Epilogue

Akane Tendo was still in awe at the events that had transpired last night, making it difficult for her to go back to sleep while it was still dark outside. She and Ranma had arrived to their isolated place only to find that a small cabin had been built on the premises, providing even more secluded comfort for the couple. It had been perfectly placed between the rows of trees and the small lake, with the mountain behind it as its tall guardian and cover.

Inside the cabin, all needed amenities for the area were proudly showcased, while still depicting a modest living style: a comfortable couch opposing a wood-burning fireplace; a small kitchen with a wood-burning stove; facilities; and, an even more comfortable bed for two. The outside of the cabin sported a narrow porch where two rocking chairs lay, inviting anyone near them to take a moment to relax and enjoy the sounds of nature, and the view of the stars above.

Ranma had known about the addition to his old hiding place, as he had been the one to mandate its building using the lawsuit funds the family was receiving from the Tatewaki, and with the help from a reluctant –read slightly jealous, Nabiki to coordinate the efforts. Ever since their return from this same mountain, Ranma had been saving up some of the funds from his part-time job so that one day he would have enough capital to build the cabin; turns out the dream was realized much sooner than anticipated when Akane had suffered the accident at school. From all of the bad situations Akane had to go through that the gods did not undo, Ranma was somewhat happy for this particular experience to remain intact, as it meant building the cabin sooner rather than later.

Akane had thought the cabin had been the surprise Ranma had been talking about, but, boy, had she been wrong!

After a hot bath in the springs, and a massage provided by Ranma himself, they had both sat down for dinner that Ranma had caught and cooked for them. As Akane kept talking about their plans for the summer and for the next school year, Ranma had remained silent and attentive, trying to masquerade his nervousness for what was about to happen. It was not until Akane asked for his input on what will happen between them with their parents and their forced engagement that Ranma finally snapped back to reality and walked up to Akane.

To get down on one knee.

And had taken out a ring.

And had proposed.

And Akane had woken up today feeling the weight of the ring around her finger, relishing the moment of proposal, and the time they had spent together afterwards. She was afraid she had woken up to just a dream, but the ring was still present, and the fact that Ranma was lying next to her, with one arm thrown around her waist was proof enough that she had not dreamed it at all.

She and Ranma were engaged, by their own choosing this time, and Akane could not ask for anything more from life. Shampoo was gone, so was Kodachi, and Ukyo had finally accepted defeat when Ranma had asked for help to choose the ring he would buy for Akane. Nabiki was leaving for college in a month, bringing some normalcy to their lives, and she and Ranma would become seniors next year, allowing them to leave school early and perhaps providing the time to revamp the dojo. Everything was finally falling into place for them, and Akane could only wish she remained as happy for the rest of her days.

Then again, the thought of wishing for something rather than working hard to make it happen, made her feel a rather unsettling emotion inside.

"I don't need to wish for what I already have," she thought before closing her eyes and enjoying the company of her official fiancée for the rest of the night.

A/N: Wow, that was hard to do. I didn't want the drama to end! Oh, well, I have an entire fic in Fix You to release my drama plot bunnies. Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed and stuck to this high-on-crack story until the end. I hope you follow our favorite couple in Fix You, to learn about their new adventure there. In fact, in a way, and without the godly powers, we are just like Unmei and Shukumei, watching our reality's anime/manga characters jump through hoops to keep us entertained, don't you think? ;)