DISCLAIMER:  Dragonball Z and all characters mentioned were created by Akira Toriyama and are the property of Bird Studio, Shueisha, Toei Animation and FUNimation.
 

Vegeta sat outside the door.  He felt so... well pissed off for one, but he also felt guilty for some reason.  Was Bulma really considering kicking him out?  He thought back on all the times they'd fought.  As far as he was concerned it was all in good fun.  Yesterday had been the first time he'd actually made her cry and he'd felt bad about it, but what was he to do?  Apologize?
"HA!" he snapped and quickly strode to the gravity chamber.
 

Vegeta turned the gravity up to 400 G’s.  As of yet he had not turned it up past 300.  As the gravity began to rise he grunted and tried to stand still but as it reached 378 G’s he felt his knees begin to buckle.  But he didn’t care.  All he could think about was Bulma… Again.  He was infuriated about the way she and Kakarotto’s loud-mouthed mate talked about him.  He couldn’t hear what ChiChi had said, but he had a feeling in his gut that it wasn’t good by they way Bulma kept yelling: “No!”
He cringed as the gravity continued to rise.  He began to wonder if he should turn it down, but snorted and dismissed the thought immediately.  * I will become a Super Saiyan or die trying. * He thought.  The gravity surged to 400 and the strain was too much.  His muscles were burning, his bones felt like they were seconds away from shattering.  Vegeta fell to his knees with a pained cry.  He gritted his teeth and tried to rise, but it was almost impossible.
“Fuck.” He hissed.  He could hardly stay on his hands and knees.  His hands were sweating and he was about to slip.  And if he did, Bulma would be scraping his brains off the floor.
As if summoned by his thoughts, the gravity shut off and the door swung open.  Vegeta collapsed, gasping painfully.  The onna had probably just saved his life.  But he wasn’t about to thank her.  Even if he wanted to, he could barely lift his head, and talking seemed like a monumental task at the moment.

ChiChi was right.  Vegeta was a jerk and didn’t deserve a slice of bread from Bulma.  But she decided to give him one last change to act civil towards her and maybe if he did she would let him stay.  She jogged out to the gravity room and shut the power of with the external switch.  What she saw when she walked in shocked her.  Vegeta lay in the center of the room curled up and gasping like he was having a heart attack.
“Vegeta!” she gasped and ran to his side.  She gently grabbed his shoulders, trying to ignore the fact that he flinched away.  “Vegeta are you okay?” he moaned in reply and struggled to lift himself.  She wrapped her arms around him and tugged, trying to help him sit up.  She felt his muscles twitching violently.  Damn, but he was heavy for such a small guy.  She could only roll him onto his back.  He was sweating profusely, his eyes were dazed, and his teeth were chattering.  “Can you move?” she asked.  She was really getting scared.  She didn’t want him to die.  His only response was another moan.
“I- I’m gonna-” he gasped. His eyes rolled up in his head and he passed out before he could finish his sentence.
“Oh shit.” Bulma began to panic.  “Vegeta!” she cried, shaking him.  There was no response and his face was almost gray.  “Oh Kami, what am I gonna do?”  She jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could into the house and quickly dialed the Son house.
“Moshi moshi.”
“GOKU! THANK KAMI!” Bulma shrieked in his ear.  Goku flinched violently as her high-pitched voice rang in his ears.
“Bulma!” he winced.  “What’s wrong?”
“Goku please get over here now! I need your help please!” she cried.
“Okay I’m coming!” he replied, and placed two fingers on his forehead.  Before Bulma had hung up the phone he stood before her.  “What’s going on?” he said, his normally cheerful face drawn with worry.
“Vegeta!” she cried and tugged his arm.  He picked her up and ran towards the gravity room.
“What happened?” he asked.
“I don’t know.  I went in there to ask him what he wanted for dinner.” She lied.  She didn’t like lying to Goku, but she didn’t want him to know she was planning on kicking Vegeta out.  “I went in there and he was lying on the floor and then he passed out!”  Goku set her down outside the gravity room and stormed inside, reappearing with Vegeta in his arms seconds later.
“He needs to go to the hospital.” he said.  “Meet me at Western City Hospital.” And they were gone.

Bulma ran inside, grabbed her car capsule and raced back out, clicking the top and tossing the capsule to the ground as she ran.  With a bang and a puff of smoke, her car appeared. She tore the door open and turned the key in the ignition.  The small capsule car roared to life and she took off at high speeds.

She got to the hospital 20 minutes later and only then did she wonder why she was so worried about Vegeta.  It was true that she kind of admitted that she liked him to ChiChi, but she’d never really thought about it more than physical attraction.  But it was only right that she should be concerned, after all she wasn’t heartless like Vegeta.
She found his room in record time, harassing the woman at the front desk until she got his room number.  She walked down the hall as quick as she could and bumped into Goku on the way out.
 “Goku! Is Vegeta okay?” it was then that she noticed his pallor.  “Are YOU okay?”
“Needles…” he murmured and stumbled down the hall.  She ignored him and quickly strode in the room.
Vegeta was sitting up in bed frowning angrily at the doctor who insisted that he lay down.
“You need your rest, now give me your arm.”  He turned his head to study Bulma intently.
“Vegeta.”  Bulma sighed.  Her visage marked with worry.  “Are you okay?”   His eyes dropped and he nodded.
“I’m fine woman!” Bulma was about to get angry until his saw his gaze on the Doctor.  The small woman frowned.
“Please sir, just give me your arm.”  Vegeta’s gaze switched back to Bulma and he gazed questioningly into her eyes.  She smiled and nodded and he sighed and held out his arm to the doctor. Bulma was amazed.  For once Vegeta had forsaken his pride and asked her for help without words.  She felt joy bubble up inside her that he would trust her enough to put aside his pride like that.  But she decided not to dwell on it too long.  Vegeta was still staring at her and as her eyes met his it was as of a jolt of electricity ran up her spine.  She felt herself drowning in his gaze.
“Are you his girlfriend?” The doctor asked.  Bulma felt her face grow hot.
“N-no.  A friend.”  She stuttered.
“Well, try and convince him to get some rest.” She said with a sigh and left the room.  Bulma smiled lightly and turned to face the Saiyan before her.
“So.. You want to tell me what happened?” she asked, breaking the silence.
“There’s nothing to tell.” He said with a yawn.
“What?” Bulma cried incredulously.  “I thought you were going to die!”
“Pfft!” Vegeta snorted.  “I said I was fine.  What do you want anyway?”  Bulma clenched her fists.  What a bastard! She had been so worried and he didn’t even give a shit.
“You asshole! I don’t know why I even wasted my time coming here!  You obviously have a death wish or something! Maybe next time you decide to try and kill yourself you should let me know, it would save me some trouble.” She snapped. Glaring angrily at him.  Vegeta opened his mouth to reply and another yawn came out.
“Go to hell.” He finally managed.
“Ha! The only one going to hell here is YOU. And you know what? No one is going to give a shit when you’re gone because you’re nothing but a heartless bastard!” she cried, her cheeks flushing.  Vegeta’s eyes widened and his battle aura flared.
“I should kill you for that, you bitch! How dare you? You are nothing but a pathetic, weak human!  I could crush you with no effort! Who are you to talk to me that way?”  Bulma flinched, her mind reeling.  She had gone too far.  She’d never seen Vegeta so angry and maybe even… Hurt.  She was terrified.  * Goku! What are you doing? Help me! * She prayed.  Goku appeared at the door, pale and haggard.  But Vegeta’s ki flare had drained the last of his energy and he was barely clinging to consciousness.  Bulma bit her lip.  She felt horrible.  How did he do this to her?  He slumped back and lay on his side.
“What’s going on?” Goku murmured.
“What’s wrong with you?” Bulma cried, snapping out of her trance.  “Goku you look terrible!”
“The needles…” was his only reply.
“Go sit in the hall, I’ll be out in a minute.”  She was surprised how quickly her fear was forgotten.  She turned back to face Vegeta.  He looked worse than Goku.  “Oh, what am I going to do with you two?” she sighed more to herself than anyone else.
“Why are you still here?” Vegeta mumbled.  Bulma stopped in her tracks.  She had been correct in her assumption, he did sound hurt by her callous words.
“Vegeta…” she sighed.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean what I said.  But I WAS worried about you and you act like it means nothing!  You push everyone away! Why?” she cried.  He rolled over to face her.  He looked very tired.
“Because.  It’s hard not to.” He said, he said softly not meeting her gaze.  Bulma sat down on the bedside chair and forced him to meet her gaze.  What she saw made her heart clench.  He looked miserable and all the while he was trying to hide it.
“But why? Why is it so hard to accept the fact that someone might actually care about you?”  Vegeta frowned.
“Because!” he snapped as if the answer was common knowledge.  “No one ever has.”  * Oh Kami! * Bulma felt tears well up in her eyes.  That was horrible! That was.. She couldn’t even comprehend the thought.  People who loved her had always surrounded her.  Sure, she got lonely like everyone else, but she always knew that there was someone who cared about her.  To know that Vegeta had never known such a thing tore her heart.
Vegeta was startled to see Bulma’s blue eyes swimming with tears.  Why was she crying?
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he cried.  The way she was looking at him was making him feel dizzy, on top of the exhaustion he was really getting tired.  He just wanted to sleep and here this woman was blubbering like a baby.
“That is the saddest thing I’ve ever heard!” she sobbed.
“Why?” he yawned.
“Why?!” Bulma cried.  “Is this some stupid Saiyan thing?”
“Mm hmm…” Bulma ground her teeth in frustration.  He was sleeping!  * That damn doctor! She must have given him something to make him sleep.  I’m amazed it actually worked. * she jumped to her feet and stalked out the door.
“Goku!” she snapped.  Goku started in alarm.
“What?”
“You can go home now.” She said.
“Is he okay?” he asked, his brow furrowed in concern.
“Yes.  He’s sleeping now.  I’m going to find out how long they want to keep him and then I’m going home.”
 “Okay Bulma.  I’ll catch ya later!” he said and was gone.  She was faintly amused that he’d stayed as long as he had.  Goku had Aichmophobia (or fear of needles) in a bad way.  It was strange how the strongest fighter was afraid of a tiny needle.
She headed to the front desk and asked when Vegeta was to be released.  She waited a half hour before she got an answer.  If he was better tomorrow he could leave then.  But they wanted to at least keep him overnight for observation.
She headed back to his room and sat back down in her chair and just watched him sleep.  She was amazed but the expression on his face.  He wasn’t scowling at all, he actually looked quite peaceful.  His mouth was curved in a tiny half smile not at all similar to his usual smirk.  * Damn.  He looks really cute. * Bulma mused.
Soon the time stretched into hours and Bulma was about to fall asleep.  She scooted her chair up close to the bed and set her legs up on the mattress.  She slumped down in the chair and almost immediately fell asleep.

TO BE CONTINUED….

Chapter 4
Fan Fiction
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