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Chapter 4

Goku woke up in a start at the muffled sound of a shock in the distance. Pinpointing Vegeta's energy, he dropped his head back on the pillow with a tired sigh.

At that moment, he sorely missed Mount Paozu.

They had moved to Saiyajinn City after Goten's abduction about eight years ago. Back then, Goku had realized that he had no other option to keep his family safe. Living among Saiyans had also stood as the best way to protect the peace. Since the Androids had sided with the Earthlings, the rebellion had grown stronger and Saiyans were getting upset at seeing their authority constantly defied. Goku had become bound to watch them. Bulma had given up on her dear Capsule House for the peace's sake as well and some of their old friends had eventually joined them in the Saiyan town.

Over time, Goku got somewhat used to the overcrowding of the place and the lack of nature. He would still run away to the great outdoors to reconnect with his old habits once in a while, but his life wasn't the same anymore. Despite the modern training room and all the academic opportunities for Gohan, he still missed his former carelessness sometimes.

He carefully released his arm trapped under Chichi's waist and sat up. She rolled over with a groan and went straight back to sleep.

He stood up silently. He hadn't bothered undressing when he had crawled into bed, knowing in anticipation that he wouldn't end his night, and as he exited his apartment, he let the yelling voices guide him through the corridors of the palace.

When he found Vegeta and Bulma, the door of the cell where Videl had been imprisoned had already been blown up. "Where is she?" the Saiyan Prince barked.

"I don't know! My God, calm down. She cannot be very far," Bulma sighed in irritation.

"Do you see what humans do? They kidnap babies. And we're supposed to be the monsters?" Vegeta spat.

"Do you really believe this is the best time to discuss this? Can't you rather have one of your fucking officers tell you where your prisoner is?" Bulma shot back.

"Gohan took her to a safe place," Goku claimed calmly, still stretching out his numb muscles.

Vegeta glared daggers at him. "Where?" he hissed in fury.

Goku tilted his head. "If I tell you, it's no longer a safe place," he replied matter-of-factly.

Vegeta went ballistic at the nonchalant answer. He jumped on Goku, clenching his throat, and slamming his back against the wall in a rain of plaster dust. "Kakarott, tell me where this girl or I swear-"

"This girl is Videl Satan," Goku cut off, unruffled by the ruthless treatment.

"What? What's that, Videl Satan?" Vegeta roared.

"She's the daughter of Hercules Satan, leader of the rebellion that pisses you off so much."

"So what? I don't give a fuck, just tell me where she is," Vegeta erupted in exasperation.

"So, I intend to offer the rebellion a deal. Hercules won't refuse."

Vegeta frowned in disbelief. "Are you kidding? You have ten seconds to tell me where that girl is."

"No," Goku flatly answered.

Vegeta immediately threw a punch at him but Goku stopped his fist dead. The tall Saiyan had to dodge another series of furious blows but Vegeta eventually calmed down. When he paused, panting and glaring at Goku, Bulma came closer. "Vegeta, stop this madness. It's of no use. It won't bring her back," she whispered, resting a light hand on his shoulder.

He ran his palms over his tired face and turned to her. Her eyes were still full of tears. "What else do you want me to do then?" he asked. The question hadn't been worded in his usual confident and smug tone. He was nearly pleading for answers.

"Goku had a good idea, but first you need to know that Goten is with them," she replied.

Vegeta looked up at Goku with a flinch. Goku nodded in confirmation, still trying to catch his breath.

"We're going to trade them," Bulma announced.

"Goten and Bra for Videl Satan," Goku specified.

Vegeta scowled. "Do you seriously believe such crap could work? You can't trust these scums," Vegeta pointed disdainfully.

"It's up to us to be smarter than them. Whatever happens, I won't give up until I have my kid back," Goku claimed forcefully.

Vegeta seemed to ponder about Goku's speech for a moment. "Whatever. As soon as we got the brats back, I'll slaughter these people one by one," he finally grunted.

Goku pinched his lips at the threat but he didn't argue.

"So. Where is she?" Vegeta resumed.

"Do you think I'm going to tell you?" Goku snorted.

Vegeta balled his fists in anger and Goku got ready for another fight, but Bulma gently ran her hand over her husband's knuckles as a way to absorb the tension. "Goku knows what he's doing. We all know you would kill her," she stated.

Vegeta blurted a growl of frustration and looked away in annoyance.

Goku stared at Bulma. She was looking back at him knowingly. They understood each other without words and at that very moment, they felt closer than they had ever been, united in a quest that surpassed by far any of the previous ones they had carried out together.

"I will settle things to get in touch with them as soon as possible so that they got the message," she said.

Goku nodded and walked back to his apartment with a tired thread, knowing that he had little chance to go back to sleep. He would most likely spend the rest of the night spying on Vegeta's ki.

Bulma also planned to watch him. She knew that helplessness stood as true torture to him. He was on edge like never before and even when she found him lying on their bed, he was still staring at the ceiling with such a tense expression that she was worried to have him blow it up any second.

The concern for Bulla wasn't the only thing on his mind. He was crazed with anger at the humiliation he was going through. The rebellion – mere weaklings - had kidnapped his child, in his Palace, in his city. Still, he hadn't exactly grasped that the whole things had been plotted by two kids.

Bulma's tears were salt on his wounded pride as well. He didn't remember the last time he'd seen her cry but he remembered that he had always hated the sight. If anything, Bulma's watering eyes were the mark of his complete failure.

Bulma was aware that Vegeta would retaliate. People would have to pay. Saiyan officers as well as rebels. Yet as much as she dreaded that prospect, all she could worry about was finding her daughter, a tiny, defenseless baby.

She would only be a baby if you and her father hadn't done everything you did, Videl Satan had said.

Bulma sighed. What had she done to deserve this? She had established peace with Saiyans and she had fallen in love with their prince.

Hadn't she done her best to allow Earthlings to keep living safely at the cheapest price?

Vegeta's heirs would be of mixed blood. They would care for Saiyans as much as for Earthlings and Vegeta had eventually come to soften. Sure enough, he was still hot-headed and somewhat frightening, but his thirst for blood and destruction had faded. Somehow at least.

Rebels were a bunch of fools. They didn't understand a thing. They had even joined forces with the Android, oblivious of the fact that both robots had intended to smash them in the first place. Saiyans had saved them and in return, these people were now plotting with their former enemies to kill them. Just like Vegeta had said, the rebels were growing as despicable as the so-called monsters they were claiming to fight.

As the thought of Bulla came back to Bulma's mind, a great weariness overwhelmed her and she rested her head over Vegeta's chest. She could hear his heart beating at a disturbingly steady pace.

"People will have to die," he muttered threateningly.

"All I want is my daughter back," she murmured.

"We'll have our daughter back and Kakarott will get his boy too. Then, I'll wipe them out. All of them, even if it means razing towns to the ground. I will use all of my soldiers if I need to," he carried on.

Bulma was somewhat scared by his words but she was too weak to object. Her tears were flowing down her cheeks again as she couldn't help but imagine that her baby might be injured or endangered.

Memories were surfacing uncontrollably in her numb mind. She had been surprised to find out that she was pregnant again. She hadn't thought it would happen again. Saiyan genes didn't mingle too well with Earthlings and she had concluded that Trunks' birth had only been a twisted happenstance.

However, her second pregnancy had been a blessing, nothing near what she had experienced the first time.

The conception of Trunks had been entirely unplanned and his birth had trapped Bulma in a messy situation, bounding her to a man she didn't really want as a part of her life. Vegeta had left as soon as he had heard of the baby to come anyway but even so, she had realized that it was even worse to face things alone than with him.

She had felt downright down at that time. She had cursed him thousand times, thinking of how unfair it was that she had no way to duck her parental duties as he did. To top it all, the delivery had been an hours-long, agonizing nightmare.

And yet, she had loved her son madly as soon as he'd shown up. Having Trunks had rekindled energy she hadn't known she still had. With him, Vegeta's desertion didn't sound like a very big deal anymore.

She had been caught off guard when the Saiyan had turned back. She could have kicked him out. She had all rights to do so, but she had let him in before she could give it much thought. Her pride liked to claim that it was all about Trunk's sake and his need for a father. However, deep down she had known from the very beginning that the reasons behind her forgiveness weren't that selfless and they had quickly resumed their game of untold couple. Although none of them would ever have admitted it, Vegeta had slowly found his place as companion and father and Bulma had learned to trust him.

When the Saiyans had turned up on Earth, Vegeta had been forced to make things clear though.

Bulma still remembered that day when she found a row of soldiers in her garden respectfully kneeling in front of him. "The hell, who are these guys?" she had stammered in shock, still holding her cup of coffee and the morning paper.

One of the intruders had glared at her. "Shall I silence this female, Your Highness?" he had asked Vegeta.

At this point, Vegeta was cornered. He had no other choice but to put words on their relationship to explain who she was. "Let her be. She's my wife."

Bulma's numb hand had dropped the cup at his reply. She had later realized that labeling her as his spouse had been the only way for Vegeta to make sure that Saiyans would never lash at her or Trunks but still, she had been dumbfounded to hear him say it aloud.

As a matter of fact, as unexpected as Bulla's birth had been, it had come the closest to a normal family moment in years. Bulma had loved to get her husband back. Unlike the first time, Vegeta had stood by her side throughout the whole pregnancy. Of course, he had felt awkward and uncomfortable, acting clumsy sometimes, but at least, he hadn't pretended to be unconcerned.

When they were told that the baby was a girl, Bulma had assumed that he would be disappointed, but he had never shown it if he had been. He wasn't as predictable as she thought.

After the delivery, he had shied away though. A newborn demanded way too much patience and selflessness for his boiling blood. However, despite his apparent aloofness, Bulma could say that he had been shaken up by his meeting with a being as fragile as his own infant. He had turned unusually caring for his wife and son as the birth had certainly brought him to reconsider some things like the meaning of family.

The bond between Bulla and him was still to be built for now, but Bulma knew for certain that it wouldn't be long to grow. Provided they could get their daughter back.