"Get up, human."

The order came from beside her and Bulma jumped out of her skin in surprise.

There was a large guard with spiked red hair, orange skin and purple eyes staring at her, hostility etched in every muscle.

Bulma decided to do as he said but shot a side glance at Vegeta. He was missing.

"Where's Vegeta?" She asked as politely as she could.

The guard grinned.

"Another round of 'questioning' with Lord Frieza. That damned monkey really messed up this time! I'd be surprised if you saw him again!"

Bulma tilted her head in confusion. What did he mean by that?

The first part of the sentence registered at last.

"He's with that brute again?" She asked. She looked over to the empty cells which had once held Goku and Krillin.

"Where are my friends? Are they with Frieza too?!"

Bulma started to panic. It was bad enough Vegeta was probably being subjected to such treatment but it was too much to bare if her friends were going through that too!

"Enough questions!" the guard snapped. "You will come with me."

Bulma remembered the beast from the night before and stepped backwards on instinct.

She was forced forward by the massive man and half thrown down the corridor.

She walked in silence in front of the guard and was led down the stark white hallway to a large chamber with a tube sticking out of one wall. She looked around and wondered why she had been brought to an empty room. Before she could ask she was hit with a jet of water from the tube without warning.

She tried to scream but the water was ice cold and stole the air from her lungs. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think…

Just as quickly as it had started, the water stopped and she was left gasping and shivering. Bulma's legs gave out and she collapsed on the floor in a dripping, shaking mess.

"Did I get the temperature wrong? Humans are warm blooded, aren't they? You'll warm up," said the guard dismissively.

Bulma had ringing in her ears and allowed tears to roll down her face. They were hot compared to her skin.

She noticed a new jumpsuit being placed on a table nearby.

"Get dressed. Now that you've washed you are due before Lord Frieza."

With that, the cruel man left. Bulma stared around herself as her vision started to grey at the edges and the shaking became uncontrollable.

"Inshoa nasta insa!" said a voice from the door.

She tried to move to see who was speaking but was frozen to the spot.

"I-I can't...I don't know what….gah! Speak Earthling!" she shouted.

Bulma held herself in an attempt to get warm but it was useless.

"He told you to get dressed." came Vegeta's voice.

The surprise was energising enough to force her to look up to the doorway. Vegeta was standing there beside a rather short looking man with scales as skin and a nasty expression.

"Vegeta?!" She cried.

Vegeta looked at her impassively and glanced at her clothes on the table.

"Change and come with us. Lord Frieza does not enjoy waiting. Nor do I."

His voice carried a threat which Bulma could not ignore. Her hope faded.

"You're going to take me to...him?" She questioned. Vegeta nodded and muttered the translation to the other man.

Bulma felt like sobbing. The shaking continued every time she tried to move and her body was starting to feel alarmingly numb.

"Kakarot and your bald friend are there already. I suggest you hurry or you may…" Vegeta smirked, "...miss them."

"Is he going to hurt them? What have you done?!" Bulma asked. Her frantic panic was met with cold indifference.

"Inshoa nasta insa!" Vegeta replied.

Bulma tried to move again. Her numb legs refused to obey and she shook so hard she could not breathe. Her vision clouded further and dizziness overtook her balance, forcing her to the floor.

Lying in the ice cold puddle on the floor, Bulma became very afraid. Her extremities began to burn.

She felt a soft kick on her leg.

"What's wrong with you? You can't follow basic instructions?"

The woman attempted to cry for help but nothing came from her mouth. She closed her eyes and felt more tears burn trails down her cheeks.

"Norca instia!" the other man was saying.

"...yunca insa'talia orni telapa...c'osia nati incroasca neela…" Vegeta muttered in reply.

Bulmas head started swimming and she began to drift away. Her mind was clouding so peacefully she decided to just go with it and obey her body. The shaking stopped as her body relaxed on the edge of consciousness.

Just as she was about to give up entirely, she felt her arm being yanked at. Her clothes her being tugged off her arms and down her body.

"Oh no! Not that! He wouldn't!"

Bulma fought to stay awake as she was stripped and prepared to fight if the Saiyan attempted to invade her body. He pulled her into his lap and eased the hair off her face.

Her arms and legs were still too numb so she was reduced to glaring menacingly.

"Fuck you!" she managed to spit at him.

The man raised an eyebrow and suddenly she was engulfed in light and heat. She started to feel her body again and her mind started to clear.

He's using his Ki to warm me up! She realised. She returned to normal, half dazed in his arms. His eyes still held no warmth but his face was expressionless rather than threatening.

She gazed up at him, transfixed for a moment.

"Can you move now?" he asked in an even tone.

Slowly she nodded, aware of the vulnerable situation she was in. To her surprise, he pushed her off him without looking below her neck at all. He turned to face the wall with his arms folded. She stared at his back for a moment before glaring at the other man with him. Reluctantly, he did the same, allowing her to put her new blue jumpsuit on in privacy.

After she had dressed, Vegeta turned and shoved her in front of him.

She started to panic again.

"You're not really going to take me to Frieza, are you?" She asked.

Vegeta responded with a push and she started walking. The corridors all looked the same. She wondered how anyone could tell one from another. It made her escape plan considerably more difficult… especially if Vegeta was not back on Frieza's side…

For some reason, the thought of his changing sides against them felt like a bigger betrayal than it should have been. Somehow, she had started to think of the Saiyan as 'hers'.

"Next room on the left…" Vegeta ordered behind her.

She turned to where he had said and arrived at a massive set of golden doors. The knowledge of who was behind them froze her to the spot. Vegeta nudged her forward but she stepped backwards after stumbling.

The other man appeared in front of her.

"Lascoras!" he commanded.

"No way am I going in there!" She replied.

"Yes you are, woman!" Vegeta snapped from behind her.

Bulma turned and tried in vain to push him out of the way. He grabbed her arms and flashed his teeth. His tail unwrapped itself from his waist and waved in her face.

"Get going, silly girl!" he ordered again.

"No!" she cried. She managed to get her hands free with a quick twist and half climbed over his shoulders trying to get past. He grabbed her legs and lifted her, her legs now wrapped around his waist and her fingernails clawing at his neck.

"Stop that!" he snapped.

"No way, asshole!" she answered. Bulma dug her nails in as hard as she could while he carried her through the door.

Becoming desperate, she started biting him, though this earned no more than a grunt.

"Oh, my!" Frieza's cold voice exclaimed behind her. She stopped in Vegeta's arms and cried out in pain as her bottom hit the floor when Vegeta dropped her.

She turned and saw a rather amused Frieza sitting in a floating chair. Trisk stood behind him looking slightly ill and Goku lay on the floor. Her friend met her eyes and found him pleading with her to get away. He had clearly been beaten but knowing Goku, she was sure he had a plan.

"I hope we aren't interrupting, Vegeta," the demon laughed. To Bulma's horror, Vegeta knelt down and placed his fist over his heart, his head bowed.

"You can do as you wish, my Lord," he replied.

Bulma felt rage spread through her but she ignored it.

"Thank you, my loyal pet," Frieza purred. Bulma noticed Vegeta's hand twitch slightly but he stayed still and silent.

"Leave Bulma alone! This isn't her fight!" Goku yelled.

Frieza answered with a smile and fired a thin energy attack at him. Bulma winced as the beam went through his knee. Goku's agonised scream echoed around the room.

"What do you want?" Bulma found herself begging. She crawled a little closer to the tyrant to ensure she had his attention.

Frieza turned his lazy gaze onto her.

"We captured another earth female with a boy claiming to be this Saiyan's family," he explained, gesturing to Goku. Goku tried to get onto his elbows but fell back to the floor again.

"Chi Chi! Gohan!" He cried. "What have you done with them?"

Trisk stepped forward.

"The woman escaped," he stated, "and the boy refused to obey. We have sent him to a penal colony to make himself useful to our new, expanding empire."

So they're alive after all! Bulma thought.

Goku was smiling when she risked a glance over to him so clearly, he was thinking the same.

"Saiyan's make perfect workhorses," Frieza said in a slightly mocking voice. "They break easily but are almost impossible to kill. Their strength is remarkable but luckily, they are stupid brutes with no manners or wits. Imagine what we could do with an army of them!"

"Unfortunately, they are strong willed if you don't train them to obey in time," Trisk stated, staring at Goku.

"I thought five was young enough when I bought Vegeta," Frieza mused, making Bulmas stomach lurch. "But he still often needs reminding who his master is, don't you, dear Prince?"

"Yes, My Lord," came the Saiyan's emotionless reply.

Bulma couldn't help but feel her heart ache a little. As the sadness flooded in, so did the rage. If Chi Chi could escape then so could they.

"We need Saiyans from birth," Trisk continued, "we can then use them to further our power throughout the universe! But we need you, Miss Brief."

"Doctor," Bulma corrected.

Frieza indicated Goku with a flick of his tail.

"Humans are compatible with Saiyans. This one, however, is mated already. He is refusing to obey me and join my army and therefore I have no use for him. Vegeta, come here."

Vegeta stood and came to a stop before Frieza and Trisk.

"Would you care to do the honours?" The warlord asked the businessman.

"Don't mind if I do!" Trisk said with too much glee. He jabbed the Saiyans shoulder who knelt down at his feet. A triumphant, sadistic look ran across Trisk's face. Bulma gritted her teeth. She had seen that look when he was about to take over another business or fire someone he hated. This was never good…

"Monkey," he said, "first, you are to execute your brother-Saiyan for refusing to join our perfect empire."

"NO!" Bulma cried.

"Consider it done," Vegeta replied.

He stood and walked over to Goku.

Goku used his remaining energy to back-flip off the floor and into a fighting stance.

"Vegeta, you don't have to do this!" He warned. "Help me and we can overthrow Frieza together! I know if we work together, we have a chance!"

Bulma did not like the cold and calculating way Vegeta was looking at her friend. His eyes had glazed over and a nasty smirk had appeared on his face.

"You were a mighty adversary, one I would have loved to have fought on a more even footing," he said. A bitter laugh escaped his throat. "Oh well," he chuckled.

Goku raised his power though he could not hide the slight wobble as he stepped back from the other Saiyan.

"I didn't have you down as a weak slave!" Goku yelled, "I thought you were a great warrior!"

"You thought wrong. I serve Frieza." Vegeta answered.

He fired an energy blast which made a direct hit on Goku's chest. Bulma screamed as her friend collapsed to the floor with a mighty crash and went limp.

Vegeta made his way to stand over him and looked up for confirmation from Frieza. Bulma screamed again as she saw the warlord nod to him.

Vegeta's tail flicked from side to side. He placed his boot on Goku's head.

"No, Vegeta! Please don't!" She found herself yelling.

Vegeta paused long enough to glance at her before stamping full force on the other man's head. There was a sickening crack and a lot of blood as Goku's head was crushed and his blood sprayed up the white walls all around them.

Bulma was utterly transfixed in horror. She stared at the bloody mess which was once her friend in shocked silence.

Vegeta walked past her leaving a trail of crimson in his wake. He knelt before the two men again.

"Well done, my pet." Frieza cooed. Bulma started feeling dizzy and sick but could not tear her eyes away from Goku's corpse.

"The second task now is to mark the woman. Then you must take her to the suit downstairs and mate with her. Sire me an army, my prince!" Frieza commanded.

His words permeated Bulmas grief and she swung round wildly.

"No way!" She yelled.

Deciding to take her chances, she spun round and ran at the doors as fast as she could. Strong arms grabbed her from behind and held her in place. She fought and tried to kick back but she could not get away.

Suddenly there was breath on her ear.

"I'm sorry.." Vegeta whispered.

How can he say that when he killed Goku without hesitation?! She thought angrily. The true meaning of his words became clear a second later when she felt his teeth sink into her neck. The agony was too much to hold in and she screamed against the searing pain with all her might.

Her vision swam and the pain faded along with her consciousness. She felt relief as she slipped into a blissful black.