The Secret Wedding

Ranma had no idea that anything was wrong. Sure, Akane had been distant lately, but she often was. Ranma had never really figured out how to talk to her. But he was comfortable with things as they were, until one day when everything changed in a single minute.

Ranma was walking past Akane's room, when he heard voices coming from inside it.

". . .be such a beautiful bride," came Kasumi's voice. Akane laughed.

"Do you like my dress?"

"It's lovely. You'll be so pretty. Just think, Akane all grown up and a bride."

"Well, not quite; I have a little time left."

"Where is the wedding?"

"The Yamagata Chapel. It's at ten tomorrow morning, but I have to be there early of course."

"Of course. Weddings are so beautiful. I wish I could go."

"I wish you could too. Now, Kasumi, please make sure nobody finds out."

"Of course. This wedding is to be a secret."

"Yeah. And Kasumi, ESPECIALLY make sure Ranma doesn't find out. I don't want him tagging along and then finding out and. . ." Akane's voice dropped. Ranma leaned against the wall, the blood draining from his face. He felt as if he'd just been slapped, then punched in the stomach and put under a moving car to take his mind off the pain. He heard someone coming to the bedroom door and fled to the dojo.

Ranma sat in the middle of the dojo floor, his eyes staring blankly at the opposite wall. His mind turned over and over in agonizing circles. Akane. . .wedding. . .secret. . .me. . .another guy. . .Akane. . ..wedding. . .secret. . .Akane. . .another guy. . . me. . .wedding. . .Akane. . .Akane. . .

How long he sat there, Ranma didn't know. He might have sat there all night, if Akane hadn't come out to tell him dinner was ready. Ranma heard her say his name and started, turning to look at her.

"Ranma?" Akane blinked. "Are you ok? You look really strange."

Ranma stared at her. Was it really possible that Akane, his fiancee, the tomboy, was planning on getting married behind his back? He looked at her closely. She didn't look any different. Was it really possible?

"Ranma? Hey, are you listening to me? Dinner's ready."

"I'm..not hungry." Ranma looked away. Akane frowned.

"Not hungry? Are you sick?"

"No. I'm just not hungry."

"That's not normal. What's wrong, Ranma?"

"Nothing! Just leave me alone!" Ranma watched in dismay as Akane's face crumpled. Without a word, she turned and ran off. Ranma slumped down and buried his face in his hands. 'Nice going, butthead. No wonder she hates you so much.' 'That still doesn't give her the right to run off and marry another guy,' something in him protested. Ranma shook his head. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be happening.

Ranma was running. His heart was pounding painfully in his chest, but he didn't slow down. He couldn't. If he let up the pace even a little, it would be too late.

'Akane. . .! You stupid uncute tomboy! You can't marry another guy! I. . .I l. . .Oh, Akane, you dummy!!'

Ranma burst into the chapel, breathless. Akane gasped as their eyes met. She was beautiful in that dress. More beautiful than when she had stood there with him? Her groom was turned away from him and time seemed to freeze.

"Ranma..." Akane whispered. Ranma could hear her perfectly, even though he was standing in the doorway.

"Akane, no!" Ranma finally found his voice. "You can't do this!"

"I'm..I'm sorry, Ranma." Akane hung her head. She held up her hand, showing a shining ring. "It's too late. I'm married now."

"Akane. . .!"

"Leave me alone, Ranma." Akane turned her back on him. "You have no claim on me, anymore."

"Akane! Akane, NO!"

Ranma sat bolt upright, gasping for breath. His shirt was soaked with sweat. He fell back again, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling. A dream! No, a nightmare. What time was it?! Nine-thirty! Damn it! Ranma flew out of bed.

"No way," he muttered through clenched teeth. "No way that's gonna happen." Ranma got dressed to break all records and plowed downstairs, nearly knocking Kasumi down the stairs in his rush. She flattened herself against the wall with a little gasp as he passed.

"Oh, my!"

Ranma ran with all his might. He knew where the chapel was. He'd find her and stop her. 'Akane...Akane! No way I'm letting you marry another guy! You're MY fiancee!' Ranma turned a corner sharply and the chapel loomed ahead. It was after ten now. He couldn't be too late.. He'd kill himself. If he got there too late, he'd slit his own wrists. There! Ranma burst into the chapel, the doors flung apart.

"Stop!"

The word echoed through the building and someone screamed. The bride, Ranma realized, had screamed, her face pale. That was the first thing he noticed. The second was that the bride was not Akane. For one brief but highly terrible moment, Ranma wondered if the whole thing had been a dream. Then Akane stepped forward. She was not the bride. She was wearing a peach-colored dress. Akane was a bridesmaid! Ranma was torn. He didn't know whether to be relieved or die. Akane was stepping towards him. Momentum had carried Ranma halfway up the aisle, so it took only a few steps for Akane to reach him, her eyes blazing. Ranma looked into her furious face for a moment, before slowly dropping to his knees.

"Ok...I surrender," he murmured hopelessly. "Do with me as you will. OW!" Ranma yelped as Akane grabbed him by the ear and hauled him to his feet.

"Please go on with the ceremony," She instructed the flabbergasted bride. "We'll take this outside. Just a little misunderstanding, I'm sure. Let's go, Ranma," Akane said under her breath, voice dangerously calm. She grabbed Ranma's pigtail and towed him outside, shutting the door behind herself carefully.

Once outside, Akane carefully counted to ten. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?!?!" she shrieked. Ranma winced.

"Well...I overheard you and Kasumi talking yesterday," he mumbled, miserably confused. Akane scowled.

"So? You decided to crash Setsuko's wedding?!"

"No! I thought...why was it such a big secret? Why did you tell Kasumi to make sure I didn't find out?"

"Setsuko's parents didn't approve of her boyfriend, so it was kept a secret. And I didn't want you to know, because I didn't want you to blab to somebody and get her in trouble. Now answer me, Ranma. Why did you just do that?!"

"I. . .I thought it was you."

Akane looked confused. "What?"

"I thought. . .it was you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, Kasumi said something about you being a bride. I thought. . ."

"Ranma, you dope! Kasumi was just being sentimental! You idiot!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know?" Ranma said defensively. "You were being so sneaky."

"Good grief, Ranma! You really are a jerk! You actually think I would do something like that?"

"Maybe."

"You creep!" Akane felt her face turn red as she clenched her fists. "Even if I did, what right do you have to come bursting in like that?! You'd crash my wedding?!"

"Of course I would!" Ranma was getting angry now as well. "You're MY fiancee, Akane!"

"You can't tell me who to marry!"

"Yes I can! You're mine!"

"I'm not yours! What do you take me for, some kind of possession?!"

"You're my fiancee! You belong to me!"

"Wha-?! I can't believe you! You're such a..a...ooh! I HATE you, you pig-headed, chauvinistic JERK!" Akane slapped him, hard. As she withdrew her hand, Ranma gasped, touching his face where she had hit him. "Go home, Ranma," Akane said, her voice low and quivering with fury. Without another word, Ranma turned and walked home. He felt almost numb. Without a word to anyone, Ranma went straight to the dojo and locked himself in.

"Oooh!" Akane was still steaming. She walked into the house, ripping off her long gloves. "That cretin makes me so FURIOUS!"

"Oh, my, Akane! What happened?" Kasumi appeared, looking worried. Akane crossed her arms.

"Oh, that stupid jerk Ranma crashed the wedding."

Kasumi gasped. "But, why?"

"Oh, claims he thought it was me. Can you believe that jerk?! As if he has the right to decide who I marry, ANYWAY. And THEN he has the nerve to say that I 'belong' to him. That sexist JERK!!"

"Oh, Akane. . ." Kasumi shook her head. "Oh, dear. I'm afraid you may have misunderstood him." Akane laughed rudely, but Kasumi continued. "Akane, I don't think Ranma meant to be condescending. You DO belong to him." Akane opened her mouth in shock, but Kasumi went on. "Wait. You belong to him. And he belongs to you. He's your fiancee, Akane. That's what it means. And I can tell. You've become a part of each other. There's a bit of Ranma that makes you Akane. And a bit of Akane that makes Ranma Ranma. You wouldn't be the same without each other. And, as for disrupting your wedding. . ." Kasumi paused and gave Akane a look rather more keen than her usual placid expression. "Akane, if the situation were reversed, are you so sure that you wouldn't do the same?"

"Of course I would!" Akane blurted without thinking. "I could never let him marry one of those bimbos, I'd..." She trailed off as she suddenly realized what she had just said.

Kasumi nodded. "Do you see, Akane? What you need to understand now can be explained with a question. Why? Why couldn't you let Ranma marry someone else?"

Akane didn't say anything, but her eyes told Kasumi everything she wanted to know. Akane felt the blood drain from her face.

'Because I. . .Ranma! No, that can't be!' "I've gotta find him!" Akane turned and ran into the yard, calling Ranma's name almost unconsciously. The dojo door was closed. The dojo!

Ranma was not crying. But he was giving it serious consideration. He had his knees drawn up and his face was pressed against them. He thought he heard Akane's voice, but attributed it to wishful thinking.

Until she nearly kicked the dojo door in.

"Ranma! Open this door now right! I know you're in there!" Akane's voice sounded close to panic. Ranma slowly got up and walked over to the door. He unlocked it and instantly it was slammed violently open and Akane stood there, her eyes wide.

"Ranma!"

"Akane." He regarded her dully. "What's the matter? Oh, wait, lemme guess. You caught the bouquet and you're being chased by a bunch of crazy bridesmaids, right?" Ranma's voice was monotone. Akane slid the door shut behind herself.

"Cut it out, Ranma," she said quietly, her voice low. Ranma sighed.

"Fine. Didja come to yell at me some more or what?"

"No. Nothing like that. Ranma. . ." Akane hesitated. "Why did you do it?"

"I told you before. I thought you were getting married."

"But why did you do it?"

"Don't be stupid, Akane. You know why."

"Tell me."

Ranma looked at her, his eyes sad and tired. "Because there's no way in the world I'd ever let you marry any guy but me."

Akane was startled. "Because our dads engaged us?" she managed. Ranma shook his head.

"No. Because. . .I. . ." Ranma clenched his fists, unable to say what he wanted to say. Finally, he spoke, his voice low. "Because I can't stand the thought of you with another guy," he whispered.

"Ranma. . .?"

"Look, I don't like it, ok?" Ranma's eyes were troubled. "I don't want you gettin' married to anybody but me!" Ranma seemed close to tears now. Akane was close to shock. "You're mine, Akane! I'm the one who's fought for you, I'm the one who's gone thru hell just cause I wanna be with you and nobody wants to let me! I put up with pop, I put up with Kuno, I put up with Ryoga and all the crazy girls who claim they love me, I put up with everything for you! It's all for you! You don't think I coulda run away? I coulda gone to China, found my cure, been NORMAL for once, but I can't leave because I want to be with you!" Akane stared at her fiancee, wide eyed. Ranma was crying. He may not even have noticed. Akane felt a surge of pain and shame and...something else. It was the something else that made her take another step and hug Ranma tightly. He stood silently for a moment, then he put his arms around her and returned her hug fiercely.

"Ranma. . .why didn't you just tell me?"

"I tried! Lots of times. I don't. . .I don't talk good about stuff like that..."

Akane lifted her head to look into his face. "You sounded fine to me," she said gently. Ranma swallowed hard, closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry about this morning. It was an accident, but...I thought..."

"I know." Akane laid her head on his chest. "I understand. And. . .I'm glad you did it, Ranma. Although, it was totally unnecessary."

"What do you mean?" Ranma sounded confused. Akane looked up at him again, and her eyes were bright with tears.

"You stupid idiot," she whispered. "Don't you know that I could never marry anybody but you?"

Ranma stared at her.

Then, a shy smile slowly tilted his lips. "Akane. . ."

Akane smiled back, although she was almost crying by now. "Ranma, I'm not good at this kind of thing, either, but...you're...you're the one I..."

Akane sneezed. She couldn't believe it. Of all the most miserable times in the world to sneeze, this was the worst by a hundredfold. But Ranma was laughing. Akane glared at him.

"What's so funny?"

"You. You're so. . .cute." Ranma smiled at her, his eyes kind. "Akane. . .I. . .lo. . ." Akane's heart was pounding. Would he say it? Please, let him say it! "I. . .love. . .y-you. . .Akane," Ranma whispered. He waited while Akane stared at him.

Then she threw herself into his arms and hugged him for dear life.

"Ranma, I . . . I love you, too!"

Kasumi hadn't heard anything from the dojo for quite some time. Feeling slightly worried, she decided to check things out, just in case. She walked out into the yard and out to the dojo. The door was shut, so Kasumi slid it open in her usual, calm, quite way. Then she gasped.

Ranma and Akane were standing in the middle of the dojo. Ranma's arms were tightly around her waist, his hands resting on her back. One of Akane's arms was tightly around his neck, and the other rested on his cheek. They were kissing each other like there was no tomorrow, and no yesterday, for that matter. They didn't even hear Kasumi gasp. Shocked, Kasumi started to back out and stumbled over the rise in the doorway.

"Oh!"

Ranma and Akane broke apart, gasping. Akane instantly brought her arms to her sides, but Ranma forgot to release her for a moment.

"K-Kasumi! What are you doing here?" Akane stammered guiltily.

"Just checking on you." Kasumi smiled placidly. "I see you've...made up. I always knew you'd be found like this someday. I'm just glad it was me and not Nabiki or father."

"Me too," Ranma muttered, blushing.

"Congratulations, you two. I'm glad your true feelings are finally out in the open."

"True feelings?"

"Of course. Everyone could see them but you." Kasumi smiled. "I think I'll make dinner now. You might want to lock the door if you plan on staying longer." Akane was shocked. Kasumi waved, smiling and left the pair to stare at each other.

"Did you know she was like that?" Ranma asked.

Akane looked at him, her eyes still wide. "I'd always suspected, but...wow." Akane blushed then. "Ranma, I..."

"You don't have to say anything. This doesn't change anything. Except..." Ranma laughed softly. "Maybe we won't have to fight so much anymore."

"Yeah. Ranma?"

"Yeah?"

"Did...did you mean what you said? Do you really want to marry me?"

Ranma blushed. "Y-yeah . . . When we're old enough, I want to . . . m-marry you." Silence for a moment, then- "W-well? What do you think?"

Akane smiled. "I think . . . I want to marry you, too."

The End

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