Hiya! And yes, before anyone points it out.. I know this update took WAY too long.. But all I can say is sorry!! :-D

Disclaimer: Anyone wanna buy a perfectly.. decent.. husband? PLEASE??

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Plan on Forever

Chapter Three: A dark shadow swept across the land

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Last time, on Plan on Forever...

The bulging muscles.

The spiky hair.

The one man Bulma never would've suspected Chichi to be dating.

Then, Son Goku turned around, and spotted her as well.

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"Bulma?" The spiky haired man questioned softly as the blue haired woman plopped numbly into her seat.

"Goku." She acknowledged the man with a curt nod of her head.

"You KNOW each other?" Chichi questioned, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"We've met." Bulma replied.

"Well, so much for surprises then, huh?" Chichi asked, rather disappointed.

"Oh no, It's a surprise alright." Both Goku and Bulma answered in unison, earning them yet another quirked eyebrow.

"Um.. look, I really don't wanna interrupt your time together or anything.." Bulma stated quietly, her eyes never breaking contact with the man seated across from her.

"Nonsense! I invited you, didn't I? Besides, what else would you be doing right now? Moping around the house? It's not like even Yamcha's there to keep you company. He's got a meeting this afternoon, remember?" Chichi replied as she glanced over the menu.

"Yamcha?" Goku questioned, having obviously never heard of the other man.

"Bulma's boyfriend."

"Oh.." This time, it was his turn to stare.. Though for what reason he wasn't sure.

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After lunch had arrived, they ate in almost complete silence, except for a few flirtatious gestures from Chichi towards Goku, which for some reason made Bulma's blood boil. She barely even picked at her salad, taking no more than five bites before deciding that the only way she'd ever be able to keep her food down would be to escape.

Fast.

"Listen, Chi.. thanks for lunch and everything.. but well, I really should be going, I've missed out on a lot of work here lately, so I think I'll head to the office and get started."

"Well then, I'll drive you." Chichi replied, her tone virtually daring Bulma to argue with her.

"That would make you have to drive completely out of your way, and you know it! Besides, I'm not a child, you know." Bulma shot back, a bit too eagerly.

"Well then, do tell me why you're so determined to get away from me! You've hardly said two words since we got here!"

"I'm tired, and I don't feel like talking! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving."

"Like hell you will. And I have the perfect solution for you. You don't want me to take you to work, then Goku can."

Bulma's eyes widened slightly, but she semi-composed herself, and began to stutter.

"Th.. That's really not ne.. necessary.. Chi.. I mean, um.. I don't mind walking.. heh.. Um.."

"Bulma, are you feeling ok? Maybe you should just go lie down. You have been through quite a bit here lately.." Chichi's death glare melted away into a frown, which was met with one to match from Bulma.

"Chi.. I'm fine. I just need to get out and do something for a little while.. that's all."

"And I said fine, didn't I? All I asked was that you let Goku drive you. Is that so much to ask?"

Bulma gave a sigh of defeat, and agreed to ride with Goku, despite the nagging voice in her head that told her not to.

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"I can't believe you're dating Chichi!" Bulma screamed once she'd climbed into Son Goku's car. This was of course not the first time she'd been in the vehicle, but it WAS the first since she'd discovered that his girlfriend was none other than her best friend. THAT put a slight damper on any impending relationship that might've been forming, now didn't it?

"Well, you never exactly mentioned that you KNEW her, either!"

"I'm not believing you're turning this around on me! I told you EVERYTHING about me! The least you could've done was tell me you had a GIRLFRIEND!!!"

"Oh right, and the tiny fact that you left out Yamcha, or whatever his name is, is completely irrelevant, right?"

"Of course he's not irrelevant! And I've mentioned him before...."

"The only men I've ever heard you mention were your father, and your boss..." Realization crossed Goku's features, and his frown deepened even further. "You're the girl Chichi was talking about! You're the reason she didn't get her last promotion!"

Bulma stared at him blankly for a moment before he continued.

"You're the girl that's fucking your boss!"

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"EXCUSE ME?!" Bulma screamed, that Goku had to shoot his hands up to cover his ears. sending the car barrelling toward the oncoming traffic, "SHE SAID WHAT??!!"

"You heard me." He replied once he'd regained control of the swerving vehicle.

"I heard you, but I can't believe you.. or Chichi, for that matter, would say something like that about me! You don't even know me!"

"I may not, but Chichi does.. And I have to admit, I'm kind of embarrassed I didn't figure out sooner that you were the one she was talking about."

"Do you even know WHY I started dating him?"

"From what Chichi told me, I'd surmise that I know enough."

"No, I don't think you do." She replied, before opening her mouth to speak again.

He cut her off, however, with a disgusted glare, and a snort. "You fell on some hard times, and decided to fuck your way to the top, instead of working to get there?"

Bulma recoiled sharply, as though she'd been struck. "That's not true! My mother died when I was 16 for Kami's sake! Then soon after, Daddy got sick, and I suddenly found myself.. Well, drowning.. It's like I paid one bill only to turn around and find I had four more due. And in case you haven't noticed, not many people are willing to hire a Seventeen year old girl with no experience.. Especially not for a job that's going to have to support her, and pay for her father's nursing home bills..." She replied, before beginning to cry again as memory of the dreams came back to her.

"I don't really care what the circumstances were.. The end result is still the same. You consented to sleep with some guy so that you could get paid.. That makes you no more than a whore in my book."

"How can you say such things? I've never done anything to hurt you! All you know is what Chichi told you! You're not even giving me a chance to defend myself!" She sobbed, before turning to look out the window.

"You know, I'd actually considered leaving Chichi for you.. Actually considered giving up a relationship with her.. For a shot at having one with you... And then, I find out you've got a boyfriend! Tell me, how am I supposed to feel? Am I supposed to say 'Oh, sorry Bulma.. I'll just hang around.. Maybe you'll break up with him someday'? Is that what I'm supposed to do?"

"Don't you DARE try to make me feel guilty! Don't! You act like you were the only one interested in this!" She screamed to him, as she gestured between the both of them. "Yamcha asked me to marry him today! And you know why I refused?! Because I decide to wait and see if things worked out with us! I told him no, because I was falling for you!"

Goku's eyes softened then, and he reached across to touch her arm. She shook him off, however, thankful that they had finally reached their destination. She climbed out of the car without either a word, or a backward glance, and entered the large brick building in front of her.

Goku briefly contemplated following her, but quickly decided against it. After all, everything he'd said had been true... right?

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There now, how was that? Took too long.. I know.. Don't remind me.. Anyway, getting straight down to business. the new update for this fic will be Mondays.. So, from now on, you can find any updates for it on that day. nifty, huh? Oh, and for all you Heroes, and Everyone Says I love you readers, I'm reposting them too.. So if you haven't seen em yet, now would be a great time to go check em out. :-D

Lovies!

~*Vegetas-Princess*~