Hmm... Got nothin to say really. This is furthering the storyline continued from the Fragile story arc. Read and lemme know what you think!

Matt Saotome

Chapter 1

'If I could, Then I would

I'll go wherever you will go

Way up high, or down low

I'll go wherever you will go'

The dinner table was quiet, a definitely disconcerting feeling of growing anxiety emblazoned across the pulsing energies of everyone around him. It was so heavy that it made the pit of Ranma's stomach turn. He felt disgusted with himself again. He was glad that no one had been seriously hurt, but also felt oddly remorseful over the damage he had done to his father's arm. He continued to try and tell himself that it was "all his stupid Pops' fault for 'teaching' him the technique in the first place", but it wasn't working very well. He sighed inwardly, thankful that Ryouga had left; a fact that afforded him a little more peace and quiet than was his norm. His gaze moved around the table, settling for a few seconds on each person with inexpressiveness.

Kasumi was eating in her usual manner, with politeness and close personal regard to what was lady-like. Her eyes would occasionally flick in Ranma's direction, and while one could hardly ever see very many different emotions on Kasumi's face, Ranma could usually tell how she was feeling on the inside. Her Chi felt almost sour, and he caught her stopping every now and then for a few short seconds to regard her hands carefully, almost as if she was looking for something on them. He would have let himself have it if he had harmed the eldest sister in any fashion. He did not harm girls, and Kasumi was, by far, the sweetest one in existence.

Nabiki was completely impassive. Ranma felt almost no change in her whatsoever, and none of her behaviours had deviated in the slightest. Mind you, he hadn't expected them to really change, since Nabiki hadn't been home for his latest incident. Still, everyone around the table all had time since then to talk with each other, and Ranma knew that she'd been informed of what had transpired. He stewed on this for a moment, considering that, perhaps, Nabiki really was without a care. He quickly dismissed this idea, however, as her words from a week ago in her bedroom came back to him.

'For my little sister! If you had come back without her just because you didn't feel you had the right to take a life to save her… I'd have put you in a coffin!!'

No, Nabiki definitely had feelings. She was just a pro at keeping them under complete control. Of course, she did have an image to protect. It must have been something else to continuously personify yourself to everyone around you as someone almost entirely without feeling. He imagined that it must've been quite emotionally trying on Nabiki when she was alone. He moved over a place setting.

Soun was silent and collected, but Ranma could feel the sparks flying off the Tendo patriarch's body in his direction; almost as if Soun's Chi was pushing to keep Ranma's own at bay. The man's behaviour as of late had struck him as very odd, almost like he had decided overnight to keep himself in check somehow. Ranma shook his head just slightly as he tossed all of the times Soun had randomly burst into tears around in his mind, and finally gave up on trying to figure him out. He remembered Akane informing him that he had kicked the man into a wall, rendering him immediately unconscious. He still growled at himself for his lack of control. Akane had tried to tell him that there was nothing Ranma could have done. Everyone had told her when she got home that he had woken up already in the Neko-ken. Ranma didn't care, though. If he'd only kept better control over his subconscious mind, he would never have even had that stupid dream! With a mental growl, he moved over a place setting.

His Pops sat with his eyes almost closed, scarfing down his meal as if it were his last. He would occasionally stop eating for just long enough to regard another serving dish on the table before quickly reaching for it with his chopsticks and taking another king-sized helping that would quickly touch his plate before it, too, met his maw of madness. Ranma shook his head openly, a scowl forming quickly on his expression. Stupid old man was too much of a gluten to even still –

Genma's eyes flashed over to Ranma for a second, and Ranma's mind skidded to a complete halt. They locked gazes for a moment, and Genma's assault on his meal briefly stopped. There, in the deepest corner of his eyes, Ranma could see it. He had been hunting for any trace of it from his old man for the last two years, and there it finally was.

Fear; embedded so deeply, one who wasn't trained to look for it would never have even picked up on it. His Pops was afraid of him... Well, it was about time! Maybe now the old fart would start to show him a little respect! Then Ranma thought about his plate, and looked down at it, subconsciously severing eye contact with Genma. It sat undisturbed before him. His chopsticks occasionally tossed the food around a little, but not a single piece of it was missing. It had already begun, and Ranma hadn't even noticed. A small smile formed on his face, and he let go an involuntary chuckle as he finally lifted a steamed pork bun to his mouth and took a small bite off it.

Akane looked over at him with curiosity alight in her eyes. He returned her gaze as he continued to munch almost happily on his pork bun. She smiled at him, and his insides began to dance again. What was she thinking, anyways? Her eyes looked so peaceful. He blushed as he remembered waking up in her lap again. Ever since then, she'd seemed... almost like she'd been walking on air. It was a feeling that Ranma was all too happy to return to as he just continued to look into her eyes. For some odd reason, he didn't seem to care who looked at them. As far as he was concerned, they could look all they wanted. No one had what he had sitting beside him. No one could ever completely understand.

He finished his pork bun, and then looked quickly around the rest of the table. Shrugging his shoulders mentally, he cleared his throat and spoke up.

"So I was thinkin' about going back to school on Monday."

Genma began to choke on his food, hacking and coughing as he started pounding on his chest in an attempt to get the morsel to finish its downward journey to his stomach. Soun's chopsticks snapped in his hand involuntarily. A smile formed on Nabiki's face slowly. Akane was staring at Ranma in silent wonder. Kasumi looked around the table, spouting another "Oh, My" at everyone's reaction to Ranma's revelation.

"Boy," Genma finally recovered, "Do you think that's such a good idea?"

"Yes, Listen to your father, son," Soun agreed. "It might not be time for that yet."

The happy look on Ranma's face quickly diminished, being replaced by one of almost stupid innocence. He rethought his position for a quick second, but still found nothing wrong with what he had decided. Why were Mr. Tendo and his Pops against him going back to school?

"Wuh?" Ranma blinked. "Well, why not?"

"Yeah, Dad," Nabiki chimed in. "He's been gone for such a long time. Profits just haven't been the same for me lately, you know."

"Hey!" Ranma scowled at Nabiki. "Who said anythin' about going back for your 'profits'?"

Nabiki just shrugged. "I'm only stating fact, Ranma. I bring in a significant amount of the money this household needs, and with you gone from school, my largest source of family income has diminished greatly."

"Nabiki," Kasumi breathed, disappointment lining her words. "You know we don't approve of you using Ranma in that manner. Must you bring it up?"

"Sorry," Nabiki wined into her teacup just before taking a sip of it.

"Ranma," Akane's voice quickly brought his head around to look at her. They sat like that for a moment in silence, just looking into each other's eyes. Ranma fast found himself getting lost in their depths once more, unable to tear his gaze away from their stark beauty.

"Bwuh?" he mumbled questioningly.

Akane looked deep into Ranma's eyes, trying to find the slightest hint of doubt about his own suggestion. She searched his expression for as long as she dared, finding nothing there that even resembled reservation. All she saw on him was candour and fervency for what he wanted. As difficult as it was to believe, Ranma actually wanted to return to school. She found herself fighting to ask her next question, becoming absorbed in him near the point of drowning. He was so handsome when he was just himself. Not mad, nor sad; not smiling, nor snarling; just peaceful. The expression that he wore looked akin to innocence, and that was when she thought he looked the most honest. Other times, she would be unsure what he was really thinking. When Ranma was like this, however, she felt certain things about him that she wouldn't otherwise think of. Of course, their relationship was always the most exhilarating when Ranma was in action; but when she craved the peace and quiet, he could deliver that, as well... as long as he was given the chance.

"You make it sound like you want to go back to school," she finally managed.

Ranma's face remained impassive for a second before a smile quickly appeared.

"Well, Yeah!" He said happily again. "I mean, at least going ta school I won't be sitting 'round here doing nothin all day!"

"But what about the Neko-ken, son?" Sound asked quickly.

"Father," Kasumi chided. "If Ranma wants to go back to school, I think that's his decision to make. I'm sure he's considered it very carefully. Isn't that right, Ranma?"

"Uh, sure." Ranma nodded once.

"But about that," Kasumi continued. "Do you think you'll be having more dreams like the one you had last night, Ranma? That will make you wake up like that again?"

At that question, Ranma looked back down at his plate again, his hands falling to the floor in front of his legs as he considered it. There was a damned good possibility that he would have more dreams like that. While the idea wasn't exactly thrilling to him, it was probably true, nonetheless. Cologne had told him that he was blending with his cat side now, and whether or not Ranma wanted to believe it, that part of himself was coming closer and closer to the surface. He didn't think he'd have to worry at school, since a cat wasn't something that was allowed in the classroom. He also highly doubted that the idiot Kuno would try anything like he did way back when Ranma started school ever again. It just meant that Ranma would have to keep from falling asleep in class. Wouldn't that be easy? He sighed heavily, and gathered himself up to answer Kasumi.

"Probably," he mumbled.

"What are you suggesting, Kasumi?" Akane asked her older sister, looking at her with a little bit of hope in her expression. If anyone was clear headed enough to come up with something that was actually useful, it could only be Kasumi.

"Well," Kasumi let her eyes slide to the side, considering the best way to break her suggestion to Ranma. She knew, from experience in similar matters, that he wasn't going to like what she was about to say. Still, the problem needed a working solution. While what she had in mind was far from the final answer, she was more than certain it would help him get through the obvious rough patch he was now in. "We do have the old baby monitors in the storage closet."

Akane's face fell a little. Then again...

"WHAT?!" Ranma was bewildered, leaning up suddenly in response to Kasumi's suggestion. "You can't be serious!!"

Genma snapped out of his previous concern, and quickly rounded on the eldest Tendo daughter.

"Have you lost your mind?" Genma addressed Kasumi with a sincerely flabbergasted facade, honestly unable to comprehend how she could even conceive such a thought. "My son is not a whimpering little child that needs to be observed at all hours! A baby monitor is a simply ludicrous idea, and can only make the boy feel more insecure than he may already!"

Akane's expression darkened as she turned her gaze to meet Genma's own. She scowled at him, recalling his notoriety for using another's suffering to avoid something that would be personally wounding or otherwise denigrating to himself. Before she could say anything that could have potentially been exactly that to Genma, however, Nabiki quickly brought her voice to bear upon the older man.

"Oh please," she retorted, reaching for the water jug in front of her and continuing as she poured herself a glass. "You're much too thick to come up with something like that and mean it. You just don't want to be heard as well, considering you two still share a room and all."

Ranma scowled deep in his father's direction, now thoroughly disgusted with him.

"Pops..." he growled low, and Genma was quickly shrinking under his gaze; attempting to stammer some remark for personal protection that he couldn't quite seem to get out. "You're an idiot."

"Gotta make you wonder, though," Nabiki smirked, more than willing to bask in the glow of her own self-satisfaction. "What is it exactly that you don't want us to hear, Mr. Saotome?"

"You know what?" Akane moaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Dealing with her family today just seemed to be giving her a migraine, and she found herself thanking whatever Kami was responsible for the lack of her father's usual antics surrounding herself and Ranma. The other side of that, however, meant she held absolutely no interest in knowing what Genma did when no one else was listening. She was quite sure, whatever the man did in the privacy of his own room, it was nothing she would be even remotely interested in. "How about 'I don't wanna know'?"

"Here, here," Ranma seconded, actually raising a hand as if he was in class. It was quickly brought back to his side, however, in a clenched fist as he scowled again. "And I ain't gettin' no stupid baby monitor, either!"

"But son," Soun looked at him with consternation. "What happens if you have another incident like today's in the middle of the night?"

"I don't know!" Ranma was getting rather annoyed, frustration eating at him that the only solution that anyone could seem to come up with was something that painted him as nothing more than an infant who needed to be checked in on. "But you ain't sticking a friggin' baby monitor in my room!"

Nabiki raised her eyebrows. "Your room, Saotome?"

"Yeah," Ranma retorted, putting his face inches from Nabiki's as he leaned over the table in an effort to look intimidating, chucking a thumb back at himself as he replied evenly. "My room!"

"You haven't paid a single yen of rent for it since you two started freeloading off us two years ago, Ranma. So enlighten me as to what makes it yours?"

"I thought you said I was 'family'? Or did ya change your mind?!"

"Hardly, Saotome. I do charge family as I would anyone else, you know."

"How 'bout all those pictures ya take of me and sell ta that pervert, Kuno?! Or the information ya sell about my whereabouts ta whoever happens ta ask?!"

"A girl's gotta make a little extra cash."

"You got a lot o' nerve for someone who sold out her own sister's wedding!! Or should I just 'put that on yer tab'?!"

"How Dare You!"

"ENOUGH!!" Akane's voice rang through the room.

Everything instantly went silent. There was no more shuffling of newspaper, nor light clattering of chopsticks on plates. In fact, no one dared to move a muscle as Akane quickly stood, her fists shaking slightly as she held them clenched at waist height.

"If this is gonna be such a big problem for you, Nabiki, then I'll claim that room! No more rent issues on Ranma's part. Happy?!"

Without waiting for a response, Akane turned on her heel and left the room, Nabiki's unaffected gaze holding the spot her younger sister had been standing at without trepidation. There were several things that Akane had not voiced in that statement, but Nabiki was sure she had picked up all the signals. She also figured that, if Kasumi was as smart as she thought, she'd be off after Akane within seconds to talk to her about what she had in mind. Nabiki knew that if Akane claimed a space in the house, she usually made it inimitably hers. As such, having claimed Ranma's room, Nabiki fully expected her to be moving into it before the day was done, leaving uncle Saotome her old room. Ranma's father would get to keep his precious privacy, Ranma himself would be absolved from paying rent, and there would be no need for a baby monitor, as Kasumi had suggested. As Nabiki mused over these particulars, she found herself marvelling her younger sister's resourcefulness. Not to mention thanking her for the slew of photo opportunities this was sure to provide.

"Oh my," Kasumi sighed, worry almost dripping from her voice as she rose from the table to follow Akane. She had, as Nabiki thought she would, reached the same conclusions, and was more than a little concerned with how this would affect her younger sister. Not to mention what it was bound to do to an already nervous (thanks to their witless fathers) Ranma's tenuous resolve. With these thoughts in mind, she was quickly ascending the staircase to the top floor and Akane's room.

Nabiki smirked to herself, picking her chopsticks up once more.

"Well, I guess that's settled," she shrugged indifferently as she turned back to her meal.

"What the hell just happened?" Ranma finally asked the empty space beside him that used to harbour one Akane Tendo. He didn't understand the silent exchange that had just passed between the three sisters, choosing instead to listen to the small voice in his head warning him that prudence was the better part of gallantry, and asking would definitely not be within the limits of that particular code.

"I do believe your girlfriend just saved your neck, Saotome," Nabiki quipped, taking a rather large gulp of her water to wet her throat once more.

Ranma scowled deep, not missing the 'girlfriend' remark. "Bite me, Nabs."

Soun and Genma, however, were having an entirely different reaction to what had just occurred. In the minds of those two particular adults, Akane's unspoken tenacity was like a call from the heavens announcing her steadfast devotion to Ranma. Of course, how could it mean any differently? The fact that Akane was suggesting it herself, let alone consenting to it, was all the proof they needed.

"Did you hear that, Saotome?!"

"Marvellous; Eh, Tendo?"

"I couldn't agree more! Soon the houses will be joined!!"

The two adults hooked arms and began dancing around the room like a pair of drunken hobbits, singing something about Sake and wedding celebrations as they twirled about the dining area. Ranma groaned heavily as he allowed his left cheek to fall into his palm, his elbow hitting the table with an audible 'thunk'.

"Brainless Twits..." he mumbled, eyes half shut. He found it hard to believe that he had ever entertained thoughts of Mr. Tendo acting in a greater manner of normalcy than was his standard. Looking at the two dancing idiots now, one would never have guessed that the thinner man had stared down Cologne not long before. "Don't even know what the heck they're talkin' about."

"I do not know them," Nabiki stated, trying her best to ignore the spectacle enough to stomach the rest of her meal.

"Akane?" Kasumi knocked lightly on the door in front of her. While there were no sobs coming from the other side of the door to fuel her worry, there were the very obvious sounds of hangers being taken off their racks and clothing flying about the room, not to mention the consistent growl that would occasionally float through the mahogany; a sure sign that Nabiki had done more than just twist a couple of Akane's nerve endings. "It's Kasumi. May I come in?"

The commotion through the door stopped for a moment before a reply finally drifted Kasumi's way.

"As long as you don't try to dissuade me..."

Kasumi nodded as if Akane could see her, wrapping her hand around the door knob and turning it. As she swung the door open, she saw that Akane already had her closet emptied onto her bed, two suitcases opened and ready to be filled. She gasped wordlessly, realizing that Akane had full intentions of carrying out her plan of action. She had to marvel at her younger sister's strength of will, but was uncertain at heart whether or not Akane herself understood if she was truly prepared to accept the consequences that her decision was so likely to entail. It was this tentativeness that caused Kasumi to take a step forward, extending her arm towards her sister a little ways.

"Akane, are you sure about what you're doing?"

Akane came to a halt halfway between her dresser and her bed. Damn! No, she wasn't sure. There were so many reasons that she wasn't sure. She sensed that Kasumi knew this as her sister stepped the rest of the way into the room to stand beside her.

"Akane," she spoke softly. "I understand that you want to help Ranma, but are you ready for this?"

Akane only looked at the floor, unable to meet her sister's gaze. She wasn't just afraid that Kasumi might be right. In fact, deep down, she was afraid that Kasumi would see the look in her eyes; one that told of unbridled concern and care... and it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who she was wearing that expression for.

"You... don't understand," Akane whispered. She couldn't help herself, and a tear quickly made its way down her cheek. Her thoughts were so depressing, even to her, that she couldn't understand how the focus of them had survived for so long under such circumstances as her mind was now reviewing. "He's... fought so hard... and he never gets a break... no one ever gives him a break... me most of all..."

Kasumi's heart melted in her chest, as all the love she had for her family seemed to pour out in Akane's direction with her words. Kasumi had never stopped to think that the bond between Ranma and Akane had already gotten so strong. Indeed, the evidence of it had been practically written on the walls for all to see over the last week. That Akane cared for Ranma so much, even if she wasn't yet able to admit it out loud... to him...

"You love Ranma very much, don't you?" Kasumi stated more than asked, as she took Akane in her arms. At the same moment, Akane herself seemed to go rigid, almost as if she was fighting her usual remarks in that regard. Instead, she wound up remaining silent, unable to voice an answer to her older sister's question. How Kasumi could always get inside her head so easily... it almost frustrated Akane to no end that there were probably very few things she could keep from her oldest sister. Yet, at the same time, it gave her a strange feeling of comfortable trust. Almost without her accord, memories began to twirl about in her mind.

She remembered Ranma first arriving on their doorstep. He had looked so worried back then, and she never would have thought that it was because of some stupid curse; a curse that she really could give a lesser damn about now.

She remembered Ranma fighting for the position of Romeo in their school play. He had said over and over again that it was all for the chance to go to china, but then why hadn't he carried on the play without her when she called it quits? And his face, later that same evening... hovering just inches above her own... his gentle, yet nervous breathing blanketing out over her left cheek... she closed her eyes against Kasumi's shoulder as she remembered Ranma bringing himself down to her. For some reason, in her memory, there was no tape... truth be told, its existence had done little to remove the electric feelings that had shot through her when he placed his lips on hers.

She remembered the skating match between themselves and the golden pair. Sanzenin was such a chauvinist at heart. She had stood just behind Ranma when Mikado had told him that he intended to kiss her before that night had ended. Almost without fail, Ranma's voice echoed through her head.

'Akane is my fiancée. You touch her, and I'll kill you!'

Warmth flooded through her veins, and she realized that it had been that exact moment... right when those words came rushing past his lips... without so much as a second's hesitation... She had turned stunned eyes on him that night, burning into the back of his head as if she was trying so hard to see right through to his thoughts. She had been certain of it from that night forward. Before, she had dismissed the odd feelings that would creep up in her as being confusion and anger towards Ranma. From that night forward, the true denial had begun. In that instant after Ranma spoke his vow, Akane knew she had fallen in love with him. Everything else after that was just to save face.

Almost involuntarily, she finally nodded slowly against Kasumi's shoulder, realizing for the first time that she had shed a second tear. Kasumi's smile deepened, the admiration in her eyes growing as she looked down at her little sister's form leaned up against her; her head buried in Kasumi's shoulder. Kasumi brought an arm up and wrapped it around Akane, rubbing her back in a soothing motion as she whispered to her.

"It's OK, Akane. It's good that you can finally admit it to someone. It only shows how deeply you really do care for him. If this is what you really want to do..."

Akane slowly lifted her face from Kasumi's shoulder with an expression almost of shock. She hadn't expected Kasumi to allow this in the end. In fact, she had been more than certain that her oldest sister would vehemently protest against it until Akane herself relented. But now she gazed into Kasumi's eyes, marvelling at the pride she found radiating from them.

"Then who am I to stand in your way?"

"K... Kasumi...?" Akane's voice was a whispered rush, her tears quickly coming to an end as her surprise took over everything.

Kasumi was sure of it now. No matter what she might do to try and keep them apart until they were ready, it was quickly becoming apparent that her sister had done quite a bit of growing up. While she still might not condone Akane's course of action until they had already been married, she realized two things at once. First, she may have been jumping the gun a little in assuming that anything like... that was going to happen between the two just yet. Second, even if it did, she was now more certain than ever that there had never been and would never be another couple quite like her little sister and Ranma.

"My little sister," Kasumi cooed with pride brushing some strands of Akane's hair aside. "All grown up..."

Akane flushed heavily at the praise Kasumi had just given her, quickly hiding her face back in her sister's shoulder. The river of memories continued to fall upon her, giving her reason after reason to help Ranma now that he needed her for a change.

She remembered back to the first Christmas that Ranma and his father spent with her family. Ranma avoided her for hours just to go out and shop for the very things she had wished for in front of the store window earlier in the same day. He even remembered each thing she had mentioned, showering her with gifts the moment he saw her next.

She remembered shaking Ranma's still body under the shadow of a construction site. As he woke up, a band aid fell to the ground. He called her cute, and as she leaned into his arms to cry, he held her. The world could have just stopped right at that moment in time, and she would have remained quite content.

When Taro kidnapped her, Ranma hastened to her aid. When Ranma couldn't allow Gosenkugi to take pictures of her, and she twisted her ankle as a result of Ranma's interference, he came to her at the hospital with a 12 foot long banner that had 'I'm sorry' written all over it.

Then there were the love mushrooms. She sighed as she thought about them. She never did tell Ranma, but she remembered everything that happened during their mountain trek to the mushroom antidote. Even as she continued to cry for reasons that she couldn't quite understand, against Kasumi's shoulder, she silently wondered… Did Ranma remember as well?

There were so many other instances that came to her mind that Ranma had saved her, helped her, or proven how he cared for her even if he didn't mean to. Their second Christmas together, he refused to let her take back the scarf she'd made and swung it on. The picture he had given her in its beautiful glass frame still sat on her dresser. She remembered how he put his arm around her on the balcony that night as they watched the shooting stars fall.

Also the countless reasons stemming from the incident with Shinnosuke and the Orocci; the stupid body switching vengeance doll...

And then Saffron.

She shivered as she remembered Saffron. She remembered the sound of Ranma's voice asking her to hold on just a little bit longer. How he held her so tight when she was returned to normal. How he cried with all his heart when he believed that she was dead. How he told her he loved her as his tears fell over her body.

"He's done so much for me," Akane whispered finally, a third tear streaming down her face. "It's time I return the favour."

Kasumi just chuckled lightly. "I think you already have, Akane... In more ways than you may understand. I'm very proud of you today."

Outside Akane's bedroom door, a small old letch scowled deep before disappearing down the hallway.

Next up, Ranma tackles the weekend sharing a room with Akane. How will he take to this new development, but more importantly, what does a certain Grand Master think of all of this?

Drop me a review, guys! It's one of the things that keeps me motivated! You know you wanna... just more that mouse over a bit and click the button that says 'Go'!

Matt Saotome