Chapter 27- A Visit

Bulma awoke to an obnoxious voice bellowing on her radio/alarm clock. She yawned and dragged herself out of bed. She went over to her bathroom, took a quick shower, brushed her teeth and hair, got dressed in a blue jean skirt and flowery tank top and ran out of her room. If she hurried with her breakfast, she might have enough time to see Vegeta again. She had really wanted to see him again after her father had rushed her and Goku out the day before, but she had been forbidden to do so.

She didn't know why she was so obsessed with him. Maybe it was the way he looked so lost and confused and...scared. But she had felt a strange connection with him even before the 'accident'. She dismissed it again, however, figuring that it was the same thing that made all the other girls like him-a crush.

She reached the kitchen and sat down at the table. Mrs. Briefs was just finishing with the bacon. Bulma hurriedly shoved a biscuit, some eggs, and some bacon down her throat and washed it down with a glass of orange juice.

Kissing her mother goodbye, she grabbed her books and dashed out of the kitchen heading for the med wing.

She reached the room without opposition and knocked on the door. She got no answer. She opened the door a crack and peeked in. There Vegeta lay, sprawled out and seemingly comfortable. She would have liked to wake him, but she didn't have the heart. Instead, she slipped back out of the room and headed to school.

School was going pretty normally-- compared to Friday anyway. There were still people talking about what happened to Vegeta, but that was to be expected. No one really claims to know someone until they're either dead, in jail, or in the hospital. Then they were suddenly that person's best friend and will go into mourning and everything just to milk whatever bit of popularity they can from it.

Bulma wasn't like that though; at least she didn't think she was. It wasn't her fault that Vegeta was at her house. Well maybe she had a little bit to do with it, but that's beside the point. She didn't really need popularity. She was beautiful, smart, had money, and a boyfriend...

Just as Bulma thought this, she rounded the corner to see Yamcha 'flirting' with the skankiest girl she had ever seen. Flirting didn't really describe the situation though. The little whore's back was to a locker and Yamcha was hovering over her. One of his hands was on the locker beside her head and the other just so happened to be up her shirt.

Bulma watched the scene with steam billowing out of her ears. Sure she and Yamcha had been off and on lately, but they were back together now, and he had no right to double cross her like that.

Bulma considered giving him a piece of her mind right in the middle of the hallway for everyone to see, but she dismissed the idea. She didn't have time to deal with him now. She would be tardy for her second hour class.

So, following her second impulse, Bulma stormed down the hallway, making sure to shove Yamcha as roughly as she could while passing him.

"Hey watch where you're...Bulma! Bulma wait! It's not what it looks like. I... I...she had a...a...a wrinkle in her shirt. I was helping her fix it! Bulma hold up!"

Bulma heard Yamcha's yelling but simply ignored him. She wasn't the least bit surprised when he followed her down the hall, in a sad attempt to get her to see the 'truth'. She drew the line, however when he tried to follow her into her classroom. She didn't even glance back at him and simply slammed the door in his face.

With her head held high, Bulma marched to her seat and got ready to learn.

"And see this, I brought you some clothes." Chuckie said holding a pair of Pajama pants and a T-shirt out to Vegeta. Vegeta looked at what he was wearing and then to the clothes in her hand. Deciding that he liked the ones Chuckie was giving him better, he took them from her.

"Now." Chuckie said. "I suppose you'll need help with that."

"No. I can dress myself." Vegeta said, obviously more fluent since he had slept for so long. He was now sitting partially up, thanks a lot to the bed that raised to whatever position you'd like.

Chuckie smiled sarcastically at him, and Vegeta scowled back. "Okay then." She said plopping down in a chair and crossing her arms. "I'll just watch."

Vegeta detected the challenge and snorted. "Fine you do that." And just for good fun, he added. "But don't get any ideas. You're way too old for me."

Chuckie pretended to be shocked, as was usual in their game.

Vegeta struggled to untie the gown that he was dressed in. Silently cursing the doctors for putting it on him, he tried to slip his arm though the sleeve.

He didn't really know what he had done. He figured he'd bumped something the wrong way, because before he's even gotten his arm halfway through the sleeve, a sharp pain shot through his rib cage causing him to cry out and fling himself backward unto the still elevated bed. He rolled over as best he could onto his side and curled up into a ball, all the while hugging his chest tightly.

Chuckie was at his side in an instant. "Are you okay? Do you need me to call a nurse?" She asked frantically. She heard no answer besides his ragged breathing. "You'd better not be playing with me, because I won't appreciate it." Still he didn't answer. She put her hand on his side and rubbed it comfortingly. "Vegeta? Vegeta what's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing Chuckie." he mumbled, his pain having subsided greatly so he could think clearly again.

"What happened?" Chuckie asked him.

"Nothing." he said and shoved his face in the pillow, thus halting any more questions.

"Nothing?" Chuckie said under her breath. "Yes. Always nothing." Chuckie looked him over again. "Well come on now! If there is nothing wrong with you get up! Mrs. Briefs will be back any minute now and you..."

"I told you I'm not hungry! I told her I'm not hungry! Why is she bringing me food?!" Came the muffled yell.

Chuckie had to work hard not to laugh, but even as she spoke a chuckle slipped through. "Because, you didn't want to be fed by a tube, we took it out, so now you have to eat. Now get up so I can dress you before Mrs. Briefs comes back or I'll let her do it."

"You wouldn't." He turned back over to give her a mock glare.

Chuckie responded only by cocking an eyebrow.

"That's not funny Chuckie." He said defiantly, but sat up-as best he could, anyway. "But I suppose if it will please you so, then you may put my shirt on."

"Oh thank you sir. There is nothing in the world that I would ever want more." Chuckie said as she pulled off the gown and instructed him to put his arms up.

"I'm glad you're happy."

"You know your little girlfriend is really cute." Chuckie said offhandedly once she had finished.

"Huh?" Vegeta turned clueless while struggling to pull his pants up and stay sitting down at the same time.

"The blue haired one. This is her house, you know."

"Is it? Weird place to live. She's not my girlfriend, so you know."

"She seems to like you though."

"So. What's your..." Vegeta finally got the pants on correctly. "...point?"

"Ugh! You're impossible! Why do I bother?"

Vegeta just grunted as if to say 'I don't know either', rolled over, and tried to get comfortable again.

Chuckie, never was one to sit idly and be silent. "Well Mrs. Briefs ought to be back any time now. It doesn't take long to make chicken broth. Unless she had to go fetch the chicken." She chuckled and nudged Vegeta. "That was a joke."

"And it was a very funny one." He said sarcastically and pulled the blanket over his head.

"Well I thought so." She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

It was only about two minutes later that Mrs. Briefs walked in carrying a tray with a cup of water, two straws, and bowl of hot chicken broth on it. Chuckie, having tried to start up at least four conversations, all of which ended up being one-sided, was relieved that she had someone to talk to again.

"Hello dears!" Mrs. Briefs said cheerfully and set the tray on the bedside table (which was now relieved of a breathing regulator, since Vegeta insisted that he didn't need it). "Rise and shine!"

"I'm not hungry." Vegeta said from under the blanket.

"Sure you are!" Mrs. Briefs said just as cheerfully as before.

"No. I'm not."

"Come come, now, sit up." Mrs. Briefs said gently.

"Well you can either sit up or we can put the tube back in. Which do you rather?" Chuckie said and gave the blanket a tug pulling it completely off.

That got a half whiny growl.

Chuckie half pulled Vegeta back into a sitting position and propped a pillow behind him.

"I said I'm not hungry!" he snapped and crossed his arms like a stubborn child.

"Here you go!" Mrs. Briefs ignored him and presented him with a bowl of chicken broth with a straw in it. "Dig in!"

Vegeta looked between the two women. Seeing that they weren't going to leave him alone until he ate it, he plucked the straw out of the bowl and gulped it all down.

The two women, after Mrs. Briefs had received her empty bowl back, were quite satisfied that they had accomplished their goal. Thus, having nothing more to do, they started to converse- about everything and nothing.

It was only a few minutes after Vegeta had been not so happily fed that Chuckie noticed that he looked a little green.

"You okay baby?" She asked although she already knew what was wrong.

Vegeta only had time to shake his head slightly before he shoved his face into the garbage can that Chuckie had, fortunately, just grabbed. Mrs. Briefs hardly noticed and just kept on chattering.

After Vegeta's stomach was, again, empty, Chuckie presented him with the glass of water and ordered him to spit and then drink. He didn't complain.

Chuckie sighed, and pressed the button that lowered the bed until it was flat allowing Vegeta to lie down properly. "You see all that I do for you." she mock fussed.

Vegeta faintly smiled as she tucked him in for he found himself to be still a bit nauseous and too tired to answer.

Chuckie sighed and glanced at her watch. "Well I'd stay with you longer but Kami only knows what trouble old Garfield is getting himself into. I'd better to check on him."

"Oh you're leaving already?" Mrs. Briefs asked never losing her smile.

"Yeah I guess I'd better." She gave Vegeta a quick kiss on the forehead and picked up her purse. "You go to sleep...and don't do anything stupid. I'll try to come and see you tomorrow."

Vegeta rolled his eyes but nodded anyway.

"Maybe we can have a quick tea before you go." Mrs. Briefs offered to Chuckie.

"No thanks. I really have to be getting back."

"Oh. Well I'll walk you out then."

Chuckie gave Vegeta another quick kiss and a farewell and followed after Mrs. Briefs.

Vegeta, alone again, surveyed the room. It was furnished better than a hospital would be, but he still found it boring. He sighed and let his eyes drift to a spot on the ceiling. He never thought he would, bit he wished that he could go back to school. Anything would be better than this. He didn't necessarily miss the classes or his teachers, not really the students either. He missed football.

Football! He'd completely forgotten! His scholarship! He couldn't just sit around here and let his only chance at a future slip away! But he couldn't exactly walk either.

Or maybe he could.

With this thought in mind, Vegeta, although slowly and strugglingly, pulled himself into a sitting position. Taking a few shallow breaths, he waited for the pain in his ribs to ease.

Alright now for the hard part.

After throwing the sheet to the foot of the bed, he slowly eased himself around the bars. As he set his feet on the floor, Chuckie's warning flashed through his mind:don't do anything stupid. Vegeta snorted audibly. Stupid huh? I'll show her stupid. He thought defiantly but a second thought popped into his head. If only she could see this.

Vegeta shook his head only to regret it. He just sat there for a while, and waited for the room stopped swimming around. Finally, once his vision was right again, he slid himself all the way off the bed.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW! They didn't tell me that my leg was broken! Damned doctors! Damned nurses! Damn his stupid father! That old fu...huh?

Vegeta momentarily looked like a deer caught in the headlights as the door swung open, but quickly, his expression melted into a scowl. Dr. Briefs, a nurse, and some other guy stared at him for a moment before comprehension dawned and the first two rushed to him and started trying to drag him back into bed.

After all his hard work, however, Vegeta wasn't going without a fight. "No! Let go! Look I 'preciate it and all, but I can't stay here! I SAID LET GO! OW! STOP! Listen!"

The man by the door, after watching silently for a while, decided to step in.

Vegeta didn't notice his approach at all and continued to struggle against the Dr. Briefs and the nurse. It was a losing battle and he was tiring quickly.

Suddenly two hands, much stronger than the other people's, came from out of nowhere and hoisted him up like a rag doll.

"Don't be too rough." Dr. Briefs told his captor.

Vegeta was shocked for a second, but before he had time to panic, he was back on his bed staring into the face of the other man that had walked in with Dr. Briefs and the nurse.

Vegeta, for a rare instance in time, was at a loss for words. Who the hell was this guy? As if reading Vegeta's mind, the man decided to introduce himself.

"Detective Johnson." The man dubbed himself while flashing his badge. "I'm here to ask you a few questions."

Sorry Sorry Sorry about the wait.