Remnants

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Dragon Ball Z

A/N: Well here it is! Gosh, you folks sure are needy… A bit of action in this chapter. Oh, and for you Trunks lovers, don't worry; I promise he'll show up again soon. Well then, enough said - ENJOY!

WARNING: Vegeta's a total ass in this chapter lol


The day came when the large group of friends and family where to head home once more. "Has anyone seen Goten?" Chichi asked frantically as she counted heads.

"Gee Chichi, I thought he was with you?" Goku scratched his gravity-defying hair as he too made an effort to look for his son. "Goten?" he called but received no answer.

"GOTEN!" Chichi tried, cupping her hands around her mouth to strengthen the range her voice reached, though it was probably not even necessary. "Goku! I told you to pick him up!" Chichi scolded. "Oh my precious baby boy! Where is he! He's lost! Kidnapped! GOTEN!"

"I have an idea," Pan suggested with a wide grin. "GOTEN THERE ARE COOKIES HERE FOR YOU!" Pan hollered. The group had made it back to the airport an hour early just to avoid these kinds of situations in case their large group – though smaller than the year before – got separated.

"Cookies!" A blur of orange and blue rushed from one of the gates and ran smack into a larger body.

"Got-ya!" Gohan snatched his little brother and perched him on his shoulder. "Where were you squirt?" the older Saiyan asked.

Goten yawned and rubbed his eyes. "I was sleep'n…" another yawn, "I think I ate too much…" the smaller Saiyan admitted.

"That's an understatement," Krillin pointed out.

"At least he was polite to the stewardesses, not like Piccolo who kept glaring and growling at every one of them," Bulma added with a knowing smirk, no longer nervous around the tall Namek.

"I am never flying on one of those... those things again," Piccolo growled, still very much upset that every stewardess in the plane would go up to him and offer him a baggy or ask if he was okay or comment that he was looking a bit green.

"Come on you guys, we'll miss our shuttle," Gohan pointed out, balancing his daughter and brother on each shoulder while his father carried their bags.

"But what about my cookies?" Goten asked with a pout. Pan rolled her eyes out of his line of sight but was given a stern "no-no" look from Goku, making her deflate immediately. One thing that was very well imposed in the Son family was respect.

"I'll bake some when we get home sweetie," Chichi answered with a kind smile.

"Ooh! Can I have some grandma?" Pan asked excitedly.

"Of course you can!" Chichi beamed happily at her granddaughter. Even though Pan never missed the opportunity to spar with Bra and learn new techniques that the other girl had learned from her father, she also never missed the opportunity to spend time with her uncle and grandparents.

"Can we stop at grandma and grandpa's, papa?" Pan asked, looking down from her spot on her father's shoulder for approval.

Gohan smiled up at his daughter and nodded. "Sure Panny," He answered affectionately. Suddenly Gohan heard a snort beside him and he turned to see Vegeta giving him a critical look.

"Remember, Gohan, we have a sparring session later today," Vegeta pointed out, glaring at the younger Saiyan. Seven years and Vegeta, Gohan, and Goku had become accustomed to getting together three times a week to train. Most other days Gohan would be training his friends and giving lessons to the kids.

"I didn't forget Vegeta. I'll be there before three o'clock," the younger Saiyan answered dutifully.

"You had better not be late," Vegeta growled softly and walked ahead of the group with Bra trailing behind him.

"I'll take them to mom and dad's Gohan, you go home and take a nap before you beat on Vegeta," Videl whispered, not expecting to be heard, though she wasn't trying to hide her voice all that much.

"HEY! I heard that woman!" Vegeta snapped irritably. "No one is beating me!" The flame-haired Saiyan growled.

"Right, no one," Goku answered in mock-seriousness as he and Chichi held in giggles as they passed. Vegeta for his part, kept his mouth shut after this, too angry and insulted to respond to anything else and not wanting to make a fool out of himself by taking the bait.

"Come Bra, we're going home straight away," Vegeta growled, putting an arm around Bulma and extending the other toward his daughter.

"'Kay. Bye Pan! Bye Goten!" Bra called as she was scooped up by her father. Soon the Brief family was gone as soon as the group stepped outside.

"You know, we could do the same…" Goku commented, not liking the idea of having to put up with slow shuttles back to town when he could just as well carry three people plus the luggage they had and get back home before the shuttle even began to move.

"I suppose…" Gohan agreed, rubbing his neck and glancing at the others who shrugged with indifference. "Alright… bye guys, see you later," the new guardian of the Earth said after depositing his little brother on his dad's shoulder. He took his luggage and flew off with his family. One by one everyone left, making sure no one was around to see them actually lift into the air and fly off – luckily that airport was never too busy.

Later that day, after Gohan had taken that nap Videl had suggested, he stood at the front door of Capsule Corps adjusting his wrist weight before he knocked. Before he could lift his hand to the door however, the door opened and Bulma led him in. "Good to see you again Gohan, Vegeta's been pacing for hours. Tire him out so he actually sleep tonight, won't you?" the blue-haired woman requested.

"Sure, Bulma," Gohan laughed.

Gohan could tell that Vegeta was still very much furious from all the teasing earlier as it clearly showed in his eyes, his stance and by the fact that Gohan could almost see steam coming from the older Saiyan's ears. "Hey… Vegeta, we were just-" but Gohan could not finish his apology as he was cut off by said older Saiyan powering-up.

"Save it, Gohan!" The Saiyan Prince barked… this was not going to go good. Gohan quickly threw his hands up in defense and caught Vegeta's knee and fist. Soon the two were off – punching, kicking, blocking, and bleeding. Vegeta spat a mouthful of blood that was a result of Gohan punching his face, making him accidentally bite his cheek. "Figures you'd be fighting like a weak-ass sissy like your dead-beat dad…" Vegeta sneered.

Gohan frowned but didn't respond to his taunts. 'He's just angry; he doesn't mean it… what am I saying? Of course he means it!' Gohan thought as he swung his fist forward, watching Vegeta duck, half-pleased when the training that Gohan had instilled in the older Saiyan was paying off.

"You and your dad, but especially your father, never had the balls to fight like real men – to actually hurt your enemy besides giving them a bloody lip," he spat. "You're always letting them walk all over your lame asses..." he laughed when Gohan's lip curled slightly into a half-snarl but still didn't say anything and continued sparring. Gohan blocked a particularly strong punch toward his lower regions. "Oh, I'm sorry, you'll probably need everything you've got to spawn more useless brats! Its a wonder anything can come from something so insignificant, hahaha!" Vegeta cackled, blocking a strong punch that had him sliding backwards.

"Oh my! Have I hit a tender nerve?" Vegeta asked mockingly. "Its no wonder your father gave up his pathetic life and kicked the bucket willingly when the androids-" another barely managed block, "-attacked," he went on. "He didn't want to stick around with a whore and a whiny, pathetic, defenseless little whelp!"

"SHUT UP!" Gohan suddenly screamed, unable to contain himself any longer, inadvertently powering up to his latest form. Vegeta's eyes widened and he backed up but was suddenly - though he would never admit it to anyone - too afraid to speak or apologize. Maybe he had gone too far… but he was so frustrated that words just left his mouth without even thinking first. The last thing the Saiyan Prince remembered was a super-powered, glowing fist ramming into his skull before the world went totally black.

Gohan stood with either fist clenched to his side and with his teeth gritted tightly in rage. After a few minutes of seething and trying to rein in his self-control, he forced himself to calm back down. He let his frustration leave in a long exhale, shifting back to his base form and staring guiltily at the bloody, unconscious - but thankfully still alive - Vegeta. "Oh man, I hope this doesn't upset Bra or Bulma too much…" he muttered to himself.

After grabbing the unconscious Saiyan and hauling him to Bulma's lab – aka the infirmary for the Z-Fighters – he turned and gave Bulma, who sported a slightly annoyed look, a sheepish, nervous smile. "I'm really sorry I punched his lights out, you wanted me to tire him out not put him out, I'm sorry…" Gohan apologized guiltily. Bulma waved her hand, dismissing his apology.

"Its alright Gohan, really," She said with a sigh. "Vegeta needs to be reminded that he's not an immortal god now and again anyway, this kind of things mostly hurts his pride than anything else."

That evening, Gohan had come home to find Pan already asleep and Videl glued to the TV. "What's on?" Gohan asked as he plopped himself on the couch right next to Videl, which would have caused said crime-fighter to fall in his lap if she hadn't been used to her husband's bulk already.

"You'll never guess who just won the Nobel Prize!" Videl answered with a wide grin and a curious gleam in her eyes.

"Um… who?" Gohan asked, giving up trying to guess.

"Do you remember Dr. Calvin?"

"How can I forget! He gave me my arm back!" Gohan grinned right back, realization flicking on in his mind like a light switch. "He won?"

"Well, technically yes but he rejected it. They've been playing his speech on the news for a while now – ah! There it is again, listen," Videl turned the volume just a little higher, mindful that Pan was asleep in her room not far from the living room.

"What do you mean he-"

"Shh! Look," Videl cut.

"-But I can not take full credit for this. That is why, I am declining the prize. The real award goes to the hero who inspired me," Videl turned the volume down and looked over to see Gohan's reaction.

"I can't believe it…" Gohan muttered with a smile.

"Yeah, its pretty unbelievable! Such a selfless guy, he was a big help during the android crisis, I'm surprised he didn't receive a medal," Videl agreed, turning the TV off and leaning against her husband's chest. "So tell me, how was your afternoon today?" she asked curiously.

"I… kind of got angry at Vegeta during our sparing session…"

"Uh oh, is he still alive?" Videl smirked knowingly.

"Come on, Videl… you know I would never-"

"You really are gullible sometimes," Videl laughed, cutting his affronted explanation off.

"Oh, ha, ha…" Gohan muttered morosely.

"Oh come on, don't sulk, I was only kidding… I know you," Videl craned her neck and kissed his jaw-line. Gohan relaxed and smiled at the woman of his dreams.

Elsewhere, back at Capsule Corps, Bulma stood by Vegeta's side, tending to his head injury. "Is he gunna be okay mom?" Bra asked with concern as she curiously peered down at her unconscious father.

"Yes, he'll be just fine. Don't worry, your father has a very hard head. Oh, Vegeta?" After Gohan had gotten angry and vented on Vegeta, the Saiyan prince was finally waking from being knocked out for almost the entire afternoon.

"Ugh…" Vegeta groaned and blinked awake, wincing from the fading light from the window that made his head ache more. "That damn whelp…" He muttered and winced again when he went to rub the sore spot on his forehead. "Can't take… jokes…" he grunted to himself.

"Aww, did he hit you too hard?" Bulma asked and kissed his head. While in the past Vegeta would have either jerked away or pushed her away, he let her kiss him now, though he still growled when she openly displayed affection toward him.

"Damnit, I don't need your pity woman! And I let him win!" Vegeta snapped. Bulma simply smiled and nodded at him, knowing him well enough that the best way to get him to calm down was to just simply agree with him, besides, when he got his way most of the time, it was easier to manipulate him - as Bra was already rapidly discovering.

"What did you say to upset him so much?" Bulma asked curiously. Vegeta surprised her when he looked at his shoes guiltily. "I see, never mind then," Bulma nodded in understanding. She knew that Vegeta would never admit that he had done something wrong, though he was getting better at the whole "feelings" thing – the guilty look was enough for her, she needed nothing else from him. "I'll go make you some dinner," Bulma said, ignoring the soft growl when she once again kissed his head before leaving.


End A/N: Well there you have it! Poor Vegeta was having a bad day and got on the wrong side of the wrong Saiyan lol.

Shout-Outs:

Noryale: He's not getting scared… I wouldn't go that far, but ya he's getting worried :( who knows how many people I'll kill XD

Makai Alexa: Short chapter? You call that short? Well jeez alright – you're older and wiser so I guess you know what you're talking about… lol I'll try to make the chapters longer and stuff 'em full of details how 'bout that?

Noryale AND Makai Alexa: Wtf you two? Ganging up on me like that… Freaking horny little… alright already! I'll add some more of that "action" you two crave so damn much, jeez… lol

Shiva the Sarcastic: Thank you :D I'm glad you liked that lame excuse for a lemon lol

Shinen no Hikari: Ah, I see what you mean I suppose… yes, poor guy… T_T

Lourdes-Sunrise-Princess: Soon, the antagonists will come soon… I always starts my stories with a bit of normalcy then get into the meat of the fic, just try to be patient :P