Chapter the twenty-seventh
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or any other trademarked materials in this fanfiction.
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"What's going on? Where am I? The last thing I remember is you, vegeta, being very hurt and Goku, Bulma and I were stuck in that horrible cave!" #18 said. Krillin could have cried. "Oh my gosh, you're OKAY!" He squealed.
Everybody thought she'd pummel Krillin when he ran over and hugged her. But that's the exact opposite of what she did, she bent down and kissed him, and this time on the lips. Vegeta grimaced in discust. "Hey, get a room." He mumbled. The android heard him, and looked up. "Look, it's Princey!" She squealed. Vegeta rolled his eyes at her. "Shut up." He grumbled. He turned his eyes back to the fight between Cell and Gohah. Gohan was still giving Cell the pummeling of his life. Goku watched his son proudly as he did this feat. "Trunks would be doing it if he wasn't dead." Vegeta said to himself. This brought fresh tears to his eyes about Trunks. Maybe he should buckle down and train that baby, so that it would become as strong as future Trunks was? He smirked. That was possible.
"What do you mean Trunks is dead? Wasn't he that cute purple-headed kid that made you team up with me to look for Cell?" #18 asked. Vegeta stared at her in annoyance; she was such an irratant! "Yes, that's what I mean. It's not like it's really any of your business, though. And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop talking about him.It wasn't any of your business so just shut up and leave me alone."
He saw the android smile at his statement. She walked over, and Vegeta wasn't expecting what she was about to do when she goosed him. "AHHHH!!" He screamed, jumping about three feet. Everybody laughed at him. "Hey, shut up!!" He said, rubbing his sore bum. He growled at the android. "Don't touch me!" He said. He then socked Yamcha across the face because he was still laughing. Then he walked over by himself and thought about what Bulma was probably thinking now.
"THAT BIG LUNKHEAD!!" She screamed and punched the T.V screen. She had decided to start watching again for THIS? It was horrible! She punched it again. "STUPID ANDROID! I'M TIRED OF HER TRYING TO HIT ON MY VEGETA!" She punched the T.V so hard that a silver crack appeared across the screen, and it fucked out. Her parents and she just stared at the broken T.V for a second before they all three screamed. "NOO! THE T.V! THE ONLY LINK I HAVE TO GET TO MY VEGETA!! AHGGGHHH!!" Bulma threw another fit in the middle of the floor.
"Bulma, dear, we can just go out and buy another one! no biggy, I'm sure Vegeta won't be killed while we're gone. So come on!" Mrs. Breifs said. Bulma flipped her off. "Oh, shut up!" She shouted. "He will not be fine!"
"Jesus me. That kid sure can put up a fight against Cell." Android #18 said.
Goku nodded. "Yep! That's my boy! His mother said he'd just be a scholar and not a 'monster' like the rest of us saiyans, but I sure am proving her wrong now aren't I?" He asked. "He's so strong!"
Vegeta was too busy standing away from the crowd to listen to what Goku had to say. He was still thinking about Bulma, Trunks, and his baby Trunks. *Trunks . . . Trunks did everything he could that was in his power to save me. And all I did was let him die. It's all my fault that he's dead because I'm not a good enough father to defend him . . . * He was really starting to believe all of this jibber jabber that he was thinking about. "Trunks . . ." He mumbled outloud. He stared at the body of his once son covered up in the sand of the Cell Games arena, lifeless as a doorstop. But Vegeta didn't cry. The Prince of All Saiyans never cried.
"Hey, Princey, why so sad?" #18 asked, walking over to Vegeta.
Vegeta heard Krillin stop her and tell her that 'Vegeta was very sad about Trunks at that time, and he didn't need to be disturbed.' Out of the corner of his eye he saw the android slump away to the rest of the Z-Warriors. Vegeta didn't care about them, though. He didn't care about anyone or anything. He sat down on the ground, his broken leg spread out in front of him. The bone protruded out sickly and blood poured from the wound. Vegeta shuddered a little bit. *God. This really hurts. And they'res so much blood . . . * He thought. He twitched his leg a little bit and it sent a bolt of pain throughout his leg. "Krillin, give me a senzu bean!" He ordered.
Krillin didn't hear him.
"Hey! Moron, I said give me a senzu bean!" Vegeta shreiked at Krillin. He was seeing black spots dance in front of his vision, and he was seeing out of what seemed like a tunnel. "Krillin get over here before I faint!" But he already knew that it was too late, and that he was going to faint whether he got the senzu bean or not. Just as Krillin came over to Vegeta he was fainted on the ground.
Vegeta didn't know how long it was until he found himself awake. He immideantly expected pain to ricochet up his leg; but none was present. Absolutely no pain at all. And he wasn't at the Cell Games anymore! He was in the backyard of Capsule Corporation, his home, and he heard people talking all around him.
"Look, he's awaking!" He heard Bulma say. The next thing he knew, Bulma was standing over him and helping him stand. "Are you Okay?" She asked.
"I'm fine woman! Now get away from me!" Vegeta griped. He ripped his arm away from Bulma's grip and stood up. "What happened to Cell? We're all just standing around here while CELL is out destroying things? Are we celebrating our deaths or something? What the hell is going on here?" He looked around at the streamers in the trees . . . and then realized that this couldn't be a party for something bad. This was a party for something GOOD. Something like DEFEATING CELL! Vegeta looked around at everyone. "Did you . . .?" He began.
"Yes!" Chi-Chi exclaimed. "Cell's dead!!"
Vegeta's face clouded into a frown. *Cell is dead . . . but not at my hands. At the hands of . . . someone else. Probably Kakarott. But, hey, where IS Kakarott? * His mind wondered. "Hey, where's Kakarott? Did he DIE or something?" Vegeta inquired.
Vegeta noticed everyone get quiet. "So, I guess that's a yes." He let out a hearty chuckle. "Meaning I'm the strongest finally!" He was still celebrating on this fact when he realized that Trunks was still dead. *I'm probably the happiest man alive at this moment . . . except for what happened to Trunks. * He thought. "Trunks . . . is still dead, right?" He asked. "Trunks will never--"
Vegeta was in the middle of his sentence when everyone started to laugh at him. But why were they laughing. "How come you're laughing at me? My son is dead, the least you could do is have some compassion!" He growled. *I can just kill them, that'll settle--"
"We're laughing because he's NOT dead anymore, Vegeta! He's right here!" Picollo said. Just as he said this, Trunks came walking towards Vegeta from the snack bar. He held a hand up to Vegeta. "Hey, Dad." He said.
Vegeta didn't know what to feel. He wanted to just run up and grab onto Trunks, and hug him so hard that his eyes burst. "T--Trunks, but how? I thought Cell killed you, and I tried to protect you but he hurt me, and nobody else could help you, and he absorbed your life--"
"Don't worry about that Dad. It wasn't you fault, what happened to me. You tried. And for once it wasn't for your benefit, it was for Bulma and mine. I was able to be wished back by the Dragonballs . . . but sadly, Goku was not. Goku said that he didn't want to be because he's a magnet for evil." Trunks tried to explain. But he saw that his father had turned away, and was starting to walk towards Capsule Corporation. Trunks stared after him. *Poor Dad. He doesn't feel wanted around here. * He thought, with sadness showing clearly on his face.
"Vegeta, wait!" Bulma tried. But this only made Vegeta walk faster.
"Leave me alone, woman!" He sneered, as he ran inside and slammed the sliding glass door. All of the glass that was once paned inside of the door fell out and shattered on the ground.
Bulma watched Vegeta as he ran up the stairs into their room. *Oh, what's your problem, Vegeta? * Her mind raved. *How come you're so UPTIGHT? One minute you're fine, and you're actually KIND of pleasant to be around, and the next . . . it'd be impossible to even TOUCH you. What goes on in your tortured brain? * She felt like following her husband to ask him if he was Okay. But something in her mind told her that he'd just yell at her, then try to kill her by shooting a powerball. There was no use in trying to comfort a man with a heart as cold as Vegeta's.
Bulma felt Chi-Chi come and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's Okay, Bulma. I know that husbands can be a hard thing sometimes, especially one as stubborn and iron-willed as Vegeta. But he'll come around someday. If you're a strong woman, I'm sure that you can change him."
Bulma walked over to her baby, which was playing in the grass with a frog, and picked it up. "Are you what's keeping Vegeta from me?" She asked Baby Trunks. "Is it you?" She then hugged the baby with all of her might. "Well, it doesn't matter. I love you even if Vegeta doesn't. I love your Daddy too, but he's just a big old airhead. If he doesn't want to play with you than we won't make him." It kind of dissapointed Bulma still, though, that she'd went through the trouble of carriying a half-saiyan baby and this was all that Vegeta was giving her for going through that pain. But she still loved Vegeta with all of her heart.
"Guys, I think it's time you went home." Bulma said. But Trunks, well . . . He really HAD to go home. Go home forever, until his present self grew up.
* * * * * * *
Vegeta pounded a fist on the bed he was sitting on. *I was a fool . . . I should have known that Kakarott would humiliate me this way. Train his son up enough to beat Cell just to rub in MY face that my son could never be that strong. My son . . . is a BABY. * He punched the bed one more time before curling up under the sheets. *I could train that little brat, but . . . I don't have the time to deal with him. He's a stupid crossbreed who doesn't deserve my time. * He closed his eyes, satisfied with these thoughts, but then the 'train him' phrase popped in his mind and wouldn't go away. *I could . . . I really could. He could be stronger than Kakarott's brat. He could actually make my pride stronger; and make me have pride in him. * He smiled a bit at the thought.
"But. . . what am I thinking?" He said outloud. "I just CAN'T train Trunks. I have to train myself, and with Trunks being a baby, It'd be a while before I could even train him."
Vegeta didn't know that Bulma was outside listening to him talk to himself.
As Vegeta rambled on and on about what to do about his baby, he heard something outside of his door. It was a beautiful sound; and it sounded like his wife's voice. The voice he'd been longing for for so long while he had been training on that other planet. It was Bulma, and she was singing to him once more like she had all the rest of the times when he felt he was in a dilemma.
*But . . . Did she hear all that I said? * Vegeta sat up and looked at the door, listening to her sing. He covered his ears. *What if she heard all . . . and TELLS all? What will I be then? * But he found that her voice was like a siren's song and he couldn't resist it. He got up and went to the door, and opened it ever so slowly.
And there, in front of him, was his blue-haired wife again. And he heard her singing to him in her beautiful voice. His face pulled into a frown. "Bulma . . . Go away." He mumbled. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed like he wanted her to give him a lap dance or something.
Bulma stopped her singing and walked a step closer to Vegeta.
Baby Trunks crawled in the room and sat in front of his father's feet.
"Vegeta, why are you acting like this?" Bulma asked. "I heard what you were saying through the door about Baby Trunks. Are you jealous of Gohan and Goku? Is that what your problem is?"
Vegeta scowled. "Of course not! Why would I of all people be jealous of KAKAROTT? He's not worth being jealous of." He crossed his arms across his chest in his trademark gesture.
Bulma laughed at Vegeta.
This made Vegeta mad. *Laughing . . . Laughing . . . Laughing at ME? Why on Earth is she laughing at me? * Vegeta thought. He immidiantly hopped to his feet. "Hey, what are you laughing at woman?!" He screamed, getting ready to grab her by the shoulders and shake her.
Bulma just kept laughing. "Temper, temper Vegeta! That tempers going to kill you someday! Now, sit down . . . and we'll talk. With no yelling or screaming or losing our tempers." She picked up Baby Trunks and sat him on her lap as she sat by Vegeta on the bed. She tried to timidly touch his arm as she used to when she talked to him, but he jerked his arm away. He was in a BAD MOOD and it was obvious. She'd said something that had made him mad and he wasn't going to accept any apologies without a fight.
"Vegeta, it's obvious that something Trunks said upsetted you. You were perfectly fine until he said it." Bulma quietly explained to Vegeta. "And I heard you from outside the door talking about how you should train up Baby Trunks. I think that would be a good idea, personally."
"Yeah, it would be a good idea . . . if it were any of your BUSINESS." Vegeta growled.
Now, Bulma lost HER temper. "Be quiet you jerk! Just listen to me. I want you to sit in this room and beat on pillows, chew on the bed, do ANYTHING that gets rid of your anger. Your anger is going to be the end of you one of these days." Bulma got up to leave. "And when you come out of this room . . . I want you to come down . . . and I want you to give me an apology kiss. Just a little one on my cheek, and then I'll know that you really appreciate me. And don't say that you DON'T appreciate me . . . Because I know that you do, but you're just too goddamned mad to admit it." She quietly closed the door behind her.
Vegeta just stared after her with a scowl on his face.
* * * * * * * *
That night, as Bulma was washing dishes before bed, thinking about how Vegeta hadn't come down to kiss her and how uncomfortable she'd be sleeping on the couch that night, Vegeta came down and FINALLY gave her a small kiss on her cheek. That one small action led to a magical moment in their waterbed that night, and Bulma knew that whatever had been bothering Vegeta had stopped itching at his mind. But she THOUGHT this, and she was wrong.
* * * * * * * * *
The next morning, when Bulma woke up to her baby's crys, Vegeta wasn't in bed beside her. His covers were all bunched up at the end like he'd remembered something and jumped out of bed at the last minute. It's not that Vegeta usually made the bed, he just usually didn't leave the sheets all bunched up at the end of the bed. "Vegeta? Are you in the bathroom?" She asked, picking Trunks up out of the crib. She got no answer out of the bathroom so she went down the stairs. *He's probably eating breakfast. * She thought. But she didn't spy him eating anything at the kitchen table. *Aw Well. He's probably out training, and he'll come in in a second and DEMAND for his food. * Thinking this, she grabbed Trunks's bottle and started to heat it up.
She hadn't told Vegeta the Future Trunks had left in his time machine yet. She figured that with what was going on in Vegeta's head right now it might drive her husband mad, and she really didn't want Vegeta to go mad.
Sure enough, after Bulma had been feeding Trunks for about ten minutes, who should come storming in through the door he'd broken the previous day but Vegeta.
"Woman, get started on my food." He growled, sitting in the chair.
Bulma looked up to tell him good morning and take a glance at his muscular bod, and she thought she'd see his nice body, but instead the sight of a scratched, bloodied up man was in her view.
"Vuh-Vegeta?! What did you do to yourself? You NEVER get scratched up that bad when you train, NEVER!!" She exclaimed. She put Trunks down in the floor with his bottle and walked over to Vegeta.
Vegeta saw deep concern in his wife's eyes. "It's nothing. I just . . . my mind wasn't with me today. Now go make me some food." He grumped, crossing his arms across his bloody chest. He smirked a little when Bulma walked over to the stove and started to get out the ingrediants for an omelette.
"You might want to go take a shower and wash all of that blood off of you, Punkin. That's nasty." She droned.
Vegeta scowled a little bit and was about to burst, "YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" But didn't. He knew he shouldn't blame Bulma for the problem that was troubling his mind at the moment. "I think I will." He grumbled, getting up and going to the bathroom.
* * * * * * * * *
After his shower Vegeta felt somewhat renewed. Showers always made him feel better when something was troubling him, and this one had helped. But not enough. He still kept thinking about Kakarott and his little ingrate. He wondered into the kitchen where the omelette was sitting on his placemat and Bulma was in the floor playing with Baby Trunks.
"Did you have a good shower?" Bulma asked.
Vegeta nodded. "'Was Okay." He answered wearily. As he was eating he averted his pupils to Bulma and noticed that even though she was laughing and playing with the baby, she still didn't seem like herself. She seemed the way she'd seemed before the Cell Games had started. He wanted to ask Bulma what was the matter, but didn't. He just stared at her.
Bulma finally looked up and met his gaze. "Something wrong?" She asked, starting to get up.
Vegeta shook his head. "Oh, no. Nothing's a problem." He responded. "But I have been noticing . . . changes . . . in you ever since Cell was found. Your . . . mating . . . hasn't been quite the same."
Bulma nodded. "Because I've been quite aware that something is bothering YOU, Punkin. Something is bothering you very bad." She walked up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders.
Vegeta flinched a little bit under her touch. He sighed and bent his head back as she started to massage his tense shoulders. And boy, were they tense. All he could think about was Kakarott and Gohan.
"You know, Vegeta . . . You're so high-strung about many things." Bulma started. "All someone has to do is state their opinion and you go all out on them. But you did it particularly bad yesterday when I was trying to talk to you about what was making you act like such a bastard."
Vegeta scowled and jerked his body away from her touch. *I could shut you up with one ki blast . . . * He thought. But instead he just said, " This conversation is done." and stood up.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No . . . I mean--yes." Vegeta mumbled. Before Bulma could ask him what she said he was out of the kitchen and back outside in the Gravity Room.
* * * * * * * * *
Several weeks later, sparks were coming back into Bulma and Vegeta's sex life, and that was good. But Bulma still knew that Vegeta was bothered by something. He barely spoke to her anymore, even less than he had when he'd first come to live at Capsule Corp. And he didn't even acknowledge that Trunks even existed. The most he talked about Trunks was saying,'Shut that brat up!' or, 'Shut up, you freaking brat!' nothing ever more. And he never would kiss Bulma or hold her like he used to. Everytime she tried to scoot in his lap, he'd complain and tell her to 'go to bed if she wanted to lay on something.'
This particular day, Bulma couldn't even ask him what he wanted for dinner and he'd get all mad like she'd done something wrong to him. He even slapped her once, and she had a large purple whelp across her cheek showing where it'd happened. But she didn't blame Vegeta. She blamed whatever was blocking his mind like that. And she was bound to make it stop blocking his mind. She'd help him, because, after all, that's what wives were meant to do, right? She decided to make him a HUGE meal, because the way to a saiyan's heart was through his stomach. So, she got to work on baking.
Vegeta was in the bathroom, shaving, when he smelt something delicious wafting up from the kitchen. Drool immidiantly started spilling from his mouth, and his eyes began to water. He just HAD to follow that delicious smell! He finished up shaving, washed his face, and then started down the stairs towards the smell. *That just CAN'T be Bulma or her mother's food. It smells too good! * He thought. But, of course, when he came into the kitchen he found Bulma was cooking it.
"Buh-Hulma . . . That's YOUR food that smells so good?" He asked. He sat down at the table and wiped the drool from his lips.
"Yes, it is my food. Does it come to you as a surprise or anything?" Bulma asked.
Vegeta just shrugged. "Yes, a little. You usually ARE a horrible cook."
Just after Vegeta said this Baby Trunks came crawling up to him. "Da-Da!" He babbled, and pulled himself up with the help of Vegeta's spandex.
"Go away, brat." Vegeta grumped to the baby. He shook his leg, which caused the baby to topple on its butt. Trunks started to whimper.
"Don't you think you should pick him up or something, love? I can't because I'm trying to cook." Bulma said.
"There's no way that I'll pick him up. Babies are discusting things. How can YOU even stand to hold anything that pisses on itself, drools everywhere, and picks its nose? That's discusting!" Vegeta said, wrinkling his nose.
Bulma sighed. "Whatever, Vegeta. Whatever floats your boat." She came over and placed a big, juicy ham in front of her husband. She immediantly saw drool start to pool from his mouth.
"Th-This is ju-hust for ME?" He asked, drool plopping to the table cloth.
"Yes. Now eat it up. I thought that maybe it would make you feel better. But be sure you use your silverware, dear." She handed Vegeta a fork and a knife. Vegeta started to eat it in polite little bites without even thanking Bulma for making it for him.
"Vegeta, is that making you feel better?" Bulma asked.
Vegeta shrugged. "Well, it's sure soothing my hunger pangs." He said quietly. "If you count that for something it's making better."
Bulma stamped her foot. "No, I mean your problem! You know, you got all upset when Trunks said something and you came storming inside? Is that starting to suside?"
Vegeta smirked, but did nothing else. He didn't speak a word; he just kept on eating.
Bulma ignored Trunks's growing cries and placed her hands on her husband's shoulders, and crouched over him. "I think I know what you were so upset about for so long Vegeta. It was about our baby wasn't it? You're jealous of Goku, because Gohan is so strong. You wish that Baby Trunks could be like that, too. You wish that Trunks could be stronger than Gohan."
Vegeta stopped short in eating. "What?" He demanded.
"That's your problem isn't it? If that is your problem, there's a very simple solution for it." Bulma continued.
Vegeta was listening to her, with a frown on his face. *Shit, this woman knows the answers to everything. * He thought.
"Maybe . . . You should TRAIN Trunks. I wouldn't have a problem with it, Vegeta, really. As long as you were to wait until he was six years old. That's just five years, hon. Then you could start to train him as much as you want, and I wouldn't give you any hassle. As long as you weren't to hit him, or put him under immense levels of gravity, Okay? Does that sound good to you? We can even write it down so I won't forget that I said it if I start to change my mind." Bulma said.
Vegeta's face slowly broke into a smile. "Really?" He asked.
Bulma smiled and nodded, kissing his neck. "Really." She answered.
Vegeta stood up, whirled around, and without even thinking about his pride, he hugged his woman with all of the strength he found inside of himself. "Yes, Yes, I will wait until Trunks is six years old, and then I'll train him." He said. "And he'll be stronger than Kakarott's brat ever was at that age."
Bulma smiled a little bit. Finally, she would get Vegeta into spending more time around his son! "And maybe Vegeta, if you're nice to him from now on until he's six, he might find it actually EXITING to want to train with you!"
Vegeta just released her out of his hug and lumbered up the stairs.
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end of chapter twenty-seven
Gee, this story is getting long! this is probably the halfway point, LOL! Maybe a bit more. Anyways, in the next chapter, it's five years later and it's Trunks's sixth birthday, and Vegeta and Bulma have him a party, and Vegeta starts to train him. Not as action-packed as the previous like . . . ten chapters, but at least we're past the Cell saga and into the fun stuff again! Bye-Bye!
luv, luvssaintbernards.
P.S-PLEASE REVIEW AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE!
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or any other trademarked materials in this fanfiction.
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"What's going on? Where am I? The last thing I remember is you, vegeta, being very hurt and Goku, Bulma and I were stuck in that horrible cave!" #18 said. Krillin could have cried. "Oh my gosh, you're OKAY!" He squealed.
Everybody thought she'd pummel Krillin when he ran over and hugged her. But that's the exact opposite of what she did, she bent down and kissed him, and this time on the lips. Vegeta grimaced in discust. "Hey, get a room." He mumbled. The android heard him, and looked up. "Look, it's Princey!" She squealed. Vegeta rolled his eyes at her. "Shut up." He grumbled. He turned his eyes back to the fight between Cell and Gohah. Gohan was still giving Cell the pummeling of his life. Goku watched his son proudly as he did this feat. "Trunks would be doing it if he wasn't dead." Vegeta said to himself. This brought fresh tears to his eyes about Trunks. Maybe he should buckle down and train that baby, so that it would become as strong as future Trunks was? He smirked. That was possible.
"What do you mean Trunks is dead? Wasn't he that cute purple-headed kid that made you team up with me to look for Cell?" #18 asked. Vegeta stared at her in annoyance; she was such an irratant! "Yes, that's what I mean. It's not like it's really any of your business, though. And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop talking about him.It wasn't any of your business so just shut up and leave me alone."
He saw the android smile at his statement. She walked over, and Vegeta wasn't expecting what she was about to do when she goosed him. "AHHHH!!" He screamed, jumping about three feet. Everybody laughed at him. "Hey, shut up!!" He said, rubbing his sore bum. He growled at the android. "Don't touch me!" He said. He then socked Yamcha across the face because he was still laughing. Then he walked over by himself and thought about what Bulma was probably thinking now.
"THAT BIG LUNKHEAD!!" She screamed and punched the T.V screen. She had decided to start watching again for THIS? It was horrible! She punched it again. "STUPID ANDROID! I'M TIRED OF HER TRYING TO HIT ON MY VEGETA!" She punched the T.V so hard that a silver crack appeared across the screen, and it fucked out. Her parents and she just stared at the broken T.V for a second before they all three screamed. "NOO! THE T.V! THE ONLY LINK I HAVE TO GET TO MY VEGETA!! AHGGGHHH!!" Bulma threw another fit in the middle of the floor.
"Bulma, dear, we can just go out and buy another one! no biggy, I'm sure Vegeta won't be killed while we're gone. So come on!" Mrs. Breifs said. Bulma flipped her off. "Oh, shut up!" She shouted. "He will not be fine!"
"Jesus me. That kid sure can put up a fight against Cell." Android #18 said.
Goku nodded. "Yep! That's my boy! His mother said he'd just be a scholar and not a 'monster' like the rest of us saiyans, but I sure am proving her wrong now aren't I?" He asked. "He's so strong!"
Vegeta was too busy standing away from the crowd to listen to what Goku had to say. He was still thinking about Bulma, Trunks, and his baby Trunks. *Trunks . . . Trunks did everything he could that was in his power to save me. And all I did was let him die. It's all my fault that he's dead because I'm not a good enough father to defend him . . . * He was really starting to believe all of this jibber jabber that he was thinking about. "Trunks . . ." He mumbled outloud. He stared at the body of his once son covered up in the sand of the Cell Games arena, lifeless as a doorstop. But Vegeta didn't cry. The Prince of All Saiyans never cried.
"Hey, Princey, why so sad?" #18 asked, walking over to Vegeta.
Vegeta heard Krillin stop her and tell her that 'Vegeta was very sad about Trunks at that time, and he didn't need to be disturbed.' Out of the corner of his eye he saw the android slump away to the rest of the Z-Warriors. Vegeta didn't care about them, though. He didn't care about anyone or anything. He sat down on the ground, his broken leg spread out in front of him. The bone protruded out sickly and blood poured from the wound. Vegeta shuddered a little bit. *God. This really hurts. And they'res so much blood . . . * He thought. He twitched his leg a little bit and it sent a bolt of pain throughout his leg. "Krillin, give me a senzu bean!" He ordered.
Krillin didn't hear him.
"Hey! Moron, I said give me a senzu bean!" Vegeta shreiked at Krillin. He was seeing black spots dance in front of his vision, and he was seeing out of what seemed like a tunnel. "Krillin get over here before I faint!" But he already knew that it was too late, and that he was going to faint whether he got the senzu bean or not. Just as Krillin came over to Vegeta he was fainted on the ground.
Vegeta didn't know how long it was until he found himself awake. He immideantly expected pain to ricochet up his leg; but none was present. Absolutely no pain at all. And he wasn't at the Cell Games anymore! He was in the backyard of Capsule Corporation, his home, and he heard people talking all around him.
"Look, he's awaking!" He heard Bulma say. The next thing he knew, Bulma was standing over him and helping him stand. "Are you Okay?" She asked.
"I'm fine woman! Now get away from me!" Vegeta griped. He ripped his arm away from Bulma's grip and stood up. "What happened to Cell? We're all just standing around here while CELL is out destroying things? Are we celebrating our deaths or something? What the hell is going on here?" He looked around at the streamers in the trees . . . and then realized that this couldn't be a party for something bad. This was a party for something GOOD. Something like DEFEATING CELL! Vegeta looked around at everyone. "Did you . . .?" He began.
"Yes!" Chi-Chi exclaimed. "Cell's dead!!"
Vegeta's face clouded into a frown. *Cell is dead . . . but not at my hands. At the hands of . . . someone else. Probably Kakarott. But, hey, where IS Kakarott? * His mind wondered. "Hey, where's Kakarott? Did he DIE or something?" Vegeta inquired.
Vegeta noticed everyone get quiet. "So, I guess that's a yes." He let out a hearty chuckle. "Meaning I'm the strongest finally!" He was still celebrating on this fact when he realized that Trunks was still dead. *I'm probably the happiest man alive at this moment . . . except for what happened to Trunks. * He thought. "Trunks . . . is still dead, right?" He asked. "Trunks will never--"
Vegeta was in the middle of his sentence when everyone started to laugh at him. But why were they laughing. "How come you're laughing at me? My son is dead, the least you could do is have some compassion!" He growled. *I can just kill them, that'll settle--"
"We're laughing because he's NOT dead anymore, Vegeta! He's right here!" Picollo said. Just as he said this, Trunks came walking towards Vegeta from the snack bar. He held a hand up to Vegeta. "Hey, Dad." He said.
Vegeta didn't know what to feel. He wanted to just run up and grab onto Trunks, and hug him so hard that his eyes burst. "T--Trunks, but how? I thought Cell killed you, and I tried to protect you but he hurt me, and nobody else could help you, and he absorbed your life--"
"Don't worry about that Dad. It wasn't you fault, what happened to me. You tried. And for once it wasn't for your benefit, it was for Bulma and mine. I was able to be wished back by the Dragonballs . . . but sadly, Goku was not. Goku said that he didn't want to be because he's a magnet for evil." Trunks tried to explain. But he saw that his father had turned away, and was starting to walk towards Capsule Corporation. Trunks stared after him. *Poor Dad. He doesn't feel wanted around here. * He thought, with sadness showing clearly on his face.
"Vegeta, wait!" Bulma tried. But this only made Vegeta walk faster.
"Leave me alone, woman!" He sneered, as he ran inside and slammed the sliding glass door. All of the glass that was once paned inside of the door fell out and shattered on the ground.
Bulma watched Vegeta as he ran up the stairs into their room. *Oh, what's your problem, Vegeta? * Her mind raved. *How come you're so UPTIGHT? One minute you're fine, and you're actually KIND of pleasant to be around, and the next . . . it'd be impossible to even TOUCH you. What goes on in your tortured brain? * She felt like following her husband to ask him if he was Okay. But something in her mind told her that he'd just yell at her, then try to kill her by shooting a powerball. There was no use in trying to comfort a man with a heart as cold as Vegeta's.
Bulma felt Chi-Chi come and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's Okay, Bulma. I know that husbands can be a hard thing sometimes, especially one as stubborn and iron-willed as Vegeta. But he'll come around someday. If you're a strong woman, I'm sure that you can change him."
Bulma walked over to her baby, which was playing in the grass with a frog, and picked it up. "Are you what's keeping Vegeta from me?" She asked Baby Trunks. "Is it you?" She then hugged the baby with all of her might. "Well, it doesn't matter. I love you even if Vegeta doesn't. I love your Daddy too, but he's just a big old airhead. If he doesn't want to play with you than we won't make him." It kind of dissapointed Bulma still, though, that she'd went through the trouble of carriying a half-saiyan baby and this was all that Vegeta was giving her for going through that pain. But she still loved Vegeta with all of her heart.
"Guys, I think it's time you went home." Bulma said. But Trunks, well . . . He really HAD to go home. Go home forever, until his present self grew up.
* * * * * * *
Vegeta pounded a fist on the bed he was sitting on. *I was a fool . . . I should have known that Kakarott would humiliate me this way. Train his son up enough to beat Cell just to rub in MY face that my son could never be that strong. My son . . . is a BABY. * He punched the bed one more time before curling up under the sheets. *I could train that little brat, but . . . I don't have the time to deal with him. He's a stupid crossbreed who doesn't deserve my time. * He closed his eyes, satisfied with these thoughts, but then the 'train him' phrase popped in his mind and wouldn't go away. *I could . . . I really could. He could be stronger than Kakarott's brat. He could actually make my pride stronger; and make me have pride in him. * He smiled a bit at the thought.
"But. . . what am I thinking?" He said outloud. "I just CAN'T train Trunks. I have to train myself, and with Trunks being a baby, It'd be a while before I could even train him."
Vegeta didn't know that Bulma was outside listening to him talk to himself.
As Vegeta rambled on and on about what to do about his baby, he heard something outside of his door. It was a beautiful sound; and it sounded like his wife's voice. The voice he'd been longing for for so long while he had been training on that other planet. It was Bulma, and she was singing to him once more like she had all the rest of the times when he felt he was in a dilemma.
*But . . . Did she hear all that I said? * Vegeta sat up and looked at the door, listening to her sing. He covered his ears. *What if she heard all . . . and TELLS all? What will I be then? * But he found that her voice was like a siren's song and he couldn't resist it. He got up and went to the door, and opened it ever so slowly.
And there, in front of him, was his blue-haired wife again. And he heard her singing to him in her beautiful voice. His face pulled into a frown. "Bulma . . . Go away." He mumbled. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed like he wanted her to give him a lap dance or something.
Bulma stopped her singing and walked a step closer to Vegeta.
Baby Trunks crawled in the room and sat in front of his father's feet.
"Vegeta, why are you acting like this?" Bulma asked. "I heard what you were saying through the door about Baby Trunks. Are you jealous of Gohan and Goku? Is that what your problem is?"
Vegeta scowled. "Of course not! Why would I of all people be jealous of KAKAROTT? He's not worth being jealous of." He crossed his arms across his chest in his trademark gesture.
Bulma laughed at Vegeta.
This made Vegeta mad. *Laughing . . . Laughing . . . Laughing at ME? Why on Earth is she laughing at me? * Vegeta thought. He immidiantly hopped to his feet. "Hey, what are you laughing at woman?!" He screamed, getting ready to grab her by the shoulders and shake her.
Bulma just kept laughing. "Temper, temper Vegeta! That tempers going to kill you someday! Now, sit down . . . and we'll talk. With no yelling or screaming or losing our tempers." She picked up Baby Trunks and sat him on her lap as she sat by Vegeta on the bed. She tried to timidly touch his arm as she used to when she talked to him, but he jerked his arm away. He was in a BAD MOOD and it was obvious. She'd said something that had made him mad and he wasn't going to accept any apologies without a fight.
"Vegeta, it's obvious that something Trunks said upsetted you. You were perfectly fine until he said it." Bulma quietly explained to Vegeta. "And I heard you from outside the door talking about how you should train up Baby Trunks. I think that would be a good idea, personally."
"Yeah, it would be a good idea . . . if it were any of your BUSINESS." Vegeta growled.
Now, Bulma lost HER temper. "Be quiet you jerk! Just listen to me. I want you to sit in this room and beat on pillows, chew on the bed, do ANYTHING that gets rid of your anger. Your anger is going to be the end of you one of these days." Bulma got up to leave. "And when you come out of this room . . . I want you to come down . . . and I want you to give me an apology kiss. Just a little one on my cheek, and then I'll know that you really appreciate me. And don't say that you DON'T appreciate me . . . Because I know that you do, but you're just too goddamned mad to admit it." She quietly closed the door behind her.
Vegeta just stared after her with a scowl on his face.
* * * * * * * *
That night, as Bulma was washing dishes before bed, thinking about how Vegeta hadn't come down to kiss her and how uncomfortable she'd be sleeping on the couch that night, Vegeta came down and FINALLY gave her a small kiss on her cheek. That one small action led to a magical moment in their waterbed that night, and Bulma knew that whatever had been bothering Vegeta had stopped itching at his mind. But she THOUGHT this, and she was wrong.
* * * * * * * * *
The next morning, when Bulma woke up to her baby's crys, Vegeta wasn't in bed beside her. His covers were all bunched up at the end like he'd remembered something and jumped out of bed at the last minute. It's not that Vegeta usually made the bed, he just usually didn't leave the sheets all bunched up at the end of the bed. "Vegeta? Are you in the bathroom?" She asked, picking Trunks up out of the crib. She got no answer out of the bathroom so she went down the stairs. *He's probably eating breakfast. * She thought. But she didn't spy him eating anything at the kitchen table. *Aw Well. He's probably out training, and he'll come in in a second and DEMAND for his food. * Thinking this, she grabbed Trunks's bottle and started to heat it up.
She hadn't told Vegeta the Future Trunks had left in his time machine yet. She figured that with what was going on in Vegeta's head right now it might drive her husband mad, and she really didn't want Vegeta to go mad.
Sure enough, after Bulma had been feeding Trunks for about ten minutes, who should come storming in through the door he'd broken the previous day but Vegeta.
"Woman, get started on my food." He growled, sitting in the chair.
Bulma looked up to tell him good morning and take a glance at his muscular bod, and she thought she'd see his nice body, but instead the sight of a scratched, bloodied up man was in her view.
"Vuh-Vegeta?! What did you do to yourself? You NEVER get scratched up that bad when you train, NEVER!!" She exclaimed. She put Trunks down in the floor with his bottle and walked over to Vegeta.
Vegeta saw deep concern in his wife's eyes. "It's nothing. I just . . . my mind wasn't with me today. Now go make me some food." He grumped, crossing his arms across his bloody chest. He smirked a little when Bulma walked over to the stove and started to get out the ingrediants for an omelette.
"You might want to go take a shower and wash all of that blood off of you, Punkin. That's nasty." She droned.
Vegeta scowled a little bit and was about to burst, "YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" But didn't. He knew he shouldn't blame Bulma for the problem that was troubling his mind at the moment. "I think I will." He grumbled, getting up and going to the bathroom.
* * * * * * * * *
After his shower Vegeta felt somewhat renewed. Showers always made him feel better when something was troubling him, and this one had helped. But not enough. He still kept thinking about Kakarott and his little ingrate. He wondered into the kitchen where the omelette was sitting on his placemat and Bulma was in the floor playing with Baby Trunks.
"Did you have a good shower?" Bulma asked.
Vegeta nodded. "'Was Okay." He answered wearily. As he was eating he averted his pupils to Bulma and noticed that even though she was laughing and playing with the baby, she still didn't seem like herself. She seemed the way she'd seemed before the Cell Games had started. He wanted to ask Bulma what was the matter, but didn't. He just stared at her.
Bulma finally looked up and met his gaze. "Something wrong?" She asked, starting to get up.
Vegeta shook his head. "Oh, no. Nothing's a problem." He responded. "But I have been noticing . . . changes . . . in you ever since Cell was found. Your . . . mating . . . hasn't been quite the same."
Bulma nodded. "Because I've been quite aware that something is bothering YOU, Punkin. Something is bothering you very bad." She walked up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders.
Vegeta flinched a little bit under her touch. He sighed and bent his head back as she started to massage his tense shoulders. And boy, were they tense. All he could think about was Kakarott and Gohan.
"You know, Vegeta . . . You're so high-strung about many things." Bulma started. "All someone has to do is state their opinion and you go all out on them. But you did it particularly bad yesterday when I was trying to talk to you about what was making you act like such a bastard."
Vegeta scowled and jerked his body away from her touch. *I could shut you up with one ki blast . . . * He thought. But instead he just said, " This conversation is done." and stood up.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No . . . I mean--yes." Vegeta mumbled. Before Bulma could ask him what she said he was out of the kitchen and back outside in the Gravity Room.
* * * * * * * * *
Several weeks later, sparks were coming back into Bulma and Vegeta's sex life, and that was good. But Bulma still knew that Vegeta was bothered by something. He barely spoke to her anymore, even less than he had when he'd first come to live at Capsule Corp. And he didn't even acknowledge that Trunks even existed. The most he talked about Trunks was saying,'Shut that brat up!' or, 'Shut up, you freaking brat!' nothing ever more. And he never would kiss Bulma or hold her like he used to. Everytime she tried to scoot in his lap, he'd complain and tell her to 'go to bed if she wanted to lay on something.'
This particular day, Bulma couldn't even ask him what he wanted for dinner and he'd get all mad like she'd done something wrong to him. He even slapped her once, and she had a large purple whelp across her cheek showing where it'd happened. But she didn't blame Vegeta. She blamed whatever was blocking his mind like that. And she was bound to make it stop blocking his mind. She'd help him, because, after all, that's what wives were meant to do, right? She decided to make him a HUGE meal, because the way to a saiyan's heart was through his stomach. So, she got to work on baking.
Vegeta was in the bathroom, shaving, when he smelt something delicious wafting up from the kitchen. Drool immidiantly started spilling from his mouth, and his eyes began to water. He just HAD to follow that delicious smell! He finished up shaving, washed his face, and then started down the stairs towards the smell. *That just CAN'T be Bulma or her mother's food. It smells too good! * He thought. But, of course, when he came into the kitchen he found Bulma was cooking it.
"Buh-Hulma . . . That's YOUR food that smells so good?" He asked. He sat down at the table and wiped the drool from his lips.
"Yes, it is my food. Does it come to you as a surprise or anything?" Bulma asked.
Vegeta just shrugged. "Yes, a little. You usually ARE a horrible cook."
Just after Vegeta said this Baby Trunks came crawling up to him. "Da-Da!" He babbled, and pulled himself up with the help of Vegeta's spandex.
"Go away, brat." Vegeta grumped to the baby. He shook his leg, which caused the baby to topple on its butt. Trunks started to whimper.
"Don't you think you should pick him up or something, love? I can't because I'm trying to cook." Bulma said.
"There's no way that I'll pick him up. Babies are discusting things. How can YOU even stand to hold anything that pisses on itself, drools everywhere, and picks its nose? That's discusting!" Vegeta said, wrinkling his nose.
Bulma sighed. "Whatever, Vegeta. Whatever floats your boat." She came over and placed a big, juicy ham in front of her husband. She immediantly saw drool start to pool from his mouth.
"Th-This is ju-hust for ME?" He asked, drool plopping to the table cloth.
"Yes. Now eat it up. I thought that maybe it would make you feel better. But be sure you use your silverware, dear." She handed Vegeta a fork and a knife. Vegeta started to eat it in polite little bites without even thanking Bulma for making it for him.
"Vegeta, is that making you feel better?" Bulma asked.
Vegeta shrugged. "Well, it's sure soothing my hunger pangs." He said quietly. "If you count that for something it's making better."
Bulma stamped her foot. "No, I mean your problem! You know, you got all upset when Trunks said something and you came storming inside? Is that starting to suside?"
Vegeta smirked, but did nothing else. He didn't speak a word; he just kept on eating.
Bulma ignored Trunks's growing cries and placed her hands on her husband's shoulders, and crouched over him. "I think I know what you were so upset about for so long Vegeta. It was about our baby wasn't it? You're jealous of Goku, because Gohan is so strong. You wish that Baby Trunks could be like that, too. You wish that Trunks could be stronger than Gohan."
Vegeta stopped short in eating. "What?" He demanded.
"That's your problem isn't it? If that is your problem, there's a very simple solution for it." Bulma continued.
Vegeta was listening to her, with a frown on his face. *Shit, this woman knows the answers to everything. * He thought.
"Maybe . . . You should TRAIN Trunks. I wouldn't have a problem with it, Vegeta, really. As long as you were to wait until he was six years old. That's just five years, hon. Then you could start to train him as much as you want, and I wouldn't give you any hassle. As long as you weren't to hit him, or put him under immense levels of gravity, Okay? Does that sound good to you? We can even write it down so I won't forget that I said it if I start to change my mind." Bulma said.
Vegeta's face slowly broke into a smile. "Really?" He asked.
Bulma smiled and nodded, kissing his neck. "Really." She answered.
Vegeta stood up, whirled around, and without even thinking about his pride, he hugged his woman with all of the strength he found inside of himself. "Yes, Yes, I will wait until Trunks is six years old, and then I'll train him." He said. "And he'll be stronger than Kakarott's brat ever was at that age."
Bulma smiled a little bit. Finally, she would get Vegeta into spending more time around his son! "And maybe Vegeta, if you're nice to him from now on until he's six, he might find it actually EXITING to want to train with you!"
Vegeta just released her out of his hug and lumbered up the stairs.
____________________________________________________________________________ _______________________
end of chapter twenty-seven
Gee, this story is getting long! this is probably the halfway point, LOL! Maybe a bit more. Anyways, in the next chapter, it's five years later and it's Trunks's sixth birthday, and Vegeta and Bulma have him a party, and Vegeta starts to train him. Not as action-packed as the previous like . . . ten chapters, but at least we're past the Cell saga and into the fun stuff again! Bye-Bye!
luv, luvssaintbernards.
P.S-PLEASE REVIEW AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE!
