Acceptance

by Darkly-Shaded-Shadow

Set in the Future Time Line, Cell emerges to a bleak and broken world, ravished by the androids. However, they have since been destroyed, and he struggles to accept this fact. Lost, without purpose, he hunts and feeds relentlessly, only he finds himself drawn to a dying woman who has no fear of him. This story is for mature people. It has some dark and adult themes.

9. IX

Android 16 had given Rowan a lot to think about. She wasn't a fool, she knew Cell's nature was much more sinister than Serus' had been, but she couldn't help but think that there was real good in him as well. He had Seru in him. Rowan's eyes widened in sudden realization.

Seru was in him.

Suddenly giddy with excitement, Rowan pulled her energy blanket around her body and thought of her home in the Caravan Park, where Cell was waiting for her. She felt the air around her change and the laboratory basements' soft green lighting was replaced with the brilliant light of the afternoon sun.

Rowan had barely a second to adjust before her energy dispersed and the chilled air struck her, and she realized there was no ground beneath her feet. She managed a strangled yelp, barely able to register that she was over the lake, before she was dropped into the icy cold water.

The sudden shock of cold sucked the air from her lungs and stunned her momentarily as her robe billowed out around her, trapping her limbs like a net. Her lungs burned, forcing Rowan to finally regain her composure and she kicked out, her arms flailing, forcing her robe down while she made for the surface.

Her head broke the waters' surface and she took in precious air, panting heavily from the unexpected exertion. She floated for a moment, allowing herself to get her bearings. She was quite far out in the lake, several hundred feet from the pebbled shore. She could see the tree line that separated the caravan park from the lakes edge, but it was quite far up the beach. At least she knew which side of the lake to head towards.

She sighed and lay back, floating while she looked up at the sky. There were heavy storm clouds heading towards her over the mountains, but the sky directly over her was still sunny and the light was warm. Rowan wondered why her teleport hadn't worked.

"Probably because I was distracted when I teleported." She thought out loud. "Last time I saw my house was through Cells' eyes, and he had taken off, hovering over the lake… Guess that makes sense." She sighed again and closed her eyes, relaxing for a moment. The water was cold but it was refreshing and she knew she was procrastinating. As much as she wanted to see Cell again, she was also apprehensive. She knew what she had to do, but so much was at risk.

"Why couldn't I just have a normal boyfriend?" She asked nobody, before she finally began to move, treading water as she focused back on the beach.

It was much easier to teleport to somewhere she could physically see, and she disappeared from the water, and reappeared on the pebbled beach almost instantly. Her robes slapped down around her, dribbling lake water all over the smooth pebbles.

Rowan sighed and fumbled in the pocket for the spare box of rings. She opened it checking the contents, but they looked undamaged. She checked the bands on her own fingers, but without any lights or indicators, she had no way of knowing if they still worked.

She looked up at her house. She could just barely see its domed form through the trees. It looked so peaceful and quiet. It was hard to imagine that the tyrant responsible for all the chaos and death that was sweeping around the globe was inside the tiny domed house only about a hundred feet from where she stood.

A light breeze wafted across the lake, causing the reflective surface to ripple. A moment later and the breeze struck the trees, causing their leaves to tremble and 'shush'. Rowan shivered as the cool air bit right through her soaked clothes and into her skin.

"I think a hot shower would be fantastic." She mumbled to herself as she picked her way across the pebbled beach towards the tree line.

It was only a short walk, but by the time she had reached the gravel that made up the camp grounds of the caravan park, Rowan was thoroughly chilled. The gravel crunched under her feet, announcing her approach well before she made it to the house. She was half expecting Cell to open the door from the noise, but it remained closed as she reached it.

She opened the door and peered inside. Her house was cleaner than she had left it. The only thing that was out of place was her laptop on the kitchen bench, plugged into a wall socket, opened and on. Cell was nowhere to be seen. She frowned, feeling the disappointment of finding him absent, but she brushed it aside with a small sigh.

She stripped off her wet robes, dumping them in a pile on the floor and she headed over to the computer. She put the small box on the bench, but paused when she saw the computer screen. It was the screen saver, a small photo that bounced around on a black screen.

The photo was of her and larval form Seru, a selfie she had taken with him on the couch. She hadn't seen the picture in a while and it made the spidery scar in her chest, ache. She stared at the screen for a long time, overwhelmed with memories that flooded her of her old friend. She touched the screen gently, as if she could touch him, but the movement made the screen saver disappear and instead she was greeted by a black screen full of numbers and text. It was some kind of program and it was scrolling along on its own. Rowan tried to read it but she couldn't make heads or tails of it.

She was snapped from her study by a reflection of movement in the black of the screen. Her eyes focused on his face, only a few feet behind her. For such a big man, he could move in absolute silence. She could only guess that he had been hiding in the bedroom when he had heard someone approach, since he couldn't sense her energy. He was wearing a strangely solemn expression, and he looked back at her through the reflection. His hair hung in his face again, partially hiding his left eye, which made him seem mysterious.

"You're wet." He finally said, his voice was quiet and husked and his expression was still solemn. Rowan managed a weak smile. Something about the look of his face was unsettling her.

"I missed my teleport and landed in the lake." She replied, sheepishly. A small smirk appeared on his lips.

"At least you can teleport. Albeit, poorly." He added, quietly. Rowan couldn't help but love the way one of his eyes narrowed as his smirk widened, showing his all-too perfect teeth. Finally she turned away from the laptop screen to look at him properly. He was watching her every moment, as if expecting her to do something. She couldn't help but feel her face heat under such an intense stare. Finally she stepped towards him, making the first move. He welcomed her into his embrace as she planted her hands against his shelled chest and leaned up, kissing him softly. His arms snaked around her back, pressing her against him.

"I missed you." She said quietly as she stepped back down, looking up at him. She could see his nostrils flare as he slowly took in her smell, making his eyes narrow in response. He smiled down at her, still holding her close. The last time the two had been physically in each other's' company, had been when they had been in Central City, and she had been impaled by the shard of glass from the force of Cell's attack against Piccolo.

As if thinking about the same thing, he moved one of his hands gently down her side, brushing against the barely-visible mark where the glass had struck her. His hand lingered as she put her own hand on top of his.

"It's fine Cell. Dande healed me up, like Goku promised." Cell sighed nasally in response, turning his eyes back to hers. She was consciously aware of the pull she felt towards him, but being aware of it, didn't stop the intensity of the feeling. He lifted his free hand to her face, gently stroking the back of his fingers against her cheek, before he pulled her head back into a deeper kiss, one she welcomed happily, as she snaked her arms around his neck.

Their kiss was broken suddenly as Cell jerked back, a scowl marring his perfect features.

"What is it?" Rowan asked as he let her go. She heard the sound of footsteps on the gravel outside as Cell headed for the door. He paused with his hand on the door knob and he looked back at Rowan with a frown.

"I know I saw someone walking around here only a minute ago…" She could hear a young mans' voice whispering.

"Yeah I know. I wonder if they're friendly. Here's hoping they can help us out." Another man's voice, this one was more gruff.

"I guess. You reckon they have any food?" The first man asked.

"Let's find out." Rowan bit her lip as she looked down. She was still wearing her wet underwear, her robes having been thrown in the pile on the floor. She glanced up at Cell. He was snarling at the door.

"Don't do anything stupid, Cell." She whispered quietly as she hurried into the bedroom. She was halfway through slipping on a pair of dark jeans when she heard the knock at the front door.

"Hello, anyone home?!" She heard the gruff man call out.

"Just a sec!" She called back loudly as she threw on a long sleeved woollen turtle neck.

Cell was standing in the bedroom doorway, a very unpleasant expression on his face.

"I could make them go away." He suggested. "I wouldn't even have to hurt them." Rowan shook her head and she quickly leaned up on her tip toes to kiss the bridge of his nose.

"Just let me deal with them." She replied quietly before she ducked under his arm and back into the main room. She hesitated at the front door, looking back at Cell. He looked back at her, clearly annoyed before he turned away and closed the bedroom door.

Rowan opened the front door with a smile. There were two men; one was young, tall with messy brown hair and a pair of small glasses. He carried a large camera and a shoulder bag. The older man was short and stout with salt and pepper hair and a few days' worth of stubble.

"Hi fellas, what can I do you for?" She asked in a friendly tone. The younger man gave her an awkward smile.

"Hey, I'm Christoph and this is Jack. Sorry to barge in on you like this, but our phone isn't working and our vans' broken down up on the main road. Have you got a working phone?" He asked. Rowan considered everything for a moment as her friendly and hospitable nature warred with the need to get them away from Cell.

Her nice nature won out.

"Uh, sure, come on in. The phone is in the kitchen, and my name is Rowan." She stepped back and gestured for the two to come inside. Rowan closed the door behind them and led Christoph to the kitchen bench, where she gestured to the small plastic phone receiver nestled in the cradle on the wall.

"Thanks Rowan. Do you mind if I make some calls?" Rowan smiled and shook her head.

"Go ahead. Would you like some tea?" Christoph nodded as he picked up the phone and punched in some numbers. Jack sat himself on the couch and looked around.

Rowan saw Cells' helmet sitting on the small table next to the front door and she felt her heart skip a beat. But Jack had his back to the table, so he wouldn't see it unless he turned around, and Christoph was distracted with the phone as he put his giant camera on the bench next to Rowan's laptop which had returned to the screen saver.

Rowan casually closed the lap top lid and slid it against the wall, hiding the photo of larval form Cell as she set about boiling the kettle. Jack watched her and yawned.

"I'm surprised there's anybody still around this area." He said conversationally. Rowan shrugged.

"I'm out of the way here. I'm pretty sure I'll be safe. What about you two?" Rowan set out three mugs, feeling her wet hair sticking to her face. She brushed it aside casually, but she could still feel the chill of the cold water on her skin. She longed for a hot shower.

"We were hoping to get some pictures of Cell for the newscast, but our van broke down just outside of Paprika town. Pretty lucky to find you, we tried some other houses but they are all shut up or their phones aren't working." Jack was making himself comfortable, watching Rowan like a dog eyeing off a piece of meat that had fallen to the floor. It was making her uncomfortable, but she ignored it as she poured the tea.

Christoph was having a quiet but animated conversation on the phone. He was facing the wall with his head lowered as his free hand gestured wildly. Rowan avoided listening, but she got the gist of him telling someone about their breakdown and the like.

She offered him a mug of tea and he took it gratefully, mouthing out the words 'Thank you' before resuming his conversation. Rowan offered another mug to Jack and he mumbled his thanks too. Rowan glanced at the closed bedroom door. She could almost see Cell on the other side, arms folded, glaring at her.

"That's absurd!" Christoph's' sudden yell caused Rowan and Jack to both turn abruptly to face him. "You can't honestly expect us to stay out here until after the stupid tournament? That's suicide!" Jack snorted.

"I was afraid of that." Jack mumbled.

"No, it's just unacceptable. You have to get us out of here! What?! You want us to do what?! Are you mad?! You know what, go to hell!" Christoph slammed the phone back in the receiver and put his hands against his temples before he finally turned back to Jack.

"They aren't going to send us any help because were too close to Cells' arena. They won't risk it. Marcus wants us to stay out here and film the tournament since we can't get out of here." Jack stood up suddenly, angry and red faced.

"What?! Does Marcus not know what that Cell thing is capable of? Didn't he hear about what he did to the god-damned army?! We'll get killed for sure!" Rowan looked down at the mug in her hand. She was feeling even more uncomfortable. She could only stand there as the two argued it out.

"Look, lady, I'm so sorry to ask this of you, but can we crash here until after the tournament?" Jack asked crudely. Rowan felt the alarm bells ringing in her mind.

"I uh… I only have the one bed, I don't really have anywhere for you to stay…" She managed.

"That's okay, we can sleep in the van. We just don't have access to a toilet or shower or food and the like." Christoph was genuinely nice and she felt bad, but she couldn't forget about Cell.

"Um, can I have a minute to think about it?" She asked. Christoph nodded and Rowan excused herself as she headed to the bedroom door.

She opened it just enough to slip inside before she closed it abruptly behind her. Cells' face was livid. He planted his hands on either side of her face, trapping her against the door and he brought his face close to hers.

"You can't seriously be considering it." He snarled, his voice was barely audible, but his message was loud and clear.

"What else can I do? They need help." She whispered back. Cell's eyes narrowed.

"I give you a lot of concessions Rowan, but I won't allow you to keep two strangers in our house." Cell declared. Rowan felt her anger swell at his words, and she had to fight to keep her voice down.

"Our house? Pretty sure it's mine. I can do as I damn well want to." Cell's mouth pulled into a scowl.

"I lived here for four years. It's as much my home as it is yours." Rowan's hands balled into fists and she could feel herself trembling with anger.

"Damnit Cell!" She wanted so much to argue the point, but she fought to control herself, to keep her voice level and quiet, now was not the time. Something crossed Cell's eyes and his scowl turned into a smirk. Rowan snarled up at him as he brought his face even closer.

"What?" She demanded quietly. He chuckled in response.

"I do love it when you fight me." He said quietly. His sudden kiss caught Rowan off guard. It was hungry and full of lust. She turned her head away, breaking it, but she couldn't hide the blush of colour to her cheeks.

"Now really isn't the time for that." She muttered angrily. His smirk turned into a sadistic grin.

"To be continued, then." He said as he pushed away from the door, giving Rowan back her freedom.

"I'm going to let them stay. I'll tell them to go get their van and bring it here. That'll give you a chance to leave without them ever knowing. They'll stay in their van, but they can use my shower and bathroom." She said quietly. Cell sighed nasally. He wanted to fight but he kept his silence and just turned his back on her instead.

"Do as you want." He said flatly. Rowan wanted to reach out to him, but she decided she could do it after the two had left.

Rowan quietly slid out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her, and she froze. Jack was holding Cell's helmet, inspecting it carefully. Christoph was standing next to him, looking amazed.

"That's a pretty awesome replica." Christoph said conversationally as he noticed Rowan. Jack looked over at her, his expression was hard.

"Oh, yeah. It's pretty awesome." She said quietly.

"Yeah. Awesome." Jack added in a tone that was anything but impressed. Christoph took it out of Jack's hands and inspected it closely before he put it back on the small table.

"So, what did you decide?" Christoph asked.

"Oh, Um… I think you guys should go and get your van. You can bring it to the caravan park and you're welcome to use my amenities." Christoph broke into a broad smile. "I don't have a lot of food though, but we can deal with that later."

"That's fantastic! Thank you!" Christoph exclaimed. Jack just nodded; his expression was still dark as he stared intently at Rowan.

"You should probably hurry up though. It will be night soon." Rowan said a little pointedly. Christoph nodded and he opened the front door, stepping out. Jack let his stare linger on Rowan for a moment, before he followed after Christoph, closing the door behind him.

Rowan let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. A moment later and Cell's arms snaked around her waist. His face lowered to her neck and she leaned back against him, letting him nibble on her tender flesh as one of her hands lifted to his head, playing with his hair.

"I was toying with the idea of scaring them off myself." He said quietly against her neck. Rowan couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"I was honestly a little surprised you didn't. Grateful, mind you. But also surprised." He chuckled as he moved his attention to her ear lobe. She couldn't stop herself from moaning softly at the electric touch. His arms only tightened around her in response.

He was distracted in a moment of weakness, with his focus on Rowan, and he didn't notice them return until they opened the door suddenly.

"Sorry, I forgot my cam…." Christoph stopped mid-sentence with his hand on the door handle, wide-eyed in absolute shock. Jack appeared a moment later, his face contorted between anger and fear.

It must have been quite a sight, to see Cell in such an intimate pose with someone, his hair hanging around his face, his eyes narrowed and glaring death at the two intruders.

The moment seemed to last an eternity before Cell finally stood up, releasing Rowan and he turned and headed back for the bedroom, closing the door. Rowan watched him go, aware that her face had turned a delightful shade of red. She couldn't look at the two men.

"I thought you looked familiar. You are the girl from the TV." Jack finally said quietly. Rowan lowered her face down and looked at them from the corner of her eyes. Jack had settled on furious. Christoph was terrified, unmoving.

"I guess." She managed quietly.

"You traitorous whore." Jack spat angrily. Rowan felt Cell's energy spike in response, but he didn't burst through the door. Jack followed Rowans gaze to the closed door and he quickly stepped outside, turning his back on Rowan and making a quick retreat.

Christoph hadn't moved. He was trembling, wide-eyed at Rowan. She sighed and headed to the kitchen bench, grabbing his camera and turning back towards Christoph. He looked at her like he would at a rabid dog, flinching as she offered him his camera back.

"I am sorry." She said quietly when he made no move to take his camera. "He won't come after you or anything like that. He won't hurt you."

After a long pause, Christoph finally grabbed his camera, snatching it from her hands and cradling it against his chest before he turned and fled. Rowan sighed loudly, feeling both angry and ashamed as she stared out at the lake.

Cell emerged after several moments. He stood behind her, but made no move to touch her this time.

"I am sorely tempted to kill that man after what he called you." Cell said bitterly after a while.

"Why? He's not wrong. I am a traitor." Rowan said flatly, turning back inside and heading towards the kitchen. She went through the motions of making tea, even though she didn't feel like drinking one.

Cell grabbed her wrists, forcing her to turn to face him. She had tears pricking the sides of her eyes again and it made his eyes narrow.

"Everything you have ever done has been for other people." Cell began angrily. "You sacrificed yourself to save Mary and her family. You sacrificed yourself to Seru in order to give me… Him the power needed to stave off Cell. You stopped me from killing that attendant at the gas station and you even convinced me to aid that human trapped in the car in Central City which was an action that was against everything that I am. Exactly how are these actions those of a traitor? If anything you have made more of an impact towards sparing humanity than anyone else on this god-forsaken rock. Because of you and you alone, I no longer have the drive to commit mass genocide."

Cell's anger was flaring as he spoke, and Rowan's eyes widened in surprise as he confessed just how much of an impact she was having on him. His eyes were livid and flashed a brilliant hue of magenta. His words had softened her self-hatred but she finally looked away and closed her eyes, fighting back tears.

"But nothing I say or do will stop you from fighting at the tournament. If you win, you'll conquer the Earth." Cell finally let her wrists go, and he very gently tilted her head back to his. She opened her eyes slowly, staring at the strange expression on his pale face.

"I will fight at the tournament, Rowan. And there is no 'if'. I will win. What happens to the Earth after that is still unknown. Every day I spend with you, admittedly, softens my resolve." His face softened as he spoke and his voice was quiet. Gently he tucked some of her wet hair behind her ear, a comforting and gentle gesture. Rowan sighed softly and managed a small smile. Inside, her mind was a train wreck and her chest ached dully, but despite how much turmoil raged inside her, she felt comforted by his gentle touch.

A sudden sneeze forced her to turn away abruptly. She sniffled after the fact and turned away from Cell, grabbing a sheet of paper towel from the roll that hung on the kitchen wall and she blew her nose.

"I need a hot shower." She mumbled as she discarded the make-shift tissue in the bin. Cell stepped to the side, allowing her to walk past him, a small frown graced his face. He watched as she pulled off her shirt as she walked into the bedroom, disappearing behind the door.

Rowan slipped off her wet clothes; aware of the chill she felt and blissfully stepped into the hot water. Steam poured out of the shower cubicle and quickly filled the room, heating the air. She was aware of Cell as he leaned against the wall outside the shower, watching her through the rippled glass with a small smirk.

"Perv." She said playfully as she pulled back the curtain a fraction and flicked some water at him. His smirk spread across his face but he didn't move. After a moment he turned his attention to the small box he had brought with him, and removed one of the small rings, examining it closely.

"Bulmas' handiwork, I assume." He said conversationally. Rowan held out one of her hands, wiggling her fingers to show off the black band she held on her index finger.

"16 gave them to me. They hide your energy signatures from detection." Cells' eyes narrowed for a moment and he stared, unamused at Rowan.

"You were with 16?" He asked flatly. Rowan poked her shampoo-lathered head out of the curtain, staring at Cell.

"Yes. He's my friend. He was someone to talk to when I was at the Capsule Corp recovering from your attack. I wanted to ask his advice so I went back when I was learning to teleport this afternoon." Cell's frown turned into a scowl.

"And what was his advice?" He snarled.

"Basically, that you're a sadistic narcissist and I shouldn't trust anything you say." Her tone was conversational, but she was watching his face carefully. Cell's eyes narrowed and she could see his annoyance, clear as day.

"I should kill him for that." Rowan managed a small smile.

"Kill him for telling me the truth?" She almost laughed as she spoke, but she didn't take her eyes off Cell. He went from angry to annoyed.

"I am not a narcissist." He said almost pouting.

"If you look up the word Narcissist in the dictionary, I bet a picture of your face will be next to the word. You are the definition of a narcissist. You believe yourself to be superior to everyone in every way. You even say that you're perfect." Cell's eyes narrowed at Rowan and he glared at her for a long while. Finally Rowan ducked her head back inside the shower and resumed washing the shampoo out.

"I believe I am superior to everyone in every way, because I am. I was built to be the strongest and the fastest. I have the collective knowledge of the greatest warriors in the universe, and I have the intellect to learn quickly. I can adapt to almost any situation and…" He was cut off as Rowan flicked more water at him.

"I get it, you are amazing and you are the ultimate in genetic engineering, although you are just proving your narcissism. But Cell you have to understand, you aren't perfect and there will always be room for improvement." She was being conversational, and with her head under the water, she didn't see the rage that was emanating from Cells' face.

"In what way, am I lacking, exactly?" He said quietly through gritted teeth.

"Pride." She replied casually. "A good example is that right now, you can't even take a small criticism. Your pride in who you are and what you are capable of makes you over confident, blinding you to possibilities that might present themselves. That and you will never see me as your partner, because I can never be your equal." Cells' eyes widened at her comment and he stared at her through the glass, his mouth partially opened as he realized the truth in her words.

Rowan finished the rest of her shower in silence and stepped out, naked and soaking. Cell had slipped the two rings on to his index fingers. He was still staring at her with a strange expression, one she hadn't seen on his face before. Rowan couldn't help herself and she crossed the small distance, standing up on her tiptoes and gently kissing the tip of his straight nose.

It snapped him from his thoughts and his arms snaked around her, pulling her against his body as he stared down at her. Finally, his face broke into a grin and his eyes softened as he leaned down, kissing her softly.

It was a peaceful moment, but Rowan broke it, turning away and easing out of Cells' embrace to grab the towel from the rack and wrap it around her body as she headed out of the bathroom.

"I could really use a hot cup of tea." Rowan said as she rummaged through her closet for some fresh clothes. Cell smirked at her and left her to dry and dress herself as he headed to the kitchen.

By the time Rowan emerged dressed in her favourite bumble bee pyjamas, combing her hair, Cell had made fresh tea.

He offered her the mug and she took it with her free hand, giving up on combing her hair for the moment. Cell took the comb from her hand as she sipped the tea. She was surprised as he moved behind her and began to comb her hair. He was surprisingly gentle and she barely felt the tug as he worked the knots from the ends.

Standing in the living room, sipping a perfect cup of tea while Cell worked on her hair, was a surprisingly comforting thing. She closed her eyes, turning inwards for just a moment as she treasured this memory, placing the comb that symbolized it on the shelf next to the apple and a few other small knick-knacks that represented precious moments.

Rowan opened her eyes as Cell finished, running his fingers through the length of her hair gently toying with it.

"I never thought I'd take such pleasure in such a simple act." Cell mused out loud. Rowan turned around to face him, her hair sliding through his fingers as she turned. She smiled up at him, all too aware of his proximity and the hungry look in his eyes.

"I wonder what other things you are missing out on without even realizing it." She asked him quietly. He took a deep breath, sighing nasally.

"I'm beginning to wonder that myself." His hand lifted to her face, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. His touch was warm and Rowan leaned into it.

It was growing dark inside as the afternoon turned into evening. The storm Rowan had seen earlier was beginning to make its presence known as the wind picked up outside. She could hear the wind through the trees, making them howl in protest. Distant thunder heralded the arrival of the rain as it began to fall outside. Slow at first, but picking up momentum. Rowan sighed and turned away from Cell, heading to the lights and switching them on. She was very aware of Cells gaze as she moved. She could feel the pull between them, all the stronger because of their prolonged proximity.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?" Cell asked quietly. He was still standing where she had left him in the middle of the room. Rowan headed to the kitchen to rinse out her tea mug.

"You will have to a little more specific, Cell." She replied. Cell smirked at her as she glanced over her shoulder.

"I believe it was along the lines of you belong to me." Cell's voice went quiet and husked as he spoke the last four words. Rowan felt her face flush at the way her body responded to his sultry tone. She looked back down at the sink, aware of her own arousal.

"I do belong to you. There is little point in denying that." She tried to sound conversational, but the truth of her words added an edge to them. She didn't hear Cell approach. He was being silent again, but she felt his arms encircle her and the heat of his body as he held her against him tightly. She moaned again, forgetting the dishes as he went straight for her neck, nibbling it hungrily.

"If we do this here and now, you'll destroy my house." She said quietly, trying to be the voice of reason.

"Don't deny me Rowan. I've waited long enough." He said quietly, but with a firmness that brokered no argument. Rowan couldn't resist him when he was being so commanding. She gave in to him as one of his hand slipped under her pyjama shirt, finding her firm breast. His gentle nibbling turned into a hungrier bite. Not enough to break the flesh, but enough to send a strange jolt through her body, something that surprisingly aroused her greatly.

He could smell her as he breathed in her intoxicating scent, felt himself harden in reaction, his armour, like a second skin to him, suddenly seeming too small and uncomfortable. His fingers teased her nipple, turning it hard in his hand, and he toyed with it. His other hand slipped beneath her pants, finding her body to be all too welcoming to his touch which only added to his own arousal.

She moaned loudly, lifting one hand to his face as he bit her again. It was amazing how well he knew her body and how easily he could make her respond to his touch.

The rain outside was getting heavier, and the wind was making the leaves of the trees sound like the ocean waves as it howled through their branches. But despite the sounds of the storm, they didn't mask the crunching approach of several feet on the gravel outside.

"You have got to be kidding me." Cell muttered angrily as his eyes opened slowly. Rowan groaned, just as annoyed as he was. It took every bit of control Cell possessed to let Rowan go. He slipped his moistened fingers into his mouth, not able to savour the taste before he turned to the door. He grabbed his helmet, quickly sliding it back over his head.

Rowan listened, aware that her face was flushed. Cell wasn't just angry, he was absolutely livid, something she could see in the tension of his body, but he hid it well behind a cold mask.

"Don't kill them." She whispered, her voice hoarse. He glanced at her, pausing for only a moment.

She could hear more than just two sets of feet. There were a dozen people outside, moving around. They were trying to be sneaky and if she hadn't been listening for them, she probably wouldn't have noticed them over the sound of the rain. They were surrounding the house. She could hear voices, quiet and muffled, but she had no chance of catching what they were saying.

Cell however, heard every word. His eyes widened suddenly and he turned back to Rowan, his speed was amazing as he seemed to disappear and reappear, throwing her to the ground as the thunder roared.

Only it wasn't thunder.

The idiots had found people from the arena who had been planning some form of revenge or another and they had brought weapons. Lots of them. Guns, grenades and even rockets, of which they all levelled at the house.

Rowan screamed and covered her head as she lay face down on the floor. She was aware of Cells' energy flaring around them, protecting them from harm. She could only watch in horror as her house was obliterated. She managed to look up at Cell, saw only absolute fury on his face. He was going to do something stupid.

Her house collapsed in, the debris that touched Cell's shield was obliterated instantly. His glowing golden aura was bright enough to illuminate the dozen or so people that surrounded their house. Rowan saw Jack sporting a rocket launcher. He was soaked and he had a grimace on his face as he realized the attack had done nothing to the android.

"FOOLS!" Cell roared. Rowan knew he was going to kill them all. She could see their faces turn from anger to fear in that second. She didn't think about it, she just grabbed his ankle, throwing her energy around them as quickly as she could. It took a heartbeat and Cell's energy blasted out of him as she teleported.

It took a moment for Rowan to adjust. The landing had been rough since she was still lying on the ground. She had gone from smooth tiled surface to rocks and leaves. The sound of falling debris and dust made her look around.

Cell looked shocked as she glanced up at him. His energy blast had created a monstrous crater that had sent up dirt and dust, but it couldn't do much damage here.

Rowan slowly stood up and dusted herself off. She was a little bruised from teleporting onto rocks, but that was negligible.

"You…" Cell couldn't finish. His surprise at being teleported hadn't abated his furious anger. Rowan locked eyes with him and didn't back down. His aura still burned golden around him.

"You were going to kill them." She said simply, her voice small against such a torrent of rage. His aura burned brighter and it was starting to hurt her. Rowan flinched and she held her hand out towards the energy.

The aura that surrounded Cell flared except for the part that was aimed at Rowan. That part disappeared as Rowan absorbed it. This action seemed to calm Cell down enough to regain his composure and he took a deep breath as his energy disappeared. Rowan looked troubled as she struggled with his power. It was the first time she had really absorbed energy and the feeling was strange. It was like drinking a really hot cup of tea too fast, it settled inside of her uncomfortably hot and foreign.

Quills knowledge kicked in and she forced the energy out, feeling her body surge it out of her core and into her arm as she raised it over her head. A small but brilliant ball of golden power shot out of her hand into the night sky.

She watched it disappear for a moment before she too sighed and lowered her arm. Cell watched her. He had gone from furious to just annoyed, regaining control of his temper. Slowly he folded his arms across his chest and he looked around, really looked around.

For miles in every direction there was nothing but levelled ground. Suddenly, with an impact that felt like a slap to the face, he realized where they were.

"This is where I merged." He said quietly.

"This is where Cell raped and then impaled me and killed Seru. Yes." She said quietly as she looked around. "It was the only place I could think to bring you where you wouldn't be able to hurt anyone." Her eyes were sad as she looked around. She could see the monstrous crater a few hundred feet to the side where Other Cell had original raped her and his power had flared out, destroying the landscape around him.

Cells' eyes followed her and they hardened, turning cold. Both of them were remembering what had happened. He could see what she couldn't in the darkness. Scraps of cloth that had been scattered by the elements, but he remembered for the briefest flash, as his claws had slashed at Rowan, tearing the clothes from her body, how she had fought back, and he had struck her hard in the face.

Cell pushed the memories of the Other Cell from his mind. The sadistic pleasure that Other Cell had taken in his actions only sickened Cell now as he looked back at Rowan. Her face was smooth and there was no sign of what he had done. But he couldn't stop himself from reaching out for her face, touching her cheek.

"I am sorry." He said quietly. She looked at him with sadness, but she smiled.

"I never thought I'd actually hear you say that. Thank you." She said with genuine appreciation. She stepped into his embrace then as he held her for a moment, both just standing in silence in the desolate wasteland that aptly reflected their mood.

"So, I guess I'm homeless." She said quietly as the realization struck her. Everything she had owned was lost in her house. But as she stood in Cell's embrace, and she thought that the day after tomorrow, the world would change forever, losing her house now wasn't the worst thing in the world.

Cell sighed heavily.

"I should have sensed them approaching. I could have stopped them before they destroyed our home." Cell spoke angrily. Rowan looked up at his hard expression.

"It's okay. It's not the end of the world. That's not for another day at least. Besides, I have you and we are both unhurt, and that's the important part. Stuff is just stuff." She tried to sound playful and it worked as Cells' face softened slightly.

"We should at least find somewhere warm and dry for you to rest." He said after a moment. Rowan grinned and closed the distance between them, leaning up and giving him a quick kiss on the nose.

"I want to see if there's anything left to salvage." She said quietly. Cell's face fell into concern again.

"That's not a good idea." Rowan grinned mischievously.

"You can't really stop me." She said playfully. Cell's face turned sadistically cruel as he broke into a wide smirk. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, as his eyes narrowed in anticipation.

"Is that a challenge?" He almost purred as he spoke. Rowan flared her energy around them both as she kissed his nose again.

"It is." She said quietly. They disappeared again in a small billow of dust as their air rushed to occupy the space they had left behind.

They re-appeared next to the manmade lake in the wheat field not far from Cells' arena. He was still holding her tightly, grinning at her, but something crossed across his eyes.

"You must teach me how you do that." He said quietly. Rowan grinned up at him. Cells' eyes looked around and he frowned. She followed his gaze.

There were tents and small domed capsule homes set up along the ridge a few hundred feet from where they were standing. Rowan quickly slid out of Cells arms feeling her face flush. She could see people on the very edge of the cliff, looking down towards the arena. There was even a small campfire roaring.

It was completely dark though, and the rain had eased up to a light sprinkle, but it was still dreary and cold. Where they stood, they were out of sight of the people and nobody had noticed them appear.

"Kind of glad teleporting doesn't create a light show." Rowan said quietly. Cell grunted in reply. His face had turned stony as he stared at the people gathered on the edge.

"Cell, what are you thinking?" She asked quietly as he suddenly began to walk towards them. He stopped after a few feet and looked back at her, slowly grinning.

"I don't believe I am a narcissist, Rowan. But I won't deny being a sadist." Rowan tried to object but Cell moved too fast, disappearing and reappearing near the tents. She had seen the rush of the wheat as it bowed under his speed. He wasn't teleporting, he was just that fast.

The people hadn't noticed yet. They had their backs to Cell. Rowan was tempted to teleport him out of there, but before she could act, someone screamed.

It was a woman who had begun to slip out of one of the tents. She had seen Cell walking past. He approached the fire and everyone had turned to see him now. Rowan couldn't deny how imposing he was in the fire light, easily taller than everyone else by at least a head, with his incredibly broad back and long shelled wings and powerful physique. He was someone to fear.

"Good evening." He said conversationally. Everyone was on their feet. Some people had run, others were frozen in fear, open mouths in silent screams. One of the more composed men had grabbed a camera and dared to take a flash photo of Cell. Cell only smirked. He was taking in all their fear, relishing the attention.

"Cell, you bastard! You killed my sister!" Someone behind Cell roared, pulling a hand gun from his back pocket and emptying the magazine quickly. It sounded like rapid thunder, and Rowan flinched. Cell was completely unfazed. He turned slowly to face the man, malice painted on his face.

"Perhaps you'd like to join her?" He asked in a smug and musical tone. Rowan felt her stomach tighten. The man threw the gun in the wheat field. He was terrified, but his anger was greater and he lunged at Cell, screaming hysterically as he tried to punch the tyrannical android.

Cell took his punch to the face without moving. It had impacted with a sickening crunch and the man stepped back, howling in pain as he cradled his now broken hand.

"How unfortunate. You've broken your hand." Cell said tauntingly as he tilted his head to the side and put his fists on his hips.

Rowan watched as more people broke away, running into the wheat field. Cell was showing her just how much he enjoyed flaunting his power as he taunted the poor broken man. The man could do nothing, absolutely nothing to avenge his sister. Rowan felt sick as the man fell to his knees, glaring up at Cell.

"Go to hell, you giant green bastard." The man spat angrily. The other man with the camera took another photo as Cell reached down, grabbing the wounded man by his throat and lifting him up as if he weighed nothing. He grabbed Cell's arm with his unbroken hand, trying to kick out. But it was no use. Cell only chuckled, enjoying himself.

"Pathetic, really." He said with a laugh.

Rowans anger suddenly snapped. She teleported herself to Cell with an angry flourish. The people, who were still standing around, gasped as she appeared out of nowhere. She grabbed Cell's arm and his eyes widened as he realized what she was doing.

"Rowan!" Cell snarled.

She was faster than he was, throwing her energy around just the two of them, excluding the man who's throat Cell held and she teleported again.

It had all happened in a heartbeat as the wounded man, suddenly released collapsed to the ground. People were stunned until the realization that the danger was gone hit them, and they rushed to help the wounded man.

Cell still had his hand outstretched when they re-appeared in the apple orchard. His grip turned into a fist as he lowered his arm to his side and he glared down at Rowan.

"You need to stop doing that." He snarled. Rowan glared back up at him.

"I can't watch you kill people, Cell!" She snapped back.

"I wasn't going to kill him." He snapped back, towering over her, imposing, but she stood her ground.

"It sickens me how you can get so much pleasure out of hurting others!" She yelled up at him. His eyes narrowed and he growled.

"I'd very much like to hurt you right now, you infuriating creature!" He snarled between gritted teeth. Rowan snarled back.

"Yeah, well you can just bite me, you ego inflated jack ass!" His snarl twisted into a grin. Rowan regretted her angry words instantly but she was nowhere near fast enough as he grabbed her, slamming her back roughly against the trunk of a nearby tree, pinning her wrists above her head with one hand as his mouth found her clavicle.

She cried out softly as his teeth bit into her flesh. It was a hard bite, the sudden-ness of it and the sharp pain that raced down her spine was electrifying. His pointed canines broke the flesh causing small drops of blood to well up. He licked her wound with a great deal of exaggeration, before he lifted his face to hers.

She could see only desire in his cruel eyes before he kissed her hungrily, still pinning her against the tree. Her heart raced, and her anger only made her blood even more heated. She bit his lip, a little more forcefully than she had actually intended, which only made him chuckle into her mouth.

"You're still a jack ass." She said quietly as he broke their kiss tilting her head to the side and gently biting her ear. Another electric shock ran down her body as his teeth pinched her sensitive flesh. He didn't break the skin, but he was being forceful, all in act of domination. One of his hands still held her arms pinned against the tree over her head, as the other ran down her side, sliding under her pants again.

She was completely at his mercy now, she knew as he brought her to the edge of that wonderful abyss. Her head rolled back against the tree and she groaned, but he stopped abruptly just as she was at the precipice, leaning back and sliding his fingers into his mouth erotically.

"You bastard." She said with a husked voice, laced with her own desire. He grinned and closed his eyes, savouring the small but potent surge of power he felt within him from such a small amount. His eyes opened again, half lidded and drunk with desire as he kissed her hungrily again.

She could taste herself on his lips, but it only made her even more aroused as he pressed his body against hers. He broke the kiss and using his free hand, he slowly unbuttoned her pyjama shirt.

"I'm going to make you mine." He whispered quietly as he exposed her breasts. She groaned loudly and in shock as her body trembled as he gently bit one of her hardened nipples. His free hand teased the other.

"Damnit Cell…" She groaned. He was masterful, pushing her to the edge, only to stop right as she was teetering. He was torturing her, in the worst way and she loved it. He chuckled again, obviously savouring every moment as he teased and tormented her.

Finally he stopped, his face flushed with colour as he kissed her mouth hard one last time before he finally let her go, stepping back. Rowan was surprisingly out of breath and she panted heavily as she watched as Cell flexed, his power surging around him. She had seen it before, but it was still amazing to watch as his armour disintegrated, leaving him exposed. But he didn't look at all vulnerable.

His sadistic grin, half lidded eyes and his obvious arousal were empowering. He stood for a moment, muscles tensed as she drank in the amazing brilliance of his sculpted body. He was relishing her approval as she stared in awe of him.

"Your turn." He said quietly, suddenly closing the distance between them as his hands slipped under her pants, grabbing her rear forcefully. She yelped in surprise and it only made him chuckle as his mouth found hers again. She snaked her arms around his neck, letting her nails drag across his skin. It did little to damage him, but the sensation had a powerful effect on him. He dropped her pants to the ground and pinned her against the tree again. She still wore her shirt, opened at the front, but it protected her back from the rough bark.

She could feel him pressing against her belly, and it only made her want him more. His hands still on her rear, he lifted her effortlessly and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He groaned into her mouth as he slid inside her, feeling the enveloping warmth and her tightness.

Inside her mind, now that she was consciously aware of it, she could feel the connection between Cell and her and she reached out for the brilliant blue sphere on the table. The reaction was instantaneous and completely encompassed them both. Cell's eyes widened and he froze for a moment mid thrust as he became consciously aware of Rowan.

He could feel her as if she was a part of him, could feel her loving warmth and her potent lust and hungry desire as strongly as he felt his own. She wasn't inside his head like she had been before. This was different.

"What… is that?" He asked, his voice hoarse. She hugged his head, breathing heavily against him.

"Our bond. Sealed." She whispered as she panted to catch her breath, against his forehead. He closed his eyes, trying to understand. He could feel her body; feel her pleasure mixing with his own. It was an intense feeling as he moved again. He could feel the way he filled her as he thrust inside, felt the pressure from her and from him and was almost overwhelming.

Almost.

He groaned loudly as he adjusted to this new awareness, thrusting forcefully inside of her. He could feel her body react to his and it only brought him closer to the edge. His mouth found her neck and he bit her again, only he could feel the electric shock as it ran through her body, tightening her belly and pushing her to the edge. She groaned loudly, her fingers tugging at his hair. It was a powerful thing, knowing just how much power he truly had over her.

The tree was beginning to lean from the strain as Cell lost his self-control. He was lost in the moment, lost in the intensity of the feeling and his need to release. Everything he felt was only amplified by Rowan's own need.

He could taste the potency of her gift as he lapped up her blood from his bite. It was the sweetest thing he had had ever tasted. His senses were overloaded as Rowan fell into the abyss, her body trembling, tightening around him as she cried out in the intensity of her climax. Cell could feel it and it was too much. He peaked with her, unable to control his own body as he surrendered to the paralysing pleasure, only made more intense by his new ability to feel Rowan.

His body drank up her gift as it flooded into his system, the most potent it had ever been. His muscles strained to contain the new power as it surged within him. He fought to maintain his control, but it was only the tiny tip of an immense iceberg.

"You have to let me take some of your power…" Rowan whispered hoarsely as he shuddered, still holding her against the tree, his face buried against her neck. He couldn't move. Everything he had was focused on controlling his own body, keeping his power in check. But still it grew. And grew.

Cell's power was too much for him to contain inside as it began to flare around him, brilliant and golden. Tiny arcs of blue electricity whipped out around him and the ground below him began to tremble.

"Cell…" Rowan's voice was worried, but he didn't respond. He was still fighting, but his power continued to grow. She could feel him trembling with the awesome struggle. His entire body was tense and his hair slowly began to defy gravity. A sphere of power formed around them, crackling wildly with energy, obliterating anything it touched. The tree gave out as half of it was disintegrated as the sphere formed. Rowan had to wrap her arms around Cells' neck, hanging on as her support vanished. He didn't move, hovering as the ground beneath them disappeared, consumed by his power.

"CELL!" She roared over the insanely loud roar of power and the cracks of lightning as it discharged out from the sphere. Overhead the clouds began to spiral from the sheer force of power. The ground was trembling and cracks were forming, racing through the orchard, toppling trees.

Cell still couldn't move. The sphere grew as his power still continued to rise. She could feel the intensity of the heat that came from the sphere and see the destruction it caused. A crater was forming beneath them, the land giving out under the weight of such power. Wind whipped up around them and his golden fiery aura engulfed them in a sudden burst as his black hair turned to gold.

It took everything Rowan had to maintain her focus enough to turn inwards and stop watching the destructive power of her lover.

Inside her mental house, she went to grab the blue sphere from the table, but it was gone. It took her a second to realize why. The bond had been sealed between them which was a permanent thing. He was now a part of her, and she was a part of him and the sphere was now embedded in her chest, right where her spidery scar was. It was smaller now, but its glow was quite intense.

Rowan didn't have time to appreciate what the sealed bond meant. She could see how he was struggling with the power, and even as amazing as he was, so much power so fast could prove to be too much of a strain on his body and he was risking the destruction of the Earth. She acted fast, touching the orb in her chest and feeling the sudden falling sensation as she appeared next to the fountain inside Cells' mental palace.

Everything was wrong. The palace was shaking, glowing golden cracks were racing through the stone. The pillars were crumbling and the statues were already collapsing. She gasped as she realized how bad the situation truly was and she raced inside. If Cell's mind was breaking, then his body wasn't far behind.

"Cell!" She screamed in desperation as she raced inside. He was hovering in the middle of the entrance hall, head back as he roared. It was a primal roar, terrifying. His hands were balled into fists and his wings were extended fully out and he was glowing brilliantly.

"Cell! You need to channel the power into me so I can vent it off! It's too much, too fast!" She screamed over the roar of power and the crumbling mental palace. He was losing himself, and he made no motion that he had even noticed her. Yelling at him wasn't enough.

Rowan lifted an arm to her face to protect herself from the surging power as her hair whipped violently around her and she forced herself towards him. The closer he got, the more powerful the push outwards and it became a struggle of wills as she tried to reach him.

But she grit her teeth in determination and she reached out, grabbing his calf as he hovered over her. Instantly, she felt the power rush into her own body and it was immense. She had been ready for it, but the sheer potency of energy was overwhelming.

Rowan opened her energy channels, and she felt her real body shaking under the strain of power as she vented it out and upwards in an immense column of golden light.

The sphere stopped growing. It was huge at this point. It had swallowed not just the orchard, but had reached the tiny town and swallowed several more properties. The crater was incredibly deep and actual lightning arched from the clouds, meeting the discharging energy in huge arcs of brilliant power, illuminating the black sky in vivid flashes.

Rowan had managed it, she was venting off his power, blasting it harmlessly upwards into the sky, funnelling it out of his body as quickly as she could manage without killing herself. But it wasn't without consequence. Such raw power was burning her inside and she couldn't keep up such an effort for long. She just needed to last long enough for Cell to regain his control.

It seemed to last forever, but in actual fact, the whole thing only lasted a few moments. The sphere began to disappear, the crackling power vanishing. The immense column shrank in size until finally the flow of power stopped.

It took several moments before Cell finally lifted his head, his hair returning to black as it hung once again around his face. He was panting heavily as he looked around at the destruction, and then at Rowan. She was shaking, gritting her teeth. Steam was wafting from her body and she was still faintly glowing. She managed a small smile, letting him know that she would be okay. His eyes turned hard. They were still in the same position they had been before, with her legs wrapped around his waist and his hands on her rear. He eased himself out of her body, causing her to wince and gasp.

Everything hurt. She felt like she had been boiled from the inside out. Cells' movement aggravated all of her pain and she could do nothing as he cradled her in his arms.

Cells' senses were returning as he regained full control over his own body and he made a full assessment of his power. Rowan's gift had not doubled his power. It had tripled, rapidly. She had vented off a good third of it, which was equivalent to what his power had been at max before, and as he realized just how much she had done. His body couldn't handle that much power in one go, not when it was so astronomically high to begin with. But even after she had vented a third of his power, it had left him with twice as much as he had before.

Which suited Cell nicely.

It took him only a few seconds to catch his breath, and fully regain his composure. He became aware of Gokus' presence, high up above them. He did not turn to acknowledge him yet. He was not surprised he had appeared, not after the amount of energy that had been discharged. Anyone who could sense energy, would have noticed that rather potent release.

Cells' attention was on Rowan. She seemed small in his incredibly muscular arms and she leaned against his chest, closing her eyes. She needed to rest more than anything else, he knew. His back was to Goku as he began to descend from the sky. Cell was acutely aware of his own nudity as he glanced over his shoulder, glaring at the blonde haired man, who looked… both horrified and excited. Cell couldn't help but smirk at that.

"Goku." Cell said calmly. Goku stared in wide-eyed shock at Cell.

"I didn't know your armour came off." Was the first thing Goku said. Cell's smirk vanished, replaced with an annoyed scowl.

"Now really isn't a good time for me Goku." Cell said flatly, turning his head away from Goku, dismissing him.

"Yeah no kidding? You almost destroyed the Earth Cell. Your power is insane." Goku sounded more excited than angry. Cell chuckled, but kept his back to Goku.

"Still want to fight me?" Cell asked smugly. Goku laughed.

"More than ever! You're going to be the greatest challenge. Just…" Goku trailed off. Cell looked back over his shoulder again.

"Just what?" Cell asked with an arched eyebrow. Goku stared at Cell for a long time.

"Well… I don't think Rowan will survive if you do that again. Not to mention the Earth." Cell pointed to Rowans' unconscious face. Cells' eyes narrowed.

"What I do in my free time is none of your business, Goku." Cell snarled.

"Actually it kind of is, since you almost destroyed the Earth. I could feel it shaking from the other side of the planet." Cells' face returned to his trademarked smirk and he chuckled again.

"Do you really think you stand a chance of stopping me?" Cell asked in his condescending voice. Goku folded his arms across his chest and looked calculating as he looked at Cell, thinking.

"In all honesty I doubt it. But I won't know until I try, will I?" Cells' smirk turned into a sadistic grin.

"I do look forward to our fight, Son Goku." Goku grinned.

"So do I! Look, just promise me that you won't risk the Earth until after the tournament? It's only a day away." Cell looked away from Goku, staring down at Rowans' face.

"You have my word." He said quietly.

"Good! Oh, and Cell?" Cell sighed nasally as he looked back over his shoulder again.

"What?"

"Look after Rowan, yeah? I know the others don't like her very much right now, but she is a good person and it's really her choice at the end of the day. Just don't hurt her, okay?" Cells' eyes narrowed and he frowned.

For such a simple man, Goku was not only surprisingly observant, but remarkably good-natured.

"Do not worry about Rowan, Goku. Perhaps you should be taking solace with your own wife instead." Goku's face blushed and he put a hand behind his head as he laughed.

"Yeah!" Cell turned back to Rowan again and Goku took the hint. "I'll see you at the tournament, Cell!" He said as he put his fingers against his forehead. Cells' eye narrowed as he studied Goku in the second he had before he disappeared. He was mildly annoyed that everyone seemed to be able to teleport, except for him.

"I look forward to it, Goku." He said quietly to himself.

Rowan moaned softly as he shifted her weight to make her more comfortable in his arms. He needed to find somewhere private, warm and dry.

"I can't believe she did that!" Piccolo roared as his energy flared around him. He was furious. "I should have killed her when I had the chance!"

"Come on Piccolo, that's not nice." Goku said in his chirpy voice. Piccolos' energy flared even greater as he turned on Goku.

"His power has doubled! We don't stand a chance against a power like that! We might have stood the tiniest of chances before but now all hope is truly lost! Why aren't you taking this seriously, Goku?! Do you want the Earth to be destroyed?! Do you want everyone you care about to die?!" Goku's face fell into a deep frown.

"I'm with Piccolo on this Goku. That girl is dangerous." Goku turned to face the young purple-haired man from the future and the others that had gathered at the look out. Piccolo roared, venting more energy as he paced.

Gohan looked down at his feet, Vegeta had his back turned on the group. Trunks, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha and Bulma holding the infant Trunks all looked worried.

"What are we going to do?" Tien asked angrily. Goku sighed.

"Should we try and get Rowan away from Cell again?" Krillin asked quietly.

"Nah." Goku said dismissively.

"What?!" Vegeta whirled around. His face was one of unadulterated fury, but it was a mask, hiding his fear. "Are you mad Kakkarot?! The girl presents a huge problem! We need to eliminate her before he can use her again!" Goku folded his arms and tilted his head to the side.

"Now wait a minute. How would you like it if someone attacked Bulma? It would do the same thing, hurting Rowan would only piss him off, and it wouldn't do us any good, trying to fight him like that."

"I can't believe she's actually choosing to be with him, after what he did to her." Bulma said in a sing-song voice as she rocked baby Trunks' in her arms. Despite her tone, there was no hiding the disappointment and anger in her voice.

"She's a traitor! She dooms us all, she needs to die!" Piccolo roared.

"Come on guys…" Goku tried to say.

"I'm with the Namekian, we should kill her!" Vegeta spat angrily.

"Guys!" Goku said a little louder.

"Maybe not kill her, but I definitely don't like her being with Cell." Tien added.

"GUYS, stop!" Goku yelled. Everyone stopped talking and stared at Goku. "Thank you, geez. Look, you're all looking at this the wrong way. Rowan isn't our enemy. She's a good person."

"A good person, who just doubled Cell's power." Krillin pointed out.

"Yeah, but, you're missing the point."

"What point?!" Piccolo demanded angrily.

"Well, she's changed Cell. He isn't the same as he was before. I think he loves her." There was a moment of stunned silence before Vegeta balled his fist and stepped forward, infuriated.

"What the hell, Kakkarot? He's an android! He's just using her like a tool! Don't go spouting nonsense about love and change. It's a load of bull!"

"I kind of agree with dad. The androids aren't capable of compassion, only hatred and destruction." Trunks added quietly.

"No, I saw it. He's definitely different." Goku said with enthusiasm as he smiled. Gohan looked at him with a surprised face.

"Love?"

"Everyone is capable of change!" Goku said happily. "Look at Vegeta! He used to be our enemy. So did you Piccolo. Now you're my friends and you're fighting alongside us to save the Earth and protect the people we love. Just think about it."

"That's entirely different!" Piccolo snarled, as he balled his fist.

"Is it?" Goku asked, still smiling.

The Z warriors continued to argue, and Gohan stared down at his feet again, lost in his own thoughts.

Rowan woke slowly, keeping her eyes closed as everything felt stiff and sore and she didn't want to move. She was lying on a soft mattress with a woollen blanket over her naked body and she was aware of a warmth pressed against her back, and another heavy warmth draped around her firmly.

It took her only a moment to realize she was lying in a bed with Cell's body pressed against her own, his arm draped over her. She carefully tilted her head, opening her eyes. It was dark outside and it took her a moment to adjust, but she could see his pale form behind her, his eyes closed. He looked peaceful as he slept. The storm from earlier was raging outside again. She could hear the shaking trees and the rain as the wind swept it against the window.

Rowan looked around the room. There were some smouldering logs in a brick fireplace, not quite bright enough for any light, but at least she knew why the air was delightfully warm. She could just barely make out the shadowy shapes of some basic furniture. The bed was little more than a mattress on the floor, but right now, it felt like heaven to her. All in all though, she had no idea where she was and the room was unfamiliar.

Cell stirred, just slightly as he took in a deep breath through his nose and tightened his grip on her before he settled again. Rowan stared at him, just appreciating the moment and accepting just how much she truly cared for him, and how much he cared for her. If he didn't have strong feelings towards her, the bond would not have been sealed. It had been a huge risk, just as it had been a huge risk to expect Cell to actually share his power with her. She sighed as she thought of that.

If she hadn't gone into his head and forcibly vented off the excess, he would have destroyed the world, and both of them would be dead. As it was, he had still kept a huge amount of the power for himself. She couldn't say she was surprised by this, but she was disappointed. She made a mental note to have words with him about that later.

For now, she felt truly content and she relaxed, settling back down into the pillow and closing her eyes. She turned inwards and spent several moments organizing her mental mind. It had changed, taking on some of Cell's traits. The room was still domed and recognizable as her house, but it was grander, the walls made of smooth marble. The pictures on the wall now sported ornate golden frames and the simple set of shelves had become beautiful and etched with gold leaf designs.

Cells' influence was rubbing off on her subconsciously and she couldn't help but smile at the changes. She took a moment to categorize the memories of the previous day, placing a small replica of her own body with the blue sphere in the chest on one of the shelves. It represented the intense moment when the bond was sealed and she had given herself completely to Cell. She stared at it for a moment before she finally sighed and concentrated.

She could feel Cell. He was as much a part of her as she was him. She could feel his very steady breathing, his powerful heart beating in his chest and the incredible amount of power that was hidden within. She had tasted that power yesterday and it had almost destroyed her in the process. But she had done what she had needed to, in order to save them both.

She felt herself fall, only to catch herself as she appeared outside Cells' mental palace. He had rebuilt it even grander than before. It seemed larger, more polished and truly imposing now. Rowan shook her head, amused, as she headed inside.

She found him in the control room, head lowered and eyes closed with his arms folded across his chest. He was still wearing his armour despite being naked in the bed, and as Rowan glanced down, she found that her mental self was wearing her favourite turtleneck and jeans.

He was asleep, and she could see flashes of his subconscious mind as he dreamt. She wanted to stay and watch, to see what was really in his head, but that felt like a betrayal of trust, and with a small sigh, she left him alone.

Rowan had never explored his inner mind. She had been afraid before, worried she would damage something, but now she wasn't. She understood better and she could look around without really doing any damage. She headed up one of the huge stair cases and stood on the landing, looking around.

To the left side was an immense and grand hall way that held hundreds of doors for as far as she could see. The large marble sign above the hall way announced that this was where he kept his memories and data. To the right side, was a huge door. No sign adorned this door and was shut tightly.

Rowan was tempted. But instead she turned and headed down the memory hall. The hallway itself was lavishly decorated. A huge purple and golden carpet runner ran down the middle, plush under her feet and large paintings and sculptures adorned the spaces between doors. She recognized some of the art pieces as things from throughout history. Each of the large doors was lavishly decorated in gold leaf that spelt out what the door represented.

"History, Biology, Geography, Literature, Languages, Chemistry, Physics…" She read them out as she walked, feeling for a moment like she was back in school. "Genetics, Piccolo…" She stopped as she realized the next few doors were marked with the names of the people who made up his DNA. "Goku, Krillin, Frieza, King Cold, Tien, Vegeta…" She stopped abruptly staring at a pair of doors that stood side by side.

"Future Rowan and Past Rowan." She hesitated outside the door marked 'Future Rowan' and fought a mental battle with herself. She was so tempted to know what she was like.

"No… It's not me. I am not her and I never will be. She's just another person he knew." She finally said to herself. She turned away walking further down the hallway.

She stopped again as another door caught her eye.

"Ki Management and Techniques." She read the next door over, "Fighting styles and stances." The door after that bore the inscription of "Special Techniques." She hesitated for just a moment before she opened the door to Ki Management and Techniques and headed inside. It was a huge room, reminiscent of an old fighting dojo with the wooden floor and vast array of weapons on the racks to the side of the room. The ceiling was huge and domed and she could barely see it. On one side of the room was just a huge wall of shelves neatly organized with tiny figurines. Rowan headed to these and smiled to herself.

Cells' organizational skill were exceptional. Each of the small statues held a golden figure of himself performing the particular ability and neatly inscribed with a title.

"Destructo Disc." She read out the first one she saw. The little figure was of Cell with one arm raised over his head holding what looked like a very thin, circular saw blade. "Gallic Gun, Big Bang, Kamehamaeha, Masenko, Final Flash, Special Beam Cannon, Spirit Bomb, Death Ball… Wow, that's an original name." Rowan chuckled to herself. She kept reading the attacks as she moved along the shelves, stopping abruptly as she found something that interested her.

"Flying!" She exclaimed out loud as she read the inscription. It was a figurine of Cell with his wings out and his fists by his side with one knee bent, both feet pointed at the ground. It was a good figurine.

She touched it, feeling an electrical current run through her body for a moment. She let go and blinked. It took her a moment to regain her senses after the sudden and rather abrupt shock and she stood up, staring at the little statue. It seemed to shine but she didn't feel any different.

"You really shouldn't play with those." Rowan whirled around, facing Cell as he stood, arms folded in the door way. She grinned sheepishly at him.

"I was curious, sorry." She said. He didn't look amused and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"What are you doing anyway? Of all the places you could go, I'm surprised you chose this room."

"I wasn't going to intrude inside your private thoughts or memories, Cell. But I was curious if I could learn to fly." He stared at her, unblinking for a moment before he finally smirked.

"I'll teach you how to fly. If you teach me how to teleport." Rowan stared at Cell in mild surprise.

"Uhh… I don't know if I can. But, I guess I'll try." Cell's smirk turned into a grin.

"Good." Rowan felt herself fall as he mentally pushed her out of his head.

Her eyes opened as Cell moved besides her on the mattress. His arm tightened around her and he nuzzled her ear. All her aches and stiffness rushed back to her again and she couldn't help but groan.

"Are you alright?" He asked tentatively. She rolled her head over, smiling up him.

"Fine, just sore." Her stomach chose a good time to chime in, growling in protest at the lack of food recently. "And hungry." She added. Cell chuckled as he leaned down, kissing her softly.

"Breakfast, and then, we teach each other." He said with absolute authority. She could only smile.

Dawn was beginning to break outside. It was still miserable weather, but the grey light turned the black silhouettes into actual objects. She could make out the basic wooden furniture in the small house around her.

"Where are we?" She asked as she watched as Cell stood up, appreciating his naked body as he flexed and stretched.

"Cabin in the woods. It was the first place I found." He replied casually. He flexed again, focussing. His armour erupted around him, minus his helmet, splattering green regenerative goo all around the room. Rowan sighed as the now-armoured android looked back at her.

"You know I don't have any clothes." She said flatly after a moment. She made no attempt to leave the warmth of the make-shift bed. Cell chuckled and headed towards the closet. It looked like it had been hurriedly emptied in a rush to evacuate and only a few old flannelette shirts still hung from the rack. Cell grabbed a red one and tossed it at Rowan. She mumbled her thanks as she slipped the overly large, long sleeved shirt around her and buttoned it up. She stood up and stretched, feeling all her aches protest at the movement, but it eased some her stiffness.

Cell had found a pair of old white-washed jeans in the drawers and he handed these to Rowan. She slipped them on without even needing to unbutton them. They were too large. Cell frowned but he found a belt.

"It will have to do for now." He said simply. Rowan shrugged.

"It'll do. I'm not trying to win a fashion show." She said a little flatly as she slipped the belt through the jeans and did it up, pulling the shirt over the top of the jeans. She looked like an ill-fitted lumber jack she mused to herself but it couldn't be helped.

Cell was in front of her suddenly, and she started. Only he caught her back with one hand, pulling her against his body. He seemed taller and his armour only made his muscles look even larger and his eyes, brighter. He gently tucked her hair behind her ear, before he lowered his face to hers, kissing her gently.

As her arms snaked around his neck, she could definitely feel the difference. He was thicker, larger and taller. Only slightly, but enough to notice. He still tasted good however and she licked her lips as he let her go. This earned her a smirk from the tyrant.

"Any food?" She asked as she finally tore herself away from him and rummaged through the cabins' cupboards.

"I sincerely doubt it." Cell added as he watched Rowan. Her inspection only confirmed that there was indeed, no food in the cabin.

"Shame you destroyed the orchard. I could really use one of those apples. Or some pancakes. Or waffles! I haven't had waffles in ages." Rowan mused out loud. Cell chuckled.

"You could just teleport us to where you know there is some food." Cell suggested casually. Rowan looked back at Cell with a small smile.

"Clever." She pointed out before she turned and walked over to him. He embraced her as she leaned up, kissing the bridge of his nose.

Rowan threw her energy around them again, focusing her mind on the café back in Central City.

They appeared suddenly on the second floor inside the huge shopping mall. It was eerie this early in the morning and there were no sounds at all. The fountain and the music were both now dead and silent. Rowan looked around. A lot of the shop windows were smashed and the metal gates that secured them were torn down.

"This place looks like it's been hit by a hurricane." Rowan muttered. Cell's face was hard.

"Looters, most likely." He stated. Rowan nodded and sighed, feeling her hopes of an easy breakfast shattering. They headed inside the café and Rowan sighed. The kitchen had been trashed. Drawers of utensils had been pulled out and thrown on the floor, pots and pans were scattered and the fridge and freezer doors were both wide open.

"Well that sucks." Rowan sighed. Shen felt Cell's arms tighten around her in a sign of reassurance. She let her eyes linger on the chrome bench, feeling her cheeks flush as she remembered the last time they were here.

"Come Rowan. Let's try somewhere else." He said quietly. Rowan sighed.

"Where would you like to go?" She asked.

"Hmm… Somewhere you've been before so you can teleport... Why not Marys' café?" Rowan whirled around in his arms, facing him. He smirked as she broke into a broad smile.

"That's actually pretty genius, Cell." She said.

"I know." He said smugly. Rowan laughed and she kissed him again as she threw her energy around them, disappearing.

They reappeared in the small alley that separated Rowans' old workplace from the hardware store next door. Cell let her go as she poked her head around the corner, looking around. It looked quiet and deserted and she sighed relief.

"Looks good." She said quietly as she headed up the wooden stairs that led to the porch of the old café. She peered inside the window for a moment as Cell walked out of the alley way and into the street.

"Wait here a sec, I'll disarm the alarm." She said as she teleported inside. A moment later and the front door clicked as she unlocked it, opening the door.

"You know, for all the times I've seen this place, I've never actually been inside." Cell said as he had to duck to fit through the door. Even without his helmet he was unnaturally tall. He stood in the main room, looking around. The wooden tables and chairs were stacked neatly against one wall. A cake cabinet separated the kitchens from the room and Rowan simply slipped around it, heading out back. This place was familiar to her, and it felt like a second home as she rummaged around.

"Oh yes!" She exclaimed loudly, "I'm so making pancakes." Cell smirked, proud of himself as he waited patiently for Rowan as she mixed the pancake batter. She let it sit in the chrome mixing bowl, placing it on the front counter.

"Thank you, again, Cell." She said with a smile. He slowly inclined his head in response. She paused for a moment before she slid around the counter and into his arms, kissing him softly.

She finally stepped back out of his embrace and headed back into the kitchen with the batter and she cooked a huge stack of pancakes.

Breakfast consisted of pancakes and apple juice with syrup and butter. Cell gratefully declined but was content to watch as she shovelled the food into her starving face.

"Your rings are gone." Cell said after a moment as he noticed her bare fingers. Rowan swallowed her current mouthful, looking at her fingers.

"Yeah. I guess they got destroyed last night." She said a little sadly. She looked at Cell, his arms were folded and she couldn't see his fingers. "What about yours?" She asked. He smirked as he slowly unfolded his arms, holding up his hands. Both of the rings were still in tact.

"Oh that's unfair. How come yours didn't get destroyed?" She asked. He chuckled as he looked at the rings on his fingers.

"Most likely because my energy was around us. When you were channelling it, it was just straight out of your body, disintegrating your shirt and your rings." Rowan made a small 'o' with her mouth before she shrugged.

"Oh well. I guess it didn't matter in the end anyway." Rowan muttered as she took another sip of her juice. Cell's eyes narrowed.

"I suppose that's true. With only one working set, it doesn't matter now. If the Z warriors wanted to find me, they need only look for your energy." Rowan looked back up at Cell, studying his face for a moment.

"And if you're thinking of giving me the set, the reverse would be true." Cell nodded his agreement, and watched as Rowan finished her meal. He looked down at his hands, before he slowly removed the bands off of his fingers and looked at them intently.

Rowan finished her meal and silently stood up, she grabbed her dishes and headed into the kitchen to clean up. Cell was still standing as she left him when she returned minutes later. He turned to face her, his face still strangely dark. She kissed the bridge of his nose, hoping to soften him up, but instead, his eyes narrowed.

"What is it?" She asked, concerned. He kept eyes locked on hers, but he gently grabbed her left hand and slid one of the rings onto her ring finger. She tore her eyes away from his, looking down at her hand, noticing that he had the other ring on his own finger.

"What…" her voice failed her as the impact of what he had just done struck her.

"I am not a narcissist, Rowan. You are a part of me now." He said quietly. He took her in his arms, kissing her softly. "This proves it."

She couldn't stop herself from remembering 16's words. 'He's manipulating you'. She tried to push the words from her mind, but they had soured the moment.

He's not manipulating me. He has what he wanted from me. If he was only using me for my gift, he could leave now, satisfied. But he's staying. She tried to convince herself. She was overwhelmed, and she buried her face against his neck as he held her tightly.

"You are mine, Rowan." He said quietly into her ear. She felt her stomach tighten.

"And you are mine." She replied back. He tightened his arms, giving her a gentle squeeze of affirmation. This was a moment that nothing would every mar, she realized. A precious thing, shared just between the two of them.

She wanted to stay there forever, feeling his warm embrace and the absolute contentment that came with the acceptance that he did in fact, love her as she loved him.

Finally he loosened his grip and she stepped back, looking up at his face. He frowned and gently wiped away a tear. She hadn't even realized she had been crying. She smiled, a true smile that reached her eyes and made her radiate warmth. His face softened, and she leaned up, kissing him gently for a moment before she finally turned and headed back to the kitchen. Cell waited for her in his usual spot, staring at the ring on his finger.

It had been an unexpected thing for him to do. Even he couldn't explain why, but he didn't regret it.

Rowan finally appeared again, carrying a cloth bag over her shoulder. She sighed, smiling as she stopped in front of Cell. She was still reeling from the elation of his actions, and the hope it had given her about the outcome of the Tournament. Cell slowly smirked sadistically at her and she felt her smile vanish.

"What are you grinning about?" She asked slowly. Cell only laughed, before he suddenly disappeared in a rush of air. Rowan yelled out loud at the sudden shock. She heard his laugh from outside, saw him standing in the middle of the street.

"How did you…?" She trailed off, unable to believe that he could teleport.

"I told you, I'm a fast learner." He said as he tapped the side of his head. "Now hurry up." Rowan was still stunned, staring at him through the window, before she finally regained her composure. She hurriedly locked the door and re-set the alarm before she too teleported outside, appearing next to Cell.

"Did you really learn how to teleport just by watching me?" She asked. He nodded, still chuckling. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she felt the sudden rush of warmth before they disappeared again.

They reappeared in a large expanse of red rock. She looked around, frowning. It seemed familiar but she hadn't been here before.

"Where are we, exactly?" She asked. Cell smirked.

"Not far from my arena." He replied as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder. She looked in the direction he indicated. She could see the ledge of a huge cliff drop away, only to give in to the flat expanse of land where Cell's arena was. It was tiny, and distant, a small square of white against the red earth, but there it was.

"We should be far away enough from prying eyes for a while." He said simply as he folded his arms. Rowan nodded and she looked around her immediate surroundings. There were several large boulders and a large scattering of smaller rocks. A cliff face rose sharply up off to one side and the ground behind her, sloped gradually down before it turned into forest. Rowan unslung the bag and walked over to a boulder, placing it on top.

"Lunch!" She said with a grin as Cell's eye brow rose. He nodded slowly in acknowledgement. She watched as he took a deep breathe, concentrating for a moment, before his helmet shot out of his head, regenerating in a shower of green goo. Rowan wiped off some as it splattered her cheek with a disgusted look, flicking it off her fingers. Cell only laughed at her.

"So, I'm going to teach you how to fly." He said in a proud voice as he folded his arms across his chest. Rowan stared at him. "Shall we begin?"