Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters. Just this AU plot.

Three weeks had gone by and Vegeta was still living with the Sons. It was a nice change but he was still waiting for his father to drop the bomb on him. Every time his phone rang he feared he would be forced to return home. He hadn't cared before, but he had nothing really to worry about back then. Even his brother was an afterthought during the beatings. But now, in addition to his brother, he had someone else that he needed to be there for.

Bulma was still quiet but she now hung out with his group of friends. The girls, Chi Chi and Juu, kept her busy during the week. However, during their classes she never seemed tired, but happy and lively. It was a change he could get used to. Her smile lit up the room. She also started wearing more color instead of all black as well as the locket he gave her.

Vegeta blushed when he thought about how beautiful she was. He knew a few days ago that he was beginning to have feelings for her. He would never act on them, though. Sure, they had a strong connection, but two things stood in his way. One, if his father found out who knew what the drunkard would do; and two, he was more messed up than he let on. She was healing and getting better and he didn't want to drag her down. Also, thanks to his father, Vegeta didn't feel like he deserved to be happy.

"It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all," he heard Raditz say from the doorway. "William Shakespeare…I think…I don't even know."

"Alfred Tennyson," Vegeta corrected. "What do you want Raditz?"

"You've been brooding in your room all weekend. Does this have to do with Bulma, by any chance?" Vegeta did not like his tone and he glared at his best friend's older sibling. "Look, I can tell you like her and I'm sure that loudmouth my brother's dating can figure out if she likes you back."

"Knock it off," Vegeta jeered. "You're delusional. You know I don't care about others."

"Just because you don't care about yourself doesn't mean you don't care about others. What about Tarble? You care about him. And what about that day on the bridge when you brought Bulma over for dinner." Vegeta looked over to Raditz alarmed. "Jay was driving home that way and saw you with her,"
he explained. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what happened. You saved her from making a mistake and you barely knew her. You care about her, Vegeta."

"So what?" Vegeta snapped looking back up at the ceiling.

"So, she might care about you, too," Raditz replied.

"I don't want her to," Vegeta confessed.

"Well, it's a little late for that dude."

"Hm?" Raditz pointed out the window. Vegeta turned to look and saw Bulma running to the door in the rain from a large car. He had told her that he was living at Goku's for the time being so she was most likely coming to see him.

The two boys heard a knock on the door. Vegeta went downstairs to answer it.

"Yes?" he asked.

Bulma laughed. "What kind of greeting was that?" she teased. "Anyway, my mom wanted to take me to the movies and wanted to know if you would like to join us." Vegeta's eyes widened at the mention of the word "mom." He looked over to the car to see Mrs. Briefs waving at him. Had Bulma really opened up so much that she started to accept Mrs. Briefs as her mother?

"What movie are we seeing?" Vegeta asked.

"I don't know," Bulma responded. "She didn't tell me."

"I don't know," Vegeta said averting his eyes nervously.

"Please, Geta," Bulma begged using her nickname for him and giving him the "puppy-face." How could he possibly say no to that?

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Oh, alright."

"Yay!" Bulma cheered as she pulled a stunned Vegeta out into the rain.

Raditz watched the scene from the staircase and chuckled. "Yeah, they're good for each other."