A/N: Thanks for the Reviews: Tiffany7898 Nobody loves TruMar as much as you! aha you cutie! Hope you like this one and thanks for the review :) Writer'sFantasy Big Spoon ;) thought you'd like that line aha. More Trumar to come! I'm glad you commented on Valese though. I agree, I hate when she gets bashed. Thankyou! XXXTITANIA SCARLETXXX Hopefully I won't have you suffering for too long, but it is that sort of story. Thanks so much for reviewing. LILFOC I'm flattered :) and no I haven't planned to include 17. He is mentioned and may appear in a flashback of some sort though. I love him but having so many major characters is hard. But you never know, I change my mind all the time aha. Teff1 I'm glad you are enjoying, hope you like this next chapter! 923 Thank you! I can't tell you if anyone else will die though :| shame. Love hearing from you! ViolaHarmony I think yours is possibly the best review I've ever received. So I just need to take a moment to say OMG ILYSM! Aha. It's so rewarding to hear readers interpretations and you really detailed your response. Thank you so so so much I hope you continue reading and enjoy what's in store. Joys Canvas: Oh my Gosh! You are precious! Thankyou for such an amazing compliment it means so much to me. I'm glad you are enjoying, (Sorry about Chi-Chi) #TruMar ftw!

Thankyou! Hope to hear from you all again!

Love: HerosReprise

And all the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
But I don't know how
Because maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall

Wonderwall - Oasis

The Impossible

Chapter Six – Who Are You?

Flashback (10 years earlier)

There was an indistinct creaking coming from down the hall and in that moment, Trunks hated that he had supersonic hearing capabilities. He couldn't think of anything worse than this.

He shoved a pillow over his face with force hoping the sound would drown out. It seemed to work okay but he would have to pull the pillow away eventually if he wanted to breathe. Although death seemed a tempting option in this teenager's mind.

A pair of tiny hands tugged at his exposed arm and Trunks tore the pillow away from himself to find his 5 year old little sister at his side.

"What are you doing in here? Go back to sleep BeeBee," he whispered.

Her face showed obvious signs of worry, like she was about to start crying. Honestly he'd invite that sort of noise at this point to drown out the creaking, but he hated to see her upset.

"What's wrong? Can't you sleep?" he asked calmly, with a faint smile.

"I heard Mommy scweam, I fink she's in twouble, we have to go help her," she said ever so sweetly as she tugged at his arm.

Trunks features fell, he really didn't want the image of his own mother 'screaming' right now. For those noises weren't sounds of pain nor fear, no not at all. He only wished he was as ignorant as Bulla was right now.

"BeeBee, Mom is going to be fine, nothing will ever happen to her if Dad's around, you know that," Trunks said as he ruffled her hair.

"But Violet," she whined, he pretended to hate the nickname, what with being 13 and all, he had a reputation to uphold, but when she called him that he felt a little like melting.

"What if a big scarwy monster has Momma and Dadda and that's why their room sounds like it's shaking," she fretted.

Another reason to make Trunks cringe, he was trying so hard to keep 'room shaking' activities he's parents partake in far from his mind.

"BeeBee, what does Dad always tell you?" Trunks asserted.

"That, ummmm, That he's the strwongest in the wowrld?" she guessed.

"Exactly," he tapped her on the nose, "and no monster will ever get past our Dad," he said with certainty.

Bulla beamed with admiration. Trunks remembered back in the day when he believed his father to be some kind of God. An indestructible being with no flaws. He remembered how much he wanted to emulate the man. In all honesty he couldn't ask for a better role model growing up.

In actuality, his father wasn't perfect, nor was he the strongest. Not that that he'd ever dare say that within earshot of the man. But it didn't matter. Vegeta was the protector of the family Trunks held so dear and that made him everything he used to think he was. Everything, Bulla thought him to be.

Bulla's whole father complex, her daddy's girl sort of act, it was really all set on this wonderful foundation of admiration and respect. Even as young as she was, she could understand their family was a little different. And she loved it.

Trunks could see it in her now. He could see that he and his sister would know a bond like no one else. He couldn't talk to Goten or young Marron about the daily embarrassment his family inflicted on him. There was no way they could understand it properly. Sure their families must be embarrassing and all that, but empathy only goes so far. They would never know first-hand what being a Briefs is like.

But Bulla, give her 8 years, and she will be holding pillows flat to her face and investing in a good set of noise reduction head phones. She will know exactly what it's like. And she would be the only one. Something about that was heart-warming, as weird as it was. It made Trunks feel so whole, like he had finally found this long overdue sense of belonging.

"You should get back to sleep BeeBee" Trunks whispered.

She nodded and took a few steps toward the door before another series of loud creaking bed springs could be heard. She looked back at Trunks with a frown, obviously still a little frightened.

"Hey Violet, can I sweep wif you?" she whispered hesitantly.

He didn't answer, he merely flipped the blankets up exposing her spot right next to him.

She smiled brightly as she climbed the large bed and scooted into a familiar position under Trunks' left arm. She was tiny in comparison to the growing boy, so she had to sit up on her knees to reach his face as he lay flat.

"Goodnight Violet," she kissed his nose and put her hands on both his ears so that the sound would be blocked out.

How did she know?

"Trunks? Hello, Earth to Trunks?" Marron repeated.

"Huh? What?" Trunks snapped out of his day dream finding himself seated on a boulder in the open terrain. An unfortunately familiar mouldy green cloud cover filled the sky above. Reality collided back into his consciousness and brought with it an overwhelming sense of regret.

Marron waved her hand in front of his face.
"What is with you, you just zoned out for a second there," she questioned.

Trunks rubbed at his temples, wondering why he would remember such a thing at a time like now.

Maybe it wasn't just a memory, but a message too. A reminder of what it all used to be like. How could he have gone so wrong as a big brother when he started off so well. His whole family had practically fallen apart over the last 10 years. Did he really not even notice it until now?

Did Bulla grow into a snobby little brat or did he simply stop giving her his time? Why was it that he couldn't think the last pleasant conversation they had shared? And why was this only becoming important now?

What if?

What if something happened to her?

The wave... She could be dead, lost forever. Then who would be left to know his pain and embarrassment? To know what it meant to be a Briefs.

Were there even any Briefs left? What of their family now? Did it fall apart the moment that wave hit, or was it long before that?

"Trunks?" Marron repeated in a softer tone as she sensed his angst and noticed the tears welling in the corners of his eyes.

He'd taken everything for granted. He knew he was used to a life of luxury, where things were replaceable. Only, he thought at least there were meaningful things he wouldn't screw up, he wouldn't treat in the same wasteful behaviour. He thought he would at least be a good big brother, above all else.

"TRUNKS!?" Marron practically screamed at him as she cupped his face into her hands angling his face up to hers.

His breathe was intense, like he was hyperventilating, one push away from losing it as he uttered the two forbidden words, "What if-"

"No! No 'what ifs' Don't you dare 'What if' me right now!" she shouted in his face still holding his cheeks.
"You can't fall apart on me now. You're all I have that's keeping me going, I need you Trunks," she said more calmly.

His half lidded eyes widened as his gaze which seemed to shoot right through her began to focus. Focus on her mouth as she made her pledge.

"I have no idea what is happening out here or why. I don't know where our families are. And I don't know why I get this sickly feeling that this won't blow over in a matter of hours or even days. I'm terrified and I'm weak hearted. I know I'm not strong like any of you. I should be the one sitting there losing it but I'm not. And do you know why?"

He looked back down attempting to free his face from her grip. She was strong when she wanted to be and she forced his face back up so he could look her in her icy blue eyes.

"Because you're my family too Trunks. You and Goten both. You're my first priority. And I can't fall apart right now because that would be so greedy. I already have so much. And I'll fight to protect you like you did for me with that iron gate."

He blinked for what seemed like the first time in hours. The expulsion of tears was averted for now as Trunks stood up straight and pulled her into him placing her face on his chest. She was right. They had each other, and for now that was enough. More than enough even, they should count themselves lucky. If Marron was missing too Trunks skimmed through in his mind how worse the situation could be.

She was the family he hadn't screwed up. Her and Goten both. She was right. He had to protect her like he should have for Bulla.

As if on cue she burst into tears with her face against his chest. Trunks almost smiled at the typical girl-heartedness she displayed. She was such a crier. Goten had always said he never knew how to deal with it, it freaked him right out. But Trunks liked that Marron wore her emotions on her sleeve. She was pure in that way, honest to herself and to others. She may be weak in the way she controlled her feelings but she was strong hearted in that she cared so much. And if she cared for him in any sort of way, that was worth protecting.

"I need you too, Marron" he whispered.

Piccolo had decided they would need to stop and rest for a short while. Even if for just 45 minutes. There was so much ground to cover and his little convoy were not making it an easy mission. The tension between the two young Saiyan girls was uncomfortable to say the least. When they officially stopped, Bulla released Uub from her death grip and stormed away to be on her own.

Pan had pouted, turning the other cheek. Neither was the kind to say 'I'm sorry' all that easily. Piccolo was fed up of the tantrums. This was no way for a Saiyan to act. He was disappointed in both girls but he could hardly scold them for it at this point. At least their petty quarrels were a distraction from the real concerns here.

They needed to find food, water and shelter, not to mention search for their lost relatives and friends. They needed to be working together to keep each other alive and safe. Piccolo sighed as he sat down leaning against a dilapidated brick wall. The dehydration was probably partly to blame for everyone's bad attitude. Luckily there was still one person that kept his cool.

"Uub, good job today, maybe you should sit down and rest for a little," Piccolo suggested. The young boy hadn't complained once, even though his vision was out. He kept up and he did as he was told without causing distress.

"Do you think I should go talk to her?" he asked meekly, always eager to hear other people's advice.

Piccolo thought about all the times others had attempted to 'talk' to Vegeta and understand what was troubling him or why he would act as stubborn as he would. All unsuccessful of course. Vegeta was very much like this brick-wall. Even Goku could hardly get through to him. Piccolo assumed this carbon copy in female form would be no different.

"I wouldn't recommend it," Piccolo shrugged.

The memory of her sobbing greatly disturbed Uub. Why did he hate that sound so much? It was worse simply just hearing her rather than actually watching a person cry. Something about experiencing emotion through only one sense was amplifying. He couldn't stand it anymore. If Pan wasn't going to say anything, then he had to. They had to be a team right now and work together to find the others and stay alive. That wasn't going to happen with all of this pent up aggression and rivalry.

"No harm in trying right," he chuckled, knowing that with her, there was definitely the possibility of harm in trying.

That second tremor had Videl losing it, you'd think the situation between 18, Krillin and Yamcha would be enough but no, Videl was making everything far more difficult for everyone.

Finding Yamcha and 18 brought on very mixed emotions. They were people who she loved, and would consider her family. In fact she was unbelievably relieved inside that they were ok, and part of her also felt that if Krillin could find his wife then she certainly could find her husband.

Their presence was comforting but her condition was concerning. 18 was a cyborg, an android. A human remodelled to become an indestructible weapon. She was far superior to Krillin and Yamcha in fighting ability and she was certainly stronger and faster than Pan too. If a person that capable could be so damaged by natural causes, what would become of Pan, or of Hale.

Videl's mind wandered off into oblivion, a waking nightmare that her children would be hurt somewhere just like this and need her help. Who would be there for them? Who could bring them back to her?

"Videl, you're shaking," Krillin said as he trudged along beside her, "Just settle down, it's probably just an aftershock, we'll be ok if we just keep moving."

But she wasn't all that worried about her own safety. Krillin made sure to keep only two steps behind Yamcha and 18, watching her like a hawk in case she needed his help. Worrying about Videl was a constructive way for him to take a break from his worse concerns regarding 18.

The damage she took to the head needed immediate attention. It was not going to heal itself. There was one thing that they needed now more than food and shelter… and that was Bulma.

The question burned at her ears. Who does he think he is? He thinks he can just waltz over to her and get her to start talking through her sorrows as if he was her best friend or something. He didn't know the first thing about her.

To Bulla, nobody started at neutral. She disliked everyone until they proved to her that they were worth her interest. There were only very very few people she actually cared about, even less that she would admit she cared about.

Uub was not neutral to her, he was below the line. She didn't like his carefree attitude and she didn't like his determination and over the top good morals. He was such a phoney, people like that didn't exist. He was like the ridiculous comic hero's Trunks used to read about. All good and no flaws what soever. How could you even connect to someone like that?

This is why Bulla was so surprised when she found herself responding to his question of 'Are you okay?'

"Everyone… hates me," she sobbed. She couldn't decide what was more pathetic, that she actually cared if people hated her or that she chose to confide in him.

"… Pan doesn't hate you sh-"

"YES, she does. Everyone does. Not just Pan… I'm a really difficult person, I get it," she admitted.

Uub was new to the whole, attempting to cheer up a girl thing. And Bulla, well she was definitely unique. She had far too much pride in herself and spoke down to almost everyone she knew. But he was under the impression she liked herself that way. She radiated an unrelenting confidence and attitude. It wasn't necessarily bad. It was just different, and maybe most people didn't know how to deal with it.

"Nobody actually likes me, they barely even tolerate me. Even my mom and my brother…"

"Well that's just not tru-"

"They have to love me, and whatever. But they don't actually like me as a person," she frowned and felt the tears fall from her face. "They don't even know me as a person. Why am I so damn different? Maybe if I was more like Marron, or Pan I coul-"

Before she heard herself finish such a pathetic notion she cut herself off. Angry, at her weak thoughts.

"Just leave me alone, I don't expect someone like you to understand," she said bitterly.

Uub thought carefully about whether he should obey her and leave. He exhaled making his decision.

"…I understand perfectly," Uub said, clear and concise. He may have seemed timid earlier, but in this instant he wasn't afraid to respond to her.

"How could you, you're like this golden boy who helps save the Earth. You rescued all of your people. Everyone loves you," she chuffed.

Her emphasis on the word everyone made him chuckle, "Exactly."

Bulla wiped at her eyes to no avail. At least Uub was blind and couldn't see how weak she looked in tears, "Explain."

"5 years ago, living in my village meant facing constant life threatening dangers. Things as simple as famine, dehydration and poor sanitation, they were our biggest enemies," Uub explained.

She understood now why Uub seemed to stay so calm during all of this. Fearing for his life or his closest friends and family's lives was nothing new to him. In fact he lived his childhood like that. And here she was, the richest teen girl in the world, in tears over some simple name calling.

"After Mr Satan sponsored me, to become a student of Goku and practice real martial arts, well I was able to alleviate a lot of the immediate dangers my village was facing. Granted it's still a long process ahead, it's hardly a reasonable living standard, but we are close and we will get there one day," he continued.

"Yeah? So what? You saved people, what do you want a medal?"

"No, I really don't," he chuckled at what seemed to be an inside joke. "Look, I can't begin to understand what it is like to live in your family, with that kind of wealth and status, and I honestly never will. Maybe we are exact opposites in that way. But that doesn't mean I don't know what it is like to be socially outcasted."

For once Bulla had nothing to say.

"Nobody knows the real me, they know the hero and they know the ridiculous strength that I have sealed inside of me from the Buu monster, but they don't know who I really am. It's almost like I don't exist."

It was the perfect synopsis for Bulla. She too felt like she didn't exist, regardless of how much attention she demanded.

"…and that's how you feel too isn't it? That people see you as a 'Briefs' and as a 'Saiyan.' They look past your obscurities and assume you are the way you are because of who your parents are. Not because of whom you are. That's it isn't it?" Uub asked as he turned to face a blur of blue and white.

"People look too highly of you then. Is that what you're trying to say?" Bulla rolled her eyes ignoring his question regardless of its truth.

"When I was young, I was strong enough to work what little crops we did have, and I was fast enough to travel goods and services between outpost stations. They noticed and they commended me, but I became more of a freak than a hero. It was like they thought I was invincible or immortal, they treated me so differently. Even my own brothers and sisters acted that way towards me. I was inexpendable. Whenever I got sick, the entire village dropped everything to make me better. I had all of this responsibility placed on me from the very beginning. Which is fine I guess, because I was the only person capable, but my existence was valued above anyone else's. And honestly, that's not a very good feeling. My siblings and friends became jealous and lost all will to communicate with me. All anyone cared about was my power."

"After the sponsorship money started coming through things changed. They idolise me now as a hero. Every time I go back home to visit it's very much the same. Everyone in the village know my name, all these old ladies give me pictures of their granddaughters and try to make me promise to marry them"

Bulla laughed at that, she could picture it in her head poor little Uub surrounded by marriage proposals of young girls he'd never met before. Uub laughed with her it was funny in an alternate context, "it's ridiculous isn't it?"

"I've tried to talk to my brothers about this, how uncomfortable it makes me feel, I even talked to Pan about it all once but they all basically say the same thing. 'You're a hero, you have it all, you have it good, what do you have to complain about?'"

Bulla nodded, that was exactly was it was like. "It's like you have everything, yet feel like you have nothing,"

"Exactly" Uub said. He pushed his finger through the sandy dirt in the ground in a figure 8 pattern. His sense of touch was heightened as well with his lack of vision. It was so strange how dirt felt. It was weird to even think about it.

"There are two kinds of people on this world. Those like Mr Satan who seek only for their efforts to be noticed. To be either vilified or commended for their actions, their heroism, their strength, their successes. Those who will stop at nothing to be noticed as a winner. And then, well then, there are people like us, who want only to be judged on the content of our character. To be given a chance. And be noticed as an individual."

Bulla lay down on her back, contemplating his words. She wondered how much of it was really true, or if the situation was just making him poetic and weirdly emotional.

She was sure of two things in that moment.

1: She should stop complaining about her miserable life when other people have to live every day in poverty and suffering.

2: She needed to open her eyes to the world and deal with situations properly. She needed to stop thinking she was the only person lost in a crazy world. Otherwise, she would remain blind.

Valese regretted not taking more clothing from the people left under the roofing. It wasn't as if they would need it. As she trudged along the muddy terrain that she believed was once the sporting ground district of West City, she felt only the cold of the sharp wind blowing against her exposed skin. After all she was only in her work uniform which consisted of a bright yellow polo shirt with the logo 'Palace Inc.' and blue sport shorts. So much exposed skin. She really should be wearing a big fluffy warm coat and some leggings with those legwarmers her sister got her for Christmas last year. She could picture it now, all snuggled up on a couch with a cup of cocoa and easy listening music playing through her retro vinyl record player. Elliott would be seated next to her reading the Trivia section of the WC Sonnet newspaper.

Elliott, Valese cringed at the thought of his name. He always seemed to find his way into her thoughts. Half of her wanted to keep thoughts of him isolated in the 'I HATE HIM! HOW DARE HE DO THAT TO ME! I'M SO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT! HE NEVER DESERVED ME ANYWAY' section of her brain and well away from the, 'I HOPE HE'S OKAY. IF I'VE LOST HIM HOW WILL I EVEN GO ON…' section. But the other half couldn't help but worry.

Valese shook the thoughts away quite literally.

"What's with you?" Bulma asked, noting Valese's sudden mood change.

"Oh, Nothing I'm just cold is all," Valese muffled weakly.

A second tremor in the earth had them moving as fast as possible out of fear of another wave. The two women were slowly limping their way inland. Valese had originally suggested they should keep moving until the beach line was no longer visible, but it seemed it wasn't going to be feasible.

Baby Hale was heavy to carry and Bulma needed constant support. Every step she took was agonising. And the trio needed to stop to rest almost every 30 minutes. It was a near-hopeless feat.

"Here," Bulma said as she pulled her yellow neckerchief off and tied it around Valese's neck for warmth. "I hardly need any warming up, I can't feel anything other than this leg."

Valese nodded gratefully. In all honesty it was a good sign Bulma's leg was causing her pain. It was red and the protruding piece of debris was caught in a spot on her upper thigh that made it difficult for Bulma to bend her knee.

But at least she hadn't bled out, and at least her leg had function at all. If it turned black, that would be bad. The last thing you want is to loose function of the nervous system in a limb, Valese knew from her experience working with the disabled. Bulma was lucky, if luck was an appropriate way to put it.

"Well maybe we should talk to get our minds off of the cold. And you know, everything else," Bulma supposed.

"Talk?" Valese repeated.

"I don't know anything about you Valese? Who even are you?"

Goten coughed like there was water built up in his lungs. It was an ugly sound. He and Gohan had been wandering around in the cold storm the previous night and it had hit him like a ton of bricks. He was in no shape for anything.

Gohan had hoisted him up onto his back so that he could carry him today's part of the journey. The fireman's jacket was snuggly wrapped in him yet he was still shivering profusely.

He sobbed at the pain of the cold. He had never in his life experienced this sort of sickness. How strange that all of a sudden, being a 'Saiyan' seemed to mean little in terms of advanced senses, strength and immune system.

"You two okay?" Gohan asked curiously when he caught up to Trunks and Marron locked in an embrace. Trunks let go and wiped at his face, smearing the evidence of his sorrow.

Trunks knew he shouldn't be falling apart right now. They had to be a team. And Goten was not in great condition. Gohan was an inch away from a breakdown and Marron, well she was Marron. Trunks had to man up and lead this team. After all, that was the Briefs' way.

"Yeah, Yeah we're fine, aren't we Marron?" Trunks said.

"Yeah we just stopped for a moment that's all," she muttered as she slid the backs of her hands down her face.

"Is Goten getting too heavy? Do you want me to hold him?" Trunks asked.

Gohan shook his head, "Nah it's fine let's just keep moving."

No one really knew exactly where they were going, all they knew was it was useless to stay still. Finding the others was now becoming second in importance to finding food, water and shelter.

It had only been maybe 20 hours since the first wave hit but it felt like an eternity. The four of them were struggling having been drained of energy and patience.

After approximately 4 hours of walking through an endless amount of wasteland Gohan felt his knees start to give out. Goten was far too heavy to carry. His movements were becoming sloppy and he fell behind in their little convoy.

It frustrated Gohan. Even when he was a little kid he never had a problem keeping up. This must be what Videl feels like when he and Pan take her hiking up Mt Paozu with them.

"Let's take a break," Trunks suggested noticing Gohan's difficulty.

He helped sit Goten up on the ground so that Gohan could rest.

"You alright man?" Trunks asked.

Goten's face was pale white with his nose a crimson red. He nodded a dishonest 'yes' as his hands shook from the cold.

"I'm just, chilling," he grinned at his own joke.

"This is why you are my best friend," Trunks chuckled.

"Oh good, I thought you were just using me for my money," he mumbled.

Trunks tried not to laugh too hard, he knew taking the situation too lightly was going to irritate Gohan again, but he couldn't help feel grateful that Goten found a way to stay calm and level-headed. Trunks felt guilty he had the freak-out earlier. That would never have happened to Goten he dealt with distress and fear very well. That's probably why he was so good at his job.

"Where's Marron?" Goten asked as he tried to turn his stiff neck around to increase his peripheral vision. Trunks looked around too. She was right by his side a moment ago.

"Hmm, call of nature I suppose" Trunks shrugged.

"Gross," Goten added.

"Oh really that's gross? You've seen worse of her Goten, remember my birthday 2 years ago?"

"The one where she threw up all over me and the floor of that taxi cab? Yeah, that was gross," Goten chuckled.

"And this is why she's not allowed in any of my fancy cars," Trunks smiled.

"GUYS GUYS!?" Marron shouted like a maniac as she pushed through the broken tree branches to return to the group.

Gohan was the first to react, immediately hopeful, "What is it did you find someone?"

18 was a drifter, her consciousness was as consistent as her mood. She would drift in an out of her painful slumber, awaking sometimes angry, sometimes frightened and sometimes confused. Yamcha felt so sorry for her. He didn't know if he could handle it any more.

The worst of it was that she would occasionally mumble things believing she was awake. Always the same few lines.

"Aiko? What have you done with him? Let him go" "Stay away from me" "Why? Just leave us alone, please"

Yamcha, Krillin and Videl listened intently to her words but couldn't figure out who they were about. Krillin had never heard of a person called Aiko. She seemed to beg to be left alone. It wasn't like 18 to beg for anything. She was far too proud for that. It wasn't her at all. In fact she was sounding a lot like Marron.

Krillin ran over all of the information in his mind, trying to figure out what it all meant.

"Aiko," she muttered again. Her face contorting in that of pain, "Where- Where is…"

"Yamcha," Krillin said, "Ask her who Aiko is? See if she can remember."

Yamcha frowned but complied.

"18, who is this Aiko? Do you remember what happened to him?" Yamcha asked gently.

"He's my-" 18 started. She paused to pinched her eyes closed and shake her head. It was like accessing information that did not compute with her programming. It hurt. "He's-"

"It's okay you don't have to say it," Yamcha said, noticing her difficulty, it wasn't worth putting her under so much strain. Her injury was already bad enough.

"B-B" 18 attempted to get out as her face and body began a short burst of mini seizures.

"No it's ok 18, just forget about it," Videl piped in, growing frightened of her body's reaction.

"B-Brother," 18 finally managed to let out. Her body stopped seizuring and after a few breathes she seemed to relax.

Yamcha turned and looked at Krillin with shock, "Brother, as in Android 17?"

Krillin contemplated it carefully thinking back over everything 18 had ever told her about her life before the Cell Games.

Her memory was wiped after she became a cyborg. All that remained was an understanding that Android 17 was her twin brother and that their destiny was to rule the world together as a part of Dr Gero's brilliant second attempt at the Red Ribbon Army.

She couldn't remember anything of her parents or her childhood. She couldn't even remember her real name.

"I don't know if it is even possible but I think she was hit so hard in the head that she's lost her memories of us yet she's regained the memories of her previous life. The ones Gero stole from her," Krillin explained.

"You don't know that for sure, she could just be delusional," Yamcha frowned.

"18? Don't hurt yourself love, but do you know how old you are? Or what your name is?" Krillin asked softly.

18 panted hard as she felt her head throb unbearably, but she tried. She wanted more than anything to know.

"Wh- Who am I?" she cried.

"Who am I?" Valese repeated dumbly, she had no clue how to answer the straight forward question.

"Yeah, what did you say you do for a living?" Bulma asked as she tried to stretch the rest of her body.

"I'm a personal trainer and I teach an aerobics class as Palace Inc. Sporting Club," Valese shrugged. There was nothing important about her job. But then, there was no point in complaining about it now. Honestly what was left? The gym would probably be destroyed and what about her boss and co-workers and even her customers. Who was left?

"Wait hang on, you said something earlier that you work with people's injuries and disabilities," Bulma asked, annoyed that she had been lied to.

"Oh, well, yes I do that, but it's volunteer work. That's my true passion you see. But I've failed all of the finals at college 3 times now. I'm not smart enough to actually become a qualified occupational therapist," Valese shrugged.

She was actually very upset and disappointed in herself but she had grown used to the fact that she just won't be able to pass her degree. No matter how hard she studied. The information just didn't seem to sink in.

The worst part was she was excellent when it came to the hands-on, practical parts of the career. She knew exactly how to help people recover from injury, her people skills were exceptional. But when it came to actually writing it onto paper and answering complex written and mathematical questions, her brain just skipped out. She wasn't built to handle analytical problems. It really wasn't fair.

Luckily the OT firm agreed to take her on as a volunteer, but there was only so much she was allowed to do.

Bulma smiled meekly sensing the girl's embarrassment, "You know, my father failed 67 times when he set out to design the first addition dino caps. And look where we are now."

Valese smiled that did actually make her feel better, "Let me check your leg wound again, I may have to re-bandage it."

As she tended her wound Bulma kept her talking, "What about your family. Do you live with your parents?"

Valese sighed, "I live with my Dad, my sister and her husband. I guess that's kinda strange but we have a really good thing going on, I don't really want to leave."

"My Dad, he has a severe and unique case of Autism. He doesn't deal well with change. So if I leave I'll be putting under great stress. And I guess my sister felt the same way. He depends on us a little more than we do on him. But it's ok. We are close, and we are whole," Valese said, her smile being erased into a sad frown. Her father couldn't deal with small things like television programs being rescheduled due to breaking news. Or when Valese came home an hour later then she said she would. How was he going to handle the destruction of their home city? What a mess. Valese could only hope that her family was all together in one safe place.

"What happened to your mother?" Bulma asked.

"She left us, ran out on us when I was about 8. It was hard for her to deal with my Dad I guess. I don't really blame her. But my older sister, she's more like a mother to me. She took care of us all," Valese smiled.

Valese finished rewrapping the bandage on Bulma's leg, "Yeah, I can see that," Bulma smiled.

Valese's next task was to change Hale's diaper. She was trying to figure out what she could use as a replacement.

"You know, he's got a big sister too," Bulma grinned.

"Oh really? Well she must be worried sick"

"I'm starting to like you Valese, and you know, I do have son," she winked.

She giggled at the notion, "Oh believe me Bulma. I'm Aware."

"Whenever Trunks Briefs becomes single again, my aerobics class business booms. It's like women in West City think they'll have a better shot if they get fit."

"Well they're not wrong," Bulma laughed, "So Boyfriend? Husband? What's the go?"

Valese paused, unsure how to answer it, "I had a boyfriend," she sighed, "We recently broke up. He was one of those guys that believed he was always right and far superior to everyone else. You know the type?"

Bulma chuckled, "Yeah! I married him."

Marron half frowned for a second ashamed she had gotten his hopes up, "No, not someone, but it's important, I can't explain, just follow me"

Trunks hoisted Goten onto his back and three men followed Marron through the bushery to find a partially erect building.

"What is it?" Goten asked after a series of coughs.

"Um, I'm not sure. It's not a house, it's too big for that," Trunks pondered.

"That logo," Gohan pointed to the bright orange signage that had been broken in two, "I know that logo."

Only the letters O and W were left so they didn't know what it was supposed to read.

Trunks examined it for a moment, "Wait, Is that the FoodWorks logo? The supermarket chain?"

Gohan smiled, "I think you're right"

"And check this out," Marron said as she gestured to a metal shopping trolley lying on it's side on their far left.

The four shared a golden look of amazement as it sunk in what they had just found. If it really was a dilapidated supermarket. Then they very well could have hit the jackpot. Food, water, basic medicine, supplies of all kinds could be there for the taking.

Marron retrieved the shopping cart and pushed it back upright as Trunks plonked a cross-legged Goten inside. They wheeled him slowly down the hill and then ran into the building that could very well be their lucky-break.

"You're a genius Marron, we could have walked right past it," Trunks beamed.

"Let's see what's left inside first before you call me that," Marron blushed.

"So then, in the gravity chamber, that wasn't you that hit me to the ground?" Goku asked confused.

"Kakarot you fool. How on earth did I manage to get stuck with you? No it wasn't you ignoramus," Vegeta barked at him. They had walked a great distance inland. With the two of them in decent health it wasn't too difficult to cover some ground. The conversation was going nowhere though.

"I think we have reason to believe the earth was inflicted with a gravitational shift. Or maybe not the Earth but at least us," Vegeta suggested.

"I don't understand," Goku sighed rubbing his temples.

Vegeta grumbled, annoyed he would have to put it into simpler terms, "The woman once stormed her way into my gravity room without properly disabling the gravity and she was flattened onto the ground. And do you remember, that was what happened to us, we were unable to get up. It only took me a few seconds to shut the machine down but that's all it took for her to be knocked right out. She went to the emergency room after that and stayed hospitalised for 2 weeks."

"Are you saying that she was trying to get you back?" Goku asked.

Vegeta clocked him over the head.

"No you insolent-" Vegeta paused and took in a deep breath before his anger took over, "I'm saying that, that's how 600x gravity feels to a normal human. And if we had that same reaction they maybe something's changed with us. Do you follow now bird brain?"

Goku stopped in his tracks, pondering the situation.

Vegeta was a few paces forward before he noticed his comrade had fallen back.

"Really Kakarot, it's not that difficult is it? How your first-born brat managed to become so intelligent I'll never know," Vegeta rolled his eyes.

"Vegeta, come check this out!"

"What is it?" Vegeta begrudgingly doubled back to find Goku staring at a metal cage like structure on the ground.

"What do you think it is?" Goku asked.

"It looks like one of those metal shopping contraptions that holds your food," Vegeta shrugged.

It always baffled Vegeta that Bulma seemed to think she needed his help when she went shopping, even though all he ever did was push that thing around. She could have pushed it herself, that was the point of it anyway wasn't it?

"Well, if one of these is out here, maybe there is a grocery mart or something, with food we can eat"

Vegeta looked quizzically at the man for a moment.

"What?" Goku asked again, confused.

"Seriously Kakarot. Sure when it's our lives we're worried about you can't figure out something as basic as gravity, but when you are hungry, you get all the bright ideas. Your intelligence is linked to your stomach."

A/N: Soooo I know I said two groups were going to 'find' each other, but I kinda ran out of time. You all get the picture though!

18's returning memories of a previous life. The Briefs family dynamic is not all it's cracked up to be. (Trunks and Bulla are so cute as siblings) Uub understands the feeling of social exclusion. Bulla's found someone she can open partially up to. Trunks and Marron are just… :') And Valese, well she's an odd one, but I'd love to hear what you guys think of her.

Reviews Please! And TruMar fans: Check out my new story, Wallet Love.