AN: Happy Friday! :) Thanks to the reviews! They are greatly appreciated. I hope you like this chapter. :) Sorry it's a little on the short side...

Chapter 7

Bulma sat curled up in the chair, staring at the sleeping prince. It had been five days since the liberation of planet Elor. They had gotten one of their ships to land as soon as possible and boarded with the prince, immediately taking him to the med bay. They had a contingent left behind to sort out the returning of control back to the natives as well as assist in the cleanup effort. But the prince was the priority. A wound like this shouldn't have taken him down the way it did, and Bulma hadn't liked it.

After having been in the rejuvenation tank for what should have been plenty of time to heal his wounds, he continued to not recover, and the blade wound continued to fester.

That was the only time Bulma left his side. Upon returning to Vegeta-sei, she took the sword and immediately went to the lab. She had to study this sword and whatever technology or biological factor was infused in order to find out what was happening. She enlisted the help of the other scientists and spent hours poring over this weapon.

Finally, late in the night, they discovered that it was a combination of alien technology and an anticoagulant mechanism that caused significant physical damage while also preventing the body from healing itself—even a Saiyan body. Also introduced, likely to finish the job if the lack of healing didn't, was a poison. That was the element keeping him down now. Luckily, since they knew what was causing it, they had ways of treating it. They were able to give him medication that overrode the lingering anticoagulants pumped into his bloodstream and physically sewed him up to assist in the healing. Then Bulma and the other scientists were able to study the poison and create an antidote within a day.

Once these life-saving steps were taken, Bulma was back by his bedside. She needed to make sure these measures worked. She needed to make sure he would be ok. He was her prince, after all. She was responsible for his safety, even if he often didn't need her help.

But every once in a while… No one can take everything on alone.

Since leaving the lab, she had only left his med bay room to clean herself. She had food delivered, and she slept in the chair. She felt responsible. The elites got it—they all felt responsible. They would frequently come visit to ensure that he was doing well. While his body was healing and his vitals were fine, he had yet to wake up since passing out on the floor of the war room.

Goku and Chichi had visited as well, the latter more for Bulma's sake. Bulma hadn't felt much like talking, but she had to admit that having some company other than a comatose royal, sterile surroundings, and her own circling thoughts was a welcome reprieve. She had to take her mind off of the days of rumination and nerves. Would he be ok? Why hadn't she warned him sooner? Why hadn't she shot up there and taken the hit for him? Wasn't that what she was supposed to do?

These circuitous thoughts had been running on a loop for days. With every passing moment of continued unresponsiveness, her thoughts felt more and more frenzied.

She tucked her legs further under her, burrowed into the corner of the chair, and tightened her crossed arms as she stared at a corner of the room. Was there something more she could have done? Is there something more she could do now? Should she be hounding the doctors to do more testing? When was the last time they were in here to do a vitals check or any other testing?

She glanced toward him with the passing thought of doing a vitals check herself, just in case, and was greeted with his cool, black stare. She startled in response, but her eyes were locked, and there was no moving them.

The room was silent. She was trapped in her spot. She didn't know what to say or do. His eyes held her there. She couldn't read them. She felt her chest tighten again, the way it did before they went their separate ways at the vents. Her face felt warm, and she couldn't move her body. She was frozen in place.

He was awake.

"Ho-how are you?" Bulma finally stuttered, pulling her legs out from beneath her and onto the floor. She felt like she had to make herself more professional, and she couldn't explain why.

He blinked and turned his head finally to look around the room. "What happened?" he ground out, his voice low and gravely from disuse.

Bulma felt a shiver go through her entire body.

"Um…" she started, attempting in vain to control her own body. "You were stabbed."

He glanced sharply in her direction. "That much I remember. That shouldn't have stopped me."

"Well, it didn't. At first," Bulma explained—her nerves suddenly left her when she went into science mode. "We discovered that the blade had a unique kind of technology that caused more physical damage that would have taken longer to heal normally but also incorporated an anticoagulant that prevented your blood from clotting. They really must have wanted to off you, though, because it was also poisoned. So we created an antidote."

There was silence when she stopped talking, and she noticed he was staring at her again. She could feel her heart start beating harder, and she swore its pounding was echoing throughout the room. She swallowed hard. She didn't know what else to say to break this heavy silence.

"You mean you discovered," he finally said huskily.

Bulma blinked. "What?"

Vegeta's eyes bore into hers. "You said 'we' discovered all of that. But you discovered it, didn't you?"

She gaped. She normally wasn't one to deny her due praise, but this situation was one that she didn't quite know how to navigate. "Well," she began slowly, "I couldn't have done it without—"

She was cut off with a sharp look from the prince. She set her mouth and finally said, "Yes. I discovered it." Was that what he wanted to hear? It was the truth, but the discovery wouldn't have happened nearly fast enough alone.

Vegeta nodded. "And that's why you're elite."

That shiver returned to her spine, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. For what felt like the hundredth time, her eyes were locked to his. She didn't know how long; all she knew was that the room felt hotter and the air felt electric. Vegeta's mouth opened slightly, like he was going to say something. She licked her lips…

The door opened. Vegeta's eyes flashed to the door, instantly alert; Bulma jumped in her seat—almost more from the shock of the broken eye contact than from the sudden intrusion. A doctor wandered in, eyes on his clipboard. He started when he looked up and took in the fact that the prince was awake.

"Oh!" he cried, rushing to bow. "Prince Vegeta! You're awake! How are you feeling?"

Vegeta was intimidating, even confined to a hospital bed as he was. She could feel the doctor's unease. "I'm fine. I will be leaving."

He made to get up before the doctor jumped toward him, his arm extended. "Your Highness!" he exclaimed before he could stop himself. "Before you leave, you should have a session in the rejuvenation tank, just to ensure everything is healed the way it should be. Your body has been through a lot."

The prince flashed an incredulous look at Bulma who gave him a pointed look back. Just do it, her eyes read. He rolled his in response and nodded begrudgingly to the doctor who visibly relaxed.

"Ms. Briefs, His Highness will be released as soon as he's done in the tank. It's late. Why don't you finally go to sleep in your own bed? That chair can't be comfortable for that many nights," the doctor prattled as he checked vitals and took notes.

Vegeta glanced sharply at her, surprised by this revelation. She didn't meet his eyes. Instead, she stood up, bowed deeply, and with a quick, "Your Highness," she hurried from the room.

She could feel his eyes on her the whole way out, burning a hole in her back.

AN: Oooo tension. ;)

- Trixie-chan