What's In A Name?

Disclaimer: I don't own DB. I only own the plot of this fanfiction.

Eighteen's eyes slowly opened, wincing against the dawn's bright light. Krillin was still asleep, snoring lightly. She couldn't help but smile. They had been married for just a few months and she couldn't believe all that had occurred in her heart in just a little over a year of knowing the man. Of course, she would never admit it, but made sure that at least he knew how much she appreciated his influence in her life.

She snuggled closer into his chest, and his arm instinctively curled around her. Just as she was drifting off to sleep, a weird feeling swept over her, as if something was wrong. She rushed to the bathroom, realizing it was nausea.

Krillin felt his wife's weight quickly shifting out of the bed, and jerked awake. She scrambled into the hall, her bare feet thumping against the hardwood floors. He threw the covers from his body, and followed after her. He could hear her in the bathroom and winced at the sounds.

After a few minutes, she emerged with one of her freshly washed hands rubbing her forehead.

"This is weird. I never get sick." Krillin grabbed her hand, leading her back to the bedroom.

"Well then, I think it's safe to say you can hang low for today." He tucked the sheets around her. "Are you hungry?" She shook her head.

"Something carbonated would be nice, though." He nodded, concern clouding his eyes. He let go of her hand and started down the hall when she added, "And some saltines too!"

Eighteen felt fine around lunchtime. Krillin had been a perfect gentleman, checking constantly to see if she had everything she needed. She made her way down the steps into the Kame House living room.

"Hey! Are you feeling better?" Krillin sounded concerned, but before Eighteen could reply, she noticed that Roshi was in the room, so she resumed her shell. She shrugged and headed into the kitchen.

"Morning, Juu." Roshi exclaimed. She pushed past him and opened the refrigerator door. She noticed that Krillin had followed her in.

"You know, Eighteen, maybe we should take you to the doctor." His voice was filled with gentle concern.

"I'm really okay." She replied, pulling out some leftover turkey, shoving it onto sandwich bread, and taking a huge bite out of it to prove her point. The minute she did, though, she instantly regretted it. She ran into the downstairs bathroom.

"You don't sound okay." He spoke through the door. Eighteen emerged once she got herself under control. "Maybe we should go to the doctor?" He meekly asked. When she shrunk back into her protected self in public, he became afraid that she would blow up at him just to prove she was still tough. He knew better, though. She wasn't as tough as she would like everyone to believe.

"I don't think that's an option." Her reply was full of anger.

"Why?" Krillin asked. She scanned his face and found he was being sincere. She was touched that he didn't see her as a machine, but a person. She threw a glance at Roshi sitting on the couch, engrossed in an aerobics show. She dropped her voice, embarrassed.

"Even if I wanted to go, they aren't going to…understand me." She bit her lip. Krillin smiled, realizing her insecurities.

"I think that if they can figure out a Sayian, then they can figure you out." Krillin's answer didn't really reassure her. So, he continued, "I'll check with Bulma and see if someone she knows could maybe come along with us." Eighteen's face flushed, but she instantly felt Krillin's fingers caress her forearm. The man really knew how to settle her nerves.

"Alright. I'll go." She mumbled. Krillin's face brightened with relief.

"Great! I'll call Bulma."

The appointment hadn't been too horrible. It was a collaboration between a medical doctor and one of Bulma's top engineers, Mr. Akashi, who kept marveling at the mechanical work inside her body. When she cringed as the engineer went on and on about the amazing construction of her mechanics, Bulma politely asked him to stop gawking. Krillin stayed by her side, obviously worried, but Eighteen barely acknowledged his quiet presence. Inwardly, she relied on his presence. He had an almost magical was of calming her whenever she was tense.

Finally, the doctor finished up the exam with a blood test. When he announced he was finished, Eighteen felt most of her tension leave her body. Doctors always made her feel so unsettled and nervous.

"I don't see anything wrong with you at the moment, Mrs. Chestnut. It doesn't seem to be a problem with the organic and inorganic interactions inside your body. The blood tests should reveal any hidden infection, and we should have that done in two days. Could you come in on Friday to discuss the results?"

"That would be fine." Krillin chimed in, knowing Eighteen wouldn't want to come back.

"Great. Then, I think we are finished here for now! It's been wonderful working with you today, Mr. and Mrs. Chestnut, and of course with you Mrs. Briefs and Mr. Akashi. Talk to the reception on your way out to schedule a time on Friday." Eighteen nodded, shooting a glare at Krillin.

After saying goodbye to Bulma, the couple settled into the car and took off back towards Kame House.

"I don't see why they just can't call." Eighteen sighed, staring out the window.

"It's just procedure to talk face-to-face sometimes." Krillin's voice didn't carry a hint of irritation, something that Eighteen admired most about him. He was always so laidback.

"Sure." She replied, unenthusiastically. Krillin's hand slipped off the steering wheel and curled over hers. She gripped it back and enjoyed the quiet ride back home.

Krillin turned off the ignition of the car and hopped out of the car, smiling at his napping wife. He hopped out of the car, running over to her side. He was about to open the door as softly as possible when a sudden noise made his jump.

"Hey! Krillin! You'll never guess who's on TV!" Master Roshi yelled.

"Who?" Krillin asked, keeping the door shut so Roshi wouldn't wake up his wife.

"Marron! Apparently she's dating a celebrity now and they're interviewing her." Krillin cringed in memory of his former fiancée.

"Who's Marron?" A groggy voice asked from behind him. Krillin jumped.

"Uh…well…she's…uh…" He quickly tried to think of a way to break it to Eighteen without lying, but his blush gave him away.

"Oh! Eighteen I didn't see you there." Roshi commented, but neither Eighteen nor Krillin were listening.

"Who is she?" Eighteen asked again.

"She was kinda..." He lowered his voice and grew serious. "My fiancée."

"What?" Eighteen's anger had emerged, a side of her that he hadn't seen in awhile. "Why have you never mentioned that you had a fiancée?" She yelled. Roshi made a nervous escape inside. Eighteen followed right after him.

"Eighteen! Wait! Where are you going?" Krillin jogged close behind her. Eighteen slammed the screen door in his face and planted herself in front of the television, staring at the blue-haired beauty flipping her hair, displaying a diamond ring. Krillin came in rubbing his head only to get a pillow in his face. He caught it and slowly moved it below his eyes. He was met with the sight of a glowering woman. She didn't have to scream or call him any names, her look said it all. She brushed past him outside and flew onto the roof. He took the signal. It was her way of cooling off and thinking. He would just have to wait it out. Until she came down, though, he would have to think of a way of explaining Marron to her.

About a half an hour later, Krillin heard the screen door close. He propped his head up on the arm of the couch that he was laying on. He looked sheepishly up at his wife, whose face now was a stony, neutral mask. That's when he knew that he had really hurt her - when she blocked him off.

"We dated a little while before I met you." He began. Eighteen crossed her arms and leaned back on the wall, not even trying to come near him. "She was beautiful, but really didn't have much in the brains department. She was the first girl I really dated and we tossed around the idea of marriage. I spoiled her – took her shopping and bought her whatever she wanted." He shook his head at the memory of the credit card bill. "That was a big mistake. She flirted with every guy around, which made me feel...like I wasn't enough. Finally, I just couldn't take the fact that she seemed so much better than me, so I set her free." He let out a bitter chuckle. "She ran right into the nearest guy's convertible." Krillin closed his eyes, reliving the feeling of unworthiness that had plagued him throughout his life. Suddenly, he felt two legs on either side of his stomach. He opened his eyes to find Eighteen's face only a few centimeters from his own.

"She was a bigger idiot than you gave her credit for." She whispered, staring into his eyes with sincerity. In an instant, she pressed her lips to his. As soon as she stopped Krillin smiled at her.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" He asked.

"You're still a jerk for not telling me." She replied with her jaw set, but a smile took over her face and she let out a giggle. "How could a stay mad at you, you lug?" She plucked his chin playfully, then kissed him again. He wondered how he ever got so lucky. Little did he know she was thinking the same about him.

Friday came around quickly and Eighteen found herself in the doctor's office once again. He sorted through a stack of papers, examining the findings in the blood work. She couldn't read anything on his face to give away what he was thinking. Eighteen messed frantically with the hem of her skirt before Krillin finally put his hand over hers to stop it. Finally, the doctor looked up at the two, as if noticing them for the first time.

"Well, I've gotten your results, Mrs. Chestnut." He smiled. Eighteen let out a sigh of relief. It was good news. "You're pregnant!" He finished. Eighteen's heart skipped a beat and her mouth dropped. Why was he smiling? This was not good news. "Is everything okay, Mrs. Chestnut?" The doctor asked, worried.

"We just weren't planning on having children. We just got married a few months ago." Krillin answered, his voice was stable, but not happy. She glanced over at him and his face was pensive. Not happy, pensive. She sat back, breathless. What were they going to do with a baby?

Maybe she could put it up for adoption, for someone who could handle a baby better than she could. No, Krillin wouldn't give up their baby. Then again, he didn't seem pleased either, so maybe it was a possibility.

She watched as the doctor and Krillin talked for a bit. The doctor looked over at Eighteen, saying something, but her mind was whirling too fast. She couldn't hear. Krillin examined her, frowning.

"Eighteen!" Krillin hissed, snapping her out of her panic by clasping her hand. "Are you okay?" She nodded frantically, pushing stray strands of hair out of her vision.

"I think I just need air." She replied. The doctor stuffed brochures in her hand and they proceeded out of the room. They got into the car quietly, neither daring to say a word. It was like that for awhile before Eighteen broke the silence.

"What do you think?" She asked him, looking at his face for the first time since leaving the doctor's office. A smile played along the corners of his mouth, she thought, but the rest of his face was passive.

"What do you think?" He dodged. She scoffed at him.

"What are we, in the fifth grade?" He shrugged, waiting, she knew, for her reply. If there was one thing she learned about Krillin thus far in their relationship, it was that he had extreme patience. "Fine," she gave in, "I don't know what to think. I know that I'm not mother material."

"Why do you say that?" He asked, slanting his nonchalant eyes toward her. She knew that he was just as nervous as she was, but she had never seen him act this cool, as if someone had just told him some inconsequential news.

"I don't remember my mother. I don't know the first thing about parenting. Most of what I know involves fighting and that won't raise a child. I'm a disaster for children." She started to shake. "Krillin, please. Tell me what you're thinking." She looked at him intently. Krillin sighed, his trademark goofy smile coming to his face.

"Truthfully?" She nodded. He chuckled a little, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "I'm scared too." He glanced over at her scared face and continued. "You know what, though? I'm actually more excited." He chuckled with embarrassment.

"Really?" Her eyes were wide. He nodded, his face serious.
"I think that having a child with you is probably the best thing that has ever happened to me." She saw his seriousness and at that moment, her fears, for the most part, melted away. If he believed in her, she could do it. She smiled and lightly touched his clutched fingers on the steering wheel. He was embarrassed, she could tell, by admitting his feelings so outright. To thank him, she pecked him lightly on the cheek and he instantly relaxed.

"Then it'll be okay." She softly whispered into his ear. He shot her a smile and turned his attention back to driving.

Eighteen felt something over her lap the next morning, and she opened her eyes slowly. Krillin stood next to the bed, smiling, then leaned over and pecked her on the forehead. She looked at the tray in front of her, filled with fruits, eggs, biscuits, and orange juice.

"Good morning." He chirped, getting back into bed.

"Krillin, you didn't have to do this." She breathed. He shushed her instantly.

"I read some of the booklets the doctor gave us the other day. There are certain things you need to eat more of to make the baby healthier." He lectured. She rolled her eyes, but then smiled.

"Thanks." She picked up the fork and started eating. For awhile, they talked about everyday things, but when she was almost done eating, he blurted,

"Have you thought any about names for the baby?" Eighteen nearly spat out her food in laughter.

"Slow down! We just found out that we were having the kid yesterday. I can only really handle one thing at a time, Krillin!" She exclaimed past her laughing.

"Yeah, I know, but sometimes people have names they like before and…" She pressed a finger to his lips to stop his rambling.

"One thing at a time." She kissed him to make sure he would stop then handed him her tray. He began to walk out of the room, but her voice stopped him.

"I guess we could name it Marron." Eighteen murmured. She averted her eyes as he turned back to study her. "I mean, you know, if it's a girl." She tried to cover her nerves with a nonchalant tone, but wasn't doing a very good job at it. Krillin had a way of seeing past her exterior…most of the time.

"What?" His voice came out meekly from his lips. Just the other day she was yelling at him for never telling her about his ex-fiancée, and now she wanted to name her child after her. "Why would you want to do that?"

Eighteen's eyes flicked up to meet his, searching and worried, but she quickly brought them back down to examine the sheets.

"I think it's pretty. I mean it's just a thought…"

"No!" He saw her backing away from the topic. "It's good." It meant that she was accepting the fact that they were going to have a child. He set the tray down and cupped her chin between his hands, lifting her eyes to his. "Have I ever mentioned that I love you?" He brushed her hair out of her eyes.

"I love you too." He barely heard her. Saying that was still new to her, and he loved hearing the affirmation. He leaned down and kissed her, erasing all doubt from her mind.

So really, I don't know what came over me, but I just HAD to write this story even though I haven't written a fanfic in FOREVER! I hope you guys enjoyed it!

~TL1