Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Cold As Ice ❯ Aftermath ( Chapter 18 )

Gohan laid Videl on the cushions in the room they'd been given. Krillin gently placed Pan by her side and quietly left the room. Gohan's eyes filled as he looked at them. Videl had spoken not a word, just stared at something only she could see. His daughter was bloody and broken, her body ravaged and torn. He ran his fingers lightly over the cuts on his wife's belly. "Daddy?" His eyes flew to Pan and he knelt beside her. "Baby?" "Daddy, I had a bad dream." Gohan cried.

Goku and Chi-Chi knelt on either side of Goten, saying nothing. Someone had torn apart his torso with a whip and his legs were streaked with dried blood. He slept, though, not like someone who could not wake, but as an exhausted child. "He's strong, Goku. He's going to get through this," Chi-Chi said. Goku looked at her. "So are you. I'm so proud of you, Chi. You survived when most would not." She bit her lip. "I wanted to die, Goku," she admitted. "I wanted to give up." "I know. I felt you. You didn't give up though. That's all that matters." She allowed herself a small smile.

"Put them here," said Bulma, as Piccolo carried her children into the room, still wrapped in his cape. He glanced at her, then at Vegeta and they both felt a strange sense of apprehension. "What is it?" she asked. "This will not be something you wish to see," said the Namek, slowly. "Perhaps you should let Dende heal her first." Vegeta noticed he said "her" not "them" and something tightened inside him. "Lay them down here, now," he ordered. Trunks was unwrapped first and set gently on the cushions. Bulma gasped and Vegeta had to force himself to look at the blood that marked his son's legs, the gashes from the whip that covered his torso. Closing his eyes for a moment, he looked back at Piccolo. The Namek had paused, still holding Bra. "Do it, Namek," Vegeta growled, but his voice did not have the usual bite to it. Piccolo slowly unwrapped his cloak and laid Bra's battered form on the cushions beside her brother. A cry escaped Bulma and Vegeta stopped breathing. Piccolo seemed to melt from the room, disappearing silently. Bulma raised trembling fingers to her mouth and Vegeta fell to his knees beside his daughter. The sight of her tore at his soul, ripped his heart to shreds and he felt it bleed. Carefully, he took her small hand in his larger ones and brought it to his lips. At the touch of his soft kiss, she moved her head and his breath caught. "Mmm, Daddy." Her eyes slitted open. Among the redness, he could see the blue jewels that usually shone with such life. They looked tired now, but a spark remained in their depths. "I'm here, baby girl. Daddy's here," he told her, leaning close. "Did it work? Trunks and Goten said it would." "Yes, Bra, it worked. You did perfectly." He brought her hand back to his mouth and kissed it again. "I didn't give in, Daddy. They didn't touch my pride," she whispered. Tears slid down Vegeta's cheeks, dripping onto her arm. She frowned. "Don't be sad, Daddy. I'll be okay. We didn't let them break us. They didn't take anything from us but our freedom. Anything," she stressed. He nodded. "I know, Bra. We felt it all through your Ki." A lopsided grin curved her swollen, battered lips. "Guess it's hopeless to think we could keep a secret from you, isn't it Daddy?" An answering smile tugged at his mouth. "Guess so. Rest now, baby. Dende is going to heal you." "K," she breathed, closing her eyes again. He looked up at Bulma. She was watching him.

"You know she lied?" she asked, him, grimly. "No, she didn't," he said. "Vegeta, she was a virgin when we went in there, her and Pan both," Bulma said, gently, coming closer to him. "I know, but not when they took her. Neither of them were then." Bulma's brows knitted together and he reached out. She placed her hand in his and he pulled her down to kneel beside him. Gently, he pushed the hair off Bra's neck and, beneath the blood and grime, his fingertips found the clear imprint of teeth. He took Bulma's hand and guided it there. Her other hand flew to her neck, her finger tracing the white scar Vegeta had given her when he claimed her as his own. "Vegeta, she could have gotten that while they were hurting her," she began, then paused when he guided her hand to their son's chest. Among the lash marks, she found another bite, this one smaller. She looked at Vegeta. "You will find Bra's teeth marks in Goten's shoulder and Trunks' in Pan's neck," he said, slowly. She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were moist. Vegeta cocked his head to one side. "It was the only thing they could do to help them, Bulma. To take away some of the pain." "I know. I was just wondering how my warrior son could understand something so sensitive to a young girl," she said, pride in her voice. "He has his mother's intelligence," Vegeta said. She smiled, just a little.

Gohan placed a soft kiss on Videl's mouth, but she didn't react. He glanced up at Dende, who was kneeling beside Pan, his small green hands just above her body. Even from where he sat, Gohan could feel the heat coming from the young Namek, as his magic healed the girl from the inside out. As the last of the bruises faded, Pan's eyes opened and she sat up, quickly. "Trunks!" Her hand flew to her neck. There, on her now perfect white skin, was the clear scar in the shape of Trunks' teeth. It would never fade, because not even Dende's magic would remove the bonding mark of a Saiyan. She looked over and saw Gohan and scrambled toward her parents. "Daddy!" He reached out with his free arm and pulled his daughter to him. Her arms locked around his neck. He held her tightly and looked at Dende. "Can you help my wife, Dende?" The little green man, a child really, knelt beside them, worry on his face. "Well, her physical wounds, yes, but my powers are not very effective when the problem is a mental one." "Try, Dende, please," he said. Dende nodded and reached out his hands. Pan pulled back and looked down at Videl. "Mommy?" Videl blinked. Her eyes focused on the face of her child. Her mouth opened. The sound of her voice saying Pan's name was the sweetest thing Gohan had ever heard.

Dressed in the same soft robes that were worn by Dende, the seven previously captive people were once again clean and warm, their bodies whole. Vegeta still refused to let Bra down. He carried her against his chest like a baby, into the main room of the Lookout. Once there, though, he met the gaze of Goten, very steadily. Without looking away, he slowly lowered Bra's feet to the ground. Hesitantly, at first, she stepped toward Goten, then quickly moved into his arms, glancing back at her father. Goten slid his arms around her, his gaze still locked with Vegeta's. His chin rose a little, his face was calm. Vegeta looked away first, his eyes settling on the content expression on his daughter's face. He gave a soft grunt and glanced at Trunks, who had pulled a smiling Pan close. Gohan didn't look very happy, his eyes on his daughter. Goku wasn't even paying attention to his son. He was too busy staring at his wife. Bulma's hand on his arm drew his attention and he looked at her. Her eyes were bright and blue and her azure hair wisped across her face. He resisted the urge to stroke it back behind her ear, then gave up, raising his hand and doing it anyway. She smiled.

All right, guys, that's it for this one! However, you'll notice I left it wide open for a sequel. So, what do you think? Is this it? OR did Ice survive and is she coming back for another chance at Vegeta and the Z Fighters? Let me know what you think. Should I make the second part to this story and does anyone have any ideas about how it should go? Post your decision with the reviews, or better yet, e-mail me at videl3402@hotmail.com