(Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, as always.)

Summary: Dragon balls have one purpose on Earth- to grant wishes. Some may use it for immortality, some for money and power, some eternal youth, but mostly they are used for life, but when they lack their creator, their power cannot bring people back from the dead because the dragon balls aren't even there anymore. Somehow, Vegeta breaks the rule of not staying six feet under, and you can tell it will change history. AU begins during {future?} Android Saga then branches out from there.

Chapter 1

. . . .

"How is this possible," the boy asked, eyes widely searching the woman's face, nearly making Vegeta scowl.

"Well, it's possible boy." His eyes narrowed, watching the two pairs of blue eyes land on his face. He could feel the tension in the air, swirling around, but he ignored it. Those eyes pried into him, silently questioning him. He felt his eye twitch at the looks. It was as if he was being squeezed and his lungs were collapsing. Now he could imagine Kakarot's pain when he crushed the daylights out of the other full breed.

All this attention usually did not bother him. He was a prince after all, and unfortunately, he was once a warrior for that deranged lizard (Frieza). He could roll his eyes, but not now. The stares that sucked his air from his lungs continued. That's what bothered him. Not the eyes on him, but the questions within them. Even himself didn't know the answers. He was alive, yes. He just didn't how - or why for that matter.

The lack of knowledge was what made his hands clench, tight, and he growled through his teeth. "Knock it off!" He waited for a familiar spark in the woman's eyes to show itself, but he didn't see anything. He may not even realize that he was trying to find that hidden anger that had attracted him to the female in the first place. Nonetheless, it refused to appear, and that's what scared him most.

Of course his memories were a bit hazy at the time of his death, but he knew that he was fighting those oversized toys. The Androids, with their strength and bloodlust, would surely take over Earth, and as he died, he knew that he was leaving both the woman and the boy to that. He understood that, but the realization that they might have been affected so much was difficult to comprehend. He refused to let guilt rise up, so he let in the hatred for those tin cans.

His eyes momentarily flashed, only for a few moments because the boy stood up, hovering by his mother. He noticed how the boy was wary, and he tried to remember why he returned to this building. It was for them, his... He couldn't quite say the word now. It's strange when he had that moment of clarification, he could almost admit that was what they were to him. They had touched him some place long forgotten, something long ago he thought he lost. However, now, seeing the two of them, he couldn't think the word.

Family.

The word finally came through, and it churned his stomach as his dark eyes came back into view for the others to see. He just couldn't match the word to them. They weren't his family. His family was that annoying baby and that woman that stood up for herself even to him, Prince Vegeta.

He didn't see anything like that before him, and he blamed the Androids. They ruined that; they ruined his one chance. His face morphed into disgust at those thoughts. He didn't need a family. He had himself. He didn't need them, he was trying to tell himself over and over again. Each time tightened his heart, which he would never admit aloud, not even to himself.

Suddenly he was snapped out of his thoughts when the woman spoke up. "Vegeta, you need a bath."

The familiar words forced him to pause and turn his head away. "Tsk-"

"Vegeta, you reek. Bath now." The woman stood before him, hands on her hips. Her eyes shown far below the surface, faint but still visible. "Let's go."

Vegeta rolled his eyes, but followed after her, only ten seconds later.

. . . .

Now he stood underneath the hot stream of water. He couldn't believe that the woman still had that fire. It was reduced, but there. There was Bulma in this older woman, and Vegeta would never tell anyone that he was glad. She still had some kick in her. She hadn't gone all soft. His lip quirked ever so slightly, and if anyone saw it and mentioned it, he would be the first to send them into a coma. His scowl reappeared when his mind drifted to that boy though. He already could tell that the kid was a handful, one way or another. He just knew he was going to be difficult, especially when Vegeta was absent from the kid's entire life and appearing out of nowhere.

The irritation flashed in him, and he couldn't pinpoint why he was so upset. Maybe he was expecting the two to be the same age as before he died. He shook his head, letting the water flick off his hair. His teeth clenched as he raised his head up, allowing the water to travel down the back side of his head. There's another question that the Prince didn't know.

Just add it to the list then, his thoughts growled in his head. His thoughts picked up afterward, pulling his concerns from earlier upfront, taken from the depths of his mind. The quickest one to surface was how was he alive? He was dead, yet he wasn't anymore. The dragon balls were out of commission, so they couldn't have been an option. Then what brought him back? There must have been something that decided he deserved another chance at life. It confused the hell out of him.

He was alive, and something chose him to bring from the dead. Why him though? Out of all of the people that didn't survive, why him? He wasn't the greatest person, he knew that. He has done so many wrong in his life, so he wasn't a good option to bring back. He was actually surprised that he was brought back and not Kakarot. Kakarot was Earth's fighter, not him. Granted Kakarot was a moron, but unlike Vegeta, he was pure-heartedly good. He was all about saving the universe, saving Earth, doing what's right. Has been like that for his whole life. Vegeta has not.

He wasn't good, yet something happened to allow him one last time on Earth. Also, there was the major time difference too. What took them so long, huh? He was so - His thoughts were so blurred in his head, so he pushed them away. He had more important things to focus on, even if the thought of something powerful enough to revive him troubled him. That and the purpose of his one way ticket from Hell had him edgy.

. . . .

After finishing his shower and putting on his armor, which had a condition that was less than desirable, he walked back out to the kitchen, arms crossed. He noticed how silent the two of them were the closer he got to them. He raised a brow at them, pausing in the doorway. Both of them were staring, again. He almost huffed, instead he snapped out, aiming a glare at the kid. "Quit staring before I make you, boy." The words came out harsh, and something flickered in his chest when Trunks looked away quickly. Perhaps he had been too stern on the kid. He gritted his teeth. It doesn't matter to him anyway, yet deep down it did. He just wouldn't allow himself to come to terms with it.

He simply headed to the door. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to find here. Family? That should be a laughable concept to the warrior prince. He shook his head, opening the door. All he needed was to destroy the Androids once and for all.

"Vegeta, wait." The earth woman's voice echoed from behind him, and he looked over his shoulder. "Why don't you stay awhile?"

Vegeta couldn't help the annoyance spreading onto his face. It wasn't her specifically. It was everything around him. His situation, Bulma, Trunks, his death, Kakarot, his ability to fail so much after he endured so much to ascend. He was falling behind...

Before he could retort, Bulma continued. "We have food if you're hungry." She suggested that he at least ate something before he ran off.

Vegeta was ready to leave, just like he was ready to die that final time, and just like that instance, there were unseen forces that wouldn't allow him to. He just couldn't leave, so his fingers brushed the door closed. "What do you have?"

(Alright, as you all can tell, I decided to give this story a shot. However, I still have no clue where to go with this story. If you have any thoughts or ideas, go ahead and speak. Also constructive criticism is gladly appreciated. In addition to all this, my apologies for taking so long. I lost a great deal of my writing since I couldn't sign it for a long length of time and it basically disappeared.)