"Stupid rain." Thought Chichi as she rode along quietly. She hated rain. It made the ground soggy and muddy and then everyone tracked mud into te house. Rain soaked her clothes and chilled Chichi's bones, making her hands ache. Gohan drove along quickly, Videl at his side. Goten sat in the back with Chichi, everyone was silent, lost in their own thoughts. It had been sunshine all day eight months ago when they'd driven this same route to Goku's funeral. The thought of it made Chichi's heart hurt. Instead she thought of Trunks and Bra, how were they going to get along without their mother?

"Be careful, Gohan." Chichi chided from the back seat as they turned a sharp curve.

"Yes, Mom." Gohan answered automatically. Despite her best efforts Chichi's thoughts drifted back to Goku's funeral. The sun was bright, birds san extra sweetly, and even though tears there had been a good word or story on everyone's lips for Goku. Inside Chichi's heart it had rained and rained hard. She couldn't understand how Goku could give up his life so easily when everyone else fought for theirs.

Gohan parked the car behind the Briefs' big, town car. Photographers swarmed around the car to get pictures of Bulma's family. Gohan saw a flash of white cape just before the photographers began dropping their cameras.

"I guess Piccolo came after all." Gohan commented dryly. The foreboding green alien hadn't been there for Goku's funeral, (or so Chichi thought).

After the cameras quit working most of the photographers drifted away. Gohan and Videl along with Goten and Chichi took their place in line to go into the funeral home. The smell of flowers was nearly oppressive as the filed in. Bulma's sudden passing had caught everyone off guard. Those who couldn't come had sent flowers.

"Looks like a florist shop in here." Goten marveled as they entered the chapel quietly. Dark wood pews stood in military-like formations. Flowers covered the area behind and around the casket. Vegeta, Trunks and Bra sat in the front pew to the left. Bra cried into her brother's shoulder. Trunks' face was red and puffy from crying earlier in the day. Gohan led the way to a pew on the right. Krillin and his family, Tien Tsaotsu, Roshi, the whole gang had taken seats in the right hand section of pews. They all wore long faces. Krillin had been the worst hit by Goku's death and today he wore that same expression.

The memorial service began quietly with a picture slideshow of Bulma set to "Unchained Melody". All of the group shots featured Goku. They were from mostly the World Championships. Most of the pictures showed a still young, vibrant Bulma with her children toward the end. Trunks and Bra laughed and cried in turn as they watched. Chichi was amazed at how unmoved Vegeta seemed. He didn't cry, didn't speak, nothing. After the slideshow ended Master Roshi stood up to speak. The old master spoke about how long he'd known Bulma and of all the adventures they'd shared. People from Capsule Corp and many of the charities spoke. Even Hercule Satan put in an appearance. As two of the most famous people around they'd often attended the same functions.

Chichi listened to the speakers and their stories. The thing that baffled her was how distant and reserved Vegeta seemed. Even as her closest friends went to Bulma's grave site he showed no emotion on his face. Everyone began whispering about how uncaring the Sayian prince appeared. What they didn't notice and Chichi did, was how controlled he was; how he walked as if wearing invisible armor.

"I wonder what Vegeta's going to do now, Trunks already runs Capsule Corp and Bra goes to boarding school in the city?" Gohan's question verbalized what everyone thought.

"He'll probably continue his sponging from Capsule Corp." Chichi observed. Just the thought of someone like Vegeta living while Goku was now permanently gone to the afterlife was grossly unfair to Chichi.

Scene Break********************************

Life continued after Bulma's death. Capsule Corp continued with business as usual. Trunks met with Capsule Corp lawyers along with Bra a Vegeta, about the will. Capsule Corp would belong to Bra and Trunks jointly. The house and belongings were Vegeta's for his lifetime as well as a one hundred thousand dollar Zini per year stipend. Vegeta heard none of it. The lawyers' words rolled over him like waves on a beach. Trunks had never seen his father so quiet. There were neither questions nor snide remarks, just silence.