Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Against All Odds ❯ Sacrifice ( Chapter 22 )

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ.

Chapter Twenty Two

Sacrifice

Vegeta sat on the narrow cot in the small sparse room. Shortly after arriving on Capital World he had been shown to his accommodations and left alone after receiving a clipped command to appear before Frieza in an hour's time. He had left behind Nappa and Raditz at the base, much to their ire, but he didn't want them in the way if things went awry. He felt his power boiling inside of him, straining for release from the tight cocoon he had wrapped it in. Frieza had no reason to conceal his energy and the aura that Vegeta felt ebbing off the Ice-jinn was astronomical. Vegeta was confident that his "master" was unaware of the power that he was suppressing, but once he stepped in front of the tyrant there would be no way that he could continue to hide it.

Vegeta looked down at the object that he was twirling absently in his fingers. The green fluid in the syringe glinted with a malicious light and his gut tightened with loathing. It was so frustrating to be so close to his goal and yet have it be so unobtainable. If only he had a month more to train, he would be powerful enough to defeat Frieza and claim his hereditary right. All of that would be threatened if he made one wrong move in the tyrant's presence. He couldn't afford to be found out now, after so much work, but he was unwilling to harness his power to avoid detection.

The ominous words of the whore back on the base rang through his mind. He would be called on to do something heinous today he was sure that it more than likely had to do with Bulma. She had faith in him to overcome any obstacle in their way and her conviction that whatever was going to happen could not be stopped reassured him in a perverse way. He grimaced at the knowledge that when it came to court intrigue and hidden plots he bowed to her experience. She would have already analyzed every other possible solution to the problem that awaited him and if she said that the only answer was to play along, then that was the best thing to do. He just wished that he knew what it was.

He eyed another syringe that sat on the bed next to him, filled with the antidote to the serum. If he got in over his head he could always inject himself with the cure and then try to fight his way out as futile as it may be. Every fiber of his being rebelled at the thought of willingly subjecting himself to the loss of his power and opening himself up to an attack, but he had no choice. Such games were beneath him and he growled in anger at having to play them in order to get what he wanted.

There was a sharp rap at the door, signaling that it was time to face his fate before the mighty lord. With a grunt of acceptance he injected the rotten fluid into his veins, gritting his teeth as his strength flowed away. It hurt more this time than it had previously. He felt as though something precious was being ripped from him and the emptiness was overwhelming. He had not realized how comforting it had been to be so interconnected to everything around him and severing the link was like cutting off his tail.

He stood shakily, pocketing the yellow syringe before striding to the door. He followed the court page down the corridor, foreboding churning in his stomach with every step he took. They paused outside the massive double doors that were intricately carved while he waited for the guard to announce him. With a soft creak they swung inwards to reveal his master sitting on his raised dais surrounded in a pool of sunlight. With confidence that belied his trepidation, Vegeta strode forward, sinking to one knee before the Emperor while covetously searching for his mate.

She stood to the left of the throne, her delicate wrists lashed together in front of her body. Her clothing was rumpled and stained as though she had been wearing them for days on end and her face was too pale for his liking. Dark shadows hung beneath her eyes and her cheeks were hollow with strain. Her body seemed to be more rounded and riper than he remembered it being. Although she was ragged and unwashed he had never seen a more beautiful sight and he shook with the urge to gather her up in his arms and carry her away from this hellish place.

He took this in with a flicker of his eye, being sure that his face remained implacable before the Emperor, giving away nothing that the monster could use against him.

"My dear little Monkey, it has been too long." The Ice-jinn purred and Vegeta had to resist the urge to shudder. He may be willing to play submissive before his master in order to get what he wanted, but he would not lower himself by exchanging pleasantries with him. With his trade mark stoicism he glared up at the ruler, waiting impatiently for an explanation for his summons. Frieza sighed deeply before turning to face Bulma.

"I don't know what you saw in him my dear, he is so uncouth."

"He gives good tail." She refused to look at Frieza, instead opting to drink in the sight of the proud warrior that she had missed so desperately. He looked so strong standing defiantly before the Lord, practically daring the lizard to fry him on the spot. How she had missed that strength. It wasn't until they had been parted that she realized just how much she soaked in his absolute, unquestionable resolve that he would defeat Frieza and to hell with anything else.

After so many months of being near Frieza, she had become mired down with doubts and living in the Emperor's court left her overwhelmed with the sheer intensity of his power. Hopelessness had reared its ugly head and being parted from Vegeta only fed her despair, but as always his mere presence settled around her in a cloak of comfort and security.

If Vegeta hadn't already been kneeling he might have stumbled to the ground at her words. Where were her coquettish smiles and her fake blushes? He had never seen her speak with such blatant disrespect to Frieza and the foreboding swelled inside of him.

"Tsk tsk. You have become so defiant of late, my precious genius. Whatever am I going to do with you?" She deigned not to answer him, instead tossing her head in dismissal. Vegeta had the sudden urge to reach out slap her for courting disaster while ignoring the pride that sputtered to life in his chest at her actions. Frieza snarled and Vegeta tensed, silently fingering the antidote tucked away in his pocket.

"I suppose you are curious as to why you are here, Monkey." Curious was an understatement at the depth of his interest.

"You have been very disappointing for the last several months. First blowing up my property, then refusing to come home from that disgusting little planet you resided on for a month. Reports indicate that your work ethic has dropped dramatically as well. I have people whispering in my ear that my dear little monkey is depressed. Is that true?" Frieza's tone was mocking and Vegeta resisted the urge to snort. The Prince of All Saiyans did not get depressed, but if the Ice-jinn wanted to think that the reports were true then he would not dissuade him.

"So uncooperative you two are. I have more enriching conversations with my house plants." Frieza snarled and Vegeta had to blink away the image of the imposing Ice-jinn cooing at a baby fern.

"Lets get to the real reason that we are here shall we?" Vegeta couldn't agree more and he watched as Frieza typed a code into a panel on his armrest. As a video screen was lowered down from the ceiling off to Frieza's right, Vegeta noticed that for the first time Bulma wrenched her gaze away from him and was now looking studiously at the floor. Without another word the screen blinked to life and Vegeta watched the story unfold.

The screen revealed an empty science lab viewed at a sharp downward angle from where the camera was pointed. It was dark and it was obvious that the feed was shot late at night after everyone had gone back to their quarters. A door slid open and Bulma stepped through, dressed in a long lab coat that was black instead of her normal white. The clothes she wore underneath were darker and bulkier than her normally revealing short skirts and thin blouses.

She stumbled forward catching herself on the edge of a stainless steel counter, bracing herself against a wave of pain that contorted her features. When the pain had passed she made her way to a locked cabinet that she opened and took out vials of medicine. Shakily, she filled a syringe having to pause when another wave of agony washed over her. She lurched across the room and the camera changed perspective showing her standing before an operating table with the needle clamped between her teeth as she pulled off her coat. She bunched it up at the foot of the table before stripping off the rest of her clothes.

Vegeta gasped when her rounded stomach was revealed as she disrobed. He shot a startled glance at Bulma but she still stared steadfastly at the floor, refusing to meet his eyes. He was drawn away from her by Frieza's evil cackle as he glared maliciously down at Vegeta.

"Such a little minx, our Bulma. She kept the secret of her pregnancy well. Concealing her weight gain beneath baggy clothes and staying inside her quarters as much as possible." Frieza's syrupy tones slid threateningly down Vegeta's spine and he saw Bulma hunch her shoulders slightly. She had been pregnant and she hadn't told him. She had plenty of opportunity to send him a message, but she had kept it from him. Instead, she chose to bear their child silently and alone with no one to support her. Not that he would have been able to come to her side if he had wanted too. What he didn't understand is why she allowed the child to come to full term instead of aborting the fetus. Having the child only complicated matters and put them both in danger, but instead she had made the decision for both of them without consulting him.

Bulma fought the urge to launch herself at Vegeta and beg him to understand her reasoning. How could she make him understand the surge of joy she had felt when she found out she was carrying Vegeta's child, along with the undeniable fear. She knew that the safest thing to do was to abort the baby before anyone found out, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had sat in her small gray bathroom under the glaring yellow light and stared at the pill that would dissolve the life inside of her for hours.

She had carefully tested herself to be absolutely sure that it carried saiyan DNA just before she retreated to that lonely room to decide not only her fate of herself and her baby, but Vegeta's fate as well. By allowing the child to come to full term, she had invited their present situation, endangering their lives. Her only consolation was that their child was safe, sent far away from the reach of their master. Her heart clenched with knowledge that she had sent him alone, a mere babe, to an alien planet. She was confident that he would survive, after all he was half Saiyan and his father was the prince of his race, the strongest to ever exist.

From beneath her blue bangs she watched as Vegeta turned back to the screen in time to see her inject herself in the hip before climbing up onto the table. She had placed pillows up against the wall and she sat upright with her hands on her stomach as if she was bearing down on the bulge. Her face was twisted in agony and he watched with avid fascination as her abdominal muscles fluttered with her contractions. There was no sound to the video feed, but Vegeta could see the silent screams being wrenched from her as the pain lanced her body with increasing intensity with every passing minute. Sweat began to bead and roll down her face as her hair hung in damp strands down her back. Her whole body convulsed with each contraction and her lip began to bleed as she bit down viciously at it to muffle the screams. Vegeta fought the urge to step forward and gather his mate up into is arms in an unspoken apology for her pain.

"I think we all know what happens here." Frieza's bored tone pierced Vegeta's awe and he watched as the Emperor fast forwarded through several hours of labor. He stopped the feed as Bulma was reaching down between her bloody thighs to cradle a mewling infant in her arms. At the angle that they watched, Vegeta was able to clearly see that the child was a boy with a crop of lavender hair on his head. Bulma cooed at the child and a small purple tail wrapped around her wrist holding her in place. She held him close rocking him gently as tears streamed down her face.

Vegeta felt like he had been hit hard in the gut. He had a son, an heir to the throne. He knew that he should shove away the paternal pride that he felt at this moment. It would only serve to weaken him against what was yet to come. The child was nothing more than a liability to his cause. He could not allow his emotions to take rein of his reason. He cursed Bulma for allowing such a thing to happen, he cursed her for giving birth to their downfall.

"So, how does it feel to be a father Vegeta?" Frieza's sly eyes glinted with malice and Vegeta knew that he teetered on the razor sharp edge of his own destruction. Without a doubt he knew that he could not claim that child as his own or he would risk not only his safety but the lives of his family as well. Ironically, he only had to portray himself as the monster that everyone knew that he was. He curled his lip in a wicked sneer of disgust, growling in Bulma's direction.

"I think I'm going to vomit. I have never seen something so hideous in my life." He crossed his arms in front of himself defiantly, glaring at the Ice-jinn who cackled at his insulting words.

"How can you say that about your own son, Vegeta?" Frieza's merriment twinkled in his eyes and Vegeta snorted loudly.

"That's not my son. The Prince of All Saiyans would never whelp something with lilac tinted hair." He growled defensively before shooting a sneer in Bulma's direction.

"But the child is obviously Saiyan, my dear Prince. It had a little monkey tail." Frieza's blatant mockery instigated Vegeta's loathing for his master and it grew with every passing second. He felt as though he was sinking in a sea of lies and deceit that he was ill equipped to navigate.

"The whore must have been fucking one of my men behind my back, Lord Frieza." He spat the sentence out through gritted teeth and it could easily be mistaken for anger at Bulma when it really was self disgust. He had no idea how to untangle this mess or how to free his mate and son from the tyrant's grip.

He looked up to see Frieza's long pale tail curl around Bulma's waist yanking her closer to the throne. She looked frightened but hard determination lit her eyes and he could see her monumental stubbornness taking root inside of her.

"Now, for the last time Bulma. Where is the child?" Frieza's voice was gentle but violence simmered ill-disguised beneath the surface. Again Vegeta was treated to another shock. He had assumed that Frieza already had the child and would try to use it against them, but it would seem that Bulma had been able to smuggle the babe out of the Emperor's reach.

"I have sent him away. He is strong like his father and he will survive." She snarled venomously, but he didn't miss the hint of pride in her voice. Frieza hissed with displeasure as his clawed hand snaked up to grab her by the hair pulling her closer to his scaly countenance.

"I know that you little slut, what I want to know is where you have sent him too." Vegeta tensed at the murderous drawl and he readied himself for battle.

"I am the only one who knows and I will never tell you. I would never hand my baby over to a monster such as you, no matter the consequences." Her lips drew back over her teeth as Frieza wrenched her head back on her neck. He hauled her up off the ground before tossing her away from him with a snort of disgust. She flew into Vegeta who wrapped his hands around her upper arms to steady her. Her cerulean eyes held his obsidian ones for a brief moment, conveying her apology for their current mess as well as her conviction that it could not have been avoided.

"See what I have had to put up with Vegeta. She is so disobedient. Perhaps you can talk some reason into her."

Vegeta's incredulous gaze locked with his master's. "What exactly would you have me say my lord?" Vegeta's tone was rough with disbelief. Talking reason into Bulma was like walking naked on a sun, theoretically impossible.

Frieza huffed in annoyance before directing his pale eyes at the couple in front of him. "Find out where that brat is Vegeta or it is not going to go well for the both of you."

Vegeta looked down at the small woman in his arms, understanding brewing inside of him. This is what the whore had meant by playing the game and getting into Frieza's good graces. Although it didn't really make any sense, he seriously doubted that Bulma was going to tell him the location of the whelp.

"You heard him woman, where is the half-breed freak?" He growled threateningly as his fingers tightened on her. She winced and he almost loosened his grip automatically in response to her pain, but instead he shook her for appearances.

"Like I would tell you, asshole. You would probably kill him just out of principle." She ground out through gritted teeth while her eyes spit fire at him. Switching tactics, Vegeta opted to pull her closer to him, shuddering at the contact of her body against his. He felt her answering shiver and he wanted to groan. He inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent that had been denied to him for these long months.

"Don't be so sure of that, Onna. Do you really think I would murder my own spawn?" He purred into her ear. She leaned against him, drawing in his strength before she reared back to look him in the eye. With her back to Frieza she was able to show her true feelings while the lies spewed from her mouth. With a glance she conveyed her longing for him while she acted out her part of the script for the benefit of the Emperor. Her gaze became shuttered and a hard mask settled over her features. Do it, she mouthed to him before she replied.

"Of course, you are a bloodthirsty ogre who takes pleasure in the pain of others. Besides you don't even believe he's yours, there is nothing stopping you from killing him. You are nothing but Frieza's bitch!" She spat at him. Vegeta still didn't understand exactly what she wanted. Do what, he wondered. He was playing her little game, what more did she want? He shoved her away from him, slapping her with enough force to send her skidding across the floor at his master's feet. He summoned up a snarl of rage to cover the disgust he felt for striking her. She glared up at him, blood streaming down her chin as she growled ferociously.

"Bitch! You are nothing but a whore and not a very good fuck at that." He advanced on her, stalking her like he would his prey only to be brought short by the silky words of the Ice-jinn.

"Now, now children. If you can't play nice I am going to have to separate you." Frieza's eyes glinted with malicious delight as a smug grin stretched across his thin lips. He eyed Vegeta proudly and the prince knew that he was close to passing his sick test. Confident that he had wormed his way into a more flattering light, he sought to remove his mate from the potentially fatal situation and to safety. All he needed was another month and then he would be able to defeat Frieza.

"Lord Frieza, it is obvious that she is not going to tell us anything. She would more than likely die before giving up the brat. I say you toss her in a cell to rot while she thinks about her crimes." He tilted his head arrogantly as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, his wicked sneer firmly in place.

"You are right Vegeta. She is not going to tell us and unfortunately she has become more trouble than she is worth. I can't have someone like her around anymore. She has too many brains and far too many friends. Frankly, there is only one thing to be done." Frieza shook his head sorrowfully and Vegeta's gut twisted. He glanced down at Bulma and noted that her ivory skin had become even paler and her cobalt eyes darkened with dread.

"You are just going to have to kill her." Frieza said with cold detachment and Vegeta's wide eyes shot back up to his Lord. He fought for impassivity while his brain stuttered to a stop. W-what? His mind cried with shock. Unwilling images of the woman and child he had purged back on the planet invaded his mind, reminding him of his turmoil. He had hesitated when it was just a female that reminded him of Bulma and now the nasty lizard was commanding him to kill her in the flesh. Ordering him to blast his own mate into the next dimension.

He couldn't do it. He refused to do it. He looked back down at Bulma to see her mouthing another word at him. Sacrifice. With horror he realized that this was the task the whore had been talking about. The event that could not be stopped.

Bulma's death.

He was drawn into her swirling gaze as his thoughts twisted around him. If he refused she would die anyways by another's hand, more than likely Frieza's. There was a good chance that Frieza would blast him as well for disobeying a direct order and showing favor to a traitorous whore. It was another sick and twisted test. If he refused he would be admitting defeat but if he obeyed he would kill the one person in the universe that cared for him.

He fingered the syringe in his pocket. He could inject himself and try to fight their way out of the hall. More than likely they would die, but it would be an honorable death. He felt like grabbing his head in frustration. Months ago, he would have never considered that as a course of action. He would have blasted the woman by now and secured his own safety in order to complete his goal. She was only a roadblock in the path of his success. He no longer had a use for her and there was no reason to keep her alive.

As much as he wanted to convince himself that he hadn't changed, the truth blared at him loudly. The thought of killing his mate nearly dropped him to his knees with repulsion. He could not disgrace himself in such a manner and betray her.

Her eyes darkened as she read his thoughts. She knew he would balk at killing her even if he didn't love her. She was the only one who truly knew that he wasn't as monstrous as everyone believed him to be. If he didn't kill her though, he would be signing his own death warrant and Frieza would win in the struggle for power.

She knew that this day was coming, ever since she had sat silently in her cramped bathroom. She had made the decision willingly knowing full well the consequences of her actions. Bearing the royal heir and hiding him away would be her last defiant act against the throne. A deadly flaunt in the face of the Emperor, declaring her independence for once and for all. It was her choice to die, not the decision of Frieza to kill her. In the beginning she had plotted only for her freedom, but now that had morphed into something all together different. She was willing to sacrifice herself for her baby, for Vegeta, for the cause. She would become a martyr.

In a fit of shrieking fury she launched herself at her lover, beating him over the head with her bound hands. He grabbed her to him allowing her to lean forward to whisper in his ear.

"If you let anyone but yourself kill me, I will never forgive you." She brushed a kiss over his cheek before pulling away to scream at the top of her lungs, causing both males in the room to flinch at the sheer volume.

Vegeta held her tight against him, savoring the feel of her rounded body against his. His long dead heart seized in pain at the truth of her words. He heard the unspoken meaning behind them. It was true that if he didn't kill her he would die himself, but on a deeper level she loathed the thought of Frieza to be the one to kill her. If she had to die, then she would have Vegeta be the one to do it. It would be their last intimate moment together.

I can't do it!

The words echoed in his head and he saw Bulma's eyes widen a fraction. Without warning her soft dulcet tones intruded on his thoughts, so filled with longing and sorrow.

You must do it.

He looked down into her shadowed cobalt eyes, surprise rife within him. Unaware by them both, a telepathic bond had formed between them, solidifying under the stress of the last few terror filled moments, allowing them to exchange words instead of mere emotions or wavering visions.

A doorway to her thoughts and emotions opened up to him, allowing him to peek inside at the complexities of her mind. Always her first priority had been the destruction of Frieza at all costs. He knew now that the safety of their child came first with Frieza's defeat at a close second. Neither of these goals could be accomplished as long as Bulma lived. If he refused to kill her then they would both die, their son would remain lost and Frieza would continue to rule.

"Are you waiting for something Vegeta?" Frieza's slippery tones echoed throughout the room, jarring the couple back to reality. He glanced up at the Ice-jinn his onyx eyes locking with cold pearlescent orbs. Vegeta could see a hint of mocking along with murderous intent in their jaded depths. Frieza was taking twisted pleasure at watching the Saiyan's dilemma. If Vegeta refused to do his bidding then he would die and the Emperor would have rooted out two traitors from his midst, but if he obeyed then Frieza would know for certain that he had a loyal subject.

With quiet deliberation Vegeta sealed the hole in his heart, freezing it solid. The hell that he had been through for the last year and a half was all do to the fickle emotions he had recently been subjected too. It had been so much easier in the past when he had them tightly under control. Ruthlessly, he purged them from his heart and mind, welcoming back the impassive killer that had stood to the side these many months. Mocking him as he learned to feel, knowing that in the end it would leave him broken. He knew what he had to do and Vegeta was a man who never shirked his duty.

"No, Lord Frieza." Vegeta replied stoically as he stepped way from his doomed mate.

I'm sorry

His mental voice was raw with emotion as his coal black eyes hardened into gems of hate. He raised his arm, remorselessly gathering his ki into his palm. The power sizzled in his hand as he aimed for her heart.

I forgive you

Her words whispered through his tortured mind, attempting to apply a soothing balm but failing miserably.

But I will never forgive myself

The last thing he saw before the blast tore threw the air was the utterly forgiving and loving look in her sapphire eyes.

She was flung back against the far wall, dead before she hit the floor. The smell of seared flesh filled the air and he resisted the urge to gag. Silently, he lowered his arm as he felt an unbearable coldness settle into his bones as the last remnants of his soul burned away, leaving him devoid and forsaken. She was gone and he had killed her. All hail, the Prince of the Saiyans, the most ruthless monster in the universe.

He barely heard his master's gratuitous praise of his loyalty to the empire and he absently noted that he was patted on the back like a dutiful pet. He was excused from the Ice-jinn's presence and without a word he turned on his heel to exit the room, leaving the corpse of his mate behind. With unseeing eyes he walked through the palace halls only briefly coming out of his reverie when someone brushed into him to slide yet another capsule in his hand. He clutched it tightly knowing that it was from his woman. Her last words to him.

Without pause he made his way to the docking bay and climbed into his pod, setting the coordinates for a distant planet that had been recently purged and yet unoccupied. A place where he could be alone with himself and the monster he had become.