Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Vegeta was woken up from a deep sleep to the sound of a ringing cell phone. He peeked his eyes open to look at the clock surprised to see that it was two in the morning. His brows furrowed. Bulma never got a call this late before, not at two. Who on Earth would be calling her now?

Next to him, Bulma was trying to escape his hold without waking him. He closed his eyes, not wanting to bring attention to the fact that he was awake. When she finally got free, she looked at her phone and answered it, starting to head out of the room. He did hear her whisper Goku's name faintly. He could hear her feet quietly padding down the stairs.

After she left the room, Vegeta decided to get up and follow suit. Her voice had sounded surprised and slightly frantic. He wanted to find out what was going on, make sure that she and her friend we okay. Bulma had told him that, back in the day, she or Goku would have difficult nights and they'd call each other when they couldn't handle it. It had happened less and less over the years, since neither of them could stay awake all night anymore, and Goku had Chi Chi and now Bulma had him. If Goku was calling her in the middle of the night, something was happening, and Vegeta would be there for Bulma if that were the case. He knew his woman would stress herself out with worry.

"Goku, listen," he heard Bulma's calm voice sooth. "It was just a nightmare. You said it yourself. You went and checked on Goten and he's fine, asleep in bed like you should be."

"You don't know how horrible it was, though," Goku argued. "I know he's okay right now…but, Bulma, I just don't know what to do."

"For now you just have to keep telling yourself it was a bad dream," Bulma explained. "I can come meet you during my lunch break tomorrow and we can talk. We haven't seen Krillin in a while, not since the day after Halloween. We can go for sushi and you can tell me all about what happened."

"Yeah," Goku replied, sighing. "That sounds like a good idea. I'm sorry I woke you, just…I didn't want to tell Chi Chi this. I didn't want her to worry."

"She'd be telling you now what I am," Bulma declared. "You know she loves you. I just gotta ask for records sake, but you've been taking your medication still, right?"

"Really, Bulma?" Goku deadpanned. She could almost see the look on his face. "Oh course I am. I won't stop it, not like when we were in college. I know better now, especially after what happened with Goten."

"Alright, alright," Bulma responded. "I just had to ask. You know that's a go to question. Anyway, try to get some rest. You know I worry about you."

Goku sighed. "Yeah, I know."

"And I love you and just want you to be happy, so I'm going to keep asking questions like that," Bulma iterated.

"I know, I know," her friend replied with a huff. "You should get some rest, too. I'm sorry again."

"You don't have to apologize," Bulma assured him. "I get it. Believe me, I get it. Night, Son."

"Night, B."

Bulma ended the call and set her phone down, releasing a heavy breath. She felt bad for her friend. All he had really told her was that he had had a horrible nightmare about something happening to his son, and after he woke up, even after making sure he was okay, he couldn't get back to sleep and had this horribly anxious feeling. He hadn't wanted to go into details, not right now, which is why she suggested taking their lunch break together the next day. Goku needed to talk about it or it would haunt him forever, whatever it was.

Out of nowhere, she heard steady footsteps and jolted slightly. She looked over to see Vegeta entering the dining room. He had startled her, but she quickly got over her surprise and smiled guiltily at him. "I guess I woke you," she figured. "I'm sorry, hun."

"It's fine," Vegeta remarked, taking a seat next to her. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, for the most part," she told him, looking down at her phone. "Everything's okay."

"Are you okay?"

Bulma was shocked by the question, he blue eyes meeting his. She could see the faint tint of concern, letting her know that Vegeta probably heard everything on her end. All she could do was offer him a sad smile. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Vegeta didn't buy it. He could tell that Bulma was trying to play off her own anxiety. She had confided in him many times before that she feared losing those around her. With everything that had happened in the past months, Trunks running away, him spending a night in jail while she stayed with Mai, and Goten's disappearance, Bulma had been very on edge. Halloween had been a good distraction for her, but, now that they were heading towards the end of November, she was focusing on the real world again.

Bulma tensed when she felt Vegeta's arms wrap around her, but quickly relaxed and leaned into his comforting embrace. He didn't let go of her, hugging her tightly, save only to lead them to the couch. After they sat down, Bulma curled into him, and he hugged her again, this time rubbing her back to soothe her. He found the remote on the end table next to him and put on the television on a low volume. Bulma watched the images on the screen while being slightly lost in thought, but eventually Vegeta's reassuring touch lulled her to sleep.

When her breathing was soft and even, Vegeta chanced a glance and was relieved to see her asleep. He studied her, gaze hardened yet eyes soft. Bulma was truly one who loved deeply and worried intensely when those she loved were hurt, stressed, or fearful. It was one of the traits of hers that he both admired and detested. Her heart was what had drawn him to feel for her the way he did, but that same heart could be hurt so easily. He wished he could take all those fears and all that pain away from her. At least his presence could console her. It did make him feel good when he was able to make her feel better. She had done so much more for him. She had taken on his pain, as well, and she had given him a place where he felt at home. This was the least he could do.

The next day, around lunch time, Bulma and Goku met up at the sushi restaurant. Krillin had gotten them their usual orders and sat them at a table away from the majority of the other customers. Apparently, Bulma wasn't the only person Goku had called the previous night.

They were practically alone, though they couldn't be fully out of sight from the other restaurant patrons. It was okay, though, because they were talking so quietly. No one else would be able to hear them, especially with the soothing music playing from the speakers above. "So," Bulma started, "want to tell me what last night was all about?"

Goku's head dropped in defeat as he released a heavy sigh. "Yeah," he stated, though he didn't sound too sure. "Bulma…I know it's stupid, but I just can't help being worried. We've been on Goten now, making sure he takes his medicine. Me and him have actually been taking our meds together, so I know he hasn't been throwing them away. Just…that nightmare…what happened to my dad, it happened to Goten."

"Oh, Goku," Bulma empathized. She remembered how horrible that whole experience was for Goku. When his father had called out for help, both Gine and Goku had gone to aid him and saw everything that happened. It was traumatic for her friend. To relive it in his nightmares happening to his son was awful.

Bulma pulled Goku close to her and wrapped an arm around him rubbing his back for a little while before moving to pet his head. When they were younger and Goku had been released from the hospital, she would do this simply to keep him calm and relaxed, and usually Goku fell asleep on her. Over the years, he no longer passed out the same way he had, but it still had a calming effect, and so he lied his head down on the table and just let the comfort wash over him though as he stared out into space Bulma could see that he looked so sad and distant.

"Goku, listen to me," she said, her voice full of promise, "that's never going to happen. We didn't know anything back then about these conditions. We know now what the risks are, and it's just never going to happen. You remember all we've been through, you trying all those different medications, and then having to increase it as you got older, but you stayed on it and didn't stop taking it, and you've been doing so much better now than ever. With Goten, we just have to go through that same process, and where it was hard for you yourself to go through it, it's even more difficult to watch your own kid go through it, so having a bad dream or two makes sense. But Goten is okay, now. He's talking to you guys and Trunks more about it. I know because Trunks has been keeping me in the loop. Goten's not going to stop taking his medication. His friends won't let him, and neither will you or Chi Chi. It's good that you guys are going through it together, because now both of you know that beyond a shadow of a doubt that you aren't alone."

"Yeah," Goku said, finally cracking a smile. "You're right. Thanks, B. I don't know how I got so lucky for the two of us to still be friends after all this time, all these years."

"Funny," Bulma cooed. "I always think the same about you, Son."

Goku finally sat up and grinned down at his friend. "Hm. Let's eat. I'm starving!"

Bulma laughed jovially at that and took out her chopsticks. Unbeknownst to them, however, there was someone lurking around taking pictures catching everything that had happened on film.

Raditz had had a good day, and he meant a really good day. Stocks were up with the company and, now that funds were balanced, Vegeta had given him a well-deserved raise as well as rewarding some of the other higher ups. He had gone to Lime, who had also gotten a raise. She deserved it, after all, for sales had been better than ever since she had been promoted to their leading sales rep. The two had decided to go out and celebrate.

He returned to his apartment after dropping her off at her home, and he offered to pay for the babysitter. Lime had told him he didn't have to do it, but he wanted to. After all, he was the one who kept the mother out an extra hour. Everything had been looking up.

When he got home, however, he was met with the sight of something that put a damper on his good mood.

There was an envelope sticking out of the door, so he decided to see what it was. Inside the little portfolio were a ton of pictures of his brother out with Bulma. His eyes widened before his brow furrowed in anger. Who was sending him these?

There was a note folder under the pictures, so Raditz quickly opened it to read, "This is what your girlfriend does when you're not around."

Raditz was infuriated at the caption. How dare someone do anything like this? They didn't know anything about his brother's and Bulma's friendship. If Bulma was doing this with Goku in public, there was a reason. His brother was probably suffering over something. He couldn't believe someone would try to use this as a way to taunt Vegeta. Clearly whoever took the pictures didn't know that Vegeta had moved in with Bulma.

Speaking of, he needed to tell Vegeta. Someone was trying to interfere with his and Bulma's relationship. Quickly, he went inside tossing the pictures on the coffee table as he took out his phone and dialed. "Hey. Can you come over? Something's come up."

About a half hour later, Vegeta arrived at his old apartment having borrowed Bulma's car. He knew he shouldn't be driving, but Raditz had sounded off when he called, so he wanted to waste no time. Raditz had told him it could wait until after dinner, so he ate as quickly as he could while being with his family. Dinner with them was important to them. Family meals when he was younger were nothing like it, and so he tried to experience that as much as possible. Still, he knew Raditz was upset over something. Why else would he call him over?

Apparently, to show him pictures of his girlfriend having lunch with his brother.

Vegeta looked at the pictures not at all bothered. Bulma had been very open and honest with him about Goku. She told him what she and Goku had talked about thinking Vegeta had already known about their father through his friendship with Raditz. That got them into a long discussion about when they were fifteen and the things she had to do to keep her friend calm. He hadn't been out of the hospital long before his father made the attempt on his own life. Goku had been a mess, and Bulma was there for him. To hear what happened made Vegeta realize just how much these people and his own friend had been through, and he was even more thankful that Raditz had been willing to take him on as a project all those years ago while dealing with his own family issues.

The point was, he knew how close Bulma was to that family, and the photos did not bother him. What did bother him was that someone had taken them in the first place and then left them at his old apartment. He had a feeling as to who it was. He had not advertised at work his new living arrangements, and he hadn't changed his address until he had officially moved in after the chaos of Trunks's case was over. "Hn, ridiculous," Vegeta scoffed. "My guess is Paragus saw them and is still out to cause havoc in our lives. All his attempts have failed."

"I just can't believe it," Raditz growled. "I can't even imagine what they were talking about there."

"He had a nightmare the night before about something happening to his son," Vegeta explained. "He called in the middle of the night and they agreed to meet up."

"Shit," Raditz murmured. "I should probably check up on him."

"It was just a nightmare, and he knows that now," Vegeta assured his friend. "At least that's what Bulma said when I asked her how things went."

"That's a relief," Raditz sighed. "So, what do you want to do about this?"

"Nothing," Vegeta remarked, shocking Raditz. "It's best to ignore him," Vegeta explained. "I refuse to give him his desired result. Besides, that wouldn't have happened, anyway. I know Bulma, and I've met your brother. He's a good guy. Neither of them need to think they're being followed on top of everything else."

"Point taken," Raditz agreed. "Bulma would panic, and my brother would be constantly looking over his shoulder. I'm sure this was a freak thing, like you said, where someone, probably Paragus, just happened to see them at a restaurant. If it happens again, though, I'll let you know."

Vegeta nodded in consonance to his friend. There was no need, at this time, to ring alarm bells. Vegeta would keep an eye out himself for any future discrepancies. He wasn't going to react to this blatant taunt. He wouldn't do anything that could potentially put either Bulma's or Goku's mental states at risk.

The days that followed were peaceful and without incident, and it was getting much closer to Thanksgiving. Vegeta hadn't celebrated any holidays in years, but Thanksgiving was one of those he had given up long before college. Where he had been thankful for Ella, he never wanted to celebrate, and then after she had been taken away he felt like there was nothing to be thankful for. Life was one thing, but he was miserable back then. Now, he was part of a family, and he wasn't going to push his agenda on Trunks or Mai. Besides, the girl, like him, had barely celebrated anything since her mother died. The two of them were experiencing this family togetherness for the first time in years.

"So, let's get a head count for Thanksgiving," she said to Vegeta. "My mother is coming, as is Launch. Tarble is bringing Gure with him. Goku and his family are coming over, including his mother and Raditz, and Lime is coming too with her kids. And then Pilaf and Valese's father are coming. Krillin and Eighteen might stop by with their daughter for dessert. And I think that's it. Anyone else you want to invite?"

"Just my mother," Vegeta huffed. "Maybe Nappa."

"We can invite people from work?" Bulma questioned.

Vegeta nodded. "Nappa was good friends with my father, much like I am with Raditz, and he's tolerable. He can chat with my mother the majority of the time for all I care. As many buffers as possible. Anyway, why do you ask?"

"Well," Bulma hesitated. "I was thinking…maybe we could invite Broly?"

Dark eyes widened a fraction, but as he thought about it he understood why Bulma would want to invite their quiet coworker. It had been rough on him, the past month. After Paragus had been fired, Vegeta heard the office mumblings that Paragus had disowned his own son. He and Bulma had eaten some of their lunches with Broly, and he did seem down in the dumps. "Sure," Vegeta agreed. "Why not?"

Bulma smiled at her boyfriend before she moved to kiss him on the cheek. She then looked at the dining room table and frowned. Including the kids, they would have twenty-seven people. "This is going to be a challenge, isn't it?" she asked before she joked, "I think we need to invest in a bigger table."

Though it was partly a joke, Vegeta honestly agreed with her. With all of their friends and family, it would get crowded at times. He quickly looked between the kitchen and living room to get the dimensions of the dining area. If they found a large table, they would be able to fit it in the dining room, though it still wouldn't fit everyone. If they moved the coffee table, though, then they could fit a long folding table in the living room where the kids and teenagers could sit.

"We could go to a furniture store tonight after work and find something if you would like." Vegeta turned to gage Bulma's reaction only to find the woman gaping at him. His brow furrowed in confusion. He then realized what her train of thought might have been and smirked. "It will be the first piece of furniture we buy together and all, so I would like to make sure it's suitable and fits our needs."

Bulma's expression softened, and tears formed in her eyes. Seeing the unshed droplets made Vegeta feel a little uneasy. She just laughed and wiped the drops away. "Ha, sorry," she murmured. "You know, I used to blame my sensitivity, empathy, and overemotional nature on my increased hormones, and then years after the surgery and going through the menopause, I found that I was still just an emotional sap. I'm not sure I like it."

Vegeta couldn't help but grin at her words, moving to embrace her and kissing her lips lovingly. He pulled away, pressing his lips to her cheek and whispering, "I find it endearing on you, woman. It just gives me another excuse to hold you close in my arms and kiss away your tears." To prove his point, Vegeta did just that, using his lips to wipe away the salty trickles. In response, Bulma wrapped her arms around him so tightly, not wanting to let him go. That was fine with Vegeta because he didn't want her to.

After work, Bulma, Vegeta, and the kids headed to the furniture store where they had bought Mai's bedroom furniture. The kids were off exploring while she and Vegeta were being shown large dining tables. The salesperson was failing to show them what they needed, so Vegeta wandered away while Bulma tried to explain what they needed to the man.

He looked up to see Mai and Trunks running around the store. It was practically empty, being close to dark. They looked like they were having fun, and he couldn't help but smirk even when the few people who were in the store looked at the children with disdain. He shook his head and continued his task.

It was towards the back of the store where he found a beautiful, large, dark brown table. It appeared to have eighteen seats. If Vegeta was correct, there was in fact eighteen adults present. The table was big enough to seat twenty if that ever came up. It would be perfect for hosting events. It surprised Vegeta that he even wanted to be involved in hosting. He had to admit that the Halloween party went a lot better than he expected.

"Bulma," he called out quite loudly, earning her and the kids' attention. "I think I found something."

Bulma headed over with the salesperson, and Trunks and Mai joined them. Trunks let out a whistle when he saw the size of the table. "Whoa," he breathed out. "This thing's massive."

"Will it fit in the apartment?" Mai asked sounding uncertain.

"It will," Vegeta remarked, looking over to Bulma. "What do you think?"

His girlfriend smiled brightly at him and nodded, looking to the salesperson. "Can we arrange having this delivered tomorrow morning? We won't be home in the evening."

"Sure, we can do that," the salesman agreed. "Why don't you and your husband come pay and fill out the paperwork."

Bulma's eyes widened comically before she chuckled and shifted her attention to a blushing Vegeta. "Hn," was all Vegeta said, not correcting the salesman at all.

The next day was a pretty exciting day, and not because the new table was delivered. It was the night of the final football game at the high school, and everyone was there cheering in the stands for Trunks, Goten, and Gohan. It was getting pretty crazy in the stadium, the score just below the other team's. The end of the game was near, and Goten had the ball.

There were too many running at him, but Goten's attention shifted to his brother, the two making eye contact as he tossed the ball. The guys didn't even make contact, their attention following the ball and allowing Goten to escape. They immediately tried to chase down Gohan, but he was too fast for his opponents, though if he didn't do something quick, he'd end up out of bounds.

Gohan heard Trunks call for him, somehow. He looked over to see his friend completely free. He tossed the ball to Trunks who managed to get it to Goten who had made it up to the goal. Thanks to the three of them and their teamwork, the game was won without a second to spare.

The families decided to celebrate at a pizza place right after the game. It was a whole lot of fun being with everyone. Of course, Vegeta had pulled Trunks aside to not only say he was proud of him and his friends, but that the one moment he got tackled that night his mother had a mini conniption. Needless to say, Trunks was teasing his mother about it the rest of the night, the woman's eyes finding Vegeta and narrowing. He merely smirked, knowing he was caught, but he didn't mind. She didn't seem to mind Trunks's teasing either. The feelings he had been having these last weeks were hitting him hard this night. This was what it truly feels like to be a part of a family.