Sorry about the long wait, I haven't been near a computer in almost a week! There are some very necessary plot points in this chapter, so try not to miss anything. Enjoy!

"Kakarot, no, that's not fair!" Bulma raised her voice, standing in front of the door, blocking his exit. "This is exactly what I was trying to avoid with you."

"Are you kidding me, right now?" He growled, standing in the middle of the room. "Are you seriously trying to stand there and justify the fact that you weren't even going to me that you got hurt." He seethed.

"I'm not trying to justify anything!" She retorted.

He scoffed. "You know what, I don't even know why we're still having this conversation. You obviously don't understand why it is I'm upset by this." He practically pouted.

"Yes, I do," she said pushing herself off of the door. "I know exactly why you're so upset. And that's why I didn't tell you. I was just trying to avoid making you worry about me."

"So why did you tell Verles? I'm pretty sure that I'm little more mentally stable than he is."

"I didn't even tell him! He and Baylor, both, found out before I had a chance to do anything about it." She explained.

He stared into her eyes. "But it's better for me to be kept in the dark?" He asked quietly.

She shook her head. "No. But the truth is, I didn't plan on telling anyone." She confessed.

"Why? Did you just not care enough to tell any of us?" He asked sadly.

She sighed. "I don't think avoiding conflict means not caring." She said, walking over to him. "I will not apologize for trying to protect the ones I love the only way I know how." She reaches up to grip his chin. "And don't you ever accuse me of not caring about you. You are the most precious thing that I have in this life, and I care about you more than anything. Don't ever doubt that." She said earnestly, releasing his chin.

He looks down at her for the longest time before saying anything. "I'm sorry, Bulma, I am so sorry." He breathed.

"Why are you apologizing?"

He swallows heavily as he shakes his head. "What I just said was unnecessary. I didn't mean it." He huffed.

She bit her bottom lip. "I know, kid," She rasped, her emotions running high from hearing his hurtful words. She pulled his head down in a hug. "I love you."

He wrapped strong arms around her waist, rested his cheek on her slender shoulder and nestled into her neck. "I love you, too." He muffled into her skin.

(((Vegeta)))

"Woman, what the hell are you doing in here?" He demanded, as he stomped through the halls of his home after hearing the smoke alarms. He reached the door to her lab and pushed it open, only to find Bulma, with an extinguisher, putting out a small fire. "What happened in here?"

She waved a her hand in front of her face to move some of the smoke. "I don't know." She coughed a little. She reached over to the wall and pressed a button activating the ventilation system in order to clear the smoke from the room. She walks back over to the scorched mess. "I don't know what happened."

He walks over to stand beside her. She had one of his armored vest sitting on the metallic table. "What were you doing with my armor?" He asked.

"I was trying to increase the amount of damage that it could sustain."

He raised an eyebrow. "And you thought that you could achieve this by... blowing me up?" He asked bemusedly.

She cocks her head to the side to look at him. "No."

"So why did it explode?" He asked, picking his ruined vest.

"It didn't explode,...it combusted." She said sheepishly.

He turns his head toward her. "So, why did it combust?" He asked impatiently. "Were you trying to burn a hole through my chest, woman?"

She rolls her eyes. "That wasn't my intention, 'Geta." She muttered. She wrapped an arm around her middle, and placed a hand to chin in thinking manner. "I was just running some simple tests to check its durability. I was using a mix of chemicals to see if any of them could penetrate the breastplate, but the second that I tried out the hydrochloric acid it just went up in flames."

"Hydrochloric acid is very corrosive." He said in matter of factly.

"Yeah, its corrosive. But its not supposed to be able to make a bonfire. There must be something that was already on your armor." She deduced. She took the armor from him and began examining it. She lower her nose to it and sniffed. "Vegeta, when was the last time you wore this?"

"Two months ago."

"When I asked you to move those crates full of ammonium nitrate?" He nodded. "Well, that would explain why I almost lost my eyebrows!" She said, throwing one hand in the air. "You telling me that you haven't cleaned your armor in two months?"

He shrugs. "I could have told you that if you hadn't resulted to taking my things."

"What is wrong with you? I could have burned the house down if I were using a stronger acid!" She yelled.

He leans against the table. "Don't blame me because you were too inconsiderate to ask my permission first."

She crosses her arms across her chest. "Well, I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate because I wanted to do something nice for you." She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, at least you apologized." He said, purposely teasing her.

She reached her hands out to mimick choking him, then pulled them back her sides and sighed. "I'm not gonna lose my head today. Nope. I'm going to simply ignore you because I know somewhere deep down inside you actually do appreciate the selfless things that I choose to do for you." She said very sardonically, taking off her gloves and leaning forward on her hands over the table.

He smirked as he just stared at her frustrated expression. "I was only joking."

She sighs as she runs her fingers through her short, cropped haircut. "I know that. But is it too much for you to just say thank you?" She breathed. She looks over at him. "I know you're new to that sort of thing, but could you at least try not to act so damn pessimistic about everything."

He moves closer to her and places a hand on her back. "I am appreciative of you, Bulma." He said honestly. "But, I'd be even more appreciative once you finish fixing my armor."

She shot up, causing his hand to fall off of her back. "Seriously?! Even when you're being sincere you're still an ass!" She exclaimed, walking out of the lab and into her connected office.

He rolls his eyes before following after her. "You would think that after being with me for six years you'd have grown used to that by now." He said exasperatedly, as he entered behind her.

She stops in front of her desk and turns to look at him. She scrunches her face at his crude excuse, but then relaxed her features with a thought. "Okay, so you might actually be right about that." She agreed reluctantly, and his eyebrows shot up in a sarcastic manner. "But, it won't kill you to say thank you every once in a while, Vegeta."

He sighs before moving to stand in front of her. Without a word, he cranes his neck and captures her lips in a kiss. Bulma hesitantly reciprocated the kiss as he wraps an arm around her waist and places her on the desk. She drapes her arms around his neck. He kissed her passionately, biting at her lower lip as his hands roamed her body. He reaches up and grabs a fistful of her hair, eliciting a hiss from her, and breaks the kiss.

Blue eyes flutter open to meet black. Her hot breath on his lips, as they are only separated by their noses. "Bulma,..." he breathed.

She gives him a toothy smile before kissing a trail over his jawline. "You're welcome." She said knowingly in a whispered giggle. She captures his lips in another heated kiss. "I love you."

At that moment, Vegeta awoke, a sweaty mess, at the sound of a knock at his bedroom door. He looks around the room and a small sigh of disappointment escaped his lips. He rubs his hand down his face and let it cover his mouth.

"Father?" The voice of his alternate son called from the other side of the door.

He rolled his eyes at the unwanted interruption from his vivid dream. He pushes the covers off of himself and got out of bed to answer the door. "What do you want, boy?" He groaned out as he opened the door.

"I wish to ask something of you, father." Verles said.

Vegeta just stared at him, waiting for him to speak. "Well? Out with it, boy!" He said irritably, still very annoyed from being woken up.

"I wish to train in the Gravity Room." He blurted out. The look that the king was wearing must have been a threatening one because the prince instantly straightened. "With your permission, of course." He added quickly.

"Verles, you know my thoughts on allowing others around my things." He said, truthfully wanting to say that he didn't want other men around Bulma.

"Yes, I'm aware."

"So, why ask me now?"

He looks down and sighs heavily before bringing his eyes back up. "I have my reasons." He alludes.

Vegeta narrows his eyes at the sudden change in demeanor. "And what exactly are these...reasons?"

"I'm not strong enough to achieve my goal." He answered almost immediately.

"What goal?"

"It's personal."

He sighs through his nose. "Are you trying to prove something?"

"Only to myself." He stated.

Vegeta looked into his eyes and could see that he was telling the truth. The young man was on a mission, and who was he to get in the way of it. "Fine." He said reluctantly. "But, you get Stone to show you how to use it so you won't need her to operate it." He ordered.

"Yes, sir." He said. He was about to walk away before he noticed what the king was wearing. "Father, were you asleep?"

Vegeta look down at himself. He was wearing nothing but a pair of gray training pants. "Yes." He muttered.

"Since when do you sleep in the middle of the day?"

"I had a headache." He said simply. He did. The amount of frustration felt after his conversation with Bulma left him feeling less than confident about the next time they spoke. "And, how did you even know that I was in here, anyway?"

"One of the servants told me."

"Figures." He mumbled.

"Well, I do hope that you feel better." Verles offered before giving his father a slight bow and walking away.

Vegeta closed the door and went to sit down on the bed. He scrubs his face roughly with his hands. That conversation did nothing to take away from the feeling that filled his chest, and he could have sworn that he was actually kissing her again. For the dream that he was having was actually a memory from when they were only a few years into their marriage.

But, why that memory? Of all the things that he could be thinking about, why that? What was the significance of that moment? He had gone to sleep with a question of how to go about talking to Bulma again, but how did that dream help?Then suddenly, another question comes to mind.

He lies back down and stares up at roof. The only person who could answer his question wasn't around anymore. He covers his eyes with his arm and tries to go back to sleep.

(((Kaede)))

After that moment she had with Kakarot, Kaede decided to go back to Stone's room and demand that she use a rejuvenation tank to rid herself of those marks. It wasn't like she cared if the inventor was in pain, she just wanted to prevent Kakarot from having to see her like that. Having him say that he cares for the human weighed heavily on her mind. She knew that it couldn't be helped. And, whether she admit it or not, it hurt.

From the time that they had met, Kakarot was always a strange one, but she adored that about him. She loved that about him. He was a breath if fresh air from the usual saiyans that she had known up until then. Such a kind, untainted child that Vegeta thought that he could mold into a man. Granted, he did manage to strip away his wide eyed wonder and replace it with a hardened gaze of a soldier, but he couldn't force him to be like the average saiyan. Kaede saw this very early on when he was first introduced to Radditz and herself. They way the brothers behaved with one another hadn't changed even to this day.

After returning home from his mission on earth, she noticed a change in him. Now she knows what the cause of that change was.

As she strode down the hall, going past the training area, her ears picked up a familiar voice.

"Why did you act so damn oblivious last night?"

It was Radditz, talking very forcefully at someone.

She stops before she crosses the door.

"You told me that there was no way in hell that she was the inventor." He said pointedly.

"So what?" It was Nappa. "Is it against the law to lie now?"

"I know that she disappeared from that party last night. So what did you do?" He accused.

"So I had a little fun. What's your point?" He said casually.

Kaede could have smacked herself for not knowing who committed the act. It was too obvious.

"My point is that you used me to get to her. Is she even still alive?"

"Of course she is. I'm not stupid enough to kill her."

"But you are stupid enough to hurt her." He retorted through what sounded like clenched teeth. "What if she can't work anymore? What will you do then?"

"Radditz, relax. This is nothing I haven't done before."

"I don't care how many times you've done this, just leave me and Jora out of it next time." With that said, she could now hear the sound of heavy footsteps walking away.

She peered around the corner to see Nappa standing there in the middle of the room. She immediately approached.

"Nappa," she called, announcing her presence.

"Yes, your highness?" He addresses formally.

"I wish to have a word with you. Alone." She said, adding emphasis to the last word, indicating everyone else to exit the room. Once they were all gone she stalked closer to him.

"What did you want to speak with me about?" He asked.

"Nappa, do you enjoy angering people?" She asked as she continued to close the distance between them.

"I don't understand." He said bemusedly.

"It's a very simple question." She said casually.

"No, ma'am, of course not." He said nervously, fidgeting under her gaze.

"Is that so? Because I think that you are lying to me."

"Why would you think that, your highness?"

Once she was close enough she stared up at him with threatening eyes. She reached up and laid a hand on his barrel chest.

He squinted at her. "What are you doing?"

"I have a theory to test." She hissed as her hand drifted lower.

"And, what theory would that be-ahhh!" He howled as she gradded hold of his crotch. "What're you doing?!"

"Getting a... hands on experience." She smirked devilishly and tightened her grip on his manhood.

"Please stop!" He begged and put his up in front of him in surrender.

"What's wrong, Nappa? I hear you like it rough." She sneered.

"Why are you doing this?" He struggled out.

"Because someone needs to teach you what it means to be obedient and loyal."

"What're you talking about? I'm Vegeta's most loyal elite, you know that!"

"Ah, but apparently not loyal enough to keep your filthy hands off of his possessions." She said disparagingly.

"What?"

"Don't act as if you have no clue what I'm talking about, Nappa. You knew that the inventor was off limits, yet you chose to allow your petty thoughts to overrule the demands of your king." She said, now bearing her pearly white canines in a snarl.

"But you were already aware of what I was doing, you have been for over three years now."

She tilted her head to the side. "True." She agreed and dug her nails deeper into his crotch causing him to howl in pain. "But, I have tolerated your behavior with the female kind for far too long."

"You never cared before."

"Well, her position has changed, and that position includes her doing work specifically for the king himself." She admitted sourly and released him from her vice grip. "I don't care about what Vegeta chooses to do with his possessions, but I will not stand for such disrespect toward my mate. Do you understand me?"

He sighed in relief and cupped his aching groin. "Yes, ma'am." He gritted out. She began walking away when the behemoth felt bold enough to speak once more. "Is this about Kakarot?" She stops. "I know that he escorted her to the party last night." He said pointedly.

"What is your point?" She shot over her shoulder.

"Does he like her or something? I mean I know the guy is weird but I didn't think that he was that weird." He boldly insulted.

In the blink of an eye he was grabbed by throat and thrown into the nearest wall. Floating in front of him, Kaede tightened her grip as she held him against the wall.

Her face still as stoic as always as she spoke. "Nappa, you know how feel about you all poking fun at Kakarot." She said darkly, and she felt him struggle to swallow against her hand. "So you must be braver than I thought to stand here and insult him right in front of me." She brings her face closer to his. "What he does in his free time is none of your concern. And if we have to have this conversation, or if you even think about trying to hurt one of our inventors again, I will make you a eunuch." She spat and threw him to the floor.

She floats back to the ground, wipes her hands down her dress to compose herself and made her exit without another word, leaving behind a very shaken Nappa.

So, how did you like that last scene? I just needed someone to let Nappa know that he isn't untouchable(well, someone who wouldn't him if they knew what he did). As always, tell me what you think by reviewing this chapter and stay tuned to find the key to MyLockedHeart!