Gneiss sighed, "Go home, Theo. There isn't anything you can do right now, and it's just causing her more grief to see you and Gina, but be unable to touch either of you." he gave his friend a sympathetic look. This must be really hard, on everyone. If only there was something he could do to help alleviate some of their pain.
Theo didn't like the idea of leaving his wife here all by herself, but what the heck could he do for her as it stood? "Where is she?" he asked as he sighed.
"Ah, I think she said she was going to go for a walk to think about things." said Gneiss as he scratched his ear.
"I see." Theo grumbled despondently, slumping into his seat.
"If you don't mind Theo, could you convince Ranma to stay here for the next few days?" Gneiss asked.
"Why?" Theo asked with an inquisitive look. He was uncomfortable with the idea of Ranma staying. Though, he realized that had something to do with jealousy on his part.
"Well, it would be foolish to totally discount the possibility that he holds a key to unlocking the curse. I'd need to study him more thoroughly." Gneiss explained, running a hand through his beard thoughtfully.
Theo nodded. That did make sense, now that he thought about it. Maybe he could ask Ranma, but that would cause problems. As it was, the boy rarely allowed Brittany out of his sight as it was; maybe Gneiss wouldn't mind the little girl hanging about? "I'll ask. Are you willing to put up with a child here for a few days?"
Gneiss frowned thoughtfully, "Ah, you're referring to the boy's obsession with keeping the child safe?" before sighing to himself. "I'd rather not. Brittany, as far as I can see, is another reminder to Julia that she can't touch those she cares for most. I believe it would be more prudent if Brittany weren't here, to give Julia some time to adjust and not be reminded of her plight every time she saw the girl."
***
There were so many thoughts going through her head, she found herself lost in what to do. What could she do that Gneiss couldn’t do to help her? She wasn't a mage, never pretended to be, and she hadn't the faintest of ideas on how to proceed with this curse.
Curse. That’s what she thought of it. To have her family so close, yet unable to reach them was a torture. To see the crying gentle eyes of her child and not be able to sooth her pains, or the eyes of her husband when his spirit nearly shattered at the thought of forever loosing her to this damnable curse.
It had been too much, she simply had to get away and think. The pain of seeing her family was still too fresh. She was a strong person, trained since her childhood to be a fighter of the world. Of the physical. This wasn't something she could beat into submission with her bare hands, no matter how much she wanted too. This was emotional pain in its purest form.
Julia found a nice dark and comforting corner to sit in and cry.
No one could see her here, no one would notice the tears stinging her eyes and cheeks, the family she could see couldn't see her, and thus she wept.
***
"What?" Ranma blinked. Theo was asking him to stay behind?
"I know this is a lot to ask you Ranma, but Gneiss has asked if you wouldn't mind staying for a few days so he can examine you. He thinks he might be able to find a way to cure Julia through you." Theo explained, looking slightly hopeful but strangely anxious at the same time.
If it meant helping his family, and Julia fit into that category, Ranma didn't have a iota of problem with it.. except, "Eh, but Brittany.."
"I'll take care of her." Theo offered immediately.
Ranma didn't doubt the sincerity in his words, but he was still a bit uneasy about allowing the man to take care of his child, even if it was only for a few days. "Theo. These last two days you hadn't even gotten out of bed."
Theo winced. He wasn't proud of the way he had been acting, and from Ranma's perspective he realized he must not seem like a dutiful guardian to the children, "I.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to foist everything on you, but I lost my Dad and wife at the same time. I was lost."
Ranma grinned. At least he was starting to accept the fact he couldn't bury his depression behind a wall of hate and despair like he had when he thought his wife was dead. It was tough enough on Ranma just too lose two friends, Theo lost his own father and wife that day, or so he had believed at the time. "I don't blame you none. Heck, if it was me I'd probably be in the same condition."
"So will you?" Theo asked hopefully.
"Yeah." Ranma nodded seriously. "Anything to help you and Julia."
"Thanks." Theo said with a relieved smile.
"Where's Julia anyway?" Ranma asked curiously. He hadn't seen the woman for the better part of an hour already.
"Gneiss said she's walking around." Theo offered, once again returning to a despondent look.
"Hmm." Ranma nodded, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands behind his head.
"Ranma?" Theo asked a few silent moments later.
"Yeah?"
Theo suddenly became very serious, locating and locking onto the boy’s eyes as he said, "When you see her next, tell her I love her, I'll always love her."
"It's okay man, I know." Ranma nodded with a smile. He envied Theo and Julia, he really did. Two people so totally in love with one another, it almost made him want to cry with how they were being forced apart like this.
"Thanks."
***
Brittany pouted, "But Daddy! I no wanna go home!" she whined.
"Brittany." Ranma began in a soothing voice.
"Why do you have to stay?" Brittany sniffled. She didn't want her daddy to go away like momma Julia had.
"Sunflower." Ranma began, hugging the little girl, "You love momma Julia, right?"
"Yeah I love mom."
"You want to see her again don't you? Hug her? Kiss her? Tell her how much you love her?" Ranma asked, raising his eyebrow questioningly
"Yes." Brittany said sadly. She could tell where her daddy was going with this.
Ranma smiled comfortingly, "That’s why I have to stay Brittany. So Julia will have a chance to do all those wonderful things with you again."
"How long will you be gone, Daddy?" Brittany sniffed, rubbing away a tear that had gotten loose. She wouldn't cry! No! She loved Daddy and momma Julia! They loved her too! She needed to be strong now so daddy and momma Julia would come back to her!
"A week at most sweetie. After a week, I'll come right back home." Ranma promised seriously, looking her dead in the eye.
"Promise?"
"Cross my heart and hope to die." Ranma grinned, hugging his daughter and giving her a soft kiss on the cheek.
***
Ranma forced himself to smile as Theo gathered up the girls, holding onto their hands tightly. "I'll see you in a week, sunflower, Gina. You be good for Theo."
Brittany waved, "Remember your promise daddy! Don't forget!"
Ranma chuckled, "I won't dear. You be good for Theo now."
Theo gave Ranma a small smile. He envied them a little. To be in the middle of this grievous moment concerning Julia, but still able to smile. It was something he hoped he could do in time. "Everyone ready?"
Gina hugged her father's leg tightly as she cried. She knew her momma was alive, but she didn't understand just what was going on, and expressed her confusion through her tears.
Theo summoned his energy and the three vanished shortly there after in a flash of light, returning to the Earth realm.
Ranma smiled faded into a frown as they left. Turning to Gneiss, he grumbled, "Wanna tell me the truth now, old man?"
Gneiss blinked, adopting a confused look, "What ever do you mean, young man?"
Ranma snorted, waving off his answer, "Don't lie to me, you ain't foolin no one. You said nothin in my aura can help with this, since I'm from another dimension as if you knew exactly what you were talkin about. Which means yah've dealt with people like me before, and probably researched em too. So, if yah researched them before, why would yah say nothin in my aura could help, only to switch up and say I might be able ta?"
Gneiss chuckled. The boy was smarter then he had expected. "Ah, heh." he gulped when Ranma snarled, "Well, to give Theo hope."
Ranma raised an eyebrow, thinking on that answer, before snorting, "A false hope?"
Gneiss shrugged, "Who knows? We are going to do the best we can to help Julia."
Ranma nodded, walking away, "Pfeh. Whatever."
***
Ranma sighed. He had been looking for Julia for the better part of an hour! Just where the heck was she hiding anyway?
He stopped when a soft, almost pathetic sob reached his ears. Straining to see if he could hear it again, he sighed when he did. "Okay, she's close by." he thought. It tore him up to hear her crying like that. Damn Jonathan, damn him to hell for this.
"Julia?" he called out tentatively.
"Go away." came her anguished reply.
Ranma sighed as he followed the voice. There was Julia, huddled in a corner hugging her knees and crying softly. How long she had been there, he didn't know, but she looked absolutely miserable. Sitting down next to the woman, he said nothing so as not to disturb the older woman in her grief. He was tempted, oh so tempted to ask her not to cry, but he didn't think he had a right to ask that. Still, he leaned over and wrapped his arm around the woman, pulling her against himself to offer comfort. He had no thoughts about Julia taking this in a bad way, he was far too concerned for her well being at the moment to care.
Julia buried her face into her friends shoulder and started weeping anew, her salty tears escaping her eyes and staining his shirt, "It's not fair!" she cried, "Ranma! My husband and baby can't even see me!"
Ranma sighed, hugging the distraught woman as she cried into his shoulder. He winced when she pounded her fist against him in frustration. "They love you Julia, we all love you. Were going to find a way to fix everything."
She said nothing more as she hung onto him crying. Ranma realized it was going to be a LOOOOOONG night.
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(Posted Tue, 27 Jan 2004 22:24)
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