Chapter 4: Goku falls sick!

A few weeks passed. No mention was made of the date. Vegeta continued practicing the Instant Transmission Technique. Goku continued to show up daily for a spar. Bulma gave Goku a copy of the two photos. In the first, the pair was just turning around and the shot captured the moment as they faced each other. In the other, their faces were facing the camera and their eyes widening in surprise. Goku kept the two photos in his dresser by his bed.

One morning, Goku did not show up. Vegeta felt annoyed, for some reason, but went to the Gravity Room to train by herself. By evening, she had started to feel a little worried and angry that she was worried. By night, she was as cross and surly as a bear with a bad tooth. Bulma knocked on her door as the princess prepared for bed. "What?" Vegeta yanked the door open with a snarl.

Bulma hid her smile, knowing the reason for Vegeta's foul mood. "Just to let you know, I called Goku and Gohan said Goku was sick."

"I'm not worried for that third class baka. And it's his fault he's so weak. Saiyans don't get sick." Vegeta sniffed before she slammed the door shut. Bulma smirked.

Vegeta lay on her bed, unable to sleep. I can't be worried for that third class baka, can I? No! I'm not! I just miss having a sparring partner that's all. Her thoughts raced as she struggled with feelings unknown to her and she fell into a restless sleep.

When she got up the next morning, she had a slight headache from her insufficient rest and blamed it wholly on Kakarotto. Again Goku didn't turn up and her mood worsened as she destroyed all the hapless training bots. She went to bed that night in a positively foul mood.

The third morning Goku didn't turn up, Vegeta admitted to herself that she was worried for the baka. Saiyans don't get sick often, what if.... She changed into a pair of jeans and a cropped red T-shirt and flew off.

Focusing on Kakarotto's ki, she flew towards his cabin, entering through his bedroom window. She could feel Gohan's ki downstairs. Goku was lying drowsily on his bed but sat up suddenly when Vegeta flew in. His face lit up with a huge grin when he saw his visitor. Vegeta scowled, regretting her decision already. Sniffing a little, she crossed her arms defensively.

"Don't mistake my intentions. I did not come here to see you. I mean, I did but only to see if you were still alive because I did not want to lose a sparring partner." Shit, her excuse sounded lame even to herself.

Goku wasn't fooled. Before he could say anything, the bedroom door opened and Gohan looked in. Gohan had felt Vegeta's ki and was understandably curious.

"Uh, dad? I can't really afford to miss another day of school." Gohan stepped in, dressed in a pair of bermudas and T-shirt. His book bag was slung over his shoulder.

"Gomen, I'll send you there." Goku tried to sit up but fell back coughing.

Vegeta scowled. I'll probably regret this, but... "Lie back down! I'll send the brat to school."

Goku brightened. "You will? Arigato!"

Vegeta remained silent on their journey to Gohan's school and Gohan wisely kept his mouth shut. Landing in the school yard, a plump matronly woman in her mid-forties bustled up to them. Pushing her black glasses up, she beamed.

"Gohan! You were absent yesterday, were you sick? Is this your stepmother?" Gohan's teacher had heard about Gohan's parents' divorce and felt sorry for the poor boy.

Vegeta frowned. Who is this nosy parker? And I'm not that brat's mother! She was about to open her mouth to correct the chattering woman when she caught sight of Gohan, who was standing behind the fat woman, making pleading puppy-dog eyes at her. Please don't say anything....She snapped her mouth shut at his silent plea.

"Oh, and could you take back these forms to sign for the upcoming excursion? And indicate on this form whether your husband and yourself would be attending the parents' session next week..." The fat woman droned on. "Oh! There's Boru's mom! I've got to go!"

Vegeta clutched a stack of forms in her fist numbly. What's did that fat woman say? Her attention was caught by a group of boys who had gathered round.

"Aww...Mommy's boy...Is that your new mom, Mommy's boy?" One of the boys taunted cruelly. Gohan gritted his jaw in anger. Chi Chi had adored dressing her only son up and openly fawned over him. He had been so embarrassed whenever Chi Chi sent him to school, admonishing him to behave himself and eat properly before tearfully waving him off...in front of all his classmates!

Annoying pests. Vegeta frowned at the boys and with a burst of her ki, sent the boys flying back. Turning to Gohan, she snapped. "I'll pick you up later, don't make me wait." She smirked. "And you owe me a spar later for all this trouble." Without waiting for his reply, she blasted off in a blue burst of ki.

The boys had picked themselves up and were watching in awe.

"Wow! Your new mom's cool."

"Yeah, she totally kicks ass."

"She can fly and fight? And she fights with you? Kewl. I wish my mom was like that."

Gohan blinked in surprise, then smirked as he lapped up the attention.

-----

Vegeta landed back in Goku's bedroom. Pulling a capsule out of her pocket, she flipped it at him which popped into a pile of sandwiches on his lap. Goku grinned cheerfully at Vegeta and started eating.

"Thanks! How did you know I've not eaten breakfast yet?"

"Baka." Vegeta looked bored and sat down on the only chair in his bedroom. Tossing the papers on the bed, she said disgustedly. "And that's some forms from the fat woman who I presume is his teacher."

Goku tried to eat slowly (only for Vegeta!) and engage her in conversation.

"Did you ever go to school back on Vegetasei?"

Reaching over for a sandwich, Vegeta snorted. "I had the best tutors, I did not go to school."

The hours flew by and to her surprise, Vegeta found herself enjoying the taller Saiyan's company. They chatted and Goku taught her to play some board games. Vegeta sneered at everything but tried them out anyway. When the clock chimed one, Goku looked up from their game. "Time to fetch Gohan."

Vegeta stood up, then frowned. "Drat. I forgot the direction to his school..."

"Hey, why don't you try the Instant Transmission Technique now?"

Vegeta scrunched her pert nose in concentration and after a few moments, located Gohan's ki. She flickered in and out before she finally disappeared.

"Hey! You learnt Dad's technique!" Gohan exclaimed as Vegeta popped out in front of him. She gave him a smirk before clasping a hand on his shoulder and concentrating on Goku's ki. As the pair disappeared, the boys around them dropped their jaws. "Cool!"

Back in the Son's house, the three Saiyans were feeling hungry so Vegeta gave Gohan an imperious order to cook. Gohan rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and admitted that he can't cook.

"Yeah, usually I cook. But I'm feeling too weak at the moment..." Goku gave a dramatic moan and flopped back into bed. Vegeta stared in consternation. Nani? She, the Saiyan no oujo, cook for these bakas? She toyed with the idea of flying off for lunch at the CC but somehow she felt bad about leaving the hapless men in the lurch. Grumbling, she made her way downstairs with Goku and Gohan in tow.

Vegeta was almost done with the noodles when to her horror, she felt Piccolo's ki approaching. Before she could hide, the tall green warrior ducked through the kitchen door frame. Piccolo stood in the doorway, surveying the scene around him. Vegeta was standing by the stove, pots bubbling merrily, with a look of horror and embarrasment. He raised an eyebrow as he read the words on her apron 'Kiss the Cook.'

"Do I have to?"

"Shut up green bean! Don't you dare breathe one word of this to anybody!" A faint blush painted itself over her cheeks as she struggled to retain her dignity while waving her ladle at him. Goku and Gohan who were seated at the dining table, tried to contain their amusement but a few chuckles leaked out.

Vegeta hissed in anger and the two giggling Sons quickly shut up. She ladled the food out, not bothering to serve Piccolo as she knew the Namekian only drank water. That's the last time I'll be so alturistic. See what happens when I try to be nice? It's so much easier to be mean and nasty. She grumbled to herself as she whipped off the apron and started eating.

The three hungry Saiyans soon made short work of the food. Goku burped in contentment. "Wow, 'Geta, I didn't know you were such a good cook." Gohan nodded enthusiastically.

"A good warrior can provide for herself out in the field." Vegeta replied loftily, secretly pleased at their compliments.

"But you're really, really good. Why don't you cook more?" Goku pressed.

Vegeta rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Because I would then be stuck cooking for bakas like you. I *hate* hearing about how cooking is a woman's chore. I cooked a few times for Raditz and Nappa and those two bakas kept whining and pestering me later."

"But 'Geta..." Goku whined.

Vegeta shot him a murderous deadly glare while Piccolo and Gohan snickered. Can this day get any worse? The thought had barely crossed her mind when she heard the whine of an air-car touching down outside.

Twisting their necks to look out the window, the four could see a red air- car parked on their backyard. A tall man with curly black hair and a drooping mustache was seated in the driver's seat and in the passenger side was Chi Chi.