They'd been inside the Time Chamber for several months and still not uttered more than very short sentences to each other, and always after the same pattern; he'd try to start a conversation and get a grumpy answer, at best. And while his father seemed okay with it, actually like he didn't want it to change, Trunks was going crazy. He'd always suspected that he had his slight talkativeness from his mother's side, now every suspicion was confirmed. How could he make his stupid, stubborn father-but-not-quite-father see reason? Would he ever be able to break through the arrogant jerk and see the person underneath? The person he knew was there because his mother, the mother he'd left behind in the dark future, had seen it and told him it was there. Hah! Like hell it was.

His frustrations made him lose control over his attack, causing Vegeta to be thrown forcefully to the floor.

"FATHER!!" Instantly Trunks stopped his attack and hurried down to land by his father's side.

"WHY ARE YOU SO EAGER IN MAKING SURE I'M SAFE?" Even though he honestly hadn't expected anything else Trunks still felt it as if he'd been hit. Then anger took over.

"I DON'T WANT LITTLE TRUNKS TO GROW UP FATHERLESS!"

He was shaking; hands clenched together, nails digging into his palms. Fighting to urge to run away, as far as he could into the nothingness of the Time Chamber, he stayed and looked his father right in the eyes.

"What're you talking about?"

Was that concern in his father's voice? Had his mother been right after all?

"What I just said. I don't want little Trunks to grow up fatherless. I… all my life I've felt as if I'd just been stronger I could've stopped the deaths. Not Goku, I know, but everyone else. I never even knew my father… and then… If only Gohan had let me fight with him… he'd never had died. It's my fault they all died. I should've helped. I… OUCH!"

Before he could finish his father smacked him across his face with a force that would've sent an ordinary person sprawling.

"Trunk! Listen to me! Didn't you say you were just a baby when the androids attacked?"

"Yeah… but…"

"But nothing!" Vegeta interrupted. "You were just a baby. Nobody would have expected you to fight. Not even me! You know what I mean, the "me" from your time. And even if I did your mother would never allow it."

"But… when Gohan… I was 13!"

"I cannot give you the exact reason for why he did what he did. But I have a suspicion: Gohan is Kakarot's son. And just like his father I'm sure he would rather die than putting one he cares about in danger. Besides, if you'd been with him when he died you could have died as well. But because you lived there's still hope. Kakarot lives, thanks to you. We all live thanks to you and your brilliant mother because you two weren't afraid to attempt the impossible, even if it meant changing history itself. So often people talk about if I could go back in time. If I could change this and that. But you didn't talk. You acted. And when we've beaten Cell and you return to your own time you'll show those androids never to mess with the last in line of the royal Saiyan family."

Okay. Maybe some of his talking abilities came from his father after all. He didn't expect a warm, loving relationship to bloom instantly. But respect and understanding was a start.