Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ To Hell Together ❯ Part 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ characters.

Warnings: Yaoi - G/V.

To Hell Together by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com)

Part 3

Goku observed the older man. Vegeta needed to have his wounds cleaned, but without water he couldn't do much. Goku began ransacking the house trying to find something useful. A simple cloth rag would do. After several minutes Goku felt Krillin's ki approaching. So soon?

Five minutes later, Krillin was standing at the door, his ki making him glow like a big torch. "And what happened here?" he asked, taking in the sight of the broken in door.

"I didn't have a key…"

"Oh. So, big guy, you used your muscles instead your brains," Krillin said and bent down to pry up a brick that was more loose than others and pulled out a rusted key. He tossed it to Goku who caught it with a sheepish grin.

"Hell, I put it there myself after that traveler left!"

"I don't understand how you talked that man into living here…" said Krillin, already inside and pulling out capsules and other stuff from his backpack, managing to inspect his surroundings at the same time.

"I used to come back here sometimes. I'd clean the house while I was here. But that was before the fight with Cell, about eight years ago." Goku inspected the things Krillin brought. He knew where the topic was heading, but he felt strangely calm. Krillin was his best friend after all…

"Oh, I doubt you used to come here to only have a cleaning day…" Krillin said carefully, opening one capsule to let out a bowl, dishes, a big canister of water, and candlesticks with a bundle of candles. The other capsule contained bandages, a medicine pack, and plaster. Goku got closer to him and began to sort everything. Now that Goku had water, bandages, and disinfectant, he could tend to Vegeta's wounds. He filled the bowl with water.

"No… This is a special place for me," Goku answered after a while. He noticed that Krillin hadn't brought any clothes to replace his and Vegeta's torn ones. Perhaps Krillin's… But Krillin was even smaller than Vegeta. He silently cursed himself. He should have asked Chichi to send him some spare clothes. He doubted she would have refused that. "This is my childhood home. It's also where I killed my grandfather..."

The third capsule almost slipped from Krillin's hands. He looked at Goku, a serious look on his face. "You're still upset about that." He went back to what he was doing. "You were just a boy and had no idea that you can turn into an Oozaru."

Goku took the bowl and some clothes to Vegeta. "Yeah, I know that. But still… It's so ironic! I grieved so much. I tried to find his killer and avenge his death, and all this time the killer was in me."

Goku carefully cut of the top of Vegeta's training suit. Dried and caked blood stuck the suit to Vegeta's body. It was a good thing Krillin (or his wife) thought to bring scissors. He would need them to cut the bandages, too. He gingerly peeled the cut cloth off, the process making the prince squirm and moan. Goku couldn't believe it. How did Vegeta manage to fight with such wounds?! Sure, he himself had been badly wounded, but this… Vegeta's body was nothing but bruises and burns. There was a gash on his cheek, and it seemed that the most of Vegeta's ribs were broken. Goku felt guilty. He had taken a Senzu bean, and Vegeta was damned to suffer from the pain. That wasn't fair. The only thing what kept Goku from giving it to Vegeta was that he was afraid that this time Vegeta would really kill him. Goku didn't like the thought of saving his skin at a cost of Vegeta's pain, but hell, he had two children and not a slightest wish to die again, he already had left them for too long. And now he remembered the other reason. He didn't have any Senzu beans. At least not now…

"Stop torturing yourself, Goku." Krillin said after an uncomfortable pause. "You saw Gohan in heaven. He was never angry with you. He knows it was an accident. What more do you need?"

"Self-forgiveness."

"It gives me the creeps when you talk like this. I always think your head will explode," Krillin said, hiding his concern.

"Ow… That wasn't nice…" Goku would have crossed his arms and put his nose in the air, pretending that Krillin had hurt his feelings but his hands were busy trying to remove the rest of the clothes. As a child he really hadn't been the smartest kid and he had trouble thinking about it and not laughing. He smiled. With Krillin as a friend, everything seemed less complicated.

"How is he?" Krillin motioned to Vegeta.

Goku sighed. "You know, I had no idea I have wounded him so much... While flying here, he woke up for a few minutes. He wasn't really aggressive anymore, but it might have been because of his wounds." And before Krillin could ask, Goku added, "He didn't say anything what would explain his attack, and I didn't ask. I thought we will talk about that later."

Krillin observed the other Saiyan lying on the bed. Hell, he didn't remember when he had seen Vegeta this badly beaten. And he was sorry that they had to take such drastic measures and keep him here. "Listen, I didn't bring everything, just things you might need the most. Tomorrow I will bring the rest. Eighteen said she would help with the rest," Krillin said, explaining why he got to Goku's house so fast. "And later I'll go see Chichi and ask for some of your clothes. This will have to do for now," he said, tossing some clothes to Goku.

"Thanks and tell your girls hi!" Goku said, waving bye to Krillin as he flew into the night.

Goku moistened the cloth and began to clean Vegeta. As the damp cloth came into contact with the blood-stained body, Vegeta flinched and woke up. He blinked, trying to get his vision to work. Confusion covered his face but quickly turned to anger when he saw Kakarott leaning over him. He stared at him then began to growl and tried to swat Goku away.

"Stop that." Goku just pushed Vegeta back by his shoulders, making the bed groan in protest. Goku was surprised at how easy it was to make Vegeta back down. "I'm glad you're awake. Krillin brought a new mattress. I need to get rid of this old one."

"What?!" Vegeta asked, indignantly.

"For GodS sake, Vegeta, don't be so stubborn!" Goku shook his head and pushed Vegeta back onto the mattress for a second time. Vegeta let out a yip and lost consciousness again.

"Shit!" Goku cursed as he realized that he had been too harsh with Vegeta's broken body. At this rate, it would take forever for him to recover… Goku finished doctoring the prince with care. Vegeta whimpered, but stayed unconscious.

Krillin had brought two mattresses, and Goku laid the prince on the second while he replaced the old mattress with the new one. When he was done with Vegeta, he finally tended to himself. In the process, he used almost all the water Krillin had brought, but in the end he still didn't feel clean. Goku sighed tiredly and went to his own mattress laid out on the dusty floor. He lounged on the mattress, clad only in his blue boxers and turned his attention to Vegeta once again.

What an evening! The other Saiyan really could cause a big mess. He watched how peaceful Vegeta looked, so fragile and helpless, and suddenly Goku instinctively felt a need to be beside him. But he knew that was an unfounded reflex. Vegeta never was fragile and incapable of protecting himself. He could leave Vegeta here alone without a worry, and the prince would take care of himself. Still, in spite of his protective feeling, Goku knew that Vegeta might launch himself at his throat at any moment. Goku listened to the ragged breathing coming from the bed. He again felt guilty about Vegeta's wounds. Yeah, Vegeta was the first to attack, and Goku just defended himself, but still…

Goku shifted on his mattress and turned his eyes back to sleeping Vegeta. Vegeta's head rested on the soft pillow, his night-black hair taking up more space than his head. Vegeta's pale skin matched the white sheets, and Goku felt worried again. Somehow he subconsciously felt there were more than just the wounds he had made. There was more…but what was it?

Goku sighed and fidgeted with his hair. All this was a mystery to him. Before, on the lawn, Vegeta acted like he was crazy. But on the way here, he seemed to have lost his rage and hate. What had triggered the outburst at Capsule Corp? Goku thought they had settled everything between them while fighting Buu. Then, when Vegeta accepted fusion, Goku felt that Vegeta finally saw him not as rival but as comrade-in-arms. He needed him to defeat Buu. He changed after that fight. But it was evident that Vegeta still had to square some things with him. One way or another, now that Vegeta seemed to be calm, he hoped he would be able to figure out what was going on.

Goku felt his eyelids becoming heavy. He yawned. Goku finally laid his tired head on the pillow and after several seconds of listening to Vegeta's heavy breathing, was fast asleep.

===

Vegeta slowly woke up and groaned in pain. What the hell? He pried his eyes open and looked around. The place was unknown to him. He tried to sit up but soon gave in. The pain was too strong. He laid his sore body back. Then he remembered. He had attacked Kakarott. Vegeta clamped his eyes shut again, wishing his act could disappear as easily as shutting his eyes. He inhaled shakily. No it wouldn't disappear…

Where is Kakarott now? Did he bring me here? Vegeta couldn't remember much of the last few events. He recalled that he saw Kakarott talking to Trunks, and then everything was a colorful blur.

Trunks... What does he think about me now? I attacked his friend… Vegeta moaned and shifted his body, wanting the unpleasant thoughts to go away. But it didn't work. Trunks… After this, Trunks will never speak to me anymore.

Vegeta felt a tight knot forming in his stomach. The lurking feeling was there again. A sudden panic attack rocketed through his body, causing his heart to jump and breathing to quicken. Vegeta's eyes flew open as he was overwhelmed by a choking fear. He tried to reason with himself, but the sense of fear was just too strong. He didn't even feel physical discomfort anymore. All that was left was the terror and his own frantic heartbeat in his ears. Pain…pain…pain. Crushing pain.

Suddenly he was held by warm, strong arms. "Shhh, it's okay. You're safe here. This was my old house."

Vegeta tried to focus on the talking person, but his vision failed him. He couldn't get free from the overwhelming pain, but he gradually recognized the familiar voice and scent. Kakarott. It's Kakarott. Vegeta felt the pain subsiding.

No! Wait! It's Kakarott! A new wave of panic washed over him. He tried to pull away, to get free from that firm hold. "No, you can't…you can't…can't see…"

"Vegeta… Vegeta, what's wrong?" Goku was more than concerned. When Goku entered the room and heard the gasping breaths, he thought Vegeta had woken up and didn't understand where he was. So, Goku simply told the prince where he was. Goku was alarmed by Vegeta's glassy stare, but after the explanation, he felt Vegeta relax and trustfully lean into his arms. But after a second, he began struggling again. Anything Goku did to try to calm him only triggered a reverse reaction. Vegeta was panicking. Goku tried to bring the prince to his senses when suddenly Vegeta's eyes closed, and his body relaxed. He lost consciousness again.

Goku was troubled. He was very troubled. That had seemed like some kind of spasm or seizure. Bulma hadn't mentioned anything about it, but he had to be sure. He quickly found his cell phone in the kitchen.

"He needs a doctor, Bulma. You had to see him… that was…I think it's serious…"

Bulma could almost feel the anxiety dripping from the Goku's voice. It soon sunk in, and she started to shiver in worry. "And how do you think we could make him see a doctor? He would just blast the hospital," she exhaled slowly, shaking her head.

"He's really weak now. He wouldn't be able to resist."

"Goku, this is some kind of mental problem. It won't work. He simply won't talk. You know him…"

"But he needs help," Goku tried to found the way out.

"Of course he needs help, but he is the prince of all Saiyans…" Bulma rubbed her forehead. "Please, Goku, just don't leave him alone. That seizure might have been caused by his wounds, but I doubt it. It hasn't happened before… I'd planed to send Trunks to you, but now… I doubt it would be good for Trunks to see his father like this…"

Goku sighed. "I'll tell you when he feels better," he promised then remembered something: "Bulma, could you sent some clothes for Vegeta?"

"Oh, my gosh! How could I have been so stupid?! My mind is all messed up from earlier. Of course I'll send clothes. What else do you need? Food? Pots and pans? Batteries? TV? A dishwasher? Dishes? A computer? A bed? A stool? A table?"

"Hmm…no wonder you rule Capsule Corporation. Send everything you think Vegeta would need, but dishes, candles and mattresses we already have."

Goku hung up and went back to unconscious Vegeta. He observed the pale man then frowned in contemplation. Hell, he needs to lure Piccolo here. And as soon as possible.

TBC