I Don't Have the Heart

By: Lehua

Disclaimer: DBZ is not mine, so these characters are not mine.

Vegeta walked down to the kitchen to eat his breakfast and then train. He had a nice schedule going: he woke up early—enough so the woman was still asleep or out—to eat breakfast; trained; took lunch later than the woman did; trained; and came in late enough to make dinner and sleep, the woman usually being occupied in her lab or out with her dumb boyfriend. His only true interaction with the woman usually involved him demanding that she fix his machine so he could train harder, which was often, but lately she'd been smart, having spares stored in capsules so there would be no down time and he wouldn't have to chew her a new asshole. So, he was surprised when he found her sitting at the kitchen table with coffee already in her hands. How had he not noticed that she was here before he arrived? He should have been able to detect her before he had even gotten to the kitchen. I must be getting lax in my security; I need to train harder, he thought as he entered the kitchen.

He walked to the fridge and began his morning ritual of making his breakfast. During the whole process of making and eating it he was acutely aware that she neither said anything nor looked at him. Something's up, he thought, but she's not making any obvious signs for me to figure it out. She's not yelling at me, or crying over that bastard, so what the hell is wrong with her? As he was finishing up the last of his breakfast she said, "it's over."

"What does that mean, woman?" he replied.

"Between me and Yamcha."

"Why should I care?" he said as he got up to put his dishes in the sink. "All that means to me is that you'll be around more often to fix your weak machine when it breaks." He walked out.

He waited to hear her yell at him as he left the room, but she didn't make a sound. In fact, she still hadn't looked at him. He was curious: what was so different about this break up that she didn't have her usual hysterics? She'd break up with that weakling, cry her eyes out, and then be going out with him again in a few days. What had happened that changed her usual pattern? He liked to be able to predict behavior, so that he wasn't surprised. That was one of his gifts, being able to predict everyone's behavior before they even did anything. But since he'd met Kakkarot he'd been having a difficult time predicting anyone's behavior. Was it because of Kakkarot or was it something about these people on this planet? He'd conquered hundreds of planets, subdued trillions of people, and yet something about this planet had him perplexed. He wanted to find out why this situation was different with Bulma, but he didn't want to show weakness for wanting to know, so he continued to the GR to train. He'd deal with it later.

Bulma sighed. She'd been in the lab for several hours and had gotten nothing done. This break up with Yamcha had been terrible, but they had both known it was coming. There was nothing inherently wrong with Yamcha—he was a wonderful man—but he wasn't making her happy anymore. He tried: he got a steady job, found a good place to live, bought her things that would make any other woman happy, but still it wasn't enough. She loved him, and he loved her, but it wasn't enough for her. And now it was over. For good. It was an amicable split, but it hurt, and she had no one to turn to. No, that wasn't true. She had Goku, he was always there for her when she needed him. Goku, her oldest friend and greatest ally.

Bulma found herself walking with Goku in the waning light of day in the field next to his house. Chichi was in the house trying to get Gohan to take a shower.

"So, what's up?" Goku asked.

Bulma stopped and stared into the surrounding forest. "It's over."

Goku bent toward her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "What's over?"

"Me and Yamcha."

Goku stood up and blinked. "Oh."

Bulma shot him a look. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing," he said, backing away from her with a grin on his face.

"Don't say that. I know you. You know something I don't, don't you?" she said, her left hand on her hip and her right index finger shaking at him.

Goku scratched his head. "What makes you think that?"

"Goku, I expected sympathy out of you, and all I got was 'oh'—as if you knew something. Did he tell you?"

"Who tell me what?" Goku asked.

"Yamcha. Did he say anything to you?"

"No, of course not. I haven't seen Yamcha since I last saw you."

"Then who else could have told you. . . .Vegeta?"

Goku laughed.

"Yeah," Bulma giggled, "Vegeta coming all this way to tell you I broke up with me 'baka boyfriend' would be a little much." Bulma sat down in the grass and drew her knees to her chest. "So what was that 'oh' about? Did you think Yamcha and I weren't right for each other in the first place?"

Goku sat beside her, placing his arm around her shoulder. "You were pretty desperate back then; I mean, you were looking for the dragonballs so you could wish for a boyfriend, after all."

Bulma smiled and leaned against him. "We were so young back then."

"I like Yamcha: he's a nice guy. But I never thought he was the one for you. No offense to him, but he's not too bright."

Look who's talking, she thought.

"I never thought he'd be able to compete with your intellect and wit, and I felt that you needed someone who was on the same level as you, not someone who wouldn't be able to defend himself if he got into a fight. I'm sure Yamcha tried hard, but he never would have been able to make you happy." Goku squeezed her. "You're a difficult woman to deal with, Bulma."

"And yet, you and I get along great," she said. "We should have gotten married."

Goku laughed. "I'm not even going to pretend like I'm not flattered, but I wouldn't have made you happy either. Of course, had you tricked me like Chichi did, I would have been happy to do it, but things didn't work out that way."

"Am I cursed? Will I be an Old Maid when I die?" she asked.

Goku paused. He didn't know what to tell her. Vegeta was her future, and Trunks when he was born, but he couldn't tell her that: he didn't want to throw off the timeline. Trunks had said to be careful. What could he say? "I doubt it. There must be someone who could handle you. Don't you know anyone who can match your wits?"

"Men are either too scared or too stupid to approach me. All I get from men who want me is 'hey babe' or 'whatever you want'—as long as I'm paying for it of course. Before Yamcha, they were all idiots, and the men I saw while Yamcha and I were 'broken up' were usually hoping I'd be their Suga Momma." She paused. "The only person who has any wits and can best me sometimes is Vegeta. But you and I know that Vegetable Head has no feelings for anyone." She nudged Goku in the ribs, expecting him so agree, but when he said nothing she began to wonder. "Right?"

Bulma sat up straight, Goku's arm falling from her shoulders to his side. "Vegeta has no heart. He proclaims it to me almost everyday that I see him." She stood up. "He's intent on destroying the Androids and killing you. It's all he ever talks about. Training, training, training. And he's always demanding that I serve him. Ha! He's the Prince of the Saiyans, which consists of you and him." She paced. "He never says 'please' or 'thank you' and I swear he picks fights with me just because he's bored sometimes. He's never shown any concern for me when I was upset, and he's always demanding, never asking."

"Bulma," he said, still seated on the ground, "you have to realize that all his life he's been pushed around, forced to serve under Frieza, who not only killed his parents but destroyed his planet as well. Then, I surpass him in power, a power he felt like was his birth right, taken away by a third-class nobody who didn't even know he was Saiyan until recently. And then Frieza killed him, and instead of ending his miserable life, he's brought back to earth by a wish on the dragonballs, with the knowledge that he wasn't strong enough in the end to kill Frieza. He has survived all these years by keeping everyone away and demanding service instead of asking. Fear and intimidation are his way of life. What can you expect from him when he gets care and kindness? He doesn't know how to react. He hasn't killed you, so he probably thinks that's enough to show his gratitude."

Bulma sat next him again. "I suppose."

"You have to cut him a little slack, but not that much. If there's anyone who can deal with him, it's you." Goku put his arm around her again and pulled her close. "You're one of the strongest people I know, next to Chichi, of course. I really don't know how she can deal with me and Gohan. We drive her nuts sometimes."

"Sometimes? Ha, try everyday. There's never a day when I call when you and Gohan aren't causing her grief."

"Goku! Bulma!" a voice called from the house. "It's time for dinner!"

They got up from the ground and walked to the house. "I'll have you know that she hasn't yelled at me all day today," Goku said.

A few mintues later. . . . "Goku! You tracked dirt into the house! How many times have a told you to wash your feet before you come into the house?"

Vegeta walked into the kitchen late that evening and found the woman shoving food into the fridge. She leaned against the door and sighed. "Had I known you were coming in I wouldn't have put the food away," she said.

"If you were around more often you would know when I come in," he retorted. He began to pull everything out of the fridge. "You were at Kakkarot's."

"How'd you know?" Bulma said, sitting down at the table.

Vetega pulled a plate out from the cupboard and considered if he should ask her if she wanted one: he was still curious about her mood this morning and figured offering her a plate would make her more susceptible to speaking, but then again, he didn't want to appear concerned. There was the possibility that she would talk about it without him doing or saying anything, but from her behavior this morning he wasn't too sure about that. "Would you like a plate?"

"No, I'm still stuffed. But thank you," she said.

He grunted and got to work eating. "I can smell him on you," he volunteered when she said nothing.

"What?" she asked.

"Kakkarot. I can smell him on you, which is how I can tell you went to see him."

"Oh, yeah. Your superior Saiyan senses; I forget about them sometimes. Yeah, I needed to talk to someone, about Yamcha."

He grunted.

"Goku wasn't surprised. In fact, he said he never thought it would workout. Wish he had said something earlier; would have saved me some heartache," she said.

"One of Kakkarot's enlightened moments."

"Why must you always make snide comments about him? He never says anything bad about you. In fact, he practically said I should chase after you now."

Vegeta almost choked on his food. He could tell the woman was watching him closely and he didn't want to give her any ideas. "I spoke too soon," he muttered.

"What?" she said, perking up in her seat.

"Nothing." He scowled.

"Did you say that you spoke to soon? Are you saying you would have me chase you rather than Yamcha?" She smiled.

Vegeta looked her. "I am a much better mate than that man could have ever been for you. I really don't know what you saw in that man in the first place." He quickly polished off the rest of his food and put his plate in the sink. This conversation had turned and he wasn't comfortable with it anymore. As he washed his hands he felt her come up behind him and snake her arms around his waist.

"Do you want me to chase you, Veg-Head?" she said

He jerked out of her embrace and stared at her. "I said no such thing woman. I don't need you or anyone else, and I suggest you stay away from me. I have no time for you and I have no time for your games. I need to become stronger, I need to defeat the Androids, and I need to kill Kakkarot. That is all I need and want." He turned on his heel and left the room.

Bulma pursued him. "Goku told me about you."

Vegeta stopped midway up the stairs. "Told you what?"

She paused, unsure of his tone. He was suddenly colder. "About how you had to put up walls to protect yourself. How you use fear and intimidation to get what you want. How you probably don't know how to react to someone who wants you, someone who could care for you."

He relaxed. She didn't know about what had happened on Namek. He turned to her, the darkness of the stairs enhancing his dark looks. "He's right: no one wanted me or cared for me. And I need no one to want or care for me. I am fine with my life right now. I don't need some woman clouding my judgment." He resumed his trek up the stairs.

"Have you ever wondered why Goku was stronger than you in every battle?" she said.

He paused again but said nothing.

She came up the stairs and stood close to him, not quite touching him. She leaned in and whispered, "it's because he has someone he needs to protect, because he wants and cares for someone who wants and cares for him back. Every major battle in his life he's always had a reason to fight. You fight because it's all you know how to do; you don't need a reason." She continued up the stairs and went to her room.

Was that Kakkarot's secret? Could it be that because he had someone to protect he was stronger? It made a sort of sense. He knew that in nature, animals would go to great lengths to protect their young. Was Kakkarot channeling his power from that basic instinct? No, it wasn't just that: Kakkarot trained hard to be a good fighter. But this instinct might be enough to push him over the edge.

The woman might be onto something.