Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Balance of Power ❯ Recovery ( Chapter 3 )

Volume 1

Chapter 4

Recovery

Akane, Akari, and Dr. Tofu, waited patiently for any news on Ranma or Ryoga's condition. When they had brought Ryoga in he was rushed into surgery. Ranma had been brought in for a simple examination, as he had been showing symptoms of shock. There had been no word on either's condition.

Ryoga had been in surgery for 5 hours. Akari was growing increasingly worried. When a doctor dressed in medical greens walked in, she rushed over to him and began questioning him.

"Wait, wait," he said lightly. "I'm sorry but I don't have any information on your friend."

"Boyfriend," Akari corrected him.

"Sorry, but I'm here to see Akane Tendo."

"What is it?" Akane asked as she approached.

"Come with me please," the doctor said as he turned around and began walking away. Akane quickly rushed to follow him. He led Akane to a room and motioned for her to go in, then left.

Akane turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open.

"Hi," Akane greeted.

"Hey," Ranma said back.

"How are you feeling?" Akane asked, closing the door. She grabbed a chair and moved it beside Ranma's bed.

"Fine, the doctors said I was just going through some of the symptoms for a shock patient," Ranma sighed. He paused a moment before asking, "Why did he do Akane?"

"Do what?" Akane asked, not understanding.

"Ryoga," Ranma said quietly. "Why did he push me out of the way?" Ranma looked straight at Akane. She could tell this was really bothering him.

"Because he's your friend," Akane told him. "You would have done the same thing for him."

"But what about all the times we've fought and tried to beat the crap out of each other?" Ranma asked.

"I don't know Ranma, maybe you two aren't the best of friends; but when it counts you guys will always work together," Akane shrugged. She seemed a little apprehensive but she continued. "Now, I want to ask you about what Toshi said."

Ranma immediately took a guarded look. "W-what do you mean?"

"You know what I mean Ranma," Akane said.

"It's true," Ranma replied, finding a very interesting place on the wall to gaze at.

"Why?" Akane asked quietly.

"Because Ryoga was in love with you," Ranma said.

"What?!" Akane shouted.

"I'm really sorry Akane," Ranma said, his gaze moving back to Akane.

"Is this why you two would always fight?" Ranma nodded. "Does he still love me?" Ranma shook his head.

"No," Ranma said firmly. "After everything that happened when we went to China, Ryoga realized he didn't love you as much anymore and he loved Akari more."

"This is all true isn't it?" Akane looked at Ranma, who nodded. "I see."

"Akane, please hear Ryoga out first, he never meant to hurt you," Ranma said, his eyes pleading with her.

"I will Ranma, but you need to promise me one thing," Akane said.

"Anything Akane."

"No more secrets," she stated. "I don't want anymore secrets between us."

"Okay, I promise," Ranma said, not really considering what he had just said.

Akane let herself smile. She knew that a promise from Ranma was as good as done. It also meant that Ranma would finally have to tell her if he really did tell her that he loved her at Jusendo.

Ranma mentally slapped himself. He had done it again, making promises before thinking them through entirely. On the other side, it was the perfect opportunity for him to find out if Akane loved him.

Ranma sat up in his bed and turned in his bed so he was facing Akane completely. It would be quite a gamble, but remembering what he and Ryoga talked about a few days ago made him continue.

"Akane," Ranma said, "when you asked me if I loved you at the wedding, I made what I think is the stupidest mistake of my life. I denied it."

"When I first met you I was at a very odd point in my life. I know that most of my life is odd but I had only been dunked into the Nyannichuan only a few weeks earlier. And when you first asked if I would like to be your friend, I was so relieved. But after we had that incident in the bathroom twice, I didn't think it would be possible for us to ever make things work."

"After what happened in Jusendo, I realized just how wrong I was. When I made that dragon look up at the sky and the water came rushing out, everything seemed like it would be okay. But when you turned back and you weren't moving, my entire world came crashing down. It was like my entire life, my world, was over."

Akane nearly gasped when Ranma admitted that. She stared at him with wide eyes.

Ranma, realizing what he had just said, quickly went back to what he had been originally talking about.

"Anyway, I put my shirt over you and I just held you in my arms. I think you know about what I said after."

Akane slowly nodded. "You mean everything you said was true, especially what I think you said?"

"I still stand by my belief that I didn't say I love you out loud," Ranma said. He saw Akane's angry look.

"Why don't you just admit it!?" Akane yelled.

"Don't you hear what I'm saying?" Ranma shouted back at her. "I said I was positive that I didn't say I love you out loud but I did not deny thinking it."

"And?" Akane asked her voice still skeptical.

"Damn it Akane! I didn't say I love you but I damn well did think it! Isn't that enough?!" Ranma yelled his face becoming red with anger.

"It's different when you say it!" Akane countered.

"Fine!" Ranma shouted. "If that's the way you want it. I love you! You, Akane!" Ranma had finished before he realized just what he had just yelled out.

Akane's lingering anger was extinguished when Ranma yelled out; she could see Ranma was shaking with emotion.

"D-Did you mean that?" Akane asked quietly.

"Yeah, I guess do," Ranma said, not facing Akane.

Akane got up off her chair and sat down by Ranma. She enclosed her hand around his. Ranma slowly turned to face her and he gazed into her eyes. Akane leaned forward and pressed her lips against Ranma's. She wanted him to have no doubt about her feelings for him. Ranma ran his hand through Akane's hair as he opened his mouth to Akane's invading tongue. Finally, they broke off the kiss, both starving for air. Akane gazed at Ranma smiling.

"I love you too," Akane said.

As soon as those words escaped Akane's mouth Ranma had captured her up in a deep hug as tears flowed freely from his eyes.

"Oh god, oh god, Akane, I didn't think you loved me," Ranma admitted.

"Why?" Akane asked genuine shock on her face.

"Akane, I know you were bribed with the Nannichuan water into marrying me."

"Oh Ranma," Akane laughed. "Did I ever actually say that?"

"Well no, but I-"

"Then what made you think that I only agreed to marry you because of that?" Akane asked, interrupting Ranma.

"I just didn't think you loved me," Ranma said, averting Akane's gaze.

Akane tilted Ranma's head up and gazed into his eyes. "I love you; you Ranma Saotome."

Ranma nearly started crying again but instead leaned in for another kiss. As Akane returned Ranma's kiss, Ranma leaned back and brought Akane down on top of him. Akane readjusted himself so she was not resting all her weight on Ranma. She began to let her hand wander down Ranma's chest when she stopped, and broke off the kiss.

"What's wrong?" Ranma asked, panting for breath.

"Ranma, I don't think we should be doing this right now," Akane said.

"Why?" Ranma asked, confused.

"Ryoga's lying on an operating table with his life on the line, Akari's practically having a nervous breakdown, and here we are acting like a couple of horny teenagers. It's just not right."

Ranma looked at Akane and slid out from underneath her. "I-I'm sorry," Ranma apologized.

"No, Ranma it's nothing to be sorry about. I wouldn't have minded if we had gone all the way but, under different circumstances," Akane said lightly, "Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Ranma smiled, "It does feel kind of weird."

"Do you mind if we go and check on Ryoga's condition?" Akane asked.

"Of course not."

===============

Dr. Tofu was leaning against the door that led into Ranma's medical room.

He quickly bolted from the door when he heard Ranma and Akane walk towards it.

The door opened and Ranma and Akane stepped out, hand in hand.

"Huh, what are you doing here Dr. Tofu?" Ranma asked, releasing Akane's hand.

"Oh, I was just coming to check up on you two," Tofu said.

"Oh okay," Ranma said, thankful Dr. Tofu had not come by a little earlier.

"So, any news on Ryoga's condition?" Akane asked.

"Well, a little while ago a doctor came running into and quickly called for Akari Unryuu to follow him," Dr. Tofu told them. The color seemed to drain from Ranma and Akane's faces.

"Is Ryoga okay?" Ranma asked quietly.

"He's fine, it seems that when they finished stitching up Ryoga, he woke up and he started saying Akari's name over and over again and he started to try and get out of the bed. The doctors pumped some more sedatives into him but it didn't seem to have any effect on him so they finally came and got Akari."

Ranma and Akane both released the breath they had been holding. They walked with Dr. Tofu to the waiting room and sat down in some chairs.

"So where are they now?" Ranma asked.

"Ryoga's been moved into Intensive Care and Akari's with him. I doubt if Ryoga's even conscious right now. So right now all we can do is wait," Tofu said with an exasperated sigh.

"I guess we should call home," Akane said, the tone of her voice telling that she was not looking forward to it.

"Yep," Ranma agreed, "Man, I am going to have a lot of explaining to do."

===============

Akari stared at Ryoga's face. He looked very serene; all his facial features were relaxed. Akari glanced over at the clock on the wall of their room; she had been awake for twenty-two hours straight. And for three of those hours she had been talking to Ryoga while he lay unconscious.

"I still remember the first moment I saw you, you looked so strong, so cool. I could tell from that moment onward I would be comparing every other person I met to you; my perfect man," Akari said as she let her hand run through Ryoga's hair. "Our first date was anything but perfect, I learned later that the reason you were hugging all those guys was because of that incense Ranma used to help you overcome your shyness; but even though all those things happened I still thought you were the perfect man. I was so shocked when I tried to kiss you and when I opened my eyes I found a pig sitting where you were just standing. It was very nice of Ranma to try and help explain what happened. Even though his actions were a little less than thought out."

Akari looked at Ryoga for any kind of reaction but he was still unconscious.

"I think the moment I truly felt that you would marry me was when I was attacked in that alleyway by those men. All I could think about was you. I kept praying that you would come and save me and then I saw this blur and the pervert in front of me was knocked onto the ground. Then you came charging into view and you beat the crap out of those two other guys. My heart soared even though I knew I would faint any second. When you knelt in front of me and asked if I was okay, all I could think was how much I wanted to get up and hug you, but I just had to faint."

"You are the only thing in my life that makes me happy Ryoga," Akari noticed her voice was cracking but she had to keep going. "Please, wake up, I need you."

Akari grabbed Ryoga's hand and held onto it like it was her lifeline. She couldn't find the strength to keep her head up and was soon crying into the bed Ryoga was laying on.

"Please Ryoga! Come back to me," she cried. "I don't care if you love Akane more than me, I just want you back."

Akari continued to cry until she felt some pressure applied to her hand. She looked up and saw Ryoga staring back at her.

"Hi," Ryoga said, his voice sounded like sandpaper.

"R-Ryoga?" Akari could only stare at the face of her boyfriend with total shock displayed on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Despite the immense amount of pain in my chest, I guess you could say that I'm okay," Ryoga said, a smile playing across his face.

"I thought you were going to die," Akari cried out as she let her emotions get the better of her.

"From a little gunshot wound? Heh, I'll probably be out of here later today," Ryoga announced, his voice betraying the pain he felt at the moment.

"God dammnit Ryoga!" Akari cried as she slapped his arm. "How the hell can you be so damn cocky!?"

"I don't know, maybe the fact that I have been shot and now here I am talking to the girl I love and all I feel is pain because I have made her worry about me. I believe I am entitled to be a little damn cocky!"

Akari glared at Ryoga but instead of arguing with him, she poured him a glass of water and stuck a straw in it so he could drink out of it. He greedily drank out of the glass until almost half of the glass was empty.

"Thanks Akari," Ryoga sighed as he eased himself back onto the pillow. He suddenly noticed that he was not wearing anything other than a hospital gown and the gown had ridden up to his waist.

"Uh Akari?"

"Yeah."

"Do you think you could maybe cover up my crotch?" Ryoga asked, his face a neat shade of red.

Akari smiled wickedly at Ryoga and slowly moved down the bed. "Oh I don't know Ryoga, I think I like you just the way you are," she smiled as she took a long appreciative view of Ryoga's midsection.

"Akari, I am asking you nicely, now please cover up my damn crotch before I get a damn cold."

Akari smiled and complied with Ryoga and retook her seat beside him. She started to stroke Ryoga's face with her hand. She smiled to herself as Ryoga's face suddenly took on a serene look.

"I'm sorry Akari," Ryoga said.

"For what?"

"For putting you through so much grief. You could probably still be leading a normal life if you had never met me," Ryoga informed her.

Akari stopped stroking Ryoga's face and cupped his other cheek and pushed his head to the side so he was looking at her.

"Ryoga, I may be a nice girl but, if you ever make the assumption that I would be better off without you I will make sure your stay in this hospital will be a lot longer than earlier predicted," she said, her voice carrying a deadly seriousness to it.

Ryoga knew that she meant what she said. He'd never understand it, but the girl sitting in front of him was so much in love with him that he could swear that she was radiating love waves.

Ryoga smiled shyly at Akari. He held that smile on his face even as he drifted asleep. Akari smiled to, and she as well fell asleep with the smile on her face, her hand still cupping Ryoga's cheek.

===============

Ranma watched horrified as Ukyo, Konatsu, Shampoo, Cologne, Mousse, the Tendo's, and his parents walked into the waiting room.

"You didn't call everyone did you?" Ranma asked Akane.

"Uh huh," Akane nodded.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Ranma shouted.

"Ranma," Akane said sternly, "Would you of rather had Nabiki tell them? Remember what happened the last time we decided to do something without telling all the others."

Scenes of Shampoo and Ukyo holding exploding food played across his mind. "Yeah, your probably right," Ranma said.

"Good," Akane smiled.

Ranma waved at his family so they could see him. Nodoka rushed over and hugged her son deeply. Ranma expected to be swamped upon by Shampoo but when he looked over, Shampoo and Ukyo were hanging dejectedly behind the group.

"Is everything okay son?" Soun asked.

"Maybe you would like to enlighten us, Akane was rather skimpy on the details over the phone," Genma said.

Ranma stuck up his hands to silence the two fathers and then took a long look at the group in front of him.

"I guess I better start from the beginning."

===============

Ryoga slowly awoke and found Akari's sleeping form beside him. He smiled as he ran his hand through her hair.

The smile vanished off his face as he felt a pulling feeling in his chest. He ran his hand over the fresh stitches that adorned his chest. The memory of the bullet striking him ran through his mind over and over again. The wound hurt but it would easily heal within the next few days.

Ryoga felt a little shamed with himself for feeling scared at the moment. He could take being smashed with four-tonne boulders, but when it came to facing a small handgun, he was terrified. There was just something about a gun that made his skin crawl. Something that could end anyone's life with just a matter of pulling a trigger was too damn terrifying for him. Ryoga realized that he would make a pretty damn terrible soldier. Afraid of guns.

Akari stirred and awoke to feel a hand running over her head. She smiled and raised her head to look at Ryoga but her smile evaporated. She did not expect to find him crying. She was even more surprised to find that she herself was crying.

Akari climbed into Ryoga's bed and slipped under the covers and wrapped her arms around him, careful to not hit any of the tubes that were attached to the IV "tree".

"It's going to be alright Ryoga," She whispered into his ear.

Ryoga shook his head. "No its not Akari, not after what's happened. Were probably going to be hunted down by Toshi's troops for a long time. I know it."

"It doesn't matter, as long as were together."

"How can you even say that?" Ryoga asked. "After almost dying as many times as you did yesterday, how can you think that everything's going to be alright?"

Akari smiled despite the horrified expression on Ryoga's face. "I think that because I am with the man that I love and want to spend the rest of my life with. That's why," Akari said.

Ryoga stared at her for awhile before smiling back, there was no way he could ever resist her pretty face.

"Damn your cute," Ryoga smiled.

Akari blushed at the amount of emotion Ryoga put into those words and kissed him on the cheek.

"And your quite handsome yourself," she said.

Ryoga sighed as he leaned his head back onto the pillow.

"You know Akari, despite lying in a medical bed with a hole in my chest, I think this is the happiest I've ever been," Ryoga said thoughtfully.

"I feel the same way," Akari said as she nuzzled her head against his chest.

"I mean, all the time I spent with Akane as P-chan, I never felt like I do now."

Akari tensed and looked up at Ryoga's face. "Um, Ryoga?"

"Yeah," he said.

"About Akane?"

"You have nothing to worry about Akari, I love Akane with all my heart, but it's not the same love as it used to be. No longer am I filled with such sadness when I realize that Akane is going to spend the rest of her life with Ranma. I'm happy for her and I hope she and Ranma have a very happy life. And you know what?"

"What?" Akari asked.

"I hope me and you will have a very good life together. Whether were going to spend the years at your farm or maybe we'll find a place in Nerima and we can make a living there."

"I would like that Ryoga, I would like that a lot," Akari smiled.

Ryoga held Akari in his arms, the only noise in the room was the hum of the IV "tree".

===============

"And then we brought Ryoga here," Ranma said, finishing telling the others what he had been doing the past two weeks. He was greeted with complete silence.

Ranma studied the faces of everyone. Cologne's face was completely neutral; Ranma didn't expect her to react anyways. Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, and Konatsu, each wore a shocked expression. Nodoka seemed to be the only parent that was even functioning properly.

"Is Ryoga going to be okay?" Nodoka asked.

"I don't know," Ranma admitted sadly.

"Can I speak with you for a moment Ranma?" Cologne asked as she walked away from the group. Ranma followed while everyone else wondered why Cologne had called Ranma "Ranma" and not son-in-law.

"What is it ghoul?" Ranma asked tiredly.

"You left something out of your story Ranma."

Ranma's head snapped down to look Cologne in the face.

"There is something different about your aura," Cologne told him. "This is not the first time that this has happened. Your aura was like this when you returned from China, after your fight with Saffron."

Ranma wore a blank expression but his eyes gave him away.

"Who did you kill?"

"It was the guy that shot Ryoga. He was some kind of terrorist," Ranma answered.

"I thought so, Ranma have you seen today's headlines?" Cologne asked.

"No, why?"

Cologne reached behind her back and produced a newspaper. She handed it to Ranma. The headline on page one read: Building Burns to the Ground. Arson Suspected.

Ranma gaped at the photo on the page. It was the same place Seiji had taken him and Dr. Tofu to rescue the others…

Wait a minute, Ranma thought.

"Just a sec` ghoul," Ranma said as he turned and tried to locate Dr. Tofu. Ranma spotted him having a conversation with Kasumi. "Doctor!"

Almost half the population of the room looked at him.

"Uh, I meant him," Ranma said sheepishly, pointing at Dr. Tofu.

"What is it Ranma?" Dr. Tofu asked as he wiped his glasses down.

"Doctor, do you remember what happened to Seiji when we got out of the elevator?"

"Well, I remember he was behind me on the way there but when we got into the room…. Oh my god!" Tofu shouted.

Ranma spun around and faced Cologne.

"There you go ghoul, Seiji's the one that burned down the building."

"Burned down. What are you talking about?" Tofu asked.

Ranma handed Tofu the newspaper. Tofu raised his glasses to his eyes and gazed at the paper.

"Oh my," Tofu said under his breath. Ranma smiled at him.

"Getting more and more like Kasumi every day doctor," Ranma smirked.

The receptionist at the desk called a Ranma Saotome to the desk. Ranma walked over and she handed him an envelope.

"A man walked in and asked me to give this to you," she said.

Ranma thanked her and ripped the envelope open and pulled out the letter.

Dear Ranma,

I apologize for my sudden departure, but it was necessary for further preparations to be made. Do not worry about you being connected with Toshi's death or the fire, as you have probably already seen, there will not be much evidence left at all. I have also arranged for there to be no investigation into Ryoga's accident. I apologize that I am not able to tell you this in person but I'm afraid I must keep a low profile for now, as many of Toshi's connections are out for my head. Send my regards to Ryoga.

P.S

You and Ryoga will be rewarded for your services for me. I believe you will find it quite to you liking.

Seiji

Ranma could only smile at the letter. Seiji always did have a way with words. His smile faded as the memory of Toshi's face, twisting in agony as Ranma's blast hit him in the chest. The way his eyes seemed to bore into Ranma when he was hit, Ranma doubted that he would ever be able to forget that.

"Um, Ranma are you okay?"

Ranma was pulled from his thoughts and his head snapped around to face the person that had said that.

"Y-Yeah Ucchan, I'm fine," Ranma said.

Despite what Ranma said, Ukyo still looked a little worried.

"Look Ukyo, I want to apologize for acting like such a jerk. I deserved what I got at the wedding. I was just kind of mad the next day, what with Happosai drinking my one chance to become a whole man again. I never should have yelled at you."

"It's okay Ranma," Ukyo said. "I kind of wanted to talk to you about something-"

"Sorry Ukyo, I see Akari over there and I need to talk to her," Ranma said as he walked away from her.

"Sure it's no problem," Ukyo said to herself.

===============

Akari walked into the waiting room. Ranma was the first person to approach her.

"How is he?" Ranma asked.

"Ryoga's fine," Akari smiled tiredly, "He fell asleep after awhile but he woke up and sent me to get you."

"Okay."

===============

Ranma knocked on the open door and walked in.

"Hey man," Ranma said.

"Hi," Ryoga replied.

Ranma grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the bed.

"How're you feeling?" Ranma asked.

"About as well as anyone can after getting shot," Ryoga smiled.

Ranma looked at Ryoga and for the first time noticed the scars on his muscular chest.

"Damn it Ryoga. I'm so sorry," Ranma said staring at the wall.

"For what?" Ryoga asked, genuinely perplexed.

"I didn't move out of the way. You got shot because I didn't move."

"I only did what any friend would have done," Ryoga said, casting the subject aside. Friend, Ryoga thought, I just called myself Ranma's friend.

Ryoga looked up and could tell Ranma was thinking the same thing.

After everything that had happened between them, the fights, the insults, the anger. Saying that one word seemed to cast aside the massive problems between them.

"Ryoga, did you mean that?" Ranma asked.

"Yeah I guess I did," Ryoga answered.

They sat in dead silence, neither really knowing what to say. A knock on the door brought both boys attentions to the doorway.

"May I come in?" Akane asked.

"Sure," Ranma and Ryoga said in unison.

Akane walked in and sat down on the foot of the bed.

Ryoga stared at her and she stared back. He knew what Akane wanted to talk to him about.

"Ranma, why don't you go and take Akari to the cafeteria and get her something to eat," Ryoga suggested quietly. Ranma gazed at Ryoga. Ryoga nodded solemnly and Ranma got up and left.

"Are you feeling okay Ryoga?" Akane asked. Her voice held genuine sympathy which surprised Ryoga.

"Yes Akane, I'm doing fine thank you," Ryoga replied.

Akane didn't say anything else except nod. She got off the bed and walked around it, sitting down in the chair previously occupied by Ranma.

"Please forgive me Akane," Ryoga said, not meeting Akane's gaze. "I know there is no excuse for what I did."

"No Ryoga," Akane shook her head. "I want to hear why you did it."

"Um, are you sure?" Ryoga asked shyly. Akane nodded so Ryoga went on. "I guess I did it because I l...l...loved you."

Ryoga shifted uncomfortably as he felt Akane's eyes on him. He tried to sit up but he couldn't do it so Akane helped him.

"And that was the reason me and Ranma always fought. We would fight over you but on my behalf, I want to tell you that not all the times we fought were because of you. Were rivals, we'll always fight, hell we will fight over just about anything," Ryoga told her. He felt absolutely miserable and depression soon began to build in him.

"But why Ryoga, did you pose as my pet?" Akane asked.

"Akane," Ryoga began, "I have been alone for almost my entire life. Never able to find where I'm going, never seeing any of my loved ones. Then all of a sudden I find you. You were the first person to ever be nice to me. I fell in love with you the instant you kissed me. Even though I was in pig form, I felt loved for the first time in my life, and I was happy. So I stayed as your pet, it was wrong, I admit that, but it I was so happy to be near you."

"So you slept with me, lied to me, and watched me get undressed."

"No! Never!" Ryoga shouted. "I never once watched you get undressed, if there's one thing I'm proud of that's it!"

Akane nearly smiled when she heard him say that. Ryoga was so much like Ranma in some ways.

"Listen, don't take this out on Ranma. Because he was the one who knocked me into the spring, Ranma felt honor-bound to keep the secret from everyone," Ryoga explained.

The depression building within Ryoga was almost at its breaking point.

"Okay Ryoga, what you did was wrong, betraying my friendship and lying to me. I am hurt by what you did and it will take me awhile to trust you again, but I don't hate you."

Ryoga looked up at Akane, his eye's shone from moisture.

"I can forgive you," Akane said.

"Really?" Ryoga asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes," Akane smiled. "Ryoga your one of my best friends, if it wasn't for you Ranma would have died back there. You saved the man I love and I thank you for that," Akane bowed her head slightly.

"Does Ranma know how you feel?" Ryoga asked, smiling.

"Yes," Akane answered. "And only Ranma, you, and Akari know that, and I would prefer to keep it a secret from everyone else, I don't feel like getting married tomorrow."

Ryoga smiled at her and looked out the window in his room. Akane grasped his hand and he turned back to face her.

"I guess now I know why you asked me to tell you I hate you when you were learning the Shi Shi Hokodan," Akane said. She leaned forward and kissed Ryoga on the cheek.

Ryoga blushed but still kept his eyes on Akane.

"Do you remember what else I said?" Akane asked. "That no matter what happened we would always be friends."

Akane released Ryoga's hand and walked to the door.

"I still believe that Ryoga, and I hope you do to," Akane said over her shoulder before leaving.

===============

Author's notes: Thanks to everyone that has been writing reviews, it is very nice to hear the opinions of people that read your stories.

I am a soldier, currently in the grade of Lieutenant Colonel, and I was just presently serving in India. I was a soldier during the Gulf War, and I received two Purple Hearts, as well as some other medals and ribbons. I will be using my experiences within the army to help this story progress, as the story will become more military oriented later on.

I hope everyone has been reading the story and liking it.