Chapter 8

"Fuck me." 17 cursed witnessing Bra fainting. Demonstrating his priority the fast android first secured the black star dragonball into his gun holster before flying over to catch the falling princess before she hit the ground.

"110." 17 stated her current temperature his sensitive sensors registering the heat her body was admitting. Based on the accuracy of his sensors he could claim without a doubt she had a dangerous fever of 110 degrees and rising.

A mere fever of 104 was enough to have most humans in the hospital, but Bra was half Saiyan. It was possible she could handle much worse. However, he did not store any information on Half-Saiyans. Dr. Gero had collected valuable data on Saiyan's by observing and studying Goku since childhood. He later downloaded all that knowledge into his creations, including yours truly.

There was no way Dr. Gero could have calculated the possibility of more Saiyan's out in the universe and even less the probability another would end up on Earth and sire children with a human. So without any expertise on Half Saiyan physiology he decided it was best to get the unconscious girl medical treatment. If only to avoid later being blamed for her death in the event she died from whatever was allying her.

With that selfish conviction he gathered the girl in his arms and proceeded to fly out of the temple as fast as he could. Unsure of how much time he had left he rushed her to safety all the while a pesky thought running in the back of his head accompanied by a nagging feeling. The feeling that he really hoped she didn't die…….

You know that feeling when you've had the pleasure of sleeping in after a long week of getting up early at the same time every day for school or work? The longing desire to stay asleep and rest just a few more hours? Laying in your nice warm bed half awake but refusing to open your eyes for fear that once you do and the sunlight hits you your battle against waking up would be lost?

That was nothing like what Bra was experiencing. The agonizingly sharp and powerful pain making her head feel like it was being crushed from both sides was the least of her worries. Bra's whole body ached. It wasn't sore like the first time she completed intense training with her father and brother. It also didn't feel like she had bruises or scraps all over her body like after she had her first spar with her father who refused to go easy on his little girl.

No, this pain wouldn't leave any physical evidence on her body. Bra was suffering from the inside out. Her insides felt like they were engulfed in the hottest of flames. The worst was around her heart and her stomach. She had a pain in her chest and she couldn't breathe. The stubborn princess refused to scream or stir because she believed the only thing keeping more pain at bay was staying in the state she was in. Completely still, silent and with her eyes closed

However, since she was technically awake now her superior Saiyan hearing began registering sounds and voices nearby. They were just a whisper at first but as she concentrated on that instead of the pain she was able to make out words and recognize the speaker.

"My poor baby!" A borderline hysterical female voice sobbed.

"She's going to be fine." A warm male voice offered comfort.

All the self control and determination wasn't enough to prevent Bra from wincing at the sound of her mother's sobs. Even though they fought often and agreed rarely she never was able to stomach hearing her mother cry. Her lapse in physical control failed to go unnoticed by an overprotective mother.

"Bra! Can you hear me?" Bulma asked from her daughter's side as Goten instructed the nurses to summon the doctor immediately. The moment she dreaded. Bra knew she now had to come out of her coma like state for the sake of her mother but feared the exponential rise of pain opening her eyes would unleash. Slowly and cautiously she opened her eyes. The room's bright lights making the pain in her head worse forced her to automatically shut her eyes tight and let out a soft groan in pain.

"Honey. You're going to be okay." Bulma attempted to reassure her daughter reaching out to hold her hand. A new type of pain erupted where her mother touched her causing Bra to pull away roughly causing a wave of hurtful tingling course threw her body rapidly scaring her mother in the process.

"When did the patient regain conscious?" An unfamiliar yet soothing male voice inquired as she felt a cool sensation on a small area of her skin right where her heart is. Whatever the doctor was doing wasn't reducing her pain but it wasn't increasing it either. Bra took this as a sign that she should open her eyes and see who may be able to stop her torment.

Bra had to blink a few times to make sure her vision did not require refocusing. Luckily for the single woman it didn't. The doctor leaning closely over her was indeed as handsome as her first image of him. Medium blue eyes with specks of gold, the slightly advance 5 o'clock shadow no doubt caused by long sixteen plush hours hospital shifts, and pretty hair. A full head of pretty pretty medium length hair with a slight wave.

"Bra, I'm Dr. Darren Shepard. How are you feeling?" The handsome doctor asked after introducing himself. The true to heart boy crazy princess heard his name but dismissed it. She had decided to dub him Dr. McDreamy. In her head he would be McDreamy. After one of her favorite prime time drama's leading actor.

"Like I've been dragged through hell." Bra answered honestly her voice misrepresented how she was feeling because it sounded normal.

"That's the best description of Infernus Virus symptoms I've heard." Dr. Sheppard laughed lightly as he continued his preliminary exams checking all of her vital signs.

"Actually that's the first patient's description of the poison's effects ever." Dr. Mcdreamy added at the end of his exam putting his telescope away.

"Why's that?" Bra asked keeping her eyes on the older but undeniably handsomely fit doctor. There was nothing alien about him. He looked like a human doctor or more like a hot actor that played a doctor on TV; therefore she must be back on Earth.

"Because all previously documented victims of Infernus Virus died before they could get medical treatment. It's caused by one of the deadliest poisons medical researchers have ever studied. It was discovered on the remains of an ancient race on the planet you contracted it on. A single drop of that poison is so potent it can kill a large man within seconds." Dr. Shepard explained. The questions in his voice were apparent and gave reason to believe maybe she wasn't back on Earth since he was so schooled on alien viruses.

"She's going to be fine. Right Dr. Shepard?" Bulma stated, not asked. After all this was a powerful, rich genius that wasn't used to being told no by anyone. And Bra might still be on Earth in a private wing of the Capsule Corps hospital she had never personally visited but had seen pictures. Although some of the high tech machinery she was hooked up to looked too alien even for Capsule Corp.

"She's stable." Dr. Shepard confirmed looking over Bra's chart. She was certain it was probably for the millionth time trying to figure out how it was medically feasible for such a tiny girl not to be dead. How she could survive what killed so many others.

"But I can't downgrade her from critical until I review the results of the blood test analysis." Dr. Shepard closed her file than excused himself to go check on those test results he had ordered stat.

Bra was positive she was about to be bombarded by her mother's TLC as well as Goten's when to her rescue came an angry Vegeta storming down the hospital hall terrifying people in the process.

"How did you two sorry, pathetic excuse for fighters let this happen to my daughter?" Vegeta demanded the moment he stepped into the room.

"Two?" Bra wondered. She'd only regained conscious a few minutes ago and the only people she had seen were her mother, Goten and the good looking doctor. She scanned the room in case she had missed someone and found that someone leaning against the farthest corner of the room with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Typical.

"This happened to her while she was on one of your missions. What kind of lousy special task leader are you?" Vegeta called out Goten.

"I'm so sorry Vegeta. I would have never sent her in if I was aware of even the slightest chance the virus was still active on that planet." Goten apologized profusely. Bra felt bad for the guy. She knew her father already disliked him simply because he was "the stupid son of Kakorrot" but now he had a justifiable reason to hate him.

"And you! Toaster oven." Vegeta turn on 17 right in the middle of Goten's apologizing.

"I'm not being paid to babysit her." 17 cut him off before he could attempt to direct blame on him. He wanted to add the fact that he wasn't even being paid at all to do any of this.

"He's dead." Bra knew his smart ass comment would just aggravate Vegeta. And you do not provoke an already angry father. It's like poking an angry bear with a stick, very bad ideas. Proven right she felt her father's ki increase then witnessed him stomp over and grab a fistful of 17's shirt.

"Vegeta please calm down." Goten tried to reason stepping in between the two powerful men after 17 struck Vegeta's hand away.

"Stay out of it Kakorrot's spawn." Vegeta warned glaring at 17 the whole time. Bra rolled her eyes at the display of testosterone driven violence. She was thankful to see Dr. McDreamy return just in the nick of time before the three "boys" could destroy the hospital just by powering up.

"I understand you're all worried about Bra." Dr. Shepard acknowledge as he walked in on the scuffle. A fact Vegeta and Goten were guilty of and 17 scoffed at.

"But I will call security." The doctor threatened. Reluctantly all three men powered down each wanting to hear the doctor's diagnoses.

"There are still enough traces of the poison in your blood for me to book an OR for a blood transfusion." Dr Shepard was straight forward about her prognoses and the procedure she would have to undergo to fully recover.

"The problem is your blood type is nothing like we've ever seen. It's puzzling since we have the largest and most diverse blood bank in the universe with thousand of blood types from countless of species and even mixed humonie types. Our database conclusively marked your blood as half human and half unknown. The unknown's closest match was of an extinct race known as the Saiyans who were whipped out when their planet exploded. So it has to be an error." Dr. Shepard read his report .The sarcastic side of Bra wanted to ask him to put that in a memo and title it "Info I already know".

"Um. My dad over there." Bra pointed at Vegeta who was staying dangerously close to Goten and 17 making it obvious he wasn't threw with them.

"He's one of a few Saiyans that weren't on the planet when it was destroyed and only one of two that ended up on Earth and started a new life and family." Bra explained what wouldn't be found in text books and providing an explanation as to why the computer was actually correct.

Dr. Shepard who had dealt with stranger beings before learned after many years of doctoring creatures from all spans of the universe to take the sick girls testimony at face value and write it down on her chart.

"Oh. He was also the Prince of the Saiyans. So I'm a Princess." Bra added that unnecessary tidbit of information she loved sharing with anyone that would listen.

"That narrows the pool of positive blood donors." Dr. Shepard kept writing in her chart.

"She can have all my blood if she needs it." Vegeta proclaimed coming over to Bra's side and taking his daughter's IV free hand in his.

"That won't work. It needs to be half human, half Saiyan blood." Dr. Shepard shook his head.

"I'll do it." Goten took his turn stepping up.

"You're half human half Saiyan?" Dr. Shepard questioned to which he nodded confirmation.

"And your relationship to Bra?" Dr. Shepard continued.

"Um well." Goten misinterpreted the question and didn't know how to answer. It was complicated the type or relationship him and Bra may have but that wasn't what the doctor was asking.

"We're not related." Bra rolled her eyes answering for her not always adorable oblivious "friend".

"That would work but you'd have a higher success rate and shorter recovery time if the blood transfusion came from a direct relative." Dr. Shepard prevailed.

"Trunksie! My favorite brother." Bra smiled ever the opportunist as a new visitor arrived.

"Your only brother." Trunks corrected alert by his sisters tone of voice and the use of her cutesy nick name for him she wanted something. As he stared down his baby sister who appeared to be in better shape than he was lead to believe his tagalong finally caught up to him. Marron stepped out from behind him and walked over to her friend and gave her a big hug.

"Yes he is the ideal donor." Dr. Shepard looked him over which unnerved Trunks because he had been checked out by guys more than a few times in his life. His two best friends reading the look on his face tried to control their laughter. It wasn't appropriate given the circumstance.

"For what?" Trunks had a bad feeling about this.

"Your sisters blood transfusion." Bulma answered for the doctor.

"I'll let the family discuss this privately. Have one of the nurses at the front desk page me when you make your decision." Dr. Shepard said before making his leave. Bulma the concerned mother wasted no time filling in the two new visitors, but more importantly her son on his sister's condition.

"You'd know I'd do anything to help the little diva but isn't there any other way?" Trunks tried to barter, but found it hard when his pale sister pouted at him with sad eyes. Bra was a master at guilt tripping unsuspecting males.

"What are you so damn afraid of boy?" Vegeta demanded annoyed his little girl's treatment was being delayed by his son, her older brother whose sole brotherly duty was to protect her.

"Let's talk about this outside." Bulma suggested pushing her son and husband out of the room. Having been the parent to always take the children to the doctor when they were younger she knew the reason why Trunks was hesitating to agree to donate his blood.

Once they were out of the room Marron and Goten turned their undivided attention to their hospital bed ridden friend.

"How are you feeling?" Marron asked the most basic but crucial question. Bra was about to answer honestly when the shouting outside her room got louder.

"How can you be afraid of needles?!" Vegeta shouted shocked and appalled. Trunks no doubt was horrified on the other end that his big dark secret was out.

"Vegeta you're over reacting." Bulma tried to defend her first born. If Bra was daddy's little girl then Trunks had always been a mama's boy and this was a fight that had been fought before.

"Are you sure he's not Kakorrots son?" Vegeta made a terrible accusation based on Goku's childish fear filled reaction to the thought of getting a shot with a needle when they were on Planet Namek so many years ago

Smack

Bra, Goten and Marron who had been eavesdropping on the argument couldn't tell if that sound was caused by Bulma slapping Vegeta for even doubting for a second Trunks was his, but they were almost willing to bet on it. The argument grew quieter after that hindering even the half Saiyans ability to eavesdrop. The suspense didn't last long because they came back into the room a minute later.

"Trunks is going to donate his blood for Bra's blood transfusion." Bulma acted as the family spoke's person announcing what they knew he'd eventually do.

"Thank you." Bra mouthed to her big brother. They both knew no matter how much they fought when it comes to do or die they'd both do anything for each other.

"I'm going to go find Dr. Shepard and let him know we have a donor." Bulma informed dragging Vegeta with her making it obvious she wasn't through reprimanding him for his bad behavior. Trunks walked over and gave his sister the hug he should have when he arrived.

"So what did you do to get yourself in here? Trip over your high heels and land on a poisons plant or something?" Trunks tried to lighten the mood.

"No. I got bit my something. I didn't see it myself but 17 said it looked like a blue spider." Bra was still a little fuzzy as she retold what she remembered happening. At her own mention of him they all turned around to find the forgotten android back in his reclusive corner.

Marron jumped down from the corner of the bed where she'd been sitting next to her friend and walked over to her uncle and gave him a hug. He accepted it only because it was his niece and only because of that he allowed her to lead him back to Bra and the others.

"Did you bring me here?" Bra asked looking into 17's eyes hoping for an honest answer. If he had saved her life she wanted him to own up to it. But the stubborn cyborg didn't answer. He just looked back at her with no facial expressions to read.

"The last thing I remember is being in the room where the black star dragonball was and feeling the life being slowly drained out of me." Bra stopped afraid her passing out had jeopardized the mission. Could it be that 17 had aborted the mission to save her and that's why he was acting even more distant and annoyed than usual?

"17 managed to secure the dragonball and get you out of there." Goten answered for her silent partner who still refused to say a word to her.

"Then why don't you guys look happier? That's 3 out of 7." Bra questioned the sobering atmosphere in the room. She was aware they were in a hospital and she just survived a close brush with death, but they could at least relish in the victory of collecting another dragonball.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing of importance right now." Goten tried to steer away from having to answer Bra's questions.

"Grow a pair and tell her Boy Scout. She's bound to find out sooner or later." 17 pressured catching everyone by surprise how explosive and angry that came out. However, Goten wouldn't budge whatever they weren't telling her he wasn't going to be the one to do so.

"You really are spineless." 17 turned away from Goten in disgust.

"The dragonball was a fake." 17 revealed to Bra the secret in as little words possible. No beating around the bush, no sugar coating it to ease the blow. Just the plain simple harsh hard to swallow truth.

"What?!" Bra exclaimed sitting up way too fast and way too soon for her body to handle. Her body paid her back by inflicting more pain.

"Grrr." Bra cringed falling back on her bed and clutching her chest which was burning again and making it hard to breath. If Marron wasn't in the middle of it Goten and Trunks would have punched the blunt android for stressing out the sick princess even more.

"You're telling me I ended up in a hospital for nothing?" Bra asked the pain slowly disapating.

"Yes." 17 answered frankly. This was the type of guy that would tell a girl she looked fat in something if she did. No white lies to spare anyone's feelings. It wasn't his style.

"I hate my life." Bra retreated under her covers to sulk in her personal misfortune shielded from her friends and brothers annoyed looked. While the three musketeers were used to the drama queens over dramatization of everything 17 wasn't going to let her get away with her childish tantrums.

"Shit happens. Get over it!" 17 proclaimed pulling the covers off of her. The shocked look on Bra's face reinforced that no one had ever talked to her that way before in her spoiled privileged life. And when shock turn into a scowl he knew she was going to fight back, and he wasn't going to back down because it was time for the spoiled little girl to grow up.

Before the sparks could start flying a young petite nurse with very pale skin, red eyes, fangs, and long flowing white hair that nearly reached the ground interrupted.

"Mr. Briefs? They're ready for you in lab 5." The pretty nurse informed the tension filled group.

"Marron? Can you accompany me and make sure they don't take all my blood and leave me for dead?" Trunks asked his right hand woman.

"Sure thing President Paranoid." Marron agreed suspecting he just wanted someone to hold his hand that wasn't his mother. The man had to maintain some of his dignity. The unofficial den mother of the group escorted Trunks to the door before returning for Goten.

"Wait? Why do I have to go too?" Goten struggled to free his hand from Marron's who was leading him by it. For a perky blonde she sure was strong. 18 would be so proud.

"Because we may have to hold him down once they show him the needle." Marron explained to which Goten could see her point.

"What about Bra? I should really stay with her." Goten looked over his shoulder longingly at the girl he had finally asked out yesterday who was now confined to a hospital bed awaiting a potentially risky procedure. It was a heart wrenching situation that was worse than being stuck between a rock and a hard place. It was being stuck between two beautiful women who he couldn't say no to.

"Go." Bra saved him from his torment with that single word and a weak smile. He still hesitated.

"I'm counting on you to make sure Trunks doesn't chicken out or else you may have to find those black star dragonballs yourself in order to wish me back." Bra tried to ease his guilt for leaving her.

"She'll be fine." Marron insisted motioning over to 17 who was uncharacteristically still by Bra's bedside. That notion had the opposite effect on Goten making him more worried and more anxious to stay. But he didn't. He would respect Bra's request and go with her brother.

And then there was awkward silence. If this was a prime time comedy shows the sounds of crickets chirping would have made the audience laugh. But there was no humor in this room. Bra was certain once everyone was gone 17 would leave as well. Probably to go bed some attractive nurses.

"Shouldn't you be chasing the nurses?" Bra finally broke the silence out of boredom and a pinch of sincere curiosity as to why he was still there.

"I don't chase. They willing flock to me." 17's cocky nature always at the surface. If she wasn't so weak from her painful ordeal she'd reach up and smack him upside the head. Approaching footsteps hindered any such attempts.

Bra and 17's attention turned towards the door to see if his prediction was going to manifest. In a way it did, but it was the wrong sex for the android because standing in the door way was an even better looking doctor than Dr. McDreamy.

The hint of gray in his hair placed him at the same age group as Dr. McDreamy but this doctor was oozing sex appeal. A more fitting nickname for the ruggedly hot older gentleman would have to be Mc Steamy.

"Hello there. I'm Dr. Gabrielle Stone." The hot doctor introduced himself to Bra who had obviously caught his eye. She wish she had mirror to compare if she looked as bad as she felt, but the way the doctor was eyeing her she was certain her natural beauty was still undeniable.

"Bra Briefs." Bra smiled.

"Well Ms. Briefs it doesn't look like you need any of my services." Dr. Stone baited.

"And why is that?" Bra played along knowing it was a set up for some come on.

"Because I'm the most renowned plastic surgeon in this galaxy. Patients come to me to make them beautiful, but you already are." Dr. Stone went there.

"Um. Thanks." Bra tried not to blush not because it was working but because it was cheesy and embarrassing. McSteamy, interpreted as his job at a memorable first impression was secured. He left the room but not without promising to check back on her just because.

"He's sleeping with half the nurses." 17 stated as an undeniable fact rather than speculation.

"It takes a man whore to know a man whore." Bra jabbed starting to feel sleepy.

"And probably several patients too." 17 added.

"If not he will be." Bra tried to make that sound sexually suggestive but her yawn defeated that. However tired her attempt was its implications did not get lost in translation. 17 decided to make it a point to ruin her fun by not allowing her to be alone with that doctor. Or any doctor.

Authors Note- I think this is the most I've kept 17 in character. Hope you like it!