Author's Note: A thousand squillion million bagillion tragillion pamillion apologies! I meant to get this out so long ago but I've just been thinking oh I'll do it tomorrow and putting it off and off and off and I just realized now that it's been months since the first chapter of "Strong Enough" was posted and I apologise profusely. I hope this makes us for it. I'm really busy with school and my social life but I'll try and keep it updated as often as I can. Enjoy!
Chapter 2: Alone
Slowly he walked with his head down, leaving the towering barbed wire fences behind him. Without so much as a backwards glance the tall, blonde young man climbed into the back of a waiting car and lifted his head.
"Long time no see," said the driver as he started the car. The blonde man nodded curtly, looking intently out the window. "Was it hard?" The man turned to the driver.
"The worst three years of my life. I'm never going back. Never." They drove in silence for a while. "Any word about the guy that put me away?" The driver looked at his passenger in the rear vision mirror.
"Last I heard he'd left for America. Some sort of police college."
"And the girl?"
"Still living here. Father died not long ago and she's now the sole owner of Capsule Corp. Mother's gone into a psycho ward. Couldn't deal with the death of the husband." The man thanked his driver for the information and slipped him a hundred dollar note as he stepped out of the car as it pulled up to the sidewalk. The driver nodded as the man closed the door. The car was gone in a few seconds and the blonde man stood on the sidewalk, looking up at a house he hadn't seen in three years. It was all Ouji's fault. If it wasn't for that asshole he wouldn't have been in that position anyway.
"Oh well," he sighed. "Let bygones be bygones." Slowly, the man ascended the stairs into his home. The door clicked open and he stepped inside. As if he was coming home from town, he walked over to the phone, the answering machine light flashing. He pressed the button. His answering machine message came up, a thick Australian accent detectable.
"Hey, this is Chris. I'm not home at the moment so leave a message and I'll get back to you. Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep."
Bulma struggled to keep her eyes open as she sat at her desk, peering intently at the sheets of paper under the weak artificial light. Sighing in frustration she leant back in her chair, running her hands through her hair. She looked around the room, her eyes coming to rest on a picture of her father. Tears welled up in her eyes. It had been her father's funeral that day. Her mother had been unable to attend as her psychiatric doctors had deemed her "mentally unfit" to be out of her ward. Bulma swallowed as she thought about her life. Her father was dead, her mother in a psychiatric ward. Her boyfriend was on the other side of the world. She had no one left. Chichi and Goku were busy with their son and while they tried to be supportive Bulma thought it unfair for her to push herself on them. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. It was five-thirty. Cut off time. She stood from the chair and turned off the light, locking up the lab and heading into the house. The huge compound seemed empty and eerie. It had always been too large for the family but it had never seemed to matter before. But when you were one person in a seventy-ish roomed house, there was something scary about it. Bulma locked every door and window before she went to sleep.
As she collapsed onto her bed, Bulma seriously considered the prospect of moving out. She didn't need this house. She could sell it. Or lock it up until Vegeta came back and they could raise their family in it. Suddenly, it all became too much for Bulma and she let out an emotional scream, tears streaming from her eyes as her screaming cries echoed throughout the empty compound, echoing.
And as the multi-billionaire heiress sat there in her room, no one heard the sobbing that shattered her picture perfect world.
"Goku," Chichi cried as she looked at their son playing on the floor. "We have no where to go!" Tears flooded her cheeks as the seriousness and enormity of the situation engulfed her. Goku reached an arm around her.
"We'll figure it out, Chi. Don't worry. Why don't we give Bulma a call?" he asked suddenly, struck by the brilliant idea. Chichi looked at her husband through glassy eyes.
"Bulma won't want us. We haven't talked to her in so long. We can't just expect her to give us a house." Chichi looked at Gohan as they one year old stacked blocks, waving his arms happily. Chichi closed her eyes and replayed the events of an hour ago. Goku had come home and told her the company he worked for had gone into liquidation. As if that hadn't been enough, the bank manager had turned up to inform them they were six months behind on their mortgage. Goku had been begging her for months to ask Bulma for financial support but the stubborn raven haired woman had been too proud to ask. She had always been a little jealous of Bulma's abundant finances and had wanted to prove that she and Goku could do it on their own. Now they had a day to get out of their house. Whatever they took with them they could keep and the rest would be repossessed.
"Chichi please just ask her," Goku begged. "We haven't been very good friends to her lately but if we're living with her it'll be a chance to make it up. And I'm sure she's really lonely in that huge house on her own. She'd probably like some company. And Chichi what other option do we have? We have nowhere to go and if we don't find somewhere by tomorrow then we're going to be out on the streets with nothing but each other and a one year old son we can't support!" Chichi broke down sobbing. Goku rubbed her back gently.
"Alright," Chichi choked through tears. "We'll ask her." At this point, little Gohan looked up and noticed that his mum was crying. He waddled over on his pudgy little legs, arms outstretched.
"Mama sad!" he yelled and started to cry. Chichi bent and picked him up in her arms, hugging him tightly and nodding resolutely to Goku.
"Ring her," she said. Goku picked up the phone.
Bulma was brought back from her enormous crying session by the sound of the phone ringing. Wiping her eyes and composing herself, she picked it up.
"Hello Capsule Corp Bulma Briefs speaking."
"Hey Bulma." Bulma paused quietly for a moment.
"Goku?" she asked incredulously.
"Yeah it's me. Listen Bulma we're in a real bad place right now, me and Chi. We know we haven't been very good friends lately-"
"Oh I know you've been busy with Gohan. Don't worry about it. What's wrong?" Goku took a deep breath.
"Chichi and I have been kicked out of the house. We have to be out tomorrow. Is there anyway- I mean I know we haven't been very good to you lately- but would we possibly be able to stay with you for a while?" Goku sounded very guilty.
"Of course! What sort of a friend would I be if I didn't help you guys when you needed it? I'll be over in ten minutes to get you." Goku thanked her profusely and then they hung up. Bulma went over to her mirror and touched up her makeup. "Oh well," she sighed, looking at her reflection. "That solves the loneliness issue." A small picture of a smirking Vegeta was pushed into the frame of the mirror. Her eyes lingered on it for a moment before she turned and left the room.
The Sons and Bulma arrived back at Capsule Corp just over three hours later. Once the Sons had packed up all their belongings they had been loaded into the capsule car. Then it had been a last goodbye before returning home. Chichi stepped out of the capsule car, Gohan sitting gently on her hip. Goku stepped out behind her. Bulma climbed out of the driver's seat and clicked her fingers. Immediately about 30 robots appeared from nowhere and unloaded the Sons' luggage. Bulma programmed one of them. It spread the directions to the others and the robots began in a single file procession up to what would be the Son's room.
"Bulma I can't tell you how thankful I am," Chichi said as they walked inside. Bulma chucked her keys on the bench as they walked into the kitchen and she opened the fridge.
"Honestly Chi, it's nothing. I could do with some company anyway. It's been pretty lonely since…… well you know. Since Mum and Dad 'left'." Chichi nodded sadly. Goku appeared not long after and immediately began rooting through the pantries for food. Bulma gave a small laugh.
"You won't find anything here Goku. I've been living off microwave dinners and pop tarts for weeks now." Goku looked sad as he closed the pantry in a despondent sort of way. Chichi smiled as she set Gohan down in the playpen that was still up from their last visit.
"I'll do some shopping for you, Bulma," Chichi told her. Bulma smiled.
"Thanks Chi. It's great to be talking to you guys. I've really missed you these years." Chichi hung her head.
"Bulma I'm sorry there's no ex-"
"I'm not saying it was anyone's fault. If we have to place blame I'd say it's equally shared. I was just saying. It's good to have you guys back." Chichi hugged Bulma.
"Thankyou for this, B." Bulma smiled.
"Wow. No one's called me that since high school." That did it. The rest of the night passed in a blur of memories and flashbacks as the three young friends sat, thinking back on the past three years and the time in high school they had shared together. Gohan was thoroughly excited about all the activity and didn't get to sleep 'til well after eleven o'clock. It was nearer three when Bulma, Goku and Chichi said goodnight and went to bed.
Bulma knelt at the side of her bed and looked upward.
"Thank you God. For this small pleasure you've given me in the darkness of my life. I know it will get better from here on, Lord. It just has to."
Bulma was up late the next morning. It was twelve thirty when Chichi came in to tell Bulma she was going shopping. Bulma now dragged herself out of bed and into the shower, feeling like she hadn't got enough sleep at all. As Bulma stood in the shower, hot water pounding her back, she thought back to high school when Vegeta used to stay the night. He would get up early to have a shower which was OK. But he didn't just have a shower. Not Vegeta.
Flashback
Bulma sighed and kicked the blankets off. The warm yellow sun bathed the room in mid morning light. She and Vegeta were going shopping that day. Her treat.
"Morning," came a deep voice suddenly. Bulma looked up to see Vegeta exit her ensuite, white towel wrapped around his waist, displaying his perfectly chiseled chest, abs and arms.
"Morning, gorgeous," Bulma smiled as she climbed out of bed. Vegeta walked past her, smirking and kissing her quickly on the cheek. Bulma stood up and sighed. "I'm going to have a shower. I'll be out in about half an hour," she told him. Vegeta nodded and Bulma disappeared into the bathroom. Vegeta smirked even more and leaned against the wall.
"Five," he muttered. "Four, three, two one-"
"VEGETAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" came a scream from the bathroom. Vegeta let out a deep laugh as the ensuite door slammed open, shaking on it's hinges. Bulma, towel wrapped around her, stormed over to Vegeta and slapped him with all the strength she could muster. This only caused Vegeta to laugh harder. "YOU USED ALL THE HOT WATER!" she screamed at him. The whole room seemed to cower before her rage. But not Vegeta. He stood in front of her, calmly waiting for her anger to dissipate. He tuned out the ranting and raving and let his mind wander. Five minutes later Bulma calmed down and Vegeta brought himself back to the real world.
"You finished yet?" he asked her, completely relaxed. Bulma screamed and stomped her foot.
"DO YOU LISTEN TO A WORD I SAY VEGETA? HOW DARE YOU USE ALL THE HOT WATER AND THEN HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TELL ME-" She stopped abruptly as Vegeta stepped forward and crushed his mouth against hers. She tried to pull away at first but eventually gave in. When they parted, Vegeta held Bulma's face in his hands and looked at her.
"I love it when you get angry," he told her with a small smile. Bulma sighed and looked back up at Vegeta. Her cerulean blue eyes eagerly searched his onyx black ones.
"I love you Vegeta. You may drive me to breaking point but I love everything about you. Thank you for what you've given me. I can never repay you." Bulma kissed Vegeta lightly on the lips.
"I love you too, Bulma. I know I don't say it very often but I want you to know it's true. You've given me so much more than I ever dared dream of. Thank you. With all my heart." Bulma let out a deep breath, closing her eyes. Vegeta enveloped her in his arms, careful not to let either of their towels drop and ruin the moment. Vegeta leaned down to Bulma's ear. "I love you," he whispered.
End Flashback
Thick salty tears flowed down Bulma's cheeks, mingling with the hot water and streaming away. Bulma blinked hard, trying to stop them.
Fifteen minutes later, she stepped out of the shower in her towel. As she entered her room, a small part of her was looking for Vegeta, expecting to see him sitting on her bed, out on the verandah or going through her wardrobe, laughing at some of her ridiculous outfits. Bulma took a deep breath. Everything today reminded her of Vegeta. She was feeling the loss particularly hard, she didn't know why. Bulma quickly dried off and dressed in a pair of loose fitting navy blue cargo pants and a white fitted t-shirt. She pulled on one of Vegeta's old hoodies and sighed. Even though warm golden sun streamed through the open door leading to the verandah, she felt cold. For the first couple of washes, Vegeta's old hoodie had provided her with a small comfort. Having his smell around her relaxed her slightly. After four years the small had long ago disappeared but she still liked the sweatshirt.
Bulma sat on the living room couch half an hour later, blankly channel surfing. Chichi was still shopping and Goku and Gohan had gone to a baseball game. Bulma had no idea how the one year old was going to appreciate basketball but Goku had insisted on teaching him about the 'right' sports from the beginning. Bulma sighed, flicking off the television. She had to find something to do. She couldn't spend the rest of her life on the couch. As she looked around the room, her eyes lingered on a family photograph. Her mother and father were smiling and happy, she was about fifteen years old, standing in the middle right and beaming at the camera. Her then seventeen year old sister, Camisole, stood with her arm around Bulma. More tears sprung to Bulma's eyes. Her sister had been murdered in a home invasion, along with her husband, back in high school. Her father and sister were dead, her mother was as good as dead and her boyfriend was on the other side of the world. Bulma choked on the tears. As she collapsed to her knees crying, she realized there was no one there. No one to support her. Chichi and Goku were living their independent lives and they had no idea what was going on inside her head. She was alone.
Chris laughed as he picked up the three-year-old boy and flew him around the room like Superman. The child squealed in delight but let out a sound of disappointment when the ride ended.
"Thanks Chris!" the little black haired boy yelled and ran off to play with the other kids. Chris smiled and walked over to a nearby painting table where the five year olds were doing finger painting.
"What are you drawing?" Chris asked a red haired girl with pigtails as he sat down next to her. The little girl looked up. She then showed Chris a finger painted flower. Chris smiled.
"It's very pretty," he told her. The girl smiled and turned back to her art work.
"Chris!" came a call suddenly. Chris stood up and walked over to meet his parole officer. The tall man smiled at him. "I'm glad to see you're doing so well in your community service," he said. Chris nodded and said nothing. "You've done so well, in fact, that your hours have been reduced. This is your last day here. You were supposed to do 100 hours but we've reduced that to 40 which you've already fulfilled. Congratulations, Chris," the officer said as he extended his hand, "you're a free man." Chris smiled as he shook his office's hand.
"Thankyou, sir." Chris said gratefully. The parole officer nodded and left the kindergarten. Chris walked over to one of the kindergarten teachers and began to explain what had happened. The teacher stopped him before he was finished.
"It's alright, Chris. Your parole officer talked to me. It's been a pleasure working with you. I hope we meet again." Chris nodded his thanks and grabbed his bag from behind the reception desk. He walked out the door of the kindergarten and stood on the sidewalk, breathing his first deep breath as an officially freed man.
"Not going back," he muttered to himself as he hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and began to walk.
"Hey Mum," Bulma said as she quietly approached the bed in her mother's psychiatric unit ward. Bulma sucked in a gasp. The woman on the bed was unrecognizable. "Mum," she whispered as she walked to the bedside. The once pretty blonde woman was a wreck. Her hair was all over the place, matted and knotted. Her cheekbones were protruding and her eyes shallow and sunken. The once bright blue fires had receded into empty grey pits. Bulma's eyes scanned her mother's body. She was so skinny. Bones stuck out as the skin loosely draped across them. She looked like a concentration camp victim. Suddenly a nurse came in. She walked up next to Bulma and put a hand on her shoulder.
"We're feeding her through a drip. Her fluids and vitamins are still going in but they don't seem to be making any difference. There's nothing medically wrong with her, but she just keeps losing weight. I don't-" the nurse stopped. Bulma looked up, tears in her eyes.
"You don't want?" she asked as the tears rolled down her cheeks. The nurse took a deep breath.
"I don't think she'll make it to the end of the month. It's like she's lost the will to live. She doesn't show any signs of recognition, not even of your late father." Bulma gave a choking sob. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of such bad news." Bulma sat on the seat next to her now sleeping mother's bed. Bulma grabbed her mother's hand and tears flowed freely from her eyes. The nurse told Bulma again that she was sorry, and left her.
"I love you, Mum," Bulma whispered. Then she stood and left the room, unable to look at he mother any longer.
"Hello?" came the voice of Chichi. She gently pushed the door to Capsule Corp open.
"Hey honey," Goku called. "Want some help with the groceries?" Chichi laughed.
"That would be nice, Goku." She cast a wary eye back to the car in which groceries were pushed hard up against the window. Five minutes later Goku appeared and between them they managed to get all the groceries inside within ten minutes. Chichi then collapsed on the couch, watching Gohan in the playpen.
"How was the baseball?" she asked. Goku grinned.
"It was great. Seen better but it was still pretty good." Chichi nodded. "Do you know where Bulma is?" he added. Chichi shook her head.
"Don't know, she was still here when I left at midday." Chichi looked at her watch. It was approaching three o'clock. "I'll give her cell phone a call and see if I can get a hold of her." Just as Chichi picked up the phone to dial, Bulma walked through the door. Immediately Chichi could see she had been crying. "B what's wrong?" Chichi asked. Bulma shook her head.
"Don't worry Chi. There's nothing you can do. I just need some time to think." Chichi gave Bulma a comforting hug as she walked past. "Thanks guys," Bulma said. "Help yourself to anything, I'll be down soon." Chichi and Goku nodded.
Bulma then disappeared up the stairs and collapsed on her bed, sobbing into her pillow. She lay there quietly long enough for her ears to pick up the lyrics of the song on the radio.
All I know is I'm lost without you I'm not gonna lie
How'm I going to be strong without you I need you by my side
If we ever say we'll never be together and we ended with goodbye don't know what I'd do I'm lost without you
I keep trying to find my way but all I know is I'm lost without you
I keep trying to face the day I'm lost without you.
Tears flooded Bulma's eyes as the raking sobs escaped her chest.
How'm I ever gonna get rid of these blues Oh my beds so cold at night and I miss you more each day All I know is I'm lost without you I'm not gonna lie If I could only hold you now and make the pain just go away All I know is I'm lost without you I'm not gonna lie
Baby I'm so lonely all the time
Everywhere I go I get so confused
You're the only thing that's on my mind
Only you can make it right no I'm not too proud to say
How'm I going to be strong without you I need you by my side
If we ever say we'll never be together and we ended with goodbye don't know what I'd do ...I'm
lost without you
I keep trying to find my way but all I know is I'm lost without you
I keep trying to face the day I'm lost without you
Can't stop the tears from running down my face
Oh
How'm I going to be strong without you I need you by my side
If we ever say we'll never be together and we ended with goodbye don't know what I'd do ...I'm
lost without you
I keep trying to find my way but all I know is I'm lost without you
I keep trying to face the day I'm lost without you.
"Vegeta," Bulma cried as her teary mascara stained her pillow. "I need you so much right now. There's no one here for me. I just want you to come back," she sobbed. The last line of the song echoed through her head.
Lost without you……………
Next Chapter: We jump six months ahead and see how things have progressed. There'll be a visit from an old friend but I'm not telling you anything else.
Author's Note: Poor Bulma. I feel so mean writing this. But it's turning out exactly how I wanted it to. I thought it'd be hard to turn Bulma into an emotional wreck but it's actually proving quite easy. I hope you guys enjoyed this I had a lot of fun writing it and I can't wait to write the next one. It WILL be out by the end on next month I absolutely promise you. Read and Review!
God Bless,
Kaibun