Bulma was just pouring her second cup of coffee when Trunks got up from the table. Remembering her project for the day, she put the mug down.
"Hey, Trunks?" When she turned around, he was already gone. Her parents were still at the table with a giggling three-year-old Bra, and Vegeta had already eaten. Bulma bit back a growl of irritation. Surely Trunks heard her...She grabbed her lab coat from the back of the chair, whipped it over her shoulders and chased after her son.

"Trunks!"

"Oh, hey, Mom. What's up?"

Bulma paused, taking a breath. She had had to run across half the compound to catch up with him. If she had known exactly where he was, it would have been easier, but she couldn't sense him like everyone else. Even her small daughter was learning how to do this stuff already. Standing there panting, Bulma was starting to feel inadequate. It was not a feeling she was used to.

"I just...I thought you were working with me today...that's all."

"Uh...right. Well, I was actually headed to Goten's for-"

"What? Why? I told you yesterday that I needed your-"

"But Mom, Goten is falling behind on some stuff and I told him I'd help him." Bulma placed her hands on her hips. Trunks could see the fire building up behind her eyes. He really should stay with her and help her, but some of that science stuff bored him out of his mind. He was afraid that she would make him do more and more, and someday, he'd be up at all hours of the night, working his tail off for something he didn't care about as much as his mom and grandpa did. His true passion was martial arts, just like his father.

"Look Mom. I'll come back later to help you. It was only the reactor cores, right? Those aren't so hard." Bulma's eyes were flashing and she bit her lip to keep from screaming.

"Yes, the reactors. I need your strength to help put them-"

"In the evening, I promise. Kay?" Faster than she could protest, Trunks leaped up into the air.

"Wait! Trunks! Don't you speak to me like that! I'm your mother, and I should come first! TRUNKS!" She watched helplessly as her son disappeared into the clouds. Seething with anger, she gave her own leap into the air. She might as well have been a mouse or some other weak animal. For added measure she leaped a couple more times, than started stamping on the ground. She knew she looked ridiculous, but the anger she had held inside for awhile wasn't going away. She hated this new feeling of uselessness. All her life, Bulma had been useful. Even when she was constantly hanging out with the most powerful people on Earth, and living with one, she never felt weak or helpless. For some reason now, it was getting to her. Maybe it was middle age.

She gave one final half-hearted jump, then stood there with a sigh. Everyone seemed to be flying off on her. She was staring down at the grass, feeling a little defeated, when she heard a soft chuckle behind her.

"What are you doing, woman? Is that some sort of new human dance?" Without even turning around, she responded quietly.

"No."

He was quiet for a moment, and she guessed that he was reading her ki levels. She didn't know much about it, even after all these years, but she felt like they would be really low. Suddenly his body heat was right up beside hers.

"What's wrong?" His voice was soft, with only a hint of annoyance.

"Oh...nothing." She sighed dramatically. Vegeta snorted.

"Nothing makes you jump up and down like a lunatic?"

"Well, he was supposed to help me with some stuff today."

"Tch. The Bulma I know doesn't need help. She's pretty self-sufficient." He started walking around the other side of her, and Bulma followed him with her eyes. He circled her a couple of times like a predator. When he came up right next to her, laying the back of his hand on her forehead, she flinched a little.

"What are you doing?" Her brow wrinkled with annoyance.

"Your ki feels low."

"What? I'm not sick." He withdrew his hand, looked at her sharply and suddenly blushed. When he looked off to the side, feigning interest at the side of the house, Bulma put her face in her hand.

"Oh my god, Vegeta. It's not that time of the month either."

His head snapped up and then he grew casual, like he hadn't thought that to begin with.

"Then what's wrong with you?" He pushed his boot through the dirt.

"Nothing! And stop reading my ki like that! It's not fair!" She turned around, getting ready to stomp off. She almost made it to the door before she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey." His voice was soft against her ear. She turned, connecting with his dark eyes.

"I've always been able to read your ki. You never once complained. Now you suddenly don't want me to? You know I can't just stop doing it."

"No, I know that." She sighed again. "It's just…" She turned her head away from his curious gaze. He brought his hand up and took her chin gently between his thumb and forefinger, tilting her face toward his.

"Tell me." He whispered gruffly.

"Well...you'll think it's stupid." She pushed her head down again, breaking contact with his hand and blushing.

"You're probably right, but I still want to know." There was a smirk in his voice.

"Jerk. Now I really don't want to tell you." He only laughed at her, then put his hands on her shoulders, quietly demanding her full attention.

"Don't make me play the guessing game, because I really hate that, woman." His eyes gleamed at her playfully, even though his tone had been serious.

"All right, fine. I want...to sense ki." She looked over his shoulder, listening. When he didn't respond, she added, "And fly." He pulled away from her then, an incredulous look on his face.

"You want to fly? Since when? This whole time you've only ever used machines to-"

"Attempt to keep up with you? And when has that worked?"

"Never, but...Bulma." His eyes pinned hers, and he smiled.

"You always saw my speed as a challenge. It amuses me the way you try to outrun me." Bulma just scoffed.

"You mean like it amuses you when I'm on top in bed?" He drew back, blinking, his face hot.

"Bul-"

"No, really, it's the same concept, right? I can try to dominate you, but it's just a joke. The same way I try to keep up with you, and that's a joke too. I feel like everything I do lately is…" She had been about to explode and say something she might regret, but Vegeta lay his finger on her lips, silencing her. His eyes held a mild warning. She looked over his shoulder and saw their little girl approaching them.

"Papa!" Her voice was cheerful and sweet, and the look in Vegeta's eyes softened. She skipped up to him and gave his pants a tug.

"Am I gonna learn to fly today? Pan already knows how." She scrunched up her nose in a childish imitation of annoyance. Vegeta bent his knee and knelt beside her.

"Does she?" He raised an eyebrow.

"YES, Papa! She was hovering outside my bedroom window yesterday. She even made the pig face."

"Pig face?" His eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, it's when you press your nose against the glass, like this!" She pushed the flat of her hand firmly against her little nose, and flared her nostrils. Bulma bit off a laugh, and Vegeta's lips twitched.

"How obscene. What did you do? I hope you defended your honor."

"I did, Papa. I told her that a princess doesn't allow pig faces." Vegeta nodded proudly.

"Then I gave her the octopus sucker."

Bulma laughed at the expression on her husband's face.

"You gave her the what?"

"It's when you take your lips and-"

"You know what, I don't even want to know." Bra was pursing her lips and making strange sucking sounds. Vegeta stood up quickly, distracting her.

"Hey Bra. Guess what?" He made his voice light, and Bulma thought he sounded like a twisted kindergarten teacher. What was he up to?

"What?" Their daughter got a naughty look in her eye.

"I am going to teach you how to fly today, but...you'll have a classmate." Her face suddenly fell.

"What? Who?"

Vegeta looked over at Bulma and he gestured at her body like a gameshow host.

"Your mother." Bra gasped in delight.

"Mommy's gonna learn how to fly? Oh, YAY!" She leapt up into the air and clapped her hands. Vegeta threw Bulma a devilish wink. He then turned on his heel, heading for the compound grounds, their daughter marching after him.

"Come on, woman!" He yelled cheerfully over his shoulder. "No time like the present!"

"Yeah, Mommy! Time for presents!"

Bulma stood their for a moment or two, blinking. Then she slowly followed after them. She wasn't sure whether she was horrified or amused. This could turn into a very weird day.