AN: Aaaw, it's the final chapter!

The ride has been great, albeit spaced out over a very long time, and I will hopefully release the first chapter of my next story before 10th July. I want it edited and cleaned up first, and there are only two people in the world I trust with that: Paler Shade of Blue (who is currently AWOL) and the evil influence Who Shall Not Be Named. Okay, fine, she's Gutterball.

That is, if she isn't brushing the tails of OTHER PEOPLE"S SAIYANS! Actually, I forgave her for that, didn't I?

Brolly: Of course you did.

Brolly is my muse, well, one of them anyway. I have about…hmmm…six…

Onwards to the last set of reviewer replies for this story!

Joou Himeko Dah: Yeah, he grew up a bit. Thanks for the review!

Lenora: If you love Card, you gotta check out Xero Sky. Lots of lemony goodness there. I like 'The Prince, Dammit', with Raditz and teen Vegeta. Yes, this story was unbearably cute…it makes me cringe now. The next story doesn't do cute.

Satan'stoasterstrudel: I love biscuits! Is it an Oreo! Hope you'll stick around for the next story!

Kat-Yaoi Maniac: I'm sorry, but the end is nigh for this story. But hey, I'll make it up to you!

Laremi: Welcome aboard! You joined late though; this is the end of this fic, but when one door closes, another opens! I try to be good about updates; my readers went through a three month wait for one chapter. Man oh man did my ears get fried for that…but I deserved it.

Griever Weapon: Veggie therapy was a success! takes eraser Hmm, let's start with Kakarot's hair…draw in some SSJ4 hair instead…and take away his belly…there! He looks all good now! Will update with a new story soon. If not a long one, then I'll put on some short stories to occupy time. I've got some really dark ones, but has some little FUCKERS that get people like Rena-sama, Camaro and myself kicked off for stupid reasons! So, it'll have to be the light stuff for now, until I one day get around to finding someone willing to co-host a site with me. And as soon as I can, I'll check out your story! I'm really sorry I haven't, but my net time is so limited!

The Chichi Slaughter House: I did speed it up, but I felt like it was dragging and the climax had been reached ages ago. And I was more than happy to review your work. It was nice and short, took me only seven or eight minutes to plough through; probably didn't give it all the attention it deserves but hey, I got the eagles watching my net time…go figure. And I will keep writing…it's all I ever do, besides eat and daydream.

Karen: I totally agree with you. Yeah, it isn't a big pouch, but big enough to be cute. And he can make faces with it too!

Midnight-Flame-Princess: Your cat emoticon is so cute! I'm flattered that you would put me as number one…I'm not that good… blushes but the thought is much appreciated. I hope you hang around for the next story, even though it isn't cute. But you've been with me for well over a year now, and I have faith in you!

Clarobell: Nope, no babies. But they are happy and together! And that is all that matters, my loyal reviewer!

Into the breach once more, friends…

Back to Normal

"Only two thousand more sit ups to go. Keep going, Kakarot."

"But, Vegeeetaaa…"

"Don't whine. You made yourself fat, now you're going to get back to your toned self. You've already done four thousand, you're past halfway."

Goku whimpered, his stomach burning as he did yet another stomach crunch. Vegeta was holding his feet down, and staring at him over his knees. The Prince rested his arms on the top of Goku's knees, and smiled at him.

"Come on, you can do it."

"It hurts."

"No pain, no gain, chubby."

Vegeta kissed Goku's forehead to encourage him. Goku smiled, and stopped complaining. He'd doing a hectic exercise regime for the last week, and it was starting to pay off. He hadn't become that fat, but all his muscles had become lazy and he looked unhealthy. Vegeta had immediately put him onto a well-rounded diet and got him exercising again. Goku still craved a smoke every now and then, but at least he didn't rely on sleeping pills anymore. It was easy to fall asleep with the steady sound of breathing and a nearby heartbeat to calm him.

"Vegeta, I've been wondering…"

"Yeah?"

"What made you come back?"

"What?"

"I thought that you'd never come back. I thought you'd never forgive me."

"Stop doing your crunches, and I'll tell you."

Goku sat up, and looked at Vegeta, who sat opposite him on the lawn. "I guess it was two things really. The first reason was Uub's visit. Secondly, a conversation I had with Bulma while she dragged me out shopping, because I had outgrown all my clothes due to my transformation."

"You miss him, don't you?"

"Hn."

"You're responsive today."

Bulma and I were in yet another clothes shop. I was trying to find clothes in my favourite colours and she was just glad to have an excuse to dress me. No matter how many times I tell her that I am not a child's doll to be dressed, she still insists on choosing my outfits. Her dress sense is strange. Sometimes she can choose truly horrific items, sometimes she gets it right. We were in Levi's, and she tossed me a few shirts and jeans to try on. I grumbled as I locked myself into the changing room. I always check for cameras, before I take off my shirt. I was astonished at how accurate Bulma was in getting the sizes right.

"Hey, Vegeta! Get out here, and show me how it looks!"

I grumbled again as I walked out, dressed in acid wash jeans and a pale orange shirt. Orange always reminds me of…him…

Bulma whistled when she saw me. I just looked at the floor. It was really embarrassing. Why were there so many women in that store all of a sudden? One particularly bold woman went up to Bulma, and asked if I was available. Bulma just shook her head, and looked quite proud.

"He's mine, so hands off."

I couldn't help grinning. A collective moan of despair went up from the rest of the women. I guess the height helped after all.

"Alright, supermodel Saiyan. Get back into your normal gear, we're getting out of here for lunch."

We sat in the food court, eating platters of sushi. I had a party platter for starters, while she settled on six crab and cucumber fashion hand rolls.

"Thanks for saving me back there," I say, my mouth full of raw salmon.

"No problem. I didn't think Goku would have been pleased if you had hooked up with some one. Carrot juice, Vegeta?"

I dropped my chopsticks, and looked around.

"Kakarot? Where?"

"Not Kakarot, carrot, Vegeta."

I pulled a tongue at her, and she laughed, as I picked my chopsticks off the floor.

"You did that on purpose."

"Maybe. Why won't you just admit that you miss him? You know you can't bullshit me, Vegeta. I'm the only person that can see right through you."

"Damn you women and your perceptiveness," I growled, shoving more maki into my mouth.

"I don't understand it. Why are you being so stubborn about this? I know that you care about him so much."

I pushed my sushi around. "It's just that I'm tired of getting hurt. And what I said to him was horrible; I can't face him. Besides, if he cared about me, he wouldn't have dropped all my stuff off like that, no note, no goodbye, nothing. It's like a spirit bomb to my stomach. I'm tired of fighting losing battles, Blue. I know he said that he wants to try again, but he hasn't even tried to get in contact. I think that he took me seriously when I said I never wanted to see him again."

Bulma just shrugged. "He needs you, Vegeta. A part of me knows that he needs someone. He's never been good at being on his own. Just promise me you'll think about going back. I know you think about him all the time, that's why you have been so strict in your training, and keep hearing Kakarot instead of carrot. If not for me, then go back for yourself. You want to be with him."

As I swallowed another neatly rolled morsel of sushi, I thought.

"I never stopped thinking about you for a second, Kakarot. Bulma reminded me where I belonged. And that's here with you."

Vegeta shifted along on his knees, until his knees were touching Goku's. Vegeta put his hands on the sides of Goku's neck, and touched their foreheads together.

"So, what can I say? I missed you."

Epilogue

The two Saiyans soon got back into their everyday routine. Uub was back in training, and Vegeta finally managed to achieve super Saiyan three. Goku was over the moon, and made Vegeta stay in the form as much as possible -- supposedly to get used to it -- but Goku thought his mate looked absolutely gorgeous with his long hair. Goku still got nicotine cravings and wore nicotine patches. Vegeta helped him get over all his addictions, and was willing to do anything, even wrapping duct tape around Goku's fingers so that he couldn't smoke.

The months passed, the years disappeared and the decades blossomed, but their relationship grew even stronger. There were still rocky patches here and there, but they were smoothed over quickly enough. They grew old together, just like they wanted to. Vegeta was happy to be Kakarot's Not-so-Naked chef, and Goku was happy to just love and get teased and enjoy every second with his mate.

As they both sat on their swing bench, watching the sun go down on another day, head on shoulder, and tail wrapped around waist, Goku smiled as he pulled Vegeta closer to him. "Always unbeatable, hey, Ouji?"

"You and me against the world, Kakarot." Vegeta looked up at his mate. "Just you and me, forever."

The End

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds

Or bends with the remover to remove.

O, no, it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wand'ring bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come;

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

-Shakespeare

"Let me not the marriage of true minds" sonnet 116

Thank you's and shout outs

Yet another story wrapped and finished. Well done to me.

To A Paler Shade of Blue, for her advice, her brilliant critique, and for her emails which could pull me out of any bad mood in moments. To you, I owe greatest thanks.

To Gutterball, my evil editor of great humour and honesty, my fellow Vegeta worshipper and pull-Zo-out-of-her-self-pity football fanatic! Thank you for your time and inspiration and for the posts that make me scratch my head in wonder.

To my brother, who carefully supervised my writing, and slapped me when I got lazy, thanks as always.

To vegechan of with her brilliant site called Goku and Vegeta's sanctuary.

To my own agnostic version of God for giving me the stuff I needed.

To all the writers out on and all over the net too.

To my flamers, who make me write even more just to spite them.

And especially, to the reviewers, who are my inspiration. You know who you are, and for those that review every chapter, that take the time out of their day just to let me know that I'm doing a good job…it wouldn't be the same without you.

How did this story come about? I watched the last episode of Dbz, and after realising that it's not the end 'til Fat Buu sings, I wondered what would happen when Vegeta started to miss Kakarot. It just snowballed from there.

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