Chapter 50: What is there now?
"Are you sure everything's in working order"
Bulma peered curiously as she leaned over Vegeta's shoulder, who shot her a withering glare. "Of course it is. Do you think everything would be blinking and flashing if it wasn't?" he sighed. "I thought you would know, after all, aren't you the Scientist?"
Bulma pouted. "Well excuse me if I don't want something to malfunction while I'm on this thing, and get stuck floating around in space, pregnant."
Vegeta gave her a look that Bulma couldn't quite decipher. He had been giving her a lot of those looks lately. She felt her hands unconciously rubbing at her stomach, nervously. The tension between the two of them had lessened somewhat over the last few hours, but was still present. It was their last day on R'haksin. Dawn was just breaking over the mountains, and Bulma found she wasn't entirely OK with the rumbling of the ship beneathe her feet. She put a hand on the Captain's seat to steady herself, swallowing back an uneasy feeling that suddenly washed over her.
"What's wrong?" Vegeta grunted, moving closer to her.
"N-nothing." Bulma replied shakily. Of course, trying to lie to Vegeta was as easy as trying to get Goku to understand physics. She sighed at the look on his face. "Alright. . . so it isn't 'nothing'." she made a face as another wave of nausea rolled over her. She briefly wondered if Chi-Chi had felt this sick this early in her pregnancy with Gohan. "I think it's morning sickness."
Vegeta shifted uncomfortably from where he stood. He still wasn't entirely comfortable with talking about the baby, but the concern on his face wasn't hard to spot. Bulma smiled and made herself let go of her stomach. "I'll be alright." She said, trying to reasure him. An uneasy Vegeta made for a difficult time. "Thank you for your concern."
He 'humphed' at her, the turned back toward the controls. It was amazing how much he seemed to know about the ship, considering how he could hardly get a toaster to function. Bulma watched as he pressed buttons and moved levers to their desired spot.
"How many times have you flown a ship, Vegeta?" She asked softly. "Did you fly many times on Vegetasei?"
Vegeta's mouth turned up in a bitter smirk. "You forget, I purged planets for a living. I've traveled in many a ship." surprisingly, he turned to her with a completely frown-free face. "This ship is child's play compared to Freizas. In both size and difficulty. It's like flying a toy." his ebony eyes flickered around the room.
Bulma made a face. "My father builds excellent ships." She reprimanded.
He smirked, only furthering her aggravation. "I'm sure he does."
She sighed. "I don't have the time or the energy to argue with you right now." she turned to move away, but her knees decided that they wouldn't have any of that. Vegeta caught her in his arms before she slid to the floor. Her legs shook like jello.
It was the first time he had touched her in hours. They had slept together, but each huddled over on their side of the mattress, wanting to touch one another but terrified to. Bulma looked up at him slowly from beneathe her lashes. "I. . . guess I'm worse than I thought I was." she said, finding it an effort to even speak. Why did she feel so weak, suddenly?
Vegeta smoothly lifted her into his arms with a gentleness not born of him. "Idiot." he cursed her as he walked her to the back of the ship. "You shouldn't even be up."
Bulma muttered incoherently in his arms as he carried her down the hall and toward the bedroom. "You're going to sleep now, woman, and you're not going to come out of this room until I tell you you can." Vegeta said. He kicked open the door, Spider scuttling out of the way. It was a wonder that the huge Roctorn even fit inside the room anymore. Ghost sat on the bed and perked up his ears at the sight of his master as Vegeta knelt beside the bed and lay Bulma upon it slowly. Taking extra care to tuck the covers in around her, Vegeta powered up slightly, adding his warmth to her. Ghost chirped, startled at the sudden energy.
Satisfied, Vegeta straightened. He was about to leave the room when Bulma's hand reached out from beneath the covers and grabbed his. He turned and looked down at her. "You'll stay where you are, woman." he growled softly, an underlying tenderness in his voice. "Do you understand?"
Bulma smiled, her eyes half-lidded. "You do care about me." she whispered before falling almost completely asleep. Her eyes closed and her hand fell onto the blankets. Some hair fell across her forehead as she shifted, already in slumber.
Vegeta stared at her for a long moment. Of course I care about you. He said to himself, sure that she was too far gone in slumberland to hear his thoughts. More than you could ever know.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Bulma cracked an eye open. She smiled, allowing her heart to swell with happiness.
"I knew it." She whispered aloud to the darkness.
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Strifelon was not sure what to make of the Prince's visit. Vegeta stood outside the Storkrin's doorway, peering down into the darkness. His hands were stuffed deep in the pockets of his jacket, his face set in a troubled frown.
"What isss it, Prince?" Strifelon asked, opening his door further. Vegeta eyed the entry, but refused the offer. The cold morning air blew his hair around in the wind, tossing the flaps on his jacket. "I'm not good with. . . these sort of things." He managed, making an awkward face. Strifelon waited patiently for the Prince to find his words. It took a long moment; Vegeta pacing back and forth in a troubled manner. "I. . . wanted to thank you. For what you've done for Bulma." he said at last. "I know it was I who saved her, ultimately. I want no mistake about that. However. . . " He paused, his mouth working to put words to his thoughts. "You brought happiness to her. For that, I thank you."
Strifelon smiled. "It wasss a pleasssure." He said after a long moment. "Jussst be sssure that you treat her well, Prince." he pointed a claw at Vegeta. "You have found a rare jewel in Bulma. Make no misstake about that."
Vegeta smirked. "I think at last, old man, we understand one another."
Strifelon grinned.
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Bulma's eyes fluttered as she came awake. Vegeta was kneeling by her bed, his ebony eyes unreadable. He nudged her gently. "We're leaving." He said. "Is there anything you wanted to do before we go?"
Bulma sat up. It took an effot, but Vegeta was there to help. He gently put one hand on the small of her back and cradled her into an upright position. Bulma found tears welling in her eyes at his tenderness. Perhaps being pregant was not going to be as bad as she thought it would be.
"I. . . I'd like to see the planet. One last time." She said softly, looking at him. "Or am I allowed to get out of bed yet?" she asked with a grin.
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "I suppose. After all, you need to cook me breakfast." he said at last, a smirk winding its way onto his features. "Even though I dread it." his smirk vanished as a serious thought seemed to make its way to him. "You feel well enough?"
"Vegeta," Bulma put a hand on his, ignoring the flinch from him. "I've only been pregnant for a few days. I'm not going to shatter into millions of tiny pieces of glass, you know."
He frowned. "You carry my son within you." He said, his voice strictly serious. "I'll not have you engaging in any stupid human antics to endanger him."
"A son?" Bulma asked in wonder. "How do you know?"
Vegeta snorted. "I'm not stupid, woman." he stood up. "Now are you coming or not?"
"Yes." She said, her thoughts alive with the idea of a baby boy. How did he know these things? She supposed she would never know, and it would do her no good to obsess over it. He wouldn't tell her, anyway. "I'd like to watch us take off."
__________________
It was brilliant.
Vegeta eyed Bulma curiously as she sat in the chair opposite him, strapped in securely. Her hands were balled tightly in her lap, her brilliant turqoise eyes fixed resolutely ahead. The ship rumbled beneath them, the vibrations sending curious but not entirely unpleasant shudders through Bulma's body. The seat below her rumbled as the ship jolted to life. Steam screamed from the doors that closed all around the ship's perimeter, and Bulma clutched the armrest with her one good hand. Excitement, and a mixture of sadness found its way to her beautiful face, and Vegeta watched her, completely absorbed in her wonder.
How had he found her?
"I'm going to miss this place, you know." She said over the roar of the ship. She hadn't remembered it being as loud. "Many things have happened on this planet." she paused, struggling to control her voice as a lump formed in her throat. "I made many friends here."
Vegeta looked away, focusing ahead of him. His gloved hand reached for the main control lever, and he pulled back on it gently. Still unaccustomed to human emotion, he made no comment about Bulma's friends, or the strange planet they were at last leaving.
The ship made a tremendous moaning noise as it drew in it's thrusters and left the ground. The room shook a little, and Bulma could hear Spider's claws digging into the linoleum as he scrambled to keep his footing. Vegeta had somehow managed to rope him comfortably into place for their liftoff through the atmosphere. She smiled a little as she thought of what everyone back home would think of the Roctorn. She knew Goku would love him. She wasn't sure about Chi-Chi, though. Ghost was secure inside her knapsack, his furry head and wide, round eyes staring around in wonder as the ship jolted and shuddered into the sky. He had most definetely never experienced anything like it.
Bulma regretted her decision to be in the cabin at their take off. At the rushing altitude, as she was pressed back forcibly into her chair, she felt a strange clawing on panic at the thought of the force of gravity hurting her baby. She whimpered a bit in fear and clutched the seat tighter, her eyes closed tightly shut. The ship rushed ahead, faster and faster. Pressure built in the cabin and her ears popped. She found it an odd thing to be frightened. Although, she had never been pregnant before.
Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation engulf her. Her thoughts of fear and panic seemed to melt away in one strange, glorious rush. She kept her eyes closed, wondering at the feeling.
The baby will be fine. She heard Vegeta's voice echo through her mind. Relax.
Her eyes opened, and she managed to move her head enough to look at Vegeta. His eyes were closed, and he seemed perfectly at ease, though a sheen of sweat beaded his forehead, hinting at some sort of inner concentration. She turned ahead, closed her eyes one more, and puzzled over how she would return her thoughts. She had never done such a thing before, and didn't know the first thing about telepathy.
It will come in time. His voice drifted easily through her mind again.
At last, the ship broke through the Planets atmosphere and shuddered to a much slower pace. She felt the pressure lifting from her body as she leaned forward more easily in her chair as the ship righted itself. She sighed, glad to be rid of the panicked feeling. She adjusted the seatbelt straps and looked over at Vegeta.
"How do I do that?" She asked him quietly. "How do I see what you are thinking, and how do I talk back?"
Vegeta sighed. He seemed tired. "It will come in time, I told you."
She looked down at her hands. "I'd like to know."
He fixed his intense gaze on her, and she flinched under it's power. "It is more than simple thoughts, woman. It is something no human woman has ever done before."
"Chi-Chi must do it, I'm sure."
Vegeta snorted. "Kakarott doesn't know a thing about Sayajin tradition." he said.
"Is that what it is? Tradition?"
Silence. Bulma found herself absently touching the bitemarks on her neck. The wound had softened, but the scars remained. Vegeta had told her that they would never completely heal. She hadn't minded, although it would be strange explaining them to her parents and Chi-Chi. She wondered if Goku had bit Chi-Chi. Her face flushed at the thought, and a giggle found its way out of her mouth. She could just imagine the look on Chi-Chi's face if her lovable goof of a husband bit her hard enough to draw blood.
"What are you laughing about?" Vegeta asked, looking annoyed.
"Nothing." She covered her mouth with her hand. "I just had a silly thought."
Vegeta eyed her for a moment, and then smirked. "Like I said, Kakarott knows nothing about it." he paused. "Besides, it is an ancient artform. It takes practice. It is not a thing to be taken lightly."
Bulma's ears perked up. "Practice?" she echoed. "How much 'practice' have you had, Vegeta?" she heard the hint of jealousy in her voice.
At first, she didn't think he was going to answer her. Then, he chuckled softly, shaking his head slightly. "I've only done it once, if you must know."
"Once?" She asked, touching her collarbone. "Only once?" she swallowed.
"Once." he confirmed. He looked over at her. His face seemed even darker than usual in the sudden absence of light. A billion stars winked at them through the window, and for a moment Bulma held her breath. "And only once." he said in a tone she hadn't heard him use before, turning his head forward. Bulma had a fairly good idea of who his 'once' had been. She felt her cheeks heating. Silence filled the space between them. Then he pulled the lever toward him and hit a switch, then unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Where are you going?" Bulma asked as he stood up.
"No need to get your panties in a knot, woman." He said, his old self rapidly returning. Bulma had learned that these brief intervals of emotion were few and far between, and even shorter. For the advance they had made in their relationship, it was a small price to pay. "I'm stretching my legs."
Then he was gone, leaving her alone in the cabin. She sighed, not at all at unease with being alone. She had managed ships alone before, but she felt a chill at his passing. Ghost wormed his way out of her knapsack and into her arms. She was grateful for his warmth, and snuggled him to her chest. He chirped happily.
"Think I'm getting through to him?" she whispered into his fur. His ears perked up and he flapped his little stumpy arms enthusiastically.
She grinned. "I think so, too."
____________
Bulma didn't remember how long their trip to R'haksin had taken. She had thought a week, then she had thought two. She shook her head, frustrated, and decided against thinking about it any more. Vegeta knew the path home, and he knew roughly how long it would take. That was all that mattered. She had never thought that she could feel so safe with Vegeta, of all people. She realized, suddenly, that she felt more safe with Vegeta by her side than she did with even Goku. She laughed at the thought. Goku was everyone's savior! And yet. . . although he had saved her a number of times in her life, he was no match for Vegeta. Vegeta could make her forget that landfills were filling up, that global warming was approaching, that the Earth was dying more every day, with just one simple hug. Goku couldn't do that. She grinned.
"Of course he can't." A smug voice came from behind her. She whirled around in her seat, her eyes wide.
"VEGETA!" she cried, holding her one hand to her chest. "Why do you always sneak up on me like that?"
"To scare the shit out of you, of course." He replied matter-of-factly. He took his seat behind her, smirking contentedly at the startled expression on her face. She pouted, whipping her head forward, and crossed her arms across her chest. She had no idea how very much like a certain Prince she was acting. She was too annoyed. Why did he have to do that all the time? And how the hell did he sneak up like that? He was almost cat-like in his grace, and it made her face burn because as a woman, that was her department. And she was as clumsy as an Ox.
"Is this how it's going to be from now on?" She snapped, wanting to wipe his smirk right off his face. "Are you just going to read every little thought I have?"
Vegeta shrugged, holding his hands around a mug of coffee. Bulma's mouth watered at the sudden scent of it. She hadn't realized how hungry she was.
"Well?" She demanded after a moment.
"Why does it matter to you?" He asked, still smirking.
"Because it's not fair!" She cried. "I can't do it to you!"
Vegeta turned to her, the smirk gone from his face. "You'd do well to stay out of my head, woman."
She blinked. What was this? "But. . . you. . . "
"I let you glimpse part of my past, in order for the Bond to work." He sipped at the coffee. "You saw for yourself how ugly it was. Do you really need to see more?"
"That's not the point." She protested. "It's just not fair. I'm entitled to my privacy, Vegeta. There are some thoughts I don't -want- you to hear."
At this, his smirk returned full force. "Oh?" he lifted an eyebrow suggestively at her. "What sort of thoughts?"
He was trying to bait her, she knew. She sputtered for a moment, trying desperately to think of a way out of the situation. A comeback. Anything to distract her from thinking about his gorgeous body, tight stomach, and smooth, hard---
"You mean -those- sort of thoughts?" He finished for her, chuckling eevily. He had won. Bulma's cheeks stung with embarrasment, and she fixed her gaze forward, trying to concentrate on the blackness and stars before them.
"You know," Bulma jumped as she felt a warm nose nuzzle into the side of her neck. "They aren't -bad- thoughts to have." he murmured.
Vegeta was standing behind her, his arms running smoothy up her own, raising goosebumps on her flesh. She shuddered in pleasure as his hot tongue darted out and gently ran a trail up her neck, stopping at her ear. "Aren't you an impulsive woman, Bulma? Don't you act on every thought you have?" his warm breath tickled her, and she twisted in her seat.
She decided to play his game. "No, because if I did, you'd be one spent Sayajin." She turned her head enough to capture his lips with her own, but to her surprise, he moved his head away. She looked up at him questioningly, her eyes confused.
"I won't, then." He said softly, still holding her arms. He was bent beside her seat, his face a sudden mask of seriousness, although she could still see the passion burning in his fathomless eyes.
"You won't what?" She breathed, annoyed that he had stopped their game so suddenly. What the hell was he getting at? Did he get off teasing her like that?
"I won't read every thought you have." he replied, motioning for her to stand up. She smoothly unbuckled her seatbelt and obliged, walking around the chair and into his arms. She shook her head, thinking she was tired. This couldn't be Vegeta standing here in front of her, actually pausing a sexual invitation to feed her a serious apology. Then again, she had thought a number of things impossible. She quivered, still aroused by his kisses, but now enticed by this sudden strangeness.
"Vegeta, you don't have to. . . "
"You do need privacy." he cut her off. She stared up at him, feeling the warmth radiating from him. He seemed to be waiting to say more, and she held her breath in anticipation. "And. . . ?"
But before she got her wonderfully impossible perfect boyfriend answer, his smirk whipped back into place. "But not the sort of privacy I'm willing to violate right now."
She rolled her eyes, feeling her breath rush out of her lungs, deflated. She should have known. And yet, she -did- get half of an apology out of him, and that was a start, wasn't it?
Besides, she wanted to see where his kisses would lead.
___________
Bulma cupped her hands against Vegeta's cheeks as they both waited for their breath to return to normal. They had spooned, something they had hadn't done yet. It had felt incredible, but something about Vegeta had been different this time. The same burning, passionate fury had been constant and alive as he had entered her again and again, but his deep thrusts had not held the same uncontained ferocity that they had before.
Vegeta brought her up against his warm chest and burried his mouth in the crook of her neck. He had recovered, and was now running his hand lazily over her abdomen, already stirring more passion within her. She turned in his embrace, deciding against having him again. Besides, he had tired her out, and she wanted answers.
"You were different this time." She said softly, her face so close to his that her lips brushed his own as she spoke.
His defenses flared up, and he narrowed his eyes. "Different? What do you mean, woman?"
"I mean. . . you were much more gentle. Slower." she said, feeling her cheeks turning a light pink.
"Did you like it?" he asked after a moment.
". . .Yes. . ." she said nudging her body closer to him.
He smirked. "Then I shall remember to do it again."
Bulma giggled, but then her face turned serious again. She brought one hand up to his face and wrapped it around his neck, rubbing his chin with her thumb. "Why were you so much slower, and so gentle?" she asked him.
Vegeta glared. He moved his head away from her touch and trief to move away from her, but she held him in place.
"Answer me. Please?" she asked.
"Woman, you are. . . with child." he finally managed, not looking at her. "I did not know if you would enjoy it as much."
Bulma smiled deeply to herself. So that was it. He had been afraid to hurt her, or make her feel uncomfortable. The gentleness with which he had made love to her had been almost shocking. He had cradled her in his massive arms gently and had tenderly thrusted into her while she had held him, all the while ignoring his desperate urge to turn her over, lift her hips, and slam into her with wild abandonment. She had given him the opportunity, too. She had discovered his tail spot, and had been delighted to find what it could do to him. And yet, with so much urge, he had still refrained.
"Thank you." she whispered against his mouth, before he moved his lips over her own in a hot, dizzy rush. It was obvious that the Prince was not entirely satisfied himself. She could feel his length hardening almost instantly against her abdomen. Disapointed, she made a small noise in the back of her throat. It was true, being pregnant with a Sayajin child was not entirely comfortable, and although their lovemaking had felt more than wonderful, she wasn't in the mood for his wild abandonment.
"Vegeta. . . " she moaned. She was about to say more when he silenced her with a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth.
"Go to sleep, woman." He ordered in a gruff voice. Bulma could still feel him pressing into her, and she could see the desire still fresh and unsated in his eyes.
"But, you. . . "
"It doesn't matter. Get your rest." he nipped her lightly on the neck, before moving away from her enough that his erection left contact.
Now, -this- was strange. Bulma watched as he stood up from the bed and began to dress. She had thought he would at least go into the bathroom to satisfy himself, but he didn't. Instead, he opened the closet and removed his spandex and battle armor.
Bulma pulled the blankets under her chin. "Why are you putting that on?" she asked.
He pulled it over his head, securing the straps with loud clicks. He shrugged. "Do I have to explain everything to you?" he asked.
"No, and you certainly don't." She said quietly, although in no mood to argue. She yawned. Sleep -did- feel like a good idea.
"Woman---"
But she was already asleep. Grumbling to himself, Vegeta left the room, closing the door behind him as softly as he could.
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Bulma cried out as she was thrown from her bed.
She fell onto the floor with a loud thud, whacking her tailbone enough to hurt, but not enough to injure. Spider's ungainly hulk was instantly by her side. His golden eyes were wide with confusion and fright, his pupils dialted to nearly twice their normal size. Bulma tried to steady herself on the floor of the ship as she grabbed a fistful of his pebbly fur and hefted herself against him, leaning her body weight into his side. She was unsteady for a moment before she could stand completely. She silently thanked Kami that she hadn't landed on her stomach.
The door was thrown open. Vegeta stormed into the bedroom, his eyes furious but fearful at the same time. He rushed toward her and gathered her into his arms. A string of curses spat from his mouth as he checked her over for injuries.
She batted his hands away. "Vegeta! What the hell just happened?" she asked, bewildered. The ship groaned beneath their feet, making a sound she had never heard before.
"It's nothing. Are you alright?" He grunted, his eyes wandering up and down her length for any sign of hurt. Beside them, Spider whimpered. His six tails tucked uncharacteristically between his legs.
"I'm fine! Now tell me what happened!" She said loud enough to force his attention on her.
He glared, annoyed. "The ship stopped. I don't know what happened." he said. He seemed satisfied enough that she wasn't hurt, and stepped away from her. "I think it's a malfunction."
Bulma could tell he was asking her to come and look. He knew about ships, but not the way she knew about them. She nodded. "I'll go see." She said, and together they hurried down the hall toward the cabin.
Bulma did a quick scan, becoming more uneasy by the second when she couldn't see anything wrong inside the ship. It had to be outside. She swallowed hard, clenching and unclenching her good hand. "I don't know. . . " she said, pressing a few buttons and pushing a few levers. "What happened while you were out here?"
Vegeta looked enraged. "I was simply sitting here!" he said. "The ship just. . . stopped!" he couldn't seem to express his frustration at not knowing what was happening enough. He started pacing, running his hands agitatedly through his thick mane of hair. "There was a loud noise."
Bulma nodded. She didn't know why Vegeta seemed so stressed about a simple malfunction, but it was making her uneasy. She straightened and watched him as he paced, nervously pulling at the bottom of her tanktop. It was all she was wearing, and she didn't even feel chilled. "Vegeta. . . ?" she said softly, her voice pleading. "You're scaring me."
Vegeta closed his eyes and stopped, with quite an effort. He stilled his feet and made fists at his sides, taking his turmoil within. He sighed and glared at Bulma. "If there's nothing wrong in here, then what?"
Bulma made herself speak. "I think it might be something outside." she said quietly. "There might need to be a. . . repair. Something might have hit the side of the ship."
He nodded, his jaw tight. "I trust your father equipped this ship with the supplies needed to do an outside repair?"
Bulma gaped at him. "Of course he did! But, Vegeta. . . he didn't exactly think we'd need to be doing any repairs outside of the ship in the middle of space!" she nearly shouted. Her mind was reeling. What had happened to cause all of this? She could hear Spider mewling nervously behind her. Ghost didn't seem to understand what was going on. Everyone's eyes seemed to be on her. She shook her head.
"You can't go out there. It's too dangerous." she bit her lip.
Vegeta snorted. "Of course I'm going out there. It's you or me, woman, and you most certainly are not."
Bulma took hold of his arm. "But, you can't!" She pleaded, hearing her voice tightening.
Vegeta yanked his arm free of her grip. "Idiot! What do you propose we do, then? Sit here in the middle of space, waiting for the Energy to run out? Waiting for our food to run out? Waiting to die?"
Bulma felt the first tear trickling down her face. Vegeta saw it and threw his head back, growling in frustration. "Crying doesn't fix anything, Bulma!" He shouted.
She drew in a shaky breath. "I don't care!" She cried back. "I don't want you to go out there! I don't want you to get hurt. Not when things are just starting to get better again!"
Something in her face must have struck a cord, because Vegeta's face softened somewhat, and he approached her, drawing her to him with a sigh. She sniffled into his chest, pouting and frightened at the same time. Why was this happening? Why were the two of them getting so upset about it? Vegeta was right, he had to fix it. The repair could be very minor. She clutched him tighter. But then why had the ship jolted so much? Why did Vegeta look so uneasy?
He drew away. "Look, there's no time to waste. I've got to get the suit." he said.
"It's downstairs. In the closet where you found me." She sniffled.
He nodded, and started down the hall. He reappeared moments later in the suit. Bulma had never seen him in anything other than his battle armor and his one casual outfit. The sight of him bundled up in the bulky spacesuit made her stomach tighten, but not in the way that usually led them to a mattress.
"Vegeta, do you even know what you're looking for out there?" she asked him.
He didn't say anything for a moment. "I don't know." He managed, with some difficulty. He sounded ashamed. "But I cannot simply sit here and do nothing. "I'll look for whatever I can."
This was it, then. Bulma stared at the man she had come to Love, and felt a greater fear than anything she'd ever experienced swell in her chest. Something could be waiting out there. Something more powerful than Vegeta. Something he couldn't handle. What would she do then? What the hell would she do then?
"There is nothing I can't handle." He said softly into the silence surrounding them. Bulma moaned as he drew her to him, her breath quickening in fear as she clutched his back. He had read her thoughts again, but she couldn't have cared. She couldn't have cared at all right then.
"You broke your promise." She said, trying to laugh. Vegeta only squeezed her tighter. She wanted him to stay, wanted him to stay hugging her like this forever, but he was right. He had to do something.
"Please be careful." She whispered.
"I'm always careful." Vegeta said as he pulled away, flashing her his incredibly handsome smirk. It melted her heart, and she held her hand to her breast, listening to her heart hammering wildly in her chest as she watched him pull his helmet on.
"Here." He tossed her a walkie-talkie. "Turn it on. I'll tell you what I see." His voice sounded muffled through the glass. He took his own out of his pocket, and switched it on. They stared at each other for a long moment, before Vegeta lifted two fingers in salute and turned.
And then he was gone, down the hallway and through the pod that led to the outside wing of the ship. She heard the steam escaping the door as it slid open, and then shut with a beep.
Moments passed like syrup running down hill. Time seemed to stand still. Bulma stood in the middle of the cabin, and slowly switched on her walkie- talkie. Static filled the air. She stared down at the receiver, her heart beating madly. She brought it up to her mouth, her hands shaking.
Dammit! Stop being so wimpy, Bulma!
"Vegeta. . . ?" she called into her end.
Nothing.
"Vegeta. . . !" she gripped her end tighter, her knuckles white around the receiver. "Vegeta! Come in!"
Static.
Panicked, Bulma turned to the window, where she pressed her face against the glass and frantically searched for the Sayajin Prince. Her eyes moved back and forth rapidly, her hands pressing so hard against the glass that they shook. She ignored the pain rifling through her broken palm. She couldn't see him. She couldn't see him. She couldn't see him.
"VEGETA!" She nearly screamed into the receiever.
A strange, blueish light filled the interior of the ship. Bulma took a step backwards as the ship began to rumble violently under her feet. She heard dishes rattling in the kitchen. Spider growled, his hair standing on end. Ghost delved into her knapsack, screeching. She gripped her chair and stared with incredulous horror at the sudden, unfathomably massive shape coming at the front of the ship.
No. Please. . .No.
Her eyes grew impossibly huge. Time seemed to stop.
It connected.
Bulma screamed, feeling her back slam into the wall of the cabin. Something fell and connected with her skull, and she lifted her hands up in terror and wrapped them around her head and neck, curling herself into a ball. She screamed, over and over, as the ship shook so hard she swore they were being torn in half. Something massive and furry appeared at her side, and somehow, she miraculously held onto Spider, burrying her face beneath his chest, her face pressed into the floor, as the ship jolted and tumbled and things fell and crashed all around her. The bluish light became a white hot glow, and she imagined her head was being torn asunder as a sudden, incredible energy flodded through her entire being. The light covered everything for a moment, flashed even brighter, and then abruptly vanished.
Silence.
Bulma could hear herself sobbing, her body covered by a fuzzy warmth. Something warm trickled down the side of her face, and dribbled into her eyes. She coughed violently, her eyes huge and unwilling to see what had happened around them. Her hands clutched weakly at something to hold, and found Spider's fur. With a pained cry, she somehow pushed herself out from under the Roctorn, and lay sprawled on the floor of the cabin, her head throbbing, her body in shock.
The walkie-talkie lay a few feet from her, miraculously untouched by the damage. She didn't understand what had happened, and only stared blankly at it. She could hear hissing and popping. Sparks flew, and circuit boards sizzled. Something like rushing water came from down the hallway. Was she alive? Where was she? Where was Vegeta?
The ship was intact. Hardly, but intact. She was alive. Her body screamed with fire, but she was alive. Spider had protected her from the brunt of it. She felt burning tears sear down her cheeks as the enormity of the situation began to sink in.
Spider whimpered piteously from where he lay. Bulma could see blood, and turned her head away. She didn't want to look.
Sobbing, she made herself crawl toward the walkie-talkie. Her fingers became claws, and she used them to drag herself toward her only communication, her only hope. Her legs didn't seem to want to work. She flinched as something above her made a horrible screeching sound and exploded above her head, sending sparks dancing through the darkness. At last she reached the walkie-talkie, and curled frantic fingers around it.
Static filled the other end. Bulma lay and stared at it, her mouth trembling as she babbled and sobbed, blood tricking down her forehead and pooling into the crook of her neck. She listened to the static, unable to will herself to say anything. Closing her eyes, she prayed feverenty.
Please.
"V. . .Vegeta?" she whispered hoarsely into the reciever. Her own voice frightened her. She curled her fingers around it tigher, the pain in her hand a mere itch compared to the fire flowing through her nerves. "You can't." She mumbled pathetically, her voice smoothered by a thunderous sob. "You have to be there. You have to be there. . ." Her voice pinched off as a low whine escaped her throat. "You have to be there because I love you. Please? Vegeta? Vegeta. . . ?"
And then Bulma realized something. She had never acknowledged it before, or tried to understand it, but the Bond between her and Vegeta had sparked a continuous, flowing energy within her that she could always feel. It throbbed through her like lifeblood. Now. . .Bulma felt nothing. Panic seized her, and her eyes widened as she tried desperately to find the sensation, grasp the feeling that she had taken for granted.
Nothing.
Gone.
"No." her voice was a wild, sorrowful rampage of fury. She lay, squeezing the walkie-talkie to her chest, clenching her teeth, her toes curling, her eyes tightly shut. "NO!" She screamed, her voice a wail. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! YOU CAN'T!"
Her scream broke off into a tortured sob, a wail that rose above every other noise in the universe. Bulma shuddered into a ball and pressed her face into her chest, her mind threatening to snap into a million pieces.
What was there now, for her?
What was there now?
END OF PART ONE.
_____________________
A/N: Oh! What can this mean? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA! It means I'm an evil Bitch, that what it means.
I know that was cruel to do to all of you...especially after making you all wait so long for updates, but here's the deal:
NO, THIS IS -NOT- THE END OF THE STORY. This is merely the end of Part One. Part Two won't be even a quarter as long as Part One. It will only be about 10 chapters or so...but who knows? Anyway, I've had some major ideas, so this is why I'm dividing it up into two Parts.
Warning: This story is about to turn a little bit on the AU side. I'm about to fuck royally with the DBZ timeline *evil grin*. Again, I hope that doesn't piss anyone off. And don't worry! This story has a happy ending!
...Or does it?
Keep reading, I [b]promise[/b] you you won't be sorry!
~Jesa Jaisai
"Are you sure everything's in working order"
Bulma peered curiously as she leaned over Vegeta's shoulder, who shot her a withering glare. "Of course it is. Do you think everything would be blinking and flashing if it wasn't?" he sighed. "I thought you would know, after all, aren't you the Scientist?"
Bulma pouted. "Well excuse me if I don't want something to malfunction while I'm on this thing, and get stuck floating around in space, pregnant."
Vegeta gave her a look that Bulma couldn't quite decipher. He had been giving her a lot of those looks lately. She felt her hands unconciously rubbing at her stomach, nervously. The tension between the two of them had lessened somewhat over the last few hours, but was still present. It was their last day on R'haksin. Dawn was just breaking over the mountains, and Bulma found she wasn't entirely OK with the rumbling of the ship beneathe her feet. She put a hand on the Captain's seat to steady herself, swallowing back an uneasy feeling that suddenly washed over her.
"What's wrong?" Vegeta grunted, moving closer to her.
"N-nothing." Bulma replied shakily. Of course, trying to lie to Vegeta was as easy as trying to get Goku to understand physics. She sighed at the look on his face. "Alright. . . so it isn't 'nothing'." she made a face as another wave of nausea rolled over her. She briefly wondered if Chi-Chi had felt this sick this early in her pregnancy with Gohan. "I think it's morning sickness."
Vegeta shifted uncomfortably from where he stood. He still wasn't entirely comfortable with talking about the baby, but the concern on his face wasn't hard to spot. Bulma smiled and made herself let go of her stomach. "I'll be alright." She said, trying to reasure him. An uneasy Vegeta made for a difficult time. "Thank you for your concern."
He 'humphed' at her, the turned back toward the controls. It was amazing how much he seemed to know about the ship, considering how he could hardly get a toaster to function. Bulma watched as he pressed buttons and moved levers to their desired spot.
"How many times have you flown a ship, Vegeta?" She asked softly. "Did you fly many times on Vegetasei?"
Vegeta's mouth turned up in a bitter smirk. "You forget, I purged planets for a living. I've traveled in many a ship." surprisingly, he turned to her with a completely frown-free face. "This ship is child's play compared to Freizas. In both size and difficulty. It's like flying a toy." his ebony eyes flickered around the room.
Bulma made a face. "My father builds excellent ships." She reprimanded.
He smirked, only furthering her aggravation. "I'm sure he does."
She sighed. "I don't have the time or the energy to argue with you right now." she turned to move away, but her knees decided that they wouldn't have any of that. Vegeta caught her in his arms before she slid to the floor. Her legs shook like jello.
It was the first time he had touched her in hours. They had slept together, but each huddled over on their side of the mattress, wanting to touch one another but terrified to. Bulma looked up at him slowly from beneathe her lashes. "I. . . guess I'm worse than I thought I was." she said, finding it an effort to even speak. Why did she feel so weak, suddenly?
Vegeta smoothly lifted her into his arms with a gentleness not born of him. "Idiot." he cursed her as he walked her to the back of the ship. "You shouldn't even be up."
Bulma muttered incoherently in his arms as he carried her down the hall and toward the bedroom. "You're going to sleep now, woman, and you're not going to come out of this room until I tell you you can." Vegeta said. He kicked open the door, Spider scuttling out of the way. It was a wonder that the huge Roctorn even fit inside the room anymore. Ghost sat on the bed and perked up his ears at the sight of his master as Vegeta knelt beside the bed and lay Bulma upon it slowly. Taking extra care to tuck the covers in around her, Vegeta powered up slightly, adding his warmth to her. Ghost chirped, startled at the sudden energy.
Satisfied, Vegeta straightened. He was about to leave the room when Bulma's hand reached out from beneath the covers and grabbed his. He turned and looked down at her. "You'll stay where you are, woman." he growled softly, an underlying tenderness in his voice. "Do you understand?"
Bulma smiled, her eyes half-lidded. "You do care about me." she whispered before falling almost completely asleep. Her eyes closed and her hand fell onto the blankets. Some hair fell across her forehead as she shifted, already in slumber.
Vegeta stared at her for a long moment. Of course I care about you. He said to himself, sure that she was too far gone in slumberland to hear his thoughts. More than you could ever know.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Bulma cracked an eye open. She smiled, allowing her heart to swell with happiness.
"I knew it." She whispered aloud to the darkness.
_______________
Strifelon was not sure what to make of the Prince's visit. Vegeta stood outside the Storkrin's doorway, peering down into the darkness. His hands were stuffed deep in the pockets of his jacket, his face set in a troubled frown.
"What isss it, Prince?" Strifelon asked, opening his door further. Vegeta eyed the entry, but refused the offer. The cold morning air blew his hair around in the wind, tossing the flaps on his jacket. "I'm not good with. . . these sort of things." He managed, making an awkward face. Strifelon waited patiently for the Prince to find his words. It took a long moment; Vegeta pacing back and forth in a troubled manner. "I. . . wanted to thank you. For what you've done for Bulma." he said at last. "I know it was I who saved her, ultimately. I want no mistake about that. However. . . " He paused, his mouth working to put words to his thoughts. "You brought happiness to her. For that, I thank you."
Strifelon smiled. "It wasss a pleasssure." He said after a long moment. "Jussst be sssure that you treat her well, Prince." he pointed a claw at Vegeta. "You have found a rare jewel in Bulma. Make no misstake about that."
Vegeta smirked. "I think at last, old man, we understand one another."
Strifelon grinned.
______________
Bulma's eyes fluttered as she came awake. Vegeta was kneeling by her bed, his ebony eyes unreadable. He nudged her gently. "We're leaving." He said. "Is there anything you wanted to do before we go?"
Bulma sat up. It took an effot, but Vegeta was there to help. He gently put one hand on the small of her back and cradled her into an upright position. Bulma found tears welling in her eyes at his tenderness. Perhaps being pregant was not going to be as bad as she thought it would be.
"I. . . I'd like to see the planet. One last time." She said softly, looking at him. "Or am I allowed to get out of bed yet?" she asked with a grin.
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "I suppose. After all, you need to cook me breakfast." he said at last, a smirk winding its way onto his features. "Even though I dread it." his smirk vanished as a serious thought seemed to make its way to him. "You feel well enough?"
"Vegeta," Bulma put a hand on his, ignoring the flinch from him. "I've only been pregnant for a few days. I'm not going to shatter into millions of tiny pieces of glass, you know."
He frowned. "You carry my son within you." He said, his voice strictly serious. "I'll not have you engaging in any stupid human antics to endanger him."
"A son?" Bulma asked in wonder. "How do you know?"
Vegeta snorted. "I'm not stupid, woman." he stood up. "Now are you coming or not?"
"Yes." She said, her thoughts alive with the idea of a baby boy. How did he know these things? She supposed she would never know, and it would do her no good to obsess over it. He wouldn't tell her, anyway. "I'd like to watch us take off."
__________________
It was brilliant.
Vegeta eyed Bulma curiously as she sat in the chair opposite him, strapped in securely. Her hands were balled tightly in her lap, her brilliant turqoise eyes fixed resolutely ahead. The ship rumbled beneath them, the vibrations sending curious but not entirely unpleasant shudders through Bulma's body. The seat below her rumbled as the ship jolted to life. Steam screamed from the doors that closed all around the ship's perimeter, and Bulma clutched the armrest with her one good hand. Excitement, and a mixture of sadness found its way to her beautiful face, and Vegeta watched her, completely absorbed in her wonder.
How had he found her?
"I'm going to miss this place, you know." She said over the roar of the ship. She hadn't remembered it being as loud. "Many things have happened on this planet." she paused, struggling to control her voice as a lump formed in her throat. "I made many friends here."
Vegeta looked away, focusing ahead of him. His gloved hand reached for the main control lever, and he pulled back on it gently. Still unaccustomed to human emotion, he made no comment about Bulma's friends, or the strange planet they were at last leaving.
The ship made a tremendous moaning noise as it drew in it's thrusters and left the ground. The room shook a little, and Bulma could hear Spider's claws digging into the linoleum as he scrambled to keep his footing. Vegeta had somehow managed to rope him comfortably into place for their liftoff through the atmosphere. She smiled a little as she thought of what everyone back home would think of the Roctorn. She knew Goku would love him. She wasn't sure about Chi-Chi, though. Ghost was secure inside her knapsack, his furry head and wide, round eyes staring around in wonder as the ship jolted and shuddered into the sky. He had most definetely never experienced anything like it.
Bulma regretted her decision to be in the cabin at their take off. At the rushing altitude, as she was pressed back forcibly into her chair, she felt a strange clawing on panic at the thought of the force of gravity hurting her baby. She whimpered a bit in fear and clutched the seat tighter, her eyes closed tightly shut. The ship rushed ahead, faster and faster. Pressure built in the cabin and her ears popped. She found it an odd thing to be frightened. Although, she had never been pregnant before.
Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation engulf her. Her thoughts of fear and panic seemed to melt away in one strange, glorious rush. She kept her eyes closed, wondering at the feeling.
The baby will be fine. She heard Vegeta's voice echo through her mind. Relax.
Her eyes opened, and she managed to move her head enough to look at Vegeta. His eyes were closed, and he seemed perfectly at ease, though a sheen of sweat beaded his forehead, hinting at some sort of inner concentration. She turned ahead, closed her eyes one more, and puzzled over how she would return her thoughts. She had never done such a thing before, and didn't know the first thing about telepathy.
It will come in time. His voice drifted easily through her mind again.
At last, the ship broke through the Planets atmosphere and shuddered to a much slower pace. She felt the pressure lifting from her body as she leaned forward more easily in her chair as the ship righted itself. She sighed, glad to be rid of the panicked feeling. She adjusted the seatbelt straps and looked over at Vegeta.
"How do I do that?" She asked him quietly. "How do I see what you are thinking, and how do I talk back?"
Vegeta sighed. He seemed tired. "It will come in time, I told you."
She looked down at her hands. "I'd like to know."
He fixed his intense gaze on her, and she flinched under it's power. "It is more than simple thoughts, woman. It is something no human woman has ever done before."
"Chi-Chi must do it, I'm sure."
Vegeta snorted. "Kakarott doesn't know a thing about Sayajin tradition." he said.
"Is that what it is? Tradition?"
Silence. Bulma found herself absently touching the bitemarks on her neck. The wound had softened, but the scars remained. Vegeta had told her that they would never completely heal. She hadn't minded, although it would be strange explaining them to her parents and Chi-Chi. She wondered if Goku had bit Chi-Chi. Her face flushed at the thought, and a giggle found its way out of her mouth. She could just imagine the look on Chi-Chi's face if her lovable goof of a husband bit her hard enough to draw blood.
"What are you laughing about?" Vegeta asked, looking annoyed.
"Nothing." She covered her mouth with her hand. "I just had a silly thought."
Vegeta eyed her for a moment, and then smirked. "Like I said, Kakarott knows nothing about it." he paused. "Besides, it is an ancient artform. It takes practice. It is not a thing to be taken lightly."
Bulma's ears perked up. "Practice?" she echoed. "How much 'practice' have you had, Vegeta?" she heard the hint of jealousy in her voice.
At first, she didn't think he was going to answer her. Then, he chuckled softly, shaking his head slightly. "I've only done it once, if you must know."
"Once?" She asked, touching her collarbone. "Only once?" she swallowed.
"Once." he confirmed. He looked over at her. His face seemed even darker than usual in the sudden absence of light. A billion stars winked at them through the window, and for a moment Bulma held her breath. "And only once." he said in a tone she hadn't heard him use before, turning his head forward. Bulma had a fairly good idea of who his 'once' had been. She felt her cheeks heating. Silence filled the space between them. Then he pulled the lever toward him and hit a switch, then unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Where are you going?" Bulma asked as he stood up.
"No need to get your panties in a knot, woman." He said, his old self rapidly returning. Bulma had learned that these brief intervals of emotion were few and far between, and even shorter. For the advance they had made in their relationship, it was a small price to pay. "I'm stretching my legs."
Then he was gone, leaving her alone in the cabin. She sighed, not at all at unease with being alone. She had managed ships alone before, but she felt a chill at his passing. Ghost wormed his way out of her knapsack and into her arms. She was grateful for his warmth, and snuggled him to her chest. He chirped happily.
"Think I'm getting through to him?" she whispered into his fur. His ears perked up and he flapped his little stumpy arms enthusiastically.
She grinned. "I think so, too."
____________
Bulma didn't remember how long their trip to R'haksin had taken. She had thought a week, then she had thought two. She shook her head, frustrated, and decided against thinking about it any more. Vegeta knew the path home, and he knew roughly how long it would take. That was all that mattered. She had never thought that she could feel so safe with Vegeta, of all people. She realized, suddenly, that she felt more safe with Vegeta by her side than she did with even Goku. She laughed at the thought. Goku was everyone's savior! And yet. . . although he had saved her a number of times in her life, he was no match for Vegeta. Vegeta could make her forget that landfills were filling up, that global warming was approaching, that the Earth was dying more every day, with just one simple hug. Goku couldn't do that. She grinned.
"Of course he can't." A smug voice came from behind her. She whirled around in her seat, her eyes wide.
"VEGETA!" she cried, holding her one hand to her chest. "Why do you always sneak up on me like that?"
"To scare the shit out of you, of course." He replied matter-of-factly. He took his seat behind her, smirking contentedly at the startled expression on her face. She pouted, whipping her head forward, and crossed her arms across her chest. She had no idea how very much like a certain Prince she was acting. She was too annoyed. Why did he have to do that all the time? And how the hell did he sneak up like that? He was almost cat-like in his grace, and it made her face burn because as a woman, that was her department. And she was as clumsy as an Ox.
"Is this how it's going to be from now on?" She snapped, wanting to wipe his smirk right off his face. "Are you just going to read every little thought I have?"
Vegeta shrugged, holding his hands around a mug of coffee. Bulma's mouth watered at the sudden scent of it. She hadn't realized how hungry she was.
"Well?" She demanded after a moment.
"Why does it matter to you?" He asked, still smirking.
"Because it's not fair!" She cried. "I can't do it to you!"
Vegeta turned to her, the smirk gone from his face. "You'd do well to stay out of my head, woman."
She blinked. What was this? "But. . . you. . . "
"I let you glimpse part of my past, in order for the Bond to work." He sipped at the coffee. "You saw for yourself how ugly it was. Do you really need to see more?"
"That's not the point." She protested. "It's just not fair. I'm entitled to my privacy, Vegeta. There are some thoughts I don't -want- you to hear."
At this, his smirk returned full force. "Oh?" he lifted an eyebrow suggestively at her. "What sort of thoughts?"
He was trying to bait her, she knew. She sputtered for a moment, trying desperately to think of a way out of the situation. A comeback. Anything to distract her from thinking about his gorgeous body, tight stomach, and smooth, hard---
"You mean -those- sort of thoughts?" He finished for her, chuckling eevily. He had won. Bulma's cheeks stung with embarrasment, and she fixed her gaze forward, trying to concentrate on the blackness and stars before them.
"You know," Bulma jumped as she felt a warm nose nuzzle into the side of her neck. "They aren't -bad- thoughts to have." he murmured.
Vegeta was standing behind her, his arms running smoothy up her own, raising goosebumps on her flesh. She shuddered in pleasure as his hot tongue darted out and gently ran a trail up her neck, stopping at her ear. "Aren't you an impulsive woman, Bulma? Don't you act on every thought you have?" his warm breath tickled her, and she twisted in her seat.
She decided to play his game. "No, because if I did, you'd be one spent Sayajin." She turned her head enough to capture his lips with her own, but to her surprise, he moved his head away. She looked up at him questioningly, her eyes confused.
"I won't, then." He said softly, still holding her arms. He was bent beside her seat, his face a sudden mask of seriousness, although she could still see the passion burning in his fathomless eyes.
"You won't what?" She breathed, annoyed that he had stopped their game so suddenly. What the hell was he getting at? Did he get off teasing her like that?
"I won't read every thought you have." he replied, motioning for her to stand up. She smoothly unbuckled her seatbelt and obliged, walking around the chair and into his arms. She shook her head, thinking she was tired. This couldn't be Vegeta standing here in front of her, actually pausing a sexual invitation to feed her a serious apology. Then again, she had thought a number of things impossible. She quivered, still aroused by his kisses, but now enticed by this sudden strangeness.
"Vegeta, you don't have to. . . "
"You do need privacy." he cut her off. She stared up at him, feeling the warmth radiating from him. He seemed to be waiting to say more, and she held her breath in anticipation. "And. . . ?"
But before she got her wonderfully impossible perfect boyfriend answer, his smirk whipped back into place. "But not the sort of privacy I'm willing to violate right now."
She rolled her eyes, feeling her breath rush out of her lungs, deflated. She should have known. And yet, she -did- get half of an apology out of him, and that was a start, wasn't it?
Besides, she wanted to see where his kisses would lead.
___________
Bulma cupped her hands against Vegeta's cheeks as they both waited for their breath to return to normal. They had spooned, something they had hadn't done yet. It had felt incredible, but something about Vegeta had been different this time. The same burning, passionate fury had been constant and alive as he had entered her again and again, but his deep thrusts had not held the same uncontained ferocity that they had before.
Vegeta brought her up against his warm chest and burried his mouth in the crook of her neck. He had recovered, and was now running his hand lazily over her abdomen, already stirring more passion within her. She turned in his embrace, deciding against having him again. Besides, he had tired her out, and she wanted answers.
"You were different this time." She said softly, her face so close to his that her lips brushed his own as she spoke.
His defenses flared up, and he narrowed his eyes. "Different? What do you mean, woman?"
"I mean. . . you were much more gentle. Slower." she said, feeling her cheeks turning a light pink.
"Did you like it?" he asked after a moment.
". . .Yes. . ." she said nudging her body closer to him.
He smirked. "Then I shall remember to do it again."
Bulma giggled, but then her face turned serious again. She brought one hand up to his face and wrapped it around his neck, rubbing his chin with her thumb. "Why were you so much slower, and so gentle?" she asked him.
Vegeta glared. He moved his head away from her touch and trief to move away from her, but she held him in place.
"Answer me. Please?" she asked.
"Woman, you are. . . with child." he finally managed, not looking at her. "I did not know if you would enjoy it as much."
Bulma smiled deeply to herself. So that was it. He had been afraid to hurt her, or make her feel uncomfortable. The gentleness with which he had made love to her had been almost shocking. He had cradled her in his massive arms gently and had tenderly thrusted into her while she had held him, all the while ignoring his desperate urge to turn her over, lift her hips, and slam into her with wild abandonment. She had given him the opportunity, too. She had discovered his tail spot, and had been delighted to find what it could do to him. And yet, with so much urge, he had still refrained.
"Thank you." she whispered against his mouth, before he moved his lips over her own in a hot, dizzy rush. It was obvious that the Prince was not entirely satisfied himself. She could feel his length hardening almost instantly against her abdomen. Disapointed, she made a small noise in the back of her throat. It was true, being pregnant with a Sayajin child was not entirely comfortable, and although their lovemaking had felt more than wonderful, she wasn't in the mood for his wild abandonment.
"Vegeta. . . " she moaned. She was about to say more when he silenced her with a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth.
"Go to sleep, woman." He ordered in a gruff voice. Bulma could still feel him pressing into her, and she could see the desire still fresh and unsated in his eyes.
"But, you. . . "
"It doesn't matter. Get your rest." he nipped her lightly on the neck, before moving away from her enough that his erection left contact.
Now, -this- was strange. Bulma watched as he stood up from the bed and began to dress. She had thought he would at least go into the bathroom to satisfy himself, but he didn't. Instead, he opened the closet and removed his spandex and battle armor.
Bulma pulled the blankets under her chin. "Why are you putting that on?" she asked.
He pulled it over his head, securing the straps with loud clicks. He shrugged. "Do I have to explain everything to you?" he asked.
"No, and you certainly don't." She said quietly, although in no mood to argue. She yawned. Sleep -did- feel like a good idea.
"Woman---"
But she was already asleep. Grumbling to himself, Vegeta left the room, closing the door behind him as softly as he could.
_________________
Bulma cried out as she was thrown from her bed.
She fell onto the floor with a loud thud, whacking her tailbone enough to hurt, but not enough to injure. Spider's ungainly hulk was instantly by her side. His golden eyes were wide with confusion and fright, his pupils dialted to nearly twice their normal size. Bulma tried to steady herself on the floor of the ship as she grabbed a fistful of his pebbly fur and hefted herself against him, leaning her body weight into his side. She was unsteady for a moment before she could stand completely. She silently thanked Kami that she hadn't landed on her stomach.
The door was thrown open. Vegeta stormed into the bedroom, his eyes furious but fearful at the same time. He rushed toward her and gathered her into his arms. A string of curses spat from his mouth as he checked her over for injuries.
She batted his hands away. "Vegeta! What the hell just happened?" she asked, bewildered. The ship groaned beneath their feet, making a sound she had never heard before.
"It's nothing. Are you alright?" He grunted, his eyes wandering up and down her length for any sign of hurt. Beside them, Spider whimpered. His six tails tucked uncharacteristically between his legs.
"I'm fine! Now tell me what happened!" She said loud enough to force his attention on her.
He glared, annoyed. "The ship stopped. I don't know what happened." he said. He seemed satisfied enough that she wasn't hurt, and stepped away from her. "I think it's a malfunction."
Bulma could tell he was asking her to come and look. He knew about ships, but not the way she knew about them. She nodded. "I'll go see." She said, and together they hurried down the hall toward the cabin.
Bulma did a quick scan, becoming more uneasy by the second when she couldn't see anything wrong inside the ship. It had to be outside. She swallowed hard, clenching and unclenching her good hand. "I don't know. . . " she said, pressing a few buttons and pushing a few levers. "What happened while you were out here?"
Vegeta looked enraged. "I was simply sitting here!" he said. "The ship just. . . stopped!" he couldn't seem to express his frustration at not knowing what was happening enough. He started pacing, running his hands agitatedly through his thick mane of hair. "There was a loud noise."
Bulma nodded. She didn't know why Vegeta seemed so stressed about a simple malfunction, but it was making her uneasy. She straightened and watched him as he paced, nervously pulling at the bottom of her tanktop. It was all she was wearing, and she didn't even feel chilled. "Vegeta. . . ?" she said softly, her voice pleading. "You're scaring me."
Vegeta closed his eyes and stopped, with quite an effort. He stilled his feet and made fists at his sides, taking his turmoil within. He sighed and glared at Bulma. "If there's nothing wrong in here, then what?"
Bulma made herself speak. "I think it might be something outside." she said quietly. "There might need to be a. . . repair. Something might have hit the side of the ship."
He nodded, his jaw tight. "I trust your father equipped this ship with the supplies needed to do an outside repair?"
Bulma gaped at him. "Of course he did! But, Vegeta. . . he didn't exactly think we'd need to be doing any repairs outside of the ship in the middle of space!" she nearly shouted. Her mind was reeling. What had happened to cause all of this? She could hear Spider mewling nervously behind her. Ghost didn't seem to understand what was going on. Everyone's eyes seemed to be on her. She shook her head.
"You can't go out there. It's too dangerous." she bit her lip.
Vegeta snorted. "Of course I'm going out there. It's you or me, woman, and you most certainly are not."
Bulma took hold of his arm. "But, you can't!" She pleaded, hearing her voice tightening.
Vegeta yanked his arm free of her grip. "Idiot! What do you propose we do, then? Sit here in the middle of space, waiting for the Energy to run out? Waiting for our food to run out? Waiting to die?"
Bulma felt the first tear trickling down her face. Vegeta saw it and threw his head back, growling in frustration. "Crying doesn't fix anything, Bulma!" He shouted.
She drew in a shaky breath. "I don't care!" She cried back. "I don't want you to go out there! I don't want you to get hurt. Not when things are just starting to get better again!"
Something in her face must have struck a cord, because Vegeta's face softened somewhat, and he approached her, drawing her to him with a sigh. She sniffled into his chest, pouting and frightened at the same time. Why was this happening? Why were the two of them getting so upset about it? Vegeta was right, he had to fix it. The repair could be very minor. She clutched him tighter. But then why had the ship jolted so much? Why did Vegeta look so uneasy?
He drew away. "Look, there's no time to waste. I've got to get the suit." he said.
"It's downstairs. In the closet where you found me." She sniffled.
He nodded, and started down the hall. He reappeared moments later in the suit. Bulma had never seen him in anything other than his battle armor and his one casual outfit. The sight of him bundled up in the bulky spacesuit made her stomach tighten, but not in the way that usually led them to a mattress.
"Vegeta, do you even know what you're looking for out there?" she asked him.
He didn't say anything for a moment. "I don't know." He managed, with some difficulty. He sounded ashamed. "But I cannot simply sit here and do nothing. "I'll look for whatever I can."
This was it, then. Bulma stared at the man she had come to Love, and felt a greater fear than anything she'd ever experienced swell in her chest. Something could be waiting out there. Something more powerful than Vegeta. Something he couldn't handle. What would she do then? What the hell would she do then?
"There is nothing I can't handle." He said softly into the silence surrounding them. Bulma moaned as he drew her to him, her breath quickening in fear as she clutched his back. He had read her thoughts again, but she couldn't have cared. She couldn't have cared at all right then.
"You broke your promise." She said, trying to laugh. Vegeta only squeezed her tighter. She wanted him to stay, wanted him to stay hugging her like this forever, but he was right. He had to do something.
"Please be careful." She whispered.
"I'm always careful." Vegeta said as he pulled away, flashing her his incredibly handsome smirk. It melted her heart, and she held her hand to her breast, listening to her heart hammering wildly in her chest as she watched him pull his helmet on.
"Here." He tossed her a walkie-talkie. "Turn it on. I'll tell you what I see." His voice sounded muffled through the glass. He took his own out of his pocket, and switched it on. They stared at each other for a long moment, before Vegeta lifted two fingers in salute and turned.
And then he was gone, down the hallway and through the pod that led to the outside wing of the ship. She heard the steam escaping the door as it slid open, and then shut with a beep.
Moments passed like syrup running down hill. Time seemed to stand still. Bulma stood in the middle of the cabin, and slowly switched on her walkie- talkie. Static filled the air. She stared down at the receiver, her heart beating madly. She brought it up to her mouth, her hands shaking.
Dammit! Stop being so wimpy, Bulma!
"Vegeta. . . ?" she called into her end.
Nothing.
"Vegeta. . . !" she gripped her end tighter, her knuckles white around the receiver. "Vegeta! Come in!"
Static.
Panicked, Bulma turned to the window, where she pressed her face against the glass and frantically searched for the Sayajin Prince. Her eyes moved back and forth rapidly, her hands pressing so hard against the glass that they shook. She ignored the pain rifling through her broken palm. She couldn't see him. She couldn't see him. She couldn't see him.
"VEGETA!" She nearly screamed into the receiever.
A strange, blueish light filled the interior of the ship. Bulma took a step backwards as the ship began to rumble violently under her feet. She heard dishes rattling in the kitchen. Spider growled, his hair standing on end. Ghost delved into her knapsack, screeching. She gripped her chair and stared with incredulous horror at the sudden, unfathomably massive shape coming at the front of the ship.
No. Please. . .No.
Her eyes grew impossibly huge. Time seemed to stop.
It connected.
Bulma screamed, feeling her back slam into the wall of the cabin. Something fell and connected with her skull, and she lifted her hands up in terror and wrapped them around her head and neck, curling herself into a ball. She screamed, over and over, as the ship shook so hard she swore they were being torn in half. Something massive and furry appeared at her side, and somehow, she miraculously held onto Spider, burrying her face beneath his chest, her face pressed into the floor, as the ship jolted and tumbled and things fell and crashed all around her. The bluish light became a white hot glow, and she imagined her head was being torn asunder as a sudden, incredible energy flodded through her entire being. The light covered everything for a moment, flashed even brighter, and then abruptly vanished.
Silence.
Bulma could hear herself sobbing, her body covered by a fuzzy warmth. Something warm trickled down the side of her face, and dribbled into her eyes. She coughed violently, her eyes huge and unwilling to see what had happened around them. Her hands clutched weakly at something to hold, and found Spider's fur. With a pained cry, she somehow pushed herself out from under the Roctorn, and lay sprawled on the floor of the cabin, her head throbbing, her body in shock.
The walkie-talkie lay a few feet from her, miraculously untouched by the damage. She didn't understand what had happened, and only stared blankly at it. She could hear hissing and popping. Sparks flew, and circuit boards sizzled. Something like rushing water came from down the hallway. Was she alive? Where was she? Where was Vegeta?
The ship was intact. Hardly, but intact. She was alive. Her body screamed with fire, but she was alive. Spider had protected her from the brunt of it. She felt burning tears sear down her cheeks as the enormity of the situation began to sink in.
Spider whimpered piteously from where he lay. Bulma could see blood, and turned her head away. She didn't want to look.
Sobbing, she made herself crawl toward the walkie-talkie. Her fingers became claws, and she used them to drag herself toward her only communication, her only hope. Her legs didn't seem to want to work. She flinched as something above her made a horrible screeching sound and exploded above her head, sending sparks dancing through the darkness. At last she reached the walkie-talkie, and curled frantic fingers around it.
Static filled the other end. Bulma lay and stared at it, her mouth trembling as she babbled and sobbed, blood tricking down her forehead and pooling into the crook of her neck. She listened to the static, unable to will herself to say anything. Closing her eyes, she prayed feverenty.
Please.
"V. . .Vegeta?" she whispered hoarsely into the reciever. Her own voice frightened her. She curled her fingers around it tigher, the pain in her hand a mere itch compared to the fire flowing through her nerves. "You can't." She mumbled pathetically, her voice smoothered by a thunderous sob. "You have to be there. You have to be there. . ." Her voice pinched off as a low whine escaped her throat. "You have to be there because I love you. Please? Vegeta? Vegeta. . . ?"
And then Bulma realized something. She had never acknowledged it before, or tried to understand it, but the Bond between her and Vegeta had sparked a continuous, flowing energy within her that she could always feel. It throbbed through her like lifeblood. Now. . .Bulma felt nothing. Panic seized her, and her eyes widened as she tried desperately to find the sensation, grasp the feeling that she had taken for granted.
Nothing.
Gone.
"No." her voice was a wild, sorrowful rampage of fury. She lay, squeezing the walkie-talkie to her chest, clenching her teeth, her toes curling, her eyes tightly shut. "NO!" She screamed, her voice a wail. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! YOU CAN'T!"
Her scream broke off into a tortured sob, a wail that rose above every other noise in the universe. Bulma shuddered into a ball and pressed her face into her chest, her mind threatening to snap into a million pieces.
What was there now, for her?
What was there now?
END OF PART ONE.
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A/N: Oh! What can this mean? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA! It means I'm an evil Bitch, that what it means.
I know that was cruel to do to all of you...especially after making you all wait so long for updates, but here's the deal:
NO, THIS IS -NOT- THE END OF THE STORY. This is merely the end of Part One. Part Two won't be even a quarter as long as Part One. It will only be about 10 chapters or so...but who knows? Anyway, I've had some major ideas, so this is why I'm dividing it up into two Parts.
Warning: This story is about to turn a little bit on the AU side. I'm about to fuck royally with the DBZ timeline *evil grin*. Again, I hope that doesn't piss anyone off. And don't worry! This story has a happy ending!
...Or does it?
Keep reading, I [b]promise[/b] you you won't be sorry!
~Jesa Jaisai