B-day is over. Guess I should get back to work…

Chapter5: a growing friendship.

Vegeta had led Zara and the boys into capsule corps large living room. He was now in the corner of the room, leant against the wall in his usual manner.

The boys stared at Zara with uncertainty. She stared at the floor. Goten nudged Trunks.

"Trunks, what's going on?" his friend shrugged.

"How should I know? Dad just did it, I dunno why." They heard a heavy sigh and turned to see Zara staring at them.

"What?" Trunks asked. She shrugged.

"Just wondered what you were talking about…"

"Oh-" Trunks started but was cut off by Goten.

"What's going on? Why does Mr Vegeta want to talk to your mom? Can you really read minds?" he yelled out all at once. Zara blinked then looked at Trunks.

"Does he always act like this?"

"Yep. So, do you know why he wants to talk?"

"No. I asked but mother just said she was expecting it." This earned a glance from Vegeta.

"I think it was because I know something he doesn't." a voice said. They all turned round and Sam was standing there in some jeans and a t-shirt. She must have just gotten back and changed.

Vegeta stood up and stared at her, walking towards her.

"What makes you say that onna?" he asked. She frowned and crossed her arms.

"Well it's true. I know a lot of things that you don't." she looked at Zara then back at him. "A lot of things that you seem to wish to know."

"Yes. Like how do you know that filthy kalroo." Vegeta spat. Sam glared.

"I worked with him. And if I were you, Vegeta, I wouldn't go mouthing off about him in front of me."

"Ah, so it's true. He really did mate with some lower species. And had a runt of his own? Mr high and mighty doing this? Ha!" Sam glared as he spoke.

"You're one to talk Vegeta. Besides, I'd like to know how you know of Tank. I always thought he had better taste in company."

"He was sent to Frieza's planet. Don't ask me why. He came and I was forced to watch him and those lowly creatures that accompanied him." Vegeta put simply. Sam shook her head.

"Well that explains why then."

"Yes but it doesn't explain how you met him! So what, he came to Earth and mated with the first life form he found did he? He sounds just as pathetic as ever."

"Look Mr ass-that-knows-every-damn-thing, I met him 11 years ago and what happened between us is none of your damn business. Now why am I here?" Sam growled. Vegeta smirked. He had finally worked out how to get on her nerves.

He was about to say something when Bulma and Chichi burst through the doors.

"You!" Bulma cried out pointing at Sam and making her stare at her in confusion. "I've been trying to speak with you since last night! And you ignored me! Then you leave your daughter home alone? After what my son saw? What's wrong with you?" Bulma demanded. Sam stared then looked at Trunks who was now hiding behind his mother.

Finally she spoke.

"There is nothing wrong with me. If you knew the reasons for me living here then you'd know that training Zara is the best I can do. Besides, if her father were here then her training would be a lot tougher." Sam spoke in a quiet voice and slowly walked towards them. Bulma stood her ground.

"What's so terrible that you need to go that far with her? And why would you leave her alone?"

"I can't tell you why. And what am I supposed to do with her? I have nobody I'm willing to let near her. Besides, it was only for an hour and she can look after herself."

"I find that hard to believe! If you really have no one then we could watch her for you. You can't leave someone her age on their own!" Bulma said, placing her hands on her hips. Sam stared thoughtfully at Vegeta for a second before looking at Bulma.

"I'll consider it. Now come on Zara, say good bye." Zara looked up at her mother and sighed, then turned to Bulma, bowing.

"Arigato for watching me Ms Bulma." She said.

"Aw, that's ok Zara chan, you're welcome to come back the next time you're alone." Bulma said smiling it the chibi, then frowning at her mother.

Sam rolled her eyes & made for the door.

"Come, Zara, before you're invited on a slumber party." Then they left.

~~~~~~

The next day Trunks was staring out his window. He had just woken up to find that it had snowed the night before. He grinned then spotted something in Zara's back garden.

"She's out this early?" he asked himself before opening his window and flying out.

He floated over the fence with his arms wrapped around himself & stared at Zara as she stared in awe at some snow in her hand.

He coughed. She looked up, startled.

"Hi. What are you doing out here?" he asked curiously. She stared at him then looked down at her hand.

"I…I guess I was curious…" she said softly before bending down to put down the snow in her hand.

"Why were you curious? This isn't your first time seeing snow, is it?" he asked. He thought the idea almost laughable. Zara stared at him with a look that read 'what's so funny about that?'

"It is…isn't it?" he asked. She nodded. "Oh." He floated down and knelt next to her, scooping some snow up and rolling it into a ball.

"How come?" he asked.

"It doesn't do this in space." She said simply, eyeing the snowball. Trunks stared at her.

"What has space got to do with it?"
"That's where I'm from. We were on a ship before father left and mother brought me here. I've never seen anything like this before…" she said trailing off then realising what she said.

"You were in space?" Trunks asked. Zara nodded.

"Yes, you can't let mother know that I told. I'm not really supposed to tell anyone…"

"I won't. But it sounds cool. My dad used to live up there before he met mom." Trunks explained before throwing his snowball into the air then catching it.

Zara watched it, intrigued by the crystallised water. He caught her and watched as she tilted her head to the side and examined it.

It was the closet he had ever seen her to acting her age. Why shouldn't I act mine? He thought before looking at the ball. Zara shook herself out of her little trance.

"What?" she asked, catching his smirk.

"Oh, just this…" he said casually before throwing the ball at her. She blinked in surprise as the cold ball fell on her head. She wiped it off then smirked at him.

"You'll pay for that," she said before jumping up. He got the message and started running as she scooped up a ball and threw it at the back of his head.

He turned and laughed but his laughter was cut short when he saw her smirking at him with several snowballs floating in the air next to her. He gulped.

"Better keep running!" she half yelled as they threw themselves forward. He let out a small cry as he dodged four, getting hit be the last. They both laughed this time and he started scooping up more.

"My turn!" he yelled before running towards her. She yelped and ran in the opposite direction.

"I'm gonna get you!" Trunks cried as they ran. Zara looked over her shoulder and poked her tongue out at him.

"Nu-uh!" she said before he pounced. She yelped again as he landed on her back and pinned her to the floor.

"Told ya!" he grinned at his success as Zara frowned up at him. "So you know what that means…" he said with an innocent look on his face before snow went down the back of her shirt. She gasped at the coldness of it before looking up at him, over her shoulder.

"Yea, well…" she started before there was a small rumbling noise above them.

"What's that…oh kami!" he said as his eyes grew wide. Then most of the snow on the roof fell on top of them.

Moments later the pile shook and Trunks emerged, laughing.

"You really didn't think that one through, did ya?" he asked as Zara's head popped up next to his.

"How could you tell?" she asked, grinning before sneezing loudly. Trunks laughed again and helped pull her out of the mound of snow that had fallen on top of them.

"You've got white stuff all in your hair…" he teased and went to brush the snow off. Zara ducked and did it herself.

"So have you!" she grinned and looked up at him. He laughed and quickly brushed it all out, messing his lavender hair up even more. She laughed at him and he smiled.

"We should do this again sometime, friend!" he said before running back to his house to eat, leaving Zara in a shocked state. Friend? She asked herself then smiled.

"Friend. Cool, my first…" she said before walking back to her house.

~~~~~~

A/n: another chappie. Not bad, just need to know if it was well written ^ ^; so R&R please!

So, who's Tank and what has Vegeta got against him? And just what is it that Sam can't tell anybody? Find out next time in 'the girl next door!'