Bulma ran her hands tiredly through her hair as she moved slowly down the halls of Capsule Corp. She had passed another horrible night, most of it had been spent with a wailing Trunks, who was getting over a fever and the rest of it was spent fuming over where the hell his father could be? If she ever got her hands on Vegeta......

With a frustrated growl she swung the kitchen doors open, to find the deadbeat father seated at the table as though he EXPECTED a meal. The audacity of the man!

"Oh why, look what the cat dragged in!" Bulma said in sarcastic glee, "Why Vegeta, fancy seeing you here."

With a silent glare he grunted. He then returned his gaze to the empty table.

"Well, I guess our discussion about not doing the whole disappearing act, was just that, a discussion." She reprimanded, pulling a bowl out of the cupboard and pouring cereal into it.

"Actually, if memory serves, it was you yelling at me and me sitting here, trying to block your voice out while I ate." He answered testily, placing a hand on the table.

He looked up as she sat across from him, pouring milk into her bowl of cereal. He sneered, he detested her, he decided, loathed her every movement. There was no depth to her whatsoever. She was simply how she acted, a spoiled brat who never had to lift a finger in her life.

He looked out the window as his eyes shaded over with longing. She didn't understand him at all and never would. Not like......

He cut his musings short and turned back to her as she babbled on and on about how he should have been there last night until something caught his attention.

"But since you're here now, you won't mind taking care of Trunks while I go shopping." She said as she scooped another spoonful of cereal out the bowl.

He practically fell out of chair, was she crazy? He'd kill the brat by accident for all she or he knew. "What?! I refuse, take him with you." He screamed.

She scoffed, "Nuh uh mister, I just got him to sleep Vegeta, he needs rest, he's been sick, not that you care."

Crossing his arms he turned in the chair, "Ask your parents to do it then, they're always spoiling the brat."

"Oh believe me, I would, except for the fact, they're in Bermuda right now." She answered as though he should know. He scowled, like he actually remembered every piece of information she spewed at him. "I'll go get them then." He answered standing and walking towards the door.

"Oh no you don't!" she warned running after him and grabbing his arm. He turned sharply and stared at her. She tightened her grip, "One, they need the time alone, after being here with you for so long. Two, you and Trunks need time to get to know each other. I don't care how hard you fight it Vegeta, my son is going to have his father in his life!"

Gritting his teeth, he pulled away from her and stalked back into the kitchen, "Fine, the brat sleeps and I train, I assume you fixed the gravity room."

Bulma grunted placing her hands on her hips, "Yes, it's all fixed, thank you Bulma, you beautiful genius."

His eye twitched as he took the box of cereal and shoved his fist into it and began eating it begrudgingly.

Rolling her eyes, Bulma turned from him and grabbed her car keys, "I'll be back as soon as possible, food shopping can get hectic on Saturdays."

He shook his head, like he cared. Suddenly he caught the flavor of the cereal and spit it out. He looked at the front of the box, "Fiber-O's?" he grimaced and threw the box across the kitchen. How could she eat such junk? Putting a hand to his mouth, he fought back the urge to gag.

That was the last straw. He needed to start training.

******

The Gravitron 3000 droned away as Vegeta battled 'fight assimilation 4' in 500 x normal gravity. Sweat drenched down his body as he fought back the robots that sent small laser blasts at him.

He heaved in, flipping backwards and blasting the first robot into nothing more than a crushed hunk of tin. He smirked and turned to blast the next one when he heard a loud cry, he turned, glancing at the entrance of the room before he was hit from behind by the robot. "Ah Hell!" he cursed, blasting the remaining robots in annoyance.

He turned the machine off begrudgingly, that wasn't even a work out. He turned on his heels and stalked out of the room. That damned crying....he needed to shut that kid up so he could down to more serious training. He stalked down the halls to Trunks's room and swung the door open.

Walking up to the crib, he growled, "Shut the hell up before I give you something to cry about brat!"

A pair of dark blue eyes looked up at him and blinked twice and then let out an amused giggle.

"Oh you find murderous acclamations funny do you?" he laughed, with a smug look on his face, "Perhaps there's more Saiyajin blood in you than I thought."

Two pairs of eyes stared at one another for an unwavering moment before the darker pair turned and departed, "Now be quiet kid."

Vegeta got about a few feet away before Trunks let out another eardrum shattering cry. With a cringe, the prince turned back to him, raising an arm, threateningly causing the boy to let out spastic giggles.

He scowled, "I'm starting to get the impression you're mocking me brat and NO ONE mocks me, Watashi wa Saiya-jin no Ouji...Vejiitada!"

The little boy, in much the same fashion as his father, tried to raise his arm and put on his best scowl.

Vegeta's expression softened as he looked at the baby's attempts to emulate him. "Well, if you're not going to sleep." He complained picking the boy out of the crib and carrying him down the hall, "Then it would be pointless to keep you in there."

He put Trunks in one arm and carried him much like a person would carry a heavy sack of potatoes or clothing. Reaching the living room, he threw the boy on the couch, causing the boy to let out a cry.

"Oh shut up, you have Saiyajin blood in your veins you can take a hit harder than that." Vegeta growled, turning the TV on walking into the kitchen.

He was starving. Where the hell was that woman? She should have been back by now; he had been training at least an hour and a half. Suddenly, he realized that she might have set him up. For all he knew, she could have gone anywhere, maybe even on a day's vacation and left him here with this wailing brat, who.....well......okay, maybe the brat wasn't as bad as he first thought it'd be. But nonetheless, it was the principle, which was, he was on this planet to train not baby-sit.

Opening the refrigerator he went for some sort of leftovers when the kid started crying again. He grunted and shut the door, making his way back into the living room, "What is now?"

Trunks blinked at him and pointed at the TV with a whimper. Vegeta turned to it and then back to his son, "What? It's some sort of human soap opera. What's there to cry about?"

He went to go back into the kitchen causing Trunks to let out another wail. Balling his hands into fists, he turned back around, "alright fine you headache, I'll change the damn channel. Snatching the remote control from the coffee table he surfed through the channels, "Look kid just cry or something when you see something you like."

Finally Trunks let out a laugh when they got to a show with a gigantic yellow bird and bunch of oddly shaped and colored species. Vegeta turned to the boy like he was crazy, "You like this?" Trunks grinned and fell back from his sitting position with a laugh. Shaking his head in disgust, Vegeta went back to the kitchen but was once again prevented from another cry.

"I swear, I'm gonna rip this brat's lungs out!" he cursed storming back in. The baby recoiled suddenly and blinked up at the looming figure. Staring down at him Vegeta sneered. Trunks reached his arms out insistently and suddenly tumbled from the couch with a frustrated cry. Vegeta scoffed, "Your own fault kid."

Trunks sat up on the floor and began wailing in pain as Vegeta laid back on the couch and watched him, "I'm not helping you kid, I'm not your mommy, I know how strong you are so stop looking for attention."

After a few minutes, Trunks realized he was getting nowhere fast and tried to climb back on the couch, falling back on his but a few times, making Vegeta snicker.

Finally, the prince relented and picked the child up, putting him on his chest. The two looked at each other for another moment before Trunks let out a loud wail right in Vegeta's ear. He cringed and sat up, taking Trunks in his hands, "What? What is it?"

Trunks kept on wailing. Maybe he had hurt him when he had thrown him on the couch.......the onna would kill him. Getting a little panicked; he looked around the room helplessly, finally placing Trunks on the couch. Giving the angriest look he could, this time Trunks didn't laugh he just kept crying.

Grabbing the remote control he tried changing the channels but the kid just kept crying, "DAMMIT TRUNKS! HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT?!"

The boy blinked tears out of his eyes and then began wailing again. Running a shaky hand through his hair he tried to think of what to do. Damn woman! She should have been back by now. Childcare was a woman's work. Woman......wait a minute, the black haired onna had had a child. She'd know what to do.

Taking Trunks in his arms like before he took off.

******

Humming lightly, Chi-Chi placed clothing on the clothesline outside her house. She smiled, the first time she'd smiled when she working in months. Maybe that was a good sign that Goku would be home soon. She looked down, picking up a green sweater and placing it on the line, or maybe it meant something else. She giggled to herself and began lining up towels when she felt a harsh wind wash across her. She looked to her left and to her right, her hearing pierced by a child's cry. Who was there? Lowering the towel in her, raised in her hands she was greeted to a frantic Vegeta and a red faced Trunks, in the middle of a crying fit. "Vegeta? What are you?"

He stormed in front of her, forcing Trunks on her, "Make him stop."

She eyed him suspiciously, "What?"

"Make the brat stop crying." He repeated, well actually pleaded.

She looked down at Trunks and tickled his stomach, putting on a goofy face, "Helloooooooo Trunks..Hellooooo."

The baby squirmed and began to giggle. Vegeta let out a breath as though he had stopped breathing. She turned to him and put Trunks over her shoulder patting his back. After a moment the boy let out a belch.

"What are you doing with Trunks anyway Vegeta?" She asked, cradling the boy in her arms.

Crossing his arms, he snorted, "The damned woman left him with me when she went shopping."

They both laughed and at the same time sarcastically stated, "That was smart."

Chi-Chi looked down and giggled embarrassed, "Jinx."

Vegeta cocked an eyebrow, "What's that?"

Cringing her nose she shook her head, "Forget it." Outstretching her arms, she motioned for him to take Trunks back, "Well I'd put him to bed when you get back, he has a bit of a fever and you know he was only crying because he needed to be burped."

He scoffed, "the brat can't even burp on his own, how disgusting."

Vegeta turned his face to the side inconspicuously glancing at her feet. Seeing the shoes she was wearing he smirked and quickly looked away.

"You know you shouldn't have brought him out here, he might get sicker." She softly reprimanded, spying the glance he had taken at her feet, "Do you like them?" she asked raising one of her feet.

He scowled, "He was the one who kept on crying, I just wanted to shut the brat up and what do I look like a fashion consultant?"

Cocking an eyebrow at him she laughed, "You were worried about him, weren't you?"

He scoffed and turned from her. Realizing he wasn't going to take the boy back she turned back to the house. Looking back she saw he was quick in tow. She looked down at Trunks and smiled. What was Bulma thinking leaving those two alone? Albeit, Vegeta seemed to be trying his best with Trunks, which was odd in itself, he didn't know the first thing about childcare. Her face softened, but he was trying. She whispered to the boy, "You know what Trunks, I think your daddy loves you, yes I do."

"I'm getting him a blanket to be brought back in, so he won't get sick." She called back finally, as Trunks gave her a goofy, heart-warming smile. He fell behind watching her departing figure for a moment almost reluctantly, before speeding up again. He reprimanded himself for even coming here, every time he came around her, he got uncomfortable, but there was just something so intriguing about this woman that was undeniable. It went beyond all normal reasoning.

By the time he reached the door she had already gotten the blanket and was wrapping the drowsy boy in it. She looked down at the baby in silent adoration for a moment, it had been so long since she had held a baby, and she had forgotten the feeling it gave her. She shifted, feeling a pang of loneliness rise within her. Gohan.

Looking up she nodded and handed him back to Vegeta. He took Trunks and placed him under his arm again, much to her horror, "What the heck are you doing?!?! That's not how you hold a baby!"

He recoiled, "Why does it matter how I hold him?"

"Gosh Vegeta! You could hurt him if you drop him like that, Baby's have a soft spot on their heads!" she reprimanded, taking Trunks in one arm and shaping his arms into a cradling position much to his perplexing. She then placed Trunks in his arms, fixing the blanket, "You hold him like that, not like a sack of potatoes you doofus."

She smiled softly at Trunks as he cuddled against his father's chest nearing sleep, "See."

Vegeta looked down at Trunks and then back at Chi-Chi, noticing the look of joy on her face as she looked at Trunks. He never would understand female's fascination with babies, all they were were sniveling germ factories. His eyebrows furrowed together, but her gaze was so loving and pure as she looked at him, it made him uncomfortable.

She glanced up at him and blushed, realizing how close they had gotten. He looked at her in silent anticipation as her hand accidentally went from Trunks to his wrist. They stood there for an uncertain moment waiting for the other to make the first move. Finally, Chi-Chi found herself moving closer, lowering her eyelids.

Trunks looked from one to the other; annoyed he wasn't the center of attention anymore. As Chi-Chi's face leaned in closer to his father's he took the opportunity to seize the moment and pulled on her hair, causing her forehead to smash into Vegeta's.

Chi-Chi quickly turned away and rubbed her nose, as Vegeta looked down at Trunks threateningly much to the boy's amusement. "Brat." He muttered.

Vegeta diverted his reddening face from her as she looked back to face them, holding her nose, "Heh, well I guess you should be getting Trunks home now?"

He stared down at the wood floor, trying to avoid eye contact with her at all costs, "No, I can't"

She lowered her eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

Her eyes glazed over with thoughts of romantic reasons and proclamations as he continued to stare at the ground, shyly. She had never thought him to be the shy type, although she had noticed since the night of the storm whenever things seemed to get slightly intimate he would recoil, from what she gathered to be inexperience with the emotions. She snorted, not that she was any better with them.

"I can't......" he hesitated, "I can't take care of him on my own, I have no idea what I'm doing, you have to come with me."

She took a step back, disappointed and relieved at the same time. Although, she couldn't help wishing he'd whisk her away to some far off land. She looked over at Trunks, but she didn't think he'd be too thrilled about being taken away from his binky for so long. The boy just looked at her and blinked, confused. She grinned, "Well I have chores to...." He looked up at her pleadfully. She knew better than to make him beg it would compromise him too much.

Looking down thoughtfully, she responded, "I'll help you on the condition, you teach me how to fly." There, that way it looked like a bargain and neither was weaker, they both got something they wanted.

He smirked relieved, "Fine but I expect meals before and after every lesson."

Not giving her a moment to change her mind, he put Trunks in one arm and grabbed her waist with the other, whisking them both into the sky, not exactly Chi-Chi's ideal way of being whisked way.

His eye twitched as both screamed equally as loud. He was starting to think his plan wasn't as good as first thought. Between Chi-Chi's screeching and Trunks's wailing he was going to need a hearing aid.

Finally, Chi-Chi turned herself around to face him. She scowled at him and crossed her arms, "YOU HAVE TO BE THE DUMBEST MAN I'VE EVER COME ACROSS!" She began ranting as the prince shook his head and sped up faster.

***

Landing at Capsule Corp., Chi-Chi limped a few feet before turning and smacking Vegeta hardly across the face, "Next time warn me when you're going to do something like that! KAMI! You could have dropped me OR Trunks!"

Vegeta rolled his eyes, having heard her yell that for the millionth time. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her into the compound, "Woman, you're more trouble than you're worth."

"Well you're the one who keeps coming around me!" she argued breaking from his grip, he turned sharply to her and almost simultaneously he and Trunks put on the same exact scowl, Chi-Chi giggled it was adorable.

"I am not the one who keeps coming around you, you're the one who keeps clinging to me!" he barked.

"Oh yeah! Well who came and got me today?" she screamed.

Growling softly, he answered, "Hmph, who begged me to stay because of a little lightning?"

"Grrrr..who found me in the forest to begin with?" she countered.

His eyes lowered, in though finally responding, "Who ran into my room weeping?"

Chi-Chi pursed her lower lip, unwilling to loose, "Well....uhh.......who agreed to train me?"

He stomped forward, "You gave me an ultimatum and I was in a corner, red!"

"Red?" she asked confused.

"Yes, that's what I think I'll call you from now on." He said with an evil glint in his eye.

Finally, remembering the M&M costume, her face turned various shades of red and pink, "You're unbearable."

His smirked widened to a grin when Trunks bit down on his arm. "OW!" he screamed, glaring at the toothless child.

He winced looking at his red arm, "He doesn't even have teeth! How can he bite down so damn hard!"

She placed her hands on her hips and smiled, "Oh boo hoo poor prince Vegeta got hurt by a widdle baby." She then winked at Trunks, "Thanks kiddo."

"Grrrr......He DID not hurt me!" he argued waving his free hand at her.

She just laughed and walked past him. He stood there his eye twitching for a moment before a smirk crawled upon his face. He looked down at Trunks, "You know kid, you should have waited another minute to pull her hair."

Trunks just blinked up at him and put his thumb into his mouth.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: Hehehehe..I don't have time to do the notes to everyone this chapter because I'm getting ready for *sigh * school..but thanks to everyone who took the time to review, your reviews were all sweet and honestly, the last chapter was my favorite chapter too. ^_^ I had that scene in my head for a long while, I was glad I translate it so well into words and there's supposed to be more to this chapter but *shrugs * I'll just add it to the next one.