Kakarot sighed and kept playing with his necklace before he buried his face in the pillow he had in his lap where he was curled on the couch. It smelled like Vegeta. He knew Vegeta was busy and had responsibilities but he just really wanted to be with his mate more often. He'd spend time with his cubs but Kome was with Bardock having one of his lessons and the others were with Kale as part of his separation therapy.

"What's the matter sweetheart?" Kakarot looked up to see Yasi standing behind the couch looking at him concerned.

"I miss Geta."

The young beta purred when his Tama slowly massaged his scalp. Tama could always make him feel better.

"He hasn't gone anywhere sweetheart."

"I know, I still miss him." He said before inhaling his mate's scent again.

"Do you want to go see him?" Kakarot's head came up surprised.

"I thought he was working?" The smaller male said softly. "Won't he be mad or in trouble if I bother him?" Yasi laughed and lightly ruffled Kakarot's hair.

"No sweetheart. Vege would love to see you. And even he gets to take breaks during the day. He won't get in trouble. To be honest, his father is the only one that has the right to say Vege has done anything wrong."

"You're sure..."

"Of course. I go see Vege sometimes, I go see his father at least once a week. Tarble usually goes with me. As long as he's not in a private meeting or a function of some sort there's no problem with going to see your mate." Hope blossomed in Kakarot's chest.

"Can I go?" He smiled hopefully at Yasi.

"I thought you wouldn't ask."Yasi said with a smile. "Let's find you something nice to wear."

"Blue, Geta likes blue." Kakarot chirped as he followed after Yasi. The older beta smiled to himself, Kakarot was learning how to get his mate's attention alright.

"Blue it is. It looks very nice on you, too." Yasi couldn't help but remember Paragus's words from their meeting a week ago as he helped his cub get ready to leave the house.

Flashback

"His recovery so far is astounding to be honest." The scarred alpha admit. "I didn't think he'd progress this far in only a few months."

"I'm sensing a but here." Bardock growled. Paragus nodded.

"I'm worried he's only progressing like this because you are all sheltering him."

"Are you insinuating we should just throw him to the wolves?" Vegeta snapped angrily.

"No, however we've reached a crossroads where Kakarot has to be exposed to normal life and normal situations. All the therapy in the world won't help him move past his issues if there's nothing to indicate it's working. Besides going into the garden after Kome, has Kakarot even left this house on his own? What about unexpected visitors? Guests? People besides all of you and the few guards he knows? We can't know what his triggers are or if he has them if you are constantly keeping Kakarot from encountering things that stress him. I'll be honest, I'm not sure all of his triggers will go away. Kakarot is hands down the most damaged individual I have ever worked with and I get the feeling I'm still not getting everything from him."

"The more you shelter him, the more likely a sudden trigger is to cause a relapse of a violent episode. The best way to proceed from here is exposure."

"What are you suggesting?" Bardock asked softly. He liked this idea about as much as Vegeta but Paragus hadn't been wrong so far.

"Let Kakarot be more independent." The older alpha explained. "If he wants to go somewhere alone let him. Stop making special arrangements to keep him away from alphas. Change his routine up at times. This doesn't have to be drastic or sudden. I mostly worry that if he gets a sudden enough shock he'll revert back to his old behavior and get hurt or hurt someone. Exposure will get him used to things and hopefully reduce the risk as he's more familiar with his triggers and even help identify areas he needs more focused therapy in. I know it'll be difficult but like a small cub growing up, its time to stop holding his hand for every little thing."

Flashback End

"Now are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Yasi asked as he finished brushing Kakarot's hair. The younger nodded.

"I can find it. You said it's the big hallway passed the courtyard to the other garden. The one with the pond and the rahi flowers." He smiled at the older beta brushing his hands over the soft black pants. It had taken him and Yasi a while to decide on what to wear, and Kakarot wanted to make sure that his clothes looked nice.

The pair had chosen a royal blue kimono top that had rahi flowers stitched in the fabric with silver and gold thread and a lighter blue belt that was tied off to the side. Loose black pants and black slippers covered his legs and feet. Kakarot was very pleased with his outfit, and his tail swished in excitement at the thought of seeing Vegeta as he fiddled with his bond necklace.

"That's right." Yasi said. He was nervous about letting Kakarot do this but they had to stop holding Kakarot's hand all the time and he wanted to do this on his own. The older male pacified himself with the fact it was unlikely Kakarot would get lost and the fact he could have Bardock, Turles and Raditz watch out for him without Kakarot knowing just now. "Just remember if something happens you can have someone call for one of us ok?"

"Yes Tama!"

+++break+++

Kakarot looked around the hall as he recounted his steps. He was in the right hall, but he wasn't exactly sure where Vegeta's office was. There were a few doors along the wall, and the beta didn't feel like bothering anyone while he was searching for his mate.

"May I help you, beta?" A deep voice from behind Kakarot had the small male jumping as he spun around. He instantly felt anxious at the sight of a large alpha palace guard with short spiky hair and a look in his eyes that made the submissive slightly uncomfortable.

"No, thank you." Kakarot edged away from the man.

"Are you sure?" The guard took a couple of steps closer making the beta back up even more. "You look lost. I'd be more than happy to help a lovely beta like you."

"N-no. I'm fine." Kakarot backed up more and started to turn while keeping the man in his sight. He started to walk back down the hall wanting to put more distance between him and the guard. "I'm meeting someone...

"Wait! At least allow me to escort you." The tall alpha reached out and caught the submissive by the wrist.

Kakarot violently flinched while Toa growled in his mind. He backed away from the guard with a fearful look on his face.

"Hey, relax." The alpha put on an easygoing smile while Kakarot stepped away as he was released. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help and possibly ask that you join me for dinner some time."

"No, t-thank you. Please leave me alone."

Kakarot backed up and bumped into the wall behind him, trembling when he realized there was nowhere else for him to go to get away from the large male in front of him. He just wanted to see Geta, why couldn't this alpha leave him alone?!

"Hey you don't need to be scared beautiful." The alpha nearly purred as he leaned in closer to Kakarot. The beta's breathing hitched when one arm came up to lean against the cool stone in what must have been meant to be attractive but only made Kakarot feel more trapped.

"Please stop." The beta pleaded when a hand came up to brush his hair, which did nothing to calm Kakarot like the touch was intended to. His body trembled and heart pounded as he remembered other men grabbing and touching him...men like this one that didn't listen to him. "P-please…"

"I just want to get to know you a little better. Are you sure I can't tempt you with a nice dinner? I know this great place that serves namekian crab I bet you would just love. You're such a gorgeous little thing, you should have an alpha looking out for you. I'd be more than happy to be that alpha." A hand grabbed the guard's wrist in a vice grip when he tried to touch the panicked beta again. "What's the big-" Vegeta's snarling face was the first thing he saw when he spun around.

"Geta." Kakarot softly said his name in pure joy and relief.

"P-pr-prince Vegeta!"

"The next time a submissive asks you to stop, you damn well better stop do you understand me?" His hand clenched shattering the bones in the other male's wrist. "And if you ever so much as look at my mate like that again, I'll kill you."

Kakarot quickly latched onto his mate, burring his face into the alpha's chest and breathed in his calming scent. The prince growled softly at the retreating male's form while his tail wrapped firmly around his mate's waist.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked concerned as he ran a hand through Kakarot's hair and checked him over. The last thing he'd expected to see leaving his office a few minutes early for lunch was a guard attempting to flirt with his mate and on the verge of sending Kakarot into a panic attack.

"I….I wanted to see you." Kakarot said softly not meeting Vegeta's eyes. "Tama said….he said you had a break this afternoon. It was supposed to be a surprise…I'm sorry." The beta looked like he was on the verge of crying at having not surprised Geta like he wanted.

"I'm not mad at you Karo." Vegeta soothed brushing his knuckles against Kakarot's cheek getting him to look up at him. He was glad his mate wanted to be with him. Kakarot had never ventured into the palace on his own like this and the prince was very pleased the beta was improving enough to come to him. "I'm glad you came to see me." He said kissing Kakarot's forehead. The beta smiled happily and purred as he nuzzled into Vegeta's hand at the praise, his tears practically forgotten. Vegeta wrapped his arm around his little mate's waist and kept him close to his side.

"I usually take my lunch in the garden by my office. Would you like to have lunch here? Or we could have it outside?" Kakarot nuzzled into the alpha still a bit shaken. He mostly wanted Geta so the rest didn't matter so much.

"Whatever you want." Vegeta knew the beta was agreeing to what he wanted because he didn't want to upset the alpha but given Kakarot had already been brave enough to venture out on his own it was a big enough victory for today.

"We'll go outside. I think it'll be more comfortable than my stuffy office."

++break++

Lunch was quickly brought out to the couple as they sat under the shade of a large tree with purple leaves. Kakarot and Vegeta had eaten the food in a short amount of time and were now resting on a blanket the servants had brought with the food.

"Are you sure you won't get in trouble for being out here?" The beta asked his mate while anxiously fiddling with his necklace. He didn't want Geta to get yelled at by Geta-ou.

"It's fine. I'm not really busy today anyway, and as long as my work gets done before dinner, Father won't mind." Vegeta reassured him. "I bet he would be especially happy since we are spending time together."

A small yet relived smile bloomed on the beta's face, and he leaned over to nuzzle his face against the prince's shoulder. He was happy to spend time with his mate alone like this. He could see why Paragus insisted on him not spending all his time with the cubs because otherwise this wouldn't happen. It was nice with just Geta and no cubs every once in a while. Kakarot lifted his head to press a small kiss on Vegeta's cheek before leaning away to turn back to the flowers he found.

Vegeta fought the silly smile that wanted to grow on his lips whenever he got a kiss from his shy mate. Kakarot had been slowly growing more comfortable with showing his affection, and it made the older saiyan smile every time it happened.

He was glad that Kakarot didn't seem to be as skittish as he had been after dealing with that guard. It still made him want to snarl and beat the bastard that had flirted with his mate though. Kakarot was his damnit…

The alpha was leaning against the trunk of the tree while watching Kakarot gently brush his fingers against some rahi flowers that had been planted nearby. His chest rumbled in a soft purr at the content expression his mate wore.

"Like the flowers?" He asked out of curiosity.

Kakarot nodded as he pulled away from the small patch. He shifted over to curl against his mate while glancing back at the orange blossoms.

"They smell nice and make me think of home." He shyly looked up at Vegeta. "They just...make me feel good."

"I'm glad they do. Their scent helps me relax too." The prince relaxed further back as the scent washed over him. "I like to sit out here on my breaks whenever I can."

"Hmm…" Kakarot sighed. "I wish some of these flowers were by the house. I bet Rahi and Amara would like to play near them."

Vegeta glanced at the smaller man, and an idea slowly formed in his mind.

Rahi flowers had a soothing scent that helped with stress and headaches. Their petals were often used in teas and massaging oils for relaxation. It might be beneficial to have a couple of beds of these flowers around their home and not just for Kakarot now that he thought about it.

Vegeta made a mental note to talk with his tatama about that when he came home later.

"How about a walk around the gardens before I have to go back?"

A large smile appeared on Kakarot's face that had the prince's heart skipping a beat as he nodded at his question. Kakarot wound his fingers with Vegeta's holding his hand.

As they walked around the pond, the beta would stop at some of the other flowers every now and then, but he spent the longest time at the rahi flowerbeds.

"They're all so pretty." Kakarot said smiling and gently brushing the flowers with his hand to release their fragrance. Vegeta chuckled as he knelt beside Kakarot and the golden rahi flowers and gathered a few in a bouquet while his mate watched him curiously.

The smaller male wondered if his mate was going to take those flowers in his office for the scent while he worked for the rest of the day, but he was surprised when Vegeta held them out for him to take.

"They are pretty." Vegeta said as Kakarot slowly took them. "But they're not as beautiful as you." A pink blush flared to life on Kakarot's cheeks and immediately darkened when the alpha plucked one last flower and slid it behind Kakarot's ear. His fingers lingered in the soft inky tresses a moment.

Leaning in he pressed a gentle lingering kiss to the beta's lips and smirked when he felt his mate's tail fluff up. He took Kakarot's hand and helped him up before twinning their fingers together and bringing their hands up to kiss the back of Kakarot's. The little beta purred loudly and as they finished their walk back to the tree Vegeta found Kakarot leaning his head against his shoulder in contentment.

Noting there was still some time he guided them back to the blanket and resumed his position in front of the tree. This time however he pulled Kakarot between his legs and buried his nose in the back of the beta's neck. Between their purring and the pleasurable combination of the flowers and Kakarot's scent Vegeta felt himself slip into a calm trance. Growling softly, he nudged the collar of Kakarot's shirt aside and found his bond mark. The beta sighed happily and tilted his head slightly for Vegeta while his purr increased its volume.

While he would never go further than this with his mate in public, it was equally enjoyable as some of the kissing they got up to in their room. This scenting reminded his instincts that Kakarot was his and calmed him down. The guard hadn't done anything wrong flirting with his mate considering they didn't know Kakarot was in fact mated and there wasn't any inappropriate touching. He couldn't even smell the bastard on Kakarot. So all in all, nothing to worry about.

Vegeta nuzzled his mark and tightened his arms around the beta's waist smirking when Kakarot hugged his arms back and their tails wound around each other. Kakarot was warm and it never failed to amaze him at how perfect it felt having Kakarot in his arms.

He wasn't sure how long they sat that way, but a soft clearing of the throat made him growl loudly and hold his mate tighter while glaring in the direction of the intruder.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your highness." A guard said softly. Kakarot stiffened a bit in his arms and Vegeta could tell his mate was also watching the guard. "Your father has asked me to inform you a council meeting has been called for half an hour from now."

"Thank you, would you mind calling Raditz to the garden to escort my mate back home?"

"Of course." They said with a bow before taking their leave. Vegeta sat up making his mate whine softly.

"I'm sorry. I have to go now." He said kissing his mate's mark before getting them both to their feet. His tail scooped up the flowers and handed them to Karo.

"Raditz is coming?" Kakarot asked softly.

"I thought you'd feel better going back home with your brother with you. I don't want anyone else to bother you like that moron did."

"Okay..." Kakarot blushed a bit. He stood on his toes to kiss his mate for his thoughtfulness. "What's the meeting for?"

"I'm not sure Aiyo. It could be some new intelligence with the war." Kakarot whimpered at that. "Hey, it'll be fine. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you. We have our job of raising our cubs." Kakarot smiled at that before Vegeta kissed him softly on the lips one more time in the corridor.

"Raditz should be here soon. I'll see you later for dinner. Maybe I can come home early after the meeting and we can take the cubs outside."

"Yeah, I'd like that." The beta said with a grin. "The cubs too."

The beta smiled as he waited outside the gardens with an armful of rahi flowers as he waited for his brother. Honestly he and Toa both agreed with Geta. There had been enough excitement today after having another alpha try to flirt with him. Smiling he smelled his flowers again while his tail swayed happily. Geta said Tama would help him find a vase so he could put them in the bedroom while they were walking earlier m. Both the beta and the cubs liked the scent. He was thinking about going back in the garden real quick for some more flowers for the cubs' room when he noticed someone on the opposite side of the courtyard before they disappeared around the corner.

He knew them. Dark eyes widened and the beta felt his heart speed up. He wasn't supposed to see them. Tremors slowly started and the beta started breathing quicker. Pain flashed behind his eyes making him whine softly before he gasped trying to catch his breath against the fear threatening to choke him.

He remembered.

He remembered everything.

Flowers hit the floor as Kakarot bolted praying he hadn't been seen.