Chapter 3 revisions: This should be fresh in your mind since I just released this some days ago... hmmmm... why do I have the feeling this is getting bigger and bigger.... ???

Ukyo's conversation with Ranma...a few minor twitches here and there
Ukyo's goodbye to Hanae...very minor dusting
Ranma's conversation with Nabiki...moved to Chapter 4
Akane's conversation with her maid...added a paragraph
Ranma's meeting Akane...minor sanding
Akane's conversation with the cook...added a paragraph
Betty/Becky's name was changed to Sara.
Stella's name changed to Ifuko...oh wait wasn't this in chapter two along with the good doctor....

Disclaimer: I own nothing

                    ~  Chapter 3  ~

_...It turns out there was a child, it was devastating to know that
                 she wasn't mine..._

 Ranma tugged on his coat as he started to get up from the blanket he and Ukyo had been sitting on, he had learned never to stay too long with her. Experience told him that things got complicated if he did.

 He brushed a few specks of dirt his kimono had picked up from sitting on the grass. He turned to Ukyo who was starting to stand up.

 She frowned at him prettily then brushed flecks of imaginary dust, which he had already taken off.  "Must you go soon? Hanae looks forwards to your visits."

 Ranma rolled his eyes as Ukyo pouted, Ukyo, he thought, always pouted when she didn't get what she wanted. She stood there fingering strands of her brown hair that fell across her shoulders, waiting expectantly for an answer.

 "You know I only stopped by to say hi, Ukyo. Besides, she *does* go home with me every time Kodachi *isn't*." He turned to get the two swords lying on the grass, although it was Ukyo's duty to take care of Hanae as her foster mother, he still tended to her, formally Ranko was the foster mother of the child, Ukyo was just a friend who took care of her, "I have got to go to Kodachi. It seems she has concocted one of her little games again."

 Ukyo raised an eyebrow as she stood up to help him with the short sword. She knew how troubling Kodachi could be when it came to schemes. The only person she could think who could come close was Nabiki, and Nabiki was already one of the best in doing that. "What is she up to this time?"

 Ranma made a face and said, "It seems as if my lovely *wife* trying to convince everyone she has amnesia." He muttered more under his breath but Ukyo only caught the words angel and crazy.

 For weeks Ranma had gone out of Rose Brier, he settled the orders of Happosai. Burying Kodachi as far as he could under duty, and trying to think of her as little as possible. The troubles at the border and his fiefs were enough to keep his mind occupied. The Regent's move another.

 He never could stop his mouth from speaking before he could think, now, Ukyo was going to go on about her usual thoughts about Kodachi, which she did, "Wife?" She had almost laughed. Almost. "You call that woman a *wife*? You should've married *me*."

 Pushing her gently away he said, "You know I can't marry you Ukyo." But then ... sometimes ... he really *did* wish he had married to her instead of Kodachi, she had been one of his numerous fianc�es and a very close friend when they were young. But that was part of the problem, Ukyo was just a friend. Another was that she was not samurai, and samurai can not marry out of their class... Another was Lord Happosai's orders... and a lot more things. When he did think about it, he resolved that she never would be. It wouldn't be fair, not to her. "It's a little late for that."

 She laughed a little, not like Kodachi's laugh, but a singsong laugh that she had usually used to tease him with, "You call six years a little late?" She patted his shoulder and her eyes twinkled a bit, "Has she met 'Ranko' yet?"

 Looking at her Ranma frowned dubiously, "Don't tell me you believe she has amnesia! Of course she's met her."

 "Mmmmmmm, but wouldn't her reaction be nice to watch...? You know...Even if it is pretend? Kodachi is a damned good actress"

 "You know very much how I hate to play Kodachi's little mind games. As I told her I was and I still am sick and tired of it." He said as Ukyo began to fix his kimono again, which to him, didn't have any flaws.

 She flashed him another one of those impromptu smiles of hers, "You could take me in for a consort."

 Ranma shuddered, part of the reason Happosai had ordered him to become Christian was that a doctrine stated that a man was to have only one wife, it was true he was allowed only one legal wife and could take as much consorts as he wanted, but the Christian laws forbid it. His fianc�es could not follow him afterwards, besides he didn't want any consorts Nabiki took up most of the wife's duty in the household, the others he himself did. "You know the answer to that Nabiki."

 "Hanae really misses you." She pointed out shifting the subject again when it was not going her way.

 "You spoil her." Ranma pointed out, though Hanae seems to have impeccable manners. Ukyo pouted at that and he wondered if women in general really did pout if they didn't get what they want.

 She turned the conversation around again, "What do you have in Rose Brier?"

 "I told you, my wife... And my fief, and my sister and my vassals... do we really have to enumerate?"

 "You can turn her away." She smiled at him sweetly turning her brown hair over her fingers again, another mannerism Ranma had noticed. But divorce was out of the question, there are still reasons why he keeps the sham of a marriage with Kodachi, even if just for pretense.

 Ukyo looked at Ranma in the eye for some time then asked, "Why do you let her get away with all of this Ranma? She's a lunatic! Why can't you leave her?"

 He shifted uncomfortably, he didn't want to get into this subject again, it seemed like for the past visits, she always dragged conversation to that. "Ukyo, there are a lot of reasons you wouldn't understand. If you truly want the best for both of us...you would have let the issue *drop*."

 She reacted to this as if she were slapped, she knew Kodachi had a hold on him. What, she didn't know, and she fully intended to find out. "For both our sakes." She almost didn't hear the last part, but she did.

 Turning her back to him, she sighed looking wistfully back at the house, in some ways, she envied Kodachi, at least she was close to Ranma, she didn't even have to meet him in secret. "I'm not the one who tortures myself with visits, Ranma. Why do you come here? Are you such a glutton for punishment?"

 That question was left unanswered, he didn't need to respond, Ukyo knew the reason. He was here for Hanae. Ranma loved that child so much that he continually went there regardless of what the others thought. He went to visit the child. But then, why leave the child with her in the first place? Why do it when they both knew that it would do more harm than good?

 Ukyo sighed she really did like her charge, she had the same enthusiasm as her father, and she was intelligent too. She often wondered why Ranma had let her take care of the little one, because it was obvious that he adored the little bundle of energy, leaving her with Ukyo did not seem like the best solution when he could just take her with him.

 He never gave her an explanation, and she had never asked for one. She also had not asked the vital question -- who was Hanae's mother. Ranma had never brought the subject up, and she was uncomfortable to initiate it. Sometimes she thought that besides Ranma, no one truly knew.

 "Kodachi went to you." He said quietly, changing the subject, "How long were you going to hide it from me?"

 She whirled around to stare at him wide eye, he couldn't possibly know that. It happened more than six years ago, just before Hanae turned one. Yet, she recalled the memory vividly, as if it had happened just yesterday.

 Ukyo had been surprised to meet Kodachi at the parlor, a beautiful woman, that Kodachi, back then she still was beautiful. Back then, she hadn't known who she was, she hadn't known she was Ranma's wife.

 As she entered the room, she noted the woman all dressed in black. She was testing her spatula's sharpness with the tip of her nail, and laid it gingerly down the table where the rest stood. She had raised her eyes at her when Ukyo came in and there was a wicked smile on her lips, that smile among many others told Ukyo that Kodachi Kuno was one demented soul. "Ukyo Kuonji?"

 She frowned at that sadistic smile, at those glinting eyes, telltale signs of a person who was not rational with her angers -- but then, who was? "Yes, I am Ukyo. Who--"

 "Stay away from my husband." She pulled out a black rose from the back of her obi. She held it against her face and she still held a smile even though her next words were clearly meant to threaten. "If you so much as touch him I *will* kill you."

 "Who are you?" Ukyo demanded as she took a step back. She had just recovered from sickness then and was in no position to fight. Though Kodachi could not possibly know, she suspected that had been the reason the woman picked the day to confront her. Cowards threaten when they are safe.

 "Saotome Kodachi-noh-Ranma." She walked towards Ukyo, and unconsciously she moved another step back, there was a hard gleam in the woman's eyes when she said her words, venom dripping all over it, "You know, Ranma's wife?" She did nothing to Ukyo, but placed the black rose in her hair. There was a stinging sensation and a trickle of blood ran down her face.

 "Remember me well, Kuonji." She smiled again there and let out a series of laughs, challenging Ukyo to take off the flower, she didn't. "I saw him first."

 "On the contrary I knew him since we were six." Her mind's eye flashed a picture of Ranma. Ranma wouldn't like that. He didn't like it when people talked about him like an item, a possession, a prize to be won. She couldn't help herself, not when she was at her weakest and her enemy was close.

 "It's who sees him last that counts." Kodachi threw at her face.

 What's said in anger is often repented in compliance. Without thinking Ukyo flaunted the only thing she could, the only thing she was sure Kodachi did not know, "I have his child."

 It did not give Ukyo the reaction she desired, Kodachi's smile widened. "I thought he would remain faithful. It does not matter if you have his child or not. I will not let him acknowledge the little bastard. I am still his wife, and I will *always* be his wife. I come first before any of his consorts."

 She paused to let those facts sink home and continued, "Do you not think that if he is capable of having one, he can have another? What makes you different from all those whores? Nothing. But I am wed to him before the Shinto gods and before the Christian one, he will forever be mine." She took another black rose and left it at a small table. It was black.

 "I do not need his love, but you do." She didn't look back as she left, "And your child is born a bastard and will die a *bastard*. Raised in humiliation and shunned by peers. The child will remain one as long as the little monster lives."

 She didn't think she could've hung on to that memory but she did. Kodachi was a ruthless opponent, sharpened by age and made deceitful by time. Ranma's voice brought her back to reality. "Why?"

 "I never wanted you to know."

 "Don't you think I had the right?" He demanded.

 "It was between Kodachi and me. Besides I didn't want you to worry needlessly."

 Ranma grunted, _Needlessly she says, Kodachi would have gone to extreme measures to get what she wants to take on whoever was in her way, and at that time Ukyo had been the obstacle._

 They stood there uncomfortably for some moments before Ukyo spoke up, "Well, good for you then." She muttered under her breath then sighed, "Look, you know I'll be out of town and can't very well drag Hanae with me. You have to take her...Even though Kodachi is home."

 Hesitating for a second, Ranma finally agreed, he could've ordered Ukyo to stay, he could've ordered her anything and she would've obeyed regardless of what she wanted... but he didn't. He wasn't that kind of person. Still... he winced at the thought of letting Kodachi see Hanae, the first time had been terrible enough, and Hanae had only been an infant. Now, if Kodachi went on her tirade, the child would remember it.

 It was then that the girl they were talking about appeared running across the grass to his arms. "Daddy! I'll be going home with you?"

 Ranma smiled kneeling down to scoop her up in his arms, "Yes." He was just scared of what might happen, especially with an uncontrolled variable like Kodachi at home.

 "I packed just like N-ty 'Kyo said." She looked very proud of herself, beaming up at him, "And I did it all by myself."

 "Well then, say your good-byes to Ukyo now, and we'll get going." Ranma said patting her head. Ukyo came forward to give and collect her goodbye.

 Taking the child's sunscreen in her hand, which Hanae had dropped when running towards her father, she put it on the girl fixing her red curls. "Be a good girl and don't give your father headaches." Her hands went on to the kimono, "Be careful of that dreadful Kodachi." She tucked in the handkerchief that was peeking out of the child's obi, "Eat nutritious foods." She dusted the child's skirts. It would be unseemly to show affection in front of Ranma and in the open, one of Ranma's samurai was nearby, as a custom, important people never go unattended.

 The child smiled and gave Ukyo a hug, which Ranma just watched, after all he was carrying the child. He hated long good-byes.

 Ukyo switched her attention to him, "Take care of her."

 "I will." Ukyo didn't need to tell him that.

 It was then that they parted, Hanae bobbing happily in his arms, Ukyo standing in the middle of the garden looking at them wistfully. It became silent, the breeze blew softly against their backs, that Ranma wondered if it was urging him to go on.

                         ~~~

 "Lady... Akane, the doctor is here to see you." Ifuku said from doorstap, after Akane had come down from walking around the estate.

 She smiled her thanks as she entered greeted Doctor Kinzaki at the main parlor. He was surprised that she remembered him and equally so that she had rebounded from the accident as if nothing had happened.

 As he started the checkup he asked, "Has your headache returned? Dizziness? Nausea?"

 "Nope." She said cheerfully.

 "Remarkable," He commented mostly to himself, "Follow my finger without turning your head, Lady Akane." Akane easily followed his finger when it moved from side to side.

 "What about your memory, has it returned?" He asked after finding nothing wrong with his patient.

 "Nope, and I don't think it will. I don't think they're memories I want to have anyway." She said cheerfully as she nodded her head towards Ifuku and said in a low voice, "They don't even like me."

 He looked at her and was amazed at how casually she was treating this. Most of the people he had seen were confused, and had tantrums. They always wanted to know what was happening to them, and when their memories would come back.

 Never the less he assured her, "It will come back Lady Akane, it usually does."

 "Oh, I'm not really worried about it." She had meant to reassure him, but he still looked skeptically at her.

 "I couldn't believe your remarkable recovery. Have you any idea of how serious your injuries were?" He was clearly baffled by her improvement.

 "Oh, I think I do." Akane almost laughed at it. The doctor had no idea of just how injured she had been. "In fact, you're talking to a dead woman."

 The doctor raised an eyebrow at what must seem like her odd tumor to him. "I don't see why, you should stay in bed..." He still seemed uncomfortable of the idea, and added. "But if you feel anything, anything at all, you call me."

 "Yes, doctor." Tilting her head she asked, "Do you know how old I am, doctor?"

 Dr. Kinzaki smiled kindly, he must have thought it was horrible not to know your name, and age. But Akane was dealing with this very well.

 "I believe you are twenty-five."

 "Really? I look like hell," Akane said, looking at the mirror and staring at the reflection of the person she did not know.

 Dr. Kinzaki chuckled after he got over his mild shock at hearing a lady curse.

 After he had left, she realized what she had told the doctor about her memories were not entirely true. She did want to know about her past and the only way was through people who knew Kodachi...

 The only person that could come to mind was Ifuku. But then, the maid was terrified of her, something made Akane uncomfortable around her as Ifuku felt around her. She arranged to meet with her some time that day.



 Akane frowned as she looked at Ifuku. The maid was obviously confused, terrified and nervous. Talking with Kodachi was something the servants obviously did not do. She showed all the signs of worry, had Akane been Kasumi, she would have put her at ease easily.

 She sighed, Ifuku's face was paler than usual, close to the shade of gray in her uniform, and her fists clenched tightly around the cleaning rag she held.

 "Ifuku...you know about my head injury?" Akane started gently imitating Kasumi when she was trying to calm their overly hysterical father. Ifuku bobbed her head up and down, and suddenly Akane thought of springs. She sighed again.

 "Honestly, I can't remember anything." If possible her maid's eyes grew wider and seemed to border on disbelief.

 "Well, it's true." She wondered at ignorance...or was it just that century? She was about to explain mental health to a person who was not about to believe her. Great. She had heard of one of the maids saying that rich husbands who didn't want anything to do with their wives sent them back to their families. She didn't know what was or wasn't known about amnesia and the little knowledge she had came from watching TV.

 "Ifuku." The woman winced! She continued more gently all the while cursing Kodachi who had obviously been a tyrant. She tried a different approach, small talk, "How come your name means clothes and Sara... well isn't sara... a..." she thought a moment for a synonym to tray, "bon?"

 The maid's eyes widened at her mistress ignorance, much the same at what Akane did earlier at hers, "Only samurai are allowed to names, ma'am. We're called by what we do, oh you know, the fisherman by the lake, or the first son of the fisherman. In my case, my mother has tended to the house of Kuno -- your family for a long time ma'am -- and she had been your mother's maid as I was to become yours. She knew I'd be dealing with your clothes, your mother wanted a lot of rich kimonos... and well..."

 Akane smiled, the maid seemed to relax at the light talk that started... she paused she wanted to integrate what she wanted as well. When she sensed the ending of the conversation she started another, "I need to know some stuff... do I have children?"

 After recovering from the shock of the said question she had answered no.

 "Are my parents alive?"

 "No, ma'am"

 "Brothers, sisters?"

 "Oh, you have a brother ma'am."

 "Do I have relatives other than him?"

 "Oh, you have a whole Clan of them, Ma'am. You do have a mother-in-law, a sister-in-law and her husband, and their whole clan too. Oh, and a nephew, plus that little girl Mr. Saotome has."

 "What little girl?"

 Ifuku's eyes got wider again, "No one knows, ma'am. Lord Ranma just arrived one day after he went out... some days after your marriage... The Lord Haposai sent him on one of his year long errands... carrying a child."

 Akane wondered about the child a little before she shrugged, she'll ask Ranma about that later, at least there was no immediate family to deal with.

 Now the hard part, Akane thought to herself, "I can tell by your reaction, by the other workers' reaction and by my husband's reaction, that, uh, I used to be difficult.

 Ifuku looked stricken but her lips still remained compressed and in an ill-shade of gray, "I ... Lady Akane, no one believes ..."

 Akane interrupted, "Ifuku I'm not stupid, and I'm not blind. I think something is very wrong in this house, and I think that is me. Now I need your help." She leaned forward and Ifuku saw that her eyes were direct and honest.

 "I must know what she, er, I was like. What she did to others, who hates her...maybe if I knew I could correct it."

 "Lady Akane, what you're asking of me is very difficult." Her face was lined with worry and voice shaking slightly, "I'm sorry but I don't think I can. You can fire me if you wish, but I can't."

 What monster had Kodachi been? No one could be that bad. How could she tear the barriers she had erected if she did not know where they stood? "Just answer this, If I decided to change, how would other people react?"

 Ifuku weighed what she was going to say then took a deep breath, as if preparing herself for the worst and said, "Mrs. Saotome, I'm sorry to say it, but no one would believe you, no one. They'd think you were playing a game, a mean game." She sat up straight and lifted her chin, "You can fire me if you want."

 Akane wanted to cry and for a moment, Ifuku felt sympathy for her, but she had reminded herself of her many sins not only against her but all the servants of Rose Brier. And most of all, against Lord Ranma. He was no saint, but he was a good fair man and he deserved better.

 "What if it lasted?"

 "Well... maybe then." Ifuku still sounded doubtful and added, "But people Lady Akane, they have long memories. They would not forget easily." She had gained more confidence since her employer hadn't ranted and raved, "Is that all?"

 Akane stared out the window, "Oh, yes. You can go Ifuku and thank you." The older woman paused at hearing her say thank you and left her alone.

 "Why me?" She sighed it seemed as if her other life was just a delusion. A delusion fading day by day. She had fallen off a horse and head injuries were a very tricky thing. Perhaps she *was* Kodachi and had made up all of those things in her overwrought mind. But she hadn't, she knew she hadn't. The constant reminder was the language she knew, Prime Ministers that have -- will be in position. She really was Akane, who P-chan or probably even God had given another chance. It just wasn't the best situation she's been in.

 Usually she'd think of another person who had it worse than her, but then she was fairly certain nothing was worse than what had happened in the past 2 weeks.

 She had lost everything in that car crash -- her life. Her baby. Her husband. Her family. Her friends. She had been sent to replace a terrible woman, had a husband who loathed her, servants who feared her and a terrible headache.

 She was lonelier than she had ever been. Before she had Kasumi, Ryoga, her father, friends...Who could she talk to now? No one would believe her. She knew telling Ranma had already been a big mistake and she didn't know if he believed that. She prayed he did, because if he didn't he might think her crazy.

 All her life she had overcome obstacles. Beaten a ton of boys to prove she was just as good as they were, gained respect as the heiress of the dojo, run the very low dipping funds with the help of Kasumi and forced her way out of an arranged marriage with a guy named Shinosuke.

 She was daunted by nothing, a woman who would try everything once, just to say she had done it. A person who never let life overwhelm her, remaining optimistic in trouble. Her friends had been amazed.

 She wasn't about to stop now. She couldn't let another person's problems get the better of her. Akane decided to do the thing she always did when she felt down -- exercise.

 Standing up, cheered by her resolve. She looked at the dress cinched tightly she could hardly breathe and decided that the corset would be the first to go. From what she had seen Kodachi had nothing in her closet remotely suitable for a good workout, but with all those dresses, she was sure she had enough material for a shirt and shorts.

 She frowned at the thought of sewing. She had never been good at it, but she could hardly tell Ifuku to make her the articles of clothing she wanted. They would surely think her crazy then.

 She just told Ifuku to gather the materials she'd needed and selected which dress should be sacrificed.

 Picking the skimpiest, thinnest and the ugliest kimono in the wardrobe, she ripped it apart with glee.

 After five hours she had made a pair of ill fitting, oversized black shorts, cut to the knees of a modest concession to the ages and a simple pullover shirt. Using some left over cloth, she tied her hair back in a high ponytail.

 She looked at her ensemble in a full-length mirror and decided that the shorts were very *very* uneven and the shirt fit like a rice sack. _At least I won't trip over anything._

 She was about to set out when she realized that she had nothing on her feet, and she certainly cannot run in those torture devices she had been wearing -- the Japanese clogs were hardly the softest devices for the feet. After a moment of thought, she decided running barefoot would be best especially if she decided to run by the beach, despite the cold. By the time she had stretched Kodachi's muscles, dusk was approaching, a nice time to go out running. Another quick glance at the mirror with a frown at her yellowing bruise, Akane headed out of the house, ignoring the stares of the servants.

 Akane had little time to explore the grounds, and even less to look for the dojo. When she re-opened the shoji and looked at the room, she decided that it was the plainest room in the grounds, but had been the best.

 The dojo was rather simple, with wooden paneling for the floors and walls. There was no wall dedicated for students of the dojo.

 There was a big box to one side that she didn't notice with her earlier tour, and when she opened it was surprised to find out that they contained what seemed to be gymnastic materials. She took out a green ribbon, it seemed dusty, no one had used it for ages. When she turned the box, the name Kodachi was written across it in Kanji.

 The other weapons, she attributed for Ranma's future vassal's use. There was nothing useful to her. Not even blocks or wood to break. She shrugged, then promised herself she would find some later. She left and closed the paper doors behind her.

 After that she had walked around the mansion, the cool grass sticking against her feet. She searched for a way to the beach. It had been colder than she had expected from inside.

 She followed a stone wall that ran along the bluff's edge until she came to an opening that happily led to the stairway dropping to the beach. She walked down the steep but sturdy wooden steps to the back below and began running on the soft sand. She had never learned how to swim, and that was part of the allure that the sea held for her.

 It was also quite unknown to her, an endless mass of blue. It was fascinating that there was life that lived in that water, which she could almost never survive in, had it been more than her height.

 She breathed in the salty-fishy air and braced herself for the memories of Ryoga she knew would come, for they had spent some time in beaches. He had always conceded to her want to go to the shore, even though he knew she was hopeless at ever learning how to swim.

 She closed her eyes and tried to remember Ryoga and their times together, suddenly wondering why she had not missed her husband, why she did not mourn him. It was as if her time with him, was nothing but a fond memory all together. She suddenly realized that P-chan had somehow taken away all those memories, so she could live on.

 She became angry for a while, because she wanted to mourn her husband and the life she had lost, but realized that they had let her. For the first moments she had spent in Kodachi's body crying, she had mourned her husband and her family.

 She quickly tired, as her leg muscles labored to keep pace with Akane's ambition to run across the beach, for Kodachi hadn't trained in a while. She was gasping for breath, her lungs aching from the sharply cold air, she walked until she felt she was rested and ran some more, ignoring the cramp on her side.

 Trudging up the steep stairs after her run, Akane felt lightheaded and shaky, her clothes filled with sweat.

 That was what Akane did over the weeks. She refused to wear the restricting corset, but soon her dresses were loose enough that she really didn't need one.

 At first it was difficult to convince the cook that she did not need a mountain of food and five different courses each meal but she finally got her way.

 It seems that though Buddhist didn't allow for the eating of meat, Kodachi happily ate pheasant and rabbit, whatever the hawkers can catch for her. The cook she had knew how to cook meat, rare in Japan, she wondered if it was the Portugese influence. A maid under questioning said that Kodachi liked her food with meat rather than fish.
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