Disclaimer: Me?!? Own DBZ?!? Hahahahahahaha. I wish. Though I do have a new battle-damaged Vegeta action figure from If Labs!!! ^_^ Meesa so happy!! O... I don't own Kleenex either. ^_^

A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long to post. Once again, my italics aren't working, so all thoughts will be contained in ~these~ Enjoy!!

Meaningless - chapter 2

Son ChiChi stared out the open window as she absently stirred the pan of rice on the stove. Her charcoal eyes held a glazed look as she gazed into the distance, though not really seeing anything. The horrific images in her mind were still too vivid to be replaced by something as simple as scenery.

ChiChi's features crumpled as the memories of a week prior refused to leave her mind. Goku, collapsing on the floor clutching his chest, eyes abnormally wide with surprise and intense pain. His pale form lying in bed, looking frighteningly frail and vulnerable as he thrashed and screamed in agony, face twisted into a mask of pain. His fits gradually growing fewer and fewer, not because he was recovering, but because his body no longer possessed the strength to fight back against that cursed virus which had claimed the warrior as its own. And finally, the solemn day on which they had buried him, and she was forced to watch the one she loved disappear from her world forever. That image lingered before her shimmering eyes with the most awful clarity. The shovels of dirt which covered his body; his hands, his chest, his face..and all of it so quickly, a nightmare she would never awake from.

ChiChi snapped out of her daze and continued stirring with new vigor, angrily brushing salty wet trails from her cheeks. She was now a single mother; she had a son to raise, and it would not do for him to see her cry.

To her relief, a Capsule Corp jet-copter landed in the yard at that moment in a flurry of whirring propellers and dust, and ChiChi was just able to glimpse a flash of turquoise hair through the vehicle's window. She put down the wooden spoon and went outside to greet her friend, grateful for any distraction to take her mind off her memories. She missed talking to Bulma anyway..they hadn't spoken since the funeral, and hardly any words had emerged between their sobs on that day.

When Bulma came out of the jet, however, ChiChi was taken aback. Her friend was not in her usual glamorous state; instead, she looked as if she had bothered with her appearance for days. She was clad in a faded pair of jeans and a t-shirt, both in need of ironing. Her hair looked as though it had been hastily brushed and was not styled in any way, and she wore no make-up. ChiChi's own troubles were immediately pushed aside temporarily; she had never seen her friend in such disarray.

Bulma strode quickly towards her dark-haired friend, blue eyes already shining with tears, though she stubbornly refused to let them fall. She stopped in front of ChiChi, the concern radiating from the other woman's facial expression giving her a miniscule twinge of comfort. She took a moment to collect herself before speaking; she didn't want her voice to shake.

"Vegeta, he....he left. He won't be coming back." She felt her voice crack on the last few words, and she turned her head away, biting her bottom lip and cursing her inability to hide emotions.

ChiChi wasted no time. She plucked a giggling Trunks from Bulma's thin arms and set the infant on the ground, then enveloped her friend in a tight embrace. Bulma choked back a sob....and then the tears came. All the pent up emotion from the night before came spilling out of her at ChiChi's single act of kindness....though through her sobs she was dimly aware of a slight dampness on her shoulder as well, and a small trembling in the frame that held her.

After a few moments of quiet tears, ChiChi stood back, cheeks glistening. She picked up Trunks, who was busy blowing the fluff off white dandilions, linked her arm through Bulma's, and guided her inside the house.

Once Bulma was sitting down with a strong cup of coffee in her hands and a full box of Kleenex at her disposal, she managed to calm down somewhat. Now she looked more angry than hurt.

ChiChi sat down in a chair opposite Bulma, and though her own face was weary with grief, she focused all her attention on her friend.

Bulma held nothing back. The events of the night before poured out of her, from Vegeta's own pain to her harsh remarks before leaving the bedroom. ChiChi listened throughout the entire tale, wincing at times, but never making a sound that might shatter her friend's confidence and cause her to lapse into silence.

"It's my fault, ChiChi! I know it is! I could see that he was suffering, that he'd been effected by Goku every bit as much as I had been...but all I could do was throw it in his face. I drove him away, and now I'm stuck here raising his child by myself..."

Trunks looked up from attempting to remove his socks to peer curiously up at his mother.

"Ba ba ba." He patted her foot reassuringly, then feeling he had fulfilled his duty, returned to the sock which so stubbornly refused to come off his small foot.

Bulma laughed, though the sound was hollow and sad. She peered into her mug, swishing the remaining coffee around in its base, her eyes void of their usual sparkle. She quickly drained the brown liquid, her hands tightening on the mug and face set in a frown.

"He left just like that....he abandoned me!!" Her expression hardened to a mask of characteristic fury. "How could he do that? Leaving me to care for his child alone, when I've got my company to run...." She gritted her teeth, eyes flashing, though beneath the anger lay a deep pain. "And now he's gone!!" He knuckles turned white as she gripped the mug, then all at once she hurled it at the far wall. The shattering china made a resounding crash, pieces flew in all directions. ChiChi cringed, but did not become angry; she had already broken several objects in similar manner over the past week.

The sound of the breaking glass seemed to snap Bulma out of her crazed state. With a sob she covered her face with her hands, turquoise strands of hair obscuring her face further from view.

"I'm sorry," she moaned, raising a tear-streaked face to look at her friend. "I'll replace it.....it's just...." She sighed, weary and defeated. "Things seem so overwhelming at times."

ChiChi smiled sadly, ebony eyes full of empathy.

"Well, I guess that makes two of us, doesn't it?"

Guilt surged over Bulma's features at that point, and she lowered her eyes in shame.

"I'm so sorry, ChiChi!" she apologized immediately, voice thick and laden with pain and remorse. "I don't know what's wrong with me....Kami knows you've got a heck of a lot more to deal with than I do!!" She sighed again, looking up at ChiChi with pain filled eyes. "Am I always this selfish?"

ChiChi smiled, a sad, though not defeated, look. She moved to sit beside Bulma and the two women leaned against each other wearily, taking minute comfort in the other's presence.

"Yes." She replied simply, but with no harshness to her voice. "But this time it's allowed." She felt a tear run down her cheek and wiped it away with a finger, then turned back to lock eyes with her friend.

"I know this seems hard right now, but I know you. You'll grieve, and you'll move on. If Vegeta didn't care about you enough to stay with you when you needed him most, then he isn't worth crying over for too long. You can't neglect Trunks because of Vegeta's actions."

Bulma's shoulders slumped, and she broke away from ChiChi's gaze. She knew what ChiChi must be dealing with at that very moment, having lost her husband only a week prior. Yet, despite the guilt she felt, she could not help but think that her friend was wrong. In any other context, any other person, and it would have been perfectly true.....

~But she doesn't know how much I loved him.~ Bulma thought bitterly. ~She doesn't know of the bond we shared, and of how safe I felt when I was with him. Can I really forget him as she says? ~ Bulma shook her head, a frown creasing her delicate features. ~Then again, had he really loved me back, he wouldn't have left me. Would he?~ She turned back to ChiChi, whose own face was tormented with memories and pain. Bulma clenched her teeth. She had to stop thinking of herself all the time.

"What about you then?" She asked quietly.

ChiChi tilted her head back, eyes exploring the ceiling. For once, the strong, independent woman looked lost.

"I suppose I'll just go on living as always." She turned back to Bulma, meeting her gaze once more. "I've had to deal with Goku leaving before....I can do it again." ChiChi's voice was sure, yet Bulma saw straight past the facade. She knew what ChiChi said was an outright lie; everyone knew of the undying love ChiChi held for her husband, and how hard she had been hit when he died. Bulma's thoughts were interrupted, however, as ChiChi clasped one of her hands, lending her support through their friendship.

"Look, we've both lost our husbands now....we'll just have to support each other. And we both know that everyone else will be more than willing to help if we ask them to. We're still blessed in many ways. Don't ever forget that." ChiChi finished the last sentence gravely, her black eyes boring into Bulma's blue.

Bulma nodded in agreement, picking up a now bare-footed Trunks to hold him closely in her lap, stroking his hair gently.

"I know. If we can't have our husbands, we still have our sons to care for. And I know that at least Vegeta is still alive, and you can be assured that Goku loved you to the very end." She buried her face in Trunks' sweet smelling hair to hide her tears, not seeing the glistening trails that ran down ChiChi's cheeks as well.

The two women sat in silence, consumed in their grief, yet somehow holding a shred of comfort in each other's company.

* * *

The Capsule Corp pod hurtled through the never-ending depths of space, a moving speck of light against billions of stationary ones. The endless, black expanse was vividly decorated with twinkling stars, and a brilliant, blood-red planet surrounded by pale, softly glowing moons grew ever closer as the pod slowly decreased the distance between them.

"Approaching Planet Velassar."

Vegeta's head snapped up as the robotic, female voice echoed through the gravity chamber. He ran a hand over his sweaty brow, eyes closed in thought. He had been training relentlessly since his departure from Chikyuu, and his body would appreciate a break. Besides, the pod's supply of fuel would not hold out forever, and it would not do to run dry somewhere out in the middle of nowhere. This planet was as good as any.

Vegeta deactivated the gravity simulator, then typed a few commands into the computer. The female voice returned to answer his questions.

"Approximate time to planet, 47 minutes." A few more words typed in, another answer. "Landing sequence set for planet Velassar. Approximately 53 minutes until landing process complete."

Vegeta nodded with satisfaction, leaving the chamber to take a much-needed shower.

~The woman would be having conniptions right now, undoubtedly ordering me to bathe before I stank up her precious house with my sweat. ~ He snorted at the thought, then his expression darkened to a fierce scowl. Why was he thinking of her? What she thought had no relevance in his life anymore. He had chosen to leave. He could not - would not - start thinking of her now.

He stepped into the shower, allowing the hot needles of water ease the tension from his muscles. He closed his eyes, wishing the water could soothe the turbulance within his mind as well.

Fleeing to outer space had not brought the content and satisfaction he had thought it would. In coming here, Vegeta had thought he could escape the memories, break the bonds he had foolishly permitted himself to make on that pitiful planet of weaklings. He could remember the days in which he had been an assassin of Frieza...many hours had been spent alone in his space pod, hours in which he was somehow comforted by the visage of beauty surrounding him. Since then, space had always been his refuge, his sanctuary. There were times when he felt overwhelmed, either from his quest to surpass Kakkarot, or emotional battles usually involving his growing attatchments to the woman and their son. All of these times, he had escaped to the complete seclusion of space. The tranquil beauty of the star-studded heavens was oddly soothing, calming the turmoil of emotions from his mind. He would drift in orbit around Chikyuu for hours, letting the intense beauty and stillness of his surroundings envelop him in a blanket of security. It was the only situation in which he would openly allow himself to be comforted by anything besides his own ambition.

But his journeys to space had always been temporary. Resting periods, so to speak. He always knew he would return eventually; return to the planet he had dubbed as his home, and to his mate. This time he would not be going back.

Now, even the stillness of space could not quell the war of thoughts and emotions raging within him. The remembrance of Kakkarot's death stayed with him, no matter how far he fled. He had hoped that in leaving behind all those connected with that idiot, the memories would be left behind as well. It had been a foolish dream, however...he was reminded of its failure with every passing moment. Space provided no sanctuary this time.

Vegeta snarled and his eyes snapped open. He glared at the streams of water which pricked at his eyes, glared at the tiled walls of the shower cell, glared at everything in sight. He had not been granted a moment's peace since he left Capsule Corp. In fact, now he was even more agitated.

On top of his pain, Vegeta now had another bitter reality to deal with. He was completely disgusted with himself because of the undeniable fact which danced, sneering, through his mind...

He had run away.

All throughout his life, Vegeta had prided himself in the fact that he had never run from a fight, that he had given his all until the very end despite immeasurable odds. To flee from a ridiculous situation such as this...never in his life had he shown such cowardice. The very thought of it produced a low growl in his throat.

"Initiating landing procedures for planet Velassar."

Vegeta shut of the water and stepped onto the cold enamel floor. He quickly towelled himself off and donned a navy blue muscle shirt and grey sweatpants. With a brief flare of his energy, he evaporated the remaining water which clung to his body and hair. He didn't know why he was in such a hurry, only that he wanted off this ship.

"Landing process complete. Destination of planet Velassar now reached. Planet atmosphere found compatible for living standards."

Vegeta left the ship's washroom, leaving his damp towel in a crumpled heap on the tiled floor.

With a mechanical whir and a slight output of steam, the outdoor hatch of the pod slowly lowered to the ground to form a ramp. Vegeta appeared in the doorway a moment later, one hand gripping the doorframe as he surveyed his surroundings critically.

The planet appeared to be of a desert-type ecosystem. The landscape was barren; red, sandy soil stretching as far as his keen eyes could see to the horizon, where the blood red of the earth blurred with the dull pink hue of the sky. Night was beginning to fall over the planet, the sky overhead tainted a thick, dusty yellow with dusk's approach. Numerous large, lavender moons hung ornately above him, so close that their crater-dotted surfaces were clearly visible. Stars glittered faintly in the fading light as night grew nearer. The monotonous landscape seemed to be uninhabited, for there were no visible signs of life and Vegeta could sense no large life forms. He grunted.

"Humph. Good. No-one will bother me or interrupt my training for once." The sound of his own voice was startling; it was the only sound in the enitre plain, save an occasional breath of wind filtering through the coarse sand at his feet. Around him were several small rock escarpments, all of a dull, reddish coloured rock. Vegeta took off towards the nearest one, the flare of his energy causing a cloud of dust to rise up around him in the second before he took to the air.

Vegeta landed atop the cliff, his bare feet making a soft thump on the hard rock. He sat down, crossing his legs and folding his arms tightly across his chest. He snorted inwardly.

~If I'm not careful I'm going to look like that Namekian.~

He snorted again and closed his eyes, hoping dimly that this new planet would bring relief from that ever-present feeling of nothingness gnawing at his soul.

~~*~~

Well, chapter two is finally done and posted. Sorry it was somewhat of a short one, and there wasn't much action. I promise some MAJOR events will happen in the next chapter.....this is when the REAL plot-line will come into play!! *cackles evilly* This is so fun!! Anyway, hope everybody has an awesome Christmas!!! Now go earn another present from Santa by making my day by reviewing!! Hahahahaha........ ~Mira

~*~STORY ADVERTISING~*~ My all-time favourite story right now: "Splintered Souls" by Vandeleir (or Van-sama as I like to call him, I'm in such awe of his writing skills). This is an utterly AMAZING work in progress, taking place when Gohan when he first starts going to high school. Don't worry, this story goes deeper than you think. In this one, Gohan is still dealing with the pain of Goku's death at the Cell games. The emotion Van-sama pours into his words....I can't describe it, you'll just have to experience it for yourself. It's definitely worth your time, believe me.