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Chapter 2

Facing Death

"Goku, what's going on?" Chi-Chi exclaimed.

"Yah, you have to tell us sometime! What are you waiting for?"

The gang had been summoned to the lookout by (the now conscious)Goku. He was starting to panic. Piccolo, Krillin, and the boys were supposed to have been here by now. They had gone to look for Gohan, and said they would be arriving soon. He now had to face the wrath of two angry mothers...alone.

"Mom!" Goten yelled as he ran to his mother's embrace. Trunks just stood behind the tall green man who carried the unconscious Gohan. When Chi-Chi saw this, she freaked, but with a quick-delivered Senzu bean, he was returned to normality.

"Well..." Goku started, "I guess you all deserve some explanations as to-."

"Where's my husband, Goku?" Bulma inquired quietly. Goku looked at her compassionately.

"As you all know, we left to go chase those two warriors. Supreme Ki told s they were going to their master to revive a monster, Majin Buu with Gohan's energy. We entered Babidi, the wizard's to find and destroy him, but in the process, he enslaved Vegeta's mind," Bulma gasped, "That's why he acted the way he did at the Tournament. He was under mind control."

He paused as they all watched him anxiously.

"Buu was eventually revived, but he's dead now! He-."

"Good job, Goku. I knew you could do it," Master Roshi put in proudly.

"No, it wasn't me. It was Vegeta, but he-he..uh..."

"Goku?"

"He's dead," he finally said. Everyone turned silently turned to Bulma. She was staring at nothing in the air. She began to cry starting with calm, silent tears, but then they turned to violent, sobbing cries.

"No, he's not. He can't be!" she cried as she collapsed onto the ground. Trunks ran up to her and threw his arms around his mother as he too began sobbing. They cried and cried together for what seemed like hours, comforted by each other's presence. When the sun began to set and Trunks fell asleep crying, Chi-Chi approached to two and bent down to say,

"Bulma, I think we should leave now. It's getting dark. You can even come with us if you want."

The blue-haired woman stopped and looked at her. Chi-chi had soft tears in her eyes.

"No thanks, Trunks and I will make it home alone fine."

Krillin and 18 approached her with a groggy Marron. They hugged Bulma and Trunks then left silently with Master Roshi. Piccolo left next. Then the Son's. Goku still had a few hours left so he would spend it with his family. But before they returned home, Goku transported Bulma and Trunks home to save them the flight.

"Goku?" Bulma asked as she entered her own kitchen carrying her 'baby' in her arms.

"Yes, Bulma?"

"How did he die? I mean was it noble?"

"Oh yes, he died saving all of our lives. Lot's would be dead if not for him."

"Thank you, that's what I needed to hear."

"Anytime." He gave her one last supportive hug before he placed two fingers at his temple and faded away.

The first thing Bulma did before retiring was put Trunks to be. Afterwards she collapsed into her bed without removing her clothes and snuggled under the sheets. She looked to the right side of the bed where Vegeta always slept. It was still disheveled since the last time he slept in it. Bulma crawled over to his spot, hoping to feel his presence. Ahh, she could still smell his scent. Breathing in his essence, she slowly fell into a quiet, dreamless sleep.

The next morning, Bulma Briefs woke up aching, expecting to yell at her husband for getting her up so early. But soon, she realized that he wasn't there. And he would never be with her again. Oh, death brings so many tears. First comes denial. You expect the one lost to walk in on you yelling, "Surprise!" as if it were all a joke. Then, when that doesn't happen, realization dawns on you, and you fell so, so, depressed. Like you can't go on ever again.

All kinds of emotions floated through Bulma's head as she, was again, lay in her...their...bed, sobbing. Her cries woke up Trunks. He entered the room and patted his mother's back as she wept silent tears streaming from his own eyes.

"Where do we go from here?" the child asked calmly.

Bulma sat up and cupped her son's face in her hands.

"Day by day, Trunks. Day by day. Now, I'm going to get up and make breakfast. You will go and put some clean clothes on, so we can go for a walk after we eat."

"I love you, mom."

"I love you too, baby."

~*~*~*~*~*~

As dawn came and went, Goku was preparing for his return the Other World. This was quite an event at the Son house. Chi-chi was bawling as she clung to her dead husband. This was it; she was never going to see her husband and lover again. Their sons stood at the sidelines, watching their parents grieve. After the sons said their good-byes, the witch Baba came to retrieve Goku.

"Good-bye, Goku," Chi-chi said and gave her husband one last kiss. Gohan and Goten hugged their father, and then he was flying away...away and out of sight, but not out of mind. And never forgotten.

He flew with Baba until they reached the gates to Other World. She left him, and Goku went to check in with King Yemma.

"I'm back Yemma!"

"Oh, Goku! How was your trip to Earth.?"

"It was...interesting to be completely honest."

"Yes, yes. Well, you have someone on Grand Kai's planet. He said he was a friend of yours."

No, it can't be; he should be in HFIL. Shouldn't he? Goku thought.
"When's the next plane leaving?" he asked.

King Yemma looked at his watch, "In about...ten seconds. You'd better hurry."

"Right!"

Goku boarded the craft immediately, and soon reached his destination. He looked for Grand Kai, but had no success. As he was about to take a lunch break, a familiar voice spoke,

"Kakarrott."

Goku turned, and gasped, "Vegeta!"

~Where do we go from here? The battle's done, And we kinda won. So we shout our victory cheer. Where do we go from here?~