Chapter 1 Pain and Solace in Love
Rain splattered down upon the makeshift roof of the little hospital as the nurses tended to the wounded. Groans and cries echoed from the wounded and their families. Tucked into a corner, away from the noise were those who were starting to heal.
Over in this makeshift ward a woman knelt sobbing by her husband's dead body. She clutched the blanket that lay across his legs and slowly she forced herself to tug the blanket up to his neck. Quietly she murmured a Saiyan prayer for the dead as she closed his onyx eyes and ran her hand down his dark candle-flamed shaped black hair.
"Good-bye my Vegeta" she whispered then covered his head with the blanket.
She rose unsteadily to her feet and stumbled instantly drawing her arm up to protect her unborn child.
"Here, let me help you" a soft voice said.
She turned toward the voice and watched a young woman rise from beside a young solider who never allowed his eyes off either of the women. The solider had spiky jet-black hair and calm black eyes. He bowed his head and repeated the Saiyan prayer of the dead. The young woman bowed her head of long jet-black hair respectfully and closed her black eyes. When her husband finished with the prayer, the young woman lifted her head.
"I am so sorry that you lost your husband" she said softly. "I am Chi-Chi. What is your name?"
"Bulma" the first woman murmured. "I am Bulma."
"Do you have any family Bulma?"
"My son. I-I don't know where he is."
"Lavender haired boy?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
Chi-Chi gave a slight smile.
"He is with my boys."
Chi-Chi took Bulma's hand and leads her toward the entrance. They paused in front of the wall that separated the two wards and Chi-Chi told the nurse that went past that another had joined the body count. Bulma refused to look at either of them and looked instead into a mirror. Her soft blue hair fell in weak curls and stuck to her pale, tear-streaked face. Deep blue eyes watched from eyelids blackened from lack of sleep. Bulma reached up and ran her hand over her eyes determined to be strong for her son.
"Come on" Chi-Chi side and gently tugged on Bulma's arm.
Bulma allowed Chi-Chi to lead her out of the makeshift hospital and they paused at the door to accustom their eyes to the outside light. Without a word, the two mothers walked away from the makeshift hospital and toward a small clearing a few feet away.
A young male about seventeen-years-old stepped forward and watched with his silent black eyes. He reached up his hand and ran it up and down on the back of his head making his black hair even spikier than before. Beside Bulma, Chi-Chi nodded and the young man grinned slightly then frowned as he watched Bulma. Chi-Chi and Bulma stopped in front of him and watched him for a long moment.
"What was his name?" the male asked finally.
"Gohan" Chi-Chi scolded. "We do not speak of the dead."
Gohan ignored his mother and continued to watch Bulma silently waiting for her answer.
"Vegeta, my husband, is dead" Bulma said lowering her head.
"Vegeta, the prince" Gohan asked with wide eyes.
"Yeah" Bulma lifted her head with pride and watched the young male. "I am a human. Yeah, I know why my kind was brought here."
"So the lavender haired boy is as much Saiyan as Goten and I" Gohan said with a nod.
"Knew he couldn't be but half Saiyan."
Bulma glanced sideways over at Chi-Chi and looked confused.
"I'm a human" Chi-Chi said. "I was brought here because I was pregnant with Gohan. Kakarot, the Saiyan I was sitting by, came to Earth and decided that I'd make a good mate. So Gohan and I were here on Vegetasai a year before the other humans were brought here to be slaves. How old is your son?"
"He is six-years-old. How old is Gohan?"
"He is about sixteen or seventeen and the youngest is five-years-old. I was mad at Kakarot."
"Long time to be-"
"Mommy!"
A small blur of purple zoomed over as Bulma and Chi-Chi stopped in the clearing. A six-year-old boy with lavender hair and deep blue eyes stopped inches from them and looked up with excitement. A board grin pulled up on his lips until he took a close look at his mother's face.
"Mommy?"
"Trunks-kun" Bulma whispered. She hit the ground and drew her son tightly into her arms and held him against her.
"Daddy?" Trunks whispered softly. "Mommy is Daddy dead?"
"Yes sweetheart" Bulma cried softly. "Your father is dead."
"I don't believe you" Trunks yelled wriggling free. He jerked away from her and ran toward the makeshift hospital with tears in his big blue eyes.
"Trunks" Bulma yelled jumping to her feet. She weaved dizzily and fell heavily against Gohan. Instantly Gohan wrapped his arms around Bulma tightly. Bulma tried to squirm out of Gohan's tight grip but soon found it to be fruitless.
"Stop, he will be alright. Dad will calm him down. It was my dad who finally calmed my cousin Contor down after his mother died."
Bulma closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe in and out then opened her eyes and calmly stepped away from Gohan.
"Momma" a soft voice said. Bulma turned toward Chi-Chi and watcher her pick up the little boy with big black eyes and the same spiky black hair as the one named Kakarot.
"Momma" the boy repeated. "What is the matter with Vegeta? And why is his momma calling him Trunks?"
Chi-Chi glanced quickly over at Bulma who silently nodded then started toward the makeshift hospital. Chi-Chi fell into step behind her son and her new friend.
"Goten" Chi-Chi started finally. "Vegeta's daddy did not recover from his injuries and that makes Vegeta very sad."
Goten's big black eyes looked sad and filled with tears. "Is Daddy okay?"
Chi-Chi gave her son a sweet smile and nodded quietly. "Yes baby, Daddy is okay."
Goten's eyes lit with joy and a broad smile crossed his little face.
"Good" he said happily. "Then Vegeta and I can share Daddy."
Gohan gave a low chuckle and ran his fingers through his brother's hair. "I'm sure he will appreciate that Goten. You can tell him when we get in."
Goten bobbed his head then laid it on his mother's shoulder. He gave a soft sigh and was quiet. They walked the rest of the way to the hospital in silence and walked back toward the ward where they could hear a soft hiccupping sound. Bulma stepped in and looked over at the bed where her son sat quietly hiccupping in Kakarot's arms. The soldier looked up from the small boy and watched Chi-Chi until she came to sit by his side, then he turned his eyes back toward Bulma. Bulma silently walked over and sat down quietly beside Chi-Chi and looked at her son. The boy's eyes were red and swollen but he sat up with pride in his eyes. Chi-Chi sat Goten beside Trunks on the bed and watched lovingly as Kakarot ran his fingers through Goten's black hair. Goten smiled slightly then turned to Trunks.
"It's okay Vegeta" he said. "We will share my daddy."
"Thank-you Goten" the little prince whispered. He gave his friend a watery smile. "That means a lot."
"Trunks" Bulma whispered.
"Don't call me that" Trunks said shaking his head. He pulled himself to his full height. "I am Prince Vegeta Trunks Malone. I am the first-born son of Prince Vegeta and Princess Bulma. I wish to be called Vegeta from now until the day of my death." He nodded his lavender head and jerked his purple tail back and forth.
Bulma reached out and pulled her little boy to her and gently ran her fingers through his lavender hair. He settled his weight on her lap and laid his head against her chest.
"My son, my Vegeta" she whispered. "I'm proud of you and I know your father would have been proud too."
Little Vegeta nodded his head and fell asleep.
"You can stay with us for a few days" Kakarot said. "Sorry we can't offer you longer."
"It's okay" Bulma whispered. "We are leaving for Earth as soon as we are able."
Kakarot and Chi-Chi glanced side-ways at each other and gave a slow silent shake of their heads.
Finally Chapter 1 is up. Well R&R.