Sorry it's been a long time since I've updated. Real life has been quite busy. My husband and I got a dog, as I'm sure you've seen in my other story notes. Crowley has been keeping us busy and recently he's had his surgery and doesn't want to rest as he's supposed to. Puppies love to play but he needs to rest and heal. It's going to be a long week. Here's the next chapter of this story since I've had a bit of time to work on it. It may need a rework or two if there are any plot inconsistencies. PM me if so.

-VP

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Chapter 14

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Bulma wiped her brow for the third time in 15 minutes. She was getting a bit frustrated with the tubing and the first two of the four she ordered had already shattered before she could get them completely inserted into the device. The problem was that she couldn't make the chamber any wider to accommodate the thin glass and it couldn't stand the pressure. Vegeta had only been by to check on her once and she couldn't stand his hovering while she was trying to work on this delicate procedure.

Her fingers grew numb as she tried a third time, the edges of the metal were the biggest problem, the slight squeak they made on the thin glass as she slowly and gently eased the tube inside the housing. After another five minutes, she had the tube seated within the casing and she could breathe a sigh of relief. She clutched the pendant around her neck and then removed it. She needed to check the fit to make sure that it would actually fit in the small opening she had made.

Gently, she eased it inside and found that it was the perfect dimensions. With a smile, she eased it back out just as the doors to her labs opened again and her mate meandered through with a towel over his shoulders to collect the water dripping from his hair.

"I see you've finally completed the procedure." He huffed out.

"It wasn't easy." She grumbled. "I couldn't modify the existing structure because then everything else would be off balance. You're lucky I got it on the third try."

"What is it that you humans say? Third time's the charm?" He chuckled before pulling her close and looking down at her invention. "I take it that you'll be ready for the water soon?"

"In a few hours. I've got to make sure that once we put everything inside of it that my sealer will actually work."

He pointed to the mini energy gun next to the device. "This thing?"

"Yes, it mimics whatever substance you want to seal and fills in the gaps. It should make a water-tight seal so that when you use the device it won't spill and you won't have any backfire either."

"I see."

"Chi-Chi and mom are finishing up dinner." She offered. "Why don't you go shower and meet us in the kitchen?"

"Very well. You need to eat as well." He pointed at her stomach with a frown. "You've been hungry for hours and it's been driving me to distraction. Coffee is not a food group."

"I was busy."

"Yes, I know, but that doesn't mean you should neglect yourself." He grabbed her hand. "I still need to collect the water, you should come shower with me and we will both go to dinner."

"Fine..." She stuck out her tongue.

"Vulgar woman."

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Goku looked at the spread of food and dug in with gusto. He never had felt as hungry in his entire life as he did at this moment. Vegeta had been putting him through the paces but he just didn't seem to even gain the disgruntled prince's approval. Sure, he'd been learning a lot from his reluctant teacher, but the biggest problem he had was that he just had been on land for way too long. At least that's what he gathered.

In all honesty, he really didn't want to go back to the ocean. Land suited him just fine with the occasional visit to the sea. Yet, he also felt that he needed to help. It was giving him quite the headache the more he thought about it. With a sigh, he watched Chi-Chi feed their son while Bulma and Vegeta talked about the invention she had been working on.

If all went well, he hoped that all of this would come to an end that suited them all. His stomach growled again and he decided to shut his brain off, the more he thought the hungrier he became.

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Bulma was extremely nervous, her usual confidence pushed aside to make way for anxiety. Normally she would take pride in her inventions, but this was something she had never done before. Combining technologies was something very, very tedious and she made Vegeta collect a bunch of water so that she could test the seal on the left over tubes she hadn't used before.

Vegeta watched from across the room and it made her even more determined not to mess up. She wanted this to work so badly. Maybe she was being selfish but she hoped that once this war was completely over that Vegeta would stay on land with her. It was a hell of a thing to ask, but she just didn't think that the water would be for her. True, he did say that he would stay … Yet, what if there were still subjects alive that needed his attention? What would happen to them?

"I can feel you thinking, Woman." Vegeta broke her thoughts. "What troubles you?"

She sighed and finished sealing the last test tube. "I feel that I'm being selfish."

"I see. How so?" He prompted.

"Well, I know you said that you'd stay but I can't help but feel that if there are some of your subjects around in the kingdom that you'd stay. I, I don't know if I could live there." She put her head down.

"Woman, I was told that my people are scattered around the ocean depths. There is no way that the kingdom could survive a blow like this. Frieza has destroyed my home and there's nothing to go back to. Even if there was, to be honest, I would name a successor and leave. I could deny you nothing, as is the bond." He sighed. "We discussed this before. Why do you think my decision would change now?"

"Just because I've given you a new option to defeat the tyrant that took your home."

"Indeed you have, but this doesn't mean that I will abandon you if you choose to stay here. Your life is here, family, friends. Everything that I had has perished. Tomorrow we test your invention. For tonight, let us rest."