Trunks stared at the clock.

Time seemed to move irrationally slow. Nothing made sense. Why was it taking so long?

Behind him, a set of double doors stood still, no movement could be seen behind them. Doors his mother and sister had disappeared through with Goten only a few hours before.

Sitting here alone, worrying and waiting, staring at the clock...Trunks felt as if his mind would break. Shoving him over the edge and into madness.

Though the curiosity was eating at his brain, he knew he should listen to his mothers words. He knew he should stay out here and wait to see who showed up. If it was ChiChi, send her back. Goku? Send him away. Vegeta? Keep him occupied. Gohan?

He hiked a smile onto his face as he remembered his mothers next words.

"If Gohan shows up...Kill him."

He heard footsteps down the hall, and tore his eyes away from the clock.

ChiChi walked swiftly, her hair shining with droplets of rain water, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. She stared down at the floor, her eyes blank, emotionless.

Trunks could sense her pain before he even spoke to her.

"ChiChi?" His voice was low, gentle, afraid of startling her.

She glanced up, finally seeing him.

No warm smile. No wave of greeting. She was stiff and cold. "Trunks..." Her voice trailed off until a roaring silence stretched between them.

Trunks' eyes narrowed in confusion.

"What's the matter?"

The shake of her head was so fast that he almost missed it, "I'm fine..."

He approached her slowly, never taking his eyes off of her. Something smouldered within her, but what, he couldn't be sure. Rage? Sadness? Fear? A confusing mixture?

"ChiChi-"

Before he could utter another word, she drew in a shaking breath, "Trunks...I don't...I think...I must be dreaming."

And there it was. The cause of her pain. She must know. Trunks wilted visibly. His eyes slid closed and he hung his head. Everything had imploded into a whirling torrent of pain for everyone involved, and he didn't know how much longer he could stay sane.

"ChiChi...I'm so sorry"

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, brimming with tears, and Trunks felt his heart shatter at that moment.

She collapsed forward, a heap in his arms. He caught her in one smooth motion, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

Ever since he could remember she had been a part of his life, almost like an aunt, a family member...and seeing this pain cut deep. Goku had been a god-like figure in his life. A man he looked up too, almost as much as he looked up to his own father. A savior, the protector of people...how could he do this? How could he hurt her so badly? Anger bubbled inside of him, though it was foreshadowed by a stronger, deeper emotion - Sorrow.

It seemed like not that long ago that the Son's and the Briefs' had seemed like one big happy happy. Spending weekends together, sparring playfully while the wife's chatted and the kids played in the background.

Trunks could remember spending the night with Goten, giggling happily while they laid on the roof and looked up at the stars until the earliest morning hours.

The double doors slid open behind them with a gentle whoosh of air. Glancing over his shoulder, Trunks saw his mother approaching, clutching a tear stained cloth to her bosom. She suddenly looked so fragile...so frail. She cleared her throat gently, announcing herself.

"Trunks? Your sister is asking for you...and there can only be 2 people in the room with her, and Goten isnt leaving...so..." She motioned towards the doors, making her intentions clear.

Nodding, Trunks gave ChiChi a final, strong hug, and released her, turning away before he could see her tear stained face. He knew, at that moment, that seeing her cry...could break him in two.

As he pushed through the double doors, his mother rushed forward, and ChiChi's voice was the last thing he heard before the door's swished closed behind him.

"Bulma...How could he?!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He could hear his sister moaning before he even entered the room. He pushed through the door and gently shut it behind him, surveying the room.

Bulla lay on her side in a hospital bed, a sheet draped across her body, various wires and cords connecting her to monitors strung across the room. Beside her, sitting perched on the edge of a chair pulled up to the side of the bed, Goten clutched her hand in his, looking sick with worry. His eyes were blood shot, dark and sunken into the sockets. He looked nearly dead...

"Trunks?"

The purple haired saiyan glanced to the bed, to his sister calling his name. "yea?"

"I'm scared...Trunks..."

He nodded, "I'm scared too..."

Goten glanced up, is gaze falling on his best friend, he yanked a fake smile onto his face, his eyes filling with tears, "Trunks...You cant be scared. You're stronger than me...and if you start getting scared..." His voice broke, and he stopped, tears racing down his cheeks.

Slowly, Trunks made his way over to the side of the bed, kneeling beside his friend. He laid a hand on his fellow demi-saiyans shoulder, squeezing gently.

"Everything is gonna be fine, Goten...I promise."

The door burst open behind them, and suddenly the room was full of commotion. His mothers voice filled his ears, and Trunks jumped to his feet.

"Vegeta! You cant do this! Not here!"

Spinning on his heel, Trunks turned to face his father.

The saiyan prince stood in the doorway, his wife standing in front of him, her hands on his chest, pressing him back. ChiChi stood behind them, wringing her hands and looking nervous. A group of doctors and nurses rushed up the hallway towards them. Vegeta looked livid.

"DAD!" Trunks leapt forward, gently shoving his mother out of the way, intercepting his father before he could enter the room.

Though his hair and eyes were their natural onyx shade, Vegeta had power thrumming through his system. He had lost his transformation since Trunks last saw him, but his anger had grown, not faded with the electricity surrounding him.

"Dad, listen to me...You cant do this."

Though Vegeta's tone was calm, the power ebbing from him was anything but.

"I told that little clown to stay away from my daughter..."

"DAD!" Trunks roared, forcing the dark prince back, pushing him through the door and into the hallway. He pushed, driving him, until Vegeta's back slammed against the far wall in the hallway.

Glancing over his shoulder, Trunks caught his mothers eye and motioned towards the flood of hospital staff pursuing them. She nodded, instantly understanding. Without a word, she raced towards them. The last thing Vegeta needed right now was a flood of humans attempting to toss him out. Trunks knew how that could end...and he wasn't interested.

"Dad, you need to listen to me..."

"I will beat that boy within an inch of his life, I told-"

"Dad, come on..."

"I have had enough of this nonsense. I warned him, and he-"

"VEGETA!" Surprising himself with his tone of voice, Trunks grabbed his fathers jaw in his hand, digging his fingernails into the skin of his chin, forcing him to look in his son's direction.
Instantly, Vegeta's power level dipped lower, his brow furrowed in puzzlement. His son had never used his name before. Hearing it come from his offspring's mouth was odd to say the least.

When he was confident he had taken his father's attention, Trunks loosened his grip.

"Dad, I need you to listen. This is happening. She is already pregnant...and now the baby is coming. Your grandchild...and whether you like it or not, Goten's SON" Though his last words brought a snarl to Vegeta's lips, Trunks plowed ahead, "Now we can do this one of two ways." Trunks held up a finger and pressed on, "One. You can go in there like a respectable man, and act fucking happy. Be a goddamn grandfather" He held up a second finger, "or two, I can MAKE you leave, and you'll never see your grandson, is that what you want?"

Though his snarl deepened, and Trunks could feel his anger falling away, Vegeta shook his head. His snarl fell to a sneer.

When he was sure that he had his father at least mostly under control, he turned towards his mother.

"Mom, go tell-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, an alarm sounded though the hall, echoing at an ear splitting volume.

Pushing around Bulma, the doctors rushed forward, filing into Bulla's room.

"Whats going on?" Vegeta roared, eyes narrowed.

Bulma pushed into the room, leaving Trunks and his father confused and alone in the hall.

"Maybe the baby is coming" Trunks muttered to himself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hours passed, leaving Trunks and his father alone in the hallway. Trunks slumped against the wall, eventually falling asleep with his head resting on his father shoulder.

When he awoke, he was being shaken, his mother calling his name.

"Trunks! Hey, wake up!"

His eyes fluttered open, the fog lifting slowly from his tired mind, "yeah?"

The first thing he saw was his mothers beaming face, and the first thing he felt was the cool tile against his cheek. Somehow, without waking him, his father had moved away while he had been asleep.

"Where is dad?"

"Holding his grandson."

All anger and sorrow instantly melted away. Trunks could feel himself grinning, his heart soaring.

"She had the baby?"

"Yeah. He's beautiful. Look's just like your sister. Do you want to see him? Bulla is asking for you."