Three: Awakening

- 3 -

Awakening

The late afternoon sun hit her face as it peeked through the window. Groaning, she pulled the blanket over her head, but the damage had been done. She had been jarred from her wonderful dreams. Dreams of old memories and some new exotic ones with strange aliens with fuzzy brown tails. The solid rhythmic beeps of the man's heart filled the room. Low. Beep, beep beep, beep. Steady. Pulling the blanket down, she cracked her eyes and stared across the room at him. Deciding she might as well get up, she rubbed her eyes when she stood, leaving the blanket there as she walked over to the prone man. She glanced at the monitors, his vitals read normal. Shaking her head, she looked back down at his face. She still couldn't believe it. How anyone could survive all the wounds he had? He had been lucky. If that piece had been lodged in his left side...

She sighed. So many what-ifs. She would go crazy just thinking about all that could have gone wrong. It was wasted energy. Energy that was better served trying to take care of him, or figuring out his ship. She touched his shoulder softly, pausing for a few seconds before turning and leaving the room. As she closed the door she stopped. But first... Her gaze went down to her once white dress that was now stained beyond recognition. She needed a hot shower and clean cloths before doing anything. She never felt so dirty in her life. Her skin virtually crawled just thinking about it.

Scratching her arms, she shivered, then started for the bathroom two doors down the hall. Normally she would have changed the second she got home, but she had been so occupied with the hurt man that she had completely forgotten. That never had happened before... Even back in the desert she complained about the lack of hygiene. Never was it far from her mind. She paused in front of the sink to look into the mirror, frowning at what she saw: the dark circles, smeared makeup... the blood... She just couldn't have that. What would the press say if they caught her like this? She cringed, turning from the mirror and closing the door.

Undressing from her ruined white dress, she turned the faucet and when she was satisfied with the temperature she stepped under. With her eyes closed, she tilted her head up directly into the hot water's blast and simply stood there for a few minutes. The water was bliss as it hit her body and rippled down her curvy body, clearing her mind of all that happened the last two days. Steam collected around her, blanketing her in her own little heaven. Did he ever have a little moment of joy in his life? Running a hand through her wet, grimy hair, she bowed her head and opened her eyes. And just like that thoughts of the man in the room a couple doors down suddenly weighed down upon her. Biting her lip, she stared at the dark green tiles, her mind just trying to imagine what sort of hell he came from. Her father had suggested that the earliest shadow on the scans seemed around twenty years old. She didn't know his age but he couldn't be older than her by much!

A cold chill went down her spine even with the warmth of water around her. How could anyone do that to a child? It was a horrid thought. She shook her head trying to push it away, but tears started to form in her eyes as the sudden image of sweet innocent Gohan being tortured entered her mind. Hands shaking, she covered her face. To know he lived roughly twenty years through all that pain and agony... While she didn't know him, these thoughts just made her want to hug him and tell him everything would be all right. No one deserved what he had gone through. But she wouldn't do that... Her decision still stood firm on not letting him know she knew.

Reaching down, she grabbed her one-of-a-kind strawberry-scented shampoo, feeling suddenly sick of her indulgence in life. Yet, it was who she was. She got everything she wanted. Did whatever she wanted. And took from it all the pleasure she could. Sure, she had known before bad things happened out there to others, but this? She couldn't just push it aside and forget it like she usually did, for the fact was her life was perfect and this man's...

Even now she was having problems taking herself seriously as she squirted the pink frothy shampoo made only for her into her hand. She believed herself not to be like the other super powerful, rich and famous out there. She didn't try to overly display what she had or give the impression she was better than everyone else. She did, though, tease with her looks a little. Her belief was, hell, she had it... Why not show it off a little? Now it just made her feel guilty as her own vanity stared back at her accusingly. Other than help her father build weapons, other gadgets, and her own energy plans, what did she do to help further the lives of others, other than give them weapons to kill, fulfill greedy wants, and give them clean energy?

Dr. Briefs had always worked on medicine on the side of their other projects and her parents took time out of their lives every month to do some sort of community service. Yet they had given up long ago on getting her to attend, let alone help. She had always considered such community events to be so boring, not really understanding the meaning behind it. Bulma's hands fell from her head as she let the water wash the bubbles from her hair. Now... it was starting to sink in. It wasn't just giving money to those without: it was about giving others a chance at a happy life without needs. A life without wondering where their next meal would come from or where they were going to sleep... or if they were going to be hurt anymore.

She finished putting the same overly expensive conditioner in her hair with a soft sigh and started to wash her body with her special body scrub. Rinsing, she stepped from the shower. With a towel wrapped around her body she pressed her hand on the mirror and wiped the steam from it, leaving a palm printed streak. As she stood there staring at herself, she felt something changing inside. Already the thought of her planned outing tomorrow with people who pretended to be her friends seemed so... pointless. No longer fun. Her time was better spent helping this man or finding something else that bettered someone else's life and the thought of going out now made her sick. Well, then she wouldn't go. Simple as that. Let these fake friends find some other person to latch onto in hopes of getting famous.

With her decision made she exited the bathroom and crossed the hall to her room. She changed into a pair of tan shorts and a white tank top before bushing her hair and putting on a light dusting of makeup. It was time to call Meg and give her the unfortunate -at least for her- news that the heiress was not going out for a while. She would let this woman who used her for her fame to spread the news to the others that were exactly like her. With her thoughts on what she was going to say, Bulma passed by the man's room and hesitated. Her eyes stared at the white door. Shaking her head, she continued down the stairs to find her mother cooking dinner in the kitchen where the smell of baking lasagna with its zingy Italian seasoning was like a solid wall that she stepped through.

"Bulma, you sleep well?" Mrs. Briefs asked between her gleeful humming as she stirred a pot on the stove. Boy, is she ever in a good mood. "I heard about the new guest."

"Yeah..." Leaning against the counter, Bulma looked out the window at the backyard. "Sorry I missed our lunch date yesterday."

Her mother waved it away happily. "Ohhhh! We'll have girl time some other time. Besides, drop dead handsome men are more important than your dear old mom..." she drawled, giving her a teasing wink.

"Moommm," dragging the word out, Bulma rolled her eyes. "I hardly think that's appropriate, the guy was and still is near death." Grabbing an apple, she shrugged as she bit into the sweet, juicy fruit. "And you're not old..."

Growing somewhat serious, Mrs. Briefs nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry." Then she gave a sly grin. "But he's so good looking, even with all that wrapping... It's almost like he's a present, dear. You know you could use that wrap to..."

"Moommm," she cried out, giving her a horrified look.

"What? I'm just saying." Shrugging innocently, the older woman took out what was in the oven as the beeper went off.

"That's so wrong." Pushing from the counter Bulma took another bite from the apple and shook her head.

"Hey, I want grandchildren and there is a hurt... hurt but very handsome man I must point out... up there needing some loving." A smile played on her lips as she cut into the lasagna.

"Yes. You've made that very clear already, Mom." Bulma rolled her eyes again. "You make it sound like my needs and wants don't matter though..."

Mrs. Briefs fixed her a motherly look. "Of course you matter, dear. I want you to find the love of your life."

"But..." Bulma stated sarcastically, knowing what was coming.

"But I also want grandchildren." She set the dishes on the table. "And while I'm not old, I'm certainly not getting any younger either."

The heiress sighed, "You're horrible..." She hesitated, glancing at the stairs before giving her mother a sly smirk. "Besides, I don't think he's up for anything... that strenuous."

Her mother giggled, "No, I guess not..." She started down the hall towards her husband's lab then stopped. "By the way, your friend Krillin left something for you. It's on the china hutch."

Bulma jerked, standing from her chair. "Oh crap! I forgot about him."

"He understood you were busy. I told him you'd give him a call with any news."

Bulma nodded even though her mother had already continued towards the lab. Looking down at the capsule in her hand, she muttered, "Of course..."

Placing it in her pocket, she sat back down with her mind fluttering over the prospect of getting her hands on the ship and understanding it. Calling Meg could wait... Dang, maybe she would just stand them up entirely. As for Krillin, she'd give him a ring after dinner. Then... then she was going to have some real fun. A smile played on her lips as the image of the girls trying to get into the club without her tomorrow and the bouncer not letting them in filled her mind.

.~-~.

"Sorry, Meg... I'm not going to go out tonight." She held the phone from her ear as the girl continued to go from screaming to sobbing.

"Why? We are your friends! Why would you leave us hanging like this?" the girl blabbered and the other girls were saying things along the same lines in the background.

"That remains to be seen," Bulma mumbled, but the girl ignored her, continuing on her wretched rant.

Rolling her eyes, Bulma's fingers tapped the end table next to the man's bed. Now she was glad she hadn't called... even if she was starting to get a headache from all the bawling, it was so worth it. Just to know the bitches were hanging outside all night waiting for her... in the pouring rain, making a scene while screaming on the phone at her. It brought a wicked smile to Bulma's lips. She was tired of them using her. She was tired of all of it.

The sound of someone talking came to him through the haze. Then slowly came the sound of beeping. It was sluggish... beep... beep beep... beep... rhythmic. Confusion filled him. Where was he? He felt stiff... So heavy. And there was something over his face, but he couldn't bring his hand up to brush it away. Slowly he opened his eyes ever-so-slightly, finding everything to be a white mist.

Bulma glanced down. "Oh? You're awake!" She cut Meg off, "Sorry, have to go." Ending the call she quickly turned it off before tossing it to the chair and turned to him. "Wow... you're really fighting those anesthetics." He barely felt her fingers touch his face, rubbing. "Just go back to sleep. You're safe..."

The voice he heard... It was the woman from before. Somewhere in his mind he realized that. Yet, what that before was he wasn't quite sure, his mind wasn't exactly working. He did recognize her scent, a sweet aroma that tickled his nose and while he never would admit this, he didn't want the smell to go away. He liked it. But, he ignored that, not giving it a single thought. Instead what struck him and his thoughts was that her voice was so calm... reassuring. No! He was never safe. Never. There was always someone out there that wanted him dead. But even as he fought to stay awake he found himself slowly but surely drifting back to sleep with each stroke of her fingers.

Bulma shook her head as she pulled away, amazed. Even with the morphine and everything else increased he still managed to wake up. Goku never fought the drugs this much. And this guy had three times what they gave him. She rubbed the back of her head wondering if she should give him more? She was afraid to... even Goku had his limit and she didn't really want to kill this guy after working so hard to save him these past four days.

"Hey, sweetie," her father said suddenly as entered the room. "How's the patient?"

"He just woke up somewhat. But he's asleep again." She turned her head, looking at him over her shoulder.

"Really?" He opened his file and jotted something down. "Go ahead and give him a little more."
Her brow creased. "Are you sure? I don't want t-"

"It'll be fine. I had a feeling we would have to." Closing his notes, he stepped next to her and looked down at the man.

Puzzled, she turned the knobs on his anesthetics. "How so?"

"Wherever he came from, it appears they kept him heavily subdued." Her father pulled a piece of paper from his folder and showed her the information report of the chemicals he found. Her eyes widened seeing the complex structure and he continued, "I've never seen these types of compounds before, but they are similar to morphine and a few other like compounds." He sighed, "I'd say he has been drugged for about three years with this cocktail of drugs that are very potent. It would stand to reason he would show a tolerance to ours..."

"Is that why it's taking longer for him to heal?" She handed it back to him. "Normally such minor wounds on Goku would have already been healed, I don't understand why his are not."
Rubbing his mustache, he nodded. "Afraid so, sweetie. It's what I've been researching this whole time, but with this..." From his lab coat he withdrew a syringe with a translucent yellow liquid within. "I hope we'll see some improvement."

"What is it?" She stepped out of his way so that he could inject it into the unconscious man IV drip.

His glasses slipped down his nose as he watched the drip and the monitors vital signs as he added the liquid. "Something I concocted, haven't came up with a name yet."

Bulma rubbed her arms, feeling rather useless as her father checked the man over. "What about the casts, we still need to make them..."

Putting the empty syringe back in his pocket, he shook his head. "Actually... I want to test something on him that should take care of that without having to go through all the hassle."

"Dad!" her voice rose and he cringed, "We can't use him as a guinea pig for your new medical treatments!"

"Calm down, sweetie." He gave her a reassuring smile. "If it doesn't work it will just break down and exit his system. If it works then we won't have to get all messy with casts."

She gave him a leveled look, with his pleading eyes she gave in with a groan, "Fine. But don't write any of this down in your stupid notes. I don't want someone reading we did that."

He chuckled softly, "Okay, deal."

All she could do was shake her head as she started for the door. "Do it while I'm not here either... I don't want any part in it. I'll be outside with the spaceship parts if something happens."

.~-~.

He heard someone moving around above the sounds of the beeping. Drowsily, he opened his eyes, finding only white fog at first, then the blurred outlines of the ceiling. As the minutes passed his view didn't get much better. Moreover, there was something on his face... But he felt too heavy at the moment to do anything about it. The person was somewhere out in the whiteness, past his peripheral vision, though little good it would do considering he couldn't make out much of anything if they had been in his sights.

Sitting on the floor with parts of the ship scattered about, Bulma heard a soft growl and stopped on the piece she was working on. Standing, she put her screwdriver in her tool belt and went over to him, entering his blurred line of vision. She smiled as his eyes focused on her, or tried to anyway.

"Hey..." Her hand touched his and squeezed. "Just go back to sleep. Everything's okay." He growled in response. Her brow rose slightly. "Oh... don't be that way." She leaned forward on the bed next to him, stroking his face with her fingers. "I'm not going to hurt you."

He growled louder.

"Alright, alright..." Pulling her hand away and standing up, she frowned. "Mr. Grumpy." Sighing, she let her eyes trailing down his white medical wrapped body. "But then I can't blame you. I'd be grumpy too if I had so many bones broken and a hole in my chest."

Hesitating there for a few minutes, she studied him. "You're probably thirsty..." She then reached up, unclipping the mask from around his face.

Setting it next to him, she reached to the nightstand for the open water bottle, all the while his eyes watching her every move. Carefully she slipped her hand under his head to hold it up slightly and brought the bottle to his lips. The sweet scent he had smelled earlier fell over him, and he felt his body relax somewhat against his will. He swallowed the water cautiously. The very center of his vision had cleared up slightly and he could easily see the worry on her pretty face. Which it was... her face that it. She was beautiful. Like some bewitching Auronya that superstitious space travelers prayed to watch them during their journeys. But that wasn't what made his mind still. No, it was the fact that he had never seen such open show of concern for him of all people. It kind of took him by surprise... And it was strange.
No one showed concern for him... As she gently set his head back down and put the clear bottle back he wondered why. Why was she helping him? What did she gain from it? What did this entrancing Auronya gain? Surely she wasn't doing it out of the kindness of her own heart. No one ever did that. Everyone wanted something. Did she think she could use him? He wouldn't be surprised, everyone knew him... of him.

Maybe she thought she could trade him back for safety, protection either from his tormentor, Freeza or to appease the menacing tyrant. Rage consumed him at the mere thought. Like he would ever let that happen! He wasn't going back to Freeza and he sure as hell wouldn't be a tool for this weakling woman. With that he tried to sit up, but a sharp stabbing pain took his breath away and he lay there trying to get his bearings.

She gasped, "No don't..." Her hands pressed lightly down on his shoulders as she leaned over him. "We were able to heal all the other broken bones but your ribs are shattered beyond what we are capable of... and your right lung might collapse if you put too much strain on it."

Confused, he studied her. He was still hurt? Why didn't they just put him in the regen tank? Nearly everyone had at least one... unless... The gravity of the situation sank in. If they didn't have a regen tank then he was on a planet that had no connection to Empire or the resistance, which meant they were most likely incapable of space travel... But then how did they know common tongue? Better yet, did they not know of the war that was brewing out in space? Or of him? Damnit... It would be his misfortune to find a backwater planet that had little to no contact with the universe.

"If I let you go will you promise not to try that again?" She gave him a little uneasy look and eased up.

Glaring, he managed a reply from his unused throat, "I promise nothing."

She blinked, surprised. "You speak! Wait you speak our language?"

He scowled as he turned his head from her. "I speak Common..." his tone became sarcastic and darker, "Whether it's your feeble language I don't know."

Frowning, she crossed her arms. "Well, aren't you a smartass..."

He looked back, giving her an angered look. "Don't speak like that to me, woman. Do you know who I am?"

Her brow raised. "The names Bulma, and no, I don't have the slightest idea who you are..." He watched as her hand went to one of the bags hanging next to him. "And I think I liked you better asleep, asshole." Her fingers twisted a knob and he immediately felt himself grow drowsier.

"W-what... did you do to me, woman?" He was having difficulty concentrating all of a sudden.

"I just upped the morphine. Sleep well, jerk." The last thing he saw was her disapproving face as his eye lids closed and he was caught under a wave of darkness. "What an ass..." She shook her head, bewildered. "You would think someone would be grateful for saving their life!"

She huffed, frustrated before turning from the bed. She was about to walk out of the room when the machine that read his vitals suddenly gave a lout shrieking warning. His pulse was dropping drastically low. Her eyes widened and she rushed back, closing the knob to the morphine a little more. She waited anxiously for it to pass the threshold. Sure, he wasn't what she had imagined... but that didn't mean she want him to die. Replacing the mask over his face, she sighed as she remembered the time she put a boy in a coma for breaking her heart. Never had she wanted to repeat that... she had felt so horrible. How was she supposed to know everyone became allergic to bee stings when stung a million times at the same time?

The warning stopped, his pulse returning to the safe zone. She shook her head, running a hand through her hair. She needed to get out of this room. There was no need to waste time on the man if he wasn't going to be nice. Just think... she had already ruined a week for him. Collecting the parts she had been working on, she fled the room. Mostly though, she didn't want to admit to herself how hurt she was... or how scared. The look in his eyes... She quelled a shiver as she hit the landing and headed to the back door through the kitchen. She didn't want to admit that the malice that had been in his eyes the day she freed him from the wreckage was the same she got when looking at him just now. The animalistic look... just not as strong as before.

Putting the parts on the ground in the noon sun, she shook out the tension in her limbs. Well... now that she wasn't fretting over him she could concentrate on the ship. She went back to the huge storage box that lay on the grass and grabbed a few more pieces. It really had been a bother, giving him fluids every few hours and keeping his bandages clean. The first four days had been the worst, but once her father gave him that serum all the minor wounds had begun to heal... for the most part.

Sitting down, she grabbed the screwdriver from her belt strapped around her waist and started to work on figuring out the wires of the new parts...

The days flew by after that as she dived into the task of reassembling the ship. It was frustrating and pleasing at the same time. A very challenging puzzle when one didn't know what each piece did. Before she knew it a whole week passed and she had only reconstructed roughly two feet by two feet. But she was starting to get the hang of it. Putting down the piece she held, she stretched, leaning backwards and lying on the grass. The sun shining overhead felt good on her skin. She closed her eyes, letting herself become one with the earth, pretending to feel it spin.

A thought popped in her head. She should go swimming! Such a nice sunny day... Smiling, she jumped to her feet and rushed into the house and up the stairs, only to pause shortly by the man's door. Ever since that day he hadn't awoken. She worried she had put him in a coma, but her father said the man was just in a very deep sleep. Sighing, she pushed it away, not wanting to let such a thing darken her mood as she continued to her room.

.~-~.

Red eyes laughed at him from the darkness, lashing out at him... teasing him and tormenting him for what felt like eternity.

"Vegeta..."he purred with delight,"I found you. You thought you could escape me?"A crazed laugh echoed around him."You're mine monkey. Mine. When are you going to learn you can never run from me?"


The chilling, high-pitched laugh stayed with him as he suddenly awoke, sitting up suddenly. Vegeta grabbed his chest and groaned as pain seized him and the monitor beeped a frantic rhythm that matched his heart. Taking a few slow breaths, he calmed himself and the machine slowed. Annoying piece of shit. He lifted his hand to blast it, but when he went to call the energy forth he found that nothing happened and was overcome with another wave of pain so sharp he thought he was going to be sick.

Breathing heavily, he pushed the illness back. All this did was make him more frustrated as he looked around the large, bright room with a spacious window to his right that looked out onto a pool of water and a large space of grass that led up to trees. His brow wrinkled when he saw parts of his ship scattered around a huge box. He was unsure what that meant, so he turned his gaze to his body where there were wires and tubes strung about his chest and arms, connecting to the machine and the bag the girl had called morphine. What is this? Angrily he yanked it all away, ignoring the slight discomfort and how the machine made a loud wailing noise at him.

Pulling the blanket away, he found he was wearing some rather loose fitting scrub pants and his chest was covered in this... this strange fabric. He touched the material, feeling the soft cloth beneath his rough skin, only to realize that his hand and arms were covered in the stuff as well. Shaking his head, he swung his legs over the bed and went to stand, dizziness swiftly taking hold. He reached back to steady himself as dimly he could hear the footfalls of someone running. He thought little of it as he tried to keep himself standing, only to fail and fall to the floor, panting. What a disgrace, he snarled at himself mentally. Angry, he stared at the floor as the door burst open.

There were a few seconds of silence before the girl yelled, "What are you doing?" Her tone was somewhat flustered from having to run and the shock, but he thought he heard concern in it too. "You nearly died two weeks ago! You're in no condition to be walking around. So get your ass back there now, mister."

At this he glanced up, a sneer forming on his lips as he was about to ask if she had a death wish. Only to find it vanish upon seeing her. There she stood, before him. With her hands on her hips... shoulder length blue hair and bright sapphire eyes glaring down at him. For the most part she looked like a Saiyan, other than her bright colorful hair and eyes... and her curvy, slender form in a very revealing two-piece garment. He averted his eyes back to the floor, but her image stayed with him. Rarely did he see a race that looked so much like his own... and though she was more frail-looking than a Saiyan female, she definitely made his thoughts jump to the wrong place. However, more shocking than all this was the demanding demeanor that flowed from her petite form... even when wearing that... a garment he could only classify as something a whore or slave would wear.

Collecting himself, he tried to get back to his feet but found the task difficult at best with the dizziness and his ribs hurting like no other. He was about to fall again when he found her there, her small, warm hands on his chest and back, supporting him. He flinched... as the memory of the last time he was fully conscious had been back in his cell being tortured. But then the thought was swiftly forgotten as her eyes looked up, holding his. Her soft hair brushed his shoulder, her skin next to him as her sweet scent surrounded and embraced him... For a few heartbeats neither one of them said a thing and he couldn't help but think that she really was an Auronya.

With a shake of her head, she looked away and wrapped her arm around him, pressing even closer to him. "Come on... let's get you back to bed." Her tone had become softer, gentler... almost... Was that pity?

"I don't need your help," he growled as he tried to push her away, only to find that he couldn't as she held on tighter.

She peeked at him from under her eyelashes, a small smile playing on her lips. "Oh calm down, macho man..."

He stared at her, shocked. No one... ever talked to him in this manner before. Either people feared him or hated him. But to tease lightly? It was unheard of. He was so stunned that he let her help him sit down on the bed and didn't interrupt as she checked the bandage around his chest and arms before looking into his other vitals. She kept glancing back at him as if expecting him to say something.

After a few minutes, she sat down next to him. "Now, you don't have to put everything back on, but please try to lie back down and get some more rest." She reached across him, leaning over to turn the wailing monitor off and her other arm brushing against him. Her lightly tan skin met his sickly pale flesh. He shivered as her sweet scent washed over him again. "I frankly don't want to fix that lung of yours again if it happens to collapse." She sat back up. "There we go..."

Upon seeing his bewildered look she sighed, "Look. I'm sorry that we haven't been able to fix you up like you're probably used to... or why you're healing abnormally slow for your species, but my father's working hard on it." She stood, putting a hand on her hip and leaning on one leg, bringing his attention back to her curvy body. "So just rest and relax." Tilting her head she looked at him, studying him with those deep blue eyes of hers. The silence became awkward. "Um... how about some food, you've got to be starving."

As she started to walk away he abruptly grabbed her arm. Somewhat startled, she looked back, but his gaze was still on the floor and the look on his face was one of contemplation.
He was too stunned by this woman or what she was saying to demand answers, instead his voice was light and he frowned at himself before glancing up. "You know of my race?"

She tried to stop the shiver that crawled over her skin as his seeming black eyes held hers. "Well... Yes and no." His eyes narrowed as he let go and she forced her gaze away. "Earth is not space ready... There was never any need, for we have all we ever want or need here. So I know not of your race per se, but my best friend who has the same wild hair and black coloring as you also has abnormal strength, healing, and the ability to use ki." She then added, "Oh, and he once had a tail like yours..."

As she spoke a name came to mind, Kakarot... It had to be Bardock's missing son. That was why Earth sounded so familiar. He remembered reading the report that told of how the child whose power rating didn't even register a one was sent to the defenseless planet Earth, which was ripe for the picking. So he hadn't died. Clearly he didn't purge it either. He wasn't sure what to think about that. Or the fact that she had called him a friend. No, what was more troubling was there was no way off this mud ball planet. Or was it such a bad thing?

Glancing sideways at him, she caught his look of dread and understood quickly what he was thinking. "We can get into space, but I'm afraid the means are crude... it would take you millions of years to reach the next galaxy." She bent, getting into his line of sight to catch his eyes with hers before standing upright again when she had his attention. "But you were lucky that you nearly crashed into me instead of someone else, because not only do we know your anatomy previously, but my father and I are the only ones that are capable of creating a ship for you from your old one..."

"What do you mean?" He stared at her, thinking she was an idiot. "Your planet is so far behind it would take all the scientists on this mud ball at least fifty years to figure it out... Are you insane woman?"

Her lips twitched. "No, not insane..." He blinked as she gave him a sly smile. "You, sir, are looking at the second most intelligent person on this planet... my father being the first. I have no doubt that between the two of us we can piece your junk heap back together and come up with something just as good if not better between us." She shrugged. "We wouldn't be the richest and most powerful family on Earth if we couldn't do the impossible. So just relax."

Snorting, he looked away. "I hardly think you, woman, or your father can even comprehen-"

She suddenly grabbed his chin, interrupting him as she drew closer so they were nose to nose, "Hey, mister... we are the Capsule Corporation and I know you really don't know what that means, but that isn't something to snore about!"

He was taken aback by her blue eyes momentarily, which had darkened with a kindling wild flame he rarely saw even in the strongest of warriors. This glint if anything made her more attractive. Made her look so... alive. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen someone with her spirit. Her energy, her life was coming off her in waves and he couldn't help but stare as his hand continued to hold his chin.

Coming to his senses, he slapped her hand away, growling, "Don't touch me."

She jerked back from the deathly glare he used to scare the shit out of everyone. However, instead of fleeing like everyone else would have, her shoulders stiffened and the spark she had in her eyes grew with vengeance. Her shoulders rolled back, becoming taller as she turned to face him head on. If she had been a Saiyan he would have even thought she was going to attack him. His heart picked up slightly with thrill, only to have him push it back down.

She folded her arms. "Who do you think cleaned you jerk? My hands have been nearly everywhere, so get over yourself, you pompous asshole." With a 'humph' she turned as if to leave, only to turn back on him again for another round. "You're lucky I want to see what the universe is like or I would tell you to shove it." She stomped for the door once more. "I'll have my mother bring something up for you to eat, try not to choke on it." She then slammed the door, leaving him there in stunned silence.

That was the first time anyone -other than Freeza and those he backed- had stood up to him when he gave that look. And even then he could see the fear in their eyes. But to come back and attack him with words, with no fear... If she had the strength, he would have wagered that she would have hit him. He was used to fear... and hate... but to have someone stand up to him when they weren't backed by that dreaded lizard. He shook his head as he heard her downstairs complaining about him to someone before slamming another door.

"Fucking ungrateful bastard..." her voice came to him clearer and he turned, noticing the window was open slightly and the rest of her colorful words traveled up to him. "Someone needs to get the stick out of his ass and hit him with it for a few good spells." Grunting, he moved further onto the bed and sat by the wall, looking out the window at her. "I can't believe I wasted a week on him -AHHHH," she screamed angrily after she kicked a piece of his ship, then hopped around clutching her foot. The motion was almost comical. "Ohh owww owww..."

She sighed, finally calming down as the steam left her. "Great... now I don't feel like swimming." Scratching her head, she looked down at a hunk of his ship that had strange welding marks on it. "Now where was I?"

His eyes narrowed as he examined it as best he could, then realized with a start that the marks had been from her as she proceeded to connect the wires of a smaller piece to the bigger one. She really was rebuilding it. But would she understand any of the technology once she got it running? For once he didn't know... The way her hands moved over it, muttering to herself about some sort of mechanical math and then proceeded to do the calculations in her head... He was starting to believe her claim that she could, to be true.

This was certainly interesting. Being found by her... Maybe he was lucky for once. Though when this was all done he was going to make sure she regretted ever meeting him, let alone saving him. But he needed to find out more before he terminated her. It would be dreadful if he did happen to kill the only person on this mud ball planet that could build him a ship to get off it. And then... His eyes wandered over her body as she lay on her stomach fiddling with something. His thoughts turned dark as he wondered what she would be like beneath him. His head snapped away as disgust filled him.

He couldn't believe he just thought that... Freeza was only able to make him rape when he had him under that damn chip's control. Never before would he let the bastard degrade him so! Had he really fallen so low to think of doing it on his own accord? His fists clenched the bed as unwanted memories filled him. Screams reached back from his past, the images still raw in him mind given he hadn't really had any time to force them away in the shadows of his mind like the rest. Those had been the worst days of his life... unable to control his body as he watched what that tyrant had him do, all the while screaming with rage inside. Luckily the damn thing they implanted in his head short circuited and he was able to free himself at least from complete domination.

How long ago had that been? He shook his head... The past years of his life were a blur, ever since he had been recaptured by that vile lizard. A scraping sound jarred him from his thoughts. He turned his head, finding another woman with short blond hair and key characteristics that matched the other woman. This new older woman entered the room with a tray full of food in her arms.

She smiled at him with a sickening cheerfulness. "I hope you're hungry..." He swallowed, both from the smell of the food that had been roasted and steaming, making a lump in his throat. But also at the way the blonde woman unnerved him. He actually wished her daughter was back yelling at him.

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Beta read by LPphreek.