Discovery

'We have to tell father.' Said Bra softly, 'I mean I have been engaged to you for almost a year already I don't want to stay engaged to you forever.'

'Than marry me.' Said Goten, 'Now.'

'Now!' exclaimed Bra.

'Yes now. I mean Dende is qualified to marry us and he will do it if we ask him.' Said Goten eagerly as he played with her hair. He was sick of waiting too.

'Goten as romantic as an elopement would be I rather have my father's blessing before I do marry you.' She said as she kissed him gently.

Goten turned away and gazed across to the other side of the lake, 'He will never give it.' said Goten in a forlorn tone of voice, 'He hates me.'

'He doesn't hate you.' Said Bra as she wrapped her arms around him reassuringly, 'You are like a second son to him.'

'A son he never wanted and would like to see put down.' Said Goten depressingly, 'He will never give you to me willingly.' Bra couldn't think of anything to say so she remained silent. After a minute, 'If his blessing is the only way you will marry me than I guess I'll have to find a way to convince him to give it to us.' He said cheerfully even as his face faltered.

But Bra smiled the bright smile and wrapped her arms around his neck, 'Don't worry Goten my father won't hurt you. You are like a son to him. Besides I am sure he rather have me with you than some,' Bra did her best imitation of her father's voice, 'weak pathetic baka human.'

Goten smiled, 'I suppose so.' He said softly

Bra grinned, 'O don't worry my father is not as difficult as you think.' Goten smiled again. Bra kissed him softly, 'Don't worry you will be fine, just don't try and get my father's blessing after he had had one of his sparring matches with your father. Got it.'

'Got it.' said Goten, thinking only an insane suicidal person would try to get Vegeta's blessing after one of his sparring matches with Goku. 'I think I will get Trunks to help me.' Said Goten, 'I am sparring with him tomorrow. Maybe between the two of us we can find an ideal time for me to reveal our situation to him.' He looked down into her ocean blue eyes and smiled a warm sweet smile, 'But that is for later, now I just want to enjoy the sunset with you.'

Bra smiled also, 'You are so sweet. I don't think I can live would you.' She whispered.

'Nor can I princess, nor can I.' Said Goten as he gently pulled her into his arms and held her tight.

'So you are finally going to tell my father.' Said Trunks as he wiped the sweat of himself, 'I was wondering when you were going to get to that crucial crossroad.'

Goten sighed for what was the hundredth time within the last minute, 'I suppose it can't be helped. I just didn't think I was going to die so soon.' He whispered.

'O you worry too much. I mean I am sure my father would much prefer you with Bra than some human. Just like I would.' Said Trunks cheerfully. Goten looked like he was about to sigh again, 'Son Goten if you dare sigh again I myself will tell my father about you and Bra when he is in a really bad mood.'

Goten stifled the sigh, 'Anyway I am not even sure how I am even suppose to bring up the issue. What do I do just walk up to Vegeta and say "Hi, Vegeta how are you? Guess what Bra and I are engaged to be married. We have been for the last year and have been dating for the last three years. Yes, yes we have had that numerous times. Don't worry we didn't till she was turned eighteen. So can we have your blessing?" at which Vegeta is likely to pound me into a bloody pulp.'

'Actually I was thinking more along the lines of genital amputation.' Came Vegeta's cold, quiet voice. Goten's head snapped up and he saw Trunks with a horrified look on his face. His eyes were glued to the gravity rooms door. Slowly Goten turned his head to find Vegeta standing there. His power level pushed down to the normal background level. Of course, Vegeta had dropped by for one of his surprise sparring sessions with him and Trunks like he did from time to time. He usually sneaked up on them so to make sure their fighting reflexes were still in use. 'Brat get out.' He said to Trunks.

Trunks couldn't remember when he was this afraid of his father before. Moments from breaking down in front of his father Trunks said softly, 'Yes father.' And began to leave. 'I guess you have to win his blessing in true Saiyain fashion, buddy.' He said to Goten mentally.

'I am so dead.' He thought to Trunks as he got up slowly and faced Vegeta. 'So do I have your blessing?' asked Goten surprised at the confidence in his voice. Although in reality he was half afraid that he was going to wet his pants.

Vegeta started to laugh menacingly, 'You have balls I will give you that much brat. But the answer to your question is NO. You don't have my blessing and you will pay with your life for defiling my daughter.'

'Were you planning on keeping her a virgin all her life?' taunted Goten, even as a part of his mind told him that this was not the right way to handle the situation, 'Well you didn't do a very good job.' No sooner had he finished saying that did he see Vegeta flicker out of sight. Instinctively Goten went super Saiyain.

Not a moment too soon it seemed for Vegeta's fist connected with his stomach solidly the very next second. It was the first of many punches he took despite his best efforts to avoid them. Vegeta was fighting in a blind rage. His power jacked up to max and beyond. Years of training however meant that even in his fury Vegeta's fighting style was without flaw and Goten had no advantage to gain from Vegeta's emotionally charged state. Goten was not in Vegeta's league in experience though he did normally come roughly close to Vegeta in raw power. But now… now Vegeta seemed more than just beyond him, he seemed invincible and he was getting weak. So very weak. He couldn't keep this up much longer. He couldn't… Vegeta hammered him into the gravity room floor… darkness, welcomed darkness began to engulf him and take him away from the pain and knowledge that he had failed…

Trunks didn't go very far from the gravity room door. He was glued to in front of the door. He didn't have to guess what was going on inside he could see it clearly through Goten's eyes thanks to the bond the two of them shared as friends. He could also feel much of Goten's emotions, he could also feel much of his father's emotions due to Vegeta's charged state of mind and he knew, he knew Goten had no chance of winning this fight. Even Goku couldn't win at that time it he was in Goten's positions. Trunks felt his knees grow weak as he felt his best friend, the closest thing to a brother he had… no Goten might not be his brother by blood but Trunks knew that if it came down to a choice Goten would always choose him over Gohan, Goten was his brother in everything but blood and Trunks was feeling him slip into an almost comatose unconsciousness. No he couldn't let him die. He wouldn't let him die. Trunks powered up but before he could charge through the door a whirlwind dropped him on his butt. When it past Trunks saw that a gaping hole now existed where the door used to be. There was only one entity he knew of who could move that fast without transforming into Super Saiyain, 'Bra.' He whispered as he got to his feet and ran inside.

The sight sent shivers up and down her spine. Goten lying seemingly lifeless at her father's feet. Her father with one glowing hand placed disturbingly close to his head. 'No.' Bra screamed as she threw herself over Goten's prone body, making sure that her father would not be able to throw a KI sphere at Goten with out it going throw her first. 'Please, don't.' she pleaded with her father, 'I love him, I'll die if you kill him.'

Vegeta's eyes narrowed into angry slits as he bit out words colder than any he had ever directed at her, 'No daughter of mine is going to taint the line of the royal house of Vegitasei by mating with a low class baka such as this loser.' So saying he kicked Goten hard on the stomach.

Bra cried out once again, 'Don't please don't. You are hurting me more than you are hurting him.' She told him, 'Daddy please, I can't live without him and if you still really, really want to kill him than you're going to have to kill me, too.' She said with surprising finality to her voice. Shocked at her resolution Vegeta gave her a look that she knew she would never forget as long as she lived. It was mixture of disgust, surprise and understanding. Of course he understood. Had he not taken her mother, a weak human, for a mate? She wondered at that moment for the first time in her life if Vegeta would have taken Bulma for a mate had Vegitasei still been in tack. 'Father, I love him.' She told him again, 'As much as you love mother…'

'Don't,' interrupted Vegeta, 'don't dare compare what you feel for this loser to what I feel for your mother. You can wed him if you want. But you may not cheapen what I have with your mother by comparing it to this… this thing you have with Goten.'

'But daddy that's just it. It's not a think. It's love. It's pure deep absolute love. The only thing that cheapens what I have with Goten is the fact that the simple word love could never convey the magnitude of what I feel for him.' Said Bra, 'I would never cheapen what you share with mother and I don't think I can by comparing what I have with Goten to it. I know I can't. O daddy just search my mind and you will see how deeply my very soul is intertwined with his.' She begged, 'Just see and I am sure you will not object to this. I am sure you will give me your blessing.'

Vegeta was silent, 'It is important to you.' He noted, 'My blessing.'

'Yes, I will not marry him without it. But I will be forever miserable because of it.' said Bra softly.

Vegeta very much wanted to tell her he would never give her his blessing and just turn and leave. But he never could see her sad. When she was a baby he would fell his heart wench every time she cried. Although most of the time it would because she needed her diaper changed or that she was hungry. He couldn't see her sad now. Slowly he placed his head on her forehead and took her up on her offer. Trunks watched his father stand like that for many minutes than slowly Vegeta withdrew his hand, 'You have blessing.' He said softly and left the gravity room. Just before he left the room however he shot back, 'On condition that you remain right here in Capsule Corp.' Bra nodded weakly.

Trunks watched in disbelief as Vegeta walked past him, 'Well that was easy.' He said.

'Easy!' screamed Bra, 'How was that easy? Goten is nearly dead. Daddy now knows all my deep dark secrets and… and daddy knows all my deep dark secret and Goten is dying.' She whined.

Trunks rolled his eyes as he walked over to Goten and stuffed a senzu bean down his throat. 'Goten I need you to swallow this.' Goten seemed to swallow, 'Good.' He told him. Than he turned Bra, 'Bra this is the best outcome you could possible hope for. Things aren't being dragged out. You can marry Goten tomorrow if you choose to and you don't have any other deep dark secret.'

'What makes you think that?' demanded Bra. Trunks arched his eyebrows, Bra dropped her head and said, 'It's true. I have a very boring life.'

'I really don't think that term applies to you.' Said Trunks softly.

'I don't either.' Said Goten as he slowly pulled into consciousness, 'I am sorry Bra. I failed.'

'No you didn't.' said Bra with a smile, 'Daddy gave us his blessing we can get married. But we have to live here.'

'That's it.' said Goten in amazement, 'Wow. But you are the only one who will be cooking right?' he asked with genuine fear in his eyes.

Bra giggled, 'I love you Goten.'

'I love you too.' So saying Goten pulled Bra into slow ardent kiss.

'If anyone needs me. I'll be outside throwing up.' Said Trunks as he left the room in hastily. Leaving the two lovers wrapped up in each others arms, now and forever.

The actual ceremony was small and cosy. Consisting only of the Briefs and the Sons. But Bulma than went on to hold a huge reception months after the ceremony. Goten and Bra were the happiest people in the universe the day they got married. He took her to a cave deep in the woods. He had never taken anyone there before. Not even Trunks. But as Goten held her in his arms he kept remembering a moment just before he exchanged vows with Bra that he shared with Vegeta…

Vegeta looked at Goten with eyes that burned with fury yet understanding. Goten couldn't help himself. This was something that was beyond his control. He could not help but love Bra, like he could not help but love Bulma. But still that did not mean he could not he couldn't threaten to tear him from limb to limb. In a blink of an eye Vegeta grabbed Goten and pinned him against the wall, 'She want's you. She is my little princess anything she wants she gets. But you are to protect her and keep her safe. If you fail…'

'I won't fail.' Said Goten confidently, 'I won't let any harm come to her.'

No he would not fail, he would not let any harm come to her. After all he could not survive without her…