Here's the next part...
	(I really feel the story should be a single piece, but I figured 
that it'd be easier to send this way...)
	(BTW, this is all new stuff.  It's a bit rougher, so I could 
really use the C&C... thanks!)

	-Mike Noakes
***
                          Apron Strings


     "Ranma?"
     He looked around upon hearing his name.  "Oh.  Hi, Kasumi." 
Stretching his legs, he shuffled over a bit on the wooden bench. 
"Want to sit down?"
     "Thank you." she said, taking a seat.  There was an
uncomfortable silence, during which Kasumi smoothed out the
wrinkles in her dress.
     Ranma cleared his throat.  "Ah.... so where's everybody else?"
     Kasumi smiled slightly.  "They are on their way.  I left a
little early."
     He nodded.  His eyes stared at the door across the hallway
from them: Nodoka's.  Kasumi, noticing the intensity of his gaze,
placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  "Is that where you have
been all morning?" she asked softly.
     Ranma nodded.
     "How is she doing?"
     Ranma shoulder's sagged slightly.  "Not..." he started in a
husky voice, then cleared his throat.  "Not well.  She... she's
dying, Kasumi.  She already looks worse than yesterday."  His words
sounded thick with suppressed emotions.  She reached over and
placed an arm around him, in a sisterly embrace; he stiffened
slightly at her touch, then relaxed.
     "And... how are _you_ doing, Ranma?" she asked.
     He shrugged.  "Fine."
     "Are you sure?"
     "Yeah."
     The was a moment of silence before Kasumi spoke up again.  "We
were worried about you last night..."
     He withered slightly at her statement.  "I... I'm sorry about
the dojo.  Really.  I'll find a way to fix it, or pay for..."  He
trailed off as Kasumi shook her head, turning him slightly to face
her.
     "No.  That's not what I meant.  Where _were_ you last night,
Ranma?  You didn't come home, and we couldn't find you in the
morning.  Mr.Saotome wasn't talking..." she noticed Ranma's frown
at the mention of his father, "... and Akane said she didn't know."
     Ranma winced upon hearing Akane's name.  "Kasumi, how... how
is she?  Akane, I mean.  Is she...alright?"
     Kasumi nodded.  "She will be.  She hid herself in her room,
crying, after talking to you in the dojo.  She was very upset,
Ranma."
     Ranma wilted further at her words.  "Did you... did you talk
to her?"
     Kasumi shook her head, and smiled slightly.  "No.  I didn't
have to.  Nabiki did."
     "Nabiki?"  
     She nodded.  "Yes.  I don't know what they talked about, but
Akane looked better by the time she went to sleep."
     "That... that's good.  I'll have to talk to her, I guess."
     "I think that would be a good idea." agreed Kasumi.  Ranma
sighed, and fell silent.  He watched as a doctor and nurse walked
by with hurried steps, speaking in hushed tones.
     "So where were you?" said Kasumi.
     "Oh.  Oh yeah.  Sorry.  I slept in the dojo last night.  I
cr... I fell asleep soon after Akane left.  I woke up in the middle
of the night and went for a walk.  A long walk.  I got here when
the hospital opened."  He jerked his thumb at his mother's room. 
"I've been in there since then.  Talking with her."  He sighed and
looked away, gazing down the hall with a far away look in his eyes. 
"Well, more like I talked _to_ her.  She wanted me to tell her
about my life, so I did.
     "I don't even know if she was awake for most of it, how much
she heard.  I think she kept drifting in and out.  But I... I... I
kept on talking.  About my trip, the training, the places I stayed. 
About you guys, living at the Tendo Dojo.  Mostly about you guys. 
Akane and me.  I'm not even sure what I've told her.  I dunno,  I
wasn't thinking, I was watching her the whole time, memorising her
face, her features, watching her breathe in and out."  He turned
his attention back to Kasumi.  "Did you know I look a lot like her? 
As a girl, I mean.  I could've been her daughter.  It's strange
that I never noticed it before.  Guess I never looked closely
enough.  Guess I was too busy hiding from her..."
     "Ranma..." said Kasumi, giving him a slight hug.
     He shook his head and took a deep breath.  "Well, whatever. 
Anyway.  Eventually, she fell asleep - a real sleep.  My throat was
raw, and the nurse came to tell me I oughta let my mom rest.  So I
came out here and waited.  That was about an hour ago."
     Ranma fell silent.  Kasumi pulled away.  "Ranma?  I'm going to
visit a few friends of mine who work here... will you be alright?"
     He nodded without a word.  Kasumi stood up and headed down the
corridor.  She had some visits she wanted to make, and little time
to do it.  Her father and sisters would be arriving soon.


     [When Kasumi returned, the rest of the family had just
arrived.  They were standing clustered together uncomfortably by
the door to Nodoka's room.  Ranma was standing apart from the
group, back turned to them.  He was the first to notice Kasumi's
arrival.
     "Everyone's here." he said without turning.  With that, he
opened the door, and led everyone in.]


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


     The evening lights were cast into nebulous blurs, seen through
the rain-spattered window-pane of Akane's room.  Chill winds hummed
against the protection the glass offered her.  Abstractly, she felt
thankful for the warmth it provided, and yet, perversely, an urge
to throw the window open and allow the cold to gust in filled her. 
With a sigh, she reached up and pulled the curtains shut; she could
find little comfort, and no answers, outside, in the dark.
     Leaning back from her desk, Akane tried to force order upon
her chaotic thoughts.  But the jumble of images tumbling through
her mind, - Ranma, holding his mother's hand, swearing his one word
oath, - Ranma, female, eyes dulled, passion dimmed, watching her
mother leave after another failed visit, - Ranma, fading, tearing
into the forest, enraged, leaving a guilt-ridden Akane behind to
deal with her memory-lapsed self-appointed charge, - Akane,
standing, alone, by the water's edge, fingering the tattered yellow
scarf she had given him, he had given back to her, - Her hand, in
his, a bond that no one had yet broken, - would not be stilled.
     "Oh, Ranma..." she whispered, burying her head in her hands. 
"Why?  Why did you say 'yes'?"
     A perfunctory knock interrupted her, the door thrown open
before Akane had time to answer or turn around.  She didn't need
to, though - it could only be Nabiki.
     "I can't believe this!" exclaimed the older sister, striding
into the room.  "This is... this is insane!  How could that,
that... manipulative bitch!... ask that of him?  And how could he,
how _dare_ he, agree?"
     "Nabiki!" exclaimed Akane.
     "Well it's true!"  Nabiki stopped her pacing and turned on her
sister.  "She's _using_ him, sis!  Her own son.  She's exploiting
the guilt and shame and his twisted sense of honour to get him to
do what _she_ thinks is right!"
     "Nabiki!  She isn't..."
     "Yes, she is." said Nabiki, cutting her off.  "Listen, this is
_Ranma_ were talking about.  He's _easy_ to manipulate; trust me on
this one, I know what I'm talking about.  You've just got to know
which buttons to press... and Nodoka... well, she's pushing all the
right ones, and I doubt it's by accident!"
     The chair scraped against the floor as Akane angrily stood. 
"How could you?" she demanded.  "How could you say such things
about Mrs. Saotome?  Especially when... when she's all, all sick
and dying like that!"
     Nabiki turned and stared at her for a moment before answering. 
"Don't you get it?  That's the whole point!  She _knows_ she's
dying, she..."
     "NO!" exclaimed Akane.  "I won't believe that!  Mrs. Saotome
is, is... is like Kasumi!  Sweet and caring and loving... not
devious and manipulative."  She pointed an accusing finger at
Nabiki.  "Just because _you_ are that way doesn't mean everyone
else is!  You're just seeing..."
     Nabiki cut her off with a glare.  "I'll let that one slip by,
sis, " she said coldly, "'Cus I know it's been hard on you."  She
took a deep breath and spun away, reaching for the door.  "And I'll
be back when you're ready to talk."
     The younger sister hesitated only briefly.  "I'm sorry." 
Akane mumbled.  "I... I didn't mean to say that, Nabiki.  Really." 
She turned back to the window, hanging her head with a sigh.  "It's
just that today... I, I guess I'm still a little in shock."
     A moment later Nabiki hugged her from behind.  "I know.  I'm
sorry too."  She held the embrace for a moment before pulling away. 
"Listen, I... you... you're probably right.  About Ranma's mom. 
I'm probably just imagining things."  Releasing her sister, she sat
on the edge of the bed.  "It's just that I'm worried, sis.  About
you."
     "Me?"
     "Yeah."
     "Don't be."  Akane parted the curtains slightly, looking
outside once more.  "I'll... figure something out.  I can take care
of myself."  [Sure, I can take care of myself, she thought,
watching the rain streak down the window, but can I take care of
_him_?  What am I going to do?  Why... why did he agree?  She
turned away, allowing the curtains to fall shut behind her.]
     Nabiki watched her sister from the bed, then flopped down on
her back, staring at the ceiling.  The bed creaked slightly as
Akane joined her on the bed, then stretched out as well.
     Time slipped by before anyone said anything.  "You got any
idea what you're going to do?" asked the older sister, speaking to
the ceiling.
     "Me?"
     "Yeah."
     "Of course..." she started, then died off.  A moment later she
tried again.  "No.  What can _I_ do?  It's out of my hands, isn't
it?"
     "WHAT?" cried Nabiki, turning one her side to face Akane. 
"How can you say that?  It has _everything_ to do with you!  It's
_up_ to you!  It can't happen _without_ you!"
     "But..."
     "But what?  Just 'cus the adults think they can do this
without consulting you doesn't mean you have to go along with it,
you know!"
     "It's... it's not that, Nabiki..."
     Nabiki paused, and an incredulous look spread across her
features.  "You... you don't actually want to... to go through with
it, do you?"
     "NO!"  Akane took a deep breath.  "No.  Of course not.  But,
but it's just that... I don't know!  I... just don't want him to
leave... not again, not like this."
     Nabiki rolled back, rejoining Akane in her introspection of
the ceiling.  Well, what she could see of it, that is - with the
lights off, and the curtains closed, the room was quite dark, save
for a sliver of light beaming in from beneath the door, accompanied
by the faint bustle of Kasumi cooking from the kitchen.
     "I still can't believe he said 'yes'..." said Akane after a
while, breaking the contemplative silence.
     "I can." muttered Nabiki.  "But for all the wrong reasons. 
He's so full of guilt, of, of... loathing and self-pity, he'd
probably do anything his mom asked.  What gets me, though, is the
way Nodoka..." 

     ...Nodoka stared deep into her son's eyes.  "My son... my
brave, manly son..." she said, eyes glimmering, seemingly blind to
the effect each word was having on Ranma, "You have exceeded my
every expectation.  You have grown up to be a man among men.  I...
I may die soon... but I die happy, knowing that I have not failed
you."
     He drew in a ragged breath, confronted with his mother's
smiling, trusting, painfully withered face.  "I... mo... mom. 
I..."
     "There is... there is only one thing that I lack." she
continued.  "One thing that I would ask of you, son."
     Ranma straightened slightly, face hardening, eyes refusing to
flinch away from his mother's pleading gaze.  "Anything, mother. 
For you... I will do anything."
     "I know..." she whispered, looking away for a moment.  She
sighed weakly, then turned back to her son.  [Too obvious?] 
"Son... There is but one thing that I had hoped and prayed to see
before I died.  But your father has failed in that regard... and
now I must turn to you."
     Ranma broke away from his mother long enough to glare at Genma
in fury, before returning to Nodoka.  "Mom.  Mother.  Whatever...
Pop... didn't get done, or screwed up... I promise I'll set right." 
He gave his mom's hand a light squeeze.  "I _promise_.  On my
honour.  I won't fail you."
     Nodoka smiled.  "I... I'm glad to hear that.  But I don't
think you fully understand.  I'm not asking you to embark on a
quest, or to fight some foe.  Those, your father has well prepared
you for; this... this is something that will prove far more
difficult, I fear.  I... I..."  She hesitated.
     "Mom?  Please.  Ask me.  Anything..."
     "I would like to see you married.  Before I die.  Would you
marry Akane?  Would you marry her... for me?"
     Ranma hesitated for only a moment.  His face never faltered. 
Nothing betrayed his feelings.  In a voice devoid of emotion, he
gave his answer.
     "Yes.  Mother."

     "'Yes, _mother_'?" exclaimed Nabiki.  "What kind of answer is
that?  Not 'yes, I'll marry Akane.', not 'Akane... would you marry
me?', not even a simple 'yes!'.  Why's he doing this?  Because he
wants _you_, his fiancee?"  Her voice turned acidic as she
continued.  "Or because he's being a good little boy, and doing as
mommy asked him?"
     Akane flinched at her sister's tone.  "Nabiki.  Please.  This
might be hard on me... but it must be a lot harder on him.
Remember?  That's what _you_ said, last night, after... after Ranma
and I... fought."  The memory of last night still stung; she might
understand _why_ he said and did what he did, or at least _think_
she understood... but it didn't make her feel much better.
     "Yeah." said Nabiki, and sighed.  "I know.  It's just that..."
     A sudden soft knocking on the door interrupted her.  Both
girls turned as light from the hallway beamed in, bathing them in
its warm, golden light.  They blinked as Kasumi stepped into the
room.  "Oh, I'm sorry!" the eldest sister said, smiling.  "Why were
you two sitting here in the dark?"
     Akane gave a despondent smile.  "Nabiki and I were just trying
to figure out what I was should do.  She's against the marriage."
     "And you?" inquired Kasumi softly.
     "I... don't know."
     Both younger sisters looked up at Kasumi expectantly.  She
simply smiled happily at them before turning away.  "I'm sure
everything will turn out fine." she said.  "They always do.  Oh,
and supper will be served in five minutes."
     Nabiki and Akane shared an incredulous glance as Kasumi's
steps faded down the stairs.  "You know, she's my sister, and I
love her dearly... but sometimes I wonder if she's living in the
same world as the rest of us." said Nabiki, shaking her head. 
     Akane nodded in mute agreement.


     "I'm sorry that supper was so simple tonight." said Kasumi
apologetically.  "I was a bit rushed."
     The meal laid out before them was, indeed, simplistic - well,
by Kasumi standards, thought Nabiki wryly.  Compared to anything
she, or, god forbid, Akane, could come up with, it was wonderful. 
Unfortunately, the quality of the food was ruined by the sombre
mood that hung over the table.  The tension was almost palpable -
and the fact that Ranma wasn't around didn't lessen it any.  Where
_was_ that idiot, anyway?  He'd been missing ever since they'd left
the hospital!  She continued to idly chew on a piece of meat,
mulling over her sister's predicament.  The rain continued unabated
outside.
     "Excuse me... Father?"  Kasumi's inquiry cut off Nabiki's
contemplation.  Soun seemed to shake himself out of some silent
revery of his own and turned toward his eldest daughter.  "I know
now might not be the best of times, but I have some errands I
absolutely must run tonight."  She glanced down at her watch. 
"I'll have to leave in about five minutes if I'm to get them done
in time.  If you don't mind, that is..."
     Soun stared at her blankly for a few moments before nodding
once and returning absently to his meal.  As Kasumi stepped away
from the table with some dirty dishes intended for the kitchen,
Nabiki wondered why her father seemed so preoccupied.  She would've
expected him to be overjoyed by Ranma's acceptance of Nodoka's
request - after all, it was what he and Saotome had wanted for so
long.  Neither of them had ever seemed to care by what means the
two got married, or wether their children even _wanted_ to do so. 
Perhaps it had something to do with Mr. Saotome.  The man had
barely said a thing since his fight with Ranma last night, and now
sat silently across from his friend, his food left untouched.  He
must _really_ be out of sorts, thought Nabiki.  It was hard to tell
which was hurting him more - the encroaching death of his wife, or
the apparent loss of his son.  Remembering what Akane and told her,
how Ranma had turned on his father in the dojo, Nabiki would have
bet on the latter; Genma had survived just fine for ten years
without his wife... but he'd spent the last sixteen in constant
bonding with his son.
     Nabiki watched as Kasumi stepped out of the kitchen.  The
younger sister absently followed the elder one with her eyes as she
headed upstairs.  Kasumi paused halfway up the stairs, letting out
a mild exclamation of surprise.
     "Oh... oh my..." she said, stepping aside.
     "Sorry, Kasumi." mumbled a male voice, and a moment later
Ranma appeared, heading downstairs.  The assembled family watched
mutely as Ranma, after a brief pause, entered the room.
     "Ra... Ranma." said Akane softly.
     He paused.  The two fiances exchanged a look, a moment, saying
nothing for several long seconds, until, finally, he wearily turned
his head away and down.  "I'm sorry..." he said, crossing to the
door.  
     "Where have you been, son?" asked Mr. Tendo, voice kept
carefully neutral.  "We havn't seen you since the hospital."
     The boy slipped on one of his shoes.  "I'm... sorry.  I was...
thinking.  I needed to be alone."
     "Where are you going, Ranma?"  He turned as Kasumi reentered
the room, obvious concern marring her features.  "Back to the
hospital?"
     He shook his head.  "For a walk.  I'm going for a walk."  He
slid the other foot into its shoe and gripped the door.  "I need
to..."
     I can't believe this jerk!, thought Nabiki angrily.  How
_dare_ he?  She sprang to her feet.  "You can't just take off,
Saotome!  We've... you've got to talk this through.  With Akane. 
You can't just expect my little sister to do as you say!  This has
to be..."
     The hand gripping the doorframe shook slightly.  He spoke
without turning, voice strained.  "I'm going.  For a walk."  He
threw the door open with a jerk, almost knocking it out of its
track.  A bitter, moist wind blew in.  He almost seemed surprised
by the rain and took a half-step back.  
     Behind him, Akane slowly rose to her feet, hands clasped
before her.  "Ranma, please..." she asked, a note of pleading
entering her voice.
     He bowed his head.   "I'm sorry." he mumbled.  "I need... to
go for a walk."  There was a moment's hesitation, an ever so slight
flinching in his first step... and then he stood outside, soaked,
hair and clothing immediately plastered to her skin.  As the family
watched on, she slowly trudged into the darkness and the falling
rain.


     "What am I going to do?" asked Akane out loud.   No answer was
forthcoming though, the silence of her unilluminated room unbroken
save for the faint sounds of arguing from downstairs - Nabiki
angrily attacking father and Mr. Saotome about the wedding.  She
almost wished something would happen - a fight breaking out,
perhaps, or some ludicrous chaotic event - anything to take her
mind off of Ranma's promise.  No.  What she really wanted was for
him to knock on her door, enter, sit on the edge of her bed, and
they could... what?  Talk it through, maybe.  Convince him to
change his mind.  Or something.
     But, no.  It wasn't going to happen.  Ranma had made it
perfectly clear that he had no desire to talk to anyone, that he
wanted to be alone.  Yet she felt herself straining unconsciously,
hoping to hear a sudden subtle rapping, or light steps approaching,
or, or... anything, that would indicate his presence.  In vain, of
course.
     No.  Not in vain, Akane realised, hearing a faint snuffling
and familiar scratching at her door.  Smiling slightly despite
herself, she crossed her room and opened the door.  P-Chan glanced
up at her before waddling in.  She silently closed the door and
scooped up the little pig, hugging it to her in a tight embrace.
     "Oh, P-Chan... what am I going to do?" she murmured, dropping
back onto her bed.  She held the pet above her at arms length,
where it looked down at her curiously; with the lights out, the
curtains shut, the eyes gleamed whitely, its body blending with the
shadows.  It gave a soft grunt in response to her question.  "I
really wish you could understand me, P-Chan.  I could sure use
someone to talk to..."  The pig gave a sympathetic squeal and tried
to nuzzle her hand.  It brought a slight smile to her lips.  For
some reason, she never felt stupid talking to her occasionally-pet
pig.  He might only be an animal, but he really _did_ seem to
understand.  And he was a good listener... unlike a certain baka
she knew.  "You _will_ listen to me, won't you, my little baby?"
she cooed.
     The piglet nodded and waited.
     Akane lowered her pet down onto the bed and ran a hand through
her hair.  This is crazy..., she thought glumly, I'm talking to a
pig.  A very _smart_ pig, she admitted, glancing at P-Chan who was
waiting patiently at her side, but a pig nonetheless.  The only
_pig_ she wanted to talk to was Ranma - that idiot!  How could he
just run off like that?  But that look they had shared, that moment
right before he left for his 'walk' - there had been a... pleading,
in his eyes, a sorrowful begging... but for what?  For her to
agree?  Or for forgiveness, for imposing the marriage, or the
request, upon her?  Or maybe he was asking her _not_ to agree.
     "Ohhhh, that _baka_!" she growled.  "What does he _want_?  Why
couldn't he just _talk_ to me?  Why'd he have to go for some stupid
walk in the first place... especially when it's raining!"  Why
_did_ he have to take a walk?  Akane considered that for a moment:
perhaps _that_ was what he's tried to convey with his glance - that
he needed her to understand that, right now, he still needed to be
alone, to think.  "He's been thinking all day!" she muttered in
frustration.  "Now it's time to talk this through!  Nabiki's right
- it's _my_ decision... I don't _have_ to get married just 'cus his
mother wants us to!"
     P-Chan's surprised and outraged squeal made her jump.  She
smiled as she turned to her pet.  "Oh, that's right, my little P-
Chan... I guess you didn't know." she said, hugging him to her. 
"Mrs. Saotome asked Ranma to marry me before she dies... Ranma
agreed... and... and I don't know what to do."  The piglet's eyes
opened wide in disbelief.  It bweed at her questioningly.
     "Do I _want_ to marry him?  Nabiki asked the same thing, and
I told her I didn't.  But, really... I don't know.  I really don't. 
I... I think... I..." she sighed.  "I just wished I knew what Ranma
thinks about all this.  Does _he_ want to get married?  I don't
think I could marry him without knowing... did he do it because he
wants to, because he... he lo... loves me... or because Mrs.
Saotome asked him to do it?"  She looked down into P-Chan's eyes. 
"What do you think, P-Chan?  Do you think he loves me?  Do you
think I should marry him?"
     The piglet shook his head vehemently to both questions.
     She smiled slightly.  "You don't like Ranma, do you?  I
know... he can be such a jerk sometime... so rude, and mean,
insulting and cruel and insensitive and stupid... he's a pervert
and a womanizer... and he beats up on my wonderful little pet,
too..." she finished, giving the piglet a squeeze, who nodded
emphatically with each statement.  Then she rolled over onto her
side, clasping her hands together and leaning her head against
them.  "But then... sometimes... I don't know... he's just always
_there_ for me.  Whenever I need him most, he's there.  And not
just when I'm in some stupid kind of danger... but when I'm sad, or
angry, and need to let it out, even when I'm... lonely.  And
sometimes, sometimes, we... share this look, or a touch, and the
look in his eyes, it's, it's... impossible to explain, it, it
almost _hurts_, the way it makes me feel inside."  She sighed.  P-
Chan gave a sad little snuffle, his little head drooping.  "I know,
pathetic, isn't it, P-Chan?  Two days ago, everything was so
simple... everything was fine, we were even getting along... and
now... now, I have to decide wether to go along with this...
_without_ that baka's help.  It's all up to me.
     "It... It's all up to me."
     She sat up, displacing her pig.  He climbed up into her lap,
looking up at her sadly and inquisitively, as, over a long period
of time, her features slowly hardened and a look of resolve entered
her eyes.  Then, absently removing P-Chan from her lap, she stood. 
She had made her decision.

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

	Well, that's it for now.  Hope you liked it.
	I'm hoping to have part three up by the end of the weekend.  The 
side-story I've started to cover a few unexpected loose-ends should 
follow a bit after that.  Then the non-Ranma thing I've got mostly done.
	(Yeah, right...)
	Then I can finally get started on my next story, Choices, 
which'll follow this one (although I might take a break to write 
something _happy_, or at least, nicely violent.  This emotion and 
dialogue and stuff is tiring.

	Later, and thanks!
	-Mike Noakes