Okay, we continue. And hopefully, this uploads with formatting intact. I am trying html this time around, as all my italics disappear otherwise. Sigh. I found this out the hard way… and have to replace everything I've managed to upload so far. So, if you read one of my confusing stories, try again. It might make more sense this time around….

Disclaimer: Um, sure. Sue away. I got nothing.

"My birthday's tomorrow, you know."

"Is it really?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm… does that mean you want a present?" Goku propped his chin on his hands. "I'm not too good at picking out presents."

"Oh, I know that! But, you will get me something won't you?" Bra wheedled.

He laughed, chucking her under the chin. "I'll come up with something. I suppose there'll be a party?"

"With lots and lots and lots of food," she laughed.

"REALLY?" Goku sat straight up, all his attention suddenly focused on her.

"Yes, Goku, really! You're invited. I'm going to be eighteen."

He blinked. "Eighteen. Gosh, has it really been that long? Your mom must really be getting old!"

"Goku! You just saw her yesterday. Did she look old to you?"

"I did, didn't I? Nope, she still looks really pretty in a bikini." Bra fell out of her chair, clutching her sides and trying to catch her breath between giggles. "Not that there was a whole lot to that bikini. I wonder why she doesn't like to go skinny-dipping with me anymore?" Goku mused.

"DAAD!" Goten yelped, prying Bra up from off the floor she'd flattened herself to. "You don't say stuff like that!"

"Why not? We used to skinny-dip all the time. At least, until your father got involved with her we did. I wonder if he's why she doesn't like to do it anymore?"

Bra leaned against Goten, giggling helplessly. Goku looked like he actually expected an answer! Finally, she got control of herself. "Dad's pretty possessive. I imagine she didn't want him getting jealous of you and fighting with you over her."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"You wore them."

Bra looked up. Her father sounded happy, but she had no idea why. "Mrffle?" she asked through a mouthful of pancake.

"The earrings." Vegeta reached out, brushing her cheek gently. "The ones I made. The emblem of the royal house."

"You made them! Mother didn't tell me that! Oh, thank you, Daddy! They were a wonderful birthday surprise."

He staggered away from her. "Your… mother?" he asked, one hand creeping over his heart.

"She gave them to me this morning for my birthday." Bra watched the blood drain from her father's face before he whirled and ran from the room. "Oh… oh, no!" she whispered, understanding. "Mother, how could you!"

"Why are you crying? Did I hurt you?"

"No, love. No. You could never hurt me." She reached up, pulling him down. "It's Vegeta… I'm worried about him."

He slid from her body, reaching for his clothes. "How come?"

"There's something wrong with him. He's been too quiet, even for him."

"What? Vegeta being too quiet?" He frowned. "Huh. I didn't know that was even possible!"

"It's possible. The GR was running when I left, but there weren't any flashes or explosions or anything going on. I did peek in the window, he was just sitting in the middle of the floor."

"Meditation, probably."

"I… don't know. That earring business really shook him up. Maybe I shouldn't have…"

"It's too late for maybes. Do you want me to talk to him?"

"Would you?"

"Hey Vegeta!" Goku walked into the GR. "Hey! Are you in here?" He paused, waiting for an answer that didn't come. "Well, that's funny. Bulma said he was in here. It's running. So where is he?"

"Kakarot."

Goku looked up. "Oh, there you are!"

"Go away."

"But… I wanted to talk to you!"

"Not interested." Vegeta returned to his contemplation of the ceiling.

"Look, if you're still upset about those earrings…"

"What do you know about that?" Vegeta snarled, shoving the taller Saiyan up against the wall.

"I…" Goku's brain scrambled for a reason to know that wouldn't get him killed, "know Bulma gave them to Bra. And that you made them for Bulma. I think she thought you made them for her to give to Bra for her birthday."

"What?" Vegeta relaxed his grip slightly. "Why would she think that?"

"Maybe because you gave them to her in a box wrapped in birthday paper the night before Bra's birthday?"

"Oh." It made sense, put like that. But he'd told her they were for her… hadn't he? He hadn't known the rose patterned paper was for birthdays, though. "I… see." He let Goku go.

"Yeah, anyway, you want to spar?"

"Oh, sure. Why not?"

"He really did mistake her for her mother. It was heart-rending," the blond informed the others. "He was all shocked and horrified."

"Oh, that's not good. Now we have to go beg Trunks to cook for us."

"This is going to be so embarrassing!"

Bra listened to her friends' rambling as the talk turned to her brother's magnificent body. That didn't interest her! Her mind wandered. She'd been delighted that her mother had remembered her birthday - she'd forgotten more than once. But the tiny golden package had contained a gift for her mother, not for her. She didn't think she'd ever be able to forget the look of… of… the look on her father's face when he had realized that it was she, and not her mother, who wore them.

She reached up to touch the tiny disks she wore. The emblem of the royal house, wasn't that what he'd said? Her father had never forgotten his rightful position as a Prince, never let anything - including virtual slavery and the destruction of his people- take away his pride in what he was. He'd been a mere child when Frieza had taken him, yet he had carried with him the memory of the emblem she now wore for all these years.

"Earth to Bra! Wake up, honey! Which of your sweeties are you thinking of now?"

The mocking voice snapped her from her trance. "Hey! Are you implying that I have a string of boys or something?"

"Well, you do. This latest one is really cute. Haven't I seen him with your brother?"

"Um, yeah. Hey… I gotta go." Bra bolted from her chair, her stomach in a sudden uproar.

"Sick again? Hey, maybe you ought to see a doctor," Goten said with sincere concern.

"I hate doctors."

"Even Gohan?"

Bra blinked. "Oh, that's right. I forgot about him being a doctor since everyone always calls him Professor." Another bout of nausea ripped through her. "Him, I'll go see."

"Well, actually, he'll be here in about fifteen minutes, he was coming by for lunch."

"Great. I'm going to go lay down." Which she did, immediately. And when she finally woke up two hours later, Gohan was waiting for her. "Mrmmhm?"

"Goten said you were sick."

"To be blunt, I feel like hell." Bra stretched, turning to face Gohan. "What's that look for?"

"Oh, I… just can't think of much that would make one of us sick.." He pulled the pencil from behind his ear, rummaged through the bag he'd set on the floor for some paper and a thermometer. "So, how about we find out what you've got?"

A flurry of punches at his invisible nemesis. Kicks that would have decapitated anyone standing before him. He forced himself to his limits over and over, to fall to the floor exhausted. He allowed himself no rest even then, making himself rise again, no matter how weak he felt, no matter how badly he wanted to sleep. He fought against the drones in gravity higher than he ever had, rising slower and more shakily each time.

And no matter how hard he fought, he couldn't forget what he had overheard. A drone blasted him in the face, he fell, blood streaming from another wound. He forced his arms to take his weight, his knees to bend preparatory to rising. Three more drones fired in rapid succession, each scoring a head shot. Vegeta slumped to the floor.

"I just could not believe the look on your dad's face! I mean, he really thought you were your mom!"

"It was just because of those earrings. He was paying more attention to them than me."

"Oh, but they're gorgeous. Was that real gold they were wrapped in?"

"Of course not, ninny! Just gold colored foil. My mother doesn't gift-wrap in gold. Can we get off this subject? You have to go do your begging now. Trunks is even in the kitchen now."

Vegeta moaned, one hand moving weakly to his forehead, coming away sticky with blood. "Too weak to keep a woman, Vegeta? Don't worry. You won't need one now." "No!" Vegeta lurched to his feet, blinking away the blood haze in his eyes. He spun in a complete circle, searching for the owner of the voice. "I won't. I won't let it happen!" He tripped over his own feet, landing heavily on his side. "Leave me alone!" A ki blast tore from his palm, exploding harmlessly against the wall of the GR.

He felt the gravity ease, heard the door open. "Hey, Dad? Lunch is ready."

"I can't keep doing this." She stroked the strong angles of his face, tears slipping down her cheeks.

"I know."

"How can you be so calm about this?"

He sighed. "I'm not calm. I'm frustrated. I love you. But…"

"I know, I know. It's my own fault for staying with him. I should leave him, get everything out in the open."

"That would be nice. I don't like sneaking around like this."

"I love you, I do. It's just that… oh, I don't know anymore! He hurt me so badly. I just wanted to forget about it, forget about him." Her blue eyes filled with tears. "Now it's so complicated."

"Love isn't supposed to be complicated. It's supposed to be simple. It should be us, together. Why can't we be together?"

She was silent a long time, her head buried against him. "Because I'm afraid."

"Of Vegeta?"

"Yes." Her voice was very small. "Of his anger. I'm afraid of what he would do to you!"