Title: Thunder And Roses
Author: Pale Orchid
Rating: R
Summary: Will Bulma ever find the guy for her?
Category: Romance/Angst
Spoilers: Nope, nada, nothing.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the DragonBall Z characters or anything even remotely DBZ related. I'm just a poor Aussie girl with too much time on her hands.
Archiving: If you want it, send me a note and I'll say yeppers
Feedback: Ya know, it's all good, all the time. PaleOrchids@hotmail.com or press the little review button at the end of the page. Yep, that's the one. Go on, it won't bite. At least, not the first time. J
Authors Note: Got a couple of reviews saying that this was well written, but kinda depressing - or along those lines. I'm taking liberties with the text here people, and I'm grateful for the fact that I have text to take liberties with. But the main point is, yeah, this is kinda depressing. It's meant to be. I never wanted this to turn out into happy fic. But, I lost half of this chapter on my computer and drowning in my own gloom, I switched to what I know best. Sap. Warning, this has been described as having more sap than a tree So there you go and happy readings!
Thunder and Roses
Chapter Three: In The Heart Of The Storm.
The rain falling on the glass of the window made patterns of the outside world. It streaked and smeared the features so that Bulma wasn't even sure what she was looking at anymore.
It was the same every morning, when she looked into the bathroom mirror. She didn't recognise herself anymore. The morning sickness was becoming worse with each day that passed and she hardly slept at night. She would lie on her back watching the ceiling, wondering what the days to come would mean for her.
But with each new day nothing seemed to come. Her days were beginning to blend and merge until there was nothing. Darkness had cloaked her life until she couldn't remember what it was like to not have it there. Until she couldn't remember what it was like not to worry about where her life was going. Or how she was going to life the rest of her life now that she was going to have a baby.
And what of the baby? It would only be half human. Could her child even survive on this planet after birth? Would there be complications with the actual birthing? Might she lose her child before he or she was even born?
Even though she had talked to ChiChi about some of her fears, there was a sense of pride that prevented her from asking more. She hadn't even asked how ChiChi's pregnancy with Gohan had been, let alone the birth or if there was complications. If Bulma was to be true to herself she had to admit she was terrified. It was this feeling that had her cloaked in depression.
Vegeta seemed to have noticed something was wrong with her, because he had left her alone. He didn't come to her room anymore; he didn't brush past her in the halls. He just stayed as far away as he could.
Bulma sighed and pulled the blanket more tightly around her body. The couch was soft and warm where she was sitting and the blanket trapped her body heat close to her. All that remained of the fire she had started were the still smouldering coals.
Little light or heat was present in the room when Vegeta entered it. He shivered once and started towards the couch, only to notice the head of blue hair. His step faltered as he watched her. There was something not right about the woman lately and it was something that he didn't like. She seemed to startle easily and had an air of nervousness around her. He was sure that he caused this nervousness, but the reason why still wasn't clear.
"Woman."
"Vegeta."
"Why are you sitting in the cold like an idiot?"
"Maybe because I feel like it. Or maybe cause I don't care anymore."
This answer scared him more than he was willing to admit. Why wouldn't she care about her own well being?
Walking from behind the couch he aimed a finger at the fireplace, sending a small ki blast at the smouldering coals. They smoked a little before grasping at still unburned kindling. He placed more wood on the coals and spark building the fire back up. He watched the flames eat into the wood until he was sure that it wouldn't go out and then some. The flickering of the flames became an excuse not to turn around.
"Thank you."
Vegeta grunted before standing up and turning around. Bulma's features were highlighted in the light of the fire and his eyes drank them in. Her blue hair, something he would never admit to loving, but he did all the same, shimmered. But the rest of her face was dull and lacked life. Even her eyes, which could show him a hundred of her emotions, showed him nothing. There was a sparkle in them, but it was only the glinting of the fire as a reflection.
"I have to tell you something."
Her lips moved only minimally. They themselves were cracked and he was sure he could see the faint red of dried blood.
"And I have something to say."
"Oh. Okay then."
Her eyes seemed to limp their way around the room, stoping to look at everything in it. He wasn't sure if she wanted him to speak first, or if she was just gathering her thoughts. After an awkward silence he decided to speak first.
"I'm leaving soon."
"Leaving? Why? Where?"
"I need to train. I cannot train on this planet. If these robots are as difficult to defeat as the brat from the future says than I must train harder. As for the where I am uncertain."
"Oh."
Bulma let her brain fly on autopilot. How could she tell him about the baby, now that he was leaving? It wouldn't be fair to him. After all he was always telling her that he was never going to stay on this planet. Not for anyone.
"You'll need supplies and things then. When are you planning on leaving?"
Vegeta had been watching her while she thought. She was taking this news better than he had expected. There had been no wailing or shrieking, just simple acceptance. And she had offered to help him. There was a stinging in his chest, which he tried quickly to suppress. No, that pain wouldn't do anything now.
"I was planning on leaving later tonight."
"That soon? Alright, I can requisition some supplies from the storage rooms."
She raised her form of the couch, the blanket falling to the floor as she moved away from him towards the door.
***********************************
It was done. The craft was all packed up and there was nothing left to do. Bulma sat on the edge of her bed, not facing the window. She didn't want to see him when he left.
Lying down on the blanket she ran her fingers in endless patterns over her stomach. She wanted to tell him about the child, but she was unsure how he would take it. How could a man such as he react?
She ignored the tears that started to stream down her face. She tried to tell herself that they were only tears of pity and therefore false tears. She didn't need any pity. But her heart said different. Vegeta was a hard man to unmask, but there were times when she had seen a more tender side to him. And the more she had seen that side of him, the deeper she had fallen.
Bulma clenched her eyes shut in desperation. She didn't want to cry over him. She wanted to believe that he would return to fight the androids. She wanted to believe that he would return for her. To tell her how much he loved her and their child.
Slowly her tears dried up and her exhaustion was too much to take, and she surrendered to sleep.
Vegeta had been standing in the shadows ever since she had entered her room. He had wanted to say his goodbyes to her before leaving. But something about the way she had moved had stoped him from making his presence known. And the way she had been rubbing her stomach.
Opening his senses he stared at her, studying her ever feature. There was something there. Something that had been bothering him. His head cocked ever so slightly to the side. There it was. A second ki. In her.
He was lucky that he had been leaning on the wall in the first place or he would have fallen down. Pregnant. And the unborn child already had a strong energy signature. Too strong to be fully human. That meant.
Vegeta pushed himself off the wall and headed for the door. It was time for him to leave. But there was still one more errand to run.
***********************************
Vegeta sat in the solitary seat aboard the craft. He pushed the button that would start the ignition and leaned back in his seat. Now he had reason to return to this useless mud ball of a planet. He had a mate and a child to protect. And he would protect them by reaching the level of super saiyian.
***********************************
Bulma woke to the sound of thunder crashing above her. It had stopped raining sometime during the night, of that she was sure, but it seemed the storm wasn't done yet. She waited for the usual roll of her stomach rebelling, but nothing came. She allowed herself a small smile; maybe today was going to be a good day.
Sitting up very carefully she winced as her hand collided with something sharp. She pulled her hand back to examine it and found a deep cut in the middle of her palm. Blood was flowing out of the cut and creating a well of liquid in her hand. Pressing her thumb down on the cut, Bulma looked for what could have cut her. Lying around her on the bed, were roses cut from the garden. Most of them where as red as the blood on her palm, but there were a few mixed whites and pinks through the mix.
The thunder sounded again and she jumped, startled. When she moved the blanket moved with her to expose a pair of white gloves. Vegeta's gloves.
She picked up the garments and held them to her. Maybe she had found her love after all. And maybe this was a sign that he would be coming back to her.
End.
I know! I know! I'm just such a friggen romantic is all. Damn it all to hell.
