Disclaimer: If DBZ were mine I honestly wouldn't be typing this disclaimer right now. No, if DBZ were mine right now I'd be laughing manically as I rolled around in piles and piles of gold, waiting impatiently for my gentleman manservant to drop off more gold for me to roll around in. Er- um - so I really don't own it!

Author's Note: Thank you to those who read and reviewed! I can't believe people liked it! Um...and to answer someone's question...uh yes, pretty much everyone WILL be revived, with a few exceptions (like Goku, since he died of illness). Vegeta's not the only one who will be a big part of the story; Gohan will play a huge role in everything as well.

As I said, thanks for reading! Hang on for awhile and you won't be disappointed. It's not my best writing right now, as I need some background before more happens, but things start to get more exciting by chapters three and four, when I get more into the main plot. I haven't really written a lot about emotions before and I need to be able to take it slow.

Here is Chapter Two:

Bulma gave her son one last squeezing hug. "Oooooh, this is so hard," she moaned, the beginnings of a few tears starting to leak out of her large blue eyes. "You've grown into such a fine young man; I can only hope that MY Trunks turns out to be like you when he's just as old!"

Trunks grinned as he returned the embrace. "I'm just glad that he doesn't have to go through what I did," he replied seriously, staring his mother right in the face, which, of course, was looking younger than what he was used to. She didn't have any wrinkles yet, no lines; her eyes weren't full of the usual constant worry.

"Make sure to spoil his brains out!" he added with an afterthought.

"Oh, you bet I will! And I'll do the same for---for his siblings later on!" Trunks noted that she had a creepy gleam in her eye but decided that he'd probably be better off not knowing.

"Well, I've held you up enough," she added a minute later, breaking the hug. "You get back home, but remember to be careful! There are millions of people depending on you!"

"There aren't even a million people left on earth, Mom," Trunks replied darkly, a sense of gloominess suddenly descending upon him as it fully dawned on him for the first time that he was really going back...there.

Her face fell. "Well---you know what I mean, Trunks. Just be careful, OK? Especially on the way to Namek---even with new technology it'll take at least four days!" At this Trunks opened his mouth in surprise, but she put her finger to his lips to silence him. "Honestly, son, you think I'm stupid?!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "I figured you might try it if I gave you a little push! The coordinates for Namek are Z460Z, X432F AAA. Well, on a Capsule Corp ship, anyway..." She trailed off.

"So- so you think it'll work?"

"Well yeah, as long as you're smart about the wishes! Porunga grants three---but there are certain rules involved. You shouldn't have too much trouble, though. And don't tell the Nameks that you're Vegeta's son---they, uh, don't like him very much, to say the least. But just be careful, alright?" She patted his shoulder.

"Thanks for everything, Mom."

"No problem! You just get everything back to normal over there! I mean, we wouldn't want the future me to be -well- deprived of your father, now would we! And besides, I'm not sharing!"

"Eeeeeeeeeeuwwwwwwww!!! Moooooo-ooooom!"

***

After the urge to barf had finally worn off, Trunks gave a final farewell to his young mother and flew off into the early morning sunshine. It was a short fifteen minute flight over to the time machine; he had hidden it in one of the densely forested areas about a hundred miles or so from West City.

As he began to head towards his destination he stared at the bustling people and ultra-modern skyscrapers in the city below him. What a peaceful, peaceful place...part of him actually wished that he could stay forever. Another time where evil had never won, where he could live happily and never have to fight a battle again...but he knew he had to go back. His mother and Puar were anxiously awaiting the news, at any rate, and he'd never even THINK of abandoning them to fend for themselves. They were probably already dead with worry, since he had already stayed longer than planned because of Cell.

He would miss it all, though. His new (and old) friends, the adventures they had shared, and the peaceful world he had heard so much about that he had finally gotten a chance to see. Now he saw why his mother almost cried every time she talked about it. To lose all that, almost everything that was precious to her---he was surprised she hadn't gone insane from the weight of it all.

But it was time for a change. Whether or not he had gotten strong enough to defeat the Androids in his own time he could only guess, but it was worth a shot. He had at least been strong enough to hold his own against Cell, at any rate, and Cell was probably ten times as worse than any Android. Therefore he'd at least try it. Today, in fact.

He touched down in an especially thick grove and presently found the time machine, which was already beginning to get grown over by some strong vines. He stared at it silently for a moment; for some reason the sight of it made him feel strangely emotional.

(So this is it...I'm really going back. Back to that awful place. I never even really realized how awful it was until a few days ago...)

He stiffened as he continued to stare, the Ki within his body surging more restlessly than usual. (Oh, what am I saying? It's home, isn't it? And at least I can do more about making it less awful than before...right?) He couldn't afford to be stupid at the moment. Especially when he had people waiting for him anxiously back at home...people he loved.

He had raised his hand to begin the tedious process of blasting the vines off the time machine when suddenly and out of nowhere someone impatiently cleared their throat behind him. Trunks literally jumped about a mile into the air; the ball of Ki that had been forming in his hand flew out of control, violently ricocheting off the nearby trees and nearly hitting him before finally slamming into the ground near his feet.

"Damn it all, you stupid boy!" someone snarled viciously. "That freaking thing almost HIT me!!"

Trunks immediately whirled around in response, but he didn't even have to look to know who it was.

Vegeta.

Yes, strangely enough, the person standing in front of him was his father. No other person on earth could even begin to rival the angry glare that was currently being shot at him, at any rate. He looked a little tired and grumpy (although the latter wasn't unusual) and Trunks honestly hoped no one he knew would have to tell him that he had a large twig stuck in his hair, but, more importantly...what the HELL was he doing here?!

"Er---hi, Dad," was all he managed to come up with, albeit a little lamely. "Out for a morning walk?"

Predictably, Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Of course, you moron."

"I thought so," Trunks replied politely, pretending to ignore the barb.

A long, heavy silence...

"Well, why ARE you here?!" Trunks finally exclaimed in exasperation, after the staring match that had ensued had lasted for about thirty seconds. "I'm sure it's not because you want to come along!"

Vegeta stuck his nose in the air. "Of course not, boy. Why would I want to go along with you to that dump?!"

"Well then, what IS it?!" Trunks prodded him on pointedly.

Vegeta just rolled his eyes again, looking as if the reason he had come had been obvious. "I came to tell you to be careful, boy. To not get full of it. I'll admit that you're strong, kid, perhaps even stronger than me, but still maybe not strong enough."

Trunks almost died in surprise. There had been times where his father had done some very un-Vegeta-like things (like flipping out when he had been killed by Cell, for instance), but this probably was the queen of them all. Whether he was going to admit it or not...had he actually come to say...good-bye? Had Yamcha actually been...right, perhaps?

"Don't let your temper get the best of you, boy," Vegeta went on, crossing his arms in his usual imperious way. "You're the only one left, and if you go down there'll be no Kakarot to clean up after your sorry ass." He spat bitterly on the ground. "Just take care of your mother. I'm sure she's been through hell just because I lost."

Trunks now felt like he was in the dead center of the Twilight Zone. Vegeta---caring about someone besides himself?! The same man who had thoughtlessly razed planets, killed people, and even tried to blow up the Earth with a Ki ball?! This was quite a far cry from even a few days ago!

"Well---um, I'll try, Dad."

"No, you idiot boy, you will do it!"

At this point Trunks paused awkwardly. "And---and what about you?" he finally mumbled, instantly regretting that the loud mouth he had inherited from his mother had opened itself once again.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "What the hell do you mean?!"

"Well...are you going to do the same?"

"You mean, stay on this pathetic mudball of a planet?!" he snorted. "Even if I wanted to leave, do you think I have much choice?!"

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes," Vegeta spat, rolling his eyes for what must have been the millionth time. "That is a yes. What the hell's the big deal?!"

"Let's put it this way, Dad," Trunks said quietly, looking his father in the eye. "Even if it's just you, I'm a lot better off with a father than without one."

Vegeta snorted and refused to say a word more.

***

Bulma stifled a cry as he wordlessly turned and headed for the door. Refusing to ignore the sense of dread that constantly gnawed away on her stomach, she blocked the way out with one deft movement and cried pleadingly, "W-wait a second! You can't just go...like this!"

He gritted his teeth impatiently. "I can go however I WANT, woman! Now let me through!"

"No! No, not until you promise-"

"Promise WHAT?! Promises are worth nothing! You know that as much as anyone!"

"That we'll end this---that you'll come out of there alive! Vegeta, I-I...it took something this bad for me to say it, but...we need to talk if---no, WHEN you return."

Vegeta laughed humorlessly. "Since WHEN did you ever care about my safe return, wench?! When your precious little hide is threatened?"

She touched his shoulder. "Just promise me, Vegeta. Please..."

"Oh, all right, all right...I PROMISE. Now will you GET OUT OF THE WAY?!"

Reluctantly backing off in order to let him through, she stared at him with tears in her eyes as he slammed the door shut behind him and headed for the compound gate, not even bothering a glance behind him.

~~

It was all so hazy now. The events, the words, the actions... Sixteen years was a long time for anyone to remember anything exactly as it had happened. Bulma's memories were no exception to this rule, even though there were parts to the whole story that she remembered like yesterday.

She sighed heavily as she snuggled further into the dusty old recliner that had always been Chi-Chi's favorite. She was sick of hiding, sick of being unable to roam freely like she had back when the world was free. The Sons' house, safely shielded by a stretch of rough forest and Mount Paoztu, might have been a logical place to live, especially to raise a young child, but it seemed so cut off from the rest of the world. Even if that world WAS suffering.

The house itself was virtually unchanged from the times in which the Son family was still safe and whole. It still had the same furniture, the same hangings on the walls...even the same feeling of chaotic messiness every time one entered the house. (That's the real reason why I don't like it here, I guess. Too many happy memories here. All the parties we had, all the good times...Every time I walk around in here I just stir up more memories. It's almost as if Goku and Chi-Chi just went away for the day and are coming back any minute...)

She sighed again and wistfully stared out the window, out at the gray, overcast skies and towards the unruly forest. Even this place itself was by no means safe. The forest had become a dangerous area, filled with outlaws and poor refugees that had run away from other parts of the world. Even the birds dared not sing in there.

(Why won't I let go? They're gone, all gone. They've all been dead for years now. And I'm still here, just wasting away... It's just not fair! My forty-third birthday was a week ago...my youth's slipping away through my fingers. Memories are all I've got now...)

Memories...and a good portion of them happened to be bad. (Goku's death...it was just a taste of what was in store for us all. Without him, we never even had a chance.) Not long after they had used the Dragonballs to wish the Nameks a new planet, Goku had suddenly became victim to a deadly strain of heart virus, one that had a 90% death rate and killed within a few days. Without medicine or antidotes, no one could do anything but sit and watch him waste away...even a Saiyan could do nothing but succumb to its deadly spell.

(Everyone loved him so much. His funeral---it was so packed. Full of his friends and admirers, people we met on our journeys. Even Vegeta---even Vegeta swallowed his pride and paid his respects that day. )

The worst, however, was to come about two years later, with the activation of the Androids. After killing Dr. Gero and destroying his laboratory, Androids 17 and 18 went on a rampage, mercilessly razing countless cities further south. The fighters that still remained (Yamcha, Tien, Krillin, Piccolo, Chao-ztu, Gohan, and Vegeta) reluctantly decided to join forces when hearing about the carnage, although the respective groups that they came from had slowly drifted apart due to the fact that Goku, the only thing that they had all had in common, was dead.

(I remember the last time I saw them, out on the lawn while they waited up for Yamcha. Piccolo was under a tree, looking as serious as ever. Tien looked nervous. And Vegeta

-well- he was just being Vegeta.) She scowled as she recalled what he had been doing. He had been impatiently pawing the ground with his boot and threatening to "deball that pasty-skinned coward if he didn't hurry his ass up."

(They all looked so confident out there. But in all truth they never even stood a chance.) Tears threatened to well out from her eyes as she remembered the absolute blood, debris, and carnage that was waiting for her when she had arrived at the scene of the battle on her air transport with Trunks in her arms. (Blood...death...they say you can't smell death, but I definitely did there. Nobody was alive...only Gohan, and I sure had to work to get him out from under that rubble. Another hour and he wouldn't have lived.)

Again, though, the worst hadn't been over. (Goku always used to say I lucked out a lot. And luck saved my life that day. Because what I saw at the Kame House, I-I-) The last thing that had happened was by far the worst. She should have known better, too, but hindsight was 20/20 and she never thought about it before it had actually occurred. (The Kame House...what a stupid place for the rest of us to stay. We were all so nervous, we all wanted to stay together to feel safe. But that's probably one of the FIRST places that people would look for Goku. When I got back from the battle...everyone there, dead. Everyone except for Puar.) Puar had been small enough to hide in the medicine chest in the bathroom; being unable to feel out Ki was one of the Androids' few weaknesses.

So it had been her, Gohan, Trunks, and Puar. They moved around a lot at first, never staying around in one place for long. The Sons' house had eventually proved itself to be untouched and they settled there about two years later. (Those were the toughest days. Had it not been for those two kids, I might have just kicked the bucket right then and there. But I had to keep going---I needed to get Gohan better and to keep Trunks from living on the street. But from the start I knew that those two were the only ones who had a chance of beating them.)

She looked down at her calloused hands. (It's still hopeless for us, really. They're still not dead, but Gohan is. Trunks is strong like his father, but those guys back in the past would have to teach him some pretty good tricks for him to defeat them here. )

(The past...at least the past me doesn't have to go through what I did. All because of my time machine. My greatest invention yet. If I absolutely have to stay and be miserable here in this stupid dump, then at least the younger me shouldn't have to!)

(There are a lot of risks, that's for sure, but I think that with Goku there, they can do it. Goku always DID save the day, right?)

She stood up and went out into the frigid morning air, staring out at the horizon in expectation of something. (I wonder if Trunks'll get back today. It's been awhile...that means it's been a long battle.)

(But maybe he's just having a good time. Being somewhere where he can sleep in peace, where all the people he looks up to are still alive. I can forgive him for that. But I wonder...)

She kicked at the short, pale grass that grew in the yard, angry at herself for the main but secret reason that she had sent Trunks into the past, which should have been something that she did on her own. (I'm selfish, really, but there are just some things you can't say. I'm such a coward, not telling him the truth about his father. I just thought that he should see for himself, see it so that I don't have to tell him...)

(I wonder what'll become of...us in the past. Will it be different? Has it already changed? Is it really what happens that shapes the person, and not what you're born with? It may crush Trunks, seeing it firsthand, but this is something that I can't put into words very well. Or maybe I'm just scared. Scared seems more like it.)

She looked up at the gray skies, hoping that everything would turn out well. (Yamcha...I miss you. And Vegeta...I so hate to admit it, but I miss you, too. You probably don't miss me, though. You probably hate me. You've probably already forgotten I even exist.)

(But still...I wish you were here...with me.)

Author's Note: Whew! Hoped you liked it, although this was more of a "explaining what the hell is going on" chapter. Trunks should actually be on Namek either the next chapter or the one after that. And then it begins...

As for the B/V, it'll pretty much be like this, with flashbacks of what was happening before and everything, until Vegeta is revived. Then it's B/V pretty much all the way! However, I will still use Trunks's perspective to tell the story sometimes...

If you read and enjoyed it, then please review. If you read it, liked some parts but have suggestions or advice, please review (constructive criticism is great, especially if it's about my writing style). Hell, if you hated it...please review! I need to see if I'm going in the right direction with this.