Kay drove down the highway. It was dark, Taro was asleep in the passenger seat, and Blaze was sleeping away in the backseat. It was quiet, the only sounds an occasional mummer from Taro and the quiet noise of Blaze sucking on her tail. Kay finally passed the sign that said 'Welcome to Harmony' and resisted the urge to run it over. Five minute later, she pulled into the driveway of her childhood house. Deciding she didn't want to wake either Taro or Blaze (Taro hadn't been sleeping well lately, and when he didn't sleep well, neither did Blaze. They needed all the sleep they could get) she shut off the car, then climbed out. Then she went over to the passenger side and carefully lifted Taro onto her shoulder
Carefully, so as not to wake Taro, Kay walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. Her dad answered it a second later.
"Kay!" He almost shouted, but caught himself when he saw the boy asleep on her shoulder.
"Hi dad. Give me about five seconds." She lay Taro down on the couch, then hurried back out for Blaze. After she had laid Blaze next to her brother, Kay turned and faced her dad, shoving her long brown hair over her shoulder with one hand.
"Hello daddy." Kay said. Sam crossed the space between them in a few short strides and enfolded her in a huge hug.
"Hi Katie. I've missed you." Sam said. He pulled back and held her at arms length. "You look even more beautiful than I remember. Now, is there something you need to tell me?"
"Looks like Sam is still awake." Grace said out load from the drivers seat of the minivan. She, Jessica, Reese, Miguel and Charity had been on a trip to buy things for the B & B. Grace pulled into the driveway, and everyone grabbed some boxes to take into the house. Jessica opened the door, with Grace right behind her. But Grace stopped dead, and her boxes tumbled to the floor when she looked in the living room.
There sat Sam, a little girl with long brown hair and bright purple eyes sitting on his lap. She had a slightly oriental cast to her features, with almond shaped eyes and a round face. A young woman of about twenty eight was sitting on the couch, a eight year old boy sitting next to her. He had the same oriental look to him as the girl did, with a round face, almond shaped blue eyes, and shiny blue black hair pulled back into a ponytail. Sam was laughing, and tickling the girl's stomach as she laughed and smiled at him.
"Kay?" Grace asked, almost afraid to speak, sure the girl would disappear the moment she did. The woman looked up and shoved her long brown hair back over her shoulder.
"Hi mom. Hi Jessica. Hi Reese" She said softly, standing up, a scared, suspicious, nervous look on her face. The little girl on Sam's lap looked at her and began to cry.
"Mommy!" She whimpered, reaching for Kay.
"Ssh, ssh, baby." Kay whispered, picking the girl up and cuddling her close. Grace's jaw was scraping the ground. MOMMY?!
"As you know, I left Harmony when I was eighteen. I'm really sorry if I worried you guys, but I couldn't stay here any longer." Kay was sitting in the overstuffed armchair, Blaze and Taro on her lap, asleep again. Grace, Sam Jessica and Reese were sitting on the couch. Miguel and Charity had headed over to his house without coming in, so they didn't know about Kay's return yet.
"But where did you go?" Sam asked. "I had police friends everywhere looking for you, but they didn't find any trace of you."
"That's because I didn't want to be found." Kay said. "I was living in LA, working as a photographer for a newspaper, freelance at first, then full time. I'm even had a few books of pictures published, nothing really big, but the money has kept me and my babies fed, even though we didn't need it, thanks to their dad."
"Yes, about my new grandchildren. . . " Sam started.
"I'm getting to that dad, I promise."
"About a year after I went out to LA, I was covering a science convention, and I met a young lady from Japan named Bulma Briefs. You've probably heard of her, she's the head inventor and the president of Capsule Corps, one of the most powerful and rich companies in the world."
"Yes, I've heard of Capsule Corps. We use a lot of their communication devices down at the station." Sam interrupted.
"Yeah, and chances are, Bulma designed and put together most of those. She's brilliant. Anyway, after I literally ran into her there, she introduced herself, I asked if I could take her picture, and we got to talking. Pretty soon, we were good friends. She really easy to talk too. Then she introduced me to her sort of brother in law."
"Sort of brother in law?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.
Kay laughed. "I said the same thing. It turns out her and her son's father, Vegeta, aren't married, but they act like they are, and they live like they are. Their married in every sense except the legal one. Anyway, she introduced me to Juro, Vegeta's younger brother and we hit it off really well. I thought he was cute, but had no interest in any romantic ties. Juro, on the other hand, had different ideas. He followed me around, showed up in the weirdest places and basically pestered and stalked me until I agreed to go on a date with him. And it was the best thing I ever did in my life. He swept me right off my feet, and by the time the date was over I was head over heels in love. After a few months Juro moved in with me, and we've been living as husband and wife every since, even though we never officially got married. "
Then, about a year later Taro here came along." Kay smiled at her boy, who was fast asleep. "I was scared to death, but Juro was right there for everything, and so was Bulma and Vegeta. Bulma and Vegeta even came over from Japan with Trunks, that's their son, to be with me and Juro during the birth. Three years later, little Blaze here came along, and my life was perfect. My books were doing well, and Juro was independently wealthy, so we didn't have to worry about anything."
"So where is Juro now?" Sam asked softly, noticing that his two grandchildren were asleep. Kay eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know. He disappeared a few weeks after Blaze's fourth birthday. I did find a note from him telling me not to worry, that he had gone to help out some old friends and he would be back soon because he loved me and our children. That was a year ago."
"Do you think he's going to come back?" Sam asked, trying to keep his anger at the person who had hurt his baby girl under control.
"I know he will. And I know that the only reason he hasn't is because something has happened that is preventing him from coming back. But I was talking to Bulma and she thought I should take Taro and Blaze on a trip and come visit you. I'd usually go visit her and Trunks, who I adore, he's the sweetest little boy and Taro's best friend, but I didn't want to see Vegeta. He looks exactly like Juro, sounds exactly like him and acts exactly like him. Also he's kind of mad at me because I chewed him out a while ago when he and Bulma got into a fight. And that when I called you."
"Kay you can stay here for as long as you like." Sam said. Grace didn't look happy about that, but when Sam sent a glare her way, she nodded.
"Your old room is the way you left it." Sam said. "And I think Blaze and Taro will be okay bunking down in the guest bedroom for the night. It's right next door remember."
"Yeah. Thanks." Kay stood up, Taro sleeping soundly on one shoulder, Blaze on the other. Sam looked surprised and when he stepped foreword to take Taro, Kay let him even though they weren't heavy at all. She went carefully up the steps and opened the door to the guest room. Sam went in front of her and laid Taro on one twin bed, while Kay lay Blaze on the other.
"Thanks dad. I can take it from here. Why don't you go to bed? I still have to go get our stuff from the car."
"Okay Kay." Sam kissed Kay's forehead, then left. Kay simply sat there and streaked Blazes hair for a short time before sighing and going out to get Taro and Blaze's stuff. She made a few trips, taking their suitcases and hers, and had just returned to fetch Blaze's dropped teddy bear when it happened.
"Kay? Is that you?" Kay froze when she heard the voice that had haunted her nightmares for years, making Juro angry and wanting to kill the person who caused her pain. She turned slowly, gripping the teddy bear so tight her knuckles were white.
"Hi Miguel." She whispered, staring at him. Her face was white as a sheet and she was trembling. She struggled to keep her emotions under control. Blaze was very tuned into her family, and if she sensed her that her mom was upset, she'd wake up Taro and come find her.
Miguel stepped foreword and gave her a big bear hug, not even noticing that all she did was stiffen and not return the hug. The instant his hug loosened, Kay stepped out of his embrace.
"Kay, it's great to see you. How long has it been? Five years?"
"Ten Miguel. I've been gone for ten years."
"That's impossible!" Miguel protested. "I only stopped seeing you five years ago."
"No Miguel." Kay said, her voice still soft, but now strong and dangerous. Steel pride stiffened her spine. "I've been gone for ten years. It just took you five years to notice. Some 'best friend' you are." With that she turned on her heel and stalked back into the house, slamming the door behind her.
Kay ran up the stairs and into the guest room, fighting the tears that threatened to stream down her face. She tucked Blaze's teddy bear in next to her daughter, gave her a kiss, then kissed Taro's forehead and tucked the blankets around him before going to her own room. Only when she was curled up on her bed, dressed in a pair of shorts and one of Juro's tee shirts that still smelled like him did she begin to cry. She cried and cried until her eyes burned and her throat was dry. She cried until her eyes became puffy and red, and she cried until she could cry no longer. And then she continued to cry, deep, dry, heaving sobs.
"Oh Juro, Juro." She sobbed. "Where are you my love? Why don't you come back to me? Why won't you stroll through that door and scoop me into your arms and kiss away my tears like you used to?" Then, still sobbing, Kay went and turned on the radio that still sat on her dresser.
"And now for all of those lovers out there who can't be together tonight, this ones just for you. It's 'Somewhere Out There' by Linda Ronstalt and James Ingram."
*Somewhere out there
Beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me
And loving me tonight.*
Kay managed to dry her tears and went to sit at her window. The sky was so black that the stars stood out brightly, twinkling for all the world to see. Kay glanced at the empty spot where Juro and Vegeta's planet had been. She thought of the two brothers, princes of a destroyed planet and a dead race, and Bulma and her now the princesses of the same planet and race. She smiled when she thought about all the time she and Juro had spent star gazing on the roof of their large home in LA.
FLASHBACK
"Pick a star, any star." Juro whispered in her ear, his arms wrapped around her tightly, keeping her warm with his warmth. Kay leaned back onto his chest, and stared into the sky.
"Their all so beautiful. Now do I know which one to pick?" Kay whispered back. Juro didn't answer, just held her tighter. Finally Kay laughed and turned in his arms to wrap her arms around his neck.
"I want all of them." Kay said, pressing her nose to his.
"Just my luck." Juro mock grumbled. "Out of all the women in the universe I had to fall in love with the one who is so high maintenance that she wants all the stars in the sky." Kay laughed and smacked Juro's shoulder. Juro sighed heavily. "Or all right. Just to make you happy, Kay you may have every star in the sky."
Kay laughed again and kissed Juro. Juro kissed her back eagerly, leaving Kay breathless as they silently dueled with each other. Kay finally pulled back and rested her forehead on his. "Nothing would make me happier than I am right now sitting here with you, under all the stars in the sky."
"Remember Kay. If we measured love by stars there aren't enough stars in the sky to measure my love for you."
END FLASHBACK
*Somewhere out there
Someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another
In that big somewhere out there*
Kay stared up at the stars, remembering her lovers words. Juro was always like that. Serious one moment, playful the next, always gentle. Kay rubbed her scar and wished she was still in LA because then she could look down at their pool. She smiled as she remembered another moment of Juro playfulness, before she had gotten pregnant with Taro.
FLASHBACK
Kay was laying next to the pool, sunning herself. She had gotten pale again and was trying to tan up her skin just a little. Suddenly her sun was blocked by a huge shadow. She opened one eye and saw Juro standing over her, obviously admiring her bikini. She smiled up at him and he lowered himself into a sitting position next to her and kissed her. Kay kissed him back, the kiss soft and gentle. Juro pulled back first and got to his feet, smirking at her. Kay rolled her eyes and finally spoke.
"Where you goin' babe?"
"To try out that Gravity Room Bulma sent over."
"Okay. But remember, your showering before you come to bed." Kay warned. Juro's smirk grew larger.
"And if I don't?"
"Then I'll have to find someone else to share my bed tonight. I wonder if Vegeta is busy tonight. . ." She teased, loving the choking sound that came from Juro's chest.
"Oh you big baby. I was teasing. Go. Train. Eat. Anything. Just get out of my sunlight." She closed her eyes. The shadow left, and Kay smiled. It wasn't often that Juro didn't get the last word.
Kay went back to enjoying the warm sunshine on her skin. She began to feel drowsy and yawned a few times. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she found herself, lawn chair and all flying through the air into the pool. Her head broke the surface and she threw her hair back and glared at a laughing Juro who stood where her chair had sat moments before.
"You big dork!" Kay swam to the edge and reached out for Juro. The moment he grabbed her hand, she yanked and he went flying into the pool.
He broke the water a few feet from her, and shook the water from his gravity defying hair like a dog. Kay laughed and splashed him, soaking his hair, which still stood straight up, but now looked soggy.
"Hey! Watch the hair!" Juro said. Kay laughed again. With an evil grin on his face, Juro dived under the water and grabbed her ankle. Then he rocketed up through the water and into the air, holding her upside down over the water, dunking her head under repeatedly.
"Say your sorry!" He yelled. When he pulled her up, she spit water at him and shook her head.
"Never!"
"Are you sorry?"
"No!"
"Say your sorry!"
"No!"
"Say your sorry!"
"All right! I'm sorry!"
Juro let her go with a laugh, then slowly floated down into the water next to her. Kay leapt on him in a trick she had learned with countless water fights with Noah, and dunked him. Then she swam toward the steps of the pool as fast as she could. Her hand had almost gripped the railing when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and yanked her back into the pool.
"And where do you think your going?" Juro growled in her ear. "You do not do that to the prince of Saiyans and expect to get away."
"Your only one of two princes of Saiyans." Kay reminded him playfully before Juro covered her mouth with his.
END FLASHBACK
*And even though I know
How very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing
On the same bright star*
"Mommy?" Kay looked away from the window and saw Blaze standing in the doorway.
"Blaze, what are you doing up?"
"I had a bad dream."
"Oh. Well, come sit here baby." Kay said with a smile. Blaze grinned and ran to her mom, climbing up into the window seat with her. Kay opened her arms wide and enfolded that warm little body tightly. Blaze snuggled into her mom's arms and stared up at the sky for a moment.
"I miss daddy." Blaze said softly. Kay hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head.
"I know you do baby. I miss him too." She hugged her baby, and stared out at the stars, the stars that couldn't measure Juro's love for her and their children.
"Blaze do you remember looking at the stars with daddy? Do you remember what he told you?" Kay asked. Blaze nodded and rested her head on her mom's chest as she stared at the stars.
FLASHBACK
"Daddy! Mommy!" Juro and Kay were jerked out of a peaceful sleep by the terror-filled screams of their three year old as she streaked into their room and jumped onto their bed, trying to bury herself under the covers.
"Blaze? Princess, what's wrong?" Juro asked, holding up the covers so he could see his daughter, her purple eyes wide with terror, her brown hair almost standing on end.
"Bad dream." Blaze whimpered, before throwing her arms around Juro's neck. Juro hugged her tightly and made soothing noises, rubbing her back.
As soon as her terrified whimpering had stopped, Juro stood up and walked to the window.
"Princess, do you see that really bright star right there?" He asked. Blaze nodded. "That's your star Princess, all yours, because I'm giving it to you. Any time you feel scared or lonely, just look at that star and wish on it, and know that I'll be wishing on it to." Blaze kissed her daddy's cheek, and Juro carried her back to the bed. He settled under the covers next to Kay, with Blaze between them. There were no more bad dreams that night.
END FLASHBACK.
*And when the night wind
Starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping
Underneath the same big sky*
Kay looked down to find that Blaze had fallen asleep. She smiled and simply let her sleep, continuing to stare at the sky. She found Blaze's star, and her star. She found the black spot where Juro's planet used to be, and found several constellations. Something about looking at the stars calmed her. It might be the simple fact that if Juro was anywhere out there, she knew he was looking at them too. It had been their nightly ritual, one that had started the night she had fallen in love with him, the night he took her home after her first date.
FLASHBACK
"Juro, I had a really nice time tonight." Kay said, smiling at the short, aloof, gruff, arrogant, cynical, prideful, egotistical, self-centered, short tempered, outwardly cold hearted prince in front of her that she had found herself falling in love with. Juro gave her his trademark smirk in response.
"Then does that mean you'll go out with me tomorrow night?"
"Definitely." Kay said, smiling at him and kissing him on the cheek. "Now that I've found you, I'm not letting you get away." Suddenly she looked up at the sky and gasped.
"What?"
"Look at the stars! Their so bright!" Kay said, then frowned. "But the lights of the city block out some of them.
Out of nowhere, Juro swept Kay into his arms and powered up enough ki to keep both of them warm. Kay wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest as he shot up towards the sky. Soon they were above the highest mountain, and far above the lights. Juro's ki kept Kay toasty warm though.
"Look up." Juro whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear. Kay looked up and gasped. She had never seen the stars this bright, they looked so close that she felt she could reach out and touch them.
"Oh Juro. Thank you so much." Kay whispered, looking deep into Juro's purple eyes. "Can we do this again?"
"Every night if you want Princess." Juro kissed her, and Kay kissed him back, as the stars twinkling merrily and knowingly above them.
END FLASHBACK
*Somewhere out there
If love can see us through
Can see us through
Then we'll be together
Somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true*
The song ended, and Kay sighed. She picked up Blaze and carried her to the bed. Kay's old bed was a double, and was perfectly big enough for both of them. Kay slid under the covers, arranging Blaze next to her, making sure she was comfortable. Then she reached over and switched off the lamp, leaving the room in darkness. Kay lay on her back for a while, staring at the ceiling before finally turning on her side and closing her eyes, feeling Blaze's warmth. Just before she fell asleep, she softly sang the last verse of the song to herself.
"Somewhere out there
If love can see us through
Can see us through
Then we'll be together
Somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true"
Carefully, so as not to wake Taro, Kay walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. Her dad answered it a second later.
"Kay!" He almost shouted, but caught himself when he saw the boy asleep on her shoulder.
"Hi dad. Give me about five seconds." She lay Taro down on the couch, then hurried back out for Blaze. After she had laid Blaze next to her brother, Kay turned and faced her dad, shoving her long brown hair over her shoulder with one hand.
"Hello daddy." Kay said. Sam crossed the space between them in a few short strides and enfolded her in a huge hug.
"Hi Katie. I've missed you." Sam said. He pulled back and held her at arms length. "You look even more beautiful than I remember. Now, is there something you need to tell me?"
"Looks like Sam is still awake." Grace said out load from the drivers seat of the minivan. She, Jessica, Reese, Miguel and Charity had been on a trip to buy things for the B & B. Grace pulled into the driveway, and everyone grabbed some boxes to take into the house. Jessica opened the door, with Grace right behind her. But Grace stopped dead, and her boxes tumbled to the floor when she looked in the living room.
There sat Sam, a little girl with long brown hair and bright purple eyes sitting on his lap. She had a slightly oriental cast to her features, with almond shaped eyes and a round face. A young woman of about twenty eight was sitting on the couch, a eight year old boy sitting next to her. He had the same oriental look to him as the girl did, with a round face, almond shaped blue eyes, and shiny blue black hair pulled back into a ponytail. Sam was laughing, and tickling the girl's stomach as she laughed and smiled at him.
"Kay?" Grace asked, almost afraid to speak, sure the girl would disappear the moment she did. The woman looked up and shoved her long brown hair back over her shoulder.
"Hi mom. Hi Jessica. Hi Reese" She said softly, standing up, a scared, suspicious, nervous look on her face. The little girl on Sam's lap looked at her and began to cry.
"Mommy!" She whimpered, reaching for Kay.
"Ssh, ssh, baby." Kay whispered, picking the girl up and cuddling her close. Grace's jaw was scraping the ground. MOMMY?!
"As you know, I left Harmony when I was eighteen. I'm really sorry if I worried you guys, but I couldn't stay here any longer." Kay was sitting in the overstuffed armchair, Blaze and Taro on her lap, asleep again. Grace, Sam Jessica and Reese were sitting on the couch. Miguel and Charity had headed over to his house without coming in, so they didn't know about Kay's return yet.
"But where did you go?" Sam asked. "I had police friends everywhere looking for you, but they didn't find any trace of you."
"That's because I didn't want to be found." Kay said. "I was living in LA, working as a photographer for a newspaper, freelance at first, then full time. I'm even had a few books of pictures published, nothing really big, but the money has kept me and my babies fed, even though we didn't need it, thanks to their dad."
"Yes, about my new grandchildren. . . " Sam started.
"I'm getting to that dad, I promise."
"About a year after I went out to LA, I was covering a science convention, and I met a young lady from Japan named Bulma Briefs. You've probably heard of her, she's the head inventor and the president of Capsule Corps, one of the most powerful and rich companies in the world."
"Yes, I've heard of Capsule Corps. We use a lot of their communication devices down at the station." Sam interrupted.
"Yeah, and chances are, Bulma designed and put together most of those. She's brilliant. Anyway, after I literally ran into her there, she introduced herself, I asked if I could take her picture, and we got to talking. Pretty soon, we were good friends. She really easy to talk too. Then she introduced me to her sort of brother in law."
"Sort of brother in law?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.
Kay laughed. "I said the same thing. It turns out her and her son's father, Vegeta, aren't married, but they act like they are, and they live like they are. Their married in every sense except the legal one. Anyway, she introduced me to Juro, Vegeta's younger brother and we hit it off really well. I thought he was cute, but had no interest in any romantic ties. Juro, on the other hand, had different ideas. He followed me around, showed up in the weirdest places and basically pestered and stalked me until I agreed to go on a date with him. And it was the best thing I ever did in my life. He swept me right off my feet, and by the time the date was over I was head over heels in love. After a few months Juro moved in with me, and we've been living as husband and wife every since, even though we never officially got married. "
Then, about a year later Taro here came along." Kay smiled at her boy, who was fast asleep. "I was scared to death, but Juro was right there for everything, and so was Bulma and Vegeta. Bulma and Vegeta even came over from Japan with Trunks, that's their son, to be with me and Juro during the birth. Three years later, little Blaze here came along, and my life was perfect. My books were doing well, and Juro was independently wealthy, so we didn't have to worry about anything."
"So where is Juro now?" Sam asked softly, noticing that his two grandchildren were asleep. Kay eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know. He disappeared a few weeks after Blaze's fourth birthday. I did find a note from him telling me not to worry, that he had gone to help out some old friends and he would be back soon because he loved me and our children. That was a year ago."
"Do you think he's going to come back?" Sam asked, trying to keep his anger at the person who had hurt his baby girl under control.
"I know he will. And I know that the only reason he hasn't is because something has happened that is preventing him from coming back. But I was talking to Bulma and she thought I should take Taro and Blaze on a trip and come visit you. I'd usually go visit her and Trunks, who I adore, he's the sweetest little boy and Taro's best friend, but I didn't want to see Vegeta. He looks exactly like Juro, sounds exactly like him and acts exactly like him. Also he's kind of mad at me because I chewed him out a while ago when he and Bulma got into a fight. And that when I called you."
"Kay you can stay here for as long as you like." Sam said. Grace didn't look happy about that, but when Sam sent a glare her way, she nodded.
"Your old room is the way you left it." Sam said. "And I think Blaze and Taro will be okay bunking down in the guest bedroom for the night. It's right next door remember."
"Yeah. Thanks." Kay stood up, Taro sleeping soundly on one shoulder, Blaze on the other. Sam looked surprised and when he stepped foreword to take Taro, Kay let him even though they weren't heavy at all. She went carefully up the steps and opened the door to the guest room. Sam went in front of her and laid Taro on one twin bed, while Kay lay Blaze on the other.
"Thanks dad. I can take it from here. Why don't you go to bed? I still have to go get our stuff from the car."
"Okay Kay." Sam kissed Kay's forehead, then left. Kay simply sat there and streaked Blazes hair for a short time before sighing and going out to get Taro and Blaze's stuff. She made a few trips, taking their suitcases and hers, and had just returned to fetch Blaze's dropped teddy bear when it happened.
"Kay? Is that you?" Kay froze when she heard the voice that had haunted her nightmares for years, making Juro angry and wanting to kill the person who caused her pain. She turned slowly, gripping the teddy bear so tight her knuckles were white.
"Hi Miguel." She whispered, staring at him. Her face was white as a sheet and she was trembling. She struggled to keep her emotions under control. Blaze was very tuned into her family, and if she sensed her that her mom was upset, she'd wake up Taro and come find her.
Miguel stepped foreword and gave her a big bear hug, not even noticing that all she did was stiffen and not return the hug. The instant his hug loosened, Kay stepped out of his embrace.
"Kay, it's great to see you. How long has it been? Five years?"
"Ten Miguel. I've been gone for ten years."
"That's impossible!" Miguel protested. "I only stopped seeing you five years ago."
"No Miguel." Kay said, her voice still soft, but now strong and dangerous. Steel pride stiffened her spine. "I've been gone for ten years. It just took you five years to notice. Some 'best friend' you are." With that she turned on her heel and stalked back into the house, slamming the door behind her.
Kay ran up the stairs and into the guest room, fighting the tears that threatened to stream down her face. She tucked Blaze's teddy bear in next to her daughter, gave her a kiss, then kissed Taro's forehead and tucked the blankets around him before going to her own room. Only when she was curled up on her bed, dressed in a pair of shorts and one of Juro's tee shirts that still smelled like him did she begin to cry. She cried and cried until her eyes burned and her throat was dry. She cried until her eyes became puffy and red, and she cried until she could cry no longer. And then she continued to cry, deep, dry, heaving sobs.
"Oh Juro, Juro." She sobbed. "Where are you my love? Why don't you come back to me? Why won't you stroll through that door and scoop me into your arms and kiss away my tears like you used to?" Then, still sobbing, Kay went and turned on the radio that still sat on her dresser.
"And now for all of those lovers out there who can't be together tonight, this ones just for you. It's 'Somewhere Out There' by Linda Ronstalt and James Ingram."
*Somewhere out there
Beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me
And loving me tonight.*
Kay managed to dry her tears and went to sit at her window. The sky was so black that the stars stood out brightly, twinkling for all the world to see. Kay glanced at the empty spot where Juro and Vegeta's planet had been. She thought of the two brothers, princes of a destroyed planet and a dead race, and Bulma and her now the princesses of the same planet and race. She smiled when she thought about all the time she and Juro had spent star gazing on the roof of their large home in LA.
FLASHBACK
"Pick a star, any star." Juro whispered in her ear, his arms wrapped around her tightly, keeping her warm with his warmth. Kay leaned back onto his chest, and stared into the sky.
"Their all so beautiful. Now do I know which one to pick?" Kay whispered back. Juro didn't answer, just held her tighter. Finally Kay laughed and turned in his arms to wrap her arms around his neck.
"I want all of them." Kay said, pressing her nose to his.
"Just my luck." Juro mock grumbled. "Out of all the women in the universe I had to fall in love with the one who is so high maintenance that she wants all the stars in the sky." Kay laughed and smacked Juro's shoulder. Juro sighed heavily. "Or all right. Just to make you happy, Kay you may have every star in the sky."
Kay laughed again and kissed Juro. Juro kissed her back eagerly, leaving Kay breathless as they silently dueled with each other. Kay finally pulled back and rested her forehead on his. "Nothing would make me happier than I am right now sitting here with you, under all the stars in the sky."
"Remember Kay. If we measured love by stars there aren't enough stars in the sky to measure my love for you."
END FLASHBACK
*Somewhere out there
Someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another
In that big somewhere out there*
Kay stared up at the stars, remembering her lovers words. Juro was always like that. Serious one moment, playful the next, always gentle. Kay rubbed her scar and wished she was still in LA because then she could look down at their pool. She smiled as she remembered another moment of Juro playfulness, before she had gotten pregnant with Taro.
FLASHBACK
Kay was laying next to the pool, sunning herself. She had gotten pale again and was trying to tan up her skin just a little. Suddenly her sun was blocked by a huge shadow. She opened one eye and saw Juro standing over her, obviously admiring her bikini. She smiled up at him and he lowered himself into a sitting position next to her and kissed her. Kay kissed him back, the kiss soft and gentle. Juro pulled back first and got to his feet, smirking at her. Kay rolled her eyes and finally spoke.
"Where you goin' babe?"
"To try out that Gravity Room Bulma sent over."
"Okay. But remember, your showering before you come to bed." Kay warned. Juro's smirk grew larger.
"And if I don't?"
"Then I'll have to find someone else to share my bed tonight. I wonder if Vegeta is busy tonight. . ." She teased, loving the choking sound that came from Juro's chest.
"Oh you big baby. I was teasing. Go. Train. Eat. Anything. Just get out of my sunlight." She closed her eyes. The shadow left, and Kay smiled. It wasn't often that Juro didn't get the last word.
Kay went back to enjoying the warm sunshine on her skin. She began to feel drowsy and yawned a few times. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she found herself, lawn chair and all flying through the air into the pool. Her head broke the surface and she threw her hair back and glared at a laughing Juro who stood where her chair had sat moments before.
"You big dork!" Kay swam to the edge and reached out for Juro. The moment he grabbed her hand, she yanked and he went flying into the pool.
He broke the water a few feet from her, and shook the water from his gravity defying hair like a dog. Kay laughed and splashed him, soaking his hair, which still stood straight up, but now looked soggy.
"Hey! Watch the hair!" Juro said. Kay laughed again. With an evil grin on his face, Juro dived under the water and grabbed her ankle. Then he rocketed up through the water and into the air, holding her upside down over the water, dunking her head under repeatedly.
"Say your sorry!" He yelled. When he pulled her up, she spit water at him and shook her head.
"Never!"
"Are you sorry?"
"No!"
"Say your sorry!"
"No!"
"Say your sorry!"
"All right! I'm sorry!"
Juro let her go with a laugh, then slowly floated down into the water next to her. Kay leapt on him in a trick she had learned with countless water fights with Noah, and dunked him. Then she swam toward the steps of the pool as fast as she could. Her hand had almost gripped the railing when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and yanked her back into the pool.
"And where do you think your going?" Juro growled in her ear. "You do not do that to the prince of Saiyans and expect to get away."
"Your only one of two princes of Saiyans." Kay reminded him playfully before Juro covered her mouth with his.
END FLASHBACK
*And even though I know
How very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing
On the same bright star*
"Mommy?" Kay looked away from the window and saw Blaze standing in the doorway.
"Blaze, what are you doing up?"
"I had a bad dream."
"Oh. Well, come sit here baby." Kay said with a smile. Blaze grinned and ran to her mom, climbing up into the window seat with her. Kay opened her arms wide and enfolded that warm little body tightly. Blaze snuggled into her mom's arms and stared up at the sky for a moment.
"I miss daddy." Blaze said softly. Kay hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head.
"I know you do baby. I miss him too." She hugged her baby, and stared out at the stars, the stars that couldn't measure Juro's love for her and their children.
"Blaze do you remember looking at the stars with daddy? Do you remember what he told you?" Kay asked. Blaze nodded and rested her head on her mom's chest as she stared at the stars.
FLASHBACK
"Daddy! Mommy!" Juro and Kay were jerked out of a peaceful sleep by the terror-filled screams of their three year old as she streaked into their room and jumped onto their bed, trying to bury herself under the covers.
"Blaze? Princess, what's wrong?" Juro asked, holding up the covers so he could see his daughter, her purple eyes wide with terror, her brown hair almost standing on end.
"Bad dream." Blaze whimpered, before throwing her arms around Juro's neck. Juro hugged her tightly and made soothing noises, rubbing her back.
As soon as her terrified whimpering had stopped, Juro stood up and walked to the window.
"Princess, do you see that really bright star right there?" He asked. Blaze nodded. "That's your star Princess, all yours, because I'm giving it to you. Any time you feel scared or lonely, just look at that star and wish on it, and know that I'll be wishing on it to." Blaze kissed her daddy's cheek, and Juro carried her back to the bed. He settled under the covers next to Kay, with Blaze between them. There were no more bad dreams that night.
END FLASHBACK.
*And when the night wind
Starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping
Underneath the same big sky*
Kay looked down to find that Blaze had fallen asleep. She smiled and simply let her sleep, continuing to stare at the sky. She found Blaze's star, and her star. She found the black spot where Juro's planet used to be, and found several constellations. Something about looking at the stars calmed her. It might be the simple fact that if Juro was anywhere out there, she knew he was looking at them too. It had been their nightly ritual, one that had started the night she had fallen in love with him, the night he took her home after her first date.
FLASHBACK
"Juro, I had a really nice time tonight." Kay said, smiling at the short, aloof, gruff, arrogant, cynical, prideful, egotistical, self-centered, short tempered, outwardly cold hearted prince in front of her that she had found herself falling in love with. Juro gave her his trademark smirk in response.
"Then does that mean you'll go out with me tomorrow night?"
"Definitely." Kay said, smiling at him and kissing him on the cheek. "Now that I've found you, I'm not letting you get away." Suddenly she looked up at the sky and gasped.
"What?"
"Look at the stars! Their so bright!" Kay said, then frowned. "But the lights of the city block out some of them.
Out of nowhere, Juro swept Kay into his arms and powered up enough ki to keep both of them warm. Kay wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest as he shot up towards the sky. Soon they were above the highest mountain, and far above the lights. Juro's ki kept Kay toasty warm though.
"Look up." Juro whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear. Kay looked up and gasped. She had never seen the stars this bright, they looked so close that she felt she could reach out and touch them.
"Oh Juro. Thank you so much." Kay whispered, looking deep into Juro's purple eyes. "Can we do this again?"
"Every night if you want Princess." Juro kissed her, and Kay kissed him back, as the stars twinkling merrily and knowingly above them.
END FLASHBACK
*Somewhere out there
If love can see us through
Can see us through
Then we'll be together
Somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true*
The song ended, and Kay sighed. She picked up Blaze and carried her to the bed. Kay's old bed was a double, and was perfectly big enough for both of them. Kay slid under the covers, arranging Blaze next to her, making sure she was comfortable. Then she reached over and switched off the lamp, leaving the room in darkness. Kay lay on her back for a while, staring at the ceiling before finally turning on her side and closing her eyes, feeling Blaze's warmth. Just before she fell asleep, she softly sang the last verse of the song to herself.
"Somewhere out there
If love can see us through
Can see us through
Then we'll be together
Somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true"