Bachelor Mother

by wsprsndadrk

For We're Just Saiyan Secret Santa. Based on the Christmas movie Bachelor Mother. Bulma is caught red handed with a baby. Everyone has their own ideas as to who the father is only... Bulma isn't the mother!

Bachelor Mother
for We're Just Saiyan Secret Santa

She wanted to get in, spend like.. three – no. Two minutes – one if possible – fixing the door. She had tried to fix it from outside in the hallway, but the problem was with the mechanics on his side. So….. she had to go in.

Sucking in a breath and squaring her shoulders to build her resolve, she hit the override code and forced the door open with a modified crowbar. Slipping through the door being held open by the crowbar had gone well. It was when she went through the door that the stupid thing failed and popped out of place, effectively trapping her inside Vegeta's room.

Oh of course.

She didn't bother biting back a slur of cusswords, but realized quickly that the best way to open the door again would be to fix it.

Of course… that was easier said than done when her tools were trapped on the other side of the fucking door.

"Dammit!" she shouted at the door, but it didn't pay any attention.

She turned on her heel and swiveled her head from left to right. Eyes darting to every nook and cranny in desperate search for something she could use, she nearly howled in frustration when she could find nothing. Launching herself to the balcony, she was seriously contemplating jumping 20 feet to the garden portico below.

When Goku teleported nearly on top of her, she nearly exploded out of her skin.

"Goddamnit Goku, you nearly fucking killed me!" she screeched, and he had the decency to make his wince look contrite rather than self-preserving.

It was half way through a tirade that she saw a strange movement. In reflex, her eyes dropped to the object in Goku's hands. Whatever she had been saying, whatever she had been feeling, fuck – whatever she had ever known – shriveled up and died.

In Goku's arms…. Was a baby.

OoOoO

"Bulma, please!" He heard a muffled male voice through the heavy door. Normally, he'd have continued on his way, completely indifferent. But this was the Prince's door.

And that voice most certainly did not belong to the Prince.

More curious than alarmed, Korac shuffled closer to the door and, though he was alone, tried his best not to look like he was leaning in to listen. It was, after all, very un-Saiyan like. Not to mention beneath him as a royal guard.

"I can't! It isn't like I don't want to…" came a woman's voice – one he recognized – which was rushed and tinged with exasperation.

What was it she wanted to do but couldn't? And what was the royal engineer doing in the Prince's rooms?

Not that it was any of his business or concern… but this particular woman was a fucking firecracker full of the most damnable mixture of allure and fury. She was a confusing wanted but unwanted temptation for every damn male within the range of planetfall and if the Prince had taken to her, on the royal head be it.

Unless, of course, she was in the Prince's rooms - but had interest in another male.

Gods.

That would be on his head.

Korac's left cheek twitched in distaste. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He couldn't walk away and pretend he hadn't heard.

He abruptly stood up.

Actually. Yes.

Yes he could.

He could walk away and forget the whole thing.

He took a step back when the male's voice interrupted his tactical retreat.

"Bulma! If I get caught, the Prince will have my head!"

Korac winced. That was dangerously close to what he had just been thinking himself. He was halfway from an about face when he nearly fell on his face by what he heard.

"I can't hide a child from Vegeta! Do you think he wouldn't notice a hybrid Saiyan cub in his own household? Even if he were full blooded… no. I'm good, but not even I'm that good! You'll have to keep hiding him yourself. You've been able to do so without a problem until now, what's changed?"

Korac was stuck. He desperately wanted to flee, un-Saiyanlike or not, but something in his DNA rooted him to the spot. He had to know how this story ended. It was like watching the decisive battle that would win or lose an entire war.

A child!? What the fuck?

Korac felt his guts go numb and wouldn't have noticed if his bladder had loosed.

A HYBRID Saiyan child?

Gods of hellfire and fury.

Obviously, the child belonged to her. As far as anyone knew, no alien was compatible with Saiyan physiology. If any could be, he supposed humans would be the species capable of a genetic match. Only a handful of humans where in the royal compound. Since this woman had a hybrid child she was trying to hide from Vegeta….. she had to be its mother.

With the mother established, that could only mean the father was the mystery male behind the door….

Or the Prince himself.

The more he thought about it, the more Korac was convinced. If the mystery male were the father, he'd never risk entering the Prince's rooms at all, let alone so conspicuously with the favored engineer. Yes.

Vegeta was the father. He must be. Which meant that Bulma – which was an odd name, but completely fit her considering Bulmaq meant "blue" in Saiy-go… Korac shook his head violently to clear it. He was so punchy he was losing control of his own thought. Where was he? Oh yes. Bulma must have asked this strange male to hide her child and he was now having second thoughts. But… why? Hmm.

Oh! Of course! An impure brat as the heir of the throne? A hybrid prince was unprecedented and untested and could cause an uproar! Vegeta wouldn't allow that! Would he? He could if he wanted but… well, no. Vegeta wouldn't give a shit what the hell his people thought, no matter what it was regarding. Um. Oh! Maybe the woman wanted to protect her child from Saiyan indoctrination? She was human, after all, and was sentimental. Vegeta would be obligated to hand his heir over to be trained. Unless, of course, he wanted to train the child himself – which would never happen. Vegeta was concerned only with his own training.

That had to be it.

Despite pressure from his parents to choose a female and continue the line, until five minutes ago, Korac hadn't even considered the Prince would be interested in anything but training! He snorted to himself. Apparently, everyone was wrong!

It appeared the Prince was not only interested in mating, he was SO interested in it, he had managed to get a brat off a human female – and not only any human female - the human female every male wanted.

How bizarre! In public, Vegeta had been the only one to show relative immunity to the poisonous, addictive charm of the blue-tinted human. But… the Prince had shown an odd tolerance of her in such a way that showed he favored her. It was so clear and obvious now! He'd never allow anyone else to say and do the things she had said and done. Yes. Yes it must be true. They had a child and she had hidden it from Vegeta.

So there was only one piece of the puzzle remaining. The mystery male wished to relinquish the cub now. Because.. because..

Korac frowned. Why any male would bother helping a female hide a cub was beyond strange to begin with. Giving one back to its mother suddenly was also weird. The first act would incite Vegeta's wrath simply on principle of having something hidden from him within his own household. The second act would just exacerbate the whole issue. Better to let the child die than allow Vegeta to discover it now.

Korac shrugged. It didn't have to make absolute sense, and it didn't matter, anyway. He was pretending he didn't know a damn thing, anyway, right?

He spun around and walked away like his tail was on fire.

He never saw the Prince until he had bounced off the royal armor and landed flat on his back. Dazed, Korac looked up to peer at the stone wall with which he had collided. Two, coal-black eyes peered down at him with curiosity buried under a blanket of contempt. The rest of the fog lifted from Korac's brain when a painfully familiar voice rasped, low and dangerous.

"Tell me. What has stolen your attention to the degree that you flee from it and fail to notice me? Can something be more terrifying than I?"

If he hadn't pissed himself before, Korac was fairly certain he did so now.

OoOoO

Bulma bounced Gohan on her hip. She couldn't help cooing at the thing. He was so fucking adorable it made her swoon.

Stupid! This was so stupid!

"Goku," she whined, "this is so stupid!" The moment the words flew from her mouth, the damned idiot had the balls to grin. He knew she had caved. UGH! What an ASS HOLE! With that big, dopey smile and enormous puppy dog eyes. She hated his guts right now.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" He threw his arms around her and Gohan gurgled in complaint, squished between them.

"I haven't agreed to it!" Even she could hear the unspoken 'yet.' GOD she was pathetic.

"You don't know what this means to me. You're saving my life!"

"Goku, you're a freaking melodramatic drama queen. I'm doing no such thing. I'm babysitting." Why the hell did Chichi have to work in the fucking kitchens this week of all weeks? The one place he was sure to be seen by Saiyans was in the kitchens! Dammit! Why the hell did Saiyans celebrate holidays, anyway? It's not like they had a real Christmas, even if that's how Goku thought of it.

As Goku swung around and started walking towards the balcony, Bulma panicked. "I'll watch the kid but only until you come back, do you hear me?"

The jerk didn't even bother turning around to face her as he nodded and launched himself off the porch. Oh suuure. Teleport in so no one would see him come in with a baby, scare the shit out of her, and FLY out after his bundle of burden had been delivered. She growled at his back as he disappeared and looked down at Gohan when he growled back at her. Surprised and oddly pleased, she made the sound again. The little tailed-beast. How dare he be adorable right now? Like his father, he probably lived to turn food into diaper mush (not that Goku wore diapers, but she pushed that thought away very quickly). Gohan just wiggled in her arms, yanked on a lock of her hair, and smiled a toothless smile that lit his entire face and made her melt.

How rude.

She scowled at him and he scowled back.

And then the door burst with such force, the material screamed as the metal flew apart. Like exploding wood, the pieces sailed in every direction. Standing in the doorway was a very pale, very wide-eyed Prince.

Oh shit.

She tried to shove Gohan behind her back. Well… that could have worked better. Or at least differently.

Utterly caught, she gave up trying to resist and deny everything before she ever really had the chance to try. So much for telling Goku she was good at hiding stuff from the Prince.

If she weren't so emotionally taxed from getting caught so quickly and so irksomely easily – in the Prince's bedroom of all places – she'd have thought the look on Vegeta's face priceless. She hadn't even known he could make such a face.

"W-what.. How did you…. A-am I – how is…"

Jesus, he stuttered, too? It would have been cute but it was so unlike him it was terrifying.

Finally, anger won over and he hollered at her. "WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

She stared blankly at him a moment, not comprehending what he was asking. Now she could handle questions like 'what is that in your arms?' or 'how did you come by a child?' or even 'why the fuck are you in my room?' but nothing like 'what did you do?' made sense. Was he accusing her of something?

Vegeta, as close to enraged as she had ever seen him, took two steps towards her and clenched his jaw with such force, he could hear his teeth creek. "Again I ask, Woman. What did you do?"

Baffled, she sputtered. She tried to find words, but none would come. When he raised a hand to – to strike? - Gohan, she stepped back. Vegeta flinched and looked almost.. hurt? before his expression returned to anger. With more force this time, but still with shocking gentleness, he reached towards Gohan and griped the tiny jaw between his fingers. He studied the baby's features with unrivaled focus and awe. Clearly, the child was a hybrid.

Vegeta was utterly floored.

After a few moments, the Prince seemed to shake the cobwebs out of his head. He seemed more perplexed than angry – which seemed to anger him.

His eyes flicked upwards and Bulma couldn't look away from him if her life depended on it. Which it probably did.

He wanted answers. NOW.

She sucked air between her teeth. "Thiss-is uh…, a hybrid baby…" she said lamely, still uncertain what he was asking but knowing she had to say something.

He blinked slowly, as if she had said the stupidest thing ever.

"Yes, Woman. I see that." He frowned at her. "What I want to know is how you came to have my 'hybrid baby.'"

WHAT? No. No Goku was Gohan's father. Why would Vegeta think…? Bulma's jaw dropped open.

Vegeta took this as affirmation.

"How did you do it when, before this day, you have never been to my rooms nor I to yours?" He peered at her sideways to study her with sudden suspicion. "Have you stolen my genetic material? Artificially inseminated it? What purpose does this serve you?"

Ohmygod! He actually did think the child was his! And.. and HERS!

Waitaminute. He thought she stole…. Indignant at his implication, she forgot everything outside of being pissed off. "Of course not! Ha! Like I'd need to steal DNA! Any male would beg to make such a deposit!"

Affronted, Vegeta spat back, "And what does that mean? That you drugged and seduced me without my awareness?"

Bulma's eyes bulged. "NO!"

With complete focus neither noticed, they stood nose to nose to yell at each other. Forgotten until now, Gohan, not wanting to be left out, started yelling, too. Shocked at the sudden reminder of the baby's presence, Bulma and Vegeta flew apart and stared at the infant as though he were an experiment gone awry. Uncertain why the two adults were staring at him with such bewilderment, Gohan started to fuss. On instinct, Bulma bounced him on her hip which seemed to please him. Remarkably quickly, he was content again but just as quickly, became bored. Done with the funny big people, he simply put his head on the pretty one's shoulder and closed his heavy eyes.

Who cared what they were doing, anway?

This was confirmation to Vegeta. What child would be so comfortable and familiar unless it was with his mother? He had no idea that this was the first time the little tike had met his auntie Bulma.

Standing straight and crossing his arms over his chest, Vegeta narrowed his eyes as if to say, 'see?'

Bulma scowled. "This is not your baby." As a fast afterthought that seemed totally unconvincing, she added, "he isn't mine, either."

Vegeta asked, his voice full of sarcasm, "Oh? And why is it, then, that you are standing alone, in my chambers, but for this child?"

Gaping like a fish, Bulma faltered. "I.. um. Was gonna fix the door," she paused and her eyes fluttered around to take in the shattered remnants of 'door' scattered about the place. Vegeta hadn't known it was broken before. She certainly had no way to prove it, now. The truth suddenly seemed like a hastily made, flimsy excuse. Oh, well. Too late to lie about it, now. But she couldn't tell Vegeta about Goku. She had no idea what Vegeta's reaction would be. After all, Goku had said Vegeta would have his head….

"The kid, uh... appeared out of nowhere. When I came to fix the door. He must have come from somewhere outside.." she trailed off, knowing how ludicrous she sounded. The shitty thing was she was actually telling the truth.

Mostly.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow that showed not only how utterly unconvinced he was, but that every second she stood there like a retard, she only convinced him further of her guilt. He narrowed an eye as he studied Gohan once again. "I will concede the brat looks little like any within my line – but that could be the human taint." Vegeta paused as if something had suddenly occurred to him. "He also has the taint of another male's scent.." Surprised at his own words, Vegeta suddenly looked at Bulma and his lip curled in distaste. "The same scent that covers you.."

Abruptly, the Prince stepped back and peered Bulma with disgust. She felt like he was weighing the worth of her soul and for the first time, she felt frightened of Vegeta. She wanted to explain, but her breath was frozen in her lungs. What did he want to hear? What would save Gohans life.. and her own? Vegeta was upset when he thought the cub was his – but not because he had supposedly fathered a child…. But because he thought she had been secretive and had stolen from him. He had only grown hostile when he thought the child belonged to someone else…

Dear God. She couldn't believe she was about to do this….

It was bad enough when he thought she had impregnated herself artificially. He'd kill her for what she was about to say.

But trying for his forgiveness was her only chance. There was no way he'd believe the truth at this point and the only thing Vegeta hated more than law breakers were liars. Or what he thought was a liar.

"I, uh… don't know who his parents are…." She thought fast. The more truth she could mix into this, the more believable it would be. Oh, boy. Here goes two years of experimenting with Saiyan DNA. Goodbye practically impenetrable immune systems, invulnerable to every fucking disease she could throw at it, so long longer life-spans, sayonara increased strength, and arrivederci ki-manipulation capabilities for humans.

"I've been.." her throat was dry so she swallowed. Jesus. Was Vegeta even breathing? How could he stare at her so long and not blink?

And why did the room seem smaller and hotter?

"I..I have been manipulating Saiyan genes and injecting them into human cells. I wanted to-"

"It's of no importance! Your 'intent' is inconsequential because what you have done is forbidden." By the time the last word left his lips, he was hissing with such menace, the air around him crackled. She knew it was forbidden…. After what the Tuffles had done, Saiyans in general had a steadfast opinion in regard to genetic experimentation. The stigma was so deeply engrained, it had become a phobia. All Saiyans abhorred even the idea. Genetic testing via cheek swab – even testing for blood type – was taboo. Plus, the only way to ensure an unbroken royal line was for procreation to happen the old fashioned way. No cloning, no gene therapy, no DNA manipulation… nothing that could dilute or alter the precious, royal Saiyan genome.

Which actually made it easier for her to regain some of her spine. For such a strong race, they were complete pussies! Just because Vegeta was queasy about it, she wasn't allowed to study the most powerful freaking genetic material known to exist. It was infuriating!

"It is important! You shouldn't have the monopoly on super powers just because you're a fucking cry baby, you know!"

Horrified, her jaw snapped shut. Whyohwhyohwhy couldn't she ever shut up around him?

A nervous titter tried to squeeze out of her big fat mouth, but she was able to swallow it. It didn't last long, though, when she saw the amalgamated look of shock and actual, REAL chastisement at war with outrage on his face. This just couldn't get any weirder. She was standing in the middle of Vegeta's room, holding a damn child of all things, watching Vegeta struggle with emotions she never imagined he knew existed even in her wildest, drug-induced nightmares.

The strain was too much and she broke. She barked in laughter and snorted when she was unsuccessful in holding it in.

She was about to die, and all she could do is laugh in the face of the most powerful being in the universe.

Oh, the irony.

Vegeta frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

Slowly, as if resisting, the corner of his lip curled upwards. She had… guts. That was certain.

Unable to stop herself, like a dam crashing, everything spilled out in a mixture of nervous giggling and broken speech. All her secrets, and with it… guilt she hadn't even realized she'd had by keeping those secrets. It was… a relief.

"Oh, Vegeta! It's incredible! Saiyans are practically Gods!" She gushed like a teenager seriously crushing on a popstar, lost in the engineering of biology and science. She hadn't even noticed she had neglected to call him by his title. Enthralled by her passion, he didn't bother to interrupt her to correct her. Never before had he seen her so…. alive. It was….

Intoxicating.

He frowned. None of that mattered. She had broken the law. No wonder she had hidden the child from him, regardless of the cub's parentage. He still wasn't convinced he wasn't the father. It was really hard to tell considering the blend of human-ness dulling all the proper Saiyan features. What kind of hair was that? It was embarrassing.

His eyes fell to the hybrid cub, dozing without a care in the woman's arms. He was so tiny and helpless. And yet… obviously both Human and Saiyan. His eyes, when open, were markedly lighter; one should not be able to distinguish pupils amidst the black background of dark, Saiyan eyes. Also, his irises were smaller, and he obviously lacked the extra pair of nictitating eyelids that allowed for infra-red vision. He had a tail, ringed as was proper of one so young, and a particular scent from the gland at the base of his tail, if Vegeta were to believe his nose. That was good; the scent indicated the child possessed the hormones required for the Oozuru transformation. His features were rounded instead of angular, and the babe seemed entirely unaggressive. At least he seemed to lack fear. Aggression could always be taught.

All in all, it was a marvel… a completely illegal, repulsively concocted, unbelievably incredible…. thing.. this brazen woman had done.

Vegeta's eyes widened as he watched the child's tail curl around the woman's wrist as he lay sleeping.

A repugnant thing that could possibly save his ass.

His midnight eyes darted up to take in flickering blue flames dancing within the eyes of a foolish, frustrating female. He smirked and let her babble on, clueless to his plans. You brilliant, stupid woman; you evil, delicious, meddling pest! I shall name conquered planets after you!

He didn't give a shit who the parents of this cub were. His own parents were coming this week, and the entire household was in an explosive panic, trying to prepare. He had sent his best guards to meet the King and Queen at the edge of the planetary system, and they should be arriving within the week. That gave him little time…

Abruptly, he descended on the wicked, little, blue female. Before she could react, he gripped her gently – these humans were so delicate! – and pulled her against him, paying no mind to the squashed cub between them. Without ceremony or warning, he sank his teeth into the meat of her neck, at the junction of her throat and shoulder. He lingered long enough to flare his ki with just enough force that it would saturate her flesh with his essence - and to ensure enough venom was injected to prevent his ki from dissipating too quickly - before thrusting her away.

The silly woman was so shocked – and slow – she hadn't even resisted.

His brows lowered in irritation as he turned on his heel and left her standing in the center of his room. Let her stand there for eternity for all the care he had. He licked his lips as the taste of her blood registered, but not quite enough for him to realize how he savored the flavor. He was too annoyed at the thought that anyone – let alone a worthless human - would dare resist him.

OoOoO

Bulma stood in the midst of a mess of twisted metal shards – all that remained of the door, completely and painfully confused. And maybe a bit dazed. Her limbs felt heavy and she swayed as she tried to clear the muddled feeling in her head and calm the electric current in her blood.

Had she been drugged?

No.

No. She had been… bitten?

WHAT THE FUCK?

She scrunched her shoulder – the one he had bitten – and rubbed it with her jaw. It was awkward, but she couldn't really wipe the slime away with her hands full of baby Saiyan.

Yeeuuucch. Saiyan spit? What the hell? Was giving someone a hickey a death threat or something? Something oozed over her clavicle. It tickled. She shifted Gohan's weight to give her the use of a hand. Wiping the spit – ew – her fingers came away covered in blood.

Huh. Well that was… unexpected. What was it with Saiyans and blood, anyway? Everything they did had blood somehow involved. It was like a religion for them, seeped in ridiculous, bloody mysticism and ritual.

Hmmmm.

She didn't know much about Saiyan ritual – but this was juuuuust familiar enough that it tickled her memory.

Oh!

Oooohhhh….

A spike of ice pierced her heart, stilling it inside her chest. As realization left her thunderstruck, her hands fell to her sides and she nearly dropped Gohan before she regained control of her limbs.

If she remembered correctly, a Saiyan bite done just so was a declaration - and a challenge to any who would offer dispute.

Had she just been fucking claimed?

"I'm HUMAN, you idiot! Not some Saiyan bitch you can own!" she screamed at the enormous hole where the door used to be, not caring who heard and hoping everyone had. Deep down, she knew there was blitz-o she could do. Being human made her even less likely to escape being owned. She was barely one step above being a slave, as it was.

Suddenly numb, she lost the battle against whatever poison Vegeta had put in her blood. Her knees buckled and she landed on her ass. Gohan, the little shit, was happily snoring and didn't even twitch.

Dear God. What the hell was he thinking? And did she really want to know?

OoOoO

What the hell was he thinking?

She was absolutely right. She was HUMAN.

He scowled. She was also wrong. It didn't matter who or what she was – he was the Goddamn Prince of All Saiyans and he could own whatever the fuck he wanted, and right now he wanted –

He wanted his father to shut his trap about continuing the line. More than that, he wanted his mother to stop throwing females at him like he'd eventually think, 'oh! This one is perfect!' right before bending her over the closest chair and having his way with her in front of everyone. Not that it would stop him if he really did find the perfect one.

But that was beside the point.

The point was he was the only one who didn't feel he was overdue to take a mate. The point was… he had conveniently found a solution that would make everyone happy. The woman was insufferable and he could hardly stand her for long, but no one would question her as a choice. She was a technical genius and she was easy to look at. In fact… Vegeta smirked. He wouldn't be against a permanent arrangement – use her like his bite implied he used her – if she lost her tongue. His grin turned wicked. That was something easily arranged.

As for the child… his grin fell into a frown. If 'human parentage' didn't prove it, the casual manner in which the baby completely disregarded the danger Vegeta represented did. The child was definitely spawned by the blue demon.

Vegeta chewed his lip, contemplating. No child in the Vegeta line could ever have genes diluted so much that the Saiyan half was that hidden. Gods! At least the child had the proper coloring. Vegeta would be the laughing stock for generations of Vegetas if he were to father an abomination with… with blue hair! Ha! The woman may have the balls to steal his genetic material and manipulate it, but nothing could overpower the mighty DNA of the Prince!

Vegeta cackled. He could imagine the look on her face when she opened the incubation pod where the child had gestated. She was likely expecting her experiment to emerge with her own traits. He hoped she had been sorely disappointed! To think she could manipulate his chromosomes only to find she had failed! It almost made up for the treachery of her stealing and manipulating his genetics in the first place. That is, if she had in fact, used his DNA.

He shrugged. Why should she chose anyone else when he was the obvious best choice? Simple. She wouldn't.

Vegeta's expression soured. How had she gotten it, anyway? A hair? Sweat from a battle suit? Feh. Stupid woman. If she had wanted his DNA, there were much… better… ways of getting it.

Vegeta walked into his counsel chamber where the members of parliament immediately snapped to nervous attention. Vegeta was late, and that couldn't be good. Typically, the Prince was painfully punctual and for something to distract him to the point where he appeared nearly 20 minutes late was unheard of. Likely they'd hear stories of a poor, unfortunate soul they'd certainly find smeared against the walls and ceiling before the day was done.

Vegeta had entered the chamber scowling as expected, but to everyone's utter, life-stealing shock, the Prince suddenly smiled rakishly. He seemed quite pleased with himself as he turned his gaze around the room, taking in his advisors. None would have thought it possible – but this made them more nervous than if Vegeta had entered the room and killed one or two of them.

"I've acquired a Mate. She and the cub shall be prepared to receive visitation from the Royal Parents. That is all."

No one breathed. No one so much as twitched an eyelid. The room was frozen in time until the Prince had fully withdrawn. Within seconds of collective certainty that the Prince was, in fact, truly gone, the room exploded. Everyone was yelling over everyone else, and some even came to blows. A Mate? When had this happened? How had none of them known? Was the Prince really so brilliant as to hide her so long? And a CUB? How dare the Prince thwart them in their efforts to curry favor with his chosen female and the Royal cub!

After the first counselman left, the rest flooded out of the chamber as one, each of them eager to discover first all they could about this mystery Princess. Preparations had to be made! Flattery must be planned and executed! Position had to be gained! They fluttered about in the multi-colored robes that depicted counsel purpose and position like frivolous butterflies. Within moments, the hallways were emptied and all was silent.

OoOoO

Bulma bit her nails as she waited for the communications consul to connect.

"Comeon… Goku! Don't do this to me!" she mumbled, quietly. But as the seconds dragged on to minutes, her voice rose with her desperation. "…Goku! Answer the fucking phone you miserable bas-"

"Bulma?"

"-tard!"

Bulma's hand flew over her mouth and she nearly swallowed her tongue. She hadn't realized just how loud she had been until Radditz's mug filled her screen. His expression oozed from surprised to smug as he gave her a once-over – taking in her mussed hair, sallow pallor, and the horrified look on her face when she realized who it was. Or rather, who it wasn't. He leered at her, not understanding her panic, but knowing something fishy was definitely going on. And oooohhh, he was going to milk it for all it was worth.

"Buuuuulma.. What can I do for you?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and leaned his jaw on a fist. He grinned wider when her response was little more than a weak 'eep.' His eyes dripped the malicious mirth of a horrid cat who had just gotten his fat paws on a scrawny mouse.

She slammed her palms to either side of the consul and scowled through the screen. "Put Goku on, you insufferable ass!"

Radditz smiled as if she had just called him the most beautiful man she had ever seen. "Why Bulma! I'm flattered you've given my ass such meticulous thought." He crossed an arm over his chest and bowed his head in thanks. Bulma threw her hands into her hair and screamed in frustration.

And that's when Gohan wailed.

Time stopped. With her hands still stuck gripping locks of her hair, Bulma's bulging eyes were glued to Radditz's, whose expression mirrored her own.

Gohan continued to cry.

"What. Is. That?" Radditz rasped.

"Nothing! It's nothing!" Bulma disappeared from the screen and muffled shhhh's and sounds he assumed were supposed to sound soothing rather than forced and alarmed. Radditz strained his head to look around as if he could actually force the camera to change angles. Though his view didn't improve, the woman hadn't muted the sound and he was able to hear her unsuccessful attempts to shush a child perfectly well.

When a long string of cuss words streamed from her mouth, he laughed. Hard.

An exasperated, frustrated, nervous Bulma appeared back on the screen. She was holding a wiggling cub, half covered in a blanket meant to hide his features. The little beast was trying to yank it off and Bulma was trying to prevent it. The whole thing made him laugh all the harder.

She rolled her eyes. "Har har. Laugh it up. Someday, this will be you."

Radditz sobered immediately. It lasted an entire two seconds. "Maybe. But right now, it's you," he wheezed as he continued to laugh. After a few more moments, he seemed to gain control enough to keep his guffawing mostly contained.

And that's when Gohan pulled the blanket from his head. He locked eyes with a suddenly very silent, very pale Radditz. "Bulma. Why does that cub look like…"

His brows lowered aggressively. "So this is the reason why you wanted to speak with my brother?"

Bulma sighed. "Yes. Is he there?"

Radditz said nothing as he glared holes through the screen. Something in Bulma snapped. "None of this is your business, Radditz! Just put Goku on!"

"SIT!"Radditz howled so fiercely, both she and Gohan jumped. Without thought, Bulma fell into the seat facing the screen. Her eyes darted nervously at anything except for Radditz as his eyes flew over Gohan's features… and then her own.

Slowly, his anger faded into confusion. He opened his mouth and closed it once. Licking his lips, he narrowed his eyes. "Explain," he ordered.

"He's Goku's son," she began.

"Tell me what I don't know," he snarled sarcastically.

She glared angrily at him. "I was getting to that!" she snapped before taking a deep, calming breath that did very little to settle her. "I'm…babysitting."

Radditz's face crumpled in bewilderment. "Why would you sit on a child? Does your species have a secondary incubation period after birth?"

"Ohmygod! It's a human saying! It means I'm.. wait. A secondary what?"

Radditz growled. "Why have you a child!?"

"His name is Gohan," she spat.

"Woman…," he warned.

"I told you. Because I'm.." Bulma cut herself off. "Why do you care?"

"Why do you have a fresh MateMark?" He countered, his eyes piercing hers.

Bulma flushed. "I… he. Er, I mean. Vege-"

"That mark belongs to the Prince!?" he roared, horrified.

"What? No! I mean, yes! But it isn't…"

The blood drained from his face. "Do you know what you've done?" he squeaked.

Bulma squinted her eyes in anger. "What do you mean what I've done? He's the one who.."

Radditz pressed his lips in a line and spoke over her woodenly. "You are to serve the Prince alone in all things and in any way he wishes. You're not to engage in promiscuous acts with my brother no matter what exists between you! Including the existence of that child!"

Incredulous, Bulma's jaw dropped. "You think I cheated on Vegeta with Goku? Hoho! You're sooooo way off right now –"

"Bulma. Listen to me. It doesn't matter what I think. What matters is what the Prince thinks. If he has claimed you, he'll kill any other male he feels is a threat. You've just given Kakarrot a death sentence!"

Bulma spluttered. "Of course I haven't! Vegeta thinks he's the father. Even if he didn't, I'm not going to let anything happen to Gohan, no matter what he thinks!" Dear God, Gohan wasn't even her child!

Radditz practically hummed with nervous energy. "You must maintain that Vegeta has sired your cub. It is the only thing that will ensure he lives."

Bulma's mouth gaped. "But-"

Radditz spoke over her as though she wasn't even there. "Kakarrot and I are two guards among one hundred on one of three escort ships. Our father is here. I'll leave it to him to make our excuses if we are missed; he'll do it even if we leave without giving cause. Better still, we won't even tell him we're leaving. We will steal a pod…," he thought quickly, planning out loud as he spoke. "It will take us a few days to return – four if we run hot as often as the equipment will allow. The pod will be slower than the larger ships, but we'll have a few days head start and should make it back ahead of everyone. It will be close, but I give my word to you, we will make it in time," he finished solemnly.

"In time for what?" she whispered, terror making her heart flutter.

"In time for you to and Kakarrot to say goodbye. If you wish his safety, you will be content to know he lives and never see him again. And you will raise his son as a Prince of Vegeta."

"But –" she started, but was cut off when Radditz ended the communication.

"But I'm just babysitting!" she wailed to the blank screen.

Gods help her. Hopefully Goku would have the sense to explain what was going on as he and Radditz flew like bats out of hell back to the planet. Knowing that idiot, though, he'd simply take Radditz's word that Gohan was in danger and not question how or why.

OoOoO

"What do you mean she isn't here?" she shrieked.

The skin of the aluminum-colored woman flushed purple. Bulma didn't know if that meant the Bast-jinn was angry or embarrassed by the silly human's outburst.

"I mean that Chef ChiChi has left the planet to attend market." Angry. The Bast-jinn was definitely angry. "As you know, the honored Royal Parents are coming and the number in their entourage is quite extensive. Our stores are inadequate. Chef ChiChi should return in a few days," sniffing at Bulma, she nodded in a gesture of goodbye that was definitely meant to be taken as final.

Bulma huffed at the alien's back. "But I need her now!" she whined.

She was ignored.

Pouting, Bulma whirled around and crashed into a wall of muscle. She only managed to stay on her feet because something… fuzzy… had caught her wrist and kept her from falling. Disoriented, she glanced up and found herself face to face with none other than Vegeta. The cocky asshole actually had the balls to give her a very suggestive, extremely obvious once over. Shocked and feeling a bit awkward - and if she were completely honest, a horrifying flutter of traitorous butterflies in her gut - she did her best to pretend she couldn't see the invitation in his heated look.

"Why do you seek the cook?" He purred at her, his voice low and full of velvet.

Her head swam and her knees wobbled. What the crap? He'd never had this effect on her before. Then again, he'd never… flirted… with her before, either. She shoved the thought away as she tried to push against his chest to put needed space between them. The bastard didn't budge. Worse, he seemed amused.

That is… until he saw a pair of goggles hanging around her neck.

His expression darkened as he brought his hand up to her throat to finger them. Abruptly, he snapped the strap, dropped them to the floor, and crushed them under a boot. His eyes flicked to her collar to take in the pulsing of her racing heart, and traced the teeth marks on her flesh that had been hidden under the goggles.

Gripping her throat, he pulled her close and bent to growl in her ear. "You dare conceal my gift?"

She felt an electric pulse of heat swallow her whole and knew his ki was flooding through her. If he powered up any more, she'd burst into ash right here in the hallway. Poof!

The butterflies were swallowed by a fully erupting volcano. At this point, she couldn't tell if she was terrified or turned on and the effect was utterly disorienting. She licked her lips and tried to speak, but her lungs refused to work and any words she may have said were lost before she even knew what they'd be.

Dear God. What was he doing to her?

Whatever it was, he seemed to be aware of it because he chuckled darkly, nuzzled the lobe of her ear, and teased her pebbled skin with his breath. Where he had bitten her was so sensitive under his hot breath, her flesh was practically screaming for his teeth to sink into it again. She tilted her head and practically begged him to do it.

He was there! So Close! She could feel his lips peel back to expose those glorious teeth and her heart nearly galloped out of her chest. He lingered there a moment….

At the last second, instead of sinking those teeth in to ease her aching flesh, he touched his lips to her wounds with feather lightness and rumbled, "You will not hide it again," before lightly pushing her away. He was gone in the span of a blink, leaving her skin feeling hot and wholly neglected.

Bulma stood there, numb.

She didn't know how much more shock her brain could take.

OoOoO

Vegeta shook violently as he made a hasty escape. He rounded a corner and pressed himself against the wall and tried to catch his breath. He had nearly….

He covered his face with a palm and tried to steady his nerves. He had told her not to hide, and yet here he was - running away and hiding like a coward because he lacked the strength and resolve to refrain from...

He took a deep breath and held it for a second before letting it out slowly.

He needed to stay calm and regain perspective. What had happened?

He had only meant to tease her, but then he saw she'd had the gall to defiantly hide what he had bid her to show. His intent had changed from teasing her into reminding her of his dominance. It had been going well until his control had nearly snapped. That shouldn't have happened. So why had it?

He thought back. When he had first bitten her, he had taken the greatest care to inject only a minimum amount of venom. He'd also been certain to barely flare his ki to ensure only a trace amount of it would bond to the venom in her bloodstream.

Hadn't he?

Dear Gods, if he hadn't…

He swallowed hard and began to sweat.

If he hadn't, her chemistry was already changing irreparably. Instead of his scent and essence temporarily lingering in her sweat to imply repeated acts of mating, her pheromones would adapt and eventually induce repeated acts of mating. She would appeal to him in such a way as to be irresistible because her scent, literally, would be designed to awaken his baser instincts. In doing so, his own pheromones would respond and jump start her desire to breed – no matter how weak her human senses were – especially with the change in her chemistry he himself had caused!

He knew that the more he bit her, the stronger their pheromones would become, forcing them to react to one another. So. He had few choices. If, in fact, he had overdone the bite, the drive to procreate would overcome any and all resistance from doing so. In that case, he could dismiss any and all effort to resist and simply enjoy the side effects. Then again, if he hadn't injected too much venom and he didn't bother resisting, well… he could still enjoy the side effects. That had been one of the perks in biting her in the first place, hadn't it?

Except when he did it, he hadn't thought his control would be tested like this.

So… he could try to wait it out. If he hadn't overdone the bite, he'd be able to resist – even if the effort was unpleasant - until such a time he was certain he had regained his control. And if he had overdone it, well. He'd simply have to avoid her completely until the amount of venom in her blood was reduced. That should only take a few months of keeping his teeth and his ki absolutely to himself. And probably ordering her to ingest a painful amount of sugared water every day.

Easy.

Decision made, he relaxed. No foolish human was going to make a fool out of him! He'd show the level of his control!

But..

Avoiding her was extreme. If he wasn't strong enough to be in the same room as she, that also showed a lack of control.

Shit!

Somehow, the greatest tactician the Saiyan race had ever known had worked himself into a stalemate. And it was all her fault! He clenched his fists. Fine. He could do this. He'd not seek her out, but neither would he evade. He'd simply ignore her. It wasn't ideal, but it was necessary.

Sighing in resolution, he caught her scent on his own clothing. His mouth immediately flooded with venom, causing his teeth to ache.

Vegeta, mighty Prince of all Saiyans, rolled his eyes and smacked the back of his head against the wall, not bothering to look down at his rigid, traitorous cock.

OoOoO

The next few days were far less stressful for Bulma. It was simply ludicrous how a simple bite mark changed how she was treated. People fell all over themselves to not only do her bidding, but to anticipate her needs and wishes and fulfill them before she realized she needed or wished it. Before, she had scrounged for parts and tools and etched out a tiny corner of an out-of-the-way storage area for her work table. Now, she found herself ushered into an enormous bay, dedicated for any use she could imagine. Labs and hangars where she could design work stations for research and development, engineering and technology, aerospace and physics – even medicine - to include genetic research. In all, it made Capsule Corp's facilities look like a child's silly playground.

She sat on the floor where she had plopped in her surprise. For hours, she stared at the facilities that were now, apparently, all hers, and trading exultant laughing back and forth with disbelieving tears.

That wasn't the only change. She didn't know who handed out the memo, but suddenly, all of the damn old farts in colorful robes who hadn't given two shits about her before were competing with each other to please her. It was utterly ridiculous. What the hell did she care if her juice had iced fruit chunks floating in it or if the juice had thawed chunks of fruit floating in it? Fuck, before a couple of days ago, she hadn't even known there was juice! In fact, all she'd ever -

Oooh. Whatever the green things were served with the red juice was simply fabulous and could she have another one? I mean, why not? They were shoving this sugary shit down her throat like she needed to bleed the stuff. May as well enjoy it.

Speaking of enjoying it… her clothes.

Holy fuck sauce on a dripping umbrella, Batman! The material was so soft and luxurious, she felt like she was walking around naked.. only, without any jiggly parts, you know, jiggling. The feel of the cloth was so freaking magnificent against her skin, it turned her on. It would be a bit embarrassing if it weren't totally worth it.

Everyone was fighting for her regard. In fact, the only one not tripping over themselves to garner her attention was Vegeta. It was weird because before, he had been the only one to seek her out. He used to interact with her on an annoyingly consistent basis like a bored child looking for some poor creature to harass. The ornery bastard was always howling at her to do this or fix that – generally being a needy pest with a huge temper and a bigger ego. That's why she had tried to fix his door before he knew it was broken. She hadn't wanted to give him an excuse to come find her just so he could yell at her for being an incompetent, incapable janitor.

The surly Prince was still… present. She caught him studying her from time to time, as if gauging how she felt about her new circumstances. But there was also that… other… way he studied her. She could practically feel his eyes touching her and damn it all… she liked it. She'd tried to tell herself it was awkward and uncomfortable, but when she'd started looking for those looks of his – actually posing in such ways as to display herself for his scrutiny – she couldn't lie to herself any longer.

She felt powerful.

She felt like she could flick her wrist and command the strongest, scariest being this side of the universe simply by forcing him to watch her. And every time she flicked her wrist… every time his eyes lingered on her skin… she felt like a fat cat stretching in the sun, basking in its heat.

So, by the middle of the third day, she was completely vexed when she was unable to find him. How could she nonchalantly pose for him while pretending to do something else if he wasn't around? He'd been present until now, but not as - well, engaging. Sure, the first day he hadn't whined at her to fix anything had been a pleasant but welcome shock. The second day, it was suspicious. Now he wasn't around at all and she was beginning to think he was avoiding her.

She huffed in temporary defeat and decided to return to Gohan. She hadn't wanted the responsibility of looking after the little tyke at first, but suddenly it was like she had to take a number to get close to him. She had been nervous about that, but it seemed the baby was even more popular than she was. He was a novel anomaly – fussed and preened over like he was… Bulma scowled. Well, it made sense. Why wouldn't they treat Gohan like a Prince when everyone thought he was?

Bulma sighed. It would be hard to give all this up. Maybe she could ask Goku to let her keep up the façade for just a little bit longer…. Just until she got the project with the gravity finished. Oh! Or maybe the fighting bots. It just felt so good to have real tools in her hands, again! And it was all because of a silly misunderstanding. She supposed she owed it to Vegeta to finish the projects to make up for it. So naturally, she'd have to keep Gohan until she was finished. Right?

Guilt stabbed at her and she paused halfway to the rooms she shared with Gohan. She was torn.

Vegeta was a big baby. He'd blame her, yell at her, and punish her in some stupid passive aggressive way. But, he'd let her finish her projects once he knew they were for him. Plus, Goku was on fire to get back in order to 'save Gohan,' and ChiChi was due back any day from her cosmic grocery shopping trip. Once they came back, the truth was bound to come out.

She hung her head in regret, but sighed with resolve. She'd tell Vegeta before he figured it out on his own. Maybe he'd be easier on her if she came forward first.

And maybe not… but it wasn't like he'd kill her.

She hoped.

She supposed it all depended upon why Vegeta had decided to claim Gohan as his son - and her by extension simply because he believed she was Gohan's mother. If it was about wanting a son, she could always engineer him one for real.

Decision made, she nodded to herself and altered her course from her and Gohan's wing to Vegeta's. She didn't even have to sneak – the guards actually opened the doors for her as she approached.

She couldn't lie. She'd miss this.

When she approached Vegeta's room, she saw the door had been fixed by, she supposed, the new glorified "janitor" who'd taken her place. It was opened and she entered the rooms. Vegeta wasn't there. At least, not in the front rooms. Boldly, she walked to the middle of the room, craning her neck to see if she could see him on the balcony. It was quiet and eerie and suddenly she felt like this whole thing was a bad idea and what the fuck was she thinking? Vegeta would never just forgive her! He didn't give freebies like that. Maybe after a year or two, he would, but why did that time have to start right now? She turned to flee but the doors had been closed by the guards. She reached her hand to open it but paused. What would they think? She'd just come into rooms, they believed, she shared with Vegeta when she wasn't sleeping in her own rooms she shared with Gohan.

Everyone would assume she came here to er, well.. to sleep. In Vegeta's quarters. Which was ok, right? She was his Mate. Well. Pretending to be, anyway. Vegeta wanted her for Gohan but no one else knew that. Bah, the point was, if she left now without... if she left so soon after coming in, it would look suspicious. As Vegeta's Mate, she would know where he was – or at least the general direction of his location – at any time, so 'looking for him' would be a ludicrous concept no one would accept. The only reason she had to leave, then, was if she was doing exactly what she was trying to do. Run away.

She frowned. She'd be damned if she ran from anyone.

Even if that someone was a fake husband playing fake father to her fake son.

More than a little nervous, she turned back towards the room. She walked on her tiptoes to the balcony, chastising herself the whole way for sneaking when she knew Vegeta wasn't here. The cool air brushed against her skin and she shivered. The last time she stood here, she had been contemplating jumping off to escape.

Wait a minute.

She wouldn't be running away if no one knew she was running away, right?

Aw, hell. She'd take it!

She flung her leg up over the banister but the wretched material she used to think was glorious was tight and had no give. She couldn't lift her damn knee more than a foot. Grunting, she lifted the skirts as high as they would go – in essence, leaving her ass uncovered - but still couldn't raise her leg high enough. So, she tried to jump and haul herself up - and only succeeded in belly flopping on the hard marble. Wiggling, she managed to get half way up before having to rest. Breathing hard, she lifted her leg and caught her heel on the edge. Whooping in triumph, she pulled herself up and twisted so she could sit on the ledge.

Ok. Now all she had to do is get down.

She peered over her shoulder, puzzling how she'd manage to drop 20 feet without getting hurt when the shock of her life nearly killed her.

Vegeta had been in the bathing pool and had known immediately when she entered. He had hoped she would go away, but when she made her way to the balcony instead of out the way she came, he had gone to investigate. As he watched her struggle, he cocked his head in baffled interest as he studied her. She was bent over in a way that appealed to his baser instinct – legs flailing in homage to her delicious moon-like bare ass as it hung in the sky, begging to be honored. So enthralled was he by the show, he was completely unable to do anything else but stand there and leer. He was aware that he was partly annoyed at her intrusion. Yet… another part was utterly amused at… whatever she was trying to do. And yet another part – the part that completely dwarfed the others - wanted to prevent her from doing whatever it was she was trying to do by sticking his dick in that luscious, lunar posterior.

Eventually, she made it up and was able to sit, breaking whatever spell her ass had on him. Yet irritation and mirth still took a back seat when curiosity decided to butt in. When she looked down over the side, he couldn't contain it any longer. "What are you doing?"

The second he asked, she jumped in surprise and nearly went over the edge.

Before he could think, he caught her and pulled her back up. The thing was, she didn't quite realize she was safe. She flailed violently, trying to capture any and everything she could with every limb she had to prevent herself from falling. Damned if his senses didn't register this as her pawing at him in desperate need – especially when the towel around his hips was torn free by her naked legs wrapping around his waist.

Her nails dug into the muscle of his back and her breathy, sultry voice pierced his brain. All rational thought popped like a soap bubble would against the claws of a swatting cat.

He couldn't be certain what was inside her first – his teeth, his ki, or his cock – but it didn't matter. She pulled him against her as though trying to crush him into tiny particles to absorb him through her skin. They writhed against each other with furious desperation, hot breath and searing blood pumping, driving them towards an inevitable and irrevocably explosive edge that promised to be devastating.

She cried with haggard, harsh release in his ear and shuddered against him, pulling him into his own inescapable black hole of pleasure so absolute and powerful it was blissfully painful.

Boneless and weak, he sagged, unable to remain standing. Still connected, she fell with him and they landed in a heap on the balcony's tiled floor.

Neither spoke as awareness partially returned – each lost in bewildered thoughts of how and what. Yet, neither of them moved. Instead, they recovered as though they alone lay on the balcony - as if by refusing to acknowledge each other or their predicament, it didn't really exist. In pretending it wasn't happening, they had no reason to pull away from one another.

Bulma, wide eyed, lay against Vegeta's still heaving chest unable to think. She was lost in a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. Whaaaa?

Whhhyyyyy?

Why did her heart feel like it was going to burst? Why did it hurt so much?

The power of it was overwhelming. A couple of days ago, she hadn't even really liked Vegeta. Much. Well, not really. But maybe a little. He could be so… and he was always… but then again, he did make sure she… and he definitely was…

Oh, God.

He was twisting locks of her tangled hair between his fingers, massaging her scalp… petting her… like..

Like he liked it.

Shocked, she pushed off his chest to peer down at him. He dropped his hand from her hair and let it fall to his side, but never once did he look away from her. His movements seemed slow and careful – as though he were purposefully showing her gentleness. She hadn't known he was capable of that and it did something… squishy to her. He blinked languidly up at her with a deceptively bored expression on his face.

His eyes said he was anything but bored.

He looked at her like he was looking through her to her core. If her innards hadn't already been jelly, they'd have turned into pudding now.

How could he be so… so…. accepting? Like what had just happened wasn't a big, fat, oh shit what did we just do?

He flicked his thumb over her hip and her body hummed.

Fuck it, she thought. I'll tell him…. Tell him…something?… tomorr…

His lips found her neck and as he lightly nibbled and sucked, her eyes fluttered shut, effectively shutting her mind off, as well.

OoOoO

Vegeta lay on his back, staring at the ceiling, listening to the fragile female breathe. It was low and even; an intoxicating drug that tugged at his consciousness and tempted him to submit to slumber. He pushed it to the edge of his mind so his thoughts could focus. It was… pleasant… this feeling. He felt calm and comfortable; as though floating on the tide of her breath as she took air into her lungs slowly, then let it out softly.

She was deeply asleep, and likely would stay that way for some time. He had been gentle – but there was only so much one could do when the volcano of nuclear lust kept trying to take over. His blood still burned and his chest ached, but it would fade. Already, it was manageable. He could rise and leave her here, if he wished.

He sighed and turned his head to study her form, gently lit by a sun promising to rise soon. It went beyond his capability to understand why he hadn't resisted his instinct to breed her. In fact, he had succumbed to it before he'd really bothered to try resisting. Could it be so simple? Had he unknowingly chosen her on some deeper level from the start, or had he just accepted the choice his chemistry made for him by accidentally biting too hard?

He let those thoughts drift into nothingness without really contemplating their meaning. None of it mattered. What was done, was done and he could change it now no more than he could change the pattern of the stars. It wasn't like there was a choice in the matter at this point. For either of them.

His eyes snapped open when he noticed they had drifted shut.

This was ridiculous. She was human and needed the rest. He, on the other hand, had no such excuse. He was not completely at the whim of his body's desires. Once he was up, he'd be alert and likely feel embarrassed for allowing such laziness to go on so long.

Despite knowing this, his muscles quivered in sluggish protest and his entire body revolted against his insistence that he rise. Sharing so much ki was… more draining than he would have imagined, and he was still adjusting. Huffing in annoyance, he refused to succumb to the temptation urging him to throw himself back on the soft pillows and pull the little female against him. But something wouldn't allow him to escape her, either. So, he compromised. He'd not lie beside her again, but he did lean over her and press his nose to her temple to breathe her in. The heady scent of their mixed heat and sweat made him feel giddy, dizzy, and lethargic, and he nearly did slump beside her again. Instead, he drug himself away and ignored his own disappointment.

Now was the time to confront the day. There was plenty of time for sleeping and… other things… later.

Too appeased by the satiated feeling buzzing in his brain to feel grumpy about his own weakness, he was able to dress. Still, he looked over his shoulder at the bed with longing as he exited the door. He may have given up the determination to leave even then if his stomach hadn't been stabbing him with a rude hunger that was nearly driving him to his knees in pain.

He may be Saiyan, but it still took a lot of energy to fuck until sunrise.

Not caring if he had the woman's delicious stink all over him, he grinned ferally as he strutted down the hallway to the kitchens.

OoOoO

Bulma's brain flatly refused consciousness regardless of the sunlight stabbing her eyeballs through her eyelids. It wasn't until her bladder was full she was able to find consciousness - just in time to stop herself from pissing all over the sheets. She threw herself from the mattress, tripping over the tangled covers wrapped around her limbs. Unable to win freedom from the vile serpents, she drug them across the floor, shaking them loose as she traveled. She made it to the toilet and moaned in absolute, divine bliss the second her ass was on the seat, allowing the geyser to erupt. When she was good and halfway through her mad pee, she realized where she was.

Her breath hitched in surprise – but what was more surprising was her lack of alarm. For some damn reason, being here whizzing in Vegeta's bathroom felt – well, not quite normal – but certainly not a cause for panic.

Huh. Well I'll be damned, she quipped to herself.

And, que the cosmic blush as memories as to why she was in Vegetas rooms returned to her.

Somehow, instead of feeling horrified, she felt like a teenager who had swindled her parents into thinking she was too sick to go to school; a giddy thief who'd just stolen a free day.

And then she felt ridiculous for feeling so sappy. But… she grinned.

Who the fuck cares?

Her eyes darted to the door she had neglected to close in her mad dash. Oh, dear God. Was Vegeta still out there? How humiliating..!

But… no. He felt –

Not.. here.

She cocked her head at what had to be the weirdest sensation she'd ever had in her life. It was almost like something was pulling against her chest. It felt tight…like a joint that needed to be stretched and popped back into place.

And then it moved.

Ohmygodohmygod!

Panicking, she screeched and launched herself off the toilet, swatting at her chest to shake off whatever buzzing insect was clinging to her. Shouting in alarm she hadn't felt moments ago, she realized she couldn't dislodge whatever it was because it was inside her skin.

Hyperventilating, she tried to hurl herself out of the bathroom but succeeded only in knocking herself flat after running into the wall at full speed. Landing on her back, bell rung and the wind knocked out of her, she had no choice but to reexamine the situation. The…thing… was coiled around her lungs, slithering…but she could still breathe. In fact – now that she thought about it, it wasn't really wiggling, per say. It was more like… a pulse… that lived and breathed.

She took deep breaths, purposefully offset from the creature inside her chest to ensure it was, indeed, separate from her.

It was.

But… it wasn't.

It felt like a part of her, feeding off of her – but also feeding into her.

The scientist in her brain reared its curious head. A symbiont?

She closed her eyes and forced herself to relax. Breathing deeply, she focused on the sensation under her breast bone. The more she did so, the warmer and more tranquil she felt until all she felt was drunk and light headed. It made it simple to dismiss the extraordinary and accept the insanely weird as simple truth. She tried to picture the symbiont based on the physical sensation it provoked. She felt… tethered to something – by an umbilical cord made from two life forces braided together. Her own and -

Overcome with an emotion she couldn't begin to explain, she felt overwhelmingly compelled to touch it somehow.

Too invested to feel ridiculous for trying to use "the force," she reached with her mind and prodded the cord. She jerked back and she barked in laughter when it – whatever it was - undulated against her thoughts in - in surprise? How could it know she had touched it? Fascinated, she did it again. This time, it reached for her touch and caressed her back.

She felt like a cat being stroked and would gladly have purred.

The tether stretched as whatever it was at the other end swirled and moved. The sensation snapped at her attention and her eyes flew open. Bewildered and blinking, she looked down at her chest to see if there was anything coming out of it. Like a weird ki coil or something. Was this real? She couldn't see anything, and almost felt disappointed…. but she still felt it fluttering within her ribcage.

Now she understood the nature of the movement, if not how it came to be or why it was there. But! She had a hunch that if she concentrated on it, she'd be able to follow it and see whoev - whatever - was attached to the other end.

God it was so freaking bizarre and alien… but somehow –

Somehow, it just made her feel… whole.

She shoved that thought aside. It was too new and too… raw.

Picking herself up off the floor, she managed to dislodge the last of the stubborn sheets and covers and won her freedom. What she needed to do was eat or her stomach would gnaw a hole through her side. She needed to find Chichi. She needed to find a way out of this whole asinine mess with Gohan.

She looked down at her nakedness.

Fuck. She needed to find some damn clothes.

OoOoO

"Bulma?"

Bulma screeched to a halt. Apparently, her stealth needed quite a bit of work. She stepped out of the shadow she had thought was providing cover, and clenched the bedsheet wrapped around her tighter to her chest. She stood tall, squared her shoulders, gathered her pride around her like armor, and turned to face Chichi like this encounter was all part of the plan. She reminded herself it had been her intent to find Chichi and tried to ignore the voice in the back of her head that said - with dripping sarcasm - that she hadn't intended to find Chichi prior to finding her wardrobe.

"Yes?" she said with surprising confidence.

Chichi frowned in confusion and took in Bulma's toga with uncertain wariness.

"The kitchen staff said you were looking for me. I ditched them on the spot with everything I bought and came looking for you," her face crumpled into worry. "Is it Gohan?" And then her expression pinched into suspicious admonishment. "TELL me you didn't abandon my baby so you could get your rocks off!"

Bulma's mouth dropped in defensive indignation. Yeah. Chichi pretty much hit that nail on the head. But that didn't mean Bulma was going to admit that. "First, I don't have rocks. Second…" Bulma faltered here. She really didn't have a 'second' point. She deflated and withered under Chichi's stare. "Gohan's fine, Chichi. In fact, he's doing better than you can possible imagine."

Chichi narrowed her eyes. "Explain," she demanded.

Bulma bit her lip, not certain how or where to begin. Different scenarios played themselves out in her head, and she dismissed them one by one, mumbling to herself the probabilities of success or level of failure as each one danced through her head. It was a nervous habit of hers, but usually the context and material were mathematical or scientific in nature and she could produce an answer with insane speed. In this case, not so much.

She just looked like a babbling schizophrenic with a severe case of well-past-afternoon bed head, wrapped in a bedsheet, obviously caught in the middle of the walk of shame… wait a minute. The only rooms in this part of the palace belonged to -

"Oh, my God, you slept with the Prince!" the tiny Asian woman shrieked in a voice entirely too large for her small frame.

Bulma had the decency to look mortified as her head swiveled in every direction all at once to see if anyone had heard.

Like everyone didn't know already.

Bulma snagged Chichi's hand and pulled her through the hallways towards her and Gohan's rooms. She explained the whole situation in snippets, pausing to check for snooping ears at every intersection, niche, and behind curtains and statues they passed. Chichi, for her part, was completely silent as she listened. It wasn't until they arrived in Gohan's room and Bulma – to the irritation of the staff – dismissed (banished) everyone.

With hungry eyes, Chichi practically devoured Gohan as he entertained himself with… whatever that contraption was… on the floor. Wasn't that one of Bulma's tools? Chichi resolved not to have seen it when Bulma inevitably realized it was missing and went hunting for it.

Once she was satisfied her son was happy, healthy, and in no danger, she turned on Bulma and would have hit the blue bitch upside the head had she not taken the initiative to trip over the sheets wrapped around her and fall on her face. Chichi crossed her arms over her chest and finally allowed herself to grin. The relief that Gohan was alright had done much to take the kill leaving only the buzz. This was….. soooooo Bulma.

It started with a snicker. When Bulma looked up with a pathetic rendition of a petulant child trying to look intimidating from her spot on the floor, Chichi lost all control and started guffawing.

"It's not funny!" she cried, inducing Chichi to laugh all the harder. Eventually, Bulma started to giggle, egging Chichi on, whose ridiculous snorts fueled Bulma's laughter. Both women ended up sitting side by side on the floor holding their sides. Curious, Gohan toddled over to the two crazy, loud people and scowled at them for being left out. Chichi held open her arms and the baby fell into her arms and basked in the warmth of a momma hug.

Bulma watched them, thinking how perfect they were – and then suddenly sobered. "Chichi."

The Ox Princess glanced over Gohan's head and met Bulma's eyes. She knew, but waited for Bulma to say it.

"You can't stay here. Vegeta is convinced I'm Gohan's mother.. and it's almost painful how much Gohan looks like Goku," she reached out and caressed the softness of Gohan's hair, smiling wistfully. She sighed and looked back up at Chichi. "After last night, Vegeta won't listen – he'll just react. He'll go all out and Goku… won't. He'll hold back thinking he can convince Vegeta – " Bulma's breath hitched and her eyes stung. "You have to go," she finished woodenly.

Chichi nodded as she cradled Gohan to her chest. "We can come back someday," she whispered. "After you've had time to explain…"

Bulma's lips thinned and she nodded, but they both knew the words were a false hope. If Goku ran, it would prove the son of Bardock had something to hide. Nothing else would matter. Even if Vegeta knew and believed the truth, there may always be those out there who believed Goku was father to Bulma's child. It would undermine the authority of House Vegeta. Vegeta could never allow that.

Chichi reached for Bulma with an arm, and like Gohan had done moments before, fell into it as if seeking the solace only a mother could give. The three of them sat there for long minutes until Bulma reluctantly sat up. "You have some packing to do," she said softly, and smiled sadly. "And I have a ship to get ready for you three," she said with more energy.

Standing, she nearly toppled over again when she stepped on the hem of her sheet. "I guess I should get dressed," she mused.

Chichi's eyes sparkled. "Oh, no you don't! You're going to explain everything that happened last night!"

Bulma blushed. "Clearly, you understand exactly what happened. Just look at the evidence that's in your lap chewing on… is that my nanochomliser!?"

OoOoO

Radditz gripped Kakarrot's shoulder and pinched it tightly as a reminder not to charge through the hallways blindly. His younger brother, understandably, was anxious – but that was no reason to charge in without a thought or a plan. Kakarrot bounced on his toes in response, impatient to get going.

"I don't see why you won't just let me use instant transmit-"

"I told you already," he whispered back harshly. "You can't be certain who's with her. Do you want to suddenly appear in the middle of an ambush?"

"Yes, but I can always just use instant transmission again to-"

Radditz didn't bother trying to sound patient. "You may be able to get one out. But what if that crazy woman and your cub are being held at a distance from one another? What if, by popping up, you cause them harm instead of teleporting them away from it? You may be able to jump from place to place, but you can't jump into two places at once."

If it were possible, Goku's worried face became more ashen. For three days, he'd been completely overtaken with terrified stress and hadn't eaten nor slept. Unused to the weight of serious threat he couldn't fight his way out of, he had nearly buckled. Radditz tightened his grip on his brother's shoulder again, but in support this time instead of warning. "You will find them, brother. And you will make them safe," he assured. He didn't add that in doing so, Kakarrot may in fact be condemning himself in one form or another. It was an idea to leave a family behind to protect them or in an act of self-preservation. It was a wholly different beast to actually do so. Saiyans…. Just weren't built to be separate from their Troop. At best, Kakarrot would die – hopefully with merciful speed. At worst, he would live - but would succumb to mind wasting and eventual madness. The woman would fare better – she had a cub to curb the wasting. She'd never be the same, though. Feeling your Mate wither away somewhere distant and unreachable was something he'd not wish even on Frieza.

But….

Kakarrot couldn't be that deeply invested in the female or Vegeta would never have – wouldn't have been able to…

Radditz shook his head. The woman was human. It was possible she couldn't reciprocate a Saiyan Bond. Radditz didn't doubt what had happened. Kakarrot had Bonded her because, well, honestly, that idiot was too naive to know how to breed without initiating that kind of a Bond. Vegeta… Radditz had seen the MateMark himself. There was no mistaking that kind of a mark. So. Somehow, the sassy blue firecracker had allowed two males to Bond her. That meant she'd likely, one way or another, just caused two Saiyan Warriors their lives.

The two strongest of the entire race.

He clenched his fists in anger. Had it been on purpose? Was it some sort of retribution for her planet? She had been little more than a child, but she claimed she had memories of her Earth.

But she had also said she knew her planet would have eventually fallen regardless, and that because the Saiyans had come first, her people had been saved. Saiyans were not merciless butchers – what honor was there in killing the weak? What priceless resources – the people themselves – would be thrown away if planets were purged? Instead, why not cultivate the abilities of its inhabitants? After the Earth's forces had been defeated or had surrendered, Humanity had been evacuated, relocated, and repositioned on other planet posts throughout the galaxy. They thrived as a species, and had become an invaluable asset – they were highly adaptable and could squeeze a niche for themselves practically anywhere. The most brilliant, like Bulma, were brought to the capitol worlds where they helped to advance Saiyan technology. The rest were sent to seed planets for commerce, agriculture, and entertainment that ranged from teaching new religion, language, and culture, to culinary arts, storytelling, and dance. It seemed that Humanity had a shocking knack for finding and providing high-demand products and services. Anywhere there were Humans, the market boomed. Saiyans, who, for the price of their protection, took a cut of the profits and as a result, shared an unprecedented time of riches.

So, it didn't make sense that Bulma would wish revenge on the people whom she said had been the savior of her people. It must simply be a horrible consequence of Human-Saiyan physiology. It matched… just not perfectly.

It was hard to admit to himself, but Radditz acknowledged it wasn't her fault. If she hadn't been radiating Kakarrot's ki, anchored to her tissues with venom, Vegeta couldn't have known she was already Mated. He'd have felt she were free to take for himself – and it's not like any woman, Human or otherwise, would dare deny the Prince anything he wanted.

Still, it was a bitter thing to swallow. Losing one's brother and one's Prince… it was unacceptable. So he had to do the undoable.

He had to choose. His brother? Or his Prince?

Kakarrot darted ahead and disappeared around a corner, and Radditz's heart dropped to his knees. If the idiot kept doing that, Radditz wouldn't have to choose because they'd both end up dead! Without thinking – and he could kick his own teeth in for ignoring his own advice – he launched forward to catch up…

OoOoO

…And ran right into the Prince.

Vegeta's cold eyes penetrated the eldest Bardock son at first with surprise at the sudden, unexpected appearance of a Saiyan Royal Guard, and then with bored indifference. And then his nostrils flared as a distantly familiar scent of a particular male tickled the edge of his memory. Where had he smelled that before…? And why was a Royal Guard here, anyway?

"Did I not send you with the envoy to retrieve and escort the Royal Parents?" the Prince asked reasonably, but not without suspicion.

Millions of years of evolution, toning genetics and instinct into the deadliest of weapons burst forth in a heated surge of adrenaline. Radditz's muscles bulged and his ki sang within his veins, urging him to fight. It all came down to this moment….

And all he could come up with was, "Uhhhh…."

The Prince scowled. Deflated and knowing he was caught, Radditz's pivoted and darted in the first direction that would take him away from Vegeta.

He got about three feet before the weight of the Prince's boot was against the back of his neck.

"Explain yourself!"

This was it. He had to make a choice. His brother or his Prince. Or… or choose them both. Give Kakarrot time enough to escape with his son, and Vegeta someone to kill. Bulma would never see her son again, but at least she, his brother, and his nephew would live.

"The brat is mine," he forced between clenched teeth.

His body flew against ki-reinforced marble with such force, he felt his ribs crack as Vegeta hauled him from the floor to slam him against the far wall. Coughing up blood, he couldn't help but grin with pride. Fuck his Prince was strong! Though his vision swam, he made out the blurry shape of Vegeta as he approached.

And everything went black.

OoOoO

Vegeta stared down at the unconscious Royal Guard, his hand raised and glowing. Something didn't seem right, here.

Spinning suddenly, he swatted away a ki-blast aimed at his back and ignored the cascade of crumbling marble that exploded into dust to blanket everything within a ten-foot radius. He sneered at Bardock, who extended his open palms to show he had no ill intent.

"My Prince. Certainly we both know I haven't the strength to cause harm. I was merely trying to gain your attention," Bardock spoke softly.

Growling, Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "Before I kill you, tell me. Why are you here, Old Man?"

Bardock's eyes flicked to his son before coming back to meet the eyes of his Prince. "My son and I were on our way to escort your parents here. He went missing around the same time I found a pod had been taken. The idiot forgot there was a tracking device. I didn't know why he deserted his post to return here – he didn't explain himself. So, naturally, I stole my own pod. Of course, I covered his tracks and my own so no one would realize. I arrived about an hour after he did and have been following him ever since, trying to determine what the fuck he thought he was doing."

Vegeta raised his chin and peered at Bardock icily. "And?"

Once again, Bardock lowered his gaze to Radditz, unconscious on the ground. He closed his eyes and hung his head. "And now I know what the fuck he thought he was doing."

Vegeta snarled. To Bardock's credit, he didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled sadly and shrugged.

"He thinks he's protecting me," he said simply. He raised his head, cocked an eyebrow, and grinned. "I fathered the child. After word got out that the cub had been discovered, my son found out about my involvement and came back to take the woman and child to a safe place. I'm certain he'd have contacted me at some point."

Vegeta's chilly eyes looked right through Bardock. For long minutes, the Prince stood frozen, panting hard, tail swinging wildly behind him. Finally, he blinked once and licked his lip. Bardock dropped to his knees and lowered his head, prepared to take a death blow – but none came. Growing nervous, he frowned and raised his head a fraction.

Alarmed when he saw the boots of the lead Royal Guard standing inches in front of him. Nappa was the on advanced echelon detail for the King and Queen. If he was here, the Royal couple would be here within hours. Nappa stood over the wayward Guard and smiled wolfishly as he raised a fist.

Vegeta, standing next to Nappa, stared down at the third-class Saiyan on his knees with cold, pitiless indifference. "I believe you have two sons, do you not? I wonder. If two of you claim patronage of the cub, what will the third say?"

Bardock didn't even have time to yelp as the First Guard's fist slammed into his face.

OoOoO

Vegeta watched Bardock's boneless body slump unconscious to the ground. He was irritated. It didn't make any sense. He believed Bardock's story. He also believed that each of the three would claim he fathered the Woman's cub. That likely meant that one of them was the actual father and the other two were lying to protect the third.

The third…

Radditz had the scent of a particular male on him – but the scent didn't belong to Radditz himself. Bardock's scent was unmistakable. That meant the third must be…

Vegeta felt his blood heat with a searing rage.

Kakarrot.

Kakarrot was here to claim the cub and take Bulma as his own.

The Prince knew precisely where the Woman was; she was at the dock. It was troubling because the only reason she had to be there was because she was preparing a ship. The only reason she would have to prepare a ship confirmed Bardock's story – she was going to leave.

The thought stabbed him in the gut.

He wouldn't think about that right now. He had the second son of Bardock to capture and a score to settle. He barked at Nappa. "These two traitors are to be tried for treason. I want them alive to witness the death of Kakarrot."

He didn't wait for Nappa to respond. He simply turned towards the docks. He had someone to fetch. He had several executions to oversee – the entire Bardock bloodline, to include the wretched half breed - and she had a front row seat to the show.

OoOoO

It took every ounce of will power to keep his ki low. He wasn't as afraid of someone sensing him as he was afraid to sense where everyone else was. If he knew were Bulma was… he'd teleport to her. And Radditz's warning terrified him. He couldn't bear it if he teleported right into a trap where Bulma and Gohan were put into danger.

That left finding them using his other senses, but Goku wasn't having any luck. Bulma wasn't where he normally found her, and her scent and Gohan's were stale. She wasn't anywhere in the Palace. But hadn't Radditz said that Bulma was going to prepare a ship so that he could escape? He only hoped that Chichi and Gohan were with Bulma.

Frantic, he left Bulma's old rooms and turned towards the space port docks. He made it within ten steps of the bay when a volcanic eruption hit him in the back. The crushing force of his body leveled a dozen walls as he broke through them. Disoriented and bleeding, instinct alone made him roll sideways as another searing ki-blast destroyed the pile of rock and rubble where he had just been.

Coughing, Goku bound around a corner, dodging Vegeta's attacks. Why was the Prince trying to kill him? Unless…

His breath froze in his chest. The Prince knew! Goku knew it was a risk to speak – it would only let the Prince zero in on his position no matter how low he kept his ki and no matter how well he hid – but he had to try. "I know as a Guard, I need permission to breed. We didn't mean for it to happen, but we meant no harm! Our loyalty to the throne was never compromised! I swear it!"

Vegeta howled like an animal and renewed his wild ki attacks. Goku narrowly escaped, and probably wouldn't have had the Prince been calm enough to actually aim. After a minute of close calls, Vegeta simply… stopped.

Goku wasn't an idiot. He knew the Prince had simply changed tactics. When a loose stone fell from the crumbling ruin of a priceless statue to burst against the ground inches from Goku's foot, not one second later, a precisely aimed, deadly ki-blast destroyed a six foot radius around where the stone had fallen. Good thing Goku had decided teleportation was back on the table or he'd had been crisped. As it was, the only person he knew was safe to teleport to was the Prince himself.

Vegeta whorled to face the youngest son of Bardock as he appeared directly behind him and just managed to bring up his hands to block a blow that would have knocked him cold. What was this? The one who usurped his Woman didn't have respect enough for his Prince to battle for her at full strength?

Snarling, Vegeta swung back, putting the third-class back on the defensive. Yes. Hand to hand. This was better, anyway!

"Loyalty? How dare you claim loyalty! Especially when you take what is mine!"

Goku barely dodged an elbow to his temple and frowned. Radditz had said Vegeta believed the child to be his own, but at the time, Goku thought the Prince only meant Gohan was belonged to him just as every Saiyan belonged to him. It was a relief that Gohan had been accepted, but it was worrisome because he hadn't wanted Gohan to be trained as a warrior just like every other Saiyan child. At least, not yet. Chichi would kill him.

But now….

Goku really looked at Vegeta. The Prince was.. livid. Utterly mad with rage – like Goku had truly taken something away. Did that mean Vegeta truly thought he had fathered Gohan? Acid burned in his stomach and the air in his lungs froze.

That could only mean that Vegeta and Chichi…

With explosive fury, Goku abandoned all pretense of defense and went on the offensive. Never before had anyone ever been able to touch the Prince let alone –

Goku, third-class warrior and Royal Guard, blow for blow, breath for breath, completely matched the most elite warrior the entire Saiyan race had ever known.

"How could you! She is mine! My Mate! She mothered my cub!" Howling with pain and anger that he hadn't been there to protect his family, Goku nearly got himself impaled – pierced through the heart with a deadly ki-blast. A strange mix of regret and relief warred inside him when he realized he was still alive; that the blast hadn't decapitated him. Is this how Chichi felt? Roaring, Goku did what he had never done before – what no Saiyan had ever done before. He called forth the Kao-ken. "Did she even live after you forced her? Does she live now? Or did the shame of violation push her over the edge? Her people kill themselves when dishonored, you monster!"

Goku rushed Vegeta and grabbed him by the middle. Screaming at the speed of sound, the two tore through the outermost wall of the palace. Desperate to keep up with the sudden and shocking speed and strength of his rival, Vegeta pulled against his quickly exhausting power. Something Kakarrot said broke something in him – to think that he, Prince of all Saiyans had… had violated… something he'd never before been able to reach flooded through his body and suddenly, Kakarrot didn't seem so fast.

"Violate her? Hah! She was frantic to climb over me and have me rut her from below! She begged for my touch! I can still feel her nails digging into the flesh of my back and my ears still ring from the sound of my name shouted past her lips!"

"No! Never! She loves me!" Goku's rage erupted far beyond control. Completely lost to it, there was no turning back. The last thing he saw was an explosion of golden fire.

The Prince, enraged by the implication that Bulma loved another, was not far behind.

OoOoO

Nappa was nearly toppled off his feet. Whatever the hell was going on, it was tearing the Palace apart. The whole world was shaking and heaving. Ki flashed so brightly, his eyeballs were seared, even behind clenched eyelids. Explosions so big he felt them vibrate every molecule in his body detonated. Even his bones ached.

Hauling the still-unconscious Radditz over his shoulder, he followed a step behind Bardock, directing him where to go by trying to shout over the sounds of battle. He didn't have to shout very loudly – it seemed Bardock had no problem going where Nappa wanted him to go. He supposed even a third-class Royal Guard was still a warrior. Likely he was just as curious to see who was getting a beating as Nappa himself was.

It seemed the war was moving away, but by the sounds of it, at least one wing of the palace was completely destroyed. He sighed and followed – because he didn't have to direct - Bardock towards the fighting. They both knew that only one Saiyan could command that kind of power. Bardock knew the recipient of that temper tantrum had to be his second son. What was strange was that Bardock seemed more curious and not nearly… worried enough? for the life of his own son.

Interesting.

Regardless, the other Saiyan's parents were scheduled to land in… oh.. an hour? Maybe less?

If whatever set the Prince off wasn't dead by the time they arrived - and judging by Bardock's freakishly out-of-place calm, it was likely - Nappa would somehow have to convince Vegeta to postpone the execution until after his parents left. Not that Vegeta could be calmed when in this kind of a rage – actually, Nappa hadn't actually ever seen Vegeta in this kind of a rage before – but the Prince wasn't stupid. No one wants their nosey parents to butt in. Once involved, parents were blood-sucking leaches who'd bite wherever their sharp little teeth could reach and never let go. Vegeta rather liked having his mettling mother, well, not mettle.

And it's not like he'd kill his own mother just to be rid of her.

At least, Nappa didn't think so.

And then, weirdly, like out of one of those surreal fever dreams Nappa always got when he fell into a healing sleep – two women… two human women… came tearing through the broken courtyard and ran towards the fighting. Hand in hand they ran, the one with eyes and hair the colors of the sea led the other, whose colors were dark as pitch. The first held a.. an odd looking screwdriver? in her hand and the other was.. holding a baby?

Dumbfounded, Nappa stared at them with his jaw hanging open as they ran past, the second yelling hello of all things to Bardock as the first tugged them forward. Completely baffled, Nappa suddenly felt like he was the butt of a joke and didn't understand the punch line.

When the blue one started screeching at Vegeta – and the Prince stopped dead.. like… had his brain fall out of his skull in a slimy mass of pudding kind of stopped – Nappa went from confused to profoundly shocked. Kakarrot wasn't so quick on the draw. He got in a glorious, painful looking sucker punch before he, too, realized the fighting had stopped. It wasn't until Bardock started laughing like he was puking his lungs out that he remembered he was supposed to be boss, here. It was just… so difficult… to remember that when witnessing the profound looks of "oh, shit," as they hit both Vegeta and Kakarrot's faces at the same time. Why could he never elicit that look? Wasn't he the one who had raised and trained nearly every cub in the Royal Guard – to include the Prince himself? Hadn't he educated them to fear and respect their teacher?

So why was it these two tiny, insignificant slips of human female making not one but apparently TWO Super Saiyans look like they just swallowed a frog?!

Why did the Prince look like he was outrageously embarrassed? What the fuck was going on here?

"…tried to tell you a dozen times, but noooooo! Someone ordered a slice of cry-baby pie and was too busy eating to listen-!"

"-could you think my little Gohan was sired by anyone but –"

"-never ever… like.. ever! sleep with him! He's like my brother, you incomprehensible pile of –"

"- couldn't have slept with anyone else! I was gone for two days, shopping for groceries! You knew that! Why else would we have asked Bulma to babysit in the first place!"

At this, Bulma looked at Chichi, whose voice was actually somehow louder than her own, and nodded in fierce agreement. "What she said!"

Goku sputtered, looking back and forth between both women, who traded glares with himself and the Prince, who had been standing chastised beside him but was now suddenly very confused.

"Why would you sit on a baby? Have humans a second incubation period?"

Curious, Goku looked at Chichi with interest. He hadn't the first clue how Chichi had baked Gohan. All he knew was that one day, Chichi had said she had a bun in the oven, had grown really fat, and then suddenly, there was a baby.

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to do because he found himself good and slapped and somehow, it hurt more than when Vegeta punched him in the teeth. Letting himself get hit was what he was supposed to do when Chichi was mad at him, but apparently this time, it wasn't. She howled in pain and shook her hand so he snatched Gohan from her before he was dropped. Not that it would hurt the baby, but he had learned early on that Chichi didn't like it when he dropped Gohan. Even if it was supposed to be a flying lesson.

"Owowowowow!" his wife bounced around, holding her throbbing hand. That was strange. She usually never hurt herself when she hit him.

"Stop sniveling, you wretched woman! You had to know it would hurt to strike a legendary!" All heads swiveled towards Nappa, and five sets of very wide eyes were glued to him. "What? None of you noticed?" he barked.

Apparently not. Thunderstruck, the attention of both golden Saiyans immediately snapped to take themselves in. Eyes danced over bloody clothing, torn and swollen flesh, scrapes, bruises, and every other manner of Saiyan male communication, but they didn't see these things. Not noticing much of a difference by looking at themselves, they each eyeballed the power of dawn radiating from each other. Forr the first time, they truly understood.

Goku dropped out of his transformed state first and quietly stood before the glory of his Prince. Vegeta turned to face his subordinate, his left eye ticking and his fists clenching – but did nothing. Slowly…. His eyes never fully losing their firey intent, he relaxed and dropped to a normal state as well.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the roar of screaming engines from above interrupted him.

Vegeta's parents had arrived.

What remained of any murderous intent fled before panic and Vegeta's wild eyes turned upwards. "Fuck!" he hollered. His gaze dropped to the anxious motley crew standing around him, desperate for his direction. His mouth gaped open…. And nothing came out.

OoOoO

Suddenly, Bardock took off running. Frowning dumbly, it took a moment for Nappa to accept that his prisoner had dared to simply… escape… and leapt to follow him. What the hell?!

The low-class bastard had the balls to look over his shoulder and grin when he saw the towering elite had followed, like it had been his plan. Even worse, he actually turned around and ran backwards as if waiting for Nappa to catch up with him. This was embarrassing!

Bardock watched as Vegeta herded the two females and the cub towards the living areas of the palace. Good. At least one of them was on the same page - but Nappa still seemed stuck in the wrong chapter. Bardock shrugged. It would make it more interesting. He waited until the Prince glanced over and shouted, "Prepare as you must! We will distract the King and Queen!" When Vegeta nodded curtly, he couldn't help but taunt Nappa, hot on his heels. "Think you can keep up?" his grin grew at the look of utter outrage on the elite's face before he turned around and picked up the pace.

"Lose the baggage!" he added and pulled ahead.

Nappa raised an eyebrow. Lose the -? Did that third-class barnacle mean Radditz? Nappa scowled as he began to understand. This wasn't a chase, was it?

What had Bardock said? Distract the…

Well, shit.

Sighing, he decided to play along for the time being to help out his Prince. He could always crush the insect, later. His eyes darted to peer inside each room as they ran by, each obviously unsuitable because they were barely standing. The hallways closest to the docks, at least, appeared intact if one didn't look at them too closely. Well that was something.

First thing was first.

It would be weird if he greeted his King and Queen with a half dead Saiyan draped over his shoulder so he launched himself into the first room he could find with a door. It was missing a ceiling and two walls, and most of the furniture was crushed into dust and debris, but there was a serviceable chair so it would do. Dumping the unconscious Saiyan with complete lack of gentleness, he flew half way out of the room and abruptly looked back.

Well, fuck.

This was the formal dining room. Where the hell were they supposed to serve dinner?

Shrugging because there was fuck-all he could do about it, he quickly caught up with Bardock, who was slamming doors closed to hide the chaos inside. There wasn't really time to do much else like talk or plan as the two darted from place to place closing doors, pulling drapes over huge holes, and turning statues so that the undamaged sides faced outwards. Nappa had just thrown a burnt and broken painting onto a balcony and shut the curtains to hide it – and the missing half of the terrace – when he turned to catch up with Bardock –

-and crashed right into his back. About to rip the fools' head off, Nappa stopped cold when he heard a too familiar voice.

"And where is our Son? Should he not be here to greet us?"

Nappa gaped like a fish and so, completely out of protocol, Bardock answered. "He has instructed us to receive you, your Majesties, and direct you to the dining roo-"

Nappa elbowed Bardock hard in the ribs, causing the shorter Saiyan to grunt. Bardock scowled at Nappa before he got the hint and smiled a bit too wide to hide his sour expression. Apparently, the dining room was where Radditz had been lain out.

"Er, ah. Yes. Not the dining room. Or the – ah. No. To the.. um, nope, not there, either. How about the uhh.."

Nappa rolled his eyes, "To the –" and then widened them nervously. "Uh…." Looking at Bardock, he mentally pleaded to the Gods. "The… library?" he squeaked.

Bardock looked way too relieved. "Yes! Yes, the library!" He smiled at the Royal couple. "If you please, follow me. Nappa will ensure everything is ready for you." At this comment, he glared at Nappa pointedly. "Like refreshments maybe?"

Nappa nodded vigorously. That meant going to the kitchen, where he could check on any progress made towards preparing food the Royal couple expected in a few short hours. "Yes. I'll just.. uh, get refreshments. He half way turned away before realizing he was about to turn his back on his King and Queen, barely managed to correct himself – and nearly fell over his own feet in the process. Regaining his balance, he backed away, fist over heart, five steps before turning and walking stiffly away. He wasn't quite around the corner and out of sight before he flat out sprinted.

"That was… different," Mirin quipped, to which a somewhat suspicious King Vegeta nodded in agreement.

"Your magesties! Please, if you'll follow me," tittered an oddly nervous-looking Bardock. Strange. Very strange. In the King's lifetime, he once recall anything ever making Bardock nervous. Frowning, he followed the Guard.

"How… creative… of my Son to arrange the décor in such a manner," observed the Queen, causing a double take from King Vegeta. Why the hell were the asses of every statue pointing directly at them? Was this some kind of joke? Was this the Prince's not-so-subtle way of telling his parents what he thought of their visit?

"Quite!" he said, uncertain if he should be amused or irritated.

Bardock coughed when he realized what was greeting his Monarchs. He sounded like he was trying not to choke. This time, King Vegeta decided to be amused. Well. That explained why the old bastard was nervous. How many surprises did the wayward Prince plan that his Guards hadn't been able to correct? Did the guards even know half of what the Prince had planned? And how entertaining would it be to see them scramble to explain what they weren't aware of until it was revealed!

It made him wonder. What was in the dining room that they didn't want him to see? His grumpy son couldn't be underestimated, and this evening promised to be quite eventful. His eyes flicked to the closed dining room door as Bardock and Nappa walked passed. He hung back, allowing them to lead the Queen. With reflexes faster than any Saiyan both living and dead - save that of his own son – he darted to the door and opened it.

Inside was complete chaos.

He only allowed himself a moment before he closed the door and caught up to his place near his Mate. She didn't seem to notice he had been missing. That at least, was proper.

What wasn't proper was a snoring Saiyan sitting on a broken chair inside a decimated dining room.

What in God's balls?

He glanced downwards to take in the profile of his Mate. He hadn't a clue what was going on, but he was certain this wasn't a prank being pulled by a moody Prince. The King didn't know what to make of it, and until he could ferret out what in the seven hells was going on… no. Actually, it was probably best if she never found out at all. After all, it would just upset her, and he didn't much feel like being on the receiving end of his Mate's wrath.

Instead of being entertained all evening, he'd have to scramble to help the dim-whited Guards cover for his foolish son. Dear Gods. Did that mean they weren't going to be fed? His face fell.

OoOoO

Nappa flew down the corridor towards the kitchens. When he saw a virtual hurricane of activity, Kakarrot's woman at the helm, he nearly dropped to his knees in relief. At least dinner was on schedule. Mostly. The human was a force of nature and if nothing else could cook the courses to be served, the heat of her fury could do so. Afraid to approach her directly, he snuck to an out-of-the-way corner and tried to ferret out someone who didn't look like the wrath of the Legendary was hot on their heels. Finding no one, he decided to take a risk.

"Refreshments for the King and Queen! Now!"

To his utter soul-crushing humiliation, he was completely ignored. They feared the tiny female more than they feared him!

Moments later, not that it made him feel better, a tray was shoved into his hands. He was halfway out of the kitchen before realizing that, as an Elite Royal Guard, he shouldn't be made to serve. Turning back to roar in the general direction of all the peeons, he changed his mind when the black-eyed Mate of Kakarrot glared at him. Clamping his mouth shut, he decided it would be best if he, in fact, served the King and Queen himself. After all, he was the highest ranking, right? It wouldn't do to allow a random, unworthy servant to.. uh.. serve.

Moments later, he burst into the library, startling the King. The Queen seemed as serene as ever.

Nappa ignored the wary, suspicious look from Vegeta but didn't feel his guts tangle until Mirin smiled slyly at him. Oh Gods. He hoped she wouldn't try to talk to him. He was a warrior, not a politician. He could talk war for hours with the King, but the Queen would dance circles around him and he'd end up spilling the truth without even realizing it.

"So," she began, and Nappa nearly fainted with relief when the door swung open to admit Bardock. The younger Saiyan looked around the room, and under the crushing weight of attention he received from Nappa, King Vegeta, and Queen Mirin, appeared like he had swallowed a lemon and was about to give birth to a watermelon. Instead of doing an about face, though, he tentatively took a step towards the group. Then another. Nappa whined under his breath and nearly swallowed his tongue when he realized the Queen was close enough she probably could hear him. Females had sharper hearing than their male counterparts, after all. But…. seriously! Where was the brazen swagger? The infuriatingly unshakable confidence? Right when the asshole's cockiness was actually needed, this third-class twat decides to become a kitten!

Mirin narrowed her eyes and smiled like a hungry snake at her new meal. Nappa could only feel grateful that look wasn't directed at himself.

"As I was saying," she purred, "where is the spitfire Mate Vegeta has hidden away from us? I've heard so much about her recently."

All three men stiffened with dread as their hearts dropped to their feet. Looking from one to another, they each mentally implored the others to just say something, but no one spoke. How could they? Somehow, without actually conspiring or plotting together and having their plans fall apart around them, they still ended up being buried together to their necks in the same shit. What made it so shitty was that none of them knew how they got there. The King hadn't even known his son had taken a Mate! He'd die before he'd allow his own Mate to know this – he was King! He was supposed to know everything! He had no idea if Nappa or Bardock knew about Vegeta's Mate, but judging by their expressions, they either did know, but didn't want anyone else to know they knew, or they didn't know and didn't want anyone else to know they didn't know.

What the hell was going on?

Panicking, he broke the cardinal rule and spoke first. By the Gods, he hoped his desperation to know what the fuck didn't somehow condemn him.

"You will answer your Queen!" he roared, probably a bit too loudly. He hoped it didn't seem like he was trying to cover confusion with anger, but damn it all, he knew it was too late for that. But it wasn't fair! How the hell was he guilty, anyway? Why did simply being here make him guilty of anything?

Nappa and Bardock glanced at each other, but still, neither spoke. Each of them had only part of the story, and both of them knew what they thought they knew was based on assumption, misunderstanding, and total, chaotic confusion. The only reason they were there at all was because of a single common mission that had ruled them from the moment the Prince had been born – CVA - Cover Vegeta's Ass.

"Well?" the Queen said smoothly, almost as if she were bored and didn't care what they said. The little trumpet was actually filing her nails.

Bitch.

But her simple, quiet question had a profound effect. Both warriors completely trampled over each other, spewing words. It was as if they both felt if they spoke most and loudest, they'd be saved at the other's expense. King Vegeta made out a few words – but it made absolutely no sense. Yet, somehow, Mirin had not only heard the music in the cacophony, she seemed to have understood it.

"Is that so?" she mused thoughtfully. "And where is this woman and her cub, now?"

Just then, Radditz burst through the door, panting, with eyes wild and rolling. "I'm the father!" he blurted.

Every eyeball landed on him. When the Queen calmly gestured for him to enter and stand next to the other males so she could study them like a she was deciding which pair of shoes to wear, he wilted. Slowly, standing tall, uncertain if he should enter the rest of the way or walk out, he decided he was already out of the frying pan….

"This cub is quite loved. Apparently, it has four fathers," she stated simply.

The four males jumped in surprise and each peered at the other. Except the King, who looked like he was about to pass out. "Oh, not you, beloved," she laughed. "I know where you've been."

The King looked relieved for a fraction of a second before what she had said hit him full force. He suddenly realized just how pathetic his own spies and advisors were. With new wariness, he stared at his Mate and wondered silently just how long she'd been ruling while letting him believe he was in complete control.

Deciding to put that aside for a moment, he humbly stood at her side - well maybe he hid behind her a little bit - and pretended that he knew exactly what was going on and intended everything that was happening. This was just temporary, he told himself. He was King and he was in total command! But maybe he could allow his Mate to take over. You know. Once in a while. Or maybe they could share. Not that anyone would ever know that.

Or admit it out loud.

Or he'd have to kill them.

His thoughts were interrupted when a tiny human female with the most absurd coloring he'd ever seen entered the room.

Oh, great. There was more?

The girl had fire, though. She walked up to the Queen like she had the balls of all three of Vegeta-sei's suns in her fist, directing them where to shine. "Apparently, I'm your daughter-in-law. I heard you were lookin' for me?" she quipped.

She was half a head shorter than Mirin, but by the Gods, she didn't seem to notice. For her part, the Queen studied the blue lightning bolt with as much intent as she was studied in return. It was almost like they were weighing each other's worth. Every male in the room trembled. What would happen if they decided they didn't like each other? Forget Vegeta's wrath if his own mother decided to strike down his Mate. It seemed that the little human could call all-out war just fine on her own. Somehow, the King had no doubt that she'd be able to hold her own as well – even against Mirin.

The thought was terrifying….

…and oddly satisfying. He grinned.

And so did Mirin.

"Daughter," she said like she was deciding the fates of planets with her co-conspirator, "there are four males in this room and none of them have two brain cells to rub together."

Bulma smirked. "Good thing there are two women here to save their asses. That's the only part that's worth a damn, anyway."

"Surely you don't mean the only part…," returned the Queen.

They smiled at each other.

A moment later, Bulma sighed. "What do you want to know?"

The Queen's eyes sparkled, a mix of mirth and danger. "Everything."

"Well," replied Bulma. "I guess you'll need to see this, then." She turned towards the door and opened her mouth – presumably to call out to someone. Apparently, the individual who popped through it wasn't who she expected.

"Goku!" she yelled just as he shouted, "I'm the father!"

Mirin frowned. "We're past that! Stand over there, second son of Bardock," she pointed next to a dejected-looking Radditz, who was standing near a chastised-looking Bardock.

Mirin cocked an eyebrow at Bulma as if saying, 'where were we?' Bulma nodded.

"Chichi! You can come in, now."

The door opened slowly. Chichi glided in gracefully, a look of complete serenity on her face. In her arms, she held a babbling baby, chewing on something that looked like a weird tool of some sort. Squawking, the Prince's Mate darted forward and snatched the thing and cradled it to her chest like it were a precious object. The child scowled at her, but otherwise seemed perfectly content.

The child.

It was obvious. Down to the last hair on his head, the cub plainly screamed hybrid. Just as obvious were his parents. Of course, with his human mother and Saiyan father standing right next to each other, it was easy – but even without this benefit, Mirin could see nothing of the Vegeta line.

Clearly, her son was an idiot.

But, there was good to all of this. She smiled wickedly.

"Vegeta," she said conversationally.

And, like he hadn't been nervously standing out in the hallway waiting for the hammer to fall, the Prince sauntered in with cool indifference – as if it were his own idea to enter at that moment and not because he had been summoned.

Like a typical male seeking comfort after overdoing it in a fight, he gained comfort by standing next to the safety of his Mate. The bonehead didn't even realize he had done it, or why. She rolled her eyes. Men.

She said nothing and let the weight of silence crush him. She had to bite the inside of her cheek when he actually shifted uncomfortably. But, to his Mate's credit, she let the stupid Prince stew in it rather than reveal his weakness by going to him. No.. that would come later, when no one was there to see. This time, she let her smile show.

Just then, a block of marble tumbled from the ceiling and crashed to the floor, bursting into crumbling pieces. No one moved.

Vegeta shifted his weight again, this time he made it seem more casual and less anxious. "An earlier ground-shake. It was fairly large, and much of the palace is in ruin." He crossed his arms in front of his chest and tilted his head with nonchalance. "It is why we will be dining in my personal rooms rather than the hall."

Mirin raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Let her son have his excuses. She'd find out the truth later. She always did. Besides. It wouldn't do to contradict the next King in front of the Guards. As King, all he said was supposed to be infallible. Even if everyone knew it was a huge crock of shit. They all needed to play their roles and would gladly pretend. If nothing else, she was very very pleased at the messy cover-ups she had seen this evening. It meant that all here were prepared to do whatever it took to protect the Prince – even from his own mother. Still. They needed more practice.

She instantly decided there would be many more impromptu visits.

She inclined her head as if she accepted the explanation without betraying the fact that she had been thinking way beyond the Prince's words. He had to learn too, after all.

"I've met your Mate. And what of your cub?" she said. Lets see how he got out of this one. Unless he knew…?

"With only a single basis of comparison, there is no certainty how with the length of hybrid gestation," he said smoothly. A heart beat later, he testily added, "I am certain, though, that you'll come again when the child is born."

Mirin watched closely as her son spoke. So. He did know.

The Princess piped in. "Um, yes. And Gohan here can be ordained as First Guard when he..she.. when the kid, uh, child arrives. As First Guard, Gohan's duty is to stay here. He can be trained just as well here – better, even – than if he were moved off-world to join other children his own age."

Oh, yes. This little human was good. Fast on her feet – she covered for Vegeta and secured a place for her friend's child so he'd not be taken from his parents. Mirin wondered what the woman would do…

It was time to have some fun.

"Well. I'm famished. Your rooms, you say? Yes. The King and I will refresh ourselves and join you there," with that, she floated out of the room like gravity itself wouldn't dare touch her.

Everyone shuffled out after them and dispersed, wholly thrilled to fall back into familiar roles. Chichi shoved Gohan at Goku and made her way to the kitchens like a tornado on a mission. Goku appeared lost, but that was normal. He'd figure it out. Bardock, Radditz, and Nappa fell back to do their guard thing.

That just left Vegeta and Bulma.

Bulma whirled on Vegeta. "You know I didn't engineer Gohan, right? So why did you tell your mother there'd be a kid the next time she came? I have no idea how long it will take to manufacture a child! And what the hell? I thought Saiyans hated messing around with genetics –"

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "I am no fool. Did I not tell her I wasn't certain of the length of hybrid gestation?" he frowned. "How long is human gestation?"

Confused, Bulma sputtered. "Nine months. What does that have to do with anything?"

Nodding Vegeta considered her. "Saiyan pregnancies are of a similar length." He sighed. "It is of no matter. My mother will find an excuse to visit long before then."

"That's my point!" she hissed back, trying to be quiet but not quite succeeding. "I may have dabbled a bit with Saiyan DNA, but I never actually created a child!"

Vegeta blinked at her calmly. "You know enough about DNA to know what happens during mating, do you not. Or do you not recall last night?"

Bulma exploded. "You can't mean I'm pregnant! How could you possibly know that? It's been one day!"

He grinned wolfishly at her and caressed her jaw with his thumb. "Yes, but I bit you nearly a week ago. My venom threw you into estrus. Did you not know? Besides. I can smell it on you. Human hormones are quite…" he searched for a word. "Potent," he finished slyly.

He leaned over to nip at her lower lip but was walking towards the door before she realized what he had done. "Coming?" he tossed over his shoulder, and was gone.

Gaping like a fish, she stared at the door he had just exited. She should feel numb. Or shocked. Or… freaked out.

Instead, she felt…

Something in her hand caught her attention. Oh yeah. Her tool-turned teething-ring. Huh. She'd have to make another one. Apparently Saiyan babies liked the taste of battery.

Grinning, she ran to catch up to Vegeta.