I just though I'd better clear something up about the previous chapter. If some of you haven't noticed (And no, I don't want to sound sarcastic right now -grins assuringly-) most of the Dragon Ball Z characters love the animals and try not to hurt a single one of them. No matter if it is chasing them, trying to kill them, or simply guarding something they want. And that's why I added the Bulma protecting the wolf part. I think that now this one is cleared up, I'd get on with the next chapter. -grins widely- Enjoy.

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Inevitability

Chapter Fourteen: Distant.....

The dark orbs revealed under the tan colored lids they were hidden behind for the previous hours. They couldn't help but notice the third wrist that was hanging limply over the hip of their owner. However, it went unregistered by the brain and the whole 'topic' was shaken off as if it never existed. The body of the young man shifted to the opposite side and the lids closed over the onyx pools once again, the last thing they have taken in the sleeping form of a cherubic creature a few inches away from them.

Yet when the roughen from all the grief in the youth's life lips felt the light warm breath of another the eyes snapped back open. Vegeta could feel himself inhaling unusually deeper breaths as the air couldn't fill his lungs. And why would that be, you'll ask? Well, simple. This cherubic little creature's steady breathing was consuming most of his oxygen, filling the hush of air that it exhaled with a charming scent of... wild strawberries. The eyes pried over her cherry tinted lips that were slightly parted, giving the little female a hint of childhood innocence that was really doubtful impression one could get if they were around her when she was awake. Her delicate eyebrows were relaxed and her face radiated utter bliss and .... comfort.... That was when the previous sight of the third wrist over Saiya-jin's hip struck him and his eyes averted quickly to his lower body, where the princess' hand was still lying as carelessly as it could. When the boy's gaze returned to her sleeping features, he just then noticed how close actually they were... If he moved even just a muscle closer, he would have a taste of those-

The Prince's eyes widened in horror of his own thoughts and he jumped out of her grasp, as if she was casting some sort of black magic over him in her slumber. Bulma's creamy white hand collapsed numbly on the grass where the Saiya-jin had been located seconds ago. Her eye brows furrowed in her sleep, yet she did not make any indication that she was going to wake up. Her expression changed into something that very much resembled...hurt? And that's when she turned her back to Vegeta, collecting both her hands to her chest, curling into a little ball.

Her guardian let out a relaxed hush of air when she no longer had her face to him. He had the feeling that he was losing it... When she was little, those almost nine years ago... He had watched her sleep too. Countless hours, for reason unknown to him, when he had trouble to fall asleep, he would go to her room and sit by the edge of her bed and let his eyes pry over her slumbering delicate form before his lids began getting heavy. But back then... She was just a child. He could accept her as nothing else than that, a small sister in his condition back then. He had to protect her from the twisted men on the ship, just like big brothers had to guard their little sisters when going out to play from those bad bigger boys that would threaten the little girls' well being. Yet...

Yet now he had to be blind as not to notice the princess' filled out form. Her body was now slim, the curves of her body beautifully curled... Her feminine features unable to be hidden even behind the hideous clothes she had chosen to travel around her Kingdom with. It was true - she had just grown. She and her childhood innocence had grown her into a flawless creature... A flawless woman. He did not deny that she was beautiful. Of course she was. He was no blind man. Yet he would never admit to her how strangely attracted to her he felt now. She was no more the little princess and sister he had to protect.... He felt her differently... Distantly... So close, yet so far away....

She was a Princess, the same rank as him. Though, she was a lot weaker than him. Yet could easily consider making her his life-long mate... She had a flame attitude able to match his own, she was gorgeous and she was a good person at heart... Vegeta shook his head. What the hell was he thinking about?! He could not believe he was getting engulfed by thoughts of there weakling human, pitiful excuse for a princess. He bared his teeth angry with himself rather than anything else as he stood up and walked away from her resting form. He would get some training done before he bashed her verbally again. That was the punishment she would get for messing with his head as ruthlessly as she did.

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Bulma's lids flickered open and her eyes scanned her surroundings before she stood slowly into a sitting position. Her head hurt awfully by some terrible migraine that had struck her once her head got filled with the millions of thoughts that were dismissed just before she went to her improvised grass bed. Her lavender locks fell in front of her eyes as she gripped her head with both her palms, pressing them against her forehead. And that's when she noticed the fast swishing air somewhere forward. Bulma took a grip on her physical condition and thought of her headache of nothing but a mere temporary bug as she approached the location of the thing that was actually making the strange sound.

She was not surprised to see Vegeta throwing ultra fast series of punches and kicks, jumping around the hill of the glade, levitating in the air every now and then. She grinned at him and stood on her place, still following his swift moves around the area. Throwing a final kick at his imaginary foe, the dark haired youth glared daggers at the smaller creature that was admiring him. He would've smirked in his arrogant way at her if he wasn't still angry at himself for this morning's little accident.

"What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?!" He snapped furiously at her, not knowing exactly what came over him in that moment. Sure, he was blaming her too, but it was mainly his fault he was nearly over her. If he had noticed her hand around him the first time his eyes opened... But then again, did he really regret having her all over him?... He growled mentally at his dispute. Of course he hated it!! That was not even to be considered false for a mere second! What was going on with him anyway?!

"You think you're so high and mighty, huh?" She snapped coldly back, standing in her full height, which was not much as it was, but doing it made her feel more courageous in that moment for what she was going to try to provoke. "Why don't you try training with me whatsoever to actually prove you're as strong as you claim?" She grinned slyly and threw the bag she had not parted with for the whole night. For a few moments Vegeta just stood levitating in the air as if he didn't weigh a gram and looked at her with an expressionless mug.

"You want a fight?" The Saiya-jin repeated in short her previous request, the mere voicing of it seeming more than ridiculous to him. He was, after all, Prince Vegeta, the Prince of the extinct race of the Saiya-jins. And she was nothing more than a weak human being. It was well known for both of them that she had not a single chance in winning in a fight against a being as superior as him. Nevertheless, she still took a fighting stance he considered was her own and narrowed her eyebrows at him waiting for him to attack. Or provoke her. Or whatever. Just take an action. "You're not serious." He managed to mock nearly through laughter.

"Is the almighty Saiya-jin prince afraid of a mere woman? One he also claims to be weaker than him no less?" Her companion's white teeth bared at her. She smirked and got ready for the fight she had been looking for. It was truth that both her and Vegeta had not trained for a long while now because of their trip and all of this other things at the Palace. Well, at least she didn't train. She knew he did however. But it didn't really matter to her right then and there for she was more than ready to take him.

"And don't you dare tell me how low I am for hitting a woman. You're taking your fault if you get damaged." He hissed between teeth making Bulma grin widely. Well, now she was sure that he was really noble now. At least he would never consider hitting a woman with no real reason to do so. To her, a fight was far more better reason for such an action that anything else. The mere thought of fighting a woman, a girl, as he would refer to her most often when he was in a bad mood, wanting more than anything to piss her off as well, could possibly make him take a step aback. Or so she thought at first.

"I won't even do as much as mention it, Vegeta." She said assuringly making the male on her front smile devilishly and mention with his stretched hand for her to give him her best shot. She frowned at his forwardness and decided that he was mockingly following the 'ladies first' motto. She growled much in the matter he would, but jumped at him anyway.

Dodging her flying fist at his face easily with no need to push himself at all, Vegeta did the worst mistake as to underestimate his opponent. Bulma, being the fox she is, took advantage on the situation and back-flipped kick Vegeta in the chin in the process. When landing on her feet she smirked at the zoned out expression of the prince and kicked him in the chest, making him take a step back as she did so. Before he had the chance to counter her, Bulma flipped on her two hands again giving the Saiya-jin a sly look before rolling her stretched leg over, kicking her foe in the face again, sending him on the grass while she hopped back on her two feet in a straight position again. (A/N: Have any of you watched "Angelic Layer"? Do you remember this move that Hikaru copied from Suzuka? The Rolling Thunder. That's just the last kick I was trying to describe.)

The lavender haired girl flicked her long locks back from her face as she gave the rising Prince a prideful look as he brushed some dirt off of the side of his mouth. He returned the same sly smirk she had on not more than a second ago and lifted his head as to look at her in the eyes.

"I have underestimated your strength, your highness." The Saiya-jin mocked making the Princess frown deeply and take her fighting stance again. "I assure you I will not do the same mistake again." He grinned twistedly and in a second he vanished, but Bulma knew exactly where she went and kicked the air behind herself where he had just reappeared, having him take another step back. Her stretched foot she shifted to the side with her whole lower body and let it fall by her side. (A/N: Neo at the end Matrix-style -grins- I'm such a plagiarist, I know, I know. But it makes the story cooler, ne? -grins even wider- come on! Admit it!)

"Do you rely only on strength, Vegeta?" Her voice rang in his ears. He blinked a few times trying to make himself get his composure back. She had hit him yet again. How was that physically possible, he pondered. "You have shown no technique whatsoever till now. I'm still waiting, but I don't have a whole day, you know." She snickered. The youth's dark head snapped in her direction, the same expression as a second ago present on his mug setting Bulma off nearly to the edge of sanity.

"Know your place, woman." He muttered and disappeared again. He was pulling the same trick on her again, she thought and whipped around, but when she thought her kick had connected with his chest again, the vision of him fazed and disappeared as her kick went right through him. She gritted her teeth. She knew that trick all too well too, but hated having it used against her. She jerked her body around with a spin kick again only to have another fake Vegeta disappear before her eyes. She advanced a step forward with a punch right through a third one, to have it gone in a matter of second right after.

It was all getting to dance on her nerves when she felt a sharp pain in her back as she got kicked by the real Vegeta, getting sent to the ground. The same thing repeated over again when she stood up. The female backed away in try to get back to her feet so at least she could assure herself that he was still there and it was not something else that she was battling. And, yes, it was him, standing in all his glory with his arms crossed over his now bare chest with a bored expression over his handsome features. When did he get rid of his armor anyway?

He had his stomach fully exposed and his guard seemed to be down. He was still provoking her with this almost lustful look he was giving her. But it wasn't lust for her. It was the lust for battle. He seemed not to have enjoyed a fight like this for a long time. And she was proud of herself that she was the one giving it to him. She gritted her teeth and ran at him, having the thought of punching his wounded shoulder, but having her hit dodged. When she thought she was going to trip over, her wrist was grabbed and then forcefully flipped around, making her do a forward flip and land on the grass with a large thump. "You need to learn to be as swift as water, woman." He chuckled

The princess' own shoulder hurt as hell. The immense pressure of the lock just getting the best of her nerves as she groaned in pain. Vegeta smirked at this and lifted her by the wrist he had not released and pulled her front to his back and gripped her hand now with both hands, throwing her forward with a flick of his hands. But before his brain could register what had happened, she had already taken grip of his own wrist, levitating to the ground before she got thrown off, supporting herself on the ground after she flipped over in the air and grabbed Vegeta flicking him off with one hand, applying the same attack on him that he tried to on her.

Before any of them knew it, the Saiya-jin's wounded shoulder hit hard against the tree in front of him but he turned over before he could collapse on the grass, landing gracefully on his feet. A low growl was emitted from deep down his throat as this certain female, a pitiful excuse for a fighter, had used his temporary weakness against him. Namely, his shoulder. He would make her pay now. He would make her regret doing this.

The Prince disappeared yet again and Bulma released another groan. Not the same trick again. But she was mistaking. Deeply mistaking. Before she knew it, she had her knees kicked from behind, making her lose her balance in an instant getting her back kicked by the Saiya-jin beneath her. She was nearly sent into the same tree he was, but she stopped herself in mid-air before the impact. She couldn't, however, avoid it when Vegeta's fully muscled body hit hers and pressed her against the tree.

The Princess struggled and she struggled hard. But the more she was trying to release herself from him, the tighter his grip on her hands became that he had entangled between his own, pressing her against the tree even harder. Bulma moaned in pain once again for the day. How was it possible for him to posses such power in such a simple lock? She knew only one thing - it hurt as hell!!

She felt his heated breathing against the crook of her neck as his chin rested on her shoulder. She tried to shrug him off which earned her another tightening of the grip. Her stretched groan did not alarm Vegeta in the least that he might even twist her arms out of their joints as he leant closer to her ear and blew hot breath on it. Even though she was in deep pain still, Bulma froze in her place, causing a chuckle to leave Vegeta's lips. He nudged his teeth over her earlobe and whispered in it,

"Don't play with fire, Princess." He let go of her, letting her numb form collapse to the ground. "You'll get burnt." He added before getting back to his previous training before he got interrupted.

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Vegeta was still angry with himself, probably even more than he was in the morning when the two of them were advancing towards the other dot on the thing that he had figured out was some kind of compass. What he was angry at now was not the fact that he was thinking about her in a way he would never allow himself in sober mind, but it was the fact that he let himself get engaged in a battle he should've shaken off. The woman looked quite furious as well and had not even talked to him the whole day after it. It was not the fact that she was mad at him that set him off. No, he was used to that now. It was the fact he let himself get pushed over the edge. By the Princess, no less.

The Prince was so engulfed by his thoughts that he failed to notice the huge pond they had just explored. Bulma dropped the Dragon radar and her eyes widened and a strange gleam entered them. She couldn't help but forget all of the hatred and lust for revenge she had felt for Vegeta the whole day and was not taken aback by the beauty of this pond that the chief of the village wanted her so badly not to have even the slightest chance to witness with her own eyes. Was he protective over 'his property' or something? No, that couldn't be it. It was well known that all of the lands on Earth were owned by the King and Queen of the planet. But being the generous people they were, they have let the people work the lands and in return, they had to pay taxes and give one sixth of the production to the kingdom when the season had been good. It may sound to you like a rip off, but the deal was actually really profitable for both sides.

The Princess ran to the lake, letting her feet get slightly soaked. Vegeta's eye twitched but he said nothing, hopping on a tree he planned to be his bed for this night. He wanted not the same scene as this morning to repeat ever again. Bulma glared up in his direction and snorted, running for the Dragon radar, noticing the still blinking dot on it. She grinned and ran behind a rock, undressing to her sports bra and briefs that could pretty much resemble a two-piece bathing suit. When she began entering the water, Vegeta did next to nothing to note her action. He supported his head on his crossed hands behind his neck and relaxed against the tree on the wide branch he was sitting on.

Bulma snorted at his childish display of ignorance and went in for a swim. The water was fine. It was still cold, for it was late autumn, but it was just fine for the princess' heated body. She was in some urgent need for a bath as well. And the lake was just the right place to have one. She might was well combine it with finding the Dragon Ball that was located somewhere there was well.

"Hey, Vegeta. Why don't you join me in here? You most certainly need a bath." All she received from her bodyguard was a mocking snort as he turned his back to her, pretending to be interested in the tree rather than her proposition. She frowned deeply and took a deep breath in before letting her head sink under the cold water as well. She looked at the radar once she had her sticky hair out of her sight and deduced that the Ball was deeper in the lake. The foolish girl did not think even for a second that it might be dangerous for her to get too deep in the pond at that hour. The sun had set a hour ago. And it was now not only dusk; the condition of the sky could be considered utter obscurity, yet she did nothing to note this as she swam further.

The girl noticed the shining orange globe on some duckweed on the surface. 'Lucky!' She thought with a grin, but when she neared the location of the balls she nearly screeched as it entangled off the duckweed and began sinking. She glared at the spot where the ball had been previously on and inhaled another deep breath before going in after it. She saw the thing sinking slowly and gave it a dejecting smirk and reached out for it when something got stuck in her hair. She struggled in the water, splashing some of it off, trying to regain her cool behavior before she got herself drowned.

On the coast Vegeta threw an ignorant glare at the spot he had seen Bulma dive and he noticed the splashing water. He wondered if she was doing alright with all of that noise coming from the water. He dismissed the thought, deducing she would get things done by herself and would find another reason to be angry at him if he interfered with her 'fight' with that duckweed he could spot in her hair even from his place on the tree branch.

Bulma finally got herself freed after a five-minute-long fight with the nasty water plant, if she could call it that. What the hell did she need Vegeta for if he didn't help her when she was having trouble?! She could've drowned there and he did not even glance at her, that bastard! She huffed, diving again, trying her best to dismiss the thought of him before it got the best of her, wanting to beat the living daylights out of him, this time for sure as she felt her blood boiling in her veins as it was.

The lavender haired princess pushed her locks away in the water noting the shining thing on the lakebed. She grinned triumphantly and went to grab the thing when she noticed there was two of them. Her grin stretched even more as she latched for the other ball, but it seemed to be stuck somewhere. She tried to take it off and when she did, she collected the things to her chest. Oh, how proud she was with herself. But then something was nudging her. The female frowned, glancing at her hands. Her eyes budged out and her mouth parted when she saw the skeleton hand that was gripping at the five star Dragon ball. Her action would've been equal to a screech on dry land, but since she was under water, all that occurred was shorten her time under the surface. She shook the hand off and then noticed the lake bed had been covered with many skeletons... Remains of humans that probably wanted the Dragon Balls as well.

But when her plan on going to the air-filled environment she was used living in, the dumb duckweed got stuck in her hair as well. But this time she could not just shake it off as her hands were busy gripping the balls tightly. She struggled even more than before hoping that this time Vegeta would catch the hint that she was not alright. She struggled and struggled, but her bodyguard seemed to be still be ignoring her. Pretty successfully at that, she might add if she was in the condition to do any proper thinking at all when her whole being was taken over by utter panic. The princess couldn't help but imagine all those awful pictures of her drowning that was hitting her full force right about now. But what could she do? Even with all her tries, she failed to free herself... Good-bye cruel world, she thought as her grip on the items in her hand eased..........

(A/N: Did you think I'd stop there? I mean, like, come on! -grins-)

The Saiya-jin was having a great time ignoring the squirming woman in the water that he thought was testing him. But after a few moments he began doubting his thought as her head did not even come up for some air as it should have if she was trying just to fool him, lure him into the water for God only knows what reason. But the lack of her head over the surface meant she was actually drowning. ..... Whoops....

Vegeta's eyes budged out as realization dawned on him and he threw the armor that he had only an hour ago put back on to the ground in order not to sink as well. He jumped into the water swimming over to the woman. Her actions had ceased in the meantime when he was approaching her and he doubted her well being about the time. Removing the stupid plant from her hairs, he pulled her close to his body, feeling her freezing form against his warmth like a cold shower in the middle of the hot summer. He pulled her out with little effort on his behalf as he took a firm grip of the base of her knees, behind her kneecaps, and on her back.

The ebony haired Saiya-jin that now had his whole body wet collapsed on the coast, not letting his body weight on her, actually thinking he might crush her in her fragile state, supporting himself by his knees and hand by both her sides. He glared down at her with a mix of emotions Bulma had never before noticed in the onyx orbs.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?!" He boomed at her, almost deafening her. However his tone did nothing near to flame her temper as well. She just stared dumbly up at him. "Do you realize you could've drowned?!" He shrieked deeply yet again, having the same effect on her as he did seconds ago.

"You were here to save me..." She whispered, finally finding her voice. Vegeta's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"And what if I didn't come to rescue you? What if I dismissed you just as I could dismiss your poor excuse for a planet?!" He snapped even angrier, at what he was not really sure. Bulma's insuring smile did everything but surprise him even further.

"You're still here..." She said and showed him the Dragon Balls and the radar in her hands. She smiled brightly in her mother-like way. Maybe it was passed on in the family... "Look, Vegeta. I found two Dragon Balls!" She exclaimed as happily as she could before falling into a coughing fit when Vegeta turned her over so she would not drown on dry land, in her own saliva. He could not actually believe her! She almost got herself dead because she did not want to let go of these Balls. What was so important about them that she was willing to even give her life for?!

"Don't do that ever again, do you get that?" He snapped again, making Bulma's expression change into a surprise before her lips curled back into a sweet tender smile.

"I promise I won't." Was her retort. And that was the time for Vegeta to notice that he was, well... On top of the princess, who was practically half naked in her sports bra and champagne colored briefs. Jumping off of her just as he did in the beginning of the day, the Saiya-jin Prince let the female take care of herself as he hopped back on the tree branch. Tomorrow he was getting some extra training....

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So, how did you guys like that one? -grins widely- I loved writing the beginning of the chapter, I don't know about you... Well, if you review I will be able to know! -grin becomes wider-

Love you all and thanks for the support! Keep them coming, darlings. LoL.