I do not own Dragonball Z.
Fear Inside – Chapter 5
Bra awoke early the next morning and quietly slipped out of bed, making sure not to disturb her sleeping husband. She had decided last night that she would go and see Goten this morning and get it finished. There was no point in waiting on the inevitable. The sooner she got it out of the way, the better.
She showered and dressed herself quickly, making sure to pack a bag for the day. It was a two-hour drive to Goten's house from her own and she had to be back in town by ten for a doctor's appointment. If she could fly, it would take less than half that time to get there, but she hadn't flown in years. It just wasn't her style. She remembered Goten wasn't an early morning person, but he would just have to deal with it for today. After this, there would be no reason for them to see each other at all.
Just as she was stepping out the door, a voice froze her in her tracks. "Where are you going so early this morning?" Uubu asked, his powerful voice booming throughout the silent house.
Bra could already read the suspicion there behind his words. He knew she was up to something and it made her stomach flip flop at the prospect of being caught. To be fair, she wasn't technically doing anything wrong, but knowing that didn't make lying any easier.
Composing herself before she turned around, she looked him straight in the eye. "I thought I told you I was meeting Pan for breakfast and shopping before my appointment today."
"I thought Pan had a class this morning." Uubu said, his eyes narrowing to slit as he saw right through the obvious lie. "Are you hiding something from me?" He asked, getting right to the point.
Bra feigned a hurt look. "What could I possibly have to hide from you, Uubu-kun? Honestly, I'm hurt that you would think so. Pan's class isn't until nine-thirty. It's only six now. That is plenty of time to do what we have planned."
The pouty, hurt-filled look on her face made him soften slightly. He sighed, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "I'm sorry. It's just that something has felt off since last night. Are you sure everything is okay?"
Bra bit her lip, she hated lying to him like this, but she couldn't afford him wanting to come with her. "Everything is fine. I promise. Everything is alright."
Kissing the top of her head, he released her. "Okay then, if you say so. Try to stay out of trouble today."
Bra smiled brightly and bounded out the door, waving over her shoulder. "I will!" She called out as she threw a capsule to the ground. A shiny red air car popped up in its place and she jumped in and took off without a backwards glance.
Still standing in the doorway, Uubu sighed sadly. Bra had just blatantly lied to him. He knew because Pan didn't have a class today. No, today was the day that they met to spar. Once a week, every week since Goku's disappearance they met and sparred together like they did when they were children. Bra was not the type of person to lie like that, but when she did, she was usually better at it. A tight knot of dread formed in the pit of his stomach as he thought of the possibilities of whatever it was she was sneaking off to do behind his back. Whatever it was that would cause her to forget something so simple and force her to lie to him. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know, but he didn't plan to wait around to find out.
Goten woke to the morning sunlight streaming through his bedroom window. He yawned loudly and stretched leisurely on his warm, comfy bed, not wanting to get up just yet. Opening one eye, he looked at his bedside clock. The digital numbers read 7:32. He groaned, thinking it was far too early to be up, especially when you had nothing to look forward to all day. Usually if he woke up this early, he would go and spend time with Bra, but he couldn't do that anymore.
He rolled onto his side with his back facing the window. He didn't want to move from his bed all day. He simply wanted to stay there, feel sorry for himself, and wallow in his own self-pity. His mind, though, was abuzz with a million different thoughts and his body was no longer tired. It demanded that he get up to eat and after twenty minutes of trying to force himself back into dreamland, he gave up. Dragging himself from bed, he threw on a workout gi and headed downstairs.
He found his mother in the kitchen, humming happily to herself with four different pots of food on the stove. "Goten honey, you're up early this morning!" She said exuberantly as she untied her apron, folded it neatly and laid it on the counter.
"I couldn't sleep." Goten replied groggily, rubbing his eyes. He inhaled deeply the sweet smell of the cooking food and his stomach growled loudly. It seemed like years since he'd last had one of his mother's home cooked meals. "What's for breakfast?" He inquired while stirring one of the pots on the stove.
"Your favorite. I made it just for you." Chi-Chi answered as she grabbed her purse and headed to the door. "It's already done, so go ahead and eat. I have to go to the market to get more groceries, but I'll be home in time for lunch."
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Goten asked.
"No dear, you've had a rough enough time as it is. I'll be just fine on my own. I'll be back before you know it." With that, his mother left.
Goten shrugged in his nonchalant way and began helping himself to a generous portion of food. Kicking out a chair, he sat down at the table and began stuffing his face. Idly he wondered if Gohan would be joining him this morning and if he could talk him into a spar. He had a lot of aggression he needed to take out and a good spar would be fun. He also wanted to talk to him about Bra. His brother was smart and level headed and he believed he could help him put things into perspective.
Although he couldn't remember dreaming about anything, he knew they had something to do with Bra. She was all he could think about and it was driving him crazy. Somewhere between dreamland and consciousness, he made up his mind to seek her out. He still had something to ask her and he would not be able to go on unless he knew the answer. And who knew, maybe her answer would still be yes. Maybe her heart and soul still belonged to him and they could have the happy ending he dreamed of. He was not opposed to stealing her away from Uubu even if they were married. As he saw it, Uubu had stolen his wife away from him first.
About half way through his third helping, he heard the hum of an air car pull up in front of the house. He knew it couldn't be his mother back already, so he got up to investigate. What he saw when he got to the door nearly made him choke on his food. There was the very object of his desire seated tensely in the driver's seat of the air car. He hadn't had to look very far for her, she had come to him.
Setting the bowl down on the table, he ran a shaky hand through his wild hair in a poor attempt at trying to get it to lie down. He walked out the door, their eyes locking instantly and immediately his heart was in his throat. It was so good to finally see her again, but he knew that it has been a lot longer for her than it has been for him. He wondered what she was thinking about, sitting there in her car, she had come to see him so it must mean something good. He watched her intently as she slowly undid the safety belt all the while cursing himself for leaving the ring in his room. He would have to do without it, he decided. Besides, if everything went as planned they'd be in his room soon, making up for lost time.
Bra was frozen to her seat in the car for what seemed like an eternity. She was completely unprepared for actually seeing him again. Her heart pounded in her chest and blood rushed to her face. He looked as good as the day she last saw him, if not better. She took a few minutes to compose herself, which was so hard with the way he was staring at her. She took the time to remember all that she had come to say, letting her anger be her guide. She could not forget why she was here, no matter what. With that in mind, she got out of the car.
Bra planned on giving him a piece of her mind as she stalked toward him with a look of hardening determination on her pretty face, but underneath the surface, she was crumbling. It was so hard to look at his face again. She had forgotten just how much she missed him. As she got closer to him she raised a hand to strike him, but there was no power behind the hit and he caught her easily. All her strength left her body at the contact and she broke down sobbing, burying her face in his broad chest.
Goten wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders and squeezed her closer to him. He had yearned for this since the moment he'd first left her arms. He could stay this way forever if it were up to him. Slowly, he felt her return the embrace and she held him tightly, tears springing to her eyes anew. They stayed that way holding each other, neither saying a word; the only sound was of Bra crying softly.
Finally pulling herself together, she pulled away from him. She hadn't meant to break down like that. His touch had brought back so many memories of nights spent together and the loneliness that his sudden departure brought. It was all too much for her. Suddenly she felt as if she'd made a mistake in coming here.
Her tumultuous feelings showed plainly in her blue eyes and he felt sorry for all that she had to endure because of him. He would spend the rest of his life making it up to her if she would give him the chance. There was so much he wanted to say that he couldn't say anything at all, but he knew he had to try.
"Bra," he said softly, brushing away stray tears as they fell from her eye.
Bra turned her head away from his gentle touch and took a hesitant step back. It was too easy to get caught up in the emotions he invoked. This wasn't what she had come for. She couldn't allow it.
"Bra," Goten said again reaching for her. "Please . . . "
"No," she said raising her hands in front of her. "No. I only came here to find out why you left me. Why you never came back. I looked for you for so long! How could you?"
"I never left you, not by my own will. I've only been gone for five days, Bra!"
"I don't want to hear lies, Goten! I know how long you've been. I know! Because every day cut worse than the day before." She cried, tears filling her eyes again.
"You don't understand . . . "
"Oh, I understand just fine. I don't know what happened to make you want to leave me. I thought we were happy together. I thought . . . oh, who gives a damn what I thought!" she said giving him her back.
Goten stared at her trembling shoulders as she cried. He didn't know what to do. She was so mad at him because she thought he had left her. He had to make her listen, make her understand what had happen to him. That he hadn't left her and that he loved her still as much as that day so long ago. It tore him apart inside to see her this way, to think that he caused this pain. There still had to be hope for them. He reached out to her, laying a hand on her shoulder. She jerked away from again, but he would not let her go. None to gently, he turned her around to face him, grabbing her arms and holding her in place.
"Listen to me, Bra. I never left you. I didn't! I don't know how you could think that I would. That day in the lab, when your father blasted me with that stupid machine, it transported me to another dimension. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. I stayed in a destroyed world where you had never been born and I missed you like crazy. Five days passed before I could finally come home. That world's Trunks built me a time machine. He must've messed up the time because I came home to this. To nothing!"
"I don't believe you." She said in a shaky voice.
"Look at me. Look into my eyes. I'm not lying to you. Five days ago, I held you in my arms and I was the happiest man in the universe. Do you think I would give that up? I love you, Bra. Nothing has changed for me. Nothing."
Bra gasped at the revelation, but remained silent. She stared into his obsidian eyes for what seemed like forever, searching for some sign that he was lying. She saw nothing but the love he spoke of and her heart broke. "It can't be possible, " she whispered.
"I know I never told you before and I regret that. Maybe if I had, you wouldn't have left me, but you have to understand that nothing has changed for me. You are still my girl and I still want to be with you. Please tell me you feel the same."
Her entire body trembled under the weight of his question and the intensity in his eyes. She wanted for all the world to tell him yes that she felt the same that she always had, but she couldn't. "I'm married, Goten," she said in a small, unsure voice.
"I know and I don't care. You belong to me. You have since the day you were born. It isn't right for you to be with him. Tell me you love me and we can start our life together again." Goten said boldly. "I want to marry you, Bra. I was going to propose to you that day. We were meant to be together, don't you see that?"
Bra stood stock still as she contemplated his words, his offer. It was true that she had always loved him. Her time with himhad always been good, but she realized, her heart now belonged to another. She would probably always love Goten, but she had grown to love Uubu too. He fulfilled her and kept her feeling safe and secure. They have built a home together and were starting a family. She was happy with him andcouldn't just let that go.
"I can't," she said at last, looking away from him.
"What?" Goten asked in disbelief. He had thought for sure that she would say yes.
Bra shook her head sadly and pulled her arms from his grasp. "There may still be a part of me that still loves you, that remembers what it's like to be in your arms, but that was long ago. I am with Uubu now. He is my husband and I love him. My heart belongs to him."
"No, Bra. Please don't say that. Just give me one more chance . . . "
"No," Bra said firmly, taking a few steps back. "I'm happy with the life I have now. Uubu and I are starting a family. I'm pregnant, Goten. I couldn't be with you even I wanted to." She flinched at the open look of despair that crossed her once lover's face at the news. She didn't think that this conversation would be so hard for her, but this is what she had come to tell him. "I'm sorry, Goten, but that was another time in my life. I... I've moved on. I don't want to hurt you. I hope you understand."
Goten could say nothing. He simply stared at her in disbelief. Bra watched him for a moment, waiting to see if he had anything left to say. There was nothing left to say, the pain radiating off him spoke volumes. It hurt her too, to have to so brutally and bluntly break his heart. She could only imagine what he was going through. They had been so happy together and for him it was still fresh in his mind. But five years have passed for her and with time, the feelings fade. There were only memories of how she felt for him now.
The silence was becoming unbearable and she felt the overwhelming need to leave. There was nothing left to say and nothing she could do to ease his pain. "I have to go," she said softly. "I guess I'll see you around sometime."
Goten still had nothing to say as he watched her get back into the aircar. He had nothing anymore. Not even hope. He watched her drive away until the car was only a tiny dot on the horizon. He turned back to the quiet house and look up to the roof where he thought he felt a presence. "You can come out now," he said harshly.
There was movement from above then Uubu stood and jumped down, landing on the ground gracefully. Both men stared at each other with open contempt, neither giving an inch for the other. "Hello, little brother," Goten said with heated sarcasm. Goten had always thought of Uubu as his little brother because his father had spent so much time training him that over the years he became like family. "Do you always follow her around like that?"
Uubu's dark brown eyes narrowed to slits. "Only when I know something is bothering her. I should've known that something was you. Haven't you caused her enough pain?"
"I never meant to hurt, Bra." Goten ground out. He wanted desperately to beat the other man into the ground, but he held his fist. Violence would not bring her back to him. If anything, it would only make her angrier.
Uubu frowned menacingly. He wanted to beat the hell out of Goten for his audacity. He couldn't believe the things he had heard coming from his mouth. That he truly thought to steal his woman away from him and break up his happy home was enough to make the usually calm and peaceful man snap. He didn't do so out of respect for Bra, but only this one time. If he ever caught him near his wife again, he wouldn't hold back anything and he planned to make that perfectly clear.
"I'm only going to tell you this once, Son Goten. Stay away from my wife. You heard her yourself. She doesn't want anything to do with you anymore. If I see you bothering her or if I even think that any amount of stress on her is your doing, I will seriously harm you." Uubu said, his voice deadly calm and serious.
Goten could feel his blood pumping madly through his veins, the sound of his heart thundering in his ears, threatening to drown out what was left of his fragile sanity as he took in the open threat his now enemy laid before him. He bared his fangs, growling deep in his throat as he took a step forward. His Saiyan blood roared and every fiber of his being told him to defend his honor and pride in the only way his father's people knew how.
"Is that so?" Goten said fiercely, automatically lowering himself into a fighting stance. "Do you really think you can beat me?" He grinned madly, the call of battle almost overwhelming him now. The only thing that made sense to him and he welcomed it with open arms. "Then bring it on."
To his surprise and annoyance, Uubu only laughed, raising a finger before him and shaking it as if scolding a small child. "Ah, ah," he said rising slowly into the air as he mocked him. "I have a woman at home that will need comforting like only I can give her." His grin broadened at the look of outrage that crossed the other man's face. Laughing, Uubu took off at lightening speed.
Goten watched his energy trail fade into the distance as he debated on whether or not to follow him. He decided against it, knowing Uubu had the advantage with him being so angry right now. His hands balled into fists at his side as he thought about how badly everything had went. He'd never felt so desperate and furious in all his life. A gut-wrenching sound tore from his lips as he dropped to the ground, screaming out his frustrations to the world. He raised his fists high above his head and slammed them into the cold, hard, unforgiving earth, sending small shock waves out and creating small craters.
All sound in the forest ceased, the animals skittering away in fear. He didn't bother moving from his spot as he welcomed the silence around him. The only sounds were the blood rushing in his ears and his ragged breath as he fought to regain control. He knew that this was a losing battle. He'd never be in control of anything again. Reality as he knew was off-kilter. Nothing was the way he remembered, the way it should be. Everything was all wrong and he didn't see anyway of making it right again.
Finally finding a small center of peace, Goten stood and began walking in the direction of his brother's house. He desperately needed to talk to Gohan. Gohan, with all of his intelligence, would hopefully help him find some tranquility and show him a way to adjust with everything that has happened in such a short time. At the very least, they could fight until he didn't have the energy or strength to move or think.
The mile and a half to his brother's house went quickly as Goten skillfully kept his mind blank. Walking up to the door, he didn't pause to knock as he grabbed the knob and turned it to let himself in. Neither the knob nor the door budged. It was locked. Goten looked down at the handle in confusion. Why would Gohan lock his door? Even when he wasn't home he never bothered locking his house, not living all the way out here.
Goten frowned as he raised his hand and did something he had never had to do since his brother moved out of his mother's home. He knocked. Two loud raps and he stepped away from the door, waiting for someone to answer. A minute passed and no one came to the door, so he knocked again. It was louder this time, causing every window in the house to shake. Still, there was nothing. Not even the sound of anyone inside.
Perturbed, Goten walked away from the house, but he didn't go home. He did not feel like sitting in the empty house alone. There were too many memories there for him. He and Bra had spent plenty of time in his home in the beginning of their relationship, a relationship that by all means, should still be going strong. No, he needed to go somewhere quite and think.
He walked deep into the woods, not really paying any attention to where he was going; just letting his feet take him where they would. Eventually, he found himself at the river that he used to fish in as a small boy. He smiled, thinking of all the fond memories he had here. This was the perfect spot for him to relax and come up with a solution. Sitting down in the lotus position, he shut his eyes and emptied his mind. Concentrating on his peaceful surroundings, he let the sound of the rushing river take him away.
Hours later, his eyes popped back open and he looked around disorientated. It was dark out now, the dense forest trees letting little of the moonlight in. Uncrossing his legs, he stretched them out in front of him; raising his arms above his head, he let a loud yawn out. Must've fallen asleep, he thought as he stood. It didn't matter though; he would've spent days out here if he had to. Luckily, the answer to all his problems came to him during his meditations this night. With a wicked grin and renewed vigor, he began his walk home.
It took him longer to get home than it should have. He spent the time leisurely going over every detail of his plan. If everything went accordingly, things would be back to the way he remembered them, Bra with him and not pregnant by Uubu.
Reaching the house, he saw that all the lights were off, his mother having already gone to bed. Without making a sound, he opened the front door and tiptoed his way through the house. When he reached his room, he barely made it to his bed before he passed out. He couldn't ever remember being so tired.