-I hope this works,- She thought as he climbed into the machine. –If it doesn't…-
Why was she sending him in an untested machine? She sighed, and prayed silently. –Let the time machine work.- It wasn't easy to send an animal in a time machine and know if it works. Animals typically don't come back.
He smiled, waved, and was gone. A couple of minutes, that was all. It seemed like such a small time to save the world in, but she was sure he could do it. It would be several days, even years, before he actually returned, but only gone for a little while. She had made him promise to return soon.
-I wish I could go back. Back to see everyone. Back to Goku, back to Chi-chi, back to Yamcha, back to Vegeta…- Her thoughts trailed off in sadness. Vegeta.
Vegeta, that mean man who had hit her, insulted her, refused to help her. He had been so arrogant, so proud of his heritage. He had never even hugged Trunks, in the short while that he knew him. Gohan would have been a better father! And yet…Trunks had heard all about him, good and bad. And he still loved him, the father that he never knew, until now.
And she did too, for some reason. Vegeta had never done anything for her and she loved him. And he was gone.
A single tear fell down her cheek as she remembered him. Proud Vegeta, he had always been so sure he could get what he wanted. And he had gotten everything, almost. Everything but that which he wanted most – to be the most powerful in the universe. And it had killed him.
She had always wanted to ask him something, but had never been able to manage it, almost like she didn't want to know the answer, she was so afraid of the response. Did he love her back?
A burst of wind shattered her thoughts. Trunks was back, smiling and waving, but he looked several years older. He landed the time machine easily, and hopped out, then rushed out to hug her.
"I missed you, mom!"
"I missed you too, honey." She touched his longer hair and he smiled guiltily.
"Yeah, they didn't have any barbers there."
"It's cute, dear. How was your trip?" They started to walk inside as he told her of his journey.
"…while I was there, I thought I'd ask him something. Mom." He stopped and looked at her. "He really does love you."
She looked at him, surprised, wondering if he was joking. There was no laughter in his eyes.
"Well, that's…unexpected. Thank you, Trunks. Why don't you get some sleep? You look tired." She sat down in front of her computer, and he left.
She took the creased picture out of a drawer. There he was, not smiling, looking just like his angry old self. And he loved her? She kissed the picture quietly and placed it back inside the drawer. Her eyes roamed across the other things in the drawer. Vegeta's old BADMAN shirt, her father's glasses, Goku's old dragon ball radar. The last one she smiled at and picked up.
After Trunks finished off the bad guys, maybe it was time for some more wishes. When it was safe they could search easily.
Maybe she could talk to Vegeta again.