Breathe:
Reflects
Goten lay on the floor in the dark, damp underground hideaway that had been his
home for two years now. At first, it hadn’t been so bad. At first, there had
been Bra. She had been, and still was, his reason for fighting. The main reason
he continued to fight the Strangers.
Strangers. That’s
what the people of Earth had named them. They had come to Earth in a fake
disguise of peace. To trade and barter
for weapons, technology, and healing arts. The disguise hadn’t lasted long.
They weren’t very friendly, even when they pretended to come in peace.
Bra had seen
through the Strangers the entire time. All the Saiyajins had. Still, nobody had
expected them to take and murder Bulma. Bulma, the genius behind the technology
the Strangers had wanted to steal for their own, or so they had thought. Only
it was Bra who was behind the weapons they wanted.
Beautiful Bra. His
moonmate. Something had happened between them, before the Strangers had
arrived. She had started training with him, and persuaded Trunks to let Bulma
take back over the company for a few months while he took a vacation. It was
like she knew all along the about the arrival of the Strangers.
He didn’t doubt
that she had. She had turned out amazingly strong. She could compete with the
best of them. Then, after the Strangers had appeared and taken Bulma, Vegeta
had taken over her training. He included Trunks and Goten. After that, there
was no stopping her. She had been leveled with Goten and Trunks in no time.
Especially after their visit to the Time and Space Chamber.
He had made her his
there, and she returned his passion with everything she had. That had been so
long ago.
He remembered
everything about her. The way she whispered his name in the dark, the feel of
her next to him, the touch of her body, the way she looked while he made love
to her. Everything. They were all
freeze- framed in his mind. He loved her so much.
~It's been so long since you've gone away
And I know things will never be the same
I break it all down so it will show to me clear
But all the while I'm wishing you were here~
His life was empty.
Except for Trunks, Pan, and Vega. The Strangers had taken everything from them.
Their parents, their lives, their homes, and their best chances of living
through this. Vegeta had been killed with a weapon that had been designed by
his own daughter’s hand. There hadn’t been a day when Bra didn’t blame herself
for the attack on Earth. They had murdered Chi-Chi and Videl in the same manner
as Bulma. Gohan, in his grief and rage had convinced himself that he could take
on all of them. Goku still hadn’t returned.
After all this
time, Goten still couldn’t let her go. If he did, he wouldn’t be able to
survive. And he to, for Vega’s sake.
~In my dreams I can see and feel your face
But next to me sits an empty space
Sometimes this life doesn't make any sense to me
I need some time to heal and some space to breathe
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you
out~
His thoughts turned
to his beautiful little girl. She was his survival, his living truth of the
love that he had shared with Bra. He wished he could give her the home she
deserved. He sat up off the floor, and looked for the small figure that
occupied the bed. There was a small light that illuminated the room, but it was
still pretty dark. She didn’t like the dark. The light was for her benefit. It
shone on her soft dark hair, the only feature she had received from him. And
even that had lavender highlights.
“Daddy?”
The small voice
startled him, and he moved closer to her, to reassure her that he was still
there with her.
Bra’s eyes stared
back at him, unblinking. Vega looked so much like her mother it broke his heart
every time he looked at her. His baby was only sixteen months old, but her eyes
brimmed with intelligence that she had inherited from her mother. Saiyajin children
grew faster than earth children, they had been quick to realized. Bra had
glowed with pride when Vega had started walking at only six months old. Bra had
only carried Vega for five months.
“Daddy?”
His attention
returned to his little girl, and he brushed her cheek with the back of his
hand. She let out a small sigh, and stirred deeper in the covers. But her eyes
still didn’t close. He knew what she wanted.
“I’m here, Vega.
I’m not going to leave. Go back to sleep, honey. Dream of Mommy.”
She smiled the
smile that was identical to Bra’s and closed her eyes.
She still
remembered her mother, and for that he was thankful. When he noticed her deep
and steady breathing, he moved away, and lay back down on the floor. He was
scared to close his eyes, for fear of that day. The day he lost her. The day Vega would have died.
Vega had wandered
through all the under ground tunnels and had managed to find her way outside.
Bra had followed her out and decided to make a field trip out of it. They were
gathering flowers, when Goten had come upon them. He had scowled Bra for putting
herself and Vega in danger. She had smiled a sad smile, and said, “What has to
happen will happen, no matter where we are.”
During their
discussion, Vega had wandered away from them. They hadn’t realized it until
they heard her scream. Bra had turned deathly pale, and took off in the
direction of the scream. Goten got there faster. He used instant teleportation
to place where his daughter’s ki was located. He had appeared behind the
Stranger, and saw his daughter lifted from the ground by her neck. She was
kicking and gagging.
Goten had been
filled with rage that this thing, it
was the only way to describe it, was touching his daughter. He had to do
something, quickly. Without getting Vega hurt.
“Leave her be, or I
swear, I will kill you without mercy.”
Bra had appeared.
Her gaze was so
filled with hatred, he almost didn’t recognize her. Her voice was that of a
cold, barren desert.
The Stranger had
tossed Vega aside, as if she were nothing more than a fly, and launched at Bra.
Bra easily avoided the attack, but wasn’t prepared for the weapon in it’s
hand. When she turned to face the
Stranger, it was leveled at her stomach, the place their daughter had been just
a few short months ago. Bra had calmly met it’s gaze.
“You think that’s
going to hurt me? I made it. I know what it is, do you?”
The Stranger had
than turned it’s aim on Vega who was laying on the ground.
“No!”
It all happened so
fast. Goten finally made his move, but he was too late. The Stranger had
already pulled the trigger. Bra had jumped in the way at the last possible
minute, froze, than disappeared, just as Goten’s hand made it around the
Stranger’s thin neck. He looked at the spot where his wife had been, and he
squeezed. Hard. He had never felt such murderous rage, even when his mother had
been taken. He heard things popping, and guess it was the thing’s bones. When
the Stranger was lifeless in his hand, he let go. As soon as he did, it’s body
disappeared.
That had been
almost a year ago. Eleven months to be exact.
~As I lay on the floor and I wonder why
The question lingers why did you die
I thank God for you and the memories
But I still wish you were here with me
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you
out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you
out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you
out~
He heard Vega
whimpering, and knew she was probably dreaming about that day. He sat back up,
and got onto the bed. He took Vega into his arms, and began rocking her gently.
He knew she missed her mommy, and so did he. When she began to sob, his heart
broke for the millionth time. He felt like sobbing himself. He stroked her
hair, and whispered assurances in her ear. He told her that mommy loved her
very much and wouldn’t want her to cry, but nothing seem to work.
“God
please…please…”
As he held his
sobbing daughter, he felt for the link he shared with Bra. It was still there,
even in death. He felt soothed, and try to pass the feeling onto Vega. After
awhile, she calmed down, though warm tears still streamed down from her eyes.
He didn’t try to stop them. How could he, when he felt the same way?
~Gone away and I pray for the strength to
Strength to carry on
As I am breathing you in and I'm breathing you out
I still feel you though you're gone
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you
out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you
out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you
out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you
out
I'm breathing you in and I'm breathing you
out~
Vega eventually
cried herself back asleep, and he lay her down on the bed, underneath the
covers. He moved back down to the floor, and closed his eyes, praying for
dreamless sleep. There was plenty of room in the bed for him, was probably
better for Vega to feel him near her, but he hadn’t slept there since Bra had
gone.
By ChibiSerenaP
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