Surviving Together: A New Legacy

Chapter 11 - Comfort

"What the hell is happening!!" Aphara screamed as she struggled to remain standing against the violent shaking.

Those in the training area were trying to keep themselves from falling as the ground began to break apart. Some tried running out of the building, but they didn't make it very far as parts of the structure began to come down. "Is the planet exploding?" Durka questioned the trainers, as they would have better knowledge of the planet.

Jarvice and Ercha could only offer a look of pure fear. "Planet Frost suffers no such planetary disturbances; this can only be caused by man!"

"The Emperor?!?!" Aphara screamed, not knowing who else could cause such a tremor. "Why would he do this to his own planet?!" Before the question could be answered the violent shaking abruptly stopped. Everyone took a deep breath and tried to compose themselves.

"Ercha, find out what the hell happened!" Jarvice immediately took action as they sped over to the communicator.

"Hey! Answer me!" Aphara ordered Javice angrily.

"That was it." Durka blinked almost terrified.

"What? What are you talking about?" Aphara asked the dazed looking Durka.

"That rage, that's the fury I felt in my vision." Durka said, confident in the knowledge.

Ahpara's eyes widened. "What the hell could you have possibly done to piss him off that much!?!?"

Durka didn't answer as he turned his back to the woman. He had never been more certain of a vision before in his life. 'I'm next.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ < p class="MsoNormal c3">Vegeta howled in utter fury as his ki vibrated around his entire body. So many questions, so much confusion, so much disbelief, he couldn't handle it all without blowing off in a fit of rage. In the midst of his madness, he heard a soft moan. That sound alone was the only thing that registered in his mind and stopped him from destroying the planet in his anger. Vegeta's eyes widened as he immediately powered down. 'Alive?' He asked himself as he turned to the broken woman at his feet.

He walked slowly towards her, fearful yet hopeful at the prospect of what he would find. Vegeta dropped to his knees, reaching for her as he dared to hope. Slowly, he brought his fingers to her neck. Ignoring the blood as it coated his digits; he continued to search for her pulse. He prayed with all his heart that he would find the beat. An eternity seemed to pass before he felt it. A very weak pulse. Although his first instinct was to grab her and put her in a tank, he had to use extreme caution when moving her. He wouldn't risk injuring her further.

With gentle determination, he slowly lifted her off the ground as he pulled her body protectively against his chest. He felt his stomach tighten as she released a moan of pain from the movement. He cuddled her head in his neck as he engulfed her body with his ki. He didn't want so much as a piece of dust to come in contact with her.

Vegeta stared intently at his woman before he turned and walked out of the room. His mind didn't register Nappa's still whimpering form on the other side of the room. He didn't notice the still unconscious boy lying on the floor. His mind only registered the fact that Bulma was injured and needed him. He had to get her to a tank…and fast.

As Vegeta swiftly walked down the corridor, he failed to notice the people who were unconscious due to his wrath. He only saw his destination: his room. Since moving to the planet, he had a regen tank installed in his private chambers. On the off chance that he ever need healing, he wanted privacy. He never once imagined her having to use it.

Entering his room, he knelt in front of the tank and pressed the "open" button. Although he hated having to release her, he gently pulled her broken form away from his chest. He hated to hear her moans of pain but he was thankful that she was still alive.

Gingerly, he started to remove what little clothes remained. As he removed her bra, he heard her moan in protest. "It's okay, woman." After he tried his best to reassure her that she was safe, he continued removing her garments. As her bra fell, he saw her breasts covered with dark, purple bruises. The sight of her flesh covered in contusions caused him great turmoil but he forced himself to continue, as her health was his top priority.

He gently slid his hand down to her hips. Seeing her silk panty's stained with blood brought a fresh fit of rage to his heart. The need to feel Nappa's blood on his hands was almost overpowering. However, he somehow managed to remain stoic and gentle with her.

He heard her moan again as he started to remove the silky undergarment. Her protests became more violent as he felt her jerk her hips away from him. "Woman, no… you'll hurt yourself further…" He said in as soft a voice as he could muster. She continued to moan. He knew she was in incredible pain, but her fighting wasn't going to help.

After he finished undressing her without causing further pain, he embraced her. His hand gently graced her face as he wiped away blood that fell from her temple. Stopping his movement, he rested his forehead against hers and cupped her face gently. He moved his mouth close to her face and gingerly placed a kiss upon her lips. The kiss was filled with a decade worth of mourning and sorrow for a love he thought he lost.

''I won't lose you twice.'' He vowed.

Shaking himself out of his dream-like state, he quickly pulled away and began to move her into the tank.

As he lifted her into the tank, her eyes fluttered and her lips whispered, "…D…ur…ka.." before once again slipping into unconsciousness.

A gasp was released from Vegeta's throat as his eyes widened upon hearing the syllables whispered. He took what little control he had left to suppress his reaction long enough to attached the breathing apparatus to her face and close the tank. He turned the machine on and waited until the blue liquid filled the machine before letting his rage and anger take control.

Logical thought escaped him as he headed down to the training facility. Pure rage filled his veins.

"D..ur..ka…"

He had mourned her for ten years and now by some miracle he finds her alive, and what is the first thing she says to him? Another man's name!! His eyes began to twitch and his nostrils flared. 'Durka.' He had ordered that bastard to protect her! Where had he been in all of this!

"I am ordering you to guard her in the meantime. Although I have strict policies regarding the safety of women, I wouldn't trust the soldiers on this planet. She's weak and wouldn't hold much hope of protecting herself, so I expect you to make sure she stays safe." Vegeta paused a moment as he ordered Durka to look up at him. "So that means captain, should anything happen to her prior to completing this project, you will be personally held responsible, understood?"

"Yes, sir." Durka nodded.

'That he will be.' Vegeta was consumed by a fury unknown to him before as he made his way to the training center.

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"Garock!" Durka called the man as he entered the training room to join the others. The group crowded around him desperately wanting answers. "What the hell happened?"

Garock frowned. "It appears that the Emperor's transformation caused the tremors. We don't know why he did it, nor do we have any idea where he is. We assume it was somewhere near the barracks since the most damage and injuries were sustained there."

"Then we weren't attacked?" An attack was Aphara's first assumption. At least an attack made sense, this did not.

"That depends on your definition of attacked." A dark menacing voice spoke from behind as the group turned to look at the man in question. Everyone gasped as they saw the Emperor. Blood was covering his upper body and his eyes held a look of feral insanity. He stood, clenching his fists, as his eyes locked with Durka's.

Before anyone could utter a sound, Vegeta dematerialized and rematerialized in front of Durka. He grabbed the man by the throat and slammed him against the wall. The group took a subconscious step back. They prepared for escape.

"I gave you one order, one damn order and you fail! You couldn't even follow it for more than a fucking day!" Vegeta screamed directly into Durka's face. Those witnesses to his fury took a mental note never to defy the Emperor.

Even Garock cringed, as he had never seen Vegeta so uncontrollable. "Sir, perhaps it would be best if…"

"Quiet!" Vegeta demanded. Not for a moment did Vegeta tear his hateful glare away from the man before him.

Durka gulped before he spoke. "How have I failed you, Emperor?"

Vegeta's hold tighten as he closed the space between them so that only Durka could hear his next words. "Tell me Durka." Vegeta spit the name out as if it were beneath him to utter such garbage. "Why did you not escort the science woman back to her office after lunch?"

Durka quickly realized that the blood on the Emperor was not his own. It was Bulma's! "What… What happen? Did someone attack her?" Durka stuttered out the words, fearful of the answer.

Vegeta's fist once again tightened as he growled in response. "Missing someone?"

"No." Durka paled. "Nappa… He… He didn't… He wouldn't… He…"

"Is fucking castrated now and I have half a mind to give you the same fate! You had orders to follow and you failed miserably. So tell me, what type of punishment should you endure?" Vegeta asked as his mind thought of various ways to kill the man, if for no other reason than to vent his fury.

Durka closed his eyes as his head dropped down. "Do as you choose." He said, knowing he deserved the severe punishment. He was supposed to protect her. He failed. He failed.

Vegeta's fists tightened around the man's neck as he was planning on a nice slow asphyxiation when he heard a voice in his head that made him stop.

"D..ur..ka…"

Vegeta let the man's body drop to the floor. He couldn't kill him. Not yet. If the woman called his name he must be of some importance to her. To kill him now might prove to be disastrous for him later. He growled, knowing he couldn't vent his fury, at least not right now.

"You're fate will be decided by the woman, should she live." Vegeta cringed as he spoke the last words. Before Vegeta turned to leave he sent a ki blast right through Jarvice's chest. The man fell to the ground, lifeless. The surrounding warriors cringed in fear expecting to meet the same fate.

However, Vegeta had something else in mind. "Garock. Find all of Nappa's associates. I want them killed."

Garock gulped. "Ah… yes… sir." He rushed out of the room; for fear that he would be next. Without another word. Vegeta stormed out of the facility, his cape flowing almost angrily behind him. He was sane enough to know that at his level of rage, he could end up killing an innocent bystander. He headed back to his chambers to wait for her revival. It was all he could do to keep what little sanity he had left.

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Trunks moaned as he slowly pushed himself to his feet. 'That asshole!' His mind screamed as he sped into his mother's room.

"Mom!" He called as he looked around for her. His eyes focused on the disheveled sheets on the bed. They were stained with blood! He also took notice of the torn clothes and stained armor spewed around the bed. He recognized the torn clothing as the outfit his mother wore that day. "No." He whispered as he mind refused to put together what happened. "Mom!" He called again desperate to find her.

Suddenly, he heard a deep moan. Trunks sped towards it. When he found the source of the moan, he felt sick to his stomach. He recognized the big, bald brute as the weakling he beat the shit out of the other day. The weakling was crouched up on the floor, completely naked. The blood on him didn't go unnoticed by Trunks. "You beast!" The boy screamed as he grabbed the man by the throat. "Where is my mother?! What the hell did you do to her?!"

Nappa only groaned, as he didn't have the strength to speak. Trunks became enraged by the man's silence. He roared as he gave the beast a swift knee to the groin before dropping him back to the ground. Trunks rushed out of the room. His top priority was finding his mother.

The small boy wiped his tears with his sleeve as he searched for the Emperor's ki. He knew his mother's would be too hard to find. He just had to know the truth about what happened. After a few minutes of searching, Trunks finally sensed Vegeta's ki. He sped through doors and walls to get to him, never once caring about the damage he caused. Feeling the Ki straight ahead, he broke down the Emperor's door and faced him.

Trunks froze in shock as he saw a defeated figure sitting before him. Trunks blinked, not fully comprehending that this broken man in front of him was indeed the Emperor. The man sitting in front of him was slouched over with…a tear in his eye? His head rested upon his palm while the other arm hung limply at his side. But most disturbingly, he was covered in blood. "No." Trunks shook his head, immediately fearing the worst. "Where's my Mom!" Trunks screamed as he charged the man who had prevented him from helping her. Vegeta didn't even attempt to block the attack. Trunks kicked the man, sending his body flying across the room.

Trunks couldn't understand why the man numbly rose back to his feet as if nothing had happened. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Trunks demanded an answer as his anger was starting to take over. "Where is my Mom!" He asked again. Vegeta remained silent, as he looked past the boy.

"Answer me!" Trunks screamed as he went on the attack again. He charged Vegeta head on, allowing his fists to fly as he sent multiple punches across the man's face and into his stomach. He grabbed his father's arm and threw him across the room for a second time. Again, Vegeta failed to respond to the attack.

Trunks watched in disbelief, as the man didn't even bother to get up the second time. He just sat emotionlessly against the wall. Trunks felt more tears coming on, as he couldn't take the silent treatment any longer. The boy was about to begin another attack when he finally took notice of the regen tank. He sped over and looked inside.

"Mom." He whispered as he pressed his fingers to the glass and rested his forehead against the window. Trunks could feel a fresh batch of tears ready to escape. Although he tried his best to remain strong, he couldn't help but give in to them. His mother looked terrible. The liquid in the tank helped to clean off her cuts, but she was still in the very early stages of healing. Because blood was no longer in the way, he could see the true extent of her injuries with full clarity. He let his entire body fall forward against the tank as he crossed his arms, burying his face in his sleeves.

Trunks hated to seem weak but this was too much for a child to handle. He needed the comforting presence of his mother. Unfortunately, he had to remain strong. For her sake. After drying his tears and trying to regain his composure, he turned his attention to the man sitting quietly across the room. He still sat in the exact spot and still wore the same dismal look on his face. Trunks bravely walked over and stopped right in front of him. He clenched his fists and dared to ask the dreadful question. "What did he do to my mother!?" Trunks wasn't sure if he could handle the answer but he just had to know the truth.

Once again, Vegeta remained silent. Trunks couldn't take it anymore. He needed to know. He grabbed his father by the collar. He pulled Vegeta's face close to his own, and demanded an answer. "Tell Me!"

Vegeta blinked, finally shaking himself out of his state of bewilderment. He couldn't help but stare at those…eyes. The eyes he found himself staring into were exact replicas of hers. 'How did I miss it?' He asked himself as he felt another pang of guilt.

He didn't have time to indulge in self-pity as he heard the boy continue to question him.

"What did he do to her?"

Vegeta didn't know how to respond when he didn't now the whole truth himself. "I… don't know…" Vegeta whispered as he felt Trunks release his collar.

"Is… Is she going to live?" The young boy asked as another series of fresh tears began to flow from his eyes.

Vegeta eyes fell to the ground as he wasn't ready to answer that question either. "I don't know."

For reasons Vegeta couldn't begin to comprehend, Trunks sat down next to him hoping to give and receive comfort. He didn't know how but he knew that the Emperor needed as much comfort as he.

"I'm sorry I hit you." Trunks sniffled as he tried to apologize. "I know… I know you might have saved my Mom."

Vegeta slowly looked down at the small boy weeping next to him. "Your mother…" He whispered in awe.

Almost unconsciously, Trunks dropped his head against the man's chest as he wrapped his arms around his father's waist. ''My mom, isn't going to die."

Vegeta watched as the boy reached out to him. He couldn't understand why he felt the need to console the boy. He allowed his arm to fall loosely upon the child's back. "No boy, I won't allow her to."

Father and son then gave something to the other that neither truly understood. Comfort. As the night wore on both became lost in their own thoughts. But equally, they were both drowning in the fear that the most important woman ever to enter their lives might not live to see the next day again.

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Author's Note: Hmmm??? Will Bulma survive? I hope so or else I'll have to make this a Vegeta/Durka story… J/k, all may or may not work out. We'll have to see. In the next chapter Bulma may or may not re-emerge from the tank, Vegeta and Trunks may or may not have a little father son heart to heart, and Durka may or may not have another vision. We will all have to wait and see!