Warning: Rather intense chapter.
Trunks laid across his bed on his arms and legs, prodding at Trusei, who was shaking slightly and behaving strangely. He wasn't his normal playful self. He hadn't been all day and Trunks was getting worried.
"Come on, Trusei, you HAVE to eat something," Trunks held a small piece of meat close to the kitten's mouth, but the kitten only turned away. He sighed, staring at him with worry.
Vegeta was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Today had been good. He'd allowed Trunks to stay in his room. The boy had been exhausted and seemed a little dejected. Tomorrow he'd make him do school work again, for today he had let him be, checking periodically to make sure everything was still intact. Surprising enough, Trunks had been very quiet, listening to his radio most of the day. He wasn't his normal self during afternoon training though. (Vegeta had let him skip morning training since he was so tired.) Something seemed to be bothering him.
"Dad...," Trunks walked into the kitchen. His voice was small and Vegeta could have sworn there was water on the edge of his eyes. "Trusei wont eat."
"Perhaps he's not hungry."
"But he hasn't eaten all day," Trunks argued. "And he's been sleeping a lot more than usual. I think he's sick, Dad," Trunks fought back his tears as images of his kitten dying flashed into his head.
Vegeta opened his mouth to tell him he was just over-reacting, but the look on his face stopped him. He looked like he would burst out crying any second, like a ticking time-bomb, but Vegeta understood it. In Trunks mind that kitten was his child. Instead, of saying anything he just sighed and walked into the bedroom to take a look at the cat.
Carefully Vegeta lifted him. The cat was rather limp. Trunks was right. He was sick.
"Can you help him?" Trunks watched his father with pleading eyes.
"We'll see," Vegeta took the kitten into the kitchen and searched for an eyedropped. Once he found it, he filled it with milk. "Now watch," Vegeta instructed his child as he sat in a chair and put the eyedropper in the kitten's mouth, squeezing the milk out of it.
"You try," Vegeta then handed Trusei back to Trunks, filling the eyedropper for him and watching. "...Careful...don't push it in too far or he'll gag on it... That's right, now give him a few more and then leave him be for a little while. Sometimes that helps," he turned to continue fixing dinner, watching his son from the corner of his eyes.
Trunks' full attention was on feeding his kitten and he was making excrutiating effort to be both gentle and exact with the process. The look of fear in his eyes didn't slip by Vegeta either. His son had formed a tight bond with the animal and treated it in accord.
"Ok, that's enough. He may throw up if you give him too much. Take him back in your room and let him sleep now," Vegeta called.
A small smile formed on Trunks face as he stood, kitten in his arms. "Thanks Dad."
Vegeta nodded slightly. "And come back here when you're done. It's dinner time."
* * * * *
Trunks sat at his desk, bored as heck as he read from his book on Vegeta-sei culture and customs. He wanted to make his father proud by learning all about his heritage, but this was his LEAST favorite subject. It would have been better if they could just word things in a more interesting manner. As it was, Trunks couldn't understand half the things the book was explaining.
Trusei was asleep on a blanket on the corner of Trunks' desk. He was doing better, but Trunks was still feeding him periodically from the eye dropper. He was beginning to eat just a little bit of soft food on his own, but nothing hard, and no meats.
Trunks stared at the kitten for a few minutes. He wished they could trade places for a day and HE could be the one being taken care of by Trusei. Then TRUSEI would have to study Vegeta-sei customs and Trunks could just sleep. Not to mention get held. He picked up the kitten and cuddled it for a few seconds.
"Dad, can I skip to Vegeta-sei language and finish culture later?"
"No," Vegeta stated simply.
"Why not?" Trunks whined.
"Do as you're told, Trunks," Vegeta was a lot calmer now than he had been the previous week. Last week Trunks would have been yelled at. Or there would have at least been irritation in his father's voice.
Trunks set Trusei down and looked at the book again. The only thing he could understand was the picture. And he wasn't really sure if he understood THAT either. Sighing he let his head fall onto the book with a thud and sighed. Vegeta glanced back at him, but said nothing. Finally sitting up again Trunks closed the book. He didn't care what his father said anymore. He could NOT look at that book for one more second.
"Dad, I want to go home."
Vegeta didn't answer.
"Why can't I just call mom? I miss her."
"You aren't calling and that's the end of it."
"I'm tired of this trip. I don't want to go to Ghendis, I want to go home. This is taking too long."
"Trunks we aren't GOING home," Vegeta finally spit it out, his voice raised.
Trunks eyes widened and his mouth dropped in shock. He wasn't wsure if he'd even heard right.
Vegeta waited a few seconds. "Your mother told me to leave and not come back. We are going to Ghendis to live."
Trunks felt like all the air had been knocked out of him. He didn't know what to
say, and faultered for quite some time. "But...," he couldn't manage any more. Tears were welling in his eyes. "What did I do?" he finally shoved something out, quickly wiping his eyes, only to have more water jump to the rims.
"This isn't about YOU. She kicked ME out."
"Then why can't I see her?" a few tears escaped.
"Because she didn't know I was taking you when I left!"
Trunks eyes widened further as the truth started setting in. "You...kidnaped me?"
"NO! You're MY son, Trunks. THAT is NOT kidnaping!"
Trunks let out a breath. He wanted to say more, but he couldn't keep his composure any longer. Quickly he left before his father could say anything and rushed to his room where he could sob without his father watching.
* * * * *
Bulma sat on the couch, her knees at her chest and all the curtains down so that the room was dark. A box of tissues sat next to her and tears rimmed her eyes as she sniffled, watching the videos she'd taken of Trunks when he was two years old. She hadn't been able to think past the pain for the past two days. He mind was blank by for the loss of her son. She hated herself for not being able to think. She needed a clear mind to find a way to get him back. She would NEVER give up on that, but her head was so clogged right now.
"Bulma, honey, maybe you should talk get together with some friends," Mrs. Briefs walked into the room.
Bulma continued staring and didn't answer.
"What about Chichi? She's had Gohan missing before hasn't she?"
"Yes, but GOKU didn't KIDNAP him!" Bulma spat.
Then her eyes widened. GOKU! The only person stronger than Vegeta that she knew of! HE could help her! Quickly she jumped from the couch and rushed to the phone. She could have ramed her head through a wall for not thinking of this earlier!
* * * * *
Trunks refused to leave his room in the morning. He wouldn't even come out for dinner the night before. Vegeta hadn't pushed him. He couldn't bring himself to. His heart was aching and just looking at his son enhanced it. In the far recesses of his mind he felt guilt for doing this to Bulma. He KNEW she loved Trunks and was most likely going insane without him. But people ALWAYS focused on the love of a mother and ignored the love of a father! As far as he was concerned, he loved Trunks JUST as much, if not MORE, than Bulma did. Just because he didn't show it, didn't mean it wasn't there! And she STILL had no right to imply he not see his own child again!
That still angered him, but it was no longer motivating. It was another in an ever increasing line of emotional scars. He knew the pain Trunks was currently in was HIS fault. HE was the one that had taken him from his mother. He felt a bit of insecurity in the matter too, wondering if Trunks would have been upset by HIS absence had he left him with Bulma, as she intended.
Angered at the intense emotions he was feeling, Vegeta stopped the ship and allowed it to sit in mid-space while he went into the training room. He stayed there nearly all day, trying to vent all his frustrations and get back to some piece of the person he had been before he'd left.
Things were changing. He was feeling more. He wasn't sure what to think of it at first, then he thought maybe he liked it, but right now he HATED it! This care and responsibility held FAR too much pain! More than he ever would have anticipated.
* * * * *
Trunks laid curled on his bed. His feelings were mixed in all directions and it confused him. He missed his mother, he loved his mother, he loved his FATHER, he was angry with them BOTH! What had happened between them? Why had his mother done such a thing? Why did she make his father leave? He was mad at her for that. But his father had taken him away from his mother and not even TOLD him he would never see her again! He hated HIM for THAT. And he LOVED them BOTH. Why couldn't they just be together so he could be with them both? He was angry for that! And in the end he really had no idea what he was really feeling, but for it being pain.
Trunks had no idea what to do. He wanted to see his mother. He wanted to walk straight up to his father and tell him he was going home and there was nothing he could do to stop him. But then what if he never saw his FATHER again? But maybe if they went back everything would be fine. Somehow he doubted that. Not over soemthing this big. Things never worked out like that for him. It was the only shot he had though.
Mustering up some courage, Trunks took in a deep breath and wiped his eyes. he'd been off and on crying all day and his face hurt. He walked through the kitchen and to the door to the training room, knowing his father was inside.
"Dad...," he opened the door. The sight of his father almost drained his confidence. He was MUCH stronger and Trunks knew he could get in a lot of trouble for speaking to his father in the manner he wanted. For a moment he wavered, then built himself back up and spit it out. "We have to go home."
"We ARE going home," Vegeta's voice was low and his face hard and emotionless as Trunks had seen it so many times before.
"We have to go home to MOM!" Trunks clarified.
"No."
Trunks was feeling rather indignant. "You can't make me stay here if I don't want to!"
Vegeta's eyes widened a little and he stared at his son. "You wanna BET?" he paused for a moment. "I am your FATHER, and you are NOT going ANYWHERE!"
"I WANNA SEE MOM!" Trunks screamed.
"IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR MOTHER, YOU WIL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN?!" Vegeta roared. "Is that the choice you want to make?"
Trunks stomped a foot. "That's not FAIR!"
"LIFE isn't fair! This is REALITY! Open your eyes to it!"
Trunks stared at his father, mouth open slightly and tears filling his eyes again.
'No, don't you do this!' Vegeta screamed in his mind, turning immediately away from the picture. His venture to return himself to how he'd been before wasn't working, and just SEEING Trunks instantly ruined all the progress he'd MADE in that day.
"YOU choose, Trunks," Vegeta spoke quietly. "Me or your mother. You can't have both."
Trunks blinked, the water exiting his eyes as he did so. He turned and left. How could his father ask him to choose between them? He COULDN'T do that! It wasn't fair!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thank you SO much reviewers! I noticed today somebody said something about Bulma asking Goku for help. I was delighted because I HAD planned that! And of course, here it is too, right in the next chapter! BTW: Thanks especially to Vejitalover for all your great reviews!!! (Everybody is giving me great reviews! Thanks guys! You really DO like this??? This story is my favorite of what I've done...what does everyone else think?)
Trunks laid across his bed on his arms and legs, prodding at Trusei, who was shaking slightly and behaving strangely. He wasn't his normal playful self. He hadn't been all day and Trunks was getting worried.
"Come on, Trusei, you HAVE to eat something," Trunks held a small piece of meat close to the kitten's mouth, but the kitten only turned away. He sighed, staring at him with worry.
Vegeta was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Today had been good. He'd allowed Trunks to stay in his room. The boy had been exhausted and seemed a little dejected. Tomorrow he'd make him do school work again, for today he had let him be, checking periodically to make sure everything was still intact. Surprising enough, Trunks had been very quiet, listening to his radio most of the day. He wasn't his normal self during afternoon training though. (Vegeta had let him skip morning training since he was so tired.) Something seemed to be bothering him.
"Dad...," Trunks walked into the kitchen. His voice was small and Vegeta could have sworn there was water on the edge of his eyes. "Trusei wont eat."
"Perhaps he's not hungry."
"But he hasn't eaten all day," Trunks argued. "And he's been sleeping a lot more than usual. I think he's sick, Dad," Trunks fought back his tears as images of his kitten dying flashed into his head.
Vegeta opened his mouth to tell him he was just over-reacting, but the look on his face stopped him. He looked like he would burst out crying any second, like a ticking time-bomb, but Vegeta understood it. In Trunks mind that kitten was his child. Instead, of saying anything he just sighed and walked into the bedroom to take a look at the cat.
Carefully Vegeta lifted him. The cat was rather limp. Trunks was right. He was sick.
"Can you help him?" Trunks watched his father with pleading eyes.
"We'll see," Vegeta took the kitten into the kitchen and searched for an eyedropped. Once he found it, he filled it with milk. "Now watch," Vegeta instructed his child as he sat in a chair and put the eyedropper in the kitten's mouth, squeezing the milk out of it.
"You try," Vegeta then handed Trusei back to Trunks, filling the eyedropper for him and watching. "...Careful...don't push it in too far or he'll gag on it... That's right, now give him a few more and then leave him be for a little while. Sometimes that helps," he turned to continue fixing dinner, watching his son from the corner of his eyes.
Trunks' full attention was on feeding his kitten and he was making excrutiating effort to be both gentle and exact with the process. The look of fear in his eyes didn't slip by Vegeta either. His son had formed a tight bond with the animal and treated it in accord.
"Ok, that's enough. He may throw up if you give him too much. Take him back in your room and let him sleep now," Vegeta called.
A small smile formed on Trunks face as he stood, kitten in his arms. "Thanks Dad."
Vegeta nodded slightly. "And come back here when you're done. It's dinner time."
* * * * *
Trunks sat at his desk, bored as heck as he read from his book on Vegeta-sei culture and customs. He wanted to make his father proud by learning all about his heritage, but this was his LEAST favorite subject. It would have been better if they could just word things in a more interesting manner. As it was, Trunks couldn't understand half the things the book was explaining.
Trusei was asleep on a blanket on the corner of Trunks' desk. He was doing better, but Trunks was still feeding him periodically from the eye dropper. He was beginning to eat just a little bit of soft food on his own, but nothing hard, and no meats.
Trunks stared at the kitten for a few minutes. He wished they could trade places for a day and HE could be the one being taken care of by Trusei. Then TRUSEI would have to study Vegeta-sei customs and Trunks could just sleep. Not to mention get held. He picked up the kitten and cuddled it for a few seconds.
"Dad, can I skip to Vegeta-sei language and finish culture later?"
"No," Vegeta stated simply.
"Why not?" Trunks whined.
"Do as you're told, Trunks," Vegeta was a lot calmer now than he had been the previous week. Last week Trunks would have been yelled at. Or there would have at least been irritation in his father's voice.
Trunks set Trusei down and looked at the book again. The only thing he could understand was the picture. And he wasn't really sure if he understood THAT either. Sighing he let his head fall onto the book with a thud and sighed. Vegeta glanced back at him, but said nothing. Finally sitting up again Trunks closed the book. He didn't care what his father said anymore. He could NOT look at that book for one more second.
"Dad, I want to go home."
Vegeta didn't answer.
"Why can't I just call mom? I miss her."
"You aren't calling and that's the end of it."
"I'm tired of this trip. I don't want to go to Ghendis, I want to go home. This is taking too long."
"Trunks we aren't GOING home," Vegeta finally spit it out, his voice raised.
Trunks eyes widened and his mouth dropped in shock. He wasn't wsure if he'd even heard right.
Vegeta waited a few seconds. "Your mother told me to leave and not come back. We are going to Ghendis to live."
Trunks felt like all the air had been knocked out of him. He didn't know what to
say, and faultered for quite some time. "But...," he couldn't manage any more. Tears were welling in his eyes. "What did I do?" he finally shoved something out, quickly wiping his eyes, only to have more water jump to the rims.
"This isn't about YOU. She kicked ME out."
"Then why can't I see her?" a few tears escaped.
"Because she didn't know I was taking you when I left!"
Trunks eyes widened further as the truth started setting in. "You...kidnaped me?"
"NO! You're MY son, Trunks. THAT is NOT kidnaping!"
Trunks let out a breath. He wanted to say more, but he couldn't keep his composure any longer. Quickly he left before his father could say anything and rushed to his room where he could sob without his father watching.
* * * * *
Bulma sat on the couch, her knees at her chest and all the curtains down so that the room was dark. A box of tissues sat next to her and tears rimmed her eyes as she sniffled, watching the videos she'd taken of Trunks when he was two years old. She hadn't been able to think past the pain for the past two days. He mind was blank by for the loss of her son. She hated herself for not being able to think. She needed a clear mind to find a way to get him back. She would NEVER give up on that, but her head was so clogged right now.
"Bulma, honey, maybe you should talk get together with some friends," Mrs. Briefs walked into the room.
Bulma continued staring and didn't answer.
"What about Chichi? She's had Gohan missing before hasn't she?"
"Yes, but GOKU didn't KIDNAP him!" Bulma spat.
Then her eyes widened. GOKU! The only person stronger than Vegeta that she knew of! HE could help her! Quickly she jumped from the couch and rushed to the phone. She could have ramed her head through a wall for not thinking of this earlier!
* * * * *
Trunks refused to leave his room in the morning. He wouldn't even come out for dinner the night before. Vegeta hadn't pushed him. He couldn't bring himself to. His heart was aching and just looking at his son enhanced it. In the far recesses of his mind he felt guilt for doing this to Bulma. He KNEW she loved Trunks and was most likely going insane without him. But people ALWAYS focused on the love of a mother and ignored the love of a father! As far as he was concerned, he loved Trunks JUST as much, if not MORE, than Bulma did. Just because he didn't show it, didn't mean it wasn't there! And she STILL had no right to imply he not see his own child again!
That still angered him, but it was no longer motivating. It was another in an ever increasing line of emotional scars. He knew the pain Trunks was currently in was HIS fault. HE was the one that had taken him from his mother. He felt a bit of insecurity in the matter too, wondering if Trunks would have been upset by HIS absence had he left him with Bulma, as she intended.
Angered at the intense emotions he was feeling, Vegeta stopped the ship and allowed it to sit in mid-space while he went into the training room. He stayed there nearly all day, trying to vent all his frustrations and get back to some piece of the person he had been before he'd left.
Things were changing. He was feeling more. He wasn't sure what to think of it at first, then he thought maybe he liked it, but right now he HATED it! This care and responsibility held FAR too much pain! More than he ever would have anticipated.
* * * * *
Trunks laid curled on his bed. His feelings were mixed in all directions and it confused him. He missed his mother, he loved his mother, he loved his FATHER, he was angry with them BOTH! What had happened between them? Why had his mother done such a thing? Why did she make his father leave? He was mad at her for that. But his father had taken him away from his mother and not even TOLD him he would never see her again! He hated HIM for THAT. And he LOVED them BOTH. Why couldn't they just be together so he could be with them both? He was angry for that! And in the end he really had no idea what he was really feeling, but for it being pain.
Trunks had no idea what to do. He wanted to see his mother. He wanted to walk straight up to his father and tell him he was going home and there was nothing he could do to stop him. But then what if he never saw his FATHER again? But maybe if they went back everything would be fine. Somehow he doubted that. Not over soemthing this big. Things never worked out like that for him. It was the only shot he had though.
Mustering up some courage, Trunks took in a deep breath and wiped his eyes. he'd been off and on crying all day and his face hurt. He walked through the kitchen and to the door to the training room, knowing his father was inside.
"Dad...," he opened the door. The sight of his father almost drained his confidence. He was MUCH stronger and Trunks knew he could get in a lot of trouble for speaking to his father in the manner he wanted. For a moment he wavered, then built himself back up and spit it out. "We have to go home."
"We ARE going home," Vegeta's voice was low and his face hard and emotionless as Trunks had seen it so many times before.
"We have to go home to MOM!" Trunks clarified.
"No."
Trunks was feeling rather indignant. "You can't make me stay here if I don't want to!"
Vegeta's eyes widened a little and he stared at his son. "You wanna BET?" he paused for a moment. "I am your FATHER, and you are NOT going ANYWHERE!"
"I WANNA SEE MOM!" Trunks screamed.
"IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR MOTHER, YOU WIL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN?!" Vegeta roared. "Is that the choice you want to make?"
Trunks stomped a foot. "That's not FAIR!"
"LIFE isn't fair! This is REALITY! Open your eyes to it!"
Trunks stared at his father, mouth open slightly and tears filling his eyes again.
'No, don't you do this!' Vegeta screamed in his mind, turning immediately away from the picture. His venture to return himself to how he'd been before wasn't working, and just SEEING Trunks instantly ruined all the progress he'd MADE in that day.
"YOU choose, Trunks," Vegeta spoke quietly. "Me or your mother. You can't have both."
Trunks blinked, the water exiting his eyes as he did so. He turned and left. How could his father ask him to choose between them? He COULDN'T do that! It wasn't fair!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Thank you SO much reviewers! I noticed today somebody said something about Bulma asking Goku for help. I was delighted because I HAD planned that! And of course, here it is too, right in the next chapter! BTW: Thanks especially to Vejitalover for all your great reviews!!! (Everybody is giving me great reviews! Thanks guys! You really DO like this??? This story is my favorite of what I've done...what does everyone else think?)