A/N: Once again, thank you for all the reviews, faves and follows. Just a warning for this chapter, but there is implications of possible abortion, if that makes some people uncomfortable, but otherwise, all good to go.

Trunks' head spun as he struggled to process the news. "Uh, what?"

"I second that," Lazuli added. "What? Pregnant? You have got to be joking, Bulma. It's impossible."

Bulma showed them the scan that revealed the tiny blip in Lazuli's abdomen. It was tiny, but there was no mistaking what it was and the colour drained from both Trunks' and Lazuli's faces.

Oh, Kami, no.

"No way," Lazuli said breathlessly. "It…it can't be…it can't be true. I'm an Android!"

"You are a human with cyborg enhancements. Your human parts are still intact and evidently, they still work," Bulma pointed out, her scientist side taking over since her emotions were going all over the place right now. She needed science to help her focus so she could come to grips with her life-altering discovery. She was going to be a grandmother!

Lazuli felt her entire world shattering as the news finally sunk in. She was pregnant. There was a baby growing inside her; her baby with Trunks.

Their baby.

She didn't know what to do, what to think, how to think, what to feel because she was feeling everything and nothing. Everything was conflicting against the other and it filled her mind with too much emotion. A baby. A baby! She had killed babies in the past, seeing them as weak, mewling creatures that humans were pathetically attached to, had even blown up a hospital just for kicks.

She couldn't have a baby. She had been a harbinger of death for so long, she couldn't be responsible for bringing a new life into the world. She didn't deserve the opportunity.

"Trunks, you're being silent," Bulma perceived. "Is there anything you want to say?"

So many thoughts screamed through Trunks' mind like a busy intersection at peak hour. He had so many things to say but couldn't find a single one to speak. In all honesty, he didn't know what to think; his mind was still spinning from the revelation and his chest felt tight, restricting his breathing, the beginning of a panic attack.

"Uh…I, uh…I need some air," he said finally and before either woman could stop him, he sped from the laboratory. Bulma sighed as her son disappeared and she looked at the Android.

"How are you holding up, Lazuli?"

"I think…I need some space for a while," Lazuli said, sifting through her tumultuous thoughts.

She too left the laboratory and Bulma dropped into her chair, sagging against the frame as she gazed at the scan again. 16 was hesitant about his place, but ultimately decided to give the scientist some space and he removed himself, leaving Bulma alone.

When she first discovered she was pregnant, Bulma had been terrified at first because she didn't think she'd be capable of raising a child, especially Vegeta's child. But as the weeks progressed, the fear gave way to eagerness and delight (and disappointment since Vegeta had wanted nothing more with her upon learning the news) and she took it upon herself to learn everything she could about birthing and raising a child. Childbirth had scared her initially, but she didn't let that deter her and the first time she saw her baby on the ultrasound, Bulma had burst into tears of joy, unable to believe that it was her baby and she couldn't wait to meet him.

The day Trunks was born was the greatest day of Bulma's life, marred only by Vegeta's refusal to be there for the birth (she ultimately didn't let it get to her; her baby boy was delivered safe and healthy and that was all that mattered).

And now, her baby boy was all grown up and Bulma was about to become a grandmother. Just like when she first learnt of her own pregnancy, the news came as an unexpected shock and now she was processing it. The thought of a grandchild thrilled her, but at the same time, it was also Lazuli's child and Bulma was apprehensive about the whole thing. The Android had become virtually a different person, but Bulma wasn't sure if she had a maternal bone in body. Hell, she was now concerned that the Android might not even go through with the pregnancy.

It would break Bulma's heart if that became true.

-X-

A baby.

He was going to be a father.

He had not a single clue about fatherhood.

Wind whipped around Trunks from his position atop a skyscraper, the people below scurrying about like ants as he struggled to with the world-changing news.

In all honesty, Trunks didn't know what to think. Something like this had never crossed his mind and even if it had, it wouldn't have been like this. In the peacetime between the Androids' defeat and Cell's, Trunks had considered the possibility of finding someone to settle down with and eventually raise a family. It was all meant to be planned, a gradual plan, something to work his way towards. But as far as plans go, they never went accordingly.

It was sudden, too sudden for him and that wasn't the only thing that he thought about, but also who he was expecting the child with: his childhood nightmare that had just become his girlfriend (it was also the first time Trunks thought of Lazuli like that and wasn't that another train of thought to be dissected?). He had just agreed to enter into a proper relationship with Lazuli and now they were suddenly expecting a child, thrusting them into a position he was sure neither was ready for.

In his mind, it was one thing to date the being responsible for his horrible childhood, but it was a completely different thing to have a child with her. Then again, he should know better, after the number of times they'd copulated without protection, it was bound to happen. He just never really gave it much thought since she was an Android and now he was facing the consequences. When he agreed to make the relationship official, Trunks never thought it'd come to this point so soon or even at all: yes, he was curious to know what a relationship between them would be like, yes he could admit he had some actual feelings for the Android that probably would've remained buried if she had never been absorbed by Cell because she was a completely different person to before and he wanted to know that person better and experience what a relationship was like.

The way Trunks figured, if it didn't work out, then it would be okay, it wouldn't matter too much and he wouldn't have to worry too much about how it would go. He hadn't given too much thought to the future and where they would end up (he'd never had the time), but now that Lazuli was pregnant, he would have to. Whether this would make or break them was a different story.

Even if he did want children, Trunks never would've thought that Lazuli would be the one to birth them. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that she'd be the one to be the mother to his child, especially after everything he'd gone through at her hands while growing up and had only just gotten into a position where he could be comfortable with actually dating her. He hadn't looked at it as anything long-term, but now with a child on the way…

He had a child on the way.

His child.

He was going to be a father. There was going to be a child that was his, that would call him "Dad", a child of Saiyan blood, a child that would actually have a father. While Trunks was scared that he'd be terrible at fatherhood, he also knew that he wouldn't be like his own father. As much as he loved and respected his father, Vegeta wasn't exactly a role model for fatherhood, but Trunks didn't hold that against the Saiyan Prince, given what he'd gone through as a child. But damn, what Trunks wouldn't give for any advice right now, if either Vegeta or Gohan were still around.

How does one deal with the news of expecting a child with someone they used to hate?

The layers of responsibility now weighed on Trunks' shoulders, but he knew he couldn't abandon this child. It was his, regardless of who the mother was, and he was going to do his absolute best to make sure this child didn't suffer the same horrors that he did. He accepted every responsibility that came with this new role and he intended to raise his kid to the best of his ability and be involved in every aspect that he could, no matter what.

But while he was willing to do that, Trunks began to wonder what Lazuli would be like as a mother. While she was not the cold and sadistic killing machine as before, he felt that she wouldn't take to parenthood as easily as he might and that wasn't a slight against her; that was how she was. He knew she wasn't entirely heartless, but this was something entirely else: this was being responsible for a life that depended completely on them and he could only hope that she wanted to join him in the challenge.

That is, if she wanted to go through with the pregnancy and the thought that she wouldn't want to clamped a cold hand around his heart and squeezed it tight.

-X-

Water lapped at the sand, waves rolling along the horizon and crashing against each other, the scenery an accurate representation of Lazuli's mind. She refused to look at her stomach, refused to acknowledge the life growing within her, even though it was all she could think about.

There was life within her body, a parasite that would use her body to grow and sustain itself and finally force its way out of her body like a scene from a horror movie. The imagery sent shudders through her and she felt repulsed by the whole concept.

All the more reason to somehow get rid of the child.

But there was a small part of her that simply refused to go through with that idea and Lazuli tried to ignore it entirely, but it was there in the back of her mind and rebuffed any attempt to shut it down.

Lazuli simply wasn't mother material; she could not see herself in that role in any way. There was too much blood staining her soul, a number of children among her victims and therefore she had no right to bring a life into the world when she had ended so many for her own sadistic pleasure.

How could she, a former scourge on the human race, be responsible for a baby?

She did not deserve the opportunity.

Lazuli caved in and looked down at her stomach. Training her senses, she could detect the small energy within her womb, a tiny spark, but she could already see the potential there. A child of her and Trunks' doing, a combination of them both. It was unfeasible that an Android could conceive, but she had unintentionally done just that and now she was conflicted over what to do next.

Did she want this child? The simple answer was no, basically because she did not want to be a mother and she couldn't justify any reason why she should when there were so many reasons why she shouldn't.

But there was that voice that she was trying so hard to ignore, pleading with her to please, please don't get rid of it, to please keep it, no doubt a result of her attempt at a new life. If she had been her old self, the blip in her body would no longer exist, but she wasn't that same person anymore and yet, Lazuli couldn't see herself as a mother; she wasn't fit for the role, but at the same time, she found herself wondering: would the child have her eyes or Trunks'? Her hair colour, his or a combination of the two? Boy or girl? What would their personality be like? How strong could they be when they grow up? Being part-Saiyan, would they be able to achieve Super Saiyan?

Lazuli gently traced her fingers over her stomach and she could feel the life there. The whole idea of raising a child seemed so domestic to her, something that rubbed the Android the wrong way, despite the fact she had entered into a relationship with Trunks. She had merely wanted to experience what it would be like, but never imagined that this would be the result. She had no long-term plan for the relationship, but now there was one if she chose to go through with the pregnancy.

She couldn't be this child's mother; it deserved someone better than her, someone who hadn't delighted in spilling blood for nearly two decades. How many young lives had she ended in her spree? Children who never got the chance to grow up and experience life because she had vaporised them for fun and here she was now with the prospect of a child of her own. It wasn't right, she had no right, she should not be allowed to continue this pregnancy.

And yet…

This child was innocent. This child had nothing to do with her bloody past and therefore was free of her sins. It didn't choose her as its mother; she had chosen to partake in its creation, however unknowing of the result, and now there could be a kid who would call her 'Mommy' and love her unconditionally, even though Lazuli felt she'd be terrible at being a mother, but her lips twitched at the possible joy the child could give her. The smile didn't last long as she fell back into her previous thoughts. But as much as she felt like she shouldn't have this child because she knew she couldn't give it everything it needed, she couldn't bear the thought of ridding it. She had killed too many children, their deaths weighing on her soul, so what right did she have to do the same here?

This child had done nothing wrong and while one soul couldn't make up for the countless others, perhaps her baby could be the start of something new, the true start of Lazuli's redemption. If she gave this kid a chance to live and experience life, even if she might be a terrible parent, then perhaps it could make up for the lives she had callously destroyed.

Lazuli sighed. Her child deserved better, but maybe it was possible. Maybe she could do this. If Trunks was willing to be on-board with her about this, then she could do it. She could give this child the best chance at life, unlike her victims. It wouldn't erase the blood, but it would be a start.

But would Trunks even want a child with her, despite making their relationship official? Would this push him away because the thought of raising a child with her repulse him? Lazuli couldn't imagine any other reaction from him and even if he was willing to go through with it…it sounded so promising that it actually made her heart feel heavy because she felt she couldn't provide that happiness for him.

The question remained the same: should she?

-X-

When Trunks returned home that night, his mind still comprehending the change to his life, he found the house was silent. Stretching his senses, he detected his mother in her lab and Ocarin out in the garden nursery where he liked to spend his nights. His stomach rumbled and he stepped into the living room on his way to the kitchen and Lazuli stood up from the couch. Trunks instantly stopped and surveyed the Android before him. Her body language was closed off to him, but he spotted the worry in her eyes as she set a blank mask on her face. He also glanced at her stomach and he could sense the tiny spark of energy within her.

Acknowledgement of the truth.

"Hey," Trunks said softly, unsure how to approach the heavy topic.

"Hey yourself," Lazuli returned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"How long have you been waiting?"

She shrugged. "Not long. I wasn't even going to wait, but sleep seems elusive."

He gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, I imagine it'd be hard to sleep with what's on our minds." She didn't respond and Trunks sobered up from his attempt at lightening the mood. "So…we need to talk about this."

"I don't think I should have this child," Lazuli said, her voice wavering.

His heart plummeted into his stomach and dread filled his chest, knocking the wind from him. "You don't want it?"

"I…I don't know. I am not fit to be a mother. I thought maybe I could try, but there is too much blood on my hands and I do not deserve to raise this child. I cannot provide for it. I can't give it the love it needs or deserves. That's just not who I am."

"If that is your decision," Trunks started, despite how much it pained him.

She looked at him, her eyes watery despite her best attempts to hold them back. "You don't want it?"

"No, that's not what I meant," he quickly clarified. Maybe there was still a chance. "I want this child, Lazuli, I do. But it's not entirely up to me. After all, it's your body and your decision. I can't force you to keep it if that's not what you want."

"And if I choose to go ahead with my decision…it would break us, wouldn't it?"

"…It most likely would," Trunks admitted. "But I will back you if that's your final decision."

Her lower lip trembled. "I…I don't know. I shouldn't – I have no right to bring a child into this world, me, of all people, I have no right and yet…a part of me…wants this. Wants to experience what it would be like…to have this child…to make up for all my past transgressions."

Hope, however miniscule, fluttered in his heart. "It's a clean slate, Laz. Look, I'm terrified about this. I have not a single clue on how to raise a child. I wouldn't know the first thing about being a father; I only got to know my own for two weeks and…that was an experience. But I'm willing to try and do my best to give this kid the best in life. It's a combination of you and me. We'll be fine."

"That might be a bad combination…after all, we're not exactly the best example of a perfect couple," Lazuli said with a small hint of a smile. "A child is the last thing I would've imagined to happen to us…what if I can't protect it? What if…I have my control taken from me again? What if…I can't love it?"

"That won't happen," he said resolutely. "You won't be capable of not loving it."

"How can you be so sure?" she demanded, her emotions in a flux. "How can you be so damn sure it won't happen? You're expecting a lot from me. Why? After everything."

"Yes, I know," Trunks said. "It seems strange, given our history, but in the past couple of months, with our dates, I've gotten to know the real you, Lazuli. You're not the same person as before and that's why I chose to date you. That's why I'm standing here, wanting to go through parenthood with you."

"I don't know why."

"Listen, my father was worse than you and at first, I couldn't understand why my mother fell for him, because he seemed so incapable of love, but I know that's not true. My father cared; he just acted like he didn't and I'm confident that this is no different. You'll love this child, Laz, with all your being. I can't see you not doing that."

A single tear ran down her cheek and his heart broke for her, wanting nothing more than to hold her and comfort her, but he held back.

"I want to believe you, but I don't think I can do this," Lazuli cried. "In what world am I fit to be someone's mother? I killed and I enjoyed it. Even after coming back from the dead, I didn't want to stop. How can someone so messed up raise an innocent child?"

"By doing the best you can," Trunks said, slowly approaching her. "There is no right way, no guaranteed path that will result in a perfect child. We will mess up and make mistakes, but as long as we do our best that we can, we can do this. I don't want to give up on our kid. Do you?"

He slowly reached for her and at first, Lazuli didn't want to seek comfort from him. But she took his hand, accepted the promise he was making to her and he pulled her into his arms, her head resting against his shoulder as he held her close, running soothing hands over her back. She sobbed, breaking down as her emotions finally became too much for her and he held her in her moment of vulnerability. She had always seemed so indestructible with her feelings and yet the prospect of raising a child terrified her to the point of her walls breaking down, putting her emotions on full display. He could admit he was terrified as well, but the Saiyan part of him saw it as a challenge and already, he could feel the protective instinct in his blood.

They stood there for however long, neither willing to break apart the hold that grounded them, realisation of what they were undertaking together settling in.

"You really think we can do this?" Lazuli asked, the tears having stopped even though her eyes remained wet. "Us two as parents? I never would've thought it'd ever happen. Surprise."

"I know. The shock still hasn't worn off," Trunks admitted. "I'm willing to take a shot, but if you still don't want it-"

"No, I do," the Android said, her mind set and she could only hope she could follow up her new conviction. "I've destroyed so many lives; the least I could do is let this one have a shot. I can't promise you that it's going to be perfect, not by any means, but I can try."

"That's all I ask," he responded and he pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. "It's not going to be easy, but I'm sure we can manage."

As they stood there, Trunks couldn't help but think about how much had changed between them. They had been sworn enemies, determined to kill the other and despite him succeeding, she had returned. The animosity had remained, but slowly, she changed and then the Chamber flipped everything upside-down between them. He had tried to deny his feelings by masking them with the horrors of the past, but then he nearly lost her and those feelings took over. He still couldn't believe that not only was he in a proper relationship with his former sworn nemesis, but they were now expecting a child together and about to start on their journey of parenthood.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to it.

"Hey," he gently coaxed after checking the time. "Perhaps we should get some rest. We've had a big day and you're going to need it."

"I'm going to be so fat," Lazuli murmured as he took her by the hand and led her towards his room, his hunger forgotten. "Would you still desire me even when I look like a beach ball?"

"Don't talk nonsense, it's not going to be like that," Trunks said as he guided her towards the en suite. "You're stunning and you'll still be stunning even when you look like a beach ball."

"Such a sweet talker."

They undressed and he set a warm shower, letting her go in first. She stood under the spray, seemingly lost in her thoughts as her hands rested on her stomach, her back to him. Understanding her turmoil, Trunks took it upon himself to take care of her and he began by washing her hair, massaging her scalp gently. She closed her eyes, basking in his touch as he washed the shampoo from her golden locks and set about lathing her body with soap. He took his gentle time, trying to ease the tension from her body. It was intimate, his body close to hers and he fought down his desire, knowing the time was not right for it and he doubled his focus on her, making sure she was taken care of. Once he was done, Trunks washed himself and turned the shower off, drying Lazuli off first. She let him, appreciating his effort and her heart fluttered at his tenderness with her, especially when his hands coasted over her stomach.

Trunks stopped, feeling the life beneath his palm and an indescribable feeling overtook him. Beneath his fingertips rested the life of his child and a small smile appeared on his face, something that Lazuli noticed and her hand came around to rest atop his.

"Our child," she whispered. "Are you still sure about this?"

"Completely," Trunks said and he kissed her forehead tenderly. "Come on, rest now."

He gave her one of his T-shirts and she climbed into his bed as he dressed and slipped in beside her. She delved into his arms, feeling comfortable and safe in his embrace, her stomach cocooned against his like his body was protecting their unborn child.

"Sleep," Trunks coaxed. "We still have a big day tomorrow."

"Yes," Lazuli agreed sleepily, her body relaxed from the shower. "We have to prepare."

He hummed in agreement, the pair soon falling asleep together in each other's arms.