"I'll be okay. I've got you, haven't I?" I say into her blue hair, and I mean it. Of all the people on this planet, she's been the only one that's tried making things better for me and protecting me. She's like a second Raditz to me. My tyrants are always there, whether they be Ice-jin or Saiya-jin, but I have my saviours, whether with long spiky black hair or curled blue locks that remind me of the sea of my home planet.
She draws away from me eventually, and tears line her eyes.
"I'm going to get you out of here, Vegeta. I won't stand by anymore. I won't let them punish you for what you did. They would have done the same if they were in your situation. But if I let you free, you have to promise me that you'll leave. I'll give you a spaceship, and you can get off this planet away from my people, from the people that I used to respect. Before they can hurt you again. Promise me, Vegeta."
I bow my head.
"I promise. I wouldn't want to stay here anyway. Come closer."
She takes a step closer, until our noses are only a few inches apart. I lean forward, and kiss her on the forehead.
"Thank you, Bulma, for all you have done. I'll never forget you."
I watch her go, after I get a goodnight hug. I smile to myself in the darkness, despite the familiar throbbing returning to my body. I always forget about my pain when she's here. Until a month or so ago, we never used to talk, but I'd eat and she'd just give me her silent company. I'll be sad when I have to say goodbye. But at least now I have hope that this will soon be over. I've forgotten what it's like to walk. I haven't been able to feed myself or even do something as simple as lie down to sleep. It will be the sweetest freedom ever.
Revenge will have to wait. I'm too weak to even consider taking Kakarot on. He's the one that I hate most. Not only did he assist in the slaughter of my mate, but he also beat me in battle, and took away my chance to avenge myself against Frieza. I wanted to wipe that sneer of that bastard's face. I wanted to get back my honour and pride. But that third class trash got there before I did.
No matter.
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
I walk around the spacecraft hangar, and try to choose a good ship for Vegeta. I plan to have it fuelled and ready in a week. Then I'll release him in the middle of the night, and get him off this planet, so that he may be safe. I don't care what Goku and the others will say or do. I have Vegeta's word that he will leave, and I believe him.
As I walk up the ramp into the F678X model, I feel sad. I'll miss Vegeta. I've grown fond…no, wait. More than fond…I've grown closer to him over the last few months. After he started talking to me, we both found that we get along really well. Saying goodbye to him will be hard. After he leaves, it'll be back to my boring life with Yamcha. No more midnight conversations, no more shopping for him, no more silent appreciation. The whole day, people take so much from me, without thanks or gratitude. I'm expected to be everything for everyone. Friend, boss, engineer, daughter. But I give to Vegeta and it matters to him. He finds it hard to say thanks, but when he does, it's so honest. And his smile, his few words, his simple pleasure in the food that I get for him, is all that I need. I don't get that same appreciation from anyone else. I'm just Bulma Briefs to everyone else. I'm more to him.
He called me Bulma last night…he's never done that before. Granted, he's never really addressed me personally before, but still. There was something special about the way he said it. I only wish that he could stay on Earth, but as a free man. Not some prisoner like he is now. That won't happen as long as Goku is breathing. They won't believe me if I tell them about Vegeta's past. I trust him about it, because it makes so much sense as to his character. As I inspect the living area, I smile to myself. I want Vegeta to be free. He hasn't been free his whole life and if I can give him that gift, then it doesn't matter what the others will do to me.
"Hey, you."
I watch her as she brings in dinner for me, and I smile back.
"So, what's on the menu?" I ask, spotting a few things I haven't sampled before.
"I thought tonight we'd have something a little more exotic. You won't be eating Earth food for much longer, so I decided that for these last few days we're going to pull out all the stops."
She's so thoughtful. It is going to be really hard to say goodbye.
"Sounds great. What's that?"
She picks up a little roll of rice with some pink stuff inside and some green wrapped around it.
"This is called a Californian hand roll. It's a sort of sushi. The pink stuff is crab, and next to it is avocado, and the dark green stuff is seaweed. It's a sort of an acquired taste, but I find that some people love it from the start, others hate it."
I look at it. It looks attractive.
"I'll try anything once."
She holds it with chopsticks and I sample it. I roll it around in my mouth, and frown slightly while I taste it. She looks at me with slight trepidation as I swallow.
"And?"
I grin. I only do it for her.
"I wouldn't mind some more."
As the night progresses and we eat together, she gets a call on her phone. She takes a look at the name that comes up, then ignores it, cutting the call.
"Why won't he just leave me alone?"
"Let me guess. Yamcha?"
She nods, as she puts a straw into a glass of vanilla coke for me. I have no clue why I like this stuff so much, but I've discovered that I have a serious sweet tooth. She holds it up for me while I take a sip, my eyes focussed on hers.
"He's such an idiot. Why I ever liked him in the first place is beyond me. I guess I just have a chronic fear of being alone, of being lonely. That's the only reason I can think of. I mean, he's a nice guy, but I can't be around him for longer than two hours before I get irritated."
I draw my head back to let her know I've taken as much as I want. She puts the glass down, and leans against the wall next to me, her head on my shoulders. I lean my head against hers. I'm glad of the comfort.
"Maybe you should just end it. There's always a better someone out there, I've learnt that the hard way. I promise that after I'm gone you'll find a man that can love you the way you deserve to be loved."
"You really think so?" she says quietly.
"Of course I do."
She stays silent, and I close my eyes.
"Vegeta?"
"Mmm?"
"Will you miss me, after you go?"
I rub my cheek against her soft hair.
"Yes, I will. I will miss you badly."
She turns her face so that her forehead is against my temple. Her breath tickles my ear a little.
" I will too, Vegeta. More than you can guess."