Day 104…

Tessa sat on the landing steps, completely out of breath, her clothes torn, they'd been sparing for five hours straight and she was worn out. In the past month Piccolo had recommended that they increase their level of sparing. As a result, she was often bruised and battered for several days before picking up the pace again.

Soft foot falls announced Piccolo's return as he sat to her right. She gladly accepted the bottle of water he offered. His appearance matched her own in many ways, gi torn from their day of training, sweat glistening on his skin and dripping from his antennas. His expression was troubled as it had been for a week; it made her heart sink.

Stealing herself, Tessa turned in his direction. "What's troubling you…" His eyes shot to her with a stern glare which she simply ignored. "…other than the usual, I mean?"

The frown he'd been wearing deepened as he turned away before he downed the second half of his water in a long gulp. "We aren't making enough progress; at this rate I won't be much use against Cell and you'll be practically gift wrapped."

Tessa's eyes widened at the harsh tone his voice took on. She hadn't been on the receiving end of his anger in some time. Sighing, she sat down her own bottle. "Look, I know we aren't making leaps and bounds of improvements here, but we aren't a third way through the year yet, we have time t…"

He stood still glaring as he loomed over her. "Time isn't the problem!"

Knowing where this conversation would lead, her expression morphed from unease into of deep frown as she stood, trying not to match his glare. It wouldn't help anything to encourage his bad mood. "I am, isn't that what you're getting at?"

As his dark eyes shot through her, Tessa knew he was carefully considering his next statement, which eventuality left his mouth as a growl. "It isn't that simple."

Tessa sighed, fighting with him would get nowhere. "Then explain it to me."

Piccolo's frown deepened. "You never listen, you never have. I asked you to sit this out and yet here we are."

She crossed her arms. "No, you didn't just ask, but let's not go there again. Is your frustration really just about the fact that I won't run?" He remained silent, staring through her as though she should have already understood. "Well I'm sorry I wasn't built to be a coward!"

As she turned to leave him, Piccolo reached forward, his left hand encircling her arm and stilling her feet, though she remained facing away. "You forget that Tien's cells aren't the only ones fueling his twisted intensions towards you!"

His tightened his fingers slightly, and Tessa's eyes met his own over her shoulder. "Whats your point, Piccolo?"

A swift tug from the Namekian brought her back to face with him, his dark eyes fueled by something she hadn't seen in years, a blinding rage. "Do you really think I could rest if I die knowing what Cell will do to you?"

Tessa felt as if she was taught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse. They'd walked this road once before while training with Goku and she couldn't see the current result being any more favorable…

Flashback more than 2 years ago…

The duo found themselves out by the waterfall again. Since beginning to train with Goku and live within ChiChi's home, the two visitors would dismiss themselves twice a month for a year now and camp out somewhere in the desert; the past four occurrences had led them here.

Tessa sighed as he cracked open another bottle of water; the night was incredibly hot for May. "Do you think ChiChi was ready for us to leave?"

Piccolo smiled after finishing off his own. "Can't say I understand why." At Tessa's stare, his eyes narrowed. "What?"

She shook her head. "All this time you've spent around any number of us and you still don't understand their attraction, do you?"

He frowned. "I understand enough."

Tessa laughed, earning a snarl from said Namekian which she ignored. "It's not just about sex. Over the years I think they've come to appreciate each other. Maybe not understand but still not every couple does."

"Did you and Tien?"

The question caught her by surprise and Tessa took a moment before answering him. "For a time, I think we did. His feelings changed after Raditz and we all began preparing for the threat."

Piccolo changed his position slightly, his gaze unyielding upon her. "Do you regret not rekindling the relationship?"

She shook her head immediately. "No, we've crossed that bridge and even though we'll always care, we can't go back."

Her Namek partner seemed to consider her words, his eyes moving off over the water. "If we survive, you should reconsider." Their eyes met. "Returning to you was high on Tien's personal priorities."

Tessa smiled. "Until we returned from Namek I would have believed you but too much time passed, and our desires changed too drastically. I can't see my life with Tien anymore."

Piccolo quirked a brow ridge. "Then who?"

She shook her head. "Oh no. I won't be the only one divulging tonight. Your turn."

A purple hue spread across the Namekian's face and he turned his attention back to the falls. "I wouldn't know where to begin, it's not a Namekian thing."

Tessa laughed, causing his attention to shoot back towards her with a glare. "Sorry but that's got to be the worst excuse I've ever heard you give."

He growled. "I'm not human, Tessa."

She shrugged. "Today's world, perception is what makes you human, not species."

"Am a villain."

"Ex-villain, Gohan saw to that."

"Sarcastic."

She shrugged again. "Brutally honest, nothing wrong with it."

"Jobless."

"Money isn't everything."

"Homeless."

"Technicality."

Piccolo sighed, this conversation wasn't going anywhere. "Angry, solitary, and green."

Tessa smiled. "Temperamental, independent and handsome."

"Handsome?!" To say the Namek was caught off guard would be an understatement, he stood. "Where the hell…"

Tessa stood as well, unfazed as he towered over her. "I was going to say sexy but didn't think that would go over too well." She sighed as his expression took on even more confusion. "I won't lie, I have feelings for you."

His frown deepened. "For me or Nail?"

Taken aback, she stared at him. "If you don't know by now…" Shaking her head, Tessa moved to step around him until his hand landed on her shoulder, stopping her feet dead in front of him.

Looking up into his dark eyes, even in the moon light, she could see that he truly didn't know how to precede. Levitating to his height, Tessa's hands came to rest on his bare shoulders, she smiled. "Close your eyes." Sensing his hesitation, she remained still, her eyes never leaving his dark depts. "Trust me."

After another moment he complied, closing his eyes and waiting, breathing in her scent mixed with that of the night. Leaning forward, Tessa's heart raced as she pressed a tender kiss to his closed mouth. Much as she may have wanted too, she did not remain for long and all too soon released him, moving back to her previous position.

Waiting for his reaction was nearly enough to kill her itself. For nearly a minute Piccolo had remained unmoving, his eyes closed and hands deadly still by his sides. Tessa had all but accepted the fact that he didn't feel the same when his voice filled the night. A smirk spreading across his face. "Relax, your heartbeat is giving me a headache the way it's racing."

"Tessa!" (End Flashback)

His growl brought her back to the present, hand still curled around her arm. "Stop daydreaming of things that will never be again…" Their eyes met, both hard and unyielding. "…we have…"

Without warning, she ripped her arm from his grip causing his nails to slice into tanned flesh, though she couldn't have cared less. Defiantly she turned to him, her voice the coldest he'd ever heard. "You don't have to worry about that!" Turning on a heel, she left him standing there, mind reeling and her blood in his nails…