- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
* LAST TIME *
After much more questioning, Vegeta finally announced that he believed her.
"I have one more question. What was my nickname for you?"
Serena thought about it and the prince thought that he finally caught her in the act. She panicked at first because she couldn't remember, but she smiled at him.
"You didn't give me a nickname because you thought they were childish and were for weaklings."
Vegeta was impressed. "Alright."
Serena jumped from her chair at the table and ran and gave him another hug. This time he didn't pull away. Of course he was confused because he rarely got hugs and so he just patted her head until she sat back down again. Bulma smiled. Things might actually run normal with her around.
"Get off me onna! I'm not a chair!"
Bulma chuckled. 'Yup.'
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER 12: HEALING & COOKING
Serena spent the next few weeks training with the boys in the forest. They showed her all their tricks and she finally learned how to fly using her ki. She figured it was a lot safer to use ki rather than using something that could shred someone. Her speed increased along with her stamina and strength and she was now capable of blocking the boys one at a time and now they were double teaming her. It was great and she felt alive when she sparred with them.
Whenever their little group would get hungry, instead of going home to get something, Serena would just make it appear with her magic. She wished one night under the full moon that the boys could have some of her smaller powers, like the power to heal, but to do that they would have to be in Super Saiyan mode so they would have enough energy. She also wished that they were able to create meals for themselves, in case they were in danger or away from food too long.
Someone on the moon heard the call of its princess and granted her wishes.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mirai Trunks and Gohan went to the future to spend some time together. For the latter half of Gohan's life, Mirai was by his side for all his trials. Since Trunks had no one in his time except his mother, he brought his friend with him to help rebuild the city and keep them company.
"Yeah, so supposedly there is this 'tenshi' according to Goten that lives with Bulma in CC. He told me that he wished for her and she came to help us and dad, but mostly dad. I don't know what he's getting at."
"What does she look like?" Trunks was a bit curious.
"I don't really know. I haven't met her yet, but maybe we can meet her when we get back, eh?"
"Sounds good to me!" Mirai said as he blasted off towards his mom's house. In the last 3 weeks that the boys had been in Mirai's time, they had gotten a lot of the rubble moved away or turned into dust and then blown away. The city no longer looked like a big dump but a little more descent now.
They had started to build shelters around the outskirts of his demolished city and for days on past trips they had made, they would scan the globe looking for a more suitable place to live. This was the best place they could find.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SM DIMENSION
The girls had been talking about training while Serena was gone so that they wouldn't fall behind in their training. Ami had secretly taken it upon herself to build a room or a training facility where they would be able to use their powers and train without damaging anything.
With Pluto's brain and bank account, the plans had been set in motion. Trista would ask Bulma for any specifics that the Soldier of Mercury wasn't able to come up with herself. This was good because now Trista had something to keep her busy while she was tending the Gates, the scouts would have a training room to keep in shape and everything would be great.
Everyone was writing in their journals just as Serena had asked them. Ami was keeping tabs on the medical world and journals; Raye was keeping the big journal, which included everyone else, her and Serena's families and politics, Mina was keeping track of fashions and entertainment and Lita was noting society and their growth along with the natural resources of the world.
For training sessions, Raye would call everyone to her temple where they learned to meditate and become more familiar with their powers. Everyone was slowly growing spiritually along with physically. They would switch days for physical and mental/spiritual training to keep them in shape for what ever was coming their way.
The enemy had appeared less and less but it didn't keep the scouts from working any less. Soon, the new building where they would live was almost finished. The location for it was in the woods somewhere and it looked like a large log cabin, so it wouldn't attract so many unexpected and unwanted visitors. The training facilities were in the basement of the building to stay hidden from trespassers or wanderers. The kitchen, living room, family room, entertainment room and so forth were on the main level and the bedrooms were on the 3rd floor, far away from the noise of the training room.
How Trista managed to get this building built was beyond any of them. After a while they gave up pestering her about the house and decided just to be grateful.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DBZ
Things were progressing with Serena's training. She could finally beat both of the boys when they double-teamed her, but she wanted to stay with them just a bit longer so she could train them with her powers.
They learned how to make their own food with the powers she had wished for them to have. Soon, they learned how to turn different natural objects into edible things and that was fun until they started throwing pies and making them turn back into rocks at the last second. That didn't fare too well.
For their practice in the arts of healing, they started on the woodland creatures and made their way to the hospital where Serena wanted to teach them love and caring for others. They would walk into the children's ward and help to brighten up the children. Serena taught Goten and Trunks to talk the other kids and place their hand on them and transfer energy, but just enough to make them a little better than how they were when they first came. They got to the point where they didn't have to power up to Super Saiyan anymore without the loss of too much energy. She was ready to move on.
Another thing that they had learned while they were together was to speak to each other telepathically.
Okay boys, it's time to go now. Serena sent out to them. She heard them reply and waited for them at the entrance of the ICU. The nurses and doctors knew that group of 3 was a special one and welcomed them whenever they wanted to come in. The children were always sad to see them leave but each time but seemed to be slowly progressing for the better each time they visited.
Where to now?
Um, race you two home! Goten yelled and off he flew. Not wanting to back down from a competition, the other two took off after him. With Serena in the rear and with neither boy looking back, as soon as she saw the house, she teleported back and appeared right in front of someone.
Serena hadn't tried to teleport in what seemed like ages. She was now 25 years old, having kept up her training with Trista in the Training Room. Her magic was almost at it's best but she knew she just needed a few more times in there.
The 25 year old who expected to land on grass ended up landing on someone instead. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry. Please forgive me...I wasn't looking where I was, uh, teleporting."
Goku stared into the beautiful eyes of the angel that his son had prayed for. "Anytime," he said with the low rumble of his baritone voice. He slipped on a smile, which left the angel blushing before she stuttered and made her way to her feet again.
Serena began to feel a stirring in her, where-she didn't know. Her pulse began to quicken and her eyes couldn't tear away from the beautiful male specimen that was very close to her.
"Hey! How'd you beat us!" a very tired Trunks asked.
"My secret." She said before smirking the Vegeta smirk and headed into the house.
During the meals that the families would share, Serena would stare at Goku and the only person other than her that knew that was Bulma, who had a somewhat 6th sense about those things. Everywhere she went Goku had his eyes on her. Whether it was outside or whether it was in the house somewhere, he always knew where she was. When she wasn't looking at him, he was looking at her. Occasionally, they would catch each other's eyes and Serena would turn quickly to hide the blush that covered her face.
When Serena wasn't sparring, she would watch Vegeta and Goku. She quickly learned their counters and their attacks. Being the quick little thing that she was, she memorized them and practiced them in the Training Room, where she was safe from spectators. She also read out of the Book of Light and learned more about her heritage and the power that she possessed.
'Many things we do not know about the power of the crystal, but Selene tells us that all things are possible.'
Serena learned how the fighters used their ki to form ki blasts and concentrated more on those in her next year of training. She only dared practice in the Training Room where nothing could be damaged. One day she had a brilliant idea. She pulled out her Luna pen and concentrated on the flow of energy the pen used and then tried to do it herself. After a few tries, she got it down.
While in the Training Room, she had a lot of time to think on her own and one of those things was thinking about a mate. She had read about them and the Saiyan Mating Rituals and knew that she wanted to find someone who she could be forever happy with. Most of the time that she spent during the day was with the boys so she rarely heard the two older men conversing.
Serena admired her brother for the man he was. She loved how he was so protective of his family and wondered if anyone would be like that for her. Serena found herself slowly growing fond of Goku. She watched the way he was with Goten and how much he loved him. Serena fell in love with his eyes and his heart and his laugh that could cheer her up whenever she seemed depressed about the friends she had left behind.
Goku had been feeling strange every time she was nearby. He watched the way she was with his son. There was just something about that girl that he couldn't get enough of. The way she smiled and laughed and played with his son gave him ideas and thoughts of what it would be like to have her as his mate. He had been so solemn after Chi Chi had died, which he couldn't understand because he didn't love her in the way a man loves his wife but more in the way of friend to friend. He had to 'grow up' after she had died and had to learn to take care of his sons, which was harder than he thought. Every time he saw Serena play with the two younger boys, his eyes lit up as more thoughts entered his head.
Vegeta noticed that Kakkarot had been getting a little edgier every day. Every time he asked him about it, Goku would just wave his hand and claim it was nothing.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Goku had been having many strange dreams lately about a girl that he knew on the moon. He was dressed in funny clothes and was underground somewhere. On the walls there were things that were glowing and he was waiting for her. He could see her silhouette but not her face.
It was another day of training and sparring with Vegeta when he suddenly had a flashback. His pupils dilated and all he could see was that same frame again but this time he could see her face. It was Serena! Unfortunately, Goku didn't see Vegeta's attack and it was a big one, like it normally was when they sparred. Goku could have easily deflected it if he was paying attention but to his disadvantage, he wasn't.
Goku doubled over in pain and fell to the floor unconscious. "Goku you idiot! What were you doing?" Vegeta yelled. He saw Trunks' purple hair around the corner. "Brat! Hurry and get a senzu bean from the kitchen!" Trunks ran into the kitchen and looked for a senzu bean for Goku who was lying on the ground.
Goten saw Vegeta bending over his dad waiting for Trunks to come back with the pouch of Senzu beans that they kept in stock. The little boy ran out of the house. "Dad! We don't have anymore!"
"WHAT!?" What do you mean we don't HAVE anymore?!"
Trunks was scared. Goku was bleeding heavily and his body was broken all over the place. That was one of Vegeta's most powerful attacks and the idiot hadn't been watching.
Goten powered up to Super Saiyan and ran to his dad's side. Trunks, power up! He sent the message to his friend. Both boys kneeled down on either side of Goku and placed their hands on him. They concentrated as hard as they could and both began to glow silver. Goten opened his eyes to see that his dad was still bleeding all over the place.
Vegeta stood and watched the two boys and was astonished by what they were trying to do. "Wait, I'll be right back! You stay here with Kakkarot while I go get more beans. Vegeta flew into the other Saiyan's house and searched high and low in every drawer in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, the boys reached out with their minds to Serena.
Serena! Serena can you help us?
Serena! Where are you?
Serena was sleeping when she heard the cries for help. She shot straight up.
I'm here boys! What's happening?
Serena, my dad's dying! Goten cried.
She flew out of her bedroom window and into the sky. Goten, Trunks, where are you two? Scream out loud so I can hear you!
The boys started screaming and Bulma rushed out of the house from the loud racket.
"TENSHI! TENSHI! Save my dad!" cried the little black-haired boy. Tears were pouring down his face at the thought of losing another parent.
"TENSHI! WE'RE OVER HERE!" Both boys yelled over and over again and Serena dove to their sides.
She spoke calmly to them so they wouldn't get more scared than they already were. "Good job boys. Take a rest," she said as she placed her hands over Goku's dying body. He began to cough up blood and opened his eyes to see the winged beauty kneeling over him. Serena began to glow silver again and Goku was being pulled back from the light he was walking towards. Goku, don't you dare leave me, Goku! You come back here right now. Don't leave us! She tried to tell him.
Goku screamed in pain as he was thrown back into consciousness. He screamed as he felt the pain of broken bones in his body and the raw, burnt skin. Vegeta ran outside with one senzu bean in hand, the only one he could find and saw Serena healing him with her powers. Everyone watched as Goku stopped bleeding and the wounds on his body began to close up again thanks to the little angel. He had passed out after waking up, from the immense pain he was in and didn't notice as he was healed all the way.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Serena woke up in her room. The boys had been sitting quietly on the floor playing cards, waiting for her to wake up. Vegeta had carried Goku into the house and the boys had managed to get Serena up to her room because she had passed out after healing Goku as much as she had.
After she had slept the whole afternoon, they boys walked with her down to the dining room where everyone was eating dinner. Not a word was said throughout the whole meal.
The boys thought it would be fun to talk to each other thru the mental link that they had with one another.
Serena, can you pass me the salt please? Serena picked up the salt that was near her and handed it across the table to Goten who sprinkled some on his meat. Thank you he said.
"You're welcome." She answered. Serena didn't realize that Goten had asked her telepathically so she answered verbally.
"Who's welcome?" Bulma asked
"Goten. He just asked for the salt."
"Oh." Bulma said. "But I didn't hear him ask."
All three just shrugged their shoulders and continued eating.
Goku watched as Serena peacefully ate her 3rd plate of food. He remembered the way she looked at him when she was healing him. 'I must be imagining things. Why would she want some old man who already has two sons?'
Vegeta looked around the table at the people that were sitting there. He suddenly saw something moving behind Goku. "Kakkarot, stay still. There's something moving behind you." Goku looked back down and continued to eat when he unexpectedly felt an enormous pain.
"AAAaaaahhhh!" Goku growled. "Why'd you hit me?" Goku yelled. "I can't believe you have no aim!"
Vegeta's eyes widened in surprise as he saw what he *had* hit. "Kakkarot, when did you get your tail back?"
Serena's head shot up. "Kakkarot?"
Vegeta looked at her. "Yes," he said pointing at Goku. "That idiot over there with the tail!"
"I don't know. I just found out about it when you tried to KILL it!"
'Goku's Kakkarot?' Serena knew she had found her man, but did he remember? She knew that the boys always had problems remembering when it came to the past. She got up and walked to the other side of the table where Goku was cradling his tail in his hands, trying to make it feel better.
"Maybe it came back when I healed him earlier today. Here," she said trying to get it from him. "Let me help." Vegeta saw the look Goku had in his eyes when Serena gently picked up his tail. She placed her lips on it and waited for it to heal, not thinking anything of it. Her mother had always kissed her scrapes and other small injuries, but now Serena could do that and really make them better. After it was healed, she let it go-free to wave in the air and made her way back to her seat to finish her dinner.
Later that night, Goku was hesitant upon approaching her but pushed it aside and went up to Serena and whispered something into her ear.
"Sure, I'm not doing anything right now if you want to go." Goku nodded his head and off they went into the forest, side by side. It was getting dark, but the full moon shone brightly above them, illuminating the path that they were walking on.
"Goku, you wouldn't mind if I stretched my wings a bit would you?"
He smiled that gorgeous smile of his and said, "not at all." Serena smiled back and with a twinkle of light, her wings appeared at her back. She stretched them as hard and as far as she could. It had been days since she had used them and it felt so good to have them out again.
Once they were safe within the wooden sanctuary, Goku decided now would be a good time. "Serena, I've been meaning to get to know you better," he said looking at her. "You spend a lot of time with my son and I barely know who you are." He said in a very soft, gentle tone.
"What would you like to know first?"
"How about your birthday?" There were many questions asked after that and as the night sky grew darker, Serena pulled her cloak around her shoulders tighter. They spent a couple of hours laughing and sharing stories when Goku remembered the question he really wanted to ask her.
"How about why my son started calling you tenshi?" Serena froze and thought back to the day that she had first met that little boy. Her eyes began to water and tears fell from her eyes as she played that scene over and over in her mind before she felt something on her face other than her tears.
Goku saw his crying angel and reached out to wipe them away. 'Since when did she become my angel?' he thought. His mind answered, 'since the day you first met her!' Serena woke out of whatever reverie she seemed to be in. She sniffed them back and wiped the rest of the tears away and looked into his smiling eyes.
"The day I was supposed to meet you, Vegeta had blown up the Gravity machine and you and Gohan ran out to check up on him so that Bulma wouldn't get mad in front of Goten. I had just come back from training and came downstairs but I hadn't hid my wings because I don't hide them when I train. Well, Bulma and Goten saw me with my wings and then suddenly Goten started saying that I was his tenshi." She sniffed back more tears that had been coming. "I tried to tell him that I wasn't a tenshi, but he kept insisting and looking at me with those desperate eyes of his. He said that after Chi Chi died, he had prayed and prayed for a tenshi to come...because..." she started hiccupping.
"Because of what?" Serena couldn't look at him, wondering what he was going to think of her once she told him this. He lifted her chin so she could look into his eyes. "Because of what?"
'Please don't laugh at me.' She thought.
'I won't.' Serena's eyes widened a little hoping that she really didn't hear his voice in her head.
"He said that he had prayed to Kami to send me to help you because you were lonely." Serena walked away from his gaze and sat down on a rock and made her wings disappear. "Those eyes. I couldn't say no. They were begging me to be his tenshi. He said, "Mom was right! Kami does answer prayers and that I was sent to help you because you were sad." She hugged her knees to her chest and quietly sobbed.
Goku was a little more than shocked to hear what his son had done. He could hear her thru her tears. "He even pulled out a drawing that looked exactly like me. He said that Kami told him what I looked like."
Goku walked up and picked up the crying girl. He sat on the grass against the boulder and held her in his lap. 'What am I doing?' he would ask himself but he knew that she needed to be held.
"Thank you."
"Thank you for what?" she had stopped crying by this point and was just sniffling again.
"Thank you for saving my life today and my tail, literally!" Serena laughed at the little joke he had made. "You truly are my guardian tenshi." She blushed again and was thankful for the darkness of the night for hiding it from view.
Serena noticed a third something wrapping around her. It was a brown tail! She began to pet it and was off daydreaming again, not knowing what kind of effect that had on a Saiyan. Goku didn't know either because this was his first time having one since he could remember. She twirled it around in her hand and ruffled the fur and could hear and feel him starting to purr and his arms got tighter around her. His face went into the crook of her neck and began to nuzzle it. When her senses woke back up, she realized what was going on and pulled away from him.
"Huh?" Goku shook his head. "What's going on?"
Serena was breathing hard from the excitement she had been feeling when he was holding her that close and doing the things he was doing with his hands and tail.
"I don't know. One minute I was petting your tail and the next minute..."
* FLASHBACK *
"A Saiyan's tail is a very sensitive appendage. Not only can a tail bring more strength, but it can bring other pains and pleasures as well..."
* END FLASHBACK *
Serena didn't know where she had heard or read that, but when she remembered and ended up trying to hide yet another blush from his heated gaze.
"Um, maybe we should be heading back now. I told Goten and Trunks I would teach them a new trick before bed."
"Yeah, maybe we should."
Serena walked backwards away from him and brought her wings back. As they unfolded, they pushed her cloak back and spread out. Serena lifted into the air with Goku following and they headed back home in silence.
* LAST TIME *
After much more questioning, Vegeta finally announced that he believed her.
"I have one more question. What was my nickname for you?"
Serena thought about it and the prince thought that he finally caught her in the act. She panicked at first because she couldn't remember, but she smiled at him.
"You didn't give me a nickname because you thought they were childish and were for weaklings."
Vegeta was impressed. "Alright."
Serena jumped from her chair at the table and ran and gave him another hug. This time he didn't pull away. Of course he was confused because he rarely got hugs and so he just patted her head until she sat back down again. Bulma smiled. Things might actually run normal with her around.
"Get off me onna! I'm not a chair!"
Bulma chuckled. 'Yup.'
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER 12: HEALING & COOKING
Serena spent the next few weeks training with the boys in the forest. They showed her all their tricks and she finally learned how to fly using her ki. She figured it was a lot safer to use ki rather than using something that could shred someone. Her speed increased along with her stamina and strength and she was now capable of blocking the boys one at a time and now they were double teaming her. It was great and she felt alive when she sparred with them.
Whenever their little group would get hungry, instead of going home to get something, Serena would just make it appear with her magic. She wished one night under the full moon that the boys could have some of her smaller powers, like the power to heal, but to do that they would have to be in Super Saiyan mode so they would have enough energy. She also wished that they were able to create meals for themselves, in case they were in danger or away from food too long.
Someone on the moon heard the call of its princess and granted her wishes.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mirai Trunks and Gohan went to the future to spend some time together. For the latter half of Gohan's life, Mirai was by his side for all his trials. Since Trunks had no one in his time except his mother, he brought his friend with him to help rebuild the city and keep them company.
"Yeah, so supposedly there is this 'tenshi' according to Goten that lives with Bulma in CC. He told me that he wished for her and she came to help us and dad, but mostly dad. I don't know what he's getting at."
"What does she look like?" Trunks was a bit curious.
"I don't really know. I haven't met her yet, but maybe we can meet her when we get back, eh?"
"Sounds good to me!" Mirai said as he blasted off towards his mom's house. In the last 3 weeks that the boys had been in Mirai's time, they had gotten a lot of the rubble moved away or turned into dust and then blown away. The city no longer looked like a big dump but a little more descent now.
They had started to build shelters around the outskirts of his demolished city and for days on past trips they had made, they would scan the globe looking for a more suitable place to live. This was the best place they could find.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SM DIMENSION
The girls had been talking about training while Serena was gone so that they wouldn't fall behind in their training. Ami had secretly taken it upon herself to build a room or a training facility where they would be able to use their powers and train without damaging anything.
With Pluto's brain and bank account, the plans had been set in motion. Trista would ask Bulma for any specifics that the Soldier of Mercury wasn't able to come up with herself. This was good because now Trista had something to keep her busy while she was tending the Gates, the scouts would have a training room to keep in shape and everything would be great.
Everyone was writing in their journals just as Serena had asked them. Ami was keeping tabs on the medical world and journals; Raye was keeping the big journal, which included everyone else, her and Serena's families and politics, Mina was keeping track of fashions and entertainment and Lita was noting society and their growth along with the natural resources of the world.
For training sessions, Raye would call everyone to her temple where they learned to meditate and become more familiar with their powers. Everyone was slowly growing spiritually along with physically. They would switch days for physical and mental/spiritual training to keep them in shape for what ever was coming their way.
The enemy had appeared less and less but it didn't keep the scouts from working any less. Soon, the new building where they would live was almost finished. The location for it was in the woods somewhere and it looked like a large log cabin, so it wouldn't attract so many unexpected and unwanted visitors. The training facilities were in the basement of the building to stay hidden from trespassers or wanderers. The kitchen, living room, family room, entertainment room and so forth were on the main level and the bedrooms were on the 3rd floor, far away from the noise of the training room.
How Trista managed to get this building built was beyond any of them. After a while they gave up pestering her about the house and decided just to be grateful.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DBZ
Things were progressing with Serena's training. She could finally beat both of the boys when they double-teamed her, but she wanted to stay with them just a bit longer so she could train them with her powers.
They learned how to make their own food with the powers she had wished for them to have. Soon, they learned how to turn different natural objects into edible things and that was fun until they started throwing pies and making them turn back into rocks at the last second. That didn't fare too well.
For their practice in the arts of healing, they started on the woodland creatures and made their way to the hospital where Serena wanted to teach them love and caring for others. They would walk into the children's ward and help to brighten up the children. Serena taught Goten and Trunks to talk the other kids and place their hand on them and transfer energy, but just enough to make them a little better than how they were when they first came. They got to the point where they didn't have to power up to Super Saiyan anymore without the loss of too much energy. She was ready to move on.
Another thing that they had learned while they were together was to speak to each other telepathically.
Okay boys, it's time to go now. Serena sent out to them. She heard them reply and waited for them at the entrance of the ICU. The nurses and doctors knew that group of 3 was a special one and welcomed them whenever they wanted to come in. The children were always sad to see them leave but each time but seemed to be slowly progressing for the better each time they visited.
Where to now?
Um, race you two home! Goten yelled and off he flew. Not wanting to back down from a competition, the other two took off after him. With Serena in the rear and with neither boy looking back, as soon as she saw the house, she teleported back and appeared right in front of someone.
Serena hadn't tried to teleport in what seemed like ages. She was now 25 years old, having kept up her training with Trista in the Training Room. Her magic was almost at it's best but she knew she just needed a few more times in there.
The 25 year old who expected to land on grass ended up landing on someone instead. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry. Please forgive me...I wasn't looking where I was, uh, teleporting."
Goku stared into the beautiful eyes of the angel that his son had prayed for. "Anytime," he said with the low rumble of his baritone voice. He slipped on a smile, which left the angel blushing before she stuttered and made her way to her feet again.
Serena began to feel a stirring in her, where-she didn't know. Her pulse began to quicken and her eyes couldn't tear away from the beautiful male specimen that was very close to her.
"Hey! How'd you beat us!" a very tired Trunks asked.
"My secret." She said before smirking the Vegeta smirk and headed into the house.
During the meals that the families would share, Serena would stare at Goku and the only person other than her that knew that was Bulma, who had a somewhat 6th sense about those things. Everywhere she went Goku had his eyes on her. Whether it was outside or whether it was in the house somewhere, he always knew where she was. When she wasn't looking at him, he was looking at her. Occasionally, they would catch each other's eyes and Serena would turn quickly to hide the blush that covered her face.
When Serena wasn't sparring, she would watch Vegeta and Goku. She quickly learned their counters and their attacks. Being the quick little thing that she was, she memorized them and practiced them in the Training Room, where she was safe from spectators. She also read out of the Book of Light and learned more about her heritage and the power that she possessed.
'Many things we do not know about the power of the crystal, but Selene tells us that all things are possible.'
Serena learned how the fighters used their ki to form ki blasts and concentrated more on those in her next year of training. She only dared practice in the Training Room where nothing could be damaged. One day she had a brilliant idea. She pulled out her Luna pen and concentrated on the flow of energy the pen used and then tried to do it herself. After a few tries, she got it down.
While in the Training Room, she had a lot of time to think on her own and one of those things was thinking about a mate. She had read about them and the Saiyan Mating Rituals and knew that she wanted to find someone who she could be forever happy with. Most of the time that she spent during the day was with the boys so she rarely heard the two older men conversing.
Serena admired her brother for the man he was. She loved how he was so protective of his family and wondered if anyone would be like that for her. Serena found herself slowly growing fond of Goku. She watched the way he was with Goten and how much he loved him. Serena fell in love with his eyes and his heart and his laugh that could cheer her up whenever she seemed depressed about the friends she had left behind.
Goku had been feeling strange every time she was nearby. He watched the way she was with his son. There was just something about that girl that he couldn't get enough of. The way she smiled and laughed and played with his son gave him ideas and thoughts of what it would be like to have her as his mate. He had been so solemn after Chi Chi had died, which he couldn't understand because he didn't love her in the way a man loves his wife but more in the way of friend to friend. He had to 'grow up' after she had died and had to learn to take care of his sons, which was harder than he thought. Every time he saw Serena play with the two younger boys, his eyes lit up as more thoughts entered his head.
Vegeta noticed that Kakkarot had been getting a little edgier every day. Every time he asked him about it, Goku would just wave his hand and claim it was nothing.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Goku had been having many strange dreams lately about a girl that he knew on the moon. He was dressed in funny clothes and was underground somewhere. On the walls there were things that were glowing and he was waiting for her. He could see her silhouette but not her face.
It was another day of training and sparring with Vegeta when he suddenly had a flashback. His pupils dilated and all he could see was that same frame again but this time he could see her face. It was Serena! Unfortunately, Goku didn't see Vegeta's attack and it was a big one, like it normally was when they sparred. Goku could have easily deflected it if he was paying attention but to his disadvantage, he wasn't.
Goku doubled over in pain and fell to the floor unconscious. "Goku you idiot! What were you doing?" Vegeta yelled. He saw Trunks' purple hair around the corner. "Brat! Hurry and get a senzu bean from the kitchen!" Trunks ran into the kitchen and looked for a senzu bean for Goku who was lying on the ground.
Goten saw Vegeta bending over his dad waiting for Trunks to come back with the pouch of Senzu beans that they kept in stock. The little boy ran out of the house. "Dad! We don't have anymore!"
"WHAT!?" What do you mean we don't HAVE anymore?!"
Trunks was scared. Goku was bleeding heavily and his body was broken all over the place. That was one of Vegeta's most powerful attacks and the idiot hadn't been watching.
Goten powered up to Super Saiyan and ran to his dad's side. Trunks, power up! He sent the message to his friend. Both boys kneeled down on either side of Goku and placed their hands on him. They concentrated as hard as they could and both began to glow silver. Goten opened his eyes to see that his dad was still bleeding all over the place.
Vegeta stood and watched the two boys and was astonished by what they were trying to do. "Wait, I'll be right back! You stay here with Kakkarot while I go get more beans. Vegeta flew into the other Saiyan's house and searched high and low in every drawer in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, the boys reached out with their minds to Serena.
Serena! Serena can you help us?
Serena! Where are you?
Serena was sleeping when she heard the cries for help. She shot straight up.
I'm here boys! What's happening?
Serena, my dad's dying! Goten cried.
She flew out of her bedroom window and into the sky. Goten, Trunks, where are you two? Scream out loud so I can hear you!
The boys started screaming and Bulma rushed out of the house from the loud racket.
"TENSHI! TENSHI! Save my dad!" cried the little black-haired boy. Tears were pouring down his face at the thought of losing another parent.
"TENSHI! WE'RE OVER HERE!" Both boys yelled over and over again and Serena dove to their sides.
She spoke calmly to them so they wouldn't get more scared than they already were. "Good job boys. Take a rest," she said as she placed her hands over Goku's dying body. He began to cough up blood and opened his eyes to see the winged beauty kneeling over him. Serena began to glow silver again and Goku was being pulled back from the light he was walking towards. Goku, don't you dare leave me, Goku! You come back here right now. Don't leave us! She tried to tell him.
Goku screamed in pain as he was thrown back into consciousness. He screamed as he felt the pain of broken bones in his body and the raw, burnt skin. Vegeta ran outside with one senzu bean in hand, the only one he could find and saw Serena healing him with her powers. Everyone watched as Goku stopped bleeding and the wounds on his body began to close up again thanks to the little angel. He had passed out after waking up, from the immense pain he was in and didn't notice as he was healed all the way.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Serena woke up in her room. The boys had been sitting quietly on the floor playing cards, waiting for her to wake up. Vegeta had carried Goku into the house and the boys had managed to get Serena up to her room because she had passed out after healing Goku as much as she had.
After she had slept the whole afternoon, they boys walked with her down to the dining room where everyone was eating dinner. Not a word was said throughout the whole meal.
The boys thought it would be fun to talk to each other thru the mental link that they had with one another.
Serena, can you pass me the salt please? Serena picked up the salt that was near her and handed it across the table to Goten who sprinkled some on his meat. Thank you he said.
"You're welcome." She answered. Serena didn't realize that Goten had asked her telepathically so she answered verbally.
"Who's welcome?" Bulma asked
"Goten. He just asked for the salt."
"Oh." Bulma said. "But I didn't hear him ask."
All three just shrugged their shoulders and continued eating.
Goku watched as Serena peacefully ate her 3rd plate of food. He remembered the way she looked at him when she was healing him. 'I must be imagining things. Why would she want some old man who already has two sons?'
Vegeta looked around the table at the people that were sitting there. He suddenly saw something moving behind Goku. "Kakkarot, stay still. There's something moving behind you." Goku looked back down and continued to eat when he unexpectedly felt an enormous pain.
"AAAaaaahhhh!" Goku growled. "Why'd you hit me?" Goku yelled. "I can't believe you have no aim!"
Vegeta's eyes widened in surprise as he saw what he *had* hit. "Kakkarot, when did you get your tail back?"
Serena's head shot up. "Kakkarot?"
Vegeta looked at her. "Yes," he said pointing at Goku. "That idiot over there with the tail!"
"I don't know. I just found out about it when you tried to KILL it!"
'Goku's Kakkarot?' Serena knew she had found her man, but did he remember? She knew that the boys always had problems remembering when it came to the past. She got up and walked to the other side of the table where Goku was cradling his tail in his hands, trying to make it feel better.
"Maybe it came back when I healed him earlier today. Here," she said trying to get it from him. "Let me help." Vegeta saw the look Goku had in his eyes when Serena gently picked up his tail. She placed her lips on it and waited for it to heal, not thinking anything of it. Her mother had always kissed her scrapes and other small injuries, but now Serena could do that and really make them better. After it was healed, she let it go-free to wave in the air and made her way back to her seat to finish her dinner.
Later that night, Goku was hesitant upon approaching her but pushed it aside and went up to Serena and whispered something into her ear.
"Sure, I'm not doing anything right now if you want to go." Goku nodded his head and off they went into the forest, side by side. It was getting dark, but the full moon shone brightly above them, illuminating the path that they were walking on.
"Goku, you wouldn't mind if I stretched my wings a bit would you?"
He smiled that gorgeous smile of his and said, "not at all." Serena smiled back and with a twinkle of light, her wings appeared at her back. She stretched them as hard and as far as she could. It had been days since she had used them and it felt so good to have them out again.
Once they were safe within the wooden sanctuary, Goku decided now would be a good time. "Serena, I've been meaning to get to know you better," he said looking at her. "You spend a lot of time with my son and I barely know who you are." He said in a very soft, gentle tone.
"What would you like to know first?"
"How about your birthday?" There were many questions asked after that and as the night sky grew darker, Serena pulled her cloak around her shoulders tighter. They spent a couple of hours laughing and sharing stories when Goku remembered the question he really wanted to ask her.
"How about why my son started calling you tenshi?" Serena froze and thought back to the day that she had first met that little boy. Her eyes began to water and tears fell from her eyes as she played that scene over and over in her mind before she felt something on her face other than her tears.
Goku saw his crying angel and reached out to wipe them away. 'Since when did she become my angel?' he thought. His mind answered, 'since the day you first met her!' Serena woke out of whatever reverie she seemed to be in. She sniffed them back and wiped the rest of the tears away and looked into his smiling eyes.
"The day I was supposed to meet you, Vegeta had blown up the Gravity machine and you and Gohan ran out to check up on him so that Bulma wouldn't get mad in front of Goten. I had just come back from training and came downstairs but I hadn't hid my wings because I don't hide them when I train. Well, Bulma and Goten saw me with my wings and then suddenly Goten started saying that I was his tenshi." She sniffed back more tears that had been coming. "I tried to tell him that I wasn't a tenshi, but he kept insisting and looking at me with those desperate eyes of his. He said that after Chi Chi died, he had prayed and prayed for a tenshi to come...because..." she started hiccupping.
"Because of what?" Serena couldn't look at him, wondering what he was going to think of her once she told him this. He lifted her chin so she could look into his eyes. "Because of what?"
'Please don't laugh at me.' She thought.
'I won't.' Serena's eyes widened a little hoping that she really didn't hear his voice in her head.
"He said that he had prayed to Kami to send me to help you because you were lonely." Serena walked away from his gaze and sat down on a rock and made her wings disappear. "Those eyes. I couldn't say no. They were begging me to be his tenshi. He said, "Mom was right! Kami does answer prayers and that I was sent to help you because you were sad." She hugged her knees to her chest and quietly sobbed.
Goku was a little more than shocked to hear what his son had done. He could hear her thru her tears. "He even pulled out a drawing that looked exactly like me. He said that Kami told him what I looked like."
Goku walked up and picked up the crying girl. He sat on the grass against the boulder and held her in his lap. 'What am I doing?' he would ask himself but he knew that she needed to be held.
"Thank you."
"Thank you for what?" she had stopped crying by this point and was just sniffling again.
"Thank you for saving my life today and my tail, literally!" Serena laughed at the little joke he had made. "You truly are my guardian tenshi." She blushed again and was thankful for the darkness of the night for hiding it from view.
Serena noticed a third something wrapping around her. It was a brown tail! She began to pet it and was off daydreaming again, not knowing what kind of effect that had on a Saiyan. Goku didn't know either because this was his first time having one since he could remember. She twirled it around in her hand and ruffled the fur and could hear and feel him starting to purr and his arms got tighter around her. His face went into the crook of her neck and began to nuzzle it. When her senses woke back up, she realized what was going on and pulled away from him.
"Huh?" Goku shook his head. "What's going on?"
Serena was breathing hard from the excitement she had been feeling when he was holding her that close and doing the things he was doing with his hands and tail.
"I don't know. One minute I was petting your tail and the next minute..."
* FLASHBACK *
"A Saiyan's tail is a very sensitive appendage. Not only can a tail bring more strength, but it can bring other pains and pleasures as well..."
* END FLASHBACK *
Serena didn't know where she had heard or read that, but when she remembered and ended up trying to hide yet another blush from his heated gaze.
"Um, maybe we should be heading back now. I told Goten and Trunks I would teach them a new trick before bed."
"Yeah, maybe we should."
Serena walked backwards away from him and brought her wings back. As they unfolded, they pushed her cloak back and spread out. Serena lifted into the air with Goku following and they headed back home in silence.