Chapter 3




Madison shook the plaster from her hair and clothes and looked over at the door as Gohan, Trunks, and Vegeta rushed into the room. They looked at the hole in the roof then at Goten and Madison, who was still coughing from the dust. "What happened?" Gohan asked. Goten pointed to Madison. Madison mouthed a startled, "Me?!" She flipped her hair over her shoulder, and held out her arm. "All I did was this." She thought about what it feel like on her and Goten's first kiss.

She giggled inside and felt her face get hot from the blush, and out of her hand came a ki blast, a little large for someone who wasn't even a beginner or knew what it was. The bad part was that she had her hand pointed at the others. Vegeta took it, and though it wasn't much, it took him a while to make it disappear. Madison pulled the covers up to her nose as Vegeta glared at her. Before he'd dropped his hands, she'd caught a glimpse of a few burn marks and scars.

"I'm so sorry." she rambled, "I just didn't know that would happen. If you want, I can fix the roof." She hopped out of bed, dragging the sheet with her, still under her nose. She took Vegeta's hands in hers. "I'm really sorry. I don't wanna get off to a bad start with you. So..." She closed her eyes and concentrated on Vegeta's hands. Vegeta noticed they felt different, but he didn't know how. She opened her eyes and rushed back to the bed, the sheet dragging behind her.

She plopped down and brought it back up to her nose. Trunks, Gohan, and Goten stared at Madison while Vegeta looked at his hands. The scars were gone, even old ones from previous fights. She jumped back out of the bed again, leaving the sheet behind and rushing to the door. "In fact," she stated, "I'll get started on the roof right now." She rushed out just as Jessica was coming back.

"Maddy, what's wrong?" she asked. Madison smiled. "Nothing." she said cheerfully, "Nothing at all." She stuck her hands in her pocket and walked down the hall. "Oh, and guys? Everyone looked down the hall at her. "If I, you know, drop in, literally, don't worry, I'll be fine." She continued on her way. Jessica smiled. She looked around and noticed everyone staring at her.

"What?" she inquired, "Why are you guys staring at me?" Goten got up and left the room. "I'm going to help Madison." he said, disappearing around the corner. Trunks looked at Jessica and smiled. She smiled back and held out her hand, "Um.. my name's Jessica L. Christian. The "L" stands for "Lisa"." Trunks nodded and shook her hand. Gohan and Vegeta left the two standing there, just inside the door of the room.

"Well, I guess, you'd already know my name, and it's Trunks." Jessica laughed and nodded. Jessica had patience, but never with an opportunity like this, and this was something she'd dreamt of all her life. She sighed, "Okay. Listen, Trunks. I'm a straight-forward kinda girl," she started, "And I have something I need to tell you." She didn't wait for him to say anything, "I know you're about 20 and I'm 18," He nodded, "But I sorta like ya. "Like like" as those ditzy girls say it."

A clatter from above made Jessica and Trunks look up. Goten had Madison by her legs as she dangled through the hole in the roof. Her hair fell down over her face. "Way to go, Juliet." Madison muttered. Jessica shrugged, "You know me, Maddy. You gotta teach me the way you do it sometime." "She got her Romeo though." Goten let go of Madison in shock and she fell through the hole, landing safely on the bed. Jessica looked at Trunks with a big smile.

"I--it worked?" she stammered, "You gotta be kidding!" He nodded. Jessica couldn't believe it. She laughed and threw a fist in the air, but what down, shouldn't have. Plaster and dust landed on her and Trunks. She coughed and brought down her arm. "I'm not even gonna ask what just happened." she mumbled. Madison looked at the hole from her spot on the bed. Jessica shook the dust from her hair. "Where are the tools, Madison?" she asked, "I'm gonna help."

Goten, Madison, Trunks, and Jessica spent the rest of the day fixing the holes in the roof. By evening, Bulma had two new sun windows. Madison immediately fell asleep after all the work she had to do. Goten brought up some of the dinner on a tray and rest it on the small table next to her bed. He brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. Not being completely asleep, Madison smiled to herself.

"You're a real gentleman, Goten." she whispered. "You're awake?" he asked. She rolled onto her side and nodded. She patted the spot next to her. Goten sat down on the edge of the bed. Madison wrapped her arms around his waist. He leaned down and took off his boots, then lay next to her on the bed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "I never want this to end, but I miss my family." she whispered.

Goten looked up at the ceiling. "You know," he said, "You look just as beautiful sleeping back then, as you do now, right next to me." She looked at him. "Get out!" she exclaimed, "That was you?!" She laughed as she remembered what she'd told him. "And I could also see the love you have for your brother." he added. Madison nodded and ended the conversation there. Minutes later, they fell asleep.

Jessica's day the next morning was heavenly, compared to Madison's. Madison woke up to the five surging powers of five Super Saiyans, Goten included. She pulled the sheet all the way up, over her nose, and began to sob, "Get out! Get out! It's hot, and I want to sleep...!" Vegeta laughed. "This is not sleep time. We have work to do." he said. Goten walked over and picked up a screaming and thrashing Madison and walked out with the others.

Jessica snuck out after them, keeping a safe distance so they wouldn't detect her. They'd given Madison a Saiyan bodysuit to put on, then dragged her out of Capsule Corp. Now they were headed for the direction of the isolated areas. Jessica bounded up the rocks to the cliff they flew up to, and peeked over the top. They'd landed and rest Madison down, but who landed later, made her gasp.

Behind Madison, Piccolo had just set down. Madison turned around and began to wail. She grabbed onto Vegeta's leg as he turned to leave with the others. "No!" she cried, "You can't leave me here! I'll die before I get started." "Gohan didn't, and he was younger than you." Goten pointed out. "So," she wailed, "Gohan's a Saiyan. Go back for Jessica!" Jessica sweatdropped from her spot. "Traitor." she mumbled. The guys looked over her way and she ducked down. Madison's wailing took their attention, "I'm only human!" "That's where you're wrong." Vegeta stated.

He took the opportunity, where Madison stared at him and loosened her grip, to take off, along with the others. Goten waved to her before they disappeared out of sight. Madison turned back to Piccolo, biting on the collar of the bodysuit. She gave him tear-filled eyes to see if he would fall for it. He shook his head and picked her up by her waist. "Time to start your training, kid." he said. Jessica heard Madison's crying until they took off.

Jessica ran off down the cliff and all the way back to Capsule Corp. She stormed in and slammed the door behind her. Bulma and Chi-Chi looked up from their spots in the living room. Jessica bowed politely. "Gomen. But do you know where Vegeta and those other guys are?" Bulma nodded and pointed down the hall behind her. "They're in the Gravity Room." Jessica bowed again and took off down the hall.

She reached the big door for the room. On the outside, the monitor read 500g, and rising. "So, they wanna play hardball, huh?" she muttered. She held the knob and turned it back to 0g. She laughed as she heard the multiple thuds in the room. She opened the door, and walked in, just as the guys were removing themselves from the ceiling, literally. They landed and stared at Jessica as she glared at them.

"What's your problem?" Vegeta snapped. She turned and stormed over to him. "Listen!" she snapped back equally, "I don't see why you have to act so arrogant. You act like you rule everyone!" "I do." he stated calmly. "No, you don't!" Jessica screamed, punching Vegeta square in his jaw. His head turned to the side from the force of the blow, and you could see the dark-colored bruise forming, with a little blood trickling from his mouth.

Jessica never gave up her glare or even flinch when Vegeta turned back around and looking at her, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. Goku, Trunks, Gohan, and Goten were a little shocked. "Unless you show us respect, I will never show you any." Jessica seethed, "Madison is still a child and what you did to her was just terrible." Vegeta had the urge to punch her back, and the fact of the matter is, that's what he did.

Jessica flew backwards and into the wall. As pieces crumbled around her, Jessica pulled herself from the indent she'd made and spit out blood. "You," she growled, "Y-you ungrateful, little bastard!" She charged at him and started throwing a blur of punches and kicks his way. What she didn't realize was that Vegeta had taken to the air and so had she. She was too busy trying to damage Vegeta, in a really bad way, to notice.

She pulled her hands back and held them at her side, gathering the energy. "Yaaah!" she screamed, launching the blast at Vegeta. Vegeta didn't dodge it, because the energy swirled past him, then became smaller balls that floated around him. She smirked. "Piccolo has some good tricks." She closed her hands and every last ball came in, exploding on contact with Vegeta. Using what little strength she had, she held her arm toward the growing circle of lights and fired several blasts after blast. She stopped and floated slowly to the ground, breathing heavily.

She wiped the blood from her mouth and spit out some. She was swollen in certain places. As the smoke and dust cleared, Vegeta was hanging in the air with his arm over his face. He was bruised and battered, but still holding his own. Jessica dropped to knees defeatedly. Vegeta floated down and landed in front of her. He smirked. "You've earned your respect from me." She sighed happily. "Thanks. Just... don't touch me right now." she added. Everyone laughed and Trunks helped her to her feet.

It was the next day and Piccolo was just returning with Madison. He kicked at the door, since his arms were full. Bra bounced up and opened the door. She gasped. "Daddy!" she called into the house, "Mr. Piccolo came back and he's got the girl!" She heard half the house rushing down. Jessica and Goten were the first two who she saw barrel across the room, followed by a few more.

Bra stepped out of their way. Jessica wanted to yell, but she refrained. "Piccolo," she said softly, "Piccolo, is she--you know?" "No." he answered, "She's just sleeping." Madison was covered with blood and scars and most of her bodysuit was gone. Piccolo had his cape over her, but you could still tell her damages were serious. The stickiness of the blood made her hair stick to her face also.

Goten moved to take Madison from Piccolo. As soon as he had her around her waist, she wrapped her fingers through Piccolo's cape and held on. "Madison." Goten urged, "Let go." Madison had her eyes closed as she shook her head. "I want to train with Piccolo some more." "But, Maddy--" "No "but"s." Madison said, cutting off Jessica, snapping open her eyes, "I said I'm staying and I'm staying."

Jessica was surprised at Madison's boldness, but agreed. "Goten, let her go." she instructed. Goten did as he was told and Piccolo took her back. "A week." Madison said. "A week!?" Jessica and Goten yelled in unison. "Shh." she said, "My head hurts. Yes, a week." she added, "I'll see you guys in a week." Bulma had left to get something and now came up behind Jessica and Goten, handing Madison some more bodysuits. "Take care." she said.

Madison smiled at her. "I will." Piccolo turned around and took off in the afternoon sky. "Come back to us alive." Jessica shouted after them, before turning back inside. She closed the door and leaned against it. "I only have one thing to say: who's hungry?" Everyone sweatdropped as she cartwheeled into the kitchen, missing all furniture, then did a back flip and landed behind the counter.

Jessica had the whole kitchen off limits for about four and a half hours. She came out another half hour later, covered in flour seasoning, a million different spices, oil, and a whole lot of other things. Her hair was clumped together and bits and pieces of lettuce and other thing were visible in it. She smiled perkily. She pulled a frying pan and pot spoon from hammer space and ran the "dinner bell".

Those nearby, jumped at the sudden noise, those further, only heard the ringing. "If the humans get here before the Saiyans do, I won't have to share all the food!" she yelled throughout the house. Pan, Marron, and Bra were the first she spotted headed towards her. She stuck herself between the doorway to the kitchen, and the living room, so they screeched to a halt.

"What's wrong?" Marron asked, "Didn't you call for everyone?" Jessica nodded, "I want everyone to be right here, though." Pan, Marron, and Bra plopped down and waited. Minutes passed by, and soon, after fighting Goku, Jessica counted the heads. "... Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Dr. Briefs." she finished. "Wait a minute. Where's Vegeta?" she questioned, looking around. She looked through the group and didn't see him.

She opened her mouth and bellowed, "VEGETA!! GET YOUR SORRY CARCASS DOWN HERE! WHEN I COOK, EVERYONE EATS!!" "Be quiet, girl. I already have a headache." Jessica turned around and spotted Vegeta behind her. "What are you doing in there?" "I came through the other door, connected to the den, where I was." "Oh." Jessica said, sweatdropping and moving aside for everyone to enter.

They all rushed past her and found a place at the table. Jessica walked into the kitchen and brought out the salads first. She gave Goku and Trunks a stern look as she handed out the plates. She went back into the kitchen section, and brought back out a big platter, with a cover on it, and stuck it in the middle of the table. She went back still and brought out two more platters, each with a separate cover and in a different hand.

She rest them on both sides of the biggest platter and pulled off all the covers in one swift, fluid motion. Everyone was drooling. If it weren't for the over-sized pot spoon in her hand, her food would be finished. There was everything from a huge turkey and hen, down to the smallest pea. She held the spoon up and smiled. "Ok!" she giggled, "Dig in!" And that's exactly what they did. She was lucky enough to get three plates her herself, and they were full, too.