I do not own Dragonball Z or its characters...

CHAPTER ONE

The End Always Justifies The Means...Or Does It?

Bulma Briefs lay on the cool floor of her lab, well makeshift lab anyway. Since the artificial humans had proceeded to take out every bit of civilization, the people of Chikyuu had been forced to take drastic measures for their safety and she had been no different. She had all the money one could possibly have; yet it wasn't enough to secure her peace of mind or buy her security. She sighed. The cool floor felt good on the hot, scorching day. When they had destroyed everything the first time, they had unfortunately taken out the air conditioning machines and the back up generator. While it was mostly cool in the underground shelter they had, her lab in particular was sweltering. The air barely moved and she inevitably spent all her time sweating to death in the stupid place. She needed a fan.

Popping her head up on her elbow, she looked at the computer that she had been slaving over all day. How had her future self accomplished that? Was it desperate times breed desperate measures or was she just more intelligent in her older years? Her future son was desperate to get home, shadowing her every move, wanting to know what she had accomplished. Had she figured out how to build a new time machine, how long would it be before she had figured it out? Trunks had a million questions everyday, all centering around the same damn theme: Was she any closer? Bulma let her head drop back down onto the floor in despair. And everyday she was faced with the same disappointed, haunted look on the boy's handsome face, the face that so resembled his father. The answer he sought, she couldn't give him--not yet. She had no clue to how she had accomplished it and until she did, he was unfortunately stuck here. Damn those stupid artificial humans! Why did they have to destroy his time machine anyway? His mother, her future self was probably missing him like crazy and Bulma knew he agonized over the safety of her on a daily basis, regretting his decision to even come to the future in the first place.

Bulma could see his guilt and anguish, his thoughts that it had all been for naught. Things hadn't turned out any better in this timeline. The main differences being that both Goku and his father were still very much alive, but both completely unable to defeat the artificial humans. That Vegeta was still alive was enough for her. Trunks trip had paid off in that regard and Goku... it had been well worth it, though she wasn't sure that Vegeta saw it that way.

The inability to defeat the artificial humans had driven Vegeta nearly insane with anger. He had never been one to share much anyway, but before the artificial humans things had been different, he'd been different, if not loving and devoted at least intensely focused on their mutual feelings, the burning desire for each other. Now she rarely saw him anymore and when she did it usually ended in a flux of angry, ugly words, usually on his part. Bulma had stopped fighting him a long time ago. Maybe she had mellowed or maybe she realized it did her no good. She would allow him to tear into her, trying to ignore the hurt that his words caused, the pain, then she would silently leave, allowing him whatever space he seemed to need, trying to clean up the wounds he left her with as best she could. She had accepted that whatever strange relationship they had shared was over between them, or maybe it had never really been them. She wondered sometimes if she had completely misjudged him.

Bulma loved him completely and totally, had given herself to him repeatedly and fully. She knew there was a living, breathing man underneath all that cold arrogant behavior, she had seen him, felt him, loved him but he refused to let her see that side of him anymore and she had been forced to come to terms with the idea, that she was the only one with strong feelings; that for him it had been purely lust. Her pride refused to allow her to grovel over someone who could care less about her existence and what was worse his own son's existence, an inconvenient consequence of all their times together. Once he had been enthralled with Trunks, when the initial shock of parenthood had worn off. He had never been a doting father, but she had seen him watching the baby in quiet awe from time to time, seen the wealth of emotions he did his best to contain, shining in his beautiful, black eyes. Now the only look any of them received was the cold look of a man who saw them as a nuisance, a setback, a man filled with even more pain and anger than he had originally come to Chikyuu with.

"Bulma, you shouldn't be down here. It's hotter than hell."

Goku's kind voice invaded her thoughts, tearing her from her melancholy reverie. It was a welcome invasion. If she kept thinking about Vegeta, she would inevitably end up in tears and she couldn't do it today. She just couldn't. Rolling over onto her stomach, she stared up at her friend.

He still looked like a pale shadow of his former self. The heart virus had hit him hard and while the medicine Trunks had brought with him from the future had saved his life, his strength had been stripped from him completely, leaving him weak and defenseless, unable to even concentrate for any lengthy period of time. Bulma was still gloriously happy he was alive. Her life without his goofy smile and loving attitude would have been unbearable, it was too ingrained in her life, had been for many long years. She got to her feet and hugged him, glad to see a friendly face.

"What was that for?" Goku pulled away from her and smiled.

"I'm just glad you're alright. " Bulma stared into his wide black eyes, so expressive and open, and smiled.

Goku looked back at her, frowning slightly. He saw the black circles underneath her eyes, saw the war weary look of sadness about her, as if she had fought her last battle and realized it. Concern for his friend shot through him. She was letting herself get ran down.

"Bulma," Goku began, "Chi-Chi and I are worried about you. You're not taking very good care of yourself and I know Vegeta has been hard on you." He had been an unfortunate witness to one of Vegeta's mean-spirited tirades earlier. He knew that Vegeta was frustrated and looking for an outlet, any outlet that might help him. But Goku felt they were all that way; they needn't take it out on each other. Bulma hadn't deserved his angry words or his disdain. Goku had hurt for her and had wanted to go after Vegeta to say something to him, but Chi-Chi had stopped him, pointing out that Vegeta likely would take poorly to any words that Goku might have with him. In the end he had agreed with her. Vegeta was unlikely to listen to anything Goku had to say to him. It might actually make things worse. Chi-Chi had suggested that they be better friends to Bulma, to be there for her. Vegeta obviously wasn't and only a blind fool would miss seeing how worn out and hopeless Bulma was becoming.

"Well, you know Vegeta. Kindness and tact have never been his strong suit." Bulma tried to make light of the subject; vaguely humiliated that anyone else should be witness to Vegeta's belittling of her. She saw Goku wasn't buying it. He really knew her too well.

"Bulma, Vegeta has no right to berate you or anyone else for that matter." Goku knew he had not been much easier on his future son--Trunks. "Chi-Chi and I think you need a break. It's big Trunks night for patrol, so why don't you and little Trunks come join us in our room for dinner. Chi-Chi will fix something great."

It was on the tip of her tongue to say no, to just make him leave and go about her business, wallow in her self-pity, but she had been so lonely and the companionship would be so nice to have; to have an adult conversation with grown-ups, not just babble to a baby. Why not go and enjoy herself? It would be like old times, at least for awhile until reality intruded upon her again in the form of an empty bed and a lonely heart.

"Alright, Goku. That just might be what I need. Oh, by the way, I have made up some of those transmitters that we can use to bug Dr. Gero's main lab. We just need to get someone to plant them."

Goku's face lit up, shining brightly. "That's great Bulma! Maybe we can figure out what it is that Gero is going to do before he does it. It might give us a chance to stop him." The transmitters had been his idea, the only thing he could contribute since his illness. Bulma didn't miss the pained look that crossed his face, the knowledge that he might never get back his strength, might never be physically whole again ate at him. She wondered how he was really holding up but refrained from asking him not wanting to make him think of it.

"Well it's a start anyway." Bulma began the shut down of the computer. Yes, Gero had fixed them all very well. With only two artificial humans he had managed to take over the entire world, though he had remained safely behind the scenes. He ran all his operations from his mountain laboratory, hidden and nearly impenetrable, or so she had been told. No one ever saw him, only his two artificial humans of death. He would be difficult to bring down. Kami knew what horrors he was dreaming up in his lab right now, horrors he would leash upon the earth. She could only imagine.

They left the workroom in silence, locking the doors behind them. Not like it would keep artificial humans out, but it still gave her some small peace of security. She'd never be able to explain it. Bulma smiled at Goku and took his arm, hoping to lighten the mood.

"So what's for dinner?" Chi-Chi could always be counted on to whip up something incredibly delicious. Her stomach growled at the thought. She'd skipped lunch and now she was she was starving.

"I'm not sure." Goku smiled down at her. "Chi-Chi never tells me, she likes to surprise me."

Bulma smiled at that. "Alright, let me get cleaned up and gather Trunks from momma and we'll be there in a bit." She stopped at her room and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for thinking of me."

"Bulma, we love you. You know that." Goku gave her a gentle push towards her door, then turned and strolled down the hallway to his own rooms.

Bulma smiled and opened her door. She'd shower first, then dress and go fetch Trunks. She made her way to her small bath, at least small by what she was used to and wasn't surprised to see that someone was already in there, taking a shower... Vegeta. It never ceased to amaze her how she wasn't good enough to sleep with or carry on a normal conversation with, yet for some inexplicable reason her shower was the only one he would bother using. Bulma rolled her eyes and sighed. Maybe she should just go get Trunks now and come back afterwards. She could set him up in the bathroom with her while she cleaned up. She had absolutely no desire to end up on the short end of Vegeta's tongue. Bulma dismissed that idea as soon as it entered her mind. No she wouldn't hide from him. This was her room, her only sanctuary. He'd given it up and had done so willingly. She wouldn't be chased out of it. He'd just have to deal with her presence.

Turning away from the bathroom door, she went to her small dresser and began pulling out clean clothes to change into. When she had gathered them she sat patiently on the bed waiting for him to finish, hands folded neatly in her lap, trying not to worry about him. Vegeta trained so hard and always went looking for fights with those stupid artificial humans that she hadn't the heart to make him take a shorter shower. Bulma imagined the warm water felt good on his aching muscles. He had used to allow her to rub those muscles after he had trained. Bulma could easily recall the soft moans of pleasure he had unwillingly let escape as she massaged his shoulders and his back. The teasing look on his face as he rolled over and tempted her to do more then rub his muscles. Somehow he had always managed to get her to comply.

Laying back on the bed, Bulma closed her eyes, trying to remember a time when her life had been simpler. She couldn't, it had been that long. She yawned trying to ignore the sleepiness that was starting to overtake her and lost the battle. Maybe a short nap would refresh her a bit.

Vegeta came out of the shower, well aware his wayward mate was in her room. He had sensed her when she came in. So she wanted to fight some more. He smirked. He would be happy to oblige her. Slipping into his shorts and entered the small room, frowning when he did not immediately see her. Vegeta looked around, spotting her sound asleep on the bed, a bed barely big enough for two. He walked over to her, hand stretched out to shake her awake, to goad her, enrage her. Instead he found himself caressing the fine line of her jaw, his thumb flaring out, caressing the full, bottom lip. It had been so long since he had tasted her, made love to her. He bent down and bit the lip gently, his mouth trailing down the smooth skin of her neck, wanting to bite down, to mark her as his woman, the last step left to claiming her as his mate completely and fully. His tongue lashed out to caress the soft skin, his mouth seconds away from betraying him, lost in the instinctual urge his body felt to show his possession of the blue-haired beauty.

Vegeta felt her stir slightly beneath him, but she didn't awaken. He felt the ache he had for her, deep and never-ending, coupled with the ache he felt from her, through the bond he shared with the woman, it was nearly enough to undo him. Jerking his head up, he turned away, cursing. No, he would not do this. Damn her straight to Hell. She had distracted him when he most needed to be strong, forced him to feel things he wasn't ready to feel, offered him things he had no business accepting. No he would not be weak like that again. Vegeta would not allow himself the luxury of feeling things he had no right to feel, no desire to feel.

He was a Saiya-jin warrior, born and bred from a warrior race, not a love-struck idiot. If his peace of mind came at the price of her hatred, than so be it. He would antagonize her, goad her, hurt her until she turned from him and fled, never looking back. Vegeta didn't want to think what it would do to him when that happened, but he knew that for him, there could be no other way and he knew over time his heart would harden as it had been taught to do by the teachers that had taught him so well.

Vegeta turned from her in disgust, hunting for his battle armor. He had not planned on going out tonight, had not planned on hunting, but now he had the overwhelming urge to kill something, anything, whatever would take his mind off of her. Sitting on the edge of the bed, as far away as he could get from her, he roughly jerked his suit and armor on, the Saiyajin armor she had designed for him. Tonight was as good as any to go chase after the artificial humans. Vegeta could lose himself in the mindless rage of the battle, the bloodlust of the kill and forget at least for a moment this damn Chikyuu-jin woman and the many things she offered him, things that would only make him weak.

Vegeta stood and stalked to the door, jerking it open. He came face to face with his son, his future son, hand raised to knock. Vegeta snarled, of all the people to run into, this weak fool that he had spawned was not the one he wanted to see.

Trunks stepped back from the door, surprised to see his father. He had not seen his father in his mother's room ever, had not expected to see him. The look of contempt wounded him, but he would not let the bastard see that. Squaring his shoulders he stepped forward, speaking softly. "I came to speak to Bulma... I mean Mom."

"Your mother is asleep. Don't bother her now." Vegeta's voice rang cold and hard in the relative warmth of the hall. He stepped forward menacingly and shut the door, brushing Trunks aside by his mere presence, starting down the long hall. He found it strange that this boy was his son, was Bulma's son. He was barely thirty, yet here stood the adult version of his son, staring at him, and with his mother's eyes no less, an almost constant reminder of her presence in his life, of their connection whether he wanted it or not.

"Where are you going father? It's my turn to patrol tonight." Trunks fell into step behind him, determined to make the man acknowledge his presence at least for a few minutes.

"I don't particularly care. I'm looking for my own amusement, I'm not interested in yours." Vegeta growled.

"Father, you can't go looking for trouble. You'll get yourself killed." The even tone of Trunks voice belied his exasperation. Was his father so determined to kill himself that he would carelessly race into a battle with the Juuhachigou and Juunanagou? The arrogance of the Saiya-jin Prince was mind-boggling.

"Shut up, brat. I am fully capable of taking care of myself, I require nothing from you. I am the Prince of the Saiya-jin. You'd do well to remember that."

"What about Mom? What happens to her if you die? Do you even care?" Trunks fumed silently, tired of his father's callous treatment of both he and his mother. Why did it always have to be this way between them?

"Why should I care? The woman means nothing to me, neither does her brat." He smirked coldly at his son, making sure he felt the sting of his words. That they were lies was something that the brat didn't need to know. Truth was, his death wasn't even something he had entertained. The thought of her being left on her own brought him up cold. Vegeta watched as Trunk's eyes narrowed, her color, but his expression, almost identically. "Enough of this pointless conversation. Leave me alone, boy."

Trunks stopped and watched as his father continued down the hall. "Someday father, you're going to have to recognize me." His voice was low, barely more then a whisper. He turned in disgust, walking away. It was time to prepare for his own patrol. Let his stubborn, arrogant father worry about himself.

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

"Chi-Chi, this is excellent." Bulma forked the food into her mouth, savoring all the flavors Chi-Chi managed to infuse her food with. She wished she was a better cook, not that she was bad, but she couldn't compare to Chi-Chi. Bulma wasn't certain anyone could?

"Fill up, Bulma. I don't think you're getting anywhere near enough to eat these days." Chi-Chi turned and watched her husband shovel his food in his mouth, shaking her head at his table manners. "Goku, I just don't know how you can eat that way."

Bulma smiled, amused by her words. Goku had eaten that way pretty much since she'd first met him. "Where are Gohan and your Dad?"

"Oh, Gohan wanted to go and check out some of your father's new inventions, Dad too. He is as big a kid as Gohan is." Chi-Chi smiled wistfully.

Bulma smiled. "I haven't seen Dad in awhile. He's been locked away in his lab doing Kami knows what and I've been trying to get this time machine working for Trunks."

"Still no luck?" Goku looked at her with concern.

Bulma shook her head. "No and everyday he asks me and when I can't tell him yes, he looks at me with those huge blue eyes and I just can't..." She sighed, calming her voice, slowing her words. She wouldn't break down here. Breakdowns were for the night when she lay alone and awake, unable to sleep. Bulma had learned that the hard way, thanks to Vegeta. "He's such a good boy, never says anything, just walks away with his head down. I have to figure it out someway, somehow." Her head dropped.

"You will Bulma. You just have to have faith in yourself. I have never known a time when you couldn't come up with something. " Goku laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Bulma brought her hand up to rest briefly on his before standing abruptly, needing to get away. All this kindness was going to be her undoing. "Well, I had better get Trunks and go to bed. I unfortunately have a very busy day planned for tomorrow. Goku you might want to call a meeting about the transmitters. The sooner we get them in place the better."

"I will Bulma." Goku stood, Chi-Chi behind him.

"Thanks for the dinner guys. It was delicious." Bulma hugged them both, noticing the frailness of Goku's body against hers. How could such a strong, vibrant man be brought to this?

"You just take care...." Chi-Chi's words were cut off abruptly by an explosion that rocked the entire compound. Bulma felt herself propelled back against the wall. ignoring the jolt of pain that raced through her, she scrambled to get up and reach Trunks.

"It's the artificial humans!" Goku yelled at them." Come on we have to get to shelter." He staggered as another explosion rang through the building.

Bulma managed to reach Trunks, sheltering his body as chunks of the wall and ceiling fell around them. No she couldn't let her baby be hurt, damn those stupid artificial humans. Impotent rage filled her as they continued their vicious attack, reigning terror, smoke and destruction in their wake. She had to figure a way to stop them. She winced as a piece of wall clipped her head, her hand felt for the spot drawing back blood. Bulma tried to push Trunks as far under her as she safely could, praying that the artificial humans didn't decide to go looking for the people that were on Gero's wanted dead or alive list. A list she and Goku were featured prominently on. She closed her eyes as the explosions continued and prayed, prayed for an end, for help, for whatever would end this senseless destruction, never seeing the piece of wall that hit her and sent her into the sweet black oblivion of empty awareness.

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

Juuhachigou smiled at her brother, her face lit in various shades of oranges and yellows from the fires that were spreading through the city. How good it felt to destroy things. It was such fun.

Juunanagou smiled back at her. "Are you having fun sis?" His smooth voice yelled to her.

"Yes! This is exhilarating." She turned and fired another blast at the rounded dome of Capsule Corporation. Gero wanted it destroyed completely and that was one order she didn't mind following at all.

"I think we're about done sis." Her brother yelled back at her. "Time to head back and make a report to Gero." Juuhachigou rolled her blue eyes causing her brother to smile coldly. "Don't worry. It won't be much longer, we'll be free before you know it." He turned and flew off back towards the mountain that held his home, his sister following closely behind him.

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

Vegeta whirled in the air at the sound of the first explosion. He had been looking for the worthless piles of junk all night, looked over three different cities, but had so far had turned up nothing. These explosions were coming from close to home. Dammit, Bulma, Trunks... he rocketed towards the flashing light and explosions that he could see in the distance, cursing. He had to get back, had to make sure his mate was safe, his son, losing all reason but the instinctual need to protect his own.

Reaching out he searched for her ki, stunned to find it weak and thready. Vegeta sped up, traveling faster than he had ever traveled before, coming up short as he saw the entire city in smoking ruin. What had the point been? They had already devastated the area awhile ago, why come back, why finish it this way? He saw the flashing lights of the explosions moving off in the distance, slowly moving away to wreak havoc on the countryside. He should pursue them, destroy them, but he couldn't-- Bulma. He rocketed off towards Capsule Corporation, coming to a stop at the twisted mass of wreckage that was left behind, heart leaping into his throat at the sight. Why had they come back like this, why had they attacked this way? Capsule Corp had already been damaged beyond belief, Gero couldn't have known of the underground shelter. He turned sharply at the energy source he sensed coming straight at him, relaxing only slightly as he saw Trunks.

"Where have you been boy? I thought it was your turn to patrol tonight?" Fury pumped through his blood that this boy had failed to do the job that had been given him. If anything had happened to Bulma, he would kill him, son or not.

"I was." Trunks replied angrily. "I got pulled away from here by a group of people that had seen the artificial humans in the countryside destroying farmsteads. I went to check it out and then all this started. I got back here as fast as I could."

"You fool. You're first duty should have been to your home, not worthless Chikyuu-jin scum." Vegeta turned away in disgust, more for himself, then for Trunks. He had left too, left her alone to protect herself.

"Home?" Trunks asked in disbelief. "Home? This isn't my home. My home is twenty years in the future. My mother is alone, I don't even know if she's dead or alive..." His voice broke off, choked with unwanted emotion he would be damned if he would show his father. Rationally he knew he would have gladly died protecting his young mother, but his father's vicious words taunted him, willed him to lash back in self-defense.

"Your mother was alone here, brat. She gave you a place to stay, works herself to death trying to get you back to your future and you can't even be counted on to help her when she needs it?"

"How in the hell do you know what she does? You don't even care if she lives or dies. You weren't even here yourself." Trunks took an unwilling step forward, ready to do battle. Why was his father so upset? He claimed not to care about Bulma one way or the other so what did it really matter to him?

Vegeta clenched his fists in fury, aching to beat the shit out of his mouthy son, but he stopped himself. He'd give too much away if he did that, too much that was private and personal. He wasn't ready to lay bare the secrets of his mind and soul, most especially to this brat. "Enough of this pointless conversation." He hunted around for the entrance to the shelter, finding it buried under a mountain of rubble and blasting it.

Dropping down, he cringed as he saw the debris and destruction that littered the empty hall. The lights hung flickering on and off, illuminating the hall weakly and sporadically. Around him, he heard only eerie silence. The silence was deafening and left him with a gnawing fear in his gut that he could only recall having a handful of times in his life. Vegeta heard Trunks drop down behind him, but ignored him, moving forward towards the room that was Bulma's. The door hung off the hinges, beams and plaster and debris lay

everywhere, covering every inch. A quick check showed neither Bulma or his son were there. He could sense her ki further down, towards Kakkarot's room. What in the hell was she doing there? Making his way through the mess and towards the room, he entered through the hole that had been blasted in the wall, heart stopping as he saw her laying on the floor, her blue hair strewn across her face. A glance to his left showed Goku and Chi-Chi lying against the wall, unconscious. Looking back at Trunks he grunted, "See to them," before moving towards Bulma, gently brushing her hair from her face and cringing at the deep gash that slashed across her forehead.

She was bleeding heavily. He needed to get her help and from near her, he could hear his son's muffled cries, but could not see him. In frustration Vegeta sought out his ki and located it under the bed. Somehow Bulma had managed to push him under, taking the brunt of the attack herself. Conscious of his future son's ever watching eyes, he made no move towards Bulma, restraining himself from showing her any great concern. "Your mother needs help, I need to find a regen tank, you see to Kakkarot and his mate and whomever else needs something.

Gently, Vegeta lifted her into his arms, bending down and grabbing the baby by his shirt. Bulma would have killed him if she'd seen the way he'd grabbed the boy, but he could care less. His mate coddled the brat too much. He was a Saiya-jin and perfectly able to handle rough treatment.

"Father, Bulma-- I mean mom--has senzu beans in her room. She kept them for emergencies." Trunks looked at him with concern for his young mother. She was bleeding heavily from a gash in her head and had yet to regain consciousness. "Is she going to be alright?" He put voice to his greatest fear, not only for this Bulma, but another Bulma who was trapped without him in a hell of even greater proportions.

Vegeta leveled a killing gaze at him even as he left the room to get her help. "You'd better pray she will be." He flew out the door, straight back to the mess of a room that had served as hers. His son struggled in his grip causing him to growl. "Be still brat before I drop you." He dropped down in front of Bulma's smashed in door and went in, looking through the debris and rubble, attempting to find a place that Bulma would have stuck her senzu. The dresser stood against the far wall, covered in plaster and blocked by a metal beam. Another metal beam lay across the bed. If she'd been in here she would have been... he broke off the thought as his throat convulsed tightly; hot, raw and unwanted emotion trying to take hold of him. No he would not think of it. She was alright, she was safe and she would be as good as new after he had found the damn senzu.

Vegeta let the baby drop gently on the bed while he threw the beam off, laying her down next to the child as gently as he could, before turning to the dresser to check for the senzu. Dammit, why hadn't she ever mentioned them to him before. He could think of several occasions where she had produced them after he had been injured in battles with Juuhachigou and her sadistic brother Juunanagou. She'd pulled him back from death's door on more then one occasion, yet she had never once said anything to him about the senzu. Because you were never around. The unwanted thought flitted through his brain. He clenched his teeth, refusing to even think of anything else but getting her the senzu. Then he would have to find a safe place for her and his son to spend the night.

Tossing the beam that blocked his access to the dresser aside and wincing at the ringing clatter that it made as it hit against the floor, he jerked open the undamaged drawers of her dresser, pushing Bulma's clothes around, looking for anything that might be holding senzu. He finally found the loosely tied bag in the bottom drawer amongst Bulma's rather scanty underwear of all places. Vegeta felt heat rise up in his face as he thought about that underwear and the last time he had seen her in some. He had been floored by the sight to say the least. Nothing in Frieza's army had ever prepared him for Bulma or even sex with Bulma.

When she had come to him, he had been completely untried, having never been allowed to experiment or even think about sex. Not that he hadn't tried, but the few times he'd attempted to try it out with some willing woman, Frieza had beaten the life out of him each time, seemingly saving him for something far grander. Even now Vegeta shuddered to think what that might have been, he'd do better to push that unwanted memory away, before others decided to follow it. He was completely and gloriously free of Frieza and was free to do what he wanted and that included having sex with whomever he wanted. Though he had not had sex with anyone but Bulma and didn't figure he ever would. He had been absolutely clueless as to what to do with her when she had first approached him, though his body had responded in several different ways to her teasing and taunting until he had managed to get a hold of her and give her exactly what she wanted, several times as he recalled. He had come unglued in her arms, never even thinking that it could have been so incredibly good. He could still recall, with clarity, his shaking, sweaty body in her arms, trying to regain the control that he had so prided himself on and the feel of her smooth hands sliding up and down his back, attempting to soothe him. Vegeta had wanted her with a passion that was unheard of in his race ever since that first night together and he had even gone as far as to take her as his mate--doing all save marking her, making sure that he took her every night. They had managed to discover several things together.

Vegeta smirked at the memory, before he noticed that he was already starting to respond to his own thoughts. The smirk turned to a grimace as he angrily grabbed the bag of senzu and stalked back over to her, kneeling by her bed. This was exactly why he had to get away from her. She made him lose who he was, who he really was and with her he felt and did things that were not him. He was not going back to that with her. She had inspired him to several acts of foolishness and had caused him to bend his pride back further then he would have ever considered for anyone else. He could not forget that and he would be damned if he would do it again, nor would he lose himself in the physical pleasure that she was able to bring him. Bulma and love and anything that went with those two words were out of the question for him.

He was a killer, stuck on this mud ball by circumstances, not by choice. His past was littered with so many acts of horrendous violence he would never be able to live them down. There could be any number of people looking to kill him or pay back whatever atrocity he'd visited upon them. A normal life was out of the question. Bulma and Trunks were out of the question. Vegeta would not endanger them and he didn't give a moment's pause as to why he would even care if they were endangered. Bulma was the only one who had offered to take him in, to help him out, and why she should have was beyond him. He had done nothing but threaten her and bully her, yet somehow she had managed to see past all that and reach out to him anyway.

Of course he had not appreciated it in the least. She was a fool, and he would have no trouble taking advantage of a fool. He'd willingly taken everything she'd offered him, even her body and her heart, finding out too late that he was the one who had been ensnared. Angrily he discarded his gloves, pushing a senzu into her mouth and forcing her to swallow it. He sat back to wait.

He'd been furious when she'd turned up pregnant with Trunks, not even considering he might have had some small part in it, repeatedly taking her body with little thought for protection of any kind. He'd left her like a coward, left her to deal with the pregnancy and labor and delivery all by herself, rocketing into outer space to escape her and his feelings, to achieve the power that he had so coveted: Super Saiya-jin.

He'd ended up worrying about her health every day, wondering if she would even be able to tolerate a Saiya-jin baby, but he had stubbornly refused to even go and peak in a window at her, instead training himself to a pulp, nearly dieing on some godforsaken planet and returning some three months after the baby had been born, a Super Saiya-jin. For all the good that had done him. Vegeta still couldn't defeat the two bastard artificial humans, nor apparently could he adequately protect his mate. It only reinforced his belief that he had made the right choice in leaving her. If he couldn't keep her safe from two hunks of trash, what would he do if some long forgotten memory of his past decided to pay a visit. He didn't doubt there were bounties on his head in several parts of the galaxy. Eventually one of those would catch up to him and he really didn't want her anywhere near him when that occurred. Vegeta watched as she came awake, groaning low in her throat, her hand sweeping up to her face, drawing back blood.

"Oh, no! What happened?" Bulma sat up suddenly. "Trunks. Oh no! Where's my baby? Juuhachigou and her brother. They were here." She looked at Vegeta terrified, seeming to notice him for the first time.

"Settle down, woman. The brat is here and unharmed. The two junk piles are gone."

Bulma laid back, relaxing a bit, allowing Vegeta to wipe the blood off her face.

Vegeta used a piece of cloth he had found on the floor, wiping it gently across her forehead and nodding his approval as he saw the senzu had healed the cut completely.

Bulma could hear Trunk's soft babbling coming from the floor. Had Vegeta helped both of them? "Why are you here? I thought you were gone."

He regarded her with an inscrutable stare for only a moment before answering coolly. "I was in the area, and saw the devastation. It was too late to go after the artificial humans so I came down to see what had happened. I might need you in the future woman, you and your inventions. I can't afford to let you die." Vegeta ignored the look of cold, hurt that infused her face. What did she want him to say? That he had freaked out when he had seen the Corporation, that he had been frantic with worry for her, that he loved her? No he would never admit any of those things at all. He sighed as she sat up, withdrawing herself from him, sinking back into the angry shell she used to protect herself when he was around. It was getting harder and harder to do this with her.

"Well I suppose I should be grateful Vegeta that you even bothered. I guess Trunks and I are alive because of you, so thanks, no matter the reasoning behind it." Her blue eyes flared wide in horror. "Oh no... Goku and Chi-Chi, we were having dinner, are they alright?"

"I have no idea. I was concentrating on you. Trunks was seeing to them." Vegeta sat back as Bulma swung herself off her bed, reaching down to scoop up her small son.

"I have to go give them some senzu, Vegeta. They may be hurt badly and Goku... Goku's body can't tolerate that kind of abuse. Bulma grabbed the bag out of his hand, rushing down the hall, trying to dodge every piece of rubble and fallen piece of building that she could in her hurry to get back to her friends.

Vegeta followed her, silently fuming that she would care so much about that weak, third class loser. They would do better to let Kakkarot die. Whatever strength he had held was gone now, rendering him useless in the battle against the artificial humans. All the other so called Z warriors except for Kakkarot's brat had been killed or presumed dead, leaving only him and his future son to battle the pair from Hell. Kakkarot was a liability and Bulma needed to recognize that.

"Idiot." He muttered under his breath, unsure whether he meant Bulma or Kakkarot. He still needed to figure out a place to go for the night with them. Vegeta supposed he could take them back to his own shelter, though he wasn't really big on that thought. The whole idea that Bulma would be where he slept, sleeping with him for any undetermined amount of time, leaving her scent on everything that was his, was almost more then he could stand. He didn't trust himself to be able to keep his hands off of her. The whole idea of being able to feel that body against his made him tremble with a need he had thought banished from his body. Vegeta cursed himself again for being weak. What in the hell was he going to do?

Bulma managed to make it back to Goku's room, well aware that Vegeta was following her, and trying not to let that thought excite her. Why was he continuing to follow her? Could he care more then he wanted to admit? No she wouldn't even pursue the idea or get her hopes up. It was too painful when he did something mean and spiteful to prove that he couldn't stand her and she refused to continue to go through this with him anymore. She needed to think about Trunks and his well being, and having a mean-spirited, bully of a father around was not going to be healthy.

Bulma turned into the room that served as Goku's and gasped at the sight of her son, her future son, attempting to get Goku to come around. Chi-Chi sat back against the wall, awake, but obviously dazed, watching Trunks tearfully. Bulma ran to her.

"Oh No, Chi-Chi are you alright?" Bulma handed the woman a senzu and watched as she chewed.

"Bulma, you have to help Goku, please. I think the heart virus has hurt his ability to heal, more than we thought. Trunks can't get him to wake up and Gohan, I don't even know if Gohan is alive. Chi-Chi choked on a sob, noticing Vegeta standing in the doorway, watching everything impassively. "What's he doing here?" She asked irritably. He had made his feelings for everyone in the room patently clear, why bother showing up when the chips were down except to gloat.

Bulma glanced back at Vegeta and smiled slightly, aware of the hostility that radiated from Chi-Chi. "He helped me out, thankfully, or I would still be laying on the floor myself." Bulma set Trunks down by Chi-Chi, and hurried over to the older version of her son. "Trunks why don't you go and track down Gohan. He was with my father and the Ox King in Dad's lab. See if they are okay, alright?" Bulma didn't want to contemplate that they might not be, especially her father. He had to be alright, Gohan had to be okay and her mother... Kami she had nearly forgotten. "Don't forget to check on Grandma either. Look in her room.".

Trunks nodded at her once and accepted the small handful of senzu she offered him before hurrying out, reading the unspoken fear in her eyes. He brushed past his father, ignoring the cold glance that radiated out towards him. His father was becoming an enigma to him, acting like a bastard ninety-nine percent of the time, yet flying to his mother's aid as if Hell were nipping at his heels. How did one explain that? Trunks didn't have time to figure the man out right now. Now he needed to go and check on his grandparents and Gohan and any other poor soul that had been victimized by the damn artificial humans. He prayed his mother could get Goku to come around, that it wasn't too late for him.

Bulma bent over Goku, feeling for a pulse. It was weak and thready, but it was there. She bent low to his mouth, making out his raspy breathing. Oh, Kami, it was bad. She felt the hot rush of tears that threatened to flow out, and pushed them away. No, if she had any hope of getting him to come around she had to maintain control and keep her composure. Grabbing a senzu, she popped it into his mouth, forcing him to swallow. Bulma sat back, dashing away a few stray tears that had found their way out and waited. Great, just what she needed Vegeta to see, her sobbing and over Goku no less--his rival. He already thought she was a weak fool, nothing like falling apart in a moment of crisis to reinforce that idea.

"Bulma, is he okay?" Chi-Chi's strained voice cut through her thoughts and she turned to face her friend, shocked to see the stark fear that radiated from the younger woman's black eyes.

"He's still alive Chi-Chi and I just gave him a senzu." Bulma spoke gently. "I won't know for a minute." She smiled reassuringly at the frightened woman who sat quietly holding Trunks against her, silent tears seeping down her face. Chi-Chi hardly ever cried, to see her doing so now was more frightening than anything else she could possibly have seen. "It'll be okay Chi-Chi. You have to have faith."

"You'd do better to let him die, woman." Bulma closed her eyes at his deep voice. Dammit, why did he always have to be a bastard in front of other people. Just what she needed, a fight to the death between him and Chi-Chi. Bulma opened her eyes and realized her worse fears as Chi-Chi's face lit with rage, something that was truly frightening in itself.

"How dare you, you son of a bitch?! How dare you come in here after all that man has done for you and tell me he would be better off dead!" Chi-Chi scrambled to her feet, fear for Goku forgotten as she sought to put Vegeta down a notch.

Vegeta smirked, impressed with the woman's fire. Usually she was a loud mouthed nag, but when it came to defending her own, she was as much a Saiya-jin as he was. "It is the way of warriors, idiot. Kakkarot is weak, he is a liability now and would tell you that himself." He crossed his arms over his chest, looking away.

"Why you bastard." Chi-Chi looked as if she was going to launch herself at him. Bulma stood quickly, placing herself between the two.

"I'm not going to allow Goku to die Chi-Chi, not when there is breath still left in my body. Now come on, the senzu should be working, we don't want him to wake up to our fighting." Bulma turned her icy, blue-eyed gaze round towards Vegeta, daring him to disagree with her.

He growled, but remained silent. What did he care what she did?

Bulma grinned at the petulant look on his face and turned back towards Goku. She could already see the color coming back to his face a bit, at least as much color as he had been able to get back since the heart virus. He just hadn't been the same, healthy man he'd been before, even the spikes of his hair drooped. She smiled in relief as he groaned slightly and bent to check his pulse, relieved to feel it stronger. The senzu had done its job. Standing, Bulma took Trunks from Chi-Chi, allowing the woman to kneel by her recovering husband, and stepped back, speaking softly. "Chi-Chi, I'll go and check on Gohan. Trunks should have found them by now."

Bulma turned to leave, smiling at the couple on the floor. Thank Kami, she'd had the senzu. She'd kept them for emergencies, most of those being Vegeta who didn't know when to quit with the two artificial humans and who had more times than she would have liked come to her, barely alive, dripping blood and in sore need of medical attention. The senzu had saved his life on more then one occasion. Bulma should just give him the bag, maybe then she could stop living in fear of his imminent death, a thought she didn't even want to contemplate. She saw him standing there, watching her quietly, and doing his best to ignore the couple on the floor. She was overcome in that one moment at the thought that something might happen to him, something she couldn't prevent. He was as high up on Gero's wanted list as she or Goku, faced risks everyday that he didn't have to and for what... the challenge? Perhaps, though she didn't necessarily believe that was the sole reason. Bulma walked over to him, watching him straighten and tense as she approached. Unable to stop herself and knowing it was going to be a mistake but needing the contact even for a brief moment in time, she threw her free arm around him and pulled herself against him, hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you are alright." She whispered huskily into his ear, shocked to feel his arms slip around her and tighten slowly, his hard body relaxing for the briefest of moments against hers, before he shoved her away, mumbling something about foolish women. Bulma smiled and turned to go, but his hand shot out, stopping her.

"Where are you going woman?"

"To check on my father."

"He's fine." Vegeta stared at her piercingly, black eyes shining with some fierce emotion she couldn't name.

"How do you...? Oh yeah, I forgot, his ki signature. " Bulma sighed in relief. "Wait a minute how about Momma?" She looked frantically at him. He searched for a moment, and then nodded.

"She is fine and with him. Trunks is there as well."

Bulma sagged in relief. "Thank goodness. I'd still like to go and check on them." She made to break away form Vegeta's grip, but he wouldn't allow it, holding her firmly in his grip.

"Woman, they are fine, let Trunks deal with it. We need to find you and the brat a place to stay for the night, until you can figure out a new shelter."

Bulma looked at him in surprise for a moment. Why would he care where she slept?

"I can just stay in my room, Vegeta. The bed was clear enough to lay on..."

Vegeta interrupted her with an angry growl. "Don't be so stupid woman. They are after something; there was no reason to come back here and demolish the place the way they did. They could come back here tonight and completely demolish this place. You won't be staying here."

"Well Vegeta, I just can't go and leave everyone here to risk their lives. I need to stay and help. "

"Woman." Vegeta growled again.

Bulma refused to back down.

"No Vegeta. I'm not going to run out on my friends and family. I won't force you to stay here, you can leave if you want." Bulma tried to smile at him, but was taken aback at the ferocity of his look.

"You have one hour woman, to get what you need together and find a shelter for these morons. I'll be back." Vegeta turned and left, leaving her standing there nonplussed.

Since when had he given a damn about her well being and safety before? Why did she always have to fall for the complex, hard to figure bad boys that inevitably trampled all over her heart? Bulma shook her head and quickly made her way to her father's lab. One hour huh? She didn't doubt he would throw her over his shoulder and carry her off either. He'd have no problems doing that. The thought made her smile. Perhaps he cared more for her then she had originally thought.

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

"Doctor Gero."

The smooth voice almost lulled the doctor to sleep; it was so calm and detached. Gero swiveled in his chair and regarded his monstrous creation with a jaded eye.

"We destroyed the rest of Capsule Corporation as you wished." The male, Juunanagou, spoke. Standing beside him, his sister, Juuhachigou.

So many bugs to iron out still. They were so defiant, so willful. Gero wondered if that was the human side of them? He had been working on several new models, that he hoped would be much more loyal then these two satanic spawn. He smiled despite himself: Satanic because he had made them that way. The new artificial humans he was creating would be even better, even meaner and stronger. And what was even better was that he could create an entire army of them. Let Vegeta or Goku try to fight. They would be crushed in moments and this planet would be his completely. With Vegeta out of the way he might be able to gain access to the Brief's girl, a brilliant scientist in her own right. A memory wipe and she would be his. Gero's mouth curved upwards at the thought. The things they could create together. The universe would be theirs, and a child... What kind of child would two people with their intelligence create? Gero frowned. It would not be possible until Vegeta was dead. He had proven difficult to kill and Gero knew he had a relationship with the girl, that they had a son. He didn't doubt Vegeta would fight to the death to protect her. It would be the Saiya-jin instinct in him. Well soon, he would be able to accomplish it, since the two piles of junk in front of him seemed incapable of finishing him off.

"Very good, that should flush them out of hiding. It is a shame you couldn't go in and capture a few of them, Goku and the Briefs girl especially. Even Vegeta would have been an incredible catch. His or Goku's genetic make up would be very interesting to study, to replicate. He could do so much with DNA such as theirs and to watch Vegeta suffer as his love turned on him and took another man. What a fitting punishment for all his crimes. Gero looked at his twins again and smiled. "I think it's time you bring our prisoner to me. Let's see what we can get done with him tonight." Gero smiled maliciously as the pair bowed slightly and left, heading to the elevators that led to his prison to fetch the Z warrior that they had managed to capture alive.

"What do you think Doctor Gero has in store for him?" Juuhachigou asked her brother, her voice nondescript, yet pleasant and soothing.

"Probably the same thing he does to all his prisoner's sis; the memory wipe and implantation of new memories. He wants this one to go back and spy for him. Someone they think they can trust, but in truth can't. It is actually a brilliant idea. Doctor Gero will turn him loose with orders and let them find him. Goku especially will not even suspect that he has actually been reprogrammed. "

Juuhachigou nodded silently. Yes it was a brilliant plan, yet she wondered if the remaining Z warriors were as stupid as Gero seemed to think they were. Vegeta was certainly not trusting and he was the one they were encountering more times then naught, him that delicious purple-haired brat. Oh well, what did she care? She would simply kill them all. Wasn't that what she lived for? The twosome entered the barely lit prison level of Gero's hideout, entering it silently and coming up on the man who stood, battered and bruised in the last cell.

"Well, well friend. It's your lucky day. Doctor Gero wants to see you." Juunanagou smiled at the look of fear that blazed across the prisoner's face. "Yes friend, I think you should be scared, very scared." The prison door slammed shut with a hollow clang as they led the prisoner, in tattered clothes, to his destiny. What was his name? Juuhachigou couldn't recall, only remembering that he had been a member of the Z warriors. Well soon, he would be one of them.

The man clenched his fists in terror. He had already been through Gero's house of horrors. What else did the deranged doctor have in mind? He shuddered and tried to recall better times. Goku, his friend, was he even still alive or was it as Gero had said, or had he deserted him in his time of need? The Goku he had known would never have deserted his friend that was why it couldn't be true; he would never have left him behind if he were alive. He felt real sadness at the thought of the loss of a true friend and hero. His heart stopped as he realized they were already within the confines of Gero's lab. Terror began to flow through him in cold waves, spreading through every limb of his body. No, he couldn't go through Gero's mind probes again. He tried to bolt, to escape, but the two twins held him in an unbreakable grip. The door to the inner darkened inner chambers of Gero's lab rolled open, showing the doctor leaning casually against a tank.

"My, dear friend." The doctor spoke almost jovially. "How good of you to join me." He nodded towards the twins who pushed him into the room, then turned leaving him alone with the monster that haunted his every waking dream.

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

Bulma had seen to her parents and managed to find shelter for everyone in less than an hour. She wasn't sure how she had done it, but she had. Trunks had agreed that the shelters she had come up with were more then adequate as far as safety went--at least for the night. So when Vegeta showed up, she was ready. He approached her like a cat stalking its prey, wearing a look of steely determination, as if expecting her to give him a battle. The sight of him sending shivers coursing through her body. Where was he planning on taking her? The thought that she would be alone with him sent another wave of tremors racing through her. She pulled her baby son closer to her as Vegeta got closer, knowing his flair for dramatics. He'd more than likely just sweep her up and be gone; she'd do best to be prepared. He didn't disappoint her. Bulma was in his arms in a blink of an eye and he was out of the shelter even quicker, rocketing off to parts unknown. Kami, he flew so fast. Bulma hung on tighter to both her mate and her son. "Vegeta," she managed to gasp out against the rush of air, "where are you taking us?"

Vegeta looked at her and smirked. "You'll know when we get there, woman."

Bulma sighed and snuggled closer, enjoying the proximity to his warm body. There was no point in badgering him; he would just refuse to tell her. She might as well enjoy the ride, no doubt he would be difficult and contrary whenever the got to where they were going.

Vegeta looked at his beautiful mate and smirked. She loved to fly, had once told him she found it thrilling and free. He knew she was in awe of the speeds he could go, and that filled him with a sense of pride. He looked back up. They would be arriving shortly, and then he would have to figure out a way to deal with her close presence. He wondered how he was going to get through this. Well he would find out when he got there just what type of control he still had and if it would be enough to keep her at bay. He knew one thing with surety. It was going to be a very long night for him.

Bulma’s Hideout/ 2