Author's Note: Man WRITER'S Block! So sorry about the wait! And I know this chapter isn't that long, I should have another one up in a couple of days but as I just said my mind really shut down with this. So no promises.


Chap 29--Don't Belong

Can you still feel me or did I slip away? A sick man, a monster, broken still today. I can't explain what happens to me

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Bulma observed Bra as she played with toys upon her bedroom floor. Bulma leaned against the doorframe with her thumbnail nervously between her teeth. Her thoughts were wild and constant and the more she thought the more fear built in her stomach.

The incident that occurred a couple of hours ago was exactly the situation she had been fearing from the start. Vegeta had blacked out with Bra in his arms and in effect hurt her. The bruises on her chubby biceps were bright purple and black, covering her arms almost completely from the shoulders to her elbows. And even though her Sayian blood was already healing them it didn't dissolve the fact that Bra was no longer safe around her father. Bulma was going to make a decision now and she wasn't sure how either one of them were going to handle it.

Taking Bra away was in her own best interest. But Bra wouldn't see it like that and neither would Vegeta. She would be hated by both but as a mother she couldn't care. She had to protect Bra. Goku could protect her. If she took Bra to her own mother's house, Vegeta would just go there and take her back. Goku would have to be the one. And though that was not fair for Vegeta, she didn't have a choice.

It had been two hours prior. Vegeta hadn't showed his face since and she highly doubted he would for the remainder of the night. But now that the decision was made she feared his sudden return. Bulma couldn't believe she was actually frightened of her husband. If he came home while she was getting Bra out of the house, she wasn't sure what he would do.

She contemplated calling Goku over but she knew her husband well enough. If he showed up, Vegeta would instantly arrive to find out what was going on.

She would have to do this quick and without upsetting Bra. Bulma didn't know how attuned Vegeta was to their location or how far he was, but if Bra's ki suddenly sparked she was sure he would come to her call.

With sudden determination, and fear, moving her Bulma made for the hallway closet and grabbed a capsule to expand luggage. She dropped the large suitcase on Bra's bed and the little girl's big blue eyes turned to her with interest, "Whatcha doin, momma?"

Bulma smiled and knelt down in front of her. "How would you like to go see Goten?"

"Goten!" She jumped to her feet with excitement, "We go now?"

"Yes, baby, but why don't you pick out your favorite animal to bring with you."

She giggled and ran, jumping on her bed to search through her numerous toys. "I can only bring just one?" She whimpered.

"Fine, two but no more." Bulma hurried to her daughter's closet while she was occupied with the decision and grabbed a bunch of clothes and dropped them in the suitcase.

Bra's attention flew to her. Her lavender brows knit watching her mother go to her dresser and pick out underwear and socks and drop them in the box. "Yous never bring clothes to Goten's. Only to Grammy's when I stay for days."

Bulma continued to pack, "Don't you want to stay with Goten?"

Her features scrunched with uncertainty. "I want to stay here."

Bulma was getting nervous. She had miscalculated how much Bra understood. Taking a deep breath Bulma sat on the bed with a soft, motherly smile. "You'll love it over there. You and Goten can play video games."

Bra wiggled off to the bed to get on her feet taking a few steps from her mother, "I want to stay here."

"Bra, honey, you're just going there for a couple days."

"Why?"

Bulma bit her lip. "Mommy's going to be busy for a bit and I won't be around."

"Then I go to Grammy's like before."

"They're out of town."

She disliked that response and crossed her baby arms over her chest to show her disproval. "Where's daddy?"

"Your daddy's out."

"Is he mad at me?"

Bulma stalled in zipping up the suitcase. She looked to her daughter and quickly knelled in front of her, "No of course not."

"Does he want me to go away?"

"Bra." She sighed unsure what she should say, "He hurt you."

"He didn't mean it."

"That's not the point. I can't let him do it again."

"He won't." Her eyes were beginning to swell with tears.

"I can't risk it, honey. I love you too much."

"Where's daddy?" She whimpered now, water spilling over onto her cheeks.

Bulma stood. She had to be strong and determined about this or Bra was going to win. She had to protect her daughter. That was the only choice in this matter. "He's out." She replied coldly, grabbing the handle of the suitcase.

Bra ran right passed her, "Daddy!" She screamed down the hallway, running to her parent's bedroom, "Daddy! I don't want to leave! Daddy! Come back! I'm sorry! Daddy!"

As long as her ki didn't raise, Bulma was unafraid of Vegeta's appearance. She clenched her chest to hold herself back from going to her daughter. If she approached or tried to hold the young child, her ki would go up. She had to let Bra run out of steam. And once she realizes that Vegeta had run away and her strength gives out, Bulma will be there to comfort her. A place where Vegeta should be. She cursed him for leaving the child, for making her think that it was her fault for causing Vegeta's blackout, and for not being here now to stop her tears.

"Daddy!" She cried hysterically pushing open doors and calling out windows, going in and out of bedrooms only to restart the same journey each time coming up empty. "Daddy! I'm sorry! I'll be good, please! Come back! Daddy!" She wailed but finally came to stop before the open balcony doors of her parent's bedroom. The cold air came sweeping into the room and Bulma reached for a blanket to wrap around her sobbing child, trying to stop her own tears as she held Bra in her arms. "Where is he?" she whimpered pathetically.

"What's going on?" Vegeta dropped down on the balcony

"Daddy!" She cried shoving herself out of her mother's warmth to bury herself in her father's thighs. She reached up begging silently so Vegeta lifted her up, allowing her to wrap her arms and legs around him tight, wailing into his shoulder. He held her carefully using no strength, to afraid to do anything else. He turned to Bulma with confusion. "Don't let her take me, Daddy! I want to stay with you!"

Vegeta's brows knit staring at her. "To where?"

"Goten's!"

The realization was quite obvious for Bulma to witness as she stared back at him, strengthening herself for whatever onslaught that was about to happen. "You hurt her." She whispered. "I can't let it happen again."

"You didn't mean it! It's boogeyman's fault! Not Daddy's!"

With awkward movement Vegeta rubbed her back to sooth her wails but despite his calmness his glaring orbs never faltered from Bulma's. It was a challenge. Bulma could tell just by the stance of his feet and the straightness of his back. He was challenging her, silently saying 'Take her if you dare too.'

"You could have killed her." Bulma's voice was getting louder as desperation was becoming clearer.

Bra snapped her head around, her cheek bright red and covered in tears, "Daddy loves me!"

"I know he does sweetheart. But he's not safe for you."

"I don't care! I'm staying with Daddy!"

Bulma's gaze went back to Vegeta's. His stance was unchanged. She needed to get him to understand. "How close were you to killing Trunks, Vegeta? How close?" His hand upon Bra's back faltered for just a flinch. But it was a signal that he was listening. "Did you have any idea that she was in your arms? Could you hear her? Could you feel her struggle against you while you were squeezing the life out of her? Look at her arms. They almost snapped!" Vegeta's eyes flickered down but then caught hers again. He saw the bruises and had assessed them within that second timeframe. Bulma knew he was realizing how bad it had been for his other hand no longer tried to comfort Bra's whimpering.

"I'm not doing this to hurt you." Bulma whispered to him.

Vegeta fully understood her motive and even agreed with her silently. He had not been aware that he had damaged his daughter so badly. She was right. A bit more pressure and her bones would have cracked. To picture that made him sick to his stomach. He wished to gut himself from the inside just to eliminate the possibility of hurting his little girl.

However, it was the Sayian instinct inside him that made him move. He shifted Bra to his right so his left arm would be free. She clung to him like a leech, keeping her face tucked away against his neck. With his arm free now, he would be able to fight back if Bulma planned on moving. And he would definitely fight back. Losing his daughter would never be option.

"Vegeta." Bulma begged, "Give me her. Do you want to hurt her again? Hurt her like Trunks! Don't you see! I don't have a choice! I have to take her away! I'm sorry. But I have to." Bulma took a step but gasped and came short. Vegeta's hand stretched out and his palm now faced her.

Bulma was in shock. He was threatening to hurt her. And though she was stupid to be surprised that he wouldn't go to such extreme. He was always very protective of Bra.

A blink of an eye and Goku now suddenly stood in front of her. She took a step back, gapping at the back of his head.

Goku smirked softly toward Vegeta. "How's it going?"

"You have no right here." Vegeta finally voiced.

"How about we go for a spar?"

"So that bitch behind you could steal my daughter? I'm fine where I am. Leave, Kakarot."

"I know you won't hurt Bulma or Bra. But your angry. So let's go spar for a bit. No one will take Bra."

"Says you. You're not the one with the luggage."

Trunks footsteps sounded from the balcony. He came around to stand beside Vegeta defensive. Bulma caught his eye, "Please Trunks, understand."

"I do. And I don't agree with it. Bra's fine."

"Luckily. She was lucky! Do you want her to go through what you did? Or worse!"

"He protected her. She would have been hurt by me if he hadn't saved her."

"That's not the point."

Vegeta glared still at his rival, "You have no right here, Kakarot. Leave."

"You know I can't do that. Put Bra down and let's spar."

"She is where she chooses." He quickly shot back. "You do not know what is going on, nor do I care to inform you. My family, my home. I will deal with this. Now leave."

He tilted his head back, "Bulma?"

"It's okay. I'm okay." With a nod and a smirk to Vegeta, Goku vanished. Bulma caught his eyes again. Vegeta shifted and whispered into Bra's ear something Bulma couldn't hear. But slowly and hesitantly, Bra detached herself one appendage at a time moving into her brother's arms instead. Trunks held her protectively tight as he passed by his mother, smiling with an apology on his lips going out of the room. Upon the door shutting, Bulma took a step forward. "Understand please."

Vegeta turned his back and took to the balcony. Maybe it was to calm his anger or maybe he planned on taking off, Bulma didn't know but she watched with anxious worry, barely breathing, afraid she might miss something utterly important.

He turned his head to the side, back toward her, "Swear."

Bulma closed her eyes and dropped her head, her long hair falling over her features. He was going to leave to calm down and while he was gone he wanted to make sure she didn't take Bra away.

She could do nothing but nod, "I swear." She whispered, hating herself as a mother but respecting herself as a wife. When she looked up again he was gone.

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Hope you enjoyed it!