Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Spirit of Vegeta ❯ Returning Home ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

The Spirit of Vegeta

By: Nova Starlight

Part 3: Returning Home

It was a few hours after his encounter with Vincent that Vegeta finally felt ready to leave the gravity room. There was also the issue of his viciously growling tummy and the fact that he had not had anything to eat today. He had been able to hold off this long because he had not been able to do any training after Vincent's secret had been revealed. He had remained there just sitting on the floor as a million thoughts rushed through his head. Now, the house was completely silent and Vegeta assumed that he was the only one awake at this late hour, but as he walked into the kitchen he could see that he was wrong. Bulma was sitting at the table sipping from a teacup, she remained completely silent as he began to gather some food for himself and after a few awkward moments he decided to break the ice. “What are you doing up?” he asked.

“Oh, I just wondered how long it would take before you would show your face,” she replied. “You know it is pretty low to beat up on someone that is so obviously weaker than you.”

“Is that what you were told?” Vegeta asked in anger.

“No,” she snapped back. “He actually told me not to say anything to you and would not give me any details but I bet he only did that out of fear you would finish the job. Does it make you feel more like a saiyan to intimidate a human man?” She took a break from her speech and walked her cup over to the sink. “Do you intend to treat everyone who comes here this way or is this just some special little retribution because someone dared to move on to someone else after having been with the great prince of saiyans.”

Vegeta had stood there stone-faced during most of her tirade but that last little part really struck a chord inside of him. Before he could even think about what he was going to say the words were slipping past his lips. “You think because in a moment of weakness I slept with you and had a bastard child, that you can tell me what to do? I can say and do whatever the hell I want and I dare you to try and control me.” Then he picked up the sandwich he had made and proceeded to eat it in silence.

Bulma was in a state of shock. He had never spoken to her quite so horribly but thankfully her feet would still move and she ran from the room and up the stairs to her bedroom. She was so preoccupied that she did not even notice Trunks hiding in the corner who had tears spilling from his eyes. He had been on his way to the kitchen to get a glass of water when he had heard them fighting and decided to hide and listen. Now he knew why he had never received the words of love and praise from his father that he had been waiting for, it was because he was an accident and his father obviously regretted it.

After he heard the bedroom door upstairs slam, he moved from his hiding spot and went up the staircase towards his parent's room. Would now be a good time to comfort his mother? With one last look back at his father calmly eating he decided that his mother's feelings were more important. He knocked lightly on the door and called out softly, “Mom, it's me Trunks. Are you all right?” He opened the unlocked door and when he walked into the room he saw his mom laying on the bed with a box of tissue beside her.

“You heard what your father said, didn't you?” she asked.

“Yeah I did,” Trunks mumbled. “But, I don't care,” he continued in a slightly stronger voice. “He can think whatever he wants about me, because I don't care about him either.” Then he turned his head away trying to disguise the fact that tears were forming in his eyes, but Bulma noticed so she just pulled him over to her and hugged him tightly. She hoped that she could live up to the challenge of loving Trunks enough that he really would not care that Vegeta was not as concerned with him. After a few moments she realized that he had fallen asleep in her arms so she tucked him into bed beside her and considered getting up to lock the door. In the end she decided against it because she doubted Vegeta would try coming to bed tonight but even if she locked it, he would just break it down.

It turns out she was right because Vegeta did not even attempt to come into their bedroom tonight. He retrieved a spare pillow and blanket from the linen closet and slept on the fold out couch in the den. As he was lying there he thought again about what Vincent had told him and the giant mistake he had made tonight. What had possessed him to talk to her like that? If he were honest with himself he would admit that he had done it mainly out of a need to lash out against her because some of her accusations really stung? When she had accused him of hitting Vincent out of jealousy it had hit him particularly hard because since the arrival of Future Bulma and Vincent he had been faced with the fact that she could move on after him or even leave him, and that was something he did not want to face. The more important question being could he even make up for everything he had done wrong so far? Was it even possible? He wished he had the answers but unfortunately he did not.

Vincent was also left awake with his thoughts that night, the events of that afternoon kept replaying over and over in his head. He could not believe that he had not even considered once that the differences in timelines could affect his ability to tell Bulma the truth. He could finally reveal his love for her and have it returned without any of these pretenses. The courage had been building in him for hours and he decided that he needed to seize it now before it turned to doubt and fear. He gently shook Bulma's shoulder and said, “Darling, are you awake?”

She gave him no response, she simply rolled towards him and mumbled, “I love you Vegeta.” In was in that second that he decided he could wait to tell her and he rolled over to sleep. However his mind was even more filled with thoughts than it had been before. What could have possessed Bulma to say the name Vegeta, when she thought him Vincent? Could she still be hung up on the callous bastard that had done her wrong? Should he even tell her the truth? Nothing would be made better for her or Trunks by revealing the truth, it would only serve to remove the last remnants of his guilt over everything. Bulma and Trunks had accepted him as Vincent, was there any legitimate reason to cause more stress and frustration now? Like his other self, who was just slipping into sleep on the couch downstairs, he had no answers for his own questions.

The next day, Future Bulma woke up early and headed downstairs to begin work on breakfast. She debated waking up Vincent but he looked peaceful so she decided not to disturb him. If he had not gotten up within a few hours, she would wake him up then but there was no real reason to be up this early. Once downstairs she immediately began cooking and about a hour later when she was finished she noticed that only Future Trunks had come down. “I am amazed that everyone is still in bed,” she commented.

“I think I know why that is,” Trunks replied. “I heard a fight between Bulma and Vegeta late last night and I am sure they are avoiding each other now. I actually think it was about that whole situation with Vincent you told me about.” He watched her reaction closely and then he said, “I think that we should end our little visit and be heading back to our own timeline.”

Bulma looked upset but she knew that he was right. Present Bulma's relationship with Vegeta was more than likely already very tenuous and there was no reason they should risk adding undue stress to that situation. “I guess we should, We will tell everyone that we are leaving tomorrow morning. That should leave enough time for out farewells and still be out of here soon.” While they were downstairs discussing their departure plans, Present Bulma slipped from her own bedroom and into the guest bedroom where Vincent was sleeping.

Vincent was still sleeping soundly, so she just slightly pulled back the covers and slipped in beside him. After a few moments she was confident that he would not wake up, so she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled herself closer to his warmth. Vincent finally reacted by moving in for a kiss and capturing her lips passionately. She relaxed into the kiss and adjusted her body so that it was completely accessible to him. Within a matter of moments he had pulled off her night and began to kiss her now naked form. Her moans as he licked and nibbled on her breasts urged him on to do more and more for her.

Suddenly, from the back of his mind something struck him that there was something wrong. His Bulma had been wearing pajamas last night and the body beneath him seemed different. In that instant he pushed her away and in a rage he roared, “You're not my Bulma!”

She did not even attempt to deny it. “I am sorry,” she pleaded. “I know it was wrong but I just wanted to know what it would be like with a man that really loved me.” Then she collapsed with her head in her hands and sobbed. Vincent felt sorry for her and he gathered her into his arms despite his earlier rage. All he did was hold her for a few minutes while she cried and when she had settled down he gently sat her away from him. He found her nightie among the bedclothes and gave it back to her.

“You should get dressed before my Bulma comes back,” he suggested. “I would rather not have to explain how this might have happened.” She slid the gown back on quickly and began to walk towards the day but Vincent stopped her at the door. “Believe it or not, Vegeta does love you,” he commented before he opened the door for her to leave. As she walked back to her own bedroom she was almost in tears again as she realized how desperate for affection she really was.

That afternoon while everyone, minus Vegeta, sat around the table having lunch, Future Bulma announced that they would be returning to their timeline the next morning. The news was met with mixed emotions from everyone. Present Bulma was inwardly relieved because after the situation with Vincent this morning she was not sure she could look him or the other Bulma in the eye, and if they had stayed much longer someone would have been bound to pick up on her unease. Vincent became worried because there was now a time limit on his chance to tell Bulma everything. If he did not tell her by the time they left tomorrow morning he would most likely never get another chance. Knowing that he may never get another chance swayed him from his earlier doubt and he decided to tell Bulma as soon as he could speak with her in private.

Unfortunately for him, the rest of the day passed in a whirlwind of activity. He tried over and over to quietly pull her away for a few moments from the group but it didn't work. He did not get his chance to speak with her in private until that night as they were preparing for bed. He waited until she had snuggled into his arms before he began, “Bulma, I have something I need to tell you.”

“All right, what is it?' she replied.

“I am not sure how to say this but you know how your husband Vegeta died fighting the androids?” She nodded. “Well, what if I told you that I am Vegeta. His reincarnated form he was given after more than twenty years in Hell.”

“Vincent if this is a joke, it is not funny,” she scolded. Then she started to turn away from him but he stopped her with his arm and gently guided her face so that they could see eye to eye.

“I am not joking,” he insisted. “I spent twenty years in Hell having every crime I had ever committed played back into my head over and over again. After all that time they gave me the opportunity to return to Earth by taking over the body of a human about to die. I jumped at the chance to be on Earth with you and Trunks, that's where Vincent comes in. It was after I was here that they revealed I could not tell anyone my real identity or I would be sent directly back to Hell.” At seeing the look of shock on her face he added. “I am sorry that I have deceived you this long but you must see why I had to keep this entire thing secret. I am only able to tell you now because we are in a different timeline.”

“How did you figure out you could tell me?” she asked.

“I accidentally slipped and told Vegeta while he and I were talking in the gravity room,” he replied. “Do you believe me?”

“I don't know,” she said in confusion. “The real Vegeta never said or did anything remotely similar to the things you have said and done for me. “

“Twenty years in Hell will really change a person,” he replied. “I just wish I had treated you better the first time in my real body instead of having you think that I never loved you; because I did and I still do.” Upon hearing that last statement Bulma could no longer hold back her tears and even though they rained down her face like waterfalls she still pressed herself tightly to Vincent and began to passionately kiss him. He pressed her back into the mattress and began softly caressing the body of the only woman he had ever loved.

Then she asked, “Do you want me to call you Vegeta or Vincent?”

He thought for a second and then he said, “Vincent. Vegeta only broke your heart and Vincent will spend the rest of his life loving you and mending that tear.” Then he kissed her full and soft lips with a groan of primal urgency. Neither of them could resist the other for more than a few moments and as moonlight spilled in through the windows their bodies began to entwine and build the perfect rhythm.

The next morning, Vegeta woke up to Vincent looming over him. He had slept on the couch again and he was not in the best mood. “What the Hell do you want?” he asked.

“Everyone is outside packing up the time machine so I thought now would be a good time for us to talk, and judging by the fact that you spent yet another night on the couch you obviously did not take my advice.”

“Quit preaching at me!” Vegeta bit back. “Maybe I have just come to realize since out little pep talk that I have no chance of winning back their love and respect. I have never fully seen how much I hurt them until recently and now I cannot bear it.”

“You think that's bad,” Vincent commented. “Why don't you try three solid days of stuff like that and talk to me about how you feel. You should still try, you could be amazed by how much Bulma can forgive if you show her that you are truly sorry.” Then he stood up and walked away from him.

Later, Vegeta stood in the background, as always, to observe everyone saying goodbye. It passed by quickly and Bulma, Vincent, Trunks, & Angelina all boarded the ship and in a flash they were gone. Now, that it was over, Bulma assumed everything would return to normal but would it?

To Be Continued. . .