A Message from Moi: I thank you guys very much for your reviewing—it really keeps me going and makes me smile. And I'm so very glad you're not disappointed so far! Sequels are always hard because they have to live up to the first story. To answer questions, I don't know how I'm able to keep my OC's in character. It's a lot easier by using the "first person" method of writing, and I just make it sound like it's me talking. These chapters are just pouring out and I'm having a blast. I've yet to decide how long I'll keep it going, but for you guys, I'll stretch it out as long as I can :) I do, though, know how it'll end, irregardless ;)

Love to all!

Chapter 7: An Android's Anguish

Cell set me down on top of a three-story building's roof. I moved away from him and looked down to the streets below where cars were parked in every which direction, some people still running away and any other forms dotting the landscape belonging to those who had returned from the dead.

I turned again to look at the android, his arms crossed for the millionth time that day and his soft expression looking at me as if he couldn't remember what I looked like. I forced a smile, though I was still riled up over everything that had happened in the past hour or so.

After coming to the conclusion that Cell wasn't interested in talking, I sat myself down and hugged my knees, leaning against the air conditioning unit near the center of the rooftop. I looked around and watched a few birds pass by, but other than that all I could do to amuse myself at this height was pick apart the shapes the clouds were making.

"Have you honestly thought about me?"

I looked at him as if I hadn't noticed his mouth moving and barely heard the words hitting my ears. "Excuse me?"

"I asked if you had thought of me like you claimed earlier," he replied.

I don't know what it was all of the sudden—it was as if he were completely different from the android I've always known. In that simple sentence he seemed light and warm, caring and forgiving. How could that be so suddenly?

"Yes," I replied truthfully. I had no reason to hide it from him. "I've thought of you quiet often."

"Why?"

I didn't know. He knew that I had confessed I loved him when we supposedly met in the Other World, as he called it. He should also remember what I had told him earlier on how I tried to forget him, which was probably what sketched this concept into his mind.

"I honestly don't know how to answer that," I said. "If I had known I might have had the willpower to stop it."

"Willpower," he snorted. "You speak as if you suffered through those years."

"I have suffered," I told him. "I had to quit my job, I had to move away from where I lived and I've been constantly pointed out as the girl-who-Cell-held-captive," I told him, my fingers indicating quotes when I gave him the title I was tagged with.

"You call that suffering?" He laughed. "Layrial, you have no idea what it means to suffer."

"Oh yeah? I lived what, five days with you, didn't I? I call that suffering," I said with a slight chuckle, hopefully trying to make light of the conversation.

"You had the freedom to leave at one point," Cell replied, that icy tone mixing with his words again. "You had the chance to get away, to continue on without looking back, to go and do what you pleased without vile creatures breathing down your neck and imprisoning you for taking one small step out of line."

It dawned on me that Cell was referring to his time after death—his afterlife. For the first time in my life I was hearing the android complain. No, not just complain—reflect. The only story I had ever heard him tell was how he was created and what his purpose had been. That, though, had been his version of a happy and thrilling tale, one that was supposed to end with glory, honor and ultimate victory.

It appeared, though, that everything had backfired on him. Wherever he was sent, whatever it was like for him, it hadn't been all that glorious. He claimed he could try to destroy the world again, but now I wondered if he had the guts to go through with it. He almost talked as if…he regretted his actions in life?

Nah…that was impossible.

Though, I was beginning to wonder. He hadn't spoken for several minutes and he didn't even look in my direction. My head leaned back to take in the profile view I had of his head. As if it was the morning of the tournament all over again, I saw Cell in a way I never thought possible. I idly wondered what he'd look like if he were human.

"Cell, may I ask you something?" I asked softly.

He barely inclined his head towards me and looked me over. "If you must."

I thought for a long moment on how to ask my question. Then, when it came to me, I was almost afraid of what he'd say. "Where did you go after I saw you in that Other World place?"

"Hell."

It could've been a sarcastic reference to where he had gone, where he had been forced to live this suffering "life" as he had explained moments ago. Yet I knew that the Hell he spoke of was the actual Hell we humans knew of. It didn't surprise me, though I wondered if it should've since I forced myself to ask. Cell had been unmerciful and vicious in life—that was, honestly, the only place for him.

"What was it like?"

He sighed as if he carried a heavy burden, or as if he were forced to drag around chains that weighed several tons. He looked up at the sky to see a plane passing overhead and then back down to blankly stare out ahead before closing his eyes as if to think.

"Put yourself in an environment where there is little to do, no way out and you're forced to share space with not only the brilliant minds and strongest warriors of the past, but also the complete idiotic criminals such like the ones you were being harassed by."

He shifted his gaze towards me and I sat there unsure of what way I should be acting towards what he told me. In a way he sounded as if he wanted pity, but I could've been mistaken and overlooked the contempt he truly meant.

"The scum I'm forced to deal with is revolting," he continued. "I've hated every moment of it. I hadn't even been down there a full day when that miserable Saiyan showed up."

"Saiyan?"

"Goku," he snarled. "I vowed to myself after spending countless days in a small jail cell that I'd have revenge on the misery he put me through."

"Don't you think that you brought all of that on yourself?" I asked meekly. I waited for him to burst. When he didn't I sought the nerve to continue; "I mean, you killed hundreds if not thousands of people, Cell. You wanted to destroy an entire planet. Don't you think you deserved to go where you ended up?"

Cell turned then and walked over to me, his eyes blazing. I sat still, but I immediately gasped when he reached down and yanked me up by my arm. My body was forced against the air conditioning unit roughly and he leaned down.

"I shouldn't have died," he said. "There was no reason for me to…lose against that child! Do not speak of things when you don't understand their true meaning! Do we have an understanding, Layrial!"

I knew this side of him all to well. He was trying to threaten me and get me scared enough where I'd shy away and apologize. I wouldn't let him, though. There was no way I'd let him get away with treating me like this—not again. I wouldn't be treated like women were hundreds of years ago.

Boldly I raised my free hand and pushed on his chest as hard as I could. He only moved because of the fact that I had acted against him instead of giving him the reaction he not only expected but what he probably wanted.

"Don't treat me like I'm a little girl," I warned him. "We've had arguments like this before and I don't care what the Hell you think you are, but I'm not going to stand for your lecturing."

Unfortunately I had only angered him more. Cell took up my other arm and forced both hands back and pressed his body up against mine. He trapped me and I knew there was no way out until he backed off. I tried to struggle, to show him I wasn't scared but I was angry. He didn't seem to care.

"If I need to put you in your place I will," Cell said. "This time there's no one to save you."

He was right, but I knew the best come-back now. "Why are you bothering with me if you're so damn perfect like you claim you are? I'm just one of those disgusting humans you enjoy killing."

My plan had worked…sort of. He loosened his grip on me, but he barely moved back far enough for me to sneak away. I didn't dare try, though. I knew I still had limits with this android and I was almost at the stop sign. I did, however, pull my arms out of his grasp and hung them next to my sides.

"Why do you torment me?"

I blinked several times. Cell's magenta eyes looked at me discreetly and I nearly melted. How could someone so angry and so deadly do that to me so easily?

"What do you mean 'torment you'?" I asked, knowing my brow rose slightly.

"No other creature in this universe intrigues me like you do," he replied. I half expected him to continue perhaps lay a kiss on my forehead, but he moved away and turned his back to me.

"I don't understand you," I told him. "One minute you're ready to kill me and the next you're acting as if you'd like to embrace me."

"I hold no comment," he replied dryly.

I sighed and looked away. For some reason, though I despised the way he just acted towards me, I wanted to comfort him. Then it finally sunk in that what I had told him during our last meeting was true—I loved him. I really did and I had no justification for it.

The only thing that came to mind was something I had done once before, all those years ago. I quietly walked over to him and placed my hand on his wing, just high enough where I wasn't reaching too far up. He looked over his shoulder and gave me a quizzical eye. I said nothing as I let my hand run down the smooth surface of his wing before moving to stand in front of him.

"What do you want?" He asked me as if I was burdening him, though his voice was soft.

I decided that answering him would be useless. Instead I put my arms around him and rested my head against his chest. For a moment I wondered what he was thinking and if I was wasting my time doing this.

Though I knew he had calmed down when his light gray hands rested on my shoulders. "Curse you for making me feel this way," I heard him say. All I did was smile.