Chapter Thirty-Five
Love, And The Years Between Us
v
The Earth was destroyed. King Vegeta declared its destruction; he deemed it as useless or unworthy of any decent profit, right after sending out for his son. After not hearing back from his ship and no longer being able to track it, it sent out a couple of scout troopers to search and find him.
Nevertheless, though; everyone, all the poor, poor souls who were left on the Earth faced what was probably the most frightening, terrifying, blindingly bright and burning hot death imaginable. It must've been horrifying, but, I guess, good for us; Kakarot and I never found out about it. I didn't have any intentions on going home anymore anyways. Kakarot wanted to travel the galaxy with me, but first, I needed the 'truth'. For I and Kakarot both had no clue what had gone down and what had even happened to the King.
v
I felt like I was floating in starry black space; I felt heavy and light all at the same time. Distantly, I knew I was hurting badly, but it was like there was something stopping me from feeling the pain. Sometimes through the fog and the black, I could hear a voice talking to me; reassuring me that I was going to be fine. Other times, there was silence and I dreamed about being back on Earth, back before I'd become a slave and a whore. I remembered phantom faces in my home, my family, my friends, Nathan, but when he'd speak; there was no sound; as there was no sound with anyone of them. It saddened me greatly. It felt like a long time had passed before I was able to fight free of the darkness and the fog and finally wake up properly.
I was aware of sounds first; a distant thrum of engines that told me I was in space and on a ship, and also that I wasn't alone. Slowly and carefully, I pried open my eyelids that felt like they weighed a ton each, and sleepily looked around at the small and unremarkable cabin that I was in. I could have been anywhere, I realized as I blinked and tried to sit up; wincing as my shoulder burnt with fiery pain and my arm, which had a cast on it, thumped against the side of the bed. I felt so weak and cumbersome as I struggled to sit up, moaning in frustration and pain as I hit my cast again. I paused and sank back down on the bed as I heard footsteps coming towards me and the door swished open softly.
"I thought I heard you wake up."
Kakarot's shape filled the doorway and I sagged with relief; I'd thought for a moment I had still been on the other ship. He stepped in slowly.
"What happened to my arm?"
"You must've shattered it when you were hit into the wall… It looked broken when I inspected it, so I put a cast on it and now, it should heal in a few days, with the help of medications speeding up the process, of course…"
I gave him a slanted grin of appreciation.
"Thank you…"
"You're welcome…"
I hesitated, but then decided to ask,
"So, what happened?"
I asked as I tried to sit up again, grateful for Kakarot's help as he gently maneuvered me up into a sitting position and put a pillow behind my back to lean against the wall; the Saiyan gave me a quick unreadable glance and then he looked away again; back out the window ahead of us.
"What do you remember?"
I narrowed my eyes; Kakarot was hiding something. I knew it. He wasn't looking at me when he spoke; something was definitely up. I thought through the fog in my brain about what had happened.
What do I remember?
I could remember being on the ship and Kakarot and Vegeta starting to fight, I remembered the sounds and the explosions and sirens.
"I remember you fighting Vegeta…"
I swallowed hard,
"I remember seeing Vegeta… He… He looked… d-de…"
I didn't want to say that he looked dead, so I rephrased it to,
"Defeated…"
He hesitated and took in a deep breath, slowly turning his head and looking at me,
"Vegeta was killed by the ceiling collapsing on top of him after I beat him in our battle. I managed to grab you, and escape in Prince Vegeta's ship, smashing the tracking transmission in it so no one from Planet Vegeta could find us, but… he didn't make it… He's gone."
I didn't feel anything immediately, in fact, it was like I felt nothing at all and a great yawning empty maw inside of me began to slowly form. It was the same horrible aching feeling I'd had after Nathan and I were separated back on Earth, and then… all the horrible things Vegeta had put us through; that horrible, empty feeling of loss, guilt and sorrow. It didn't seem real. Death was so final, but he was bonded to me.
Shouldn't I feel 'something'? Anything at all…?
It didn't make any sense. How could Vegeta, who had always been so passionate, arrogant, and so full of life and above death itself, be dead? He was still my Prince, maybe, but, he was no longer my master or owner; he should have been strong enough to survive, though. It seemed like he could've survived anything. He was like a superhero to me; it didn't add up… Wouldn't I have felt something after he died; anything?!
"Are you alright?"
Kakarot sat on the side of the bed and slid an arm around me, pulling me close to him gently. I was pale and didn't answer immediately.
"I know you loved him in your own, 'special' way and I know I can't replace what he was to you, but I'm here for you, and I always will be. You're the first person I've ever cared for, Taylor, and I love you more than anything in this universe… I'm going to make sure you're okay… no matter what."
I nodded woodenly.
Am I truly alright?
Not right now, no, but I guess I would be in time. Maybe; it was laughable that after all of my 'to-ing' and 'fro-ing' about whether to stay with Vegeta or run away, the decision had been taken out of my hands. I'd chosen to stay with him, and the universe had decided to take him away. I felt despair, sharp and real, well up inside of me. Why?! I was with Kakarot now… Why did I still care about that bastard?! He hurt me in so many ways, so why would I ever still want to be with him? I loved Kakarot more than I'd ever imagined I would, especially after all he had done to me as well; him and Vegeta.
I felt tears well up and with a sob; I buried myself against Kakarot's chest and let myself cry. I cried for Vegeta's death, for never going home again, for Nathan; wherever he was, and for all the people lost back on Earth. I cried because I was finally free, but I had nowhere to go and only Kakarot as my closest and only friend left. Mostly, I cried because this wasn't what I had thought was going to happen. I wanted to stay with both Vegeta and Kakarot, back in the palace, back with a simple life and simple rules, but Vegeta was dead now, and Kakarot was giving off a strange, unreliable vibe; somewhere, deep down, I felt lied to; I felt cheated.
Kakarot…
He was all I had left. He was the only solid thing in a world which had become frighteningly strange and lonely. He was my friend; my dearest friend. I found his hand and squeezed it gently.
"Thank you."
I told him, pulling away and wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. Kakarot looked down at me, his eyes intense and strong. I could almost feel him willing me to snap out of it, to be stronger and to be the person he knew I could be. He didn't seem to care about the Saiyan home world; neither did I, but… Nathan was still there. I wanted to go back and get him, but it was far past too late. We were too far away and if we went back now, we'd probably be killed the second we arrived. It was as though everything was an unimportant footnote in the story of his life, and mine as well.
I shook my head, there was so much to take in and right now, I didn't have the strength to argue, negotiate or simply do anything. If this is what Kakarot thought was best, then I should trust him.
"How… How long was I asleep?"
He thought for a second, and then calmly spoke,
"About two days now…"
He gingerly pushed away from the bed and stood up slowly.
"We're not going back to Planet Vegeta; I may as well tell you that now. I'm sure you already knew that, and I know that you probably want to go back and get Nathan, but I think you must already know Nathan's a tough guy, especially for a human. He might be emotionally damaged, but that won't stop him from pushing through. He has spirit, and always will. He'll get out of there; I know he will…"
I smiled slightly, wiping my eyes a little more. There was a short silence before he continued,
"Aside from the fact that, you deserve your freedom from that bastard Prince and both of us need some more medical attention…"
He watched me carefully as he spoke, seeming to be gauging my reaction. I just noticed at that very moment all of the wounds and cuts, bruises and burns, bites and tears in his clothing; all over his body.
"I've plotted a course to an out-of-the-way-planet that has top notch medical facilities and doesn't ask a lot of questions."
"…and after that…?"
I needed to know what my future was going to be; a future with Kakarot; what did he have planned?
"We can go where ever you like; anywhere in the galaxy… You're free, baby!"
He took my good hand and pulled me into his arms, holding me carefully as he planted a gentle kiss on my lips,
"You're not a slave anymore… You don't have to be afraid anymore."
"Free?"
"Free."
I inhaled slowly, allowing him to hold me up as he hugged me close. I exhaled, allowing him to sense my complete relief and almost pain of finally feeling true, unbridled, untouched, first time ever seen before freedom.
"…Free…"
I repeated, looking up into Kakarot endless black eyes. When he said 'where ever', for some reason Earth didn't come to mind. Of course, since it was destroyed, there'd be no going back, but I didn't know that, yet. Nevertheless, though, I didn't want to go back. I didn't want to go home anymore. I felt like I was already home, in Kakarot's arms.
I didn't know why, but I had a feeling that if I'd try to walk away from Kakarot, he would just follow me wherever I went now. He was just like Nathan; a lost dog wanting a home, love and a companion. All of that being me; they were one in the same it seemed. One was a human, and the other was a Saiyan. Maybe that's why I'd fallen in love with Kakarot; he was too much like Nathan; an honorable, loyal, caring man, not afraid to take action, get his hands dirty, or protect me to any cost… even if it meant their death. I was more grateful than ever for that.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against him even closer, resting his chin on the top of my head,
"I want you to know that I love you so much, Taylor, and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you ever again…"
I let my eyes drift shut as I let him hold me close,
"I know. I love you, too."
I felt his arms wrap tighter around me at my admission, and as he led me back over to the bed and laid me down, I tried to find it in me to smile at the way things had turned out. I managed, but felt like I wasn't being told everything still. There was an empty, despairing feeling inside of me still. I should have been happier; despite everything that had happened to me over the past few months; I'd survived, and not only that, but I had managed to free myself with Kakarot. The truth was that my freedom had also brought a terrible loss; I'd lost Vegeta and his loss had left an empty space inside of me for some reason. Why? Why did I feel so empty? It was all too strange. I still had Kakarot and he made me feel things which Vegeta had been unable to, but it was a kind of vanilla love with a hint his darkness to it that paled in comparison to the fire that Vegeta had built in me; that sexy fear and that burning itch for more pain and pleasure swirled into one. I didn't know why I wanted 'pain', but Vegeta delivered it in a way where no matter what he did, I would live through it, and just come out wanting to come running back for more.
v
I had no more tears to cry, and the empty feeling inside of me was one which I knew would be there for a long time. Sighing, I curled my fingers into the sheets and held onto Kakarot tightly; wishing that things had turned out differently and that Vegeta could've and would've changed; that he would've been better. I had wanted to stay with my Saiyan Prince and with Kakarot, too, and love them both. As much as Kakarot meant to me, it was like a third of my soul had turned numb; it was like the sun had left my life and taken all the heat and beauty with it. I didn't care if I was thinking stupidly or even sounded like some weird, poetic whore; I loved them both for different reasons, and one was now gone, and that hurt, deeply.
Still, Kakarot loved me and I loved him, and even though I saw things in his eyes which chilled me; that monster, that beast that was unleashed by Vegeta's jealousy, I knew he'd do whatever it took to keep me safe and free, loved and cared for, strong and brave, but he would never be 'Vegeta'; Vegeta's good side, at least. Kakarot had a different good side that wasn't the same. They were both great, but Vegeta's was gone. If I truly had to choose, I'd have my family begin with Nathan, but I didn't know if his was alive or dead, so my family and future self; my future life lied in the hands of Kakarot, and I think he knew that, too. I think he felt the same way, too; unknowing and unsure of Nathan's outcome, but we'd move past it; I was sure of it. Nathan wasn't there, to be free with us and to be one with us, but I believed I'd see him again someday; whether in spirit or in person, the man I first truly fell for would turn up again… hopefully.
I felt the urge of tears wanting to come back, but I forced them away and just focused on what really mattered. I, Taylor; I would survive and I would live on.
I was free.
v
Nathan sat silent at the bar sipping on some of the strongest liquor he'd ever come across, but that didn't matter to him. He'd grown into himself; he was a stronger man, a braver one, and most certainly didn't care about anyone or anything anymore. It had been almost one year since he'd escaped Planet Vegeta in search for me. His hair was growing out and he was leaner and more muscular than ever before. He looked like a completely different person; the only thing that gave him away so easily was his natural dark red hair, waving and a mess.
He stayed quiet and to himself with his thoughts when he was suddenly approached by an unexpected face. It was Vanessa, a woman he'd met some time ago after escaping Planet Vegeta. She was a shape-shifter who'd helped him escape from some guards after being caught stealing to be able to afford buying a cruiser to get across the planet he'd landed on. She said to him that if he ever needed 'anything', to just let her know, ended there meet on a wink. He'd found her rather appealing, reminding him of Mystique form the old Marvel movies back on Earth; long blonde hair, humanistic features, a beautiful face and a smoldering body; despite knowing she could shape-shift into anyone or anything, she was a total bombshell in his eyes.
She smiled at him and put her delicate finger over his forearm.
"Hey, handsome; what are you doing in a shit-hole like this?"
He chuckled,
"I was about to ask you the same thing…"
She grinned more mischievously at him, moving closer and up onto the stool right next to where Nathan was seated.
"What brings a pretty face like yours to this 'neck of the woods'?"
Nathan spoke as he lifted his drink to his lips. She tilted her head slightly and sighed,
"Well, I got to make money somehow… You know; to survive in a town like this…"
Nathan chuckled again, knowing exactly what she was talking about. The first time he saw her, and even now, he felt just like Deadpool; not only was this beautiful piece of art talking to him be named 'Vanessa', but she was also a whore. To top off that bit of trivia, she was drop-dead gorgeous in every aspect. She may not look like the character, but, hell, she was a shape-shifter. Nathan was sure that if she saw a picture of the character from the comics, or even the movie, she could transform into her as well. It was fun to think about, but he had other things on his mind, too; like where the fuck I was.
Nathan looked her over before taking another sip of his drink, trying to forget about me for the moment.
"I haven't seen you in a while… What brings you to Kri-Shen?"
She slowly grabbed the glass in his fingers and took it from him, sipping on it; keeping that calm, confident look on her face as though the alcohol didn't affect her at all. Nathan watched her with a dark glint in his eyes, but a sour, torn look in his half frown, half grin.
"I was hoping to find someone I lost… She wasn't here, though, so I just thought…"
He rubbed his eyes tiredly,
"…I'd grab a quick drink before heading back out…"
"Oh, I see… a 'girlfriend'… or wife or mate or whatever you guys call them I presume…"
Nathan glanced down with a gloomed expression.
"Yeah… she was… but she was taken away from me… Twice…"
She stayed silent a moment, just watching him. The way he said the word 'twice' was very dark; like vengeance was dripping from his mouth. His expression became angrier the longer he thought about it. He didn't want to admit it, but he was livid about the fact that his closest friend after the invasion just up and ditched him, taking the one he loved more than anyone with him. Nathan didn't really want to hate Kakarot, but he was slowly beginning to hate him a little more as each and every day passed. One year, and still nothing; how much longer would he need to search? He wondered if that bastard Vegeta was somewhere out there, too; looking for me as well, or, if the rumors were true that he was killed. Nathan didn't believe them, but he wished that it was true. He hated Vegeta more than anyone else. He hated too much, and it made him more cynical than anyone else he'd ever come across; and others that knew him would agree.
Vanessa calmly placed the hand that was on his arm on his back and gently rubbed.
"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry… Trust me; I know exactly how you feel… I had someone I loved get taken away from me, too… and… you know… I know I've made mistakes in the past, but… I don't know if I deserved it…"
Nathan looked at her; wondering why she was opening up like this to him.
"You probably didn't… You probably did the best that you could've…"
She smiled at him.
"You really think so…?"
Nathan grinned at her, taking his drink back and downing the rest of it like a shot, licking his lips of the hot bitterness.
"Yeah… I know I sure as hell did!"
He slammed his glass down and slid it down the bar to the bartender, waving for another two. The bartender quickly made two more and slid them back down. Nathan caught both and gave one to Vanessa.
"Thanks, handsome…!"
"You're welcome, doll…!"
She smiled and held hers up.
"Here's to being lonely… I guess…"
"Here's to not giving a shit about anyone… or anything… I guess…"
Nathan clinked his glass with hers. She smiled, knowing damn well that the man meant the words he spoke. They drank their drinks and got more as the afternoon got longer and slower; time feeling as though it were slowing down and numbing the hours as they flew by.
v
Vanessa pulled Nathan into the washroom and locked the door. She grabbed him by his shirt and pushed him against the wall, kissing him like it were more important than breathing. Nathan grabbed her sides and spun them around, pushing her into the wall and ripping the front of her shirt open. Her hands felt down to the bulge forming; becoming harder in his pants and fiddled with the belt and the front of his pants. Nathan chuckled, assisting her to get them off. As soon as they fell to the floor he grabbed her under her legs and lifted her up, ripping her panties off. He grunted loudly at the feeling and heated sensation of suddenly being inside of her. She moaned loudly; the whole bar could probably hear what they were doing, but did anyone give a shit? Fuck, no. If anything, they'd cheer them on as soon as they were done. The people on Kri Shen were extremely sexualized freaks who basically fuck to stay alive; again, as though fucking were more important than breathing itself!
As Nathan finished, he made sure ahead of time to cum in her mouth and not inside her. He didn't even risk the whole 'cumming in the ass or cream-pie-ing' thing anymore. He gladly fucked her in the ass when she practically begged him for it, but didn't want to risk anything at all. He didn't want to be a father; not yet anyways. Vanessa knew that and didn't care. She wasn't out for revenge like she was with her old husband. He'd run off with another woman; a Saiyan woman, so, as revenge, she took advantage of his the man's youngest son. Forcing herself to have a child with the boy and then running off on him, on all of them. It was revenge enough and she never saw any of them ever again, but she had always wondered where that child of hers was or how he had ever turned out. The only thing she knew of for certain was that the DNA given to her made out a male specimen at birth.
Nathan pulled his pants back on, did them up and stared down at the beautiful woman lying against the wall; her legs spread wide and his 'big' prize to her for being such a good fuck smeared all over her mouth and chin. He hadn't had a good release like that in months. He saw the tip of her tongue trail her lips and the corners of her mouth; it turned him on a lot, almost enough to continue maybe a little longer, but he glanced done at the Atomical-Galactic District Seven watch and figured he should be heading out before the storms of fog and rain roll in. He grinned at her and the last words spoken were a simple 'thanks, doll…' and 'bye-bye for now', followed by a wink.
Nathan left, fist-bumping a few fellow guys he knew on the way out, paying the bartender by flipped a silver three-hundred piece Zenti to him and telling him to keep the change. When he stepped outside, breathing in the cool, fresh air, he decided it was time to leave, and maybe, just maybe, he'd make a few more pit-stops at other bars along the way; on other planets, of course.
He'd faced several aliens trying to steal his things and cash. He always surrendered, but not without a fight either. He would beat them almost every time, and if not, he'd run, and not because he was a coward, but because he had his pride; his pride in thievery. He grinned remembering all the other times as another lone alien swept out from behind with a blaster pointed to his head. He raised an eyebrow as he relaxed and prepared for another fight, knowing the poor guy wasn't going to be going home tonight, for he'd be dead by the time he was done with him.
v
Ten years later, Kakarot and I arrived on Plant Xenophore-21 from travelling for two long days in our tiny, little, beat-up cruiser of a ship. Planet Xenophore-21 was the most criminally active and patrolled planet in the cosmos! With us being outlaws, we needed to take extra precautions to get around everywhere; Kakarot had a thirty-seven thousand Zenti bounty on his head while I had a ninety-four thousand Zenti bounty on mine. Mine was worth more because of two major reasons; I was a female, and I was one of the last thousand or so humans left alive in the whole galaxy. Kakarot was worth quite a bit because he was a mercenary and a Saiyan, who were close to extinction as well. Kakarot didn't have any other family except for his son, who was exceptionally professional and on his own somewhere in the eastern quadrant. Someone less to worry about in our lives as Kakarot put it. He was proud of Gohan, despite still not knowing what his son had done. Even then, he'd probably still be proud.
We snuck through the streets, checking out stands of different foods and products. Squeezing and dodging people everywhere, Kakarot clung to my hand, making sure I wouldn't get left behind in the crowd. I was too short; I'd get lost so quickly (I being only five-foot-four and Kakarot being six-foot-five, I think). Kakarot was like a Jedi that had just barely made it to the light-side. We still bought and paid for things, but he used telepathic power to put individuals into a transparent illusion into seeing either nothing in where we are or two totally different figures. That way, we never get caught by guards or officers. It's very useful and he learned it right after we had had our first child.
God, I love Saiyans and their abilities to learn things at the speed of light!
We had bought a few groceries and quickly took them back to our ship, dropped them off with our kids and then raced back to go and get more. My beautiful children were growing up far too fast; Rose, my daughter, was the first one born, she was eight years old now (in Earth time) and my son, Goten, was our second, and presumably our last until Kakarot and I decide on anything else family-making wise and to see if he even can, considering the fact that Saiyans can only produce to the three children at best. (It was an evolutionary thing to help keep their population to a minimum back on Planet Vegeta). Goten had just turned six a few months back (again, in Earth time). They were getting so big, at least, to me they were. I thought just like any other mother; I laughed at myself for it every day, and so did Kakarot, telling me that I worry too much. He was such a goof as a father; at least when I was able to remember the hilarious things that he did.
v
Nathan chewed on a fruit he'd just stolen from a basket at one of the hundreds of market stands when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. A poster on the wall to a stand; the poster had two figures on it, one was a young woman with short dark hair and looked suspiciously human, and the other looked exactly like Kakarot. Maybe it was; would that mean the woman was me, Taylor? The other poster next to the first two was one of him; and holding the second highest bounty in history. He grinned at that fact. He was proud for holding such a title. He was 'Star Lord' in his own eyes. He glanced around to make sure that no one was noticing him in particular and continued on his way. Before he left the stand's side, though, he quickly grabbed the two posted, tearing them off the wall and shoving them in his coat pocket. Though, it was smoldering hot out on the planet, he was dressing very heavily to protect himself from watching eyes and all the damn guards.
He grabbed more fruits to hydrate himself along his way; bumping into aliens and other beings and occasionally hitting on the odd, pretty thing to come across his path. He thought about so many things as he walked. One of the things in particular that he thought about was what had ever happened to Taylor; our friend from the States back on Earth. The last time he'd seen her was years ago, back on Planet Vegeta. She had told him about how she was going to avenge her friends, family, her husband, and him and me. It made him wonder what had ever happened to her; if she had died during the rebellion attack on Planet Vegeta, if she'd escaped like him and is still to this day just somewhere in the depths of space; he wondered what ever came of anyone he once knew, and now, no longer sees or hasn't seen in years. He was thirty-two years old human male, and he hadn't seen another soul in eleven years that he'd once known, including me. He tried to ignore the somewhat painful memories of family and friends, clenching the tag around his neck, and continuing through the hordes of townsfolk and fellow alien life forms.
He continued walking for over an hour before stopping yet again, to stare out and see what he didn't expect to see. He was at the top of a small hill on the road and was able to overlook the whole crowd ahead of him, and saw someone.
Is it a mirage?
He thought as he pulled out the crumpled posters and held them up. When he brought them down, he could see the truth of what he was seeing. About fifty yards away, through the hundreds of people crowding the busy market street; he stood staring out into the far distance noticing something very peculiar, immediately enraging his own inner beast. His eyes flared angrily and he shook in place. For a moment, he didn't know what to do, he didn't know what to think; the smaller figure next to the man had a hood up, protecting their image while 'he' stood tall, proud, arrogant and smug. He watched as people walked around him, not even recognizing him. He saw his hand rise slightly as two guards walked past. He was using some kind of mind trick to make everyone oblivious to who he was. Nathan was about to snap; and then, he did.
"Oh, you mother-"
"-FUCKER…!"
Kakarot and I stood silently as we heard to faint sound of someone scream.
"Who was that?"
I asked casually while looking around. Kakarot grinned and shrugged, disregarding the unnaturally loud voice that came from off in the distance somewhere. Suddenly, the small, silver dart struck Kakarot in the neck. He flinched; reaching up to grab it, but suddenly stumbled and fell to his side. A man came charging through the crowd, pushing people aside and jumped on top of Kakarot.
"What the fuck…?"
I yelled concerned, but also annoyed at whatever the hell was happening. The man began beating Kakarot's face in, both of them grunted. Kakarot struggled to move, but whatever was in that tranquilizer really did him in.
"Stop it! Stop…!"
People began crowding in front of me so I couldn't see the fight.
"Damn it…!"
I tried maneuvering around the beings in front of me, but there was just too many. Guards couldn't get through to see what was going on for there being way too many people. Kakarot suddenly awoke, wide-eyed and furious and grabbed the falling fist coming towards his face again. The crowd cheered and chanted.
"FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT…!"
The mystery man to us and the other aliens of the crowd grabbed Kakarot's hair and slammed his head down hard, making him bleed. Blood dripped from his nose as he glared up at the unknown man. He whipped out a Carsion Blade (one invented by himself) from his belt and put it to Kakarot's throat with his finger on the trigger, loaded, and ready to make his move.
"WHY DID YOU FUCKING LEAVE ME THERE, YOU BASTARD?!"
"I… I don't even kn-know y-you!"
The man growled as he pushed the blade closer to his flesh. Kakarot's eyes flared red and suddenly, the man found himself flying backwards and through several stands and crates; yards away. The stranger that had attacked Kakarot winced in pain as he slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head. Kakarot stood abruptly and began angrily pacing towards the attacker. Suddenly, he began to lose his vision and stumbled slightly.
Fuck, the after-effects of that stupid tranquilizer… Shit, I have to get out of here…
Kakarot turned to begin flying away when suddenly and grappling rope shot around his ankle, tripping him. He landed on his hands and knees to save him from face-planted in the dirt. He looked back to see the grappling rope lead taught back to a gauntlet on the man's wrist. The man grinned slightly as Kakarot hesitated as to what to do. Five guards came rushing through the crowd, ready to take them down when Kakarot quickly lifted from the ground, flying up into the air.
"I got you now, you son of a-ahh…!"
The man was cut off from finishing what he was going to say when he was pulled off his feet into the sky. Kakarot couldn't fly straight, for the after-effects of the tranquilizer were taking a small toll on his mind. He landed roughly in the dirt about a mile away from the market; close to where his ship was. The man rolled in the dirt and immediately ran for Kakarot, Carsion in his right hand and a gauntlet blade switched out in his left, ready to slit and tear the Saiyan apart. Kakarot's eyes flicked up to the man right as he was about to jump down and assassinate the father of my children. I came rushing up after throwing down a smoke-bomb in the crowd to disorient the guards and people, to see what was even happening. I ran as fast as I could, just barely being able to see them over the horizon line.
"HEY…! STOP…!"
They didn't hear me, or maybe they did and they just ignored me. I was getting mad now. We were here to get some good, tasting foods for our kids and the next thing we know, this crazed psycho comes out of nowhere and starts picking a fight with Kakarot.
Seriously, what the fuck?!
The man was kicked off Kakarot and Kakarot threw a punch square in his face, pushing the man backwards, towards the edge of the cliff they were on. He shot out another grappling rope on Kakarot's arm and pulled, flipping Kakarot around and pulling him towards the man himself. He got Kakarot into and strangle-hold. Kakarot began choking as the man gripped him harder and flexed his arm more, choking him further.
"Why the fuck did you leave me there? Answer me, you motherfucker!"
Kakarot choked, coughing more, pushing the man back inch by inch.
"I… I… d-don't kn-know what you're t-talking ab-bout…!"
"Yes, you do, you fuck!"
The man spoke through gritted teeth. He twisted Kakarot's arm, forcing a scream out of him. Kakarot had had it. It was time to put an end to this bullshit.
Who is this guy and what did I ever do to him? I don't recognize him…
Kakarot pushed all his weight backwards and the two fell off the cliff and down into the water below. The water splashed loudly as the two fell in. I finally got to the top and looked over the edge.
"KAKAROT…!"
My eyes widened when I saw the two both come up for air at the same time.
"HEY, WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON, HUH?"
They both looked straight up at me. The man's eyes focused on me when suddenly everything went blank in his eyes, for Kakarot threw a punch across his face when he let his guard down, and he was knocked out.
v
When he woke up, he was on a ship.
What the fuck…? This isn't my ship!
He waited for his eyes to adjust when suddenly they fixated on Kakarot, sitting across from him. Kakarot threw him a towel.
"Dry yourself off; we're going to talk…"
He glared slightly, but listened to the Saiyan, for all his weapon and whatnot had been removed and placed over where Kakarot was sitting; his coat hanging next to him to dry. It was just him and the damp clothes on his back.
v
After thirty minutes of talking, the man and Kakarot finally knew the truth, or, at least Kakarot did, his eyes wide with wonder as soon as he figured it out. The man wanted to see how long it'd take, giving hints here and there, and Kakarot finally got it.
"Nathan…?"
Kakarot leaned forward; his eyes were wide and curious. Nathan took a step back.
"What…? Was I not supposed to say that name or something?"
Kakarot shook his head, his eyes becoming glassy and watery, seeing his old friend and warrior seated before him, confused and nervous. They never did give one another a proper welcome.
"No, man… Come on, we haven't had a proper hug, yet…"
Nathan froze a moment, just staring at the tall Saiyan as he stood and stepped around the table. Kakarot lent a hand out.
"God; Kakarot, man…!"
Nathan grabbed Kakarot's hand a pulled the man in close to him, hugging him tightly.
"I'm so sorry about what I did!"
"He-he; its fine, man… I already told you that…!"
"No, listen, I'm really sorry for what I did… I wasn't thinking clearly; I was just pissed off, man…"
"Look, its fine… It's just I… I'm sorry, but I didn't recognize you…"
Nathan chuckled slightly as he backed away from their hug,
"Well, you wouldn't be the first…"
There was a pause before Nathan turned towards the hallway. He felt his coat to see if it was dry yet. It was but he left it where it was, along with his belts with his knives and other such weapons. He glanced at Kakarot.
"You got a washroom on this clunker?"
Kakarot chuckled and nodded; pointing to the door near the end of the hallway.
"Yeah, it's the last door on the right…"
Nathan nodded and began walking. I stepped out from the washroom on the ship, only for me to slam into a hard body; it was the man who we'd picked up from the river after Kakarot knocked him out. Kakarot insisted we bring him, but I didn't understand why. He was tall with long, dirty, red hair all around his shoulder and down in a mess; with very human-like features. I think his hair had been pulled back when I first saw him, but the water from the river must have messed it up. I never did get an overly-good look at the man before all that shit went down at the marketplace. He was very strong, and for a moment, I just stared, as he did as well.
"Oh, excuse me, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there! I just needed to use the washroom…"
"Oh, no… Please, I'm sorry. I was the one that wasn't watching where I was going…!"
He chuckled slightly, still unsure who I was. He wasn't sure if it was me or not, but he didn't want to ask; feeling it'd be rude to do so. He stepped around me and stepped into the washroom. Before he closed the door, he glanced up at me, winking and then closing the door. I giggled slightly.
Who is this guy? Well, whoever he is, he's really cute!
I walked back into the main entrance of the ship where Kakarot was, pouring drinks with the ship on autopilot.
"Damn it, babe, you really got to start watching where we stop in a crowd! We could've got caught with that asshole shooting me like that!"
"Oh, stop it! That wasn't my fault. Do you think I knew that that was going to happen; dick!"
Nathan stared at himself in the mirror briefly, hearing our banter, and chuckled quietly to himself. He stared at his eyes intensely.
It's not her… It… It can't be… Taylor was so…
He began to remember me and how I used to be, being soft, delicate and sweet-looking. The woman with Kakarot couldn't be me, there was no way. Muscular and lean, rough-looking and scarred; there was no way. Nathan couldn't shake it. He simply left his thoughts and reemerged from the washroom, quickly pulling his hair back into a messy, low-hanging ponytail. He grinned at mine and Kakarot's bickering, recognizing us from somewhere. He knew Kakarot was Kakarot, but he didn't know if I was… me.
"So… you guys are outlaws, too?!"
Kakarot and I both looked at the mysterious man standing behind us, casually leaning against the hallway wall with his arms crossed.
"Yeah… You're, too?!"
He nodded proudly with a sly grin on his face.
"Yep, I have the second highest bounty in this quadrant of the galaxy."
My jaw dropped and Kakarot just laughed, for the man had told him that earlier while I was out of the room; he had the same reaction.
"Are you serious?!"
I stared at him, scanning him over suspiciously.
What could this guy have possibly done?!
"How much…?"
I asked crossing my arms smugly at him as I stepped closer. He grinned down at me and proudly said,
"Thirty-seven million Zenti…"
"WHAT?!"
I yelled, and then quickly covered my mouth, for I didn't want to wake my children. We all burst out laughing, for my reaction was what Nathan and Kakarot were wanting from me. I noticed after rubbing the joyful tears from laughing so hard from my eyes, the man we 'just met' was 'checking me out'. I grinned and playfully punched his arm, snapping him out of it after stepping up next to him.
"Hey, big guy, you like something you see?!"
He chuckled and blushed, looking at Kakarot, who was laughing at him, too, raising an eyebrow at the man and crossed his arms again in amusement, and then he looked back down at me again.
"No, you just… you remind me so much of someone else I knew a really long time ago…She was with you, Kakarot…"
Nathan said as his eyes looked up to Kakarot's eyes. Kakarot's eyes focused harder.
What does he mean?
"Oh, is that so?"
I spoke confidently. The man nodded, his eyes running over me more. I had lost so much of my memory over the years. Kakarot and I were desperately trying to find a planet with the technology to fix my memory-loss, but it also had to be one that would not know who we were or simply be nice enough not to care. Kakarot and I were like the Robin Hoods of space; took from the wealthy and gave to the poor. Many facilities and people here didn't know us, but anyone in the law did, and there were a lot of them! We thought we found one, but it was still in the works of development.
"Yeah… you're beautiful like she was…"
I grinned more, biting my lip slightly. Kakarot noticed and grinned at me for beginning flirting with this man.
"He-he; well… thank you, I get that a lot."
He grinned slightly. He knew me… He had to have. Why else would he feel the way he did if he didn't?! He hadn't felt this kind of warmth and happiness since… since…
"So… what'd you do to get a pretty, little bounty like that on your head?"
Kakarot stepped forward speaking, snapping the man out of his thoughts again. He looked almost surprised. Kakarot knew, but was trying to lead the man into telling me more about him, hoping it'd trigger some memories, or something worth remembering about the man.
"Oh… I'm a universal jewel smuggler. I hunt planets for priceless, nameless, rare jewels and treasures to make a quick buck… I tell you; it's one hell of a joy ride!"
He sighed, thinking about it for a moment.
"I can tell you that much…"
Kakarot stared in amusement at Nathan. I stared in awe.
Really?! So, he's the famous jewel hunter I've heard so much about over the years…
"Yeah, I've been doing it for a good nine… maybe ten years now…"
"Amazing…!"
I couldn't believe we were in the presence of one of the most well-known outlaws out there!
"Wow! You're like my hero!"
He chuckled down at me for my cute, little 'fan-girl' comment.
"Yeah, you definitely remind me of my old girlfriend… We had been taken to Planet Vegeta years ago… before that… I lived with her on a Planet called 'Earth'. It was destroyed years ago, though, so…"
He trailed off before adding,
"Man, I sure do miss her…"
I froze a moment. Kakarot went speechless, dropping his arms. He prayed I'd know something of what Nathan had said. I remembered the name 'Earth'. It was familiar to me. Kakarot told me about it every day to try and spark my memory again. I stepped forward, suspiciously towards him. He took a slight step back.
"Wh-What's wrong?"
I noticed a small, silver tag dangling around his neck. It read: '100-7452: Reece, Bren…' It looked like the rest was burned and melted off. It looked old, but familiar for some reason. I couldn't lay my finger on it. The tall Earthling noticed where I was staring and clamped his hand around it nervously. He swallowed hard, wondering why I became so serious. Nathan glanced at Kakarot and gave him a gesture to just say it and tell me who he was; to see if any bells would be rung. Kakarot was getting excited, yet concerned as to whether or not I was recognizing him, yet. My eyes panned back up to his, wide and curious.
"What's your name?"
He glanced up at Kakarot, who crossed his arms tighter against his body again, anxious, waiting for the response, too, even though he already knew who we were talking to. The man swallowed hard, wondering if he could trust what was happening for a moment. He knew he could trust Kakarot, or should be able to, but what if it was more shape-shifter, ready to 'out him' and take him in, or just the people he once knew, but they betray him? He didn't know, but he didn't want to fear anyone or anything either.
"Umm… m-my name… is…"
The man looked back down at me, staring straight into my looming, blue eyes and spoke calmly; still unaware of who I was (for rumors had spread around that I wasn't with Kakarot anymore and it was someone else; probably confusion amongst others for how different I looked now), but he wasn't sure either, so he spoke,
"Nathan…"
"Nathan…? Hmm, that sounds familiar…"
It wasn't the name he used for smuggling. As a matter a fact, he rarely used it; everyone that wanted him behind bars or dead only knew him as the 'anonymous thief'.
"Well, Kakarot; I assume you already introduced yourself, so I'll introduce myself… Hi, I'm Taylor…!"
Kakarot starred off out the window overlooking the planet's surface, daydreaming and not paying attention. I reached out to shake his hand, but he just stared wide-eyed at me. My smile slowly faded as I wondered why he was staring at me.
"Umm… Hello…?"
That was when Kakarot snapped out of his daydream of me finally getting my memory back and realized that I didn't recognize him and that Nathan was about to spill like a lunatic.
Oh, no…Wait, shit! I never told him, yet! He doesn't know!
Nathan's eyes filled with tears as he stared directly at me. I stared confused. I backed away a step as Nathan stepped forward.
"My God, Taylor… Y-You… I…"
He was cut off by Kakarot grabbing his arm and pulling him back.
"Taylor, just wait… Go check up on Rose and Goten or something if you want… Okay…? I need to quickly talk to Nathan a little more…"
He spoke as he pulled Nathan off towards the front consol of the ship. I nodded, confused, but obeyed him and headed down the hallway to the last room at the end. Nathan glared at Kakarot.
"What the hell, man…? That was… I… Who's Rose and…?"
So many questions were immediately rushing through Nathans brain. He couldn't comprehend me being 'that' woman he was just talking to. Kakarot cut him off with saying,
"Yes, that's her, but… there's something's you need to know… Nathan, you were a good friend and a great fighter, and still are. I trust you and we talked enough, I think, that we established a pretty close bond… which is why I feel you need to know… the truth…"
"I should know what…? What 'truth', what do you mean?"
Nathan stared at the tall Saiyan angry, but also curious, too. Kakarot sighed deeply. Then, that's when it begun.
v
Kakarot told him everything; from how I barely remembered anything after being taken to Planet Vegeta to how Kakarot and I had started a family together and have had two kids, our daughter, Rose, and our son, Goten. He didn't want to, but it was disloyal and wrong of him to keep things like that a secret from his friend. Nathan was strong, but he wasn't completely stone. He fell to his knees, defeated and weary. He felt like he failed; to keep me and to be with me forever. He pressed his hands to his face, tearing up. Kakarot kneeled next to the man and patted his back gently.
"I'm sorry, man… I know you still love her… I'm trying to fix it, though…"
Nathan stared back at him angrily, his eyes red and puffy, breathing heavily.
"What the fuck are you talking about?!"
"I'm trying to get her memory back! We've been searching high and low for years now, trying to find the perfect facility to help us. We found one about seven or eight years ago, and are planning on going back to see if the experimental drug serum will finally work on Taylor; to jot her memory again… To bring her old life back… The life had on Earth…"
Kakarot sighed and patted Nathans back again.
"I'm so sorry; man… If I knew you were still alive, I never would've…"
He paused momentarily,
"…I never would've started a family with Taylor; I would've waited to find you…"
Nathan wept into his hands more, miserable that I was basically gone; no longer his at all, in any way, shape or form. I was gone.
"So… she really doesn't remember anything about me… at all?"
Kakarot gave him a half grin and sighed,
"She's told me about dreams she would have where she'd see a man with dark-red hair, tall and strongly built, but… she never remembered your name after about a year of being off Planet Vegeta… Your name rings a bell to her; she just can't put her finger on where it was from…"
Nathan wiped his eyes and slowly stood, letting Kakarot help him up. He pushed his thick hair that had fallen out of his loosely put together ponytail behind his ear, out of his face. He glanced up at Kakarot.
"What happened to Vegeta?"
Kakarot froze.
"Well… one-hundred and fifty-four… or, I mean, umm, eleven… years ago; I told Taylor I killed him… She doesn't know that he's still alive, though… He's on this planet, in that prison…"
He spoke as he pointed towards a massive building crowning the center of the city like a castle from through the windshield of the front of the ship. It was the biggest known prison in the galaxy. Nathan stared off to it, almost amazed.
Really, Vegeta… is alive? And in jail?!
Nathan glanced back at Kakarot.
"So, what's happening?"
He took a deep breath before speaking again.
"I'm going to tell Taylor the truth… That's why I brought her here in the first place… I found out a while back. He has the highest bounty, just above you… Somewhere around seventy-five million Zenti, I think."
Nathan's eyes practically bulged out of his skull.
"Wait, wait… WHAT…?"
Kakarot quickly put his finger to his lips in a 'Shhh' gesture. Nathan quickly noticed and quickly looked back, not wanting to have me hearing them. Kakarot then simply nodded. They both looked back at the prison. Kakarot grabbed Nathan's arm after a moment of staring and tugged.
"Come on… Come sit…"
Nathan stared a moment.
What, why?! What's the point? Why does he want me to stay with them?!
"What about my ship? Where is it?"
Kakarot half-grinned and calmly said,
"It was taken away… Good thing you didn't have anything, too important on it…"
Nathan nodded, but then looked up weirdly at him,
"Wait, how would you know?"
Kakarot rubbed the back of his neck guilty and grinned a little more.
"Uhh, well… after we found you, Taylor brought you back and I went out and found your ship… I searched through it for, honestly, anything useful, but didn't find anything… I was almost caught so I got out of there as quick as possible. When we boarded our ship, we saw guards invading yours, so we got out of the area as quick as we could."
Nathan stared at him like he was crazy.
"You're kidding… Ugh…"
He rubbed his eyes for the idiocy of Kakarot for not relocking up his ship after going in it. Nathans brow frowned at the thought and Kakarot gave him a half grin.
"I want to catch up more… friend… Despite what you may think, we still haven't talked nearly enough…"
Nathan sighed and then grinned, looking down and then back up as he stepped forward, towards Kakarot.
"What are you, a woman?"
Kakarot chuckled as he sat down, letting Nathan walk back around to the other side of the table and sitting, too. They clinked their drinks, like bro's should and continued talking about women, thievery, jobs they'd done and all the different adventures each of them had gone on.
I emerged from the hallway, holding Goten in my arms; he was sleeping against my shoulder. For a six year old, he was still pretty small; he was so adorable. (At least I know where his height comes from).
I chuckled quietly to myself as Nathan looked up at me, seeing the small boy in my arms. I smiled at them; still not completely aware of whom Nathan was. I trusted him, though, if he was a friend of Kakarot's. Kakarot got up and walked over to where I was. He placed a gentle hand on Goten's head, looking at Nathan, who stood from his seat; setting his drink down.
"Nathan, this is Goten. He's our son…"
Nathan stared at the adorable, sleepy, miniature 'Goku' look-a-like. It made him smile even though he didn't want to. He wanted to be sad, to be mad, and to be miserable that… I wasn't his anymore.
"He-he; like Goten from Dragon Ball Z, huh?"
I nodded, being able to still remember my favorite, beloved television show from Earth, but not much else. I remembered faces and characters, but didn't really remember much of what happened in the show itself. He chuckled to himself again as he slowly reached up, looking at me cautiously. I gave him a nice, nodding gesture, indicating that he could touch Goten. Nathan placed a hand on top of the boy's head as he slept soundly. Nathan smiled again at the young, strong looking boy. He's just like his anime counterpart, he thought. Kakarot placed a hand on Nathans shoulder in a friendly gesture.
Nathan, I know you're struggling with this. I know you have lived these past eleven years harshly. Even without Taylor, you probably thought you had the life; a good one, too. I'm so sorry if us running into you has ruined that, but… I do hope you'll stick with us now. We don't know many and don't know many people that we can trust, and… if the serum finally works… I want you to be there, for me… for… her… be there for Taylor. She'll remember you and she'll…
Kakarot grinned at the thoughts as he watched Nathan stroking his hand through Goten's hair and smiling at me. He continued thinking to himself.
I want to see her face when she remembers you again…
v
The very next day, after a restless sleep, we quickly landed the ship a fair distance from the prison and Kakarot and I ran for it. Sneaking around the side of the building, Kakarot spotted two guards that looked like they'd be perfect for the both of us; uniform wise, that was.
Kakarot knocked two of the guards out quickly and quietly. He waved me over and I snuck over to where he was. We quietly took their uniforms and put them on ourselves. Putting the helmets on and stepping out from behind the building. It was a good thing these guards were all very humanoid-like figures, with distinct humanistic or Saiyan-like voices.
Nathan watched from the ship as we walked towards the entrance of the building, praying that it was us and not two other random guards. Before we went into, Kakarot spun around and gave a quick thumbs-up in Nathans direction. Nathan saw and gave one back, leaning against the side of the ship while Rose and Goten stayed inside, safe. Kakarot quickly turned back and walked with me into the prison.
Damn, this is the most secure prison in the quadrant… Wow; it's almost pathetic… What is everyone on their 'coffee break' or something?!
I thought to myself and Kakarot chucked; still being able to hear me telepathically.
Hopefully, I don't plan on being stopped and interrogated…
I nodded,
Just keep up… I can sense Vegeta's aura… It's weak, but it's near…
Okay…
I followed right at his side, practically jogging just to keep up with his strides. We walked down a large hallway, heading to maximum security. Once we reached it, having to use the security tags on the uniforms to get through three heavy-duty security doors, there was a one, lone cell, for the worst of maximum security prisoners. Sure enough, Vegeta was being put inside that one. The door opened and the guard pulling him inside turned to see us coming. With our helmets on, the man couldn't tell who we were exactly. He asked what we were doing and Kakarot simply replied with a snapping punch to the guard's stomach while I came down with a harsh hit to the back of the guard's neck, making him drop Vegeta and fall to the ground.
Kakarot grabbed Vegeta's limp, unconscious body from the ground and we headed through the cell he was being put back into and headed to the air-duct in the center of the room, on the ceiling. Kakarot blew the bared-up vent apart and grabbed my hand pulling me and Vegeta through and flew straight up and eventually out. We landed on the roof and took the helmets off to finally talk.
"Wow… that was a lot easier than I thought it'd be…"
"Yeah…"
I laughed as I hooked both helmets to my sides on the belt and grabbed Kakarot's hand again. He picked Vegeta's body up again and we flew fast back to the ship.
I kind-of recognized the man we grabbed, but I didn't understand why all 'this' was so damn important. When we got back to the ship, Nathan didn't speak, he didn't even look. He didn't show any interest in us kidnapping Vegeta and taking him back to Kakarot's and my secret place. The kids were asleep, so Nathan decided to go check up on them instead of sitting around waiting for the unconscious bastard to wake up.
v
When we got back to our hideout we had on Planet Xenophore-21 on the other side of the planet, we took him inside Kakarot's training room, which also held some different lab equipment and a security cell for specific purposes. (We're outlaws, don't judge). He threw Vegeta in and on the small, metal bed in there and decided he'd wait until he woke up to put up the shield. The weak Saiyan was still in power-resisted cuffs; he couldn't do shit even if he tried.
Fuck, he looks like shit… Man, Vegeta… you haven't trained in years if I didn't know better… You sure as hell look like it… You look… just like your father actually…
For a brief moment, Kakarot almost felt a little sorry for the Prince, but then decided to get his mind away from the thought.
"I'll wait for him to wake up… you wait in the hallway, and don't come in until I tell you to."
I nodded and hugged him.
"I know you don't like this, Kakarot… I know. I understand, kind of… This is the man you don't like… but if you think it'll help me to talk to him… then I'll do it…"
I felt his body tense against mine. He didn't like the Saiyan; at all, but he only did it because I needed to know. I remembered Vegeta… sort of. After Kakarot told me where we were going and what we were doing, I agreed without a second thought and we set course. Both Nathan and Kakarot found it odd that I was so determined to go and get him, or at least appeared that way, but Kakarot agreed that if I saw him, maybe that help jot my memory more, and plus, after all the years of lying… it'd finally be put to rest. That weight was finally gone.
I let go, staring at him, and then, we waited. Kakarot put his helmet back on again after I gave it back to him, only because he wanted to be a douche one more time to Vegeta with a big 'reveal who the guard is' kind of thing.
Oh, joy… I can't imagine this'll be well, considering everything that Kakarot's told me over the past while about the Saiyan Prince…
I sighed and shook my head. Kakarot grinned through his dark visor at me, but inside, he was still fuming like crazy.