The winter storm continued throughout the night and was still going strong the next morning. Shayne and Patrick had been brave enough to try their chances with the roads to return home, but the Z-Fighters had been enjoying themselves so much that they ended up staying until well into the night, and spent the night at the warehouse. In lieu of going black Friday shopping, the girls had decided to stay in and decorate for Christmas.

"Wow, look at this place!" Goku exclaimed as they entered the formal living room. Five Christmas trees had been brought into the room and stood throughout. A particularly large one, well over twelve feet tall, stood at the front of the room, glowing with tiny white lights. Lindsey and Catie were meticulously placing the fragile glass ornaments on its branches.

Jenny was sitting near the blazing fireplace, her feet propped up on an ottoman, watching the others and directing them where to place certain decorations. Piccolo stood near her leaning against the mantle. Yorgi sat in the chair across from her, contentedly watching as the decorations went up.

"Sonuvabitch," Trunks growled, fighting to untangle a long strand of Christmas lights that were wound together in a large, tangled ball.

"Smarter than the lights, Trunks," Gohan teased, pulling a wreath from a box.

"You two aren't helping any," Sabriena hissed at Seventeen and Leelee, who were wrapped in garland and snogging in the corner. Sabriena bent over a box and pulled out a small bunch of greenery. "Oooo! Mistletoe."

"You give me kiss," Kolya purred at her, bending towards her.

She shoved the mistletoe in the back of her jeans, allowing it to trail over the top of the pocket. "Now you can kiss my ass."

"With pleasure," Kolya said and walked closer.

"Kolya, no!" she screamed and ran as he gave chase.

"You're making a mess," Vegeta sneered at them as Sabriena bounced past, giggling and screaming, bits and pieces of the mistletoe trailing behind her.

Goku swatted at something that brushed his ear.

Xander strolled in, carrying a large box with more strands of lights trailing out of it. "Who wants to go on the roof?"

Goku felt something in his hair again and grabbed his head, pulling a small bunch of pine needles from his hair. He looked up at the tree. Lindsey hovered there, giggling.

"Ha ha, very funny," Goku laughed.

"You pickin' on my dad?" Gohan asked, walking over to them.

"Mm-mmm," Lindsey shook her head.

"Gohan, take care of my light work," Goku said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at Lindsey.

"Yep," Gohan answered, dropping the wreath on the floor and rising into the air.

Lindsey shrieked and giggled, moving to the other side of the tree as Gohan hovered at the same height. Side to side they moved, she keeping the tree between them as a shield.

"You can't hide behind the tree forever," Gohan growled.

Xander blinked up at them. "This Saiyan shit is so weird…"

Jenny shifted uncomfortably in her chair. There it was again. That tightening feeling she'd been experiencing for the past month, only now it was starting to hurt. She got to her feet and Piccolo moved to help her.

"Just gotta go to the bathroom," she smiled and walked carefully towards the large bathroom off of the living room. As she sat down, she noticed a small wet spot on the seat of her maternity pants. "Oh god," she whispered. "I've peed myself again." She shook her head, once again angry at the weird things that pregnancy did to her body that no one warned her about.

She finished and stood up to flush the toilet, then blinked in shock at the flash of pink she saw on the paper in the bowl. Where had that come from? Her mind was racing. She wasn't due for two more weeks. Could she be in labor already? Her knees shook as her stomach tightened again, the cramping feeling getting stronger. "OH god. Oh god, oh god, oh god," she whispered. She wasn't ready. Two weeks seemed like such a long time. She wanted that time – to prepare, to get everything set up – she needed that time.

The cramping feeling eased away and Jenny sighed shakily. "It's just the food I ate," she told herself. She leaned on the vanity, staring into the oval shaped mirror with its gilded golden frame. "It's not time yet," she said, "it's not time yet." Just as she was steeling herself to leave the bathroom, another wave of cramping washed over her and she quickly sat on the toilet again as a small rush of fluid left her body. "Oh fuck. Oh fuck." The pain was stronger this time and she leaned her face against the cool wall, breathing heavily. "Not now," she whined. When the pain ebbed away again, she stood, washed her face in the sink, and, trying to keep her thighs clenched together, left the bathroom.

Walking shakily back into the living room, she watched as Sabriena slapped angrily at Kolya and Trunks heaved the whole wad of Christmas lights onto the tree with an angry yell, nearly toppling it over. Catie and Gohan were circling near the top of the tallest Christmas tree, binding Lindsey to it with Christmas lights as she shouted, "I don't want to be the angel!" Goku and Krillin were doubled over in laughter as Chichi stared in worry at them.

Yorgi eyed Jenny warily as she stood in the middle of the room looking terrified. He tipped his head to the side slightly, a panic rising in his throat as he watched her place her hands on her stomach and wince. He stood slowly, reaching over and touching Piccolo's elbow, then nodding towards Jenny.

Piccolo had been watching the others and hadn't seen Jenny return from the bathroom. She looked pale and sweaty.

"Jenny?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

Catie turned at the concerned sound of Piccolo's voice and saw Jenny there, looking scared. "Aw hell," she murmured and dropped to the floor. She ran to Jenny's side, placing one hand on Jenny's back, gripping Jenny's hand with the other. "You okay?"

Jenny's frightened brown eyes looked up at Catie, begging for comfort or help. "Catie, I…" There was a pressure unlike anything Jenny had ever felt before. She felt like she should squeeze her legs together tighter, but another contraction hit her suddenly and she felt a bigger rush of liquid flow down her legs.

Catie jumped back with a yelp. "Uh, Piccolo…"

Piccolo ran to Jenny's side. "Are you okay?"

Jenny nodded, her face going red. She was horribly embarrassed and felt like she could cry.

"You're okay, you're okay," Catie soothed. She turned and yelled, "Leelee! Get Jenny's hospital bag!"

Without a word, Leelee tore from the room with Seventeen on her heels.

"Kolya," Yorgi barked, "pull the SUV around front."

Kolya's blue eyes were wide in terror as he stood rooted to the spot. Baby… labor… hormonal pregnant lady… bodily fluids… He couldn't move.

"KOLYA!" Yorgi roared, snapping Kolya out of his trance. He took a couple bouncing steps towards the garage door as if his legs weren't working properly, then finally found his feet and sprinted through the doorway.

"Get me down! Get me down, get me down, get me DOWN!" Lindsey screamed, wiggling at the top of the tree, struggling to untie herself from the strand of lights that held her there.

"Oh, sorry!" Gohan gasped and quickly unwound the lights. Lindsey dropped to the floor and ran to Jenny.

"Lindsey," Jenny whispered, looking into her friend's eyes. "I'm scared."

"You're gonna be okay," Lindsey answered, more to her own reassurance than Jenny's.

"Guys," Sabriena stammered, backing away from the room, "I… I gotta go…" and she turned and ran from the room.

"You'd think you were contagious," Catie grumbled.

Jenny managed a laugh, then hissed in pain as another contraction hit her.

"What's taking them so long?" Piccolo growled loudly. As if in answer, Leelee and Seventeen burst back into the room, carrying two suitcases with them and a horn honked loudly outside the front door.

Lindsey ran head and out into the snow, pulling open the driver's door and shouting at Kolya to get out.

"Do not have to tell me twice," he answered and quickly slipped from the seat.

Lindsey was preparing to climb into the SUV when a strong grip closed on her wrist. She turned and saw Xander there, staring harshly at her. "I don't think so."

"X, let go!" she shouted as Piccolo and Catie walked Jenny slowly out of the house and across the slick walkway.

"I'm the faster driver," he stated.

"I'm not as reckless as you," she argued.

Gohan yanked open the door to the backseat as Catie climbed in, gently pulling on Jenny's arm.

"It's too treacherous out here!" Xander shouted. There was snow falling thickly on his shades as he stared at her.

"Exactly! That's why you're not driving!"

"One of you get in and let's get going!" Gohan demanded as he hopped into the passenger's seat and Piccolo slammed the back car door.

Xander released his grip with a nod and Lindsey pulled herself into the tall vehicle.

Trunks stepped forward and grabbed the driver's door. He leaned in slightly and said, "We'll follow you."

Catie nodded to him and he turned to Xander. "C'mon. You drive."

They hurried back into the house as Lindsey threw the SUV into drive and spun it around, heading across the long drive towards the highway.

The snow was falling in thick, heavy flakes as the wind whipped it across the windshield. It was like driving through a vast, white void. The road and other vehicles on it were barely visible. Lindsey flipped on the windshield wipers, but they offered little help.

Jenny was breathing heavily in the backseat, gripped Piccolo's hand on her left and Catie's hand on her right. "Oww," she muttered pitifully.

Gohan turned in his seat to look at her. "How you doin' back there, Jenny?"

She managed a pained smile. "I'm okay."

Piccolo's hand was trembling slightly. In all the battles he'd fought, all the challenges he'd faced, nothing had ever scared him so much as this moment right now. He'd known this day was coming, but no matter how he tried to tell himself it was going to be just fine, he couldn't prepare for this. There was no training for watching the love of your life gasp in such pain. There was no amount of strength that could comfort the frightening realization of being responsible for another life. He felt humbled and weak. There was nothing he could do but sit and hold her hand.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Lindsey screamed as she slammed on the breaks, the SUV continuing forward anyway and she yanked the wheel to the left, the vehicle's backend sliding to the right. She yanked it the other way and brought the car careening towards the left.

"Dammit, Lindsey, watch out!" Gohan shouted.

She gritted her teeth and said nothing, struggling to regain control of the drifting car. "Fucking idiots," she hissed, pulling hard on the wheel, sending them into a spin.

The passengers in her car screamed and braced themselves for an impact. The whole world was a spinning whirl of white.

"They're gonna crash!" Trunks cried as he leaned over the dash of the GTO, watching the SUV spin down the highway.

"Goddamnit, Lindsey," Xander growled, weaving between the slow-moving traffic, trying to keep pace with the out of control black vehicle. He saw the car that had caused her to panic – a slow-moving Oldsmobile with a tiny old man leaning over his steering wheel, creeping along at ten miles an hour.

"Shit," Trunks said, "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"

"Don't roll it," Xander breathed, focusing his will on the car. "Don't roll it."

Suddenly, the SUV righted itself and continued to fly straight down the highway as if nothing had happened. Xander and Trunks flopped back against the seats of the GTO, heaving sighs of relief.

"Don't – you – ever – pull – a – stunt – like – that – again!" Jenny screamed, leaning forward and slapping Lindsey with every word.

Lindsey threw her head back and laughed. "I had to make sure you guys were awake!"

"You did that on purpose?!" Gohan screamed.

Lindsey shot him a cocky grin, then concentrated on the road once more.

Gohan slapped a hand to his forehead and leaned back against the door, staring at her. "You are unbelievable."

Lindsey continued to smirk as everyone grumbled at her and calmed their nerves. How could she be pulling stunts like that at a time like this? If they'd looked closer, they would have seen how white her knuckles were on the steering wheel and how her knees were trembling.

They arrived at the hospital a short time later, in one piece and no worse for wear. Catie and Piccolo helped Jenny out of the car and into a waiting wheelchair that was overseen by the hospital staff as Lindsey and Gohan went to park the car.

Jenny was quickly wheeled inside and through the vast foyer to the elevator that would take her up to the maternity ward. Once there, she was quickly checked in (although not quick enough for her liking) and taken to a delivery room, Piccolo and Catie by her side. Catie helped Jenny change into one of the long hospital gowns and then held her hand as she climbed into the hospital bed. The nurse quickly hooked Jenny up to a monitor and placed an IV in the back of her hand.

Piccolo pulled a chair close to Jenny's bedside and took her IV-free hand. "You okay?"

She nodded, shifting uncomfortably as another contraction racked her body again. She'd never felt such pain in her life. It was as though her entire torso was being twisted and ripped in half.

"You're not breathing," Catie scolded.

Jenny let the air rush from her lungs and inhaled deeply. She clenched her teeth and growled against the pain.

"Still not breathing," Catie sighed, flopping down in a chair and staring at her friend.

Lindsey and Gohan ran into the hospital, banging against the main desk, demanding to know which room Jenny was in. The old nurse at the desk stared at them with a bored expression. "What's your relation to the patient?"

"We're her frie-" Gohan began, but Lindsey cut across him.

"I'm her sister," she lied.

The nurse cocked an eyebrow at her, but sighed and clicked at the computer in front of her. "Room 2214."

Lindsey nodded and grabbed Gohan's hand and pulled him along.

"Only three people in the room at once!" the nurse called after them.

Gohan froze in his tracks as they entered the room, his eyes fixed upon Jenny lying in the bed, writhing in pain. Her hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat and she gripped Piccolo's hand tightly. She clenched her teeth and tried not to cry out.

"Oh, baby girl," Lindsey crooned and walked to Jenny's bedside. She slicked some of the hair of Jenny's sweaty forehead.

Jenny smiled weakly up at her. "Got myself in a mess this time, didn't I?"

"No," Lindsey whispered, crouching down next to her friend. "No, not at all. This baby is going to be wonderful. You wait. You're gonna be the best mommy ever."

Jenny gave a small laugh and swallowed hard. "You think so?"

Lindsey nodded. "I know so."

Gohan found his feet and moved to stand next to Piccolo. "How you holding up?"

"I'm okay," Piccolo answered, never taking his eyes off of Jenny.

Gohan squeezed Piccolo's shoulder.

"Hi Jennifer," a young nurse smiled in a soft voice as she entered the room. "You doing alright?"

"Eh," Jenny shrugged, breathing heavily.

The nurse smiled in an understanding way. "I'm just gonna check you, see how far along your labor is."

Gohan turned suddenly away as the nurse lifted the sheet covering Jenny's lap. Piccolo stared straight into Jenny's eyes, searching them for a sign of assurance, a spark of confidence that he himself did not feel.

"You're at about a six," the nurse said, fixing the sheet back over Jenny's legs. "You're progressing quickly."

"Is… is that good?" Jenny asked nervously.

The nurse nodded. "We might not even have to push pitocin on you. We'll keep checking you every so often, see how it goes."

Jenny nodded, exhaling through pursed lips as another contraction washed over her.

"May we stay with her?" Catie asked politely.

The nurse looked at them for a moment, then answered, "Well, we're only supposed to let three in here, but if you guys kind'a come and go from the room, you should be okay."

"Thanks," Catie smiled.

"Jennifer, I'll come back and check on you in a bit," the nurse said. "Do you need anything for the pain?"

"Can you give her something?" Piccolo asked, desperate for his love to be more comfortable. He felt guilty that she was suffering so, while he sat by unharmed.

"I can get the anesthesiologist in here," the nurse answered. "She's far enough along we can do an epidural."

"No," Jenny gasped. "No drugs."

"Jenny," Piccolo said in a low voice, turning to her again. "I don't like seeing you hurt like this."

"No drugs," she repeated.

"Your call, hon," the nurse said. "Let me know if you change your mind."

Jenny nodded and gripped Piccolo's and Catie's hands tightly.

Leelee was pacing the floor of the waiting room, chewing on her fingernails.

"I'm sure she's fine," Seventeen said, watching her.

"I'm going nuts," Leelee answered.

"Me too," Goku added, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "I hate these places."

Vegeta snorted. "Still afraid of needles, Kakarot?"

"Well yeah!" Goku answered, blinking widely as if that was the most ridiculous question he'd ever heard.

Bulma was leaning against a pillar that opened the waiting room up to a large foyer. She looked worried as she stared at the floor, her arms crossed. Trunks walked to her and offered her a small cup of water.

"Something wrong, mom?" he asked.

She gratefully accepted the water and looked up at her son. "I'm just nervous for her, that's all. Labor isn't easy, ya know?"

Trunks sipped from his own paper cup. "Actually, I wouldn't know anything about that."

Bulma shook her head. "I just hope she's doing all right."

The hours seemed to tick by slowly for Anarchy 99 and the Z Fighters as they sat in the lowly-lit waiting room. Kolya had talked Trunks and Xander into a game of cards, but had the cards taken away from him by Yelena when he suggested going to the gas station for a bottle of vodka to make the game more fun. Goku and Krillin were recounting their days of training under Master Roshi, laughing loudly at the old man's eccentricities. Bulma had finally taken a seat next to Chichi as they told, in great detail, their experiences of childbirth while Yelena and Eighteen sat with their noses scrunched - Yelena because she despised children and Eighteen because she didn't believe in sharing such personal information. Yorgi was sitting in the corner, his fingers laced together, quiet and still as a statue.

"Heard any news yet?" came a soft voice.

Yorgi looked up to see Memphis standing there, holding a cup of coffee in each hand. He offered one to Yorgi, who accepted it. "Black, like your soul," he smiled quietly.

Yorgi gave a small smile and nodded.

Memphis sat next to his old friend and sighed. "This is really weird, isn't it?"

Yorgi didn't answer and sipped from his large starbucks cup.

"She's so young," Memphis continued in his soft voice. "She's having a baby, Lindsey's getting married… it's just sort'a bizarre, isn't it?"

Yorgi continued to stare at a spot on the floor.

"They can't stay with us forever, Yorgi," Memphis said, leaning forward on his knees, cradling his coffee in his hands. "This is no place for them to raise their families."

"What make you think Lindsey have her own family?" Yorgi asked, his voice even quieter than Memphis's.

"Oh, I dunno," Memphis answered. "Look at their family." He nodded to Goku playing with Goten as Chichi smiled at them. "I think they're rubbing off on her."

Yorgi's nose scrunched briefly. "We are her family."

"You can't keep them forever," Memphis said.

"My Little Dove would not leave me again," Yorgi said confidently.

"Yes, she will," Memphis argued, never changing his voice. "She has to. It's what's best for her."

Yorgi looked at Memphis out of the corner of his eye, his gaze murderous. "What did you say to her?"

"Nothin'," Memphis replied, sitting back and swigging on his coffee.

"I know you haff something to do with this," Yorgi growled quietly. "I hear Gohan talk about going back to Japan. What idiotic ideas you putting in their minds?"

"I didn't put anything in their heads," Memphis answered. "Nothing that wasn't already there, at least."

"She is not leaving."

"Well I say she is, and that's all there is to it," Memphis answered.

"What makes you think you have say in it?"

"Because as I recall," Memphis answered, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone, "I'm the cofounder of Anarchy 99 and I have just as much pull around here as you do."

Yorgi narrowed his eyes. "You folded," he said nastily.

"It's a new hand, Yorgi," Memphis said, getting to his feet. "And this time, I'm all in."

Yorgi's lips pressed to a thin line, his shoulders trembling slightly in anger.

"You should drink that before it gets cold," Memphis said casually as he walked away.

Yorgi stared in hatred at his old friend and dropped the coffee into the trashcan next to his chair.

"Okay, you gotta push again," the nurse encouraged Jenny, standing at the end of the bed.

Jenny had been propped up slightly, a foot in each stirrup at the end of her bed, Piccolo holding her right leg while Catie held her left. Lindsey held Jenny's left hand, smoothing Jenny's hair back, speaking in a calming voice. Gohan sat in the corner of the room, feeling terribly uncomfortable and holding a magazine in front of his face as Jenny screamed in agony.

"Okay, rest," the nurse ordered.

Jenny fell back against the bed, panting. "I can't do this," she moaned.

"Yes you can," Piccolo corrected her. "You're strong. You can get through this."

Jenny cried softly. "I'm so tired."

"Shh," Lindsey soothed, still stroking Jenny's hair. "You can do it," she whispered. "You have to. You're almost there."

"Okay, another contraction coming," the nurse stated. "Deep breath. Now… PUSH!"

Jenny strained with all her might, her teeth clenching, every muscle in her body tightening.

"Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!" the nurse cried. "The head's out! Don't push anymore until we get the doctor in here!" She ran to the door and yelled down to the nurse's station.

"Oh, wow," Catie gasped, staring at the end of Jenny's bed.

Lindsey couldn't bring herself to look. She felt it would be terribly rude to stare at Jenny's body like that.

Piccolo was looking pale.

"Ah, ah, ah," Jenny whined as she felt another contraction coming.

"Don't push! Don't move!" the nurse ordered, rushing back to the end of Jenny's bed.

There was nothing for it. The contraction hit Jenny again and suddenly, the pressure she felt was gone.

"You did it, Jen!" Catie cried happily. "Oh my gosh, you did it!"

The door to Jenny's room banged open just as a tiny cry began to issue from the infant in the nurse's arms.

"Well shit," the doctor hissed. She was a middle-aged lady, thin with short blonde hair, and looked as though she had once been quite pretty. She pushed her square glasses up on her nose.

"It's a girl," the nurse smiled.

Jenny flopped back on the bed, heaving a strong sigh.

The nurse offered to let Piccolo cut the umbilical cord, but he quietly refused. He was feeling overwhelmed to say the least and shakily sat down in the chair next to Jenny as the nurses fussed over the newborn.

"That's my girl," he whispered and pressed his lips to Jenny's forehead.

"You didn't even tear," the doctor said in an impressed sort of way.

"Here you are," the nurse smiled sweetly and laid the bundle of white blanket on Jenny's chest.

Jenny stared in wonder down at the tiny person in her arms. The baby was a perfect blend of herself and Piccolo. Big blue eyes stared up at her, set in a perfectly round face with smooth, pale green skin. She had no antenna as her father did, but her ears were slightly long and pointed at the end. She had a thin layer of lavender colored hair and she blinked at them as if to say, "hello."

Tears welled up in Jenny's eyes as she stared at her daughter. "Hi baby," she whispered.

Piccolo leaned over the bed, his face close to Jenny's, staring at the tiny bundle. A girl? Now he was really worried. But he smiled at the baby as she wrinkled her nose and gave a little baby-smile.

"You want to hold her?" Jenny asked Piccolo softly.

He swallowed hard and nodded. He was amazed at how easily the baby fit into the crook of his arm, how her tiny weight was a comfort to hold. There was a warming in his chest as he stared at the infant in his arms. He'd only felt like this once before in his life. He hadn't expected it then, and he wasn't expecting it now. But there it was – that swooping, falling, crashing feeling of falling instantly in love.

"Hey, kid," he said softly to the baby who snuggled against his chest.

Catie was standing there, beaming, tears sliding down her cheeks. The new baby was absolutely perfect and she felt honored that Jenny had let her be part of the experience. 'I am soooo gonna spoil that kid,' she thought to herself.

Lindsey hugged Gohan as he stared in wonder at Piccolo holding a baby.

"We need to take her to the nursery," the nurse said. "Just to give her a good check over. We'll get you all moved into a recovery room and bring her back to you then."

Piccolo reluctantly handed the baby to the nurse, who placed the newborn into a weird clear-plastic looking bin set atop a rolling wooden cart and pushed the baby from the room.

"Piccolo," Jenny breathed.

He turned and smiled at her. "You did great."

"Piccolo," she said, sounding very tired and far-away. "Take care of the baby…" Her head fell back against the pillow as her eyes rolled upwards. A machine began blaring against the wall.

"JENNY!" Piccolo shouted.

"She's coding!" a nurse cried.

"Get them out of here!" Dr. Thies barked, running to Jenny's side.

"What's happening?" Catie asked, blinking in shock.

"Cat, we gotta go," Lindsey said softly, taking Catie's hand.

"What's happening to her?" Catie demanded again, louder this time, shaking Lindsey's hand away.

"You have to leave," a nurse insisted as a crash cart was wheeled into the room.

"I'M NOT LEAVING HER!" Piccolo roared.

"Get out of here!" the doctor spat back at him.

"Come on, Piccolo," Gohan said, grabbing Piccolo's arm and pulling him towards the door.

"NO!" he shouted and shoved Gohan off.

"You're only going to be in the way! You have to let them help her!" He grabbed Piccolo under the arms, locking the much taller Namek against his chest, and turning towards the door.

"Catie, come on!" Lindsey insisted, pulling at her friend. She managed to drag Catie along with her and out into the hall.

Piccolo felt as though he was going numb inside. He allowed Gohan to march him from the room, staring over his shoulder at Jenny as he went.

Author's Note: I dedicate this chapter to my angel baby, the little one I never had the chance to meet. Today was my baby's due date (2/27/2013.) I miss you terribly, little one. And I know one day I will see you again and then I will get to hold you and be your mommy for eternity. I will visit your grave as soon as the snow clears and bring you some pretty flowers again. I'll miss you and love you forever.