Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z or The Scientist by Coldplay (I only use half a line… give me a break!)

A/N: I wanted to write something (I've been struggling with writers block for the past 2 months), decided to look at the Music Challenge on the Blue & Black Livejournal community, and clicked on The Scientist (the song by Coldplay), which I've tried to write to at least 3 times before, because it really is such a great song. Suddenly this scene came out of nowhere, which is great, but as you will see, there's no way it can be a oneshot (it really wouldn't be fair to leave this unexplained). The problem: I don't yet have an explanation! Or, at least, I only have a very vague idea as to the rest of this story. But now that I have worked past this freaking writer's block, hopefully I can continue to post regularly, and hopefully this will get me working on my other stuff, which I have not forgotten. I know some people may wonder why I'm starting something new, but I know my own brain, and when I'm writing nothing good for two months and something like this pops up, it's foolish not to make the most of it. I figure that at least I'm posting something…

Anyways, a big thank you in advance to anyone who bothers to review :)

Prologue

It's such a shame…

"I have no choice, Vegeta. I just… I just can't."

Bulma dared one last look at him. He stood beside her, staring silently out the ship's floor-to-ceiling window, watching the blue planet silently. He is a beautiful man, she thought to herself as she examined his straight nose and strong jaw, his black flame of hair and those dark, dark eyes that now looked so cold.

"I wish there was another way," she added on impulse, feeling a lump forming in her throat. "I really do. If things were different, if –"

"You knew what I was when I first met you. You are a fool if you think making this choice now absolves you from any sin," he cut in, turning to face her. She found it hard to endure his penetrating stare, his eyes suddenly burning with a very real anger.

"I wanted to change you," she found herself confessing. "I thought I could."

With a snort, the Prince turned back to stare out at the Earth below them. "You are a fool," he muttered. "Just go."

She hesitated, licking her dry lips. "Vegeta –"

"Go," he snarled violently, moving towards her so quickly that she jerked back as if she had been burned.

"I am," she hissed, and turned on her heel, heading for the door. She paused in the doorway, half-turning to look back over her shoulder. Her stomach was heaving, and her heart felt even worse. He may as well have pulled it out and crushed it himself, like he had done so to so many others.

"You could be different," she told him, summoning up the last of her courage. "The Saiyans could all be different." She waited for him to reply, but all he did was clench his fists, and she knew that she had failed.

I still love you, she wanted to say, but her mouth would not form the words. Instead, she stepped away, and headed towards the docking bay.

She told herself that she had no choice.