"No!"

"Nira, calm down. Dr. Piccolo is a nice guy. There's nothing to be worried about."

"I said no! I don't want another doctor!"

"Nira, please. You're not losing me. I'll always be here to talk, okay?"

"Its not the same. I don't trust whats his face."

"You haven't even met him yet!"

"So?"

Bulma sighed and took Nira's hand. They were sitting on her couch in her office. Nira wasn't taking the fact that she's getting a different doctor well. Angry tears are welling up in her eyes.

"So? You have to at least give him a shot."

Nira crossed her arms tightly around her. She wouldn't look Bulma in the in the eyes as tears fell down her face, "Why are you giving me away? I thought we were friends."

Bulma raised her eye - brows in surprise, "Oh no. No no no." she hushed the crying girl, "I'm not giving you away. I didn't ask for you to be assigned to a different doctor. I'd never do that. My boss thought it would be a good idea for you to be… approached differently. And you know where my office it. It'll always be open to you." Bulma calmed her, pushing the girls bangs out of her face.

Nira leaned into her hand. She liked it when people messed with her hair. Vegeta likes to make jokes about being more like a dog than a human but she didn't care. It soothed her like nothing else.

"So, you're not giving me up?" she asked, looking at Bulma for the first time since the conversation started.

"I'd never give you up." Bulma smiled, "Just try to get along with Dr. Piccolo, okay? I'll introduce you to him tomorrow."

Nira nodded, her brown eyes were red from crying but there weren't any more tears, "Okay." She sighed, giving up. "I'll try."

DBZ

"Vegeta and Goku are watching us, aren't they?" asked Bulma offhandedly.

"Yup." Nira confirmed, almost painfully aware of the two pairs of eyes watching them from the couch.

Bulma scoffed, "Men."

Nira smirked.

"Oh, here he comes now." Bulma said, seeing the tall doctor walking down the hall towards them. Nira took hold of the hem of her shirt and half – hid behind the blue haired doctor.

Bulma sighed at the young woman's actions. Still so bashful.

"Dr. Briefs." Piccolo nodded in greeting, "Is that her?" he asked, looking around Bulma at Nira.

"Yep, this is Nira." She answered, "Come one, say hi."

Nira peeked around Bulma at the doctor. He wasn't like Krillin or Bulma. He looked more like he belonged as a security officer than a doctor. He was taller than Goku by a few inches and was broad chested and narrower at the waist. He had short green hair and no eyebrows. His eyes were onyx, like Goku and Vegeta and like Vegeta's, his face always seemed to be stuck in "angry mode". She noticed, fleetingly, that his ears were pointed like an elves.

"Well, come on. I don't bite." He said in a deep voice and a smirk.

Nira hid further behind Bulma.

"What is she doing?" Vegeta growled.

"I think she's a little scared." Goku commented, trying to get a better look at her doctor.

Bulma's lips thinned, "Nira, you said you'd try."

"I know." She mumbled, blushing in embarrassment.

"Then why are you behaving like this?"

"Afraid." Is all she said.

Bulma stilled, "What are you afraid of?" she asked softly.

She didn't answer.

"Nira, what are you afraid of?" Bulma asked again, a little more demanding.

"Too many people."

"But there's hardly anybody here." Bulma tried to reason.

Nira shook her head, "Not that kind."

"Then what do you mean?"

Nira was still for many moments before admitting softly, "Too many people who could get hurt."

Bulma was quiet, stunned. "What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid," Nira began, "because if I like too many people, and they all get hurt, I would be sad." She finally answered softly. "I'm afraid."

Everything was silent for a minute. No one moved or spoke.

Then, "Hey." A deep voice spoke up.

Nira peaked around her friend at the green haired doctor.

"I'll let you know I used to teach martial arts. I'm a black belt. I won't get hurt so easily." Piccolo grinned, "Now, if we can continue," he stuck out his hand, "My names Dr. Piccolo."

Nira slowly stuck her hand out and shook it, "Nira."

"Piccolo!" A voice gasped behind them, "Is that really you?"

Piccolo's face fell as he saw Goku jogging over to them.

"Yeah, its me." Piccolo confirmed.

"Wah – wow! How long has it been?"

"A while."

Goku laughed nervously, "Yeah, still the same old Piccolo. Hey, by the way, my son sent me a letter a while back. Said that a guy who knew me from school was teaching him martial arts. That couldn't have been you could it?"

Piccolo sighed, "Yeah, that was me. Roshi's getting too old and needed the extra help and I needed the money."

Goku beamed, "That's great! If it were anyone teaching my son martial arts I'm glad it was you."

Piccolo nodded, "Thanks, I guess."

Vegeta was still off to the side, giving the doctor the stink eye without comment. Piccolo decided to ignore him.

More importantly, Nira was still half hidden behind Briefs. It was childish for an eighteen year old to hide behind someone else. But after her confession earlier, Piccolo couldn't really blame her. He can't pretend to sympathize or know whats going on in her head but he knew when someone was afraid and when pain or kindness is needed. This situation needed a little of both: firm patience.

Goku smiled down at the young woman, "Its okay, Nira. I know Piccolo has a scary face but he's okay. Just don't try to get him angry." He chuckled.

Piccolo glared at the younger man, he hasn't changed much either from the last time they saw each other.

Nira looked up at Goku and back to Piccolo. She was giving him a hard stare, looking him up and down. She was unsure about him to say the least. It will take a while for her to warm up to him and even if she did it was hard to say that she will get as close to him as she had with Goku and Bulma or as much as he had with Goku's son, Gohan.

Yeah, he's going to need a lot of patience with this one.

"Just get over there and shake his goddamn hand." Vegeta barked at Nira.

Nira looked at Vegeta with confusion written in her features. She wasn't expecting him to care enough to address the situation but was oddly touched that he had. His push was enough for her to gather her courage and step from behind Bulma and towards the intimidating doctor.

Piccolo gazed down at the young woman and waited for her to make the first move.

She swallowed and tucked some of her black hair behind her hair before looking up to meet the man's black eyes, "My name's Nira. It's a pleasure to make you acquaintance, Dr. Piccolo."

Piccolo smirked, glad she had finally come forward, "Piccolo's fine, kid. We'll start meetings tomorrow afternoon." And he turned around and was gone.