On the 6th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,

6 bones a broken

"Vegeta. Are you joining us for lunch?"

Vegeta glanced at the screen in the GR, seeing his wife's face. He wiped the sweat from his brow and lowered his gaze, unable to meet her eyes. He took a moment to catch his breath. The drones were paused in their attack, a safety feature Bulma had installed so that her calls wouldn't distract him and cause any undue injuries.

"In a minute," he answered.

The screen went dark.

Vegeta hovered in the solitude of the GR, his shoulders rising and falling, his lungs struggling to drag in enough air against the crushing gravity. What the hell was he doing? Being here was tantamount to running away. He was no goddamn coward.

A beep alerted him to the drones resuming their attack routine. He swore, barely dodging a laser blast. That irritated him. That irritated him a lot.

Screaming, Vegeta unleashed a world of anger, frustration and bitterness, and took it all out on the poor little drones.

A few minutes later he trudged back into the house. The drones were completely destroyed. He had left them on the floor of the GR, not wanting to trouble his sick wife with their repair. Already late, Vegeta didn't wash up, heading straight for the kitchen.

"Oh my god, Vegeta," Bulma said, rising from her seat when she saw him.

He looked down at himself. He was drenched in sweat, nothing exceptional there.

"Your hands!"

Vegeta raised his hands and saw the damage. He hadn't put his gloves on. Clearly a mistake given how aggressive he had been against the drones. His hands were torn up, dripping blood, and his right hand looked especially… off. Mangled. That might explain the searing pain he was feeling.

"Whoa, brutal," Trunks enthused from the table.

Vegeta thinned his mouth, not as impressed with his injuries as his son was. This wasn't the result of intense training. This was losing control.

"Let's get you fixed up," Bulma said, clucking sympathetically over his hands. Vegeta tolerated it and let her lead him to the medical bay.

She had him sit on a gurney and went about gathering antiseptic and bandages. It had been a long time since she needed to do this for him.

"So, what's gotten into you?" she asked as she irrigated his bloodied knuckles with saline.

He glanced up from their hands. She was looking right at him. Her eyes were sharp, boring right through him; nothing got past her, did it? Fuck, she was as clever as she was beautiful. Bulma really would have made for a great queen.

Vegeta looked askance, flexing his hands. What was he supposed to say?

That he was sorry he was a terrible husband?

That he didn't mean to be emotionally unavailable?

That he didn't want her to die, and the thought of her leaving this world was wrecking him?

"Gosh, Vegeta, I think you broke some bones," Bulma mused, prodding his right hand.

He grabbed her.

She startled. "Sorry, did that hurt-"

He cut her off by pulling her in, hugging her tightly to his chest.

"Vegeta…?"

He buried his face in her neck, pushing away the odor of saline and antiseptic, replacing them her with her own feminine smell. He wanted to burn the scent of her into his senses, wanted to always remember how she felt in his arms, so slender and soft, delicate, but he knew she had her own hidden strength, not physical but emotional, a strength he lacked and could only find in her arms.

She hugged him back, brushing her fingers through his hair. "Vegeta, you're worrying me," she said softly as she cradled him. "What's wrong?"

"…What did Dr. Bensen say?" he croaked.

"Wha… How do you…?"

He tightened his arms around her, giving her a last squeeze. He leaned back, finally looking her square in the eyes. "Whatever the results, we will find a way," Vegeta vowed to her. "If Kakarott can't find an answer here, I will venture into space and scour the universe until I find a cure. I swear it, Bulma."

"A cure?" she asked, puzzled, her brows rising. "Vegeta, what on Earth-?"

There was a soft pop, and suddenly Goku was standing in the room with them, Dende at his side.

"Hey, guys!" Goku greeted cheerily.

~xox~