"Close But No Cigar"

My last chapter left you, more or less, hangin' there with no idea of what was going on, so this chapter will be doing a lot of explaining. Basically the low down so far, is that Vegeta and Goku and training because they've gotten word that there will be an invasion on earth soon. Vegeta and Bulma are happily married with two beautiful children and Goku has his family of Chi Chi, Gohan (who is married to Videl) and Goten. Despite what you may think this story has many turns and surprises, and the only way to find them all out is to read it, so what are you waiting for, get reading. (Am I corny or what?)

Chapter 2: Exposure of Vegeta

Trunks got out of bed at the usual time and grabbed a T-shirt and pulled it over his head. 'Call me paranoid, but it feels like there's someone watching me' Trunks said to himself.

"Call me crazy, but I heard that it wasn't healthy for a brat your age to talk to himself." Vegeta stood in the doorway of his sons' room with a smirk on his face. "Late night last night?"

"Yeah, my date decided half way through dinner that she would torment me about having weird colored hair." Trunks said distractedly.

"I don't blame her. I don't think I would want to be on a date with a guy with purple hair either."

"No one asked you though, and besides doesn't mom have blue hair?" Trunks figured he had won the battle with his father until…

"Yeah, but blue is such a turn on." Vegeta laughed at the look on his son's face after he said this.

"Thanks, but I didn't need to hear that." Trunks looked up at his father and realized that he was having a ball making fun of his son.

There was a faint voice calling from down stairs.

"Come and get your breakfast before it gets cold boys." Bulma called up the tremendous staircase.

Trunks followed Vegeta down the stairs, although he wasn't fond of his mother's cooking, he was starved.

"Where's Bra?" Vegeta asked Bulma as he slipped her a kiss on the cheek.

"I took her over to her Grandparents' house, I have to work today, and I don't want her to get in the way." Bulma said as she took up a plate of food before it was devoured by her son. "Why do you ask?"

"I promised her I'd take her to the mall and get her one of those new Barbie dolls she's been wanting." He said casually.

"What a dedicated father." Bulma cooed.

"You know my family's my number one priority." Vegeta said as he took up the morning paper.

"Is that why you have to buy your daughter's affection?" Trunks piped in.

"How dare you! You know I love your sister, I don't have to buy her anything to get her to love me. She does it voluntarily." Vegeta spat across the table bitterly at his son.

"I was just making a joke, my Dende dad, you don't have to get all defensive." Trunks said into his plate. He hadn't meant anything by it, 'leave it to Vegeta to turn a joke completely around' Trunks thought bitterly. Trunks had been jealous of his sister since she was born, she had always gotten her father's attention whenever she wanted it. Trunks had never even heard his father say that he loved him once, and whenever Bra wanted to hear it she was told right away.

"That wasn't funny, you know that your father doesn't buy your sister's affection." Bulma said defensively.

"Don't worry woman, maybe a few hours in the gravity room, will beat any further jokes out of the brat." Vegeta said with a devilish grin on his face. "Wouldn't that be fun, son?"

"Sure." Trunks knew better than to argue, besides it probably wouldn't be all that bad, at least his father wasn't angry or anything.

Just then Bra came bouncing into the kitchen with a wide grin spread across her face. She leapt into her father's lap and gave him a rather sloppy kiss.

"Good morning princess." Vegeta said lovingly.

Bra was then followed by a very angry Mr. Briefs.(is that possible?)

"What did she do this time daddy?" Bulma said, her face full of anxiety.

"She put my favorite cat in the washing machine again." Mr. Briefs said angrily. "What do you intend on doing about this, I want to see some punishment. You spoil your daughter rotten Bulma, she's not getting enough discipline."

"What?" Bra started to cry into her father's chest. "Daddy, you won't punish me, will you?"

Vegeta looked into Bra's pouty eyes. There was a battle raging inside of him, he wanted to raise a good disciplined daughter, but he found himself immediately shaking his head no. He couldn't punish his daughter, he just couldn't.

"Vegeta, what do you mean you won't punish her, she did something wrong now she has to pay for it." Bulma said angrily.

"Yeah dad, where's the punishment?" Trunks said furiously.

"She won't be going to the mall today I can tell you that much. I think she has seen the error of her ways. Haven't you sweetie?" Vegeta addressed his daughter in particular.

"Yes, daddy, I am very sorry about your cat Grandpa." Bra said sweetly.

'She's done it again' Trunks thought 'she not only won my dad over, but it looks like she got Grandpa as well.'

"I don't care what you say Vegeta, Bra will not be going to the mall for at least a week, after this stunt she pulled. You shouldn't let that sweet smile win you over every time Vegeta." Bulma said through gritted teeth. "Don't get me wrong sweetie, but if I didn't no any better, then I would say that you've grown a soft spot when it comes to your children." Bulma said more playfully to her husband.

"Well, one of them at least." Trunks muttered under his breath. Trunks should have known that Vegeta could hear him, after all, Vegeta did have super sensitive saiyan ears.

"What do you mean by that, boy?" Vegeta asked Trunks quizzically.

"He didn't say anything Vegeta." Mr. Briefs said to the increasingly angry saiyan.

"Yes he did, and I want him to say it out loud like a man. No son of mine will be muttering things under his breath like some crybaby. Go on then, tell them all what you said." Vegeta said, his angry, cold eyes never left his son's gaze.

"I was just saying how dad never let me get away with anything when I was Bra's age. I just thought he should punish her more often then he does, because he might be making his other kid feel a little left out, that's all." Trunks could feel his father's angry gaze upon him, so he decided to turn to his mother. He silently pleaded with her to break the silence but she felt to taken aback by Trunks' remark to say anything on his behalf.

Bulma could feel the tension between father and son, and sighed in relief when she heard a knock on the door. The man who stood on the other side of the door didn't make things any better however.

"Oh, hi Goku." Bulma whispered. Her attempt to keep the visitor from her husband failed however.

"I heard that woman, what does he want?" Vegeta yelled from the kitchen.

"Come in Goku, I'm afraid Vegeta is in one of his moods. I wouldn't try and get on his nerves if I were you." Bulma warned.

"Well there goes my day!" Goku said playfully. "What happened this time?"

"Trunks said that he was feeling left out because Vegeta is always doing what Bra wants." Bulma said quietly, she didn't want to hurt her son any further.

"He obviously doesn't know his father very well. If he knew haw much Vegeta really did love him, he would probably wonder where the imposter playing the part of his father stashed Vegeta." Goku laughed.

"Kakkarot, what do you want?" Vegeta stomped into the entrance hall. He knew that Goku was there for sparring and training, after all they did have a world to save, but he really wasn't in the mood for him right now. He really wanted to spend time with his son and hopefully set things straight, but when he thought this over in his head, he couldn't bring himself to swallow his pride enough to admit his love for his son.

"Lets go." Vegeta spat at Goku as he stalked out the door, across the yard and into the gravity room.

"I should probably go before he destroys Capsule Corp. in his anger." Goku said simply as he walked out the door.

********

Meanwhile:

"Soon, very soon." Up in a tree sat a rather pretty young girl of about eighteen years of age. She had been observing the scene from high above looking through a window. "The man they call Vegeta, will be exposed." She had a smirk identical to Vegeta's.

*fin

Mwahahahahahaha, I guess you could call this a cliffhanger, huh? Who is this mysterious young girl, and what does she mean Vegeta will be exposed? Stay on the look out for the next exciting chapter, and you'll find out! Pleaz R&R!

~S saiyan Vegeta4013