"Soothing Noriko", a Ranma 1/2 fanfic by KaraOhki, June 7, 1998.

Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi (Yes, we know), and this story
is not intended for
commercial purposes, or to infringe on her rights.

The author can be contacted at karaohki@snet.net

{ } indicates thought

*****

Author's Note:

For those who've read my story "Breaking Free", this short story will
fit into that time frame.

Subject: Mr. and Mrs. Ranma Saotome are discovering some of the dubious
"joys" of parenting.



                         SOOTHING NORIKO


1:00 a.m.

The wailing was soft at first, and then increased in volume.

Ranma sat up, and was joined seconds later by Akane.  Akane pushed the
sheets back, swung her
legs over the side of the bed, and was dragged back by Ranma.  He tucked
her in, and got up.

"It's my turn.  Go back to sleep."

Akane merely nodded, and closed her eyes.  She had dark circles under
them from lack of sleep.

Noriko was teething.  Ranma couldn't remember anything he'd experienced
that was as difficult
as watching his daughter cry, sometimes for hours on end.  He would have
preferred suffering
through a training trip in the rain to seeing her like this.

Noriko's diaper needed changing, and Ranma hoped that being clean and
dry would soothe her,
but she continued to cry.  His tired legs moved without thought as he
paced back and forth,
rubbing her back, and talking softly to her.

****

1:30 a.m.

Ranma held his breath as he tucked Noriko back into her crib.  When he
tried it ten minutes ago,
she'd begun to cry again.  This time she let out a soft sigh, and
settled down.

Within seconds, Ranma was back in his bed, asleep.

****

2:45 a.m.

By the time Akane finished changing Noriko, she was wailing at the top
of her voice.  Akane
couldn't help but marvel that such a tiny girl could have such a loud
cry.

{Ranma has a morning class to teach.  He needs his sleep.}

Akane carried Noriko downstairs, and retrieved her teething ring from
the refrigerator.  Noriko,
however, would have none of it.  Every time her mother tried to put it
into her mouth she turned
her head away, screaming.

By this time, Akane was near tears herself.

"Please, sweetie, take this.  It will make you feel better."

Then Akane's sleep-deprived brain remembered something someone had told
her.

{Please, please let this work.}

****

3:00 a.m.

Ranma opened his eyes, to see Akane's half of the bed empty.  He turned
over, but she was not in
the rocking chair.  A quick check of Noriko's room proved it empty, and
he went downstairs.

It was dark and quiet downstairs, and Ranma was beginning to worry when
he saw light coming
from the direction of the bathroom.

****

Akane looked up as the bathroom door slid open, and held her finger to
her lips.  She was in the
tub, cradling Noriko against her.  Noriko was sucking on her teething
ring, her half-closed eyes
gazing at her mother.

Ranma kept his voice to a whisper.

"What made you do this?"

"Your mother suggested it.  She said that she spent a lot of nights in
the bathtub with you when
you were teething."

Ranma couldn't help grinning.

"Maybe that's where I developed my love of soaking.  May I join you?"

Akane's response was to make room.

Within minutes, Noriko was asleep, and Ranma took her from Akane.  He
placed the baby on his
chest, wrapped one arm around her, and the other around his wife.

****

3:30 a.m.

The increase in the weight on his arm indicated that Akane had fallen
asleep.  Ranma shifted her
so that he could hold her more securely, and settled down to wait.

Eventually, Ranma would have to wake Akane so they could all get back to
bed, but for now he
was quite content to let his girls sleep.

_________________________




Thank you for reading

Comments welcome
mailto:karaohki@snet.net

my other stories can be found at
http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/statue/196