Last time:
"Of course you can, the whole family is going to go. I wouldn't let you miss it for the world."
"Then I'll be there."
*******************************************************
Flashback:
Bulma's knuckles shown white under pressure as she firmly gripped the sterile white cotton sheets. Her forehead had a thin film of sweat; her eyes clenched shut, bolts of pain shooting through her entire body.
"I'll kill him! That bastard! He's dead!" she screamed, lunging her upper body skyward, though her restraints quickly pulled her back to her moving table bed. "He's fucking dead as soon as I'm out of here!"
"Don't worry sir," said one of the nurse's, a petite red head that was helping push the stretcher with Bulma on it to the delivery room. Tsuruki looked up at the woman a moment, then back to his kid sister, praying to Kami that her pain would be over soon. He'd come to visit that evening, intending on giving Bulma a baby-warming present, though instead ended up rushing her to the hospital when he discovered her crumpled on the floor in a world of pain. His parents weren't home, having quickly stepped out to get Bulma something at the store; as for his other siblings, he hadn't the faintest where they'd run off to. "They always say that about the father. It's quite common."
"No!" Bulma screeched, grabbing for the red head's hand, only to have it snapped back to the thin uncomfortable mattress. "He WILL pay! That asshole! He knocks me up then goes off to that WHORE! He'll fucking pay! I'll get him!"
"Oh my," the nurse gasped, letting go of the stretcher as it passed through a set of double doors, her services no longer needed.
"Bulma, sis, you're going to have to calm yourself," Tsuruki whispered, clutching her hand as best he could. "Mom and dad are on their way, I called their cell on the way here, remember?"
"And what about the almighty prick!? Where is he!? Probably with that whore! I knew it!"
"Shh, shh, he's on is way too. Mom said she was going to call him."
"I don't care!" she hissed, lunging at him unsuccessfully. "The prick! I don't need him! I don't want him here! I can do this all by myself!"
"But he has to be-"
"No he doesn't!" she sneered, the sweat almost pouring from her brow. "Hundreds of women do it without him everyday! And so can I!" She'd meant to say them, not him, but her brain was running on so much energy that it would probably short circuit if she didn't calm herself quickly. She couldn't decipher thought from thought, only pain registered.
"Bulma, I-" A deep voice interrupted them, causing their heads, along with all the doctors in the room, to snap in the direction it came from.
"Get him out of here!" she screamed, flinging her body up, though not getting very far. "Get him-"
End flashback:
Bulma was jolted back into reality, as a gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder.
"What?" she sighed, quickly pulling away and taking a seat.
"Your sister is an odd little girl," Vegeta ventured, sitting beside her.
"What do you mean by that?" she snapped, wrinkling her nose at him. He was more than a little shocked at her actions, though suppressed his urge to retort.
"Where's our son?"
"Trunks is with my mother. Answer me."
"I just think it was odd that she wanted to talk to me, that's all," he sighed, standing up and looking around for Mrs. Briefs. "Where's your mother? I'm going to take Trunks back to my house to sleep while you're all here."
"Why? He's perfectly fine here. He can sleep anywhere, you know that."
"Whatever," he huffed, stopping himself from advancing towards her, staying stiff in place. "I'm leaving then."
"Fine, I didn't want you here anyway." He was nearly out of the room, but the comment left an awful sting, one he couldn't simply ignore.
"What's with you woman? I have been nothing but nice to you and you continually lash out at me!" he growled, stalking back towards her. "I drove you here without question and still you're this way to me!"
"You can't be serious," she nearly laughed. "You're actually doing this. Kami, I don't believe it."
"Believe what?"
"That you're actually doing this. You, who cheated on me, is actually yelling at me for being rude."
"Well-"
"Well nothing, damn it! You deserve everything I give to you! You got that!? Everything!" She paused for a brief second, catching her breath. "I don't owe you a damn thing! You're lucky I'm even fucking talking to you!"
"Bulma Briefs!" Mrs. Briefs snapped, having just entered the room; the volume of their argument had carried through the corridors of the hospital. "What is going on in here?"
"He-"
"No!" she yelled, having never looked to frightening to Vegeta; she never raised her voice like that. "I cannot believe that you are here yelling at him while your brother and sister are in ICU! How dare you!"
"Sorry," she whispered, bowing her head. "It's just th-"
"No, don't apologize to me. Vegeta is the one you were yelling at."
"But-"
"Bulma! He drove you all the way here out of the kindness of his heart and you have the audacity to yell at him! Apologize!"
"Sorry," she murmured, looking at the floor in embarrassment.
"What was that?"
"I'm sorry Vegeta," she said louder, clenching her teeth. Her eyes were pointed at the floor; she would not look at him when she said that, that was too much for her. he already didn't deserve the apology, so she sure as hell wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her face when she said it. "Can I have Trunks now?" she asked, looking up at her mother, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Vegeta was starring at her. Mrs. Briefs gladly handed over her grandson, gently setting him in his mother's arms.
"The nurses here were kind enough to give me these," she said, placing a stack of diapers on the chair next to Bulma. "They said it was no problem."
"Alright. Thanks mom." She was still starring at the floor, following Vegeta's feet as he exited the room without another word.
*********************************************************
"Chi, this is never going to work," Goku grumbled as he was practically forced by his wife into the car.
"How can you be so sure?" She hopped into the driver's seat, quickly checking Gohan in the back before she pulled out of the driveway.
"Because, I know Vegeta. He'll smell a scam and he'll get out of there."
"Well what have we got to loose, huh? Nothing."
"You could loose your new friendship with him."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take for their sake. They deserve each other more than I deserve a friendship with Vegeta."
"It's not that easy for you and you know it. You've grown attached to him. You like him, and you'd miss him."
"And so what if I have," she said nonchalantly, glancing over at him. "I never said it wouldn't hurt. But it's worth it if they're together. I could never deny them that happiness. You know they're meant to be as much as I do."
"Yes," he sighed. "But that doesn't change what Vegeta did to her. How can you expect everything to be like it was before between them after that? It's impossible. Vegeta screwed up, he deserves what Bulma is giving him."
"I know things won't be the same," Chi-Chi practically grunted, trying her damnedest to keep her eyes on the road. "And I know Vegeta screwed himself with that little stunt, but I also know that no one deserves to be away from their soul mate, and that's exactly what they are. Besides, Bulma did nothing, why should she have to suffer a life without love?"
"But what if she finds love?"
"What are you talking about? Not Rikyu."
"Yes Rikyu. She told me a few days ago when we had lunch together that she thought she might be falling for him. So this doesn't just involve Vegeta and Bulma, Rikyu's feelings are at stake too. We can't just throw him around like he doesn't matter. That's not fair to him."
"But-" she sighed, easing into the driver's seat as she stopped at a red light. "-what about Bulma and Vegeta?"
"Chi, it's not up to us to help them. They have to figure this out on their own. If we butt in we're only going to hurt someone. And, even if they do get together, how can you not feel bad about hurting Rikyu? He deserves happiness as much as anyone."
"I know." She stepped on the gas as the light turned back to green, gripping the steering wheel a little harder. How could her plan have so many holes in it? But she already knew the answer; it was going to be a lot harder than she originally thought to get them back together. So where was she going to find a miracle? "Well, what do you think?" She turned to him for a brief moment. "Should Bulma be with Vegeta, who she loves, or Rikyu, who she's just starting to warm up to?"
"That's not for me to decide."
"I'm not asking that. I'm asking what you think. I mean, with Vegeta she has that history, they were in diapers together and now they have one in diapers."
"Yes, but then he deceived her and she found someone knew that has proven his loyalty so far. I think Rikyu deserves Bulma more than Vegeta does."
"But what about Bulma? Doesn't she deserve to be with who she loves?"
"And what if she loves Rikyu?"
"But she loves Vegeta, I know she does."
"Yes, but hurt can overpower love. She's falling harder for Rikyu everyday and hating Vegeta more at the same time," Goku sighed, resting his head on the closed window. He felt guilty for saying such things, after he and Vegeta had been best friends for so long. True, they were fighting now, and Goku acted like he didn't care, but deep down he was just hurt. He wanted Vegeta to be happy just as much as he wanted Bulma to be, but he just couldn't see how them being together would work after what happened. Bulma was way too stubborn to hear him out and Vegeta's personality always got the better of him. Rikyu, for the time being, seemed to be giving Bulma more than enough happiness. She was falling in love with him and there was nothing anyone could do about it. But there had to be something that he wasn't seeing. Was this thing with Rikyu just a fling? Was she really falling for him or was it just a game to hurt Vegeta like he hurt her? Or, if not, then was there something he was missing about her and Vegeta? Was her love for him as strong as ever? He just didn't know.
"But she doesn't really hate Vegeta, you know that. She loves him, she's always loved him."
"But-"
"But nothing." Chi-Chi brought the car to a gentle stop, turning it off. They were there. "We're going to have to at least give it a shot. If this doesn't work-" she sighed. "-then I'll give up. Ok?"
"Alright." He leaned over, giving her a loving peck on the cheek. He prayed to Kami that she was right, that they both did still love each other with the fire he and Chi-Chi had, and that no one would come out a loser. But he couldn't help but think of that fateful day of graduation when it happened.
Flashback:
Bulma's little black car with the green racing stripes came whipping around the corner and skidded into Krillin's driveway. Krillin, Chi-Chi, Goku, and 17 were on the front porch; everyone else was in the back pulling the liner off his pool. They didn't care that it had leaves in it and hadn't been properly cleaned since the beginning of winter, it was hot out and they needed to cool off.
"Hey B!" Chi-Chi yelled, waving as her friend stayed seated in her car, the tint of the windows hiding her expression. She didn't answer, only sobbed into her steering wheel, audible to them, for her windows were down. "B?" Chi-Chi crept towards the car, the others following. "Oh my Kami, B!" She swung open the driver's side door, quickly throwing her arms around her shoulders. "What's wrong? What happened? Where's Vegeta?"
"He-He-He-" But she couldn't continue, she'd been crushed, completely. How could he have done that to her? And with her, that filthy slutty whore!? How could she have possibly aloud herself to trust him? She knew what he was like, she knew his past with girls, and he certainly didn't seem to be any different now than he had seemed then. So what had happened? What made him change? Or change back? She sighed deeply, she didn't want to think about it, but how could she not? It had only happened ten minutes ago, it hadn't even sunk in yet completely.
"It's ok," Chi-Chi cooed, gently pulling her out of the car, making sure to hold her up as they walked. Who knew what had happened and what kind of condition she was in. "Take all the time you need. Start slow, where's Vegeta?"
"That bastard! What an asshole!" she screamed, struggling to get from Chi-Chi's grasp. "I can't believe he did that! What a fucking cheater! I'm never going to talk to that bastard again! Unbelievable!" she gasped, exhausted, pulling Chi-Chi and herself down. Fortunately though, Goku caught them before they fell, and 17 helped them up too.
"What's going on over here?" 18 asked, running over to the group, who were surrounding Bulma. "B, what's wrong?"
"We really don't know yet," Krillin whispered, holding her back from interfering. She didn't look like she wanted much company in her state.
"Vegeta, the bastard!" she cried into Chi-Chi's lap when they'd sunken to the ground completely. "And with her! Kami, why?"
"Her? Who's she talking about?"
"We don't know."
She grabbed onto Chi-Chi's side, burying her face in her stomach, sobbing uncontrollably. And no one really knew what was going on. Vegeta had done something, with someone. Cheated? Had she said that? But it didn't make any sense. Why would he cheat on her when she was the only thing that could, and ever would, make him happy? He loved her, and they all knew that, even if he never said it. That couldn't possibly be it.
"Where is he?" Goku asked, bending down so she could hear him better.
"Yeah," 18 added, clenching her fists. For being one of his best friends, she seemed to be the one who always jumped to conclusions and wanted to make him pay.
"The fucking school," Bulma sobbed, wiping her eyes on Chi-Chi's shirt, which she didn't mind.
"I'll kill him!" 18 boomed, running for Krillin's car.
"No, I'll go," Goku demanded, grabbing her and pulling her back. "You're not rational right now, he'd never talk to you."
"I'm not going to talk!" she yelled, struggling to get free, which she almost did, but then Krillin grabbed around her waist to hold her in place better. "I'm going to beat his lying, cheating little face in! That jerk! How could he do that to Bulma!?"
"But we don't know what he did," he insisted, trying to calm her down.
"We basically know! Open your eyes, he cheated on her, and he's going to pay!" Krillin pulled her to the ground next to Bulma and Chi-Chi, holding her there while Goku got into his car and sped away. She cursed several choice swears and slumped back, leaning on Krillin's chest. She wasn't angry that they'd done that and left her there, but that they were right and she was a hothead and needed to think things through better before acting.
Bulma continued to sob and mumble a few words every now and then. It was clear that it would take a lot, and a long time, for her to get over this.
End Flashback:
******************************************************************
Vegeta paced around his bedroom, replaying the events since Bulma had talked to him over and over in his head. Something was going to happen, he was sure of it; these types of things always spelled disaster. There was a ripple in the norm of his everyday life, which started when Bulma came to lecture at his school last week, and now he was sure to be caught in a hurricane if things didn't clear up soon.
"Vegeta!" a feminine voice called from the bottom of the stairs; his mother.
"Yeah!?" he called back, stepping towards the door.
"Chi-Chi's here to see you! Do you want me to send her up!?"
"Fine!" Moments later he heard footsteps climbing the staircase, though they sounded much to hard to be Chi-Chi's, followed by a few swift knocks on his door. "Come in," he grunted, flopping onto his bed. He really was in no mood for her after what had happened yesterday, but he didn't have a choice, she was already there.
"Hey there 'Get," she quipped, bouncing over to sit beside him. He didn't even notice the figure standing in the doorway. "What's going on?"
"Well, I appear to be lying here wondering what the hell you want."
"Well, are you busy then?"
"No, I don't suppose I am. What do you want?"
"Stop talking to her like that," came a deep masculine voice from the doorway, it was unmistakenable.
"Kakarot?" He turned towards the door, sitting up a little. "What are you doing here?" He narrowed his brow at him, still sore over the last encountered they'd had together which had ended with Vegeta having a black eye and a bruised pride, and all because Goku had to go and open his big stupid mouth about things that had nothing to do with him; Bulma.
"Isn't it obvious?" he sneered, feeling very odd having such negative feelings toward Vegeta. But that's how things go, right? One minute you're best friends and the next you're the one they talk about to other people. "I came with Chi-Chi."
"Where's your brat? I know you hardly go anywhere without him."
"Your mother is watching him," Chi-Chi piped in, not wanting their argument to escalate before she had a fair chance at him. "How are you?"
"Why? What's going on?"
"It's a simple question 'Geta. How are you?"
"Well, considering that my son's aunts and uncle just got into a major car wreck and I was ridiculed by his mother for breathing, I think I'm in a fairly good mood, don't you?" he huffed, flopping his head back on his pillow. "You try and do something for someone and it always back fires."
"What are you talking about?" Chi-Chi nearly gasped.
"About what?"
"The car wreck, what happened?"
"Shirosama, Jun'ko, and Mai got into a car accident last night. I drove Bulma to the hospital and then she yelled at me."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back up. What do you mean they got into a car accident?"
"You don't know what I mean?" he grunted, glaring at her.
"I mean, are they alright?"
"Yeah, I guess. They were all alive when I got there."
"Why wouldn't she tell me?" Chi-Chi whispered to herself, suddenly feeling more distant from her best friend than ever.
"She doesn't tell you a lot, does she? Did you know she was in a play downtown? A play for Kami's sake. It's unbelievable what's happened to her. She's changed."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Romeo and Juliet down at the Arakida Theatre, she's playing Juliet. She told me yesterday."
"She-She told you and not me? How long has she known?"
"Since yesterday. Kami, you need to learn to play attention."
"Would you cut that out Vegeta!" Goku snapped, having heard enough from him. "Stop jabbing at her because you're in a bad mood."
"What are you trying to say?" Vegeta hissed, sitting up, ready to jump at any moment.
"I'm not trying," he sneered. "I said it. Stop doing that to her. She doesn't need you telling her half-truths about Bulma just so you can sleep better tonight. Honestly Vegeta, I don't get you anymore. Why in Kami's name are you friend's with her if you do that?"
"Shut up Kakarot, I don't need this from you right now."
"Well that's not stopping you from getting it, Kami knows you deserve it."
"I'd watch it if I were you Ka-"
"Stop it you two," Chi-Chi warned, stepping between the two of them. "Come on Goku, I have no place here anymore."
"Walking out on me too, eh Chi?" Vegeta hummed, leaning back on his hands, an evil smirk on his lips.
"You unimaginable bastard," she growled, lunging at him. He wouldn't have been able to dodge her had he known a head of time that she was going to do that. He was on the ground, Chi-Chi straddling him and throwing punched before he could blink. "How dare you! I go out of my way to try and help you win back Bulma and all you can do is insult me!?"
"Chi!" Goku cried, pulling her back, latching his arm around her waist. "Calm down."
"No! He deserves this! You're right! He's been blinding me!"
"With what? Kindness?" Vegeta huffed, standing up, his hand on his quickly bruising cheek. She hadn't realized that she packed so much in her tiny little fists. "Go home Sons. I'm through with both of you."
"Fine," Chi-Chi hissed, squirming from Goku's grasp. "But never come to me for anything again. You hear me!? No more of your pulling me out of class because you're having an emotional break down! I don't care anymore!"
"Fine! Leave! Leave like all the rest of them! I don't need you!"
"Well that is where you're wrong Vegeta," Goku cut in. "You do need us, all of us; me, Chi-Chi, Bulma, Krillin, 17, 18, all of us. You need us more than we could ever need you. We've done more for you in our lives than you've ever even considered doing for us! What do WE need You for? Nothing, that's what. So fine, act like you're all big and bad and don't care what we do. It'll only hurt you in the end. You'll die a miserable old man with no one in his life, and then I'll be the one laughing."
"Get out of my house!" Vegeta screamed, using all his energy to keep from charging at him. "G-Get-" But his words were choked, choked by his oncoming tears that were welling up in his eyes out of anger.
"Oh, don't cry Vegeta," Goku mocked, pouting out his lip. "It's not very like the tough manly Vegeta, is it?"
"Shut up Kakarot!" he warned, barring his teeth, his tears flowing down his cheeks. He tried his damnedest to keep them from coming, to stop them when they did, but it was useless; he was far too upset. "Get out!"
"Ha!" Goku laughed evilly. "See! This is what it has all come down to, you crying over your loses because you weren't man enough to be a real man."
"Go..away.." He whipped his eyes, clenching his fists. Why wouldn't they just leave!?
"Fine, but this time we're gone for good. I don't care if you come running because you're hell bent on killing yourself over your pathetic little life; don't come running to me."
"Get! Ouuuuuuuuuuut!" He charged at him, full force, though was unfortunately met with the hard wooden door, sending him back several feet. He lay there, on the floor, a while, his face throbbing from Chi-Chi's assault. How had it all come down to this? Him, laying on his floor, face sore and crying over his mishaps. Where had all the happiness gone? But he already knew, it went when Bulma went. And now everything was falling apart and all because of his mistakes, all his mistakes starting with then he'd shunned Bulma in middle school. They'd come tumbled at him after that and he, the tough guy with the shriveled crying child inside, was powerless to stop them. "Oh Kami.." He whispered, turning over to his stomach, allowing his tears to soak into the carpet.
**********************************************
---Chapter 8!!! Wow, hey, I know that was a bit weird and jumped around, but I'm still working things out for this story. This was a little angsty and had a lot of flashbacks, but the story needs it, trust me. Without it it wouldn't be believable, you know? Anyways, I'm on to the next chapter, thinking it up in my creative little head. I hope this chapter wasn't a huge disappointment, but if so, then, well, pooh on you cause I thought it was good. Oh, and about Vegeta's crying-He's just letting out a lot of pent up anger and emotion from the last year. He needed that to do what he's going to do next, but I'm not telling, nope, you'll have to wait and see :P
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next time: Auditions and other stuff (I'm still thinking).
"Of course you can, the whole family is going to go. I wouldn't let you miss it for the world."
"Then I'll be there."
*******************************************************
Flashback:
Bulma's knuckles shown white under pressure as she firmly gripped the sterile white cotton sheets. Her forehead had a thin film of sweat; her eyes clenched shut, bolts of pain shooting through her entire body.
"I'll kill him! That bastard! He's dead!" she screamed, lunging her upper body skyward, though her restraints quickly pulled her back to her moving table bed. "He's fucking dead as soon as I'm out of here!"
"Don't worry sir," said one of the nurse's, a petite red head that was helping push the stretcher with Bulma on it to the delivery room. Tsuruki looked up at the woman a moment, then back to his kid sister, praying to Kami that her pain would be over soon. He'd come to visit that evening, intending on giving Bulma a baby-warming present, though instead ended up rushing her to the hospital when he discovered her crumpled on the floor in a world of pain. His parents weren't home, having quickly stepped out to get Bulma something at the store; as for his other siblings, he hadn't the faintest where they'd run off to. "They always say that about the father. It's quite common."
"No!" Bulma screeched, grabbing for the red head's hand, only to have it snapped back to the thin uncomfortable mattress. "He WILL pay! That asshole! He knocks me up then goes off to that WHORE! He'll fucking pay! I'll get him!"
"Oh my," the nurse gasped, letting go of the stretcher as it passed through a set of double doors, her services no longer needed.
"Bulma, sis, you're going to have to calm yourself," Tsuruki whispered, clutching her hand as best he could. "Mom and dad are on their way, I called their cell on the way here, remember?"
"And what about the almighty prick!? Where is he!? Probably with that whore! I knew it!"
"Shh, shh, he's on is way too. Mom said she was going to call him."
"I don't care!" she hissed, lunging at him unsuccessfully. "The prick! I don't need him! I don't want him here! I can do this all by myself!"
"But he has to be-"
"No he doesn't!" she sneered, the sweat almost pouring from her brow. "Hundreds of women do it without him everyday! And so can I!" She'd meant to say them, not him, but her brain was running on so much energy that it would probably short circuit if she didn't calm herself quickly. She couldn't decipher thought from thought, only pain registered.
"Bulma, I-" A deep voice interrupted them, causing their heads, along with all the doctors in the room, to snap in the direction it came from.
"Get him out of here!" she screamed, flinging her body up, though not getting very far. "Get him-"
End flashback:
Bulma was jolted back into reality, as a gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder.
"What?" she sighed, quickly pulling away and taking a seat.
"Your sister is an odd little girl," Vegeta ventured, sitting beside her.
"What do you mean by that?" she snapped, wrinkling her nose at him. He was more than a little shocked at her actions, though suppressed his urge to retort.
"Where's our son?"
"Trunks is with my mother. Answer me."
"I just think it was odd that she wanted to talk to me, that's all," he sighed, standing up and looking around for Mrs. Briefs. "Where's your mother? I'm going to take Trunks back to my house to sleep while you're all here."
"Why? He's perfectly fine here. He can sleep anywhere, you know that."
"Whatever," he huffed, stopping himself from advancing towards her, staying stiff in place. "I'm leaving then."
"Fine, I didn't want you here anyway." He was nearly out of the room, but the comment left an awful sting, one he couldn't simply ignore.
"What's with you woman? I have been nothing but nice to you and you continually lash out at me!" he growled, stalking back towards her. "I drove you here without question and still you're this way to me!"
"You can't be serious," she nearly laughed. "You're actually doing this. Kami, I don't believe it."
"Believe what?"
"That you're actually doing this. You, who cheated on me, is actually yelling at me for being rude."
"Well-"
"Well nothing, damn it! You deserve everything I give to you! You got that!? Everything!" She paused for a brief second, catching her breath. "I don't owe you a damn thing! You're lucky I'm even fucking talking to you!"
"Bulma Briefs!" Mrs. Briefs snapped, having just entered the room; the volume of their argument had carried through the corridors of the hospital. "What is going on in here?"
"He-"
"No!" she yelled, having never looked to frightening to Vegeta; she never raised her voice like that. "I cannot believe that you are here yelling at him while your brother and sister are in ICU! How dare you!"
"Sorry," she whispered, bowing her head. "It's just th-"
"No, don't apologize to me. Vegeta is the one you were yelling at."
"But-"
"Bulma! He drove you all the way here out of the kindness of his heart and you have the audacity to yell at him! Apologize!"
"Sorry," she murmured, looking at the floor in embarrassment.
"What was that?"
"I'm sorry Vegeta," she said louder, clenching her teeth. Her eyes were pointed at the floor; she would not look at him when she said that, that was too much for her. he already didn't deserve the apology, so she sure as hell wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her face when she said it. "Can I have Trunks now?" she asked, looking up at her mother, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Vegeta was starring at her. Mrs. Briefs gladly handed over her grandson, gently setting him in his mother's arms.
"The nurses here were kind enough to give me these," she said, placing a stack of diapers on the chair next to Bulma. "They said it was no problem."
"Alright. Thanks mom." She was still starring at the floor, following Vegeta's feet as he exited the room without another word.
*********************************************************
"Chi, this is never going to work," Goku grumbled as he was practically forced by his wife into the car.
"How can you be so sure?" She hopped into the driver's seat, quickly checking Gohan in the back before she pulled out of the driveway.
"Because, I know Vegeta. He'll smell a scam and he'll get out of there."
"Well what have we got to loose, huh? Nothing."
"You could loose your new friendship with him."
"That's a risk I'm willing to take for their sake. They deserve each other more than I deserve a friendship with Vegeta."
"It's not that easy for you and you know it. You've grown attached to him. You like him, and you'd miss him."
"And so what if I have," she said nonchalantly, glancing over at him. "I never said it wouldn't hurt. But it's worth it if they're together. I could never deny them that happiness. You know they're meant to be as much as I do."
"Yes," he sighed. "But that doesn't change what Vegeta did to her. How can you expect everything to be like it was before between them after that? It's impossible. Vegeta screwed up, he deserves what Bulma is giving him."
"I know things won't be the same," Chi-Chi practically grunted, trying her damnedest to keep her eyes on the road. "And I know Vegeta screwed himself with that little stunt, but I also know that no one deserves to be away from their soul mate, and that's exactly what they are. Besides, Bulma did nothing, why should she have to suffer a life without love?"
"But what if she finds love?"
"What are you talking about? Not Rikyu."
"Yes Rikyu. She told me a few days ago when we had lunch together that she thought she might be falling for him. So this doesn't just involve Vegeta and Bulma, Rikyu's feelings are at stake too. We can't just throw him around like he doesn't matter. That's not fair to him."
"But-" she sighed, easing into the driver's seat as she stopped at a red light. "-what about Bulma and Vegeta?"
"Chi, it's not up to us to help them. They have to figure this out on their own. If we butt in we're only going to hurt someone. And, even if they do get together, how can you not feel bad about hurting Rikyu? He deserves happiness as much as anyone."
"I know." She stepped on the gas as the light turned back to green, gripping the steering wheel a little harder. How could her plan have so many holes in it? But she already knew the answer; it was going to be a lot harder than she originally thought to get them back together. So where was she going to find a miracle? "Well, what do you think?" She turned to him for a brief moment. "Should Bulma be with Vegeta, who she loves, or Rikyu, who she's just starting to warm up to?"
"That's not for me to decide."
"I'm not asking that. I'm asking what you think. I mean, with Vegeta she has that history, they were in diapers together and now they have one in diapers."
"Yes, but then he deceived her and she found someone knew that has proven his loyalty so far. I think Rikyu deserves Bulma more than Vegeta does."
"But what about Bulma? Doesn't she deserve to be with who she loves?"
"And what if she loves Rikyu?"
"But she loves Vegeta, I know she does."
"Yes, but hurt can overpower love. She's falling harder for Rikyu everyday and hating Vegeta more at the same time," Goku sighed, resting his head on the closed window. He felt guilty for saying such things, after he and Vegeta had been best friends for so long. True, they were fighting now, and Goku acted like he didn't care, but deep down he was just hurt. He wanted Vegeta to be happy just as much as he wanted Bulma to be, but he just couldn't see how them being together would work after what happened. Bulma was way too stubborn to hear him out and Vegeta's personality always got the better of him. Rikyu, for the time being, seemed to be giving Bulma more than enough happiness. She was falling in love with him and there was nothing anyone could do about it. But there had to be something that he wasn't seeing. Was this thing with Rikyu just a fling? Was she really falling for him or was it just a game to hurt Vegeta like he hurt her? Or, if not, then was there something he was missing about her and Vegeta? Was her love for him as strong as ever? He just didn't know.
"But she doesn't really hate Vegeta, you know that. She loves him, she's always loved him."
"But-"
"But nothing." Chi-Chi brought the car to a gentle stop, turning it off. They were there. "We're going to have to at least give it a shot. If this doesn't work-" she sighed. "-then I'll give up. Ok?"
"Alright." He leaned over, giving her a loving peck on the cheek. He prayed to Kami that she was right, that they both did still love each other with the fire he and Chi-Chi had, and that no one would come out a loser. But he couldn't help but think of that fateful day of graduation when it happened.
Flashback:
Bulma's little black car with the green racing stripes came whipping around the corner and skidded into Krillin's driveway. Krillin, Chi-Chi, Goku, and 17 were on the front porch; everyone else was in the back pulling the liner off his pool. They didn't care that it had leaves in it and hadn't been properly cleaned since the beginning of winter, it was hot out and they needed to cool off.
"Hey B!" Chi-Chi yelled, waving as her friend stayed seated in her car, the tint of the windows hiding her expression. She didn't answer, only sobbed into her steering wheel, audible to them, for her windows were down. "B?" Chi-Chi crept towards the car, the others following. "Oh my Kami, B!" She swung open the driver's side door, quickly throwing her arms around her shoulders. "What's wrong? What happened? Where's Vegeta?"
"He-He-He-" But she couldn't continue, she'd been crushed, completely. How could he have done that to her? And with her, that filthy slutty whore!? How could she have possibly aloud herself to trust him? She knew what he was like, she knew his past with girls, and he certainly didn't seem to be any different now than he had seemed then. So what had happened? What made him change? Or change back? She sighed deeply, she didn't want to think about it, but how could she not? It had only happened ten minutes ago, it hadn't even sunk in yet completely.
"It's ok," Chi-Chi cooed, gently pulling her out of the car, making sure to hold her up as they walked. Who knew what had happened and what kind of condition she was in. "Take all the time you need. Start slow, where's Vegeta?"
"That bastard! What an asshole!" she screamed, struggling to get from Chi-Chi's grasp. "I can't believe he did that! What a fucking cheater! I'm never going to talk to that bastard again! Unbelievable!" she gasped, exhausted, pulling Chi-Chi and herself down. Fortunately though, Goku caught them before they fell, and 17 helped them up too.
"What's going on over here?" 18 asked, running over to the group, who were surrounding Bulma. "B, what's wrong?"
"We really don't know yet," Krillin whispered, holding her back from interfering. She didn't look like she wanted much company in her state.
"Vegeta, the bastard!" she cried into Chi-Chi's lap when they'd sunken to the ground completely. "And with her! Kami, why?"
"Her? Who's she talking about?"
"We don't know."
She grabbed onto Chi-Chi's side, burying her face in her stomach, sobbing uncontrollably. And no one really knew what was going on. Vegeta had done something, with someone. Cheated? Had she said that? But it didn't make any sense. Why would he cheat on her when she was the only thing that could, and ever would, make him happy? He loved her, and they all knew that, even if he never said it. That couldn't possibly be it.
"Where is he?" Goku asked, bending down so she could hear him better.
"Yeah," 18 added, clenching her fists. For being one of his best friends, she seemed to be the one who always jumped to conclusions and wanted to make him pay.
"The fucking school," Bulma sobbed, wiping her eyes on Chi-Chi's shirt, which she didn't mind.
"I'll kill him!" 18 boomed, running for Krillin's car.
"No, I'll go," Goku demanded, grabbing her and pulling her back. "You're not rational right now, he'd never talk to you."
"I'm not going to talk!" she yelled, struggling to get free, which she almost did, but then Krillin grabbed around her waist to hold her in place better. "I'm going to beat his lying, cheating little face in! That jerk! How could he do that to Bulma!?"
"But we don't know what he did," he insisted, trying to calm her down.
"We basically know! Open your eyes, he cheated on her, and he's going to pay!" Krillin pulled her to the ground next to Bulma and Chi-Chi, holding her there while Goku got into his car and sped away. She cursed several choice swears and slumped back, leaning on Krillin's chest. She wasn't angry that they'd done that and left her there, but that they were right and she was a hothead and needed to think things through better before acting.
Bulma continued to sob and mumble a few words every now and then. It was clear that it would take a lot, and a long time, for her to get over this.
End Flashback:
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Vegeta paced around his bedroom, replaying the events since Bulma had talked to him over and over in his head. Something was going to happen, he was sure of it; these types of things always spelled disaster. There was a ripple in the norm of his everyday life, which started when Bulma came to lecture at his school last week, and now he was sure to be caught in a hurricane if things didn't clear up soon.
"Vegeta!" a feminine voice called from the bottom of the stairs; his mother.
"Yeah!?" he called back, stepping towards the door.
"Chi-Chi's here to see you! Do you want me to send her up!?"
"Fine!" Moments later he heard footsteps climbing the staircase, though they sounded much to hard to be Chi-Chi's, followed by a few swift knocks on his door. "Come in," he grunted, flopping onto his bed. He really was in no mood for her after what had happened yesterday, but he didn't have a choice, she was already there.
"Hey there 'Get," she quipped, bouncing over to sit beside him. He didn't even notice the figure standing in the doorway. "What's going on?"
"Well, I appear to be lying here wondering what the hell you want."
"Well, are you busy then?"
"No, I don't suppose I am. What do you want?"
"Stop talking to her like that," came a deep masculine voice from the doorway, it was unmistakenable.
"Kakarot?" He turned towards the door, sitting up a little. "What are you doing here?" He narrowed his brow at him, still sore over the last encountered they'd had together which had ended with Vegeta having a black eye and a bruised pride, and all because Goku had to go and open his big stupid mouth about things that had nothing to do with him; Bulma.
"Isn't it obvious?" he sneered, feeling very odd having such negative feelings toward Vegeta. But that's how things go, right? One minute you're best friends and the next you're the one they talk about to other people. "I came with Chi-Chi."
"Where's your brat? I know you hardly go anywhere without him."
"Your mother is watching him," Chi-Chi piped in, not wanting their argument to escalate before she had a fair chance at him. "How are you?"
"Why? What's going on?"
"It's a simple question 'Geta. How are you?"
"Well, considering that my son's aunts and uncle just got into a major car wreck and I was ridiculed by his mother for breathing, I think I'm in a fairly good mood, don't you?" he huffed, flopping his head back on his pillow. "You try and do something for someone and it always back fires."
"What are you talking about?" Chi-Chi nearly gasped.
"About what?"
"The car wreck, what happened?"
"Shirosama, Jun'ko, and Mai got into a car accident last night. I drove Bulma to the hospital and then she yelled at me."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back up. What do you mean they got into a car accident?"
"You don't know what I mean?" he grunted, glaring at her.
"I mean, are they alright?"
"Yeah, I guess. They were all alive when I got there."
"Why wouldn't she tell me?" Chi-Chi whispered to herself, suddenly feeling more distant from her best friend than ever.
"She doesn't tell you a lot, does she? Did you know she was in a play downtown? A play for Kami's sake. It's unbelievable what's happened to her. She's changed."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Romeo and Juliet down at the Arakida Theatre, she's playing Juliet. She told me yesterday."
"She-She told you and not me? How long has she known?"
"Since yesterday. Kami, you need to learn to play attention."
"Would you cut that out Vegeta!" Goku snapped, having heard enough from him. "Stop jabbing at her because you're in a bad mood."
"What are you trying to say?" Vegeta hissed, sitting up, ready to jump at any moment.
"I'm not trying," he sneered. "I said it. Stop doing that to her. She doesn't need you telling her half-truths about Bulma just so you can sleep better tonight. Honestly Vegeta, I don't get you anymore. Why in Kami's name are you friend's with her if you do that?"
"Shut up Kakarot, I don't need this from you right now."
"Well that's not stopping you from getting it, Kami knows you deserve it."
"I'd watch it if I were you Ka-"
"Stop it you two," Chi-Chi warned, stepping between the two of them. "Come on Goku, I have no place here anymore."
"Walking out on me too, eh Chi?" Vegeta hummed, leaning back on his hands, an evil smirk on his lips.
"You unimaginable bastard," she growled, lunging at him. He wouldn't have been able to dodge her had he known a head of time that she was going to do that. He was on the ground, Chi-Chi straddling him and throwing punched before he could blink. "How dare you! I go out of my way to try and help you win back Bulma and all you can do is insult me!?"
"Chi!" Goku cried, pulling her back, latching his arm around her waist. "Calm down."
"No! He deserves this! You're right! He's been blinding me!"
"With what? Kindness?" Vegeta huffed, standing up, his hand on his quickly bruising cheek. She hadn't realized that she packed so much in her tiny little fists. "Go home Sons. I'm through with both of you."
"Fine," Chi-Chi hissed, squirming from Goku's grasp. "But never come to me for anything again. You hear me!? No more of your pulling me out of class because you're having an emotional break down! I don't care anymore!"
"Fine! Leave! Leave like all the rest of them! I don't need you!"
"Well that is where you're wrong Vegeta," Goku cut in. "You do need us, all of us; me, Chi-Chi, Bulma, Krillin, 17, 18, all of us. You need us more than we could ever need you. We've done more for you in our lives than you've ever even considered doing for us! What do WE need You for? Nothing, that's what. So fine, act like you're all big and bad and don't care what we do. It'll only hurt you in the end. You'll die a miserable old man with no one in his life, and then I'll be the one laughing."
"Get out of my house!" Vegeta screamed, using all his energy to keep from charging at him. "G-Get-" But his words were choked, choked by his oncoming tears that were welling up in his eyes out of anger.
"Oh, don't cry Vegeta," Goku mocked, pouting out his lip. "It's not very like the tough manly Vegeta, is it?"
"Shut up Kakarot!" he warned, barring his teeth, his tears flowing down his cheeks. He tried his damnedest to keep them from coming, to stop them when they did, but it was useless; he was far too upset. "Get out!"
"Ha!" Goku laughed evilly. "See! This is what it has all come down to, you crying over your loses because you weren't man enough to be a real man."
"Go..away.." He whipped his eyes, clenching his fists. Why wouldn't they just leave!?
"Fine, but this time we're gone for good. I don't care if you come running because you're hell bent on killing yourself over your pathetic little life; don't come running to me."
"Get! Ouuuuuuuuuuut!" He charged at him, full force, though was unfortunately met with the hard wooden door, sending him back several feet. He lay there, on the floor, a while, his face throbbing from Chi-Chi's assault. How had it all come down to this? Him, laying on his floor, face sore and crying over his mishaps. Where had all the happiness gone? But he already knew, it went when Bulma went. And now everything was falling apart and all because of his mistakes, all his mistakes starting with then he'd shunned Bulma in middle school. They'd come tumbled at him after that and he, the tough guy with the shriveled crying child inside, was powerless to stop them. "Oh Kami.." He whispered, turning over to his stomach, allowing his tears to soak into the carpet.
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---Chapter 8!!! Wow, hey, I know that was a bit weird and jumped around, but I'm still working things out for this story. This was a little angsty and had a lot of flashbacks, but the story needs it, trust me. Without it it wouldn't be believable, you know? Anyways, I'm on to the next chapter, thinking it up in my creative little head. I hope this chapter wasn't a huge disappointment, but if so, then, well, pooh on you cause I thought it was good. Oh, and about Vegeta's crying-He's just letting out a lot of pent up anger and emotion from the last year. He needed that to do what he's going to do next, but I'm not telling, nope, you'll have to wait and see :P
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next time: Auditions and other stuff (I'm still thinking).