~*****~

"He really did it! Outstanding!" Kibito Kai exclaimed.

"Of course Goku could do it!" I retort cheerfully. Dende and I grasp hands and begin laughing together. "When can we go back to the Kai Planet?" I ask eagerly. "They're probably hurting right now, we should go help!"

Kibito Kai laughed. "Of course we can! Grab on, you three!"

Dende and I cheer again before grasping onto him. "Goku!" Dende cheers when we arrive on the Kai Planet. "You did it!"

I hurry towards Vegeta as he stumbles to his butt, a pained expression on his face. "Vegeta--" I murmur as I reach him. I grasp at his face as I sink to my knees besides him. "Let me--"

"Don't you dare--" Vegeta growled at me, tugging my palms from his face. "This is nothing-- you're not wasting your energy on me!"

I do it anyway. It's a lot of damage, but it's worth it. He tries scolding me. I just shake my head at him. "Just relax." I coo. "I want to do this. After everything you've done to ensure that Goku could finish him off, you deserve this..." My voice trembles with the exhaustion, but I manage to stay alert as his wounds finally disappear. My stomach twists a little as I finally release Vegeta's face. I palm at my belly and suck in a few breaths before I'm hauled upwards.

"It's Buu!" I hear Mr. Satan yelp. Vegeta tenses and quickly tugs me tightly to his side.

"What?!" Vegeta growled.

"Buu, are you okay?" Mr. Satan asked worriedly, trying to wake the large pink creature. Bee is whimpering at Buu's head, waiting for his friend to wake up. We all approach him-- even if I'm now being forced to remain behind Vegeta-- I gaze around at the pink thing. "Buu! You're alive! Hey, little green guy, come here! Quick!" Mr. Satan pleads. "Use your powers on him before he dies! Please!"

Dende hesitates and glances up at Goku. "What are you talking about?!" Vegeta growled. "Have you lost your mind?! Move! Get back! It's not over until he's dead!"

"Vegeta--" I try.

"NOT NOW!" He shouts at me.

"But he's different than he was!" Mr. Satan pleads. "He would never do those bad things ever again! You saw him! He fought that Evil Buu with all he had!"

"Oh, right, and what if he's not all gone?" Vegeta asked savagely. "What if he blows his stack again and produces another killing machine? What then?!"

"Well, I don't know." Mr. Satan murmured.

"Well, I do! It would mean the end of the world! You might be willing to take that gamble, but I'm not!" Vegeta snapped.

"But he wouldn't have blown his stack if that idiot hadn't shot his puppy with a rifle!" Mr. Satan explained. "Please, I beg you! I'll take full responsibility! He can live with me!"

"Oh sure, that sounds great! Until his little mutt is run over in the street some day! Clear out, fool! Or you'll die with your friend!" Vegeta shouted. I shoved at his arm and moved to block Buu myself. "Mara, move! I will not tell you again!"

"He saved your life!" I shout at him. I turn to Goku and begin pleading. "Goku, you must feel it, too! This Buu is good-- he needs a little restraint, sure, but I have no doubt in my mind that Buu can live peacefully on Earth."

Goku just smiles and nods. "Dende, go ahead and heal him, okay?" Goku hums.

"Are you both nuts!?" Vegeta growled.

"We're just returning the favor," Goku hums. "Mara's right. When you were pinned down by Majin Buu, the big Buu attacked and got him off of you. And then yelled for Hercule to carry you off to safety. Right?"

"If it wasn't for Buu and Mr. Satan, Earth would be gone right now." I say in a trembly tone. "It gives them as much a right to live as anyone else. Right?"

"Yes, but, the earthlings don't know what went on up here." Kibito Kai mentioned. "I think that their fear of Buu is going to cause some serious problems."

I nod firmly. "I know. But it's easily remedied. We could keep Buu indoors and away from everyone for the first six months. Then we could use the Dragon Balls to with the Earthlings' memory of Buu away." I explain. "It's so simple."

"Yeah, sure! Just wish it away! Great!" Old Kai murmured.

I grasp Vegeta's outstretched hand. "It's settled, right?"

Vegeta snorted and tugged me forward. "Fine. Whatever. Just don't get anywhere near him, got it?"

I nod with a hum. "Thank you so much! I'll never forget this!" Mr. Satan cheers.

"Good! It's unanimous!" Goku chimes.

"Right!" Dende nods and hurries towards Buu.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving!" Goku exclaims. "I say after Dende's finished, we head home and get a bite to eat!"

Bee starts barking in response.

~*****~

Tears spring in my eyes as we round the corner of the Lookout. "Mom! Dad!" Mars shouts. Marble shouts something, but it's so warped by her tears, that it comes out wobbly and wild before the two kids bolt towards me. I fall to my knees and curl an arm around each of them, hugging tightly.

Vegeta grasps both of them by the collars of their shirts and haul them off of my lap. "Don't crowd your mother." He orders sternly. Marble starts crying even harder and I expect Vegeta to set her down, but he just tugs her to his chest and lets her cry. Mars leaps down and offers to help me stand.

Mars flinches at something and moves around the back of my legs, prepared to attack. "Easy there, Mars! Whoa! Whoa-ho-ho!" Goku laughs.

"It's okay, Son! He's out... guest." Vegeta mentions.

"It sure is nice to be back!" Goku mentions. "Sorry I've been gone so long! But guess what? Old Kai granted me a life so I'm not dead anymore!"

"You're kidding me!?" Chi-Chi whimpered. "You mean we're going to live together? As a family of four in our little house?!"

"Well, that's what I was planning on if you guys think you can put up with me!" Goku laughs. Chi-Chi just shudders and starts sobbing into his chest. "There, there, Chi-Chi. It's okay." She just continues to sob. "Gosh, Chi-Chi, did you cry this much when I died? But don't worry, I'm back for good. I love you."

We all left for some well earned rest shortly after-- and some food at Capsule Corp-- but after what felt like eons, we finally stepped into our house. Mars and Marble were already tromping up the steps to get ready for bed, not bothering to speak as the exhaustion shows on their faces so clearly.

Vegeta and I don't speak when we move around the house, getting everything locked up before we can relax. By the time I'm sinking into the bed, I'm gazing up at the ceiling absentmindedly, listening to the clothes rustling around while Vegeta tugs off his dirty, ripped up combat suit.

"Mara." Vegeta starts softly, bringing my gaze towards him. "I... I know I have a lot to make up for you and the kids." He's gazing down at the wedding band he'd left at home for the tournament for a long time. He glances over at me after slipping it back on and sits on the bed sides me, his torso molding over mine as he presses a delicate kiss to my lips. "Can you forgive me?" He asks in a soft, pleading tone.

My lip wobbles and I find myself nodding after a moment. "I love you." I mutter through my tears.

Vegeta kisses me again and holds me until I manage to fall asleep, despite the tears making my eyes throb.

~*****~

Six months had passed so quickly. And true to his word, Goku had wished the memory of Buu out of every Earthling's mind, allowing him the freedom to roam and see the world as he pleased-- so long as he behaved, anyway.

I was due any day now. Kibito Kai had been wrong in his inspection all those months ago. Every ultrasound I'd been to had only shown on infant inside of my stomach, and it was refusing to come out, even as I reach the beginning of my ninth month.

I didn't necessarily want to leave the house, but Bulma had managed to get me to agree to come to her party at Capsule Corp. "I don't see why you want to go to that ridiculous party she's throwing." Vegeta griped as I struggled to fit my belly between myself and the steering wheel. "You can barely walk around without toppling anymore, you should be at home!"

I wave him off. "Oh, stop it. Bulma's parties are always fun!" I express happily. "Besides, maybe all the excitement will jog the baby into action."

Vegeta growls again before leaning back into his seat. "If that three-eyed freak tries something, we're leaving straight away."

I wave him off again. "And I told you, Tien saved my life, so I'm not going to hold a grudge over something as silly as jealousy."

"I'M NOT JEALOUS!" Vegeta roared.

"Can you not shout? You're lucky Mars and Marble are already there, they don't need to hear you rant about how that man irritates you to no end." I mention. Vegeta just growls as he remains in his irritated position. "You look handsome." I say to change to topic.

He grunts and straightens his legs a little. "You picked it." He retorted, but his face is slightly flushed. It disappears completely when we arrive at Capsule Corp.

The garden's were filled with food and some of our friends who'd arrived early. "Mara! You came!" Bulma chirped as she approached me, an apron over her slowly swelling belly.

"You said there was good food." I laugh.

Bulma grins and leads me towards a picnic blanket by one of the trees, out of the way, but still close enough to be apart of the group. "Yamcha and I thought you'd want a little space so you didn't have to move around so much." Bulma mentioned.

"If I sit down there, I'm not getting back up unless someone carries me." I retort.

"Well..." Bulma trails off as her eyes glaze over towards Vegeta, who's gathering food for me. Ironically, Tien is across the table from him, but his gaze isn't frustrated like the last time we'd seen him. Rather, Tien looks rather satisfied. "I'm pretty sure if you wanted it, Vegeta would carry you around the entire night."

I wave my hand dismissively. "No way, being carried is also a big no. This kid is making everything ten times harder. I can't even sit down comfortably."

Bulma palms at her belly. "I sure hope this little one isn't going to give me a hard time like yours is."

I snort at her, but she's drawn away when she sees others arrive. "Mara," Vegeta hums as he sets down our food and grasps at my hips. "Hold onto me, and I'll help you sit." I nod and grasp onto him before I'm lowered to the ground. My feet sing with relief, but my tail bone starts to ache, so I adjust the pillows on the blanket for a moment before I'm on a lumpy pillow pile.

The party begins to pick up as the day wears on-- Vegeta and I end up at a table near the dance floor. The others are dancing around to some upbeat music, and it makes me smile to see them so happy. I can feel Vegeta's fingers tapping to the beat on my shoulder. 

"Oh, yeah, Chi-Chi!" I cheer as she begins to use her fighting style to dance, until she throws her hip out.

"Are you all right, mom?" Gohan gasped.

"Just give me a Senzu bean and I'll finish!" Chi-Chi exclaims.

We all cheer again. "That's Goku's wife, for sure!" Dende giggled.

That brings the mood down immediately. "He should've been here by now!" Mr. Satan mentions.

I sigh irritably. "It's just not the same without him, is it?" I mutter.

"Gosh! You really care for Goku!" Chi-Chi mentions, expertly wiping that downcast look off of her face. "Hey, I know! How 'bout we trade mates! Vegeta for Goku!" I cock my head, and before I know it, a chuckle is worming it's way up my throat. "Vegeta's not as sweet, but he's certainly more dependable. I think it evens out!"

I glance at Vegeta and snort. "If you say so." I retort. Everyone begins to laugh, even Vegeta.

"What about me, Bulma? Am I pretty dependable?" Yamcha asks.

"We're talking about something that's an even trade--" Chi-Chi mentions. "We're not talking about a downgrade!"

"Ouch--" I laugh. "Ouch."

"Uh, yeah, I get it," Yamcha whines as Bulma laughs at her husband.

"No, I mean, I think I'm having a contraction," I retort as I palm at my belly.

There's a literal riot around me, with Vegeta tugging my chair backwards to help me stand. "Do you need anything?!" Chi-Chi exclaims.

I laugh through my next contraction and shake my head. "No, I'm fine! I have everything in control! It's my third labor, I'm pretty used to it. Mars, Marble, I want you to be on your best behavior while we're gone, okay?"

Marble and Mars nod before they grasp onto my hands. "So the baby is gonna be here today?" Mars asks excitedly.

"Can we name it? We've been thinking of names all day!" Marble adds.

Vegeta shoos them off before helping me walk towards the exit. He doesn't speak-- something he learned from when I gave birth to Marble-- and drives the jet back to our home where I have the extra room set up to have the baby.

~*****~

Hours into the labor, I expect everything to run smoothly, even when I do manage to push out our third child-- who happens to be another girl. "She has a tail--" Vegeta mentions, but doesn't dwell on it as I shout. "Mara, there's another one!"

"You think?!" I bellow at him, my hands clutching at the blankets below me with a tight grip. Vegeta quickly ties off the first's umbilical cord and snipping it before setting her down to catch the other. "Do they both have tails?" I ask breathlessly as Vegeta rubs at their backs, urging them to breathe properly.

"Yes, both of them." Vegeta responds. "Both girls. Don't move, I'll take care of everything." Vegeta urges and pushes his bloodied palm against my sternum to lay back down. Both girls are crying already, their tails thrashing wildly as Vegeta cleans them off, carefully maneuvering each child before he finally hands them over to latch for the first time. He lets out an annoyed growl before flopping onto his butt, a frown permanently etched onto his face. "They both look like you." He mentions with a wave of his hand.

"Oh, stop it. I don't determine what they look like." I explain. But, he wasn't wrong. Both Mars and Marble had a light tan complexion when they were born, and it naturally darkened to a nice apricot color. Both the girls were a light tan right now, and I assume that they'll darken, too. And not to mention the white hair. Poor Marble will be the only one of our children who has dark hair like her father. "We can always have another in a couple of years to see if your luck as turned for a mirror image, like you so desperately want."

Vegeta's face flushes for a moment. "Can you blame me?" He asks irritably. "All four of our children take after you. Marble's hair is the only way you can tell they're mine."

I kick his knee lightly. "Stop that. How about you tell me what you want to name our daughters so we can try to tell them apart while we can."

Vegeta grunted again and scooted closer. "I want one to be named Eschalot." He states firmly. I roll my eyes and nod to the infants. "Which one?"

He gazes at them for a long time, until he finally chooses the larger of the two-- the first born. "This one is strong. She'll be a fine Saiyan when she's trained."

"Okay, then," I hum as I gaze down at Eschalot. "Let's tie a ribbon around her tail or arm or whatever, they're identical."

Vegeta gazes around the room for a moment before he rips his sleeve off entirely, and tears a long strip out before tying it around the tip of her tail-- which thrashes violently. "And the other will be named Elara." He says while curling his palm around her head.

My head snaps up and I can't contain the smile on my face anymore. "I love you."