Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful
Romiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North
America). This work is strictly intended for non-profit distribution to fans.
No copyright infringement is intended.

===========================
Toshi-chan
Story 1: Genesis
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by TeW
Last Update: Oct 16, 2000
Status: Late Draft
Authors note added 2002-06-17
===========================

AUTHORS NOTE:

I do not normally write authors notes. However, I feel I must explain
this fanfic. This story was inspired by a girl I knew in Middle School
who had a child. I didn't know her very well, no one really did. She
was trying to raise the child with her parents help. Quite a burden
for a 13 year old.

I intended to follow this chapter up with a story that talked about some
of that burden (along with some Ranma storyline style twists). However,
about two-thirds of the way through the chapter I realized how painful
and dark the fic had to get to really describe how things were. I wasn't
about to write a WAFFY fic about a situation like this!

I'm considering rewriting the story to avoid this, though it takes some
strange twisting of the plot, beyond what I'd normally do even in a 
time-travel story. With all the other fics I have that need work, I 
don't think it's worth it.

I did add a few notes at the end to tell you how I was planning on
continuing a few plot threads.

  - TeW
  

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

Ranma jumped over the dojo gate. He usually didn't bother opening it if
Akane wasn't walking home with him. Today she was walking home with her
friend Sayuri who was having boy problems. They were probably talking
about how all boys were jerks or something.

Ranma called out the usual 'I'm home' as he walked in the door and took
off his shoes. 

"Ranma, I'm so glad you're back, we have a visitor. Oh dear, isn't
Akane with you?" Kasumi asked from the hall.

"No, she's walking Sayuri home. She'll be about half an hour I think."

"Oh." Kasumi bit her lower lip in - for her - the supreme expression of
concern.

"Anything I can help with?" Ranma asked.

"Well... I need to start dinner, but Auntie Kyoko is here with
Toshi-chan, and she's not feeling well, so I was watching him..."
Kasumi said, sounding uncharacteristically unsure.

"You want me to watch this 'Toshi-chan'? No problem, Kasumi."

Kasumi somehow looked both relieved and worried at the same time.

"Thank you Ranma, come into the dining room, I'll introduce you."

Toshi-chan was a bouncy toddler about a year and a half old. Kyoko
Tendo was an older woman, maybe a few years older than his and Akane's
fathers, who smiled a lot, but looked rather worn.

"So you're Akane-chan's fiancee?" The older woman asked.

"Umm...  yes." Ranma answered. This didn't seem like the time to
discuss his and Akane's lack of control over the situation.

"It's nice to finally meet you. Akane is very lucky."

The woman waved to the small boy who was playing with some blocks on
the porch. "Would you mind taking Toshi-chan outside for a bit? He's
been indoors all day and if he doesn't run off some energy soon, he'll
never get to sleep tonight."

"No problem." Ranma said. He'd much rather play with a little kid than
get stuck talking to Akane's aunt any day.

He went out and plopped down in front of the boy.

"Hey! I bet you can't catch me!" Ranma told the boy with a grin.

With a squeal of delight Toshi ran after Ranma, who was mostly running
in place to give the child a chance to catch up.

* * * *

"I'm home." Akane called as she hurried into the dining room. It was
almost time for dinner, she'd spent more time with Sayuri than she'd
planned.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw her father sitting at the table
with Auntie Kyoko. She registered her father turning to give her an
unreadable look, but her attention was focused on her aunt.

"Is Toshi here?" She asked.

Her father and aunt both pointed out the door to the yard. She turned
to look out. She saw Ranma playing with Toshi. For some reason it gave
her a very strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Ranma was giving
Toshi a 'wild-horse' ride. The bucking and rocking motions were too
rough for the toddler to stay on, but Ranma was using his incredibly
fast reflexes to shift under the child so he didn't fall off no matter
what he did. Akane started walking out to the pair, trying to shake the
strange feeling seeing the two together gave her. Just before she
reached them Ranma bucked hard, throwing Toshi into the air. Akane
gasped as the laughing child flew in an arc, to be caught neatly by
Ranma. The two collapsed onto the ground in a giggling fit. Akane stood
over them and managed to find her voice.

"I see you've met Toshi-chan." She said. 

"Auntie!" Toshi cried, lunging for her.

"Hello Toshi-chan, it's nice to see you again." Akane said, gathering
the boy into her arms and giving him a hug. She luxurated in the feel
of the little arms around her neck.

"Did you have fun with Ranma?" She asked when the boy pulled away.

"Fun!" Toshi agreed with a nod.

"We sure did". Ranma said from a sitting position on the ground.

"Hungry." Toshi said.

Ranma pulled on Akane's skirt. She looked down into his wide eyes. 

"Hungry!" he said with a grin.

"Baka." Akane said quietly. "I guess we better go see when Kasumi will
be done with dinner."

As they walked back to the house Akane tried to ignore the speculative
looks from both her father and Aunt Kyoko. She *knew* something was up.
Her aunt wouldn't have brought Toshi over if it wasn't some kind of
emergency. She was sure she'd find out soon enough, in the meantime
she'd just try to enjoy it.

* * * *

"I really hate this you know." Ranma said.

"Now Ranma, Nabiki and I so rarely get the chance to shop together. It
was so nice of you to volunteer to carry our things for us." Kasumi
said sweetly.

"Volunteer, right." Ranma muttered.

"Here you go Saotome." Nabiki said as she came out of a lingerie shop
with a large bag. The bag had the symbol of the shop in gold on the
side.

"I am *not* carrying that." Ranma said.

"Wimp." Nabiki teased. "Just put it on the bottom. No one will see it."

"I think it's time for Ranma's reward for helping us. The food court is
right down this way." Kasumi said.

They made their way to the food court and found an empty booth. Ranma
unloaded the bags and sat next to them while Kasumi went off to find
something she considered suitable to feed him among the fast food
places. Nabiki sat down across from Ranma.

"Okay Nabiki, what's the idea hustling me out of the house? And what's
with your Aunt Kyoko anyway? She doesn't look to hot. And how come you
never mentioned her before?"

"Relax, Ranma." Nabiki said absently. "You weren't the only one
'hustled out'. I don't know why Aunt Kyoko showed up, she usually
avoids the place, though I think Kasumi visits her pretty often."

"So why'd they get rid of us?"

"I told you I don't know. They probably wanted to talk without us
getting underfoot, some kind of family business we're not supposed to
hear about or some such." Nabiki said, still in a distracted tone.

"Then why didn't they send Akane with us?"

Nabiki dropped the abstracted look, her eyes focused sharply on Ranma.
"To watch Toshi of course."

"Huh. I'd think they'd prefer Kasumi for a job like that."

"Umm... not really. Akane and Toshi-chan get along really well." Nabiki
said.

"It's just kinda weird. I mean I've been around for a year, and I've
never even heard about either of them. The kid is only a year and a
half old right? When does Akane even see him?"

"You're getting paranoid Saotome. Maybe Auntie just wanted to pump
Akane about her cute fiancee without you around."

To Ranma's relief Kasumi choose that moment to return with a heaping
tray of food.

"Here you go Ranma." she said.

"Wow, maybe I should go shopping with you two more often." Ranma said,
drooling at the heaping tray of food.

"After you're done we should head back. It's getting late and tomorrow
is a school day."

Ranma only nodded, his mouth too full to speak.

* * * *

They returned to find an angry Soun, a stubborn Akane, a sleepy Toshi
on Akane's lap, but no Kyoko Tendo.

"Where's auntie?" Nabiki asked.

"She went home. We're taking care of Toshi for now." Akane said.

"Cool." Ranma said. He was given a dirty look by Soun, Nabiki and
Kasumi. That was the first time he'd ever seen Kasumi look like that.
It was rather unnerving.

"I just meant it would be fun to have a little kid around. The two of
us had fun earlier."

"Of course." Nabiki drawled. "You two are about the same mental age."

"Why did auntie leave Toshi here?" Kasumi asked.

"She's not feeling well." Soun said, tears dripping down his face. "The
doctor put her on bed rest and she had to bring Toshi here. Oh! My poor
big sister!" He began sobbing heavily.

Kasumi shook her head. "Oh, daddy."

"Toshi's staying in my room." Akane announced.

"Sounds good to me." Nabiki said. 

"Yes, that seems like it would work." Kasumi said.

"No." Soun said, recovering from his crying fit almost instantly.

"Why not daddy?" Nabiki asked. "Who else should take care of him?"

Toshi stirred and opened his eyes, blinking sleepily. Ranma felt sorry
for the child, his mother suddenly gone, and everyone fighting over
where he was going to stay. Ranma was only too familiar with how it
felt to be somewhere he wasn't really wanted. Maybe he could help. Pop
was staying at his mother's house for a few days, so Toshi could stay
with him for the night.

"Hey, Toshi?" Ranma said. "Want to sleep with me tonight?"

The child grinned and nodded.

"Okay, let's find your pajamas and get some sleep, I don't know about
you, but I'm tired."

Toshi jumped out of Akane's lap and walked over to him. Ranma took his
hand and they started toward the stairs. Ranma looked over his shoulder
as they were leaving the room and almost broke out laughing at the
amazed looks everyone was giving him.

"Hey, this way you've got all day tomorrow to figure out where he
should stay." Ranma said.

Akane shook herself and jumped up. "Wait! I'll help you get him ready
for bed." she said, stepping over and picking Toshi up.

As the three headed up the stairs Ranma felt like Mr. Tendo and the two
girls were putting holes in his back with their stares.

* * * *

Akane brought Toshi into Ranma's room dressed in pajamas with little
cartoon figures on them (not cats thank goodness). She put him in the
futon next to Ranma's and carefully covered him and gave him a kiss.

"Goodnight Toshi-chan. If you need anything I'm right next door." She
said.

"And I'm right here." Ranma said.

Akane gave him one of her looks. "As if you'd wake up for anything less
than a major disaster."

"Hey, no problem." Ranma got up and sat next to the little boy. "Hey
sport, I sleep like a rock. So if you want me just jump up and down on
me a few times. That should do it."

"'kay." he said with a giggle. Then he laid his head down and went
instantly to sleep, relaxing so much he went completely limp and
starting to snore softly.

"Hey, you sure he's a Tendo and not a Saotome? He sleeps like pop."
Ranma quibbed.

"Very funny Ranma." Akane said.

She looked down at the little boy for a moment. "I just wish he could
stay in my room." she said quietly.

"Yeah, he seems to like you. Why doesn't your dad want him to stay with
you?" Ranma asked. He hadn't gotten any information from Nabiki or
Kasumi, maybe he could get Akane to tell him what was going on.

"It's a family thing, just say out of it."

Or maybe not. Still, Akane did talk to him sometimes, when she wasn't
hitting him. It might be worth asking a bit more.

"Doesn't look like I can stay out of it." He said, motioning at the
little boy sleeping in the futon his father normally used. "At least
tell me what's wrong with your Aunt. It's kinda strange that she'd
leave him here when she hasn't even visited since I got here."

"It's...complicated. Auntie's really sick. Don't tell anyone else this,
not even daddy, okay?"

"Umm...sure." Ranma answered.

"Auntie Kyoko has the same kind of cancer that killed my mom. They
caught it early, so she's got a chance..." Akane's voice faded out.

"Oh, man. I'm sorry Akane I didn't know." Ranma said. He just had to
open his big mouth. Now Akane was starting to cry. He really hated when
that happened, especially when it was his fault.

"Only you and I know. I...shouldn't have told you, but I had to tell
someone." Akane stopped to sob softly. "It would just tear daddy and
Kasumi apart if they knew."

Ranma felt like he had to say *something*, but had no idea what. 
"Umm...so how long have you known?"

"A month. I stopped by to visit Toshi. I wasn't supposed to, but I
really wanted to see him. She'd just started chemotherapy and was
having a bad reaction. I got her to the hospital and took care of Toshi
that night. I told daddy I was at Sayuri's house studying." Akane's
words were low, but rushed. Like she was confessing something painful.

Akane was looking down at her knees. He tears seemed to have stopped.
"I better go to bed. Take good care of him." She said. Then she got up
suddenly and ran out the door.

Ranma looked after her. He was worried about her, but there was
something else bothered him about this whole thing. He just couldn't
put his finger on it. He sighed and laid back down on his futon.
Everything would be better in the morning. Probably not actually
*good*, but better.

Ranma listened to the little boy's hoarse breathing. It was almost
soothing after his father's raspy snores. Never one to let his worries
interfere with important matters, he was soon asleep.

An hour later his eyes snapped open. Images swam in his mind like a
movie: Soun looking disapprovingly as Akane helped feed Toshi, not
letting Akane take the boy into her room, Akane's words '...I wasn't
supposed to...'. For some reason Akane was supposed to stay away from
Toshi. Something bad must have happened between them, probably before
he came to the dojo. Now he just had to figure out what it was.

Happy to have figured out a little of the mystery, Ranma again drifted
off to sleep, never noticing Akane curled up with the little boy on the
other futon.

* * * *

A few days later Ranma came home from school alone again, Akane being
held up by their homeroom teacher. He stopped in the main room when he
say Kasumi playing with Toshi.

"Kasumi? Do you want me to take Toshi for a while?" He asked. It was
getting close to dinner time and he wanted to make sure Kasumi had a
chance to make one of her wonderful dinners. Besides, he was bored, and
playing with Toshi was better than studying.

"Thank you Ranma, that would be wonderful."

"Would it be okay if I took him to the park? He hasn't been out of the
house since he got here."

"I don't see why that would be a problem. Just make sure you're home
for dinner."

"Come on Kasumi, you know me better than that! It takes something major
or drag me away from food."

"Just make sure nothing major happens while you're watching Toshi."

"No problem, even Kuno wouldn't cause trouble with a little kid around."

Ranma squatted down so he'd be closer to eye level with Toshi-chan.
"Well, sport, you wanna go to the park with me?"

"Yeah!" Toshi jumped up and down and clapped his hands.

Ranma scooped Toshi up and put him on his shoulders. "Let's go."

* * * *

"I'm home!" Akane kicked off her shoes and went to the kitchen
expecting to find Kasumi and hopefully Toshi there.

"Hi Kasumi, sorry I didn't get back earlier to watch Toshi-chan, I got
held up at school." Akane looked around. "So where is Toshi-chan?"

"Ranma took him to the park." Kasumi didn't look back, intent on
something in a pot.

"Ranma? Oh, maybe I'd better go see if he needs any help." Akane said
nerviously.

"If you want Akane, I'm sure Ranma can handle a one-and-a-half year old
for an hour though.

"That baka? *Maybe* he can, as long as nothing distracts him. I'm going
to go."

"If you like, please make sure you're back for dinner."

"Sure Kasumi, we'll be back soon." Akane hurried to the door. Ranma
would probably have no problems, but she couldn't help feeling worried.
Trouble seemed to follow Ranma around like fleas on a dog. Toshi
couldn't take care of himself if something happened. She'd better talk
to Ranma about not taking Toshi out by himself.

* * * *

Toshi sure liked the swings. Ranma had tempted him with the
teeter-toter and jungle gym, but Toshi was adimate. He wanted to swing,
and he wanted to be pushed.

Maybe he should rig up a swing in the yard? He could swipe the tire his
father played with as a panda. There should be a rope around somewhere
too. Or maybe one of the boards Akane broke for warm up and a couple
ropes would work better.

He looked at the toddler swing Toshi was in, it held him in so he
didn't have to hold onto the chain. Right, he could ask Kasumi to sew a
seat like that and then connect it to the big tree in the corner. That
should be safe enough and you'd be able to see him from the kitchen
window.

"Ranma, prepair to die!"

Ranma groaned. Ryoga, wonderful.

He turned to see Ryoga standing in a ready stance a few meters away.
Odd he hadn't heard him earlier, Ryoga wasn't the quietest guy around.

"Sorry pig-boy, I'm watching Toshi-chan right now. You'll have to kill
me later." Ranma said, giving Toshi another push to show Ryoga what he
was talking about.

Ryoga glanced at the child. "What a coward, hiding behind some little
kid. Now stop playing around and fight me."

Ranma clenched his fist. Damn that Ryoga, he knew just how to make him
look bad, usually in front of Akane.

"Hey, you see anyone else around to take care of him?" Ranma waved to
the deserted playground. "I'm not joking around, I can' t fight you
right now."

Ryoga gave Toshi a longer look. "He kind of looks like you, this one of
your little mistakes Saotome? Go a little to far with one of the women
you keep leading along?"

"Damn it Ryoga, you are really a complete idiot. He's Akane's cousin or
something, and he's staying with the Tendos 'cause his mom is sick."

"Yeah, whatever Saotome. He'll keep for the few minutes it takes to
sent you to hell."

"I'm not going to fight you right now Ryoga, you're just going to have
to wait." Ranma turned back to the swings and gave Toshi another push.

Then he flew sideways when Ryoga's umbrella caught him on the shoulder.

* * * *

Akane slowed down when she saw Ranma pushing Toshi on the swings. She'd
been worried for no reason. As she walked toward them Ranma turned
suddenly and said something to someone behind him. He shifted around
and Akane spotted Ryoga standing there in a ready stance.

 she thought.  Akane
didn't try to answer her own question. She *did* start to hurry again.

She caught the tail end of the converstation between  the two as she
reached the playground.

"...not going to fight you now. You'll just have to wait."

 She thought.

Then Ryoga hit Ranma with his umbrella. Hit him from behind when Ranma
told him he wouldn't fight. Any kind feelings she'd ever had toward
Ryoga evaporated.

Ryoga's backswing almost caught the chain of Toshi-chan's swing. If
Ranma hadn't given him a push just before he got hit...Akane shook off
her shock and ran toward the fight.

* * * *

Ranma rolled to his feet five meters away. Damn that shoulder *hurt*.
He checked the swing. Fortunately Toshi-chan looked okay. He noticed
Akane standing on the edge of the park, her face turning white as she
watched. His inattention cost him when Ryoga grazed him with a kick
that shouldn't have even come close.

"That's it, pig-boy, you're toast."

Ryoga smiled evily. "I'm not the one who can't lift his arm."

"Ranma didn't say anything, just moved in to take Ryoga out as quickly
as possible. He had to make sure the fight didn't get anywhere close to
the swingset, so he'd lead Ryoga back toward the woods, then...

"Ryoga no baka!" Akane called from right behind the lost boy.

Ryoga froze just long enough for Akane to kick him across the horizon.

Akane turned and ran back to the swings, scooping up Toshi and hugging
him while the boy just looked confused.

Ranma straightened from his ready stance. His shoulder still hurt, but
he could move his arm a little bit, so it wasn't broken. He walked over
to the pair.

"I'm sorry Akane, I *tried* not to fight him." Ranma said. It probably
wouldn't do any good, he'd likely end up in traction for this.

"I-It's okay Ranma. I heard you try to talk him out of it and how he
attacked you for no reason." Akane said, her voice muffled by
Toshi-chan, still being held tightly to her.

Toshi-chan looked at him from over Akane's shoulder. Ranma could almost
hear him begging for help.

"Ah, Akane? You might want to loosen up a little, your holding him
pretty tightly." Ranma pointed out.

Akane loosened up a little and put the toddler down.

"Swing?" He asked.

"Sure thing." Ranma tried to pick him up, but his arm wasn't
cooperating. "Akane, would you put him in the swing? Ryoga hit me
pretty hard with that umbrella of his."

"Oh, sure." She lifted Toshi-chan and put him in the swing again.

"Push." Toshi-chan announced.

Ranma pushed the swing with his good arm. Trying not to look at Akane.
He hadn't been killed...yet, who knew how long that would last.

"Let me look at that arm." Akane stepped around the swing and gently
probed his shoulder and arm while he kept pushing and tried not to
wince when she hit the painful spots.

"It isn't broken. There's no swelling, so it's probably not a sprang
either. I bet you get a nasty bruse though."

"Yeah, he shouldn't a caught me like that. He snuck up on me too, I
wonder if he's learned some kind of stealth technique?"

"Well, whatever technique he learned, you can't afford to fight him or
anyone else when you're taking care of Toshi-chan." Akane didn't sound
angry, if anything she sounded sad.

"It's not like I wanted to fight him!"

"It doesn't matter. Obviously your fights wont stop just because it
might hurt a little boy. I doubt mine will either."

"Huh?"

"I think that, at least for now, neither of us should take Toshi out of
the yard alone. There's too much of a chance one of our so-called
friends will come along." She definitely sounded sad now.

"I guess you're right. We better head home now." Ranma agreed with a
sigh.

"Well...Toshi's having fun on the swings and it should be okay with
both of us here. Let's let him swing for a while."

* * * *

Kuno hurried. He disliked the necessity. A samuri should stride with a
sure step, so all could see his power and magnificance and be comforted
by his presense. Scurrying along was inappropriate for one of his
station.

Yet he must find out what had befallen his fierce goddess Akane Tendo.
So scurry he did.

"Nabiki Tendo, I would have words with you." He called out, hoping the
anoying but useful peasent would slow her pace.

"What do you want Kuno-baby."

"Tell me Nabiki, why is it that the fiercness of your dear sister is
dimed these days and why does she not tarry after school with her
peers?" Kuno got out managing not to gasp for air after his rush to
catch up with Nabiki. He didn't understand how such a small girl could
move so quickly while seeming to just sashey down the street.

"Oh, you mean why is Akane calmer than normal and hurries home after
school?" Nabiki asked.

"That was what I said." It annoyed him that she managed to make even
his greatest utterances sound banal.

"Just checking my translation. Five hundred yen please." Kuno, knowing
her rates almost by instinct now, was holding out a five hunded yen
coin.

"Akane's been helping take care of our cousin Toshi for the last few
days. He's staying with us while his mother is sick. A cute little
toddler, gets into a lot of trouble if he's not watched all the time.
As for her calmness, I think taking care of Toshi is bringing out her
nurturing side. She hardly ever beats up Ranma anymore."

"Ah, that explains it. A good experience, no doubt, though as a Kuno
she will not need to care for children. The Kunos use only the best
Nannies and child care services."

"Kuno, you need some serious help."

* * * *

"Brother dearest? You say that a small boy is staying at the Tendos?"

"That is what Nabiki Tendo told me."

"What a wonderful oportunity to show Ranma how good I am with children."

Kodachi rushed to her room. Now what outfit would be best for such an
excursion?

* * * *

Ukyou was startled but unsurprised when a cat zipped into the resturant
and hid behind the counter. It wasn't as if it was the first time after
all.

"Let me guess, that monster dog down the street got lose again?" She
said to the cat.

The cat nodded and pointed at the kettle with its paw.

"Sure honey, but lets do it in the back. The customers might not like a
naked girl behind the counter, or might like it too much if you get what
I mean."

She led the cat into the kitchen and poured some warm water over her.

"I think I've got one of your dresses here." Ukyou searched around in
one of the closets.

"Shampoo thanks. Was close call this time."

"No problem, I'm just glad I'm not cursed."

"Ukyou help, so Shampoo tell you. Is little boy at Tendo's."

"Yeah, I heard Akane talking to some of her freinds about it at School."

"Was watching house. Saw Ranma playing with little boy." Shampoo
sighed. "Know he great fighter, not know he also so good with child."

"Oh? Maybe I should visit." Ukyou said. 

Shampoo just nodded and went out the back door.

"Hope she doesn't go across the rooftops. I didn't have any of her
panties here."

* * * *

Ukyou bounced up to the dojo gate. She'd made an okiokyanami for the
little boy and another for Ranchan. That should get them both on her
good side.

She opened the gate and peeked in. It was always best to make sure the
old freak or someone equally annoying wasn't around before entering
here. The only ones she saw were her Ranchan chasing a squealing little
boy. She watched with a fond smile as Ranma caught him and tickled him
before predending to run away as the boy chased him. He would be such a
good father when they had children.

She stepped into the yard and opened the first of her gifts in front of
Ranma, letting the smell of one of her freshly cookd specialties do it's
work.

"Ukchan! I didn't see you come in." Ranma glanced at her then switched
his gaze to the food.

Ranma teetered for a second as the little boy grabbed his leg. They boy
then tried to climb his leg with his eyes fixed on the box.

"Don't worry little one, I brought one for you too." Ukyou handed the
open box to Ranma and opened the other in front of the boy. He let go
of Ranma's leg and looked into the box with interest.

"Here, let me cut you a piece." She said to the little boy.

"Oh." Ranma tried to say with a full mouth. He stopped and swallowd
loudly before continuting. "Hey Ukyou, don't give him that now. It's
almost dinner time and it's hard enough to get him to eat what he's
supposed to without him eating stuff just before dinner."

"It's all right Ranma, it's just okiokyanmai. It's not like it's bad
for him." Ukyou handed the child a small piece she'd cut off.

"Ukyou! I said..." Ranma growled in frustration and grabbed the box
from Ukyou, closing it up. 

"I'll give it to him after dinner." He said. 

Ukyou looked from the boy to Ranma. That hadn't worked well. The little
boy looked about ready to cry and Ranchan looked upset with her.

"Sorry, Ranchan. I was just remembering another little boy who ate
okiokyanami every chance he got." That should make Ranma less upset at
her.

"Yeah, well, I was six not one-and-a-half, and I *always* finished all
my dinner."

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" Ukyou asked.

"Sure. This is Toshi Tendo, Akane's cousin. Toshi-chan this is Ukyou.
She's the best okiokyanami cheif in Japan."

"Uko?" Toshi asked.

"Close hon, it's 'Ukyou'." She corrected gently.

"Since you're introducing the peasent, perhaps you'd like to introduce
me as well." Kodachi said from the top of the wall by the gate.

Ranma groaned. Ukyou covered her eyes with her hand. "Great, the loon
shows up." She muttered.

* * * *

Akane stepped onto the porch to call Ranma in for dinner. She'd been
watching Kasumi cook, hoping to pick up a few pointers and occasionally
helping by handing Kasumi items she needed. She really wanted to cook
dinner, but she knew she wasn't good enough yet to cook for a small
child.

Akane growled low in her throat when she saw Ukyou kneeling next to
Toshi and Kodachi standing on the wall above them. Ranma was standing
over Toshi protectively. She started marching out there. They'd just
had that run in with that baka Ryoga yesterday, now this happens.
Couldn't they have a little piece and quiet around here?

Kodachi and Ukyou were trading insults while Ranma looked on nervously.
Akane would grab Toshi and take him in the house, then come back out
here and kick those too hussies off their property.

Unfortunately it didn't work that way.

Kodachi's ribbon flicked out at Ukyou, who managed to block it with one
of her small spatulas. Ranma twisted around and blocked a bokan strike
from Kuno...when had he shown up? Then dropped his other hand to block
a flying batton that was heading for Toshi.

"Stop!" Akane shouted. This had to stop before Toshi got hurt. He
couldn't take care of himself.

No one seemed to hear her. She stopped in frustration and worry. She
wanted to jump into the melee and brain a few people, but that would
only make matters worse. If she just dove in and tried to grab Toshi
that baka Ranma would try to protect her instead of Toshi-chan. Maybe
if she used that to her advantage....

Without thinking it through Akane dove in low and wrapped herself
around Toshi, protecting him with her body. She would let Ranma protect
them both, if something got through then she'd get hit rather than
Toshi-chan.

With her face buried in Toshi-chan's hair she couldn't see the fight,
but she felt Ranma's stance open up from a tight defense to a more
open, agressive one. She agreed with him, it meant a better chance
she'd take a hit, but he'd be able to fight better.

The fight lasted two more minute. She did take hits, painful hits, the
last one was a glancing blow to the head from a bokan, after which she
didn't notice anything else.

* * * *

For a moment Kasumi just ignored the sounds of fighting out front. It
wasn't as if it was all that unusual around here. Then she remembered
that Ranma was playing with Toshi. She quickly turned off the burners,
grabbed the first aid kit, and headed out to the porch.

Ranma had just knocked out Kuno and was turning to the fight between
Kodachi and Ukyou. Akane was curled tightly on the ground at Ranma's
feet. She couldn't see Toshi, but the way Akane was laying made her
think she as protecting him with her body. Ranma knocked the two girls
out simutaniously with fists to the sides of their head.

Kasumi ran toward them, Akane wasn't moving and might be hurt, and
there was no telling what had hapened to Toshi. Ranma bent down and
gently lifted Akane so she was craddled in one arm, then picked up
Toshi, who was crying and clinging to his arm.

Kasumi reached them just as Ranma started toward the house. She walked
along side him, checking Akane.

"Oh, my. She has a rather nasty cut on her head, but it's not bleeding
badly now." Kasumi said. Then she switchd sides to check Toshi.

"He's frightened, but not hurt." Ranma growled.

His tone sent little warning bells off in Kasumi's head. She looked up
at his faced and stepped back. This was not a Ranma she'd seen before.
He was angry, cold fury barely restrained.

"Take care of Akane." He said, setting her gently down on the porch.

She just nodded, not able to say anything to his face, and bent down to
check Akane more carefully. Ranma gently convinced Toshi to move over to
father, who had been attraced by the commotion. Then he disapeared into
the house.

Akane wasn't too hurt. The cut on her head was the only serious injury.
She cleaned the wound and wrapped a presure bandage around Akane's head,
then tended the ohter minor cuts and bruises.

Ranma emerged from the house with a coil of rope. He stopped
momentarily to look at Akane.

"She's going to be fine." Kasumi assured him.

He nodded and headed over to the three unconsious teens. He tied up all
three, even Ukyou, before comming back to the porch and helping Soun
calm Toshi down.

Kasumi watched Ranma out of the corner of her eye as she tended to
Akane. He was, acting serious, controlled, resourceful, and caring.
Could he finally be growing up?

* * * *

After a week of having Toshi around the house it seemed like he had
always been there. He still slept in the guest room with Ranma, as
Ranma's father had not returned from his visit. Ranma had only been
woken up in the middle of the night twice, though he found Toshi
sleeping against him most mornings when he woke up.

Toshi thought Ranma's curse was wonderful and kept asking him to
'splash'. Ranma couldn't wait to show him the giant panda that would be
available to play with when his father returned. He'd get some revenge
for some of the crap the old man had put him through.

Mostly Kasumi took care of Toshi, but Akane was the one he ran to when
he skinned his knee or wanted a lap to sit in and it was Akane that
fussed with him in the morning and fed him during dinner, despite
Soun's obvious disapproval.

Ranma was still confused about what was going on. He was pretty certain
that something had happened with Akane and Toshi when Toshi was really
little. If so Kasumi and Nabiki either didn't know about it or didn't
think it was very important, as they never seemed to echo their
father's disapproval.

The first real clue he got came from an overheard conversation between
Diasuke and Sayuri on, of all things, how Ranma's grades had improved.
Sayuri mentioned how quickly Akane had caught up with her studies when
she had been sick before Ranma had arrived.

Ranma broke in and asked when that had happened, as he'd never heard
about it. Akane had been really sick with some kind of gastrointestinal
problem for several months about half a year before he'd arrived. Since
Kasumi had still been in school, her Aunt had taken care of Akane.

Ranma felt good. He'd missed Akane when he'd stopped to talk to Diasuke
and Sayuri, which normally bugged him, but at least he had some idea
what was going on with Akane and Toshi. Akane was staying with her Aunt
about the time Toshi was born, so there were plenty of opportunities for
something to happen.

He whistled as he walked down the street. It was only a mater of time
now and he'd have this figured out. Sure he could have paid Nabiki and
probably have gotten the information in two minutes - provided he could
afford it - but this was more fun. Though he had to admit that there
were still some weird stuff.

Like Akane's aunt having to deal with being pregnant and having a baby
while taking care of Akane. Still, her husband had probably been around
to help. Wonder where he is now? Could something have happened to him
too?

Ranma's walk slowly came to a stop. Who was Toshi's father? Why hadn't
anyone even mentioned him? Maybe Toshi was illegitimate. Poor kid, that
would be tough. Not like it was his fault either. That might even
explain Mr. Tendo's reaction, though it didn't seem like the kind of
thing he'd do. Actually if that was the case, Ranma would expect Mr.
Tendo to adopt him, maybe bring his sister into the household to help
take care of both of them.

As a mater of fact he was *sure* that's what Mr. Tendo would do, so
sure that he must be wrong about it. The father must have died or be
away for some reason. Still, kind of odd that he hadn't heard anything.

Ranma stared walking to the dojo again at a somewhat slower pace, his
mind whirring with possibilities. Soon he found himself standing in
front of the dojo gate. Maybe it was time he asked someone what was
happening. This was getting too complicated to figure out without
knowing more. He had two reasonable possibilities for sources of
information. He decided to try the cheaper one first.

* * * *

"How about here?" Kasumi suggested.

"Anywhere." Ranma groaned. He slid the small mountain of packages he
was carrying into the booth and sat down next to them.

"I can't believe you need this much stuff after that trip we made a
week ago." Ranma said.

"Last time was fun shopping, this is serious shopping for the
household. I've needed to stock up for some time and I needed to buy a
few things for Toshi." Kasumi said with her usual sweet smile. "It was
so nice of you to offer to carry packages again."

A waitress came by and they ordered tea and some snacks.

Ranma looked around. They were in a small cafe across from the mall.
He'd never even noticed it before, though he must have walked by it a
dozen times. He glanced casually around then stopped suddenly and
looked around again, carefully noticing the people at each table.

"Uh, Kasumi?" Ranma asked nervously. "Why is everyone here a couple?"

"You did say you wanted someplace private. This place is popular with
people who need a little privacy. That mostly means couples."

"Right, I guess."

"So what did you want to talk about?"

"It's mostly about Toshi. I guess I mostly want to know about the
father." Ranma said, picking the point he was most confused about.

Kasumi turned white, and the hand holding her teacup started to tremble.

"Kasumi?"

"You know." She whispered.

"I..." Ranma began, then Kasumi broke down and started crying.

Ranma moved next to her and put his hand on her arm. Just then their
tea and food arrived. The waitress gave him a dirty look and stomped
off, returning a moment later with a box of kleenex which she slammed
down before giving him another dirty look and stomping away again.
Ranma ignored the waitress and offered Kasumi one of the tissues.

Damn. He really hated it when he made a girl cry, but making Kasumi
cry...he felt like the lowest heel on the face of the earth. Now if
only he could figure out *why* she was crying. All she'd said was that
'he knew'. Knew what? Who the father was? No that was stupid, why would
he ask if he knew? What was wrong with her Aunt? Yes, he knew that, but
how would asking about the father...

Suddenly Ranma knew, not the answer, but the right question. He
shouldn't have asked 'who was the father', but 'who is the mother'. And
just as suddenly he knew the answer. Toshi was Akane's son.

"Who was it?" Ranma asked again. His voice came out calm. He was too
shocked by his realization to really feel anything yet.

Kasumi got control of her tears, but still didn't look up at him. "We
don't know."

Ranma just waited. Hoping she'd continue.

"There was a party. A big party held by a rich classmate of Akane's who
was moving to the States with her family. She went. She spent a lot of
time with an older boy that night. Someone spiked the punch..."

Ranma could see Kasumi's cheeks redden. "We Tendo girls have a
weakness, one our mother had too. Alcohol makes us...friendly. After
Akane's experience Nabiki and I experimented a little, and it's a
pretty strong reaction."

"What do you mean by 'strong'?"

"Well, I heard father tell Dr. Tofu that mother turned into a 'raging
nymphomaniac' after three cups of sake. I *think* he was exaggerating."

"Oh. That seems pretty strong."

"Akane and the older boy disappeared late in the evening. Akane was in
her bed the next morning, but doesn't remember how she got there. She
didn't tell us what happened at first. She spend a lot of time looking
for him after that, Nabiki and I even helped, but we couldn't find any
sign of him."

They were both silent for a long time. Ranma moved back to his side of
the table and they sipped their tea. Kasumi still hadn't looked at him.

"So what will you do?" Kasumi asked.

Ranma took a deep breath. That was a really good question.

"First I guess I gotta find this guy. If he'll marry Akane then..."
Ranma's throat was suddenly tight. "Then I guess I have to let him. If
he won't then I beat the crap out of him and I marry Akane. Either way
Toshi stays at the Dojo with his real mother."

Kasumi finally looked up at him. Her eyes were red, but her face was
filled with relief. "Ranma?"

"What? Is something wrong with that?" He asked.

She have him a radiant smile. "No, nothing at all. I thought...I
thought you were going to give up on Akane, and...well you've never
gotten along with Nabiki, and..." Kasumi shook her head. "I'm sorry
Ranma, I forgot for a moment what a truly fine man you are. Akane is
very lucky."

"Anyway, I've got to find out more about this guy. What can you tell
me?"

"We really should get going, it's getting late. I'll tell you what I
can on the way home. We should talk to Nabiki too and there are some
things only Akane can tell you."

"I don't really want to bring Akane into this, at least not yet." Ranma
had no idea how she'd react, he didn't think it would be pretty.

"Then we'll try Nabiki first." Kasumi suggested.

* * * *

To help keep things private, they talked to Nabiki in her room. Nabiki
listened impassively to Kasumi's explanation and Ranma's plan, then
shook her head.

"No way are you going to find him." Nabiki said.

"Come on, there's *got* to be a way." Ranma replied.

"I've been looking for him for two years. The guy is gone. Near as I
can figure he left the country immediately afterwards, and did *not*
move to the States, Canada, Hong Kong, or Australia."

"How about China?"

"I'm working on it. Look, there's no way you're going to find him
without a crystal ball or a time machine." Nabiki said.

"Oh dear." Kasumi said. "I so hoped that we could do something more
with Ranma's help."

"Time machine?" Ranma said slowly.

"Don't tell me you have one?" Nabiki said.

"The Nanban mirror."

"It was broken." Nabiki countered.

"Maybe Happosai fixed it or knows how to fix it." Ranma said.

"Hmm..." Nabiki tapped a finger on her chin. "Why don't you check it
out while I think about how we could use it if you do manage get hold
of it."

* * * *

"So why do you need my mirror?" Happosai said, calmly lighting his pipe.

Ranma shifted around on his seat, which seemed to consist entirely of
C-cup bras. "I'll tell you old man, but only if you give your word of
honor that you will never breath a word of it to anyone."

Happosai just looked at him and puffed on his pipe.

"Damn it old man, this is important!"

"It's about Akane's son isn't it." The diminutive master said.

Ranma sputtered.

"Relax boy, I'm not about to blab something like that around. You must
think I'm blind not to see whose child Toshi is."

"I gotta find out who the father is." Ranma said.

"Very well, but you must return it immediately afterward. You must also
heed my warning."

"And what warning would that be?"

"The Nanban mirror has been broken. I've managed to fix it, but part of
its power is gone forever. It can no longer protect you from the forces
of the timeline you find yourself in."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ranma asked.

"That means you can't change history boy." Happosai said darkly. "The
mirror used to be safe, now you're stuck with whatever destiny happens
to fit."

"Right. I'll be careful. I just want information anyway." Ranma said,
hoping to get the mirror and get out. Bras make a very bad seat cushion.

The old master reached into his gi and pulled out the mirror. Looking
closely Ranma could just make out the cracks where it had been broken.

"So how'd you fix it?" Ranma asked.

"Superglue."

* * * *

Ranma showed the mirror to Nabiki.

"You got it? I'm impressed. I do *not* want to know what you did to get
it from the old freak." Nabiki said.

"You wouldn't believe me anyway." Ranma muttered.

"Right. I gave this some thought, and I think the best way is for you
to use the mirror to go back and keep an eye on her at the party."

"Yeah, I figured that much out." Ranma said.

"Do you think...could you change things?" Nabiki asked.

"No, can't and won't. Happosai said the mirror can't change things
anymore. Anyway, it would be like killing Toshi, I don't think I could
do it." Ranma answered. He'd been thinking about it since Happosai gave
him the mirror. The old man might have lied. Even if he was lying and he
could change this, he couldn't even consider making it so the little boy
wasn't born. Even if he was the only one who remembered, he'd always
feel like a murderer. Besides, things were *better* around here with
Toshi. Akane was happier and calmer, Kasumi loved taking care of him,
even Mr. Tendo seemed to enjoy playing with him.

"That's what I thought you'd say. You'll need to get more information
on this guy. His full name would be a nice start. A picture would help.
Stealing his wallet would be perfect." Nabiki said.

"Great. How do I get into this party anyway. What if someone recognizes
me?"

"How can anyone recognize you? You didn't...I mean you hadn't met us
yet."

"Oh, I guess that's right." Ranma agreed.

"But we should change your appearance so no one recognizes you when you
get here for the first time. Err... you know what I mean." Nabiki said.

"How do I get into the party?"

Nabiki grinned. "As Akane's guest of course."

* * * *

Ranma-chan put the mirror into the small backpack that was serving as
his purse. He looked around carefully. He'd shown up just where and
when he wanted, a few blocks from the dojo just before dawn, hopefully
on the day of the party. He hid the pack in some bushes and waited,
shivering a bit in the cool morning air.

He leaned against a wall, waiting for Akane to show up on her morning
jog. The plan - such as it was - was for him to make friends with Akane
in his girl form and get invited to the party as her guest. He fingered
his now-short hair, one of the changes Nabiki thought was necessary to
make him harder to recognize when he showed up in a year or so. The red
highlights were also gone, covered with hair dye to a more common black.
The final change was making him rather uncomfortable, his breasts were
bound to make him look younger, closer to Akane's age of not quite
fifteen. He didn't know how Ukyou put up with this all the time.

He stood up as he heard running footsteps coming up to the corner. They
didn't sound quite like Akane's, but she probably had changed the way
she ran since then...now...whatever. He started jogging slowly down the
street in the direction she normally took. It took only a few moments
for Akane to overtake him, she waved and gave him a smile as she went
by. Ranma-chan almost fell flat on his face.

She was *cute*. Her hair was longer than he was used to, but not as
long as when he first met her. She was a bit shorter and slimer than he
remembered. What really made her attractive was the look of happy
energy. Not just her face, but the way she moved. Ranma wondered when
she lost that look. Actually, she hadn't completely lost it, he saw
flashes of it every time she gave him one of her sunny smiles.

Ranma-chan increased his speed and easily caught up to her. She looked
over at him with another smile.

"Hi." Akane said.

"Umm...hi, mind if I join you? I don't like jogging alone." Ranma-chan
said, glad Nabiki had made him practice the words before he'd left.

"Sure! Is this speed okay?" She said.

"Seems okay. My name's Hitome." Ranma-chan used the name he and Nabiki
had agreed on.

"Hello Hitome, I'm Akane. Are you new around here? I don't think I've
seen you before."

"Sort of. My family is visiting the area for a few days while my dad's
on business. Mostly I'm just hanging around while he's off at meetings
all day."

Ranma-chan carefully covered all the points Nabiki had coached her on
for her first conversation with Akane: that she was alone for the day,
she had nothing to do, that she had a brother around somewhere. The
last was to cover any chance encounters with hot water. After he'd
mentioned all that he just enjoyed the chance to get to find out more
about Akane without having to worry about being malleted into next
week. He was quite surprised at how easy to talk to and friendly this
Akane was. She didn't seem to have that undercurrent of anger that
always simmered just below the surface of his Akane.

As they neared the dojo, Ranma-chan started the next step in convincing
Akane to take him to the party. 

"Hey, Akane, you live in a dojo? Cool!" Ranma said.

"Yeah. Do you do martial arts?" Akane asked, interest kindling in her
eyes.

"Sure, mostly just some Kempo though."

"That's mostly what I do too. The Anything Goes school is based on
Kempo." Akane said, gesturing at the sign. "Do you want to spar?"

"I'd love to, but I don't have my gi along, and I really need to wash
up and get breakfast." Ranma-chan said, mentally crossing his fingers.

"Why not have breakfast with us? You can wash up here and borrow a gi.
This *is* a dojo you know, we have lots." Akane offered.

Ranma relaxed. He'd done the hard part now, and he should be able to
spend most of the day with Akane. His biggest problem would be making
sure he didn't slip up and show how much he knew.

"Sure! That sounds great!"

"Come on in. Kasumi should have breakfast ready soon."

* * * * 

"Hey girls, you want to go dance?" One of the pair of guys asked
nervously.

"No, I do *not* want to dance!" Ranma said.

The guys looked disappointed and just nodded and quickly walked away.

"Relax Hitome, it was just a couple of guys. It might be nice to dance,
though I think we can do better than those two."

"That was the third set of guys to hit on us in fifteen minute!" Ranma
complained.

"What do you expect with a couple of cute girls like us?" Akane said
with a wink. "Don't worry, some better guys will come along soon I'm
sure."

Ranma shuttered. He could *not* handle this. He wasn't really a girl,
it was impossible for him to act like one in a situation like this. He
*had* to get away, but he also had to stick around to watch Akane.

Well, he knew one way to do both. He had wanted to avoid this, but if
he started acting too weird as a girl Akane would get worried or maybe
just leave.

"Akane, I think I just saw my brother. I'm going to run off and find
him. You won't go anywhere will you?" 

"I'll wait, I want to meet him anyway. Is he nice?" Akane asked.

"Yeah, I think you'll like him a lot." Ranma said . 

"Akane, I think I've got to get going too, I'm not feeling too well."
Ranma added.

"So you're going to throw your brother at me and take off?" Akane
teased. "He better be cute."

"Uhh..."

"I'm sorry Hitome, I shouldn't be teasing you when you're not feeling
well. I'll wait here for him. See you later?"

"Yeah, I'll definitely see you later." Ranma promised.

* * * *

Ranma had to wait in line for the bathroom. Once in there he quickly
undressed and ran some hot water. After a quick splash he looked at
himself in the mirror.

Was this a mistake? He wondered. It would be a lot more likely that
he'd be recognized in a year or so when he arrived. Still, with the
haircut he *did* look different, and if Happosai was right he couldn't
change anything that had already happened anyway.

Nodding to himself he pulled his guy clothes out of his small pack.
Jeans and a white button up shirt, kind of wrinkled from being rolled
up in the small pack all day. He shook out the clothes and smoothed the
wrinkles as best he could, then put them on. He played with the buttons
a bit, finally settling on leaving the top two unbuttoned. He stuffed
his girl clothes in the pack and dropped them out the bathroom window
into a pile of bushes..

He got some funny looks when he left the bathroom. Fortunately there
were a fair number of other kids his age at the party and just a whole
lot of people in general. Hopefully no one would think he was a
gate-crasher.

He took a deep breath. Time for Hitome's brother to meet Akane.
Hopefully this 'first' meeting with her would go better than the one a
year from now.

* * * *

"So you're Hitome's brother?" Akane asked, looking up at him a warm,
friendly smile.

"Yup. My name's...." Ranma just stared at Akane for a moment. He'd been
about to use his real name. Nabiki never suggested a name for Hitome's
brother and it hadn't come up when they were talking. He'd just have to
pick a name out of the air.

The only problem was, standing there staring at Akane, he couldn't come
up with a single name.

After what seemed like an hour he realized how long he'd been staring
into Akane's eyes and managed to stutter out the first thing hat came
to mind.

"T-Toshi".

"Umm, that's a nice name." Akane said, looking down and blushing.

"My sister said you were really nice." Ranma managed to add.

"She did?" Akane looked back up at him coyly. "That's the same thing
she said about you. Think she's trying to set us up?"

"Uhh..."

Akane giggled and took a big swig from the glass she was holding. She
wrinkled her nose and peered into the glass. Ranma couldn't help but
notice how cute she looked when she did that.

"I think someone spiked the punch." She said. "It doesn't taste quite
right."

 Ranma thought.

"You shouldn't drink that stuff, it's not good for you." He said.

Akane stuck her tongue out at him and drained the glass in a few gulps.

"If it worries you, then you can dance with me. I can't drink spiked
punch while I'm dancing, can I?" Akane took and took his hand.

. He thought.

"Okay, but I'm not much of a dancer." He said.

Akane dragged him into the next room where a live band was playing and
furniture had been moved out to make room for a fair sized dance floor.
The first dance was fun, with everyone bouncing around to a heavy beat.
The second was more sedate, with couples dancing near each other and
the singletons either pairing up or going to find something to eat. At
the end of that song Ranma was about to suggest they go too when the
band started playing a slow song. Akane just sort of flowed into his
arms and started swaying to the music. He couldn't just push her away,
so he put a hand on her waist and back and swayed with her.

 He thought. Then he gave up on thinking and enjoyed
himself.

After two more slow songs the band announced a break. Ranma found
himself holding a warm armful of Akane very close as the band started
putting their instruments down.

Akane looked up at him with that warm smile of hers. "You're a good
dancer, Toshi."

"Thanks." Ranma managed. He could feel his face heating up in a blush
mostly because they still hadn't let go of each other..

Akane giggled. "And you're shy too. I like that." She stood on her toes
and gave him a quick kiss.

Ranma's brain locked, not that it had been operating all that well
before the kiss. He let himself be led outside where Akane set him down
in a quiet corner of the yard and got them both more of the punch.
Ranma's mind started coming back on line about the same time she handed
him a glass.

"You really shouldn't drink that."

"Oh stop it. You sound like my older sister." Akane said. "I thought
guys liked it when girls got a little drunk."

"It's not that!" Ranma protested. "It's just that you're a martial
artist, you should be careful not to lose control."

"Guess you've got a point. It's a good thing I'm with you then." Akane
said, then very deliberately took a sip of her drink.

Ranma must have looked confused, because she answered his unspoken
question.

"You're a martial artist too, and if you're as good as your sister you
should be able to handle me if I 'lose control'." Akane took another
sip, and her face turned serious for a second.

"For some reason I trust you, Toshi." Akane reached forward and gave
Ranma's hand a squeeze.

The rest of the night was a blur for Ranma. They talked, and danced
some more, then raided the food together. Akane kept sipping at the
punch, getting steadily sloppier, happier, and more intimate as the
evening progressed.

Ranma tried to keep and eye out for the boy who was going to spend the
might with Akane. It wasn't until she started whispering to him about
finding someplace private that he realized what had happened.

He was the one who was going to spend the night with Akane.

The revelation, combined with the punch Akane had been pushing at him,
almost made him pass out. After the initial reaction though, it just
seemed so right. If he couldn't stop Akane from getting pregnant
tonight, he could at least make sure the father was someone who would
take care of her.

They found a private place in a nearby park.

* * * *

Ranma pushed open Akane's window and hoped in, careful not to bump the
unconscious girl in his arms. He laid her gently on her bed and pulled
the covers over her.

"Gods Akane, I wish I could have changed things." He whispered.

He sat in her desk chair and just looked at her.  he thought.

 he decided. 

He thought about it a little. They could still move in with her aunt,
there was no reason to subject Akane to any extra embarrassment, then
they could stay with her. With his and her aunt's help Akane could
handle being a mother at this age.

Briefly, he wondered what would happen in a year when he showed up for
the 'first' time. He pushed that thought away, he'd deal with it when
it happened. He was still considering how he'd explain everything to
the Tendos when the pocket containing the Nanban mirror began to glow.

"No." He whispered.

He lunged forward and took the sides of Akane's face. "I love you." He
said in a low, fierce voice. "I'll be back."

As he finished speaking the light flared around him and he collapsed
face down, crying as he hadn't since he'd been taken from his mother
when he was six.

* * * *

Ranma slowly calmed, the tears stopped flowing, and he became aware of
a hand running through his now-short hair and a soothing voice telling
him everything would be all right. He realized then that he was
kneeling on the floor with his head face down on Akane's bed. For a
wonderful moment he thought the mirror had left him in the past, then
he somehow knew that this was the older Akane.

"T-Toshi?" Akane's words finally registered.

 He thought.

Ranma kept his voice low. He wanted to be Toshi for her, if only for a
moment. "Yes Akane, I'm back."

"Toshi, why are you crying?" She asked. There was real concern in her
voice, and maybe some tears. Had she been crying too?

"I..." Ranma began, then realized this was his best chance to explain,
or start to explain, what was going on to her. Without lifting his head
he continued.

"I'm crying for you. For everything you had to go through alone because
I wasn't here." Ranma couldn't help it, the tears started again. "For
our son, who hasn't been growing up with his mother and father."

Ranma felt a tear on the back of his neck. If Akane hadn't been crying
before, she was now.

"Oh, Toshi, I wish you'd been here. Now it's all so complicated. I-I
have a fiancee now..."

Akane's voice faded. Ranma stayed as he was, face hidden, hoping she'd
continue.

"I think I love him. I'm sorry Toshi." Akane sobbed out.

Ranma sat up and cradled her in his arms. She cried into his chest,
sobbing uncontrollably. Sometime during his attempts to comfort her the
long, *very* busy day caught up to him and he fell asleep.

He woke to the dim light of dawn and his head pillowed in Akane's lap,
her hand absently caressing his cheek. He looked up into her eyes and
saw longing, fear, and confusion all mixed together.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"I'm Toshi, and I'm Ranma." He said.

She shook her head angrily. "No! Toshi was older, and he had a sister,
and short hair, and...and he was *there* before you showed up, and..."
Akane began to sob again, racking sobs with only a few tears, as if she
had started to run out.

"Come on Akane, don't cry." Ranma sat up and put his arms around her
again.

"Look, I found out about Toshi-chan being yours, so I used the Nanban
mirror to go back and find out who the father was. I stuck close to you
so I could be sure I'd see him, and umm..., he turned out to be me."

Akane sniffed and looked up at him. "But you had a sister and...oh."

"Yeah, I was going to stick around as a girl, but all those guys
hitting on us was freaking me out."

Akane kept staring at his face. "Baka." She finally said with little
heat. "I don't know if I should kill you or rip your clothes off."

"Come on Akane, three times already tonight and..."

"Baka!" Definitely some heat this time. "That was two years ago for me.
And speaking of that how could you do that to me! You *knew* I would get
pregnant."

"It wasn't like you gave me much choice." Ranma said.

"BAKA!" Oh yes, lots of heat now. "You let yourself be seduced by a
little fourteen year old *child* who..."

"Who I'm in love with." Ranma interrupted her. He was surprised how
easy it was to say that now.

Akane seemed to deflate at that. "You really love me?"

"Yes."

There was a long silence.

"So now what?" Akane asked.

"Pretty simple. We get married, Toshi stays here permanently, and we
live happily ever after."

"Yeah right."

"Hey, why not?"

"Kuno, Ukyou, Shampoo, Kodachi, Cologne,...Need I continue?"

"I guess not."

"And what about my Aunt? Toshi-chan is her only family, how can I take
him away from her, especially now with her being so sick?"

"Oh...so don't. We'll need help taking care of him anyway, and she
needs some help right now too. She can move in here or we can move in
there or something."

"Okay, but what about..."

"Akane!" Ranma interrupted. "That's just details. If you don't want to
marry me just say so."

"You jerk, of course I want to marry you."

"Then quit complaining."

"Oh...okay." Akane said meekly after a moments pause.

Akane put her head on his shoulder. They sat for a time while the room
brightened with the rising sun.

* * * *

Everyone was sitting around the breakfast table. That included Nodoka
and Genma, who had both shown up the previous evening, and Toshi-chan
who was sitting on Kasumi's lap and playing peek-a-boo with Nodoka.

"Ranma, I was surprised you weren't here when we arrived." Nodoka said,
looking up from her game with Toshi-chan to look over at him with that
mild look of disapproval she had down so well. "Did you finish the
research that kept you out so late?"

"Yeah." Ranma said looking warily over at his parents. Eventually they
had to be told everything, but he and Akane hadn't had a chance to talk
about it yet. He felt like this activities of the night before (or two
years before, depending on your point of view) were stamped on his
forehead.

"Oh, good." Kasumi said. "You'll have to tell us all about it later."

Akane signed and put down her chopsticks. "Actually, I think now is the
best time to discuss it."

"Akane? Do you know what where talking about here?" Nabiki asked,
looking sidelong at Nodoka, who was listening with interest.

"I'm talking about my improper behavior two years ago and Ranma's
efforts to do something about it."

Soun was listening now too.

"Akane, if you're talking about what I think you are, then it is a
family matter." Soun said sternly.

"I think it effects the Saotome's too." Akane answered.

"You will not speak of it!" Soun thundered, drawing concerned looks
from Nodoka and the usually oblivious Genma.

"If you say so father. However Ranma knows everything - more than you
know in fact. You can't tell him to keep quiet."

Soun paled. Genma was looking confused, but his attention was now fully
on the conversation rather than food. Nodoka was sitting straight and
looking carefully at Akane.

"Perhaps if my husband and I were to promise that this matter would be
kept in the strictest confidence?" Nodoka suggested.

"I think that's the best you're going to get daddy." Nabiki said.
"Besides, it sounds as if Ranma might have found the responsible party."

Soun's eyes turned to Ranma. He managed to return the gaze without
flinching. "Very well Akane, if you must." He got out.

Everyone turned to Akane. She opened her mouth and then closed it and
looked at the table.

"You want me to start?" Ranma whispered to her.

Akane nodded without looking up and her hand crept into his under the
table. He gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Lets see. It started about a week ago when Akane's aunt brought
Toshi-chan over so the Tendos could take care of him while she got some
bed-rest her doctor ordered. There was something weird about the whole
situation, especially the way Mr. Tendo was acting. I kind of wondered
about if for a week and finally decided I had to ask someone about it,
so talked to Kasumi."

Ranma stopped and sipped his tea. "During the talk I asked about
Toshi's father, who didn't seem to be around. Kasumi's reaction was
kind of extreme. That's when I figured that I should have been asking
who the *mother* was, and as soon as I figured that out I knew the
answer.

Ranma looked at his mother, who was beginning to look horrified.

"I finally figured out that Akane is Toshi's mother." 

Ranma let that sink in. There was no way he was going to finish this
without something happening at that announcement. To his surprise no
one said anything for a moment, though both his mom and Mr. Tendo where
white faced, and his mom was trembling. Ranma was about to start again
when his mother opened her mouth and looked like she was about to yell
something.

Then his father, his spinless, glutonous father who cringed at his
mother's shadow, covered her mouth with his hand.

"No-chan was just going to offer her sympathy over a difficult
situation, WEREN'T YOU DEAR?" Genma said, not uncovering her mouth
until he finished speaking.

Nodoka just nodded and looked at her husband with wide eyes.

"Please continue." Genma said.

"Right. Anyway, I found out the father disappeared right after...uh. No
one knew where the father was." Ranma said.

"I talked the master into lending me the Nanban mirror. I went back in
my girl form and made friends with Akane. She took me to the party
where this guy showed up." 

Ranma stopped. He didn't know if he could tell them the rest. Akane
patted his hand under the table and looked up at Nodoka. "Guess it's my
turn." She said.

"Ranma's girl side, who I knew as 'Hitome', and I were being hit on
pretty heavily by the guys. It didn't bother me too much, but 'Hitome'
was having serious problems. Finally she snuck off and came back as
Hitome's brother."

"I guess it worked, since the guys left us alone after that. Ranma kept
close to me all evening. We drank a lot of the punch, which was spiked,
and danced and talked."

Akane stopped and looked back down at the table. There were some blank
looks traded around the table.

"So who's the father?" Nabiki asked.

"Oh my!" Kasumi said. "Ranma...are *you* the father?"

"Yes." Ranma said, his voice strained.

He looked up at Soun. "I would have stayed with her." He continued. "I
would have done the right thing, but the damn mirror forced me back
here."

"Toshi is yours?" Soun asked.

Ranma nodded.

There was a long silence at the table. Ranma stared at his rice bowl,
and Akane's hand snuck into his again.

"Well, I think it's time you two got married." Kasumi said, breaking
the silence.

Ranma and Akane just nodded in unison.

=== End Chapter 1 ===

Authors Notes:

The next chapter is about the wedding and how the rest of Nermia
reacts to the recent changes, or at least all the changes they
find out about. You'll find out why Genma actually wasn't a wimp
(at least for a few seconds) as well.

More Authors Notes:

Well, since I'm not really continuing this, here's how some of this was
supposed to come out:

Kuno finds out about everying (Nabiki does NOT tell him). He goes pretty
nuts for a while, then calms down with a little help. I hadn't decided
just where the help was coming from. Tentatively either Kasumi or Mousse.

Kodachi on the other hand just never accepts reality. She doesn't really 
find out what's going on for a while though, so I never worked out just
what sort of twisted world she builds in her head to explain everything.

Genma shut Nodoka up because she was in no position to talk. Genma and
Nodoka had a shotgun wedding when she got pregnant at age 17. This all
comes out in a long talk with Kasumi and Kasumi convinces Nodoka to try
for another child of her own. There's a bit more to explain how Genma
grows a temporary spine, mostly having to do with being fed up with
Nodoka's prim-and-proper act when he knows better.

Ukyou handles things pretty well and spends a lot of time helping
to take care of Toshi. Then she meets the author and does kinky
things with...oops, sorry about that. Just ignore that last part.

As you can tell from this chapter, I'm portraying Ryoga as a little to
fixated to handle this well. There's a planned scene where Cologne is
about to forcefully take Ranma back to China, saves Toshi from becoming
collateral damage when Ryoga's on a rampage, and finds she just can't
take Ranma away from his son. Very touching, I even have Cologne cry.

Mousse is delighted by the whole thing, and stops being a problem, and
even helps around the edges a little. Shampoo is not nearly as happy, as
she now has to either (1) leave the amazons, (2) kill herself, (3) find
a husband who can defeat her in combate and has beaten Ranma at least
once. I was toying with a Kuno-Shampoo match. It might actually work if
Kuno could get past her being a gajin.

And...

Lots of flashbacks to what it was like for Akane to have the child at
that age, have to give him up, and her attempts to visit her son before
Ranma found out about him.

    Source: geocities.com/tokyo/dojo/5201