I do not own DBZ or any of it's characters. Just like all my other fics, if I get at least one review then I will update, otherwise I'll leave you hanging.

The Protection

Bulma, Yamcha, and 17 had been flying for almost an hour and both Yamcha and Bulma were getting pretty exhausted and 17 was now carrying both of them toward the lookout. "Yamcha," Bulma whimpered, "if I die, we're doomed."

"You are not gonna die," Yamcha said.

"Besides, don't you have those precious dragon balls?" 17 asked.

"No 17, if I die, then Krillin will follow then it will be easy for those things to kill Gohan," Bulma said tears streaming down her face, "then the dragon balls would be useless because even if we had Goku and Vegeta working together in the highest level of super saiyan we're all gonna die."

"YOU'RE NOT GONNA DIE!" Yamcha shouted tears streaming down his face.

"We have to pick up the speed," 17 said clutching Bulma and lifting Yamcha onto his back, "hang on as tight as you can both of you." Bulma wrapped her arms around the android's body and clung to him, while Yamcha wrapped his arms weakly around the android's neck and used all of his Ki to hang on. 17 raised his Ki to the max and blasted off to the lookout. He didn't know if he would make it on time to save Bulma and Yamcha but he would sure as hell try.

"AHHH!" Krillin screamed ducking behind a chair as a powerful Ki blast zipped past him. The five year old was absolutely horrified and really didn't know if he would get out of this alive. The metallic monster approached him menacingly but didn't get very far when a slender foot cracked him in the face and sent him flying through the wall.

Android 18 landed gracefully into a fighting stance as two more monsters approached. Krillin whimpered and 18 said, "Krillin, stay back there, these things are getting stronger!" The monster lunged and hit 18 in the head sending her hurdling through another wall. The one who didn't attack was cornering Krillin who started crying and stepping away from it nervously. 18 sat up in the pile of debris that fell on her and she looked over to Krillin who was now against the wall unable to move anymore. Even if she attacked full force the monster would kill him before she even killed the first guy.

"Krillin!" she cried, "concentrate your energy. Put your hand out and focus! Pretend he's gonna do to you what that horrible monk did! And tell your hands to shoot him with an explosive blast!"

"I can't do that," Krillin cried trembling.

"Yes you can! I believe in you!" 18 said. She knew for a fact that no one has ever said that to Krillin except Goku. He hadn't met Goku yet so the light that flickered in his chocolate eyes was so beautiful. Even as a child, 18 couldn't help but love him.

Krillin extended his hand as the parasite approached and he closed his eyes in focus. "SHOOT!" he screamed and blast of energy sprung out of his hands and right through the parasite. The remaining parasite was star struck and 18 took advantage of that by swiftly slicing her hand through the air and cutting the creature in half.

18 ran to Krillin, grabbed his hands and zipped into the air as more monsters approached. Krillin screamed and hung onto 18's hand for dear life. 18 pulled him to her chest and carried him tightly as she flew through the corridors. The parasites were on her tail, she needed to get out in the open so she could have more space. 18 grunted and threw a powerful Ki blast to the ceiling and flew through the hole into the sky above. Her eyes widened when the parasites flew up after her.

"No!" she whispered, "Bulma." Tears started welling in her eyes and with a loud scream of rage she extended her hand and released a plethora of Ki blasts that destroyed every single parasite on the spot. Then 18 was panting, exhausted from the stress. Her and Krillin were completely alone now.

"What happened to the Bulma lady?" little Krillin asked innocently.

"She's possibly dead," 18 said letting her tears roll down her cheeks.

"You really liked her?" Krillin asked.

"Yes Krillin, she was my best friend," 18 said, "my only friend aside from you. When you told your friends, many years from now, that you were marrying me, Bulma was so happy and everyone else was scared I would kill you. She took me shopping and was basically my maid of honor. She means a lot to me Krillin."

"Well why do you assume she's dead?" Krillin said sweetly, "If there's one thing I've been taught in this place is to always have faith."

"Of course," 18 said with a small smile, "that's why Goku always prevailed at everything, because you always believed in him. You always had faith in him."

"Miss 18," he said with a smile, "I have faith in everybody."

"Yeah I know," she said kissing his forehead sweetly, "that's why I love you Krillin."

"KA-ME-HAAAA-MEEEH-HAAAA!" Gohan screamed shooting the wave at the parasites approaching them at full speed. He told Vegeta to try to calm down while he took care of the metallic monsters, but when he turned Vegeta was shaking violently in rage. Poor Krillin was started to look sick from all the shaking.

"Vegeta…" he said softly.

"Shut it boy!" Vegeta yelled, "those bastards killed my woman!"

"No Vegeta!" Gohan assuaged, "I still feel her life force."

"But it's very weak!" Vegeta said, "they…must…PAY!" With that yell he threw Krillin to Gohan, who caught him easily, and turned super saiyan. "You sons of a bitch! You will die!" Vegeta in a screaming rage rushed down and pulverized every single parasite in sight, leaving in his wake piles and piles of bodies and a complete disaster.

"They're dead Vegeta, please calm down," Gohan said, "the sooner we save Krillin, the sooner we can save Bulma."

"What if she dies by the time we save the runt?" Vegeta said bitterly.

"Then we retrieve the dragon balls and wish her back," Gohan said.

Vegeta sighed and flew up to Gohan, "turn super saiyan and let's go as fast as we can to that place the tin can wants us to go." Gohan nodded and turned super saiyan then both saiyans zipped through the air at lightning speed. Whenever a parasite started chase, Vegeta would turn around angrily and blast them to the next dimension. They arrived at the monk temple shortly after and both Gohan and Vegeta had to shoot multiple Ki blasts to get rid of all the parasites awaiting them there.

Gohan grabbed the receiver and said, "18 do you copy?"

"Copy what?" 18 said in an annoyed tone of voice.

"No that just means can you hear me?" Gohan said.

"Well if I couldn't I wouldn't be answering you would I?" 18 said sarcastically, "where the hell are you?"

"We're at the temple," Gohan said.

"Ok now go inside to a hallway with a lot of doors and go to the room marked 5," 18 instructed as she flew down into the hallway cradling Krillin in her arms.

"Alright," Gohan said motioning Vegeta to follow. They entered the hallway and walked down to room 5. They opened the door and Gohan said, "now what?"

"Ok, set Krillin down on the bed," she instructed setting her Krillin down on the bed gently.

"Hai," Gohan affirmed setting Krillin down on the bed with Vegeta standing guard at the door, "now what?"

"Just wait," 18 said.

"Thanks for saving me Miss 18," Krillin said as his body started to disappear, "I can't wait to meet you in my future." 18 gave him a small smile then gave him a peck on the cheek. Krillin turned a light shade of red before completely disappearing.

"Hmm, déjà vu," she said with a smile. Her surroundings changed and she found herself on the Kame Beach, in front of the little pink house she currently lived in. Well at least before the parasites attacked. 18 turned abruptly when she heard a squeaky giggle coming from behind her and she jumped into a tree and hid.

She watched as an older, 18 year old Krillin walked out of the house hand in hand with a tall blue-haired beauty. She was really beautiful, and that horrible giggle was coming from her. Krillin blushed and giggled as well before leaning in and kissing her. 18 clenched her fists but kept her temper in check. Instead, she cocked an eyebrow and said, "Who the hell is that bitch?"

17 arrived at the lookout visibly exhausted, Bulma had fallen unconscious and Yamcha was barely keeping his eyes open. Piccolo, Dende, and Mr. Popo rushed to him as soon as they saw him. "Oh dear!" Mr. Popo exclaimed.

"What happened?" Piccolo said in his gruff voice checking over Yamcha's vital signs.

"The parasites," 17 said in his regular monotone.

Now Chichi rushed out of the room and was at Bulma side, she looked at Mr. Popo who rushed inside to make sure Trunks and Goten didn't come out. "Bulma," she said tears filling her eyes, "please don't go. First Goku and now you? And who knows where my baby Gohan is! Please don't go!"

Dende pushed her aside gently and said, "Don't worry Chichi, I'll do my best to save her." He placed his green hands on Bulma's chest and summoned his powers. A swollen-eyed, raven-haired Lunch joined the scene now. Even Piccolo gave her a sympathetic glance knowing that she hasn't stopped crying for Tien since she heard the news. Chiatzu just refused to get out of bed.

After the golden illumination Bulma opened her eyes weakly, then Dende rushed to Yamcha's side. "Bulma are you okay?" Chichi asked.

"Alive for now, but another attack like that and I'll be done for," Bulma said weakly.

"But you said that if any of you three die those things will get stronger!" Piccolo said taking a stance, ready to jump out and fight if necessary.

"Stay here Piccolo, we need you here," Yamcha groaned waking up fully from his attack.

"But what can we do!" Piccolo said, "we can't stand here and watch Bulma die!"

"Well there's a way I can save myself," Bulma said, "and Yamcha too."

"What?" Yamcha said hope gleaming in his black eyes.

"Well we can transfer our parasites to someone else's body," Bulma said, "it would save us but the other person would die."

"No," Yamcha said solemnly, "no one will die on my account."

"Yes, but if you die, we won't be able to wish you back," 17 reminded him.

"I'll take it from you Yamcha," Yajirobe said in his surfer dude voice. Everyone looked at him in surprise and he said, "I've been a coward, I've always been a coward. Let me do something brave for once."

"And I'll take it from you Bulma," Piccolo said bravely.

"No, if you die everyone will be left unprotected," Bulma chastised.

"I'll take it," a meek voice said making everybody gasp in surprise.

"Lunch? No, I…"

"Bulma," Lunch said tears streaming down her face, "if Vegeta died would you ever be happy again? Pretend you didn't have Trunks and just imagine."

Bulma pressed her lips and shook her head no. "Well," Lunch continued through sobs, "that's how I feel with Tien gone. My only other companion was Chiatzu and he won't even move, let alone talk to me. I can't live through this again. After the first time he died I became a raging alcoholic, thanks to my other side, and I lived in seclusion until he came to me. I was so happy to see him. That's when I gave myself to him. I knew there was no one else for me at that point and he knew there was no one else for him. Please Bulma, if you die, he may not be able to be wished back like the last time. Let me make sure he does."

"We'll wish you back too," Chiatzu said sadly from the door. He had listened to the whole thing in silence and it was the first time since Tien's death that he actually spoke. He never approved of Tien and Lunch's relationship because he was scared Lunch would hurt Tien like many, many others had done before her. But now he saw just how much she loved him, and he knew she would never hurt him.

Lunch gave him a sad smile and looked at Bulma expectantly. "This will hurt," Bulma said extending her hand. The moment Lunch would touch her hand, the parasite would be transferred, Bulma had invented a device specific for that to try to transfer the parasite to the androids, knowing it can't hurt them. It didn't work on the androids but it did on humans. Bulma had given her parasite to Yamcha when she first got infected then another on got her. Now up here there was no chance of getting re-infected. Lunch let her tears fall and grabbed Bulma's hand…