As the weeks flew by and her pregnancy progressed, the full realisation of what she was doing struck Lazuli as the changes to her body became apparent. Her once perfectly trimmed stomach had swelled to the size of a melon and by now, she could definitely feel the baby's movements, feeling it kick at random moments. Of course, sometimes, it would decide to kick when she tried to sleep, which somewhat annoyed her at times, but Trunks found it to be a delight. Whenever they relaxed together, he would have either his hands or his ear on her stomach to feel their child's swimming around inside her. Lazuli had to admit, it filled her heart with warmth to see Trunks act so tenderly with her, the unabashed looks of joy he wore as he spoke to her stomach at night.

At times, she struggled to wrap her mind around the fact that she would soon bring a life into the world, a direct contrast to her past and she wondered if it was a role she was fit for. The doubt crept in every now and again as days went by, leaving Lazuli in a state of confusion at times. She wanted nothing more than to give this child an excellent chance at life and in essence, give back to Trunks what she had taken away from him; but at the same time, she was scared for the child's future, scared that she would fail at being a mother, scared that she could never measure up to Trunks' reassurances that she would be a great mother. Even now, as her body changed to accommodate the growing baby, Lazuli still struggled to imagine herself in the role. All she had, really, was Trunks' word and all he had to go by was assumptions. It was no guarantee and that's what she wanted: a guarantee that she could perform in this role.

"A zeni for your thoughts?" Trunks interrupted her musings.

Lazuli scoffed. "I demand more than a single zeni for my thoughts. I am high-end, after all."

"Well, I'm broke, so no can do."

"Aw, tragic," she smirked playfully and then she turned sombre. "Hey, uh, have you…have you thought of names yet? Because that is a thing we definitely have to do."

"Oh…right," Trunks realised and she mentally palmed her face. "Sorry, I've been busy putting the baby's room together. What colour should we paint it?"

"How about we hold off until we get it confirmed at the ultrasound tomorrow. So, names?"

Trunks hesitated. "Uh…I did toy around with the idea, if it's a boy, that I might name him after either my father or Gohan. I haven't finalised the thought, but it was something I tossed around."

Lazuli contemplated the idea; she barely knew Vegeta, so she wasn't keen on that name and as much as she regretted killing Gohan (now), it didn't seem right to give that name to her child either. She couldn't imagine that it would please either Videl or Pan, so she mentally nixed the name. Now it was a matter of telling it gently to Trunks that she wasn't naming their child after her victim.

"What about you?" Trunks asked, unknowingly sparing her. "I have seen you reading that book of names a few times now; anything's stuck?"

"You mean the ones I've found appealing or the ones your mother's suggested?"

"Either. Both."

"She's given me a few, like Boxer, Bulla and Garter," the Android replied, making a face. "For me, so far, I like the name Marron. It sounds nice and peaceful."

"Perhaps we should make a huge list and whittle it down," Trunks suggested. "I'm sure something will stick. We have plenty of time to find the right name for him."

Lazuli cocked an incredulous eyebrow "Him? You're keen on a boy, aren't you?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'll have no problems if it's a girl, but…you know…a son."

Again, she scoffed. "Need I remind you that I have kicked your ass so many times that I've lost count. Girls are tough. Look at Pan; she's a little spitfire. If it's a girl, I'll make sure she can take on the world if she has to."

"Regardless, boy or girl, our child will be powerful," Trunks smiled fondly at the possibility. "I'm really looking forward to it."

Lazuli looked pensive. "You're not…scared?"

"Of what?"

"That we won't be able to provide for it? That we won't be good enough? That we might fail it?"

"Still worried?" Trunks asked patiently.

She bit her lower lip. "I try not to be, but some days…it just creeps up on me. Sometimes, it's really easy for me…it's not like I've had a fairly innocent life that I can impart onto our child. How does someone with so much blood on their soul, willingly, give a child the life they deserve?"

"You just do, regardless of your past," Trunks said. "I know it can define you, but that doesn't have to be absolute. You can read all the books you want on how to be a perfect parent, but I don't think it really works like that. It's not something that's set in stone."

"That's too bad. It'd make it a lot easier if it was. Then again, this is the child of a formerly murderous Android and a half-Saiyan; nothing about it will be easy."

Trunks huffed in amusement. "You're not wrong. Now, did you want to argue about the placements in the nursery?"

"It wouldn't be an argument if you simply listen to me," Lazuli smiled, trying to let her mind ease on the terrible thoughts. Trunks seemed to be an influence in that regard, always trying to make sure she didn't wallow too much in her past and she appreciated it. "The way I had it set was perfect. Your layout is haphazard at best."

"It's efficient."

"Listen, I'm an Android. I know all about efficiency."

Trunks could only laugh.

-X-

Trunks was nervous. This wasn't the first ultrasound he'd been to (it had been quiet from the Time Nest ever since Demigra, which meant Towa was keeping a low profile and he didn't know if he should be pleased or worried), but this was the moment when they would learn the gender of their baby. He honestly couldn't decide which he would prefer; as long as the child was healthy, that was the only thing that really mattered to him.

"Calm down," Lazuli told him, despite not looking up from her magazine.

"I'm fine," Trunks said. "I'm just…nervous…excited? I don't know."

"As long as it's healthy, that's all that matters," she said and then flicked her eyes at him. "One hundred zeni says it's a girl, though."

"You're on," he replied and checked his watch. "Why is it taking so long?"

"Patience, Trunks."

"Says the Android who isn't known for patience."

She shrugged without a care. "You try being pregnant and see how much patience you have."

"You never really had much patience even before the pregnancy."

"That sort of attitude doesn't make you very endearing to me, you know that right?"

Trunks opened his mouth to retort when he was interrupted by their names being called out. Forced to let her win the banter, Trunks joined her in the ultrasound room, as the sonographer prepared things as usual.

"And how are we today, Lazuli?" she asked as she set up her equipment.

"Can't complain," the Android shrugged casually. "Being unable to exert myself like I used to is starting to become a bother and now it's mostly couch sessions."

It wasn't that she couldn't train, but the fact that she couldn't push herself to her limits without fear of causing harm to the baby, which was a downside to the pregnancy thus far. Another downside was her increased appetite. Having never needed to eat before, only doing so when she went out for dinner with Trunks or simply felt like a snack, now she found herself constantly 'grazing', eating steadily throughout the day. Since she didn't require the nutrients herself, it was quite an inconvenience for her having to always remember to eat; it also annoyed her that as a being of unlimited energy, she couldn't convert that into energy for the child, forcing her to eat regularly.

But it was all about the end result, right? It was all to ensure the health of her child, to give them the best chance in life, a life that she was to have a hand in raising. It scared the Android, the thought of having to nurture and be responsible for a tiny individual that greatly depended on her.

She could do it, right?

"As long as you are taking care of yourself," the sonographer said as she smeared the gel on Lazuli's stomach. No matter how many times she'd done it, the Android would never get used to the coolness of the gel. "Now, shall we have a look?"

Every time he saw the black and white image appear on the screen, Trunks couldn't help but stare in amazement. That was his child and it filled him with an indescribable emotion just seeing even the slightest movement the baby made.

"Everything is looking great as always," the sonographer reported, witnessing the open joy and excitement cross the faces of the future parents (Trunks more so than Lazuli, but it was there in the Android's eyes).

"No…anomalies? Extra appendages?" Trunks couldn't help but ask. He had been born with a Saiyan tail, but it'd been removed not long after at his mother's request, something that didn't please his father at the time. Trunks wasn't sure what he would do if it was the same here.

"No, nothing like that," the sonographer answered. "I see no abnormalities. The baby is perfect so far. Now, since we are at that important week, do you wish to know the gender?"

Trunks and Lazuli briefly glanced at each other for the answer before the half-Saiyan replied. "Yes."

"Well, congratulations…it's a girl."

There was a brief moment of silence, then, Lazuli's face cracked into a wide smug grin. "Ha, I win!"

-X-

Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage of the forest, but it was enough for Tapion to see. Still, he remained alert with his other senses, his right hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Not a single sound sifted from within the depths of the forest, but that didn't mean he was entirely alone. No, he was here for a reason and as he floated gently through the maze of trees, he constantly checked over his shoulder, his paranoia slowly eating away at him.

Paranoia had never been a thing for Tapion when he lived on his home planet. He'd be care-free and happy…and then Hirudegarn happened and his entire life changed. Ever since he was freed from the Box, paranoia had been a constant friend to him and Tapion detested it, even though it was now a necessary part of his life. His time with the young Trunks in the alternative timeline had taught him to manage his paranoia in healthier doses and it made him open up again, regaining part of his former personality, something he'd always thank the young Trunks for.

Sometimes it amazed him at how different the two Trunks' are, but Tapion figured that's what happens when you live your life struggling to survive in a nightmare world.

A twig snapped and Tapion whipped his sword out, but it was only a deer and the animal quickly scampered at the sight of the Konatsian. He sighed and lowered his sword – and that's when the Psycho Threads suddenly materialised into existence.

Tapion narrowly darted out of reach and sliced the Threads to ribbons; he sensed movement and turned in time to block Zangya's boot with the flat of his blade. Once she saw it was him, an amused smirked graced her beautiful features and she floated back, her body lax.

"This is quite the surprise visit," the Hera mused. "Aren't I a lucky girl? What brings you here?"

The Konatsian opened his mouth to reply, but found he had no answer. Why did he seek out the Hera? He knew about her past, knew of her villainy and yet, she had come to assist them. Maybe he was curious about her motives?

"You helped us," Tapion voiced his thoughts. "You've obviously been hiding out here on Earth and you made the choice to aid us against Demigra. Why?"

"And this matters to you because why? Obviously you won, so I don't understand why you chose to chase after me about something that happened two months ago."

"You're not exactly an easy person to find. You keep your energy signature down to a bare minimum."

"The last thing I need is alerting emo boy and his robot girlfriend to my home sweet home. It's my own secret location and I don't want them knowing about it."

"That would explain the trap," Tapion realised, nodding to where the Psycho Threads had nearly ensnared him.

"So, again, what brings you out here?" Zangya interrogated.

"I need to know your motives. From what Trunks told me, you've been in hiding ever since Lazuli beat you up, staying out of sight and then all of a sudden, you come out to help and I need to know why, in case we have to rely on you again."

Zangya rolled her eyes. "Will you go away if I tell you?"

"I…guess."

"Great. I have been planning to take over the world ever since my defeat and I didn't want anyone stealing that chance from me. If anything, it proved that I've gotten stronger, but I'm not there yet. Oh and since you now know about my plan, I'm going to have to kill you."

Tapion immediately went into a stance, prepared to fight for his life. Zangya, on the other hand, continued to smirk at him until she burst out with laughter, something that confused the Konatsian. Still, he remained tense, just in case she was trying to lull him into a false sense of security.

"Relax; I'm kidding," Zangya smiled, but Tapion held his fighting stance and she rolled her eyes. "Geez, you are so serious. Do you even know how to relax? To laugh and have a joke?"

"I do, but you're not someone I could lower my guard around. I know about your past with Bojack and your gang, how you terrorised the galaxy and until I know your true intentions, I'm not relaxing around you."

"Well, I guess we'll have to change that," the Hera smirked, batting her eyelashes and the Konatsian recoiled. "Shall we go somewhere and talk?"

"What game are you playing, Zangya?"

"Isn't that why you sought me out in the first place? Put that sword away and come with me; you have my word that I won't harm you. It's the only way I will tell you anything, unless you can't bring yourself to trust me even just a little, in which case, you are free to go. So, swordsman, what will it be?"

Tapion wrestled with his decision. He needed to know what she intended to do if she was going to remain on Earth, if she ever intended to help out again, but he knew her violent past and he couldn't bring himself to trust her. But the safety of Earth was important to him, since he didn't want any tragedy to befall it like his home world and that meant keeping a check on any rogues like Zangya. In the end, he was content he could deal with her if he had to and so, he sheathed his sword.

Zangya smirked. "That's more like it; even makes you look more handsome," she added with a wink.

Tapion blushed furiously, but nonetheless, he followed her, wary of any further tricks.

-X-

Six months.

She was six months pregnant now and Lazuli was already over it. The fact that she still had three months to go didn't help improve her mood any better. She couldn't wait for the due date to arrive and she could get the baby out. She hated this bloated feeling, hated having to be extra careful whenever she did something, hated the look of her swollen abdomen. Even her unlimited energy was no match for the pregnancy and to her annoyance; she often found herself tired and heated, leading the Android to take prolonged rests.

Of course, this was simply her mood for the day. Another day, Lazuli would be happy and content, looking forward to the day of the birth, simply because she couldn't wait to hold the baby in her arms (the whole birthing process did scare her, regardless of Bulma's reassurances that everything would be fine). But sometimes, Lazuli would catch her appearance in the mirror and bemoan her figure; she didn't enjoy wearing the maternity clothes, even though they were designer and she couldn't wait to reclaim her old figure, hoping that everything would go back properly to before the pregnancy. When she had one of those moods, Lazuli often blamed Trunks for her 'condition' (he rebuked that, claiming only 50% involvement. He had a point, but that didn't mean she had to like it), although he would reply, convincingly, that she was still appealing to him, no matter what. It was sweet, she supposed, that he was still interested in her even though she looked like a beach ball.

Today was one of those days where the Android didn't feel like doing anything, content to watch the television (it absolutely bored her, but what else could she do?) and feel the baby move under her skin. It was disconcerting at times, but Lazuli had grown used to it and could easily do nothing but feel the movements of her unborn daughter. She certainly had strength in her, given the forcefulness of her kicks sometimes and it only made Lazuli smile (or wince, but smile all the same, proud of her daughter's strength). The nursery had finally been completed, the walls painted in splashes of pink, yellow and white, containing everything they needed, along with numerous toys once the child got older. Trunks was determined to give his daughter the childhood he never had and Lazuli agreed with him, wishing to make up for being responsible for his terrible childhood. It was something that still upset her at times and when she entered one of those moods, it could take Trunks days to coax her out of it, not wishing to blame her when he rightfully could, wanting to focus instead on their impending arrival.

"Hey," Trunks' voice caught Lazuli's attention and she looked up at him, a salt and vinegar flavoured chip halfway to her mouth. "You alright?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "You ask me that at least five times a day, Trunks, and every time I answer the same: I'm fine."

"I know, but…I just wanna make sure everything is okay with you."

"Honestly? This sucks. I can't train or if I do, I can't push myself to my limits in case I hurt the baby and yes, I know it's quarter-Saiyan, but that doesn't mean I can risk it, and it's hard to do anything else while I'm like this. I can't wait for this to be over and just so you know, we are not doing this again. Once only."

Trunks did his best not to let his emotions show on his face at that. While the idea of becoming a parent was daunting and at times wondering if he could measure up to the challenging task (his mother kept reassuring him he would), he'd be lying if he said he didn't envision a healthy number of children. He himself would've loved a sibling and while he'd learnt to accept it, he couldn't imagine leaving his daughter as an only child, but Lazuli's word seemed to stop that dream short. Perhaps once the child was born and enough time had passed, he could convince her…maybe.

"Well, there is the Time Chamber," Trunks suggested, injecting humour into his tone to lighten the mood. "That's still on offer."

Lazuli glared at him. "Be easier for you, wouldn't it? There's only one thing to do in there and I can't do it, so it'll be three months of absolute boredom and I am so not doing that."

The half-Saiyan moved to her side, manoeuvring behind her and placed calming hands on her shoulders, doing his best to try and massage the mood out of her. "I get it; you're frustrated-"

"You have no idea," Lazuli said, tipping her head back as he hit a sweet spot that made her want to moan, but they were in the living room. Chances of interruption were low, but she didn't want to chance it. "That feels so good. My, you've gotten better at this."

"I've had time to perfect it," Trunks said, relieved that she sounded better already. Massages worked wonders on the Android, a fact that he'd unintentionally discovered and ever since then, he'd give her one whenever he could to make her feel better, working on his technique in the process. "You know what? We should go out tonight."

This time, Lazuli did roll her eyes. "Yes, because that's what everyone wants to see: a walking, talking beach ball."

"Laz, come on, it's not that bad."

"Easy for you to say; you're not the one who's pregnant."

"I still think you're beautiful. You always have been and you being pregnant is no different. The fact that you're carrying my child makes you all the more irresistible to me."

"I guess massages aren't the only thing you're getting better at. Been watching cheesy rom-coms, have we?" Lazuli smirked, her head dipping forward as she gave herself up to the kneading of his hands. They really worked wonders on her and it amazed her at his skill.

"So, what do you say?" Trunks continued. "You and me, tonight for dinner."

"Hmm, do I even have anything to wear?"

"You have that black dress. You know, the one-shoulder piece that looked perfect on you?"

"Yes, but I wore that a month ago and our child has the appetite of a Saiyan."

"It's stretchy material. It'll fit you just fine."

Lazuli shot a glare over her shoulder, but sighed in contentment as his hands continued to work their magic on her sensitive skin. "Fine. It's a date. But if I don't fit the dress, we're ordering in."

"It's a deal," Trunks replied and he pressed a gentle kiss to the base of her neck, causing her to shiver.

-X-

It was surprising to Zangya at how much she looked forward to it. When she first brought Tapion to her secret home, a lavish tree-house (tree-mansion as Tapion put it) that she built deep in the heart of the forest, the Hera was concerned that the Konatsian would either snitch her location to Trunks or even kill her if he saw her as threat. But she had kept her word to not harm him and while Tapion didn't exactly relax in her home, he at least listened to her and…it'd been nice. The only time anyone listened to Zangya was if it involved battle strategies or how to best kill someone; if she was being honest, she missed those days, roaming the galaxy, killing or claiming whoever or whatever she wanted. Then the Kais got involved and imprisonment surprisingly didn't work wonders for anyone, least of all Bojack. He was so focused on revenge that he didn't care much for anything else, not even Zangya, unless it was something to do with his revenge or his rule on Planet Sadal.

But Tapion, he listened to her intently as she explained that she was done with her previous life and simply content to live out her life on Earth; where she'd chosen to live was quite beautiful and it gave her a sense of peace and serenity she had never experienced before, even on Sadal. And it was true, she did want to live her life in peace, something that went against her entire being, but after being defeated and spared by Lazuli, the Hera initially wanted revenge, until her time in solitude slowly changed her outlook on life. As she explained to Tapion, the only reason she came to help Demigra was because she didn't want her isolation to be threatened by the powerful Demon Wizard and while she could've remained hidden, Zangya decided to be pro-active and lend a hand, reasoning that the more people that help, the better their chances at defeating him.

Tapion seemed to accept this and soon left not long after, although Zangya spent the next few days worried that he would tell Trunks; she wasn't scared of the half-Saiyan by any means (sure, he was far more powerful than her and that gave her concern), but the less he knew where she resided, the better she could sleep at night. It was only when Tapion surprisingly reappeared a week later and told her that he hadn't told Trunks about her or even his visit that her fears were assuaged.

But then, Tapion kept returning, at least once a week and at first, Zangya didn't know how to deal with it. She wasn't used to people voluntarily wanting to see her; she was used to them fleeing once they learnt of their fate. In fact, during the third visit, Zangya decided to flat-out ask him.

"Why do you keep coming back here?"

Tapion was taken aback by the question and became flustered as he did his best to answer, a rarity for him. "Maybe…maybe I just want to talk to someone…like me."

"Like you?"

"Yes. We're both aliens. Trunks is half-Saiyan, but he passes for human and he's spent his entire life on this planet. We're both the last of our race and while we could blend with the anthropomorphic people, we are still aliens at our core. I just thought…we have that in common…perhaps there's more in common that we could find."

"What are you getting at?" Zangya questioned, her eyes narrowed.

"Friendship," Tapion replied. "I'm offering it to you, if you want to take it. We're both loners, a cause of our past, but we don't have to be alone. You don't have to be alone, Zangya."

"And if I don't want it?"

"Then I will leave you alone. You don't have to accept it; the choice is completely yours. I'm just giving you an option." Zangya remained silent, chewing over her decision. Tapion waited patiently, but as the silence between them grew, he turned towards the door. "I understand if you wish to be alone to make your decision; I was once in your position."

Just as he was about to leave, he heard Zangya call out to him. "Wait!" He tentatively turned around and the Hera took a step towards him. "It wouldn't be so bad, this friendship thing you're talking of. I wouldn't be totally opposed to it. It's nice here, but it does suck being alone all the time. So…do you want to stay?"

A smile broke out on Tapion's face. "I'd be happy to."

Since then, Zangya greatly enjoyed his visits, as it gave her something to look forward to and it even encouraged her to venture out and make her tree-house as homely as she could, as well as try her hand at things she normally wouldn't do, like expanding her cooking repertoire (as it was, she was limited to simply deer or fish cooked over an open flame) as a way to develop their growing friendship. The first time he tried one of her dishes, Tapion was surprised at her skill (his response brought out a genuine smile on Zangya's face and he found himself thinking he'd do anything to keep her smiling like that), and as a result, he would bring recipes to her, even ones from his mother as best he could remember, joining Zangya in the culinary efforts.

She had to admit, it was nice that someone actually wanted to talk to her and just simply be her friend, listening to her without asking for anything in return and for the first time in her life, Zangya truly felt like she had a place she could finally call home.