All Ranma characters and suchnot, are copyright by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz,
and whomever else owns a piece of the wonderful world of Ranma 1/2 They
aren't mine, and I'm borrowing them for a purely non-profit fictional work.
 As promised this is not Filkish, or silly.  Please be kind this is my
first attempt at real fic.

------

Is this what death feels like?

The water's so warm, it enfolds me, welcome's me, makes me feel safe.
Though I wish, I wish I'd told him.

------

"No!" Ramna screamed as he dove forward, hitting the warm water.  His hands
stretched out before him, trying vainly to reach her as she slipped below
the surface, sinking quickly and quietly into the warm embrace of the
Jusenkyo pool.

------

She saw the hand reaching for her, she rose towards it, reached it, grasped
it and her breath, like the zephyr wind, died.  The shell cast away.  A new
home found, warm, safe�. she slept.

------

"What have you done to my little girl!"  The Demon-headed Soun bawled as
Ranma worked frantically on Akane's still form.

'Breathe dammit!  Come on tomboy, breathe, breathe, breathe.'  Thre mantra
in his mind continued as he repeatedly brought his lips to meet hers,
trying to force air into her still lungs.  'She can't be dead, she just
can't be'.

"Who's dead?"

"Huh!"  Ranma looked around frantically, his grip on reality taking a
sudden dive as he could have sworn Akane had addressed him.

Suddenly a cane came down with a massive thump, jarring her chest.  "Come
on heart, pump!" Cologne said as she 'pushed' the distraught boy aside.
Ranma collapsed into a still heap, sleeping.  "Oops, son-in-law very tired."

Cologne quickly took over the task of breathing life back into Akane, after
all Akane would have made a good Amazon if the circumstances were better,
also would be good to have son-in-law owe her favour, big-time.  Moments
later, a sharp cough signalled her apparent success.  "Get fire started,
and find a cart".

"But, but, but."  Blubbered the still demonic head of Soun, "she's not
moving.  Useless Boy!  You can't even protect your own fiance!" He screamed
again turning to face the still-comatose Ranma.  "And! You!" His head
swiveling around (and around) 360 degrees to face Ryoga.  "It's almost as
much your fault as is is Ranma's that MY LITTLE GIRL fell into that pool,
what were you thinking of fighting like that!  Last time you took her hair,
now what have you taken?"

A fleeting look of concern crossed Cologne's face, Akane wasn't moving and
she seemed to be shrinking into herself as she lay there.  This was not
something even Cologne was sure of how to deal with.  "Wake up,
son-in-law", the use of the appropriate touch point bring Ranma back to
conciousness.

"Akane?"  His hand reached out touched her once before he was
unceremoniously dragged away.  In the instant his hand touched hers, a
faint silver cord appeared, tying the two together.  No one noticed.

------

"Ranma, look out!"  

Ranma stopped suddenly, his foot poised gracefully above the puddle of
water, on close inspection the very deep puddle of water� cold water.  He
looked around frantically, trying to see who'd warned him.  Seeing no one,
he continued to walk behind the covered cart carrying Akane's apparently
lifeless form.

"Geez, Ranma you baka."

------

"Incoming."

Unconciously Ranma stepped out of the path of the incoming GLOMP from
Shampoo.  He continued along behind the cart.  "Come on wake you stupid,
uncute, tomboy."

------

A week later

 "Doctor, is there any hope?"  Soun asked.

"Well it's hard say, I mean there's nothing wrong physically.  But that's
the problem with comas, we don't know a lot about them, what causes them
or, unfortunately, what cures them," the doctor said as he finished
examining Akane for the twentieth time in a today.  < I hope this guy gets
the hint, his daughter is just not there> he thought with some malice.
After all Soun, and the rest of the horde for that matter, had been giving
him and his staff hell, not to mention the building, which was now
seriously in need of repair.  That Ranma boy was worst though, he hadn't
left the patient's side at all.  "I suggest Sir, the you have a word with
the young gentleman in there, I mean a shower wouldn't hurt."

"Ranma, the doctor's right.  Akane's not going to appreciate waking up and
finding you smelling like something she's cooked.  Couldn't you have at
least had one shower between the pools and here."  Nabiki commented with a
little malice, after all she was standing next o Ranma at the moment and he
#reeked#.

"Yeh, Ran-chan.  She ain't coming back to the one who couldn't save her"
Ryoga snarled, his own frustration at Akane's plight fully evident.

"Yeh, well I didn't see you saving her either, Pig-boy!"

"Out! I'm tired of you two fighting in here.  Your constant fighting is not
going to help the patient wake up!"  The doctor yelled, finally having had
enough.

""But didn't you say that a semblance of normality around her might help in
her recovery?"  Kasumi asked from the shadows.

"Yes."  He answered, "but what does that have..."

"Well, Ranma and Ryoga always fight."

"I don't care at the moment.  My staff and I have other patients to tend
and this disruptive behaviour is not good for them."

"Well, we could always take Akane home.  You said there's nothing
physically wrong with her, so maybe home might be the better environment."
Kasumi suggested reasonably.  "Our own physician Dr. Tofu could supervise
her if necessary".

"Will it get these idiots out of my hospital?"

"Yes"

"I'll sign the paper work immediately."

------

Dr. Tofu's Residence�..

"Kasumi, I suggest you wait outside until we get Akane safely installed,
after all Dr. Tofu does get a little silly around you still sis."  Nabiki
suggested calmly.  "You take our #stinking heroes# home."

"Dr Tofu, we've brought Akane."

"Bring her in, I've got a room set up for her."

------

The Dojo�..

"Ok Ranma. You first.  We've got plenty of HOT water so there is no reason
for you to continue to smell that way is there?"

Faced with no choice but to finally bathe Ranma found himself oddly unsure.
 He'd actually manage to avoid cold water for an entire week, an unheard of
reprieve from his curse.  But he now found himself with an unnatural desire
to plunge under a nice cold shower, maybe if he visted Akane as Ran-chan
she might actually react and he found himself oddly in need of a reaction
from Akane.

"What on earth for?"

Startled Ranma's hand turned the cold tap on full.

------

"Ryoga, will you go hurry Ranma up.  Lunch has been served and the rate
Father and Uncle Genma are eating there will soon be nothing left."  Kasumi
called from the kitchen, momentarily forgetting the lost boys perchance for
getting lost.

Ryoga finally found his way upstairs, walking into the hall as Akane walked
out of her room.

------

To Be Continued���