WARNING: Some rape scences

DISCLAIMER: I don't own DBZ or (the version that I edited quite a bit) the song 'Thankyou' by Kavana.

Chapter 12: Thankyou

Bulma swallowed nervously as she looked over at Chris. He glared menacingly at her. They were getting ready to go out. Chris's best mate from his soccer team had invited them out to dinner with him and his wife for their one year wedding anniversary. Hiroshi, Chris's friend, was really nice. So was Sayaka, his wife. Bulma had no idea what they were doing associating with people like Chris.

But they were off to dinner. Chris had refrained from beating her for a while. For the first time in quite a few months, she didn't have to wear sickly thick makeup to cover the abuse. It felt nice to be free of the glug. She held tightly to the feeling because, no doubt, Chris would have her broken again as soon as the dinner date was over.

"I'm warning you, woman. Any misbehavior or you let anything slip and I'll kill you," Chris told her, leaning forward and glaring at her with a deathly cold look. Bulma shuddered, pulling her jacket tighter around her shoulders, nodding silently.

There was a knock at the door. With a last angry glare, Chris answered it.

Fifteen minutes later, the four of them had arrived at the restaurant. Though Bulma didn't know it, it was exactly the same restaurant her friends had been at the night before. They ascended the stairs, Chris with his arm possessively around Bulma's waist. She inwardly flinched but did nothing else. The two of them leant against the bar as Hiroshi talked to the reception about their booking. The conversation drifted into Bulma's hearing range.

"…had a guy die on us last night. Went for a walk with his mate and never made it back. Was quite sad actually. Celebrating his birthday I think, only young, about 25."

"That's awful," Hiroshi replied. "Do you know who the guy was?"

"I don't know exactly. But he was pretty important I think. I'm sure I said someone say that he was connected to Capsule Corp somehow."

Bulma felt her heart drop like a stone to the pit of her stomach. Her eyes widened in terror as Hiroshi turned to her.

"Do you know who it was, Bulma?" he asked. Bulma felt fear grip at her with its cold, hard claw. She shook her head.

"What did he look like?" she asked the man at reception in a panicked voice. The man thought for a bit.

"He was pretty tall. Spiky hair. Really nice guy." Tears rushed to Bulma's eyes in a wave of anguish.

"Goku," she whispered. Hiroshi looked at her.

"You know him?" he asked. Bulma felt her knees go weak and collapse. Hiroshi and Chris rushed forward to grab her. The tears flowed like the tides as it hit her completely.

"No, Goku," she whispered. Chris took her in his arms, holding her gently. He looked at Hiroshi.

"I'm sorry, bro, I'm going to have to take a rain check. He was her best friend." Hiroshi nodded understandingly. He and Sayaka said goodbye to Chris and Bulma. Chris led Bulma outside and signaled a taxi.

Nothing seemed to comprehend in Bulma's mind for the whole drive home. The words "Goku" and "dead" chased each other in circles around her head and she felt a new wave of grief wash over her every time one of them caught the other. Tears rolled down her cheeks and the occasional choking sound escaped her throat. Chris played the part of concerned boyfriend right up until they were inside the apartment. For a moment, when he helped her through the door, she almost felt like depending on him, like he cared.

It all changed pretty quickly. Bulma tripped coming inside and fell to her knees. It was the final straw.

"Pick yourself up you pathetic wench,' he snarled at her, a foot planting itself in her side. Bulma cried out. She looked up at Chris through teary eyes.

"Chris," she cried, "it can't be Goku." Chris looked at her with one eyebrow raised in disgust.

"Do I care if the idiot's dead or not?" Bulma looked away from him to the ground and heard his retreating footsteps. One word flashed through Bulma's mind as she turned it to the news.

Vegeta.


Vegeta sat at the kitchen table of the house he'd known for so many years. He looked around the room, with its peeling, tan coloured wall paper and peeling dark brown tiles. The tap on the other side of the kitchen leaked with an annoying drip and the right hand cupboard above the bench didn't shut properly.

But it was a home. Not a house. A home. And Vegeta had always felt comfortable there. Suddenly he heard footsteps coming up the stairs from the basement. He looked over to his right and smiled sadly.

Bardock. The spitting image of Vegeta's best friend. With only the barest of glances, Vegeta could see the redness in his eyes from the tears, the tired faraway look. It chilled Vegeta to the bone. The loss of Goku was hitting them all hard, but this was the first time he had seen Bardock. The man looked like part of his soul was missing which, Vegeta reminded himself, it was. The two of them had lost the person they cared so much about.

Vegeta stood as Bardock caught his eye. Bardock came to a standing stop a couple of paces before his son's best friend. The two of them paused for a moment, as if trying to read each others' minds. Bardock stepped forward, enclosing his arms around Vegeta in a pain-filled hug.

"Vegeta," Bardock whispered as he broke the embrace. Vegeta looked up. "You were there when it happened?" Vegeta nodded slowly. Bardock swallowed. "Did it hurt him? Did he know it was coming?" Vegeta heard the pain behind those words, pain akin to that he was feeling.

"He knew. In about the last three or four seconds. But I don't think he really had time to process it before…" Tears welled in Vegeta's eyes and he looked away. Bardock placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Vegeta shrugged it off, turning back around with an angry look in his eyes.

"Vegeta?"

"This is stupid!" Vegeta screamed. "Why him? Of all people! I deserve it more. He never did anything wrong!" Bardock's heart went out to the screaming man in front of him. "How could God be so cruel?" Vegeta's voice turned to a broken whisper. Neither of them said anything.

"The funeral is tomorrow at one o'clock. Will you be a pallbearer?" Vegeta nodded dully.

"I owe him that at least." Silence again.

"Has anyone told Bulma?" Vegeta visibly stiffened at the mention of her name then shook his head curtly. "Do you think someone should?" Vegeta said nothing.

"She won't want to hear from me. I'll let one of the others call her." Bardock nodded sadly. The whole situation was tragic. Bulma and Vegeta, the couple he'd been so sure would make it, weren't talking and were completely over. And his son had married the woman of his dreams, only to be torn from her far too soon. It had hurt him when his wife, Goku's mother; Romayna, had died in a car crash not ten years ago. But this was crueler. Chichi and Goku had been beginning their lives together. Goku had only just met his newest son. Now both boys would grow up without a father. Gohan may have vague recollections, but Goten would have no memories of his father. Tears welled in Bardock's eyes, his heart and mind screaming at the injustice of it.

Bardock sighed and nodded at Vegeta. He turned to walk away, apparently back downstairs, but stopped in mid step, slowly pirouetting around to face Vegeta.

"Whoever is up there has granted you time to spend with the woman you love Vegeta. That's a gift neither my son nor daughter-in-law were allowed. Don't disregard this gift, Vegeta." With that, he disappeared around the corner.

Vegeta blinked slowly, watching long after Bardock's back had disappeared. If he tried really hard, he could almost make himself believe that it was Goku's figure disappearing down the hallway. Vegeta turned away, trying to escape the pain. He left the Sons' house without another word. For a moment, he stood at the end of the pathway, looking left and then right.

Where could he go? The only thing that made any sense in his head was Sarah. Slowly and despondently he turned left and began his long arduous walk home.


"I'm going," Bulma said definitely through the tears. She shook her head in emphasis. "There's no way he's stopping me." Goku's funeral was that day. At the same church Krillin and 18 had been married at. Chris had threatened to kill her if she even thought about attending it. But slowly, Bulma was beginning to realize that, apart from beating her, everything was threats. There to keep her 'in place'. But she would rather be dead than have to live the rest of her life knowing that she had missed her best friend's funeral and never taken her last chance to say goodbye to him.

Chris had mentioned something earlier about running down to the shop to grab the Sports News. As soon as he was gone, Bulma was out of there. She'd organized a taxi, shuddering slightly at the thought of what Chris would say/do if he found out how much she'd been doing behind his back. She had no doubt that she'd receive the beating of her life when he found out, but for Goku, it was worth it. After all he had done for her…

Tears welled in her eyes. Goku. How could life be so cruel? Goku had been so young with so much and so many people to live for. She looked up from her despair in time to see Chris's back retreat out the front door. Standing up, she grabbed her coat off of the arm of her chair. She quickly pulled it on, grabbed her hand bag, and walked out the door. She stood nervously on the side of the pavement, wondering who would get their first; Chris or the taxi. If it was Chris, she was screwed.

Relief washed over her as the taxi pulled up only a second later. Climbing into the back seat, she gave him directions for Capsule Corp and leant back, sighing. She wondered how Chichi was doing. Awfully, she was pretty sure. The poor woman. She'd just had a child, this was supposed to be one of the best parts of her life. It would undoubtedly, now, go down as one of the worst.

"There you go, ma'am," the taxi driver told her as the car stopped outside the front gates of Capsule Corp. Bulma thanked the man, paid him, and stepped out of the car. She stood on the footpath, looking at her old home. Slowly, she began the long walk up the drive.


There was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Krillin offered kindly as he looked at his wife and her friend, sitting at the kitchen table staring blankly ahead. 18 nodded in thanks. Chichi said nothing, eyes glassy, her face emotionless. Both of them felt the emptiness inside them, the whole that Goku had once filled, but 18 couldn't even begin to comprehend what sort of pain Chichi's loss was causing her.

"Who is it?" 18 called to Krillin from the kitchen. There was the sound of a door slamming. "Krillin?" He walked through the door a minute later, looking a little awkward. 18 frowned. "Who-" The words caught in her throat as someone she had never expected walked in from the lounge.

"Bulma?" Chichi whispered incredulously, rising out of her comatose state. Bulma smiled sadly, tears welling in her eyes as she looked at Chichi.

"Yeah," she said quietly. Chichi stood, walking over to Bulma. The two stood, looking at each other for a moment. Chichi threw her arms around Bulma's shoulders as the tears broke the hold she had on them. Raging like a flood, they poured forth, unchecked and unhindered. Bulma wrapped her arms around Chichi's back as her tears came as well. "I'm so sorry, Chi. It's so unfair." Chichi said nothing, continuing to cry into Bulma's shoulder.


Vegeta looked at himself in the mirror, fixing his tie stiffly. He felt Sarah's hand rest gently on his shoulder but shook it off, grabbing his jacket and walking out of his apartment, after giving Hanryo a quick pat on the head. The dog whimpered, sensing the unrest of his master. Sarah closed the apartment door behind them and they headed downstairs to the car lot.

Vegeta completely tuned out as he drove his car towards the church. He had it on manual drive, fearing that if he had to talk, the tears that had been constantly on the verge of spilling since the night in the hospital might finally break free.

How could he do it? How could he say goodbye to his best friend? How could he get up and talk about him, with only five minutes to cover a lifetime of friendship and memories? A lifetime wouldn't be sufficient to do justice to the relationship they had shared. It wouldn't even be long enough for him to tell Goku how much Vegeta owed him, how thankful he was for everything the younger man had done for him.

It was only share power of will that kept the tears down as those thoughts ran through Vegeta's head. Slowly, Vegeta pulled into the carpark.


"We are gathered here today, to pay tribute to a brilliant man. Someone, everyone loved, someone who always bought light and humour to any situation. We are here to celebrate and remember the life of Goku Kakkarot Son." There was silence in the church as the priest finished his introduction. Vegeta felt anger boil inside him. What was this man doing? He hadn't known Goku, he'd never met him or joked with him. How could this man celebrate the life of someone he'd never met.

Balling his hands into tight fists, he continually relaxed and flexed them until he felt Sarah's reassuring hand on his. Vegeta snatched his fist away, but some of his anger had subsided.

The man continued to talk for the best part of half an hour, before finally opening the podium up to others. The first person up there was Bardock. For fifteen minutes he spoke lovingly of his son, his son's young family, the promise Goku had held even when he was only young, the innocence of a caring man who saw the best in everyone, no matter the situation and who had enjoyed life, living the few short years he had been granted to the fullest.

"There's so much more I could say," Bardock whispered as he looked around the audience. "I could talk for hours and never run out of praise. But I just want you to know this, Goku. You always made me proud. There was never a moment-" Bardock's voice cracked and tears began to roll down his face. His voice shook in sobs as he spoke. "There was never a moment," he continued as he cried, "where I was ever ashamed of you. I only wish that you had had a longer time to show the rest of the world. I love you Goku. You made me proud." Bardock bowed his head and stepped off the podium, taking his seat in the front row, next to Chichi and his grandchildren. Chichi was next.

She spoke heart breakingly of her love for Goku, how she'd known since the moment she'd met him in her first year of primary school that they'd be friends. How at a young age he had asked her out and they'd lasted all through high school.

"I'll never forget you, Goku. You have given me two beautiful children who will grow into wonderful men, just like the man you were. I only wish that you could have been here to see them grow up. I wish that they would be able to get to know their father." Tears rolled down Chichi's cheeks. "I love you so much Goku. I will forever." She turned her back on the audience, walking over to the open casket behind her. She put her hands on the sides, almost collapsing as she sobbed.

Bulma's heart ached for her friend. She had lost Vegeta, but she knew that pain could never compare to what Chichi was feeling. Eventually, it was Chichi's father who came up on stage and helped her away.

The next person to speak was Vegeta. Bulma felt her whole body filled with pain as she looked at the ache in Vegeta's eyes. Vegeta had loved Goku so much. Probably as much, in a different way, as Chichi had. Vegeta stood at the podium for about a minute, looking around at the packed church. He then looked over his shoulder to the casket that held his friend.

"Kakkarot was my best friend. The sort of friend that everyone wishes they had, but few ever find. I was lucky enough to have him with me through the best and worst parts of my life. It wouldn't be a lie if I said without Kakkarot, I wouldn't be standing here. He cared for me and helped me when no-one else did." Vegeta's hands tightened their grip on the sides of the podium stand, his knuckles turning white. He looked down at the ground, swallowing and trying to compose himself before looking up again. "Goku was a brilliant man." His voice and resolve were cracking with every word. "It's cruel that he was taken so early in his life. So many people still need him." Tears were now rolling down Vegeta's face. "But I guess God had other plans for him. I don't think Goku can ever be replaced. I know he can't. But I also know that mine and many others' lives are better for having known him. For the short time he was gifted to us, he made a huge difference." Vegeta looked towards the roof. "We will never forget you Goku. I, will never forget how much you did for me, how much I owe you. Thank you for everything Kakkarot. Thankyou so much." Vegeta stepped down, not taking his seat but walking to the back of the church, where he stood against the back wall, barely able to see the stage as the cloudy wall of tears obscured his vision and stained his cheeks.

He knew the voice as soon as he heard her speak. She spoke of her love for Goku, her best friend at a young age. Of how he used to eat anything he could get his hands on, how, in new entrants, he had felt sorry for the class's pet frog who was in a container and so let him go. They'd spent the whole day chasing a frog around the classroom. Her memories progressed through time, talking about the time in their second to last year in high school when he'd caught the barbecue on fire and thrown it in the swimming pool, scorching the bottom of her mother and fathers' pool.

"My last memory of him, was at a barbecue at Capsule Corp, not that long ago." She was keeping herself surprisingly composed. Vegeta admired her for that. "I was just leaving, and he pulled me aside. He told me that he loved me, that he would always be there for me and how much he cared for me. He told me, if there was ever anything wrong I could talk to him. He hugged me and kissed my forehead." Bulma looked around at the crowd through her now glassy eyes. "That is how I will always remember him. That's exactly what Goku was; love. He loved and cared for everybody, never putting himself first. That memory is how I will always reflect on him. That's the man I'll tell my kids about, the sort of man it was cruel to lose so young. I'll always miss him. We were friends since before we could walk or talk. He knew everything about me and we had so much fun together. It'll never stop hurting." Tears now slid down Bulma's face as she tried to speak strongly. "But we can learn from the love he showed while he was here. We'll never forget you Goku. Or anything you did for us. You'll be a part of all of us until we join you. Thankyou for everything."

Bulma stepped down and took her seat. She thought she was the last one. But as she looked up, she saw the Ox King standing at the podium, holding young Gohan up so he could speak into the microphone.

"My Dad was funny," the little boy began. "I liked it when he picked me up and flied me through the air. Mummy told me that Daddy's gone away for a long time and he won't come back. I miss him. I think Goten misses him too. I love my Daddy. He always made me happy. I didn't want him to go. And Mummy told me he didn't want to go either. But maybe I will see him again one day. I love you Daddy. I'll miss you heaps."

Bulma felt the tears rush freely from her eyes. How could life be so cruel? How could God take a father from those boys. Gohan was too young to understand. Goten as well. The tears in the little boy's eyes stabbed at Bulma's heart like a thousand needles.

The priest finished the ceremony and slowly, people began to leave. Bulma hugged Chichi, told her she'd see her soon and sat down in the front row. Eventually the church emptied until only four people remained. Bulma watched as Chichi led her son up to the stage where she lifted him up to see his father.

"Why's Daddy cold? Gohan asked, his voice echoing loudly in the empty church. Bulma heard Chichi give a sob. She whispered something quietly to Gohan. For ten minutes the two of them stood there. Gohan bent over and kissed his father on the forehead. "Goodbye Daddy." Chichi put her son down, leaning over the coffin and kissing Goku. "Goodbye Goku," she whispered. "I'll never stop loving you." Chichi slowly walked from the coffin, young Gohan holding her hand. Bulma smiled sadly at Chichi who smiled back, and then the mother and son walked down the aisle, leaving the church. Bulma sat in silence for the best part of five minutes, before slowly heading over to the coffin. She placed her hands on the side, inkling her head slightly as she looked at her old friend. People always said it, but he looked peaceful, like he was sleeping. He was wearing a nice suit, hands crossed over his chest. Bulma reached her hand in and wiped a stray hair off of his face. "Why?" she whispered. Pain welled up inside of her as she looked at him, lifeless, not at all the Goku she remember. An empty shell, void of the lovable Goku she had known all her life. She didn't even realize her knees had given way until she felt a pair of strong arms grab her tiny frame and pull her back into standing position. She knew who it was without looking. Slowly, she turned around and buried her face in his shoulder, crying.

Vegeta rested his chin on the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her cold body. He looked behind her at the body of his friend. Lying there peacefully, as though he didn't have a care in the world. Vegeta smirked. He'd see Goku again. Maybe not for quite a long time, but he would see him. Slowly, he disentangled Bulma from himself. He looked down at her, her cheeks stained with black snaking tears. He wiped each tear away gently with his thumbs.

"He wouldn't want you to cry, woman." Vegeta whispered. She nodded, trying to compose herself.

"I know. It's just- I can't believe he's gone." Vegeta nodded.

"I know."

There was silence. The church seemed to stand still in time, nothing moving.

Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.

"Bulma!" The voice sent goose bumps all over her body, striking fear right through her heart. Quickly, she let go of Vegeta, trying to cover up the position she had just been found in. Chris strode briskly up the aisle, coming to a stop on the stage at Bulma's side.

How had he found her? She hadn't told him where the funeral was? How could he have tracked her down. The knife of fear stabbed at her heart again as she saw the venomous look of anger in his eyes. He was furious.

Chris glared at her. How dare she? She not only runs away from him, but he finds her in the arms of the one man on the planet who could destroy everything he had set up in the past few years. The man who could help her stand up against him. But more importantly, the man who had been his main competition, the man that had been the reason it had taken Chris as long as it had to get Bulma. Jealously pulsed through his veins with a huge anger driving it. But he had to keep it at bay. If Vegeta even caught a whiff of if it he would flatten Chris. So, Chris tried to calm himself and speak in a rational voice.

"Honey, I think it's time for you to leave. Being here now is only going to make it hurt more." Bulma nodded, knowing that if she tipped Vegeta off Chris would notice and she'd be lucky if she saw the night out. She'd be lucky if that happened anyway. This was potentially the most volatile situation she had been in during this whole episode. But the most important thing was Vegeta's safety.

"You're right," Bulma sighed, sliding her arm around Chris's waist. "I need to go home." Chris kissed her on the forehead, rubbing her arm gently. Again, Bulma found herself almost believing that Chris was actually the loving boyfriend he was pretending to play.

"Why don't you go and wait in the car, love?" Bulma nodded, knowing better than to stand up against him. She smiled sadly at Vegeta, knowing that, after the way she had acted with him only moments ago, if she left without acknowledging him he would smell a rat. Vegeta nodded his head in response. Bulma turned her back and walked from the church. Once she was out of earshot, Chris grabbed Vegeta by the collar.

"If you so much as look at my woman again, there'll be hell to pay," Chris snarled. Vegeta smirked. He wasn't scared of this guy at all.

"She can't help it if she wants the better man. I'm surprised she's stuck with you this long. I'm a much better choice." Chris snarled, shoving Vegeta backwards by the collar. Vegeta smirked again. "And let's face it. Even if you wanted to, what the hell could a weakling like you do to me? Do you remember what happened the last time we fought?" Vegeta saw Chris's brave mask falter slightly. Last time he and Vegeta had fought in a bar, Chris had ended up in the intensive care unit.

"Stay away from her," Chris growled. "Or you'll pay, I swear." With a last threatening glare at Vegeta, Chris turned and left the building. Vegeta glared after him.

"Bastard," he whispered. He slowly walked back to his friend's coffin, pulling up a chair and sitting next to it. Vegeta rested his head on his hands, just sitting there, spending the last few moments he could with his friend.

Everybody's gone home
It's time to say goodbye
And I wanna say thank you for being there
I know the time is getting late
And I don't wanna keep you here
The time has come for me to tell you how much I really careAnd friends come and go, but we've been through it all together
And time just goes to show, I owe it all to you

Years have been around. And I'm so lucky that I ever found you.
Thank you , thank you, thank you
And anyone that I've ever known could not compare to the care that you've shown
Thank you, thank you, thank you now

Through the hard times, you understood
And without you there I never could have coped with my problems on my own
The years have gone by so fast
The memories I have will last, inside my heart forever now

And friends come and go, but people like you are hard to find
And time just goes to show, I wouldn't change a thing

Years have been around. And I'm so lucky that I ever found you.
Thank you , thank you, thank you
And anyone that I've ever known could not compare to the care that you've shown
Thank you, thank you, thank you now


I never knew how lucky I was to have you here beside me
So before you go. I wanna say thank you, thank you.

And friends come and go, but people like you are hard to find
And time just goes to show, I wouldn't change a thing.

Thankyou


"You whore!" Chris yelled, throwing Bulma violently onto the bed. "You bloody whore!" Bulma tried to crawl away from him.

"Chris," she sobbed, "please, it wasn't what it looked like!" Chris glared at her.

"It wasn't exactly what it looked like! You want to be a whore? Well this is how whore's are treated!"

Bulma had known this was coming. But still, the fear ran through her body at a million miles an hour, screaming for a way to escape. She leapt off the bed, trying to run, only to feel Chris's cold hand against her throat, blocking her windpipe.

"Please," she croaked. "Don't do this." He glared at her again, sitting himself on the bed with her sitting with her back to him in the V formed by his legs. His hand plunged down her top, ravishing her. "Chris," she sobbed, feeling more and more disgustingly dirty by the second. "Stop this," she cried.

"You have to pay for what you did somehow. And it's been a long time since we've done anything together," he snarled. Bulma sobbed as Chris ripped her shirt off and she tried to cover herself.

How had it come to this?

'Vegeta,' she thought desperately as Chris continued his assault on her body. 'I'm so sorry.'


Next Chapter: The beginning of the end. Sort of. This is kind of like, the turning point in the story that sets in motion some of the things that help to bring about the end. It's gunna be interesting and exciting! Don't miss out!

Author's Note: There you go. I didn't like writing that last scene but I had to. You'll see why. I was crying when I was writing some of this. It was so sad.

I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated. There's really no excuse. But my passion for my work has returned full force. And I tried to make this chapter really big to make up for it.

Please read and review! I did put a lot of hard work into this chapter because I was unmotivated so it was hard to write. R&R please!

Kaibun