Submitted for your approval, dear readers, is a revised version of this chapter. Thank you for all of the advice received thus far. I really do appreciate the comments and the help to write a better story. I have also decided to add another chapter or two after this. You have all been invited to Trunk's second Birthday, please do attend.

On a similar note; Yamcha. I know many of you hate him in this story but please do try to understand his POV in this story. Bulma was pregnant with the "enemy's" baby. His mind has to come to terms with how can someone he cares about sleep with the enemy. Of coarse Vegeta to take advantage of her ((Yamcha's POV)).He truly believes Bulma and Trunks would be better off with him instead of who he believes Vegeta is. This will all come to a head with cake and ice-cream.

Thank you,

Elspeth Q.

Fallen – Chapter 14

Bulma was unusually quiet through supper. Bunny had spent considerable time rambling on about "that nice young man was so concerned he came to visit." After supper she took Trunks for his bath. It was decided that Penny should stay on basically to serve as Bulma's new assistant. Her previous one had been dismissed with most of her staff during internal investigations. Bulma still tired easily and was a little air headed at times, extra help would be useful. Vegeta was still brooding over this afternoon's events and their continued effect on Bulma. He would go to her after the boy was in bed. For the time being he had to think. He walked outside and meandered in the garden until his nose was accosted by the scent of Yamcha's cologne near the pond. He followed their movements until a glimmer caught his eye. He bent down and picked up a necklace on a long gold chain, a "B" dangled at the end. "Yamcha" Vegeta growled and set to the air.

He flew until he came upon The Kami House. He didn't bother knocking and just waited. He knew his presence there would draw the monk out. A minute or two later Krillen came out, "H. . .H. . .Hey Vegeta! What's up?" he asked. Vegeta looked beyond mad and this frightened him. He walked over to Vegeta. If he was angry at him he would already know so it was someone else. "Is Bulma okay?" The artery on Vegeta's forehead looked like it was about to explode. Vegeta took a calming breath before handing the necklace to him. Krillen looked at it for a minute confused. "Something has obviously happened or you wouldn't be here" the monk said urging Vegeta to say what he came here to say.

Vegeta closed his eyes before he misdirect the anger that boiled within him. "You know nothing of this then?" Vegeta began. "No" Krillen said, shaking his head back and forth to emphasize the point he really had no clue what Vegeta was talking about. "Fine. You tell that weakling loser friend of yours to stay away from Bulma and Trunks. He's walking a treacherously thin line!" Krillen stood dumbfounded as Vegeta flew off back home. Krillen flew off in search of Piccolo. If Yamcha had done something stupid, and he was betting he did by Vegeta's reaction, he was going to need backup.

Krillen landed on the lookout and was met by Piccolo. "What's going on?" Piccolo asked. Krillen showed Piccolo the necklace, "I fear Yamcha has done something stupid. Vegeta just showed up at my place and handed me this with a sincere warning that Yamcha needs to leave Bulma alone. I'm not sure what happened, but I'm pretty sure it's bad." Piccolo looked at the necklace. "That is his pet name for her isn't it?" Krillen nodded, "If you had seen Vegeta tonight, I mean, if Yamcha pushes this I doubt we will be able to stop Vegeta from killing him." Piccolo thought for a moment. This could be a serious problem. "We should talk to Yamcha. We do not have the entire story." Krillen agreed and the pair took off in search of Yamcha.

When Vegeta got home he decided to avoid the rest of the household and went straight to his own balcony. The doors were open but the lights were dim. Has she gone to bed already? He walked in and let his eyes adjust to light. Bulma sat on the sofa, staring off into space. Is she awake? Kami, I hope this is not another waking nightmare. "Bulma" he softly called. Her head lifted, "Vegeta, you're home. Where did you go?" She sounded upset. Vegeta closed the space between them and sat on the couch next to her. "I had to see a friend." The scent of her tears made their way to his nose. He cupped her chin gently and lifted her face so he could see it. "Why are you crying, Onna?" he whispered to her.

She flung herself onto him, "I was afraid you left me" she cried. He held her close. "Woman, we are bonded mates, I could never leave you." She sniffled and looked up at him with those big blue eyes, "Mates?" she questioned. He looked into her eyes "Yes mates, like your mother and father." Now she was confused, "Mother wears a ring, I don't." Vegeta was beginning to become frustrated with this new line of questions, no doubt brought on by her visitor earlier. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "There is no such custom where I come from, Onna. We did not exchange rings or earthly vows. Your heart" he motion to her heart, "stole my heart" he motioned to his own chest. She smiled at him. This was the Vegeta no one, not even his own son, would ever know. The soft spoken, tender man.

He stood and grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses. He returned and set them down before her. "Now tell me, Onna. Where did all of this come from, Hmm?" She looked at the floor, ashamed of her irrational emotions. Vegeta decided to spare her from saying what he already knew. He wasn't looking to pick a fight, just make her understand devious nature of her visitor. "He spins lies and half truths to win your affections. That's why he lost you to begin with and I became a saved man." She smiled and then thought about the last part of that statement, saved man. Curiosity got the better of her, "Saved man?" She sipped her wine. Vegeta had said nothing but returned with some cheese. "Did you know some fungi are poisonous and some cheeses are bitter, but mix the two together and give it some time" He slid a piece of cheese into her mouth "and the end result is something wonderful."

Bulma finished the cheese and chase it with some wine nodding to him, "That was a delicious diversion but you did not answer my question. "Nor will I at this time." Her jaw hung open, how could he deny me a simple answer? "It is not a simple answer to give, Onna. Trust me, you knew all about my dark and poisonous past before we consensually entered into our relationship. There were no secrets. I will admit I did leave when you were pregnant but in all fairness, I did not know you were pregnant." He sipped more of his wine. "So you see he spins half truths." Bulma sat there, speechless. "Please say something, Onna." Bulma shook her head slightly, "How did you know that's what he told me?" He refilled her glass. "There are only so many things he thinks he has to hold over me and I can read your emotions, remember?" She nodded as if it all made perfect sense.

Vegeta continued to nurse his once glass as he nonchalantly kept hers full. He sat quietly as she recanted the rest of her day to him. When Vegeta got up to open the second bottle Bulma smiled at him mischievously. "I do believe my husband is trying to get me drunk" she teased. He returned with a new bottle and before refilling her glass he said "I am." Bulma giggled. "But not for the reasons your dirty little mind has gone off to" he chuckled. "Although it was difficult at times but I have been nothing but a perfect and honorable Prince. I would not tarnish this" he motioned a circle with the bottle between them, "for the universe." She's getting giggly, soon she will get sleepy. He nodded in approval.

Meanwhile Piccolo and Krillen finally caught up with Yamcha as he was leaving a local bar. "Oh, hey Krillen!" he waved as he walked up. "Celebrating?" Piccolo asked snidely. "What?" Yamcha asked. "I thought perhaps you were celebrating signing your own death sentence by continued to push your luck with Vegeta." Piccolo noted the color drain from Yamcha's face. Krillen spoke up, "Vegeta asked me to return this to you with a warning. I really don't need to repeat it." He handed the necklace back to him. Yamcha took it and put it in his pocket. "I was just trying to show her. . ." he began. "What, how fast you can get yourself killed. You can't be wished back a second time you know. He will kill you if you keep this up." Yamcha lost his own temper. "I am a better father and would be a better husband to her if she just would give me a chance. Besides, he hasn't married her anyway. I doubt he ever will. You see the way he is. He is a murderer."

Piccolo looked at him and feigned a yawn. "Are you finished? You know what I see? A man who has not left his mate's side in seven, no make that almost eight months. Has bathed her and fed her. A man who went completely ballistic at the thought of losing her on the lookout the day after Dende could not make her wake up. I see a little man standing before me trying to hold on to something he lost his chance to and any rights to. It is over Yamcha, let it go. If you push this he will kill you and no one, not even Gohan, will be able to save you." Yamcha was shocked. He thought his friends would understand he was the better choice for Bulma. Even they chose Vegeta over him. He wasn't about to sit and debate this the rest of the night. They didn't understand. Without another word he went home.

Bulma and Vegeta had moved off the couch and were sitting on the floor just inside the balcony. They listen to the frogs and crickets. Vegeta took off his boots and Bulma took off her socks complaining she was too hot. Bulma had become quiet. The giggles were done. Vegeta sat crossed legged in front of her. "Onna, I want to try something." She sat up and mirrored his pose. "What?" He reached out to her, "Come here, rest your back against my chest." She scooted over and leaned into him. He placed his hands on both sides of her head. "Last night you had what your father called a waking nightmare. You attacked me. I want you to think of the last nightmare you could remember." She tried and her mind conjured the image of a man in front of her, threatening her and holding her down. Her pulse quickened. "I am still here, Onna. You are not alone. Imagine that I am with you. Helping you" he instructed. Bulma's panic continued to rise, "I can't. I'm so afraid." Vegeta began to push his ki gently into her mind through their bond. Tried to will himself into her dream. He felt the familiar sensation of the breeze tingle his arms and the warmth that followed. Then there was nothing. Bulma had become quiet, too quiet.

He was back in the darkness. A vast void of nothing. "Bulma!" He cried out for her. She had not spoken to him for some time. He was sure he was in her mind now. "Bulma, can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can hear you. I'm frightened Vegeta!" Her voice called to him from the darkness.

"I'm coming, Onna! I will find you." His promised echoed in the darkness. He began to run, in which direction he had no clue. All of a sudden he heard something crunch beneath his feet. He stopped and knelt down, running his fingers over the cause of the noise. White shattered glass. This must be the glass wall I shattered last time he was here. After that she woke up from her coma. Maybe if Ipushed onward. . . He stood up and continued walking.

Suddenly, he felt a sudden jolt hit him from behind. The next thing he knew he was in a limo as it careened off the road. Everything was black for a moment then a room came into focus. He stood as he he saw Bulma lying on a dirty bed. The room was familiar to him, he had been in that very room when he searched for her many months ago. The smell of dust and mold mixed with her perfume left a sour taste in him mouth.

He went to her to try to protect her but it was in vain, his arms went through her. A large man came into view and he punched at him, but the results were the same. He was helpless to help her. He was a spectator to the events about to unfold. All of the death and destruction he had bared witness to and caused with his own hands paled in comparison to the raw emotion of being forced to do nothing, but watch.

Dazed he watched the movie play around him. A large man held her down and she fought and struggled with him. The man winced in pain as she bit him, drawing blood. When the attacker drew back to hit her and she kicked him causing him to topple off of her. Bulma ran to the open balcony doors, grabbing a knife from the table as she went by. She cut the tattered curtains, attempting to fashion a make-shift rope to escape before the man recovered. When Bulma heard the man on the floor stand and start coming towards her she grabbed the curtains tight with both hands and jumped from the balcony. The man reached her before she cleared she could reach the ground and began pulling her back up to the balcony's edge. Somehow she had managed to break free of his grasp and the drapery ripped from the fixtures, wrapping around the man's neck. The drapery and bulma's momentum pulled the man furether over the edge. As she fell his neck went crack. She let closed her eyes and let go, falling into a heap in the snow. Her attacker lay motionless, swinging by the drapes. Bulma lay crumpled in the snow for a few minutes before she ran she crawled out and stood, she turned slightly to the house and stood still a moment before taking off in the opposite direction.

A short while later she slowed down. The head injury from the limo crashing and the being struck was becoming evident. Her pattern zigzagged in the snow as she was no longer able to run a straight line. The image would blur - further evidence of the brain swelling taking place. By the time the second man caught up with her the scene around him was grainy. He barely recognized himself as he stood between the two. She turned to run again and the scene goes black.

Vegeta stood frozen for a moment as he reminded himself that this was nearly eight months ago and both of these men were now dead. They had not raped her. The one tried but she fought him off. She had not begged and cried as the man with glasses had said. The scene that had played before him was not nearly as bad as he had thought. He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. This was still a gruesome and horrendous experience but in all honesty he had seen much worse under Frieza's command.

He heard a faint whimper. "Bulma" He called softly. No reply came. He continued walking, searching for the crying he heard. Suddenly he heard little footsteps come running up to him. He stopped and looked around and his eyes met with a small child, maybe four or five Earth years old. She had blue hair and blue eyes that were full of curiosity. Her little red dress was smudged with oil. "Hello" she said with a smile, "I know you".

Vegeta knelt down, "And I know you, Bulma".

The little girl giggled and did a twirl.

"Can I ask you a question Miss Bulma?" Vegeta asked the apparition quietly.

She stopped twirling and listened.

Vegeta looked her in the eyes, "Do you know where your grown up self is?"

She thought about it for a moment. "She's hiding from the bad man" she stated.

The sounds of boots walking towards him grabbed his attention as he stood. Again his eyes met a pair of blue eyes. These too held curiosity but also the strong will of the teenager before him.

Little Bulma fell silent as teenage Bulma took command. "Why are you here?" the teenager demanded. "We did not give you permission to be here" she poked him in the chest for emphesis. "You have forced yourself on us" She stepped back, looking him up and down she added "You are just as bad as the one we are hiding from" She turned her back to him, "You should leave, now." She tapped her foot impatiently on the floor. Vegeta took a step back. This Bulma was maybe 15 or 16 Earth years, not yet the teenager he met on Namek. Teenage Bulma made her future self seem tame in comparison.

Vegeta stood his ground but did his best to maintain a softer composure. If teenage Bulma would not help him the little Bulma may still lead him where he needed to go so he would not risk frightening the child. "I'm afraid I can't do that. I've come here to. . ." Teenage Bulma waved her hand in a dismissive manner.

Teenage Bulma turned and positioned herself in front of her younger self, blocking Vegeta's view. "I know why you've come here!" she interrupted, "I am a genius after all." Teenage Bulma crossed her arms at her chest in defiance, very reminiscent of the way Vegeta does. "Like I said" she continued "she's hiding and does not want to be found. Besides, I'm not ready to go home."

Teenage Bulma was throwing a teenaged size temper tantrum Vegeta deduced. "I will find her with or without you." he warned.

This Bulma was not good at arguing and lost her temper quickly. She got in Vegeta's face,"I saved her when that awful man attacked her. You can't push me aside. I won't let you!"

Vegeta decided this discussion was getting him nowhere. He maneuvered around teenage Bulma and turned his attention to the little girl. "Can you show me where she is hiding?" he asked the child. She seemed hesitant to talk to him now the big bad teenager was around. "I bet you know" he flattered the child. The child looked at her older self and back to Vegtea. His instincts told him she was hiding something from him. He knelt down in front of her and took her little hand in his, " If she tells me to go away I will, just let me talk to her." He reassured her. The little girl thought about it as she swayed side to side, as if unable to keep still. Finally she nodded with a smile.

The child took his hand and led him even further into the darkness. Teenage Bulma followed. The crying got louder as they walked. They came to another wall. This one was made of steel. Vegeta ran his hand across the smooth surface of the wall. It seemed to pulse withBulma'sr very heart beat.

"I told you she wanted to be left alone!" the teenager chided. Vegeta ignored her. Knowing everything was a common affliction for teenagers of every race he thought. He pushed his ki into the new wall. Initially nothing happened. He increased his ki incrementally until a crack formed. With his bare hands he tore a hole in to the metal. As he climbed through the hole the crying stopped.

"Who's there?" A shaky voice called.

He walked further until he came to a cliff. He looked down and saw his Bulma, adult Bulma huddled in a ball, wide blue eyes looking up at him.

"What happened, Onna?" He teased gently as he levitated down to her. He wanted to be sure he caused her no alarm. No reason to throw another barrier between them. It took a lot of Ki to break through that last mental wall and he was not sure if he could break another.

The other versions of Bulma psyche faded as adult Bulma stood and ran to him. She threw her arms around him." I've fallen and I can't climb out!" He wrapped bother of his arms around her and held her close as he lifted them both back over the edge of the cliff. "Then I will help you." He said soothingly into her ear.

When they landed Bulma stiffened. "He's looking for me! He's going to hurt me! I have to hide!" She cried as she began to pull away but Vegeta would not let her. An image of the second man appeared and began to walk towards them. Bulma struggled harder.

"He's dead, Onna. He cannot find you. He cannot hurt you! Please, Onna, you have to wake up now! Your son needs you. . . I need you!"Vegeta pleaded with her. He waved his hand and the image of the man evaporated into a puff a smoke. He shook he, "Wake up!"

Vegeta was jolted awake by the feeling of Bulma convulsing as she still lay against his chest. He reached around and placed his hand on her forehead. "You fought well, Onna. You can stop now" he whispered into her ear. Her body stilled. It took several attempts for him to stand and carry her to their bed. He was weak from fighting her demons. As he climbed in to the bed next to her he prayed to Kami that it worked and these nightmares were finally over.

6