Angel Standing By

Song by Jewel

Story by Brianna Aisling

All through the night I'll be standing over you

All through the night I'll be watching over you

Ranma glanced up at the sky, a frown crossing his features. It would rain tonight and probably for the next few days straight. He knew the warning signs of a storm that held the fury of the gods, and this was one of those.

His gaze shifted from the gray, almost black sky to the ground. She'd been working relentlessly, her face twisted in a scowl. He hadn't meant to upset her this much. He hadn't thought that she would take it like this, but take it this way she had.

Below Ranma's hiding place in the trees, Akane ran through a kata. Her punches and kicks were lightening fast, snapping in the air. She would tire quickly, he knew. She was running off of pure anger right now. Soon not even determination would take her through the movements.

Ranma leaned back against the trunk of his tree, drawing his legs up to his body. He let his head rest against the rough bark and closed his eyes. 'What was I thinking?' he asked himself. He knew she hated being told she was weak, (Not that she was; she was just undisciplined.) and yet he did it anyway. Not only had he told her she was, but he had also said that she would never be any thing other than that weak girl. Her eyes had filled with angry tears, and she'd knocked him into the pond with her mallet. Ranma had appreciated that. Already the guilt had begun to eat him alive.

She had stormed up to her room afterwards, but it hadn't ended there. The next morning, she'd come down the stairs in her gi and announced that she was going on a training trip. Alone.

Ranma opened his eyes and looked back down at Akane. Her punches had slowed. Her anger was gone, and her determination was all that was keeping her standing.

He wanted to go down and apologize. Tell her that he hadn't meant what he'd said. He wanted to say that her strength amazed him and not just her physical strength. She had an awesome spirit. She fought with her whole soul. She didn't let things depress her. She knew what she wanted and nothing stopped her from achieving her goals.

He wanted to say he loved her as she was, but the words wouldn't come.

Ranma closed his eyes and let the guilt gnaw at him.

A heavy thump caused him to open his eyes. He looked down and found that Akane had collapsed. Her chest was heaving, and her eyes were closed. Sweat darkened her gi. Dirt made it look brown instead of yellow. Ranma watched her until her breathing slowed as she fell asleep. Then, he jumped down. He set up her tent, swallowed his embarrassment, changed her, and got her put to bed.

He sat by her side through the night, watching her sleep as rain fell, wishing things were different.

And through bad dreams I'll be right there, baby,

Holding your hand, telling you everything is all right

Fire ragged around her. Like the tongues of the village dogs, flames flickered at her, trying to taste her. She whimpered. Her arms and legs were useless. Even if she had been able to move them, to make them carry her weight, she couldn't get out of this cage, this damned caged. The bars rose high above her, bending and curving so that her only escape was above her, too far above her and so small that no more than an arm would fit though the hole. She cried. She let her voice carry her pain. Words escaped her. She couldn't get them to form so she cried, wailed, screamed, moaned. She didn't stop. Not even when the voices rose over the heavy sounds of the fire. Then, a woman, an unfamiliar one, she opened the hole. It stretched around her body, widening like an iris exposed to darkness suddenly. She wailed louder. She wanted her mother. The woman reached down and picked her up, tucking her against great sagging breasts. Her voice could go no higher or louder. The fire was hotter, hotter, hotter. She was burning, burning, burning...just like her mother.

Shampoo shrieked and clawed at the sheets that covered her body. She could still feel the flames.

"Momma! Momma!" she cried, desperately. Tears blinded her, but she couldn't stop crying. God, she missed her. Even after all these years, with precious few memories of her. A hand soothed her hair; another caught one of her own flailing hands. A deep voice murmured to her, incoherent in her terror. She clung to the hand tightly, letting the real touch ground her and chase the flames away. Eventually, she slept, her hands still gripping her soother's hand tightly.

Cologne watched through the small crack in the door as Mousse continued to stroke Shampoo's hair. Shampoo's face eased slowly from terror and grief to a semblance of peace as she slipped back into sleep.

It was a wonder to Cologne how Mousse would behave when no one saw, not even Shampoo herself. If Shampoo knew, if Shampoo saw this side, then winning her heart would not be as difficult as it had been. But Mousse never showed her this. Maybe he feared that she would refuse his help the next time she had a nightmare, no matter how desperately she craved it. Maybe he just simply feared. A rejection in a situation such as this would be deeper than the ones he was usually faced with.

Cologne shook her head. Amazons had no need for fear. Once Mousse learned this, maybe he would find that Shampoo responded more readily to this part of him. Until then, he would continue to fight a useless battle.

And when you cry I'll be right there

Telling you you were never anything less than beautiful

The sound of the door slamming closed echoed throughout the empty restaurant. Konatsu frowned worriedly, hastily placing the last of the dishes in the drainer. He dried his hands on his apron as he hurried out into the main room. Ukyo was there, her face twisted in anger and hurt, stacking chairs on top of tables with a dangerous amount of force. Konatsu hesitated.

"What is wrong, Ms. Ukyo?"

The anger abated slightly, allowing the hurt to become dominate. Ukyo shook her head, sending her hair flying. "Nothing."

Konatsu took a step forward. "Are you sure?"

She spun on him. "Of course I'm sure! Why wouldn't I be? Everything's fine. Just fine." The last "fine" was spat venomously.

"Ms. Ukyo?"

Ukyo bit her bottom lip, looking away from him. "You like me, don't you, Konatsu?"

"Very much so, Ms. Ukyo."

"Then why doesn't Ranma?"

"I…I don't understand."

Ukyo sank to the floor, folding her legs up against her body and wrapping her arms around them. Konatsu sat next to her, gently laying a hand on her shoulder.

"He always runs after her. I don't get it." The tears were starting now, falling down her cheeks silently. Her breath kept catching in great heaving sobs. "I don't get it. I do everything I can for him, and all she ever does is be so mean to him. Why? Why does he want her? Why can't he want me?"

She pressed her face into her knees and sobbed loudly. Konatsu wrapped an arm around her.

"You are too good for him, Ms. Ukyo," Konatsu murmured. "He doesn't know any better. He can't understand what it is to love someone as you love him. To suffer for them as you do for him."

Ukyo didn't respond.

So don't you worry

I'm your angel standing by

Ranma smirked as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

"As if you ever had a chance," he sneered at the comatose challenger lying on the ground before him. He flicked his pigtail over his shoulder and turned from the fallen man. He sauntered over to where Akane, her family, and his father were standing. He smirked at them all.

"Told ya."

Akane reached out and poked him in the side. Ranma doubled over.

"Idiot," she sighed bending down to help him up. Ranma made a face at her, but accepted her help. They made their way into the dojo where Akane already had the first aid kit ready. She berated him for not being more careful and for showing off as she bandaged him, but Ranma was only half listening. Instead he watched her.

Her fingers were clumsy, but gentle. They pressed medicine into the bandages and then smoothed the bandages over the wounds. She kept her eyes on her work, moving with surety.

Ranma chuckled, and she looked up with a frown.

"What's so funny?"

He shook his head, still laughing quietly.

"Ranma." It was a warning, but it didn't stop him.

"What's so funny?" she asked plaintively. Finally he calmed.

"Nothing," he answered, reaching up and touching her cheek lightly with the backs of his fingers.

"Well, then, why were you laughing?" Akane tried to sound angry, but his touch was distracting her. Ranma watched as a blush spread across her cheeks and over her nose.

"You. You're so serious. So concerned."

She looked away from him. "I...I am not."

Ranma turned his fingers so the tips brushed against her cheekbone and then back to push a lock of hair behind her ear. For once, he saw the lie in her words.

"Yeah, you're not. Just like I'm not grateful."

Her eyes snapped to his, and he leaned forward and kissed her softly. Then he dropped his hand and his eyes. After a moment, she reached over and picked up a bandage.

When she was finished taking care of his wounds, they sat there, in the dojo, side by side, silently, until night came and they had to part.