Ok kiddies, I majorly screwed up my own time line. That's what happens when you get in a hurry!! Trunks is just more advanced than a human baby. ^_^. So here it is. The finale. Hope you've enjoyed this as much as I have writing it.
Chapter 12: Ascended or Fallen ?
It was almost Christmas again. Trunks was crawling and getting into everything, keeping Bulma extremely busy. A normal baby would have been more than enough to handle, but a half Saiyan baby, that could break the furniture was all they could manage.
She rarely saw Vegeta now. He refused to even eat with the rest of the family. Barely stopping long enough to eat what it took to keep him alive.
'Well, if that's the way he wants it, then fine. I can learn to live without him. Its not like he's been a great husband or father for the last year.' She thought angrily as she finished filling the huge bottle Trunks took at his bedtime.
Dr. Briefs was surprised when Vegeta barged into his office. He was no longer afraid of the Saiyan, but he did choose his words carefully around him.
"I want you to ready a capsule for deep space." He ordered gruffly.
The older man raised a furry eyebrow. "Space?"
"That's what I said isn't it!" he yelled.
"But it's almost Christmas! Don't you want to spend it with your family?"
"No! I've got to get out of here! I refuse to spend one more moment with that woman interrupting my training! There's hardly any time left for me to become a Super Saiyan and I'll never achieve it with all this distraction!" he crossed his arms and stared hard at the old man.
Dr. Briefs just looked back at him and absently scratched Kitty. "I understand the importance of your dilemma Vegeta. Even if I don't agree with the force that's driving you to the brink of destruction. I'll have capsule 3 ready for you by morning, but I would like for you to do me a favor."
His black eyes narrowed in suspicion. "A favor? What makes you think I would grant you this?"
He smiled. "I don't, but I didn't think it would hurt to ask."
"Well?" he asked impatiently. Baka humans were so slow.
"Tell Bulma your leaving. Don't just disappear on her. I know things are strained between you, but it would be good if you could depart on a civil note. She really does care about you, ya know."
"Humph. I doubt the woman would even know I was gone. She has her hands full with her brat, and besides, she would only make a scene that both of us would rather avoid." He frowned.
"Well then." Dr. Briefs sighed. "I'll have everything ready for you by eight in the morning."
Vegeta gave him a curt nod and left.
Bulma's father sat at his desk staring at the empty doorway for awhile. On the outside, the Saiyan hadn't changed one bit. But for those who were around him on a daily basis, those almost imperceptible changes that had occurred were monumental. Even though one of them obviously wasn't being able to show outward affection. "Well, Kitty. Looks like we'll have a busy night."
Later that night, Vegeta sat in a dark corner of their room. He hadn't been in there for a long time. He watched his mate sleeping soundly. Her arm flung across his side of the bed as if longing for the missing warmth that used to be there.
Quietly he stood and walked to the bed. Gently brushing his fingers through her hair. No. He couldn't tell her goodbye, even if were for only a few months. He wouldn't be able to see her tears, or worse. Hear her angry words telling him to go.
He twirled the small bouquet of flowers between his fingers. He had taken them from her mothers enormous greenhouse, remembering that she had called them Forget-Me-Nots. Placing them on the nightstand, he picked up the picture she kept there.
He smirked at it. A picture of him, in that stupid pink shirt, Trunks in one arm and a stupid looking rattle in his other hand. He briefly wondered why she had had such a ridiculous picture framed. Then he realized it was the only picture that had ever been taken of him and his son. (or so he thought)
Setting it back down, he took one last look at her and quietly opened the balcony door and slipped out.
Bulma shivered in her sleep and pulled the warm comforter up around her, dimly wondering about the coldness of her room.
She sat up and looked around, bleary eyed. The sound slowly dawning in her sleepy brain. The loud thunder of the rocket boosters of a Capsule pod. "No. He wouldn't!" she dashed down the stairs into the kitchen.
Her mother was cooking breakfast. Trunks was in his highchair, playing with a large spoon.
"He didn't want to wake you dear." Her mother smiled sadly at her.
Tears filled her eyes. "He's gone." She whispered and walked numbly back to her room sitting down on the bed. Her watery eyes fell on the picture. It was in the wrong place. Then she noticed the small bouquet of flowers and picked them up. She brushed them lovingly against her cheek.
"No, I won't forget you Vegeta. You stupid monkey. And you had better come back to me, or there will be hell to pay." Silent tears slid down her face. He might not be able to say it or even act like it most of the time, but she knew. She knew he really cared.
He was battered and bruised and so tired it was a struggle just to keep his head up as he leaned on the shaking rocks. The planet sized meteor falling in what seemed like slow motion from the sky to crush him.
All the hatred and jealousy he had felt his whole life fled him as he watched it, making him feel empty and desolate. It was over.
"No more! That's it! I don't care anymore!" he screamed at the oncoming menace. He didn't care if he died. What difference would it make? What did he have to live for? His people were gone. The only one left was a third class baka that had defeated him once already, then surpassed him in everything he ever wanted. He was humiliated. What was left?
In the back of his mind he felt a gentle tug. That irritating woman. His mate. Even over this tremendous distance he could still feel the bond they shared. Annoying as she may be, she was still his. Waiting for him. Standing by him no matter what.
He pictured her as he had seen her so many times. Sitting on the living room floor, playing with his son. Briefly he wondered if they would even miss him.
A small spark flickered to life deep within him, and he started at the feeling. At the thought of his family it began to grow. With the hatred gone from his heart, something else was taking its place.
The fire felt like it would consume him. His body burned with power until he thought he would explode. He felt the change. He couldn't see his hair glow gold, or his black depthless eyes turn green, but he knew. It had finally happened. All the training had strengthened him immensely, but in the end all he had had to do was just let go. And feel.
With a cry that shook the battered world he stood on, he released a blast of energy that shattered the meteor into millions of tiny glowing flecks that filled the sky.
Vegeta stood, watching the display above him. The amazement on his face was slowly replaced with pride. He had finally reached his goal. Now he could go back and hold his head up. He was truly the Prince once again and all would bow before him.
It was a month before the androids would appear. Just enough time to get back and defeat the tin cans. Then… then it was Kakarot's turn. He would bow before his prince and admit defeat. No, he wouldn't kill him. There was no point in killing his only subject. Or as Kakarot was always intoning, no honor in it.
The glow faded, returning him to normal. Exhausted and battered he climbed back into the Capsule and set the controls for…home. It seemed like a cruel irony to call the planet home. The last thing he remembered for several days, was the ship lifting off from the dying world and heading back to Chikyuu.
Epilogue
Kakarot was gone. Chikyuu had been restored back to normal with the dragon balls. Everyone killed by Cell directly or indirectly had been brought back to life. It had been a sad few weeks for everyone.
And now, it was time for Trunks to leave for his own time.
Vegeta leaned up against the tree, watching the silly humans wishing their overly emotional goodbyes.
He looked at Trunks. Even after all the time they had spent together, it still felt odd to know he was his future son. He remembered the shock of finding out. Then the pride, even jealousy at knowing how strong the boy was. He glanced at the baby in Bulma's arms. Unlike his future self, he would have a father. Someone to train him and teach him how to be a Saiyan.
He watched the young man saying goodbye to everyone and tried to ignore the tightening in his chest. Yes, he would miss his son. Other than Bulma, he was the only one who knew him. Understood him and accepted him for who he was. No questions asked, no judgments made. He regretted not spending more quality time with him in the weeks he had been there, but the few conversations they had, had been enough to establish an unbreakable bond. He felt as though he had two sons now.
Piccolo stood back a little from the crowd. His sentiment on lengthy farewells was about the same as Vegeta's. He looked over at the Saiyan Prince and smirked.
The warrior had undergone the most radical change of anyone. He was still a hot head and full of pride, but Goku's death had seemed to really take a lot of the fight out of him. The Namekian could sympathize with him there. He understood well the feelings of being denied a dream, then having to accept that loss. But there seemed to be more.
He watched Vegeta watching his son prepare to leave, his expression unguarded. Something very rare indeed. He could be a real bastard most of the time, but he had blown that all to hell when he had gone ballistic and attacked Cell when Trunks had been killed. It had become apparent to everyone in that instant just how much he loved his son. He was going to die to avenge him, and would have if Gohan hadn't stepped in and saved him.
And unknown to the others, He had heard him apologize to the boy. Probably the only time the prince had ever said those words. Yes. He was one of them now weather he wanted to admit it or not.
Black eyes looked up sharply at him. The familiar scowl setting into place. A half smile with a challenging respect behind it flickered as he gave a nod. Piccolo nodded back in acknowledgment. The unspoken respect returned.
Vegeta turned back to Trunks as he walked by. He lifted his hand and displayed a two finger salute and a nod.
Trunks looked at his father, and smiled fondly, imitating the salute. There would be no mushy loving goodbye like his mother had given him, but he knew now that his father not only respected him. He loved him. And that would be enough to make him happy the rest of his life.
Late that night, Vegeta sat out on the balcony railing of his bedroom. He felt depressed. He had lost more in this fight than he ever had before. Even in the battle against Freeza, if that were possible.
"Damn you Kakarot. Why did you leave me here like this? Why did you have to die like that?" he asked the starlit sky. They blinked back silently.
Bulma stood in the doorway, watching him. He had been so quiet since he had returned from the Cell games. That day had been horrible for everyone. Trunks had been killed and brought back. Goku had chosen to stay with King Kai, and Chichi had almost had a nervous breakdown. And then Vegeta had dragged in, half dead and so depressed. Her heart ached at the thought of him so defeated.
"What do you want woman?" he asked without the usual gruffness.
She walked over and kissed him on the cheek. "I want you back." She whispered.
He humphed and frowned. "And just who am I?" he said in a lost voice.
She smiled seductively at him, "My husband. The father of my son. One of the greatest warriors in the universe. A proud and complex man." She took his face in her hands and stared into his black eyes. "You are Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans. And don't you forget that."
He chuckled deep in his throat. Some of his old pride resurfacing. Standing, he pulled her to him. His body immediately starting to burn. It had been to long since he had held her like this.
"Don't you forget it woman. Or I might have to make you suffer." He kissed her passionately and pushed her back into the bedroom, closing the doors behind them.
The End
Just thought I'd throw that in. Since everyone has seen the Android and Cell saga's, it's pretty apparent why I chose the chapter title. I mean, after all, Vegeta did go a little crazy there with all the super Saiyan stuff and got a pretty bad attitude, hence the fallen. Thank everyone who reviewed. I never felt so appreciated!! Hope to write some more stories when I have time. If you can think of anything in particular you would like me to write, just put it in the review section and I'll see what I can do. THANKS!!