A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed, liked and/or favorite! I hope that you all keep reading!

Warning: Language, sexual references

Facing the Future

Chapter 17

What was it that someone said one time?

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear. Except a creature be part coward, it is not a compliment to say it is brave."

Oh yeah, Mark Twain said that. Athea swallowed hard as that quote went through her mind, backing up a step as the man in front of her smiled. Apparently Mr. Twain was never in this position. What is wrong with him? She felt a shiver go through her as he held out his hand.

"I just wanted to give you a lift," Yamcha stated, still smiling, "Don't you trust me?"

HELL. NO. She was standing by the stream a few miles from Goku's house, having walked aimlessly for a while. That is, until he showed up. Athea didn't know what it was, but he made her very uneasy. Maybe it was the way he smiled, or that weird gleam in his eyes as he watched her. Whatever it was, she got really bad vibes from this man, and she'd rather get a ride from the Prince than him. He didn't seem like this when she watched the anime, he seemed to be a little like Goku, except less innocent and happy. But now, with him standing in front of her…...Athea shivered. The feeling she was getting was akin to the one she had upon seeing Zarbon. Another shiver went through her. That was it. His smile and the look in his eyes, it was calculating, almost as if he was enjoying the smell of fear coming from her. Enjoying her helplessness and weakness. He knew, and Athea knew that he knew, that if he were to push himself onto her, there wasn't anything she could do.

She was too weak to fight him.

Athea's lower lip quivered at that thought, backing away from Yamcha. Why won't he leave me alone!? Her eyes widened as he took a step forward, still smiling. That curve of his lips made her stomach clench. Athea sucked in a breath, feeling as if she was going to be sick. Get away! Get away! Get away!

"Come now," Yamcha said softly, tilting his head a little, "I'm Goku's friend. There's no reason to be scared."

Athea whirled around to run. She screamed as she was tackled from behind. She scrambled for purchase on the ground, but the dirt only gave away, leaving her helpless and wiggling underneath Yamcha. She screamed again as she heard a snarl, feeling her pants get yanked down. Athea didn't know where she got the strength, but she was able to buck the weight of him off her. She scrambled onto her feet, the only thing reaching her ears was the harsh breathing of the man behind her.

She was suddenly grabbed by her hair and yanked backwards. Teeth suddenly clamped onto her arm, biting furiously.

Athea screamed bloody murder, wondering where the hell everyone was. Surely someone heard her! She screamed again as she was bit a second time, this time on the shoulder. She fell to her knees, her legs shaking so bad that she couldn't stand. A harsh sob escaped her as she glanced behind her at the monster attacking her.

She watched in horror as his face changed. It wasn't Yamcha. Well, it was but it was slowly morphing, getting lighter…..Athea screamed as Zarbon sneered down at her, blood dripping from his mouth.

"Athea"

She started shaking her head, a low moan coming out of her as she backed away. He was dead. She saw his body! There's no way that alien was alive!

"Athea!"

Athea kicked out as he pounced on her, a snarl ripping from his throat. He grabbed her leg and sank his teeth into her skin, all the way to the bone. Athea screamed in pain, her body shaking as he swallowed a chunk of her flesh. She vomited at the sight, not believing the horror scene she was witnessing. He tore at her again, and again….

"ATHEA!"

Athea gasped, her eyes popping open. Oh God! She was still shaking. She could feel her body quivering, her teeth rattling uncontrollably. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment before finally forcing her eyes to move. She was petrified of what she would see. Please don't let it be Yamcha! A relieved sob ripped from her throat when she saw Raditz sitting beside her on the bed, studying her intently.

"What was it?" Raditz asked in a low tone, his voice quiet.

Athea squeezed her eyes closed as she rolled to her side, scrunching up in a fetal position. She felt the bed dip as the saiyan shifted his weight, her body shaking with the movement. His face suddenly appeared before her, causing her to lurch back a little, her eyes going wide. Raditz straightened up as he assessed her with a frown. They were both quiet for several minutes before the large saiyan sighed, bending towards the floor.

Athea blinked as she heard the thunk of a shoe hitting the hardwood. She stared at the man before her, absently noting how tight the dark shirt he had on spanned his chest, how the jeans he had on hugged his derriere. Athea swallowed, having to agree with Bulma's fashion sense. Well, in regards to what she picked out for Raditz. What she picked out for Vegeta had been hilarious, even though she knew that he was going to get those clothes eventually. Pink and lime green do not go together….on anyone, let alone prince Vegeta! Her gaze focused back onto the saiyan sitting on her bed as she heard a second shoe hit the floor. She bit her lip, enjoying the way his muscles rippled as he tugged his shirt off. Wait, what!?

"What are you doing?" Athea squeaked, her eyes going huge.

Raditz' hands paused, settling on the fastening of his pants. "I'm disrobing," he stated, raising a brow at her.

Athea's mouth worked for a moment before she finally stuttered out "W-Why?"

The large saiyan snorted, holding her gaze as he slowly peeled his jeans off. He flung them away, crossing his arms over his broad chest as he scowled at her.

"To sleep, you daft woman!" Raditz lifted a brow as she continued to stare at him. In all the time they've been around each other, on planet Vegeta and on the ship, she'd only seen him this….bare….only once. It was a sight to behold. Athea's tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and she couldn't get a word out as Raditz snorted again, grabbing the covers and flinging them back.

Athea scrambled across the bed as he kneeled down, his large frame sinking the mattress and almost making her body roll underneath him. She grabbed the edge of the bed to keep that from happening, biting her lip as the large saiyan let out an amused chuckle.

"Come here brat," Athea jumped as his breath fanned her ear, goose bumps rising on her arms. She shivered at the proximity of his hand from her breast, his fingers coming to rest against her side. She felt him tug her backwards, the heat of the man enveloping her. Athea had to bite her cheek to keep from moaning. She hadn't realized how cold she was until pressed up against his heated body.

Raditz let out a sigh, the action fluttering her hair. She pushed it out of her face, going completely still when Raditz' hand moved to lay flat against her stomach. She felt her abdominal muscles clench, and she pressed her thighs together. She felt odd, having the urge to move yet not wanting to leave the warmth of Raditz' embrace. Athea swallowed as something fluttered in her stomach, and she took a deep breath. It was too hot. She needed to move. But when she tried to roll away from the body behind her, his arm tightened, keeping her prisoner where she lay. Athea resisted the urge to curse. How was she going to get out of this? These feelings, they weren't new, not really. She'd felt something similar on board the ship when they were on their way to Namek. When Raditz had kissed her. But it wasn't as strong as it was now, it had been a brief feeling of breathlessness, of awareness.

This was something else altogether. She couldn't explain it, and besides that one brief moment previously, she'd never felt anything like this before. And it frightened her.

Athea shifted, feeling restless, and somewhat frustrated. But she didn't know why, and she wasn't about to ask Raditz what was going on. She chewed on her lower lip, debating on whether to try to move or just give up and go to sleep. She wiggled, trying to get comfortable. There was something poking against the small of her back, and she wasn't sure what it was. Raditz was behind her, what could he possibly have that…Athea let out a squeak as a hand flew to her mouth, her eyes going wide. Oh God! She knew….she knew what….that…was. Oh no.

Athea held her breath as she listened for any signs that Raditz was awake, and, determining by the loud snores he was producing, the saiyan was fast asleep. She relaxed a little, curiosity going through her now. Since Raditz was asleep, apparently he didn't know that he was….well….up! She nibbled on her lower lip for several seconds, debating on whether to satisfy her curiosity or not. If he were to wake up when she was, well, looking, it could get embarrassing. Buuuutt…..if he didn't…..Athea slowly, painstakingly slow, rolled onto her back, and when Raditz gave no indication that he was even a little bit awake, she turned, slowly, again, now facing him. She studied his face, noticing how peaceful he looked when he wasn't scowling or snarling at everyone. The saiyan was so handsome, so male that it spoke to something inside Athea. Something definitely feminine.

She raised her hand, stopping a hairs' breath away from his jaw, wanting so badly to run her fingers along that line, along his corded neck. Athea swallowed, studying Raditz' features before letting her hand rest on his shoulder. Her touch was feather light, barely skimming his skin as she trailed the tips of her fingers along the large grooves of muscle and sinew. A thrill went through her as she watched his muscles bunch and twitch underneath her touch. Raditz mumbled, and she jerked her hand away, her eyes shooting to his face. She dared not move or make a sound as she waited to see if he awoke. He didn't. Athea bit her lip, studying his face for another few seconds before picking up where she left off. Athea trailed her finger down his forearm towards his wrist, her fingers settling there as her gaze went lower. She wasn't brave enough to move her hand lower, and she didn't want him catching her with her hand down there.

She gulped as she saw the full extent of his erection. It was straining against the front of his boxers, pulling his waist band away from his abdomen. Athea shivered, wondering how the hell that was supposed to fit inside a woman! The man would kill someone! She might be a virgin, but she wasn't stupid. She knew how sex worked, and she knew that in order for that to happen, the male had to put that in her. No way! Uh-uh!

Athea stared at it, a little apprehensive about how exactly Raditz, if and when the time came, would convince her to actually let him bring that anywhere near her. She knew he wanted to, if just for the simple fact that she was the only female around him. She still thought of herself as just his ward, but….well….Raditz was acting as if he might care for her. Maybe a little. And from the obvious excitement he showed around her recently, that she knew of, than maybe he didn't see her as just a "pathetic human". He had been there, ever since she came back, not really participating, but just his presence was enough to put her mind at ease and scare away the nightmares that had been plaguing her.

Athea closed her eyes, the dream from earlier floating through her mind. She didn't know why she dreamt that, because that's not what happened that day. The day she went running from Goku's house had happened only a week ago, and nothing remotely resembling her dream had happened. It was banal, because all she did was ran to the small river at the bottom of the hill, and sat for a while. She had stayed there for most of the day, and part of the evening as well, before she had finally went back to the house, not saying anything as she came to her room. She hadn't even went down for dinner, not wanting to hear ChiChi berate her with questions. They had, thankfully, left her alone. But then her dreams had steadily gotten worse from that night, becoming confusing and playing out scenarios that hadn't even happened. Was her subconscious trying to tell her something? Or was her fears manifesting into the nightmares that had her screaming in her sleep?

Athea swallowed, squeezing her eyes closed for a moment before peeking out from beneath her lashes at the saiyan laying face to face with her. How did it come to this? How did their first meeting that had her terrified of him become something more? Something that changed and grew into her trusting this large man enough to let him sleep beside her, knowing that he wouldn't force himself onto her. Her gaze swept over his features, unconsciously committing his face to memory. Every line and contour that made up the face of Raditz. He's become much more than her captor, Athea realized, trailing a finger along his jaw. She froze as something flitted through her mind, something she had learned about that might explain this torrent of feelings. Stockholm syndrome. Oh God! Is that what I'm experiencing? Everything seemed to fit, the flashbacks, the feelings she was developing for the large saiyan, despite him kidnapping her. Even the trust. Athea let out an unsteady breath, her hand shaking as she withdrew it from his face, tucking it against her chest. Was everything she was experiencing false? Athea didn't know, she hoped not. Because if what she was feeling was a lie, a product of some hostage syndrome, than she needed to find out. Soon. Before something happened that could crush her…..

….Like falling in love with the saiyan sleeping peacefully beside her.

XXX

He was at it again.

She bit her lip, peeking out the window to the space ship currently inhabiting her backyard. She could see the red light seeping from one of the port windows. Vegeta was in his training room.

Bulma nibbled on her lower lip, wincing as she accidentally bit it a little too hard, tasting blood. Well, she was nervous. She knew he didn't want her invading his privacy, going onto his ship and snooping. But she was curious. About him, and his strength. About the whole saiyan race actually. A small voice in the back of her mind kept reprimanding her. Yeah right! You are fascinated by the fact that he's a prince! Bulma grimaced at the thought, not wanting to think of herself as that shallow. But, she let a sigh out, she was. She truly was, because all she could think about is that thrill she got from standing beside him, nervousness making her mind go completely blank, which almost never happened. The fact that he was a prince made it all the more irresistible. He was irresistible. The saiyan was so….virile and….masculine. Bulma let out a moan just thinking about it. If noticing that sort of thing made her shallow, well then so be it. She was the shallowest person she knew. Because she was dying for a chance to get closer to him, to that raw masculinity. It was just a bonus that he was hot as hell too!

Bulma carefully opened the door leading outside from the kitchen, holding her breath and hoping he didn't hear it. She'd found out, since the saiyans had been here, that they had exceptional hearing. She felt her face heat up, thinking about how she found out. She had been taking a shower, and….well, had become aroused just thinking about the saiyan prince. Of course she didn't think he would ever be interested in her, especially when hearing about how he detested "weak humans" almost every day. And well…she had….taken care of…herself. And to make matters worse, she had yelled out his name at the end. He had heard her, his hearing so well he had heard her….from the living room…..and her room was on the second floor. She hadn't even known until she had come downstairs later and he had been in the kitchen, and upon seeing her, had said: "I didn't know you liked me that much." She had ran from the room, coward that she was. To say she had been mortified would be an understatement. Bulma hadn't ran into him since, which she thanked Kami for small favors.

Now she was being not so smart and actually going into the belly of the beast, as it were. She shouldn't do this. Bulma balled her hands into fists and lifted her chin, her scientific curiosity overcoming her embarrassment as she walked up the ramp leading into Vegeta's ship, trying to be as quiet as possible. She tried to keep her ears perked for any sounds, but she couldn't hear anything over the humming of the training room. Please stay in there! Please stay in there! Bulma blew out a relieved breath when she made it to the medical room without running into Vegeta. She hurried over to the console they had set up on one side of the wall, studying the buttons for a moment. They were in the saiyan language, of course, but nothing she couldn't handle. She was a genius after all.

Bulma typed in a series of numbers, pursing her lips as the computer made an "ehhhh" sound. She hummed slightly, her brows furrowing for a moment before she smirked. Her fingers flew over the keys, halting when the damn thing made that obnoxious noise again.

"Damn it!" She swore softly, "There's got to be a backdoor to this damn mainframe. All I want is to know more about the saiyans. Is that too much to ask?"

She kept mumbling to herself as she watched the series of characters jumble the monitor as she typed. She squinted in frustration as it continued to block her. Bulma's lips thinned. There's nothing she loved more than a scientific challenge. "Maybe if I put in this…"

"What the hell are you doing!?"

Bulma screamed as she whipped around, her eyes going wide at the close proximity of the prince. She took a step back, her bottom pressed against the computer desk. She felt the blood drain from her face as Vegeta let out a snarl, his upper lip curling. Oh God! He's going to kill me! "I—I—I," she couldn't seem to form words, her mind overcome with fear. He was going to kill her! She just knew it! The prince looked vicious, his large hands clenched into fists as his side. Bulma flinched as he stepped closer, her hands going up to shield her face.

Everything was deathly silent as she waited for him to hit her. Any minute now she was going to feel the teeth rattling blow that would surely kill her. A simple blow to the head from a large man like the prince would do it instantly. Nothing happened. She slowly opened her eyes and peeked between her fingers. Vegeta was standing there watching her, his jaw twitching as he ground his teeth together. Why was he waiting to kill her? Was he trying to torture her?

"Get out," Vegeta growled, the sound sending a shiver down Bulma's spine.

"I'm s-"

"GET THE FUCK OFF MY SHIP!"

Bulma scrambled away from him, her breath catching in the back of her throat. She was sure he would kill her. But….he was letting her go…..and he didn't hit her, like she thought he was going to. She turned back, feeling that she had to say something, at least to apologize. Despite everything, she did realize that it had been rude of her to try to sneak into his personal files.

"V—"

The saiyan prince snarled loudly, bordering on a roar. His power burst out of him as he started stalking towards her, his tail thrashing through the air. Bulma's face went ashen. She knew when to run.

So she did.

XXX

A/N: Please review!