A/N: I somehow feel as if all I do at the beginning of the chapters is to apologize for the lack of updates. I really do hope that they are getting more frequent now that exams are written and I'm again working, that means no more studying when I get home. I think I just have to get used to writing again, after not having been able to do this for such a long time. But I still thank you for your reviews! After a long time without updates, it makes me happy to see that you guys are still waiting more or less patiently for the new chapters! Well, this story is slowly coming to its end, a couple of more chapters and then it's finished. I guess most of you already guess what happens next, but I hope that with this chapter, I manage to surprise you once again. Oh, before I forget… Luinthoron, in you last review you said that they're going to have all the Dragonballs soon… Just to remind you, all of you, I never said that the Dragonballs do have the same power as in the manga and the anime. You just have to wait and see, if I keep this part of the story, or not…

And now, after a long wait, the next chapter! (I borrowed the title from BtVS episode 6x19, since I thought it might be the most fitting one I could think of.)

Chapter 37: Seeing Red

Everything hurt. But she ignored her protesting muscles, the aching in her bones and the burning of her blood seeping out of the many scratches and gashes, as she pushed on through the thicket of the woods, hoping to be in time. Bulma didn't know what she would do, once she arrived at the battlefield. She only knew one thing – she didn't want to lose him, not now, not after everything they had been through.

But you won't stand a chance against him! He'll kill you!

Don't you think I know that?

He might be ready to die, to leave the world and therewith inevitable her behind, but she wasn't ready for him to not be here anymore. No matters what the others would think of her, when they found out, she wasn't going to deny it – her love for the pirate was real. And as hard as it was to admit, she had come to depend on him.

He'll kill you!

Don't you think I know that?

With those words still ringing in her ears – had it only been two nights ago that they had had this fight? she left the last trees behind and reached the courtyard. Her head jerked to her left and her right, taking in with wide blue eyes the sight of mutilated bodies littering the ground and listening for fighting noises. Damn it, she cursed inwardly, her face flushed and her chest heaving with exertion, when she noticed that she had obviously veered off the path she had first taken to that clearing, as she saw the gate to the courtyard. While she was looking around to find out, where the fight was taking place, Bulma wiped some stray strands of hair out of her sticky and sweaty face. They must still be at the gallows! Hoping against hope that her assumption wasn't wrong, she just wanted to break into another run, as a shot disturbed the eerie silence that had weighed heavily upon this place until now. Bulma's blood froze in her veins and her heart missed a beat, just a second before she darted into the direction of where she had heard the shot, already fearing the worst. The newly building panic released the last of the adrenalin that had kept her going ever since she and Vegeta had set foot into this town, giving her the strength to go on despite her exhaustion. Don't be dead! Don't be dead! she chanted in her mind, while her feet were carrying her to the gallows. Nearer and nearer they came and finally she was able to see three figures standing right where the villagers had only been less than an hour ago to witness the hanging of Son Goku and his men.

"No!" The cry already left her mouth, before her mind fully registered the scene in front of her. Her hand flew up to her mouth, as she stopped dead in her tracks and tears were brimming in her eyes. Vegeta's limp body on the ground, with Frieza only standing a few feet away from him, pointing with his still smoking pistol at the pirate. That Goku was also there never even reached her mind. Dead! "No!" she cried again, salty tears now freely streaming down her face, as she crossed the distance between her and the Prince and hesitating dropped down on her knees next to him. His eyes were closed, his face pale and smudged with dirt. A trickle of thick red blood ran out of his mouth and down his cheek, slowly staining the ground next to his face. Her eyes roamed his body and rested on the ever spreading wet spot on his black shirt. The fleeting thought crossed her mind, if this was the reason, why he had chosen a black shirt, to not see the sickening red of the blood drenching it.

"Bulma…"

She never heard Goku speak, never heard the soft tone of his voice, the worry and the sadness. Instead she reached out to touch the wound, when suddenly a strong had grabbed her arm. Her head whirled around and a small smile appeared on her lips, when she saw Vegeta staring at her through wide eyes. His grip loosened again, but before his hand could hit the ground, Bulma took it and raised it to her cheek. "Vegeta…"

"Woman…" he choked, blinking a few times. His voice was weak and strangled, but still Bulma thought she had never been gladder hearing anyone's voice.

"I'm here, Vegeta, I'm here…" Though there was a smile on her face, she still couldn't stop the tears from flowing. He was dying and they both knew it. But he wouldn't be alone. Not now, not in this moment. He had never talked to her about his past, but she suspected that his childhood had never been an easy one, not under Frieza's reign. She had seen it in his eyes before, the loneliness, and she was seeing it again now. "I'm not going anywhere…"

For one short second, his eyes softened upon hearing this promise, but suddenly the look was replaced by an urgency that she had not often seen in his eyes before. "Woman… Listen…" His breaths came out in short gasps and Bulma could see that he was in a lot of pain. She wanted to shush him, to tell him not to talk, but he cut her off. "The brat… he…" A coughing fit shook his whole body and Bulma was only able to watch helplessly, how even more blood was pressed through the wound and how his face was contorted in agony. That's it, she thought, but she was surprised by the strength the Saiyajin still possessed. As soon as he had calmed down, he spoke again, "Gohan's the only one… he's the Legendary!"

"I'm sorry, Vegeta… I don't understand…"

"Only... the Legendary can defeat... the Beast!" he spat and once again writhed in pain.

She gasped at this revelation and only vaguely registered Goku doing the same. Little Gohan, the small boy should be able to defeat Frieza? Sure, he had been able to hold his own against the soldiers, but it was hard to believe that this child was supposed to be strong enough to kill the one being that everyone feared. However, even if it were true… "Gohan can't fight him," Bulma admitted softly. "He was hurt in the fight against Frieza's men and lost a lot of blood. I'm sorry…"

"Then… all is lost…"

There were many footsteps behind her, but Bulma ignored them, as the defeated look on his face broke her heart and she desperately wished she could convince him otherwise. "Goku…"

"No… only… Legendary… no one else…" His eyes closed for a second, as he took a deep breath, an ugly gurgling sound, to gather his strength one more time. He noticed how his body was getting weaker with each and every passing second, but he wasn't finished yet. Clasping, much to her surprise, his hand around hers, he opened again his eyes and somehow, staring into her blue depths, he found the strength he needed. "You need to leave. Get off the island, go home. To your family." Another breath, calmer. The pain was almost gone. The world was slowly getting dark around him. "I'm sorry I've taken you away from them. Go now…"

Vehemently, Bulma shook her head, messing up her blue locks even more. "No, I won't leave you. I promised this… I promised I'm not going anywhere…"

A soft, almost peaceful smile lit up Vegeta's face, a smile she had never seen on his face before. Right at this moment, he looked much younger, much more relaxed than he had most likely ever been. "Stupid woman…"

Once again the grip on her hand loosened, but she kept on holding his, watching with tear-filled eyes, how his eyes closed and his chest remained still, the words on her lips dying with him. No more pain… she only thought, before she choked out a sob filled with so much sadness and despair. Only a small part of her was relieved that now, he could finally rest in peace, but still… Too early… She had never told him what he meant to her. He had never heard her say 'I love you'. Stupid woman indeed, she scolded herself. Shouldn't have waited until the last moment. Now he'll never hear them.

"How poignant!" Those sharp, mocking words brought her back to reality and her head shot up to meet the cold eyes of Vegeta's murderer, who seemed to have watched the scene between her and Vegeta in amusement. His arms were crossed comfortably in front of his chest, his pistol already back at its place. "I already suspected that you were more than a simple whore to him, but I never expected that he had gone this soft. All my years of training for nothing. In the end he has been as pathetic as the rest of his race."

Bulma's blue eyes flashed furiously and her whole body tensed up. Her thoughts were simple. The man she loved was dead. His murderer was standing right in front of her. He needed to pay. "You bastard," she hissed through clenched teeth.

"Bulma…" Again Goku, trying to calm her down.

"Bulma, let's go…" This time Yamcha, softly urging her to leave, but she didn't pay him any heed. None of them understood her. They hadn't just lost the most important person in their lives.

"Go with them, Bulma." Frieza, sneering, making fun of her. "You're lover is dead. What else do you want?"

"I want you… dead!" Long before anyone could step in, she jumped up, pulling her knife out of the belt of her dress and lunged at Frieza. She swung the knife at him, but he caught her wrist easily, twisting the weapon out of her hand. As she wanted to slap him, he also caught the other hand in his painful grasp.

He made a disapproving sound with his tongue and shook his head. "Nah-ah-ah, we won't have any of this, now will we? You and I, we both know something of etiquette, so, be a good little girl and let the men finish the fight. One step closer and the woman is dead," he suddenly warned, as Goku as well as Yamcha, Krillin, Piccolo and Juuhachigou, who had come after Bulma, wanted to attack Frieza. "Now, will you be good?"

As response, Bulma spat in his face, hitting his right eye. "Never, you bastard."

The Beast didn't even blink, as the saliva trickled down his cheek and the look in his eyes only showed mild annoyance, as if she were merely an irritating nuisance. "Well then…" Frieza pushed her forcefully to the ground, so that she impinged directly next to Vegeta's lifeless body. She shut her eyes, trying to ignore the pain in her left arm and her knees. She first turned around, as she heard Frieza walking towards her, now holding her knife in her hand, eyeing it curiously. "I know this one. I believe it belonged to Zarbon, so what the monkey told me really is true. He's dead." Grabbing her elbow, he yanked her up and Bulma had to bite on her lip to not cry out in pain. "At least this knife will be good for one last thing."

It was nothing, just a quick movement of his wrist. No one had any time to react, as Bulma's hand flew up to her throat, staring at Frieza with wide blue eyes, as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. The Beast let go of her arm, turned around and lazily flung the knife over his shoulder. It dropped to the ground with a soft thump at the same time as Bulma's legs gave in beneath her and she collapsed.

"Bulma!" Yamcha yelled, rushing to her side, but it was already too late. He gently touched her face, wiping some strands out of her face and felt for her pulse. "She's dead…," he mumbled disbelievingly, looking around helplessly, eventually meeting the eyes of his captain. Tears sprung into his eyes, as the true meaning of his words sank in. "She's dead, Goku…"

Dead! No, not Bulma! But Yamcha was right. He could see it, the blood seeping out of the gash at her throat, where Frieza had slashed the aorta, the unnatural paleness of his friend's face and her lifeless eyes staring into the blue sky.

Don't worry Goku, I am okay. I'm feeling safer now, knowing that you are here. You've never let me down.

How wrong she had been then. He had let her down. Not once. Not twice. No, this was the third time that he had failed her. The first time, when the Saiyajins had kidnapped her. The second time on Namek, when she had managed to flee, but he hadn't noticed her when she had called out for him. And now, the third time, he had failed her by getting her killed.

You've never let me down.

I'm sorry, Bulma, he thought, tears brimming in his eyes. He had failed her and her parents. He had broken every single promise he had given them.

Son Goku, you know that I trust you with the life of my daughter. Please bring her back. He would bring her back, even if it was just her body.

How could he be so stupid? Why hadn't he done anything? Why hadn't he distracted Frieza so that Bulma could flee? Instead of doing something, he had just been standing there and watched how Frieza had slit her throat. It was his fault. His best friend was dead and it was his fault!

His emotions were running wild. There was guilt, anger, loathing, dolor and so many other feelings that he couldn't even begin to identify. It was simply overwhelming. He might be responsible for getting Bulma in this situation, but the actual murderer was still standing in front of him with a self-satisfied smile on his face and for the first time in his life, Son Goku was seeing red.

His scream tore through the silence, agonizing and full of hatred and pain. He noticed the others stepping back, even Frieza, but he didn't care. He felt the rage pumping through his body like blood and with the rage there was the power and with the power there was the knowledge that he would end it. Frieza would pay!

Krillin couldn't believe his eyes, as he was stumbling backwards. Could it be? Goku was engulfed in a bright golden light and dust was whirled up around him. Only once had he seen something like this before, only a few days ago actually. When the scream finally faded and the dust settled, Krillin noticed with a smirk on his face, that his theory hadn't been wrong. Son Goku had just undergone the same transformation as Son Gohan on Ginger Island. Black hair now golden-blond, the body more muscular and, Krillin was sure that, when Goku opened his eyes, they would be of blue-green color.

Smirking slightly, despite the whole situation, he noticed how Yamcha, Juuhachigou and even Piccolo stared at Goku's transformation. Unlike him, they had never seen something like this before, having only heard about Gohan's fight against Cell. They also had never been witness to the raw power those changes entailed. And Krillin knew now with absolute certainty who the winner of this fight was going to be. There was no way now that Frieza was going to defeat Goku.

Son Goku flexed his muscles and inhaled deeply, as he felt that the transformation was finished. His whole body was humming with power and when he opened his eyes and they rested on Frieza, he was barely able to contain himself to not attack. First his friends, then Frieza.

Without averting his eyes from the monster that had taken the life of his best friend, he spoke calmly, not betraying the battle that was raging inside of him. "Yamcha, Krillin, get Bulma out of here. Then get the others and leave this island. Bring Bulma back to her parents, so that she can have a proper funeral."

"What about him?" Yamcha, who was still kneeling next to Bulma's body, asked, as he threw a disgusted glance at the late Saiyajin Prince.

"Take him with you. He also deserves to have a funeral. In the end, he's been fighting on our side."

"You've gotta be joking!" Yamcha yelled. "You can't be serious! This pirate has been nothing but trouble the whole time. May I remind you that all of this started because of him! Bulma's dead because of him!"

"No, she isn't," Goku answered calmly, and then added almost as an afterthought, "He would've never hurt her."

"But…"

"DO IT! GO NOW, BEFORE I EXPLODE IN RAGE!"

Feeling a hand on his shoulders, Yamcha looked at the others, who had come with him. Juuhachigou and Piccolo - though the Namek seemed to be a bit reluctant, his eyes still fixed on Goku, as if trying to figure out if this transformation was enough to defeat Frieza - were ready to leave and Krillin was looking at him with a serious expression on his face, as he squeezed his friend's shoulder one last time. "Listen to him. Let's get them out of here. We will only get in his way."

Albeit grudgingly, the other sailor agreed. "Alright." Bending down, he gently cradled Bulma in his arms, hugging her close to his body, as if wanting to make her feel safe and waited for Krillin until he had slung Vegeta over his shoulder. "Let's go."

"Will you be alright, Goku?" Krillin asked one more time, before he turned to go.

"I'll be."

"Good. See you later!" Giving his best friend one last smile, Krillin turned around, following Yamcha and Juuhachigou.

Only Piccolo hesitated a bit. "I have full faith in you, Son Goku. If someone is able to defeat him, it's you."

Goku only nodded shortly, acknowledging what the Namek had said, before he turned his full attention back to Frieza. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Piccolo leaving the battlefield. His lips curled up into a smirk. "Alone, finally."

Frieza, who seemed to have gotten over the initial shock of having witnessed something like this, stepped closer again and asked nonchalantly, "So, what's this? A trick to scare me? I can only say, I'm not impressed."

"You really don't know what this is? What I am?" Goku laughed, a harsh, cruel laugh that would normally never pass his lips. All signs of the Goku everybody knew and loved were gone – the only thing that remained was the Saiyajin. "You don't recognize the one thing you fear the most? The reason of why you wanted to wipe out my entire race, the Saiyajins? Come on, Frieza, I always deemed to you be smart."

Though he tried to cover it with an impassive and unimpressed mask, Goku noticed the slip, the look of fear on his face, as Frieza finally figured it out.

"Yes, it's true. I never thought it would be me. A third class, raised by Humans. And you brought it on yourself. With your actions, you released the only thing that could and will be the end of you." A short, dramatic pause. "I am The Legendary."