DO YOU REMEMBER...?

By Bing

Part One: The Ones to Carry On

Chapter 4 - Reunited

Written by Bing and Kalaong

Hikaru left his mother and grandfather so they could talk. After all, they needed some time alone. Hikaru was about to see if breakfast was ready, but he decided that could wait awhile. He went outside to see something that had caught his eye before he and his mother came in the house.

The dojo.

He read the sign. Tendo-Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Tendo! So, this was where it all started! Hikaru went inside and looked around. On the wall, he saw another sign that read: WARRIOR. Hikaru was impressed. It was even bigger than their dojo. He had been so fascinated by it that he did not even hear someone come in.

"Can I help you?"

Hikaru turned around. A tall man dressed in a gi was standing several feet away from him. He looked ordinary to Hikaru, but there was one thing that he noticed that was unique about him. His pigtail.

"Oh, I hope you don't mind, sir. I was just looking around."

Ranma stared at him. Something about him was so familiar. "Are you interested in enrolling in the school?"

"Me? Oh, actually, I already am a student of the Anything-Goes-Martial Arts. I also teach."

"Teach?" Ranma was surprised. "Aren't you a little to young to teach?"

"It's just something I do to help out my mom. She's got a school of her own."

Ranma could not stop staring at him. Where did he see those eyes? And that smile? There was something about him...

"Hikaru!"

That voice! Ranma's heart began to beat fast. Why do I feel like I know that voice?

"Hikaru!"

"I'm in here!" Hikaru shouted.

Before Ranma could move, Akane entered the dojo. "Hikaru, there you are."

Ranma turned to her. "Akane?"

Akane stared at him. "Ranma?"

It had been so many years since Ranma had seen her. He was suddenly speechless and could not help but notice how beautiful she remained.

Akane held her breath. Ranma! I can't believe it's you.

Hikaru approached Akane and looked at Ranma. "You know my mother?"

"Mother?" Ranma stared at Hikaru and then at Akane.

"Hikaru is my son," explained Akane. "Ranma, this is my son Hikaru Sato. Hikaru, this is Ranma Saotome."

Hikaru bowed, and Ranma did the same.

Akane asked, "So, Ranma, what are you doing here?"

"I teach," he replied.

"So does my mom," put in Hikaru. "How come you never taught here instead, Mom? This is grandfather's dojo."

"Well, it's also Ranma's dojo," pointed out Akane. She suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Come on, Hikaru. Breakfast is getting cold."

"Oh, okay." Hikaru turned to Ranma. "You are welcomed to join us, Saotome-sensei."

Ranma glanced at Akane who quickly looked away. He smiled at Hikaru. "No, thank you, Hikaru. I already ate."

"Another time then. Come on, Mom." Hikaru ran out of the dojo.

Akane was about to leave, but Ranma called out, "Uh...nice to see you, Akane."

Akane glanced at him sideways. "Same here, Ranma."

Then she quietly exited the room.

Nice to see you? Nice to see you? Is that all you could say? Ranma was still standing where Akane and Hikaru had left him. He was in shock. He did not expect to see Akane, not after seventeen years...

***

Ranma complained, "Oh, why do I haveta drive her to the station?"

Genma gave his son an irritated look. "Ranma, it's bad enough that you broke your engagement to Akane. Nabiki and Kuno already left for school since their classes start earlier. Dr. Tofu is busy at the clinic, and Kasumi can't drive. Soun wants to make sure that Akane reaches the station. The least you could do is see to it that she arrives there safely."

He let out a loud sigh. "Oh, alright! I'll do it."

Ranma arrived in front of the Tendo home with his father's car. Akane was already waiting outside with her things.

"You're taking all that?" He pointed at the several suitcases. "What did you do, Akane? Pack up your whole house?"

"Baka!" Akane exclaimed. "I bought a bunch of clothes and some books while I was here."

"And you think they'll all fit in your dorm?"

"I don't stay at the dorm, Ranma. I have my own apartment."

As soon as Ranma put all her stuff in the trunk, they were on their way to the station.

"So, how come you don't stay at the dorm?" He asked.

Akane sighed. "Lots of reasons. Remember in high school when I had to beat up all those guys so they can't take me out on a date? Well, the same thing happened during my freshman year. When I was staying at the dorm, the school published a book about all the freshmen. You will not believe how many phone calls I received. Sometimes, my phone would be ringing off the hook past midnight. Then the guys kept harassing me since they will not take no for an answer. They would even show up at the dorm. I just had to get away from there."

Ranma shook his head. "Those jerks. What about the new place where you are staying? Is it safe?"

"Yeah, it's got security." She glanced at him. "Worried, Ranma?"

"Well...uh..."

"I'm a martial artist, Ranma. Security or no, I can protest myself. One of the reasons why I like it there is because the security guard just doesn't let anyone in." Then she laughed. "Then Dad thinks that I can't even get to the station myself, and he's the one who trained me."

"Frankly, Akane, I think this is just one of their plans to see if we can change our minds."

She laughed again. "They can be so pathetic, but you've got to hand it to them. They do try their best."

The traffic was bad. Luckily, they managed to arrive just a few minutes before Akane's train could leave. Quickly, they got out of the car. Ranma helped her with her suitcases. By the time he finished loading them, it was time for Akane to board the train.

"Sorry about the traffic, Akane," he apologized.

"Don't worry about it. It was nice of you to drive me up here even if our fathers made you."

He waved his hand as if it was nothing. "Aw, it's okay. I enjoyed the ride."

"When will you be going back to America?"

"This week."

Akane smiled. "Well, good luck to you, Ranma."

"Thanks, Akane. You, too."

They exchanged a brief hug. Then Akane broke away from him. "Well, I guess I'll see you. Bye."

"Bye, Akane."

Akane started to walk backwards and waved at him. Finally, she turned around and boarded the train. Ranma stood there and watched the train leave. Then he went back to the car. As soon as he entered from the driver's side, he noticed a black leather notebook on the seat where Akane had been sitting.

Ranma picked it up and opened it. To his horror, he saw that it was Akane's planner. Inside, it had her credit cards and money.

"Oh, no!" He exclaimed to himself. "And the train is already long gone!"

Ranma shook his head. Then with a determined look on his face, he started the car to make one more trip.

***

Akane was already halfway to the university town when she realized that her planner was missing. She began to panic. Her whole life might as well be over by now. She reached the apartment hours later. She was exhausted but she knew that she had to report her missing credit cards. She was about to get on the phone when it suddenly rang.

She snatched it up. "Hello?"

"Miss Tendo, this is security from gate one. There's a young man here who insists on seeing you."

Great! How could some guy bother her at a time like this? Akane tried keeping the irritation from her voice. "Sir, you know how I feel about visitors."

"He says that his name is Ranma Saotome."

"Ranma Saotome! I'll be right there!"

Akane dashed out to the front gate. She saw Ranma standing by the car which was parked by the guard house.

"Miss Tendo, do you know this young man?" The guard asked.

Akane smiled. "Yes, he's my fian- '' She stopped. "He's a family friend. It's okay."

"Sorry about that. I just had to make sure."

"Thank you." As soon as the guard left them, Akane turned to Ranma. "What are you doing here?"

"You forgot this." Ranma held up the leather notebook.

"My planner!" Akane grabbed it.

"You left it in the car. Honestly, Akane you're such a klutz."

"Oh, Ranma, thank you!" Akane hugged him.

He was startled by her action, but somehow, he did not mind the hug. "How did you get here from the station? Did you have some money?"

"I had some money in my pocket, but I was more worried about the credit cards. I'm surprised that you were able to find the apartment."

"I kinda asked around. It was real easy to find."

"You drove all the way here from Nerima for three hours! You must be hungry."

Ranma was hungry, but he seemed to know what Akane was up to. "Well...not really."

Akane knew what he was thinking. "Ranma no baka! I was going to treat you for some Chinese food!"

"Oh!" That made him feel better. "Okay."

"There's a restaurant near here" She grabbed his hand. "Come on! Let's eat! I'm starving!"

The restaurant was a walking distance. Ranma had to admit that the food was just as good as it was at the Nekohanten. Akane got him to talk about his life in America and his fiancée. He had been open about America, but he hesitated about his relationship. Finally, they were finished eating. Ranma walked her back to her apartment.

"Thanks for the food, Akane," he told her.

"Hey, it's the least I could do after you went to all that trouble just to return my planner."

"I guess so."

Silence.

Ranma smiled at her. "Well, I guess I better get going. Pop and them might get worried."

"Yeah."

"Well, goodbye, Akane."

"Goodbye, Ranma."

He started to leave. "Bye."

Akane waved at him. "Bye."

Opening the door, Akane let herself in. She closed the door behind her and rested her back against it. She closed her eyes and sighed.

I have to fight this.

No! Go after him! If you love him, you would fight for him.

He's engaged to someone else.

Follow your heart, Akane.

Follow my heart? How can I follow my heart when he doesn't care about me?

With a sudden impulse, she opened the door. To her surprise, she found Ranma standing at the doorstep, and he looked like he was about to knock.

Her breath was caught. "Ranma."

He looked down and then faced her again. "I don't know what's wrong, but I have a hard time saying goodbye to you."

Akane didn't know who made the first move, but she suddenly found herself in Ranma's arms. Then they looked at each other and kissed. Akane pulled him inside, and Ranma closed the door behind him with his foot. They shared long and passionate kisses.

When they broke free, they tried hard to catch their breath.

Ranma whispered out, "Akane."

Akane looked deeply into his blue eyes as she stroked his pigtail. "Please. If I can't keep you, let me at least have you tonight."

Ranma took her into his arms again and kissed her as he said her name against her mouth.

His hands wandered down to the bottom of her shirt, and pulled it off as they stumbled across the apartment towards the bedroom. As he flung it to the side, he moved down to her face to nuzzle her neck and throat. Akane moaned as his hands went down again, to the catch of her skirt, which he quickly undid and grasped the cloth firmly, letting Akane's movements pull it apart, letting it fallto the ground as they entered the bedroom.

Akane smothered his face in kisses as she yanked hard at Ranma's shirt, ripping it free, sending buttons flying everywhere. She pulled loose the string of his pants, and he let them fall as they stood by the bed.

They stepped back, holding each other by the shoulders, and gazed at each other. They'd seen each other naked before, but somehow this was so much more special.

Ranma gazed at Akane's face, her deep brown eyes, her pouty smile, the short, sexy pagelocks of her blue-black hair. Then he let his gaze drop to her pert breasts, barely contained by lace bra, heaving with her heavy breath. Down over her firm belly, he could see the evidence of hard training, the tell tale firmness of well-worked natural muscle. He had to smile at the polka-dot panties, a slightly moist spot between her legs showing her excitement. Down over her coltish legs, to her cute little feet. Then up again, over familiar territory, to her flushed face.

Akane's gaze had been busy as well, starting at his expressive bluie eyes like a sea after a storm, she thought, then down over his firm chest, stomach, to his yellow boxers, tented outward by his excitement, which she knew had to match her own.

Ranma brought his head forward, closed his eyes, and rested his forehead against Akane's as she slipped off his boxers.

As his erection sprung free, Ranma could take it no longer, and pushed them both down to the bed. His hands went to the catch on the front of her bra, popped it loose, and he dove to catch one of her firm nipples in his mouth. One hand went to the other breast, not kneading it like a bread dough, but pressing it onto her from above, slowly rubbing and caressing her breast in his hand as he suckled at her, rolling it between his teeth and teasing it with his tongue as Akane grasped his ears and moaned.

His other hand went between her legs, closed at first, until he slid his hand down between them, parting them so he could settle his body between them. He stroked up and down the inside of her thigh, knowing from personal experience just how sensitive the soft skin was.

Akane's hands roamed over Ranma's head and back, then he took hold of his ears again and pulled him up, away from her breats. He moved forward, one of his hands sliding over her breats, then the other cupping her in his hand, sensing just how wet and excited she was, then sliding up to caress her soft breast with its partner. His manhood pressed against her panties, rubbing a goove into the wet cloth, just above her warm wetness, only a single barrier of cloth between them.

Akane kissed him, firmly, deeply again and again. "Ranma no-mmm-hentai! You've practi-mmfh-practiced with your- yeah, there, right THERE - yourself."

Ranma kept sliding his knowledgeable fingers over her breats and rubbing his manhood over her sopping wet panties, kissing her with a passion that had been building for two years. "Me? Mmmf. Hentai? You don't seem-mmm-to have any - like this? - complaints!"

Akane gasped out, "No. I don't." Then she returned to kissing her love letting him push her to heights of pleasure she had never imagined.

Both gasped out as Akane's walls opened slightly, and his manhood pushed in, just a bit, but even through the panties, it was still hot and wet and firm...

Akane couldn't wait any longer. She had waited two years for this, she coulsn't wait any longer. No time to take the panties off. She reached down and grasped his burning hot manhood in her hand, pushed it away slightlly then grasped the bottom of her panties, pulled it to one side, and spread her legs wide, exposing her pink pulsing core to him.

Ranma kissed Akane as hard as she could, and let her guide him into her wetness, around the wet cotton, between the soft lips, and then she was hot and wet and soft and wonderful and... and... and...

Akane could barely see through the flashes of light behind her eyes. Ranma penetrated her, slipping deep into her, sharing his warmth. Then he was allthe way in, and he pulled away and pushed inside again and again and again.

Her legs wrapped around his as he again buried his face in her neck. His wonderful, ferocious thrusts causing the bed to shake back and forth, banging it against the wall. Bang. Bang. Bang.

And then, as one, the cried out a primal cry of equal love and completeness as Akane clenched him tightly within her as his warm seed spread within her. Their lips found each other again, and they arched against each other and fell back, exhausted against the bed.

Exhausted, they held each other's sweaty bodies and gazed into each other's eyes. They could think of no words. Ranma simply pulled the blankets over them both as Akane rested their heads on each other's shoulders. Answers could wait for tomorrow. Right now, everything was perfect.

***

Akane was looking at the small pond as she was sitting on the floor. It was strange that she could somehow picture Ranma and her uncle Saotome spar. She looked around the room remembering that she was sitting on the very same spot where Ranma and Genma told their story about Jusenkyo and where their fathers unwillingly engaged her and Ranma to each other.

"Hey, penny for your thoughts." Ranma's voice startled her from behind.

Akane turned to him and watched him sit next to her. "Oh...hi, Ranma."

He wiped his sweat. "Whew! It's been a long day at the school."

Akane looked down. "So you've been running the dojo by yourself since my father got sick."

"Yeah, I've been teaching the classes. Your sister Nabiki handles the financial stuff while Michiko helps in expanding the school by trying to find good places where we can open up a branch."

"Your wife," Akane said knowingly. "How long have you been married now?"

"Seventeen years. How about you, Akane?"

"I had a good marriage."

Puzzled, Ranma looked at her. "Had?"

"My husband died two years ago."

"I'm sorry. What happened?"

"It was an accident."

"It must have been very difficult for you."

Akane said nothing.

"At least you still have your son."

She nodded without looking at him. "Yes. I'm very lucky to have Hikaru. He has always been there for me. I can't say that I have any complaints about him. He's thoughtful, understanding, and smart. He's going to college this year."

"He looks awfully young to go to college."

"He's only seventeen. He got accelerated during high school."

"You must be very proud of him."

"Hai. I'm very proud of him."

Silence fell between them. Ranma looked at her. He wanted to say something, but he was not sure if he should. He took a deep breath and started, "Akane, I know that this is awkward..."

Akane turned to him sharply. "Then don't say anything."

"What happened back then-''

"I don't want to talk about it. It was in the past, Ranma. What's done is done. I did not exactly come here to make amends. I only came here to visit my father."

His eyes went small. "Damn you, Akane! You really don't know how difficult this is."

"Just what do you know about the meaning of difficult?"

At that moment, Hikaru came running to the room, calling out, "Mom!"

Alarmed, both Akane and Ranma stood up to face him. Akane asked, "Hikaru, what is it?"

"It's grandfather." He gave them a sad look. "I think it's time."

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