Here it is, the final chapter.

Thank you all for sticking with this story, especially those of you who reviewed every chapter. I hope this finale brings you sense of closure for Trunks and his family.

Now, onward to the chapter.

Chapter 15: Into the Future

Word spread fast.

It took less than a day before the entire world knew. Knew that the androids were dead. That the darkness that had enveloped the world was finally destroyed.

After so much death and despair, the entire world broke into celebration.

People ran into streets; some for the first time in years, to danced and cheered their new freedom. The celebrating went on for days with food and drinks being free and available for all. No one felt like being selfish or petty. These were days to live and enjoy life. The world was truly united.

For others, however, those days brought great sadness as well as joy. Those who have lost love ones or even their entire families spent their time mourning and reflecting. They were happy that the androids were dead, but their deaths came too late. The damaged they inflicted on the Earth was long done. Nothing could bring back what was lost. For those people, the deaths of the androids meant little.

But regardless of bitter-sweetness of the victory, it was a new beginning. A chance to start anew in a world reborn.

Trunks sighed as he slipped into his armor. "Mom, do I have to do this?"

Bulma rolled her eyes at her son. "We've been through this already."

"But I don't want to go out there," Trunks groaned as he stared at himself in the mirror. "I don't want to face the crowd. I mean…what do I even say?"

Bulma smiled. "I know you don't. But...the world needs this. The world needs to see and hear its savior."

He shook his head as he kept staring into the mirror. "I'm no savior, mom. I'm not even a hero. The real heroes of this world lies bury in the ground and in another time."

"Perhaps, but it was you who finally killed the androids," Bulma said with a firmness in her voice. "It was you who took on the burden of all those falling warriors, innocent people, and avenge them. Gohan, Goku, Vegeta, and the others helped and guided you, but it was you who put an end to our nightmare. You deserve as much praise as any of them."

Trunks stopped looking at the mirror as he lowered his eyes. "…I wish Gohan was here. After he fought for so long, he deserves to see this world finally at peace. It…it isn't fair that he isn't here."

She smiled sadly, she had a hint of tears in her eyes. "But he can see this. From heaven, they all can, I know it."

Trunks gave a small smile.

"But, I'm surprise," Bulma stated in thought. "I'm surprise you haven't visit Gohan after you killed the androids."

He shook his head. "Not yet. It's too soon for me to see Gohan."

Bulma tilted her head before her eyes widened. "Cell."

Trunks nodded. "Until I kill him, this world isn't free of the androids. I won't see Gohan until the last of Gero is wipe from this planet."

Bulma sighed and stared at the ceiling. "I feel the same way... Perhaps that's why I haven't visited the others. I want to tell them with certainty that we are all safe."

"And we will," Trunks assured, turning towards his mom.

Bulma frowned at him. "But didn't Cell...kill you in another time?"

Saying the word kill in reference to her son made her physically ill. She didn't want to think about the Bulma in the timeline that the other Cell came from. She literally had nothing left. If it was her...she knew she would kill herself in despair. She happy that Cell got what was coming to him.

"He won't kill me. I'm much stronger than that Trunks since I trained to kill the androids instead of just deactivating them. I could beat Cell when he was almost complete so that mutated bug he is now is nothing compare to the monster he became after he absorb the androids," he assured. "He also doesn't have the element of surprise since I know when he will attack."

Bulma smiled softly. "I pray this isn't you being overconfident like your father."

Trunks chuckled in good nature. "No, way. I know my limit."

"Then, we should get going to the ceremony. We don't want to be late since you are the guest of honor," Bulma said as they walked toward the garage.

"Mom, how long do you think it will take you to build a spaceship?" Trunks suddenly asked.

Bulma was taking off-guard by the question. "Well, that's unexpected. What brought this on?"

"Mom, please tell me," Trunks answered instead.

She hummed in thought. "Well, we still have Vegeta's ship in storage. It may need some work and upgrades, given how long it's been since it flew. But I guess I could get it up and running in a few months, maybe."

Trunks grinned. "A few months! That's great!"

"Why do you need a spaceship?" Bulma asked.

"I want to use it to reach new Namek," Trunks stated bluntly.

Bulma stopped walking. "New Namek?"

Trunks also stopped turned towards her. "I'm going to travel to Namek and get this world a new Guardian of the Earth. He can also restore this world's Dragon Balls."

Bulma blinked. "What..what are you talking about?"

"I didn't tell you, but the Goku from that other time went to Namek and got a new guardian. His name was Denda, an old friend of Krillin and Gohan," Trunks explained.

Bulma's eyes widened. "I remember little Denda. He really saved our hides back on Namek. Man...it's been years since I've seen him." She got a fond expression on her face before she shook her head. "But wait! Goku went to Namek and got Denda?"

Trunks chuckled. "Yeah, it was wild. See, although Piccolo didn't die, he merged with Kami to fight the androids. When that happened, that world lost their Dragon Balls. Then, out of nowhere, Goku decides to bring a Namekian back to act as that world's guardian and bring the Dragon Balls back to life. And it worked! That was how I was revived after Cell killed me."

Bulma was left speechless for several seconds. "Goku...he did that... And Kami and Piccolo merge…" What the hell happened in that other time?

Trunks nodded. "He made sure his world wouldn't suffer like ours. And since Piccolo is no longer linked with the Dragon Balls, they will be much safer, given that Denda isn't a fighter."

Bulma lowered her head and smiled softly. She really couldn't believe what she was hearing…but it was so Goku. He really was their guardian. And to think, Piccolo changed enough that Kami willingly merged with him. Amazing. Just amazing.

"He really did protect that world until the end." She looked at her son. "But Trunks, we don't know where new Namek is and I bet Goku used his teleportation technique so he wouldn't need a spaceship. I wouldn't know where to look for Namek."

"I know where new Namek is," Trunks informed with a wide smile.

Bulma stepped back. "How?"

"Goku told me, not long after he found the Dragon Balls," Trunks explained. "He got the location from King Kai and told me where I can find it once I returned home."

She was left speechless again. Not only did Goku returned the Dragon Balls to his world, he gave Trunks the information needed to do the same for theirs. It was beyond anything she ever expected. Did Goku really do all this for them?

"The Dragon Balls can't bring back all the people who've already died, but it can help redo some of the damage and keeps this from happening again," Trunks said. "We have to do this, mom. For the future of our world, we need to revive the Dragon Balls."

Bulma slowly nodded and her eyes hardened, feeling renewed fire fill her heart. Goku brought them this far. It was now up to her to bring them the rest of the way. "You're right. As soon as we get back, I will get to work on the repairs."

Trunks smiled. "Thanks, mom."

She pushed him. "Come on. Now we really are going to be late." As they walked, she lowered her head and smiled. "Goku….thank you."

They made their way to the parking garage and into one of the many air cars. Within half an hour, they were in the middle of the city were a large crowd had gathered.

A few months ago, it would have been dangerous for so many people to gather together in one location. The androids loved crowds. Now, those dangerous were long past.

Trunks was worried about Cell, but he knew that monster would lay low, most likely attacking remote towns where people disappearing wouldn't raise any alarm. Since the androids, people disappearing for one reason or another weren't unusual and barely got anyone's attention anymore. That mentality still remained.

It made him sick to think that people were being killed even now, but there was nothing he could do. No matter how hard he pushed his senses, he felt nothing. Cell wouldn't be found until he was ready to let his presence known. Most likely, he wouldn't have his chance to kill that monster until he came to take his time machine.

That gave him time. By the time he decides to go back to the past and tell his friends of his victory over the androids, he would have gone to Namek, got Denda, and restored the Dragon Balls. He would also make sure to become even stronger in that timeframe, just in case this Cell somehow turned out to be stronger than the Cell he knew.

He highly doubted it, however. That Cell had a healthy supple of people to feed on to gain his power and suppressed Piccolo. This world didn't even have a third of its original population. There was simply no way Cell could drink enough people to greatly raise his power. In a morbid and twisted way, that was one benefice to androids' massacre.

As soon as their air car landed, the crowd came alive. Several people yelled, cheered, and pushed to get a good look at Trunks.

He blushed at their reaction. He didn't know why mom had to tell everyone that he beat the androids. He was more than happy to stay in the background and take credit for nothing.

But his mom insisted that the world needed to know. The world, more than ever before, needed a champion to looked to and draw strength from. They had to know the person who fought and lost so much to save them.

Rather he liked it or not, he was now the world's symbol of hope.

"Trunks, please come this way," a man, who looked like a police officer, said as he escorted Trunks and Bulma towards the stage that was constructed for the event. The remaining leaders of the world were also there.

Since the death of King Furry, there had been no central government. Only mayors and monarchs from small kingdoms who somehow managed to keep their cities and countries together during the reign of the androids remained. It would be years, perhaps even decades, before a new central government was formed.

Trunks didn't pay too much attention to the event. He barely acknowledged the long speeches, overly praises, the cheers of the crowds, or even being presented a medal from his heroic. It was all just a blur.

Despite what his mom told him, he felt unworthy of being honored. If he were a true hero, Gohan would be alive, standing beside him on this stage.

"Excuse me, Trunks," someone spoke to him as he making his way off the stage.

He looked to see a woman with long black hair and pale blue eyes. She looked tired and somewhat old, but he could tell that she wasn't that much older than Gohan, maybe a little younger. The strained of the androids took its toll on the young woman.

Despite her obvious exhaustion, however, there was a fire in her that Trunks has rarely seen, even after the death of the androids. She wasn't like the others in the crowd.

"Yes," Trunks answered politely.

She smiled at him. "You're exactly as he described you. Very shy and polite, yet strong and determine. In many ways, you are just like him. Gentle and powerful."

Trunks blinked. "Do I know you?"

She shook her head. "We have never met. But, I do know of you." She smiled again. "My name is Videl. I was a good friend of Gohan."

Trunks was shock. "You knew Gohan!?"

Videl nodded. "A long time ago, he saved my father and me from the androids. I followed him...well more like stalked him after that day." She chuckled. "He didn't want much to do with me at first, but...as time went on, we became very good friends."

Trunks lowered his eyes. "Then..."

"I know. I know Gohan has died," she spoke softly. "I knew since he didn't keep his promise and return to me."

Trunks couldn't bear to look at her. "I'm sorry. It's my fault he died. I wanted to fight by his side, but..."

"It wasn't your fault," Videl said firmly. "Gohan was a stubborn man who thought he carried the weight of the world by himself. He also couldn't stand by and let people suffer before his eyes. It…it was only a matter of time before all that weight finally crushed him," she spoke softly before sad smile appeared on her face. She looked closed to tears. "But...that was why I loved him. My biggest regret was that I couldn't ease his burden. As hard as I tried, I could never fight by his side."

There was a long silence.

"I wanted to thank you," Videl spoke. "For not only destroying the androids, but avenging Gohan."

"It was my honor," Trunks said. "We may have only met now, but...we both loved him."

Videl chuckled. "He spoke so fondly of you. You were like family to him. He knew you would become something special. That you would succeed if he were to fail."

"I only became anything because of him," Trunks said.

There was another long silence.

"If it isn't too much to ask, do you know if Gohan's mother is still alive?" Videl asked. "I wanted to meet her for a long time, but Gohan never did give me his family name or said where he lived."

Trunks nodded. "Yeah, she is. Her name is Chi-Chi. She lives in a remote Mount Paozu region."

Videl nodded. "Chi-Chi? That's an unusual name. Shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Mommy, are you done?" a young girl asked as she walked towards Videl.

Videl smiled at the girl. "Yes, honey. I was just thanking this nice young who avenge your daddy."

Trunks' eyes widened. Daddy?

He looked at the girl and she looked around three, maybe older. She resembled her mother greatly, but her wild hair and the strong power flowing out of her body told her that she was of Saiyan descent.

What gave her away were her eyes. Her eyes had an aura of kindness that was unique to the Son's family. This child...

"Yes, she's Gohan daughter," Videl stated as if reading Trunks' thoughts.

Trunks' mouth opened and closed several times. "Gohan's...daughter..."

"It was an accident really," Videl said with small blush. "One night, in a moment of vulnerability and passion, we kind of did it." She shook her head. "I hold no regrets, even though I knew what world I was bringing her into."

Trunks looked between the two. "Did Gohan know?"

"No," Videl whispered. "He died before I could tell him. If he knew...maybe it would have value his life more. He…didn't want a child. Not as long as the androids were around. But…he knew…."

Trunks felt his body go numb.

Gohan was a dad? He was actually seeing a girl behind his back? Gohan did disappeared for months at a time, but he assumed it was all training. To think, even if it was short, that Gohan found someone to share himself with outside the roar of the battlefield made him happy. He was happy that his master found someone.

It also made him sad.

Gohan never got to know his daughter, or even that he was a dad. It was cruel. Too cruel. But, at the very least, this child wouldn't grow up in a death world tormented by the androids. She had a chance of happiness and peace. The first in her generation.

And, it also meant that Goku and Gohan's blood still existed. Gero didn't succeed in wiping it out. It was a shallow victory, but a victory nonetheless.

"Pan, you shouldn't wonder off!" a guff voice yelled.

Trunks looked to see a hairy man with a receding afro and a thick mustache rushing towards them.

He knew him. It was Mr. Satan, that idiot who tried to fight Cell in the other timeline. Videl was that man's child? She must have taking her looks from her mother.

"It's okay, dad," Videl assured. "Pan is a strong child, just like her daddy."

Mr. Satan sighed. "Still, we can't be too careful. Even with the androids gone, there are still many bad people in the world."

Trunks nodded. "Sad, but true. People maybe acting civilize now, but eventually human nature will take over."

Mr. Satan looked at Trunks. "So, you're the young man that defeated the androids." He reached and grabbed Trunks' hands. He squeezed it firmly and shook it. He then bowed his head. "Thank you so much. I was afraid my little Panny wouldn't get the chance to live a full life. But now..." He was closed to tears. "Thanks you and that young man, Gohan, Pan now have a chance to be happy. I'm forever grateful to the both of you."

Trunks was stunned. He acted nothing like the glory hound, egotistical idiot he saw in the other timeline.

Then again, this Mr. Satan was fully exposed to the androids' terror. He couldn't dismiss what they'd done as merely tricks or wizardry. As terrible as Cell was, he was stopped before he did any long-term damaged and few actually witnessed the horrors he caused.

Plus, the Dragon Balls repaired any damage the androids did, so that Earth didn't have to cope with the horrors they did experience. They could remain naive and safe in the belief that Cell was nothing more than an evil trickster who used lights and mirrors to fight. That those who died didn't really die since they returned to life like nothing happened. The world where that Mr. Satan came from could remain in its fairytale.

He envied that world, but it was for the best. As long as Gohan was around in that other time, they didn't need to know the truth of things. They had a hero in the shadows watching and protecting them.

Trunks patted Mr. Satan's hands. "Think nothing of it. I'm happy too that all children like Pan can finally grow up safe and happy."

"Dad, we need to get home so I can look up Chi-Chi," Videl said.

"Chi-Chi?" Mr. Satan repeated.

"She's Gohan's mom," Videl said. "I can finally get in contact with her."

Mr. Satan gave a bright smile. "Oh, that's great! After what that poor woman has been through, she will leap for joy learning about Pan and you!"

Trunks nodded. "Yeah, I know she will."

Despite all the pain and suffering, he was delighted that at least one family was going to have some semblance of a happy ending.

The months passed quickly after the ceremony.

Bulma finished the repairs and updates to the spaceship and programed the coordinates Trunks gave her into the computer. From her calculations, it would take Trunks two weeks to reached Namek. It made sense that the planet would be further out since they wanted to avoid being found after what happened with Frieza.

Trunks gave his goodbyes and set off into space.

The journey was thankfully uneventful and Trunks was able to use the new gravity machine his grandfather created to train. Despite training in over one-hundred times the Earth's gravity, he found it to be heaven compared to the Time Chamber. No wondered Goku referred to it as torturing ones' body.

He also learned from Goku the value of taking proper breaks and relaxing. Despite Gohan and him wrecking their bodies for several years to fight the androids, Goku and the other Gohan greatly surpassed them in a much shorter amount of time. There was no comparison. Gohan was even able to go Super Saiyan without the rage-inducing trauma, although his ascension past Super Saiyan was more painful.

It couldn't be pure talent since his master had the same potential as his other self. He could only narrowed it down to the fact that Goku and that other Gohan didn't wreck themselves. They trained hard, but also rested for long periods, giving their bodies time to recover before training again.

These cycles of long breaks along with intense training sessions did make a huge different. Trunks felt himself not only getting stronger, but his body felt overall healthier since he wasn't tired all the time. His battle senses were also sharper and his reflexes were quicker from being more relaxed.

It seemed where Gohan and him went wrong was that they over-exhausted themselves. Intense and long training sessions were good for getting stronger in a short timespan, but it only worked to a point. In the long run, it actually make you weaker and more vulnerable because you're constantly fighting your own body and tiring yourself out, which made one less effective in a real battle, especially against an enemy with unlimited energy.

If Gohan and him knew this little detail, things could have been different. It made him angry that so much suffering and death could had possibly been avoided if only they trained more effectively instead of just running themselves into the ground. But…what done was done.

Still, despite the more efficient training, he had no one to sparred with. He also learned from watching Goku and Gohan that having sparring partner was just as important as doing physical exercises. It sharpened your battle instincts and reflexes.

He wished he sparred with his dad when he had the chance, but he knew that was impossible for several reasons. His dad wasn't the type who liked the spar and that was putting it nicely.

Perhaps instead of wasting another day in the Time Chamber, he should have sparred with Goku or even Gohan during those days before the Cell Games.

After two weeks, Trunks finally reached new Namek.

It was tough trying to explain that he came in peace since the Namekians had become naturally wearier of outsiders. Him wearing armor similar to the ones who nearly wiped them out didn't helped. It took several hours, but they finally came around once he convicted them that he knew Gohan and was Bulma's son.

They were saddened to learn that Gohan, Krillin, and their fellow Namekians Piccolo and Kami were killed and the terrible fate that had befalling the Earth without them knowing a thing. After all they had to save them, they could do nothing to saved them.

Once they learned of his world's plight, Denda volunteered himself to be the new Guardian of the Earth. In honor of his falling friends and the savior who killed Frieza, he would do everything within his power to help the people of Earth in their time of need. The Namekians even used their Dragon Balls to wish them back to Earth.

Much like the events of the other timeline, Denda used the Earths' Eternal Dragon as the model for the new Dragon Balls. From there, it took Trunks only a few days to gathered all of the Dragon Balls. Thankfully, Bulma kept her old Dragon Radar. She was too sentimental to destroy the device that allowed her to meet most of her friends.

Despite having the Dragon Balls, they decided not to use them yet. With Cell running around, bringing back people just so they could be drank by that monster seemed cruel. They also didn't want to use the Dragon Balls to restore the cities. After what humanity has been through, both Bulma and Trunks thought it would be best for everyone to rebuild the world with their own hands. It would give people a sense of worth and community. A chance for humanity to rebound and come together.

They also didn't want to run the risk of evil or desperate people learning about the Dragon Balls returned. In this unstable world, there was no telling what some people would wish for.

For several months, this fragile peace remained and there was no sign of Cell. The time machine finally had enough fuel to make a round trip to the past. This would be Trunks' last visit to that time. He wanted everyone to know that his world was going to be okay. After everything they gave to them, they deserved that much.

"Goodbye, son. Don't stay gone too long," Bulma said with a wide smile.

Her child had grown so much. He was now a head taller than her and his muscles had grown even more. He also looked more like Vegeta in his face, but his had a gentle aura giving to him by Gohan. He truly was a man now.

"Hey, no way. You know I'll start missing you too much, mom," Trunks teased before an all too familiar foul energy caught his senses.

So, he was finally here, just as the other Cell said. At long last, it was time to truly end this nightmare and break the final curse of Dr. Gero.

"Hey mom, mind going inside now," Trunks spoke in a hushed voice.

She gave her son a baffled look. "Inside?" She suddenly smirked mischievously. "Where is she, Trunks? I know you." She playfully elbowed her son in the chest. "Who has a new girlfriend?"

"Mom…" Trunks spoke again, this time with a hint of urgency.

She lost her playful mood. That was Trunks' battle face. It was similar to the expression Vegeta gave when he sensed something bad. She knew at that moment that she had no place here.

Without another word, she took her leave, but she made sure that she could see everything from one of the windows. If it was who she thought it was, then she wanted to look at him. She wanted to see for herself the final monster Gero created. And, she wanted to see him die.

"Come on out, Cell. I know you're here," Trunks said once he was sure his mom was out of harms way. He heard Cell's gasped of surprise. He turned to look directly at the monster, who was half hiding behind a building. "You're so lame. Sneaking around like the bogeyman," he mocked. "What's your plan, Cell, to kill me and take my time machine to the past? You're having trouble finding the androids, huh? I bet you just longed to absorbed them."

Cell was completely shocked, much to Trunks' amusement. "What!? How do you know all of this?"

Trunks smirked in a way that would make his father proud. "I read your palm. You have a short lifeline."

Cell growled as he stepped out of the shadows, fully revealing himself.

He was strong. He wouldn't be a surprised if Cell were stronger than this world's androids. However, Trunks knew that he wasn't as powerful as he was when he first saw him in the past. He had absolution no chance of beating him.

Still, he had to be careful. As Cell had shown him in the past, he was an extremely sore loser. He had to deal with him fairly quickly so he wouldn't get the idea to blow up the planet. But…given all that Cell had done and what he would do if he were allowed to have his way, he wasn't going to make his demised completely painless.

No. He needed to suffer.

"So, you're a joker," Cell sneered as he approached him. "Well, I don't like your jokes. I subscribe to a different kind of amusement."

"Yeah, I know how you get your kicks," Trunks said, not hiding his disgust. "But it's not going to happen anymore and I'm going to see to that."

Cell observed him for several seconds. "You've gone back already. Yes. You learned about me in the past."

"That's right, but there wasn't much to learn. You need to absorb a couple of androids," Trunks stated before smirking again. "Well, not in this time. I've already made sure of that."

Cell was left shock again. "You did!? No way! That's not possible!" He calmed down and got a smug expression on his face. "Wait. I see. You're bluffing, aren't you? Your data makes that clear." He chuckled, mistaking Trunks' blank expression as confirmation. "That's right, Trunks. I know a lot more about you than you know about me." He sneered. "You fool, how dared you! You're nothing compared to me. Yes, the data shows that you're no match for the androids and you're certainly not a match for me."

Trunks lost his blank expression and his smirk returned. "Your data's outdated. You see, I destroyed both of the androids months ago. That's why you can't find them."

Now Cell was truly astonished. Trunks would have laughed at the expression if things weren't so serious. If he wasn't already several shades of green, he certain that Cell would be that color right now.

"I…I knew it! I've been searching this whole time, but I knew it!" He growled and sneered in both rage and frustration. "You! Don't you realize what you've done!? I have no further use here! My babies, they're gone! I don't believe it!" He slowly calmed down and regained his smug demeanor as he stared at Trunks. "But it doesn't matter, does it Trunks? No, it's fine; I'll just take a little trip to the past. You've given me the tool I need to complete my evolution."

Trunks rolled his eyes. "I didn't give you anything. But, I'll tell you what. If you can get by me, then you can get to the past." His eyes hardened as he lifted his arms. "I'm not going to let you."

With one blast from his energy, he knocked Cell out of the city. After all the worked the people of West City did to repair everything, he wasn't going to let this monster ruined it. Besides, the trauma of the androids was still ingrained into people's minds. Seeing this creature would do untold mental damage to the recovering populist, especially since everyone thought the horrors of the androids was over.

He followed the bio-android and was pleased to see that they were miles away from West City or any other settlement. No one would see them.

"You shouldn't be throwing your life away like this," Cell said with mock sympathy. "No one would know. Just let me leave and this world will finally be left in peace. It wouldn't be good, after all, for this world's 'savior' to die."

Trunks narrowed his eyes. "There is someone watching. And laughing. A friend of mines that you killed in the past. He's someone I can never let down."

As he spoke those words, he could clearly recall how the Goku of the past fearlessly gave his life to stop Cell from destroying the planet. It maybe indirect since this wasn't the same Cell, but he could avenge that Goku and prevent his death in another time.

Cell chuckled. "Don't worry. You will be seeing your friend shortly."

"We'll see about that," Trunks said.

"Yes, we will. You won't be alone. There's a long list. Now, you too will be a part of me!" Cell declared before snickering. "That's right. I'm going to suck you up. Your energy will be refreshing. A nice treat to start off my journey to the past."

"Enough, you freak," Trunks said as he transformed. He had forgotten how much Cell loved hearing himself talked. Much be his father's genes.

Cell growled. "Don't you shush me, you little punk!" He also powered up.

"You're overconfident, Cell," Trunks pointed out.

"There's no reason not to be," Cell stated. "I've come across thousands like you."

This really ticked Trunks off. "Yes you have, and you can count me as your last!"

Cell charged him and he easily deflected the blow.

He would say this about the bio-android; unlike 17 and 18 he had some real fighting skills behind his power. He didn't just rely on brute strength, speed, and endurance to get ahead. If he didn't go to the past, Cell would have been far more skilled than him. No wonder that other Trunks got murdered so easily.

It did make sense. Cell was created from the cells of all the strongest fighters on the planet. He would inherit their fighting styles along with their techniques.

Nonetheless, thanks to his experience and the fact that he has fought Cell before, he was able to see through the bio-androids' movements and easily countered and blocked him.

Cell was left utterly baffled as to why he was losing so badly. He couldn't land a single hit and all of Trunks' movements were a blur. He couldn't perceive him at all despite inheriting Tien's talent for seeing movement.

"This isn't possible!" Cell yelled in disbelief. "This doesn't make any sense! My design is superior! He's just a lowly half-saiyan!" He charged Trunks again, allowing his rage to get the best of him.

Trunks avoided him with eased before decking Cell across the face. He then turned Cell into his ball as he ruthlessly kicked him across the sky. After several kicks, he spiked the bio-android into the ground.

Cell was left kneeling, barely able to catch his breath and was bleeding from his mouth. Hi face was a mixture of shock and frustration.

"Cell, it's your fault!" Trunks yelled as he landed in front of the bio-android. "You brought this on yourself by killing those people."

Cell responded by growling and extending his tail towards him.

Trunks caught the appendage and crushed it in his hands. He spun Cell around like a top before throwing him like a rag doll.

It took Cell several seconds to catch himself. Now, he was truly pissed. "Enough of this! You're gone and here's your going away present." He cupped his hands together.

Trunks could feel it. He played around with Cell long enough. It was time to end this. He raised his arms into the sky and charged all his energy into his palms.

"Ka-Me-Ha-Me-HA…" Cell yelled as he prepared his final attack. He quickly realized, however, that he wouldn't have the chance to fire it as Trunks glowed like a miniature sun.

"THE NIGHTEMARE IS OVER, CELL! DIE!" Trunks screamed as power erupted from his palms.

Cell could see his death coming, but he didn't have the speed to dodge the blast. "NO, NO, NO, NOOOO!" he screamed in disbelief as the blast overtook him.

Within seconds, his entire body evaporated into nothingness. Trunks made sure that not a single cell would survive. He wouldn't be coming back from that.

Trunks smiled as he felt the last of Cell's energy disappeared. He powered down and stared into the now clear sky.

Now, he could say it was over. Gero's curse has finally been lifted and now everyone could truly rest in peace. Once he returned from the past, there was someone he needed to visit.

Bulma stepped into the outdoor garden. Despite all the chaos within the city, this place remained quiet and serene. It was also well kept, something she made sure of. This place was a holy spot and was treated as such. Once the city was fully rebuilt, she was going to officially dedicate this land. She was going to call it, 'The Garden of Heroes'.

She stepped in front of the memorials of her fallen friends and put flowers on each of them. She put the most on Yamcha and Vegeta's.

Once she was done, she knelt in front of Vegeta's memorial and kissed it.

"Hey, Vegeta. Sorry it has been so long since we talked. Been busy lately with the spaceship, time machine, worrying about Trunks, and rebuilding West City," Bulma said softly. She paused, allowing herself to gather he thoughts. "Our son did it. After so long, the androids are destroyed. No more living in terror. No more needless deaths. We can finally begin to live again." She felt tears run down her cheeks "I know...you're not in heaven. You've done too many bad things to go there. Even so, I hope you can have some peace knowing it was our son who saved us." She sighed. "Rest well, Vegeta."

She knelt by the memorial for she wasn't sure how long. It wasn't until she heard footsteps that she bothered to look up.

"Hi," a guff voice greeted.

From behind her stood Omori. He was much older than the last time she saw him. He was walking with a cane and all of his hair was gone. Given his age, it was surprising he could still move around.

Bulma wiped her tears. "Omori? What are you doing here?"

"Thought I come for a visit. With the androids gone, I can travel again. I wanted to come earlier, but I didn't want to bother you given how all those reporters who seemed to be stalking your house," Omori said. "And...I wanted to come to this place." He looked at each of the memorials and lowered his head in respect. "Uhmm...I'm not good with words and I never met any of you people. But...I wanted to say thank you. Bulma told me about what you guys did for us. You fought bravely against the androids and laid down your lives to protect us. I hope wherever your spirits are you know that we're all grateful. We humans may not be much, but we can rebuild. So, don't worry about us. We can take care of things from here."

He lifted his head and saw that Bulma was crying. Neither spoke for several minutes.

"So...did you get it to work... The time machine?" Omori asked awkwardly.

Bulma nodded and wiped her tears. "It worked. And, it saved not only our world, but another as well."

"I see…" Omori mumbled as he looked into the clear sky. "So, that's how time works. A new timeline is created." He shook his head. "I'm glad my old researched helped. It's nice to know my years weren't completely wasted. Although, I suggest we keep this to ourselves. From my experience and given the state of the world, it can lead to very bad things if the wrong people learns the truth."

Bulma gave a short laugh. "Of course. No one would believe it anyway."

"People just came back to life not that long ago. Time travel may not be that unbelievable," Omori pointed out.

Bulma chuckled. "When you put it that way."

"So, where is the hero of the world?" Omori asked. "I wanted to meet him and thank him personally."

Bulma lowered her head and gave a small smile. "He went to visit his brother."

The day was bright, not a cloud in sight. Usually the mood wouldn't matched this atmosphere, given all the death and misery that has filled the world for the almost seventeen years.

Today was different. Today was the beginning of a new day. After over two decades of hell it was finally and truly over. The androids, all of them, were destroyed.

It was such a surreal feeling. With own hands, he wiped all existence of 17 and 18 along with Cell before he had the chance to kill him and take his time machine to terrorize another timeline.

He still regretted that he couldn't make them suffer more before killing them. That he couldn't make them pay for the hell they subjected the world to. He could only hoped that the real Hell would do the work for him.

Now wasn't the time for negative thoughts. He had come here for a reason.

He wanted to tell Gohan all that has happened. He, more than anyone, deserved to know that the world was finally at peace. That he and all the other fallen warriors were avenged. That they could all finally rest in peace.

He stopped when he came to the grave of his master. Despite it sitting for almost five years the tombstone still looked new. It was well cared for, most likely by Gohan's mother, with a ring of flowers lining the ground.

Thinking of Chi-Chi made him tear up, but he took comfort in knowing that the Chi-Chi from the other timeline still had her child. That Gohan would grow up to have a normal, peaceful life without the strain of fighting the androids and watching all he knew die around him. He still lost his father, but all things considering it was a happy ending.

Besides, that Gohan was going to be a big brother.

He smiled. Gohan would make wonderful brother. He knew from experience.

"Hey, Gohan," Trunks spoke. "I guess you already know, but I beat the androids. I didn't just beat them, I overwhelmed them. They stood no chance against me. They couldn't even touch me. For the first time, they got a taste of what it's like to be helpless and afraid. I wished you were there to see it. I also took care of Gero's ultimate creation, Cell. He won't kill anyone else or become the demon he was in that other timeline. The Dragon Balls have also been restored thanks to your old friend, Denda, and we've brought back people who were killed within the last year. ...Denda misses you a lot. He said if he knew what was happening, he would have came sooner."

The wind softly blew across his face.

"I have you and your father to thank for everything. It was you who taught me how to fight and survive. And your dad, Goku, he taught me how to push beyond my limits and reach beyond myself. He truly was a great man, just like you always told me." He took a deep breath. "Even when he wasn't the strongest, he still managed to fill us with hope and saved us when no one else could. It's even thanks to him that we have the Dragon Balls again." He smiled. "He pushed you, Gohan. In that other time, you became an ascended Super Saiyan, the strongest in the universe. Not even Cell after fully evolving could touch you. You always had it within yourself to beat the androids, you just needed a little push and guidance."

He stared silently at the grave for several seconds as he took in his own words.

"Even though you're gone, you are the real hero of this story and I will make sure the world knows it," Trunks said. "Your legacy, your father's legacy, my father legacy, and their legacy will be remembered. I will see to it personally." He reached into his jacket and pulled out the medal he got at the reward ceremony. He placed the medal on the Gohan's tombstone and patted the grave. "Rest in peace, my dear brother."

"Trunks," a voice spoke from behind him.

Trunks turned around to see Chi-Chi, holding two bouquets of flowers in her hands.

"Mrs. Son," Trunks gasped as he wiped his eyes. "I...I'm sorry for being here. I will leave..."

"No, stay," Chi-Chi said, leaving no room for argument. She walked towards her son's grave. "You deserve to be here more than anyone."

Trunks turned back towards Gohan's tombstone as Chi-Chi laid the first bouquet down. She then walked over to Goku's resting place and gently sat down the other bouquet. She lit several incenses, placed them on the graves, and clapped her hands before praying.

Neither one of them spoke or moved for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts as they honored their love ones.

"Trunks, thank you," Chi-Chi suddenly spoke, breaking Trunks out of his thoughts. "Thank you for destroying the androids and avenging my son. I know he's very proud of you from heaven."

Trunks shook his head. "Don't thank me. If I was strong enough back then, Gohan wouldn't have died."

"You did what you could and Gohan...he chose how he wanted to die, fighting to the bitter end," Chi-Chi said a sad smile. "It was an end my Goku would have wanted if given the chance to fight."

Trunks stared at his boots. "Yeah..."

"And, you gave another me the chance to have Gohan," Chi-Chi said. "I can have peace knowing that one version of me is happy with her family."

Trunks bit his lips. "Then, you don't know..."

"That the Goku from the other timeline still died? Bulma told me," Chi-Chi stated, cutting Trunks off. "Yes, he died. Maybe it was just his time and all we did was delay it. But, I'm happy he died giving his life for the world he loved so dearly instead of fading away in bed."

There was another silence.

"Mrs. Son, if you want, you can come live with us," Trunks said. "With the androids gone, it's safe to travel again and...it can't be healthy for you staying in that empty house."

Chi-Chi chuckled humorlessly. "No. I've been here too long. I can't imagine living anywhere else. For better and worse, this is my home."

"But..." Trunks started.

Chi-Chi shook her head. "Don't worry about me, Trunks. When I die, I want to be close to my boys." She paused. "I also want Pan and Videl to be here when they come over. They both like visiting Gohan."

Trunks gave a small smile. "So, you met them."

"They come every few weeks. Videl was the one who left the ring of flowers," Chi-Chi said.

He stared back at Gohan's grave. "I'm happy you all found each other."

Chi-Chi smiled. "So am I. Seeing them restored my hope. After Gohan died...I didn't want to live anymore. All I wanted was to be with my family. I don't even know how I was able to keep going." Tears build in her eyes. "But despite all that has happened, I'm so happy that Gohan was able to find happiness before he died. My precious baby boy became a father. How I wish he could had seen Pan, even if it was just once."

"I wish the same thing," Trunks whispered before he rubbed a hand through his hair. "The offer is always opened."

"I know," Chi-Chi said with a small nod as she wiped her eyes. "You should be heading back. The world needs you to help rebuild. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done."

"Yeah. It will take a long time and humanity may never fully recover, but we will survive. We survived this long, after all," Trunks said in determination.

Chi-Chi smiled at him. "Looking at you, I see the soul of my son within you. I know you will continue to do great things for this world."

"I will live everyday in honor of him and the others. That's the very least I can do," Trunks said as he walked over towards Goku's grave. For the first time, he read the inscriptions on the tombstone. He smiled and patted the grave like he was greeting an old friend. "Rest well, Goku. I may not be half the man you were, but I will always remember all that you have taught me. Until we meet again, my friend."

With that, he took off into the air, enjoying the feeling of being free and starting anew in this renewed world.

For the first time in his life, he could truly see his future.

And it was a hopeful one.

The End

And that concludes Future that Almost Was.

This story became much bigger than I originally planned, but I am very happy with the results. I knew this particular wouldn't be too popular since stories about the future timeline has falling out of favor a long time ago and AUs are what most fans prefer. But, I wanted to write this story. I have been looking for story like this for a long time. A story that not only documents Gohan's struggles and death to the androids, but a story that chronicles this timeline from Goku's returns to the aftermath of the androids defeat. I wanted to read a story that shows the struggles and pain of these versions of the characters. Especially since the main timeline wouldn't have existed without them and their sacrifice. In a way, this story is a tribute towards them. And I also wanted to explore themes like Goku struggling with himself with what happened on Namek, his illness and people's reaction to it, Gohan's mental state in a world crumbling around him, and using new information to enhance the story.

In any case, I hope you all enjoy my first outing in this fandom. I may have more plan in the future. Until then, please take care. *bow out*