Sabriena was sitting on the steps, humming to herself as she washed the laundry while Tien was down at the river catching fish for their lunch. She'd promised to make him a new recipe that day. She sighed happily - now if only she could figure out how to tell Tien that she was crazy about him. The flirting, the occasional cuddling at night... Why couldn't they just take that first step? Every time they tried, it seemed like someone (namely Goku) showed up at just the wrong moment and interrupted them. Oh well. Sabriena paused when she heard the sound of a hovercar approaching. She looked up, expecting to see Bulma or someone, but the vehicle that landed in the yard wasn't one she recognized. She almost yelled for Tien, but his name caught in her throat when she saw Tumbler step out of the car. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, getting to her feet.

"Hey, Subbie," he grinned lazily. "I hadn't heard from ya. I had to see you."

Her pulse was pounding in her ears. "You're supposed to be in rehab!" she growled.

He shrugged as he shook out a cigarette and lit it. "That place was a joke."

Tien jumped as he felt the new energy in the front yard of his home. He got to his dropped his fishing line and headed up to the cabin, recognizing the voice as he got closer. Oh, of all people to show up here. That Yorgi guy had been bad enough, but it absolutely made Tien's skin crawl to think that Tumbler was here. He stood at the corner of the cabin and crossed his arms, fixing Tumbler with a stern gaze. "I may not know much about rehab, but there's no way you could be out already. You're not welcome here."

Tumbler stared at the tall man before him. "So this is the teacher I keep hearing about, huh?" he asked in a scathing tone. "Hmph. I was expecting something more impressive."

"Oh shut it, Tumbler," Sabriena snipped. "Why the hell are you here?"

"I miss you," he answered, "I want you to come home. You've had plenty of this training or whatever it is you've been doing out here. I got you something, baby." He withdrew a long, slender box from his pocket and handed it to her.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "What's this?" she asked as she opened it. Her eyes went wide at the strand of big diamonds. She looked up at him, narrowing her eyes. "I thought you said you were broke."

Tumbler grinned and shrugged. "I sold some stuff."

Sabriena could feel the anger boiling up inside her. "YOU BOUGHT ME DIAMONDS WITH MORE DRUG MONEY?!" she spat and threw the box at him. She was seeing red, she was so angry. Of all the stupid, shallow, thoughtless things he could do, this took the cake.

"HEY!" he shouted as he ducked. "That cost a small fortune!" His bloodshot eyes narrowed at her, "Come on, we're going home."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," she snarled, looking him hard in the face. "Oh dear god. Are you high?! You couldn't pay me to get into that car with you." She wrinkled her nose at the car, "Especially that model."

"Bitch," Tumbler growled and grabbed her arm, making her cry out. "Get your ass in the car! I've had enough of you whoring around on me. We're going home now!"

Something snapped in Tien and he rushed forward, grabbing Tumbler's arm and squeezing it so hard it forced him to release her. He could've killed this punk for putting his hands on her. He towered over Tumbler, twisting his arm. "You trying to put another bruise on her? I ought to snap your arm for that. No one speaks to her like that, you hear me?" He pushed Tumbler towards the car, walking him backwards. "I don't think you heard her. She's done with you. She doesn't want anything to do with you anymore. Now get outta here!"

Tumbler growled against the pain in his arm as Tien backed him up. Okay, so maybe this guy was tougher than he looked. "Get off me, you sonofabitch!" he shouted. He stumbled back a few steps when Tien pushed him. "I don't know who you think you're dealing with, but I ain't leavin' without my bitch. You got that? You had your fun with her, but I'm stoppin' that now!"

He pulled his arm back and swung at Tien who rolled his eyes and easily evaded the punch. He nearly snorted at the kid. He caught Tumbler's fist in his hand and bent his wrist backwards, quickly swinging him around until his arm was around Tumbler's neck and he forced him to face Sabriena. "Now apologize to her. She's done nothing to deserve your abuse. All she's tried to do was save your worthless hide." Tien's pulse was pounding in his ears, his anger at this man starting to boil over. Tumbler was lucky Tien was no longer the man he used to be. Back then he would have snapped the younger man's neck and not thought twice about it.

Tumbler tried to struggle away, but Tien's hold was unmovable. Sabriena crossed her arms and stared at him. She felt nothing for him anymore. Staring into his bloodshot eyes, his insults echoing in her mind - why had she put up with this all these years? Her arm was hurting as if she could feel it bruising again.

"Sorry you're such a bitch," Tumbler spat at her, but nearly choked when Tien's arm tightened around his neck. His face was going red as he still tried to struggle. "Okay! Okay. Sorry, Subbie," he finally said.

"Go home, Jason," she said in an emotionless tone. Tumbler scowled at the use of his real name. "We're over," she continued in that same calm voice. "I don't want that life anymore. And I don't want you anymore. This is my life now and there's no room for you in it. Go home."

"I can't live without you!" he cried desperately. "If you don't come home, I have nothing to live for! I... I'll..."

"Kill yourself?" she asked. She shook her head. "Then that's your choice. I tried to help you. I learned something out here. Your decisions are just that - YOURS. I can't stop you. You have to be responsible for the choices you make. Your blood isn't on my hands."

Tumbler's eyes went wide as he realized she was serious. She wasn't going to be controlled by that anymore, she'd seen through his lies. "Now go home. Goodbye, Jason." She looked up at Tien. "Tien, let him go."

Tien let go of the man, watching him carefully as he turned and headed for his car. He sighed in relief and turned back to Sabriena. His heart was lighter, giddy almost that she had chosen this life over that one. How far she had come to turn down diamonds and riches to live this simple life with him? He was so proud of her; he could kiss her right then and there, but he wanted to make sure they were finally alone first. He looked at her, her pants were dirty, earth smudged on her face and sweat on her brow. She was gorgeous.

"Are you alright?" Tien asked, leaning over and gingerly taking her wrist in his hand. He frowned at the red fingerprints left on her skin. "That bastard," he growled.

"Tien, language!" she scolded with a slight laugh. It warmed her heart that he'd defended her like that. She couldn't remember anyone ever sticking up for her like that before.

Tien shook his head. "No, Sabriena," he answered. "That wasn't right. No one should ever hurt you like that." He brushed his thumb over her delicate wrist, wishing he could will away the marks there. He crouched down, looking her in the eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She nodded and smiled, butterflies fluttering in her stomach at his gentle touch. That still amazed her how this huge, fierce warrior of a man could be so graceful and gentle at the same time. She nearly swooned at the thought of him touching her like that all over. Her smile faded when her eyes flicked over Tien's shoulder to Tumbler's car. He wasn't getting inside to leave, he was reaching for something in the console. He swung around, his arm outstretched…

"TIEN! GET DOWN!" she screamed and threw herself at him, knocking him to the ground just as the gunshot resounded in the air. She lay over his chest, her shoulders shaking and she slowly looked up at Tumbler, the gun clicking in his hand as he tried to fire again. She looked down at Tien, who looked shocked. "Are you hurt?" she gasped, sitting up a bit, looking him over. There was no blood, he hadn't cried out in pain.

"I'm fine," he breathed, the air knocked from his lungs.

She looked at Tumbler fumbling with the jammed gun. She got slowly to her feet, stalking towards him, ready to kill. She couldn't help but think wildly that the idiot still didn't know to invest in a quality gun after all these years of being with her. "You… fucking… bastard," she hissed. While there was a rage building within her at the thought of her ex trying to kill Tien, there was a strange calm within her at the same time. She could feel the raw, magickal power coursing through her veins. "You're a dead man," she said in a dangerous tone and pushed the energy through her system, her face splitting in a wide grin as she powered up, her hair shining like the sun, her eyes a pale white light like the stars, crackles of electricity rippling in the air around her.

Tien was breathless as he sat up, staring at her. She'd done it. She'd finally managed to transform of her own free will. And what was more, she'd done it defending him, standing protectively in front of him. "Sabriena," he gasped in awe.

Tumbler gave a cry, "What the hell happened to you?!"

She smirked calmly at him. "Told you I was training."

Tumbler finally managed to rack the slide and raised the gun again, pointing it at Tien, but she rushed forward and threw a spinning heel-kick at his hand, knocking the gun from away. "Coward!" she spat.

Tumbler blinked in shock at her, then shouted at Tien, "What did you do to her?! What have you turned her into?!"

"How dare you speak to him," she snarled. "You disgusting, pathetic, manipulative little man. How dare you try to harm him. After everything he's done for me, the person he's helped me to become, the life he's given me out here!" She sneered at him. "You're a goddamned idiot if you think I would give this up to go back to you."

Tumbler backed up, the look on his face was one of pure hatred. "How could you, Subbie?" he breathed. "How could you choose him over me? That three-eyed freak?! WHY?!"

"Because I love him!" she shouted before she had a chance to even think about it. Her back went stiff and her heart nearly stopped. She hadn't meant to blurt it out like that, not in front of Tien, especially when she didn't know if he would even return her affection.

Tien felt his world freeze around him, his heart pounding, nearly bursting from the words Sabriena shouted at Tumbler. How long had she felt this way? How long had they each been beating around the bush when they could have shared their happiness? He couldn't stop the smile on his face, "Sabriena… You… you really mean that?" he asked, barely daring to hope that he'd heard the words right.

Tumbler didn't even try to hide the look of disgust on his face. "Fuck you, bitch," he spat at her. "I should'a known I couldn't trust you. Unfaithful, disloyal bitch." He snorted and shook his head, looking at Tien, "You can have her. Hope you enjoy sloppy seconds and high maintenance." He threw Sabriena a hateful look. "You'll regret this. Enjoy your life with this fucking freak."

Something snapped. Sabriena had had enough of Tumbler's mouth and she threw a left hook, catching him in the eye, and throwing him back against his car. He groaned and slid to the ground, holding the back of his head. She rushed him, grabbing him by his throat, the electricity flowing down her arm, making him scream out. She backed it off, still holding onto him. "You can call me a lot of things, Jason. But disloyal is not one of them. And you can NOT speak about Tien like that." She leaned in closer, dropping her voice low. "You get in that car," she instructed slowly, "You go home. And don't you ever think about bothering us again. Nod if you understand."

Tumbler nodded frantically, desperately trying to pull her fingers from his neck before she had the chance to shock him again. He gasped in relief as she flung him away and he rubbed at his neck, staring at her one last time through streaming eyes as he fumbled for the handle on the car door.

Sabriena stayed powered up as he got in his hovercar and took off. She nervously licked her lips and turned to Tien, trying to stop her hands from shaking. "Tien..." she said softly, her heart pounding, fear coursing through her veins as her hair fell back to its normal blonde and her eyes turned amber once more. She hadn't meant to blurt it out like that. She prayed he didn't turn her away, didn't make her leave for having feelings for him when she probably shouldn't. He was her teacher, her friend, someone who she could respect and appreciate, but wasn't supposed to love. "Tien, please... I'm sorry... I can't help the way I feel..." her voice dropped to a whisper, "Please don't turn me away."

Tien stood up, his anger at Tumbler fading away as he smiled at her, reaching down and tilting her head up, catching her eyes. He couldn't believe this was happening. All day long he'd been planning how to approach her, how to say it, and now she'd beaten him to the punch. That was so like her. "Why would I turn you away when I feel the same?" he asked quietly. He pulled her close, tucking her head under his chin as he held her. All this time, it could have been so easy. Why had he waited so long, wasted so much time worrying over it? He pulled back from her, his thumb and forefinger still holding her chin, his thumb gently brushing over her soft lips. He had to kiss her. He had to kiss her NOW. He leaned down slowly, watching her eyes carefully as he tipped her chin up just a bit more, tilting his head ever so slightly to the side…

Sabriena felt like her heart could explode with happiness. He really felt the same way she did. Oh, she should've said something sooner. She slid her arms around his waist as he held her. Her breath caught in her throat as he leaned in to kiss her... finally... FINALLY they were going to share their first kiss...

"GUYS! We have a problem!"

Sabriena screwed up her face and stomped her foot at the interruption. "Dammit, Goku! WHAT?!" she snapped at him as she turned to face him.

Goku innocently blinked at them. They both had the same frustrated look. He saw them in each others arms and he beamed, grinning at them, at least one couple had worked it out! But there was no time for congratulations. "Seventeen has gone crazy! He's attacking anyone who tries to get next to Leelee. He and Gohan were about to get into it when I went inside." He swallowed, looking nervous. "I may have been affected too. I didn't mean any thing by it, but its like the sight of her...I just want to be next to her..." he shook his head, "You have to come help, Gramma thinks Leelee must have done something really bad! You saw how Yamcha was hitting on her at your party. Whatever she did, I think it's affecting all the men around her. And on top of everything else, Lindsey's having contractions! I don't know what to do!"

"Oh gods, LEELEE," Sabriena whined. "All right, all right. We'll see what we can do. But... if all the guys are being affected..." She cast a nervous glance at Tien. He seemed unconcerned by the prospect.

"Come on," he said, taking Sabriena's hand and walking over to Goku. He gripped Goku's shoulder, giving the Saiyan a nod and the next thing he knew, they were standing in Gohan's living room.

Author's Note: Not too much longer, ya'll! Am I driving you nuts with dragging it out even more? Make ya a deal – the more comments I receive, the faster I'll post the next chapter. *wink* Yes, I'm using downright bribery now. Shut up. Thanks as always to the lovely JC 87 for co-authoring with me. And a big thank you to our faithful reviewers – Werlka, Rinpup, Amkula, and Juli-sama! You guys are the best!