BULMA'S LAST PICNIC
By Mikila
Disclaimer: "I Don't own DBZ; The Poem" by Mikila. "I'm making no profit, I'm making no claim, I'm not here for stardom, don't sue me, you pain!"
Warning: High doses of sap, and possible OCCness of Trunks and Vegeta. Possibly other characters too. It's all relative on your viewpoint. Another story that makes more sense if you've read "Vegeta's Promise" (It gives me a bit of an excuse for the high amount of sap in my stories.) and also "Trunks' Nightmare" (but that one's not as big a deal) There COULD be hints that Vegeta loves Trunks as much as or more than Bulma. Don't read if this will bother you! PS: lots and LOTS of sap and Vegeta acting WAY too loving...unrealistically so, in fact...did I mention the sap??? *wink*
Flamers: Same as always. If you have something to say, say it! Otherwise, I don't give a crap what you think. And don't flame anything I've warned you against! If that's why you don't like it, tough! It's your own fault for reading despite my warning!
"Look, mom!" Trunks ran toward the edge of the cliff.
"Trunks, be careful!" Bulma ran after him.
Trunks glared at her for a second. "Mom, I can fly, remember?"
Bulma smiled. "All right, so you can. I still don't like you going close to the edge though, ok?"
Trunks rolled his eyes and picked up the coins he'd seen lingering at the cliff's edge. "Aren't these cool? I'll bet Goten would love getting his hands on them!" he snickered, going over to the picnic blanket his mother had set up.
"Here, eat a sandwich," Bulma handed him his favorite kind. Trunks gobbled it down so fast Bulma wasn't sure he'd even chewed. "Don't eat so fast, you'll choke," she handed him a soda.
"I will not, Mom, stop worrying so much! I can take care of myself."
Bulma smiled at her nine year old. He was nearing ten now and already he thought he was all grown up. Vegeta was the only one that could put their son back in his place; the place of a child, where he belonged. She may not have been strong the way he and his father were, but she was still his mother! And he still didn't know all the things adults knew.
Trunks grabbed another sandwich and went back to where he'd found the coins. Bulma sighed. She knew he'd be fine even if he fell over the edge, but it still made her nervous to see him over there.
"Look at this one!" Trunks stood to show his mom, his mouth full of food. He started coughing.
"Trunks...," Bulma stood and started toward him. "...honey, are you ok?" she began running. His face was turning red. "Oof!" Bulma slipped on some loose rocks and starting sliding....right over the side of the cliff. She screamed as she fell, landing hard on her back below.
Finally Trunks coughed up the piece of food he'd swallowed wrong and began gasping in air. Suddenly he realised his mother had fallen. "Mom!" he yelled, quickly going over the edge after her. It was too late, though, she'd already hit the bottom and she wasn't moving. "Mom!" Trunks landed next to her. He put his hands on her stomach and pushed her. "Mom, wake up! Please! ...wake up...mom...Mom!" he was beginning to panic. She wasn't responding. "Get up!" he pushed her hard, but nothing happened.
Tears were filling his eyes, but he wasn't going to let them fall. He remembered when his father had been knocked senseless by Majin Buu. Just when he thought perhaps his father WAS dead, he'd waken up. "Mom, wake up, wake up...wake up, Mom...," he tried again. Why wasn't she responding? A few tears escaped his control and he let his head drop on her stomach for a few seconds as he tightly clutched her shirt. She was taking longer to wake up than his father had. Why? He wouldn't admit for a second that she may have been dead. "Get up!" he screamed.
Suddenly Vegeta appeared. He had an awful look on his face as he kneeled
beside his wife, pushing his son backward away from her. Trunks watched him, hoping
his presence would wake her. Vegeta put his head against her chest, listening, then he punded on her chest a couple times and listened again. "Bulma...you can't do this..." He listened for what seemed to be too long for Trunks. Something wasn't right. Finally Vegeta lifted his head, tears in his eyes and screamed.
The sound frightened Trunks and he jumped. It only confirmed what he already knew deep down was true. 'no...no...NO!' He didn't believe it! It wasn't true! His mother wasn't dead! He had to get out of here. He couldn't be here anymore. Quickly Trunks stood and took off into the air, only to run smack into Goku's stomach. Immediatley he recovered from the blow and began to fly away, but Goku grabbed him by the stomach.
"Trunks, what's going on?" Goku questioned.
"Let me go!" Trunks yelled. Quickly he went super sayain before Goku could react and broke free, flying away as fast as he could. Goku's heart pounded as he watched him, then looked to Vegeta, realising he was kneeling beside Bulma, who wasn't moving. Vegeta hadn't even noticed his son's reaction.
"What's going on?" Goku was alarmed as he landed next to Vegeta.
"Get away from here, Kakarot! leave!"
Goku could tell immediately Bulma was dead by the reaction of Vegeta and he felt like the air had been knocked out of him. He didn't know what to say or do.
"I SAID LEAVE!" Vegeta screamed, letting out another couple of sobs.
Goku took a step backward, speachless. Trunks. What about him? "Vegeta..."
Vegeta flew at him. "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU, GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!"
Goku quickly took off. He would search for Trunks. It was obvious Vegeta needed some time right now. Goku could use some as well. He'd known Bulma since he was a young child. But Trunks needed help too. He was only a boy and this was a very
traumatizing event. Quickly he caught on to the boy's ki and followed it.
Trunks had settled down in a large open field and was curled in a ball sobbing. right now he didn't know what else to do. He felt like the life had been taken out of him and the guilt he was feeling was beyond belief. It was his fault! HIS! If he hadn't gone near the edge and eaten so quickly his mother wouldn't have fallen! Vegeta would never look at him again!
Goku landed in front of the shaking child. "Trunks, I'm taking you to my house," Goku lifted the boy into his arms. Trunks didn't want to go, but he was too weak to protest. His head was spinning and his eyes were blacking out. He couldn't breath.
"Goku, what's going on!" Chichi was quick to notice something was terribly wrong with Trunks.
"Bulma's dead," Goku could hardly force the words from his mouth.
Chichi's mouth dropped open. Tears formed in her eyes and she didn't know what to say. Bulma had been her best girlfriend! And she couldn't stand to see the condition Trunks was in. Her maturnal instinct took over and forced her own feelings back as she took Trunks from Goku and carried him to the bed Goten slept in. Nobody in the family knew what to do, but they all felt for the Briefs and they all were mourning Bulma in their own ways, while trying their best to be of comfort to Trunks. He seemed so despondent no matter what they did. He wasn't reacting. His face was swollen and red and his eyes were puffy. He hugged his knees to his chest and stared, tears always in the corners of his eyes, but no longer falling.
"Goku," Chichi whispered, standing in the entrance of the room her two sons shared. "Did Trunks see it happen?"
Goku nodded.
"Did you?"
"No," Goku replied. I came just afterward.
"That can be very tramatizing for a child. We have to do something for him."
* * * * *
Vegeta laid by Bulma's side for hours, as if she would magically sit up at any moment and begin nagging him again. The reality was taking time to set in. He opened his eyes, glancing around the area. It was dark now. Hadn't Trunks been there? Yes...he'd pushed him away when he'd come...Bulma had taken him on a picnic on the ledge above. Vegeta sat bolt upright, looking around again, this time with full alertness and worry growing in the pit of his stomach. Where was Trunks? Kakarot. Kakarot had been there...he'd told him to leave! He must have taken his son! Quickly Vegeta blasted into the air heading for Kakarot's home.
* * * * *
Goku and Chichi sat in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate. Neither of them felt much like sleeping. They'd allowed Gohan and Goten to sleep in their bed so Trunks could have some space.
Trunks glanced around the room. What was he doing here? Slowly he stood. Maybe his mother had waken up now. Quickly he flew out the window, heading back for the bottom of the cliff.
* * * * *
"Kakarot, open up, right now!" Vegeta banged on the door, almost hard enough to knock it down.
Goku opened the door as fast as he could.
"What have you done with my son!" Vegeta demanded, his eyes fiery with anger.
"Calm down, Vegeta, he's in the boys' room..."
Vegeta stormed into the room and looked around. "He's not here! What have you done with him!" he grabbed Goku by the collar.
Goku was alarmed. "He was here! He was just here..."
Vegeta let out a frustrated scream and threw Goku across the room. "I want my son NOW!"
"Vegeta!" Chichi entered the room, going to her startled husband. "Get a grip on
yourself and concentrate on his ki."
The loud mouthed woman was right. Vegeta closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus. It took him a few minutes. There he was! Immediately Vegeta flew out the window, heading for the canyon once again. Goku took off after him, afraid he would do something stupid when he found Trunks. Vegeta would never hurt his child on purpose, but tonight he wasn't seeing anything clearly.
* * * * *
Trunks kneeld down by his mother again. Nothing had changed except she was incredibly pale. In fact she looked blue! Trunk put his hand on her arm. It was very cold and it wasn't soft like it should have been. It felt hard. Tears welled up in his eyes again. She wasn't waking up. "Mom..., please wake up, please, please," he whispered. His energy was drained as he laid his head on her stomach, hugging her. It wasn't the same. She was so cold and not soft.
"Trunks!" Trunks heart jumped as his father's voice startled him. "Get up son."
Trunks didn't listen. He couldn't leave his mother. He WOULDN'T.
Vegeta grabbed him from behind, pulling him away. "Get up, son, she's dead."
"No she's not!" Trunks screamed, struggling. "Let me go, she's not dead!" He knew he was wrong, deep in his heart, but he wouldn't admit it. That would make it real.
"Trunks," Vegeta was actually having to fight to keep his grip on his son.
"LET ME GO!" Trunks powered to super sayain. Vegeta immediately did the same and caught his ankle before he could escape. Trunks let out a long, frustrated scream as his father pulled him back down, grabbing him around the waist and pinning his arms to his side. He twisted and kicked, but it wasn't doing any good. "She's not dead!" he began sobbing. "She's not!" his voice was becoming weak as he started shaking. He was quickly loosing his strength.
"I don't want her to be dead, either, Trunks, but that doesn't change the truth that
she is," Vegeta began tearing up. He hated to admit it too, but Trunks couldn't be lied to.
"No...I don't believe you, you're wrong," Trunks could hardly form the words through his sobs. All his energy was being used up in his tears. He'd fallen out of super sayain now and he was becoming limp. Vegeta loostened his grip on him.
"We're going home, son," he whispered, shifting his hold to a cradling possition. Trunks was too weak to fight him now. He was startled to see Kakarot not far behind him. "Get away from my family, Kakarot!" Vegeta's eyes were hard and possessive.
"Vegeta...I just want to make sure Trunks will be ok..."
"He'll be fine!" Vegeta snapped, his eyes burning.
Goku looked at him for a couple of seconds, until he was satisfied that Vegeta wouldn't hurt him. Then he left and Vegeta left as well.
* * * * *
The following three weeks were awful for both Trunks and Vegeta. Trunks couldn't stand the guilt he was feeling and every night he would fly out his window, trying to find a place to be alone. He didn't want to live anymore. He'd caused his mother's death and his father would hate him when he found out. He didn't have anyone now. There had to be a way to stop the misery. The first night he left, Goku caught him and brought him home. Every other night Vegeta found him before he could have a chance to think and drug him back home. He had even tried chaining Trunks to his bed, but it didn't work. Trunks was too strong for it. He'd gotten angry and yelled at him and threatened him and even spanked him, quite harshly, but that only deepeded Trunks' desire to be dead.
Escaping wasn't easy anymore. After the sixth time, Vegeta began taking Trunks in his room at night. Trunks had managed to escape once then too, and he was caught in the act three other times, before even getting to the window. Then Vegeta stopped sleeping so he could watch his son. The first time he stayed awake until Trunks was asleep, but then he was so tired that he didn't wake up until Kakarot was banging on his
door, returning Trunks for the second time. Now he wasn't sleeping at all. He had to
stay awake ALL night to make sure his son didn't leave. There had to be some other
way. Everything inside of him was shaking with exhaustion and pain. He almost wondered if he should just let Trunks go and spend some time alone. Afterall, the boy was too strong for anybody to hurt.
The fourth night he hadn't slept came. Vegeta's eyes were completely bloodshot and his eyelids felt like weights 3000 times as heavy as the Earth's gravity. Trunks fell asleep, then he woke up. Vegeta was still awake. He watched him, knowing Trunks wanted to leave. They stared at each other for awhile. Then Trunks turned over and fell asleep again. Vegeta fought hard to keep his eyes open, but the battle was lost.
"Trunks!" He bolted awake four hours later. He looked around. "*dangit!*" He'd made yet ANOTHER escape.
Quickly Vegeta flew out the window. Kakarot had already found him. Good. He wouldn't have to fly far. Just to the Son's house. Something didn't feel right about his son's ki this time. He was weaker than usual.
"Vegeta...," Goku was surprised to find Trunks' father right outside the door as he opened it. "I was just going to talk to you...Trunks has a serious problem."
"Oh, you think?!" Vegeta spat.
"No, it's worse than you know, Vegeta. He tried to kill himself."
Vegeta stopped dead in his treck toward his son's ki, turning slowly. "He WHAT?" Vegeta wasn't sure if he'd heard right.
"I found him at the top of the cliff. He was trying to cut his wrists, Vegeta...he did start to cut one, but I caught him before he could do any real damage."
Vegeta's eyes flashed. He turned and stormed into the bedroom where his son was, grabbing the startled boy by the arms. "What the *heck* did you think you were doing boy!"
Trunks didn't know what his father was refering to this time.
"Vegeta, anger isn't going to solve anything...," Goku entered the room.
"Stay the *heck* out of MY family's affairs, Kakarot!" Vegeta grabbed Trunks and took off, supressing his ki. "What the *heck* did you do to your wrist?!"
"It got cut...," Trunks refused to look at his father.
Vegeta threw a capsule into the woods and then went inside the house that had been formed by it. "How?"
Trunks looked down. "...I fell."
Vegeta grabbed his shoulders and gave him a hard jolt. "Don't you dare lie to me, Trunks! You cut it didn't you! What the *heck* were you thinking?!"
A few tears fell from Trunks' eyes.
"Look at me!" Vegeta forced his quivering face up. "Why would you do something like that?! *Darnit*, you're all I have left, Trunks, what is wrong with you?! ...ANSWER ME!"
Trunks started shaking. He couldn't tell his father the truth! He couldn't tell him he was the reason Bulma was dead. "I...I can't live anymore..."
"What the *heck* are you talking about?!" Vegeta was mortified.
"It's my fault," Trunks tried to control his tears, but he was failing. He turned his gaze away from his father. "I killed Mom..."
Vegeta was speachless. He hadn't seen what had happened, but somehow he didn't believe the boy. "It is NOT your fault!"
"I...," Trunks choked on the words. "...she said not to go by the edge, but I did...and she said to eat slower, but I didn't...and...I started choking...then she came, but she slipped, and she fell...and I didn't save her..."
Vegeta tried to discern what his child was talking about. His head was spinning. Whatever it was, Trunks had no reason to think he'd killed his mother. "Trunks, it was an accident! You did NOT kill her."
"I did, it's my fault..."
"Don't say that! It isn't!"
"Yes it is!" Trunks yelled. "That's too big! It's too bad, Dad! I don't care what you say! It's my fault! You CAN'T love me anymore!" he screamed.
Vegeta slapped him hard across the face, his eyes burning with rage. "Don't you EVER say that again, do you understand me?!"
Trunks was startled. He held his breath for a few seconds, then began breathing heavily. A new flood of tears started streaming down his face.
"Don't you EVER think that I don't love you! This was NOT your fault, and even if it was I would STILL love you! You have NO right to EVER question how I feel!" Vegeta was breathing heavily as well. He looked into his son's eyes, seeing the fear and confussion. All he was doing was scaring the boy. Tears formed in his eyes and he couldn't force them back. He hugged Trunks, almost too tight. "You're all I have left, Trunks...please don't leave me..."
Trunks didn't understand what was happening. His father was crying and squeezing his so tight he couldn't breath. "Dad...," Trunks wheezed.
Vegeta loostened his grip, realising he was holding him too tight. "Please...just listen to what I'm telling you, Trunks," he tried to speak calmly enough for his son to understand. "I can't keep living anymore if you die, son, so you can't die, do you understand?"
Trunks looked at him with confussion.
"I love you, Trunks, do you understand that?"
"But Mom..."
Vegeta shook his head. He didn't want to hear it again. "No, Trunks. What happened was an accident."
Tears formed in Trunks' eyes.
"I know this hurts. It hurts me too. You have no idea how much, but son...you have NO idea how much more it would hurt if I loose you too," Vegeta was almost
pleading. "You're the only reason I have to live," he looked straight into his eyes, trying
to force the words to sink into his child's head. "I love you."
"...I love you too...," Trunks whispered.
Vegeta hugged him again, trying hard not to do so too tightly.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
By Mikila
Disclaimer: "I Don't own DBZ; The Poem" by Mikila. "I'm making no profit, I'm making no claim, I'm not here for stardom, don't sue me, you pain!"
Warning: High doses of sap, and possible OCCness of Trunks and Vegeta. Possibly other characters too. It's all relative on your viewpoint. Another story that makes more sense if you've read "Vegeta's Promise" (It gives me a bit of an excuse for the high amount of sap in my stories.) and also "Trunks' Nightmare" (but that one's not as big a deal) There COULD be hints that Vegeta loves Trunks as much as or more than Bulma. Don't read if this will bother you! PS: lots and LOTS of sap and Vegeta acting WAY too loving...unrealistically so, in fact...did I mention the sap??? *wink*
Flamers: Same as always. If you have something to say, say it! Otherwise, I don't give a crap what you think. And don't flame anything I've warned you against! If that's why you don't like it, tough! It's your own fault for reading despite my warning!
"Look, mom!" Trunks ran toward the edge of the cliff.
"Trunks, be careful!" Bulma ran after him.
Trunks glared at her for a second. "Mom, I can fly, remember?"
Bulma smiled. "All right, so you can. I still don't like you going close to the edge though, ok?"
Trunks rolled his eyes and picked up the coins he'd seen lingering at the cliff's edge. "Aren't these cool? I'll bet Goten would love getting his hands on them!" he snickered, going over to the picnic blanket his mother had set up.
"Here, eat a sandwich," Bulma handed him his favorite kind. Trunks gobbled it down so fast Bulma wasn't sure he'd even chewed. "Don't eat so fast, you'll choke," she handed him a soda.
"I will not, Mom, stop worrying so much! I can take care of myself."
Bulma smiled at her nine year old. He was nearing ten now and already he thought he was all grown up. Vegeta was the only one that could put their son back in his place; the place of a child, where he belonged. She may not have been strong the way he and his father were, but she was still his mother! And he still didn't know all the things adults knew.
Trunks grabbed another sandwich and went back to where he'd found the coins. Bulma sighed. She knew he'd be fine even if he fell over the edge, but it still made her nervous to see him over there.
"Look at this one!" Trunks stood to show his mom, his mouth full of food. He started coughing.
"Trunks...," Bulma stood and started toward him. "...honey, are you ok?" she began running. His face was turning red. "Oof!" Bulma slipped on some loose rocks and starting sliding....right over the side of the cliff. She screamed as she fell, landing hard on her back below.
Finally Trunks coughed up the piece of food he'd swallowed wrong and began gasping in air. Suddenly he realised his mother had fallen. "Mom!" he yelled, quickly going over the edge after her. It was too late, though, she'd already hit the bottom and she wasn't moving. "Mom!" Trunks landed next to her. He put his hands on her stomach and pushed her. "Mom, wake up! Please! ...wake up...mom...Mom!" he was beginning to panic. She wasn't responding. "Get up!" he pushed her hard, but nothing happened.
Tears were filling his eyes, but he wasn't going to let them fall. He remembered when his father had been knocked senseless by Majin Buu. Just when he thought perhaps his father WAS dead, he'd waken up. "Mom, wake up, wake up...wake up, Mom...," he tried again. Why wasn't she responding? A few tears escaped his control and he let his head drop on her stomach for a few seconds as he tightly clutched her shirt. She was taking longer to wake up than his father had. Why? He wouldn't admit for a second that she may have been dead. "Get up!" he screamed.
Suddenly Vegeta appeared. He had an awful look on his face as he kneeled
beside his wife, pushing his son backward away from her. Trunks watched him, hoping
his presence would wake her. Vegeta put his head against her chest, listening, then he punded on her chest a couple times and listened again. "Bulma...you can't do this..." He listened for what seemed to be too long for Trunks. Something wasn't right. Finally Vegeta lifted his head, tears in his eyes and screamed.
The sound frightened Trunks and he jumped. It only confirmed what he already knew deep down was true. 'no...no...NO!' He didn't believe it! It wasn't true! His mother wasn't dead! He had to get out of here. He couldn't be here anymore. Quickly Trunks stood and took off into the air, only to run smack into Goku's stomach. Immediatley he recovered from the blow and began to fly away, but Goku grabbed him by the stomach.
"Trunks, what's going on?" Goku questioned.
"Let me go!" Trunks yelled. Quickly he went super sayain before Goku could react and broke free, flying away as fast as he could. Goku's heart pounded as he watched him, then looked to Vegeta, realising he was kneeling beside Bulma, who wasn't moving. Vegeta hadn't even noticed his son's reaction.
"What's going on?" Goku was alarmed as he landed next to Vegeta.
"Get away from here, Kakarot! leave!"
Goku could tell immediately Bulma was dead by the reaction of Vegeta and he felt like the air had been knocked out of him. He didn't know what to say or do.
"I SAID LEAVE!" Vegeta screamed, letting out another couple of sobs.
Goku took a step backward, speachless. Trunks. What about him? "Vegeta..."
Vegeta flew at him. "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU, GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!"
Goku quickly took off. He would search for Trunks. It was obvious Vegeta needed some time right now. Goku could use some as well. He'd known Bulma since he was a young child. But Trunks needed help too. He was only a boy and this was a very
traumatizing event. Quickly he caught on to the boy's ki and followed it.
Trunks had settled down in a large open field and was curled in a ball sobbing. right now he didn't know what else to do. He felt like the life had been taken out of him and the guilt he was feeling was beyond belief. It was his fault! HIS! If he hadn't gone near the edge and eaten so quickly his mother wouldn't have fallen! Vegeta would never look at him again!
Goku landed in front of the shaking child. "Trunks, I'm taking you to my house," Goku lifted the boy into his arms. Trunks didn't want to go, but he was too weak to protest. His head was spinning and his eyes were blacking out. He couldn't breath.
"Goku, what's going on!" Chichi was quick to notice something was terribly wrong with Trunks.
"Bulma's dead," Goku could hardly force the words from his mouth.
Chichi's mouth dropped open. Tears formed in her eyes and she didn't know what to say. Bulma had been her best girlfriend! And she couldn't stand to see the condition Trunks was in. Her maturnal instinct took over and forced her own feelings back as she took Trunks from Goku and carried him to the bed Goten slept in. Nobody in the family knew what to do, but they all felt for the Briefs and they all were mourning Bulma in their own ways, while trying their best to be of comfort to Trunks. He seemed so despondent no matter what they did. He wasn't reacting. His face was swollen and red and his eyes were puffy. He hugged his knees to his chest and stared, tears always in the corners of his eyes, but no longer falling.
"Goku," Chichi whispered, standing in the entrance of the room her two sons shared. "Did Trunks see it happen?"
Goku nodded.
"Did you?"
"No," Goku replied. I came just afterward.
"That can be very tramatizing for a child. We have to do something for him."
* * * * *
Vegeta laid by Bulma's side for hours, as if she would magically sit up at any moment and begin nagging him again. The reality was taking time to set in. He opened his eyes, glancing around the area. It was dark now. Hadn't Trunks been there? Yes...he'd pushed him away when he'd come...Bulma had taken him on a picnic on the ledge above. Vegeta sat bolt upright, looking around again, this time with full alertness and worry growing in the pit of his stomach. Where was Trunks? Kakarot. Kakarot had been there...he'd told him to leave! He must have taken his son! Quickly Vegeta blasted into the air heading for Kakarot's home.
* * * * *
Goku and Chichi sat in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate. Neither of them felt much like sleeping. They'd allowed Gohan and Goten to sleep in their bed so Trunks could have some space.
Trunks glanced around the room. What was he doing here? Slowly he stood. Maybe his mother had waken up now. Quickly he flew out the window, heading back for the bottom of the cliff.
* * * * *
"Kakarot, open up, right now!" Vegeta banged on the door, almost hard enough to knock it down.
Goku opened the door as fast as he could.
"What have you done with my son!" Vegeta demanded, his eyes fiery with anger.
"Calm down, Vegeta, he's in the boys' room..."
Vegeta stormed into the room and looked around. "He's not here! What have you done with him!" he grabbed Goku by the collar.
Goku was alarmed. "He was here! He was just here..."
Vegeta let out a frustrated scream and threw Goku across the room. "I want my son NOW!"
"Vegeta!" Chichi entered the room, going to her startled husband. "Get a grip on
yourself and concentrate on his ki."
The loud mouthed woman was right. Vegeta closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus. It took him a few minutes. There he was! Immediately Vegeta flew out the window, heading for the canyon once again. Goku took off after him, afraid he would do something stupid when he found Trunks. Vegeta would never hurt his child on purpose, but tonight he wasn't seeing anything clearly.
* * * * *
Trunks kneeld down by his mother again. Nothing had changed except she was incredibly pale. In fact she looked blue! Trunk put his hand on her arm. It was very cold and it wasn't soft like it should have been. It felt hard. Tears welled up in his eyes again. She wasn't waking up. "Mom..., please wake up, please, please," he whispered. His energy was drained as he laid his head on her stomach, hugging her. It wasn't the same. She was so cold and not soft.
"Trunks!" Trunks heart jumped as his father's voice startled him. "Get up son."
Trunks didn't listen. He couldn't leave his mother. He WOULDN'T.
Vegeta grabbed him from behind, pulling him away. "Get up, son, she's dead."
"No she's not!" Trunks screamed, struggling. "Let me go, she's not dead!" He knew he was wrong, deep in his heart, but he wouldn't admit it. That would make it real.
"Trunks," Vegeta was actually having to fight to keep his grip on his son.
"LET ME GO!" Trunks powered to super sayain. Vegeta immediately did the same and caught his ankle before he could escape. Trunks let out a long, frustrated scream as his father pulled him back down, grabbing him around the waist and pinning his arms to his side. He twisted and kicked, but it wasn't doing any good. "She's not dead!" he began sobbing. "She's not!" his voice was becoming weak as he started shaking. He was quickly loosing his strength.
"I don't want her to be dead, either, Trunks, but that doesn't change the truth that
she is," Vegeta began tearing up. He hated to admit it too, but Trunks couldn't be lied to.
"No...I don't believe you, you're wrong," Trunks could hardly form the words through his sobs. All his energy was being used up in his tears. He'd fallen out of super sayain now and he was becoming limp. Vegeta loostened his grip on him.
"We're going home, son," he whispered, shifting his hold to a cradling possition. Trunks was too weak to fight him now. He was startled to see Kakarot not far behind him. "Get away from my family, Kakarot!" Vegeta's eyes were hard and possessive.
"Vegeta...I just want to make sure Trunks will be ok..."
"He'll be fine!" Vegeta snapped, his eyes burning.
Goku looked at him for a couple of seconds, until he was satisfied that Vegeta wouldn't hurt him. Then he left and Vegeta left as well.
* * * * *
The following three weeks were awful for both Trunks and Vegeta. Trunks couldn't stand the guilt he was feeling and every night he would fly out his window, trying to find a place to be alone. He didn't want to live anymore. He'd caused his mother's death and his father would hate him when he found out. He didn't have anyone now. There had to be a way to stop the misery. The first night he left, Goku caught him and brought him home. Every other night Vegeta found him before he could have a chance to think and drug him back home. He had even tried chaining Trunks to his bed, but it didn't work. Trunks was too strong for it. He'd gotten angry and yelled at him and threatened him and even spanked him, quite harshly, but that only deepeded Trunks' desire to be dead.
Escaping wasn't easy anymore. After the sixth time, Vegeta began taking Trunks in his room at night. Trunks had managed to escape once then too, and he was caught in the act three other times, before even getting to the window. Then Vegeta stopped sleeping so he could watch his son. The first time he stayed awake until Trunks was asleep, but then he was so tired that he didn't wake up until Kakarot was banging on his
door, returning Trunks for the second time. Now he wasn't sleeping at all. He had to
stay awake ALL night to make sure his son didn't leave. There had to be some other
way. Everything inside of him was shaking with exhaustion and pain. He almost wondered if he should just let Trunks go and spend some time alone. Afterall, the boy was too strong for anybody to hurt.
The fourth night he hadn't slept came. Vegeta's eyes were completely bloodshot and his eyelids felt like weights 3000 times as heavy as the Earth's gravity. Trunks fell asleep, then he woke up. Vegeta was still awake. He watched him, knowing Trunks wanted to leave. They stared at each other for awhile. Then Trunks turned over and fell asleep again. Vegeta fought hard to keep his eyes open, but the battle was lost.
"Trunks!" He bolted awake four hours later. He looked around. "*dangit!*" He'd made yet ANOTHER escape.
Quickly Vegeta flew out the window. Kakarot had already found him. Good. He wouldn't have to fly far. Just to the Son's house. Something didn't feel right about his son's ki this time. He was weaker than usual.
"Vegeta...," Goku was surprised to find Trunks' father right outside the door as he opened it. "I was just going to talk to you...Trunks has a serious problem."
"Oh, you think?!" Vegeta spat.
"No, it's worse than you know, Vegeta. He tried to kill himself."
Vegeta stopped dead in his treck toward his son's ki, turning slowly. "He WHAT?" Vegeta wasn't sure if he'd heard right.
"I found him at the top of the cliff. He was trying to cut his wrists, Vegeta...he did start to cut one, but I caught him before he could do any real damage."
Vegeta's eyes flashed. He turned and stormed into the bedroom where his son was, grabbing the startled boy by the arms. "What the *heck* did you think you were doing boy!"
Trunks didn't know what his father was refering to this time.
"Vegeta, anger isn't going to solve anything...," Goku entered the room.
"Stay the *heck* out of MY family's affairs, Kakarot!" Vegeta grabbed Trunks and took off, supressing his ki. "What the *heck* did you do to your wrist?!"
"It got cut...," Trunks refused to look at his father.
Vegeta threw a capsule into the woods and then went inside the house that had been formed by it. "How?"
Trunks looked down. "...I fell."
Vegeta grabbed his shoulders and gave him a hard jolt. "Don't you dare lie to me, Trunks! You cut it didn't you! What the *heck* were you thinking?!"
A few tears fell from Trunks' eyes.
"Look at me!" Vegeta forced his quivering face up. "Why would you do something like that?! *Darnit*, you're all I have left, Trunks, what is wrong with you?! ...ANSWER ME!"
Trunks started shaking. He couldn't tell his father the truth! He couldn't tell him he was the reason Bulma was dead. "I...I can't live anymore..."
"What the *heck* are you talking about?!" Vegeta was mortified.
"It's my fault," Trunks tried to control his tears, but he was failing. He turned his gaze away from his father. "I killed Mom..."
Vegeta was speachless. He hadn't seen what had happened, but somehow he didn't believe the boy. "It is NOT your fault!"
"I...," Trunks choked on the words. "...she said not to go by the edge, but I did...and she said to eat slower, but I didn't...and...I started choking...then she came, but she slipped, and she fell...and I didn't save her..."
Vegeta tried to discern what his child was talking about. His head was spinning. Whatever it was, Trunks had no reason to think he'd killed his mother. "Trunks, it was an accident! You did NOT kill her."
"I did, it's my fault..."
"Don't say that! It isn't!"
"Yes it is!" Trunks yelled. "That's too big! It's too bad, Dad! I don't care what you say! It's my fault! You CAN'T love me anymore!" he screamed.
Vegeta slapped him hard across the face, his eyes burning with rage. "Don't you EVER say that again, do you understand me?!"
Trunks was startled. He held his breath for a few seconds, then began breathing heavily. A new flood of tears started streaming down his face.
"Don't you EVER think that I don't love you! This was NOT your fault, and even if it was I would STILL love you! You have NO right to EVER question how I feel!" Vegeta was breathing heavily as well. He looked into his son's eyes, seeing the fear and confussion. All he was doing was scaring the boy. Tears formed in his eyes and he couldn't force them back. He hugged Trunks, almost too tight. "You're all I have left, Trunks...please don't leave me..."
Trunks didn't understand what was happening. His father was crying and squeezing his so tight he couldn't breath. "Dad...," Trunks wheezed.
Vegeta loostened his grip, realising he was holding him too tight. "Please...just listen to what I'm telling you, Trunks," he tried to speak calmly enough for his son to understand. "I can't keep living anymore if you die, son, so you can't die, do you understand?"
Trunks looked at him with confussion.
"I love you, Trunks, do you understand that?"
"But Mom..."
Vegeta shook his head. He didn't want to hear it again. "No, Trunks. What happened was an accident."
Tears formed in Trunks' eyes.
"I know this hurts. It hurts me too. You have no idea how much, but son...you have NO idea how much more it would hurt if I loose you too," Vegeta was almost
pleading. "You're the only reason I have to live," he looked straight into his eyes, trying
to force the words to sink into his child's head. "I love you."
"...I love you too...," Trunks whispered.
Vegeta hugged him again, trying hard not to do so too tightly.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~