Shorter and less eventful, but I'm still sticking to the one upload a week for now. If anyone feels like this isn't enough, just let me know and I might upload the next one early.

Meadow

The next hour or so was a blur. All I can remember was people vaguely talking around me while I sobbed into Locke's still chest. Everything had happened so fast, I could only focus on one thing: the death of my lover and possibly the father of my first child. My face was smeared with his blood, but I ignored it.

A little while later, I felt myself being lifted up away from the body, then after a while longer, I heard a familiar voice gasp.

"Meadow, George!" It was my mother. The world finally started to become clear again, and I realized I was being almost cradled in Cell's right arm, while the left held Sanow's corpse. "What happened?!"

Cell lightly set Sanow on the floor, then me on the couch. "You don't need to worry about Meadow; that blood isn't her's," he informed her. "She's spent the last hour crying into a dead man's chest."

"And George?!"

Cell kept his eyes on me to avoid eye-contact my mother, probably to avoid any guilt, and to hide the burning anger in his violet eyes. "Dead." I heard Mom gasp again, then I turned my head and saw her kneeling beside the dead traitor. "And I should let you know he died in my son's suicide bomb to defeat our enemy."

Mom looked back at Cell, anger flaring in her eyes. "And who would do something that careless while my son was so close?!"

"Locke Brangwen." Mom gasped again. "And I should also tell you that that bastard you call your son wasn't collateral damage; he was the target."

"What?!" She was visibly ready to kill someone.

"Your son- Sanow, as he decided he preferred- sided with the computer orchestrating this apocalypse, all for a grudge against my son. His reasons were selfish, and he went too far, willing to end the world just to kill Locke." Cell finally turned to her. "He deserved to die."

Mom ignored his last words and moved over to me, lightly stroking my hair. As they were speaking, I'd started sobbing again. "Shh... it's going to be okay. We need to be strong." I was surprised by her quick change in tone, but took comfort in her soothing. "It'll be hard; you two have been best friends your whole lives."

"What?" I jerked up and pulled away as I realized what she meant. "Do you think I'm crying about Sanow?!"

Mom looked shocked, then that turned to anger. "I'd hope so. You'd better not be crying over the Android that killed your brother!"

I was completely outraged. "What?! Sanow was one hit away from killing Locke! He was going to f*ck us just because he thought Locke had stolen me from him! As far as I'm concerned, that f*cker is not my brother!"

"How dare you say that!" Mom yelled.

I clenched my fists and continued. "Out of all of my boyfriends- and trust me, there have been a few- he was the only one who really liked me for me! He was the only one that I could imagine a life with! The only one I thought I couldn't live without! The only one I loved! The only one I-" I stopped myself, nearly admitting to losing my virginity to him. Mom wouldn't be happy about that, and she didn't need another reason to hate him. "Sanow's burning in Hell, where he belongs!"

Cell coughed. "I know it doesn't matter, but as long as he behaves, Hell isn't actually that bad. As the only one here who's visited, take my word for it." Then he approached and moved his arm between us. "And if you're going to be so negative about an enemy's death, then I don't think I'm comfortable with this girl staying with you."

"She's my daughter!"

Cell raised an eyebrow. "But doesn't her father share custody, as well her currently being under his care? If I received his permission, then I'd be well within the law."

She glared at him, then looked back at me. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but if you go with him-" Smack! Her head was suddenly turned to the side, my hand print forming on her cheek.

"Be quiet," I demanded. "I don't give a shit what you're going to say. I'm going to stay with the people who actually know what's going on."

"And I don't?!" she screamed. "What happened to 'mother knows best'?!"

"If you knew best, you would have tried to work things out with Dad instead of just packing up George and leaving!" I stood and put my arms around Cell. "From now on, this isn't my home."

"Call your father before we go," he instructed. "If she beats you to it, it could mean trouble." She perked up and reached for her phone, but Cell's eyes flashed and it exploded.

I took out my phone and started to dial. The silence gave room for me to think clearly again, and the tears returned.

"Meadow?!" Dad's voice asked hopefully.

"Daddy..." A choked sob interrupted me.

"Honey, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"No," I responded. "Locke..." I couldn't say anymore.

"What did he do? If he hurt you, I swear to-" The phone was snatched from my hand by Cell.

Cell

"I assume this is Mr. Fae," I said into the receiver.

"And who's this?" The man demanded.

"Locke's father," I answered. "I assure you, my son did nothing to your daughter that she didn't allow. That isn't why she is crying."

"Then what has her so upset?" His anger was gone, but the worry still remained.

I steeled myself, worrying that I may also break down like the girl beside me. "He's..." I gulped and continued quietly. "He's dead." I heard his sharp intake of breath. "He died killing an enemy fighting for this apocalypse." I steeled myself again. "Your son, George."

"G-George?!"

"I will give you the details another time, but now your ex-wife is filled with contempt for my son, seeing George's death as an unjust murder." I flashed the woman a glare. "Locke cared for this girl more than anyone, so I cannot in good conscience leave her with someone with such a polar opinion on the situation. I need your permission to take her to stay with my family until this is all over, as I fear that Georgia may go to the police if I don't gain your approval."

He was quiet, then responded. "Hand the phone to Georgia." I willingly did so.

The conversation quickly spiraled into a heated argument, until Georgia practically threw the phone back to me. "Take her with you," he growled angrily. "And I'm applying for full custody once you smash that damn computer. I don't want that bitch anywhere near my daughter."

"Thank you, sir." I hung up and put my hand on Meadow's shoulder. "I apologize for intruding." I put two fingers to my forehead and took us back to my family.

Meadow fainted as soon as we arrived, so I took her to Locke's room and put her to bed before returning to the others.

"So," Gohan addressed me. "You're sure the Dragon Balls have reactivated?"