And then there were 16...

I was a mother. It was the scariest thought ever.

Kira came home two days after she was born, and I could just look at her as she slept and think, that was what ruined my marriage. Then I wanted to smack myself. That was an awful thought. I ruined my marriage, not her. She had no idea what was going on.

Then I thought of how much I had let her down. I just hadn't let Goten down, and his whole family down, but I had let Kira down. If I hadn't been such an asshole, she could be in the arms of her father at that very moment. And the fact that I had let her down more than anyone broke my heart. How could I do that to someone so unbelievably helpless and beautiful?

So I decided to make things right, once and for all. I got up the guts to get into a car again, and took Kira with me. I think that was the first act of stupid motherhood I did. Bringing my newborn daughter with me while I drove a car for the first time. I hoped that wasn't a preview of things to come.

Anyway, I drove up to Goku and Chi-Chi's house, where I knew Goten was staying. Well, he was either there or at Gohan and Videl's, so I figured I had a good shot of finding him up there.

I guess I didn't realize exactly how nervous I was until I was at the door with Kira in my arms. I was visibly shaking as I knocked on the door. Please don't let it be Chi-Chi, please Dende. I never had a problem with Chi-Chi in my entire life. But since she raised both of her boys, she is very protective over them. It was sort of like the hurt-them-I'll-hurt-you. My mother was that way with me, and Bulma was that way with Trunks and Bra, and Videl was that way with Pan. Chi-Chi just never grew out of it.

But Dende was finally on my side. Goku answered the door and smiled at me in a very soft, gentle, welcoming, comforting way that just made me feel a whole lot better.

"Hi Marron," he greeted softly. "Come on in." He glanced down at my arms. "Oh! Is this the baby?"

"Yes," I smiled, "this is Kira." I handed her to Goku. I don't know why, but something about Goku holding a baby always looked so right. I guess it's because he's such a gentle person. I hadn't seen Goku hold a baby since… since, well Pan was born, and since that was so long ago, I don't really remember it that well.

"Oh wow. She's so beautiful, Marron. Kira. Well, look at those eyes. Your eyes, that's for sure. Goten's over next door having lunch with Gohan, but I can get him over here for you." He bounced Kira up and down as he started out the front door. "I'm sure Gohan and Videl would love to meet this little one here. Chi-Chi went grocery shopping." He began to walk through the yard.

"Um, are you sure it's a good idea to go over there, Goku? I mean, someone could still be mad at me or something," I rambled nervously. I was very scared about facing the rest of the Son family. Goku wouldn't hold a grudge against me because I'm Krillin's daughter, but the rest of them… I never knew.

Goku smiled at Kira and nodded his head. "Don't worry about them. They only know Goten's side of the story. And who wouldn't want to meet this precious little baby?" he asked in a baby voice.

I followed him, scared shitless, to Gohan and Videl's front door. But they couldn't murder the mother of a newborn, could they? That would just be wrong.

Goku opened the front door and smiled. "Hey guys!" he called out. "Look who I found!"

I heard chairs scuff against the kitchen floor and Gohan, Videl, Pan, and Goten walk into the living room. Goten saw me and froze. His face turned white, and I gave him a small smile. When I saw Pan, my heart broke. I hadn't seen her in two months, and I had missed her like crazy.

"Goten, I met your daughter. She's the sweetest little thing," Goku said, rocking Kira around, showing her to his sons. "You didn't tell me she looked so much like you!"

"Yeah, well, it didn't come up," Goten muttered, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

Pan peered into her grandfather's arms. "Can I hold her, Maz?" she asked, giving me our secret code. After we had our first fight years before, we decided if we ever fought again, and one of us forgave the other, we would scratch the top of our head, then the tip of our nose.

I shot her a secret smile and nodded. Then I turned to Gohan, who had his arm on Videl's shoulder, squeezing it slightly.

"Do you want some coffee, Marron?" Videl asked. "You look a little tired."

I smiled thankfully at her. "Yes, thanks. This little one doesn't know how to sleep all night." We walked into the kitchen together, me very happy that she wasn't going to throw me out of her house.

"Can I ask you a question? What exactly is going on with you and Goten? I don't mean to pry, but Goten doesn't really want to talk about it, and, well, I--"

"I understand. But really, Videl, I wish I knew myself. He told me at the hospital he wanted to be in Kira's life, but I don't think he was telling the truth. As much as it hurts, I have to respect the fact that I hurt him," I said sadly, staring into my coffee.

Videl sat silent for a moment, until 'Ten came in with Kira in his arms.

"Marron, can we talk in the bedroom or something?" he asked quietly.

I nodded and we walked to Pan's bedroom and sat down on her bed. "What's up?" I asked, taking Kira from him and fixing the blanket she was wrapped in.

He looked at me like I was crazy. "What the hell are you doing here? I told you I needed time, and you coming here to flaunt the baby around is not giving me the time I need! Is that so hard for you understand?"

"Well excuse me if I wanted our daughter to meet her family! I thought maybe I was doing the right thing! If I hadn't brought her over here, you'd be bitching about that, too!" I retorted. I couldn't believe this- this - was my sweet Goten. Something inside him had changed, that was for sure.

"I am not bitching. You're the one who went back on our deal. I need more time," he muttered through clenched teeth.

Could this really be him? Could my Goten be telling me to go away and leave him alone? I lowered my head. "I don't know if I can give you more time," I whispered. "These past two months have been exceptionally hard on me, and I've just missed you more than I could ever imagine missing someone. And now, now that Kira's born, I just thought that maybe you loved her- and me - enough that you would decide that you didn't need anymore time. I guess I figured you, of all people, couldn't stay away from your family for that long," I whispered.

I felt a strong arm wrap itself around my shoulders. And that arm just felt so good; it felt so good to be held by Goten again.

"I do love Kira, and you, but you hurt me, Marron. You really did. And I know you tried to do the right thing by telling me the truth, and I'm glad you did tell me. I'd rather hear it from you than from Trunks when he got too drunk, or someone else. But no matter if you did the right thing or not, it still hurts. It hurts to know that you would do something like that." He opened his arms and I carefully fell back into him.

I wished someone would just freeze time right there, right with the three of us sitting there, so perfectly.

Click. I saw a flash and Pan ran out of the room, a camera in her hand.

I laughed. "If we don't stay together for anyone else, 'Ten, let it be for her. Please, just let it be for her."

"I can't promise you anything, Mar. I can only tell you that I love you, and I love Kira, and I want to make this work."

I stood up. "I should go home. I wasn't even supposed to take her out of the house. Maybe you can stop by for dinner or something sometime?"

He smiled at me and held his arms out for Kira. "Let me hold her before you leave. I want to say good-bye."

As Goten sat down with Kira in his arms and whispered words to her, I was bought back to the day he left me. When he was drying the dishes, and I was thinking about how gentle he was with each dish, and I wondered if he would be like that with the baby. Everything I thought was absolutely true.

He gave Kira a final kiss on the head. "She's beautiful."

"I know. I'll talk to you soon, and you stop by and see her soon, okay?"

"We'll see what's going on."

"Bye Goten."

"Bye Marron."

As I left that day, I had no idea exactly how long I would be saying good-bye for. I had just hoped it would only be for a day or so.

"Isn't your daddy something special, Kira?"

I swear she smiled.