like a train hit you," Nodoka commented as she sat down on the chair beside her, Ranma sleeping soundly in her arms. "Geez...thanks for that," Noriko chuckled, "I feel like a trian hit me."

"But...are you okay?" Nodoka asked worriedly, as she gave her friend a once over to evaluate her health. A slow hand came up to indicate a don't-worry-gesture but Noriko was too weak to do so. Ranma stirred in her arms as Nodoka moved forward to help her, "No worries, I'm just tired."

"I saw her," Nodoka said as she sat back down, "She's absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you," Noriko mouthed as the medicine finally hit her and began to feel drowsy. The last thing she saw was her friend smiling as Ranma stirred awake.

-#-

"Look at them," Nodoka said as the two babies curled against one another as they took their naps. Noriko peered over the crib and grinned wildly, "They're so adorable..."

The two mothers watched as their children slept soundlessly in the afternoon.

-#-

Akane cooed in her mother's arms as Kasumi scampered ahead and Nabiki held onto their father's hand for a walk one warm afternoon.

"Genma tells me you want Akane to train in the art when she's old enough," Soun said as he kept a look-out for his daughters. A small smile rose on his wife's face, "Perhaps, Nodoka and I spoke of something like that. You know how adamant Genma is about teaching Ranma. I just ...y'know; suggested he have a sparring buddy? And why not our little girl?"

"I have nothing against it," Soun rebutted, "But..."

"Is it because Akane is a girl?"

An awkward silence followed as the family continued on with their stroll. It was broken by Soun when he finally responded, "That has something to do with it..."

"Well! It's not like she has to pursue it if she has no interest, it was merely a suggestion afterall, darling."

"...We shall see."

-#-

"Good job little Akane!" Soun beamed as his four-year old smiled a toothy grin at him. He ruffled her short hair as he recalled her successfully completing the kata.

"I do good, daddy?" her soft voice questioned.

"You did wonderful," he replied as the dojo then filled with shouts and cries from Ranma's own training, and the two Tendo's watched with curiosity, flow around the room.

"Dadddy!" Akane asked excitedly, "When will I learn that? Huh? When? When?"

Smiling softly, Soun smiled down at her, "Soon little one..."

-#-

"Why is mommy going in the ground, daddy?" Akane asked as she watched men in black hoist her mother down into a hole. "Mommy's just gonna sleep, honey," Soun replied as he held his composture, holding his youngest's hand in his.

"Why there? Why not in her room with you?"

Nabiki turned to say something, but Soun shot her a look that could cut steel and she bit her tongue as she looked away. Kasumi stood alongside her, her arms folded neatly in front of her as the tears streamed down her little face.

They began to fill in the hole, and that threw Akane into hysterics, "Daddy! Daddy! Why are they doing that? Tell 'm to stop or else mommy can't get up! Daddy!"

It was then that Nodoka raised her head, her tears still falling as she watched Akane try to figure things out. So distracted, she was caught unaware of the fact that her son had left her side and was standing next to Akane.

He was holding her hand as Akane used her now free hand to wipe away the tears, "Mommy!"

-#-

A punch. A kick. A block. A hit.

"Cool! You finally tagged me, 'kane!" Ranma congratulated his sparring mate, "You're getting better!"

The two ten year olds smiled at one another as they caught their breaths. "Thank you, Ranma-kun!"

Gathering himself, he went over and put a friendly arm around her, "Wanna go see if my mom made us some snacks?" Excited, Akane nodded and the two took off in the direction of the kitchen. There, they found Nodoka and Kasumi putting out dishes.

"Akane-chan!" Kasumi chided as her little sister came waltzing in plastered with sweat, "You know better than that!" And with that, she took a clean washcloth and cleaned her sister's face, "Next time, clean yourself up."

Ranma was giggling, but Nodoka shot him a stare, "Kasumi's right, Ranma, you ought to wash up before eating." With that, Ranma paled and uttered a 'yes mom' under his breath as he went to the sink to wash himself up. After that ordeal, the two kids sat at the kotatsu, eating watermelon and rice crackers. Kasumi joined them and a bit later, Nabiki did too.

Nodoka stood over them, smiling as she took in the sight.

She also noticed, the subtle way her son would offer a piece to Akane, and sit just the right distance from her. And who could miss the way he looked at her?

Author's Note

Mmm'kay, this story has been sitting on my mind for a while and I finally got myself to write it. There are three parts to this story. I finally managed to get a new (old) car, for those who read my a/n's and keep up with things like that. And here's a tidbit: I named my car "p-chan", because it's a Prius, lol.