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After Vegeta finished eating and got a change of clothes, they went downstairs and sat in the living room. Mrs. Briefs brought coffee and Vegeta sighed through his nose. He wasn't entirely convinced that it was all real, yet. He unwound the tail from his waist and let it wave beside him. Bulma bit her thumb. She still didn't know how she was going to tell him.

"There's happened lots of stuff, you know." She said.

"I can imagine." He said, sipping on his coffee.

"You don't wanna know what's been happening around here?" she said.

He shrugged. "Hn."

"We… we've been taking care of seven kids. Not six."

Vegeta choked on his coffee and coughed before turning his wide eyes at her. "W-what?"

"Nine months after you left, I gave birth to a baby." She smiled slightly. "Our baby."

Vegeta put the coffee on the table and gawked at her. "Our… baby?" he said, swinging his finger back and forth between him and Bulma.

"Yeah." She said. She wrapped her hands around his and giggled. "His name is Trunks."

"You mean I… I'm a father?" he said. He couldn't believe it. He had a son! He looked back at her parents, who smiled at him. Vegeta turned to look at her. "No way."

"They'll arrive soon." She said. "So I guess you'll meet him. He always asks about you. I think he'll be very happy to finally meet you."

Vegeta swallowed and looked away. Bulma knitted her eyebrows in concern. She told her parents to go away with a wave of her hand and turned to look at him. "What's wrong?" she asked, more scared about his answer than anything.

"Nothing's wrong…" he said, sighing. "It's just… I wasn't there to raise him. He grew up without a father."

Bulma smiled at him as she rubbed his back. "It wasn't your choice. Besides, he hasn't even grown up yet. Vegeta… everyone in the house revolved around him. I'm sure it wasn't a big deal. Now he will have a father." She said.

"I don't even know if he will see me as a father."

"Vegeta, you raised a four-month-old baby when you were eleven. If there's anyone that can be a father figure for him, it's you. Sure, he won't feel comfortable around you once he sees you, but over time you will form a bond. I swear." She said. "I chose you to be my mate, didn't I?"

Vegeta smiled slightly and kissed her temple. "Yeah."

Bulma hugged him and changed the subject. "So… lots of things have happened. I went up to vice-president in Capsule Corporation. Goku and Chichi got married. Also Radditz and Norrel and –"

"Those morons got married? Whoa. I didn't think they'd have it in them."

Bulma chuckled. "Yeah. Also Tien and Launch, but they divorced a month ago. It was kind of sad. Krillin and Eighteen will get married in two months." She said. "Oh! Chichi is preggo!"

"Chichi? Pregnant? From… Kakkarot? Seriously?"

Bulma laughed and nodded. "I was very surprised as well."

The bell rang and Vegeta's stomach turned in excitement as he heard a happy chattering outside. Bulma got up and rushed at the door. She opened and saw them there.

"Hello, everyone!"

"Uh… Hi?" Jill said. "A little cheery, are we?"

"Nope. A lot! I have a surprise for you!"

"A surprise?" Tyler asked. "Okay, did you break my x-box? Because no amount of food will –"

"No, silly. Come on in. I'll show you."

"Oh, boy." Jeremy said, shaking his head.

She led them into the living room. They all stopped, frozen in their place. Trunks raised an eyebrow as they all looked like they had seen a ghost. He spotted the man on the living room and his eyebrows rose. He looked like all of them!

Vegeta stood up and smiled. He could barely believe it. They were all so big. They weren't babies any longer. "Hey." He said.

"Oh, my god!" Jill screamed, running at him. She jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck. "It's really you! You're back!" The others followed her lead and leapt at him, knocking him off his feet. He landed on the couch and they landed on him, hugging him tightly. He chuckled and he could smell the tears of joy that none of them wanted to spill. After several minutes, they let go of him and surrounded him. Lauren and Jeremy sat at his sides, and the others sat on the floor before him. He smiled.

"You are all enormous. I see they've been feeding you well."

Jill passed a hand through her hair and smiled. "Gosh, you can't imagine how much we've missed you."

Bulma smiled as she kneeled down and put a hand on her son's shoulder. "You have not guessed who that is, Trunks?"

"Is that…?" the purple-haired kid cocked his head to the side. "Is that my father?"

Bulma looked at Vegeta, who was laughing and talking with his siblings. She smiled at how happy they all looked. She looked back at her son and nodded. "He is Vegeta. Go say hi."

"No. He'll look at me all weird and stuff. I don't even look like a Saiyan."

"I don't either, but he says I act like one. So I guess you are the same." She said, passing a hand through her son's hair.

"Yeah but… But what if he...? I don't know."

"Hey, Trunks!" Jeremy said, motioning for the small boy to come. "Come here, dwarf!"

Vegeta laughed as Jeremy used his same nickname on the younger boy. Trunks frowned to look determined and walked over to them. Jill reached over and ruffled his hair. Trunks growled and glared at her. Vegeta smirked at how much he looked like him.

"So, you're Trunks."

"Yes."

"I'm Vegeta."

"I know."

"I see you've got no tail."

"I was born without it."

Vegeta shrugged. "No matter. A Saiyan is a Saiyan for what he has in the inside. For starters, his pride. Are you proud, kid?"

"You can't begin to imagine." Jill said, rolling her eyes.

"He's almost as proud as you." Bulma said.

"Then you are undoubtedly my son." He said. Trunks smiled.

The afternoon went by slowly as they told him everything he had missed. From the people they had dated to the subjects they had failed. They told him about their friends, and teachers. About their fights, spars, training sessions and discussions. They told him stories about Trunks as a baby and even about Yamcha,– not without Bulma blushing and Vegeta glaring at her, of course. – They told him about every single year that had passed since he had left. They talked for hours on end. Finally, the millionaire question came to the surface.

"So, how did you defeat the enemy?" Jeremy said, winking. Once they had grown up enough, Jill and Bulma had told them the truth.

"I suppose you no longer buy that I went to defeat an enemy of the Empire?"

Jill shrugged. "We had to tell them someday."

"Come on. Tell us how you killed that bastard." Tyler said. Bulma glared at him.

"Well…" he said. "I'll admit it wasn't easy. I had to train a lot while I was working for him."

"Working for him?" Jenny asked.

"Yeah. He took me to work for him as his soldier."

"Soldier?" Josh said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, Frieza's work was really a space pirate. He worked with an illegal enterprise called Planet Trade Corporation. He was the head, I think. He had an army that did his dirty work. He took me to be part of that army." He explained, trying to skip the darkest details. "I trained a lot while I was there." He smiled and shrugged. "It's not to brag, but eventually I became a Super Saiyan."

They all gasped and stared at him with wide eyes. Suddenly, Jenny turned and patted Trunks on the back. "Just like you!"

Vegeta was completely thrown off by the comment. "What?"

"Trunks can become a Super Saiyan. We found out about a month ago or so." Jill said. "We've all tried, but it's hard."

"You think you can teach us?" Lauren asked.

Vegeta smiled. "Sure, why not?" he looked at Trunks. "I didn't think a toddler could transform."

Trunks smiled and shrugged. "It wasn't hard."

Vegeta shook his head. "You're saying you accomplished in a few years what I strove to have all my life and it wasn't hard?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Trunks smiled defiantly. "I guess that only means I'm better than you."

Vegeta would've been angry. Had it been anyone else, he'd probably kick his butt. But the only thing that grew inside of him was pride. He was proud of his son. He smirked and cocked his head to the side.

"We'll see."

"Well, everyone" Mrs. Briefs said. "I'll prepare a special meal for all of you to celebrate!" she squealed. "Oh, and I hope you don't mind, but I called your friends."

Vegeta smiled as he shook his head. She was annoying, but he had missed her. Not too long after, the bell rang. Vegeta looked over and saw Kakkarot and Chichi coming in. He hadn't aged a bit, different from his wife. He nodded at her and grinned at Kakkarot.

"Been a while." He said.

The taller Saiyan smiled as he ran over and put his hands on Vegeta's shoulders. "I knew you'd come back!" he said, smiling sheepishly.

"Of course I would, baka. I'm the Prince of Saiyans."

Goku laughed as he put a hand behind his head. "It's been a little dull without you."

Vegeta shrugged. "That was the least you could expect."

As everyone laughed and Bulma rolled her eyes, the bell rang again. Mrs. Briefs went over and opened, smiling as she saw the long-haired Saiyan and his wife. She moved aside and Radditz came inside, smirking as he saw Vegeta.

"I'm sorry we're a little late. Norrel couldn't pick up a dress."

His mate rolled her eyes and slapped the back of his head. "Yeah, right. Tell them how you lasted hours combing that mane."

Vegeta laughed and Radditz walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I knew you'd make it, man."

Vegeta smirked. The three old friends talked for a long while as Chichi, Norrel and Bulma spoke as well. There were lots of things to talk about. Radditz smirked as he looked at Vegeta.

"So he's gone. He's finally gone."

Vegeta sighed. "Yes, finally."

"Dinner's ready, everyone!"

"Alright!" Goku cheered. They all walked over to the table.

"I'll come in a second. I'll just go to the bathroom."

He headed upstairs and entered the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror. The whole concept was finally sinking in. Frieza was gone. He was gone. Forever. He was not going to come back, he wasn't going to threaten him, he wasn't going to come into his room at nights to beat him until he cried, he wasn't going to call him into his Throne Room to 'train' him. That was over. No more Frieza, no more Zarbon or Dodoria, no more Ginyu Force, no more Planet Purging. No ship, no pods, no compound, no scouters, no bases, no healing tanks, nothing! He was free.

He was free!

He cackled as he fisted his hair and excitement swept through him. He sat on the sink.

"I want mommy!" wailed Jenny. "Tell her to come back!"

Vegeta sighed. He had a terrible migraine. All of them were crying for his mother. It had already been two months, and she still hadn't shown up. That lapse of time had been the worst thing that could've ever happened to Vegeta. He was forced to live with the most horrid creature that had ever existed, and he was scared of him to no end. The lizard had treated him like dirt once his mother had left, tormenting him every single night and taking pleasure on his agony.

He had had to look after the kids just like he remembered his parents had done for him.

He picked up the six-month-old baby, who had begun to cry when he had seen his siblings doing the same. He sat on the floor and tried to rock him back and forth as the others shrieked for their mother.

"Guys, calm down." He said. "She'll be back soon."

"But when?" Lauren asked. "We want her back!"

"Stop crying, please." He said.

"VEGETA!" Frieza screeched. Vegeta jumped and began to shake. He put the baby on the floor and stood up.

"I'll be right back." He said. He walked as fast as he could up to the kitchen. The lizard was looking through the window. He seemed angry. Vegeta gulped. "Y-yes?"

"You better shut those monkeys up before I rip you apart."

"Yes, sir." He said. He turned around.

"Oh, and monkey? Once they're asleep, I want you ready for your punishment."

"M-my punishment?" he asked. "W-what did I do?"

"I thought we had cleared that out. You were born." Frieza answered, chuckling. Vegeta closed his eyes and walked into the living room. He picked Jeremy up again and tried to compose a smile.

"Frieza just told me that mom will come on Friday, but you have to stop crying." He said. They looked up at him and smiled. The one-and-a-half-year-old twins squealed with happiness and Jill got up, hugging him. He bit his lip. He knew his mother would say no, but he had to try nonetheless. "Okay, guys. Time to go to bed. Come on."

They followed him upstairs and he tucked them under the covers.

"What's 'wong'?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah. You look worried." Jill said. "Is it because of mommy?"

He smiled a little. "No. I'm okay. Sleep now."

He turned off the lights and closed the door behind him. He was shaking so badly, he couldn't believe it. He slowly, very slowly walked downstairs.

"About time." Frieza said.

"P-please don't do anything to me." He said, his pride crumbling down as self-preservation took over him. "I-I didn't do anything."

"Oh, but you did. Your screams are so delicious…"

Vegeta gave a step back. "I'll do anything, just don't hurt me anymore."

"Okay, then. Bring me one of the little monkeys and I'll leave you alone." Frieza said. "I'm sure they scream even better than you."

Vegeta looked away. "Don't do anything to them."

Frieza laughed as he leapt at him and began to beat him mercilessly, torturing the small boy until he cried and begged for mercy. He battered him for hours, ignoring his desperate pleas. Finally, when it was almost midnight, he straddled the broken boy's back and grabbed his bloodied tail. He fingered the top of his tail and grinned.

"Do something for me, boy." He said. "Say, 'I should have never been born. I am useless.'" He said cruelly. Vegeta whimpered, but said nothing. Frieza smiled, almost pleased at his disobedience. He sank his teeth into the tail and the boy screamed. He writhed as he tried to get away, but his body hurt too much and the lizard was too heavy. "Say it."

"I… I should have never been born." He muttered. He shrieked as Frieza sank his fangs deeper into his tail. "I… am… I'm useless."

Still with the little tail in his mouth, he said. "Yes. Say… 'I can't do anything right. My mother hates me and I should've been an abortion." He smiled cruelly as the boy shook with sobs and screamed as the sharp fangs dug deeper into his sensitive tail.

"I-I can't do anything right. M-my mother…" he bit his lip. "…h-hates me and I-I should've been an abortion."

What hurt the most was that it was true. He was useless. He was nothing. Two months with Frieza had damaged him psychologically. Even if he was proud, he hated himself. He was nothing. He should've never been born in the first place. He cried as he thought of his mother… He knew the answer of the question he always asked. Why would she leave? Because she hated him. He was a mistake of nature.

Frieza released his throbbing tail and stood up. "Get up. I'm hungry."

Vegeta closed his eyes. He couldn't get up. There wasn't a chance. "I…I can't."

"You can and you will, or it's their heads." Frieza said.

Vegeta looked up at Frieza and tried to get up, but his legs felt like they were broken. They probably were. Besides, his injured tail wasn't helping. He tried to get up, he really did, but he couldn't. Frieza walked over to the stairs and began to go up.

"No! No, wait! Don't!" he desperately tried to comply, but his body was simply unresponsive. "T-torture me! Not them!"

Frieza smiled. "I give you fifteen minutes to get up and go to the kitchen to cook something for me." He said. He walked down the stairs, kicked him in the gut, and walked into the kitchen.

Vegeta frowned as he washed his face. He walked out and down the hall.

"Who is useless now, you stupid lizard?"

Vegeta kissed Bulma's neck and she giggled.

"Woman… You said everyone got married while I was gone." He told her, burying his face into her blue locks.

"Yeah. All of them and –"

"So that means you are the only one who hasn't."

Bulma froze. Was Vegeta really implying…? "Yeah."

"I think we could change that." He pulled away from her and looked into her face. "I already claimed you as my mate. We have a very strong bond. You became half of my life, and I'd die to protect you. You took care of what I loved the most and tried to keep me safe even when it wasn't in your hands." He looked down. "Marry me, Bulma Briefs."

Bulma's eyes welled up with tears and she leapt at him, hugging him. "Oh my god, yes! Yes!"

Vegeta smiled. "Finally, luck is on my side." And he leaned down to kiss her.

Okay, there you go.

The meeting with the kids. I hope I portrayed everything well, as well as him meeting Trunks and everything, and his friends and etc... Uhm, I don't think Dr. Briefs and Mrs. Briefs would be angry with him. A lot of time has passed, and they're adults now. Besides they're a little airheaded for that ;)

I don't know if I should end this around here, adding a couple of chapters to clear some stuff up, or continue with it. You're the readers, you'll say!

Thanks for your AMAZING reviews!

Don't miss the next chapter of A Lifetime Turmoil!