Note's: Forgot to say in chapter one that I don't own the Dragonball characters. Whoops! Anyway the first chapter was probs the most angsty. I was just letting my feelings out I suppose, theough this chapters more about how everyone reacts and how Bra recovers. Sorry but I couldn't help putting in some romance, What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic. I would like to thank everyone for their reviews on chapter one, I'm fine now. what happened to me happened a long time ago and now I'm sucessfully managing to let go of what happened and move on (so far I've lost a stone and a half in weight, and I'm damn happy about it!) Again thanks. hope you like.

Chapter 2 ~ The road to recovery.

Bra finally was fast asleep as Vegeta, Bulma, Trunks and Goten looked on down at her. Bulma's gaze had never left her daughter's figure. Vegeta could tell that she was cursing herself for not seeing Bra's depression. He looked on at the women, why had she not told them, why didn't they see she was on a downward spiral. So many questions swam in his head. He turned to his son "You can go home now if you want." Trunks looked up at his father "I'd rather stay." Gohan, Videl, Chichi and Pan appeared at the door. Pan only had to see the state Bra was in and she started to clench her fists in anger "Damn Bradley!" Gohan walked over to Goten and rested his hand on his shoulder "You okay?" Goten scowled at him "I found her like this, do you think I'd be okay." Gohan looked over his disturbed brother. Videl and Chichi sat beside Bulma and looked on at Bra with a sadness that she couldn't explain. Unexpectedly Vegeta walked out of the room, his mind set up at telling the shit school what had happened cos they didn't do anything at all to prevent it. Gohan chased after him "Vegeta, what are you doing?" Vegeta walked up to the pay phone and dialled the school number. Gohan recognised it instantly (it was in his emergency number list in case he needed to contact Pan) and he let her father continue with his task. Gohan couldn't believe that the school didn't do anything about bullying. And that drove Bra too… he didn't like to think about it. Vegeta scowled suddenly "I want to speak to the principal NOW!… I don't care if he's in a bloody meeting, my daughter is almost dead because this bloody school did nothing about a case of bullying!" Gohan smiled at Vegeta's behaviour, this was the sort of attitude that got things done around here. He had also called Bra his daughter, which meant that he did actually have feelings for Bra. She wasn't just his Brat. Vegeta was silent as the receptionist put him through to the principal. He soon came on the other end of the phone line and Vegeta stood there cool as a block of ice as he explained the situation calmly "My daughter is Bra Briefs and right now she is lying half dead in hospital because she tried to commit suicide." The principal said something, but Gohan's ears couldn't pick up the other side of the conversation. Vegeta scowled slightly "The reason she tried to kill herself was the fact that she was getting bullied at school and your school didn't do anything to stop it." The principal had obviously paused as Vegeta continued "My daughter will return to school once she is well again. I demand a formal apology to her off you and something done about the brats who dared toy with her otherwise you will see to me, and I will not be in such a forgiving mood." He smirked at the humble principal "This had better never happen again. Do I make myself clear!" Vegeta slammed down the phone and walked back into the room followed by Gohan. Bulma looked up at him when he entered "What you do?" she asked quietly "inform the school about what has happened." Bulma sighed and Chichi smiled at her "You lot go home and get some rest, I can stay here with Goten to watch her tonight. Bulma smiled slightly even though she didn't feel like it. She stood up and grabbed her coat "come on." They cast their gaze over her one last time before leaving.

Chichi had fallen asleep as Goten watched Bra toss in her sleep. She was having a nightmare. Goten thought hard, if he knew rightly it must have started about a year ago. That's when her spark died in her eyes. Goten had always admired her. She was so happy when she was younger. He developed a crush on her but that passed, mainly because he was scared of Vegeta's reaction if he'd found out. Goten's mind cast back to when he found her there, her body limp across the bed. She had given up. He couldn't stand that. Bra had always been feisty, She got it off her stubborn parents. But she never gave up. That was part of what made her attractive to him. She had the fighter's spirit inside her even though she never trained. It was all part of the dead spark from her eyes. Bra bolted awake suddenly, covered in sweat screaming. Goten was beside her in a flash "Bra, It's okay. It was just a dream." She winced from the pain of sitting up and she slowly laid down on her back whispering "Everything's a dream." Goten sat beside her confused by what she ment "What do you mean by that?" Bra closed her eyes "I don't want to talk about it" Goten scowled at her, not believing her words. Angry that she didn't trust him. "Bra, you almost died out there today. If I never found you on time you would be dead. You're going to have to face up to what happened to you." His expression softened as he saw her cry again lightly into her pillow "Talking about it is the only way we can help you get on with your life. You're going to have to trust everyone. You can at least trust me." He took her hand lightly in his "currently I feel like smashing in Bradley Jones face, I want to hurt him so badly for what he did to you." Bra's face transported with fear "Don't do anything to him." Goten looked confused down at her "But he…" Bra cut in "If you do anything he'll come after me again." Goten could see the genuine fear in her eyes and he sighed "okay Bra, but if he touches you again…" a uncomfortable silence passed between the pair and Goten smiled at himself, at least he had got her talking to him. Bra shifted uncomfortably, wincing in pain once again "Bra, are you hurt?" Bra closed her eyes with the pain "I feel…It hurt's a lot. It's like I've been trampled on my chest and stomach by a heard of elephants." Goten winced "Ow!" Bra sighed "I'm really uncomfortable like this." Goten stood up and walked over beside her "Lift your head up." Bra looked up at him and did as she was told. Goten fluffed up her pillow and placed it back down. Bra settled back down "Better?" Bra smiled slightly "Yes, thanks." For the rest of the night Goten just watched her as she tried to get some more sleep.

Bra was able to move about within 3 day's, she always had someone with her, watching her. One day Bulma got pulled aside by the doctor for a update "She's recovering fine but still needs kept in for observation." He looked down at the floor as he pulled out a small card "Social services insist she attends here though." Bulma gasped at the card "Therapy!!!" The doctor sighed "Something must have been wrong to make her try and kill herself. It's what's best for her." Bulma looked doubtfully at the doctor but took the card anyway. What ever was best for Bra she'd do.

Bulma came in to see Bra reading a book in bed and Vegeta sitting on the large sofa beside her. They had moved Bra into a privet room so that she would be as comfortable as possible. Goten soon entered the room and Bra looked over at him "Goten, could you take me out around the gardens?" He smiled "Of course." And he picked up the wheelchair from in the corner of her room and began unfolding it as Bra put on her dressing gown. Once they had left Bulma turned to face a scowling Vegeta "what's wrong?" Vegeta humphed "That brat will not talk to anyone but katterots brat and I don't like it." Bulma sat down upon the bed "She trusts him… the doctor said she was recovering well." Vegeta smirked "I expect nothing less of my girl." Bulma sighed "But social services want her to attend therapy." Vegeta stood silent, deep in thought. "The girl will not even talk to me, I expect a therapist will do much better." Bulma smiled "we know she's talking to Goten, why don't you have a word with him. Ask him to give her the news. Vegeta scowled, he really didn't like how close Goten and Bra were, but his woman was right "Fine!"

Goten parked the wheel chair beside a park bench which overlooked a massive garden. He smiled over at Bra "Any reason why you wanted to come out?" Bra sighed "I needed some fresh air." They sat there silent, just comfortable in each other's presence. Bra suddenly spoke "When I said dream, what I ment was that nothing was real. The happy way I was everyday was just a act." Goten glanced over at her, realising that she was talking to him about their first conversation the first night. He smiled, knowing that she was opening up a little to him. This was very important to her and he was now all ears as she carried on "Every day was like a play, putting on a performance, hiding beneath a costume." He took her shaking hand as she paused "… I…I wanted to break out. Scream. But the words hurt… they hurt so much that I started to believe them." Bra began to cry and Goten withdrew her into his arms "Shhh Bra, it's okay. Everything's going to be okay."

Vegeta watched them from the window of the room, he had been thinking. Was it possible that they could be bonding through this. He watched the way Goten gently stroked her hair as she cried in his lap. Bra wasn't talking to anyone but him and she was really opening up to him. Goten presence was a good thing though, Bra would relax slightly in his company. She trusted him, and that hurt Vegeta the most. The fact that his daughter could trust Goten and not him boiled up a hatred for the boy.

Goten wiped her tears away "you okay now?" Bra nodded "I'm tired. All this crying's worn me out."
Goten stood up and started to take her back to her room. On the way he saw Vegeta in her window. "Your dad's been watching us." Bra sighed "He doesn't trust you." Goten smiled "Sound's like someone I know." Bra sighed again "I think he's aware that you're the only one I talk to." Goten pushed her inside the hospital "Why do you only talk to me?" Bra wrapped her robe around her tighter "I trust you. Since that night… Daddy said some thing's to me that contributed to this. I don't know if I can trust him again." Goten stopped her outside of her room "Bra listen to me, Vegeta love's you more than anything. He would have said those things to try and toughen you up I suppose. You have to tell him how you feel." Bra looked up at him a little scared "you'll be fine, I'll wait outside."

Goten pushed Bra back into the room "I'm going for a snack, I'll be right back." Bra nodded and climbed back into bed. She looked around the room and sighed, her voice then sounded so quiet that Vegeta almost didn't hear her "Daddy… where's mom?" Vegeta stared at her in shock, she had spoken to him, called him daddy." Vegeta smirked happily, it was almost a true smile. "Bulma's gone home. She had some work to do." Bra nodded in response, her voice increasing a little in volume as she gained more confidence with him "Why do you not trust Goten?" Vegeta smirk grew, was she starting a conversation with him. "Goten's… I don't really know why. I just don't trust him fully…yet. You trust him, so there must be a good side to him." Bra brought her knees up close to her "I trust him, I don't know if I can trust you." Vegeta froze as Bra continued "You said some harsh thing's to me that made me feel bad. It didn't help on top of everything else." Vegeta suddenly appeared by his daughter's side "I regret saying what I did to you. I thought it would help you, but it only hurt you. I'm so sorry. Vegeta hugged her tightly as he felt her cry in his arm's he withdrew from her and softly said "Hey, don't cry Bra. It's going to be fine." Bra smiled fully at her father and he smiled back at her, truly smiled!

Pan soon arrived with a huge card and a huge box of chocolate to match. Bra smiled at her when she entered the room "Hey Pan." Pan stood there gobsmacked, Bra seamed really happy. Pan smiled back at her as she passed Goten and Vegeta on the couch "Hey, this is from school." She handed her the card. Bra suddenly gazed up at her with dread "Does everyone know why I'm here?" Pan shook her head "just told them you were ill." Bra smiled again with relief and she opened the card. She smiled at many of the signatures until she cast her gaze across one in particular "Till we meet again, hope to see you soon Bradley Jones." Bra dropped the card on the floor and burst out in tears as Goten ran to her side to hug her. Vegeta picked up and read the card with Pan who scowled when she saw his signature. "He signed it, I never knew." Bra sniffed in Goten's arms as she dried her tears, she was kinda sick of crying all the time. Bra scowled at herself "How is he?" Pan sighed knowing she was asking how he was being punished for this "detention for life." Bra cast her gaze to the floor "he's gonna come after me now." Goten growled "I'll be there." Bra looked up at him "How are you gonna be there, I'm at school all day." Pan stepped forward "I'll stay with you then, he knows not to mess with me." She smiled slightly "Okay." Vegeta stepped forward "I'll take you and pick you up from school." Bra smiled and then sighed "Thanks but no thanks dad, It'll make me look really afraid of him, Goten can pick me up and take me there. That way it looks better for me. Pan sniggered to herself and then replied "in more than one way" Bra glared at her best friend. The men didn't know what they were talking about as the girls giggled. Vegeta scowled "Come on, hurry up. You have to pack your things sometime today. You're coming home." Goten could swore that in that moment the spark flashed back into her eyes.

Bulma shushed everyone as she heard the door open. She and Chichi were holding a welcoming party for Bra at the Capsule corp. Everyone was there Trunks, Bulma, Chichi, Krillan, 18, Marron, Pan, Gohan, Videl, Goten, Yamcha. They all were there to see her. Bra's face was a picture when she took in what was up. Goten stepped forward and gave her a huge bunch of red roses "Welcome home."
Bra blushed the same shade of the flowers "you all came here for me." Krillan smiled "You're one of the gang aren't you." Bra smiled, she truly wasn't alone like she thought she was. The party went by swimmingly, with everyone chatting and socialising. Goten looked around himself, he saw Bra slip into the kitchen. He followed her to find her outside in the yard "Hey, you okay?" she had her arms rapped around herself and looked like she was in deep thought. Bra smiled over at him "just thinking about tomorrow." Goten scowled, Bra was going back to school tomorrow and she would have to see Bradley Jones sometime. He walked up beside her and put his hand on her shoulder "you won't have to face him alone. Everyone's here for you." Bra sighed "Like you constantly tell me, but I will end up sometime facing him alone. Everyone can't protect me forever." Bra's arms fell to her sides. "I can't win what ever I do." Goten swerved in front of her and grabbed her hands in his "listen to me, he's a creep. Creeps are the one's who lose. You will not lose. Don't think ever that you are alone because you'll always have me." Bra's eyes cast to the ground "look at me Bra!" Goten let go of one hand and tilted her chin so she had to face him "you are strong Bra, you can beat this. I remember a time when you were truly happy and always smiling. I can't stand to see you like this. Your spark for life disappeared because of him, you need the spark to survive." Bra was on the verge of tears again but she wouldn't cry. She wouldn't waist any more tears. Goten smiled softly down at her "Cry if you want to." Bra shook her head at him "I'm not going to cry anymore!" they stood looking at each other, Bra still in his arms gazing into Goten's deep black eyes and she realised all he said was true. His eyes said everything there was to say. His hand shifted from her chin to smooth a stray strand of hair out of her eye's "I never told you how beautiful you were." Bra's expression didn't change "He told me I was ugly…" Goten sighed playing with the strand of hair in his fingers "don't believe him." He paused and then lent in to kiss her. She came forward too and met his lips softly. He was so gentle with her as they kissed. His strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, pulling her close to him.