Syndrome
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own DBZ (Yet… *thinks about plan to take over FUNimation and grins*) or any other licensed stuff (Pop-tarts, Eggo waffles, etc.). Think about it: If I owned this stuff, I'd be too busy counting my money than to write useless stories about an animated TV show! So DON'T SUE ME!
*-*--*-*--*-*
. : : Chapter 11 : The Final Hurdle : : .
Trunks knelt down and unzipped the accursed backpack, revealing six of the seven precious Dragonballs. Goten watched, the last ball in his hand, as Trunks gently rolled them out of the bag. Trunks looked up at him and nodded. Goten crouched down next to Trunks and placed the three-star ball next to the others.
"You ready to do this?" Trunks asked. Goten nodded.
"Yeah." They both stood up, and stared up into the rain.
"HEY, SHENRON!!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Back at Capsule Corp., everyone was pacing anxiously about the building.
"I dunno if he's going to pull through this time," Krillin said glumly.
"Hush, Krillin!" Eighteen hissed. She glanced at Bra, who was staring intently out the window.
"Oh, sorry…" Marron walked over to her and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ok?" Bra nodded without taking her eyes off the outside world.
"I'm fine…" she said softly.
"You sure?" Bra nodded again.
"Yeah, thanks."
"Alright…" Marron looked at her mother, shrugged sympathetically, and walked away. Bra continued to stare out the window for any sign of her brother. She forced herself to keep hoping that they'd return on time. *Daddy's getting so weak…* A silent tear slid down her cheek.
"Trunks… hurry back…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Rienna was sitting in the window seat, her knees pulled up to her chest. She was fingering the two rings that hung around her neck. She dropped Aedan's class ring and held her mother's in the light.
*Dad… you said you'd never leave me, but I left you… Now I don't know where I fit in.* Rienna sighed. *I really shouldn't be here. I don't belong here…* Why it hadn't dawned on her before, she didn't know. But this wasn't her home, as much as she and the others wanted it to be.
She picked up Aedan's ring and stared at the bright red stone in the center. Aedan liked red… She smiled. As she stared into the stone, Aedan's face appeared and started to smile back at her. Gosh, she missed him already.
"Hey, Ri." Rienna looked up.
"Huh? Oh, hey, Jamie."
"Hi. Mind if I sit next to you?" Rienna smiled and shook her head. She swung her legs over the side to make room for her cousin.
"No. Go ahead." Jamie smiled.
"Thanks." He hopped up next to her and looked out the window. "Whatcha doing?"
"Thinking…"
"Oh…" He looked at her quizzically. "Just thinking?"
"Yeah…"
"What about?" Rienna hesitated. "Sorry, didn't mean to pry." She shook her head.
"No, that's ok…" She smiled weakly and held up Aedan's ring.
"*Oh*…"
"Yeah…" Jamie smiled at her.
"He loves you too, ya know." Rienna blushed and stared at her cousin in astonishment.
"Wait- how- what?" Jamie laughed.
"It *is* rather obvious." Rienna blushed some more and looked down at her feet.
"Is it *that* obvious?" Jamie nodded.
"Yep." Rienna groaned. Jamie laughed again.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I won't give you a hard time." He hopped down form his perch beside her and grinned. "And in case they *haven't* noticed, which is very unlikely-" Rienna groaned again. "-I won't give away your secret." She smiled.
"Thanks, Jamie."
"No prob." She went back to staring at the ring in her hand. "I know you miss him, but he'll be back." Rienna's face brightened.
"Yeah, I know…" She smiled. "Thanks again." Jamie shrugged.
"It's the least I can do." He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked off. Rienna watched as he disappeared up the stairs. She grinned. She wasn't going to have any trouble at all.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"How are we going to tell when they summon Shenron?" Pan asked her father. "It's already a complete thunderstorm out there. How will we tell the difference?"
"We will, Pan, trust me. There'll be a difference."
"If you say so…" Bra stood back and pointed out the window.
"*That's* different!" The clouds had just turned a shade of deep purple, so dark it almost looked black. The lightning was a shade of bright blue, now, as well.
"…" Gohan looked at Pan with an "I told you so" look on his face. She crossed her arms.
"Oh, shut up." Gohan grinned back at her. Krillin rushed into the room, his arms flailing.
"Guys, guys, have you seen the sky?! They summoned Shenron!"
"…" The group looked at each other and back at Krillin, completely emotionless.
"…Come on, you guys should be happy!! Vegeta's gonna pull through, and Leah's coming back!" This thought seemed to cheer them all up. They started whooping and hollering at the top of their lungs. Bra smiled and stared at the brilliant blue lightning.
"You did it, Trunks…!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Shenron the Eternal Dragon loomed above them, glowing with a radiant white light. The clouds had changed from black to purple, and the lightning was now blue. "Wow…" Goten said. "I forgot how big he is…"
"Yeah…"
"YOU HAVE SUMMONED ME," Shenron boomed. Both of them snapped into reality as his voice thundered in their ears. "I WILL GRANT YOU TWO WISHES. WHAT IS YOUR FIRST WISH?"
Goten cleared his throat. "Our first wish, Shenron, is that those infected with the virus would be healed!"
"YOU WISH IS MY COMMAND." Shenron's eyes flashed red for a moment then went back to normal. Both friends looked at each other and smiled.
*-*--*-*--*-*
Vegeta awoke with a start. Was he dreaming, or had his energy returned to him in that last instant? Vegeta opened his eyes and lifted his head. Bulma was holding his hand when her head down on the bed. Goku and the others had left them alone quite some time ago and Bulma had cried herself to sleep. He smiled. It hadn't been a dream.
Vegeta stroked her blue hair lovingly. "Bulma," he whispered softly. "Wake up." Bulma's eyes flickered open, and she looked up at him. He stared back into her eyes and smiled. "Hi."
"Vegeta!" Bulma cried. She threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight. "They did it!" she shouted happily. "They got the Dragonballs! You're alive!" Vegeta snickered.
"Of course I'm alive, woman!" he said. "You don't think a dumb *disease* would take care of the Saiyan Prince, did you?" Bulma laughed.
"You're so stupid!" she said. "How dare you scare me like that!?"
"I'm sorry," he said with a small smile. "I didn't mean to."
"Well don't do it again!!" Vegeta pulled her closer.
"I won't. I promise."
*-*--*-*--*-*
"YOUR FIRST WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED," Shenron said. "WHAT IS YOUR SECOND WISH?" Trunks stepped forward.
"Shenron, we want everyone that Aaron's killed to be brought back to life."
"YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND." Again, Shenron's eyes flashed red. "YOUR SECOND AND FINAL WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED." Trunks and Goten smiled. Their appreciation for that Dragon was steadily increasing.
"Thanks, Shenron!" Goten called. "You're the best!" Shenron didn't answer. Instead, his body was engulfed in blinding light, and the Dragonballs shot off into separate corners of the world. Trunks sighed and smiled.
"It's finally over."
"Yeah." They high-fived each other and grinned.
"Alright!!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Leah's eyes popped open. Was she alive? She sat up, placing her hand in something sticky. She jumped, looked down at her hand, and gasped. "What?!" There it was- blood. A whole pool of it, sitting underneath her. She looked down at her clothes. They were soaked with blood, her blood. "I can't be alive!"
Leah stood up and pinched herself. "Nope, I'm alive and kicking, all right." She looked around and spotted the broken window. The others must have left to gather the Dragonballs, she decided. She was about to go look for Brian, who they had undoubtedly left behind as well, when she felt this sense of impending danger in her heart. "Darrin!" She disappeared without a second thought.
*-*--*-*--*-*
Brian groaned and opened his eyes. "Am I… alive?" He pushed himself up into a sitting position with a grunt and sat back to look around. "I could have sworn…" He shook his head. "This is too weird… I was dead a second ago…" Brian closed his eyes. Everyone seemed to be at home, except for Goten and his father, who were on their way there. He opened his eyes, shook his head again, and stood up. "Then home it is."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Aedan sat up and looked around, a puzzled look on his face. "Whoa… do I have one heck of a headache… But… why am I alive? I thought I was dead! Not that I want to be dead…" Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Wait, if *I'm* alive… then…" Aedan stood up and ran off down the hall. "DAD!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Darrin!" Darrin closed his eyes and sighed.
"Great, now I'm even hearing her voice inside my head…"
"Darrin, stop! Please!" Suddenly, it hit him.
"Leah?" He turned around only to be tackled and thrown to the roof. Leah had wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.
"Darrin, don't! Please, don't!" she sobbed.
"Leah! I- I thought you were-"
"They brought me back! I'm alive!" She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "And I want you to be, too!" Suddenly, she glared up at him. "Why would you go and do a stupid thing like this?! You scared me half to death!" His eyes softened and he wrapped his arms around her.
"Oh, Leah, I'm sorry," he said softly. "I… I was doing it for you… I thought-"
"Well, forget what you thought! I'm alive!" She squeezed him tighter. "Don't you *ever* do something like this again!" He held her close and shook his head.
"I hope I'll never have to," he said to himself.
"What?" Darrin held her back so he could look her in the face.
"Leah… I… I wanted to tell you…" He swallowed his pride and his anxiousness and stared deep into her eyes. "…I love you. When he… when he killed you, I- I couldn't take it. I went crazy. Every bone in my body wanted to tear him to pieces. I lost control… Then Vegeta got him, and I couldn't handle it. I came up here, and..." He shook his head. "The one thing I lived for had been taken away from me. What was I going to do?" Darrin's own eyes filled with tears, and he stared into her eyes again. "Leah, I'm so sorry. I guess I wasn't thinking."
"Darrin, I… I don't know what to say…" She threw her arms around his neck again. "Except that… I love you, too." Darrin smiled and closed his arms around her waist.
"Don't you ever leave me again," he whispered in her ear. She shook her head.
"Never." Leah looked up at him and smiled and leaned closer to him- so close their noses were almost touching. "I love you too much." Darrin's eyes filled with tears.
"I love you more," he said. "Much more." He put his hand on her cheek and pulled her into a kiss.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"THEY'RE HOME!" Krillin screamed at the top of his lungs. Nearly everyone rushed to the closest window to see for themselves. Rienna smiled when she saw the two advancing figures.
"Dad!"
"Mom, Dad's back!" Jamie exclaimed. The two of them rushed out the door and took off to meet them. Adrienne was quick to follow, and , of course, got to them first.
"Goten!" she cried happily. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "You did it!"
"Yeah, we did, didn't we, Trunks?" Goten said with a smile.
"Yeah."
"Dad!" Something large rammed Trunks, sending him backwards a few feet.
"Rienna?!"
"Dad, I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed. "Grandpa's doing great! It's like he was never hurt in the first place!" Trunks smiled.
"Of course," he said. "You didn't doubt us, did you?" She shook her head and grinned.
"Not for a second!"
"Hi, Dad!" Jamie said cheerfully. "You're back!"
"Yep, we're back!" Goten said. He put his arm around Jamie's shoulders and grinned. "Boy, have we got a story for you!"
"What do you mean?"
"You'll never guess where the last Dragonball was!" Trunks cleared his throat rather loudly.
"Maybe we should go in and say hi to the others."
"Oh, right… then we can tell everybody!" Goten gave Trunks a painfully innocent smile. Trunks, instead, shot him a dirty look. Goten didn't seem to mind, and grinned. "What?" he asked innocently.
"You know 'what'…" Trunks muttered.
"Well, come on, everyone's waiting," Adrienne said. "No use standing out here in the rain, anyway."
"Yeah, I'm soaked!" Jamie exclaimed. "Let's get out of here!" He waved for them to follow and took off towards the house.
"I dunno, Jamie, I like it," Rienna said, following him.
"You like your clothes sticking to you like that?" Rienna shrugged.
"Yeah."
"You're crazy."
"Am not!"
"Are too."
"Am not!" Their conversation faded out of earshot as they got farther away.
"Well, come on," Adrienne told them.
"Coming!" Trunks told her. She nodded and took off after the kids. Before he could follow, Trunks grabbed the back of Goten's drenched shirt and pulled him back. "You do know that if you say one word, I won't hesitate to kill you." Goten stuck his tongue out at him.
"In front of everyone, too. Can I get it on tape?" Trunks growled at him, causing Goten to laugh and fly off.
"Goten, get back here!"
"You'll have to catch me before you can kill me!" Goten shouted in a singsong tone.
"Shouldn't take me long, then!"
"HEY!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Goodness, Trunks, you're soaked!" Bulma exclaimed when they walked in the door. "I'll go get some towels!"
"Thanks, Mom," Trunks said. He sneezed. "Jeez, wasn't this cool outside…"
"Yeah," Goten agreed. Trunks sneezed again. "Hey, I hope you're not coming down with something." Trunks shook his head.
"Nah. Not me. I don't get sick." Bulma reappeared with the towels and passed them out among them. They all wrapped themselves up and were ushered into the living room. The rest of them followed.
"Might need another towel, Mom," Trunks said. His was already soaked through.
"Kami knows…!" Bulma rushed off and came back with a whole stack of towels. "And there's more if we need them."
"Where's Dad?" Trunks asked.
"Went off to find Brian and Leah," Goku explained. Bulma sighed.
"I couldn't stop him."
"At least he's feeling better," Goten said. They all nodded.
"Yeah," Jamie said. The door suddenly opened, and two dripping-wet Saiyans walked into the room.
"LEAH!" The group on the couch jumped to their feet in surprise.
"Leah!" Jamie cried. He dropped his towel and rushed to his older sister, throwing his arms around her. "Great Kami! I missed you!" She smiled and hugged him back.
"I missed you, too, Jamie," she said.
"Leah, I can't believe it!" Adrienne exclaimed. She and Goten hugged her as well. "Thank Dende, you're back!"
"We missed you," Goten said. "You really scared us."
"I know, and I'm sorry," Leah said. Adrienne shook her head.
"It's not your fault." She smiled at both of them. "Come on into the living room, we've got towels."
"Yeah, and if we run out, you two can share," Trunks said with a grin. Leah and Darrin both looked at each other and blushed, taking separate towels from Bulma. Goten didn't appreciate the joke. He glared at his best friend and smacked him in the back of the head while no one was looking. "Ow!" Trunks rubbed his sore head and muttered something under his breath.
"I hope Vegeta realizes you're here," Bulma said thoughtfully.
"Hey, where is Grandpa?" Leah asked.
"He went looking for you and Brian." Leah gasped.
"Oh my gosh! I completely forgot! I was going to bring him home with me!"
"Why didn't you?" Gohan asked. Leah hesitated.
"I got sidetracked," she said finally.
"Oh." Everyone sensed that this was probably personal, and decided not to pry.
"We're home!!" Vegeta declared. He and Brian walked through the door.
"Grandpa!" Leah exclaimed. She rushed over to her grandfather and hugged him. Vegeta smiled.
"Leah!" he cried happily. "Thank Dende!"
"Hiya, Lee!" Brian said.
"Brian! You're back!" Trunks exclaimed. He stood and walked over to him. Brian grinned.
"Yo, Dad! Miss me?"
"Did I ever!" he shouted. He hugged his son and smiled. "Welcome home."
"Thanks, Dad." He stood back and looked past his father at his sister. Brian smiled. "Hi, Ri." She smiled back at him and went to meet him.
"Hi." She hugged him tightly. "Welcome back."
"It's good to be back," he answered. "I'm glad to see you made it."
"'Course I made it. But only 'cause of you." Rienna smiled. "Thanks for everything."
"No problem," Brian said with a grin. "What are big brothers for?"
"Right." Brian looked down at his shirt (which now had water stains all over it). He looked back at his father and sister, who, he realized, were sopping.
"Boy, you guys are soaked! What happened?"
"Out in the rain," Trunks said. He sneezed again.
"Are you sure you're not sick?" Goten asked.
"I'm telling you, I don't get sick!"
"Sure, Trunks…" Adrienne said, rolling her eyes.
"I don't!" Vegeta cleared his throat and stared at his son impatiently. Trunks smiled at him. "Aw, poor Dad wants a hug, too!" he teased. Vegeta glared at him.
"Don't even think about it."
"Aw, why not?" Trunks smirked at him and took a small step towards him just to see his father's reaction. Vegeta's eyes widened a little.
"No!" he shouted. Trunks laughed.
"Ok, then, your loss." He smiled at Vegeta. "But it's good to see you on our feet." Vegeta scoffed.
"'Bout time someone said something."
"We really were worried, Grandpa," Rienna said. Vegeta smiled.
"I know. Thanks."
"Dad said 'thanks!'" Trunks exclaimed. "It's a miracle!"
"Miracle my butt," Vegeta snarled. "Hope you were recording, 'cause I'm never saying it again!" Goku laughed.
"I dunno, Vegeta…"
"Shut up, Kakarott!"
"Brian!" Brian looked up at the stairs and saw his girlfriend standing at the top. Her eyes were red and her cheeks tear-stained.
"Alex!?"
"Brian!" She rushed down the stairs and into his arms. "Oh, Brian, when they told me what happened-"
"I know, I know," he said softly. "I'm sorry for making you worry. But it's ok now, I'm back." Alex smiled and wiped her tears away.
"I know. And I'm glad." Before either of them could say anything else, the doorbell rang. "Huh?"
"Who could that be?" Bulma wondered aloud. Chi-Chi stood up.
"I'll get it," she said sweetly. She walked to the door and opened it. "Hi, may-" Chi-Chi gasped. "You're-"
"O-oh, sorry, have we met before?"
"You…" Chi-Chi shook her head and smiled at the young visitor. "Sorry, you just look like my son." Everyone in the living room looked at each other curiously. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, I'm looking for someone. Is there a girl named Rienna here?" Chi-Chi cocked her head.
"Rienna? Oh, are you a friend of hers?" By now, Rienna had jumped off the couch and rushed to the door.
"Aedan!" she cried happily. Aedan smiled back at her.
"Hi, Ri!" She threw her arms around him and laughed.
"You're back! I can't believe it!"
"Neither can I," Aedan told her. "But something tells me you know more about this than I do." Rienna smiled.
"You could say that." It was now that she noticed that Aedan was wearing different clothes: a long-sleeved navy shirt replaced his usual tank.
"Rienna! Rienna!!"
"Huh?" Rienna looked down and braced herself just before a little boy latched himself onto her legs. He had short, brown hair, blue eyes, and a few freckles on his cheeks and nose. "Jeremy!"
"Hiya, Ri! Boy, am I glad to see you!" Rienna smiled at him.
"I'm glad to see you, too!"
"You wouldn't believe it!" Jeremy exclaimed. He started to get really excited and was talking extremely fast for a six-year-old. "There was this guy and Mom and I were making cookies and waiting for you guys to get home when he came in the house and he scared the snot out of me 'cause he was really big and tall and the next thing I knew I was in Heaven with Mommy which was kinda scary but it was nice up there and the people are really nice too but ANYWAY Daddy came to visit and then Aedan did too but now we're all back together here and I'm not sure why but I REALLY DON'T CARE!!" Jeremy took a deep breath and grinned up at her. Aedan started laughing.
"Yeah, that about sums it up," he said.
"Well it sounds like you've been through a lot lately." Jeremy nodded and smiled.
"Yup, but that's ok, 'cause now we're all back together!"
"Sure are, kiddo," Aedan said, ruffling his hair. Jeremy laughed.
"Wait…" They both looked at Rienna curiously. "If you're all back together, then Ruben and Jessica…" Aedan grinned.
"You betcha." Rienna smiled.
"Really?! Where are they!?" Almost on cue, Ruben and a brunette about his age came up the drive from their little blue car. "Ruben!" Ruben looked up at her and smiled.
"Hi, Rienna," he said cheerfully. "Long time no see." Rienna laughed.
"No kidding!" she exclaimed, hugging him as he finally met her. "Gosh, I'm glad to see you." She looked at the woman next to Ruben. "And you, too, Jessica," she added. Jessica smiled.
"Good to see you, Ri," she said, hugging the young Saiyan. "It's good to be back."
"Well, don't just stand there in the rain," Chi-Chi said finally, being the kind-hearted person that she is. "Come on in and make yourselves comfortable!"
"Oh, thank you," Ruben said.
"Wow, never been in Capsule Corp.," Aedan said. Rienna laughed. "What?"
"Nothing." Jeremy hopped around her feet, wordlessly begging to be carried. She looked down at him and smiled. "Alright, come here, you!"
"Yaaaay!" Jeremy squealed. He hopped up into her waiting arms and grinned. Aedan shook his head and sighed.
"What?" Rienna asked.
"Nothing."
*-*--*-*--*-*
The hair on Vegeta's neck bristled as the boy's father walked into the room. Adrienne also recognized him, and she clenched her fists and glared at him. Ruben saw them both and immediately felt unwelcome. Luckily, Rienna saw them as well.
"Ok, ok, calm down," she said, glancing at Vegeta. "I know what you're thinking. It's ok, trust me." Adrienne kept her eyes narrowed but relaxed her fists. Vegeta's body remained on edge. Rienna stared him in the face. "Grandpa…" Vegeta grunted and slumped back in his chair. She smiled. "Thanks."
Aedan looked from Rienna to Vegeta to his father, and back again. "…I missed something, here…"
"I did too," Jessica said. Ruben swallowed.
"Well, it's a bit hard to explain…"
"Maybe another time," Trunks said. Ruben shot him a grateful look. Trunks nodded to acknowledge him.
"Um, right, anyway…" Rienna gestured to the Kinamora's. "This is Ruben and his family- Jessica, Jeremy, and Aedan."
"Hi," everyone chorused.
"Here, have a seat," Trunks said, standing up and freeing his end of the couch. "Though it might be a little wet…"
"I don't mind!" Jeremy hopped down from Rienna's arms and plopped down on the couch where Trunks had been sitting. Rienna laughed.
"Well then!"
"You know, we might want to go change," Jamie suggested. Goten nodded.
"Good idea."
"I have plenty of clothes upstairs," Bulma said. "Come on."
"As long as I don't get stuck with one of your dresses," Adrienne said, crossing her arms and following her.
"You won't," Bulma said. She smiled. "It won't be mine."
"MOM!"
"Kidding, Adrienne."
"Better be," she muttered under her breath. Vegeta smirked.
*That's my girl!*
"We'll be right back," Rienna told Aedan. "Make yourselves at home."
"Thanks," he said. Rienna smiled and followed her grandmother up the stairs. Leah, Jamie, Darrin, Goten, and Trunks all followed.
"So, uh…" Brian said. "How do you know Ri?" Aedan sweat-dropped.
"Well, er, it's a looooooong story…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Soon everyone was back downstairs with a change of clothes.
"Thanks for the skirt, Leah," Rienna was saying. She was wearing a red short-sleeved shirt and white skirt with a pair of white tennis shoes.
"I never wore it anyway," Leah said, shrugging. She had a one-piece floral blue dress that stopped above her knees. Trunks and Goten were wearing red and green long-sleeve t-shirts (respectively) and khaki pants. Jamie's shirt was blue.
"Stupid skirt…!" Adrienne muttered something under her breath and tugged on the short orange skirt she'd been stuck with. Her tank was a lighter shade of orange with a yellow stripe across it. "At least it's orange…!" Trunks laughed. "Shut up, Trunks! Let's see you wear one of these!"
"Shh, don't give Bra ideas!" Goten told her with a laugh. This cheered her up a bit.
"Hey, that's not funny, Goten!" Bra whined from her seat in the living room. Goten laughed.
"Sorry, Bra. Just thinking about the old days."
"You make us sound as old as Mom," Trunks said. Bulma gasped and picked up the nearest blunt object (which happened to be a pillow), hurling it at her son. Trunks easily dodged it and laughed. Vegeta laughed as well.
"Oh, shut up, Vegeta! You're older than I am!" she shouted.
"Do I care?" he asked with a chuckle. Bulma glared at him threateningly.
"Come on, don't fight!" Chi-Chi said good-naturedly. "We're all together again for the first time in a while! We need to enjoy it!" She smiled at the Kinamoras. "And we have guests."
"You're right, chi-chi!" Goku said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I think we should celebrate! We saved the earth-"
"-again," Trunks said with a laugh. Goku nodded and grinned.
"Again," he repeated. "And we got Ri back!" Rienna blushed and looked at her feet. "We should have a party!"
"Hmph, we don't need a party," Vegeta said.
"Cool! A party!" Jeremy squealed. Vegeta shot him a look, and Jeremy moved closer to Rienna. She smiled and ruffled his hair.
"Now, Jeremy," Jessica said, "we haven't even been invited."
"Well, of course you can come!" Bulma said cheerfully. "Any friend of Rienna's is a friend of ours!"
"Some friends…" Vegeta muttered. Rienna sent him a stern look, but no one else seemed to catch what he'd said.
"A party it is, then!" Goten cheered.
"I'll bring the food!" Videl called.
"You can't possibly fix enough food for all of us!" Jessica exclaimed. Bulma smiled. She didn't know the half of it! "I'll help you!"
"Thanks," Videl said, smiling.
"It's the least I can do."
"We'll help, too," Marron said. "Right, Bridgett?"
"Sure!" her daughter exclaimed excitedly.
"What about decorations…?" Goku wondered aloud.
"Don't you worry about that, Goku," Bulma said. "Leave the décor to me!"
"Yeah, Mom's got enough balloons to float this place to New Namek!" Trunks said.
"Balloons!" Jeremy cheered.
"What else do we need…?" Adrienne asked.
"Games!" Jeremy piped. Aedan laughed and shook his head.
"Look, kiddo, we can think up plenty of games ourselves!"
"Yeah!!" Rienna laughed.
"And I'm sure Ri wouldn't mind helping, either."
"Yeah, Ri!" Jeremy said, tugging on her arm. He gave her the puppy-dog eyes.
"Please?" Aedan said. Just to humor his little brother, Aedan also gave her that pathetic, pleading look. Rienna laughed again.
"I'm sure the three of us can think of something," she said.
"Yay!"
"Is there anything we're forgetting?" Bulma asked.
"Uh……." Everyone racked their brains, trying to think of anything they might have forgotten that's essential for a party.
"How about a sparring match?" Vegeta suggested. Goku grinned.
"Yeah!"
"No," Chi-Chi said sternly. "You all just got back from a fight! You need to rest and relax for once!"
"Aw, Chi-Chi/Aw, Grandma…!" Goku and Jamie whined in unison.
"Don't you 'Aw, Chi-Chi' me, Son Goku!" Chi-Chi warned him. Goku stuck out his bottom lip and whimpered.
"We should get busy, then!" Gohan said. "This is going to take a while to prepare!"
"Yeah, no kidding," Krillin agreed, looking around at the large group in the living room.
"Then let's hop to it!" As the words had come out of her mouth, Adrienne just knew someone was going to say something. She was right.
"'Hop to it'? What kind of stupid-"
"Shut up, Trunks!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Aedan, gimme a piggy-back ride!" Jeremy shouted. He looked up at his brother expectantly. Aedan stopped talking to Brian and looked down at him sympathetically.
"Not now, squirt, I'm busy."
"But Aedan, you're not doing anything!"
"I'm talking to Brian."
"But *that's* no fun!" Brian laughed.
"C'mon, Jeremy, go find Rienna. I'm sure she'd love to."
"But Aedan-" Aedan gave his little brother a stern look. "Oh, fine!" He stomped off towards the living room. Aedan sighed.
"That kid… So, what were you saying?"
"Oh, I was going to ask you…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Meany," Jeremy muttered under his breath. "I'll just have to find someone else!" The little boy yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Maybe not… I'm awfully tired." Suddenly, he spotted Leah and Darrin sitting on the couch. Darrin had his arm around Leah's shoulder. Jeremy grinned and hopped up on the couch, squeezing himself in-between them. "Hi, Leah!" he said sweetly. He grabbed her arm, leaned his head against her shoulder, and closed his eyes. Darrin frowned slightly.
"Hey…!"
"Oh, he's so cute!" Leah exclaimed with a laugh. She ruffled his hair. Jeremy tried to pretend he was asleep, but couldn't help grinning.
"That's not fair…" Darrin muttered. "Attention thief."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Bulma hummed to herself as she prepared the decorations in the dining room. It'd been quite a while since everyone had gotten together for a big bash like this. In fact, they hadn't since Chloe died. Suddenly, Bulma dropped the roll of streamers she'd been holding and gasped. "Oh great Kami!" She immediately rushed out of the room, not even bothering to pick up the streamers. Pan stared after her.
"What's up with her?" Goku shrugged and started to blow up another balloon.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Skirt looks nice, Adrienne," Trunks said with a grin. Adrienne glared at him and tugged on her skirt.
"Shut up, Trunks!" she shouted angrily. Trunks grinned at her and stuck out his tongue.
"Come here and make me, then!" Adrienne clenched her fists and was about to belt Trunks across the face when Goten held her back.
"Lemme go! I'm gonna hurt him!"
"We know," Goten and Bra chorused. Trunks frowned.
"Hey!"
"Serves you right, you coward!" Adrienne yelled. "This isn't the first time you've hidden behind somebody else!"
"I'm not hiding behind anybody, Dri!" Trunks said. "I never have!"
"Oh yeah?! Remember that time…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Let me go!" A six-year-old Adrienne shouted. She was being held back by Vegeta. "I'm gonna kill him!"
"Adrienne, stop it," Vegeta said sternly.
Trunks stood in front of her with his hands on his hips. "Too bad I have Daddy to protect me, *huh*?"
Adrienne scowled and spit- right in his smirking, arrogant face. Trunks gasped. "MOMMY!!!!!" Trunks ran into the kitchen, waving his arms around. "Mommy, Mommy, Adrienne spit on me! GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF! COOTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"I'm trying, Trunks!" Bulma exclaimed, finally wiping the spit off his forehead.
"Now, Adrienne," Vegeta said, trying very hard not to laugh as he disciplined his child. "You don't-" Smirk. "-spit-" Smirk widens. "-in people's-" Stifles laugh. "-faces!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Trunks stared at his sister in silence. Goten laughed.
"You never told me about that before!" he exclaimed. "You actually spit on him?"
"You bet I did," Adrienne said proudly. "Didn't I, Cootie-boy?" Trunks blushed and glared at her.
"Shut up, Adrienne!" His sister smirked.
"Make me, why don't you?" Trunks clenched his fists.
"Don't tempt me."
"Come on, guys, no fighting!" Bra whined.
"You stay out of this!" they said in unison. Bra gasped.
"Fine!" She turned on her heel and left. "Daddy!" As soon as she was gone, Adrienne jumped on her brother with a shout and started to beat the crap out of him. Goten sweat-dropped.
"Haven't grown up at all…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Jeremy wandered around the house, looking for a lap to sit in. Leah had had to help someone in the kitchen, so his sleep-spot had been taken away. Aedan was busy talking to Brian still, and Jeremy knew full well that once he got talking, he wouldn't stop.
The little chibi sighed. What's a kid to do to find a decent lap to sit in?
"Hey, Jeremy!"
"Huh?" Jeremy looked up to see Leah pass him on her way back to the living room. She ruffled his hair as she went by and smiled at him. He grinned. "Hi!" Leah waved and disappeared into the living room. As soon as she left, Jeremy's grin widened. He'd rediscovered his sleep-spot.
*-*--*-*--*-*
Bulma rushed into the lab and hurriedly flipped on the light switch. "Where is it?! Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot…!" She ran around the room, looking fervently for her object. She finally found it sitting in a corner- a long, elliptical machine made of a silver-colored metal. She smiled. "Found you." She walked over to the machine and typed something into the control panel. She then hit a large green button at the end, causing the lid to open with a hiss. "Sorry it took so long."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Jeremy chuckled devilishly to himself and peered over the back of the couch. Darrin was sitting with Leah in his lap- both were watching TV. Jeremy grinned and walked around to the front of the couch. He looked up at them expectantly and was about to open his mouth to say something when Darrin interrupted him.
"Bug off, you little thief," he said calmly. Jeremy frowned, and his lip began to tremble. He stared up at Leah with large hurt-filled eyes and started to cry. Leah gasped.
"Darrin, look what you've done!" she scolded him. She scooped Jeremy up and set him in her lap. He sniffed and leaned his head against her. Darrin peered over her shoulder and glared at the little Saiyan that had once again stolen his girlfriend. While Leah wasn't looking, Jeremy grinned at Darrin and stuck out his tongue. Darrin almost gasped.
*Why you little…!*
"Darrin, stop giving him a hard time!" Leah told him. Jeremy grinned even wider at Darrin, and Darrin could just imagine little devil horns sprouting out of the boy's head.
"I do not like that child…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"AEDAN KINAMORA, COME GET YOUR LITTLE BROTHER!!!" Brian stopped mid-sentence and stared in the direction of the living room.
"Oh boy. Darrin doesn't sound too happy…" Brian said thoughtfully.
"Uh oh," Aedan said. "Wonder what Remy did now."
"Who knows," Brian said with a shrug.
"Guess I'd better go find out."
"I'll come with you." Aedan smiled.
"Thanks." Brian grinned at him.
"No prob."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Darrin peeled the child off of Leah and dropped him on the floor. "And stay off!" he said. Leah gasped.
"Darrin!" Jeremy frowned up at him and put his hands on his hips. Vegeta smirked.
"Somebody's getting a little crabby," he said cleverly. Jeremy glared at Darrin, and Darrin glared back at him. Aedan skidded into the living room and looked around. Brian appeared behind him.
"What'd he do now?" Aedan asked quickly. Jeremy stood up and put his hands on his hips again.
"He won't let me sit in Leah's lap!" he shouted, pointing an angry finger in Darrin's direction.
"He's stealing my girlfriend!" Darrin shouted back, pointing at Jeremy. Vegeta's smirk faded. Girlfriend?! This was new!!
"Oh, is that what this is about?" Aedan asked. He sighed with relief. "I though he'd actually done something."
"What do you mean?! He did something, alright!" Darrin yelled. "You didn't see the evil little grin he was giving me!!" Aedan sweat-dropped and laughed a bit nervously.
"Well you dropped him on the floor!!" Leah shouted.
"QUIET!!" Everyone stopped and stared at Vegeta. "First of all, this is ridiculous! Second of all…" He turned on Darrin and glared at him furiously. He thrust a finger in Leah's direction. "SINCE WHEN IS SHE YOUR GIRLFRIEND?!" Darrin sweat-dropped and started to stutter.
"Since- I- uh- erm- well- I- I meant- she's not- uh, technically- well- crap." Leah grabbed his hand and looked at Vegeta.
"Since today," she said. Leah smiled at Darrin. "Because I love him." Vegeta gaped at the two of them as his face started to turn red.
"Uh, Aedan?" Brian asked suddenly.
"Yeah?"
"Run."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Brian, Aedan, and Jeremy scrambled out of the living room as Vegeta started to throw a major Saiyan temper-tantrum. Leah and Darrin weren't far behind. Many crashes and explosions were coming from the living room, along with Vegeta's indecipherable yells of fury. They didn't stop running until they reached the kitchen. Videl and the others had gone shopping for supplies, so the room was vacant.
"What are you trying to do, kill us?!" Brian exclaimed furiously. Leah smiled sweetly at him.
"Maybe some of you." Brian frowned and put his hands on his hips.
"I've never run so fast in my life!" Aedan exclaimed. "Jeez, that guy has issues!"
"Uh *huh*," Jeremy agreed.
"You say that's your grandfather?" Aedan asked.
"Yup, that's grandpa for you," Brian said with a sigh.
"Good ol' Vegeta…" Darrin muttered. Goku skidded to a halt in front of them and rushed into the kitchen.
"Gosh, what did you do!?" he exclaimed. "Vegeta yelled something about Leah and threw the couch at me! I mean, I haven't seen him this mad since Adrienne said she was-" Goku stopped and stared at them for a second. "*Oh.*" All five of them sweat-dropped. "I see." Goku cleared his throat. "I'll just…. Be in the other room." He quickly turned and left.
"And that's my other grandfather," Leah said. Aedan and Jeremy looked at each other.
"That's a bit scary," Jeremy whispered. Aedan nodded and tried not to laugh.
"Some party this has turned out to be," Brian said.
"I hope this doesn't happen every time," Aedan said.
"Oh, you haven't seen the half of it," Darrin said Aedan's eyes widened and looked as though he was about to faint.
"N-not even ha-half?!"
"Take a deep breath, Aedan," Jeremy told him. Aedan sweat-dropped.
"I dunno if I can take this…" Darrin, Leah, and Brian laughed.
"You ain't seen nothin' yet," Brian said.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Anyone know why Vegeta is tearing up the living room?!" Chi-Chi asked, shouting to be heard above the racket he was making. Krillin shrugged.
"No idea!" he shouted.
"I've never seen him so angry!" Eighteen exclaimed.
"Yeah, you have," Goku said glumly.
"What?!" The whole group of them shouted together.
"Son Goku, did you have something to do with this!?" Chi-Chi demanded.
"No, I had nothing to do with this!" he yelled. "And I said, 'Yeah, you have'!"
"When!?" Gohan asked.
"When Adrienne said she was going out with Goten!"
"What's that got to do with anything?!" Chi-Chi asked.
"Well, put it together! What is he yelling about?!" Everyone stopped and listened for a few minutes.
"Something about Leah!" Krillin yelled finally.
"Well…?!" The group was silent for a moment. Chi-Chi was the first to figure it out.
"…Oh dear."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Vegeta sat in the midst of the wreckage they used to call a living room, seething with rage and muttering to himself. Most of his anger had already been expelled, but Vegeta was still on edge. He sighed in exasperation. "Destruction just isn't what it used to be!" He continued to mutter under his breath while thinking of other ways to relieve his stress. No one would dare fight with him now, he reasoned. They were all chicken- or maybe just smart. "I can't believe it… I'm loosing another of my girls…! WHAT'S THE WORLD COMING TO THESE DAYS?!"
Vegeta stood up and began to think over blowing the couch into smithereens and watching the feathers from the pillows scatter across the room. Not satisfactory enough. No, what would really get his mind off of things would be blowing up the "competition." Vegeta smirked. Now there was an idea. "What am I thinking?!" he realized suddenly. "I can't blow up *Darrin*!" Besides, even if he could bring himself to do it, it would make Leah terribly sad- and everyone else angry with him. Heck, he'd be no better than Aaron himself! Vegeta growled and sat back down, cross-legged. There had to be something he could do… Vegeta sighed and drummed his fingers on his knee. There had to be something…
"Look at him," Chi-Chi whispered. "He's just sitting there. Poor thing must be in shock."
"Vegeta doesn't go into shock, Chi!" Goku told her.
"He's probably plotting something," Krillin said.
"What would he be plotting?" Eighteen asked. "He won't kill Darrin. Vegeta loves that boy more than he lets on."
"He's plotting something," Krillin repeated. "I just know it!"
"C'mon, Krillin, give him a break!" Gohan said. "We know Vegeta better than that!"
"Yeah, guess you're right," Krillin agreed reluctantly.
"Maybe someone should talk to him," Pan suggested.
"Don't look at me," Goku said. "You know he doesn't listen to me."
"Hmm…"
"Well, out of us that aren't doing something constructive," Eighteen said, "who does he like best?"
"…………" All of them quickly left the room in search of Vegeta's favorite person- Adrienne.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Ow! Trunks, let go of my hair!!"
"Then let go of mine!"
"Ok, ok, break it up!" Goten shouted. He rushed to break up the fight before someone was seriously injured. "Guys, come on! Grow up!" Goten grabbed their right wrists and pulled them apart. "Give it a rest!"
"Tell that to Cootie Boy over there!" Adrienne snapped.
"Shut up!" Trunks yelled.
"GUYS!" Goten took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. "Just… stop it. Please?" Trunks rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, jerking away from his best friend.
"Fine, but Adrienne has to apologize."
"Only if you will!"
"What should I apologize for? You jumped me!" Goten's eye started to twitch.
"Guys…!"
"Fine, fine! Sorry, Adrienne," Trunks said dully.
"I'm sorry too," Adrienne said the same tone.
"That's better," Goten said. "Now let's go find something.. constructive to do."
"Well I'm going to go help Mom," Trunks decided. He shot Adrienne a dark look. "And don't follow me."
"What makes you think I'd want to!?" Adrienne shot back.
"C'mon, guys, don't fight…!" Goten whined. "Jeez!" Trunks rolled his eyes and stormed out of the room.
"Well, if Trunks is helping Mom, then… I'll help… I dunno! But I'll find someone!" Adrienne declared. She stomped out in the opposite direction of Trunks. Goten sighed and rushed after her.
"Adrienne, wait for me!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Yo, Pan, you seen Mom?" Trunks asked. Pan shook her head.
"Not for a while."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she was hanging those streamers over there and gasped. Then she ran out of the room. She probably forgot something," Pan said. "Seemed pretty important, too, for her to leave like that."
"Hmmm…" Trunks frowned and thought for a second. "Which way did she go?"
"Off that way," she answered, pointing out of the room towards the labs.
"Thanks."
"No problem, Trunks!" Pan called, waving. Trunks smiled, waved back, and ran off down the hall.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Adrienne, just the person we were looking for!" Krillin exclaimed happily. He, Eighteen, Goku, Chi-Chi, and Gohan were approaching her and Goten. Adrienne stopped and took a step backwards.
"Whatever it is, I'm not doing it," she said.
"No, no, you don't understand!" Chi-Chi exclaimed.
"It's Vegeta," Goku explained. "He's not… acting right." Goten coughed and looked up at the ceiling. Adrienne shot him a look- so did his parents. "You know what I meant, Goten!" Goku said sternly.
"Right, sorry," Goten said with a smile. Adrienne glared at him.
*I'll deal with you later…* she told him. Goten sweat-dropped and laughed a little. "So what about Dad?" she asked.
"Well, he tore up the living room, for a start," Gohan said. Adrienne sweat-dropped.
"Tore up the living room?!"
"Told you he was crazy," Goten said. Adrienne shot him another glare and hit him in the back of the head. "Ow!" Chi-Chi also glared at her son. "Ok, ok, I get it! Sheesh!"
"So, anyway…" Goku started. "He demolished the living room- and threw a couch at me, too! I mean, all I asked was whether he liked blue or red better and-" Chi-Chi cleared her throat. Goku grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Right, sorry. So, like I was saying, after that, he just sat in the middle of the room muttering under his breath."
"And occasionally yelled something," Gohan added.
"Sounds like when you told him you were going out with me," Goten said with a grin.
"Exactly," everyone excepting him and Adrienne said. Goten sweat-dropped.
"Uh, I'm not sure I get it…"
"Me either," Adrienne agreed.
"Well, when he was… rearranging the living room," Eighteen explained, "we could occasionally catch the names of Leah and Darrin mixed in with his shouts."
"………………Oh." Adrienne and Goten looked at each other, then back at the group. Goten suddenly frowned angrily and rolled up his sleeves.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go give Darrin a piece of my-"
"No, Goten, not yet," Adrienne said, trying to hold back a smile. She put her hand on her arm and stared him in the face. "We'll talk with them later." Goten nodded. "So you want me to talk to him, right?"
"We were hoping you would," Chi-Chi said. "He seems really… depressed." Adrienne nodded.
"Ok, I'll see what I can do." Goku grinned at her.
"Great!" he exclaimed. "Well, I have to go help Pan with the decorations. Guess I better get back." He waved at them. "See ya later!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Mom? You in here?" Trunks popped his head into another empty lab and sighed. "Nope." He pulled his head back out and walked off down the hall to the next one. "Mom?" Again, no sign of Bulma. "Well, where is she?" Trunks looked in one room after another and still couldn't find her. "Ok, this is getting annoying," Trunks muttered under his breath. "Wonder where she went… Hey, Mom!" he shouted suddenly. "Where are you!?" Silence- except for those soft footsteps behind him.
*Wait a minute! FOOTSTEPS??* Trunks whirled around and found himself face-to-face with a woman about six inches shorter than him Her hair was lavender and reached her chin, and her green eyes sparkled as they gazed into his. She was wearing a pale blue floral spaghetti-strap dress that reached her knees. Trunks gasped and, for once, was totally speechless.
"C-c-c-c-Chloe?" he stuttered finally. Chloe smiled as happy tears filled her eyes. She nodded.
"Trunks."
"Are you… real?" Chloe laughed.
"Of course I'm real," she said. "I'll always be real. But real, as in alive..." She smiled at him. "It's surprising to me, too."
"But how are you-"
"Bulma told me about the Dragonballs," she explained. "Apparently, Shenron takes things generally." Trunks smiled.
"I love that dragon," he said. He stared at her for a moment. He was trying so hard to contain his happiness, but the tears began to fill his eyes anyway. "You look good," he said softly.
"Considering I look ten years younger than I really am?" Trunks laughed.
"You'll always be beautiful to me," he told her. He put his hand on her cheek. "You don't know how much I've missed you."
"And you don't know how much I've missed *you*," Chloe said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I love you so much…" she whispered. Finally, Trunks couldn't hold out any longer, and his tears flowed freely.
"I love you, too," he said shakily. He pulled her closer and lifted her face so he could look her in the eyes. "More than you know." Chloe smiled.
"Then show me," she said softly. Trunks smiled and pulled her into a long, passionate kiss. Over in the shadows of an open doorway, Bulma smiled and wiped away a single, joyful tear.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Dad?" Adrienne said quietly. She stepped over the items littering the floor and carefully picked her way to the center of the room where Vegeta was sitting quietly.
"What do you want?!" Vegeta snapped. He turned around to see who would dare disturb his train of thought. When he saw that it was Adrienne, his expression softened. "Oh. Hello, Adrienne."
"Are you ok?" she asked. She cleared a spot next to him and sat down.
"I'm perfectly fine!" he told her. "What makes you think I'm not?!" Adrienne stared at him, clearly not amused. Vegeta sighed. "Can't you leave me alone?"
"No," she said with a soft smile. "We're worried, and, well, confused. Anything you want to talk about?"
"Hmph." Vegeta crossed his arms. "No."
"Are you sure?" Vegeta stared at her with the same expression she had used earlier. "Don't give me that look!"
"Then don't give it to me." Adrienne glared at him.
"Stop trying to change the subject," she told him.
"You're the one that changed the subject." Adrienne narrowed her eyes.
"Stop being so difficult!" Vegeta smirked at her.
"I'm-"
"A difficult person, yeah, I know," she finished for him. Vegeta frowned. "Now would you please tell me what's going on?" Vegeta sighed.
"You're not going to let me go, are you?"
"Of course not."
"Then I don't have a choice?"
"No."
"…You're giving me the look again."
"Dad!"
"Alright, alright!" Vegeta shouted. "Great Kami, you're worse than your mother!"
"Which one?" Adrienne asked.
"Both," Vegeta said with a smile. Adrienne grinned at him.
"Best of both worlds," she said. Vegeta nodded.
"Now, let's see, what's bugging me right now…?" he asked thoughtfully. "Plenty of things. What made me angry?" Adrienne gave him a look. "Fine, fine, I'll get right to the point."
"Good idea."
"I tore up the living room because Leah and Darrin told me they were going out!" Vegeta clenched his fists. "I can't believe that little cretin would go behind my back and steal my granddaughter!"
"Like Goten 'stole' me from you?"
"YES! After all I've done for that little brat-" Adrienne snickered. "What!?"
"Nothing. Go on." Vegeta glared at her.
"You're not taking me seriously."
"No, I am!" Adrienne protested.
"Yeah, right." Vegeta stood up and looked down at her. "I'm getting out of here."
"But, Dad! I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, honest!" she told him. "I was just remembering the time you and Goku had to baby-sit, and you couldn't find the 'little cretin'." Vegeta smirked.
"You mean when he was hanging from the chandelier?" Adrienne nodded and laughed.
"That was his favorite place to hide," she said. Vegeta sat back down and smiled.
"That, and under the couch. It was 'his home', remember?"
"Do I ever!" Adrienne said with a laugh. "I think we even have some pictures somewhere."
"Do we really?" Vegeta asked eagerly. He laughed. "We should find them," he said with a smirk. Adrienne grinned.
"I think I know where they are."
"Well, what are we waiting for, then!?" Vegeta hopped up and offered her a hand. "Let's go!" Adrienne smiled and took his hand.
"Why not?" Chi-Chi and Eighteen smiled at each other.
"Mission accomplished," Chi-Chi said.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"It's awfully quiet in the living room…" Leah commented.
"Yeah," Darrin said. "Wonder what he's doing…"
"I don't know if I wanna find out," Aedan admitted. Brian laughed.
"Yeah, I know what you mean."
"Darrin!" Goten called. He sounded a bit angry. Darrin sweat-dropped. "Could you come out here, please?"
"Uh oh, what'd I do now?" Leah shrugged.
"Dunno. But you'd better go." Darrin nodded.
"Why do I get the feeling this has something to do with you?" Leah smiled.
"Because everyone loves me." Brian whispered something to Aedan, causing him to laugh. "Shut up, Brian!"
"Don't tell me what to do!" Brian shouted back. They stuck their tongues out at each other and scoffed.
"Darrin!"
"Right, better go." Darrin went to walk out of the kitchen. Brian started to hum a funeral march. Darrin shot him a look, making him grin back. "Don't make me hurt you." Darrin walked out of the kitchen.
"Don't make me hurt you," Brian repeated sassily. He rolled his eyes. "Please."
"We should probably find Jamie and Ri," Aedan suggested. "It'd give us something to do."
"Yeah," Brian agreed. Jeremy hopped off the counter and onto the floor.
"Let's go!" he cried eagerly. Aedan smiled and picked him up, flipping him upside down. Jeremy squealed with glee and started laughing.
"C'mon, squirt, let's get out of here," Aedan told him. Brian laughed and followed them. Leah stared as they left her alone in the kitchen.
"Well, now what am *I* supposed to do!?" she whined. "Guys, wait for me!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"I can't wait to tell the kids! They'll be so happy to see you! Everyone will!" Trunks said happily. Chloe nodded.
"I'll be just as happy to see them," she said.
"Wait a minute."
"What?"
"You said my mom told you about the Dragonballs…"
"Yeah?"
"Where is she?" Bulma suddenly burst into laughter. They both whirled around to see her doubled-over as if in pain. "MOM!?" Bulma continued laughing. "Have you been following us this whole time?!" he demanded. Bulma couldn't voice her answer, so she nodded instead. "Mo-om!!"
"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed.
"Bulma, breathe," Chloe told her gently. Bulma slowly started to calm down.
"I'm sorry, Trunks," she said again. "I couldn't help it."
"What do you mean, you couldn't help it!?"
"Trunks, calm down," Chloe said.
"Calm down!? She's been- I mean she just- OOH!" Trunks clenched his fists and stomped his foot. "You make me so angry!"
"I'm sorry, I really couldn't resist," Bulma explained. "I had to see it for myself."
"It??"
"You two back together!" Trunks blushed and glared at her.
"MOM!"
"What!?"
"You're impossible!" Trunks exclaimed. He stormed off down the hall.
"Oh, Trunks!" Bulma groaned.
"Trunks, wait!" Chloe called.
"I can't believe you would do that!" Trunks cried, turning around to face them. "Can't we have a little privacy?"
"Oh, Trunks, I said I'm sorry," Bulma said. "I won't do it again, promise." Trunks crossed his arms. Chloe sighed.
"Trunks, it's really no big deal."
"Maybe to you," he said crossly.
"Well, if we love each other, we shouldn't be ashamed of it!" Trunks blushed and didn't say anything. "You do love me, don't you?"
"Of course! You know that!"
"And I love you," she said. "See? No problem." She put her arm around his shoulders and hugged him. "Right?"
"Guess so…" She kissed his cheek.
"That's better." Bulma sighed.
"And I don't have my camera."
"MOM!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Oh, I just thought of something!" Chi-Chi exclaimed suddenly.
"What's that?" Eighteen asked.
"Well, I was thinking… Goten and Adrienne are both back-" Eighteen put her hands over her ears. "Eighteen!"
"I don't want to hear it, Chi-Chi!" she exclaimed.
"Fine! I'll just go find them without you!"
"Go right ahead." Chi-Chi crossed her arms.
"Fine, I will!" She stomped off to find her son and daughter-in-law. Eighteen shook her head.
"I should probably find them first…" She looked around, then ran off in the opposite direction.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"So how's your arm feeling?" Rienna asked. Jamie grinned.
"Much better," he answered.
"I'm just glad you're alive," Krystal said. Jamie smiled.
"So am I. I'm glad we're all alive." Alex nodded.
"Thank Kami for those Dragonballs," she said. "Which reminds me… You guys haven't seen Brian running around, have you?" she asked.
"No, sorry," Krystal said, shaking her head.
"Last I saw, he was talking to Aedan," Jamie said.
"Hey, I haven't seen him for a while, either," Rienna said thoughtfully.
"Everyone disappeared after that racket in the living room," Alex said.
"Come to think of it, you're right. I haven't seen Leah or Darrin or anyone!" Krystal exclaimed.
"Maybe we should go looking for them?" Rienna suggested.
"Yeah…" Jamie agreed. "Why not?"
"Let's go, then!" Alex cheered.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Adrienne, dear, I was just looking for you!" Adrienne groaned inwardly. What could they possibly want her to do now!? Adrienne and Vegeta turned around. Adrienne was surprised- it was only Chi-Chi. "Hello, Vegeta!" Vegeta scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Hi, Chi-Chi," Adrienne said kindly. "What do you need?"
"Well," Chi-Chi said, glancing at Vegeta. "I was hoping I could talk to you… alone."
"Oh…" Adrienne turned to her father. "You go ahead, I'll catch up with you later." Vegeta nodded and walked off down the hall. "So what is it?'
"Well…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"…and another thing-" Goten stopped short and stared at the two fingers in the doorway. Darrin winced and waited for him to finish. When he didn't say anything, Darrin followed his gaze and gasped.
"It can't be…"
"Chloe!?" the two of them exclaimed at the same time. Chloe smiled.
"Hi, guys," she said cheerfully. "I'm back."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Bulma waltzed into the dining room, a huge smile on her face. She hummed to herself and picked up the streamers she had dropped earlier, pinning them on the wall as she made her way around the room. It took all her strength to keep from running around the house shouting for joy at the top of her lungs.
"What's with her?" Pan whispered to her grandfather. Goku shrugged.
"I dunno…" He put his bag of balloons on the floor and walked over to her. "Hey, Bulma."
"Oh, hello, Goku!" Bulma said cheerfully. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, if you don't mind me asking…" She looked at him curiously. "Pan and I… well, we were wondering… why you're so happy all of a sudden." Bulma laughed.
"Oh, is that all?" she asked. "Well that's easy. Why don't you go find Trunks and ask him. I'm sure he'd love to tell you." Goku frowned with confusion as Bulma went back to putting up streamers. He looked at Pan, who shrugged with the same confused look. Without a word, they walked out of the room to find him.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Did anyone besides me just hear my mom scream in frustration?" Jamie asked suddenly. Rienna smiled.
"Good. I thought I was going crazy," she said.
"Yeah, me too," Alex said. Krystal nodded.
"Wonder what's up," she said. Jamie shrugged.
"I dunno. Knowing my mom, it could be anything."
"Yeah…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"No, Chi-Chi!" Adrienne shouted. She was walking as fast as she could away from the pestering old woman, but Chi-Chi was just as fast. "I'm not going to listen to you and your crazy grandkids talk!"
"Oh, but Adrienne," Chi-Chi protested. "Three grandkids isn't enough!"
"THEN GO ASK GOHAN!!" Adrienne screamed. Chi-Chi frowned.
"You think I didn't?!" Adrienne stopped and turned around to stare at her.
"…You're crazy."
"Thank you," Chi-Chi said politely. "Now-"
"NO!"
"Oh, but Adrienne!" Chi-Chi said sadly. She grabbed her daughter-in-law's arm and stared at her tearfully. "You said yourself I was crazy! You wouldn't deny a crazy old woman her last wishes, would you?"
"…" Adrienne stared at her for a moment. "Do the words 'Vegeta's child' mean anything to you?" she asked finally.
"Hm… good point." Just then, Jamie and the girls rounded the corner.
"Oh, hey, Mom!" Jamie said. "We were just looking for you!"
"Now what!?" Adrienne exclaimed angrily.
"…Nothing… we were just looking for you…" Jamie said quietly.
"…Oh…" Adrienne shook her head. "Sorry, Jamie."
"That's ok."
"Adrienne," Alex piped up, "you haven't seen Brian around, have you?"
"Sorry, Alex, haven't seen him." She grinned. "I can't believe you'd lose your boyfriend that easily." Alex laughed.
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before," she said good-naturedly. "Thanks anyway."
"So I guess you haven't seen my Dad or Aedan either," Rienna said. Adrienne shook her head.
"Last time I saw your father was when I punched him in the face a while ago." The four teens sweat-dropped.
"You what?" Adrienne also sweat-dropped.
"Well, erm, yes… Anyway! That's not important!" she declared. "No, I haven't seen any of them recently."
"Ok, thanks, Mrs. Son!" Krystal said.
"Call me Adrienne, Krys," Adrienne said. Krystal blushed.
"Right, sorry. Thanks, Adrienne." Adrienne nodded.
"No problem."
"Well, we're gonna go look for them, I guess," Jamie said. "You wanna come?"
"No, I think I'm going to look for your dad," Adrienne said. "He disappeared a minute ago."
"Oh, alright. See ya later!" The four of them walked back down the hall.
"Oh, goodie! We're going to look for Goten!" Chi-Chi cried happily. "I bet I can change *his* mind!" Adrienne sweat-dropped.
"…On second thought, I think I will go with the kids!" she said suddenly. She ran off down the hall before anyone could stop her. "Bye, Chi-Chi!" she said cheerfully, waving over her shoulder as she left.
"Oh, but wait!" Chi-Chi called. Adrienne ignored her and kept going. Chi-Chi sighed. "I guess I'll have to find Goten on my own, then…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Goten!" Eighteen called. "Goten, where are you?"
"Hiya, Eighteen," Leah said cheerfully. "Lookin' for Dad?" Eighteen nodded.
"Yes," she said. "I need to wa- talk to him." Eighteen smiled. "Haven't seen him, have you?"
"I think he and Darrin went to the living room," Brian said. Eightee quirked an eyebrow at them.
"The *other* living room," Aedan said. Eighteen nodded.
"Right."
"Actually, we're heading that way," Leah said. "Mind if we tag along?" Eighteen smiled.
"No, not really."
"Yay!" Jeremy cheered. He grinned up at Eighteen. She smiled back at him. Aedan laughed. "What?!" His older brother shook his head.
"Nothin'."
"Yeah, right!"
"C'mon," Eighteen said. She offered him her hand and smiled. "Just ignore him, Jeremy." Jeremy grinned. He took her hand and spit his tongue out at Aedan, who shook his head in response. The two of them walked off down the hall. Brian and Leah cocked their heads at them.
"He just has this obsession with attention," Aedan explained. They both nodded.
"Oh."
"Well, better follow her," Brian said.
"Yeah," Leah said. "Hey, Eighteen, wait for us!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Now where did they go?" Adrienne asked herself.
"Hey, Mom!" Leah said. "I thought you were with Grandma?" Adrienne sweat-dropped.
"Well, you see, I was, but, uh…" Eighteen put her hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, you don't have to say another word." Adrienne laughed a little nervously and cleared her throat.
"Um, yes."
"So what are you doing now?" Brian asked.
"I dunno. What are you up to?"
"We're on our way to warn Goten," Eighteen explained. When the children gave her odd looks, she cleared her throat. "I mean to talk to him." Adrienne nodded.
"Right."
"Ah, Goten, there you are!" Adrienne's and Eighteen's eyes went wide.
"Shoot!" Adrienne exclaimed.
"We're too late!" Eighteen moaned.
"Too late?" Aedan asked.
"For what?" Jeremy asked.
"There's still a chance! We can still save him!" Eighteen said. Adrienne nodded.
"Let's go!" The two of them ran off down the hall. "Hey, Chi-Chi! You're- uh… wanted in the kitchen!" The kids sweat-dropped.
"…I have no idea what's going on," Leah said finally.
"Me either," Brian admitted.
"Frankly, I'm not sure I want to find out," Aedan said. Jeremy nodded.
"Hiya, guys!" Jamie said from behind them. The four of them turned around to meet Jamie, Rienna, Krystal, and Alex.
"Hi, Jamie!" Brian said cheerfully. Alex crossed her arms.
"Oh, sure, greet the best friend, neglect the girlfriend." Brian sweat-dropped.
"A-Alex, I-I didn't mean it like that!" Alex laughed.
"I know, you idiot. I'm not stupid." Brian sweat-dropped again and laughed.
"Yeah, I guess not."
"What's that supposed to mean!?"
"N-nothing!" The rest of the teens laughed.
"C'mon, no fighting," Krystal said. "This is supposed to be a happy occasion, remember?"
"Yeah, guys," Rienna said. "Half of us were dead an hour ago. We should be thankful they still aren't!"
"You're right, Ri," Alex said. "Sorry." Brian smiled.
"Yeah, me too."
"Maybe we should see what they're up to…" Leah suggested suddenly, with a wary glance at the living room doorway.
"Yeah… Something about 'saving' Uncle Goten sounds… intriguing," Brian said.
"What? What about my dad?" Jamie asked.
"…It's a long story," Leah, Brian and Aedan chorused.
"It's not *that* long," Jeremy said. "Miss Adrienne and Miss Eighteen were acting kinda funny, though…" He pointed to the living room. "They ran off when Miss Chi-Chi found Mr. Goten!" Jamie and his group sweat-dropped.
"What??" Rienna asked. "That's really… confusing…"
"Our thoughts exactly," Aedan said. "That's why we're gonna go check it out."
"Awfully quiet in there, though…" Brian commented.
"Oh, shut up, you wimp!" Alex said. "C'mon, let's go!" She lead everyone through the doorway and stopped about halfway into the room.
"What is it, Alex?" Brian asked. He followed her gaze past Adrienne, Eighteen, Goten, and Darrin and all the way to the other side of the room.
"It… can't be…" Jamie whispered.
"Mom…?!" Brian asked.
"I can't believe it…" Leah said. Chloe smiled at them all.
"I know it's a bit of a shock," she said. "It's new to me, too."
"But… Mom!" Brian ran to her and hugged her. "I can't believe you're alive! After all this time, you're back!"
"I know, Brian, I know," she said softly.
"I just can't believe it…!" he said shakily. "You don't know how much I missed you!"
"I have an idea," she said with a smile. Brian stood back and looked at her.
"You look just like how I remember…" Chloe smiled.
"I hope that's a good thing." By now, the rest of the group had crowded around. Chloe smiled at them all. "It's good to see you, all of you." Her eyes met with her daughter's. "Especially you, Ri."
"Mom…" she said softly.
"Just look how much you've grown! You're as tall as I am!" Rienna smiled. "You know, I've been watching you." Rienna's eyes widened a little.
"You… have?" Chloe nodded.
"And I'm happy to say that I'm proud of you," she said. "You've handled yourself well, even without me or your father there." Rienna blushed a little bit at this. "And you know what else?"
"What?" Chloe glanced at Aedan.
"You chose your friends wisely, too." Aedan blushed slightly, and Rienna smiled.
"Thanks, Mom." Rienna embraced her, suddenly feeling compelled to do so by some unknown force. "I love you so much."
"I love you more," Chloe answered.
"But I don't get it," Chi-chi said suddenly.
"Get what, Chi-Chi?"
"How you're… alive." Chloe smiled.
"Shenron takes things very generally," Trunks said with a grin.
"'Everyone Aaron's killed' apparently spans quite a bit of time," Goten said.
"Aren't we glad it does?" Adrienne said with a smile. She hugged her sister-in-law. "Welcome back, Chloe."
"Thanks."
"Well, what are we standing around for?" Chi-Chi said suddenly. "Now we *really* have a reason to celebrate!"
"Yeah!" Leah agreed. "We have to tell the others!"
"C'mon, guys!" Jamie cheered. The twins ran off down the hall, followed by Krystal and the others.
"Hey, Leah, wait for me!" Darrin called.
"Oh no, you don't!" Goten said. "I'm not through with you yet!" Darrin groaned.
"Oh, Goten, let him go!" Adrienne said. "It's not like he's done anything wrong!"
"Nothing wrong my-"
"Goten." Goten muttered something under his breath and waved Darrin away. The grateful young Saiyan smiled appreciatively at her and ran off to catch them.
"Well, I'm not the only one with a would-be son-in-law running around," Trunks said with a grin.
"S-s-son-in-law!?" Goten exclaimed. The thought hit him like a speeding Capsule-copter and he nearly fainted on the spot.
"Easy, there, Goten," Adrienne said warily. Chi-Chi rubbed her hands together suspiciously.
"Son-in-law…" she said to herself. "This is perfect!" She grinned. "I'll be a great-grandmother any day now!" Adrienne and Goten groaned.
"Chi-Chi/Mom!"
"Wait a minute, Trunks," Chloe said suddenly. "What do you mean? We have a 'would-be son-in-law' running around?" Trunks sweat-dropped.
"Oh, I know who you're talking about, now!" Adrienne said suddenly. She grinned at Trunks, who spit his tongue out at her in response.
"Oh yeah! That Aedan boy, right?" Eighteen asked. Trunks' face went pale and he tried to signal Eighteen to shut up, but I guess she didn't get it. Goten tried to hold back a snicker. "The one with a pierced ear and that adorable little boy for a brother?"
"Who??" Chloe asked. "You mean that boy that was just in here?!" She set a piercing glare on Trunks. He gulped and laughed.
"Erm… it's a long story…? Heheh…" *Oh boy…*
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Grandpa!" Goku looked up to find that the grandkids were running towards him. Darrin was following, and they all appeared to be extremely happy about something.
"Leah, Jamie! Boy, what's got you all worked up?" Goku asked.
"There's someone we want you to meet!" Leah said excitedly.
"Again!" Jamie added, taking Goku's hand. Together, he pulled his grandfather into the other living room and ran off to find some more people to tell.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"EVERYONE TO THE LIVING ROOM NOW!" Brian yelled as he ran by the kitchen where Videl, Jessica, Bridgett, and Marron were cooking. Ruben was 'overseeing' the project (which consisted mainly of sneaking a taste every time one of them turned their back) and was hanging out behind his wife, peering over her shoulder to see what she was up to. All of them looked up as Brian appeared and reappeared through the door frame.
"What?" Videl asked.
"THE *OTHER* LIVING ROOM!" Aedan yelled, running by after Brian. Rienna popped her head in the doorway.
"Hi guys!"
"Hi, Rienna," Jessica said cheerfully. "What's this all about?"
"We're gathering everyone in the living room for a meeting!" she told them. Aedan jogged back into view.
"And we mean that literally," he added with a grin.
"Huh?"
"Never mind," Rienna said, shaking her head. "Just put that stuff on hold and come on for a minute." Marron shrugged.
"These need to cook more anyway," she said, gesturing to a pot on the stove. She waved to the rest of them. "C'mon, let's go see what's up."
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Heya, Grandpa!" Vegeta slammed the lid back on the shoebox he was looking through and looked up at Brian, Aedan, and Rienna.
"What do you want?" he asked sharply.
"We want you to meet someone," Rienna explained.
"If it's that fool boy's family," Vegeta said, glaring at Aedan, "then I'm not interested." Rienna frowned and put her hands on her hips.
"Grandpa!" Aedan glared at Vegeta and clenched his fists. Vegeta smirked at him.
"You want to fight me, shrimp?"
"Shrimp!?" Aedan narrowed his eyes and started to roll up one of his sleeves. "Maybe I do!"
"No, you don't," Rienna said, giving them both a stern look. She put her hand on Aedan's arm, and that seemed to calm him a bit.
"Tch," Vegeta said, crossing his arms. "Fine. I would have driven him into the ground anyway."
"Grandpa!!"
"Ok, that's it, you old geezer-"
"Old geezer!?" Vegeta's eyes flashed red. "Do you know who you're dealing with?!"
"HEY!" Rienna finally shouted. "Enough is enough! I can't take it anymore!" She turned to Vegeta. "Fine! If you don't want to come meet Mom, then FINE! C'mon, Aedan, let's find my grandma!" She turned on her heel and stormed off down the hallway. Vegeta blinked after her.
"'Meet Mom'?" he repeated. "What in Kami's name is she talking about?! Chloe's dead!"
"Not anymore," Brian said. Vegeta's face lit up with anticipation and realization. "But if you don't want to come…" Suddenly, a great gust of wind blew his hair in his face, and when he turned around, Vegeta was gone. Brian smiled. "Cool."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Vegeta couldn't hold back his joy as he flew down the halls in a blur. The brats would *not* joke around with something on this much importance and seriousness. He flew past everyone in the hallways, flew past the kitchen, past the dining room, past all of them, beaming with happiness. He didn't care if anyone saw him. It didn't matter- Chloe was back!
After what seemed like forever (though he'd only been flying for a few seconds), Vegeta reached the alternate living room. He touched down outside the doorway without a sound and tried to calm himself. Then he shrugged. He'd probably do something drastic inside anyway.
Vegeta walked into the living room casually.
"Oh, hi, Dad!" Trunks said, greeting his father. "Guess what!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Chloe's back," Vegeta said dully. He looked at Trunks with a very jaded expression. Trunks blinked.
"You're not excited?" Vegeta laughed and looked past his son to his daughter-in-law.
"Excited?" he asked. "Excited?? Of course I'm not excited!" Vegeta said with a sneer. Trunks glared at him intensely and was about to go on a furious tirade when Vegeta smiled. Genuinely smiled. "I'm not excited," he repeated. "I'm absolutely *thrilled*!" The outburst died on his lips. Before even Vegeta knew what was going on, he had wrapped his arms around Chloe's shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. "You don't know how happy I am to see you!" Chloe blinked a few times.
"I'm happy to see you, too, Vegeta," she said slowly. Trunks stared at the two of them in astonishment.
"I prayed to Dende every day that you'd come back!" Vegeta continued, not seeming to notice (or care about) the confused look on his son's face. He stepped back and instead smiled at Chloe. "Trunks missed you so much! In all honesty, I thought he'd go mad!"
"HEY!" Trunks exclaimed. "Just what do you mean by-"
"Not to mention the rest of the family. We were devastated!" Chloe smiled.
"Well, good to know I'm loved," she said.
"LOVED!?" Vegeta exclaimed. "Even *I* missed you!" With that, Vegeta glanced around the room. "Which, by the way…" He suddenly turned back into his old self and glared at Trunks. "If either of you tell *anyone* about this, you're *dead*." Chloe laughed.
"Don't worry, Vegeta, you're secret's safe with me. Right, Trunks?"
"Yeah, you maybe," he answered with a grin.
"Trunks…!"
"Joking, joking! Jeez!" Vegeta muttered something under his breath about "ungrateful children" and glared at him.
"Vegeta?"
"Hm?" Vegeta turned to look at her. Chloe had her face tilted down and didn't look him in the face.
"…Thanks," she said finally. Her voice was shaky, liked she was crying. Vegeta smiled and put his hand on her shoulder.
"It's ok, Chloe," he said softly. "And you're welcome." He lifted her chin with his finger and she stared up at him. "Now I don't want you to shed any more tears. Tears are for sad times, not welcome home parties." Chloe smiled and nodded. She suddenly threw her arms around his neck.
"Thank you, Vegeta," she said softly. She stood back and smiled at him. "You have a good heart, even if you don't show it half the time." Vegeta smirked.
"Yeah, maybe so," he said. "But remember," he said, with an added look of authority to Trunks, "DEAD." Chloe laughed and nodded.
"Gotcha."
*-*--*-*--*-*
HA! DONE! FINALLY DONE!!! *hops around like mad* Whoo hoo!! I'm gonna have another chapter (like an Epilogue type thing) that you guys can read later, if you want to continue the story. Co-written by Autumn Nicole, too. So it'll be good. At least, I hope so. ...Anyway, thanks to my loyal reviewers, Princess of all Vegetables (and Sarah and Jared ^^;) and Autumn Nicole! Couldn't do it without you guys! ^___^
DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own DBZ (Yet… *thinks about plan to take over FUNimation and grins*) or any other licensed stuff (Pop-tarts, Eggo waffles, etc.). Think about it: If I owned this stuff, I'd be too busy counting my money than to write useless stories about an animated TV show! So DON'T SUE ME!
*-*--*-*--*-*
. : : Chapter 11 : The Final Hurdle : : .
Trunks knelt down and unzipped the accursed backpack, revealing six of the seven precious Dragonballs. Goten watched, the last ball in his hand, as Trunks gently rolled them out of the bag. Trunks looked up at him and nodded. Goten crouched down next to Trunks and placed the three-star ball next to the others.
"You ready to do this?" Trunks asked. Goten nodded.
"Yeah." They both stood up, and stared up into the rain.
"HEY, SHENRON!!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Back at Capsule Corp., everyone was pacing anxiously about the building.
"I dunno if he's going to pull through this time," Krillin said glumly.
"Hush, Krillin!" Eighteen hissed. She glanced at Bra, who was staring intently out the window.
"Oh, sorry…" Marron walked over to her and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ok?" Bra nodded without taking her eyes off the outside world.
"I'm fine…" she said softly.
"You sure?" Bra nodded again.
"Yeah, thanks."
"Alright…" Marron looked at her mother, shrugged sympathetically, and walked away. Bra continued to stare out the window for any sign of her brother. She forced herself to keep hoping that they'd return on time. *Daddy's getting so weak…* A silent tear slid down her cheek.
"Trunks… hurry back…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Rienna was sitting in the window seat, her knees pulled up to her chest. She was fingering the two rings that hung around her neck. She dropped Aedan's class ring and held her mother's in the light.
*Dad… you said you'd never leave me, but I left you… Now I don't know where I fit in.* Rienna sighed. *I really shouldn't be here. I don't belong here…* Why it hadn't dawned on her before, she didn't know. But this wasn't her home, as much as she and the others wanted it to be.
She picked up Aedan's ring and stared at the bright red stone in the center. Aedan liked red… She smiled. As she stared into the stone, Aedan's face appeared and started to smile back at her. Gosh, she missed him already.
"Hey, Ri." Rienna looked up.
"Huh? Oh, hey, Jamie."
"Hi. Mind if I sit next to you?" Rienna smiled and shook her head. She swung her legs over the side to make room for her cousin.
"No. Go ahead." Jamie smiled.
"Thanks." He hopped up next to her and looked out the window. "Whatcha doing?"
"Thinking…"
"Oh…" He looked at her quizzically. "Just thinking?"
"Yeah…"
"What about?" Rienna hesitated. "Sorry, didn't mean to pry." She shook her head.
"No, that's ok…" She smiled weakly and held up Aedan's ring.
"*Oh*…"
"Yeah…" Jamie smiled at her.
"He loves you too, ya know." Rienna blushed and stared at her cousin in astonishment.
"Wait- how- what?" Jamie laughed.
"It *is* rather obvious." Rienna blushed some more and looked down at her feet.
"Is it *that* obvious?" Jamie nodded.
"Yep." Rienna groaned. Jamie laughed again.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I won't give you a hard time." He hopped down form his perch beside her and grinned. "And in case they *haven't* noticed, which is very unlikely-" Rienna groaned again. "-I won't give away your secret." She smiled.
"Thanks, Jamie."
"No prob." She went back to staring at the ring in her hand. "I know you miss him, but he'll be back." Rienna's face brightened.
"Yeah, I know…" She smiled. "Thanks again." Jamie shrugged.
"It's the least I can do." He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked off. Rienna watched as he disappeared up the stairs. She grinned. She wasn't going to have any trouble at all.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"How are we going to tell when they summon Shenron?" Pan asked her father. "It's already a complete thunderstorm out there. How will we tell the difference?"
"We will, Pan, trust me. There'll be a difference."
"If you say so…" Bra stood back and pointed out the window.
"*That's* different!" The clouds had just turned a shade of deep purple, so dark it almost looked black. The lightning was a shade of bright blue, now, as well.
"…" Gohan looked at Pan with an "I told you so" look on his face. She crossed her arms.
"Oh, shut up." Gohan grinned back at her. Krillin rushed into the room, his arms flailing.
"Guys, guys, have you seen the sky?! They summoned Shenron!"
"…" The group looked at each other and back at Krillin, completely emotionless.
"…Come on, you guys should be happy!! Vegeta's gonna pull through, and Leah's coming back!" This thought seemed to cheer them all up. They started whooping and hollering at the top of their lungs. Bra smiled and stared at the brilliant blue lightning.
"You did it, Trunks…!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Shenron the Eternal Dragon loomed above them, glowing with a radiant white light. The clouds had changed from black to purple, and the lightning was now blue. "Wow…" Goten said. "I forgot how big he is…"
"Yeah…"
"YOU HAVE SUMMONED ME," Shenron boomed. Both of them snapped into reality as his voice thundered in their ears. "I WILL GRANT YOU TWO WISHES. WHAT IS YOUR FIRST WISH?"
Goten cleared his throat. "Our first wish, Shenron, is that those infected with the virus would be healed!"
"YOU WISH IS MY COMMAND." Shenron's eyes flashed red for a moment then went back to normal. Both friends looked at each other and smiled.
*-*--*-*--*-*
Vegeta awoke with a start. Was he dreaming, or had his energy returned to him in that last instant? Vegeta opened his eyes and lifted his head. Bulma was holding his hand when her head down on the bed. Goku and the others had left them alone quite some time ago and Bulma had cried herself to sleep. He smiled. It hadn't been a dream.
Vegeta stroked her blue hair lovingly. "Bulma," he whispered softly. "Wake up." Bulma's eyes flickered open, and she looked up at him. He stared back into her eyes and smiled. "Hi."
"Vegeta!" Bulma cried. She threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight. "They did it!" she shouted happily. "They got the Dragonballs! You're alive!" Vegeta snickered.
"Of course I'm alive, woman!" he said. "You don't think a dumb *disease* would take care of the Saiyan Prince, did you?" Bulma laughed.
"You're so stupid!" she said. "How dare you scare me like that!?"
"I'm sorry," he said with a small smile. "I didn't mean to."
"Well don't do it again!!" Vegeta pulled her closer.
"I won't. I promise."
*-*--*-*--*-*
"YOUR FIRST WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED," Shenron said. "WHAT IS YOUR SECOND WISH?" Trunks stepped forward.
"Shenron, we want everyone that Aaron's killed to be brought back to life."
"YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND." Again, Shenron's eyes flashed red. "YOUR SECOND AND FINAL WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED." Trunks and Goten smiled. Their appreciation for that Dragon was steadily increasing.
"Thanks, Shenron!" Goten called. "You're the best!" Shenron didn't answer. Instead, his body was engulfed in blinding light, and the Dragonballs shot off into separate corners of the world. Trunks sighed and smiled.
"It's finally over."
"Yeah." They high-fived each other and grinned.
"Alright!!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Leah's eyes popped open. Was she alive? She sat up, placing her hand in something sticky. She jumped, looked down at her hand, and gasped. "What?!" There it was- blood. A whole pool of it, sitting underneath her. She looked down at her clothes. They were soaked with blood, her blood. "I can't be alive!"
Leah stood up and pinched herself. "Nope, I'm alive and kicking, all right." She looked around and spotted the broken window. The others must have left to gather the Dragonballs, she decided. She was about to go look for Brian, who they had undoubtedly left behind as well, when she felt this sense of impending danger in her heart. "Darrin!" She disappeared without a second thought.
*-*--*-*--*-*
Brian groaned and opened his eyes. "Am I… alive?" He pushed himself up into a sitting position with a grunt and sat back to look around. "I could have sworn…" He shook his head. "This is too weird… I was dead a second ago…" Brian closed his eyes. Everyone seemed to be at home, except for Goten and his father, who were on their way there. He opened his eyes, shook his head again, and stood up. "Then home it is."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Aedan sat up and looked around, a puzzled look on his face. "Whoa… do I have one heck of a headache… But… why am I alive? I thought I was dead! Not that I want to be dead…" Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Wait, if *I'm* alive… then…" Aedan stood up and ran off down the hall. "DAD!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Darrin!" Darrin closed his eyes and sighed.
"Great, now I'm even hearing her voice inside my head…"
"Darrin, stop! Please!" Suddenly, it hit him.
"Leah?" He turned around only to be tackled and thrown to the roof. Leah had wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.
"Darrin, don't! Please, don't!" she sobbed.
"Leah! I- I thought you were-"
"They brought me back! I'm alive!" She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "And I want you to be, too!" Suddenly, she glared up at him. "Why would you go and do a stupid thing like this?! You scared me half to death!" His eyes softened and he wrapped his arms around her.
"Oh, Leah, I'm sorry," he said softly. "I… I was doing it for you… I thought-"
"Well, forget what you thought! I'm alive!" She squeezed him tighter. "Don't you *ever* do something like this again!" He held her close and shook his head.
"I hope I'll never have to," he said to himself.
"What?" Darrin held her back so he could look her in the face.
"Leah… I… I wanted to tell you…" He swallowed his pride and his anxiousness and stared deep into her eyes. "…I love you. When he… when he killed you, I- I couldn't take it. I went crazy. Every bone in my body wanted to tear him to pieces. I lost control… Then Vegeta got him, and I couldn't handle it. I came up here, and..." He shook his head. "The one thing I lived for had been taken away from me. What was I going to do?" Darrin's own eyes filled with tears, and he stared into her eyes again. "Leah, I'm so sorry. I guess I wasn't thinking."
"Darrin, I… I don't know what to say…" She threw her arms around his neck again. "Except that… I love you, too." Darrin smiled and closed his arms around her waist.
"Don't you ever leave me again," he whispered in her ear. She shook her head.
"Never." Leah looked up at him and smiled and leaned closer to him- so close their noses were almost touching. "I love you too much." Darrin's eyes filled with tears.
"I love you more," he said. "Much more." He put his hand on her cheek and pulled her into a kiss.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"THEY'RE HOME!" Krillin screamed at the top of his lungs. Nearly everyone rushed to the closest window to see for themselves. Rienna smiled when she saw the two advancing figures.
"Dad!"
"Mom, Dad's back!" Jamie exclaimed. The two of them rushed out the door and took off to meet them. Adrienne was quick to follow, and , of course, got to them first.
"Goten!" she cried happily. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "You did it!"
"Yeah, we did, didn't we, Trunks?" Goten said with a smile.
"Yeah."
"Dad!" Something large rammed Trunks, sending him backwards a few feet.
"Rienna?!"
"Dad, I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed. "Grandpa's doing great! It's like he was never hurt in the first place!" Trunks smiled.
"Of course," he said. "You didn't doubt us, did you?" She shook her head and grinned.
"Not for a second!"
"Hi, Dad!" Jamie said cheerfully. "You're back!"
"Yep, we're back!" Goten said. He put his arm around Jamie's shoulders and grinned. "Boy, have we got a story for you!"
"What do you mean?"
"You'll never guess where the last Dragonball was!" Trunks cleared his throat rather loudly.
"Maybe we should go in and say hi to the others."
"Oh, right… then we can tell everybody!" Goten gave Trunks a painfully innocent smile. Trunks, instead, shot him a dirty look. Goten didn't seem to mind, and grinned. "What?" he asked innocently.
"You know 'what'…" Trunks muttered.
"Well, come on, everyone's waiting," Adrienne said. "No use standing out here in the rain, anyway."
"Yeah, I'm soaked!" Jamie exclaimed. "Let's get out of here!" He waved for them to follow and took off towards the house.
"I dunno, Jamie, I like it," Rienna said, following him.
"You like your clothes sticking to you like that?" Rienna shrugged.
"Yeah."
"You're crazy."
"Am not!"
"Are too."
"Am not!" Their conversation faded out of earshot as they got farther away.
"Well, come on," Adrienne told them.
"Coming!" Trunks told her. She nodded and took off after the kids. Before he could follow, Trunks grabbed the back of Goten's drenched shirt and pulled him back. "You do know that if you say one word, I won't hesitate to kill you." Goten stuck his tongue out at him.
"In front of everyone, too. Can I get it on tape?" Trunks growled at him, causing Goten to laugh and fly off.
"Goten, get back here!"
"You'll have to catch me before you can kill me!" Goten shouted in a singsong tone.
"Shouldn't take me long, then!"
"HEY!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Goodness, Trunks, you're soaked!" Bulma exclaimed when they walked in the door. "I'll go get some towels!"
"Thanks, Mom," Trunks said. He sneezed. "Jeez, wasn't this cool outside…"
"Yeah," Goten agreed. Trunks sneezed again. "Hey, I hope you're not coming down with something." Trunks shook his head.
"Nah. Not me. I don't get sick." Bulma reappeared with the towels and passed them out among them. They all wrapped themselves up and were ushered into the living room. The rest of them followed.
"Might need another towel, Mom," Trunks said. His was already soaked through.
"Kami knows…!" Bulma rushed off and came back with a whole stack of towels. "And there's more if we need them."
"Where's Dad?" Trunks asked.
"Went off to find Brian and Leah," Goku explained. Bulma sighed.
"I couldn't stop him."
"At least he's feeling better," Goten said. They all nodded.
"Yeah," Jamie said. The door suddenly opened, and two dripping-wet Saiyans walked into the room.
"LEAH!" The group on the couch jumped to their feet in surprise.
"Leah!" Jamie cried. He dropped his towel and rushed to his older sister, throwing his arms around her. "Great Kami! I missed you!" She smiled and hugged him back.
"I missed you, too, Jamie," she said.
"Leah, I can't believe it!" Adrienne exclaimed. She and Goten hugged her as well. "Thank Dende, you're back!"
"We missed you," Goten said. "You really scared us."
"I know, and I'm sorry," Leah said. Adrienne shook her head.
"It's not your fault." She smiled at both of them. "Come on into the living room, we've got towels."
"Yeah, and if we run out, you two can share," Trunks said with a grin. Leah and Darrin both looked at each other and blushed, taking separate towels from Bulma. Goten didn't appreciate the joke. He glared at his best friend and smacked him in the back of the head while no one was looking. "Ow!" Trunks rubbed his sore head and muttered something under his breath.
"I hope Vegeta realizes you're here," Bulma said thoughtfully.
"Hey, where is Grandpa?" Leah asked.
"He went looking for you and Brian." Leah gasped.
"Oh my gosh! I completely forgot! I was going to bring him home with me!"
"Why didn't you?" Gohan asked. Leah hesitated.
"I got sidetracked," she said finally.
"Oh." Everyone sensed that this was probably personal, and decided not to pry.
"We're home!!" Vegeta declared. He and Brian walked through the door.
"Grandpa!" Leah exclaimed. She rushed over to her grandfather and hugged him. Vegeta smiled.
"Leah!" he cried happily. "Thank Dende!"
"Hiya, Lee!" Brian said.
"Brian! You're back!" Trunks exclaimed. He stood and walked over to him. Brian grinned.
"Yo, Dad! Miss me?"
"Did I ever!" he shouted. He hugged his son and smiled. "Welcome home."
"Thanks, Dad." He stood back and looked past his father at his sister. Brian smiled. "Hi, Ri." She smiled back at him and went to meet him.
"Hi." She hugged him tightly. "Welcome back."
"It's good to be back," he answered. "I'm glad to see you made it."
"'Course I made it. But only 'cause of you." Rienna smiled. "Thanks for everything."
"No problem," Brian said with a grin. "What are big brothers for?"
"Right." Brian looked down at his shirt (which now had water stains all over it). He looked back at his father and sister, who, he realized, were sopping.
"Boy, you guys are soaked! What happened?"
"Out in the rain," Trunks said. He sneezed again.
"Are you sure you're not sick?" Goten asked.
"I'm telling you, I don't get sick!"
"Sure, Trunks…" Adrienne said, rolling her eyes.
"I don't!" Vegeta cleared his throat and stared at his son impatiently. Trunks smiled at him. "Aw, poor Dad wants a hug, too!" he teased. Vegeta glared at him.
"Don't even think about it."
"Aw, why not?" Trunks smirked at him and took a small step towards him just to see his father's reaction. Vegeta's eyes widened a little.
"No!" he shouted. Trunks laughed.
"Ok, then, your loss." He smiled at Vegeta. "But it's good to see you on our feet." Vegeta scoffed.
"'Bout time someone said something."
"We really were worried, Grandpa," Rienna said. Vegeta smiled.
"I know. Thanks."
"Dad said 'thanks!'" Trunks exclaimed. "It's a miracle!"
"Miracle my butt," Vegeta snarled. "Hope you were recording, 'cause I'm never saying it again!" Goku laughed.
"I dunno, Vegeta…"
"Shut up, Kakarott!"
"Brian!" Brian looked up at the stairs and saw his girlfriend standing at the top. Her eyes were red and her cheeks tear-stained.
"Alex!?"
"Brian!" She rushed down the stairs and into his arms. "Oh, Brian, when they told me what happened-"
"I know, I know," he said softly. "I'm sorry for making you worry. But it's ok now, I'm back." Alex smiled and wiped her tears away.
"I know. And I'm glad." Before either of them could say anything else, the doorbell rang. "Huh?"
"Who could that be?" Bulma wondered aloud. Chi-Chi stood up.
"I'll get it," she said sweetly. She walked to the door and opened it. "Hi, may-" Chi-Chi gasped. "You're-"
"O-oh, sorry, have we met before?"
"You…" Chi-Chi shook her head and smiled at the young visitor. "Sorry, you just look like my son." Everyone in the living room looked at each other curiously. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, I'm looking for someone. Is there a girl named Rienna here?" Chi-Chi cocked her head.
"Rienna? Oh, are you a friend of hers?" By now, Rienna had jumped off the couch and rushed to the door.
"Aedan!" she cried happily. Aedan smiled back at her.
"Hi, Ri!" She threw her arms around him and laughed.
"You're back! I can't believe it!"
"Neither can I," Aedan told her. "But something tells me you know more about this than I do." Rienna smiled.
"You could say that." It was now that she noticed that Aedan was wearing different clothes: a long-sleeved navy shirt replaced his usual tank.
"Rienna! Rienna!!"
"Huh?" Rienna looked down and braced herself just before a little boy latched himself onto her legs. He had short, brown hair, blue eyes, and a few freckles on his cheeks and nose. "Jeremy!"
"Hiya, Ri! Boy, am I glad to see you!" Rienna smiled at him.
"I'm glad to see you, too!"
"You wouldn't believe it!" Jeremy exclaimed. He started to get really excited and was talking extremely fast for a six-year-old. "There was this guy and Mom and I were making cookies and waiting for you guys to get home when he came in the house and he scared the snot out of me 'cause he was really big and tall and the next thing I knew I was in Heaven with Mommy which was kinda scary but it was nice up there and the people are really nice too but ANYWAY Daddy came to visit and then Aedan did too but now we're all back together here and I'm not sure why but I REALLY DON'T CARE!!" Jeremy took a deep breath and grinned up at her. Aedan started laughing.
"Yeah, that about sums it up," he said.
"Well it sounds like you've been through a lot lately." Jeremy nodded and smiled.
"Yup, but that's ok, 'cause now we're all back together!"
"Sure are, kiddo," Aedan said, ruffling his hair. Jeremy laughed.
"Wait…" They both looked at Rienna curiously. "If you're all back together, then Ruben and Jessica…" Aedan grinned.
"You betcha." Rienna smiled.
"Really?! Where are they!?" Almost on cue, Ruben and a brunette about his age came up the drive from their little blue car. "Ruben!" Ruben looked up at her and smiled.
"Hi, Rienna," he said cheerfully. "Long time no see." Rienna laughed.
"No kidding!" she exclaimed, hugging him as he finally met her. "Gosh, I'm glad to see you." She looked at the woman next to Ruben. "And you, too, Jessica," she added. Jessica smiled.
"Good to see you, Ri," she said, hugging the young Saiyan. "It's good to be back."
"Well, don't just stand there in the rain," Chi-Chi said finally, being the kind-hearted person that she is. "Come on in and make yourselves comfortable!"
"Oh, thank you," Ruben said.
"Wow, never been in Capsule Corp.," Aedan said. Rienna laughed. "What?"
"Nothing." Jeremy hopped around her feet, wordlessly begging to be carried. She looked down at him and smiled. "Alright, come here, you!"
"Yaaaay!" Jeremy squealed. He hopped up into her waiting arms and grinned. Aedan shook his head and sighed.
"What?" Rienna asked.
"Nothing."
*-*--*-*--*-*
The hair on Vegeta's neck bristled as the boy's father walked into the room. Adrienne also recognized him, and she clenched her fists and glared at him. Ruben saw them both and immediately felt unwelcome. Luckily, Rienna saw them as well.
"Ok, ok, calm down," she said, glancing at Vegeta. "I know what you're thinking. It's ok, trust me." Adrienne kept her eyes narrowed but relaxed her fists. Vegeta's body remained on edge. Rienna stared him in the face. "Grandpa…" Vegeta grunted and slumped back in his chair. She smiled. "Thanks."
Aedan looked from Rienna to Vegeta to his father, and back again. "…I missed something, here…"
"I did too," Jessica said. Ruben swallowed.
"Well, it's a bit hard to explain…"
"Maybe another time," Trunks said. Ruben shot him a grateful look. Trunks nodded to acknowledge him.
"Um, right, anyway…" Rienna gestured to the Kinamora's. "This is Ruben and his family- Jessica, Jeremy, and Aedan."
"Hi," everyone chorused.
"Here, have a seat," Trunks said, standing up and freeing his end of the couch. "Though it might be a little wet…"
"I don't mind!" Jeremy hopped down from Rienna's arms and plopped down on the couch where Trunks had been sitting. Rienna laughed.
"Well then!"
"You know, we might want to go change," Jamie suggested. Goten nodded.
"Good idea."
"I have plenty of clothes upstairs," Bulma said. "Come on."
"As long as I don't get stuck with one of your dresses," Adrienne said, crossing her arms and following her.
"You won't," Bulma said. She smiled. "It won't be mine."
"MOM!"
"Kidding, Adrienne."
"Better be," she muttered under her breath. Vegeta smirked.
*That's my girl!*
"We'll be right back," Rienna told Aedan. "Make yourselves at home."
"Thanks," he said. Rienna smiled and followed her grandmother up the stairs. Leah, Jamie, Darrin, Goten, and Trunks all followed.
"So, uh…" Brian said. "How do you know Ri?" Aedan sweat-dropped.
"Well, er, it's a looooooong story…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Soon everyone was back downstairs with a change of clothes.
"Thanks for the skirt, Leah," Rienna was saying. She was wearing a red short-sleeved shirt and white skirt with a pair of white tennis shoes.
"I never wore it anyway," Leah said, shrugging. She had a one-piece floral blue dress that stopped above her knees. Trunks and Goten were wearing red and green long-sleeve t-shirts (respectively) and khaki pants. Jamie's shirt was blue.
"Stupid skirt…!" Adrienne muttered something under her breath and tugged on the short orange skirt she'd been stuck with. Her tank was a lighter shade of orange with a yellow stripe across it. "At least it's orange…!" Trunks laughed. "Shut up, Trunks! Let's see you wear one of these!"
"Shh, don't give Bra ideas!" Goten told her with a laugh. This cheered her up a bit.
"Hey, that's not funny, Goten!" Bra whined from her seat in the living room. Goten laughed.
"Sorry, Bra. Just thinking about the old days."
"You make us sound as old as Mom," Trunks said. Bulma gasped and picked up the nearest blunt object (which happened to be a pillow), hurling it at her son. Trunks easily dodged it and laughed. Vegeta laughed as well.
"Oh, shut up, Vegeta! You're older than I am!" she shouted.
"Do I care?" he asked with a chuckle. Bulma glared at him threateningly.
"Come on, don't fight!" Chi-Chi said good-naturedly. "We're all together again for the first time in a while! We need to enjoy it!" She smiled at the Kinamoras. "And we have guests."
"You're right, chi-chi!" Goku said, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I think we should celebrate! We saved the earth-"
"-again," Trunks said with a laugh. Goku nodded and grinned.
"Again," he repeated. "And we got Ri back!" Rienna blushed and looked at her feet. "We should have a party!"
"Hmph, we don't need a party," Vegeta said.
"Cool! A party!" Jeremy squealed. Vegeta shot him a look, and Jeremy moved closer to Rienna. She smiled and ruffled his hair.
"Now, Jeremy," Jessica said, "we haven't even been invited."
"Well, of course you can come!" Bulma said cheerfully. "Any friend of Rienna's is a friend of ours!"
"Some friends…" Vegeta muttered. Rienna sent him a stern look, but no one else seemed to catch what he'd said.
"A party it is, then!" Goten cheered.
"I'll bring the food!" Videl called.
"You can't possibly fix enough food for all of us!" Jessica exclaimed. Bulma smiled. She didn't know the half of it! "I'll help you!"
"Thanks," Videl said, smiling.
"It's the least I can do."
"We'll help, too," Marron said. "Right, Bridgett?"
"Sure!" her daughter exclaimed excitedly.
"What about decorations…?" Goku wondered aloud.
"Don't you worry about that, Goku," Bulma said. "Leave the décor to me!"
"Yeah, Mom's got enough balloons to float this place to New Namek!" Trunks said.
"Balloons!" Jeremy cheered.
"What else do we need…?" Adrienne asked.
"Games!" Jeremy piped. Aedan laughed and shook his head.
"Look, kiddo, we can think up plenty of games ourselves!"
"Yeah!!" Rienna laughed.
"And I'm sure Ri wouldn't mind helping, either."
"Yeah, Ri!" Jeremy said, tugging on her arm. He gave her the puppy-dog eyes.
"Please?" Aedan said. Just to humor his little brother, Aedan also gave her that pathetic, pleading look. Rienna laughed again.
"I'm sure the three of us can think of something," she said.
"Yay!"
"Is there anything we're forgetting?" Bulma asked.
"Uh……." Everyone racked their brains, trying to think of anything they might have forgotten that's essential for a party.
"How about a sparring match?" Vegeta suggested. Goku grinned.
"Yeah!"
"No," Chi-Chi said sternly. "You all just got back from a fight! You need to rest and relax for once!"
"Aw, Chi-Chi/Aw, Grandma…!" Goku and Jamie whined in unison.
"Don't you 'Aw, Chi-Chi' me, Son Goku!" Chi-Chi warned him. Goku stuck out his bottom lip and whimpered.
"We should get busy, then!" Gohan said. "This is going to take a while to prepare!"
"Yeah, no kidding," Krillin agreed, looking around at the large group in the living room.
"Then let's hop to it!" As the words had come out of her mouth, Adrienne just knew someone was going to say something. She was right.
"'Hop to it'? What kind of stupid-"
"Shut up, Trunks!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Aedan, gimme a piggy-back ride!" Jeremy shouted. He looked up at his brother expectantly. Aedan stopped talking to Brian and looked down at him sympathetically.
"Not now, squirt, I'm busy."
"But Aedan, you're not doing anything!"
"I'm talking to Brian."
"But *that's* no fun!" Brian laughed.
"C'mon, Jeremy, go find Rienna. I'm sure she'd love to."
"But Aedan-" Aedan gave his little brother a stern look. "Oh, fine!" He stomped off towards the living room. Aedan sighed.
"That kid… So, what were you saying?"
"Oh, I was going to ask you…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Meany," Jeremy muttered under his breath. "I'll just have to find someone else!" The little boy yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Maybe not… I'm awfully tired." Suddenly, he spotted Leah and Darrin sitting on the couch. Darrin had his arm around Leah's shoulder. Jeremy grinned and hopped up on the couch, squeezing himself in-between them. "Hi, Leah!" he said sweetly. He grabbed her arm, leaned his head against her shoulder, and closed his eyes. Darrin frowned slightly.
"Hey…!"
"Oh, he's so cute!" Leah exclaimed with a laugh. She ruffled his hair. Jeremy tried to pretend he was asleep, but couldn't help grinning.
"That's not fair…" Darrin muttered. "Attention thief."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Bulma hummed to herself as she prepared the decorations in the dining room. It'd been quite a while since everyone had gotten together for a big bash like this. In fact, they hadn't since Chloe died. Suddenly, Bulma dropped the roll of streamers she'd been holding and gasped. "Oh great Kami!" She immediately rushed out of the room, not even bothering to pick up the streamers. Pan stared after her.
"What's up with her?" Goku shrugged and started to blow up another balloon.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Skirt looks nice, Adrienne," Trunks said with a grin. Adrienne glared at him and tugged on her skirt.
"Shut up, Trunks!" she shouted angrily. Trunks grinned at her and stuck out his tongue.
"Come here and make me, then!" Adrienne clenched her fists and was about to belt Trunks across the face when Goten held her back.
"Lemme go! I'm gonna hurt him!"
"We know," Goten and Bra chorused. Trunks frowned.
"Hey!"
"Serves you right, you coward!" Adrienne yelled. "This isn't the first time you've hidden behind somebody else!"
"I'm not hiding behind anybody, Dri!" Trunks said. "I never have!"
"Oh yeah?! Remember that time…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Let me go!" A six-year-old Adrienne shouted. She was being held back by Vegeta. "I'm gonna kill him!"
"Adrienne, stop it," Vegeta said sternly.
Trunks stood in front of her with his hands on his hips. "Too bad I have Daddy to protect me, *huh*?"
Adrienne scowled and spit- right in his smirking, arrogant face. Trunks gasped. "MOMMY!!!!!" Trunks ran into the kitchen, waving his arms around. "Mommy, Mommy, Adrienne spit on me! GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF! COOTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"I'm trying, Trunks!" Bulma exclaimed, finally wiping the spit off his forehead.
"Now, Adrienne," Vegeta said, trying very hard not to laugh as he disciplined his child. "You don't-" Smirk. "-spit-" Smirk widens. "-in people's-" Stifles laugh. "-faces!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Trunks stared at his sister in silence. Goten laughed.
"You never told me about that before!" he exclaimed. "You actually spit on him?"
"You bet I did," Adrienne said proudly. "Didn't I, Cootie-boy?" Trunks blushed and glared at her.
"Shut up, Adrienne!" His sister smirked.
"Make me, why don't you?" Trunks clenched his fists.
"Don't tempt me."
"Come on, guys, no fighting!" Bra whined.
"You stay out of this!" they said in unison. Bra gasped.
"Fine!" She turned on her heel and left. "Daddy!" As soon as she was gone, Adrienne jumped on her brother with a shout and started to beat the crap out of him. Goten sweat-dropped.
"Haven't grown up at all…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
Jeremy wandered around the house, looking for a lap to sit in. Leah had had to help someone in the kitchen, so his sleep-spot had been taken away. Aedan was busy talking to Brian still, and Jeremy knew full well that once he got talking, he wouldn't stop.
The little chibi sighed. What's a kid to do to find a decent lap to sit in?
"Hey, Jeremy!"
"Huh?" Jeremy looked up to see Leah pass him on her way back to the living room. She ruffled his hair as she went by and smiled at him. He grinned. "Hi!" Leah waved and disappeared into the living room. As soon as she left, Jeremy's grin widened. He'd rediscovered his sleep-spot.
*-*--*-*--*-*
Bulma rushed into the lab and hurriedly flipped on the light switch. "Where is it?! Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot…!" She ran around the room, looking fervently for her object. She finally found it sitting in a corner- a long, elliptical machine made of a silver-colored metal. She smiled. "Found you." She walked over to the machine and typed something into the control panel. She then hit a large green button at the end, causing the lid to open with a hiss. "Sorry it took so long."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Jeremy chuckled devilishly to himself and peered over the back of the couch. Darrin was sitting with Leah in his lap- both were watching TV. Jeremy grinned and walked around to the front of the couch. He looked up at them expectantly and was about to open his mouth to say something when Darrin interrupted him.
"Bug off, you little thief," he said calmly. Jeremy frowned, and his lip began to tremble. He stared up at Leah with large hurt-filled eyes and started to cry. Leah gasped.
"Darrin, look what you've done!" she scolded him. She scooped Jeremy up and set him in her lap. He sniffed and leaned his head against her. Darrin peered over her shoulder and glared at the little Saiyan that had once again stolen his girlfriend. While Leah wasn't looking, Jeremy grinned at Darrin and stuck out his tongue. Darrin almost gasped.
*Why you little…!*
"Darrin, stop giving him a hard time!" Leah told him. Jeremy grinned even wider at Darrin, and Darrin could just imagine little devil horns sprouting out of the boy's head.
"I do not like that child…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"AEDAN KINAMORA, COME GET YOUR LITTLE BROTHER!!!" Brian stopped mid-sentence and stared in the direction of the living room.
"Oh boy. Darrin doesn't sound too happy…" Brian said thoughtfully.
"Uh oh," Aedan said. "Wonder what Remy did now."
"Who knows," Brian said with a shrug.
"Guess I'd better go find out."
"I'll come with you." Aedan smiled.
"Thanks." Brian grinned at him.
"No prob."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Darrin peeled the child off of Leah and dropped him on the floor. "And stay off!" he said. Leah gasped.
"Darrin!" Jeremy frowned up at him and put his hands on his hips. Vegeta smirked.
"Somebody's getting a little crabby," he said cleverly. Jeremy glared at Darrin, and Darrin glared back at him. Aedan skidded into the living room and looked around. Brian appeared behind him.
"What'd he do now?" Aedan asked quickly. Jeremy stood up and put his hands on his hips again.
"He won't let me sit in Leah's lap!" he shouted, pointing an angry finger in Darrin's direction.
"He's stealing my girlfriend!" Darrin shouted back, pointing at Jeremy. Vegeta's smirk faded. Girlfriend?! This was new!!
"Oh, is that what this is about?" Aedan asked. He sighed with relief. "I though he'd actually done something."
"What do you mean?! He did something, alright!" Darrin yelled. "You didn't see the evil little grin he was giving me!!" Aedan sweat-dropped and laughed a bit nervously.
"Well you dropped him on the floor!!" Leah shouted.
"QUIET!!" Everyone stopped and stared at Vegeta. "First of all, this is ridiculous! Second of all…" He turned on Darrin and glared at him furiously. He thrust a finger in Leah's direction. "SINCE WHEN IS SHE YOUR GIRLFRIEND?!" Darrin sweat-dropped and started to stutter.
"Since- I- uh- erm- well- I- I meant- she's not- uh, technically- well- crap." Leah grabbed his hand and looked at Vegeta.
"Since today," she said. Leah smiled at Darrin. "Because I love him." Vegeta gaped at the two of them as his face started to turn red.
"Uh, Aedan?" Brian asked suddenly.
"Yeah?"
"Run."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Brian, Aedan, and Jeremy scrambled out of the living room as Vegeta started to throw a major Saiyan temper-tantrum. Leah and Darrin weren't far behind. Many crashes and explosions were coming from the living room, along with Vegeta's indecipherable yells of fury. They didn't stop running until they reached the kitchen. Videl and the others had gone shopping for supplies, so the room was vacant.
"What are you trying to do, kill us?!" Brian exclaimed furiously. Leah smiled sweetly at him.
"Maybe some of you." Brian frowned and put his hands on his hips.
"I've never run so fast in my life!" Aedan exclaimed. "Jeez, that guy has issues!"
"Uh *huh*," Jeremy agreed.
"You say that's your grandfather?" Aedan asked.
"Yup, that's grandpa for you," Brian said with a sigh.
"Good ol' Vegeta…" Darrin muttered. Goku skidded to a halt in front of them and rushed into the kitchen.
"Gosh, what did you do!?" he exclaimed. "Vegeta yelled something about Leah and threw the couch at me! I mean, I haven't seen him this mad since Adrienne said she was-" Goku stopped and stared at them for a second. "*Oh.*" All five of them sweat-dropped. "I see." Goku cleared his throat. "I'll just…. Be in the other room." He quickly turned and left.
"And that's my other grandfather," Leah said. Aedan and Jeremy looked at each other.
"That's a bit scary," Jeremy whispered. Aedan nodded and tried not to laugh.
"Some party this has turned out to be," Brian said.
"I hope this doesn't happen every time," Aedan said.
"Oh, you haven't seen the half of it," Darrin said Aedan's eyes widened and looked as though he was about to faint.
"N-not even ha-half?!"
"Take a deep breath, Aedan," Jeremy told him. Aedan sweat-dropped.
"I dunno if I can take this…" Darrin, Leah, and Brian laughed.
"You ain't seen nothin' yet," Brian said.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Anyone know why Vegeta is tearing up the living room?!" Chi-Chi asked, shouting to be heard above the racket he was making. Krillin shrugged.
"No idea!" he shouted.
"I've never seen him so angry!" Eighteen exclaimed.
"Yeah, you have," Goku said glumly.
"What?!" The whole group of them shouted together.
"Son Goku, did you have something to do with this!?" Chi-Chi demanded.
"No, I had nothing to do with this!" he yelled. "And I said, 'Yeah, you have'!"
"When!?" Gohan asked.
"When Adrienne said she was going out with Goten!"
"What's that got to do with anything?!" Chi-Chi asked.
"Well, put it together! What is he yelling about?!" Everyone stopped and listened for a few minutes.
"Something about Leah!" Krillin yelled finally.
"Well…?!" The group was silent for a moment. Chi-Chi was the first to figure it out.
"…Oh dear."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Vegeta sat in the midst of the wreckage they used to call a living room, seething with rage and muttering to himself. Most of his anger had already been expelled, but Vegeta was still on edge. He sighed in exasperation. "Destruction just isn't what it used to be!" He continued to mutter under his breath while thinking of other ways to relieve his stress. No one would dare fight with him now, he reasoned. They were all chicken- or maybe just smart. "I can't believe it… I'm loosing another of my girls…! WHAT'S THE WORLD COMING TO THESE DAYS?!"
Vegeta stood up and began to think over blowing the couch into smithereens and watching the feathers from the pillows scatter across the room. Not satisfactory enough. No, what would really get his mind off of things would be blowing up the "competition." Vegeta smirked. Now there was an idea. "What am I thinking?!" he realized suddenly. "I can't blow up *Darrin*!" Besides, even if he could bring himself to do it, it would make Leah terribly sad- and everyone else angry with him. Heck, he'd be no better than Aaron himself! Vegeta growled and sat back down, cross-legged. There had to be something he could do… Vegeta sighed and drummed his fingers on his knee. There had to be something…
"Look at him," Chi-Chi whispered. "He's just sitting there. Poor thing must be in shock."
"Vegeta doesn't go into shock, Chi!" Goku told her.
"He's probably plotting something," Krillin said.
"What would he be plotting?" Eighteen asked. "He won't kill Darrin. Vegeta loves that boy more than he lets on."
"He's plotting something," Krillin repeated. "I just know it!"
"C'mon, Krillin, give him a break!" Gohan said. "We know Vegeta better than that!"
"Yeah, guess you're right," Krillin agreed reluctantly.
"Maybe someone should talk to him," Pan suggested.
"Don't look at me," Goku said. "You know he doesn't listen to me."
"Hmm…"
"Well, out of us that aren't doing something constructive," Eighteen said, "who does he like best?"
"…………" All of them quickly left the room in search of Vegeta's favorite person- Adrienne.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Ow! Trunks, let go of my hair!!"
"Then let go of mine!"
"Ok, ok, break it up!" Goten shouted. He rushed to break up the fight before someone was seriously injured. "Guys, come on! Grow up!" Goten grabbed their right wrists and pulled them apart. "Give it a rest!"
"Tell that to Cootie Boy over there!" Adrienne snapped.
"Shut up!" Trunks yelled.
"GUYS!" Goten took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. "Just… stop it. Please?" Trunks rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, jerking away from his best friend.
"Fine, but Adrienne has to apologize."
"Only if you will!"
"What should I apologize for? You jumped me!" Goten's eye started to twitch.
"Guys…!"
"Fine, fine! Sorry, Adrienne," Trunks said dully.
"I'm sorry too," Adrienne said the same tone.
"That's better," Goten said. "Now let's go find something.. constructive to do."
"Well I'm going to go help Mom," Trunks decided. He shot Adrienne a dark look. "And don't follow me."
"What makes you think I'd want to!?" Adrienne shot back.
"C'mon, guys, don't fight…!" Goten whined. "Jeez!" Trunks rolled his eyes and stormed out of the room.
"Well, if Trunks is helping Mom, then… I'll help… I dunno! But I'll find someone!" Adrienne declared. She stomped out in the opposite direction of Trunks. Goten sighed and rushed after her.
"Adrienne, wait for me!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Yo, Pan, you seen Mom?" Trunks asked. Pan shook her head.
"Not for a while."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she was hanging those streamers over there and gasped. Then she ran out of the room. She probably forgot something," Pan said. "Seemed pretty important, too, for her to leave like that."
"Hmmm…" Trunks frowned and thought for a second. "Which way did she go?"
"Off that way," she answered, pointing out of the room towards the labs.
"Thanks."
"No problem, Trunks!" Pan called, waving. Trunks smiled, waved back, and ran off down the hall.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Adrienne, just the person we were looking for!" Krillin exclaimed happily. He, Eighteen, Goku, Chi-Chi, and Gohan were approaching her and Goten. Adrienne stopped and took a step backwards.
"Whatever it is, I'm not doing it," she said.
"No, no, you don't understand!" Chi-Chi exclaimed.
"It's Vegeta," Goku explained. "He's not… acting right." Goten coughed and looked up at the ceiling. Adrienne shot him a look- so did his parents. "You know what I meant, Goten!" Goku said sternly.
"Right, sorry," Goten said with a smile. Adrienne glared at him.
*I'll deal with you later…* she told him. Goten sweat-dropped and laughed a little. "So what about Dad?" she asked.
"Well, he tore up the living room, for a start," Gohan said. Adrienne sweat-dropped.
"Tore up the living room?!"
"Told you he was crazy," Goten said. Adrienne shot him another glare and hit him in the back of the head. "Ow!" Chi-Chi also glared at her son. "Ok, ok, I get it! Sheesh!"
"So, anyway…" Goku started. "He demolished the living room- and threw a couch at me, too! I mean, all I asked was whether he liked blue or red better and-" Chi-Chi cleared her throat. Goku grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Right, sorry. So, like I was saying, after that, he just sat in the middle of the room muttering under his breath."
"And occasionally yelled something," Gohan added.
"Sounds like when you told him you were going out with me," Goten said with a grin.
"Exactly," everyone excepting him and Adrienne said. Goten sweat-dropped.
"Uh, I'm not sure I get it…"
"Me either," Adrienne agreed.
"Well, when he was… rearranging the living room," Eighteen explained, "we could occasionally catch the names of Leah and Darrin mixed in with his shouts."
"………………Oh." Adrienne and Goten looked at each other, then back at the group. Goten suddenly frowned angrily and rolled up his sleeves.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go give Darrin a piece of my-"
"No, Goten, not yet," Adrienne said, trying to hold back a smile. She put her hand on her arm and stared him in the face. "We'll talk with them later." Goten nodded. "So you want me to talk to him, right?"
"We were hoping you would," Chi-Chi said. "He seems really… depressed." Adrienne nodded.
"Ok, I'll see what I can do." Goku grinned at her.
"Great!" he exclaimed. "Well, I have to go help Pan with the decorations. Guess I better get back." He waved at them. "See ya later!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Mom? You in here?" Trunks popped his head into another empty lab and sighed. "Nope." He pulled his head back out and walked off down the hall to the next one. "Mom?" Again, no sign of Bulma. "Well, where is she?" Trunks looked in one room after another and still couldn't find her. "Ok, this is getting annoying," Trunks muttered under his breath. "Wonder where she went… Hey, Mom!" he shouted suddenly. "Where are you!?" Silence- except for those soft footsteps behind him.
*Wait a minute! FOOTSTEPS??* Trunks whirled around and found himself face-to-face with a woman about six inches shorter than him Her hair was lavender and reached her chin, and her green eyes sparkled as they gazed into his. She was wearing a pale blue floral spaghetti-strap dress that reached her knees. Trunks gasped and, for once, was totally speechless.
"C-c-c-c-Chloe?" he stuttered finally. Chloe smiled as happy tears filled her eyes. She nodded.
"Trunks."
"Are you… real?" Chloe laughed.
"Of course I'm real," she said. "I'll always be real. But real, as in alive..." She smiled at him. "It's surprising to me, too."
"But how are you-"
"Bulma told me about the Dragonballs," she explained. "Apparently, Shenron takes things generally." Trunks smiled.
"I love that dragon," he said. He stared at her for a moment. He was trying so hard to contain his happiness, but the tears began to fill his eyes anyway. "You look good," he said softly.
"Considering I look ten years younger than I really am?" Trunks laughed.
"You'll always be beautiful to me," he told her. He put his hand on her cheek. "You don't know how much I've missed you."
"And you don't know how much I've missed *you*," Chloe said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I love you so much…" she whispered. Finally, Trunks couldn't hold out any longer, and his tears flowed freely.
"I love you, too," he said shakily. He pulled her closer and lifted her face so he could look her in the eyes. "More than you know." Chloe smiled.
"Then show me," she said softly. Trunks smiled and pulled her into a long, passionate kiss. Over in the shadows of an open doorway, Bulma smiled and wiped away a single, joyful tear.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Dad?" Adrienne said quietly. She stepped over the items littering the floor and carefully picked her way to the center of the room where Vegeta was sitting quietly.
"What do you want?!" Vegeta snapped. He turned around to see who would dare disturb his train of thought. When he saw that it was Adrienne, his expression softened. "Oh. Hello, Adrienne."
"Are you ok?" she asked. She cleared a spot next to him and sat down.
"I'm perfectly fine!" he told her. "What makes you think I'm not?!" Adrienne stared at him, clearly not amused. Vegeta sighed. "Can't you leave me alone?"
"No," she said with a soft smile. "We're worried, and, well, confused. Anything you want to talk about?"
"Hmph." Vegeta crossed his arms. "No."
"Are you sure?" Vegeta stared at her with the same expression she had used earlier. "Don't give me that look!"
"Then don't give it to me." Adrienne glared at him.
"Stop trying to change the subject," she told him.
"You're the one that changed the subject." Adrienne narrowed her eyes.
"Stop being so difficult!" Vegeta smirked at her.
"I'm-"
"A difficult person, yeah, I know," she finished for him. Vegeta frowned. "Now would you please tell me what's going on?" Vegeta sighed.
"You're not going to let me go, are you?"
"Of course not."
"Then I don't have a choice?"
"No."
"…You're giving me the look again."
"Dad!"
"Alright, alright!" Vegeta shouted. "Great Kami, you're worse than your mother!"
"Which one?" Adrienne asked.
"Both," Vegeta said with a smile. Adrienne grinned at him.
"Best of both worlds," she said. Vegeta nodded.
"Now, let's see, what's bugging me right now…?" he asked thoughtfully. "Plenty of things. What made me angry?" Adrienne gave him a look. "Fine, fine, I'll get right to the point."
"Good idea."
"I tore up the living room because Leah and Darrin told me they were going out!" Vegeta clenched his fists. "I can't believe that little cretin would go behind my back and steal my granddaughter!"
"Like Goten 'stole' me from you?"
"YES! After all I've done for that little brat-" Adrienne snickered. "What!?"
"Nothing. Go on." Vegeta glared at her.
"You're not taking me seriously."
"No, I am!" Adrienne protested.
"Yeah, right." Vegeta stood up and looked down at her. "I'm getting out of here."
"But, Dad! I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, honest!" she told him. "I was just remembering the time you and Goku had to baby-sit, and you couldn't find the 'little cretin'." Vegeta smirked.
"You mean when he was hanging from the chandelier?" Adrienne nodded and laughed.
"That was his favorite place to hide," she said. Vegeta sat back down and smiled.
"That, and under the couch. It was 'his home', remember?"
"Do I ever!" Adrienne said with a laugh. "I think we even have some pictures somewhere."
"Do we really?" Vegeta asked eagerly. He laughed. "We should find them," he said with a smirk. Adrienne grinned.
"I think I know where they are."
"Well, what are we waiting for, then!?" Vegeta hopped up and offered her a hand. "Let's go!" Adrienne smiled and took his hand.
"Why not?" Chi-Chi and Eighteen smiled at each other.
"Mission accomplished," Chi-Chi said.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"It's awfully quiet in the living room…" Leah commented.
"Yeah," Darrin said. "Wonder what he's doing…"
"I don't know if I wanna find out," Aedan admitted. Brian laughed.
"Yeah, I know what you mean."
"Darrin!" Goten called. He sounded a bit angry. Darrin sweat-dropped. "Could you come out here, please?"
"Uh oh, what'd I do now?" Leah shrugged.
"Dunno. But you'd better go." Darrin nodded.
"Why do I get the feeling this has something to do with you?" Leah smiled.
"Because everyone loves me." Brian whispered something to Aedan, causing him to laugh. "Shut up, Brian!"
"Don't tell me what to do!" Brian shouted back. They stuck their tongues out at each other and scoffed.
"Darrin!"
"Right, better go." Darrin went to walk out of the kitchen. Brian started to hum a funeral march. Darrin shot him a look, making him grin back. "Don't make me hurt you." Darrin walked out of the kitchen.
"Don't make me hurt you," Brian repeated sassily. He rolled his eyes. "Please."
"We should probably find Jamie and Ri," Aedan suggested. "It'd give us something to do."
"Yeah," Brian agreed. Jeremy hopped off the counter and onto the floor.
"Let's go!" he cried eagerly. Aedan smiled and picked him up, flipping him upside down. Jeremy squealed with glee and started laughing.
"C'mon, squirt, let's get out of here," Aedan told him. Brian laughed and followed them. Leah stared as they left her alone in the kitchen.
"Well, now what am *I* supposed to do!?" she whined. "Guys, wait for me!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"I can't wait to tell the kids! They'll be so happy to see you! Everyone will!" Trunks said happily. Chloe nodded.
"I'll be just as happy to see them," she said.
"Wait a minute."
"What?"
"You said my mom told you about the Dragonballs…"
"Yeah?"
"Where is she?" Bulma suddenly burst into laughter. They both whirled around to see her doubled-over as if in pain. "MOM!?" Bulma continued laughing. "Have you been following us this whole time?!" he demanded. Bulma couldn't voice her answer, so she nodded instead. "Mo-om!!"
"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed.
"Bulma, breathe," Chloe told her gently. Bulma slowly started to calm down.
"I'm sorry, Trunks," she said again. "I couldn't help it."
"What do you mean, you couldn't help it!?"
"Trunks, calm down," Chloe said.
"Calm down!? She's been- I mean she just- OOH!" Trunks clenched his fists and stomped his foot. "You make me so angry!"
"I'm sorry, I really couldn't resist," Bulma explained. "I had to see it for myself."
"It??"
"You two back together!" Trunks blushed and glared at her.
"MOM!"
"What!?"
"You're impossible!" Trunks exclaimed. He stormed off down the hall.
"Oh, Trunks!" Bulma groaned.
"Trunks, wait!" Chloe called.
"I can't believe you would do that!" Trunks cried, turning around to face them. "Can't we have a little privacy?"
"Oh, Trunks, I said I'm sorry," Bulma said. "I won't do it again, promise." Trunks crossed his arms. Chloe sighed.
"Trunks, it's really no big deal."
"Maybe to you," he said crossly.
"Well, if we love each other, we shouldn't be ashamed of it!" Trunks blushed and didn't say anything. "You do love me, don't you?"
"Of course! You know that!"
"And I love you," she said. "See? No problem." She put her arm around his shoulders and hugged him. "Right?"
"Guess so…" She kissed his cheek.
"That's better." Bulma sighed.
"And I don't have my camera."
"MOM!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Oh, I just thought of something!" Chi-Chi exclaimed suddenly.
"What's that?" Eighteen asked.
"Well, I was thinking… Goten and Adrienne are both back-" Eighteen put her hands over her ears. "Eighteen!"
"I don't want to hear it, Chi-Chi!" she exclaimed.
"Fine! I'll just go find them without you!"
"Go right ahead." Chi-Chi crossed her arms.
"Fine, I will!" She stomped off to find her son and daughter-in-law. Eighteen shook her head.
"I should probably find them first…" She looked around, then ran off in the opposite direction.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"So how's your arm feeling?" Rienna asked. Jamie grinned.
"Much better," he answered.
"I'm just glad you're alive," Krystal said. Jamie smiled.
"So am I. I'm glad we're all alive." Alex nodded.
"Thank Kami for those Dragonballs," she said. "Which reminds me… You guys haven't seen Brian running around, have you?" she asked.
"No, sorry," Krystal said, shaking her head.
"Last I saw, he was talking to Aedan," Jamie said.
"Hey, I haven't seen him for a while, either," Rienna said thoughtfully.
"Everyone disappeared after that racket in the living room," Alex said.
"Come to think of it, you're right. I haven't seen Leah or Darrin or anyone!" Krystal exclaimed.
"Maybe we should go looking for them?" Rienna suggested.
"Yeah…" Jamie agreed. "Why not?"
"Let's go, then!" Alex cheered.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Adrienne, dear, I was just looking for you!" Adrienne groaned inwardly. What could they possibly want her to do now!? Adrienne and Vegeta turned around. Adrienne was surprised- it was only Chi-Chi. "Hello, Vegeta!" Vegeta scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Hi, Chi-Chi," Adrienne said kindly. "What do you need?"
"Well," Chi-Chi said, glancing at Vegeta. "I was hoping I could talk to you… alone."
"Oh…" Adrienne turned to her father. "You go ahead, I'll catch up with you later." Vegeta nodded and walked off down the hall. "So what is it?'
"Well…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"…and another thing-" Goten stopped short and stared at the two fingers in the doorway. Darrin winced and waited for him to finish. When he didn't say anything, Darrin followed his gaze and gasped.
"It can't be…"
"Chloe!?" the two of them exclaimed at the same time. Chloe smiled.
"Hi, guys," she said cheerfully. "I'm back."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Bulma waltzed into the dining room, a huge smile on her face. She hummed to herself and picked up the streamers she had dropped earlier, pinning them on the wall as she made her way around the room. It took all her strength to keep from running around the house shouting for joy at the top of her lungs.
"What's with her?" Pan whispered to her grandfather. Goku shrugged.
"I dunno…" He put his bag of balloons on the floor and walked over to her. "Hey, Bulma."
"Oh, hello, Goku!" Bulma said cheerfully. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, if you don't mind me asking…" She looked at him curiously. "Pan and I… well, we were wondering… why you're so happy all of a sudden." Bulma laughed.
"Oh, is that all?" she asked. "Well that's easy. Why don't you go find Trunks and ask him. I'm sure he'd love to tell you." Goku frowned with confusion as Bulma went back to putting up streamers. He looked at Pan, who shrugged with the same confused look. Without a word, they walked out of the room to find him.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Did anyone besides me just hear my mom scream in frustration?" Jamie asked suddenly. Rienna smiled.
"Good. I thought I was going crazy," she said.
"Yeah, me too," Alex said. Krystal nodded.
"Wonder what's up," she said. Jamie shrugged.
"I dunno. Knowing my mom, it could be anything."
"Yeah…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"No, Chi-Chi!" Adrienne shouted. She was walking as fast as she could away from the pestering old woman, but Chi-Chi was just as fast. "I'm not going to listen to you and your crazy grandkids talk!"
"Oh, but Adrienne," Chi-Chi protested. "Three grandkids isn't enough!"
"THEN GO ASK GOHAN!!" Adrienne screamed. Chi-Chi frowned.
"You think I didn't?!" Adrienne stopped and turned around to stare at her.
"…You're crazy."
"Thank you," Chi-Chi said politely. "Now-"
"NO!"
"Oh, but Adrienne!" Chi-Chi said sadly. She grabbed her daughter-in-law's arm and stared at her tearfully. "You said yourself I was crazy! You wouldn't deny a crazy old woman her last wishes, would you?"
"…" Adrienne stared at her for a moment. "Do the words 'Vegeta's child' mean anything to you?" she asked finally.
"Hm… good point." Just then, Jamie and the girls rounded the corner.
"Oh, hey, Mom!" Jamie said. "We were just looking for you!"
"Now what!?" Adrienne exclaimed angrily.
"…Nothing… we were just looking for you…" Jamie said quietly.
"…Oh…" Adrienne shook her head. "Sorry, Jamie."
"That's ok."
"Adrienne," Alex piped up, "you haven't seen Brian around, have you?"
"Sorry, Alex, haven't seen him." She grinned. "I can't believe you'd lose your boyfriend that easily." Alex laughed.
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before," she said good-naturedly. "Thanks anyway."
"So I guess you haven't seen my Dad or Aedan either," Rienna said. Adrienne shook her head.
"Last time I saw your father was when I punched him in the face a while ago." The four teens sweat-dropped.
"You what?" Adrienne also sweat-dropped.
"Well, erm, yes… Anyway! That's not important!" she declared. "No, I haven't seen any of them recently."
"Ok, thanks, Mrs. Son!" Krystal said.
"Call me Adrienne, Krys," Adrienne said. Krystal blushed.
"Right, sorry. Thanks, Adrienne." Adrienne nodded.
"No problem."
"Well, we're gonna go look for them, I guess," Jamie said. "You wanna come?"
"No, I think I'm going to look for your dad," Adrienne said. "He disappeared a minute ago."
"Oh, alright. See ya later!" The four of them walked back down the hall.
"Oh, goodie! We're going to look for Goten!" Chi-Chi cried happily. "I bet I can change *his* mind!" Adrienne sweat-dropped.
"…On second thought, I think I will go with the kids!" she said suddenly. She ran off down the hall before anyone could stop her. "Bye, Chi-Chi!" she said cheerfully, waving over her shoulder as she left.
"Oh, but wait!" Chi-Chi called. Adrienne ignored her and kept going. Chi-Chi sighed. "I guess I'll have to find Goten on my own, then…"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Goten!" Eighteen called. "Goten, where are you?"
"Hiya, Eighteen," Leah said cheerfully. "Lookin' for Dad?" Eighteen nodded.
"Yes," she said. "I need to wa- talk to him." Eighteen smiled. "Haven't seen him, have you?"
"I think he and Darrin went to the living room," Brian said. Eightee quirked an eyebrow at them.
"The *other* living room," Aedan said. Eighteen nodded.
"Right."
"Actually, we're heading that way," Leah said. "Mind if we tag along?" Eighteen smiled.
"No, not really."
"Yay!" Jeremy cheered. He grinned up at Eighteen. She smiled back at him. Aedan laughed. "What?!" His older brother shook his head.
"Nothin'."
"Yeah, right!"
"C'mon," Eighteen said. She offered him her hand and smiled. "Just ignore him, Jeremy." Jeremy grinned. He took her hand and spit his tongue out at Aedan, who shook his head in response. The two of them walked off down the hall. Brian and Leah cocked their heads at them.
"He just has this obsession with attention," Aedan explained. They both nodded.
"Oh."
"Well, better follow her," Brian said.
"Yeah," Leah said. "Hey, Eighteen, wait for us!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Now where did they go?" Adrienne asked herself.
"Hey, Mom!" Leah said. "I thought you were with Grandma?" Adrienne sweat-dropped.
"Well, you see, I was, but, uh…" Eighteen put her hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, you don't have to say another word." Adrienne laughed a little nervously and cleared her throat.
"Um, yes."
"So what are you doing now?" Brian asked.
"I dunno. What are you up to?"
"We're on our way to warn Goten," Eighteen explained. When the children gave her odd looks, she cleared her throat. "I mean to talk to him." Adrienne nodded.
"Right."
"Ah, Goten, there you are!" Adrienne's and Eighteen's eyes went wide.
"Shoot!" Adrienne exclaimed.
"We're too late!" Eighteen moaned.
"Too late?" Aedan asked.
"For what?" Jeremy asked.
"There's still a chance! We can still save him!" Eighteen said. Adrienne nodded.
"Let's go!" The two of them ran off down the hall. "Hey, Chi-Chi! You're- uh… wanted in the kitchen!" The kids sweat-dropped.
"…I have no idea what's going on," Leah said finally.
"Me either," Brian admitted.
"Frankly, I'm not sure I want to find out," Aedan said. Jeremy nodded.
"Hiya, guys!" Jamie said from behind them. The four of them turned around to meet Jamie, Rienna, Krystal, and Alex.
"Hi, Jamie!" Brian said cheerfully. Alex crossed her arms.
"Oh, sure, greet the best friend, neglect the girlfriend." Brian sweat-dropped.
"A-Alex, I-I didn't mean it like that!" Alex laughed.
"I know, you idiot. I'm not stupid." Brian sweat-dropped again and laughed.
"Yeah, I guess not."
"What's that supposed to mean!?"
"N-nothing!" The rest of the teens laughed.
"C'mon, no fighting," Krystal said. "This is supposed to be a happy occasion, remember?"
"Yeah, guys," Rienna said. "Half of us were dead an hour ago. We should be thankful they still aren't!"
"You're right, Ri," Alex said. "Sorry." Brian smiled.
"Yeah, me too."
"Maybe we should see what they're up to…" Leah suggested suddenly, with a wary glance at the living room doorway.
"Yeah… Something about 'saving' Uncle Goten sounds… intriguing," Brian said.
"What? What about my dad?" Jamie asked.
"…It's a long story," Leah, Brian and Aedan chorused.
"It's not *that* long," Jeremy said. "Miss Adrienne and Miss Eighteen were acting kinda funny, though…" He pointed to the living room. "They ran off when Miss Chi-Chi found Mr. Goten!" Jamie and his group sweat-dropped.
"What??" Rienna asked. "That's really… confusing…"
"Our thoughts exactly," Aedan said. "That's why we're gonna go check it out."
"Awfully quiet in there, though…" Brian commented.
"Oh, shut up, you wimp!" Alex said. "C'mon, let's go!" She lead everyone through the doorway and stopped about halfway into the room.
"What is it, Alex?" Brian asked. He followed her gaze past Adrienne, Eighteen, Goten, and Darrin and all the way to the other side of the room.
"It… can't be…" Jamie whispered.
"Mom…?!" Brian asked.
"I can't believe it…" Leah said. Chloe smiled at them all.
"I know it's a bit of a shock," she said. "It's new to me, too."
"But… Mom!" Brian ran to her and hugged her. "I can't believe you're alive! After all this time, you're back!"
"I know, Brian, I know," she said softly.
"I just can't believe it…!" he said shakily. "You don't know how much I missed you!"
"I have an idea," she said with a smile. Brian stood back and looked at her.
"You look just like how I remember…" Chloe smiled.
"I hope that's a good thing." By now, the rest of the group had crowded around. Chloe smiled at them all. "It's good to see you, all of you." Her eyes met with her daughter's. "Especially you, Ri."
"Mom…" she said softly.
"Just look how much you've grown! You're as tall as I am!" Rienna smiled. "You know, I've been watching you." Rienna's eyes widened a little.
"You… have?" Chloe nodded.
"And I'm happy to say that I'm proud of you," she said. "You've handled yourself well, even without me or your father there." Rienna blushed a little bit at this. "And you know what else?"
"What?" Chloe glanced at Aedan.
"You chose your friends wisely, too." Aedan blushed slightly, and Rienna smiled.
"Thanks, Mom." Rienna embraced her, suddenly feeling compelled to do so by some unknown force. "I love you so much."
"I love you more," Chloe answered.
"But I don't get it," Chi-chi said suddenly.
"Get what, Chi-Chi?"
"How you're… alive." Chloe smiled.
"Shenron takes things very generally," Trunks said with a grin.
"'Everyone Aaron's killed' apparently spans quite a bit of time," Goten said.
"Aren't we glad it does?" Adrienne said with a smile. She hugged her sister-in-law. "Welcome back, Chloe."
"Thanks."
"Well, what are we standing around for?" Chi-Chi said suddenly. "Now we *really* have a reason to celebrate!"
"Yeah!" Leah agreed. "We have to tell the others!"
"C'mon, guys!" Jamie cheered. The twins ran off down the hall, followed by Krystal and the others.
"Hey, Leah, wait for me!" Darrin called.
"Oh no, you don't!" Goten said. "I'm not through with you yet!" Darrin groaned.
"Oh, Goten, let him go!" Adrienne said. "It's not like he's done anything wrong!"
"Nothing wrong my-"
"Goten." Goten muttered something under his breath and waved Darrin away. The grateful young Saiyan smiled appreciatively at her and ran off to catch them.
"Well, I'm not the only one with a would-be son-in-law running around," Trunks said with a grin.
"S-s-son-in-law!?" Goten exclaimed. The thought hit him like a speeding Capsule-copter and he nearly fainted on the spot.
"Easy, there, Goten," Adrienne said warily. Chi-Chi rubbed her hands together suspiciously.
"Son-in-law…" she said to herself. "This is perfect!" She grinned. "I'll be a great-grandmother any day now!" Adrienne and Goten groaned.
"Chi-Chi/Mom!"
"Wait a minute, Trunks," Chloe said suddenly. "What do you mean? We have a 'would-be son-in-law' running around?" Trunks sweat-dropped.
"Oh, I know who you're talking about, now!" Adrienne said suddenly. She grinned at Trunks, who spit his tongue out at her in response.
"Oh yeah! That Aedan boy, right?" Eighteen asked. Trunks' face went pale and he tried to signal Eighteen to shut up, but I guess she didn't get it. Goten tried to hold back a snicker. "The one with a pierced ear and that adorable little boy for a brother?"
"Who??" Chloe asked. "You mean that boy that was just in here?!" She set a piercing glare on Trunks. He gulped and laughed.
"Erm… it's a long story…? Heheh…" *Oh boy…*
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Grandpa!" Goku looked up to find that the grandkids were running towards him. Darrin was following, and they all appeared to be extremely happy about something.
"Leah, Jamie! Boy, what's got you all worked up?" Goku asked.
"There's someone we want you to meet!" Leah said excitedly.
"Again!" Jamie added, taking Goku's hand. Together, he pulled his grandfather into the other living room and ran off to find some more people to tell.
*-*--*-*--*-*
"EVERYONE TO THE LIVING ROOM NOW!" Brian yelled as he ran by the kitchen where Videl, Jessica, Bridgett, and Marron were cooking. Ruben was 'overseeing' the project (which consisted mainly of sneaking a taste every time one of them turned their back) and was hanging out behind his wife, peering over her shoulder to see what she was up to. All of them looked up as Brian appeared and reappeared through the door frame.
"What?" Videl asked.
"THE *OTHER* LIVING ROOM!" Aedan yelled, running by after Brian. Rienna popped her head in the doorway.
"Hi guys!"
"Hi, Rienna," Jessica said cheerfully. "What's this all about?"
"We're gathering everyone in the living room for a meeting!" she told them. Aedan jogged back into view.
"And we mean that literally," he added with a grin.
"Huh?"
"Never mind," Rienna said, shaking her head. "Just put that stuff on hold and come on for a minute." Marron shrugged.
"These need to cook more anyway," she said, gesturing to a pot on the stove. She waved to the rest of them. "C'mon, let's go see what's up."
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Heya, Grandpa!" Vegeta slammed the lid back on the shoebox he was looking through and looked up at Brian, Aedan, and Rienna.
"What do you want?" he asked sharply.
"We want you to meet someone," Rienna explained.
"If it's that fool boy's family," Vegeta said, glaring at Aedan, "then I'm not interested." Rienna frowned and put her hands on her hips.
"Grandpa!" Aedan glared at Vegeta and clenched his fists. Vegeta smirked at him.
"You want to fight me, shrimp?"
"Shrimp!?" Aedan narrowed his eyes and started to roll up one of his sleeves. "Maybe I do!"
"No, you don't," Rienna said, giving them both a stern look. She put her hand on Aedan's arm, and that seemed to calm him a bit.
"Tch," Vegeta said, crossing his arms. "Fine. I would have driven him into the ground anyway."
"Grandpa!!"
"Ok, that's it, you old geezer-"
"Old geezer!?" Vegeta's eyes flashed red. "Do you know who you're dealing with?!"
"HEY!" Rienna finally shouted. "Enough is enough! I can't take it anymore!" She turned to Vegeta. "Fine! If you don't want to come meet Mom, then FINE! C'mon, Aedan, let's find my grandma!" She turned on her heel and stormed off down the hallway. Vegeta blinked after her.
"'Meet Mom'?" he repeated. "What in Kami's name is she talking about?! Chloe's dead!"
"Not anymore," Brian said. Vegeta's face lit up with anticipation and realization. "But if you don't want to come…" Suddenly, a great gust of wind blew his hair in his face, and when he turned around, Vegeta was gone. Brian smiled. "Cool."
*-*--*-*--*-*
Vegeta couldn't hold back his joy as he flew down the halls in a blur. The brats would *not* joke around with something on this much importance and seriousness. He flew past everyone in the hallways, flew past the kitchen, past the dining room, past all of them, beaming with happiness. He didn't care if anyone saw him. It didn't matter- Chloe was back!
After what seemed like forever (though he'd only been flying for a few seconds), Vegeta reached the alternate living room. He touched down outside the doorway without a sound and tried to calm himself. Then he shrugged. He'd probably do something drastic inside anyway.
Vegeta walked into the living room casually.
"Oh, hi, Dad!" Trunks said, greeting his father. "Guess what!"
*-*--*-*--*-*
"Chloe's back," Vegeta said dully. He looked at Trunks with a very jaded expression. Trunks blinked.
"You're not excited?" Vegeta laughed and looked past his son to his daughter-in-law.
"Excited?" he asked. "Excited?? Of course I'm not excited!" Vegeta said with a sneer. Trunks glared at him intensely and was about to go on a furious tirade when Vegeta smiled. Genuinely smiled. "I'm not excited," he repeated. "I'm absolutely *thrilled*!" The outburst died on his lips. Before even Vegeta knew what was going on, he had wrapped his arms around Chloe's shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. "You don't know how happy I am to see you!" Chloe blinked a few times.
"I'm happy to see you, too, Vegeta," she said slowly. Trunks stared at the two of them in astonishment.
"I prayed to Dende every day that you'd come back!" Vegeta continued, not seeming to notice (or care about) the confused look on his son's face. He stepped back and instead smiled at Chloe. "Trunks missed you so much! In all honesty, I thought he'd go mad!"
"HEY!" Trunks exclaimed. "Just what do you mean by-"
"Not to mention the rest of the family. We were devastated!" Chloe smiled.
"Well, good to know I'm loved," she said.
"LOVED!?" Vegeta exclaimed. "Even *I* missed you!" With that, Vegeta glanced around the room. "Which, by the way…" He suddenly turned back into his old self and glared at Trunks. "If either of you tell *anyone* about this, you're *dead*." Chloe laughed.
"Don't worry, Vegeta, you're secret's safe with me. Right, Trunks?"
"Yeah, you maybe," he answered with a grin.
"Trunks…!"
"Joking, joking! Jeez!" Vegeta muttered something under his breath about "ungrateful children" and glared at him.
"Vegeta?"
"Hm?" Vegeta turned to look at her. Chloe had her face tilted down and didn't look him in the face.
"…Thanks," she said finally. Her voice was shaky, liked she was crying. Vegeta smiled and put his hand on her shoulder.
"It's ok, Chloe," he said softly. "And you're welcome." He lifted her chin with his finger and she stared up at him. "Now I don't want you to shed any more tears. Tears are for sad times, not welcome home parties." Chloe smiled and nodded. She suddenly threw her arms around his neck.
"Thank you, Vegeta," she said softly. She stood back and smiled at him. "You have a good heart, even if you don't show it half the time." Vegeta smirked.
"Yeah, maybe so," he said. "But remember," he said, with an added look of authority to Trunks, "DEAD." Chloe laughed and nodded.
"Gotcha."
*-*--*-*--*-*
HA! DONE! FINALLY DONE!!! *hops around like mad* Whoo hoo!! I'm gonna have another chapter (like an Epilogue type thing) that you guys can read later, if you want to continue the story. Co-written by Autumn Nicole, too. So it'll be good. At least, I hope so. ...Anyway, thanks to my loyal reviewers, Princess of all Vegetables (and Sarah and Jared ^^;) and Autumn Nicole! Couldn't do it without you guys! ^___^
