A/N: This is a songfic for the song "In The End" By Linkin Park. It starts out with lyrics and the rest are in ****'s. The end has been slightly changed from when I first wrote it. I won't say anymore…

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z or the song "In The End", no matter how much I wish I did own something like that…

In The End

It starts with one thing

I don't know why,

It doesn't even matter how hard you try

Keep that in mind I designed this rhyme To explain in do time

All I know

Time is a valuable thing

Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings

Watch it count down to the end of the day

The clock ticks life away

It's so unreal

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The Prince of Saiyan sat on the cool earth, running his gloved fingers though the reddish dirt.

Five years. Five long years.

Sure, he'd been through extreme training and tough battles, but those could never compare to the aching pain that scarred his heart.

Why? Why did he do this to his family? His friends? Why'd he do this to me?

Memories of the past filled his mind. Thoughts raced through his head faster than he could recognize most of them. Sandy dust ran out of his outstretched palm and onto the ground.

He never told anyone. Why? The baka knew better! Him of all people…

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Didn't look out below

Watch the time go right out the window

Trying to hold, but didn't even know

Wasted it all just to watch you go

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Not a soul had known about this… at least, not until it was too late. Of course there had been hints. He'd spent more time with his family, less time training; he'd even eat faster if it meant an extra minute with someone else. No one ever picked up on these, only shunned them with a "It's about time!" or "Finally!"

No one ever said anything. Not a word. They all just accepted this as the "new" him. What am I saying? I'm just as guilty as they are…

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I kept everything inside

And even though I tried, it all fell apart

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Vegeta had never shown any emotions towards Goku, unless it was anger or hate. All the others stayed hidden deep inside until time had run out.

Now he'll never know how I truly felt about him…

What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when

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I tried so hard

And got so far

But in the end

It doesn't even matter

I had to fall

To lose it all

But in the end

It doesn't even matter

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He'd never gotten the courage he needed to tell him. Now all he could do was live the rest of his life in the aftermath of that. The setting sun painted brilliant shades of yellow, red, and orange across the sky. Vegeta looked up; the last rays of sunlight streaming down on the beaten rocks and earth around him.

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One thing, I don't know why

It doesn't even matter how hard you try

Keep that in mind,

I designed this rhyme to remind myself

I tried so hard

In spite of the way you were mocking me,

Acting like I was part of your property,

Remembering all the times you fought with me,

I'm surprised it got so far

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Goku had always gotten on the Saiyan no Ouij's nerves. Vegeta had always resented it when Goku had called him "Little Buddy". He'd always snap at him and tell him never to call him that again. Now Vegeta missed even that.

Funny how one person can completely change your outlook on life.

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Things aren't the way they were before

You wouldn't even recognize me anymore

Not that you knew me back then

But it all comes back to me in the end

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The sun had long set and the stars were just beginning to come out. One is particular seemed to wink at him, almost as if it was telling him something. A ghost of a smile lit the Prince's face. A solitary tear ran down his face before falling onto the ground, leaving a small damp spot where it dropped.

Would Kakarott understand?

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You kept everything inside

And even thought I tried, it all fell apart

The memory of Goku's death replayed in Vegeta's mind, as vividly as the day it had happened. Chi-Chi stood crying as Gohan tried to comfort her. Goten was long gone, with Trunks in hot pursuit. The rest of the Z warriors stood back away from where Chi-Chi knelt, each with their own private thoughts. Vegeta stood in the corner, trying to keep his out-of-control emotions hidden. One question had been on everyone's mind, "Why'd he do it?"

"Damn it Kakarott! Why'd you go and kill yourself! You could save the entire fucking planet but not yourself!"

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What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of time when

I tried so hard

And got so far

But in the end

It doesn't even matter

I had to fall

To lose it all

But in the end

It doesn't even matter

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Vegeta closed his eyes and succumbed to the sharp pains that sought their way to the surface. By now, tears were making their way down his face, one by one.

Looking to his left, he saw the knife he'd brought with him. Picking it up, he glanced at his wrists. Not even Freiza had given him that many scars. Vegeta stood up. The Prince of Saiyans took a deep breath, letting go of all his ties to others, except one: Goku's.

Now all I can do is have faith…

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I've put my trust in you

Pushed as far as I can go

And for all this

There's only one thing you should know

I've put my trust in you

Pushed as far as I can go

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Taking the knife in his right, he ran it along his left wrist. A trail of blood followed the blade. He retraced the path marked by the red liquid, digging the blade in deeper. By then he was shaking. Switching the knife blade to his bloody left hand, he dragged it along his right, deeper than before. Blood streamed down his arms. Light-headed and dizzy, the world seemed to spin around Vegeta. The pain was horrible, but it was nothing compared to the pain housed inside Vegeta's soul. Finally, his vision grayed, and then blacked out.

I'm coming Kakarrot. I'm coming.

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For all this, there's only one thing you should know

I tried so hard And got so far

But in the end

It doesn't even matter

I had to fall

To lose it all

But in the end

It doesn't even matter