Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Through Thick and Thin ❯ Bring Him Home ( Chapter 6 )

For those who are wondering... No, Yamcha will not be coming back. He's not worthy enough for a roll in this fic. Besides, he and Bulma have been over for quite a long time when this story takes place; it wouldn't be very realistic, though it would add a good twist to the story.

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--THROUGH THICK AND THIN--

--Chapter 6--

--Bring Him Home--

"I haven't seen Vegeta at all today," Mrs. Briefs commented as she glided into the kitchen. "Did he start training early?"

"No." Bulma took another sip of her coffee as she leaned her chin on her hand.

Mrs. Briefs turned around and took in Bulma's tear-streaked face, unhappy eyes, and the cup of coffee in one, swift look. "It didn't go as planned yesterday, did it?"

"Worse," Bulma replied. "I kicked him out."

Mrs. Briefs' eyes opened in shock. "What?"

Bulma merely nodded.

"But... it's so close to Christmas! Couldn't you have tried to work things out."

"I did," Bulma snapped. "He said I was there for a good fuck."

Mrs. Briefs blinked. "You were?" She asked.

"No!" Bulma scowled at her mother's senselessness as she took another sip of coffee.

Mrs. Briefs shook her head. "I think you need some time alone. I'll be in the lab with your father if you need anything."

As her mother left the room, Bulma folded her arms on the table, placed her head in between them and began to cry.

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It came as a shock to everyone when Trunks turned up at the Son's doorstep that afternoon, dressed in pants and a sweater, his hair still messy from his sleep.

"Are you okay, Trunks?" Goten asked tentatively as he noticed how ruffled his best friend appeared.

Trunks responded with a shake of his head.

"Why don't you let him in, Goten," ChiChi said gently. "I'll get him some hot chocolate."

Goten escorted his friend into the small living room motioning for him to sit down. Trunks sat down hard on the couch and stared at the wall.

"Trunks?" Goten was watching the older lavender-haired boy with concern and confusion.

"He's gone," Trunks said quietly.

"Gone? Who?" The question came from Goku, who seemed just as bewildered as his son at Trunks' sudden appearance at their door, with no jacket in the middle of winter, and looking as though he had just made his way out of a toilet.

"My dad." His voice cracked as he spoke, and he could almost hear Goku's shocked expression. "My mom kicked him out."

Goten opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, unsure of what to say. ChiChi came into the room a moment later with a cup of hot chocolate in her hand. She gave it to the teenager, who unconsciously put it to his lips and took a sip. ChiChi sat down beside him.

"Now," she said, "tell me what's wrong."

"Vegeta left," Goku supplied before Trunks could speak. "Bulma kicked him out."

ChiChi's eyes widened and she looked back to Trunks for confirmation. He merely nodded. "Why?" ChiChi asked, her voice shrill with surprise. "What happened?"

"Wait..." Goten interrupted, "You told me that they had been arguing a lot lately, didn't you? Something about favouritism?"

Trunks nodded again.

ChiChi smiled a weak, sympathetic smile. "Care to tell me the details?"

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Gone.

He's gone.

For good.

Gone.

The events of earlier that day ran through Bra's head. He can't be gone! She told herself. He'll be back! He's just on a trip. A trip...

She had long since stopped crying; she wondered if she had run out of tears, but the pain the incidents from that morning still remained, strong as ever. It felt eerily silent, since the constant humming of the Gravity Room had stopped. It was yet another reminder that her father wasn't there.

She crawled across her bed to the window and peered out. The land was covered in a gorgeous blanket of snow, something Bra always seemed to notice, but today, the beauty escaped her entirely. Where are you, Papa? She asked herself. Where have you gone? What are you doing now?

She sighed in grief and despair. What if he's lost and doesn't know the way back? She wondered. She blinked suddenly and sat up straighter as an idea came to her. If he's lost, then I'll go find him!

She rushed out of the room to tell her mother, before skidding to a halt. Mama won't let me go, she realized. She'll tell me it's too dangerous. She shoulders slumped at the thought. I guess... I guess I could go anyway and not tell anyone... Yeah, I'll do that. What could happen?

She continued down the stairs into the front foyer and hastily pulled on her snowpants and boots, her jacket, hat, scarf and mittens, and opened the door, careful to be as quiet as possible. She stepped onto the porch and closed the door gently, sure to make no more than a soft click. She then turned and faced the driveway, and, with a proud and victorious smirk, walked down the driveway and onto the snow-covered sidewalk, before turning left towards the park.

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"Bra? Time for your bath!" Bulma called as she opened the door to her daughter's room. She frowned, finding it empty, and went to Trunks' room. She knocked once and opened the door.

"Bra?"

His room was also empty. She frowned again in confusion and closed the door. She wasn't worried about Trunks' whereabouts; he was probably with Goten somewhere, but it wasn't like Bra to not answer when she was called, or to go somewhere without telling her.

"Bra?" Bulma called again, walking back downstairs. "Bra?"

She walked through the foyer to the bathroom, wondering if perhaps she had missed her, and her daughter was waiting. But as she walked through the foyer, she stopped, instantly realizing something was wrong. Something was missing... She also noticed that the door was unlocked.

That's odd... She thought, as she locked it again. She turned and picked Trunks' jacket up off the floor, where he always threw it, and hung it up, before pausing for a moment. Trunks' jacket? But... he's not here. She looked again and found that it was Bra's jacket that was missing, along with all her other outdoor winter clothing.

"Trunks!?" She shouted, rushing into the living room. "Bra!?"

"Why are you shouting, Bulma?"

Bulma turned and saw her father standing behind her. "Oh, Dad, I don't know where Trunks and Bra are!" She cried, her voice becoming urgent.

"Don't be silly, I'm sure they're around," Dr. Briefs said, approaching his daughter.

"Trunks isn't here, but his jacket is! And Bra is supposed to be here, but all her things are gone!" Her arms flailed at her sides in panic.

"Calm down," the scientist told her gently. "Why don't you call the Sons? Perhaps Bra and Trunks are there."

Bulma took a deep breath and nodded. "Of course, Dad. That must be it. Perhaps Trunks forgot his jacket." She smiled and turned towards the phone, dialing the Sons number. It was ChiChi who picked up.

"Hi Chi, it's Bulma."

"Oh Bulma!" ChiChi immediately emoted. "I'm so sorry! I heard about what happened between you and Vegeta!"

Bulma breathed a sigh of relief. "So Trunks and Bra are there?"

"Bra?" ChiChi asked. "No. Trunks is, but not Bra."

Bulma paled. "What?"

"Why... Can't you find her?"

"She must've gone looking for Vegeta," Bulma said suddenly. "She wouldn't just run away." She glanced out the window at the darkness the late evening brought. "Kami, I hope she's home soon, it's already dark."

"Should I send Goku to get her?" ChiChi asked.

Bulma nodded. "Please."

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Bra stumbled through the park. She was cold, hungry and tired, and nothing around her looked familiar. She couldn't remember ever being this far into the park before. There were more trees than she would recall in the small park, and she began to feel panicked. Where was she? And where was her father?

She tripped over an uprooted tree root and fell to the cold ground. With a whimper she crawled to the tree and pulled her knees to her chest.

"Where are you, Papa?" She whispered into the night. "Where am I?"

A sudden snapping noise caused the little girl to jump. Her eyes went wide, and her back stiff. She could feel her palms begin to sweat inside her insulated mittens. Who was there? Her breathing came in quick, shallow breaths, and she tried to be as quiet as possible. Like a mouse, she thought. Like a mouse...

"There you are, Bra!" Goku said as he came around the tree, both sounding and looking relieved. "Your mom was getting worried!" He reached down to pick her up, but she slid away from his grasp. Goku looked at her in confusion.

"I am not going home until I find my papa!" She said firmly.

"Bra, you have to."

"No!" She turned and began running through the trees, ignoring Goku as he called to her to return. I will find Papa, she thought, determination settling in her eyes as she ran, and I will bring him home!

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A/N: Haha! Told you things were getting crazy! Bra's one bold girl... Will she find Vegeta? And what will happen to her if she doesn't? Oooh... these questions will be answered next time! Stay tuned! (O.O)