Chapter 4: The Second Sign

It was about a week after Codie was released and we went home. I didn't stray far from my son for hours. I was too scared to. And I couldn't think of anyway to help my son.

This is all my fault… I have to help him… I have to save him… but how? Gero said there was nothing he could do. But that doesn't mean there isn't something I can do.

I got up and went to the roof.

"King Kai, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Katie, I can hear you. What is it?"

"I need help. Do you know any way to separate a permanent fusion?"

"Fusion? No, I don't. Why do you ask?"

"My son, Codie. He's dying, King Kai, and it's because he absorbed Cell's evil half."

"Oh, I see. I don't know if this is something you can do by means of fusion separation."

"I have to try. I'll talk to Supreme Kai. Thanks anyway."

"Good luck, Katie."

I went back inside, and went to Codie's room. He wasn't there. My heart began to race, and then I saw the fresh blood trail going from his bed to his bathroom.

I looked inside and saw Codie holding a white towel over his face, sitting on the toilet. His nose was bleeding.

"Codie!" I went over and knelt down next to him. He looked pale, almost as white as his father. His eyes were glassy as well.

"Mom, it won't stop." He said, sounding weak. I noticed a second towel on the floor, once blue but now almost black from the blood.

Then I noticed gray spots on the towel Codie was using now. He had Dextryte and blood flowing.

I went over to him and held the towel, and under the sink right next to me I grabbed another towel.

"Codie, sit down here." I had him sit on the floor, leaning against the wall, "I'll be right back with something to help stop your nosebleed."

He didn't answer, but I hurried out of the bathroom, down the hall to Capsule Corp.'s med-lab. I rummaged through the cabinets, seeking the medicine I was searching for.

It has to be here somewhere… no one ever puts things back where they're suppose to be! There!

I grabbed the bottle and a syringe, filled the needle, and placed a cap over it. Then I ran back to Codie.

I got in the bathroom and Codie hadn't moved. I knelt down next to him, and his eyes got wide as he looked at the shot.

"I know you hate shots, Codie, but it'll stop your nosebleed." He nodded, and I administered the shot. It was a blood-clotting agent, so his blood would become thicker and slow down. His blood pressure would also go down, but not too much to hurt him now. His nosebleed slowed down and then stopped.

"Mom, what's wrong with me?" he asked weakly.

"I don't know, but I promise to find out. Stay still, I'll get you dad-"

"Dad went to Kanji's school… remember?" he said.

"Then I'll get your grandpa, just stay still."

I felt Vegeta in the Gravity Room. I needed him now, so I'd have to disturb his training. He wouldn't be happy.

"Vegeta, I need your help right now, it's an emergency."

"What is it?"

"Codie, he's sick again. I need you to help him into his bed while I switch his sheets. I also need to talk to you."

"…I'll be right there."

I quickly began to change Codie's sheets, and Vegeta came in as I was finishing up. We got Codie into the bed and got him comfortable.

"Codie, I'll be right back, okay?" he nodded in response.

Vegeta and I stepped out into the hall and closed the door, then walked down the hall. I didn't want Codie to overhear anything.

"What's this all about? What's wrong with him?" Vegeta asked.

"Nothing human doctors can heal."

"Then what?" Vegeta asked. He was worried, too.

"I was about to name Codie as earth's new protector, but I can't do that now." I said, holding back my feelings, my fear, and my tears. I had to be strong for Codie, "There were high amounts of Dextryte in Codie's blood the day he went into the hospital. There was Dextryte in his blood that was on those towels and his sheets as well."

"What does that mean?" Vegeta asked.

"I'm not exactly sure. But Dextryte is the metal Gero used to create his androids." Recognition flashed on Vegeta's face.

"Then go see Gero-"

"I did. He said Codie wasn't compatible with Cell's evil half, and his body is most likely fighting these new components like an infection."

"Is there a way to fix him? Heal him, I mean."

"Gero didn't know of any. I'm working on it."

"You should take Codie to the hospital. He needs a transfusion." Vegeta said.

"I know, but the hospital won't be able to help. And you're the only one with the same blood type as Codie. You'll have to do it."

"Of course. I'll go get the transfusion kit." Vegeta headed back to the med-lab.

I went back to Codie's room. He was still in bed, hadn't moved, and starring out the window.

"Right now we'd normally be out there training, huh?" I said. Codie didn't answer, "Or riding your Ayokii?" he still didn't respond, "Codie, your grandpa is going to give you some of his blood. It'll make you feel better."

"Needles?" he asked.

"Yeah. Goku didn't like shots either." I gave him an encouraging smile, but it didn't work. He's smart, and logical. Just like his father.

"This all has something to do with father, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Maybe, I don't know yet." I said, looking at him. He was still so pale.

"I'm okay with that, though. When I absorbed father's other half I got his memories in total. I know everything he knew. It's almost as good as being with him."

"You know something kid, we aren't so different." I replied.

"What, your dad was a bionic android, too?" he said, trying to hide his true feelings.

"No, I never got to know him. Or any of my family, only Goku. At least you have the rest of us. You're like Hercules, kid."

"Who?"

"Hercules. He was a myth, a hero that was a half god to the Greeks. He knew whom his dad was, Zeus the king of the gods, but he never got to know him. Just like you and Cell."

"So I'm like Hercules…"

"Every bit." I said.

Vegeta came back in with the kit, and I set them up.

"Katrin, how much does he need?" Vegeta asked, trying to whisper. I pierced Vegeta's skin with the needle and he flinched.

"Sorry. About a pint, that's as much as you are able to give. You won't be able to train anymore today, Vegeta. Codie, you're to stay in bed today, alright?"

"I don't think I want to do anything but rest anyway." he replied.

"This will take about thirty minutes. You two just sit here, talk if you want, just stay seated. I'll be back in a few minutes, I have something to check on."

The machine started to move blood from Vegeta's arm to Codie's arm, and before I left the room I turned back to look at them. Codie gave me a thumbs-up to signal he was okay, but Vegeta and I knew he wasn't.