Hey everybody, I'm still very much alive and kicking ^-^ I just got a little smidge of inspiration and this is the result. I'm happy with the way this one shot turned out and I really hope you enjoy it!

Thanx so much to Android 18 for beta-reading this and her great suggestions, thanx!

† Put my trust in you †

It was late in the evening as the sun began to sink into the horizon, illuminating the forest beneath one last time that day and leaving it up to the moon to shine down on the now dark compound belonging to the beautiful legend, Bulma Briefs with her notorious companion, the one and only Vegeta Ouji.

Silence had swallowed the city in which it stood, making the noises coming from the dome shaped building even louder. Still, it had long been a regular occurrence in the neighbourhood and nobody paid much attention to it. Even the birds didn't seem to mind anymore as they set down on the tree beside the large window of the living room, almost as if watching the ordeal inside like a daily soap.

Inside, the two occupants of the room were in a full-out battle, glaring down on the other with so much hatred, much like an old habit incapable of breaking. All this could be clearly heard on the other side of the walls as the screams became louder each time a new insult was hurled at the other, the volume growing every passing second as the many minutes went by in a blur.

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard, sending the birds scattering into the dark sky in a frightened frenzy as the woman inside the building sank to the floor with a defeated sigh. Her bright aqua hair flowed over her face in a protecting gesture as she lowered her head; with a soft snivel she wrapped her arms around herself, doing her best to keep the tears from flowing.

The once oh so proud man simply looked at the beaten woman in front of him for a couple of tense seconds, right before slumping into the dining room chair. Running his hands through his dark hair as a sign of utter desperation, and lowering his head, having lost his will to fight just like his distraught companion occupying the other side of the large room.

The two just sat there in the unnerving silence that now surrounded the entire building, neither uttering a word, afraid of causing another tiring argument. They could hear a soft tapping on the windows surrounding them as raindrops began to fall from the sky, and a sudden draft extinguished the small candle sitting on the table. A seemingly perfect evening ruined, the wine still corked, the food cold and the cutlery in the exact same place as it was an hour before when a happy Bulma had laid it all out, completely oblivious of what was to come.

And now they sat in the darkness of the night, two lonely and confused people unable to accept their love for each other while they sat just a few feet away from the other. Suddenly the woman broke the nerve wrecking silence, yet, without moving from her spot against the wall. Her voice sounded tired and worn, which caught the man's attention for it had always been so lively and full of emotion.

"Why?"

The man looked confused, sending an uncertain glare at the one he loved more than anything in the world. He questioned her with a gruff voice which had lost all of it's previous and usual scorn.

"Why what?"

The woman's head moved up, causing the blue strands of her long hair to slightly fall back which allowed her a clear view of the Sayian prince sitting in front of her, fatigue so obviously etched across his face.

"Why does it have to be like this, Vegeta? Why can't we just be together, without the constant fighting?"

The man looked unsure about how to answer; he didn't have his usual witty comment ready to turn against the woman. He simply shook his head and ran his fingers through his rough hair once again.

"I.. I really don't know.."

After the simple statement, they simply sat there in silence once again, neither knowing for how long and neither caring. Both contemplating the question that haunted them all through the night

…..:::::…..

The next morning they where still there, both sound asleep as the birds of the previous night had returned to their old spot eager to see the latest developments. A single strand of warmth, on it's own was the only evidence of the glorious dawn beginning to take place outside. It made it's way through the crack of the curtains and hit Vegeta's sleeping face, urging him to open his eyes and face his problems. Within seconds the vibrant ray of sunlight achieved it's goal and a soft groan escaped from the man's throat as he immediately squinted his eyes against the brightness of the newly arrived sun, bringing his hand up to rub the sleep from his eyes.

He lifted his head from it's lying position on top of his crossed arm on the still laid out table and looked around the room. His eyes were immediately drawn towards the silent form in the corner of the room. He felt his stomach churn at the memory of last night, they had one of their biggest fights ever, resulting in Bulma hurling away her favourite vase in a fit of rage.

He stood up slowly, giving his blood a chance to circulate again before he made his way over to the fragile earth woman. She was still curled up in a cat like pose, her head in an awkward position as she continued sleeping like nothing had happened. But it was a futile illusion, last nights events were more then clearly to be seen on her face in the form of a few dried tears stuck to her rounded jaw.

These simple forms of liquid caused Vegeta's stomach to turn itself around once again and with a sympathetic look the prince scooped her up into his arms like she weighed nothing at all, starting towards their upstairs bedroom. Half way up the stairs the woman stirred slightly and murmured something incomprehensive before drifting off again. Vegeta just continued up the stairs and through the halls of Capsule Corp with a grim expression stuck on his face.

Finally reaching his destination, Vegeta managed to open the door with his elbow and quietly carried her across the room, stopping at the right side of the king sized bed. With a surprisingly gentle touch he brought her down onto the soft mattress and stood up again; she just looked so peaceful. Her blue eyes were closed, making her long eyelashes stand out even more then usual; her slightly tanned face was framed by her beautiful aqua hair and her full lips were slightly parted to let the air in and out of her delicate figure.

She looked like she stepped right out of a storybook, a fairytale princess without a worry on her mind. "If only that were true," he thought sadly and turned around deciding to go and try to train a bit.

He was about to step away when he found himself being held back, a soft creamy hand had wrapped itself around his gloved one, urging him to stop with so little physical strength yet enough to make one of the strongest men in the universe stop dead in his tracks. He turned again and found himself staring into those deep blue eyes, drowning in their confused emotions.

"Vegeta, don't go. We need to talk," came a soft whisper, her voice strained by the previous screaming but still more persuading then anything he had ever encountered.

The proud prince didn't say a word, he just gave her a slight nod and sat down beside her. Bulma got up into a sitting position and was about to address the man sitting next to her when she was suddenly overwhelmed by a stabbing pain rushing through her neck and shoulders. Hunched over, she let out a soft groan, running her hands across her neck in an attempt to ease the strain caused by sleeping in such a strange position. She was surprised to say the least when she encountered another hand. She looked over and quirked and eyebrow as she found two white gloves lying neatly on the bed next to her knees.

She was about to turn around to face the owner of the gloves but was gently held back by the surprisingly soft and gentle hands that carefully started to rub the sore muscles that delivered Bulma her trouble. She could have sworn she heard a soft, comforting whisper in her ear as the hands continued their magic but she decided against it. It was simply impossible for Vegeta to do such a compassionate thing for that ability had gotten lost a long time ago before all of their bickering started to interfere. But as she thought of it, Vegeta was acting really unlike himself already.

For a second, Bulma cursed her inquiring nature and managed to push it aside, taking her time as she laid down on her stomach and taking full advantage of the situation as she placed her arms on the silk sheets to support her throbbing head. But before continuing Vegeta carefully pulled her shirt over her head, proceeding to toss it, and unclipped her bra to enable himself to take along her entire back into his administrations. Bulma didn't mind at all.

This continued for a long time, but Vegeta didn't care. Somewhere along the line he had positioned himself over Bulma's bottom, his legs on either side of hers to make it a little comfortable for himself. And it clearly worked as all the tension disappeared from Bulma's body and she was slowly hypnotized by the flowing movements of the touch she had missed for so long. Everything seemed perfect and she was about to drift off into a peaceful slumber, that was until she was suddenly jolted up by a stabbing pain at the base of her neck.

Panic immediatly took over her senses and she could do nothing but let out a strangled cry as she felt something sharp cutting her flesh. She tried to get up but found herself pinned to the bed, clinging to the smooth sheets while the intense pain continued to increase. A couple of excruciating seconds that seemed like an eternity passed until a muffled groan escaped her mouth and the hurting slowly started to subside, finally making room for a whole other sensation. She couldn't explain it, she couldn't place it or give it a name but it felt so good, it swallowed her entire being into a state of perfect bliss.

She felt dull, like she'd been zapped into a whole other world where nothing seemed to matter anymore, yet she could still clearly feel something cutting into her neck, without a doubt, causing all of this. She briefly wondered what had happened, going through her memories with some trouble, in an effort to remember. All the while trying to ignore the incredible urge to just give in to the pleasure.

But right before she could get everything straight, she was suddenly pulled away by something completely different. It completely drowned her in memories that weren't hers, things she had never seen and feelings she had never felt. It was all so strange and different but still it all seemed to fit together perfectly. Anger, jealousy, hate, betrayal, envy and even love coursed through her veins all together. Not leaving her one second to collect herself.

Thousands of images flashed in front of her eyes in one big blur, cooperating with the many noises and feelings and together explaining everything to her. This went on so fast, yet it seemed to last an eternity. And finally, when it all ended so abruptly, she understood everything.

…..:::::…..

A strong gasp of fresh air burst into her lungs as she searched for much needed oxygen, scrambling to sit up. Her mind screamed, "What the hell happened!" And she desperately wanted to know, but breathing seemed more important at the moment as she took in long desperate breaths. She felt like she'd been under water for hours without an end as she searched for every ounce of co2 available. After a while breathing became easier again and she slowly calmed down. But the strange thing was, that after all of the stress she just went through her mind seemed strangely at peace, she was calmer then she'd ever been as she sat there on the large bed with her eyes closed lightly. That's also when a soft stinging returned to her shoulder. She brushed her fingers along the base of her neck and brought them back in front of her face to see a smudge of shiny red liquid on them.

This sent her mind racing again as she automatically started to survey the damage and whether it was urgent or not. Sometimes she hated her technical brain so much when she realized she still didn't know what had happened. That's when she whirled around, realizing she still wasn't alone as she found herself staring into those pitch black obsidian eyes she knew all too well.

But they looked different somehow; they weren't so distant and harsh anymore. It was almost as if they had opened up to her, finally giving her the respect she deserved. She blinked once and unfocused, looking at the Sayian prince who was sending her an uncertain and questioning, yet trusting look. For some reason unknown to her, a sudden happiness filled her soul and she sent him a warm, welcoming smile, throwing her arms around him and clinging onto him for dear life.

She didn't have to say anything, she sent him a silent 'thank you' and held him close as she felt his strong arms encircling her waist, drawing her nearer and sending butterflies through her stomach, just like it used to do all those years back. She thanked him for trusting and accepting her, for sharing everything with her and showing her his deepest secrets. She thanked him for forming a bond with her, the ultimate sign of Sayian affection and full out love.

And as Vegeta held his one and only soul mate, a small trickle of blood ran across his chin, originating from the corner of his mouth which was now turned up in a relieved smile. Through their quiet hug he told her that everything was going to be fine, setting both of their minds at ease. In the meantime, unnoticed by the pair, the glistening drop of red moisture glided down, hanging on the tip of Vegeta's chin for a second while taking the time to glitter in the fresh morning sun before plummeting into the space beneath, lost between the satin sheets of the bed in which the perfect couple sat. Completely at peace for the first time in their lives knowing that their little baby boy would grow up in happy family.

† The end †