Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball/Z/GT.

A/N: This chapter is a flashback. Buckle up, bring a flashlight. It's gonna get dark.


Oh, God No.

His eyes opened to the same sight they did every morning: a sea of blue, a shade he hadn't seen since Mzvatk V and its small moon. He considered going straight to his training – had to get his own work in before starting with Koto and Sebiro for the day – but the smell of her shampoo and the shine of her pale skin were too welcoming. In an act he'd only adopted in his old age, Vegeta wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and pulled so her back was pressed against him. Moaning, she turned in his embrace and hid her eyes in his collar bone from the sunlight. He cocked an eyebrow, amused.

"I swear," she mumbled. "Every day, you wake up earlier and earlier."

He glanced at the clock. "I'm four minutes late."

Bulma groaned. "Pedantic ass." Rolling his eyes, Vegeta made to get up, but her thin arms shot around his torso. "Uh-uh, no. Stay, monkey."

He raised his eyebrows. "Were I a younger man, I would blast you for such insolence."

"Yeah yeah, Prince of all Saiyans, blah blah blah. Come back, you're warm and I don't wanna get up yet." Sighing, he fell back into bed and occupied his mind by counting the popcorn on the ceiling.

After a quiet breakfast, when Bulma was moving the dishes from the table to the dishwasher, she asked, "When are Koto and Sebi supposed to get here?"

The Prince glanced at the clock and winced at how behind schedule he was. "Seventeen minutes." Bulma hummed over how precise he always was.

"I'll be in the lab today," she started. He was there in an instant.

"No, you won't." Bulma turned to face her prince, who was staring down at her; he was trying to be intimidating.

"Vegeta, I've got to get my work done."

"Like Hell. Your work can wait until I can go down there with you."

She rolled her eyes and turned away, back to her chore. "For fuck's sake, Vegeta, you're overreacting."

"Overreacting?" Roughly, he grabbed her hand and held it up to her face; the white bandage glared at her as hard as his eyes did. "You sliced your hand open, you stupid woman."

"It was an accident."

"Those seem to be happening rather frequently these days."

She spun on him, mouth open, intent on scolding him for being a commandeering prick, but his face was inches from hers. Whatever argument she'd prepared fell from her lips and clattered uselessly at her feet.

"You need to be careful," he insisted quietly. "One of these days, you're going to get badly hurt."

Grinning, she retorted, "Yeah, who'd keep you from destroying the planet as you so choose then?"

Her expression was returned. "Exactly. Your planet needs you. Stay out of the lab."

Something dinged, and she looked away. "The boys are early." Leaning forward, she kissed his lips and smiled. "Go train your new prodigies. I'll be downstairs."

"Bulma."

She winked. "I'll be fine."


I'll be fine.

It echoed in his head. Why hadn't she listened?

Another door loomed ahead; he was moving too fast to form a ki blast, so he just knocked it aside. The sound of metal crunching echoed after his blurred figure. It was the last barrier before Bulma's preferred lab. From as far away as he was, scorch marks could be seen on the wall opposite the entry, on the floor; small bits of debris flickered with flames. He turned into the entry so fast he had to grab the wall to help turn his body's momentum – his fingers left indentations. There, blue, there she is-

He stopped so suddenly, the wind from his previous rush blew around him. His feet gave out, and his weight fell into the damaged wall behind him. He sank to the cracked tile. No battle could have prepared him for…for this.

Bulma, his Bulma, on the ground, on her back, hand clasped loosely around a pen. Blood had already surfaced beneath her white lab coat. Her bangs had been burned away; her lovely face was charred on one side, obviously where she'd turned away. Glass was embedded in her hands, her coat, her cheeks. She stared up at the ceiling, sightless.

She looked so afraid.

Vegeta crawled to her, leaned over her body, sheltering it from sight. He removed his gloves, touched her marred face, felt for a pulse in her bleeding neck.

"Dad, where's Mo- oh my god-"

Bulla screamed in the hallway.

"Bulla, oh god, the kids-"

"Grandfather! Are you okay? Where's Grandma?"

"Koto, take Sebi and go upstairs."

"Oh god, Mom."

"Trunks, what's happened?"

"It's Mom, take the kids upstairs. Bulla, you've gotta stop crying and help Aina."

"Oh god, Mom-"

"Bulla!"

She wasn't moving, wasn't responding. It wasn't possible. Something grabbed his arm – reacting instinctually, Vegeta drove his bloody hand into someone's face. The shock of purple sent backwards wasn't enough to drag him from his reverie.

"Dad." Something fell onto Bulma's face. Water, it looked like; good, the emergency sprinkler system had come on, if it was a little faulty. "Dad, we've got to get her out of here." More water fell on her face, but it didn't seem to be landing anywhere else around her, or doing a very good job of putting out the fires around him. Someone was talking, but it wasn't Trunks; he didn't recognize the voice, but it was male. "Dad, please, let go, the EMTs will be here soon."

"I, I can't," the voice was saying. Whoever it was, he was very close.

"Vegeta." Oh great, Kakarot, just what he needed. "Vegeta, come on, there's nothing you can do."

He looked up, saw his face reflected in his rival's dark eyes. Amid the smears of charcoal and blood on his face – when had he touched his face? – clean streaks reached for his jawline.

"I can't leave her, Kakarot, she's my mate," he said simply, and sat back on his haunches, continuing to cradle her body to his chest.


A/N: So now you know exactly how Bulma died and why Vegeta blames himself so much. Bit sad, really. We'll be taking a brief intermission from Vegeta's new life with his grandkids, instead looking at some of the events that led up to the previous chapter. Should update soon.

Look for a new chapter of Play Dead coming soon. Rate, review. Tell your friends.