"Gohan...." she said.
"Hm?" Gohan poked his head around the door.
"Could you please call an ambulance?" Videl asked. "My water just broke."
~~~~~
Piccolo walked emotionless down the corridor. He looked around occasionally. There were loads of little kids here, of all kinds of races. And not one of them seemed bothered by the fact that they all looked so different. Guess they were used to foreigners.
A couple of children did stare at him, however. Well, it couldn't be because he was a namek because they would've seen Maple. Well.... perhaps they'd never seen a male namek before.... Or it could be because of the look on his face. His emotion was so serious. He followed Silvia up the stairs, and she led him down another small corridor. She stopped about halfway down, and shot him a sympathetic look that came and went in a few seconds. She turned away, towards the door.
"This is her room..." she mumbled.
"She's in there now?" Piccolo asked. Silvia nodded. She opened the door.
Piccolo entered, followed by Silvia, who shut the door behind her. Piccolo acknowledged the other person in the room, but didn't take him eyes off Maple. Leela was there, too. She sat on the end of Maple's bed. Maple lay in it. Her face lit up when she saw Piccolo.
"Hey." she greeted him.
"..... Hi." Piccolo swallowed, pushing away the emotions that started to attack him. He couldn't stand it. He'd never seen her like this before. Hooked up to all these machines... she looked so weak. Weak? Her? He'd never really thought of her as capable of being weak - no matter how much he teased her about it. It was... so hard to believe... impossible to believe....
"....... How you feelin'?" he asked. "Idiot."
"Ah, you know." Maple shrugged. "Okay." she smirked. "At least I don't have to put up with hospital food, anyway."
"... Guess that's something." Piccolo cracked a small smile. Maple looked at Silvia. Silvia nodded, and looked at Leela. She nodded her head towards the door. Leela gave Maple a small smile, and left the room, followed by her sister. Silvia closed the door behind them.
Maple looked at Piccolo.
"So how have you been?" she asked.
"Alright." Piccolo shrugged.
"Good..." Maple mumbled. She looked at him. "Why didn't you write to me?"
"But I did!" Piccolo protested. "I thought you were the one that wasn't writing!"
"But I sent tons of letters." Maple replied.
"I know, Silvia told me." Piccolo said. "I guess there was a problem at the post office or something. But I didn't get anything."
".... I thought you'd dumped me..." Maple admitted. Piccolo shook his head.
"I didn't." he walked over to her, and sat on the bed. He looked into her eyes. "Never."
"... Well... I guess it doesn't matter..." Maple put her hand on his face. "You're here now."
Piccolo closed his eyes, trying to fight off the pain in his heart. He couldn't.
"I'm dying, Piccolo." Maple told him.
"..... What... You were fine..." Piccolo stared at her. "I mean, how?"
"I have cancer or something." Maple shrugged. "I don't know, I can't remember what it is. But apparently I've had it for about two years. They just... didn't notice it until now. But it's too far gone. If I'm lucky I'll see tomorrow morning."
~~~~~
"Hey, you hang in there, okay?!" Gohan ran alongside Videl, who was being pushed on a stretcher surrounded by about three doctors all talking at once.
"Gohan! Go call everyone, okay?" Videl cried out.
"I already did! They're on their way -" Gohan suddenly remembered the one person who didn't know Videl was having a baby. "Piccolo?!"
"Gohan?!"
"Hey, Piccolo's not here!"
"Doesn't Goku know where he is?"
"No. I'll go find him!"
"Please, hurry back!" Videl whined.
"I promise!"
~~~~~
Piccolo stared at the ground.
"... How long have you known about this...?"
"About five or six months." Maple replied. "That's what most of my letters said."
"..... I'm sorry..." Piccolo closed his eyes. "..... You probably think I abandoned you..."
"Of course not!" Maple insisted. She gasped. Her eyes widened. "Piccolo..." she choked.
"Hm?" Piccolo turned his head to look at her. "Maple?!" the machines surrounding her started to bleep wildly.
"Pic -" Maple reach up to him. Piccolo grabbed her hand.
"Wait! You can't go yet - I haven't told you -"
"Do me a favor..." Maple whispered.
"What?"
"Name the baby for me..."
"Baby?" Piccolo looked at her. "Maple, what baby?!"
"Our baby..." Maple seemed to stop fighting. Her hand went limp in his. The machines gave a long bleep. Piccolo stared at one of the monitors, wide - eyed. A straight green line. Nothing else.
"Maple!!" he squeezed her hand, but he already knew the truth. She was gone.
".... Maple..." he stared down at her. Her eyes were closed. Her lips... funnily enough, they were in the form of a small smile. A smile? There was nothing to smile about. He gently put his hand on her face, and ran his finger around her antennae.
"..... I'm sorry...."
The door burst open. A panic - stricken Leela came running in.
"I heard bleeping!!" she gasped. She noticed Maple. Lifeless. "NOOOOO!!"
~~~~~
Gohan collapsed in the middle of the hospital corridor.
"I... *pant* ... couldn't find him... *pant*" he sat there, catching his breath.
"Listen," Goku got up from his seat. "You go be with Videl. I'll look for Piccolo, okay?"
"... Y.... Yeah..." Gohan panted. He looked up at his father, and smiled. "Thanks, dad."
"You're welcome ^_^" Goku smiled back. He headed for the exit.
"Can I come in too, dad?" Pan asked as Gohan stood up.
"Sorry, Pan. I don't think you're allowed." Gohan replied.
"No fair! I'M gonna be related to this baby too, y'know!" Pan sulked.
"I'll come out every five minutes and tell you how she's doing. How's that?" Gohan offered.
"You don't have to talk to me like I'm a little kid." Pan mumbled. Gohan smiled, and entered the room where Videl was giving birth.
Pan folded her arms, and gave a bored sigh. She looked at the person sitting next to her.
"Hey, Uncle Goten, what are they gonna call the baby?" she asked.
"I dunno..." Goten admitted.
"I don't think they've decided yet. Maybe they'll just decide once the baby's born.." Chichi shrugged.
"I bet it'll be a boy!" Hercule exclaimed.
"We know!" all three voices replied.
~~~~~
Piccolo sat on the chair in Maple's bedroom like he was in a world of his own. But he couldn't be. He could still hear Leela crying uncontrollably against her mother's shoulder. Yes, Samedin was there too, now. She had her arms around her youngest daughter, too busy comforting Leela to cry herself. One of the servants put Maple's sheet over her head. Covering her completely.
"....." Silvia approached Piccolo. She crouched down in front of him. "You okay?" she asked.
"....." Piccolo didn't reply.
"....." Silvia turned away. A few tears moved slowly down her cheek, but she tried to be brave for her sister. So it stayed at just a few. Heh. She was the brave one again. She was the one that couldn't cry when Zarbon died, too. Well... being the eldest, she had to be the strongest. For the sake of the others.
"...... I never told her..." Piccolo said. "I was gonna, but..."
"Huh?" Silvia looked at him. "Tell her what?"
"..... Just a few things..." Piccolo mumbled. He raised his eyes and looked at her. "She mentioned a baby...?"
"Oh, right." Silvia nodded. She stood up. "Follow me."
~~~~~
"ARRRRRR!!!" Videl screamed.
"That's it, just push...." the nurse said.
"I AM pushing!!" Videl yelled.
"Hey, Videl... not so hard, okay?" Gohan squirmed as she crushed his hand.
"Okay, I can see it's head." the doctor smiled. "One last push, okay? Ready?"
"AGH!!"
~~~~~
Piccolo looked around the room. It was pretty empty. There was a bed and a few pieces of furniture.
"Is this a spare room?" he asked.
".... It is now..." Silvia said. "It.. used to be Zarbon's room..."
".... Sorry." Piccolo looked away.
"Here..."
Piccolo turned his head. He saw Silvia standing over a cot in the corner of the room. She pulled out a tiny green thing. Piccolo looked at it. He had never seen anything so small! Silvia looked at him as she held the baby. She gave a small smile.
"Did Maple ever tell you that she always wanted to be a mother?"
Piccolo shook his head. "No." he frowned as a memory returned to him. "But... she asked me if I ever wanted to have children..."
"Then I guess this part at least was planned..." Silvia said. She held the baby out to Piccolo. "Take him. Or her."
"What?" Piccolo looked at her.
"Y'know, regardless of what I thought she still wanted to by her side." Silvia told him. "She knew she wasn't going to be able to raise this baby.... but she didn't want to leave you with nothing. She spat out an egg this morning. The baby's about eight hours old, I think."
"... And she wants ME to have this baby?" Piccolo gasped.
"That's what the girl said." Silvia nodded. She held the baby out to him. "Hm?"
"...." Piccolo took the baby off her. He looked down at it. The baby had its eyes closed. It was completely bald. There were the usual patches on its arms, but none on its stomach. And the sky on its arms and legs hadn't gone hard yet. He looked at Silvia. "But I don't know a thing about babies!"
"Can you manage?" Silvia asked. "Or do you need some help?"
"..." Piccolo looked back at the baby. It opened its eyes, and stared up at him. "Geez..." he was amazed. With those blue eyes it looked almost exactly like Maple.
"What's the matter?" Silvia questioned.
"Nothing." Piccolo replied. "... I'll be okay with it."
"Definitely?"
"Yeah. I think so."
~~~~~
"One last push..." the doctor urged.
"You said that five pushes ago!!" Videl yelled. "How many more?!"
"I'm sorry. But the head just isn't coming out..." the doctor sounded a little worried.
"Is the baby alright?!" Gohan gasped.
"...." the doctor looked at the seemingly trapped baby. "One more push and if it doesn't come we might have to drag it out..."
"No!!" Videl screamed. "This isn't happening!"
"Please, just push!"
~~~~~
Piccolo stepped onto the ship, followed by Silvia.
"You sure you don't want me to come with you?" Silvia asked, tapping some information into the control panel.
".. No... it's okay..." Piccolo mumbled.
"... Okay then. You're ready." she pointed to a large green button. "Just push this button when you land and the ship'll fly itself back."
"Okay."
"Piccolo," Leela stepped onto the ship. Piccolo looked at her. Her eyes were still a little wet, and the areas around them was red and puffy.
"Can I come see the baby sometime?" Leela asked.
"... Sure. Anytime." Piccolo replied. Leela gave a small smile. "Thank you."
"Leela." Samedin said.
"Okay..." Leela got off the ship, and went inside the orphanage. Samedin looked at Silvia, who nodded back, and then she followed Leela back inside.
"Well... I guess it's bye for now, then." Silvia shrugged.
"I guess." Piccolo still sounded emotionless.
".... Thanks for making my sister happy." Silvia said.
"...... Don't mention it."
"..." Silvia got off the ship. She stood outside, and watched as the door closed and it look off into the sky. She watched it leave until it was completely out of sight, and then went inside after her mother and sister.
~~~~~
"........." Piccolo closed his eyes. He could feel the baby move a little in his arms. Silvia had given him the blanket it had slept in all morning. It was pretty thin, but it would do. The baby made a small noise. It didn't mean anything. Just what babies did. Piccolo opened his eyes, and looked down at it. The baby stared back up at him. Piccolo continued to stare.
"........... What?"
~~~~~
"Oh God!" Videl tossed her head back, breathing heavily. "I am NEVER doing that again!"
"That's exactly what you said when you had Pan." Gohan smirked.
"Well I mean it this time!" Videl replied.
"Ha ha!" Gohan laughed, a big grin on his face.
"Here we are..." the nurse cheerfully carried the cleaned - up baby over to the couple. "You have a healthy baby boy." she placed him in Videl's arms.
"Oh...." Videl looked lovingly at the baby. "He's so perfect..."
"He is..." Gohan smiled. "...... I gotta tell everyone!!" he ran out of the room. Videl laughed.
~
"It's a boy!!" Gohan exclaimed as he burst through the door, into the corridor, waving his arms around excitedly.
"Told you so!!" Hercule shot up off his seat triumphantly. "Ha ha!!"
"A boy?" Goten smiled.
"A boy! A boy!!" Gohan jumped up and down brimming with excitement. Goku made his way down the corridor.
"Hey, guy. Bad news, I couldn't find Pic - Whoa!!" he cried out as Gohan jumped at him, almost knocking him over.
"WE HAVE A BABY BOY!!!" Gohan screamed, wrapped around his father and waving his fist in the air.
"Hey, that's great!" Goku smiled. "Congratulations!"
"Gohan, come here!" Chichi beamed.
"Mom!" Gohan leapt off his father and ran up to hug his mother.
"Hey, dad, can I see him?" Pan asked cheerfully.
"Sure! Everybody! Let's go see the baby!"
*4 hours later*
Piccolo felt the ship land. The door opened automatically. He walked over to the control panel, and pressed the green button Silvia had told him to. He then got off the ship, and watched it fly away.
".... Bye, Maple..." he said. "I'll tell the baby about you..."
It stared to rain. He frowned in annoyance, and flew off to look for shelter.
~~~~~
"I'm going out to look for Piccolo again!" Gohan announced. Everybody was round at Capsule Corps. Literally everybody. The entire Son family, the entire Briefs family, Hercule, Krillin and Eighteen. The only one not there was Piccolo.
"Are you sure? It's raining." Chichi said.
"I won't be long." Gohan promised. "Bye!"
"Hey, wait!" Chichi called after him. "Take a jacket or something!" but he'd already gone.
~~~~~
Piccolo entered his usually shelter spot. It was a nearby cave that he slept in when it was cold or raining. He sat down against a rock.
"Hmm..." he looked around. There was nowhere to put the baby. He couldn't hold it all night! He had to make something for it. He went back out into the rain, sheltering the baby with his arms and its blanket.
~~~~
"Piccolo!" Gohan called. "Pic - co - lo!" he looked around. Where would he be? Wait... he squinted at the thing in the distance. Was that him? Was that Piccolo?"
"Piccolo?" he mumbled. He flew towards him.
~~~~
"There." Piccolo said, dumping his findings on the ground inside the cave. "Huh?" he looked over his shoulder. Funny. He felt like he was being followed.
"Whatever." he shrugged, and put the baby down. He picked up the bits of wood he'd found, and got to work weaving a small basket.
"Piccolo?"
"Gohan?" Piccolo recognized the voice. He turned around. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for YOU!" Gohan replied. "Videl had the baby today. About four hours ago. Where were you?"
"Oh... sorry..." Piccolo mumbled. "I thought she wasn't due for another week or so..."
"Yeah, the baby was a little premature." Gohan admitted. "But he was healthy enough to take home."
"He? The baby's a he?" Piccolo noticed.
"Yeah." a smile appeared on Gohan's face. "We have a little baby boy."
"Heh. Well, I'm pleased for you, kid." Piccolo replied. He looked at the ground.
"What's the matter?" Gohan asked, a look of concern on his face.
"Wha?" Piccolo snapped out of it. "Oh, nothing." he got back to work.
"What are you doing?" Gohan looked over his shoulder - and saw the baby.
His eyes widened. "P - Piccolo?! You -"
"Don't freak out, the kid isn't mine." Piccolo told him. "I'm just taking care of it."
"Well who's is it, then?!" Gohan protested.
"Maple's."
"Oh, that female namek?" Gohan asked.
"That's the one." Piccolo nodded.
"Well, why can't she take care of it if it's her's?" Gohan replied.
"..... She died." Piccolo said.
"Oh, Piccolo..." Gohan gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry... I didn't -"
"Hey, it's alright. 'Least that kid of yours is doing okay." Piccolo shrugged.
"Yeah, he's doing great!" Gohan smiled.
"You thought of a name for him yet?" Piccolo asked. He was still weaving.
"Nah, not yet. We thought of a couple of names, but looking at him now, he doesn't suit them." Gohan replied.
"Ah, you'll think of something."
"Hey, does Maple's baby have a name?" Gohan asked.
"She wanted me to name it. But I don't know what to call it. After all, I don't know it it's gonna end up looking male or female. I gotta call it something that fits both." Piccolo replied.
"Well, why don't you wait until it's five years old or something. You're bound to be able to tell by then." Gohan suggested.
"That's not a bad idea. Thanks, kid." Piccolo agreed.
"So... are you coming round?" Gohan questioned.
"... Nah. I think I'll stay here for a while. Unless you really want me to come round...?"
"It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow, right?"
"See ya, kid." Piccolo said. Gohan left the cave.
*2 hours later*
Piccolo put the basket down, and shook his aching hands that had been weaving for two hours straight.
"There." he picked the baby up, and placed it in the basket. "You alright, kid?"
The baby just looked at him. It closed his eyes, that was probably a good sign. Piccolo was about to turn away, when he saw the baby shiver.
"Hm?" he looked around. There was nothing he could use as an extra blanket..... wait! He had an idea. He grabbed the part of his shirt he'd sewn back on, and ripped it off again. He picked the baby up and wrapped the bit of clothing around the blanket it already had. "There." he put the baby back down. "Heh." he smirked. "I guess ripping my shirt was a good idea after." He lay down on the floor next to the basket. "'Night, kid." he closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~
I wish I had your pair of wings
Had them last night in my dreams
I was chasing butterflies
Till the sunrise broke my eyes
Tonight the sky has glued my eyes
'Cause what they see an angel hive
I´ve got to touch the magic sky
And greet the angels in their hive
Sometimes I wish I were an angel
Sometimes I wish I were you
Sometimes I wish I were an angel
Sometimes I wish I were you
And all the sweet honey from above
Pour it all over me, sweet love
And while you're flying around my head
Your honey kisses keep me fed
I wish I had your pair of wings
Just like last night in my dreams
I was lost in paradise
I wish I´d never opened my eyes