Piccolo didn't hesitate to press hard into the wound, smothering it with the surrounding shirt material to trap as much blood as he could. "What happened?"
"I ran into some looters. They were taking advantage of the towns being abandoned. I had to stop them." Videl choked out her answer through her grit teeth. "That hurts so much."
"It's about to get worse." Piccolo ripped the shirt open and with precise ki, seared the skin closed. Videl screamed at the feeling.
Vegeta came to investigate the noises. "What is with you finding injured kids?"
Piccolo's eyes narrowed at the comment but didn't turn to him. He lifted Videl in his arms and stood. "Keep searching here. I'll be back."
He headed out the door and flew as fast as he could. Even flying he knew it would be at least a few minutes to the estate where Bulma could help her. "How long were you bleeding for?"
Videl strained against the pain in her side. Each breath tugged on the burned flesh, only making it harder to fight the tears. "I- I don't know. A while, I think. They left me outside the town I caught them in, and I just kept going 'till I found that place to hide until I could get strong enough."
"You were lucky we were in there." Piccolo said softly.
"You're right. Thank you." Videl agreed.
"Don't talk too much. Only critical information for now." Piccolo instructed.
Videl nodded before speaking up. "How's Gohan?"
"That's not critical." Piccolo said. "Was the blade clean, dirty, or rusted?"
"Clean. It was a normal knife." Videl answered. "And it's critical to me. I know you're going to tell him about me if no one else does and he's got so much to worry for already."
Piccolo grunted softly. "He's gotten better at handling stress, and I think he's tired of everyone always being delicate with him."
"Probably because he doesn't want to be the center of everyone's attention. Thinking we all have enough to deal with." Videl grimaced at the sharp pain as she tried to, and regretted, holding herself up more instead of relying fully on Piccolo's arms.
"Perhaps we all do that too much." Piccolo thought aloud. "Example, you also running into trouble without any help."
"What do you mean 'also'?" Videl asked.
Piccolo realized what moment he had brought up and decided against going into it. "No more talking. You need all your energy."
Videl couldn't tell if he was just trying to keep her quiet for her sake or if the topic suddenly turned to something sensitive. She acquiesced for the moment, taking comfort that she knew her father would have told her if anything serious happened to Gohan. Though it was nice to talk while she could get him to. It helped distract her a bit from the pain.
Only a moment or two passed when Piccolo began a swift descent. He rushed her into the medical building; his shoulder again taking the brunt of the effort to open the doors. Bulma was still likely to be working by Goku as well as Gohan. He hated the idea that Gohan would see his friend carried in this condition, but it was the best for Videl's health.
Just focus and comfort him after. It can't be helped. He forced his way through the doors to the hub of rooms and adamantly kept his eyes from looking at Gohan. "Bulma! Blood loss!"
"On it." Bulma hastily followed him into the empty room beside Goku's, pulling open drawers beside the bed.
Gohan stood from the table he sat at; stunned and feeling the tug of old instincts to panic. "What…. What happened?"
"I sealed her wound, but I don't know how much she lost." Piccolo explained to Bulma as she inspected the burn. "There shouldn't be any infection, she said it was a clean and normal blade."
"Good." Bulma said as she checked Videl's pulse. "Go find Hercule. He'll need to donate for her."
Piccolo nodded and turned to leave, only pausing a moment when he saw Gohan. He whispered as he walked by him, "She'll be fine. I'm sorry."
Gohan watched him leave and looked back to Videl who forced a smile for him. "Sorry."
"What are you sorry for?" Gohan worked himself up to approach and return as much of a smile as he could.
"I intended to help people. Not get myself killed for it." Videl frowned. She winced as Bulma pressed slightly around her wound. "And I certainly don't look presentable right now."
"As if you ever cared about being 'presentable'." Gohan forced a small laugh as he gestured to her attire in men's clothes.
"I'm going to get something for burn relief. It doesn't look like you'll be bleeding so long as you lay still enough alright?" Bulma asked.
"I'll watch over her." Gohan said.
After Bulma left, Videl said "Apologies for getting my blood all over Piccolo. I'm sure that was very attractive."
"There's no need for that. He's been through worse." Gohan blushed softly, having forgotten he even told Videl about his affection to Piccolo. He pulled over a stool and sat beside her. "Just get better."
"He said you also ran into trouble?" Videl asked.
Gohan's eyes widened before he turned away. "Yeah. I went to investigate one of the abandoned towns. I got attacked as well but nothing as bad as this."
"I hope so. This is the worst feeling, and I would hate to think you had to go through it too." Videl smirked. "Don't look so down, I need to be hopeful right?"
"I just shouldn't have done it." Gohan sighed. "You shouldn't have been in trouble either."
"Hey, you said it wasn't as bad as this right?" Videl asked.
"He only had the chance to steal my energy but… If Piccolo wasn't there, I might not have come back." Gohan answered quietly.
"Oh so… it was against one of those kinds of guys. Not a normal person but someone with energy?" Videl surrendered her lightheartedness for a worried look. "Was it one of the twins?"
"No, but that reminds me that there is a lot to catch you up on." Gohan said.
"Alright let's get you right and better huh?" Bulma said as she returned with a jar of salve. She lathered it careful yet liberally over Videl's burn. Shortly after that, Hercule had burst into the room looking for his daughter and crying over her condition. Gohan had stepped away to make room for him. He turned to the door where he saw Piccolo, who nodded to him before leaving again.
Gohan followed out to the hall and into a room across full of wash basins. Piccolo had begun washing his hands. "Thank you for helping her."
Piccolo gave a short huff of a laugh. "Did you think I wouldn't?"
"No, of course not; but she is a close friend. It matters a lot to me is all and I'm appreciative." Gohan replied in a fluster, praying he hadn't hurt any feelings accidentally. "Are you headed back?"
"Yes." Piccolo said.
"Alright. I'll be here with everyone; I have so many visiting hours ahead of me." Gohan chuckled.
Piccolo dried his hands on a small towel and considered something quick. He stepped closer to Gohan and gently caressed the back of Gohan's neck as he placed a kiss to his forehead. "I'll come sit with you when I return."
Gohan burnt red as he pulled Piccolo's hand to his cheek. "I'd like that."
"Vegeta isn't even here right now and he's the one who had any real issue with you walking around." Krillin said with a kind smile hoping to urge 18 outside. "I just saw Hercule come running through, so it's probably about to get crazy loud and busy in here."
With a loud sigh, 18 conceded and followed Krillin to wherever it was he wanted to show her. It wasn't very far away where he waved his arms wide as if to show off a grand prize, but all that stood were five posts in a field.
"What's this?" 18 asked with heavy disinterest.
"It's where the guys and I can come and just fire ki, like target practice. It can help let off pressure or just waste an afternoon." Krillin explained. "We usually just try to see who can take the least off the top. I once got a slice as thin as a quarter inch. Try it."
18 hesitated. She hated the feeling that she was given permission for something so simple as going outside. It was understandable that she wasn't trusted, and she knew Krillin a bit better than that with how he stayed near her since they arrived, but she struggled against the reflex to live like she did under Gero. Waiting to be shut down or tested for his upgrades.
She tossed a small orb of energy, chipping off the corner of a post. After a moment, she threw another and then more. She felt a heavy sensation she had been fighting off, finally sink down her throat into her stomach. She clenched her teeth as she lobbed more attacks at the defenseless posts, trying to ignore the tears.
18 kept her face away from Krillin even after she had stopped attacking the splintered remains. She knew he was still there, just waiting. "Can I… be alone?"
"Of course." Krillin answered softly. He went back to the medical building.
18 hugged herself and sat down, staring at her destruction. I'm finally free but… He was supposed to be here too!
It was a long evening. Gohan sat beside his father while Bulma finished helping Videl. Hercule had left as soon as he gave enough blood to find food for his daughter.
"Oh my-" Videl said as she looked into Goku's room. "I heard he was… sorry."
Gohan looked between her to Goku's face and sighed. He remembered how he felt when he first saw his father's condition. "Yeah. They said he's a lot more comfortable than he looks though. You should be resting."
"I feel just peachy considering… everything; and I certainly am not going to let you continue to mope here worried for two of us." Videl stood tall for a second before trying to appear casual as she supported herself against the wall. "I can't imagine you spent much time relaxing yourself after finding out about your dad."
"I found plenty to distract me, actually." Gohan countered with a small smile.
"I don't count research. I spotted the book you were reading when I was carried in." Videl teased. "I will only accept that you relaxed if you spent any time with Pi-"
"Ah, Wait!" Gohan stood and glanced to his father. He then peeked outside of the room.
"Miss Briefs already left. I wouldn't-" Videl started to say.
"I-I know. I'm sorry." Gohan ran a hand through his hair. "There's just a theory that uh… my dad is still aware of things around him."
"Like he can hear us?" Videl asked and covered her mouth when Gohan nodded. In a whisper she said "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you known."
Both stilled as 16's large figure stepped out of the room next to them.
"Hello. Is something wrong?" Gohan asked hesitantly. I completely forgot he was still in there!
16 slowly looked to him. "I thought about what 18 asked and I remembered something that might help."
"Really?!" Vegeta screamed as the computer blared once again, the screen flashing a red box. "I give up with this damn thing!"
Piccolo made a mental note to grab the computer tower for Bulma to work into later as he opened doors further in the building. In a closet he spotted sketches tacked to the wall. Birds? He turned to the wall of cubbies beside them. Mostly half-filled jars of purple fluids; smudged labels reading Cell Regeneration.
He looked to other shelves and soon paused over other jars with similar labeling. They contained a faded yellow liquid. A few of the jars further back into the shelf had a faint glow. He scanned over any dates and grabbed the most recent that still seemed to hold any light. "Vegeta, I think I found something! Let's go!"