Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ My Friend ❯ Time to Talk ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story.

AN: Okay guys I know you're all tired reading my stuff so I thought I'd take this author's note to suggest some good reads on Mediaminer to you. She's new to Mediaminer and I really think you guys should check out anything by hippiechick83 especially her fic Therapy, which is my personal fav of her works. Second is Perfection: the Chronicles by Fae- really, really good. A Dangerous Bounty by Saiyan Butterfly is another good and very original piece and you should check out her fanart for it while you're there. Now these next three are three of my all time favorite writers. If you're looking for a long, well written and all around beautiful V/B you must read Cha's Danger in the Horizon. Anything by Kahlan Nightwing is a plus and she's pretty good about quick updates as well. *thinks of DOY and S:WW* Well…most of the time. She already has a pretty big fan following but I don't think she'll mind me giving her a little free PR. And last but definitely not least Saiyajin44's Requiem in Blue and The Way I Was Before. The latter is completed and one of my all time favorite fics. Well I guess I've blabbed enough. I'll get the rest in another update. Now enjoy!

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Bulma Briefs had never been afraid to face her emotions. It was her determination to deal with these new emotions that found her entering the West Capital Preparatory gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. The incident at the library made her want to know what this thing was between her and Vegeta. And if that meant braving a day through his tournament then that's what she would do since he seemed to be making sure that they spent no time alone. With the basketball teams out of town it meant that she'd be the only one here to see him.

She took a deep breath before she proceeded into gym. If she said that she was completely sure about what she was doing she'd be lying. After all she and Vegeta had a lot of years behind them. Did she really want to disrupt the relationship they had with the possibility of something more? If they did try something and it didn't work out could they ever go back to way they were before? She wasn't going to delude herself into thinking that would be possible. But what if they didn't try and the something more was greater than anything they had ever had before?

She wasn't sure about anything but she knew that avoiding the subject wouldn't get them anywhere. They were going to start talking and it was going to happen today. With her plan set, she made her way through the crowd in search of a seat.

Zarbon's gaze had been following the shapely blue hared girl since she entered the gym and when she took a seat seven or eight bleachers below him he gave the small group of female around him a regretful smile. "I apologize ladies but I must go speak with a friend."

"Well, we'll be rooting for you, Zarbon," one particularly well endowed brunette smiled up at him.

"Then I know I will do well. Now if you'll excuse me," he said standing.

As he made his way down the bleachers, he caught her confused expression from her profile. It looked as if she didn't frequent tournaments much.

"Need an interrupter?"

Bulma looked up at the tall teal colored man smiling down at her. She wasn't in the mood for flirting today, even if the guy was gorgeous. "No I'll manage, thank you," she said returning her eyes to the mat and frowning at what she saw.

Smiling, he took a seat next to her. "Are you sure? I could be a great help in pointing out some of the finer points of the sport."

Bulma groaned inwardly but pasted a smile on her face. "It's okay, really. I'm the independent type. I want to figure it out on my own."

"Ah, an independent woman. I like that. I'm Zarbon," he said extending his hand.

Bulma glanced at it a moment before taking it. "Bulma."

"As in Bulma Briefs? Did you have a party a few weeks ago?" he asked.

"Yeah," Bulma said watching the match.

"I regret to say that I don't remember seeing you, so let me say happy belated birthday."

"Thanks," Bulma said offhandedly.

Zarbon knew that she was trying to give him the brush off and it only enticed him more. "So what brings you here?"

"I came to see a friend."

"Oh. I see that you just came in so you weren't fortunate enough to see my first match."

"Sorry to hear that," Bulma said fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Not half as sorry as I am but if you're planning to stay you'll be able to catch one later on. I'm afraid that you've come in on some of the lower weight classes. Mainly lower classmen runts."

"No good matches, huh?" Bulma asked looking at him. She had no idea what weight class Vegeta was in. What if she had missed him?

He paused a moment. "I know this is completely off the subject, but do you know that you have beautiful eyes, Bulma."

Her expression said simply, `give me a break'. "We were talking about the matches," she reminded him.

He chuckled. "All right, I can take a hint." When she raised an impatient brow, his smile widened. "Well yes in a way. I mean there are a few decent wrestlers in the lower classes but nothing spectacular. For instance in the match coming up now there's a guy who gets a lot of talk. His name escapes me right but he's in one weight class lower than mine. My coach wants me to drop weight so that I'll have some competition by wrestling him."

Bulma gave him a curious look. "Well if he's just okay, why does your coach want you to wrestle him so bad?"

"His title. He's the current national champion."

Bulma had to fight the smile that threatened to spread across her face. "Oh and you're not at all intimidated by him?" she asked innocently.

Zarbon smiled at her more amiable attitude and slid closer. "No. No one can beat me. You really should see me some time."

Before she could answer the next match was announced and Vegeta came strutting out of the locker room as though the cheer that erupted from the crowd was nothing. She couldn't help but admire his excellent physique clad in the spandex navy blue wrestling uniform. True she had always known he was cute but he was just her cute guy friend and nothing more. This was definitely something more.

"Ah, this is him now. Just a little slip of a man really," Zarbon said watching her more than the match. He was more than a little surprised when she cupped her hands around her mouth megaphone style and began to cheer.

"ALL RIGHT VEGETA!" she cried.

Vegeta's features twisted into a frown and he looked up into the stands. When he spotted her a confused expression crossed his face before he turned and continued to the mat.

Smiling, she dropped her hands and watched him closely.

Zarbon raised a brow at her. "I take it he's your friend."

"Yep," Bulma smiled as she looked at him.

They turned back to the mat just as the referee gave the competitors the go ahead and it was a lucky thing they did for Vegeta had the guy pinned before either could even blink. Vegeta was already standing before the stunned crowd was able to recover enough to explode into cheers.

"Still sure you can't be beat," she taunted as she stood and walked over to the rail.

As Vegeta walked off the mat, his coach giving him thumbs up in passing, he looked back in her direction. Bulma waved him over. Sighing, he pulled off his headgear as he made his way over.

"Great match," she chirped leaning over the railing.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Well, I've never been to one of your matches. I'm glad I came. You're really good," she finished sincerely.

Surprise momentarily graced his features before his frown returned. He then turned abruptly and started to walk towards the locker rooms. Bulma followed, walking along the railing until it came to an end keeping her from going any further. Fighting the urge to growl out her frustration, Bulma stopped.

"Vegeta," she sighed.

He stopped and lowered his head a moment before glancing over his shoulder.

Nipping nervously at her lip, she took a deep breath. "Do you think we could go somewhere and talk?"

"My next match is in thirty minutes. I have to get ready."

"Well what about after the tournament?" Bulma offered quickly. "I mean I'll be here all day anyway. We could do something afterwards."

Vegeta lowered his head again. Instead of answering her question, however, he continued into the locker room without a word.

Bulma's shoulders sagged slightly at the obvious brush off then she quickly squared them again. She knew that Vegeta preferred to push people away rather than deal with emotional attachments and she'd be damned if she was going to let him do it to her.

Determination renewed, she turned and headed back towards her seat and had to fight a scowl when she found Zarbon still sitting right where she'd left him.

"Back so soon," he smiled up at her.

Giving him a `don't-mess-with-me' look she resumed her seat. "Yeah, looks like I'm going to be here awhile," she said as she tried to focus on the mat in front of them.

Zarbon only smiled.

* * *

Julia walked into the dining room, a rare frown on her face. A conversation she'd just had with her youngest daughter had her on edge and now that she looked at the girl sitting at the table she wondered how she'd been so blind. She took in her frail form and the dark circles around her eyes. Oddly enough, there wasn't a textbook in front of her this time but instead she gripped a glass of water in front of her as she stared off into space. Why she hadn't noticed that something was wrong before, Julia would never know.

She walked into the room and took a seat across from the girl. ChiChi blinked after a moment then smiled. "Oh, hi Julia. I didn't see you come in."

Julia gave a half smile. "ChiChi I was just talking to Kimmy and she told me that you had a dizzy spell Wednesday afternoon."

ChiChi averted her eyes before speaking. "Yeah, I was a little tired that's all."

"That always seems to be your answer lately," Julia said causing ChiChi to look back up at her. "ChiChi I haven't seen you eat in weeks," she said bluntly.

ChiChi frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

Julia backed off slightly knowing that getting in an argument with the girl now wouldn't get her anywhere. "I'm just saying that I'm worried ChiChi."

"Don't be because I'm fine," ChiChi said her tone defiant.

"ChiChi I just want to help you-"

"Well, I don't need your help!" ChiChi said standing. Obviously the move was too swift for her fragile body to handle and she stumbled. She tried to grasp for the chair to stabilize herself but suddenly everything went black, consciousness gone before she even hit the floor.

Julia watched in stunned horror before her mind finally clicked to action. Once at the girl's side she rolled her on her back and gently tried to rouse her.

"Oh my God! ChiChi wake up! Please ChiChi?! Come on, open your eyes!" She pulled the girl's head into her lap as panic began to set in.

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Vegeta stuffed his uniform into his bag before zipping it up and swinging it over his shoulder. As he made his way through the door he stopped almost as soon as he stepped outside. His eyes roamed up her form slowly as she leaned leisurely against a near-by wall. A quick glance around the gym told him the one thing he didn't want to know. The room was cleared. They were alone.

She smiled at him as she pushed off the wall and walked towards him. "Hey you! Congratulations!"

"What are you still doing here?"

Bulma's brows knitted. "I told you I was staying the day."

"The tournament has been over for an hour. You should have been home by now."

"And miss getting to congratulate you on your tournament win? No way!"

"Well you've done that so now you can go," he said harshly.

Bulma knew she shouldn't get her feelings hurt but his words stung. Mentally strengthening her resolve she smiled and held out her hand.

"What?" he asked glancing down at the hand.

"I want to see your medal. You didn't put it on at the awards presentation. What does it look like?"

"Like a medal," he said.

"Damn it Vegeta, just let me see it," she said putting her hands on her hips.

He chose to ignore the way her T-shirt strained against her chest with the movement. Reaching into the side of his bag, he pulled out the newest addition to his already large collection. Like all the others, it came cased in a small see-through container surrounded by a blue padding. Bulma took it and looked at it intently. She walked over to a bench and sat down her bag and herself as well, still looking at the medal. She opened it slowly as though there was a precious artifact inside and pulled the medal out. She set the case aside and ran her fingers over it before looking up and smiling at him. She motioned him over and he reluctantly complied hoping it would get her off his back. Or so he told himself.

She unraveled the sash of the medal and reached up to wrap it around his neck. He pulled back but one pleading look from her eyes had him leaning forward to allow her to slip it on. When it was in place around his neck, her hands lingered on the blue ribbon like material and she looked up at him. Several emotions passed through those ebony depths but one particular emotion caused her to moisten her lips as something pulled her ever so slightly towards him. She tilted her head just so to accommodate his incoming mouth when a shrill ring pierced the silence. He immediately jumped back as if he had been burned.

Bulma blinked a few times before she realized that the unwanted trilling was coming from her phone. Resisting the urge to growl she turned and began digging through her purse.

Vegeta stood and moved a small distance away while he ran his hand over his face in frustration. What had he almost done?

Bulma could understand his frustration but for different reasons. `This had better be good,' she thought as she finally pulled the now hated device from her bag. "Hello," she practically barked.

Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose before he ripped the sash from around his neck and walked over to where he had dropped his bag. He was stuffing the medal in the side pocket when something close to terror in her voice caught his attention and he looked back at her.

"…but Mrs. Mau I don't understand. How could she just- Yeah okay I'll call everyone… Where is she? Yeah, I'll be there soon-," she finished hanging up the phone, a stunned expression on her face.

Vegeta frowned at her. As she stood her hand trembled slightly as she tried to gather her things, almost knocking the contents of her bag to the ground in her haste.

"ChiChi collapsed and they've taken her to the hospital-shit!" She fell to her knees to catch some of the falling items.

"What?" Vegeta asked standing unable to hide his concern.

"What are you deaf?! I said she's in the hospital and I have to get to her-and-and," she said finding panic quickly sweeping over her.

Vegeta walked over and pulled her up by the shoulders. "Calm down. Where is she?" he demanded.

Bulma took a deep breath and closed her eyes in attempt to clear her head. "General Medical Hospital," she said after a moment.

"Let's go," he said. He leaned over and grabbed her bag then handed it to her.

"But I have to call everyone and tell them-"

"You can do that in the car. Now let's go."

Bulma nodded letting him guide her towards the exit. They took his car, her nerves way too fried to drive. As he started the engine she prayed that this was all a bad dream.

* * *

Goku pulled into his driveway and eyed the familiar black Lexus parked next to his father's blue BMW. Shrugging he put his car into park and pulled out the keys. After climbing out, Goku opened the back door of his jeep and pulled out his bag. Swinging the strap onto his shoulder, he shut the door and headed towards his house.

As expected, the boys' and girls' teams of Orange Star High had swept through the tournament with no trouble at all and had gotten an all expense paid weekend vacation out of it. He only had two complaints from the whole deal. The first being that he had gotten kicked out of his room on Friday night when Krillin and Juu had wanted to "celebrate" and the second had been that he had kind of hoped ChiChi would drive up for one of the games. He called her on Thursday night and she'd said she would try to make it to the championships on Saturday because that's when Julia would be back to watch the twins. She'd sounded really tired so he told her it was okay if she couldn't make it. He figured he'd call her when he finished unpacking. Maybe she'd want to go out or something later.

He entered the house and dropped his bag in the walkway. He stopped in the kitchen for a snack and then went in search for his father. When he reached the study he paused at the closed door as voices drifted from the other side.

"You have to stop this Vegeta." Bardock's voice was full of disapproval.

"I don't want to hear your preaching today, old man," Vegeta Sr. responded.

"How long will you continue this? This life you're leading is not only disgraceful but its dangerous for Argana and your son," Bardock pressed on despite the other man's warning tone.

"Do you presume to tell me how to live my life?" Vegeta growled, his anger immediately ignited at the mention of his mistreatment of his family.

Goku had to strain to hear his father's soft `no' and his head hung slightly. He knew that his father and Vegeta's had been friends for longer than either boy had been born and Goku figured that if anyone could ever get through to the man it would have to be his dad. Yet every time the two would begin talking about it and Mr. Sei got a little upset his dad would back off. Goku had asked him about it once he had said simply that it really wasn't their concern and if Mr. Sei didn't want to do anything about it, they couldn't make him.

Sighing, Goku moved away from the door and started towards his room. Maybe he'd call ChiChi now. The ringing of the downstairs phone made him alter his plan as he turned back to grab the phone.

"Hello," he said cheerily.

"Why the hell do you even have a cell phone?!"

Goku pulled the phone away from his now aching ears and frowned at it. "Hello to you too Bulma," he as he cautiously returned it to his ear.

"Oh Goku," she murmured and he could easily hear the tears in her voice.

"Are you okay, Bulma?"

"Goku, ChiChi's in the hospital," she barely got out around the lump in her throat.

At first he wasn't sure he had heard her right. "Hospital? What do you mean she's in the hospital?!"

"She collapsed and they don't know what's wrong with her-"

"Where is she?!" Goku interrupted.

"General Medical Hospital," Bulma muttered. "Goku what something is seriously wrong? Goku? Goku-"

Her calls went unanswered because Goku was already out the front door.

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Well, if you guessed ChiChi was on her way to the hospital give yourself a little pat on the back. Update was a little late in coming but I hope you guys liked it. `Til next time…You + Review = Update. Thanks for reading.