A/N: First off, I mean no offence to anyone who reads this chapter who may be vegetarian. The dialogue is meant to show frustration on Bulma's part. I think I removed anything that may be misconstrued though.

Secondly, thank you for all the reviews. Your encouragement really keeps me going. And I love reading predictions and what you guys like from the chapters, it makes me sit here grinning like an idiot.

Thirdly, a sort of amusing story in reply to the review by Remembering Childhood who mentioned how the first-person narrative seems natural for me. Both my one-shots 'Deceased' and 'Regardless, I love' (both great stories that I'm quite proud of, you guys should go read, by the way) are written from the first person perspective of Bulma as well. Both were not meant to be, and I didn't realize until I was half-way through that they were, indeed, written from her perspective. I felt like smacking my head on the keyboard. xD

Pain Runs Deep

Chapter 2

A nice hot, steamy, skin-tingling shower was exactly what I needed. Unfortunately, the water that just shot out of the tap was anything but warm. In fact, it was downright freezing. I am not impressed, not at all. If this is any indication of how my day is going to go, I might as well go back to bed right now.

I walk out of my bathroom with a thick towel wrapped around my body, my hair dripping cold droplets, and a scowl on my face. I have no doubt that everyone in the building heard my shriek when I stepped under that cold water. I look longingly at my plush, warm, inviting bed. If I wasn't so intent on finding who used up all my hot water and strangling them, I'd slip underneath those covers and start the day over tomorrow morning. I hastily tie my hair back and throw on sweatpants and a tank top. I leave my bedroom, making sure to slam the door behind me. I quickly make my way to the kitchen, where I know I will find my mother. Her happy whistling greets me before I enter the room to find her sitting at the table having a cup of tea and reading a gossip magazine. "Mother, I am-"

"Bulma!" She exclaims, cutting me off, and jumping to her feet. She shuffles around the table and puts her hands on my shoulders, "isn't it such a lovely morning? And I have a great surprise for you!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Vegeta came back last night, but-" I say, but once again my mother cuts me off.

"Oh yes, of course, darling, but I knew you'd know about that already," she gives me a sly smile before continuing. "This surprise is one that I know you will be so excited about! I didn't know for sure whether it was going to happen or not, so I didn't want to tell you, but she showed up here this morning."

"She?" I repeated, narrowing my eyes. Just what was going on? Who was 'she', and more importantly, did 'she' use up all my hot water?

"Your cousin, honey," my mother replied. She let go of my shoulders and grabbed her tea cup to rinse it out. "She's getting married in a couple months, and well, you know how she doesn't get along with her mother. She asked me to help her plan the whole thing. Of course, I couldn't turn the dear down. I've always dreamed of helping to plan a wedding, and I'm not getting any younger."

My nose scrunched up in distaste, both for the knowledge that my mother was trying to guilt trip me, and that my cousin was somewhere in the same building I was. Mesu is the daughter of my mother's sister. She had a falling out with her mother some years back, and tends to use my mother in place of her own. She moved a few hours away years ago, and I've barely seen her since. It's not that I dislike her exactly, she just irritates me. I know she's the one that used up all my hot water.

---

I lay on my stomach on my bed flipping through a technology magazine. I finished having a shower with a passable temperature of water about a half hour ago, and just threw on my sweatpants and tank top again. I ignored the little voice in my head that was trying to convince me to make myself flawless in an attempt to show up Mesu. I know I have nothing to prove and that's all that matters.

I was reading through an article on molecular technology when I heard a quiet knock on my door. I yelled to come in and looked up and smiled as Mesu entered my room. She was a tiny woman with curves that fit her frame. Her eyes were big and blue, and her hair was a dark magenta with streaks of light pink throughout. It was straight and cut just below shoulder-length. She wore faded black jeans, and a tight purple t-shirt with her name emblazoned in black across the front.

"Hi Bulma," she said, stepping further into my room. "I didn't see you all morning or afternoon so I thought I would come up."

"It hasn't been a good day, Mesu," I replied, carefully laying the magazine down so as not to lose my page. "It all started with stepping into a cold shower."

She laughed nervously at the irritation in my voice. "Oh, sorry about that. I just got in, and I really needed to shower after that plane ride. I was sitting beside the most disgusting man, and was scared his smell rubbed off on me."

"How long are you staying?" I asked, ignoring her explanation.

"Oh, just a couple months. Your mother is such a doll for helping me with all of this. She offered up the backyard for the ceremony. It's just lovely out there with all the flowers and greenery, I just couldn't decline." She giggled. "I just wish Hax could be here to see it. He has to work over the next couple of months though, so all the plans are left up to me."

"Where does he work?" I ask, feigning interest.

"He owns a four star restaurant and is also their head chef. I accidently bumped into him at his restaurant one night and it was love at first sight." She sighed lovingly, before coming back down to reality. "So, are you still working with your father?"

I nod, and stretch my body out before sitting up on my bed. "I'm basically running the company now. All he has to do is pass over the title and it will be official. What do you do?"

"I just finished getting my law degree last year," she states proudly. "Hax let me take some time off between school and starting to work. He can't wait until we're married and have a couple children. He wants the perfect little family and the perfect little life."

I raise an eyebrow in curiosity. It's interesting how she managed to turn a question about her employment into an answer including her 'darling' Hax. It's so interesting that it makes me want to vomit. On her. Then shove her into a cold shower to clean off. I grin wickedly at her, which she ignores.

"Are you still with that martial artist?" she asks in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"No, we broke up a while ago." I reply, making sure my voice with filled with disinterest.

"I'm sorry, I guess I should have assumed. I mean, you were together for years and years, and it was obviously going nowhere," she laughed slightly, "I don't know how you managed to last that long."

"You know, Mesu, not everyone is looking to get married, have kids and settle down," I say, keeping a sharp tone to my voice.

"You're a little testy about this, aren't you?" Mesu replies, cocking an eyebrow in amusement, "do you not have another possible boyfriend?"

"Maybe I'm testy because I don't like having my love life dissected by a lovesick little brat," I state.

"Hey, no need to get defensive," she states, "there's no shame in being single."

I narrow my eyes and get to my feet, silently enjoying that I stand an inch taller than Mesu as I walk up to her. "I am not single, Mesu, I just don't feel like discussing him with you." With a final look of disdain, I shove past her and leave my bedroom. Cocky, egotistical, love sick, hot water stealing little brat. How dare she lord the fact that she's getting married over my head? I'm happy with my life as it is.

I walk through the house to the kitchen and grab a vodka mixed drink from the fridge. I screw the cap off the bottle and take a drink. I sigh and walk outside to the porch, grabbing a light jacket on the way. I step out and immediately take notice of Vegeta's presence. He leans on the railing staring off into the sky. I walk over and lean on the railing beside him. "I'm hiding, what are you doing out here?"

He shrugs, "can't do much of anything until my ship is repaired. What's the difference whether I'm in a building or outside of it?" He pauses for a moment. "Who are you hiding from?"

"Mesu," I reply with a bitter chuckle, "or have you had the pleasure of meeting my cousin, yet?"

He smirked, "your mother was pestering me with questions when she arrived. I managed to slip out unseen."

"Lucky you. She hunted me down," I say before taking another drink from the bottle. "I will be more than happy to spend my time repairing your ship. Maybe she won't think to look for me there."

"Why is she here?" He asks, his tone sounding bored.

"She's getting married and my mother is helping her plan it," I say, rolling my eyes.

"The human concept of marriage is inane. Having a party and a large celebration is hardly needed to pledge yourself to a single mate," he states.

"Do Saiyan's have something similar?" I ask, looking at his profile as he stares out.

"I suppose. There's no ceremony or party, it's more an agreement of faithfulness between two Saiyan's made in private. We don't place the same values as humans do on public displays of unions," he explains.

"I see," I reply. I turn around and hop up to sit on the railing. "So, are we exclusive? I mean, I'm not having sex with anyone else." He narrows his eyes slightly, finally turning his head to look at me, which makes me look away from him. "I mean, again…" I say quietly. I silently wish I could take back the night I went to Yamcha for comfort.

"You always have to push for more, don't you?" He asks after a moment's pause. "I have more honor than to have sex with another while I'm with you."

I look back at him and nod, "alright then."

"You're placated for the moment?" He asks.

"I suppose. I can always bug you for more commitment later," I say and laugh as he narrows his eyes at me.

"You're pushing it, woman," he growls.

"You love it," I reply, and jump down off the railing.

Vegeta turns to watch me silently as I grab my bottle and finish off the contents.

I drop the bottle and stand in front of him, leaning forward slightly. "You know, since we both have nothing to do, I can think of something that could entertain us until dinner."

"Can you?" he replies with a smirk.

"Uh huh," I nod, "and if you can be so kind as to follow me to my bedroom, I will be more than happy to let you in on what I'm thinking of."

---

Tired but content, I walk down the central downstairs hallway towards the dining room. Dinner is always served promptly at six o'clock, and it nears that time now. "Sure you want to eat with us tonight? I don't even want to eat with my family tonight," I say to the man walking beside me.

Vegeta just shrugs in reply. "I'm only here for the food, I can tune all of you out."

"How endearing," I say with a roll of my eyes. I open the door and walk through to the dining room. My mother is puttering about talking to herself, but otherwise, no one is there. I shrug and take a seat at the table. Vegeta sits down beside me and I throw him a smile, enjoying the normalcy of the moment. I take the lack of people as an opportunity to serve myself before anyone else comes in and I have to vie for the various bowls and plates of food. It isn't long before my mother sits down and gives both Vegeta and I disapproving looks for starting to eat.

"Where's your surrogate daughter?" I ask her between bites.

"She should be here in a moment, dear, she's just speaking with your father," my mother states.

I nod and bite off another mouthful of chicken just as Mesu and my father walk in. She looks a tad taken aback at the presence of Vegeta, but quickly covers it with a smile and sits down. "Sorry we're late, it's all my fault," she says to my mother and me before turning her gaze on Vegeta, who doesn't even bother to glance at her.

I shrug, "didn't put off my dinner any."

I see my mother send me a disappointed look from the corner of my eye, and I roll my eyes in response.

"I'm glad, I would have hated to hold off your ripping into that poor dead animal," Mesu replies with a frown. "I couldn't imagine doing something so barbaric. I'm a vegetarian," she says like it's an accomplishment.

"I don't remember you being a vegetarian ten years ago when you'd full your face with greasy fast food burgers," I say absently.

"Oh, Bulma, hush," my mother scolds, "I think that's absolutely commendable. In fact, I think we could do with some willpower around here. As long as you're visiting, I'll make sure nothing I cook was once living."

"Looks like it's back to hunting and eating dripping raw meat again," Vegeta pipes up, more to gross out Mesu than anything else, I suspect.

I smirk at him as his words have the desired impact on her.

"It won't be that bad, Vegeta, you'll see," my mother says, completely oblivious to Mesu's disgust. "It'll be a nice change of pace from meat."

"I think I'll be cooking my own food for the next couple of months," I say, irritated with my mother's need to please guests. "And it will contain many different parts of animals."

"That is so sad, Bulma, that you value meat over eating supper with your family," Mesu interjects. "Would you honestly rather eat alone?"

"Vegeta will eat with me," I throw back at her.

"I'm not eating your cooking," he says, not missing a beat.

"Traitor," I reply. I glare across the table at Mesu, hoping the next two months pass quick.

---

I sit at the kitchen table after supper wondering why I agreed to have tea with my mother and Mesu. My mother is chattering on about wedding ideas and I'm trying not to fall asleep. This whole subject bores me. It isn't until I hear Vegeta's name that I start to pay attention.

"So, who is that man, Vegeta, that ate dinner with us?" Mesu asks, curiosity lacing her words.

"He lives here," I reply, sending a bored look her way, and slumping back in my chair.

"Oh, Bulma, honey, it's a little more than that," my mother giggles.

I shrug, "I suppose." I refuse to give Mesu the satisfaction of discussing this.

"What happened to his face?" She asks about the cut going down the side of his face.

"I beat him up," I reply, and stand from my chair, "excuse me." Without a moment's pause, I leave the room. I know Mom will full in the blanks for Mesu about who Vegeta is, and I really don't want to be around to hear it. I walk into the living room to find Vegeta sitting on the sofa with his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. I plop down beside him and lay my legs across his. "What are you watching?" I ask, motioning to the television where commercials are playing.

"Trash, like most of Earth's programming," he replies.

I smile and kiss his cheek, "you're so cute in your cynical ways."

"Don't patronize me, woman," he says.

I glance at the television as "Interview with a Vampire" starts to play. A classic movie in my opinion, and it also reminds me of a question I was meaning to ask. "Do you really eat raw meat?"

Vegeta nods in reply. "I'm a carnivore."

"Seriously?" I ask, completely intrigued by this. "I so didn't know that. I've seen you eat things other than meat though."

"On occasion," he agrees, "but I don't need to, nor do I have a taste for it."

"That's… kind of creepy actually," I say with a laugh. I stare at his profile for a second before turning my attention to the movie playing and resting my head on his shoulder.

It isn't long before Mesu makes an appearance and sits down in a chair. I see her look at us out of the corner of my eye. I'm hoping that she'll go away if I ignore her for long enough, although I doubt that I'm that lucky. As soon as a commercial break starts, she opens her mouth, and I jump to my feet. "Popcorn, I need popcorn. I'll go make some."

Vegeta grabs my arm and pulls me back down beside him, "you are not going anywhere."

"Spoilsport," I reply with a pout.

Mesu laughs in a very fake way, "oh, Bulma, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to get away from me."

"Why, Mesu, whatever would give you that idea?" I reply, batting my eyelashes for emphasis.

"Oh shush, you're going to give people horrible opinions of me," Mesu says happily as she glances at Vegeta.

"If you're referring to me," Vegeta breaks in, "I've already formed my own horrible opinions of you."

"Well, you're just pleasant, aren't you?" Mesu replies with a forced smile on her face.

"If you don't like it, feel free to avoid me the rest of the time you're here," Vegeta offers as he turns his attention back to the screen as the commercial break ends.

I giggle at Mesu's bewildered look and shrug as she looks back to me. She slumps back in the chair with a defeated look and turns away from me to watch the screen.

I stifle the laugh of triumph I want to let out and cuddle into Vegeta's side. "I am so glad you're back. Things just aren't as entertaining around here without you," I say quietly before immersing myself in the events of the vampires on the screen.

A/N: I have this entire story plotted, I just have to find the time to write it out. Mesu, I suppose, is the replacement for Lait in terms of an instigator. She's beneficial for the advancement of the story, not just some random person I decided to throw in for the fun of it. I may do some sketches of the different OC's from this trilogy at some point, I have to think on it. Anyway, hope you enjoyed.

CED