Pacts

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

Chapter 2

"What the hell is that! Explain yourself! Now!" Bulma roared. Marron looked at what she had tossed on the floor and flinched. She pulled her other knee to her chest and bowed her head into her knees. When she looked up again, her cheeks were streaked with tears. "Don't try pulling that crap with me, Marron, answer the question!"

Marron shook ever so slightly as she reached down towards the object. She couldn't reach it from where she was. She looked up at Bulma as more tears spilled over her cheeks. "Bulma.. I'm so sorry. I didn't know this would happen, honest. Trust me, I don't want this anymore than you do." Marron retracted her outstretched arm into herself once again as she became overcome with a chill up and down her spine. She shook even more as she began to sob lightly.

"I can't believe this.. you.. and my son. I simply cannot believe this. I will not allow it. What will you do with yourselves? You're both so young. I forbid it! Oh, but I can't now.. oh! This is all so frustrating! His future was so bright until you came along!" Bulma shook with rage. She raised her hand in the air as though to slap Marron, but thought better of it and brought it to rest on top of her head. She collapsed onto the bed next to Marron and shed a few tears herself.

The two women sat side by side, miserable. It was a good ten minutes before either spoke. "Have you told him yet?" Bulma asked shakily.

"..no, he doesn't know yet." Marron said quietly. To her surprise, Bulma let out a laugh.

"So, you've been suffering alone this whole time, have you? Well, I'd like to say serves you right. But it takes two to tango, I suppose." Her words stabbed Marron, but she knew they were the harsh reality she had been avoiding.

When you're pregnant, who's fault is it?

"Bulma, what do I do? How am I supposed to tell Trunks? He doesn't want kids, I know he doesn't. I don't want kids, not when I'm this old. I don't know what to do, I'm so frantic. Will you help me?" Marron pleaded, boring holes into Bulma's eyes. Bulma looked away, wiping away the few tears that had escaped her eyes while Marron was looking at her so pathetically.

"You got yourself into this mess, you know. I suppose, well.. we'll have to take you in, won't we? Don't get me wrong, Marron, I like you, I just don't think I like you having children with my son. Not when you're both so young. What do you plan to do with your life now? Be a mother? An uneducated woman, living at home? And Trunks.. will you marry him? Will he be willing to?" Bulma stopped for a moment to think about what she had just said and shook her head, "Of course he'll marry you, he doesn't have any choice at this point. I'll make him marry you if he won't do it willingly." Bulma paused to wait for any kind of response from Marron. When it didn't come, Bulma got to her feet and turned to face Marron.

"Have you at least seen a doctor?" Bulma probed, but Marron remained unresponsive. Bulma sighed and stroked Marron's hair. "I suppose you don't need a lecture right now, right? You need someone who loves you to care about you. You need someone to get you out of this mess. Well, I'm sorry if I'm not too maternal towards you in this situation, and though you may be like a daughter to me, I didn't expect you to be producing grandchildren for a very long time. Even so, I'll try to be more understanding from now on, all right?" She paused again and lifted Marron's chin with her hand and added, "Please.. if you're going to have this baby, it's going to be healthy and we will all love it very much. But we have to get you to a doctor."

Marron looked up into Bulma's eyes imploringly and nodded. "Yeah, of course, you're right. I've been selfish. I'll tell Trunks right after we go to the doctor and confirm this thing for real." She gave one last hopeful stab at the inevitable. She smiled to herself, no doubt thinking about what wonderful news it would be to receive that she wasn't pregnant after all. Besides, home pregnancy tests weren't always right, right?

Bulma shook her head, "No, Marron. No. I know what you're thinking, but you can't give yourself that false pretense. You know in your heart of hearts what's going on, and a trip to the doctor will only confirm that you are pregnant after all. Please don't expect any different results, you'll just get yourself into more of a slump."

Marron nodded and shrugged, looking sheepish. "Wow, I'm easy to read, huh? How did you find out anyway?"

Bulma gestured to the plastic tube lying on the floor. "It was almost as though you wanted me to see it. You left it on the bathroom counter. That wasn't very smart of you if you didn't want me to find it."

"I guess I did kinda want you to find it." Marron looked down at it for a long moment until she snapped her head back up. "Did you hear a door slam?"

Bulma looked towards the door and stood quietly for a moment. They both heard footsteps ascending the stairs. Marron began to fidget restlessly, tugging on a cord on her sweatshirt and biting her lip nervously. "It's Trunks." She whispered frantically. Her eyes darted to the door, her one and only escape.

As if Bulma could read her mind, she stepped in front of the doorway facing Marron. "I won't let you run from this, Marron. You know what you have to do." Bulma could see Marron's face growing paler, but she nodded.

"You're right. You're.. you're most definitely right." She started as the door opened quickly.

Trunks stepped into his room looking down at some mail. When he looked up, he jumped and looked from his mother to his girlfriend. "Wow.. this is a nice surprise. I appreciate the welcome committee, but what's going on? You both look so grim." He flashed a smile in Marron's direction and walked up behind his mother and pecked her on the cheek. He then proceeded to Marron and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Uh, well.. I'll just be going then, ok? You two be good." Bulma looked at Marron with subtle sympathy and turned to leave, closing the door softly behind her.

Trunks looked from the door to Marron. "Marron, what's going on? And don't try lying to me, when my mom looks like that I know it can only mean trouble."

Marron smiled. "Trunks, is it so wrong that she and I have a heart-to-heart every so often?" She tried.

"In my bedroom?"

"Well, that's just where I happened to be when she found me. I was waiting for you, you know." Marron giggled and kissed his nose.

Trunks raised an eyebrow and for a moment Marron feared that he had guessed her secret. But to her relief, he dropped his gaze to the floor and looked around his room. "Hm.. this place is a mess. I ought to clean it up. But first, I think I'll take a shower. Do you mind? Oh, and I haven't worked out in ages. I'm pretty sure Vegeta's been wanting a sparring partner for a couple weeks now. I feel it's about time to get the shit kicked out of me." He chuckled and looked back at her.

Marron shrugged and smiled lightly, "Sure, whatever you want. I was just about to head home anyway." She stood up on her tip toes and pecked him on the cheek. He smiled down at her and pulled her into a tight hug. "Mmph, leggo of me, Trunks!"

Trunks let out a huge laugh and let go of Marron. She looked up at him indignantly and smirked. Trunks laughed again and ruffled Marron's blonde hair. "All right, I'll be off, then." Marron turned to leave.

"Marron," Trunks hesitated for a moment and then said, "I think we ought to use protection more often."

"Yeah, Trunks. That sounds good."

Fin.