Surviving Together

Chapter 10 - A Worse Punishment

Bulma awoke the next morning to see two bottomless black eyes staring at her. She smiled as she recalled the events of last night. "Good morning," she whispered as she kissed his forehead.

Vegeta smirked back at her as he ran a hand through her hair. "Yes it is."

"I bet I can think of a way to make it even better," she licked her lips seductively, "how about a shower?"

Vegeta nodded, very much liking the idea. Pulling the covers back, he leaned down to pick up Bulma and carry her to the washroom, when Nappa came storming through the door. "Prince Vegeta we are to-" Nappa froze as he saw the very naked pair wrapped up in other. The large Saiya-jin smirked devilishly, wondering exactly what it must be like to have that.

"Nappa!" Vegeta hissed as he coved Bulma back up. "How dare you enter my room like this!"

Nappa shook his head to refocus before explaining his reasons, "I'm sorry sir, it's just that Freeza sent word that he expects us in five minutes."

"What?" Vegeta ground his teeth, figuring this could only have to do with their failed mission. "Fine," he tried to calm down. "I'll be ready in two," he growled at Nappa, signaling him to leave.

Once he was gone, Bulma asked, "What's wrong?"

Vegeta looked at her sadly before he walked over to his dresser and pulled out a uniform. "The shower will have to wait," he said quickly as he threw on his uniform and then grabbed a pair of boots.

"Well, alright," she nodded agreeably, as she watched the man rush. "Then I'll wait for you."

Vegeta walked back to her and pulled her soft body into his, brining her lips to his in a passion filled kiss. "I'll be back soon," he whispered before he left Bulma a little dazed and wondering why he seemed so scared.

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"Lord Freeza," Vegeta and Nappa said simultaneously as they knelt before the lizard.

"Good morning boys," he smirked as he looked at the still rather battered men in front of him. "I heard you monkeys had a rough time with the little mission I sent you on. Lost Radditz and all." Neither man responded. They could only imagine what their failure meant. "Hm. Nothing to say?" Freeza taunted, "I expected as much. I suppose I shall just cut to the chase then, boys. I do not like failure, especially when it results in me having to send one of my right hand men out to clean up the mess. So, I do believe a punishment is in order."

Nappa and Vegeta both braced for the blow, but it did not come, at least not in the form either expected as Freeza began speaking again. "Now, as you two know I prefer death or a severe beating for a mistake such as this, however, Zarbon had a much more delicious idea for your punishment."

Vegeta then looked up in horror as Zarbon strutted over with an expression of triumph on his face. "What then, sir," Vegeta gritted his teeth to hide his distain. He feared what the sick bastard had in mind.

Freeza smirked as he took a step closer to his monkey soldiers. "Dear Zarbon here has informed me that you have become quite taken with a certain whore that I passed on many mouths ago."

Vegeta felt as through a ki blast was ripping though his chest. Any punishment they could do to him he could survive, but to her… "I'm hardly taken with the little bitch," Vegeta grunted, trying to deny the charge.

"Well, whether you are or not is hardly the point here. Zarbon was the one who had to bail you two idiots out, which means the punishment should be in his favor. As such, he has informed me that he wants your whore to now become his. To be honest, I do think it is not much of a punishment, but it is for him to chose." Freeza brushed off, finding the look on the young prince's face amusing to say the least.

"I'll expect her in my chambers in half an hour Vegeta. Don't let her be late now," the handsome green man smirked as he and Freeza then turned and left the two men, one much more relieved then the other.

As soon as they were alone, Nappa wiped his brow. "I can't believe that's it! No beating or anything! We just get ride of that annoying loud-mouthed bitc-" before Nappa could finish his sentence a fist went right into his stomach as Vegeta whipped around to face him. "I think you have said enough," Vegeta then grabbed then man's throat and threw him to the ground before he sped off back to his chambers.

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"I must say Zarbon," Freeza smirked in amusement as the two men watched the interaction from the shadows. "When you told me the monkey prince had found himself someone to care about, I thought it a joke, but the expression on his face, oh Zarbon, it was better then any beating I could have given him!" Freeza chuckled with his maniacal laughter.

"Trust me my Lord," Zarbon joined the man in victory. "The look on his face after he sees the number I do on the girl, it will be a thousand times worse. This will be a day to remember." He smirked triumphantly as he headed straight off to his chambers to prepare for his pleasurable interlude.

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Bulma was laying quietly in bed resting when Vegeta came back in. She smiled as he walked over to her. "Well, that was quic-" she froze as she saw the dark look in his eyes. "Oh kami, what happened?"

Vegeta did not respond as sat next to her and brought her warm body into his chest. "I need to get you off this ship, woman."

Bulma's eyes widened, she knew something horrible must have happened to render Vegeta in such a state. "Me? Why me?" she pulled away from him enough to look back into his eyes. "What's going on?"

Vegeta swallowed hard before he looked back at her. "Freeza is taking you away from me for my defeat, you are being given to Zarbon," he bluntly spoke the truth as he lost sight of her eyes.

"No!" Bulma nearly screamed in horror as she tried to fight back her tears. "Not now!"

"We have no time for this," Vegeta stopped her from breaking down as he brought her to her feet. "You need to leave the ship now. You are to be given to him in less then half hour."

Bulma sniffled as she felt his strong arms pull her to her feet. Her mind could barely register this. It was as if she was suddenly sucked into some kind of a nightmare. Drowning in his ebony eyes, Bulma soon realized her choices were limited. Though she could so clearly see that Vegeta wanted to fight, to protect her, she was wise enough to know he could not. At least not yet. He was not strong enough. He had no hope against Zarbon, let alone Freeza. All he could do for her now was help her run, but she cared for him too much to allow him to do even that. "No," she whispered as she took his hands in hers. "I'm not leaving."

Vegeta's eyes widened, it seemed she had suddenly lost her mind. "Woman this is no joke! Do you have any idea what he'll do to you?!" his voice raised to nearly a scream. "You won't survive the night!"

Bulma felt the tears she had tried to suppress begin to run down her cheeks, but refusing to look away from him, she explained, "yes, I know what he will do to me, but I also know what will happen to you if I leave." She tried to remain calm as she suppressed her sobs as best she could, "please think about this Vegeta. Even if by some miracle you could get me off of this ship, Freeza would find me. His fleet is unstoppable, I would be killed before I was a mile away, you know that! I'm not going to be able to get away from this, and trying to help me will only hurt you." She paused as she slowly brought her hands to his face. "Listen to me Vegeta. You have protected me these last eight months, which is longer than I could have ever hoped to live. You compromised you principles, went against your fellow Saiya-jins, and you even took a beating just to protect me. But I won't let you do it anymore. I can't let you protect me this time, not at this expense."

Vegeta shook his head in disbelief, "you can't be serious, woman! If you think I'll let this hap-"

"Please Vegeta," she cut him off as pulled herself closer to him. "You are the only reason I could walk around on this ship for the last eight months without bruises covering my body. You are the only reason I lasted this long and I have done nothing in return, it is time I do something for you."

"Not this!" Vegeta protested as for the first time in his life he felt tears falling down his face. "I could not live with myself if I stand by and do nothing as he ravages you!" His voice suddenly dropped off at the thought, sinking to his knees the reality finally sunk in, "I'll die first."

"No you won't," she shook her head angrily as she knelt in front of him. "If you die who will avenge your people? Who will stop Freeza from taking another eight-year-old boy and making him do all of his dirty work? What will stop him from enslaving another sixteen year old virgin as a whore-"

"Bulma," Vegeta cut her off, for the first time ever using her name. "I am not some martyr. I'm a selfish man whose only concern is-"

"-promising me to do this," she finished his thought as she forced him to look at her. "Promise me you won't do something stupid and try to rescue me. Promise me my death will be the only one tonight."

Vegeta looked upon her with nothing but pain. He could not believe this woman was willing to die an agonizing death just to see him live to fulfill a destiny even he was beginning to doubt. What did he do to deserve this? What did he do to be worthy of that look of affection she was offering in what were to be her last minutes of painless life? He could not find any more word's, they seemed useless at that moment in time. The only answer he could give her was in the form of a kiss. Pulling her trembling body so close, as if to make her part of him, all he could keep thinking was how he could have ever found someone who could feel for him like this, someone who could make him feel like this. He suddenly feared this was the last time he ever would. "I promise," he whispered numbly as he felt her tear her body away from his.

"I think my time is almost up," she tried to sound strong as she stood and grabbed some cloths and dressed as quickly as she could.

Vegeta started blankly ahead of him as Bulma frantically dressed. She wanted to say something, she wanted to tell him something memorable that was filled with sentiment, but she could not. She barely had enough strength to stop herself from running over to him, begging him to make all the pain go away, but what she had to do now was leave to face whatever fate had in store for her. And so she did as she rushed out of their room, leaving the Saiya-jin prince to learn for the first time in his life what true pain is.

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Author's Note: Oh, the angst! I am loving it! Will Vegeta keep his promise? Will Bulma really have to give herself to Zarbon? Now, I know what you are all thinking, Vegeta will flip out on Zarbon and go all Super Saiya-jin on the green bastard's ass, but, I'm afraid not, I'm never that predictable! But the next chapter will be filled with even more angst and drama! Until then…