Ch 40

It was evening the next day when a knock came to the Briefs Residence. Goten opened the door and smiled at the person at the other end. "Thank you for coming Sharon."

"Anyway I can help this family is reason enough for me," she said as she came inside. "Where is everyone? The places seems so—

"Empty. Everyone's sleeping in accept for Vegeta, Trunks' father. I was just going to start cooking so when every got up, they would have something to eat."

Sharon smiled. "That's very sweet of you," she said as she followed Goten to the kitchen and her eyes widened. "Wow, what a beautiful kitchen."

"I know, and the funny thing is that no one in the family really cooks in it anymore."

Sharon sat down as Goten started to prepare a meal. "So, how is Trunks doing? After you followed him outside, I was just concerned about him."

"It was a hard night for him. He couldn't sleep that well knowing what his family was going through, so we flew back and got here in at sunrise. I think they're all sleeping in Bulma's room," he said as Vegeta came from training in the gravity chamber. "Hey Vegeta, this is Sharon, she's a therapist, and my grandpa's girlfriend."

"You brought a shrink into my home?" Vegeta yelled.

"It's not what you think. She was Dr. Briefs and Bunny's therapist. I thought maybe she could bring some kind of closure to your family."

"Very well," he said, as he smelled the scent of food. I'll go get them up," he said as he disappeared down the hall.

Making his way upstairs to the room he shared with his mate, Vegeta opened the door quietly to see his mate and daughter sleeping on the bed while his son was sleeping on the floor in his sleeping bag. Looking down at his son, he could tell he didn't sleep well. It was at this time that Vegeta realized how vulnerable and small he looked, like he was eight years old again. "Dad," Trunks whispered as he sat in his sleeping back. "What's going on?"

"We have a guest. Goten says she was your grandparents' therapist."

"Sharon. Right, it was my idea for her to come over a talk to mom."

Bulla opened her eyes when she heard her father and brother talk. Sitting up, she gently woke her mother. "Bulla?" said Bulma.

"Hey mom," Bulla smiled. "I hope you do mind that we kept you company last night."

"No, not at all it's just been a while. You know when your brother was little and had nightmares, he would come into this room and sleep right between your father and me."

"I thought I was being subtle. You never mentioned it to me," said Trunks.

"I didn't want to embarrass you sweetie."

"Anyway mom, there's someone here who knew grandpa and grandma. Her name is Sharon. She was their therapist. She's actually dating the Ox King."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," said Bulma. "Hey, where's Goten?" she asked.

"He's cooking," said Vegeta as he looked at Trunks, who realized they left his mate by himself, and raced down the stairs.

"Ow, shoot!" Goten exclaimed as Trunks came barreling down the stairs to protect his mate until he saw his mate had just burned his hand.

"Gee Goten, you have to be more careful. I thought you were in danger or something," he said as he came out of an attack stance.

"Oh I'm sorry me burning myself isn't dangerous enough for you," he said as he ran water under his hand. "Breakfast is done by the way, you're welcome."

Trunks sighed as he leaned against the kitchen counter beside his mate. "I'm sorry. I just want to make sure you're safe. Can you really blame your crazy, paranoid boyfriend?" he smirked.

"The fact that you're hot helps somewhat," Goten smiled.

"Oh really, what about this?" he said as he wrapped his arms around his mate's waist and started kissing down his neck.

As soon as Trunks started, Goten's eyes widened, knowing what he wanted from him. "N—no we have guest and she's right behind you," he said as Trunks looked to see Sharon waving at him with a smile.

Trunks removed himself from his mate and smiled at Sharon. "Well it's a pleasure to see you again Sharon."

"And you as well Trunks," said Sharon.

"Hey Trunks, is everyone up?"

"Yeah, they're just getting dressed."

"You should to Trunks. I'll be fine besides who's really going to attack me in your kitchen?" He said as he could sense Trunks' hesitancy. Before he could say anything, Vegeta walked into the room in fresh clothes.

"Listen to your mate Trunks," said Vegeta. "It's just ridiculous I could feel your uneasiness from my room."

"Sorry I disturbed you dad," said Trunk as he walked past him and upstairs to shower as Bulma and Bulla came downstairs to see Trunks grumbling.

"What was that all about?" asked Bulma.

"He's overprotective of Goten," said Vegeta as Bulla smiled. "What?"

"Oh like you aren't the same with mom? Don't even lie dad," said Bulla.

"Sorry about the commotion," said Bulma as she walked over to Sharon. "I'm Bulma, and this is my daughter Bulla, and my husband Vegeta. You've all ready met my son. It's nice to meet you Sharon."

"It's nice to finally met you to Bulma and your family. You have a lovely home."

"Can we eat now or what?" asked an impatient Vegeta.

"Vegeta!" exclaimed Bulma.

"You're more than welcome to eat with us Sharon," said Goten. "I've made more than enough."

"I can see that. You take good care of the people you care about," said Sharon.

"Well," he looked to Vegeta, Bulma, and Bulla, "they've always cared about me. I'm just returning the favor."

"Isn't he so nice?" asked Bulla. "I wish I could say the same thing about my brother."

"Hey!" said Trunks as he came into the room. "That's not true," he smirked. "I treat Goten real nice," he said as he kissed his chibi on the cheek.

Everyone laughed and enjoyed breakfast.

Sharon sat down with the family after breakfast in Bulma's lab. Looking around the place, she was impressed by all the marvels her eyes could see. "I can see why this place is of comfort to you Bulma."

"Yeah, a lot of good memories happened here," Bulma smiled as her eyes reminiscence. "My dad was here when I created my first invention at the age of six, I lost my virginity here, and Trunks was conceived and born in this room."

"Mom! No one wants to know that much less me," said Trunks as Bulla laughed.

"Bulla said her first words here as well as learning how to walk. Boy time sure flies you know? Before you know it, you're children are young adults falling in love."

"Bulma, you know you can ask me anything you'd like about your parents," said Sharon.

"I know," said Bulma as everyone sat down where they could. "So, when did they start seeing you?"

"It was a month after you were born. Your father observed a change in your mother and was worried about her state of mind."

"How do you mean?"

"Your father observed your mother with you. He said she seemed angry with you when she picked you and just stared into your eyes, like she shouldn't have had you in the first place. He quickly came into the room and grabbed you out of her hands and out of the room."

"I was just a baby. I didn't know anything. So how did my mother respond to his concerns about her mental state?"

"She said she had a hard life growing up with no one who truly loved her. She didn't mean to look at you that way. She didn't know anything else but to hate. I asked her if she loved your father, and she said no. When I asked if she loved you, she said how could she not love something that was a part of her. She didn't know how to love, but I gave her the tools to try. Your father was grateful for my help, but he had a hard time dealing with the fact that she didn't love him the way he loved her. I think he knew his relationship with Bunny would be nothing but platonic, but he tried to make her see how much he loved her and would always love her."

"They always looked so happy and in love with each other. I can't believe I never knew. I mean when I was a teenager, I thought I would like to find a man and be so much in love like they were and then I ended up in a tumultuous relationship with Vegeta. It was so much different than I perceived my parent's relationship to be. I thought this couldn't be healthy that I'm arguing with him all the time and having so much sex that my body should be giving out. I thought in the beginning it was nothing but meaningless arguing and passionate sex, but he stayed. He did and said things that surprised and challenged me, and I liked it. I love it. Looking back and seeing everything that happened, I realize that we were and still are so much stronger than my parents ever were," she smiled, "but then I would always worry about my children finding love because of the way I was raised and because of my success throughout the world. I was especially worried for Trunks but then Goten was born and I'd see the way my son interacted with and I knew right then and there that my son was in love. He wasn't even two years old, and he knew whom he wanted to be with, which impressed me but maybe I shouldn't have been surprised. We're not exactly the most normal family you'll ever meet."

While Goten was showering in his home, he thought about what Sharon had to say to Bulma and her family about Dr. Briefs and Bunny. Through it all, he saw the strength that Bulma carried despite her parent's difficult marriage. In the end she had a husband who loved her and two great children, who she loved unconditionally. He only hoped his own mother could love him that way. He could see her trying and knew it would take some time before his grandpa could accept Trunks, if he ever would.

Rinsing his hair off, he began to wash his body when he spotted the ki bracelet around his wrist. 'I almost forgot about this.' He thought about the day he was attacked. He could feel a brief fear pass through him and then scolded himself for being afraid. 'I'm still saiyan. This thing can't change the blood running through my veins.'

"Goten?"

"Yeah Trunks," he said as he rinsed off the soap on his body.

"What's wrong?"

"It's stupid."

"You're human to chibi, don't forget that. You're afraid of feeling helpless. It's completely normal."

"I have to be babysat for a year Trunks. It doesn't exactly feel good to not be able to protect myself. I can never be alone."

"I can remember a time where that's all I wanted, to be left alone because I thought no one would ever understand me. Ever since you born, I knew I didn't want to be alone anymore. I wanted to be with you, but I had to appear detached and cold because the world is a cruel place. It will chew you up and spit you out in an instant. I had to be like my father, a saiyan, who never let anyone know what I was thinking. Vulnerability was not an option for me, but I'd see you and all that melted away. I've always been my best self with you."

Goten smiled and felt the tears in his eyes. "Kami, I don't think I can beat that speech Trunks," he laughed as he turned off the water and walked out of the shower and saw the love in Trunks' eyes.

"You're so beautiful. Sometimes I think about how I don't deserve someone as wonderful as you."

"Don't say that!" exclaimed Goten has he held his hands on each side of Trunks' face. "You're the most wonderful person I know. You take care of me and protect me so fiercely. You've always been there for me and loved me so much in every way possible. I love you Trunks," he said as he leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips, sliding his arms down his face to his chest, and then resting the on his pants buckle. Kneeling down before Trunks' clothed crotch, he began to unzip his pants.

"Gotten," he said as he started to breath heavily as he felt his mate's mouth around his length. When he started to suck him, Trunks grabbed onto the bathroom sink to keep him standing as he let sounds out loud moans of pleasure. "Chi—chibi I—I'm-," he said as he felt his orgasm and watched as his mate swallowed him.

Goten wrapped a towel around himself as Trunks zipped up his pants. "Why did you—?"

"I wanted to make you feel good for all the times you've made me feel good."

"Well," he smirked. "It was really good. I love you chibi," he said as he passionately kissed him on the lips while removing his mate's towel. "I love you this way even more," he said as he looked into the eyes of his mate as he lowered him to the floor.

The two demi-saiyans were breathing heavily on their couch, their naked, sweaty bodies covered by a blanket. Trunks held his mate in his arms, feeling him shake in his embrace.

"H—how many times was that Trunks?"

"I'd say six," he said as he felt his mate's body still shaking. "Hey, are you ok? You're body's shaking," he said as he held tightly to Goten, hoping to calm his body down with his touch.

"I—I'm not sure. This hasn't ever happened before," he said as he looked to the bracelet on his wrist. "It looks like the ki bracelet is doing something."

Trunks took his wrist in his hand and looked it over. "You're right," he said, his eyes turned serious. "The bracelet is trying is slowly trying to kill you by sending shocks throughout your body when strenuous activity occurs. We have to take this off now. This bracelet could very well kill you before you even reach a year," Trunks as he rushed off the couch, grabbed boxers for him and Goten. "Put these on now," said Trunks as he pulled his own on with some pants and opened the door. "DAD!" Trunks screamed.

Vegeta rushed into the house and his nose was hit by the smell of sex. "Could you have at least showered before I came over? It reeks of sex in here."

"Dad now is not the time to argue. The bracelet is killing my mate. I need your help!"

"What do you want me to do Trunks?" he asked as he walked over to Goten, who was curled up in a ball, clutching the blanket on his body.

"Hold him down," he sighed, "I—I'm going to have to cut off his hand."

"WHAT!" exclaimed Goten and Vegeta.

"Are you crazy Trunks? No, I don't want—

"I'll have my mother reattach it afterwards but right now we need to get that bracelet off of you."

"Ok," said Goten as he gritted his teeth when another shock passed through his body.

"We need to take him to the medical lab," said Vegeta. "I'll let your mother know what's going on, so she can assemble a medical team right away. As for you two, shower and get dressed," he said as he walked out the door.

Trunks carried Goten into the bathroom as he took off their boxers with great difficulty, which amused Goten until another pain shot up his back. Turning on the shower, he washed his mate and sat him down on the shower floor as he washed his own body. Trunks felt his mate's gaze the entire time. Trunks chuckled. "Enjoying the show, chibi?"

"Yeah, I've never seen anyone wash themselves before."

Trunks smiled. "How do you feel?" he asked as he turned around to wash the soap off his back.

"Besides the shaking and the shooting pains I'm great," he said as he watched Trunks' hand moving to his length. "Are you really going to do that in front of me?"

"Hey, I have to wash it. It has to be clean for future activities," he smirked as Goten laughed.

"You are something else Trunks. I think I'll just close my eyes because if I watch you do THAT, then we'll never leave the shower despite how much pain I'm in."

"Suit yourself chibi."

Goten rested in a hospital bed and hooked up to machines with Trunks by his side as Bulma came into the room with the doctors, which made Goten nervous. He felt the comforting hand of his mate's hand on his shoulder.

"So what's the plan mother?" asked Trunks.

"You'll remove his hand with your energy, cauterize it, and the doctors will take the hand and preserve. Once the bracelet is removed, I'll reattach his hand. I have everything I need in here to perform the procedure."

"Are you putting me under for this?" asked Goten.

"Of course sweetie, you're still shaking and if we don't put you under, any twitch could do some real damage."

"I understand," said Goten. "I'm ready whenever you are," he smiled.

"All right," said one of the doctors as he came to Goten's side and inserted the drug to put him under.

Trunks leaned into his mate, kissed him softly, and pulled away to look into the eyes of his love. "Sweet dreams Goten, I love you."

"I—I love you to Trunks," he said as his eyes closed and he drifted off.

"Ok Trunks, are you ready?" asked Bulma.

"Yes," he said as he formed a ki ball in his hand and let the light fall onto his mate's skin and cut through it like a knife.

Right away the hand was taken and so was the ki bracelet as Trunks cauterized the wound with his energy once again. Trunks lied down his mate's arm carefully as Bulma takes out the hand and begins a long procedure of reattaching his hand with new, innovative technology, so Goten would be able to use his hand like it had never been detached.

Trunks stayed by his mate's side throughout the whole procedure, holding his other hand as his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Taking it out, he saw a text message from his sister. "Called Goten's family thought they might want to know what's going on." He texted back his acknowledgement and put it back in his pocket as he looked at his mother, who was hard at work but had a confident smile on her face.

He admired his mother greatly and respected her. He wondered how such an amazing person could have come from his grandmother. 'Well they did keep her blissfully unaware of their issues. That's good, but I know things will never be the same knowing what she knows now about grandpa and grandma, but she's strong, she's always been strong. Maybe part of that is seeing how strong dad is, not just physically but mentally.'

"All done," Bulma announced as Trunks came out of his thoughts and smiled at her.

"Thanks mom."

"You don't have to thank me. I'd do anything for my family. Anyway he should be coming out of his sleep in an hour or so. I had the doctors' input painkillers so when he wakes up, the pain won't be so bad. Also, he should rest the hand for a few days before he does any heavy lifting."

"All right mom," said Trunks as he heard a lot of commotion outside the door and knew who it was instantly.

"What the hell is going on in here? What did YOU do to my baby boy?" yelled Chichi as Goku came in to try and calm her down.

"Relax Chichi," said Bulma. "The bracelet was killing your son. We had to amputate his hand to get it off, but I reattached his hand. He'll get full mobility in his hand very soon."

"Oh, well thank you Bulma," said Chichi as she sat on the other side of her son's bedside. She looked to the man holding her son's hand tenderly. "You really love my son, don't you Trunks?"

"With all my heart Chichi," he said as he smiled at her.

"That's all he wanted, isn't it? For me to realize how much you love him."

"Yeah, and he doesn't want to lose your love. He just wants peace between the three of us."

"I understand, and I truly believe I can learn to accept how much you love my son. I just know I'll never be able to convince my dad."

"All he ever wanted was your approval Chichi. He loves you so much."

"I love him to," she said a she looked to her sleeping son and then to her husband, who's hand was resting on her shoulder.

Goten opened his eyes to see his family and Trunks' family in the room. He smiled. "Is it just me or has this room gotten smaller?"

"Goten!" said Chichi as she hugged her son. "I'm so glad you're all right."

"How do you feel son?" asked Goku.

"A little tired but I can feel my hand," he said as he inspected it closely. "There are no scars, not even a hint of any kind of procedure done on my hand."

"Well they don't call me brilliant for nothing," said Bulma.

"Thanks Bulma, you saved my life and my hand."

"I'm just glad you're ok sweetie."

"Hey, what about me? I'm the one who cut off your hand and now that I say it out loud, it doesn't make sense," said Trunks.

Goten leaned in and kissed Trunks tenderly on the cheek and laughed. 'Don't worry Trunks I'll find some other way to thank you,' he smirked.

'I like the way you think chibi, and I'm holding you to it.'

"Well I think we should let Goten get some sleep," said Bulma as everyone left the room accept for Trunks.

"You're going to stay with me, aren't you Trunks?"

Trunks smiled at his mate. "Forever chibi," he said as Goten made room for him to lie down beside him.

Wrapping his arms around the raven-haired man, he felt wanted, needed, and loved. He couldn't imagine what his life was like before Goten came into the world, but he knew how lucky he was because he never imagined he would love someone so much or that he would even be loved in return. He smiled as tears ran down his face. He looked to his sleeping chibi. 'I love you Goten, my chibi,' as he kissed him tenderly on the forehead before he closed his eyes to dreams.

The two demi-saiyans slept in peace, holding one another in a tender embrace. They were unaware of what the future held for them, but they would face the world together like they always had from the day they were born until they met their unknown ends.

For now good dreams filled their heads and the world beyond their room didn't exist. Their love was all that mattered.

(THE END)