A/N: Please note that the following is purely fictional, any similarity to any living person or event is coincidental.

Please note that while this fic has the primary characteristics of certain medical conditions. They are over exaggerated for story purposes and should not be used as a reference for a direct insight or explanation.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball nor do I generate any profit from this. This is for entertainment only.

Son Goten plus Vegeta

Goten brought his knees inwards, positioning them against his chest. Seated in the corner of his cell, he remained; in an almost desperate attempt to draw as little attention to himself as he could. He cringed… drawing himself closer into himself like a ball; if only he could…

He tried to ignore, to drown out the unkind voice; but nothing could deafen it… He pulled at the straight jacket, in a futile attempt to release his hands; wanting, needing them over his ears; to block the harsh words, the accusations… the anger, or maybe the truth… maybe…

The door opened and Goten rejoiced, watching as the male assistance brought it out. He wanted it, yearned for it… his medication… a dose of Zyprexa and Abilify. He opened his mouth willingly, allowing him to place the two pills on his tongue; swallowing them as he was fed a glass of water. The assistant left him to rest.

Soon… he would not hear him… for another day…

"Ignore, run and hide. That's all you are ever good at"

Goten shook his, denying… that wasn't it… Trunk's father wasn't convinced.

"Do not take me for a fool, brat. I've watched my fool of a son protect you while you did nothing"

"Then why didn't you protect him… if you were there, why didn't you stop them!?" Goten sat down heavily in his corner, refusing to remain quiet any longer.

"The brat chose you! That wilful, stubborn, stupid… idiot!"

For a brief moment, Goten swore… he had a different tone to his voice. He sounded angry… and almost sorrowful. "I'm sorry… I know my apologies cannot bring him back but… I'm so sorry…"

"Fuck you!"

Goten flinched. "I never wanted this to happen…"

"Liar. You wished it on him. You knew better than anyone that he would jump to your rescue and so you let him. You were a coward, so you let someone else take the bullet for you. As long as you are safe, you didn't care whose corpse you had to step over"

"That's not true! He was my best friend! I would never!"

"The only thing you've never stop doing is feeling sorry for yourself!"

"What…?"

"Trunks existed solely for you; because 'you' were lonely. Trunks fought your battles for you because 'you' were scared! He died so 'you' could live your life, or so the doctors said. You still deny? Then what of now? 'You' took 'medication'; a poison to dull your mind so you cannot hear me. Which part of 'you' doesn't describe a coward?!"

Goten bit his tongue, stopping himself before he shouted again… the medication hasn't kicked in yet… but it would… soon…

"Trunks mentioned your father was a hero? A quality that's severely lacking in you, your family need not worry then. They must be 'so proud' their son would not die a hero, he would live the life of a coward"

"You have no right! My family has no part in this! Insult me all you want, but don't you dare slander my family too!" Goten raved. That only seemed to amuse the voice more, a snicker; an echo of what seemed to be laughter was heard.

"So quick to protest, are you? Does your family feel the same? I do not recall having seen them for the duration you're here. Do you?"

"SHUT UP!" Goten was on the verge of tears, shaking his head in denial. His mother and brother cared… even if… he hadn't seen them… for some time…

Suddenly… he wasn't so sure anymore.

"He's taking his medications, doctor. Willingly, I'm sure he wants to get better"

Freiza looked up from his reports as the male assistant assigned with the task of bringing the medication to Goten, gave him his daily report on the boy. "Good. If he continues, he should be well on the way to recovery. No further signs of him speaking as another individual, or perhaps responding to another voice?"

"He seem to be himself, I don't see any trace of another personality but…" he hesitated, unsure.

"Do speak up. It's difficult enough with the boy not telling me anything, don't you do the same" Freiza tapped his pen on the table impatiently.

"I'm not the expert, doctor but he has been talking to himself… like he was arguing with himself… I'm not sure what that meant but he usually stops when the medication kicks in… so… it's like you suspected I think he does hear voices in his head"

"Hmm, I thought so" the doctor wrote a few more lines in his report. "Very well, if he is responding to treatment then I believe it's time we move to the next step. But before that, I believe it's time to see the patient for his weekly treatment and assessment"

…

2 assistants entered his room and Goten panicked, realising the need for 2 of them. The fear so strong that it coursed through his every senses; nearly paralysing him with sheer terror. So long had he not been in the direct frontline of these 'weekly' tests that he had almost forgotten about them. Trunks was usually the target of their tests, Goten thought it was over now that they've killed him. It would seem it was far from over.

Then it struck him…

They were still giving him the medication… even after Trunks died days ago. They were not done… they were going to kill his best friend's father too… and he had been 'helping' them all this time.

"Easy now, Goten. It's the usual thing ok? It won't hurt and the doctor just wants to talk to you after" the 1st guy felt sorry for him. The boy was scared and miserable, no surprise; he couldn't tell they were trying to help him, that and the fact they had to use force was making it harder for the kid to believe them, let alone trust them. The calm, reassuring approach just might do the trick…

"Come on, kid. Don't make things difficult ok? The sooner this is done, the sooner you can relax and we can leave" the 2nd guy, always about the business; saw no need to beat about the bush. He reached forward, grabbing Goten's shoulder before his friend could stop him.

Goten reacted very badly. "LET GO OF ME!" he struggled, twisting his body as he attempted to shake them off, the straight jacket restricting him considerably.

"Grab him damn it!"

"Goten, calm down!"

Goten screamed pitifully as he was restrained around his waist. The assistant having wrapped his arms tightly around both Goten's arms along with his waist. "Trunks… help me…"

"Stupid, useless brat!"

"What the hell?! Argghh! Stop him!"

Goten could not recall what happened much… but he could have sworn for a moment… someone else had jumped to his rescue… and it wasn't Trunks. Like a passenger in his own body, he felt himself drift as he saw; but briefly… a blur image of someone… fighting the 2 assistants before he could no longer stay awake.

Goten whined. The pain in his body overpowering any discomfort he might have from his nauseating stomach. Great… in a straight jacket again… and it's dark… night time then. How fast time passes when you're unconscious…

"… are you there?" Goten asked softly, but he doubted it. He had taken his medication… it's unlikely he'd be able to hear him; the day hadn't completed its 24 hours cycle yet.

"Hn"

"?" Goten sat up immediately, or maybe… it had. "You're… here… I wanted to thank you…"

"Fuck off. I didn't do it for you"

Goten smiled… surprisingly relieved to hear that voice… the actual insult thrown off his back for once. "Yokata… I thought they got you too…" he leaned against the wall… tired but relieved.

"It might have been better for you if that was the case. Stupid brat"

"I'm glad… they didn't… I didn't want to lose you too" Goten spoke softly, so as to not rouse anyone outside his cell.

"Hn! Save your lies, brat"

"I wasn't lying…" he gave a slight pause before he continued. "I understand why you're angry with me… and I deserved it… I failed as a son, a brother, a friend and a person… hell… I'm just a total washout… aren't I?" Goten smiled bitterly.

"Brat. I loathe self-pity and I have no kind words to give to someone who wallows in it like a pig in mud! My son would never have chosen you out of pity, nor would I ever allow it. You are either worth our time or you're not"

"And I don't want my best friend's father to hate me either…" Goten smiled, softly, seemingly more at peace than he was moments ago.

"You haven't earned your worth. You're still as useless as you had always been"

"Then why did you jump to my rescue if you thought I was hopeless?" Goten challenged him.

"There will not be a next time, brat!"

He sounded angry and under that… a little embarrassed, to Goten. "So you admit it was you" Goten grinned, the first in a very long time.

"Shut up!"

Goten looked up then, as the door unlocked. He sighed in relief… it was just that assistant… bringing him his usual medication and water. It was routine and Goten allowed him to feed him his medication again, swallowing the water after.

"Rest well kid" he turned to leave.

Goten nodded, not wanting to make things difficult for the assistant, who, if Goten had his rathers, was more preferable than others he could name. He watched as the door was locked again.

"Thank you… but you're right… I should start fighting my own battles. For Trunks… and you… I couldn't save Trunks… but I'll die first before I allow them to take you too"

"Ch! If you taking that poison is an example of your strategy. I am not impressed"

Goten slowly got up, using the wall as a support as he brought himself up to a standing position before walking towards the sink. Reaching it, he leaned over; spitting out the two pills he held in his mouth the whole time.

"Then I'll show you. I will get us both out of here…"

"Stupid brat. You'll have to do better if you ever want to impress me"

"Then give me a fair chance to prove myself…" Goten then realised he didn't know how to address Trunk's father. "What should I call you? I can't be calling you Trunk's dad…"

"You haven't earned the right to call me by my name brat, but I'll be damn if you dare call me something stupid. Call me Vegeta, brat. I will not tolerate anything else"

"Vegeta…" Goten spoke the name, memorizing it; branding it into his memories.

"I'll be watching you, boy. Do not disappoint me"

"Then watch me and see for yourself if I'm lying" Goten spoke, determination flaring strongly within him; he will get out of this goddamn place.

To be continued ~

Zyprexa and Abilify: Antipsychotic medications, two of the medications that are used for Schizophrenia; there are many more and not all would work for every individual. There are also side effects and should not be self-medicated in any way without consultation; always check with a doctor.

Hi guest - Thanks for the review. For this story sake, I'm afraid I would not be bringing Trunks in as an actual character and I likely will not write this as a yaoi.

Hi Reign Of Sorrow - Thanks for the review. Well I admit it is a little twisted, though I haven't really gone all out on it. As for my reason for writing this… I don't have one except for wanting to see what I can dish out. I'm very much into twisted tales and such so I wanted to try my hand on it too. See if I can write something like that, but more on the mild type.

Hi XXXTITANIA SCARLETXXX – Thanks for the review. I felt bad for Goten too, as it also had me digging deep in my research and understanding what the patients are going through also.