Darkness

Disclaimer- I'm sure you all know by now that I do not own DBZ or any of the characters in this story 'cept for my own.

And AWAY we go….

*

Keket looked up into the faces of the two expectant adults. They wanted explanations and they wanted them now. The small child wrung her hands nervously, not really wanting to reveal everything about herself. She had to think of a way to let them know as little as possible.

"So kiddo, what were you doing way out in the woods, and in a storm like this?" Bulma asked softly, not wanting to make the child panic. Piccolo stood in front of her, having decided not to sit.

"I…I had run away from home before the storm started, and I was already a pretty long way away by the time it started raining really hard. I didn't have anywhere else to go, so I tried to wait it out under a tree…" She answered.

"Why did you leave home?" Came Piccolo's stern voice, his eyes staring directly into hers. Keket fell silent, she didn't want to answer that, but if she didn't say something soon they might become suspicious.

"I…um…I don't remember…" She said hopefully and looked up to see if he had bought her lie. Piccolo raised a brow ridge skeptically.

"You don't remember why you ran away?"

"Piccolo, she's probably still a little scared. Give her a little while to adjust," Bulma replied for the child, cutting off any other questions, "Hey sweetie, would you like something to eat? Would that make you feel better?" Keket thought about this and realized that she hadn't eaten in a whole day.

"That'd be nice…"

"Well, c'mon then! Let's get you some food…" Bulma took the child's hand once more and led her into the kitchen. Piccolo scowled, but followed anyway.

*

Two bowls of rice and grilled salmon, and a glass of milk later, Keket sighed in satisfaction. She couldn't remember having ever eaten that much or something that tasty.

"Thank you, that was delicious." She smiled gratefully at Bulma.

"I'm glad you liked it, now can we finish our discussion?"

"I hate to be blunt, but I… I don't want to talk about it. I ran away and I'm not going back. I won't let anyone force me back to that place. Please, don't ask me anymore questions. I'll leave if you can't help me; you've been more than generous enough already. Really, I can take care of myself." Keket finished her statement with a nod as if she had just come to terms with what she wanted.

"Okay, okay. We won't push. But kid, you can't stay away from home, you're parents are probably worried about you. I bet you had an argument with your mom or dad, right? And you ran away because you thought they didn't understand?" Bulma placed her hand comfortingly on the girl's cheek. Keket shook her head.

"I-I wish it were that simple, but it's not… I don't want to discuss this," For one so small, Keket didn't bounce around on subjects, she knew what she wanted, what she needed, and how to get it. "Miss Bulma, I really appreciate you being so nice to me, but like I said, if you can't help, and I don't mean this rudely at all, then I have to go. But the fact remains that I will not return home. Under any circumstances."

"But why? We have to know why. If your parents have hurt you, then I can provide for you, but if you're just having a child's temper tantrum, then you need to go home." Bulma removed her hand and awaited a reply.

"Stop this Bulma. This is going no where." Piccolo entered the conversation. He stood directly in front of Keket, grasped her chin is his hand and forced her to look at him. "Listen kid, we want to know why you can't go home, and we want to know now. I saved your life, you owe this to me. Now answer our questions!"

"I…I…" Keket stuttered and tried to look away, but Piccolo's grasp tightened.

"Look at me when you speak and tell me what I want to know." Bulma watched all of this anxiously. The poor girl looked scared out of her mind, but would not stand up for herself anymore. Keket's eyes began to brim with tears, but she attempted to blink them away. 'I can't cry here,' she thought, 'Not in front of them…' A lone tear escaped, despite her best efforts to keep it in and she pushed at Piccolo's hand, now embarrassed that he had reduced her to tears.

"I said I don't wanna talk about it!" She glared up at him. Keket was very angry and she didn't try to hide it. She was tired of being pushed around. "Why can't you understand!?" With that, she ran out of the room and then out of the house. Piccolo growled at her show of disrespect and started after her. Bulma stopped him.

"Piccolo, don't be angry with her… I think she was hurt, don't yell at her when you find her… She's just scared. I know it's not your thing, but try to be nice…"

"Look, you might tolerate her attitude problems, but I certainly will not. I cannot and will not allow such a show of disrespect towards me, I don't care who the hell she is. I plan on finding the brat, forcing her to tell me where she's from and taking her back there. She doesn't belong here." Piccolo's anger grew every moment he spoke, but he managed to keep a somewhat calm face.

"Would you just listen to me? I realize that we never were and never will be the best of friends, but I know a little bit more about kids than you do, so trust me okay? Keket is probably not going to want to come back here right away, and if she won't tell you where she lives, then you'd better damn well at least make sure she's safe before you leave her." Bulma's eyes narrowed as she tried to get through to the stubborn Namekian.

"Listen, I'm not gonna let the kid wander around in the woods, if that's what you're thinking. If for some reason, I can't get her to tell me where she lives then I will take responsibility for her until I can find out. Are you happy now?" He glared at her.

"All right… Just please, don't scare her. Try to keep calm." She requested this last thing from him as Piccolo turned and exited the house. Bulma sighed and watched him leave. "I guess I better check up on Vegeta…"

*

Whimpers turned to soft to cries, which turned to sob as Keket flopped to the ground in the middle of yet another forest. A waterfall flowed beside her, it being the only comforting thing in the area. She cried for not knowing what to do, for being rude to the people who were nice enough to care for her, and for being lonely and hurt. Such racking sobs were hers, that she didn't hear soft footsteps approaching her.

"Kid, is that you?" A familiar deep voice alerted her to its presence. And from it she deduced that Piccolo was right behind her.

"Piccolo… I'm sorry for…for yelling at you." She sniffled, but made no attempt to turn around and face him. Her blonde hair cascaded around her face, still dirty from the previous downpour that had now ended. The sun streamed the canopy of trees and onto her face. "Are you…mad at me?" Piccolo stopped in his tracks at that question. He wasn't really mad at her, not anymore.

"No, no I'm not. I just want some answers. You need to tell me where you live." He tried to reason with her. Keket hiccuped and dared to look up at him. Piccolo drew back slightly at the sight of her tears.

"Please… I don't wanna go home. I don't wanna..." She pleaded.

"Can't you give me a reason why?" He asked, trying to keep his voice from rising in exasperation, but not doing the best job in the world. Keket shook her head and turned away once more.

"Don't make me… please, Piccolo. Please…" Her tiny voice shook with emotion and she buried her face in her hands, ashamed to be crying in front of someone. Piccolo walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Why are you so afraid? I saved you, why should you fear me at all?"

"It's not you… I just… if they find out, if they know…" She trembled terribly and refused to look up again.

"If who finds out?" Keket drew a shaky breath, decided that she could trust Piccolo and finally answered his question.

"Mamma… if mamma finds out, she'll tell the doctor and then…" Keket was cut off by Piccolo's hand tightening on her shoulder.

"Doctor? What does a doctor have to do with this?"

"Well," she sniffed back another sob, "His name is Dr. Gero…"

*

A/N- I smell trouble a' brewin'. The bad guy will soon be introduced, and it's not what you think. Hee ^_^ I'm glad that this thing s slowly picking up, I don't write sappy moments all that well… But there are more in the future, so I'd better get used to it. Please review if you feel the need. ^_~