Disclaimer; I still don't own DBZ, ok.
A/N; Well, here is chapter three of Mind Games. I said I would try and get another one up before I went back to school and I came through for all you people! Thank you so very much to you all for your wonderful reviews, I was a little (or a lot) unsure about posting this, but your kind words have helped all that doubt fade away. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I'll try to get another one up soon
-D.B
---
---
18's eyes opened. Suddenly, she was awake; her dreamless sleep had been interrupted. Wriggling loose from Krillens embrace, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Turning to look at the clock, she scowled when she read that it was 3.43 am.
Suddenly, out of nowhere a hot flush washed over 18 and she threw off her covers, her forehead began to sweat. Climbing out of bed, 18 searched for her slippers in the dark, and then headed downstairs for a glass of water.
"What's wrong with me?" she mumbled as she filled up a glass with cool water, her hands shaking as she did. She had been fine only minutes before. Carefully placing the glass back down on the counter, 18 walked into the lounge, unlocked the front door and stepped out onto the deck and walked down to the sandy beach.
Looking up at the night sky, a long sigh escaped her lips as she stretched out her legs and reclined back on her arms. "What's going on?" she asked. That dream, she kept thinking back to that horrible dream – why had that day suddenly come back to the front of her mind, and why did she feel like something was wrong with 17? Further more, why did she care that something was wrong with 17? Yet still, she couldn't shake the feeling that 17 needed her help. She didn't want to help him though, did she?
Behind her, she heard the screen door open and close. Twisting her torso around, she watched as Krillen made his way down the beach and sat beside her. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked.
"I don't think there's really anything to talk about" she replied, as the ocean breeze gently blew her hair back and fourth across her face.
"Ok then, how about we just sit here for a while instead?"
"That sounds good" 18 replied as she lay down in the sand, and rested her head in Krillens lap.
They stayed like that for quite some time, Krillen playing with 18's hair, twisting it around his fingers, talking to her, making her smile with tales of the day they would have enough money to leave the island and live some where real, as he put it. In a 10-story house with maids and butlers, it would be so big that it would put capsule corp. to shame.
Of course, that would never happen. They both loved the tiny island they called home and neither could ever imagine living elsewhere, neither of them wanted to live elsewhere. They had the perfect home to raise their family in. Krillen though, knew 18 wasn't feeling right, and he knew how to take her mind off it. Talking about money.
Abruptly though, 18 sat up, she startled Krillen who jumped. "18, what's wrong?" he asked.
18 sat, her heart thumping in her chest, a sharp pain shooting across her wrists and mid section, she flinched from the pain and gasped for air. She could hear Krillen frantically calling her name, but all she could think of was the pain. Slowly but surely it subsided to a dull throbbing, but it didn't go away completely.
"18, what the hell is wrong with you?" Krillen demanded, his concern beginning to make him mad, "Tell me"
"17, it's 17. He needs my help, we have to go"
Krillen blinked, "Are you insane?" he asked.
18 shot him a deadly glare and Krillen instantly regretted his words, "Krillen, he needs us, he needs me"
"Have you forgotten what he almost did to our family? To you? To Marron?" Krillen asked, reaching out and taking his wife's hand.
"No I haven't forgotten!" She snatched her hand away again, "but I can't turn my back on him either Krillen. I know that what he did was wrong, but please Krillen, he's the only family I have left" her voice fell to a mere whisper as she spoke
"Oh no sweetheart, you're family is here, me and Marron. I know that you went through a lot with your brother, but what he did to our family was wrong, unforgivable" Krillen pleaded with her.
"I know that Krillen!" the pain in her voice obvious "and I didn't say I was going to forgive him, I just said he needs my help. Please Krillen," she looked him deep in the eyes, "please"
"What about Marron? Master isn't here, we have no one to sit for her"
"Bring her with us"
Krillen sighed. "What about I call Chi-chi? Her place is on the way to 17's cabin" it was a bad idea, yet the best idea he could think of at nearly four in the morning
"Fine" 18 stood up in the sand and helped Krillen up, you call her and I'll get ready.
---
Krillen yawned as he waited for the phone to pick up. Finally the ringing ceased and a voice took its place.
"This better be good, do you have any idea what time it is?" Chi-chi snapped.
"Yeah, Chi-chi hi, it's Krillen. Listen, I know it's late and all, but I need to ask a huge favour of you"
"Krillen?" Chi-chi calmed down considerably. "What's the matter?"
"Well, I really hate to have to put you out like this, but we have kinda have an emergency here and I was wondering if we'd be able to drop Marron off there for the night?"
"Emergency? Krillen what's wrong. Are you all alright?"
"Yeah, we're fine," he looked 18 at as she walked into the room with a sleepy Marron in her arms, "18 and I just need to be somewhere urgently and Master isn't home to watch Marron"
"Oh yeah, of course you can bring her over. Anything you need, I'll be happy to help"
"Thanks Chi, you're a life saver, we'll be there soon ok. Bye"
"Bye"
Krillen hung up the phone, "You ready to go?" he asked as he picked up the capsule, which contained the family air car.
"What are you doing?" 18 asked, "Driving is too slow. We need to fly"
"18, we can't fly with Marron. You know that. You're blinded by worry"
"Krillen, we're flying. End of story" 18 put her foot down and ended the conversation.
"Fine" Krillen didn't bother to argue, "I'll go get changed"
---
"Dada" Marron whimpered as she pressed herself closer against her father's chest. The night wind was cold against her young skin, and even though Krillen had wrapped his jacket around her, she was still shivering.
"It's ok sweetie. We'll be at Aunty Chi-chi's soon," he told his daughter "18!" he then called out to his wife, who was flying on up ahead
18 slowed down, and then came to a complete halt. Up righting herself in the air, she flashed Krillen a small smile. The first thing Krillen noticed were the tear steaks on her face, and he felt his heart break. He hated more than anything in the world to see his angel cry.
"Hey, hey it's all right 18" He readjusted his grip on Marron and placed an arm around 18 in a comforting hug.
They were silent for several minute until Krillen spoke up again "Why don't you go on ahead to your brothers and I'll drop Marron off and meet you there ok" he suggested.
"Are you sure?" 18 asked.
"Of course I'm sure" he replied, Krillen wanted to put off going to 17's for as long as possible, he knew he didn't stand a chance against 17, but he sure wanted to at least try to kill him for what he did to his family.
That was what Krillen didn't understand. Why now, after all this time was 18 willing to confront her brother. 18 hated him for what he did, for how he acted, and now – here she was crying, of all things, out of worry for him. Shaking his head, Krillen mentally sighed; his wife was a puzzle he would never solve.
"Ok then" 18 placed a kiss on her husband's cheek and ran her hand across Marrons hair, then disappeared into the night sky.
---------------
"Thank you so much Chi-chi, I know it's an inconvenience, but we really appreciate it" Krillen said thankfully as he stepped into the warm house
"Don't even mention it Krillen. You've done so much for this family it's about time we did something to pay you back" Chi-chi replied with a smile.
"Do you have somewhere I can put her down?" Krillen asked, looking around the living room.
"Of course, I set up the portable crib in my room, I hope that's ok"
"Yeah, of course"
Walking down the narrow hall, Krillen arrived at Chi-chi's bedroom, and sure enough the crib was set up at the back of the room. Marron stirred as Krillen lowered her into the crib, and tightened her grip around her father's neck.
"Hey, let go of daddy" he cooed to his daughter, whose heavy eyelids drifted open in a confused daze.
"Dada?" she asked
"Daddy's here baby" he reassured her as he covered her with the blankets and watched until she was sleeping soundly again, then crept out the room.
"Chi-chi thank you for this. I'm really sorry about the horrible time and all, I'll pay you back somehow"
"Don't even think about it. Now why don't you go and do whatever it is that you have to do" Chi-chi replied.
"Yeah, thanks"
---------------
"17" 18 called out her brothers name as she landed in the familiar clearing in which 17's cabin was located. "17" she called again.
Walking up the creaky front steps, she noticed right away how bad the house smelt. Knocking on the door, no one answered. Should she just break it in? Without another thought after that, 18 firmly brought her fist down on the door handle effectively breaking the lock.
If she thought it smelt bad outside, she was almost knocked over by it when she walked inside. 17 really did need her help if this was how he lived, he also needed her vacuum cleaner. "17, are you in here?" 18 called as she walked through the living room and into the kitchen, again, she received no response.
"18? Holy cow this place is a mess!" 18 heard from the front door. Spinning around, she felt relief wash over her. Why, she wasn't too sure.
"Krillen, is that you?" she asked, even though she clearly knew it was.
"The one and only" he replied.
Wading through the mess, 18 got to her husband, "I don't have such a good feeling about this"
"Ok, how about I check outside, and you keep looking in the house. We'll find him" Krillen reassured her 'and hopefully he'll be dead' he added in his mind.
18 nodded, "Ok."
She came to the room that used to be her own and pushed open the door, to her utmost surprise, it was in perfect condition. She took a step further into the room, pulling open the draw on the bedside table, she found nothing of interest, the same went for the closet.
"Where are you 17?" she asked herself as she left the room and came to the bathroom. The door was locked "17?" she asked as she knocked on the door. She got no reply. "17?" she asked again. Behind the locked door a light was on, maybe 17 was in there and really did need her help. For the second time in 10 minutes she smashed open a lock, and let the door swing open.
---
Krillen wandered around in the dark woods outside 17's disgusting little cabin. He had only been here once, back then he hadn't hated it so much, sure, he had never really gotten along with 17 but he had tolerated him and put on the nice brother-in-law act for the sake of his wife, now though if he never saw 17 again it would be too soon.
Suddenly, the night air was torn in two by the sound of a horrifying scream coming from inside the house.
Krillen, who instantly recognised it as 18, swore loudly and took off for the house, frantically calling her name as he went.
"18, wha…" he trailed off at the scene he saw in front of him.
Blood, the entire bathroom floor was covered in the sticky crimson fluid. On the floor lay 17, face down, potentially drowning in his own blood, and beside him, 18, on her knees searching for a pulse on 17's neck – her hands, arms and legs all covered in the drying red mess.
"Is he?" Krillen asked as he surveyed the scene.
"He has a pulse. Krillen, we have to do something" 18 looked up at him, desperation in her eyes. However much wrong he had done, 18 still loved her brother. Now Krillen could finally see that.
"What can we do?" he asked, his voice full of sorrow, not for 17, but for 18 who had to be the one to see this first.
"I don't know" she voice reduced to merely a whisper. She was scared, Krillen could sense it.
"Look, he slit his wrists with the axe" Krillen pointed to the bloody instrument lying in the bathtub, "we need to clean the blood off his arms and bandage them up to stop the blood flow" he informed 18. Krillen wasn't dumb, he knew what to do in situations like this, after all what Z warrior would be stupid enough not to take a course in first aide?
"There are no bandages. Krillen, he's going to die" tears began to well up in 18's eyes. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want to love 17, but she couldn't help it, they had been through so much together, that 18 found it impossible just to let him drop out of her life.
"Ok then, Krillen took off his jacket and dropped in on the ground in the hall, then he took of the tee shirt he was wearing underneath and tossed it to 18. "Rip that up and use it"
18 looked down at the shirt in her hands "Krillen, this is your favourite shirt" she looked up at him.
"I think saving your brothers life is a little more important than a shirt." Inwardly, Krillen was praying that 18 wouldn't rip it up, it was his favourite shirt, and it would be a shame to waste it on 17. But he would never forgive himself if he was the reason 18 never smiled again.
"Let me help you" Krillen walked into the bathroom and helped 18 rolled 17 over onto his back. His face and hair were covered in blood and he was unconscious, who knew how long he had been like this. Minutes? Hours?
"I can't believe he did this" 18 mumbled as she wet a piece of the shirt and started to wipe the drying blood from 17's arms. "What are we going to secure the cloth with?"
"Just tie it in a knot" Krillen replied as he worked on 17's other arm. He was going to need stiches. Krillen knew how to stich him up, but all the necessary equipment was back on the island
"He's not waking up" 18 shook 17, but nothing happened.
"Of course he's not waking up, look how much blood he has lost" Krillen said without looking up.
"What are you saying?"
This time Krillen looked up, "I'm not saying anything sweetheart. Don't worry, we got to him in time, he's going to be fine. He'll just need to rest for a few days"
"We'll have to bring him to the island" 18 stated, as if there was no question about it.
"What?" Krillen sounded shocked beyond all belief, "We're not bringing him to our home 18"
"Yes we are. He can't stay here, it's a dump and there is no one to look after him"
"I know that he's you're brother and you're worried about him, but think about what he did to our daughter. 18, we can't trust him"
18 took a few deep breaths before she replied, "and what the hell is he going to do to her in this condition Krillen. She's at Chi-chi's anyway," she stopped and raked her hands through her hair, smearing blood all through the golden strands "Just until he wakes up"
"Just until he wakes up?" Krillen asked. He was kicking himself on the inside – he knew, knew, that he should say no, that this was a bad, terrible idea, there were just too many things that could go wrong. It wasn't even his house to make the call on who could and couldn't stay, it was Master Roshi's house and he sure as hell wouldn't be to keen on the idea. But he couldn't, as much as he wanted to, as much as he knew he needed to – he just couldn't say no to his wife.
"Just until he wakes up" 18 replied.
"Fine. But that's it. Marron can stay with Chi until then though. I'm not taking any risks where my baby is concerned"
"Ok" 18 agreed, "Krillen?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you"
"I love you to babe. I'm gonna go downstairs now, see if I can find anything to stich up those cuts with"
18 listened to the sound of Krillen descending the stairs and titled her head up to look at the roof. The thudding in her chest had subsided enough for her to form a coherent though, and it was then that something caught her eye. On the counter, a piece of paper.
Reaching up, she snagged the paper with her bloody hand; she was surprised to see that it had her name scribbled across the front. This was meant for her? Gently, as not to rip it, she unfolded the paper, and began to read.
'18,
So, you found it, which means you have found me. That's right 18. I'm dead, I've killed myself. Slit my wrists. I just wanted you to know – as my final departing wish, that my death was entirely your fault. Well you and your stupid family.
You rejected me 18, pushed me away from you, and for what? Because you're stupid kid almost drowned? That was your fault 18, you wanted the responsibility of motherhood, it's your own fault if you didn't take that responsibility properly'
18 was about ready to scream, to take the axe that was lying in the bottom of the bath and chop 17's useless head off. But she didn't, she refrained herself and kept on reading. It was difficult in spots with the blood that was smeared all over the paper and her tears which had smudged the ink.
'I hope you feel guilty about what you have done. I hope you know that if you had only acted like a real sister and forgiven me for one little mistake, that this wouldn't of happened. You're probably looking for someone other than yourself to lay the blame on right? I have that answer.
Blame the man you foolishly call your husband. It's his fault any of this ever began. If he hadn't gotten you pregnant, then the two of us would still be happy – together, like it was always meant to be. He caused you to abandon me, send me on this violent downward spiral of self-mutilation.
I was the only family you ever needed, and now I am dead. You deserve every last morsel of guilt you feel – you deserve to be broken, hurt. You deserve it all, because you are selfish and greedy.
I hope you crash and burn 18.
So that was why he had done this. 18 knew the things in that letter were harsh, but in an odd kind of way they were true. If 18 had only forgave him, then he would be ok. This was her fault, she did feel guilty. How ever, there was one thing 17 hadn't counted on. The fact that he might live. And 18 swore to herself then and there that she was going to right this wrong. She would make 17 forgive her, no matter how long it took.
Her mission started here, tonight, on this bloody bathroom floor, and she refused to quit until her brother was all right. Until he was as happy with his life as she was with hers. She would show 17 that married life was amazing – that there was nothing quite like waking up in the arms of the one you loved.
She loved Krillen and Marron more than anything in the entire universe, and she would show 17 that it was a good thing. No matter what, she would show him.
---------------
A/N; Well there you go. Chapter 3 all done with and finished. I'd love to know what you all thought in a review, they mean heaps to me and I love them all. I'll try and get another chapter up this week, but it depends on how much school work I get.
-D.B