The GR was as endless as time itself. Its vast and endless space seemed even more intimidating than the silence. Trunks couldn't stand the silence any longer.
"So," he voice echoed in the emptiness. "How did you and Bulma meet?" Vegeta barely lifted his eyes, still focused on ceiling as he executed suspended crunches. He snorted with distain.
"Why does the woman concern you? You looking for a mate? She's more than twice your age brat."
Trunks blanched in disgust. Mating with his MOTHER?! "That would be…weird not to mention gross. Bulma and I are close in the future. I love her but never in the way you're insinuating."
Vegeta glared ignoring the prickle of jealousy that made him stare at the purple haired youth. The only kinds love he could think of was love of a mate and love of your planet and race. If not the love of either then what was left? He tried not to think about it.
"We met on the planet Namek. She had a dragon ball and I was going to kill her." Trunk's eyes widened. "Obliviously, I did not. Gohan was there as well as the bald one. We didn't really speak when we met on Namek. When I was reborn, however, the woman and her father needed a guinea pig for their GR."
Was that it? Trunks felt his hope deflate.
"What is the woman like in your time?" Trunks glanced up in surprise. He smiled warmly as he spoke, as stretched for sparring.
"Well, we see each other a lot. I work with her at Capsule Corp. She's been the CEO since her father passed away," he said in way of explanation. "It was her that designed the time machine for me and the medicine for Goku. I can honestly say that I owe my life to her," Trunks said this with a glib smile. It faded though as he continued. "I feel bad leaving her alone like this." A dark cloud passed through Trunk's eyes. "The android attacks are becoming more and more frequent. I just wish that I could be there to protect her." He hissed out frustration between clenched teeth.
"But I'm just not strong enough to face them yet. If I fought them today, they would kill me and do worse to her. Her knowledge is valuable to Dr. Gero. We're lucky enough to have the shelter but I'm running out of time."
Vegeta's brows were furrowed in haughty confusion. With a righteous snort he flicked a bit of dirt off of the blue Saiyan armor that Trunks now wore. "How many years have you seen boy? 15? 16 at the most? You are a child! Why aren't I there protecting her?"
Trunks swallowed heavily. "Y-your not there to protect her Prince Vegeta because you are not alive. You were one of the first casualties of the android's attacks." Vegeta's black eyes narrowed as he took in the weight of the youth's statement.
Kakkorott dead as well as himself with these attacks without an heir to the thrown. Nothing left, not even Kakkorott's half-breed son to carry on the legacy.
"And I guess you come to take my place." Vegeta had turned to face the wall, his back stiff.
"N-no, no. Never your place sir." The earnest nerves in the boy's voice had Vegeta glancing over his shoulder. There was a shyness about the was he stumbled over words with Vegeta.
"Bulma cared, cares, for you deeply. She talks about you all the time as if you were still alive. I could never possibly fill those shoes." Trunks lifted his eyes from his boots to see an odd expression flicker through the arrogant Saiyan's eyes. They had softened, if only for a moment.
Each day training was a battle. Vegeta often seemed far away in the GR, distant as the moons of Pluto and twice as cold. Training with his estranged father was nothing like training with Gohan.
Desperately, he missed his old master. He missed the quiet rustle of tall grass and violent storms of where they trained, not a mile away from Gohan's house. How Trunks longed for the advice he could give. He had never felt so alone since his master's death. If Shenlong could bring anyone back, he would ask for Gohan not for the stuffy prince who never fathered him in the true sense of the word.
He could never talk to Vegeta like he did with Gohan. Vegeta was not the kind of man to give advice. He was not warm, or kind like his mother, and never understanding and patient like Gohan. He was cruel, unrelenting, stubborn, and self-righteous.
Trunks tried to see what he mother saw in the prince. Where was the bravery she spoke of and the selflessness? This was the man she cried for every night, the reason she'd never remarry, and the person she thought was to good for her? She talked about him being a diamond in the rough but all Trunks could see was a rock, cold and hard and unwilling to love anything but himself.
Up to that day training had gone well or at least as well as it could in complete silence. It was suffocating to be in that room with him.
It didn't help that Bulma seemed a sore point of conversation between them. Vegeta showed nothing if not a slight interest in his young mother.
Bulma's delicate fingers encircled Vegeta's tail. The prince bit back a moan. "Woman, please." Bulma smiled wickedly pressing a kiss to the nape of his neck.
Vegeta awoke heavily aroused and dripping in sweat. The ache he felt for her was constant, like a wound that refused to heal. Every mention of her by the brat was like salt on a bloody scab. He glanced at Mirai Trunks who sat meditating in the center of the room.
Who was this youth to his woman? According to him, Vegeta had been dead years and yet she still spoke of him like he wasn't. The thought gave him comfort. When he was out of this contraption on the top of Kami's tower he would ask the wench herself if she were attracted to the whelp.
Vegeta could never remember how the argument had started no matter how many times he combed his mind for it. He'd been spiteful and more than a little sexually frustrated when the subject of Bulma came up. The way this kid, this bratty snot-nosed child spoke of his mate, so warmly and often, lit a jealous fire within him.
"So has the woman spread her legs for you." Trunks dropped the weight he had been wrapping around his ankle. The words came out quiet and mentioned. "Don't talk about her like that Vegeta. I'm warning you." The prince chuckled darkly. "I'm guessing not since. My mate hasn't been a complete whore in my absence."
Trunks couldn't maintain his fury. His hand moved, processed to his father's throat as his hair flashed blonde. "Don't you dare speak about her like that!" Vegeta laughed once more forcefully prying each finger with little to no effort. "She's my wench. I say what ever I please."
The punch Trunks threw came before the Prince could sense it and it sent him sprawling on the white tile. Vegeta got to his feet stiffly with every intention of teaching the brat a lesson. Something was off though. Tears were streaming down Trunk's cheeks as his voice rose with rage:
"You don't deserve her! I don't even know what she ever saw in you. You used her for sex and her inventions! You don't love her! You don't even like her! All you care about is beating Goku and becoming a stupid super Saiyan. Every time I meet one of her friends I wonder more why you. She could have been with any of them, they all loved her and she chooses you! You don't even call her by her name! It's woman or wench!"
Vegeta's eyes narrowed dangerously. Trunks picked up his ankle weight and vicious threw it down, cracking the tile. "When you died she cried for days weeks even. She wouldn't eat and only when she found she was pregnant"-Trunks stopped in horror and self disgust. Vegeta had become very still. "Pregnant?" Trunks stared at the wall bitterly.
"She was pregnant with your child. She raised it alone telling it how great his father once was and how he shared Gohan's Saiyan blood."
Vegeta felt time itself stop. The woman had betrayed him and moved on with Gohan. Before he could speak though, Trunks verified for him: "She'd left that loser Yamcha a year ago so she knew who fathered me. And when I came out like this," Trunks powered up to super-Saiyan. "She was certain. I'm was never her lover Vegeta, I'm her son, your son." The youth with the purple hair and Saiyan blood. Not from Gohan or his line. His son.
Trunks glared at Vegeta. "I couldn't tell you because she had yet to get pregnant. Because of my coming here the time line has been altered. Events that were supposed to happen years later are happening now. I wouldn't doubt if she's probably already given birth if not close to." Vegeta's face paled.
She didn't hear him come in but then she never did. One moment she was screaming, her eyes cleched shut in excruciating pain and the next she felt a smooth gloved hand brush her sweaty forehead. She opened her eyes alarm.
"Vegeta! What are you doing here? You still have a week." She was panting sitting on the floor her father's hand in hers. Vegeta scowled. Trunks watched in awe as the warrior tenderly scooped his mother into his arms and flew upstairs. "I-I'm so sorry Vegeta," she was sobbing now. "I couldn't get into the GR in Kami's tower and I didn't know."- Vegeta hushed her with a kiss as he eased her back with pillows. "Trunks!" Trunks came forward still staring at his father's eyes as they watched his birthing mother. "You will boil some water, get some clean rags. Keep the others out!"
Bulma stared gratefully at Vegeta. "Woman, you must listen to me," his voice was grave. "When I tell you: stand, crouch and push." Bulma nodded her eyes welling with tears. Vegeta quickly switched hands and kissed her forehead.
"Vegeta," She panted as he held her quaking body close to his. "Why did you return?" Vegeta scowled good-naturedly. "A Saiyan birth is especially difficult; a weak Nin-jin would die within minutes of beginning labor." Vegeta watched the terrified expression cross Bulma's already tear stained face. "But you," he gently continued, "are not weak. I do not mate with weaklings." A watery laugh burst from within her. He kissed her again but this time, their lips met and Vegeta felt a warm ache fill every part of his being.
It went on for hours, the prince helping her up each time, blood dripping down sweat slicked legs to stain the carpeted floor. On her final push, her face was damp with both tears and sweat, blue strands of hair plastered with both. Vegeta felt he'd never seen something more beautiful. Baby Trunks came into the world screaming. Holding his son for the first time, he stared down, pride and love washed over him. With a clean Ki slice, the umbilical cord was cut. Trunks toweled down himself and watched as Vegeta eased his mother back into her bed. Bulma's eyes were already half shut with exhaustion. Vegeta took a cool towel to wipe away the sweat and then turned to Trunks. "She wants her son." Trunks smiled as he handed himself over to Bulma for breast-feeding. Soon they both were asleep, Vegeta standing watch by their side.
Trunks wiped his own sweat from his brow. "I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean what I said earlier." Vegeta watched him with a cool but understanding expression as he interrupted him. "You're a bad liar brat. You meant every word. It doesn't matter though. You were protecting your mother like any prince would."
Trunks turned to leave, "I do not like your mother nor do I love her. Like and love are Nin-jin expressions, far too weak to ever express the feelings I hold for my mate," Vegeta stared calmly as he continued, "or my son." He glanced up at the brat, amused now to see the same bone structure as his, the same arrogance but the woman's coloring and hair. He was in every sense a warrior but with his mother's brains and compassion. Vegeta waved Trunks off to join Bulma in bed.
Every muscle ached. But the moment she heard him crying she knew he had to be wet or hungry. Sitting up with her eyes still closed she heard a low voice hushing her son. She opened them to a still dark room watching in amazement a Vegeta hovered with baby trunks in his arms, floating in slow circles to calm him. His muscular arms, used so often in battle, cradled their son with unseen tenderness. A little hat had been secured over the purple tufts of hair and Trunks was now burbling gleefully, his blue eyes wide with curiosity.
Vegeta looked up with a start when Trunks outstretched his pudgy fingers to Mommy. "You should be resting," the apology came out short and harsher than he intended. Bulma smiled taking Trunks into her lap for feeding. "Vegeta," her voice was soft as she smiled at him. "I love you." Vegeta floated over slowly lowering himself to sit at her bedside,"You knew didn't you?"
Her smile was embarrassed and apologetic as her eyes avoided his. "Yes I knew who Mirai Trunks was. He didn't tell me until I was already pregnant and then he made me promise not to tell you. Please don't be mad at him." Bulma rose to place sleeping Trunks back in his crib. "He was just trying to protect me. He admires you so much Vegeta. He never knew his dad so seeing you meant a lot to him." Vegeta took Trunks out of Bulma's arms and with a weak Ki blast, forced her back into their bed.
Once their son was settled he turned a mild frown formed. "Who exactly was the brat protecting you from?" Bulma bristled in spite of herself. "Our son is not a brat." Vegeta raised his voice. "Who was he protecting you from? Me?" Bulma shoved the comforter away, "Yes you Mr. Prince of Monkeys! What would have happened if he had told you the truth! You didn't really want to be with me! The entire thing was an accident! If Mirai had told you he wouldn't exist!"
Bulma wanted to scream or cry but instead she just sat there, feeling empty waiting for what she knew would come: a crude arrogant remark, and then he would leave, train somewhere obscure and come back when he broke his equipment shoving it under her nose--Already fighting tears she spoke under her breath. "We both know that every thing I feel for you can never make you love me. The pregnancy was a mistake. I'm sorry. But I wanted Trunks"-"The brat is not a mistake." Vegeta's words were soft.
Carefully he closed the distance between them. He carefully unbuttoned a shirt Bulma had given him, and lied down beside her. His arms cradled her much like he'd done with Trunks except now he pulled her close to him.
Vegeta pressed his face into her hair. His hands roved below and Bulma winced and stiffened. "You still hurt?" She was afraid her 'yes' would drive him away. "A little. If you want to anyway."—
- Vegeta felt pain stab into him from the fear he saw in her eyes and the uncertainty in her tone. What if what Mirai said was right? What if the woman, the only woman who he felt anything and everything for, was afraid of him. Not only afraid but also uncertain of her beauty and how much it affected him?
Although his loins ached from the yearlong absence, Vegeta rolled the woman over to face him. "Not tonight." Her "Oh" was very soft and although she was very quiet about it he could feel her hot tears staining his skin.
"Woman,"-"Please stay." Vegeta brows creased in concern. "I don't mean to be needy or clingy but I just," her muffled request halted. Vegeta watched as she visibly pulled herself to smile. It took a few breaths to make her words less shaky. The smile did not reach the sadness in her eyes. His expression made her look away. He wasn't frowing.
"I'm sorry. You can go. If you want I'll even sleep downstairs." Her need for him was wrenching and that she felt she needed to let him go was heart breaking. Without a word he held her closer, kissing her forehead lightly.
Anger burned within him self aimed. How had he been blind to this? Sure he'd always admired the woman for her bold style. Even her sexuality seemed to be unapologetic. How then was she so tender, her feelings so easily bruised? How had he bruised them? If not for Mirai Trunk's tirade earlier, he might have taken her bluff and slept alone wondering the next day why her mood was foul. How many times had he left her like that to cry alone?
Trunks entered quietly. He quickly turned his back when he saw he parents in bed. Vegeta smirked as his son's neck turned pink from behind and wondered how he ever thought that Mirai and his woman were lovers. It seemed so obvious to him now, the way Trunks had always stared at Bulma with a secretive smile. The way he'd blushed when she'd teased Vegeta in front of him. The way he'd blown up when Vegeta had jealously made crude remarks.
"I-if you guys want sometime alone I can leave." Trunks was already walking to the door. "Yes, I'll talk to you in a minute brat."
Vegeta sighed. "You know woman," his voice sounded odd as he tried to put it into words. "I hate Nin-Jin. Weak fleshy creatures without any muscle to help them. Kakkorott is a worthy savior on this mud-ball of a planet." Bulma rolled her eyes forgetting her pain in a moment of amused irritation. He coughed then as if to clear his throat. "As a prince, I was always expected to take a mate that would someday become queen of our race. She had to be strong enough to survive a birth of an heir." Bulma felt her heart sink.
"Since I'm on this remote dirt-ball planet, I'm still expected to continue our race but I'm also expected to not just take on a mate but a woman worthy of being my queen." Vegeta pushed himself to say the words biting his lip to make himself look her in the eyes. Her green blue eyes not unlike shimmering pools began to waver.
"What are you trying to tell me Vegeta? You want to find someone else?" She'd turned away before the first of many tears fell. Vegeta watched as her back stiffened and she turned to him tears still shining in her eyes.
"You know, Vegeta, I knew we were never really meant to be together. I mean, we always piss each other off and you're constantly making me cry or sleep alone or pull out my hair, but I'd hoped when Mirai Trunks had told me about the pregnancy that you would be there for me, for us," She corrected glancing at the crib. Vegeta watched her eyes glaze over as she straightened her spine. "I love you Vegeta. But," Damn! Bulma hold yourself together and don't cry for god's sake. "I could never be sure if you'd ever love me back. And this confirms it. I mean I,"
-"Shut up." Vegeta's eyes flared blue with rage as he stared at her incredibly. "Have I treated and abused you so badly that I've broken your spirit! Why are you giving in?! Why aren't you yelling at me, telling me I can't leave you that I have to love you? I want you for my Queen you stupid woman!"
Bulma felt her jaw go slack and her limbs limp with relief as Vegeta kissed her fiercely. Holding her tightly he growled in her ear, "Even if I hadn't been marooned on this planet, and we were on Vegesai, you would always be my mate and I would always protect you and the brat. I've never thought or felt less of you."
He waited expectantly, expecting a smile or a scowl but instead her eyes filled again and her shoulders shook with noiseless tears. Hi grip on her tightened as he flet dread course through him. What now?
Bulma turned to her Prince and told him something he'd never forget. "I always thought you were better than Goku. You don't need to compete with him anymore Vegeta, it's never been a competition."
Bulma slept soundly with Vegeta cradling her in his arms, the smile on her face more brilliant that he'd ever seen, more bright then the brightest star. And it made him ache inside.
The next morning Trunk's was anxious to find him. "How's mom? I heard her crying last night." Vegeta sat down beside his purple haired "whelp" at the kitchen table. "Does the woman cry a lot in your time?" Trunk's eyes darkened.
"Yeah. She misses you. She never thought she was good enough for you and when you, you know, she just wasn't the same." Vegeta eyes flared as Trunks continued. "I mean she always put on a smile for me but she only really smiled when she slept. She said it's cause she'd dreamt of you." Trunks sighed. "She was really excited about the time machine. More for me than for her. She was supposed to come with me but..." Trunks drifted off with a sigh. "She said she didn't want to see her that way," Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "Older I mean. She turned forty-one this year."
Vegeta smirked imagining Bulma yelling at him as he teased her for her impending wrinkles. "I think she wanted you to remember her as her younger self. I'd tried to talk her back into it, she misses everyone so much, you especially." Vegeta frowned. "But she wouldn't change her mind." Trunks searched his pockets to extract a capsule. "She wanted to give you this though. It's her newest invention," Trunks tired to smile but couldn't. "She said it should help you to become a super Saiyan faster then you did in my time." When Vegeta said nothing Trunks turned to leave, muttering, "You're welcome."
The vinegar in Trunk's voice confirmed it, Bulma or at least future Bulma, thought Vegeta only wanted her body or her latest invention. Suddenly he wanted to crush the capsule. He stopped in front of the doorway to block his son.
"When you go back to your time Trunks, I want you to tell your mother that I," Vegeta struggled on the Nin-jin word. Love didn't express the Saiyan equivalent. "Appreciated her. And that I in my year without her when I trained, I dreamed of her often."
When Trunks later repeated this Bulma first stared then began to cry smiling through her tears. "And he said that, Mr. Monkey King?" Trunks nodded. "Did you know that he?"—Bulma shook her head sniffling then hugged her son fiercely. "I'd never knew. But I'd always hoped."