Chapter 2

It was twilight in West City; billions of sparkling points of light smothered the darkly blanketed sky, twinkling brightly as if to wink down at the young Demi-Saiyan who stood below watching them. They were a little harder to see in the city, but they were beautiful, nevertheless.

Trunks sighed softly and resumed walking up the pathway to Capsule Corp., making no effort to be quiet since no one was home. His mother was at some sort of business convention until tomorrow morning, and his father wasn't set to return for another three days. By the time they figured out he was gone he'd be holed up in some isolated place halfway across the world. Mom will think I'm with dad, and he'll think I'm with her. It's perfect. Trunks thought with a mischievous grin. Though he did feel guilty for having to make his mother worry too, it was the only way to finally get his point across to Vegeta. I'll stay gone for so long, even he'll start to worry.

Trunks slipped the extra key from under the mailbox lid, putting it into the lock and turning it. He opened the door and slipped inside, flipping a light switch so he wouldn't trip. He felt weak enough as it was without having to navigate in the dark. Though he never liked being sick, it was even better for his plan. His Dad knew he was sick, and if he had any conscience at all it would make him worry even more. All he had to do was find a good place to hole up in, then go see a doctor and get the medicine he would need, and he'd be as comfortable as ever.

As long as I don't use any ki and I hide my power level, they'll never find me. He briefly considered telling Goten, but dropped that idea immediately. He loved his friend like a brother, but, he knew better than anyone that Goten couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it. He'd be lucky to get out of West City without being stopped by the Z fighters.

He trudged up the stairs toward his room, wishing he had a sensu bean to restore his energy. Suddenly, he smiled, remembering the ones his father kept just incase the need arose. Changing direction, he walked toward the other end of the hall and into the room his father and mother shared, quickly digging through the night stand on his father's side until he found three beans neatly wrapped in pieces of tissue paper. He took one and popped it into his mouth, feeling the exhilarating burst of energy he always got after taking one. Though his head was pounding so much he could hardly see straight, and his stomach felt slightly queasy, he now had the energy to deal with it. Briefly he wondered if he should take the rest with him, but he decided against it. What if everyone really did need the beans and didn't have them because he took them? He'd never forgive himself.

Putting the sensu beans back where he found them, Trunks rose and walked out of the bedroom, starting toward the other end of the hallway where his room was. However, before he had to stop before he could get very far. Trunks felt sickeningly light headed all of a sudden, and he stopped to clutch the wall for support, dizziness overwhelming him as he fought back the vicious waves of nausea. A battle he would lose, Trunks soon realized. Oh Kami, I think I'm gonna throw up…. He bolted down the rest of the hallway as fast as his wobbly legs would carry him, sprinting through the bathroom door just in time to throw himself down on the toilet seat and start to retch uncontrollably. For what seemed like an eternity afterward, Trunks stayed down on the floor, shaking violently, and trying to make sure nothing else was going to come up. Ugh… I think my stomach must be in there somewhere…Trunks thought gloomily. The sooner I find myself a hideout the better. He could just go to a doctor in another town first, but that probably wouldn't be wise. Incase the Z fighters happened to figure out he'd run away sooner than planned, he had to have the place ready to go back to. He could wait until he found a sufficiently safe place to go back to. At least, he hoped he could…

Wiping those thought out of his mind, he pushed himself off the cold tile floor, turning on the water immediately to splash some of it on his face. When he looked up at himself, he almost passed out. Dear Kami, I look like hell…. His face was beat red, all except for a small area around his mouth, which was oddly pale. How one could be flushed and pale at the same time Trunks didn't know, and wasn't sure he wanted to know either. Lifting his shirt up, he discovered some little red bumps covering his upper torso, and a small portion of his neck. They didn't itch or anything, but still, it was strange. If he'd looked like this earlier, no wonder Vegeta had told him to get out of his sight. Taking all these weird symptoms in, he decided he really should get a move on right now while he was still alive to complete his task. Surely the doctors could give him some medicine that would easily clear it up, right? No reason to make a big deal out of it. Freaking out wouldn't get the job done.

He walked out of the bathroom and into his room, cursing when he realized he'd left all his capsules at the campsite. Along with his bottle of Tylenol. Damn it all. He'd have to get into his mother's substantial stash. Going back into his parent's bedroom, he went into the area where she kept the safe and put the combination in. He'd figured it out easily years ago. Honestly, who actually used their own birth date as a combination number anymore? Trunks chuckled at the thought. Opening the safe, he found what he was looking for. All of the latest and best capsule technology was packed into the safe, along with a brand new custom ship that Bulma had designed specifically for herself. This sparked a new idea in Trunks's devious mind, and he grinned, pleased with what he'd just thought of. If he took this, she'd notice for sure, and eventually they'd know he'd taken it. That way they'll think I'll be flying in it so I don't have to use my ki, and they'll search the skies first instead of the ground. Which is where I'll be. Walking the old fashioned way. Trunks couldn't believe his luck! It was almost too perfect.

He grabbed the ship's capsule along with all the others that would come in handy, including tents and capsules that contained food and water. He would have everything he needed. He quickly dashed into his mother's bathroom and took her bottle of medicine since he'd left his behind. It might keep his fever at bay until he got proper treatment.

After Trunks had collected all the other things he would need, he put it all into a backpack and slung it on his back. Almost as an afterthought he dashed into the kitchen to grab one of those disgusting energy bars he loathed with a passion, grimacing as he crammed it into his mouth. Maybe it would revive him a little.

After walking out the front door, he slipped the note he'd written into the bulging mailbox, knowing that even if she took it all out of there, she wouldn't check it until she saw her nosy husband leafing through it. Or when the stack got so high it spilled off of the counter. Or when hell froze over, etc., etc. She was forgetful when it came to that kind of thing. Trunks smiled fondly, despite his growing unease. Not giving himself time to change his mind, he strode on down the pathway, head held high. I'm not coming back until I get you to see.

I'll make you love me.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Vegeta scowled at himself yet again on his way home from the training site, two days sooner than planned, despite his best efforts to forget about the boy. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He'd closely followed Trunks's ki to be sure he got home, but still, no one would have been there. Bulma has probably already come home and taken care of it by now. Why then, did he have this sick feeling in his gut? A Saiyan's instinct about his children or comrades was rarely wrong, and for him, it had always been right. Surely if his son's life was threatened someone would have come to tell him by now. He simply couldn't resist going to at least see if everything was all right, though. He silently cursed his own weak attachment to the child. No good would come of it, for himself or his son. Kami only knew that Vegeta had learned that first hand. Damn you Frieza…I hope you're thoroughly enjoying yourself in the hellfire's of HFIL. Cursing under his breath, he dropped the subject and filed it away for future self-analysis, at the same time knowing damn well that he was never going to do any such thing.

Passing over many of the buildings in West City, he quickly descending when Capsule Corp. came into view and walked in the door, which was unlocked. Bulma came out of the kitchen to greet him; apparently, she had heard his entrance. Brushing stray strands of hair from her face, she looked at him, surprised. She hadn't been expecting him back for days. Despite that, she went up to him and kissed him on the cheek before speaking.

"Vegeta? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be gone for another few days." She looked around, suddenly realizing someone was missing. "Where's Trunks?"

Vegeta's heart tightened in his chest. He didn't like the sound of that. Not at all. "What do you mean where's Trunks? Isn't he with you?"

Bulma gave him a puzzled look. "Why would he be with me?"

His mind froze with barely contained fear as he began to suspect what was going on. "You're saying he is not here?"

His wife stared at him as if he had lost his mind, and looked as if she might tell him exactly that in more colorful terms, when a thought occurred to her. "He isn't with you?" she said, looking a little frightened for the first time.

The Saiyan prince sighed in exasperation, incredibly angry and worried at the same time. He was about to reluctantly tell his woman about what had occurred between them when he spotted an unopened stack of mail that sat on the coffee table, with a conspicuous piece of paper sticking out from in between a couple of envelopes. He didn't often pay much attention to the way humans chose to communicate, but even he could tell it didn't belong. Walking right past a dazed looking Bulma, he picked up the stack of mail and yanked the piece of folded notebook paper out of the midst of the envelopes, dropping the rest on the floor as he began to read.

Dear Whoever,

Most likely Mom or Dad, but whatever…If you're reading this, you've probably figured out what I've done, or you're searching for clues. Makes no difference to me. Anyway, I've decided to go away for awhile. I don't know where, or for how long but I need to seriously rethink my life. I'm nowhere near what I was expected to become, so until I can be what you want me to be, I need to stay away. Don't try to find me, because even if you do, you'll never figure out where I've gone. Maybe someday I can live up to everything you want me to be, but that time is not now. Until then, farewell mother, and especially you, father. You're my hero, even now. I hope you have a great life without me. I know it's what you've always wanted. Maybe I'm finally being useful to you by permanently staying out of your way.

Your son,

Trunks

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hello, all! There is a specific sickness that Trunks has…. See if you can guess, and maybe I'll give you a hint! Mwahahahaha!! Sorry…. Maniacal laughter has always cracked me up.