Chapter 10
Serena woke up looking over to see if Trunks was still asleep next to her. Ever since she found out about the baby a few weeks ago she had been getting up before Trunks due to her morning sickness. She would spend then the rest of the day feeling queasy attempting to keep it from Trunks and Bulma. This morning was no different except as she got up out of bed she noticed she felt weaker than usual. As she made her way to the bathroom she noticed her legs felt heavy like cement. She felt dizzy as well, but with no pain coming which was odd.
"Something isn't right." She mumbled to herself. She barely made it to the bathroom, shutting the door so Trunks did not hear her puke.
Trunks rolled over in bed looking for Serena to cuddle with. As his arms reached out for her, he noticed the bed was empty. He shot up in bed looking around the room for her when he heard the toilet flush. He felt for her ki right way and was able to locate her easily, which was in the bathroom. However, he noticed that it seemed weaker than usual for her. Trunks was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of a door opening. He looked over to see the young princess at the entrance to the bathroom. Her hair was out of it's braid, wearing pj pants with a tank top, but what caught his attention was the pale look on her face and how slowly she came out.
"Sere, are you ok?" He asked the worry evident in his eyes and voice.
"Yes, just fine." She tried to lie to him. Trunk just gave her a 'I don't by that' look. As she continued to walk she could feel what strength she had left leaving her body from the simple task of walking. As she took another step between the bathroom and her bed she lost the strength in her legs and started to collapse onto the floor. At seeing his mate fall, Trunks was out of bed and by her side within seconds. He picked her up carrying her to the bed all the while flaring his Ki to get his father to bring Bulma to Serena's room.
"Sere, are you feeling ok?" he asked her as he laid her down back on the bed.
"Just weak." She stated to him, looking at him with love as she stroked her finger on his check in a reassuring manner. Just then the door to Serena's room open with Vegeta and Bulma there each with worried expressions on their faces.
"What's wrong?" Bulma asked as she made her way over to Serena and Trunks. Trunks stepped back to give his mother room to look at Serena. He explained to his parents what happened to Serena as well as how her Ki feels weaker too. Bulma nodded her head as she was checking Serena's vitals indicating she had heard Trunks' account.
"Serena, how do you feel? Any attacks?" Bulma asked in a matter of fact tone.
"No, attacks since the last one that was three days ago. I just feel weak, like I have no energy." She told Bulma.
"Vegeta, please call Goku so they are here and when Amy comes please have her come up. Trunks, please go get my bag of things in the infirmary." She ordered the two men as she checked Serena's pulse. Vegeta just grunted his reply before leaving the room with Trunks following him. A few minutes later Trunks returned with a bag, giving it to his mother.
"Thank you. Sweetheart, please go downstairs and fill the Sons in when they arrive." She advised him as she started digging items out of her bag. Trunks was very reluctant to leave but realized he should go so as not to upset his mother for hovering. He knew that was one thing she hated that Vegeta would do to her if he really wanted something to be done.
"Ok. I'll be close by if you need anything." He said looking at Serena. The young princess nodded her head in understanding while Bulma sat oblivious to the exchange, to focus on her charge's health.
*Living Room*
Trunks was sitting on the couch like his mother had requested and he been there only five minutes when Goku and his family, and Amy arrived by instant transmission. Chi-Chi smiled warmly down at her youngest son, Goten, acting as normal as she could for his sake.
"Ok, Goten, why don't you go find Chibi." Chi-Chi said pleasantly to him.
"He's in his room playing with that stupid videogame system again." Vegeta complained from the corner of the room with his arms crossed over his chest as always.
"Thanks, Vegeta!" Goten exclaimed happily before running off to find his best friend.
"That boy's oblivious is actually useful for once." Vegeta grumbled shaking his head.
"For once I have to agree with you Vegeta." Chi-Chi said simply while looking at her mate's best friend. "But what is going on with my baby girl?" Chi-Chi asked the worry obviously showing in her eyes and voice now that Goten was out of the room. The sayian prince could see the fear in his son's eyes when he had first come in Serena's room just a little bit ago. It was the same fear Chi-Chi and the others currently had for the girl. Vegeta decided it was best if he explain to the Son's and Amy what was going on. After he was done explaining what had happened he told Amy that Bulma wanted her upstairs. Amy quickly left with no other words needing to be said.
*Serena's Room*
Two hours later Bulma stood looking at down at her computer in her hand with a distressed look on her face. Serena could visibly tell something was upsetting her and wondered what it could be.
"Bulma what's wrong?" Serena asked her to know something was wrong.
"It's nothing." She started to say trying to keep her charge calm. "Let me redo these numbers." She mumbled to herself out loud as she began typing furiously on her computer again. Amy got up from her spot on the bed looking at the computer over Bulma's shoulder until it beeped again. The look on Amy's face was shock while Bulma's was a look of pure confusion. The looks on both women's faces were clearly visible to Serena regardless of how weak she felt. She knew whatever they had been trying to figure out the news was not good or not what they were expecting.
"Amy, please tell me I am reading this wrong." Bulma said quietly still just starring at the computer screen. Amy sighed heavily shaking her head in disbelief at the results herself.
"Are these the same results you received a few minutes ago?" She asked the older one in a matter of fact tone.
"Yes." She muttered back quietly. Not liking being in the dark anymore with what ever the two women before were talking about, Serena decided it was time to speak up.
"Bulma tell me." Serena stated as forcefully as she could, but it came out weak. The two women before the blonde princess, looked at one another, wishing the results were not true. "Tell me." She repeated again bracing for whatever the news she was about to be informed of. The young princess had an idea of what it may be with how she currently felt.
"I ran the numbers for your blood test and with how fast your symptoms have developed…." She started to say in a matter of fact tone. She closed her eyes not liking to tell the young woman before her, who see thought of as her own daughter, the information that was flashing before her own eyes. She opened them again looked at Serena with unshed tears in her eyes. "You only have two weeks left at best." She finished in a shaken voice. Serena eyes widen at the news but seeing how visibly upset Bulma was at the moment, knew she had to be the strong in the room. Serena nodded her head in understanding still needing time to process this information and wishing to speak to Amy alone.
"Thanks, Bulma for telling me. Why don't you go take a break?" Serena offered with a small smile on her lips. Bulma was amazed was at how calm and unnerved by the news the blonde beauty before her was being. Her strength was what astonished Bulma besides her always generous heart to others.
"I am so sorry Serena. I failed you. Your symptoms have progressed unexpectedly, and I can't figure out why. I have no cure to save you." She confessed to her as tears started to slowly come down her face.
"Bulma you have been there every step of the way. I don't feel you have failed me and you should not feel that way either." She said comfortingly to her. Bulma gave a small smile while squeezing Serena's hand back.
"Thank you, Serena." She said before getting up while wiping away the tears that had escaped. "I should go inform the others." She finished saying as she wiped the last of the tears and attempted to make sure she didn't seem to upset before going down stairs.
"Good luck." Serena replied nodding at the older woman. She did not want the task of telling her parents and others the bad news and for once was happy to be confined to her bed.
"Amy stay with her until someone comes up. I don't want her alone for any reason." She said to Amy in matter of fact tone as she pushed her emotions aside as much as possible.
"Sure." Amy said simply. Bulma nodded her head before leaving the room. Once Bulma was out of the room and the door closed, the princess of the moon turned to her friend.
"Ames, what do you think?" Amy sat down looking at Bulma's laptop for a few seconds that laid closed on the floor before she pulled out her Mercury computer. Amy started typing furiously inputting the same data as Bulma had, along with a few extra pieces of information she knew that Bulma was unaware of. Amy's face grimace at the numbers that came up, which Serena noticed right away. "What is it?" Serena asked her. Amy sighed heavily as she brushed her fingers through her hair out of frustration.
"My computer says you have only a week left to live. "Amy explained to her.
"Why is this happening?" Serena asked her.
"Your body is shutting down. The crystal is protecting the baby which is a part of your body and your body is also defending itself against your illness, but it just cannot keep up anymore on both fronts."
"So as my baby grows, it is killing me." Serena said simply her blue eyes dulling from the sadness she was feeling.
"Yes." Amy said quietly feeling helpless at the moment. Serena looked down at her hands that were laying on her stomach of where the baby was. She sat there unsure of how to feel at the moment. There were so many emotions running through her that she was having a hard time pulling them apart. As she sat there her eyes reach the bandage of where they had drawn blood from her only a little bit ago.
"Amy." She called out looking at her friend trying to keep the hope down from the idea that just came to mind. She knew it was a long shot, but they didn't have much more to lose.
"Yeah?" She asked seeing her blue eyes brighten and a change in her.
"Did you ever run a scan on my blood using your Mercury computer?" Amy's eyes widen at the question she had just been asked.
"Serena you're a genius!" she yelled before jumping up from her spot on the bed and grabbing the vial of blood that laid on the window sill. Serena laughed at Amy's reaction to her question pleased she did not think it was stupid.
"I don't know about that Ames." Serena joked with a smile on her lips again.
"I cannot believe I never thought of it. I just assumed Bulma's would pick up anything, but really that is not true since she doesn't know your true origin." Amy babbled on as she put a small bit of blood on her scanner to analyze it. As the computer made noises, Amy came back over with it to sit next to Serena for the two of them to watch the results. Both women sat hopeful at the computer to see what it would say. A few minutes later the computer beeped before talking.
"Blood infected with Black Death, and only known antidote for Lurnian infected is Queenslight. If not given in time the result is death." The computer stated in a monotone voice. Both girls looked at one another shocked that it only had an answer but cure too.
"Black death?" Serena repeated as she tried to remember anything about it but came up with nothing.
"And Queens light." Amy added, the hope obvious in her voice now.
"Amy call Pluto. She is the only one who can find answers or will know anything." Serena said to Amy seriously knowing now they had limited time left to figure things out. Amy nodded her head in agreement as she pulled her communicator out of her subspace pocket. As soon as it was out she pushed the button that had Pluto's symbol on it and the Senshi of Time was on the screen within seconds.
"Yes, Amy." Pluto said naturally.
"I need you at Serena's room right away. It is urgent." Amy said seriously a frown on her lips.
"Of course." And the screen went black and within a few seconds portal open with Pluto emerging from it.
"What is the urgency?" She asked them wondering what was wrong, but hiding her emotions so as not to let them control the situation.
"Serena's time is running short. We only have a week left before her body completely shuts down." Amy began to explain to her. Pluto's eyes widen in surprise at hearing this causing her garnet eyes to flash a hint of fear at the news.
"Is it happening because of the baby?" she asked her.
"Yes, but I think we figured out the problem. I ran her blood in my Mercury computer and it said she is infected with Black death and she needs an antidote called Queens light or she will die." Pluto seemed to become distant as if not with them suddenly. Serena wait a moment before speaking up herself to ensure Pluto had time to think.
"You have heard of it?" The moon princess asked the time keeper before her.
"Yes, but it is from the Moon Kingdom era. I have not heard of it in years." Pluto clarified to them.
"Moon Kingdom era?" Serena repeated worriedly looking at Pluto and Amy.
"Yes, an illegal poison that could kill an Lurian with the right dosage, I believe, if my memory is correct." She elaborated more on the topic. Even Amy looked confused as she spoke up.
"How did Serena get it then and how do we get the antidote if it is from our past?" Amy asked her.
*Living Room*
Bulma made her way slowly downstairs dreading having to tell everyone about Serena's fate. As she made it down the last step she saw everyone's attention focus on her for answers. Chi-Chi and Goku sat on the couch while Trunks sat in a spot on the love seat with his father leaning against the arm of it, with his arms across his chest. Gohan sat in the reclining chair that was across from Trunks and Vegeta.
"How is she doing" Chi-Chi asked standing up quickly the worry etched on her face. Bulma sighed heavily as she tried to contain her emotions from spilling out.
"It is not good guys." She said sadly looking serious at them. Everyone looked shocked at hearing this and seeing Bulma's demeanor. Vegeta even stood up straight making his way over to this wife as the raw emotions from his wife were hitting him like a train.
"What do you mean?" Gohan asked trying to stay logical and calm. Vegeta stood next to her with his arm wrapped around her waist in support of this difficult time not caring what the others thought.
"She is very weak. Her body is shutting down and likely only has two weeks left with us." Bulma explained to them honestly.
"Two weeks? Are you sure?" Goku asked horrified at hearing the news. Bulma looked at her best friend with unshed tears in her eyes upon seeing their fear, sadness and shock in everyone.
"I ran the numbers twice and it came back the same." Chi-Chi collapse onto the couch as she started to cry at losing her only daughter, as Goku just held onto this wife, not sure what to say. Goku just stared off into space while doing his best to hold his wife to comfort her too. Gohan just put his head in his hands surprised at how fast things had suddenly changed for his sister.
"She'll bounce back, mom. She always does." Trunks said looking at how upset everyone seemed to be. He refused to believe this time was it after all she had fought back so much every other time before.
"Not this time honey." She said sadly looking at her son. She knew he would take this hard but was unsure of how he would react exactly to it. Trunks turned to his mother glaring at her.
"She has done it in the past, so what is different about now?" He questioned her sternly.
"She is weak and has not had attack for one. Her body is shutting down sooner than expected sweet heart and those other times it was not shutting down, just fighting it."
"What do you mean sooner than expected" He snapped at her.
"Her counts were fine three days ago. I am not sure what changed. They were a little off, but not like today. I don't know why things have changed so drastically." She continued to explain to him.
"Why the fuck are you telling us this instead of trying to figure it out. You obviously aren't doing enough if you don't know." Trunks snarled angrily at his mother.
"Trunks! Shut the fuck up before I put you through a wall. You damn well know this day was coming and your mother has done all she fucking cane to save her!" Vegeta bellowed back at his son as his ki flared in angered. Gohan stood up at seeing the father and son get angry ready to get in between the two if need be. Trunks just glared at his father for a few minutes knowing it was futile to say more since his father would put him through a wall and then some, but he wasn't about to admit it out loud. Instead the young half sayian turned and stormed out of the room towards the gravity room. Bulma sighed heavily wondering how in the hell they were going to get through this hard time.
"Vegeta you should go talk to him." Bulma supplied quietly as she left the others to deal with this new information about Serena.
"He'll be fine." Vegeta growled angrily at how Trunks had just treated Bulma. Bulma could feel the anger still coming off of Vegeta through their link, but she could also feel sadness and understanding as well mixed in with the anger. She knew it was all towards Trunks and Serena at the moment.
"Like you would have taken the news any better as he did if the roles had been reversed." She murmured to him. Vegeta just stood there looking at his wife while his lips were pressed thin as he did his best to keep his own emotions in check for Bulma's sake. He knew she was stressed with everything and he didn't want to add more to it at the moment.
"That maybe so woman" Vegeta started to say but was cut off by his wife as she kissed him on the cheek, which he was not expecting at all.
"But nothing. He loves her. Cut him some slack, please. He has lost so much already in his own timeline. Go talk to him." She said to him with a pleading looking on her face. Vegeta rolled his eyes at the look she was giving him knowing full well he wouldn't say no right now to her.
"Fine woman." He mumbled before stomping off to go find his son. Vegeta had been following his son's ki since he left the room and knew that he was in the gravity room at the moment. While walking down the hall he arrived at the door to the gravity room under a minute. He peered into the window to see his son punching a punching bag furiously. He opened the door enough to step in and shut it once more before leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed and a look of indifference on his face.
"She needs you more than ever." Vegeta grunted as he watched his son's fighting form continue to punch the bag Bulma had made years ago for Vegeta.
"I know that." Trunks huffed out angrily as he punched the bag a bit harder this time. "I knew this day was eventually going to come, but I still wasn't ready for it." Trunks confessed to his father angrily. Trunks stopped his assault on the bag. It moved on its chain still as Trunks was now looking at his father panting heavily from the work out.
"I get it boy, but now is the time to be with her. I can't imagine this new information is sitting well with her no matter how much she tries to be ready for it." Vegeta said simply. Trunks nodded his head in understanding as he walked over to a stand that had clean towels and took one to wipe the sweat off his forward and neck.
"Thanks dad." Trunks replied knowing full well this was as close to affection his father would ever show to him. Vegeta nodded his head before standing straight again to leave the room. As he was about out, Vegeta turned back around to glare at his son.
"Boy if you ever talk to your mother like that again I'll blast your fucking ass into oblivion." He threatens him with a glint in his eye. Trunks nodded his head knowing his father had every right to yell at him for his behavior only a little bit ago.
*Serena's Room*
As the three women continue talking, Serena's bedroom door swung open stopping them from talking to see who was coming into the room. The door revealed it to be Trunks standing before them. Trunks gaze went to Sailor Pluto which he frowned at seeing her presence. The last time she had shown up, Serena had been very upset with her, and was still unhappy with how she had been with his mate.
"Oh, Trunks, this is…" Amy tried to come up with an explanation of how Pluto arrived so mysteriously into Serena's room.
"Pluto." He said simply. He noticed that Serena must have forgiven her, but he wasn't ready just yet to forgive her so easily.
"Your highness." Pluto said respectfully nodding her head back. Amy's jaw dropped as she looked between Trunks and Pluto knowing one another already. Serena just smirked at her friend's shocked expression on his face.
"If you need me, you know how to reach me." Pluto said to Serena as she created a portal to leave. Serena nodded her head in understanding. As Sailor Pluto left, Trunks shut the door so as not to let anyone else hear their conversation. Amy still looked surprised after Pluto left of Trunks unfazed reaction to everything.
"And you would be which senshi?" Trunks asked Amy breaking the silence with a raised eyebrow out of curiosity. Amy blushed at the question that he knew she was an senshi without her saying anything. Serena who had been watching the exchange between everything just smiled while shaking her head.
"Oh, Trunks, stop teasing her." She responded quietly as she still felt weak but had a playful glint in her blue eyes. It didn't take long for Amy to get over her surprise now sitting back down on the bed as Trunks crossed the room to sit on the bed next to Serena.
"I take it, Serena has filled you in on everything." Amy asked simply looking at him.
"Everything she deemed important enough to tell me." He responded back to her. Amy nodded her head in understanding. She realized that a lot had gone on through the years of them being senshi and for Serena to explain everything would be very hard with so many others around.
"I am Sailor Mercury and yes Gohan does know." She got the second part out knowing full well Trunks would ask the question.
"Does he know about Serena?" Trunks asked her to nod his head at his mate curious to know who exactly knew what about Serena's secret life.
"No, but he suspects with no proof." She replied simply with a smile on her own face. It was nice to be able to freely talk about their secret life to someone else for a change and not have the burden of hiding it.
"It was always a pain in the ass to sneak in and out o because of him. Damn sayian hearing." She said to them while rolling her eyes. Amy and Trunks both laughed at this comment, fully understanding what she met, but also knowing she had to be creative with her excuses to Gohan too. Once the laughter died down, Amy could tell that Trunks and Serena needed some time alone. She knew this was not going to be easy for either them no matter how much of a strong front they put up for the other. Amy stood up collecting her mercury computer that was closed on the floor.
"I'll go, call me later." Amy said to Serena knowing Serena would understand the hidden meaning behind her comment.
"Of course." Serena said nodding her head to her friend. Once Amy was out of the room with the door shut, Trunks turned to his mate who looked tired but held a small smile on her lips.
"How are you feeling?" He asked her.
"Tired." She said. Trunks kissed her on the lips lightly pulling away enough to look in her blue eyes.
"Sleep. I'll be here all day." He told her. Serena's smile disappeared her face becoming serious.
"Trunks, things are only going to get worse for me. You don't…" she was stopped by another kissed, but this one was slow and loving. When he pulled away again he looked into her blue eyes with determination in them. He took his finger and pulled a stray blonde hair away from her face.
"I'm not going anywhere no matter what. I love you. Now lay down you need to rest." He told her firmly. Serena could tell she was not going to be able to change his mind and was to weak and tire to argue with him. Serena nodded her head before laying it down on his chest to get some rest.