Part Two
Part Two: Chapter One: Her Emotions Hang by a Thread
It had been three whole weeks since they had wished Adrienne back with the dragon balls, Adrienne had disappeared last week, and Goten had vowed to find her. He stared out the window of the train and ignored the man sitting down across from him. "Listen up, when we find Adrienne I'm not going to allow anything I didn't before!"
"Why are you so protective?" Goten asked almost immediately, looking at Vegeta. Vegeta growled.
"Adrienne's really tough, but her heart breaks just as easily as a piece of string. Her emotions hang by a thread," Vegeta stared out the window. "She hasn't had it that easy…" Vegeta growled. "All of her boyfriends have just been using her and playing with her emotions."
"I never knew." Goten said. Vegeta snarled.
"Just don't tell her I told you!" A phone rang and Vegeta pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and flung it open in disgust, expecting it to be his mate: "What is it!?" Vegeta's expression changed from annoyance to awareness instantly. "We're on our way!"
*~*~*
"Adrienne!" Adrienne looked up and Goten could have sworn she was about to cry, but when she realized it was him she smiled.
"Hey!" Adrienne stood up to hug him. As Adrienne's body met his he could tell how tense she was, but she soon grew calm in his arms.
"Where did you go?" Goten asked.
"I just needed some time alone, that's all." Goten could tell by the look in her eyes that she was lying and she had something very important to tell him, but couldn't quite find the words to say it.
"Adrienne!" Vegeta emerged from the train.
"Hi, Dad!"
"Oh, thank Dende," Vegeta whispered, embracing her tightly. "For a second there I thought we might end up on another rescue mission!"
Adrienne laughed. "Nah!"
"Alright, Bulma and the other woman are worried enough as it is, so we'd better get going!" Vegeta ran off to get train tickets. Adrienne noticed Goten was watching her and she looked up at him.
"You know, don't you?" Adrienne asked.
"I know you didn't leave of your own free will," Goten told her. "But I don't know what happened."
"It's better if you don't," Adrienne said, walking past him. Goten grabbed her arm, causing her to stop. "Let go of me." Goten looked at the ground, then up at her. "Goten-"
"Tell me whenever you feel like it," Goten said, is face full of consideration. "Okay?"
"Come on, you two!" Vegeta yelled, hopping onto a leaving train. Goten let go of her arm and walked onto the train behind Vegeta.
"Ow…!" Adrienne rubbed her sore arm and stood there for a moment. "Hey, wait for me!"
*~*~*
"Yes, she's right here," Vegeta said. He was talking on the phone to Bulma. "I'm not going to put her on the phone, she's sleeping!"
"But that's what you told me *yesterday*!" Goten could hear Bulma say. Goten snickered.
"Yes, I'm aware of that!" Vegeta stopped as Bulma interrupted him. "You want proof, I'll give you your freakin' proof- my *word*!"
Vegeta hung up the phone and Goten snickered some more. "Dad, I'm awake."
"No you're not!"
"Then how come I'm up?" Adrienne asked.
"You're sleepwalking, now go back to bed."
"But I want to-"
"GO!" Vegeta pushed Adrienne back into the other cabin. Goten caught Adrienne's eye just before she left the room, and he had a feeling she was ready to tell him.
*~*~*
"What makes you go to sleep?" Vegeta asked. Adrienne smiled mischievously.
"Goten." Vegeta scowled.
"Forget I asked." There was a long silence and Adrienne' tail flicked in boredom. She noticed it and decided to start a new topic of conversation:
"Dad, I want to remove my tail." Vegeta froze. He looked at Adrienne, eyes wide and full of concern.
"What happened?"
"Nothing-"
"What happened!?" Vegeta demanded, grabbing Adrienne's wrists.
Goten heard a blast coming from the other room and he rushed in. "I heard a blast, is everything o-" Goten spotted Vegeta, who was lying on the floor. "-kay…"
Adrienne closed her tear filled eyes, rubbed her arm, and turned her head. "Don't touch me."
"What the-"
"Come." Vegeta grabbed Goten's wrist. "Now!"
"Good night, Adrienne!" Goten called before he was dragged out of the cabin. "What's going on?"
"I was hoping you could tell me!" Vegeta snarled. He scowled at how oblivious Goten looked and looked out the window. "Adrienne wants her tail removed."
"Why is that so bad?"
"Adrienne always refused Bulma's offers to remove her tail," Vegeta explained. "She wants to keep all proof of her Saiyan descendance."
"Well, I still don't find it awkward-"
"And you aren't her father!" Vegeta barked. Goten mentally counted to ten and sighed.
"Okay, Vegeta," Goten almost whispered. "She'll eventually tell one of us."
"Perhaps…" Vegeta looked at Goten awkwardly. "You know something I don't… don't you?"
Goten looked at him, and as Vegeta looked into his eyes, he could tell that he couldn't tell him. Vegeta rolled his eyes and stormed off. Goten shook his head and sat down, running his fingers through his hair. His raised his head and looked out the window. What could have happened during Adrienne's misplacement?
*~*~*
"As soon as she gets home I'm going to make a *pie*!" Bulma told all of the other women. They had been having MARG (Missing Adrienne Relief Group) Meetings at Capsule Corp. all week.
"A pie?" Eighteen looked puzzled. "Why?"
"I don't know, I just think it will make us all feel better!" Bulma said.
"Maybe," Chi-Chi looked out of the window. "I just hope Goten comes back with her soon…or else I won't be getting anymore grandkids!"
"Yeah," Bulma nodded, ignoring the last part of Chi-Chi's statement.
"We all do." Videl stated.
"Yeah." They all sighed. Goku sat outside on top of Capsule Corp., eating a banana. He spotted something in the sky and swallowed the banana peel in shock. He pointed and opened his mouth to speak. He pounded on his chest and was finally able to speak:
"Guys, guys, Goten and Vegeta are back- and they've got Adrienne with them!" They all heard Goku yell from outside. All of the women screamed and rushed to get outside.
Trunks, having heard every part of the conversation, rushed downstairs and out the door, nearly knocking his mother over: "Hey!"
"Sorry, Mom!" Trunks skidded to a halt in front of Goten. "Hiya, bro!"
"Hey, Trunks!" The two did their "secret handshake" which Adrienne cocked her head at, and Trunks smiled as he spotted Adrienne.
"Hey, kiddo!" Adrienne held back a laugh.
"Hi, Trunks!" They hugged and the women finally reached them.
"Oh, thank *Dende*, you're alright!" Bulma exclaimed, pulling Adrienne into a tight embrace.
"Mom, I'm fine!" Adrienne protested the hug.
"For a while there I was scared I might not get anymore grandkids!"
"Mo-om!" Goten whined.
"Alright, Chi-Chi, that's enough…!" Goku told her.
"Oh, shut up, Goku!" Adrienne smiled.
"Thank you, Chi-Chi, that's one of your better compliments! …I think."
"How are you?" Eighteen asked.
"I'm fine." Adrienne nodded.
"Great to have you back!" Marron told her.
"Arigato!" Adrienne thanked her.
"I promised I would call Pan and Gohan when you got back," Videl told them. "This'll only take a second!"
"Hey, Dri, you don't look so good…." Trunks stated. Adrienne cocked her head questioningly. "You're pale, and it looks like you haven't gotten sleep in a while…."
"I'm fine!"
"No, he has a point…" Goku frowned.
"Really, I'm fine!" Adrienne assured them.
"No, you are *not* fine, young lady!" Bulma scolded, hands on her hips. "You get in my lab *right* now!"
"Mom, can it at least wait until the others get here?" Trunks asked. "Pretty please…?"
Bulma crossed her arms and looked away. "Fine! But once they come and say hello-"
"Down into the lab I go!" Adrienne finished the sentence. "I know, I know!"
"Here comes Gohan and Pan right now!" Goku declared.
"Adrienne, Adrienne!" Something pummeled into Adrienne's stomach at full-speed, knocking her to the ground. Gohan landed as the dust cleared and Videl put her hands on her hips.
"Pan!" But Pan was too busy staring at a four and a half inch scar running along Adrienne's lower left ribs to pay any attention to her mother's warning.
"Adrienne, where did you get that scar?" Pan asked. Vegeta's eyes flashed over the scar, then looked at Adrienne's face. Aware of her father's close watch, she quickly answered:
"Uh, that would be from my skateboard," Adrienne told her. "You know, Dad, the bad wreck I had last year?"
Vegeta shuddered and looked away. "Anyways, I brought you a gift!"
"A gift…?" Adrienne took the package from the fourteen-year-old Saiyan and shook it carefully. "What for?"
"Your birthday was last week, and you weren't here to celebrate it!" Pan told her. Everyone was silent and Pan stared. "Didn't you remember that last week was your birthday…?"
"Pan, last week wasn't my birthday," Adrienne told her. "Last week was the day my mother died…"
Bulma glanced at Vegeta, who scoffed, looking away. "I'm sorry….!"
"It's okay," Adrienne assured her, shaking her head. "Really, it's fine."
*~*~*
"So how did you find her?" Eighteen asked.
"She called me." Vegeta told them. "What do you know?" He swung the cell phone around in his hand. "Maybe these thing come in handy *after* all!"
"Oh, sure!" Goku laughed. "A cell phone being worthy of the Saiyan Prince!"
Everyone found this funny but Vegeta. "Oh, shut up, Kakarott! ….DO NOT MOCK YOUR SAIYAN PRINCE!!!!!"
"AHHHH!!!!" A scream from Bulma's lab caused everyone to freeze.
"That sounded like Bulma!" Vegeta stated, letting go of Goku's shirt and causing him to fall to the ground. The next thing they knew, Vegeta had disappeared, and another scream came from the lab. "I'm sorry-"
"DAD!!!"
"Vegeta, what are you *doing* in here!?" Came Bulma's angry yell.
"Well, I heard screams, what am I *supposed* to think!?"
"Just get the heck out of here!"
"AHHHHHH!" Vegeta came running back into the living room and ducked, causing the frying pan to miss him and hit the wall.
"Being a little naughty, are we, Vegeta?" Yamcha teased.
"Shut up!" Vegeta threw the frying pan at him.
*~*~*
"Are we done, yet?"
"Yep! All done!" Adrienne sighed, sat up, and flung her legs over the side of the table. She grabbed a white robe from another table and wrapped it around her body. She stood up and tied the string of the robe around her waist. Bulma stopped what she was doing to watch her.
"What?"
"I promise to keep it a secret, but how long do you think you can keep it from him?" Adrienne looked at the ground, then looked back up at her mother.
"I don't know." The door close behind the young Saiyan and Bulma closed her eyes. She sighed, shook her head, and went back to her work.
Part Two: Chapter One: Her Emotions Hang by a Thread
It had been three whole weeks since they had wished Adrienne back with the dragon balls, Adrienne had disappeared last week, and Goten had vowed to find her. He stared out the window of the train and ignored the man sitting down across from him. "Listen up, when we find Adrienne I'm not going to allow anything I didn't before!"
"Why are you so protective?" Goten asked almost immediately, looking at Vegeta. Vegeta growled.
"Adrienne's really tough, but her heart breaks just as easily as a piece of string. Her emotions hang by a thread," Vegeta stared out the window. "She hasn't had it that easy…" Vegeta growled. "All of her boyfriends have just been using her and playing with her emotions."
"I never knew." Goten said. Vegeta snarled.
"Just don't tell her I told you!" A phone rang and Vegeta pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and flung it open in disgust, expecting it to be his mate: "What is it!?" Vegeta's expression changed from annoyance to awareness instantly. "We're on our way!"
*~*~*
"Adrienne!" Adrienne looked up and Goten could have sworn she was about to cry, but when she realized it was him she smiled.
"Hey!" Adrienne stood up to hug him. As Adrienne's body met his he could tell how tense she was, but she soon grew calm in his arms.
"Where did you go?" Goten asked.
"I just needed some time alone, that's all." Goten could tell by the look in her eyes that she was lying and she had something very important to tell him, but couldn't quite find the words to say it.
"Adrienne!" Vegeta emerged from the train.
"Hi, Dad!"
"Oh, thank Dende," Vegeta whispered, embracing her tightly. "For a second there I thought we might end up on another rescue mission!"
Adrienne laughed. "Nah!"
"Alright, Bulma and the other woman are worried enough as it is, so we'd better get going!" Vegeta ran off to get train tickets. Adrienne noticed Goten was watching her and she looked up at him.
"You know, don't you?" Adrienne asked.
"I know you didn't leave of your own free will," Goten told her. "But I don't know what happened."
"It's better if you don't," Adrienne said, walking past him. Goten grabbed her arm, causing her to stop. "Let go of me." Goten looked at the ground, then up at her. "Goten-"
"Tell me whenever you feel like it," Goten said, is face full of consideration. "Okay?"
"Come on, you two!" Vegeta yelled, hopping onto a leaving train. Goten let go of her arm and walked onto the train behind Vegeta.
"Ow…!" Adrienne rubbed her sore arm and stood there for a moment. "Hey, wait for me!"
*~*~*
"Yes, she's right here," Vegeta said. He was talking on the phone to Bulma. "I'm not going to put her on the phone, she's sleeping!"
"But that's what you told me *yesterday*!" Goten could hear Bulma say. Goten snickered.
"Yes, I'm aware of that!" Vegeta stopped as Bulma interrupted him. "You want proof, I'll give you your freakin' proof- my *word*!"
Vegeta hung up the phone and Goten snickered some more. "Dad, I'm awake."
"No you're not!"
"Then how come I'm up?" Adrienne asked.
"You're sleepwalking, now go back to bed."
"But I want to-"
"GO!" Vegeta pushed Adrienne back into the other cabin. Goten caught Adrienne's eye just before she left the room, and he had a feeling she was ready to tell him.
*~*~*
"What makes you go to sleep?" Vegeta asked. Adrienne smiled mischievously.
"Goten." Vegeta scowled.
"Forget I asked." There was a long silence and Adrienne' tail flicked in boredom. She noticed it and decided to start a new topic of conversation:
"Dad, I want to remove my tail." Vegeta froze. He looked at Adrienne, eyes wide and full of concern.
"What happened?"
"Nothing-"
"What happened!?" Vegeta demanded, grabbing Adrienne's wrists.
Goten heard a blast coming from the other room and he rushed in. "I heard a blast, is everything o-" Goten spotted Vegeta, who was lying on the floor. "-kay…"
Adrienne closed her tear filled eyes, rubbed her arm, and turned her head. "Don't touch me."
"What the-"
"Come." Vegeta grabbed Goten's wrist. "Now!"
"Good night, Adrienne!" Goten called before he was dragged out of the cabin. "What's going on?"
"I was hoping you could tell me!" Vegeta snarled. He scowled at how oblivious Goten looked and looked out the window. "Adrienne wants her tail removed."
"Why is that so bad?"
"Adrienne always refused Bulma's offers to remove her tail," Vegeta explained. "She wants to keep all proof of her Saiyan descendance."
"Well, I still don't find it awkward-"
"And you aren't her father!" Vegeta barked. Goten mentally counted to ten and sighed.
"Okay, Vegeta," Goten almost whispered. "She'll eventually tell one of us."
"Perhaps…" Vegeta looked at Goten awkwardly. "You know something I don't… don't you?"
Goten looked at him, and as Vegeta looked into his eyes, he could tell that he couldn't tell him. Vegeta rolled his eyes and stormed off. Goten shook his head and sat down, running his fingers through his hair. His raised his head and looked out the window. What could have happened during Adrienne's misplacement?
*~*~*
"As soon as she gets home I'm going to make a *pie*!" Bulma told all of the other women. They had been having MARG (Missing Adrienne Relief Group) Meetings at Capsule Corp. all week.
"A pie?" Eighteen looked puzzled. "Why?"
"I don't know, I just think it will make us all feel better!" Bulma said.
"Maybe," Chi-Chi looked out of the window. "I just hope Goten comes back with her soon…or else I won't be getting anymore grandkids!"
"Yeah," Bulma nodded, ignoring the last part of Chi-Chi's statement.
"We all do." Videl stated.
"Yeah." They all sighed. Goku sat outside on top of Capsule Corp., eating a banana. He spotted something in the sky and swallowed the banana peel in shock. He pointed and opened his mouth to speak. He pounded on his chest and was finally able to speak:
"Guys, guys, Goten and Vegeta are back- and they've got Adrienne with them!" They all heard Goku yell from outside. All of the women screamed and rushed to get outside.
Trunks, having heard every part of the conversation, rushed downstairs and out the door, nearly knocking his mother over: "Hey!"
"Sorry, Mom!" Trunks skidded to a halt in front of Goten. "Hiya, bro!"
"Hey, Trunks!" The two did their "secret handshake" which Adrienne cocked her head at, and Trunks smiled as he spotted Adrienne.
"Hey, kiddo!" Adrienne held back a laugh.
"Hi, Trunks!" They hugged and the women finally reached them.
"Oh, thank *Dende*, you're alright!" Bulma exclaimed, pulling Adrienne into a tight embrace.
"Mom, I'm fine!" Adrienne protested the hug.
"For a while there I was scared I might not get anymore grandkids!"
"Mo-om!" Goten whined.
"Alright, Chi-Chi, that's enough…!" Goku told her.
"Oh, shut up, Goku!" Adrienne smiled.
"Thank you, Chi-Chi, that's one of your better compliments! …I think."
"How are you?" Eighteen asked.
"I'm fine." Adrienne nodded.
"Great to have you back!" Marron told her.
"Arigato!" Adrienne thanked her.
"I promised I would call Pan and Gohan when you got back," Videl told them. "This'll only take a second!"
"Hey, Dri, you don't look so good…." Trunks stated. Adrienne cocked her head questioningly. "You're pale, and it looks like you haven't gotten sleep in a while…."
"I'm fine!"
"No, he has a point…" Goku frowned.
"Really, I'm fine!" Adrienne assured them.
"No, you are *not* fine, young lady!" Bulma scolded, hands on her hips. "You get in my lab *right* now!"
"Mom, can it at least wait until the others get here?" Trunks asked. "Pretty please…?"
Bulma crossed her arms and looked away. "Fine! But once they come and say hello-"
"Down into the lab I go!" Adrienne finished the sentence. "I know, I know!"
"Here comes Gohan and Pan right now!" Goku declared.
"Adrienne, Adrienne!" Something pummeled into Adrienne's stomach at full-speed, knocking her to the ground. Gohan landed as the dust cleared and Videl put her hands on her hips.
"Pan!" But Pan was too busy staring at a four and a half inch scar running along Adrienne's lower left ribs to pay any attention to her mother's warning.
"Adrienne, where did you get that scar?" Pan asked. Vegeta's eyes flashed over the scar, then looked at Adrienne's face. Aware of her father's close watch, she quickly answered:
"Uh, that would be from my skateboard," Adrienne told her. "You know, Dad, the bad wreck I had last year?"
Vegeta shuddered and looked away. "Anyways, I brought you a gift!"
"A gift…?" Adrienne took the package from the fourteen-year-old Saiyan and shook it carefully. "What for?"
"Your birthday was last week, and you weren't here to celebrate it!" Pan told her. Everyone was silent and Pan stared. "Didn't you remember that last week was your birthday…?"
"Pan, last week wasn't my birthday," Adrienne told her. "Last week was the day my mother died…"
Bulma glanced at Vegeta, who scoffed, looking away. "I'm sorry….!"
"It's okay," Adrienne assured her, shaking her head. "Really, it's fine."
*~*~*
"So how did you find her?" Eighteen asked.
"She called me." Vegeta told them. "What do you know?" He swung the cell phone around in his hand. "Maybe these thing come in handy *after* all!"
"Oh, sure!" Goku laughed. "A cell phone being worthy of the Saiyan Prince!"
Everyone found this funny but Vegeta. "Oh, shut up, Kakarott! ….DO NOT MOCK YOUR SAIYAN PRINCE!!!!!"
"AHHHH!!!!" A scream from Bulma's lab caused everyone to freeze.
"That sounded like Bulma!" Vegeta stated, letting go of Goku's shirt and causing him to fall to the ground. The next thing they knew, Vegeta had disappeared, and another scream came from the lab. "I'm sorry-"
"DAD!!!"
"Vegeta, what are you *doing* in here!?" Came Bulma's angry yell.
"Well, I heard screams, what am I *supposed* to think!?"
"Just get the heck out of here!"
"AHHHHHH!" Vegeta came running back into the living room and ducked, causing the frying pan to miss him and hit the wall.
"Being a little naughty, are we, Vegeta?" Yamcha teased.
"Shut up!" Vegeta threw the frying pan at him.
*~*~*
"Are we done, yet?"
"Yep! All done!" Adrienne sighed, sat up, and flung her legs over the side of the table. She grabbed a white robe from another table and wrapped it around her body. She stood up and tied the string of the robe around her waist. Bulma stopped what she was doing to watch her.
"What?"
"I promise to keep it a secret, but how long do you think you can keep it from him?" Adrienne looked at the ground, then looked back up at her mother.
"I don't know." The door close behind the young Saiyan and Bulma closed her eyes. She sighed, shook her head, and went back to her work.