Changes

*Two years later*

*Bulma's POV*

Something had changed. She wasn't sure what, or when, but Vegeta was different. She tried not to get her hopes up; she still had no claim over him, but lately he'd been acting differently towards her. Spending more time with her, helping her out more, and the final thing, when he had spent the night with her, he had not used protection, and instead of leaving her room, he actually stayed in her bed, all night.

Last night had been one such night. She smiled as she watched him sleep. This man had come into her life so abruptly, she never would have seen this coming. She was in love with him. She'd never tell him of course, not until she was certain he felt the same way.

He stirred and his eyes opened.

"Why are you staring at me, woman?" He asked sleepily.

"Just surprised you're still here, that's all," she told him.

"I was tired, didn't feel like leaving," Vegeta explained, turning on his side.

Bulma scooted closer to him. "I never said I was complaining." She kissed him on the cheek.

"We could go another round if you're up for it." Vegeta smirked and quickly moved on top of the woman, peppering kisses on her neck.

"As tempting as that sounds, I need to get up," Bulma said.

Vegeta growled. "Your job can wait, you work too much."

"Vegeta," she protested.

He claimed her lips hungrily, and Bulma moaned.

She was just about to give in when a knock sounded at her door.

"Bulma," Usagi's voice followed the knock. "I'm sorry to bother you, but you have a meeting in a little less than an hour, we need to get going soon."

Bulma sighed, and Vegeta growled again.

"I'll be out in a minute," Bulma told the other woman. She kissed Vegeta softly and pushed him off her. "Told you."

Vegeta flopped on the bed and watched Bulma get out of the bed and head to the shower.

*Vegeta's POV*

He dabbled with the thought of joining her in the shower, but he knew she'd be upset if he did, so instead, he exited the bed and dressed quickly before leaving the room.

As he left Bulma's room he saw Usagi walking down the hall. The past two years had done her good. Her body was now perfectly sculpted, and her fighting had improved quite a bit. She was now able to fly without her wings, and shoot ki balls. She had even been able to defeat Piccolo in a one on one battle.

It was time for him to take over more permanently.

He showered quickly and managed to get down to the dining room quicker than Bulma.

Usagi sat at the table with a pile of folders and a cup of coffee. Her hair was up in a perfect French twist. Her make up light, just enough to accent her features.

She had matured, and Vegeta didn't mind having her around.

"Busy day ahead, moon woman?" He asked. She hated it when he called her that, and he knew it, but he didn't care.

A look of annoyance crossed her face as she peered over her coffee cup at him, and he smirked.

"At least I pull my weight around here, unlike you," she spat.

"Cranky this morning, I see," he remarked. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down across from her.

Something was bothering her today, but he couldn't quite place what. Usagi had grown more guarded over the years, she was much harder to read now than she had been before.

Bulma appeared and Usagi stood quickly. She handed the genius a thermos of coffee and a breakfast sandwich. "We have to go, or we'll be late."

Bulma nodded and they left.

*Usagi's POV*

Usagi drove as Bulma ate her breakfast and looked over the files on her lap.

"All of the info is there," she told Bulma. "There is one folder for each person expected to be at the meeting, so they can all see everything."

"What did I ever do without you, Usagi?" Bulma questioned.

"I have no clue," Usagi said with a giggle.

"You're the best assistant a girl could ask for, thank you so much!" Bulma looked through the file more. "What's bothering you today, Usagi? You don't seem yourself."

"I'm just tired, I didn't sleep well last night," Usagi lied. "I'll be fine once my coffee kicks in."

Truth was; she was lonely. Sure, she had made some new friends on this Earth: Bulma, the Son family, Piccolo, Krillen, Eighteen, Dende and even Vegeta were all people she considered friends. But she, and her crystal, craved more, they wanted the one thing that gave her crystal power, love.

In her mind, Mamoru was dead. She had been able to somehow create a line between her world and this one in her mind, so when she saw the girls that resembled her old friends, it didn't bother her as much. She could thank Piccolo for that; he had not only shown her how to master certain physical techniques, he had helped her master her own mind.

When it had happened, she felt better and worse all at the same time. She felt the pain and stress lift off her like a balloon in the breeze, but then she felt empty, cold, heartless.

It took her many days to find a happy balance, she learned she had to care a little, about some of them. So, she shut Rei and Mamoru out of her heart completely, and kept an admiration of sorts for the other three.

She watched Ami, Makoto, and Minako from a distance, interacting with them only when necessary, which was more often than Usagi liked sometimes. Luna still visited her, but Usagi knew the feline had sensed the change, and her visits became less frequent after.

Everyone had noticed a change in her, not just her attitude, but her power and strength had dropped as well. The Silver Crystal was fueled by light, and love; not just her love for others, but their love for her.

While she felt a bond with these people, what she mostly felt was respect. Goku respected her for her will, and the fact that Shenron had picked her. Bulma respected her because of her hard work, and treated her like a sister, which was a step in the right direction.

Krillen and his wife respected her physical strength, and Piccolo, her mental strength.

Then there was Vegeta; the man who had cared for her so much when she first arrived, but who had distanced himself from her. He trained with her occasionally when she was home, had even shown her the gravity room, but interacted with her as little as possible.

Usagi assumed she had crossed a line a few years ago when she had brought up the darkness inside him. She could remove the darkness, if he wished, but something told her that wasn't the case.

Vegeta perplexed her. He seemed both drawn to, and repulsed by her. The way he looked at her at times made her stomach flutter. Sometimes, though she'd never admit it out loud, she wanted to ravage the man; throw him on the ground and have her way with him. Still, other times she wanted to kill him.

She had tried her best to become a fighter he would want to train, and the kind of woman he could respect. But so far, no matter how hard she tried, it was never enough.

She had gone on a few dates over the years, but none of them had rubbed her the right way. There was always something that bugged her. And in the long run, she didn't want any of them involved in the life she had to lead.

She was more than just a pretty face, and Bulma's assistant. She was a defender of this Earth, chosen to protect against the next threat. She could not bear to bring in an innocent bystander.

Her thoughts came back to the present as she parked her car and readied herself for the day.

*Transition*

*Vegeta's POV*

"Baba says we're running out of time," Dende told the Z fighters later in the evening.

"How much time do we have?" Goku asked.

"She made it sound quite urgent," Dende explained.

"Should we use the time chamber?" Krillen offered.

Vegeta sat in silence. It seemed ironic to him that just this morning he was thinking about taking over her training, and now he would have to.

"I can take her in," Goku volunteered.

"No, Kakarot," Vegeta objected.

"Why not, Vegeta? She's been training with me for a while now," Goku said.

"Because you won't push her the way she needs to be pushed," Vegeta pointed out. "You're too soft."

It was the moon woman who spoke next. "Vegeta's right, Goku. Whenever you sense my stamina waning you hold back more. Vegeta doesn't do that. If I am to grow, I need a relentless teacher."

"We'll do the max of three days," Vegeta said.

"Three days?" Usagi queried.

"In the time chamber, one day out here is equivalent to one year. So it's really three years," Piccolo explained.

Vegeta looked at her. "Prepare yourself, and meet me back here in an hour. These will be the longest three days of your life."

*Usagi's POV*

Three years? She was going to spend three years with just Vegeta? If she'd have known what she was getting herself into, she would have kept her mouth shut.

Now as she prepared a suitcase of clothes, and finished up some last-minute details on things for work, she wondered what it was she hadgotten herself into.

She wrote down some notes for Bulma and sighed. It would only be three days in the outside world, things would be the same when she came out. That was reassuring. She just wondered if she would make it out alive.

Vegeta was relentless. She was certain he would bring her to the brink of death on multiple occasions before the end of the first year. Or maybe she would surprise herself, and she wouldn't let him. Either way, it was time to meet him.

The gravity in the time chamber shocked her. She hadn't been expecting it, and nearly dropped her suitcase.

Vegeta scoffed at her, but said nothing as he walked toward the small house.

The living quarters consisted of two beds, a dining area and a bathroom. They were all open and connected, aside from the bathroom. Usagi shivered, there would be little to no privacy over the next three years.

She set her bag down and sighed. While the gravity seemed less intense inside the house, the temperature was still warmer than she liked. Then again, she'd probably be too tired from training to care when the time came to sleep.

"Get changed," Vegeta growled. "We start now."

*Transition*

The first six months were exactly as Usagi had predicted. Vegeta pushed her to her limit everyday, nearly killing her a few times. Her only salvation was, the water in the time chamber seemed to have healing qualities.

Her Crystal suffered inside the chamber. Not having access to moonlight, it was weak, so Usagi had to rely on her own strength.

"Do you take that thing with you everywhere?" Vegeta asked her one morning, motioning toward her broach, and ultimately her Crystal.

"That thing, as you put it, is connected to me, my life. If I die, it breaks, if it breaks, I die; so yes, it is with me at all times," Usagi retorted.

"Why don't to use its power more often?"

"It's very weak at this point," she explained. "The Silver Crystal is powered by love more than anything else. The moon recharges it, as you know, but that is only a portion of its power. My feelings are what fuels it." She sighed. "There is no love in my life right now, so it's not what it used to be.

"If I am to protect this planet, I need to be stronger on my own."

Vegeta finished his food. "Let's get going then."

*Six months later*

*Vegeta's POV*

He wasn't sure when it had happened, but he had started seeing the moon woman in a different light. She hadn't complained one bit, and had taken everything he'd dished out.

She was getting stronger. Her determination never faltered. And he found himself drawn to her once more, like he had when she first arrived.

They had been in the chamber a year now. Everyday that passed, he found his thoughts filled with the woman he fought with.

Was he lusting after her? Or was he really attracted to this woman?

They had finished their training for the day, and he was washing up in the shower, trying to curb the thoughts and desires that threatened to over come his reason.

*Usagi's POV*

God, he was gorgeous. As Vegeta walked out of the shower in nothing but pants, she couldn't help but admire his body.

She began to wonder what those hands would feel like on her body. Her mind ran with the thought, and soon she could feel the dampness between her legs. She wanted him.

Vegeta stopped dead in his tracks and looked straight at her. "Damn it woman, I can smell your arousal."

She blushed and looked away for a moment before turning back to him. What would he do, she wondered, if she were to act on her desire?

She sat up in her bed and her eyes locked onto his.

*Vegeta's POV*

Her scent had hit him like a ton of bricks. He'd called her out, thinking it would calm her down, but as she stared him in the eyes, he could see they were dark with desire. She wanted him.

He watched as she stood, her light pink night gown falling to her knees, and closed the distance between them.

"Woman," he warned her, his voice low. If she started this, he would not be able to stop.

She leaned in and whispered seductively in his ear. "I want you, Vegeta."

In an instant his lips crashed into hers, and he pushed her butt onto the nearby table. He removed her underwear and his pants quickly, and dove into her hot core.

Her cries were pure euphoria to him, and they spurred him on, causing her to crash over the edge many times. Something about fucking her felt different than it did when he was with Bulma. Every motion, every kiss, every orgasm was more intense, more heated, more . . . Right. Being with this woman, felt right.

The thought came and went as Usagi's nails dug into his arms as she came again, taking him over the edge with her. He slowed and stopped.

Her head rest on his shoulder, her chest heaving, her breath causing goosebumps down his spine.

"That was better than I ever imagined it would be," she breathed.

Imagined? She had played out this scenario in her head before? He pushed her away from him to look at her face, and regretted it almost instantly. Her pink cheeks and dazed eyes were enough to get his blood pumping again. She was absolutely stunning. He had seen her in make-up and fancy dresses, with her hair up and down, and yet now, with her hair messed up from his fingers, and her cheeks pink and her lips swollen from kisses, he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

He growled at the way his heart fluttered.

"Vegeta?" Usagi's voice was soft, and full of concern.

He had growled out loud. His gaze floated over her body, and he laughed at himself as his hand ran up her thigh, all this time he had wondered what her flesh would feel like; turns out, it was as soft as the ribbon that had wrapped her body the first day she arrived.

He kissed her gently and backed away from her, helping her off the table. He gathered his pants and hoped into bed, completely naked.

"Good night, woman."

"Good night, Vegeta."

*Usagi's POV*

They had been in the chamber for roughly 20 months now. She was losing track of time, everyday was the same thing, get up, eat, train, fight, clean up, eat and go to bed. The one thing that had changed: she couldn't seem to keep her hands or her mind off the man she trained with. If he allowed them down time, they were having sex, lots and lots of it.

He had pleased her in ways she never knew existed, had contorted her body in ways she never knew she could, but she loved every second of it, and she was pretty sure he loved it too.

When it came to activities in bed, or anywhere really, Vegeta was more of a giver than a taker. She'd sucked him a few times and been on top a few times, but mostly, he was in charge. Usagi didn't mind. She'd never had such mind-blowing sex in her life.

Something else was changing too: she was falling for this man. Often, if they were in a bed, they would cuddle and talk when they were finally satisfied. Vegeta, it turned out, really did have a lot to say, he simply didn't talk much because he didn't trust people to know what he was thinking most of the time.

He didn't want to become too predictable, he'd told her once. She thought it was cute.

She found herself dreading the end of their time in the chamber. Once they were back in the real world, would things change? Would Vegeta go back to avoiding her? She knew his feelings had changed toward her, but was it just because she was the only woman there?

She knew he'd had a thing for Bulma before they'd entered the chamber. Knew that Bulma was in love with him. Had felt guilty for a little while, before deciding Vegeta was a grown man who could make his own decisions.

She pondered these things often, until one night. They were both asleep, in their own beds, when a scream had woken her abruptly.

Her heart was pounding. Silence for a moment, then another scream. It was Vegeta. She grabbed her crystal and quickly went to where Vegeta was. He was still asleep, thrashing about beneath the covers.

"Vegeta," she called his name. She placed a hand on his chest. "Vegeta wake up." She shook him a little. Worry filled her, she'd never seen him like this. His face contorted in pain, his cries filled with anguish. The darkness she had seen in him before was more prevalent now. Whatever he was dreaming about, it was feeding the darkness.

She spoke his name again, and ran a hand down his cheek. This time he woke, but his hand shot out and wrapped around her throat.

*Vegeta's POV*

It had been years since he'd had a nightmare. He'd been acutely aware of someone calling his name. His first instinct was to eliminate the threat, so he threw out his hand.

He was still groggy when he heard his name again, this time more strained. His mind cleared as a small hand rested upon his, and he quickly released the girl.

Panic still filled him as he glanced around the room.

"Vegeta, are you okay?" Usagi asked.

"Damn it," he cursed. "Why after all this time?"

She kneeled beside his bed. "You're safe. It's okay." Her hand ran down his cheek. "What did you see?"

The look on the woman's face was one he'd only seen once, in a vision, and it had been directed towards another man; a look of pure love.

He cussed again. Why hadn't he seen this coming? With everything they'd been through over the past few years, he shouldn't be surprised. Yet he was. This woman, warrior, no, Princess, was in love with him. And he was in love with her.

He didn't want to admit it, there was still too much evil, too much darkness in his soul for him to deserve something as pure and bright as her.

He recalled his father's words, "The Queens or Princesses could use this crystal to erase evil from a person's heart."

Usagi had told him the darkness could be erased, but he'd ignored her before.

"Don't look at me like that," he growled.

"Vegeta," she groaned.

"Damn it, Usagi," he spat. "I don't deserve you."

"But you do, Vegeta. The darkness does not define you," she argued. "You may not be aware, but I am, the evil in your heart has been fading. Let go. Let me help you."

The evil in his heart had been fading? Was it because of her? Because he'd learned how to love after all these years?

He sat up in the bed and stared at her. She was everything he'd ever wanted and more. Beautiful, smart, a great fighter, and a Princess to boot. He figured he'd have to mate below his status. There was no royalty on Earth. Still, he'd done some terrible things.

"Usagi," he began to protest again.

"Vegeta, shut up," she interrupted. "You do not get to choose who I love. It took me a while to realize this, but I have only had eyes for you since I came to this planet. As soon as I blocked Mamoru out of my heart, you took his place. Slowly, but you did. You are my Prince. So shut up, and let me erase the doubt."

She had never talked to him like that, but he liked it. "Fine."

*Usagi's POV*

She hadn't expected him to agree so quickly. "Really?"

He nodded. "Just do it before I change my mind."

She was still kneeling beside his bed. Taking one of his hands in hers, she held her Crystal in the other and closed her eyes.

Her mind connected to her crystal and it responded quickly, changing her appearance into that of Princess Serenity.

When she opened her eyes, she saw the look of surprise on Vegeta's face; he had never seen her in this form.

"What will happen?" He asked quietly.

"The crystal will not alter or take away any memories, you will still be you," she explained. "It will simply erase the ill will in your heart; the evil you do not wish to hold anymore." Her eyes met his. "You have to want this, Vegeta, or it will not work completely."

He hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. "I want to be a man who can deserve you. A Prince who can stand by his Princess."

She bowed her head once, then closed her eyes once more. She had never cleansed someone like this before, it had always been as an attack when she was Sailor Moon, still, she knew she could do it. Syncing with her crystal, power began pouring out of her and into Vegeta.

She opened her eyes to watch the light engulf the man. His expression went from shocked, to anger and finally to peace. She could sense the darkness leaving him, and the harmony that washed and over him.

After several minutes, she felt no more evil inside him and the power stopped, and finally faded.

*Vegeta's POV*

When the light finally dissipated, he felt different, almost at peace. The rage that had fueled him for so long was gone, and all he felt was an overwhelming feeling of love. He felt, for the first time in a long time, happy.

His eyes found hers and he smiled. "Thank you."

She returned his smile and threw her arms around his neck.

He held her for a moment. When she pulled away, he whispered quietly. "I love you, Usagi."

"I love you too," she responded.

He kissed her passionately, and for the first time, they made love.

*On the outside*

Fortune-teller Baba looked into her crystal ball and smiled. Things were going exactly as she had planned.

That's all for this chapter. Please review!

Gohaun