A/N: So, here it is at long last, the birth. I hope you enjoy it.

The moment was almost here.

Lazuli's due date was still another week away, but she expected the baby to arrive anytime between now and then. Trunks had been three days early and so the Android anticipated a similar outcome and if she was being honest, she couldn't wait for it to happen. It had been a long and gruelling nine months and she was ready for it to be over. As scared as she was at the prospect of becoming a mother and having to raise a child, Lazuli was excited to finally hold her daughter in her arms. Not the first time, she wondered what her daughter would look like: she was bound to have blue eyes, but what colour would her hair be? Blonde? Lavender? A mix of the two? Whose personality would she take after? Trunks' quiet intellectual or Lazuli's sarcastic, take-no-crap attitude? There were so many possibilities and the Android was eager for the journey to begin.

The thought of actually giving birth still scared Lazuli, but with Trunks and Bulma's help, she had slowly come to terms with it; even Videl surprisingly threw in some helpful advice, something Lazuli never expected from the woman, yet she appreciated it all the same. Pan was also excited for the baby to arrive, seeing it as a chance to have someone else like her that she could grow up with. When she rattled off plans she wanted to do with the baby once it was older, it brought a smile to Lazuli's face that she was able to give something to the child after taking so much away from her. But more importantly, the Android saw the baby as her way to make up for her sins, especially towards Trunks, who had unexpectedly granted her forgiveness during one of their quieter moments together, an act that had quite a sobering effect on Lazuli.

Speaking of Trunks, when he wasn't being caring and supportive, he annoyed her with his over-helpfulness, which practically bordered on insanity and paranoia. At times it was sweet to have him so worried about her and the baby, but other times, it frustrated her that he constantly hovered and was always doing something for her and more than once, Lazuli had to remind the half-Saiyan that just because she had a watermelon for a stomach didn't mean she was an invalid and she was quite capable of doing things herself. Trunks often apologised, but sooner or later, he'd slip back into the habit. Nowadays, Lazuli simply allowed it because nothing would get through his thick skull anyway.

The days seemed to drag on, inching painfully slow towards the due date and despite having learnt to deal with the uncomfortableness of pregnancy, Lazuli was impatient for the baby's arrival; she just wanted the whole thing to be over with, she had so much pent-up restlessness from being unable to do much of late and now as the due date crept closer, that restlessness became apparent.

Which, when a tremor passed through her body early that morning, was how she eventually ended up in the gravity room, having forced Trunks into the chamber with her as she sought to hurry the process along.

"We're going to what?" Trunks asked in disbelief.

"We're going to spar," Lazuli said patiently for what felt like the hundredth time. She also didn't want to tell him about the contractions, not yet, only because they were still irregular and she knew it wasn't time to go the hospital. "Being cooped up in the house all the time, unable to do anything is really getting to me and I'm over it. The boredom is killing me."

"And you think sparring is the best way to go about it?"

She shrugged. "I've tried all other options."

"This is ridiculous," Trunks said. "I'm not going to spar with you; I don't want to hurt the baby."

"Fine. Then you won't object to me kicking your ass."

She launched at him and swung her fist; he barely dodged in time. "Lazuli, come on, let's not do this. What if we risk doing something to the baby?"

"You didn't say no for all those special nights," she said as she snapped out a kick. He neatly deflected it.

"Not entirely a lie. I just felt it was awkward, that's all. What if she's traumatised as a result?"

Lazuli rolled her eyes and threw another punch. He dodged again and that's when she felt it again; another contraction. She paused, waiting for the next contraction to strike, while Trunks watched her curiously. Nothing happened after a few minutes, which meant they were still irregular.

"Are you okay?" Trunks asked. "Nothing's…happening yet…is it?"

"Are we going to spar or not?" she demanded instead when Trunks dodged her swings. "We don't have to go all out."

"Laz, no."

"Just humour me, will you? I haven't been able to train in four months and it's entirely your fault, so you will shut up and put up."

Trunks sighed wearily. "Fine, but five minutes, nothing too strenuous and then we're done, alright?"

"Thank you."

They sparred lightly, both holding back, although Lazuli still had the edge on Trunks. As they threw punches and slowly moved around the gravity chamber (Trunks made sure to aim anywhere but her stomach, which mean he had to take a few hits), contractions continued to strike and somewhere in the back of Lazuli's mind, she realised that they were just starting to become regular.

The timing was correct. The baby was about to start her journey and for a split-second, the startling realisation of what was taking place dawned on Lazuli: it was happening!

With two powerful blows, she ended the sparring session with Trunks and he winced from the strength of her punches. "Was that really necessary?"

"You were way open," Lazuli commented lightly and then she hissed, clutching at her stomach, which instantly caught the half-Saiyan's attention and he instantly forgot his own pain.

"Is it starting?"

"It's been happening ever since three this morning," Lazuli replied, exiting the gravity chamber. "It's only just now the contractions have become regular."

"What?! And you're only telling me this now? We should've been at the hospital already!"

The Android rolled her eyes. "They would've just sent us home because the labour hadn't established yet…do you even listen to the midwives when they explain this stuff?"

"Oh," Trunks said abashedly. "It…slipped my mind…but does that mean we're going now?"

He had followed her to their room and she let out a long-suffering sigh as she grabbed her prepared bag. "Yes, genius, that means we are."

"Oh…oh Kami. It's actually happening! MOM!"

The half-Saiyan rushed off in search of his mother to tell her the news, leaving Lazuli with her thoughts as she made her way to the living room to wait. Was she ready? She wasn't entirely sure, but it wasn't like she had a choice: the baby was coming now and she started a few breathing exercises to prepare herself for the upcoming birth.

Bulma hurried into the living room, her face lit with excitement, while Trunks raced about in the background, trying to make sure everything was ready and basically not panic.

"So, the baby's coming?" Bulma asked as she sat beside the Android and took her hand, rubbing soothing circles onto the back of her hand. "Excited?"

"To be honest, I've been waiting for this day to come and now it's here…I feel unprepared," Lazuli admitted. "It's like all of my insecurities are coming to the forefront and…I'm scared."

"It's okay," the scientist said calmly. "Trust me, I know exactly where you're coming from and you don't have to worry; I'll be here with you every step of the way, if you wish."

Lazuli smiled. "Thanks, Bulma. I appreciate it."

"Great. So, how about we head to the hospital and soon meet the bundle of joy?"

-X-

It was hard to tell who was suffering from nerves the most, as Bulma observed Trunks and Lazuli. Her son was visibly fretting, a far cry from his usual calm and practical self. He paced, he wrung his hands, he was constantly checking that the overnight bag was packed and everything was ready, even though he could easily fly home if they'd forgotten something. Even when Lazuli snapped at him to calm down, it was only a matter of time before anxiety reclaimed its hold on him. It did make Bulma smile a little, to see her son care so deeply about the impending birth and as much as she tried not to hold it against Vegeta, a tiny part of her was still upset he was never present at Trunks' birth.

Lazuli, on the other hand, appeared to be the very face of composure, but Bulma watched the Android and could see the signs of nervousness, recognising them as concerns she had gone through herself when she was pregnant with Trunks and was ready to give birth. It was easy for Bulma to put herself in Lazuli's shoes, remembering the fear that crept in, no matter how many books she'd devoured on the subject. Bringing a child into the world required a great deal of fortitude and Bulma could only hope that Lazuli was ready for the difficult task ahead. As excited as she was to meet her granddaughter, the scientist knew it wasn't about her and the young couple before her required her attention more than her own anticipation.

When Lazuli and Trunks were finally escorted to the maternity ward, Bulma stayed back, knowing that she couldn't intrude unless they asked and she respected their need for privacy. Instead, she settled into a chair with some gossip magazines and began the waiting process.

-X-

The midwife came in every so often to check on Lazuli, checking to see how the labour was progressing and while it initially made the Android feel uncomfortable, after the first few hours, she was completely fine with it. It was during the second labour that the midwife, after discussing it with Lazuli, broke the water, bringing on stronger contractions, although the Android refused any pain-relief. On the plus side, Trunks had started to calm down from his initial fretting and was now watching the television as a way to pass the time.

"Did you ever think that one day you'd be in the maternity ward with the being who ruined your life as you prepare to bring a baby into the world together?" Lazuli asked once the midwife had left.

Trunks raised an eyebrow, turning his attention away from a wacky game show. "It wasn't something I gave a lot of thought to, no. The only time I thought about you was when I tried to figure out how to destroy you."

"It's funny how it's all turned out. You and me, once mortal enemies, now lovers and soon-to-be parents. It's…definitely not something I'd ever expected. You were such a nuisance all those years ago, still are actually, and strange as it may sound…my hatred of you is what made this possible."

"That might not be the best story to tell our daughter when she asks how we met," Trunks squirmed slightly. "Daddy killed Mommy and Mommy hated him so much, it helped in her resurrection, but it all turned out good in the end. No more hatred."

"Are you suggesting we…lie about it?"

"Well, do you want to tell her that you once killed three-quarters of the world's population? I know my father has killed millions of people, but I was never outwardly told about it until I was an adult and even when I did meet my father, he never spoke about it."

Lazuli tilted her head to the side as she gave it some thought. "True. That's something that can wait until she's an adult. But that aside, does none of this seem surreal to you? Like you said, I nearly killed the world…I've murdered people close to you, even nearly killed you a few times and now…I'm about to have your baby."

"If you want me to be honest about it, then yes, I'll admit that sometimes I do find it bizarre," Trunks said. "I spent my entire life wanting to destroy you and my childhood was consumed by hatred as a result. The past is the past and I much rather focus on a peaceful future. So while this is not the outcome I expected, given our history, it's one I can be content with."

"I just want our child to see and be the best of us," Lazuli said as another contraction tore through her. "Especially me. I want her to be the best that I could never be, I want her to have the life that I never let you have and I hope that she never knows of misery or suffering."

"Don't sell yourself short, Laz; you've been doing wonderful-"

"I have so much blood on my hands, Trunks, that I often question myself about whether I'm fit to raise a child. And I know what you're going to say, so don't start. But maybe it's because I have seen and caused so much terror that I can raise this child; I know the path she should be directed towards and I can guide her."

Trunks moved to her side and took her hand, repeating the same soothing patterns that his mother had done hours earlier. "We're going to be fine, Laz, we're going to be fine. We can only strive to do our best and that's what matters. As long as our child is happy and healthy, we will be fine."

"I know," Lazuli said, laying her head on his shoulder. "I worry a lot."

"Then you'll be a good mother. Mine worries all the time."

The Android smiled softly. "True." Another contraction struck. "All I know is that I'm excited to meet our daughter. Anxious too, but mostly excited."

"Me too," Trunks said, her warmth calming his hyperactive nerves. "We're going to be okay. I know our past is terrible, but we're doing something good here. The start of a new chapter."

"Our little bundle of joy, representing the future," Lazuli murmured.

"Yeah."

"What do you think Gohan would think about all this? Your father?" she asked after a moment.

Trunks paused as he gave it some thought. "I think Gohan would be excited to meet the baby; he'd see it as another protector of the world and I imagine he'd be like an uncle to her. As for my father…well, he might be happy to see the Saiyan royal bloodline continue, regardless of the fact that you're the child's mother. I would like to think he'd warm up to the baby."

"Hm."

"What about your brother? What would he think?"

"Well, at first, he wouldn't be happy about it at all, but perhaps like your father, he'd come to accept it. He can be such a child and he'd act like he doesn't have emotions, but I think he would come to dote on the child. I think he'd make a great uncle; he just wouldn't show it if he could help it."

"Fair enough."

They remained in comfortable silence together, watching the game show, both thinking about the impending arrival in their own way. The midwife returned and Trunks shuffled off the bed as she disappeared between Lazuli's legs for another examination.

"Well, it appears you are fully dilated," the midwife announced when she reappeared. "Do you feel the need to start pushing?"

"Yes, actually, yes I do," Lazuli replied and her heart hammered in her chest; she knew this was it.

"Alright, I'll get the doctor and we can actually start the birth."

She left and Lazuli reached out to Trunks, who took her hand and squeezed it tight. She responded in kind, although her stronger grip made him wince, but he hid it well.

"Ready?" the half-Saiyan asked.

"As I'll ever be."

-X-

"Bulma."

The scientist looked up from her magazine as 16 approached her, Pan and Videl by his side.

"Is it true? Is it really happening?" Pan asked excitedly. "The baby is coming?"

"Yes, she is," Bulma replied with a fond smile. "I hope it's not too much longer; I've been here for hours. Where's Tapion?"

"He has gone to tell Ocarin of the news," 16 replied. "He was quick to leave; I assume it was less to do with the excitement of the news and more to do with the fact that I discovered him with Zangya."

Bulma raised an eyebrow. "Is that bad? She's reformed, isn't she?"

"It was a compromising position."

"Oh," the scientist flushed when realisation set in. "Oh! Well…um…that's not really…any of my business…as long as he's careful with her…Videl, you're looking great!"

Videl frowned. "I'm wearing casual clothes."

"Right. Want to get some coffee?"

"Can I go see Trunks?" Pan asked.

"No, sweetheart," Videl replied. "We'll have to wait until he's ready to see us, okay?"

The young child reluctantly nodded and followed her mother and the scientist to the coffee machine. As she spoke with Bulma, Videl couldn't help but feel a tinge of resentment at the thought of Lazuli giving birth. While she had given the Android some advice during the pregnancy and the pair had buried the hatchet (Lazuli apologised for Gohan's death and although Videl still hadn't accepted it, she tried to put the past behind her), she could never forget how much she'd lost at the hands of the Androids and how hard it'd been to rebuild once they were gone. She put on a brave face for the sake of her daughter, who appeared to look up to Lazuli; Videl simply decided that as long as the Android wasn't threatening to Pan, she'd allow their interactions and Lazuli did seem to have Pan's best interests at heart. It was more than Videl expected, but right now, despite her tiny bitterness (she would've loved a big family), she knew the focus couldn't be on her, but on the couple in the hospital room, ready to bring a new life into the world.

-X-

At 9:07 pm, she came screaming into the world.

During the labour, Lazuli continued to refuse any pain-relief medication and she took on the pain with ease, knowing the reward at the end of the journey. Of course, she practically crushed Trunks' hand and cursed him more than once, but the half-Saiyan bore it for her sake. Regardless of what he was going through, it was nothing compared to the agony Lazuli was in, so he refused to complain.

After what seemed like ages of the physically draining event, the doctor called for Lazuli to give one last push and a shrill scream pierced the room. It was a cacophony, only proving that their newborn daughter had a healthy set of lungs and once the ordeal was over, Lazuli slumped against the pillows, her body somnolent and Trunks brushed her sweat-soaked hair from her forehead as he pressed a gentle kiss to her while their baby was checked over.

"You did it," he whispered to her, his voice full of proud admiration and…dare he even say it…love.

"Did you…expect…any less?" Lazuli panted, her eyes following the doctor's every movement as he and the midwife cleaned and wrapped the now-quiet girl.

"Congratulations," the doctor announced as he laid the baby into Lazuli's waiting arms. "You have a healthy baby daughter."

Trunks had faced down countless villains, been beaten to within an inch of his life and even died, but none of it compared to this moment. He stared at his squirming daughter, his heart filled with so much fatherly pride and love at the sight of his newborn that it was overwhelming. Nothing mattered more than the tiny child lying on her mother's chest and already, he was mentally swearing to protect his daughter to his last breath.

As her strength slowly returned, Lazuli observed her tiny daughter, oblivious to everything else around her (including the aftermath clean-up and Trunks). She was in awe of the baby, an indescribable feeling swelling inside her and she felt pride at successfully birthing her child. A mother's love consumed her heart and Lazuli snuggled the baby closer to her body, wanting to maintain the contact. She had something that was actually hers, something she could be proud of; right now, nothing else mattered to the Android; it was all about her daughter.

"Excuse me," the doctor interrupted the bonding family, a pen and paper in hand. "Sorry to interrupt, but do you have a name for the little girl?"

"We do," Trunks replied and with Lazuli focused completely on their daughter, he continued. "It's Azure. Azure Briefs."

"Beautiful," the doctor said as he wrote it down. "And again, congratulations."

-X-

Bulma was on cloud nine as she cuddled her previous granddaughter and the feeling of the precious life within her arms almost made her want to weep with joy. A small part of her wished that Vegeta was here to see Azure, but the thought was mostly forgotten simply due to the child's presence. And in her eyes, Lazuli was exonerated of her past; even though the Android had taken so much away, she had given it back in the form of Azure. The scientist was also proud of her son for giving her this moment and she felt so much adoration for everyone involved, especially little Azure.

"She is so precious," Bulma murmured, touching Azure's hand with her index finger and the baby's tiny fingers curled around it. "I can't believe I'm finally a grandmother."

"She is strong," 16 observed. "I can sense great potential within her."

"Of course," Lazuli smirked. "She is my daughter."

"Being of royal blood probably helps too," Trunks stated.

"Even better; that means she's a princess."

"A cute little princess," Bulma smiled, unable to tear her eyes away from the precious gift.

Trunks couldn't help his smile at the sight of his mother holding his daughter. He shared the smile with Lazuli and for once, he felt truly content and peaceful with life. For so long, his life had been a pit of darkness and despair and he'd been slowly crawling out of the pit and now with Azure in his life, the moment finally shined a gleaming light of hope that washed away the darkness.

A/N: Wiki description of azure: 'The color azure ultimately takes its name from the intense blue mineral lapis lazuli'. Instead of the usual underwear connection to Bulma's family, I decided to make the connection to Lazuli as something different. And I think it's a nice, fitting name too.