Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Butterfly ❯ See You at the Bitter Sweet End ( Chapter 18 )

I woke up to yet another disgusting hospital breakfast - soggy, burnt toast and a glass of orange juice (100% not real fruit!). Things looked bleak for that morning - boring even. That was until Vegeta turned up at bearing one large, obtrusive book.

"What's that Veggie?" I questioned, always the curious cat.

"Don't call me that. To answer your question, it is a book of Saiyajin heritage. I though you should know at least something about my bloodline. You better appreciate it - it took me a Hell of a long time to find it."

"Cool Veggie."

It was a very nice feeling I got then. He'd thought of me! Someone had gone out of their way for me.

I smiled gratefully at him and gestured towards the chair by my bed.

He sat himself carefully down and I took the book from his hands. Within minutes I had flipped my way through the book, skim reading various bits of information.

"Wow," I mouthed as I signalled at a particularly detailed image of some place on Vegeta's planet.

"This is the Imperial Palace on Vegetasai. It's where I live."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then which window's yours?"

"My windows look out on to the gardens."

"Whatever."

I had already moved onto the next page and was furiously scanning my eyes over the foreign lettering, trying to understand just a little of what the book was disclosing.

I indicated two figures in an important looking position. Their left hands were placed on the others heart and their other hand was placed over the heart on their own chest.

"That is the proper way for mates to stand in their mating ceremonies and at any important moments between them. It's the expression of their feelings for the other."

"Mate?"

"It's the equivalent of marriage on this planet except not so soppy."

"So it's more formal or what?" I questioned.

"Mating is on a much deeper level than marriage. Every person is born with a certain mate. Sometimes these mates are killed or for some reason they do not come into existence and sometimes the mating between two people is not approved of so another more suitable mate is found by matching up what can be gained from the mating…"

"But that's not fair!" I interrupted.

"Shit happens, woman," he stated, before carrying on, "When the mating is approved, a mating ceremony is organised. Basically, it involves the two standing in front of lots of people, declaring they're mates and mingling blood. This represents the two families joining. It's not necessary to have the ceremony to become mates. The bond formed between the two will overcome all - it lasts beyond death and there is no way to sever the bond. This is why courting between two Saiyajins is usually watched very carefully to stop a bond forming between two Saiyajins before the mating can be approved."

"What's this bond?"

"Every being has a bond between them. The bond I speak of is when the link between the two goes beyond normal and into a bond where the two minds join to become (more or less) one mind. They both know the other mate in every way. Nothing is secret. This is why we Saiyajins don't need to tell our partners we love them - they will know through the bond. The bond can vary in strength between different sets of mates. Arranged bonds are usually weaker. The stronger the bond, the more complete the connection. In the strongest bonds, if one saiyajin dies the other will soon follow from the pain of the loss - life will not be worth living without the deceased mate - but the bond will not cease to exist. It will simply follow them into the Afterlife."

"That's amazing."

"I suppose."

I spent an hour or so more examining the book and Vegeta spent an hour or so more answering my monotonous questions.

"So Vegeta."

He looked up at me with a bored, tortured expression, obviously sure I was going to ask him to explain what exactly the "Whip of the Five" was and what it did again.

"When are you gonna get me some lunch?"

He raised his eyebrow that seemed somehow sexy now I thought about it.

"Where's the café then?"

I wrapped my arms around my stomach and make an expression similar to that of a sick cat.

"No more! Please don't make me eat anymore of their crap Vegeta! Save me from chips and genetically modified fish fingers! Save me from out of date fizzy drinks! Most importantly - save yourself!" I pleaded.

My tirade against the hospital food earned me a glare from the nurse who was checking my water jug was still full.

He dug his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet. He quickly rifled through his cash and then asked me what it was I wanted.

"Mc Donald's, please."

"I thought you didn't want GMed food."

"Stop being smart and go fetch me my cheeseburger, regular fries and large coca-cola!"

He rolled his eyes at my impatience, bent down and kissed my cheek then left the room.

I leant back into the pillows and sighed. Maybe I had been wrong to attempt suicide. Maybe I could have gotten through everything. I cast my mind back to the events of the past year. I frowned as I remembered the pain I had felt and I eventually had to stop myself from losing myself to the pain that was starting to lap at my feet.

The opening of the door drew me back from the edge of the abyss. It was only the nurse, but I was thankful for her interruption.

"I'm going to check and replace your dressings now Bulma. If you could just hold still, please."

I nodded, still feeling slightly dejected at my earlier thoughts.

She (Sister Mindy) manoeuvred herself to the left of me and started to undo the bandages wrapped securely around my left forearm.

I took a deep shaky breath as my wounds were revealed to the World.

At that exact moment of exposure, Vegeta entered the room. I kept my eyes focussed forward. I couldn't bear to see the look of pain that I knew was gracing his perfect features. He sat himself down and said nothing.

Sister Mindy picked up my arm and tilted it this way and that to examine the cuts, oblivious to the situation in the room.

She redressed my left arm and moved onto my right arm, and was finished in a matter of minutes.

"Everything looks fine at the moment Miss Briefs. I'll recheck your wounds in two days."

I gave a stiff nod and she left the room.

I sat absolutely still, hoping that something would stop anything uncomfortable from happening.

I tensed as Vegeta drew a breath to speak.

"I couldn't get you a large coke so medium will have to do."

"Thanks. Err… This is going to sound silly but aren't you going to say anything?"

"About?"

I flicked my gaze to my arms.

"I've already seen them woman."

"When?"

"When I brought you to hospital."

"You did that?"

I bit my lip in astonishment.

"Yes I did. I pushed my way through the crowd, aiming to go home and then I saw you lying there in a crumpled, bloody heap," he seemed to glaze over as he recalled the moment he had spotted my body, "I rushed over to you and rolled you onto your back and, Kami, you were so pale and cold. You had huge slashes up your arms and you were lying in a pool of your own blood. So I wrapped you up in my jacket and flew you here."

I threw my arms round his neck and hugged him as tight as I could manage. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. I could feel the tears running down my face as I whispered thank you into his ear again and again.

He picked me up and placed me back on the bed, before climbing next to me. He rewrapped his arms around me and we lay like that for a little while longer.

I lifted my head up from the very comfortable position it had been in (namely, resting on Vegeta's well muscled chest) and kissed him. I gazed up into his obsidian eyes and smiled.

For the first time in ages, I felt happy.

Nothing else mattered except the moment I was sharing with Vegeta.

Nothing else mattered except for Vegeta.

I blinked and felt something click. I wasn't sure what it was but Vegeta gave me a knowing smile.

He propped himself up on one elbow, leant over me and kissed me. Everything was complete.

Then my perfect moment was shattered.

The door flew open and then slammed shut. I peered over Vegeta and saw Yamcha standing by the now completely blocked doorway.

"Hi Yamcha," I ventured, "What are you doing here?"

"More like what the Hell is he doing here?" Yamcha demanded, gesturing to Vegeta. "You shouldn't be with him Bulma - you should be with me!"

My temper was failing pretty quickly. Who the Hell did he think he was, telling me that?

"You're the one who cheated on me Yamcha!"

"So?"

"I don't want you anymore Yamcha! You cheated on me. You left me when I needed you and now I've moved on!"

"But you still love me!"

"How do you figure that?"

"I know you do! Just tell me."

"I don't. I'm not going to lie to you! In fact, I near hate you!"

"Take that back right now!"

I raised my eyebrows in shock and glanced at Vegeta, who had stayed silent so far. I stood up from the bed and Vegeta followed.

"No."

"Do as I say and take it back Bulma. Just tell me you love me and I'll spare you."

"Spare me from what?"

"This."

Yamcha removed a gun from inside his coat and took aim at Vegeta.

The World was deathly silent as I realised what exactly it was Yamcha was going to do to the love of my life.

The bang resounded in my ears and I think I screamed but I can't remember anything definite from that moment.

I looked down and Vegeta was lying on the floor with blood pouring out of the gunshot in his chest. He looked up at me and I could see the absolute agony in his eyes.

I knelt down beside him and started to cry - I didn't know what to do. I bent over Vegeta's head whilst trying in vain to stop the blood from gushing out.

"Tell me you love me!" Yamcha screamed at me. I looked deep into his eyes and I could see the fury burning there.

"No," I whispered, "Never."

An explosion of pain ripped through me as a bullet entered my body. I fell forward onto Vegeta, who was slowly losing consciousness.

I raised my left hand and pulled his left hand onto my chest. I wrapped my free hand over his and kissed him.

Another gunshot went off in the background but I hardly noticed. I guessed Yamcha had shot himself, but I didn't care about him (or only that he would burn in Hell for stopping my love in its footsteps before it could truly bloom).

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too," he murmured. This would be the last time he ever said those words and I treasured them. I realised I would never say that phrase to my soul mate ever again as well.

Soulmate.

It suddenly clicked that Vegeta had known we were now mates. I had felt us join just five minutes ago. I was finally content.

Vegeta opened his eyes one last time and I threw myself into his gaze and was lost myself.

"Forever."

My lifeblood ran onto the hospital floor, merging with the Vegeta's and creating a swirling pattern of crimson.

It was over.

AN: I'm so sorry I didn't get this done sooner like I promised, but my computer caught a virus and I'll have to have everything replaced. It's Hell! I can't even check my e-mails! I guess that I kind of didn't want to finish it anyway. That's it from me for a little while. Scary!

Thanks to everyone who bothered to read, review or have input into this fic. Hopefully I'll come up with something new and original but we'll have to see where my imagination takes me.

Mow wow