A/N: Yes you read right Vegeta is Bulma's dad. Sorry but if the story gets too weird I guess you can stop reading but it's going to be really emotional and hopefully very good. So please don't just judge it because of that. More people's POVs will come later.
Chapter 2
Chichi's Pov
The next eight years really didn't mean much. They were mostly bleak and blank and not much happened. We, as children learned what the house was all about and what it meant to be an adult and live there. To sum it up they didn't care about us at all. They turned their backs on us and seemed to gain happiness out of scolding. Even my father who had loved was now distant and blank. Except for Vegeta, he was always watching Bulma and didn't care what we did. In fact he barely ever said a word to any of us, even the adults.
18 would always tease Bulma about her dad being so protective. She would get upset about it but other than those times she was pretty happy. Bulma was defiantly fun when she was a little girl. We would play together and she would tell me things about her mother that her aunt told her.
"She looks like me," Bulma said in a conversation we had as seven year olds.
"Really," I asked.
"Yeah, that's what my aunt said. She said that my mom was pretty like me. When I asked my dad about my mom he didn't want to talk about her but he wouldn't say why. I'm not mad at him for it because my aunt said he had a hard time when she died. I think I understand."
Bulma and I had conversations like that a lot and I enjoyed them. She would make up what her mom looked like and how she acted and tell me that she wanted to be just like her. Her aunt told her that she already was and that made her happy, you wouldn't believe.
We would always tell each other secrets like children do. She was the first one I told that I liked Goku. At the time I took for granted the talks I had with my friend. It wasn't till later that I would see the dramatic change in her that would change our friendship. Even now, looking back it's hard to believe that she was so happy.
Well anyway I found out rather quickly that Goku liked me too. I guess in a sense I always knew but when I was younger it kind of creped me out. He was always looking at me and then randomly telling me I was pretty. It was cute but scary at the time. I finally resisted the urge to run from him one day and told him that I liked him. He was so happy that I did but I'm not sure if he quite knew what that meant.
All of us would hang out in the house or outside and talk. We had fun together and of course some of us got together as we got older. Bulma told me when she was nine that she felt left out since everyone else was with someone. I just told her not to worry about it and she nodded back but still seemed a little sad.
Oh and by the way, that old lady by the window, she died. I guess she was a symbolism of the house. So dead and always waiting, yet she was beautiful but unwelcoming.
"I can't believe they won't let me go outside anymore," eleven-year-old 18 said. She had been caught outside with Krillin and although they weren't doing anything wrong her aunt said that they were probably thinking about having sex.
"Well it's not that big of a deal you've seen the yard a thousand," Goku said.
"That's easy for you to say, you can go where you want," 18 mumbled.
Goku shrugged, "Only because I'm a servant. Besides they think I'm corrupting you guys. At least that's what your aunt said."
"So what you probably are. They're worried about me having sex but look at you two. You'd think God put you on the earth to be together. Well there's no God so knock it off."
"You don't need to be so mean about it jeez."
"Yes I do, that's what I do."
"Well if makes you feel any better we can't go outside anymore either. Since they saw you guys alone together they thought we were getting ideas," I said.
"Yes. Brining the rest of you down with me," 18 praised herself.
"Speaking of the rest of us, where is Bulma," Goku said, "Isn't she usually with you?"
"Well yeah but I knocked on her door this morning and she said she was sick. To tell you the truth I haven't seen Vegeta either so I guess he must be spending time with her," I said.
"Ah daddy likes the little girls," 18 said.
"Shut up. You know how he is with her, plus if you don't remember she's pretty much all he has left. Her mother died when she was born he must take better care of her than that."
"Oh yeah now that you say that I think he must," 18 said sarcastically.
"That's enough, really 18. Don't say anything to her about that because I don't want you to upset her," I said.
18 rolled her eyes, "You worry too much. What does it matter?"
"It matters to me how she feels. She's my friend."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it shut up," 18 said.
Goku grabbed on to my arm protectively, " Hey leave Chichi alone."
"Okay."
I really did wonder why Bulma was not out with us. She usually enjoyed being with us but I suppose she liked to be with Vegeta more. It didn't really strike me odd at the time since I had lived here so long I didn't know any better, but I'm sure that's her case too.
So after dinner I went up stairs to her room and put my ear against the door. No sound came out and I thought about knocking but it didn't seem right so I just stood there. It would have been a better idea to knock rather than stand there for as long as I did but I just couldn't get myself to do it. It was like there was something going on that I shouldn't know about. Well I guess I stayed there too long because I was hit with the door a couple minutes later by Bulma.
"What are you doing Chichi," Bulma asked.
"I was wondering where you were…well I knew where you are so I guess more of what you are doing?"
"Nothing really. I didn't want to come out today. I'm really getting sick of 18 bugging me. I mean I know it doesn't seem like it but it really hurts me and it's none of her business how I feel."
"Well that's funny because she just told me she didn't care. Anyway are you hungry? You didn't come down for dinner?"
"Uh, no but thanks anyway. Oh you better go, see you," she shut the door.
"Wait, Bulma!"
But she didn't come back out and after I realized she wasn't going to I went back to my room. 18 was waiting for me on her bed but she saw my disappointment she kept her mouth shut. It was a good thing she was quite because I don't know what I would have done if she made another comment about Bulma and her father. There was nothing going on and that's how it should be right?
I went to see Goku the following night. He let me stay in his little room under the stairs but we barely fit. The offer was brought up by him that I sit on his lap but I politely declined mostly because of 18 getting in trouble for being outside, what would they think if they saw me on his lap? We talked for a while and I told him of my concerns on Bulma but he just tried to reassure me that nothing was wrong.
Even though he didn't make me feel better I still stayed with him. I really liked him but I didn't know how to tell him. Things were not going my way and I was about ready to give up on everything.
" I like you Chichi," Goku said after a moment of silence.
"What,' I asked because I didn't think I heard him right.
He put his arm behind his head and smiled rubbing the back of his head, "Uh I said that I liked you. Is that okay?'
I stared at him for a long time and nodded, "Yeah that's fine. I like you too, but since when did you like me?"
"I don't know, I guess I just figured out what it was yesterday, but I've always felt something for you."
I smiled at him and he returned my look. I guess this was a good point in my life but it was one of the few. We made the most of it because it would probably never happen again in that house.
Early morning on Sunday and 18 is pounding on my door. I force myself out of my dream of a burning house. My eyes are heavy as I reach for the door knob. It turns almost by itself and 18 is standing in my face.
"Don't you stay in here too," I asked?
"Yeah but I'm trying to wake you up and I've been trying for an hour."
"No you haven't."
"I know that, but you don't."
"Whatever, I'm up now so what do you want?"
"Bulma is in the bathroom," 18 whispered.
"So what! Is that what you woke me up for," I complained.
18 signaled me to be quiet, "What you think, it's far more interesting. She's threw up, and she's crying."
I rolled my eyes, "Maybe she's sick ever think of that?"
"I know that's not it, will you just come see."
"Fine."
I pulled a robe over my clothes and followed her to the bathroom. 18 pushed her ear against the door and signaled me to do the same. We heard the sound of water from the bathtub on the other side and a lit sobbing from her.
"So what is it," I whispered.
"She's washing herself off what do you think?"
"So what! You went in my room at three in the morning just to show me that she's-"
The door opened and a drained Bulma came out staring at the floor. For a second 18 and I were afraid that she would be mad but then I realized I didn't have anything to be afraid of. I was the first to speak to her.
"Bulma," I said.
She turned to face us," Yes."
"Are you okay?"
"Great," she whispered and went back into her room.
As she went into the darkness of her room so did her voice. You see, that was the last day we heard Bulma speak and the last time I would hear her cry. She was my best friend but after that day she became a rag doll, with no more life. When I think of it I think back to that woman and how the smoke curled from her mouth. Nothing to say, just waiting and waiting.
