Title: Forgive

Author: Pale Orchid

Rating: PG-13

Summary: After Buu, can Bulma forgive Vegeta?

Category: Bulma/Vegeta Angst-Romance, hopefully. We'll see.

Spoilers: Anything after Veggie went ka-boom!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the DragonBall Z characters or anything even remotely DBZ related. I'm just a poor Aussie girl with too much time on her hands.

Archiving : Anyone would actually want this???

Authors Note: So we get to chapter three. Hmm, Bulma seems to be really bitchy in this, but I promise, she does have a valid point. Think about it.

Once again, thanks to all who reviewed, and to Addelo. I swear sometimes, I'm dyslexic.



Forgive.

Chapter Three: Confrontations.

Vegeta landed lightly on the path leading into the Capsule Corps Building. From the outside all the lights were off, giving the illusion that everyone was asleep. He knew better though.

All during his flight he had been running through possible ways to get back into the onna's good books'. But after living with her for so long, he already knew that none of the things he had come up with would work.

So, as his standard, all-purpose back-up plan stated.. Go in and just be the Prince of All Saiyans.' Because after all, a prince could never be wrong. It was a law somewhere, he was sure of it.

Unfortunately, Vegeta failed to take into account that his standard, all-purpose, back-up plan, had never worked with the blue haired Earthling before. So he strode into the building, never seeing what was coming.

Bulma sat at the main project desk in her lab, a pencil idly tapping at the piece of paper in front of her. Sure, she had entered the lab with the notion of finishing up an invention. But as soon as she sat down to work, everything had left her head. She couldn't have remembered the formula for water, right at this moment, if someone had asked. Her train of thought was focused elsewhere.

When she and Trunks had arrived at home, she had sent him straight to bed. She certainly didn't want him up when his father came home. Especially if the discussion to come went the way she thought it would.

Vegeta would come in with his whole I'm royalty, therefore I'm right' sermon, which she would then bring up her You can't be royalty if the planet's gone' point. From there, the arguments could go either way.

Usually, they would end up yelling so close to each other that the tension would just be too much, and they both would succumb to it. But Bulma had promised herself that it wouldn't go that way tonight. She needed answers out of him and she wasn't going to let sex get in the way.

With a determined nod of the head, she stood up and started to pace the room, running through her mind things she would say to Vegeta when he got here. A short while later, she had started to mumble along with her pacing.

son of a .. scares the crap out of me and then. impatient, arrogant, monkey breathif I pulled hard enough maybe could get his head out of his needs a good kick in the

Bulma looked up half-way into her tirade to see her very subject leaning against the wall watching her every move as she paced.

I hope all that mumbling wasn't just for little old me.

The way he said it proved her theory. He was in Prince mode.

You better believe that was for you. And I've got a whole lot more where it came from. She stalked to her chair and sat down. But I'm not going to get distracted, and you're not going to do your usual tactics. So sit down.

Vegeta took the chair opposite her. Well there went the easier, make her forget about it approach.

Well woman. You wanted to talk.

Yes, I did.

Bulma scrutinized the man before her.

You remember our pact?

Vegeta gave a small grunt to indicate he did.

Then you know why I am so angry. It wasn't a question, or it shouldn't have been. He should know her better than that.

You are angered because I broke the pact we swore, yes I know.

Exasperated Bulma looked him dead in the eye

Is that all your going to do? Just sit there and answer my questions without showing any emotion at all?!

You're the one who wanted to talk.

She stood up so fast that the chair rolled backwards, hitting the wall. Bulma placed her hands flat on the desk that separated them.

I guess I should ask what made you do it, a love for being evil and destroying, or was it just that you got swept away by the temptation, but I won't. I don't think I want to know.

Taking a deep breath, Bulma took her hands off the table and gripped her arms tightly, hugging herself. Vegeta hadn't offered any explanation and half of her was grateful for that. But the other half was dying with curiosity.

It doesn't matter anyway. Either way, I'm not sure that the trust between us could ever be the same again.

** Yes, it could be. You just need to forgive and forget.**

Damn it Vegeta! Don't do that to me! Do know how much it hurt to feel your joy when you blew up those people? How elated you felt at finally blasting the crap out of something? Something that bleed and whimpered as it died?

She watched his face and saw the crack in his mask. He didn't know that she felt that.

You didn't know, did you? Thought that you could keep that little feeling of joy all to yourself? Not likely. Thanks to this damnable bond I felt everything!

I didn't know.

No, you didn't. But that's not what's important. What's important is how can I ever trust you to keep your word again? I want you to pack some of your things and leave. I don't care where you go at this moment. But I need you as far away from me. I need a few days to sort myself out.

Vegeta watched as, tears trickling down his mate's face, she ordered him from their home. Standing he nodded and made his way to the door. For some strange reason, he didn't want to fight. Fight this decision, or her or anything. Gripping the handle in his hand he glanced back at her.

Can't you ever just forgive?

She looked at him, her vision blurry through the tears.

I don't know. I honestly don't know.

As soon as she heard the door click her legs became jelly and she collapsed into a sobbing, devastated mass.

End Chapter Three.