The Rules Have Changed

by ditchertypepersonBUM

Bulma's a born Sayain just like Goku. In fact she's his older sister. But when Sayains start reaking havek on their home planet what will happen? And how do she and the prince keep from killing each other?

6. Chapter Six

Whatever Bulma had been expecting to wake up to or even waking up at all it was not the sound of bird and the scent of fresh forest air. Groaning she felt the pressure of a body on top of her. Opening one eye she saw that Vegeta was unconscious atop her. Pushing him off her she took the chance to look around her. Breathing in she gasped. She knew these scents, but that was impossible. Napa had blow her planet up right in front of her. Looking about she stretched her senses to their max. She fell to her knees when she felt the ki's of millions of people, her friends and Goku, even her parents, everyone, with the exception of her nephew. "What?" She whispered. She was too busy trying to figure out what had happened to notice Vegeta waking up.

"Woman what happened, where are we?"

"I-I don't know Vegeta."

"Use your head girl, you're in the Black Forest where else do you have the beautiful splendor you see all around you." Bulma turned sharply at the sound of the snappish voice.

"Vegeta no!" She had just been able to stop him from blasting the source of the voice. Looking to the floating ball and to the person above it she met eyes with Roshi's sister.

"Bu-how-you." Speechless Bulma gazed at the woman who by all means should be dead. "Ok there was Gero, he threw a bomb of some sort at me and I wake up in the Black Forest. WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENNED!!!"

"You were sent to the past Bulma, I would think that obvious."

"Woman…" Vegeta started but Bulma cut him off.

"But, how? I…" The theories and explanations raced across her mind. "He must have created a small time rift, that's the only thing I can think off as to explain 'why' we're the only ones here."

"Good Bulma, and now that you know the problem what is the solution?" The old woman's eyes held amusement and respect for the child and man before her. It pained her to see the loss of confidence and innocence in Bulma's eyes. She had a vague idea as to what would happen in the future. But out off all the options there were this one was the best. But also filled with so much heartache.

"The only way I can, with the balls. Baba, how did you know?"

"You very well know what I can do child. You have a week before the next tournament, the one I believe you're so busy training for to beat that boy my buffoon brother trains. Stay out of site from the others girl. And DON'T INTERFERE WITH THE EVENTS THAT MUST HAPPEN!!" Before Vegeta could remark or Bulma could respond Baba disappeared from site.

Looking down Vegeta saw the top of Bulma's aqua head. "Who was that and where are we and how did you know her." His mate looked up to him with the eyes of an emotional storm.

"That was Baba, an old friend of mine, an old 'dead' friend of mine. And as for where we are its like she said. We're in the Black Forest, the correct question is WHEN are we and then WHERE." He looked at her, waiting for her to finish. "Gero accidentally sent us to the past. MY past, we are on Chikyuu, years before Gohan was even born. Meaning a good ten years before we even meet. I'm home." Her voice was soft; she had gotten up and stood while she spoke. Now she was leaning on him, in tears.

"Quiet little one." He whispered trying to sooth her. Rubbing a hand against her back he forgot about his pride at the moment. Something was wrong and he knew it. Through their bond he could feel her fear, helplessness, and heart ache. It surprised him how strong the bond was without him even having claimed her. "You're going to tell me who those men are in time you know?" She nodded against his chest. She knew that he wouldn't leave her be till he got the information he wanted from her. Hours later Vegeta watched as she spied on a family. Looking through the trees he saw that their home was bigger than some small castles he had seen. She looked upon the group with a hunger he didn't understand. Walking up behind her he tried to get a better look at the focus of her attention. But when one of them looked up towards their direction Bulma started to back away.

"Come on Vegeta we need to go." With that she started to run back through the forest away from what had once been her life. Her family, or at least the ones that had raised her. Her real family was scattered all about the universe or dead. Some life. Once they reached the area she had set up camp in she sat and just lay in the sun. "Vegeta." She asked eyes still closed. She got a grunt from him indicating that he was listening. "Is it considered illegal to steal from yourself with out your permission." She opened her eyes to see him giving her a 'What are you talking about' look. "Ok let me put it this way. Would it be wrong of me to steal a credit card from my past self?" He only rolled his eyes and went back to meditating. "We DO need cash you know, my taste for fish can only go so far." The image of her younger brother and the six foot fish from their first meeting flashing across her mind. But she wouldn't spy on him, yet. He was on his honeymoon and no matter HOW much she wanted to see Goku she could wait till his alone time was over. Meaning the tournament, and that was a little ways off. Bulma missed Vegeta watching her as she pulled her knees to her chest and shudder. 'And only a week after a fight till it comes.' She had barely been ably to restrain herself when she had watched her past self have a picnic with her parents. She was in a position to stop what would happen and she would do nothing. She understood what Baba had meant and that itself was an achievement. But she had stood bye helpless once before and lost her parents, could she do it again? When she was capable of stopping it. No. She would have to get Vegeta to help her, and that meant she would have to tell him of what had happened oh so many years ago, buried within her memories covered in fear, anger, humiliation. And so many other emotions that she had yet to name.

"Woman what was it about those men that terrified you so. Was one of them the man…?"

"Yes Vegeta, I was raped by a man who wasn't even full human anymore. That would be 17, and the old man was the creator, Gero. He hates me, I ruined a few too many of his hostile takeovers when I was younger." He watched as a quirky and arrogant smile laced her lips at the memory. But then it became serious and the glazed look left her eyes and the hollow look replaced it once more. "I once told Radditz, and I assume that he relayed it to you, that I had encountered the ki collar before." He nodded indicating that he understood, and for her to go on. "Well." Her voice became thick with emotion. He sat down beside her and pulled her close to him. Once she was that close he could feel her hardly noticeable trembling. "He came to my home one night, I was alone my parents were on a trip, going on a second honeymoon. 17 and Gero got me; they put a collar on me. It nearly killed me, what they did that night. Goku was on honeymoon or otherwise I might have been saved. They tortured me." Tears were trailing down her face but she kept going. It had been so long since she had spoken of this to anyone, and at the time with her fuzzy memory made her doubt that memory. 17, he…he raped me. It was my first time and he…" Hiding her face in his shoulder she kept going. "They blew my parents plane up, they had cameras all over the plane. Kept replaying it, their deaths while he…he…when dawn came I was allowed to dress in what was left of my clothes. 18 tied me to a chair; she's the blond that saved me when I was ill you know? 17 is her brother. There was a chip implanted in her mind because she wouldn't help Gero willingly. But even with the chip in full force she wasn't really that bad. She snuck me a bit of water, and she didn't work at half killing me when she was ordered to tie me to the chair. Gero continued his mental torture, and did experiments on me, but then something funny happened, all my fear, my terror, my sorrow, drained out of me. Something more than anger filled me, rage I guess would be what you could call it being the closest thing you could get to it. I don't remember much after that, I remember the ki restraint blowing up and attacking 17. The next I know is Chi-Chi tending to my wounds when I woke. I never told any of them, ashamed I guess." There she let out a horselaugh. "Me, the strongest one around and I lost my virginity against my will and to a man that even born human could never be considered human. I was humiliated. I don't remember much till I left for a vacation. I needed time alone. Went to an isle I used whenever I didn't want anyone to be around. So there you go. The story of the end of my young life, I left that island a woman with a secret. One who had no intention of ever revealing it." Looking up to Vegeta she didn't see disgust at her weakness. He merely held her close, and remained silent. He had also figured out why she had been spying on those people. They were her family, and herself. Her hair had been a different color, but he didn't think that it would be the time to ask her why. So that was why she seemed to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Those things had yet to happen and she would have to let them happen, again. "Baba knows best you know, she wants what's best over all. And if my misery is the best outcome well, then it will have to happen." For the next few hours he held her in his arms. Soon she fell asleep completely drained emotionally, he kept her close for the rest of the night, even while he slept.

A few days later Bulma was in her old home. Her past self and parents were out doing stuff and she was there to 'borrow' one of her many credit cards. She used it to buy some change of clothes for herself, something normal for Vegeta and some capsules. She had bought plenty of food two bedrooms, one bathroom, and kitchen/living room in it. She spent her days doing her best to ignore the knowledge of what would happen soon. She did her non-ki workouts, swam in the icy lake near their set up home and Vegeta taught her how to control and use her telekinesis better. He had told her she was actually quite a powerful one. But he also questioned her on her past, and was surprised that after all the hell she had been through one of her major fears was being in small rooms. Popping on a headset she set out and relaxed on the branches of a tree. Vegeta mostly spent his days flying about the planet. As long as he didn't cause trouble or get spotted she didn't care what he did. Taking out some bran new art supplies she began to sketch things from her memories. She had never been one to keep a personal journal other than when it applied to her experiments. So she had a journal of sketches. She had missed having her little personal outlet since she had been captured but she refused to let a weakness like that be found by Vegeta. Thinking about what she had called her habit she shuddered, she had sounded all to like the Sayain prince just then. She was in the middle of her seventh sketch when she felt Vegeta like she was being watched. Looking down she saw Vegeta on the ground. He glared at her but she merely rolled her eyes and went back to shading the walls of the cell. She didn't know why but drawing things that terrified her nightmares usually made her feel better. Sort of like getting them out of her system and mind. And lately it had been set on the nights 17 had invaded her life. A few hours later she decided to get some sleep. Walking into her room she wondered why she missed Vegeta's bed so much. 'More like Vegeta.' Her mind muttered, scowling she knew it was true. She felt safe when he was around.

And as the owner of her thoughts watched her resign to her room he ate some food that she hadn't cooked. Vegeta couldn't understand how they were going to get back. She had told him it would take around six months but he had yet to see her do a thing. It was then that he noticed her sketchbook opening it he saw pictures of a man who looked like Baradock and others he didn't recognize. He even found himself in a few of them. But then he saw one of a bloody couple with explosions happening around them. He recognized them as her parents. 'A picture journal.' He thought figuring out what the scenes all meant, and seeing a little into her past. Walking into her room he saw her figure sprawled over her covers. He had never seen her so relaxed. Running a lone finger down her cheek he felt the smooth texture of her skin. He pulled his hand back when she stirred. Stepping out he left for his room as much as he hated to admit it he missed holding her at night. As he laid down for some rest he wondered what they were going to do to get home.

"Vegeta I don't care what you say I'm going. I am not a hermit like some of my friends and I'm going to the fight!" She glared at him. He was trying to keep her under his wing and she refused to be a porcelain doll. "No one will recognize me, I've changed too much to be the same. My ki is even slightly different, and my past self is going to be distracted to notice one so similar to hers. And I want to buy some decent junk food!" At her last statement she heard her stomach growl she had a craving for everything that her teachers had said would get her fat like never before, chocolate among the top of her list. "Look you can come with me. I bought you some normal clothes so you will have a better chance of blending in." At that he seemed to relent slightly, she added the bonus of good food and he asked when they were leaving.

Vegeta scowled at how many people were around. But the woman holding his hand, he hadn't been allowed to wear his gloves, seemed completely at ease. He noticed how the many scents of foods were growing closer and stronger. "Vegeta stay here, I'll get a snack." About fifteen minutes later she was back laden down with a hundred corndogs and enough soda to serve three families or two Sayains. Whichever one came first. She handed him his half of the food and began pushing to get to the front of the ropes. He watched the pathetic fighters who called themselves good try to win match after match. The woman seemed bored of it too but refused to budge.

"Only two more till Chou-zu." She muttered glancing at a sheet that held the player's names and order. And two matches later a doll like thing came up. Bulma smiled and cheered like some while others laughed. And fight after fight she only cheered for a choice few. But just as he was nearing throwing her over his shoulder and leaving she began to jump up and down. "Finally, ok Vegeta this is the last one." He just stared when he saw a man that resembled Turles and Baradock walk out of one entrance and a figure dressed in black. You couldn't even see his face. "The one in black is me."

Bulma watched herself fight her brother. Even though she knew how it would end, her winning, it was exciting to watch. Moves that she knew very well were painful seemed to not look as if they should be. And ones that looked as if the should have been excruciating hadn't hurt her in the least. Soon they were in the air having forgotten the no ki show fight. Goku through a blast and she deflected it, and then it was a full out, no holding back, free for all. She smiled seeing how much she had improved since then. Both were going for every weakness the other had and not relenting in the least. But as the sky grew dark and the half moon shown the battle came near to the end. Bulma watched herself pull a move that could break a normal person back or daze one Sayain. And when she put her boot to his throat he knew it was over. She back flipped and knocked him off the fighting square. And she was declared the winner. Turning she watched her friends grown at the fact that the stranger had defeated Goku. Looking around she took to the air, she felt Vegeta follow her while she looked around for an all you can eat buffet restaurant. Landing she and Vegeta walked the rest of the way.

A week had passed; Bulma hadn't slept the night before or any other night since the tournament. She hadn't told Vegeta, and he couldn't find out. Make-up had been invented for a reason. But today was the day, and she was in the middle of the rain forest. As far away as she could get from what would happen. In tears she continued to cry, she couldn't stop herself. Soon her attention was drawn to the man floating above her. She tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks but they kept coming. No one had seen her cry except him. WHY did he have to be the one to see her breakdown, first after 17's second time and no this. But he said nothing. Only landed and held her, like he had done before. She tried to fight him off as she had done the first time. She didn't want his pity, she wanted NO ONES pity. But he was stronger than her and she was weakened by her crying and sleep deprivation. Soon her tears ran into his jacket while he ran his hand along her back. What he did she didn't expect.

As her body crumpled into his arms he cradled her. He knew she hadn't been sleeping though she had done well to hide it, but he knew. While she had been at such a weaken state he had slipped past her mental walls. She had always had a mental wall however weak. When he had taught her how to harness her mental powers it had become very strong. He had never violated her mental stream even when it could have been easier than reading a baby's mind. But now he had, and found out what was going to happen that way. He knew he couldn't stop what would happen. But he could keep her from feeling the grief of letting it happen again. So he would force her asleep. He had pinched a nerve in her neck, resulting in her immediate unconscious state. She would be pissed when she woke up in a few days. She was so tired and worn it would take that long. Hopefully by then she would be able to handle the things that would happen to her once more. But that wouldn't stop him from checking out the destruction. While rifting through her memories he had found something interesting. She didn't have many of the memories that happened that night. Most of them repressed be it from herself or the drugs that had been put in her he didn't know. But he thing that had caught his interest was the last thing he saw before he couldn't find any more memories. Her, looking at her reflection, with yellow hair. Could it be that all this time she had been a Sayain and never breathed a word of it? There was only one way to find out, be there at ground zero, when she blew her top.

Hiding just outside the compound he had to exercise his self-control to keep himself from barging in. But when her ki began to ski rocket he looked up. Within minutes the only thing standing was a bloody battered BLOND Bulma. He gaped seeing her like that, torn clothes and standing erect there she was. But than her colors changed and she fell to a heap in the ruble. He was going to see if she would make it when he felt oncoming kis'. The same ones Bulma had pointed herself out with. But they wouldn't make it in time she was fading too fast. Tossing out his ki he gave her just enough to sustain her till the others arrived. When he got back to the capsule house that had been set up as their camp he had a visitor. Baba.

"Well young man now you know more than she does." He glared at her. "Oh I know you care for her, I'm old not blind. You let her tell you when she's ready. She's kept her heart to herself since this night, you're the only one that's come relatively close to her with the exception of the boy who will be here soon."

"If you know all this was to happen why don't you do something to change it."

"There are many possibilities boy. They all have the destruction of this planet, but the one I'm working on allows the most to live." Crossing his arms he frowned. "Many include her death or worse, you're with her in many of them, living, dieing. In many she despises you with all her soul, in others she's indifferent. In a choice few you are loved by her." At that he raised an eyebrow, so there was a chance she could be his. And Baba saw his hope. "Mind you in some of them you could care less for her, or you only care for her body." He scowled at that. But he knew it could be true, she was and had a luscious body. He could very well rape her in the other possibilities.

"I won't do that to her."

"Of course not lad I know that. You're the spitting evidence that my plan is working as far as I can work it. Take care of her dear, she may be strong, but she's also as weak as a kitten at times. You above all know that, but when she leaves let her go. She'll come back in her own due time. But if you hold her back you may just lose her all the same." Her warning was said as she disappeared. He frowned at the spot she had been at. Walking in he found that Bulma was up and awake. She had recuperated faster than he thought she would have.

"I know what you did." She growled looking at the steaming cup in her hand. "And…thank you." She looked up to him with full eyes. Walking to him she embraced him, he never thought he could care so much for another person. She was so hurt right now, and she needed him. Holding her he felt her fall into a sleep. He was in the middle of covering her up for a nights sleep when her arms latched around his. "Vegeta. Just hold me." She muttered before drifting out again. He just looked at her, pushing her aside slightly he lay on the bed. Pulling her close, the last thing he remembered was Bulma snuggling up to him.

It had been a week since that night and Bulma had slept in his arms each night. They hadn't done a thing in bed other than chat and sleep. But this night was different. Then it came to her, forgetting that she was dressed in a pair of gray baggy pants and a cut off t-shirt that showed her belly she made a mad dash for the window. She had also forgotten the light sleeping Vegeta, who unbeknownst to her followed her. She made straight beeline for her old bedroom. Porch door already open she shot a blast of ki at her past self. Or rather the knife the violet teen held. She immediately went into a fighting stance. But Bulma made no move. "Don't kill yourself Bulma. I can't let you do that. I know what you're going through."

"How would you have any idea what I'm feeling?" Her past self held venom in her voice that she would only grow too used to using.

"Because, I AM you." She had a lot of questions on proof of her statement but within the hour She was listening to the horrific tail she knew too well. "I know you won't like hearing this but, its not over." The younger version of herself was resting her head on her lap.

"Can I make it through this?"

"Yes, it will be hard but yes."

"Are you happy in the future?" At that Bulma faltered, was she happy? "I mean, is there a guy out there for me. Strong enough to protect me but not intimidated by me either?" The image of Vegeta flashed before her mind. Letting out a small smile she nodded.

"I think so Bulma, there might be. Though he's not what you're first wish was."

"What, no knight in shinning armor?"

"His is a little rusty, and by a little I mean its been left out in the rain to rot since it was made." The night went on. Bulma knew from experience that she wouldn't recall this night clearly, and that she would think it only a hallucination. Taking a pad of paper she tucked her younger self in who was already asleep. Writing down a resort she left it by the alarm. Which she conveniently turned off. Hopping out the window she cast one last glance to her room. In her hand she held the singed blade. Looking at it she shuddered. She was halfway back to the capsule house when a voice broke the silence.

"You weren't supposed to interfere." She would have jumped had she not been in the air.

"Well Vegeta, I don't remember much after what happened last week." Her voice was shaky and her throat was trying to close up. "I remember a hallucination, it was the night I nearly slit my wrists." She showed him the blade. All I remember is that in the morning I had the beginning of my recovery, hope. I helped my past self Vegeta, if I hadn't you would never have known me." He said no more that night. Just as she was settling back into his arms she whispered her goodnight. "She'll go on a lone vacation, needs time to be alone, away from here. We can move in while she's gone. We'll be back home by the time she returns. Night Vedge-head." Before he could respond she was out, or if he did she was already asleep.

Bulma sighed, the familiar scent of gas, grease, and oil filling her senses. Though it would go through extensive changes between now and the planets demise it was familiar. She hardly noticed Vegeta walk in behind her. "Computer lights." As soon as her voice stopped the lights blinked on. Smiling widely she set to work. Her past self had the dragon radar, and she couldn't exactly borrow it like she had the credit card. So she was going to make a second one. By the time it was done it was the size of a wristwatch. Which was how she wanted it considering she had made it that way, it held time, date, dragon radar, and was water and space proof, all around better than the original.

Bulma let the wind push her around while she sat on the swing. This would be the last ever sunset she expected to watch from here. It made her all the more glad that she hadn't known of her planets demise. Her swing was old, had been her fathers when he was young, and hers when she had been born. It consisted of a round piece of wood with a hole in the middle. A rope was ran through it and tied to a branch around a tree. Meaning it went in every direction. Sighing she kicked of a little and went back into motion. She had been sitting here since dinner. They would call on Shen-long when night hit. No moon meaning no one would notice when the sky turned pitch. She just sat there, in the park, watching the day pass by, the grass grow, and the sun lower from the sky. That and the people, they were happy, knowing nothing. "Ignorance can truly be bliss." She whispered watching a little girl play in the sand.

"And how is that woman?" She turned to look at Vegeta, how long had he been here?

"See that girl. She's what six? Well in a little over a decade she will be dating, laughing having fun, and then Radditz and Napa will come. And if she isn't put on some of those slave ships that I didn't get to. She will die. Think of living the time between now and then knowing that, and not being able to do jack shit about it." He merely nodded getting the point she had tried to express.

The Sayain prince looked down upon her, over the last few months she had regained the sent of the grease and oil she had owned when she had first been brought to him. He had witnessed her weakest moments and some of her quickest thinking. He hadn't told her he knew of her birth. In fact he was waiting for night to do so. He would wait another night. What was one more? He was going to have her explain, all of it. How he had not seen that her tail was one of a Sayain he chalked it up to the color. All tails had always been either black or dark brown; sliding his arms around her abs he nibbled at her neck. She shivered slightly after going stiff. "Woman, we leave tomorrow." She tried to interrupt him but he turned the rope and caught her mouth with his. She had long since stopped resisting his kisses but he had been taken by surprise when she, for the first time, returned his kiss. Pulling her to her feet he held her close. Her hands rested gently on his arms and she allowed him entrance to her mouth. When they pulled away he caught site of her blushing face by the dieing rays of the sun. Someone yelled at them but he didn't listen, though she yelled a remark back to the man. Bringing her attention back to him he whispered into her ear. "I know what you are."

"A loud mouth bitch?" Bulma shot back trying to ignore the sensations running up and down her spine as his fingers ran across the spot her tail had once been. He shook his head and she felt her heart drop. Why she had kissed him like that she didn't know. He had been so gentle and it was as if a dam had broken inside of her and she had kissed him. She felt like melting in his arms but she held back on it. His eyes had the same gleam she had seen at a few interrogations most of which had been her own.

"You were never born here, those weaklings weren't your real parents." She stiffened at those words; pulling back she struggled out of his grip. Open mouthed she looked at him, how?

"Whatever Vegeta." She said trying to sound nonchalant. "I'm going home see ya later." She was a half-mile up when his hand clamped around her wrist, and by the grip he wouldn't let go this time. But she tried anyway. "Let go Vegeta." He didn't, instead he pulled her closer. Gasping she tried to stay back, but when high in the air there wasn't any real grounding to grab for.

"Why did you never say you were part Sayain?" It was as much a question as it was a demand. Looking back to him she froze. Lowering her ki he let her descend. Still gripping her hand. Landing in the middle of her front lawn she looked back to his face. Her gig was up, and he had somehow figured out her secret, and she knew he wouldn't fall for anything she would normally try to pull.

"How did you find out?"

"My business."

"How long?"

"The night you're adopted family died."

"I heard the talk and found out what happens to half breed Sayains. What would they do to me? I may not be a half-breed but I'd still be considered a 'freak.' Would they have stuck me somewhere where I'd have been raped every night? Or just plain kill me? Vegeta, I'm not stupid, I saw the looks men gave me; I've had them since I was a teen. Except these dolts have the power, if they worked together, to actually have a chance at me. My parents found me dieing when I was an infant. When I finally grew too weak to fight them off the tried to save my life. Daddy gave me a blood transfusion. It was risky but there was no time to get me to the hospital. I got a fever, and things changed. My hair turned to violet and so did my tail. The only reason they're blue now is because Gero pumped so many drugs in me as test, most have had no effect as far as I know. But my hair and fur changed color. Happy? You know what I've hidden. You know my deepest fears and secrets, how is it you are always able to find things in me that I wish no one to see?! And then you, you don't think less or worse of me." Shivering from the mental and emotional exposure she pulled the dragon balls from her backpack. She had restocked on capsules, and re-invented the ones that hadn't been made yet. "Look lets just go back, I don't think I can stay another day here."

He nodded letting her do her thing, she had been right. Normally half-breeds were executed once found out. She had been right to fear her life, she may have been full blooded but she was a mutated Sayain. She called the dragon and stated they're request soon they were appearing the middle of his thrown room. Seconds after the explosion that had sent them so far back into her past.

Radditz gaped; both the prince and Bulma had disappeared then reappeared. But this time they were wearing completely different clothes. Bulma was in an outfit very much like her old fighting gi. While the prince was dressed in armor he hade never seen the likes of. Bulma started to storm away but some of the guards tried to block her. "Move it buddy if you like your tail where it is, and I'm not talking about the one in the back." They took one look in her eyes and backed of. She grabbed him and started to pull him out. The prince merely looked on at her, blank faced.

Radditz was given the short abridged version of what had happened. Stuttering he gaped at her. She hadn't told him of her origins yet but was planning on revealing her nephew to him. "Uh Radditz, you remember Gohan right?"

"How couldn't I, every time he looked at me he glared."

"Well you see, um, Chi-Chi is his mother. And she is Go-Kakkarrot's mate. Gohan is a half breed."

"I thought so, the resemblance is very close."

"Why didn't you ask?"

"And destroy my only nephew, I never saw much problem with half-breeds myself. If they're strong let them live or useful, I mean. If one's more inelegant than a full-blooded one and just as loyal why kill them?" She merely shook her head. Looking around she spotted one of the space pods. She knew she had to escape. Even though she had long since thought of escape she hadn't had the chance. And if she didn't go now she may never will. Her heart was starting to weigh her down. Leaving Radditz to his own thoughts she went to her room. Vegeta would be busy; she wouldn't see him for a while. And she needed time to think. 'I'm falling in love with the bastard.' She thought shaking her head in disbelief. How could she, the heartless ice princess of Capsule Corp, fall in love? The only one she had let enter her heart since her family's death had been Gohan. But that had also been different, but now Vegeta had worked his way into her heart. And she couldn't figure out how. Sighing she knew she would have to do it tonight or she could kiss her will power to leave goodbye. Grabbing an empty capsule she began to gather what few things she had in Vegeta's quarters. She would leave that night. After he fell asleep. Leaving for her lab station she began to write out all the blueprints for her inventions. Radditz would need to know how to repair the gravity machine among all the other training supplies she had invented over her stay. Now all that was left was to wait, once Vegeta was asleep she would leave.

Bulma was wide-awake as she watched him sleep. She would be leaving in a few moments. She almost lost the heart to leave him but knew she had to go. The others were waiting for her. And maybe she would return to him someday, if he wanted to see her still that was. Forcing herself to hold back tears she lightly brushed her lips to his temple. Sliding out of his loose grip she was careful not to awaken him as she removed his tail from her waist. Leaving the note on the pillow she normally used she left without a sound. Creeping down the halls she avoided the guards. She could easily knock most out but she didn't want her absence known till she was long gone. But that would prove a task more difficult than she had hoped. As she was in the middle of removing the tracking chip from the space pod she was going to highjack Radditz appeared. Evidently he had been pulling off another long night like she had often done. She had hoped he wouldn't have noticed her but there was no such luck. In short she had been forced to knock him unconscious in order to keep things quiet. Hiding his lumbering figure behind a desk she came to the most difficult part. Getting 'in' the 'small' space pod. Even the regeneration tank had more room to move than this. Taking deep breaths she stepped in, her bag of capsules on her lap. Typing in the co-ordinates it closed and took off into space. She activated the hyper sleep more for her sanity than anything else. All she had left to do was pray she made it to Namek without too many problems, and that her family would be there for her to see.

She awoke to see a green planet growing larger. Smiling she forced her mind away from thinking of the cramped compartment and on to finding her relatives. With a lot of noise and a crater she landed. Scowling at the mess her landing had caused she left the white pod and went to the ground. Looking about she wondered if she had landed on the right planet. "Please be Namek, please be Namek." She muttered over and over the fingers on her free hand all crossed. But when the site of many green Piccolos look-a-likes met her eyes she grinned. "Yes! Right planet." As she set foot on the blue/green grass they took a defensive mode. Switching languages from Sayain to Namek she spoke again. "Uh hi. Any one know if a ship has landed here before me? It had a woman a boy-er teen and a bald monk on it?" No reply came to her and she began to tap her foot. "Come on at least Piccolo would say something when asked a question." None looked like they were about to speak so she prepared to take her leave. "Fine I'll find them by myself." But then suddenly a young Namek made the seen. He had heard her muttering about Gohan, Chi-Chi and Krillin leaving forwarding notices and froze.

"What do you want with Gohan?" She raised an eyebrow but smiled.

"I want to see him, he 'is' family. And I have to kick chrome-dome's ass out of principle and get Chi-Chi to make something good. I can't cook and I want some waffles."

"What's your name Miss?"

"Bulma Briefs. I'm Gohan's aunt." After that she had a much warmer reception. Halfway to the capsule house she was tackled to the ground by her black haired nephew. Smiling she pinned him within a few minutes. "You're getting better runt I 'almost' had a challenge there."

"You were around the Sayains too long Bulma. You sound just like one, it's creepy." She looked to her side and saw Krillin.

"Well I learned a few things from them too. Like how to torture bald idiots who insult female geniuses." He gulped and she grinned. Later she had been 'forced' to sit at a table and 'choke down' Chi-Chi's cooking. She was soon found wandering the perpetually day planet by Nail. He looked at her and she didn't acknowledge him. "How long was it before you stopped tailing the others?" She turned to face him and grinned. "I can sense ki too you know."

"You smell like a Sayain." He stated doing a rather good imitation of Piccolo. She sighed and lay down of a tuft of blue-ish grass, as if she didn't see him as a threat, his scowl deepened. "And act like one too."

"Lets put it this way, from the time I sent those three." She said pointing into the direction of the capsule house. "Into space my only company has been Sayain. I also was sort of landed with sharing close quarters with one of them, so forgive me on not acting the way I used to. Just glad I wasn't there to see Vegeta's wrath when he found out I got loose. Though his face must have been funny." She mused to herself forgetting her grouchy company. "Wish I could have seen it, though that would have defeated the purpose of my leaving." Though she sounded light hearted she was worried. She had already disassembled the space pod, part curiosity and the rest in making sure there were no tracking signals. She had gotten them all before but she was just making sure. But now that she had time to think Vegeta took her mind. She hadn't been gone more than a day, in her sense, and she missed him. In reality it had been a three month trip, all of which she had thankfully slept through. She didn't want to admit it but she thought she might be feeling a little bit…guilty? Her attention went back to the Namek when he moved. She had been spaced out for maybe five seconds but it felt like so much longer. Nail sat next to her and she eyed him suspiciously. Namek or not she still had yet to get over her uneasiness around strangers. Closing her eyes but still on guard she tried to look relaxed. For the most part Nameks were peaceful. Piccolo the exception, but her experiences with Gero had changed her, and the memories still plagued her day-to-day life, whether she meant them to or not. "What do you want umm Nail was it?" She knew damm well what his name was, her excellent memory was something she prided herself in. But it was always good to have your enemy or potential threat under estimate you.

"I don't trust you, you act too Sayain."

"Sorry but I can't help that, you have something against the Sayain race, what do you have against me?"

"I think you are one." She opened one eye lazily to look at him. Smirking slightly she shook her head.

"And if I was? What could you do? You, know I'm more powerful than you. Plus Gohan and Krillin wouldn't take kindly to it."

"I know the boy is half Sayain, but he's different."

"I know that, he is my nephew. I was raised on the same planet he was born on. His father, though an idiot, grew up with me. I won't be a threat to anybody unless they mess with me or my loved ones. I won't be here forever. I have a few scores to settle and a friend to find before I can settle down." He looked at her and she starred back he was searching for the truth in her eyes. And for one of the few times she let him see her eyes for what they could show. No walls and no secrets. Though he didn't know them he saw the pain they caused her and the fear. "I am Sayain, but a mutated one. If you don't trust me that's fine, just don't tail me all day. I am a woman who enjoys her privacy, something I have not had in a long while." He looked her over this time and smiled.

"You are very strong willed."

"I like to think so, its nice being in charge it comes naturally to me. I hate being ordered about by nearly all. Especially when they do not see me as an equal." Before he could remark on her words she was gone.

Bulma starred at the growing storm. Though normally the picture perfect weather spot Namek could also have the worst storms. But that's what she wanted right now. She was pissed and ready to fight. They had tried to return her fellow Z-team members. But she would have to be at the spot where they had died to do so. The wish would have to be made when a ship was in place so they would appear inside the ship and not in the cold of space. She had set to work building a ship to get her there that very day. That had been a month ago. She was ready to leave, and she was going alone. She had refused to let any other travel with her. She knew of the dangers in space and how to handle most of them. She would not endanger them, not if she could help it. But now the storm was grounding her till it was over. Letting a ki blast loose she attacked the swirling clouds. Ever since her family's murder she attacked the storms. Dodging electricity and feeding of the howling winds, she would train while rain pounded at her back, or just scream and let loose. Letting the storm feed her rage and subdue it simultaneously. Throwing kicks and punches she let her mind go. It was times like this she was at her most dangerous, so close to giving in to the pure rage that she held inside of her, or maybe it was her closest to loosing her sanity. She didn't know nor did she care. She was deadly now and she let nature know it. With her mind focused on nothing but open to everything at the same time. Images of the one person she felt for out of her group kept flashing in front of her mind's eye. Vegeta, images of him taking anger out on his training equipment. She almost felt the hurt she had caused him by leaving. 'Nothing I can do about it.' She growled to herself missing a bolt of electricity. 'You could go back to him.' A small voice whispered in her mind. She shook her head trying to rid her of the voice that plagued her dreams. It would show her things she didn't know how she knew. She would see things through Vegeta's eyes, and hear his thoughts. Of how she looked when angry, how she was so brave to stand up to him, feel his respect for her. She began to wonder if she was mad, snorting she let out a grim smile. In all her life, with all the things she had gone through. If she hadn't cracked by age twenty she wasn't ever going to. The soft whisper of a voice she had first thought to be her conscience. She had left without warning nor farewell. But then she would remind herself of all the times she had told him she would one day leave. The tiny voice made her feel guilt and heart ache. The feelings were alien to her; never had she yearned for a person like this. As the storm raged so did she, when dawn came, peace followed. Not only with nature but herself. She had let out her stress and was ready for the new day, however long it would be.

Vegeta took out his anger on the machines. Radditz spent most of his time preparing what he destroyed. He knew she would try and leave, he just hadn't expected her to do it the night they had returned. Four months, four months since she had left and he still felt betrayed. She had been asleep for the most part he could feel that. But when she woke up there had been joy, than anger, but right now he was worried. Her mind was blank, either she had found their bond and blocked it, which he doubted, or she was unconscious. Not asleep, but unconscious. She was in trouble and he couldn't do a dam thing about it. 'If she had only stayed.' Shacking his head he knew it wouldn't have worked. She was prideful, like him. She hadn't handled being held captive well. He had seen her run her company when they had gone back. She had given orders and was obeyed. She had the respect of her workers and peers, and she had liked it that way. But for now all he could do was wait, and hope that her ingenuity would get her through whatever trouble she was in now.

Bulma woke up with a headache to rival all. Opening her eyes she was met with only black. There could very well be lights on all around her but she still saw only darkness. During her capture they had thrown something in her eyes rendering her sightless. Too bad they hadn't counted on her using her other senses to fight. She was sure she had caused a lot of trouble even though she hadn't seen most of her handiwork. Sitting up slowly she felt for her belt, it was still there. Stretching her senses she felt to ki's similar yet different very near her. Looking in their direction she glared. Though she couldn't see her ki allowed her to feel out where people were and if they though she could see she might save herself some trouble. "Who are you?" She spoke with an even voice; she couldn't let them know she was blind.

"None of your business girl." One voice snapped obviously irritated. In a lower voice she heard the same voice mutter. "I can't believe they threw us a whore."

"I am NOT a whore you swine!" She shouted facing the ki that the voice had come from. Turning to the other ki she narrowed her eyes to slits. "Do YOU have any comments to make?"

"I apologize for my brother's rude remark. Why are you here?"

"I'd expect its because my life is hell and that there must be a galactic sign saying 'Capture Me' on me. I gave hell though. Who are you and why are you here?"

"This is the cell we've been in for over two months, these bug creatures were paid off to capture any Sayain they could. Why they caught you is beyond me. They can only see black and white so maybe that's why they thought you were one. I'm Baradock the asshole beside me is Turles. My brother." She raised an eyebrow at his answer. Sayains? And where had she heard of Baradock before? Damm now was not the time for her to be forgetting things. When the food came she turned her back on the men and ate, ignoring their talking. Well not really ignoring it, she understood Sayain after all and that meant she could tell they were talking about her. She had been so deep in her own thoughts of as to HOW she was suppose to get out of this mess, alive, while blind. That it took her a minute to figure out that one of the men was waving a hand in front of her face. Grabbing his wrist tightly she growled.

"Don't, keep your distance if you know what's good for you." Looking up she faced him. 'Thank Kami for ki sensing.'

"You can't see woman." He stated a hint of shock in his voice.

"I know where you are don't I? Therefore I can see." 'Sorta, I can 'see' his ki.' She thought growing nervous. By his voice she could tell that it was Baradock. Her mind seemed to choose that precise moment to remind her of how close he was and she pushed him away. Her hand shot to her arm where one of her many scars was. But it wasn't there. Her eyes widened as she ran her finger along both forearms and was met with only smooth skin.

"When you were first brought here they had to put you into a regeneration tank. Evidentially they are better than the ones my race have. They take away nearly all scars. I noticed yours disappear while you were in there." She nodded knowing that her sleeves had been shredded in her struggle. "So how is it you know where we are when you can't see a thing?"

"None of your business." She snapped not liking the vulnerability she had now. 'Glad I can't see how tiny this place is.' That was the ONLY blessing blindness gave her. "I can so just accept that." She thought he would say more but then the noise of doors opening reached their ears. Turles awoke letting out a few choice curses. 'Dam ki dampner.' She thought feeling the device around her waist. New spot to have it, the last two had been around her neck, but basically the same idea. Just no pain when you try to raise your ki, you just can't. The cell doors were noisily opened and she was pulled to her feet. But it wasn't by a hand; it was by one of the hard limbs from her captors. She struggled all the same, though the other two did not.

"Don't bother girl we've tried this all before. It'll all be over soon enough." She heard Baradock say trying to get her to stop hurting herself.

"What's that suppose to mean?" She asked a nervous feeling entering her chest.

"They seem to think we're pincushions. Test us, put needles in us. Its fun." Came the sarcastic voice of Turles. And as he spoke she felt a needle be jabbed into her arm. Screaming she couldn't stop the onslaught of images the last time she had been injected with fluids and drugs against her will. By the time they were returned she couldn't move let alone stand. Every nerve inside of her burned, she couldn't even breathe without feeling her lungs scream at the effort.

Baradock stared at the girl mutely. Up until the needles had been injected to her, her mental walls had been impassable. A rare thing for him to encounter, but once they had gone down he had wished they had stayed up. Images, feelings, and pain had assaulted his mind. He felt her terror of the memories, the feeling of having unknown drugs pumped into her unwilling and unready system. He caught glimpses of her reflection in metal walls. She had looked different. Vulnerable, scantly clad, her clothes were shreds so he was sure it hadn't been by choice. But she had also been beaten, emotionally along with physically. She was also younger, a teenager, a mere child, and her hair. It had been the color of a Vegetsain sunset after the red left. A light purple, her eyes too. But there the images had stopped, she had regained control of her mental walls and once again the smooth black wall was there. In those brief images he had seen her, but he had also felt her and caught parts of her thought and knowledge. She had been raped, and forced to watch the murder of her parents. She had been placed under a collar, defenseless to fight them. And with how broken he had felt her be then he saw what she had become now. Strong, and beautiful, she was strong in power and will. But there was also a link to her he couldn't understand, not one like he had felt towards his mate before her death but a different one. One he couldn't quite figure out. Either way when his brother had commented on her being weak he had slammed his twin into the wall.

"What the hell?" He began but Baradock cut him off.

"Don't EVER call her weak. If you had seen what I saw in her mind you wouldn't insult her."

"Saw? You said her mental wall was too hard to pass." Turles said while being dropped back to the floor.

"It fell for a second, memories were projected. If you were more sensitive to telepathy you would have seen them too. She's been through hell more than one time in her life. She was a child practically in the memories I saw, a mere teen. Her parents murdered, and her being tortured and experimented on by the same man. So DON'T offend her."

Bulma woke up to the mother load of all headaches, that and her butt hurt. Or more precisely her tail spot hurt. Growling lowly she silently swore revenge on the assholes that had decided to make her a pincushion. "You're up early little one."

"Well Baradock I feel like shit and I have never wished for aspirin so much."

"I saw your mental projections."

"My what, I didn't send anything out."

"Your wall fell, you have been through a lot." She shifted uncomfortably; it was then she noticed she was on the cells single cot and not the floor. Baradock told her of placing her there since she had taken the injections so badly. "Your telepathy level is very high."

"I know."

When she had said it, it hadn't been in a bragging voice, only a statement. A fact that meant little to her at the moment, but a lot later. He sighed; he could tell she hated her position as it was. Her hand strode to her neck where it began to run across the area where her neck joined shoulder. He had noticed this to be a habit of hers but made no remark. She hissed and sat up for a minute before settling back down. "What's wrong?"

"My-nothing, I'm just sore." He knew it was an outright lie. But didn't push it. He covered her up like a father would his child when she fell back asleep. While she slept she would make yelps of pain, he figured after awhile that the pain was coming from where her tail would have been had she owned one. She went like that for a week. Having to be fed like an infant. Even Turles had helped in caring for her. But one night she actually woke up, both watched as she clawed at her lower back. Finally ripping the cloth with her nail and drawing blood as she cut into the pail skin. But what shocked them both was the furry appendage that shot out.

"It's gone, the pain." She sighed not noticing her fifth limb's reappearance. But she also felt the stares on her. "What?"

"You have a tail." Turles stated awe in his voice.

"I do? It grew back?" She pulled the tail in front of her face as if looking at it even though she actually couldn't see it in the least.

"It's purple." Baradock said voice confused. "You're hair too, or at least what's grown since the shots. At that she grinned.

"Really? My hair's violet again? YES! Back to normal at last."

Bulma was on cloud nine, for all of a minute. Her colors were going back normal, or at least what was normal for her. She spent the next week recovering, Baradock even helped her harness her mental abilities further than Vegeta had. She was now able to merge minds with Baradock. But today was not a good day. It was her time of the month and she was never one to mess with when she was in one of her moods.

"I said you can all go to HELL!" She screamed causing as much noise as possible. Both Turles and Baradock stayed on the other end of the cell just letting her bitch out their captors. "You can't keep us here forever!" She only stopped shouting when she began to pick up snippets of a conversation. Amazing that she could hear the hushed distant voices through her tirade but she did. She held out a hand signaling for the two men behind her to remain silent. She stiffened when she heard one of the two names mentioned. Gearing up she let one last comment out. "Tell GERO he can go to HELL!!" Though not the smartest thing to say in her position that one comment sparked the beginning of their escape.

"What did you say to anger them so much girl?" Turles growled, she heard him stumble as they were all being pushed down a hall. They hadn't understood half of her ranting due to the fact she had been changing languages. But her last part had been in the tongue she had grown up with knowing. And unfortunately their buddies keeping them in the cells understood her. When they finally got to wherever they were being brought Bulma began to sneak into Baradock's mind, only enough to look through his eyes. She saw that she looked like shit and the creature before them. Turles was behind them so she couldn't see him and there were no mirrors to see Baradock. Her curiosity was beginning to get picked at exactly what her comrades looked like. The dork in front of her began to say things she didn't understand. But she gave no reaction she merely blocked his hand when he made to hit her. He began to dangle a white bottle in front of her eyes and chuckled. When he set it down she smirked. The fool had switched languages telling her the serum was the cure to her blindness. She may not have had a lot of ki at he disposal but…

Baradock felt her presence leave his mind. But it took every year of training he had to keep from acknowledging the floating bottle going into her hands. They weren't able to form a ki ball and here she was making things float around. She was questioned in a language he couldn't make heads or tales of but she seemed to understand it well enough. Both he hand his twin watched at her curiously. She seemed to be impassive to what was being told to her but her sent was a mingle of fear and anger, and they couldn't tell why.

18 stormed into the room. She hadn't even stopped to play with the nice guards. Merely pushing them out of her way or knocking them out. She stormed into the room with the highest ki. She recognized the prince. But only as the guy who had nearly stopped her from saving Bulma. "Where is she? Where's Bulma its urgent?" She asked ignoring all the powering up going around her. So what if the door guards were at her feet. Did that make her a threat?

Vegeta looked to the familiar blond. But now he saw the resemblance to the man Bulma had feared. But from what she had told him of the blond android she wasn't one to worry about. Ordering all to leave the room she stayed rooted to her spot. "Why do you want to see her?"

"None of your business." She snapped not intimidated by him in the least.

"She's not here."

"Duh. If she were anywhere around I would have gone there and not here. So where is she?"

"I don't know." He growled in frustration. He had sent Baradock and his brother out to find Bulma. But he hadn't heard from the twins in months. And Bulma was feeling REALLY angry and frightened. The android merely cursed and began to leave. Silently he wished her luck in finding the blue spitfire he had bonded to so strongly. (GOD that was SO out of character: cringes: oh well.)

Bulma nearly forgot the bottle of miracle solution in her hand she was so enraged. 'Funny.' She thought humorlessly. 'I'd think I would be more frightened knowing where I'm going and to whom.' But instead she was mad, slightly afraid but not a lot. As she was shoved into the cell she had to twist her body so as to not crush the vile hidden in her pocket. To keep up routine she began to curse the guards to high heaven and back until they left. Thrusting out her hand she silently ordered Baradock to give her, her site back. Clenching her fists she awaited the pain that definitely came. As soon as he had dropped the cold liquid into her eyes she hissed. It didn't sting but the room had gone from no light to all light. And it made her eyes water. Letting them clear she saw the two fuzzy outlines of her cellmates, blinking the slowly came into focus. When she did see them she cursed. 'Least now I know why his name was so familiar. I am so STUPID, HOW could I have forgotten?' She thought while staring at the near identical Sayains.

"What girl never seen a Sayain before?" Turles said snapping her out of shock.

"No it's just that I wasn't expecting to see you." She said still starring at Baradock.

"What about me?"

"Nothing. Just forget it." Glancing down at the device around her waist she chuckled the lock was amateur, for her at least. "You guys willing to co-operate with me if I told you I could get these damm things off?" She said changing subject. Going to her wrist she took out a small lock pick set. "Because, I don't know about you two but I have to be somewhere 'real' soon and I only gave myself four months of slack time three having been staying here." And right before their eyes she undid her lock and soon the device was a small ball of crumpled metal. "That and I have to squeeze in a little thing called payback. You in?" She grinned at their expressions when both of them cracked their knuckles and grinned. She felt like she was seeing double Goku's when they did that. 'The Son smile is part innocent idiot part genetic.' She thought detaching the wires from the dampers so there would be no alarms of them being broken. As she did so she explained her plan to them. She had been planning escape since she had opened her eyes months ago. Just now that she could see she could put one of them into action. While she fiddled with something she had pulled from her belt she spoke to Turles. "Attempt to break the bars and I'll be forced to hurt you. You'd set off an alarm and from there making a get-away even harder than it already will be. I am not known for my patients but when it comes to things like this I have it in spades." As she spoke she had pushed him away and begun to pick the lock. By the time she had finished her last word the door opened. Signaling for them to remain silent she had them follow her down the halls. Soon they were in the docking bay. With half the guards they had come a cross dead or unconscious. "Ok that was just too easy. Stay on guard." She ordered ignoring the glare Turles sent her for ordering him around. She soon had hacked into the computer and found all three of their ships. All the while her mind kept repeating that this was too easy. As soon as they neared the ships her words became truth. They were surrounded by the bug creatures once again. With their leader making remarks.

Before any of the trio had a chance to speak they were attacked. Each back-to-back with each other they began to slowly make it back to their pods. Bulma pushed Turles in the first on ordering the re-gen system in it to activate. He had a nasty gash in his side and she meant to get him out as soon as she could. But once he was out in space they hit some problems the creatures decided to attack their ships instead of them. "Oh no you don't." She growled fending the creatures from her ship. When the explosion of Baradock's pod met her ears she cursed. "Over here! Keep these guys away while I get the ship ready." The Goku look-a-like nodded taking her spot while she set to work. Just as she was about to shoot into space she opened her hatch, grabbed her father, and they were off.

Baradock tried to catch his breath from the shock of what she had done while she went around punching commands. It was then he notices her bloody face. A cut ran from her temple to her lip. She didn't seem to take much notice of it though, at least not until she began to sway and collapsed. He caught her in time but when he did he saw the other gashes running along her body. She had lost too much blood. Ignoring the voice of his drill instructor that said only the strong made it through battles without help he began to take her into the room he saw as the bathroom. Using a rag he found in there he saw that her first aid kit was better than most med labs he had seen. Soon she was stitched up and after checking a few doors he found her room.

Bulma blinked a few times before her vision cleared. It was only then that she noticed that she was in her room. She tried to sit up but the moment she made the attempt two hands rested on her shoulders and pushed her back down. "You stay down, you lost too much blood in saving our hides." She then focused on Baradock. Too tired to even glare at him. "Where are we going?"

"I have somewhere I need to be. I'll find a way to get you to Vegeta after I do what I set out to."

"You won't come?"

"No."

"You would be rewarded. Turles and I are of high rank. Though not born in it."

"I know, I'm still not going though."

"Because you fear the prince." His voice was matter of fact and it gained every drop of her attention.

"I don't fear that ass. I'm not going and you can't change the ships co-ordinates. You don't understand the language written or spoken." She growled reverting to Sayain. After that Baradock spoke nothing of her returning to his home planet, and in truth hers as well. Soon she was well enough to get back to her routine. She gave Baradock the room she had intended for her brother. She didn't know what she would do when it came time for her brother. Presently they were on a pit stop. She was recharging the solar cells, and fixing the exterior of her ship. Baradock proved helpful in the fact he could cook better than herself not a real feat but still. Time dragged by, she healed. She enjoyed being in the comforts of her own ship once again. A shower whenever she wished for one and she was in control of her surroundings.

Baradock watched silently as she went about her regular routine. He was surprised that she had healed as fast as she had. But what bothered him most was that his visions were acting up again. Nearly all concerning her, and with each one she got progressively younger. A few he had the odd feeling of jealousy, of the man raising her. As if he wanted to be the one to help her form her first ki blast. Not the old guy with a turtle shell on his back. He had seen the one she called Goku. His son, he had lived and fought like a true Sayain. Even though he never completed the mission he had been given he was proud of Kakkarrot. But he had yet to question her about his son. Whenever he asked where she was headed she would say he would find out in due time. At the moment they had docked at a space pub. She claimed to need a few things, he was pretty sure she wanted to have a change of scenery for a little while. When she left her room she was dressed in black. She gave the air of not being one to mess with, which was what she wanted. Soon were both in the pub he had helped himself to a drink while she talked with the bartender. He couldn't pick up their conversation due to all the noise around them. When they were done she turned and headed back for him, some food in her hands for the both of them. Halfway across the room somebody blocked her path.

Bulma looked to the moron blocking her path. "Excuse me." She said forcing herself to be polite.

"Hey babe, how bout you and I go get a room?" She rolled her eyes at his words and growled her response.

"Not on your life. As you can see I want to eat and I DO have a travel companion so goodnight." She then went around him and back to Baradock, rolling her eyes she set to eating her dinner. But they had just begun when a fist came down and destroyed their table. Looking up she lifted the man who had trashed her food off the ground. It was the same man who had tried to hit on her. "That was very rude." She growled forming a ki ball around her fist. He broke a sweat and she frowned. "Coward, you're bigger than me but not even a fraction as powerful as I am. Throwing him to the floor she watched him crawl back. But before she could do anything more a chair was thrown her way. Soon it was an all out brawl not wanting to get arrested she grabbed Baradock who was introducing his fist to a drunk and dragged him out the door. Soon both were taking off. "So much for a good meal." She muttered making a sandwich for herself. She sent a glare to her father taking in his black eye and bloody temple. Making a 'why me' gesture she began to stitch the gash up and handed him an icepack for his eye.

Baradock almost laughed at the way she acted. So much like his mate, tending to those around her but willing to make you wish you were dead if you did something wrong. Glancing at his reflection in a mirror he saw the stitches she had done. She was well versed in medical aid, where did her talents end? The sound of water running told him she was taking a shower, most likely to try and relax her worn mind. He didn't know what he was going to do when he got back to the prince. Telling him that he had been with the one he had sent out for only to let her get away. It was obvious the pair of them cared deeply for the other, but admitting it was a totally different matter. He sat there for how long he didn't know. Looking up when Bulma exited the shower he zoned in on her shoulder. Face going blank with shock he approached her. She glanced at him holding her towel but still weary. Tracing the single scar on the side of her neck he spoke. "When did this happen?" She shrugged muttering an 'I don't know.' Something he obviously saw through as a lie. "Get dressed and come back here." He ordered turning a glare on her. She sent one back in return.

"I don't have to listen to you. I don't listen to anyone."

"Do as I say girl." At that her eyes widened and he started. 'Where did that come from?' He thought before the flash of his baby girl crashing into a planet came to his mind. Then being cared for by the same people who had raised Bulma. "Oh shit." He said coming out of it with a harsh sense of reality.

"What?"

"Nothing. Do as you were told." When she left for her room he nearly smacked his head. He already sounded like her father. But did she know? But first thing first. Who had claimed her?

Bulma pulled her sweats on as she thought. What had happened out there? Baradock was ordering her around as if he was her father. Which he was but he didn't know that. Did he? Glancing to the mirror at the only scar remaining on her body she was even more puzzled. Sure she remembered how she got the wound but so what. Absentmindedly she traced the mark while she found a seat in the living room area of the ship. There her brothers look-a-like waited for her. He was in some old clothes of Goku's and it was almost painful to know he wasn't her brother. Sighing she glanced at the countdown clock she had set in the room. Another night. By noon tomorrow she would have her little brother back. How would she prepare Baradock? "Let me see that mark again." She raised an eyebrow at his order. But almost mechanically she pulled the neck of her shirt to the side to reveal the bite mark. It was sort of like the reaction that Gohan and Krillin had when she and Chi-Chi gave them orders. Not thinking about it only doing it. She tilted her head slightly when her father bent over to get a closer look at her shoulder.

"It's a scar why are you so interested in it?"

"Who gave it to you."

"Why do you think a person gave it to me, could have been an animal." She said pushing him back. He didn't move far. Merely a foot, and even then he crossed his arms and stared down at her. And with a gulp she thought he looked like the pissed of father at the rebellious teen.

"Who?"

"Does it really matter?" She tried to sound uninterested but she was intrigued all the same. Gently Baradock removed her hand from her shoulder and spoke in a tone that made her think that the information should have been obvious.

"It's a warning."

"My bite mark is a warning." She began, sounding sarcastic. "Of what? That I'm dangerous?" She gave a laugh trying to calm down the extreme unease that she was beginning to fill her mind.

"No it warns Sayains that you are no-longer available." Her eyes narrowed at that suddenly becoming solemn and not worried, not anger, but indicating she was not one to be messed with.

"Unavailable how exactly, and give straight answer this time."

'Aw shit. She doesn't know.' He thought looking at his only daughters expression. Confused and ticked summarized the majority of the feelings. "I mean to say that whoever marked you has made you his mate. And since the scar is still there you accepted his offer. What happened?" Her face had become angry at his words and terrified at the same time.

"I didn't know that!" She said standing but he pushed her back into the chair. "We were arguing and he grabbed me and bit me."

"Who bit you?" But she didn't hear him. Only kept going.

"And since turn about is fair play I bit him back."

Bit who Az-Bulma." He had almost called her by her original name not her adopted one. This may be harder to keep undercover than he thought.

"That bastard I'll kill him! How dare he do something like this without me knowing what it meant? AND RADDITZ KNEW ABOUT IT!" At her last words Baradock had been forced to cover his ears.

"WHO Bulma!"

"WHO ELSE? THAT PRICK VEGETA!!" At that she calmed down substantially.

"Prince Vegeta marked you?" He almost didn't believe it.

"Ya, we were arguing about something or other I can't remember. I tried to hit him he caught my fist pulled me close and bit my neck. I couldn't get him to let me go so I bit him back. When he pulled back he kissed me and left. I didn't understand why till now." She sounded hollow, as if in deep shock. Which she was. "But you said I accepted it, how could I accept something like that if I didn't know what it meant?"

"Somewhere deep down you have to care for him."

"I don't love that ass." He watched her cross her arms stubbornly as she denied all affection she had for the prince. Smiling lightly he shook his head.

"Get some sleep girl, from what I've seen you have something important happening tomorrow." She glared at him before walking to her bedroom with the airs of a goddess.

Bulma rolled over trying to get comfortable. And as if it wasn't hard enough to sleep with her brother only a day away she now had this news to think about. One finger tracing the telltale mark she tried to think. Whenever she was frightened or thinking she had noticed the habit of tracing or rubbing the mark. Like it gave her comfort. She remembered the day he had given it to her.

~(Flashback again) Bulma screamed at the prince trying to win this round of insults. Their argument had started as something else. Most likely his training equipment but it had soon switched to a round of insults. Finally loosing her short temper she sent a ki loaded punch to his face. To her amazement he caught it, but she only sent another one. "Let me go you bastard." She hissed trying to pull away from him. He only smirked at her temper soared. Twisting her body she caught him off guard with a kick to the head. Blasting back she tried to put some distance between them. She had just recalled what Radditz had told her about fighting male Sayains. And so far Vegeta was the only one she wasn't sure she could beat. Scratch that, she 'knew' she couldn't beat him in an all out spar. He seemed to know what she was thinking and before he introduced her to the ground he whispered into her ear.

"To late now woman. Should have thought of that before you threw your fist." She grunted rolling over quickly to avoid his foot. Back flipping onto her feet she began to raise her ki. Phasing out she used all her speed to avoid his attacks while landing a few of her own.

"You're holding back on me." She growled not liking the knowledge. Blocking an attack to her face she ducked down thinking she may have an advantage on the ground.

"How would you know? You're holding back too woman."

'What he mean by that?' Screaming she sent a blast to him, making a lovely imprint of his figure in the wall. One she soon imitated when he landed a good kick. The rest was pretty much a blur in her mind it didn't matter. It had ended with her winded and pinned beneath the prince. She expected him to say something but he only bent down. Muttering something into her ear she was about to ask him to repeat it when he bit her. She tried to push him off but was too drained from their fight to do so. Beginning to panic she did the only thing she could think of. She bit him back, it felt as if her mind had exploded but she blocked it all out by some miracle. After a minute he got up and pulled her to her feet. She gasped when he pulled her close and kissed her. She tasted her own blood in his mouth along with his. Finally wrenching free she sent a slap his way. He turned leaving the room with only the orders for her to get patched up in the med lab then fix the damage they had done. (End flashback)~

Shaking her head she pulled the pillow off her face. Now she knew why he had seemed happy. Well slightly less grouchy to others but to her that meant happy. And it also explained Radditz's face when she had come in the med labs to get fixed up. When he had come across her bite he had stared for a while before telling her to keep it covered. Now she knew why she had always been told to keep it hidden. It would have been trouble had the King seen it. When finally rest did reach her she dreamed of cursing Vegeta out for having claimed her without her knowing what he had done.

Baradock watched as the lavender Sayain that was his daughter paced the room. She had checked their position twelve times in the last five minutes. She checked her clock and he was surprised to see her grin instead of scowl, like she had for the past hour. He jumped into a ready position when a form of light filled the room. When his eyes recovered he did a double take. Bulma was hugging a man who looked like himself. "Kakkarrot?"

Bulma watched as her brother looked to his father. Sending Goku a look that told him to keep silent she explained who both were to each other. Excluding her relation to both at the same time. Thank Kami Goku had the sense not to spill her secret. Later that day Baradock had gone to workout in the training room while she had begun to show photos of Chi-Chi and Gohan.

"He's grown so much."

"Ya, you should have seen their faces when I ran into them again. They looked like they thought the Sayains may have been safer than me." She giggled at the memory. "They've missed you, I've missed you." She muttered letting herself be pulled into his arms. Shaking from repressed crying she gave a weak smile. She squeaked when he began to tickle her. "No fair." She yelped before being consumed in her laughter. Both missed their father watching them as they acted like children.

Baradock gave a half smile at the sight before him. By the looks of things, Bulma and Kakkarrot or Goku as he went by it seemed, the pair was very close. Too close for his tastes. But from what he had overheard his second son had a mate. Soon both were wrestling on the floor. No ki being used and both laughing too much to have a decent form. Shaking his head at their antics he spoke. "Is this how you spend you're days son?"

"No normally I trained and played with Gohan."

"And I would come over for dinner and we would beat the shit out of each other, then Chi-Chi would yell at us and I would go home."

He raised his eyebrow at the mention of the other woman but said nothing. Assuming that the woman was Kakkarrot's mate. He had seen the photos of the younger boy earlier that day. And he looked exactly like his father, down to the trusting smile. Bulma had fed them food that he couldn't recognize but while he ate it at a normal pace he watched his son inhale the food.

Bulma just shook her head at her brother's lack of change. He had questioned her endlessly about his family and how she had done in the past years. She in turn asked what he had done while he was dead, which was train under some person named King Kia. "Well." She began when he had asked her how they had gotten him back. "We couldn't wish you back with our own balls, but you know Kami sent me that vision and well I sent Krillin Chi-Chi and Gohan there without me. When I got there we found out that we could wish you back but you would appear in the same place you died, or in our case the cold of space. So I set out and they would wish you back at a certain time, and my ship would be placed in the right spot and you appeared in here instead of out there." She finished pointing out a window. He grinned saying how smart she was to figure it all out. That night when she went to bed a new thought entered her mind. How was Vegeta? Was he mad at her? Groaning she tried to push all thoughts of the man out of her head. She had done what she needed to do, and that was leave. She had told him she would escape someday. So why did she feel as if she had betrayed him somehow?

Shaking her body Bulma listened to her favorite songs through her headset. Baradock was seeing how strong his son was and she was preparing all the supplies for the injured Sayain or when they were done. Either way she was ready to play doctor for two men too stupid to call it quits till one or both fell over. She neglected to acknowledge all of the times she had acted and done the very same when she fought battled with Goku, Gohan and Piccolo. But when the ship rocked she knew something was wrong. Screaming out a warning she had to throw up her ki to stop the explosion from reaching her. She hardly noticed her father and brother at her side as they were being forced to dock to another ship. Feeling the hairs rise on her neck she froze for a moment. "Oh no."

*************

NO this is not how long most of my stories are. This is one I have been working on for a VERY long time. It's actually the only one I SOLEY wrote posted on my page. The rest, well nearly all, are joint efforts between my best friend and I. You should go check it out! I try to write about a page worth of this story a week but with all the others I've posted I don't know how well that will go. Especially since I have to sneak on the computer and fight for it against my brother. Constructive criticism is welcome, and flames shall be ignored. Ummmmm oh ya, review PLEASE!! That's all.

~BUM~