Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Fall of the Mighty ❯ Turmoil and Tranquility ( Chapter 28 )

~Sleep Is For The Weak~

Can't sleep! Can't sleep!! Why can't I sleep?! Dreamed about Jason X all night…and for once I wasn't being hunted down to be killed in my dreams. Weird.

That's okay Dark Serapha. How about I make a deal with you… I'll forgive you when you update something I *can read*!! Nice pic. *grin* I feel so special! Nice to know we have so much in common. You've got good taste in music, hun. Well… I couldn't hold off posting any longer. I was trying to write ahead a little and I got *some* done but not as much as I would have liked. Its moving though. I've been in kind of a down and nasty mood lately so here are some more songs. They mostly match Spice's little funk right now.

Songs : Staind - Home, Warm Safe Place, For You, Self Destruct, Me, Nameless, Can't Believe. NIN - Down In It, Hurt, Something I Can Never Have. Alice In Chains - Confusion, I Can't Remember. Default - Wasting My Time. Jimmy Eat World - Seventeen, Clair.

~Oh How I Wish I Could Be Weak~

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Vegeta was studying him with those obsidian eyes that were so hard to read.

"What?"

The prince just shook his head and closed his eyes, allowing Goku to wrap his warm arms around him.

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*Turmoil and Tranquility*

Spice stood in the C.C. house's den, examining herself in the large mirror on the wall. She looked like a wreck. Her eyes were shadowed and her hair tangled. Glaring at her reflection she reached up to smooth her hair back into place and froze. Her reflection never moved. It remained glaring at her. She stepped away but the image still floated on the glass. "What the hell?!" Turning, the girl came face to face with herself and stepped back reflexively.

The other Spice was standing there unmoving, glaring harshly at the mirror. The real Spice cocked her head and slowly circled the other girl. "Who are you?" There came no answer. "Are you me?" Still no answer. She reached out but hesitated to touch the other girl. She stopped and looked into the mirror again. The reflection suddenly looked directly at her and grinned madly. Spice stiffened and turned around but the other girl was gone. She looked back to the mirror and it was empty. 'Shit! That was freaky!'

Spice walked around the large house peeking into the adjoining rooms but they were all empty. Turning back into the den she jumped, startled. The other Spice was standing behind her, watching with that insanely gleeful expression. "What do you want? Who are you?" Again, the girl didn't respond. She just started shaking and jerking her hands ineffectually in front of her chest, that blank look never leaving her face. Spice backed away carefully. This…this…person…was *her*. It was *her*! Right down to the green tinted spikes and the heeled black boots. It had *her* face, *her* eyes…but…it was clearly insane. A creepy hollow feeling crept up inside Spice at the thought that is who she would be if she lost her sanity. Then suddenly the specter disappeared before her eyes. "Crap!" Spice glanced around but she was alone again.

Taking a deep breath and calming herself, she turned and went to the kitchen and fished through the fridge. Closing the door to the fridge she nearly shrieked and dropped the food in her hands. There was the girl again standing just a few feet away with that silently giggling leer. "Alright! That's it! Get the fuck awa…" She was gone again.

Spice fled quickly into the living room and sat down, flicking on the television and breathing evenly. 'Okay. You are imagining things.' She told herself. 'Get a grip.'

To her relief Nigel walked in and sat down next to her. Good. If that girl appeared again Spice would know if she were imagining it or if it was real because Nigel would see it too. 'Wait a sec… What?' Nigel had scooted uncomfortably close.

"You enjoying the movie?" He asked sweetly.

"Yeah, sure." She answered stiffly. He reached out and for some reason she expected him to grab her but he just took her hand in his and smiled. After a second she smiled back though still raising an eyebrow. "O…kay." She relaxed a little but then he leaned close and she shrugged uncomfortably before turning to him again. "Hey now, look…" She cut off and screamed, leaping away. It wasn't Nigel, it was the insane Spice!

"Hey! What's wrong with you?"

Spice stared from where she stood across the room. Nigel was sitting on the couch looking confused. 'Shit! I *am* going nuts!' She tried to catch her breath but the look on the teen's face made her freeze again.

He frowned in her direction and pointed. "Hey, what's that?"

She looked over to her left and saw a strange pinkish…light… Almost as if she had looked into a bright light and it left a shadow on her vision. 'What the…?'

"I know what that is." The teen exclaimed. "That's like what they show on those Fear shows when they record a light on the film at a haunted house."

Spice frowned and looked back at the boy. "Phht! Yeah, sure, you know that's all fake. There's no such thing." She turned back to the strange smudge of light and her eyes nearly bugged out. It was forming into the shape of a face.

She gasped and took a step back but it followed her. 'Holy shit!!' Suddenly the face of the insane *her* flashed, snarling and disembodied, before her eyes. She screamed and jumped away but it followed. She felt something invisible grab her and screamed again trying to bat it away. Nigel just stared in fascination, making no move to help her.

She ran, screaming as the thing followed her. She ran outside where more people stared but made no move to help. "Aaaah! Get it off!! Get it off!! Help me!! Get it off!!" She tripped over her own feet in her haste to get away and fell. Weight descended on her and held her down, squeezing the air from her lungs. Now the presence was visible. It was her other self. The insane one. Leering and grinning down at her. She heard Nigel's voice a little ways away and gasped for air.

"You know… Maybe if you had made it worth my while I would consider helping you…but I think I'll just wait and see what happens."

She couldn't move. All she could do was wait to find out what her double was going to do to her. To her horror, the hands of the self on top of her began so ooze into her skin. Her insane counterpart was trying to merge with her!

Spice gave a blood curdling shriek and began to struggle again as she felt the other sliding under her skin. She wrenched free and kicked the specter off of her with all her might but it latched onto her legs. She was not going to let herself be possessed by this insane distortion! 'It won't let go! Let go! Letgoletgoletgoletgolegolegolegolego!!!!!' She kicked hysterically, screaming all the while until she landed hard on the cold floor.

She sat up, gasping for air and looking around the empty room. 'Oh Kami!' Then she fell over again holding her throbbing head tightly and groaning.

The late morning sunlight poured in the open windows as Vegeta lay awake in Goku's bed. He watched the slow rise and fall of his mate's chest, studied the content smile gracing his lips. He felt… He wasn't sure what he felt. The prince lay quietly and watched but no enlightenment came to mind. He realized that he hadn't dreamed during the night. He had been wary of falling asleep, knowing the nightmares would pounce the moment he did...but they hadn't. The dreams rarely left him, they were such a normal part of his sleep that it was disturbing when they were not present. He sighed. He knew what he didn't feel. He didn't feel angry. It confused him. He didn't feel used. He didn't feel lost. He wasn't empty. There was something there where the emptiness usually resided…but he didn't know what it was. It was warm…and…just…content. He didn't want to move for fear that it would fade away and leave him empty again. Absolutely nothing else mattered as long as he could keep this feeling. Not Gohan…not… It was just him and Kakarotto. Kaky… Suddenly he liked the sound of the girl's nickname for his mate. His mate.

'That's right. My mate. Mine. All that matters.'

He shifted and winced, feeling stabbing pain throughout his body. Now *that* was familiar. After a moment he decided that it wasn't a bad sort of pain. He'd given the other the one thing he'd never *given* before and… He didn't regret it.

Goku rolled and snuggled close, breathing in Vegeta's scent before opening his eyes. "Good morning."

"Not anymore." The prince replied quietly.

Goku glanced at the windows. "You're right. It's lunchtime, huh? You hungry?"

Vegeta just nodded calmly. "Of course."

They ate quietly, Vegeta watching as Goku wolfed down the food with healthy Saiyajin vigor. "At least you're eating again."

At hearing that comment, Goku stopped and set his spoon down with a clink. The prince scowled at himself.

"Uh, yeah…"

There was a tense silence, after which, Vegeta shoved his plate away and strode around the table to his suddenly morose mate. Grasping the chair he turned both it and Goku to face him. The prince seated himself straddling Goku's lap and took the taller man's head in his hands. They just stared at each other, searching each other's eyes for what might be hidden there. Then the prince leaned so close that their foreheads touched and whispered almost too low to be heard.

"I am sorry, Kakarotto."

The unshakable hero let out a shuddering breath and buried his face against the prince's neck. Racking sobs shook him. He'd held it in for so long.

Vegeta let him cry, the warm wetness dripping down his bare chest. Kakarott was not built to carry such pain. It was one of the things the prince valued about him…and looked down upon in him. He took a moment to consider this hypocrisy but brushed it away as inconsequential. It didn't matter to anyone but him. He knew he was a hypocrite in just about every way. His existence was one long conflict. He didn't deny it. After a long time Kakarott stilled and gripped him tightly. After a moment more Vegeta tilted the other's chin up so he could see his red rimmed eyes.

"We should wash. You still smell like alcohol and now so do I."

"Okay, Vegeta." Goku stood up and started to clear the table but Vegeta stopped him.

"Leave it." He directed him out of the kitchen and went back to gather the dishes himself. He was just leaving the kitchen when there came an abrupt knock and the front door opened.

"Hey, dad?" Gohan froze and the door clicked shut behind him.

He and Vegeta stared at one another.

A bellow of rage shook the cottage foundations and the front door exploded in a thousand tiny shards.

Vegeta roared as he and Gohan flew through the rain of splinters and rolled across the yard. They came to a stop and the enraged prince pinned down the terrified demi-Saiyan. With a toothy grimace Vegeta drew his fist back intent on crushing his victims skull in one fell blow.

"NO!!"

A blur smashed into the ouji from the side, tearing him away.

Gohan gulped for air. He couldn't move, he almost couldn't breathe. It was beyond belief that he was still living and in one piece. Only fifteen feet away his father and Vegeta were struggling.

"Vegeta!" Goku yelled as he tried to hold the prince down. "Vegeta! Stop! Stop it!"

The prince howled and tried to twist free. The rage felt like it would burst from him if he didn't let it out. Energy erupted in a bright yellow aura and Vegeta powered up farther than he ever had before. Goku was nearly thrown back by the sheer concentration of it and the prince reared, ready to strike him down…but he paused. Instead his fist smashed into the earth sending up a cascade of dirt and gravel.

As if he only just realized Goku was yelling at him, Vegeta stopped struggling and panted from the adrenaline racing through his veins. Hesitantly letting go of the power that billowed around them.

"Vegeta…stop it… No more." The larger man pressed him down firmly on his back and the royal Saiyajin glared up into his worried face, the bloodlust slowly draining away. He was stiff and taught but just lay there considering the fear in his mate's eyes. One strong hand reached up and caressed Kakarott's flushed cheek. He could hear his prey scrambling to it's feet not far away but his thoughts were distracted as a whiff of his own scent met his nose, clearly coming from the man pressed against him. 'Mine. All that matters. This is all that matters. Nothing else.' He would not sacrifice this.

He let out a deep, slow breath. "Only for you, Kakarott."

He caught the other's lips in a passionate kiss, sending his adrenaline to take a less violent route.

Gohan tensed to flee when the two men rolled but froze again. He blushed scarlet and turned away, not sure what he should do. Vegeta was obviously not interested in his presence anymore. He hunched his shoulders in embarrassment, 'oh…boy!', and cringed putting a hand over his eyes when an anonymous moan floated over his ears 'Ah jeez!' What the hell was he supposed to do?! Should he stay? Should he leave?

With no small amount of effort, Goku pulled away to look Vegeta in the eye. "You promise?"

The prince's gaze was steady even though the anger was still clear in it. "He is safe from me. But if he gives me one more cause for it I will not hesitate to spill his blood, For your sake I will not spill all of it," Having said that, Vegeta let out an audible purr and pounced Goku, sliding his hand tightly down the other's silky tail. He smirked possessively down on the other's suddenly glazed eyes, ruffling the fur and reveling in how easy it was to get the better of his Kakarott. He leaned down to whisper in his ear as Goku arched mindlessly against him. "You……" He began to say but stopped. He nibbled lightly and then pulled back. "…are neglecting your spawn. I will collect later."

Gohan heard the distinct sound of a growl and a thump and finally made up his mind. He quickly started to retreat. He was about to take to the air when his father called his name. He turned to see his father sit up into a cross legged position and Vegeta send him a chilling glare before striding away and taking off.

"I will be in my gravity room."

"It's okay, Gohan. Vegeta has promised not to hurt you." The young man approached his father hesitantly, watching the ouji fly away. "Was there something that you wanted?"

"Uh…ahm… I just…" He tried to remember why he had come in the first place. "…wanted to know how Spice was. You said you were going to see her yesterday."

"Trunks!!"

Yet again, the lavender haired scientist fumbled another delicate device safely to rest on the counter top. "Yes, father?"

"Why is there a redheaded delinquent about to expire in my gravity chamber?"

Trunks scowled. "Because another, rather pretty, delinquent passed out here last night and he couldn't keep his hands to himself."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Trunks smirked. "If I hadn't been up working late Spice would have done a lot more damage to him that 100xg. Even if she couldn't walk straight."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow and eyed him darkly. "Why didn't you let her? I haven't seen a boy that bent on getting his ass kicked since you were his age."

Trunks sighed. "He may be hard to deal with but that doesn't mean I want him to be mangled beyond recognition."

Vegeta humphed and snapped back. "If he's stupid enough to get mangled then let him learn from his mistakes." The prince stalked off in the direction of the house.

As he headed for his room and a shower, a sharp scent made him stop. Backing up a few steps he glared suspiciously at one of the doors lining the hallway. He could hear a low beat of music from behind it. Not bothering to knock, he walked right in.

The room smelled stale with an antiseptic tinge of alcohol and the dark tones of Marilyn Manson played from a stereo, which he recognized as the same one from Spice's college house. The arm that draped down from under a bundle of blankets in the middle of the bed looked distinctly familiar…as did the bottle in its hand.

He slammed the door and waited for a response. The pile only shifted slightly with a barely murmured "what?".

"What is wrong with you?"

Spice leaned up and took a long draught before thinking it over. Glancing at Vegeta she seemed to come to a conclusion but just rolled over instead of answering his question.

The prince growled and walked over to snatch away the blanket she was hiding under.

She whimpered in protest and planted a secure grip on the second blanket she was still wrapped in. "I'm not a slut and I'm not insane!" Came her weak voice.

"What does that have to do with my question?" Vegeta snapped irritably.

"Leave me alone! Fuck off!"

He growled and yanked the second blanket into the air.

"No!" Spice held on tightly and was lifted along with it only to slip out and thud onto the floor. She flopped on the ground in her underwear and a tank top. "Fine! Take it! I don't care! Asshole! Enjoy the view! Again! That's all you get! I'm not a fucking slut!" Taking her thumb off the miraculously unspilled bottle mouth, she guzzled down some more of the liquid and then huddled around it protectively.

Vegeta sneered disgustedly and tore the bottle out of her hands. "You are here to train, not to poison yourself!"

Spice yelled indignantly as he opened the window and tossed the liquor to smash on the ground outside. When he turned back to her, her eyes widened. Fruitlessly she tried to scramble away from him but he caught her twitching tail and hauled her back with a painful yowl.

Gripping the girl tightly by her shoulders the prince slammed her hard against the wall. "You are here only because you are of use to me. I don't care about your problems. I don't care about what you want. If you have a problem then deal with it. I will not tolerate this. You are of no use to me in this condition. You smell like a wet dog."

Spice tried to recover some of her stubborn defiance but was rightly spooked. She could tell that Vegeta was pissed. Asserting her pride once again, she sniffed and wrinkled her nose. Glaring, she snapped back despite how her voice shook. "And you smell like sex, so what?"

The prince smacked her against the wall in rebuke and spoke in a dangerous tone. "You will not drink anymore if you wish to stay here. You will be at my beck and call, ready to fulfill my wishes and follow my every whim. Is that clear, girl? Now… If you are not ready to spar by the time I come out of my room then you better be gone." The prince dropped her and stalked out, slamming the door.

Spice sat stunned for a moment, staring after him, then she scrambled up and disappeared.

Spice is getting a nice kick in the butt. We all need one ever so often and she needs one right now. Vegy is still pissed about Gohan but he's not taking it out on Kaky. In fact he has promoted Kaky on his list of things to live for. I left you guys wondering didn't I? After all the crummy things that I've done before I thought a little moderate tranquility would be a nice change. Hope you enjoyed.