'Well, well, His Royal Highness has come down from his castle. Here to gawk at us common folks?'

Bloomer glared at 18 as he and his parents entered her house.

She was becoming his least favorite person more and more these days.

'Dad wanted to check on Vegan.' He huffed. 'And I thought it'd be a good chance for Trunks to see his mother.'

She looked like she didn't buy his answer but kept her mouth shut.

'She's in bed.' Eighteen said tightly.

'Abdominal pain?' He sneered.

'Bloomer...' Dr. Briefs sighed as he started the stairs. 'Don't..'

Bloomer started to follow, but Eighteen blocked his way. 'If you're going there to pick a fight, then just stay here.'

'I have medical training.' He deadpanned.

'She doesn't feel well.' Eighteen said, annoyed. 'She doesn't have the energy to deal with you.'

'Has Goku been by?' Trunks asked.

Bloomer looked at him, then back at her.

Goku did mention coming to find her in a week.

And what was up with that shit they said to each other?

'No.' She said quietly.

'Has she made a decision?' Bloomer asked.

'She hasn't uttered a word.' 18 said quietly. 'Only asking for Goku

'Responsibility was never a strong point of Goku's.' Bloomer replied stiffly.

Eighteen rolled her eyes but led the Briefs family upstairs; trunks rushed ahead of them, eager to see his mother.

Bloomer rushed after the boy to the end of the hall; he knocked on the door.

'Mom?' He said quietly as he crept into the room.

Vegan held her knees as Marron brushed her hair; her eyes and nose were red. And her fingernails bit down to the tips.

She probably spent the last week worrying about that thing inside of her.

She looked at them, then turned away, cradling her stomach.

'Dad wanted to check on you.' Bloomer said quickly.

'And, why did you come?'

'I thought it'd be good ch-'

'Your parents take better care of him than the two of us put together,' she said as she turned to him, 'why are you here?'

'I wanted to know if you'd made your decision.'

'Can't make one without Kakarotto.' She said quietly.

'You don't need him.'

'He's just as much say as I do.' She said weakly.

He watched as Vegan gritted her and wrapped her arms around her stomach.

That thing inside of her is already killing her.

'Is your tummy hurting again?' Marron asked as she stopped brushing her hair.

Vegan nodded, glancing at Bloomer. 'A little.'

'Dad,' Bloomer said, turning to his dad, 'maybe I should examine her... alone.'

'Alone?' Dr. Briefs repeated.

Bloomer turned back her. 'Vegan, and I must talk about this.'

'But Vegan said that I could brush her hair!' Marron said loudly.

'You can brush my hair.' Offered 18.

'Ok.' Everyone started to leave, except Trunks. 'Come on, Trunks.'

'Go on.' Urged Bloomer.

'Whatever you're going to say affects me too!' He said quickly.

'Let him stay.' Vegan muttered.

'It might get-'

'He's been listening to us fight since the tournament; I doubt that we can cause any more trauma.'

Bloomer looked at his son and then began to wonder if he heard every argument they've had...

Everyone else left the room; trunks sat on the bed next to his mother, taking her hand and staring up at her.

'On a scale from 1 to 10, how intense is the pain?'

'20.'

'Well-'

'What are you going to do?' Trunks demanded. 'Are you going to have... it?'

Vegan looked away from him, prompting Bloomer to bark, 'Well?'

She glared at him but remained silent, and Bloomer rolled his eyes. 'You're behaving like a child!'

'I need to talk Kakarotto before I make any decisions.'

'He's not fucking here, Vegan!' Bloomer nearly screamed. 'By the time he decided to show up, you'll probably be in labor.'

'This doesn't concern you-'

'The hell it doesn't!' Bloomer snapped. 'Have you ever taken the time to think about your son!'

Vegan glanced over at him, then at Trunks; he stared at her stomach.

'Sorry. I took so long, I- oh... I thought you'd be alone.'

His voice.

Bloomer turned to find Goku standing behind him, staring at him.

He was wearing his usual clothes, they looked dirty, and he reeked of sweat.

'What do you want?' Bloomer demanded as he found himself loathing his presence more and more.

'I wanted to talk to Vegan about our baby.'

The sentence made Bloomer want to hurl; their baby.

It shouldn't be his baby...

'Ok, well, talk.' Bloomer barked.

Goku rolled his eyes and turned to Vegan. 'Vegan-'

'For God's sake, Vegan! Have you thought about what this will do to Trunks! When was the last time you thought about his best interest!'

She looked over at the boy; he looked away. 'How do you think he'd look at that... child if you died while giving birth?'

'Have you ever thought about her getting an abortion for him and resenting him?' Goku threw in.

He hadn't thought of her resenting anyone...

'Besides, if something happens and Trunks wants nothing to do with them, he never has to be around.'

'She'll still be dead!' Bloomer growled.

'What if this is the last chance she has to have another child?'

Bloomer looked at Vegan; she stared at Goku.

Was she considering having this baby?

'But this will kill her!' Trunks cried. 'And you two can just have another baby! We'll just make sure it's in the right place, right, dad?!'

Numbly, Bloomer nodded.

'Vegan,' Goku said quietly, 'as I said to you on Odayaka, pana in iad si inapoi.'

'Pana in iad si inapoi.' She muttered quietly.

Again with that shit...

She finally turned to Bloomer. 'Would you be angry if had this baby?'

'Yes!' Bloomer snapped. 'I think it's a mistake! I think it'd be incredibly selfish of you! I'd never forgiven you!' Vegan's eyes widened as Bloomer looked away from her. 'I'd sever all ties with you.'

'We have a son.' She said weakly.

'You can go through my parents.' He said sharply. 'If you go down this path, I refuse to be a part of your life.'

Bloomer and Trunks left the room; Vegan stared out the window. Goku frowned as they watched Bloomer and Trunks board the Capsule Corp plane.

It wasn't fair what Bloomer was doing... but in the end, it was her decision.

'Would you be angry too,' she said, 'if I decided to abort it?'

'Yes...' he confessed, 'I'd be angry...'

'So, I can't win either way...'

She looked away from him; Goku sat next to her, taking her hands in his. They watched the plane take off; Vegan's body quivered as she silently cried.

'I said I'd be angry, but I'll do what I always do when you make me angry.'

She looked at them, wiping her eyes quickly as she did. 'What's that?'

'Be angry at you, and maybe even hate you a little and slowly, but surely, I'd forgive you.'

'I wish I was worthy of your forgiveness.'

'If you don't have this baby, I will forgive you. If I do, I will find a way to save you.' He said as he let go of her hand.

'Where are you going?' She asked as he put two fingers on his forehead.

'I have to talk to Chi-Chi and the boys.' He said quickly. 'I'll be back tonight.'

'Hey, guys!'

It startled the three of them; Goten jumped.

He and Gohan were studying; their mother was in the kitchen, cooking.

'Dad!' Both boys exclaimed, Goten leaping into his arms.

He hugged him tightly as Gohan looked up from his studies.

'What is she going to do?' Asked Gohan quickly. 'Is she going to have the baby?'

'Where is your mother?'

'In the kitchen.' Goten said as he clung to his father's neck.

'Will she have her baby?' Gohan asked her as Chi-Chi walked in.

'I don't know.' He said quietly. 'I can only support her decision.'

'What do you want her to do?' Asked Chi Chi.

He turned to her, his shoulders sagging as he faced her. 'I think she should keep it.'

'She should keep it?' Chi Chi repeatedly stiffly.

'I believe I can save her.'

'What are you going to do if she survives?'

'What do you mean?'

'What's going to happen with you and her?'

'I'm going to take care of them.' He said.

Goten looked at his mother; she looked like she'd been crying.

'What about us?' She said weakly.

'I'm going to take care of you guys as well.' Goku replied quickly. 'I love you guys, I do... but I can't abandon Vegan.'

'What if she doesn't die? What then? Are you going to be with her?'

'Uh, Goten we should-'

'Do you want to do this in front of Goten?' Goku asked as they looked at Goten. 'Do you want to go to space with me?'

'Space?!' Goten said excitedly.

'I was going to take Vegan to Odayaka, to think, but I'm pretty sure children there would love to play with you.'

'I can go?'

'You and Gohan can come if your mother says it's ok.' He turned to Chi-Chi. 'It's a peaceful planet, nothing but women and children. It's like a mănăstire.'

'A what?' Asked Gohan.

'Convent, it's like a convent.' Goku explained. 'It'd be much easier for the boys to finish their homework there.'

'Mom, can we?!'

'Why are you taking her there?'

'She lived there in exile for years; it's practically her home.' He looked hesitant to say this next part, 'I told you about Odayaka once.'

'I remember.' She said tightly.

'What about Odayaka?' Asked Gohan.

'Nothing.' She said quickly as she turned to Goku. 'Why are you here?'

'To talk to about the baby.' He said quietly.

'What about Vegan's baby?'

'I... if I can't save her, would you help me?' He asked. 'Bloomer's going to be no help-'

'I won't help you raise another woman's child.' She said in a cold voice.

Goku paused for a second, then nodded. 'I'll have the boys back before dark.'

****

'I needed this,' Vegan replied quietly as she watched Goten play with the Odayakan children, 'thank you.'

'You always said Odayaka was where you did your best thinking... I figured after everything...'

'Well, thank you.'

Gohan was studying a short distance from them, occasionally glancing at them.

'This where the baby should be born.' Goku replied quietly. 'In a peaceful place.'

'I agree.' She said. 'I will have the child here.'

'So, you're-'

'Yes, I will.'

'If something happens, who should I turn to?'

'What do you mean?'

'Who should I trust if you... die? Who do you want to be this child's mother?'

'Eighteen. She's the only person who I'd trust...' Vegan said quietly. 'She's knows all about the history of our people, so-'

'I want you to come live with me.' Goku said in a series voice.

She turned to him. 'What?'

'I have to take care of you and the baby,' he replied, turning to her, 'I can only do that if you live with me.'

'So, you want me barefoot and pregnant?' She asked, grinning.

'More or less..., besides Bloomer acting like a jerk. I don't want him to guilt you into changing your mind.'

'I must confess something to you...,' she said quietly as she leaned closer to him, kissing him on the cheek. 'But I'll tell you when we're alone...'

'Tell me now...'

'I have all night to tell you...'

'Maybe we should head back,' Gohan called out as he approached them. 'We don't want to worry, mom.'

He had a disgusted look on his face; Vegan deduced that he heard what she said.

'What do you think about this?' She asked him.

'What do I think?' Gohan repeated.

'Yes, I've always valued your opinion...'

His face reddens. 'I think it's up to you.'

'Gohan, tell me.'

Gohan looked at his father, who nodded. 'Go on, son.'

Gohan paused and looked over at Goten; he was in the middle of many kids, laughing.

'I don't like this...'

Goku gasped as he stood. 'Gohan-'

'Kakarotto, let him talk.'

'I wish my family wasn't falling apart.' He said, looking away, 'I wish it was my mom who was pregnant with his child, not you.'

'Gohan, that's enough.' Goku said quickly; he seemed angry.

'Kakarotto!' She hissed.

'He shouldn't be-'

'Leave him alone!' Vegan stood up, Goku helping her, she turned to Gohan, he never could control his emotions, he felt awful about what he said. 'Gohan, it's okay to be angry. Don't bottle up your feelings, or you'll end up doing something stupid, like selling your soul to a wizard for power.'

Gohan looked at her, shocked, then looked at his father, who turned to him just as shocked.

'Is that why you-' Goku began before stopping. 'We should head back.'

'Are all of your things at Krillin and Eighteen's?'

'No, some of my things are still at... Capsule Corp...' Vegan said quietly as she sat in Goku's living room. 'Sit down; we must talk.'

Goku sat down beside her. 'Yeah, we must.' There was a long silence, then, finally, he said, 'Is that why you went to Bobbidi? Because of Bloomer?'

She looked away from him; he touched her hand. 'Vegan...'

'I have something important to tell you,' she turned back to him, 'we can not get sidetracked by that.'

'We must talk about the tournament.'

'Kakarotto-'

'One day, we will have to talk about it!' He said.

'I don't want to talk about it now.'

'... Fine, but one day.'

'Fine! Fine!'

'Did you and Bloomer talk about it?'

She paused, looking like a deer in the headlights, before mumbling in a quiet voice as she turned away, 'No, he would never let me explain.'

'Well, you never have to worry about that with me,' he said quickly, 'never bottle up your feelings.'

She gave him a small, sad smile. 'You say that now...'

'What did you want to talk about?'

'I wanted to let you know that there's the possibility that Bloomer is the father.'

'Oh.'

'Oh, what do you mean, oh?' She said weakly.

'Do you want me to be mad at you?'

'No, but I did expect it.'

'Why?'

'I guess I'm used to people being angry at me...'

'I'm not...'

'You say that now...'

'It's okay. Like I said when we were on Odayaka, if you decide to remain on earth, I will take care of you. Are you going to tell Bloomer...'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'I think it'd be best if he didn't know.' She said quietly. 'The last year has been hell, and I'd rather not subject myself and another child to that.'

'I would want Chi-Chi to tell me.'

'Yeah, but at least she'd put her feelings aside for the children.'

'She didn't the day she left...'

'Kakarotto, you don't have to stay if you don't want to.'

'I'm not going to abandon you.'

'You're an idiot.' She laughed.