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

AN: This is my birthday present to you all, I hope you enjoy it.

I am going to answer a few questions before we get into the chapter.

Yes H.I. has merged into Capsule Corp. Tony is still head of operations for the branch that is his old company and will get a seat on the Board of Directors for Capsule Corp. once Dr. Briefs retires.

No, Bulma will not have to go to space with Vegeta if he refuses to cooperate. He is ignorant of this situation yet. All will be explained in a later chapter when Vegeta finally finds out about the government's involvement in the space programs.

Now, on with the story.

Bulma waited a few minutes after Vegeta went upstairs before she followed. Showering she went straight to bed. A few hours later she awoke to the sounds of Trunks fussing. Getting out of bed she threw on her bathrobe and went to her son's room.

Trunks was laying on his back whimpering and crying. Bulma scooped him out of his crib and hugged him to her chest, soothing him with her gentle voice. Nothing was working Trunks seemed to be crying more and he was dead weight against her shoulder. When the door across the hall clicked shut she turned worried eyes to Vegeta where he stood in the open doorway to Trunks' room.

Vegeta spent a few hours in the ocean. He flew to the southern chains of islands where there was still snow year-round to cool off his heated blood. While he was satisfied with their conversation and pleased she agreed with everything they had covered. He still couldn't believe she had said their son was born of love. He loved her with every fiber of his being, but did she ever really love him? She had given him the signs that she did, that she wanted him as her mate but Vegeta knew that she didn't understand the things she had done. The cultural differences and her lack of understood instincts were beginning to cause him physical pain.

Hence the reason he was in waters that were practically freezing. He couldn't stay out all night, Vegeta had promised Trunks they would continue their morning conversations. Vegeta also needed a couple of hours of sleep at least, and as soon as he was on the verge of hypothermia he headed back.

When he entered the window he had left out of, he heard Trunks crying and Bulma's voice softly trying to soothe the child. His curiosity urged him to go check on them both. Exiting his room he saw Bulma standing in Trunks room the boy laying heavily against her. Locking eyes with her worried ones Vegeta stepped into the room and approached slowly and rested his hand on Trunks' head and grunted.

The boy looked up into his father's eyes and whimpered causing Vegeta to raise a brow in query.

"What's wrong with him?" Bulma asked.

"He is in pain, everywhere," Vegeta answered and grunted again to Trunks. The boy whimpered and gave a few little grunts. "His muscles are sore from all his efforts to walk yesterday. Give him here," Vegeta said holding out his hands.

Bulma hesitated as she realized that they were actually communicating but slowly she transferred Trunks to Vegeta's waiting arms.

Cradling the boy in the crook of his arm Vegeta chortled to trunks and began to purr to keep the infant calm. Then in a flash, Vegeta transformed into a Super Saiyan, the heat of the ki level helping to relax the sore muscles in the child's body.

"You really are talking to him aren't you?" Bulma asked as she marveled at the transformed prince and threaded her finger into the whips of ki that illuminated his form.

Vegeta shifted his turquoise eyes to her sapphire and saw it when her hand darted out to touch the edge of his aura. Smirking at the look of awe on her face he answered her, "Yes, he has improved greatly in his language skills since my return."

"How?"

"I have been talking to him most mornings, working with him on his Oozaru," the look of confusion on her face made him explain further. "The ancient ape language of the Saiyan race, his ability was broken at best. It only took a few days until he improved to be able to speak in full," pausing to look back at the boy that was now asleep again in his arms. "He is as brilliant as his mother," he said with admiration and began to purr again.

Bulma was at a loss for words and watched as Vegeta moved to return the child to his bed. The bond between them was growing and already so strong. She missed having that with Vegeta, she missed his purr and found herself feeling empty when he stopped and turned towards her.

"I will take the monitor for the night, if he wakes again I will keep him with me, he needs the heat to soothe the sore muscles." Vegeta allowed his transformation to end and waited for Bulma to snap out of her trance.

"It's okay I can keep it-"

"Woman, you are exhausted," Vegeta said as he took a step towards her leaving only inches between their bodies. "Give me the device and get some sleep," he wanted to take them both with him and sleep enveloped in the scents of his family, especially now that Bulma smelled of only herself. All three of them needed the rest and that would be the most effective way to ensure such a thing.

Bulma nodded and stepped out of the room. He had been standing so close she could feel the heat from his flesh radiating off of him. It was either leaving the room or throwing herself at him, and she wasn't about to offer herself to him like that. He still owed her an apology. Grabbing the monitor she met Vegeta in the hall halfway between their rooms. She placed the device in his hand allowing her fingers to rest on his wrist for a second, before quickly pulling back, and with a quiet 'goodnight' she retreated to her room.

Vegeta stayed there for a moment and fought off the urge to barge into her room. Going back to his own he showered to get the salt off of his skin and sat on his bed for a few minutes. He sighed and got up when he heard Trunks begin to fuss again. Bringing the boy back to his room with him Vegeta fell asleep with the child on his chest, his purr filling the room.

The next day Bulma awoke to the sound of her phone ringing. Half asleep she answered groggily, "Hello?"

"Bulma Briefs, are you still asleep?" teased the female voice on the other line.

"What?" Bulma opened her eyes and tried to fight off the drowsy feelings.

"Haha, Bulma I can't believe you! Out all night and sleeping in past ten?"

"Candi?" Bulma sat up and confirmed the time to be 10:37. "How do you know I was out all night?"

"The pictures of you and some fashion-forward tall blonde cutie hugging outside your chopper in the street. They are all over the media this morning," Candi added.

"Ugh!" Bulma fell back with her arm covering her face. "I forgot about those damn paparazzi," Bulma groaned.

"Well, spill it girl who was he?" Candi demanded.

"Jules Takahari, the husband of Hiro Takahari, of Takahari & Son's law firm of Central City."

"AHAHAHA. I'm surprised at you Bulma, I would've thought you had had enough of emotionally unavailable men. I hope his husband knows about this," Candi teased again.

"Haha, very funny Candi," Bulma said dryly. "Besides, Vegeta isn't that unavailable."

"BULMA! Are you making up with the baby daddy!?"

"Ahh, do you have to scream in my ear?" Bulma asked rhetorically. " and to answer your question not really, we are just working together to raise Trunks, but Candi you should've seen him last night with Trunks. He was caring and gentle and even took the baby monitor so I could catch up on some lost sleep. They have their own way of communicating and it is the most adorable thing."

"Bulma, I don't want to see you hurt by this guy again," Candi said worried her friend was falling back into the cycle of forgiving her exes and didn't want to see her hurt by the mysterious man's lack of commitment. Bulma did have a type after all.

"Don't worry about me. I-I…"

"Don't tell me you are still in love with him!?" Candi really was worried now.

"Well, I don't think I ever fell out of love with him," Bulma admitted and knew it was the truth. "I was just hurt and upset and we've both said some things to each other that I think we each regret. We haven't made up yet but we are... re-opening our communication and I think we will get there in time."

"So he is back to living with you then?" Candi assumed and judged Vegeta for living off the Briefs.

"Yes, Vegeta is back home," Bulma could hear it in Candi's tone that she disapproved of the situation and added for good measure, "right where he belongs."

"Wonderful, then maybe all us girls can finally meet this mysterious Vegeta next weekend."

"What?" Bulma sat bolt upright. "Next we-weekend?"

"Yeah," Candi said but left the 'duh' to hand in the air. "It is our tenth anniversary, don't tell me you forgot?"

"No, no, of course not," Bulma got up and went to the calendar on the wall and looked at the next weekend "I guess I just didn't realize that it was next weekend already. I can't believe it's been ten years since we went to the Mediterranean."

"Well it has, Danna is coming in on the train from Central City, Friday morning, I'll be flying in Thursday night. When was the last time you spoke to Lizz?"

"It's been a month at least," Bulma admitted.

"I spoke to her last night she can't wait to get away from her house for a night. I think her husband was kinda annoyed but he can watch his damn kids for one weekend night while his wonderful wife lets her hair down." Candi had always been the real fireball of their little group, she had always come off as shy and all business until the drinks flowed and the lights dimmed. The woman was feisty and loved to string men along making them fight over her.

"Candi, you are terrible," Bulma couldn't hold back the smile on her face, "I love it."

"You bet your hot mom ass you do lady," Candi said. "Ugh alright guy number two is waking up I gotta go. Conference call between all us hot bitches on Thursday at 4:30, I already called Mia and made sure she at least remembered what was this weekend. Okay, kisses." Candi hung up just as Bulma heard a masculine voice asking who was on the phone.

Bulma just laughed and shook her head. 'That little minx, she is never gonna change,' Candi had always had multiple men she dated. Bulma was a little jealous she'd never gotten much experience with different men let alone multiple men. But thinking on it again Bulma wouldn't give up the sex she'd had with Vegeta for any man on earth. Remembering the way he had transformed to help trunks and the sensation she'd gotten from that level of power a shiver traced her spine and she wondered what it would be like to have him transform during sex. That thought made her heart race and heat pool into her core. 'Fuck!' she thought Vegeta was going to be able to smell her arousal. "Fuck!" she swore allowed. Thinking about him smelling her, made her remember the way he used to smell her. He would stop inches from her, leaning down, because she was shorter than him without her heels on, to be less than a breath above her skin. Her sharp intake of breath, his soft growl that turned into a purr, the way every little hair on her skin could feel the rush of the air as he inhaled her scent. He would always lift one side of his upper lip and wrinkle his nose while the nostril closest to her flared. Reliving the moments all at once made her desire for him burn hotter.

Hearing the husky sound of his laughter Bulma jumped up and went to her window. Looking down she saw Vegeta in the yard with Trunks. The scene made her heart melt. Vegeta was going through different stances. Trunks had a box to hold onto and was trying to copy Vegeta. Each time their son got one right he would get so excited he would jump off his own feet and land on his butt. This made Vegeta chuckle and Trunks would laugh along with him and Bulma's heart would clench painfully in her chest. She left the window and went to the bathroom, but unlike Vegeta and his frozen dip, she made sure her shower was as hot as she could handle.

Vegeta woke with his son still on his chest as the boy began to stir. He felt better, rested, and was glad that the boy had slept through the night for him. Grunting he encouraged the boy to wake up. Vegeta could feel Bulma on the other side of the wall, she was still asleep, and he decided to take trunks to breakfast and let her rest.

"Dad?" trunks asked in Oozaru as he blinked open his bright blue eyes.

Vegeta felt stunned by them for a moment, they were so like Bulma's. Bringing his finger to his lips he shushed his son. "Your mother is sleeping, lets let her rest," Veheta shifted Trunks to sit on the floor while he went and relieved himself, when he came back out he looked at his son. "How do you relieve yourself?"

"Dapdap," trunks said in English and patted his front.

Vegeta furrowed his brow not understanding the term and made a hand gesture asking for clarification.

Trunks flopped over and began crawling for the door, and switched back to Oozaru with his grunts, and said, "My room, I will show you, dad."

Vegeta scooped the child up and held him like a football against his waist. Entering the boy's room trunks pointed to the changing table and Vegeta put him on top of it.

Trunks tugged at his onesie, "Unsnap this, take 'dap dap' off and wipe my bum."

"You wear a loincloth?" Vegeta asked appalled that he would have to change the soiled thing. It was moments like this that he missed being a prince in a palace with servants to do these kinds of things. "This seems very inefficient son," Vegeta added.

"No problem I take off 'dap dap'" trunks ripped his onesie open and tore at the diaper. Before Vegeta could react.

"Stop, stop," the mortified prince struggled to get his child to not strip his lower covering off. Picking the boy up the diaper fell away and Trunks giggled and kicked his feet. Setting the child back on the tabletop Vegeta groaned, "where are the clean ones?"

"No, you need to clean me first, use the wipes," Trunks pointed to the box on the back of the table.

Vegeta hesitated and looked between his son and the box. Opening the lid Vegeta was hit with the strong scent of the wipes shaking his head he sneezed to clear his nose of the scent. Pulling a couple out he noticed Trunks was hanging over the edge of the table pulling all his diapers and clothes out of the cubbies. Four diapers were on the tabletop clothes were scattered across the room and Trunks was reaching for the second cubby space down. Dropping the wipes he grabbed Trunks and sat the boy back down, "Stay," he held his hand up and growled to accentuate his point. Getting two new wipes Vegeta quickly cleaned up his son and put a new diaper on him. Then left the room and the mess behind, never wanting to go through that again.

After breakfast, he took the boy to the yard. Going through his katas and stretches he watched Trunks as the child tried to copy his every move. Finding a box in the kitchen he brought it out and placed it next to the boy. After he returned to his katas he got lost in the motions until he heard Trunks squeal.

Trunks was holding onto the box and was in a deep horse stance. The boy got so excited he squealed again and bounced into a jump that dumped him on his butt. He made a funny sound and Vegeta couldn't hold in the laugh. Trunks froze at the sound of his father's laugh and began to bounce and giggle even more. Trying another stance he held it until Trunks could copy him again. Once the boy got to his feet he struggled at first and Vegeta moved and returned to the stance again. Trunks succeeded and giggled and bounced off his feet all over again.

After the third stance, Vegeta began to feel eyes on him. Standing at the ready he looked around the yard, no one was there. Looking up to the house he focused on Bulma's window and glared in concentration. No one was in the window but feeling for the woman's ki he could tell she was awake. Trunks squealed again and Vegeta returned his attention to his son.

When Bulma finally came down to the kitchen her mother was already making lunch for the boys outside. Getting herself a cup of coffee Bulma sat at the table so she could watch Vegeta and Trunks outside. Panchy came and set a plate of fruit and toast down in front of her.

"Thanks, mom," Bulma said and took a bite of her toast.

"Of course dear," Panchy noted the glow from her daughter and believed Vegeta to be the cause. "You must have very acrobatic sex, you really wore eachother out, and even slept like a family, I'm so happy!"

Bulma gasped and began couching to dislodge the piece of toast now stuck in her throat, "What? Mom! Vegeta and I did not have sex last night! Why would you even think that we did!?"

"Oh?" Panchy felt her smile falter and wondered when her stubborn daughter would forgive the man that loved her. "I just thought that because trunks wasn't in his room this morning, and Vegeta came down with him two hours later, well… I thought you might have forgiven each other finally and you all slept together as a family."

"Vegeta had Trunks with him this morning?" Bulma thought back to when the baby had woken up crying last night,

"If he wakes again I will keep him with me," Vegeta had said before she had given him the monitor.

"Yes he did, he even changed Trunks diaper," Panchy said then turned thoughtful. "Although, from the state of Trunks room, I don't see him trying it again," she added tapping her finger to her chin.

"He did WHAT!" Bulma couldn't believe it.

"Woman, why are you shouting?" Vegeta barked from the doorway.

Spinning back to the door she saw him standing there with his signature scowl furrowing his strong brow and his upper lip pulled up into a barely-there sneer. It felt good to be on okay terms with the grouchy prince once again and she found herself appreciating his figure in his tight shorts and tank-top. She was thankful he didn't notice as her mother had answered his question for Bulma.

"I was just telling Bulma about how you changed Trunks diaper this morning! I'm so proud," Panchy said as she turned to get the boys their lunch plates.

Vegeta flushed at the older woman's praise and the memory of how he had left Trunks' room. When his eyes connected with hers both of them flushed deeper and turned away quickly. Bulma returned to her fruit and coffee, while Vegeta picked trunks up and slid the child into his highchair. Taking his seat beside the child the Saiyan pushed the highchair closer to Bulma and felt her eyes burn across him but he refused to look at her.

Trunks had silently asked to sit next to his mom after Vegeta had set him in his chair, but Bulma didn't know that. It touched her that Vegeta moved the boy closer to her, and the moment was made even sweeter when trunks gave her a big hug.

"Hello sweety, I love you too," Bulma said giving her boy a little squeeze. "Did you have fun with Daddy this morning?"

Trunks only nodded his head then dug into his lunch. Bulma couldn't help but look at Vegeta while he ate. The flexing muscles in his arm and shoulder, the way his pectoral rippled as he would lift his water to his mouth, and the tips of the large X shaped scar on his chest peeking out from under his tight shirt, all of it was making her mouth water. She clenched her thighs together in an attempt to prevent him from smelling her growing arousal. 'Kami's he's like a god!' she thought.

Vegeta could feel her watching him but every time he looked at her from the corner of his eye she was looking away or praising Trunks for his improved eating skills. The tension was growing around her and he felt like it had something to do with him.

Raking his brain he tried to piece it all together as he downed the last of his water. Unable to discern the cause of her aura Vegeta stood and moved to take Trunks back outside with him. As leaned in to lift the child the scent hit him and he froze, Bulma was aroused and had been looking at him when it had happened. Was the woman so fickle that she would switch from one male to another? Or...was she more attracted to Vegeta and her swaraj with whatever male she had been close with the night before showing her how much better of a mate the prince was for her? How he hoped for the latter.

When Vegeta froze mid-reach for trunks Bulma knew he smelled her, his damn nose was at least three times stronger than a human. 'Shit, shit, shit,' Bulma thought when she looked into his widened eyes, he definitely smelled it. Her face grew flushed and she turned away from him in embarrassment but continued to feel his eyes on her.

Vegeta stared at her for several seconds until Trunks grunted that he wanted out of his chair. The prince of Saiyans pulled his son from the highchair and disappeared with the child out into the sun-filled back yard. As far away as he could get with the boy to clear his sinuses of the scent of arousal.

"Thank the kami," Panchy said as she finished setting the tray she would take to her husband where he was in his lab.

"What?" Bulma asked.

"I was afraid I'd have to cut that with a knife to end it," Panchy answered carrying the tray to the doorway.

"Huh?"

"The tension between the two of you Bulma dear. Just go jump his bone already, it did look rather tasty," Panchy winked over her shoulder as she disappeared around the corner.

"MOM! What the hell?" Bulma cried.

Notes: I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, especially the beginning. I was inspired by this silly video that I saw on youtube about Bulma dreaming about Vegeta cheating on her with Android 18. In it Vegeta describes them sleeping all cuddled up and the creator used a piece of fanart that was of Bulma snuggled against Vegeta's side her head on his shoulder his arm around her and Trunks on his chest. It was so cute I wanted to include something with Vegeta co-sleeping with Trunks as that is another strong monkey instinct. I also had to mortify Vegeta by making him try to change a diaper...Muahahaha.

Thank you to everyone that is following this story, and an even bigger thanks to those that favorited it so far. I'll give you all what you really want in a couple of chapters no worries.

Read and review lovelies! The next chapter will be posted tomorrow, Friday.