Hey everyone! I'm Faint Starlite and I am excited to finally post my first fanfic. This story is an A/U. The main focus of this story is Bulma and Vegeta, but there will be a side story of Goku and Chichi in here as well. You will see a lot of familiar characters throughout the story as well. Hope you all enjoy!!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own any Dragonball Z or any of its characters, just the idea for this story.

Summary: Bulma is in an abusive marriage and decides, after a tragic event, that she's had enough. With the help of her best friend Chichi, she flees from her husband to a small town in the countryside. Her life takes unexpected twists and turns as she tries to regain control of her life, keep her true identity hidden and resist her budding attraction to the town's handsome Deputy Sheriff, who unfortunately is also her new neighbor.

Escape

This was it. The day was finally here. After all the preparations over the last month, the day had finally come. She was so nervous she felt nauseated, but forced herself to eat breakfast and make small talk with her husband, who had hidden himself behind this mornings' newspaper. Surely her husband would become suspicious if her behavior seemed unusual. Today she would free herself from the monster that was her husband. She would finally be free from fear of saying or doing the wrong thing. She would finally be free from his angry wrath when she wasn't an "obedient" wife. She would finally escape.

She never would have thought that their relationship would turn so volatile. They were happy in the beginning, or so she thought. Symon Nash was smart, handsome, charming and everything Bulma thought she wanted in a man. He was one of the most brilliant minds at Capsule Corp and West City's most eligible bachelor. He was a scientist in the crime lab of the West City police department for about 3 years before he was hired to work in their Research and Development labs. That's when he caught her father's attention and took Symon under his wing. He quickly moved up the ranks of the company to his current position of Vice President of Capsule Corp's Research and Development Division in a matter of 7 years.

Bulma had heard her father speak often about the talented young man he had took a liking to, but she didn't formally meet him until four years ago at Capsule Corp's annual Christmas party, shortly after he had been promoted to Vice President of his division, which was very impressive for a man only 32 years old at the time. Her father had practically pushed the two of them together. With her father's insistence on what a fine young man he was and her mother becoming more and more vocal about wanting grandchildren, Bulma reasoned they could possibly be a good match and Symon definitely seemed interested.

He was very intelligent and quite handsome; thick blonde hair that slightly curled around the edge of his neck with emerald green eyes and dimples when he smiled. He worked out religiously and had a toned body to show for it. There was definitely physical chemistry between them and she thought with time maybe more would come of their attraction. So they began dating. Being only 21 at the time, she was attracted to the idea of dating an older man. Older men had always seemed so much more sophisticated and charming than men her own age.

About three months into their relationship, Bulma found Symon to be a little too arrogant for her liking. He liked to brag about himself and his accomplishments and had a tendency to look down on those he considered "less" than him. She thought it was something that she could learn to live with. After all, no one was perfect. Besides, she wasn't always modest herself, but she never tried to make anyone feel they were inferior to her; at least not intentionally.

She noticed his tendency to become angry over small things, like a waiter not bringing their food fast enough or if she had to cancel a date last minute because of work. She tried to justify his temper because he had a stressful job, just like she did. It's not like he physically threatened her. He just raised his voice and used a few choice words to express his displeasure. She could be a bit of a hot head herself so she tolerated it. Besides, he would always apologize and make it up to her. But despite his flaws, she was head over heels in love with the man. She thought of him as her Prince Charming.

After dating for 6 months, he proposed. She thought things were moving to fast. She was definitely in love with him but was unsure if she was ready to take that step after only dating a short while. Symon told her he didn't see the point in waiting when it was obvious that they were meant to be together and how much he loved her. When she told her parents they insisted they would be perfect as husband and wife and reminded her that they had married after a whirlwind courtship and how happy they were to this day. So Bulma accepted his proposal and they were married 3 months later in a lavish outdoor ceremony in the exquisite gardens of Capsule Corp. Everyone who was anyone was there and no expense was spared.

Bulma would describe their first year of marriage as lovely. They bought a large home in West City, not far from Capsule Corp headquarters. Symon convinced her that they needed their privacy in a home of their own. Symon was the perfect doting husband, lavishing her with gifts, compliments and couldn't seem to keep his hands off of her. But after about a year his demeanor seemed to change. His wasn't as attentive and began working at the office later and later into the night. She knew his position could be demanding at times, being VP of Capsule Corp. herself, so she tried her best to be an understanding and supportive wife.

He would often seem angry and she felt like she could never please him. At first he would display his anger verbally. Calling her names and using colorful language. She would give him attitude right back, but would back off when he started throwing things or punching the walls. She thought that was the extent of his temper; that he would never actually attack her, but he soon proved her wrong.

When he came stumbling into the house late one night with lipstick on his collar and the distinct odor of alcohol on his breath, she became upset and highly suspicious of why he was out late so often. She confronted him on his whereabouts and he became enraged and slapped her across the face, telling her not to question him. She stood there holding her cheek in shock; staring at him in fear and disbelief. She couldn't believe what just happened. It was the first time he ever hit her. She slept in one of the guest rooms that night as he passed out, drunk, on their bed. The next day he sent her flowers from his office and even went so far as to come home with a new car. After that night, 3 years ago, that became the norm in their marriage. He would lose his temper, attack her and then apologize with expensive gifts.

Symon would try to be careful about hitting her in the face. He didn't need to raise anyone's suspicions about what was going on in his house. It was no one's business as far as he was concerned, but that didn't always work out. The times he would make contact with her face, he would make her take a hiatus from work and her social life to allow her face to heal enough to cover the remaining injury with makeup. But things didn't look exactly normal with her wearing turtle necks and long sleeved shirts in the summer to hide the bruises on her arms, back and neck.

In his mind, he would always rationalize that it wasn't his fault he couldn't control himself. He knew he had a bad temper and it had always been his downfall, but it wasn't his fault. It's not like he didn't try to improve himself. He even completed an anonymous anger management program twice in the last 2 years so that's got to count for something, right?

Things would always improve with his attitude, but it never lasted more than 6 months. So he had given up on the programs, after all no one was perfect. Bulma wasn't perfect and he didn't make her go to counseling for her flaws. Besides, Bulma was just as much to blame for his anger as he was by doing things that she knew would upset him. It was her fault for getting him worked up all the time. He expressed this to her on numerous occasions, particularly after he hit her.

But no more, after the devastating tragedy that happened a month ago, she knew she had to get away. Having dealt with abuse for three of their four year marriage, she finally had the courage to do what she should have done a long time ago. She felt overwhelmed with guilt for not leaving sooner. If she had maybe things would have been different. No, things would have definitely been different. If she didn't leave after the first time he hit her, than she certainly should have fled as soon as she found out her life was about to change. She had more than just herself to think of then, but she didn't. Instead she thought this would be the answer to fix her horrible marriage. That once she told him, things would get better. That he would stop hitting her and they would be in love again, just like in the beginning of their relationship. But instead of protecting this wonderful change that was about to happen, she put it in harms way by staying and now it was gone forever. She didn't know if she could ever forgive herself.

Now wasn't the time to dwell on that. She had to stay focused.

"What do you have planned for today?" he asked. Eyes never leaving his paper as he reached for his black coffee.

"I think I'll visit my mother today after work. I haven't seen her lately," she said as calmly as her nerves would allow as she sipped her coffee. He eyed her for a moment and Bulma held her breath. She felt exposed under his gaze, like he could see right through her lie. When he dropped his gaze and began folding up his paper, she breathed a silent breath of relief.

"I won't be home until late tonight again. I have a ton of paper work and some projects to oversee at the office," he said as he placed his folded up newspaper on the table and rose to his feet. He rounded the table to where she was sitting and kissed her cheek. Bulma tried her hardest not to flinch as he approached her. He hated it when she did that.

"Don't wait up," he said. She knew what that meant; another woman, again. He had a certain routine when he had a woman on the side. He would suddenly become to busy to come home at a decent hour and would always tell her to not wait up. Some nights he wouldn't even come home, claiming he was too tired from working all night to make the drive home. But he never came home empty handed. There would always be a piece of fine jewelry on her nightstand the next day. But she didn't care anymore; those other women could have him.

He grabbed his coat and headed out the door. As soon as she heard his car leave the driveway, she sprung into action. She dismissed the cook telling her to take the rest of the day off. Today was the maid's scheduled day off, which factored into to her plan to leave today. She, as casually as she could, left the kitchen and made her way into the family room, which led to the front entrance of the home.

She then dashed up the stairs and into the bedroom. She threw open her closet doors and grabbed two suit cases. She quickly began to fill the bags with anything she thought she might need. Walking to her dresser, she opened the top drawer and pulled out a set of silver house keys. The keys her best friend Chichi had given her just days ago. The keys were to Chichi's family cabin in Cave Creek and Bulma's place of refuge from her nightmare.

She waited upstairs until she heard the kitchen door shut, indicating that the cook had indeed left. The last thing she needed was the hired help seeing her running out of the house with suitcases. She grabbed the two suit cases and her car keys and made her way down the winding staircase that led to the front doors. She made her way to her car and opened the trunk and placed the suit cases inside. Feeling home free, she jumped in the driver seat and started the engine and threw it in reverse and then suddenly stopped.

The keys to the cabin.

She left the keys on top of her dresser and her purse as well. Cursing to herself she quickly ran back into the house up the stairs and into the bedroom. She went to her dresser but the keys weren't there. Panicked, she began frantically searching for them.

"Where is it?!" she asked herself out loud. Then she spotted them on the floor next to her dresser and her purse. She bent over to retrieve them. Relief flooded through her until a voice answered her question.

"Where is what?" Symon asked from the doorway of their bedroom.

Bulma quickly jerked into a standing position as she turned around, eyes wide and unbelieving. She looked like a deer in headlights. "Symon!" she said in fear but tried to mask it as surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I forgot my briefcase. What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"I…um…couldn't find my…purse," she stammered as nonchalantly as she could. She turned her back to him as she knelt down over her purse, carefully lifted the cabin keys off the floor and slipped them inside her purse before standing up and facing him again. "I found it", she said as she gave a tense chuckle and slid the strap onto her shoulder.

"Right." he said as he walked past her and picked up his briefcase that was on the desk near the bedroom window. "I'm heading off then," He turned and made his way out the room and to the staircase. Bulma was following a few feet behind him, subconsciously clutching her purse tightly to her side. He suddenly stopped and Bulma jerked to a halt. He turned around and faced her and she did her best to keep a straight face. Silently praying that he hadn't figured out what she was up to, Bulma found herself holding her breath for a second time that morning.

"It just occurred to me, why don't you just ride to work with me? We're going to the same place?" he asked.

Bulma thought of a lie and she thought it up quick.

"Lunch," she blurted out. "I'm meeting Chichi for lunch so I need my car. I'm also going to visit my mother today, remember...and you did say you would be working late again tonight" That ought to do it, she thought to herself.

Symon seemed to ponder this for a moment before giving a dismissive shrug and continued out the door.

"Have a nice day honey," she said to him as they made their way out the front door. Without turning around to face her, he gave a nonchalant wave as he got back in his car and sped down the long driveway.

Bulma got back in her car for the second time that morning, leaving, this time for good.

She gave the house one last glance before driving off herself. Glancing in her rearview mirror she said goodbye to the place that had been her living nightmare for the past three years. She felt like a weight was beginning to lift off of her but knew she wasn't completely in the clear yet. There were still a few important things to be done before she could truly be free.

R/R PLEASE! ^_^