Authors Notes: This will probably be the only DBZ fic I'll ever write, and its all about my fav character, future Trunks. Its pretty angsty, more so than on the show, and its a story concentrating on his struggles, as well as Gohan's. Trunks will also have a little romance.... I hope you like it, and please leave a review!

"It's falling apart, but its still home!"**

Mirai Trunks jumped out of the time machine and rushed towards the very familiar house, a large grin gracing his features. He couldn't wait to tell his mother everything that had happened since he had last saw her! He missed seeing his mother smile and he meant really smile and he hoped that his recent news would give her a reason to smile. But Trunks knew that it would all be over soon, and once he had defeated the Androids and Cell, perhaps life would look up for them and all of them would be able to move on.

"Mum! I'm home!"

He frowned and looked around, not able to sense his mother anywhere in the area. Perhaps she had gone out for a bit of fresh air. Usually he was the one to go out and get the food, it was much safer. A sudden surge of guilt bubbled up in him, but he pushed it down. She would be fine. He allowed a smile to grace his lips. He was back to his mother again, the only thing Trunks truly had left that he could call his own. Trying to sense her energy would be useless- she wasn't strong enough to be noticeable from a distance, particularly at her age and state. She may have the fighting spirit that kept Trunks from losing faith, but years of living in hiding had taken a toll on her body.

"Mum!" He called out again. Perhaps she was in a recently made machine, working away at it like she usually does, another source of hope for this desolate world. He trotted over to the lab, his footsteps echoing. There was no sign of her. He couldn't help but get slightly worried. Something really didn't feel right. He flicked on the TV, welcoming the familiar sound.

"Well, seeing as I'm here, I might as well take a crack at the Androids," Trunks said out loud to himself. It felt strange, it being so silent. It had never been so silent, not in this timeline and definitely not in the other one.

Trunks quickly scribbled down a note for his mother in case he missed her when he left, glancing at the television and making a mental note at where the latest android activity was at the same time. I'm back mum. I'll be back soon. I love you. Trunks. He finished the note with a flourishing, elaborate signature, just to prove it was really him, and pinned it on the wall.Taking one last glance around the room, he raised his power and then flew off out the door he arrived through, a rush of anticipation flooding him. He had waited for this moment for so long... a time when he would be able to beat the Androids. He would definitely be able to beat them now and he would avenge all of those who they had ruthlessly murdered. Then Cell would be next. The nightmare would be over forever.

This will be for you, mother, and you Gohan. He thought, clenching his fists. I will not fail again.

But somehow, he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. It crawled under his skin and sapped through him like a slow affecting poison. Ignoring it, he continued to speed on, with a sense renewed vigour as he thought, once he was finished, he could go back to his mother and he would tell her everything, and he would feel like he was where he belonged again.

----------

"Hello again."

Trunks' voice was cool as he touched down on the floor softly, interrupting their bickering.

"Oh look 18, it's that punk again. I didn't think you'd come and try to face us again, you know you cannot win," the Android known as 17 said. 18 turned and looked at him for a moment, not appearing to seem very interested.

"Oh, well, it should be a bit more interesting killing him than what we've been doing lately. It bores me, just blowing up things," 18 said, a flicker of interest highlighting her cold features.

"You won't be killing anymore when I'm done with you," Trunks said. The twins laughed, the sound was cruel and mocking, stirring anger from deep inside him.

"Like you puny kid could ever defeat us. You've never so much as touched us before," 17 said, glancing at 18. "Come on 18, let's finish him once and for all."

"Yeah, come on. Too bad, he's quite cute," 18 said, smirking.

"Funny, I can't remember how many times you've said that, and never been able to," Trunks said. Her last remark made his skin creep, but he would never show it.

"We were just having a little fun back then, but now we're bored of you... HAAA!"

The Androids charged towards him but Trunks remained unflinching. When 18 threw a punch at him, he dodged with ease threw a lazy punch back that hit her squarely in the cheek. Perhaps he would have a little fun first, show them how it felt to be all those people, to feel so helpless... to feel like him.

"That was a bad mistake kid," 18 snarled, a definite mark on her cheek. Trunks smirked as he dodged 17's attack just as easily as his twins. He could have laughed at the simplicity of their movements as they began to try and hit him again. A minute later, the two Androids moved away from him, hovering parallel to him. They were breathing heavily, their dead eyes suddenly filled with hatred and maybe it was just Trunks' imagination, but also a flicker of fear.

"How... how have you gotten this strong? You were nothing, nothing to us before," 17 said, clenching his fists.

"Well I-"

Trunks froze as he saw a familiar hint of blue hair on the ground. Forgetting momentarily that he was fighting the androids, he quickly lowered himself to the floor. He gasped and staggered backwards, staring at a body. No. The bright blue hair was unmistakeable, even without being able to see her face. A heavy weight sunk to the bottom of his stomach and it sat there, clenching at ripping at his insides.

"No..." Trunks whispered, rushing over to the body. "No... it can't be!"

He scooped the body into his lap and turned her round, a sense of dread washing over him. His stomach dropped as a familiar pair of blue eyes stared back at him or rather, past him.

"No...no mum... please....no!"

Every ounce of the self control he had possessed washed away in the storm of tears. It didn't matter that he was in the middle of a battle field. It didn't matter two deadly androids were watching him. All that mattered was that his mother was dead and he wasn't there to save her. She was dead. He couldn't believe it. Grief poured over him, but was soon replaced with fury as he heard two sets of laughter from above.

"So you knew this pathetic human. What a shame," 18 said tauntingly. Trunks couldn't stand it any longer. He wasn't just going to play with them any longer. Not after this. He didn't care about that anymore. He just wanted to destroy them. He wanted them dead. Placing a kiss on the cold forehead of his mother he picked her up and took her over to the side of the road and placed her gently down on the grass. He gently closed his mothers eyelids, unable to bear her eyes open anymore.

"I'm sorry mum... I'm so sorry.... I love you," he whispered, staring at his mother for one more moment as the anger bubbled up inside of him. They were the ones that did this and they were going to pay.

"Touching, don't you think 18?" 17 said as he touched back down to earth. 18 smirked in agreement. "She was easy to finish off.... like a fly or something. Too bad you missed it 18. It was fun. She started yapping on about some guys we beat years ago and you, now I remember. Much quieter now."

"How dare you!"

At this point, Trunks lost all control and instantly transformed into a Super Saiyan, the energy crackling inside of him. No more messing around. He immediately charged forward and drove his fist through the male's stomach, a sense of satisfaction as he choked out a ragged breath and doubled over. Trunks pounded him over and over, pouring out all of his fury and rage into his kicks and punches. Even when 18 joined in, Trunks just batted her away with a few sharp few punches in the face and stomach, reeling her backwards in agony. He was going to finish her off next, after he was done with the male Android.

"This- is- for- my- mother!" Trunks spat through punches. He could tell that the Android couldn't fight back any longer, his strength was too much. If only he had gotten here sooner, maybe he could have... he transferred that anger through even more intense punches.

"Stop!"

"What's the matter?" Trunks taunted her. "Scared?"

18's eyes were widened slightly, her fists clenched. He looked down at 17, who was bleeding heavily and only semi conscious, barely managing to stay in the air. He was still breathing, but barely. Maybe I should continue this, prolong the agony....

His mother's calm, kind face entered his head and he knew that it wouldn't be what she wanted. She wouldn't want him to end it like this. Glaring at the limp body, he threw it in from of him. He raised a hand, his fingers splayed out and sent an energy blast directly at the Android, the noise from the blast drowning out the scream from 18. Then he fluidly charged forward through the smoke, snatched out his sword, and sliced the remaining parts of the android into pieces.

"No... You... you destroyed him!" 18 shouted, staring desolately at what was left of 17.

"Now it's your turn," Trunks said in a low voice, powering up slightly. "But maybe, before I kill you, you should think about what you've done to these innocent people, who never tried to hurt you. You killed them without any regret, no thoughts about their families, that they deserve to live!"

Before 18 was even able to react, before she even moved the scowl from her face, Trunks shot forward, driving his knee directly into her jaw. As she cried in pain, he raised his hand up again and destroyed her in one blast, never looking away. Then he raised his other palm and threw smaller blasts at her over and over again until he was sure she was dead. He lowered his power level until he was no longer a Super Saiyan and lowered himself to the floor. He rushed over the body of his mother.

"I did it mum, I beat them.... it's over... the Androids..." he murmured, pulling his mother close to him. He didn't move from that spot for a while, not even when people came out of hiding to thank him for saving them, not even when the sun set, staining the sky red. It was only when the depths of night started to creep in that he finally carried his mother's body to the house alone.

-------

The funeral was small. Few came, everyone else was dead. ChiChi and her father were there, as were Oolong and Master Roshi, but Trunks didn't speak to them. Any conversations started with him were ended prematurely; only giving short, one word answers. He didn't feel much like talking. He didn't cry. On some level, it still didn't feel real. He couldn't accept that his mother was really gone, he still expected her to be at home with a cup of tea and a smile. It wasn't how it was meant to end. It wasn't meant to just be him, it was meant to be him and his mother to rebuild a life. It wasn't fair.

When everyone left he was alone by his mothers graveside. For hours, he just sat staring at her tombstone, tracing the words with his finger. He felt cold inside, his heart heavy and his senses dulled. The same thoughts ran over and over again. He may have saved the world from the Androids, but he had failed to save his own mother.

I can't stop now, I can't give in.... I need to still beat Cell... then it'll all be over. The last threat to earth will be finished... Trunks thought desperately, as his body started to ache from the lack of food and sleep. He clung to that one thread of thought, that one thing that was in between him being consumed by grief. Much later, he slowly got to his feet and retreated back to the house, collapsing on his bed. It took hours before he fell into a restless sleep, only to awake every few hours to the face of his dead mother endlessly looking, yet never seeing, her skin as pale as the moon.

He could barely stand the silence the next morning. He ate in silence, not caring what the food was, not caring for the taste. His mind was only on Cell and his mother. After getting ready, he walked to the front door, at a sudden loss at where Cell could be. He looked around, half expecting Cell to just turn up. As if he'd be so lucky. Perhaps taking a walk might give him a few ideas.

The weeks passed, and nothing. Trunks occasionally turned onto the news, sometimes to hear stories of reunited families after the end of the Android's, sometimes to hear news of a mysterious new way of killing going round, only clothes left. People were still living in fear that the Android's were coming. But every time, he was just a minute too late. Every new death weighed heavily on Trunks' chest.

Wait.... what's that?

Trunks was in the sitting room, nursing a cup of tea and keeping his focus on the television when he heard a noise coming from the other room. In the direction at where the time machine was. It was him. The green freak. Actually calling him a green freak was an insult to all Namek's. He was more like an overgrown, mutated green grasshopper. Yes it was definitely Cell, there was no mistaking it. He smirked, quite glad to see him. He could be rid of him, and it would all be over. Now this, this would be for Goku.

"Hello Cell. Nice to see you again."

The creature known as Cell swung round, looking shocked. His eyes focused on Trunks.

"How do you know who I am? Never matter, my data says that you're weak. It doesn't matter," Cell said.

"I know a lot about you, Cell. You were going to sneak into my time machine weren't you? You're more of a creep than I thought you were," Trunks retorted angrily, powering up a little.

"Stupid boy, you think you can beat me?" Cell said, laughing.

"Yeah, I do actually," Trunks said confidently. "You're weak in this form. Oh did I forget to mention, I've already destroyed your precious Androids. There's not even enough left of them for you to suck up in that weird tail of yours. It's over Cell."

Cell looked undeniably shocked, but he maintained a smirk. Only just.

"You're bluffing. You're not nearly powerful enough to beat them."

"Oh really?"

Deciding to stop beating around the bush, Trunks let out an almighty yell and transformed.

"I'll challenge you to a bet. If you beat me, you can have my time machine," Trunks said, starting to rise in the air. He pointed his thumb in the direction where he knew was empty land.

"Fine, I'll beat you, and then go back in time and-"

"Yeah, I know what you'd do, I don't need you to bore me with your little story," Trunks said. "Lets get this over with. We'll fight over there!"

Then the two fighters flew over in that direction. Trunks didn't want any harm to go to his house, or the machine. It was safer somewhere secluded, even though he knew Cell wouldn't last long. He was merely in his first stage, and hadn't got much strength from innocents... it would be an easy fight.

The fight didn't last long. Trunks drew it out for a while, allowing Cell to get in a few punches, all in all it lasted a grand total of about two minutes, before he blasted him to oblivion. Every last bit of him was disintegrated in a light so blinding it stung even Trunks' eyes. Quick and easy.

Immediately after the last of Cell faded away and Trunks was sure he was gone for good, he flew back to his house and collapsed on the sofa. Not that he was tired, but due to the realisation that it was really over. They were really all gone. The monsters that had made his life a living nightmare, had finally been destroyed and earth was given a new dawn. He always knew that in the end, nightmares would have to end. As he lay on the sofa, looking out the window at the sky clear of smoke and destruction, he was suddenly hit by a startling revelation.

What now?

All he had been gearing towards, fought for years for, had been done. Every fibre of his being had been focused on defeating the Androids, and more recently, Cell. But it was all over now. It was done. Trunks had nothing left to do. Nothing. Earth would recover, and be at peace. He was all alone. People would find their lives again. He had no-one. What was he going to do? Then a dreaded thought seeped into his consciousness, even as he tried to fight it. What's the point of living now? If I died, would anyone even notice? Would anyone even care?

Over the following couple of months, Trunks wasn't sure exactly how long, he didn't keep much track on time, he spend his time training in the mountains. His house was only used for changing clothes, occasionally sleeping in and getting washed at. He visited the graveyard daily, spending a good portion of the day with his mother and seeing the other fighters too, informing her of his training and his 'new goal.' His new goal was to carry on training, to protect earth from future threats seeing as he was the last one left to do so. He didn't return to the past and tell them of Cell and the Androids defeat, because if he did, he felt he might not have the willpower to return.

Even though earth was at peace, Trunks was at war with himself. Many people thought he had died, having not have seen him for a long time, but were busy rebuilding their own lives to care much of his own.

In many ways, he had.

**That line was taken directly from the anime