Disclaimer: I do not claim to own the Dragon Ball series or any of its related topics. Dragon Ball is the property of Akira Toriyama. In respect to its creator, this fan fiction is created for entertainment purposes only, and is not part of the official story line. The plot is mine and any other characters you do not recognize. No reader/reviewer is authorized to release/post/translate this story anywhere else without my permission.

A/N: If you'd check the date of when this story was published and completed, you'd note that this story was written some time ago. Therefore this story no longer accurately reflects my current and preferred writing style. This story remains up in this site for archival purposes. It is highly unlikely that I will make revisions and proof-read the story, and in no means will I add or delete chapters. I do so, I will give a warning at the start of each chapter if it was ever revised.

Please read and enjoy, and reviews are always welcome.

Chapter 13

Meeting in the Kitchen

"In here!" Krillen said as he pushed the stainless steel door. He went in with Juu and had found themselves in the kitchen. He put his flash light on top of the kitchen counter. 18 did the same.

"Is he in here?" Launch asked.

"I don't think so."Juu said as she sat on top of one of the counters.

"I hope we're safe in here." Marron sniffed.

"Don't worry." Tien assured. "I'm sure he won't be here."

"How?" Launch asked.

"Through here, quickly." Yamucha said he continued walking with the unconscious Goku on his back. Chichi helped him with guiding him through the dark halls. Yamucha winced whenever the lightning outside strikes.

"Where can they be?" Bulma asked in worry.

"I don't know." Yamucha sighed.

"Where are we going?" Chichi asked.

"Let's go to the kitchen." Bulma suggested. "We can fix Goku's wound in there."

"Great idea." Yamucha complimented. "Let's go."

"I'm not ready for anything." Vegeta snarled as he dodge the knife that had threatened to sink through his body.

"Hold still and I promise that this won't hurt." Paolo snarled back.

"Fuck you!" Vegeta said. Paolo growled and continued attacking him. Paolo swiped the knife in front of vegeta. Vegeta kept backing up, trying to keep his belly away from the knife. He had already figured that he was aiming for his stomach.

Paolo's speed quicken. Vegeta started to sweat. Until the knife made contact on his body. Vegeta screamed. The pain send waves of chills through his body. He dropped to the floor, clutching his wounded stomach. His shirt was quickly damped with blood.

"How asinine." Paolo chuckled.

"What?" Vegeta rasped out. Is this how Goku felt when the knife went through his body? Maybe Goku's hurts twice more than his own.

"The boss told me not to kill you," Paolo's grin widened. "Yet."

"What?" Vegeta asked I shocked as he continued on clutching his wound. Hoping that it will help to stop the bleeding.

"I'll see ya around." Paolo sneered as he exited the office.

"What the hell just happened?" Vegeta asked himself as he was left alone in the dark room.

"We're almost there!" Yamucha stated when he spotted the stainless steel door.

"Did you hear that?" Marron asked.

"What?" 18 asked back.

"I thought I heard somebody's voice." Marron said. Just then the kitchen door creaked. Everybody's heads whipped towards the door.

"Guys!" Chichi's head emerged from the hall and into the kitchen.

"Chichi!" 18 said happily when she got down from the counter and rushed over to her friend. She was about to hug her when she noticed the another person behind her. Yamucha. But then what surprised her the most is the person who Yamucha was carrying. "GOKU!"

"You're the one who'll be dying!" Vegeta growled at Paolo.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk."Paolo taunted as he waved his fore finger back and fort.

"What do you mean family?" Vegeta growled. "Who are you talking about?" he asked as continued on clenching the bleeding wound on his stomach.

"Just a warning Ouji." he snickered. "Don't." he paused. "Trust." another pause. "Anyone." the last word rolled on his tongue carefully. He laughed. A manically laugh, causing shivers to run up and down his spine.

Thunder!

Both men jumped at the sudden thunder. It has been raining for a while. It was much more worse than it was before. Vegeta looked outside, the weather was much more worst.

Another thunder.

He looked back at Paolo. He was gone! He looked around the room. No sign of him at all. He gulped and flashed his flashlight around the room. His dark onyx eyes stopped in the door it was rocking back and fort. He gave out a sigh of relief.

But the relief was quickly pulled out of his system when he suddenly remembered something. Bulma!

With this last though dashed out of the room as fast as he can.

"What happened?" Launch asked.

"He got stabbed! What do you think?!"Yamucha snapped at her. Launch stepped back and Tien stood up for her.

"Calm down Yamucha, she was just asking!" Tien said.

"For the obvious?" Yamucha snapped again.

"Yamucha!" Bulma scolded for him to stop. "Now is not the time to fight!"

"I-" Yamucha stuttered. "I'm sorry." he whispered. But not to Launch, not Tien, but to Bulma.

"What do we do?" Maroon sniffed.

"Lay him down." Bulma ordered Yamucha. Yamucha followed Bulma to where he should put Goku's body down. He placed it down on the top counter.

"Chi," Bulma called. "Get that table cloth." she pointed to the nearby table with the round table cloth. Chichi headed towards it, grabbed it and gave it to Bulma.

"Here." she said. Bulma grabbed it and placed it beside Goku. Everybody gathered around the counter top and watched as Bulma grabbed a pair of scissors and started cutting of Goku's top shirt.

"Krill," she called after cutting the shirt. "Can you get me that kitchen towel and Juu," she said looking at the shocked girl. "Can you get me some hot water?" she asked. Juu nodded and complied, so did Krillen. The couple went back with the materials needed and they handed it all to Bulma.

Bulma took the rag towel and dipped it into the hot water, she carefully dabbed it into Goku's wound, making him hissed in his unconscious form. Chichi gasped and held back her tears and continued watching her friend wash the blood off of her boyfriend's body.

When it was finally cleaned she couldn't help but let the tears fall down. She can clearly see the wound. It was big, she was sure it was going to cause a scar. But she also noticed that the bleeding won't stop. Which caused more tears to fall down.

Here she is, watching her best friend do anything she can to stop the bleeding. This was all her fault. If she just payed attention and watched Paolo the whole time then Goku wouldn't be here dying for her. She cried. Then she gasped when she felt two hands grasped her shoulders. She turned around and saw Yamucha, smiling down at her, reassuring her that everything will be alright. She believed him, she turned her body to him and they hugged.

"Dammit!" Vegeta gasped. "Where the hell are they?" he asked himself as he tried to drag his torn and tired body to wherever Bulma was at the moment.

"Run!" he heard a hiss. He turned and saw nothing. Nothing but shadows. His lower lip started to tremble. 'Who said that? What was going on?

"Where the hell are you!" Vegeta screamed. No answer, but the soft, cold, wind.

"Done!" Bulma said proudly. Chichi ran to her side and watched her sleeping boyfriend. She smiled. He was more cleaner and the bleeding had rapidly slowed down. "Here." Bulma said as she handed Chichi the remaining table cloth.

"What's this for?" Chichi asked.

"Just in case the blood bleed through the cloth." Bulma told her. Chichi nodded.

"Thanks." Chichi whispered and hugged her. She squealed afterwards when she saw Goku's eyes's slowly opened.

"Goku!" Everybody gasped. Chichi ran to his side and started kissing him in the face.

"Goku, honey, you're alright!" she said.

"What," he paused and looked around, smiling that all of his friends are alright. "Where," he said then finally realizing somebody missing. "Where's Vegeta!?" he up from the counter and gasped and hissed with the sudden pain in his stomach.

"Goku please!" Chichi pleaded. "Be careful." she cried. Goku wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry Chi." he said. "I won't let you worry about me again." he smiled and hugged her. Chichi quickly hugged her back.

"Chi-" he said. "Ow!" he finished.

"Omigod!" she gasped. "Sorry." she apologized. Everybody smiled at the scene. Except for one person.

A dark shadow slowly, inch by inch, approached the kitchen. His wet muddy mountain boots squished into the cold tiled floor.

"Guys," Juu whispered. Everybody looked at her. "Did ya'll here that?" she asked.

"What?" Yamucha whispered. Silence engulfed the whole kitchen room.

Another squishing sound from the tile floor.

"Somebody's coming." Goku said. "Maybe it's Vegeta." he said.

"No." Bulma whispered. "We never went out in the rain." she informed.

"Oh my god!" Marron panicked. Bulma ran to her side to calm her down and shushed her at the same time.

"Let's get out of here." Juu suggested.

"Good idea." Goku said as he jumped off the counter. Chichi helped him to his feet.

Paolo entered the kitchen and smirked.