Chapter 5: Re-rooting
"Star? Star, please wake up. Please...Don't do this to me now...I need you." Trunks's voice sounded far away and very distant. Starlight's eyes fluttered open. She saw the ceiling and a soft glowing light coming from a table on her right. She tried to sit up. Once she did she was hit with a wave of nausea. She fell back down onto her pillow.
"Star?" Trunks said. He had been holding her hand the entire time. He stood up and loomed over her. "Oh Star I am so sorry. That beam was meant to hit me. I can never forgive myself for scarring you like that." He said. Upon mention of her shoulder she felt a sharp pain in it. She reached up to him with her left arm and pushed a strand of hair behind his ear.
"Trunks I swear, I'm fine. I'm still alive aren't I?" She asked smiling. He smiled weakly and grabbed her hand. She sat up, still feeling nauseated. She scooted back against her pillows and leaned on them for support. Trunks sat down next to her.
"Starlight, I feel so bad. I NEVER wanted to hurt you. I love you so much..." He said with a distant look in his eyes. "You're all I have left. Can you ever forgive me?" He finished. Starlight moved over to make room for him on the bed.
"Forgiven." She said, patting the side next to her. He moved next to her, still holding her hand. She lied her head on his chest and fell asleep.
***Two Days Later***
"Trunks?" Starlight asked trying to get his attention. He was staring at the house behind him. He was leaving with Starlight to her time. She walked over to him and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You can still come back and visit...Come on...I don't want to keep Goten waiting..." She said. They were a lot happier now. Trunks wasn't so depressed and bent on the idea of killing himself, and Starlight was able to maintain about half of a Senzu bean from Karin, so all she had left was an ugly scar. Trunks turned around to face her.
"You're right...I'm just going to miss this place and all the memories I had stored here." He began walking towards the time machine. Starlight was close behind him. He helped her in followed close behind. He closed the top and pressed a button. The next thing they knew they were in Starlight's backyard. Once the time machine landed, Starlight jumped out and ran to the back door. She swung it open to see Goten anxiously awaiting her arrival.
"Goten!" She yelled. Goten looked up. His eyes widened and a smile spread across his face that was at least a mile wide.
"STARLIGHT!" He yelled jumping into her arms. She caught him and hugged him tightly. She kissed him on the forehead and kept hugging him. Gohan and Chichi came running at all the commotion. They both smiled.
"Starlight! I'm so glad you're back." Chichi said, joining the hug. Trunks walked in behind her. He looked at her for a while. He loved how she had so much love to give to everyone. He watched her twirl around with Goten holding onto her neck.
"Star..." Gohan said as she put down Goten. He walked over to her and engulfed her in a deep hug. She was so happy to be back where it wasn't raining and there wasn't a cloud of grief hanging over her head. She stopped hugging him and walked over to Trunks.
"Guys," She said, "Trunks is gonna live here." Chichi gave Starlight a weird look. She obviously thought that Trunks was going to live with them...Starlight scratched the back of her head, "I mean....in this timeline...well...uhhh" Starlight stuttered noticing that that sentence sounded really funny. "Umm okay...he came HERE to this time to live with BULMA and VEGETA in the CAPSULE CORP." She sighed "Okay, I think I got it right this time." That remark brought a small smile to Trunks's face. "I'm gonna go with him to Bulma's, and I promise I'll be right back." Starlight said, exiting her house with Trunks close behind.
"We can go the long way." She said. "NIMBUS!" She yelled. They were greeted by a small yellow cloud. They both hopped on and took off. When they were in the sky Starlight looked at Trunks.
"Umm," She said, blushing. The prom was coming up soon and the only person she wanted to go with was Trunks. She declined all of the other losers who had asked her if she wanted to go. It felt weird her asking him, but if she didn't he wouldn't know when to ask her because he just moved here. "Umm, next week is the senior prom. Can you take me?" She asked. Trunks smiled the first real smile she had seen on him in days.
"Of course." He smiled. Starlight was so happy she flung her arms around him and they both almost fell off the cloud. Trunks laughed and took her off of him. "What? Did you actually think I would say no?" He laughed. She shook her head.
"Well I wasn't exactally sure if you were up to it or not." She said. Trunks grabbed her hand.
"I think I'll be fine. I'm past the whole suicidal stage. I now know that it's not worth leaving you behind. I'm sorry that you had to go through all that...But in a way I'm glad you went through it with me...I don't think I could have done it alone." He said. She smiled. "Remember how, before I left to the future for good last year you told me, 'If you love something let it go. If it comes back to you it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was' ? Well..." He said pausing, "I came back to you." Starlight smiled as they stopped above the Capsule Corp. Bulma was waiting anxiously outside. Trunks and Starlight jumped off of Nimbus and ran to Bulma. Bulma hugged Trunks.
"I'm so glad you're here!" She said. Trunks was smiling. His face was glowing. As they stood there talking, Vegeta came out of the GR (gravity room) and crossed his arms. He smiled. Starlight looked at him and he snapped into a frown. She chuckled. Vegeta walked over to her. (A/N: Starlight and Vegeta have a certain special bond thingy...he can never be mean to a half Saiyan GIRL....muahahaha...well uhh...Oh blast it, it's too hard to explain.)
"What news did he bring this time?" He snapped. Starlight laughed and pat Vegeta on the back.
"Oh Vegeta..." She said, "He's here to live with you."
"What the hell?"
"Vegeta..." Starlight said, her voice turned into a whisper, "The future you and Bulma are dead. He watched both deaths on the same day." Vegeta grunted. Starlight grabbed both of his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Vegeta, you and I both know how hard it is to have no parents. Don't make it any worse on him. He's your son."
"Pfft. I never cared for him." Vegeta said. Starlight slapped him.
"Is that why you began to cry when Cell killed him?!" Vegeta looked at her. She nodded as Trunks and Bulma began walking towards the house. Vegeta grunted.
"Whatever. Just don't expect me to drool all over him like the woman." Starlight rolled her eyes and followed them into the house. It was about four hours before Starlight was able to go home. She called Nimbus, kissed everyone goodnight (even Vegeta ;) ), and went home. She fell asleep on Nimbus (something she does often). Just when she was about ten minutes away from home, a voice woke her up.
"STARLIGHT?" She woke up with a jolt.
"D-dad? Is that you?"
"YEP! I'M COMING BACK NEXT MONTH FOR THE WORLD MARTIAL ARTS TOURNAMENT! I ONLY GET ONE DAY THOUGH. BUT I'M COMING BACK!" Starlight's eyes widened.
"Oh Dad! I can't wait to see you! I bet you'll make Mom and Gohan so happy! Did you already tell them?"
"YEAH. BUT HONEY, I'VE GOT TO GO NOW. BYE."
"Dad wait! I love you! And I've really missed you!"
"I LOVE YOU TOO. AND TRUST ME, I'M HAPPY TO BE COMING BACK. I'VE MISSED YOU TOO. SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE. BUT I HAVE TO GO. SEE YOU IN ONE MONTH!"
"Bye Dad!" Starlight said. She looked at the cloud underneath her. She couldn't express herself. She was happy that he was coming back, but sad that he had been gone for so long. She jumped off of Nimbus and took off towards her house. She was going crazy. She needed her family.
When she got there she told them everything. Chichi was in tears; both happy and sad. Happy because Goku was coming back, and sad because of Starlight's story from the future. Goten had fallen asleep on the couch. When Starlight was done she scooped Goten into her arms and walked him to his room. She lied him in his bed and kissed him goodnight. He stirred and opened his eyes.
"Star?" He asked.
"Yes?"
"Are you going to stay here now? Or are you going back to the future?" Starlight smiled and pushed his bangs out of his face.
"Yes Goten. I'm gonna stay here from now on. I wont leave you again, okay? Goodnight." She said kissing him on the forehead and beginning to walk out of his room.
"Star? What's Daddy like?" He asked. Starlight stopped.
"Goten, it's late. Go to sleep. I'll tell you tomorrow." She said, closing his door and walking out of his room. She sighed deeply and went to take a shower. (A/N: Sorry all you freaks out there...I'm going to skip this part...Use your imagination.) When she was done she kissed Gohan and Chichi goodnight and went to bed. That night all she could think about was Goku. She was even somewhat nervous. But deep-down she knew that it would all turn out for the best.
"Star? Star, please wake up. Please...Don't do this to me now...I need you." Trunks's voice sounded far away and very distant. Starlight's eyes fluttered open. She saw the ceiling and a soft glowing light coming from a table on her right. She tried to sit up. Once she did she was hit with a wave of nausea. She fell back down onto her pillow.
"Star?" Trunks said. He had been holding her hand the entire time. He stood up and loomed over her. "Oh Star I am so sorry. That beam was meant to hit me. I can never forgive myself for scarring you like that." He said. Upon mention of her shoulder she felt a sharp pain in it. She reached up to him with her left arm and pushed a strand of hair behind his ear.
"Trunks I swear, I'm fine. I'm still alive aren't I?" She asked smiling. He smiled weakly and grabbed her hand. She sat up, still feeling nauseated. She scooted back against her pillows and leaned on them for support. Trunks sat down next to her.
"Starlight, I feel so bad. I NEVER wanted to hurt you. I love you so much..." He said with a distant look in his eyes. "You're all I have left. Can you ever forgive me?" He finished. Starlight moved over to make room for him on the bed.
"Forgiven." She said, patting the side next to her. He moved next to her, still holding her hand. She lied her head on his chest and fell asleep.
***Two Days Later***
"Trunks?" Starlight asked trying to get his attention. He was staring at the house behind him. He was leaving with Starlight to her time. She walked over to him and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You can still come back and visit...Come on...I don't want to keep Goten waiting..." She said. They were a lot happier now. Trunks wasn't so depressed and bent on the idea of killing himself, and Starlight was able to maintain about half of a Senzu bean from Karin, so all she had left was an ugly scar. Trunks turned around to face her.
"You're right...I'm just going to miss this place and all the memories I had stored here." He began walking towards the time machine. Starlight was close behind him. He helped her in followed close behind. He closed the top and pressed a button. The next thing they knew they were in Starlight's backyard. Once the time machine landed, Starlight jumped out and ran to the back door. She swung it open to see Goten anxiously awaiting her arrival.
"Goten!" She yelled. Goten looked up. His eyes widened and a smile spread across his face that was at least a mile wide.
"STARLIGHT!" He yelled jumping into her arms. She caught him and hugged him tightly. She kissed him on the forehead and kept hugging him. Gohan and Chichi came running at all the commotion. They both smiled.
"Starlight! I'm so glad you're back." Chichi said, joining the hug. Trunks walked in behind her. He looked at her for a while. He loved how she had so much love to give to everyone. He watched her twirl around with Goten holding onto her neck.
"Star..." Gohan said as she put down Goten. He walked over to her and engulfed her in a deep hug. She was so happy to be back where it wasn't raining and there wasn't a cloud of grief hanging over her head. She stopped hugging him and walked over to Trunks.
"Guys," She said, "Trunks is gonna live here." Chichi gave Starlight a weird look. She obviously thought that Trunks was going to live with them...Starlight scratched the back of her head, "I mean....in this timeline...well...uhhh" Starlight stuttered noticing that that sentence sounded really funny. "Umm okay...he came HERE to this time to live with BULMA and VEGETA in the CAPSULE CORP." She sighed "Okay, I think I got it right this time." That remark brought a small smile to Trunks's face. "I'm gonna go with him to Bulma's, and I promise I'll be right back." Starlight said, exiting her house with Trunks close behind.
"We can go the long way." She said. "NIMBUS!" She yelled. They were greeted by a small yellow cloud. They both hopped on and took off. When they were in the sky Starlight looked at Trunks.
"Umm," She said, blushing. The prom was coming up soon and the only person she wanted to go with was Trunks. She declined all of the other losers who had asked her if she wanted to go. It felt weird her asking him, but if she didn't he wouldn't know when to ask her because he just moved here. "Umm, next week is the senior prom. Can you take me?" She asked. Trunks smiled the first real smile she had seen on him in days.
"Of course." He smiled. Starlight was so happy she flung her arms around him and they both almost fell off the cloud. Trunks laughed and took her off of him. "What? Did you actually think I would say no?" He laughed. She shook her head.
"Well I wasn't exactally sure if you were up to it or not." She said. Trunks grabbed her hand.
"I think I'll be fine. I'm past the whole suicidal stage. I now know that it's not worth leaving you behind. I'm sorry that you had to go through all that...But in a way I'm glad you went through it with me...I don't think I could have done it alone." He said. She smiled. "Remember how, before I left to the future for good last year you told me, 'If you love something let it go. If it comes back to you it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was' ? Well..." He said pausing, "I came back to you." Starlight smiled as they stopped above the Capsule Corp. Bulma was waiting anxiously outside. Trunks and Starlight jumped off of Nimbus and ran to Bulma. Bulma hugged Trunks.
"I'm so glad you're here!" She said. Trunks was smiling. His face was glowing. As they stood there talking, Vegeta came out of the GR (gravity room) and crossed his arms. He smiled. Starlight looked at him and he snapped into a frown. She chuckled. Vegeta walked over to her. (A/N: Starlight and Vegeta have a certain special bond thingy...he can never be mean to a half Saiyan GIRL....muahahaha...well uhh...Oh blast it, it's too hard to explain.)
"What news did he bring this time?" He snapped. Starlight laughed and pat Vegeta on the back.
"Oh Vegeta..." She said, "He's here to live with you."
"What the hell?"
"Vegeta..." Starlight said, her voice turned into a whisper, "The future you and Bulma are dead. He watched both deaths on the same day." Vegeta grunted. Starlight grabbed both of his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Vegeta, you and I both know how hard it is to have no parents. Don't make it any worse on him. He's your son."
"Pfft. I never cared for him." Vegeta said. Starlight slapped him.
"Is that why you began to cry when Cell killed him?!" Vegeta looked at her. She nodded as Trunks and Bulma began walking towards the house. Vegeta grunted.
"Whatever. Just don't expect me to drool all over him like the woman." Starlight rolled her eyes and followed them into the house. It was about four hours before Starlight was able to go home. She called Nimbus, kissed everyone goodnight (even Vegeta ;) ), and went home. She fell asleep on Nimbus (something she does often). Just when she was about ten minutes away from home, a voice woke her up.
"STARLIGHT?" She woke up with a jolt.
"D-dad? Is that you?"
"YEP! I'M COMING BACK NEXT MONTH FOR THE WORLD MARTIAL ARTS TOURNAMENT! I ONLY GET ONE DAY THOUGH. BUT I'M COMING BACK!" Starlight's eyes widened.
"Oh Dad! I can't wait to see you! I bet you'll make Mom and Gohan so happy! Did you already tell them?"
"YEAH. BUT HONEY, I'VE GOT TO GO NOW. BYE."
"Dad wait! I love you! And I've really missed you!"
"I LOVE YOU TOO. AND TRUST ME, I'M HAPPY TO BE COMING BACK. I'VE MISSED YOU TOO. SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE. BUT I HAVE TO GO. SEE YOU IN ONE MONTH!"
"Bye Dad!" Starlight said. She looked at the cloud underneath her. She couldn't express herself. She was happy that he was coming back, but sad that he had been gone for so long. She jumped off of Nimbus and took off towards her house. She was going crazy. She needed her family.
When she got there she told them everything. Chichi was in tears; both happy and sad. Happy because Goku was coming back, and sad because of Starlight's story from the future. Goten had fallen asleep on the couch. When Starlight was done she scooped Goten into her arms and walked him to his room. She lied him in his bed and kissed him goodnight. He stirred and opened his eyes.
"Star?" He asked.
"Yes?"
"Are you going to stay here now? Or are you going back to the future?" Starlight smiled and pushed his bangs out of his face.
"Yes Goten. I'm gonna stay here from now on. I wont leave you again, okay? Goodnight." She said kissing him on the forehead and beginning to walk out of his room.
"Star? What's Daddy like?" He asked. Starlight stopped.
"Goten, it's late. Go to sleep. I'll tell you tomorrow." She said, closing his door and walking out of his room. She sighed deeply and went to take a shower. (A/N: Sorry all you freaks out there...I'm going to skip this part...Use your imagination.) When she was done she kissed Gohan and Chichi goodnight and went to bed. That night all she could think about was Goku. She was even somewhat nervous. But deep-down she knew that it would all turn out for the best.
