Come back to us Vegeta….we gotta spar sometime...

Do you think he can hear us?

Time to wake up, hon…

Dad…it's all my fault…I'll never forgive myself if….if you…

Vegeta woke up with a start. The voices in his head were now slowly fading. He could barely make out the words anyway, since the sounds were muffled as if spoken from far away. Still, he was absolutely certain he knew whom those voices belonged to; the soft one was undoubtedly Bulma's, but he could swear he'd also heard his son's pleas and even Kakkarot's foolish babbling.

Where the hell were they? Was he back home? Was the whole ordeal with Freeza's diabolic duo just one of the more realistic nightmares he was so often haunted by at night? And even if it was just a dream, how come he still felt so weak and groggy.

The room was dark with the lights turned off, making it impossible for Vegeta to make out anything that would give him any clues as to where he was. That certainly didn't help alleviate his already heightened sense of anxiety and confusion.

Suddenly he became aware of the familiar, albeit infuriating sound of dripping water, undoubtedly coming from the very same leaking pipe that had disturbed him before. At that very moment he knew, he just knew, that he was still stuck in that godforsaken cell.

Having mustered some strength, Vegeta tried to get up but discovered he couldn't move his arms and legs, as his wrists and ankles were restrained by leather belts, which in turn were tightly fasten to his bed. He tried to rip them out, but unfortunately he still couldn't summon his ki.

After several minutes of trying to break free, while keeping himself from screaming in frustration, he gave up and rested his aching head on the pillow.

Perhaps now was the time to analyze the situation and come up with a plan because so far none of the things that happened to him in that crazy white hellhole made any sense.

Speaking of hell… Vegeta considered the first scenario: perhaps in some strange circumstances he couldn't recall at that moment he died (again) and was sent to …..HFIL. Perhaps this is some sort of punishment for his past deeds.

No, that can't be it Vegeta quickly dismissed that theory. After all, he had been sent to hell before, more than once in fact, and he knew for a fact that mind games were not in HFIL's repertoire of torture techniques. Besides, as much as the fact still puzzled and embarrassed him, he was considered one of the good guys now. When Shenron deemed his soul worthy of redemption and resurrected him after the whole Buu ordeal, Vegeta didn't even have the opportunity to prove the dragon wrong. Not that he'd want to anyway. He knew his priorities now and he wouldn't let anyone, especially himself, hurt his family ever again.

If he wasn't in hell, maybe he found himself in some sort of alternative universe. That'd explain the disappearance of his battle scars and perhaps the weak condition of his body, but not necessarily the fact that, apparently, his name was Ian now. What in Kami's name was up with that?

He was willing to admit that the resemblance to Zarbon and Dododia that he saw in his two tormentors was an effect of his imagination going wild, but the way they addressed him was unmistakable. Plus, they did know about his past and his race, from him apparently! That didn't make any sense. Then there's also the fact that in normal circumstances, even if his body was drained and his ki blocked by some devilish device, he'd still be able to sense power levels or establish a mental link with Trunks or Kakkarot. And since he couldn't do that, the only explanation to his predicament would be body switch. That had been his first thought when he'd noticed the missing scars earlier. Except this time, it couldn't have been Ginyu, who was forever condemned to a life of an amphibian, but some creep named Ian.

Vegeta cringed at the very thought that while he was being drugged and detained like some wild animal, an impostor who took his body was settling in nicely in his life, living in his house, training in his Gravity Room, spending quality time with his family…

Oh kami, Bulma…. Vegeta didn't even want to think about all the possibilities that presented themselves to his impersonator. Not to mention the fact that having access to Vegeta's immense power made his stand-in a huge threat to the safety of the entire planet. The whole notion sent shivers down his spine.

I've gotta get out of here, warn Bulma and the others and somehow get my body back before it's too late Vegeta concluded with newfound determination. Now would be a good moment to come up with an escape plan….

Vegeta thoughts were interrupted by a clicking sound by the door.

Not those two again Vegeta mentally whined at the prospect of encountering the despicable pair.

The lights were suddenly turned on making Vegeta wince. He was ready to browbeat the two assholes but his scowling expression quickly turned into one of surprise when he saw who entered his cell – it was his father-in-law, Dr. Briefs!

The man approached Vegeta's bed and gave him an odd look – the very same look he'd usually give his broken machines or incompetent workers. The doc's expression reflected a mixture of disappointment, annoyance and resignation.

"Feeling better, my boy?" he finally asked.

Feeling better? Seriously? Here I am strapped to a bed without a clue as to what is going on and what kind of a psychopath put me here, my ki is blocked, my head's about to burst open, and that clueless moron dares asking me if I was FEELING BETTER?! At that moment, so many emotions run through Vegeta's head – surprise, confusion, disbelief, anger, a sense of betrayal – that he did the only thing he could in his immobilized state. He shouted.

"You fucking traitor! You're behind this shit? Where's Bulma? Does she know about this?" The last question in his enraged outburst made him uneasy. There was no way his wife would do that to him. She was one of the very few people in the world who managed to earn his full trust – an almost impossible task – and she wouldn't just flush it down the drain like that by placing him in this wretched rat hole, would she….?

Dr. Briefs was oddly calm for a man who just got insulted and subsequently placed on the powerful warrior's personal blacklist. Didn't he know better than to get on Vegeta's bad side? Wasn't he aware of the terrible repercussions that would follow? Did he expect mercy once Vegeta got his power back on account of being related to his wife?

The older man sighted. "Are you done shouting, Ian?" he asked the still fuming prince.

"Can't wait to hear you shout when I'm done with you old man! And don't call me Ian, damnit!"

"Why not? It is your name" Dr. Briefs calmly stated ignoring the other man's threats.

"No it's not! Whatever's going on in here, I'm not who you think I am!"

"Ian, I can't even remember how many times we've had this conversation. Every time I think we're making progress, you revert to your delusional self-image".

"Listen to me you old geezer! If I don't get outta here soon…"

"The planet will be destroyed by an imposter who stole your body, correct?" Bulma's father finished, which completely caught Vegeta off guard. "And before you ask, no, I'm not a mind reader".

"Explain" Vegeta demanded through gritted teeth. Obviously shouting wasn't going to cut it this time, so he figured he might as well listen to what the old man had to say.

Dr. Briefs once more sighted tiredly, giving an impression that explaining the twisted situation to his son-in-law was as tiresome and mundane to him as mowing the lawn.

"Your name is not Vegeta" he started, unfazed by his interlocutor's deepening scowl. "You're not a Sayian prince capable of manipulating energy, or ki if you will, you do not posses any special powers and you're definitely not married to my daughter".

Vegeta didn't like what he was hearing one bit but decided to remain silent and let the man finish his insane blabbering to find out what exactly he was dealing with here.

"Your name is Ian Say. You're a patient at St. Mary's Mental Health Institute. You have been with us for over 10 years. I'm Dr. Harold Briefs, your psychiatrist".

Vegeta's eyes widened at the revelation but he was still far from believing in anything the man said so far. If Dr. Briefs noticed Vegeta's skepticism, he didn't show it and continued his explanation.

"Your condition is called Dissociative Identity Disorder, also known as Multiple Personality Disorder, but you also fell victim to a severe case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with periodic delusional episodes. These mental illnesses cause you to lose touch with reality, adopt a new identity – that of the almighty Sayian Prince – and deal with your fears, failures and desires by creating an imaginary world you like to lose yourself in. It is a world where death can be overcome by a simple act of making a wish using magical balls; and all conflicts are solved through epic battles fought by men capable of flying and throwing energy balls at each other. In this elaborated fantasy of yours, you're a member of an elite group of warriors with an almost unlimited power reserves, and you're married to the world's richest, most intelligent, most beautiful woman who bore you a son. You refused to accept reality as it is Ian, so you decided to establish a new persona for yourself and found refuge in a magical world of your own design. To put it in simpler words…"

"You think I'm a nutcase" Vegeta finished, shaking his head in disbelief.

Dr. Briefs gave him a sad smile while taking something out of his pocket. It was a small, round portable mirror. Wordlessly, he held it in front of the younger man's face.

"But..but that's impossible" Vegeta stammered, shocked by seeing his own reflection, albeit skinnier and more disheveled than ever. Apart from his shortened hair and more pronounced cheekbones, the facial features in the mirror were undoubtedly his, the body-switch-theory be damned.

"This is some kind of a trick" the prince murmured, desperate for an alternative explanation to his predicament, although he couldn't provide one himself at the moment. "I'm afraid it's no trick, my boy"

"I'm not crazy! This must be a part of an elaborate plan to… to destroy me!" Vegeta growled, trying to convince both the doctor and himself.

His thoughts were racing, his head spinning, overwhelmed with various conflicting emotions. Vegeta's instantly felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.

"Denial is not just a river in Egypt" Dr. Briefs replied, putting the mirror back in his pocket.

"Shut up!"

"You need to understand that you've been living in a world of delusions and fantasies"

"Prove it!" Vegeta exclaimed, his daring tone failing to hide a tinge of desperation in his voice.

"You've probably already noticed your scars are gone" the other man stated matter-of-factly.

"That could have been arranged" Vegeta protested. "I've heard of lasers that can do that sort of thing".

"If you're so strong, why can't you just break free from the restraints using your power?" Dr. Briefs asked despite already knowing the kind of answer his patient would give him.

Vegeta's rage grew stronger with every second of the exchange. The older man should feel lucky that the price couldn't move.

"Some device you made is blocking my ki, and you know it! Or it may be the effect of some poison you ordered them to inject me with!" he accused.

"Whose them?" the doctor asked innocently.

"You know who! Don't play dumb with me old man!" Vegeta snapped, unable to contain his rage anymore.

"You mean Zamarion and Dorian? The two male nurses who gave you a sedative after your assaulted them?" the doctor calmly asked, consequently ignoring Vegeta's constant threats and insults.

Vegeta blinked.

"Well… they pissed me off" he whined, inwardly cringing at how childish and defensive he sounded.

"I see" the older man said reassuringly. "I'll make sure they won't provoke you next time" he added, attempting to placate Vegeta but the prince didn't appreciate his patronizing tone.

"There won't be a next time!" he hissed. "As soon as I figure out what's blocking my ki, I'm getting outta here, and trust me doc, you don't wanna be anywhere near me when that happens. And by near I mean in the same solar system, understand?" Vegeta growled, still shaking in anger.

Dr. Briefs just rolled his eyes. He wasn't intimidated at all, as if such venomous threats to his life were nothing new to him.

With a sigh, he turned once again to his fuming patient. "I don't suppose you're going to believe me, huh?"

Instead of gracing the doctor with a reply Vegeta just squinted his eyes.

"Alright then. If you don't want to listen to me, perhaps someone else can convince you?"

"And who would get the honor, hmm?" Vegeta asked, his voice dripping with irony.

"Your father" the older man said, turning on his heel.

Before Vegeta could gather his wits again, the lights were once again turned off as Dr. Briefs made his exit, leaving the astounded prince all to himself.

That night sleep never came.