Ch 33
Goten was hard at work in the early morning at his restaurant. The outside was finally done and the inside had just begun. He stopped hammering for one minute to take a look at the place. It was really coming together. Booths were being built; the kitchen was beginning to form. He could see his vision coming to life, and he smiled.
"Wow, it's really coming along Goten."
"Yeah Hercule, it really is and I appreciate everyone working so hard. So, what brings you here?"
"I was wondering about your trip to outer space."
"Don't worry Hercule, the earth is safe."
"That's not what I meant. How was it learning about your heritage and all?"
"Well, it wasn't all what it's cracked up to be. These saiyans were cold. Love wasn't in their vocabulary. Its' all about power, greed, and procreation to them, but I met some saiyans who were different from that. Anyways the king and his soliders are dead and the more peaceful saiyans are living on the planet."
"That's good news I guess but how did you get all those bruises on your neck?"
Goten blushed. "I—I should get back to work Hercule," he said as he climbed a ladder.
"Did someone hurt you?"
"I'm fine it's nothing. Trunks just got a little carried away. Apparently it happens when you're mated to a saiyan."
"You know those wounds could be considered abuse, so it is true. You really don't know what you're getting yourself into when it comes to him Goten."
"What are you doing here Devin?" he asked as he climbed down the ladder. "Get out."
"Now is that anyway to talk to someone who cares about you."
"You don't care. If you did, you would get out of my face."
"Oh really, what are you going to do about it? You're such a gentle soul. There's no way you'd make a scene in front of these people much less hurt me."
"He won't, but I will," said Vegeta as he dragged Devin out by his collar and threw him to the curb. "And stay out," he said as he walked back inside.
"It's good to see you Vegeta," said Hercule as Vegeta nodded.
"What brings you by?" asked Goten as wolf whistles could be heard as Bulma walked into the restaurant.
"Hey, knock it off you morons!" yelled Vegeta as Bulma walked up to her mate and Goten.
"Hey Goten, this place looks beautiful," said Bulma. "You know I'm really proud of you, living your dream."
"Thanks Bulma and well I couldn't have done all this without the help of Trunks, Hercule, and all these workers. I just wish my mom could be proud, but you know how she is like. She believes women belong in the kitchen."
"She has to come around some time Goten. She loves you."
"I hope so. Anyway Vegeta and I are here to tell you that Trunks has a surprise for you. He would have come himself, but he's swamped with work right now. Meet him at 8PM tonight."
Goten appeared at the Briefs home after construction on the restaurant. He saw what appeared to be a blank lot right beside the Briefs home, and Trunks waiting for him right on the lot. As he stepped onto the ground, he looked to his mate in confusion, which he knew Trunks found adorable.
"What's going on Trunks?" he asked as he saw a capsule in Trunks' hand and a smile on his face.
"Well I thought it was about time to move in together. Don't you think chibi?" he said as he moved off the lot as he threw the capsule right on the spot. A huge capsule home came to Goten's eyes. "What do you think?"
"Um."
"All your stuff is inside and I had it designed so it expresses both of our personalities. You can go in if you want," Trunks said as he opened the door and led his mate inside.
Every room was more impressive than the last as Trunks described all the features. He wasn't really listening. He was still in shock by the whole thing. When he came out of his own head, he found himself on the couch with Trunks' worried eyes starring back at him.
"Goten."
"It's beautiful Trunks, it really is," he smiled. "So, I guess you weren't really busy at work?"
"No," he smirked. "When you went to sleep last night, I stayed up. I was thinking about having a place that we could call ours. We could take wherever we go if we wanted. That's the beauty of a capsule home."
"This is just what I needed at the end of the day. I mean when Devin came into the restaurant today, it thought my day was going to be ruined."
"What did he want?" demanded Trunks.
"It's nothing Trunks. Besides your dad threw him out. It was hilarious."
"What did he say to you chibi?"
"He just claimed to care about me like he usually does and to warn me that you're bad news. It's not big deal. I don't take anything he says seriously."
"I warned that bastard to stay away from you. He has some nerve, but I won't let him get away with it. He's trying to take you away from me."
"Trunks," he put his hands on both his shoulder, "you need to calm down. He couldn't take me away from you if he tried. You need to let it go."
"How can I let it go when he just happens to show up everywhere that you are?"
"I'll take care of it Trunks ok. You need to relax," said Goten as his hands caressed Trunks' face as he leaned in and kissed him. "Besides, you worked hard today making our home. You deserve a reward," Goten smirked as he straddled his mate's waist.
"I do, don't I," said Trunks as he snaked his arms around his mate's waist. "What do you have in mind chibi?"
"No clothes, a shower, a bed, and then some dinner cooked by yours truly."
"You know what I like chibi," he said as he started kissing down his neck when the doorbell rang. "Damn it!" yelled Trunks as he felt the warmth of Goten's body disappear as it went to open the door to see his parents, his sister, and Uub. "Glad you could all make it," said Trunks.
Once Trunks' family was gone, Trunks was eager to get back to what he and his mate had started. He turned away from the door to see Goten putting the left over food into the fridge. Before Goten could close the door of the fridge, he felt Trunks' arms around his waist, drawing Goten's body to his.
"I'm ready for my reward now," Trunks whispered in his mate's ear.
"I know you've been fidgety all night," Goten laughed.
Trunks turned Goten to face his lustful, blue-eyed gaze. "Only cause I want you so badly chibi."
"Well then you can have me," Goten said as he leaned in and kissed his mate softly on the lips as Trunks kissed back with more passion.
"Lets get to it then," said Trunks as he lifted his mate into his arms and headed towards the bedroom. Before he could set one step into the room, a knock came to the door, making Trunks' blood boil.
"Relax Trunks," said Goten as he rubbed the back of Trunks' neck. "I'll get the door, and you stay here and calm down. Trunks, you have to put me down."
"Fine," said Trunks as he let his mate down from his arms and walked into the bedroom to calm down.
Goten opened the door to see his father, brother, Videl, and niece. "Wow, what a surprise, come in!" he said as he stood aside to let his family inside.
"So you two finally moved in together?" said Videl. "This place is really nice."
"Thanks Videl, Trunks surprised me today with the capsule home."
"Well I'm happy for you and Trunks but you know what will happen when mom finds out that you moved in with Trunks? Not to mention the fact that you've decided to live near his family," said Gohan.
"Gee Gohan way to celebrate your brothers good news," said Goku.
"Sorry, congratulations," said Gohan as he hugged his brother.
"Thanks Gohan."
"So, where's Trunks?" asked Pan.
"Um, he's—
"Right here," said Trunks. "Sorry, there was something I had to take care of."
Videl smirked. "So, what were you two doing before we got here?" she asked.
"Well my family came over to see the place," said Trunks.
"Is there any food? I'm starving," said Goku.
"Leftovers are in the fridge, help yourself dad," said Goten as Goku rushed to the kitchen along with his eldest son to make sure his father didn't accidentally blow up the kitchen.
"Hey Videl, is my mom and grandpa coming by?" asked Goten.
"Well when we said we were coming over to visit you, your mom declined to come."
"Oh," said Goten as he could feel the supportive touch of Trunks' hand on his back. "I guess I should have expected that."
"I'm sorry Goten, but I hope we can talk about this in therapy. Maybe we can figure out why your mother disapproves of your relationship so much."
"I hope so."
"Hey Goten, I can sense your mom and grandpa inside my parents' house.
"Oh shit," Goten yelled as he rushed out the door with Trunks on his heels.
Goten and Trunks ran into the house to see their mothers glaring daggers at each other as the Ox King stood back, not wanting to get in between the two passionate women. "I know this is all your doing Bulma. You let your kids run wild and now my son is moved into a house with HIM," she said as she pointed to Trunks. My son was supposed to marry a girl, move in with her in a place nearby my home, and give me grandkids. Your family has poisoned my son!"
"I had nothing to do with it Chichi, and my kids are not wild. They're independent human beings, who make their own decisions. I have raised them with nothing but unconditional love. My son loves your son very much. Goten has chosen his own path without influence from anyone. Why can't you accept that?"
"It's wrong, and they will both burn in hell for their sins," said the Ox King as he looked at his grandson. "You have shamed your family by lying with THAT," he pointed to Trunks, "piece of filth, sleeping all over town with any woman that will satisfy his urges."
"You bastard!" yelled Goten as he punched his grandpa right in the face. "I've had enough of your shit," he said as he raised his grandpa by his neck. "All you do is hurt and criticize me and my life, making me feel guilty about whom I chose to love!" he exclaimed as tears ran down his face. "I'm never going to be good enough for you or my mother."
"Goten, put him down," said his father. "You don't want to do this."
"He's right. You can't go back if you kill him Goten," said Vegeta.
"Chibi," said Trunks softly as he rested his hand on his mate's shoulder. "Listen to my dad, he knows what he's talking about. I know you're angry about what he's done and what he said about me, but he doesn't know me. You know me chibi, and I don't care what he thinks he knows about me. At the end of the day, you're the only thing that matters to me. If you do this—
Goten let his grandpa go as he fell to the floor. The Ox King got up and walked out of the house as Goten turned to see the horrified look on his mother's face before she walked out the door.
"I'm so sorry Goten," said Bulma. "The last thing I want to do is fight with your mother and grandpa but when she attacks our family, I get defensive."
"I'm sorry to Bulma. Your family doesn't deserve to be insulted by my mom and grandpa."
"You have nothing to apologize for sweetie."
"Bulma's right Goten," said Goku. "Your mom just needs some ti—
"I—I don't think she'll ever get over it dad," said Goten as his father took his youngest son in his arms and held him while he cried.
Gohan, Videl, and Pan came into the room to see a heartbreaking scene before their eyes. "What happened?" Gohan asked.
"Your mother and grandpa insulted my family and your brother," said Trunks as he felt his mate's pain flow inside his body. "What did Goten ever do to deserve it? NOTHING!" yelled Trunks as Goten came out of his arms to calm him.
"It will be all right Trunks," said Goten as he held his close.
The house phone rang, interrupting the silence as Bulma answered the phone. "Hello, yes this is Bulma Briefs." As the words flowed through the other side, she dropped the phone. She couldn't hear the voices in the background calling to her.
"Bulma!" yelled Vegeta as he shook his mate, causing her attention to go back to the phone as she grabbed it and hung up. "What happened?" he asked as he sat her on the couch in the living room.
She felt her body trembling as Vegeta wrapped his arms around her. 'It couldn't be true. This can't be happening. It's all a bad dream. I'll wake up tomorrow and—
"Mother," said Trunks. "What's wrong?"
Bulma swallowed the lump on her throat. "T—that was Capsule City Nursing home. My mother murdered my father tonight. The cops can't find her. She took off somewhere. I don't know."
Bulla sat down on one of the other couches with her boyfriend right beside her as she cried into his arms as Trunks sat on the arm of the couch and tried to help Uub comfort her.
Bulma got off the couch. "I have to go and identify his body."
It was then that Goten knew what he had to do as he closed his eyes and searched out Bunny Briefs. Once he had a lock on her, he looked to Bulma. "I found her Bulma," said Goten. "I've got a lock on her ki signature. What do you want to do about it?"
"I want to talk to her. I want to know why," she said as her hand rested on his shoulder.
"Ok," he nodded as he felt his mate's hand resting on his other shoulder.
"I'm coming to," said Trunks.
"We'll go identify grandpa's body," said Bulla as she looked to her boyfriend and father.
"Fine," said Vegeta as he looked to his mate, son, and Goten. "Be careful," he said as they disappeared from sight. Looking back to Goku, Gohan, Videl, and Pan, he sighed. "There's nothing you can do now. You should go home."
"We're family Vegeta, we're not going anywhere tonight," said Gohan.
Vegeta smirked. "Then stay if you wish," he said as he walked out the door with his daughter and her boyfriend.
"I can't believe it," said Videl as she sat down on the couch. "Why would Bunny kill Dr. Briefs?"
"I don't know Videl. It's not like she showed any violent tendencies in all the time I've known her," said Gohan as he sat beside his wife.
"She seemed so sweet and nice. I guess you really never know a person on the inside," said Pan as she sat between her parents.
"I can't imagine what's going through Bulma's mind right now," said Goku. "It must be terrible."
Bulma, Trunks, and Goten appeared in a fancy hotel room, overlooking an ocean view. The room was empty as the trio looked around the place. All her things were here.
"She must have stepped out just as we appeared," said Goten as he followed Bulma and Trunks out of the room and down the hall to see Bunny taking a call in the hallway. As the call ended, she turned her eyes, surprised to see her daughter, grandson, and Goten.
"How did you know where I was?" asked Bunny.
"That's all you have to say for yourself? You killed my father, and I want to know why, right now!"
"You don't want to know sweetie, trust me."
"I do. I want to know," said Bulma as she watched her mother walk back into her room. The trio followed inside. Goten and Trunks sat on the bed while Bunny and Bulma sat on the couch. Bulma folded her hands in her lap and breathed out a sight.
"There was never a time that I was in love with your father. He had money, and he was in love so I rode the wave for as long as I could. Years past and I became pregnant with you. I settled into the family life with your father even though I couldn't stand him. I became comfortable with the lifestyle and when you were born, everything changed. I didn't want children. I never did, but your father loved you so much. I became jealous, but I pushed it down, focusing on the light at the end of the tunnel.
We raised you and then one day you send me to a nursing home with your father. I was stuck with him and his useless thoughts and ideas about what he would invent next. Of course he was more loving to me up to the point of his death but before that I found out about his well. If he were to die, then I would walk away with a substantial amount of money. I couldn't pass it up. I went into his room at night and stabbed him sixteen times. He was too weak to fight me off. The power fool had no clue how much I hated him until his last breath."
"I loved my father. How could take him away from me?" Bulma screamed. "You're nothing but a selfish, greedy sorry excuse for a human being."
"Love does not exist," said Bunny. "You really think Vegeta loves you sweetie? No, he's a man and in the end he will hurt you. Sure he gave you kids but that was just to continue the bloodline."
"You don't know anything about Vegeta to say such things!"
"You know I never approved of him Bulma. He came to earth and monster and tricked you into bed. That is the only reason why Trunks was born. Do you really think your husband wanted him in the first place? And then your son grows up trying to find love in all the wrong women. Talk about a disaster. It's a wonder your daughter turned out well."
"SHUT UP!" screamed Bulma. "You have no right to judge my family. I know how Vegeta feels about my children and me. You only see what's on the outside of people. That's always been your problem mother."
"Who are you to talk to me that way? I saw nothing but ugliness on the inside of you as a teenager when you would search for comfort in men in all the wrong places. At least you had the common sense not to sleep with any of them. Like mother like son in a way and who knows when your son will stop his disgusting escapades."
"ENOUGH!" Goten screamed. How can you put down your own family? How can you say love doesn't exist? Just because you didn't grow up that way, doesn't give you the right to hurt the ones who have done nothing but love you. I know love exists. I've seen it happen between your daughter and Vegeta as a child and throughout my life. You don't recognize it at first but it was the secret looks they gave each other or how they touched each other or they way they talked and argued with each other. Love isn't the same for everyone, but I wanted what they had when I was a teenager. I wanted to find someone who didn't always need to say I love you through words. I wanted someone who would love me unconditionally for who I was, and I did," said Goten as Trunks sat up from the bed beside his mate and took his hand in his.
"Oh my," Bunny said in shock as she passed out on the couch, which was Goten's signal to take Bunny, Bulma, and Trunks and disappear from the hotel room.
Vegeta, Bulla, and Uub returned from the nursing home. Bulla was so upset that she went upstairs to her room along with Uub to comfort his distraught girlfriend. Vegeta made his way into the kitchen to see Gohan attempting to cook a meal for his family with the help of his wife.
Pan looked up from watching her parents to see Vegeta walk in the room. "Vegeta, how's Bulla doing?" she asked as he sat beside her at the table.
"She cried the whole way home. She's exhausted so Uub took her to her room, so she can sleep."
"How did he die?" asked Videl. "If you don't mind me asking."
"He was stabbed sixteen times. I could barely recognize him, but Bulla was able to identify him. She shouldn't have to see her grandfather in such a state," he yelled.
"I'm so sorry Vegeta," said Gohan. "Anything you need, we're here."
Bulma, Trunks, and Goten reappeared with Bunny in the living room. Goten let go of them to use the phone in the kitchen to call the police to pick up Bunny. As he hung up the phone, he felt the silence and pain that filled the house. When the police came by and picked up Bunny, Bulma closed the door and suddenly slid to the floor, bursting out into tears. Everything she had known in her life was a lie. Her mother didn't want her. Her mother never loved her and the one parent who did was gone.
"Bulma," said the surprisingly soft voice of Vegeta as he wrapped his strong arms around her while he sat on the floor with her.
"I've always wanted my children. I love my children. I have no regrets about having them Vegeta. When we conceived Trunks, it was because I loved you. I love you," she said as she buried her face in his chest and cried.
Pan sought comfort in the arms of her parents as Goten smiled at the scene and then he looked to Trunks, who gaze was far away from all this. He wondered what he was thinking about, but he didn't want to intrude into his thoughts. He respected Trunks after all.
Vegeta carried Bulma upstairs to rest. It had been a long night, and his mate needed rest and time to think about everything that happened tonight.
"Well, there's food here if anyone get hungry later on," said Videl.
"Thanks Videl, I appreciate it," said Trunks. "You're more than welcome to stay the night. There is plenty of room if you don't feel like going home tonight."
"Thanks Trunks," said Gohan as he took his family upstairs.
"Trunks," said Goten.
"Lets eat, I'm starving. I don't know about you," said Trunks as he sat down and dug into the food.
Goten was confused about Trunks' behavior. "You just lost your grandpa Trunks. Your grandmother—
"I don't want to talk Goten. Just sit down and eat with me."
"You need to tell me how you feel Trunks. You can't just shut down and not deal with this."
"I don't know about you, but this rice is god awful. You make much better rice."
"You're insane!" Goten exclaimed.
"I just—I can't do this right now chibi. Just leave it alone!" Trunks yelled as he left the kitchen and outside to his home beside his parents'. He went to his room, lied on his bed, closed his eyes, and hoped tonight was all a dream. It was too much to bear.