A BIGGG thanks to Death Princess9 for the fav add and pallyndrome for my first review ever! This update is for you two!
A/N: after this chapter, things get better/more intense. I solemnly swear... I am up to no good. (Sorry, I couldn't resist)...
A week later, Bulma woke up with a smile on her face. Today was the day. She called in a few favors, via her father, to the Adoption and Foster Care Agency and arranged for Vegeta's care to be with her family, all unbeknownst to him. His attitude toward her or anybody else at school had not changed, but she hoped with a little TLC that it would.
The boys dropped Bulma off at her house, and she entered the front door. "Mom! I'm home!" She searched the first floor and found her mother in the living room.
"Hi dear! I'm just spiffy-ing the room for our guest. He's going to arrive at four! Isn't that exciting?"
Bulma looked around the room, distractedly. "Yeah, sure."
"Is something wrong, Bulma, honey?"
She raised her eyebrows and returned her attention to the present. "No, I'm good. Just a little anxious."
Her mother nodded. "You like him. That's why you're doing all of this."
"MOTHER! No! I- I just feel sorry for him."
Bunny smiled. "Okay, if you say so," she said and walked into the kitchen.
Bulma shook her head and glanced at the clock over the television. He would be arriving in less than fifteen minutes. She ran upstairs, changed her shirt, and ran back down to help her mom put fresh cookies on the table. Just as they were finishing up, the doorbell rang.
"Oh! That must be him! Bulma, wash your hands and fix your shirt!" Bunny said, walking to the front of the house.
Bulma could hear her father make his way into the front hall with his wife to greet their new guest. Her mother was, as always, overly cheerful, and she could tell Vegeta was barely speaking. The woman from the agency made small talk with her parents for a few minutes before leaving.
As the door closed, Mrs. Brief said, "Come on in the kitchen, dear. We made cookies, and I'd like you to meet our daughter." Her parents entered first, followed by Vegeta.
He stopped midstride, dumbfounded. "YOU'RE JOKING! You are the one I'm supposed to be living with?" he shouted. Then, he stuck his nose up in the air and said, "I demand to be returned at once."
"YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL! Look around you! How many kids would give their right arm to be here?" she shouted back, indicating the vastness of the house.
Vegeta processed the information. Of course she was correct, but he wouldn't let her have the satisfaction of knowing it. "Fine. I'll only stay until a BETTER opportunity presents itself."
She snorted. "Fat chance of that happening," she said rolling her eyes.
He turned to Mrs. Brief. "Direct me to my room. It seems as if all this moving around has given me a headache."
Bunny smiled. "Oh, of course! You must be exhausted!" She directed him back into the living room and upstairs.
"I cannot believe him!" Bulma angrily said to her father. "He didn't even say 'thank you!' After all I went through to try to give him a better life," she huffed.
Mr. Briefs gave her a pity smile. "Well, Bulma, sometimes things don't always go as they're planned. Just give him some time," he suggested.
Vegeta stayed in his room until dinner. Mrs. Brief sent Bulma upstairs to check on him. She knocked on his door and waited for a response. After a few moments, she knocked again. Then, she turned the knob; the door was unlocked, so she entered. His room was empty. The window was closed and locked, the bed was made, and his bag was missing.
"Where are you?" she said to herself. She ran through the short list of places he could be and came up short. "Unless he went back…but, would Linda take him again? Hmmm. Oh! Work! Of course." She ran back downstairs. "Mom! Dad! I'll be back soon!"
"But Bulma, dear…" Mrs. Brief said to the closed door.
In her father's hovercar, Bulma drove to the Ox King's Motor Sales and Auto Repair shop, which looked more like a luxury hotel than a car dealership. She stopped outside the side door just as Chi-Chi was leaving.
"Hey Bulma!" Chi-Chi said, pleasantly. "What brings you here?"
Bulma exited the car and approached her classmate. "Hi Chi-Chi. I actually have something important to ask you."
Chi-Chi looked at Bulma with a concerned gaze. "Anything. Is everything okay?"
Bulma gave her an encouraging smile. "Kind of. Does the new kid from our class, Vegeta, work here?"
"Yeah, he just started here two weeks ago. But between you and me, he doesn't seem too nice. Dad was thinking about firing him, but he gets the feeling that he doesn't have a lot of money, you know?"
Bulma nodded. "Is there anything else you know about him?"
"Well, he came into work late today, which is pretty unusual since he's never been late before. And he was carrying a heavy-looking duffel bag. Is that what you mean?"
She sighed. "Yeah, that's exactly what I needed to know. Thanks Chi-Chi." Bulma began walking past her into the shop.
"Wait." Bulma turned around, brow furrowed. "Has, um, has Goku every…mentioned me…at all?" Chi-Chi asked, head down and ashamed.
Bulma smiled and took a step toward Chi-Chi, putting her hands on her shoulders. "Listen Chi-Chi, I like you, so I'm going to be very frank with you. If you want Goku, you're going to have to do all the work to get him. He's quite oblivious to everything except wrestling and food, though not in that order," she added. "You need to be aggressive, but I'm pretty sure he's more than indifferent toward you," she said with a smile on her lips.
Chi-Chi's eyes lit up with hope. "Okay," she said heartened. "I can be assertive. Thanks Bulma. I know we're not really friends, but I appreciate it."
Bulma laughed. "It's nothing. Good luck with Goku. I'll see you at school Monday."
"Sounds good. Bye!"
Bulma turned back around and walked into the shop. Her eyes fell on the black bag on a folding chair by the corner. She began making her way back to the bag, when Chi-Chi's father, Ox King, cut in front of her.
"Hello there! How may I help you, miss?" He asked with every bit of happiness as his daughter.
"Hi. I was just looking for Vegeta. It seems he's late for dinner."
Ox King looked confused. "Dinner? Well, his shift begins at four and ends at ten, when we close. He doesn't have a break."
Bulma became angered instantly. "What do you mean, 'he doesn't have a break?' How could anyone work SIX hours straight, with no break?"
"Well," he said sheepishly, "He usually gets two fifteen minute breaks, but since he was late today, he lost those."
"I appreciate you giving Vegeta an opportunity to work for you, Mr. King, but it seems he'll no longer need your employment. Tonight will be his last night," she informed him happily. Bulma stepped around him, grabbed Vegeta's bag, and walked back outside. As she threw the duffel bag in the trunk, Vegeta pushed open the door, banging it on the outside wall.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? YOU JUST GOT ME FIRED!" he shouted, walking up to her so they were face-to-face. "Give me my bag back," he demanded with a deadly glare.
Bulma gave him an equally deadly smile. "Now, doesn't this situation remind you of last spring?" she asked sweetly. "This time, though, I won't cave in. You're coming home for dinner. My mother worked her ass off trying to cook for you. The least you could do is show up."
His fists clenched tightly, and he was shaking. "WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE? I DIDN'T ASK YOU FOR ANY OF THIS CRAP."
"I've already told you my reasons, and I don't really care if you like them or not. You are coming home with me now." She jerked the front door open and sat down. "I want you," she said, "HERE," she pointed to the seat cushion next to her, "NOW."
His tense body relaxed, reacted to her words. "You want me?" he asked confused.
"YES! I WANT YOU HERE, NOW!"
"I could easily push you out of the car while you're driving and make it look like an accident," he threatened, not moving.
"Of course you can, Vegeta. But right now, I'm the only way to a meal and a bed, so you're not going to." He frowned and crossed his arms, stubbornly. "VEGETA!"
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