Disclaimer; I don't own anything, I'm only 14
A/N; Hey what happened to you guys. Absolutely NO ONE reviewed chapter 5 :( Don't you like my fic no more? Oh well I decided to post chapter 6 anyway so we'll see what happens. Some reviews would be nice.
A Helping Hand
Chapter 6
Bulma swished her tea around in her mouth before she swallowed it. Then she looked up at her friend and they continued their conversation. "So what do you think of her?" she asked.
"Well it's kind of hard to say, I really don't know her that well," replied Chi-chi. "I've only met her once".
"And it definitely takes more than a few hours to even begin to get to know her" said Bulma. Chi-chi nodded her head in agreement. Mrs.Briefs walked into the lounge room just then, which was where Chi-chi and Bulma were sitting.
"Would you two like some more cake?" she asked. Both women shook their head, so Mrs.Briefs went to go and find the boys to see if they wanted some more. Chi-chi sighed and sunk deeper into the chair.
"Well I guess if we really wanted to find out some more about her we could ask Krillen" she said. Bulma began to reply but there was a knock on the door.
"I'll be back in a minute" said Bulma and she walked out the room.
Bulma opened the front door and greeted the person on the other side.
"Hi, I was wondering how much longer you would be" she said. 18 gave Bulma a sort of half smile and took off her jacket. Winter was setting in and it was rather cold outside.
"Where's Krillen?" asked Bulma.
"I'm right here" said Krillen as he came up the steps and in the front door.
"He's right there" said 18 and she pointed over her shoulder.
"I can see that now" said Bulma. She turned and went back into the lounge room, which was where Chi-chi was sitting, Krillen and 18 followed her.
"Then again Chi-chi, you could always just ask her for yourself" said Bulma. Chi-chi looked confused.
"Ask me what?" asked 18 as she entered the room. Chi-chi looked at Bulma and then at 18.
"Uh nothing" she replied. 18 looked curiously at Chi-chi for a few seconds then dismissed it as nothing important. If she really wanted to ask her something then she would.
"Mum!" Bulma looked at the door and a few seconds later Trunks and Goten burst into the room. They both had the remainders of chocolate cake smeared all over their faces. Bulma knelled down and pulled a tissue out her pocket, then she spat on the end of it and began to clean Trunks face with it.
"So I see grandma found you" she said. Trunks squirmed and tried to escape but Bulma had a pretty good grip on him and soon she was done.
"Now what do want Trunks?" she asked.
"Me and Goten are still hungry" complained Trunks. Bulma rolled her eyes.
"You know what, I think you and Goten eat more in a few hours than you dad does in a whole day" she said. Krillen began to laugh and Bulma stood up and looked at him.
"I'm not kidding" she said and she walked off into the kitchen.
"So 18, how far along are you?' asked Chi-chi. She was obviously talking about the pregnancy.
"Almost 6 months" she replied and she sat down in the nearest chair. Krillen sat in the chair next to her.
"Really? You sure don't look it. I was huge by that time" exclaimed Chi-chi. 18 almost laughed at the thought of Chi-chi looking like that side of the house, she had always been so thin. But she also knew that it was no laughing matter, 18 herself had been thin once. She hated not being able to fit into her old clothes. Especially her favourite pair of jeans. Hopefully she'd get her figure back. Bulma walked back into the room and clapped her hands together.
"Alright 18, I think I know why you are here. So what do you say we go get this over with" she said. 18 stood up and looked at Krillen. "You wait here" she said.
"Ok" said Krillen.
"If you two want anything just help yourself. We shouldn't be to long" said Bulma and she and 18 left the room.
"Where are they going?" asked Chi-chi, she sounded annoyed that her friend had just left like that. Especially when she had travelled so far just to visit her.
"Uh, I think they went to do an ultrasound" replied Krillen.
"Oh ok," said Chi-chi. "So what have you been up to? I haven't seen you in a while"
"Not much really. I've been trying to gather up enough money to do up the spare room and to by a crib and all that stuff" said Krillen.
"Well if you want you can have Goten's old crib, I've got a stroller and a bassinette I don't need anymore as well" offered Chi-chi. Krillens eyes lit up.
"Really, that would be so great" he said.
"Well when do you want to come and pick them up?" asked Chi-chi.
"Is Wednesday or Thursday ok with you?" asked Krillen.
"Sure" replied Chi-chi
***
"Alright 18, just sit on that bed over there while I get everything ready" said Bulma. 18 walked over to the bed and sat down, she gulped nervously. Bulma heard her.
"Hey don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you" she reassured her. 18 still wasn't convinced, but she guessed she would just have to trust her.
Now there was a thought. 8 months ago 18 wouldn't have trusted a single person. Heck 8 months ago 18 barley even trusted herself. But now; well now 18 was different. Living with Krillen had really changed her, and she realised now that it was for the better. What she really wanted now was for her brother to understand it too. But he was to blind to see that there was more to their existence than blood and guts. He'd forgotten how good life could be. 18 sighed. That was the main difference between her and her brother. He was a loner, he hated to be around anyone else, even 18 was too much for him sometimes. But 18 on the other hand, she had to be around at least one other person at all times or else she would go crazy. While it was true that she hated to be around more than 4 or 5 people at once, she just couldn't be by herself. Or else she might begin to think and if she did that who knew what kind of wacky conclusions she would come to or what her mind would tell her to do.
"Ok 18 lay down and I'll put this cream on your stomach" said Bulma as she turned on the machine. 18 did as she was told and let Bulma do what she had to. The cream was cold and made 18's belly tingle. Bulma picked up a long smooth black thing and began to run it across 18's stomach. It tickled. A few minutes later Bulma spoke up.
"There we go, 18 take a look at your baby" she said. 18 looked at the fuzzy image on the screen, it sure didn't look like a baby, or anything else for that matter.
"I don't see it". Bulma laughed and pointed out the arms and legs and suddenly 18 could see her baby.
"Would you like some photo's?" asked Bulma
"Yeah sure" replied 18. Bulma pushed her chair over to the computer and pressed a few buttons. A few minutes later the printer in the corner of the room spat out 5 copies of the image of the screen.
"Here you go" said Bulma and she handed 18 the photos. 18 climbed off the bed and took the photos out of Bulmas hands. Then they went back up-stairs.
***
Krillen and Chi-chi were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn't even notice Bulma and 18 had come into the room.
"Krillen". Krillen jumped at the sound of 18 calling his name, he turned to face her.
"That's me" he said. 18 rolled her eyes and sat down next to him.
"Look what I have" said 18 and she wave one of the pictures in Krillen face. He snatched it out of her hands and took a closer look. "Oh wow" he said, "it's our baby".
18 closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. Krillen made it seem like they were all one big happy family when in actual fact, nothing could be further from the truth. 18 knew she had feelings for Krillen, but she couldn't tell him. For if she did that it would be throwing away any chance she had of reconciliation with her brother and she just wasn't willing to do that. 17 meant more to her than words could ever say, but as they days wore on it became harder and harder to keep her feelings to herself. It was just the little things he did that made her feel the way she did and keeping her feeling all bottled up like this was slowly driving her insane. She was going to have to do something about this problem but it would have to be something that wouldn't jeopardise her relationship with her brother.
***
By the time they got home it was dark. Master Roshi was sitting on the couch watching some t.v show. Krillen and 18 quickly made their way into the kitchen to get something to eat.
"What do you want?" asked Krillen as he boiled the kettle.
"I'm not hungry," said 18 "I'll get something later".
"Ok then" said Krillen. 18 made a cup of tea and then went up to her room.
Krillen watched her go then began to do the dishes with Master Roshi had neglected. He didn't really mind doing them, it gave him something else to concentrate on. Today had been a good day, 18 had been pleasant all day, which was a strange thing and she seemed to get on well enough with Chi-chi. And Krillen made it through the whole afternoon without running into Vegeta, which was a real bonus.
Chi-chi had offered him some of Goten's old things; that would be a big help. He was going to pick them up in a couple of days. The trip home had been strange though. Instead of 18 just staring out the window at all the scenery zooming past she had actually started a conversation with Krillen, it had seemed to him that she was trying to tell him something but he wasn't sure what. Oh well, if she really need to say something she would.
***
"Krillen!" Krillen looked up at one of the windows of Kame House and saw 18.
"What?" he asked.
"Where are you going?" asked 18. Krillen could hardly hear her the wind was so strong, so he flew up to the window where 18 was.
"What did you say?"
18 rolled her eyes. "I asked where you were going".
"Oh. I'm going to Chi-chi's to pick up some stuff. Wanna come?"
18 shook her head. "I think I'll stay here".
"Ok then," Krillen knew better than to push her into something she didn't want to do. "I shouldn't be more than a few hours, I'll be back before dark" he said, then he flew down to the car hopped in and sped off over the ocean. Hover cars really were a great invention.
***
Krillen arrived at Mt Paozu a little over an hour later. Gohan and Goten were in the front yard of the small house throwing a ball to each other.
"Hi Boys" Krillen greeted them as he climbed out the car and locked the door.
"Hi Krillen" said Gohan. Goten ran over to Krillen and wrapped his arms around his legs. Krillen laughed and scooped Goten up and place him on his shoulders.
"So Gohan, where's you mum?" asked Krillen
"She's inside" replied Gohan and he lead Krillen inside the house.
"Mum" called out Gohan. "Mum" Goten mimicked him
"I'm in here boys" came Chi-chi's voice from the kitchen.
"Krillen's here" said Gohan as he entered the kitchen, it smelled of cookies. Chi-chi dried her hands on a dish towel and turned to face Krillen, who was putting Goten down on the ground.
"Hi" she said.
"Hey there" said Krillen "how have you been?" he asked as her sat down at the kitchen table. Gohan and Goten disappeared back outside.
"I've been good. And you?"
"Never better"
"That's good to hear," Said Chi-chi "I take it you've come for the things for the baby's room".
***
18 sighed and sat back down on her bed, she was so board and there was nothing to do. She couldn't go outside because it was raining; well it was actually a thunderstorm. 18 got up and left her room, on her way to the stairs she passed Krillens room, she stopped outside the door and looked at it for a few seconds. She knew she shouldn't go in, after all Krillen would never invade her privacy like that, but she just couldn't resists so she gently turned the handle and quietly snuck into the room.
Once inside and took a look around the room. It was spotless, and had a big bed up against the wall with a bedside table on either side. There were two doors, one which lead to the balcony and the other which 18 guessed lead into a bathroom, upon further inspection she found she was right. There was also a window, which if it were open you would be able to sit on the ledge. 18 made her way back over to the bed and sat on the edge, she picked up a photo frame, which was sitting on the bedside table and to her surprise there was a picture of her in it. 18 smiled, she remembered this day, it was only taken about one month earlier.
18 had been sitting out on the beach, as she did quiet often, when Krillen had walked over to her and taken a photo. She hadn't had time to turn her head so instead she just smiled, and the result had been the photo she was currently looking at.
She put the frame back where she found it and left the room and went downstairs.
***
"Thanks Chi-chi, I really appreciate this" said Krillen as he stacked the crib into the car. He went around to the boot and opened it, he put the stroller in and he put the bassinette on top of it. Then he shut the boot and hopped in the driver's seat.
"Anytime," said Chi-chi "if you ever need a babysitter, I'm always available".
"We might have to take you up on that some time," said Krillen. He turned the car on waved good bye and drove off, he had to make one more stop before he could return back to the island.
***
18 looked up at the clock it was nearly 6. She got up and walked into the kitchen to see what there was for dinner. All she could find was some pasta and a couple of vegetables. Oh well, it would just have to do. 18 put the pasta on the stove to cook and began to chop up the vegetables. A few minutes later she heard Krillen's car pull up on the island. 18 put the knife she was holding down and went out to the front step, she didn't go any further because she didn't want to get wet.
Krillen powered up a little, so she wouldn't get wet and took he things out the car.
"What have you got there?" asked 18.
"Some things for the baby's room," replied Krillen "Chi-chi said we could have them".
"Oh. Well that was nice of her". 18 eyed the 3 items, they looked nice enough, actually they almost looked brand new. Krillen ran back to the car and pulled out 2 tins. Then he took everything inside.
"I brought some paint, but since we don't know what sex the baby's going to be, I thought we could just re-paint it white" said Krillen.
"I have to go check on dinner" said 18 and she went back into the kitchen. Krillen sighed and began to haul everything upstairs into the baby's room.
***
A/N. That's the end of this chapter. Now go and review. PLEASE