Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ My Friend ❯ Sparks ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: If I owned them, this fic would be a movie special.

AN: You guys…wow…I just don't know what to say about you great reviewers. I wasn't sure that this fic would catch on but I'm so glad you guys enjoy it. Special thanks to all my regular reviewers (you guys know who you are ^_~) and also my thanks to ErieDragon for putting this fic on her top fifty favorite V/B fics. It's a true honor. Well, enough of my chatter, on to the fic.

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The city lights flew by as she drove, the tears flowing uncontrolled down her cheeks. How had this happened? One moment she had a happy family and the next she had nothing but a broken home. Her cheek still throbbed but no where near the way her heart did. She drove unseeing letting her instincts guide her.

Guide her to the grove.

In elementary school, she and Goku often went on these `great adventures'. On one particular adventure, they had been searching for pirate's treasure when they had stumbled across a small clearing completely blocked off by foliage. There was an incline that sloped down into a beautiful little secluded lake. They had been awed at their find and had decided it would be their special place. Since then they had only brought their closes friends there.

By time she had reached the make-shift parking area, her tears completely blinded her. Putting the car into the park, she leaned against the steering wheel and wept. Heart retching sobs tore from her throat as she relived the events of the night. She sat like this for fifteen minutes that seemed like hour. When she finally caught her breath, she reached into the back seat and grabbed her jacket. She hit the power lock as she climbed out and that's when she first noticed the black Sunfire parked next to hers.

Wiping one last tear from her eye, she pulled on her jacket and headed for the grove.

As she pushed through the brush she was greeted with his silhouette. His dark gaze was completely fixated on the water below him but she knew that he knew she was there. She moved closer to sit down next to him and pulled her knees to her chest while he let his legs dangle over the edge. They sat in silence, neither acknowledging the other, as they let the softly lapping water below soothe them while they each reflected on their thoughts.

They remained this way for nearly twenty minutes before a single tear rolled down Bulma's cheek and she closed her eyes against the pain. "My dad left tonight," she said in a broken voice.

He looked at her then, his expression blank as he waited.

Bulma continued to watch the hypnotic waters as she spoke. "My mom kicked him out. Can you believe that? Kicked him out of his own house. I just can't see how this could happen to my parents. They were always so happy together. How could she do this to our family, to our home?" Bulma turn her tear-reddened eyes to Vegeta.

"Maybe there's things going on that you don't understand?" he offered.

"If so then she should have explained them instead of slapping me," she said bitterly, turning her face from his.

A look of surprise momentarily graced his face. "She hit you?"

"Yes, but that's not the point. The point is that I'm an adult and I have a right to know what's going on."

"Did you give her a chance to explain what was going on or did you do what you normally do and just jump down her throat?" Vegeta said as he looked to the water.

Bulma snapped her face to his then lowered her eyes. He was right. But what did he expect? She was upset and hurt and angry. She didn't want to hear the excuses. At least not yet.

Sighing she rested her head on his shoulder. "Shouldn't you be home studying for our Calculus test tomorrow?" she ventured.

Vegeta said nothing. Bulma waited.

"I sometimes think she's a complete fool."

Bulma nodded. "He hit her again?"

Vegeta sighed deeply. "Why won't she just leave the bastard? She'd be better off on her own."

"Maybe she loves him. Maybe she hopes that he'll return to the way he was before," Bulma tried.

Vegeta shook his head. "Who knows why mothers do the things they do."

Bulma nodded as she leaned closer to him. She didn't know why talking to him always made things seem better. All her friends had a special place in her life. Whenever she need a defender, somebody to stand beside her whether she was right or wrong there was ChiChi. When she just needed a smile or a hug to make it all better, she had Goku. If she needed an ear to listen, Juu always had one to lend. And if she just needed someone to make her laugh when she was down she could always depend on Krillin. But Vegeta somehow was different. He told her the truth. No matter how much it hurt, whether it put him for her or against her, she could always count on him to be honest with her. It was what she valued most about their relationship.

They had been silent for a few moments when Bulma spoke. "You know you're my best friend, Vegeta."

She felt his shoulder stiffen beneath her and she lifted her head. His eyes were averted and Bulma smiled softly. "It's okay. You don't have to return the favor. I just wanted you to know."

Vegeta glanced at her, seeing the sincerity in her face, then nodded curtly and returned his attention to the water.

Bulma sat for five minutes more before she yawned. "I think it's time I headed home. What about you?"

Vegeta shook his head.

Bulma nodded and stood. After dusting off the seat of her pants, she extended her hand to him.

Vegeta looked at her hand and frowned. "Can't you hear? I said I'm not going home."

"I know but you're not staying out here all night either. There's school in the morning. You can stay at my place."

Vegeta arched a brow. "I seriously doubt your mother is in the mood for company."

"Excuse me if I sound rude but my mother's mood is not my biggest concern tonight. Come on. I'll never get any sleep if I'm worried about you out here all night," Bulma said trying another tactic.

"Well, if it'll help you rest better," Vegeta said sarcastically.

Bulma sighed. "Please Vegeta," she said.

Vegeta grunted then stood of his own accord. "Very well."

Bulma smiled then turned to lead the way back to their cars.

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ChiChi glanced at her clock on the night stand. 12:27. Damn it. She still had a whole section to cover in her history book and her lids were already drooping.

"Late night, dear?"

ChiChi looked up to see the large mass that was her father standing her doorway.

"Oh, hi daddy. What are you doing up?"

"Checking on the twins. You're doing a good job with them, ChiChi," he said.

"Thank you Daddy. Julia will be back tomorrow evening, right?"

"Yes, she should be." He lowered his eyes then looked her in the eyes. "I talked to Mrs. Linton today."

ChiChi bit her lip and lowered her eyes. She had known this would come up sooner or later.

Her father sighed. "ChiChi you'll never get the right scholarships if you make B's in history."

"Daddy it was just one test. It barely even effected my average," ChiChi started to defend herself.

His frown deepened and he removed his glasses. "ChiChi if you blow this off as just one test, then you'll do it again and again and before you know it you'll never be able to dig yourself out of the hole. Is that what you want?"

ChiChi lowered her eyes. "No dad."

Mr. Mau nodded his head then smile. "Good. Oh and dear you don't mind if I use your car again tomorrow do you?"

"Of course not Daddy. I'll call Goku in the morning ask him to come get us."

Her father smiled at the mention of the boy. "That Goku's a good one. Smart as a whip too. Did you know he has the highest average in any of my classes right now?"

ChiChi shook her head. "He never told me that."

He smiled. "And modest too. That boy is going to go far. You should hang onto that one ChiChi."

"I plan to," ChiChi said with a smile.

"Well I guess I'll let you get back to the books. Remember that you need to get Kimmy to ballet practice tomorrow."

ChiChi bit her lip. She had forgotten about that. "All right daddy."

"Good-night sweetheart."

"'Night Daddy."

With one last smile, he reached for the door and closed it softly.

ChiChi turned back to her history book. She ran her hand over her face in exhaustion then reached for her bag, which was on the floor next to her chair. After shuffling through her things for a few minutes she found the gold container she was looking for. She quickly swallowed one of the pills then sat the bag aside. Picking up her pen she took a deep breath and sat in for the long night ahead.

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Bulma slipped into her terry cloth robe as she stepped out of the shower. She ran a towel over her damp hair before she left her restroom to find a nightgown. After Vegeta had followed her home, he had gone to his regular guest room while she had went to her own. Her mother must have already gone to bed for there had been no sign of her.

She made her way to her dresser and looked through the bottom drawer. She pulled out a pair of pajamas then realized that Vegeta probably didn't have anything to sleep in. She quickly changed drawers and looked for the pajama bottoms she remembered him leaving the last time he was here. When she found them she sat her night wear aside and exited her room.

As she made her way down the hall she paused momentarily at the sound of weeping drifting through her mother's door. She hung her head then took a deep breath and continued. Upon reaching his door, she knocked softly before she stuck her head in. Apparently, he had also just finished showering because he was dressed only in a towel and was drying his damp hair, which was already returning to its former glory.

He looked at her with some surprise as she entered. A small smile crossed her face as she stopped just inside the door.

"I didn't think you had anything to sleep in," she explained.

He tipped his head in acknowledgment. There was an awkward silence then, something that hadn't happened between them in many years. Bulma laughed nervously and Vegeta lowered his eyes. Bulma shook her head at how silly she was being then moved towards him with the bottoms extended.

He took them from her and Bulma smiled up at him. However he didn't return the smile but had the oddest expression on his face. Before she could register what it was however his face went blank again. Bulma cleared her throat then place a friendly kiss on his cheek, immediately feeling him stiffen. Bulma slowly backed away still smiling softly.

"Good night Vegeta," she said.

He tipped his head again.

Taking a deep breath Bulma turned and left the room.

It wasn't until she closed the door softly behind her that Vegeta released the breath he had been holding.

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Could those be sparks between our dear Veggie and B-chan? No, of course not. After all they're just friends, right? Or are they? Remember: You + Review = Update. Thanks for reading.