Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball, Dragonball Z, or Dragonball GT. Those and the characters were created by Akira Toriyama, so please do not sue.


Chapter 7 - Hanging on by a Thread



"WHAT?" She dared not trust the words that came out of Goku's mouth as Bulma re-processed what she most surely must have mistakenly heard. "But Goku, is that even possi--"

Goku cut her off. "There is still time for her! Gohan," he averted his gaze to his eight-year-old son, "please stay with your mother and Bulma while I go get the senzu beans from Karin. I'll be back as soon as I can." With that, he shot into the air and streaked away in the direction of Korin Tower, where the white cat Karin grew the invaluable senzu beans that the Earth's defenders had used on countless occasions.

As the minute speck that was Goku vanished into the darkened horizon, Bulma hesitantly moved until she knelt by Sashima's body once more. "Sashima…" she whispered into the warm night's air, amongst the rubble littered underneath her, "I…I…can't believe that…"

"Oh come on Bulma…" Placing a hand on her companion's shoulder, Chi-Chi too looked at Sashima's figure, drenched in blood and a look of agony engulfing her face, "she's still alive…isn't that what you hoped for?"

"Yes, of course…I'm just shocked that she was…able…to pull through it…after all that…"

Silence descended on both of them.

At long last, Chi-Chi was the first to speak. "How…how do you think she was able to live through it?"

"To be honest Chi-Chi, I don't know. " Far off into the distance, an owl hooted its reply, as if urging Bulma to confide in Chi-Chi what Dr. Willis had mentioned to her earlier in the day. "Chi-Chi…do you think it's possible that there were other Saiyans who survived the destruction of their planet?"

Chi-Chi was quiet taken aback by this sudden question. Thinking deeply for a moment, she came up with her reply. "No, Bulma…I don't think so…didn't Vegeta say that the only Saiyans left are himself and Goku? I mean, Radditz is dead…Nappa was killed…so it's not likely…wait…" comprehension dawned onto her as she finally realized what Bulma was driving at, "you don't mean to say that Sashima--" a shaky finger extended towards the limp body, still unmoving, "--is a Saiyan??"

"Well, what other explanation can you think of?" Bulma sagged her head gloomily.

"Maybe she's just a strong human…like Krillin, or Yamcha, or Tien…" suggested Chi-Chi, seriously wishing her words were more honest than she meant them. Unintentionally she snuck a glance towards Gohan and shuddered. She remembered almost too clearly what had happened when Radditz, Nappa, and Vegeta had come to Earth, wrecking havoc and tearing her family apart until they were finally, at long last, reunited. If this woman were another Saiyan, she would NEVER want to live through all of that again.

"No…WAIT…why am I doubting her? Why am I second-guessing my first impression of her?? Damnit Bulma, she saved your life for Kami's sake! Why do you think she's a Saiyan??? Saiyans don't risk their lives to save you!" Her head pounding from the overflow of thoughts and emotions that ran through her, Bulma pushed aside her turquoise hair and stared intently into the glittering night's sky, where the numerous stars smiled down and seemed to reassure that her first judgment had been, indeed, correct.

"I hope your judgment is right on this one Bulma…" Up above, the stars began to smile down on Chi-Chi as well.

* * * * *

The wind whipped his hair back as he flew at top speed towards Korin Tower, under Kami's lookout. When Goku had first witnessed the body, he too, was skeptical that it still contained life. But as he had gotten closer and closer, he detected a feeble ki still within it. Delicately picking up her wrist, a wave of astonishment had swept over him as, in that wrist, a faint vibration was detected. The pulse was still there. Goku had leaned his ear down against her chest, and there it was--the weak THUMP-THUMP of her heart, barely audible and hardly sufficient enough to maintain her life for long.

In his mind Goku turned over what had been bothering him ever since he had left the remains of the Capsule Corporation Hospital. "How could she have survived?" Muttering out loud, he thought about himself and his friends on Earth. "It would take someone with an exceptionally strong ki to be able to survive a blast like the one that happened at the hospital…no normal human would ever have lived through it…so the only possibility is that she's not human…is that even possible? Bulma seems to know her…the way she reacted when Gohan found her body…"

All these thoughts jostled against one another as if they were humans in line waiting for food, racked with hunger and taking on an emaciated look. He would resume his wonderings as soon as he had received the senzu bean from Karin--he just hoped that the white cat had grew another batch since the last time they had borrowed his senzu beans.

In the far distance, the unmistakable structure came into view. As if it were hovering in thin air, Korin Tower was held delicately by only a slender, pole-like composition. Quickening his flight speed, Goku prayed to Kami that he would be able to return on time…and that it would not be too late for the woman who could, at any moment, finally lose the thin thread that she was holding onto life by.

* * * * *

"Hmph." Grumbling his displeasure, Vegeta stood atop the grassy hill, overlooking the countryside down below. In the small, quaint cottages down below, lights flickered on as, one by one, the darkness overcame the rooms inside. He had been in this area for about two hours, ever since he had blown his top over that fool of a woman.

He didn't know why he bothered no more the humans who were so close at reach. When he had first arrived on Earth, he had not hesitated to obliterate anything or anyone that he had found displeasing, yet once he had arrived at that woman's place, he had not killed a single human. He had the pleasure of frightening them out of their wits, yet he had done them no harm, for now.

Vegeta lay back and stared into the endless night's sky. The stars were unusually bright, and he remembered the times he had spent on Planet Vegeta as a child before he had been forced to work for that idiot of a being, Freeza. Slowly, the scent of the summer grass made his mind wander until they somehow got back to why he was in this desolate place in the first place--that fool of a woman--who her fellow humans called Bulma.

A smirk slowly crept onto his face, and he abruptly shook his head vehemently, dismissing all thoughts of her. The hell he was thinking about her--a low class human woman, while he was the mighty Prince of all Saiyans. Yet something in his chest stirred whenever she crept into his thoughts; was it his heart? No, he had no heart.

"Why do I care?" he muttered into the heavens above. "What use do I have for an idiotic fool of a woman, who cannot fight and has no powers of her own?" Suddenly, his cold laugh rang through the contrasting warmth of the air. "I'm going SOFT over a WOMAN? Vegeta, you should really get a reality check…"

Reassured that he had no feelings towards anyone on the worthless excuse for a planet, Vegeta made up his mind to head back. It would take him a fair amount of time returning to Capsule Corporation, and by the time he got back, everyone would have been asleep.

Taking one last look on the cottages and lush green fields below, Vegeta could not help regretting that maybe he HAD been a little too harsh on the woman that day…

* * * * *

"Hey! What did you people find up there?"

The two women jumped as a police officer shone his flashlight up at Chi-Chi, Gohan, and Bulma, atop the vast quantities of debris. Bulma and Chi-Chi were still huddled over the body of Sashima; Gohan, several feet away, was continually sifting through the remains.

"We found someone that is still alive!" Chi-Chi called down to the officer below. Bulma shot her a sideways glance, and Chi-Chi clapped her hands to her mouth, as if wanting to stop herself from saying anymore than she had already let out.

"Is that so?" The officer raised a bushy eyebrow quizzically and called forth a few of his comrades. "Yo Bob! Dave! Ms. Briefs' friend says that they've found a survivor!"

Out from the other side of the wreckage, two other officers came into view, accompanying the first. The three of them made their way carefully among the hazardous pieces of rubble and joined Bulma and Chi-Chi at the place where Sashima lay.

"Holy crap!" The first officer cried out. "Ladies, I think it's in your best interest if you leave this body to us now. She is obviously dead." The other two officers nodded their agreement.

"No, she is NOT dead," Bulma argued angrily, "My friend Goku has gone to get something to revive her--don't you DARE think about moving her while she's in this condition!"

"But there is nothing you can do for her, Ms. Briefs! She is dead, and there is no way to bring back the dead!"

"How do you know for sure that she is dead??" Bulma leapt to her feet, demanding an explanation.

"How do you know she hasn't died since she was first found??" he countered.

The retort stopped Bulma cold. How WOULD she know if Sashima had not died while they had sat waiting for Goku? Hurriedly, she bent down and felt for a pulse. Sighing with relief as she detected the faint pulsations, she stood back up and pointed a finger at the officer's chest.

"Look mister, I found a pulse in her right now, and if you don't believe me, why don't you go and check for yourself?!"

"I think I WILL check for myself!" The rash officer pushed past his companions and almost shoved Chi-Chi off her feet as he made his way towards Sashima.

"Hey! You watch where you're going!" Gohan flew back to his mother's side and glared at the officer through narrowed eyes.

"…stupid little brat…"

"Are you calling my son a brat??!!" This time it was Chi-Chi's turn to be furious. The fire in her eyes raged as she lunged at the collar of the officer's uniform, barely missing it as Gohan held her back, restraining her from attacking anyone within range.

"Mom, calm down! It's okay!"

"No, it is NOT okay Gohan! That officer called you a stupid brat! My own son! How dare he?!"

"Chi-Chi, would you please shut up?!"

The sudden reprimand from Bulma did quiet Chi-Chi as the officer knelt by Sashima, and cursing under his breath, roughly took her wrist into his hand. His eyes widened as Goku's had, achieving the same look of utter astonishment.

"By golly! She IS still alive! Quick, we have got to get her to the hospital, immediately!" Taking out a capsule and popping the top, a portable stretcher arrived out of thin air. He bent down once again as if to lift the body onto the contraption.

"Wait a second, mister officer." Gohan stood between him and the body, "My father is going to be coming back any second now with something to revive her; I don't think you should move her while she's in this condition--"

"Move aside kid!"

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size??" Bulma stood in front of Gohan and directly in the officer's face. Bulma by no means was a short woman--and in times of her fury, a few more inches were added onto her. "If you harm the kid, I will personally see your superior and have a nice little chat with him about the conduct of his officers--"

"Ms. Briefs, it is police duty to ensure the safety of all citizens, and since she is still alive, the logical thing to do will be to move her to the Satan City General--"

"This is Capsule Corporation we are at, therefore you are speaking on MY property! If this is the case, I'm afraid you will have to speak to my lawyer--"

"Look up there!" One of the two remaining officers pointed a shaky finger up at the sky. "What…what is that??"

"It's Dad!" Gohan exclaimed, a smile overcoming his face. "Dad's returning with the senzu bean!"

Slowly, Goku descended downwards, the serious expression still plastered onto his face. Ignoring the gawks that the three officers shot towards him, he made his way towards the group.

"Did you get the senzu bean from Karin?" Bulma asked uneasily.

"Yes, I was able to…although Karin says that this is one from the last batch he made…we might be in trouble if a new enemy comes to Earth and we are not able to deal with them…"

Bulma sighed. "Yes I know…but let's not worry about that right now. Quick, we've got to give this to Sashima!"

"Sashima? So that's who she is…"

"Yes! Hand me the senzu bean, Goku!"

Taking the precious green bean from Goku's hand, Bulma rushed to Sashima's side for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day. Chi-Chi, Goku, and Gohan stood beside her, creating a circle which shielded the body from the view of the three officers, who looked on with curiosity several feet away, yet dared not get too close to the presence of Goku.

Bulma took a deep breath. With quivering fingers, she slowly pressed the senzu bean into Sashima's mouth, tilting her head ever so gently for her to swallow. After making sure the bean had gone down her esophagus, the only thing they could do was wait.



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AN: Heh, sorry I uploaded this a day later than I said I would…been kinda busy, but now that vacation has started, things are going to be way smoother. Is it just me, or do the characters sound a little OOC? If they are, any suggestions on how I can improve the writing would be well appreciated! I don't know when the next update will be…sometime before Christmas I'm expecting, but if I don't have it up by then, MERRY CHRISTMAS!