The Second Worst Thing

Chapter 7: Can a Saiyan's Heart be Mended?

By senzubean

I do not own Dragon Ball Z in any way. I make no profit from this story. I just wrote it for fun.

1 year later.

Vegeta landed on Planet Earth on the exact spot he'd left it. He stared at the door to the ship. He would go out. Demand another of the excellent suits of armor his former mate had designed and leave. It wasn't that he wanted to ask her for anything. His pride was stabbing his insides. It just frustrated him that he had to do this. His armor was battered and broken, he could not go to battle in beat up armor. It was bad luck.

Just as he had expected, she was waiting at the bottom of the gangplank. Her hair was shorter, but the rest of her was unchanged. Vegeta corrected that observation when he got face to face with her. Her eyes were different. The lively pools of bright blue had become somewhat faded.

"Woman, I require a new combat suit before the battle. How early am I?"

"A good two months." Bulma replied a touch of pain in her voice. Vegeta ignored it. He was a little disappointed that he'd arrived so early. No matter. I'll meditate in the woods.

"The armor is essential. As soon as I have it I will go."

"Go where?"

Vegeta ignored this too. He then noticed Bulma was holding something, since it stirred and made a whimpering noise.

"Is that another pet?" Vegeta asked distastefully. Was she so desperate for attention that she needed to carry an animal around with her all day long?

"No. It's a baby."

"A baby"

Bulma nodded.

Vegeta looked at the bundle; its face was covered from the chilly night air.

"Hmph! You didn't waste any time did you? Getting back with that human who apparently wasn't the one for you either."

"Yaumcha? You think this is Yaumcha's baby?" Bulma asked bewildered.

"Who else's could it be? I was only gone a year. That's not much time to find a new man, establish a relationship and then have a baby. I know you're not a whore, so Yaumcha is the only logical explanation."

"This isn't Yaumcha's baby."

"So I was wrong." Vegeta laughed. "And why not? I've been wrong about everything else in my whole entire life!"

Bulma started to cry. "No. You're not wrong I was. I was so wrong. This is your child."

"What?" Vegeta gasped.

"This is your son." She collapsed against him. He felt her tears permeate the skin on his cheek. He felt the baby stirring against his chest armor, he heard it start to cry along with his mother.

"I'm so sorry, Vegeta. I hurt you so badly and you didn't deserve it. I was so stupid." She cried, gasping to claim some air to continue. "Please forgive me! Please! I love you! I never wanted you to go!"

Vegeta stepped away from her, causing her to stumble forward before catching herself.

"It sounded like you did! Funny how a brat changes your perspective on things. Your people don't look highly on mothers who can't show of the father along with the baby, do they? Well I refuse to be an image for you! You pitied me, didn't you?"

"A little.."

"Well, I won't be pitied!" He turned to leave.

"No! No wait! I don't pity you! And I don't want you to stay for the benefit of image! I..I knew I had made a mistake as soon as you left the house that night. I felt so terrible and when the baby came..I felt even worse. The thought of having ruined any relationship with you…depriving you of your son….I could never be forgiven for that. Vegeta, I am truly sorry."

Vegeta didn't look at her, but he made no motion of leaving.

"You really hurt me woman." He stated solemnly. "I trusted you and you….." He gasped, trying to contain his temper. Trying so hard not to fly of the handle and ruin things forever. He had to try and find it inside him to forgive her. I have to try and care about her.

"I've never trusted anyone..not since I was very young." He paused, turned and looked at her right in the eyes.

"That child can trust me to be here for him if ever he needs me." Bulma's face lit up with profound joy. " As for you, I may never be able to trust you again."

Her face fell, but decided to push things no further.

"Now, I'm hungry!" He said and headed towards the house.

"Don't you even want to see your son?"

"It's not like he's going anywhere."

Bulma grumbled and concentrated on being thankful that he'd come back at all.

Saying that Dr. and Mrs. Briefs were happy to see him would be an understatement. Mrs. Briefs knocked him over and then had to be pried from around his neck. While they were all making food for him, Vegeta decided he might as well have a look at his offspring. He went to the bassinet and looked at the baby's serene sleeping form.

"What the…..WOMAN!"

"Yes?" Bulma called from the kitchen.

"THIS BRAT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE A SAIYAN! YOU TRICKED ME! IT'S NOT MINE!"

"Oh he's yours all right! Take a look at his face and say that he isn't."

By now, the kid was screaming. Vegeta had to admit that the tiny scowl was definitely his.

He looked at the child disgustedly.

At least a person could mistake Kakarrot's kid for a Saiyan, until he opens his mouth and starts babbling sentimental nonsense.

The thought of Gohan reminded Vegeta of an important Saiyan attribute that he'd overlooked, seeing that Vegeta himself no longer possessed this attribute.

Vegeta flipped the baby over in order to look at his backside.

"WOMAN!"

"Yes, Vegeta." Bulma said getting somewhat exasperated.

"WAS THIS CHILD NOT BORN WITH A TAIL?"

Bulma sighed knowing exactly what was coming. "He was born with one but I had it surgically removed."

"WHY WOULD YOU DO A THING LIKE THAT? WHAT KIND OF MOTHER ARE YOU MUTILATING YOUR CHILD?"

"I 'mutilated him' so that his Daddy wouldn't show him how to use one of those fake moons and scare the daylights out of me!"

Dammit. That would've been humorous.

While Vegeta was busy fuming over the physical appearance of his first born and only son, the child in question was spazzing because he had been woken up by a cranky, screaming man, who had flipped him over and stole his bed-coverings.

Bulma marched in. "What are you doing, Vegeta?" She saw the state of her child.

"Awww, Trunks, what has your mean ol' Daddy done to you?" Bulma worked on getting Trunks comfortable again. Happy to be saved by his mother he stopped crying.

Vegeta ran that sentence through his mind a few times. He understood the meaning of it, save for one word.

"Trunks?"

"That's his name."

"WHAAAAAAAT?! HE'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE MY NAME!"

"SHUT UP! YOU'RE BOTHERING THE BABY!"

"WOMAN! I HAVE HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH OF YOU, THAT KID, AND THE REST OF THIS STUPID PLANET!"

"OH GO TRAIN OR SOMETHING. YOU STILL HAVE TWO MONTHS TO BECOME A SUPER SAIYAN."

"I've all ready done that." Vegeta replied, not believing he'd actually forgotten to tell her. Amazing how brats mess up your priorities.

"Really? That's wonderful. I'm so proud of you!" Bulma said and flung herself around his neck.

Vegeta stood there, enjoying the fact that at least one other person besides himself was proud of his stunning accomplishments. Then he realized.

"Wait a minute? You didn't think I'd be able to do it?"

Bulma let him go and laughed nervously. "I never said that."

"Yes you did. You told me to go train so I could do it, so therefore, you didn't even consider the fact that I may have done it all ready." He turned away in disgust and crossed his arms. "Hmph!"

"Well the main thing is that you did it."

"Yes, and as soon as I defeat the androids, I will proceed to kick Kakarrot's ass." He smirked evilly, but it fell into disgust again. "I can't believe you didn't think I could do it." He then walked out of the room and into the kitchen to eat.

Bulma watched him go, then heaved a very tired sigh. "What have I gotten myself into?"