Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Spirit of Vegeta ❯ New Beginnings ( Chapter 5 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
The Spirit of Vegeta
By: Nova Starlight
Epilogue: New Beginnings
Years had passed since most of the issues surrounding their marriage had been resolved and now Bulma and Vegeta lived a life that was void of conflict or complications. Then one day Bulma knew all of that would change as she made a truly startling discovery. “I'm pregnant,” she mumbled to herself. Just like the first time she had been faced with this situation she was sitting on the cold tile floor of her bathroom, staring down at a small piece of plastic showing two blue lines. As if she were a robot simply performing her programmed tasks, she sat up and methodically began to clear the room of evidence, throwing everything into the garbage and then tying up the sack so that she could take it out.
“What was going on here?” she thought to herself. She had given birth to Trunks at thirty-six years old and now her son was a teenager. She was fifty years old and should be worrying about menopause, not having another baby. “How would Vegeta take the news?” her silent questions continued. “Everything had been fine between them for years now but would a baby simply antagonize their relationship and bring back the stress, fighting, and distance that had once had between them.” She could almost feel the tears burning at the back of her eyes at the thought of losing the new found love and peace that she and Vegeta had established. Maybe she should just go see a doctor, which would give her a more definite answer. Until she knew for certain she guessed it would simply be better to keep the whole thing a secret. Why bring up a possible argument over a baby that might not even exist.
With that last thought her body and mind were once again overcome with emotion. She felt both a slight sense of relief over the possibility that she might not pregnant but also a deep ache that her new level of love and trust she had reached with Vegeta might never be symbolized in a child. Sure, she loved Trunks and she knew that Vegeta loved him too, but he had still ultimately been the result of a night together when both of them simply needed another person's warmth and primitive urges had trampled their senses. Squaring her shoulders, she peeked out into the hallway and when she saw that it was clear she took off for the dumpster in the back yard so that she could throw away the test. Then she would need to call the doctor and get his next available appointment.
The earliest appointment that she could get was a week away and she was determined to simply act as if there was nothing going on, she did not want Vegeta to suspect anything until she knew for sure. Though she tried hard to keep her demeanor as normal as possible on the outside, Vegeta picked up that something was wrong within a few minutes in her company later that afternoon. He was unsure of how he should approach the situation or if he should even try, but when it persisted over the course of the next few days, he decided to do something about it. “What's going on?” he asked her when he saw her alone in the living room one afternoon.
“Nothing,” she replied calmly. “Why do you ask?”
“You have been acting strange for a while now, I can tell,” he stated in a tone that left no room for argument. “What happened that you won't tell me?”
Bulma sighed. “There is nothing going on Vegeta. I have just been a little tired.”
She left the living room where she had been tidying up and walked into the kitchen. She put down the various items in her hands onto the table and faced the wall, hoping against every hope that Vegeta would not follow her.
“We are supposed to be beyond this Bulma,” he called out as he walked into the kitchen behind her. Why won't you talk to me?”
“I said there is nothing to talk about!” Bulma repeated.
“Bullshit!” Vegeta countered.
“Fine, you really want to know...I'm pregnant,” she said softly.
“You're what?” Vegeta asked, since he had not been able to hear her.
“I said I am pregnant,” she repeated, this time a little louder than before. “As in you and I are having another child.”
“We're having another baby?” Vegeta muttered to himself as he took a seat in a nearby chair.
Mistaking his shocked response to mean that he was upset, Bulma rushed to reassure him. “Well, nothing is a 100% yet. They have a more accurate test at the doctor's office but my appointment is a few days away.” She finally turned around to find him sitting there processing what she had just told him.
“Should I go with you?” he asked finally.
“It's not necessary,” she replied. “It's not like you went with me when I found out about Trunks.” The moment the words escaped her lips she wanted to take them back. That was definitely the last thing that she needed to do, was start a fight with Vegeta over the circumstances over twelve years ago. “10:15 on Wednesday,” she replied. Then she broke eye contact and faced away from him again.
“I will go with you,” he stated coldly. Then he got up and left the room. For now, it seemed they were at a standstill.
. . .
In the future timeline, celebration was underway for Trunks and Angelina's wedding. Bulma and Vincent looked on with pride and were both in tears during the ceremony. At the reception, Angelina approached the couple and gave them even more good news. “Bulma, Vincent, don't say anything to Trunks, because I plan on telling him tonight, but I just found out I am pregnant!”
Bulma's face lit up and she grabbed Angelina giving her a big hug. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you so much!” Angelina responded. She then quickly left Bulma's embrace and gave Vincent an equally enthusiastic hug. “You both have been so good to me and Trunks and I both really appreciate it.” Trunks came over at that moment and wrapped his arm around Angelina's waist.
“Should I be worried about my stepfather stealing my bride?” he asked with a laugh.
“No, of course not silly,” Angelina told him with a smile. “I was simply thanking Vincent and your mother for all the love and support they have given me.”
“Okay, just checking,” he replied with a grin. Then he turned to Bulma and Vincent saying, “If you do not mind, I think I would like to dance with my wife.” Then he turned and walked her out to the dance floor with his arm still around her waist. As he watched his son dance with his new bride he considered Trunks's children. Trunks was the last remaining saiyan, and technically he had only been a half saiyan, his children would in turn be quarter saiyans and in no time at all the bloodline would be totally diminished. Not that it was exactly a species to be heralded and admired, but he had once been their prince and looking back he could not help but feel deeply saddened.
. . .
Vegeta sat next to Bulma in the examination room of her doctor's office, flipping absently through the magazines trying to pass the time. They were waiting for the results of the pregnancy test and it had been a while. Bulma seemed anxious as she chewed her fingernails and looked up at the clock on the wall every few seconds. “Are you nervous?” he asked.
“No!” she spat. “I just like biting my fingernails down so far that they bleed.” Then she got up and began to pace back and forth across the small room. Vegeta was taken aback by Bulma's attitude. Could she truly be that upset by the prospect of their having another child? Before he could ask her any questions the door opened and the doctor entered the room with a smile on his face.
“Why, hello Ms. Briefs, you seem a little anxious,” he greeted her warmly. He gently put his hand on her shoulder and guided her over to the examination table. Then he looked at both Bulma and Vegea respectively as he delivered the results, “Bulma, you are going to be having another baby.” Vegeta simply sat there in silence watching Bulma ask the doctor questions about false positives and make comments about her age. The doctor informed her that false positives were highly unlikely and that though she would require more rest since she was a bit older during this pregnancy that there was nothing to worry about and then he scribbled down a few notes on his chart and told her to make an appointment for a check up in a couple of months.
When the doctor had left the room, she turned to face him. She seemed like she wanted to say something important but after a few moments of silence she simply turned her head away and said, “We should probably be heading home.”
“Is that all you are going to say?” he asked.
“Is that supposed to mean something?!” she snapped in response.
“Nothing,” he answered. “I guess I just expected more of a response out of you.”
She stopped immediately as she was bending down to pick up her car keys and purse from the chair. After a second she reached for the items and turned to look him in the eyes. “I'll have more to say when I figure why in the Hell I am having another baby at my age. I'll have more to say when I figure out how I am going to explain to Trunks that he is going to have a little brother or sister. Then I am going to have a good cry!” She turned away and walked out of the examination room leaving a stunned Vegeta, standing there in silence.
When he regained his composure a few seconds later and went to follow her out, he found that she had already left. His impulse reaction was to get mad but he suppressed it and simply scanned the area for people, finding the streets empty he took to the sky and headed home to Capsule Corp. Whatever problems they were having he was sure they could work them out, it would just take some time. However, over the next few days he was beginning to believe that he would not get the chance.
On the day of her doctor's appointment, Vegeta beat Bulma home by flying and unsure of what to do next he simply began to straighten the kitchen and living room. This way he could peek out the storm door in the kitchen and wait for her arrival. When she came in about fifteen minutes later, she breezed right past him and began walking up the stairs. “What are you doing now?” he asked.
“I am going upstairs to lie down,” she shouted back. A few seconds later he heard a door open and close so he never questioned her claim and simply unsure of what to do next, he left to do some training in the gravity room. In actuality, the door that had been opened and closed was the door to Trunks' bedroom. She walked in and found him laying there reading a book.
“Can I help with something mom?” he asked, looking up.
“Well, not really,” she replied with a sigh. “I just came in to talk because I have something important to tell you.”
Trunks looked into her eyes again and closed the book he was reading. As he placed the book onto his bedside table, he also took hold of Bulma's hand. “Are you okay?” he asked. “Is there something wrong?”
“No, No” she reassured him. “There is nothing wrong with me, well, nothing that won't go away in a few months. You see, I'm pregnant.”
“You're what?!” he exclaimed.
“I'm pregnant,” she repeated. “You are going to have a little brother or sister.”
“Wow,” he breathed. Then he collapsed back onto the bed behind him. “Sorry, if I am not being very supportive mom, I'm just a little shocked.”
Bulma sat down onto the bed beside him and laughed. “If you think you are shocked how do you think I feel? I am old enough to be a grandmother and yet I am having another baby.”
Trunks smiled and said, “Would it make you feel better if I said you don't look old enough to be a grandmother?”
With another light laugh she stood up again and said, “Flattery will get you everywhere Trunks, remember that.” Then she kissed him on the forehead and walked out of the room. Well, one thing had been taken care of now, Trunks had been told. Now she just needed to work things out with Vegeta. She knew she had been snappy with him this past week but something inside her just seemed to burst out when she was around him. All of the old anger and pain from the beginning of their relationship would just come to the surface and she could not push it down inside of herself again. Though she knew what she needed to do, she thought it might be best to give each of them some time to cool off. She went to her room and laid down for a nap.
While she was doing that, Trunks left his bedroom and headed downstairs to the gravity room. After his mother had given him the news he had considered the fact that she had come in and told him without his father. He had to wonder how his dad was taking the news that he would be having another child. He had been relieved to see that his parents had been getting along better than ever; he just hoped that his father had been kind to his mother through this situation. Whatever had been going on he was sure to find out soon enough as he turned off he gravity and entered the room.
Inside Vegeta looked at him in amazement as he walked in to the room. “You never train anymore,” he commented. “What brings you down here?”
“Well, I got some interesting news from Mom, wanted to ask you about it.”
“She told you already?” he questioned.
“Yeah, she told me just a few minutes ago,” he commented. “You sound surprised.”
“Yeah, I am. I had thought we would tell you together. Or at least that is the impression I got when we left the doctor's office this afternoon.” He spoke softly as if he were talking to himself in confusion. He was not the only one that was confused. If anything Trunks would be more apt to believe that Vegeta had skipped out on the talk, than that Bulma would exclude him. Was it possible that maybe the one reacting badly in this situation could be his mother and not his father?
“Is something going on between the two of you?” He asked finally. He realized in the instant that the question had slipped through his lips that it was probably unwise to get involved. However, the lingering memories of what his parent's relationship had been like when he was younger spurred him forward. The situation, whatever it may be, could probably go on and on or even escalate if it was not handled quickly. “Has she said anything specific that concerns you?” he asked. When his father's only response was a curious look and the raising of one eyebrow, he added, “Maybe I can help.”
Vegeta was conflicted; he was pretty sure that Trunks probably could help but he was unsure if he should put that kind of burden on him. He looked away and said softly, “Well, when she found out about the baby, she started to dredge up some of the problems we had in the past. She said I was never there for her while she was expecting you, which I admit is true.”
Trunks was unsure of what he should say. He sighed and scratched his head as he quickly considered everything. “Well, maybe you should talk to her about the past and let her vent,” he suggested.
“What do you mean?” Vegeta asked. “What purpose does it serve to bring up the past?”
Trunks could feel tension entering the air, he had to make his case quickly before this turned into an argument between the two of them. “Look, back when you guys started to get along better, it seemed like you reached a silent truce. Like you just got up one morning and decided you were tired of fighting. Did you ever settle all of the problems you had in the past? If you refuse to talk out your past she is just going to bury that hurt inside of herself again and that will just lead to a repeat of what you are going through right now.”
Vegeta wanted to protest but he knew Trunks was right. It was not enough that he felt guilty about what happened in the past, Bulma was not a mind reader. She needed to hear his apologies and explanations for that crucial time in their lives. “You're right,” he mumbled. Then with a smile and a caring look in Trunks' direction added, “Just like your mother.” Then with a sigh he said, “Speaking of your mother, I guess there is no time better than the present to go talk to her.” Then he walked out the gravity room ready to let loose everything he had been holding back.
. . .
In the future, Vincent sat in the kitchen of Capsule Corp. sipping his coffee and thinking. It was early morning and the building was deathly quiet since Bulma was still asleep and Trunks and Angelina had yet to return from their honeymoon. His thoughts were once again centered on his life, his son, and being a saiyan. He had faced what he was losing, what he was becoming, when he had accepted his new life, but now all of those thoughts were once again racing through his head. He had resigned himself to the end of the saiyan race and to never telling his son the truth but now things seemed different. He decided that he needed to tell Trunks the truth, he had never given his son the pride in his species, that been so ingrained in himself, it was a mistake that he needed to correct.
As he was considering his options, Bulma awoke and came downstairs into the kitchen in her bathrobe. “I was surprised when I woke up and you weren't there,” she commented. “Is there something wrong?”
“Not really,” he responded. “I was just doing some thinking.” Then he got up and wrapped his arms around her from behind as she began to cook breakfast. “I was just thinking about our expanding family,” he continued. “and the fact that there is still so much that my son does not know about me,” Then after a pause added, “and saiyans.”
“What do you mean by `and saiyans'?” she asked with a laugh.
“I mean that even though the saiyan race was not only one to be proud of, it is still a part of him that he should know more about. Even after everything I have been through, and this body that I now inhabit, it is still part of my heritage; one I should be sharing with my son.”
The smile disappeared from her face and she was instantly serious. “I understand,” she assured him. “I'll do what I can to help.”
“I'm glad to hear that,” He replied. “Because you are the one who will have to tell him for me, and then he can come to me with any questions he has.”
Two weeks later, the honeymoon was over and Trunks and Angelina had just arrived back at Capsule Corp. Trunks seemed to be floating on a cloud of happiness and Vincent's apprehension only seemed to grow. What if the news upset him? Would he even believe it? If it had been up to him at that moment the whole thing would have been called off, but since Bulma was in charge it was too late. She had already headed up the stairs trailing past Trunks towards his room. Angelina had said she had wanted to get straight into the tub and take a bath so he figured Bulma would be using the opportunity to talk to Trunks alone.
She knocked gently on the open door as she entered the room that Trunks now shared with his new wife. “Can I come in?” she asked.
“Sure,” Trunks called out as he began to unpack he and Angelina's things from the suitcases. “What's on your mind?”
“There is something that I need to tell you,” she answered softly. He could sense the seriousness in his mother's voice so he immediately stopped messing with his bags and sat down on the edge of the bed. “It's about Vincent,” she started. “There is something that he has wanted to say to you for a long time but he is unable to so he has asked me to do it. You see, Vincent isn't who you think he is, he is . . .” she seemed unable to form the words and Trunks really began to worry.
“Look whatever it is, I'm sure we can handle it together so tell me what is going on with Vincent!” he commanded.
“He is your father,” she blurted out.
“What are you talking about, I have the ability to go super saiyan, therefore my father was a saiyan, making it Vegeta. How could Vincent be my father?” he asked in confusion.
“That's what I mean,” she responded. “Vincent is Vegeta!”
Trunks was floored and knew damn well that shock and confusion were taking over his senses quickly. “How can that be?” he managed to ask after a few minutes of stunned silence.
“Well, you see when your father died he went to Hell because he had not been a very good person so far in his life. After twenty years in Hell he was approached by the Supreme Kai and a witch named Baba who offered him a new life on Earth in a human's body. It was only after he arrived here that they informed him that he could not reveal his identity to anyone or he would be instantly sent back to Hell, which is why I have to be the one to tell you this.”
“If he can't reveal his identity to anyone, how come you know?” Trunks inserted.
“Because he told me while we were all back in the past,” she countered. “He was unsure of whether or not he should tell you and that is why I am telling you now. He wants you to know more about him and more about your heritage,” she said softly; as she stroked his hair reassuringly. Trunks was rendered speechless. The father that he had believed did not care about him or his mother had used his new chance at life to come back to them, it toppled all of his perceptions about the man that was his father. Without a word to his mother he stood and walked out of his room and began to walk downstairs, at the end of the stairwell he saw Vincent standing there looking up at him. His look was a mixture of hope and sadness. Instead of running or turning away, he smiled back gently and walked towards him. When they stood in front of each other Trunks could not help himself from saying, “So you're my father huh?”
. . .
Months had passed and Vegeta ran rampantly through Capsule Corp. gathering bags and getting everything ready to take Bulma to the hospital. Their talk over the past had done them a world of good and now they would be having their second child, a little girl to be named Bra. Bulma and Trunks sat by laughing at the nervous wreck Vegeta had become until he picked up Bulma and began carrying her out to the car at which Trunks rushed to get into the backseat before he would be left behind. “I don't understand why you won't just let me fly you there,” Vegeta remarked in frustration.
“Because things have really calmed down around here in the past few years and if people see you flying around with a pregnant lady in your arms, there will be mass hysteria,” she replied. Then she laid back and began her rhythmic breathing.
. . .
Eight hours later, their new little girl rested in her mother's arms with her obviously proud father looking down on her. It was amazing that this had almost been lost to him. His family, his new life, could have been gone if it had not been for two powerful visits from the future. Trunks who came back to warn of the androids, and his reincarnated form, who returned to warn him of staying emotionally distant and now life was complete. The best part was, it was only the beginning.
Author's Notes: I hope everyone likes it and I am REALLY sorry for my slow updates but I'm in my last full semester before I graduate with my B.A. and senioritis is a killer.