The next major challenge of course was school. Dr. Tofu had cleared Ranma to attend classes with a number of restrictions. No fighting being the most important.

    Injuries still held Ranma back from any kind of major training and he chafed under the restirctions placed upon him. Also, all through this, the morning sickness continued. Every morning, the routine would be get up, get dressed, go into bathroom and throw up. The he would limp downstairs and hope he could keep his breakfast down.

    The worst part about going to school in Ranma’s opinion was the school uniform. He’d been going to class in his black, draw-string pants and red silk shirt for so long, he had just assumed that when he went back he'’ be wearing the same old thing. Principle Kuno put paid to that idea.

    He informed them through Tatewake that Ranma would be expected to wear a proper school uniform when he attended class…a girl’s uniform.

    "Really, Ramna...it's not bad."

    Standing in front of the mirror in Akane's room, Ranma looked at himself wearing one of Akane's old school uniforms. Tried to accept the fact that the reflection in the mirror was really him and not some fevered dream. Alone, they were able to try on the clothes with some privacy...Akane had even drawn the curtains.

    "No, it’s not bad." He cocked his head, frowning as the girl in the mirror did the same. "It looks...right." Looks normal…if I were really a girl. He sighed. Guess I am, for now.

    Standing to walk up behind him, Akane put her hands on his shoulders. "Look, the boy's uniform would never do. You'd be out of it in a couple of weeks. This, you could wear through the end of the school term, I'll bet. Just don't tie the sash very tight. Nobody will notice."

    Smoothing his hands down the front, Ranma hesitated as they curved when they met his belly. "Oh, they'll notice, all right." Jaw clenched, Ranma closed his eyes as the hated tears threatened to spill yet again. Feeling a gentle squeeze on his shoulders, he turned to face Akane and was enveloped in a warm embrace as the hot tears spilled down his face. "M'sorry Akane...pregnancy doing the t-talking 'gain."

    Will it ever end? I can't even control myself…Akane must think I'm a total loser.

    Hands finding the small of his back, she gently kneaded it, then patted it. "Ranma...I know this isn't easy for you. And it's going to be hard. It's okay. Just take it like Alex said...one step at a time, one thing at a time, one day at a time. You can finish the term with me and then you have the whole summer to wear whatever you like."

    "It's a dress, Akane." He growled, "And in the fall, I'll be too big to fit into it and I’ll have to skip a year. Maybe even forget the whole thing."

    "Shh. Don't go there. Who knows what this summer will bring, neh?" Continuing to hold Ramna close, Akane quickly thought ahead to the next year, exams, college, marrying Ranma...and twins. It was too much. I'll just stick to the small stuff for now. Like the next hour or so.

    Sighing, Ranma shrugged. "Maybe you're right. Maybe they won't notice."

    "They're sure to notice that Ranma is a girl now...maybe we'll pass you off as your own sister, and you've gone to visit family far away...oh, say, until Christmas?"

    "That could work."

    "Hey, you're getting heavy. Tired?"

    "Yeah. Can I lay down on your bed for a while, Akane?"

    "Sure. Let's get you back into your own clothes, okay?"

    Sitting on the edge of the bed, Ranma quickly shrugged out of the school uniform as Akane took the garments and put them back on hangers. Soon, Ranma was back down to underwear...and Akane quickly saw that even those clothes weren't going to last much longer. "You know, I think I'll go do a little girl-type shopping for you this afternoon while you take a nap. How does that sound?"

    "You're going to go get some more girl stuff for me?" Shrugging into an oversized shirt and pants, Ranma laid back on top of the covers. Squirming, he reached behind and unhooked the bra, and tried to get comfortable. "No lace, okay? Itches." Closing his eyes, he sighed and shifted again. "Can't believe I just said that," he muttered as he fell asleep.

    Akane was as good as her word...she did the shopping, Ranma did the wearing, with little complaint. Just before they left the house each day, Ranma would meet Akane in the hallway where she would check him over, fuss with the collar of the blouse or some such and pronounce it sound. Then Kasumi would give them both their lunchboxes and send them on their way.

    Ranma walked on the street with Akane to school. Both were dressed in proper attire but Ranma would occasionally look at the fence top longingly. "I wish I could run the fence. Dammit, that’s just another thing those bastards took from me."

    Seeing Ranma’s look, Akane decided to try and change the subject. "Oh, and I suppose you want every boy in school to be able to look up your skirt, right?" Akane shook her head in frustration. Secretly she wanted to keep Ranma from thinking about his injuries. He had healed well so far, but was still weak. "I mean honestly, Ranma, I thought we decided that until you…" She paused to think of the best term to use, "…Are able to change back to a man you wouldn't do anything to hurt the baby."

    Ranma sighed, "Yeah, I know. I just don't like it very much. I hope I don't lose too much of my skill." He continued to trudge along the fence. Absently he ran his good hand along the links.

    Walking up to join the pair, Ukkyo fell into step beside them. "I wouldn't worry too much about that, Ran-chan. You were so far ahead of the rest of us, I imagine you'll bounce back quickly enough." She sensed Akane’s concern and exchanged a mischievous look with her before adding. "I'm just curious how well your figure will recover after you have this kid."

    Ranma's eyes grew wide. "You don't think it'll effect me as a guy, will it?"

    "Could be," Akane said. She tried to keep her own smile hidden. "Those stretch marks, I hear, are the worst. Some women never get their original shapes back."

    "She's right, Ran-chan. Then there's the problem of your boobs sagging…" Ukkyo looked closely at Ranma's chest. "You are wearing a bra, right?"

    Ranma looked at Ukkyo in irritation. "Not that I want it to get around but…" Ranma dropped his voice to a whisper. "…Yes, I'm wearing a bra. Akane and Nabiki wouldn't let me wear my boxers anymore either. I really hate this."

    Akane winked at Ukkyo. "Trust me, Ranma, I got it from the best authority that you need to wear what you're wearing." Ranma sent a questioning stare at her before she continued. "Your mother SAID that you had to. Now if you want to argue with her…"

    Ranma sighed and continued to walk on. "It's a conspiracy, I tell ya. All of you women are plotting against me. It's not fair!"

    Ranma sat miserably in class. Under normal circumstances, Ranma would be enjoying the controlled chaos, as he would be joining his classmates in preparing for final exams in the spring. In his seat, he readjusted his skirt. Ranma was trying to focus on the lesson but try as he might, all he could see in his mind's eye was trying to raise a baby and how it would make training and school almost impossible.

    Looking up, he caught Akane's gaze. He saw Akane smile and wink. Ranma knew she and Ucchan weren't trying to be cruel but it just seemed to reinforce the realization that nothing was ever going to be the same. He felt tightness in his chest as he lowered his head. How am I going to be a real man for Akane if she I'm a mother before she was. He thought.

    "This is insane." He said aloud.

    Ukkyo knelt by Ranma. "What's wrong, Ran-chan? You look really pale."

    Blue eyes met brown. Ranma smiled a weak smile. "I'll be okay, Ucchan." Shrugging, he added. "I'm just feeling a little low."

    Nodding, the chef patted Ranma's hand. "I've heard from my mom that the mood swings are really bad. Just remember if you need to talk, I'm here for you. So is Akane, so don't you forget it." She playfully touched her spatula. "You don't want me to remind you, trust me."

    That Friday, Ranma was excused from classes so Dr. Tofu could take him to the hospital for his first ultrasound examination. Ranma rode in silence for most of the way.

    Finally, he looked at the doctor. "Uh…Dr. Tofu? Are you sure this thing is absolutely necessary?" He felt his now bulging stomach and felt queasy.

    Tofu smiled to reassure his nervous patient. "Ranma, this is a normal check to make sure your baby is doing all right. Actually, you will be able to watch the exam on the monitors so you will see your child right along with the rest of us."

    Ranma nodded absently. He turned his head to stare out the window. "Will it hurt?"

    "No." He took two fingers and pressed them into Ranma's side. "It will feel like this but during the exam, they will put a gel on your stomach to help conduct the sound better. That's kind of slimy."

    Tofu had just finished parking the car when Ranma spoke next. "You are going to stay with me, won't you?" As much as he hated to admit it, this was very new to him and he was just plain scared.

    Tofu looked at Ranma and smiled reassuringly. "If that's what you want." Ranma looked at the ground sheepishly and nodded.

    Ranma laid quietly on the table wearing a hospital gown that for once opened in the front. Unfortunately, that was ALL he was wearing and now the technician was getting out a bottle of the gel from a warmer. She was talking shop with Dr. Tofu while they waited for another doctor to arrive.

    After what seemed to be a couple of hours, the doctor entered the room. He nodded to the technician then turned to Ranma. "Hello, I'm Dr. Tanaka. So, I hear that you're going to be having a baby." He pulled up a stool. "Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?"

    Ranma just stared. "I…uh…never really thought about it. It doesn't matter to me I suppose…"

    Dr. Tanaka looked at Tofu and shook his head slightly. "Well, let's see what we have in here and we'll sort the rest out later."

    Ranma nodded slightly and forced himself to hold still when Tanaka opened the robe to expose his lower abdomen. He relaxed a bit when Tanaka draped a towel over his waist to cover him down there. It had been a few months since the attack but Ranma was still a bit sensitive about that. Dr. Tofu also indicated where ribs that were still mending were still tender.

    The gel was as slimy as Dr. Tofu had described. What he didn't tell him was that it got cold really quick! He watched the screen to take his mind off the discomfort.

    It looked like a TV with a lot of snow. Ranma was about to ask them to try and tune it in when they first caught sight of the baby. Ranma was held rapt. As they moved the wand around on Ranma's belly, more and more of the child was seen. First a head, then ribs, an arm... Tanaka asked Ranma to roll up on his side for some additional views. He tried not to lose sight of the screen as much as he could.

    After about ten minutes, Tanaka smiled and pointed. "There it is…that's the head." He was about to move the probe when he spotted something caught his attention. "Wait a minute, what's this? Ranma, roll up the other way."

    Ranma worked to comply. Rolling that way made it impossible to see the monitor. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

    "I don't know just yet. Hang on..."

    Tofu had moved beside Dr. Tanaka who was working the ultrasound wand to try and see what it was. Tanaka's face was grim. He didn't think it was a tumor, but if it was…

    With a smile that quickly spread across his face, he realized what he was looking at. A nod from the technician confirmed it. "Ah ha, now I've got you." He used the machine to get a hard copy of the image. "Ranma, I've got good news for you."

    Ranma looked over her shoulder at the radiologist. "What, I'm not really pregnant?"

    Tanaka held up the paper with the picture on it. "Oh you're pregnant, all right. Very pregnant in fact." He handed Ranma the paper. "You are carrying twins!"

    Ranma took the paper, took one look at the twin circles that represented the heads of his children, then fainted dead away.

    Tanaka looked at Dr. Tofu, "Well, she took that well, didn't she?"

    That night at dinner, Ranma exploded. "YOU signed me up for WHAT? Least you could'a done is ask me first!"

    Akane was trying not to blow her top but Ranma wasn't making it easy. "Its called Lamaze, Ranma. You know, 'natural' child birth?" She picked up her tea and took a sip to calm herself. "Honestly, you didn't expect to just go into the delivery room and just pop this kid out, did you?"

    Frowning, Ranma stopped and thought about it for a moment. "Jeez, Akane! You should have told me, an' all," he snapped. Ranma wobbled a moment as he rose and began to pace. 'Damn, my center of gravity has changed again,' he thought. "It's like my old man all over again. Why can't you let me have a voice in these decisions? I'm not made of glass, ya know. I won't break."

    Kasumi tried to intervene. "I'm certain that wasn't her intention, Ranma. She just wants to help you through this." She paused before scolding lightly, "Besides, it isn't very nice to compare her to your father. He would only be looking out for himself, not concerned with your well-being."

    Being scolded by Kasumi stopped Ranma's reply. Blushing, he lowered his head and sighed. "Sorry, I guess it’s the pregnancy talking, I suppose." Lowering himself at the table again, and again feeling how off his balance was, made Ranma sigh. "I really hate this."

    "So you keep telling us," Nabiki snorted, trying to break his black mood, "And telling us…and telling us."

    After reviewing several possible responses, Ranma settled for sticking his tongue out at Nabiki. He was about to turn back to his dinner when his stomach had other plans. "* Ulp! * Can I be excused?" Not waiting for a reply, he made a hasty retreat for the bathroom."

    Akane watched Ranma fairly fly up the stairs. She turned worried eyes to Kasumi. "Is it normal for him to be throwing up all the time? I thought 'morning sickness…"

    Shrugging, Kasumi thought about everything her mother had told her and what she had learned since. "I'm not sure. I can only believe that it is because of the way Ranma wolfs down his food." She sipped her tea. "It can't be good for him."

    Soun sat with his face buried in his paper. "With all the changes he is facing in his young life, I can begin to understand how he is feeling. He's doing as well as can be expected but you must give him time."

    Her eyebrow rising, Nabiki looked at the newspaper. "That's unusually insightful, Daddy." Her mouth drew up in a sly grin. "You ARE Soun Tendo, aren't you?"

    This actually got Soun to lower his paper to stare at Nabiki in annoyance. Before he could say anything however, Akane jumped in with a smile. "Looks like him, long hair, mustache…" Akane looked at Nabiki and winked. "Yeah, I think it's him."

    Nabiki smiled at her father. "Well, I guess you're who you say you are. Just be sure to have some I.D. with you next time you go and say something so out of character next time. Okay, daddy?"

    Soun sat and held his face totally passive. Finally, he turned to Kasumi. "May I have some more tea, Kasumi? It seems my observations are not welcome right now."

    Kasumi sent a scolding look at her sisters as she poured. "Of course, father. I'm certain that they BOTH want to know what you wanted to say." When Akane and Nabiki both looked suitably apologetic, Kasumi smiled at Soun and nodded for him to continue.

    "I was only going to say that you should listen to Ranma. He needs some time to adjust to this. I'm certain given time he'll do all right." Having had his say, Soun returned to his paper. That pretty much ended the conversation there.

    Knowing that they both were struggling to keep everything as "normal" as possible, Akane consciously tried to keep Ranma in sight, but not at her fingertips every moment of the day. He didn't dress out for gym, he didn't play games...but after the first couple of days, he didn't eat his lunch indoors with the other students either. When she finally caught up with him, she found Ranma picking out all of the carefully crafted tibits from his bento until he was left with little more than plain rice. And ate it carefully, with his feet soaking in the swimming pool. Silent. Like a shadow of his former self, he went through classes with an intensity Akane had never seen. He’d allow her to companion him during study hall, walking to and from class…but mostly in silence, rarely saying ten words. As if he simply wanted to disappear.

    It hadn't escaped Alex's notice, and even Nabiki commented that the whole situation might indeed do wonders for Ranma's scholastic career. Akane talked to Alex as often as she could, comparing notes and wishing Ranma would come down and participate -- it was his future, his well-being they were talking about and she always felt strange doing it behind his back. When she mentioned that to Alex, he only nodded and sighed as well.

    "He's being a real guy about this, no doubt about it, Akane. Has he talked to his Mom recently?"

    "She's busy with his Dad, he says. Doesn't want to bother her."

    She remembered the look on Alex's face. The eyes narrowing, the mouth tightening as a hand stroked his chin as he looked past her, deep in thought. Yes, there was something wrong with Ranma, but while she knew that to be true, who could argue with the results? He was in school, he was coping - albeit that was a subjective term.

    "It won't last." Alex had said.

    Not wanting to hover, she kept Ranma in sight...made sure he knew where she could be found at any time of the day, and gave him as much freedom as she could. But the day he fell asleep in class towards the end of the day, he bit her head off walking home. The next day, he avoided her even after they arrived at school...and she found herself trying to find a time to approach him when they could be alone to talk, and failed. Avoiding her, Ranma found reasons to be "elsewhere." It became a pattern...and Akane didn't fight it. Whatever it was, Ranma still didn't trust her enough to tell her what it was. He's treating me the same way he's treating his mother…precious, honored and completely in the dark.

    She knew about his grades falling before it was mentioned to her. Her grades had suffered since the term had begun, barely meeting the minimums. It was all right, she'd been a good student in the past. Ranma hadn't had the years of being a fine, obedient pupil behind him, however. Under the isolation Ranma had imposed on himself, his grades had improved without any distractions to get in the way. But that ended when he could no longer keep his head up by the end of the day, and dragged himself to class with dark circles under his eyes the next morning. He didn't walk with her anymore then, sometimes waiting until she had left before he even came down the stairs. She didn't bother asking him what was wrong -- she knew she wouldn't get an answer.

    "Dad...there's only four weeks left. If Ranma doesn't knuckle down and get his grades up soon --"

    "Should I speak to him?"

    "No! Dad, I just want to know...what should I do?"

    Sitting on the veranda watching the last of the sunset, Akane felt the sting of tears in the back of her throat as her father's impassive face never changed as he thought her question through. It was so unfair...Akane knew Ranma was trying his best, but something was wrong that she couldn't fix.

    "Where is he now?"

    "Detention. He fell asleep in history again today."

    Hearing the door open and close behind them, Akane whirled around to see Ranma slip inside the door and turn to head up the stairs. "Ranma!"

    "Yo, Akane." Running up, she almost flung both arms around him...but the look in his eyes stopped her. Not a flicker, not a glint. They were completely flat and dead...lifeless.

    "You're exhausted. Come on, I'll get something for you to eat --"

    "Nah, don't bother...I'll just throw it up again. Threw up lunch on the way home..." Putting the satchel down, he covered his mouth with a hand as his stomach rebelled once more as if it was a complete routine. "I thought morning sickness was only in the morning...'s not fair to have it all day, every day..."

    "Warm bath sound okay?" The eyes closed briefly and a wan smile appeared.

    "Think you can fish me out?"

    "I'm sure we can manage, son. Go on ahead...we'll let you know when it's ready." Turning, Akane saw her father standing behind her, the same impassive face as before...but she heard nothing but concern in his voice. Looking at the stairs, Ranma just stared at them before he looked back at Akane and her father.

    "If it's all the same, I'll wait down here with you."

    "Sure. Come out to the veranda and Kasumi can make us some tea."

    Stepping to the side, Akane watched Ranma walk past her and moved to follow, but her father stopped her. "Wait. Look."

    He was limping. Having shed his outdoor shoes and slipped into house shoes, he was limping. Her eyes travelling up his frame, she caught her breath at the hem of the dress.

    It no longer fit. The hem no longer hung straight, but dipped sharply upward in front. As Ranma turned to open the door, she could see the waistline of the dress had folded itself far above the normal waistline it had been designed for and tucked itself inbetween the bulge that was Ranma's belly and the other than was his bustline. The sash might as well have not been tied, the ends mashed together into a knot that hung halfway down his back. Weaving slightly, he walked to the edge of the porch, and flopped down, every fiber screaming fatigue. "Dad...how did I miss it? I checked him every day...he was fine."

    "He's not been fine for some time, Akane. He just didn't want to burden you with it." Scratching his chin with one hand, Soun's eyes grew far away. "I remember when your mother was pregnant with each one of you. Now mind, it was never the same...each of you was different, and none of you were twins...but your mother would get so tired. Particularly with you, when she had your two sisters to look after as well. So tired."

    "What can I do?"

    "Do? Nothing you can do, Akane dear. It's just too much for him." Patting her on the shoulder, he walked away. "I'll ask Kasumi for some tea and to set the bath up for him. We'll have to figure out some other way for him to finish school...at a later date."

    "No...." she moaned, running outside to stand next to Ranma. Then, she climbed down to face him. "Ranma...why didn't you say something?" He only lifted a head that seemed too heavy as she approached.

    "*hic* Akane...you couldn't do nothing about it."

    "That doesn't matter! This -- this just isn't fair, Ranma! You're hurting --"

    The eyes narrowed a bit. "I've been worse. And life's not fair, Akane."

    Dropping to her knees, she grabbed one of Ranma's feet in her hands, pulling off the house shoe, then the sock. Blisters on the heel, deep creases where the edge of the shoe and strap had been, ankle swollen far up the leg..."This is bad enough!" she growled, giving the foot she held a little shake for emphasis. "No, life's not fair...but look what we've done. We haven't given you a single break. Not one. We've made you do everything our way...and not asked you once what you wanted to do."

    He looked back at her as if she'd lost her mind. "I didn' ask for any breaks. Akane, different clothes wouldn't matter -- "

    "It doesn't fit, Ranma. Couldn't you tell it didn't fit right anymore?"

    He shrugged. "Girls clothes are always uncomfortable." Unspoken was the fact that when it didn't fit anymore, he wouldn't be able to go to school anymore either. With that at stake, uncomfortable was a small price to pay for any semblance of a normal life.

    "Ranma..." Shaking her head to clear it, Akane dashed away up the stairs to his room. Quickly diving into the closet to find something...something large enough...something comfortable…she found a t-shirt from a product giveaway - x-large - a pair of those drawstring pants...stretched out. Then, to the shopping bags in the corner...for a set of underwear, a soft sports bra. "This is better." She said to herself. "I'll show him. It doesn't have to be awful. I can do better...and I will!" She dashed down the stairs again, clothes bundled under her arm.

    "Come on, is the bath ready yet?" But Ranma had toppled over where he sat, asleep. Soun only turned to look at her over his shoulder, and sighed.

    "Akane...let's get him to bed."

    Carrying him upstairs, Soun helped Akane get Ranma to bed...but once he was tucked in, Akane didn't want to leave.

    "Akane, sweetheart...he's fine. See, he's sleeping."

    Bristling, she turned to face her father, who quickly started to backpedal out of the room "With no dinner...again...in a house where nobody cared how he felt. I'll be fine, Dad. I just want to make sure he doesn't wake up feeling worse than when he got here."

    "I’m sure…you’ll do just that…what a good girl. I'll have Kasumi bring the tea up here, then."

    "Thanks." Sighing, she was relieved when he left. But why? He means well…why does he have to be so completely clueless?!

    Turning the lights out, Akane sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Ranma's face in the last light of the day. The middle had been growing, so nobody had noticed how thin his face had become. "Ranma..." Cupping his face in one hand, he reacted in his sleep with a quizzical lift of the eyebrows, turning towards the caress. "And all we’ve done is fight lately. I'm sorry, Ranma." She hardly noticed when Kasumi came and went, silently delivering tea and some rice crackers on a tray. But once she was gone...

    "Now, kitten-cat...what's wrong?" Spinning, she turned to face Alex.

    "Alex! How did you know?"

    "Awww...I always know when you need a hug, Akane. I could hear you all the way into the next town." When the jaunty tone of voice didn't produce the same smile it normally did on his friend's face, Alex crossed the room to take Akane gently by the arm. "Bad, huh?"

    She hung her head. "Awful. Ranma's suffering, and it's all my fault. And now -"

    Cocking his head, Alex interrupted her. "Come again? Now, come on Akane. He's pregnant. That's not your fault. And neither are the -um- side effects?" Looking over Akane's shoulder, he took a good look at Ranma sleeping, then shook his head. "Idiot. Most of this is his fault, Akane. He's not eating or resting adequately -- all his reserves are gone."

    "I know. You warned me. But he's tries so hard. I've been trying to help, but --"

    "You’ve been trying…but all you do is fight, right? What about him?" Without looking up, Akane nodded. "Baka twice, you. You can't fix it. I told you...this will be hard."

    "But you said -- take it one thing at a time, and --"

    "Everything would go your way? Somehow, everything would turn out all right and rosy posy?" As she met his eyes, he shook his head sadly. "I didn't say that, you know I didn't. I told you how to get through this the best way -- not how to get through it your way. That ain't gonna happen."

    As she frowned, Alex walked to where the school uniform laid in a pile by the door. "Is this what he's had to wear? Ugh. And he did it, didn't he? Every day...for how many weeks?"

    "And never complained or refused...but he's been so unhappy..."

    "But he did the work, didn't he?"

    Cocking her head, she looked up at Alex. "And your point?"

    "Akane…I think he’d wear purple feathers if that’s what it took."

    "You think he wants to finish school that badly?" Skeptical, Akane shook her head. "Ranma always hated school…and he was never a model student, y’know."

    "Which makes his behavior now even more suspect. I don't think it's because he wants to finish school, and neither do you." Chin in hand, Alex waited until Akane noticed he had stopped talking and looked at him. "But I’m not here for Ranma right now. I’m here because you need me, Akane Tendo."

    Eyebrows flying into her bangs, Akane straightened up to her full sitting height. "Me? What the hell for? I’m fine!"

    Hands on hips, Alex stopped smiling and began to slowly walk towards her. "You’re failing just about all of your classes, aren’t you? And you haven’t told anyone…not even Ranma."

    Blanching, her jaw dropped. "No…especially not Ranma. Are you kidding? Oh, no…are you going to tell my Dad?"

    "That’s up to you…hey, now…don’t cry…Aw, geez Akane…"

    Covering her face with her hands, Akane sobbed silently as Alex knelt in front of her and took her in his arms. "Now this is what I was hoping to avoid…I’m sorry."

    "I’m fine!" she spat.

    "You’re not pregnant!" Alex countered, gently thumping her on the head with a finger. "You weren’t the one that got hurt. And that makes it all okay – doesn’t it?"

    "I’m fine."

    "Liar."

    " … "

    "Look," he said, easing her off his shoulder so she had to look him in the eye. "Aw heck, where’s that handkerchief…" Producing an outlandish polka-dotted example from a vest pocket, he applied it to her nose. "Blow." The look in the eyes over the handkerchief almost made him bolt. "Okay, you win. Blow your own nose, then. But for cryin’ out loud, Akane…do it! Eh – what?"

    Scrubbing her nose, she dropped her hands into her lap, and hung her head. "It doesn’t matter…I’ll be okay."

    "Say that again, and I’ll have to hurt you…Akane, what doesn’t matter?"

    "Right now, Ranma needs me…"

    "Because you weren’t there to keep this all from happening in the first place?" She didn’t raise her head. "Look at me." She wouldn’t. Gently taking two fingers under her chin, he made her look at him. Looking deep into the golden-flecked blue, Akane got the feeling someone was walking through her head like a shopping mall. "Oh, I get it. That is what this is all about. You really do think all of this is your fault…somehow."

    "I wasn’t there…" she replied softly, "Ranma and I…had a huge fight—"

    "I heard, I heard…" Moving the hand from under the chin to the top of her head, Alex ruffled the soft black hair into a tangle before he stood up and went to sit in the window seat. Folding his arms, he cocked his head and chuckled as he watch Akane finger-comb her hair back into place. "There you go…little Miss Perfect again."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Your hair. His clothes. Jeez, I’ll bet you’re even watching his grades more than your own…."

    "If I’d been there…"

    "If you’d been there, Akane…you’d be dead now. Very, very, dead. Whatever this is out there doing this to people, it doesn’t care much what your intentions are. So far, I haven’t been able to track it down, and believe me…I want to, in the worst way." His eyes grew distant as he looked out the window, eyes glittering in the moonlight. "Right now, there’s no trace…anywhere. It just comes and goes…leaving bodies behind."

    "Ranma…"

    "Was only the first one…I’m certain of it now. He survived because he got hit before whatever it is really got good at it."

    She blew air. "If you call this surviving. If Ryoga hadn't found him when he did, I don't want to think about…Ranma. Oh, dear…Ranma."

    Looking down at her hands, Akane absently folded the hankerchief as she spoke. "I still can’t believe it happened. I guess a part of me is still in shock."

    Alex snorted. "Which part of you isn’t? I swear, most of you is running on an auto-pilot called Ranma. What about Akane? When does she get a break?"

    She didn’t answer. Turning to look at Ranma, she tucked the blanket in a little snugger before she faced Alex again. "How can you be sure it wouldn’t have mattered?"

    He sighed. "Natsume was killed outright because she was trying to protect Kurumi. That could have been you all over again…deny it at your own risk."

    "But I’m not Natsume…" she said, growling. Balling her hands into fists, she glared at Alex. "I can’t know –"

    "You wanna call me a liar? Jeez, you’re stubborn…" Cutting eyes with each other, both fell silent. Sounds of the evening drifted in, mixed with the sound of the wind in the trees outside. "What’s it gonna take, Akane? There aren’t any do-overs here…and it is what is…Ranma’s pregnant, he got beat up real bad in the process and you can’t keep trying to compensate by doing everything for Ranma at your own expense. In the end, it will ruin you both."

    "I don’t mind it, really…I want to help him any way I can…" She stopped looking at Alex as her attention wandered. "Ranma’s not a girl…even though he looks and acts like one right now. He doesn’t know…things. So I do. So what?"

    "So maybe Ranma goes along with it to make you happy. Ever think about that?"

    Frowning, she shook her head. "Ranma would never do something just to make me happy…at least…he never did before…"

    Alex chuckled softly. "Purple feathers. Working hard in school. A dress, Akane…he’s been wearing a dress every day for months! Since when did Ranma just do those things for the heck of it?"

    Sighing, she couldn’t remember such a time, and she knew Alex knew it too. Turning back to look at Ranma, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had failed him somehow…and her vision blurred. "Guess you’ve got a point there. But what else could we do?" Shaking out the hankerchief again, she winced at the pattern, but dabbed at her eyes anyway.

    "Ah, there it is…I was hoping I’d hear that soon."

    "What?"

    "We. You said we."

    Blowing air, she turned her face away, but could feel the bright red flush across her face. "Well, of course it’s we – Ranma’s my fiancee, after all…we’re in this together, right?"

    "Yes, but when was the last time a decision was made by the two of you working together on it?"

    She couldn’t stop watching Ranma sleep. Would he wake up with a nightmare? Or sick…or…. "I’m scared, Alex. I’m so scared." Shivering, she began to cry in earnest as Alex came up behind her, wrapping arms around her from behind. "I’m afraid for him…and us…and I don’t know what to do. Everything’s changed…he’s depending on me…and I don’t know what to do…."

    "Why would you know what to do, Akane…you dummy." Sitting on the bed, Alex drew Akane’s head to his shoulder. "Please don’t be scared…at least not because you don’t know what to do next…nobody knows what to do next. It’s a moment to moment thing…" And maybe, you just need to cry a little… "Let me steer you down another road…one you haven’t taken in a long time."

    Mopping her face with his hankerchief, Akane turned her head up to look Alex in the eye…and saw nothing more than the normal amber-flecked blue. "No magic?"

    He shook his head. "None needed. It’s a little thing called the truth…just a little game. Will you play it with me?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "Ask yourself. What is the truth? Was it you that kept Ranma in school when he shouldn’t have been? No…was it your fault he was attacked? No…will it be your fault if things don’t go the way they should? How could it be…and is it possible that all that has happened is part of something bigger and badder than you could possibly handle alone? Yes." Tipping her head back with one hand, Alex took the hankerchief away from her and tapped her lightly on the nose. "Oh, very yes…."

    "That’s why you’re here." The tears continued to well out of her eyes, but her face remained steady as he nodded soberly, a soft smile playing across his mouth as he continued to look deep into her eyes.

    "And do you love Ranma, more than your own life? Yes…do you know how to ask for help? No…no, you don’t and that’s where you need to work. I tell you, you are surrounded by people who love you dearly, and would do anything you asked of them, within reason…if you just knew what to ask."

    Drawing her close again, he could feel some of the tension begin to drain away. "It’s not all on you, Akane. You’ve got to trust Ranma enough to give him the responsibility for his own well-being…and I will have a chat with him, okay? He's got to make some changes, not the least of which is accepting the changes this pregnancy is going to cause. He'll learn, and you've got to let him. Okay?"

    "He wants to stay in school --"

    "He wants things to stay the way they were, Akane. He doesn't want to have to depend on anyone, least of all you. Who can blame him? Not me…and not you, either."

    "I'm just as guilty about that, I guess," she said, sighing. "We were doing what we were told to do…what was right to do. What do we do now?"

    "Forget what you’ve been told. The rules have all changed. If going to school at Furinken High with you isn’t going to work for Ranma, something else will…it’s no shame on either of you. Let him pick out some of his own clothes…choose what he wants to eat. Help him out, sure…but decide together what you’re going to do. Tomorrow’s Saturday…you can spend the whole day talking it over. Okay?"

    "…m’okay…"

    "There’s a lot of things I could just tell you, Akane. I think you'll do better figuring it out on your own. Just…pick your battles with a little more care, okay? Make sure you can win…and those you can’t, well, let the Wookie win."

    That got a chuckle. "Okay, Alex."

    "Getting sleepy?"

    "Mmmm."

    "Shall I tuck you in? Or are you going to stay a little while longer? I’m telling you, he won’t wake up until morning…"

    Sitting back, she rubbed her eyes. "You going to keep an eye on things?"

    "I’ve always got an eye on things. You don’t need guarding tonight. But I do need to run a little errand. See you tomorrow?"

    "Sure."

    "Get some sleep, you."

    "Sure…and thanks, Alex."

    Standing, he executed a quick bow. "For you, anything." And just like that, he was gone.

    Blinking sleepily, Akane only shook her head. Spying a spare blanket, she wrapped it around herself and sat back down on the edge of the bed. What would it hurt…we’re both girls now, anyway…resting her head on the pillow next to Ranma’s, Akane lay on top of the blankets, wrapped in one of her own. Asleep almost immediately, she smiled softly as Ranma stirred in his sleep…and threw an arm over her.

(To be continued)