Chapter 2.
Bulma opened the door. She saw Yamcha first and Trunks' body. Vegeta mentally braced himself when he saw her intake of breath.
"OH MY GOD! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED? Please tell me he's not DEAD!" Bulma screeched before she began to sob.
"Don't be like that Bulma, we can wish him back to life. In fact we were planning on doing it tomorrow." Yamcha said awkwardly shifting his weight.
"Oh right sorry I forgot about that. Why don't you go put him in his room, it's the third one on the right." Bulma said stepping aside to let Yamcha in and also allowing her to see Vegeta's silent form.
"Vegeta? Are you ohkay?" Bulma asked immediately going towards him.
Yamcha's eyes flickered nervously before he hurried into the house with Trunks. He was out before Bulma had really seen Vegeta and the boy he carried with him. He took off into the air yelling as he went.
"Good-bye. See you two tomorrow on the lookout. Good luck Vegeta."
"Good luck? Why would he say that?" Bulma asked turning back to Vegeta.
Then she saw the boy. Her mind made the connection based on the looks and the tail. It also calculated and came to the same conclusion that Piccolo had, except unlike Piccolo she jumped one step higher.
"You have another WOMAN!" she shrieked.
Vegeta didn't react, didn't yell back. He just stood there his face a blank mask. His emotions had taken too many physical blows in one day and he did the only thing he knew how, he shut down.
"I can't believe I was stupid enough to believe that no one had ever been good enough for the Prince of all Sayians until he met me!" Bulma continued oblivious to Vegeta's lack of response.
"Bulma? What's the matter dear?" Dr. Briefs asked coming to the door.
"I just realised that I'm an idiot, that's what. MEN! Doesn't matter what galaxy they're from THEY'RE ALL THE SAME!" Bulma yelled.
Vegeta knew she was hurting but he still did not move. She had yet to see the bigger picture. Mrs. Briefs came to the door then.
"Oh Vegeta dear you're back. Did you have a nice time? Would you like some cake, I just took it out of the oven?" she asked.
"No mother, he does NOT want cake. What the heck were you thinking Vegeta, coming here? What, did you think I'd just let you come in?" Bulma said hotly.
Vegeta just stood there. Bulma blinked only just realising that Vegeta wasn't doing anything. She looked at the boy again and noticed the gentle way Vegeta held him and the way his tiny fists were clenched with his eyes squeezed shut.
"Why didn't you say something?" Bulma asked stepping forward her anger immediately dissolving.
She tried to take the boy from Vegeta but his grip tightened. A low growl warned her that Vegeta wasn't quite himself. She needed to tread carefully.
"Its ohkay Vegeta, I just want to help him." Bulma said.
Vegeta didn't respond at first. Then he practically shoved the boy at her. She hastily steadied him and was surprised at how light he was. He was so small. His breathing had speed during the change of hands making Bulma's heart squeeze in guilt. She turned and walked back into the house, Vegeta following almost uncomfortably close.
She realised only then that he was on autopilot in a sense. She wondered what had happened on the battle field. She knew that the boy alone wasn't enough to make Vegeta act like this.
She had had the infirmary installed shortly after Vegeta's arrival when it became apparent that he was going to hurt himself and a lot. There was a doctor and a nurse on hand all hours of the day. She handed the boy over to them so that they could care for him.
The boy's body jerked and Vegeta started to step forward instinctively. Bulma put her hands on his chest and only then noticed him own cuts and scrapes. They weren't major but she was grateful for something to do. She took his hand and pulled him to the kitchen. He was reluctant to follow, but he was relieved that he didn't have to think of the next thing to do because quite frankly he had no idea. He was dangerously close to shutting down.
She made him sit down and asked her mother to get some food while she filled a bowl with warm water. As Bulma busied herself with her self set tasks Vegeta was left to his own thoughts. Where had everything gone so wrong?
All of Vegeta's hard work, all of his intense preparation, the hellish training that had damn near killed him to achieve the legendary super Sayian transformation. It had all been for nothing. Even the hyperbolic time chamber had been useless. Trunks, his son, his, had tried to win his acceptance, his approval. That was all he wanted of the Sayian Prince and he had refused to acknowledge his presence. He had even stood by and let the plane that had carried his son and Bulma fall to the ground and crash into a burning heap. It had been Trunks that had saved them as he had known he would, been counting on it even. It was shameful. What would he have done if Trunks had frozen and not saved them as Vegeta had been counting on?
Vegeta almost growled in frustration. Where was Bulma's never ending chatter when he needed it? It was as if his own mind was against him. Memories of how he had let Cell achieve his final form swam to the focus of his thoughts. He could have won, could have had all the glory. Kakarot's son would never have reached the ascension. They would never have known that it was possible, Vegeta tried to reason, tried to make excuses for his miserable behaviour. His own damned pride that he couldn't no matter how hard he tried let go of had nearly been the cause of the Planet's destruction. It was the reason that Trunks and Kakarot were dead.
Mrs. Briefs placed plates of food on the table around him and for once the Prince wasn't in the mood to eat.
"Stop beating yourself up Vegeta. I can see it in your eyes." Bulma said softly putting down the bowl of water.
"Leave me alone woman." Vegeta muttered weakly.
Bulma just ignored him, thankful that he was talking and started to clean the cuts and scrapes on his body. The muscles twitched as she cleaned the one on his arm, but that was the only sign of pain. He was as still as a statue.
His ineffectiveness in battle beat at his mind like physical blows. He had had to stand by and watch as Kakarot fought with Cell and then as Gohan took up the slack of saving the world. His inability to even damage the abomination was pounding in his mind, reminding him how weak he was. He had denied Trunks so many times over. The boy had never pushed, had been easy to ignore, the baby even more so.
When had he begun to care? The thought swam around in the chaos of his mind. He didn't have the answer. What had happened to the ruthless soldier that Frieza had paid for with his pain and blood?
Blue eyes moved into his line of vision. Vegeta concentrated on her movements instead of the pounding accusations in his mind that were slowly driving him back to the jaws of madness. He kept watching her eyes as she cleaned the cuts on his face. She leaned in closer, her eyes drifting closed.
"Vegeta dear, you aren't eating." Mrs. Briefs said breaking the moment.
Vegeta turned his head away and Bulma pulled back.
"Oh my, was I interrupting?" Mrs Briefs asked.
The smell of food finally started to have an effect on Vegeta. He started to eat but it was mechanically. He was still on auto pilot. Bulma cringed when she thought of what could have happened had they kissed. If it had gone further and he had woken up with her the next morning, that was assuming he stayed, how would he have reacted? Not well Bulma decided. After learning about Trunks he refused to touch her.
Vegeta pushed away from the table and walked out of the kitchen when he was done eating. He went to the infirmary. He had to see that the boy was ohkay, that he was being treated, unlike he had been as a boy. Frieza had denied him that privilege no matter how bad his injuries were. Gaya had always been there to help him. Gaya had now left him with a son he knew nothing about and he didn't know what the hell to do.
A steady beep . . . beep . . . beep filled the room. Vegeta stopped by the doorway. He didn't budge an inch further than that. He couldn't. His son lay in a white bed oblivious to the world.
"When do you think he'll wake up?" Bulma whispered from behind him.
"When he is ready." Vegeta replied.
"Where's his mother?" Bulma asked looking at him.
"Dead. Frieza killed her before I even landed on Earth for the first time, only I had not known it then." Vegeta replied tonelessly.
Vegeta thought back to the burning that had awakened him from the simulated hibernation. The mark had disappeared with it but Vegeta had learned the in the right light you could still see it, barely.
"Well then that makes him at least four years old." Bulma said with certainty.
"Now the question is how much is he like his mother?" Vegeta muttered to himself.
He knew that Bulma was confused by that statement, but he didn't bother to explain. The beeping speed up and the boy's eyes scrunched up. His whole body stiffened. Vegeta probed his mind and found pain. There were fragments of laughter, cruel taunting laughter.
"Wake up boy!" Vegeta barked.
"Wake up boy!" The Prince barked.
He had not the faintest idea as to how to treat the boy. Children were not his strong suit and when in Frieza's army the only children he came across he killed. He had always seen that as the mercy he had never received. Sometimes when things had gotten really bad he had wondered why his father hadn't had the strength to do the same thing to him.
The boy's eyes sprang open and he jolted into a sitting position. He jerked as the pain shot through his body, but he remained sitting.
"Do you speak like me or like your mother?" Vegeta asked.
"I speak when it is necessary." The boy replied looking directly at Vegeta.
"What is your name?" Bulma asked softly looking at the boy from around Vegeta.
"My mother gave me the name Vegeta Zion Myles." The boy said looking down.
"Zion." Bulma said quietly to herself.
"Do you know how to fight?" Vegeta asked.
He could feel Bulma's disapproval as though it were a living breathing thing. She didn't like the way he handled the situation. How else was he supposed to?
"Yes. It is instinctive." Zion replied with pride.
"Then why did you not fight Frieza's soldiers?" Vegeta demanded.
"I was told not to. Also there was no way off the planet and they were the ones that prepared the food. If anything they were good at making food." Zion replied with a perfectly straight face.
"You must rest. We will continue this conversation at a later time." Vegeta said walking out and closing the door.
Vegeta went to his chosen sleeping quarters. He couldn't take the intensity of the boy's stare anymore. He stood by the window with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked out the window, not bothering to acknowledge Bulma's presence. Bulma could sense the turbulence in his thoughts. She could also sense his pain. She knew Vegeta well enough to know that he wasn't going to come to her, she was going to have to get it out of him. She also knew that he would never admit that he was in pain.
"Vegeta? Tell me what happened." Bulma said gently.
"What do you want from me woman?" Vegeta barked in reply.
"Tell me about Zion's mother. It seems to me that this has hurt you deeply. Maybe if you talk about it you'll start to feel better." Bulma said carefully.
"Her name was Gaya Myles." Vegeta said after a long moment of silence.
He did not believe that it would make him feel better. The story was an ugly one and to be fully understood it would have to be told from the beginning. Bulma would have to be told everything if he chose to tell her anything at all. He would be laying everything out to be examined and judged. Would Bulma forgive him? He cursed and berated himself for that thought.
Bulma closed and locked the door. She took his hand gently and led him to the bed where she made him sit down. She sat in a chair across from him.
"It started as an assignment Frieza had given my father . . ." Vegeta started.
He told her his story from the beginning right up to landing on Earth for the first time. There was silence when Vegeta had finished his story. He hadn't told Bulma everything. He had left out the things that Frieza had done to him and the most horrific things he himself had done. He was waiting for her to run out of the room screaming.
"Oh Vegeta." Bulma whispered brokenly.
She surprised him by rushing to him and throwing her arms around him. There was a brief moment when Frieza's voice filled his mind. No attachments. A good soldier never has any attachments. An enemy can use them against him. Vegeta quickly shoved it into the far corners of his mind.
The moment was shattered by the sound of baby Trunks' wail. It reminded the Prince that he now had two sons he had never wanted.
"Don't move." Bulma said.
She hurried out the door and closed it quietly again. Vegeta stood and walked out himself. He went to the infirmary. Zion was sleeping again.
"So young and I've failed you already." Vegeta whispered.
"He wasn't supposed to exist." Gaya whispered.
"How are you talking to me?" Vegeta replied.
"By breaking the rules. I see you dropped the Prince." Gaya replied.
"No I didn't. The humans just never called me it." Vegeta responded hotly.
There was no reply and Gaya wasn't in his mind anymore. He felt her absence like a physical blow. He looked at Zion. He corrected his earlier assessment of the boy. He looked like the Prince had as a child except the hair on his forehead was different. There were only two bangs that were so close that they were almost one and they weren't as pronounced as his had been.
When Vegeta had gone to go and get him he had been wearing the Sayian armour but without the royal signature as he had worn the armour. Now he had been placed in human clothes and it only amplified his weakness.
Vegeta wondered again exactly how much he was like his mother. What was his power like? Would he even use it? Vegeta closed his eyes and sensed out the energies closest to him. There were the doctors in the room next door. Bulma, whose power level was stronger than the doctors but weaker than that of the child she held in her arms. Trunks, he still hated the name.
At least Gaya had been sensible enough to give Zion the name Vegeta first. All was as it should be had he been on Planet Vegeta, except for the tiny fact that his sons had different mothers.
Vegeta frowned as he realised that he had been absent for both of his sons' birth. What had Gaya's pregnancy been like? She was so small as it was. Correction, as it had been. Was Zion going to be small as well? His enemies would never take him seriously.
His senses reeled back in shock as they registered the final power level. Zion's power surpassed that of what Kakkarot's son had been at this age and even what it had been on Namek. It was hovering at the level that Gohan's had been before entering the time chamber. This was all while the boy slept and had been beaten?
How was it possible? Vegeta opened his eyes in shock to look at the sleeping boy. He was smaller than an Earthling at age four. Great, if it wasn't bad enough that he had to be short, now his son had to be too. Zion stirred and rolled over.
Vegeta picked up on the conversation in the next room.
"All right doctor, the plans are ready. We can start when you are." A muffled voice said.
"Great. I wonder why they left the boy with his tail for so long. If they had come to me sooner it would have been easier to remove." A man said thoughtfully.
"Are sure it's such a great idea to remove it?" a worried voice asked.
"They'll be thanking me before I'm done." The doctor replied confidently.
Vegeta's temper exploded and his power soared to that of a super Sayian. He stormed into the room and blasted a hole into the wall.
"Forget the door. Leave through the one I just made you and never return." he barked.
The doctors and nurses scurried and ran screaming. He brought his power back under control and his eyes and hair returned to black.
"Vegeta! What happened?" Bulma asked running towards him and clutching Trunks to her chest.
Her blue hair was flying behind her even though it was short again.
"They want to remove his tail." Vegeta said simply.
"Oh." Bulma said softly.
Zion was now awake. He stood in the doorway of his room with wide eyes.
"Cool do that again!" he said excitedly.
"Do what? Blast the wall." Vegeta asked.
"No go Super." Zion said shaking his head.
"That would be the legendary transformation to the level of the super Sayian." Vegeta corrected with a frown.
"Go Super is easier to say." Zion said after a pause.
Vegeta decided to oblige the boy and raised his power level, but slowly so as not to cause any damage. Zion watched him with an expression that reminded him of Gaya the first time she had seen his Ki. Zion reached out a hand and touched the golden aura. Vegeta lowered his power level and the aura disappeared.
"You could probably do it too you know." Vegeta told the boy.
"Vegeta, he's only four years old." Bulma complained.
"So, his power level is higher than Gohan's had been just before he ascended and that was while he was sleeping." Vegeta countered.
Movement in the corner of Vegeta's eye distracted him and he turned his head to see that Zion was swinging his tail.
"Cut that out. A Sayian doesn't play with his tail and he never advertises free access to one of his greatest weaknesses." Vegeta snapped.
Zion immediately curled his tail around his waist. Vegeta saw the frown on Bulma's face, indicating that she didn't like his tone but he ignored it. Zion was still a Sayian and a Sayian Prince at that. So was Trunks. The corners of Vegeta's mouth turned down ever so slightly as he thought about the fact that they would never get the treatment that they deserved as Princes. He himself would never be a King, but he had resigned himself to that fact years ago.
"So what now?" Bulma asked shifting baby Trunks.
Although Vegeta would never have admitted it, he thought that that was a very good question.
"Can we eat?" Zion asked innocently.