a/n: just for clarification. FFN has--for some odd reason or another--not allowed me to keep my original page breaks so they now look like this "vVvVvVv" unfortunately it looks stupid, but it seems only letters have stayed so I picked something that isn't used often.

vVvVvVv

Piccolo sat contentedly listening to the Hobbits' tales, smiling at their jokes and frowning at the sketchy parts of the story where one would trail off with a distant, scared look in his eyes only to have the other pick up the tale in his place.

When the stories ended, the comfortable 'complete' feeling of the silence was refreshing. Legolas and Gimli began to rib each other again, the Hobbits giving helpful encouragement by poking them with a stick or pointing out other flaws they had missed. With each jab of the stick, Legolas would push back a bit, slowly inching toward Piccolo. Merry and Pippin played innocence as they kept smiling lightly at each other, knowing full well that the other two were enjoying the chance to get closer without it being very suspicious to the others.

By the time Gandalf and Theoden managed to return to them after speaking to Treebeard, Legolas was a foot from his initial position and leaning imperceptibly onto Piccolo's thigh.

"Come, it is time we pay our old friend a visit." Gandalf nodded his head toward the busted tower.

Traveling on the grasses and well drained fields, the group moved closer to Isengard. Gandalf paused outside the broken front door. "Only a small group of you may enter. And take heed," the aged wizard held up a crooked finger, "do not get lost in his voice. Saruman has a wicked magic, and a forked tongue to match."

Theoden, Eomer and two of their captains followed Gandalf; Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Goku went with them. The Hobbits were forced to stay by Gandalf's hand, though they made less of a fuss when Piccolo volunteered to stay with them. Trunks didn't truly know what was going on and decided to stay out of the way. The twin sons of Elrond had their mischievous curiosity piqued but the demi saiyajin's company won out. Vegeta could care less at the moment, citing Freeza and Zarbon's odd movement to Goku--though the third class happened to notice the Ouji carefully watching Elrohir and Elladan from the corner of his regal eye.

Goku followed the royal men up the flights of stairs. Gandalf stopped on a level landing several feet below an inner balcony. He motioned the others to a pause and curled his long fingers tightly around his staff. "Saruman! Saruman, come forth!"

A calm, gentle voice carried from inside the boarded doors, "Why must you disturb my rest?" The captains at Eomer's side loosened, the voice swathing their fear like fresh cool water to a parched throat.

Soundless and gliding, Saruman moved through the entry like shadow. He stood, gazing down on the group of them with lidded eyes. "Two of your faces I recognize, Gandalf, whose face I know too well. And Theoden King, regal and mightiest king of the Riddermark; much have I wanted to see you to prepare you from evil council, is it yet too late? I alone can aid you now."

Theoden stood, mouth agape and gazing confusedly between Gandalf and Saruman. Gandalf made no reply, wary as a hunted panther and still as stone. The captains behind their king nodded to each other, the words the trapped wizard spoke seemed all too reasonable. The air hung thick and heavy, suffocating in its intensity.

Goku looked between the men, confused to why everyone was so angry all of the sudden. Gimli growled in his throat, the grip on his axe handle tightened until his knuckles popped. "The only evil in this room lies not with Gandalf..." The dwarf scowled.

"I am not speaking to you, Gimli son of Gloin!" Saruman thundered, voice echoing a plea bordering on a whine. The spell held across the men of Rohan cracked and wavered, Theoden and his captains now scowling up at the trapped white wizard.

Theoden stood, mouth clamped shut as though cemented. Eomer turned to his sire, hand clasped to the man's shoulder. "Only now do we face the danger we have heard of. We have felt victory only to stand at last amazed by an old liar with honey on his forked tongue. So would the trapped wolf speak to the hounds if he could."

Flames danced in Saruman's eyes and Goku watched in transfixion. "If we speak of poisoned tongues, what shall we say of yours, young serpent?"

At the foot of the stairs, Merry and Pippin sat with their heads in their hands, feeling bored and unimportant. Piccolo was leaning against the stairs with arms folded across his chest. Beyond them, the riders of Rohan stood in awe of the voice and speech that found them from Saruman's lips.

Vegeta caught his son's eye and frowned deeply, the lines of his face further defined. Both royal saiyajins listened with careful attention while still managing to look entirely nonchalant--something the elder had perfected with years of practice, while the younger inherited it from his poised father. Both were prepared to stave off the army of men who were growing further restless the more the white wizard spoke. Trunks glanced at the elves beside him, they also looked tired and eager but not caught up in the voice of Saruman as Théoden's men.

"This could get ugly." Trunks murmured, eyes looking over the sea of aghast and anxious faces of men, they settled on Piccolo when the Namek snorted. Piccolo smirked and shook his head.

From above them a deep rolling laugh shattered what remained of Saruman's spell like a sheet of ice struck by a pickaxe. Vegeta quirked an eyebrow at Mirai while the demi looked up the winding stairs.

Gandalf smiled wide up at the trapped wizard. Just behind him Goku felt the back of his neck prickle as the last of the white wizards mirth faded away. An ebon head cocked to the side fully intrigued at what he was witnessing.

A tricky, sick kind of smile played along the wizard's face as he spoke again to Saruman. "Come now, Saruman. The protection of Isengard has not held out as you had so hoped. Come down and be free to leave and live as your wont."

Goku blinked with wide eyes but smiled happily. Gandalf was giving the other a chance to flee, to try to change himself. The protector of earth knew about these things, even when the others scowled--namely Vegeta--when he tried to get a new threat to the earth to just drop it and go. Everyone deserved a second chance, even Saruman.

Fist tightening on his staff, Saruman sneered down over the edge. "Free? Free? What form of fool do you take me for. Surely there are some rules to your mercy that have yet to come forth."

A nodding of a white head made Saruman laugh cruelly. "You will give to me the Key of Orthanc, and surrender to me your staff."

Saruman's laughter died on his tongue. He curled his lips into a bitter smile. "Give you what is mine, to be granted back to me as probation when it would suit you? I think not. Come back again when you are sober." The once-great wizard turned on his heel and disappeared from the balcony.

"Saruman, come out! I have not finished with you yet!" Gandalf called, face pallid and angry. From the shadows Saruman returned, looking as though a puppet caught on a nail and being drug back to stage against his bounds. When the man's hollow face returned to the patio edge, Gandalf flung the grey cloak from his back. "Behold, Saruman! I am no longer Gandalf the Grey, but Gandalf the White returned from the dead. I cast you out of the order and from the Council!"

Shaking from rage or fear, those who looked upon him were not sure, Saruman withered under Gandalf's glowing purity. "Your staff is broken, Saruman." And with a sharp crack, splinters rained from under the wizard's hand and the head of his cane tipped over the edge and landed at Gandalf's feet. With narrowed eyes, Gandalf pinned the stricken man to his spot. "Go!" And Saruman fell back, tripping over his own feet and crawling away from the balcony back to the shadows.

Goku shook his head and gazed hard into the dark, but nothing stirred. From the depths a sphere of smoked glass arched high from the window, passing beyond Gandalf's head by mere inches and clipped the stones as it fell and rolled.

At the bottom of the steps, Merry and Pippin jumped up in surprise as the stone sped by them. Pippin ran after it, seeing the smooth surface glowing lightly in the murky waters. He picked the stone from the deep puddle only to have it snatched away by gloved hands. Vegeta scowled down at him, the orb held in one strong palm. "Careful boy, that could have blown you into bite-sized Hobbit pieces."

Pippin's blue eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. Down the stairs came Gandalf and the rest. Eyes resting on the globe in Vegeta's hands, Gandalf lay a cloth over it and bundled it before storing it into the folds of his robes. He nodded gravely at Vegeta. "Thank you."

"Could-could that kill me, Gandalf?" Pippin tugged at the wizard's sleeve.

Gandalf smiled gently, "It is a strange and dangerous thing, Peregrin Took."

"Then I could have been blown into 'bite-sized Hobbit pieces?'" Pippin squeaked.

Goku's eyebrows rose to his hairline and he looked down at Vegeta. The saiyajin prince shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. Gandalf glanced at them and snorted, trying not to laugh at Pippin's valid fears. "I do not think you have to worry about that, Pippin. I'm sure Vegeta only meant that it is not something to play idly with." He patted the young Hobbit on the head and turned to the others. Pippin let out a relieved sigh and stood next to his cousin.

"Come!" Gandalf called. "We must tell Treebeard of what has happened here."

vVvVvVv

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Bulma left the shed, a wide smile on her face and grease in her hair. Not only had she finished making the corrections to her time machine, but she had tweaked it to her liking and was gratefully ecstatic when her hip accidentally opened the storage compartment inside. As the door popped open, several capsules fell at her feet. Picking them up one by one she read the small script and design on each label.

The first held a plethora of clothes from summer to winter and back again. Bulma laughed and jumped up and down, no more girdles and bodices if she could help it. It had been nice to dress up the first couple days, but Dende did she miss a nice pair of broken in jeans and sneakers.

The second and third held freeze dried and non-perishable foods respectively. Something she remembered putting there now that she held them in her hands. They both held enough food to feed Goku and Vegeta for several days, and that was saying something.

The fourth held a make-shift emergency lab for just this kind of purpose. Bulma sighed and slapped herself in the forehead. And here she had been using rocks and sticks until Lord Elrond brought her those beautiful tools. Maybe she should open it somewhere in a clearing and rummage around for something to give to him in return for his generosity.

As she squinted at the text on the last vial her eyes grew wide and she danced in circles, whooping and giggling madly, not noticing the shocked looks of several elves and the sniggering of 'Elin as the servant approached.

"Did you find something that's pleased you, Alora?" Elin asked.

Bulma continued to jump up and down and beamed widely at her friend, still hopping as she hugged her. "Yes!"

By now the commotion had drawn enough attention for Elrond to be told and the elfin Lord moved through the crowds easily. When he made it to the front, Bulma spotted him and bounded over, still giggling and bouncy.

"This is so great!" She squealed, hugging the lord tightly while bouncing. Elrond wobbled back and forth with wide eyes. Never before had he encountered anyone with this kind of energy. Not even when Estel had been a child and eaten an entire bowl of something sweet the Lady Galadriel had sent to him called 'chocolate'.

With another pounce, Bulma wrapped her arms around his neck and, still laughing, kissed him soundly on the lips. The elves around them smiled lightly to each other and turned away, dispersing themselves with quick looks back over their shoulders. Bulma pulled away in surprise a minute later, hand over her mouth but still giggling lightly. "Sorry."

Lord Elrond blinked down at her, still in shock. "What..."

'Elin stepped forward and cleared her throat. "What is all the excitement about my Lord?"

Elrond nodded, still gawking at Bulma as the woman looked at her hand and began to hop around again.

Turning on them, Bulma threw her hands in the air. "Sensu beans!" She cried, laughing harder anew until tears rolled down her cheeks. She hugged 'Elin and then Elrond again, "Sensu beans!"

vVvVvVv

Vegeta and Goku sat from the rest of the Fellowship though they still gazed with reverence at the tall Ent Gandalf had called Treebeard. "That's a really big tree, 'Geta." Goku gasped, leaning backward lightly to look up.

The Prince nodded, turning his gaze away and watched as the innocence that was Goku played on the man's face. Instead of feeling annoyed or irritated like he had been expecting, Vegeta grinned--a mere curling of the lips--and settled a hand over Goku's forearm.

Goku looked over at him and smiled widely, shifting a bit closer as he turned his sight back to the Ent. He swung a companionable arm around Vegeta's shoulders and squeezed him closer. To any looking Vegeta grumbled and frowned, but he actually tucked himself snuggly in the crook of Goku's elbow and purred at the comfortable heat that rolled off of his mate.

In the distance, Treebeard began to sing new lines of song about the Hobbits, Merry and Pippin. Goku turned his head and smiled down at Vegeta as the gruff voice toned on. He leaned toward the Prince until his nose rested in the whispy upsweep of Vegeta's temple. Warm breath caressed Vegeta's ear and he shivered. Goku's arm tightened around his shoulders and Vegeta felt the breath move until it warmed his neck.

Gooseflesh rose in ripples as damp air puffed in shallow breaths along the hollow juncture of his neck and shoulder. Sharp teeth nipped at the waiting flesh and Vegeta felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle. He growled and flexed the muscles of his neck, satisfied in the hunger and intensity of Goku's lips on his jugular. Vegeta felt the teeth scrape again and the growl this time was a warning and Goku drew back, breath shallow and haggard, face blotched and eyes wild.

Vegeta smirked and stood away from the third class, turning his back to the others and grinned mischievously. He bent face to face with Goku and curled his lips to show twin lines of sharp, even, white teeth in a challenge. Goku stood, returning the crazed grin with one of his own and in a flicker of outline the two saiyajin disappeared from normal men's sight.

A plume of dust rose high and violently into the air forty feet from where they once stood. Another with ricocheting rocks some twenty feet from the last, and soon the whole of the plains were subject to random bursts of clay, grasses and rock in showers. Treebeard in his eternity of wisdom looked on with queer curiosity along with confused gazes of everyone else save two beings. One with lilac hair and the other jade skin.

Trunks followed Goku and his father's paths with a small happy smile until he realized that they weren't trading blows when they came together but furious gropes and vicious kisses that bordered on bloody bites. He had blushed then and tried not to look at them, only following their movement with the corner of his sight and never looking directly at them.

The elves caught flashes now and then when the two came to rest for nano seconds before splitting apart again. Piccolo shook his head, not wanting to witness what Trunks had realized moments before but still catching the odd encounter now and again. The two drew progressively closer to the group around the ent and before long, Piccolo felt a hard body slam into his side and stumble him twenty odd feet toward the clearing. When he landed he didn't gain himself and fell on his elbow and ribs. He sprang up with a harsh hiss and spun, ignoring the bruises that already were taking shape, and leapt at the flickering shape of Vegeta and caught the shorter saiyajin by the waist.

An oddly humored face met him when they fell to the earth. Vegeta grinning like a wild cat, blood across his lips and neck and bruises lay just under the crimson smears. "Take it easy, Vegeta." Piccolo snarled, fangs glinting.

Breathy laughter escaped Vegeta as he stood. His eyes never rested on Piccolo, too busy staring at Goku who hovered in the air far above them in wait. Piccolo could feel the odd heat around him and stepped back. "Don't worry, Namek. I have no designs on your elf or anyone else."

Piccolo's eyes narrowed and he watched as Vegeta leapt into the sky with a blast of vapor. "That's not what I meant!" Piccolo called up to him, but it was in vain when he saw the saiyajins fall into each other like rabid wolves and disappear again.

He returned to the group who stood with odd looks and waiting questions. Piccolo didn't look at any of them, instead crossing his arms over his chest and looking only to Legolas. A quirked smooth eyebrow was the only question and Piccolo shook his head to dispel anything the elf would ask him. He didn't feel like telling the whole fellowship that the two saiyajins were half in heat and trying to ravish each other in any way possible.