Bulma's voice painted a picture. Trunks could see it all, imagine things, even that the young woman did not say.

"…When I came downstairs, something felt odd. I went down to the table and checked my bag. Everything was there except for one deactivator." Bulma sighed, throat dry from talking so much. "I realized your mother must have gone after the last android and so I jumped in the speeder and raced after her and Vegeta…" she coughed, hesitating once again.

Trunks did not bother to look up. He simply stared at the little eddies in the garden stream and waited. Bulma cleared her throat again.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what all happened. It was so fast," she said, picking a flower to fiddle with something. "One moment, the mountain was there, Vegeta was there…and then there was a blast from Cell, a Kamehameha wave." She began to pick the petals from the daisy, fretting over her inability to explain. "It hit Vegeta and the whole mountain trembled. I knew your mother was in there somewhere because Vegeta would have just been fighting Cell if she hadn't been. But only a moment after I got there, he moved and the whole mountain crashed down. I wish I could tell you more, Trunks. But that's all there was from my view…"

"But not from mine."

Both Trunks and Bulma jumped from the unexpected voice behind them, neither had sensed him coming. Goku simply nodded acknowledgement in Vegeta's direction.

The Saiyan Prince walked forward from where he had stood, listening, from behind a few colorful bushes. "I only want to say this once, so if there's any more gossip that needs to be spread, I'm sure I can leave that up to you three," Vegeta commented sarcastically, staring straight at Bulma.

No one made a sound, waiting to hear what Vegeta had to say, creating a feeling of control the prince was not all to adverse to.

"I wouldn't even bother if I hadn't promised to," Vegeta drawled, looking now at the back of Trunks' head. "But a promise made to a dying warrior is not something that someone with any pride whatsoever would dismiss lightly."

This made Trunks look up at his father, blue eyes searching for the answers only he could give. Had Vegeta just called Mother a warrior?

"The woman was willing to take on Cell all by herself, even though she didn't stand a chance. She let slip to that android that you and I," here he nodded towards Bulma, "were going to have a son. The monster blasted her and the base of the mountain when she refused to reveal your name, Trunks."

The blue eyes were widened in an almost horrified expression as his father spoke of his mother's death so…calmly. As if he did not care.

"I did not quite make it there in time to stop the mountain from crippling her. But I will give her this. She did not complain. Just like a true warrior," Vegeta said, staring into his son's eyes. "She told me your name just as the mountain was blasted around us. Still, she did not mention once the pain of simply living, of having her body crushed while she was still in it. She simply told me what her last words were and asked me to deliver them to you."

Trunks remembered how he had woken up that morning. Trunks… it had been his mother's voice calling out to him. This must have been when she did that. Right before… right before…

"She told me to tell you that she loves you. And to follow your heart."

Trunks felt he could not see. He looked away from his father, not wishing to show the emotions coursing through him.

Goku was amazed by the change in Vegeta. No one else might have noticed, but the seriousness with which he said those words spoke of the Saiyan's true emotions on the matter.

The fact that he had called a mere human woman, a warrior was a sign of deepest respect. But the solemnity with which he carried out her last request spoke of emotions much deeper. Emotions like love.

"Her sacrifice was not in vain, however," Vegeta continued, more to avoid the awkward silence than anything. "She managed to transfer that crazy Doctor's files to the Capsule Corp's main computer."

Bulma nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. "Yes. That's how we knew Cell's name and powers." Her voice strengthened as her mind was able to focus on less emotionally trying grounds. "Then not too long after that was when King Kai talked to us—"

Goku sat up, excited. "King Kai? Really?!" he exclaimed. "That's incredible! What did he have to say?"

Bulma and Vegeta both rolled their eyes and Trunks almost chuckled at the sight. Putting her fists on her hips, Bulma remarked, "You know. The usual. Pretty important stuff." Then becoming serious once more, she explained, "We were worried about that future. None of the Earth's Special Forces were left to protect Earth. I mean the androids were gone, but what if another set of aliens came and tried to destroy everything all over again? That's when King Kai provided an answer. It was called a 'Blood Barrier.' It's a technique that is used only rarely due to the conditions and consequences."

Trunks shook himself out of his thoughts and forced himself to listen, knowing that some day soon he would want to know all of this. His future depended on it.

"The Blood Barrier is a seal set on a planet that blocks any aliens from being able to detect the planet. Or anyone with alien blood, even if they were born or raised on the planet."

Bulma looked sadly at Trunks and he understood. "So, if I don't go back, then this seal can be made?"

The blue haired woman nodded. "Yes. And even Kami and Piccolo would have had to leave for this barrier to be made. It is a last resort, only to protect a planet that is deemed unable to interact with outer space without harm to its individuals."

"But at least that means the people of Earth in that time will be safe," Goku said, relieved.

Now Trunks understood. It made sense.

All that was left…which everyone seemed to have forgotten…was him, the boy from the future.