'It was your hair that did it
It was your hair that lit the fuse
A golden brown halo
Like sunlight peering through trees
I ask you for the time, but I am asking for so much more
A moth to your light bulb, you made my heart beat faster

Paralyze me, with your kiss
Wipe those dirty hands, on me
Maybe we're looking for the same thing
Maybe you're the one who will complete me

Oh how beauty burns, lips and eyes and fingertips
The spark of desire on every point our bodies meet
Behind your eyes were stars, infinite and serene
How I would suffer for you, you fascinate and magnetize me

Sometimes I think, I would float away
If this sadness did not weigh me down'

HALO, Bloc Party

He awoke with sweat on his forehead and a scream on his mouth. Over and over again he saw blue dead eyes, a straight nose. That cold smile. The power that had come from nowhere, unexplained. Like a second sun that had erupted in the sky.

'Ah,' he'd had time to think before the blast hit him and brought no more than ten seconds of pain. 'So these are the androids.'

He breathed out slowly through his mouth.

Not exactly what he'd been expected, but well. The certainly proved that they were capable of killing Piccolo, Vegeta, Yamcha, Tien, Chaotzu, and himself and Gohan. Those damn hideous monsters. Nearly as bad as Freiza. Hell, if they hadn't wiped out most of Capsule Corp, they might have had a chance to destroy other planets. Imagine, them taking up the role that Freiza and his father had and tightening a stranglehold around the universe.

Something, something that Gero would never have even thought possible. That crazy madman couldn't imagine his creation taking over an entire galaxy, he bet. Inconceivable. Yeah.

Krillin rolled over in his tiny cot. What had Gero even thought he was accomplishing with releasing those monsters onto the Earth? But, what was the point of getting so worked up when there was nothing he could do whatsoever to help?

He looked at the pink sky hovering above. Absolutely nothing.

The last time he'd died, and the time before that, he couldn't quite remember this place. He supposed he'd been here, since certainly he hadn't been sent to hell. Heroes of the Earth who had had lost and sacrificed so much trying to protect it usually got to go to heaven. Even Vegeta was here, sparring with Goku or just walking around with his jaw silently going up and down as he chewed on his rage.

No direct memories were kept though; he mostly remembered waiting, floating, sleeping.

Which was a shame, since it's lovely here, and he's more peaceful in this place than he could ever remember being on earth. When he'd been alive.

And best of all, now the cigar smoke no longer bothered him when they play poker.

Of course, they have far less to bet as well. How can you bet money you completely don't have and items that are literally meaningless. "I bet my left shoe." And then you could just materialize it back again. Plus there was an entire building here outfitted to holding clothes that they requested.

But it broke up the monotony of the day. Which was important. At least once a week they'd pull out the cards and brought out all memories and grudges. In time, they all knew they'd grow sick of this game and have to move onto something new. But for now, it still had a feeling of novelty.

This one game though, there was a change. Not a huge one, no one grew, say, an extra head. But one he'd never experienced. Or anyone else for that matter, as far as Krillin knew.

For the first time ever, he beat Baba.

They all looked at the fallen cards for a long time, expected them to change or turn to smoke and disappear.

"Alright," the ancient woman said slowly, after five minutes of solid silence. "You get my crystal ball. For a week."

"For once, luck was with you." Yamcha patted him on the back. The others start to stand up, making their way out of the sunny field that somehow could still give you a sunburn and into the cool shade of the buildings nearby. They'd all thought the stand-off would never end, and wow, Krillin actually won, do you think there's any ice cream in the mess hall, or did Goku manage to eat it all, again?

"What are you going to look at," Tien asked. But he stretched leisurely and kept two of his eyes on Chiaotzu, who was mentioning something to Lunch about opening a bar here in heaven, one that actually served alcohol.

"Dunno." Krillin looked deep into the grey swirling depths. Thankfully, nothing embarrassing or disturbing appeared.

His friends all headed inside while he stared mesmerized into his prize.

Baba was the only one left, and kept a wary eye on her beloved crystal. "Want to take a peek at the other you? The one in the other timeline where the androids didn't kill everyone?" She offered.

Krillin paused, for a brief second. There was the slightest warning, something along the lines of 'be careful what you wish for,' but his curiosity bowls that right over. He imagined himself living it up in some house in the country, with maybe a wife. Wouldn't that be awesome? A kid or two maybe, a white picket fence and a freshly mowed lawn, a dog chasing a ball.

Or training somewhere. Still a bachelor, unhappy, and living at Kame house.

The possibilities were both exciting, and horribly depressing. Tears were more than likely to be shed.

Of course he had to look.

He didn't even pay any attention to what Baba mumbled to get the glass to work.

It took a second for him to recognize himself. He wasn't wearing a gi, and his clothes were new and nondescript. There was a happiness to him, a joy, while he sat in the dark sand. This Krillin looked out onto the ocean, and just watched the waves come nearer to the shore, and himself.

"Hey, grew my hair out. Still at Kame House. Not a huge surprise."

There was a childish scream followed by the sound of tiny footsteps. An adorable, noseless blonde toddler ran out onto the porch. Her face was pink and stained with chocolate, and her large dark eyes were startlingly familiar. The Alterna-Krillin was grinning at her, laughing and scooping her up when she ran at his squealing.

When she nearly kicked him in the face, Krillin felt like weeping.

"Is, is that…Is that my kid? I have a daughter? That lucky son of a bitch.

"She's adorable! 'Marron'? That's her name? Like my ex? But, she doesn't look like her at all.

"But then, why is that her name? Why would I name my kid that?

"But there's no way. The kid's blonde."

There was the sound of low laughter that, despite the fact that he didn't immediately recognize it consciously, sent a shiver up his spine. A shadow fell across the porch. Like a punch to the gut, Krillin nearly fell over.

"Is that, is that." He wanted to throw up. "Her?"

You could already imagine bloody flying in red droplets through the air to dry on warm sand.

The android stepped out of the small pink house. She looked irritated, and Krillin's mouth went dry. Her clothes casual, a dark blue shirt that reminds him of his past and current 'life,' and hung off her slim frame. Dark jeans, sneakers, black socks. She could have been anyone. She could have been human.

He'd never actually seen her so close until now. But he knew that face, her voice. Krillin had heard enough about her from his friends and the countless other people who are brought here. Young, they would whisper, voice cracking as though she might be listening nearby, a teenager. Beautiful. Horrible. Hideous. A demon. Monster.

Blonde.

Besides, her face is literally a twin to the man who killed him.

It had been a long time since he could see or imagine any beauty in her that Juunanagou made handsome, but now Krillin can see it again. This version matched the other one perhaps even more perfectly than Krillin and his alternative version. The same pale eyes and hair and skin, the careless grace and youthful clothes.

There was a spot on her face, on her cheek and she wiped it away distracted. Although he knews that it's too dark, he thought for a second it was blood.

The oddest look crosses that terrible icy face. It's a soft look of amusement that only scares this Krillin more. What is she planning?

Even as the other version of him smiles back and his child grins and coos against her father's shirt.

The sound of his voice made Krillin jump. "Hey, I see the cake's coming along."

Her teeth are white and bared slowly. "Slowly, yes."

The other Krillin moved closer, saying something softly to his daughter and Juuhachigou is stepping into the sand, still smiling.

The scream came out, unheard by the people he's watching. "Oh my god, run, run! She's going to kil-hug you?"

The android ruffled his hair, tugging at it without malice. He rolled his eyes and set the baby down. While the dark-haired man watched Maron run back inside, she ate him alive with her eyes. It was predatory, the look, as she sized him up and not being disgusted with what she'd found. Which made Krillin feel ill.

Had it been any other woman, he would have been nothing but a ball of envy. Pretty girl checking him out, for once. Would have killed for that chance to get someone who looked like that to give him a second look. Maybe he should have regrown his hair, years ago?

But for this guy, Krillin could only shake his head and mentally tell the guy to run away.

Oh, you poor bastard. You don't even realize, do you?

The other Krillin noticed after his 'twin' did, turning and smirking when he caught her. There was a…what was that? It wasn't anger; this was too flustered. But there was color rising to Juuhachigou's face.

You sick bastard.

You know exactly she wants.

The still-breathing man gives her an exaggerated, good-natured look over her. He said something to her, something clever and self-assured, but Krillin can't hear it from the blood rushing in his ears. Her face became pinker, and this version of the android's eyes was not ice.

For the first time since watching, Krillin almost felt like a voyeur. I shouldn't…I shouldn't be watching this. I never should have.

Another thing in a low voice, and she shrugs awkwardly, graceless and vulnerable, and stretched out a hand to him. They smile at each other, and the dead man can see a flash of gold on their fingers.Krillin, alive and down there and literally another universe away, took her hand and lead the android inside.

"Oh."

"Oh."

Then the tears finally came.