Unfaithful

Now, don't let my daughter get you confused, she became all about the baby after Trunks was born.

For all of her tough talk about not wanting to be a mother or have a family, I have seen Bulma evolve with her son. And yes, even her relationship with Vegeta. I even remember later days when Trunks was a baby and Vegeta brought a nice young man, also named Trunks (curiously?), to the compound. I served them tea but when she barged in later that night, she cried out his name and examined him, fussing over him. I didn't miss the look on Vegeta's face. It was something like jealousy and agitation.

He must have been just a little bit annoyed that Bulma made no fuss over him. This goes to prove so many things about women. Bulma, as a mother, finally understood a different type of love far purer than anything she would ever feel for any man. The love a mother has for her children, it can be a very overwhelming sort of love.

Tell me about it, Bulma was no easy daughter to raise.

Trunks still, I admit has been a lot harder, or testier, with his father's strength and all. Still sometimes I hear Bulma shriek, "GOTEN! TRUNKS! Not in the house!" And then, the inevitable cry, "Mother!"

I rush in the room with goodies on a platter, humming a little bit, because what else is a grandma to do?

"Grandma!"

"Bunny!"

The two boys are bouncing around, grabbing little cakes and stuffing their faces excitedly. Young Trunks gets the idea of throwing some cake at Goten. The little boy smirks in return and soon icing is everywhere. "Oh, my." I say, eyes wide at the extent of their boyishness.

"Great, Mom," Bulma says, cigarette lit, eyes rolling the same way they had when she was in high school. "Way to go, giving them sugar like that. That's really all they need." She's kind of ignoring them, but gesturing at them at the same time.

"Hey, Mom! Betcha anything I could hit Dad from here!"

Bulma's eyes widen and before she can say anything the door swings open and the cake leaves Trunks' hands and lands flat on Vegeta's forehead.

Vegeta, handsome as always, how nice it is to see you.

Maybe a mother indulges herself when she says that she believes that she thinks she can spin her daughter around just the right way. But I just had to try. You can't blame me really, can you? Think about how cute Trunks was as a baby and tell me that you blame me for trying to convince her that her father had lost his mind. A great blessing had literally fallen into our laps and he was trying to ruin everything!

"Bulma, you can't do it! You just can't!" I tugged on her arm, "It's alive, and you really can't-" My eyes are tearing up. I'm flailing my arms about, my heart is pounding, nothing matters more than this moment.

I waited for my husband to leave and then I trapped her, alone in her lab, before our trip out.

"Mom..." She says, a little patiently, eyes still downcast at something she was reading.

"Just go and-" I continue, still too excited to stop.

"Mom..." She says again, looking at me with a slightly amused lips playing on her lips.

"Because I mean a baby in the house is just exactly what we ne-"

"Mom, breathe." She patted my shoulder, "You're going to give yourself a heart attack. Goku died of a heart virus in another timeline, you know." At this she sort of half-giggled.

"What?" I ask, confused, but continue, "Promise me before I leave that you're not going to get an abortion. Really, Bulma, that would be just terrible because I would really love to be a grandmother!"

"Okay, okay." Bulma holds up her hands in self-defense. I put my hands on my hips and look closely at her. These are no laughing matters. "I wasn't going to tell you this, and you can't tell Dad."

"I promise!" I chirped, waiting eagerly for her to speak with a little clap of my hands.

Bulma sat down on a consultation couch in the lab, "So I talked to Vegeta last night, and-" We talked down here more and more often as she became involved with Vegeta. Still I made the mental note to get her out of this cold, dark place as much as possible. I always needed a lot of time out in the sunshine, but Bulma or her father. I didn't think it was healthy that her father spent so much time in his lab, either. So alike were those two. It's kind of remarkable, and it's not just Bulma's smarts.

Their stubbornness comes to mind immediately, when thinking about my husband the good doctor's current opinion of Vegeta (because before this he quite liked him) and on virtue of this, baby.

"And you two got back together? Oh, how wonderful!" I'm so excited about this.

She laughed, spoiling my excitement. "No, no, Mom."

I look at her quite seriously, for she seems to not know what she's missing here, "Honey, he's a man. I mean, a real man. You're not going to find one as strong and focused and handsome as Vegeta is for miles around." I put my hands on my hips, "And you got him once, so why don't you get him back?"

I can't help but feel like she's letting Vegeta get away. I would have made a full blown project out of managing to obtain Vegeta, but not my pretty, stubborn daughter. No, she falls in love with Vegeta despite herself. She falls in love with Vegeta when they're arguing over her machine updates, when he makes fun of her about Yamucha and then flirts with her quickly just to pull back. Vegeta may be an alien, but he's still a man, and it's his personality that she's fallen in love with. This is why this is so hard for her to admit.

She also finds herself completely incapable of acknowledging the good aspects of Vegeta. Again, so much like her father. She can't see the very obvious good, she's so busy looking at the parts of him that are complex. She doesn't see a man with savage determination and strength anymore. But then again, I'm not really sure what exactly Bulma sees when she looks at Vegeta.

Bulma flushed a little, "So anyway, even though Dad thinks it's the best that I not keep the baby..."

I let out a squeak to sit by her, grabbing her hand. We huddled together as she prepared to tell her secret, "Yes, yes?"

"Even though he wants the best for me, I talked to Vegeta the other night and asked him if he wanted me to get rid of the baby and he was even angrier with me for suggesting that than he was when I told him I was pregnant." She sounds a little curious when she says this, and I take the opportunity to jump in before she can say anything negative.

"Of course he did! Vegeta!" I clasped my hands together in joy, closing my eyes good-naturedly. Suddenly, I look at Bulma, and clarify, "That's because he loves you, oh, if you two could just get over those stubborn little heads..."

Vegeta must love Bulma back, it wouldn't make sense if he didn't. It's as simple as that, but Bulma doesn't understand these things.

Bulma shook her head, "Well I think it might have to do with a lot of other things."

"Nonsense, men love to know that they're going to be fathers. Why would he want you to have an abortion? You'd be killing his child, and men can be so proud of their children. Especially their boys. Oh, I hope it's going to be a little bity baby boy. I wish I had a boy." I sighed. "Just think! Vegeta would be so proud of him, like Gokou is of his son!"

Bulma hesitates, looking at me like I'm crazy for a moment. Slowly, she says,"...But anyway, the good news is that you can start thinking of where you want to put the nursery."

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" I clapped my hands with joy.

"I think I'd want a girl." She says, suddenly, finally. She clasps her hands together with decision, as though she's willing her body to be carrying a little girl.

I lean back on the couch, in thought, "A girl? Girls are a lot of fun, too. You get to dress her up in cute little shoes and dresses and bows, and then you teach her how to put on makeup and how to curl her hair around her finger and flirt, and you'll be there for her first love and her first boyfriend and her first dance, and you get to share secrets in the dark and eat fudge together when her boyfriend breaks up with her, and you can just talk sometimes and you can go out to lunch together and eat cakes and..."

Bulma leaned back as well, "I wouldn't want her to be so feminine. Or boy crazy. If I had a daughter, I think I'd want her to be very smart."

"Darling, smarts don't get the men." I rested a hand on my hip. "Besides didn't you run off to go hunt the Dragonballs and wish for a boyfriend?"

"No!" Bulma said quickly, with a blush, and then continues, "Well, the world isn't all about getting men, you know. No, I'd want her to be really involved in science and technology. I don't think I'd want a girl that was boy crazy or too girlish. Like that Maron girl." At this Bulma shuddered.

"Who?"

"Uh, no one, it was Krillin's girlfriend for a while and she was just awful." Bulma crossed her arms over her chest, looking upwards with a bit of a sigh, "But a daughter. I think that I'd be really strict about dating so that she would always study."

I raised a brow, "What do you intend on doing, then? You were awfully hard to get under control when it came to boys. Remember all the times Yamucha snuck in at night and your father had to-"

Bulma's eyes widened in sure horror at the high school memory, "Mother! I just think it'd be nice to have a very independent girl. I want her to be self-sufficient and bright. That doesn't necessarily equate to anything else." Suddenly she looks at me straight on, "Also, it's so weird to reminisce about Yamucha."

I crossed my arms over my chest, "Well then Grandma will teach her how to curl her hair around her little finger."

"ChiChi understands how important studying would be," Bulma said a little, but slightly defeated. "What do you think I should name her?"

"It should start with a B." I nodded.

"Why?" She frowned.

"It's tradition."

Bulma sat up, "Exactly. I want her to be really unique."

"There are a lot of very unique names that start with a B."

"But I want her to be independent. If I have a boy, I want him to have a cool name, though. Like S-"

"No, I don't think that's a good idea. The men always name their sons."

Bulma laughed, and flicked her wrist a little indifferently, "Like Vegeta will care. I said he didn't seem to want me to have an abortion, not that he was prepared to become the father of the year. Can you see Vegeta as an affectionate father?"

"I think if you had a son, it would be a great thing if he were a lot like his daddy."

"That's an awful idea!" Bulma stuck out her tongue in distaste.

"Well, you liked Vegeta enough to go to bed with him and now you're pregnant with his-"

"Mother!" Bulma said, crossing her arms over her chest hotly. "And I don't understand why you say that, anyway. Vegeta is crude and disturbed, Mother."

"You still love him." I pointed out.

Bulma bit her lip, "I think if I had a son it would be really cool if he were more like Gokou, or something." She says this with a bit of a shrug. Like she's saying something really important but she doesn't want me to really notice. I can always tell when my Bulma is testing the waters with her momma.

"Don't let Vegeta hear you say that."

"Really, though. Not nearly as naive, but I think that maybe if he didn't end up so serious..." Bulma cups her chin in her hand and rests on the arm of the couch. She's lounging, trying to seem bored. "He would certainly be happier."

"So are you going to let him fight like Chi let Gohan?"

"I guess it's not like I'd be able to stop him. But I won't allow it to be his entire life. I mean, it is going to be in his blood. I imagine if I have a boy, I won't really have much of an heir to CC." She blinked, "Unless the girl would want to fight too. I wouldn't want to train." Bulma looked in thought for a moment. "I kind of wonder if it's going to be more Saiya-Jin or human."

"I think that Vegeta can be awfully crafty. If the baby were like him, he could handle the company and have his little fighting hobby on the side."

Bulma sat up, "But I mean, Mom you still know that we can't hide this from Dad forever. Still, you can't tell him for a little while. He's got to focus on his trip and you know he's already really uptight about having to leave Vegeta and me together."

I pouted, "I don't see why he has to call Krillin to come over and babysit you. You and Vegeta just need some time alone... And I'm sure you can still get plenty with him even after the baby is born! I'd love to babysit!" I smiled happily at the thought, another baby around the compound! How wonderful.

"Mom, I'm not sure how good my child is going to be with you around, and I mean that with as much love as possible." She says this with a half smile and a 'heh.'

"What do you mean?" I blink a little bit, confused.

"I just have a feeling you're going to be the worst sort of enabler ever." Bulma looks at me with this knowing smile. It's getting wider and wider as though she can see into the future.

"You just worry about Vegeta." I say, returning with a bit of a wink.

"Well Mom, I mean Vegeta is still not entirely happy with me.. " Bulma looks uncomfortable for a moment. She stares at her hands and plays with her fingers. She is intent on avoiding my gaze.

"Of course he is, he just doesn't want you to know." I put my arm around her shoulder a little bit, ready to comfort her. "But we can't wait to tell your father forever. And you know I'm no good at holding in good news!"

"Not everyone thinks this is good news, Mom. A lot of people think I've really messed everything up this time." Bulma's blue eyes turn a little bit sad upon saying this. She reaches up to touch my hand.

"Bulma," I say looking at her carefully, "We can't help who we love."

"Mother," Bulma sighs, breaking from my gaze and my embrace, "I just don't know about that."

I look at her, trying to check my temper no matter how much she tests me, "Vegeta does love you, you know. There's got to be something about you that he thinks is really special. He chose to have a child with you."

"What, proximity?" Bulma practically sneered, bitter and hurt. She's hugging herself a little bit, hands undoubtedly on the little thing growing inside of her, "I don't know about that, Mom. I just don't know."

"I don't see why you have to have them come over to watch her." I'm steaming mad at him, and he has to know it. By the time that we get back from this trip, he had better change his attitude about Bulma's baby and Vegeta.

"Vegeta is a menace and I won't have the two of them alone." The doctor is straightening his lab coat in frustration, "He's just lucky I can't kick him out!"

This is going to be a very long trip. I sighed heavily and continued humming as I fixed my hair. I'm trying to ignore him and his nastiness, but he's been really getting into it lately. It would be comical if this wasn't my grandchild we were talking about here.

"Well, you're in an awfully good mood." He commented from over a cigarette.

"Well," I shrugged, trying to not let Bulma's secret come out. "I don't think we've been out in a while."

"Now, don't you let this become some time for Vegeta and Bulma to make up. You know they're not a couple and they never were. Bulma loved Yamucha and a night of bad judgment is what's landed her in this mess. Maybe we shouldn't go at all." He crosses his arms around his chest with some sort of finality.

"You know, I don't know what you have against poor Vegeta." I said, looking at him from behind a lock of blonde hair.

His eyes bulge out a little bit, indicating his outrage. "Bunny! Vegeta is awful!"

"I don't see how. You said yourself that you think that that boy is amazing, dedicated-"

"Yes, and also have I seen him be cruel and terrible!" He's puffing on his cigarette heatedly now. "That's exactly why I think that Bulma needs supervision, and maybe we should stay!"

I practically jumped out of my seat, "You've got to go, you already said you would. You have both of them coming anyway. How awkward for poor Bulma."

He rolled his eyes, "Yes, poor Bulma." He crossed his arms over his chest, "I just don't understand what got into her head that she thought that getting together with that boy would be a good idea! The night before her wedding of all things!"

"Oh, my! Vegeta!" I cry out.

"Boy!" Vegeta growls, carrying out something like his nickname for young Trunks.

Trunks kind of grins at him and waves, "Betcha can't catch me, Dad!"

Vegeta shakes his fist, stepping forward in a menacing way that makes Trunks giggle with glee and skip away while Goten shakes a little bit.

Bulma steps forward with her eyes sharpened. "You leave him alone! It's not his fault that your ugly face ended up on the receiving end of his cake attack."

Vegeta wipes the cake off his face and icing shoots to the floor. A vein is popping out of the side of his head, poor man can probably barely handle the stress of playing father to young Trunks sometimes. "Bulma," He nearly shouts even though she is feet away, "The damned boy insists on provoking me and some day I'm going to take him to the Gravity room and really show him-"

"You won't 'really show him' anything, Vegeta!" Bulma puts her hands on her hips, "Now go get cleaned up while I order dinner."

Vegeta stands there, eyes locked with Bulma. Vaguely do I notice that I'm only holding the empty tray of treats by a single handle and it gets a little icing on my jeans.

"Mom, go take Trunks and Goten upstairs and clean them up too." She says, without looking back at me. I drop the tray and hold my hands out. Immediately both boys take them, smiling at me, knowing at those words that everyone won and now Bulma was left to tame Vegeta.

"Trunks, you're crazy!" Goten giggles over a cupcake as we head up the stairs. I shoo them along to Trunks' room, and hear Goten chirping, "I would never try to get your dad mad the way you do!"

I'm inclined to agree, but like mother, like son I suppose.

As I was lingering about, I managed to hear them so I looked over the corner to watch the two below. I couldn't exactly see Vegeta's face from over the corner, but I could tell he was still standing there tense as ever, angry to be undermined in front of his son. It all happened so quickly he hadn't had that much time to react. Door, open. Cake, face. Boy, Woman.

"Besides," Bulma says, spinning around, swiping a little bit of icing from off of his chin and the bottom of his lip with her finger and sticking it in her mouth, "I kind of like it when you're a little bit sweeter. It may just be an improvement, Vegee-ta."

Something like a note: Okay, so upon reading this I've always sort of wanted to clarify that this chapter does not reflect my views on abortion, misogyny, or family dynamics. If anything this, along with most of my stories, should be seen as satirical (because DBZ doesn't treat the ladies very kindly, you guys). Bunny just wanted grandkids and I see her as a bit of a traditionalist. Thank you.

-CL