Chapter Nine-Part Two

Family and friends.

Present Day.

Piccolo and Gohan relocated to a back dressing room where Goku was sitting in front of a mirrored vanity, adjusting his neck tie. Both the tall Namek and the half Saiyan lean against the wall. Piccolo with hands in his pants pockets and Gohan with one arm crossed over his torso as his other hand laid in his pants pocket.

"So Dende had... Or has..." Gohan pauses. He looks down and forward with slightly widened eyes.

Piccolo nods his head slowly. The tall Namek lays the back of his head against the wall, blinks and sighs lightly.

"We talked about it privately after I finished getting the rest of my stuff. He said that he was happy that I found happiness and looked forward to seeing Salla happy with me." Piccolo said in a low voice.

Gohan looks at Piccolo through the sides of his eyes. "Oh... O.k." The half Saiyan warrior says, with a blink. Gohan kicks at the floor and closes his mouth.

Piccolo lowers his head, scratching at the back of it. He then sighs. "I don't know how much I believe that. But for the sake of peace, I just left it at that."

"I was meaning to ask you, Piccolo..." Goku inquires.

Piccolo and Gohan shoot their attention to Goku.

"Yeah, what's up, Goku?" Piccolo says as he crosses his arms and lowers his head.

"How did Salla take that situation when you reached your limit?" Goku asks.

Gohan and Goku look at Piccolo. Piccolo darts his eyes to the both of them, sighs and drops his head. He then lifts his head and clenches a few fingers over his mouth. His eyes move upward as his hand moves downward from his face.

Two months ago.

Salla's cold symptoms came back. Piccolo got concerned, but the young lady brushed it off. She hid most of her illness from him, so that he could concentrate on the home's completion. There were days where she could not even walk or stand. Her energy was low with hot and cold flashes.

"Salla-Chan... You have had this 'cold' for almost a month now. Most cold's on Earth do not last this long, and you are not human." Piccolo noted.

"Exactly... I'm not human. Maybe my body is finally getting used to the terrain. I can't keep going back and forth to Doctor Dende every time I have a sniffle." Salla retorted.

"That does not mean I have to like the fact you're sick." Piccolo said in a low voice.

"No, of course not." Salla replied.

"Well, talking about Dende..." Piccolo paused and sighed. He lowered his head slightly and rubbed the back of it.

Salla looked at him, then lowered her head and held herself. She swallowed heavily and breathed in slowly through her nose.

"Is... Is, everything alright with you two...?" She inquired in a concerned and low voice.

Piccolo lifted his head and turned slightly away from her, quickly crossing his arms. He taped his foot, looking away from her, out the window.

"Yeah... We're fine... He's like my younger brother... It's not because he's Namek either. I've helped him and he has helped me. We've both been through alot together...

"Oh... I see..." Salla said in a low tone. She lowered her eyes and laced her fingers together.

Piccolo leaned his back and pressed the bottom of his foot against the wall. He breathed in deeply through his nose and sighed softly from his mouth. The tall Namek then tapped his fingers on his folded arms.

"His birthday is in a' week." Piccolo sighed.

"Ah, yes... I remember him saying that a few months ago... Well... actually almost a full year ago... So I guess I arrived close to his birthday. He said something about the beach..." Said Salla.

"Yes... And with you being sick, the warm weather might help." Piccolo said.

"I will be fine..." Salla smiled.

Piccolo turned his lowered head to her with a smirk and concerned eyes. Salla lifted her sickly eyes to his. She then lowered her head and held herself.

Piccolo decided to book reservations at a resort, on the beach, where Dende would be celebrating his birthday. It was a island nation in the southern-west hemisphere that had tall, lush, green hills standing on alot of the coastline. They went to nightly events with muscular, tattooed, fire dancing men, and strong tanned women that wore large flowers in their long, flowing, dark locks.
The sands and water were as warm and breathtakingly beautiful as the native people. The sand was as if walking off a warm cloud, into the sky, that was the water. The green hills and mountains seemed to pin this part of the sky down to Earth.

Salla stood on the wooden porch, of their unique, posh, reserved hut. She looked out at the beach, holding herself. The black, shoulder-less, swimsuit she wore was a stunning contrast to the long, short sleeved, translucent, white, over-shirt she also had on. The over shirt captured the warm breeze and swirled around her stiff, shivering body.
She knew that her sickness was getting worse, and she was afraid to realize what it really was. The young lady sighed and closed her eyes. She was thankful for the time she spent with her family and grateful for Piccolo's love and concern. The young lady held back tears and sniffled.
Salla felt she needed to be strong for the people she loved. Not succumbing to sadness, regret and this illness. But to enjoy whatever time she had with them, and them with her.

A shirtless, black slack, wearing, Piccolo stepped up to Salla, from behind, and wrapped his arms around her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked in a low and warm tone.

Salla leaned into his embrace, rested her head back jsut under hsi chest, and closed her eyes. She put her hands on his fore arms and breathed out through her nose lightly, then smacked her lips.

"As good as I was when I discovered my soulmate existed in the mortal realm... Never better." She said weakly, with a light smile.

Piccolo lowered his face and kissed the top of her damp head. He closed his eyes and breathed in her essence. The concerned Namek then lifted her into his arms, cradling her and carried Salla into the bathroom. He sat her to the side of the bathtub and turned on the water.
Piccolo knelt down beside her, took her hand with both of his hands and started kissing her arm in a upward motion. He removed her garments and then kissed her lips lightly. The tall Namek then placed her in the warm bath and then turned off the faucet. Salla sunk her body into the water with a slow sigh, resting the back of her head on the edge of the tub. Piccolo took her arm and started washing it. Their eyes locked as she turned to his gaze. The warrior looked at her lovingly and calm.

"I never thanked you for loving me. Despite what I have done to your family and other's over the years. You not only forgave me for those things... But have counseled me, and... Gave me every bit of your love." Said Piccolo in a slightly emotional voice.

Salla sat up and looked at Piccolo with love and concern. Piccolo held her arm and took his other hand to his face, lowering his head.

"Piccolo-Kun..." Salla said in a crackly voice.

He raised his head and scooted closer to Salla. Piccolo then took the soapy sponge and continued to wash her shoulders and back.

"But... You have done the same for me... I know that somethings are worse than others but... Have you not surrendered your physical, emotional and spiritual self to me also?" Salla asked as she took her wet hand and placed it on his cheek.

Piccolo paused and lowered his eyes and eyelids to the side, away from her. Suddenly Salla pulled Piccolo into the bath with her. The water splashed onto the floor as he kicked and waved around in shock. She then turned him around and pulled off his pants and underwear, throwing the soaked garments to the wet floor.

"ERR! SALLA-CHAN! What are you-" Piccolo started and roared in shock.

Salla hushed him with a kiss as she gently rested her hands on his shoulders. She then positioned herself on his lap and released his lips from hers. Piccolo breathed in fast and heavily, through his nose, as the young lady lathered the sponge and began to wash his shoulders and bicep.

"Thank you for being my companion in this realm. You shared yourself, physically, emotionally and spiritually with me and that is a gift that no one else within this plane or the next could or will ever equal. I love you... Please continue to be yourself and walk with me hand in hand toward our nighttime rest." Said the young lady, lovingly.

Piccolo's face trembled with emotion. Salla paused and then slightly lowered her head and closed her eyes, with a light, closed lip smile. She then took the back of his head and pulled his face to her shoulder. He rested his face on her her shoulder, weeping quietly and sniffled. Salla then slid her hands down Piccolo's arms, under the water, and took his hands into hers. His warm tears ran down her shoulder and chest, mixing into the water.
She pressed her cheek against the side of his head and raised her face a bit, looking forward out the window.