Chapter Ten
The End
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"It worked, Grandpa. He didn't even notice Goku's power over mine when I powered up. He really thought it was the first time."

"Good. Thank you, Trunks. For your help. Goku didn't need him getting in the way of the fight. You're sure it's over?"

"Yeah, the power levels- aside from Fathers, have all calmed down. I think it must be over. One is getting closer, though. I think it's Goku."

"He's probably got your mother with him. They might not be able to find you if you stay hidden down here. Go on out, and meet them. You've earned it, Trunks. You're a remarkable young man." That made Trunks blush.

"Thanks, Grandpa. When will you be home?"

"Oh I'm going to wait here for the dragon balls to re-charge, and wish myself home. So, about three months."

"I can't wait! Well, I better go see my mom and Goku- erm-" He paused and looked at himself on the screen. He was dirty, and sweaty from powering up- he wished he could have a shower before meeting her for the first time, but they were already getting close. "I'll talk to you later, Grandpa. Thanks for saving all of us."

"Any time. Have fun, and Trunks?"

"Yeah?"

"Your mother loves you, so stop worrying."

"Thanks, Grandpa."

Trunks turned off the call, and went outside to wait for Goku and his mother- at least he hoped she was with him. It was such an odd feeling, leaving the ship. He'd never left the caverns before- ever. Not that he could remember. Even when he'd been especially mad at his father, he only burrowed new tunnels to get away from him. The closest he ever got to leaving was going for a swim in the lake. He'd never broken the surface before.

He was so nervous, that he paused just below the surface of the water. It was just water. He knew what it would feel like, yet somehow it felt like he was about to take a step off a tall cliff. When he could hold his breath no longer, he pushed through.

It was so bright. He couldn't see, so he flew a few feet into the air to get out of the water. God, it was bright. He blinked at the light, and rubbed his eyes until they started to adjust. Bit by bit, the overwhelming brightness faded until he could see color and shape again.

Everything was so…. Blue.

And green. The sky looked like it would go on forever and ever. He almost felt like he was going to fall up, into its vastness. But he didn't. He just hovered there, blinking around at the scenery.

Eventually, he landed on the shore and knelt to look at the grass. It really was made up of tiny blades. He'd always imagined it would be softer than it was, but it was still cool to the touch and ticked when he ran his fingers through it. He chuckled. He was so distracted, that he didn't even notice Goku land near him.

"Trunks?" His head snapped up to find- her.

His mother.

"M-mom?" He climbed to his suddenly numb feet. She really was pretty, with long blue hair and big, kind, intelligent eyes.

"Trunks!" She ran to him, and threw her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a tight, strong hug so filled with unashamed love, that he felt a weight grow in his stomach. A hug. This was a hug. He couldn't remember ever getting one from Vegeta.

"Mom." He hugged her back. He was nearly as tall as she was, but he leaned forward to burry his face in her chest. It was so strange to feel someone's arms around him. Tears filled his eyes, though he couldn't explain why.

"Oh Trunks. My boy, my clever, wonderful, kind boy." She squeezed him. "I love you. You're so mature. So smart- I'm so impressed." She kissed the crown of his head and pulled back enough to look at him. He tried to wipe his eyes before she could see- but she just smiled at him. A smile full of- not pity. Pride, kindness… was it love?

"Look at you. You're so big now! And your hair- god you're handsome. I'm gonna have to beat the ladies off of you with a stick. God, you're so big." She had tears in her eyes too, but she was clearly very happy as she hugged him again. "Trunks, I love you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I wish I had been."

"It's okay, mom. It's not your fault you were dead." He croaked around the lump in his throat.

"Still, I'm sorry- and- you're Father…" She trailed off and sighed.

Here it comes, he thought. She was going to try and defend him. He tensed.

"Your father is a jackass. I can't- I can't believe what he did to you. It's unforgivable. I'll make sure he pays, and he'll never lay a hand on you again." She promised.

At that point, Trunks broke down into anguished sobs, while his mother held him.

He only vaguely recalled being gently, but firmly pulled off of her by Goku, with a reminder not to squeeze so hard. He didn't see her sneakily swallow a senzu, before she was holding him again.

Next thing he knew, Goku was taking them to the lookout to meet everyone. He repeated the names as they shook his hand, one right after the other. Goku went last.

"We sort of already met, but you were distracted by your mom. So, I'm Goku. It's good to meet you! You've got to be the youngest Super Saiyan ever! That's amazing!"

"Wow- um- wow, thanks." He blushed, and scratched his cheek. He wasn't used to people praising him this much. He didn't believe most of it, but still- Goku, the strongest fighter they knew of had just said he'd done something amazing. He felt himself swell with pride.

"We'll have to train some time!" Gohan said excitedly. He was a little shorter than Trunks. It was odd, since he was older, technically- but he was the same age he was when he'd died 13 years ago, 10.

"Yeah! It'll be fun! I've never trained with another kid before!" Trunks said excitedly.

"It'll be awesome!" Goku chimed in.

"Ok but first I need to feed him. Poor boy's had only Vegeta's cooking, his whole life through!" Everyone laughed, and nodded. "Let's all go!" Goku suggested eagerly.
"Sure! It's my treat!" Bulma said.

And so, they all went out to dinner together. And it was the most fun Trunks had ever had.

It wasn't easy for Trunks to settle into his new life, despite the support of so many genuinely kind people. He lived with his mom, in a big mansion. He had his own huge room and he could go anywhere he wanted. His mom hugged him so many times in a day that he couldn't keep track. He didn't mind, though. THe affection was still new to him and he'd take all he could get.

And for the first few months, he was happy. He was content to live with his mom and train with Goku and Gohan. He advanced more in those short few months with Goku and Gohan than he ever had with Vegeta in the same amount of time, with one exception.

Goku was a hard trainer but he wasn't cruel. He gave praise when it was deserved, with words and not just smug, proud smiles. But Trunks couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't doing well. He kept looking up, hoping to see that look of pride in Goku's eyes that Vegeta always had when he'd done well.

"Good work today guys!" Goku said cheerily after a long day of training. The phrase meant the two boys could relax, and relax they did by collapsing to the ground and panting. "You doin okay, Trunks? You seem a little down lately."

"Yeah. I'm doing okay. I better get back to my mom now. She said this morning she was taking me out to dinner. Thanks for the training, Goku."

He did feel off, but he wasn't going to bother Goku with it. When he got home, Bulma was working on removing the bomb from 18's neck for Krillin. He was so fascinated watching her take apart the android that he forgot his own troubles for a while.

"Hey Mom? Can I study tech with you during the days, rather than training?" Trunks asked once 18 and Krillin had left a few hours later.

"Sure, but what's up? You don't like training with Goku?"

"What? No, it's fine, I just… I don't feel like I'm getting better."

"Goku told me you're advancing really well though."

"He says that? I just, I don't know. I feel like he's just saying it to be nice."

"Well, that's not unusual. You're just not used to his sort of praise. I'm sure all you got with Vegeta was a general look of pride. Goku won't give you that look because he doesn't consider your accomplishments his own."

"Do you really think that's why father did that? He was proud of himself for being a good teacher, rather than proud of me?" Trunks rubbed the back of his neck and sat down as the weight of that knowledge settled in on him.

"It was probably both." She admitted, cautiously. "He did love you. Does, love you. I'm sure of that. Even if he doesn't deserve to be near you ever again." She added bitterly.

"I miss him."

"Of course you do. I don't know where he is though. He took off after I yelled at him and hasn't been around him since. I imagine he's both hurt, bitter, and resentful right now. All that work to kill the cyborgs and now he can't. All that work and no big dramatic payoff. He just… he wanted a fight. And he didn't get one." She sighed.

"I don't think I'm still mad at him." Trunks admitted. "I just miss him."

"DId he ever apologize?" Bulma asked, and turned in her chair to look at him.
"Yes. He admitted it was wrong too, and he didn't even really ask me to forgive him. When he comes back, I think I'll tell him. Will you forgive him too, Mom?" Trunks asked. "He missed you, you know. A lot. He always said the only reason he needed to wait to fight the cyborgs was because he promised you, and that was reason enough. He missed you." Trunks told her, eager for her to accept his father back into their lives, so he could have them both back.

"Trunks, you're a very kind young man. It'll take me… awhile, to get to that point. But I won't say no, okay?" She got up and hugged him.

That was the encouragement he needed to keep training. Goku even pointed out that he probably felt weird training without a clearly defined goal. Getting stronger was the goal, but there were no cyborgs to fight. No big bad guy waiting. But getting stronger was the goal. And that was enough for now.

The days and weeks blurred into months, with no excitement other than trying new foods. Trunks was determined to try every food the world had to offer. His Mom even took him on a worldwide food tour, so he could explore, and eat his way across the world he'd missed out on before.

Everything was wonderful until one summer afternoon, when the sky went black. Trunks looked up, confused more the alarmed. But that quickly changed when he saw the looks of terror on everyone's faces. Krillin clenched his fists, and Goku shot straight up into the air, while his mother frantically looked for an odd little locater of some kind.

"Is it Shenron?!" Goku shouted back to them from his spot in the sky, fifty feet up. He sounded so serious, that Trunks felt a stab of fear. He'd never heard Goku use that tone. There was a pause while Bulma looked at the locator- now Trunks understood. It was the dragon ball locator.

"The dragon balls are all clumped together! It must be him! Do you think it's… Vegeta?" She asked, and sounded horrified.

"It must be!" Goku threw a concerned look at Trunks. "Stay here!" He shouted. Then he vanished on the spot.

"Do you think he's wishing for-"

"He must be!" Bulma threw the round device at the ground in anger.

"Wishing for what?" Trunks asked, panic filling his chest.

There was an odd quiet throughout the house. No one wanted to tell him what was going on, but from their expressions, they all had the same idea.

"Just tell me!" He pleaded.

"Trunks… We-" But he could tell Krillin was going to beat around the bush, so in a burst of frustration, he jumped into the air and chased after goku. He could sense the great power of Shenron, so he flew in that direction. He flew as fast as he could, his fist clenched so tight they hurt. Whatever his father was wishing for, it wasn't good, if his friends and mom were right. They had all looked so scared, and mad. What did they all know that he didn't?!

But he'd been too late. The sky faded to beautiful blue before he got there. He kept going though, since he could sense Goku. But only, Goku. Confused more now, he pushed on faster than he'd ever moved before in his life. When he got there, he didn't so much land as he did crash.

He jumped up and looked around- he didn't sense another energy level- and yet, standing there was his father. Arms crossed, and back to them.
"Dad?" He asked, and ran up to him- but he fell short. Why had his mother been so afraid of him? Why had Goku?

But Goku didn't look scared. He looked impressed, and happy. Trunks decided it was okay, and ran around his father to face him. He looked the same as before, but he was… different. Trunks couldn't sense a power level.

"Dad? What did you do? Why did you summon Shenron? What did you wish for?"

Vegeta just stared at him, either too embarrassed or too proud to explain himself.
"You can't tell?" Goku asked. "Try to read his power level."

Trunks did as his new teacher had instructed.
"I can't sense any."
"Try harder." GOku encouraged. Trunks nodded, and really had to focus before- there it was. But it was small, like trying to sense Krillin, or Yamcha.
"Father?" Trunks took a step forward confused, and reaching out for the man who'd raised him. "Are you… human, now?"

Goku teleported them back to Kame house. Vegeta allowed it, because he knew it was the fastest way. As soon as the world appeared before him, he braced for impact. Bulma would surely attack him on sight. Something he took as a good sign. She would hit him, because she knew he wouldn't hit her back. She at least still trusted him even if she didn't know it.

But no slap came.

"Woah- What? Vegeta?" Yamcha said, blinking at him in surprise while Tien and Krillin just stared, open mouthed.
"Well, would you look at that." Master Roshi said, and scratched his head.
"Look at what?" Bulma asked, her tone cold.
"Mom, Dad is… Human, now. He used the dragon balls too…" Trunks stepped forward and hugged his mom to comfort her, like she had done for him. None of them looked as shocked as Bulma.

She hugged her son back, and stepped towards Vegeta cautiously.
"Did you really?" She asked in cautious disbelief.

He nodded.

There was a moment of stunned disbelief around the room. No one moved, no one spoke. Only Goku and Trunks who already knew didn't look shocked.

The first one to lose the shocked expression though, was Bulma. She leapt forward and threw her arms around Vegeta. He stumbled back under her weight, but wrapped his arms around her middle and embraced her.

"Wait, is he STILL stronger than me?!" Yamcha asked, outraged.

"He's stronger than Roshi, still but- still human." Krillin noticed.

"So wait is he the strongest human now?" Gohan asked.

"Well, Is Tien Shinhan human?" Krillin asked and rubbed his head in thought.

"I think so?"

But Vegeta paid those idiots no mind. Vegeta didn't care. He had Bulma in his arms. His Bulma. Her breathe on his neck, her soft curvy body under his hands. He could lift her easily still, though he definitely felt the difference in weight.

"We should go." Bulma told whispered to him, soft breathe on his neck.

"Agreed."

Bulma drove them home in one of her airships. She was quiet the whole way, but she kept looking over her shoulder at Vegeta and smiling at him fondly, so it didn't feel tense to him.

"There's a bit more to the wish I made." He said, eyeing her cautiously once they'd gotten to her house and sat down. "I realized that I was only wishing myself human to prove to you, and Trunks how much I regret what I did. I was doing it because I want you two to forgive me. But in doing so, I would be removing the strongest warrior on the planet from the equation. What if there was an attack, and I was needed?" He started to explain. Bulma went stiff, and glared at him.

"So when you made the wish it was with the caveat that you would turn into a saiyan again if anyone ever threatened the earth?" She asked. She sounded annoyed, but he understood why. "Because when you butchered our son, it was because someone was threatening the earth. That's not a comfort-"

"No. Not exactly. I wished to be a human who would always be stronger than anyone threatening the earth, so long as I was in combat with them." He clarified. "So I can still fight, and defend this planet." He didn't tell her how much more that hurt his pride. He'd used the dragon balls to get stronger. It wasn't his strength he had now. It was Shenrons. Bulma's eyes widened, shocked.

"So you'd be stronger than Frieza, but never stronger than Trunks?" She clarified. "Wow, Vegeta. That's actually pretty clever…"

He scoffed. "Trunks far out ranks me now. He's a Saiyan Elite, and I'm just a human." He spat the word, as if it were dirty.

"I'm human. He's half human." Bulma said, a little defensively,

"Yes, well, you're at least smart enough to be useful outside combat." He shrugged. He kept his arms crossed firmly in front of his chest. He felt very out of place here. In her home. It was as he remembered it before it was destroyed, but now- it was different. He could see the distinct signs of his son all around the living room.

Trunk's shoes were piled messily by the door. There was a half finished glass of water next to the sofa, and dents on the arm from where he'd laid on his back and put his legs over the arm. The place was much cleaner than the ship vegeta and Trunks had shared was, but still, he could see little signs. The odd ball sock discarded as he made his way through the house. His sword hanging on the coat rack, next to one of Bulma's purple jackets.

"I see he still can't finish a drink."

Bulma looked over at the half finished glass of water, and smiled fondly.
"Vegeta, do you want to move in? To come home, and be here with us?"

Her words gave him along moment of pause. He did. He wanted it very badly but he also didn't want to admit that he needed anyone. "...Yes." He said finally.

The next thing he knew, she was kissing him. God he'd missed this. Her soft lips on his and the curve of her waist under his hands as he took hold of her hips. Finally, she was excited to see him. She wanted him, despite what he'd done.

That night, Trunks slept over at Goku's after Bulma sent a brief message to Krillin and the Son's.

The next morning, Trunks burst into the house eagerly.
"Mom? Dad?" He called. Vegeta could hear him coming from his spot snuggled up to Bulma in her- their, room. Bulma rolled over in his arms to look lazily up at him. Vegeta thought she'd have called Trunks in here to meet them if she weren't naked. He wanted her to stay naked, but he also wanted to see the look on Trunks face when he saw them together. But sadly, none of their clothes were within reach, so they had to get up and get dressed.

"We're here, we're here! Sorry! What are you doing home so early it's barely past 7-" Bulma was cut off mid sentence by Trunks throwing one strong arm around her, and the other around Vegeta. He was crying, and laughing at the same time as he hugged them. Vegeta patted him on the back, while Bulma embraced him hard enough to hurt a normal person.

"So- are you guys… okay?" Trunks asked with unmasked hope lighting up his face.
"Yes, honey. We're okay now. Vegeta's going to come live here. We can be a real family now."

"At last."

Trunks was so happy, that he melted into tears while his parents both held him close. Vegeta was no longer, all he had.

The End

This has been such a fun ten weeks! Thank you guys for going on this trip with me!