SHATTERED TRANQUILITY
By: Lisa Starr

She stared out the rain pelted windows of the balcony, watchful, almost vigilante in her regard. Watching the driving rain pound against the glass, quietly observing the howling winds that buffetted the landscape beneath her, merciless in its fury. The afternoon sky had long since blackened into night, illuminated only by the jagged streaks of lightening that shot through the blackness. Even the lights had gone out,leaving her only comfort that of the softly flickering candles. How fitting, this wrathful offering from the Gods. It fit her mood, echoed the torment in her soul, so adequately.

She laid her hand against the cool pane of glass, wondering, watching. It had been three months since the death of Cell, three months since Goku's death, and three long, melancholy months since Vegeta had disappeared with the wind. His pride and soul rent, crushed completely, his spirit lost. She'd known he would, had seen it and recognized it in his eyes.She'd really only seen the look once before, when he'd left her to train and had recognized it immediately when she'd seen it again. She'd hoped it was only her imagination, prayed that it was, but in the end she had been forced to realize that his eyes always spoke the truth.

Had she actually convinced herself he loved her? She'd been sure of it after the trauma that had occured some two years past. He'd fought his way through that terror, saving her, loving her and supposedly taking her as his mate, though what that entailed was still a mystery to her. He'd even been able to fight the mysticism of Teya.

"Teya." She had not spoken the name aloud in the nearly two years since they had laid her to rest, too afraid of conjuring up dead ghosts and disturbing memories. She'd done her best to lock that time in the deepest vault of her brain, hoping to forget it completely, yet now the name rolled off her tongue as if the woman was standing in front of her. "Teya..." She murmered again..."Why am I thinking of you now?"

She turned away from the rain streaked glass, turning back towards the warmth, towards the flickering light of the candles...how long had it been since she had used them? Three months exactly. The eve of the Cell games. He'd come to her, beaten and bruised from his training in the Room of Spirit and Time, demanding in his usual arrogantly high handed way, that she heal him completely before his fight. He hadn't wanted to go with one ounce less then his full energy, for first he would kill Cell, then he would destroy Kakkarot. She had smiled at him, handing him, her last senzu, watching it restore his tired, aching body to full power. She had turned to go, to leave him in peace, but he had stopped her, drawing her near and kissing her..filling her with that all too familiar ache and longing to lose herself in him. He had taken her to their room, the room he had not shared with her since well before the androids had appeared. They had lived together in relative peace those first few months after their return from Egypt, settling into a routine that fit their growing attachment well. His days full of rigourous training, hers filled with long hours at the office or hours upon hours of tinkering with this or creating that, but the nights..the nights had always been theirs. They had been consumed with each other..tasting, teasing, feeling..there had been nothing they had not explored together. and he had been content or at least as content as he could possibly be until the first signs of his

impending fatherhood had begun to show. She'd seen the discontent when he had first noticed the slightly rounding belly. His hand had spanned it, laying there quietly, observing.

She had watched him for what seemed like hours, but what must have been only minutes, waiting for some reaction, some small clue as to what he was thinking. He had looked up at her, his beautiful black eyes filled with a mixture of wonder and regret. The smallest inkling of perhaps wishful thinking, quickly dashed away and replaced by his more commom, guarded expression. She'd known as she had drifted off to sleep, the lovemaking more rigourous then normal, more intense, more passion filled, that he would not be there in the morning. He had been saying good bye, exhausting her in the only way he could...with his own body. She had not been surprised in the morning when she had awoke to find him gone, completely, every trace of his presence wiped away. Even the bond had seemingly been gone. She had spent the first week in tears, going no where,seeing no one, finally emerging a stronger, tougher woman. All traces of the girl she'd been wiped away. She'd been taught a valuable lesson, one that she didn't intend to have to repeat and a part of her thanked him for that, while the other part had cursed him repeatedly, viciously. Cursed him for giving her any hope in the first place, for leaving her to shoulder the responsibility of their child alone, for taking himself away from her so completely.She had thought to never set eyes on him again, giving birth to Trunks with Yamcha by her side. He had accepted the futility of their relationship, been relieved actually when she had gently explained to him that while he would always be her first love, while he would always own a small piece of her heart, they were not meant for each other. He'd been shocked that she had managed to find something with Vegeta, even more shocked to learn of her pregnancy, but he had not deserted her, nor shown her any pity, and for that she would be eternally grateful.

Yet he had returned some five months after Trunks' birth, pride at an all time high, arrogantly confident and spoiling for a fight, finally a Supersaiyan...he'd sought her out in her workshop, surprising the hell out of her, his body lit with the golden hue of his achievement. She'd been startled at first, confused..not sure what his return meant..She had just finally gotten used to the idea that he was never coming back, was beginning to move on with her life. As time had seemed to stand still for them in those first few minutes, both trying to feel out the other for any clue, any hint of an idea as to what was going on behind the other's inscutable mask. She had walked out on him, determined to remember the life lesson he had so cruelly taught her, trying to remember how easily he had broken his commitment to her, searching for anyway to stay angry at him. She'd felt him behind her, grabbing her, shoving her against the cold wall of the deserted hall and had proceeded to show her in no uncertain terms who her heart and mind and soul were bound to, reminding her in mere seconds of the bond that existed and thrived between them. Seemingly on his terms and his terms only.

He had been gone again with the onslaught of the androids, once again reminding her of her precarious position in his life, thinking of nothing but the battle. He had been shamed in that battle. Her future son had told her that, shamed and beaten badly. His reknewed pride and confidence shattered, his peace of mind gone. Bulma had not seen him again until after Cell had arrived. He had been quickly shamed again, mostly due to his own arrogant ego, or as her son had told her his greatest weakness perhaps, the love of a good battle and the challenge of a worthy opponent.. He had allowed the unthinkable to happen, but she had forgiven him, seen through to his heart and the reasons why he had done it..making love with him again the night before the Cell games, in this very room, urging him to come back to her..speaking words of love she knew he hated, yet scared to not speak them, wanting him to just once have something kind and special before a battle. He had not seemed to mind, actually smiling at her, his hand gently caressing her cheek, before he had stood to go, returning after it was over a lost man and leaving shortly thereafter, staying only long enough to see his son off. He'd been gone since and she couldn't for the life of her figure out where he could have gone or what he was doing. She shut her eyes,opening them as an intensely vivid, blinding flash of lightening flashed across the sky. She screamed as she saw her face,Teya, illuminated in the window.. the rotting, decrepid face leered at her through the window. She staggered back, struggling to breathe and wracked by violent tremors.No..No.. She had been defeated. Nefertit..no. She could barely form a thought.

Another strike of lightening..nothing. She saw nothing. Had she imagined it? Dreamt it up in some subconcious level of her brain? Was she frightened of the storm, scared and tired of being alone? She hugged herself, wishing someone was with her. Her parents had taken Trunks out of town for the weekend, perhaps sensing their daughters growing distress. Had she flipped out completly? Was that what had led her to her delusional vision of Teya's face in her window? She shivered..not sure what was worse, that she would be conjuring up long dead ghosts in some kind of breakdown, or that Teya was really out there. She ran to her bath room, studying the face that looked back at her. She had stared at this face many a night, first in vanity, then in hope, finally in pride, recognizing herself for the woman she had become. She was strong, a survivor, finally seeing exactly all that she was capable of. Coming to terms with it and accepting it, finding peace within herself. She stared now however, looking for some kind of sign, any sign at all of psychosis.Was she finally falling apart?

**************************

Vegeta had stayed away as long as he was capable of. There last night together, the eve of the Cell games had shown him for the weak fool he was and would forever remain, no matter how much he fought himself or her. He had done many shameful things in the few years since they had first joined together, left her alone out of fear and anger, denied she meant anything to him. Finally slinking away in shame and humilation, and an overpowering sense of loss and unfinished business. Kakkarot..he had owed Kakkarot so much, good and bad. Had wanted to finally prove that he was the superior fighter and had watched, in helpless shock, as Kakkarot had sacrificed himself for this miserable planet and the people on it. Such love was incomprehensible to him and what was worse was the sense of loss he had felt..the knowledge went deeper then knowing he would never have the shot to finally become the greatest fighter in the universe, or the overpowering shame and defeat of realizing that Gohan was twice as strong as he was. His motivation, his desire to achieve..the fury that he had focused soley on Kakkarot, all gone..in a flash of time. Leaving him alone, with frustrated, pent up rage that would never see the outlet it required and the confusion of how to put his life back together when all he had ever known had been taken away, completely.It had been like being cast adrift alone, except he wasn't alone. Not completely. Bulma and Trunks remained. Two very real, tangible reasons to carry on and stay on this planet. He had flown away to consider..to think about what happened next. To attempt to straighten out the myriad jumble of thoughts that were flooding his mind, to figure out where he went from here and what he did with her.

He loved her. He already knew that.He had loved her since he'd seen her.It had taken him a long time to realize that, only really doing so after that disgusting creature and his equally disgusting Queen had stolen her away, igniting within him a fury he had never known before. He'd gotten her back in the end, allowing himself to slip and take a mate.Something almost unheard of for a Saiyan Prince. Yet here he was, heading to his home, fighting an incredible rain storm to get there...and yes it was his home, the only true home he could recognize. Ready now to finally settle himself down and be something he had never thought he could be. A husband and father. He wondered how she would ever believe after so many desertions that this time he meant it. That this time he would stay, that he had accepted what his life had become, or at least come to terms with it as much as he could. What about Bulma?Would she stare at him with those huge blue eyes that saw straight into his soul? Would he see doubt and disbelief ?Or would she open her heart to him one more time and take him in yet again?

He was so lost in his own thoughts he failed to notice the strange sensation that had settled within his mind..something..not right..something ...off. Sneaking up on him and filling him with feelings of malice and dark intentions. What in the hell? He paused in his flight, hovering in mid air, ignoring the biting sting of the rain against his skin. What was he sensing? Something he had felt before, but not since...no. That had been ended, two years ago. He shuddered remembering the horror of seeing Bulma with a blade pointed at her belly.

"Vegeta...I'm coming for you.." The voice swept through his mind like ice, chilling him to his very bones. No. That had been her voice. The voice of the bitch he had thought long since defeated. It couldn't be. He glanced around, looking through the elements of the storm, looking for anything out of place. Nothing. Everything appeared completely normal, yet it had been so vivid, so fresh and easily recognized. Almost as if he had just heard it yesterday. Was he finally losing his mind? He took off again, not wanting to waste anymore time in reaching Bulma. He wasn't sure what in the hell was going on, but he had learned to never question his instinct and right now it was screaming at him.

**************************

"This time you die..Bulma.." She bolted up in bed, breath harsh. Bolting straight into the arms of her long missing mate who loomed over her, yelping in surprise. She stared at him in confusion, trying to regain control of herself, to wipe away the memory laden dream that had woken her from a dead sleep. She grimaced at the pun. She had seen that Teya was capable of, what horrors she had handed people, all in the name of a devil..Set. She focused again on Vegeta, not minding the strong arms that had clasped loosely around her. She laid her head on his shoulder, welcoming the touch, the security she had missed for so long. Why had he come back?

"Ve..Ve..geta.." His name was spoken soflty, huskily in the dark. He sought her mouth with his own, needing to taste her once before settling into explanations with her. He couldn't imagine how he was going to explain all that he needed to. The idea of having to left him with a queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. To his surprise she pulled him down onto her, kissing him hard and desperately.

"Woman?" He pulled back, questioning her, having expected a weeping tirade from her or endless demands, anger, anything but this open armed welcome.. His confusion must have seemed obvious.

"Tomorrow Vegeta, there will be time for it tomorrow. " She didn't want this dream to end. Her arms entwined around his neck, pulling him close. Somehow he managed to find a way to get out of his clothes, hastily tossing them everywhere in his desire to press his naked body against hers. She met him half way, wrapping every part of her body around his, pressing him against her.."I need you,,Vegeta..now. Please.." She looked up at him, her desire and overwhelming passion for him shining from her eyes, driving him wild in their glittering intensity. He smirked and complied, thrusting home in one swift, easy movement, moaning at the feel of being inside her again. He didn't want to wait either. He had needed this, had needed her for so long now. Needed the wordless comfort her presence brought him. To actually be here,with her wrapped around him was almost more then he could take, all feelings of previous dread and misgivings swept away and forgotten in the face of his rising passion and the feel of their bodies connected so tightly.

"You've missed me woman?" The question came out hoarse and raw, each thrust of his body drawing him nearer and nearer to a very fine precipice. She didn't answer him, merely watched the expression on his face, her blue eyes burning into him, her body rising to meet every hard thrust,every movement, drawing him in deeper and deeper. She smiled as his teeth clenched, his discipline that he prided himself on so obviously about to be thrown to the wind. He was not as unaffected by her as he thought he was. She snorted to herself. Men. She shouldn't talk, she was fast losing what small control she had managed to gain over him, building towards her own potent release.It was upon her before she was ready, sending her over the edge. Gasping for air with the force of it, clinging to him as though her life would end if she let go.

"Vegeta.." She managed to gasp out.".Vegeta.." He buried his head against her neck, groaning..he couldn't hold it off any longer. He had to let go..had to..the thread of his thought was lost as he came.

"Bulma.."He managed to grind out..his shuddering body collapsed on her. He felt her arms sliding up his back, massaging, stroking...welcoming arms, not the cold, angry arms he had imagined. Why had he thought she would despise him, because he had done everything possible to turn her from him? He rolled over , gathering her against his side, his own hand slipping down to gently caress the smooth silky skin.

"Vegeta.." She had so much she wanted to ask him, so much to say, but she was unsure. Unsure of so many things. Was this just a one night visit, or was he back to stay for some undisclosed amount of time. The thought angered her..how dare he? She was not some convenient sex toy for him to use whenever he felt the need..She sat up, looking down at him.He noticed with some amusement that her blue eyes had darkened.. a sure tip off that she was pissed off. Now it came..how ironic. He waited for the storm to build, knowing he would have to find a way to assuage it. He had an idea of what would it would take, though the thought made him sick to his stomach.

"Vegeta..I.." She broke off, unsure what to say, how to proceed.

His finger touched her mouth gently.."Hush, woman. We'll worry about everything tomorrow." He watched as she studied him, obviously trying to decide if he would even be there in the morning. He saw the doubt and hesitation in there blue depths, felt the wound he had dealt her through their bond. What could he possibly say that would enable her to trust him, to give her some kind of assurance. She fingered the fine chain of her locket gently, nervously, before deciding to lay back down, not resisting him when he pressed himself against her, igniting the heat between them into a full blown flame, scorching her in its intensity. "Tomorrow, Bulma.."he murmered into her ear.."I will say all you need to hear tomorrow.." His mouth pressed scalding, ardent kisses along her neck, up the fine line of her jaw, his hands fisting in her hair, drawing her head up to meet his. She moaned at the sensations he was igniting within her body and willingly gave herself up to his heated embrace.

***********************

"Professor Abdallah..we have found the scrolls of Setihamentep. In tact and almost perfectly preserved." Mohammed knew exactly what would please the Professor, and happily led the way to the room, where several discarded scrolls lay abandoned, as if dropped in a mad rush to escape from some oncoming disaster. This was all that the Professor had been searching for when he had begun the excavation of Telerahad. Abdallah smiled gleefully.The legendary city of the Falcon King, Setihamentep and his Queen Teya. There had been rumours of various degrees spread about, since the disaster that had destroyed so much of Setihamentep's exhibit two years ago. Rumours suggesting that something unnatural had happened, that the curse had been more then a frightening tale told to scare children and ward off thieves. He had come to Telerahad himself in search of answers, looking for any clue as to the truth behind the very persistent rumours that had failed to die down. Another Professor disappearing under mysterious circumstances had only fueled the fire of the curse along with the missing body of the King some two years ago, directly after the collapse of the Museum of Antiquities and History.

Mohammed led the Professor down a maze of twisting corriders, littered with broken statues and rock, yet filled with the most exquisite paintings and murals he had ever seen.Such artistic beauty. He shivered as a chill traveled down his spine. As beautiful as it all was in its ancient glory, he couldn't help but notice something innately wrong about this place. He was loathe to place a name to it, but if someone were to press him,he would have said something dark and evil lay among the ruins, though he hardly understood why. It was all dead and gone, everything that Setihamentep had been long since forgotten. Perhaps it was merely the spirits of the past echoing and trapped in the forbidding hallways. Clamboring to have someone remember them, to be freed from their eternal tomb. He ushered the Professor into a small, caved in enclosure, sheltered by fallen rock and debri.What had happened here?

"Here Professor, on the ground."He pointed to several discarded papyrus,laying strewn about, as if someone had been searching for a particular one.

Abdallah ignored the inscriptions on the wall, going straight for the scrolls. If these were the scrolls of Setihamentep.. his heart palpitated at the thought. What that would mean for his career, for his future. Untold fame and prestige. He would be wealthy. Smiling, he unrolled one and studied it, smiling as he realized that these were the scrolls of life, just as they had originally been written some five thousand years ago. He bent his head to read, ignoring Mohammed who stood watching him in anticipation.Fool. He had no idea what they had just found. No real appreciation for the find.

"Leave me." He snapped. "I wish to study these in private." He turned his back on him in dismissal, bending over to read the script of the long dead King.

Mohammed bit back his disappointment.He had hoped to prove himself to the Professor, to show him that he too was intelligent. He lit a cigarette and leaned sluggishly against the stone wall, lost in bitter musings. He started as he heard a sharp cry burst forth from the enclosure.He turned, wondering if he should go and assist the Professor or leave him alone as he wished. He had heard nothing else since the initial cry, but still..there had been something so primal in that call. Perhaps he should just go and check. He had just bent to enter the enclosure when he heard it. A shriek of such inhuman proportions that it set every fine hair, every nerve in in his body afire with fear. What would make that sound? He turned back, looking in the direction that the scream had come from terrified to stay and wait, but far too terrified to even think of going and looking. He shuddered again at the memory of that scream, his breathing coming sharply in painful,erratic bursts. Something was coming. He could hear the shuffling, scraping noise of its tread along the stone passage. Allah save him, he must get out now, must run, must do something to save himself, but what? He was trapped, his only possible way out the enclosure, but it was so blocked with stone and fallen debri that he doubted his body could maneauver through them. Still he had to try. He ducked quickly into the enclosure, noting and dismissing the Professor's body, not bothering to notice the convulsive motions that the Professor's figure was going through. He scrambled around,looking for some small niche to hide in, hysteria rising to choke him as he could feel the presence growing closer and closer. Nothing, there was nothing he could do, not even a decent rock to hide behind. He whirled around, preparing to face what ever was coming, trying to think of something to do.

"Allah, save me.." His prayer echoed through the room, as he repeated it, praying for some savior, any savior to come and take him away from all this,backing slowly into the corner as he heard the shuffling rounding the corner, screaming endlessly. His raw, terror filled shrieks echoing off of every corner of the room. his face freezing in horror as he saw the harbinger of his death.

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Bulma bolted up in bed for the second time that night,thunder crashing as the last remnants of some terror filled dream, drifted through her mind. Outside the lightening and storm continued in full force, a veritable hurricane in its fury, blowing agianst the glass with gale force. She felt next to her, relaxing as she came into contact with the solid, warm body of Vegeta next to her. That at least had not been a dream and he was still here, not gone as she had half expected to wake up and find. She laid back down silently, unaware of the watchful black eyes that stared at her.

He had awoken to some vague sense of unease and discomfort. The same feeling he had felt on his way back to his woman.What was it? She had awoken too, he had heard the sharp intake of breath, felt the frantic touch of her hand as she had felt him out. He rolled onto his side, looking down at her troubled features.Trouble was coming..he could sense it and it was coming quickly. His instinct had never been wrong. He reached out to the silky hair that lay against her cheek, rolling it between his fingers. She smiled lightly and glanced over at him. "You're awake?"

"For now." His answer was gruff, but underneath there was something..something strange.

"What is it?" She was afraid to ask, afraid to hear what he would say, but she would hear it and she would accept it, whatever it was. He didn't answer her only smirked, his fingers trailing lower and lower, illiciting a gasp from her as he explored and teased.

"Vegeta.." Her voice held a keening note in it, wanting him to end the merciless teasing, but more then that she wanted him to take away whatever stangeness had invaded her soul tonight, to pound it away with a physical onslaught that would leave her with no thoughts save one and that was him.

He heard the soft plea in her voice, the desire to forget about everything else but each other and understood it. Trouble was upon them, he knew that, but for now it would be enough to simply feel...

**********************

Setihamentep smiled down at his new slave...rejoicing at the chance to live again. This time there would be no one to interfere with his plans. Forst he would reawaken Teya. They would start their kingdom again aknew then if he knew Teya,she would want her revenge. He smiled. Yes, his beautiful little Queen would want the blood of the blue haired woman and the man that had fought her..of that he was certain. He turned towards his slave..looking at the wall. The curse. This is where they had found the curse, the last time. The words spoke the curse that had been bestowed on him so m any years ago...he growled in fury..

"Destroy this wall, immediately. I want no trace of this left when I return."He turned and swept out, his robes swishing as he walked. He would go and make some more of his elixer of life, then he would reawaken Teya and when he returned, the slave would have erased the only, truly viable way to send him back to Hell. He smiled..."Ah, Teya, everythinig we have ever hoped for is here, finally. We need only embrace it. "