DISCLAIMER: I don't own dragon ball z or dragon ball gt, nor do I make any money from this fic. Please don't sue me, I'm just a poor Australian and our dollar really sucks right now so please don't sue!

Chapter 8

Eighteen stood on what was left of the Capsule Corporation Headquarters, idly kicking rubble with the tip of her shoes.She frowned at the blasts coming form the city and then raised her eyes skywards -Vegeta and Seventeen fighting over that silly woman…and why? That was the question that was irritating the hell out of her.Vegeta didn't love Builma and Seventeen couldn't possibly love her - Seventeen didn't love anybody except himself.

She tossed her short blonde hair and smiled grimly. It was obviously nothing but a fight to satisfy their egos. Soon enough Seventeen would grow tired of the woman and would kill her himself, either that or Vegeta would kill Seventeen. But that was unlikely, it had been pure chance that they had destroyed her and besides there had been two of them, now there was only Vegeta. Eighteen laughed evilly, Gohan could not have survived what she had done to him, he may have been a super saiyan but even a super saiyan has their limits.

Although the boy hadn't broken despite what she'd done to him. She sat down on the roof and shook that thought of out her head, instead contemplating the glorious stars above; soon things would go back to the way they were.

Soon…

"Lemme go!" Trunks continued to struggle, kicking and biting in his effort to get free. "I want to go back with daddy!" His raised to a most un-warrior like shriek and Bulma winced. This wouldn't do. She had to quieten him down somehow.

"Don't you love me Trunks? Don't you love your mommy?" Bulma twisted Trunks around to look at her and for a moment he quietened.

"I do love you mommy but daddy needs me and besides you're with the bad guys now!" Trunks kicked her in the chest and pulled free. He made a dash for the door but skidded to a halt as a dark shadow stood in the doorway and barred his way. Bulma coughed - her son had actually knocked the wind out of her for a moment there - he was s rtong little tyke. That was for sure.

"Where are you going kid?" Seventeen stepped into the room, his shirt torn almost completely off.

"I…I…" Trunks backed back until he hit Bulma's legs, then he buried his face into them, seeking comfort where he could.

"Seventeen! Stop scaring my little boy!" Bulma frowned at him and picked up Trunks. "Honey, why do you want to go back to daddy? Why?"

Trunks looked up into her blue eyes and began to cry again, "Because you're not my mommy any more."

You're not my mommy anymore…

Bulma closed her eyes and swayed unsteadily. It was true…she wasn't the same person she had been, but she was still human enough to love her child wasn't she? She looked down at her child and Bulma's heart nearly broke as he sobbed in her arms.

"Oh Trunks…of course I'm your mom! I'm just a little a different that's all…I still love you." She pulled Trunks in for a hug and although at first he hung there like a rag doll eventually he hugged her back. All the time Seventeen stood there watching them with a look of bemusement on his face, not understanding why both of them seemed so upset over something as silly as wether or not Bulma was still Bulma when she quite obviously hadn't changed at all when it came to her emotions and feelings.

"How cute." Eighteen strolled through the door, her shirt still sticky with Gohan's blood. "A little family bonding exercise I see." She rolled her eyes and walked past them, ignoring Bulma and glaring at Trunks. Deliberately getting a kick out of scaring the young halfling.

When she was gone Bulma looked up at Seventeen with concern, "I don't trust her Seventeen…she's different. I think being killed must have scrambled her neural processor or something."

"You're just saying that because she doesn't like you, don't worry about it, Eighteen will come round, you'll see." Seventeen flicked his hair to one side and gave Bulma a devilish look. "Now put the kid to bed so we can get back to ours…" Seventeen sidled up to Bulma and nipped her neck as he pranced down the hallway laughing softly.

Vegeta dragged himself inside Chichi's cottage and collapsed on the couch, trying to ignore Kakarot's mate as she buzzed around him like a fly, trying to help both her own brat and himself. Eventually Vegeta had to snarl at her to 'keep away or he'd rip out her tongue' to get her to leave him alone. He didn't want to be bothered by a razor tounged harpie like her at this moment. He didn't want to be bothered by anyone.

He'd finally seen Bulma again.

It wasn't fair!Vegeta bemoaned his bad luck silently. There really was some God up there who loved watching him suffer. The dark haired saiyan gritted his teeth as mental and physical pain swept over his body. He'd lost everything! There wasn't a thing left to hold him to this snivelling planet except for his pride.

"Stupid woman." Vegeta clenched a fist as he remembered her cold expression when she had turned and looked at him. The woman probably didn't even know that her eyes had turned as cold and lifeless as the other machines…

Trunks!

Vegeta sat up as he remembered that she'd taken his son with her. Would they do to him what they'd done to her? Would they make him into a monster and turn him against all he had ever believed in? Was Bulma that cruel? No, she still loved Trunks that much was clear. She wouldn't allow them to harm him at all…even if that black haired demon tried to convince Bulma it was a good idea she wouldn't listen. The woman had enough sense to protect her child.

Vegeta winced as the deep slice in his side opened slightly when he stood up; he needed to take a shower and then rest. Much as he hated to believe it, he was lucky to be alive after fighting that android and he was in no condition to go off and begin hunting them down. He needed rest. For a second Vegeta paused by the window and wondered if Kakarot could see all that was going on and, more importantly, he wondered what Kakarot would do.

Chichi sat by Gohan and held her breath as his eyelids fluttered and slowly opened. He stared up at the roof and groggily turned his head to look at his mother, awareness seeping slowly back into his eyes.

"Did Bulma get Trunks?"

His voice was a rough and faint, as though he'd just spent a great deal of time screaming, and Chichi nodded her heart tearing in pain she saw the sadness flood Gohan's eyes. She should have protected him from those monstrosities. She was his mother - mother's protect their children.

"Didn't Vegeta get here in time?" Gohan's voice cracked and a tear slid slowly down his cheek as he thought about that poor little boy and what the android might do to him. He'd failed to protect Trunks!

"Vegeta got here in time, unfortunately so did the android. Oh Gohan! I can't believe that Bulma joined up with them!" Chichi bit her lip, not wanting to say anything else in case she further upset her son.

"What happened to Vegeta? Is he still alive?" Gohan sat up and looked at his mother, real worry now lighting his face.

"Vegeta's alive, but he's badly hurt. He and that horrid creature Seventeen fought each other until neither of them had any power left. Vegeta wasn't too happy so I left him alone. Don't worry honey, he's fine."

Gohan nodded and flopped his head back down, relaxing as best he could. "Good, because without Vegeta I don't know what I'd do."

A/N - Mmmm, so the androids got Trunks and Vegeta got a beating. Not very fair is it? Oh well, I'm sure ol' Vegeta will find a way to even the score. Oh, and people? Please review and stuff - let me know what you think. I know this is a short chapter that isn't written terribly well, but I'm sleepy and on holidays! I'm allowed to be lazy!

- VG