"Bulma-chaaaan! They're home! They're home!!"
The pitch with which her mother squealed had Bulma tearing from the labs as fast as her pumps would allow. Heart racing and mind whirling, she knew without question to whom Bunny was referring.
Haphazardly, she stumbled into the foyer, her hands bolting outward to grasp on to the corner for leverage upon her quick turn. Tears were already blurring her eyesight as she stared forward into the entry way of their home, the single figure buffer and taller than the one she had first envisioned upon her mother's cry.
"Trunks," Bulma breathed shakily, a stray droplet falling from her lashline. "You're—oh god—" She stuttered on her words as she strode forward and swung her arms about his shoulders. He was a good foot or so taller than she, but Bulma nevertheless stretched herself up on her tip-toes to put her full-weight against him.
Awkwardly, but still lovingly, her son enfolded her, tugging her closer to his chest as he felt her shake with tears. "I'm okay, okaasan," he assured her, his calming voice whispered into her thick blue bob. "We're okay."
Bulma drew away from him, her arms sliding just slightly to allow her room to lean back from him. Silently, save a few stray sniffles, she inspected Trunks from head to toe, her hands passing over the hole at the front of his armor. "What happened here?" She queried abruptly, a flashing of her azure eyes startling him back a couple steps. "Did you get hurt?"
"Nothing Dende couldn't fix," he lied, instantly hating the tug on his vocal chords. "I promise you, everyone's okay, okaasan."
At once, she knew it wasn't true; he had seemed certain at first, and then something occurred to him, the notion skirting over his face. Bulma's heart beat thunderously against her chest as her breath caught in the middle of her throat and horror pulled at her features.
Familiar faces flickered in the dim of her brain, one in particular clearer than the rest. Oh, no, no…
"W-Who…?"
The word alone held all the fear and anxiety Trunks was sure his mother had carried throughout the entire Cell ordeal. His insides writhing with every moment, he struggled to find the strength necessary to convey to his mother what she undoubtedly did not foresee.
"Okaasan—"
"Where's Vegeta?" Bulma's query came out quickly, tangled and loud, a knot of unease and concern that froze the room. "I-Is he—?" Bunny and her husband exchanged uncertain glances behind their daughter, and Dr. Briefs put his arm comfortingly around his wife as he sensed her beginning to quake beside him.
"No, no! Otousan is fine," Trunks rushed to prevent further miscommunication, already seeing the brimming pools in his mother's eyes. "It's not him. It's…" He trailed off as he heard his mother's breath hitch suddenly, and he ducked his gaze toward the floor.
"Son-kun?"
She spoke his name in such a tiny voice – one would have to strain to hear it. Trunks glanced upward, noticing his mother's trembling, and his head felt heavy as he nodded in affirmation.
The subsequent howl of sorrow that ripped itself from Bulma's chest pricked even Vegeta's ears as he settled and listened to her anguish with gritted teeth from atop the roof of Capsule Corporation.
Author's Note: Another little bit I thought of earlier today. This comes AFTER the Cell battle.
I was listening to the Dragonball Kai ending song ("Yeah! Break! Care! Break!") and there's a part in the actual video with Goku, where the lyrics translate to something like: "'Cause I was born to save the world." And there's this epic picture of Goku standing all alone. And it made me sad, especially for all his friends. :(
Also, someone mentioned that my chapters are short ... which they are. Typically, I don't like to write HUGE major things. I'm much more of a single scene kind of gal, and the chapters for this particular fic are more like stand-alones. Does that make sense? I hope it does... ^^;;