A/N: A bit of a cliffhanger.

REWRITTEN, longer, less 'she.' Hopefully it makes a bit more sense...xD So sorry.

Enjoy!

THREE

Warmth. Light.

These two things that were so simple, so easily accessible, were going to save her life. She was desperate for them, her body and mind beyond battered and beaten. Her every cell screamed, pleaded with the withdrawal that wracked her body, all to no avail. The window next to her sat in the shadows, mocking her in what little vision the creature had left as blackness edged it. So close, and yet you're still going to die without them! Was it worth it? It whispered in her ear, laced with poison.

They were right, she couldn't find them. In her state, she couldn't find anything; could she even remember how she got here anymore? The events that had lead up to this moment all seemed a blur, and the creature found herself wondering whether or not she was within a dream. The beatings, the escape, the trip here...It was possible, wasn't it? There was no more pain from any of the months of torture she'd endured, the injuries that would haunt her body, no thoughts within her head - only darkness. Maybe she was still there, maybe this really was a dream. Oh, so sick of the dark.

Limbs, like wilted flowers, entangled themselves within the confines of the strange building she'd taken refuge in. The last of her life-force was being funneled into a last ditch effort, consciousness was no longer existent within her, the very essence of her being floating up, up, and away. She could feel it nibbling at her brain, taking more and more until there was nothing left. She was no longer a name, a body, an entity at all. Just...nothing. Perhaps they'd finally broken her. Perhaps they'd grown impatient and decided to kill her.

How long has it been? The question rattled around within the emptiness for what seemed like an eternity, and when someone entered the room, she hadn't really registered. She could feel his presence, the heat that emanated off of his body, hear the softness of his breath; things that reside within the subconscious, where her mind now roamed, and so she paid no mind. It protested slightly, instead settling for a slight itch at the base of her skull. But there were other pressing matters, like the question at hand.

How long? She heard more echoes, the only answer to her inquiry. Did it matter? In a few moments, she'd be dead anyways. She greeted it, welcomed it for so long, and yet it refused to take her. Until now. If she'd had the strength, she would have smiled with the irony of the situation.

Before long there were more bodies, more heat, more breathing, and her subconscious decided to tune in, recognizing the unfamiliarity. She could feel her brain trying to focus, more or less ending up with a hazy feeling that brought pain. She winced. Other than the strange, cool touch of something foreign and a bit of pressure on her limbs, the creature was entirely unaware of what was happening. Her head lolled onto her savior's warm, fleshy shoulder, and despite an instinct to survive, something within her gave in. Whether it was death or salvation, surely it was better than hovering between the two in the madness that had engulfed her. Anything was better than imprisonment.

And then there was light.

It jump-started a fire within her heart, and immediately, she felt herself gasping, clawing away. She could endure no more, and surely they would continue to abuse! Her body and spirit were broken, and all she wished for was the end of her suffering, whether it was escape or death. One by one, her senses came back to her, only fuelling her escape. There were startled shouts, commands, all of it unrecognizable to her. Some sort of guttural language? The thought surprised her. Vice like arms clamped her down in place, and with her injuries, she found herself unable to break free. A crimson eye popped open slowly, followed by the other.

Strange.

Aqua eyes stared back at her, bright and clear; the being's face, who now stared down at her, was petite and angular, surrounded by a shroud of beautiful blonde hair. The sun shone it's light from behind it, turning her hair into a golden halo around her head as soft pink lips curled into a smile. Something about it stifled her efforts until she lay placid within her arms. The others - which she only now remembered - stared down at her as well, all with creamy skin and strange clothing. They were speaking to her, and she understood that much. But beyond that, she was unsure of their demands. So, it wasn't a dream. Do I run? Do I fight? Her muscles tensed in response, adrenaline flooding her system and forcing her to remember her training. She'd been here before. She'd done all of this before. That's how she'd managed to survive this long, how she'd continue going on now. The desire to pass faded as the embers burned brighter within her.

"What's your name?" One of them asked, his purple hair hanging down in his face. His question was met with large, confused eyes. He, too, was smiling at her; his skin was of a darker complexion, and his body heat was substantially higher. His energy...It was different. In fact, only the blonde and the raven-haired boy seemed to be of the same origin. The other two had entirely different energy signatures. Suspicion rose within her, and she crept backwards as best she could. She'd never seen species like this before and all on one planet! The blonde lay a cool hand on her arm, which held her in place. What could she do?

There's no choice. Hold still...A tendril emerged from the creature's fingers once again, trailing up the artificial skin and near her skull. For a moment, she watched the woman wriggle and yell, before shaking her head in a slight no. Please, I won't be able to understand you otherwise. Her mind pleaded, staring into the other's eyes. The ivy began to move again, slowly, and nuzzled it's way into her ear. The one with black hair, who'd been oddly quiet, now sat and watched attentively.

"18, I don't know if you should-" He began in the foreign language.

"I know what I'm doing!" The blonde huffed, although her eyes were like saucers. She could feel the tendril make a connection with her brain, and then her eyes sagged. I won't hurt you. The alien's voice whispered into her brain. A dreamy smile crossed the blondes face as their two brains met, and the alien tapped in; memories, knowledge, feelings, all at her disposal. She could see young 18, before Gero's programming, baking cookies in the oven with her mother. They were spitting images of each other, both bright smiles and bright eyes. Her mother sang a tune - a lullabye, 18's lullabye - while the young girl joined in as best she could between nibbles of gooey cookie. Voice of an angel...18 told her, causing happiness to form within both of their bodies. She could feel herself smile as she inhaled, practically smelling the chocolate - an odd sensation, having never smelt it before. It then switched, to the days of her transformation in the monster's lab, nothing but pain and anguish. The transformation was tough, and not at all what the snake-like lies of Gero had promised. Things became scarce then, as if she had been sleeping; there were slight images of Trunks, of 17. The killing. The destroying. So much fighting. The hatred and anger and sadness. The loneliness. The boy arriving, glowing a beautiful yellow, and saving her.

And the hope that this boy - this Saiyan - gave her. She could see that too.

Maybe he can give me some, too.

The ivy snaked back into her finger swiftly, and 18's eyes popped wide again, now breathing heavily and staring down at her. This wasn't too uncommon, and mentally, she kicked herself for not being able to warn her. Her people didn't believe in readings without consent, but when desperate times call...

"Wha...what...?" The android began, before the creature placed a finger to her lips. It seemed to startle her, as well as the others, and she recoiled away from her touch. Could she blame her? Linking minds was draining, not to mention reliving terrible memories...Guilt panged in her chest. Imprisonment, pain, killing...these were things she knew. The alien sat up now, giving the andoid her space, and closed her eyes with the effort. Still too weak.

"My name...my name is Santaros." The words came out of her mouth feeling heavy and dry. "And I need water."

They all stared at her, dumb for a moment, before the blue haired woman - Bulma - snagged a bottled water from the table, and handed it to her with a shaky arm and a lipsticked smile. Santaros offered one of her own; 18 had showed her this woman's kindness, intellect. In all honesty, she was very impressed; but that was for another time.

"What did you do to my sister?" 17 piped up, watching her slug the water down. His eyes remained narrowed, and mouth pressed into a hard line. Twins. What a strange phenomena. Everything on this planet was strange; there were plants, this she was used to. But the mammals? Made of...meat? Sinew? The only species she'd ever seen like that were the very people she'd run from. Santaros shook the thought away. She'd seen enough, and these people had done amazing things. Perhaps fate was working her magic.

Ugh. The water was finished, and tasted strange, but regardless, she could feel her strength returning. "I connected our minds, to learn your language. I believe it's called...psychometry. Not something I regularly use." She paused, feeling guilty again for having seen too much. "And I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"It's fine." 18 responded coolly, before the alien could finish. She looked almost...embarassed. Her cheeks were slightly flush, and for the first time since she'd woken up, the aqua eyes stared off into the distance. Odd.

"Amazing!" Bulma butted in, scientific mind finally gushing over what she'd just heard. 18 huffed a sigh of relief as the subject changed.. The older woman's next few words came out hurriedly, melding together as she spoke. "Absolutely incredible! The ability to learn through touch...How does it all work? And what about those vines? And your skin? You've got chlorophyll in you, don't you? I-"

"Mother!" Trunks said, laughing. "Give her a moment to rest, to breathe. She's a being, not a science project. Although, I am curious as to where you came from.." He turned towards her now, leaving the question in the air. Yes, where did she come from?
She took a breath.