Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Crossing the Boundaries ❯ Inner Turmoil ( Chapter 5 )

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With a dejected glance I pushed aside my untouched plate. Goten was busily downing a second order of fries to top off the two double cheeseburgers that he'd already consumed. One thing that the anime had right was the Saiya-jin appetite; it was inconceivable the way these guys ate!

Goten had driven a ridiculous distance just to come to this little restaurant that was no different from twenty others that we had passed along the way. I knew why. The more distance that he could get between Trunks and I, the better.

It was unsettling. I could still "feel" him, but it had become an almost undetectable sensation, noticeable only because I knew it should be there. There wasn't even the faintest murmur of his thoughts, and upon noticing this, a deep sense of loss enveloped me.

" Not hungry? "

I opened my eyes to find that Goten had momentarily ceased his binge to look at me. He was holding a french fry halfway between the plate and his mouth, so maybe it was just a coincidence that he noticed I wasn't eating.

" No, I'm not, " I said flatly.

He set the fry back on his plate and leaned forward on the table, " Look, I don't know how to help you, but I'm doing the best I can. If my dad says that you two should be apart, then that's the best thing for both of you.

You knew who we were before we ever ended up here, but I'm still not sure what you expected. It obviously wasn't reality, and now you have to learn to accept the truth. Maybe it's not what you wanted, but no one can change that now.

Trunks shouldn't have done what he did. We were strictly informed to keep a safe distance just to avoid this kind of situation. My dad knew there was a certain amount of risk, but none of us ever imagined this would happen. That's why no one said anything, " there was a brief hesitation, then, " besides we didn't want to scare you. "

" You didn't want to scare me? " I repeated weakly. It was the most ironic statement that I'd ever heard.

" We had only good intentions, " he said haughtily.

Despite the tone of the statement, I knew he felt at least a little guilty about everything that had happened, " Maybe we should go back, " I suggested. " I have some things I should get done. "

He looked at me skeptically, " I'm certain it's nothing that can't wait a while longer. " He picked up the french fry again and continued eating.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When we finally arrived back at my house, it was nearly dark. Goten had successfully kept me away for the entire day, but the diversion had left me in a very fragile condition. I couldn't eat, and I'd quit talking to Goten about two hours earlier. Coherent thought was a distant memory, since all I could do was stare ahead and silently dwell on this insatiable hunger for the one thing that they were denying me.

The only time I'd been roused from this near comatose state was when Goten had mistakenly tried to pick me up and carry me to the house. Much to his dismay, I'd lashed out and struck him directly across the face, at which point he dropped me roughly on the ground. All in all, I was rather fortunate that's all he did.

He yanked me back to my feet, and I'd willingly walked myself up the porch steps and into the living room. Trunks wasn't here. I knew it immediately, and this realization only served to increase my unease. I was no longer questioning why I felt this emptiness, but rather, obsessing over how to obtain relief from the pain.

I stumbled in the front door, nearly oblivious to Goku, Gohan, and Vegeta sitting expectantly in wait for our return. The air was tense, and the expressions on their faces unreadable.

Everything quivered before my eyes then dimmed as I sunk to my knees. It didn't matter, I needed the torment to end. I was only semiconscious, but Vegeta's deep growling voice cut through the haze regardless.

" Damn it, Kakarrot! This is pathetic! You can't stop what's already begun. I don't approve of it, but what's done is done! Just look at the brat! "

" We already discussed this, Vegeta. If we let this continue, it could be disastrous! "

" Dad, she really doesn't look well, " Gohan interjected.

Goten spoke up then, " She's been getting worse all day. When she wouldn't move I tried to carry her, and she hit me. Just how bad is this going to get? "

" Sometimes I can hardly believe that any one of you carry Saiya-jin blood, " snorted Vegeta. " Kakarrot, if your mate was kidnapped the night of your consummation, she'd behave in the same manner as would any woman marked by a Saiya-jin.

And you, Goten. If the girl was a Saiya-jin, and you touched her while in this condition; she would have killed you. You got off lucky.

Don't you fools comprehend that the bonding ritual serves two purposes. The first is to deter other males from the chosen female, and the second..."

I slipped into oblivion at that point, and though the argument droned on, I couldn't decipher anything that was being said. The next thing that I was even remotely aware of was the feeling of being lifted.

Something clicked inside of me...a rage, a sense of invasion. I grasped blindly for the throat of the attacker screaming like a demon when both hands were caught in a vice like grip. I was thrown over someone's shoulder, but I didn't relent.

Both fists pounded repeatedly against the man's back, but it had little affect. I was thrown unceremoniously onto a bed, and I vaguely heard Vegeta curse as he stalked out and slammed the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Time passed. I don't know how long. An hour? A day? Suddenly, I felt a spark from within this half existence into which I'd fallen. A familiar sensation tingled lightly down the back of my neck sending warm ripples of desire through my entire body.

I opened my eyes to the darkness, fully conscious now, I listened carefully to the silence. Trunks was in the house, so close that I could almost taste his scent. I sat up slowly to find that they'd put me in the room Vegeta had been using since they'd arrived.
It was quite a shock to realize that the prince had allowed such a thing.

Slipping from the bed I moved quietly through the room. I couldn't quite pinpoint where he was, but that wasn't important. All that mattered is that he was here.

The doorknob turned easily enough, and I eased the door open. In my current state, it didn't register that this was a little too simple, and it caught me off guard when Gohan was standing just on the other side.

He shook his head looking almost apologetic, " I can't let you go. "

I glared at him, panting slightly, as my heartbeat pounded in my chest. " You can't do this, Gohan, " I attempted to reason with him. " You don't understand. I have to see him...I have to, now. You can't imagine what this is like. I can't take it. "

As rational as I sounded, rationality had nothing to do with the plea; it was sheer desperation. With each word I'd managed to inch further through the doorway suspecting, somehow, that Gohan wouldn't try to stop me if I made a run for it.

But due to the severe warnings Goku had administered to his boys, Gohan was already wise to the ploy. " I don't want to set you off, but you have to stay here. "

" No! " I screamed; the calm demeanor quickly vanished with his statement.

I did the only thing I could think to do. Run. My feet didn't touch the floor as Gohan grabbed me by the waist with one arm. I tried to sink my long nails into his flesh, but he was too fast, of course. Before I could even blink, my back hit the floor, and my head ricocheted off the dresser.

Trunks tensed the moment I landed. I could feel his reaction and knew that he was well aware of what was happening. Tears spilled down my cheeks. I was so frustrated! How could they do this? Didn't they know how much I was suffering because of them?

The brief sound of conversation could be heard in the hallway, but it was muffled. I thought that Vegeta was talking to Gohan, though I couldn't be sure. I ran over and threw the door open again.

Both men turned to look at me. I didn't move, merely stood in the doorway with my hands braced on either side.

" She's not going to stay in there, " sighed Gohan.

Vegeta smirked, " I guess you have a long night ahead of you then. "

Gohan's face showed a hint of irritation, " Then why don't you tell your son to get the hell out of here. "

" He refuses to leave, and I'm not going to force him. This is an outrage. You can't deny the course of nature, fool, but you'll see that soon enough. "

" Vegeta? " I called quietly.

He half turned in my direction, and I could see Gohan's eyes narrow suspiciously. He didn't trust the prince, and he certainly didn't trust me right now.

" What is it, girl? " he prompted when I didn't continue.

" You have to make them understand. I have to at least talk to him. I know he's here. "

To my surprise, the prince chuckled harshly, " Don't get me wrong, brat, I don't agree with what Kakarrot and his offspring are doing, but don't think for a moment that I'm going to encourage this either. "

My eyes grew wide at his admission. Arrogant, selfish...I lunged at him bracing both hands against his chest. He never imagined that I would dare to physically attack him, so he was totally unprepared. All I managed to do was shove him against the wall, but it was enough.

He pushed me away with one hand; the back of the second connected with my cheek. He'd held back, but the impact was enough to temporarily shock me into my senses. The pain was excruciating, and I landed on the floor for the second time that night.

Gohan was looking at me with eyes full of uncertainty. I think he wanted to help but wasn't really sure if it was safe.

It was then I felt compelled to look down the hallway. Trunks appeared there, and everything that I was responded to the sight of him. Yet oddly, I felt a deep tremor of fear reminiscent of that first night.

He was wearing a dark blue tank top that matched his eyes which were nearly hidden by the long strands of hair falling carelessly into them. A troubled frown turned his full lips in a downward arc, and to the naked eye it would appear that he was hardly affected by the situation.

I knew better. His breathing was rapid, every muscle tensed, and his ki level was slightly raised. I could hear his thoughts in the back of my mind again, though I still couldn't make them out clearly. His emotions were mixed and hard to determine, but that could have been a result of my state of mind.

While I was distracted, Gohan took the opportunity to snatch me off the floor and shove me back into the room. Neither Vegeta nor Trunks made a move to stop him, and that fact crushed my remaining resolve. I curled up in a ball on the floor and cried as I heard a scuffle ensue.