This is a little something that popped in my mind...(what does that say?) It
could bea touchy subject... But I think it's an interesting one... Please
C&C. I post so many stories and hardly anyone says anything... I like 
feedback... Anyway... here goes...

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Clogged Sink Press Presents:

Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction:


                             A Momentary Lapse


By Plunger

      All characters copyright of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc. and
              Viz Communications, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah...
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WARNING: Darkfic ahead. Beware of emotional crises.
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[Story begins...]

Ranma had had a lousy day. He'd been harrased at work by idiots with deadlines, 
and incompetant underlings. He sighed frustratedly. He wished that the doujou 
would make enough money that he could run it full time. He sighed again. 
Sometimes, wishing didn't make things come through...

He stalked down the street and up to the house. He was tired, depressed and
he had a splitting headache. He was looking forward to some rest at home with
his wife.

He stepped up to the door and knocked. A moment later, the door opened to 
reveal Akane smiling at him. "Welcome home!" she said cheerfully. He smiled 
and kissed her as she led him into the house.

"How was work?" she asked conversationally, as she headed for the kitchen. 

Ranma muttered something inconsequential and sat down. 

Akane came back in and said, "Have you seen the bills?"

"No." Ranma replied.

"Well you should. They're due soon." she added.

"So?"

Akane looked up from the flowers she was arranging, "So you'd better pay 
them."

"I will!" Ranma retorted angrilly, "I've been working that stupid job to do 
it!"

Akane stared, "I know that! There's no need to shout at me!"

Ranma snorted, "Could have fooled me... You don't seem to appreciate me much!"

Akane stared, "You think the whole world revolves around you, don't you?!"

"I do not! I just wish I didn't have to do all this stupid stuff! I'm a 
martial artist! Why am I doing it?!" Ranma muttered sourly.

Akane went back to her work, "Martial arts doesn't feed your family, 
Ranma..."

"What I'm doing barely does, either!" he returned.

"Is that my fault?!" Akane shouted.

"Yes! You could get a job!" he yelled, his anger rising.

Akane fumed, "Me?! I didn't get to go to college! I got pregnant remember?!
Who's fault was that?!" 

Ranma snorted, "Convenient excuse..."

Akane gaped, "Ranma... You're talking about our daughter!"

Ranma shrugged and got up, "I think I'll go out... It's obvious I'm not going
to be able to relax here!"

Ranma turned and started to walk away from Akane, rage simmering inside. He 
did not need this kind of agrovation.

Akane moved around in front of him, blocking his way. "Ranma! We have to talk 
about this! You can't bottle it up!" 

Ranma glared at her, "Why?! What is there to say?"

Akane looked desparate for a moment and then said, "That you're sorry! That
you didn't mean it! That you don't blame me!"

Ranma looked down and clenched his fists.

Akane stared at him. "Ranma?! Are you going to say anything?!"

Ranma looked up, his eyes dark and cold, "No! I'm not!"

Akane's face collapsed, "Ranma! You fool!" She swung a fist to hit him. 

Suddenly, without a conscious thought, Ranma's hand came up and blocked hers, 
then swung back and slammed into her cheek. She staggered back with a shreik 
and fell to her knees.

Akane sat on the floor for a moment in disbelief. He had hit her. Ranma. 
Her husband. He who had vowed to protect her, had hit her. THe pain of his 
betrayal hurting more than any punch. She began to cry uncontrolably.

Ranma, hearing her crying, looked down at her coldly. She looked up, her eyes
red and tears streaming down her face. 

Ranma's anger dissolved as he saw her expression and it terrorfied him. It
was fear. "Akane..." he began, but he really didn't know what to say. Her 
accusing and frightened expression said it all. He had betrayed her in the 
worst possible way and it tore at him inside. 

With a disgusted curse of self loathing, Ranma turned and stalked out of the 
house.

Ranma walked out and leapt up onto the doujou roof. He sat down feeling
utterly wretched.

"Man..." he muttered, "Is this what I've become? Some overworked desk jockey 
who comes home at night and beats on his wife to relieve his stress?" Ranma 
bowed his head in distress. "How could I do that? What was I thinking?!"

He lay back, slamming his fist on the roof. "Dammit! Why did this have to 
happen?! I'm a martial artist! I should be training... Not pushing paper!"

He sighed, sitting up and resting his head on his knees, "I can't believe
it... I hit a girl..." He looked up and grimly added, "No. Worse. I hit my 
wife... HOW COULD I?! What was I thinking?!" He sat for a moment, mentally 
berating himself.

"I was tired.. Yeah... That's it... And this headache... I can't have been
thinking straight... It was all a mistake... It has to be... It has to be...
It has to..."

Ranma slowly stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof. "I have to go 
in... Tell her I'm sorry... I..didn't mean to hurt her... Did I?" Ranma 
slumped down again. 

He remained in that position for a long time. Finally, he raised his head 
to reveal tears running down his face. "I'm sorry, Akane... I didn't mean
it... Really..." He got up and jump off the roof, a look of resolution on 
his face.

Ranma walked back into the room to find Akane sitting at the dinner table.
Her cheek was swolen and her eyes were red from crying. He moved quiety over 
to sit across from her.

"Akane... I..I'm sorry..." he murmured. "I..I've had a bad day and... I guess
I was... I don't know... Tense... I lost control... I didn't mean to hurt 
you... You know that. I love you..."

Akane looked up at him, as if for the first time, and said, "Do I? How can I 
ever trust you again?"

Ranma felt the life drain out of him as a cold fear settled in his stomach...
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                                  - Fin -

Okay... Not much to this one... It was written in 45 mins so it's pretty 
brief. As you can guess, this is about domestic violence and how it can 
invade even the most perfect of worlds and touch any relationship. Think
about it...
                                                                 P-word.
plunger@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au