Sapphire jumped slightly when she heard the lab door open behind her. She must have nodded off. Glancing at her visitor, whom happened to be Bulma and two mugs of heavenly coffee, she gave a half-smile, half-yawn.
"How's he doing?" The other woman asked casually. Sapphire half shrugged and half grinned.
"Knocked out still. Even though he's breathing I wonder if he's even alive some times." Bulma's expression became concerned and Sapphire rose one eyebrow in curiosity.
"Oh no. It's not that. I'm just worried about when he does wake up. Honestly… the guys weren't kidding. I've never even really seen Vegita show outright fear like that. And it's so random, isn't it? I mean. He's been "destroyed" three times already! Maybe fate is real and he's just not supposed to die until he completes his 'mission'? It's all frighteningly odd and…" Bulma rambled on nervously, but Sapphire was beginning to phase out. When Mrs. Briefs realized Sapphire wasn't really listening anymore, she stopped and shoved the coffee gracefully to the other woman. She received a muttered thanks in reply. A silence wrapped itself around them for a prolonged moment before Sapphire sighed. As if on cue they both saw something any less watchful eye might have missed. A facial twitch.
Both were quiet a moment longer before Bulma asked, "You saw that right?" Sapphire only nodded. Before Bulma could ask her next question a faint growl like groan slipped past the lips of their patient. Sapphire looked wide-eyed at her fellow scientist in questioning, but found no answers.
"Should we put him into the containment room?" Bulma seemed not to hear her for a moment, and Sapphire was about to repeat herself when Bulma silently nodded. Sapphire ran to open the hatch, dialing in her code and pressing her hand against the reader for verification while Bulma moved to wheel the table-bed through the open door. Their commotion had caught some interest from upstairs, and several curious eyes peeked in. Gohan stepped forward to help situate everything while Sapphire began to set up the stabilizers.
It wasn't until they were sitting in the lab with the hatch locked that Sapphire realized her heart had been pounding. The boys were all talking, but she was wrapped in the feeling of adrenaline that had suddenly captured her. It'd been a long time since she'd really felt much for anything, and it brought a slight smile to her lips.
"Saffie… hey Sapphire… anyone in there?" She came to when she realized that everyone in the now empty feeling lab were all looking at her. She could feel a blush rise to her cheeks, but raised her eyebrows coolly in question. "Well," said Bulma, who'd been waving a hand in front of her face, "we were all just talking about who would be in charge of… Mr. Scary." Sapphire blinked stupidly a few times before she realized where all their heads were going. And they were all serious.
"Shouldn't someone who can actually pin him down watch over him?" Sapphire asked flatly. All of them blinked, slapped each other, laughed, and shook off her question. And then suddenly everyone was dodging the fact of the matter, and Sapphire watched flatly as some began to even flee. Slowly, the room dwindled to few, and Sapphire could feel that same weariness looming over her.
"Bulma… I'm really tired. I'm going to head up and we can talk about this dude tomorrow morning over coffee. How's that sound?" Sapphire's words half slurred from her lips as she dragged herself to the door. Bulma was about to argue, but giggled when her Saiyan husband grabbed her friskily around the waist with his tail and pecked her on the cheek. Nodding, she bade goodnight to Sapphire and turned to slap her playful attacker.
Dragging herself up the stairs, she wondered what it was like to be happily married and with kids like that. Even though she'd come to learn that Vegita could be one hell of a royal pain in the ass, and that Bulma and he often clashed, the two obviously loved one another very much. It was clear in their eyes that either one would die for the other. The only men Sapphire could remember having in her life had been nothing but trouble. But when she saw the Saiyan prince she saw a man that loved his wife no matter how different they were from one another.
Sapphire continued to wonder and ponder over Vegita's past and his people as she mechanically brushed her teeth and dressed for bed. By the time she'd clamored into bed she'd fallen fast asleep.
As she slumbered, she actually dreamt a dream she'd remember by morning. It was a young child, and a Saiyan at that. He was cold and hungry and damp. Naked to the frigid air, the child appeared weak and near death. Sapphire could feel a lump rise in her throat as she stepped towards the child. Why wasn't he crying or screaming for help? Didn't babies whimper towards any of the slightest of discomforts? But this baby remained mute with his eyes tightly shut. Concerned as though she were the babe's own mother, she reached to gather child in her warm arms. But as soon as she made to do so, the child's eyes shot open with wide and open fear. He opened his mouth, but made not a single sound. It was a silent scream, more painful than the loudest and most shrill of protests. It was a pain that was felt, but that could not heed any help. Sapphire could feel her own heart scream in unison, but her face remained placid and unfeeling. Stepping away from him, she began to talk herself out of assisting the babe. Who was she to raise a Saiyan child? Who was she to be a mother at all? What could she possibly offer to this baby? Turning away, she left him with not a second glance.
When she awoke that next morning she felt well rested and comfortable, but oddly ill at ease. Today could mean anything. It could mean Sapphire would be responsible for a man twice her size and a ridiculous amount of times her strength. Didn't Bulma know her inherent fear for men as it was? A sick feeling of dread began to twist her stomach as she dressed and shuffled to the kitchen which was still dark and empty. This suited her fine, and she sat at the table and awaited the coffee pot to finish brewing.
While curiosity gnawed at her as violently as it had the day before over Vegita's past, she was having a hard time in finding the courage. Was this their way of expending the most useless person they knew? Honestly, she was single, dreadful to be with, and knew too much about their crew. It would be a perfect way to find out if Mr. Equally Dreadful was still on a death rampage, which Sapphire was sure hadn't changed at all.
"'Morning pretty girl." Bulma greeted Sapphire as she began filling two mugs with fresh coffee. Sapphire grunted in reply as she rubbed her dry eyes to clear them. It was far too early to be social.
"Ready for the big day?" It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did they sent violent chills down Sapphire's spine. She couldn't find an answer to Bulma's question. All she had to offer were the uncertainties boiling within her. She noticed that Bulma was beginning to wonder if Sapphire had even heard her. That same expression of concern was growing on the other woman's face. Swallowing a gulp of painfully steaming coffee, Sapphire attempted to find an answer, but could only supply a question in return.
"What if… I can't help?" Bulma's brows furrowed, and she was about to voice her answer when her husband tromped into the kitchen with a most livid expression. Or maybe that was just how he looked in the morning. However funny the expression was to Bulma, Sapphire just couldn't find any humor there. Her stomach only twisted into more of a knot.
"'Morning Hunny…" Bulma crooned sarcastically as she stood to greet him with a nonchalant and rather puny punch to his muscular shoulder. Winking to Sapphire playfully for whatever reason, she asked him what he wanted for breakfast.
"Nothing you're going to cook, woman." He grumbled as he pulled out a chair and settled into it across from Sapphire. While Bulma rolled her eyes and muttered something only Vegita seemed to hear, Sapphire began to feel shrouded in a moment that didn't belong to her.
"I'll be in the lab." She said more curtly than she intended, and rose without another word and left.