Chapter 7
"MOTHER"
Vegeta tossed and turned as he lay in bed, muttering things from long ago as he cried in his sleep. He reached out to no one and suddenly sat up quickly in a cold sweat catching his breath.
"She's not my mother," Vegeta held his head, "she cares too much to be my mother."
"Shut up will ya?" Vegeta looked up to see Gohan standing at his door, "we don't care."
Vegeta glared at him, "What do YOU want?"
"I want you to shut up, that's what I want, you're keeping me up with your Saiyan ramblings."
"Saiyan ramblings, I wasn't even talking!" Vegeta protested.
"Vegeta," Bulma came up behind looking at him worried, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine," Vegeta blinked, "why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you're saying things in Saiyan and it sounded like you were crying," Bulma replied.
"Me, cry?" Vegeta gave a cocky grin, "Are you sure it wasn't Gohan you were hearing?"
Gohan made a face and went back to his room.
Bulma came over and sat beside him, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"There's nothing to talk about." Vegeta pulled up the covers he had kicked off during his sleep.
Bulma looked at him uneasily as if she were about to say something, then bit her lip in nodded in a small voice, "Okay Vegeta, sleep tight."
"'Night Bulma," Vegeta replied as Bulma went back to her room.
For the longest time Vegeta just sat there in his bed looking out the window. He hadn't had that dream since he began to live on Earth. He looked at the moon absent-mindly thinking until a thought so absurd, so unheard of popped into his head. Vegeta shook his head and laid back in bed trying to get back to sleep, but the thought wasn't going away. Could this be some sort of sign or something? Was it really true? Was Vegeta's father actually looking for him?
Startled by the idea at first, Vegeta began to laugh. If his father really wanted him back he would've been able to find him years ago. Besides, even if his father were looking for him--it'd just be a waste of time. Vegeta liked it here and he liked Bulma taking care of him. She was more of a parent than both his real mother and father had ever been--put together.
"Man Vegeta, you look terrible," Trunks commented the next day during their tutoring session, "you ok?"
"I'm fine, now let's go over the Pentagram Theorem one more time," Vegeta said disgruntled.
"You sure? You have bags under your eyes...did you sleep much?" Trunks pestered him.
"If you must know, no I did not Trunks, in fact I didn't get ANY sleep, so can we please get this damn thing over with so I can go home?"
"Why would you go home on a great day like this Vegeta?" Trunks motioned to the sunny day outside of his room's window.
"So I can smash my head in a wall until I pass out," Vegeta stared out the window.
Trunks blinked, "Why?"
"So I can finally get some sleep."
A sweat drop rolled down the side of Trunks head and he began to work on the practice sheet Vegeta had given him.
"He kissed you twice?!" Pwar bubbled flying around Bulma excited as they walked down the city street.
"Yep...well actually," Bulma walked into the mall, "the first time was kind of an accident."
"Oh please Bulma!" Pwar squealed.
"Really! You should've seen how bright he turned, I've never seen Goku turn that colour before...he was like a little kid," Bulma went into a daze remembering yesterday with a faint smile on her face.
"And the second one?" Pwar asked.
"Well...that one was even more surprising than the first! He just took me in his arms and kissed me!" Bulma exclaimed.
"Ha!" Pwar huffed, "I knew it! I knew it the whole time! Ha ha ha! Once again I am RIGHT!"
Bulma crossed her arms and looked at Pwar with a cocked eyebrow.
"I always knew he liked you back, but you never wanted to listen to me," Pwar gave a superior grin.
"Yeah, yeah," Bulma laughed then looked down.
"What is it Bulma?" Pwar flew around her again.
"It's Goten," Bulma began to explain as she got on the escalator and stuck her hands in her pockets, "he saw us...Vegeta too..."
"Uh oh," Pwar said.
"I know...you should've seen the look on Vegeta's face! And Goten...he wanted to kill us! LITERALLY!"
"That kid has problems."
"Don't say that Pwar...this is a hard time for him."
"I still think he has problems," Pwar muttered.
Bulma continued to look down, "last night Vegeta had a nightmare."
"So what?" Pwar raised flew into a store.
"He never has nightmares," Bulma muttered.
Pwar let out a heavy sigh, "Oh c'mon Bulma...everyone has nightmares!"
"Not Veggie-chan, he hasn't had a nightmare since the first few weeks I took care of him."
"So what has that gotta do with you?" Pwar looked at some jewelry.
"Everything!" Bulma pulled out a blue and green sweater, "He's like my son."
Pwar sighed again and flew over to Bulma, "hey...your necklace is glowing black now!"
"Huh?" Bulma looked down at the mood amulet, "oh...this is the mood necklace Goku gave me yesterday..."
"What does black mean?" Pwar asked.
"I'm sad..." Bulma replied.
Pwar felt bad for her friend then gave a big smile, "C'mon let's go get some ice cream from Ben & Jerry's!"
The necklace immediately turned a baby blue, "Okay!"
"So what do you think is going to happen now?" Pwar questioned eating her ice cream.
"What do you mean?" Bulma finished hers.
Pwar wiped her mouth after finishing her cone, "Well...it's pretty obvious now that you and Goku share the same feelings for each other...what are you going to do now?"
Bulma shrugged and looked down, "He has two kids Pwar...I'm 18 years too late...and it's not exactly like I can go out with him...he's still married to Chi-chi."
"Bulma! You tell that man you love him or I won't give you a moment of peace until you do!" Pwar threatened.
"But Pwar--"
"NO! Since you were ten years old Bulma, since you were TEN, you've been telling me how cute he was and how much you like him and yadda, yadda, yadda," Pwar flared, "it's driving me CRAZY! Now finally, you know he feels the same...and yet...here you are running scared! Life throws us only so many chances to get what we want Bulma. If you let those chances slip away you'll never get anywhere."
Bulma looked down.
"Things happen for a reason Bulma, maybe this is a sign that you and Goku were meant to be--maybe it isn't, but you've gotta at least try," Pwar stated.
Bulma nodded, "You're right Pwar...but it's too soon."
"He kissed you for crying out loud!"
"Not for him, for ME," Bulma looked at Pwar, the necklace glowing a bright yellow, "I don't want to get hurt again Pwar..."
"Goku's not gonna hurt you Bulma, you know that..." Pwar spoke softly.
Bulma looked down, "I know that...but what if Goten's right...and Chi-chi comes back...things will go back to the way they were before and Goku and I may never speak to each other again."
"Live for the moment Bulma," Pwar said and Bulma blinked looking up at her, "deal with that problem when it comes...have fun now."
Bulma grinned, "okay Pwar..."
"C'mon Dad! You're slacking off!" Gohan shouted at his father as they trained.
"I'm sorry Gohan," Goku sat down an the floor of the Time Chamber, "my heart's just not in it today."
"Then where is it?" Gohan sat across from Goku.
"Where is what, son?" Goku looked over at him.
"Your heart."
"With Bulma, where ever she is," Goku folded his arms behind his head and laid back in a daze.
"WHAT?!" Gohan crawled over and looked down at him, "You can't be serious...Dad...."
"Oh yeah...you weren't there yesterday," Goku closed his eyes as if he were about to take a nap, "go ask Vegeta."
"He's out."
"Then ask Goten."
"He looked himself in his room."
"Oh yeah," Goku opened his eyes sadly, "I kissed her."
"Kissed who?"
"Bulma."
Gohan stood silent for the longest; unsure on whether he should be shocked, angry, or sad.
"I felt I should be honest with you Gohan, I wasn't completely honest with Goten and now look what happened."
Gohan remained dumbfounded.
"C'mon Gohan," Goku sat up, "at least say, 'okay' or 'I hate you' or something."
"I dunno what TO say..." Gohan said then stood up and left.
As he walked to his room he heard a banging noise in Vegeta's room. He walked in and saw giant holes in all the walls and there was Vegeta sitting on the floor slamming his head against the wall.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Gohan snapped.
Vegeta banged his head again and created yet another hole, "stupid weak wall."
"VEGETA!"
"WHAT?!" Vegeta shouted.
"What'er you doing?" Gohan asked.
"Trying to go to sleep," he started banging his head against the wall again.
"By giving yourself a concussion?!" Gohan flared.
"Why do you care so much?!" Vegeta snarled.
"Because your rock hard head is making it hard for me to concentrate," Gohan replied.
Vegeta only started slamming his head harder.
"You're such an idiot."
"I'm an idiot?!" Vegeta stopped.
"That's what I said wasn't it?!"
Vegeta gritted his teeth and stood up, "I'm not the idiot Gohan! You are!"
"How'dya figure that?"
"'Cus you're always acting like a freakin' jackass," Vegeta snapped.
"Jackasses and idiots are two different things," Gohan started out Vegeta's room.
"Oh shut up," Vegeta growled right before a funny sound started up.
Gohan turned around, "what was that?"
"I said shut up," Vegeta repeated.
"Not that moron," Gohan came back in the room listening for the sound, "it sounds like a radio."
"So it's a radio...so what?" Vegeta raised an eyebrow.
Gohan looked around and dug under a pile of clothes, "Damn Vegeta...when was the last time you cleaned this room?"
Vegeta shrugged, "when I was...10?"
"Figures," Gohan muttered, "hey there's a table here!"
"Hmm? Really?!" Vegeta ran over to Gohan where he was looking at a little nightstand.
"What's this thing?" Gohan picked up Vegeta's old scouter, "hey wait a minute..."
Suddenly the scouter began jabbering in Saiyan, "Lord Vegeta...Lord Vegeta are you alive? Lord Vegeta."
"Lord Vegeta?" Gohan repeated.
Vegeta backed away from the relic of his past, "throw it away Gohan."
"Hmm?" Gohan cocked an eyebrow deviously then spoke into the scouter in Saiyan, "Yeah, he's here. Wassup Saiyamen?"
Vegeta's eyes widened in horror as he grabbed Gohan around the neck, "YOU IMBOCILE!!!"
"Lord Vegeta!" the scouter exclaimed, "You ARE alive!"
Vegeta slammed his hand over Gohan's mouth.
"Drop it Gohan," Vegeta whispered in Gohan's ear.
Gohan did so as Vegeta dragged him out of his room.
"Kami Vegeta, what was that all about?!" Gohan knocked Vegeta off of him once they got out of the room.
Vegeta slammed the door shut and scowled at Gohan, "Thanks a lot asshole."
"What?"
"Now they're going to come for me!"
"Who?"
"Who the hell do you think? God you're stupid," Vegeta went downstairs.
Gohan went after him, "Vegeta, I don't understand."
"You wouldn't," Vegeta took the magnet notepad from the refrigerator and began to jot down something.
"Vegeta..." Gohan pestered.
Vegeta glared at Gohan, "you aren't going to leave me alone are you?"
"No, not really," Gohan replied.
"Did you notice how they called me Lord Vegeta?" Vegeta continued to write.
"Yeah."
"That can only mean one thing."
"What?"
Vegeta stopped writing for a second, "my father is dead."
"Oh..." Gohan trailed.
"I guess he never had another child after me if the sayians are desperate enough to turn to a dead guy for leadership," Vegeta finished writing.
"Dead guy?"
"I always wondered why they never came for me," Vegeta pinned the notepad back on the refrigerator and opened the cookie jar, "turns out...they thought I was dead."
"How do you know?" Gohan questioned without looking at the note.
"Forgive me Bulma," Vegeta whispered before taking out money from the jar, "I know because of the shock in their voice when you told them that I was alive." He glared at Gohan, "Thanks to you, the Sayians are coming."
"Isn't that what you've always wanted though? To go back?" Gohan watched ask Vegeta walked out of the kitchen.
Vegeta stopped for a second and whispered, "not anymore."
Gohan read the letter as Vegeta ran upstairs to his room.
Gohan's eyes widened as he ran after Vegeta, "Vegeta you can't!"
"Isn't this what you've always wanted Gohan?" Vegeta packed up some of his stuff and stuffed the chattering scouter towards the bottom of his big black leather drawstring bag, "To get rid of me?"
"But Vegeta," Gohan started, "Bulma will--"
"Have you Goku and Goten to watch over her," Vegeta's eyes darkened as he slung the bag over his shoulder and started out the door, "I won't let the Sayians use her as a pawn to make me their leader.
"I won't let you go Vegeta," Gohan blocked the way.
"Move it," Vegeta barked, eyes still darkened.
"You'll have to kill me first," Gohan clenched his teeth.
Vegeta then jabbed Gohan in the side of the neck leaving him unconscious on the floor, "as nice as killing you would be Son Gohan, I cannot do that."
Vegeta pulled his black motorcycle out of the garage after making a call on his cell phone. He took one last look at Capsule Corp. before turning his CD player on full blast and taking off down the street.
Goodbye my home, Vegeta said in his mind as he put the bike on the highest gear thinking of how he grew up in that house, I promise--I will return. Until then, survive Bulma...I know you can without me.
No sooner had Vegeta left; Bulma and Pwar parked their hover car in the garage.
"Was that Vegeta?" Pwar asked getting out.
"I think it was," Bulma replied then noticed Vegeta had taken the motorcycle, "well it's about time he used that thing. I got it for him a few years ago and NOW he decides to ride it. Better late than never I suppose...I just hope he remembered to wear his helmet."
Pwar sighed and followed Bulma in.
When Bulma got upstairs the first thing she saw was Gohan laying on the floor outside of Vegeta's room.
"What the..." Pwar blinked.
"Oh my goodness," Bulma ran over and kneeled beside Gohan patting his cheek, "Gohan get up! Gohan!"
Goku walked out of the time chamber and saw the tiny little crowd at the end of the hall. When he realized it was Gohan lying on the ground he immediately ran over.
"What happened?!" Goku kneeled beside his son.
"He's out cold duh," Pwar replied.
Goku then realized Vegeta wasn't there, "Where is he?"
"Who Goku?" Bulma watched as he stood up.
"It's pretty obvious Vegeta's the one who did this!" Goku exclaimed.
Goten peeked out of his room.
"Goku!" Bulma stood up surprised.
Goku rolled his eyes, "Please Bulma the proofs right in our faces!"
Gohan blinked his eyes coming to, and then he sat up shouting, "GOTTA STOP! SCOUTER! SAYIANS! RUN KITCHEN RUN! NO RUN! STOP BULMA! VEGETA NO! Nononononononononono--"
Pwar smacked him across the face, "SNAP OUTTA IT!"
With swirls in his eyes Gohan collapsed backwards, falling out of consciousness yet again.
Everyone blinked in silence until Goku let out a heavy sigh, hoisted Gohan over his shoulder and brought him into his room.
"Sleep for now Gohan," Goku laid him on his bed, then left Gohan's room, "tell us everything later."
When Gohan awoke it was already nighttime, it was too late.
"BULMA!" He shouted running out of the room.
Dear Bulma;
Let me just start by saying, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I did to get on your nerves, or make you agitated. I'm sorry for eating all the food in the refrigerator. I'm sorry for never doing my chores or cleaning my room. I'm sorry for not trying to get good grades, sorry for purposely getting bad ones. I'm sorry for lying to you--I'm really sorry for that--even though the lies were small, they shouldn't have ever been told. But most of all Bulma, I'm sorry I have to write this letter...I really am.
Let me just say thank you. Thank you for everything you've given me, taught me, and shown me. Thanks for caring for me when no one else would. Thank you for saving my life, thanks for giving me a life, thank you Bulma. Thank you for taking care of me when I was sick or just needed someone to listen to someone to help or talk to me (though I was reluctant to ask). Thank you for being a good mom Bulma, you've taken care of me better than my mother ever did or could...being that she killed herself when I was 3. I'm sorry I never told you about that...Most of all Bulma...thank you for watching over me. I had never known the meaning of the words love and kindness until I met you.
I have to go now Bulma...don't worry I'm not going to kill myself--not unless I have no other choice to protect this planet from the evil that is about to befall upon it. I never understood why Goku would go against his own people to save this planet until the moment I realized they were returning. This time, they're coming for me and when they do I can't have them using you against me. That's why I have to run away Bulma.
Perhaps one day we'll meet again...
I'm very sorry this had to happen now...of all times...but it has.
Goodbye,
Vegeta
Bulma sniffled trying to hold back tears as read the letter on the couch. She stared at the blank TV as if watching all the memories she had with Vegeta were playing back at her. The day she saved his life, the first day he came to live with her, his first day at school, the day he got expelled, his second first day of school, and so on. When she started to think of the day he got his haircut, him in his McDonald's uniform, and all the recent memories he began to cry.
She held her face in her hands and let out a loud sob.
The Son family watched sadly, unable of what to say or do.
Then the least likely of them all sat beside Bulma and pat her on the back, "It's okay miss Bulma."
Bulma stopped crying surprised and turned to see Goten sitting beside her with a sympathizing, yet understanding grin. Her lip began to tremble right before she hugged Goten tight and began to once again sob.
Vegeta lay back in the desert sand looking at the moon; it'd be two more days until it was full. That's when they would strike, he was sure of it. His mind slowly slipped away from the thoughts of the Saiyans and went to thoughts of Bulma. Funny, when he was with her he couldn't stop thinking of the Saiyans and now he couldn't stop thinking of her. When he took care of the Sayians he would return home and live with her again. He would because she was his mother...it didn't matter that she wasn't Saiyan or blood related to him. She was his mother because she loved him like a mother. The woman he was born from no longer mattered. When he returned home he would no longer yell at people who referred to Bulma as his mother, he wouldn't do anything.
As he thought of the future and of better days Vegeta slipped into a deep sleep of the past and memories he wished to forget.
"MOTHER"
Vegeta tossed and turned as he lay in bed, muttering things from long ago as he cried in his sleep. He reached out to no one and suddenly sat up quickly in a cold sweat catching his breath.
"She's not my mother," Vegeta held his head, "she cares too much to be my mother."
"Shut up will ya?" Vegeta looked up to see Gohan standing at his door, "we don't care."
Vegeta glared at him, "What do YOU want?"
"I want you to shut up, that's what I want, you're keeping me up with your Saiyan ramblings."
"Saiyan ramblings, I wasn't even talking!" Vegeta protested.
"Vegeta," Bulma came up behind looking at him worried, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine," Vegeta blinked, "why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you're saying things in Saiyan and it sounded like you were crying," Bulma replied.
"Me, cry?" Vegeta gave a cocky grin, "Are you sure it wasn't Gohan you were hearing?"
Gohan made a face and went back to his room.
Bulma came over and sat beside him, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"There's nothing to talk about." Vegeta pulled up the covers he had kicked off during his sleep.
Bulma looked at him uneasily as if she were about to say something, then bit her lip in nodded in a small voice, "Okay Vegeta, sleep tight."
"'Night Bulma," Vegeta replied as Bulma went back to her room.
For the longest time Vegeta just sat there in his bed looking out the window. He hadn't had that dream since he began to live on Earth. He looked at the moon absent-mindly thinking until a thought so absurd, so unheard of popped into his head. Vegeta shook his head and laid back in bed trying to get back to sleep, but the thought wasn't going away. Could this be some sort of sign or something? Was it really true? Was Vegeta's father actually looking for him?
Startled by the idea at first, Vegeta began to laugh. If his father really wanted him back he would've been able to find him years ago. Besides, even if his father were looking for him--it'd just be a waste of time. Vegeta liked it here and he liked Bulma taking care of him. She was more of a parent than both his real mother and father had ever been--put together.
"Man Vegeta, you look terrible," Trunks commented the next day during their tutoring session, "you ok?"
"I'm fine, now let's go over the Pentagram Theorem one more time," Vegeta said disgruntled.
"You sure? You have bags under your eyes...did you sleep much?" Trunks pestered him.
"If you must know, no I did not Trunks, in fact I didn't get ANY sleep, so can we please get this damn thing over with so I can go home?"
"Why would you go home on a great day like this Vegeta?" Trunks motioned to the sunny day outside of his room's window.
"So I can smash my head in a wall until I pass out," Vegeta stared out the window.
Trunks blinked, "Why?"
"So I can finally get some sleep."
A sweat drop rolled down the side of Trunks head and he began to work on the practice sheet Vegeta had given him.
"He kissed you twice?!" Pwar bubbled flying around Bulma excited as they walked down the city street.
"Yep...well actually," Bulma walked into the mall, "the first time was kind of an accident."
"Oh please Bulma!" Pwar squealed.
"Really! You should've seen how bright he turned, I've never seen Goku turn that colour before...he was like a little kid," Bulma went into a daze remembering yesterday with a faint smile on her face.
"And the second one?" Pwar asked.
"Well...that one was even more surprising than the first! He just took me in his arms and kissed me!" Bulma exclaimed.
"Ha!" Pwar huffed, "I knew it! I knew it the whole time! Ha ha ha! Once again I am RIGHT!"
Bulma crossed her arms and looked at Pwar with a cocked eyebrow.
"I always knew he liked you back, but you never wanted to listen to me," Pwar gave a superior grin.
"Yeah, yeah," Bulma laughed then looked down.
"What is it Bulma?" Pwar flew around her again.
"It's Goten," Bulma began to explain as she got on the escalator and stuck her hands in her pockets, "he saw us...Vegeta too..."
"Uh oh," Pwar said.
"I know...you should've seen the look on Vegeta's face! And Goten...he wanted to kill us! LITERALLY!"
"That kid has problems."
"Don't say that Pwar...this is a hard time for him."
"I still think he has problems," Pwar muttered.
Bulma continued to look down, "last night Vegeta had a nightmare."
"So what?" Pwar raised flew into a store.
"He never has nightmares," Bulma muttered.
Pwar let out a heavy sigh, "Oh c'mon Bulma...everyone has nightmares!"
"Not Veggie-chan, he hasn't had a nightmare since the first few weeks I took care of him."
"So what has that gotta do with you?" Pwar looked at some jewelry.
"Everything!" Bulma pulled out a blue and green sweater, "He's like my son."
Pwar sighed again and flew over to Bulma, "hey...your necklace is glowing black now!"
"Huh?" Bulma looked down at the mood amulet, "oh...this is the mood necklace Goku gave me yesterday..."
"What does black mean?" Pwar asked.
"I'm sad..." Bulma replied.
Pwar felt bad for her friend then gave a big smile, "C'mon let's go get some ice cream from Ben & Jerry's!"
The necklace immediately turned a baby blue, "Okay!"
"So what do you think is going to happen now?" Pwar questioned eating her ice cream.
"What do you mean?" Bulma finished hers.
Pwar wiped her mouth after finishing her cone, "Well...it's pretty obvious now that you and Goku share the same feelings for each other...what are you going to do now?"
Bulma shrugged and looked down, "He has two kids Pwar...I'm 18 years too late...and it's not exactly like I can go out with him...he's still married to Chi-chi."
"Bulma! You tell that man you love him or I won't give you a moment of peace until you do!" Pwar threatened.
"But Pwar--"
"NO! Since you were ten years old Bulma, since you were TEN, you've been telling me how cute he was and how much you like him and yadda, yadda, yadda," Pwar flared, "it's driving me CRAZY! Now finally, you know he feels the same...and yet...here you are running scared! Life throws us only so many chances to get what we want Bulma. If you let those chances slip away you'll never get anywhere."
Bulma looked down.
"Things happen for a reason Bulma, maybe this is a sign that you and Goku were meant to be--maybe it isn't, but you've gotta at least try," Pwar stated.
Bulma nodded, "You're right Pwar...but it's too soon."
"He kissed you for crying out loud!"
"Not for him, for ME," Bulma looked at Pwar, the necklace glowing a bright yellow, "I don't want to get hurt again Pwar..."
"Goku's not gonna hurt you Bulma, you know that..." Pwar spoke softly.
Bulma looked down, "I know that...but what if Goten's right...and Chi-chi comes back...things will go back to the way they were before and Goku and I may never speak to each other again."
"Live for the moment Bulma," Pwar said and Bulma blinked looking up at her, "deal with that problem when it comes...have fun now."
Bulma grinned, "okay Pwar..."
"C'mon Dad! You're slacking off!" Gohan shouted at his father as they trained.
"I'm sorry Gohan," Goku sat down an the floor of the Time Chamber, "my heart's just not in it today."
"Then where is it?" Gohan sat across from Goku.
"Where is what, son?" Goku looked over at him.
"Your heart."
"With Bulma, where ever she is," Goku folded his arms behind his head and laid back in a daze.
"WHAT?!" Gohan crawled over and looked down at him, "You can't be serious...Dad...."
"Oh yeah...you weren't there yesterday," Goku closed his eyes as if he were about to take a nap, "go ask Vegeta."
"He's out."
"Then ask Goten."
"He looked himself in his room."
"Oh yeah," Goku opened his eyes sadly, "I kissed her."
"Kissed who?"
"Bulma."
Gohan stood silent for the longest; unsure on whether he should be shocked, angry, or sad.
"I felt I should be honest with you Gohan, I wasn't completely honest with Goten and now look what happened."
Gohan remained dumbfounded.
"C'mon Gohan," Goku sat up, "at least say, 'okay' or 'I hate you' or something."
"I dunno what TO say..." Gohan said then stood up and left.
As he walked to his room he heard a banging noise in Vegeta's room. He walked in and saw giant holes in all the walls and there was Vegeta sitting on the floor slamming his head against the wall.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Gohan snapped.
Vegeta banged his head again and created yet another hole, "stupid weak wall."
"VEGETA!"
"WHAT?!" Vegeta shouted.
"What'er you doing?" Gohan asked.
"Trying to go to sleep," he started banging his head against the wall again.
"By giving yourself a concussion?!" Gohan flared.
"Why do you care so much?!" Vegeta snarled.
"Because your rock hard head is making it hard for me to concentrate," Gohan replied.
Vegeta only started slamming his head harder.
"You're such an idiot."
"I'm an idiot?!" Vegeta stopped.
"That's what I said wasn't it?!"
Vegeta gritted his teeth and stood up, "I'm not the idiot Gohan! You are!"
"How'dya figure that?"
"'Cus you're always acting like a freakin' jackass," Vegeta snapped.
"Jackasses and idiots are two different things," Gohan started out Vegeta's room.
"Oh shut up," Vegeta growled right before a funny sound started up.
Gohan turned around, "what was that?"
"I said shut up," Vegeta repeated.
"Not that moron," Gohan came back in the room listening for the sound, "it sounds like a radio."
"So it's a radio...so what?" Vegeta raised an eyebrow.
Gohan looked around and dug under a pile of clothes, "Damn Vegeta...when was the last time you cleaned this room?"
Vegeta shrugged, "when I was...10?"
"Figures," Gohan muttered, "hey there's a table here!"
"Hmm? Really?!" Vegeta ran over to Gohan where he was looking at a little nightstand.
"What's this thing?" Gohan picked up Vegeta's old scouter, "hey wait a minute..."
Suddenly the scouter began jabbering in Saiyan, "Lord Vegeta...Lord Vegeta are you alive? Lord Vegeta."
"Lord Vegeta?" Gohan repeated.
Vegeta backed away from the relic of his past, "throw it away Gohan."
"Hmm?" Gohan cocked an eyebrow deviously then spoke into the scouter in Saiyan, "Yeah, he's here. Wassup Saiyamen?"
Vegeta's eyes widened in horror as he grabbed Gohan around the neck, "YOU IMBOCILE!!!"
"Lord Vegeta!" the scouter exclaimed, "You ARE alive!"
Vegeta slammed his hand over Gohan's mouth.
"Drop it Gohan," Vegeta whispered in Gohan's ear.
Gohan did so as Vegeta dragged him out of his room.
"Kami Vegeta, what was that all about?!" Gohan knocked Vegeta off of him once they got out of the room.
Vegeta slammed the door shut and scowled at Gohan, "Thanks a lot asshole."
"What?"
"Now they're going to come for me!"
"Who?"
"Who the hell do you think? God you're stupid," Vegeta went downstairs.
Gohan went after him, "Vegeta, I don't understand."
"You wouldn't," Vegeta took the magnet notepad from the refrigerator and began to jot down something.
"Vegeta..." Gohan pestered.
Vegeta glared at Gohan, "you aren't going to leave me alone are you?"
"No, not really," Gohan replied.
"Did you notice how they called me Lord Vegeta?" Vegeta continued to write.
"Yeah."
"That can only mean one thing."
"What?"
Vegeta stopped writing for a second, "my father is dead."
"Oh..." Gohan trailed.
"I guess he never had another child after me if the sayians are desperate enough to turn to a dead guy for leadership," Vegeta finished writing.
"Dead guy?"
"I always wondered why they never came for me," Vegeta pinned the notepad back on the refrigerator and opened the cookie jar, "turns out...they thought I was dead."
"How do you know?" Gohan questioned without looking at the note.
"Forgive me Bulma," Vegeta whispered before taking out money from the jar, "I know because of the shock in their voice when you told them that I was alive." He glared at Gohan, "Thanks to you, the Sayians are coming."
"Isn't that what you've always wanted though? To go back?" Gohan watched ask Vegeta walked out of the kitchen.
Vegeta stopped for a second and whispered, "not anymore."
Gohan read the letter as Vegeta ran upstairs to his room.
Gohan's eyes widened as he ran after Vegeta, "Vegeta you can't!"
"Isn't this what you've always wanted Gohan?" Vegeta packed up some of his stuff and stuffed the chattering scouter towards the bottom of his big black leather drawstring bag, "To get rid of me?"
"But Vegeta," Gohan started, "Bulma will--"
"Have you Goku and Goten to watch over her," Vegeta's eyes darkened as he slung the bag over his shoulder and started out the door, "I won't let the Sayians use her as a pawn to make me their leader.
"I won't let you go Vegeta," Gohan blocked the way.
"Move it," Vegeta barked, eyes still darkened.
"You'll have to kill me first," Gohan clenched his teeth.
Vegeta then jabbed Gohan in the side of the neck leaving him unconscious on the floor, "as nice as killing you would be Son Gohan, I cannot do that."
Vegeta pulled his black motorcycle out of the garage after making a call on his cell phone. He took one last look at Capsule Corp. before turning his CD player on full blast and taking off down the street.
Goodbye my home, Vegeta said in his mind as he put the bike on the highest gear thinking of how he grew up in that house, I promise--I will return. Until then, survive Bulma...I know you can without me.
No sooner had Vegeta left; Bulma and Pwar parked their hover car in the garage.
"Was that Vegeta?" Pwar asked getting out.
"I think it was," Bulma replied then noticed Vegeta had taken the motorcycle, "well it's about time he used that thing. I got it for him a few years ago and NOW he decides to ride it. Better late than never I suppose...I just hope he remembered to wear his helmet."
Pwar sighed and followed Bulma in.
When Bulma got upstairs the first thing she saw was Gohan laying on the floor outside of Vegeta's room.
"What the..." Pwar blinked.
"Oh my goodness," Bulma ran over and kneeled beside Gohan patting his cheek, "Gohan get up! Gohan!"
Goku walked out of the time chamber and saw the tiny little crowd at the end of the hall. When he realized it was Gohan lying on the ground he immediately ran over.
"What happened?!" Goku kneeled beside his son.
"He's out cold duh," Pwar replied.
Goku then realized Vegeta wasn't there, "Where is he?"
"Who Goku?" Bulma watched as he stood up.
"It's pretty obvious Vegeta's the one who did this!" Goku exclaimed.
Goten peeked out of his room.
"Goku!" Bulma stood up surprised.
Goku rolled his eyes, "Please Bulma the proofs right in our faces!"
Gohan blinked his eyes coming to, and then he sat up shouting, "GOTTA STOP! SCOUTER! SAYIANS! RUN KITCHEN RUN! NO RUN! STOP BULMA! VEGETA NO! Nononononononononono--"
Pwar smacked him across the face, "SNAP OUTTA IT!"
With swirls in his eyes Gohan collapsed backwards, falling out of consciousness yet again.
Everyone blinked in silence until Goku let out a heavy sigh, hoisted Gohan over his shoulder and brought him into his room.
"Sleep for now Gohan," Goku laid him on his bed, then left Gohan's room, "tell us everything later."
When Gohan awoke it was already nighttime, it was too late.
"BULMA!" He shouted running out of the room.
Dear Bulma;
Let me just start by saying, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I did to get on your nerves, or make you agitated. I'm sorry for eating all the food in the refrigerator. I'm sorry for never doing my chores or cleaning my room. I'm sorry for not trying to get good grades, sorry for purposely getting bad ones. I'm sorry for lying to you--I'm really sorry for that--even though the lies were small, they shouldn't have ever been told. But most of all Bulma, I'm sorry I have to write this letter...I really am.
Let me just say thank you. Thank you for everything you've given me, taught me, and shown me. Thanks for caring for me when no one else would. Thank you for saving my life, thanks for giving me a life, thank you Bulma. Thank you for taking care of me when I was sick or just needed someone to listen to someone to help or talk to me (though I was reluctant to ask). Thank you for being a good mom Bulma, you've taken care of me better than my mother ever did or could...being that she killed herself when I was 3. I'm sorry I never told you about that...Most of all Bulma...thank you for watching over me. I had never known the meaning of the words love and kindness until I met you.
I have to go now Bulma...don't worry I'm not going to kill myself--not unless I have no other choice to protect this planet from the evil that is about to befall upon it. I never understood why Goku would go against his own people to save this planet until the moment I realized they were returning. This time, they're coming for me and when they do I can't have them using you against me. That's why I have to run away Bulma.
Perhaps one day we'll meet again...
I'm very sorry this had to happen now...of all times...but it has.
Goodbye,
Vegeta
Bulma sniffled trying to hold back tears as read the letter on the couch. She stared at the blank TV as if watching all the memories she had with Vegeta were playing back at her. The day she saved his life, the first day he came to live with her, his first day at school, the day he got expelled, his second first day of school, and so on. When she started to think of the day he got his haircut, him in his McDonald's uniform, and all the recent memories he began to cry.
She held her face in her hands and let out a loud sob.
The Son family watched sadly, unable of what to say or do.
Then the least likely of them all sat beside Bulma and pat her on the back, "It's okay miss Bulma."
Bulma stopped crying surprised and turned to see Goten sitting beside her with a sympathizing, yet understanding grin. Her lip began to tremble right before she hugged Goten tight and began to once again sob.
Vegeta lay back in the desert sand looking at the moon; it'd be two more days until it was full. That's when they would strike, he was sure of it. His mind slowly slipped away from the thoughts of the Saiyans and went to thoughts of Bulma. Funny, when he was with her he couldn't stop thinking of the Saiyans and now he couldn't stop thinking of her. When he took care of the Sayians he would return home and live with her again. He would because she was his mother...it didn't matter that she wasn't Saiyan or blood related to him. She was his mother because she loved him like a mother. The woman he was born from no longer mattered. When he returned home he would no longer yell at people who referred to Bulma as his mother, he wouldn't do anything.
As he thought of the future and of better days Vegeta slipped into a deep sleep of the past and memories he wished to forget.