Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or anything about it.

Chapter 10: Changes

Bulma was sitting on the couch holding a pillow and tracing the edges with her fingers as her father stood over her in fury. After the scene with Vegeta, her father had marched over to her and practically hulled her out of the celebration. Luckily she was already standing by the door so no one even noticed really.

"I thought you didn't care about his attention."

Bulma just shrugged her shoulders and replied "I don't."

"Bulma you are going to sit here and tell me that you don't care about catching Vegeta's attention while wearing that dress! And to top it all off, you snuck out the house with it on. Why did you do that?"

"I wanted to wear it."

"You mean you wanted to wear it for Vegeta. I saw you Bulma and-"

"And if you were really watching me you would have noticed that I didn't go anywhere near him. He came to me." Bulma seethed. She was really tired of always being accused of going after Vegeta,

The Doctor just continued, "Which was what your plan was all along."

"I didn't plan anything!" She shouted.

"Yes you did. Bulma I will not have you getting close to the Prince again. I forbid it."

Whether it was because he was telling her what to do, or because he didn't want her near Vegeta she didn't know, but all she did know was that she had enough. "That's it! I can't take it anymore. I have enough people around here trying to force me what to do, I don't need it from you either."

"Bulma I am your father."

"Not my prisoner! You talk about how we are slaves and how the Saiyans are dangerous but the only person that treats me like a slave is you."

The Doctor was flabbergasted. "Bulma have you gone crazy? The King is the one that treats you like a slave he-"

"He rewards me. He lets me go out. You and mom haven't even gone with me to the Beach in years. You leave me with Saiyans all the time, the same people that you don't want me to be around. Bardock, Turles, Kakarot, Raditz, and yes, even The King is the closest friends I have. No one talks to me. No one wants to be around me. The women hate me, and the men are too afraid of the King to even speak to me, so yes I snuck out the house with this dress to get attention. But I wanted it from everyone, because I feel like I don't get it all." Bulma stated.

The Doctor really just could not understand her. "Bulma, how can you say that? Next to Bardock you are the most recognizable scientist in the Empire. You get plenty of attention."

Bulma just shook her head. "Well what I have isn't enough and it doesn't feel like anything when you try to keep me away from it."

"Bulma its not that I don't want you to have attention, but-"

"But you don't want me to be important to the King? It's too late. Yes the King sees me as his investment or whatever but you used me too. You used my skills to get mom and me on this planet and put me in harms way."

"Bulma I never meant-"

"I know. But the truth is…Vegeta wasn't the only one I had to forgive." Bulma said quietly. She didn't realized how much she needed to say that until that moment.

The Doctor didn't know what to say. He felt like he had been punched in his gut. He didn't know that his daughter had such resentment towards him. "Bulma I told you that I was sorry."

"I know. But bad things still happened to me. And I probably could have forgave you easier if you hadn't have put so much blame on the Saiyans."

The Doctor was offended with that. "Bulma the Saiyans are monsters."

"Yes, and you gave me to them." Bulma said sadly. Her eyes were watering. She really should have had this conversation with him years ago but she kept telling herself that her dad didn't mean for any of this to happen, but she didn't know that she needed to say these words to him. She didn't think she had any resentment left but she was wrong.

The Doctor saw how broken Bulma was and sat down next to her on the couch. "Bulma tell me what I need to do to make it right."

Bulma swallowed back a sob that wanted to get out, but she didn't want to cry like that. She promised herself that she wouldn't any more. She took a few calming breaths and looked at her father. "I need you to give me some space. I need to leave."

"The King won't let you leave Earth." He said with obvious hatred.

The Doctor didn't know it, but that was not the right thing to say to Bulma. 'There he goes again bringing the King into this. He blames him for everything.' That was it, she was unsure about her decision before, but she was sure now. "I wasn't talking about leaving the planet, just the apartment."

"Bulma no, these Saiyans are dangerous. I won't let you."

Bulma stood up with an air of finality. "Unfortunately father, I'm not your property, I'm the King's." She said as she marched outside the apartment.

"Bulma wait!" The Doctor called but his daughter was already gone. His wife who was quietly sitting at the table came over and hugged him

"Bunny, what have I done?" He said looking at her with tears in his eyes.

"Oh don't worry dear; I'm sure Bulma will be back in no time." She said smiling.

"I hope you're right…"

Outside

Bulma was walking briskly down the hall and Raditz was right next to her. He couldn't help but hear the whole argument that just happened. He had a feeling that this was not going to lead to anything good.

"Your father called you." He said hoping that maybe some way he could get her to turn around and go back home.

"I heard him." Bulma said while still looking forward,

"Perhaps you should go back and-."

"Perhaps you should do your job and follow me." Bulma said with an obvious attitude.

"Bulma-"

"What Raditz?" She snapped as she stopped pacing and glared at him.

Raditz decided to give up, there was no use trying to talk to Bulma when she was like this. "Never mind."

Bulma just turned and started walking again and she went straight to the throne room.

The King was a little surprised to see her. "Ah, Bulma. What brings you to me so late at night? Have you come up with a new invention?" He asked the last part in excitement.

"Unfortunately your highness I do not at the moment, but I have come to you with a request that may end up benefiting you in the long run."

The King's interest was piqued. "What kind of request?"

"My family is distracting me from my work and I wish to have my own quarters so that I can work with more focus and privacy."

The King looked at her suspiciously. If she were a Saiyan he would completely understand, but these humans were so emotional, it was hard to tell if she was sincere or if this decision itself was an emotionally driven one. "I can see how your mother could be a distraction, but your father is a fellow scientist. I am surprised to hear this."

"Well your majesty, I would just rather have more work time than family time." Bulma said with such surety that the King believed her.

The King nodded. That made sense to him. He cared for his son, but he did not understand the "play time" that the Brief family had. It was absolutely ridiculous. "Well I guess our Saiyan ways are rubbing off on you. This is excellent. Yes, Bulma, you may have your own quarters immediately."

"Thank you your majesty." Bulma said ending with a bow.

The King nodded to her then gave Raditz a look and said. "Raditz I trust you to keep an eye on her even the more."

"Yes sire, of course."

"Good you are both dismissed."

The next day Bulma didn't waste anytime and began packing her things. She was emptying out her closet when her father came in the doorway.

"Bulma I really wish you would reconsider. Whatever this is, we can work it out."

Bulma stopped her movements. "Dad, I love you but this is our life now, and until you accept it, I can't be here. You keep giving me all these lectures about how evil Saiyans are yet you placed me around them." She finished by angrily placing her clothing inside of a storage capsule. She was so sick of these conversations.

Dr. Brief knew his daughter was angry but he felt that he had to defend himself. "But I never intended for you to get hurt. I never intended for Vegeta to-"

"But you were the one that suggested that I teach Vegeta." Bulma said as she finished capsulizing her suit case.

"But I had no clue that he would-"

"But he did Dad. I remember the King being shocked and you making me prove myself to him in order to teach Vegeta. Sure Bardock would have used me in the lab, but you were the one that single handily gave me to Vegeta." She said as she began to capsulize her bed and dressers. She just had to get out of there.

The Doctor just shook his head. "Bulma you can not blame me for everything that has happened."

Bulma placed her capsules in a bag and turned to her father and crossed her arms. "I don't blame you completely but you deserve part of it. You just threw me in with a lion without seeing how sharp his claws were. Did you even ask about his previous tutors? Did you even know that he killed them?"

"No. I didn't. But that still doesn't change the fact that these people are dangerous and that we should stick together."

"I'm not leaving you and mom; I'm just living somewhere else. See you later Dad." She said as she walked passed him. She didn't even stop to give her mom a hug. She just said a quick goodbye. She just had to get away. She just had to…

Vegeta's Gravity Chamber

Vegeta was standing in front of the control panel and was looking at the wiring to the machine. He had been training through the night non stop and had completely fried the wires. 'I can't believe this stupid piece of junk!' He started to take some of them out, but then he thought of something. 'I should call for the Woman. She is past due for a little lesson in respect and humility.' He thought while smirking…

Later, Bulma was completely surprised when Raditz had told her that the Prince wanted her to fix his gravity room. She could barely believe it even now as she was looking over the wires. She was a little nervous with him watching her on the other side of the room but then got angry when she had seen the problem. "Vegeta you totally could have fixed this yourself."

"Hn. Why should I do that when I have servants like you to do things for me?"

"Oh please Vegeta." She said rolling her eyes.

Vegeta just smirked at her annoyed tone. 'Now its time to have some fun. '"Servant Woman, stop what you're doing and bring me a drying cloth at once."

Bulma quickly turned around angry. "My name is Bulma and I am not your Servant so say, "Please."

Vegeta just glared at her in disbelief. 'Please?' He had never uttered the word his whole life and that was not about to change. "Forget about the stupid drying cloth then."

"Fine, drip dry you jerk." She said as she turned back around.

"Shut your mouth Woman. You will learn to respect me." Vegeta demanded.

Bulma just ignored him and continued working on the wires. "Well you could learn to take a shower. You stink. Why don't you go do that while I work on this? I can't concentrate with that smell."

Vegeta didn't say anything. He was shocked. She had done it again!

Bulma looked over her shoulder at his silence. "What do you want me to roll out the red carpet?"

"What? You are one word away from being blasted." Vegeta snarled out. This was not going how he thought it would.

"I'm not working until you leave." Bulma said in a sing-song voice.

Not knowing how to respond he just grumbled out the door. He needed to regroup. 'I'm losing. I must come up with something better.' He quickly used a side shower that was on the outside of his gravity room and thought about different scenarios to get back at Bulma and then came back into the room. He frowned when saw her still at the panel. "You're not done yet? Have you gotten slower over the past 3 years?"

"I'm finished you idiot." Bulma said as she put the cover back on.

"Woman you will stop calling me these names this instant." He nearly yelled.

"Why am I hurting your feelings?" Bulma said pouting.

Vegeta was taken back by that. "Of course not. But I am the Prince-"

"Of all Saiyans yes I do believe I was told." Bulma said bored.

Vegeta growled out "Woman-"

"You know you're kind of cute when you're angry." Bulma said with her hands clasped behind her back. She knew that Vegeta had only called her down there to mess with her, so she decided to turn the tables on him.

"What kind of cute? Woman I am not in any way cute." He said embarrassed and offended.

"Oh I beg to differ." Bulma said stepping closer to him and then trailing a finger up his bicep.

Vegeta just raised an eyebrow at her. 'She's flirting with me now?' "Woman, I don't know if you're brave or foolish."

Bulma thought about it for a second then responded with confidence, "A little bit of both, but don't forget that I'm also completely gorgeous." She said as she leaned in closer to him.

Vegeta jus could not believe her. She was completely flirting with him. He had never seen this side of her. He didn't know she was capable of such a thing. "Gorgeous? Who told you that lie?"

"You." Bulma stated a little sadly.

Vegeta was at a loss for words. He had always thought she was beautiful. But the time he had actually voiced it to her was at the peek of his Shoku and that was a time that he didn't want to talk about and also something that he didn't want her to talk about either. He wanted to insult her and yell at her for bringing that up, but the way she was looking at him right now, she had this slight hurt in her eyes, a look that he had seen before; A look that he tried to forget these past 3 years.

There was a knock at the door and the two separated immediately.

"Enter." Vegeta said to the person behind the door.

Raditz stepped in and bowed. "Bulma, they need you back at the lab."

Bulma looked away from Vegeta as he walked back over to the panel to adjust his gravity settings. Bulma just nodded to Raditz. "Coming."

Raditz just nodded and went back outside. There was an awkwardness in the room that he really didn't want to take in.

After Raditz walked out Bulma looked back to Vegeta, she could tell that she had made him uncomfortable because he was defiantly ignoring her. "Well I have to go."

"And I am supposed to care because?" Vegeta said without even bothering to look at her.

Bulma just smiled as she recalled him saying similar things to her when they were children, during happier times. "Later sweet Prince."

"I am not sweet either!" He yelled at her giggling form as she left the gravity room. 'I don't understand her. When did she become such a disrespectful vulgar woman?'

"Such an enigma." Vegeta just tried to ignore it but he wanted to find out about his new enemy. He tapped his scouter and was about to call for Nappa but then realized that he would only snitch to the King and he didn't want to go down that road again. So he decided to call someone else that he knew would tell him what he needed to know and keep his mouth shut as well. He smirked and called for Turles and told him to come down to his gravity room at once.

Turles was a bit surprised to be summon by the Prince…he had never been summoned by the Prince. On his way he saw Nappa looking at him suspiciously.

"What do you want?" Nappa asked annoyed.

Turles rolled his eyes at him. He never really liked Nappa and Nappa didn't like him very much either. It was probably because of that one time when they went on a mission together and he left him alone to fight of an army while Turles went to go pillage part of the planet. He didn't understand why he couldn't get over it. He was a tough guy he survived.

"The Prince called for me. Sorry you weren't informed."

"I don't know why he would want to talk to a snake like you." Nappa sneered.

"Haha. Still mad because I didn't give you a share of my earnings?"

Nappa's eyes bucked. "You dirty pirate! We were not sent there to earn money. I barely survived."

"Well I'm sorry that you were afraid of your weaknesses."

"What? How dare you?" With pure hatred Nappa started powering up. Turles just smirked and started powering up as well. But they were both interrupted by Vegeta stepping out of his chamber.

"Nappa stand down! I did not call him down here for you two to fight."

Nappa was so angry. He really wanted to kill this man. "Your majesty he insulted me."

Vegeta just smirked. "Don't we all? Come Turles."

Turles smiled at Nappa and laughed a little when he heard Nappa growl at him. When he got inside Vegeta closed the door and crossed his arms.

"I have heard that you know everything that goes on."

"I have my circles of information." Turles took pride in his gossip. His brother was clever when it came to science but he was clever when it came to information. He made sure he always knew what was going on and where and to whom. Information kept you alive, and also blackmailing was great to. It made him very rich.

Vegeta nodded. "What can you tell me about Bulma Brief?"

Turles was a bit surprised. Out of all the things the Prince could have asked him, he was surprised that it was that…but then again with their history perhaps it wasn't that surprising. "My family and I have spent much time with her, what would you like to know?"

Vegeta, for reasons he couldn't explain felt a bit uncomfortable, but he was just too darn curious. Besides he had already asked the question so there was no going back now. But he wasn't entirely sure how to go about getting the type of answers that he wanted because he honestly didn't know what he wanted to know. "She is…different."

"Well she has grown up Sire. She could even take a mate now."

"Is she considering one?" Vegeta said before he could stop himself. He had thought he said that to himself but seeing the look on Turles face he realized that his mouth had voiced his thought.

Turles was surprised but couldn't help but smirk at the Prince's obvious interest in Bulma. 'So that's what he wants to know.'

"She is unclaimed and is not going to claim anyone soon because of your father."

"What do you mean?" Vegeta was really starting to regret not letting anyone tell him anything about Bulma over the past 3 years. Now he was probably sounding like an emotional fool to Turles. It was a bit embarrassing.

"After what happened with you, The King had let it get around that no one was to mate Bulma unless he says so."

"Does she know that?"

"Somewhat. She thinks everyone is afraid of the King, she doesn't know about the order. But it did have an effect on her."

"How so?"

"Well she has become quite flirtatious. She knows that no one would dare touch her out of fear from the King so she has teased quite a few Saiyans. She also has an attitude of a Royal."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Vegeta asked a bit offended.

Turles just shrugged his shoulders. "That she can't be touched in any way. The King believes her to be way too valuable. No offense your highness but she probably doesn't even fear you. Not while the King has her back."

Vegeta just nodded. That explained her behavior completely and also that little scene she caused at the Celebration. "Who is her guard now?"

"My nephews Raditz and sometimes Kakarot?"

"Kakarot? He is only a child." Vegeta said a bit disgusted. 'Now low level children were becoming guards?'

"Nappa ordered it. Besides Kakarot may be young but he is very strong for his age. He will make Elite in no time at all."

"Hn. We shall see about that. You may go now."

Turles bowed and turned to go out the door when Vegeta stopped him again. "Turles, tell no one of this conversation."

"Of course your highness." Turles responded. 'No I won't tell anyone…just yet.'

Later

On her way home from the lab Kakarot was trying to tell Bulma about this new dish that the cook came up with but Bulma was only thinking about her exchange with Vegeta.

'That was awkward. But yet, it was fun at the same time. Other than Kakarot, I don't get to have fun with anyone.' Bulma couldn't help but feel a little bit of loneliness settle inside her.

"Hey Bulma are you listening?" Kakarot asked frustrated.

"Ah yeah sure, sounds great Kakarot."

Kakarot just smiled and rambled on. Bulma loved him dearly but there wasn't a whole lot they could relate to.

When she went back to her apartment she had warmed up some leftovers from her lunch earlier to eat dinner. As she was sitting at the table, she realized how lonely she truly was. She usually was chatting with her mom at this time, but she didn't want to go back there just yet. She had to prove to her dad that this was best for her and if she went back to hang out with her mom then it would be like she never left.

'Maybe I shouldn't have left.' She thought as she sat at her table to eat dinner by herself. It was the first time she had done it. 'There was no point in calling Kakarot or Raditz, they were probably about to have dinner themselves, and you do not call a Saiyan away from his meal; Especially Kakarot. The boy had a large obsession when it came to food, even more so than other Saiyans.

"I wonder if Vegeta is eating dinner right now." Bulma stopped her fork midway to her mouth when she realized she had just wondered what Vegeta was doing out loud. She was about to scold herself but then realized that with everything that was going on, Vegeta is the only one she actually could hang out with.

She also figured out something else. She didn't just want attention, she wanted affection; an affection she hadn't been able to experience yet. Sure she flirted with different Saiyans but she could never go past that because of the fear they all had of the King.

'Could I have something with Vegeta?'

Yes he had hurt her, yes he was a jerk, but today she saw something. She saw something that she didn't know was still there; she had seen the little boy that she had fell in love with. She thought he was lost forever.

But still, she didn't want to get involved with him if he was going to hurt her again.

'But maybe, it doesn't have to be a relationship. I just want to have fun. I want to explore something new; something passionate.' She thought to herself.

Doesn't she deserve something like that? Didn't every girl? If she didn't try it with Vegeta then it might take years for her to finally get a boyfriend. 'No, I've made up my mind. I Bulma Brief am going to seduce Vegeta.'

Author's Note

Ok so I just want you to know that I do not condone any kid or teenager to leave or run away from home. If the situation is abusive then I believe one needs to go to the proper authorities and let justice prevail. With that said please review and also check out my sisters' fanfic 'DragonBall Legends' it's in my favorites and definitely worth a look at. It's a Bardock/Goku story but she also is going to write some really good Bulma/Vegeta scenes in there, so check that out. Next Chapter, the seduction begins! Review please.