*DISCLAIMER* I do not own Dragonball Z or any of it's characters. I do however own this story and any other additional characters. Thank You.

He held the little bundle close, praying they wouldn't find him. As the blasts got louder, he held the traumatised child tighter. "Please stop crying, Trunks," Gohan whispered, "The android's will hear us for sure." He wiped the tears from the child's cheek with his sleeve, then closed his eyes and held Trunks tighter still as another explosion went off. "What could they possibly want? They already killed Vegeta and the others, and daddy too…" Chi-chi, his mother, had also been killed by these androids, trying to protect Gohan, killed by her love for him, and he was determined to prove that her sacrifice had not been in vain. Gohan held back the tears and held his breath. Suddenly, the eerie silence brought itself to the young sayains attention. He tried to listen out for signs of the androids presence. The boy let out a sigh and gradually let his guard down. "I can't hear them, Trunks. I guess they finally went to find some other place to trash."

"Guess again!" Before Gohan could identify the voice, he was forced around and pulled up roughly by his collar. A ki blast was directed into his chest, where he was still gripping baby Trunks, and it let off such a powerful amount of energy that it threw him back into one of the dilapidated buildings. By the time Gohan came to his senses, he realised that Trunks was missing. He leapt to his feet, looking around frantically.

"TRUNKS! TRUNKS, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Trunks, eh?" Gohan looked up. Directly in front of him stood the merciless android #18. She was a tall, thin, blonde woman, with an icy, empty stare that bore through Gohan like a drill through concrete; and in her iron grip was Chibi Trunks.

*But that energy blast would've surely killed him, * Gohan thought, *He's just a little baby! * The sayain boy looked closer. Surrounding Trunks was a blue aura of light. *An energy shield? But he couldn't possibly… it's impossible!* Gohan dropped to his knees relieved and in disbelief.

"How did this… Trunks survive my energy blast?"

"Why not ask the boy?" Gohan gasped and quickly spun around to find himself face to face with android #17, the equally evil twin of #18. He had straight black hair and wore an orange necktie. A smile began to spread across his face as he saw how afraid the child was of him. "Well, are you going to tell us? Because if you aren't, you are no use to me" #17 began to charge a ball of ki in his open palm. Gohan was scared stiff, like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck.

"17, don't kill him yet! Geeze, you're so impatient." #18 flew over to where her brother was standing, the bawling Trunks still in her possession.

"Well, what do you suggest we do with him?"

"At least let us have some fun with him first."

"Then can we kill him?" the voices drifted off somewhere. All Gohan could see, all Gohan could hear, was the infant Trunks crying loudly as he dangled from #18's grasp, holding him from his ankle like he was nothing but a leg of meat. His cries were deafening. They grew louder until Gohan's ears started ringing and drowned out the sound of the androids arguing.

*It's all my fault.* he thought. Specks of rain began to drizzle down from the heavens. Gohan looked down at his hands as they dug into the rubble and gripped that shattered tarmac. He gripped it tightly, the anger and hatred for the androids and himself building up inside him. He held the gravel tighter and tighter, until the shards pierced through the skin of his palms. As the blood trickled down his arms he was brought back to reality by the bickering voices on the android twins.

"What about this Trunks? Let me kill him at least." Gohan's heart skipped a beat.

"No, don't. He is quite strong for a child his age, imagine how powerful he'll be when he's older, we could use him to our advantage." They were so distracted by their arguing that they didn't notice Gohan's power level rocket up.

*They can't take Trunks! How will I be able to live with myself knowing I could've done something, instead of standing by and watch him be killed like my mother. I won't just stand here, I've gotta do something!*

"YOU LEAVE TRUNKS ALONE!" The child threw back his head and screamed with anger and fear, for he knew that he was not strong enough to defeat the androids by himself. He threw himself at #18 and made a grab for Trunks, but she casually tossed the baby over to her brother and took the punches without moving a single inch. She thrust out her arm and held Gohan tightly around his neck as he choked and scrambled to try and breathe.

"Enough of your silly games." With a single punch, #18 sent Gohan flying into a pile of rubble and glass shards. He felt too weak to move, but he just managed to lift up his head. He squinted to make out the two figures approaching him, and retreated backwards, scrambling to get the furthest possible distance away from the android twins, not daring to take his eyes off them for even a second. Android #17 raised his arm and pointed an index finger out at the frightened and helpless Gohan. He could do nothing but sit there in fear as a bright light shot towards him. He felt a sharp, burning pain penetrate his right shoulder. He quickly put his hand over the wound and squeezed it in a futile attempt to stop the immense pain. "Now, you don't look like your in the position to argue with us, so whether you like it or not, we're taking the kid." 18 barked coldly.

"I guess now the deadly duo has turned into the terrible trio." 17 grinned as he shoved the still crying Trunks under his arm and began to rise upwards. His sister followed. "What do you want to do now sis?" he asked, hoping for the permission to finally kill Gohan, whom he saw as a pesky bug that must be squashed as soon as possible.

"I think we should go home. My hair's all a mess and I think you blew up every mirror around here, typical male." #18 flicked away strands of her blonde hair from her view before resting her hands on her hips.

"And the boy…"

"Leave him. He's sure to die eventually, but if not, we will meet again. It'll give us something to do once we've killed everything else on this boring planet. Come on 17, let's go." She flew off ahead of her brother, leaving him alone with Gohan. He turned around briefly and glared at Gohan with a look that could kill. The rain came down harder, and brought with it lightening. A fierce bolt of light came down and struck a building near by, causing it to explode into flames. The fires danced playfully on the walls of the buildings that were still standing. The light flickered on and off #17's face as he sneered at the sayain boy.

"I'll get you next time kid, you just watch your back." And with that, he sped off to catch up with his sister.

Gohan flinched as he looked down at his chest and peeled his bloody hand off his stained shirt. He quickly replaced it as blood rushed out of the wound and onto his clothes like thick molten lava. With the last of his energy, Gohan stood up and stumbled down the deserted streets. Nature worked against him as the rain waterlogged his clothes and pulled him down, making it more challenging for him to move. He hobbled along, hunched over, clutching his shoulder. His hair was matted to his forehead with blood and sweat. He stroked back his fringe so as to see where he was going, when something caught his eye. There was a woman lying in his path. She was dead of course. Gohan guessed by her gaping head wound that she must've been struck by chunks of falling bricks and debris. He kneeled down beside her. She was holding something in her arms. He gently pried open her cold, dead fingers and held the bundle in his arms. It was wrapped in some kind of blanket. He pulled it back to reveal the face of a baby girl. As Gohan watched her, she yawned and turned around in her sleep, so peaceful and oblivious of her situation. He hugged the infant close to him, as he had hugged Trunks.

"Don't worry ma'am," he whispered, "I promise by the heavens, I will protect your daughter if it kills me." The boy ripped off a piece of cloth from his trousers and covered over the woman's face as a mark of respect. At least now she was at rest. Away from this hell that was their harsh reality. "I promise…" The two orphans went on their way. All they had now was each other, and that was all they needed.