A/N:
Many apologies for not uploading this sooner! I've had a mad couple of days and never got chance to format it until now. Sorry about that OTL I hope it was worth the wait. I'll be aiming for monthly updates again from now on, possibly fortnightly if I get time and/or motivation. Thank you for putting up with me through my motivation crisis... I hope the latest chapters are worth it.

Frieza made his way through the King Piccolo Mansion, towards the lounge area, which he was hoping would be empty… His heart sank when he found that it was not. No. Of course not. Of course not one single thing could ever go in his favour, could it? This entire planet was a curse to him; he should have blown it up from outer space when he had the chance! Why did he ever set foot here?
"Hello." Frikiza coldly greeted him. She was alone, spread out across a lounge chair with a glass of wine in her hand… and a bottle nearby. Hm. It seemed like she needed some time to herself as well. Frieza couldn't blame her, considering her husband had just walked out.
"No sign of Piccolo?" He smirked, attempting to cheer himself up with cruelty. It was his favourite pastime.
"No." Frikiza hissed. She glared at him, and scoffed. "Your son just came through here crying. I guess that would be your fault?"
"No." Frieza answered. "Him being soft enough to cry certainly isn't my fault. You can blame Glacia for that." He moved towards the minibar, and helped himself to a glass and his own bottle of wine.
"What were you talking about?" Frikiza asked.
"Business that wasn't his." Frieza growled, and shot her a cold glare. "It's not yours either."
"Cell, then." Frikiza said. She hesitated for a moment, considering whether or not to push it… and then, she sighed. "Look –"
"Don't." Frieza snapped, his red eyes alight with venom. 'Don't go there' they silently snarled, with enough hostility to terrify anyone in their right mind into silence… Not Frikiza, though. She'd never been in her right mind.
"It doesn't have to be over." Frikiza said stubbornly. "I don't know why you're giving up so easily. Cell loves you! And I know you love him."
"Really?" Frieza sniped, looking at her. "And how would you know that?"
"Because." Frikiza answered.
"Because?" Frieza scoffed. "That's your answer? 'Because'?"

He snorted in annoyance, and took a seat opposite her, refusing to let her bother him. Actually, he wanted to leave. Desperately. He didn't want to have this conversation, and he didn't want to speak to her… but if he left the room it would be because of Frikiza – and there was no way Lord Frieza was going to let a woman force him out of a room! And especially not Frikiza of all women! So. He was going to sit here stubbornly, drinking her wine and ignoring her.
"I've known you for years." Frikiza said. "I've never seen you happy before. I mean, not before meeting Cell."
"Well that's a lie." Frieza snarled dismissively, provoked into conversation even though he didn't actually want to talk to her. "When you and I first met I was very happy. I was emperor of the universe! Those were my best years."
"Maybe for your career." Frikiza smirked. "Not for you."
"What are you talking about?" Frieza glared at her, and Frikiza stared back… she had that soft look on her face again – Frieza hated that look! It was as if she pitied him, as if he needed her pity. Why did she have to be so patronising?
"You were happy with Cell." Frikiza smiled. "I mean… really happy. You even forgot about Goku for a while, right?"
"No." Frieza answered flatly. "How could I forget about him? He put me down there!"
"Exactly." Frikiza giggled. "And he helped put Cell down there – seems like if it wasn't for him you two –"
"Would never have met, and you wouldn't be bothering me at this moment in time." Frieza growled. "So, thank you. You just gave me another reason to loathe him."
"Frieza…" Frikiza sighed. She looked at him sincerely, her eyes softening again… she looked irritating, again. No wonder King Piccolo had left her; Frieza could barely stand five minutes in her company! He couldn't imagine how horrific being married to her must be. Why did she have to pry into everything? Why couldn't she just leave people alone, and let things be? Why did she have to get involved in everything! "Stop it." Frikiza bossily ordered. "I know you. I know… you were happy, for a while. I mean, really… … You forgot about everything. You weren't angry, and you didn't feel cheated – I could tell you didn't. Why wouldn't you want to be there again…?"
"Hm." Frieza took a sip of his wine, and shrugged. "Why would I?"

He looked at her, watching as a look of confusion steadily worked its way onto Frikiza's innocent face… she was so naïve. She was such an idiot. She didn't understand it, did she? She was so wrapped up in her own blissful little world that she couldn't possibly understand his. Frieza didn't want to be like her. He didn't want to have her life, or her views. Why was she assuming that he did? "Supposing I was 'happy'." Frieza began. "Supposing I did stop caring about revenge, or owning the universe… why do you seem to be under the impression that that's a good thing?" He narrowed his eyes at Frikiza, and spoke arrogantly. "It may be for you, but it isn't for me. Cell was a… …" He sighed… and for a moment, he hesitated. He didn't even know why he was saying this… Why? Why was he talking about this to Frikiza? Or at all, even? It didn't matter! Cell was gone! There was no way he would have waited around – and even if he did, Frieza didn't want him! Because actually, Frikiza was right; it did make him forget! For a short while, Lord Frieza, the renowned emperor of the universe, the sadistic tyrant that everybody in the universe feared, had forgotten how important it was to hold onto his name! He'd become distracted. He'd become engrossed in his life with Cell; he'd become no more than a husband and father, with nothing to live for except someone other than himself… And that was pathetic. Truly, pathetic. It wasn't him. It wasn't Lord Frieza. It wasn't what he wanted – what Lord Frieza wanted was to be someone that history would remember; someone that wasn't just another meaningless name in just another meaningless, mundane existence. He wanted to be somebody that actually mattered; somebody that people had heard of; somebody that had actually made his mark upon the universe… and if being… 'happy' stopped that, then… well, he didn't want to be happy. "Cell was a distraction." Frieza spoke. "It was fun while it lasted…" He lowered his eyes, staring into his wine. "… Very fun." He mumbled quietly, and for a brief moment his face softened… before it turned cold and cruel again. "But… it's over now. So I can finally concentrate on what's important."
"And what would that be?" Frikiza frowned.

Frieza sniggered, amused by the obvious disapproval in her tone. Where did she get off speaking to him like that? This life might be good enough for her, but it wasn't good enough for him! She might be rich by Earth standards, and this lovely home might be worth something on this simple planet, but it was nothing compared to what Frieza had. Frieza had entire galaxies to his name; Frikiza was living in poverty compared to him! She had no allies, no reputation, no power… she was nothing. She would always be nothing. Just because she valued 'happiness' and 'morality' more than success – well Frieza was smarter than that. Much smarter.
"To rebuild my empire, of course." Frieza replied arrogantly. "I wouldn't expect you to understand… but actually, now that those little brats aren't my problem anymore I can actually make a worthy heir of Kuriza – and give him an empire he can be proud of. One with a reputation – you know." He looked at Frikiza with a nasty smirk. "The sort of reputation you used to desire, before you suddenly developed a conscience and decided to throw it all away."
"Oh, an empire for Kuriza?" Frikiza sniped. "So you do still want him in your life? Why don't you tell him that?"
"He doesn't need to hear it." Frieza replied stubbornly.
"He does!" Frikiza barked. "He's just a kid –"
"I never heard it!" Frieza argued. "And it never did me any harm! I had to earn my father's respect, not the other way round!"
"Oh, shut up!" Frikiza scoffed. "You're so full of shit – Frieza, I know you!"

She looked at him, her face stern. "Is that why you never went to visit him?"
"I don't know what you mean." Frieza shrugged, and casually sipped his wine as if she wasn't bothering him, when she really was.
"You do." Frikiza replied. She looked at him, and her face softened once more. "… You want to give him an empire, right? You want to be someone he can look up to? You want him to follow in your footsteps?" She offered him a small smile, ignoring the way Frieza was glaring at her. Ignoring the way he was attempting to vaporise her with his eyes. Ignoring the way he was silently ordering her to not go there. Well… screw him! She'd never been very good at following orders anyway, and this needed to be said! She didn't give a crap if he didn't want to talk about this, they were talking about it! "You can't be a good role model if you get defeated, right?" Frikiza pushed. "You can't give him your empire if it's been taken off you. … That's why you didn't cut your losses and go home to him, isn't it?"
"Shut up…" Frieza growled.
"That's why you kept coming back, trying to regain your power, and your reputation…" Frikiza went on, ignoring him. "It wasn't just for you, and your own ego. It was for him –"
"Shut up!" Frieza threw a ki blast at her, and Frikiza raised her palm, absorbing it without so much as flinching, which enraged Frieza even more. For a second he'd forgotten how weak he was now… dammit! "This isn't supposed to happen to me!" Frieza yelled. "I never asked for this pathetic existence – this is something you wanted, not me!"
"Maybe you could want it too." Frikiza replied.
"No!" Frieza yelled. "No, I do not want this! I don't want to be on the smallest planet in the galaxy, with only one property to my name and an empire that is literally the size of a house – who the hell wants that!"
"Normal people." Frikiza giggled, amused at how ridiculous he was being. Why was he so materialistic!
"I'm not normal!" Frieza wailed. "I'm Lord Frieza! I was emperor of the universe! I was head of the Planet Trade Organization – I was somebody! I was famous all across the universe, I was a success – how can you expect me to be happy with losing that? Are you seriously suggesting I offer this pitiful existence to my son? I thought you cared about him!"
"I do!" Frikiza exclaimed, and Frieza became even more enraged to see that she was laughing. Laughing? What, at him? At how low he'd sunk? She was sick! How dare she call herself a good person! She wasn't a good person, she just wasn't a murderer! She still took pleasure in watching others suffer – like he was suffering right now, and she was just – why was she laughing at him!
"What's the matter with you?" Frieza demanded. "Is it funny to see me like this? To see me reduced to your level? With an heir that doesn't show me any respect? And the power level of a baby – is this funny to you, Frikiza!"
"No!"

Frikiza answered honestly, but Frieza found it hard to believe her when she was still laughing. She giggled childishly, growing more amused with the look of anger on Frieza's face. He looked terrifying! If he was strong enough, she knew he'd kill her right now. Well… maybe it was a good thing that he was so weak then. "You're just… pathetic." Frikiza giggled.
"Oh, I'm pathetic?" Frieza snarled.
"Yes!" Frikiza looked at him, smirking. "Frieza – would you just stop? You're acting like you've actually lost something."
"I have!" Frieza screamed. Kami, was she completely braindead? "My empire!"
"That doesn't matter!" Frikiza protested. "You still have your son, and if you wanted it you could have Cell back as well – that's what matters."
"Maybe to you." Frieza huffed.
"Yes, to me!"

Frikiza folded her arms, and let out a frustrated sigh. "Frieza… you don't know how lucky you are. Some people would do anything to have their families with them – and being with your son is more important than running an empire. Power isn't everything, you know." She looked at Frieza, and sniggered at the disgruntled expression upon his face. "If you just stop focusing on being defeated for five seconds and actually get to know your son, I'm sure he'd prefer that over having a huge empire."
"I hope not." Frieza spat. "If he doesn't see the value of power then he really does need educating – and I would hesitate to call him my son." He snorted, and narrows his eyes at her. "Anyway… you're hardly the person to tell me the value of family, are you? You left yours."
"I didn't." Frikiza hissed, and Frieza smirked. That tone… she was annoyed. He'd touched a nerve. Perfect! That was just what he needed right now, to throw some of this personal sniping back at her. Well, it served her right. Going on and on like she knew best, ranting about how he should live a life of poverty with his son because that was what was important – how would she know? She'd left her family in another universe; she had no right at all to talk about family!
"Is that why they're not here now?" Frieza cruelly remarked. "I haven't just missed them, have I? Are they upstairs?"
"Shut up!" Frikiza snapped. She glared at him. "Stop being a dick! You know I had to leave them! I didn't want to, I had to! Because they were going to kill me!"
"You didn't 'have' to do anything." Frieza argued. "You could have stayed with them and continued running the family business; you could have run your empire with your mother, you didn't have to leave at all –"
"Yes." Frikiza growled. "I did."
"Why?" Frieza pressed. "You had everything in the universe. You had your mother, your sister, your husband, your daughter –"
"I didn't leave Kuria!" Frikiza barked. "I still see her!"
"But you don't live with her anymore." Frieza replied. "Why not? If you think being with Kuriza is so important then why aren't you with Kuria?"
"… You know why." Frikiza mumbled.

She looked away, and sighed. She didn't know how to feel… She was mad at him – of course she was mad at him! He was being a jerk! And he knew what had happened with her family; he was just being cruel! Deliberately cruel! But… she couldn't feel angry. Even though she was angry – furious, even… all she could feel was… sad. … He was right. Kuria didn't live with her anymore – and Frikiza didn't want that. It upset her… but… "Kuria's father is there. She has a life – and my mother wouldn't harm her." Frikiza spoke confidently. "As long as Kuria isn't following me she's not in danger. She'd be targeted if she lived here."
"Humph." Frieza grunted. "I don't know why you've made it so difficult. It would be much easier, and much safer for you if you just went back home. Screw this universe. Your husband left you – take the baby and go home. That's my advice." He narrowed his eyes at her. "And I'm telling you this, because it actually pains me to see another version of me on the run from my father. I hate my father!"
"You hate everyone." Frikiza giggled. She calmed down a little, eased by his words… He meant it. She knew it. He really did think she was better off returning to her old life, and so he really did want her to do it… and Frikiza appreciated that. But… "I can't go back there." Frikiza said. "You know I can't."
"Why?" Frieza looked at her. "You would be so much better off."
"Yeah…" Frikiza mumbled. "But… I couldn't live with myself."

She took a sip of her wine, and sighed. "Listen… it's like…" She paused for a moment, trying to pick her wording. She wanted to say it in a way he could understand – she thought he understood already, but obviously not. So, she had to think about this… … hm. "When you were a kid…" Frikiza began. "Did you ever do that thing… you know, where you'd count all the stars in the sky?"
"Hm." Frieza grunted. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, as he recalled a game he used to play… So it did seem like Frikiza was like him, somewhat. At least, she was when they were children… "I would own them, when I grew up."
"Yeah." Frikiza giggled. "Me and my sister used to see who could count the most – she always won…"
"She cheated." Frieza snarled, glaring into his memories. Coola didn't have more stars than Frieza! He never did! He just made his number up – he always asked Frieza to speak his number first, and surprise surprise Coola's would always be higher! The jerk…
"I know." Frikiza laughed. "But… anyway. When I grew up, I did own the stars. And the galaxies, and the planets… … but… it just seemed like the more powerful I grew, the less stars there were in the sky." She looked at Frieza. "Did you ever notice that? We… destroyed so much. If somebody pissed us off, or offered us the right price –"
"It's business." Frieza shrugged. "It's how the universe works."
"It's not." Frikiza replied. "I mean… not to me. What's the point in having power if you hate how you got it? I mean, if who you are actually repulses you… then what's the point? You can't be a good role model… I didn't want Kuria to think that was who I was." She shrugged. "So… I left. I didn't want to leave my family… but you know what my mother's like. I humiliated her. She said if I wasn't going to stay in the business she'd kill me. So I had to run – I didn't want to, I had to. … I mean… Some things are just more important than power. If you can be someone you're happy with, and someone you'd be happy for your kids to follow… well – that's more important than having an empire." She narrowed her eyes at Frieza. "And if you just stopped focusing on being ruler of the universe for a second, maybe you and Kuriza could actually be happy."
"We will be happy, when I get my empire back." Frieza sniped. He paused for a moment, allowing her words to sink in. He didn't agree with it. As far as he was concerned, she was being stupid. She was throwing away a perfect existence, for the sake of morals and a life on the run. It was… ridiculous. … But, fine. If that was what she wanted. If she got killed by her own family… that was hardly Frieza's problem. He wasn't about to stop her… Just as long as she didn't pester him to live his life the way she lived hers. "You and I live completely different lives." Frieza said. "We don't want the same things, Frikiza."
"But –"
"And even if I did, it's impossible." Frieza huffed. "You're a woman, you don't understand. Nobody expects you to do anything except get married and have children – you don't have to be anybody. I do." He snorted. "I mean, I want to, of course… but supposing I didn't want to be ruler of the universe? I wouldn't have a choice."
"Everybody has choices." Frikiza smirked. "You just take the easy one."
"Shut up." Frieza growled. He looked at her… and sighed. This conversation was tiring him. He wouldn't understand her. He would never understand her… and he had no intention of trying. "… Anyway." Frieza grunted, changing the subject. "Did your mutant stepchildren find your runaway husband yet?"
"No…" Frikiza mumbled, her face dropping in concern. "I'm getting worried…"
"Don't be." Frieza said, and he smirked cruelly as he raised his glass to his lips. "Whoever his other woman is, I'm sure you could take her."

Smash! Frieza flinched, and then grinned when the glass shattered in his hand, destroyed by Frikiza in a fit of rage.