The pain was too much.

Trunks… With dark, tear filled eyes, Gohan looked over at his mentor where he was put down, halfway buried by rubble from the blast.

Dad… He could see where his father lay, covering Trunks to protect him in an act of ringing finality. From here, Gohan could not even tell if they were breathing… For all he knew they both could be…

"NOOO!!!" Gohan screamed into the frigid, northern air. He would not believe that they were gone. Not both of them. Not like this.

"I won't let you hurt them!" A purely energy-made wind whipped the long black hair against gravity's pull. His shoulders were shaking from the tears he would no longer shed. There was no more time for crying.

"You plan on stopping me, then?" Cell cocked his head to one side, putting his hands upon his waist. "A bit late, isn't it little boy. Your father doesn't look so good, does he?"

Gohan ground he teeth together. The pain…the pain is too much. Dad…Trunks…

No more.

An animalistic scream tore from Gohan's throat. "I won't let you get away with this!!!"

In an instant, he felt his energy skyrocket, fueled by his need, his hatred. His hair stood on end and his Ki felt as though it had become a living flame, consuming and leaping at will around his body. A single golden lock was whipped in front of his face, which he brushed back, never taking his eyes off of the murderer before him.

Cell merely raised one eyebrow in the boy's direction. "You know that you do not stand a chance," he stated calmly, looking into the small, teal eyes directly. "Even an experienced Super Saiyan can't defeat me." He shrugged suggestively.

Gohan nodded with a sober wisdom that far exceeded his years. "I know that I cannot beat you."

Cell's second eyebrow raised, creating a look of surprise on the android's face.

Not indulging even so much as a smirk, Gohan walked forward a few steps and said, "Did you ever wonder why I was not with the other fighters? Why I was so much later than my father and Trunks?"

Cell's outer expression changed to one of indifference and he shrugged. "Why would I care about why you were late to the party? It doesn't really matter now."

Gohan took a few more steps forward and said, "Oh, but it does. My father and Trunks went ahead, but I met up with someone right after they left. His name is Yajirobe and he had a gift that makes it so I won't have to beat you."

Cell frowned. Was this kid bluffing? Or did he simply not realize what he was getting into?

"And if you're wondering if I'm bluffing or not, just give me one minute to show you I'm not," Gohan kept his face passive, if he let one hint escape of how easily this plan could fail, then there would be no way Cell would go with it. The young boy just had to hope that both of the two warriors were in the sort of condition that could be cured by a senzu bean… "If you care to never find out, just kill me now," Gohan added, trying to aid the convincing process.

"Here's what I think. I say you are not lying, that you do actually have a plan." Cell sat back on his heels, the smug grin returning to his face.

Gohan froze. If he couldn't have the single minute, everything was lost. Not just for him, but for Trunks and his father as well.

"Yet," Cell continued enjoying the feeling of watching the young boy trying not to squirm. "I also believe that it will not work. Enough that I'll give you your one minute."

Gohan just barely caught the thanks that nearly escaped his lips. There was no time for that. No time to see if Cell looked like he would keep his word. He only would get one chance.

It only took a few seconds to flip over his father to his stomach. As he did so Goku moaned weakly.

Despite everything, Gohan smiled, almost laughing. He's alive!

With not a moment to lose, he retrieved a senzu bean from his pocket and helped his father to swallow the little magical token.

Almost instantly, Goku's eyes snapped open, ebony and alert. He sat up, dust falling in droves from his Gi. "Gohan...?" He gave a proud smile at the sight of the blonde hair and said, "Son, you did it. You trans—"

"There's no time, Dad. We only have half a minute left until Cell attacks again," Gohan said, hurriedly digging for another senzu bean. " I have a plan, but it won't work unless we all work together to help Trunks succeed."

Goku nodded and for once Gohan was really glad his dad trusted people so much. Without question, his father held out his hand and said, "Here. Give me one for Vegeta then."

Gohan handed his father the last senzu bean from his pocket and watched as his father instant transmissioned the few yards away to the last Saiyan.

Turning back to his lilac haired mentor, Gohan quickly turned him over and pushed the senzu bean into Trunks' dry mouth. "Come on…" he whispered, hope and terror both fighting to take over his mind.

The Saiyan could not seem to swallow. There was so much dust that Gohan wondered if he even could anymore. Cell tapped his foot impatiently and Gohan knew they would never make it in time.

"I'm sorry, Trunks," Gohan apologized to the fallen warrior. And without another thought, thrust his fingers inside his friend's mouth, hitting the back of his throat with both the bean and his fingertips.

"Well, then. Time's up," Cell said. "Ready or not, here I come."

There was no time to check and see if Trunks was all right.

Gohan spun around, counterattacking as best as he could against the beams that already flew from Cell's fingertips. He had to protect Trunks and himself and pray to Kami that his mentor would swallow the senzu bean.

Come on, Trunks, Gohan called in his mind, wincing as an energy attack hit him in the shoulder. Cell seemed to be fully enjoying himself, watching the child with gleeful, maroon eyes.

Gohan bit back a gasp of pain. It had to work. It just had to…

Trunks, please hurry!