Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters
Hey everyone, it's been a while. For those who have been keeping up with my profile updates and other stories, I've been on hiatus for a while. I'm still going to have sporadic updating until I can adjust to everything going on. I'm now in grad school, and I'm still coping with the loss of my father, so bear with me with updates. Some days I can write, other days I can't.
Another thing I really want to do before I get into logistics for this story is rewrite the first part of the story. I wouldn't be changing any major events, but I reread it to proofread over the summer and I realized that my writing is much better now than it was then. In fact, I pictured scenes a lot more descriptively than I wrote. So eventually I'll be doing that before I get anywhere close to touching on the upcoming tournament.
Another change I'm making is in review responses. For another fandom, I've always just responded by PM and then publicly thanked guest reviewers. The reason I did that differently for this fandom was because of the high number of guest reviews I always received. I felt like I needed to answer questions. If there are ever any guest questions, I'll answer them the same way I have been, but for the most part, I'm going back to PMs and acknowledgment. I just feel it will be easier to keep up that way. Thanks for your patience as I go through many transitions.
A special thanks to midnightskies23, elianni, LVR4Trunks-n-Vegeta, NNP, xSapphirexRosesxFanx, LillaQ-Arrow-DBZ-4life, and Lady Bardock for originally reviewing this chapter.
"Bulma, run!" her father shouted to her as the aliens broke through their defense system. Bulma was hesitant to run for she didn't want to leave either of her parents behind. Before her father could repeat himself, four aliens had entered their home.
"Nice place," a purple alien jeered.
"Bulma, for the last time, GO!"
She had reined in her shock and attempted to leave the room, heading to her own up the stairs, but a humanoid alien with light blue skin and green hair prevented her from doing so, pinning her down to the ground. "What's the rush, Bul-ma?" he asked while enunciating her name. "We wouldn't want a pretty little thing like you to get hurt." He drew his mouth closed to her ear and whispered, "Would we?" Bulma shivered in disgust wanting so much to be able to fight him off of her, but he had her entire body pinned to the floor. It was obvious the alien had done something like this before, which only served to make Bulma fear their intruders more.
"Now, now, Zarbon," a raspy voice spoke from the alien in a floating chair. "Business first, pleasure later."
"Please," her father pleaded, "whoever you are, let my daughter go. I'll give you whatever you want."
"Dad, no!" Bulma screamed, receiving a slap from the alien, Zarbon, who was sitting on top of her.
"Do not speak unless spoken to by Lord Frieza, girl," he snapped in her ear.
Bulma saw Frieza smirk, obviously hearing his subordinate's words. "I can make you no promises," he said. "However, if you prove useful, I might spare your daughter. I am here for one reason only. What can you tell me about your planet's capsule technology?"
Bulma's blood ran cold when the alien mentioned hers and her father's invention. Don't tell him, dad, please…
"It's my invention," her dad reluctantly admitted.
"And it can store anything?"
Bulma watched as her father considered how to answer the question. He looked like he was getting ready to discuss the answer with his business partners and not as if he was voicing it to a murderous alien. She attempted to call out to stop him, but Zarbon had noticed and covered her mouth whispering many things that disgusted her into her ear.
"Well, almost," her dad said making her eyes widened. She knew what he would say next. "My daughter has been working on an internal cooling system."
Dad, be quiet, she voiced in her head, but she knew it was already too late. She knew the gears in the alien's head were turning, his blood red eyes lighting up while a sinister smirk formed on his features.
"So your daughter can make these capsules, too," he deduced.
When she watched her father's expression turn to one of panic and horror, she knew he realized his mistake in confirming what the alien already knew. In seconds, before Bulma could even register what was going on, the alien released a blast that had instantly disintegrated her father. Frieza turned to face her and his subordinate when Zarbon finally took his hand away from her mouth.
"Daddy," she whispered as tears began to stream down her face. "No…"
"It looks like you have use to us after all, child," Frieza said as his chair floated over to her. "I do expect that you will create these capsules for us."
Her mind was still racing; she couldn't answer right away. She saw Frieza nod and then felt her arm being twisted behind her back. Gasping out in pain, Bulma started to focus back on the alien's words. Glaring at the monster, she hissed out, "Never."
Instead of angering the demon, her words only amused him. "How adorable. The girl thinks she has a choice."
Bulma's glare became firmer before the alien on top of her voiced his opinion. "I'd say we persuade her."
Bulma didn't like the way he had said that.
She felt his breath on her face and closed her eyes, grimacing. These aliens were terrors, ruthless, and she was pretty sure what Zarbon was intending to do to her after hearing the things he whispered to her. She wanted to fight, but she knew she couldn't.
"Miss Briefs!"
Bulma's eyes shot open as she remembered that she and her father hadn't been the only ones in the room with these creatures. Her workers and even her mother had been there the entire time and she hadn't even realized that. Their lives, as well as her own, were in danger. She wanted to answer them, but the fat, pink alien had to comment on the blue one's words.
"That's not fair, Zarbon," he stated. "Maybe some of us would also like to get a shot with the girl. You've gotten the privilege of holding her down. Why not share?"
Her heartbeat was the only sound she could register, even over the concerned calls of her mother. She said nothing, but she didn't need to. Everyone would understand the fact that she was too terrified to speak out of turn.
"Come now, Dodoria," Frieza remarked. "You should know better than to stake claim on another's conquest, but you do bring up an interesting point. I'm sure Cui would also like a taste." Frieza looked around the room, a sadistic sparkle in his eyes. "There are many specimens in this very room. The game is this: the one to kill the most of these insects will get the girl as a prize for one round. After that, she will officially be made a scientist on my ship. Are we clear?"
There was a chorus of "yes sir" before Zarbon told her he would only be a second and to be a good girl as he released her temporarily for the contest. Bulma didn't listen and moved out of the way and to the stairs as her mother was instructing her. None of the other aliens stopped her or cared. Bulma made the mistake of stopping at the bottom of the stairs to look back at what was happening.
There was a red orb floating in the sky, glowing brightly before beams shot out in all directions. Frieza hadn't batted an eyelash as the beams struck and killed everyone, including her pregnant mother, while his comrades looked both amazed and disappointed. And then Zarbon turned his head towards her and her blood once again ran cold.
She ran up the stairs in attempts to get away, but the alien was much too quick. She could hear him coming after her, but still made it into her room. There was no time to get out the window, so she tried to reach her closet. Sure, hiding there might not be able to protect her, but at least it was something.
But even that was too late.
Zarbon reached her room before she could try any "escape" option.
"Please," Bulma whimpered slightly, "don't do this."
She was answered only with a smirk before the wind was knocked out of her. He had attacked her from behind, pinning her down like he had downstairs. Her mind drifted back for her mother and father. "Mama…daddy," she whispered focusing on the fact that they were now gone. When she uttered the words, she felt a blinding pain in her side as hot ki was being dragged down her skin. Tears poured down her face as she tried to handle the pain.
"Now, now," Zarbon cooed softly with an underlying amused tone ringing out. "It is not the time to think of them. Believe me, soon the only name you will be voicing is mine, Bul-ma-"
"Bulma! Bulma, wake up! Now!"
Her eyes flew open and she shot up in bed wrapping her arms around herself as her screams startled herself and her mate. She could see the look of horror in Vegeta's eyes and she knew that the memory she had tried to keep buried for all the time they had been mated had finally been seen. There was hurt in Vegeta's eyes, and she knew from the bond that it was because she had never chosen to share the memory with him in the past. Yes, he had known what happened, but to see it through her eyes…it had bothered, angered, and concerned him more that he would have ever thought possible.
Not caring about her fear at the moment, he took her in his arms and rocked her. He had watched her do it with the boys to calm them down whenever they were upset with something. He had identified it as some Earth custom he would never understand, but he felt it was what Bulma needed in that moment, regardless of her nervousness in being held.
"Don't let go," he heard her whisper, her voice hoarse from both crying and screaming.
Vegeta looked down at the top of her head like she was crazy. He didn't plan on letting her go until he knew she was all right. If there was one thing he didn't lie about to Frieza in regards to his mate it was that her mental and physical wellbeing was a priority. "I won't," he said firmly, reassuring her of what she needed: him as her rock. And then he asked her, "Why didn't you show me any of this?"
But Bulma had fallen asleep again once she felt safe in his arms. Sighing, Vegeta pulled her closer to him, as much as he could, and then covered them with the tousled sheets and blankets. In addition to the alarm he felt radiating from Bulma and the images he saw from her memory, the fact that she had been thrashing around in their bed had been a hint that there was something wrong. As the memory started to go deeper into what had happened to her at the hands of Frieza's second, she started to still but hyperventilate. If Vegeta hadn't woken her up, he was sure she would have been reliving that trauma right now, and that was not what she needed.
Her slow and relaxed breathing began to lull him back to sleep. He gently stroked her arms and settled his hands over her stomach before joining her in the next few hours of hopefully peaceful slumber.
When Bulma awoke, Vegeta was still holding her. He had meant it when he promised not to let her go. Now that the queen was refreshed and refueled with peace, she was a lot calmer and moved herself away from Vegeta which woke the king up. He lazily looked at her before closing his eyes again and grunting, "Better?"
"Yeah," Bulma replied. "Thank you for earlier."
"You don't have to thank me from protecting you, Bulma," he assured her.
It was rare for him to use her name, but whenever he said it, there was a loving tone to his voice. It was just as loving as when he used the words "woman" or "yuubutsu." All three were names he would call her, and no one else would hear the loving tone that went along with them other than those closest to them.
She smiled fondly at her mate, moving closer to him again. "I know," she told him, "but I'm still thankful."
"Why didn't you let me see before?" Vegeta asked her now that she was awake. He felt the anxiety return to her and pulled her into a crushing hug. "Do not be afraid around me, yuubutsu. Whatever happened, I want to know. It is my duty to keep you safe in all aspects."
"I've always been afraid of what you must think of me," she confessed. "I mean, with what happened, I was just always too weak, and I was afraid you wouldn't want me."
"Bulma, look at me," Vegeta commanded. When he had her attention, he spoke again. "I knew what had happened to you before you ever told me. I've been on plenty of purges in my life, and let me tell you, not all of the men were as kind as the Saiyans you've met. They met their end because of their own foolishness. The point is I knew, and I took you as a mate anyway. I don't care about your physical strength. Besides, you are much stronger than you give yourself credit for. Twins, Bulma…do you know how many Saiyan women have had complications that you didn't have with giving birth to twins? Not only that, but you've been carrying this memory with you and you're still standing, as my queen as well as my mate. Never, ever say you are weak again, understood?"
Bulma nodded, not able to find her voice in that moment, but she didn't need to say anything. Vegeta smirked at her and then ran his fingers through her hair. "Now that that is settled, I believe we have some early morning business," he said suggestively making Bulma smile. "And then breakfast."
"As my king commands," she teased before he descended down on her.
"Hey, Trunks?" Little Vegeta called warily, waking his brother up.
"What?" Trunks grumbled the last remains of sleep. He noticed the serious look on his older brother's face and asked more softly, "What's up?"
"Did you hear mom earlier?"
Trunks froze, his eyes widening in terror. He had thought hearing his mother screaming was just a dream, but now that his brother voiced his concerns Trunks was even more worried. But his dad would have been there to help her, right?
"Maybe we should go check on mom and dad," the younger brother said. Little Vegeta nodded his agreement, and the two sped to their parents' room.
Bulma sighed in contentment as she nuzzled against her mate's bare chest. Vegeta too looked relaxed and happy, a rare smile dawning itself on his face. "I think my king is getting better," she teased making him frown and look at her questioningly.
"Better?" he remarked. When he saw her smile become a teasing grin, he smirked. "I believe my queen has improved as well."
"Shut up," she laughed as she lightly smacked his shoulder. He chuckled in amusement and pulled her close to him. But then, something shocked him.
"Bulma, go get dressed," he ordered her.
"Hm…why?" she questioned unsure of his change of demeanor.
"Change unless you want our seven year old sons to question what went on in here."
Bulma forced herself out of bed and began to put her discard clothes on, Vegeta following suit. She was actually surprised of how concerned he was about their kids questioning their activities. She figured Saiyans wouldn't mind teaching their kids early not to barge in their parents' rooms since they weren't necessarily embarrassed by the topic. No, it was more like they respected mating to the point of rarely discussing it, unless you happened to be Kakarot's brothers. But still, they would eventually need to tell their children not to barge into their room anymore, and Bulma wondered if Vegeta put the conversation on hold because of his experiences with his father and mother.
The twins did in fact barge into the room slamming the door open with almost enough force to break it and tear it off its hinges. Vegeta was about to scold the boys for not controlling their strength, but they went straight to their mother looking highly concerned. One of the things he hoped to achieve by spacing out their rooms was that they wouldn't hear their amorous activities, but Bulma's screams were a different story. The king could recall the time where Tarble had startled her so many years ago. Everyone then had heard her and came running, though this time they all knew her situation and that Vegeta was with her. Except the boys. They knew absolutely nothing in regards to what was going on, and Vegeta wasn't lying to the lizard when he said his sons were fond of her and would protect her. They loved their mother.
"Mom, are you okay?" Trunks asked with worried eyes. They always reminded Vegeta of Bulma's eyes: wide-eyed, curious, and concern shining in their depths.
Bulma looked confused as her son asked that question. "Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"
"We heard you scream," Little Vegeta and Trunks said at the same time.
Their mother paled before kneeling down in front of them with a serious expression on her face. "I am fine, boys," she said as she placed her hands on their shoulders. "Sometimes I just have bad dreams, but it's okay because your daddy was here for me. It was only a dream."
"But dreams can't hurt you," Little Vegeta stated with a frown. "You told me that."
Bulma grinned at her little boy. "Yes, but you remember how real dreams can feel, right? Sometimes even mommy needs to be reminded."
"So you are okay, then?" Trunks asked hopefully, his face still contorted with panic.
A nod was his answer, as well as opened arms which both twins took advantage of. Vegeta smirked as he watched his mate hug their sons. He loved her and both of his boys so much, though he rarely voiced it. He made sure they knew by his actions how much they meant to him.
"Now that all of this is settled, Trunks, Goku…" Bulma saw Little Vegeta frown at being called by his first name, but was thankful he didn't catch his father's attention or voice his interest in the name. "You two should get ready for the day. You will be going out to the square with Kakarot and his son for training. A new tournament will be taking place here very soon."
"Really?" the boys asked in excitement, Little Vegeta's irritation disappearing in seconds.
Trunks grimaced, though, when he saw the look of terror on his mother's face. Something about the tournament must have had her on edge, but the little prince did not understand why. He almost missed the fact that his brother was ready to leave and get ready, and ended up being yanked from his parents' room before he could ask anything regarding the subject. As his older brother pulled him away, Trunks watched as his father embraced his mother, patting her back and assuring her she would be okay. What was he missing?
Later, after everyone was informed of the tournament, Vegeta made the video call he was dreading. Frieza seemed to have been waiting for him as if knowing the Saiyan king would accept his proposal.
"I was expecting your call," the Arcosian said with his sickeningly sweet voice. "So what is verdict?"
"My queen has agreed with your terms, and we intend to hold the tournament in two months' time," Vegeta dictated. "We have much to prepare here in that time. We hope these terms will be acceptable in addition to the terms we already discussed."
"Oh course, Vegeta," Frieza replied. Vegeta did his best not to show his irritation since they were both on their own ground. Unfortunately when Frieza came to the planet, titles would need to be used so as not to insult the "guest." "And as stated, my men know that your queen is off-limits, regardless of past history. I do believe we can all get along, and I look forward to making a deal with you for the capsule technology."
Vegeta's brow rose slightly at the Arcosian's cockiness. "You must be very confident in your men to presume a deal will be made."
"That is the thing about me, Vegeta," Frieza responded with a sinister smirk. "I do always get what I am after. Remember that." His face then lit up once more. "I shall see you in two months. Ta!"
The call was ended, and Vegeta felt immense relief. Appearing indifferent to Bulma and her painful past was difficult, but possible. Dealing with the ridicule was even more tedious. Once this tournament was underway, things were going to be much more difficult for his family. He had already seen the look of concern that flashed across Trunks' face. Seeing that pained him because he knew the boy was very protective of his mother. He knew nothing would stop Trunks from finding out what had happened, and then it would be harder to keep their sons away from the monster.
"So it's official now."
Vegeta turned from his spot and saw his brother standing in the doorway. Sighing, he motioned for Tarble to follow him. The two of them walked into the throne room, where they could be alone. "Yes, unfortunately."
"I…" Tarble started nervously before he began to consider his words carefully. "I know I was never the best fighter, Vegeta, but I will help you protect her any way I can."
Vegeta nodded. "You do know that I never expected you to be a fighter," he remarked, to which Tarble nodded. "Unlike our father, it did not bother me and it still doesn't. Do what you can, but do not do anything that could get either of you killed. I would prefer not to lose any of you."
Tarble smiled at his brother before he hugged him. Vegeta was unused to his brother showing the emotional side of himself as an adult, but he did not mind returning the hug. He would always remain, to him, as his little brother that he would do anything for. "We should get to breakfast before mother worries," Tarble suggested. Vegeta agreed and the two of them left the throne room with their unspoken deal. Tarble would not fight in the tournament, but he would make sure both himself and Bulma were safe.
Though, ultimately, it was his own duty to protect his family, and he would make sure he did, no matter what.
A/N: I have to say, out of all my stories, I think this is the darkest one I've ever written. I don't even know where any of this stuff comes from. It honestly just writes itself...from a fleeting thought I had driving my car home from class back as an undergrad...I don't even know what to say anymore. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I thank you all for your support and continual reading.