HARD TO SAY GOODBYE 

~By K-chan~
k-chan@rocketmail.com

*Ranma 1/2 characters are copywrited to the ingenius of Rumiko
Takahashi and co.. I own nothing on these characters or their
"unusual" situations.*
~Be warned, this will be a sadfic but as for a bitter ending...?
You'll just have to find out... ^_~ 
~I'm taking this from the manga, so no Sasuke in this one.~
~E-mail for previous chapters as I'm useless at putting up web
pages!~
~Just some revisions towards the end of the chapter that are important to
the plot that made this worth a repost.~
~C&C on grammar and punctuation appreciated!~


Chapter 6: In Deep With Fire And Ice

       The situation was out of control and she knew that she couldn't let
it go on any more, _something_ had to be done. Nabiki looked into the mirror
and stared seriously at her reflection, contemplating.
       "These split ends are just no good for me, I need a haircut," she
stated, brushing her hair into something fairly neat, noticing how her bob
cut had lost its sharpness. "I've been letting it go, recently. Letting too
many things go..."
       She heard steps echo in the street opposite her window. It was only
5:30 a.m., who could be up at this time? Curious, she opened the curtains
slightly and glanced outside, past the garden. The streetlights hollowed out
the dark night with artificial illuminance so she viewed the street with
some clarity. A single person wandered down the road... tall; short, black
hair; mucky clothes and they dragged a container of some kind but
Nabiki couldn't quite see their face. The person looked over their shoulder
and caught her eye... it-it was him!
       "Kuno..." she quietly breathed in surprise, watching as he watched
her for a moment, seeming to be surprised, too. He continued to walk on but
with a pace in his step. Quickly regaining her composure, Nabiki hurried
down the stairs, put on her coat and shoes and rushed outside, hoping to
catch up with him before he disappeared. The cold air blasted against her
face as she stepped out, wishing that she'd put on her gloves. But time
couldn't be wasted. At least she had an idea where he was heading: towards
his old house. What was he thinking of doing?

* * * * * * * * * * * * *         
     
       Oh dear, he had been spotted by someone, by one who could stop this.
She could call the police or even worse, talk him out of it even though he
knew it was the best thing to do. No choices were left to him! The plan had
to be delayed 'til tonight, until she was gone. A detour was necessary, away
from the house. The pain will be endured for another day. That girl! Why did
she have to be up so early?!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

       Where did he go? She was sure that she'd seen him go down here! At
least she was nearing the house, if he was even there...
       Nabiki continued to pace towards where a proud home had once been,
but was now no more. Soon, it came into view, barely visible as no
streetlights were graced near it, the neighbours spooked into going away
from long holidays. Unable to deal with the tragedy, they had enough money
to escape, at least temporarily. 
       Not much seemed to be left of the house, demolished for safety, soon
to be completely cleared away. It felt... weird to see it like this now. So
quiet and so still. She stopped, just to gaze at it for a moment. The house
had been there since before she was born, a constant, like the Kunos - who
caused chaos ahead of Ranma's arrival. A family guaranteed to give you a
laugh with their exploits whether they meant to or not. But now their
constancy was no more, reminding all that nothing had a safe, secure fate.
       'Fwap, fwap.'
       The gentle breeze, which brushed through the taped barricade
surrounding the ex-home, freed Nabiki from her thoughts. After going under
the safety tape, she ventured into the area, peering into the night for the
sight of Kuno. He was here... wasn't he? She ignored the chilly air nipping
and biting at any exposed skin. 
       "Kuno, it's only me here!" she called out to silence. Where was that
idiot?! The soft, mushy ground became harder and started to echo as she
moved across it. Echoed?
       'Crunch! Creeeeaak!'
       Oh no, she had to g-

* * * * * * * * * * * * *       
       
       A few hours passed and the sun began to rise to the sky, hidden by
the dark clouds, threatening to pour rain over Tokyo... Nerima was no
different...

       "Akane! Nabiki! Time to get up, breakfast time!" Kasumi cheerily
announced along the corridor.
        "I'm up, Kasumi, I'm just getting ready for school!" Akane shouted
back through to the hall and five minutes later appeared from her room,
dressed neatly. She glanced at Nabiki's bedroom door and then trotted over
to it.
        'Knock, knock, knock.'
        "C'mon, Nabiki, wake up." Akane knew that Nabiki wasn't a morning
person but she usually set an alarm or two to make sure. Nabiki's alarm
clocks were so loud that they woke up Akane before her own alarm did. She
frowned as she received no response from the other side of the door. "Hey,
sis, get up,  we've won the lottery...!" Nothing. "A billionaire has asked
for your hand in marriage...!" Nothing again. Just silence, how odd.
Cautiously, Akane opened Nabiki's door and peered inside: the curtains were
slightly open, school books were scattered on the desk, a school satchel lay
on the floor, the bed looked slept-in but there was no sign of Nabiki
anywhere. Kasumi must have got it wrong, Nabiki was probably having a bath
or something like that. Well, that made sense.
      Akane descended the stairs and made her way to the breakfast table
where Ranma and Mr. Saotome fought over fish-cake, her father smoked his
horrible tobacco and Kasumi ate quietly and gracefully.  She took her normal
seat beside Ranma and growled as she realised that all the fish cakes had
gone.
       "So is Nabiki coming for something to eat?" Kasumi asked her.
       "She's not in her bedroom, I think she's taking a bath." Akane
continued to eat what little food was left over, shooting a foul look at
Ranma, who was completely oblivious to it, or who seemed to be.
       "But I checked the bathroom before going upstairs," explained the
eldest sister. "Oh, yes, that's right! Nabiki did say she was going in early
but I hadn't realised it would be before breakfast that she went." 
        ...Without her school books and bag, though? Nabiki wasn't
disorganised like that. Akane couldn't think of any good reason for it... it
just wasn't like her sister...

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
 	
      Nearly three-quarters of an hour later...
      Jiki rubbed his hands together, reprimanding himself for forgetting
his gloves on a freezing day like this and those rainclouds didn't look as
if they were going to help him, either. He leaned against the wall, just
inside the school, near the gates. For the twentieth time, the teenager
checked the school clock and his watch, they both said that there were only
a few minutes to the bell. 
       It was getting cold and he'd been waiting for nearly half-an-hour...
where was Nabiki? This weather was _not_ helping his mood. Was this her
punishment for his slip-up? Couldn't be... then what was keeping her? This
was not good.
       Ah ha! There was her younger sister coming through the gates. Now,
all he had to do was work up the courage to ask where Nabiki was. Oh no, her
marital artist fianc� was with her! Oh, he should've known.
       Then again, maybe this was a test by Nabiki to increase his backbone.
And... and... if he didn't go through with it, Nabiki might get angry with
him and he feared her more than Ranma Saotome... just. 
       Sucking his breath with trepidation, Jiki walked cautiously up to
Akane, who was having a small fight with Saotome. Oh boy. Tapping her gently
on the shoulder, Jiki let out his breath and spoke nervously, "Akane Tendo?
May I speak with you?" She stopped arguing and turned round to meet him,
looking quite surprised. No wonder, few of the schoolboys ever seemed to
address her politely or treat her normally. He would know as he was in the
same class as Akane and Saotome.
      "Yes?"
      "My name's Jiki. Do you know where your sister, Nabiki Tendo, is?" he
asked in the most confident manner he could and ended up sounding almost
normal.
       A brief flash of worry and anxiety passed over her face. "Why?
Haven't you seen her?" There was slight tinge of hope in her tone of voice
and Jiki could see it on her face.
       "I haven't." The subtle look of hope on Akane's face disappeared.
"I... was supposed to meet her here half-an-hour ago and she hasn't turned
up. I was just wondering if you knew..."
       "And did you turn up late for this meeting? She-she could have gone
inside, already."
       "I've been here an hour, Miss Tendo," Jiki answered Akane. "You don't
turn up late for a meeting with Nabiki, you just don't." 
       "Maybe she forgot school was starting..." Akane hoped.
       At this point, Ranma stepped in to the conversation. He was so Jiki's
opposite: confident, skilled and strong. Jiki took a step back,
unconsciously.
       "Nah..." Ranma added, "Not Nabiki. She told me that school was
startin' today... and took pleasure in telling me, too."
       "Are you sure that you didn't get it wrong?" Akane was clearly
getting more disturbed.             
        Jiki became anxious at Akane's worried tone; something must have
happened to Nabiki for Akane to be agitated like this. "No, on the phone
yesterday, she told me very clearly to meet her before school." 
       "Hey, don't worry about it, Akane," Ranma confidently told her. "This
is Nabiki we're talking about here. Nothing's happened to her, she wouldn't
let it and no-one would dare if they know what's good for 'em." He was
obviously trying to assure his fiancee, trying to ease her mind; Jiki wished
he had a friend like that. "We'll check for her at lunch-time, right, Jiki?"
       "Y-yes, straight after class. I'm sure we'll find her," Jiki
asserted, but neither he nor Akane were quite as confident of it as Ranma
seemed to be.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
       
        "Uhhh... where the heck am I?" The place was drowning in darkness
and Nabiki couldn't see a thing, except slight shadows embracing
indistinguishable objects. The last thing she remembered... no, no the
memory was so fuzzy.... it involved falling, so much falling... Her breath
choked and coughed against the thick, dusty, clogged air of wherever she
was. Sharp pains stabbed her head sadistically as she coughed, breathing in
the dryness that stung her sore throat. "Have to get out of here," her
hoarse throat croaked pathetically and she was ashamed at the sound.
       Lifting her head slowly from the rough, splintered floor to which
she'd fallen, her shaky hands cautiously levered her up. Still all she saw
were shadows - stupid, hazy shadows giving no depth or clues. Having managed
to balance on her hands, Nabiki decided to try and move her legs.
       "Aaaahhh!" Nabiki shrieked as the pain rocketed up a leg, forcing her
to collapse back onto the floor. She tried again to move the other leg but
any jerky movement snapped her body with spasms. Was her leg broken? Her
hands dragged her forward but with every bump in the floor, her body cried
at her to stop. Moving fast was obviously not an option at this point. But
she had to get rid of this headache, squeezing her head tighter and tighter
and tighter.... No! Nabiki hoped someone would find her. She didn't like
this at all... she didn't like feeling helpless and alone and... afraid. 
       Sucking her breath in, Nabiki let it all out in a scream, "Heyyyyy!!
Anyone out there??! Anyone at all??! Please!" It was such a weak scream, she
grimaced, no-one would hear her; it would be better to save her breath for
when she heard someone come near. All this just to find that stupid Kuno,
she was beginning to wonder why she ever cared what happened to that
self-centred idiot. She sure didn't care anymore...   

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

         Later as evening gave way to night and the stars pinned themselves
to the velvet sky...
        'Slam!'   
        "Oh, hello Ranma, how did the search go?" a gentle voice asked.
        The martial artist trod through to the main room where Kasumi was
sitting, talking to someone he didn't know. "Sorry Kasumi, no luck, I looked
all over the city." Boy, he was getting to know Tokyo pretty well, _all_ of
Tokyo. So this is how Ryoga felt...
        "Oh, right," Kasumi sighed sadly before re-applying her unassuming
smile. "Have a cup of tea to warm you up." Ranma sat down at the low table,
gulping the drink down in one second, noticing that the female stranger was
watching him closely, recognition of him dawning on her face.
        "Hey," he grinned nervously, wondering why she was looking at him
like that.
        "Oh, my," Kasumi said. "I haven't introduced you two. Ranma... this
is a nice detective from the police: Detective Hasunari. She's here to help
us find Nabiki."
        "Oh really? But doesn't someone have to be gone for twenty-four
hours before you guys are called out?" Ranma enquired.
        "Nabiki's a special case and we take all disappearances in Nerima
seriously," answered Hasunari. "I think you know why; Nerima is... well,
Nerima."
       "Nabiki's a special case? Why?" Ranma thought about it and then
realisation came. "Oh, yeah... this _is_ Nabiki we're talking about. Special
connections and all, I bet."
        Hasunari ignored Ranma's loaded remarks and continued to speak,
"Ranma, could you answer a few questions for me?"
       "Sure."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 
        
       Opening her eyes, Nabiki cursed herself, "How could I lose
consciousness again?!" The shadows had disappeared and now the room -
completely bathed in black - gave her little comfort. Sudden echoes
disrupted the eerie peace and Nabiki found her heart tightening in response
as instincts kicked in. Who... who was that? Could they help her? Did she
want them to? 
       'Tip-tmp, tip-tap.'       
       Remaining quiet, she listened as the echoes of the footsteps came so
near but remained so far. She reasoned that she was in a building of some
kind and there were rooms connected to it, corridors and passageways going
around it.  If she could only remember where she'd fallen from! 
      Along with the reverberating footsteps, there was the faint but
distinctive sound of liquid being sloshed and splashed erratically onto a
floor in the other room(s) but not in this one. 
      ~Creeaaak!~ Whoever it was entered the room but they were far from
where Nabiki lay. Neither one of them could see each other in the sweeping
blackness. Nabiki wondered whether she should call out to the stranger -
were they friend or foe? The stranger still was unaware of her and seemed to
be talking angrily to themself, something about 'running out of...' of what?
That was one familiar voice though, but they were talking too quietly for
her to place it. 
       Nabiki listened intently as the stranger started to walk away and
opened the creaking door. "No! Don't go, I need help!" she cried out at the
last minute, sacrificing her pride but her voice was still hoarse and she
could barely make out what she herself had said. Argh! She should've done it
while the stranger was still near her! It might have done some good then!
Maybe they would come back to finish whatever they'd started. Hang on, there
was a weird smell..? What was it? It smelt like... like petrol?!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *     
      
       Tatewaki stood, with satisfaction barely hidden on his face, his eyes
vacant and wandering, in the remains of his house. He gazed down at the
underground stairs slightly covered by blackened pieces of wood and wondered
how the firemen could have missed it. Morbid memories came to the surface as
he realised that he was standing in what used to be the hallway, at the end
of it the underground stairway leaded to his secret underground training
facility - which had been renovated and expanded just before the fire.
Kodachi's bedroom, where she had died, was only a few feet away and he could
not bear to look at it, her scream already gaining power in his mind.
       Flicking a match and standing a few feet away, he smiled as he
realised that by finishing what the fire had not, there would be nothing to
be ashamed of anymore. The past would soon be dead and his sister would
leave him alone. Maybe his mother was proud of him for his ingenuity, sadly
lacking a couple of weeks back, and had already forgiven him for this? He
remained certain that the blame would be lifted after this.
      The lighted match was tossed down the stairwell. Tatewaki backed
farther away as the flame touched the petrol, turning into flame. Light, so
much light! Blazing, consuming all it crossed! Oh, how he was enjoying
watching the fire pick up the path of petrol he'd laid down. Soon, all of
the Kuno house would be ashes and dust and peace of mind would arrive.  The
past was finally being destroyed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

       Petrol?! Oh god, some crazed arsonist was going to set whatever she
was in on fire! That's what the sloshing was - liquid petroleum! What was
she going to do now? Urging her body to move upwards, Nabiki grumbled as her
body collapsed onto the floor. Several attempts made no difference. No, this
wasn't fair, she had to get out before... warm, it was so warm all of a
sudden. Too warm to be comforting, bathing her in a gradual heat that she
was afraid was coming from what her instincts were telling her of.
       Raising her head, she saw light seeping through the side of a door
and something thick begin to crawl into the large room. It was grey to her
vision and it rose to the ceiling. Smoke! Damn, she was too late, the fire
was getting nearer. Too near. How was she going to get out??! The acrid,
bitter smell filled her stinging throat but she couldn't move. Through fear?
Through pain? She didn't really care. But what was she to do? Crawl her way
out or let the smoke k-ki... end all this. 
       As she stared with morbid horror at what was happening, Nabiki
realised that this was it, this was the end. Smoke filled the room more and
more. What did she have to show for all this? A life of... of... no! She
wouldn't let herself die like this. Helpless. Weak. 
       Pride long abandoned and mindless panic taking over, Nabiki didn't
care that she might never speak again thanks to this, and she was going to
scream however much it hurt. No weak, pathetic screams. Oh no.
"AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!! SOMEONE HELP ME!!!" Breathing in deeply, not letting
the stinging smoke dissuade her, she continued... "AAAAHHHH!!" Soon, all
sense of self was lost in the repeated screams, pure panic driving her. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *  

       Walking away slowly as he stepped over the rubble, sure of his
rightness in this task, Tatewaki peered into the darkness and saw that the
smoke seemed to be rising from the ground, almost as if there was a hole
there. How puzzling. Wasn't the secret underground training facility there,
hidden by fake ground? Ah well, it was near the staircase so the fire must
be eating through the wooden ceiling.
        "AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!!" a scream erupted from nowhere, startling 
Tatewaki. A female scream, so helpless, so familiar, so near.  Just like
Kodachi's. Oh, god, the screams must be in his mind, taunting him over and
over. It was too real. He gripped his hands over his head, shaking his head
madly. His heart felt as if it was being ripped apart by the shrieks of
desperation.
        "Leave me alone, oh, just leave me alone!" he cried to no-one. "I do
not need this!" He started to cry real tears, tears of grief as the memories
of that night slammed into him, stabbing at him and reminding him in morbid
detail of his family's last stand.
       "SOMEONE HELP ME!!!" the scream tore through his melancholic madness,
as real as the rubble he was standing. Oh no, that... that sounded real...
that sounded familiar but it was not Kodachi. No no no no no no no!!
"AAAAHHHH!!"
       Instinct pounced onto him and, heart pounding, he streaked over to
the where the hole was. Wisps of smoke interfered with his vision but beside
the hole lay a purse... It-it was... no! Not her! Not her!! 
       Breath shallow and heart hitting his ribcage, Tatewaki dived into the
smoky hole. He landed beside Nabiki, there were no more screams from her,
just silence. No, gods, no! Choking on the fumes, he carefully picked her up
into his arms. He was barely able to walk as the smoke was suffocating. Had
to get out. For her sake. There was little vision left in the large hall.
Where was the ramp to the dojo, to the exit? Have to find it...
       Struggling to keep breathing, he ran up what he hoped was the ramp to
the dojo which had mysteriously not been harmed by either fires. He nearly
tripped over his wobbling legs - his body desperate for oxygen - but managed
to keep upright, gritting his teeth in determination. Staggering through the
small room, smoke slowly seeping through behind him, he shot over to where
he knew a window was. He had to save her. She couldn't die! She couldn't!
       'Smash! Tinkle...'
       He hurtled his fist through the glass. Pain, so much pain! The glass
was smashed repeatedly to make a hole big enough for two. Tatewaki threw
himself through the window, holding Nabiki close as he took the impact of
the landing. Splintered wood and pieces of glass lay on the ground. His back
was stabbed by the litter. Arrrrgghhh!!! Have to get far away from here, so
much smoke! Run far; keep Nabiki safe. How could he have been so stupid?!
Endangering others for his own gain. Idiot!
      The teenager lingered on the street just a few feet from the wreckage,
clutching her tightly. The smoke from the fire was getting to the boy and
his eyes swirled with anger and determination, fighting off eternal sleep.
He kneeled down and looked at Nabiki's pale face, unmoving in the night
light.
      She reminded him too much of his late sister in hospital. Were the
stabs at his heart from the fire or from this? Oh no, he did not want Nabiki
to go the same way! No!! "Nabiki this is my fault, I am so sorry! This
should not have happened, no!!" he cried to her but there was no response.
"Can you hear me? Can you hear me?! Please wake up! I... I..."   
       Her eyes flickered weakly open and he smiled hopefully as she locked
eyes with him, her expression unreadable. "Kuno, I...  need sleep..." Before
he could say anything, her eyes cruelly shut and her body went limp.
         "NO, wake up!! Don't do this to me!!" he screamed, guilt heavy in
his heart, then he stopped screaming and gazed down at her with melancholy,
"I can hear the fire-engines and ambulance coming near... Please hold on
'till then." The screams of these vehicles rushed closer and closer. He
didn't know what to do to check to see if she was alive; he didn't know how
to help her! What use was he to anyone?! 
        ...But he had to stay with her; his conscience would allow nothing
less. Oh, why was the ambulance taking so long to arrive here??! Even though
he was unable to save his sister and his father, he couldn't let Nabiki
die...

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
End of chapter 6...
If there's anything about this chapter which strikes you as wrong, please
tell me! In other words... me want C&C pretty please!! ^_^ (Not that it ever
hurt an author to be told what they were doing right... ^_~)
NB: Does anyone know if there any mailing lists for any of the Kuno's or any
maps of their house on the net? Thank you for reading this far! Ja ne!