Chapter Eleven:
Goku narrowed his eyes at Vegeta. Vegeta glared back, a sinister smirk creeping across his face, all human compassion drained from his eyes. He looked at Goku and tilted his head. Goku could feel his rage mounting, "Vegeta…" Vegeta raised and arm, his hand pointing toward the crowd at the tournament, his smirk broadened and he muttered eerily, "Boom." The attack flashed. Goku cried out. Vegeta dropped his arm and turned his attention back to Goku, "What is the rhyme that the earthling children sing? Oh, that's right. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down." Goku powered up, completely enraged, "You could have killed Sakura! You could have killed your son! My sons!" Vegeta gave a smirk, "Why would I care?" Goku's scream rang through the air. He charged forward. Vegeta smiled, "Now things are getting interesting."
Sakura dropped her arm from her face and looked at the devastation around her. She looked down at the two young boys she had with her, "How did we survive?" Goten pointed over Sakura's shoulder. She turned. Bailey stood a few feet behind them, mauve hair blowing, wings out stretched, Gohan at her side. Sakura and the boys ran towards them. "Bailey is that you?" Sakura called out. She arrived and looked at Gohan, "Gohan are you okay? What's going on here? Why would Vegeta kill innocent people?" Bailey placed a hand on her friends shoulder, "Calm down Sakura. Panic isn't going to make this better. Vegeta's body has been taken over by Majin Buu." Sakura looked up trying to find where the two fighters had vanished to; they were out of her sight. She turned back to Bailey, "How did you – how are you – I'm-" Bailey cut her off, "It's a job contract. I'm not alive but I move out of other world freely, it's kind of confusing to explain…" Sakura sighed, "Why can't my life be normal?" She looked up at her eldest son and her friend, "So I assume you are the reason we are still alive." Bailey nodded, "I found Gohan and the tow of us combined our protective shields… we extended them as far as possible… it wasn't enough to save everyone…" Gohan gave a smile, "You always had timing Aunt Bailey. Thirty seconds later and we'd all be gone." Bailey smirked, "I know what I'm doing." Bailey noticed the two small boys standing dumbfounded and knelt down to talk to them. She smiled warmly at them. "Hey there little men… wow, you've gotten so big…" She turned her attention to Trunks, "You sure don't look like your dad… that's for sure." Trunks examined the woman in front of him, "Mom?" Bailey smiled, "Um hum." He moved forward and wrapped his arms around her. Sakura looked down at the mother and son and smiled. Bailey released him and brushed back his hair. She looked at Goten, "Wow… do you ever look like your dad." Goten nodded, "Are you an angel?" Bailey smiled and tousled his hair before standing up. "I have to go now. Sakura, keep your eye on the kids. Gohan, come with me." He nodded and the two took to the air and out of Sakura's sight. She looked down at the two young boys, "We are following them." The two boys nodded. Each took one of her arms and they took to the air.
Sakura looked franticly about, Gohan was nowhere in sight, neither was Bailey. She spotted Vegeta and ran toward him. Sliding to a haul she looked up to him and yelled, "Vegeta, this isn't you! Just stop this madness! Do you think this is what Bailey would have wanted?" Vegeta looked down at her, "I'm sorry I couldn't save Gohan… you have to leave here now." Sakura felt her chest go tight and her eyes fill with tears. Piccolo placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back, "Let him go Sakura. Accept his apology." Vegeta shot out of Sakura's sight she turned to Piccolo, "Piccolo what is he doing? You have to tell me what he's doing!" She pulled frantically on Piccolo's cape. She felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck and slipped into the darkness. Piccolo tucked her under an arm. Krillin looked up at the tall, green Namekian with a tinge of horror but did not question his actions.
Vegeta landed facing his son, "Trunks, I never hugged you as a baby… let me hug you." He wrapped an arm around his son and looked to the sky. A beautiful deity caught his attention. Bailey looked down at him and smiled. Vegeta couldn't surpress his smirk, "Bailey… you've never failed me… I should have known you'd be here waiting…" He drew in a deep breath, accepting his fate. He swiftly raised a hand and rendered his son unconscious. Goten looked at Vegeta horrified, "Why would you do that Uncle Vegeta! Dad's aren't supposed to do that to their sons!" Vegeta promptly rendered the other boy unconscious. He flew to Piccolo, "Will I see that clown Kakorat or Bailey in Other World?" Piccolo looked at the saiyan prince, "I'm not going to lie to you; there is a good chance you will not. Goku dedicated his entire life to saving others. He has a pure heart. Bailey's presence here shows she was given a vocation. It will be King Yamma's decision to allow you to join her or not." Vegeta nodded, "That's all I need to know. You better get out of here." Piccolo nodded, Vegeta gave a smirk and flew off. Krillin gathered the two unconscious boys and looked up at Piccolo confused, "Piccolo, shouldn't we stop him?" Piccolo extended his free arm blocking Krillin from advancing. "No, this is something Vegeta has to do. This is the first time he has been the master of his own fate. Let him go." Krillin gazed up toward Vegeta. He could feel the saiyan's power level rising to dangerous levels. Piccolo watched on, something in him snapped, "What am I doing? I can't let him do this." Krillin's voice held him back, "No Piccolo, you're right."
Vegeta continued to power up, the entire time looking to his only beacon of hope, "Bailey, this is for you and Trunks… even Kakorat and his woman… I know it's you up there… I'm ready…" Vegeta felt his insides beginning to separate, burning, unearthly pain shooting through him. An ear piercing, primal scream ripped from his lungs and into the air. A blinding yellow flash emitted from the saiyan prince. He felt his pain reach it's peak then vanish into nothing. He watched the beautiful deity draw closer to him, brilliant white wings out stretched, soft, mauve hair floating out behind her. He felt her arms encircle him, her warmth all-encompassing, consuming him. "Bailey… you're here." His eyes shut against his will and he was one with the darkness.
Sakura came to on Kame's lookout, a cold washcloth on her forehead. She immediately shot up straight, "Gohan! Goten! Trunks! Vegeta what are you doing!" a familiar voice spoke soothingly to her, "It's okay Sakura… it's all over now… Buu is gone." "Goku! How are you here?" Goku smiled at her, "Supreme Kai granted me a life." Sakura felt the tears well in her eyes; she flung her arms around her husband, "Oh Goku! I can't believe you're back!" Goku held her close and smiled. She pulled away from him, "What about Gohan!" Gohan entered the room, "I'm fine mom. So are Goten and Trunks." Sakura couldn't hold back her tears, "Oh thank goodness! Everyone is alright. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you boys!" Gohan gave his mother a hug, "Don't cry mom." Sakura sniffled, "I'm sorry Gohan. It's just… I'm glad it all turned out alright…" A sudden jolt hit Sakura causing her to rethink all her comfort, "What – what about Vegeta?" Gohan's eyes fell to the ground along with Goku's. She observed the ashen faces. Her eyes again filled with tears, "He didn't make it did he?" Goku shook his head, "No… he sacrificed himself…" Sakura burst into sobs and fell into her husband's chest, "Oh Vegeta… poor Trunks…"
Vegeta snapped to gasping for air and shot up straight, "Bailey? Bailey?" A voice came from behind him, "I'm here Vegeta. I have been the whole time." Vegeta whipped his head around to face the origin of the voice but there was something black and feathery blocking his view. A familiar hand came down on the feathery object pushing it down out of his vision; he realized it was attached to him. Bailey smiled down at him. Vegeta felt a feeling of calm and contentment he hadn't experienced in years wash over him. Bailey rose to her feet and extended a hand to him. He took it and stood up. She guided him down a long path and through two great doors. Vegeta stood before King Yamma, his conversation with Piccolo regarding his fate replaying in his head making it pound. He looked down at Bailey's hand, her fingers intertwined with his, "Could I face eternity without her? Is that my punishment for all my life's wrong doings? It would be a fate worse than any hell…" King Yamma's large frame leered down at him. The great king spoke, his voice booming, "Vegeta, you have led a life filled with darkness and evil. It is only in recent years that this darkness has begun to give way to any form of light. Today you made the ultimate sacrifice: your own life. In light of these events… and with a great deal of debate between I and your mate, it has been decided. You will work with her to redeem yourself. You will be given one month our time, which is about the equivalent of a decade in earth's time, to redeem yourself. If you have not in that time span, you will be sent to spend eternity in hell. Is this understood Vegeta?" Vegeta gave a nod. "Than it shall be." King Yamma declared scribbling something down in his notebook. Bailey turned to him and smiled. Vegeta pulled her into him and kissed her in a passionate embrace. He breathed her in, all the sadness and pain of his time without her melting away. He released her from the kiss but continued to hold her to his chest, "I won't lose you again." Bailey placed her forehead on his chest and closed her eyes, "You won't have to."