It was beginning to thunder by the time Bulma arrived at the Son's house. She banged on the door. Goku answered.
"Did you come to see Chichi or Shiriga?"
"Chichi. Goku, do me a favor. Go over to my house and hit Vegeta as hard as you possibly can." Bulma pushed pass him into the living room.
"Bulma!" Chichi said, relieved. "He just came over all upset, I couldn't tell him to go away…" Bulma peered behind Chichi. Trunks and Goten were piecing together a puzzle on the floor.
"Trunks! What're you doing here? I told you to do your homework, not play with your friend." Bulma admonished.
"I'm sorry Mom. It sounded like you were mad at Dad. I don't like hearing the screaming. Is there anything broken? I'll clean it up." Bulma knelt down and embraced her son tightly.
"No, there's nothing broken. And we didn't yell." said Bulma shakily. She let go. "Go home Trunks. I think your father's looking for you." Trunks obeyed.
"How often is he over here?"
"Just a-a couple times a week. And he sleeps over on weekends. He just likes playing with Goten. Normal behavior."
"Chichi, my nine year old son can tell when his parents are going to fight. That's not normal behavior. What kind of family have I created for him?" Chichi placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You're a good mother Bulma." She said soothingly. Tears leaked out of Bulma's eyes.
"And worst of all, Vegeta's leaving me."
"He already made his decision?"
"Not verbally, but I can tell. Oh Chichi, I know I was fed up with him, but now that it comes to it, I don't want him to leave. I love him, I love him so much!"
"You said it yourself Bulma, he beats Trunks."
"Only when they're training, he just wants Trunks to be strong. And he's never laid a hand on me. He never ordered me around. He tried, with words. We both know he could have forced me, but he didn't. He's not a bad person, sometimes he's like a child. "
"Like a child? Bulma, he's killed millions!"
"Think of his upbringing, he grew up where power was the main focus, nothing else. He didn't know fear, or love, I doubt he knew killing people was wrong. I don't care what you or anyone else says, I love him!"
"VEGETA!" Goku screamed the name at the top of his lungs. He was gathering air to call again when the Prince opened the door.
"Ever hear of a doorbell Kakarott?" Vegeta snarled.
"I'm too angry; I needed to blow off steam." Goku replied in an equally nasty tone. Vegeta looked surprised.
"I've must have done something terrible to make the 'Gentle Giant' mad. You have my attention."
"I've never been as angry as I am right now. I love my friends and family very much, and I don't like to see them get hurt."
"This wouldn't have anything to do with a toy Trunks borrowed from your son, would it Kakarott?" said Vegeta with a smirk. Goku punched the door frame.
"You know very well who I'm talking about Vegeta! Bulma was my first friend, and I like to protect her. I only wish her husband felt the same way!"
"Technically, we're not married." Vegeta brushed some dust off his hand.
"Dammit Vegeta! Don't you care about her at all? Because she's over at my house right now screaming that she loves you! The least you could say is that you care about her!" Goku shouted.
"I could, but I'm not going to. I don't want to. Especially not to you Kakarott." Heat burned inside Goku. He knew Vegeta was cold hearted, but you couldn't not care about someone you had a son with and had been living with for years.
"If that's the way you feel then it's a good thing you're leaving. Bulma deserves better."
"Hey, who said I was leaving?"
"Bulma's convinced you are." Goku said curiously.
"I thought about it and I'm not leaving. They're low level Saiyans, the weakest of the race. They don't deserve my leadership." said Vegeta. All the anger inside Goku vanished.
"Like me?" he said smartly. Vegeta glared at him.
"Yes Kakarott, like you. Now go away."
"You bet! I can't wait to tell Bulma!" Goku leapt into the night sky.
"Chichi, guess what? Vegeta's not leaving! We have to tell Bulma, where is she?" Goku asked. Chichi looked uncomfortable.
"Um, she's not here."
"Where is she?"
"I don't know, she was all distressed and said something about not wanting to burden us and then she ran out the door."
"This day keeps on getting better." Goku remarked with rarely used sarcasm.
Bulma rang the doorbell while trying furiously to dry her face. The door opened.
"Oh good, I wasn't sure you'd be home. Vegeta and I had a huge fight and he's leaving…can I please stay here for awhile Yamcha?" Yamcha was bewildered but stepped aside saying,
"Y-yeah, of course. Is there anything I can get you?"
"No, unless you can give me a friend who'll listen."
"I'm sure that can be arranged." Yamcha smiled. The door shut quietly behind them.
There was a light drizzle of rain the next morning. Trunks had not been able to sleep all night. His father had been in the gravity chamber for four hours, ever since 3:00 a.m. He wandered downstairs looking for breakfast. Soon after he poured himself some cereal, Vegeta walked in.
"It's the weekend." the Prince said gruffly, "You sleep in until noon when I don't wake you up.
"Where's Mom?" Trunks asked.
"I don't know."
"Is she…coming back?" Trunks tried to keep from crying. The last time he had done that in front of Vegeta was not a happy memory.
"Your mother would die before she'd leave you. That's one thing she made very clear."
"What about you? Are you leaving?"
"Where are you getting these ideas? You have too much of an imagination."
"Can I meet the Saiyan girl?"
"You don't need to. She's not staying."
"Why not?"
"What are all these questions about?"
"Just curious." The door bell rang. Trunks ran to open it.
"Mom—?" His heart sank. It was not anybody he had seen before.
"Is Prince Vegeta here?"
"Prince?" Trunks stepped back to let the woman in. Vegeta leaned casually against the opposite wall.
"Shiriga." He said.
"Is this the Saiyan girl Dad?" Trunks asked.
"Dad?" Shiriga said, "So this is your son Vegeta?"
"Trunks." said Vegeta.
"Hi Trunks." Shiriga smiled. Trunks studied her for a moment.
"Are you leaving Mom for her, Dad?" he said finally. Vegeta looked at Shiriga and answered,
"No, I'm not going anywhere."
"Well, I'll be leaving at the end of the week." Shiriga said to Trunks. "Maybe we should get to know each other before then." She glanced at Vegeta and left.
"She seemed nice." Trunks remarked.
"It's time for you to train." Vegeta ordered.
Bulma sniffled into a bowl of cereal. She had not gotten much sleep the night before. She kept thinking about Vegeta and Shiriga. It made her hurt so much inside.
"Hey." Yamcha greeted, "Do you have a habit of keeping people up at night?"
"Oh, I'm sorry Yamcha. I didn't mean to keep you up."
"That's alright. I know it's a very painful time for you. You really love Vegeta, for reasons unbeknownst to the rest of us."
"It's easy to fall in love Yamcha…but how do you fall out? It's a death trap, love…"
"Look Bulma, you probably don't want to do anything right now. But in my experience, the best thing to do is to get out and try to take your mind off things."
"I know you have my best interests at heart, but I really just want to stay here and think."
"At least come out for lunch, my treat." Yamcha offered.
"No thanks."
"Do I have to drag you out?" he teased.
"Try and I'll bust you open." she said with a smirk. "Alright, but just lunch."
"Good."
"Tomorrow."
"Negotiation complete." Yamcha grinned.
"SHE'S WHERE!" It was late afternoon at Capsule Corp. Trunks had decided to look for his missing mother, and told dear old dad his findings.
"Yamcha's." said Trunks meekly, terrified of his father's wrath.
"That imbecile! The last time he interfered with us, I thought I made it very clear to him he was not to involve himself with this family!" Vegeta grabbed a jacket.
"Where are you going Dad?" asked Trunks.
"Where do you think? I'm going to bring that woman back over here! She's being stupid! This is why I hate humans!"
"You hate humans?" Trunks repeated. "Do you mean that?"
"Yes! From the bottom of my heart!" shouted Vegeta. Trunks looked up at his father, trying to hold back tears.
"Mommy's human, and I'm half human…do you hate us Dad?" Vegeta looked at him for a moment, then strode out the door and slammed it behind him.
"Bulma, I brought food home." Yamcha called. "All your favorites." Bulma pulled herself up from the couch.
"Thank you Yamcha." She sniffed. Yamcha sat down beside her.
"You deserve better than Vegeta." He told her softly.
"I know, but I just can't stop loving him, no matter what he does!" Tears started to pour out of her eyes once again. Yamcha wiped them away.
"You cried enough for one lifetime Bulma."
"You're a lot different than before." Bulma laughed lightly, "If you'd been this sweet when we were dating, things might have worked out."
"I was young and stupid then. I didn't realize what I great person I had."
"Thank you Yamcha. That's very kind of you to say." Yamcha slid closer to her.
"Yamcha, what're you doing?" asked Bulma shakily.
"Bulma, I have to tell you. I loved you then, despite what a horrible boyfriend I was. But now, I still love you."
"Yamcha, you're making me uncomfortable."
"I'm sorry; I can't help what I feel."
"It's inappropriate; I have a son that I love!"
"Do you have a husband that you love? And does your husband love you?"
"I d-don't…" she could not find the right words. She did not know the right words. It was like the moment of truth had come: did she love Vegeta or not? It was a question that she had forced to the back of her mind. Of course she loved him, they had a son. But the question poked and prodded at her, begging to be answered. Now, she finally had to answer it. Maybe now, she would choose to take Trunks and leave Vegeta. Yamcha would be good to him, raise him as his own, and love him…but still…
"You don't have to answer right now." said Yamcha finally. He leaned in closer to her. She could feel his breath on her face.
"But I truly love you Bulma." He touched his lips to hers. Bulma did not try to push him away, or even jump in surprise. For the moment, she was not sure if she wanted to push him away. So she didn't. In fact, for some reason, she started to kiss back.
Vegeta shoved everybody out of his path. He was almost at the little bastard's house. After pushing a small child to the curb, he was looking directly into the window of Yamcha's house. For a moment, he was in shock. Right there were Bulma and Yamcha engaging in a deep kiss. Yamcha's jacket was on the floor and his hands were traveling up Bulma's shirt. Then, anger came. He ripped the door right off the hinges.
"YOU BASTARD!" He bellowed. Bulma and Yamcha jumped.
"Vegeta!" Bulma said quickly and breathlessly.
"SHUT UP WOMAN! I WANT TO TALK TO THIS SON OF A BITCH!" He grabbed Yamcha by the collar.
"WHAT DID I TELL YOU LAST TIME YOU INTERFERED WITH US!" Vegeta spat.
"Vegeta, I love her!" Yamcha retaliated.
"KEEP YOUR HORMONES UNDER CONTROL AND AWAY FROM MY WOMAN!" Bulma ran up and grasped Vegeta's arm.
"Vegeta, please! It wasn't Yamcha's fault! I could have pushed him away, but I didn't!"
"AND YOU! HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME, YOU WHORE! IF YOU WANTED TO BE WITH HIM YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME TO MY FACE, NOT SNEAK BEHIND MY BACK! YOU'RE A DISHONORABLE SLUT! YOU WANT TO BE WITH HIM? FINE! BUT IF I SEE YOU AGAIN I'LL KILL YOU BULMA! I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU!" Vegeta tossed her off him against a wall and stormed back outside. He punched a few people in the crowd that had gathered around the house.
Yes, Vegeta's very mad. Hakuna matata, he won't kill Bulma. That'd be mean. No, we'll just milk the angst for all it's worth. I love this, I get to totally psycho-analyze Vegeta. Until next time.