Hey everybody. I'm really really sorry about the lateness of this chapter, but I have just been SO busy, and I'm having a slight case of writers block. I need…inspiration, I need…a vision, I need…food. Lol. Well, on to the chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
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Chapter 18 – Tornado-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Chichi, I'm not that fat!"
Bulma stood, her hands planted firmly on her hips, gaping at what seemed to her, a gigantic pair of jeans.
Her mother had decided that it was time she went shopping for some maternity clothes, and Chichi had agreed to accompany her.
"Well sorry, I didn't read the tag," Chichi replied defensively, placing the garment back on the rack. "And I never said you're fat."
"Chichi, I feel like a whale!" Bulma complained, rubbing her stomach absently. She turned to her friend, a serious look on her face, "Chichi, don't ever get pregnant."
"I'm not planning on it," Chichi replied with a smile. "Now c'mon, 18 said she would meet us at McDonalds." (A/N: I don't own McDonalds. Don't sue!)
Bulma reluctantly exited the store with Chichi and they made their way to meet 18.
They found her sitting at a table and the two girls took a seat.
"So, Bulma…you're coming to school tomorrow," 18 questioned, a burger in one hand and a Coke in the other. (A/N: I don't own Coke.)
Bulma nodded, reaching for the drink, "Can I have some, please?"
Chichi jumped in, snatching it away from her, "Now Bulma, you're not supposed to have caffeine," she scolded.
Bulma groaned and lay her head on the table. Chichi had read every book on pregnancy she could find, making sure that Bulma didn't do anything she shouldn't. Bulma was beginning to feel like she had a second mother.
"Are you sure you want to come back to school?" Chichi asked, " 'Cuz I really don't mind bringing you your homework."
Bulma sighed, "I know, and I really do appreciate it, Chi, but…I can't run from all my problems. I need to confront them."
"You mean him," 18 mumbled. That got her a smack from Chichi.
Chichi sent her a glare before asking, "Are you done yet? We do have other places to go, you know."
18 made a face at her and stuffed the rest of her burger into her mouth.
"18 that is so gross!" Bulma exclaimed, wrinkling her nose.
Chichi just rolled her eyes and stood up, "I swear, 18, sometimes you're just like a guy!"
"Sometimes it's more fun to be just like a guy," 18 replied.
The three girls hooked arms and walked out, giggling.
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Bulma sat on the couch, flipping absently through the channels. Somehow she ended up watching the news.
She leaned back into the soft cushions as they began to report the area football games.
"And the West City Wolverines took another huge victory thanks to their star player, Vegeta Ouji."
Bulma winced inwardly at his name, she really didn't want to hear how good he was doing without her.
She watched as they showed a clip of the game. Goku got the ball, looked around and threw a perfect pass to Vegeta who almost walked for the touchdown.
They then went to a post game interview of him. There was a normal looking female reporter jamming a microphone into his face.
"…Bulma Briefs, your former girlfriend is pregnant. How has that affected your game?"
He gave her a death glare before answering, "It hasn't."
Bulma felt as if he had shoved a knife through her heart…again. Deep down, though she wouldn't admit it, even to herself, she had been hoping that she had done something to him. Maybe make him not be able to sleep at night, or something like that, but obviously he was fine. She didn't mean anything to him.
She threw the remote at the television, wishing that he could really be there instead of just a reproduced picture.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to throw a temper tantrum. She wanted to call him and tell him how much she hated him. She wanted to hug him. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to hold him.
She began to punch the pillow as the tears began to slide down her cheeks.
"I hate you Vegeta! I hate you!" she cried.
She heard the doorbell ring, but ignored it, forgetting that her parents had gone out to dinner.
It rang again and she finally rose to answer it. She was not in a good mood.
She threw open the door, "What?!"
Brooke stood there, arms crossed, a smirk on her face. It looked to Bulma like a sorry imitation of the man she hated.
"Don't do that," Bulma glared, "It reminds me of him."
"That's the point," Brooke snapped.
"What do you want?" Bulma questioned, trying desperately to keep her temper in check.
"Well," Brooke straitened up, "…can I come in?"
Bulma was temped to say no and slam the door but she decided against it.
"Whatever," she said, stepping aside so the girl could enter.
Brooke entered the house and followed Bulma to the living room where the two sat.
"Now, what do you want," Bulma questioned again.
Brooke leaned back and placed her hands behind her head.
"Well, I've been watching the news lately and…well, I know how upset you must be with Vegeta. I mean, him not wanting the baby and everything must be—"
"What's your point?" Bulma snapped.
She could tell Brooke wanted to say something, but she just cleared her throat and continued, "Well, I had a plan…a way for you to get back at him. Something that would be so awful his own parents wouldn't want him."
Bulma opened her mouth to say yes, but she stopped herself. She thought about it. Did she really want to do this to him?
She hated him. He was so awful to her. He never said he loved her, or anything. He didn't give her flowers, or bring her chocolates. He never smiled.
She wanted to say yes, but she couldn't help remembering that night.
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"Vegeta, I'm ready," she breathed.
"Woman, are you sure you want to do this?" He panted between kisses.
She closed her eyes, "I think it's time. I—I…" He paused to look into her eyes.
"Don't hurt me," She whispered.
He nodded as he scooped her up in his arms, carried her into the bedroom, and carefully laid her down on the bed.
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She took a deep breath. Brooke was looking at her expectantly.
"No," she said firmly. "I—I can't do this to him."
Brooke was obviously surprised, this wasn't the answer she was expecting.
"Bulma, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. You and I…we can ruin Vegeta Ouji's life!"
Bulma shook her head, "What's wrong with you? Why would you want to do that to him? What did he ever do to you?"
Brooke stood up, glaring. "I was just trying to help you get back at him, but if you want to sit around and mope about how he doesn't want you for the rest of your life…go ahead."
Brooke sniffed, turned on her heel and stalked out the door, making sure that it slammed behind her.
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Bulma shivered as she felt the house quake as the thunder boomed outside her window. Her parents had called, the restaurant manager had been watching the news in the kitchen and the local weather station had issued a tornado warning, so they all had to go to the basement.
They had given Bulma explicit instructions to lock all the doors and windows and go to the basement, herself.
She had just finished closing and locking the windows upstairs, and was making her way to the basement when she heard a knock on the door. She paused, then turned to open it.
There, standing in the doorway was Val. Her clothes were completely soaked, her was wet and stringy, hanging into her face.
She had her little brother by the hand, who was also as soaked as she was.
"B—Bulma," she stammered.
Bulma didn't even let her finish. She pulled the two inside and locked the door once they were safely inside.
"We don't have time. There's a tornado warning. I was just on my way to the basement."
She showed them the door to the basement and told them to go while she went to get some towels. They did as she told.
She found a few clean towels and some blankets in the closet and she snatched them up, not caring to pick up the items she knocked over in the process.
She carried the lump of linens down the stairs into the comfy room, heaving a sigh of relief that her father had finally decided to remodel the place like she had wanted.
She handed Val a towel and wrapped the other around the small boy, hugging him tight and whispering soothing words to him.
"Why don't we move over into this corner," Bulma suggested, carrying the small boy and setting him on a chair in the far corner of the room.
She and Val each took a seat on chairs opposite him and Bulma decided to find out what had brought them to her house, especially in the middle of the night.
"Val, what happened?" She questioned quietly.
Val sighed, "My dad." She replied solemnly. "He came home drunk again, but…it was different this time. Like he had gone over the edge or something, and this was the only place I could think to go. I—I was scared," she admitted, hugging the towel closer.
"I was scared, too."
It was the first time the boy had spoke since he and his sister had shown up. Bulma glanced at him, the poor boy, he must've been terrified.
She rose from her seat, picked him up, and sat him in her lap, hugging him and stroking his hair.
He snuggled up close to her, listening to the steady beat of her heart.
After a few minutes, he poked her stomach.
"I don't remember you being this fat last time," He said with a frown.
Bulma giggled, "I'm not fat, I'm pregnant."
He looked confused for a minute before his face brightened.
"Ooh, so that means I'm gonna be… " He paused, thinking of what his brother's child would become to him.
"An uncle?"
Bulma smiled, she hadn't thought of that. Well, Squid's brother's son would be his nephew.
"Yeah, you will be an uncle," Bulma agreed.
"That'll be fun! Then I can teach him how to play baseball, and we can go to the park together and stuff!"
"What if it's a girl?" Val countered. "Then you'll have to play dolls with her, and play dress up, and teach her what guys not to date, and—"
Squid wrinkled his nose, "I hope it's not a girl, I want it to be a boy."
"What about you," Val asked Bulma. "What do you want, since it is your child?"
Bulma paused for a moment, she hadn't really thought about that.
"Well…I think I'll be content no matter what it is."
Val nodded, "I can understand that."
"I can't. Why would you want a girl? They're no fun!" Squid exclaimed.
"You think that now…" Val replied with a smile.
"Well, if the whole world was only boys, then pretty soon everyone would die," Bulma explained, "Because girls are the ones who have babies, but if the whole world were girls…"
"I don't even want to think about that," Squid said, frowning.
Just then, the phone rang. Bulma sat Squid in the chair as she rose to answer it.
"Hello?"
It was Vegeta, the last person she was expecting to call.
"What do you want?" She glared.
"Where are you," he demanded.
"In my basement…with your siblings." She added.
"Val and Squid? What are they—"
"It doesn't matter. What do you want?" She asked again.
"My sister and brother are at your house and it doesn't matter? I'm coming over there," He told her.
"Whatever."
She clicked the phone off and heaved a sigh of frustration. Why did he have to make her so mad all the time?
"Who was that?" Val questioned.
"Your brother," Bulma spat, rolling her eyes.
"He wanted to make sure you were okay?"
Bulma stopped. That made sense, he had called to make sure she was safe. He did care about her, even though he wouldn't' admit it, even to himself.
"Yeah," she mumbled, sinking into a chair.
She grabbed the remote and flipped on the news.
The tornado warning was over…for now.
They heard a knock on the door, then a squeak as it opened, then someone descending the stairs.
"Woman?"
"Vegeta, how did you get into my house?"
"You gave me a key, where's—"
"Veggie!"
Squid jumped up from the chair and ran to his brother hugging him around his knees.
Vegeta picked the small boy up, holding him in one arm and hugging Val with the other.
"Aww, there's no room for me," Bulma smiled.
"We can always make room," Val smiled.
"We'd need room for two."
Bulma glanced at Vegeta and the two shared a lingering look before she sighed, "Well, I guess I'll go upstairs."
She brushed past him and up the stairs to her room, collapsing onto her bed.
"Why does he do this to me?" She questioned aloud.
"Every time I think I'm finally over him he comes back and gives me butterflies in my stomach all over again. God I hate this."
She picked up the phone and dialed Chichi's number, she really needed some support right now.
Unfortunately, Chichi wasn't home.
"Probably out with Goku," Bulma mumbled, placing the phone back into the cradle.
She sat on the bed for a few moments, just thinking, until she heard a soft knock on her door.
Squid pushed the door open and jumped on the bed beside her. "We're leaving, Vegeta's taking us to his house."
Bulma gave him sort of a side ways hug. "I'll see you later, then, okay? Tell Val I said bye."
"Bye!" Squid smiled before hopping off the bed and dashing out the door.
Bulma sighed and lay back on her bed.
"Isn't that uncomfortable?"
She sat up with a sigh.
"What do you want now?"
"I want to talk to you about why my sister and brother were at your house, and I didn't know about it," he said lowly, leaning up against the doorframe.
She rolled her eyes, "I don't exactly know why they were here. They just showed up, and I let them in."
"You're lying."
"I don't know why they came, Vegeta? What else do you want me to say?!" She stood up, waving her hands in the air.
"I want you to tell me the truth."
"I don't know!"
He stalked over to her, grasping her by her forearms, shaking her slightly.
"Tell me," he growled.
She squirmed, trying to wriggle from his grasp.
"Oww! Vegeta, you're hurting me!" She cried.
He immediately loosened his hold, but didn't let go.
"Okay, Val said…her dad came home drunk, and she was scared, so…she came here. Are you happy now?!"
"Why didn't you tell me before," he demanded.
"Val asked me not to," Bulma replied quietly.
He looked into her eyes for a moment then spun around and left the room.
She sank onto the bed, breathing heavily, she hated him to be that close.
She could hear him saying something to Val and Squid before she heard the door close.
She closed her eyes as the room started to spin. She should get some sleep.
She layed back onto her pillows and drifted off to sleep.
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--gasp-- What is Vegeta going to do? Will Val be mad at Bulma for telling? And what is Brooke planning? Find out next time! Lol. Don't forget to review!