Dangerous Bond

Chapter 10 : And if you need saving?

When she awoke the next morning Bulma stretched and sighed, then bit back a scream as the entire house juddered.

'Jerk.' Was the first thought to jump into her head. 'Wait, no, Bulma. He isn't a jerk, not really...'

'Then how come he ran off like that yesterday?!'

'I dunno... Because. He needed to think, that's all.'

'Humph.'

Inside the GR Vegeta forced himself to his limit, corded muscles straining as he tried to keep up with training robots set seventeen levels too fast for him. He was keeping up. Blood streamed down him in rivulets from several hundred tiny cuts. Nothing major... yet.

The prince's thoughts were clear and controlled. He had somehow convinced himself that she didn't give a shit but deep inside his gut he knew that he was wrong. The ultra-extreme training was him taking it out on himself. The whole of this pathetic world could go screw itself for all he cared. Let the weakling Chikyuu-jin die.

An evil smirk crossed his lips seconds before his mistake. The thought had barely occured to him when all nine training drones moved into the gap in his attack and defence. He had only just registered it as a perfect idea when the GR blew apart.

A second rumble, way stronger than the first. This time Bulma actually heard it. And it wasn't just impact against the wall, or ki wave on ki wave. The explosion rocked the house. The aqua haired female was furious now. New almost-boyfriend or not, Vegeta had pushed it too far.

Finishing getting dressed Bulma strode down the hallway and out into her yard, wrath showing in every feature.

All the anger in the world could not have saved her from the sight she next set her sky blue eyes on.

"VEGETA!!!!!" She screamed and ran to the mess of broken control panels and twisted metal. She couldn't see him anywhere.

After searching frantically for five minutes Bulma sat back on her heels, tears running down her face. This couldn't have happened! She was too happy for this to occur... She wanted her Prince back...

She shreiked as a hand shot out of the rubble, weakly searching for a handhold to pull the rest of Vegeta's body out. Bulma's eyes bulged.

"Vegeta! Hey, hang on, I'll get you out!"

She ran over to where he was obviously buried and pulled away slabs of broken concrete and metal to reveal the entirity of Vegeta's arm. He took over from there.

'The last thing I need is for her to be the one who helps me out of this mess...'

Putting his arm flat on the ground the Saiya-jin prince used all the leverage he could get from the crumbling rock and began to haul himself out. The pain was unbeleivable. Every muscle screamed as he moved, sharp rocks and other debris cutting deep into his tanned skin until it was smeared with more blood.

As Vegeta managed to get his shoulders and head above the mess Bulma reached out to him in an attempt to help him the rest of the way. Snarling at her the prince shoved her away, causing her to fall painfully on her backside. Anger reawakened inside her as he finished pulling himself out and stood shakily on two feet, tail sagging behind.

"Are you all right?" She forced out from gritted teeth.

"Of course I am, onna. I am a Saiya-jin." But even as he said it he wavered.

Bulma didn't notice his obvious weakness.

"What were you thinking?!" She cried angrily, ignoring the wheezing noise Vegeta made as he fought to breath. "You could have blown up my entire house, you moron! Don't you have any consideration for anyone at all?!"

"Of course I do!" He snapped, "I have... consideration... for... ..."

He fell forward but Bulma was allready there to hold him up. Her swiftly changing personality kicked in again and her touch became oh so gentle.

"Geta? Geta-san?" She whispered, setting his head in her lap. "Vegeta?! Are you allright? Oh Kami, stay awake allready!!"

The Saiya-jin prince didn't hear any of it as he slipped into the murky waters of unconciousness...

With the help of one of her numerous machines Bulma carried Vegeta into his room and placed him carefully on the bed, pulling the covers up to his shoulders. She pulled out the desk chair and sat on it, laying her head on the smooth surface on the desk as she watched Vegeta sleep fittfully.

Normally he looked absolutely perfect when he slept (one of the reasons Bulma had watched him previously) but now he tossed and turned in his sleep, cold sweat running down his taught muscles, mingling with his blood and discolouring the yellow sheets. Bulma frowned as she watched him, what dream might he be having? She watched him for an hour before falling asleep herself.

Vegeta stirred from his sleep, pain shifting through every muscle in his body as he forced his eyes open. Above him was a white tiled ceiling, the whiteness of it leaving blue after images in his vision. He hurt like hell. A slight groan sounded from beside him. In his wounded state the prince's ears felt like they were going to explode.

"D-damn..." He stammered painfully and turned to see what had made the noise.

It was Bulma, her head laid on the table. Her back rose and fell rythmically in sleep, her beautiful eyes shut peacefully. He watched her as she slept for a while, giving his eyes and ears time to return to normal. She was so beautiful. How could he posibly say that he didn't hold feelings for her? He could never, ever abandon her, no matter how much of an impediment she was to his training.

'Bulma... If only you knew how precious you are to me. If only I could let you know... But I can't. Not fully. My Saiya-jin pride... My... stupid... Saiya-jin pride won't let me. Why can't I forget? Why can't I just let myself be, for once, and throw away all that my father and Freiza taught me? If I only do it around her it won't be too bad, will it?'

But he knew he couldn't, not straight away, at least. Perhaps if he worked hard consistantly he would eventually be able to speak freely to her, tell her everything, but that would take time. A long time. And what, in doing so, if he made himself soft? Or ended up being so open around all the other pitiful Chikyuusei senshi?

He shook himself, ignoring the sharp pain that shot up his back from the movement, as he looked upon her. He had enough feeling for this little Chikyuu-jin woman that he would undergo such changes, if only for her. What happened afterwards... Well, Vegeta never was too good at planning ahead.

Bulma awoke some time later, wiping an unseemly glob of drool from the corner of her mouth. Yuck. Sitting up she stretched upwards and yawned before looking down at her patient. She smiled when she saw him.

His face was quiet and peaceful, eyes barely shut rather than squeased tight like earlier. His new tail drooped over the edge of the bed, only the end visable from under the covers. From what Bulma could see the fur was a tangled mess. Vegeta's flame of black hair was tusseled and unruly, adding to his disorderly appearance. Her smile broadened. He looked even more sexy like that!

Reaching out a hand Bulma brushed Vegeta's cheek affectionately, delighting in the softness of his skin. Very slowly the prince opened his eyes and looked up at her. Their eyes met, sparkling blue on one side, fathomless black on the other.

"Come down here, woman." He ordered, patting the bed beside him. "I can't see you properly up there."

Bulma opened her mouth to laughingly protest when his furry brown tail wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her down beside him.

"Vegeta!" She protested, her voice failing to conceal her joy at him handling her like this. "Come on, you're wounded, you should be resting."

The prince just smiled evily and pulled her into his embrace, tail releasing her waist. Bulma didn't resist anymore, letting her body relax into his arms. She felt peacefull and trusting, something she'd only felt with her parents when she was very young and had them read her a bedtime story. She hadn't felt like this for far too many years. Part of her wondered if the man beside her had ever felt truely at ease. Although she doubted it, she wished silently that he had. No-one deserved to live life without happiness, not even that evil lizard, Freiza.

"Geta?" She mumbled into his chest.

He grunted, the sound strange and rumbling to the woman lying against him.

"Do you... I mean, have you... Ever been in a relationship like ours before?"

Vegeta put his head back, the movement smearing dried blood off the pillows along one side of his face. He had no idea what she wanted to hear, and even if he did he would only tell the truth.

"No." The prince said flatly, "I was only five when Vegetasei was destroyed by Freiza, if you need to know."

"Five?" She whispered, "That's rough."

"Who said life would be an easy thing?" He replied, trying miserably to forget just how hard his life had been so far. "I often used to wonder... Is it really worth it? All we do is end, eventually."

Bulma pulled away from his chest and stared up at him, eyes filled with emotion.

"Of course it's worth it, Vegeta!" She cried, "Don't you ever think those thoughts again!"

His gaze caught hers. For the first time since The Fall Bulma saw solemn seriousness in the dark depths of his eyes.

"I wouldn't do anything that would hurt you, Bulma. You should know that. And, now... I wouldn't want to die yet."

"Make sure you remember that."

"I will."

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