Disclaimer: I don't really own anything. Except of course, the plot...

A/N: This is an AU V/B fic. Some parts of it may seem odd to you. Sometimes the
characters will be OOC. If they do or they are I'm sorry, but odds are it's integral to
the plot, so please bear with me. Thank you.

Ages: Vegeta - 42 (and not looking a day over 25)
Bulma - 36 (ditto)
Trunks - 11
Bra - 1 year

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It was a beautiful April night and Vegeta sat, hovering above the edge of the cliff. His eyes were open, but it was his ears and nose that were working overtime as he listened to the weak spring breeze rustle the grass and smelled the faint scent of flowers ready to bloom. ::Disgusting:: he thought to himself as he tried to focus more on the task at hand...meditation. ::Distracted by spring of all things! What an awful season:: Every year Vegeta tried his best to hate spring and avoid it, but it was no use. Unfortunately for him, it was the woman's favorite season, and the mood it put her in seemed to please his senses.

Speaking of the woman...coming through the flowers' scent was her own. Mingling and swirling, the smell of fresh soap and Bulma Brief's own natural scent mixed with the smell of fresh cut grass and lavender blooms. Snorting in defeat, Vegeta abandoned his attempts at meditative training and instead focused on the stars, or more specifically, the Cerutyl star, his previous planet's sun, as he waited for Bulma to arrive.

In a moment of weakness, Vegeta let a sigh escape his lips and unfortunately, Bulma decided to arrive at that exact moment. "Vegeta, what's wrong?" She asked. The Saiyan planted his feet on the ground and turned to meet her, allowing a small smirk at her classic pose. Mouth turned in a slightly worried frown, hands palm down on her hips, feet slightly apart. She really did carry an attitude similar to his own.

"Nothing is wrong woman." Vegeta lied, quirking an eyebrow as she glared at him. In response Bulma tilted her head to the side, pensive for only a moment before catching him red -- erm, well catching him.

"Liar! Something is wrong. After 13 years of living with you, and spending 12 of those years sharing your bed, iba lot/i/b, I know when something is up. Now tell me what's wrong!" Bulma continued to glare, determined not to give in this time.

Vegeta shook his head in resignation before turning and pointing to the sky. "Do you see that star woman? The bright, crystal blue one? That is, was, Vegeta-sei's sun." He stated this simply, knowing full well it was all she needed to put the pieces together.

"Oh," she replied simply and feeling slightly embarassed, her hands falling to her sides. She walked forward to meet her mate and wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "Even after all these years Veggie-chan?" she asked quietly, knowing it to be an obvious question but wanting to delve deeper into what was really bothering him.

Vegeta growled at the nickname but wrapped his arms around her anyway and gave in to her curiosity.

"It's worse now woman. Before it was only for myself that I had to bear the shame of being a rogue prince without a planet. Now, however? I have an eleven year old son, not even a prince because his father could not defeat his own father to be king. I have a daughter who will grow up a normal human girl..." he said human with malice, not to be offensive but to show his great distaste at the thought of his baby growing up to be so normal, so unelevated.

"...I have no legacy for my children. I have nothing to provide my mate. Nothing but an empty title." Vegeta scowled to signal he was done, angry with himself for giving in, but mentally justifying his own actions as a prevention of the woman's bitching.

Bulma simply tightened her hold on her husband, disturbed by the fact that he was suffering so much and she had barely noticed. She thought back to about fifteen months ago when she was pregnant with Bra and dead in the middle of her second trimester. She had cried for days when she had learned that Vegeta aged much much slower than herself. She had done the math and realized that when she was 61 and ready to enter a retirement village, he would be 65 and look all of 30. Well, her darling mate had gone out to find the Dragon Balls and wish that her, Chi Chi, and Videl (yes, he actually had remembered Videl!) would age at the same rate as their mates/husbands.

Smiling at the memory of her husband's thoughtful gift (though he insisted it was because her bawling prevented him from getting proper rest) Bulma knew that it was her turn to repay the kindness he showed her and made a mental note to set out the next morning.

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AN: So how do you like? Is it worth continuing? Read and Review!