Author's Note – This is my first ever song fic. I was listening to Promise To Try by Madonna and pictured Vegeta talking to Bra. It just sorta wrote itself after that. Hope you like it, it's kinda sad. ::Thoughts:: //Memories// Lyrics to the song
Disclaimer – I don't know DBZ, nor the song Promise To Try
Promise To Try
Little girl don't you forget her face
Laughing away your tears
When she was the one who felt all the pain.
Vegeta stood in front of the freshly dug grave. His 8-yr. old daughter, Bra, stood next to him, clutching his leg tightly. He looked down at her, and watched as she struggled to keep from crying.
He closed his eyes and let a memory take him away from the gravesite.
//Bulma lay in the bed, Bra was lying next to her. Vegeta stood on the balcony; he could hear Bra crying.
"Honestly dear, if you keep crying, you'll flood the room. It's gonna be ok." Bulma whispered. Bra looked up at her.
"But mama, who will take care of us when you go away? Who will sing to me at night?"
Bulma smiled. "Your father will. He'll sing for you, and cook for you. He'll clean the house, but you and Trunks will have to help him."
Bra gave her mother a look of disbelief. "Daddy will sing to me?" she asked.
Bulma smiled. "If you ask him he will. He sings awfully, but I'm sure he'll sing for you."
Bulma wiped away Bra's tears and Bra laughed a little. "That's ok. I think I can go without daddy singing."//
Little girl never forget her eyes
Keep them alive inside
Promise to try – but it's not the same
Vegeta knelt down and placed a single red rose on the grave. He looked at bra and marveled at how much she looked like Bulma.
::Your eyes…they are her eyes. I know you will keep her alive inside of you.::
Bra wrapped her arms around her father's neck and gave a strangled sob. Vegeta pulled her tightly to him and whispered "Promise to try." Bra didn't hear him as she buried her head into his shoulder and gave into the urge to cry.
Keep your head held high – ride like the wind
Never look behind, life isn't fair
That's what you said, so I try not to care
Vegeta looked around. Kakarot was the only other one around. He stood a ways off, obviously wanting to give Vegeta the space he needed. When Vegeta looked at him though, he stepped forward.
"Everyone has gone to Capsule Corp. Would you like me to take Bra, Vegeta?" Goku asked.
Vegeta shook his head, and blasted off towards Capsule Corp. He nudged Bra's head up to look at him. He smiled at her, and flew faster, knowing how much she enjoyed when he took her flying. She smiled at him briefly, then looked back over his shoulder at the fading cemetery. As fresh tears started to fall down her face, she put her head against her father's shoulder again. "It's not fair daddy."
Vegeta gave her a light squeeze as his eyes closed and another memory over took him.
//Bulma sat at the dining room table. She had just told Vegeta she had cancer, and that it was too far along, and spread too far to do anything about it. Vegeta slammed his fist into the wall, then leaned his head against it.
"This is not fair!" he bellowed. Bulma stood up and wrapped her arms around him.
"I know, Vegeta, but life isn't fair."//
Little girl don't run away so fast
I think you forgot to kiss – kiss her goodbye.
As Vegeta landed at Capsule Corp, Bra pulled away from him. She looked at all the people, then at her father. She then ran off, heading up the stairs.
Vegeta went after his daughter, and found her lying on the bed Bulma had died in. She was clutching the pillow, and crying fiercely. Vegeta sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms.
"Shhh little one, it will be ok," he whispered as he slowly rocked her back and forth.
"No it won't, daddy. I forgot to…" she sobbed.
"Forgot to what?" Vegeta asked.
"Kiss her goodbye," she whispered.
Will she see me cry when I stumble and fall
Does she hear my voice in the night when I call
Wipe away all your tears, it's gonna be all right.
Vegeta carried Bra downstairs. ChiChi took her from him, and with the help of Videl, got her calmed down and in bed. Slowly, everyone began to leave. ChiChi, Goku, and Goten were staying over, but had all gone to sleep. Vegeta found himself the only one still awake. He went upstairs and looked in on his son.
Trunks and Goten were sprawled out across the bed, sleeping. Vegeta moved on to Bra's room. She was sleeping, but the little hiccups indicated that she had cried herself to sleep.
Vegeta entered the room that he and Bulma had shared for so many wonderful years. He stumbled to the bed and fell on it, finally allowing himself to cry.
"Why! Why did you leave me woman!" he called out. Suddenly he felt a tiny hand wipe the tears from his face. He opened his eyes and saw Bulma. He shook his head, no, not Bulma, Bra. She gave him a small smile.
"It's gonna be alright daddy." She said. Vegeta nodded, then picked her up and carried her back to her room.
I fought to be so strong, I guess you knew
I was afraid you'd go away, too
::I struggled to be so strong, all my life, yet I couldn't save her. How can I protect my children:: Vegeta thought as he sat watching Bra.
As she was drifting off to sleep, she murmured, "I'm not gonna leave you daddy, ever."
Fresh tears came to Vegeta's eyes.
Little girl you've got to forget the past
And learn to forgive me
I promise to try – but it feels like a lie
Vegeta awoke with a start, to find himself sitting in a chair in Bra's room. As he looked around, he realized he had never been in her room.
::I've missed so much. I wasn't here for you until it was too late.:: he leaned closer to Bra and brushed a strand of blue hair from her face. ::Please forgive me little one, for not being here. I promise to try to do better, to be here for you.:: Vegeta shook his head and stood up, moving to the door. ::That feels like a lie though. I don't know if I can do it. I don't know how to take care of you.::
Don't let memory play games with your mind
She's a faded smile frozen in time
I'm still hanging on – but I'm doing it wrong
Can't kiss her goodbye – but I promise to try.
He walked back to his room, then out onto the balcony.
"Vegeta." He spun around when he heard her speak his name. He saw Bulma walking towards him, but when he shook his head, she disappeared.
"Silly fool," he muttered, "you're letting your memory play games with your mind." He walked to the dresser and picked up a picture of her. She was smiling at him, he felt almost mocking him. He closed his eyes as he felt tears appearing again. He threw the picture against the wall. It crashed to the floor, the glass shattering. Vegeta collapsed onto the floor sobbing. He realized that he hadn't kissed her goodbye either. He snatched a piece of broken glass and looked at the picture again.
"Can't kiss her goodbye," he whispered, "but I promise to try."
Author's Note – Well, what did ya think?? I'm debating on whether I should do another chapter to see what happens to poor Vegeta. Let me know if you think I should! Thanks, Tynan79