A/N: I'm so sorry for the long, long wait! I've just started college and we're about to move so things have been way, way hectic. Please forgive me! I have also been working on Journey, I really have. Just hammering out a few ideas and making it better.
OoOoOoO
Five Months Later
"Another city up in smoke..." Vegeta growled shutting off the now silent radio and tossed a scathing look at the crying child in Bulma's arms, "If that brat doesn't shut up we'll be found!" He snapped.
What was left of the Z-senshi were currently hiding out in what was left of the basement of Capsule Corps. Yamucha, Tien, and Chiaotsu had attempted to take on the androids themselves. When the rest of the group arrived it was too late. Puar refused to leave Yamucha's side which later resulted in her own demise. Another attack left Crisjin MIA and Gohan severely wounded and unable to walk.
Piccolo carried the boy home that night.
"Shut up Vegeta," Tora hissed before Bulma had a chance to reply, "The Androids know we're here. They're just toying with us, waiting for someone else to venture out by themselves."
Piccolo snorted from his spot leaning against a cracked wall, "I don't know which would have been better… letting Cell live and him absorbing the androids… or the two androids now."
"At least with Cell we could sense him." Krillin said softly from his spot on the floor.
Gohan glanced around at the group, "It won't matter, when my dad's well again he'll help us take them out." He turned his eyes onto his sleeping father and frowned slightly.
The poor kid had been through a lot, having nearly died at the androids' hands three times. When his house was attacked, he showed up at Capsule Corps dragging his unconscious father. The boy was beside himself with grief and pain; he couldn't find his mother's body. It had nearly destroyed the boy; he looked for days until finally… finally he gave up.
Kimura sat near what would be a picture window showing the backyard had it not been covered with dirt and debris. She pressed her hand against the foggy glass, "Think he'll even the odds?"
"Yes," Gohan answered full heartedly, "With all of us and him, the androids won't stand a chance."
Vegeta snorted folding his arms over his chest, "Yes, didn't you know Kakarato has the power to save us all?" He snarled sarcastically as he made his way from the room.
Tora glared at the door slamming shut then turned back to her task at hand. She had hardly left Goku's side since he was brought to Capsule Corps, since Chichi's death… Carefully she wiped the sweat from Goku's brow with a towel, "Vegeta's just jealous."
Bulma sighed thankful that Trunks had finally fallen to sleep, "I just hope Marai Trunks is okay… Maybe he's found a way to defeat the androids in his time and he'll come back." She smiled hopefully standing up.
"Let's hope." Krillin nodded offering a reassuring smile to Bulma before she left the room to put Trunks in the makeshift nursery.
Kimura moved away from the window to where Piccolo sat meditating. She slid down the wall onto her butt wrapping her arms around her knees. There was a moment of silence as everyone went back to what they were doing and retreated into their own minds. Piccolo slid open an eye and rolled it over to Kimura. She was watching Tora stare at Goku thoughtfully, her lips pressed in a thin line.
"You didn't tell them."
Kimura blinked slowly then shook her head, "No. It's forbidden."
Forbidden, Piccolo rolled his eyes, so many things were 'forbidden'. He tilted his head to the side staring down at Kimura, her green eyes squinting like she was concentrating on something…. Like not crying.
"Right," Piccolo snorted, "But that was on your planet, not this one. Haven't you learned that yet?"
"Piccolo I can't…" She bit her lip in frustration, "I don't know if I feel the same."
Piccolo rolled his eyes, "Feh, foolish emotions."
Kimura gave him a look then turned her back to him, "Give me a break." She grumbled pulling her knees up to her chest, "Just because you don't have the same 'parts' as a Human or Saiyajin, doesn't mean you don't have 'emotions' either."
Piccolo blinked in shock, his jaw dropped open, "I-"
"You guys!" Tora jumped to her feet, "Goku's waking up!
"Chichi?" Goku groaned cracking open his eyes.
Gohan's face fell, "No dad." He said softly touching his father's forehead with the cloth Tora had dropped.
Tora stared down at Goku sadly, "I'm sorry Goku," She bit her lip, "She didn't make it."
A long sigh escaped Goku's lungs, "What happened?" He asked at last.
Watching from the back wall, Piccolo snorted climbing to his feet, "The androids is what happened." His voice came out clipped as he took a step forward looking Goku over.
Kimura sighed bowing her head, "They…" Her mouth worked slowly trying to get the rest of the sentence out, "They killed…them," Her voice cracked as tears welled up in her eyes, "They're too strong and almost everyone's dead."
Piccolo folded his arms over his chest, "Glad you're back Goku, maybe now…" He trailed off remembering Vegeta's earlier snide comment, "Things will lighten up." He finished before leaving the room.
Gohan looked away from the closing door to his father, "We have to stop them dad. Now that you're better I know we can."
"Gohan…" Goku breathed, his eyes ticked over to Tora's solemn face to Kimura fighting back tears in the back of the room, "I don't know if I can stop them either."
"What're you saying?" Gohan gasped, "Of course you can! You're the strongest warrior in the universe! You have to stop them! If not for us for mom!"
Goku frown, "I don't-"
"Gohan, he isn't well yet." Tora cut in, "Let him rest first." She stood up patting the boy on the head before leaving the room.
OoOoOoO
Vegeta grit his teeth together in a vain attempt at 'controlling' his anger. He had heard Tora's joyous cry of Goku being awake; he could care less. His sister, he had figured out quickly, held a great respect for the clown. She had never cared about the classes while they were on Vegeta-sei; it was evident in her choice of best friend. But, Vegeta turned glaring at the door leading to the dimly lit room; if she should fall for the low-level imbecile then he'd have to take things into his own hands. The royal blood would not be tainted by a low class moron.
Scowling he moved away from the room to the upper levels of the Capsule corps ruins and into the fresh air. "Kakarato…" He growled clenching his fists at his side, "You will not touch my sister!"
"Feh," Piccolo snorted walking out into the yard, "You think you have any say in the matter?"
Vegeta whipped around, "Who asked you Namek?" He snarled straightening himself out.
"I could care less about Saiyajin policies, but did you not break one of your valued rules when you bedded Bulma?"
The Saiyajin prince looked about ready to punch Piccolo in the face for his insolence. If the androids could sense ki Piccolo was sure they would have been there in seconds at Vegeta's sudden ki spike. Neither the increase in power nor the furious look crossing Vegeta's face frightened Piccolo, he snorted and rolled his eyes at the Saiyajin.
"Your childish behavior is not going to frighten me Vegeta. You may have your little group of followers who still believe in your ruling, but get this straight," He narrowed his eyes at Vegeta and took a step forward, "You're nothing but a snot nosed brat to me." Piccolo turned, his cape whipping back snapping in the wind, "Let your past go and let the others live their lives already." He said over his shoulder before reentering the building.
Vegeta seethed after the Namek, "Namek!" He snarled stomping his foot.
OoOoOoO
He looked distressed, Kimura decided watching Goku from her spot on the floor. The way his eyes darted about, ticking back and forth from the ceiling to the boarded up window like a trapped animal. Gohan, with the help of Krillin, had left the room to go to the bathroom and have a bit of alone time to think things over.
That left Kimura alone with the recovering Saiyajin. He had been silent for a good fifteen minutes after everyone cleared out of the room, which was a new record for the usually chatty warrior. His eyes stayed on the window for a moment, the corners of his lips twitching down as his tongue darted out wetting them.
"W-what happened?" He whispered pulling his bottom lip in between his teeth and chewed on the dry chapped skin there.
Kimura tilted her head resting her cheek against her knee, "To you or to the world?" She soberly flicked a piece of hair away from her face.
Releasing his lip, Goku sighed, "I'm not sure." His lip started to bleed slowly coating itself with crimson making it look like freshly applied lipstick.
He licked it clean sitting up, "I… I want to fight really-" Kimura raised her head watching the elder Saiyajin climb to his feet, "I do." He leaned against the frame of the bed.
"But?" Kimura prodded not compelled to stand up and help the man stand, there was something in his demeanor that was making her… she couldn't quite place the feeling, whether it was sad or angry she wasn't sure. She just didn't want to help him, out of stubbornness she guessed.
Goku straighten himself out, "I think I'm afraid."
Kimura felt herself snort then roll her eyes, "Yea okay, so you're afraid. Suck it up; they're all counting on you out there." She pushed herself up onto her feet, "You can't let them down, you can't let those who already died down either! You can't let them die thinking they were doing it for you, thinking you were going to get better and avenge them!" She found herself screaming and fighting back tears, "They all died for you! Yamucha's dead! Tien's dead! Crisjin's dead! I'm tired of hearing them all crying for you to get better like you'll make a difference! You're not allowed to be scared!" A pair of large arms pulled her against something both soft and hard at the same time, she allowed herself to be pulled from the room after one last glance at Goku. His face had dramatically paled and Tora was now by his side trying to talk to him, but he wasn't listening.
"What the Hell has gotten into you?"
She blinked snapping back to the land of the sane; Piccolo was holding her by the shoulder's staring her down. Kimura swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, "I shoulda… I shoulda forgave him." She blinked fighting back the warmth creeping through her face and the strangled feeling in her chest and throat.
Piccolo breathed in deeply through his nose pulling her to him, "He knew."
"No he didn't," She shook her head loosing the battle, "I was… I am an ass! I hated him for what he did and now… now… I'm so stupid. I followed those damn rules for so long." She sobbed burying her face in Piccolo's shirt.
He grimaced slightly but didn't move, "That's no reason to take it out on Son."
Kimura shook her head, "He's not going to-" Her words were ripped from her mouth at the ground beneath them began to shake violently. A startled gasp escaped Piccolo's lips as the cracked ceiling fell down on them followed by thousands of pounds of rubble.
OoOoOoO
A/N: Please Review!