~*****~

Marble did not want me to let her go. Not when Majin Buu was up here. Not when she could feel his monstrous energy this close. I hated this waiting game, waiting for the results of what Mars and Goten could achieve. Marble let out a squeal of terror as Majin Buu let out a very, very angry shout. "No more! No more waiting!"

"No, it's only been thirty minutes!" Piccolo exclaimed. "Wait! You won't have a challenge if you fight him now! The hour isn't over!"

Majin Buu simply extends his finger, and blows a hole through the Lookout. Majin Buu wags his finger at Piccolo in a teasing manner. "I'm done. I'm done waiting. I'm fighting. Come out!! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Marble screams against my neck as I take into the air, gaping as the Lookout flooring is being destroyed by his tantrum. I land back onto the lookout on shaky legs, backing up to the others.

"Okay. I'll take you to him. Let's go." Piccolo stated firmly. "It's this way." Piccolo began leading him into the temple. The rest of us gazed at one another before following after them at a safe distance.

"That's weird... Why doesn't Piccolo just bring out Goten and Mars?" Yamcha asks.

"You think they're actually gonna fight inside?" Krillen asks.

"If they do fight Majin Buu inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and the entrance is destroyed, then that dimension will be closed off from this one." Dende explains. "Even if Mars and Goten lose, Earth might still be saved. But whoever is left inside will be trapped, maybe forever."

"But--" I exclaim. Yamcha quickly covers my mouth with his hand.

"Don't--" He hisses.

I whimper against his palm and shove it off. "But we can't wish them back from another dimension, can we?" I ask in a shaky tone.

"The Dragon Balls are not bound by the limits of different dimensions. We will be able to wish them back, if they're killed." Dende says.

"Well, it sure seems like Piccolo has cooked up one mean strategy." Roshi mentions. My hips flinch forward as a hand curls over my butt, rubbing the entirety of it. "Speaking of what's cookin'--" Roshi leers with a disgusting cackle.

Marble lifts her leg and slams it down onto Roshi's head before curling herself back into my torso. We continue to follow after the duo. "Well, at least their walking slow." Krillen states.

When we stop again, I have to stop myself from screaming Roshi's pressing his face into the curve of my hip. "You're facing the wrong way, gross old man." Marble mentions irritably before kicking Roshi's head away.

"That's one heck of a kick there!" Roshi cackled deliriously.

"Doesn't it seem like Piccolo's taking the long way around?" Yamcha asks.

"Yes, he's missed three turns that would have taken him directly to the room." Dende states.

"I bet he's stalling to give them more time." Krillen mentions. "I mean, since one minute over here is worth six hours in the time chamber, the longer he takes, the better!"

Buu has a tantrum in one of the hallways, sending us all tumbling into the wall-- although, we're lucky that Ox King had softened our fall. Piccolo finally leads him into the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

"Man, I hope Goten and Mars had enough training time in there." Krillen mentions.

"Did you see that guy, Krillen?" Roshi asks. "No amount of training is gonna be enough to beat something like that."

I growled out my irritation and set Marble onto the ground before grasping at Roshi and Krillen's ears. "Quiet! This is hard enough without you two making it worse!" I shout.

"Mara!" Krillen complained.

"Easy with the ear-- I'm old!" Roshi whined.

"How do you think I feel?! You think I don't know their chances?! I know they might not survive! And I know Piccolo might destroy the door and trap them in there!" I exclaim angrily.

"But they can be revived with everyone else using the Dragon Balls!" Dende tries to reassure me.

"And if they're not dead?!" I snap at Dende. "What if they simply lose the fight? Do you expect Piccolo to kill them and himself? Well, I don't know about you, but I hate that idea! Having his mentor kill him just to be wished back! That's traumatic! That boy will never trust anyone ever again if that happens!" Dende grasps at his robe as his gaze slides to the ground, and suddenly, I'm looking at that kid we saved all those years ago. I whimper and wipe at my eyes. "I just want them to be okay..."

Marble grasps at my hand and tugs. "Don't cry. Please, mommy?" She mutters softly. I offer her a smile and a nod.

~*****~

"What are you doing, Mara?" Bulma asks as I move Marble's arms just a bit.

"Okay, now throw that as hard as you can." I hum. Marble rears her arms back and launches her small shoe at the temple. It crashes through the wall. "Now say what I told you to say."

"Take that, buddy!" Marble exclaims.

Bulma blanche and gazes at the small hole the shoe left. "You're... teaching her how to fight dirty... aren't you?"

I just offer Bulma a smile. "Well, I had to do something with my time. Besides, I made Marble promise she wouldn't use it while seriously training." Bulma just stares as my daughter runs to retrieve her shoe.

She heaved a sigh and knelt down as Marble came back. "Wanna learn another dirty tactic?" Bulma asked. Marble nodded immediately and began beaming. She gazes around before she unties her handkerchief and tucks Marble's shoe in it before fastening it into a small purse. "Here, use this, and swing it at Master Roshi as hard as you can, okay?"

"Wait--" I quip. "Maybe about as hard as you can without hurting him too badly."

Bulma giggles. "Oh, yeah, forgot-- She's a half Saiyan. Just swing it at his head."

Marble nods and trots over to him, and swings the purse around for a few moments and it cracks against the back of his head, sending him tumbling forward. "Where are your manners!" Roshi barks at her.

"Take that, buddy!" Marble shouts with a wide grin on her face.

Bulma and I laugh as Marble skips back towards us, handing the scarf back to Bulma. "Marble, wanna play with me!" Marron chirps from the patio.

Marble glances at me expectantly. "Go ahead, baby." I nod my head at her. Marble trots to the younger girl and the two begin to play.

The building shakes. "What's that?" Bulma gasps.

We all rush into the temple, and the door is destroyed. "Oh--" I stammer, my knees knocking wildly. "Oh, no--" I whimper. "My-- My boy..."

"It's Piccolo! He must have been forced to seal off the room!" Roshi exclaims.

"Th-That was part of the plan, right? As the backup." Bulma mutters.

"Yes. I suppose Majin Buu was too much for Goten and Mars to handle. So, in order to save the planet, Piccolo had no choice by to destroy the exit to the chamber. Now Majin Buu is trapped in that dimension. And there he will stay for the rest of the eternity!" Roshi explains.

"Good for him!" Bulma snaps. "But what about Mars, Goten, and Piccolo! Have they been killed by Majin Buu or not?!"

Roshi hums delicately. "I'm afraid there's no way of knowing."

"But what about the Dragon Balls?" I snap. "If they're alive, then we can't wish them back!"

"Relax, Mara! If Majin Buu's still alive I'm sure he'll kill them eventually!" Krillen states.

"Are you even listening to yourself?!" I shout at him. "I should just relax because a monster they're trapped with will kill them?! They're children! They never should've been made to fight! You-- You grown men left the fate of the Earth in their hands! All of you should be ashamed!"

"Mara," Bulma coos softly, and curls her arms around my shoulders. For once, I let my tears out. I'm crying hard, my body convulses with my sobs and I try to reign it in, but I can't seem to stop it. "I've got you." She hums softly as I slump to the ground, scrubbing at my face.

A scream pierces the air, stopping my sobs immediately. We hurry out of the temple just in time to see a portal opening up outside. "What the hell is that?" I stammer. "Guys, look--" I flinch when I realize just what's out.

"What is that thing?" Bulma questions.

"Ah, it's him! He's back!" Roshi exclaims.

Marble begins tugging at my hand desperately. "We have to leave, mommy! Right now!" She snaps at me, tugging at me.

Chaos breaks out with the others as Majin Buu forms. My ears feel like they're filled with bees. I can't hear anything, save for my own heart beat. The others are running into the temple while Marble and I are running for the edge of the look out. I whirl around when I feel the hairs on my neck stand up and force as much energy from the earth as I can, and bat the energy beam away. Marble's hand slips from mine and when I turn to shout at her to hold tight, she's not there. In her place is a small bar of chocolate. My throat locks up as I tumble over the side of the look out, avoiding another one of Majin Buu's beams. My palm is throbbing, as if I'd been burned by a hot fire. I can feel the wind slapping against my skin as I keep falling towards the surface of the Earth. I don't bother to try and save myself. Both of my children were gone. My husband was gone. I was all alone again. And I didn't want to be alone. So I shut my eyes, and succumbed to darkness.

~*****~

My skin feels entirely too hot. My body was throbbing violently. I lay on the hard ground, wishing I'd succumbed to death. Anything was better than feeling this agony. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, desperate for hydration. My mind wandered to the fetus inside me, and mourned for it. There wasn't anyone left to defend the earth. Sooner or later, I'd rejoin my family in Other World.

"Mara! There you are!" A familiar voice yelps. A cool hand taps at my cheek and I wince, my eyes finally peering up at the green being in my field of vision. "Thank goodness." Dende sighed.

"Dende..." I murmur softly as I grasp his outstretched hand. "You're all right... That means-- that means the Dragon Balls are..."

Dende nodded and offered me a smile. "Yes. Mr. Popo assured my survival. He..." Dende trailed off, tears glistening in his eyes.

My lip quivers and I start rubbing at my eyes. "Thank goodness." I whimper. "Oh, god-- thank you, Mr. Popo..."

"Here, let met heal you." Dende offered, his hand palming at my shoulder. Before I can refuse, the burning and dehydration is gone, and my body feels back to normal. There's a subtle nudge in my belly and I grasp at it, tears burning in my eyes. "Is there something ailing you?" Dende asks.

I purse my lips and shake my head. "No... it's the first time I've felt it move." I explain. I give a soft huff and dig around in my pockets. "Oh no..." I trail off. "Bulma had... my radar..." I murmur delicately. "We can't find the Dragon Balls now..."

Dende gave me a friendly smile. "I'm sure you'll think of something, Mara. As long as I'm alive, then there's still hope. I'm sure there are still cities around, so you'll have access to technology to make another, I'm sure of it!"

I smile a little, but it's wiped out when a familiar power level lights up my skin. I glance upwards. "That's... That's Gohan's power level."

"Gohan! He's alive!" Dende exclaims.

"I... don't know... he's not on Earth. But I can feel it as sure as I can feel my own body." I explain. "It's... impressive." I stand up when I feel it ebb closer. "Oh my--" I stammer. "He's-- He's on Earth now!" I exclaim. "I can feel him-- Oh-- Oh my, I can feel Piccolo, and the boys--"

Dende stares off to where I'm gazing, his mouth parted in surprise. "We better hide then. If they're in a battle, who knows just where the battle will end up."

I nod eagerly and we get into hiding, concealing ourselves in large shrubs.