Disclaimer: I do not own any of the DB/Z characters, they are owned by Akira Toriyama. I do however own the father daughter and mother – they are my own original characters :-)

Chapter Three

A chill wind breezes through the broken walls as a little girl sits on charred floorboards and plays with her burnt doll. She can see the night sky through the lost segment of roof in her bedroom and the stars comfort her. This wasn't how she imagined she would spend her sixth birthday. "Come on sweetie it's getting late. Time we put you to bed" came the tender voice of her father, all the family she had left in the world. This little girl had grown up so fast in these years past. "I miss mommy…it's unfair. I want her back." The doll falls from her grasp as her lip begins to quiver. With equal sadness her father sits on the floor beside her and extends his arms to her. She climbs onto his knee and into his embrace. "I miss mommy too sweetie, she would have loved to have been here for your birthday. You've grown so strong and so pretty. She would be proud of you." He cradled her as the moonlight filtered through the cracks; the city was still working on restoring electricity to the area. Through soft sobs the little girl forms words, "but that nasty woman who took her away from us is gone now isn't she Daddy?"

"She is dear, and mummy is at rest"

He closed his eyes to restrain his own tears but all he could see was that day one year ago when Juuhachi-Gou walked into his wife's clothing store, took what she wanted, then had her brother come in to have some 'fun'. He saw it all but was helpless against the attack, trapped under his car outside the shop window after Juunana-Gou's previous 'sport' of target practice had taken place. He had tried to free himself so he could run to his wife's aid but his body was held fast between burning twisted metal. He vomited as he saw his wife's torture: being torn apart slowly limb by limb. With every blast came her screams and the elevated laughter from Juunana-Gou. In the end all he could do was watch and cry with the one eye that he had left, the other had been burned from is face. His daughter had been spared the incident, she was at home with a babysitter, but he'll never forget the look on her face when he told her, after three days of recovering in hospital, that her mother was dead. As he now held his daughter in his arms his one remaining eye released a stream of pain-induced tears.

"Don't cry daddy…mommy's safe now. She wont be hurt again" That was his little girl - she had her mothers strength. Wiping his tears he picked her up and laid her in bed, tucking in her burnt dolly with her. "See you in the morning. Happy birthday sweetie" he made sure that she was comfortable then he climbed into his blankets on the floor by her bed and settled in for the night. Just as he blew out the candle they heard a sound from the end of the room. "What was that daddy?"

"I don't know…is anyone there? Hello?" He stood up and looked around the moonlit room. A light began to form in the corner, bright at first but then began to dim as a figure appeared before it. The silhouette then began to move. "Hello? Who are you and what are you doing in my home?" demanded the father whilst reaching for a stick of wood he kept by their bed. The figure ignored his threatening tone and aggressive posture and slowly stepped towards them. The moonlight illuminated the intruder as it crept from the dark revealing wraithlike features and protruding eyes. Horror struck the fathers face and he grabbed his daughter in an attempt to flee. Blocking their exit the wraith screamed at them, "you will suffer as I have suffered! You will know pain!!" and it grabbed the father.

"Mummy no! MUMMY!" The piercing screams of the young girl began to fail in the empty night.

"Wow you look terrible!" Laughed Bulma the following morning at breakfast at the sight of her son. "Well I didn't sleep well…or at all really…" Trunks rubbed his messy head of hair and sipped his morning coffee. Bulma sat opposite him full of concern, "is everything ok?"

"Yeah, I think so, just couldn't sleep. I just felt…well…as if things weren't quite right – like a disturbance or something. The surrounding energies felt weird. It kept me awake." He smiled at his mother in reassurance.

"Do you think that something is wrong?"

"Well that's what I thought at first, but I couldn't sense anything consistent or really definite. Just felt like disturbed air does, but only energies…I flew around for a while but I still found nothing."

"Hmmm maybe we should look into it later today" Bulma chipped, trying to remain positive. "Yeah, I'll let you know if I feel anything wrong again" Trunks replied through a yawn.

Bulma wandered over to the counter and picked up the freshly done toast from the toaster tenderly, so to not burn her fingers. As she walked back to the table she flicked on the radio and hummed to the softly playing piano music. Trunks smiled then gingerly chewed at a piece of the toast, his stomach not agreeing with consuming food this morning. Bulma began to bob her head in rhythm to the lively twinkling of keys and Trunks smiled at her – it was good to have the happy days back again, they had become so few and far between these days. He embraced the mood and rose from the table, walking towards his humming bopping mother and bowed reverently gesturing for her hand in a dance. She played along, even giggling coyly, and together they waltzed around the broken kitchen laughing. The music ended and Trunks bowed once again in thanks for the dance. Bulma smiled as she sat and began to reminisce, "Ahh your father used to love to dance you know" Bulma sighed. "He would show me the dances of the Saiyajin Royal house that he learned as a young prince. Always proud of his heritage he was and a really good dancer too."

"Dad dancing?" Trunks remarked in amazement recalling what his father was like when they met.

"Oh yeah, there were many things that no-one knew but of course he told and showed me everything. But then other times he could be exactly as everyone saw him; dark and brooding, a scowl for every occasion. At those times his moods would make me forget his caring side existed." Bulma frowned, then her features softened again, "But that side was still there, hidden under that dark demeanour that he loved to show the world…or mostly hide behind. And you know, with this extra year older that you became whilst back in the past, you've developed his strong features and proud nature" She stroked her hand down his cheek, "but thankfully you have my tenderness and compassion!" she chuckled.

On the radio the news began it's broadcast for the day. Trunks returned to sipping his coffee as his mother listened to the news. "Well we're going downtown today to the power plants to help restore electricity to the three remaining areas that are without so you better pack up the tools and supplies when you've finished breakfast Trunks."

"Will do. Gonna have a shower first though. Try to wake up a little more…and shake off images of the waltzing Vegeta…"

Bulma cleared the kitchen whilst Trunks took his shower. The weather report said that they have a good day ahead – 'sunshine all the way' – so she was thankful for that as she glanced towards the ceiling. Got to fix that hole. I don't want any more rain coming in. The weather report finished.

"Tragic news today as officials have found the body of a man in the destroyed downtown area of Metro West city. Police say they were alerted to the home in the early hours of this morning when neighbours contacted the police about screams coming from their top floor apartment. The police have said that there was not much of the body left, but there was enough to identify the victim. So far there are no suspects and no clues have been found to identify a murderer. There was only one witness, the victims' six-year-old daughter, but currently she is in no condition to speak and is being looked after in the psychiatric department of the local hospital under police protection. If anyone has any information regarding this murder then please contact the police department."

"TRUUUNKKSSS!!!!…Get out of the shower quick!" Screamed Bulma. Trunks threw the bathroom door open in a panic, his towel hurriedly wrapped around his waist. "What? What? Are you ok mother?"

"I think I know why you couldn't sleep…"