Disclaimer: Ok ok ok these characters don't belong to me, they belong to whatever they belong to, ok? Happy? Enjoy!
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It was the same every night. Nine year old Bra would have trouble falling asleep, so she would go to her parent's bedroom. Vegeta and Bulma would lie there with her
until she drifted off, then Vegeta would lift her in his strong arms and carry her down the hall to her room.
Once there, he would place her in her frilly, pink bed and cover her with her ruffled comforter. Then, he would push back her bangs and kiss her forehead.
Bra would always wake up when he kissed her. She would open her pretty blue eyes and smile up at her fahter. Then she would say "Daddy?"
"Yes, Bra-leenee?" He would only call her by her pet name when they were alone.
"Do you love me? She knew the answer, but wanted to hear it anyway.
"Of course I do, angel." He would reply. Then Bra would smile again, say that she loved him too, and say goodnight. Vegeta would kiss her again, then walk to the
doorway where he would stand until she fell asleep. Then he would close the door softly and walk to his son, Trunks' room. He would not enter, only open the door
enough to see if the boy was asleep. Then Vegeta would return to his room where his wife was sleeping. He would look upon her with love in his heart, but he would
not kiss her or stroke her cheek. He rarely ever displayed his affection for her. He had too much pride.
One night, when Vegeta's spoiled-but-sweet daughter awoke after he had kissed her, she didn't smile. "Daddy?"
"Yes, Bral-eenee?"
"Do you love Mommy?"
Vegeta had not expected that. He sat there for a moment, thinking. He knew the answer was yes, but he didn't want to say it. Not even to Bra, his little princes.
"What do you think?" he said instead.
"I think you do." She replied confidently.
"Well, then why did you ask?
"I just wanted to hear you say it ,Daddy. I've never heard you say it before.
"Do you still want me to say it?"
"Yes, but only if you mean it."
Vegeta took a deep breath and said the words that he had always felt. "Bra, you mother is an intelligent, beautiful, remarkable woman. And I love her.
"As much as you love me?"
"Yes."
"And what about Trunks?"
"I love him, too."
Bra smiled. "I love you, too, Daddy. Good night."
The next day, Bra skipped happily into the living room where the father was trying to take Bulma's advice and have a little down time. He was trying to watch TV But
could not sit still and was utterly bored.
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Bra said, standing in front of the television.
"What?"
"You know, you know, you know that doll I wanted but you said I couldn't have till my birthday?
"Yes."
"Well, I want it now."
Vegeta smiled a little. "You think after all the time it took me to convince you to wait I'm just going to change my mind?"
"Yes. Yes I do."
"And why is that?"
Bra smiled broadly as she pulled out the pocket tape recorder that she received on her previous birthday. She pressed play. Out of the recorder came Vegeta's voice
saying "Bra, your mother is an intelligent, beautiful, remarkable woman. And I love her." Bra stopped the tape.
"I want that Disco Diva Debbie Doll. And I'm going to get it now or mom's going to hear this.
"Where is your mother, anyway?"
"Grocery shopping. And she took Trunks with her."
Vegeta closed his eyes and smiled. His daughter was clever, just like her mother. She was strong-willed and determined, just like both of her parents. He opened his
eyes, having made a decision. "Let her hear it."
"What?'
"I want her to hear it. I think she was meant to."
Bra frowned a little, but hen she smiled. "This'll make mom super happy. And that's more important than some Dorky Disco Doofus Doll. 'Besides' she thought to
herself. 'I can probably think of some other way to persuade Daddy to get it for me before my birthday'.
"And just what are you smirking at?" inquired Vegeta. Bra had not realized it, but playing across her lips was a half-smile identical to the one that so often showed on
her father's face.
"Oh, nothing." she replied. "I was just wondering what Tien, or maybe even Piccolo, would say if they ever heard this tape."
"I'm not sure what they'd say," said Vegeta, once again smiling at his little girl's cunning."But they'd probably say that you needed some new dolls since your father
melted your old ones with an energy beam."
"You know," said Bra, catching her father's drift. "two months isn't really that long. I think I could wait for my birthday to get a new doll."
"I think you could, too." said Vegeta, standing up. "But how would you like to wait ten minutes for an ice cream sundae?"
"I'd love to, Daddy" said Bra, thinking about how the ice cream parlor was right next to the toy store.