Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to the Dragon Ball universes that privilege rests with Akira Toriyama.

AN: I finally got to get a second chapter out in one weekend.

After over three days Bulma and Vegeta are finally going to talk again.

When Bulma finally returned it was late, nearly midnight. She walked into the kitchen to get some water and found her mother there waiting for her.

"Bulma it's late," Panchy said tiredly. Mrs. Breifs had waited up for her daughter after playing with trunks and putting her sweet grandson to bed. it hadn't been hard the boy was tired after whatever it was Vegeta had been up to with the child. she wouldn't complain, he was as sweet as pie to her and gave her lots of hugs and kisses, and had been a dream to snuggle with for a story that he didn't even stay awake through. the evening had been wonderful.

"Mom I'm not sixteen, and before you say anything this isn't going to be a habit. I needed to unwind after the crazy week I've had, I'm sorry if Trunks was too much, I-"

"Bulma," Panchy said in all seriousness catching her daughter's attention. "Trunks spent his day with Vegeta," the bluenette was frozen in place, she could only stare at her mother. "Trunks was wild after breakfast. I think it woke Vegeta and he growled at Trunks when he hurt me," Panchy showed the bruise on her wrist where the infant had fought off being held. Bulma's eyes went wide and she sat down hard, but still, she was speechless. Panchy sighed as she continued, "I don't know what they did together all day but they were outside and in the gravity chamber all day. When trunks came out he was such a sweetie to me, always hugging me and he gave me a few kisses. Trunks even took a nap on the couch with me and went to bed without a fuss. He was tired after whatever the boys were doing all day, Vegeta barely spoke to me and was always slipping away," Panchy stood up to go to bed. "I know you guys had a fight. I hope you can make up with him deary, that man, he is a rare one. He's still out in the gravity chamber if you wanted to go talk to him," she said as she rounded the table towards the doorway. pausing there with her hand on the framework she turned back to her beautiful, stubborn daughter, and said, "And Bulma, be sweet to him, he seems to be hurting."

Bulma sat there for a minute after her mother left. Processing the information quickly, Bulma started to get really excited. Vegeta had stepped up today and taken care of their son. He was starting to act like a real father, she was a little nervous that he was being too hard on their son, but her mother said Trunks was wonderful. She couldn't see Vegeta hurting Trunks or trunks being so well behaved if he was unhappy about his time with Vegeta. He had clearly taken what she had said to heart and decided to start interacting with their son finally. getting up from the table Bulma made her way out the back door and to the gravity chamber and Vegeta.

Vegeta had been waiting so long for her that now he wasn't sure what to say. He could feel Panchy awake inside and didn't want to approach Bulma with the older woman hanging around. So he waited, the two women were in the kitchen Panchy's ki was flagging but Bulma's seemed to be growing anxious and excited. After several minutes Panchy went to her bed and Bulma began making her way towards the gravity chamber.

He felt panic creep up his spine. Why was she seeking him out? It was supposed to be him that was going to find her tonight, at least that had been his plan. Now he felt trapped like an animal in a cage, there was no way that he could exit and she wouldn't notice him leaving. The Saiyan Prince was suddenly not prepared to face her after their fight two nights ago, he felt nervous she might turn him away or worse deny their son his need to be trained.

Leaning over the counsel where he had been adding to the map of the known universe for the Briefs, a little hobby of his. Vegeta switched the screen to the external cameras and watched as Bulma walked around the end of the house and made her way toward the ship. She was stunning dressed in the color of fresh blood and her dress clung to her every curve. Before she got to the doors he switched them back to his coordinate lists and mapping systems and waited.

Bulma knocked and jumped a little in surprise when the doors rushed open. She could see him across the first floor of the ship from her, his back to her. He was in his typical white boots and a pair of tight black pants that were replicated from his old flight suits. The black tee shirt pulled across his broad shoulders teased at the toned definitions she knew were in every muscle under it. Her throat was suddenly dry and she thought for a moment that maybe she should do this in the morning, but Jules' voice in her head repeated his words from earlier. Running away wasn't an option. Swallowing the lump in her throat she moved forward on cautious feet.

The flashing lights of the paparazzi caught them both off guard and Jules ushered Bulma into her chopper. Turning back to the restaurant he saw Hiro and Tony standing by the doors they had already gotten the check and Jules waved them over. Both men looked at eachother then made a mad dash for the chopper as the cameras closed in, the tabloids would be abuzz with gossip tomorrow.

Once all four of them were inside Jules took the co-pilot seat and turned to Bulma, "Okay hot stuff where would you like to go dancing? It's Tony's treat for being an ass." he winked at Hiro who was sitting behind Bulma.

"Look I'm sorry, I-"

"Ah-ah-ahh, arm candy doesn't get to talk," Jules interrupted Tony. "You two just sit there and enjoy the fact that you get to be out with the two most stunning people in East City."

Bulma teeheed behind her hand and lifted off the street and out of the swarming crowd of gawkers and flashing lights.

Bulma flew them to a very exclusive and elegant nightclub. If the paparazzi were out tonight she wanted to be in the one place they were all banned from. Club Moxy was it.

Bulma was easily able to get a booth in the VIP section. Which is where Jules and she ditched Hiro and Tony.

"How did he hijack my date?" Tony grumbled.

"Because, for Bulma," Hiro stated flatly. "This was never a date. The woman is a single mom, a VP of one of the largest companies on earth, she wanted to go out and let loose. You had even said so yourself that it wasn't a date. Why don't you go to the bar, get us all some drinks ordered, and find a woman to dance with that isn't your new business partner, this is a celebration after all. Go have some fun, you're dragging down the mood," Hiro waved him off, intent on having some semblance of peace in the privacy of the VIP booth.

On the dance floor, Bulma and Jules stuck to the edges of the thick crowd.

"Spill it girl, what is bothering you, darling?" Jules asked, fed up with her silence since their arrival.

Frowning Bulma confided in her new friend, "Vegeta and I had a fight, and I said a lot of things that were very hurtful. He had a very hard life, the country he came from was torn apart by war," it was true but not the whole truth, "and I dragged up all of those things. He left for a day and we haven't spoken yet."

"But you do, still love him right?" Jules asked.

Bulma looked up at Jules and away quickly, "I...I don't know," she said into her drink.

"You can keep trying to fool yourself if you want but it's only gonna make you suffer for longer." Jules cut his eyes to the side before he continued, "Or, you could admit what is obviously the truth to yourself and lessen your burden."

"Vegeta's not the type to really care about the mushy words and emotions," Bulma countered.

"Sweetie, don't you know?" Jules made her face him and he looked at her seriously, "the hardest exteriors ALWAYS hide the gooiest centers. Look at Hiro, that man is the most sentimental and loving person I know, but no one gets to see that side of him. Not even Tony gets to see that soft side of him often, and Hiro is the son of a lawyer and surgeon he was a spoiled little shit as a kid. He loves me so hard that he would die for me, of that I am certain."

Bulma could only gape at Jules, the way he described Hiro wasn't all that dissimilar to Vegeta, even the spoil shit part of it. When she thought about it she knew Vegeta had a hidden softness and tenderness in him that he never showed anyone, well anyone but her. She thought back to when he had offered her to snuggle into his lap on her couch and her heart turned over at the remembered look in his eyes as they flashed an antique silver at her. Then the purr that had seemed to be constantly coming from his chest when she was touching him. His care of her when she was vulnerable and his playfulness that he showed her and her alone. It all made her feel so powerful that a man like that would show her a side to him no one would even believe was buried inside the killing machine he had once been.

Jules recognized the look on Bulma's face as she began to admit what he said as true. Smirking he looked out across the sea of bodies that were moving with the thumping music, "You have a very rare type of man, as I'm sure you know. Forgive him for his fuck ups and open up that big heart of yours to let him back in and you won't regret it. Be sure to give him time to feel safe again after your fight though," Jules looked back to her. "He will never show you how much you can hurt him and it will take him time but eventually he'll return to you and whatever you two have will be stronger than ever." Emptying his glass Jules set it on a table and grabbed her arm, "Come on Mama, enough of this depressing talk, we need to dance."

Bulma smiled and downing her own drink she followed him out onto the dance floor and they got lost in the sea of shifting bodies.

The tension grew with every step she took in the direction of the Saiyan Prince. She stopped half the way across the ship near the central collum unable to move or take her eyes off of him. He hadn't moved or even shifted, if he hadn't been standing she would've thought he was sleeping. All she could do was stare and hoped he would turn to face her or at least look over his shoulder at her.

"What? Why are you watching me?" Vegeta spat, no longer prepared to talk to her with how she was dressed.

"What did you do?" Bulma asked softly.

"Is this a trick of some kind?" Vegeta glared at her from the corner of his eye, his tone rife with suspicion.

"No," she said honestly.

"Then stop speaking so cryptically," his patience was wearing thin, being in her presence was more painful than he'd thought it would be.

"Pfft your one to talk about cryptic speech," Bulma rolled her eyes and smirked at the handsome but grouchy Sayian.

"Is there a purpose to your mindless drabbling or are you simply getting off on disrupting my peace?" Her teasing smirk wasn't helping his rapidly deteriorating mood.

"I just wanted to know what you did today?" Bulma took another step towards him and elaborated when he turned to face her, scowl across his face, "My mom said you interceded during one of Trunks' tantrums and he's been really good all day, not a single fit, and he almost couldn't wait to go to sleep. It was extraordinarily strange, he used to fight his naps, but she said he had napped without a fuss and that he spent all day out here with you," Looking away from his sour continence Bulma twisted her fingers together. "Would you be willing to tell me what you did? And maybe even talk with me about it in detail? Maybe...um…"

Eyeing her up and down he could tell she wanted his help, and it had been him that had lost his patience with the noises and finally took initiative with the child. And while he knew, he knew, she was a good parent, the evidence was in the future version of their son, that future he grew up in was significantly more difficult than the current circumstances in which the child was being reared now. He was hard-pressed not to goad her for her rambling and lack of confidence at the moment. Instead, he chose to offer her the truth, something she didn't always like to hear, but it would inevitably be for her and the boy's benefit… and he hoped maybe his own too.

"He is spoiled, no one is firm enough with him. He needs discipline, he overpowered your mother. I simply told him what was going to happen. I informed him that he would no longer be allowed to torment you, or your mother with his whining and false tears," being civil with her felt strange. For as much as he felt he deserved an apology for her harsh words, he knew it would be hypocritical to say as such, for he still had his own apology to give to her.

"But she said you brought him out here," Bulma waved her hands out encompassing the gravity room.

"His behavior was unacceptable so I brought him out here and allowed him to observe me," Vegeta said with a small lift and lower of his shoulder as if it was of little consequence.

"Oh…?"

Seeing her question written across her face he gave her the rest of the answers she was looking for.

Sighing Vegeta looked her in the eye for the first time in days, "I told him if he behaved and did not make trouble for the rest of the day I would allow him to return tomorrow and give him his first lesson." Worry gripped him, he didn't want her to refuse him training the boy.

"Really Vegeta!?" she gasped and he barely controlled his flinch. He was preparing himself to be denied something the child desperately needed and when he was honest with himself, he wanted even more. "That's wonderful!" he finally turned to observe her and found himself pleasantly surprised at her open display of approval and joy at the news. "You don't know how happy that makes me! I've been wanting to talk to you about it, he has always been incredibly strong for his age, at least to human standards, and I had hoped you would be willing to train him." Bulma clasped her hands over her chest, tears of joy dampening her eyes, and one of the biggest smiles he had ever seen grace her face was spread wide across her features.

He found himself on his feet and halfway to her before he realized he was moving, "damn these blasted instincts, always overruling my better judgment," he thought but didn't fight it. Instead, he smirked and allowed his eyes to show his own pleasure at her approval at this news. He hadn't expected this at all, he thought he would have to fight her on this, arguing for hours or days even weeks to make her see reason. Her blatant joy and enthusiasm at the mere idea of him training his own son instantly made Bulma endearing all over again. He wanted to pull her into him and kiss her senseless but stopped a meter from her remembering to respect her person, per her wishes.

"Of course I will train the boy, he has much to learn," he said crossing his arms over his chest so he could secure his hands and wouldn't touch her.

Smiling at seeing him assume a normal posture for Vegeta she added, "and it will be really good for his attitude, thank you."

"Something you yourself could benefit from," Vegeta was instantly kicking himself. He just couldn't help it, she had set it up perfectly and he walked in and knocked it down. Scrambling to shift the conversation away from his own cutting comment he spoke before he really thought about what he was saying. "It pleases me that you want this for him even more than I do, it's flattering really."

Her eyes grew even wider with his words. She had originally been miffed about his comment on her temper but for him to admit his feelings on the subject and that it flattered him. She couldn't bring herself to allow his earlier comment to sour the conversation.

"Well, I…" she wasn't sure what to say, she had some planned comment about how the prince of Saiyans should be training his heir. But she didn't want to stroke his ego if they weren't fighting over it. She was very happily surprised it wasn't a fight, and he wanted this too. She hesitated too long and Vegeta began to feel uneasy.

"You?" he encouraged her to finish her train of thought. Taunting her to fight with him, it was how he was comfortable with her. The fights symbolized the passion they felt for each other in his mind and her backing down combined with the other man's scent was worrying to him.

"I'm just really happy that… that you...that we aren't fighting about this. That we actually agree on what is best for Trunks," again she gave him a brilliant smile.

"Mmm," he grunted in response. He was still uncomfortable with parenting but had already decided that this was what he was going to do, he owed that to his son, even if he was losing Bulma.

Bulma gestured towards the door and asked, "Do you want to come inside and we can talk about this more?"

"I don't see why? We both agree training is what is needed. What else do we have to discuss?" Vegeta was unsure where this was going. She called another man's scent on her but was being kind and wanted to spend time with him? alone? he knew the rest of the house had been asleep for a few hours now. Was it even a good idea to be alone with her? Could he control his urge to touch her?

"Well, you are here more than me and if you are going to start training him I would like to know what kind of rules you enforce in here so maybe we could come up with similar types of rules for around the house and with my mom." the look on his face told he didn't see the necessity of such a conversation. "Consistency is important when you train right?" he nodded. "Well, wouldn't it be helpful if there were similar rules and expectations outside of training so we don't accidentally set the training back?" She hoped that if she put it in the context of it being a continuation of his training outside the dojo then he would see her reasoning and come inside to discuss their son with her.

The disappointment that crossed her face made him berate himself mentally for causing it. Then when her hope showed in her eyes he knew he would do whatever she wished, "I see your point. I will meet you inside in several minutes, I need to wrap some things up in here and then I shall join you."

"Oh, okay. I'll see you in a bit then," with that she smiled, turned on her heel, and exited the gravity chamber.

Vegeta stood in the same place for several minutes. He didn't have anything to do except turn off the system and the lights. The only reason he told her that was because he needed a moment alone with his thoughts. She had been stunning, dressed in red, her new haircut and style drawing his eye to the long column of her throat, it had been almost unbearable to stand there and not reach for her. To make matters worse she was saturated in the scent of another man and two more male scents lingered around her. The bitter taste of jealousy burned in his gut as his imagination ran wild with the multitude of things she might have been doing with that other man for his scent to cling to her in such a way. Scowling he shut the systems down and made his way slowly to the house.

Inside Bulma sat on the couch and waited for Vegeta, a glass of water in her hands, she was trying to sober up a bit more. She was finally admitting it to herself that she loved the irritable prince of Saiyans, and she was determined to find common ground for them to build from. The blue-haired genius hoped desperately that it would bring them closer together, but she had a plan to help that aspect along.

Vegeta entered the house ten minutes later and she struggled to not turn around and watch him approach her. she could feel his eyes on her, she always did, it was something that excited her, the way he watched every little thing she did when they were alone, but now she felt incredibly nervous for she had not realized how it made her feel when he watched her, and she had yelled at him for watching trunks. She knew it was because she wanted him to join in but instead she let the bullshit from her work affect how she dealt with Vegeta. That and she wanted an apology.

Walking into the living room, Vegeta stopped and watched the woman that he loved look everywhere but at him. She was nervous but underneath that excited and he wondered at that. When she glanced at him then quickly turned away exposing her throat to him Vegeta felt an urge to lunge for her and lick up the line of her long neck. Sitting down on the opposite end of the couch he said, "Whining is not allowed."

"What? Bulma asked, looking at him in confusion.

When training, whining is not allowed," he explained. "When you tell him what to do, find a phrase that will command him such as 'Trunks you need to do this' and that can be your code for him to know that you will broker no argument or whining."

"That's a really good idea," again Bulma smiled at him and Vegeta had to look away again, "but he is just an infant. how else are we supposed to know what he needs?" Bulma asked concerned Vegeta was being too harsh.

"Sign language," he stated.

"I like it!" Bulma scooted an inch in his direction on the sofa. "What else you got?"

"He is never allowed to raise his hand to another outside his training," Vegeta paused looking thoughtfully at the black TV screen where he could make out their reflections. "It would be beneficial for him to have a peer."

"I was thinking the same thing yesterday!" Bulma perked up and turned so she was almost facing Vegeta, her short skirt hiking high up her thighs. "I will contact Chi-Chi about letting Gohan spend some time with Trunks on a weekly basis or something. I might have to throw in a scholarship for him to convince her to let him leave his studies."

Clicking his tongue, Vegeta grumbled, "Ridiculous," he knew Gohan was the only option for his son to have a peer and while it bothered him he was more bothered by the fact that the kids mother wouldn't let him train.

Bulma misconstruing his meaning was quick to respond, "Education is not ridiculous Vegeta. I want Trunks to have both, I want him to have everything and more."

"As you should and as our son deserves. I was remarking on Kakarot's mate not allowing the boy to train," Vegeta explained.

"Oh," Bulma's blush deepened as he explained his meaning. "I agree, we have to raise Trunks with the balance of both the physical and intellectual aspects."

"Absolutely," Vegeta looked into her face, the flush making her look very enticing but he held back. "As he is of royal blood he should train and study in tandem, and being the heir of Capsule Corp and the Briefs' legacy he should be pushed to be the absolute best and brightest in the galaxy."

"After all, he is the one that defeated Frieza," Bulma added.

Vegeta shook his head and faced forwards again. He needed to be able to get this next part out and looking at the beautiful vixen was not helping. "He is not the same trunks, the child upstairs will never be the same man as the trunks that killed that tyrant and king cold, he'll never be the same man that helped to defeat the androids, or the man that spent a week in the time chamber with me, or the man that was devoured by Cell. the way I see things, we have two sons. We are getting a chance to leave two of our marks on this universe. One forged through adversity, one via opportunity," looked back to Bulma at the sound of her sharp intake of breath.

Bulma gasped at his admission, it was correct and she had never looked at it from that perspective. "Vegeta," she said reverently and leaned in to run her hand down his arm and squeeze his forearm. "That was-that was beautiful. I can't believe I've never looked at it that way. you're absolutely right, and I'm glad to add that they were both born of love-"

Vegeta stood and began walking for the door. How could she say such a thing? She didn't love him, she had rejected him, Twice! He wasn't sure if he needed to go punch a hole through a mountain or pin Bulma to the couch and show her he did love her. He knew it was the latter but wouldn't risk being denied a third time. He was certain he would leave to find his death somewhere, but when her hand he felt powerless to move away. He glared at the hand because it was telling him not to stay but that's what he needed to put distance between them.

"Vegeta wait!" Bulma rushed to stand and stop him with another hand to his arm. He glared down at the hand and she quickly pulled it back. "I want to know more about you. I feel like I hardly know you at all," Bulma admitted. When he relaxed his stance and turned halfway towards her she continued. "I have an idea! Let's play a little game, it's called quid pro quo. you'll ask me a question and I'll answer then I'll ask you a question and you'll have to answer. Let's meet on the couch every Friday night and spend about an hour playing this game so that way we can both know each other better. What do you say?"

"What more is there to know about you woman?" Vegeta scoffed, the idea was interesting but he wanted to see what she could offer to him. He already knew what questions he would eventually be asking her.

"Oh, trust me you don't know everything about me. Did you know I'm the one that translated the ancient Namekian and flew the ship all the way to Namek?"

Pausing Vegeta let her anticipation build and secretly took his time admiring her form one last time before he went and swam to the freezing depths of the ocean. Letting his mind wander a bit he recalled the night he had held her in his arms and wanted desperately to do that again. Thinking about that night had a slight frown turning the corners of his lips down, that was the night she had rejected him. Perhaps she would ask him about that if he played her game? Mind made up, he answered. "Fine, I will play this game, Bulma."

Bulma was losing hope as Vegeta pondered her offer. Seeing him begin to frown she thought for sure he would reject the idea. Then he'd accepted and she jumped for joy. "Thank, you Vegeta. Thank you so much," she said clapping her hands in front of her chest pushing her breast together and up.

Vegeta scoffed again and turned to walk away, the temptation to touch her to scent mark her was overwhelming his scenes and he needed to distance himself from her immediately. making his way out of the living room he paused when her soft hesitant voice called after him.

"Good-goodnight!" Bulma called and went to the kitchen, knowing that he wouldn't return the words.

Notes: I wanted to give more of a sense of Bulma and Vegeta coming together finally for their son by giving them a chapter to share rather than separating them as I had been before.

Efri14, I hope this satisfied your need for Bulma and Vegeta interacting again.