Chapters 10: Daze and Confused

"It's not what you think," Vegeta stated immediately.

"What the hell is it then, Vegeta?"

He hated the subtle edge of Bulma's voice right then. One of betrayal. He turned his eyes back to the photo she held. A photo of him ramming her into a bookcase in the Ancient Greek Primers and History of the Occult section of the library. A section of library they were just in. Sex that they had just had not even an hour ago. He couldn't believe he'd been caught. Who the hell does he have following me?!

Bulma interrupted his reverie. "What is this. You get into my pants and then you get someone to snap a shot of us so you can contact the tabloids and sell to the highest bidder?!"

Her words stung. "No," he whispered desperately. A very un-Vegeta-like thing to do. Bulma stilled, her mood shifting from one of anger to confusion. Vegeta stood before her with an expression she could not place. He looked like a man frozen in fear. Enraged. She could see his hands fisted at his sides, shaking uncontrollably. She was once again brought back to that morning. Of seeing him aggravatedly run his hands over his agitated face. Her heart swelled with concern.

"What aren't you telling me?" She demanded in a fervent whisper.

Inside, Vegeta was raging. His emotions toying with him. One moment he's overcome by a rage so strong he could explode, the next he's a drowning man just trying to figure out a way to protect the woman he loved.

Tell her the truth or lie? What are my options? I could put her in more danger, but finally be with someone I care about. Or I could forget this and just walk away. One path makes me vulnerable, the other... But if I lie I risk losing the only woman I've ever loved. Either way I end up fighting the mafia... Vegeta's inner musings were giving him a headache. He gave an icy look to the woman standing before him. Her concerned face made him winch internally. He hated seeing that look on her face. It made him realize that she cared for him too. And that was only going to put her in more danger. He hated what he was doing to her. With his cold eyes trained on her, he made up his mind. Fuck it! Vegeta finally thought.

Bulma continued to stare at him through his mental debate. She could see his eyes flicker with different emotions. His cold anger radiating off him. "Vegeta..." she said, reaching her hand out to put on his arm. Her touch didn't seem to thaw him though.

Very deliberately, in a cold and detached voice, Vegeta said, "get on the bike, woman."

"Vegeta-"

He grabbed her wrist in a tight vice, but she knew he wasn't trying to hurt her. "I'm not having this discussion here. Get on the damn bike."

She hated to admit it, but Bulma was scared. She'd never been afraid of Vegeta before, no matter how many times he threatened her. But this was a whole different side she'd never seen before.

She walked to the bike, her movements slow. Vegeta swung his leg over and sat forward, starting the engine. Bulma climbed on behind him and wrapped herself around his torso, burying her face in his neck, making him stiffen. His demeanor still didn't soften. Vegeta spun the bike around, headed toward a part of West City Bulma hardly visited. Where is he taking me? Her nerves were starting to smother her.

A few moments later, Vegeta pulled up to a small house with a short wrought-iron gate around the premises. The house was a light shade of pink, bleached from the sun. It had a very Latin inspired feel to it. Vegeta parked his bike to the side of the old house, along the back driveway. He made to get off and Bulma immediately released him. They weren't in the bad part of town, but they were definitely not in the ritzy side that Bulma was accustomed to. She followed closely behind Vegeta as he walked around to the back door. He didn't even knock, just walked right in, letting the screen door bang against the wall loudly. He turned to look at her still standing on the steps to the backyard. He gave her a hard glare, but reached his hand out to her, beckoning her in. When she stepped through the door, she entered a quaint little kitchen. Toward their left she could see the archway to a hallway that looked to lead to the bedrooms of the house. In front of them stood the entrance to the living area. As they passed through the entryway, her eyes grew wide as she recognized the man lounging on the couch.

"Raditz?" He just looked up at her.

Vegeta spoke as if she hadn't said anything. "Where is he?" he barked.

"Right here." A tall, brawny, bald man answered - appearing from a bathroom hidden in an alcove off the left of the living room - still zipping fly. His eyes landed on Bulma. The look he gave her was confusing. His face split into a huge grin. Bulma was taken aback. She looked toward Vegeta and watched his eyes narrow at the older man. The man just ignored him.

"Well look who we have here. Vegeta, you really should've told me to expect company. It's not polite to spring a meet-the-parents moment on an old man like that."

Vegeta's ears reddened. "You're no father of mine, senile bastard." Even though he said it angrily, Bulma could sense the adoration behind his words.

Bulma was startled when the man started laughing. "Ha! Ya got that right, kid. If I was your father, I'd probably have put myself out of my misery when you turned sixteen."

Bulma caught the small grin that sparked for just a second on Vegeta's face. "I would've done it myself, you bald bitch."

This is the most confusing conversation I have ever witnessed, Bulma thought. And what is Raditz doing here?

Vegeta seemed to regain himself and he looked meaningfully at the tall man in front of him.

"I'm guessing this isn't a simple social visit. And if she's here with you," he said, nodding toward Bulma, "then something's happened." Vegeta's told him about me? What the heck is going on?! Bulma was almost angry now.

"Would someone care to explain to me what the hell is going on?!" Bulma finally shouted. Raditz chuckled at her outburst. She glared at him and he just gave her one of his signature smirks.

"Quiet," Vegeta commanded, giving her a look that sent a chill up her spine - out of fear and desire. God, I should not find that sexy.

Vegeta turned his attention back to the strange man. "I got another envelope today," Vegeta said emotionlessly.

The mustached man's face fell. He only uttered a simple sentence in reply, "in my office."

He walked back toward the alcove that he originally appeared from. Vegeta started to follow him but turned to look at Bulma, his eyes quickly moving to glare at the man still sprawled on the couch. Vegeta didn't like that he had to leave Bulma alone with Raditz. He gave him another pointed glare, then followed the bald guy into his office.

Bulma watched Vegeta walk away, then turned her eyes to Raditz. He gave her another smirk and patted the space on the couch next to him. She made her way over to sit. He placed his arm behind her head on the back of the sofa and began flipping through channels on the little TV. He didn't say a word. The silence was killing her.

"Who's the guy Vegeta's talking to?" Bulma finally asked.

"That's Nappa. Vegeta's godfather." That was all Raditz said. He wasn't giving up anymore information.

In his office, Nappa pulled up a beat-up, old swivel chair next to a crowded desk and took a seat. Vegeta remained standing, staring blankly, his mind wandering to the blue-nette in the front room alone with that big oaf.

"Let me see it," Nappa said.

Vegeta's ears grew hot again. Fuck. The photo was burning a hole in his back pocket, but Vegeta would've given anything not to have to show it to Nappa, of all people. "No," he finally said.

"What the fuck you mean, no?"

"I mean I'm not showing it to you. Just believe me when I say it was not the best time for a photo to be taken."

Nappa looked at the young man in front of him, shifting from foot to foot. Vegeta, nervous and awkward? Never thought I'd see the day. "You're gonna have to give me more than that, son." Nappa had his suspicions of what the photo may contain. Very genuinely, he said, "just show me the picture and I promise not to judge. No jokes either."

Vegeta looked at Nappa, searching for any signs of deception. Reluctantly, he withdrew the manila envelope from his back pocket and handed it to him. Nappa opened it carefully. When he removed the photograph, his eyes about bugged out of his skull. He cleared his throat and slipped the image back into the mailer. He had the gall to blush a little.

"Say something," Vegeta demanded, tired of the awkward silence.

Nappa cleared his throat again. "When was this taken?"

"This morning, around 10:30." God, could this get any more awkward?

"Where?"

Vegeta absentmindedly kicked at the wooden floorboards, his arms crossed over his chest, awaiting the tongue lashing he was about to receive from his response. "At the campus library..."

"For fuck's sake, Vegeta!"

Vegeta squared his shoulders, finally brushing off his awkwardness. "I know it wasn't an ideal place, but I didn't think some fucker was gonna take a snapshot of us."

"That's right. You didn't think. You knew you both were being followed and you go and pull a hair-brained scheme like that. Do you know what this could mean for her?!"

"Don't you dare for one minute think I haven't considered the ramifications of this," Vegeta snarled in Nappa's face. "I knew as soon as I saw that envelope on my bike."

"She saw?" Nappa gasped.

"Yeah."

"And," Nappa prompted.

Vegeta gazed up into Nappa's face. "Let's just say she wasn't too happy about it."

Nappa couldn't help the grin on his face. "She's a feisty one," he chuckled.

"That she is..." Vegeta said airily.

Nappa released an exasperated sigh. "You have to tell her," he whispered calmly but sternly.

"I know." Vegeta looked like he was about to be sick.

"Looks like we will need to do this sooner than planned..." Nappa's face contorted into a grimace.

"Friday."

Nappa looked up at Vegeta. The determined look on his face was concerning. "Friday?"

Vegeta shifted in his stance. "I need more time..." He couldn't finish the sentence. He didn't want to think about the possibility of never seeing Bulma again. He wasn't about to give up what little time he still could have with her.

But Nappa knew what he meant. "You need more time with her."

Vegeta stared blankly out the window. "I have to explain it to her. She deserves that much for all the shit I'm putting her through."

"Okay. Friday. Are you sure about this?"

Vegeta shrugged. "I don't have much of a choice anymore."

Nappa stood up from the squeaky chair and placed his hand on Vegeta's shoulder. Unexpectedly, he pulled Vegeta into a tight embrace. "We'll make this right. I promise you."

Vegeta just stood there immobile. He wasn't used to this kind of affection from his godfather. Relieved, Nappa finally let him go, thumping him hard on the back.

"Alright. Now go and finally introduce me to that girl of yours," he said through a big smile. Vegeta ignored the tears that threatened to escape from Nappa's eyes.

Vegeta walked back into the living room, followed by Nappa. Bulma looked up at Vegeta expectantly. She had heard the muffled yells from behind the office door. "What'd you tell her?" He accused Raditz.

"Didn't tell her anything, man." Vegeta just glared at him, but deduced he was speaking the truth.

"I'm waiting for you to finally tell me what is going on," Bulma stated in a small voice. She was usually so boisterous, and seeing her timid like this gave Vegeta a weird feeling in his chest.

"Later," he just said.

"Vegeta-"

"I said later, woman." He didn't say it too aggressively. Bulma could still hear the quiet annoyance in his words, but she also sensed the trepidation behind them. She kept her lips shut. He'll tell me when we're alone.

Nappa stepped around Vegeta then and walked toward Bulma, ignoring the tension in the air.

"Don't mind 'Geta. He can be such a spoilsport. I should've introduced myself earlier. I'm Nappa Cavolo. Vegeta's godfather." He went to shake Bulma's hand. Her hand felt so small in his grasp. She gave the strange man a polite smile. This is all just too weird.

"Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine." Could his grin get any wider, Bulma thought.

"Stop being creepy, ya old geezer." Vegeta came up behind Nappa, pulling Bulma's hand out of Nappa's grip and taking it in his own. "Okay, you introduced yourself to her. We're leaving now."

"Not gonna be able to persuade you two to stay for dinner, am I?" Nappa asked, his face almost sullen.

"No," Vegeta said sharply. He jerked Bulma's hand, pulling her up from the loveseat. She just stared up at him, confusion writ on her face. Vegeta looked back at Nappa. "I'll stop by Thursday night." Nappa just nodded his head and Vegeta started purposefully toward the back door towing Bulma behind him. He gave no goodbye to his godfather or any further acknowledgment to Raditz. Bulma gave a small wave to the two as she was dragged out of the room.

Vegeta pulled up outside their apartment complex. He wasn't enthused by what he was about to do but it had to be done. No more avoiding it, he chided himself. He slowly turned to look behind him at the woman's face. She still had her arms around his upper body and she gave him a gentle squeeze, hugging him to her front. He pulled her arms from around him and stepped off the bike, but kept one of her hands in his as they walked to the building's entrance.

Vegeta led her into his apartment and a feeling of nervousness enveloped him. He watched her look around his living space and then her eyes turned toward him. He gazed back at her with his dark, unreadable eyes. He didn't say anything. Just walked silently to his bedroom. He was glad when she followed him.

Vegeta sat down on the edge of his bed, his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. When he looked up, Bulma gasped. His expression was harrowing. She reached toward him, dropping to her knees at his feet.

"Please tell me what's wrong."

Vegeta didn't say anything. Just kept staring at Bulma's face. He took in all of her features, committing them to memory. Her light blue eyelashes. The curve of her Cupid's bow. Her upturned nose. The deep concern in her bright blue eyes. He groaned as if in pain.

"Vegeta, please. You're scaring me," Bulma begged. She grasped his hands in hers. God, she is so tiny, Vegeta thought. He kept his head down and brought in a lungful of air.

"All my life..." he began slowly, "I've been avoiding trying to meet someone like you." He looked up at her then. "Someone that'd I fall in love with."

Bulma's breath caught in her throat. Oh my god. He said it...