Sacrifice

Disclaimer: The DBZ characters do not belong to me. The plot and any original characters that may appear, however, do belong to me.

Vegeta shifted the unconscious girl in his arms and punched in the unlocking code for the heavily shielded gravity room Bulma had built into Capsule Corporation years ago. The door slid open and the other refugees from the demon attack - half still dressed in torn Halloween costumes - stared at him with a mixture of fear, suspicion, and relief.

Bulma sat near the computer terminal with Trunks and Goten while Gohan and Krillin had each picked a corner to huddle in with their families. Yamcha stood near Bulma, as if trying to protect her, while Tien and Chiaotzu stayed close to Krillin's family.

"You're both alright," Bulma whispered, a hint of uncertainty in her voice as she gazed at the limp young girl in his arms.

"She is only unconscious. She'll be fine," Vegeta said, moving into the room and locking it once more.

"Where is Goku?" Krillin asked suspiciously.

"Dead," Vegeta said flatly as he gently settled Bra down on the floor. He ignored the stares of disbelief from the others. Especially those from his wife and son.

"What did you do, kill him when he was trying to fight the demon and then run away?" Tien spat, glaring at him with pure hatred.

Vegeta turned to face him, his expression calm and cold. He glanced at all of the other people in the room before returning his gaze to Tien. "You are the ones who ran away, not me," he said softly.

The fighters in the room all had the decency to look away, ashamed of what they had done, even if it had been the only choice.

"Vegeta's right, Tien," Krillin said suddenly. "We couldn't fight the demon and we ran. It's no wonder Vegeta did the same while the demon was busy fighting Goku. His little girl was trapped there too."

Tien scowled and looked away while Vegeta grunted slightly, neither contradicting nor agreeing with Krillin's assessment. The Saiyan prince joined his wife, who was kneeling over Bra's still form. Bulma leaned against him slightly, silently giving him her support.

"I.. I'm really sorry everyone," Trunks said softly, sounding like he wanted to cry, but couldn't. His normally purple hair was dyed black and had been spiked to resemble his father's. He also wore what his father usually did while fighting.

"Hn. Be quiet, boy. You had no way of knowing what would happen when you got that stupid book," Vegeta said, taking off his denim jacket and pillowing it under Bra's head. He frowned softly as he gently stroked her hair. The cat ear headband that she had used as part of her cat costume was missing. She had been so happy when he'd gotten that headband for her.

"What do we do now?" Gohan asked softly, looking to Vegeta. With Piccolo and his father not present, the young man automatically turned to his prince for guidance. "We don't know how long it will take the demon to get in here, and we have no food or water."

"I'll go out and get supplies," Vegeta volunteered as he got to his feet.

"No! That thing will kill you," Bulma snapped, getting to her feet. "There's a computer terminal here. I might be able to get information about this demon and find a way to kill it. I have a capsule with an advanced tool kit in it, so I should be able to build something to at least weaken it."

"We don't know how long that will take. We need food, especially with four half-breeds and one full-blooded Saiyan."

"Vegeta..."

"I'll be fine, woman," he said gruffly, pushing past her and heading out into the main part of the building, where the demon lurked. Bulma watched him go, convinced she would never see him again.

...

The demon was the size of an average person and didn't really look all that intimidating. Then it began to grow, its body blocking Goku, Vegeta, and Bra from the door.

The non-combatants were shoved outside of the room before the fighters attempted to power up and wallop the demon. Nothing happened. The demon was somehow keeping them from using their powers.

It advanced on them, still keeping its bulk between those it had trapped and the door. Goku attacked the creature while Vegeta stood protectively in front of his daughter, watching the demon warily.

The others looked on in dismay as the demon advanced towards them, ignoring Goku's attacks as if he were no more than an annoying gnat.

"Get out!" Goku screamed, knowing that the only chance they had was to get somewhere safe.

"We won't just leave you here, Dad!" Gohan yelled, moving forward.

"Damn it, get out of here. NOW! You won't be of any help here. Get Bulma, Pan, and the others to safety."

They finally ran, ashamed, but knowing there was nothing else they could do other than somehow try to get the non-fighting members of their families to safety. Trunks stood in the doorway as the thing leisurely turned its attention to Goku, wanting to go back and help. He screamed and lunged forward into the room –

Trunks jerked awake as someone grabbed his shoulder. Goten jumped back as his best friend instinctively kicked out at him before coming fully awake.

"Whoa. Sorry, Trunks, but you looked like you weren't having a very peaceful nap," Goten said, briefly flashing him one of the Son family trademark grins. It didn't last long. He felt that he was also to blame for the disaster, and he had been the one to pull Trunks away when he would have gone back to help.

Trunks gave a soft laugh, one full of bitterness and self-loathing rather than humor. "How can I sleep peacefully when your father is dead because of me, and my own father is very likely dead as well?"

"It isn't your fault, Trunks. I helped you pick out that book, so if there is any blame, it goes on both of us. Besides, you'd expect a book of evil to be a huge thing bound in human flesh, not a lime green paperback with a horned smiley face on the cover."

Trunks sighed and leaned back against the wall. Goten did have a point. The book had looked like just some silly little thing to have fun with at a Halloween party. How was he to know that the demon summoning spell in it was real?

Stay safe, Dad, he thought, already certain that his father was dead.

...

Vegeta walked confidently through the halls, seemingly not worried at all about the demon. He entered the kitchen and opened one of the huge pantries before taking an empty capsule out of his black jeans and beginning to fill it with non-perishable food.

He felt a presence lurking nearby, but didn't let it distract him. He trusted the demon about as far as he could throw it with his currently limited power, but he knew that it wouldn't harm him.

"All alone, Vegeta?" a strange, otherworldly voice asked. "Do you not believe that I will spare your pathetic family and friends for the agreed upon time?"

"No," the Saiyan answered shortly, continuing to fill the capsule.

"Your mistrust wounds me, Vegeta," the creature said snidely, moving until it stood right behind the prince, its breath hot on the back of his neck and it leaned down towards him. "And after we've had such an...intimate...relationship."

Vegeta jerked away in disgust as the creature caressed his cheek. "Keep your filthy hands to yourself."

The demon gave a mocking laugh and backed away. "Such a moody little thing you are right now. I suppose it can't be helped. I will leave you be. For now."

Vegeta growled softly as the demon's presence gradually faded away, then he winced as a twinge of pain flashed through his abdomen. He took a deep breath before grimly going back to the task at hand. He didn't know how much time he had left, and there was still one task he had to accomplish after this.

...

It had been three hours since Vegeta had left and Bulma was trying to convince herself that her husband was still alive. That his cunning would be good enough to outmaneuver the demon and bring him safely back to her. She didn't believe it. She had a lot of faith in him, but couldn't see how he could evade something that had so easily killed Goku.

She was understandably surprised when the focus of all her thoughts staggered in through the door, looking exhausted but completely unharmed.

"Vegeta," Bulma whispered in disbelief as she got to her feet. She ran to him and flung herself at him, hugging him tight. He grunted slightly at the impact, forcing back a wince at the jolt of pain flaring through his body.

"The demon must be gone," Yamcha said, staring at Vegeta. He looked tired, but didn't have a scratch on him. "It's likely going after innocent people now. We have to stop it."

"No! Don't go out there," Vegeta snapped, gently pushing Bulma aside and holding out an arm to block Yamcha's way. "The demon is still here, waiting for one of you to be foolish enough to go out there."

"You don't count yourself as one of us?" Tien asked, glaring at him. "What kind of deal have you made with the demon, Vegeta? Why can you roam at will while we have to stay in here?"

"I do not have to explain myself to a mime-humping triclops," the short Saiyan growled.

"HEY!" Chiaotzu yelled just as Tien gave a howl of rage and launched himself at Vegeta.

"Damn it, calm down!" Gohan snarled, restraining Tien only a foot from Vegeta's position.

"This is getting out of hand," Krillin said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Tien, you need to chill out, and Vegeta, that comment was entirely uncalled for."

"Hn. Like I care."

"He has to explain himself. How is it that he's come back twice without a scratch on him, yet it's too dangerous for the rest of us to go out there?"

"You can go out there if you wish, triclops. Your corpse will be warning enough for the rest to stay where it's safe."

"Vegeta, what's going on?" Bulma asked, completely confused. She refused to believe that he had made a deal with the demon, but things weren't making sense.

"Has Bra shown any signs of waking up yet?" he asked, ignoring the question.

"She's fine," Yamcha answered before anyone else could say anything. "She takes after her father too much for a little knock on the head to hurt her too much."

"Hn." Vegeta couldn't help smiling slightly at that.

"I hated you for a while for ending up with Bulma, but during those years after Cell killed Goku, I realized some things about you. You're a good man, Vegeta, but something fishy is going on and from where we're standing, you seem to be doused in rotten tuna," Yamcha said softly. "How did you get back here with Bra only knocked unconscious? You wouldn't do anything that demon wanted just for yourself, but you'd do anything for Bra. What did you do to save her life?"

"I-" Vegeta hesitated, then gasped as severe pain brought him to his knees. He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his hand against his abdomen, as if that contact could lessen his agony. As he thought of its source, unbidden memories rose to the surface.

He could only watch in shock as the demon casually ripped Goku to shreds before returning to its smaller form and advancing towards him.

"You think to shield the little one from me?" it asked in amusement as it noticed the child crying softly behind Vegeta's back.

Before the prince could react, it had shoved him aside and slammed its fist against the girl's head with carefully measured force.

"NOOO!" Vegeta yowled, getting to his feet and launching himself at the creature. It laughed softly as it easily caught him and held him still.

"She lives. How long she continues to live is up to you." It lightly pushed him against the wall, tilting his head to the side before letting its long tongue slowly slide up the side of his neck. "You are a father protecting his young. I can respect that. Agree to my terms and I promise you that she shall live."

"Vegeta?" Bulma's worried voice coupled with the pain subsiding brought him back to the present. He painfully staggered to his feet, avoiding the looks of concern turned towards him.

"I am going to kill the demon," he said softly, turning towards the door.

"Dad, wait," Trunks said, grabbing his arm. "This is my fault. I'll go."

"There is no point. You'll only die."

"So will you."

"I am already dead," Vegeta said softly, shaking free of his son's grasp. "I did make a deal with the demon."

"I knew it," Tien hissed. "You sold us all out to save yourself."

Vegeta laughed softly, a sound bordering on insanity. "No. I told you. I am already dead. I subjected myself to that demon's vile attentions and gained myself a slow, painful death. All for the promise that my family would not be killed and that it would not kill anyone until its unholy spawn has finished killing me."

"If it won't kill us, why don't you want us going out?" Yamcha asked quietly. Everyone else stared at Vegeta in a mixture of horrified shock and sympathy, even Tien.

"I don't trust it."

"You... you don't trust it, but you made that deal with it?" Trunks whispered, staring at his father with huge eyes.

"Yes. To buy time for a plan to be made to kill it. That time is almost nearing its end. I will be able to live for perhaps a day more, but the demon's spawn is growing rapidly. Within the hour it will have devoured enough of me that I will not even be able to move, much less fight against its sire."

"You bastard," Bulma whispered. "You fucking bastard! How dare you go and do something so stupid."

She leaned against him and started crying. "Stupid bastard.... stupid, heroic, bastard..."

"I love you too, Bulma," Vegeta said softly as he wrapped one arm around her and gently stroked her hair.

...

"Hello, Vegeta," the demon said, coming up behind him. "Out again so soon? Did you miss me that much?"

Vegeta snorted in disgust and turned to face the demon. "I have come to kill you."

The demon threw back its head and laughed. "Oh, Vegeta, you do amuse me. That pest I squashed so easily would have had an easier time of killing me than you, my sweet."

"I know your weakness," Vegeta said softly. He took a step towards the demon, then cried out in pain and fell to his knees. He leaned forward and started coughing, blood splattering to the floor from his open mouth.

Damn it. It's growing faster than I anticipated, he thought. He tried to get up, but was driven back to his knees by another burst of pain. He leaned forward until his forehead was touching the floor.

"I think you are the one suffering from a weakness, lovely," the demon said, kneeling down beside him. "It is such a shame that you must die. You are one of the most entertaining mortals I have ever encountered. Also such a lovely creature."

Vegeta growled softly and grabbed the demon's arm, pulling himself up until he was on his knees.

"Goodbye, asshole," he whispered, yanking the demon's arm forward and burying it within his own body.

The demon screamed in shock and agony, ripping its arm from Vegeta's body, the body of its impaled spawn circling its wrist. Vegeta fell limply to the floor, a smile on his face as his ravaged body began to shut down.

He had used most of the time earlier to research the demon and had discovered that this particular type of demon had cannibalistic tendencies. To keep them from eating the young of their own kind, the demon spawn had blood that was deadly to the adults. Any kind of contact with that blood would kill an adult.

Vegeta closed his eyes and sent out one brief telepathic message before succumbing to the sweet, inviting darkness of death.

...

It is gone, and so am I. It is safe now, my son. Take care of your mother and your sister. I love you, Trunks, and I have always been proud of you.

"I love you too, Daddy," Trunks whispered as tears slowly made their way down his cheeks.