Disclaimer: Do not own DBZ or its characters. They belong to Akira Toriyama and no other. I also do not own Miyuki or her kids, they have their own owner.

Claimer: Do own Cheena and everyone else mentioned.

AN: How are you all doing? Me? I'm doing fine, you know, with no soul and all. Anyhow, thanks for the reviews. I loved reading them. Here is the next chapter. Enjoy and see you at the end.

~*Chapter 15: Time to Mourn *~

Floating aimlessly in the air, Trunks could barely breathe. His eyes were slightly dilated as his hands shook at his side. Raising his right arm slowly, he moved his shaking hand towards his chest, placing it over his heart.

*Che...* he said as he slowly closed his eyes. In the outskirts of his own mind, there was his wife, lying still, calling out to him. Her words, ringing in his ears like a broken record and he could do nothing but listen, listen to her cry out to him.

*Trunks, if you can hear me I just want to say...I'm sorry. I failed you and our sons. I didn't listen. I should have left the fight but I stayed. I'm so sorry. I hope you can forgive me. Take care of our sons, please. Tell them I love them and I'll see them again some day. I love you Trunks, always remember that, I will always love you* Cheena's words continued to play out in his mind. Slowly his eyes opened up, taking a look back into his reality of an unknown pain. He could feel something was wrong but could he think the worse? He wasn't sure, but why else would she call to him in such a way, he just wasn't sure of that answer.

"Trunks! Hey Trunks!" a voice said catching his attention. Turning around, Trunks looked to see Goku, Goten and his father heading towards him. Stopping in front of him, Goku and Goten had a look of worry plagued across their face while Vegeta, although not upset, had a solemn look upon his face.

"What are you guys doing here?" Trunks asked, puzzled by the people around him.

"For the same reason you're floating here instead of heading to the battle site of Castine and Cheena. She called to you, didn't she?" Goten asked as he slowly floated to the side of Trunks. Watching his friend, Trunks raised an eyebrow, wondering what was going on.

"Yes, she did. How do you know about that?" he asked, knowing that only he could hear his wife calling out for him, a part of their bond. Shaking his head no, Goten looked over at his father then at Trunks.

"Dad said he heard her call to him. Something about her apologizing" he said. Looking over at Goku, Trunks nodded his head.

"The bond between you two is still strong, father and daughter" he said. Goku nodded his head stiffly as he stared at Trunks.

"Her energy is gone, I can't sense her anymore" he said. Trunks eyes slowly narrowed as he turned around, facing the direction he last sensed his wife.

"I know, we have to get to her. Goku, can you hone in on where Cheena was last sensed?" he asked, glancing back at Goku through the corner of his eye. Raising his right hand, Goku pressed his index and middle finger on his head, his eyes closing slowly. Everyone waited by, the anticipation of reaching a possible fallen fighter was slowly eating at them. Opening his eyes, Goku smiled as he looked at the people around him.

"I have it but it's slowly fading away. We have to hurry" he said. Quickly Trunks flew over and placed his hand on Goku's left shoulder while Goten placed it on his right. Placing his hand on his son's shoulder, Vegeta nodded in Goku's direction, signaling they were ready. Giving a slight nod, Goku stared ahead, focusing on his destination and quickly disappeared without another thought.

Appearing amongst the falling rocks and still cliff, Goku and the gang looked around, searching for any sign of Castine or Cheena.

 "You see them?" Goten asked as he surveyed the area. Glancing around, Trunks made sure not to miss a single spot, afraid he'd miss the sight of his wife. Looking around, Vegeta frowned, noticing the damage done to the cliff nearby. His eyes fell down to the still rocks that lay at the base of the cliff.

"There isn't much sign of a fight here" Goku said as he continued to glance around. Vegeta grunted in response as he turned his head to the side. His mouth opened slightly as something came into his view.

"Kakarot…" he said as he kept his eyes on the sight before him. Turning his head to the side, Goku's mouth slightly opened as he stared at the figure lying motionless on the ground before him.

"Cheena…!" he yelled as he ran towards the prone body. Goten and Trunks head turned quickly towards Goku as he sprinted off. They watched as Goku knelt down on one knee, staring at the body before him.

"That can't be Cheena…can it?" Goten asked as he looked at Trunks. Trunks didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the body beside Goku. He wasn't sure what to say, what to think. He couldn't believe that was his wife lying there, it just couldn't be her. Looking over at the group, Goku took in a deep breath, ready to call out to them.

"Guys get over here! It's Cheena, he got her!" he yelled. Vegeta frowned as he slowly walked towards Goku while Goten and Trunks stood their ground. Gritting his teeth, Goten screamed slightly as he glanced over at his father and sister.

"How could he do this? That monster" he yelled shaking ever so slightly. Trunks remained silent, his eyes never falling off his fallen wife. Unbeknown to him, Trunks slowly drifted away from Goten. Blinking slowly, Goten could only watch as his silent friend walked away from him and after his father. There was nothing he could do but follow as well. Propping Cheena's head up onto his lap, Goku growled as he stared at her. He eyed the cuts and scraps on her arms, face and neck. He looked at the dry blood that froze like the passing of time lay upon her arm, leg, neck and every other place on her body.

"S-she didn't deserve this" he said as he brought his daughter up onto his lap and closed his eyes. Standing just a few inches away, Vegeta just stared at the body in Goku's arms. Although he wouldn't express his feelings out in the open he had to agree with Goku. She didn't deserve what she got, her soul taken away from her, stolen. He could only, as Goku did previously, stare at the scares that told the story of the pain she put in before her time was up. Opening his eyes, Goku glared over at Vegeta, anger clearly in his eyes.

"I will kill Castine for this, for all he's done to Krillin, 18, Yamcha and all those innocent people in the city" he said. Vegeta nodded his head stiffly as a response while Trunks slowly made his way beside him. Staring at his wife's body, Trunks just couldn't believe it. He wouldn't allow himself to believe that the mother of his children and his mate was gone, taken from him by soul and soul alone.

"Dad, is there anything we can do?" Goten asked as he walked towards his father and knelt down beside his father. Laying his daughter back down on the ground, Goku slowly made his way up to his feet.

"She's gone Goten. I can sense nothing from her. It's as if she was never here" he said. Goten stared at his sister, at her expressionless face. Touching her face lightly, he pulled his hand back, noticing the lines tracing from eyes to her cheeks.

"She was crying…" he said as he looked over the body before him. "That jerk wanted to do her in for good. He practically made sure she couldn't move at all" he said noticing the position of her arms and legs. Walking over to Goku, Vegeta stared at him, refusing to look at Cheena any longer.

"We can't leave her here Kakarot" he said with a frown on his face. Looking off into the distance, Goku looked over the rocks as a light wind blew by.

"I know Vegeta. We'll take her home and explain this" he said slowly. Standing up, Goten stood facing both his father and Vegeta.

"Dad, how do we explain this to mom? If she sees Cheena…" Goten started before dropping his head.

"…I know Goten but she must know. Everyone must know" Goku said as he looked at his son. Goten nodded his head as a sigh escaped his lips. Trunks was still standing like a stone statue, staring at his wife as she lay before him.

"Che, why…?"  he slowly said. His face slowly turned from solemn look to an angry one. Holding his hands at his side, he slowly clenched them into tight fists. His breathing increased as his anger rose. The wind around him slowly picked up, blowing a strand of hair into his face. Neither distracted him as Trunks kept his eyes on his wife, the only thing that mattered to him at the moment. He could feel himself slipping; feel his anger taking him over. The more he stared at her then angrier he felt. "…why did you stay? Why did this happen…?" he said to himself as his shaking took on a more violent approach. Feeling his power rise, Goku, Goten and Vegeta turned and stared at the young man who was on the brink of loosing it all.

"Trunks calm down" Goten said, knowing his words meant nothing but he had to try, he had to say something. Shutting his eyes tightly, Trunks continued to shake. Calming down was the last thing he planned on doing, not with his wife lying before him. Even in the darkness given to him by the closing of his eyes he saw her. He saw her lying there with her tear-stained face. The tears she cried out right before she was taken away, the tears he promised himself he'd never let come out in any manner what so ever. There they were, stained on her cheeks and it was driving him mad. His hair slowly lifted itself from its normal resting place upon his head. Goku, Vegeta and Goten could only watch, knowing they could say nothing to calm the young saiyan down.

"Dad, he's going to snap" Goten said, keeping his eyes on his friend. Nodding his head, Goku could only watch Trunks as well, knowing he could do nothing at all.

"He's angry Goten, there is nothing we can do about that" he said.

"The boy has a right to be angry. His mate's soul is gone, the same soul that bonded with his all those years ago. He's not only lost her but a part of himself as well" Vegeta said as he watched his son. Glancing at Vegeta, Goten sighed as he stared at Trunks, knowing that he was right.

"Vegeta's right Goten. Trunks lost more then just his wife, he lost a part of himself and none of us can understand what he feeling now" Goku said.

"I know dad…I know" Goten said. Trunks hair slowly rose and fell while his shaking continued to take over his stiff body. He refused to move an inch towards anyone or anything. All he could see was darkness and in this darkness his wife. He could see her laughing with him, playing with the kids they had together, he could see her smiling then everything disappeared. Trunks furrowed his brow as the vision faded but soon was greeted with a vision he wished never to see. He saw his wife fighting against someone unknown to him, hidden amongst the darkness. He could see her lying on the ground, crying out to him and finally he saw it, he saw her eyes close for the last time. He could feel his anger slipping, his power rising and he could do nothing to stop it. Opening his eyes, Trunks glanced down at his wife's body, his eyes slowly shifting from blue to turquoise. He could feel his air begin to stand upon his head, changing from lavender to gold then back to lavender again. Looking at his father and Vegeta, Goten decided he had seen enough. He couldn't let his friend continued to torture himself in this way. Leaving the two, Goten ventured off towards Trunks and placed his hand upon his shoulder.

"How about we head back to the house? C'mon Trunks, it'll be ok" he said, hoping his words would help in some way. Trunks face slowly showed a smile as a laugh escaped his lips.

"…you know…I keep asking myself these questions like why did she stay or why did he have to take her from me but you know what I really should be asking at this very moment?" he asked, never letting his eyes leave his wife's side.

"W-what would that be?" Goten asked afraid for a second what his question could possibly be but more afraid of the laughter he was hearing from a man who just a few seconds ago seemed to be on the brink of snapping. Lowering his head, Trunks slowly took a step towards his wife's body, opening his closed hands that now lay at his side.

"The only question I can ask is a rather simple one…"Trunks said as he lifted his head. No sooner had the words left his lips did he final reach his breaking point. His hair quickly transformed from lavender to gold while his eyes turned from blue to turquoise. "…WHY IN THE HELL WASN'T I HERE FOR HER!! WHY!!" he yelled as loud as he could. Putting his arm up, Goten quickly took a step back as Trunks continued to power up. Goku and Vegeta stood still, watching everything unfold knowing they could do nothing at all. Glancing at his hands, Trunks slowly let his aura fall but refused to let the same happen to his current state. Walking towards his wife he bent down beside her.

"Trunks…" Goten started before cutting his self off. He wasn't sure what he could say, I mean, how you could answer such a question boggled his mind. What's the best thing to say to someone who at the present time was upset beyond belief? Placing his right hand under his wife's head, Trunks slowly lifted her head, staring into her face. Raising his left hand he slowly trailed his index finger along the same trail her tears took towards her cheek. He noticed her cuts, bruises, feeling her right arm he could tell it was broken, and who else knows what was broken. Placing his hand on her chest, over her heart, Trunks closed his eyes, hoping to feel a beat, anything that would prove his wife's life was still there. "…Trunks, let's take her home…" Goten finally said hoping his words could get through.

"…we should go…" Trunks slowly said as he opened his eyes. Placing his left arm underneath his wife's waist, Trunks slowly lifted Cheena into his arms. Standing on his own two feet, he slowly moved his left arm under her legs and his right upon her back to better support her in his arms. His eyes slowly went wide as he felt the scar on her back, given to her by the two disks Castine sent after her. Pressing her head close to his chest, Trunks looked over at Goku. "…can we leave now…?" he asked.

"Of course" Goku said wanting to get out of there as quickly as he could. Placing his hand on Goku's right shoulder, Vegeta turned his head away, not wanting to look at Cheena's body anymore. Walking over Goten placed his hand on Vegeta's shoulder then looked at Trunks.

"We'll think of something when we get to the house" he said. Trunks said nothing in the form of a reply as he walked over to Goten. Standing beside him, he continued to glance at his wife, feeling his anger preparing to rise once more. Placing his hand on Trunks shoulder, Goten looked over at his dad. "Let's go dad" he said. Nodding his head, Goku quickly pressed his fingers to his forehead and disappeared towards home.

~Son Residence~

Appearing in front of the house, Goku, Vegeta and Goten all stared at it while Trunks kept his head down, not wanting to look at anything at all.

"Trunks, let us go in and break the news" Goku said as he looked at his son in law. Goten nodded his head as he looked at Trunks as well.

"I'll get your sons out of the room as well. I know you don't want them seeing their mother like this" he said. Trunks slowly nodded his head but refused to raise it. He saw no reason to do so. Slowly Goku, Vegeta and Goten walked towards the house, unsure of what they were going to say and even more unsure of the reaction they were about to receive but they knew they could guess at what it was clearly going to be, grief.

"Goten, your home. You're ok!" Miyuki yelled as soon as her husband walked through the door. Running towards him, she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. Goten remained still, not responding to his wife's affection which Miyuki clearly noticed. "Goten…what's wrong?" she asked as she took a step back, removing her arms from around his neck. Staring at his wife, Goten took her hand and led her slowly over to the couch, setting her down slowly. Coming out of the kitchen, Chi-Chi, Bulma and Videl smiled as they looked at Goku and Vegeta.

"Goku you're home, how did it go? Are you ok?" Chi-Chi asked. Goku didn't answer her, too distracted by the smile on her face. A silence fell across the room as the ladies looked at Goku, Vegeta and Goten.

"Vegeta, what is going on?" Bulma finally asked, breaking the silence. Walking towards his wife, Vegeta stared at her then looked around the room.

"Where are the kids?" he asked. Bulma stared at him as well, wondering why he would ask and even more importantly wondered why he called them kids besides the normal word of brats, something was up and she knew it.

"They're upstairs, Vegeta what is going on? Where is Trunks?" she responded. Vegeta stared at her, still refusing to answer her. This worried Bulma, why wouldn't her husband answer such an easy question. Walking towards her husband, Chi-Chi had a worry look in her eyes, her smile long gone as she stared at Goku.

"Goku…where is Cheena?" she asked. Goku stared into his wife's eyes, knowing he had to tell her. Miyuki frowned as she looked up at her husband, getting angry by all the stalling by the men.

"Goten, what is going on? Where are Trunks and Cheena?" she slightly yelled. Goten stared at her before sitting beside her, knowing she'd need comfort once the news was broken. Placing her hands on her husband's shoulders, Bulma slowly shook Vegeta, anger in her eyes.

"Where is our son, Vegeta? Where is Trunks? Answer me!" she shouted, tears doing their best to fall from her eyes. Grabbing her wrists, Vegeta slowly removed his wife's hands from him.

"The boy is fine, he's outside" he said. Bulma took in a sigh of relief as she placed her hand over her mouth.

"Thank goodness" she said as a smile crossed her face. Vegeta didn't smile, which was normal, but in this case there was a reason. Seeing the stern look on her husband's face, Bulma could tell something was still wrong, as did Chi-Chi. Staring at her husband, Chi-Chi's tears fell freely down her face. She had a feeling, a feeling that concerned her daughter. Call it her women's intuition but she knew something was wrong, very wrong.

"Goku, tell me…!" she yelled as she stared at him. "…what happened to Cheena? What happened to my baby?" she continued to yell. Goku couldn't help but stare at his wife's tear ridden face. He knew she could feel it, feel that something bad had happen to their daughter. Dropping his head, he closed his eyes, refusing to look into her face any longer. Seeing her husband's reaction, Chi-Chi slowly backed away from him. "…no…NO! NOT CHEENA!" she yelled as she backed up into a small table. Miyuki's eyes went wide as she turned towards her husband.

"Goten…say something…SAY SOMETHING!!" she yelled. Goten looked at her, feeling her tears about to fall down her face at any moment. His silence was all Miyuki could take; she couldn't hold her tears back any longer as she let them fall down her face. Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Goten pulled his wife in towards him, hoping to comfort her. Almost on cue, Trunks slowly walked in holding Cheena in his arms. Chi-Chi froze as she saw her daughter's body before her. Shaking her head, she walked over to Goku, balling her hands into fists.

"What happened to her? Tell me!" she yelled as she started to pound on his chest as hard as she could. Goku stared at her, not feeling the need to stop her from releasing her anger. Bulma now joined the ranks of tear-ridden women as she glanced at Cheena. Videl slouched back against the wall as she stared at her sister in law lying motionless in Trunks arms.

"Vegeta, what happened to her?" Bulma asked as she looked at her husband.

"Her soul has been taken from her woman" Vegeta replied. Chi-Chi's eyes went wide as she looked up at her husband. She didn't know what to feel, anger, hate, pain. She was a ball of emotions and she didn't know what to do.

"Goku, how did…where were…do something! Wake her up!" she finally yelled as she turned towards her daughter. Chi-Chi stared at Cheena as Trunks held her in his arms. Trunks remained quiet, not knowing what to say or afraid of what he could say. Turning towards her husband, Chi-Chi frowned as she saw him still standing still. "Don't just stand there. Do something!" she yelled.

"Chi, I can't. She's gone…she's gone, Chi" Goku said slowly. Chi-Chi stared at her husband, into his eyes, knowing what he was saying was the truth and nothing but the truth. Shaking her head, she quickly wrapped her arms around him, allowing her cries to escape her.

"Why her…why my daughter?" she cried out as Goku wrapped his arms around his wife. Trunks scoffed slightly as he stepped into the living room. Everyone watched as he set his wife down on an empty couch and stood over her.

"…I've asked that too…" he said slowly as he looked down at Cheena. Goten growled as he glanced over at Cheena.

"If Cheena wasn't so damn proud and would have let someone else fight then maybe she wouldn't be this way. Her head is just too damn hard" he said. Trunks head quickly snapped up. Turning around, he glared at Goten and Miyuki. Walking over to them, he quickly pushed Miyuki away from her husband.

"Trunks…" Miyuki said but soon stopped as she watched Trunks grab Goten by the shirt and raise him off the couch and off the ground. Grabbing onto his arm, Goten looked down at Trunks, shock written all over his face.

"…you have some nerve, do you know that!?" Trunks yelled as he held Goten up above him. Standing up, Miyuki placed her hand on Trunks arm, staring at him as her tears slowly stopped momentarily.

"Trunks put him down!" she yelled as she pulled at his arm. Ignoring her words, Trunks continued to glare up at Goten.

"You have a big mouth, you know that?" he yelled as he tossed Goten back onto the couch. Straightening his shirt, Goten frowned as he stared at Trunks.

"What is your problem? You know it's true. If she wasn't so damn hard headed she'd have a life" he said. Gritting his teeth, Trunks launched at Goten, pulling back his arm and punching him in the face.

"Trunks stop it!" Miyuki yelled as she stood watching. Trunks continued to ignore her as he punched Goten again in the jaw. Feeling an arm around his waist and another around his throat, Trunks was quickly pulled away from his opponent by his mother and father.

"Knock it off!" Vegeta yelled as he tightened the grip around his son's neck. Sitting down besides her husband, Miyuki stared at him as Goten rubbed his jaw, wiping the blood from the side of his mouth. Trunks growled as he roughly shook from side to side.

"Get the hell off of me!" he yelled. Vegeta growled as he looked at Bulma, who did her best to hold her son around the waist.

"Woman, back away" he said. Nodding her head, Bulma slowly moved away from Trunks and stood to the side. Seeing his wife out of the way, Vegeta turned himself and Trunks around, slowly removing his arm from around his neck. "Calm the fuck down" he yelled as he glared at his son. Trunks frowned as he turned towards his father, anger seething inside of him.

"Don't tell me to calm down! Don't! He's sitting there doing nothing but running his mouth. He can say whatever the hell he wants and why not, his wife is right beside him. Do you see my wife? DO YOU? There she is, not moving. She's gone! My wife is gone! She was taken from me and that ass thinks he can sit there and say what he wants? Not while I'm here. Do you see her dad! Do you! Do you see my dead wife laying there! DO YOU!?" Trunks yelled as loud as he could, feeling his anger beginning to rise once more. The room fell silent as everyone stared at Trunks, unsure of what they could say.

"…mom's dead…?" a small voice said breaking the silence. All eyes turned towards the staircase to see Li, Alex and Kiseki all looking at them. Trunks froze as he looked at his son's. He stared at them as they stared at Cheena's body on the couch.

"…mom?" Alex asked as he stared at the body before his eyes. Shaking his head, Trunks shifted his body over, hoping to conceal his wife's body from his son's eyes.

"Go back upstairs you three" he said as calmly as he could. Kiseki sniffled slightly as she slowly wiped her eyes. Li and Alex both frowned as they shook with anger.

"…dad, is mom dead?" Li asked as he looked at his father. Trunks lowered his head for a moment before raising it again, looking at his sons.

"Li, I said…" he started before he was cut off.

"IS SHE DEAD?" Li yelled, tears forming in his eyes. Trunks remained silent; knowing that nothing he could say could take back what he never meant for his son's to hear. Looking at one another, Li and Alex quickly ran back up the stairs.

"Li! Alex!" Bulma yelled as she watched them disappear out of sight. Taking a look at her father, Kiseki continued to wipe her eyes as she turned away from the group and followed after her cousins. Staring at the stairs, Trunks could feel his anger building up once more.

"DAMMIT!" he yelled as he swung his closed fist around, smashing right through a nearby lamp. He couldn't believe what happened, his sons hearing what he said, hearing him say their mother was dead.

"Trunks calm down. Maybe we can help Cheena" Goku said as he stepped away from his wife. All eyes directed towards him, all eager to hear what he had to say. "Maybe we can use the dragonballs. We still have another wish left with the Shenron" Goku said.

"But Goku, the dragonballs were scattered when you made the wish for you to become an adult again" Videl said lifting herself off the wall.

"That's right, well maybe Dende can help in some way. It's worth a try" Goku said. Trunks stared at Goku before looking down at his wife. Scooping her up into his arms, he walked towards Goku.

"Let's go" he said, willing to give it a try. Walking towards the two, Vegeta stared at Goku.

"I'm going as well" he said. Goku nodded his head as he looked over at his son, unsure of whether he'd come or not given what happened.

"Are you coming Goten?" he asked. Goten continued to rub his jaw as he stood up. Walking towards his father, he nodded his head, agreeing to go along. Trunks kept his eyes off of Goten, not wanting to get upset all over again, it already cost him so much already.

"I hope this works, it better work" Chi-Chi said as she clasped her hands in front of her face. Bulma walked towards her and wrapped her arms around her shoulder, hoping to comfort her friend.

"Trunks, don't worry. We'll take care of the boys, explain this to them" she said to her son. Trunks slowly nodded his head slowly as he supported his wife in one arm and placed his free hand on his father's shoulder.

"Ready guys?" Goku asked as Goten and Vegeta held onto his shoulder. Placing two fingers to his forehead like many times before, Goku and everyone with him slowly disappeared towards the lookout.

AN2: That's it. I'm off to get rest now but I just had to finish this. Hope you enjoyed the chapter everyone. The next one should be out soon. Leave a review as always, please and thank you. ^_^