Hello, readers!
Yeah, yeah...I understand that last chapter was pretty rough. This one will be too. I apologize in advance for any of those I may have offended...I did not mean to! And, I also apologize for the lack of realness in this chapter if there is not any. Thankfully, I have not had to experience something tragic like this before.
I also have the original DBZ timeline year in here, when the doctor asks Chi-Chi for the year. The year she states is the year her and Goku fought in the Martial Arts Tournament.
Also, I'd like to mention that I will be writing NEW STORIES once I've completed this one, and S&FC. Please keep in mind that I am doing the best I can, and will also update as frequently as possible. I am not necessarily interested in adopting any other stories, considering how much I have struggled with this one.
It may be hard to understand if you do not write, but, when someone has created a story, and discontinues it, nobody will ever be able to write it the same. I can testify to that.
Anyways, I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and I hope to give you the next one soon!
Disclaimer: Yep. Still nothing. Nada. Nope. Absolutely nothing.
High pitched giggles and a deep, throaty chuckle were emitted from two teenagers as they fell into Vegeta's penthouse.
Bulma's hair was disheveled, pointing in multiple directions as she wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck with a sloppy grin.
His fingers latched around one of her belt loops around her waist, tugging her toward him.
The duo fell into a frantic lip lock; full of desperation, lust, and yearning. However, before Vegeta could make his next move, his phone vibrated in his back pocket.
A growl emitted from his throat, but he chose to ignore the incoming call. But, Bulma pulled away from him with a frown.
"Answer it," she demanded, pursing her lips. "It may be your father."
Vegeta snorted. "Woma-"
His phone vibrated again, causing him to roll his eyes. He reached for his back pocket, pulling out his phone and answering it.
"What?" Vegeta snapped, listening intently to the person on the other end. His face softened ever so slightly before replying, "I'll be there."
Snapping his phone shut, his eyes met expectant, aqua blue.
"We need to leave. Now."
Almost the moment Vegeta's sleek, midnight colored convertible entered West City thirty minutes later, multiple large vans were hounding him.
"Fucking damnit!" He snarled, taking a sharp left onto a oneway street, causing Bulma to shriek.
"What is it, you asshole?!" She huffed in irritation, clutching to her seat for dear life. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
"The paparazzi are following us, insolent girl."
"Shit," she muttered, turning her head behind her headrest to glance at the people following them. "We can't let them see us together! The old rivalry...our fathers!"
"Don't you think I know that?!"
His obsidian orbs glanced into his rearview mirror, a snarl curling over his lip as the black vans neared within closer proximity.
"We will have to take a detour for the time being. Sit back in your seat, we'll be at the hospital soon."
"Go, go, go!" Vegeta growled lowly in Bulma's ear as they hustled inside of the hospital building.
The flame-haired boy took a glance behind him before swearing loudly.
"Oh Kami," Bulma gasped, speed-walking in her flats, causing callouses to appear on the sides of her feet. She moaned with pain, but Vegeta kept prodding her from behind. "Shit! They're following us aren't they?" She looked over his shoulder and caught sight of over seven photographers, and two news reporters. "Shit, shit, shit!"
"Shut up!" Vegeta snapped, huffing with annoyance. His ears twitched when he heard them enter the doors close behind him. Sweat dribbled down the side of his face, his temple popping out with irritation.
They needed to get out of sight before they were recognized.
Vegeta grabbed her forearm before making a sharp right turn, and barreling through the first door he spotted. The couple tumbled to the floor with an obnoxious 'thump', and Bulma fell atop Vegeta's waist, whom hit his head against the wall.
"Fuck," he muttered as he glanced up at Bulma's worrisome expression.
"They'll be waiting to spot us all night possibly and we need to get to Chi-Chi and Goku..."
"I know," he sighed, shutting his eyes in annoyance.
Of course they had to enter the room that was a small, dark closet. They could not stay in here for the night.
Vegeta reopened his eyes and sat up, but his fingers snagged around a stretchy fabric.
His brows knitted together in confusion. "Woman, turn on the light fixture."
Bulma shot up from his waist, her slender fingers pressed against the wall, fumbling for the lightswitch. When she found it, and flicked the switch up, they looked around the room with equally shared curiosity.
There were mint green scrubs, gloves, masks, caps, and doctor coats.
Their eyes met, and Bulma scowled.
"You can't be fucking serious."
Vegeta threw his head back and released a cackle.
The duo in crime exited the room, fully fledged in mint nurse attire Vegeta adorned a doctor's coat with a plastic name tag, and a deep smirk on his face.
"Oh my Kami, oh my Kami," Bulma whispered loudly, trembling slightly. "This is so illegal! We're going to get arrested! It won't matter how much money we have!"
A snort escaped Vegeta and he rolled his eyes. "With that attitude, yeah. Yeah we will. So knock it off, dumbass," he hissed as they took another turn into a new hallway.
"How can you do this so well?!"
Vegeta chuckled before replying, "Tch. Renegade for life."
Bulma scoffed, hitting his arm playfully. "You must be if you're hanging around me," she winked with a small laugh.
Before Vegeta could send back a snarky retort, a nurse rushed toward them.
"Doctor Grisham?!" She questioned with frantic eyes, grabbing onto his forearm. "You have to come with me right away," she glanced at Bulma, "you too."
The couple in crime glanced at each other with wide eyes.
Shit.
A few minutes later, they were rushed into a larger operation room, an older woman was lying on a gurney, her chest wide open.
Vegeta and Bulma's hearts plummeted to their stomachs as they were pressed against the side of the bed.
"Doctor, you must help," another surgeon stated, his focus entirely on the insides of the blonde woman below.
Vegeta attempted not to retch at the sight, and his balmy hands gripped the railing of the bed. What the fuck had they gotten into?!
Think, Bulma, think! The blue haired beauty exclaimed in her mind, before her eyes widened with an idea. This should work!
She released a scream of pain, and double over, clutching her stomach. "No!" She exclaimed, forcing tears to leak from her eyes.
"Ms?!" A nurse exclaimed, rushing to her side, and she gave out another wail. "What's wrong?!"
"T-the baby!" She stuttered, turning to glance at Vegeta with fat tears. "Honey...I'm losing the baby!"
"You're married?" A male nurse beside the other surgeon questioned skeptically.
"We got eloped a few months ago. You know how Vegas is," Vegeta said cooly, rushing to Bulma's side. "I must go."
"I can come and help," a brunette nurse offered, standing beside Bulma.
"No," Vegeta snapped, pulling Bulma away from her. "This woman needs saving," he directed his attention to the woman on the table. "I've got it."
The hot-headed teen played along with Bulma's tactics, and carefully picked her up in his arms before hurrying out of the room.
He dropped her on her bottom and she yelped, sending him a glare.
Bulma shot up from the ground and began bustling down the hall. "We need to find our friends, and stop fucking around!" She snapped, eye twitching with irritation as she rounded a corner, Vegeta following closely behind her.
The famous couple entered the elevator, and Vegeta pressed the button to the third floor.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips, and he slid his mask off his face as he leaned against the railing of the elevator. His brows were knitted together, and his obsidian orbs locked onto the tiled flooring of the moving box.
"Hey," Bulma said quietly, touching his arm lightly with a frown. "They'll be okay," she whispered, rubbing his arm. "They're both fighters."
At least, that is what she was trying to convince herself.
Vegeta snorted and pulled away from her touch as if it burned him. "It does not matter, stupid girl," he huffed just as the elevator 'dinged', doors sliding open.
Vegeta was the first to exit and make his way toward the front desk of the third floor.
Bulma pulled up beside him, placing her hand gently in his.
Fortunately for her, he did not pull away.
Vegeta's eyes met with welcoming brown ones of the man sitting at the desk.
"How may I help you?"
"Kakarot Son," Vegeta gruffly stated, a frown etching his lips. "I was informed that he and another friend were in an accident."
"Oh, yes! Mr. Ouji," the man gasped, scrambling through scattered papers on his desk. "You were the first the dispatched called, because you were first on speed dial. However, his parents arrived before you," he stated, nodding toward the glass encased waiting room.
"Your friends made it in, but I'm sure you would like to hear the rest from the family. Just sign in here, and you and..." he trailed off, glancing at the blue-haired female beside him. " , are...erm, welcomed in."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, a sneer curling his upper lip. "Tell the paparazzi, and I will be sure to have you fired."
"Yes sir," the brown-haired man squeaked before handing him the sign-in clipboard.
Vegeta snatched the board away, and furiously wrote out his and Bulma's name into two free slots.
He plopped the cheap wood onto the counter before pivoting on his heel, and tugging her toward the waiting room.
When the two reckless adolescents entered the room, Bardock raised a questioning brow.
"Don't bother asking," Vegeta snapped, pulling his hand away from Bulma's. He crossed his arms over his chest, and began pacing the room.
Gine rocked slowly back and forth on the plush couch, causing Bardock to wrap an arm around her.
"It'll be alright, Gine," he promised quietly as she rested her head atop his chest. "Kakarot is our strong kid."
Gine sighed, rubbing at her eyes furiously. "I know," she whispered, digging her face into his shirt. "He's still my baby, though," she murmured.
"Hey," Bulma smiled, catching the attention of the two parents. "It'll be alright, yeah? We will all sit it out, and wait. That's all we can do for now."
Bulma sat down on a couch across from the one where they were sitting and sighed. "Where's Radditz?"
"I'm right here," Radditz chimed in, closing the glass door shut behind him with his foot.
Both of his hands were full; one with a coffee tray, and the other with two large bags of fast food.
He walked over to his parents, and set the food down on the table with a sigh. Without another glance at anyone in the room, he pivoted on his foot and began to walk out of the room, until -
"Where do you think you're going, young man?" Gine questioned sternly, crossing her arms over her chest.
Radditz groaned before popping his knuckles. "I'm going to search for the dumbass who decided to drive drunk in the middle of the day!"
"Radditz," Gine frowned, standing and walking over to her son. "You can't do that, even though I wish you could. It would most likely land you in a prison cell."
"Oh?" He quizzed, nose crinkling with frustration. "And these two idiots aren't?" Radditz snapped, waving over to the illegally dressed adolescents. "Last I checked, it wasn't legal to pose as a doctor or nurse! Dad, help me out on this one!"
Bardock had a sandwich midflight to his mouth, his eyes wide with anticipation to devour its deliciousness. And when he could not eat it because he was dragged into the conversation, he growled.
However, he gave a small shrug. "In their defense, they were running from the paps. Am I right, or am I right?"
A shriek of frustration escaped Gine, and she glued her hands firmly to her hips.
"Sit your asses down - all of you!" Gine snapped, causing the color to drain from their faces. "Your brother, son, and friend is in surgery, and all you're concerned about is a sandwich, and illegal counts?!"
Tears stung the older woman's eyes, and she shook her head violently as Radditz reached out for her. "No. You cannot touch me, or talk to me until you've all grown up a bit, and have pulled your shit together. My baby, and his girlfriend could possibly die, and you're cracking unnecessary jokes?"
A scoff escaped her lips as crocodile tears began rolling down her cheeks. "This is ridiculous," she stated, bring a hand to wipe her wet lashes. "I'm going to see if Chi-Chi's father has made it here yet."
And with that said, the middle-aged woman stormed out of a now silent, anguished room.
A few hours later, the room was filled with empty hearts, and chilled, frigid air.
Eighteen, Krillin, Tien, and Chi-Chi's father had joined the other four, adding to the bitter sour soaking the glass door creaked, sending chills down each individuals spine.
Heavy footsteps stopped abruptly before them, causing the group to hesitantly look up at a older man with glasses.
"I'm Doctor Trovelt," he introduced with a small smile, bowing his head slightly. "I presume many of you are here at this ungodly hour to know the conditions of Chi-Chi Mau, and Kakarot Son?"
"Yes," Gine affirmed hoarsely, wiping her cheeks. She cleared her throat before repeating a quiet 'yes'.
"Ah, you must be Ms. Son," the doctor's icy blue eyes scanned over Gine's interlaced fingers with Bardock's. His lips tugged upward, "And you, Mr. Son. The resemblance is uncanny. I suppose we will begin with him first."
He rustled through a few papers that were clipped to a board before stopping. The doctor bit his lower lip, a heavy exhale escaping his nostrils.
"Kakarot is in very critical condition. He had a lot of blood loss due to deep cuts in his back from shards of the windshield, and his humerus popped from the humeral head. In other words, his shoulder essentially detached from the socket."
The room was silent, and only the heavy breathing of the doctor could be heard.
A deep frown carved into the Doctor Trovelt's face, the friendly gleam in his eye dulled.
Radditz caught the change in his demeanor, causing Radditz to bite the inside of his cheek. "What is it?" the brother of Goku questioned, his heart pounding loudly in his ears.
"Well, other than those injuries the boy is practically unscathed. He is VERY lucky, and perhaps even cheated death. However..." the doctor trailed off, pursing his lips at a loss of words.
"Spit it out!" Vegeta snapped, causing Bulma to hit him lightly on the arm.
The grey-haired man released a sigh before nodding. "Although he got out with surprisingly minimal injuries than we could have thought, he is currently in a coma."
Radditz was the first to react.
The long-haired man stood, his physique trembling and fingers curled at his sides. He said nothing. Instead, he released a shaky sigh, walked over to the door, and slammed it behind him.
Tien and Eighteen were impassive, shock evident upon their facial features.
How could Goku be lost to them? Unconscious and in a completely different realm?
More wet, crystal beads dribbled down Gine's face, a choked sob emitting from her throat. "Will my baby wake up?"
"We cannot say for sure," Doctor Trovelt spoke gently, "it could be weeks, or it could be years. But, looking at his stats, I wouldn't say more than a few weeks, perhaps a few months."
"A few months?" Krillin's mouth dropped open, before he began violently shaking his head. "No! Goku cannot be in a coma, he's a fighter a-an-"
The doctor held up his hand, ceasing Krillin's chatter. "Yes, Goku is a fighter. Which is exactly what will bring him back to you, and his family."
Unshed tears pooled behind Bulma's blue orbs, and she placed a petite hand over her quivering lip.
She would not break.
Her eyes casted over toward Vegeta who was leaned up against the wall, deep in thought; face expressionless.
Multiple thoughts entered Bardock's mind at full force, making his head swim. Words of others were drone out, and all he could hear were the silent screams of his heart, and endless thoughts pestering his mind.
Then, the doctor continued.
"Although that kid is a fighter, if anything he's a hero as well. He saved Chi-Chi's life," he turned toward Ox, and nodded. "You must be her father?"
Ox numbly shook his head in confirmation as a reply.
"If Kakarot had not thrown himself over her, she surely would have gotten punctured in an artery because of her height. Instead, he was on the receiving end of the largest shard of glass. Surprisingly, she got away with little to no injuries. Just some whiplash, and a few cuts. However, as of right now, she is unconscious.
"But, thankfully, not in a coma."
Relief flooded within the room, slightly calming the nerves of its occupants.
"As for visits of these two, only immediate family can visit Kakarot right now, due to his recent surgery and stitching."
His eyes casted over to Ox, giving him a warm smile. "Chi-Chi can hav-"
"Doctor?" a nurse questioned in a hushed voice, rushing into the room. "Chi-Chi is awake, and I believe you need to begin questioning her."
Gasps emitted from everyone in the room, their eyes glued to the brunette nurse.
"Ah, yes, erm...Well, Ox, I suppose you come with me. In the mean time, Lacy, would you mind showing the Sons to Kakarot's room? As for the rest of you, you are welcome to wait here for the time being."
Gine sprung from the plush, red couch almost immediately, tugging Bardock along with her. "Where's my baby? I wanna see him!" she cried, and the nurse calmed her down quickly before escorting the couple to their son's room.
"Shall we?" the doctor raised his brows at Ox who just nodded, simply following him out of the room.
"D-dad?" Chi-Chi uttered, attempting to sit up from her bed as she heard the door open.
"It's alright, sweetie," Ox rushed over to his daughter, grabbing her hand gently. "I'm here."
"Ms. Mau," the doctor admonished calmly, "please sit up slowly. I would like to ask you a few questions."
"Alright, Chi, slowly..." her father murmured, placing a hand on his daughter's back, bringing her up. A moan escaped her lips, and she rubbed her head as she carefully swung her legs over the side of the bed.
She pressed her hands firmly down upon her soft bed, blinking slowly so that her eyes could adjust to the light.
Her onyx orbs flickered around the room, a crease forming between her brows in confusion. However, she shook her throbbing head lightly, and redirected her gaze toward Doctor Trovelt who frowned at her actions.
"Alright Chi-Chi, I'm going to ask you a few questions, and I'd like for you to answer honestly," he said, pulling a stool that was in front of her bed before sitting on it.
He clicked his pen, connecting the tip of it to the smooth surface of of his paper. "Are you ready?"
Chi-Chi numbly nodded, licking her dry lips. On the tip of her tongue, she could detect a hint of a metallic taste.
"Your full name, please."
"Chi-Chi Mau."
The pen scribbled loudly against the clipboard, disturbing the choked silence.
"How old are you?"
"Eighteen years old," she replied, tangling her twitching fingers together.
The tip of the black pen scratched loudly against the sickly white paper once more.
"What year is it?"
"Age seven-hundred fifty-six."
The doctor's evident anxiety seemed to disappear as the corner of his eyes crinkled into a smile. "Very good, Chi-Chi. Alright," Trovelt commented with a nod, flipping to the next page. "Are you experiencing any headaches, if so, on a scale of one to ten, how bad are they?"
Chi-Chi's brows furrowed with concentration, her lips forming into a pout. "I think...slightly," she admitted, unknotting her fingers. "Maybe...around a four?"
Trovelt nodded before recording her answer.
"Hun, do you need water, foo-" Ox began, only to be cut off by Chi-Chi.
"Dad, I'm fine. Just allow Doctor Trovelt to finish," she reassured with a nod, redirecting her attention back to the man in the white coat once more.
However, her focus was slightly lost once Trovelt began speaking to her father and her thoughts drifted.
Why was she in the hospital? What had happened?
"Alright, Ms. Mau," the older man began once more, snapping her attention back toward him ever so slightly.
"Doctor Trovelt..." she began quietly, her eyes casting toward the ground. Her fingers twitched once again, and she knotted them back together. "Can...I ask you a question?"
The doctor peered above his thick frames before pulling off his glasses to look at her. "Yes, of course."
"Well..." she sighed, fear rolling down each, individual vertebrae of her spine.
What was wrong with her?
Her eyes met the doctor's imploring blue ones, and she opened her mouth to speak, but words failed her. After a few moments, she shrugged before quietly murmuring, "Why am I here?"
Ox's heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach, his face crestfallen. "W-what? Sweetie, don't you remem-"
"Ox," Trovelt immediately cut off the large man, causing the father and daughter to look at the doctor. "Would you mind grabbing Ms. Brief for me? I would also only like for her to come back into the room."
"Oh, er...sure," Ox replied with a curt nod, before turning to his daughter. "I'll be right back," he promised, placing a kiss to the side of her head before leaving the room.
"Chi-Chi," Trovelt began firmly, his eyes settling on hers. "I'm going to ask you a few more questions..."
About ten minutes later, Bulma bursted through Chi-Chi's hospital room, blazing a trail of worry behind her.
"Chi-Chi?" she gasped out, wiping flyaway hairs from her eyes as the door behind her softly 'clicked' behind her. Her small footsteps were quiet as she stopped abruptly beside the doctor who's head hung with concern. "Is everything alright?"
Chi-Chi glanced at the blue-haired female before her, a puzzled expression flickering onto her features. Who was this girl? She had sworn she had seen her before...Oh! "You're Bulma, aren't you?" Chi-Chi questioned with furrowed brows, her heart beating wildly against her chest. "You gave me a ride after the first day of school."
Bulma's most important organ halted beating, a large, dry lump began to weigh down her throat. "Chi?"
Doctor Trovelt quickly jumped in, his shoulders were slightly slumped with defeat, but he held his head high. "Ms. Mau does not remember many of the recent events that have occurred, including the wreck I presume. I was just about to ask what her most recent memories were. But, it's good to see that you are in them. I am afraid that she has amnesia."
"Amnesia? Wreck?" Chi-Chi asked, her lips pursed and fingers twitching once more.
Bulma pressed a petite hand to her lips, her eyes glazing over slightly. A shaky breath was released from the confines of her lungs, and she inhaled deeply. "Chi-Chi, it's almost the middle of October. You and Goku got into a terrible car wreck a few hours ago."
The black-haired girl's nose scrunched with distaste at the name. "Goku? You mean Carrot?" she rubbed her hand gently, shaking her head. "I remember making fun of him, and getting into your car….I think you took me home…" she murmured quietly to herself. "We became friends, right? And...the two blondes too?"
Bulma forced a smile to mold onto her lips, before nodding her head. "Eighteen and Launch. What else do you remember?" she prodded.
Chi-Chi was silent for a few moments, before shrugging. "...Snippets," she responded honestly, a frown forming on to her rosy lips. "Why would I leave with Goku? I don't like boys, especially him."
A dry laugh escaped Bulma before tears rolled down her cheeks. She turned her back toward her friend, not able to speak.
Doctor Trovelt sighed before shaking his head. "Chi-Chi, I wouldn't be talking that way about the man who saved your life."
"No," Gine whispered through her wet, rosy lips, specks of saliva flying from her mouth. The middle-aged woman's body trembled vigorously, her skin slick with forming beads of clammy skin.
"No," she repeated, crying through a choked-sob, tears sliding down her tan cheeks. Her knees buckled beneath her, and she began to crumple to the floor.
However, Bardock caught her waist before her body connected with the cool ground, pressing her tightly against his chest.
"It's okay, it's okay," Bardock soothed quietly, pressing his lips against her left ear as he slowly waddled them onto the stool beside their son. Bardock's body shook alongside Gine's, and he shut his eyes tightly, seeking another image beside the one of his broken child.
Gine cried heavily, reaching a shaky hand to hold her son's limp, calloused one. She rubbed her thumb gently up and down his rough hands, her eyes avoiding his IV struck arm.
A shaky sigh escaped her as her swollen eyes began at his tightly bandaged chest. Splotches of maroon adorned his chest, leaking down his sides. Gine coughed, sniffling as her eyes traveled toward his left arm in sleek, black sling.
Finally, her orbs rested on his oxygen mask, and she observed him inhale and exhale with great effort. Gine stifled a cry as the loud beeps of several machines begun to ring in her ears.
The sound that determined whether he lived, or died.
A wail silently passed through her lips as she slumped against Bardock, who rocked them back and forth gently.
The stars glowed a little dimmer that night.
Wow. That...was depressing. Sorry for those of you that I have made upset due to the accident etc. I will let you in on a secret: They'll get back together.
Because I'm nice.
This time. xD
Anyways, let me know if you guys enjoyed this chapter of JLTR. Hopefully the next one will be out soon, as well as the other future chapters! After this story, I plan to finish S&FC, and then...start new, interesting stories. ;)
Until next time!
DoV xx