Disclaimer; I still don't own DBZ. Why doesn't the site just save us the hassle of doing this and put a big disclaimer on the front page of the site. "No one on FF.net owns any of the works posted on this site"

A/N; Yay. New chappie! Hope you all like this; I think it's all right. My aim is to have at least 2 more chapters up before Christmas. And to everyone who left a review on the last chapter, you cookies will be arriving in the mail shortly ;) ~D.B

And Then You'll Know

Chapter 27

18 looked up at the clock and sighed, it was 11.30 am. She was still in a state of total shock after talking to Krillen, it had been amazing, so far she had spent her day floating around the palace in a kind of hypnotized state. She couldn't believe she had actually talked to him; she had needed it so badly. Needed the reassurance that everything would work out fine. It still baffled her how the conversation had been possible, but that really wasn't what she wanted to be thinking about, all she wanted on her mind was Krillen. Her Krillen.

"Pssst 18" she heard someone call from the doorway and her eyes snapped up to match a face to the voice. She was surprised to say the very least.

"Bulma?" she sounded baffled as to why Bulma was talking to her "….Hi"

Bulma greeted 18 with a warm smile "Hi. This morning was pretty amazing huh?"

18 only nodded as she watched Bulma sit down on Chi-chi's bed 'Great' 18 thought now I'm gonna have to make the bed again' "it was amazing" she agreed quietly as she went back to her task of folding Chi-chi's clean laundry.

"Krillen wanted to speak to you, yeah?" Bulma asked

"Yeah"

"Mind if I ask why?" questioned Bulma

18 shrugged her shoulders "I guess he just felt like it"

Bulma moved from the bed and sat down at Chi-chi's vanity where she began to fuss with her long blue hair "But why?"

"He's my friend"

Bulma watched 18's reflection in the mirror and smiled, she really was a nice girl. Ever since she had been bringing Tarie and 17 food she had been having little conversations with 18 here and there, she found Tarie nice as well, though she didn't feel like she could talk to her as well as she could talk to 18, which was odd as Tarie was exceptionally cheerful and optimistic for someone with her bleak background and an unclear future, and 18, well she was dark, cold, shut off and mysterious. Yet there was just something about her that Bulma liked, she just wasn't to sure what it was it was.

"So do you like him?"

"I said he's my friend didn't I?" 18 rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly, Bulma chose to ignore it.

"I mean, do you like him as more than a friend?"

"No," 18 lied, "and even if I did, why would I tell you?"

"I suppose so" said Bulma as she stood up, "Well I gotta get back to work, talk to you later ok"

"Yeah ok" 18 muttered still confused as to why Bulma was talking to her, "bye"

***

"Kakkarot!" Krillen shouted in shock as he picked up a squishy vegetable that had been thrown at him and hurled it back at Kakkarot, "That is disgusting!"

Kakkarot broke out in a boisterous fit of laughter and almost fell of the bench he was sitting on.

For the boys on Namek, it was dinnertime, and it was a well looked forward to event. This had been their second dinner on Namek and tonight they were able to sample some of Nameks more interesting cuisine. They were eating something that was black and looked moldy, but they had been assured it was perfectly fine, but when you bit into it, it could burn you tongue off, along with a type of vegetable that somewhat resembled potato, but tasted nothing like anything any of them had ever tasted before.

"This is great!" exclaimed Kakkarot as he shoveled more and more food into his mouth like it was his last day of life.

Ari could only watch on in shocked horror as the Sayian-waste-disposal-unit plowed through his fourth serve. Kakkarot had earned himself that nickname because he did quite literally eat anything anyone offered him, Ari was quite convinced that if he took off his shoe and threw it at him, then he would chomp it down without even realizing he had done it. It was nauseating really, and it was beyond Ari's wildest conception how Kakkarot could possibly be a warrior, in all rights, he should have been a morbidly obese blob.

Yet Krillen had assured him time and time again that Kakkarot – when focused – was one of the best warriors Vegeta-sei had seen in a long time and since Krillen was Ari's trusted friend, he really had no choice but to believe him.

Anyway it didn't matter, he would be able to see for himself if Kakkarot was really all he was cracked up to be when the war to end all wars broke out in days, possibly hours, possibly minutes, life right now was like a time bomb waiting to explode. Not that Ari was looking forward to fighting a long, hard, grueling, scary, dirty battle against the mega tyrant Frieza and his band of loyal dropkicks, he just really wanted to see Kakkarot fight.

"Hey Krillen, wanna go for a walk with me after this?"

"Sure" replied Krillen

"Can I come too?" asked Kakkarot, spitting half chewed food everywhere. Krillen and Ari cringed "if you promise never to do that again, you can come.

~

Krillen looked at his new watch, it went by Namek time and according to it, it was about a quarter past 8 at night, but you wouldn't pick it. On Vegeta-sei by this time, it would be dark, and if it were a summer night the crickets would be chirping and the air would still be warm, meaning it would be quite acceptable to turn on the lights and go for a dip in the pool. But here – here it was still as bright as day, so bright the sky was clear, birds were chirping, children still played outside their houses and mothers still sat by the river washing clothes and sharing gossip. Some parents were beginning to call their young ones back into their houses, no doubt to put them to bed. Krillen couldn't understand how they could sleep in broad daylight, but then again they didn't know any thing else, so they were probably used to it.

"Um…. excuse me" the trio head someone call from behind them. Upon turning around they saw a small Namekian boy, he shyly approached the men and attempted to ask them a question, but his nerves got the better of him. Krillen bent down and sat on his ankles so he was roughly the same height as the boy.

"Hi," he said with a bright smile, "I'm Krillen. It's nice to meet you"

"I'm Dende" spoke the little boy "Are you going to kill Frieza?"

Krillens smile grew and his eyes lit up, this little boy reminded him of Nison, "Well, little buddy we're certainly going to try"

Dende smiled, but it quickly disappeared when he heard someone call his name "Dende!" It boomed. Krillen looked up…and up…and up, until his eyes met with the eyes of a green giant, even when Krillen rose from his squatting position, he only just cleared his stomach.

"Dende, stop bothering these men. Get inside the house and ask your uncle to run you a bath" he boomed

"Yes father" Dende replied obediently and he quickly turned and disappeared into one of the nearby houses.

"Sorry about him bothering you like that. Names Nail" Nail introduced himself and held out a hand, that Krillen, Kakkarot and Ari all shook.

"Nice to meet you Nail, I'm Krillen and these are my friends Kakkarot and Ari" Nail nodded in acknowledgment, then he promptly turned and walked into the house the small boy had entered only minutes before.

"Well," began Ari, I don't know if that was rude or not?" he scratched the back of his head in confusion

"Me either" said Kakkarot

Krillen sighed "Oh well, come on, we'd better start heading back or else Nappa is gonna kill us"

***

Chi-chi knocked on the door of the throne room and poked her head inside the door. It was busy in there, the King was yelling into the phone and his associates were running around like maniacs. Chi-chi knew that without them, the palace and kingdom would be in a state of total chaos, but still, they annoyed her.

"Daddy," she called as she strode across the room, she stopped just in front of him and waited a few minutes for him to get off the phone, he seemed to have gotten what he wanted – since when did he not? He wore a cocky smirk on his face that reminded her of her oldest brothers.

"Ah, Chi-chi dear, how can I help you?" he asked as he rubbed his goatee and resumed his position in his big cushy throne

"Well," she began, twirling a strand of her long black, "I was thinking…"

"You don't want another credit card do you?"

"No!" well actually she did, but that wasn't what she was in here for right now, "I was actually thinking of something other than myself!" she joked, sounding mock hurt.

The King chuckled to himself and leaned back in his chair, waiting to hear what his only daughter had to say

"I was thinking. What if when Kakkarot and the others get back from Namek, we have some sort of ceremony for them, and we could give them a bravery award or something" she suggested, her tail flicked eagerly behind her as she spoke.

The King pondered what Chi-chi had just said for a minute or so then he looked at her and smiled "I think that's a fantastic idea. But you're going to have to be the one to organize the whole thing. I just don't have the time sorry"

"What, you mean like everything?" Chi-chi sounded shocked. 'There is no way I can organize an entire function by myself'

"Yes by yourself. You'll do just fine, I'll supply you with the cash and I'll organize the awards, but the rest is up to you my dear"

"Ok then daddy, thank you" she said and she headed out the door, as soon as she was outside the throne room, she broke into the full paced sprint and dashed across the palace to find Bulma.

~

"Dad, have all those cells fused yet?" asked Bulma as she covered the speaker end of the phone with her hand so the person on the other end couldn't hear her speaking to him.

"Not yet dear" replied Dr. Briefs with a frustrated sigh

"Ok then," said Bulma and she resumed her phone discussion. "Yes, sorry about that, I was wondering if it would be at all possible to have it shipped here overnight?"

She listened for a few minutes as the woman on the other end of the phone spoke to her. "Ok then, very well Thursday will be fine. Yes, Miss Bulma Briefs will be signing for the package. Thank you. Goodbye" she said and she hung up the phone

Suddenly Chi-chi burst into the room, panting and out of breath. Bulma instantly assumed something dreadful had happened. "Chi, what wrong?" she asked, sounding alarmed.

"Nothing" Chi-chi replied in between gulps for air. "I need your help, that's all"

Bulma slowly nodded her head. "Oh ok, sit down and tell me how I can help. Its close enough to my lunch break"

Chi-chi sat down in one of the chairs on the opposite side of Bulma's desk and reached for Bulma's glass of water, after she drank it's entire contents, she spoke "papa wants me to organize a ceremony for the boys when they get back from space. He'll pay for it, but I could really use your help planning the whole thing. Bulma leaned back in her big leather executive chair and considered the offer for a minute. It would certainly be fun. But did she really have the time? Well it had been a while since she had really had some quality time with her best friend, so she might as well take the opportunity. "Sure I'll help you Chi"

"Great" Chi-chi said with a smile, she had suddenly become excited about the idea of planning such a special event; it would be the function of the year, hopefully even better than the Son Ball.

"How formal should it be?" she asked

Bulma pulled a pad of paper and pen out from under her desk and began to scribble things down on it. "Ok," she said, "It should be formal, but not overly formal. Remember, the last thing the boys are going to want after a long hard trip in space is to have to get ready for a gala event. I think it should just be a nice black tie event."

Chi-chi smiled brightly "Great idea B-Chan"

Before long they girls had composed quite an impressive list of things necessary to hold a great event, and it was a bigger list than they had first thought. Chi-chi looked at it and shook her head; she was going to have to make so many phone calls, so very many. But she wanted to do it, she wanted Kakkarot to be proud of her, for him to see that she was able to put her mind to something and get it done. It would be her way of thanking him for all he did for her, and all he would surely continue to do for her. But there was one thought lingering in the back of her mind that she just couldn't get past

"B, what if they don't make it back and all of this planning and preparation is in vain? Then what?"

"Chi, that isn't going to happen ok. Everything is going to be fine"

Chi-chi smiled, but it wasn't a smile full of confidence, it was a half smile made up of doubt and worry. She was scared.

***

Krillen rolled over onto his back and looked up at the ceiling, resting his hands behind his head he let out a long sigh. How was anyone expected to sleep in constant daylight? Well… Krillen tipped his head to the side and watch Kakkarot and Ari in their respective beds, both snoring their heads off... they could.

He was getting frustrated, he was so tired from all the sleepless nights or days or whatever you wanted to call them, and it was beginning to take it's toll on him.

"That's it" Krillen muttered to himself and he threw off his covers, pulled on the only outfit he had – a black sleeveless spandex, and walked outside into the impossibly bright… night?

Taking long fast strides, he quickly walked out of the little hut that he shared with his two friends and down past Gurus temple, Krillen peered in on his way past, and Guru was sleeping – not that he was surprised. He walked a little further down the path and he came to a hut that was similar to the one he was staying in, only much bigger. Knocking on the door, Krillen pushed it open a little and poked his head inside.

"Vegeta," he called, "you awake?"

"Yeah" replied Vegeta from a dark corner of the room. Krillen smiled and made his way over to his older brother. "I couldn't sleep" he said, knowing that it sounded corny, but he just couldn't think of any other way to phrase it.

Vegeta sat up in his bed and patted the newly vacated spot, inviting Krillen to sit there, "Me either"

"You stole the good room" Krillen commented, taking in everything this room had that his didn't. A door, for instance and a non-communal bathroom.

Vegeta only shrugged his shoulder, "you were offered a spot in here, and it's hardly my problem if you declined it"

"I know. It makes you think though"

"About what?"

"About just how lucky we really are. I mean we have so much stuff at home that we take for granted. Coming here and seeing how these people live really opened my eyes. And it's sad to think that in a few days they'll probably all be dead"

Vegeta snorted, "don't think about it like that. Think of them as sacrificing themselves for the greater good"

"Yeah," Krillen smiled "for the greater good" then he drifted off into thought.

What Vegeta had just said had actually helped somewhat, he felt a little better, but still there was one thought he couldn't shake. That little boy they had met earlier on their walk…what had his name been…Dende? Yeah, that was it, Dende. He had been the first Namekian, besides the Guru, to actually talk to them, and it had really touched Krillen. And it really hurt him to think that that poor little kid, whom unlike his father had thought, was not bothering them in the slightest, was going to die. He was young, only 7 maybe 8. There was so much of life he had yet to discover, so much he could do, so much he would never get to do. But that wasn't the worst part, the worst part was that Dende's wouldn't be the only young life that would be brought to an end well before it was due. Hundreds, probably thousands of Namekian children would die, and that made a sense of overwhelming sorrow wash over him. Because he knew in his heart, though he didn't want to admit it, that this battle would almost certainly bring the Nameks to extinction. They would become nothing more than a memory, something that children of other, luckier races would study in history class, and not really care about. It made Krillens stomach churn.

All of a sudden, Krillen was given a brute, rather harsh shove back into reality, by way of Vegeta jumping out of bed and quite loudly repeating very vulgar profanities.

"What?" Krillen asked, quite shocked and alarmed, he cold feel his heart race quicken and he didn't even know what was wrong.

Vegeta tore the clothing he was wearing off and promptly preceded to pull on his spandex. "For god's sake Krillen, didn't you hear that?" he shouted as he quickly shoved his armour down over his head.

"No, hear what?"

"That bloody explosion. It can only mean one thing!"

Krillen gulped, praying he was only dreaming "Frieza?"

"Yes Frieza. This isn't a drill, this is the real thing, it's time to get our revenge on that bastard. You know what to do. Now go!" Vegeta screamed over the alarm that had begun to sound.

Krillen didn't need to be told twice, it was time to Rock'N'Roll.

***

Chi-chi placed up the phone back on its receiver and rested back against some of the many over stuffed pillows on her bed. Her ears were beginning to get hot from the amount of time she had spent on the phone, looking across at her alarm clock she saw it read 2.34 pm. She groaned, almost 2 hours on the phone was far to long.

Casting her eyes all around her bedroom, she noticed a dark red stain in the bottom corner of one half of the pink curtains. She slowly got up and strode across the big room, crouching down near the accusing stain and picking up the corner of the curtain, upon a closer look, she discovered that indeed was blood.

"18," she called

18 looked up from the clothing she was ironing and gulped, "Yes Ma'am" she replied

"What's this?" Chi-chi snapped, standing up and moving away from the curtain, not wanting 18 to get to close to her, after all who knew what kinds of diseases she was infested with.

18 took Chi-chi's spot and gave the stain a quick glance "it's blood ma'am"

Chi-chi rolled her eyes, "I know it's blood you fool, I want to know how it got there?"

"I don't know ma'am," said 18, forcing the words out of her mouth, she hated this women more than anything, she detested her, and trying to be polite to her, went against everything she knew, "but I'll tend to it right away"

Chi-chi shook her head, that wasn't a good enough answer. She was in a cranky mood and wanted everything her way, right now!.

"No 18," she hissed, "you won't tend to it right away, you'll tell me how it happened…. or suffer the consequences"

18 gulped again, she didn't like where this was going. Why did Chi-chi always have to pick on her? She had picked on her every day for the last 11 months. Wasn't she board yet? "I don't know what caused this ma'am" she said, not daring to make eye contact with the witch, who was 2 years her senior.

"That's not good enough 18. I know you know who or what did this. So spit it out"

18 was at a loss, she had no idea what had cause this stupid stain, but it hadn't been her, that was for sure "I really don't know ma'am"

'That's it' Chi-chi thought to herself and in her new found rage, she lifted her foot and booted 18 halfway across the room, where she crashed into the wall with a thud. Chi-chi tucked her hair behind her ear and stomped over to 18 where she kneed her in the stomach, swore loudly and stormed out the room.

18-cracked one eye open to make sure Chi-chi was gone before she opened her mouth and spat blood all over the floor, her vision was all fuzzy, and more and more blood just kept pouring out of her mouth. She was going to pass out, she could feel it, her body ache and her entire midsection was burning, waves of pain washed over her and she welcomed the relief of nothingness that would surely talk her over any minute now.

But before she could feel the sweet relief of nothing she felt 2 cool hands resting on her shoulders, then move to cradle her face.

"18," she faintly heard the voice call her name "18 answer me. Are you ok? Please, let me know you can here me"

She tried her best to give an indication that she could here who ever was talking to her.

17's face was twisted into a look of panic; he didn't know what to do or how long 18 had been bleeding like this. He'd been walking past the door, and there she had been, lying on the floor, a big pool of blood around her head.

"18, it's me 17, your brother. You're going to be fine" he said, remembering back to when he had been hurt and how 18 had been the one to nurse him back to health and stay by his side until he was well again.

He jumped up and ran into the bathroom, grabbed a glass and filled it with cool water. Then he very carefully sat his sister up and helped her swallow the cool liquid.

"What in the hell is going on in here?"

17 jumped up "What did you do to my sister?" he screamed to her, white-hot rage consuming his entire being.

Chi-chi looked beyond 17 to the pitiful mess that was 18 on the floor and scoffed "Me? She bought that on herself"

"How can you be so heartless? Why do you have to hurt her? She never does anything wrong by you" he demanded to know.

Chi-chi rolled her eyes, pushed past 17 and prodded 18 with her foot. "I'm the princess of this entire planet, I can do what I like – and you can't stop me. Now go, and take your pathetic excuse for a sister with you"

17 narrowed his eyes and ball his fists to prevent himself blowing a hole through something. He picked a now unconscious 18 up and looked directly at Chi-chi. "You know, she might not be able to fight back now, but just you wait. One day, you are going to crash and burn at 18's hands. And trust me, 18 knows how to exact revenge. I hope you rot in hell" he said and left the room. Leaving a stunned Chi-chi behind

***

A/N; Well what did you all think? Good? Bad? Great!? So terrible you want to flame me to the middle of next week? I'd love to hear what you though of this chapter. It's like a million and six degrees at my house today…swimming pool here I come!… and your review might just be the thing I need to cool me down. ~D.B