Chapter Seven:
Goku made an attempt at launching an attack, the pain in his chest beginning to sear to the point of unbearable. He collapsed and screamed in agony. Vegeta spoke, "Somebody take Kakorat home. I'll take care of things here." Gohan moved forward. Yamcha stopped him, "You are needed here Gohan, I'd just get in the way. I'll take Goku to get the antidote." Yamcha scooped up the crumpled, screaming Goku and flew off with him. All his speed still not feeling like it was fast enough, "Don't give up Goku… we need you… you are our only hope…" Goku let out an ear piercing, excruciating cry. Yamcha pressed his speed farther, it now at it's peak. "Stay with me now Goku, we're almost there. You'll be fine. We will get you the antidote."
Yamcha landed and dragged Goku and himself to the door. Sakura came running out, "What happened Yamcha!" "It's the heart virus, we have to get him inside and give him the antidote." Sakura felt the tears coming but fought them back, Yamcha stepped by her and brought Goku inside. Sakura followed behind him, "I have to keep calm, letting my emotions get the better of me is not going to make this better…" Sakura showed Yamcha to a small room, "Put him here, I'll go get a basin and cold cloths." Sakura whirled out of the room and down the hall, "Goku you better make it through this…" She filled the basin, grabbed a handful of cloths and scurried down the hall. Yamcha stood, "Where's the antidote?" Sakura handed the basin to Yamcha and ran to the shelf, throwing books, pencils and whatever else got in her way. She found it and ran to Goku, giving some to him. Goku screeched in pain, Sakura's eyes filled with tears, "Oh Goku…" Yamcha placed a hand on her shoulder, "He will be fine, Trunks said that this was the antidote, he brought it from the future. It will work Sakura." She gazed up at him, "I hope you're right…" Yamcha gazed at the floor, "I really hope I am too… come on Goku… pull through this… we need you!" Yamcha dropped his hand from her shoulder, "Piccolo said that we should both take some of that antidote, just in case." Sakura nodded, took some and handed the bottle to Yamcha, the door flew open, "We have to get Goku out of here! The androids are looking for him!" Yajerobi announced frantically. Sakura felt like she wanted to faint. Trunks ran in, "I'll help you move him Yamcha." Yamcha nodded and the two set to work. Sakura looked about dazed. Trunks put a hand on her shoulder, "Bulma has a capsule plane outside, we have to move quick. We have to get to my mother's." Sakura nodded and followed Trunks out. She looked up at the well built young man and smiled, "Trunks, it's good to know that you developed your mother's personality." He looked back at her and blushed.
Bailey heard the rustling of the grass outside her house and knew that had arrived, she cradled baby Trunks in her arms and opened the door. Trunks and Yamcha carried Goku in and up the stairs. Yajerobi entered with Sakura. Bailey extended baby Trunks to Yajerobi plopping him into his arms. Yajerobi looked at the baby with confusion before plopping on the floor and making faces at him. Bailey raced to her supply room and began throwing supplies into a basket. Trunks stopped her on the stairs and handed her a vial of antidote, "You are going to need this mother." Bailey looked up at him and smiled, "I'm proud of you Trunks. You have the strength and pride of your father and the determination of your mother. I know that if your father had lived to see you in your time he would have been proud of you." Trunks smiled at her, "You always know just what to say mother." Bailey brushed back his hair before racing the rest of the way up the stairs. She entered the room, "He's been given the antidote, yes?" Yamcha and Sakura both nodded yes to her, "Constant cold compresses?" Again they nodded. "You have both take antidote yourself in the even that this is in fact contagious?" They both nodded again. Bailey sighed, "Now here's the fun part… we get to wait and see what happens." Sakura choked back a sob, Yamcha left the room and brought back a chair. He placed it by the bed and gestured to Sakura. She nodded and began to sit with her watch over Goku. She signalled to Yamcha to leave the room, he nodded and followed her out. She led him to the kitchen. He took a seat at the table. Bailey began boiling water and set out tea cups on the counter. She leaned against it and looked at Yamcha, "I see you suffered a severe injury yourself today… are you alright?" Yamcha nodded, "Shaken but alive." Bailey shifted her weight, "Understandable… I'm glad you're alright." Yamcha gave a snicker, "Like you care either way…" Bailey gave a huff, "I do care!" Yamcha grumbled, "Well you have an odd way of showing it…" Bailey sighed, "Fair assessment…" Bailey turned and poured water into the waiting tea cups. She crossed the room and handed one to Yamcha before vanishing up the stairs. She stepped into Goku's room, his moans echoing about the house, Sakura's tears dropping silently to the floor. Bailey handed the cup to Sakura. Sakura took it wordlessly. Bailey placed a hand on her shoulder, "He will be fine. He is a fighter in more ways than one Sakura. Believe in him. He'd believe in you." Bailey turned and walked out of the room, back down the stairs and to the kitchen. Yamcha was staring off in thought. Bailey picked her tea up off the counter, leaned back in her usual spot and regarded him for a moment before speaking, "What's on your mind Yamcha?" He turned his attention to her, "We both know that you don't have to ask me to know." Bailey sighed, "I'm not going to pry into your thoughts uninvited…" Yamcha gave another snicker, "Invites never stopped you before…" Bailey felt her blood pressure beginning to boil, "Yamcha, honestly this isn't the time for snotty comments. For the next ten minutes you have free reign to say whatever you want, get it all off your chest." "It hurt Bailey, it hurt that I wasn't worth an answer. I would have gotten over it if you said no but the not knowing and the constantly hoping that maybe today was the day you were going to call and give me something… it drained me. I thought that you did care but if you did… you would have gave me something." Bailey walked over to the table and sat by him, "It wasn't that I didn't care… I still care about you, I always will. The problem for me and you are going to find it stupid was that I did love you and all I could think was no matter what someday I would have to lose you and I couldn't take that at the time… if you would have asked later then we probably would still be together. It wasn't you. I was too afraid of having something real… I'm sorry I did that to you. Not that anything will ever take it away or make it better." Yamcha gave her a smile, "Actually, hearing all that makes me feel a lot better." Bailey smiled, "I hope you are genuinely happy Yamcha. You do deserve it." Yamcha smiled, "So do you. You are a lot more amazing than you give yourself credit for." Bailey stood and extended her arms to him, he stood and hugged her. "You'll always be in my heart Yamcha. I'm always going to be here for you." "Thanks Bailey. You are one of a kind."
Yamcha dragged Sakura out of Goku's room kicking and screaming, Bailey followed behind trying to calm her down, "Sakura, you haven't left that room in ten hours, you didn't even drink your tea and you refuse to eat. Yamcha is going to sit with him, he won't be alone, just cooperate for the love of god." Yamcha sat Sakura in a chair in the living room. She continued her protest. Bailey snatched baby Trunks from Yajerobi and plopped him down in Sakura's lap. Sakura looked at him; he looked back up at her and extended his arms, "Gah nah gah." Sakura calmed down and picked him up, "Hey there little guy. You're awful cute." Bailey gave Yamcha a wink, "You need to watch him for a bit, Yajerobi has been for hours and I'm sure he wants to eat and you don't want him to be left all alone do you?" Sakura shook her head no. Bailey smiled, "Good. Now watch him and I'll cook something up." Bailey turned and headed for the kitchen. Yamcha made his way up the stairs. Bailey threw open the cupboards and began piling things on the counter, "Don't worry Sakura it will be over soon and Goku will be fine."
Sakura sat on the floor watching Trunks crawl about the floor. She smiled to herself, "I sure miss having a little guy around… nothing in the world quite like a baby…" Trunks crawled over to her and plopped down, he extended his arms to her. Sakura smiled and picked him up. He cuddled into her shoulder and shut his eyes. Sakura rocked him and hummed. Bailey entered the room, "You have a real way with kids. He usually doesn't take to people that easy, especially when he's tired." Sakura looked up at Bailey and smiled, "He's a cute little guy." Bailey smiled back, "Only because he doesn't look like his father." The two women giggled. Sakura stood up. Bailey looked at her thoughtfully, "You should get some sleep yourself. You can sleep in Trunks' room if you want or in my room or on the couch. It's all up to you." Sakura yawned, "I'll stick close to the little guy so he has someone when he wakes up, just in case you're busy." Bailey smiled, "Well help yourself, you know where everything is." Sakura smiled, "Goodnight Bailey." She walked out of the room and towards the stairs, before she walked up them she paused, "Oh and Bailey, I never thanked you for everything." Bailey looked at her with confusion, "For what?" "For everything you do, I mean… you've healed Goku before, you watch Gohan without question, I pop by here whenever I please and make myself at home… just thank you." Bailey smiled, "That's what friends are for. Don't mention it. Now get yourself to bed before you fall over." Sakura smiled and ascended the stairs leaving Bailey downstairs alone. She shut off the lights and walked up the stairs herself. She peeked into Goku's room. Yamcha had the chair turned backwards, his arms folded across the chair back with his head rested on them. He was fast asleep. Bailey stepped into the room and walked over to him, she tapped him on the shoulder. He eyes opened, he sat up dazed and rubbed his eyes. Bailey smiled at him, "Why don't you go get some sleep. I'll take over watch here." Yamcha looked at her groggy, "Are you sure?" Bailey smiled and nodded at him. He stood, "Goodnight Bailey." He turned and left the room. Bailey turned the chair around and took his spot. Goku was resting now, still restless but not in seemingly as much pain as before. She brushed back his sweat soaked hair, "You hang in there big guy. It's almost over now." She sat back in her chair. Closed her eyes and hoped.
