Okay, you guys are too kind! This chapter is something that isn't brought up very often, so we'll see how it goes over. Enjoy!


He heard the door slam and a sigh. A happy sigh. Vegeta approached the woman leaning on the doorframe, his medicine in his hand.

"Woman, how much of this am I supposed to take?" He held out the bottle for her to see, but Bulma didn't hear him. Vegeta looked at her closely. Her eyes were lustrous in the dim moonlight, appearing to be vast blue oceans of adoration and happiness. This was unsettling. "Bulma?"

Her eyes quickly snapped to his face, but not in anger. "Oh, Vegeta," she gushed, "you'll never guess what just happened!" She giggled as if she had a little too much to drink.

"What's wrong with you?" She looked as if she would explode if she didn't say something soon.

"I'm engaged!" she cried as she held out her left hand, which bore a gold band with a solitary diamond set in the middle.

"You're what?" he asked, annoyed at her puzzling behavior.

His face made Bulma laugh even more. "You don't know what an engagement is, do you?"

"Should I care?" he asked disinterestedly. She nodded eagerly.

"Definitely. When two people get engaged, it means they're going to be married." Vegeta seemed to recognize the word 'marriage', but still looked perplexed. Bulma sighed and gave the definition to him as if he were a five-year-old. "Marriage is when two people who love each other very, very much promise to share their lives together forever."

The situation soon became clear to him. "You're engaged to be married," he stated.

"Yes." She smiled up at him warmly. "Isn't that great?"

Vegeta just scowled. 'What's wrong with me? I don't care what this pathetic wench does with her life.' Despite all of his efforts to stop them, envious thoughts filled his mind, yet he remained impassive as she gazed at him eagerly.

"Great," he gruffly congratulated her as he started to leave.

"Wait." Bulma caught his arm. "You can't tell anyone about it. Yamcha decided that we should tell everyone at the Christmas Eve party next week."

"'Yamcha decided'?" Vegeta asked mockingly. "Since when do you listen to anyone but yourself?"

Bulma decided to ignore his ridicule. "Please promise you won't tell. Please." The same anguish he had seen in her eyes when Yamcha stood her up was now back, but it was somehow different. Was there such thing as good pain? Is that why she stayed with the earthling bastard for so long? Again, Vegeta found himself beating down his emotions.

"Fine, woman. Just tell me how much of this I have to take." He again held up the bottle of medicine in it. She giggled when she saw the dregs of pink liquid left in the bottle.

"It looks like you don't have to take any more. Here, I'll throw it away." She took the bottle from him and started up the stairs.

"Wait!"

Bulma paused and turned to face the Saiyan. "What?" she asked him quietly.

Vegeta didn't know what to say. He hadn't actually wanted to say anything to her. "Good night," he managed to grumble lamely.

A knowing smile crept onto Bulma's lips. "Night," she whispered back.

Vegeta was eating breakfast the next morning when Bulma came down, humming to herself. "Hi, Vegeta!" He merely grunted back, preoccupied with his meal. "Hungry today?" This time, she didn't get an answer. "Come on, just because I'm engaged doesn't mean you can't talk to me." This made Vegeta snap.

"Why would I WANT to talk to you, anyway? You're just some whorish wench from earth. You're nothing compared to me."

His words felt like lead, weighing down Bulma's high spirits. "I…I thought we were friends."

"The Prince of Saiyans does not become friends with ANYONE, especially a lowly earthling." He finished his breakfast and rose. "I'm off to train. Leave me alone." After that, he just left.

He left her alone.

Bulma rubbed her eyes fiercely, willing away the tears that fell freely down her cheeks. 'Why is he doing this to me? I need to get under control.' She breathed in and out a couple of times, then smiled as she dried her eyes. 'I'm getting married to Yamcha soon. I'm finally getting what I've always wanted!'

Delusions only work for so long, though. The tears renewed themselves as she fell into a chair. 'Why is this happening to me? It's not supposed to be like this!'

Elsewhere, the Saiyan Prince was preoccupied with his physical condition. 'Bah, I've gotten soft. It's only been a week and a half! How could I let my emotions go like this?' His punches grew more rapid along with his thoughts. 'It's all that infernal woman's fault. That stupid bitch….'

His verbal abuse of Bulma didn't brighten his spirits. In fact, he was ripping himself apart inside. He finally screamed, letting his feelings tear through his body.

This was the first time he transformed.

It was only for a moment.

Vital fluids coursed through his veins like knives, cutting off any restraints holding down his soul. A rush of blood to his head enhanced his feelings and senses further, allowing him to unlock the chains holding down his heart.

It's odd how he had to enhance his feelings to see something so strong, so obvious as love. But it was only for a moment.

He promptly forgot about emotions, feelings, love. The rush subsided, leaving him just as cold, just as angry, just as confused.

'What the hell is happening to me?'


I know, I know, an abrupt ending, right? Well, he did transform. What more could you ask for? Besides Trunks' conception, I mean.

Questions? Comments? Stories I can take credit for? E-mail me!