Author's Note: Please notify me of any grammar mistakes that you find in the story. Reviews would also be nice.

Disclaimer: DB/DBZ/DBGT belong to Toriyama and other rich Japanese guys, not me.

A Brief Moment in Time

Chapter 7: Dimensions

On route to Sirrus 4…

After her spat with Vegeta, Bulma stormed back to the separate room. The ship was not very large but there were two rooms in addition to an engineering section and cockpit. She had quickly grasped the design of the ship once she had read up on the physics of hyperspace and what was necessary to construct a ship that could withstand the rigors of space travel. It had not taken her long to figure out what her alternative self had included with the ship. The only thing that confused her were a few files that happened to be heavily encrypted with a code that she did not know. However, these things were the farthest things from her mind at the moment. Instead, she couldn't turn her thoughts away from a certain Saiyan Prince and his words.

How dare he! My filthy paws! I TURN HIS STOMACH! Who DOES HE THINK HE IS? With a cry Bulma slammed her fist down on a wooden nightstand.

"Fffasc," she shouted incoherently. Pain shot through her hand and it snapped her out of her frenzied hate filled state. She clutched her hand with her other hand for a few moments waiting for the pain to subside. Slowly she unclenched and clenched her hand as she sought to evaluate the level of injury she had sustained.

"That damn Vegeta… this is all his fault," she muttered darkly. This was just not her day.

"Yes. Obviously your being a pathetic weakling is my fault." Bulma looked up to see Vegeta standing in the doorway looking down at her with disdain. There was something about that look though. It was intense, cold, and ruthless. Something in the back of her mind was trying to warn her of something, but she couldn't quite put it together. Where had she seen that look before?

"Go away Vegeta." She did not want to put up with his words. In fact she had all she could stomach from him. If he continued to goad her she knew she was going to lose whatever emotional self-control she had.

"I don't think so. Who are you?" he asked in a voice that he used regularly for his underlings. It was a voice that was condescending and that expected to be obeyed.

"Who do you think I am?" she shot back annoyed.

"I asked you a question. Answer it."

"Go screw yourself."

"I don't think so… tell me who sent you," he said in a voice so soft and dangerous that a shiver went up her spine.

"What? What are you talking about?" She said with heat that was slowly beginning to cool. She began to understand what was going on. He had thought she was the Bulma of his time, and she had not corrected him. She must have said something that didn't quite jive with his experiences with the other Bulma. Vegeta's natural paranoia was probably invoking all sorts of nonsensical images in his head.

"Vegeta, I'm Bulma…" she began slowly. She had to make sure that he understood what was going on; a paranoid and angry Vegeta was not something anyone—not even her—wanted to deal with.

"I don't believe that. It is irrelevant though. Tell me who sent you?" he repeated in a more commanding voice.

"Vegeta… I'm not lying and…"

She did not have a chance to finish before Vegeta sprang out from the door way and appeared right in front of her. Even without ki, he was so fast that her eye could barely follow his movement. His hand shot out and grabbed a hold of her blouse collar and twisted. He pulled her roughly to towards him until his face was inches from her. A single glance at his face told Bulma of his seriousness. His face was like granite, cold and emotionless. His eyes were even harder, even colder, if that were possible. She finally remembered when she had seen that look before. It had been on Namek. Then too he had threatened her life, and though he had not taken it, she was sure that he could have.

"Was it Kakkarot's boy? Has he betrayed me?" Cold fury now blazed in his eyes even though his tone was still cool, his voice barely above a whisper. Yet, the blaze in his eyes burned brightly and held an anger that Bulma had never seen before. Not even in their worse spats or even on Namek had she seen him this angry. She wasn't sure what had set him off but he was losing his grip on his temper fast.

"No one sent me… I came by accident… I don't know how I did it… it just happened." She was choking and was barely able to get those words out. She grabbed Vegeta's hand and tried in vain to pry his fingers loose.

Vegeta did not even seem to have heard her words. Rather, he was too caught up in his own thoughts. "Yes… it makes sense now. You showing up on the day of the coup. A perfect distraction and one only Kakkarot could have known of. Well played… indeed well played," she heard him say to himself.

Darkness was beginning to set in on her now as she began to feel her life leaving her body. Memories raced flashed in her mind. Some were happy, most were sad. A vivid image of Goku, Yamcha, and her on their Dragon Ball hunt came to her. Followed by another one of a special night; the night that Trunks had been conceived. It was a night when she and the man now choking her to death had spent passionately under an open starry sky. How ironic. Yet, even all those happy memories were tinged with sadness. Goku and Yamcha were to die at the hands of the androids. Vegeta would desert her in her time of need, and also fall prey to the Androids. Only young Gohan would survive and then be killed in defense of her son. Her son. Trunks. If there was one thing she was proud about, that still brought her joy, it was her son. He had grown into a fine man and would lead a peaceful life now that the androids were gone. He would marry, have a family… Wrapped in the memories of her son, Bulma's arms dropped limply to her side and she smiled that sad smile. Yet, her last word would not be that of her son's name… but rather of his father's, of the man who fate had assigned to hold her heart. "Vegeta," she whispered one last time before darkness enveloped her.

Elsewhere...

"Uh… captain?" asked the navigator of the luxury liner that Pan and Trunks were on.

"Yes?"

"Are there suppose to be destroyed hulks and stuff all around Sirrus 4?"

"What the?" The captain of the ship, Atlantis, couldn't believe his eyes. The entire system was littered with space debris. It seemed that a tremendous battle had been fought.

"What could have happened here?" asked the navigator.

"Well… I think we are about to find out…" said the Captain ominously.

On the radar screen three blinking dots had appeared and were moving very quickly on an intercept course towards the liner.

"We've got a communication sir."

"Put it online," replied the captain.

"This is the Imperial Dreadnaught, Nigel. In the name of Emperor Bojak identify yourselves."

Emperor Bojak? Thought the Captain. Something is definitely not right.

"This is the Star liner Atlantis. We are a licensed cruise ship making our yearly Mersis to Sirrus 4 run."

"Acknowledged Atlantis. Please reduce your speed and prepare to be boarded. You are too send over a passenger manifest immediately."

The crew of the ship looked at each other. Being boarded by an imperial ship was not something people experienced regularly. However, they didn't really have any choice. To refuse would be folly as they were almost totally unarmed.

"Yes sir… we will cooperate fully," replied the Captain. This would be trouble, especially for the passengers.

Pan's ship…

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Bulma's slowly came to consciousness. The last thing she remembered was Vegeta choking in her with a look of such fury in his eyes that she had thought she was going to die. In fact, she hadn't expected to wake up, not that anyone does when they get choked out.

She groaned softly as she groggily became aware of her surroundings. She was in the same room but that room was completely wrecked. The table was shattered into splinters and the bed destroyed. The walls looked as if they had been torched. She found herself bound, sitting up, on an old fashion chair.

Vegeta sure was in a bad mood, she thought to herself, Well at least I'm alive. At the thought of him her emotions began to churn again. She frowned sadly and then let out a melancholy sigh. She had let something slip. He obviously had thought that she was some sort of spy that had come to hurt him. As if I would… or EVER have hurt you Vegeta… I gave everything for you, did everything you wanted… you never gave me anything in return. The bitter thought caused her to tear up and a small sob escape. At the sound, a hand cupped her chin in a not so gentle manner.

"So you are awake… You truly are weak to weep at such a small hurt," said Vegeta in a low, deadly voice. It caused a shiver of fear to creep up Bulma's spine. She didn't know what happened then, but it was probably the sound of his voice coupled with the intense fear she was feeling. Her head started to spin and somehow she became lost in her own memories. Suddenly she no longer saw Vegeta as the Vegeta of a new dimension, she saw him as the Vegeta of hers. The Vegeta that had abandoned her; the one that she had dreamed of confronting; the one that she had traded barbed insults with on a daily basis; the one that had challenged her mind and will.

She spat at him. Her spittle flew through her air and landing with a smack right between his eyes. His eyes flared with anger, but she wasn't intimidated at all. Not of her Vegeta at least, and that was whom she saw before him now.

"YOU BASTARD…" she screamed. Tears were running down her eyes openly now. Her still beautiful face was twisted up in anger. Yet it was an anger that overlaid a deeper sorrow.

"You god damn bastard, you faithless asshole, you left me to rot in misery for twenty years… you left me alone to face them… with no one… how could you have? How could you have…" she cried as she struggled to break her bonds. Somehow she managed to slip them and with a cry of fury she launched herself at Vegeta.

Vegeta did nothing to defend himself. There was no way the woman could hurt him and he knew it. However, it seemed that she had forgotten that little fact. He barely felt her first blow on his chest. Within moments she was pounding hysterically at him like a madwoman.

"Damn you, damn you, damn you…" sobbed Bulma, "Why did you leave me?"

After several minutes Bulma, exhausted, finally collapsed into Vegeta's arms.

Surprisingly he caught her. It wasn't something he intended to do, in fact thoughts of slapping her to snap her out of her hysteria had crossed his mind. But, he couldn't do it. He really couldn't harm her simply because he wasn't sure if it was her. He had to get to the truth.

"Who are you? Tell me who you are woman," he said softly without much heat. Her outburst was truly unexpected. The raw emotion that was emanating from her was plain enough to see. To switch emotions from fear to such passionate anger was… startling.

"Vegeta…" she said softly looking up at him. She felt his strong arms around her and let herself relax. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders after her spectacular outburst. She was exhausted, but it was like the exhaustion after a person exercises very hard. It was sweet and blissful. And now being held by him, she felt safe and secure—something she hadn't felt in a very long time. She made a decision. It might not be the best decision but she had to be truthful to this man; not only because he was dangerous, but because he still held her heart. Taking a deep breath, she slowly raised her head and looked him in the eye. "I guess you should know the truth, but… I'm afraid you won't believe me."

He didn't respond, but the anger had seeped away from him. He simply looked down and waited patiently for her to continue. It had been a very long time since he had held someone in his arms, in fact the last time he had done so was with her. Now that she was there again, with her body pressing against his chest, he didn't want to let go.

"I think… I think I need a drink. Then I will tell you all. Ok Vegeta?" She said as she reluctantly pushed away from him. This conversation was not one she was looking forward to.

"Fine, but this better be good or else."

Bulma smiled sadly. It was another one of Vegeta-trademark lines that had once made her chuckle at his ridiculous audacity. She quickly led the way to the kitchen and put on a pot of hot water. As she waited for the water to boil, she couldn't help but feel a little relieved. He really would have killed her she realized. There was something about this Vegeta that scared her more than the one of her time. Perhaps it was that the Vegeta of her time never cared about her and this one seemed to feel something for her. That he would kill her regardless was much more frightening. But then again, she thought, he hadn't done it. He'd calmed down and was patiently waiting for her explanation.

When the water had finished boiling she made tea for the two of them, just like the countless of times she had done with Trunks. It was a very awkward feeling that she was now about to sit across the table and talk with Vegeta, the man she had once loved—even if it wasn't the exact same man. It was saddening, but a small part of her was excited.

"Here." When Vegeta didn't drink she just smirked. "If I wanted to poison you I could have done it anytime before Vegeta. You really are paranoid," she said trying to lighten the mood.

"Speak your story woman. I have other things to do."

"Like what?" Seeing him getting angry again she decided to curb her tongue. "Ok ok… I'll get on with it."

"Simply put, I am not your Bulma," she started. She saw Vegeta's eyes instantly become alight with rage. "I'm Bulma from another dimension," she added quickly.

"What… what do you mean from another dimension?" asked Vegeta through gritted teeth.

"Ok let me explain what a dimension is," she said. "hmmm where to begin. Ok try to follow this. Think of a cube. It has dimensions right? Length, width, and height. It's called three-dimensional. Now if you add time there is a forth dimension. You have the cube at one second, the same cube at the third second, etc… But for this to happen the cube…"

"The cube has to have space to move from the first second to each subsequent second. Its called space-time woman, there is no need to explain such trivial things to me," interrupted Vegeta.

Bulma was shocked. Her mouth moved for a few moments but no sounds came out. Her Vegeta had never shown any capacity to understand science. All he did was eat and fight. Emperor Vegeta obviously had taken the time to learn something besides fighting. "Ok…ummm… well if you can access this space time then you can move between the cube at the third second and the first second or vice versa. But, the moment you do that the cube at the first second is then DIFFERENT from the way the cube was originally. Hence it is now a different cube… call it Cube2 and so when it reaches the third second its Cube2 at the third second and not Cube. So you now have two universes, or cubes, or what I term it dimensions, existing at the same time."1

"This is all theoretical woman. I have had my scientists work on this on occasion to see if there are faster ways to travel than hyperspace." He took a sip of his tea. It was made exactly the same way as he remembered it on Chikyuu, with a splash of milk and honey.

"Its not Vegeta. I made it work and the fact that I'm sitting across from you is proof."

"Hmmph," sniffed Vegeta, "How do I know you are just some person is impersonating Bulma."

"Well… ok lets see where this timeline split from the other. I assume we met on Namek since you seem to know me pretty well."

"How did we meet on Namek?" asked Vegeta lazily. He would put the woman to the question to see if she was indeed Bulma from another dimension. There were a lot of things that only Bulma knew about him and if what she was telling him was the truth then she would know. The best way to do this would to be to put her at ease and see if she slipped up.

Bulma sniffed sharply, "You threatened my life to get the dragon ball from Krillan, you heartless bastard."

"I thoroughly enjoyed that you know…"

"Not as much as I enjoyed watching you strut around in that pink shirt… bad boy…" retorted Bulma.

"Of course you enjoyed watching me. Shirt or no shirt I am irresistible."

"Please Vegeta… If I recall correctly, it was you who seduced me. Oh I admit I was attracted to you and even made a pass or two."

"Four," he corrected.

"Ok four, but in the end you came to me Vegeta," said Bulma quietly.

"I did no such thing woman," said Vegeta. He hadn't done anything of the sort. Rather it had been she who had come to him after another fight with the pathetic human Yamcha.

"You don't recall coming out of the training room and… and ummm taking me there in the living room?"

"No… I never did such a thing. You were the one to come to me the night you and that weakling separated."

"I remember that… I had just caught Yamcha cheating on me again and I was going to get my revenge. You turned me down though… apparently in this time you didn't," mused Bulma. "That could be the fork in the time line."

She looked at Vegeta and saw that he still didn't really buy what she was saying. There were, maybe, one or two memories that they shared together exclusively and she had to wonder if he had experienced them here. She knew they were some of the best, though probably craziest, times of her life.

"Do you remember the island Vegeta?" she asked carefully. She knew she had him when his head shot up and his eyes locked with hers. It had happened in this timeline as well. "I remember you taking me hunting there. Hunting as a Saiyan would, except that I wasn't a Saiyan so I had to use a spear. You were proud of me then weren't you? When I killed that boar without flinching and then shared his raw flesh with you."

She closed her eyes as the vivid memory came back to her. The smell and sight of a dead animal that had at first repulsed her, but in the end had intoxicated her. She had come close to understanding the Saiyan need for battle that night. The run, the hunt, and the sex had filled her with such elation that her very blood sang. "Yes… I accepted your Saiyan nature that night."

Vegeta said nothing. The memories were painful and he didn't really want to relive them. At the same time he didn't want to lose her company. He had been alone for such a long time. He had had no one to confide in. Even Goten, who was like a son to him, knew little about his earlier life. There had only been one person who had been able to open him up, and that person had refused him. Now, it seemed that a different version of the same person sat in front of him talking about the past. She knew him very well, he could tell. She understood all the nuances of his speech and body movement. She responded with all the right phrases. This wasn't something that Bulma could actually teach to someone. It was something that required time living together. Perhaps she's telling the truth, he thought. There was one problem though. If she was telling the truth then what was he going to do?

He slowly shook his thoughts away and lifted up to gaze upon her face. She had a little smirk on her face as if she knew that he was wrestling with himself.

"I'm telling you the truth."

"If you were not, I would kill you," he said flatly. He didn't know what to do. It was too much for Vegeta at the moment and so he did what he always did when he was at a loss for what to do. He threatened. "Don't think I won't hesitate to kill you woman. You have come very near to death."

"Pfft. You still have some serious issues, Vegeta. Do you always have to blabber out these meaningless threats?" retorted an exasperated Bulma.

"Are you saying that I won't carry through with my 'meaningless' threats woman?" Vegeta's eyes had narrowed menacingly, and his voice had become low and dangerous.

"No Vegeta… I know that you will carry out your threats, especially when pressed. I simply just don't care," she said with a sigh, as she put her head in her hands.

"Why?" he asked.

Bulma spread her fingers and looked at him through her hands in surprise. Vegeta caring for someone else other than himself? That was mind boggling. She couldn't help but ask in wonder, "What did you just ask?"

"I asked why," he repeated. "I am curious as to why you have this death wish woman."
Bulma sighed. Slowly she stood up and walked over to the stove and poured herself some more tea. She then did the same for Vegeta.

"I'm tired. I'm what 39 years old now, but I feel like a hundred. In my dimension two killer androids devastated Chikyuu and killed every person I've cared about. I've lived in fear for twenty years day in and day out. Struggling to survive, struggling to find some way to destroy those two demons."2

"That is ludicrous. I would have destroyed those androids and if I were not there surely Kakkarot would have. I refuse to believe that the Saiyan race would have been exterminated by some machines."

"Well… Goku was dead already because he came down with a heart virus," she said. "And you… well you left me and then were killed by those androids."

"I left you?" boggled Vegeta. He had come to care for her greatly during his time on Chikyuu. She had been his confidant, his friend, and his lover. He knew that at the time he had no desire to leave her. In fact, he knew that he would take her as his mate.

"Oh yes… the moment you became a Super Saiyan you threw me off as if I were nothing but an old set of clothes." Her voice was bitter and even laced with a bit of hate.

Vegeta nodded in understanding. Her tone conveyed the same feelings he held for her counterpart of this time. Her story also explained the haunted and tired look in her eyes that he had been seeing. He was sure the over pampered bitch, Bulma, of this time was nothing like this one. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Do what about what?" asked Bulma baffled again. That was a very non-Vegetaesque question.

"Your life, what are you going to do about it now. You are not dead. Though if you wish it I can arrange it," he smirked.

"No, I don't think about suicide often," she chuckled, "I guess I just plan to drop you off at this Sirrus 4 place then fix a time machine to go back home. I guess I really should live to see my son get married at least."

"Your son?" asked Vegeta with a cocked eyebrow.

Bulma looked at him strangely and then realized that she hadn't mentioned Trunks at all. "Yes… I have a half-saiyan son."

Vegeta didn't say anything. He just raised his cup to his mouth and took a small sip.

"I assume the child is not Kakkarot's," he smirked. Of course the child was his. Yet, he could feel a hinge of jealousy within him. He had sometimes dreamed in the long years that he'd been alone that he'd had an heir… a child of his own blood that he could be proud of. That this woman had gifted the other him with such a blessing and that he had thrown it away was…

"Nappa's," she said deadpan interrupting his thoughts.

The cup in Vegeta's hand shattered. Vegeta's face was a sight to behold. It fluctuated between anger, and mirth. Anger if it was true, mirth if it wasn't. It was something he was afraid to believe in, and, at the same time, something too outrageous to be true.

"You…"

"Nappa was a beast in bed, I couldn't resist."

Gagging noises came from Vegeta.

"Our son is bald, just like Nappa. Never had a hair on his head ever."

Finally, Vegeta barked a genuine laugh. "Nappa had a full head of hair when he was younger."

She just smiled. "I'm very proud of him… he destroyed the Androids as a Super Saiyan and saved our world. So he has your strength and he's smart as a whip—he got that from me," she said with more than just a hint of pride in her voice. She got up, grabbed a rag to dry off the table and filled another cup of tea for him. "Trunks, that's his name, is our son Vegeta."

Vegeta slowly took a sip from his fresh cup. "If that were only true. But he is not my son, he is the son my counterpart of your time. There is a difference."

"That's true I guess," she replied carefully. She was curious about him now. He was very different from the Vegeta she knew. He seemed to regret that he had not had a child by her in this time period. That seemed a bit odd in Vegeta.

"So… how is it that you became Emperor," she asked cautiously.

Vegeta looked at her sharply from across the table. "Well… in this timeline you left me for that pathetic weakling."

"Are… Are… you are telling me that… I, Bulma Briefs, left YOU for YAMCHA?" Bulma looked at Vegeta in utter disbelief.

"Yes."

"That's a good joke Vegeta… almost as good as mine. I told the truth, the least you could do is do the same."

"I do not jest woman," he said in all seriousness. His face was dark with anger from the memories and Bulma could tell that it had hurt him deeply. That it still hurt him.

"Kami… You are serious. That's unbelievable. Dating Yamcha was like a living nightmare. All we did was argue. We never did get along together."

"That sounds like our relationship, Bulma," said Vegeta darkly.

"No… we were different. Yamcha wanted me to do things for him while he lazed around and did nothing. So he could just sit on the couch and drink. Or go out with his baseball buddies and come home to a meal, clean house, and sex. He'd take me out just to show me off. I always felt like I wasn't anything more than a trophy to him.

"Perhaps it was different in your dimension. Obviously here there was something you found more worthy in him."

Oh well… her loss, my gain. Bulma eyes widened as the thought flashed through her head. Am I falling for Vegeta all over again? She thought. It was a dangerous thing, especially since she had come across dimensions. Also, she had to think about Trunks. What was he doing? How was he handling her loss? She had to let him know she was ok at least.

"Attention. Now entering the Sirrus System," the computer's voice chimed over the intercom.

Damn, thought Bulma. She really had wanted to learn more about this dimension's Vegeta. He was so similar, yet very different from hers. He seemed far more relaxed and mellow. She watched him slowly get up and head to the door. He looked so young still, but she knew he had to be much older than she was now. His body was still built as always and even with that hideous collar she found him very attractive.

"Well woman?"

"Alright… I'm coming with you."

As Bulma followed Vegeta up to the bridge of Son Pan's ship she felt something strange. At first she couldn't realize it, but it came to her eventually. She wasn't lonely. For almost two decades loneliness had been her constant companion, but with Vegeta she no longer felt it. No, instead another feeling slowly crept into her. Dread or perhaps fear. She was afraid that she would fall in love with him again. She had suffered one heartbreak that she had almost not gotten over. She wasn't sure if she wanted to risk another. Vegeta's words echoed through her mind.

"What are you going to do now?"

It was a question that she desperately needed an answer for.

Author's notes:

1: Ok… umm if you don't understand the whole dimension thing, don't worry neither do I. And don't quote me on that stuff either since I just made it all up. You could say I pulled it out of my ass. Anyway it's just my own idea. However, if there is someone reading who DOES understand how theoretical physics work, feel free to dumb it down for me and let me know!

Next Chapter:The Space Liner which Pan and Trunks are on are boarded by Imperial Troops loyal to Bojak! Oh no! What will they do? What can they do? Also Vegeta and Bulma enter the system that is controlled by Bojak's people. Will Vegeta be captured. Will he and Bulma be separated again? Does true love wait? Do pigs fly? Find out on the Next Exciting Chapter of A -Brief- Moment in Time…

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