Okay everyone, here it is, part 10 for your enjoyment! It took me a little while because spring break ended and school struck back with a vengeance, but it's done now. I know you just want to skip my little spiel here and go straight to the good stuff, but I just wanted to thank some people/things for helping me out with this story. First, I want to thank me. Without me, I couldn't have written this story. Also, my notebook for never getting lost (believe me, it's happened to me before). And countless black pens who were sacrificed in the process of writing this story. I refuse to write with anything but black pens. I would also like to thank jade, one of the authors here at fanfiction.net who was hearing my story before you guys ever read any of it. And she sat there in my room with me, although I don't think she minded this too much. But sometimes, she brought me food and/or drink as I sat there chewing on the end of one of my pens and writing or thinking. Also, I'd like to thank my heater vent that I always sit on while I write, whether or not it's on and even though it gives me a cramp in my back later. I must also thank gummy bears and Jelly Belly jellybeans and Pizzalicious Pringles for being my brain food while I wrote, and cranberry raspberry cocktail juice for quenching my thirst and never spilling on my notebook which it would have probably stained and caused the pages to stick together. I would also like to thank all of you who have read and/or commented on my story. You may not have helped me in the original writing since it was all written already, but you did motivate me to keep typing and submitting parts no matter how many times the computer screwed up and made me resubmit. Also very important to thank would be Akira Toriyama, the genius, the god (or at least one of those sub-gods) and the creator of DragonballZ. If he had never created his wonderful Dragonballs, where would I be, indeed, where would any of us be? I must also thank whoever is the North American voice actor for Vegeta, I don't know their name, but I must definitely thank them as well. That voice is so damn cool. I think it was one of the things that brought me to hold Vegeta in high esteem when I had once stood screaming at my television, "No, dammit Goku, you idiot! Krillin, don't listen to him! Don't let that pointy-haired bastard go! Don't f#$*ing do it! KILL HIM! FOR THE LOVE OF KAMI, DAMMIT, KILL HIM!!!" Whoo, got a little carried away on that one. I must also thank my television for never breaking when DBZ was on, which would have probably caused me to have a nervous breakdown and smash the television. Also, thank you Primestar by Direct TV (even though we STILL haven't been switched to Direct TV, dammit satellite changer guy, where the hell are you?!) because without my satellite service, I would have probably never discovered DBZ because damned Falcon Cable doesn't let us have Cartoon Network. Also, I have to thank the Primestar customer service people, because this one time, the satellite decided to break about two hours before DBZ was going to be on, and the customer service people helped our family fix it, and I didn't miss DBZ. I also want to thank Funimation *ducks overripe tomatoes and rotten eggs being tossed at her* I know, I know. A lot of us complain about things like little conveniently placed trees in the Tree of Might, and all the times the characters, (especially Vegeta) have said "Shoot" "Darn it" and my personal favorite, in the episode where Namek blows up, "Aw man, piece of junk" (Yeah I just BET that's what Goku said). But I know that if Funimation never dubbed DBZ, I would have probably never discovered it. Lastly and probably most importantly, I would like to thank two things: my old CD player for never busting as it sat beside me on the floor where I wrote, and especially Creed. The entire time I wrote this story, I listened to Creed's new CD, Human Clay over and over and over again. Once I tried to listen to Blink 182 or Korn or something different, but I could never write unless Creed was playing. And near the end of the story, I must have listened to "With Arms Wide Open" and "Higher" themselves at least a hundred times. Speaking of which, I must also thank the repeat button specifically. Without my music, this story never would have been. Okay, now I'll shut up so you can read the end of the story, if you didn't already skip the introduction because you saw how obnoxiously long I made it. And now to our conclusion…
**********
A Shelter From My Storm
Part 10
Several months later, Bulma groaned wearily as she awoke to the familiar sound of Trunks squalling from the next room. She stumbled out of bed and made her way to his nursery. Once there, Bulma groggily lifted the wailing baby up and out of his crib, holding his small body to her while making sure to support his head. He continued his loud bawling as she rocked him gently. It had been this way for quite some time. Vegeta wasn't much help, he didn't seem interested in learning how to help. All he did was train, even though the threat of the Androids had been defeated a while ago. As Bulma listened to the crying baby in her arms, immense frustration and fatigue caused her to consider seriously the idea of sobbing right along with him. Just then, she heard footsteps approaching in the brief silence as Trunks paused for breath. Bulma turned slightly to see a very cranky-looking Vegeta standing in the doorway. He was wearing only boxers and it was obvious that he had just woken up.
"What's going on in here!?" Vegeta demanded as Trunks continued screaming.
"That's a stupid question." Bulma glared at Vegeta viciously, "Trunks woke up again."
"Well, shut him up, woman!" he snarled, "I need my rest."
"You need your rest?" she scoffed. "Do you have any idea how much sleep I've been getting? Not that you ever help with Trunks at all anyway. You know, he is your son too."
"I don't do these things. That's for you to manage." Vegeta protested indignantly.
"Well maybe you should learn how." Bulma shot back at him icily.
"It doesn't matter if I know how to do that." Vegeta pointed imperiously at Bulma and the now quieting Trunks. "I am above such things. That is why it is your responsibility."
"Oh really? You're above compassion and caring?" Bulma asked angrily, "Above cooperation and family? Above feeling or showing any love for your own son or me?" she paused as Vegeta stood in shocked silence. He hadn't expected this type of resistance and he was at a loss for once. Her intensely angry face faded into a pained and exhausted one of resignation. "Well I always thought you were. I had my hopes, but I guess I'm still young and foolish, no matter what I'd like to believe." She sighed and continued in a tired voice. "Oh well. I guess I'll learn. Go to bed. I'll take care of the baby." Bulma turned away so he couldn't see the tears spilling from her eyes. He'd just laugh at her if he saw that she was crying again, and she hurt enough already without his ridicule.
Vegeta wasn't sure at all what he should do. One minute she was yelling at him, the next she was quietly giving in. So he simply did as she had asked and went back to his bed. But for some reason, sleep wouldn't come easily. His throat and chest felt tight and made it hard for him to breathe for some reason. Finally, after a long while of tossing and turning, the Saiyan prince fell into a fitful sleep.
------------------------------
A few days later, Vegeta was just going to bed after a late training session. It was quite late indeed, so he was quiet as he floated upstairs. Before he went into his own room, he peeked into Bulma's. She had been avoiding him, so he hadn't really seen her since the incident a few nights ago. She was in bed, so he floated into her room, landing softly at her bedside. He saw her normally lovely face and scowled a bit in displeasure. She looked horrible.
Her eyes were dark and sunken with bags underneath them. He noted the tear streaks on her cheeks and realized that she had been crying. Her hair, usually soft, sleek, and shiny, was now dull and matted.
That brat must be sucking the life out of her, Vegeta thought darkly. Suddenly, he heard a wail rising in volume and pitch from the next room. Without thinking, he left Bulma's room quickly and silently, then entered the nursery.
Vegeta paused and hesitated when he reached the crib, trying to remember exactly what it was that the woman did to make the brat shut up and go back to sleep. After a moment or two of contemplation, he twisted his face slightly in distaste as he awkwardly lifted the child, who continued to cry loudly.
"Well?" he held Trunks at arm's length, "Shut up, brat!" Trunks continued bawling and reached for Vegeta with flailing arms. The Saiyan saw this and realized with annoyance what the baby wanted. "Very well." He grumbled grudgingly as he pulled the child to his body. After an awkward moment, he wrapped his arms around Trunks and held the child's head up with one strong but gentle hand. Vegeta grimaced slightly as he began to sway slowly back and forth as he had seen the woman do, but Trunks quieted almost immediately, so Vegeta continued rocking back and forth.
Bulma rolled out of bed reluctantly after she was woken by Trunks' wails, but stopped in her weary routine of pulling on robe and slippers when the crying suddenly quieted and then stopped all together. Bulma began to worry almost at once, so she quickly padded to the nursery, her robe still open. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Vegeta, his back to her, swaying back and forth as he held Trunks. She blinked and rubbed her eyes to be sure that she wasn't hallucinating. Just then, Vegeta gently placed the sleeping baby back in his crib. Bulma softly walked up to her lover and wrapped her arms around his waist as he watched Trunks. Vegeta's body immediately stiffened at the contact, but once he realized who it was, he began to relax and turned around to face her. A few tears spilled down her pale cheeks as she smiled up at his confused and surprised face.
"Thank you Veggie-chan." She leaned toward him so he could hear the whisper. Bulma tilted her face up and kissed his lips softly. He responded and held her against him gently, as though he was afraid of hurting her. When they broke, Bulma gave him a puzzled look. "Are you feeling all right?" she whispered, not wanting to wake their son, "I liked that, but it wasn't what you usually do."
"I'm fine." He whispered back reassuringly. "Now go to bed." Bulma grinned wickedly. So that's what this was all about.
"Are you coming?" she asked enticingly, raising a turquoise eyebrow. Vegeta didn't answer. Instead, he swept her up and carried her off to her room. Once there, he deposited her on her bed gently and covered her up with blankets. Bulma was a bit confused by this, as he was not making any attempts to join her. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing. Now go to sleep woman." He told her seriously. Vegeta made as if to leave, but Bulma caught his arm and pulled him back. "What?" he demanded. She pulled him down into a long kiss.
"Come on, Veggie-chan." Bulma pouted after they broke apart. She could see in his eyes that he desperately wanted to do more than kiss her, but he was holding back for some reason.
"You…you need your rest." Vegeta managed, his voice wavering a little bit. Bulma suddenly realized he was trying to help her, and she knew he was right.
"A-are you…concerned?" Bulma whispered, his face still inches from hers.
"I…" Vegeta struggled, "You are weak, woman. I must take care or you will end up hurting yourself." He managed.
"But you don't want anything back from me?" she alluded to what he had just refused.
"You do things," he replied, "you clean, you attempt to cook, you fix the gravity room, you even bore my son." His voice cracked with formerly unexpressed emotions.
"You notice all those things?" Bulma felt tears filling her eyes again. "I thought you took all that for granted."
"Do you think I am stupid?" Vegeta smirked slightly, smoothing her hair away from her face, "I haven't always had someone around to care for me, even when I refuse the care."
"But I thought you didn't care about what I did." Bulma admitted. "I didn't think you cared about me."
"I…" Vegeta growled in frustration at not knowing the right words. "I don't know how to explain. You strengthen me. Your…way. It is so different than mine. We are opposites, but we are the same. You are…you are the shelter from my storm, my…pain." Then he remembered something, "I love you Bulma." He told her matter-of-factly. At that Bulma let out a huge sob, tears spilling down her cheeks in joy and relief. Vegeta softly wiped each tear away with his thumb, cupping the side of her face in his other hand.
"I love you too Vegeta." She kissed his face repeatedly. "Kami, I've waited so long for you to say that to me."
"That-that word." Vegeta considered thoughtfully, "It isn't right."
"What do you mean?" Bulma sounded slightly upset and confused.
"It isn't good enough." He explained, "You humans, always putting so much meaning into silly words." He leaned in and kissed her passionately, letting his actions reveal how he felt about her. Bulma sighed in happy contentment as he pulled away. He loved her! She had been almost positive that he did, but it felt so good to hear him say it. He was right about words and their meanings though, she knew. "Now sleep, woman." He left her room and closed the door softly. She closed her eyes and quickly fell into a long, refreshing rest. Things would be better now. She didn't have to be so unsure around Vegeta. He loved her. There was no way he would admit to such a thing if it weren't true. She loved him. And now, they had a beautiful baby boy to raise. Together.
***The End***
(Really, I mean it this time)