The next chapter is posted! WARNING: Graphic Birth Scene in this chapter. Enjoy :)
They rushed Hanna onto Bulma's aircraft. The blue haired scientist started up the engines and had Vegeta take over the controls. She told Goku and Frieza to place her down near the back. There was growing concerns among everyone when they saw her losing more blood. Bulma reached into an overhead compartment for a couple pillows, a blanket, and an emergency kit.
Frieza had her lean against the pillows. Hanna was sweating profusely and starting to look pallid. She'd groan in pain from each contraction. Between that and the blood, he already knew there was a chance she will be delivering soon. What's worse, is Goku didn't bring any sensu beans with him. The orange clad saiyan gently laid the blanket over her.
"Is there anything in that kit to help with the pain?" Frieza asked, as Bulma walked over with the kit.
Goku perked up as a thought hit him.
"Hold on, I can use instant transmission to get her to Gohan's. From there, it wouldn't be a far stretch to one of the hospitals in South City." He informed them.
Hanna had no idea what that was. But she doubts she could move right now. Less it prove dangerous to both their health and their lives.
"I can't, the baby is coming very soon. It could be dangerous for us." She said, between pants and tears.
As much as Frieza wanted to go with Goku's idea, he knew she was right. At this point, if they moved her again it could be too risky for both of them. Who knows what sudden transportation may do to them right now. Looks like Bulma knew this too as she decided to speak up.
"Sadly, she is right. We can't suddenly move her like this. It could prove dangerous for both Mother and Child. I have Vegeta gunning it as it is. But even at this craft's fastest; it still be a good seven hour ride to one of the nearest continents." She told them.
Dread started sinking into the tyrant's stomach like a lead weight. That meant no professional help for Hanna or their child. He didn't want to even think of the worse. They have grown and come so far, he cannot let them die. There has to be another way to save them. He was torn from his thoughts when Hanna let out another painfilled yell. He smoothed back damp hair from her face and grasped her hand.
"Can't wait seven hours. This baby will be here much sooner than that. Please, just save my baby." Hanna pleaded, as more tears rolled down her cheeks.
"You will both be fine. Just focus on your breathing." Frieza told her, trying to take her mind off of everything going on around her.
Hanna gives him a weak smile.
"We both know that's not true. I'm getting weaker. Just please, no matter what; save the baby." She pleaded with him.
"Don't worry, we will do everything we can here." Bulma said to her, when Frieza didn't know what to say.
Looks like the bleeding has stopped; for now at least. But this was serious, with her condition. The odds of her and the baby making it out of this without professional medical attention, were extremely slim. Bulma knew a little when it came to medicine. But she doesn't have much knowledge on Hanna's condition. She just recalls reading about it in a book on pregnancy and birth when she was pregnant with Trunks and Bulla. What she does remember, is the low survival rate for both the Mother and Child. If medical treatment wasn't applied to them right away.
Another thing that struck the scientists and saiyans surprise is how Frieza was acting around this young woman. He stayed by her side. Hanna was half propped against the wall, with the pillows supporting her back. While she was half leaning on the tyrants shoulder. Clearly, there was something between these two. It left Bulma thinking maybe...No, it can't be. She doesn't want to believe he was involved with this woman. If that truly is the case, then the older woman has no doubt that this child was his too. It's the only thing that can explain the former emperor's strange behavior.
"Who is she, Frieza?" Goku asked.
Before the tyrant could say anything, Vegeta was the one to speak up from the pilot's seat up front.
"I must say, it's been a long time since you've taken a concubine, Frieza. Though I don't ever remember you being callous enough to knock one of them up before." The saiyan prince said.
"Vegeta!" Bulma and Goku shouted, clearly appalled at his insinuation.
Frieza clenched his jaw in anger at the saiyan prince's crude assumption. His Hanna was much more than that.
"She's not. Stop flapping your mouth about things you don't understand, Monkey." He snapped at Vegeta.
Hanna heard everything he said too. But she was in too much pain to think straight at this point. Nor bother to care. She knew there was more to it than that between her and Frieza. In the very beginning, she would've believed that. But now, was a different story. He wouldn't have gone through such great lengths to keep her and their child healthy, and he certainly wouldn't have considered letting her go home either if that truly were the case.
"How did you come by this human then?" Goku asked again.
Frieza sighs, might as well explain. Especially, if he plans on living on this world. He knew Goku would have a hard time taking it all in at first. But at least the cheery saiyan was more forgiving when he wanted to be. Vegeta, on the other hand, will most likely be less than convinced. But the saiyan prince can go to hell for all he cares.
It took a while to explain everything. Of course, everyone was pissed in the beginning when Frieza told them how she ended up on his ship. Hanna even filled in every now and then, trying to distract herself from the pain. He explained all the way from her capture to now. She spent a good year and a half on his ship. For many months, it was hell for Hanna. But these last few months weren't all so bad.
Goku, Bulma, and Vegeta don't know what to think of it all in the end. All they knew for certain right now, was getting Hanna much needed medical attention. It was ironic when Bulma was right in her assumption. Frieza is the Father of Hanna's baby. It was as hard to gage, just as the care he shows towards her and the child were.
For the next five and a half hours, they all listened to Hanna's pained cries as she struggled through each contraction. They were starting to come closer together. Her only reassurance is she can still feel the baby moving about inside her. She can only hope it stays that way. All she really cared about right now; is that her baby makes it out of this alive.
"I'm sorry, Hanna. For everything, this is all my fault." Frieza said.
She shakes her head.
"No, it's mine. Your right, I should've stayed on the ship. If I had, we wouldn't be in this predicament right now." Hanna said, between pants.
"And I came here looking for a fight, like always. There is reasoning behind it though. I did it so I can defeat my foes. I knew if I did, then I could stay here with you. I wouldn't have to worry when I'd be able to see you and the child next." He confessed.
Goku was still hanging about in the back and heard everything the tyrant was telling her.
"If we knew about her, then there wouldn't have to be a fight. You could've just explained the situation from the start. We would've...well, I would've listened. I doubt Vegeta would have. But this changes things. As long as you don't give us any trouble and not threaten this world, then I don't see why you shouldn't be able to stay." Goku informed him.
Hanna couldn't help but give Frieza an; 'I told you so' look. She told him several times throughout the months to try and communicate his dilemma with the saiyans. Not go head on into a fight every time he encounters them. Each time, he'd just laugh at her childish suggestions, and said that could never work. Their history and animosity for one another just ran too deep. Now all he can do is feel slightly embarrassed about it all.
"Well, at least now we have our answer. Which surprisingly feels very reassuring." He said, in an attempt at a joke to brush off his embarrassment.
Hanna was about to say something. But her face morphed into a look of pain, and she let out another pained yell as another strong contraction hit. It's when she felt movement down below. It was time.
"Frieza, it's happening. The baby is coming." She sobbed.
His eyes widened and he shook his head.
"No, no, wait a little longer. We are almost to the nearest continent. We don't have far to go now." He told her, his voice held an edge of panic to it.
Hanna shook her head vigorously.
"I can't, please save our baby...She's coming." She said, between more sobs.
Now he was really starting to get nervous and scared. She seems very certain. And 'She?' How could Hanna know? She didn't even want to know what it was during her exams. Hanna screamed again and spread her legs. That's when he and Bulma noticed more blood beginning to pool beneath her. The older woman hiked up the blanket a little more and instructed Frieza to tilt her hips up a bit so she can get her pants off. Pants that were now soaked in blood. This wasn't a good sign at all. For all they knew, she could be hemorrhaging. It was now or never. She needed to push.
Bulma rolled up her sleeves and pulled up the latex gloves. She kept the emergency kit right beside her.
"Ok, Hanna. I need you to take a deep breath. And when your ready, push." She instructed.
She followed Bulma's instructions. The first push was agonizing, and Hanna showed it by letting out her loudest scream yet, the first of more to come. Frieza was trying to be as supportive as he could. But right now; he felt useless more than anything. It didn't curb his sense of dread when Bulma asked her to push again. Which was followed by another ear splitting scream with sobs in between. Each one tore away at his heart.
What's worse, is with each push; more blood spilled out. Even Goku, who wasn't even trying to watch, was mortified at all the blood coming out of her. Even he knew, with this much blood loss, she will not survive much longer. Hanna knew it too. But she was determined to save her baby first before then. Her back arched off the pillows with her last and final push. There was an eerie silence for the first few moments. Before the first cries of a newborn filled the aircraft.
"My baby, is my baby ok?" Hanna said, her words slightly slurred.
Bulma held the baby up with a warm smile.
"She's perfect." The older woman said, softly.
She cleared the child's airways with a small suction device from the kit. Then gently handed the fussing infant to her Mother. Hanna cried as she held the child to her. Even Frieza couldn't hold back tears as he saw his newborn daughter for the first time. She kissed her tiny head and held her close. This child was her miracle. Her last bit of 'Hope'. And that is what she was going to call her.
"Hello, Hope...I love you baby girl." Hanna said, as her vision blurred and her strength left her.
Her breathing became labored. But she never took her eyes off her daughter. Even as she said, her final words.
"Frieza, I forgive you. Please, take...care...of...her." She said, before she finally took her last breath.
A lump formed in his throat and he felt a tremendous pain in his chest where his heart was.
"Hanna? Hanna?!" He gasped.
Bulma took the child from her arms when she started going slack. Frieza lightly patted her cheek, trying to get the woman in his arms to stir. But she was pale and no more breath left her. He wrapped his arms around her. All the while muttering; 'No' under his breath. He rested his cheek against the crown of her head and squeezed his eyes shut as tears cascaded down his cheeks for the first time in his entire life.
No one said anything. They just left him to mourn his loss. Bulma couldn't stop the tears from leaving her eyes either. Hope, who could sense something was wrong right away, began to cry as well. The scientist gently rocked her and shushed her. Vegeta, set the controls on autopilot and went to the back with everyone else. The sight was rather gruesome and shocking at the same time.
A large pool of blood now littered the floor of the craft. His biggest enemy, knelt over the dead young woman in his arms, and appears to be crying over her death. His Wife holding a squirmy, fussing infant. Goku standing besides Bulma with a hand on her shoulder, his head down, and a frown decorated his face.
If Vegeta, didn't know any better, he thought he may have just stepped into the twilight zone. It was certainly one of the oddest scenes he's ever witnessed. And here, he was about to tell the tyrant there was no way in hell he would allow him to stay on Earth. But even he knew, now wasn't the right time. Frieza was the only parent this child had left. It be cruel to say the child can stay here but he had to leave. So, just this once. He will keep his mouth shut.
This chapter was certainly quite the tear jerker. Things will certainly not be the same for Frieza. Will he be able to cope with his grief? How will he handle being a Father to Hope? Until Next Time ;)