DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hell Raiser.. And Dragonball Z and all it's characters belong to Akira Toriyama

A/N: I am so retarded sometimes!  I forgot to save the rest of the chapter and posted it unfinished! So I had to REWRITE THE END.  Grr!! and a couple questions from the reviews: someone asked what Vegeta did to Bulma in chapter one.  He gave her some of his "chi" (actually a LOT-that's why he passed out and had a seizure, he gave her a little too much)  and the other was… D'oh!  I forget.  Damn it.

Chapter 2 - Redeemer
 

     Bulma awoke to a knock at her door.
    "Come in." she called and struggled to sit up.  She was amazed that she felt as good as she did.  She had been in tons of pain after having Trunks and now she'd had a cesarean.  But she felt fine.  She was a little sore but nothing too terrible.  And their daughter was beautiful.  And Vegeta had yet to see her.  After he'd passed out again a few male nurses had hauled him onto a stretcher and taken him to another room.  She didn't know what he'd done, but he'd saved her life.  Almost at the cost of his own.  She didn't even know if he was alright.  "Come in!" she said louder.  The door opened and ChiChi peeked in.  "ChiChi!" Bulma gaped.  ChiChi was the last person she expected to see.
    "May I come in?" she bowed politely.
    "Of course!" Bulma cried.   ChiChi straightened with a smile and entered carrying a lunch-box.  Bulma sat up straighter and sniffed.  "What did you bring me?" Bulma squealed, her mouth watering.  ChiChi sat down with a warm smile.
    "First I have something to say." She began.  Bulma's smile wavered but she listened attentively.  ChiChi cleared her throat and blushed.  "It was wrong for me to try and make you choose between me and Vegeta.  I would have been beyond insulted if you had demanded the same of me and I apologize."  Bulma smiled.
    "Thank you ChiChi.  But I shouldn't have said those things about you.  I didn't mean it." ChiChi smiled.
    "Friends?"
    "Friends!" Bulma agreed, grinning.  ChiChi smiled and untied the brightly colored sack carrying the lunch box.  She pulled out a thermos and two small cups and poured them some tea.
    "I made fried pineapple. Shrimp, pork buns, and sushi." She said, opening the box and revealing the neatly placed contents.  Bulma's mouth began to water again as the smell wafted to her nose.
    "Thank Kami, ChiChi!" Bulma cried, grabbing an offered pair of chop-sticks and digging in.  "This hospital food sucks worse than my cooking." She said between mouthfuls of food.  "Vegeta would puke if he had to eat it." She didn't realize how Saiyan she looked as she scarfed the food.  ChiChi munched on a pork bun and sipped her tea as Bulma ate.  "So how's Gohan?" Bulma asked as she polished off the remainder of the food.
    "He's doing really well in his school work, I'm so proud.  Yamcha is bringing him when he comes."  She grabbed another pork bun as she saw Bulma eyeing them.  She wanted at least one more before Bulma tore into them.
    "Yamcha's coming here?" she asked as she sipped her tea.  ChiChi nodded.
    "Is that okay?" She asked, eyeing Bulma with concern.
    "Not if Vegeta sees him." ChiChi frowned.
    "Is he still here?"
    "Yep.  I'm pretty sure.  He-" she broke off giggling for a second.  "I think he passed out."  ChiChi's eyes widened and she burst into a giggle fit.
    "Vegeta?" she gasped between fits of laughter.
    "Yep." Bulma said, almost choking on her pork bun.  "I don't think he's ever seen a baby being born.  I'm not surprised he reacted the way he did.  Remember what happened to Goku?"  ChiChi began to choke on her tea as she remembered Goku's reaction at Gohan's birth.
    "You should have seen his face!" she gasped.  "Horrified isn't the word! I thought he was going to pee in his pants!"  they sat there laughing until they were out of breath when there was another knock at the door.
    "Hey babe!" Yamcha said, poking his head in.
    "Yamcha!" Bulma chided.  "You can't call me that anymore!" but she still had a smile on her face.  She was glad to see the former desert bandit.
    "Ok toots!" he said, his grin, turning devilish.     Bulma grinned in spite of herself.
    "Hi Bulma." Said a polite voice.  She looked down to see Son Gohan smiling up at her.
    "Hey Gohan! Long time no see!" Bulma smiled.  But suddenly she thought of Vegeta.  Where the hell was he?  Why hadn't he come to see her?  Did he really leave?  Yamcha noticed her soft frown.
    "What's wrong, Bulma?"
    "Vegeta's still here, isn’t he?" She asked, staring at her ex with luminous eyes.  Yamcha held back a grimace, but felt for the bastards ki, for her sake.  He blinked when he located it easily.
    "He's here." He admitted, trying not to sound too annoyed.  Bulma sighed in relief and her demeanor brightened immediately.
    "So what's up, guys?"

    How long was he going to sit in the stairwell and ponder what could be?  Was he that much of a coward?  He stood with a determined expression and ran up the last few flights.
    Once he was outside her room though, he stopped.  She had visitors.  How long had he been out?  He growled when he recognized ChiChi, Yamcha, and Gohan's ki's.  He hated them all.  Why did they have to come?  Couldn't they have waited?  He knew if he went in while the two ningens were there a confrontation would be the least of his problems.  Bulma would get upset and he didn't need that.  But he wasn't going to hide from two weak humans.  Or the hybrid.  With another angry snarl he stalked over to the door and all but ripped it off the hinges.
    Yamcha and ChiChi flinched at his entrance.  Bulma smiled brightly and Gohan tried to fade into the background.  He had shown horrible manners to Vegeta.  Something he'd never done to anyone.  And he was still embarrassed about it.  He was the last full Saiyan and he probably despised the half-breed who looked up to him in an odd way.
    He said nothing but stood by the door glaring angrily.  ChiChi was the first to take the hint and rose to leave.  She was dreading another confrontation with the Saiyan Prince.  Yamcha and Gohan followed suit and quickly said good bye.
    Vegeta ignored them as they left but as the door shut behind him a ghost of a smile settled on his features.
    "How are you?" Bulma asked, smirking in spite of herself.
    "Fine, of course." he huffed.
    "I'm glad you’re here." Bulma said.  Vegeta smirked.
    "I'm glad those fools left." Bulma rolled her eyes.
    "I'm surprised you stayed.  You weren't here when Trunks was born."
    "I know."
    "I know that you know.  What changed?" she said.  Vegeta felt the words stick in his throat.
    "I don't know." He said quietly.
    "Are you going to leave again?" she asked.  Vegeta frowned.  It was as if she already knew what he wanted to say, but knew he was still unable to confess his feelings to her.
    "No." She smiled softly.  Vegeta did not.  But he didn't appear angry either.  She was having difficulty reading his expression.
    "Are you all right?" she asked.  His eyebrows rose as he turned to consider her question.
    "Yeah." He said with a shrug.
    "We have two kids now." Bulma said, with a raised brow.  Was she trying to get a reaction out of him?
    "I know." He replied, carefully neutral. 
    "And you don't care?"  At last he looked at her.  Stared for long moments.
    "I don't know if I care about them." He was expecting the look of sorrow that touched Bulma's face.  But he was surprised to feel hollow as a result.  She noticed his defeated expression.
    "And what about me?" she asked softly.  At that he glared at her, his ebony eyes burning.  Abruptly he stood and began pacing.  Bulma frowned.  She was hurt that he wasn't sure he cared about his own children.  But she wasn't really surprised.  At least he told the truth.  And he didn't exactly say no.  But why when she asked his feeling towards her did he look so nervous and have nothing to say?  A slow smile crept to her face.
    "Vegeta?" she said, halting the Saiyan in his tracks.  He turned to face her, his eyes a little wide, a faint blush staining his cheeks.  "Do you care about me?" she asked sincerely.  Her smile was gone.  She noticed his face get a little redder.
    "Yes." He said after a moments hesitation.  She smiled again.
    "That's good enough for me."  Vegeta snorted.
    "Well it's not for me." And her strode forward and, bending down, caught her lips with his.   Their arms wrapped around each other and held tight.  Vegeta was careful of Bulma's stitches as his planted hard kisses down her neck.
    Suddenly he bit down on her throat, breaking skin.  Bulma gasped in pain and angrily bit down on his neck as well.  Surprisingly she broke his skin as well and strangely sweet blood flowed into her mouth and with it came a flood of memories that were not hers.
    She gasped at the swift pain the visions caused.  She felt the bitter sting of tears as she saw countless murders, abuse, rape, and humiliation.  How had he lived through it all?  She would have died.  She knew.
    Frieza.  She'd seen him one time only but now the name meant so much more.  Fear, hate, pain, and fury.  What had the wicked sadist not done to his slaves?  For that was what Vegeta had felt like from the moment he set foot on Frieza's ship.
    But that wasn't all he'd done.  She felt it as she drew closer to the darkest corner in Vegeta's mind and suddenly…
    ..It was over.
    Vegeta had turned away and was shaking violently.  Bulma reached out to him and he flinched, his hands hovered near his face as he took deep, slow breaths.  She knew everything now, except one last thing.  And she knew how he felt, what he'd give for her.  But she knew that there were some things he still couldn't give.  Things he couldn't even deal with himself.  Pain filled her heart, and also a deep love and respect for him.
    "Vegeta."  She said, realizing for the first time that she, too was trembling and tears poured from her eyes.  "I understand.  I don't have to know.  If you ever want to tell me you can, but I won't take it from you."  His shaking stopped long enough to look over his shoulder at her.      She could clearly see the pain in his eyes and she wished he would just relax and let her hold him.  It always helped her feel better.  It might help him a little.
    He offered a wry smile and shook his head.
    "I might hurt you."
    "What?" she asked, confused.
    I heard what you were thinking.  You are my mate now.  We are bonded.
    "Oh." She blushed a little.  But he crawled over to her side and wrapped his arms around her and she did likewise.  He buried his nose in her hair and sniffed.  She sighed happily and squeezed Vegeta, snuggling into his side.  But he was afraid to hurt her in her weakened state so kissed the top of her head affectionately.  "I'm okay Vegeta.  Whatever you did earlier made me feel great."
    "Of course."
    "What did you do?"
    "I saved your life, baka!" he teased.
    "Really?" Bulma said, here eyes wide and solemn.
    "Hai." Vegeta murmured.  "I can't let you die, don't be ridiculous."
    "Why not?"
    "Why all the questions, onna?  We are bonded, that's why.  I'd feel you die.  I'd rather not."
    "Oh." Bulma mumbled.  "Well, I don't want to feel you die either."
    "There are always the dragon balls."
    "I don't want to live forever! I don't think I'd be happy.  I'd have to see all my friends grow old and die.  I'd be so alone."
    "You'd have me." Vegeta said, annoyed.  Bulma almost laughed.
    "Would you really be able to stand being with me forever?"
    "Yes." Vegeta said, almost sounding insulted.  Bulma felt her eyes fill with tears again.  "What's wrong with you?" she silenced him with a passionate kiss.  When it ended Vegeta was a little breathless and slightly flustered.  "What was that for?"
    "That was so sweet!" Bulma chirped.  Vegeta felt his face grow hot.
    "Shut up!" he pouted.  "I'm not sweet!" Bulma giggled, but grew serious again after a few moments.
    "Would you really want to live forever?"  Vegeta frowned.
    "I don't know." He said.
    "I always figured you wanted to be immortal because you were afraid of going to hell."  Vegeta glared at her but said nothing so she continued.  "You did die before after all, but you didn't remember being dead right?"
    "So..?" Bulma shrugged.
    "I don't want to get into a religious debate, besides, Saiyans probably don't believe in anything but getting stronger.  So what would you do if you lived forever?"
    "I guess I'll never know.  The reason I wanted to be immortal  was so I could defeat Frieza.  It was the only way."
    "What if he broke all your bones and then blew up the planet you were on?" Vegeta rolled his eyes, growling in annoyance.
    "Then I guess I would have been screwed."
    "Well, that's my point.  I would rather die than be out in space unable to breathe and unable to die.  That would be hell."
    "What is this hell place you keep insisting on?"
    "It's where bad people go when they die.  I'll show you the Hell Raiser movies one day so you can see what they do to people there." She said, concealing a smile.
    "Whatever.  It's another foolish human fantasy."
    "I don't think fantasy is the word I'd use."
    "Shut up and go to sleep onna."
 

TBC

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