Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Crossing the Boundaries ❯ It's Always Darkest Before the Dawn ( Chapter 13 )

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" You did what? " Vegeta roared; his black eyes burning with a combination of rage and disbelief. He glared at Kakarrot's offspring and drove his fist straight through the kitchen table which was unfortunate enough to be sitting next to him.

Gohan had been fully prepared for the prince's reaction to the fact that he'd willingly allowed Trunks' mate to vanish under the cover of night. He had half a mind to admit that he would have gone so far as to fight anyone who'd tried to stop her. If the stubborn bastard could have looked far enough past himself to take responsibility for his actions, this wouldn't have happened.

" What's going on in here? " Goku asked groggily walking into the room with a yawn. His hair was touseled from sleep, and he hadn't changed out of his bed clothes. It'd been a restless night after the intense scene that had taken place, and when he'd gone to bed, he'd been rather disturbed about Trunks' behavior but figured that it would all work out eventually.

" Your inconceivably stupid brat stood by and watched the girl go about her merry way in the middle of the night! She's gone! Do you know how dangerous this could be to my grandchild's health? " the last three words were forced out between clenched teeth.

" Gohan? " Goku looked quizically at his eldest son hoping that he'd heard wrong or that there had been some misunderstanding. Surely Gohan wouldn't have done something so careless - he'd always shown sound judgment in the past.

Gohan felt a slight uneasiness when he saw the look on his father's face, but he was secure enough in his decision to stand up for what he'd done. He truly believed that he'd done the right thing. " Why should I have stopped her? "

Vegeta's power level spiked violently, " Idiot! Think about what you're saying! How safe do you think it is out there for her? That girl is my son's mate, and the child is of royal blood...my blood ...and so help me, if anything happens I will kill you with my own bare hands! "

Goku frowned knowing that in this case Vegeta made a good point. There were too many unknowns in this equation, and one minor miscalculation could cost the loss of an innocent life - or two.

The arrogance of Saiya-jin no Ouji was trying Gohan's patience. Was Vegeta so full of himself that he couldn't get past his precious lineage and see what was happening here? His eyes narrowed as his turned to fully face the older man, " It was your son who chased her away. Don't blame me because he's not man enough to see this thing through. "

Vegeta lunged forward - his hands clamped on Gohan's throat before Goku could make any motion to stop him. No one would have imagined that the true force behind Vegeta's attack came from his disappointment in his own child. From the moment that Trunks walked out similar thoughts had been racing through the prince's head. To hear Gohan voice them out loud had been too much to stand.

There had been a mixture of emotions when Vegeta became aware of what his son was doing with the human girl that fateful night. It wasn't an ideal pairing, but he hadn't been surprised to see things progress as they did. In a way, he'd almost expected it. When he'd heard her cry out, he'd briefly considered stopping Trunks before things went too far but assumed that the boy knew what he was doing in making the committment. He also knew that the young woman had a strange fascination with his son from the time they'd arrived.

All in all, it was not so unlike how things had occurred on the night that the brat had been conceived. Bulma had actually put up one hell of a fight the first time he'd taken her, but, to be fair, Vegeta had known well enough that she wanted to be with him as well. Saiya-jin were warriors not mindless rapists. The relationship between them had blossomed fully a short time after that...not that the proud prince would ever admit it.

In this case, Kakarrot had stepped in and tried to stop things before the girl became pregnant. Vegeta had known that it would never work. They would have found their way to one another again somehow. As he'd tried to explain when Goten brought the girl back in that half dead state...the bond served two purposes. The first was to deter other males from the chosen female, and the second was to ensure conception.

It was how the Saiya-jin race kept their bloodlines strong and pure. If a ready female had been bonded and her mate was called away to duty before she'd been impregnated, then there was no chance that a lower class male could take advantage of the situation. The bond would force her to lash out and kill the perpetrator or die trying. That's why he'd insisted that Goten had been so fortunate that the girl was only human.

Vegeta had taught Trunks these things along with the other Saiyan ways and traditions that he'd managed to retain over the years. It wasn't much, but Vegeta had been young when his home planet had been destroyed. He swore that if he did nothing else, he would pass this information on to his son. Now, despite this knowledge, the boy had defied the pride of their race and abandoned the female who bore his mark and carried his child. It was nearly the most shameful act Vegeta could imagine.

Gohan was momentarily caught off guard by Vegeta's violent assault, but within seconds he managed to break free and jump back to a safe distance - barely escaping a wild punch thrown in his direction.

" You're not going to solve anything like this, " Goku shouted stepping between the two and bracing himself in case Vegeta was too far gone to think clearly. He knew the prince better than anyone, save for Bulma, and there was an obvious pain underlying Vegeta's rage. Goku couldn't blame him; this was a serious situation with little room for failure.

" Get out of my way, Kakarrot! " Vegeta demanded as his power level soared to even greater heights. Of course he knew that beating the life out of Gohan wouldn't change anything, but what better way to ease these cursed emotions? Physical exertion was Vegeta's primary cure for just about everything - especially the mental anguish with which he'd never become accustomed to handling.

" I'm not going to let you do this, Vegeta. " Goku stood his ground, and the expression on his face showed clearly that he meant what he said. This was no time for senseless fighting. They had to figure out what they were going to do if there was any hope of salvaging the situation.

" So be it! " Vegeta drew back one arm, energy quickly gathering around his open hand, and when he threw it forward a large ki blast emitted from the palm.

Goku leapt to one side and Gohan to the other, but it didn't stop there. A barrage of smaller blasts followed in quick succession preventing the father and son from completely avoiding damage. Goku swore under his breath as one caught his right shoulder then jumped to his feet. Apparently Vegeta wasn't in the mood for rationality.

He formed a small energy ball between his hands and fired it towards Vegeta then moved with the speed only a Saiya-jin could acheive. Vegeta easily blocked the attack but was too preoccupied by Gohan to avoid Goku's second maneuver that came from behind him.

Vegeta growled as Goku succeeded in restraining his arms, but it gave him time to reconsider this battle. Why waste his energy on these two when the boy would have to return eventually? He calmed somewhat and felt Goku's grip loosen, " Get off of me, " he snapped pulling free.

" I know you're upset, but now we have to come up with a plan. Can't Trunks find her? "

Gohan watched apprehensively from the far side of the living room. He didn't think it would be right for them to go chasing her down and dragging her back by force. Trunks had made it clear that she was free to deal with pregnancy as she saw fit...and she had. After everything she'd been through, how could they expect her to live under the same roof as the man who'd been the cause of her troubles?

He could see that Vegeta seemed to calm visibly when Goku mentioned that Trunks should be able to find the girl. Gohan was immediately glad that Trunks hadn't returned yet, though it would be interesting to see how he'd react to the turn of events. Deep down, Gohan couldn't help but hope that the young prince would deeply regret his decision and make ammends. If he didn't, Gohan didn't know how he'd ever respect Trunks again. Gohan's thoughts were disrupted when Vegeta's voice rose in volume once more.

" Where is that brat of mine? "

" I don't think he came back last night, " Goten replied pulling a tee shirt over his head as he joined the group. His gaze quickly assessed the vast damage that had occurred during the earlier skirmish, and he arched a brow.

It'd been the noise that had roused him from a deep slumber, but he hadn't expected to find...this. The table was split in two, there were smoldering burn marks scattered across the deep blue plush carpet, one wall was severely cracked, and a gaping hole now dominated the kitchen ceiling. " Did I miss something? "

Goku filled him in on the details, then asked Goten if he had any idea where Trunks may have gone. The two of them were best friends after all, and if anyone could venture a guess it would be him.

" It's hard to say, " Goten shrugged. " If we were back home, I could name a dozen places to look, but I don't have a clue where he'd vanish to around here. "

" A lot of help you are, " Vegeta grumbled pacing the floor like a caged lion.

His energy level was still a little high for comfort, and it was making the others tense. Vegeta didn't possess the patience to sit and wait for Trunks to make an appearance, but there didn't seem to be an alternative. An uneasy silence descended over the house.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The weeks passed without word from either of the pair though that hadn't discouraged the others from trying to find them. This task was made even more difficult by the need to keep their abilities concealed, and the resulting stress was causing a definite disruption in the little group.

Gohan was reluctant to assist, feeling whole heartedly that Trunks' mate was entitled to what peace she could find. Even after Goku had explained his concerns regarding the girl's ability to carry the child, Gohan still believed adamantly that being around Trunks could possibly cause enough distress to cause a miscarriage. Of course that would depend on whether or not they could find Trunks - this was the longest he'd ever disappeared.

Vegeta, of course, was intolerable to be around and had started several fights with both Goku and Gohan. Once he even tried to provoke Goten, but the youngest Saiya-jin was privy to what the elder was attempting and simply ignored his taunting remarks. This infuriated the prince even further, and he alleviated his annoyance by blasting several trees out of existence.

" Maybe Trunks finally came to his senses and went after her, " Gohan suggestioned to his father as they returned from another exhausting yet unproductive search.

Goku nodded thoughtfully, but the expression on his face was doubtful, " I guess that could be it, but why is it taking so long for them to get back? "

A loud explosion nearby made both men snap to attention, and without hesitation they took off to see what was causing the disturbance. When they came around the side of the house the answer was instantly revealed...

" You're a disgrace to my name! "

" Disgrace? Accept it, Father, there is no honor in being the ruler of a dead world. " This was the worst possible thing that he could have said, and he was not ignorant to that fact. He could feel Vegeta's ki expanding, charging the air around them - nearly suffocating in its strength. A smirk, the mirror of his father's, graced his lips adding insult to injury.

" Insolent brat! " Vegeta flew at his son and delivered a cross punch that took the younger man off his feet and left him sprawled in the scorched remains of grass and leaves.

Trunks chuckled as he stood and wiped the blood from his lip with the back of one hand, but it was a hollow sound lacking any and all emotion. Goku and Gohan exchanged a concerned glance as they watched him. This behavior was so unexpected that they didn't know what to make of it. Trunks was known to be stubborn and difficult when it suited him, but all in all he was a descent man with a good disposition and a strong moral code. His behavior regarding the girl had been automatically attributed to the natural Saiya-jin methods of mating and the instincts that drove him to it, but there was nothing to explain his behavior since she'd conceived. He should have recovered already.

Even more shocking was the complete disrespect he was showing to his father, a man he'd always held in the highest regard. Though often at odds, there existed a strong bond between father and son that had never wavered until now.

Vegeta advanced again, landing several more blows before he let loose with a close range ki attack that threw Trunks to the far side of the yard. The older Saiya-jin was standing over his opponant a second later; his expression was like stone, hard and unflinching, as he glared at the boy laying at his feet. How could this be the same child he had raised and trained - who had made him proud time and again? Prideless...irresponsible...

" Vegeta! " There was a desperate note to Goku's warning cry as he feared that the prince may well be tempted to take this punishment too far, and if that should happen, he knew without a doubt that Vegeta would be lost to his regret as soon as the rage subsided.

The Saiya-jin no Ouji looked up slowly. The fading light of early evening crossed over his face, but the darkness of his eyes just then seemed to absorb that light and snuff it from existence. This primal regression never failed to astound Goku, though he was certain the same merciless, predatory daze had claimed him more than once in battle. Seeing Vegeta display it now as he stood over his son's prone form was enough to send a chill through him, and he quickly closed the distance between himself and the pair. He had to be ready to step in if Vegeta refused to listen to reason.

At first Vegeta looked at Goku as though he didn't really see him - as though he were some bizarre apparition or hallucination - then, like an epiphany, realization dawned. A look of horror shattered the death mask, and he gasped and stumbled back. How could he have lost control like that? Days of tension had built up inside of him without release - overwhelming his common sense. When Trunks had finally come back and refused to help him find the girl...Vegeta had lost it, and Trunks' stinging remarks had only added to the frustration and anger that was already brewing.

" I... " Vegeta nearly choked on the word, but Goku shook his head and held up a hand to silence him. He expected no explaination. Goku knew that the sheer magnitude of what he'd been about to do was plenty for Vegeta to handle without the burden of trying to explain.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Would you dance if I asked you to dance?
Would you run and never look back?
Would you cry, if you saw me crying?
Would you save my soul tonight?

Would you tremble if I touched your lips?
Would you laugh oh please tell me this?
Now would you die for the one you love?
Hold me in your arms tonight.

I can be your hero, baby.
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away

Would you swear that you'll always be mine?
Would you lie ... would you run and hide?
Am I in too deep?
Have I lost my mind...

The radio droned on in the background as I watched the shadows of the trees dance across the moonlit walls. I should have known better than to let the music play, but I could not will myself to turn it off - so on and on it played. This song was bitterly ironic in its melodramatic romanticism. One would be a fool to believe such nonsense - take it from a fool who had.

My condition had only grown worse since that first day I'd called off work. I was listless and emotional, and if I stayed on my feet too long, I became lightheaded and nauseous. The owner of the house in which I was staying was growing intolerant of my seeming illness - worried only for the rent that she wouldn't receive if I didn't get back to work and her chances of catching it. As if she could!

The last time I had roused myself from the bed had been to answer a call that came early in the afternoon. It was a nurse from the obstetrician's office. The results of my bloodwork had come back from the lab, and the doctor was a bit concerned about something he'd seen. The nurse, of course, could not disclose the details over the phone, but she wanted me to come in first thing in the morning.

I'd laughed after hanging up with her, but it was a somewhat derranged sound. All I could picture was the doctor informing me that, heaven help us all, my bloodwork indicated that the child I carried was something other than human. I would then patiently explain that the heros of the popular Japanese anime, Dragonball Z, had shown up on my doorstep about a month and a half ago. See, I would show them the mark on my neck and recount how one of them had claimed me as his mate and impregnated me with his child. 'So you see, doc, my child is half Saiya-jin...an alien race from another dimension.'

The hysterical laughter quickly dissolved into tears, and once I was capable, I'd found my way to the bed - not moving since. I'd stopped crying about a hour ago. Now there was nothing but the shadows and the music...

Dazed, my hand reached up to tenderly brush the mark that remained just as clearly as when he'd put it there and cringed. I couldn't forget him. With the passing days, his memory had became more and more predominant in my thoughts. In my mind I heard the echo of his voice, and in my dreams I was haunted by his image - just as desirable as it had been when I'd first laid eyes on him as he leaned casually against my living room wall.

Once or twice I would swear that he was with me, feeling my pain, sharing my misery, but then I would wake again only to find myself alone and denied by my mate. The block he'd enforced on the bond was still securely in place, and I could not budge it.

Lying here now I embraced the emptiness that comes only when one has lost everything that has ever mattered - the very spark that sustained the will to live had been extinguished in the wake of pure hopelessness...

With all the strength I could muster I moved from the bed and half crawled to the desk that sat along the far wall. From one drawer I took the razor blade that I'd place there when the last notion to end my life had claimed me. My hands trembled so that I could barely hold it, but somehow I managed to place the edge against my wrist.

Sorrow gripped me then and brought the tears which had become a mainstay in my existence. Tears for a love I would never know...and for a misbegotten child whose claim to life would be severed by own hand.

'Are you so weak?'

I knew that voice - the voice that had visited me when I lay comatose in desperate need of the touch of my mate. How did it find me here? Why did it plague me now?

'Leave me be!' my mind screamed in return. 'You can't possibly understand this pain I feel!'

'Selfish!' it taunted without regard for my delicate emotional state.

'You have no right to say such things!' I fought back. 'This is your fault! You forced my choice when I didn't have the strength to refuse.'

'You made the choice. You accepted this willingly.'

'There is no choice now. I must end it for the protection of our child.'

'There is always a choice...'

I collapsed...the razor fell from my fingers and bounced uselessly across the hardwood floor. I couldn't breath...it was as though the air had been sucked from my lungs, and I gasped trying to force air back into them. Every muscle clenched convulsively, and I would have shouted if I could make use of my voice.

Panicked, I suddenly pushed myself to my knees and reached out to knock the phone from the desk. It crashed to the floor beside me as another spasm shot through my shaking body. Sobbing I clutched the receiver and fought to focus long enough to dial. My heading was spinning, and I wasn't certain that I'd hit the right numbers. It was ringing though...once...twice...I felt my consciousness slipping. Three times it rang without an answer, and I prayed that death would take me quickly. Goku had been right...

Goten's voice sounded over the phone as the first mind numbing pain wracked my body, " They're already on the way. "