Touched

This is going to be a pretty depressing story, but I'll try to give it a happy ending. The pairing is a very odd one, but that's where the fun is. I don't own DBZ or the related characters, or the song "Touched" by Vast. It's a great song – very Vegeta-ish.

1: The Dying Roses Plead

The moment that Vegeta opened his eyes, he knew. The pain of emptiness inside him was unmistakable. A deepening void in his heart. It had been two years. Two years since she had left him…no, since she had been taken from him. Stolen from a world to which she belonged, and from those who loved her.

Two years ago, Bulma Briefs Vegeta had been killed in a horrific car accident, leaving behind a grieving husband, son and daughter. The other driver had been drunk, and was sentenced to life-imprisonment (Trunks had managed to convince the judge that this was necessary. He knew that if the driver was ever freed, Vegeta would treat him to a painful death). No one had told Vegeta which jail the driver had been banished to.

With a gulp of air, Vegeta tried to swallow the pain, and rise to face the day. Since her death, he had felt like part of him was missing. He trained less, he ate less, and did less in general. It was as if he lived less because his mate was no longer living. His friends simply put it down to a "Saiya-jin thing".

He glanced at the table besides the huge bed that now only held one. The table was choked with photo frames, pictures of Bulma when she was younger, pictures of Bulma when Trunks was a baby, when Bra was a baby. There was even a family photo, with Vegeta almost smiling. A vase of roses was also on the table. Vegeta frowned as he saw the flowers – they were wilting. Seeing the petal dry and lifeless brought all the pain rushing back.

He yanked them out of the vase and threw them into the bin. He would have to replace them later.

The Capsule Corp. complex was eerily silent for the morning. Usually, Vegeta would wake to the noise of competing radio and television as his son and daughter got ready for work and school, respectively. But on this morning, the only sound Vegeta's sensitive ears could pick up was the quiet murmur of his children as they spoke to one another.

The Saiya-jin Prince made his way to the kitchen, where he knew Trunks and Bra would be. He was greeted with a hug from his twelve-year-old daughter as soon as he entered the room.

"Good morning, Daddy," she said, her voice muffled by his chest. "Did you sleep well?"

"Fine," he stated.

"Why don't you sit down? I'll get your breakfast."

When she was gone, Vegeta turned to his son. "Why isn't the TV on?"

"I figured there'd be tributes for okaasan, stuff like that," Trunks answered sadly. "And I didn't think it would be good for Bra to be watching stuff like that. I…uh…also said she could take the day of school."

Vegeta simply nodded, approving his son's decision. It would be best if Bra not go to school. "She does know what day it is?"

"I think so. She's sort of in denial. Pretending that it's just another normal day, which she gets to have off."

Bra returned with a plate of food, staggering under the weight. Sure, Vegeta was eating less, but less for a Saiya-jin was still an unbelievable amount of food.

"ChiChi rang this morning," Trunks stated, changing the subject that he and his father had been discussing. "She said they might drop by around lunchtime."

"Good, Kakarrot and I haven't had a good spar in a while," Vegeta growled, his mouth full.

Aside fro her own family, Goku had been the one most affected by Bulma's death. She had been his closest friend since he was a child, and he almost understood what Vegeta was going through – almost, but not quite. Still, he did his best to help his fellow Saiya-jin through the pain, and though Vegeta would probably never admit it, he appreciated everything that "Kakarrot" did for him.

"Can I spar too?" Bra piped.

"No, sweetie," Trunks replied. "Just because you're having the day off, doesn't mean you can bum around. I want you to do some homework."

"I was talking to otousan, not you!"

"Do as your brother says, Bra," said Vegeta. His insides tied up in knots when Bra pouted; she looked so much like Bulma when she did that.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'm going to have a shower."

"She can be so impossible sometimes," Trunks groaned when she was gone. "I'm trying, otousan, I really am."

"I know you are," Vegeta replied. He had always known that Bra needed two parents for her to grow up properly. Trunks had been trying to take over as the mother figure, but it didn't exactly work. First of all, he was a man, and second of all, he was still Bra's brother. She had never done what he had told her, and she wasn't about to start now.

"Juuhachigou, Krillin and Marron might be coming around too. I'll try to get away from the office early. I'd better get going now."

Vegeta nodded, and watched as Trunks left. He felt sorry for the boy. Trunks had to take over Bulma's job both at the office and at home. He was President of Capsule Corporation, the youngest there had been. And at home, he desperately tried to be Bra's other parent. Vegeta knew that it wasn't fair on Trunks, but he didn't know of any other way it could be done.

He finished his breakfast, then went to have his own shower.

* * * * * *

"Thanks for coming over," Trunks greeted ChiChi, Goku and Goten as he lead them to the living room. "Otousan appreciates it too, even if he doesn't say so."

"We knew that today would be hard for all of you," ChiChi replied. "Did you take the day off work?"

"No, I'm just having an extended lunchtime. My boss has no problem with it."

"But, aren't you the boss…?" Goten asked, confused.

"It was a joke, Goten."

"Oh…I…uh…get it…"

They walked into the living room where Vegeta and Bra were sitting with Krillin, Juuhachigou and Marron who had arrived earlier. ChiChi handed Vegeta the bunch of flowers she was holding.

"These are from Gohan and Videl," she said. "They wanted to come over too, but neither of them could get out of work."

Vegeta handed the flowers to Bra. "Put them in a vase, Princess."

"How is she coping?" ChiChi asked, in a lowered voice.

"We think she's in denial," Trunks answered for his father. "She's been chirpier than usual today. She wanted to train, too."

"Don't forget that she snapped at you," Vegeta quietly added.

"And how are the two of you coping?" Krillin inquired.

"As well as can be expected I suppose. I have to be strong for Bra," Trunks replied.

Vegeta did not answer – he didn't need to. He had formed such tight fists with his hands that the nails were digging into his flesh, and blood had started to trickle out between his fingers.

"It will get easier," Goku tried to reason.

"You don't know that," whispered Vegeta.

"Where do you want them now, Daddy?" Bra asked, returning with the flowers, now housed in a crystal vase.

"The table will be fine," Vegeta answered, his emotionless mask back on. He couldn't let Bra see how upset he was.

"So, how have you all been?" Trunks asked, once again changing the subject. "I've been so busy with work that I've barely been able to see anyone."

"Marron's just finished getting all her au pair qualifications," Juuhachigou answered. "But there's not all that much work around here for nannies."

"What's a 'nanny'?" Vegeta queried.

"Like a babysitter," Trunks explained. "A nanny is a person that families – usually rich families – hire to look after their children when the parents themselves can't, because of work or something. You watched 'Mary Poppins' with Bra when she was little didn't you?"

"I fell asleep within the first five minutes. I couldn't stand all that singing. So, a nanny is like a guardian? Like Nappa was to me?"

"That big oaf was your nanny?" Krillin cried.

"My home planet, along with my family, was destroyed when I was a child. I needed someone to look after me," Vegeta stated bluntly. He tuned out as the conversation continued. A nanny…interesting…

"So, what are you going to do, Marron?" Trunks asked.

"I might have to move away to somewhere where there is work," Marron answered shyly. She didn't like having the spotlight on her.

"Move away? You can't move away, Marron!" Bra cried.

"I don't really want to, Bra-chan. But I have to get some work, somewhere."

"I'll hire you," Vegeta said, unexpectedly. As the rest of the group stared at him in shock, he shrugged. "Trunks has been trying to fill the role of mother for Bra, but to be blunt, he's not really the right person to do so. I believe that Bra needs a woman to look up to."

"Y-you want me to be Bra's nanny?" Marron stammered.

"We both have problems. You need work, but don't want to move away, and I need someone to help me look after my daughter. If I hire you, our problems are solved. Unless, of course, you don't want to work for me."

Marron glanced from her parents, to Vegeta, then to Bra. She smiled awkwardly. "When do I start?"