The doorbell rang, and she waved to Marron to open it. She smiled and then froze at the sight of Goten. He looked great! His suit fit perfectly, and showed off his physique. He had gotten a hair cut too, and smiled at Marron's shocked face.
"Hello, Marron. May I come in?" She stared for a moment, and then blushed as she moved aside for him. Pan clapped her hands and laughed.
"Wow! Look at you, Goten! You're a stud!" She said. Good old Pan, still silly, like her grandfather. Goten winked at her, and then bowed to Bra.
"Good evening, my lady. Shall we depart?" As he straightened, Goten got a good look at Bra, and paused. His acting skills saved him from making a fool of himself over her beauty. But he felt the uncertain emotions in his heart for her crystallize instantly into honest to goodness love. He took her hand, and forgetting everyone else in the room, stared at her intently.
"Bra, you are so lovely... I was wrong, you are a woman aren't you?" He whispered. Bras eyes widened and she smiled. Her anger at him dissolved at once, and she squeezed his fingers.
"No, not really. One-day maybe. But, you are a real man, Son Goten, to say you're sorry so sweetly... Thank you." He smiled too, and looked at the others. "Do we really need them?" He asked. She sighed.
"We can lose them later, OK?" They paused, and he realized what she meant. Did she feel for him what he felt for her? He intended to find out. He turned and led her to the door.
"Wait! I gotta get a picture of this!" Bulma called. They turned, and she clicked her digital camera at them, and then waved.
"Wow, you two look wonderful! You should plan on going like that to the Prom, Bra!" Bra shook her head, and laughed as they left. Outside, Goten seated Bra in his aircar, and got into the drivers seat. He turned to her and took her hand.
"Bra, do you trust me?" She frowned slightly and nodded. "You know I'd never hurt you, or anything like that, right?"
"Goten, what are you saying?" She asked nervously. He smiled and took the wheel.
"I'm saying that the plans are changed. I am gonna loose them right now, and it may take some tricky flying. So, trust me to keep us alive and I'll show you a surprise, just for you." She pondered and then smiled.
"Just like being kids again, eh Goten? Sure, drive like a maniac, I want to see this!"
**********
It took a little longer to lose them than Goten thought, but he did lose them. They masked their Chi and flew unseen for a while, until they were over the ocean. Bra looked out at the stars and then looked down. The sea was deep indigo, and sparkled from the moonlight. It was beautiful, but she wondered where Goten was taking her.
Finally he landed on a small island, about the same size as Master Roshi's island. He helped her out and led her over to a large table. It was set low to the sand, and had a white cloth over it, and was ringed with pillows, with supports to keep them from falling off. In the center was set a beautiful dinner, and two candelabra. He lit the candles, and slipped out of his shoes. Bra did the same, and they settled comfortably against the pillows on the table as they ate. There wasn't as much food as two half Saiyans usually needed, but Goten assured her he had more in capsules if they wished. Bra was amazed at all this, since he had to have planned this to be this way in this place; had he ever intended for Marron and the others to come along? She was going to ask him about this, when he began to speak.
"Bra, I have to tell you something... I have known this for a long time, but I didn't know what to do about it... " She looked up at him, and realized that he was scared about something. She was beginning to think she knew what he was going to say, and she felt a thrill at the thought, and decided to take the initiative.
"Son Goten, are you trying to say that you are in love with me?" She said softly. Goten jumped and stared at her. His jaw dropped comically, and Bra gently closed it, and smiled. "You are aren't you? I know, because I feel the same way. I always did, but I was so sure you just thought of me as a little girl, Trunks' little sister. And then when I got older, there were all these bimbos that you liked; I didn't want to be one of those kinds of women, and... I began to think there was no way to make you see ME. I'm not a woman yet, but when I am, I want to be your woman, Goten." She said seriously. Goten watched her face in the moonlight, and saw the truth in her eyes. He shook his head.
"I don't know what to say... "
"Say you love me, Goten." She said, and was surprised when he kissed her instead. Words weren't necessary to tell her how he felt...
**********
"Aunt Bulma!!! They ditched us!!" Pan yelled as they burst back into the house. Bulma smiled wickedly, and Chi-Chi glared at her.
"Hey, what's going on here?" She snapped. Bulma patted her hand and turned to the kids standing in the doorway.
"I know he did. He needed to get Bra alone for a while, that's all. So what? I trust Goten, and I trust Bra. Now sit down and have some cheesecake." Marron looked at her mother as Pan and Uubu gaped in shock.
"Kaasan, do you know what she means?" Juu nodded.
"Sometimes, you need to take the future that you want, it doesn't always fall into your lap, Marron. Goten has taken the future he wants. And I'd say that Bulma has given her consent, so we should stay out of it." She said, and sipped her coffee. Chi-Chi blinked and turned to Bulma.
"You knew? I didn't even know, and he's my son!" She growled. Bulma snorted and wagged her finger at Chi-Chi.
"You were too busy being a mom. I was being a friend. Sometimes, it's important to be both. You just didn't see that this time. There's always next time." Chi-Chi looked ready to blow, but she took a deep breath through her teeth and kept her temper.
"So, my son and your daughter are in love?" She said. Bulma nodded. "And they are off somewhere, declaring this love to each other?" Another nod. "And what does Vegeta think of this?" Bulma paused and went slightly pale.
"He, ah, well, he doesn't know yet." Chi-Chi felt her bad temper drain away at the thought of Vegeta's fury about his precious daughter being involved with one of Goku's sons. This could end up like Romeo and Juliet...
**********
The pair in question sat under the moon and worried about the Princes wrath as well. Goten wasn't sure he wanted to face Vegeta truly angry. He was strong, sure, but only Gohan was strong enough to face Vegeta really. And Goten had no intention of letting his brother face Vegeta for him, if things got that bad.
"Goten, Papa's not going to kill you, really. He wants me to be happy, and I will tell him that I am happy with you, and he'll be ok. Trust me." Bra said soothingly, hiding her own concern. Her father's temper had improved over the years, but this was a situation he would never be able to take well. That his daughter and "Kakarrot's" son were in love was sure to ignite that famous fury. But she wasn't going to hide her feelings from anyone, not even her father.
"Hmmm, he may not kill me, but I may wish he had. I'm just not as strong as he is, Bra. I'm too lazy to train as much as I should. I guess I'd better hit the Gravity room when I get home." Bra snuggled up to him and sighed.
"I'll handle him. Now, tell me again... " He smiled, and leaned close to her.
"I love you, Bra." He whispered, his lips brushing her ear. She shivered happily, and they sat quietly, the worries they faced forgotten for a while.
**********
A week later, Vegeta and Trunks, both looking like they needed another vacation, came home from their trip. Vegeta noticed immediately that Bra was different. She was smiling with a dreamy look on her face, and dressing less like a floozy. Her mini skirts were gone, replaced by sundresses and jeans with nice shirts. He knew a boy was behind this, but she denied it. He thought about it as he sat in the gravity room, not working out but just sitting. Bulma watched her mate and realized he knew something was up. She felt nervous, but knew he wouldn't really hurt Goten. He was like a second son to Vegeta, and she knew he was fond of the young man. But still, one never knew what Vegeta would do.
Trunks had taken it surprisingly well, and after they gave him smelling salts, he congratulated them sincerely. That left only the soon to be father of the bride...
Vegeta stood and pressed the intercom button. "Bra! Get down here, now!" He called, and waited for her to complain.
"Yes, Papa, coming!" She chirped instead. He frowned at this, realizing she had somehow grown up in the ten days he was gone. It made his heart hurt to think of it, so he pushed the thought aside and turned the gravity down for her. She opened the door, and gasped as she entered.
"Yes, Papa?" She was wearing a white sundress with sprays of flowers printed on it. Her feet were in silver sandals and her hair fell free in the curls he still wasn't used to. It had only been three days, but he already knew he didn't like them.
"Bra, who is he?" Vegeta said. She smiled innocently.
"Who is who, Papa?" she asked. He glowered at her. She was playing it cool; she was his daughter after all. No one could get him to divulge what he didn't want to tell, and Bra was the same way. But this wasn't a bad grade or running off to the Tenka to play with Dende and Mr. Popo, this was serious.
"Bra. I know you have a boyfriend or something. And you don't think I'll approve, or you'd have forced me to meet him by now. So, since you don't think I'll approve, you'd better tell me why." Bra crossed her arms over her chest, just like he himself did all the time.
"Papa, I do believe that my boyfriends are NONE of your business." She said firmly, even though she was scared to death. Vegeta's face was priceless as she told him off. The shock had his jaw hanging, and his eyes were wider than she'd ever seen them.
"Did you just tell me that this was none of my business? My family is my business, and I know a lot more than you dimwits out there think I do. Now WHO IS HE?" He was steaming mad all right, literally. Bra swallowed heavily and opened her mouth to speak.
"It's me, Vegeta-san." Goten said from the door. They turned to look at him, and Bra's misery and fear showed on her face. Goten went over to her. He draped his arm over her shoulder and smiled at her, before facing the furious Prince. "I'm her boy friend, and her fiancée as well. I hope you'll give your consent, but even if you don't, we love each other, Vegeta. And I hope for Bras sake you can see that." He said, sounding very much like his father. Vegeta fumed before them, and then stalked up to them. He fisted Goten's shirt into his hand and floated up so the younger man was dangling. Bra gasped and watched, unsure of what to do. "You want my approval for my Blood and that third class, thick skulled baka Kakarrot's Blood to mix?" He snarled. To his surprise, Goten grabbed his hand and freed his shirt, and then shook his head.
"I don't need your approval, Vegeta-san. I'm secure with myself, and need no one to tell me I pass inspection. But, I want Bra to be happy, and she wont be if you hate her husband for marrying her." Goten said, and looked coldly into Vegeta's eyes. Vegeta went SSJ, he was so angry, and Goten did the same, just in case. Vegeta then began to laugh. Both Bra and Goten were baffled. He laughed and slapped his hand to his head. Vegeta waved his hands at Goten helplessly. "No, no, Goten, forget it! Ha ha ha! Fine! How can I deny someone with brass ones like yours?" He roared and dropped down to Bra. She looked into his aqua blue eyes, and he kissed her cheek. "Fine, you want him, take him! He is his father's son, all right. I never thought Goten had it in him to be that dumb, but since he is, I guess I'll give in. Such stupidity can only come from Kakarrots Blood. And that Blood carries Kakarrot's power as well. I'm training the kids though, got it?" Bra nodded, and then hugged her father.
"Oh, Papa, thank you!" Vegeta squirmed away from her and held her shoulders.
"I hope you understand that he's not very smart and weak besides. If there is trouble, call me, I'll save you, like I always do." She started to get mad, and then saw the sad light in his eyes. He was losing her, and he was trying to not show how much it bothered him. She nodded.
"Yeah, you're right, but I gotta do as my heart tells me to, just like yours does. Right Papa?" He scowled and pointed at the door.
"Well, that's enough. Go on, I've gotta train. Goten, get her out of here." He said, knowing she wouldn't go easily. She always could read him, just like her mother. Goten picked her up and left the Prince alone with his thoughts.
"Oh, this is just great. You must be so smug, up in heaven, eh, Kakarrot? Our kids, getting married, my blood and yours, mixing somewhere other than on the battlefield. I think I've lived too long... "
"Not long enough, Vegeta. Wait until you have Grandkids!" He started at the voice. It had been so long since he'd heard it, after all. He turned to look and stared at the form of Goku, smiling in the corner.
"Grandkids puts grays in your hair, Vegeta! You'll see! Bai!" He faded, waving at the stunned Prince. Vegeta sat down on the floor again, and shook his head. "Just great. Gray hairs, and more brats. Just when I got used to teen-agers." He smiled a small smile despite himself. At least the grandkids would be strong, and still half Saiyan. It could be worse; Trunks and Pan could get together now...
**********
