Two Retirees

Chapter 9

***

Danny did not go to her room. She could not. It felt empty. Everything felt empty. Instead, she slipped into Vegeta's room without a sound and sat down at the desk once more. Vegeta was asleep, she saw, so there was no worries of getting yelled at. With a long, sorrowful sigh, she rested her head on the desk and watched the shaky rise and fall of Vegeta's chest under the covers. Even in his sleep, he was in pain. Tears pricked her at her vision, blurring the white outline of the bed sheets.

"Oh, Vegeta… I know I have to let you go… How can I say goodbye to another person? I know we didn't get along… at all really." She whispered softly into the dark room. "But I still care for you… I think I may love you. I don't know why. Maybe I'm just an old fool. I feel like a lovesick teenager." She laughed a little. "Didn't think that would ever happen. I guess I'm lonely. That's the only explanation." Vegeta mumbled something incoherent and rolled to his left side. Danny could now look into his face. "I bet you were even more handsome when you were young." She walked to him and placed her hand on his cheek. "At least you still have all that hair. I bet any other man here would kill just to have that much." Danny laughed softly again and brushed her hand affectionately through Vegeta's thick black hair. "Please wake up. I have to tell you… before you go. I want you to know…"

"Father…" Vegeta moaned suddenly, startling Danny. He rolled restlessly to his right side and moaned again. Sweat began to bead on his forehead and across his body, making his pajamas cling to his skin.

"Vegeta… are you all right?" Danny shook his shoulder gently, hoping to wake him. He remained asleep, however and the 'nightmare' only seemed to get worse. Danny shook him harder. "Wake up, Vegeta! Wake up!" When Vegeta did wake up, he sat up so quickly that Danny was nearly knocked to the floor. He was grasping his chest, wheezing, his eyes darting wildly about the room. His gaze finally settled on Danny who was watching him worriedly.

"Wh-what… are you doing here, woman? How…" He shook his head as though to clear his thoughts. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see if you were awake… I'll go. I didn't mean to bother you… you looked like you were having a nightmare."

"No… not a nightmare… and sit back down, woman. I have to tell you something…" He looked away from her, suddenly finding the sheets very interesting. Danny sat down, rather surprised that he had asked her to stay.

"What is it?"

"Listen to me… you will never tell anyone what I am going to say. My memory has been lost to those who were supposed to carry on my name, and I do not want to be thought of by humans when I am gone. Do you understand?"

"Yes, of course. You have my word. But, what do you-"

"Silence… I am not finished. I don't expect you to understand much of what I say, after all, you're only a pathetic human yourself." Danny scowled at the same moment Vegeta smirked and he continued. "You say you want to know me… but you picked a bad time to show interest. I will be gone tomorrow."

"But-" Danny began only to be silenced once more by a look from Vegeta.

"I will not talk in circles… so I'll be blunt. I'm not human. I am a prince. Of the planet Vegeta." Danny cocked an eyebrow and smirked sarcastically.

"Oh, so you had a planet named after you? I always knew you had an ego."

"Stupid human. I expected no better comment from you. But I am truthful. I was raised a warrior after the destruction of my planet and the death of my planet. As was Kakarotto. Though his past is quite different from mine, we share the same heritage. He is a low-classed warrior… but has surpassed me in strength many times…" Vegeta looked away, towards the window and sighed. "We were the strongest in the universe once. We lived for battle and nothing else. I don't think you'd remember the Cell games. No… that was long before your time." He looked back at Danny, who was shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Vegeta…"

"Shut-up, woman. You wanted to hear my past. I am trying to tell it to you! You should be honored that I'd share this with a human like you…" He closed his eyes as a wave of pain rolled through him. It passed. "I have not… I… am not like you. We share pride. More dignity than others." He breathed deeply as the pain subsided momentarily. "But nothing else binds us. My wife… we shared the same stubborn streak. But she is gone."

"You had a wife?" Danny asked, surprised.

"Yes, and children. Two of them. They are gone."

"You outlived your children? How… were they sick?"

"No, it is one of the curses of my race. I used to think it a blessing to age so slowly. So many years to continue… so much more time to fight. But, when my age caught up with me. It was fast. Kakarotto carried the disease from his youth. And during one of our battles, somehow or another, I caught it. There was a cure for it. I was saved from death the first time around by taking the medicine. It lay dormant in our bodies for years. Age brings weakness, and we required daily doses of a lighter medication to keep the disease from coming to the surface and eating away at our hearts."

"What… what does it feel like?" Danny asked. "The disease, I mean." Vegeta smirked again.

"Feels like pulling at your chest from every direction with fish hooks. And in that pain there is a feeling of someone squeezing your heart with barbed wire. I think that pretty much describes it… It affects all the muscles as well. Which explains this weakness." He opened and closed his fist to punctuate the point.

"You do how all of this sounds to me. It's not the easiest thing to believe." Danny looked into his eyes. Dark onyx pools, though not quite as deep and clear as they used to be.

"I didn't think you would believe me so easily. I don't much care. You wanted to know me, or so you said. I provided the information. Kakarotto will tell you the same thing. I know you trust him. And if you are thinking we are both senile, then Uzume will confirm. She comes from a long line of fighters. Her family has told her of us."

"Vegeta, I… do not doubt you. I don't think you're senile. Though I'm not to sure about myself." She smiled even as tears built in her eyes again. "And I thank you for sharing that with me. I really do. And I know…" She stopped and wiped at her eyes. "I know you are leaving me. The world will be much poorer without you among us." She looked at him. "I will miss you. And even if it means little to you- I will always remember you." She sniffled a little. "I will never forget you. Your memory will be with me." Danny stood up walked to Vegeta's side and placed her arms around him briefly before he could push her away. Vegeta stiffened slightly, but did not attempt to pull away.

"I'm not dead yet, woman. You sound like you're talking to a corpse already." Vegeta said quietly. Danny pulled back just enough to look at him before starting to sob. She hugged him earnestly this time, resting her head against his shoulder, not caring much for her pride anymore.

"I can't lose anyone else… I… I can't." Vegeta sighed and closed his eyes. True, he had softened over the years, but his well of patience was as small as it had ever been.

"I did not mean to make you blubber all over me, woman." Reluctantly, Danny released him.

"I'm sorry…" She stood up, brushing the wrinkles from her shirt. Vegeta shook his head and smirked.

"So am I…"

"What?"

"Nothing. I want to be alone…" He said. Danny nodded and walked to the door. Just as she was about to close it behind her, Vegeta spoke again.

"Thank you." Came the quiet, gruff voice.

"You're welcome." Danny replied and clicked the door shut quietly.

***

Later that night…

***

"Woman, what are you doing?" Vegeta sat up in bed as Uzume came through the door.

"I wanted to ask you if we could move Goku's bed in here… He isn't doing to good, Vegeta." She told him hurriedly, her voice breaking at almost every other word form sheer exhaustion.

"Why in here?"

"Don't you want to see him before…" She trailed off. "He said he has to talk to you… and he can't really get out of bed right now."

"Fine." Vegeta answered, running his hand through his hair. Uzume motioned to two workers in the hallway and moments later a hospital bed, containing Goku, was brought in.

"I… coulda walked in here… you guys." Vegeta heard Goku as the workers situated the bed next to Vegeta's own. Uzume nodded to the two workers and they left the room.

"Guys…" She looked to both of them. "I love you guys… Don't… don't forget that."

"Woman…" Vegeta scowled halfheartedly as Uzume exited the room as well. Vegeta turned enough to look at his long time rival… and long time friend.

"What is so important that it could not wait until morning, Kakarotto?"

"I guess this is it, then?" Goku replied. "Sorry to wake you up. But… I didn't… I didn't wanna be alone, ya know?" Vegeta nodded. "This isn't like all the other times… kinda pathetic… but I'm not as confident this time. I wish…"

"That we could have one last battle." They said at the same time.

"I'll kick your ass in the afterlife." Vegeta smirked.

"Heh… heh… you always say… say…" Goku trailed off, closing his eyes tightly as the pain became even more intense than ever before. Vegeta was feeling the pain also. If Goku was going tonight… then he would to.

"Kakarotto?" For a moment, Vegeta thought that Goku had already died, but he spoke.

"Piccolo? Vegeta… look… it's…" Vegeta looked to the end of the room, where Goku was staring, almost expecting to see the old green bean standing there. But of course, there was nothing.

"Yes, Kakarotto. I see him. He's as ugly as ever." Goku smiled a little and became quiet. He was silent for so long that Vegeta laid down again and was beginning to drift off to sleep.

"Vegeta."

"What is it, Kakarotto?"

"I don't want to go alone…" Goku stretched his arm toward Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince stared at the hand that had saved so many before grasping it in his own.

"Don't be such a baby." He replied, feeling the same heavy feeling in his chest that had plagued him for years. Not the result of the disease… but borne totally of sadness. Vegeta stared at the ceiling. 'Just wait a moment Kakarotto…' he thought. 'I have one last thing to do.' Forcing the last of his dwindling power together, Vegeta stretched his thoughts to Danny, who was probably asleep.

Thank you… Danielle. You will not be forgotten either.

***

In her room, Danny sat up in bed. Her head was hurting a little… and she could have sworn she heard Vegeta… but he…

"NO!"

***

"See ya, Vegeta." Goku squeezed his friend's hand briefly. His strength was leaving. Vegeta closed his eyes as he felt Goku's hand slip limply from his own. He looked to the bed next to his own. It was empty. The imprint of Goku's form on the sheets was the only evidence that someone had been there.

"I am coming… Kakarotto…" Vegeta did not open his eyes. "I am coming, Bulma…" He felt smaller now, and the darkness behind his eyelids seemed deeper somehow. "Father…" Vegeta realized that the pain in his chest was leaving him. 'Where will I go?' He thought, but it was getting harder to hold onto any sort of thought. 'Will I really be with everyone?' He would have felt a slight sense of fear of not knowing, but Vegeta could feel nothing now… He took in one last shuddering breath as a bright, encompassing light broke through the darkness and Vegeta saw his father. He walked to the man he had longed to see for so many years. He could see Kakarotto in the distance… and his family…but… Somewhere far behind him, he heard a voice…

"Goodbye, Vegeta… I love you."

And Vegeta remembered…

And he smiled…

***

FIN.

A/N- Well, that's it. I really thought I'd have another chapter besides this one, but it just seemed… well, right this way. I like the ending a lot. I hope all you readers do too. I have really appreciated your reviews. ^^ And I'm glad I finished the story. I'll be posting another one soon. Review and tell me what you think. ^^ ~~ Uzume