+\+\

"So you beat him up?"

"No, we didn't beat him up…just, knocked him out for a while. It's just a quick little snap to the back of the neck. My dad's done it to me, well, a lot. Usually when I was acting up, or just bugging him." Kessho giggled, loving all the more the soft twinkle in Trunks' eyes.

"And then?"

"So then we stole his costume, and joined the other fighters. Most of the time I was the upper torso, and Goten was the legs…but we did take turns. To this day I don't know how anyone even took us seriously." Trunks took another bite of his meal while Kessho calmed her laughing. She leaned over the table, speaking in a confidential tone.

"So, do you have any secret powers or anything? Or was your tail the only thing that made you different?"

"Well…I'm a lot stronger than humans, in a lot of ways. Faster, more powerful-"

"Powerful? What do you mean by powerful?"

"Well if you're done eating, and I'm done eating, then I can go and show you," Kessho's eyes grew wide, and her cheeks heated at the dark passion emanating from his eyes. One corner of his mouth turned up into a chilling replica of his father's smirk. Her eyes widened even more, if that was possible, and she grinned joyously, fiercely clutching his head between her hands from across the table.

"You're smirking Trunks! You're smirking! Halfway there!" He grinned.

"I am?" She squealed happily and violently dug around in her purse, bringing out a cosmetic mirror. She dropped the mirror three times in her fervor and finally held it in front of his face. His smile widened further.

Throwing more than enough cash on the table to pay for the meal, Trunks walked over to scoop the bluish-blonde into his arms and carried her out the door. Quickly encapsulating his car, he strode into an alley with the still-grinning Kessho. After ensuring that no one was looking, he took to the air, wincing at her frightened squeal. Her arms wrapped around his neck in a vice-grip. She glared at him.

"Trunks, you big dummy!" She released her grip enough to viciously bite his shoulder, and he yelped in surprise.

"You little viper! You seem to be forgetting just who's controlling this flight," he loosened his hold on her just short of releasing her completely, and she screamed again. "Trunks you bastard! I swear if you drop me you won't live to regret it!"

"I'm not gonna drop you, okay? I've had quite a bit of practice with this…I've been flying since I was like, three or something." She calmed a bit, but still continued glaring at him.

"Really?" He nodded. "Well how did you learn something like that at such a young age?"

"My dad threw me off a cliff," she gave him a 'yeah right' look. "Seriously! You know my dad; do you doubt he would do it? He always said that instinct was the best teacher, and I've had no problems with flying since then, although I did wet myself…" She snorted, and shifted so that her legs were around his hips, her face hovering just above his. His hands moved until one rested behind her back, the other supporting her rear. They drifted to a stop, simply hovering in midair, far above the glowing city.

"You still haven't told me what you meant by powerful…" Smiling, he lifted one hand. It started to glow softly, and the glow transferred itself into a ball of light levitating above his palm. "Oh Kami," she whispered, timidly reaching a hand towards the bright orb. He drew his hand back quickly.

"Not smart, hun. This thing is pure energy," he found a hair that had fallen from her head onto her shoulder and she watched interestedly as he lowered it into the ball of energy. It spontaneously combusted, there and then gone in a flash of light and flame. "Of course, your hair is a lot weaker than you are, but you get the point. He reabsorbed the energy, and she laid her hand in his.

"So warm…" she murmured quietly. "Mhmm," was his response, and he raised his energy level a fraction, heating all of his skin, although he felt no heat. "Mmm, that's nice," she murmured lethargically, laying her head in the crook of his neck. He eyed her neck hungrily, and brought one hand from her back to brush hair off the lightly tanned skin, allowing his mouth to follow the movements of his fingers. She moaned softly, sending shivers down his spine.

The sensual movements of his lips on her skin awoke her from her previous relaxed state, and she trailed her lips up his neck to his ear, whispering urgently.

"It's been so long, Trunks-chan, I need you."

+\+\

Kessho rolled over, moaning softly, still mostly asleep. Her half-conscious mind gloried in the feel of her lover's muscular arms encircling her, the feeling of his body pressed against hers, only soft sheets covering them. Now facing the half-Saiyan, she opened her eyes slowly, taking in his peaceful features, tousled lavender hair, and gorgeously chiseled body. "Oh god," she breathed, "how is it possible for you to be so damn hot. And so…so perfect. How could I ever ask for a better man? He doesn't exist, I tell you." Her voice broke, and a tear slid down her cheek. "But why do you have to leave me all alone?" she mouthed, unable to force a sound from her clenched throat.

Drawing in a deep breath through his nose, Trunks stirred awake. He smiled blearily at her, but his brow creased and his smile faded when he took in her emotional distress.

"Hey, what's up?" he queried, caressing her cheek softly. She laid her hand over his, finally releasing a small sob. He rolled to his back and pulled her on top of his chest as she cried, warm tears falling on his bare skin. "What's the matter, sweety?"

"I'm, god I'm so scared." His brow furrowed.

"Scared of what?"

"Of losing you, of being alone. I don't think I can survive being alone…I can hardly sleep in my own room without my dog in there with me." She barked a bitter laugh, and, unable to think of anything good to say, Trunks merely stroked her back, his mind far away solving a problem. He would not leave her alone, never, if he died trying, she would not be alone forever.

"It's okay, Kessho. I know you, you could have any man you wanted." She turned fierce eyes up at him.

"But I already have the man I want, I just don't know how much longer he'll be around." He smothered her crying with his mouth, slowing her tears as she responded to him, letting her worries slip away beneath the pressure of his kiss.

The door slid open, allowing Bra and Vegeta to enter.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Vegeta snapped, and the two drew back in shock, hurriedly checking the sheets to ensure that all bases were covered.

The young couple seemed absolutely mortified, Trunks trying to form words to chastise his father for entering his room unannounced. Nothing came, and Vegeta only sighed.

"Breakfast," the elder Saiyajin mumbled, then turned and left. Bra stayed however, and hopped onto the bed between the two. The girl's face lit up as she recognized the visitor, though she hadn't seen her since she was a toddler.

"Kessho-san! Did you and Trunks have a sleep-over?" Kessho blushed bright red.

"Yeah, kind of…"

"Bra-chan, why don't you go tell Mom that Kessho is staying for breakfast?" Grinning widely, the child scurried from the room, closing the door behind her.

"Note to self; lock the door next time a beautiful woman 'sleeps over'," Trunks murmured, rising from the mattress to get dressed. Kessho stumbled to the bathroom to scrub her face clean, afterwards joining Trunks to get clothing on. She wandered around the room a few moments, seemingly searching for something.

"Lose something?" Trunks questioned, and she nodded.

"Yeah, my shirt and my bra," she blushed, recalling their hurried entry to his room, and she only half-dressed. Trunks gazed sheepishly at the floor.

"I think they're out there, somewhere," he gestured towards the window.

"Well don't just stand there, I can't leave without a shirt on! Can't I borrow one of yours?" Digging through the drawers, Trunks pulled out a heavy, over-sized t-shirt with a CC logo imprinted where a pocket would be on a dressier shirt. He regretfully handed it to her, taking in one last eyeful of her exposed breasts before his shirt covered it. She rolled her eyes at him, but a smile quickly replaced the sarcastic gesture. She gave him a wink, trailing one hand across his chest as she led the way downstairs.

"Nice to see you two are finally up," Bulma remarked with her back to them as they entered the kitchen. They sat silently at the table to await the food. Vegeta shot a hard look at Trunks, silently telling him that 'the mom' was pissed as anything. Trunks swallowed, risking a glance in Bulma's direction. She turned towards the table, looking back and forth from Trunks to Kessho as she spoke.

"Did you two have a nice sleep-over?" She smiled sweetly, and Trunks wilted under the fakeness of her expression. He was so going to get it for this one.

"Yes," Trunks mumbled, and his mother turned her head, cupping her ear as though she hadn't heard him.

"What was that?"

"I said yes. Yes we had a nice, sleep-over." He turned bright red, and Kessho looked at anyone but the other people in the room, her cheeks the same dark color.

"Can I speak to you in the other room Trunks? Kessho, would you finish up the breakfast for me? There's only a little pancake batter left." Gaining a little back bone, Kessho gave Bulma a defiant look.

"I'm just as guilty here, Bulma-san. There's enough here for Vegeta-san and Bra to start eating…" Bulma shook her head.

"I'm afraid you don't understand the whole situation, Kessho," the older woman explained.

"Yes I do."

"Yes she does." The young couple stated at once. The very air in the room darkened and grew heavier at the mere mention of the subject. Vegeta's brow creased, and he looked dejectedly down at the table. Bra looked ready to cry, and Bulma stared at her son in disbelief. Standing slowly, Trunks grasped his mother's arm and pulled her to the next room, gesturing for Kessho to stay put when she started to follow.

A little ways down the hall, the two ducked into an unoccupied room. As soon as the door slid shut, Bulma fell apart.

"How could you drag her into this? And to start an intimate relationship so late in the game…it wasn't a smart move Trunks. She doesn't deserve this…"

"I had no choice. And the intimate relationship didn't just start. We've been involved since we were 13, if not younger."

"You've been having sex since you were 13!" She burst out.

"No! Gods, no! Only since like, last year or something. I'm not saying that it was the best path, I would have given anything just to wait, to date her normally, probably even marry her, but I don't have that kind of time on my hands, and you know it! I just wanted, I just wanted to be with her, as long as I could. And last night, she would never have let me off without an explanation for my bad mood."

"You could have lied! Said that a relative just died, or, or, something! You told her everything, didn't you? About your father, and, everything!"

"She only knows the minium to understand my situation. Can we talk about something else now? There's something I've been meaning to ask you," his expression was a mixture of emotions, impossible for Bulma to translate. His eyes turned sad again, and she grasped his hand, seating him next to her on the couch. She stroked his hair as he stared at the floor, finding words for what he wanted to convey to her.

"What is it sweetheart?" He locked his gaze with hers, and she nearly drew back from the intensity of that blue stare. Her eye color he might have, but he most definitely posessed Vegeta's eyes.

"When you were trying to find a remedy, did you find a way to prevent this, if another halfbreed was born?" She seemed taken aback, and her large blue eyes filled with tears, guilt and self-hate whispering in the depths of her gaze.

She looked away from him, unable to face her failure, the person who was suffering because of her failure. If only, if only she had checked beforehand, if she had checked Gohan, if she had done anything! But she hadn't, and now her son, and eventually her daughter, would pay the ultimate price.

"Mom. I need to know this, I swear I won't be upset." He pulled her into an embrace, and she went limp against his side, releasing a sob.

"Well I'm upset, dammit!" She stated forcefully, sobbing harder now.

"Please." She looked up at him, shaking her head in despair.

"Y-yes, I did. It's simple gene manipulation, any fucking cloning lab could do it. But I-I-I didn't—"

"Shhh, it's okay, this is a good thing," she stared up at him in confusion, and he continued. "After," he paused, "After I'm gone, and Bra's gone…I want you and Dad to have more kids. I don't want you to be sad forever. Move on with your lives, please. For my sake, for Bra's sake. We don't want you to live unhappily forever. Okay?" She shook her head slowly.

"Trunks…I can't. I'm too old.I went through menopause years ago…it's too late." He only shook his head, clutching her shoulders tightly.

"Just promise me. Promise me that if you're able, you'll have more children, please."

"I need to talk to your father first."

"That's fine, just let me know soon, okay? This is something that Bra and I both want, you can't be unhappy forever mom." She sniffled and nodded, and Trunks handed her a tissue from the end table. "Thanks," she mumbled, then dried her face and blew her nose.

"No, thank you.'

+\+\