Author's Note: Well, here it is. Chapter 11. I have really nothing to say except thanks for the reviews.

Thanks to Babie Blue for the beta-ing.

Chapter 11: Apologies

"Vegeta? Man. What's happened to you?" Goku was shocked. Vegeta was sitting by the tractor shed, his head in his hands.

"Fuck. Off. Kakarot." He spoke slowly. Instead, Goku sat down next to Vegeta, and Krillin on the other side.

"Vegeta what's wrong with you? You haven't smoked in years, why start now?" Goku sighed sadly. Vegeta looked at him and glared.

"What do you think is wrong with me?"

"If we knew Vegeta, we wouldn't be asking," Krillin answered. Vegeta shot him a death glare but Krillin ignored it. "Why all of a sudden? I thought you said you hated her?"

"I do. More than anything on this pathetic planet."

"Then why are you so depressed?" Goku asked.

"Because I'm allowed to be alright?"

"Fine Vegeta. Be that way. You were always the weaker one. Can't even control yourself, enough to keep your body healthy." Goku was disgusted. He stood without a word and headed back to the school, knowing he'd dealt Vegeta a serious insult.

"You don't know what's going on! I have reason enough and more to be smoking, if I wish to!" Vegeta yelled, now on his feet. Krillin edged away nervously. Goku turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"I would if you just told me Vegeta!" Vegeta glared at him, before throwing his hands into the air.

"Fuck this!" he growled and stalked back into school. Krillin looked at Goku.

"Goku man, there's something more going on here than we think," he shook his head, "Vegeta's not telling the whole story."

"I know that."

"I seriously think he needs to start seeing the councillor again. Something's wrong Goku. I can feel it."

Later that night.

"Chichi! Is Bulma there?" 18 asked, flicking her thumbnails nervously.

"18? Sure, I'll just get her." There were a few muffled voices before-

"Hello?"

"Hey Bulma. It's 18." Bulma paused.

"Oh." 18 sighed.

"Bulma, can I come 'round. There's some stuff I need to talk over with you." Bulma frowned, wondering what 18 was on about.

"Sure. I'm home and Chichi's staying here as well so come over."

"OK, I'll be there soon. I just have to make a few more phone calls." Bulma nodded then realized 18 couldn't see her.

"OK. Bye for now." She hung up. "18's coming over," she told Chichi. Chichi nodded.

"So have you forgiven yourself yet?" Bulma shook her head.

"I can't believe I did that to Vegeta. And what's worse is, I didn't notice it until now, five years on!"

"Bulma, I think you should just ring Vegeta. Explain."

"What is there to explain? I rejected him in the meanest way possible, and didn't even care!"

"You didn't know! Just ring him." Bulma sighed.

"I think I might Chichi." She picked up the phone and dialed Vegeta's number, which was still in her head from years ago.

"Hello?"

"Er, hi. Mrs. Ouji? Is Vegeta there please?" Silence.

"Bulma?" she asked almost disbelievingly.

"Yes, it's me. Is Vegeta in yet?"

"Yes he is. But he's not coming out of his room sorry. You could try his personal line, although I'm not sure he'd answer."

"OK thanks. What's his number?" Bulma wrote it down, thanked Mrs. Ouji again and hung up.

Lisa sighed and clicked down the phone. She'd never gotten used to being called 'Mrs. Ouji', but Vegeta insisted on keeping his last name, and made it clear he didn't want anyone knowing about his parents. She looked up as Vega burst in the doors.

"Hey Lisa," she greeted. Lisa smiled sadly. Nor had she gotten used to Vega and Vegeta calling her Lisa. She insisted Vegeta called her mum, but he was stubborn and stuck with Lisa. Vega, being his sister just followed his example.

"Afternoon Vega. How was school?" She shrugged.

"Crappy as usual. I'm finally on my last year at that stupid Intermediate! But next year at high school, Vegeta's not going to be there. I was looking forward to helping him get into trouble." She smiled evilly. Lisa raised a blonde eyebrow.

"Vega, I don't want you following your brother's example. He has er, excuses, for some of his behaviour, not all of it, but you on the other hand need not follow him or keep up his tradition." She was extremely worried about having another Vegeta. She didn't think her and Kevin could handle it.

Vega frowned, thinking back to her and Vegeta's conversation earlier that week. She supposed that was the excuse Lisa was talking about. She still couldn't believe Lisa and Kevin had kept all that from her for ten years. But Vegeta had said not to tell them she knew. She sighed and headed upstairs.

"Oh and Vega!" she turned around. "Don't go near your brother's room OK? He's not in a very good mood." Vega frowned and nodded, before heading straight for Vegeta's room. She was about to knock when she heard him on the phone.

Bulma dialed Vegeta's number. It rang nineteen times before it picked up.

"Kakarot how many times do I have to tell you to piss off and leave me alone?" Bulma's eyes widened. Obviously Goku had been trying to ring.

"Er, Vegeta. I-I-it's not Goku." She heard the music in the background drop right off.

"Bulma," he said coolly. Even after five years, he recognized her voice on the phone.

"V-v-vegeta I was ringing t-t-to say I-I-I," she faltered. "Vegeta I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you like that, I didn't think. I'm sorry I just disregarded your feelings like that, and most of all I'm sorry I didn't see why. I think it's really pathetic that I've taken this long to work it out." Bulma choked. Vegeta's eyes widened in shock on the other end of the line, before his eyebrows knitted together in a dark frown.

"Woman, I have no use for your pathetic apologies. I am surprised you were smart enough to work it out at all. I really have no feelings towards you anymore. At least, anything but hate. I hope you enjoy your life, knowing you could've had me for your own, and you threw it away on some mistrusting, self-centered bastard. Now leave me the fuck alone bitch." He hung up, anger coursing through him. Most of what he'd said to her was a lie. He did have feelings for her. He would gladly be her so-called 'friend' again, if his pride would let him. But it wouldn't, so he would put up with that. Never would he stoop so low, as to accept an apology. He sighed and fell back onto his bed with a soft 'flump'. He closed his eyes and was just drifting into an uneasy sleep, when Vega burst in. He growled at her, but she ignored him and sat down on the bed next to him, leaning against the wall.

"Who were you talking to like that?"

"It's none of your business," he growled, sitting up.

"You're my brother so if you speak to someone like that it's my business. So. Who were you talking to?" He mumbled something. "Didn't quite catch that, Geta!" she said happily.

"Bulma," he mumbled. Vega looked at him.

"Oh my gosh, Bulma? That one with the blue hair that you always used to be with…" Vega vaguely (A/N: Vega vaguely, hehe that sounds funny) remembered the girl that Vegeta had always brought home when he was at primary and intermediate.

"Yeah that one," he mumbled nonchalantly.

"Why are you speaking to her like that? I thought she was quite nice!" Vega pouted.

"Well, you're wrong then aren't you? She's a conniving bitch who has no consideration for anyone other than herself, backstabbing lying whore, who always tries to suck up and pretend whatever happened wasn't her fault."

"Wow. That's bland. But what did she do to you to warrant such a reputation?"

"Don't ask," he mumbled.

"I am asking."

"Well I'm not telling, so Vega, get the hell out of my room before I throw you out." Vega raised an eyebrow and jumped off the bed.

"Sure Vegeta. Sure. Oh and why did you tell her she I quote 'could have had you'?"

"Vega get out!" he yelled. She shook her head, but she left his room anyway, and he sighed thankfully. As much as he liked his little sister he really couldn't be bothered explaining Bulma to her.

Bulma. How dare she ring him, and of all things, apologize? Who did she think she was? As much as he'd like to be on good terms with her, they could never be friends. Their personalities clashed too violently.

He sighed again and decided to go downstairs, as much as he hated the prospect of facing Rick.

Chichi looked at Bulma expectantly.

"Well?" she prompted. Bulma sighed sadly.

"That went well." Chichi smiled.

"Really? Did he forgive you?"

"If being forgiven is being called pathetic, dumb, hated and a bitch is being forgiven then yes, I'm forgiven." Her eyes welled with tears. "Chichi, how am I going to face him tomorrow?" Moisture streamed silently down her cheeks.

"Oh, B. I'm so sorry. I should never have made you ring him." Chichi hugged her friend.

"It's not your fault Chi. At least now I know he hates me. Although, it's been obvious all along. This is all my fault, and now I have to live with it for the rest of my life."

"Er, Lisa. Is Vegeta there?"

"Yes sure he is…………….. Hold on. Did you just call me Lisa?"

"Er yeah." 'Oh shit,' 18 thought. Shit shit shit. He obviously hasn't told her I know.

"What possessed you to call me that?" 18 thought fast.

"Oh well umm my other friends' parents tell me to call them by your first name and Vegeta told me that's what is was so I'm sorry if I offended you." Lisa sighed.

"No, that's OK dear." She was disappointed. For a moment there, she thought this girl knew Vegeta's story. Thought maybe he was opening up to people. Obviously not.

"Er excuse me? Is Vegeta there?" Lisa shook out of her trance.

"Yes, yes he is. But he's upstairs and not coming- oh. Here he is now. Vegeta, phone!" 18 heard him growl in the background, and a moment later he picked up the phone.

"Bulma piss off and leave me alone!" The line went dead. 18 blinked.

"Oh shit," she mumbled. Bulma had tried to ring Vegeta! He would've flipped. "Poor Bulma." But she tried again.

"VEGETA!" Lisa yelled. He turned to her, snarling.

"What?"

"How dare you speak to her like that! For starters, it wasn't Bulma. Even if it was you have no right to speak to her in that way!"

"I have every right to speak to her as I wish. But who was it?" he snapped.

"I don't know. It was a girl but-"

"Ring ring, ring ring." Vegeta picked it up.

"BULMA PI-"

"IT'S 18 YOU DICK!" 18 yelled from the other end. Vegeta growled.

"What do you want? Rung to lecture me some more about how to look after myself?" It was 18's turn to growl.

"No that's not why I rung. But maybe I should!"

"I'm not in the mood for your crap, 18."

"Well, I just rung to apologize. Goku told me about last time and-"

"HE DID WHAT?"

"He told me about last time you smoked, how Bulma helped you off it. I just rung to apologize." That was it for Vegeta.

"ENOUGH BLOODY APOLOGIES ALREADY! FIRST THE STUPID BLUE HAIRED BITCH AND NOW YOU. I CAN'T TAKE THIS CRAP!"

"VEGETA! Don't talk about Bulma like that! She may deserve some of the crap you dish out, but even I've realized now, that she doesn't deserve all of it! Anyway, I'm sorry for going off at you, but I still think you should stop this smoking thing before it gets out of hand." She hung up before he could answer.

Lisa, Kevin and Rick looked at him, stunned.

"OK Vegeta now you tell me what the hell that was all about!" Kevin spoke calmly but firmly. Vegeta glared at him.

"No. My business is my own. If you were my real parents I'd consider telling you but seen as your not, STAY THE HELL OUT OF MY PRIVATE LIFE!" He stormed past them and out the door, inconspicuously grabbing Lisa's packet of smokes and lighter as he stalked past her. He slammed the door shut behind him. A moment later, Vega came flying down the stairs.

"Was that Vegeta?" They nodded. She sighed and sat herself at the table.

"Vega, go upstairs. Rick, you too. I have to talk to Lisa about some stuff." Vega glared at Kevin, but allowed herself to be dragged up the stairs by Rick. "She grows more and more like Vegeta everyday," Kevin sighed.

"That's what I'm afraid of. Listen, Kevin. There's been some weird stuff going on with Vegeta. He's got more than 15 detentions already, and it's only week five. More than of them were Saturdays and-"

"Ring ring. Ring ring." Lisa picked up.

"Hello? Yes. I am. He did? Because of that? OK. Thank you for calling." She hung up and looked at her husband. "That was the school. Vegeta walked out today, after tipping over a table and swearing at a teacher. He was home early because he wagged the end. He's on another Saturday this week. I think he's taking this news harder than we imagined." Lisa's face was grave.

"Lisa, he's Vegeta's child. That man was my best friend. We have to do something, I won't let Vegeta, or his son down like this!"

"Maybe we should just talk to him?"

"Good luck."

"Far out, Goku. It's official. Vegeta is wasted. He must have some fucked up shit going on in his life."

"What makes you say that, 18?" 18 had rung Goku after she'd hung up on Vegeta.

"I rung him to apologize, and the first time he thought it was Bulma and told me to fuck off and leave him alone, then when I rung back and apologized, he said I quote 'Enough bloody apologies already, I can't take this crap'. There's something really wrong Goku. Maybe you should go and see him. Or Lisa and Kevin and find out what the hell is going on."

"Yeah. I'll go now. I'll ring you when I get home."

"Oh, I'm going to Bulma's ring me there."

"Sure, bye."

"Bye." 18 hung up. She'd packed her stuff a moment ago and simply grabbed it, before running out the door and jumping in her car.

She arrived at Capsule Corp ten minutes later, and invited herself in. Mrs. Briefs was cooking dinner in the kitchen.

"Hey Mrs. Briefs."

"Morning, 18 dear. Bulma and Chichi are upstairs. Leave your stuff here, the cleaning bots will take it up." 18 shook her head.

"No thanks, I'll just take it up now." She wasn't used to being waited on. She disappeared up the stairs and looked wildly around for Bulma's door. 18 could easily get lost in this place.

"Bulma! Are you OK?" 18 was shocked. Obviously, her conclusion had been right. And it didn't seem Vegeta had been very nice in rejecting his apology. Chichi smiled up at her.

"She rung Vegeta and-"

"Apologized, then he blew up at her. I know, I rung him just after Bulma did. He said he'd had enough apologies. You guys, I think there's something more going on here than we think. Goku thinks so as well."

"You rung Goku?" Chichi asked. 18 nodded.

"He's going over to Vegeta's now to talk to Li- his parents. He's ringing me here when he gets back."

"Who cares what the hell is going on in his life? If he's so high and mighty, then he should fix it himself." Bulma spoke up for the first time, choking every now and then on her tears. 18 frowned and nearly started yelling, before realizing Bulma didn't know about his parents.

"Well, I know this is gunna sound crazy, but you guys don't understand or know half of it." Bulma and Chichi frowned.

"Like what? What do you mean?" Bulma asked. 18 shook her head.

"I can't tell you, I promised not to. But he has a reason for his behaviour. Anyway, after the scene at lunch at school today, I went out to see him after you and Chichi went to the bathroom." Bulma frowned. "And he was over by the tractor shed."

"WHAT?" Bulma asked, all her tears forgotten. "That's where he used to-"

"Smoke. And he was. Well, I blew up at him and he yelled at me. I took it out of his mouth, stomped it out and he psyched."

"Oh my gosh. Vegeta's smoking again. I can't believe it. He hasn't smoked since he was like ten!"

"Yeah. Goku told me. Bulma, I really think you need to help him through this, no matter what he says to you or vice versa. If he's smoking again, something bad's going on. I just hope he sees sense."

"I can't! He hates me 18! You know what he said to me!" Bulma wailed.

"Yeah. But as much as I hate Vegeta, 18's right. If he's smoking again, he's going to need someone. And considering you got him off them the first time, well………." Chichi sighed. Bulma sighed too. What could possibly affect Vegeta so much?

Next Chapter: What's bugging Vegeta? What did his "parents" tell him that caused his sudden attitude change? Will Goku find out? Will it bring Bulma and Vegeta together?

Author's Note: Well, what do you think? To be perfectly honest, as of yet, I have no idea what's wrong with Vegeta. Help in this area would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys. R&R

Kaibun