Chapter 1: He Has A Heart
Vegeta, Prince of the nearly extinct race of saiyans, stood leaning against the porch wall at Capsule Corp. He lived there when he wasn't off training, with Bulma Briefs and her parents, and their son Trunks. They also had another child on the way. Vegeta, being proud and arrogant as he was, didn't like to express his feelings or talk to people, and he was beginning to notice that Bulma was starting to get a little more than irritated at this. He recalled one occasion when Bulma had asked him to tell her what was on his mind. He had refused and snapped at her. She had been very short with him after that, and he didn't mind at all.
However, one day he did find himself beginning to mind. He was so used to her constant nagging (kind, of course) to get him to do things for her and Trunks, her pleas to get Vegeta to wear decent clothes, and her ever-so-watchful mothering to his son. He found himself feeling the beginnings of need.
As he leaned against the building, he sighed. Just then, the patio door opened, and Bulma poked her blue-haired head out.
"Vegeta?" she asked, a little timidly. When Vegeta had been thinking, he had somehow gathered a very menacing look on his face.
"What," he answered, in his usual short tone.
"Um, well," she began. "I...no..never mind...sorry I bothered you."
She went back inside.
Why am I always so rude to her? Vegeta thought, angry at himself. She's the mother of both of my children. She's let me live in this...house, if that's what you can call it. But...
Vegeta shook his head, furious that he had even dared to think such sentimental thoughts. He looked up at the sky, wondering what on earth Kakarrot was doing when he recognized Bulma's scream.
Upon entering the house, he noticed a masked gunman with his small shotgun pointed at Bulma. She was standing unwillingly next to the gunman.
"Hey you," the man hollered. "Gimme all your cash, or the woman gets it."
Woman! Vegeta thought, enraged. Only I call her that....
"Let her go, you juvenile punk."
Vegeta stared at the man with his beady black eyes, daring him to try something. It dawned on him that although he could stop a bullet, Bulma could not.
"Well," Vegeta stated, crossing his arms and turning his head. His eyes were still locked on the gunman's. "I'm not planning on handing you over anything. So shoot me and get it over with. She won't put up much of a fight."
The gunman seemed surprised. He shoved Bulma aside, raising his gun to point it at Vegeta. The shot rang out quick and clean, piercing the tense silence. Vegeta raising his gloved hand, catching the bullet before it had even a fraction of a chance to hit him. The gunman stared, his eyes widening through the holes in his mask.
"F-fine..she dies first," he stammered, shakily turning his gun on Bulma. But before he could even finish his sentence, Vegeta had picked her up and wrapped one arm around her. He held her up, because she was limp with shock, walked over, and twisted the man's gunbarrel up to face him.
"Okay," Vegeta grinned. "Now shoot."
The gunman shouted something obscene, then raced out the door. Vegeta let him go, sensing his level five power level running slowly away. He stood for a while before he heard a small sound. He looked down to see Bulma, crying gently into his shoulder.
Shocked, Vegeta could do nothing but stare as she sobbed. Finally, she gained enough composure to look up at him.
"Y-you saved me, Vegeta."
He looked away and deposited her on the small couch.
"Well, what else was I going to do? Stand there?"
He said it coldly, and before turning to fly out the window, he remarked:
"And don't think I did it just for you."
Bulma watched him fly away before she lay down and cried herself to sleep.
*******
"Mom?"
Bulma's eyelids fluttered as she awoke. It was dark out, and Trunks was standing precariously over her, a look of concern marring his handsome profile.
"Oh, Trunks," she sighed. "I must've fallen asleep. I'm sorry. I guess you're probably pretty hungry.
"Mom, have you been crying?" Trunks asked."Your eyes are all red."
"What?" Bulma said in surprise. "Why would I be? I was just, uh, cutting some onions for dinner when I felt tired and laid down. The onions made my eyes water, so I needed a break."
Bulma didn't feel comfortable enough to tell her son that she had nearly been killed by a burglar and that Vegeta seemingly hated her.
"Oh," answered Trunks, not sound convinced. He decided not to pursue the subject and instead helped his mother up. "Well, in your absence, I took the liberty of making us dinner. Sushi!"
"Great, Trunks!"
She sat down on her knees next to the coffee table, bending over and smelling the aroma of the sushi.
"Trunks, don't tell me you made this," Bulma grinned.
"Ah...okay, you got me. It's take out," he admitted, laughing.
Bulma laughed with him, but it was hard for her to forget how cold Vegeta had been earlier.
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
Vegeta continued flying for a while until he spotted Goku's house of in the distance. He landed on the lawn and continued until he reached the door. He opened it without knocking, encountering a very upset looking Chi-chi.
"Goten, how many god damn times do I have to tell you!" she raged, hollering in the face of her thirteen year old youngest son.
"Mom, I couldn't help it!" he squirmed. It was clear that he was very uncomfortable being yelled at in front of Vegeta.
"You and your father seem to have a real problem....oh, hello Vegeta....a real problem with this!!!"
Vegeta waited impatiently for her to fetch Goku. In the meantime, he noticed a heap of broken dishware laying all over the floor.
"Go get more plates Goten! And it's coming out of your allowance!!"
"Awww, but moooom..."
"NOW!!!"
Her anger and voice practically shook the house. Strong fighters as her family was, she could still scare the pants off of them when she wanted.
When Goten had left to buy more plates, Chi-chi finally turned her attention to Vegeta. Since she was used to his method of not knocking and bursting in, she simply didn't care that he had done it.
"What is it Vegeta?" she sighed, exasperated. "You know, I can't keep this household in order anymore, what with my husband and son breaking things all the time. They say they can't help it, but they should have thought of that before becoming too strong. They can hardly control themselves with they're sleeping! Last night, Goku sleptwalked and punched three holes in the wall!! And Goten........"
Vegeta waited for a few more moments before getting extremely irritated.
"Chi-chi!" he shouted over her ranted. "All I want to know is where the hell Kakarrot is!!"
"Oh," she said. "You mean Goku? You really should start calling him Goku. I mean, you've known him for quite a few years, and everyone else knows him as Goku. Kakarrot? Sounds like a carrot to me. Then again, I guess Goku does look like one in that orange fighting outfit he parades around in all the time--"
"CHI-CHI!!!" Vegeta cried, nearly losing it. "WHERE IS HE!!!!"
"Vegeta!" she said, shocked. "Calm down! You really need to learn to control your temper! Just like my family needs to learn to control their strength. I mean, if it wasn't for me keeping order, the whole place would've fallen down by now. If only......"
Vegeta lost all reason and patience. His hair flared gold and his beetle black eyes turned jade green.
"WOMAN!!! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!"
Just then, at a very appropriate moment, Goku chose to fly in from whereabouts unknown.
"Er," he remarked. He took in the scene: smashed plates, a chair thrown backwards, Chi-chi with a frying pan in hand and hair flying everywhere, looking very enraged, and Vegeta in a fighting stance, taking up the doorway and very much a super saiyan.
"Did I come at a bad time?" he asked innocently. He received a death glare from Chi-chi and a good what-for from Vegeta.
"Your wife in absolutely unnerving!! You can't get two fucking words in without her blabbing off about her problems with you!!!"
Goku stood silent before he began to chuckle.
"Well, I guess I'm in the wrong place. Vegeta, you and Chi-chi would make the perfect couple. You'd never have a house, 'cause it'd be blown away half the time from all your arguing!"
Vegeta glared daggers at Goku before walking up to him.
"All I want is a match, Kakarrot. Damn it! See if your wife understands that!"
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
Vegeta returned home later to find that everyone was in bed except for Trunks. he sat up at the table, with a glass of water in front of him. Vegeta noticed that he seemed to be upset about something.
"Trunks, what are you still doing up."
He didn't answer, and continued to stare at the glass of water.
"Trunks! Answer me!"
When he didn't receive one, he opened up his mouth to say something else, but Trunks finally replied.
"What do you care father?" he said coldly. "You really hurt my mother, and in turn, you hurt me. You can be so cruel and heartless. You do as you please all the time. All you care about is training to get stronger and beat Goku."
"How dare you speak to me like that!?" Vegeta countered.
"Why not? You talk to everyone else like they're shit!!"
"What did you just say!?!"
"You heard me."
And with that, Trunks flew off out the open window. He didn't go fast, but instead flew slowly east, toward the Earth's guardian tower.
Vegeta scowled and crossed his arms.
"Well, if the boy wants to talk to me like that, that's fine. See if I ever care about him again."
But deep down, Vegeta knew he did care. He would never admit it, but he did feel it.
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
A week later, Goku dropped by.
"Hey, everyone!"
Right behind him landed Gohan, and his 1 year old daughter Pan.
"Hi Goku!" greeted Bulma, clipping a wire onto an unknown machine she was working on. "How're ya doing?"
"Just great! Hey, I stopped by Gohan's on the way here, and he decided to come visit, too."
"Oh, wonderful!" came another female voice. It was Bulma's mother. She raced out to pick up Pan and swing her around.
"Oh, isn't she just dawling!" she cooed.
Bulma smiled and Gohan rolled his eyes.
"She's already showing an interest the the martial arts," commented Gohan, with a grin. "She can't fly, yet though."
Goku watched Bulma's mother play with Pan before taking his turn.
"Come to Grandpa!"
Gohan laughed.
"Just be careful, dad. I know we can sorta lose control of our strength sometimes. Already I sent Pan out the window when I was swinging her around. Luckily I was fast enough to catch her. Videl nearly ripped my hair out."
"Hey, at least yours grows back!" laughed Goku. "Chi-chi did that once, and if I hadn't gotten away, I would've ended up bald!"
They all laughed, but stopped abruptly when Vegeta appeared in the doorway. He had a look on his face that said he clearly didn't approve of laughing.
"Kakarrot, what are you doing here?"
"Just saying hi, I guess. I'm taking a day to visit all my friends."
"I see. Who's the girl?"
Gohan stepped forward.
"That's my daughter, Pan," he said proudly. "By the way, don't you have another child on the way?"
"Yes," Vegeta said. He seemed almost ashamed. "But it better not be a girl."
"Vegeta," warned Bulma. "I already told you that you have no control over what it is. And, you'll love it. Girl or boy. I know you love Trunks. Deep, deep down, but you do."
Everyone except Vegeta laughed.
"Don't tell me what I think or feel."
They stopped laughing. Vegeta turned back into the house, only to be replaced by Trunks. Bulma looked slightly upset, but any trace of it was quickly hidden. Goku had noticed.
"Just ignore him," Trunks said. "He's been like this for a while."
"You okay, Bulma?" asked Goku, leaning down and putting his arm on her shoulder.
"What? Yeah," she answered, smiling cheerfully. "Anyone hungry?"
She didn't wait for Goku to answer, because she already guessed what the answer was going to be.
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
Vegeta flew out an upstairs window and off to the very place where the Z fighters had fought Cell. He landed on a cliff and sat leaning against another rock.
"So, Kakarrot's brat has a kid, and I'm going to have another one."
Vegeta shook his head, his black hair waving slightly with his motion.
"Hell, why am I so uptight if it's a girl? There were plenty of strong saiyans who were female. The males were always superior, of course, but that's only because we're more skilled.
"Why, if it is a girl, I shall be the one to teach her to fight. Even though I'd like to train alone, I know there isn't much point anymore. I'm as strong as Kakarrot. His son, well, he doesn't even fight anymore so who cares about him. But why do I feel myself caring about this child and...it's mother. I've never cared about anyone before. Oh what the hell is wrong with me?
"I'm the strongest warrior in the universe, and I care about a stupid human? God, I've got to smarten up."
Vegeta remained there for another hour before he went home.
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
As he entered the house, he noticed that it was unusually quiet. He walked around the whole place, but found no one.
"Where the hell are they?!"
Flying to Goku's place revealed that Chi-chi did not know where Goku was. Goten said he remembered him leaving to visit everyone, but he hadn't returned.
Vegeta checked Gohan's place as well, but Videl was confused as to the whereabouts of Gohan and Pan. It seemed that everyone who had been at Capsule Corp. that day was gone.
"Why don't you check Dende's place?" Videl suggested. "In fact, I'll come with you. I'm worriedabout Gohan and Pan."
"No, I can go on my own."
"Vegeta, quit being so stubborn. I'm worried, so I might as well come with you. Besides, Gohan and Goku are really adventurous. Who knows where they might have got to."
"Alright, but don't get in my way."
Vegeta took off with a start, forcing Videl to fly hard to catch up. When he picked up the pace even more, she found it quite easy to keep up.
"We're almost there," she noted, when Dende's tower came into view.
"I can see that," remarked Vegeta, getting irritated.
When they landed, they wasted no time looking for the missing fighters and Bulma.
"Who's there?" came a voice from inside. Dende came out. He was taller than Vegeta now, making Vegeta feel slightly inferior.
"Oh! Hello Vegeta, Videl," Dende greeted. "What brings you all the way up here?"
"Oh Dende," cried Videl. "I'm so worried. Gohan and Pan are missing! So is Goku and Bulma and Trunks!!"
"Oh my goodness!" Dende gasped. "Well, where were they last?"
"At my place," answered Vegeta. " 'Visiting'."
"Well, I haven't seen any of them except Goku. He stopped by this morning before heading to your place, Videl. But I'm worried. Weren't you around when they went missing, Vegeta?"
"Of course not! Don't be so foolish. If I was around I would have prevented it."
"Really?" Videl asked, dumbfounded. "I mean, Vegeta, you're always so...so...well, I don't know. But you usually don't care about anyone else!"
"Of course I do! Just because I don't say it doesn't mean I don't!"
Vegeta took a moment before he realized what he had just admitted.
Vegeta, Prince of the nearly extinct race of saiyans, stood leaning against the porch wall at Capsule Corp. He lived there when he wasn't off training, with Bulma Briefs and her parents, and their son Trunks. They also had another child on the way. Vegeta, being proud and arrogant as he was, didn't like to express his feelings or talk to people, and he was beginning to notice that Bulma was starting to get a little more than irritated at this. He recalled one occasion when Bulma had asked him to tell her what was on his mind. He had refused and snapped at her. She had been very short with him after that, and he didn't mind at all.
However, one day he did find himself beginning to mind. He was so used to her constant nagging (kind, of course) to get him to do things for her and Trunks, her pleas to get Vegeta to wear decent clothes, and her ever-so-watchful mothering to his son. He found himself feeling the beginnings of need.
As he leaned against the building, he sighed. Just then, the patio door opened, and Bulma poked her blue-haired head out.
"Vegeta?" she asked, a little timidly. When Vegeta had been thinking, he had somehow gathered a very menacing look on his face.
"What," he answered, in his usual short tone.
"Um, well," she began. "I...no..never mind...sorry I bothered you."
She went back inside.
Why am I always so rude to her? Vegeta thought, angry at himself. She's the mother of both of my children. She's let me live in this...house, if that's what you can call it. But...
Vegeta shook his head, furious that he had even dared to think such sentimental thoughts. He looked up at the sky, wondering what on earth Kakarrot was doing when he recognized Bulma's scream.
Upon entering the house, he noticed a masked gunman with his small shotgun pointed at Bulma. She was standing unwillingly next to the gunman.
"Hey you," the man hollered. "Gimme all your cash, or the woman gets it."
Woman! Vegeta thought, enraged. Only I call her that....
"Let her go, you juvenile punk."
Vegeta stared at the man with his beady black eyes, daring him to try something. It dawned on him that although he could stop a bullet, Bulma could not.
"Well," Vegeta stated, crossing his arms and turning his head. His eyes were still locked on the gunman's. "I'm not planning on handing you over anything. So shoot me and get it over with. She won't put up much of a fight."
The gunman seemed surprised. He shoved Bulma aside, raising his gun to point it at Vegeta. The shot rang out quick and clean, piercing the tense silence. Vegeta raising his gloved hand, catching the bullet before it had even a fraction of a chance to hit him. The gunman stared, his eyes widening through the holes in his mask.
"F-fine..she dies first," he stammered, shakily turning his gun on Bulma. But before he could even finish his sentence, Vegeta had picked her up and wrapped one arm around her. He held her up, because she was limp with shock, walked over, and twisted the man's gunbarrel up to face him.
"Okay," Vegeta grinned. "Now shoot."
The gunman shouted something obscene, then raced out the door. Vegeta let him go, sensing his level five power level running slowly away. He stood for a while before he heard a small sound. He looked down to see Bulma, crying gently into his shoulder.
Shocked, Vegeta could do nothing but stare as she sobbed. Finally, she gained enough composure to look up at him.
"Y-you saved me, Vegeta."
He looked away and deposited her on the small couch.
"Well, what else was I going to do? Stand there?"
He said it coldly, and before turning to fly out the window, he remarked:
"And don't think I did it just for you."
Bulma watched him fly away before she lay down and cried herself to sleep.
*******
"Mom?"
Bulma's eyelids fluttered as she awoke. It was dark out, and Trunks was standing precariously over her, a look of concern marring his handsome profile.
"Oh, Trunks," she sighed. "I must've fallen asleep. I'm sorry. I guess you're probably pretty hungry.
"Mom, have you been crying?" Trunks asked."Your eyes are all red."
"What?" Bulma said in surprise. "Why would I be? I was just, uh, cutting some onions for dinner when I felt tired and laid down. The onions made my eyes water, so I needed a break."
Bulma didn't feel comfortable enough to tell her son that she had nearly been killed by a burglar and that Vegeta seemingly hated her.
"Oh," answered Trunks, not sound convinced. He decided not to pursue the subject and instead helped his mother up. "Well, in your absence, I took the liberty of making us dinner. Sushi!"
"Great, Trunks!"
She sat down on her knees next to the coffee table, bending over and smelling the aroma of the sushi.
"Trunks, don't tell me you made this," Bulma grinned.
"Ah...okay, you got me. It's take out," he admitted, laughing.
Bulma laughed with him, but it was hard for her to forget how cold Vegeta had been earlier.
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
Vegeta continued flying for a while until he spotted Goku's house of in the distance. He landed on the lawn and continued until he reached the door. He opened it without knocking, encountering a very upset looking Chi-chi.
"Goten, how many god damn times do I have to tell you!" she raged, hollering in the face of her thirteen year old youngest son.
"Mom, I couldn't help it!" he squirmed. It was clear that he was very uncomfortable being yelled at in front of Vegeta.
"You and your father seem to have a real problem....oh, hello Vegeta....a real problem with this!!!"
Vegeta waited impatiently for her to fetch Goku. In the meantime, he noticed a heap of broken dishware laying all over the floor.
"Go get more plates Goten! And it's coming out of your allowance!!"
"Awww, but moooom..."
"NOW!!!"
Her anger and voice practically shook the house. Strong fighters as her family was, she could still scare the pants off of them when she wanted.
When Goten had left to buy more plates, Chi-chi finally turned her attention to Vegeta. Since she was used to his method of not knocking and bursting in, she simply didn't care that he had done it.
"What is it Vegeta?" she sighed, exasperated. "You know, I can't keep this household in order anymore, what with my husband and son breaking things all the time. They say they can't help it, but they should have thought of that before becoming too strong. They can hardly control themselves with they're sleeping! Last night, Goku sleptwalked and punched three holes in the wall!! And Goten........"
Vegeta waited for a few more moments before getting extremely irritated.
"Chi-chi!" he shouted over her ranted. "All I want to know is where the hell Kakarrot is!!"
"Oh," she said. "You mean Goku? You really should start calling him Goku. I mean, you've known him for quite a few years, and everyone else knows him as Goku. Kakarrot? Sounds like a carrot to me. Then again, I guess Goku does look like one in that orange fighting outfit he parades around in all the time--"
"CHI-CHI!!!" Vegeta cried, nearly losing it. "WHERE IS HE!!!!"
"Vegeta!" she said, shocked. "Calm down! You really need to learn to control your temper! Just like my family needs to learn to control their strength. I mean, if it wasn't for me keeping order, the whole place would've fallen down by now. If only......"
Vegeta lost all reason and patience. His hair flared gold and his beetle black eyes turned jade green.
"WOMAN!!! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!"
Just then, at a very appropriate moment, Goku chose to fly in from whereabouts unknown.
"Er," he remarked. He took in the scene: smashed plates, a chair thrown backwards, Chi-chi with a frying pan in hand and hair flying everywhere, looking very enraged, and Vegeta in a fighting stance, taking up the doorway and very much a super saiyan.
"Did I come at a bad time?" he asked innocently. He received a death glare from Chi-chi and a good what-for from Vegeta.
"Your wife in absolutely unnerving!! You can't get two fucking words in without her blabbing off about her problems with you!!!"
Goku stood silent before he began to chuckle.
"Well, I guess I'm in the wrong place. Vegeta, you and Chi-chi would make the perfect couple. You'd never have a house, 'cause it'd be blown away half the time from all your arguing!"
Vegeta glared daggers at Goku before walking up to him.
"All I want is a match, Kakarrot. Damn it! See if your wife understands that!"
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
Vegeta returned home later to find that everyone was in bed except for Trunks. he sat up at the table, with a glass of water in front of him. Vegeta noticed that he seemed to be upset about something.
"Trunks, what are you still doing up."
He didn't answer, and continued to stare at the glass of water.
"Trunks! Answer me!"
When he didn't receive one, he opened up his mouth to say something else, but Trunks finally replied.
"What do you care father?" he said coldly. "You really hurt my mother, and in turn, you hurt me. You can be so cruel and heartless. You do as you please all the time. All you care about is training to get stronger and beat Goku."
"How dare you speak to me like that!?" Vegeta countered.
"Why not? You talk to everyone else like they're shit!!"
"What did you just say!?!"
"You heard me."
And with that, Trunks flew off out the open window. He didn't go fast, but instead flew slowly east, toward the Earth's guardian tower.
Vegeta scowled and crossed his arms.
"Well, if the boy wants to talk to me like that, that's fine. See if I ever care about him again."
But deep down, Vegeta knew he did care. He would never admit it, but he did feel it.
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
A week later, Goku dropped by.
"Hey, everyone!"
Right behind him landed Gohan, and his 1 year old daughter Pan.
"Hi Goku!" greeted Bulma, clipping a wire onto an unknown machine she was working on. "How're ya doing?"
"Just great! Hey, I stopped by Gohan's on the way here, and he decided to come visit, too."
"Oh, wonderful!" came another female voice. It was Bulma's mother. She raced out to pick up Pan and swing her around.
"Oh, isn't she just dawling!" she cooed.
Bulma smiled and Gohan rolled his eyes.
"She's already showing an interest the the martial arts," commented Gohan, with a grin. "She can't fly, yet though."
Goku watched Bulma's mother play with Pan before taking his turn.
"Come to Grandpa!"
Gohan laughed.
"Just be careful, dad. I know we can sorta lose control of our strength sometimes. Already I sent Pan out the window when I was swinging her around. Luckily I was fast enough to catch her. Videl nearly ripped my hair out."
"Hey, at least yours grows back!" laughed Goku. "Chi-chi did that once, and if I hadn't gotten away, I would've ended up bald!"
They all laughed, but stopped abruptly when Vegeta appeared in the doorway. He had a look on his face that said he clearly didn't approve of laughing.
"Kakarrot, what are you doing here?"
"Just saying hi, I guess. I'm taking a day to visit all my friends."
"I see. Who's the girl?"
Gohan stepped forward.
"That's my daughter, Pan," he said proudly. "By the way, don't you have another child on the way?"
"Yes," Vegeta said. He seemed almost ashamed. "But it better not be a girl."
"Vegeta," warned Bulma. "I already told you that you have no control over what it is. And, you'll love it. Girl or boy. I know you love Trunks. Deep, deep down, but you do."
Everyone except Vegeta laughed.
"Don't tell me what I think or feel."
They stopped laughing. Vegeta turned back into the house, only to be replaced by Trunks. Bulma looked slightly upset, but any trace of it was quickly hidden. Goku had noticed.
"Just ignore him," Trunks said. "He's been like this for a while."
"You okay, Bulma?" asked Goku, leaning down and putting his arm on her shoulder.
"What? Yeah," she answered, smiling cheerfully. "Anyone hungry?"
She didn't wait for Goku to answer, because she already guessed what the answer was going to be.
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
Vegeta flew out an upstairs window and off to the very place where the Z fighters had fought Cell. He landed on a cliff and sat leaning against another rock.
"So, Kakarrot's brat has a kid, and I'm going to have another one."
Vegeta shook his head, his black hair waving slightly with his motion.
"Hell, why am I so uptight if it's a girl? There were plenty of strong saiyans who were female. The males were always superior, of course, but that's only because we're more skilled.
"Why, if it is a girl, I shall be the one to teach her to fight. Even though I'd like to train alone, I know there isn't much point anymore. I'm as strong as Kakarrot. His son, well, he doesn't even fight anymore so who cares about him. But why do I feel myself caring about this child and...it's mother. I've never cared about anyone before. Oh what the hell is wrong with me?
"I'm the strongest warrior in the universe, and I care about a stupid human? God, I've got to smarten up."
Vegeta remained there for another hour before he went home.
* ** *** **** ***** ****** *******
As he entered the house, he noticed that it was unusually quiet. He walked around the whole place, but found no one.
"Where the hell are they?!"
Flying to Goku's place revealed that Chi-chi did not know where Goku was. Goten said he remembered him leaving to visit everyone, but he hadn't returned.
Vegeta checked Gohan's place as well, but Videl was confused as to the whereabouts of Gohan and Pan. It seemed that everyone who had been at Capsule Corp. that day was gone.
"Why don't you check Dende's place?" Videl suggested. "In fact, I'll come with you. I'm worriedabout Gohan and Pan."
"No, I can go on my own."
"Vegeta, quit being so stubborn. I'm worried, so I might as well come with you. Besides, Gohan and Goku are really adventurous. Who knows where they might have got to."
"Alright, but don't get in my way."
Vegeta took off with a start, forcing Videl to fly hard to catch up. When he picked up the pace even more, she found it quite easy to keep up.
"We're almost there," she noted, when Dende's tower came into view.
"I can see that," remarked Vegeta, getting irritated.
When they landed, they wasted no time looking for the missing fighters and Bulma.
"Who's there?" came a voice from inside. Dende came out. He was taller than Vegeta now, making Vegeta feel slightly inferior.
"Oh! Hello Vegeta, Videl," Dende greeted. "What brings you all the way up here?"
"Oh Dende," cried Videl. "I'm so worried. Gohan and Pan are missing! So is Goku and Bulma and Trunks!!"
"Oh my goodness!" Dende gasped. "Well, where were they last?"
"At my place," answered Vegeta. " 'Visiting'."
"Well, I haven't seen any of them except Goku. He stopped by this morning before heading to your place, Videl. But I'm worried. Weren't you around when they went missing, Vegeta?"
"Of course not! Don't be so foolish. If I was around I would have prevented it."
"Really?" Videl asked, dumbfounded. "I mean, Vegeta, you're always so...so...well, I don't know. But you usually don't care about anyone else!"
"Of course I do! Just because I don't say it doesn't mean I don't!"
Vegeta took a moment before he realized what he had just admitted.