"Trunks…?"

Bulma gasped as she realised she wasn't dreaming and her son was really looking over her. She sat up quickly and stared at him with tears in her eyes.

"It's you…"

"Yeah. Who else were you expecting?"

Bulma screamed happily and flung her arms round her sons neck. She cried into his shoulder heavily.

"I can't believe you're back."

"Me neither."

Bulma drew back and ran her hand across his cheek.

"Look at you, you're all skin and bones and your hair is a total mess…but you've never looked so wonderful."

"Mum listen…"

Bulma stood up quickly and pulled him towards the door.

"Oh come on now. You don't need to say anything. Lets just get some food in you, Kami knows you need it."

Trunks stopped roughly and grabbed Bulma's hand. She turned to face him with an awkward expression. Trunks stood firm, if was going to talk to her, he was going to do it now.

"Mum, we have to talk. I want to."

"You do?"

"Yes. I do."

Bulma blinked slowly and sat back down on the bed. Trunks sat down next to her with a sigh and folded his arms across his lap. Bulma gripped one of his hands tightly and brushed her hand across his cheek soothingly.

"You say whatever you need to ok baby?"

"Mum, look, I'm sorry for running away, and upsetting you. I just felt like, I dunno, I wanted to cause you the pain you had caused me. But mum, don't take that to heart, I was being stupid. I love you. I don't want to cause you pain. But at the time…I did."

"Trunks, you don't have to be sorry. I was the stupid one. I should never have said that. I love you just the way you are. And I was stupid to not realise that since the very first moment you were born. I was treating Bra so much better than I had treated you. It must have made you feel awful, right? Like, me making you change rooms? Her getting special treatment from your dad."

"A bit. I was jealous. Goku made me realise that. I was jealous of Bra. It just seemed that you and dad had given her the respect ,I had worked my whole like to achieve, as soon as she was born. A mean, I knew she would be treated differently because she's a girl and she's still a baby, and I should have accepted that, but when I heard why you were treating her differently, I dunno…I guess I snapped. I hadn't planned to run away mum. It just happened. I took off to clear my head and then I realised I had a capsule house with me and decided to get away until I felt ready to come back."

"But Trunks you have to understand, the best thing would have been to stay here and talk it out with us."

"I know that, but I was angry. And I didn't want to talk to about it, and I wasn't going to let you or dad force me into talking about it till I was ready. Goku helped me realise what I was feeling towards you and dad, and Bra, and it was only then that I felt able to talk to you."

"It's ok baby. I understand. I am so proud of you. If I had been you and I heard my mum say she would have liked me to be a boy, I would have taken it a lot worse. I would have blown it. I'd yell and scream. Run away too. But stay away for longer. I am so proud of you baby, I really am. I know it must have been hard for you to come back today, but I'm so glad you did. I've missed you so much, it's been a hell hold round here lately. Bra has been crying relentlessly, Vegeta been getting agitated with all the crying and me being so upset. I thought you were going to stay angry at me for a lot longer than this, I thought visiting you today would have made it worse. I just had to see you, to see you were ok."

"I'm glad you came. I was starting to worry about you a little bit, what you were doing about it. If dad was being horrid because of it, if you had enough energy for yourself, with the baby and everything. If you were eating properly, if it was keeping you up at night. I can tell you, it was keeping me up."

"Vegeta was being so good about it , and maybe even a bit comforting, if that's even possible from Vegeta. But Bra is fine. I'm ok, now that you're back. Everything can go back to normal. But, only if you want it to."

"I do. I want to come back and live with you and dad, and Bra. I want to be a good son and a good big brother."

Bulma smiled at him lovingly and stroked her thumb over her chin.

"You've always been a good son. You haven't let either Vegeta or I down once. We are both so proud of you, and always will be."

Bulma wrapped her arms round his shoulder and he put his round her back.

"I love you mum."

"I love you too baby."

"I see the boy's returned."

They both broke away from each other and turned to see Vegeta standing in the door way with a scowl on his face. Bulma smiled at him but Trunks could tell he was angry and hung his head. Vegeta walked in and shut the door behind him.

"Why are you back?"

Bulma's smiled faded from her face as she noticed the hard and cold state of Vegeta's eyes.

"Vegeta…"

"Why did you come back boy?"

Trunks's head rose and he locked eyes with Vegeta.

"Because I wanted to."

"What makes you think we'll welcome you back? After all the misery you've caused your mother I should chase you away right now."

"Vegeta stop it." Bulma pleaded.

Trunks stood up in front of him with his head high.

"I knew you wouldn't be happy with me being gone so long. But mum and I have made up, we're fine."

"Well, what makes you think I want you here?"

"If you didn't want me here then why did you come and try to get me back a while ago?"

"Because she made me."

Vegeta gestured towards Bulma, who stood up with a frown and stood beside Trunks.

"Vegeta stop it now. He's our son. This is his home. Just accept that he's home. You should be relieved."

"Even after he made you so miserable?"

"Since when do you care if I'm upset or not?"

"I do when it interferes with everything else. You were always deep asleep in the middle of the night because you had been up so late crying I was the one who had to get up to feed the girl."

"Vegeta, you should be doing that anyway. She's your daughter! Just like Trunks is you son! Now get over yourself and just be happy!"

"Why should I?"

Trunks put his hand in front of Bulma's stomach and shook his head.

"Mum, don't try. This is between me and dad."

"But Trunks he's being totally unreasonable."

"He's got reason to be…"

"But…"

Trunks stepped in front of Bulma and turned to Vegeta with an expressionless face.

"Dad, I know you're angry at me for making mum so upset, but I didn't know what I was doing. I was just trying to do what I thought was right. And mum knows that."

"I don't know what she sees in you. You are a disgrace to your Saiyen race. A true Saiyen would have stayed and dealt with it, instead of running away and proving how weak you are."

Bulma gripped Trunks's arm tightly as tears started to fall down her face. She was speechless. She only manage to whisper.

"Vegeta…how could you?"

"He's supposed to be the prince of all Saiyens. A prince cannot just turn away when it gets too much."

"Vegeta, how can he be a prince when he has no planet and no people to rule over? If you weren't so up yourself you would notice that Trunks is not like you! He does not thirst to fight! He has feelings! He is my son too, I love him and I want him here! He knows his place in this family! It's time you figured out yours! I have accepted everything and I'm fine. Maybe you should learn to accept it to."

She stared at him angrily before shaking her head and running out of the room in tears. Trunks growled at Vegeta and went after her but Vegeta grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Let me go dad. Let me go and talk to her, and then I'll get out of here. Like you want me to."

"Leave her."

"Dad you can't tell me what to do! Now let me go…or I'll make you."

Vegeta smirked and let go of Trunks's arm.

"Maybe there is some Saiyen in you after all."

Trunks stared after him confused, as Vegeta walked out of the balcony door and levitated down to the lawn.

He landed quietly and silently walked over to Bulma who was curled up in a ball on a lawn chair, crying.

Vegeta sat down on the edge of the chair and rested his hand on her arm. She shrugged it away and curled up even tighter.

"Just go away Vegeta."

"The boy is staying woman."

"I don't care. You shouldn't have said that."

"Why not?"

Bulma swung her legs over the side of the chair and sat next to him, with her head resting in her hands.

"Because I had just told him how proud we both were of him. I am proud of him Vegeta. I wish you would be too."

"I am. He showed great strength coming back here today. And standing up to me."

"Then why were you trying to push him away?"

"To see how great his strength was still. After his little escapade I was starting to wonder if he was becoming weak, turns out he's just as strong as he was before."

"Vegeta, you have to stop testing him. And so have I. He'll turn out, how he turns out. We can't want him to be something he's not. And we can't make him either. If he doesn't grow up to be a genius, I won't mind. But you can't mind if he doesn't grow up to be the strongest warrior on earth."

"Well woman, we already know that's not going to happen."

"What do you mean?"

"There's no way he'll ever be stronger than me."

Bulma smiled contentedly and rested her head on Vegeta's shoulder.

"Of course not Vegeta. No one is stronger than you."

Vegeta smirked and wrapped his arm round her waist.

"I'm glad you know that woman."

Trunks sighed happily as he watched his parents make up from his position on his balcony. His head shot up as he felt more ki's land outside his front door. He smiled and ran down the stairs to greet his visitors.

"Trunks!"

He stopped in front of the lounge door and smiled as he saw Goten beat his father yet again.

"Hey Trunks, come and play me. My dad totally sucks at this game!"

Goku smiled and laughed lightly.

"I think Trunks has got a visitor he would like to see."

Trunks raised an eyebrow at him quizzically.

"How do you know?"

"Because Chichi invited them."

Trunks smiled gratefully.

"Now go answer that door."

"Right."

Trunks started off towards the front door again with a smile. He threw open the door just as his visitor was about to ring the doorbell. Krillin smiled at him friendlily and waved.

"Hey Trunks! Nice to see you home! Chichi called us a while ago and said you had taken off and told us to be here if you came back."

"Thanks Krillin. Where's Marron?"

"She's in the car. 18 is trying to get her to come out, but she won't because she don't believe you're back. She says she wont come out unless you're definitely here. Maybe you can get her to come out."

Trunks laughed and opened the door wider.

"I'll see what I can do. You come in and make yourself at home. Goku and Goten are in the lounge playing video games."

"Thanks!"

Trunks smiled as he saw 18 struggling to pull her daughter out of the car.

"Marron!"

Her head shot up when she heard his voice, and a large smile broke across her face.

"Trunks!"

She squealed happily and hurried out of the car, pushing 18 over in the process. She landed on the ground with a thud and shook her head angrily.

"Teenagers."

Marron laughed happily and ran towards Trunks. They wrapped their arms round each other and trunks twirled her round in the air.

"I missed you."

Marron smiled and buried her head in the crook of his neck.

"I've missed you too."

Trunks smiled and lead her up to his room as 18 picked herself up and followed her husband into the lounge. Trunks squeezed Marron's hand tightly as they entered his room. She turned around and pushed him against the wall as soon as he had shut the door.

"I have been so worried about you. I haven't seen you in ages. Why haven't I? What have you been up to?"

"Well, besides running away and having my mum give birth, other stuff. Moving rooms, training with my dad. You know, the usual."

"I felt sick when my mum told me you had run away. She told me what your mum said about you as well. My poor hunny, you must have felt awful. How dare your mum say something like that."

"Listen Marron, I'd rather not talk about it. My mum and I have worked everything out, and it's all cool now ok? There's no need to feel anything bad about her ok?"

"Ok Trunks, whatever you say babe."

She pushed him up against the wall and crushed her lips against his. Trunks's hands roamed around her back as her tongue ravaged his mouth. She moaned happily as his hand swept round the rim of her skirt. She pulled away with a smirk and shook her head.

"We can't. Both sets of rents are in the premises."

Trunks scowled and dropped his hands with a sigh.

"Right."

"Don't worry. Some time soon, I promise. I'll get my rents out of the house somehow ok?"

"Ok."

Marron ran her fingers into his hair and curled a lock of it round her finger.

"Babe are you ok? You seem down?"

"Well, I have just got back from running away. I'm not exactly gonna be jumping around."

"Oh my hunny. I can't imagine how much you were hurting. I wish you would have told me earlier, I would have come and visited you. You were all alone."

"Yeh. Alone, for a week. I should have called you. Would have livened the place up a bit having you around."

"I can't stand to think that your mum caused you so much pain. I hate it so much. How could she say such a thing about you? You're wonderful."

"Marron I already said I don't want to talk about it."

"But Trunks, it's obviously troubling you. Talk to me baby."

"There's nothing to talk about. Everything's ok. I'm ok."

"No you're not. I know you well enough to know when you're not alright Trunks."

"If you knew me at all you would know I don't want to talk about it Marron."

"Well, I obviously know you better than you do."

"Yeah, of course you do."

"What's with the attitude Trunks?"

"Just get off my case Marron, ok?"

"Trunks…I only want you to talk to me. I love you. That's what people do when they're in love. And you love me, right?"

"Of course I do. But maybe I just want to talk about something else ok?"

"Look at what this has done to you. You must be hurting really badly if you don't want to talk to me. You've never minded talking to me before. Your mum must have hurt you really badly right? And don't be afraid to admit it, our parents always hurt us at one point or another in our lives."

"Marron, just drop it ok? My mum and I are fine! Will you stop being so off about her!"

"Ok, ok. Sorry. I just don't like it that she's the one that made you run off."

"That's it. I've asked you nicely Marron, now just stop it ok? Even if she did cause me pain, she is still my mum and I love her! I don't know where you think you get off saying bad stuff about her! She's always been there for you! Whenever you needed anything, my mum has always helped you out! Now just shut up ok?"

"Don't yell at me Trunks! I'm just trying to help ok? If you didn't want to talk about it you could've just said so!"

"I did!"

"Fine! Then just forget it! I'm leaving! You can consider this our break up!"

"Fantastic! Couldn't think of anything more wonderful!"

Marron growled angrily and stormed out of the room. Trunks leant back against the wall with a sigh and closed his eyes.

Bulma ran her hand down Vegeta's arm as he tensed up and looked in the direction of Trunks's window.

"What is it Vegeta?"

"Trunks and Marron."

"What about them? Are they ok? What's going on?"

"They separated."

"Oh no…my poor baby. He must be heart broken."

"To be honest, his ki doesn't feel too heart broken. It feels more…angry…"

"Why would he be angry? At Marron? But he's never been angry at her…must have been a pretty bad break-up. What did she say?"

"I don't know."

"Don't play that with me. As you so like to keep reminding me, you Saiyens have very sensitive hearing, now tell me what she said."

"Fine. She was being horrid about you, and how you caused Trunks pain. He tried to make her stop talking about you in such a manner and she wouldn't, so the boy got angry, and she got angry back."

"Oh no. It's all my fault."

"Yes it is."

"Thanks, your comfort is encouraging."

"That's what I'm here for."

"Right…should I go and talk to him?"

"No not yet. He's too angry at himself."

"He's got nothing to be angry at himself about. He's done himself a favour, I never thought him and Marron were a good couple. Did you?"

"Do you think I cared enough to think about it?"

"Obviously not. But don't you even care who your son ends up with?"

"As long as the girl is nothing to do with Kakarot, then no, I don't."

"What would you do if Gohan had a little girl and Trunks fell in love with her?"

"He wouldn't. He knows better than that. And even if he did, the girl would be much too young for him."

"But Vegeta, you have to understand how hard it is for him tog et a girlfriend. I mean, he's a Saiyen for goodness sake. Do you realise how hard it must be for him to impress a girl when if he touches her he bruises her because of his strength? Marron was an exception, she's been around strong people her whole life and was used to it. I mean, it's so hard for Trunks. Just think, flying is a natural thing for him, but not for other people. If he was on a date, the girl would probably go running when he was an inch off the ground. It would be so much easier for him to date a Saiyen. He's a half blooded Saiyen, it's very difficult for him to make a relationship with a human."

"I did."

"What?"

"Well, I'm full blooded Saiyen and I managed to go all these years without hurting you or scaring you off didn't I? He's only half Saiyen, so it's less likely he'll hurt a girl."

"But Vegeta, I'm different. I was with Goku my whole child hood life, I knew about all those special powers and people flying, and his strength. It wasn't a big surprise to see that you could fly, or you could shoot beams from your hands, or the super strength."

"I haven't hurt you though, so why should it be any different for him?"

"Because he's only a teenager, he doesn't know how to control his strength like you do. And I'm a lot older than any of his girlfriends so I'm more able to handle that kind of strength. I mean, come on Vegeta, he's only 17 (Made up that age btw so sorry if it don't fit in with the rest of the story) and he's almost as strong as you. Imagine what it will be like when he gets older."

"Watch it woman. Don't get carried away."

"Well, you have to admit it Vegeta."

"I admit that he is strong for his age. Even by Saiyen standards."

"Right."

"Listen to me, there will come a time when he learns to control his strength, it may take time, but he will figure out how to do it. Until then, he has to deal with it. I mean, when I landed here, I thought my life would be a boring stream of loneliness. All of my Saiyen people had been destroyed, I thought there was no one that could handle me and my strength. Until I met you that is."

"But Vegeta, all of his friends go out on dates."

"Does Kakarot's kid go out on dates?"

"Goten? I dunno. Yes, I think so."

"Well, that's good. That means Trunks is stronger than Goten."

"Vegeta, have you been listening to a word I said?"

"Yes, woman. Just trust me. He'll grow out of it. You do trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I do Vegeta. I'm just looking out for my son."

"Our son. You may know what to do about his human side, but I know what to do about his Saiyen side. I am the king of Saiyens after all."

"I know Vegeta. By the way Vegeta, since you married me, does that make me the queen?"

"I suppose so."

"That's cool. Although I have no people to rule over."

"Don't remind me."

Bulma moved closer to him and pressed her body against his.

"Come on baby. Don't get grouchy on me. I'm in a good mood. You don't want to spoil it do you?"

"Why are you in a good mood?"

"Because Trunks came back, and I'm married to the most wonderful man in the world."

Vegeta smirked and pulled her onto his lap.

"At least I've taught you something valuable."

"Just shut up and kiss me."

She cupped Vegeta's face in her hands and pulled her lips onto her roughly. Vegeta growled roughly as his arms automatically wound round her waist.

"Woman, stop. Everyone can see."

"Then lets go to our room."

"But woman, you're too loud. Every one will hear you."

"I'll try to be quiet. Besides, who cares. Then everyone will know you have the best woman around."

"Yes I do."