"I win." Nira yawned.

Vegeta snarled at the chessboard, "How? How did you win? I was so sure I got you that time!"

"I dunno. I just did." She replied, groggily.

Vegeta looked up at the brown - eyed woman and immediately noticed the exhaustion written on her face.

"When was the last time you slept?" he barked.

She shrugged and rubbed her eyes. Her hand felt like it weighed a ton, "Ten days?"

Vegeta looked taken aback, "Ten days? What are you thinking?!"

She shrugged again, blinking slowly, "Nightmares."

Vegeta glared at the girl, feeling frustrated with her. She's had nightmares in the past, why can't she just deal with them like a normal person? But he noticed the way her shoulders had bee sagging even more often, lately. Could it be that…

"Is it that damned doctor doing this to you?" he growled.

Nira blinked in surprise, "No, don't think so."

"Then what on earth is the matter-"

"Easy, Vegeta." Goku suddenly appeared by Nira's side, "She's tired and needs a nap. C'mon, Nira." He picked her up. "Lets take a nap on the couch."

Nira had admitted years earlier when the two men were asking about her nightmares that she had always slept easier when someone else slept with her. She had nightmares ever since she was five and found out she slept better with another when a stray dog had curled up beside her one cold evening.

Goku held the girl in his lap and hummed a little tune, the same way he did with his son, Gohan, until she finally drifted into slumber.

Vegeta watched the girl's face as she slept. He felt a sudden surge of protectiveness over the child. He loathed the night terrors that plagued her every time she closed her eyes. He didn't know it then, but he had already adopted her as a daughter in his mind.

Piccolo watched the scene from the sidelines. He wasn't sure what to make of the trio. He wouldn't call what they had codependency, it was more like a pack. They work together and protect each other and no doubt felt at ease with each other. They needed each other, but it was more like how a family needs each other and not anything other than that.

"Whats going on with those three?" he asked Krillin, who was standing beside him, also watching the scene.

"Oh, its nothing really. Nira had trouble sleeping because of nightmares and seems to sleep better if someone else is with her. So those two usually step in as human pillows, okay Goku does anyway, when they notice she hasn't slept in a while." The bald man explained.

Piccolo nodded, that isn't too different. But still, that girl is nothing short of an enigma. Sometimes he thinks she's warming up to him and getting better and other days he's sure she hates his guts and wants nothing to do with him.

"Has the nightmares always been this bad?" he asked.

Krillin nodded solemnly, "Yeah, as long as I've known her. But she never talks about them, though. Not to Bulma, Goku, Vegeta, anyone."

Piccolo added that to the list of things he needs to know about the young woman. Right underneath Why does she stare at my ears?

Piccolo frowned to himself. Really, nearly two months in and still no progress. Yes, Bulma admitted that it took the girl time to open up to her but he isn't Bulma Briefs. He's Piccolo Kami and he was going to get his answers whether Nira likes it or not.

DBZ

"Piccolo?" Nira suddenly spoke up at the end of their discussion.

"Yeah?" he asked, looking up from his notebook. His reading glasses nearly falling off his nose.

It was nearly a month after Piccolo watched Goku cradle Nira. He doesn't believe he's getting anywhere with her and thinks that she really does dislike him. How wrong can one be….

She tugged at a strand of her hair, the other hand gripping the hem of her shirt. "When's your birthday?" she asked hesitantly.

"Uh," Piccolo sat up straight, "Why do you ask?"

She shook her head, "No reason." And turned around to leave.

"In three weeks."

"Hmm?" she turned around.

"My birthday." Piccolo answered, "Its in three weeks."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Nira's face, "Three weeks. Gotcha."

The last Piccolo saw of her before she disappeared behind the door was her white tattoo.

DBZ

"Hey, Nira!" Bulma greeted, "What're you painting?" she asked, peaking over the raven - haired woman's shoulder.

"Oh." Nira smiled, "Its nothing."

Bulma finally saw what it was and grinned knowingly behind the girls back, "Well, it's a very pretty nothing. I'm sure he'll like it."

Nira whipped around, ready to fling a scathing remark but Bulma was already at the door of the art room, waving 'bye'.

DBZ

Piccolo felt a tap on his shoulder on his way to the lounge. He turned around to see his patient, Nira, standing behind him hiding something behind her back.

"Nira," Piccolo lips twitched, "what are you doing?"

Nira shook her head and took whatever was behind her back in front of her. It was a canvas, but the back was towards him so he couldn't see what was painted. She stuck it out towards him, still not saying anything. But her cheeks were burning brightly.

Piccolo took the canvas and opened his mouth to say something but she was already sprinting the other way.

His mouth thinned itself to a line before he looked at the painting. His eyes widened when he saw a portrait of himself, painted all in the same color green as his hair. It was rough in a charming way but was still life like and caught his likeliness almost perfectly. He was grinning in the portrait, a slight quirk of the lips. He was stunned.

He walked into the lounge, still staring at the portrait.

"Whats that you got there, Piccolo?" Krillin asked from a table.

Piccolo handed the painting to Krillin, "Nira made it for me."

Krillin nodded, "Yeah, I can tell. She made Juu and I one for our wedding and Bulma, Vegeta, and Goku have one's of themselves as well."

Piccolo felt a flicker of annoyance, so he wasn't special in this case. Not that he cared; he isn't one for that stuff.

"Speaking of which," Piccolo began, putting the canvas down on the table, "How's your wife?"

Krillin beamed, "She's great! Thanks for asking. The baby's coming along fine.

"Hey you guys." Bulma smiled at the two men, "How's it going?"

"Piccolo got a painting from Nira." Krillin pointed out, taking a sip of water.

"He did, did he." She grinned, turning away to get a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, it looks like the one's she made for you and the guys. Except his is green." Krillin said, examining the painting.

Bulma sat over by them and picked up the painting, taking a sip of coffee. "She sure did a great job." The doctor commented.

Piccolo sat there, just a little uncomfortable. He wanted to eat his lunch then return to his office so he could put the painting somewhere where it couldn't get soiled. Coffee being so close to the canvas was making him a little nervous.

"Can I have that back now?" he growled, glaring at the coffee mug in Bulma's hands.

"Oh, sure." Bulma replied, handing the painting back to Piccolo.

"So, whats the occasion?" Krillen asked, taking a bite of hamburger.

Piccolo didn't reply as he continued to stare at the painting.

Somewhere at the end of the hall, Nira whispered, "Happy birthday."