AN- Just A vegebul drabble a wrote. The prompt word was 'fire'. Enjoy.
A roaring explosion and the sound of shattering glass woke Bulma from a dead sleep. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she flung herself out of bed, disoriented and instantly fearful of whatever was happening around her. Another explosion. This time shaking the entire foundation of the Capsule Corp headquarters. The house shook so forcefully that Bulma found herself on her knees, which screamed in protest as they slammed against the floor.
Bulma launched herself to her feet and rushed for the door as the fire alarms started shrilly screeching a warning throughout the house.
'Where are Mom and Dad? Where's Vegeta?' Bulma's fear increased as she thought of them injured or worse. 'I have to find them.'
With a jolt, she yanked open her bedroom door and sprinted down the hall. A few of the walls in the hallway had large cracks running along them and Bulma was surprised to see pieces of plaster had fallen from the ceiling during the explosions. There were no windows in the hall, so she couldn't see what was happening but she could hear what sounded like a battle going on outside.
Reaching the stairs, she descended, taking them two at a time, barely catching herself as another smaller explosion rocked the house once more.
'Dad usually works in the lab during the night so as not to be disturbed. But Mom was staying with friends tonight so she should be safe.' Were the thoughts that raced through Bulma's mind as she ran for the next set of stairs that descended to their private labs. The elevator would be too risky with the unknown damage to the house.
Bulma skidded to a surprised halt on the stairs as she realized that one whole section of them had been torn away as well as a large chunk of the far wall and ceiling, leaving a gaping hole that showed the outside. Through the impromptu window Bulma was able to see Goku and another person locked in combat and Gohan a little ways off fighting another being. 'No sign of Vegeta' He was a saiyan prince though and should be more than able to take care of himself.
They must have attacked the compound. Bulma's mind was racing 'But who? And Why? Are they after my tech? or is this something to do with Vegeta? or my father?' Thoughts of her father brought her back to the task at hand and she used what was left of the handrail to vault herself over the broken stairs and onto the next landing. She groaned in pain as she once again slammed down on her abused knees.
She began to notice large plumes of smoke billowing from the labs further down the hall and she quickened her pace, fear and adrenaline pushing her faster. Stopping at the first set of lab doors, she flung them wide and instantly choked on the smoke that poured from the open door.
Coughing harshly she called between gasps of breath for her father but got no response and couldn't see anyone in the room. She had a sense that he wasn't there so she ran to the next doors. This lab was empty of smoke due to the entire missing wall in the back. The next doors opened into more smoke and roaring fires consuming everything flammable in the room. She called for her dad and heard faint coughing in response.
Bulma raced around the burning desk and into the smoldering room. Sure enough there was her father, pinned by beam that had fallen from the ceiling of the lab. 'Daddy!' She cried as she raced over to help him up. Together they were able to slide the beam over enough so that he could squeeze out from under it and Bulma slide an arm around his back to support him as she pulled him from the room.
As quickly as they could manage Bulma and her father hobbled back towards the lab with the missing wall. Her father was coughing violently and Bulma knew he would need medical help immediately. Bulma was practically dragging her dad as they finally reached the outside, both blinking rapidly at the sudden light. Bulma spotted Yamcha directing the fire team and she screamed for his help. Yamcha, whipping around as he heard her cry, ran to take her fathers weight. 'Bulma! Thank Kami you're alright!'
'Yamcha, please help him! He inhaled a lot of smoke and he needs a doctor. Please!' Bulma begged still running on adrenaline and fear. Yamcha merely nodded as he began to half lead half drag Bulma's father toward the ambulance that had just arrived. Bulma was stopped in her tracks by her father's arm wrapping around one of her wrists. 'My—Kitten!' he gasped between violent coughs.
Bulma moved without thought, racing back through the hole in the lab wall as Yamcha yelled for her to stop. She didn't listen and soon was ducking back into the unstable building.
She found herself standing in the doorway of her father's personal lab. Heat poured from the open door in waves as the fire burned hotter and hotter. Steeling herself, she rushed forward into the flames. She strained her eyes and ears, standing in the middle of the lab, for any clue as to where her father's kitten was in the chaos. She squinted, with one arm thrown over her head to protect from falling debris. Bulma thought she saw a small white tail underneath the over turned filing cabinet in the corner. She ran for it, skirting around a column of flames that was eating a bunch of blueprints and some melted software.
She reached the filing cabinet just as she heard a small terrified meow from its depths. Crouching down she slide the drawer closest to her reach out of the way and uncovered the curled up kitten mewling pitifully inside it's makeshift shelter. Moving as calmly as she was able she reached out a slow hand and gently scooped up the terrified creature and cradled it to her chest.
Just then another large explosion ripped through the compound, descending everything around Bulma into chaos. Time seemed to blur and Bulma wasn't sure what happened at first as the entire room gave a violent shake before the majority of the ceiling collapsed, covering her only exit. Smoke was filling the room now that it had nowhere to escape to and Bulma found herself choking and gasping in shallower and shallower breaths with every second that passed.
The explosion had knocked her off her feet and for a precious few moments she lay in a heap on the floor, one had pressed to her head where something had hit her and the other arm clutching the terrified kitten as close as she could without smothering it. Stunned she felt a warm liquid sliding down her face and she distantly realized it must be blood. 'I have to get out of here.'
But the strength and adrenaline had fled her body with the addition of the head injury and Bulma was starting to think just going to sleep might be a better option at this point. Each blink of her eyes kept getting longer and longer, and each time she had to try harder to force her eyes back open. 'Vegeta. Help me.'
Her eyes fell closed once more as the heat reached unbearable heights. She struggled to open them again only this time instead of flames all she could see was a bright blue light and then someone calmly walking towards her. 'Vegeta' she exhaled.
The Prince had obviously been part of the battle and he had the scrapes and burns to prove it. And yet he walked to her casually as if he was merely heading out to do his morning training.
Bulma's eyes fell closed again but she forced them open once more. This time when she opened them Vegeta was crouched down to her level, looking at her with what she would have described as concern if it had been anyone else.
'Woman, look at the mess you've gotten yourself into this time.'
Bulma felt herself smile slightly at the playful disdain in his voice. He was teasing her. But she was so tired from keeping her eyes open that she could only stare at him with a small smile on her face.
'Let's go.' He said, concern at the lack of response from the spitfire that was Bulma Briefs showing plainly on his face. If she had been more focused she would have teased him for actually being concerned about something other than training, but she was feeling too tired and everything was getting hazy around the edges. Vegeta gently gathered her up in his strong arms as he stood back up to his full height.
Bulma wondered idly why they weren't on fire before she realized that the blue glow surrounding them was Vegeta's Ki shield, keeping the raging inferno from causing any harm. Her eyes fell shut once more as Vegeta walked to the wall of the lab that was closest to the outside.
"Wake up, Woman" demanded Vegeta with a growl and a gentle shake. Bulma forced her eyes open once more just in time to see Vegeta shift her to one strong arm and use the other to blast a large hole through the lab wall. He repositioned her in his arms before flying them both through the hole and out into the world.
He stopped to hover a few feet in the air outside of the building and Bulma would have gasped at the devastation of her home if she had had the strength. As it was she merely closed her eyes and buried her face weakly in Vegeta's shoulder as a few tears leaked out.
'It can be rebuilt, Woman. And no one died so there is no reason to mourn.' Vegeta said almost comfortingly. He gathered her tighter to his chest as she rested her head against him. He flew them the short distance to the ambulances and Bulma's eyes slid close for the final time as she finally succumb to unconsciousness before Vegeta even landed on the ground.