Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Playing with Fire ❯ Damn annoying voice ( Chapter 6 )

I do not own the rights to DBZ so please don't sue me!!

A/N: *blinks* Does anyone remember this story? It's taken me a while, but here in the next chapter. Thanks to everyone for your reviews.

This is not beta read...sorry for any mistakes I've made. Blame it all on the rusty writing skills.

Playing with Fire-SDPG-SSM

The fire took no time out as paramedics came to the rescue of two women that lay in the wet grass. One civilian, one firefighter. Vegeta growled loudly, wiping away the black grunge that was caked to Bulma's pale features. He cursed himself, highly pissed that he allowed her to follow him in to the throat of a roaring fire and then leaving her to her own devices while he checked other areas of the house for possible victims.

"Vegeta, move! You're in the way." It was the soft voice of Dende, another one of seven eight's paramedics ordering him away from Bulma's side. Vegeta shook his head, his teeth grinding together. The orange flames dancing in his dark eyes as he surveyed the landscape once again. Two houses were up in flames now as the wind picked up, sweeping red-hot embers floating on the breeze.

There were three departments now on scene, trying to starve off the fire. Hose lines twining together like massive snakes on saturated grass. Goku fought on the break line, the house they took their stand at. He was determined not to allow Mistress Fire to cross his line tonight. He could see a flurry of activity taking place a few houses down. Paramedics and more firefighters in the front lawn of the dwelling that should have been there confused him for a moment. He could see ChiChi from the corner of his eye watching intently as she held the hose line right behind him.

"What's happening?"

"Don't worry about it. We have a job to do here first." Goku barked harshly catching the probie's attention. He didn't mean for it to come out so brash, but he couldn't afford to have more people from his company playing gawker. They had a job to do whether something bad happened or not. He would not allow the fire to claim another house, another family's belongings.

"Pull that line! You need more water on that attic there!" Was heard over the noise of running trucks and the hiss of steam coming from the retreating fire. Captain Blaze took up the command post, yelling orders to her men. Chief Shin rolled his dark eyes, debating with himself whether to throw the young woman in the porta-tank (1) or just leave her on the hood of the command car with bullhorn in one hand and a radio mic in the other. She wasn't even suppose to be there, but there she was, a season veteran that couldn't stay put for more than a few minutes at a time, even while injured.

"They found that probie from your department. Sound like they're ready to leave the scene." Blaze commented with radio mic still in hand. The chief could only nod in understanding while keeping watch. This was no time to rant or worry. The time would come when everyone made it back to the station after the call.

A gush of fresh oxygen startled the blue haired woman, her lungs in agony as she pushed herself to take a breath. She could hear people talking to her, but the words didn't make any reasonable sense. Her blue eyes fluttered, burning from the smoke and ash that was whirling in the air currents above where she was sprawled. She moaned as her body was jostled almost violently, the woozy feeling of being lifted while she was still flat on her back. She remembered trying to pull a woman from the burning house, but what became of that?

"Bulma? Can you hear me?" She could hear the voice; a blurry face came into view above her with a concerned look etched deep on his face. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out, her throat burning.

"You can ask her those questions on the ride. Stop wasting time." She recognized that voice. It was the one that had taunted her since she arrived at the station. Captain Vegeta loomed at the side of the gurney that was pushed down the sidewalk towards the awaiting ambulance. Bulma's eyes watered more trying to see the soot covered Captain, the oxygen mask digging into her face painfully.

"Baka onna!" Vegeta snarled out at her before the rear doors of the ambulance slammed shut. Bulma grimaced. She had failed at her first baptism of fire. The Captain would now see her as a complete and utter failure.

Hours passed as the last of the dying embers were extinguished by the three departments that came to the call. Walls and ceilings were knocked down, checking to make sure the flaming beast was not hiding within the closed quarters of wood and brick. Hoses were rolled, placed back on trucks as were the other equipment that was yanked hastily. Pike poles clattered together, air tanks stowed away once again. One by one, the last of the firefighters clamored onto the departing trucks just as the morning rush hour started.

"I'll see you at the next burn." Blaze smiled, giving a small wave towards seven eight's Chief.

"If I see you at the next one, I'm going to personally kick your ass! Heal that damn leg, you hear me?" Blaze mocked saluted Shin before being whisked away by Lieutenant Alexa and firefighter Tad.

"What the hell? Why was she down here? Does she have a death wish or something?" Juunanagou asked, relieving himself of his heavy soaked jacket, tossing it up on his seat inside the pumper truck. Shin shook his head, his white hair falling out of his helmet.

"You know her. She can't miss a good fire. It runs in the family. Her father was the same way."

"She can afford to miss a few. I swear…" Juunanagou mumbled as he rounded the truck to help pack up the rest of the equipment.

"What was he bitching about?" Krillin asked, jerking his thumb to where Juunanagou just stood.

"Nothing. Just bitching to hear himself bitch." Juuhachigou scowled, tossing her turnout jacket on the back bumper of the truck in front of her.

"Nothing new then? Well, Goku and Vegeta are leaving to head to the hospital to check on Bulma. Just thought I'd relay the message."

"Thanks, Krillin. I'll go up when we get everything back at the station ready for the change over. I'm sure the next rotation is wondering where we are." Shin frowned, climbing up into the passenger side of the engine, waiting for the driver to haul his ass in so they could leave.

Bulma listened to the medical staff as they treated her in the emergency room. Saline solution was used to rinse her red, swollen eyes, oxygen still being fed to her by the god-awful mask that was digging into the bridge of her nose. She vaguely remembered the medical staff treating her swollen throat, the results of super heated air that she was forced to breath when she took off her mask.

"Miss Briefs, you're a lucky young woman. Very lucky." A snowy white haired doctor commented, adjusting his dark rimmed glasses back upon his nose. She gave him an inquisitive look with her eyes, not really sure what the doctor had meant by his comment.

"You have some minor throat swelling, which I expect to be down within the next couple of days. Don't talk unless you absolutely need to. Some minor irritation to your lungs, but that should clear within the week also. I'll put you on restriction until you are fully healed."

"That lady…" Bulma started to ask, her voice rough and raspy. She coughed, trying to clear her throat only to bring tears to her own eyes with the pain.

"The woman you found in the fire is dead." Vegeta's gruff voice answered from the doorway. Blue tendrils of wet hair twirled around Bulma's shoulders as she looked over to her Captain. She frowned deeply, wondering if risking her life for a woman that was dead was the right thing to do. Her mind nagged with her; of course it was the right thing to do. If it was she trapped in that fire, she would expect someone to rescue her…her face fell, that had already happened. Juuhachigou's brother was the one that pulled her out of that damn fire! Maybe everyone was right, she wasn't cut out to be a firefighter like they all said.

"I'll be back in a little bit. I have a few other patients to check on." The doctor nodded to Bulma before exiting the room with a handful of charts.

"You really are stupid aren't you?" Vegeta's voice cut into her like a knife. He pushed himself away from the doorframe, letting the heavy wooden door close in his wake.

"I told you to stay put, but you had to wander around, playing hero. Do you know what would have happened if you were not found? Nothing like being burned to death onna. That must be the worse possible way for anyone to surrender to death." His voice was low, hissing out the torrent of words at her. Bulma shuddered, the frown becoming deeper.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"I…I'm not sure…" She wheezed in response, her eyes still locked with dark, almost black eyes.

"Did you want to become another statistic for this years deaths of firefighters here in the city? You've almost accomplished that."

"I found…found that woman…"

"And she was dead!" Vegeta's voice cut her off, rough with anger.

"I didn't…"

"Of course you didn't know. Hell, she was dead before we even arrived on scene. It wasn't hard to miss the bullet hole in her fucking forehead." Blue eyes widen, a sudden gasp escaping her agape mouth. She had stumbled hap hazardously on a murder victim that was suppose to burn to ash with the fire the companies worked so hard to put out.

"Arson investigator Piccolo and the police will want to speak with you of course. Be prepared." Vegeta snapped out, turning on his heels preparing to slip out the door.

"Not going to yell at me anymore?" The dark haired man stopped, turned slightly to pin his eyes on the woman that sat on the hospital gurney.

"And yell at you on how stupid you are? I'm sure you know this by now onna. I'll save the rest of my lecture when you return to the station."

After trucks and equipment were stowed away back at the station, ChiChi and Juuhachigou left, making their way up to the hospital to check on their friend. ChiChi was a nervous wreck, her fingers knotting themselves in the strap of her purse.

"Damn, give it a rest already. I told you she was fine." The blonde deadpanned as she drove in to the emergency room parking area.

"I know, but this really wasn't suppose to happen, you know…I never thought one of us would be hurt…"

"It comes with the job, you know that."

"But…"

"But nothing. It could have easily been one of us. Don't dwell on it Chi, otherwise the stress and worry will eat you alive." Juuhachigou stated, getting out of the truck and making her way towards the sliding glass doors of the hospital.

"Thank you…"

"Hey, no problem. I'm sure that coffee wouldn't help matters much, but I was sure a strawberry shake would hit the spot." Bulma smiled, taking another sip of the frozen treat that probie Yamcha had brought down to her. With everything going on, she completely forgotten that she had promised to have coffee at the local diner with her fellow brother of fire, but he made up for it by bringing down the shake to her hospital room.

"How did you…"

"Know? I had my emergency scanner on at home. I had a buddy of mine on station nine one do the same thing. Granted he was much worse off than what you are, but I knew that something cold would be soothing right about now." Yamcha smiled, ducking his head slightly so the blue haired woman wouldn't see the stain of blush creeping it's way across his cheeks. He had to admit, Bulma was a very beautiful woman. Much prettier than most of the women that had ended up going through the academy to become fire-rescue personnel.

"It was very nice of you to do this you know…" She coughed, tears stinging the backs of her eyes. She had to remember what the doctor had told her. Rest her throat!

"Are you ok? Do you need anything?" Bulma shook her head, mouthing the word 'fine' when she saw Yamcha get out of his seat in a panic.

"I'm sorry. I mean I should let you rest. You've been through enough today with out me flirting shamelessly with you."

"It's ok…"

"I'll talk with you later, Bulma. Take care of yourself." Yamcha reached over giving her hand a slight squeeze before leaving the room. Bulma smiled, settling back on the stiff hospital bed with equally stiff pillows. Yep, Yamcha was such a sweet man and handsome to boot. She wouldn't mind dating him.

From the hallway, Vegeta stood watching Yamcha leave the onna's room. He growled low in his throat. He would not allow that probie to get any where close to the woman that was behind that door. Within the last six months, Yamcha had been through at least ten different women making him a serious player. Even though he didn't like the woman, Vegeta wouldn't allow Yamcha do mess with the young onna's heartstrings. Besides, wasn't there something in union by-laws about dating and relationships within the same company?

'I hate her! She grinds on my very last nerve!'

'But she has spunk. Someone to keep up and challenge you. She's not afraid of you and you know it. She's perfect!'

'Shut up! Damn annoying voice!'

(1) porta-tank is a water retaining pool. Some can hold a thousand gallons or less.