Exhale
Chapter 13: Deep Water
thatmoonsong
I heard the distant sound of voices as I found my way through the haze back to my burdensome consciousness. My eyelids, heavy with exhaustion, remained closed. The slightest hint of nausea pulled at my stomach while the spinning sensation in my head continued to linger. The slightest brush of fingertips ran across my forehead and through my hair which was undoubtedly my mother's doing. The touch was too gentle to belong to a Saiyan. Too tired to move a muscle, I laid still as the worried voices became clearer. I tried to determine what they were saying.
"I told you something wasn't right with her," came Pan's worried tone.
"Did she eat anything today?" my mother asked.
"Maybe it was too soon to have her in a big crowd," came a softer man's voice.
"She looks so pale," Chi Chi noted.
"You should take her to the doctor, Bulma," Gohan pressed.
"Quiet! Give her some room," my aggravated father demanded.
My eyes fluttered open at the gruff sound of my father's voice. The room immediately fell quiet upon my father's orders. I refocused my eyes while the florescent lights shown brightly overhead. Squinting my eyes, I began to make out the figures surrounding me. It was only then that I noticed just how many pairs of eyes were fixated on me, waiting for something, but I didn't know what.
"What happened?" I asked deliriously. A dull ache illuminated my head as I tried to sit up with little to no effort. I rested a hand on my forehead as the pain grew.
"Lie down sweety," my mother insisted in her soft, loving voice. With no energy in me left to contest, I did as I was told. "You took a hard fall."
"What?" I asked. My strayed memory had yet to catch up with me.
"You passed out, Bra," she explained. "I'm not sure why yet."
"Yeah, one minute you were completely fine, then the next you were out cold on the ground," Pan added. She was sitting next to Trunks, clinging to his grasp. She looked to be the most concerned out of everyone.
Trunks gave my hand a squeeze. "We're just glad you're okay, sis."
My mother placed a cold, damp rag on my head as I lay on the couch surrounded by concerned friends and family. Hushed conversations carried on around the room, but I lacked the strength to detect what they were saying about me. The lingering ache in my cranium wasn't helping much either.
"Come on, guys, let's give her some space. We'll be outside if you guys need anything," Krillin said as he ushered most of the guests to the backyard. The voices diminished with the crowd and silence devoured the room. My family, Pan, and Gohan were the only ones that remained by my side.
"I'm alright. Really, I am. I was just dizzy is all. I lost my balance," I half told the truth. I recalled feeling dreadfully dizzy, but as much as I wanted that to be all, I was bothered by the idea that something might seriously be wrong with me. Dizzy spells and nosebleeds had become somewhat of a normal occurrence for me. Despite my Saiyan heritage, it frightened me.
My mother sighed, an evident sign that she didn't agree with me. My father's stubbornness had rubbed off on me, I wouldn't own up to anything being amiss and she knew that.
My father's gaze lingered on me, he hadn't said a word. A clear clue that he felt something was wrong too. Scraped knees and broken bones, he had no problem brushing those off as nothing with a 'hmph' or rolled eyes. But here he stood, no scowl or smile on his face, just an empty expression that could speak more than words. He didn't have to voice his worries, they were written all over his face.
Gohan stood up and laid his hand lightly on my mother's shoulder. "Bulma, can I talk to you for a minute?" No doubt words would be exchanged about my well-being. I just wondered what words they would be. I watched the two of them disappear into the hallway and out of hearing distance. Despite the throbbing pain in my head, I forced myself to sit up slowly. I bit the inside of my cheek to take my mind off of the nausea, but to my surprise it dissipated rather quickly. That wasn't so bad, I thought.
My brother left Pan's side and handed me the glass of water that was out of reach. Trunks sat next to me as I gulped down the ice cold water. He put his arm around me and gently grasped my shoulder. "You okay?" he asked.
I smiled weakly and nodded. "I'm okay," I assured. I peered over at my father who was looking down at the floor, furrowing his brow in concentration. He was trying to listen in on the conversation taking place down the hallway. I wish my Saiyan hearing was as good as his. Not being able to pick up on their exchanges, he wandered off after them. My fearless father didn't strike me as the curious type which only added to the mounting questions soaring through my thoughts.
"So can you tell me exactly what happened?" my brother asked.
"I'm not really sure. I was completely fine, enjoying the party, and next thing I know I started feeling woozy. I tried to brush it off, but it was just too overwhelming. I suppose that's when I hit the ground," I replied trying to piece it together myself.
"Have you been getting enough sleep? Eating enough?" The big brother mode was starting to kick in.
"Yes, Trunks. I sleep like a baby, and I eat all my meals." I rolled my eyes at his absurdness. I hated being treated like a kid, like I couldn't take care of myself. Sometimes they really underestimated me because I was the youngest. I briefly wondered if I would ever be more than a kid in their eyes. I'm surprised they don't still tie my shoes.
"Hey, I'm just checking." he ruffled my hair gently, his way of getting me to ease up.
Pan's eyes stared off towards the window, her eyes unblinking, her face showed no emotion. I didn't know what she was thinking, but I knew she was thinking hard. "Sorry I ruined your engagement party, guys," I stated sincerely. This was supposed to be their day after all, but luckily the calamity I caused didn't ruin the entire party. It could have been worse. My words had snapped Pan out of her thoughts and her dark eyes filled with bewilderment met mine. She must've realized her lacking presence in our conversation.
"Oh no, Bra, really it's fine. Don't worry about it. I was just thinking."
Before I could question her, my brother beat me to the punch, "About what babe?"
She looked at me as if to warn me what she was going to say. "I was thinking about Uncle Goten actually."
"Pan…" my brother's voice dropped off softly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him tilt his head in my direction, indicating that maybe it wasn't a good idea to bring him up right now. Trunks had developed a habit of tiptoeing around Goten's name whenever I was around. Like hearing his name would send a pointed dagger through my fragile heart, but that was far from the truth. I had learned to be okay with it.
"Trunks, it's alright, we can talk about Goten. It doesn't bother me anymore." I assured him. I blushed at how soft my voice was as his name left my lips. It was no secret that I had feelings for Goten, everyone had known for months now, yet I still flushed red at the thought of them knowing.
"I'm sure he's doing fine wherever he is," I added with a smile. Pan nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure you're right. As much as I love my stupid Uncle, I'm still going to give him an earful when he gets back." She stifled a laugh and shook her head, her eyes peered out the window at the setting sun's glow.
My gaze shifted to my brother who remained quiet. No matter how many times I told him I was okay, he was still reluctant to talk about Goten. Although, he had no problem bringing him up when he thought I wasn't listening which I had overheard on several occasions. "I promise it's fine Trunks," I said as I looked him deep in the eyes.
"Alright, alright, I get it. I'll loosen up, will that make you happy?" he asked, his demeanor changing playfully. Pan laughed.
"Yes, please do," I prodded.
Marron and Uub appeared in the doorway to see the three of us smiling and laughing.
"Are you guys continuing the party in here?" Marron asked, her eyebrows raised. "How are you doing B-chan?" she questioned, her voice sounded less concerned than the others, and for that I was thankful. She knew how much I hated being treated fragilely, or as my Dad would say, like a 'weak human.' It's a Saiyan pride thing, I get, her voice echoed in my head.
"I'm over this. Everyone is making too much of a fuss. Let's say we get the party started again." I stood up too quickly and almost lost my balance, my vision blackening only for a second. Luckily, no one noticed. Pan and Trunks stood up, they knew not to fight me on my suggestion so they followed suit.
Marron threw her arm over my shoulder and led me to the backyard patio where everyone else was gathered, talking and laughing amongst themselves. I was thankful things were going on as normal, but I briefly wondered where my parents and Gohan had wandered off to, and what exactly they were discussing. I was fine now, they didn't need to worry anymore. Couldn't they see that? Or was I missing something?
oOoOoOo
I followed Gohan down the hall, glancing back at Vegeta as I left the room. I knew he would follow. The walk down the hallway to the office seemed unusually long. Many thoughts popped into my head, and they were all focused on my blue-haired daughter. I pushed aside the scenarios that flooded my head. I hoped it was nothing serious, for it was every mother's worst nightmare.
I entered through the office doors, trailing behind Gohan. Vegeta joined us instantly. I sighed heavily as he closed the bulky, wooden doors. Secrecy was not a common characteristic in our household. Vegeta and I had always made a point to speak our minds, and we raised our kids to do the same. It had become second nature, and this just felt deceitful. My motherly instincts were beginning to stir. Gohan leaned against the desk, his face was stern yet his eyes were soft. I looked behind me to see Vegtea had taken his usual stance. His arms crossed firmly over his muscular chest and an intense expression conquered his handsome face.
I looked towards the door, wondering if anyone was snooping. Vegeta must have read my mind because he replied to my question. "Don't worry. The coast is clear." The features on his face were more relaxed causing him to appear somewhat soft.
I turned around to face Gohan, wanting to get straight to the point. "What is it, Gohan?" my voice quivered. I knew he was going to speculate. I just didn't want to hear anything that would confirm my fears.
"Look Bulma, I don't want to scare you, but I think there's a possibility that something could seriously be wrong with Bra. The numerous symptoms she has been displaying could be related to something more serious. Had she only fainted, I wouldn't be so worried. But it wasn't too long ago that Pan mentioned her having nosebleeds and feeling tired a lot. And you can't deny that she is pale as hell. Bra may be acting like herself, but she certainly doesn't look well. I think Vegeta can agree with me when I say we've noticed how hard she's been trying to hide it.
I looked towards Vegeta to witness his response. A light nod of his head wasn't what I wanted to see. I rested my hand against my lips, trying to figure out what I had missed, scouring my memory for any sign of Bra being in distress. I had brushed so many things off as her being lovesick and depressed over Goten leaving. It was so easy to see now that those things blended too well together for me to notice anything was amiss.
"But things with Goten…" I trailed off when I realized I was trying to make excuses for my daughter.
"That did cross mind. It is possible Goten leaving could have affected her, yes, but I think we'd all feel much better if we knew for sure, Bulma. I really think you should make a doctor's appointment for her."
Gohan picked the phone up and handed it to me, his face drawn with just as much concern as the others. I hesitated for a moment, staring at the phone as if it was one of the countless enemies we had encountered. I don't want to confront this.
"Bulma?" I heard Gohan ask quietly.
I snapped out of my daze. "Uh, yeah. You're right. I should make an appointment." I gingerly took the phone from his grasp quietly pondering to myself how I would convince Bra to go. She was stubborn just like her father, and would most definitely put up a fight.
I took a seat at the desk and was surprised that I could recall the number, for it had been years since I had last done so. Saiyans' immune systems were more advanced than humans, however, there were so many unanswered questions surrounding their heritage. Our children were half-Saiyan, and that worried me at times.
Gohan immediately left the room, but not before having a few hushed words with Vegeta, too quiet for me to understand.
I absentmindedly dialed the number to our family doctor. "Dr. Sigh's office. What can I do for you?"
"Yes, hello. This is Bulma Briefs. I need to make an appointment for my daughter, Bra."
"Sure, Mrs. Briefs. Please hold for just one minute." As I sat there grasping the phone on hold, watching Vegeta as he slipped out of the room. Laughter filled the hall as the kids made their way back outside with the rest of the group.
"You sure you're okay, Bra?" I heard Pan ask.
"Of course," my daughter replied. Though I knew she wasn't being honest. That blue-haired girl of mine couldn't get a lie past me if her life depended on it. I sighed into the phone.
"Mrs. Briefs, what day would you like the appointment to be?" the young receptionist asked. Running a world-renowned company definitely had its perks. There was no scheduling me in around other people, they scheduled us in as we pleased.
"Tomorrow morning will do." The soft clicking of her keyboard could be heard on the other line.
"You're all set, Mrs. Briefs, we will see you tomorrow at 10am."
"Thank you," I replied.
I quietly removed the phone from my ear, clenching it loosely in my hand as I looked longingly at the neon blue screen with the words 'Call Ended.' I carefully laid the phone down onto the desk. I swirled around in my chair and faced the open window, the last of the sun's rays peeked through the curtains and fell over the room emitting an ominous orange glow. The engagement party had dwindled down and the gang had gathered together on the backyard deck. The kids sat around the fire pit, glowing marshmallows clung tightly to the sticks in their hands as they held them over the open fire. When was the last time they had hung out like this? Long enough to know she had missed it. My eyes fixated on Bra. She sat with a water bottle in hand and a blanket over her lap. She smiled and talked with the others in the group, but from the way she occasionally looked off into the distance, I knew there was a lot on her mind, maybe even more so than mine. The incident was fading from their minds as the conversation and laughs began to roar to life again.
I stood up, composing myself to rejoin the lively party. What will tomorrow bring?
oOoOoOo
I groaned, shifting myself back and forth as if the alarm on my phone would magically shut itself off. My eyes squinting tightly as sunlight poured through the rather large window of my apartment living room. I quickly studied my surroundings not realizing I had fallen asleep on my leather couch. I rubbed away the sleep from eyes and sat up, rolling my head around as I did so. My neck was killing me.
"Man, I must've slept wrong." I rubbed my neck, feeling how sore it was and quickly shaking it off. I didn't have to be at work for two more hours, yet a quick workout before the students arrived would really get the kinks out. I downed a few bowls of cereal at Saiyan speed making sure not to miss a drop. Living alone sure had its benefits, especially now that I didn't have to compete with my Dad to get the last morsel of food.
I grabbed my tablet off of the coffee table and pulled up the latest news. Hmm, I wonder… I swiped through a few articles before I found the one I was looking for. It wasn't a dream. Pan and Trunks are really getting married. I knew I wasn't ready to expose my whereabouts just yet, but I needed them to know they were still on my mind. This was life-changing for them. They were about to make the commitment to spend the rest of their lives together, just as I had almost done with Paris. Thinking about her still managed to hit a nerve. I knew I didn't love her anymore, but the betrayal and ending things the way we did still left a bitter taste in my mouth.
I snatched my notebook off of the coffee table and flipped open to an empty page. Where would I begin to start? I thought for a while about what I would say to Pan. Upon receiving this letter I knew she would be happy, but it would also be a hurtful reminder of my sudden departure. If there's one thing I knew for sure, she would chew my ass out when I returned home. I thought carefully as I chose my words and transferred them to paper. Without giving too much away, I made it clear that I would be home for Christmas. That would surely put everyone's minds at ease. I delicately folded up the paper and placed it inside an envelope. I licked along the edge of the envelope and made sure to seal it securely. Out of habit, I went to write my address, and remembered that my location couldn't be disclosed. Close call. I jotted down Pan's address. I would have to drop it off on the way to work.
Just when I was about to put my tablet away, an alert beamed across the screen. 1 New Email from Bra Briefs. My heart skipped a beat. It had been months since her name last appeared in my inbox, probably due to the fact that I never replied to her previous emails. She had poured her heart out to me and begged for me to come home. I felt like such a bastard for ignoring her messages, but at the time I couldn't think of a way to respond or if I even wanted to. I contemplated whether I should read this new one, it would only make me feel worse. Besides, Pan would get this letter soon, and Bra would know I was okay. That would justify it right? I quickly dragged the email to my archives and swore to myself I would read it when the time was right.
oOoOoOo
"Mom, seriously?" I asked, a slight hint of my father's tone apparent.
"Look, Br-"
"You couldn't ask me first? I'm almost an adult. I should make that decision on my own!" The nerve!
"Bra, enough. Your mother and I are worried about you," my father scolded.
"Dad, I'm fine. There's no reason to blow this out of proportion."
"Which is exactly what you're doing. It's settled," he scoffed.
I shot my father his trademark scowl. He knew I wasn't happy with the decision, but I would have no say in the matter. Throughout all of these years, I have had my father, the prince of all Saiyans, wrapped around my little finger. I had managed to make my father go on countless shopping trips, attend a father-daughter dance, and even got him to shave that pathetic mustache. I had accomplished what no soul before me ever could. But beneath his usual cold and dark demeanor, I could sense he was just as uneasy as the rest of them. I was his little girl after all. Is it really worth fighting over? I would just go to the damn doctor appointment and get it over with. That would finally put their minds at ease and force them to get off my back. Once it was done, I could say 'I told you so' and we'd all move on with our lives.
I looked down at the kitchen island counter that I was leaning against and brushed my fingers through my hair, trying not to rip my cerulean locks out in the process. If there was one trait that was prominent from my father, it was swallowing my pride. "Fine, I'll go," I said through clenched teeth. My mother let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you," she breathed.
The calendar on the wall caught my attention. I studied it momentarily while my mother prepared breakfast and my Dad sat beside me. How long had Goten been gone? Four months? It was the longest amount of time that I had not seen him. With our families being as close as they are, we saw each other at least once a week. Four months was really hitting the ball out of the ballpark. Would his feelings wane? He couldn't possibly have gone four months without finding some other girl. Goten wasn't a serial dater by any means, but for as long as I could remember, girls came easy to him. All he had to do was flash that trademark Son grin and girls would melt. I had witnessed it way too many times. Before he had an excuse not to flirt back, he was with Paris. But what reason would he have now? A teenage girl back home who turned his world upside down? There was no way he'd feel the same now. For all I knew, he was shacking up with some bimbo. With each passing day, came a little less hope.
"Good morning," welcomed Pan. She groggily joined us at the kitchen bar, a covert smile disappearing from her spirited face. Brushing her shoulder length hair behind her ear, my eyes fell upon the distinct hickey on her neck. She was wearing plaid shorts and an old band shirt that belonged to Trunks. It was obvious she had stayed the night with my brother. Pan staying over use to be a rare occurrence, no doubt due to her overprotective father. She had begged and pleaded with him on several occasions to the stay the night with me, only to end up in my brother's bed by morning. Gohan wasn't oblivious, he knew what was going on. But he also knew how the two felt for each other that always led him to giving in. He had surely lightened up now that they were to be married. I only wondered if I could ever be so lucky. My father knew I was a virgin and he planned on keeping it that way.
I often played with the idea of Pan moving in for I knew it wouldn't be long before it came to that. She would soon be my sister-in-law after all. Not that we needed that title, we were practically sisters already.
"Someone had fun last night," I poked fun at her.
"Huh?" she replied quizzically. I nonchalantly pointed at her exposed neck and a rosy blush illuminated her tan cheeks. Instinctively, she placed her hand over the nape of her neck as if to erase the evidence.
"So that's what that thumping was last night," my father stated matter of factly while he sipped on his dark coffee. He smirked to let us know he was only kidding around. I laughed at his response. My mother and I taught him well.
"Oh, whatever, Vegeta!" Pan exclaimed.
"Sorry to tell you this Panny, but this is the family you're marrying into," my mother joked.
"What was I thinking? Kami, help me," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head from side to side.
oOoOoOo
"Well, I'm off to get ready," Bra announced dryly, getting up from her seat.
"Where are you off to?" I inquired. She rarely went anywhere the last few months. If she wasn't at school or her photography studio, she was hibernating away in her bedroom. Understandably, I was curious.
"Apparently, I have a doctor's appointment to attend," she let out an exasperated sigh and exited the kitchen.
"Doctor's appointment?" I asked to no one in particular. "Is this about yesterday?"
Bulma offered me a plate of eggs and bacon and I graciously accepted. "Yes, your father suggested we make her an appointment, and we think it's for the best. Bra is just being hardheaded about it. She gets that from her father." Vegeta was silent.
"Do you think there's something wrong with her?" I furrowed my brow out of concern.
"I can't say for sure, Pan. But I do know that people don't usually faint for no reason."
"Couldn't it just be the stress of Uncle Goten leaving? I thought with the nosebleeds she gets and the fainting that she was stressed out," I added.
"Nosebleeds?" Bulma asked. She didn't seem very shocked, almost like she wanted to know more. Crap.
"She's had a few, but she always brushes it off like it's nothing," I provided.
"Hm, I'll be sure to let her doctor know then," she returned. Maybe she already knew.
"She'll be okay, won't she?"
"Of course, Panny," Bulma replied, though she didn't sound very sure of it herself. I made a mental note to check in with them when they returned.
oOoOoOo
I looked around Dr. Sigh's office, using my phone to escape. I swiped through the newsfeed on my social media account, yet found nothing of interest. Anything to get my mind off of the wait. It felt so weird being here in his office after so long. Being Saiyan, it was never really necessary to come here. I had only met the man once during the time that my mother insisted the best doctor in the world studied our Saiyan genes two years ago. My father had once told me how fascinated my mother was about learning about our Saiyan history. I tried to hide my smile as that memory of our dinner conversation resurfaced.
"Alright, eat up my little Saiyans, you've been pricked and prodded enough for one day," my mother began across the dinner table.
I gently rubbed my bandaged arm where Dr. Sigh had drawn blood earlier. "Why do we have to do all of these stupid tests anyway?" I asked, partially annoyed with the day's festivities.
"Because it's good to know more about your bloodline and where you came from. You're only half-human, ya know," my mother replied between her sips of red wine.
It was odd to think that my Dad had actually lived on another planet at times, but it was kind of cool to be one of the remaining few of his powerful race.
"Your mother would keep us locked in her dungeon lab if she could," my father insisted.
"Oh, that's nonsense, Vegeta," she laughed under her breath.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she had a vile of my sperm under her damn microscope." My fork hit the dinner plate with a loud clank.
"Dad, what the fuck?! I'm trying to eat here!" I shook my head trying to get rid of the image. Trunks laughed so hard I could see tears in his eyes.
"Well, Bra, I guess now would be a good time to tell you, you're a test tube baby," my mother couldn't have been more matter of fact and sarcastic if she tried. It was rare to make my father laugh, and my mother sure knew how to do it at my expense. I glared at him as he almost choked on his wine with laughter.
"Ha ha, very funny." I rolled my eyes. "Besides, you can't create beauty in a tube," I said confidently with an overly exaggerated hair toss that only a model could master.
That only provoked more laughter at the dinner table as I joined in.
"What's so funny?" My mother's gentle voice brought me back to reality. That memory always made me giggle.
"Oh, nothing," I said with a smile. My father's dark onyx eyes stared back at mine. A smile spread across his face. He had clearly read my mind, but we would keep it between us.
"Bra, Dr. Sigh is ready to see you now. Your parents are welcome to join you." I nodded at them letting them know it was okay. I needed their support.
I sat down and wiggled around on the exam chair trying to get comfortable, but the paper crinkled loudly beneath me. I curiously began to read over the posters in front of me. How to prevent teen pregnancy. Forms of contraception. Are you ready to conceive?
My father interrupted my thoughts before I could finish reading them. "Don't get any ideas," he said sternly. I blushed knowing damn well that he knew what I was thinking. I'd jump Goten in a heartbeat. A brief flashback of the night in the hotel flooded my senses, but I hurriedly brushed it away. Positive thoughts, Bra.
A slight creak of the door cut through the silence in the room as Dr. Sigh walked in. A clipboard was tucked between his arm and a stethoscope hung loosely around his neck. A shiver ran down my spine as memories of needles triggered anxiety. More than likely, I would meet that same fate again.
"Good morning, Bra. My, you sure have grown since our last visit," he greeted, offering a smile to make me feel more comfortable.
"Yeah, I would say so," I sighed.
"So what brings us here today?" he directed the question toward my mother.
"Bra, had a fainting spell yesterday," she replied, but didn't stop there. "And apparently, there's been nosebleeds off and on for the past few months." I looked up at her questionably. A soft glare in her eyes stared at me. How does she know that? I purposely had avoided telling my parents that bit of information. "I know it might be nothing, but it would help me sleep better at night knowing for certain."
"Well, then. All we need is to do an examination and run a few tests. That should provide us with some answers," he explained.
Dr. Sigh placed the stethoscope against my chest, its cool surface pierced my warm skin. "Take a deep breath for me," he said. I drew in a big breath of air and exhaled slowly. He asked me to do this several more times, taking notes on his clipboard as he did so. He moved on to checking my blood pressure and asking questions about my health. I blushed at some of the questions he asked.
"When was your last period?" I shifted uncomfortably on the exam chair. "Uh, two weeks ago." I almost mumbled.
"Are you sexually active?" he obviously asked these questions a lot, his voice unwavering. I glanced at my father. He humphed and crossed his arms firmly. I wasn't sure if he was annoyed by the doctor's questions or if that was his way of answering for me.
"N-no, I'm not," I stuttered embarrassingly. My mother let out the softest sigh of relief. Like I have anything to hide. Ha! The rest of his questions were a breeze, though anytime I didn't offer up much information, my Dad made sure to fill in the blanks. I hated it when he read my mind.
"Alright, Bra," he concluded. He picked up a needle from a nearby tray and snapped the lid off with a flick of his wrist. Oh, boy, I thought to myself. Goku wasn't the only Saiyan who feared needles, I wasn't very fond of them myself. "All we have to do now is get a few samples of your blood for testing and we can get this over with."
"Thank, Kami," I whispered. He swabbed my arm with a cotton ball, the faint scent of rubbing alcohol filling the air. The needle in his hand loomed closer and I quickly looked away, closing my eyes tightly. I flinched as I felt the subtle sting in my arm. He continued to fill each tube painlessly. The worst part is over, I told myself.
"How long will it take before we can get the results?" my mother inquired.
"Normally, it takes a day or two, but if it you prefer, I can ensure that the blood work is taken care of immediately," he proposed as he snapped the lids onto the different colored test tubes. The sight of my blood made me rather queasy. I would make a lousy Saiyan warrior, I thought.
"I would appreciate that," my mother thanked him.
"My pleasure, Mrs. Briefs. I will take this straight to the lab. Feel free to make yourselves comfortable," he replied, hastily leaving the exam room. It was an unwritten rule that you didn't keep a Capsule Corporation heir waiting.
"And now we wait," I mumbled.
oOoOoOo
"Quit pacing. You're making me nervous, Bulma," my husband grumbled.
"I can't help it. It shouldn't be taking this long, Vegeta," I complained. I sat next to my husband and tried to relax into the chair. Bra's thumbs tapped rapidly against her phone as she continued to text back and forth with Pan. The clock shown that only 30 minutes had passed, yet it felt like it had been hours.
I gasped as the door opened unexpectedly, and relief washed over me. Finally.
"Sorry for the wait, Mrs. Briefs," he apologized. I noticed immediately that he wasn't nearly as confident as he was before.
"No, worries. Are the test results in?" I asked, cutting straight to the chase. My patience had already hit its limit for the day.
"Well, that's what we need to discuss," he alluded. "The tests were inconclusive,"
"What does that mean? Is that bad?" my daughter asked. Her eyes were no longer glued to the screen of her phone.
"Well, the blood work came back abnormal. This could be due to a number of things. You have Saiyan and human blood running through your veins. We have to take that into consideration. The mixture of the two can cause abnormalities to show in the results. We will have to do a more in depth analysis of the blood work to make sure we get a correct diagnosis," he confided.
"Does this mean you have a diagnosis?" I asked.
The doctor let out a hushed sigh as if he was preparing himself for what he was about to reveal. "Bra's blood platelet count came back low. That could indicate anything from a viral infection to cancer in human terms, but this could also be caused by something related to her Saiyan bloodline," he disclosed. My daughter's expressionless face drained of color. I wondered if mine did the same. "We will have one of the best research teams in the world working on this, Mrs. Briefs, I assure you."
I nodded slowly, not quite sure how to react to this information. I briefly wondered if I should have done the damn test myself. In the end, I knew he was right, there was so little we knew of the Saiyan race to draw an accurate conclusion.
"Bra, sweety, are you okay?" I asked, grabbing her hand gently. My touch brought her back to reality.
"Yeah," she spoke barely above a whisper. She wouldn't look directly at me, but that didn't hide the tears lining her eyes. Though they threatened to fall, I knew she wouldn't let them. "Let's get out of here," she urged. I couldn't argue with her there.
Bra hopped off of the chair and headed for the door. I reached down to get my bag and watched as Vegeta whispered something in her ear. She smiled and they walked out, Vegeta's hand rubbing lovingly on her back. I wonder what he said. I always admired that about him, he could always bring her back from the edge of anything.
Please, Kami. Don't do this to us, I begged silently. Though I knew he would have no control over this.
A/N: It's been awhile, huh? This chapter I actually began writing two years ago, but I stopped working on it because this one was a toughy. I knew where I wanted to go with this story, I just didn't know how I wanted to get there. I have thought of so many scenarios in my head, but couldn't decide which one would fit. Two years later, and here we are! I have to thank those of you who stumbled upon it recently and reviewed, it motivated me to start writing again. Hopefully, I can get back in the swing of things to stick around and finish it. Otherwise, it lingers in my head until I finally type it out. I will do my best to update again soon! I have bits and pieces of the next three chapters written down so I will start with that. Oh, and this chapter is named after a song by The Middle East. All the feels!