Juppers, here we are, yet again, writing a lovely little ficcie!! Only THIS time.. I've got my new co-author! That's right! MistyDea's here! And she's soooo ready to write!! *dances* Ignore the fact I've tied her to her chair, and am holding her phone card for ransom. She REALLY DOES want to write! No matter what she says...

*evil smirk*

Disclaimer: Does anyone else think there should be a blue spandex crayon besides us? *shakes head sadly* Yeah, I kinda thought so.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There You'll Be

Chapter Four: Heart

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Last time, on "There You'll Be"

He'd seen Bulma bathe thousands of times. She'd even given HIM a bath before. So, why was it so strange for him to return the favor? No big
deal, right?

"Right." Goku agreed aloud, before lowering his eyes from where they'd been focused on the ceiling and looking at her body once more.

"Wrong. VERY wrong." He corrected, before desperately attempting to find a towel to cover her with. When he finally found one, he wrapped
Bulma's body in it, and carried her back to the bedroom, the cooler air there making her shiver just a bit. He dressed her in a T-shirt he found in
one of the drawers, and crawled into bed next to her, pulling her body as close as possible to fight off the chill she'd gotten earlier. She didn't seem
to like being that close at first, but soon, she had snuggled deeply into his chest, his arms wrapped possessively around her waist.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*Three Months Later*~

~*Heart, I know love's been hard on you,*~

Bulma clung to Goku's arm as she watched several burly men unload their traveling vessel. Vegeta had arranged for Goku and Bulma to stay on planet with him and a few others will they did some "diplomatic" work for Frieza. The blue haired beauty pulled Goku down so that her lips were right in his ear, "Where are we?"

"Uh, actually I have no idea." the gentle Saiyan replied, his face retaining all of it's former innocence.

~*And I'm sorry for the things I've put you through,*~


Bulma laughed and smiled as fond memories filled her head, not just of Goku but also of Yamcha. Her face clouded over slightly at the remembrance of her fallen fiancé, but when she heard the obstinate prince bellow from below, she forced a small smile onto her pretty face.

"Are you planning on standing there forever? Or do you plan on seeing your rooms? Because, if you LIKE standing there, I'll have Nappa bring you a marble basin.. Yes, you'd make a wonderful little bird bath indeed.

~*Before, you start to break on me, or ask for sympathy*~

Bulma snarled lightly at the comment, her temper flaring. If there was one thing she'd learned over the past few months, it was that she could get away with nearly everything when it came to the Saiyan Prince.

Not only was the man completely attractive. He had a certain way about him. Something about the way he carried himself, that drove her absolutely insane. Of course, she reminded herself that lust was, in no way, attached to love, thus she dismissed the feelings as nothing more than a little crush.

~*I need to make you see*~

Besides, she still had Yamcha.

She nodded her head to Vegeta that she was ready to go, and he turned on his heel, marching intently down a large marble corridor.

~*Oh heart, I'm not sure it's been long enough,*~

She looked to Goku for a moment, recieving a warm smile from the man, her best friend for so long.

Goku turned to her and pulled her hand forward, leading the blue eyed woman to the place where her fate would change forever.

Even if she didn't know it, yet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*To say that I feel is really love*~

That night, Bulma tossed and turned once more in the overstuffed bed, thoughts, well memories really, plaguing her mind, turning what should have been the calm of night into a sleepless battle.

These semi-dreams focused mostly on Yamcha and his, no… their past. She lightly fingered the necklace on her neck and shook her head, in a weak attempt to clear it. "Maybe some fresh air will do me some good." she thought to herself.

~*There is just one way to learn,*~

Bulma stepped out onto the bedroom balcony, unconsciously shivering in the night's cool air. She leaned against the sturdy railing, allowing her sub-conscious to lead her down the path known as memory…

~*"Well that little twerp Goku can just do whatever he wants, I need my beauty sleep. Some people just don't understand the thing I go through to look like this!" a much younger Bulma grumbled to herself, before settling into the one shaded spot around. The desert area in which the Dragonball hunters now found themselves had little to offer in regards to comfort. After what had seemed like only minutes, but had in fact been hours, Bulma felt somebody shaking her and asking if she was okay.

~*Sometimes we'll get burned*~

The groggy teen jerked away from Goku and snarled, "Of course I am fine you idiot! I was asleep! Why did you wake me up?" Then she saw him, like some kind of Greek god or a living Hercules, he was standing before her. This mystery man from the desert was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. Something about him made Bulma's body quiver.*~

Bulma laughed lightly as the memory of their first encounter left her mind. "Love at first sight? Maybe not, but the lust was defiantly there." she sighed and turned her attention to the sky, "So peaceful here, I bet that will change soon. Just like it did for me." She sat next to the ledge and leaned back, the dark sky a magnet for her eyes. "Yamcha and I always liked the night sky, especially when it was crystal clear."

~*And right now it's our turn*~

~*The two young lovers sat huddled together atop Capsule Corp, gazing at the stars. Blankets, wine, and a few falling stars made it seem as though it were a scene from a storybook. Bulma leaned back into Yamcha's muscular chest a let out a deep content sigh. "I can't imagine a better evening. You, strawberries, and the sky all to myself. Do you ever wonder if people on other planets are doing this exact thing right now?"

"Well babe, I suppose that's possible…But I'd much rather think about the earth bound goddess right in front of me."

~*Give it time,*~

Bulma giggled and pulled her handsome beau in for a passion filled kiss, before breaking away and looking back up into the night.

The aqua trussed beauty stretched and lay down on the thick blanket, her focus still on the darkness overhead. She grew quiet, an event that rarely happened, and was usually a sign of bad things to come.

~*Help me through,*~

Yamcha noticed this and quickly positioned himself beside her and began to pick up strand of her silky hair and whisper to her, "Are you okay? You got really quiet. What is that mind of yours contemplating now?"

"Nothing and everything all at once. I know that sounds silly, but there is some part of me that is fighting to keep what we have the same, while another part is searching for something else. Don't look at me like that, I didn't say some BODY else, I said some THING else. I'm just not sure what it is."

~*Heart we can do this together,*~


"You know that is a lot deeper than I was expecting, to be totally honest I actually thought you would just say not much or something like that." The dark haired man fell silent as well, and continued his ministrations on her hair, taking each piece and smelling it, as if committing it to memory.


Bulma turned her head and looked her love in the eyes and whispered, "I didn't expect you to have an answer Yamcha. If you had said anything else I would have thought you were just saying it to get me in bed. But you were honest, and I appreciate that more than anything." Bulma leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the scarred warrior's lips, then wrapped her arms around his body, pulling him closer in an attempt to save the moment forever.

~*You're my strength,*~


"Bulma... Bulma I love you."*~

Another memory flashed in front of her eyes quickly, nearly making her recoil from the shock. One she hadn't thought of in Kami knows how long...

~*You're my soul*~

~* "You know Yamcha, we really should spend more evenings like this. Just the two of us, no family bugging us, no work to stress us, and no friends to train with."

"But Bulma, you know I have to train, who else could protect you? I mean Goku is in the country, Krillin is on the island, and your dad...Well he is very smart, but hardly a fighter."

~*I need you now more than ever*~

The petite blue eyed woman blew a stray strand of hair out of her face and turned her back to Yamcha, "That may be true, but it's not like you do that much anyway! Goku always rushes in and saves the day. In fact why do you bother training? Your shoes are a lethal weapon anyways. Just pull them off and let whoever attacks you smell them- finito. Poof, dead bad guy."

~*Heart, all the hurt will soon be gone*~

Yamcha stared at her back for a few silent moments before sighing and reaching out and placing a gentle hand on her back. "I know why you are so upset about this...You're scared. You don't want anything to happen to me. Am I right?"

When she turned to face him, the tears she had been holding spilled from her crystalline eyes, "I don't know what I would do without you! Why can't you understand that! I would be alone...and that scares me so much."

~*If you, if you just keep on beating strong,*~



The dark haired man pulled her closer to him and whispered softly into her hair, "Bulma, I love you. Nothing could or will change that. I give you my word."*
~

~*You will always be my friend,*~

Bulma shook her head a few times, as if to clear the painful memory from her mind.

"I can't keep doing this! Yamcha.. Please! Tell me what I'm supposed to do!" She sobbed aloud into the night, begging for an answer she knew very well would never come.

~*So keep on hanging in,*~

But, it did.

In a very unexpected way.

~*And we'll find love again*~

Something fell past her, clanging loudly as it hit the marble floor. She glanced down into the darkness at her feet for a moment, completely baffled as to what might be falling, seemingly from the sky, at that time of night. Then, she spotted something shiny lying on the cold floor.

Her hand instinctively shot up to her neck, and much to her horror and surprise, her necklace was gone. She fell to her knees and groped around in the darkness, her hand taking hold of the thin chain and clutching it closely to her chest.

~*Give it time*~

After the shock wore off, Bulma stood, the necklace biting into her petite hands. She glanced up to the sky, then back to the necklace.

"I love you too, Yamcha." She murmured into the night air, before doing the unthinkable.

~*Help me through*~

She pulled her arm back, and threw, letting the necklace fall into Vegeta-sei's ocean. With a soft plop, the necklace fell to the ocean floor, and Bulma let one final tear escape her eye.

"Goodbye, Yamcha." She said with a smile, before turning back to face the dark room she'd emerged from.

~*Heart we can do this together*~

Goku was tossing and turning on the small couch, in a desperate effort to get comfortable. His legs dangled off of the end, and the thin sheet covering him did nothing to keep out the chill. Bulma walked over to him slowly, her smile never fading. She shook the gentle giant awake, being as careful as possible not to alarm him.

"Goku?"

~*You're my strength, You're my soul,*~

"Hmm? What? Are you ok?" He asked, as he shot straight up on the couch. The sudden movement made the action rather difficult, so in instead of sitting, he ended up rolling onto the floor.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Listen.. well, I was thinking... I mean.. there's more than enough room on the bed... Why don't you come sleep over there.. with me?" She asked softly as she helped him back up to his feet.


~*I need you now more than ever*~


The Saiyan's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the idea of sleeping next to his gorgeous best friend. She stood in front of him smiling, waiting for his
decision.

"But Bulma, I...Well, what I mean is, what about Yam.. Hey where's your necklace?!"

~*Heart, I know I've been hard on you,*~



"Well let's just say an old friend showed me tonight that I don't need it anymore." Taking in Goku's slightly stunned appearance, Bulma turned and headed
back to the bedroom, "The offer still stands, I'll only wait up for ten more minutes and then I'm going to sleep." Then the blue eyed beauty exited the
room, leaving the puzzled man to his decision.

~*I'm sorry for the things I've put you through*~


"Well, the bed would be a lot more comfortable. And Bulma did offer... and she IS gorgeous. Wait! What am I saying? Get a grip Goku she's just Bulma. Albeit a very very hot Bulma." Then a smile lit his face and he ran to the room and jumped into the bed, startling Bulma in the process.

~*Please, don't you break on me, I need to make you see,*~

"Wow that was fast. Decided the bed was more comfy than the couch eh?"

~*It wasn't meant to be*~


"Well actually, I liked the prospect of the company."

~*Cause you will always be my friend,*~



Bulma blushed lightly and pretended she didn't hear his comment, then to herself she whispered, "Kami Yamcha, what have I gotten myself into?" Then she
blew a kiss heavenward and let out a small giggle before closing her eyes and saying, "I hope whatever it is, it's fun."

~*So keep on hangin' in,*~



Goku watched Bulma blow the kiss and mumble something to herself before closing her eyes. As soon as he was sure she was asleep, he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead, "Bulma, whoever it was that told you that you didn't need that necklace has made me a very happy man. You're all I have left and I swear no harm will come to you as long as I am here. Maybe one day you'll understand why I would die to protect you." Then he too succumbed to the pull of the night and drifted off to pleasant sleep.

~*And we'll find love again*~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chante: Short? Yes! Pointless? Absolutely! BUT... It's getting there!! I pwomise!! UPDATE LIST TIME!! If you wanna be added, email this little addy right here: Vegetas-Princess-Update-List-subscribe@topica.com Simple, ne? Ok, I'll let Misty talk now. *takes the gag out of Misty's mouth*...

Misty: Finally! If anyone is reading this, Help me! *gets evil glare from Chante* Uh, I mean...Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was my first one to co-write, so if it is really stinky blame me. Wait, that was wrong. Okay just read and review and ignore me!