I got a message the other day, asking me why I didn't write a full love scene in the last chapter. You have to understand. In my head, I still picture them as being mother and son. It would be far too uncomfortable for me to have to sit and try to come up with ways for them to pleasure each other, so i write just enough to give you all an idea. There will be a love scene, it just won't be between Bulma/Verles. I appreciate the question. If you have anymore, just ask. Enjoy!

It had been a few weeks since Bulma had that conversation with Verles about who she was, and also the incident with Vegeta. Over the weeks, Vegeta had insisted on spending all of his time finding different ways for them to be around one another. He had kissed her several more times since the first time, and it never ceased to make her uncomfortable. But, just like everything he did to her, she learned to get used to it. She decided not to tell Kakarot about it. He had been learning how to get along with Verles ever since she revealed that she had told him the truth, and she didn't want to ruin that. And there was no use getting him worked up over something that was probably nothing.

At the moment, Bulma was busying herself by supervising and helping Sykes put the finishing touches on the prototype of his battlesuit.

"What do you think about the exoskeleton?" Sykes asked as he looked over the suit of armor. At her insistence, he did slim down his design. Because of his short stature, he decided to model it around his superior, Bulma.

"It needs to be more shock absorbent, but this is just a prototype so you don't have to worry about that right now." She advised.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. We'll work on that when you get started on the real one."

"You're going to help me with the real one?"

"Of course." Over the last couple weeks of building, she and Sykes had reached a state of neutrality, thanks to the insistence of Baylor, where he felt confident enough in her abilities to seek advice. And she was happy to help, especially if it meant that she had an excuse to get away from the ever-hovering Vegeta.

His constant presence was making it very difficult for her to spend any time with Verles. Verles saw the way his father smothered her, he just didn't see anything else. Along with the sudden kisses, there were touches. To the naked eye, the touches appeared innocent. She knew better, and so did he.

"I finished the helmet last night." Sykes said, picking it up from a nearby table. "I did make this more shock absorbent." He assured, handing it to her.

She placed it over her head and knocked on it in a few places to confirm what he just said. She pressed a button on the side and the face opened. "It's not perfect, but at least I can't get a concussion too easily." She said, her voice muffled by the helmet.

"Well, isn't that nice." A voice said from behind her.

She immediately recognized the sardonic tone. She turned around to see Kaede approaching.

She removed the helmet and ran fingers through her hair. "Good evening." She greeted politely. Just as she were with Verles, she was always careful not be too casual with her name in front of others.

"Stone." She replied blandly. She looked down at the helmet tucked under her arm. "What is that?"

"Oh. This is the helmet to the suit Sykes has been working on." She said, holding it up for her to see. "And that," she moved aside and gestured. "is the rest of it."

The suit was standing on its on against the wall. It had an almost feminine design, after its model. The breastplate was wide with the opening of it in the middle, and went up to form a neck structure. The arms were plated down to the wrist that were attached to plated gloves. The shoulder plates covered the shoulder blades but cut off in the middle of the back and was connected by an artificial tendon for more flexibility. Unlike the arms, the legs were made up of only three plates; a large one on the thigh, a slender one covering the lower half, and a kneepad-like piece covering the knee. And the entire suit had a sleek, chrome coloring with a black finish.

"You've finished it? Already?" Kaede asked skeptically.

"Well not yet. This is just a prototype, your highness." Sykes said.

"But it is functional, correct?" She asked looking to Bulma. There was no hostility in her demeanor.

A few days after Kakarot had slipped up and told her the truth, Kaede had sat down with Bulma in order to get a clear understanding about what was going on. Of course Bulma didn't tell her everything, but she did say enough to get the woman to ease off of her a bit.

"Yes, it is. But once we're done testing this one out we'll have enough information to make a real one, and make upgrades it if we have to." She explained.

"What are its functions so far?"

Bulma turned her to look at short man. "Sykes?" She said, passing the question on to him.

"What?" He asked confusedly.

She gestured her brows and discretely tilted her head toward the queen. "I think that you should explain that part. It is your project, after all."

"Alright then," he sputtered when the queen looked his way. "The suit is meant to enhance the physical capabilities of the body."

"Like how?" Kaede inquired.

"Well, um." He stammered nervously. "For instance, it could help you move faster. It would increase the natural strength you already possess, or even give you the ability to fly if you can't."

"That sounds amazing!"

The three of them turned to see Verles coming toward them.

"What are you doing here?" Bulma asked him.

He smiled at her before looking towards the suit. "I was on my way to the G.R. when I saw you three standing here." He said. "This is really nice. I didn't think that you would have this finished so quickly."

"Yeah. Sykes has been working on it day and night." Bulma said.

He whipped around to his mother and her. "Are you going to test it out?"

Bulma turned to look at Kaede. "We can,"

"So why aren't you?" She asked.

"I was trying to wait for Kakarot to be done with what he was doing so that he could help us."

"I'll do it!" Verles volunteered enthusiastically.

She looked at him. "Are you sure? It could take awhile." She warned, trying dissuade him.

"That's fine. This can be my workout for the day."

She looked back to Kaede. "Is that good with you?"

"It's fine." She permitted begrudgingly at his enthusiasm.

"Then it's settled." Bulma told him.

"So where are we testing it?" Verles asked.

"You can use the training area in the east wing." Kaede said.

"Then let's do it." Verles exclaimed.

"Do what?"

The four of them turned to see Kakarot coming their way. He greeted everyone and went to stand beside Bulma, just as his sister stood on the other side of her.

"So what are we talking about?" He asked them.

"We were about to head over to the training area with Verles to test out the suit." Bulma told him.

"Verles? But I thought that you wanted me to help you do that?"

"I did, but you were busy and Verles volunteered his help, instead." She said, gesturing her hand toward her lover who wiggled his brows smugly.

"You couldn't just wait for me?" He said disappointedly.

"Quit your whining, Kakarot." His sister scolded. "Let's go." She instructed.

"You're coming, too?" He asked her.

"Of course I am. I'm curious to see what it can do." And she began walking and motioned for everyone to follow.

Bulma and Kakarot quickly placed the suit onto a lift and strapped it in, and Verles offered to push it.

Once they arrived, Sykes began helping Bulma place herself inside the suit.

"Wait a second." Verles said. "You're going to be the one to wear it?"

"Yes, because Sykes is too short." She said lightly, as the short man secured her. "And since Kakarot doesn't know how to operate it yet, I'm the only person who can."

Sykes closed the breastplate. "Alright, I'm done." He said and handed her the helmet.

When she placed the helmet over her head it immediately lit up on the inside. It showed visuals of the status of the entire suit. In seconds, her eyes scanned over everything.

She pressed the button on the helmet to reveal her face. "Alright, we're good to go, Sykes." And she stepped out into the middle of the area where Verles was doing some stretches.

He stopped and got into position. "Good luck." She smirked at him, the suit giving a few inches of height.

"The same to you." He smiled.

"Alright, let's see what you got, Stone." Kakarot from the sideline. "No ki blasts, Verles."

"And no flying." Kaede added.

"That's fine by me." Verles accepted.

Bulma the same button to close the helmet. She and Verles got into position. They waited a few seconds before Bulma made the first move and rushed him.

She came at him with a fist and aimed it at his head. He quickly dodged it, not really anticipating the attack to come as quickly as it did. As he dodged, she spun around and sent another fist at his face.

Not fully expecting to counter, Verles was forced to catch the fist and push her away. She came at him again and he instantly went on the defense. He wasn't planning on fighting all out against her, so he allowed her to throw a barrage of attacks at him.

The two siblings stood side by side, watching the show they were putting on. Sykes was just watching for research purposes.

After dodging yet another attack, Verles grabbed hold of both her arms and drove her towards the wall. She placed her feet forward before impact and used the wall to launch herself over and behind him. As they stood back to back, she reached behind herself, took hold of his chin and threw him in front of her.

He caught himself as he landed. But before he could look up, Bulma tackled him to the ground. She tried hitting him in the head but he put his arms up and knocked her away again.

"Come on Verles, you can do better than that." She taunted.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He accused, still on the floor.

"Yes, I am. Now come on, I need you to get on offense." She instructed.

"Alright." He nodded, and then jumped up and rushed her. He came at her with a slightly slowed down fist aimed at her head. She took a step back and swiftly dodged it. He sent a series of punches and kick at her body, she continued to block and dodge them.

After blocking another punch, Bulma used the opportunity to get in a hit. She swung her right fist at his head. Naturally, he was able to dodge. Just as she expected. While he dodged, she used the momentum from the swing and spun around. He could do nothing as the back of her left fist connected with his jaw, and sent him back a few feet.

"Damn." Kakarot said impressively. Kaede simply shook her head at the rookie mistake her son just made.

"Nice hit, Stone." Verles complimented, flexing his jaw.

"Thanks." She accepted, and then rushed him again.

They went toe to toe for a minute before he aimed a hit at her chest that she blocked using both arms, sending her nearly halfway across the room. She was back on him in an instant.

"She's doing a lot better than I assumed she would. I had no idea she could throw a punch." Kaede said to her brother. "She's just full of surprises, isn't she?"

"That she is." Kakarot said.

"I wonder where she learned it from." Kaede wondered aloud.

His brows shot to his hairline at her vocal thought. But before he could even say anything to change the subject, he was interrupted.

"What is going on in here?"

Everyone turned their heads to see Vegeta entering the room. Bulma also turned her head at the sudden arrival, effectively drawing her attention away from her opponent. Verles, on the other hand, remained focused a second longer than she had.

Before he realized that she looked away, he threw a punch at her head. And it landed.

Everyone heard the sound of his fist connecting with the helmet, shattering the visor. Her head snapped to the side as she went down.

Verles stood in silence as he waited for her to get up. When she didn't move for a few seconds, his heart dropped.

He dropped to his knees beside her and he could see through the broken visor that her eyes were closed. "Sykes, get over here and open this thing!" He yelled over to the small man.

Sykes ran over to them and quickly began opening various parts of the armor.

Kakarot ran over, as well. "Verles, what happened?!" He asked in a panic, as he slid on his knees beside his unconscious best friend.

Vegeta was left standing next to Kaede. "What is going on?" He asked, completely oblivious.

"It looks like Verles knocked her unconscious." She answered, very calmly.

"Who is she? Who's in that thing?"

She turned to look at him. "Stone."

"What?!" He exclaimed and looked towards the group surrounding the person on the floor. He watched on as the small man opened the suit and removed the helmet. Verles lifted the limp woman out of it.

"Stone!" Verles called to her, cradling her in his arms. She had a large, reddening bruise on her cheek.

"Put her down, Verles." Kakarot told his panicked nephew. He was still holding her. "She might have a neck injury. Now her down!" He demanded loudly.

Verles nodded and lied her gently to the floor. Kakarot immediately checked her pulse and placed his ear to chest to hear her breathing. He carefully straightened her head and checked her neck for an injury.

"Kakarot, is she is alright?!" Vegeta asked, quickly coming over to them and kneeling beside her.

"She's fine, just unconscious." He informed him, and felt around the back of her neck. "I don't think her neck is broken." He said with relief.

"How did this happen?" Vegeta asked angrily.

"I did it." Verles spoke up.

In no time at all, Vegeta was all over his alternate son. "What did you do to her?!" He yelled, with the young man pinned beneath him.

"It was an accident." Verles said meekly.

"What happened?" He growled.

"I was helping her test out the suit. She was doing fine. When you came in she must have got distracted." He explained quickly.

Vegeta was seething above him. He was preparing to render the boy unconscious, when a hand wrapped around his wrist.

"Stop it, Vegeta." Kakarot urged.

Vegeta looked at his old rival. He looked back to the boy, and stared at him for a while before letting him up.

"Kid,"

They looked over to see Bulma. Her eyes were halfway open as she stirred.

The three men scrambled over to her, moving Sykes out of the way.

"Are you alright?" Kakarot asked worriedly.

"What happened?" She asked groggily, attempting to sit up.

He glanced at his nephew. "Don't worry about that right now." He said, scooping her up bridal style. "I'm going to take you to your room." And walked toward the exit.

"Kakarot," Verles called out.

"Not now, Verles." He dismissed.

He passed his sister on the way out. She watched her brother carry the woman away in his arms. She turned back to look at her mate and son.

Verles was staring in the direction that his uncle had gone. His head dropped. He sighed deeply before he got up and went help Sykes load the suit onto the lift.

Vegeta got up and began walking towards the exit. He was stopped by Kaede wrapping her hand around his bicep.

"It was your fault, anyway." She said without looking at him.

"How is Verles knocking her out my fault? Plese, explain it to me." He bit.

"It was going fine before you showed up yelling out of nowhere. That's how she got hit. She got distracted by you." She bit back. "So stop blaming others for your mistake." And she released his arm and walked out through another exit.

Vegeta looked his shoulder at her retreating form. His eyes drifted over to his son. The boy was still helping the short man strap the suit to the lift. Vegeta sighed frustratedly before he left, as well.

"Thank you, your majesty." Sykes said.

Verles simply nodded.

"Alright then," the inventor said, and then pushed the lift out of the area.

Verles was left standing over the shattered remains of the visor that littered the floor.

(((Bulma/Kakarot)))

"Why are you carrying me?" She asked her best friend, who was carrying her through the halls.

"Because you just hit upside the head by a saiyan, so now I'm taking you to your room and then I'm going to make sure that you don't have a concussion." He explained calmly.

"Wait. Did I get knocked out by Verles?" She blurted. The look he gave her was answer enough. "Where is he?"

"Probably getting browbeaten by Vegeta."

She closed her eyes and buried her face in his neck. "That's right." She murmured into his skin.

"Huh?"

She looked ahead of their path. "I looked away when Vegeta showed up. Verles must have caught me off guard." She said sullenly.

"Don't let that wear you right now. You'll just give yourself a headache." He told her as they approached her room. He looked down at her. "It was an accident, and he knows that."

A little after they got to her room, Kakarot had checked for any sign of a concussion. After that there was none, he stayed with her as she took a long bath. He had to force her to go to sleep early.

"You're not going back to work today, so you can just stop trying." He said, forcing her to stay on the bed.

"Kakarot, I'm fine." She said, trying to get up.

He pushed her back down and took off his boots before he climbed on the bed and wrapped himself around her, keeping her in place.

"Are you kidding me, right now?" She groaned. She struggled against his hold, fruitlessly. "I have a concussion, I shouldn't even be going to sleep."

"You do not have a concussion."

"Let me go!" She said loudly, still wiggling around.

"You're not going anywhere, so you might as well get comfortable." He said, lying his head on one of her pillows.

She struggled some more before giving up. "I hate you." She groaned.

"I love you, too. Now go to sleep."

I wanted to leave this on a light note. What happened with Verles is meant to give Vegeta a reason for becoming overprotective of Bulma. If you didn't notice, this chapter didn't really have a specific POV until the end. That is going to happen a lot. Until next time, review this chapter and stay tuned to find the key to MyLockedHeart!