Piccolo woke up to the sound of the baby crying.
"Mmm..." he groaned. He opened his eyes, and sat up. He looked at the screaming infant. "Must be thirsty." he picked the baby up, and carried it to the nearest lake.

Once there, he shifted the baby into one arm, and scooped up some water with his free hand. He let it slide into the baby's mouth, careful not to give it too much. The baby eventually started turning away from his hand. Piccolo stood up, and was about to go back to the cave when a voice stopped him.
"Excuse me. Mr Piccolo?"
"Yeah," Piccolo turned around to face him. It was the same alien that delivered Maple's letters.
"Here." the man handed him a small bag of letters. "Sorry about the delay, but there was a problem at the post office."
"..." Piccolo looked at the bag, and then glared at the postman. "You've got a nerve! Do you know how much trouble you and your "problem" have caused?!"
"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm doing the best I can!" the man protested. "Please, I gotta go! There's a lot of undelivered post!" he shot off. Piccolo glared after him, and sat down. He rested the baby on his lap as he opened the bag. He decided not to read them all. Too painful. And besides, they'd probably all say pretty much the same thing.
He read the first letter.

"Dear Piccolo,
How are you doing? I've been feeling a little sick lately, but not too bad. Nothing too worry about."
Piccolo cringed when he read this. And she said it was nothing to worry about....
"Anyway, not much has been happening. Same old same old ^_^"

See ya soon!
Maple"

He moved on to the second letter.

"Dear Piccolo,
Hey, you've not written for a while. Well, we agreed to write if he didn't hear from each other in a month, right? I guess your letter got lost in the post. I still feel a little sick. Maybe I'm coming down with something. Oh well. I'm sure it's just a common virus.

Write back
Maple"

Piccolo just skimmed few a few letters. They were all the same.

"Dear Piccolo,
I still feel sick.... why aren't you writing?"

"Dear Piccolo,
Still no word from you. Why don't you just tell me what's up? Why won't you write?"

He moved on to the last two letters, and read every word on them both.

"Dear Piccolo,
I'm feel really bad. I'm going for a few tests tomorrow. I think it's serious.
Please.... I need you more than ever... just write to me... Just so I know where you are... Do you want to break up with me? Please... just tell me...

Please write
Maple"

He swallowed.
"Maple..." a single small tear escaped his eye. "I'm sorry..." he moved on to the final letter.

"Dear Piccolo...
I'm dying. The test result came back. I have cancer. I only have about a month to live. And that's if I take these stupid drugs they've given me.
Please... I'm only taking them because I'm still waiting to hear from you. Please just write to me... I don't have much time left. I'm begging you...

I still love you, Piccolo. So please...
Maple."

Piccolo's heart felt like it had been ripped into pieces. Even holding the letter was painful.
"God...." he closed his eyes. "Why....? Why did you have to do this?" He heard a small noise coming from his lap. He looked down. Maple's baby was gazing up at him. Its eyes seemed to smile. Piccolo gazed back down at the baby, and a small smile appeared on his face. No. She wasn't gone. Not really. A small part of her lived on through this little one. And he would do everything he could to protect her.

~~~~~

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

But there´s danger in the air
Tryin' so hard to be unfair
Danger´s in the air
Tryin' so hard to give us a scare
But we´re not afraid

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

I wish I were you
Oh I wish I were you

- An Angel
By the Kelly Family