Between The Raindrops

Chapter 27

The Ginyu force had treated as a game, and it pissed her off to no end. How dare they take such joy in trying to kill her friends! The bastards! And now she was next, going to die because she wanted to come along.

'Oh, Goku where are you when we need you!?'

He appeared before her in an instant as if having heard her cry for help.

Blue eyes glossed over as she took in the sight of her orange-clad hero. Her heart leaped into her throat; she could barely breathe as her body shook. He was here; he'd made it just in time to save the day.

Choking on a sob, she threw herself at him, her arms wrapping around his neck to bring her closer to his muscular chest. Burying her face into the crook of his neck she took in his woodsy musk that was as simple as he was. Sobs racked her body in a mix emotion that she couldn't quite understand.

His strong arms wrapped around her gently, tenderly even, while rubbing her back in a soothing gesture.

She was happy to see him and, yet she was sad; he hadn't come for her. He would never come to her rescue because he would never be hers; his heart belonged to someone else.

She froze. Did she want him to be hers?

"Are you alright Bulma?"He pulled away looking down at her with his bright ebony eyes and a small smile that took her breath away.

Biting her lip, she looked away before finally stepping out of his warm arms. She immediately felt empty. But now was no time for her emotional turmoil, the others were in need of his help. With him here everything would finally turn in their favor.

"They need your help," She urged avoiding his gaze while pointing to his son and friend that lay battered only a few feet away.

She watched his back as he helped his son and then their friend and finally the one they had once called an enemy.

Gohan groaned as he faintly heard the words of a man that sounded so much like his father. Even the gentle caress of his large callused hands was familiar. "Gohan it's a senzu, you need to eat it," he tried to, he couldn't move, couldn't see past the pain that ignited his body.

The man muttered something along the lines of a broken neck before speaking to him once more. "I'm going to feed this to you," a small bean slipped through his lips while the man made him chew before rubbing his throat forcing him to swallow the hard and slightly bitter thing.

It came slowly. The burning turned to pain, then to aches, and finally nothingness leaving him with a feeling of being light. Everything came back slowly, he could feel the dirt beneath him and the strong, overbearing ki that stood next to him, finally his eyesight came back. It was slow and blurry, but after a few blinks, the dark figure looming over him became that of his father.

"D-Dad?" Tears came to his eyes at seeing his father. He came, he made it, he was going to save the day. Just like the hero he'd always thought him to be.

"I didn't believe you were going to make it." He cried softly, throwing himself into his father's welcoming arms.

Goku gave a breathy laugh as he hugged his son back lightly patting his back before. "I'll always be there when you need me. You've gone through a lot Gohan; I'm so proud of you for protecting Bulma and fighting as hard as you did," Gohan looked up at his father with wide eyes. How could he be proud of him when he'd been so useless?

Goku stood, his eyes sweeping over the two other injured men his eyes lingering on Vegeta, he was bleeding heavily from several wounds, seeming to be somewhat alive. Whatever reason was keeping him alive, he was grateful he wanted nothing more than to fight him and test his abilities against someone could be able to match him blow for blow.

"That's the guy we were fighting," Gohan pointed to the man standing across the way his leotard chard and bruised face with a smile full of broken teeth.

Walking over to Krillin he saw the man was in better shape compared to Gohan and Vegeta. "Sorry to make you wait. Here's a senzu bean,"

"I don't know whether to be happy or sad new one sad?" Krillin happily took the Krillin had been given senzu beans in the past that his senses came back fairly quickly and he jumped up feeling ten times better and his wounds all healed.

"It doesn't matter how much better we get they'll just beat us down again. Not even you can beat these guys Goku. They're just that good," he sighed, already defeated.

Goku looks over his shoulder at the sayian. He already knew most of the situation from when he'd "felt" it from Bulma and Gohan.

"Even Vegeta was helpless against them, even with them once being allies-" Goku cut him off.

"I already know,"

"How?"

Goku shrugged. "I got this feeling, you know, when I touched Bulma and Gohan,"

Krillin looked up at him like he was crazy.

"I know everything! All the way from the struggles you face getting the dragon balls and how Vegeta became somewhat of an ally. He may not have turned for the better, but he helped and will hopefully continue to help us," Goku grinned before he gave a sideways glance to Bulma who stood just a few feet away. "I'm glad you kept her safe. I don't know how she would fare on her own so thank you for protecting her and being a good friend,"

"How could you tell?"

"I don't know," this made Krillin's sweat drop. "Either way since Vegeta help I guess I could go give him a senzu bean," looking and feeling the bag Goku gave a heavy sigh. "Vegeta!" he yelled and threw the last one at the saying prince who was quite a ways away from them. The saiyan prince caught it with ease even in his injured state.

"Eat it," Goku yelled.

Vegeta did as told and the amazement on his face almost made Goku laugh.

"Are you insane Goku! I guess you want him fighting alongside us but-" Krillin was cut off.

"No that's not it. I want to finish the fight we started on Earth,"

"What do you mean by finish? You don't mean, you want to fight that monster again?!" but he didn't get an answer.

Gohan even looked up at his dad in a mixture of amazement and confusion. Did his dad want to fight Vegeta again like how they fought back on Earth, to avenge the death of his friends?

Goku walked away leaving them behind him "I'll take care of them by myself," stressing the last part, he didn't want anyone interfering with this fight after all he wanted to test his new strength.

"You don't know what you're saying!" Krillin yells at him.

"Daddy don't do it please!" Gohan yells at him as well.

"Goku," her voice came as a whisper while her hold on his hand was firm. He stopped looking down into her sapphire eyes that look so sad and yet so confident. He could see in her eyes that she had the utmost confidence in him, that she believed in his abilities and would support him and his desire to fight. "Please be careful Goku these guys are bad news,"

He gave her a small smile and gently squeezed her hand. At that moment there was an odd sensation of wanting to kiss her, to thank her, using his actions. She had always been his best friend and not having her around would have left him alone in the woods never knowing the thrills of adventure, going purely on instinct he kissed her temple. "Don't worry I'll be fine,"

Walking away, her fingertips lingering on his hand. And as much as he wanted her by his side, he had a job to do. He needed to finish this fight to protect her and everyone else.

They seemed powerful enough to offer him a challenge, but at the same time, he didn't doubt his ability. He would win somehow or another; he would win.