A/N: I don't own DBZ or the characters, that honour belongs to Akira Toriyama. I use British English spelling.
Bulma sat on the reading nook ledge of a bay window, enjoying the sun streaming in as she flipped through this month's scientific journal. Her metal alloy featured in it, accompanied by a photo of her that had taken a three hour photo shoot to get.
Bulma felt a little guilty at getting all the credit since Vegeta was the one who'd cracked the math she needed, but what was she supposed to tell the journalist? That her alien houseguest who once came to Earth intending to destroy it was also a math genius who used mathematical concepts from other planets to help her with her work? When he wasn't training in martial arts to save the world or maybe destroy it because he hadn't quite decided yet?
Bulma chuckled to herself. She could just imagine their faces if she blurted that out. They'd either chalk it up to scientific eccentricity or have her committed. But even if she had given Vegeta credit, he wasn't around to read the article. She hadn't seen him since she'd woken up yesterday, and there hadn't even been any sign of his usual mess in the kitchen.
A sound outside made her look through the window. There was Vegeta, standing in the middle of the yard, as if he'd never left. Bulma scowled to herself. He came and went as if he owned Capsule Corp himself.
As she stayed watching Vegeta though, she began to realise something was wrong. He swayed slightly, and even from this distance she could make out the blood on him. When he collapsed to the ground, Bulma threw her journal to the floor, leapt off the nook and ran to the front door.
She dashed across the lawn, dropping to her knees beside him. His training suit was tattered and he was covered in dirt and dried leaves as if he'd been rolling around on the ground. One of his arms had large gashes down it and his hands were covered in blood, but he didn't seem to have any other injuries. His eyes were open, but his gaze was hazy and unfocused.
"What happened?" she asked, reaching out to touch his cheek. She pulled back with a gasp. His skin was hot to the touch.
"It didn't work." Vegeta's words came out slightly slurred. He blinked a few times then met her gaze. "I thought it had, because I don't want... I don't need to kill... but now I feel like I'm dying."
He fumbled for her hand with his own, which was covered in dried blood that didn't seem to be his. Bulma flinched at the heat of his touch, but didn't pull away.
"I think I deserve to."
His hand shook, and Bulma squeezed it, fighting back tears. "Don't ever say that," she said fiercely.
Vegeta took in a wheezing breath then started coughing with an awful hacking sound that had a similar sound to hers only a couple of days ago.
"Oh, shit." It suddenly all made sense. Bulma rolled Vegeta onto his side and started rubbing his back. Vegeta didn't grow up on Earth so he had no immunity to the planet's common illnesses. By looking after her, Vegeta had got himself sick - and probably much sicker than she had been. He had a fever, and although Bulma didn't know how high was too high for a Saiyan she had to guess that he was feverish enough to be disoriented.
"It's okay." Bulma kept holding one of his hands, and use her other hand to pull out her phone. "You're just sick - like I was. Remember?"
Confusion crossed Vegeta's face. "Sick? I'm not..." His voice faded and his eyes rolled back.
"Vegeta?" Bulma squeezed his hand, and when he didn't respond grabbed the front of his shirt and shook him. "Vegeta!"
Vegeta spat on the white tiles, creating a red splatter across their pristine surface. One of his cracked ribs must have punctured a lung, because every breath caused intense chest pain, and no matter how much air he sucked in, it wasn't enough. He let out a choking gasp as a large purple hand wrapped itself around his neck and lifted him off the ground, making breathing even harder.
"I've brought you a present, my pet," a smooth voice whispered into his ear. "A friend to play with. You've been keeping her a secret from me." The monster's other hand trailed down Vegeta's cheek gently, making him flinch. "You know how I feel about not sharing."
Vegeta clawed at the hand and kicked out, but he was too weak to do any damage to the monster. He was always too weak.
The door to the chamber opened with a hiss, and in came a soldier, dragging a woman behind him. She was young – almost a girl. On Earth she would have been in her late teens. But to Vegeta she was achingly familiar. Like the soldier, she wore the armour of Frieza's army, but hers was tattered, as if she'd just been in a fight.
Vegeta squeezed his eyes shut. This had to be a dream. Frieza was dead... wasn't he? But when he opened them again, the woman was thrown in front of them, her black and red streaked hair cascading on the tiles as her head hit the ground with a thud.
She lifted her head weakly, her eyes widening when she saw him. "Vegeta!" She fixed a furious gaze on the monster holding him. "Lord Frieza! Let him go. Vegeta hasn't done anything wrong!"
No, not a dream. A memory from years ago. And Vegeta was powerless to stop it unfolding.
The soldier who had brought her in jabbed her with a large stick with a metal end. The woman screamed as electricity charged through her body. Vegeta tried to cry out, but he couldn't breathe. Frieza grinned at him then wrapped his tail around Vegeta's chest, keeping him upright. He let go of his throat and Vegeta attempted to suck in air.
"Kalyana..." Vegeta fought back hot tears as she struggled to her feet. Her eyes, black like his, met his gaze. She wasn't a Saiyan but she was a true warrior. No fear for herself was in her eyes. Just fear for him.
"You say Vegeta has done no wrong?" Frieza bared his teeth at Kalyana. "You've been passing information onto the resistance. Vegeta has been fucking you. He must have known what you were doing."
"No!" Kalyana shook her head. "I swear, he knew nothing."
"If he knew nothing, then he is an even bigger idiot than I thought." Frieza turned to Vegeta, his mouth set in a smirk. "Saiyan's were always a brainless troop, but I thought you had some common sense." He leaned close, so Vegeta could feel the purple lizard's breath on his face. "Did you know?"
Of course he knew. He had even helped Kalyana a few times. Distracting security, rearranging deployment schedules, even passing coded messages himself. She did it because she thought the resistance would win. Vegeta knew they never would, but did it anyway, just to see the look on her face when he helped her.
"No," he said. It felt like a betrayal, even though relief was evident in Kalyana's eyes.
"Very well then." Frieza unwrapped his tail, sending Vegeta crumpling to the ground. "The resistance is dead anyway. Kill her and any part you may or may not have played in this will be forgotten."
"No!" Vegeta cried out.
A sharp kick to his stomach sent him skidding across the room and slamming into a wall before he could say anything else.
When he looked up, Frieza was already standing over him, a three-toed foot pressing down in his right leg, just below his knee. "You've always been my favourite, Vegeta. I think of you as a son. So, when I tell you to kill her, it is only because I care."
The foot lifted slightly before pressing down with a sudden force. Vegeta heard the crack before he felt the pain. When he let out a gargled scream, Kalyana scrambled towards him.
Frieza stepped back, letting her hug Vegeta. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and Vegeta leaned into her, smelling her earthy scent even through all the blood in the room.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Kalyana picked up one of Vegeta's limp hands and placed it against her chest. "Make it quick. They will kill me no matter what. It would be an honour to die at the hands of the Prince of all Saiyans."
Vegeta let out a half sob, half laugh. "Kalyana... I cannot."
"You can. You are a survivor." Her voice dropped even lower, so he had to strain to hear it. "Avenge your people. Avenge me. The resistance may be over, but while you live, I shall always have hope."
Vegeta's hand shook against her chest. She was right. They would torture her for hours before letting her die if he didn't do this. He had killed many before... too many to count. Why was this so hard?
"May we meet again, my Prince." Kalyana closed her eyes and Vegeta powered up his ki.
He screamed when he fired, killing her instantly.
He kept screaming when they ripped her out of his arms.
Frieza sat down next to Vegeta and pulled him into a grip that he couldn't escape from. "It's okay, my boy." He stroked Vegeta's hair, and no matter how much he struggled, Vegeta couldn't break away. "You did the right thing."