Thank you for the reviews; here is another short chapter for you guys. I'm trying to post a new chapter every time I write one. Enjoy!
By the time Goku reached the Capsule Corp. his entire body felt numb. He not only couldn't feel the pain from his injuries, but he couldn't feel any emotions at all. It was like he had turned off. Medically, he was probably slipping into some sort of shock from the combination of his physical and mental exhaustion. He couldn't help but feel like it wasn't going to be as easy as a wish to bring his fallen comrade back. Something in his gut told him, and he had learned a long time ago to always trust his gut.
He landed heavily on the ground and looked over the people who were gathered there. Videl, holding their infant in her arms, was sitting next to Gohan; who was still a little dazed. Goten and Trunks were standing with Chi Chi and Bulma. The rest of the people were milling around the yard or in the house.
All heads turned to Goku as he landed. Bulma took a step forward, mouth opening to ask where Vegeta was. Goku shook his head and looked down. He couldn't even say it.
Bulma's words died in her throat when she saw Goku's look. She gasped and then cried out, knowing what it meant. She fell to the ground and let loose a sob that shook her to the core. Trunks was there in an instant, not fully understanding his mother's grief.
"Mom?" He asked as he hugged her. Panic was written across his face as he looked around. Where was his father? Why was Goku alone? "Mom!" He called again, shaking her for emphasis, tears forming in his blue eyes.
Goku walked over to the broken family and leaned down with Bulma. Everyone else watched silently.
"He saved us all." Was all he could think to say to his grieving friend. She looked at him and tried to choke out some words, but he couldn't understand what she had said through all of the tears.
Eventually, it became clear that she was whispering about the Dragon Balls. "Get them." Was the only thing that came out clearly. After a few more attempts, Bulma took a deep breath and looked up to him with determination. She said in a low voice, "We will wish him back. I have the Dragon Balls. Somebody get them."
After Trunks had brought the Dragon Balls to the yard, everyone's mood began to lift. It would all be fine, they convinced themselves. Shenron would bring Vegeta back and everything would be back to normal. Goku was not so sure. He couldn't help but feel a complete and total hopelessness that was very uncharacteristic of the normally upbeat Saiyan.
Consumed by his thoughts, Goku only noticed that the powerful dragon had been summoned when he heard Shenron's ominous voice ring out. He shook himself from his thoughts and moved closer to where Trunks and Bulma stood, trying to be a strong presence for them.
"Please, great Shenron," Bulma started. Her voice was hoarse still from all the crying, "Please bring my husband Vegeta back to me. He died saving this planet and my wish is to bring him back to life."
The pregnant pause seemed to last forever.
"I cannot grant that wish." Shenron said eventually. Goku wasn't sure, but he thought that he could hear a tone of regret in the normally emotionless voice.
Bulma gaped, completely at a loss for words for the first time in her life.
Goku stepped in before the emotional women went into hysterics. "Why not?" He asked.
Shenron turned his attention the Goku. "The one you call Vegeta is alive. What is your wish?"
Goku's mind reeled, Vegeta was alive? How is that possible? He had been completely vaporized by the energy explosion. There was no way.
"Can we wish to bring him back here then, from wherever he is? If he's still alive?" Trunks asked hopefully. He was standing at his mother's side, trying to be brave like he knew his father would have wanted.
"That is not something I can do. It is outside of my powers." Shenron said. "Vegeta is alive, but he is not on this plane of existence. He is…" Shenron paused, as if at a loss for words on how to explain where exactly Vegeta was. "He is in another dimension."
The silence that followed that declaration was heavy as everyone tried to understand what the dragon meant. Bulma had gone back to weeping and Goku knew he had to act quickly.
"Do you have a wish?" Shenron sounded impatient and for a split second, Goku wanted to yell at him; tell the dragon off for being so heartless.
However, Goku knew that would do no good. Instead, he acted on instinct and wished, "I wish for the knowledge of how to get to this other dimension. I wish that you give me the understanding to bring my friend back."
Shenron bristled slightly. That was the vaguest wish he had ever been asked. He contemplated the people before him for some time. They had been the recipients of almost all of his wishes for the past two decades. They were, he knew, allies to Dende. They were the people who had saved the Earth so many times.
With a heavy sigh, the dragon nodded and sent into Goku's mind all of the information that he would require. "Your wish has been granted." He said before he withdrew his powers and the Dragon Balls flew away to hide for another year.
Goku stared off into the distance, trying to understand all of the information that Shenron had just given him. It made his heart and mind ache. He was the only person who would be able to make the journey to where Vegeta was. He didn't think that the journey itself would be that hard at all. In fact, the only thing that he thought might be hard would be convincing the Saiyan Prince to return home once he was found.
Vegeta felt warm all over; like he was snuggled in a soft blanket and left to lay out in the sun's rays. He sighed and tried to stretch out his limbs as he began to wake, but found that he couldn't. As he struggled, the warmth turned to a burning heat and panic rose in his chest. What was happening?
"He's awake!" He heard someone call. It sounded like he was listening to someone who was shouting underwater. Maybe it was he who was underwater?
Suddenly, the warm light disappeared and he was suddenly in a cold and dark room. He looked around until his eyes fell on a familiar face. His mother was sitting at the edge of his bed, smiling warmly at him. "Welcome home, son." She said as she leaned in to wrap him in her arms.