Finding Your Way Home

Hi, sorry about taking so long to get the next chapter out. I find that as I have no experience as a drug addict, that this story is harder to write then I thought it would be. If I had made Ranma a dominatrix lush, then I wouldn't have a single problem writing that lol.

Sid

Ranma woke up and glanced fuzzily around her. For a second she'd wondered if she had died and gone to heaven, but dismissed this notion as heaven would never look like a hospital room...and that's where she was.

She could remember little about the night before except for the blood...the baby! Her hands flew to her belly, or tried to but failed. She glanced at her wrists and saw to her horror that she was restrained...again. She started to panic until a soothing voice said "its okay, we had to put them on you because you kept on trying to rip out the IV and you needed fluids in the worst way. You put up quite a fight. You're safe now. My name is Dr. Tom Cho" a handsome Chinese man said as he carefully removed them. Ranma sagged with relief, until he frowned at the old ligature scars on her wrists, but tactfully said nothing. Even though he'd wondered he'd about them and the matching ones on her ankles.

"Where am I, how did I get here?" she asked through chapped lips.

"Your friend Mu Tzu found you and brought you here" he explained.

"Who?" she asked with a frown, the name didn't ring any bells.

"Sorry I keep on forgetting that Japanese people frequently mispronounce Chinese names. You probably knew him as Mousse" Dr. Cho explained.

"Mousse's here?" she asked in surprise.

"He's been living here for about four years. I met him at the Chinese community centre soon after he arrived. He left a few hours ago to get some clothes for you to wear home" he explained.

"I don't have a home" she said sadly.

The depressed tone in her voice caused him to soften a bit towards the young woman; he'd expected her to be a hardened street girl who would eventually take advantage of his friend's kindly nature. She seemed so young and vulnerable despite her profession and addiction. He hoped she had a fighting chance for both her and Mousse's sake. He had seen so many women like her, who he'd personally tried to help, only to have them slip back into their former 'habits.' Then they hit rock bottom and came crawling back to him with hopeful smiles and empty promises. It was enough to make anyone want leave the medical profession and become a gardener. He sat down in the chair beside her bed. "Mousse has a place in town; you'll be living with him while you do start your methadone treatments and attend addiction support meeting on an outpatient basis. We hope to wean you off the methadone completely over time. This is just a temporary measure, but it will allow you to live a normal life until you are dependence free" he explained.

"Why would Mousse do this for me? He hates me. Does he want to gloat about what I've become?" she said bitterly.

"I don't know the nature of your past relationship with him, but the Mu Tzu I know is a caring honourable man and I doubt he harbours any ill intentions toward you. I want you to see this as an opportunity for what it is; a second chance. You can beat this thing and have normal life, dependence free. You can go onto marry and have other children" he said with hope in his voice, trying to make her see beyond the dreary now.

She touched her slack belly and knew what he was trying to tell her. "So the baby is gone?" she asked. She hadn't wanted it really and had tried to ignore it for the most part and pretend it didn't exist, but part of her had dreamed about having this child.

"I'm sorry, this often happens in addiction pregnancies. It's normally too much for the developing fetus" he said kindly.

"How would it have been if it had survived?" she asked him

"It would have been a tiny drug addict; about half of the heroin babies born don't develop properly in the womb and are born with low birth weight or are born prematurely. There would have been a risk of health problems and breathing problems. There also is an increased risk of lifelong disabilities" he explained.

"Perhaps its better that it died?" she said in a dazed voice.

He said nothing, not sure what to say. "A gynecologist performed a D&C on you last night to make sure that you were safe against infection. That is she dilated your cervix and emptied your uterus by gently scraping the uterine lining. She said that there should be no scarring and you will be able to have other children when you're ready" he assured her.

"I'm a guy" she said bitterly.

"Yes Mousse explained about your water curse. I don't know why you can't change back. Perhaps it had something to do with the pregnancy hormones? I'm sorry, but I don't know of anyone I can even consult about these things" he said. "Perhaps in time you will be able to regain your true form, but until then, being a woman isn't so bad. It's obvious that you haven't been addicted for long, you're too thin but you have all your teeth and your hair isn't bad. Some women look twice their age in your situation. All you really need is a hot bath, proper food and exercise you'll be as right as rain. I'm sure that a couple of Mousse's super duper burgerinos will plump you right up" Dr. Cho said to make her feel better.

"What are those?" she asked.

"You'll find out" he replied with a grin.

"How do you know I'm better off as a girl? At least you're a guy" Ranma said bitterly.

"I'd rather be a live girl then a dead guy" Dr. Cho said bluntly. "Don't worry about what body you have for now, just focus on getting it healthy" he said. He put his hand on her shoulder "you'll be fine. I'm sorry but I have to see my other patients. I'll return when Mousse come back to release you" he assured her, leaving Ranma to wonder if perhaps she would be better off dead.

Mousse had been wandering the women's department trying to figure out what he should buy for Ranma, he'd never been good at guessing women's sizes and Ranma herself sure hadn't been in any shape to ask. 'Jeans perhaps?' he wondered as he pulled out a pair of skinny jeans and frowned at them. "Can I help you?" a sales girl asked frostily. She'd seen the young man lurking in her department and sought to drive him off, thinking he was a pervert.

"I need to buy some clothes for my...friend" Mousse said wondering why she was glaring at him. 'Ranma was a friend of his, right?' he questioned.

"What are your friend's sizes" she asked suspiciously.

"I don't know" Mousse said truthfully. "She's small but curvy" he offered helpfully.

"Perhaps she would like this? Young men often like their friends in this number" she said pulling out a red cherry print hot pink dress.

"I don't think that's her style" Mousse replied somewhat tightly.

"Perhaps we should start with lingerie?" she suggested grabbing his arm and tugging him towards that section.

Mousse blushed to be suddenly in Happosai's dream house. "I don't think she would wear any of these. I doubt she even wears a bra" he said, thinking about her preference for boxers and undershirts. She certainly hadn't been wearing on the night before.

"What is her bra size?" she demanded.

"I don't know, she kind of like this I suppose" he said and held his hands in front of his own chest to demonstrate what little he'd notice about those. He blushed when she looked at him like he was something that she's found happily munching in her vegetable patch; he hastily dropped his hands to his sides.

"What I think is that there is no girl in your life and that you're just here to ogle woman. You should leave, we don't allow perverts in our store" she demanded.

Mousse felt his temper rise and retorted "there is a woman; she's an old friend who I found living on the streets yesterday and I'm here to buy her clothes to discharge her from the hospital in. If I don't know her sizes, it's because I haven't seen her in four years."

"Wait I'm sorry, we get lots of perverts here. Heck, once a year we get this old man in purple gi stealing underwear from the change rooms. That's why I have to be careful. Let me help you" she assured him. "I would buy her a couple of track suits for comfort if she's just getting out of the hospital. Plain cotton jockey style underwear in a medium size fits most women. She'll need boots, just get American size seven as that's an average size and thick socks will fill those out if they're too big. As for a jacket..."

Mousse paid for his purchases and made sure the he stowed them in the car so that they would be warm when she put them on. He was actually happy to have found Ranma again, but wished it didn't have to be in the shape he presently found her to be in. He'd been longing to tell her that he was sorry for having been such a jerk to her...him. He now understood in his maturity, that it was Shampoo vying for Ranma and that she never cared for Mousse. He wondered what had led Ranma to her present state, but vowed that he wouldn't put pressure on her; she could tell him when she was ready.

Ranma's eye widened when Mousse walked in, he'd grown taller and his face had lean and hardened into his adult features, but except for the lack of glasses he was still the same long haired man. "Hello Ranma" he said giving her a warm smile. The years had been kind to him; in place of his white robe he wore a turquoise uniform shirt that had the name 'Fast Frankie's Diner' emblazoned on it in pink and a pair of blue jeans. She almost laughed; Mousse was now twenty years old and still working as a waiter! He looked fit and healthy, even the stupid shirt couldn't disguise his well honed body. This made Ranma a little sad as she used to have a body similar to that.

"Mousse I want to thank you for helping me last night" she said formally.

"It's no problem. I assume that Tom told you that you are coming to live with me?" he asked.

"Yes, I guess that would be acceptable" she said dismissively, at that point she didn't care what happened to her.

"I can find you somewhere else to stay if you want?" Mousse asked confused.

Ranma was just wanted to get out of there, but she heard the rather confused note in his voice "of course I would like to stay with you" she said in a gentler tone.

"Good, I brought you some clothes" he said, giving her the plastic bags that he was carrying. Somehow that he was being so thoughtful touched her; she pulled out a couple of plain coloured blue track suits along with some other items. She frowned at the panties, but knew that women didn't wear boxers. She got a lump in her throat about what else women didn't have. "Thank you" she said to the strangely kind man.

"It's okay, we'll go shopping when you're up to it and you can pick out what you like. I'll leave you alone to get dressed" he said and went outside to find his friend. Ranma could just stare after him in wonder. What had happened to the boy who swore he hated her? When had he become nice?

"She's agreeable to the idea of living with you while she gets clean. You're going to have to help her make sure that she doesn't trade one addiction for another. Such as turning to alcohol instead or even sex" his friend explained.

"I don't think we'll have to worry about the last one" Mousse said flatly.

"Well just be careful, she won't like having to follow your rules, but it's really the only way she stands a chance of getting straight. Just so know, addicts can get really sneaky, you'll have to watch her like a hawk. Are you sure I shouldn't contact a shelter to get her a bed there?" Tom offered.

"No, I said I will help her and I mean it" Mousse said firmly.

"Okay, just so you know. The methadone might make her sleepy at first and she'll need to stay off her feet for a few days as the D&C hurts for a while after it's done" he replied.

That reminded him about the baby that she lost "how many months was she gone?" Mousse asked.

"About five is my guess, it's a miracle that she hadn't miscarried yet" Tom replied. "I guess it's just as well or you would have had to look after two people"

Mousse thought about his lost love and said "I wouldn't have minded having a baby around the place" and realized that he meant it.

"I'm sorry she died so young, but what would she have thought about your bring that strange woman into her house?" Tom asked in sympathy.

Mousse smiled confidently and said "she not only would have approved of Ranma staying with us, but would have insisted. She was the kindest person I ever met"

Ranma had been surprised when Mousse's car had proved to be a nineteen fifties Cadillac that was black with red flames on it. Mousse explained that he hardly ever drove, but didn't want her to walk in the cold. She wondered how he could have afforded the insurance, let alone the car on a waiter's salary. When she saw his house she cried "how can you afford all this?" The place was on a large double lot and although the house itself was hardly a mansion, it was huge. It was western style and painted white with dark trim and roof, giving it the appearance of a cottage and the bottom half was built of stone. There were shutters over each window in place on curtains that had been dutifully opened during the day. The furniture featured comfortable overstuffed couches, highly polished pinewood tables and bookcases. The hardwood floor was highly polished and light in colour, giving the whole place a bright, airy feel that was also homey at the same time. There was a fireplace and an expensive looking entertainment unit in the living room. Mousse obviously a thing for bonsai trees as the place had tons of them. Looking out the window, Ranma could see a traditional Japanese garden...and dear gods...was that a dojo?

Mousse smiled at her reaction and said, "I won the lottery" and proceeded to explain it to her.

Flashback

Mousse was having a horrible day, it was his seventeenth birthday and no one had remembered but his mother. She had sent him more robes that she had lovingly sewed for him and a bit of money. He'd used part of the money to purchase a lottery ticket and played his usual numbers, which were of the day that he met Shampoo and of her birthday. He felt foolish spending money on something that he'd never won a dime on "might as well throw that money in the sea" he thought sourly.

He was in a bad mood and gazed at the love of his life, she'd been so depressed since Ranma had vanished and barely seemed to notice that Mousse was alive. As he passed a table, a group of girls about his age asked him to turn up the volume on the TV that was in the corner as they were about to announce the lottery numbers. He did and half heartily listened to them in passing, until it registered on his conscious what they were. Numbly he pulled out his ticket and asked one of the girls to check it against the numbers for confirmation. The girl did and then with a squeal, hugged him and cried that he had won. He had chosen not to go public and hold a giant cheque while mugging for the camera. So the money had been mailed to him by bank draft and deposited he quietly deposited it into his account.

People had found out anyway and suddenly the lonely Chinese boy had tons of girls (and guys) after him. Liking his new popularity, he went out on a few dates with some choice cuties, but none of them wanted him for himself. Finally he offered the money to Shampoo, she'd screamed at him and beat him up for implying she was a whore. Mousse begging her to believe him that wasn't his intentions in the least did nothing to sway her; that was the night before she left him for good.

End Flashback

Ranma was wary of Mousse's intentions still and wondered if she was expected to be housekeeper, until he made dinner them dinner and then helped her settle into the living room after she had a long shower and soak. They talked of things inconsequential, neither one wanting to talk about their current troubles yet. Ranma found herself relaxing in his presence, but then she was warm and toasty. Her belly was pleasantly full and she wore warm cotton pajamas and a slippers. She had a throw rug draped over her lap while she lazed in front of a roaring fire sipping a cup of hot cocoa. She sighed to be warm and comfortable again and then she frowned and asked Mousse a question that had been preying on her mind "Mousse why are you doing this for me really?"

"Because you would have done the same for me" he replied. Ranma pondered this and realized that he was right. Ranma never failed to help someone she knew if she was in a position to; that's part of the reason why she had wound up like this in the first place...

She examined Mousse in the firelight and blushed when she realized that he was kind of, well handsome in the way she used to be. Mousse yawned loudly and said, "I hope you don't mind if I crash, I was with you most of the night and am exhausted" he said.

"How do you know I won't rob you blind?" she challenged and then blushed when he turned his lasered gaze on her poignantly.

"I can see now for one" and then said "The rice cooker in the kitchen might get you a few yen along with the toaster. As for the TV, I recommend you get help moving it or you might strain yourself. I trust you not to take my stuff, they are only possessions and can be replaced if need be. I keep nothing of value in the house and everything's insured. Besides, I trust you" he finished.

"Y-you do?" she stammered.

"Yes I can trust you not to steal stuff...its girlfriends I have to worry about" he said and they shared a laugh. "Seriously, I want you to consider this to be your home until you get back on your feet. This isn't your prison and I'm not your jailer. We shall have to stay together just in case though. How do you feel about waitressing?" he asked.

"Why does everyone want me to be a waitress?" she asked with a groan.

"Consider it to be part of your therapy and a way of earning a living. Beside the uniform is hardly scandalous, one of my employee's is fourteen and yours would match her's" he explained.

Once Mousse had gone to bed Ranma went to finish her cocoa and wandered the dim hallways, checking the place out. She noticed the photos of Mousse with a woman. Ranma had nothing against plain girls, but was surprised to see that Mousse's girlfriend seemed to look kind of well...plain. Yet there was something about her smile that made her face light up, especially when she was looking at Mousse. There were pictures of them hugging, pictures of her working in the garden and various things other poses. Ranma had never seen Mousse look as happy as he did in these photos. Ranma was confused; there was no sign of a woman in his house. Mousse seemed to live there alone. If this pretty-plain girl had lived here as the photos seemed to indicate; then where was she?