Last time:
"Oh, my darling," he sighed, closing the gap between them, his strong confining arms wrapped around her. "Of course I forgive you. I love you, don't you know that?"
"Of course I know that," she said into his chest, her tears soaking his shirt. "I-I…I love you too." She lifted her head and put on her old smile. "Now let's get married."
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Bulma had a small bag packed and ready in less than ten minutes, grabbing only what she would need and nothing more. True, she could very well buy anything she wanted or needed, but the comfort of having her own possessions was the only comfort she had.
She took one last glance around her room to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Immediately, her eyes fell on the picture of her and Vegeta that sat on her nightstand. They were at the edge of their indoor pool, and Vegeta had her hoisted onto his shoulder, threatening to drop her into the heated water below. Bulma, being fully clothed and dry, obviously did not want to get wet. Mrs. Briefs had taken the picture only seconds before Vegeta slipped on a puddle and the couple went crashing into the pool.
Before Takao grew suspicious and came to see what was taking her so long, Bulma grabbed the framed photo, tossed it into her closet, wiped her eyes, and shut the door.
"At least I had you," she whispered, forcing her best fake smile. If this was going to be the rest of her life, she was going to have to get used to it now. She could not endure a life of wallowing and regret.
"Darling," Takao said as she entered the living room, her bag flung loosely over her shoulder. "Are you ready to begin the rest of our lives?"
"I've been ready for so long," she forced out, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. It took all her willpower to not cringe, to not show any sign that she was quickly dying inside, that the life she had always wanted—and had only recently glimpsed—would never fully be realized. Her and Vegeta were over and there was nothing she could do about it. Her only wish was that he would be able to find happiness with someone else in his life.
And then the whole scene changed.
Bulma's head snapped up, her eyes transfixed in horror at the front door—the knob was turning. Her parents were home!
"Takao," she whispered, her body frozen in place. "We have to hide. They won't let us leave. They'll call the police."
"The police?" A cloud of anger passed over him—Bulma knew it would have burst if the door hadn't opened at that very moment.
"Bulma dear!" Mrs. Briefs called as she pulled off her coat. "We're—Oh, there you are. And we have company! Why didn't you tell me you were having someone over?"
Bulma stared in horrified wonder as her mother hung up her coat and purse by the door. She didn't know who was standing mere feet from her? A man she swore she would protect her daughter from at all costs. Was she blind!
But then she saw it and realized he was not the old Takao. His hair was short now, out of his eyes, and he wore color contacts, instead of his old thick black-rimmed glasses. At first glance, he was an entirely different person. In her panic, she had seen him for who he was.
"Who is your friend, dear?" Mrs. Briefs asked, sidling up beside her daughter.
Any minute now, Bulma thought, her palms sweating. She didn't know where her bag was.
"Surely you remember me, Mrs. Briefs," came his deep and pleasant voice. "I've been away for so long you must have forgotten. But I'm back now, and Bulma and myself are ready to continue our lives together. Tell her, love." He pulled Bulma close, his arm around her shoulders. "Tell her what we plan to do."
"You remember Takao mom," Bulma laughed, giving him an affectionate look. To any onlooker they were a happily in-love couple. But, knowing her daughter better than any soul, Mrs. Briefs caught the poorly hidden terror in her eyes. "He's come back for me. We're getting married."
This was the exact moment Dr. Briefs chose to walk through the door, his ears perking at the word 'married'. Immediately he thought of her and Vegeta, his mind not registering the strange in the house just yet.
"Married!" he said, making his way towards his wife and daughter. "I knew it the moment I saw the boy," he laughed, pulling her into a hug. "Vegeta will make a fine—" But his eyes had fallen on Takao and he knew who he was without being told. A surge of panic cracked down his spine and for a moment he could neither speak nor think.
"Not Vegeta, daddy," Bulma waved off as if he were nothing to her. Couldn't they feel her pain? She was sure of it. "I don't know what I was thinking with him. He was nothing but a jerk to me. We always fought when I lived in Satan City. I guess I just wanted to…to be with someone. I never dreamed Takao would come back. But now that he has," she paused, uncurling herself from her father's loose grasp, "we're getting married. Don't be angry. It's what I want."
"Bulma," Dr. Briefs said sternly, his feeling coming back. He grabbed her almost roughly by the arm and pulled her into the kitchen. Mrs. Briefs followed hot on their heels. "What the hell are you doing?" he snapped, grabbing onto her other arm. She refused to meet his gaze. "Look at me!" He made sure to keep his voice low enough for Takao not to hear.
"Are you on drugs?" Mrs. Briefs asked in all seriousness. It was not uncommon, of course, for those in the limelight to resort to use of illegal substances to feel alive in a world where nearly everything is fake.
"Drugs?" Bulma laughed. She gave up trying to get free from her father's grip. She was going to hear what they had to say no matter what. "Mom, you know how ridiculous I think that stuff is. I'm perfectly fine, and sane."
"You do remember what he did to you, honey." She wanted to cry, seeing the pain and concern on her father's face. But she remained firm and virtually emotionless. "All those hospital visits." For a moment he thought he saw a glimmer of something in his daughter's eyes at the mention of what he knew no one could ever forget—but, as quickly as it came, it was gone and she smiled as if he'd said nothing at all.
"He was having a rough time in his life," she finally said, as if trying to convince herself as well. "He didn't even know who he was. He wasn't ready for a relationship; that's why he did those awful things. But he's better now!" she whispered, bringing her hands around to grasp her father's arms as he grasped hers. "He's been to counseling and group therapy and he's a completely new and different person. He loves me and I love him and we're getting married whether I have your consent or not. I'm eighteen years old and by law I can do what I please."
Her parents were so dumbfounded that for a moment the room was in a dead silence.
"Darling." Bulma's heart jumped at the sound of Takao's voice. He was coming for her now. It was her last moment with her parents and all she could think was that she had to get out of there before they saw her cry. Being saved was completely out of the question now. It was too late. "I don't mean to rush you, but the flight is long and I would love it if we could talk some before getting settled in."
"Where are you taking her?" Dr. Briefs asked, not even trying to mask the distaste in his voice. Takao grinned wide at him, easily pulling Bulma into his arms.
"It doesn't matter where I'm going," Bulma insisted. She wrapped her arms around his waist to complete the illusion. "I'm going and that's all that matters. I'll be back when I wish. If Yutaka calls, tell him I won't look at a script on my vacation."
"Bulma, please, think about what you're doing," Dr. Briefs pleaded, trying unsuccessfully to hold her hand. She recoiled from him as if he carried the plague, pressing herself ever closer to Takao. "You're only eighteen. There's no reason to get married so young. Think about—"
"Father!" she hissed, giving him a look of pure and untainted hatred. "I love Takao. I am marrying him no matter what you try feeding me! Stop being so…so…traditional and let me live my own life, the way I want to!" Sharply, she turned to her mother, startling her noticeably. "Mom, please tell Vegeta what happened. Tell him I'm sorry that I hurt him, but I don't love him and never did. I love Takao."
"And if he tries to contact you?" Mrs. Briefs whispered, her voice small and hoarse. This was not her daughter standing before her.
"Tell him not to, that I don't want to see him again."
"But—"
"I'm sorry. I can't stay any longer," Bulma interrupted, pulling Takao from the kitchen. She found her bag next to the couch, grabbed it, and was out the door before her parents could collect themselves. By the time they were in the car, two houses from Capsule Corp., she was in such a raging fit of tears even Takao's quiet, threatening voice couldn't silence her. "You owe me these tears," she sobbed into her palms.
He didn't say a word the entire way to the airport.
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"Aren't you even going to try, Vegeta?" Chi-Chi asked as they sat at the first empty table they saw in the food court. Earlier that day at school, she'd come up to him, asking if he would go to the mall with her to help her buy Goku a birthday present. And, since Vegeta was his best friend, she figured he knew him the best. Needless to say, it took a lot of convincing.
"To tune you out?" he grunted, taking an unattractive bite of his burger. "I've been trying all day, but it's not working."
"Don't start with me," she warned, pointing a motherly finger at him. "I know you miss her just as much as we all did. You know how miserable I was these last four years without her. You can't sit there and say you don't feel the same and be telling the truth. Just call her, I'm sure she'd be more than willing to at least talk to you."
"We've tried that," he said. "Remember?"
"You mean she tried. You did nothing, as usual, and pissed her off. Not being your alter-ego all the time would help too."
"And since when do you care?" he asked, holding his soda to his mouth, ready to drink. "Or, to be more exact, since when do you care about ME?"
"Since you showed me you could be something other than a selfish asshole," she said sweetly, sipping at her iced tea. "To be honest, I never thought, or wanted, to be in this situation with you. But—"
"Likewise," he said under his breath.
"But, now that I know you can be a good guy, I'm glad we're here."
"At the mall?"
"Yeah, at the mall," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "At this point, you moron."
"Right…"
"Don't be an ass. And stop getting me off track. I want to know why you won't confront Bulma. She misses you, I know it."
"So she hasn't talked about me…I figured that."
"She refuses to talk about you. Which means that she wants to be friends with you again. Maybe more."
"I think you've crossed a line," he commented, narrowing his eyes just a little.
"What line?"
"Not even Kakarot talks to me about girls."
"And why is that?" she inquired, a devious smile on her lips. This was getting interesting. And here she thought she was just getting present for her boyfriend.
"If I told you, I'd be admitting something I'm not ready to admit. Don't push me."
She nodded knowingly and started to eat. She was happy to get as much as she did.
By the time they walked out of the mall, it was nearly nine o'clock and the sun was completely gone. Once seated in the passenger's seat—for he didn't feel much like driving and Chi-Chi had been begging to drive his car for months—he pulled out his cell phone and checked for messages. He never had it on unless he knew someone was going to call him.
Immediately, his stomach turned to knots. There were fifteen messages, all from the Briefs' home line, not Bulma's personal line, which meant it was Mrs. Briefs making the calls. He found the first message, opened it, and held the phone to his ear.
"Kami no," he whispered. The phone slipped from his trembling fingers, the message still playing.
"What?" Chi-Chi asked, trying to keep her eyes on the road. Something in the tone of his voice was unsettling. Was he upset? She couldn't tell in the dim lighting of the car. "Who was the message from?"
"Pull over," he said, his eyes still forward and unmoving.
"What?"
"Pull over!" he demanded, grabbing at the wheel. Hastily, she pulled the car to the side of the road.
"Tell me what's going on, Vegeta!" she snapped, fear evident in her voice. But he ignored her, getting out of the car instead, and coming around to her side.
"Move over," he yelled through the glass. Reluctantly she did as he said. When they were on the road again, and headed in the opposite direction of their houses, going at least twenty miles over the speed limit, Chi-Chi tried once more to get some desperately needed information out of him:
"Will you tell me now?" she yelled, wanting to slap him for nearly giving her a heart attack.
"Where do you want me to start!" he shot back, his fingers barely able to grip the steering wheel. If she had known his anger was a façade for his pain and fear, she wouldn't be mad at him. And, if she knew what was upsetting him, she wouldn't be able to talk period. "I've reconciled with Bulma, we've been together for almost four months now, I love her and there's nothing I can do to save her!"
"Recon—Love—Save her? Vegeta! What the fuck does that mean!"
"It means she's gone!"
"Gone!?"
"It means her psychotic ex kidnapped her and no one knows where she is! She wouldn't let me help her and now I can't!"
"K-K-Kidnapped? B-By who?"
"His name is Takao," he sighed, his breath painful and heavy, eyes laced with tears. "That's all I know…"
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"Why hasn't anyone called the police!" Vegeta demanded, ignoring Mrs. Briefs as she tugged on his arm for him to seat down. He'd only been there a few minutes, his car parked diagonal across the Capsule Corp. front lawn. "How long has she been gone!"
"She left an hour ago," Mrs. Briefs said, trying to keep her voice calm and steady.
"And the reason we didn't call the police," Dr. Briefs said, catching Vegeta's attention, "is because Bulma went with Takao. She told us she was leaving and we couldn't convince her to stay."
"And just what does she plan to do with this psycho?" He was sitting now, though he didn't remember consciously allowing himself that small comfort. "How can you sit here and pretend like she isn't in trouble!"
"They're getting married, Vegeta," he sighed, taking a seat in the chair opposite him and his wife. Chi-Chi sat on the other side of Mrs. Briefs; she hadn't stopped trembling since the car ride. "I don't know when they'll be back, if at all."
"M-Married?" he stuttered, not believing it for a moment. No. She loved him. She wouldn't marry this man. There was something they didn't know. Bulma was forced to leave, he knew it. "That's impossible," he said sternly, looking Dr. Briefs dead in the eye.
"I'm only relaying the message, my boy. She wanted you to know that she's sorry if she hurt you."
"He forced her to go with him!" he shouted, gripping the cushion he was sitting on. "She would never go with him willingly! She. Loves. Me."
"Vegeta, please," Dr. Briefs tried to reason. "There's nothing we can do until she comes home. The police won't lift a finger because she gave no signs that she was forced. And if we lie, and the police go searching for her and she tells them she told us she went willingly, then it will only cause bigger problems…I promise you, Vegeta, she is in no danger."
"No danger!" he spat, rising to his feet. "No danger! Have you seen her scars! Were you not there when she was taken to the emergency room! Were you in a fucking coma for two years! He's hurt her before and he'll do it again! I won't give up until I find her! I don't care if I have to do it alone!"
"Listen to me Vegeta!" It was Dr. Briefs' turn to yell. He was to his feet as well, his hands holding Vegeta's arms tightly, forcing him to meet his eyes. "She loves you. Takao hurt her because she didn't do what he wanted. She didn't think she had anything worth living for, and so she fought back. She won't risk that this time. If there's a chance she can see you again, she won't put her life in danger. The moment she comes home we can figure a way to get that man locked away for the rest of his life, but for now there's nothing we can do…I'm sorry."
"You're all pathetic," he said under his breath, slipping from his grasp onto the couch.
"If you try to find her, he might kill her," Mrs. Briefs said, her hand shaking as she touched Vegeta's knee. "Please, let our baby come home. Listen to my husband, listen to your heart. Bulma told you what this man was like. You know we're right. We want to go searching for her just as much as you do…" She trailed off, her voice beginning to become choked with sobs. Vegeta sighed deeply and nodded. He knew they were right.
"I will kill him," he stated firmly, his eyes forward and unseeing. "That bastard better pray I never see him."
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Flashback:
Bulma smoothed down the fabric of her black designer dress and overlooked herself in the mirror one last time. She could not believe she'd agreed to do this, but it was too late now. Eizan Sunada, who she loathed more than he could possibly know, would be here any moment. The time to back out had passed, and now she had to spend an entire evening with him. It made her head hurt just thinking about it.
She groaned a loud at the sound of the doorbell, and went to answer it.
"Bulma, darling," Eizan said, presenting her a bouquet of white roses. She grabbed them roughly and tossed them over her shoulder.
"I hate white roses," she said harshly, grabbing her coat.
"Of course you do," he laughed. He offered her his arm, which she refused, and they walked to his limo. The chauffer, already standing beside the back door, opened it and helped Bulma inside. There were two other people in the cabin, a man and a woman, the second half of the double date. "Bulma, I would like you to meet some of my closest friends. This is Aki Daishi, world famous actress and model, as you must know." Bulma nodded. Who didn't know the name Aki Daishi? "And this young fox, your blind date for the evening, is Aki's kid brother."
"Does the fox have a name?" Bulma asked, her eyes proverbially glued to the gorgeous man that sat across from her. Maybe agreeing to go on this date wasn't such a bad idea after all.
"My name is Takao," the man said, reaching for her hand, which he kissed gently, giving her the most sensual of chills. "I've been in love with you since the moment I saw your picture. And I will do whatever it takes for you to marry me."
End Flashback
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---Chapter 11! Wow! Kami! Nooo! Bad Takao! Evil Takao! Vegeta needs to kill him and fast!
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Next time: A WEDDING!???
"Oh, my darling," he sighed, closing the gap between them, his strong confining arms wrapped around her. "Of course I forgive you. I love you, don't you know that?"
"Of course I know that," she said into his chest, her tears soaking his shirt. "I-I…I love you too." She lifted her head and put on her old smile. "Now let's get married."
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Bulma had a small bag packed and ready in less than ten minutes, grabbing only what she would need and nothing more. True, she could very well buy anything she wanted or needed, but the comfort of having her own possessions was the only comfort she had.
She took one last glance around her room to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Immediately, her eyes fell on the picture of her and Vegeta that sat on her nightstand. They were at the edge of their indoor pool, and Vegeta had her hoisted onto his shoulder, threatening to drop her into the heated water below. Bulma, being fully clothed and dry, obviously did not want to get wet. Mrs. Briefs had taken the picture only seconds before Vegeta slipped on a puddle and the couple went crashing into the pool.
Before Takao grew suspicious and came to see what was taking her so long, Bulma grabbed the framed photo, tossed it into her closet, wiped her eyes, and shut the door.
"At least I had you," she whispered, forcing her best fake smile. If this was going to be the rest of her life, she was going to have to get used to it now. She could not endure a life of wallowing and regret.
"Darling," Takao said as she entered the living room, her bag flung loosely over her shoulder. "Are you ready to begin the rest of our lives?"
"I've been ready for so long," she forced out, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. It took all her willpower to not cringe, to not show any sign that she was quickly dying inside, that the life she had always wanted—and had only recently glimpsed—would never fully be realized. Her and Vegeta were over and there was nothing she could do about it. Her only wish was that he would be able to find happiness with someone else in his life.
And then the whole scene changed.
Bulma's head snapped up, her eyes transfixed in horror at the front door—the knob was turning. Her parents were home!
"Takao," she whispered, her body frozen in place. "We have to hide. They won't let us leave. They'll call the police."
"The police?" A cloud of anger passed over him—Bulma knew it would have burst if the door hadn't opened at that very moment.
"Bulma dear!" Mrs. Briefs called as she pulled off her coat. "We're—Oh, there you are. And we have company! Why didn't you tell me you were having someone over?"
Bulma stared in horrified wonder as her mother hung up her coat and purse by the door. She didn't know who was standing mere feet from her? A man she swore she would protect her daughter from at all costs. Was she blind!
But then she saw it and realized he was not the old Takao. His hair was short now, out of his eyes, and he wore color contacts, instead of his old thick black-rimmed glasses. At first glance, he was an entirely different person. In her panic, she had seen him for who he was.
"Who is your friend, dear?" Mrs. Briefs asked, sidling up beside her daughter.
Any minute now, Bulma thought, her palms sweating. She didn't know where her bag was.
"Surely you remember me, Mrs. Briefs," came his deep and pleasant voice. "I've been away for so long you must have forgotten. But I'm back now, and Bulma and myself are ready to continue our lives together. Tell her, love." He pulled Bulma close, his arm around her shoulders. "Tell her what we plan to do."
"You remember Takao mom," Bulma laughed, giving him an affectionate look. To any onlooker they were a happily in-love couple. But, knowing her daughter better than any soul, Mrs. Briefs caught the poorly hidden terror in her eyes. "He's come back for me. We're getting married."
This was the exact moment Dr. Briefs chose to walk through the door, his ears perking at the word 'married'. Immediately he thought of her and Vegeta, his mind not registering the strange in the house just yet.
"Married!" he said, making his way towards his wife and daughter. "I knew it the moment I saw the boy," he laughed, pulling her into a hug. "Vegeta will make a fine—" But his eyes had fallen on Takao and he knew who he was without being told. A surge of panic cracked down his spine and for a moment he could neither speak nor think.
"Not Vegeta, daddy," Bulma waved off as if he were nothing to her. Couldn't they feel her pain? She was sure of it. "I don't know what I was thinking with him. He was nothing but a jerk to me. We always fought when I lived in Satan City. I guess I just wanted to…to be with someone. I never dreamed Takao would come back. But now that he has," she paused, uncurling herself from her father's loose grasp, "we're getting married. Don't be angry. It's what I want."
"Bulma," Dr. Briefs said sternly, his feeling coming back. He grabbed her almost roughly by the arm and pulled her into the kitchen. Mrs. Briefs followed hot on their heels. "What the hell are you doing?" he snapped, grabbing onto her other arm. She refused to meet his gaze. "Look at me!" He made sure to keep his voice low enough for Takao not to hear.
"Are you on drugs?" Mrs. Briefs asked in all seriousness. It was not uncommon, of course, for those in the limelight to resort to use of illegal substances to feel alive in a world where nearly everything is fake.
"Drugs?" Bulma laughed. She gave up trying to get free from her father's grip. She was going to hear what they had to say no matter what. "Mom, you know how ridiculous I think that stuff is. I'm perfectly fine, and sane."
"You do remember what he did to you, honey." She wanted to cry, seeing the pain and concern on her father's face. But she remained firm and virtually emotionless. "All those hospital visits." For a moment he thought he saw a glimmer of something in his daughter's eyes at the mention of what he knew no one could ever forget—but, as quickly as it came, it was gone and she smiled as if he'd said nothing at all.
"He was having a rough time in his life," she finally said, as if trying to convince herself as well. "He didn't even know who he was. He wasn't ready for a relationship; that's why he did those awful things. But he's better now!" she whispered, bringing her hands around to grasp her father's arms as he grasped hers. "He's been to counseling and group therapy and he's a completely new and different person. He loves me and I love him and we're getting married whether I have your consent or not. I'm eighteen years old and by law I can do what I please."
Her parents were so dumbfounded that for a moment the room was in a dead silence.
"Darling." Bulma's heart jumped at the sound of Takao's voice. He was coming for her now. It was her last moment with her parents and all she could think was that she had to get out of there before they saw her cry. Being saved was completely out of the question now. It was too late. "I don't mean to rush you, but the flight is long and I would love it if we could talk some before getting settled in."
"Where are you taking her?" Dr. Briefs asked, not even trying to mask the distaste in his voice. Takao grinned wide at him, easily pulling Bulma into his arms.
"It doesn't matter where I'm going," Bulma insisted. She wrapped her arms around his waist to complete the illusion. "I'm going and that's all that matters. I'll be back when I wish. If Yutaka calls, tell him I won't look at a script on my vacation."
"Bulma, please, think about what you're doing," Dr. Briefs pleaded, trying unsuccessfully to hold her hand. She recoiled from him as if he carried the plague, pressing herself ever closer to Takao. "You're only eighteen. There's no reason to get married so young. Think about—"
"Father!" she hissed, giving him a look of pure and untainted hatred. "I love Takao. I am marrying him no matter what you try feeding me! Stop being so…so…traditional and let me live my own life, the way I want to!" Sharply, she turned to her mother, startling her noticeably. "Mom, please tell Vegeta what happened. Tell him I'm sorry that I hurt him, but I don't love him and never did. I love Takao."
"And if he tries to contact you?" Mrs. Briefs whispered, her voice small and hoarse. This was not her daughter standing before her.
"Tell him not to, that I don't want to see him again."
"But—"
"I'm sorry. I can't stay any longer," Bulma interrupted, pulling Takao from the kitchen. She found her bag next to the couch, grabbed it, and was out the door before her parents could collect themselves. By the time they were in the car, two houses from Capsule Corp., she was in such a raging fit of tears even Takao's quiet, threatening voice couldn't silence her. "You owe me these tears," she sobbed into her palms.
He didn't say a word the entire way to the airport.
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"Aren't you even going to try, Vegeta?" Chi-Chi asked as they sat at the first empty table they saw in the food court. Earlier that day at school, she'd come up to him, asking if he would go to the mall with her to help her buy Goku a birthday present. And, since Vegeta was his best friend, she figured he knew him the best. Needless to say, it took a lot of convincing.
"To tune you out?" he grunted, taking an unattractive bite of his burger. "I've been trying all day, but it's not working."
"Don't start with me," she warned, pointing a motherly finger at him. "I know you miss her just as much as we all did. You know how miserable I was these last four years without her. You can't sit there and say you don't feel the same and be telling the truth. Just call her, I'm sure she'd be more than willing to at least talk to you."
"We've tried that," he said. "Remember?"
"You mean she tried. You did nothing, as usual, and pissed her off. Not being your alter-ego all the time would help too."
"And since when do you care?" he asked, holding his soda to his mouth, ready to drink. "Or, to be more exact, since when do you care about ME?"
"Since you showed me you could be something other than a selfish asshole," she said sweetly, sipping at her iced tea. "To be honest, I never thought, or wanted, to be in this situation with you. But—"
"Likewise," he said under his breath.
"But, now that I know you can be a good guy, I'm glad we're here."
"At the mall?"
"Yeah, at the mall," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "At this point, you moron."
"Right…"
"Don't be an ass. And stop getting me off track. I want to know why you won't confront Bulma. She misses you, I know it."
"So she hasn't talked about me…I figured that."
"She refuses to talk about you. Which means that she wants to be friends with you again. Maybe more."
"I think you've crossed a line," he commented, narrowing his eyes just a little.
"What line?"
"Not even Kakarot talks to me about girls."
"And why is that?" she inquired, a devious smile on her lips. This was getting interesting. And here she thought she was just getting present for her boyfriend.
"If I told you, I'd be admitting something I'm not ready to admit. Don't push me."
She nodded knowingly and started to eat. She was happy to get as much as she did.
By the time they walked out of the mall, it was nearly nine o'clock and the sun was completely gone. Once seated in the passenger's seat—for he didn't feel much like driving and Chi-Chi had been begging to drive his car for months—he pulled out his cell phone and checked for messages. He never had it on unless he knew someone was going to call him.
Immediately, his stomach turned to knots. There were fifteen messages, all from the Briefs' home line, not Bulma's personal line, which meant it was Mrs. Briefs making the calls. He found the first message, opened it, and held the phone to his ear.
"Kami no," he whispered. The phone slipped from his trembling fingers, the message still playing.
"What?" Chi-Chi asked, trying to keep her eyes on the road. Something in the tone of his voice was unsettling. Was he upset? She couldn't tell in the dim lighting of the car. "Who was the message from?"
"Pull over," he said, his eyes still forward and unmoving.
"What?"
"Pull over!" he demanded, grabbing at the wheel. Hastily, she pulled the car to the side of the road.
"Tell me what's going on, Vegeta!" she snapped, fear evident in her voice. But he ignored her, getting out of the car instead, and coming around to her side.
"Move over," he yelled through the glass. Reluctantly she did as he said. When they were on the road again, and headed in the opposite direction of their houses, going at least twenty miles over the speed limit, Chi-Chi tried once more to get some desperately needed information out of him:
"Will you tell me now?" she yelled, wanting to slap him for nearly giving her a heart attack.
"Where do you want me to start!" he shot back, his fingers barely able to grip the steering wheel. If she had known his anger was a façade for his pain and fear, she wouldn't be mad at him. And, if she knew what was upsetting him, she wouldn't be able to talk period. "I've reconciled with Bulma, we've been together for almost four months now, I love her and there's nothing I can do to save her!"
"Recon—Love—Save her? Vegeta! What the fuck does that mean!"
"It means she's gone!"
"Gone!?"
"It means her psychotic ex kidnapped her and no one knows where she is! She wouldn't let me help her and now I can't!"
"K-K-Kidnapped? B-By who?"
"His name is Takao," he sighed, his breath painful and heavy, eyes laced with tears. "That's all I know…"
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"Why hasn't anyone called the police!" Vegeta demanded, ignoring Mrs. Briefs as she tugged on his arm for him to seat down. He'd only been there a few minutes, his car parked diagonal across the Capsule Corp. front lawn. "How long has she been gone!"
"She left an hour ago," Mrs. Briefs said, trying to keep her voice calm and steady.
"And the reason we didn't call the police," Dr. Briefs said, catching Vegeta's attention, "is because Bulma went with Takao. She told us she was leaving and we couldn't convince her to stay."
"And just what does she plan to do with this psycho?" He was sitting now, though he didn't remember consciously allowing himself that small comfort. "How can you sit here and pretend like she isn't in trouble!"
"They're getting married, Vegeta," he sighed, taking a seat in the chair opposite him and his wife. Chi-Chi sat on the other side of Mrs. Briefs; she hadn't stopped trembling since the car ride. "I don't know when they'll be back, if at all."
"M-Married?" he stuttered, not believing it for a moment. No. She loved him. She wouldn't marry this man. There was something they didn't know. Bulma was forced to leave, he knew it. "That's impossible," he said sternly, looking Dr. Briefs dead in the eye.
"I'm only relaying the message, my boy. She wanted you to know that she's sorry if she hurt you."
"He forced her to go with him!" he shouted, gripping the cushion he was sitting on. "She would never go with him willingly! She. Loves. Me."
"Vegeta, please," Dr. Briefs tried to reason. "There's nothing we can do until she comes home. The police won't lift a finger because she gave no signs that she was forced. And if we lie, and the police go searching for her and she tells them she told us she went willingly, then it will only cause bigger problems…I promise you, Vegeta, she is in no danger."
"No danger!" he spat, rising to his feet. "No danger! Have you seen her scars! Were you not there when she was taken to the emergency room! Were you in a fucking coma for two years! He's hurt her before and he'll do it again! I won't give up until I find her! I don't care if I have to do it alone!"
"Listen to me Vegeta!" It was Dr. Briefs' turn to yell. He was to his feet as well, his hands holding Vegeta's arms tightly, forcing him to meet his eyes. "She loves you. Takao hurt her because she didn't do what he wanted. She didn't think she had anything worth living for, and so she fought back. She won't risk that this time. If there's a chance she can see you again, she won't put her life in danger. The moment she comes home we can figure a way to get that man locked away for the rest of his life, but for now there's nothing we can do…I'm sorry."
"You're all pathetic," he said under his breath, slipping from his grasp onto the couch.
"If you try to find her, he might kill her," Mrs. Briefs said, her hand shaking as she touched Vegeta's knee. "Please, let our baby come home. Listen to my husband, listen to your heart. Bulma told you what this man was like. You know we're right. We want to go searching for her just as much as you do…" She trailed off, her voice beginning to become choked with sobs. Vegeta sighed deeply and nodded. He knew they were right.
"I will kill him," he stated firmly, his eyes forward and unseeing. "That bastard better pray I never see him."
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Flashback:
Bulma smoothed down the fabric of her black designer dress and overlooked herself in the mirror one last time. She could not believe she'd agreed to do this, but it was too late now. Eizan Sunada, who she loathed more than he could possibly know, would be here any moment. The time to back out had passed, and now she had to spend an entire evening with him. It made her head hurt just thinking about it.
She groaned a loud at the sound of the doorbell, and went to answer it.
"Bulma, darling," Eizan said, presenting her a bouquet of white roses. She grabbed them roughly and tossed them over her shoulder.
"I hate white roses," she said harshly, grabbing her coat.
"Of course you do," he laughed. He offered her his arm, which she refused, and they walked to his limo. The chauffer, already standing beside the back door, opened it and helped Bulma inside. There were two other people in the cabin, a man and a woman, the second half of the double date. "Bulma, I would like you to meet some of my closest friends. This is Aki Daishi, world famous actress and model, as you must know." Bulma nodded. Who didn't know the name Aki Daishi? "And this young fox, your blind date for the evening, is Aki's kid brother."
"Does the fox have a name?" Bulma asked, her eyes proverbially glued to the gorgeous man that sat across from her. Maybe agreeing to go on this date wasn't such a bad idea after all.
"My name is Takao," the man said, reaching for her hand, which he kissed gently, giving her the most sensual of chills. "I've been in love with you since the moment I saw your picture. And I will do whatever it takes for you to marry me."
End Flashback
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---Chapter 11! Wow! Kami! Nooo! Bad Takao! Evil Takao! Vegeta needs to kill him and fast!
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