Last Night.

Bulma was more then relieved when she finally arrived at her bedroom, after feeling her way through the darkened halls for over five minutes. Common sense had told her to flick on a light switch but her feet were in pain, her head was aching and she just didn't have enough energy to comply. Instinct told her this:

Get to your room and fall asleep.

And here she was.

Pleased by her own willpower, the blue haired scientist waddled into her dark room, her bulbous stomach stretching the fabric of her suit. She felt her way to the bed, as she had did in the hall, and flopped onto the bed with a giant sigh.

She would have attempted to change into her pajamas but history had taught her better. She slid off her work clothes and underneath, she wore her sleepwear then, she laid back with a low groan.

Her whole day had been nothing but hectic; agitating clients, paparazzi buzz, and her mother's annoying, overly concerned attitude. To say she was tired would be an understatement. She was exhausted, drained, dead on her feet. She just wanted to curl into the fetal position and sleep peacefully.

It didn't help her fatigue that she was carrying the child of an aloof Saiyan either.

Holding her stomach, Bulma let her mind wander onto that topic.

Vegeta.

Her baby's father. The man she had fallen in love with and came to think he felt the same way about her. Their relationship had been a rocky one at the start due to both their stubbornness but soon enough, it gave way to something neither of them had expected: Love.

And, after awhile, everything had been okay. He trained for the upcoming Androids, she ran Capsule Corporation and they met up with each other in the bedroom each night. It was all perfect.

That had been a month ago.

After she had told him about the pregnancy, things changed.

He become more and more distant, treated her as if she were invisible and never came to sleep beside her at night anymore, no matter how long she waited up for him. Whenever she tried to question him about it, he'd ignore it and say something to her that would make her angry which, in turn, led them to fight and he'd storm away. He trained day and night nonstop, solely invested in it.

His actions both irritated and hurt Bulma to the core.

She refused to think that his new attitude had anything to do with their unborn child but lately, she hadn't been so sure. He was being extremely difficult about it all. He hadn't shown any interest about the baby's health or her own and Bulma was beginning to feel as if he didn't want to be apart of their lives.

Sighing, she tried unsuccessfully to turn on her side, hoping to forget about everything for just this night but began crying silently when she couldn't roll over.

Stupid hormones.

"What is the matter with you?"

Bulma's eyes flew to the owner of the sharp voice, who had happened to be lying beside her the entire time and she blinked, throwing the covers off the figure. "Vegeta?" She struggled across to switch on the table lamp much to his chagrin. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here."

"What are you doing here in this bed?"

"Woman, the last time I checked, this was my bed as well." Vegeta grumbled lazily, snatching the covers back.

"You're sleeping?"

"I was trying to."

"This early?"

"I'm tired."

"But here?"

"I'm sorry, did something happen recently that beseeched me from this room?" Vegeta growled lowly, turning on his side so his back was to her.

"Welllll, no." Bulma shrugged. "You..just never sleep here anymore."

"Well, I am now."

But that wasn't enough for her. She narrowed her eyes and shifted her weight, her swollen stomach making it difficult to. "Well, why are you sleeping here now?"

"Do you have a problem with my presence?"

"No, I'm just wondering why you've chosen to GRACE me with it after so many days."

"It hasn't been that long."

"It's BEEN A MONTH!"

Vegeta rolled his eyes and sighed. "Could we just turn off the lights and go to sleep? Hm? "

Against her better judgment, Bulma did so. She was equally tired and didn't feel well enough to deal with his attitude. Yet the question of why he had chosen to appear now had her interest. And the fact that he was still acting like an asshole irritated her greatly.

But, it wasn't worth staying up the night to ponder over. She guessed it could wait until tomorrow.

She laid back down and tried to get comfortable. Which was hard to do considering that her stomach was bloated to capacity. She fumbled about for a whole five minutes until Vegeta erupted in a controlled voice, "Would you be still?"

"Well SOR-RY! It's just hard to sleep with a baby in my gut."

Vegeta snorted. "And you wonder why I never sleep in here anymore."

That did it. Bulma clenched her teeth and screamed, "FINE!" She groaned as she sat up. "Then you don't have to sleep with me if I'm such a bother."

Vegeta sighed loudly as he listened to her stand up. "What are you doing?" He asked, his back still to her.

"I'm leaving. To sleep in the guestroom." She grumbled, wobbling towards the door. With a groan, Vegeta flashed in front of her, completely naked aside from his baggy boxers, hands on hips.

"You aren't going anywhere." He told her,.

"If you move, "She seethed. "I will."

"Go lay back down."

"No." She said evenly.

"Woman, "Vegeta growled threateningly."If you do not waddle your self back over to that bed and go to sleep, I will make you."

"Oh you just try it." Her eyes glowed.

They stood glaring at each other, each waiting to see who'd make the first move.

"I am not joking." He finally uttered, lowly.

"Touch me and you'll find out I'm not joking either."

Vegeta sighed and his shoulders slumped and something happened after that. Something that Bulma had never witnessed before:

He gave up.

"Damn it. One day. Hell, one night. Could we not fight for one night?"

Bulma tilted her chin up slightly, completely caught off guard. "You started it." Was all she could think of to say.

"Very mature." She narrowed her eyes again and readied herself for a new bout until Vegeta waved it off with a sigh. "Calm down, woman. All this stress can't be good for the fetus."

The blue haired genius scoffed. "Like you care." Then she shuffled back towards the bed. It was his turn to narrow his eyes. The widow peaked male appeared before her again, eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"It's my child. Of course I care."

"Well, you don't act like it."

The widow peaked male rocked backwards and folded his arms across his chest. "Is that what this is about? Me not showing enough love to the kid who, may I put out there, is not born yet."

"NO!" Bulma's frustrations exploded all at once and it surprised both Vegeta and her yet she couldn't keep it in. "Vegeta, that is NOT what this is about. This is about us, not our baby." She threw her hands in air. "Look, Vegeta, I understand you're not affectionate. I really do. I know that you won't show your feelings in public and I've grown to determine what your signs of care are. And I was perfectly fine with that! I was fine with the way we communicate as long as, in private, you showed me an inkling of promise that, on some level, you really do love me."

Vegeta stared at her silently before asking softly, "What are you implying?"

"I think we're falling apart. Because this, whatever it is we're doing....it isn't working."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to me!" Bulma screamed desperately, eyes tearing up. "Let me know how your training is going. Tell me I'm inferior. Tell me something, anything! Or, at least, spend time with me. You don't even have to talk. Just stand by me. Ask me how OUR son is! Pretend like you really want this to continue. Try!" She wiped her eyes and walked past him to sit down on the bed. "Just don't...DON'T pretend that I'm so insignificant to you that I don't exist and don't come back to bed after a month of avoiding me and act like everything's okay. Because it isn't."

Vegeta turned to face her and, for the life of him, he didn't know what to say. It pained him to be so useless. It bothered him that he didn't know how to stop her from crying. And, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't say anything.

Bulma took his silence as him not caring about her whole speech and she breathed out a sigh. "You know what? Forget it. Lets just go to bed." That said, she crawled to her spot on the bed, this time rolling onto her side and closed her eyes.

After a beat, Vegeta joined her. Turning on his side with a placid expression. He tried to fall asleep but her words were lodged in his head.

Yes, he knew he had been being extremely distant this last month and yes, he was aware that he wasn't spending much time with her but he had never expected her to be so angry. Bulma was normally such a strong, independent young woman. He has never seen her break down like that before. It occurred to him that if she continued to feel this way when he left, she'd probably never forgive him or take him back when he returned.

When he left.......

He owed her something, damn it. He owed her the reason for why he was doing such things.

He owed her this much.

At first, Bulma thought the arms that circled around her were her imagination and that she was dreaming but when she felt her back being pressed against a hard chest, she opened her eyes and glanced down.

Vegeta had his muscled arms as far around her stomach as he could get and his hand was softly tilting her head into the crook of his neck. She relaxed and let him do it.

After a beat of silence in the embrace, he spoke abruptly. "I've been training lately because you two have become a distraction."

Bulma wondered if he had been rehearsing that in his head. "Well...that makes me feel better." She said dryly.

"Let me finish." He commanded sharply and she fell silent. ".......It's been extremely hard to keep my focus when you guys are anywhere close. I even tried to go to a mountain far away. Yet.....you're still there. Always. In my head."

She finally picked up that Vegeta was saying 'you two' and she realized he was including the baby in her stomach. "Is that such a bad thing?" She asked quietly.

"Yes and no." He replied. "When I train, I must block everything out in order to concentrate completely on what I'm doing. It makes it easier to...achieve my goal."

"Of being a Super Saiyan." Bulma stated the obviously gaining a slight nod from him.

"But.....lately, I've been losing it. Whenever I try to block everything out, you come to mind. And, no matter how much I try, I can't get you out of my head. It's frustrating."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You wanted me to talk to you, Bulma." He said. "And I am. This is the reason why I've been acting so vague. It has nothing to do with you or our child. It's me. I'm becoming......a weakling."

Bulma listened to how he strained out the last word and she sniffed, hearing the torment in his words. If there was one thing Vegeta had never said before, it was this. He was much too haughty and arrogant to admit he was weak. It must have been tearing him up all this time.

She turned in his hold as best she could with her swollen stomach and put her hands on his jaw. "Oh Vegeta. You're not a weakling."

"I can't control my own thoughts anymore. I've lost power over my training." He was scowling. "I'm becoming inadequate."

"Just because you've started to show you care doesn't make you a weakling." She smiled warmly, tears running down her face. "It just shows that you're changing. Into someone better."

Vegeta wiped them from her eyes with a finger. "Woman, why are you crying?"

"I'm happy." She squeaked out. "If I had known that this was what was bothering you, I wouldn't have been so mad. See what I mean about talking to me? You can tell me anything, Vegeta. I'll always be here for you."

If only he could always be there for her.

"I have to make it to a Super Saiyan. I must."

"I know!" Bulma rolled her eyes. "And you will. In due time. Just be patient."

"You don't understand-"

"I understand perfectly. You thought that, by caring about me, you wouldn't be able to reach your goal. But, don't you get it? Look at Goku. He's powerful and he loves Chichi and Gohan."

"Kakarot and I are different." He stated. "You can't compare us."

"I suppose not. You're much more handsome, after all." She smirked, euphoric with the knowledge that he thought of her a lot. It made her heart swell.

Vegeta chuckled softly. "Go to sleep, woman."

Bulma gladly did as told, turning back around. Then, as an afterthought she said, "You feel better? About the training and stuff?" She asked sleepily before closing her eyes.

He didn't answer. Instead, after a long pause, he whispered. "I love you. And our child. No matter what may happen, what I might do or say. Just remember that."

Her eyes snapped back open at that comment and she spun her neck to stare at him. He was smirking lightly. "Wha-What did you just say?"

"You heard what I said."

The blue haired woman's eyes started to fill with tears and Vegeta groaned. "Don't you cry again. Now, to bed." He turned her back around and cuddled her close.

Yet Bulma couldn't let that go. He had sounded so sincere. He had been so straightforward with it, no hesitation.

And it had been the first time he'd ever said it. She wasn't sure if he was aware of that but then again, she didn't care.

Vegeta loves me!

"I love you too." She whispered back, softly. She knew he had heard her because he kissed her neck. Then she leaned into him and fell asleep with a newfound hope that everything was going to be alright.

Vegeta, however, didn't feel so happy. He sighed quietly and sniffed in his mate's scent. He didn't want to forget her smell, her face. He would need these memories to sustain himself. Because he was leaving tomorrow. For who knows how long. But not because he wanted to, because he had to if he ever wished to obtain his mission. And he hadn't told her any of this for fear that she would talk him out of it.

But hopefully, this night would be enough to tide her over until he returned. Maybe she'd be able to take his words to the heart and understand that he did love her. And, maybe, she'd forgive him. Sooner or later.

So, as he pressed her possessively to him, he rubbed her stomach and wondered what his child would look like when he saw him.

The next morning, feeling especially elated, Bulma opened her eyes with a smile. The sun shone through the windows and the birds chirped happily. She knew that nothing could ruin her mood.

But, as she turned to give the love of her life a peck on the cheek, she paused.

Because Vegeta was already gone.

End!

And, just in case you missed it, He' left to go train in space. I know, sucky ending. Bah.

R&R. Much love.