Last time:
When she released him, his eyes immediately fell on Bulma and he fought the urge to wrapped his arms around her and kiss her. They stood there for a moment, looking at each other awkwardly, until Bulma made the move and enveloped him in a hug. Twenty feet away Sen eyed them, and Bulma swallowed a hard lump in her throat and kissed him. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and deepened the kiss. When they pulled away, Vegeta couldn't imagine getting on that plane with anyone but Bulma.
And then he turned and left.
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"What do you see in her anyway?" Sen asked, shooing the stewardess away who was trying to offer her peanuts. It was the first thing she'd said to him since boarding the plane; he knew exactly what she meant.
"What's it matter to you?" Vegeta retorted, grabbing several bags of peanuts. He tore a package open immediately and crammed a hand full in his mouth, causing Sen to cringe. He smiled inwardly; that's exactly the reaction he was hoping for.
"I'm just curious is all. When I see you in the tabloids, you're always with some blonde with a boob-job whose wearing a dress two sizes too small. Bulma Briefs is THE definition of a geek. Her clothes, her hair—ick! Only thing missing is the glasses."
"So she's not shallow. She's still hot."
"She could be," Sen said, making a gesture with her hand. "She's just so…blah. I don't know how you can stand it. 18 I can see you with, with her badass persona. But Bulma? No. I think you need to rethink that one…Besides, the press are having a field day with you two. Her father's probably having a heart attack over it. Seeing his precious genius with someone like you. Poor guy."
"I've talked to the guy," Vegeta said, not knowing why he was telling her this. "And I think it's time you shut up. Talking to you wasn't part of the deal."
Before she could say another word, he pulled on his headphones and closed his eyes.
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Vegeta waited as patiently as he could for Sen to buckle Ryoko into her car seat, and was ready to snap some cutting remark, when he heard the driver's side door close and the car start. Since they'd flown into Maine, they had to rent a car, and Sen would find her own way back to Las Vegas after her little episode was over. From here on out all Vegeta had to do was sit or stand next to her, and maybe hold Ryoko every so often. He was on the next flight back to Japan, if only Sen would hurry up and pull out of the parking garage.
"What the hell could you possibly be waiting for?" Vegeta groaned. He chanced a glance in her direction, thanking Kami that she wasn't looking at him. Good, she had other things on her mind besides trying to mess with his head.
"You've obviously never been in love," Sen said, her eyes fixed on the steering wheel. "Not that I'm surprised. You don't keep girls around long enough to develop any emotions what so ever."
Vegeta frowned and turned towards her, thrown off a bit by her behavior. She actually, genuinely, sounded upset, like a normal person.
"Just tell me what your problem is. The sooner we get this done, the sooner I can get home."
"Yeah," Sen sighed angrily. "And the sooner you can fuck up Bulma's life, just like all those other girls."
"What's that matter to you? You hate Bulma. And besides, you've done the same to me for the past year."
"Wow. Didn't think you'd ever figure out the connection. But, here we are, last day we're going to ever see each other and you suddenly see the big picture."
"Stop babbling."
"You still don't see." She shook her head, almost sadly. "Yes I wanted to make the pain of my loss go away by latching onto someone new, but there were other reasons why you were the perfect candidate. Don't you think I eyed hundreds of guys before coming over to you? I recognized you from all the billboards and commercials and newspaper articles talking about how you screwed and dumped yet another helpless groupie." Vegeta's eyes narrowed. He didn't like where this conversation was going. "I picked you because I knew I couldn't be guilty about screwing with your life. You deserved it, and who better than someone who'd been dealt the same hand as the girls you messed up?…I didn't plan on getting so involved or taking it so far…or that I'd actually feel bad once I realized I wasn't only hurting you…but I did choose you on purpose and I'm not sorry about that."
Vegeta's hand suddenly lashed out and grabbed the steering wheel. Sen jumped back, her eyes wide with fear. He'd never—in all the time they'd known and hated each other—done something even close to that.
"Pull out of the damn parking lot. Now," he hissed, locking her eyes.
"What's wrong Vegeta?" Any fear she'd had before was completely dissipated now. "You little puppets aren't enough for you anymore? You need to get violent now to feel that raw animal emotion?" Vegeta slowly eased his hand off the steering wheel and sat back. "I hope you make yourself feel really big too, 'cause you're going to need something to keep from being someone's bitch when you finally end up in jail. My best guess is domestic dispute turned ugly. No wonder you look so good in a wife-beater."
"I loathe you," was all he could manage to say. But inside he'd felt the full weight of what she'd said—it hit a major cord he never even knew existed.
"I hope for Bulma's sake she gets away from you before you have a chance to do some real damage." She sighed deeply and turned to him. "Vegeta, listen." Her voice was calmer now, sincere. "I know everyone says this, but only because it's so true—a woman's heart is THE worst place to hurt her…Believe me, I know."
"What happened with your man anyway?" Vegeta found himself saying, and was surprised further when he actually wanted to know.
"Akio," she said, swallowing a lump in her throat, "left me out of the blue. No sign. No note. Nothing. He left town to escape me and gave no explanation. He broke my heart in the worst of ways and I have to look at my daughter everyday and see him in her." She fought to keep her tears at bay. "And now he's calling me for some reason and I don't have a clue of how I'm going to face him. He ruined my life in one moment and I'm actually going to go and see what he wants…Kami, I hate my stupid heart…"
"I—" He began, but stopped short. Did he really want to say it? He instinctively thought of Bulma and knew he had to. "I won't let him hurt you."
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For four hours Sen and Vegeta sat outside Akio Sugai's house, the car off and in total silence. Early on Sen had tried to engage Vegeta in conversation—mainly to ask what he meant by his comment at the parking garage—but getting answers out of him soon proved impossible. Every so often he'd tell her to go up to the house, but stopped after the twelfth time.
"Fine then," he said, reaching for the door handle. "If you're not going in, I am. And you probably won't like the results."
"Vegeta, no!" Sen yelled, grabbing his arm and simultaneously waking Ryoko. Inside Akio's house a light went on, and Sen went stiff. "Kuso!" she said in a low voice. "Now look what you did."
She climbed out of the car and opened the back door to try to calm Ryoko back to sleep. And, in her haste to keep her daughter from crying any louder, Sen failed to hear the front door of the house open and close, and the soft footsteps that followed.
"Is there a problem, miss?" came a deep voice, filled with concern.
Vegeta immediately stepped out of the car and came around to help Sen with Ryoko.
"She's fine," Vegeta answered for her, eyeing the man almost suspiciously. So this was the guy who topped him at his game. He didn't like the vibes he was giving off.
Sen still hadn't turned around, but was shaking as she continued to tend to her daughter.
"You look familiar," the man said, wrinkling his brow.
"I should," Vegeta snapped.
"Green Dragon." His eyes widened in realization and he took a few steps back. "S-S-Sen?"
Slowly, with Ryoko securely in her arms, she turned around and looked into his eyes for the first time in over a year. If the car hadn't been right behind her, she would have fallen over.
"Akio," she forced out, determined to keep a straight face. The face she'd been forced to wear ever since he'd left her. "Long time."
"I-I don't know what to say…It's so great to see you."
"Great?" she asked, keeping her voice expertly calm. Oh how badly she wanted to wring his neck. But at the same time, she could think of nothing other than jumping into his arms and being whisked into his quiet country house. "Or surprised?"
"I had a feeling you'd come instead of call."
"I'm thinking now that I shouldn't have done either, but I suppose you do have a right to see your daughter."
"M-M-M…My daughter?" His eyes immediately fell on Ryoko, who was quiet now, and looking with curious eyes at Akio. "I thought she was his daughter." Vegeta tensed.
"Turns out I'm not the only guy in the world who ditches girls and ruins there lives."
"No Akio, she's your daughter. Take a guess when I found out I was pregnant?"
"Oh Kami," he groaned, hanging his head. "Sen I…I know I shouldn't even being thinking this, but is there any way you'd let me try to explain?"
Both Sen and Vegeta burst into bitter peals of laughter. Even the tiny Ryoko giggled in her mother's arms.
"I think I figured out the message myself. Disappearing off the face of the earth is a pretty good sign you don't want me anymore. Or is it that you found someone else and weren't man enough to come forward? Is she in your picture perfect little house right now, waiting for you to come back to bed? Is she wearing that special lingerie you bought her for your anniversary? Huh!? Answer me!"
"You—and only you—have always been the only girl for me…Since I…left, I haven't even looked at another girl."
"I find that pretty hard to believe." She briskly turned away and set Ryoko back in her car seat. When she turned back around her eyes were no less fiery and her voice was no less icy. "I knew this was a horrible idea. I never should have come here. I don't know what I was thinking…Somewhere along the line I changed from the person I was when I was with you, and I don't see myself ever changing back. You fucked with my life, Akio, and there's no forgiving that." She climbed back into the front seat and started the engine. "I just wish you hadn't been so wonderful in the beginning. Then maybe I could have seen this coming. And to think," she laughed, "I actually thought I'd marry you. Funny how soon things can change."
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18 gasped in disbelief. It took all of Bulma's strength to keep her in place. Carefully, so not to alarm her, she placed a hand over 18's mouth and whispered for her to stay quiet. In the driver's seat, 18 relaxed and eased back, waiting patiently for Bulma to remove her hand.
"You know we can't just do things without thinking about it first," Bulma practically scolded. "I only came with you because you told me you need me to hold you back incase things didn't go well. Well, things aren't going well and I'm just as mad about it as you are, but we need to keep our heads."
"I know," 18 sighed, ashamed. She thanked herself silently for forcing Bulma to come along.
A long silence passed, allowing Bulma to collect her thoughts. They needed to act, and quickly. But what to do and how to go about doing it were factors of the equation she didn't have. Furthermore, they needed to be stealthy. If they were seen at the wrong time, everything would be compromised and their lives would soon follow.
Bulma frowned and tightened her fists. Nothing irritated her more than not being able to solve a problem. If she were in her lab, she'd work tirelessly until the problem was solved. Eating and sleeping didn't come into play. But unfortunately, her lab was a luxury she didn't have, and therefore the problem would have to be solved the difficult way. Complete brainpower.
After several minutes, the light bulb finally went off and Bulma laid out her plan for 18. It was a long shot, but if it worked, everyone would end up on top.
"But that means Sen wins, too." 18 scowled in the semi-darkness.
"I know," Bulma sighed, glancing at Akio Sugai as he finally hung his head and went back inside. "But I don't see how we can fix this if we don't do it. It's the only option. I just hope we can contact Jun in time to stall Sen for the trial, if we don't stop them in time."
"You're ballsy Bulma Briefs," 18 laughed, climbing out of the rented car and heading toward Akio's house. "I just hope your brain doesn't get us in anymore trouble."
Bulma smiled sheepishly at the remark, thinking back on how they got on the flight to the United States and almost ended up in jail.
"Oh come on," she said, following 18's lead. "At least we're here, AND we'll have a great story to tell everyone when we get back."
"IF we get back."
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Sen swerved down the back roads of Bennington, Maine, her vision blurred with tears. With a little coaxing, and a handful of tissues, she slowed down and parked on the curb. In the backseat Ryoko wailed wildly, her small chubby arms stretched out in need of comfort.
Vegeta sighed angrily and climbed into the back to tend to the child, all the while knowing he could have avoided this mess if he'd simply listened to Jun and the others. He also knew, however, that he never would have allowed himself to do that even if he'd known this was going to happen.
He leaned back in the spacious backseat and cradled Ryoko to sleep, knowing he would end up screwing his life up another way tomorrow.
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Akio stared at his strange houseguests in disbelief. First at their story and the fact that they knew so much about him, and second that he knew exactly who both of them were. Even in America he couldn't escape the Japanese.
The tea he'd prepared was now stone cold on the coffee table, completely untouched. The room held an urgency that couldn't be ignored, and Akio found himself reaching for his shoes he always kept under the table. Wide grins spread across the two celebrities' faces, and they hurried him out the front door.
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All over Bennington, respectable women prepared themselves to go out at the ungodly hour of 11:00 pm on a work-night. Each prided themselves in being the best of the best, the great workaholics of their little city, always to bed early with their work done and up just as early for the next full day of stress and twenty-second coffee breaks.
But tonight was different, and as they finished pinning their hair and slipping on their shoes, they couldn't think of a better reason to ditch the rules.
Akio Sugai. The single most sought after bachelor in all of Maine. He needed their help, and they needed an excuse to see him, for at work he was a shadow, a wind that raced through the cubicles and offices, a voice over the telephone asking for a fax or serial code. He was their boss, flown in from New York City, and the most compassionate man anyone had ever met. Even if none of them stood a chance with him, they still aimed to please—even if that meant missing their beauty sleep.
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Bennington was located just outside Augusta, Maine's capital, and it was only a short drive to the closest airport. Sen and Vegeta were making good time. If they arrived before midnight, they could make a flight to Japan and be in before midnight, what with all the time zone crossing. Neither felt much like flying after a day of letdowns, but it was either that, or spend the night in Maine, which was the farthest thing from both their minds. They were appropriately sick of one another and couldn't wait to get the trial over and done with, and back to their normal lives.
"How long will it take to get tickets and all that?" Sen asked, now seated on the passenger's side. Vegeta had insisted on driving so they could make the flight.
"The sooner the better," was all he said, and focused on the road before him.
Ten minutes later they were in the airport they started in, the car was returned, and they were in line to buy their tickets. And ten yards away, Bulma, 18, Akio, and a troop of sophisticated women entered the airport lobby and spotted their targets, just before they reached the ticket desk.
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Vegeta had to rub his eyes to make sure he was seeing right. He'd glanced over his shoulder, hearing several loud gasps behind him, completely unprepared for what his eyes were telling him he was seeing. Bulma and 18 were running towards him, waving their arms, and shouting something inaudible. Behind them was Sen's ex, Akio Sugai, and several important-looking women he'd never seen before. But, what startled him the most, was that while these women were beyond attractive, and their outfits screamed "grab me", he found his eyes glued to Bulma in her torn jeans and Capsule Corp. tee-shirt.
"What in Kami's name—" he started, but the words fell flat as Bulma rushed to him and grabbed his upper arms, as if his attention weren't already fully hers.
"Vegeta! Thank Kami we caught you in time!" she gasped, her breathing labored. She took a moment to calm herself, then continued. "We'll explain everything later, but right now we need to get Sen and Akio back together."
"So what are those whores for?" Sen snapped, eyeing the women. Each gave her own sign of disapproval for the mother carrying her daughter, but said nothing. They were professional women, not angry teenagers fighting over the star quarterback.
"They work for Akio," Bulma said, keeping her voice surprisingly calm. Vegeta was quietly astonished. He knew her well enough to know that people like Sen were not to be tolerated. Her display of maturity and measured tone was commendable, and so Vegeta stayed silent and allowed her to work her magic. "They all want to date him, but—"
"But he's playing the field, I got it," Sen butted in. She glared at Bulma, then looked at the towering clock in the center of the lobby. "Look girlie, we only have fifteen minutes to get on that plane, and I'm not about to miss it so I can stand here and listen to their sob stories."
"Would you shut up and listen!" one of the women suddenly yelled, startling everyone. She was the only redhead in the group. "We're trying to help you and Akio settle your differences, Kami!"
Sen adjusted Ryoko on her hip and turned her attention back to Bulma.
"He turned them all down, Sen," Bulma said, motioning towards Akio, who'd been standing back from the rest of the group. He looked up shyly, then away again. "He told them he wasn't looking for a girlfriend, because he couldn't bear to be with anyone but you."
"Wow, really?" Sen asked mockingly. "That explains why he ditched me without so much as a note to explain himself. And then he just happens to realize his mistake after I'm on the news. Funny coincidence."
"I realized the second I got on the plane that I'd made a mistake, but it was too late," Akio said softly. "By then my tracks couldn't be covered and you would have found out and left me. I couldn't face you after what I'd done, so I continued to cower away…As I said before, I never even looked at another woman since I left."
"It's true," one of the blonde's said. "I've never been turned down by a guy, especially a co-worker, so when Akio said no because he loved someone else, I knew he was telling the truth."
"Yeah," the redhead added, "same with me. He truly loves you. On the rare occasions when I actual saw him at work, he couldn't hide his pain. I asked him what was wrong and he told me his story…He left you because he was scared he would ruin everything in the future, that you'd find out something you didn't like about his past and leave him."
"Kill or be killed," Sen sighed. "But you aren't making sense. What could I possibly find out that would make me want to leave him?"
"I've been in jail," Akio sighed, looking at the floor. "Back in Japan. When I met you I never dreamed you'd be THE girl, and so I never mentioned it…That, and I have a kid…Well, another kid."
Sen's heart dropped through the floor.
"J-Jail?" she stuttered. "For what?"
"Meiji's mother—he's my son—she and I were going to split and were fighting over custody of Meiji…One night she got drunk and came after me with a knife, screaming at me for trying to steal her baby…I was only trying to stop her from hurting us both, but we fell onto the glass coffee table and when I stood up, she didn't…"
Sen gasped aloud and covered her mouth. Akio didn't need to continue, but there was one last thing she needed to know.
"Wh-Where is your son now?"
"Japan," Akio sighed. "He had to be put up for adoption when I was arrested, because neither of us had any living relatives…He'd be seven now…Someone you all know took him in…Jun Tsuruga."
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---Chapter 28!…Wow! That story just took a weird turn :P I'm still playing with the idea, but I think its alright. If I don't like it later I'll change it, or if none of you like it…It just came to me as I was typing, so I didn't plan it. I don't know how it'll work out, but I'm hoping you like it :D crosses fingers Please, oh please!
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Reviews=More Chapters)…you know the drill…
Next time: The party, I swear! :P…And how the hell does Green Dragon not know about Meiji!?
Note: I know it's taking me awhile to get somewhere, but I'm getting there. I need substance, and by the next chapter Sen will be only an afterthought. She's gone! Outta here! Poof! :P
When she released him, his eyes immediately fell on Bulma and he fought the urge to wrapped his arms around her and kiss her. They stood there for a moment, looking at each other awkwardly, until Bulma made the move and enveloped him in a hug. Twenty feet away Sen eyed them, and Bulma swallowed a hard lump in her throat and kissed him. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and deepened the kiss. When they pulled away, Vegeta couldn't imagine getting on that plane with anyone but Bulma.
And then he turned and left.
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"What do you see in her anyway?" Sen asked, shooing the stewardess away who was trying to offer her peanuts. It was the first thing she'd said to him since boarding the plane; he knew exactly what she meant.
"What's it matter to you?" Vegeta retorted, grabbing several bags of peanuts. He tore a package open immediately and crammed a hand full in his mouth, causing Sen to cringe. He smiled inwardly; that's exactly the reaction he was hoping for.
"I'm just curious is all. When I see you in the tabloids, you're always with some blonde with a boob-job whose wearing a dress two sizes too small. Bulma Briefs is THE definition of a geek. Her clothes, her hair—ick! Only thing missing is the glasses."
"So she's not shallow. She's still hot."
"She could be," Sen said, making a gesture with her hand. "She's just so…blah. I don't know how you can stand it. 18 I can see you with, with her badass persona. But Bulma? No. I think you need to rethink that one…Besides, the press are having a field day with you two. Her father's probably having a heart attack over it. Seeing his precious genius with someone like you. Poor guy."
"I've talked to the guy," Vegeta said, not knowing why he was telling her this. "And I think it's time you shut up. Talking to you wasn't part of the deal."
Before she could say another word, he pulled on his headphones and closed his eyes.
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Vegeta waited as patiently as he could for Sen to buckle Ryoko into her car seat, and was ready to snap some cutting remark, when he heard the driver's side door close and the car start. Since they'd flown into Maine, they had to rent a car, and Sen would find her own way back to Las Vegas after her little episode was over. From here on out all Vegeta had to do was sit or stand next to her, and maybe hold Ryoko every so often. He was on the next flight back to Japan, if only Sen would hurry up and pull out of the parking garage.
"What the hell could you possibly be waiting for?" Vegeta groaned. He chanced a glance in her direction, thanking Kami that she wasn't looking at him. Good, she had other things on her mind besides trying to mess with his head.
"You've obviously never been in love," Sen said, her eyes fixed on the steering wheel. "Not that I'm surprised. You don't keep girls around long enough to develop any emotions what so ever."
Vegeta frowned and turned towards her, thrown off a bit by her behavior. She actually, genuinely, sounded upset, like a normal person.
"Just tell me what your problem is. The sooner we get this done, the sooner I can get home."
"Yeah," Sen sighed angrily. "And the sooner you can fuck up Bulma's life, just like all those other girls."
"What's that matter to you? You hate Bulma. And besides, you've done the same to me for the past year."
"Wow. Didn't think you'd ever figure out the connection. But, here we are, last day we're going to ever see each other and you suddenly see the big picture."
"Stop babbling."
"You still don't see." She shook her head, almost sadly. "Yes I wanted to make the pain of my loss go away by latching onto someone new, but there were other reasons why you were the perfect candidate. Don't you think I eyed hundreds of guys before coming over to you? I recognized you from all the billboards and commercials and newspaper articles talking about how you screwed and dumped yet another helpless groupie." Vegeta's eyes narrowed. He didn't like where this conversation was going. "I picked you because I knew I couldn't be guilty about screwing with your life. You deserved it, and who better than someone who'd been dealt the same hand as the girls you messed up?…I didn't plan on getting so involved or taking it so far…or that I'd actually feel bad once I realized I wasn't only hurting you…but I did choose you on purpose and I'm not sorry about that."
Vegeta's hand suddenly lashed out and grabbed the steering wheel. Sen jumped back, her eyes wide with fear. He'd never—in all the time they'd known and hated each other—done something even close to that.
"Pull out of the damn parking lot. Now," he hissed, locking her eyes.
"What's wrong Vegeta?" Any fear she'd had before was completely dissipated now. "You little puppets aren't enough for you anymore? You need to get violent now to feel that raw animal emotion?" Vegeta slowly eased his hand off the steering wheel and sat back. "I hope you make yourself feel really big too, 'cause you're going to need something to keep from being someone's bitch when you finally end up in jail. My best guess is domestic dispute turned ugly. No wonder you look so good in a wife-beater."
"I loathe you," was all he could manage to say. But inside he'd felt the full weight of what she'd said—it hit a major cord he never even knew existed.
"I hope for Bulma's sake she gets away from you before you have a chance to do some real damage." She sighed deeply and turned to him. "Vegeta, listen." Her voice was calmer now, sincere. "I know everyone says this, but only because it's so true—a woman's heart is THE worst place to hurt her…Believe me, I know."
"What happened with your man anyway?" Vegeta found himself saying, and was surprised further when he actually wanted to know.
"Akio," she said, swallowing a lump in her throat, "left me out of the blue. No sign. No note. Nothing. He left town to escape me and gave no explanation. He broke my heart in the worst of ways and I have to look at my daughter everyday and see him in her." She fought to keep her tears at bay. "And now he's calling me for some reason and I don't have a clue of how I'm going to face him. He ruined my life in one moment and I'm actually going to go and see what he wants…Kami, I hate my stupid heart…"
"I—" He began, but stopped short. Did he really want to say it? He instinctively thought of Bulma and knew he had to. "I won't let him hurt you."
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For four hours Sen and Vegeta sat outside Akio Sugai's house, the car off and in total silence. Early on Sen had tried to engage Vegeta in conversation—mainly to ask what he meant by his comment at the parking garage—but getting answers out of him soon proved impossible. Every so often he'd tell her to go up to the house, but stopped after the twelfth time.
"Fine then," he said, reaching for the door handle. "If you're not going in, I am. And you probably won't like the results."
"Vegeta, no!" Sen yelled, grabbing his arm and simultaneously waking Ryoko. Inside Akio's house a light went on, and Sen went stiff. "Kuso!" she said in a low voice. "Now look what you did."
She climbed out of the car and opened the back door to try to calm Ryoko back to sleep. And, in her haste to keep her daughter from crying any louder, Sen failed to hear the front door of the house open and close, and the soft footsteps that followed.
"Is there a problem, miss?" came a deep voice, filled with concern.
Vegeta immediately stepped out of the car and came around to help Sen with Ryoko.
"She's fine," Vegeta answered for her, eyeing the man almost suspiciously. So this was the guy who topped him at his game. He didn't like the vibes he was giving off.
Sen still hadn't turned around, but was shaking as she continued to tend to her daughter.
"You look familiar," the man said, wrinkling his brow.
"I should," Vegeta snapped.
"Green Dragon." His eyes widened in realization and he took a few steps back. "S-S-Sen?"
Slowly, with Ryoko securely in her arms, she turned around and looked into his eyes for the first time in over a year. If the car hadn't been right behind her, she would have fallen over.
"Akio," she forced out, determined to keep a straight face. The face she'd been forced to wear ever since he'd left her. "Long time."
"I-I don't know what to say…It's so great to see you."
"Great?" she asked, keeping her voice expertly calm. Oh how badly she wanted to wring his neck. But at the same time, she could think of nothing other than jumping into his arms and being whisked into his quiet country house. "Or surprised?"
"I had a feeling you'd come instead of call."
"I'm thinking now that I shouldn't have done either, but I suppose you do have a right to see your daughter."
"M-M-M…My daughter?" His eyes immediately fell on Ryoko, who was quiet now, and looking with curious eyes at Akio. "I thought she was his daughter." Vegeta tensed.
"Turns out I'm not the only guy in the world who ditches girls and ruins there lives."
"No Akio, she's your daughter. Take a guess when I found out I was pregnant?"
"Oh Kami," he groaned, hanging his head. "Sen I…I know I shouldn't even being thinking this, but is there any way you'd let me try to explain?"
Both Sen and Vegeta burst into bitter peals of laughter. Even the tiny Ryoko giggled in her mother's arms.
"I think I figured out the message myself. Disappearing off the face of the earth is a pretty good sign you don't want me anymore. Or is it that you found someone else and weren't man enough to come forward? Is she in your picture perfect little house right now, waiting for you to come back to bed? Is she wearing that special lingerie you bought her for your anniversary? Huh!? Answer me!"
"You—and only you—have always been the only girl for me…Since I…left, I haven't even looked at another girl."
"I find that pretty hard to believe." She briskly turned away and set Ryoko back in her car seat. When she turned back around her eyes were no less fiery and her voice was no less icy. "I knew this was a horrible idea. I never should have come here. I don't know what I was thinking…Somewhere along the line I changed from the person I was when I was with you, and I don't see myself ever changing back. You fucked with my life, Akio, and there's no forgiving that." She climbed back into the front seat and started the engine. "I just wish you hadn't been so wonderful in the beginning. Then maybe I could have seen this coming. And to think," she laughed, "I actually thought I'd marry you. Funny how soon things can change."
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18 gasped in disbelief. It took all of Bulma's strength to keep her in place. Carefully, so not to alarm her, she placed a hand over 18's mouth and whispered for her to stay quiet. In the driver's seat, 18 relaxed and eased back, waiting patiently for Bulma to remove her hand.
"You know we can't just do things without thinking about it first," Bulma practically scolded. "I only came with you because you told me you need me to hold you back incase things didn't go well. Well, things aren't going well and I'm just as mad about it as you are, but we need to keep our heads."
"I know," 18 sighed, ashamed. She thanked herself silently for forcing Bulma to come along.
A long silence passed, allowing Bulma to collect her thoughts. They needed to act, and quickly. But what to do and how to go about doing it were factors of the equation she didn't have. Furthermore, they needed to be stealthy. If they were seen at the wrong time, everything would be compromised and their lives would soon follow.
Bulma frowned and tightened her fists. Nothing irritated her more than not being able to solve a problem. If she were in her lab, she'd work tirelessly until the problem was solved. Eating and sleeping didn't come into play. But unfortunately, her lab was a luxury she didn't have, and therefore the problem would have to be solved the difficult way. Complete brainpower.
After several minutes, the light bulb finally went off and Bulma laid out her plan for 18. It was a long shot, but if it worked, everyone would end up on top.
"But that means Sen wins, too." 18 scowled in the semi-darkness.
"I know," Bulma sighed, glancing at Akio Sugai as he finally hung his head and went back inside. "But I don't see how we can fix this if we don't do it. It's the only option. I just hope we can contact Jun in time to stall Sen for the trial, if we don't stop them in time."
"You're ballsy Bulma Briefs," 18 laughed, climbing out of the rented car and heading toward Akio's house. "I just hope your brain doesn't get us in anymore trouble."
Bulma smiled sheepishly at the remark, thinking back on how they got on the flight to the United States and almost ended up in jail.
"Oh come on," she said, following 18's lead. "At least we're here, AND we'll have a great story to tell everyone when we get back."
"IF we get back."
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Sen swerved down the back roads of Bennington, Maine, her vision blurred with tears. With a little coaxing, and a handful of tissues, she slowed down and parked on the curb. In the backseat Ryoko wailed wildly, her small chubby arms stretched out in need of comfort.
Vegeta sighed angrily and climbed into the back to tend to the child, all the while knowing he could have avoided this mess if he'd simply listened to Jun and the others. He also knew, however, that he never would have allowed himself to do that even if he'd known this was going to happen.
He leaned back in the spacious backseat and cradled Ryoko to sleep, knowing he would end up screwing his life up another way tomorrow.
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Akio stared at his strange houseguests in disbelief. First at their story and the fact that they knew so much about him, and second that he knew exactly who both of them were. Even in America he couldn't escape the Japanese.
The tea he'd prepared was now stone cold on the coffee table, completely untouched. The room held an urgency that couldn't be ignored, and Akio found himself reaching for his shoes he always kept under the table. Wide grins spread across the two celebrities' faces, and they hurried him out the front door.
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All over Bennington, respectable women prepared themselves to go out at the ungodly hour of 11:00 pm on a work-night. Each prided themselves in being the best of the best, the great workaholics of their little city, always to bed early with their work done and up just as early for the next full day of stress and twenty-second coffee breaks.
But tonight was different, and as they finished pinning their hair and slipping on their shoes, they couldn't think of a better reason to ditch the rules.
Akio Sugai. The single most sought after bachelor in all of Maine. He needed their help, and they needed an excuse to see him, for at work he was a shadow, a wind that raced through the cubicles and offices, a voice over the telephone asking for a fax or serial code. He was their boss, flown in from New York City, and the most compassionate man anyone had ever met. Even if none of them stood a chance with him, they still aimed to please—even if that meant missing their beauty sleep.
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Bennington was located just outside Augusta, Maine's capital, and it was only a short drive to the closest airport. Sen and Vegeta were making good time. If they arrived before midnight, they could make a flight to Japan and be in before midnight, what with all the time zone crossing. Neither felt much like flying after a day of letdowns, but it was either that, or spend the night in Maine, which was the farthest thing from both their minds. They were appropriately sick of one another and couldn't wait to get the trial over and done with, and back to their normal lives.
"How long will it take to get tickets and all that?" Sen asked, now seated on the passenger's side. Vegeta had insisted on driving so they could make the flight.
"The sooner the better," was all he said, and focused on the road before him.
Ten minutes later they were in the airport they started in, the car was returned, and they were in line to buy their tickets. And ten yards away, Bulma, 18, Akio, and a troop of sophisticated women entered the airport lobby and spotted their targets, just before they reached the ticket desk.
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Vegeta had to rub his eyes to make sure he was seeing right. He'd glanced over his shoulder, hearing several loud gasps behind him, completely unprepared for what his eyes were telling him he was seeing. Bulma and 18 were running towards him, waving their arms, and shouting something inaudible. Behind them was Sen's ex, Akio Sugai, and several important-looking women he'd never seen before. But, what startled him the most, was that while these women were beyond attractive, and their outfits screamed "grab me", he found his eyes glued to Bulma in her torn jeans and Capsule Corp. tee-shirt.
"What in Kami's name—" he started, but the words fell flat as Bulma rushed to him and grabbed his upper arms, as if his attention weren't already fully hers.
"Vegeta! Thank Kami we caught you in time!" she gasped, her breathing labored. She took a moment to calm herself, then continued. "We'll explain everything later, but right now we need to get Sen and Akio back together."
"So what are those whores for?" Sen snapped, eyeing the women. Each gave her own sign of disapproval for the mother carrying her daughter, but said nothing. They were professional women, not angry teenagers fighting over the star quarterback.
"They work for Akio," Bulma said, keeping her voice surprisingly calm. Vegeta was quietly astonished. He knew her well enough to know that people like Sen were not to be tolerated. Her display of maturity and measured tone was commendable, and so Vegeta stayed silent and allowed her to work her magic. "They all want to date him, but—"
"But he's playing the field, I got it," Sen butted in. She glared at Bulma, then looked at the towering clock in the center of the lobby. "Look girlie, we only have fifteen minutes to get on that plane, and I'm not about to miss it so I can stand here and listen to their sob stories."
"Would you shut up and listen!" one of the women suddenly yelled, startling everyone. She was the only redhead in the group. "We're trying to help you and Akio settle your differences, Kami!"
Sen adjusted Ryoko on her hip and turned her attention back to Bulma.
"He turned them all down, Sen," Bulma said, motioning towards Akio, who'd been standing back from the rest of the group. He looked up shyly, then away again. "He told them he wasn't looking for a girlfriend, because he couldn't bear to be with anyone but you."
"Wow, really?" Sen asked mockingly. "That explains why he ditched me without so much as a note to explain himself. And then he just happens to realize his mistake after I'm on the news. Funny coincidence."
"I realized the second I got on the plane that I'd made a mistake, but it was too late," Akio said softly. "By then my tracks couldn't be covered and you would have found out and left me. I couldn't face you after what I'd done, so I continued to cower away…As I said before, I never even looked at another woman since I left."
"It's true," one of the blonde's said. "I've never been turned down by a guy, especially a co-worker, so when Akio said no because he loved someone else, I knew he was telling the truth."
"Yeah," the redhead added, "same with me. He truly loves you. On the rare occasions when I actual saw him at work, he couldn't hide his pain. I asked him what was wrong and he told me his story…He left you because he was scared he would ruin everything in the future, that you'd find out something you didn't like about his past and leave him."
"Kill or be killed," Sen sighed. "But you aren't making sense. What could I possibly find out that would make me want to leave him?"
"I've been in jail," Akio sighed, looking at the floor. "Back in Japan. When I met you I never dreamed you'd be THE girl, and so I never mentioned it…That, and I have a kid…Well, another kid."
Sen's heart dropped through the floor.
"J-Jail?" she stuttered. "For what?"
"Meiji's mother—he's my son—she and I were going to split and were fighting over custody of Meiji…One night she got drunk and came after me with a knife, screaming at me for trying to steal her baby…I was only trying to stop her from hurting us both, but we fell onto the glass coffee table and when I stood up, she didn't…"
Sen gasped aloud and covered her mouth. Akio didn't need to continue, but there was one last thing she needed to know.
"Wh-Where is your son now?"
"Japan," Akio sighed. "He had to be put up for adoption when I was arrested, because neither of us had any living relatives…He'd be seven now…Someone you all know took him in…Jun Tsuruga."
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---Chapter 28!…Wow! That story just took a weird turn :P I'm still playing with the idea, but I think its alright. If I don't like it later I'll change it, or if none of you like it…It just came to me as I was typing, so I didn't plan it. I don't know how it'll work out, but I'm hoping you like it :D crosses fingers Please, oh please!
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Reviews=More Chapters)…you know the drill…
Next time: The party, I swear! :P…And how the hell does Green Dragon not know about Meiji!?
Note: I know it's taking me awhile to get somewhere, but I'm getting there. I need substance, and by the next chapter Sen will be only an afterthought. She's gone! Outta here! Poof! :P