Another Challenge fic, this time for Halloween, my favorite holiday!
A/N (Please Read):  Everybody has at least one irrational fear as far as I’m concerned.  Meaning everyone is scared shitless of (at least) one thing that we know better than to be afraid of.  Usually it’s because of a childhood experience and the fear carries over to adulthood. You’ll see the significance of my schpiel later.
DISCLAIMER: DBZ = Not mine.

Vegeta shuffled into his room after an exhausting day of training.  He could barely move.  He was too sore and tired to even remove his clothes.  He collapsed in bed and closed his eyes with a sigh.
Then he heard it.
A low angry hiss right by his ear.  He froze for a moment.  Had he been too tired to notice that someone was there? Her turned and then it hit him.  The smell of decomposing flesh.  Before he could turn away in disgust he saw it.
A face.  A withered rotting face and nothing more, staring at him.  Then it hissed again the smell of rotting flesh flowing towards him.
With a choked cry Vegeta leapt out of bed and bolted through the door, not even bothering to open it.

Bulma sat in her room brushing her hair when she heard a loud crash.  She bolted to her door and flung it open to see Vegeta crash against the wall.
“What are you doing?!” she cried. Then she too heard the enraged hiss.
“Don’t look!” Vegeta cried, but it was too late.
Bulma turned and in the door was a ghost.  A hideous old woman, her flesh black from decay.  The smell that hit Bulma’s nose ripped the scream from her throat.
 Before she knew what was going on Vegeta grabbed her and pulled her down the hall with dizzying speed.  He released her once they were outside and Vegeta collapsed to his knees with a strangled gasp.  Bulma too collapsed to her knees, her legs trembling too badly to stand.
“What the hell was that?” she gasped.  They sat there in silence only broken by their panicked gasps for air.  Finally Vegeta spoke.
“That woman.  I saw her before.”
“What?”
“A long time ago.  I was really little.  I could never remember what I’d seen.  All I knew was that it was a woman, but I could never remember her face or what had happened.  All I remember..”  He paused and laughed nervously.   “All I remember is running to my father screaming.”  Bulma stared at him in shock.  The thought of Vegeta running and screaming was too bizarre to imagine, even if he’d been a child at the time.
“Why is she here?  Do you know who she is- er… Was?”
“I don’t know.”  Bulma shivered as she stared at Vegeta.  He actually looked scared.  That in itself was enough to make her want to run away screaming.
“That wasn’t there before.  I would have known.  I wouldn’t have been able to go in there.  I know it.”  She said gazing at her home, which before had seemed like the safest place in the world.  Now as she gazed at the yellow domes she felt something sinister in the air as if something was telling her:  Stay Away.  She shuddered and Vegeta as if hearing her thoughts said:
“Can you go in there now?”  She shook her head violently and inched closer to him.  He sighed and stared at CC with a look of apprehension.
“What are we going to do if she’s following you?” Bulma whispered inching closer still.  Her turned to face her and realized how close she actually was.  For some reason he was comforted.  He couldn’t deny that that- thing in his room had almost caused his heart to stop.  At least, he couldn’t lie to himself about it.  The fact was he didn’t even want to go back in the house.  But he didn’t dare voice his thoughts; instead he prayed that Bulma would do it for him.  A voice in his mind berated him for his cowardice while another agreed to not go back inside and even urged him to flee the area altogether.  He dismissed all thought and cleared his mind.  He wouldn’t go back in that room until that thing was gone.   And he would definitely leave, but not without Bulma.
“I don’t know.” He admitted finally, but dared say nothing else.  Cold wind raced across their bared skin and Bulma shivered her teeth chattering.  Again she inched a little closer to Vegeta.  Unconsciously it seemed, his arm wrapped around her and pulled her closer.  She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’m not going back in there.  Thank Kami my parents are out of town, as usual.  My mom would have a heart attack if she saw that.”  She paused, thinking.  “I have to go inside and at least get a credit card, and we need some clothes.”  She pulled back and gazed at Vegeta trying her best to look cute and pouty.  “Please come with me.”  He checked a sigh and nodded.  Her bright smile in return was enough to make his decision seem less… distressing.
He almost laughed.  Here he was, Vegeta Prince of Saiyans, afraid of a woman.  He knew he was overreacting.  She was after all, dead and what could he do to get rid of her?  And why the hell was she following him?  None of it made any sense and now they had to go back inside and get whatever Bulma required.
He began to walk towards CC and Bulma quickly followed staying as close to him as possible.  He tried to ignore the fact that he found her presence comforting.  And he certainly wouldn’t acknowledge the fact that he would have been slightly less enthusiastic to enter the house alone.  The thought was silly.  He wasn’t scared of some smelly old hag!
He reached for the doorknob and before he touched the knob, the door swung open a crack.  Vegeta bit his lower lip, his hand clenched and he pushed it open the rest of the way.
He peeked inside cautiously, Bulma cowering behind him.  He couldn’t see anyone.  He didn’t hear anything, another good sign.  He stepped inside and scanned for any presence and felt… Nothing.
“It’s alright.” He said, his voice echoing loudly causing them both to cringe.  “Nothings here.” His voice dropped to a whisper.  Bulma nodded and inched forward until she noticed that Vegeta wasn’t following.
“Come with me Vegeta, please.” She said softly, her eyes wide and pleading.
“Feh!” he snorted.  “I said nothing was here.  Can’t you just get your shit so we can go already?”  Bulma bit her lip and impatiently stomped her foot.  Vegeta merely raised an eyebrow at the childish display.  She stepped close to him and stared into his eyes.
“I can’t go alone!” she hissed.  “I’m afraid!  Aren’t you?  You can’t get rid of her, can you?”  Vegeta frowned.  She was right.  He didn’t know how to get rid of a restless spirit.  What the hell could he do?
“I’m not scared!” he demanded roughly.  Bulma smirked in triumph.
“You looked pretty scared to me not fifteen minutes ago!” she crowed.  Vegeta growled angrily.
“If you saw what I did you would have pissed yourself woman.  Fortunately I am not a coward like you.”  Bulma’s features twisted in anguish and Vegeta was taken aback, having expected her volatile anger instead.
“Please Vegeta!  I can’t go alone!” she whimpered on the verge of tears.
“All right!” Vegeta cried.  “Stop that!”  She sniffled a little, wiping away tears  “I’ll go with you, you don’t have to freak out.”  She nodded and they headed towards her room.
Once inside she ran to her cluttered desk and began throwing things about until with a sharp cry of triumph she held a small case in her hand.
“What’s that?”  Vegeta wondered aloud.
“My capsule case!  I won’t need my cash after all!  I have a capsule house in here.  We can stay in there tonight.  There will be enough room.”
“Fine.”

They made it outside without incident and Vegeta decided to leave the immediate area.  He picked Bulma up and shot into the sky.
“Where are we going?” Bulma shouted over the roar of the wind.
“Away from you house.”  He replied and would say nothing more.
About an hour later he landed.  Bulma immediately dropped her capsule case as he set her on her feet and began to comb her hopelessly tangled hair with her fingers.  She absently stopped what she was doing and opened the case and tossed a capsule on the ground after hitting the release mechanism.  Her little house popped out and she turned her back as Vegeta walked inside.  She dumped the case and at last found her vanity capsule.  After popping it open and ten minutes of searching she finally found a brush and began the painful task of combing the knots out of her wind-disheveled hair.
Vegeta collapsed onto the bed with a sigh.  He was so damn tired…  the thought of that hideous specter returning wasn’t even enough to keep him awake.
Bulma closed her vanity capsule and went inside.  After brushing her teeth and washing her face she headed to the bedroom and was slightly distressed to see Vegeta already asleep on the bed.  He had thankfully left enough room for Bulma; she wasn’t about to sleep on the couch!
She sighed and slid under the covers.  She didn’t have as much cover as she would have liked, but Vegeta was on top of the covers and she couldn’t get him to move an inch.  She rolled over to stare at his face.   She’d never seen him asleep before.  He looked… different somehow.  He looked younger, less harsh, and less angry.  She liked it.  He looked very cute in a way.  She wondered what he would look like with a genuine smile on his face instead of the constant scowl or infuriating smirk.  The idea suddenly obsessed her as she tried to imagine a real smile on his lips.  She shook her head, unable to see it.  She sighed, wishing he could open up every once in a while.  She wasn’t asking much, just that he relax a bit.  He wasn’t in Frieza’s army anymore.  No one was out to get him.  What did he have to worry about, anyway?
Well, the events previous had been more than disturbing.  Especially to Bulma who’d never seen a ghost in her life.  Vegeta was right.  She had almost peed when she caught a glimpse of that old woman.  Luckily she was able to hold it in.
Bulma was startled from her reverie by an uncomfortable feeling.  She was being watched.

“Vegeta… Wake up.”  Vegeta opened his eyes and instantly froze when he heard a soft, chattering hiss behind him.  He took a deep breath and slowly turned.  A pair of blazing white eyes greeted him.
“Bulma?” he mumbled, not fully aware of the change.  He felt ice-cold hands slide along his uncovered skin and he jerked back in surprise, shivering.  That’s when he saw her.
Bulma’s hair was fluttering around her head as if a violent wind whipped through the room.  Her eyes were a blinding white and a sudden low, guttural growl was torn from her throat.
Vegeta recoiled and fell off the edge of the bed.  He quickly scrambled to his feet and a sudden weight landed on him.  Bulma attacked him with unheard of fury.  He was stunned and did his best to restrain her without hurting her.
“Stop it!”  He yelled his voice rising in panic.  He grabbed her wrists and held them away from his face as she hissed and spat.  “Who are you?” he screamed as she writhed.
“Dulana Kir Ar” Bulma hissed her face contorted in fury.
“I don’t know you!”  He cried.  “Leave Bulma alone.”
“NO!”  Bulma roared.  When she spoke next it was in Vegeta’s native tongue, Saiyago.  “Your Father betrayed me.  I cannot have vengeance on him so I will have it on YOU!”  Vegeta’s grip weakened in his astonishment and Bulma wrenched free of his grip and her hand came down maddeningly fast.  Vegeta felt a breeze then pain followed by warmth trickling down his cheek.
“Bulma!” He cried.  If she could hear him maybe she could regain control.  “Bulma!!” he cried again.
“What the hell?” Vegeta turned to see Kakarotto staring in astonishment.
“Kakarotto!” Vegeta cried, never happier to see the Earth Saiyan.  “She’s possessed, get her off of me!”
“Huh?” he replied, but moved to comply.  He clasped Bulma shoulder and she whirled on him with a rabid shriek.
“Bardock!” she cried.  “Traitor!” she spat in Saiyago.
“Shit!” Vegeta groaned and quickly rolled out from underneath her.  Bulma ignored him, her concentration centered on Goku.
“You are a traitor of the worst kind! You will die!” Goku stared in confusion.  What was she saying?  What the hell was going on?  He had sensed Vegeta’s chi close to his house no too long ago and then a sudden sense of panic was suddenly broadcasted over telepathic airways not half an hour ago.
So he thought he’d check up on him and teleported outside the house.  As soon as he heard Vegeta scream Bulma’s name he burst in the door.  But what he saw was definitely not what he expected.
Bulma was attacking Vegeta and if that wasn’t shocking enough, he wasn’t fighting back.  Even after she hit him and her long nails drew blood.  It still ran down his face and onto his neck.  He tried to restrain her and nothing more.  He knew Vegeta’s temper and the look of panic of his face was odd to see.
His reverie was cut short when a knee connected with his groin.  He gasped sharply and fell to his knees, his hands cupping himself.
“Damn it Kakarotto!” Vegeta bellowed and tried to grab Bulma.  He caught her hair and tugged just hard enough to stop her from attacking Kakarotto again.  With a shriek she twisted and lashed out again, but Vegeta merely wrapped his arms around her and held her, pinning her arms to her sides as she writhed in fury.
She began to scream in rage and thrash violently spitting out a string of threats and curses.  Vegeta closed his eyes and held on and merely repeated her name in her ear.
“Bulma is gone!”  She roared.
“Shut up.  I want to talk to Bulma, not you.”  He replied calmly.  Bulma shrieked again trying to free her arms but he squeezed her harder and her whole body relaxed and she whimpered in pain.  “Bulma?” he asked quietly.  Her head fell back and her eyes slid shut.
Goku stood with a groan, still holding himself.  Vegeta grimaced; glad he had not been the one to get a shot in the pills.
“Are you alright?” he asked with a half-smile, never mind why the fool was there.
“Yeah.” He muttered after casting Bulma a questioning glance.  “Is she okay now?”  Vegeta shrugged and carried her to the bed.  He impatiently reiterated the past evens, omitting only minor details.
Goku frowned.
“My Grandpa Gohan used to tell me things when I was little.  He told me about things like this.  I never really believed it.  It didn’t seem to matter.”
“So you’re saying you know nothing.”  Goku nodded.
“Uh, I think we need a priest or something.”  He said hopefully.  Vegeta grimaced.  He despised religion.  The thought of worshiping something was something that had always repelled him.
“What for?  What would one of those fools do?” he snorted and sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Exorcize the spirit.”
“Come again?” Vegeta was unfamiliar with the term.
“It means to get rid of evil spirits and send them back where they came from.” Goku replied.
“Really?”  Vegeta snorted.  He didn’t believe it.  “You’ve seen this done?”  Goku shook his head.
“On movies, but not in real life. But it wouldn’t hurt to try!” he added seeing Vegeta’s derisive glare.
“I don’t think so.”
“What about Dende?” Goku ventured.  Vegeta frowned.  He knew of the Dende’s healing powers having received his unwilling aid before.
“He won’t refuse to help Bulma because of me?” he asked, his cheeks faintly coloring in embarrassment.  Goku’s head tilted to the right, his expression thoughtful.  For a moment Vegeta wondered if he too had become possessed.
“We’ll see.”  He said and was gone.

“Goku!” a warm voice greeted him when he appeared at Dende’s palace.  He smiled and turned to greet the young Namekian.
“Dende, how are you?” he said.
“I’m glad to see you.  It’s been awhile.”
“It has.  But I really don’t-“
“I know.”  Dende cut in smoothly.  “I have forgiven Vegeta for the crimes he committed against me and my people.  And even if I hadn’t, I would not refuse to help Bulma.”
“Cool!” Goku chirped and was gone.
“I’m not sure I really can help her… But I will do my best.”  Dende finished with a sigh.  Seconds later Goku reappeared with Vegeta and Bulma.
Bulma was cradled protectively in Vegeta’s arms and Dende titled his head in confusion.  He cared for her.  It was obvious by the look of distress on his face; try as he might to hide it.  He smiled gently.  He had hoped Vegeta would learn something from the Chikyuu-jinn’s he watched over and it looked like he had.
“Vegeta.” He said, gazing into the ebony eyes of the Saiyan Prince.  “Lie her down and I will do what I can.”   Vegeta complied without a trace of his usual arrogance and stepped back to watch the Namek closely.  Goku noticed his suspicious glare and stepped near and nudged him.
“She’ll be fine.  Don’t worry.”
“I’m not!” he snapped angrily.  Goku hid a smile and said nothing.  Dende heard there quiet exchange and spared a quick glance.  Goku was smiling knowingly and Vegeta was staring at his feet, his face pink with embarrassment.  Dende hid a smile, so Goku knew as well…
He turned his concentration to the task at hand.  He gently placed two fingers on Bulma’s temples and began to chant in his foreign tongue.  A warm glow began to form around her and as soon as it completely engulfed her Bulma’s eyes snapped open and she recoiled, snarling in fury.  She could not move inside the glowing field, however, and was infuriated by the fact.  She screamed and hissed, spitting insults that made Goku’s face go from red to white in a matter of moments.
Vegeta’s eyes were wide as saucers and his mouth hung open in astonishment.  He and Goku were glued in place as she rained threats and horrible insults on all of them.  Goku feared he might have to restrain Vegeta as many of her insults directed at him were truly cutting.  But as he quickly glanced at Vegeta as another scathing barb lashed him he saw that the Prince was too stunned to react.  Goku shook his head, knowing his feelings.  He’d never even heard some of the stuff coming out of Bulma’s mouth.  Dende’s chanting was almost totally drowned out.
“Vegeta!” Bulma shrieked and then began rattling off in a language he’d never heard.  He spared Vegeta another glance and was almost morbidly fascinated to see the color drain from his face.  Goku bit his lips, his arms rising to restrain Vegeta if necessary.  But in an unexpected move, Vegeta shuddered convulsively and turned away, his hands rising to cover his bloodless visage.  Goku watched as Vegeta tugged at his thick, spiky hair.
“Vegeta? Are you okay?”  Vegeta ignored him and turned to Bulma’s writhing form.
“Liar!” he cried in a broken voice.  “That’s not true!”
“It IS!” Bulma screamed reverting to the language Goku understood.  “I was your father’s wife!  I was the QUEEN of Vejiitasei!  And you are NOT MY SON!”  Goku gasped and Vegeta flinched as her words struck.
“No...” he moaned.
“YES!” the spirit inside Bulma raged, determined to say her piece before Dende cast her out.  “You mother was nothing but a fucking whore!  I killed her with my own hands just as I tried to kill you when you were still young!  You don’t remember, I almost succeeded too!  But your father and YOU!” she hissed glaring at Goku who she thought to be Bardock.  “You knew of what I planned!  How I still do not know!  Traitor!  You told the king of my plans and he killed me minutes later!” her gazed switched to Vegeta and the light intensified, she released a pained scream and shuddered violently.  “I hate you, Vegeta no Ouji!”  Dende’s chanting grew louder and more forceful and soon she was screaming again, writhing in impotent fury.  Blood burst from her moth and Vegeta and Goku steeped forward crying out in alarm.  A thick black cloud seemed to ooze from Bulma’s pores and the golden glow left Bulma’s body to encompass the boiling haze.  Suddenly the gold light began to contract and shrink upon the black mass, Dende’s voice grew louder and louder as the swirling black mist shrank upon itself and dissolved.
Dende opened his eyes slowly, taking deep breaths.  He glanced down and gasped as Bulma was twitching below him.  He placed his hands on her and concentrated.  Another golden glow, softer and more subdued than the first enveloped Bulma and she immediately relaxed, the color returned to her face and she sat up blinking slowly.
“What the-?” she gazed at Dende’s smiling face with utter confusion.  “Vegeta?” she cried, remembering suddenly what had happened earlier.  Goku nudged Vegeta who was still trembling convulsively.  He turned and glared at Goku with barely restrained rage.  Goku grabbed him suddenly and pulled him close until he could whisper in his ear.
“You know that wasn’t Bulma saying those things.”  He felt Vegeta shudder.
“Yes.  I know.”   He said and the tension drained from his body.  Goku frowned down at the smaller Saiyan.  He bit his lip, Vegeta was barely in control of his emotions.  Goku sighed.  What that witch had said to him was horrible.  He’d never known his mother but if he’d just found out something like that, he knew he wouldn’t be as calm as Vegeta appeared.  He stepped away from Vegeta and pulled  Dende aside.
“Maybe we should give them a minute.”  Goku said softly.
“Of course.  Poor Vegeta.”  Dende said softly.

Vegeta knelt in front of Bulma not daring to look at her.
“She’s gone.” He said dully.  Bulma frowned at him.  Why wouldn’t he look at her?  Why did he sound so miserable?  What the hell had happened?  She remembered lying down for bed and then she was here.
“Who was she?” Bulma whispered.
“I don’t- I don’t want to talk about it.” He replied.
“Vegeta.”  Bulma said softly, taking his hand as he tried to stand.  “Please.  You can tell me anything.  It’s okay.”  His head abruptly sank and his hands flew up to cover his face and he shuddered silently.  What the hell had happened?  She drew close and wrapped her arms around him and he leaned into her caress.
“She was my father’s wife.  I- I always thought she’d been my mother.  She said my mother was just a whore!” he moaned brokenly, shaking harder.
“Oh Vegeta!” Bulma said softly squeezing him harder.
“She said she tried to kill me when I was little.”  He mumbled.  “Kakarotto’s father found out and told my father and he killed the Queen.  No one ever told me…” Bulma was stunned.  What a horrible thing to say to someone!  She didn’t know what to say to him so she just held on, rubbing his back in slow circles.

“I should leave.”  Goku said.  Dende nodded.
“You will come and visit me soon?”  Dende asked hopefully.
“Sure, I’ll bring Gohan too!”
“Great!”  Dende beamed.  Goku grinned and was gone.  Dende turned his attention to Bulma and Vegeta.  They were sitting side by side, Bulma rubbing the Saiyan’s back.  Dende was relieved Bulma was there for Vegeta.  He couldn’t imagine how he’d feel if such a thing had happened to him.  He sighed, hoping everything would be all right.

Vegeta was so tired.  Now he was drained emotionally as well as physically.  He briefly looked around and noticed that Kakarotto had left.  He sighed in relief and noticed that Dende headed towards them.  Vegeta rose tiredly, pulling Bulma to her feet who was drifting off as well.
“Thank you.”  Vegeta said.  Dende’s eyes widened in surprise.  Vegeta… thanked him?
“Don’t mention it.”  He replied, slightly bewildered.  Vegeta nodded and lifted Bulma’s legs with his free arm and took off.  Dende shook his head.  What a night!
“Don’t think about what she said, Vegeta.” He said softly to the night air.  “It doesn’t matter now.  You have someone who cares for you very much.  The past is past, don’t let it ruin your future…”
 

The End

Whew!  That’s it!  I’m FINALLY done!!!!!!  Yaya!