Vegeta was on the verge of consciousness, and Bulma had managed to lower him down so he was once again sitting against his bed. Now that his hands no longer covered his face, Bulma was able to take in his appearance. His skin was ghostly pale with dark circles around his eyes. Having dealt with Vegeta's array of training and rage-related injuries over the course of three years, Bulma was prepared for any type of emergency situation in the gravity room. Bulma activated the communicator that Vegeta had used to speak to her during his journey, now calling into the panels she had installed in the house.
"Oh, I don't know how to use this! Bulma, is that you dear? Is everything okay?" Panchy's voice rang through the gravity room.
"Yeah, mom. I think Vegeta is just really dehydrated. Can you bring a few bottles of water and protein shakes out here?"
"Of course, dear! Oh, poor thing. He must just be so distraught over everything. Now…how do I turn this thing off?" Panchy fumbled with the screen, as Bulma hit the disconnect button.
She sighed, sitting back down next to Vegeta.
"Why do you do these things to yourself?" she whispered.
"Weak," Vegeta slurred out, eyes closed.
"You aren't weak, Vegeta. You're an absolute ass. But you aren't weak. You can't keep torturing yourself like this," she said, her hand reaching out, wanting to touch him out of habit. She let it fall to her side.
Vegeta grunted.
Panchy opened the door to the gravity chamber, her arms full. She set the beverages down on the floor in front of Bulma before taking a seat next to Bulma.
"Does he need medical attention, dear? I could have your father call the doctor," Panchy asked softly.
"Don't need help," Vegeta croaked.
Bulma rolled her eyes. "No, I think he's going to be fine once he gets some food and water."
"Vegeta, dear. You have to take better care of yourself. You have a child now. Trunks wants to know his daddy," Panchy said softly.
Bulma's breath hitched, anticipating Vegeta's reaction, but nothing came. Her mother's ability to say anything to anyone never ceased to amaze her.
"Now let's get you feeling better!" Panchy smiled, opening a bottle of water.
Panchy handed the water to Bulma and stood up.
"I left your father with Trunks. I can only imagine the trouble they've gotten into," Panchy said, standing up.
She kissed the top of her daughter's head and gave Vegeta's shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaving the room.
Bulma held the water up to Vegeta's lips.
"Drink this or I will have my mother bring the doctor out here."
Vegeta was still disoriented, but with Bulma's assistance, he was able to drink.
—
Over the course of an hour, three bottles of water, and two protein shakes, Vegeta started to gain more strength. He didn't speak, but Bulma watched closely as his eyes became more alert and his actions more independent.
"Do you think you can walk now?" she asked. "You still really could use a bath."
Vegeta stood up, his movements still slow but considerably steadier. Bulma gently placed a hand on his lower back, silently chastising herself for how much she had longed to feel his touch again.
The house was quiet thanks to Panchy who had wrangled Trunks through bath and bedtime. Bulma decided to bring Vegeta to what had been his bedroom when he first came to live with her. She wasn't sure if his bathroom would have any supplies, but she couldn't bear the thought of Vegeta being anywhere near her bedroom. If he came into that room, it would awaken too many memories that she wasn't ready to face.
Vegeta's bathroom was perfectly stocked and comfortable clothes had even been laid out on his bed. Bulma shook her head in awe- Panchy.
"Alright, can you promise me that you can make it through a shower without trying to drown yourself?" Bulma asked, only half-joking.
He didn't answer, but he grabbed the clothing off the bed and walked to the bathroom.
"Don't lock the door, Vegeta! I'm not busting it down if you faint in there."
Vegeta closed the door; no lock clicked. Bulma sat on the bed, thoughts racing. She ached to comfort him as she had done so many times before, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to stop herself from falling for him again. She couldn't handle letting him back into her life so intimately. She had Trunks to think about now.
Before everything, before the androids, before Cell, before Vegeta betrayed her, they had spoken on the communicator while Vegeta trained in space. He wanted to see Trunks, wanted to know what his son looked like. Bulma swore she could see the pride in his son behind his hesitancy and confusion on how to handle a child. She really thought he would want to be a father, even if it took him a while to adjust. Could she still give him that chance?
The sound of the shower turning off pulled Bulma from her thoughts. Vegeta emerged a few moments later, dressed in a tank top and sweatpants. He sat down on the bed, facing away from Bulma.
"Have you been sleeping much?" Bulma asked gently.
"No. Not since I left the time chamber. The gravity room needs a new bed. It's gotten very uncomfortable," Vegeta said.
Bulma thought she heard the beginnings of his usual arrogance forming when something didn't meet his standards. She awaited the insult that typically followed. Nothing came.
"Well, you can sleep in here. This bed is a lot nicer than the cot in the gravity room," she paused. "What was the hyperbolic time chamber like?"
"Maddening," he said, staring at the wall.
"Vegeta, I want to talk. This is just…a lot. I don't know where to start. We have to talk, but you really need to rest first," Bulma said, standing up.
She walked to the door and turned back to see Vegeta still facing the wall.
"Please get some sleep."