Chapter 7: The Calm

Rain pelted his body as Bardock flew through the storm towards his home, hoping that Gine would have dinner cooking. After a long day of training with Tora, Bardock was exhausted and the last thing he wanted to do was worry about dinner. Although Gine was the better cook between the two, sometimes if she was working late at the shop and he was home, he'd throw something together. But tonight, Bardock did not want to do anything other than eat and sleep.

Landing softly on the wet grass, Bardock turned the knob and shook out his wild hair, running his hand through his wet locks.

"Bardock?" Gine called from the kitchen and Bardock continued to dry himself off.

"Yep." He answered and Gine popped her head out of the kitchen to greet him.

"Oh gods, you're soaked." She surveyed his drenched armor and he shrugged causally.

"Between training in the storm and flying here, I couldn't avoid it. I'm going to hop in the shower."

Gine nodded and Bardock headed into the bedroom, stripping off his wet clothes and turning on the hot water. Steam soon filled their tiny bathroom and Bardock stepped into the shower, instantly sighing in relief as the hot water hit his sore muscles. Rolling out his limbs under the water, Bardock felt a pair of delicate hands on his back.

"Mind if I join?" Gine spoke gently behind Bardock and he whirled to face her, taking in her bare body clouded by the shower steam.

"Do you have to ask?" He answered and moved towards Gine's lips but she placed her finger on his lips, holding him back.

"I don't want dinner to burn and I only really came in here for one thing."

Bardock raised a curious eyebrow, "Oh?"

Slowly, Gine disappeared from his line of vision. A moment later, Bardock groaned and placed a hand against the shower title to steady himself. With his free hand, Bardock weaved it through Gine's hair below as she continued, bopping her head against him.

A short while later, Bardock padded into the kitchen with a towel around his waist, noticing the hot bowl of rice and the slap of meat on the table.

"Gine, you're being nicer than usual to me." Bardock teased as he sat at the table, instantly wolfing down his meal. Gine laughed mirthlessly and came up behind him, rubbing his shoulders.

"What are you talking about? I'm always nice. I'm just happy you are home."

"Me too." Bardock mumbled through his food, "Gods, I don't know what I miss more when I'm off world, you or Sabi's meats."

"I'll try not to take too much offense to that." Gine kissed his cheek and grabbed her bowl to sit across from Bardock. Gine glanced at him as he shoved more food in his mouth, taking in his gorgeous bare chest. Noticing her stare, Bardock peered up with a frown.

"What?"

Gine refocused and placed her food in her mouth carefully before asking, "Nothing. When do you think you'll have to ship out again?"

"Trying to get rid of me already, Gine?"

"No, of course not. I'm just trying to prepare myself."

"Probably another two or three weeks. I've been home for a month and I'm sure Frieza will want my team back out there soon." Bardock stated casually and continued to eat, ripping off a chunk of meat from a bone.

"Well, I'll just have to make the most of you being home then." Gine smiled and peered up again at Bardock, who was distracted by his meal. Things felt comfortable between the two and between Sabi's questions and Gula's outburst at the bar a few weeks ago, thoughts had been creeping in Gine's mind.

What was next for them?

Taking up a bit of courage, Gine spoke up again, "So I wanted-." Before she could continue, Gine was interrupted by a loud knock on their front door. Grumbling in frustration, Bardock muttered with some food in his mouth.

"Who the hell is interrupting my dinner?" Moving quickly, Bardock opened the door to Tora. His friend stood on their front step soaked from the rainstorm as thunder rumbled behind him.

"It better be good." Bardock greeted Tora grumpily while his friend gave him the once over, noting Bardock in just a towel.

"Was I interrupting something?" Tora teased and Bardock tensed and he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"I swear to the gods, Tora-."

"Alright, alright calm down. Sheesh, Gine can you work on his temper?" Tora called over Bardock's shoulder to Gine and then refocused on Bardock.

"General called us back in for an assignment."

"Okay, and this was important enough to interrupt my meal because?"

"It's a long mission. Apparently there's a system of smaller planets that Frieza wants us to wipe out and sell. The inhabitants are supposed to be pretty decent fighters too so it's going to be a hell of a battle."

Bardock's heart raced at the thought of another exciting battle. Since being home, he's been able to test his newfound strength and break his limits. As much as it's been great to be back, Bardock had been itching to get back out to battle.

"How long of an assignment?"

"General thinks about four months. So what do you think?" Lightening cracked against the mountain as Tora asked his commander for his thoughts and Bardock paused for a moment.

Four months away from Planet Vegeta, from Gine? That was the longest time he's been off world and although his Saiyan instincts were screaming at him to accept this new challenge, Gine was in the back of his mind.

Looking back behind his shoulder, Bardock glanced at Gine, who sat at their table with a mixed expression. Her eyes were slightly tearing up and only Bardock could truly read her emotion. She was putting on a brave face in front of Tora with a misleading smile.

Gine knew she couldn't hold back Bardock on an opportunity like this even though having him gone that long frightened her. Her chest felt heavy as she urged him to go and accepted his new post.

"Go." She mouthed and Bardock turned to Tora.

"I'm in. When do we ship out?"

"Tomorrow morning. 06:00 hours."

Bardock nodded and clapped Tora on the shoulder, "Alright. I'll see you bright and early. Now get off my front step so I can finishing my fucking dinner."

Tora chuckled and waved goodbye to Gine before flying off. Bardock closed the door and faced Gine as silence fell between them.

That evening after they finished their meal with little conversation, the pair laid in bed together. Gine snuggled up against Bardock's side and Bardock held her tightly to him. She wore her usual silk blue nightgown while Bardock opted for a pair of comfortable sweats as the night was colder with the storm and change of seasons. Gine closed her eyes and pressed closer to his body, taking in every moment with Bardock before he left. They didn't talk much about it after Tora left and Gine did everything in her power to hide her true feelings, although she knew Bardock could see right through her. Sighing, Gine whispered on top of his chest.

"Don't leave."

She knew it was a selfish thing to say, especially when she told him to go but deep in her subconscious, Gine hoped Bardock would call off the mission and stay home with her. However, that would never happen. Bardock loved battle and telling him to stay would be holding him back. He thrived when he was backed into a corner and Gine could tell Bardock was dying to get back out there.

"You know I don't have a choice. It's my duty, Gine." Bardock answered back softly and rubbed her shoulder, trying to comfort her as much as possible.

He had conflicting emotions about everything. He wanted, no, he needed to go on this mission. At the same time, leaving Gine for that long would be hard but for once, his Saiyan instincts were going to win this internal struggle. As much as his friends had said that he was not acting like a Saiyan warrior lately, this decision should convince them otherwise. Maybe deep down, that's why Bardock was eager to go. He needed to prove to others that he was still as brutal and powerful as any other Saiyan soldier, even if he did only have one woman in his life who he loved.

"I know. But I can still hold on to hope." She sighed and opened her eyes, roaming over Bardock's body and taking note of all his new scars, "Everytime you come back, you have a new scar. Sometimes it's like I'm seeing you for the first time all over again." Gine spoke with a distant tone and suddenly, she shifted away from Bardock and moved off the bed.

"Gine?"

"I have something for you." Gine replied and went to their small dresser drawer. Slowly turning around, Gine knelt on their bed and held a red cloth in her hand. Curious, Bardock sat up and moved towards her, taking the fabric in his hands.

"What's this?"

Gine spoke with quiet reverence as she observed Bardock running the red material through his hands, "It was my father's. The only thing my mother had of his before he died on a mission. She gave it to me before she passed away too."

Bardock glanced up at Gine quickly, knowing how much this meant for her to give to him, let alone speak about. They both were closed off when it came to their families or their pasts.

Bardock whispered, "Gine, I-I couldn't take this."

"No, you can. I want you to have it. Something to remember me while you're gone."

He stared at her with a serious expression, "I don't need anything to remember you. You're with me all the time when I'm on a mission."

His words hit Gine and she moved forward and caught his lips, moving fervently against them. Bardock deepened their embrace, wrapping his muscular arm around her waist and entrapping Gine against his body. After a moment, Bardock pulled back and leaned his cheek against Gine's.

"I love you."

Gine moved back to look at his face, taking in all his beautiful features that she loved so much. She briefly kissed his lips in answer before Bardock desperately intensified their kiss, grabbing Gine by her hips to sit on top of his lap.

Gripping her sides, Bardock gazed at Gine and she stared back with deep love. They both knew that tonight would be the last time they'd be together for a while and they would make the most out of it.

Instantly, Gine fumbled underneath herself but never broke eye contact with Bardock as he moved a hand under her nightgown. A few moments later, the pair rocked against each other slowly, savoring every sensation and moment with each other before life would tear them apart.

At dawn, Bardock got out of bed, ready to meet the day. He was careful not to wake Gine, who slept soundly besides him. Gine's beautiful bare body laid across their bed and was haphazardly covered with their blue comforter. Bardock gazed down at her for a moment, memorizing every curve before he moved to put on his battle armor.

Once he was geared up and ready to move out, Bardock lightly picked up the red cloth from Gine and tried to find a good spot to wear it. Initially, Bardock thought about his arm but then he remembered how sweaty his forehand gets in battle and gently tied it as a bandana around his head.

Turning, he glanced at Gine in their bed again and stepped slowly to her side. Carefully, Bardock leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple, lingering for a moment on her skin. He didn't know when or if he'd see her again and although he was excited for this mission, Bardock didn't want to leave Gine. It was always hard to leave her and Bardock hated admitting that, even to himself. Saiyan warriors were not supposed to feel conflicted about leaving for war but Bardock felt the heaviness of that conflict now.

Staring at Gine for another moment, Bardock finally told himself he had to get going and left their room, hoping things would remain the same when he returned.

Stepping outside their door, Bardock silently prayed to the gods to keep Gine safe as he took off to the hanger, eager to meet his new challenge.


Seven months. A mission that was supposed to take four months became a seven month raid that took many Saiyan lives. Every time Bardock thought it was the end and they'd be able to go home, a new order came through and they'd be forced to go to another planet in the small system.

At one point, Bardock was convinced Frieza was drawing out this mission this on purpose. Many of his teammates were killed and at the end, their team was only a handful. But Frieza didn't seem to care about their numbers and forced his crew to carry on.

As much as Bardock loved the gruesome battles and the chance to hone new skills, after five months Bardock was exhausted and drained. Two months later, he was given the order to send his men home and Bardock was relieved.

He yearned to see Gine again, and the final week of travel was torture as he soared through the galaxy in his pod. Seven months without Gine was unbearable. Throughout his mission there were countless dreams that he had about her, visions so real that it left Bardock cold and empty. He needed her scent, her smile, her body, and if he went any longer, Bardock was sure he would go insane. Finally, as his ship crashed on Planet Vegeta, their reunion was here.

A huge crowd awaited the group as their pods landed onto the hanger. News of their many victories reached the citizens of Vegeta and the crowd cheered their warriors. Tora and the others welcomed the celebration, hugging beautiful girls who threw themselves at the soldiers. Bardock ignored them all and eagerly searched for the only face he wanted to see in the crowd. His search was incomplete due to their general forcing the crew to get evaluated at the medical bay. Bardock angrily accepted, hoping that when he came back to the hanger, Gine would be there.

Once they were cleared, Tora and Bardock stepped back out to the rowdy crowd and Tora grinned with satisfaction as he clapped his friend's shoulder.

"This is pretty awesome. I guess we will have free drinks for a while."

"Only one way to find out. I'll catch up with you later, I've got to find Gine." Bardock answered with evident desperation in his nodded in acknowledgment, knowing first hand Bardock's attachment to Gine. Tora flew off, leaving Bardock scanning for a bright set of brown eyes.

When he caught her sight, Bardock's heart hammered against his chest as he made his way towards Gine, pushing away others and clearing his path to her.

Once he moved through the others and the crowd around Gine cleared, Bardock stopped, frozen in his place.

The crowd dissipated to reveal Gine. Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight and her skin glowed. To Bardock, she was more radiant than he remembered.

His eyes ventured down to where Gien stood with a hand over her swollen belly, staring at Bardock with an expression of joy and anxiousness.