Bulma looked at her watch.10:38. She sighed nonchalontly, then continued tinkering with her latest invention. Suddenly she gasped and looked at her watch again. 10:38?

Title:  A Brush of Realized Love

Author: Washu the Goddess

Rated: PG-13 for swearing

Genre: Romance/Drama

Disclaimers: if I owned dbz, wouldnt you think I would just make a bunch of episodes on this instead of taking my fucking time to write it?no im kidding. I do not own dbz and probably never will.

          This is sort of just a 'what if' story. Like, what if Vegeta never knew he had a son because he left right after he slept with Bulma? What if Vegeta came back the day before fighting, instead of in the middle of it?  Read and review and enjoy,  by the way, i wrote this in a 2 day timespan, so i dont know how right it is and a lot is just a new look at how things could have happened.  Have fun, and arigatou for reading

Bulma looked at her watch.10:38.  She sighed nonchalontly, then continued tinkering with her latest invention.  Suddenly she gasped and looked at her watch again.  10:38?

          "CRAAAAAPP!!!" She yelled as she flew up the stairs.  Sure enough, a bawling Trunks could be heard from upstairs.  She hurried to his room and picked up the screaming baby and took him to his changing table.  Bulma had gotten up early that morning, in hope to get some work done before Trunks awoke.  Unfortionatly, she got way caught up in her work and didnt even realize how fast time had flown. As she changed Trunks and got him dressed, she kept thinking about one thing.

          Where is Vegeta?

they werent together or anything. In fact, the only reason Trunks had been concieved at all was because they were both drunk and horny.  The morning after, Vegeta was no where to be found.  The only thing bulma had left of him was his boxers in the corner of her bed and his scent filling the sheets.  That was a year ago.  That was the last time she ever saw him, and was defintely beginning to lose faith that he was ever coming back.  But one thing worried Bulma more than anything. Tomorrow.  The following day was the day the young boy from the future had said two androids would land just north of south city at 10 am.  And Vegeta was no where to be found.  **Oh vegeta, where are you, you son of a bitch? You cant even be thinking of leaving us here to get mutilated by androids, can you? please dont do this to us...** bulma thought as she brought Trunks downstairs for breakfast.  She put him in his highchair and assembled his baby food.  She then sat across from him and fed the food into his mouth.

          "So trunks, do you want to know about your daddy?" she asked him.  Trunks just gurgled happily in response, accepting more food into his awaiting mouth.  Bulma smiled.  "Well, ok here goes. Your daddy's name is Vegeta. He is a prince! Isnt that exciting?"  Trunks gurgled.  Bulma continued.  "He isnt a very nice prince though.  He is always yelling at everyone, even mommy!" she paused, trying to think of what else to say to a baby who had no idea what she was talking about.

          "I know you've never met your daddy before, trunks, but I hope you do. I know he will come back to me. He doesnt even know about you! won't that arrogent man be suprised when he finds out about you!" she said, more talking to herself this time.  **Will he stay is the question** she thought.  "yes. I know he will! even if no one else can, I can tell he loves me.  I really can!" she said outloud to no one in particular.  As she fed Trunks, she kept speaking aloud. "Yes! I have nothing to worry about! wait....all we did was sleep together under the condition of being stoned! but wouldnt he still decline if he detested me? He had to have known who he was fucking....he did say my name more than once....maybe he really does love me! or at least appreciate me...that man? appreciate? yah, right.  Maybe he just wanted to rape me, and figured this would be the best thing to do to solve his manly horniness! ugh this is so confusing! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, YOU BASTARD! GET YOUR FURRY SAIYAN ASS BACK HERE!!!" bulma yelled at the top of her lungs.  Trunks stared wide eyed at her, then immediatly burst into tears.  As she tried to comfort him, a shadow appeared at the doorway.

          "You bellowed?" a gruff voice asked.  Bulma froze and slowly turned around.  Sure enough, there was Vegeta in the flesh.  His dirty shredded saiyan armor and clothes hung around his knees and shoulders, and he had blood stained on nearly ever inch of him.  He seemed paler than usual, and his hair was filthy. Bulma didnt mean to, but the first thing out of her mouth was

          "Oh my KAMI LOOK AT YOU! YOU ARE A FUCKING MESS!"

Vegeta looked less than impressed with this greeting.  He glared at her and was about to do something he may have regretted, but it was then he noticed the baby in her arms.  His jaw dropped and he started to stutter.

          "Wh-wh-whats t-t-that?" he asked nervously.  Bulma rolled her eyes. 

          "Your son." she answered.  Vegeta passed out.

*~**~

          "Vegeta....vegeta...wake up Vegeta!"  Vegeta slowly opened his eyes, as Bulma's worried face came into view.  He squinted and looked around. He was in his bed, his armor draped over a chair.

          "What am I doing here?" he asked.  Bulma snickered.  "You passed out, dummy. I think it was a mix of your exhaustion and your shock." she answered him. 

          "Where is that baby you had?"

          "In his crib napping.  You've been out for a few hours!" Bulma said. Vegeta looked at her, and by the look in his eyes, Bulma knew what he was asking.

          "Yes" she answered quietly.

          "really?" Vegeta whispered.   Bulma nodded.  Vegeta nodded, then looked away from her.  After a moment in silence, he turned to face her again.  "I didnt think you would get pregnant."

Bulma shrugged.  "Well, I did. and you disappeared. If you didnt think I would get pregnant, why did you leave?" she asked.

          "I was embarrased to show weakness" he answered simply. 

          "What, so sleeping with me is a sign of weakness?" bulma asked sharply. 

          "On vegeta-sei it was. It was a sign of emotion that us saiyans are not supposed to have."   he said. 

          "So...you do care about me....just a little bit?" Bulma asked carefully.  Vegeta stared at her, then rolled over, his back to her.  "Leave me woman" he growled.  Bulma waited for a minute.  Sencing her presence was still there, vegeta raised his voice a little.  "I said leave me!"  with that, bulma got up quickly and left, slamming the door behind her.  Vegeta sighed, and went to sleep.

          2AM THE NEXT MORNING

          Vegeta woke up to darkness and silence.  He realized that these could be his final hours on earth.  He got up and paced his room anxiously.  He knew he needed sleep to fight his best, but he couldnt go to sleep, not with all these crazy thoughts running through his head.

**Bulma, fight, brat, bulma, brat, kid, father, fight, androids,  bulma kakarott earth vegeta-sei father kid brat train win lose die** these thoughts flew through his mind freely until he reached the thought 'die' which made him think of him dying, everyone dying. Because of the androids.  He thought of his senshi, his kid, his......bulma?  They had made love, after all, didnt that make her....his?  Vegeta pondered this thought as he made his way down the hall.  The first door to the left was the brat's room.  Hell, he didn't even know his brat's name.  He crept into the room to look at the sleeping child.  on the head of the crib in bold letters it read "trunks"    **Thats his name? Kami forbid! at least she could have given him a decent name like...Vegeta jr...** he thought as he stared at his child.  Chubby, purple hair, little nose.  **innocent** was the first thought in his mind.  **this is a kid. my kid. a little brat unable to fend for himself.** Vegeta thought.  **if anything happens to him, bulma would die.  She would gladly die for this child...is that how I should be?**  he considered this as he watched the sleeping boy.  Suddenly, Trunks opened his eyes, scaring the hell out of Vegeta.  Vegeta didnt know what to do, so he just stared at the baby.  Trunks looked at Vegeta, then to his surroundings, then to Vegeta once more.  He started to gurgle a little, and to vegeta it looked like he was trying to form a word.  "D-d-u-daaadieee" he said.  Vegeta looked at him, suprised.  How could he know the word daddy? How could he know that he was his 'daddy'?  Wait! of course! Bulma must have told the kid about him, then obviously with his saiyan blood, Trunks would remember the description!  It all pulled together for Vegeta as he looked into the blue eyes of the little half saiya-jin.  "Daiayddee daiadeee daiadee daidyyy daddy!" Trunks said, pulling more of the words essence together until he finally got it right.  Vegeta was amazed.  "yeah kid, im.....your...daddy..." he trailed off.  The real meaning of being a daddy was finally coming together.  "I'm a father" he said to himself.  "I...the prince of all saiyans....am a father.."

          "And it took you how long to figure this out?" said a voice from the door.  Vegeta whirled around to see bulma in her nightgown, smirking at him.  "Dont talk that way to me onna!" he snapped.  "Shh! you'll scare our baby!" she whispered.  She went over next to him and peered into the crib, where trunks was beginning to fall asleep again.  They stood there for about ten minutes, silently, watching the baby as he steadily fell asleep.  As they stood,  Vegeta subconsiously reached for Bulma's hand, and she accepted his graciously.  She gently laid her head on his shoulder, and he lay his head on hers.  Together, they watched their child sleep.  They, all three of them, were finally together.

~*~*~***~*~**~*~~

          "Time to get up Vegeta.." Bulma whispered.  She leaned over and kissed his ear.  "RISE AND SHINE!" she yelled after she had done that.  "AHHH!!" Vegeta jumped up, looking around furiously.  "Why did you do that onna?" he asked harshly.  Bulma shrugged innocently.  "You wouldnt get up"  Vegeta scowled at her, then got up.  "What time is it?" he asked. 

          "7:13am" she answered.   A pit formed in Vegeta's stomach. 

          "Thats less than 3 hours," he said softly.  Bulma nodded, clasping her hands together.

          "I know"

~*~*~

9:40AM

Vegeta entered Trunks' room, where Bulma was changing him.  He was in his armor and ready to fight. Bulma heard him enter and turned to face him.

          "Its time" he said.  Bulma swallowed the lump in her throat.  "ok" was all she could say.  She followed him down the stairs and into the yard, holding Trunks.   bulma took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

          "Are you just going to leave from here?" she asked, trying not to let her voice crack.  Vegeta nodded.    "I'd guess we'd better say goodbye then" she said, finally her voice cracking.  The pit in Vegeta's stomach grew deeper when she said "goodbye"    He held out his arms. "Let me hold the brat" he said.  Bulma hesitated, then gave him Trunks.  Vegeta held Trunks to his chest, breathing in the baby's scent.  He looked down into Trunks' big blue eyes.  Vegeta brought his face close the the child's and said a few things in saiya-jin.  After a moment, Vegeta handed trunks back to bulma. 

          "What did you say"?" she asked.   "It doesnt matter to you, it only matters to him. Now come here, I want to tell you something." vegeta said.  Bulma set Trunks down on the grass, where he began to suck his thumb.  She took a few steps closer to Vegeta and looked slightly away.       "Yes?" she asked quietly.  Vegeta tilted her chin so that they were eye level, and she was looking straight at him.

          "I....." he started.  Bulma waited.

          "um...."  this was harder than Vegeta had anticipated.  Bulma's eyes filled with tears.   "Its 9:45 Vegeta" she whispered, all choked up.

          "Fuck words" Vegeta mumbled, then kissed her on the lips gently. Bulma could bearly kiss him back before he pulled away and hugged her tightly.  Bulma was really crying now.  She could hardly contain her sobs as she buried her face in Vegeta's shoulder.  Vegeta closed his eyes and vowed he would not shed one tear.  Even though this could be the last time he ever saw his woman, his son, his home, his future.  And they had just become a family a few hours before.  But his vow was broken.  Before he even realized it, two tears, one from each coalblack eye, had trailed down his face.  he pulled Bulma out to face him, where she looked at him with teary eyes.  He bent down and silently kissed her tear-streaked face until her tears were gone.  She looked up and kissed his two tears away, then kissed his neck innocently.  Vegeta closed his eyes and allowed his head to fall onto hers, feeling as if he just wanted to die right there.  They held each other close until Bulma's watch beeped for 9:50.  He lifted his head and looked at her.

          "I gotta go" he said.  Bulma nodded, looking down.  Vegeta kissed her forhead, and whispered something in her ear.  Before Bulma could respond, he was gone.  She stared as the little dot in the sky disappeared into nothing.  She dropped down to her knees beside Trunks and cried.

          "Oh vegeta...i love you too!" she wailed.

THE END