CHAPTER 12-A Trip Back in Time

ME- "Where are those two? Should I go look for them?" *images of them lying bloody and beaten in a dark alley flash before her eyes* "Nah, they'll show up eventually. DISCLAIMER-I own NOTHING! except Kentana."

Two years pass and the Z-fighters are preparing to fight the androids.

In Marai Trunks' time-

"Are you sure I shouldn't go with you?" asked the very concerned Kentana. She looked in his eyes to show him her concern. He stared back with his own blue orbs.

"I'll be fine. I'm only going to go check up on how things are going with the androids. With Goku okay there should be nothing to worry about. I'll be back in a few days tops." He pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her softly.

Over time, she had grown into quite the young beauty. Despite the years and trust built between the two of them, she still had not confessed of her dark past and had no intentions of doing it soon. She wanted to dearly, but something told her it wasn't time yet.

He had his own secret as well. He never showed her or told her how he looked as a super saiyan as part of his secret.

He knew she wouldn't turn bad, but had the same thoughts as she did for her secret, it wasn't time. Whenever he fought the androids he stayed normal around her and eventually she was forced to stay home because of her disability. "Okay," she looked worried. "Just don't get yourself killed."

"I'll be okay," he reassured.

"Promise?"

"Promise," she cupped his jaw in her hands.

"Keep safe." She reached up and kissed him passionately for what could have been hours. When she pulled away she let him go. Over the years, she had grown very protective of him. She truly cared for him more than anyone could possibly describe. She couldn't bear to see him go through pain.

"Am I interrupting," Bulma startled them. "Trunks, stay safe."

"I will Mom," she walked up to him and gave him a big hug ", mom, mom. I have to go."

"Oh, alright. Just don't get hurt."

"I won't mom." He turned his attention back to Kentana.

"I guess I better let you go," she mumbled. Introductions were something she was good at. Saying goodbye to a friend was the opposite, especially when you're in love with that person.

"Yah," he rubbed the scar on his neck when he felt her worry and sadness. She had a similar one on hers. It was their mate marks. They always seemed to tell when the other one was in pain.

"I guess this is goodbye."

"It's not a goodbye. I'll be back before you know it." He looked into her eyes with his stunning blue orbs. She punched him gently on the arm.

"Get moving. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back." With another quick kiss, he climbed the ladder into the time machine and was off.

Kentara let out a whimper as she watched him go. "It's okay dear," comforted Bulma ", he'll be back soon."

"I know I just have a bad feeling about this."

Kentana paced the house in worry for days. Keeping herself busy with machinery and cooking for Bulma so she wouldn't think about Trunks. She was very worried. She stood in the kitchen making sauce for her spaghetti when she felt the need to cry. She missed him too much. She turned around and let the water works begin. She yelped at the feeling of a burning pain.

She turned around. The sauce had been let on too hot and exploded on her back side. She called a bot in to clean it up. A bot rushed in and began scrubbing and scraping meat chunks off the walls. She turned away with a sigh.

"OWW!" Bulma rushed in to see what was wrong. She witnessed Kentana repeatedly bashing in the head of a now broken bot.

"Kentana, what's going on!" She pulled Kentana, who didn't move away, off the bot.

"That bot cut my tail in two!" Bulma noticed Kentana's stub of a tail. Only half of it remained. "It was cleaning the tomato sauce off the walls and got the idea that my sauce covered tail was a chunk of meat and cut it off with one of those scrapers!"

"Calm down. It won't be scarred will it?"

"No. Saiyan tails can grow back." She rubbed her stub. She grimaced when she saw how small it had become. She looked like a man who just witnessed the loss of his manhood. "It should grow back in a week if we don't try to stitch it or anything."

A week after Trunks' departure Kentana began to worry. "He should have been back by now!" she pleaded to Bulma. Bulma could tell something was wrong as well, but didn't know what to do. Kentana was on the verge of tears. Bulma was sitting on the couch sipping lightly without tasting a cup of tea. Kentana pacing frantically in front of her gripping her hair with her hands, needing something to hold onto. "What if he's hurt? He could be dying!"

"Kentana sweetheart, Trunks can handle himself."

"No Bulma! You don't get it!" she yelled as she slammed her fits down on the glass coffee table making it shatter. "I can tell he's in pain. I can feel it!" She had tears budding her eyes. She put her hand to the mate mark on her neck like she always did when she was afraid or upset, which wasn't very often until recently. "I shouldn't have let him go! I can't let this happen!" Bulma looked at that glint that in her eyes that had only appeared a few months before, the way she sat herself differently, and how she rested a protective hand over her stomach.

You couldn't have told had it not been explained to you, but she was almost nine months pregnant. She was as slender and well-muscled as she was when they first met, but she had a baby growing inside of her ready to pop out soon. Kentana explained it was the same with how saiyans can eat so much without it showing. It was one of the adaptions in saiyan women so that they could keep fighting throughout their pregnancy. Another was how a miscarriage couldn't be caused by running around or fighting. It was truly a wonder how the saiyan body worked that even the saiyans hadn't completely understood.

Bulma sighed and took another sip. That was the third glass coffee table this week and it was only monday. However rich she was, saiyan eating and broken furniture would driver her to poverty if this kept up. Actually, it wouldn't because Kentana had been neglecting her eating ever since she first started feeling Trunks' pain. Through dimensions and alternate time lines she could feel it. Bulma had been urging her to eat more to no success. Kentana had only started eating five times a normal human's diet when Bulma told her about how her lack of eating would affect the baby. Try as she might, Kentana ate a fraction of her usual diet and she ate it slow, glum, and silent except for the occasional whimper.

She wasn't sure whether to feel happy, proud of the two, or afraid that her grandchild would be raised without a father. She knew it would be hard raising a demi-saiyan without the father and how difficult it would be for the child. Even raised under the knowledge of what his father was like Trunks never lost hope or the want to meet his father. It could be equally traumatizing for the mate. At least Kentana would have Bulma and wouldn't be dealing through the trauma of everyone she knew and cared about dying. She took Kentana's hand and dragged her towards the basement.

"Where are we going?" she asked, wiping away her tears.

"We're going to go build you a time machine."

Production started immediately. The first one took her months, but now that she knew what she was doing and could save time with less plans of trial and error they would be done in days. Five days in, and they only needed to build the exterior and place in the engine and power source.

"Saiyan woman don't get miscarriages, right?" Bulma asked from under the machine were she was screwing in the metal sheets that Kentana held up.

"No, why?" her eyes were red and puffy, she had been crying, a lot. She felt him go through pain every day. From training, fighting, or emotional pain, she knew not, but it hurt either way.

"I want you to go."

"What?" She yelled, nearly dropping the metal on Bulma.

"Don't what me!" she yelled, almost angrily ", I can see that you want nothing more than to go. I'm too old and weak to help him if he's in as much pain and danger as you believe and I know that you're the only thing that could make him change his mind and come back before he gets himself killed."

"But I could go into labor any day now."

Bulma smirked. "Then you better bring him back soon."

Kentana didn't argue. She felt it too and wanted to go so badly and see the man that she loved. They finished the time machine and it came out looking like a roomier version of the first with a few upgrades and no written words saying HOPE.

"I'll set the date for a little while after he gets there," Bulma informs. "Your version has the input of some of Frieza's software and should work faster than the other, so you should be there in no time."

"In no time... That's what Trunks said," she moaned.

"Dear, I know you miss him and want to help him, but you have to be patient and focus. I have your sword, armor, some spare spandex, and helmet ready for you in the time machine so you can just put them on before they can see you."

"Right the helmet," the thought of having to wear that thing made her stomach somersault. It was very uncomfortable and if she had to eat while there, she'd have to eat in privacy. As is if reading her mind, Bulma told me of her upgrades to it.

"I fixed it up with some extra special, high powered, saiyan style diet pills. You take one of these and you'll need to eat less often as long as you keep hydrated. I have a tubing system hooked up to it already so just pull that straw down when you're thirsty."

"Well, it should be a little easier now," Kentana opened the capsule and sealed the ship inside. She opened it outside and climbed into her seat. "Goodbye Bulma!" she cried waving. Kentana closed the hatch and turned on the ship and set course for the time and coordinates Bulma had put in.

She impatiently waited for an hour until the land around her began to materialize. She was in front of Capsule Corp. on the front lawn. She slipped on her disguise before any of them could notice her appearance. She saw Trunks' empty ship next to hers. She put on her disguise and tucked her tail into her armor. It was healing nicely but would take another two days to heal, a setback caused from her having to scrub oil from the wound, and she didn't want dirt to get in and cause another setback.

She bolted out of her own ship and into the large building. She dashed through several familiar entered a room, and followed the sound of man on a TV and some explosions. It led her to the living room. This must be the Capsule Corp building from the past! It looks just like the older one, except it's brighter and better kept.

She walked into the living room where everyone was crowded around the TV, staring at the static. Vegeeta was the only one to notice her from where he stood, leaning against the wall.

"What's so exciting about static?" she asked. They turned to see the newcomer.

"Kent, you're here?" greeted Mirai Trunks ", I have some great news." Using her fake name. He walked up to her. He did not expect what was coming. She punched him square in the jaw, sending him to the ground.

"Hey," scolded Bulma, holding a baby boy in her hands ", what's the big idea?"

"You asshole! You could've gotten yourself killed!"

"But I need to tell you this! I rea-"

"SHUT UP!" her words were like a slap to the face. He backed up, she never got angry at him like this, even when she was in a fit of rage. "Do you know how worried I was?" she scolded. He rubbed his aching jaw.

"Aww, you were worried about me?" he said in a teasing tone. She crossed her arms and glared at him. The effect was lost with the helmet hiding her expression.

"Of course I was! Your mom would skin me alive if I don't bring you back intact. That's the whole reason she sent me after you, you Baka!" She may have been insulting him, but Trunks saw the concern and worry in her voice.

"That reminds me," he said ", I need to speak to you in private."

"Fine," she grunted.

"You need to stop worrying so much," he advised as they walked out of the room. "You act like such a worrying little girl some times."

"I act like a little girl? I'm not the one with long pink hair." She retorted. She commonly insulted him, but he knew never to take insult from it. It was a trait all saiyan woman carried and it was part of the fire burning in her heart that yearned for battle.

He led her into an empty room on the other end of the house. "Do you know how dangerous this is?" he scolded, voice suddenly angry and tense. He never, ever yelled at her, especially not like this unless he was truly worried for her safety. "You could have also gotten yourself killed! I told you to let me handle it."

"From what I could tell, it doesn't look like you where handling it very well," she hissed.

"That's not the point! You were being reckless and irresponsible!" He scowled at her.

"I'm sorry for not wanting your child to grow up without a father!"

"That doesn't matter! I know my mother wouldn't have asked you to go if you hadn't already suggested it!"

"So-" she stopped and stared at the door ", back away from the door or I'll blow it to smithereens!" she threatened. They heard footsteps leading away from the door.

"We'll never get any privacy here," Mirai Trunks complained ", come on." He grabbed Kentana by the back of her armor.

"Hey! Put me down!" she ordered.

"Oh, hush up! I'm taking us somewhere where they won't be able to hear us." He carried her over the city and out of city limits in front of a forest. They were sure no one could hear them. "How could you be so reckless? You'll never make a good mother if you leave your child to fend for himself by heading off and dying!" She ripped off her helmet so that he could look her in the eye.

"I just didn't want your child to grow up without you," she said on the brink of tears. He took her in his arms, holding her pressed against his chest. She felt comforted by him, freely letting her tears run loose, something she would never have willingly done in front of anyone else.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you," he soothed, mouth pressed to the top of her head ", I just couldn't bear to lose you. You mean everything to me. If anything happened to you, I'd kill myself."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't let those things kill you," she confesses ", something in me just snapped when I felt all that pain."

"It's okay," he crooned.

"Well isn't this touching," said a deep voice. They looked up, startled. Piccolo stood atop a tree. Kentana scrambled for her helmet. "Don't even bother. I've seen your face and know you're a girl, despite your male armor." Piccolo saw her strange features, and then looking at Trunks, he decided not to tell anyone his extra news.

"Please you can't tell," begged Kentana ", none of them can know."

"I know-"

"No you don't know! Vegeeta knows me! If he finds out who I am," she didn't finish. She didn't need to, they all knew it would take a turn for the worst.

"Don't worry, I wasn't going to tell. If I wanted to blow your secret, I would have told them a long time ago."

"You knew?"

"I've known since your first time here. I could hear your female voice behind your computer made male one. These ears aren't for nothing you know. You also made other flaws. I caught hint when you hugged him and the worry both of you had in your voice as you argued. I haven't known Trunks for long, but I can tell he's not interested in other guys."

Kentana didn't want to trust him, but she had no choice.

"I don't trust you, but I will have to. Though, whether you keep your word, I will still enjoy killing you with my bare hands when this is all over." Her words startled them. Why would she want to kill Piccolo?

"And why is that?"

"You'll know soon enough," she said, with a hint of a devilish glint in her eyes. Soon I'd have my revenge. Kentana picked up her helmet. "I'm surprised you haven't asked how Vegeeta knows me."

"I do not know how, but I know you will not give me an answer if I do ask."

"You are correct," she said, voice changing to its deeper masculine voice as she put on her helmet. "We should probably get back now. The others might come looking for us."

Trunks grabbed her by the back of her armor and carried her like that back to the house. Kentana crossed her arms to make it look like she was in a sour mood over there argument. They flew back through the window to find the room full of the peeping ears, Bulma with her baby, Vegeeta, Krillin, and Yamcha. Trunks flew through the window and Kentana immediately walked away a few feet and stared away from Trunks bitterly, putting on a good show.

"Trunks! Why didn't you tell me I'm a grandmother?" asked Bulma. She didn't like being left out of things, especially not things that means she has grandchildren.

"I couldn't," he excused. "It would mess with this time line even worse."

"Why didn't you at least tell me about your wife then? I deserve to at least have been told that?" She argued placing her hands on her hips.

"I couldn't tell you because that would really mess things up in the future if I did. I'm not even married," confessed Trunks, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"You're not married!" Bulma exclaimed ", are you at least going to? You can't knock a girl up then walk away without marrying her!"

"I'll propose when I get back!" he turned to Kentana ", you've known her longer than me, do you think she'd say yes?"

She was still a little bitter about the Aww, your worried about me bit and decided to get even. "I don't know, but the last time we spoke, she was pretty upset with you. I wouldn't be surprised if she got up and ran off with your child." The look of fear and embarrassment on Mirai Trunks' face was priceless leaving Kentana satisfied. She chuckled ", I'm just kidding. I'm sure she'll say yes," she ensured, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Kent," started Bulma ", is it going to be a boy or girl?"

"No clue. She didn't want to get it checked. You know, she was worried how doctors would react to any oddities known as saiyan genes."

Bulma was studying Kent curiously; intent on finding anything that would give a hint if they knew the stranger. Her eyes fell upon the scar on her neck.

"You have a mate?" she blurred out.

"What? What makes you ask that?"

"You have a mate mark on your neck. I have one too," Bulma placed a finger on her own she had received from Vegeeta.

Kentana rubbed it, feeling uneasy. "You noticed that, huh."

"So who's your mate?"

"I can't tell you."

"Can you tell us about her then?"

"I guess that couldn't hurt. She's very sweet, but sometimes has trouble with being considerate. A bit of girly looking hair," Girly looking hair! "She is also a very tough fighter. She does a big part in fighting the androids." Kentana only lied when she mentioned it as a she instead of he. Everything other than that was completely true and from the heart.

"Is she pretty?" the forwardness of the question disturbed Kentana. What would she say? This was so embarassing with Trunks right there.

"I guess you can say that."

"What do you mean I guess?"

"I never really looked at appearances much," she chuckled ", she wasn't ugly and she was everything else I could have wanted, so I didn't much care past that she looked fine." It was an okay answer that drew a lot of awkward stares. Trunks also thought briefly about whether or not his mate found him attractive.

She is so definitely ugly, thought Bulma , at least now we know that there's nothing going on between Trunks and Kent.

Kent walked up to Bulma and placed a finger by Baby Trunks' face.

He snapped at her. "He definitely seems as snappy as his father, but besides the sharpness and glare of them he has your eyes," admired Kentana. She likes Trunks' eyes. They were so beautiful and didn't make her feel like the abnormal saiyan she was.

The group filed out of the room and into the living room. There they were greeted by the rest of the Z-fighters.

"Something's not right here," mumbled Kentana. "Where are Goku and the young boy I assume is Gohan?"

"They are training in the hyperbolic time chamber," replied Trunks. Before she could ask what that was he said ", the door is a portal to another dimension. A day out here is a year in there."

"That's amazing! One could train three years to fight a stronger enemy in only a matter of days."

"We all need to get in there and train. Especially after what we found out today," he told her about what they saw on the TV.

"Oh, my god," she said, standing up from her seat on the couch ", we have no time to waste! We need to start training."

"We?" argued Mirai Trunks ", this is too dangerous. You're not getting anywhere near that thing. I'm putting you back in that time machine and sending you back!"

"No, I said ", I'm fighting and you can't do a damn thing about it! Besides, if I calculated correctly your ship's out of fuel, so without mine, you're stuck here." Trunks glared at her, but knew she had a point.

"Fine, but you're not fighting. You'll leave that to us." She growled in response to his conditions.

"We'll see about that," she snarled.

"I can see you don't have a place to stay. You can stay her if you'd like," offered Bulma.

"Thank you."

How polite. The men from the other timeline are way more polite than those in this one, Bulma thought. Bulma showed her to her room and would have given her a tour had she not been informed that Kent lived with the Briefs in his own time. Bulma left him to get settled.

Tomorrow would be a busy day.

ME- "That chapter was long. I swear it was almost as long as chap. 10."

KENTANA-*walks in with Trunks* "Hmm."

TRUNKS- "What ya say? What happened?"

ME- "You two were in their the whole time? Why were you- how the-what were you- Never mind…"