Hi Guys!^^

Wow, I really got you addicted, didn't I? That's as much a compliment an author can hope for. You are the best, thanks for the reviews, thanks for reading and continually telling me to update more faster.

I'll take that as a compliment and I am sooooo glad, that you like this story so much.

The only apology I can offer is, that I wouldn't wan't to post a chapter that is not up to my expectations. I want you to feel their feelings, to see the pictures. To really LIVE the story the way I do.

We will travel a long journey together, this story has merely just started and I already have a prequel in mind...;)

I hope you will enjoy the next, and surely not the last, chapter of: "The Golden Thread"!


"This is ridiculous! Completely ridiculous!"

Vegeta was angry. Really angry. Angry that he cared so much, angry for being so worried…

He rushed through the skies, going somewhere, anywhere, in the hope of catching any signal from Trunks at all, the slightest sign, an inkling of where he had to go…

He was angry for not having reacted sooner. He had known something was wrong with his son, even before he'd gotten seriously ill, before he was unable to answer his questions, before it was too late….

He hated being so helpless, he hated the feeling of panic increasing in his heart and that this panic had led him to ask for help.

Goten knew his son better than anybody else and he was his last hope for finding his son in time. In time for what? That was what troubled the proud prince the most. This whole situation was a completely new experience for him. He'd never really questioned his actions, he'd never had this 'what if' thoughts before, this bad conscience. What if he'd talked to his son sooner?

What if he'd asked him what had happened up there instead of starting a fight? His son was as secluded as he was and for the first time, it bothered him. He should have known he'd react that way, he should have known that he'd hurt him…but why hadn't Trunks talked to them, to him, to his mother? Why hadn't he told them what was wrong, that something was wrong? Didn't he trust them? Didn't he trust him, his mother, his sister….anyone?

He sighed deeply, stopped in midair, tried to sort his thoughts…

Yes, there was one person his oldest trusted, and he'd contacted this one person as a last attempt. Goten…

The son of his former arch-enemy, the son that so resembled his father in looks and behaviour…the one person his son trusted, told everything….

Flying through the skies, trying to find any signal of his son, the slightest increase of energy, the slightest trace of him, he started reminiscing…

He'd never really appreciated the friendship between the two young Saiyajins, he'd wanted his son to defeat the offspring of his enemy, to overthrow them…and he'd succeeded in it. His son had beaten Goten in both world tournaments; he'd gotten so strong, so tough…

Just like Kakarott had said the evening they'd returned, he hadn't gone easy on his son. He'd been strict, set the expectations high and often enough watched his son fail those expectations.

The only way people learned to pick themselves up was to let them fall first. This was how he was raised, he didn't know another way, and his son's success had confirmed his experience.

Yet he hadn't been able to destroy this strong connection the two young Saiyajin shared, that golden thread that connected the two of them since the day Goten was born…

Why he'd been trying to separate the two of them he wasn't able to explain, even to himself…

At first, it had been his pride, his attitude, that just forbid a friendship between two classes of his race…it had been replaced by his projection of his failed attempts to beat Kakarott and he'd at least wanted his son to defend the family-honour…but even that wasn't the reason anymore. It was something else…

He still remembered the day the boys had met for the first time…


It had been one of those get-togethers he'd been forced into by Bulma. A few months after Goku had died in the fight against Cell, a few months in which he'd gotten to know his baby-son…

Trunks had staggered towards the newborn, just having learned how to walk, his steps insecure, shaky, the way a baby walked…but he'd been so determined.

He'd approached the younger one with this unique expression of his…this one look he had, even then, that particular expression of his he hadn't inherited from either him or his mother…That look he had when something was worth his interest, that there was something he had to do, no matter what…he'd approached the younger one, they looked at each other, wide-eyed, curious….and then he'd touched the younger one's forehead, smiling, and turned around.

"Mine", he'd said. "I'll protect him."

Vegeta still couldn't suppress a smile, thinking of that day. This seriousness, this…infantile honesty.

He didn't even know how to describe it. Bulma and Chi-Chi had been all like "Aww how sweet…" yet Vegeta had known that this went deeper, that this connection was stronger…

The way those two infants had looked at each other, this…wordless understanding.

He'd never seen something like that before.

Yet the reason he'd called the younger Saiyajin earlier that day was more recent. He didn't even know where this memory had come from, why he'd remembered such a minor detail…

It was the last tournament all of them had entered together. It had been the tournament where Kakarott had left, training the successor of Majin-Boo, and everybody he'd left had been devastated. Chi-Chi had, as usual, collapsed on the spot and Bulma had taken care of her. He wasn't really bothered by it, he'd always had his problems with the younger woman, she was so…unnerving, hysterical…

Yet Bulma appreciated the friendship so he wasn't going to complain. As long as he didn't have to deal with her more than absolutely necessary it worked for him…

Not letting his own thoughts, his own emotions, control his behaviour, he'd just focussed on the more interesting fights that lay ahead, that were namely Goten, Gohan and his own son.

It was then that he'd noticed the whispered conversation between Gohan and his older one:

"….take care of it…" Trunks had said, the most worried look on his face.

"Gosh, thank you Trunks….you know how hard this is for us…especially for him."

"Gohan…", pretending not to look Vegeta noticed his son placing his hand on the older one's shoulder, squeezing it affectionately. "I will find him, I know where he is, I will take care of him. Don't worry…"

"Yeah right…."Gohan looked deeply troubled. Vegeta wondered what the two of them were that afraid of; Surely the boy was old enough to look after himself.

"He will be fine, I promise. Just trust me, okay?"

The purple-haired smiled and was about to take off, when Vegeta stopped him:

"Where do you think you are going? You have a tournament to finish!"

Trunks had thrown him the most irritated, confused look.

"Do you really think that matters? I don't care about the tournament. Never did, never will. Goten needs help and I won't spend my day here instead of being there for him! So, if you will excuse me…" with that he brushed Vegeta's hand off and left.


Much later that night, morning even, Vegeta was still awake, too restless to sleep, thinking things over. He'd always appreciated those early hours in the morning, the only time this city was asleep, the only time it was calm, peaceful…He'd never really adapted to this busy town, this liveliness, this…stress.

Just sitting there on the windowsill, absorbing the picture of the city waking up, he heard steps on the floor, a cupboard opening…

Who the hell was awake this early?

"Morning…" he said, entering the kitchen, and Trunks actually flinched and nearly dropped the cup he was holding. He looked very exhausted and his glassy eyes told the proud Saiyajin that he'd obviously had had a few drinks.

"Gosh, you nearly gave me a heart-attack…", he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, pushing a button on the coffee-machine. "You usually up this early?"

"Still up is the better phrasing. How come you are?"

Trunks was very, very pale and his hands were shaking badly. Something odd must've had happened, something bad…he seemed restless, confused…

"We got back like two hours ago. I couldn't sleep, so…" he shrugged and didn't finish the sentence, rubbing his temples distractedly.

"Are you all right?"

The purple haired looked up, locked eyes with his father…he seemed to be confused; confused that Vegeta seemed to care about him. Did he appear that uncaring usually? Was it such a big event that he asked his son whether he was ok, when he obviously wasn't?

"Fine enough, thanks…" the young Saiyajin answered and sat down on the windowsill, taking a sip of his coffee. "Dizzy though…preparing for a bad hangover tomorrow."

Vegeta raised his eyebrows surprisedly. If there was anything at all his son could have done or said to prove the point that something was SERIOUSLY wrong, it was this statement. He'd never have admitted he was drunk if it wasn't the perfect excuse for not telling what REALLY bothered him. He definitely knew the boy way too well. Since the purple-haired was obviously not willing to say what disturbed him, he decided to just play the game. He wasn't the type to prise information out of anybody.

"Gosh you are such a lightweight. Don't worry, all Saiyajins are. You know our body-chemicals better than I do…" Vegeta shrugged.. "But you DO know you have a coffee-machine in your room? Why bother coming down here?"

"Didn't wanna wake up Goten…he needs to rest…"

Vegeta sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Don't you think you worry a bit too much? He's old enough to take care of himse…"

"Don't go there" Trunks cut him off, throwing him the coldest look the proud Saiyajin had ever seen. "Sorry…I didn't mean to be rude but…you don't know him, you have no idea how bad he takes this. He loves his father and he's left him just like that. AGAIN! He couldn't care less about his family. He can't do that to him…" The last sentence he'd said more to himself than his father, looking out of the window, rubbing his forehead. He'd probably been right about the hangover. Those were the first signs of a major migraine which Vegeta knew his son tended to get on a regular basis.

"I see…" the black-haired turned to leave, his son obviously wanted to be alone. It was then that a thought came to his mind. "Just out off curiosity…" he said, facing the younger Saiyajin.

The purple-haired looked up, a rather annoyed expression on his face.

"Yeah?"

"How did you know where he was? He had his energy diminished, he obviously didn't want to be found, so…"

Trunks frowned slightly, obviously thinking pretty hard. "That's a pretty interesting question…" he replied. "I don't know why, but for some reason we always know…We can never hide from each other, ever."

"Interesting…" Vegeta said slowly and was about to leave when, this time, Trunks said:

"Just out off curiosity…"

He tried to pay him back, that was pretty clear, but the sound of Trunks' voice had changed and that intrigued the older one.

He turned around, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"Why have YOU never left?"

Vegeta felt like he'd been slapped right in the face, he was at a loss of words…

This question, the tone of his son's voice…not judging, not cold, just…neutral, curious even; He'd never expected a question like that from his son and was surprised how hard it struck him.

"That…" Vegeta cleared his throat, brushing a hand through his hair. "That is really a dumb question Trunks." He noticed that his voice was very distant from himself, unfamiliar.

"Is it?" Trunks looked at him with these intense, x-raying eyes…his mother's eyes, his sister's eyes.

"Where would I go to? My family is here, this is where I belong..."


Vegeta was ripped out of his thoughts rather harshly, stopping in midair.

He was sure he'd felt his sons' Ki…it had been only a short impression, so short he might've had imagined it. Yet it was the only clue he had so he had to go for it.

The signal had been weak, too weak…
without further hesitation he headed south as fast as he could.


The proud Saiyajin reached a rather large island a few miles off the coast of South-City.

There was a large, busy town on it and in the horizon he could make out a huge industrial facility with a high satellite-device looming over the apparently long deserted radar-station.

For some reason this area seemed pretty familiar and when he spotted the CC-Logo, he remembered that this was an old outpost of his wife's company.

He flew slowly over the premises, looking for his son. Why the young Saiyajin should be here was inexplicable to the proud prince, yet at least there was some connection; he couldn't be entirely wrong.

And sure enough, after several minutes, he spotted the outlines of a person standing in front of a complicated looking control device…

He'd never felt that relieved before and let out a huge sigh…

"If your goal was to scare us all to hell you sure succeeded" he growled darkly and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Trunks didn't even flinch, didn't turn around…he didn't react in any way, he just stood there with his back to his father, his head down and also having his arms crossed in front of him like he was wearing an invisible straight-jacket.

"What were you thinking, leaving like that?" Vegeta spat and felt the confusion and panic rising in his heart again. WHY couldn't he feel Trunks Ki, what was wrong with the boy? It was impossible to lower the Ki that low. He HAD to feel it when they were standing right in front of each other.

Pushing the question aside, he decided it was most important to get the boy home safely, everything else would be settled there.

"You've been seriously ill the last few days! You really shouldn't be out here. Come on; let's go home, you need to rest."

Vegeta rummaged in his jacket-pocket for a plane-capsule. There was no way he'd let his son fly home in his condition. It was a miracle he'd even made it this far. And on their way home he HAD to find out what was wrong with the boy even if he had to beat the answers out of him.

"Tss….now isn't that sweet…" the young man said in the coldest voice ever. This wasn't his son's voice, it was so….evil, so inhuman…"What has become of you? One could really be tempted to think that you actually care."

Ever so slowly Trunks turned around, a strange smile on his face, his eyes glowing bright blue.

Vegeta shivered and stepped back a step involuntarily.

"Has this fever melted your brain or what?" he hissed, trying to keep his voice steady. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Now who has gotten soft…this is surely not the Vegeta I remember…"

This cold smile that never reached the young man's eyes was so creepy…The older Saiyajin swallowed hard at a loss of words. For the first time in his entire life he was scared of his son. Or better, what appeared to be his son…

"You are still pretty messed up. Let's go home, your mother needs to check you out. Or better yet, we'll get you straight to a hospital."

Even though Vegeta wasn't really fond of human Doctors, because they had no idea how a Saiyajin immune system worked, there really was no other way. They should have considered this much sooner…It was better to collaborate with those idiots then loosing their son.
He threw the capsule on the floor and turned to enter when a Ki-Ray passed him so closely it actually left a cut on his face, destroying the plane in a huge explosion.

"HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOUR MIND?!" Vegeta shouted incredulously and wiped traces of blood from his cheek. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ABOUT?"

"You are not going anywhere. We will settle this here and now!"

The expression on the purple-haireds' face was so….crazy, distorted…his glowing eyes put a stark contrast to his pale face, the cold smile seemed to be engraved in his face.

"Are you looking for a fight boy?" Vegeta growled, his panic expressing itself in anger and fury. It was his only way to cope with these feelings. "If so, let's find a suitable place."

Trunks grinned, took to the air and before Vegeta could do or say anything, he'd shot a few well aimed Ki-Balls in every direction.

Shielding himself against the energy, the older Saiyajin couldn't believe what was happening.

Did his son really just destroy the whole city? Had he really gone insane? There were people living in that town, he'd just….no, that couldn't be true, he was having a nightmare, this wasn't real, it couldn't be….Trunks would NEVER do something like that, ever!

When the dust cleared and he could open his eyes again he noticed that the only thing that had survived the outburst was the radar-tower his son had been standing in front of.

Everything else had disappeared, turned into rubble….thousands of people must've died and the young Saiyajin had not even hesitated for a second….

"Seems pretty 'suitable' to me…nobody around to interfere, right?" The young man landed in front of him, the most evil smile on his face.

"YOU are not Trunks….he would never do something like this." Vegeta hissed, his heart beating so hard in his chest it hurt; he couldn't think clearly, he couldn't breathe. "Who the FUCKING HELL are you?"

"Funny. Really funny. And there we thought this was exactly the kind of person you'd wanted your son to be. Cold, uncaring…the perfect Saiyajin. You should be proud, Vegeta…Isn't this who you've wanted him to be all those years? Why you've treated him like scum and put him through this hell?"

For a moment, everything went completely calm, all the noises around were drowned, all he could hear was his freaked out heartbeat, the blood rushing trough his veins. All movements seemed to be in slow motion…

The horrible part of this accusation was that a tiny part of this was true.

He felt like he was looking in a mirror, being confronted with his former self, the evil, cold person he used to be. It was an altogether terrible experience…

"Who are you?" he whispered coldly.

"Well, I think it would be too much to remember every planet you've destroyed, to remember all the civilizations you have slaughtered…"

From one second to another the person in front of him changed completely, the azure-blue irises turning bright red, the purple hair turned to snow white and strange red marks appeared at his temples like tattoos of lightning bolts….

At the same time the Ki spiked up and an orange Aura appeared around the impostor.

Something triggered a long lost memory in the proud Saiyajin and he remembered where he'd felt this particular Ki before…

"Tsufuru….you're from Tsufuru aren't you?"

"Ooh, look at that. Not as dumb as I thought you were, are you? But then again, if you were, I presume you wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time…" The Tsufuru laughed, his Ki rising. "You have destroyed my home planet, you have brought terror and pain on my people…And now I want revenge! Having started with your son, I will destroy every single Saiyajin that is still out there and you will stay alive just long enough to watch this goddamn planet, that ignorantly granted you damn apes asylum, evaporate."

The black-haired Saiyajin completely lost it, powering up to Super-Saiyajin without even realizing it. Having started with your son? What was that supposed to mean? Was he really too late? Was Trunks….he didn't dare to voice his thoughts even in his mind…

The power overwhelmed him, he was powering up too fast yet he couldn't have cared less. He would make this monster pay for what he'd done….

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SON?


So? Liked it? Personally, I do. I LOVE this chapter. I love those Vegeta/Trunks Things.

What do you think? I didn't want to start my holiday having you stuck on a cliff-hanger.

Waaaay too tired to answer all of you individually but I will at the next chapter.

I will NEVER abandon this story, trust me. I've been writing Fanfiction for ten years and this is my personal favourite. Apart from one other, I have to translate...

I LOVE your reaction to this story, I hope I got you hooked? 'Cause we'll spend some time together. This story, the sequel of the story and my favourite one.

Let me know what you think about this chapter.

Until then, Sayonara.^^

Bye and good night...Nox