Author's Notes: Well... one final chapter ended up as two chapters... got on a tangent and somehow took a detour. Anywho, this, and the final (?) chapter, take place more or less around the same time, and certain things might seem similar, or explored in both chapters. I tried to make it cohesive, but I literally pulled apart one big chapter into two; there's just no making that neat (especially how disjointed Bra's story is now; you'll see). But I hope it looks neat to the readers, and they forgive me, already knowing how much I don't tell a story in a straight line... Enjoy! :)

Thanks to Vegeta'sNo.1 for helping to edit!

Disclaimer: the author does NOT share the same opinion that Vegeta has regarding Gohan. No flames regarding that matter. (all other flames are negotiable)

Reference: Takes place after all the other chapters, but shares the same timezone as the final chapter.

Bulma: deceased.

Vegeta: late 60's and beyond.

Trunks/Goten: mid 30's and beyond.

Bra/Pan: mid 20's and beyond.

Dram is used informally to mean a small amount of alcohol, especially Scotch whiskey. (wikipedia)

The Royal Weddings

Following Bulma's death and burial, the years passed in surprising contentment for Vegeta. He considered it an honor to witness both his progeny's successful settling into new chapters of their respective lives. It was unfortunate that the Son family was now forever linked to that of the Royal Hose... but at least their brawn made up for their idiocy. No one could dispute their strength, and what gifts the human genes gave the Saiyan Royal Family, from Bulma and ChiChi, allowed that cunning and compassion would now bolster, rather than hinder, a Saiyan monarch's reign for centuries to come.

Vegeta, as king and able to join two people in a mating/wedding ceremony, had presided over his own son's wedding to another demi-saiyan, a girl named Pan who Vegeta recognized as one who loved to fight. Pan thrilled in the sportsmanship and bloodletting, perhaps more than Trunks, the Saiyan King's own son, and one who had lived on the planet for his whole life. The king, unknown to anyone else, relished how good Pan was for Trunks; that little spitfire renewed Trunks' desire to show off his fighting skills to someone, renewed the boy's pride in his strength and heritage. And this easy taking-to his new daughter-in-law further illustrated to all who knew him, as having a softer spot for females than males, adapting to Son Pan far, far-far-far, quicker than he took to his other in-law: Son Goten.

While Son Gohan was pleased to formally give verbal permission for Trunks to marry Pan, to whisk his only daughter from not only their home town, but home planet, Vegeta was not pleased to do the same for Bra, so he didn't. Though Bra had made plans to stay on Planet Vegeta now, and any mate of hers would reside where ever she wished, the King still had reservations on giving up that which he only just regained; the long lost beloved daughter, the last child of Bulma's, the only visible link to his deceased wife (Trunk's didn't count, he had been around too long and Vegeta was, sad to admit it, desensitized to the boy's appearance). In fact, Vegeta told Bra only once, and forcefully at that, that only a man who could defeat him, her father, in combat would be worthy of her hand. And that was that, no room for argument as he bashed an unworthy suitor's head against the ground.

Trunks surmised, correctly, that it was a test to see who could take over Vegeta's right to protect what was precious to him. It was not a Saiyan custom, as usually males only had to defeat their intended, not their intended's royal father, in a show of bravery and an alien version of "proposing", as Bulma would say. But nobody, not even Bra, disputed Vegeta's command. Perhaps it was Bra's own way to give honor back to Vegeta, to allow him this small measure to finally be a parent to her.

Keeping in mind that King Vegeta's decree had nothing to do with him personally, Goten never gave up and never lost heart. He came back every few months to receive another beating, refusing to give up... to prove he, a mere boy who grew up on peaceful Earth, was worthy of the princess, and able to defeat a veteran Saiyan warrior who had seen battles and hardships.

Vegeta chuckles at the memory, while Goten merely rubs his head in humble embarrassment. It had taken Goten five years to succeed, fives years of effort which nearly drove the demi-Saiyan mad, almost, because of his desire to formally mate Bra, without resorting to secret meetings and safe precautions.

Goten had nearly lost his chance when another male, a full Saiyan no less, had almost beaten the King, and had therefore gained the monarch's respect. Bra would never marry that Saiyan, Vegeta knew, so he had less hostility towards a man that would not, in fact, take his little girl from him. Even if beat, Vegeta did NOT have the final say in Bra's marriage: Bra did.

That did not matter to Goten, what mattered was that he almost came in second for Bra's hand. That would not do. It would not even do to NOT to gain the king's respect, and it surprised everyone when he voiced his desire to befriend a man who was "marginally friendly" to very few. It was the extra push, and Vegeta almost relished the fight that occurred next. Almost, because even as he admitted defeat and grudging admiration to Goten, he then had to watch said honorable man make an honorable woman out of Bra. His precious baby girl, now woman, who reminded the King so much of his Queen. Vegeta wished he could have held on to his daughter for a while longer, perhaps forever, always gleeful to send the brat back to Earth for more training until he tried again so that Bra was safe in Vegeta's care a few weeks more. Alas, even the father had to admit the joyful radiance that his daughter exuded upon finally being engaged was worth her growing up.

King Vegeta also presided over Bra's wedding to Goten on the palace grounds of Vegeta, underneath the Oak tree in fact, but afterwards spent the majority of the reception on Earth, at Bulma's grave. Kakarot had instantly transmitted back to the food buffet, leaving Vegeta alone with his wife's tombstone. He would always need her, and even if separated by death, he would seek her presence to settle his rattled nerves.

There was no sound but for the wind, and the man perused his memories in comfort. Sitting in front of the stone slab, he opened a bottle of fiery Saiyan whiskey, dropping a few drams onto the dirt, smirking as he recalled that Bulma did not even like whiskey. "Sorry," he whispered insincerely, "but it was the groom's gift to me, so it's all I had on hand when I left." He looked at the bottle, noting for the first time it's brand and smirking at seeing his preferred brand. 'Boy has guts.' Vegeta thought.

After imbibing a liberal sample himself, he sighed and looked to the sky. It was a cloudy day on earth, yet not raining. He noted the grayness, how the green of the trees stood out against the dreary backdrop, and off to the west where the sun had started to set, peeking out from the edges of the clouds. A "silver lining" as Bulma would say, though now it was golden hued during sunset; he turned back towards Bulma.

"He's not so bad," He spoke of Goten, "and neither is Pan." Cocking his head to the side, he considers their lineage, "If they weren't the descendants of Kakarot, I might even have liked them more than not." He took another sip, "Unlike that Gohan, when I first met him. He was such a bitch as a child, tripping us on the Enterprise; gods why did Kakarot have to bring his son on that trip? I had low expectations for any and all half breeds that would ever exists, and yet..."

Sighing, he stopped that train of thought, bringing his hand to his chest, feeling the unfamiliar human contraption called a "tux" and ruing the day he ever agreed to wear one to appease his daughter's "human wedding". "I hope you know how proud I am of our daughter, not even you could get me to wear this 'monkey suit'." After a pause, he barked a laugh, "No. Pun not intended..."

He took the red rose out of his coat pocket, admiring the fragile yet beautiful flower, recalling briefly the white roses that made up Bra's bouquet. "You did good. I hope I did half as well with Trunks. I know I did, but this irrational thought comes up now and again that..." Sighing, he again stops a train of thought, placing his rose upon Bulma's grave, once again giving her his attention.

"I am proud of Trunks." He voices for the first time in his life, "I love him," another confession never voiced before, "and Bra just as much. She really looks like you, you know? I bet you did it on purpose." He frowns. "Insufferable wench..." He dropped another few drams upon her grave, before inelegantly gulping down the rest of the burning alcohol.

Unable to look at her anymore, even if it was just a gravestone, he looked to the darkening skies again. "I am not truly happy, but I am at peace and content. Our children are happy and settled, there is little more I could do for either one... I've been thinking of abdicating, of allowing either Trunks or Bra to ceremonially challenge me for the crown, to pass it on." The silence engulfs him for a few more minutes.

"Did you know?" He broke the silence, "That I am currently the longest reigning monarch ever to rule? You probably knew that already; However, I bet that either brat could outdistance even me. Trunks has had much more training growing up dealing with alien relations and affairs of the planet than I had, much more receptive to it as well. He is such a smart boy... And Bra, while not raised on my planet, has extraordinary pride in it. Where I have struck fear into the hearts of all my subjects, she has won over their hearts, and has even beaten some of my top generals." He smirked darkly, "She truly is my daughter. Nappa would have hated her. And by hate, I mean 'given her undying devotion'. He was such a softy for brats..."

His smile slowly faded, remembering another blue haired beauty within the capitol. He ran a hand over his eyes, "I'm sorry we couldn't make it work, Bulma. But in the grand scheme of things... it worked. You anchored me faithfully for thirty plus years, and I... well, you know. Our kids can, and will, do better than even we did. I trust them. And their spouses." 'And that is no small matter' he thought to himself.

The King of Saiyans took a shaky breath, he stared into the name of his beloved wife, whispering daring words that he rarely uttered in his whole life, "I love you, Bulma."

He fell silent again, recalling the last time he had visited his woman's grave. It was a few short years ago when his brats were bonding over their histories of family and friends; a trifling human tradition, but Vegeta had easily tolerated it. Trunks once had showed an appropriately awed Bra the grave of the Great Saiyan General Nappa, regaling her with both heroic ballads and hilarious anecdotes, happy for finding an ear willing to listen in his younger sister. In return, Bra had escorted a trembling Trunks to their mother's final resting place, where he had never been before. Hell the boy had never before been to Earth!

The son had fallen to his knees in the presence of his mother's final resting place; there had been silence for a few moments as the boy trembled in what, Vegeta knew not. Confusion? Sadness? Awe? Eventually Trunks had cried out, begging forgiveness from his mother, for not knowing her, not being there for her...

But it was Vegeta's hand on his shoulder that had taken the blame, silently and without reservation. Tears had fallen from everyone, but it healed wounds. They could move forward, and live their lives as Bulma would want.

Bra seemed livelier afterwards, ready to share more happy memories of their mother. And Trunks was ready to absorb Earth culture; including the new sensation of human dating. Vegeta muses on how else Trunks would have ever met Pan, if not to visit his mother's grave?

"You orchestrated their meeting, didn't you?" He suddenly asked Bulma, imagining her smirk and proclamation of being a genius or whatever. He rolled his eyes. "Of all the reasons to die, it was for love?" he spat, feeling better now as disdain overrode his uncomfortable heartache. Again, Bulma knew how to soothe her mate, even if from beyond the grave.

By the time Kakarot returned to Vegeta's side, the King had already stood again with arms crossed and scowl on his face, ready to leave at once.

"What an enigma." He whispered, words belying his foul visage.