I Do Not Own Dragonball Z

CHAPTER NINE

Bulma stared out the viewscreen of her cockpit at the blue and green planet that was rapidly growing before her. How many times had she dreamed of coming her, sitting with her tutors, learning about this planet's history, about it's wars and culture and landscape. Oddly, something had always drawn her to this particular planet and she had been forced to learn about them all. She knew it had been inevitable that she would have ended up here, her destiny perhaps calling her home, something she had known intuitively, just never fully understood. She had never dreamed her arrival would be under these circumstances. Well it certainly was a beautiful planet. The vivid blues and greens and browns were interspersed with wisps of white giving it an almost ethereal appearance. One could spend hours contemplating the purity of its beauty.

She glanced down as the ship beeped at her. Time to key in the coordinates Bardock had found. They had hunted them up awhile ago, wanting to be prepared. Perhaps they were both anxious, Bardock to see his sons and her...well truth be told she was more then a little excited to see her father and brother again. Nervous as well, nervous about her brother's condition. Vegeta had warned her he'd had lapses of reality. He'd said very little, remaining close-mouthed for the most part and not particularly bothering to hide his dislike and open contempt for her brother. She'd argued with him vehemently, trying to sway his opinion, attempting to reason with him, but in the end she had learned his stubborness was a match for hers. She'd given up in disgust, actually refusing to talk to him, that is until that night when he had come to her and made love to her with all the raw, burning passion he had to offer. He'd done so nearly every night, almost as if he were a man in paradise who knew his time was just about up, trying to get his fill before that happened. Everyday that brought them closer to Chikyuu was another day that Vegeta withdrew more into himself, and now they were a few minutes away from landing. If he'd changed this markedly over the month long trip, what would he be like once they actually arrived back amongst their families and friends. She'd been spoiled this past month and she knew it, having his undivided atention focused completely and blissfully on her. She wasn't foolish enough to think she'd have it on Chikyuu, she could sense his attempts at distancing himself and the small innuendos that he threw out from time to time. She shook her head. There would be time enough to worry about it later. She'd best concentrate on entering the atmosphere and landing so she didn't crash them. Bardock and Vegeta were both already injured from the fight with Ginyu. How they had lasted a month with broken arms was beyond her. They had allowed her to wrap them, but had refused her offers to set the ship down and find a regen tank for them, both steadfastly insisting they would survive. She certainly couldn't have. It had to be a Saiyajin thing, the too proud to admit I am hurt, must be tough facade the entire race seemed to carry around. She glanced down at her son, wondering, would he be any different or would he be a carbon copy of his father? She smiled as he gurgled softly.

She'd fashioned a make-shift carrier for him out of different materials she'd found laying around the ship in various places, allowing her to tote him wherever she chose to go, not that she had a lot of options. He watched her now, with sleepy blue eyes, his little face set in an almost identical face his father had. She smiled again as he fluffed his little tail. She'd kept him so bundled in blankets after his birth, he never seemed to realize he actually had a tail, but now that she had allowed him more freedom, relaxing the blankets and dressing him lightly, he had discovered it and seemed to enjoy having one. " So Trunks, are you ready to meet your grandpa?"

He blinked up at her, looking at her as if bored with whatever the world had to offer.

"Not excited? Well I bet he'll be surprised. I don't think he's expecting you." She chuckled nervously. Surprised was probably not the right word. Shocked maybe? Floored? She could think of a million descriptions and none were particularly pleasing. When she had spoken to him briefly by transmitter, she had made no mention of Trunk's arrival. She'd been too chicken to tell him on Hell, too afraid of his reaction. What in the hell was he going to think when she turned up unmarried and towing a baby? Granted she considered Vegeta her husband, but the truth was they had gone through no formal ceremonies even by Saiyajin standards. Maybe that was for Vegeta's benefit, in case he grew tired of her. She'd regretted the thought as soon as it crossed her mind. How could she still be insecure about him? He'd told her in numerous ways that he loved her, shown her, and she knew for any Saiyajin that was not something they took lightly or said easily, especially Vegeta, their crown Prince. He'd not have said it if he hadn't meant it. Honor was everything to him. "Well Trunks, the coordinates are in, might as well get there now." She released the auto pilot and took over the controls, relishing the feel of being in control again, the feel of controlling the engine's power. She entered the atmosphere with little more then a bump and rocketed off in the direction she needed to go. Still got it Bulma, still got it. The thought raced through her head, filling her with a joy she hadn't known in awhile. How good this felt to be behind the controls of a ship, her bird locked onto the coordinates she'd fed it. The'd be there in moments. Through the viewscreen she could catch glimpses of the everchanging landscapes and reveled in the unmistakeable beauty of it. "Oh, Trunks! It looks positively gorgeous." She saw the ship rapidly coming up on its final destination, the flashing lights of the control panel blinking unrelentlessly. "Okay baby, this is it." She lowered her landing gear and guided it to an open spot, throttling back on the speed as she did so. "Yes! Trunks your mom has not lost her touch." It thrilled her to be able to do something so simple and free. It had been almost a full year since she'd last piloted anything and she had missed it greatly. She began the shut down of the ship, managing not to flinch at the tail that snaked around her waist.

"Are you ready woman?" She managed to contain the shiver of desire that raced through her body at his seductively husky voice in her ear. She gulped as she saw an arm appear beside her. Damn him and what his mere physical presence did to her.

"Ready for what?" She at least still had her voice, thank goodness for small miracles.

He grazed the sensitive lobe of her ear with his teeth, smirking as she all but melted back against him.His smirk turned to a gasp, then a low moan, as her fingers stroked his tail slowly and leisurely, making sure he felt every gentle touch.

"Is this what you're ready for?" A slight smile played on her lips as she teased him gently.

Vegeta didn't bother to answer, allowing his mouth to burn a trail of fire along her neck. "I'm always ready for that woman." He murmered sexily. How quickly he could turn the tables, make her forget reason. If he kept this up she would let him take her here and damn everyone else. She trembled at the erotic images that thought invoked. He certainly wasn't lying about that, he was always more then ready to make love, something she'd come to greatly appreciate it. She sighed and offered up her neck to him when a soft gurgle drew both of their attentions away from each other.

"I don't think Trunks is ready." She teased him lightly, sorry that the mood had been broken, but knowing it was for the best. They couldn't actually make love right here, right now, or could they?

"He will be someday." Vegeta growled softly, frustration evident in his voice. "Later woman. I will have you later." He jerked his tail from her grasp and was gone, leaving only a trace of his warm, solid presence behind.

"No Vegeta," She said aloud, "I'm going to have you." She chuckled softly at the errant thought and bent to pick up Trunks. "Come on Trunks, it's time to go and meet your grandpa and uncle." She frowned momentarily at the thought of Britton, but pushed it away. For now she would just allow herself to be happy at their reunion. Tomorrow would be soon enough to worry about everything else. She laughed happily as Trunks wrapped his tiny tail around her wrist, and kissed him, unable to resist the urge to show him affection. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her nerves and prepared to go and see her father.

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Kakkarot half ran, half walked the short distance to the ship that had just set down on their pad, dragging Chi-Chi in his wake. "Come on Chi-Chi, you finally get to meet my dad, and Bulma too. You'll love her!!" His enthusiasm evident and she could not resist a small smile, despite her rapidly churling stomach. What if Bardock hated her? What if he wanted Kakkarot to get rid of her? She had been forced to listen to that retarded Nappa list all the possible things that could result from that particular situation and had foolishly allowed her imagination to run away from her, knowing better, but unable to stop it. It hadn't helped when Kakkarot had heard from Bardock over two weeks ago. He'd been like a small child, joyful and relaxed and unbelievably happy. Not that she could say she minded that. He had suffered greatly with his guilt and anguish, suffered with it for months and she couldn't say that he still didn't from time to time. She had tried to reassure him, to remind him that his father had not sounded unhappy at all, but she knew that he would not feel fully absolved until he looked his father squarely in the eyes and saw that truth for himself. She did know for a fact that he was struggling with a way to tell Vegeta about Parisia and Nappa, to prepare him. She shivered at the thought of both but particularly of Parisia. There was something frighteningly wrong with her, something you could sense a mile away and as much as she disliked Vegeta and his atitude and his constant blame and condemnation of Kakkarot for Bulma's supposed death, he didn't deserve a woman like Parisia after him. So now it was time for all hell to break loose and Kakkarot was dragging her right into the middle of it. She would make sure to thank him for it later.

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Brennon Angione, past King of Correnia, stood expectantly in the shade of the Chikyuu-jin Oak tree and waited for the first glimpse of his beloved daughter. He'd lived with the thought that she was dead and gone, that he would never be able to look upon her beautiful face again, never see her become a wife and a mother, all the things she should have and would have done. Innately he knew that whatever had been between her and the Saiyajin Prince had been deep, deep enough for him to go and search for her. That was not something a man did lightly and it had shocked the hell out of him that a Saiyajin, especially one he had dismissed as arrogant, brutal and cruel, would feel something so deeply. He couldn't say he was happy or that he was even convinced that his daughter loved the bastard, but he would not stop them if it was what Bulma wanted. He would be forever in the boy's debt for her life. He might not like him, but he knew he could trust him and most especially trust him with his daughter. He glanced down at his son, who sat, leaning morosely against the tree.

Seeing him deteriorate in mind and body was just as devestating as losing Bulma. The boy was barely twenty one, yet he had only pain, death and despair to look forward to, instead of a full, healthy life. He damned Frieza for the millionth time, wishing he were a stronger man, strong enough to purge the universe of any and all traces of the bastard tyrant. What he had cost him and his family, his wife, his son, his daughter and his home. Well at least now he was getting his daughter back, some small joy in a time of sorrow and loss.

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

Kakkarot came to a halt beside Toma, who wore a grin from ear to ear. Kakkarot grinned. Toma had missed his best friend, missed him horribly, but in true Saiyajin fashion, had refused to admit it. Toma glanced at him and clapped him on the back, "I knew your old man was too tough to die, boy!"

Kakkarot looked guiltily at Toma. "I only wished I had shared the same faith in him."

"Kakkarot, you did what you had to do, what you thought was best based on what you saw with your own eyes. Your father doesn't blame you for that and knowing Bulma, well I doubt she will blame you either."

"Vegeta blames me."

"Vegeta is a hot headed fool at times, not to mention he has been blinded by his own grief and anger. He hasn't thought anything through clearly, something I expect will change now that he has Bulma back."

"I don't know Toma. For Vegeta it is all about honor and in his eyes, I showed none when I knocked him out and took off. I'm not sure he his ever going to get over that or forget it, not to mention that I still have to tell him Parisia and Nappa are here."

"Then perhaps you should clear the air, fight it out with him. Vegeta would welcome the spar, you know that."

"Perhaps." Kakkarot shot a glance at Chi-Chi, who stood motionless beside him, eyes focused on some point off in the distance. What was he supposed to do? Of course Vegeta would love the opportunity to beat the hell out of him or worse kill him. If he allowed that to happen, where would that leave her? He knew she was pregnant, though she had not spoken a word to him of it. She might not even know herself yet, but he had sensed, no felt the growing ki within her. He could not allow Vegeta the chance to kill him,not now. He had too much to lose. Toma was right, he had done what he had felt to be right, Vegeta would have to accept that. Perhaps he could earn his trust back in small steps, somehow, someway. Of course this would all be a moot point if Vegeta decided to kill him over Nappa and Parisia, especially when he had to explain that Parisia had taken up residence in Vegeta's bedroom and seemed to consider herself Queen of the universe. He cringed. God, Vegeta was going to blow his fuse. Kakkarot secretly hoped that Vegeta would just blast them both straight to hell and be done with it, but realistically he knew that if what Nappa said were true and Frieza did come looking if anything happened to him, well he wasn't sure it was a risk they could take. His eyes snapped up to the lowering ramp and opening door of the ship, connecting with his father's almost identical eyes. He felt the grin spread across his face like a Chikyuu-jin wildfire at the sight of his father's face, happiness flowing through him with reknewed fervor. Happiness that the man was alive, that he would know his grandson, would know Chi-Chi, that he would know life, not death. He started forward, anxious to greet him, but a heavy hand on his shoulder restrained him, held him back.

He glanced over his shoulder and met the cool, assessing eyes of his brother. He frowned, not wanting to battle his brother right now, wanting instead to share the joy of their father's return. Raditz regarded him silently for a moment, coolly, then smirked slightly.

"Come brother, let us go and greet our father together today." The hand left his shoulder and Raditz started forward. Kakkarot stared at his back for a moment in complete disbelief, then grinned. Today was going to be a decent day after all.

Bardock saw them and smiled. His sons. One the spitting image of his mother, the other the image of him, different, yet alike. He would never take them for granted again, never assume that they could do without him and his guidance. Maybe they had grown closer in his absense. He certainly hoped so and from the looks of it, they had both taken mates, or at least Kakkarot had. He grinned again, glad to be alive and even happier to be reunited with his sons and his brother. Maybe not his brother in blood, but his brother in everything else. He and Toma had been through hell together, and had come out the other side scarred and bruised but alive. Their friendship was not one he took lightly. He glanced behind him as Vegeta joined him, Bulma and Trunks close behind. "Nice place." He spoke lightly.

"It serves its purpose." Vegeta swept by him and started down the ramp, wanting to get himself into a regen tank as soon as possible, his arm was killing him and he longed for the full use of it again. Bardock followed closely, both of them effectively blocking Bulma and Trunks from the full view of the others. They met Kakkarot and Raditz at the bottom. Vegeta was the first to speak.

"Do you have the regen tank ready, Kakkarot?" Vegeta all but growled the words at him, causing Kakkarot to wince at the tone. Yes things were definitely going to have to be settled between them. Maybe he could start with this small offering. He pulled two senzu out of his pocket. Chi-Chi had taken him and shown him where they grew and he had picked as many as he had been able to, wanting to gather as many as possible for them all. Maybe this would lessen the impact of telling Vegeta about Parisia.

"I can actually do better then that." He handed a bean to both men.

"What in the hell is this?" Bardock stared at the bean in confusion, having never seen one before.

"Just eat it," Vegeta stuck his in his mouth and chewed , ignoring the bitter flavor that flooded his senses. "How did you manage to come by these Kakkarot?" He waited as the bean's healing powers swept through his injured arm. Bardock watched in disbelief as Vegeta flexed his arm almost as if nothing had ever been wrong with it in the first place. He popped his bean into his mouth and almost spat it out, the flavor was god awful. He forced himself to swallow and looked at his grinning son in amazement when he too was able to flex and move his arm about.

"How?" He was amazed.

"It's a long story. Let's just say I have an inside source." He flashed a cocky grin. Vegeta snorted and moved past him, giving Kakkarot his first view of Bulma. He moved forward to greet her and stopped short as he took in the sight of her with Trunks in he arms. He moved forward slowly, shocked. "Bulma, my God, what is that?"

Vegeta snorted again. "It's called a baby you idiot." He turned back and stared at Kakkarot accusingly. Kakkarot turned pale, struggling for the right words. "Oh no Bulma, you weren't.."

He couldn't finish. That she should have suffered rape at the hands of Frieza or any of his minions was more then he could bare.

"Kakkarot, you ass. That is my son. Bulma was pregnant when you left her on Hell."

"Vegeta." Bulma warned as she stepped towards Kakkarot, holding Trunks out. "This is Trunks. I had him a month ago."

Kakkarot stared down at the tiny bundle in awe. He was the spitting image of his father, yet he could see traces of Bulma too. He smiled at the tiny tail, his son would be like this. He glanced up at Bulma with amazement and awe and a mixture of pain and sadness. "Bulma, I..I don't know what to say, I am so sorry I left, I thought you were dead, I thought father was dead." He glanced over at his father who watched him quietly. Vegeta watched impassively, already knowing his fool mate would not hold him accountable. That was her choice, he did not feel the same way. He would never forget what Kakkarot had done.

"Kakkarot it is alright, really. I am fine, Trunks is fine and we are home." She smiled at him lightly.

"Bulma I don't deserve your forgiveness but I will gladly take it."

"Bulma is right, boy, you did what you had to. It is behind us now." He clapped a hand on his son's shoulder, and brought the other hand down on Raditz's. "Right now, I want to enjoy my arrival home and my reunion with my sons and my friends, he nodded towards Toma who had stepped forward, Chi-Chi in tow.

"I have someone I would like you both to meet." Kakkarot smiled shyly at Bulma, taking Chi-Chi's hand in his. "Bulma, father, this is my mate, Chi-Chi. we had the formal bonding two weeks ago. We are truly mated and joined."

Vegeta grimaced. That bastard would have to remind him of bonding. He had doen a small bit with Bulma already,but had not attempted it fully. He had not had the chance to do it properly with Bulma and now she would think he hadn't wanted to. He would have to come up with something, he needed to make their relationship permanent, though for him it was, completely. The bonding ritual would just make it unbreakable. That was something he wanted to ensure.

Bulma looked quizzicaly at Vegeta who looked away. She frowned, had he not wanted to bond with her? She glanced back at Chi-Chi, a beautiful, black haired girl. Kakkarot seemed to be absolutely enthralled with her. "It's nice to meet you." She bestowed a wide smile on her.

Chi-Chi smiled, "I've heard a lot about you. Kakkarot didn't do you justice."

Bulma flushed. "Please come and visit me sometime, I'd love to talk to you more. I need to go and see my family now." She had caught a glimpse of her father and brother a few feet away, lounging by a tree. It was time. She moved by Vegeta and crossed the distance to her father. Her brother scrambled to his feet, Bulma felt the hot tears sliding down her face before she had even reached them and was completely helpless to stop them. Her father started forward, arms open wide, offering a safe haven, her brother right behind him. She felt herself enclosed within her father's strong embrace, felt her brother's arms around her as well and choked back a sob. She could dimly sense their sobs as well. She pulled back and stared into her father's eyes. "Daddy, Britt, I have to introduce you to someone." Her breath hitched ever so slightly as she held out Trunks and watched the play of emotions that crossed her father's face.

"Do you love Vegeta?" He asked the question softly, gently yet with complete and utter earnesness, searching his daughter's wide, blue eyes, searching for any signs of unhappiness or pain. He saw none. She smiled as her brother gently took the small boy and held him to his chest, choked on another sob as she realized that unless her brother found help he would never have this moment with his own child, never hold his firstborn or watch them grow. He must have sensed her thoughts for he smiled at her gently, through his tears.

"It's alright Bulma. It'll be alright. Do you love Vegeta?" He smiled sadly at her.

She looked from her father to her brother and nodded, whispering softly, "More then anything else."

Brennon nodded. "That is all I need to know, " He took the baby from his son, "I have a fine grandson, what's his name?"

"Trunks."

"Well Trunks, it seems you and I and your uncle need to become aquainted." He smiled down at the small baby who gurgled up at him. "You look like your father." He smiled lightly. "Yet your mother is there too."

Bulma half sobbed, half laughed, throwing her arms around her brother, grateful her father wasn't angry. She was home.

Vegeta watched her reunion with her family beside Kakkarot, who also watched quietly. He'd heard her admission to her father of what she felt for him. He started forward with every intention of taking her inside and making love to her slowly and thoroughly, of telling her he loved her in the only way he could .He wanted to hear her call his name over and over in that way she did when he had shared himself with her, every part of himself, leaving himself open and vulnerable in her arms. As soon as he had gotten the idea, had begun to act on it, he saw a figure walking leisurely toward him as if she belonged,as if he would welcome her. He felt his face pale, no, surely he was mistaken. He heard Kakkarot's sharp intake of breath, jerked his head toward him, "What is she doing here? What is that bitch doing here?" He started forward, he would kill her now, he would blast her into her own private spot in hell where she could rot. How dare she turn up here and act as if she belonged. He wanted her no where near his mate and no where near his son.

"Vegeta, wait." Kakkarot grabbed his shoulder. "She and Nappa showed up here. I was hoping to kill them, but Nappa said Frieza would miss them, that he would come looking for them. I didn't think I had a choice. "

Vegeta shrugged out of Kakkarot's grip and snarled. "I would rather face Frieza and death then tolerate this bitch's presence.

"Vegeta we can't risk it. We have too much to lose, too much at stake and think of Bulma, of Trunks. You'd sign their death warrant too."

Vegeta turned towards Kakkarot, frustrated anger written across his face, knowing what Kakkarot said was true, but too angry to acknowledge it. "I don't give a fuck Kakkarot, I want her away from Bulma, I will not allow her a second chance to kill her. I can protect Bulma and Trunks from Frieza." He started forward to intercept her, to keep her from reaching Bulma, for that seemed to be exactly where she was heading and he would be damned if he she got with in a foot of her.

Bulma had heard his raised voice, heard the anger and fury in it and turned to see what had incited him. Her eyes widened as she saw Parisia. She whipped her head back towards Vegeta. "Why is she here?" She clenched her teeth in anger. All she could see was Parisia making lovewith Vegeta. She growled in anger and looked back at her brother who held Trunks. "Don't let her near my son." Britton nodded, clutching Trunks tightly to his chest, perfectly willing to snap the other woman's neck if she even approached his nephew. He saw Vegeta move towards Bulma, putting himself between her and the bitch, though Bulma seemingly didn't care for this. She attempted to sidestep Vegeta, to get out of his shadow, he smiled as he watched Vegeta shove her back. These two had obviously met their match in each other. He didn't particularly care for Vegeta, but he certainly seemed to have his sister's number. His smile gave way to a grimace as stabbing pain shot through his brain, paralyzing him in its wake. He shoved the baby towards his father and leaned back against the tree, breathing heavily, drawing in deep ragged breaths as he attempted to will it away. He felt Bulma's hands on his face, touching it gently, smoothing away the tense lines that pinched his face. It felt so nice to have her cool hands on him,to have someone who for once would not run away in terror and disgust at him. He had always known he could count on his sister, that she would help him, not turn away from him and pretend he didn't exist. He raised a shaky hand and placed it over hers whispering softly,

"Thank You." Bulma looked up into his face, her eyes as blue as the ocean, and smiled gently at him wiping the tears from his face.

"Don't thank me for being your sister, moron." She teased him gently, attempting to bring out a smile. "Are you sure you're alright?" She had all but forgot Parisia, losing track of her in her worry over her brother.

"Well isn't this a sweet family moment." The acid voice ripped through Bulma's brain. Behind her she heard Vegeta's low growl, then his deep voice.

"Get the fuck out of here before I send you straight to hell."

"Come now Vegeta, is that anyway to greet me. I am sure there is a much more appropriate way." She sidled close to him, reaching out to caress his face, letting her hand drop as he flinched away from her touch.

"Don't touch me." He sneered at her, disgusted by her mere presence and wanting to be rid of her. Kakkarot's warning echoed in his brain and a much as he wanted to discount it and to blast her, he knew he couldn't risk it. Kakkarot was right, they weren't ready for Frieza yet and to have to move would be too difficult. It needed to be avoided at all costs. He would have to figure some other way to do away with her. Perhaps he could take Bulma some place away from her.

"Are you still playing the tired game Vegeta? You know you want me, why else did you come to me. What did he tell you about our night together?" She nodded towards Bulma. "It was a passionate encounter, one that I will never forget." She smiled as Bulma turned away from her brother and faced her. Vegeta growled in fury and raised his hand. To hell with Frieza, he would kill the bitch now. Kakkarot managed to deflect the blast away from her.

"Vegeta no. We can't tip off Frieza. Don't let her get to you." Kakkarot secretly wanted to see her die, would have liked to kill her himself, but it was just not time. He glanced down as Chi-Chi came and clasped his arm, he could read the concern in her face. He understood it. Parisia was insane. Perhaps she had always been that way or perhaps she had been driven there by her time with Frieza, whatever the cause, she was not right and he feared what that meant for them, especially Bulma, whom she seemed to blame for her troubles and inability to capture Vegeta.

Bulma took a step forward and placed a shaky hand on Vegeta's arm. "I want to go and rest now. I can't stomach her." She tried not to let her pain at Parisia's words show, tried not to let him read it, but it was there and he saw it shining in her sapphire eyes. Damn the bitch and her sick manipulations. He understood how she felt. He had been consumed with rage that she and Bardock might have had a relationship. The images that he had managed to conjur up in his mind had nearly driven him insane with pain, and anger and an almost rabid jealousy and it had not even happened, Bardock had cleared that up for him right away. Bulma had no such allusions to cling to, he had allowed something to happen and no matter what the reason, Bulma would always have those images to deal with, and it didn't help that the stupid bitch was always around adding salt to the wound, and making it in to some kind of passionate interaction when in truth it had been nothing more then a coldhearted rape that she had ended up enjoying. He shuddered at the thought, sickened by himself and Parisia. He looked into Bulma's eyes, saw the sadness and wished he could find something, anything to take it away, to find the right words to explain Parisia to her, yet how could he. How could he admit to attempting to rape her and not cause Bulma to turn from him in disgust. Either way he lost and he was not willing to allow her the opportunity to walk away from his life. Not now.

"Oh come now. Can't stomach me? Why because you can't stand the thought of him touching me. Tell me has he even bonded with you? You aren't even legally joined under Saiyajin law or human law. You mean nothing to him. I can't believe you have the nerve to say you can't stomach me. At least I am a real Princess. You can't say the same." She smiled as she saw Brennon pale. "That's right old man, I know your secret and I am going to make sure everyone else nows it to." She took notice of Trunks for the first time and moved towards him, only to be confronted with a raging Vegeta, black eyes narrowed dangerously and filled with an empty coldness.

"Don't even look at him bitch."

"So she managed to give you a bastard. That is all the brat is and she is nothing but a whore." She gasped as his hand swept across her face, knocking her back on her ass. She touched her cheek and stood, the desire to hurt him and his bitch growing larger with each passing moment. He would beg for her forgiveness when she was done, she'd see to that. "Shall I tell them old man or should you?"

"What are you talking about? "Bulma was beginning to have a sickening feeling in the deepest recesses of her gut that for once Parisia wasn't bluffing. She had seen the look on her father's face, seen fear, a stomach churning fear written on his face.She had never seen it before and it terrified her. "Dad, what is she talking about?" She prayed she was wrong, that her father had nothing to hide, to fear. She hoped with everything in her heart that Parisia was once again lying, attempting to cause strife and trouble, but with each passing moment, each glimpse of the smug cold grin on Parisia's face she began to realize, with a sinking, desperate feeling that for once she was telling the truth and that whatever the truth was, she wouldn't be bringing it up if it was not going to be causing her or her family some irrepairable hurt. She braced herself for it, she knew it was inevitable, so she silently steeled herself for whatever was going to happen. "Dad?" She asked him quietly again.

Vegeta watched Parisia closely. What did she know to instill such fear in the Correnian king. Whatever it was it had brought about an instantaneous change to his once smiling face. Whatever it was, Parisia seemed to think it was going to be a devestating blow to his mate. That worried him. She'd been through so much he wasn't sure she could deal with anymore bad news.

Brennon looked at his daughter for a moment. Should he tell her, admit all, or continue to lie. Somehow the girl had learned about Bulma's past, had figured it out and was planning on using it against her somehow. It would be better if it came from him, but how, how did you tell a girl that her whole life had been a lie, that the people she should have been able to trust had lied to you your entire life, and his son...what would it do to his son? He cleared his throat and glanced at Parisia. The stupid bitch wore a look of smug sureness on her face, an almost arrogant belief that what she was attempting would beget the exact effects she wanted, he prayed she was wrong.

"Come now,King Brennon, shouldn't you tell the Princess exactly where she comes from?" Parisia's voice was filled with a derisive, hateful malice that filled Bulma with a cold dread. She shivered, though the day was hot. She looked to her father and waited, feeling her brother come to stand beside her, his hand coming to down to clasp hers, holding it in a loose hold, willinging to face it with her.

"Father." He spoke expectantly, questioningly, wondering what possible secret could be so bad. Brennon glanced up and for a moment his eyes met his son's, shocking him with the emotion he saw swirling in them. An almost resigned mixture of painful loss and anguish. He squeezed his sister's hand lightly, wondering if perhaps they should all sit down, if this wasn't going to be a blow of enormous proportions.

"Bulma..." Brennon spoke hesitantly, painfully, inhaling slowly, he quietly handed the baby to Bardock who held him loosely. Brennon turned back towards his daughter and spoke haltingly. "I never wanted to tell you this way, I..we..we ..your mother and I should have told you this years ago, but we were cowards, too afraid of losing you..you have to understand that. We never meant to hurt you or deceive you." He fought back the rising swell of emotions threatening to burst forth. He needed to do this.

"Just say whatever you need to say." Her voice was deceptively cool and calm. Vegeta watched her face, so calm, so serene, yet he could see the barely masked fear just under the surface. He made no move towards her, simply watched her beautiful face.

Bulma fought back the rising, painful lump in her throat, fought it hard, not wanting to break down in front of all these people. She almost laughed in her hysteria, imagine whatever horrible secret her father had kept from her was about to be blown in front of a crowd of people. How humiliating. She gulped and took an unconcious step back, preparing herself dor flight. She would not cry in front of anyone, mopst especially not that hateful, vindictive bitch who had already caused her nore grief then anyone person should be allowed to give out. How she ached to return the favor. "Just say it." Her voice hitched as the lump threatened to burst forth. She felt her brother trying to comfort her, but pushed him away. "No, don't touch me, don't try to spare me, just spit it out."

"Your father is too afraid to, Princess." Sarcasm rang in Parisia's voice. "He knows once he tells you, you'll hate him and he also knows that Vegeta will no longer want you." She laughed lightly, enjoying herself completely, enjoying the look of devestation that was fast covering her enemy's young face.

Vegeta said nothing, just stared at his mate, willing her to look at him. She didn't, keeping her head down briefly before looking back towards her father. He turned his cold gaze towards Parisia. He was going to kill her. She had made her final mistake. He could guess what Brennon's secret was, it was becoming obvious with each passing moment. Bulma was not his daughter. That the stupid, fucking woman thought even for one moment that this information or anything else would turn him away from Bulma showed how far gone she really was.

Chi-Chi stared into the eyes of the Saiyajin Prince and knew real, gut wrenching fear. She had been on the receiving end of his wrath, seen how cruel he could be, and she had thought she had seen as far as he could go, but she'd been seriously mistaken. When he had turned his piercing gaze towards Parisia she had believed it to be emotionless, empty, but she had been mistaken. On closer scrutiny the deep, vivid hatred stood out starkly. She realized he was barely containing his rage and that if Bulma so wished it he would rip the woman's head off with his bare hands. She had never seen such fierce protectiveness and she wondered if the roles were reversed and this was her and Kakkarot, would he be the same way? Was this a Saiyajin attribute? Unconciously she sought the comfort of Kakkarot's hand and was bolstered by the gentle strength she felt in it.

"Bulma, you are not my child." The words came out in a rush, barely discernible, but spoken all the same. He watched the play of emotions that crossed her face, open disbelief, shock, sadness..he watched them all flit by before pressing on. "Your father was a brilliant Chikyuu-jin scientist and your mother well she was a beautiful woman, loving and kind. He got caught spying by Frieza, spying for the resistance and was killed. I found your mother being raped by Ginyu, though I am ashamed to say there was nothing I could do to help her. Perhaps I should have tried, but I saw you there, a helpless baby laying on that floor like discarded trash. I knew I coukldn't defeat Ginyu but I could help you. I thought of my own son and I grabbed you and ran and never looked back. I took you home to your mother and we raised you. I have no idea how she," he swept a hand towards Parisia," found out, but that is the truth, all of it." He attempted to go to her, to comfort her but she backed away, hands held out, warning him to keep his distance.

Bulma blinked rapidly, trying to deal with the overwhelmingly powerful shock that had just been dealt her. She thought she must have stumbled, because she felt strong arms embrace her, Vegeta. She shoved him away. No, she wouldn't accept help. Rationally she knew he had not betrayed her, but didn't this change everything? Wasn't Parisia right? He wouldn't want her now and she couldn't blame him. "Why? Why didn't you tell me?"The words were spoken almost too quietly, too serenely. Vegeta could see the traumatic shock of her father's words setting in, he could see it in her eyes, clouding the blue pools with a sort of dazed disbelief and wonder, he wanted to get her, to move her away from the prying eyes of all the people that surrounded them, but she had refused his help, made it clear she wouldn't welcome his touch right now. For better or worse she would have to find a way through this as best she could alone.

"We had every intention to, had planned to do so when we thought you were ready, just every year that went by that we didn't, well it just became easier to not, to pretend that everything was exactly how we had told you. Bulma, you are my daughter in everyway but blood. This changes nothing."

"Changes nothing? How can you say that?" Her disbelief was palapable. " You lie to me for over twenty years, keep things from me that I should have known and then when you are forced to finally admit that I am not who I thought I was, all you can say is it changes nothing.." She broke off, compressing her lips in anger, her gaze sweeping across the smiling Parisia. She had done this, her and her manipulations. Oh how she ached to kill her and Bulma had never had a violent thought such as this in her life. She lunged forward at her grabbing her by her collar. "You bitch. Are you happy? Is this what you wanted? To hurt me, to destroy everything I was and could have been? Does this make you happy." She shoved her away in disgust. "How did you find this out?" Her lip curled in disgust, hatred welling up in her for the conniving, backstabbing bitch that had finally delivered the final, soul wrenching blow. "You win Parisia, you win it all, but dammit you tell me now.. how did you find this out?"

"Your mother." Parisia almost laughed at the shocked expression on Bulma's face. "She is very much alive and well and she certainly appreciated being left to Ginyu's tender love and care for twenty years."

Bulma's eyes widened in outraged horror. Her mother was still alive and had been forced to..to... She staggered back, not fighting Vegeta as he caught her and swept her up in his arms, too horrified to fight him, or break free. She could vaguely see her father..no not her father..she wasn't sure who he was anymore..leaning weakly against the tree for support, hear the shocked murmering of all the witnesses to her humilation, she gasped for air as the painful lump refused to be battered down any longer, as it erupted out of her in a dry, choked sob. She buried her face against Vegeta's chest, not wanting to look at anyone or face them. She was such a fool. Such a trusting, naive fool. She had thought her innocence stolen on Hell, she had been wrong. Nothing could have prepared her for this. To be lied to for so long and never know, to find out that you were never who you thought you had been, to find out in such a horrifyingly impersonal way..."Please..Vegeta..I need to get out of here..."Another sob wracked her small body. Unconciously Vegeta held her closer, speaking quietly to Kakkarot.

"Kakkarot, take Trunks, keep him. Bulma has what you need in the ship. Do not let anyone near him." He stared at his fellow Saiyajin harshly, coldly, making sure the younger man understood the consequences if he failed him. He turned his black gaze towards Parisia. "If you are here when I return I will kill you."

"Oh come on Vegeta. You can't tell me that you still want her. She's not even royalty. She's the daughter of some Chikyuu-jin idiot. You can be free of her, you haven't even bonded with her, you can walk away anytime." She leaned forward earnestly. Through his rage Vegeta realized that she truly believed he would cast Bulma aside and take her. He almost laughed out loud.

"What am I supposed to do once I cast her aside? Take you as my mate?"

"I would be a good one. I could give you a son just as easily as she could, you know I can tolerate anything you wish to give out...can she? Can you truly be what your nature demands of you with her?"

Vegeta's whole body trembled with unspent rage. He had the overwhelming desire to tear this woman apart piece by piece, and incinerate each piece until it was nothing but dust . That she actually believed what she was saying. "Fuck off." He clutched his shaking burden more tightly to him, and rocketed off, wanting to put as much distance between her and her family as possible. He had already planned to take off with her anyway to a secluded little place that he had found, a place where he could properly do all the things he wanted to do, to make their union official, to make love to her outside the confines of the ship and prepare her for his inevitable training. The need to kill Frieza, to end his reign had become just as neccesary to their relationship as bonding was. He would never allow them a moments peace if he was alive and that was really the only truth that was theirs at this particular moment in time. So if he only had this one night for things to be as they should be between them, so be it. He would use it to his fullest and make this woman that he had wanted since he had first lain eyes on her his completely and irrevokably, until this union was unbreakable by any force natural or not. He loved this woman with every fiber of his being, something he had thought impossible but she had proven him wrong time and time again, and he would not deny it to himself at all, any longer, the depth of his feeling for her. He set down on the small island he had discovered while training and walked silently off the beach and towards the foliage that ringed the beach. Pushing through the brush he saw the small lagoon that rested amongst the trees and brush, blue water gently lapping at the white, sandy shore. He stood quietly for a moment, holding Bulma, noticing that while her shaking and quiet sobs had stopped, she kept her head firmly planted against his chest, not looking up for anything. "Woman, you can lift your head now. We are alone." He smirked gently as she shook her head no against him, dropping her to the ground, forcing her to catch herself or fall flat on her little butt.

She shot him a look of outrage and crossed her arms over her chest, maneuvering away from him and towards the edge of the lagoon, standing silently against the gentle breeze that blew, struggling with her thoughts.

He smirked again, watching the breeze lift strands of her silken hair, blowing it gently. He began to rid himself of his armor and clothes, boots coming off first, armor next. They landed with dull thuds next to her but she ignored him, hugging herself tighter. She could be such a child sometimes. He stripped himself completely and slid into the water, sighing at the feel of the warm water against his muscles and body. He turned to face his mate and almost snorted at her look of stoic resolution, attempting her best to ignore him completely. Not for long. He disappeared under the water, out of sight to her eyes.

Bulma looked around for him. She had attempted to pay no attention to him, to the knowledge that he was completely naked in that water and so obviously inviting her in to join him. He hadn't even bonded with her, she had been told that by two different people. Kakkarot had bonded with Chi-Chi and even Parisia had made mention of it. Her rational mind refused to acknowledge that he had just not had the oppurtunity. Hadn't he had a full month on that ship? It was too much, that he had not wanted her enough to do that simple thing. Not to mention that she was no longer even Bulma Angione of Correnia. Who was she? She didn't even know her own name.She felt more tears slide down her face. God she had lost everything, everything in just a few short minutes. What should have been a happy reunion had turned into a sideshow of horrible confessions and admissions that had altered her life irrepairably and hearing the stupid things that Parisia had said. God how she hated that woman. The depth of her hatred frightened her, chilled her even. She could have easily killed her and that knowledge frightened her beyond anything else that had happened to her in the past year. Had she changed so much that she would take a life in cold blood? No matter that the woman was a treacherous bitch, it was not in her nature to be so..so....She glanced up at the still surface of the water, her train of thought interupted. Shouldn't he have come up for air by now? She took a step towards the water. Where was he?

Vegeta hovered just below the surface by the shore, waiting for the just the right moment. He watched as she took a step towards the water, bringing her with in inches of his reach. He had her. In a flash his hand shot out and wrapped around her ankle, yanking her forward into the water and directly into his waiting arms. He laughed out loud at the look on her face, ignoring her efforts to push him away and her sputtering, angry words. His arms encircled her tightly, pulling her to him, nuzzling her neck with his mouth. She fought him for only a moment more before her own arms betrayed her and latched around his neck. She could ignore her sopping wet clothes for awhile couldn't she, forget all the horribleness of the day, and enjoy these few moments in his arms. Who knew how many more there would be? For this brief second, this wonderfully complex, enigma of a man was in her arms and kissing her and it was exactly everything she needed in this one perfect moment of time. She felt him peeling her clothes off piece by soaking piece and she laughed as he managed to throw them on shore in various locales, not even bothering to look, his eyes never leaving her face. This was such a different side to him, a playful side she had never known existed, had hardly ever seen and instinctively knew she would not see often. Somehow he managed to get her out of every piece of her clothing leaving her completely and gloriously naked in his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist, felt his tail wrap around hers and sighed in wonderment, that it could be this way with him, that she could feel so wonderously complete and fulfilled and for a time forget her problems. She pulled back and regarded him seriously, her blue eyes shining with the truth of her love for him, meeting his black ones which held the evidence of his feeling for her. She knew in that heartbeat of time that she had been a fool to ever doubt him or think that the revelations of her true parentage would have turned him away. She bestowed the brightest smile she had on him, taking his breath away with her beauty. His wet hand came up to caress her face, smoothing over her cheek leaving a dripping trail of water wherever he touched, unafraid for the first time of allowing her to see the full measure of the love he held for her. His mouth followed his hand, gently burning away the water with its heat. It was a wordless communication between his heart to hers and she understood everything he was managing to say to her with only the touch of his hand against her skin. She smiled again and leaned in for another kiss, needing to taste him, to tell him what he meant to her, her forehead coming to rest against his. Could she even define what she felt, give it any kind of rational meaning. No, she couldn't. She had been worried about him not bonding with her, but she realized what he had already known, they were bonded already, completely. She could hear him, feel him, understand everything he was attempting to say to her without any words, feel it throbbing between them, two hearts joined together forever. She shivered as he gathered her in his arms and swept out of the water, falling down on the sandy shore with her, his mouth trailing hot kisses down her chilled skin, tasting every hollow, every curve he could find, lapping at the water, leaving no part of her untouched. His body was so hot against hers, so perfect. Her hands trailed down his back to his amazingly perfect, hard ass and back up again, causing him to shiver. She giggled slightly at the tremor that ran through his body, taking the unexpected opportunity to roll him over and straddle him. He looked up at her, smirking and allowed her to explore his body. She started with her hands, sending them to caress and stroke every part of him, nearly driving him insane as she massaged his incredibly hard erection, laughing as he lunged up and caught her to him,prepared to roll her over and take them both to heights of pleasure unimagined for both of them. She managed to hold him off, pushing him back down, sliding her body down his, taking him into her mouth. God he was hot. He nearly went over the edge as she slid her tongue down his full length, slowly and teasingly.

"Bulma.." He managed to gasp, "Oh, God, Bulma, please..I can't.." He tried to push her off, but found he had no will to do so. It felt so good. He moaned as she sped up her ministrations,her tongue doing things to him he had never imagined possible. It was like..like..he was burning up in a sudden burst of fire, spreading fast and hot and threatening to sweep away every bit of his reason with it. He moaned again, his hands tangling in her hair, the silk of it falling against his hands. God, how could anything feel this good? His tail wound its way around her waist, and he jerked up as she found it with her fingers, stroking it. He reared up on his elbows, needing to end it now before he completely lost it and she ruined his plans. The only thing keeping him together was his iron clad control, but it was about to fail him completely. He grasped her arms and jerked her up, rolling them both over, entering her in one quick thrust and filling her completely to the hilt, stopping and holding himself still inside her, watching her through hooded, passion filled eyes. His teeth clenched together with the effort it took not to move, a task made almost impossible with her writhing and bucking below him, and against him and around him, her legs encircling him and drawing him in even deeper. He moved against her, unable to stop himself, thrusting slow and easy, teasing her with his very nearness, yet holding himself back with an almost inhuman effort. Her hands attempted to find his tail, to urge him faster, but he caught them and held them above her head, rendering her helpless and immoveable, taking her on his own terms and forcing her to accept them. His mouth found hers, moaning against it as she managed to raise her hips up to meet his every downward thrust. He threw his head back, once again fighting the battle with himself, wanting to draw this out, to make it last, but inevitably losing the war. His thrusts became deeper, harder and more frenzied, his breath harsh and ragged in her ear as he buried his head against her neck, slowly opening himself to her, sharing himself, offering everything he was to her, showing her who he was, every dream, every thought, connecting them, binding them, the sound of her moaning his name repeatedly, almost hysterically drawing him over the edge, her climax roaring through her body sent him over completely. He cried out her name as he came, wave after wave of pleasure overtaking him, drowning him. He could vaguely sense her clinging to him, hear his name on her lips, felt the last vestiges of her climax as she held onto him for her life and finally returned his gift with her own, linking herself to him completely, causing a resurgence of his own climax. He collapsed against her, completely wiped out and struggling to still his shaking body. He couldn't believe what she was capable of getting him to do, of what she could make him feel. God it frightened him in ways that he couldn't even begin to understand, but he was powerless to give it up or let it go. He could feel her body trembling in his arms, could taste her tears on his tongue. She was his and he would never let her go. Carefully he raised himself up to stare down at her, losing himself in the tearful, blue eyed gaze that stared up at him in a pleasured daze. He smirked, arrogantly pleased with himself. It had been good and if she even thought to doubt how he felt about her now he would just do it again and again until she understood.

"V..Vegeta?" She managed to stutter out. My god, what had he done? At the end it had been as if he had shown her his soul, filled her with his very being and spirit. It had always been good between them, but this time it had been more then that, intense, soul connecting... good god..what had they done?

"Do you have any doubts now woman?" His voice sounded a bit ragged to his own ears, shaky and vulnerable. He hated feeling vulnerable but he doubted one could just offer their soul to someone else and walk away untouched, especially when you were a Saiyajin Prince taught not to accept this kind of feeling. He had managed to go against every, single rule beaten into him, since the day he was old enough to remember, just to have this one woman. He clutched at her tighter, afraid to let her go. To finally have been able to do this, without the fear of kidnapping, killing or interuption, was mind boggling.

"No..I don't think I can think of much of anything right now, Vegeta. What..what just happened?" She arched herself closer to him, wanting to be close, to enjoy the amazingly intimate connection that was between them, an almost electrical awareness of the other.

"We bonded fully." He could not imagine how he was going to explain this Saiyajin custom to her, and not sound like some lovestruck fool , besotted with the first girl that he had ever looked at. That was a little too close to the truth for his liking, not that he thought that there was anyone else out there better suited for him. No, he and Bulma were meant to be, he didn't doubt that anymore, he just couldn't imagine that it could have ever happened to him, not after his father and Frieza and every hard, miserable lesson they had attempted to teach him. They had been brutal and hard and unyielding, raising him up to be a cold blooded, merciless killer with no room in his heart for love, yet here he was laying on a beach on a secluded island, sharing himself with the beauty that lay in his arms and she had apparently stolen his heart and soul right away from him, two things he had always thought he did not have.

"Bonded? Is this what Kakkarot was talking about?" Bulma looked quizzically in his eyes, searching for answers, needing to understand what they had just accomplished and what it meant to them. She had heard of it, but the ritual was intensely private and the Saiyajins had always kept the whole thing secreted securely within their society, unwilling to share their culture's most expressive declaration of love with any outside people.

Vegeta growled at the thought of the idiotic Saiyajin. "Yes, it is the same. It is a joining of mind, soul and body. It cannot be broken not even in death. We will find each other no matter where we are, even in the afterlife."

She slowly digested this information. What did one say to that? She supposed it was marriage at the highest level. She smiled at him. " I was scared after all that Parisia said, scared that you weren't going to want me, that you would think less of me."

"Fool woman. Why would I care of the details of your birth. My own mother was not of noble blood. A fact my father went out of his way to remind me of every day he breathed. I told you how I felt about you." He trailed a finger down her cheek. " I'm not fickle enough to change on a whim because of that bitch's manipulations."

She pulled him down to her, kissing him gently. "I know that now. I suppose I was overwrought with all that I found out today, not to mention seeing her again. My last real memory of her was her informing me of your relationship." She stopped for a moment, unable to continue her thought. The images she could conjur up, of him sharing his body, of doing the things he did with her to Parisia. She sat up and moved away from the shelter of his arms, attempting to push out the images, to go back to the happy place she had been at just moments before. "I'm not sure I ever dealt with what she told me." She pushed away and stood up, walking a few feet away. "I'm sorry. I know this is foolish, I should just let it go as a mistake.. I just never understood it or why and Tantris amplified it all in my mind and confused the thoughts so that now I just see it or at least I see what she wanted me to see and it drives me crazy." She choked back a sob, wishing she could just rip away the images and have them gone.

Vegeta sat up, unsure how to deal with the issue. To tell her anything meant her hatred, but he couldn't keep it from her either. He felt the fear he despised so much gnawing again in the pit of his belly. He took a shaky breath. Perhaps it was best if he just told her the truth, the truth of his father and mother and how they had screwed him up. Maybe she would understand and not hate him. She had to know he would never hurt her. He could not go down the path his parents had. He just couldn't, but to tell her..he wasn't sure he could do that either. He looked away from her, unable to meet her intense scrutiny. She watched him closely, saw the fear and shame that had ran across his face. She melted. How could she continue to press this issue with him? She should just chalk Parisia up to a bad mistake, and try to get over it. He had certainly proven beyond a shadow of doubt that he loved her. She crossed over to him, kneeling beside him, her hand forced his face to look at her, there eyes to meet. "I'm sorry, Vegeta. I am sorry. You don't have to explain anything to me, I understand.."

He stared at her for a moment, his gaze shadowed and guarded, his body rigid. He sat up and glanced away again then spoke softly, any emotion in his deep voice masked and neutral, carefully hidden away from her, yet she could sense something, some strange undercurrent that vibrated between them, attuning her to his feelings. Was this the bond? She had always been able to sense him, but now it was incredible, almost electrical, in its connection. She could sense he needed space, but most disturbingly she could sense his fear, and that was frightening to her, because nothing ever scared him.

" I barely remember my mother. She was killed by my father before I was eight. I have a few vague memories of them together.The one that I can remember most isn't a happy one. My father wanted me to see how to properly deal with a woman who had betrayed you. I guess she must have betrayed him, I don't really know. " He sighed before pressing on. "He drug me into his room and forced me to watch him..my father always had honor, had always taught me to be honorable towards women, but something must have snapped in him that day. He raped her, over and over until she was unconcious and bleeding. It was his way of punishing her for her indiscretion. There may have been more then one, I just don't know." He glanced up at Bulma's shocked face, the carefully guarded mask had slipped off, leaving him open and vulnerable. She could see the pain and fear and revulsion of what he had remembered. She knew what the fear was, fear that she would turn away, not want him. She could have broken down for what his childhood must have been like. She had been surrounded by love and light and everything that was good, while he had been born into blood and death and hatred and everything that was wrong. Yet he was still so amazingly loving with her in private. What it must have cost him. She had new appreciation for him. "I would never do that to you, Bulma, I swear. Honor is everything to me and there is no honor in hurting a woman no matter how much she might have earned it."

"That's what happened with Parisia isn't it. You tried to punish her, but something went wrong. You couldn't do it."

"Oh, no," He snorted derisively, " I went through with it. I was angry. Angry over her and my father, over losing you, over being beaten, I just snapped..I heard what Frieza had done to her, that he was jealous she had dared ask for me, so he had made her a whore. I went looking for her and I found her and I started out with every intention of hurting her, of making her pay. I was not there to give pleasure or receive it, I didn't even want her, I just wanted to hurt her. It was all going as planned until I looked down at her and I saw.." He stopped for a moment..not sure how she was going to take this part.." She was enjoying herself and I froze. I couldn't believe it. I knew I'd been hard on her..." He stopped again, unsure how she was taking this, her face was a blank mask, her usually expressive blue eyes clear and devoid of anything. It was as he had feared, she was disgusted with him. He lowered his face, not wanting her to see the pain the thought cost him. "I let my guard down for that one moment and she took her chance and turned the tables.."

"Your tail." Her voice was flat.

"She grabbed it and I just couldn't control myself, though I didn't finish in her. I refused to get her pregnant. It isn't something I am proud of Bulma. I hated myself for it, for stooping to my father's level, for dishonoring what I knew I felt for you. I was just too much of a fool to realize it. I never went back to her and it wasn't the passionate interlude she would make it out to be." He shook his head. "I should have just killed her. It would have saved us all a lot of trouble."

"I won't disagree there." His head jerked up in surprise, not believing what she had just said.

"Kakkarot told me about Frieza, what he used to do to you and him and the rest of the Saiyajins."

"You mean our tails?" She nodded, and looked away, unsure how to continue. He took pity on her and finished. "He discovered one of our physical weaknesses and exploited it, to degrade us and show his superiority. I don't know what was more nauseating having it yanked and pulled until you thought you were going to die, or being beaten to a pulp, unable to move, and have him stroke it gently. God, none of us could control our response. It made me sick, to have that happen, and he always did it in front of his men. I was able to overcome the pain, to train that out of my system but the pleasurable nerves, I just couldn't shake, no matter what I did."

"I'm glad." She smiled at him shyly. "I love the response you give me when I touch you. " He looked at her in surprise, then smirked slowly.

"I thought you might hate me after what I told you about Parisia." He looked at her with such an expression of intense longing and desperate need, she felt any resistance she might have had towards him melt away. She wrapped her arms around him drawing him close into her embrace.

"Vegeta, I don't hate you. I will never hate you, I couldn't even hate you after I found out you had slept with her." She found herself crying, felt him wrap his own arms around her. "You made a mistake, I can forgive that." She felt him shudder against her. "Just don't ever go near her again. I will kill you myself."

"Is that a promise?" His voice was low and husky in her ear. She nodded and he laughed.

"You're more Saiyajin then human..possessive little wench." He pulled away from her, eyes lit with need. " I want you woman..one more time before we go back..Is all straight between us now?"

She glanced down at the evidence of his need and smiled. Yes, everything was alright, more then alright, it was perfect. She reached down and stroked him lightly, watching his eyes flutter shut at her touch, hearing the soft moan, the quickening of his breathing. His eyes opened and he leaned in, capturing a breast in his mouth, rolling over the sensitve nipple with his tongue. She clasped his head to her, holding it in place. God that felt so good, so incredibly good. His hands found her bottom, came around it and pulled her towards her, moving his mouth to her other breast, teasing it and her until she was jelly in his arms. He pushed her down into the sand of the lagoon beach, his mouth working its way leisurely down her flat stomach to dip in betwen her legs, tasting and teasing until she begged him to stop, to take her, to fill her with himself. He didn't stop until she had come against his mouth,screaming his name, begging him to not stop, to take her. God she tasted incredible, sweet and honeyed. He slid back up her body, his mouth descending on hers, plundering it deeply and fully, sliding himself inside her. God she was so hot and tight, it was like coming home. He moved in her fully, repeatedly, dragging her to the brink of completion before slowing down, pulling himself out, stopping, then easing back into her slowly, teasing her the same way over and over until she wa a trembling mass of jelly in his arms. She pounded him with her fists,wanting to feel him, all of him inside her, demanding him to give her what she wanted. He smirked.

"Patience woman.." He moved again, slowly, watching her face, trying not to give in to his own need, wanting to draw this out and make it last. She watched his tail, slowly swinging behind his back, and grabbed it, illiciting a moan from Vegeta. She would have stroked it, fondled it to get what she wanted out of him, but as she watched his face, saw the small, brief flicker of disappointment in his eyes, she realized that it would make her no better then Parisia or Frieza. He was in control of this, she couldn't take that from him. She released it and laid back, shutting her eyes, closing her mind to everything but the strong rythmic thrusts that were so incredibly mind numbing. She felt like she was on fire wherever he touched. He was fast losing his control, he thrust into her stronger and harder, moaning with each deep push. She responded in kind, her fingers scratching his sweat slicked back. God he was incredible and he was hers. She gasped as his arms lifted her under knees, positioning her to take him even deeper. He was pounding her senseless, bringing her closer and closer to the brink..driving her on..she felt it, she was so close...she arched her back as she finally came, gasping for air, writhing against him, unable to move with his arms holding her so tightly in position.

He came almost the same time she did, her own climax triggering his, draining him of all and every bit of sanity he had left. He heard himself moaning her name, a broken, sobbing litany over and over..the violence of the orgasm nearly overwhelming him. He collapsed brokenly on her, collecting her limp body in his arms and holding her. He could hear her labored breathing, hear her trying to collect herself, to bring herself back down to reality. He rolled with her until they both fell into the warmth of the lagoon water, allowing it to wash away sweat and sand and everything else with it. He knew real fear in those first few moments after. He had sworn to not get her pregnant again, yet for the past month he had shown no control whatsoever where she was concerned. With the bonding it was a distinct possiblity that he had impregnated her again. He had promised her no more, that he would not put her through that again. What if she were? He looked down at her, her body resting securely in the shelter of his arms, trusting him to keep her afloat.The blue silk of her hair floated in wet strands around him. He lifted a hand to her face and tilted it back, taking pride in the look of satisfied pleasure that shone on her still passion, flushed face.

"Bulma..you might be pregnant. The bonding almost always.." He started again. "The woman almost always gets pregnant with the bonding. I have never seen it differently."

She looked at him in surprise for a moment then smiled. "That's alright."

"How can you say that woman? The last time about killed you."

"Vegeta, you can't begin to compare the two situations. I would have you with me and I wouldn't be on Hell. That would be a big difference right there."

"No. I told you there would be no more. " His voice was adamant.

"Vegeta, I don't think you can control it. If it happens it happens. "

"Bulma, I can't have anymore brats. I will never get my training accomplished. I have to go and get this done."

"Get what done? You're already stronger then anyone I know. Look at what you did to Ginyu and he was a body snatcher. He never even got a chance to try that."

"I'm still not strong enough to take Frieza. I have to ascend to SuperSaiyajin."

"SuperSaiyajin..what in the hell is that Vegeta." She swam away form him, ducking under the water for a moment, resurfacing slowly. She looked back at him, blue hair slicked back from her face, water droplets cascading down her face, oblivious to the effect she had on him. He swam towards her, not sure what his intent was. He seemingly had no control where she was concerned. "Well, what is the SuperSaiyajin?"

" It is the legendary warrior of our culture, foretold to come in my generation. It was believed that I was that warrior. I can only attain it by training and there can be no distractions."His arm snaked out to capture her, pulling her towards him. His mouth followed the trails of water that dripped off her face. She almost capitulated, but managed to push him away instead..

"So Trunks and I would be a distraction." Her blue eyes darkened and narrowed dangerously. "What exactly are you planning on doing, Vegeta, to attain this level of power minus the distractions?" She swam towards the shore and pulled herself out, refusing to let herself be sucked back into the haze he was so capable of bringing her mind to.

Vegeta followed her,angry that she would have the nerve to be mad at him. What else was he supposed to do? He would never get any training done with her around and he had to achieve this level of power if they were going to destroy Frieza. He bent down and began to jerk on his clothing, understanding that their time together was over for the night. "I need to leave, woman. I need to go away from you while I do this."

She stared at him in disbelief. "You're just going to up and move away, leave me and Trunks alone for how long?"

"As long as it takes."

"You say you love me?" She couldn't believe he would actually consider this.

"Bulma. What would you have me do? Frieza will kill me or worse if he catches me. Iam tired of running and battling him. I want it to end, to have a life with you, but it will never happen as long as he is after me."

"I know that Vegeta, but running away from me isn't going to help you. You can train here, live with us. We won't distract you."

He shook his head stubbornly. "No I already know that it will not work out. I can't spend more then five minutes with you without wanting to bed you."

"Vegeta I'll be busy during the day,while you're training, working in the lab, taking care of Trunks. I wouldn't even be around for you to be tempted by."

"Just knowing you're there is all it takes woman." He finished dressing and crossed to where she stood naked and shivering against the setting sun and cooling night air. "I've already decided."

She stared at him for a moment, saw the determination in black eyes and sighed. "Fine. I guess there is no point in trying to change your mind, bastard. Just out of curiosity what if I am pregnant? What then?"

He looked away,upset by the possibility of that scenario, but not for the reasons she thought. Trunks had been almost more then she could handle,another Saiyajin baby might very well kill her.

"You can't have it, Bulma. It'll be too hard for you."

"I'm not going to get rid of it Vegeta. Oh for God's sake, we don't even know if I am. That doctor said it might be difficult for me to get pregnant again." She turned away from him, trying to gather her own clothes, angry that he would even suggest she rid herself of their child. She absently rubbed her belly, wondering if it was possible. Trunks was only a month old and she had breastfed him constantly, so she might not even be able to get pregnant right now. She could feel his piercing stare on her back, but refused to turn around and look at him. He was actually going to leave them. Why was he so determined that he wouldn't accomplish anything with them around. He could be such a stubborn fool sometimes. She growled in frustration and threw her clothes on the ground, giving into the desire to throw a fit, rounding on him. "You are a fool Vegeta. We won't distract you and you know it. Ohh..you can be so..so ..stubborn." She stamped her foot in frustration, knowing she was being childish. She should just accept it and move on, he obviously had. She ignored the thunderous expression that had clouded his face. She probably should stop before he lost his temper, but some perverted part of her refused to let her back down. "I mean are all you Saiyajins as thickskulled or is it a trait known only to you. Kakkarot isn't planning on leaving. He seems pretty dedicated to Chi-Chi. Obviously more so then you are to me."

"Kakkarot isn't the legendary woman, "he managed to ground out, trying to control his rising blood pressure. How could he let this one small woman make his blood boil the way she did.

"Whatever, Vegeta. I might as well have not even gone through all this with you tonight. What good is it if you're not even going to be around.." She never got the chance to finish. He was on her in mere seconds, grabbing her painfully, his face in hers, snarling angrily.

"Damn you woman. I just gave you a part of myself, that meant something to me if not to you. I will not here you belittle it in front of me." His eyes flashed fire at her.

She had never seen him that angry, at least not with her, and he had been pretty mad at her before. She tried to relax in his grip, tried not to be scared of him. She had pushed him and she knew it. Bonding must have been an incredibly humbling experience for him, it certainly had been for her an she hadn't been raised the way he'd been. He was right she'd had no right to say what she had. She opened her mouth to apologize, but he stopped her, shoving her back.

"Be quiet before I regret even bringing you here. "He turned away from her, crossing his arms across his chest. "Get dressed and we'll go back."

She sighed sadly. Her and her stupid mouth. She'd gone and screwed it up now or had she. Didn't she at least have a right to be angry at his desire to leave her. She jerked her wet clothes on, fuming, how dare he treat her like this, because she'd had the nerve to tell him she didn't like his idea. She could see him watching her out of the corner in his eyes, saw the glare he was leveling at her. Regret what he had done tonight huh? She'd show him regret...She crossed over to where he stood and crossed her own arms, mocking him. "I'm ready, oh great Prince."

He scowled at her, but refused to rise to her bait. She wanted to be a baby he'd treat her that way. He grabbed her, ignoring her outraged cries and slung her roughly over his shoulder, launching into the air like a rocket, making sure his grip on her was loose enough to scare her.

Bulma gave up kicking and struggling against him, not liking the looseness of his grip. Damn idiot. How had such a wonderful night dissolved into this. She relaxed against him, smiling as his hold on her tightened ever so slightly, then frowning again as she thought about his words. Did he really regret bonding with her? She wanted to believe that wasn't true, that he had just been angry with her. She hoped so. It had been something wonderful and she didn't regret it one little bit.

Vegeta silently fumed. So she didn't understand the point of their bonding did she. He had known she would be angry about his leaving, but he had lowered his pride, left himself vulnerable to her, she could at least appreciate what he had done for her. It had been an enormous step for him, she had to know that. He saw the compound coming up, was grateful. He needed to go and blow off some steam, before one of them said something they would end up regretting. He set down by the ship dropping her off his shoulder rather roughly.

"Dammit Vegeta..you don't have to be an ass. I'm sorry for what I said, alright. I was just upset. You could be a little more understanding."

He gazed at her coldly, before turning away. "My rooms are on the top level. Leave Trunks with Kakkarot tonight and rest. "

"Vegeta,please. Don'tbe this way. I love you. Is it so wrong of me to want you with me?"

"I don't want to talk about this right now woman. Leave me alone."

She grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at her. "Do you really regret this Vegeta?"

"Do you really want me to answer that right now?"His disdain was obvious.

She smacked him, nearly breaking her hand, hurt and angered beyon belief that he would have said that to her. "Fine." She felt her throat clog with tears, and managed to choke them back. "Just go and don't bother to come back. I wouldn't want to disgust you with my presence. " She whirled around as the first tears fell, determined he would not see how he had hurt her.

Vegeta almost went after, but his pride held him back. He had planned on leaving tomorrow. Perhaps she would have calmed down, by then. He started to walk away to go somewhere and cool down. Was this really how he wanted to spend their last evening together. Fighting? She had been angry and so had he. He hadn't meant a word he'd said. He found himself turning back towards the main house, following her path. He'd go to her and make love to her and assure he didn't regret one thing and somehow he'd make her understand that going off to train was his only option.

Bulma made it to his bedroom. She'd managed to get herself under some control, had gotten her crying under control. She was exhausted and really only wanted to sleep now. Maybe tomorrow things would be different. She threw open the door, shocked to see Parisia in the bed, a naked, sweaty Nappa on top of her, both completely oblivious to her presence, breaths heavy. She quietly closed the door in disgust. Where in the hell was she supposed to go now? She turned and banged into Vegeta who had followed her up to his room. "Vegeta..Don't sneak up on me like that." She didn't question why he would be behind her. She tried to work her away around him, not meeting his eyes. She found herself captured in his arms and pushed against the door, his mouth on her neck.

"I didn't mean what I said woman. I don't regret a thing I did with you tonight." He trailed kisses up her neck, along her jawline, her cheek, back down to her mouth, urging her to join him. She would have liked to, but she kept seeing Nappa's big naked, sweating body, moving on top of Parisia's. She shuddered in revulsion. Vegeta's hands were working magic on her body, sliding over her breasts, kneading them gently. "Come on woman. Let's go inside. " His body pressed against hers. She managed to shove him away, hating to have to do it, but knowing that there was no way in hell she was going to be going back to that room. Vegeta's eyes narrowed angrily. "Are you going to insist on being difficult woman?"

She looked at him sadly. "Vegeta, we can't go in there."

"Why the hell not woman. It's my room. "

"I just looked in there. It is occupied at the moment and even if you were to clear out the room , I just couldn't make love to you on that bed." Her voice sounded so..so..disgusted. What in the hell had she seen. His brows furrowed as he reached for the door and opened it, eyes widening in shock at the sight that met his eyes. He had no qualms about entering the room and killing Nappa and Parisia but Bulma was right. He'd never be able to sleep in that bed again, let alone sleep with her in it. He slammed the door closed in disgust. He'd have to find another damn room. Maybe tomorrow before he left he would rid the universe of Parisia once and for all. He didn't like leaving her alone with Bulma. He grabbed Bulma's hand.

"Come on. We can go somewhere else,"Though he wasn't sure he was in the mood to make love to her anymore. Seeing Nappa reproducing had been enough to cool his desire right down. He might just settle for holding her, and convincing her that everything would work out in the end.

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

Chi-Chi had woken up early. It had been another morning of throwing up and feeling miserable. She'd been scheduled to train in the JT 626, but she'd been forced to cancel. She had just felt too awful It angered her a bit. She'd finally been allowed back into the ship, neither Toma or Kakkarot having found any trace of a traitor or spy. They had eventually dismissed the whole incident as a one time thing. Nothing had happened in a month and Toma wanted his top pilot back. Now she was sick. It was happening with such regularity she was beginning to think she might just be pregnant. The thought didn't distress her. She'd love to have Kakkarot's child, she just hoped it didn't interefere with her time in the ship. She and Kakkarot had been confronted with a furious Vegeta, not that she could blame him. His homecoming had not been very wonderful. He'd been close mouthed about Bulma or how she was, only saying that she needed their son. He'd been angry at finding Parisia in his room and with Nappa no less. Kakkarot had not known what to say. He had assured Vegeta that he would go and find a room for her far away from Parisia and Nappa. Vegeta had mentioned killing her, but Kakkarot had argued with him vehemently over that, not wanting to tip off Frieza to their location. Vegeta had left shortly thereafter, Trunks in tow, to she guessed give him up to his mother. That had been three hours ago. She now found herself walking towards the lab that she knew Bulma would be in. She'd seen her go in there earlier, her son in tow. Chi-Chi had felt sorry for the girl yesterday, learing all that she had learned in just a few short minutes,minutes that should have been happy and on top of everything else she'd gone through, that had to have been difficult. She seriously doubted that Vegeta would have been much of a help. She couldn't imagine him being kind or gentle in any way shape or form though Kakkarot had told her privately that Vegeta was very much in love with his mate. That might be fine, but Bulma needed a girl to talk to, another woman, and Chi-Chi was finding that she herself had the desire to go and speak to someone, anyone about what she suspected was happening to her body. That Bulma had already given birth to a Saiyajin baby would be a comfort to her. It gave her someone she could talk to and confide in.

Bulma sat looking at the notes that Evetta had shown her that morning. Encapsulation. A feature they had been wroking on for their ships. Toma wanted it done, thinking it would be of great use to them as they began their assault against Frieza. She had set down to work with Evetta, barely working for fifteen minutes, before Raditz had shown up, wanting to spend time with Evetta. A proposition that Evetta had been loathe to say no to. Bulma had waved her away, understanding the desire Evetta felt. She would have loved to spend the day with Vegeta. He'd taken her back to the island last night, knowing of several caves that would make an excellent shelter for them. She'd fallen asleep in his arms only to awaken with a horrible feeling of dread. For a moment she had panicked, thinking that Frieza was using another of his witch's on her. She couldn't imagine what had brought it on. She had luckily not awoken Vegeta, which in itself was unusual. She remembered thinking he must be exhausted. She had set up for awhile trying to decide what could have brought the feeling on. It had been so palpable, so real, almost a premonition. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts she hadn't noticed the set of black eyes watching her quietly, studying her in the dark privacy of the cave. She'd finally turned towards him, deciding to awaken him, needing to assure herself of his presence, noticing as she bent towards him, that he was already awake and ready. She'd slid above him, taking him inside her and made love to him, gently at first, demanding at the end, allowing him to take over, reveling in the feel of his heated, pounding rythym, carrying her over the precipice to the overwhelmingly intense climax that always brought her to her knees. She'd felt his climax, took heart in the way he called her name, the way he'd held her to him. God he made her feel so desirable. She'd apologized to him again in the dark, tearfully, telling him she had been wrong to say anything about the bonding. She cherished it and cherished him and would never deliberately hurt him that way. He'd only held her tighter, saying he had to leave temporarily, that it was the only way he would ever get the power he needed to defeat Frieza. She'd lain quietly, listening to him, crying softly and in the end, welcoming him to her body again as he took away every thought, every hurt but the feeling of him inside her body, claiming her mind, body, and soul,as his in no uncertain terms. They had fallen asleep connected to each other and she'd not awoken again until morning. Vegeta had already been up and had actually killed something for their breakfast, scorching it with his own ki. She had not asked, merely accepted it and eaten it knowing that to refuse it would be an insult of the gravest proportions. She had been surprised that she had actually enjoyed it and they had spent a quiet morning in companionable silence, speaking only when needed. He'd asked her to work on new armor for him, something light and strong, a replica of what he had on. He'd agreed to come back and check on her periodically, telling her he would pick it up then. She had already began to sense his emotional withdrawal from her, his intentional distancing of himself through the bond. He had taken her back to the compound in silence and left her to gather Trunks. She'd borrowed some clothes from Evetta and made her way to the lab, not ready to face anyone, still grappling with all the things that she'd learned. Vegeta had brought Trunks to her and left her just as quietly, going to gather his things. She'd set quietly for awhile, thinking about her father's revelations, Vegeta's departure and everything else that had occured in the past twenty-four hours. Evetta had arrived shortly thereafter, but mercifully Raditz had taken her away, leaving Bulma alone with her thoughts. She'd been wroking on the encapsulation tirelessly for over an hour when she heard the heavy doors slide open. She turned her head and saw Chi-Chi poking her head in. She smiled and waved lightly,not really feeling like speaking to anyone, but not wanting to be rude to or alienate Kakkarot's mate. Chi-Chi smiled back and entered, making her way through the jam packed workshop to Bulma. Bulma smiled warmly at her. "Chi-Chi, how nice to see you. I'm sorry I ran out on you yesterday." Chi-Chi held up her hands.

"Please, Bulma. You had a hard afternoon yesterday, I don't blame you at all. You took all that a lot better then I could have."

Bulma looked down, not really wanting to discuss it. Chi-Chi seemed to sense her hestitation. She wan't ready to deal with it yet and Chi-Chi wasn't going to force her. She'd deal when she was ready.

"I didn't actually come to remind you of your troubles, I know that has to be the last thing you want to discuss."

Bulma laughed lightly. "You'd be right, though I know I'll have to go and speak to my father eventually."

"Well, if you ever do need to talk Bulma, please, feel free. Kakkarot thinks very highly of you and I would love for us to become friends. There aren't too many girls around her."

"I'd like that too Chi-Chi." She smiled brightly, trying to put on a happy facade though today she felt anything but happy, not with Vegeta leaving.

"I actually came to tell you something, though I'm not sure, but I had hoped since you had been through it, you might be able to help me."

"What's that?" She looked at Chi-Chi curiously.

"Bulma, I think I'm pregnant."

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

Parisia carefully took out one of the needles that contained the virus. She had played her last card and it had not worked.Her true parentage had changed nothing. She studied the amber filled needle in the bright morning sunlight, squinting against the glint. Today was the day that Bulma met her doom. It might take her awhile to actually die, but at least she'd suffer and die eventually. She didn't think people had very long after being injected with this stuff. A year maybe, a year and a half. She wasn't sure, but she did know that it would cause Bulma great pain and that in itself would make it worthwhile. If Vegeta wouldn't accept what she wanted to give then fine, she'd leave him alone, bu tshe would make sure Bulma didn't have him either and while she was going, she might just take care of that little bastard that she had spawned. She slipped the needle into the pocket of her pants and left the room. She'd seen Bulma outside this morning, heading to the lab. It was time to go and do some visiting.

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

Bulma looked at Chi-Chi in surpise then broke into a wide smile. "Why Chi-Chi that's great news. I'm so happy for you." She slipped off her stool and hugged the young woman. "If there is anything I can do just let me know."

"Tell me, it won't kill me." Bulma almost laughed until she saw the deadly serious look on Chi-Chi's face. She cleared her throat and chose her words carefully, not wanting to scare the girl.

"Well it wasn't the easiest thing I ever did, but hey, I survived it and actually i have Vegeta and Bardock to thank for that."

"Bardock and Vegeta?"

"Yes, I went into labor right as we were leaving Hell. They had to deliver Trunks on the ship."

"Oh my God..You must have been scared to death."

"At first, but it was better with Vegeta there." She smiled widely, remembering his small talk with Trunks. He'd been so embarrassed.

"Well isn't that sweet. I wonder if everything would be better if faced with Vegeta by your side?" Parisia's acid voice rang through the workshop. Chi-Chi and Bulma both turned towards her. Bulma scowled at her."What in the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh I just came for a little girl talk, maybe some comparisons, see if we had the same experience with Vegeta in bed."

Bulma gritted her teeth, but didn't rise to the bait. He'd told her everything. Parisia was living in a world of wishful dreams and what ifs. "I guarantee there are no comparisons between the two." She smiled coolly at Parisia. "I think you already know that thought don't you?"

Chi-Chi didn't like the dangerous glint that Parisia seemed to have in her eye. She wan't sure if she should run for help, or stay and help Bulma. She had a sick feeling that she was going to need it. She glanced over to where Trunks was sleeping in a small carrier. She edged toward it, wondering if Kakkarot would be able to sense her fear through their bond.

Bulma was too angry to see anything different about Parisia's demeanor. She was sick and tired of being tormented by this demented bitch. She wanted her gone. She stood her ground as Parisia took another step toward her. "You think you have it all don't you Princess? Oh I'm sorry, you aren't a Princess are you. Who are your parents? Let's see you rmother is a whore. We already know that." She fingered the needle in her pocket. Just a few steps closer and she would have her.

"You bitch." She wanted to go and rip the woman's hair out, hurt her, but she couldn't move. Something wouldn't let her, Trunks. She didn't want to do anything she'd regret with Trunks in the room,regardless of whether or not he was a baby.

Parisia waited for Bulma to snap, to lose her cool, but she didn't, merely remained motionless. Well if the fly wasn't going to come to the bait, then she supposed she would just have to go get the fly. She fingered te needle gently, making sure the tip was off. She had to be ready when she attacked. She tried to judge the distance between herself and Bulma, making sure to estimate as correctly as she could. The other woman might be a problem, so she would have to hurry. She lunged towards Bulma, taking her by surprise, knocking her to the ground, taking most of a table with them. Bulma landed with a hard thud, momentarily dazed by the impact. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw Parisia's hand raise, needle ready to jab. Surely that wasn't the virus? She managed to grab onto her wrist, holding it at bay. "Chi-Chi.." She managed to cry out. "Take Trunks, get help." She wasn't sure if Vegeta would know if anything was wrong or not. She hadn't had a chance to learn about the bond yet. She shook with the effort to keep the needle away from her, managing to roll them both over, the needle waving too closely to her face.

Chi-Chi didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed up Trunks and fled, racing to find Kakkarot or Vegeta or anyone who was around and might help her. The yard was deserted, so she did the only thing she could think of, she screamed.

Vegeta had been in the hanger talking to Bardock, going over details with him when he was struck by a sudden, forceful burst of fear. What in the hell? It quickly turned to dread. The bond. Bulma. He darted out of the hanger just in time to hear Chi-Chi's scream for help. He saw her holding his son, looking terrified. He flew over to her. "Where's Bulma, what's happening. Tell me woman." He roared.

The lab, Parisia, she's trying to stab her with some type of needle." She could see Bardock and Kakkarot and Raditz running in from the training area, all responding to her scream. Vegeta felt a cold fear he had only known once before, when Bulma had been threatend with that damn virus. If that was what Parisia had and she managed to get it into Bulma.." He rocketed off to the lab, blasting a hole in the side of it. He could see Bulma on the floor, holding her at bay. He vouldn't risk the blast, he'd have to pull her off. He raced towards them, every nerve, every sense attuned to Bulma and his task at hand, protecting her. He grabbed Parisia's wrist, yanking her off of his mate. She struggled against him as he attempted to grasp the wrist with the needle, all the while maneuvering her away from Bulma. She was dead. As soon as he got this stupid needle out of her hand, he would blast her to hell for what she had attempted today. He was so angry that he didn't notice the needle sinking into his leg until it was too late.

Parisia was furious. She had been so close to getting her, to ending her miserable life. She hadn't seen who had pulled her off, but she would merely jab them with it. She struggled with her captor, blinded by everything but rage, finally freeing herself long eough to jab the needle into his leg and inject the virus. She felt herself shoved away violently, heard Bulma's screams of rage, and then slid down to the floor, dazed by her impact with a table.

Vegeta looked down at his leg in disbelief. The bitch had managed to inject him with that shit. He jerked his head up, met Bulma's wide eyed eyes, seeing her fear, her anguish, her denial all in one flash of a second. She struggled to get up, to make it to him,racing to his side as he slowly sunk to the floor, shocked denial written on his face. "Vegeta..No..No..Please tell me she didn't get you." He could only stare at her. So beautiful..She was so beautiful and she had been his, even if it had been only for a moment. He managed to pour every ounce of his feeling for her through their connection, tried not to sob as she answered in kind. She held his face, sobbing wordlessly. He could taste the salt of her tears as they flowed from her face onto his, perhaps even mixing with his own. He wasn't sure. He could only allow it a moment longer. The selfish desire to have her near him again, one last time was too much to resist. He was a dead man now, just like her brother. He had no future and he would not drag her down with him into his pit of despair. To be so close to complete happiness, to have touched it even briefly. He had only wanted more, now it was being taken away from him. "Vegeta." She said his naem quietly. 'Please it'll be okay. Just relax." Somewhere he found the strength to shove her away. No it wasn't going to be okay. He had seen men suffer and die with this virus. What it did to them and how long it took. If he was lucky, he'd have just enough time to grow stronger and kill Frieza. No he had to get away. He would put her in danger if he stayed here, once his mind went mad. He shoved her away and stood, ignoring her sobbing entreaties to stay,to not leave. He rocketed off into the sky, leaving behind no trace of himself, no warmth, even the connection through the bond was weak. She fell forward sobbing. No..No she had not come this far to lose him now. She had to find something, to find some way to cure him and her brother if it wasn't too late. She stood shakily, making her way to Parisia who lay against a table in shock. First she would kill her. She would kill her with her bare hands for what she had done.

Kakkarot and Bardock had watched in horror as Vegeta had left. Chi-Chi had filled them in and it had not taken them long to guess that Parisia had gotten a hold of the virus. Bardock stood impassively as Bulma lifted Parisia up by her collar, intent upon choking the life out of her.

"Should we stop her?" Kakkarot's voice was curiously emotionless. Bardock shook his head.

"She's earned the right, boy, after what that bitch just did to Vegeta. Let her kill the bitch." He turned towards the other door in time to see Nappa enter the building. He sneered as he saw Bulma's hands wrapped around Parisia's neck, lifted his hand prepared to blast her. Kakkarot turned and saw him.

"Nappa, no." He raised his own hand, watching as Nappa turned his hate filled gaze towards him.

"Stop me." He looked back, ready to shoot his blast, Kakkarot was faster. His ki blast blew a hole through Nappa, dropping the giant instantly, his body dead before he hit the ground.

Bulma looked up at the sound of the explosion, her mind returning to some sense of sanity. Oh God, Vegeta. She let Parisia go and sunk toher knees. What was she going to do? She had to do something, she loved him more then anything else in the world, she would not let him die like that. She felt warm arms encircle her and pull her up.

"Bulma?" Kakkarot's soft, gentle voice invaded her mind. She turned tear-filled eyes to his face.

"Oh God Kakkarot. What am I going to do, what am I going to do? I have to help him, I have to figure something out. " She sagged against him, catching him offguard. He caught her quickly and swooped her up in his arms.

"Father, do you have a sedative. She needs to rest."

"In the med bay. I'll go and get it. Take her to a room." He flew out the door. Kakkarot nodded his head to Raditz who stood, in shock, by the door.

"Raditz, can you take this bitch and lock her up, and see if she has anymore of those needles. They might help us out." Raditz looked at his brother for a moment then nodded.

"I'll make sure the bitch doesn't get out." He yanked her up by her hair,not caring whether he hurt her or not. She groaned but didn't struggle as he drug her off. Kakkarot looked at Chi-Chi, who stood holding Trunks to her chest.

"Let's get her to a bed." He started forward, Chi-Chi right behind him,when Bulma stirred and finally came to.

"Kakkarot, you have to find him. Please, he can't stay alone, not now. I'll figure out a cure. Please." She begged him with her eyes and he was powerless to tell her no.

"Don't worry Bulma. I'll find him for you, but first I want you to lay down, alright? You need some rest. Raditz is going to see if she has anymore needles. You can start working just as soon as you get some rest. Leave Vegeta to me." He looked at Chi-Chi who nodded at him.

"I'll stay with her. Don't worry. " She smiled gently at her mate, she could tell him about the baby when he got back. There would be plenty of time.

"Thank you, Chi-Chi. I love you."

" I know." She smiled again, showing him her love through her eyes. He met Bardock by a downstairs room, laying his bundle gently down into the bed. He looked up at his father.

"I'm going after Vegeta. Someone has to find him." Bardock nodded.

"Just be careful boy. I'll look after Bulma and Chi-Chi while your away.

"Tell Bulma, I'll find him." He turned towards hhis mate, taking her gently into his arms.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. You take care of yourself and my son."He smiled at the look of surprise on her face.

"How did you know?" She couldn't believe it.

"I could sense him." He snmiled and leaned in to kiss her. "Just take care Chi-Chi."

"I love you Kakkarot." He smiled at her , then rocketed off, attempting to find Vegeta's ki signature. He had to be around somewhere, question was, was he masking his ki? A Saiyajin that didn't want to be found would be very difficult to turn up. He had to try though, for Bulma. He reached out with his senses. Nothing. Putting his head down he sped up. Vegeta was out there somewhere and he would find him. It was merely a matter of time.

* * * * *

8 / Bulma’s Hideout / 10