Just so everyone out there knows, I really really wanted to be a character in that ultimate fanfic that piccolo is writing, but I don't meet the requirements cause so far I only have one series on this site, not three. pout pout And I almost considered picking two of the three stories I have in the works and posting a chapter of each so I could qualify, but as I hope you remember, I refuse to post stories without a title, and as I've clarified before, since I have not finished these stories, I refuse to give them a title. I just can't think of a good title if the story isn't finished. It's the way I am. So I'm missing out because of my unmatchable stubbornness. sigh Oh well, enough of my complaining, on with the story. Just a warning, some parts of this part are sorta corny, but I think Vegeta and Bulma are entitled to their corny moments too. And thanks for all the comments! Keep 'em coming. Speaking of comments, yes Arwen Bulma, Vegeta does get a television in his room. I mean, come on. It made sense to me since the Briefs are so rich. And back to the story…
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A Shelter From My Storm
Part 6
One evening two months later, Vegeta sat up on his bed watching television as he tried to get to sleep, but even though he felt tired he was having a hard time getting some sleep. Restlessly, he flipped through the channels with his remote.
"Damn Earth television. Never anything good on." He growled before settling on a movie that seemed to have no plot. It did, however, contain many explosions that Vegeta enjoyed, though he scoffed at the size and quality of said explosions.
knock knock
"Who's there?" Vegeta snapped immediately.
"Me." A female voice replied, only a little shaky.
"Woman? What's wrong?" Vegeta cocked his eyebrow and sat up straight.
"Can I come in?" Bulma asked quietly.
"If you want." Vegeta replied in a begrudging tone. Bulma entered the room as Vegeta watched her closely. "Is there something wrong woman?" he asked. Bulma smiled at his voice as he tried unsuccessfully to sound aloof.
"Nothing's wrong." She shook her head. Bulma glanced at the television and gestured toward it, "What are you watching?"
"Nothing." Vegeta replied, shrugging in defeated acceptance of the fact that he wouldn't be able to find anything better to watch.
"Could I watch too?" Bulma asked, giggling slightly.
"Suit yourself." He nodded. She smiled and sat down next to him. Over the past couple of months, she had managed to convince herself that Vegeta probably did care about her, despite his moods and airs. Now that she had stopped trying so hard to hate the man, she saw that he didn't seem to live only to make her suffer. He possessed a sharp, quick wit that she had to enjoy even though he often used it against her. Also, Vegeta had a certain charm to him that was inexplicable. He certainly made no attempts at being charming. Vegeta also seemed strangely handsome to Bulma. She couldn't explain it, but Bulma could feel herself falling for Vegeta again, though this time she was more aware of her feelings.
Vegeta watched Bulma from the corners of his eyes. Her face was happy and smiling. She seemed to glow in her good health and pregnancy. That woman was so…so…He didn't know the right words, he never saw anyone this way before. Vegeta tried to remember other words he had heard to describe the way she looked. Beautiful? He wasn't sure, but it was close. Vegeta wondered at her recent good temper. Perhaps pregnancy did that to human females. At the thought of Bulma's condition he couldn't help but look down at her abdomen. She did not show yet, but soon enough she would, Vegeta was quite sure. Bulma's hand rested on her stomach nonetheless, as though protecting her tiny occupant. Bulma caught him looking at her stomach and grinned at him warmly. Vegeta saw that she had noticed where he was looking and he quickly looked away.
Still smiling, Bulma slowly lifted her hand from her stomach and gently used it to lift Vegeta's own far hand and set it softly on her stomach. Bulma covered his hand with her own and smiled a bit wider at the wide-eyed expression of shock on his face.
"M-my son…is in there…but how can he?" Vegeta muttered, mostly to himself, obviously impressed.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Bulma watched him warmly.
"I guess I…never really thought…" Vegeta continued quietly.
"Wait a few months. You'll be able to feel him kicking." Bulma promised. "I must admit, I am a little nervous at the thought of a tiny Vegeta training inside of me." She laughed. This comment brought Vegeta back to reality and he chuckled smugly.
"Yes, I'm sure he will be strong. And a great warrior as well." Vegeta pointed his chin out in pride.
"Who knows what he will be able to do with your training and my teaching." Bulma leaned back comfortably into Vegeta's chest as he put his free arm around her shoulder. "He could be a brilliant scientist or a brave warrior," Bulma yawned before continuing, "or both. Anything he wants." She felt her eyelids falling as her voice faded tiredly. Vegeta was being affected by the somnolent atmosphere as well. He blinked wearily, fighting a losing battle against his fatigue.
"Bulma?" came his weary voice.
"Hmm?" she mumbled, almost asleep by now.
"I still don't understand you." He told her, his eyes closing slowly.
"I know. I don't understand you either." She muttered, almost inaudible, before they both fell asleep as they leaned against each other.
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Mrs. Briefs hummed busily as she made breakfast the next morning while everyone else was still asleep. As she poured pancake batter onto the sizzling skillet, Bulma's mother heard knocking at the front door.
"Just one moment!" came her cheery reply as she set down the bowl of batter and wiped floury hands off on her frilly pink apron. She made her way to the door and grinned broadly when she saw who her visitor was. "Goku!"
"Uh, hi Mrs. Briefs." Goku smiled back after a moment. "Is Vegeta here?" he leaned forward, looking over her shoulders for the short-tempered prince.
"He is, but I'm afraid Vegeta is still asleep." Mrs. Briefs informed him in her sing-song voice. "You boys can play later."
"Oh, okay." Goku nodded in obvious disappointment, "I guess I'll just come back later today."
"Nonsense!" she batted a hand at him flirtatiously, "He'll be up soon enough. You and I could just visit while you wait. I was just making breakfast so-"
"Breakfast?" Goku's eyes lit up immediately as his stomach rumbled in enthusiasm.
"Yes." Mrs. Briefs giggled at the ravenous Saiyan, "You can have some as well, if you like." But Goku was already patiently seated at the table, a fork in one hand and a knife in the other as he raptly watched the pancakes sizzling on the skillet.
"Great!" he exclaimed happily as she returned to the kitchen as well, "I'm starving!"
"Starving?" Mrs. Briefs looked at him in concern, "Doesn't ChiChi feed you at home?"
"Yes, of course she does." Goku answered with a perplexed look on his face that said he had no idea what that had to do with the fact that he was still hungry. "Why wouldn't she?"
"Never mind." She giggled at Goku once again. "So you wanted to come see Vegeta?" she asked.
"Yeah, I wanted to spar." Goku explained, watching with extreme interest as Mrs. Briefs flipped a pancake.
"You two sure do spar a lot." She commented.
"It's fun and good training." Goku replied, eyes still glued to the food.
"So did he tell you about Bulma and him yet?" Mrs. Briefs asked. She was curious about the specifics of Vegeta and Bulma's relationship. All she knew was the information she had inferred from observations or conversation. Neither her daughter nor the cocky Saiyan had told her anything as of yet, though Bulma had practically admitted to sleeping with Vegeta when Mrs. Briefs had alluded to it.
"They fight a lot and he thinks she is silly and weak?" Goku was confused as to what Mrs. Briefs was referring to.
"No, no Goku!" she giggled, "Silly man! No, I mean their relationship." Bulma's mother clarified.
"What relationship?" Goku asked innocently, "I thought that they hated each other."
"Not anymore." Mrs. Briefs was disappointed that Goku had no new gossip to offer, but she loved to tell people juicy tidbits like this one first. "After Bulma dumped Yamcha, she got together with Vegeta!"
"What do you mean?" Goku gave her a blank stare. Mrs. Briefs sighed in exasperation before scuttling over to where Goku was sitting. She leaned over and whispered to him in a clandestine voice.
"They slept together." She told him candidly. There was a long pause before she sighed in relief as she saw realization dawn slowly over Goku's face.
"Oh!" he grinned knowingly, "You mean Vegeta and Bulma…" Goku blushed before he could continue and Mrs. Briefs nodded affirmation to the conclusion Goku had obviously reached. "Really? Huh, I didn't see that one coming!" he shrugged off his amazement.
"What didn't you see, Kakarot?" Vegeta suddenly came down the stairs and strolled into the kitchen, glaring at Goku as usual.
"Oh, hi Vegeta!" Goku greeted the other Saiyan, seemingly oblivious to the hateful glare aimed at him. "Mrs. Briefs here was just telling me the news about Bulma and you! Actually, now that I think about it, that makes sense, since Trunks said that-"
"What!?" Vegeta burst out in shock, "Who told you about the child!?" he demanded in a threatening voice, turning to face Mrs. Briefs.
"Child?" Mrs. Briefs cocked her head to the side in confusion. Then her eyes suddenly went wide in comprehension, "Oh! That must be what Oolong was raving about!"
"What do you mean?" Goku asked. He was smiling, happy that he was not as confused as before now that he recalled all that Mirai Trunks had confided in him.
"Well, a couple of months ago, I was doing some dishes when that silly little pig ran out of the house yelling something about Bulma being…'knocked up'…Yes, I believe that's what he said. I didn't think about it as more than nonsense at the time, but now it makes sense!" Bulma's mother explained as Bulma herself began down the stairs. Bulma had not heard any of the conversation so far, and she had a bubbly smile on her face as she entered the suddenly silent kitchen.
"Good morning everyone!" Bulma greeted them. At that moment, she noticed that everyone was silently staring at her. Goku had a knowing smile on his face, her mother looked surprised, and Vegeta looked extremely mortified. Bulma laughed nervously, "What's wrong?" she asked. Vegeta growled and turned back to face Mrs. Briefs, breaking the silence.
"But how did that idiot pig know!?" he asked the older woman impatiently. Mrs. Briefs shrugged to indicate ignorance of that detail.
"What are you talking about?" Bulma centered her inquiry on Vegeta.
"The brat!" Vegeta exclaimed, "They know about him!"
"Y-you do?" Bulma paled considerably and sat down in shock.
"Yes, we do." Mrs. Briefs began carrying food over to the table, "How far along are you?"
"Three months." Bulma answered.
"Does Yamcha know?" Goku asked.
"Yes, I told him all about it." She replied.
"Is that where you were when you told me you had been with that weakling all night?" Vegeta asked, a smug smile forming on his lips.
"Yes." Bulma admitted.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Mrs. Briefs wanted to know. Bulma shrugged.
"I don't know. It just made me nervous to think of what your reactions would be." Bulma replied honestly.
"So, Vegeta," Goku winked quite overtly at the other Saiyan, "are you two going to get married now?" Vegeta's eyes widened in shock at the unexpected question.
"We haven't talked about that yet." Bulma quickly put in, "We're still just trying to get things figured out right now." After this, there was almost complete silence as they ate. After the meal was devoured, mostly by the two Saiyans, Vegeta and Goku left to spar. Mrs. Briefs and Bulma watched them go while Vegeta told Goku how badly he'd be slaughtered this time.
"What an odd man." Bulma's mother finally commented.
"Too true." Bulma said under her breath, too quiet for the other woman to hear, "But Kami knows I love him."
***The End (Of part 6, that is)***