Disclaimer: The only DBZ related things I own are my action figures and my videos....
A/N. Wow 10 chapters, I can hardly believe you people are still here to read this, I thought for sure everyone would be sick of this. I must be doing something right. Once again thank-you to you all. I'll try to have the next chapter out ASAP ~Deadly Beauty
A Helping Hand
Chapter 10
Krillen looked at 18 as she dozed peacefully on the couch, it had been the first peaceful sleep she had had in close to a month, which was how old Marron nearly was. Well 3 weeks and 4 days to be exact. It was clear to Krillen now that 18 just wasn't coping with this whole mothering thing at all, she would avoid holding Marron and when she did she would hand her over to someone else straight away. There had even been one or two occasions where she had just left her un-attended.
Krillen knew it wasn't her fault, she really had been trying to the best of her ability. All she needed was a little practise at dealing with babies, but she was just too scared. Krillen decided he needed to have a talk with his fiancee, but he didn't want to wake her, she might not have been doing a lot with Marron but she also spent more than half awake. Keeping Krillen company at un-holy hours of the morning, or making coffee or bottles, or finding a dummy, she just did little things, but they were a big help.
"What am I going to do about you mummy firefly?" Krillen asked marron as he sat down in the chair nearest to 18's head. She began to stir and slowly opened her eyes.
"How long have I been asleep for?" she asked
"A couple of hours," replied Krillen. 18 groaned and sat up "I didn't want to wake you".
"You're so sweet Krillen"
"I know"
"And modest to". 18 sat up a little and looked down at Marron, sometimes it hurt just to look at her baby, her perfect little baby that she felt like she hardly even knew. She really had been trying her best, but she just couldn't keep going. She knew Krillen wanted to talk with her, she wasn't dumb, and 18 was convinced that Krillen was going to ask her to give back her engagement ring and ask her to leave the island and leave him and Marron alone for ever. 18 didn't wanted to leave, she like Kame Island and she wanted to marry Krillen, but if Krillen wanted her to then she would.
"18 I think we need to talk" said Krillen. 18 let out a long breath, well it was going to happen eventually so it might as well be sooner rather than later.
"Ok" she said and she braced herself for what was going to be said next
"Why are you so scared of Marron?" asked Krillen. 18 looked up.
"What?," she asked, "I'm not scared of Marron, I'm scared of what I might do to her" explained 18.
"And you think I'm not. 18 I know as much about parenting as you do, and you've left it all up to me. 18 we're supposed to be learning this together" said Krillen.
"I tried Krillen, I really did, but I just can't do it. Look at you, you hold her like you've done it you're whole life, but when I hold her I shake and it just doesn't feel natural". 18 looked out the window at the ocean, it was churning wildly and 18 saw a bolt of lightning tip through the sky off in the distance. she didn't want to fly in what was almost guaranteed to be a monstrous thunderstorm, but she also didn't want to spend another minute on Kame Island. She needed some time to think, straighten out her thoughts, she knew just the place to go.
With out warning 18 jumped up off the couch and ran out the house. By the time Krillen got to the front door she was just a black speck in the dark night sky. And Krillen couldn't very well chase after her, even if he could have caught up to her he was holding a baby in his arms, which prevented him from going anywhere fast, let alone flying anywhere.
"Great" Krillen muttered to himself and he turned around and went back inside.
"Where'd that lovely lady of yours go?" asked Mater Roshi as he strolled into the lounge room. Krillen shrugged his shoulders.
"I dunno, she just took off" he said.
"Is she coming back?"
"I dunno," replied Krillen again "I sure hope so"
***
20 minutes later the heavens opened, and a certain depressed android was instantly soaked to the bone, yet she wasn't even halfway to her destination yet. 18 powered up to her maximum and sped off. But she was cold, dressed only in a pair of black cargo pants and a red tank top, in her rush to leave the house she hadn't even managed to grab a pair of shoes. But at least she could were her clothes again, Bulma had called her one of the lucky ones, because she had gotten her figure back only weeks after the birth, apparently it had taken Bulma several months to get back into shape and Chi-chi even longer.
18 shuddered she was soaked to the bone. The sooner she got to the cabin the better. Soon the edge of the forest came into view and since 18 couldn't see through the trees she was forced to land on the wet muddy ground and run. 18 ran and ran and ran until she entered a clearing. She was covered in mud all the way up her legs. She ran up the front steps of 17 cabin and banged on the door. Almost straight away the door was opened and 18 saw her brother, he looked like he was about to die of shock
"18?" was all he could manage to say.
"Shower now, talk later" said 18 and she pushed past her brother and went up the stairs.
***
Krillen sighed and pulled something to eat out the fridge, he put it in the microwave and set it for 5 minutes. Not even 30 seconds had gone past before the phone rang. Hoping it would be 18 he dove to the phone only to be disappointed.
"18?"
"Close," came a cool male voice "it's her brother". Krillen gulped, that couldn't be good
"What can I do for you?" he asked.
"I just want to know why 18 just showed up on my doorstep when she should be there with you. What did you do to her?" asked 17
"Me, I did nothing. She left because she wanted to" said Krillen.
"Ok, well I'll talk to her" said 17 and he hung up the phone.
***
18 stood in the shower and let the tears flow freely down her cheeks. She was right back where she had started all those months ago. Only now things were different. Before she had only ever done tings for herself, but now; now she had to take her family into consideration. Her fiancee and tiny daughter, she realised now that running away from her problems wasn't the smartest thing to do, it would only make them worse. She wanted to go home, back to kame House. She had only been gone just over an hour and already she missed Krillen so much it hurt. She had no idea how she was going to make it through the night.
"Hey 18, you in there?" asked 17 from the other side of the door.
"Yeah," replied 18 "Why".
"Do you need something to sleep in?"
"It might help" said 18.
"Ok, I'll leave you something in your room". 18 almost laughed. Her room, that was impossible, to leave something in her room, 17 would have to fly all the way back to Kame House. 18 didn't live here, she did once, but that was a long time ago, she was merely a guest now. Yet from the few words she had shared with her brother since her arrival 15 minutes ago, she got the idea he was still acting like she lived there.
18 finished her shower and wrapped a towel around herself, then she quickly made her way down the hall into her old bedroom. 17 had done as he said and left some clothes for her so 18 quickly got dressed and headed downstairs. Which was where 17 was waiting for her.
"17"
"What are you doing here 18?," asked 17 "why aren't you home with you family"
"I need some time to sort things out," replied 18 "My heads all confused at the moment". 18 went and sat down next to her brother. She blinked back tears she didn't want 17 to see.
"Well why come here?"
"I can think here, it's peaceful" said 18.
"Well why did you leave?" asked 17. 18 felt like yelling at her brother and telling him to mind his own damn business, but she though she at least owed him an explanation as to why she had suddenly shown up on his doorstep.
"I couldn't handle it, being a mother was to hard" she admitted.
"But 18, you're a fighter, you can do it" said 17
"Exactly, I'm a fighter 17, an elite martial artist that's it. I'm not a mother or a fiancee, just a fighter"
"No. You're not just a fighter 18. Even if that's what you want to believe it's not true. You a good mum and as much as I dislike Krillen, I'll know you'll be a great wife to him, because believe it or not, I really do think you were ment for each other" said 17. 18 wiped a tear off her cheek. "You really think so?". 17 just nodded his head "so are you going to be staying the night or not?" he asked.
"Yeah. Yeah I think I will"
"Well I'm gonna go to bed," said 17 "gotta be up bright and early" said 17.
18 only stayed up a little longer before she headed to bed herself, her head hadn't even hit the pillow before she was asleep.
***
Krillen spent yet another night awake by his daughters side. But as much as he wanted to sleep he just couldn't. He was worrying about 18 so much that he felt sick to his stomach. He knew that she was at 17 house but that didn't help one little bit. What if she had left or what if had got angry and kicked her out. Or worst of all what if she decided she liked it better there and didn't come back ever again. Krillen didn't know if he could take that. She'd only been gone a few hours and he already he was so lonely he didn't know what to do.
Over the past couple of months he'd come to rely on 18, and it was only now she was gone that he realised just how much. But it wasn't for the same reasons he thought she needed him. While 18 wasn't much of a talker there was something about her presence that made Krillen feel like he was floating. No matter how much of a bad mood he was in all she had to do was walk into a room and he instantly felt so much better. There was just something about her, she did something to him that he couldn't describe, the words just didn't exist. And now she was gone, there was a big hole in his heart that only she could fill. He had been totally devoured into the love that was Android 18. And he loved every second of it.
Krillen rolled over and tried desperately to get some sleep, god knew he needed it, he felt like the living dead.
***
18 opened her eyes and was nearly blinded by the early morning sunlight. She groaned and pulled her pillow over her head.
"Krillen?" she asked when no reply came she sat up and looked around. It took a few minutes for her to realise that she was at her brother's house in the forest. 18 let out a long sigh. She missed Krillen. She missed him so much. She wonder if he was angry at her for just running off like that yesterday. 18's stomach grumbled and she got out the bed and put her feet on the hard wooden floor, she instantly pulled them back up again. She wasn't used to the wood. The bedrooms at Kame House had soft fluffy white carpet, not cold hard wooded floor.
18 tried again, she got out the bed and headed down the stairs to get some breakfast. But unfortunately there was nothing to eat, not even a loaf of bread.
"What the hell does my brother live off?" 18 asked herself as she headed back upstairs to see if she had any old clothes left here.
She was in luck, 17 hadn't thrown out any of her belongings. And she put on a pair of black and white pants which had buttons up the sides (A/N: You know the ones) and a pale yellow tee shirt. Then she walked over to a loose floorboard, she hoped 17 hadn't found out about her secret hiding place. She got lucky again. The small bundle of cash was still there, it wasn't much only about 200 zenni but her brother desperately needed to get some food in this house. She shoved the cash into her pocket then left for the nearest town and grocery store.
***
When 17 came home at lunchtime his sister was no-where to be found, he assumed that she must have come to her senses and gone back to Kame Island. He was a little angry at her for not saying goodbye but there was nothing he could do about it now, suddenly he heard a noise at the front door, then he heard someone calling him.
"17, you in?". It was 18, so she hadn't run off. 17 walked into the hall and saw his sister holding 11 or 12 bags full of groceries, he took some of the bags and lead her into the kitchen.
"What have you been doing 18?" he asked.
"Well all you seem to have in your cupboard is dust and cobwebs so I used the little money I had and went shopping for you" explained 18
"Oh, well thanks I guess. But I was doing fine by myself you know" said 17
"I know, but a little help never hurt anyone". 17 almost fainted hearing those words leave his sisters lips. The last time she had been in this house she would have murdered anyone who offered her any kind of help slowly and painfully. Back then it just wasn't an option, she had been so self-reliant it was almost scary, but now, she was a completely different person and 17 still wasn't sure he liked it.
18 smiled at her brother and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"What are you staring at?" she asked, she obviously found it quiet amusing since she was chuckling to herself. Once again 17 found himself stunned beyond belief. 18 his sister, laughing and smiling. That wasn't right. 18 waved her hand in front of 17's face.
"Hello, 17 are you in there?" she asked. 17 blinked himself back into reality. "Uh, yeah, what?" he asked. 18 giggled again and shook her head from side to side. "Nothing," she said "now are you going to help me put this stuff away or not?"
"Ah yeah, whatever" said 17 and he began shoving things into the pantry.
"Well now there's food in this house, do you want something to eat?" asked 18.
"Na, I gotta get back to work" replied 17.
"Still chopping wood I see" said 18.
"Yep, I've been slacking off a bit lately though," said 17 "Will you still be here tonight?" he asked.
18 nodded her head "yeah" she said quietly.
"Well c'ya then" said 17 and he left.
18 sighed and sat down at the kitchen table, she was board and lonely, but it gave her a good opportunity to think. She wanted to be a good mother to Marron and she wanted to marry Krillen, she couldn't wait to marry Krillen. But she was scared, it was as simple as that, all of these feelings and emotions were still so new to her, she really didn't know what to do about them or how to act upon them, it was all so confusing. 18 growled and stood up, she needed to talk to someone, anyone, about this.
18 stomped into the hallway and picked up the phone, she dialed in a number and waited.
***
At Kame House the phone began to ring. Krillen looked around the room. Why did he have to be the only one home? He already had so much to do. He didn't have time to waste on the phone when the chances were it would only be Bulma anyway. He really wished 18 were here.
"Hello?" he said when he picked up the phone.
"Krillen" it was 18, she sounded relieved.
"18, is it really you babe?" asked Krillen.
"It sure is".
"I miss you" said Krillen
"I miss you to"
"Where are you?" asked Krillen.
"At my brothers house," replied 18, the relief in her voice was thick, "I needed some time to think"
"Are you coming home?"
"Soon, maybe the day after tomorrow," said 18 "but I promise when I get back I'm going to try my best to be a better mother"
"Come home" begged Krillen.
"I can't, not yet" said 18.
Their conversation continued for close to 3 hours, in-fact, they were still talking when 17 arrived back home. 18 was sprawled out on the couch happily chatting away, she didn't even here 17 come in. All of a sudden he stuck his head over the back of the couch, scarring the absolute crap out of his sister then he walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. 18 sat up.
"I gotta go, 17's home" said 18.
Back at Kame House Krillen's face fell.
"Alright babe, I love you" he said. 18 smiled and stood up, she headed back to where the phone hook was, in the hallway.
"I love you to," she said, "see you soon. Bye". 18 hung up the phone and went into the kitchen.
"What are you making?" asked 18.
17 shrugged his shoulder "I dunno". 18 rolled her eyes.
"Well how about pasta" she suggested
"Hmm, I suppose so" said 17.
"Alright then, get out of my way and I'll make you something to eat, it should be ready in about 20 minutes, so I suggest you go and have a shower" said 18.
***
Krillen hung the phone up and looked and Marron, pretty much the entire time he had been on the phone with 18, Krillen had been gently pushing Marron's pram backward and forwards with his foot. Marron seemed to like it better in the pram then in the bassinette, and she had only cried a few times.
He looked up at the clock, it was nearly 6. Time to give Marron her bottle. He went into the kitchen and came out a few minutes later holding a warm bottle of milk in his hands.
"Here you go firefly" said Krillen as he lifted Marron out the pram and rested her in his lap. He looked down at his beautiful little girl and smiled. He loved her so much. Marron was so beautiful, just like her mother. He loved them both and would gladly give his life for either of them in a second.
***
"17, get you butt in here right now" called out 18 as she dished up her brother's dinner. 17 walked into the kitchen wearing a pair of black track pants and an old grey tee shirt.
"Food food food food food" chanted 17 as he sat down at the table. 18 put a big plate of food down in front of her brother.
"There you go, enjoy" she said. 17 looked up at his sister. "Where's yours?" he asked.
"I'll eat later" said 18.
"Fine, suit yourself". 18 smirked at her brother then headed off up the stairs.
A/N; Hehe, I can just imagine 17 chanting like that. Reminds me of Goku. Next time 18's going home and wedding plans are beginning to be made. Hope you all decide to review. Reviews make me a happy girl :)