Disclaimer: I do not own this program.

((Kay...this is my first shot at a Bulma/Vegeta fic. I have no idea how it's going to turn out- so I'm depending solely on you readers to steer me along and give me ideas. I'm hoping this fic will come out well!))

What We Knew

Chapter One: Impatience, Distrust

"He treats me like I'm his- his slave!"

Mr. Briefs, the widely known scientific genius, peered at his latest invention while scrutinizing his daughter. Bulma was perhaps the only person he considered on his intellect level, and the only one who gave him more headaches then anyone else. That is, besides the saiyajin no ouji who shared their house. And that particular saiyajin was the one that had roused this discussion in the first place.

"Bulma dear, you know it's a hard adjustment for someone of his stature..." Mr. Briefs sympathized as he clicked on his mouse, turning his attention back to the screen in front of him. "Now what to do with the A cable..?"

Bulma sighed exasperatedly, waving a hand in front of her father's face. "Daddy! He has no right to treat me this way, and you just let it happen!" She puffed out her bottom lip, but her cerulean eyes were blazing. She loved a good argument, and her father wasn't complying.

Mr. Briefs rolled his gaze back to his daughter. "Bulma, you're the one who invited him to live here. Besides, he has no intention to cause any havoc to us or you. If he did you'd know I'd be the first one to do something about it."

Bulma wasn't sure how to respond to that. She HAD been the one to invite him to live at Capsule Corp with her and her parents after the incident on Planet Namek. Rubbing a temple, Bulma forced a smile. "What am I supposed to do about it in the meantime, Daddy?"

Mr. Briefs typed in a few last orders to the computer then pushed the keyboard aside, standing to his feet. Stretching his arms he scratched his graying mustache. Smiling kindly at his daughter, he placed a hand around her shoulders. "How about you help your mother fix up dinner? I don't want to live on takeout." He tweaked her nose.

Bulma giggled, still a witty teenager in many ways. "Okay." The two great minds left their improved lab, walking down the hall to this front of the house and kitchen. Bulma had her hands crossed. She was wearing a white tank top with the words Capsule Corp written across the top, blue-jeans and her everyday-wear-and-tear shoes. Tucking some of her blue hair behind a ear, the fair blue-eyed woman turned her head to her dad. He was still wearing his lab suit, black-rimmed glasses and a tool stuck in his pocket. The only thing missing was his cat that often perched on his shoulder.

"How's the Freezer coming?" Bulma questioned her elder. He scratched his chin.

"I've gotten some more basics done, the radiator and emitter still need to be placed inside. Some of the wiring is a bit of a hassle. The structure is coming along good though. But lately I've been wanting to see if I can make some improvements on the Gravity Room-"

Bulma scoffed. "Did Vegeta demand you update it AGAIN?"

Mr. Briefs shook his head. "He's asked, but I'm doing this more for me than him. I want to update it so I can get some new blueprints of the design and see if I can make that Gravity Warper I've been wanting to start."

Bulma fell into thought as they passed a bathroom. She could hear her mother faintly singing in the kitchen with the TV blaring. Their house was pretty large, since they were 'pretty' rich. Still, Bulma liked the simple things, too.

"I have an idea!" Bulma announced as she took her father by the shoulder and turned him to face her. "How about I work on the Freezer and you work on the GR? I have the blueprints you gave me for it..."

And that way I won't have to worry about being in that dang gravity room with Vegeta! Bulma thought merrily.

Mr. Briefs frowned, thinking. "I don't know, it's a very delicate project..."

Bulma was becoming desperate now. "Pleeease Daddy? I've really wanted to work on it, I'll show it to you after I'm done I swear!" It was then she decided to lay on the guilt. "You never let me try to improve anything you do, and I have some good ideas..."

Mr. Briefs sighed. "Okay, you can work on it." Bulma squealed as Mr. Briefs continued; "But this doesn't have anything to do with Vegeta, does it?"

"What doesn't have anything to do with me?"

Bulma's blood ran cold, then coursed like fire through her at the all-too familiar voice. The voice that was so demanding and...

Was I about to think 'sexy'? Bulma wondered. Dear Kami, I really do need to get away from him.

"Oh, Vegeta!" Mr. Briefs stated, surprised. "We were just talking about the GR updates and Warper. Dinner's about to be ready. Joining us?"

Vegeta emerged from the shadows sporting his Badman shirt and clothing, his onyx eyes studying Bulma and her father critically. "Yes. Afterwards I'm training and no one is to disturb me, especially the onna."

Bulma snorted. "Too bad, I'm not going to stay around your carcass much lately because I've got stuff to work on. Besides, Dad's going to start working on the GR room today and you can't be in there when he does!"

Vegeta growled at the woman who was the only one that dared snap back at him. "Then the update had better be quick and efficient, or I'll find somewhere ELSE to train."

Bulma frowned, not liking that idea. The picture of ki balls flying through the walls of her house was not a pretty one. "Whatever, Vegee-tah." Tugging on her father's shirt she pulled the startled scientist into the kitchen. Mrs. Briefs was fixing up some rice, humming happily as they entered. Vegeta followed, scowling and getting as far away as he could; which was the other side of the room.

"Oh, dinner will be ready in just a snatch! So what have you three been doing today?" Bulma's mother asked chirpily as she put some water on to boil.

Mr. Briefs seated himself at the nearest table, leaning back and yawning. "Bulma's volunteered to work on the Freezer for me, while I update the GR room," he responded as he sent a wink to his daughter.

Vegeta frowned as he leaned against the corner of the room, absently watching the TV. That human didn't mention anything about a 'Freezer'. I know about the Warper, but not this. I'll just have to find out from that baka onna herself, he scoffed mentally.

Bulma giggled again, ruffling her father's head as she went to take a seat by him. She was purposely acting giddy to grind Vegeta's last nerve. She knew it was working when she saw him scowl deeply when she glanced over.

"Baka onna," Vegeta mumbled at the gross display of family interaction.

-_-_-_-

Bulma peered closer at the fragile wires in front of her. Using her special tweezers, she leaned down to inspect the red wire better. "Wire A7-9, right? Locks into port G..." She was sweaty, hair plastered against her face as she bit her lip. Her dad was right- the Freezer WAS a very delicate project. Sitting alone in the second lab, the creation sitting on the table in front of her, it looked simple. Wrong. She had soon discovered- after 30 minutes of craning down and working fervently on it- that it was no easy job. Luckily her father had done a majority of the work, and she was patching up the final details. Working under the guidance of a single light placed on the table helped, since the shiny metal of the creation didn't glint as bad.

The blissful solitude was shattered when all of the lights snapped on and Bulma squeaked, rocking backwards and shielding her eyes with tweezers in hand. A flailing foot nearly caused the table to tilt backwards. She held her breath as the table righted itself, and she turned toward the open door.

"YOU IDIOT!!!" Bulma screamed at the intruder. "WHO IN HIGH HELL TOLD YOU THAT YOU COULD JUST BARGE INTO A LAB WHEN SOMEONE'S WORKING?!!"

Vegeta smirked. "Screaming is a sign of weakness. I want to know what you're working on."

Bulma snorted, brushing a lose strand of hair back into her ponytail. "None of your business."

Anger flared in the saiyajin. "It IS my business, foolish onna!" He phased by her, snatching at the collar of her lab coat. "You never told me anything about a Freezer! And I know you've been avoiding me all day, especially when you moved the invention down here to the second lab to complete it! And since you've been avoiding me, I know it must be something of some importance!"

Bulma sneered at the saiyajin, though her heart was hammering away. Remember what Daddy said...

"Patience is a virtue," she mimicked in his voice from earlier. Vegeta scowled, dropping her and striding over to the table.

"Then I suppose I should blow this miserable creation to pieces," the saiyajin remarked as he lifted a hand as a golden ki ball began to form.

Bulma's eyes widened as she leaped off the ground. "NO YOU DON'T!! I've been working my behind off getting that thing completed!!"

Vegeta turned to face the human female, his smirk growing as he let his hand drop and ki ball dissipate. "Then tell me what it is."

Bulma sighed, shooting Vegeta a glare as she walked over to the Freezer, closing the lid and straightening out her coat. It looked like a simple sphere with an opening at one end, filled with a glassy substance. "Since you're going to be a pesky monkey and follow me around everywhere anyway with the GR room off limits, I might as well tell you," she spat. "It's an invention my dad thought up and started to work on off and on after he completed the GR room. It's supposed to be used in battle to stun the mind of the creature it's directed at. It emits an invisible beam that freezes up their train of thought for at least five minutes. During that time they are extremely vulnerable because they can't think clearly. Happy now?"

Her explanation only heightened Vegeta's foul mood. "A machine used in a fight? Since when would a warrior rely on a machine in a battle?!"

Bulma gritted her teeth. "If you'd put aside your pride you might see this would help you!"

Vegeta suddenly smiled. His mood changed so quickly Bulma was scared.

"Test it on me," Vegeta ordered.

Bulma perked an eyebrow. "Why? And the answer is no. It hasn't been proofed."

Vegeta took a menacing step forward. "You say it affects the mind. Test it on me and see if I can overcome it. It's mental training, baka. Without the GR I have to do something to keep myself sane!"

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Whatever Vegee-tah," she drawled. "It's dangerous. I have to let my dad look over it before we can test it!"

But Vegeta was not one for patience. He snatched the Freezer from the table, but some of the wires were still loose. A single wire hit the lamp and it burst, sparks flying in every direction as the Freezer glowed fervently, electricity shooting through the lab as a bright light seethed from the small machine, a deep humming sound booming inside Bulma's head as she felt pain wrack her body.

The light faded.

Bulma crumpled to the ground as darkness took it's place as she thought she saw Vegeta gasp and crumple too.

Darkness.