A/N: So yeah, it's been a while…sorry about that guys. It's been a long bumpy road to recovery after getting sick last year, and then I got laid off from work which is always a good time, so now I have been able to find more time to write in my time of unemployment. I am still writing my main fic When you Least Expect it and should have another chapter of that out soon. But in the mean time this chapter came to me and needed to be written. :) Thank you for sticking with me all this time. But without further or do…here is chapter 3!
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ, anything of DBZ and or anything that is related to DBZ. I do own my own original character(s)and what not.
Chapter 3: Promises
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Trunks flew towards the meeting area Gohan had asked him to come to. It had been a few weeks since the incident at the arcade and his training with Gohan had increased from twice a week to three. As the cliff came into view, he saw Gohan's figure come into view, along with another one close by him.
Another person is there? They are…shorter…with longer hair…is it a girl? It has to be a girl… Trunks thought to himself.
As he flew closer his eyes widened as he saw how close the two were to each other.
Are they hugging? Gohan never told me he had a girlfriend before…
Just as he was about to land Trunks saw the girl quickly pull away from Gohan, giving some distance between the two.
As he landed he gave a smile and a waive at the two "Hey Gohan am I too early?"
Gohan nervously scratched the back of his head "No…right on time…"
The girl who was with Gohan gave Trunks a warm smile as she approached him "I was just leaving…you must be Trunks. Gohan has told me a lot about you."
Trunks stared at the girl as she extended her hand out to him in a friendly manor. After a brief hesitation Trunks took the girls hand, shaking it. He looked up and noticed her long black hair, tied into pigtails and a slight muscular build.
"Uh…yeah…same here. I didn't know Gohan talked about me to other people…" Trunks said confused.
Gohan gulped "Uh well I don't usually it's just uh…"
"I'm Videl…it was nice to meet you Trunks….see you around Gohan…" the girl said as walked away from them with a smile, getting on a capsule scooter and road off.
Trunks looked back at her leave and then turned to his master confused.
"Uh so you ready for today's lesson?" Gohan said trying to deflect the situation.
Trunks nodded "Yeah but, who was that girl?"
"She's a uh…friend. She came by to talk for a bit." Gohan stuttered out blushing.
Trunks smirked "Just talk?"
Gohan nodded "Yes, just talk…"
"Gohan, I'm almost fourteen, I think I know what I saw when I was flying in. You were pretty close to one another just to be talking." Trunks teased.
With that Gohan whopped him on the back, sending him into the near by lake. As Trunks swam up he angrily flailed his arms "Hey what was that about?!"
Gohan smirked "Your first lesson, always be on your guard…now come on let's not waste time."
As Trunks flew up from the lake he yelled at his master "But we had that lesson already!"
"Yeah I know…" Gohan said as he landed.
"Uh…ok?" Trunks replied confused.
Gohan then turned to him "Just one thing….whatever you saw today…don't say anything to Rei and your mom."
Trunks nodded in understatement as he followed him, ready for his real training, knowing more was going on than Gohan was willing to tell him.
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Four Weeks later…
He couldn't believe it…the androids had attacked while he and Gohan had been out on a training mission. When they arrived at the near by amusement park it was as if they had been waiting for them, or at least Gohan for that matter. He got cocky, careless even and it cost his master his right arm.
Hauling Gohan back to Capsule Corp after his sacrifice had been emotional to say the least. How could he let his master down? How was he going to face his mother…how would Reilena see him after this?
Rei…
She had gone through so much already and now this. He thanked the gods above every moment that Gohan had lived through this…not just for earth's sake….but for her's as well.
Trunks sat silently next to his mother as she worked on patching up where Gohan's arm had been. Usually they would take him to the hospital but Gohan has flatly refused when Trunks gained consciousness after the android battle. Somberly Trunks looked to his left to see Reilena holding on to Gohan's good arm trying to talk him through the procedure holding back as many tears as she could.
"Gohan…you're doing great…just fight through it." she said giving his hand a squeeze.
Trunks gulped looking over at her, debating on whether or not to say what was on his mind to her. Suddenly he noticed Gohan looking up at him with a frown in between the pain.
"Tr…unks…you…better not be…blaming…yourself…" Gohan groaned.
Trunks's eyes widened in shock from his statement "But, Gohan if it wasn't for me…"
Gohan gave a pained laugh "Stop…as…order from your master…arrrg…they…would have…gotten me…anyways."
Trunks lowered his head as he heard Gohan give another loud scream. He knew there was only one way that he could ever make it up to his master…to make it up to her, and that was to ascend.
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A few nights later Trunks lied awake in his bed, unable to sleep again, for obvious reasons. He couldn't get the images of the androids out of his head, along with the pained screams of his master. Deciding that staying in bed wasn't helping, he got up to go get himself a glass of milk from the kitchen. As he walked down the long hallway he heard the sound of muffled sniffles coming from one of the rooms. As he continue the sound became clearer, and he couldn't help but notice that it was coming from Reilena's room.
Seeing the door to the room cracked open, Trunks absentmindedly pushed it open to fuel his curiosity. Trunks almost let out a gasp at the sight he saw. There, sitting up clutching a stuffed animal to her chest with tears in her eyes was Reilena. Standing there he was conflicted. His heart broke seeing her in such a state, but at the same time he felt guilty for intruding on such a private moment.
At that moment Reilena looked up, locking eyes with him unexpectedly. Trunks gulped hard trying to avert his eyes from her.
"I uh…I just umm…I heard someone from down the hall and…just wanted to make sure that…I'm sorry for intruding…" he stuttered out.
Reilena quickly rubbed her eyes, wiping away any tears that had stained her face "It's ok…I umm…just sometimes I get nightmares at night and they wake me up…I'm…sorry for waking you up…"
Trunks shook his head "You didn't wake me up…I, was already up. I couldn't sleep so I went to get some milk to help fall asleep."
"Oh…" Reilena said quietly nodding her head.
There was an awkward silence between the two before Trunks spoke up again.
"Did…did you want to come with me and get something to drink? It, doesn't have to be milk…you know if you're not into that…" Trunks said shyly.
"No….milk is fine…thanks…" she said getting up and grabbing her robe to join him.
The two quietly traveled down the hall together, silence echoing between them. When they arrived in the kitchen, Trunks grabbed two glasses and poured them both a glass of milk before sitting on the stool next to her. He watched as Reilena slowly sipped the cold liquid. Not knowing what to say Trunks stayed quietly watching her. The way her lips parted just so, her long raven hair fell gently past her shoulders, framing her face in a way that he swore if the world wasn't so apocalyptic she could be a model. Every time she moved a strand away from her face he swore his heart skipped a beat.
"So…why couldn't you sleep?" she suddenly said turning her attention to him.
Trunks snapped out of his trance at her question. He looked down biting his lip before responding.
"I, just have a lot on my mind." he said with a sigh.
Reilena nodded her head staring into her glass of milk "Oh…like about what?"
"Well…I….you know, a lots happened the last few days." He said vaguely.
"I know…you're thinking about Gohan right? And the androids?" she responded back as she took another sip from her glass.
He sighed again looking down "I'm always thinking about the androids…but…yeah…"
She nodded silently this time, not saying a word. Trunks looked back as he saw her in deep thought tapping her milk glass.
"Rei are…are you upset with me…about what happened to Gohan?" Trunks suddenly blurt out, bring her attention back to him.
Reilena's black orbs widened at his sudden out burst "What…"
He swallowed hard before continuing "Are…are you upset with me about what happened to Gohan? It…kind of was my fault…what happened to him…"
"No…no way…Trunks you heard my brother none of this was your fault!" she replied urgently.
"But he was protecting me because I couldn't handle it…if I was just a little bit stronger I wouldn't have been such a liability…Gohan would still have his arm and…" Trunks went on until he felt Reilena's hand on his, stopping his train of thought.
Reilena sighed and gave it a squeeze "Gohan told me you work hard…hard than he ever did at your age. I know you know they would have gotten the upper hand anyways…you heard my brother…so don't blame yourself, please."
Trunks blushed as she removed her hand from his "Ok…"
"Besides I….don't think I could ever hate you…we're…friends right?" she said wearily.
Trunks face went from a small from to a smile at her statement. He nodded as he smiled "Yeah…definitely."
There were a few more moments of silence between the two as they continued to finish their glasses of milk. Deciding he needed to satisfy his curiosity about the situation he found her in earlier, Trunks spoke up once more.
"What…was your nightmare about?" He asked her quietly.
As if on queue he looked over to see her slightly tense up, her breathing becoming heavier at his question. Seeing her visibly uncomfortable, he retracted his statement.
"Sorry you…don't have to answer…" he said quickly.
Reilena shook her head, biting her lip again "No…it's ok…just, promise me you won't tell Gohan. I don't want him to worry…"
"Yeah…no worries…it stays between us." Trunks said reassuringly.
She took a deep breath before continuing "It was about…the same thing it usually is when I have them. It's like my brain just wants me to relive everything…"
Trunks didn't need her to go into anymore detail, he knew what she was referring to and it broke his heart knowing that night still haunted her.
"I just…I know I will never forget it…I don't want to I just…" she struggled to get out her words, a tear falling from one of her eyes as she spoke.
It was his turn to reach over and grab her hand in his, giving it a squeeze once more "It's ok…both of us have had some pretty crappy things happen to us over the years…"
Reilena nodded wiping her tears away "Yeah…we have…"
Trunks was silent again for a moment before getting up and wrapping his arms around her comfortingly. He could feel his heart race faster from the contact and silently wondered if this was how Gohan felt when he was with that girl Videl. She was tense for a moment before relaxing a bit and wrapping her arms around him, returning the gesture he initiated.
"Rei, promise me something…if you ever have a nightmare again, please come find me…I…I don't want you to feel you need to go through this alone…let's help each other, ok?" Trunks said as he held her.
Reilena nodded into his embrace "Ok…I promise…"
After their night together in the kitchen, anytime Reilena would be plagued by nightmares, she would enter his room, wordlessly get into his bed and he would hold her just like he did that night. The comforting gesture soon became some what of a routine for the teens, finding solace within each other even if only for a night.
Little did they know that this would only be the beginning for what the androids would have in store for them, a future destined for tragedy from the start.
