Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ And We Were Angels ❯ Secrets ( Chapter 32 )

And We Were Angels

By: AMCM74

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Chapter 32 - Secrets

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Vegeta picked up his sandwich and headed for the doorway. He had just heard Bulma's car drive up and was eager to hear how her day had gone. It was actually very sad in his opinion. Although he loved Bulma dearly, she had become his entire world. All his days were spent going from one useless task to the next trying to pass the time while she was away. He needed something more to this new mortal existence. He was actually toying with the idea of getting a job. The only real problem was that he didn't know what he wanted to do. Taking a bite out of his sandwich, he thought about the things he was good at and came up blank. What job could he do?

The front door swung open and Bulma tossed her purse to the stand nearby. She looked withdrawn and tired from her day. Vegeta mused to himself that it must have been the rough schedule she had been keeping. Normally she didn't look this exhausted.

"So how was your day?" He figured she might want to vent to him about how things had gone. Vegeta arched an eyebrow as she jumped a mile high at the sound of his voice. It was as if she wasn't expecting him to be there.

Bulma clasped her hand to her chest. "Oh Vegeta, I wasn't expecting you."

"Why not? I am here everyday when you return." Vegeta didn't like the way she averted her eyes before she started taking off her coat.

"My mind was just somewhere else. I am sorry."

"Dinner isn't ready yet. I stole a sandwich when your father wasn't looking," Vegeta informed her. "I think he is cooking up one of his special dishes for tonight."

"Dad is cooking again?" Bulma frowned and felt her stomach clench. In the past she would have just assumed it was her state of hunger and uneasiness with the idea of her father cooking. He only cooked when he was in a really good mood about something. She was a tad curious as to what could bring about one of these master chef moments. Still, it was no more than a tad. Bulma had more important things to think about now; like how she was going to deal with being a mother, or how she would ever broach the subject with Vegeta without being a dead give-away.

"Bulma?" Vegeta's voice snapped her attention back to the present. He looked curiously into her eyes. "Are you feeling alright?"

"No," she admitted. "I don't think I am up to eating tonight or doing anything else. Is it alright if we postpone movie night so that I can turn in early?"

"What about your father's meal of many horrors?"

"You can have my share. I am sure it won't be that bad, and he would love the company." Bulma walked past Vegeta and made her way up the stairs. "Please tell him I came home tired and just needed to get some sleep."

"Alright, but if you try to order pizza up there I will find out about it."

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Dinner wasn't that bad. Vegeta leaned over his plate and stared at his water glass.

"You haven't been very talkative tonight. Are you worried about Bulma?" Dr. Briefs asked out of the blue.

Vegeta looked up to see the older man picking up the remaining dishes from the table. "No, she said she was tired that's all."

"Yes, but I did find it odd that she didn't bother to mention her test results to us." Slight traces of worry worked their way onto the lines of Briefs' face.

"Tests?" Vegeta straightened.

"Don't tell me you forgot that today she had the appointment at the hospital to get the results for those tests we made her take," Dr. Briefs reminded Vegeta. He sighed and shook his head. "Knowing my daughter there are a few things that could cause this sort of reaction form her. One, she is avoiding me because she skipped out on the appointment. Two, that she is coming down with something. The only other thing it could be is that they told her something that she didn't know and she doesn't want to tell us."

Vegeta stood up and walked to the doorway.

"Where are you going?" Dr. Briefs stood there holding empty plates in his hands.

"To question Bulma," Vegeta snapped back. "I want some answers and I want them now."

"I don't think-" Dr. Briefs watched Vegeta disappear from sight and sighed. "This can only lead to more trouble."

Vegeta ran up the stairs. Bulma had been acting odd when she returned home this evening. He had been a fool to miss it. After all those months of helping her through her trials he should have known exactly how to read the expressions on her face. He didn't even bother to knock on the door. He just opened it and walked into the room.

Bulma was seated at the window looking out at the fading light of the day. She stirred a little as she turned her head to face him. "Vegeta?"

"You father reminded me that you had an appointment today with the doctor."

"Oh, that." Bulma cursed her father silently. He had to open his big mouth to Vegeta. She still wasn't ready to discuss the matter with him. There was no choice but to stall him a while longer. "The results were-" She paused trying to think of a way to evade the question rather than to blatantly lie to him. "They didn't find anything wrong with me." There. That would have to suffice for now. After all it was true.

Vegeta sighed with relief and moved closer to her. He reached out and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her head into his chest. "I am glad to hear that. I was worried."

"You shouldn't have been." Bulma's voice was muffled against his chest. "I already told you that I am fine. The only thing that is bothering me lately is I am tired."

"Then lets go to bed early. You can take the day off tomorrow and I will make sure no one bothers you."

Bulma swallowed hard. She did want to go to bed, but she wanted to do it alone. She still desperately needed time to herself. "I can't take time off work. I have already found myself knee deep in paperwork from the time I already took," she said in a quiet voice. "I just need a full night of uninterrupted sleep."

"I can understand that. That's why I suggest we go to bed now."

"Vegeta?" Bulma whispered. "Would you mind if we slept in different rooms tonight?"

Vegeta looked up. It took a long moment for the meaning of her words to sink in. Slowly he dropped his arms from around her and stepped back. There was obviously something there he had missed before. "Different rooms?" His narrowed eyes fell on her. For the first time he felt a rush of very unpleasant emotions coursing through him when dealing directly with Bulma. Irritation, anger and apprehension mixed together to form his words. "Of course I have a fucking problem with it. Are you crazy?" He watched her eyes widen in shocked before Bulma turned her head sharply away. "I can't believe that you even asked me that!"

"What is so wrong with my request?" Bulma snapped back. How could he be so callous and unfeeling about it?

"Every night since I have moved into this house I have slept with you in my arms. Now from out of the blue you come home acting strangely and don't want to sleep in the same room with me. How can you honestly expect me not think something is wrong with you?" Vegeta lashed back. He knew there was something going on but he couldn't put his finger on it. Was she lying about her health? Or was it something far more sinister, like another man in her life?

Vegeta nervously ran his hand through his hair. One thing was certain. Whatever it was that had his woman in this stupor, she was not going to confess it to him without a fight. He looked to her pale form and shaking hands. Bulma was in no condition to handle a barrage of questions. Growling, he turned from her and walked toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Maybe not telling Vegeta everything right away was a mistake. She clenched her fists at her side. It was so hard to deal with the new reality that was presented to her this afternoon. All Bulma wanted was a little time to think before she announced to the world that her life was irrevocably changed forever.

"I am going to my room so that you can have your precious night of uninterrupted sleep." The door slammed and Bulma dropped down weakly to the window seat. Bulma assured herself that once she told him he would understand and forgive her. At least that is what she hoped.

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Damn woman. She had just thrown him for a loop. Vegeta kicked his door shut. Just when he thought he was starting to get accustomed to this new life that he had, BAM! Bulma tossed a monkey wrench into the scenario. No wonder so many men complained about their female counterparts. If Vegeta had known how turbulent women could be he would have paid closer attention to the plight of mortal men during his time as Chancellor of Angels.

"Ahh, the plight of man." Radditz' voice floated from Vegeta's bed. "But that describes you now doesn't it?"

Vegeta snorted and watched the fallen one toss his legs off the side of the bed and rise to his feet. "Why are you still lurking around here, Radditz? I thought I made it perfectly clear the last time that I don't want anything to do with you and your brethren."

"So you want to leave your woman's very life to chance?" Radditz feigned shock. "If that is the way you want it, then I will be on my-"

Vegeta crossed the room with lightning speed. He grabbed the fallen one by the front of his shirt and shook Radditz with all the strength he possessed. "What do you mean Bulma's life? What do you know?"

Radditz smile didn't reach his lips. Lifting his hand to point at the fists that held him prisoner, Radditz asked with sickening calm, "Is this the way you treat a friend?"

Vegeta's eyes narrowed to blackened slits. "Tell me what you know or I swear I will have you exorcised from your sad plane of existence. Believe me when I say that I remember perfectly well just how to handle your kind."

"You know as well as I do that there is no way I can predict the future of your woman. There is only one being other than God himself who knows that." Vegeta's hands loosened their death grip. "Don't you find it odd that Goku hasn't appeared to you since your mortality was issued to you?"

Vegeta's face fell and he dropped his hold on Radditz completely.

"Ahh, so I am making sense to you aren't I." Radditz straightened his shirt. "The Angel of Death has been absent as of late. Perhaps this mortality is more of a punishment for seeking to go beyond your angelic limits rather than the blessing you have been lead to believe."

"What is wrong with Bulma?" Vegeta whispered, "Surely you know what is going on with her?"

"Yes, I do." Radditz felt almost dizzy with triumph when Vegeta paled. "I won't tell you what her doctor found wrong with her, but I will tell you many have died from it."

Blood pounded in Vegeta's ears. Doctor, wrong, died. These words only added to his horror. The fact was something was wrong with Bulma. The test results did not say she was fine as she had lead him to believe, and her life was at risk. If this wasn't the case Radditz would not be here.

"Don't play games with me, Radditz." Vegeta looked up with complete calm. "Tell me what you want."

"Whatever do you mean, my dear little mortal?"

"I am telling you that whatever you want from me, I will give it in exchange for Bulma's life."

"And what if I ask for your servitude to Lord Satan himself?" Radditz asked with a wicked smile. If Vegeta agreed to that he would know what course of action to take.

"I would." Vegeta felt his stomach turn. It was like acid in his belly just saying it, but for Bulma he would do anything.

"You're in luck then Vegeta," Radditz wrapped an arm around Vegeta's shoulder in a comrade embrace, "because I am not going to ask you for that."

Vegeta felt cold.

"All I am going to ask is for you to give up this boring mortal existence you now dwell in."

"What are you talking about you bastard!?" Vegeta pulled away from the demon. Unease was eating away at his consciousness, but what did he expect. He was about to make a pact with a being Vegeta found more menacing than the Devil himself.

"What I want from you is very simple, my friend." Radditz smiled with wicked delight. "I want you to become a full fledged demon, whose servitude is pledged only to me."