Here we are already at Chapter 4! I am so glad I could get this out to you all before the new year and hope that all your holidays have been wonderful so far. CelestialMageLucy and I are thankful for all our readers and subscribers and hope to continue to bring this story to life for you all. Happy new year from both of us and please enjoy!

Chapter Four: Home at Last

The sound of the annoying alarm went off again. Quickly shutting it off, Bulma looked down to her little boy snuggling in her arms asleep in his dream world. It appeared the serum held his symptoms at bay again. By the time she would get back, his symptoms would more than likely return. Which means, she need to secretly continue searching for answers while she worked on her main projects. It was dark in the room as she could barely see but she was used to it by now. Same shit different day she supposed and with that thought peeled her son from around her waist. She tucked him into bed as she watched him hold his tail and continue to dream peacefully. She kissed his temple before she went to the restroom and began her day like she had done every day since she had come to this place. Just another normal day with nothing out of the ordinary, and like clockwork she put on her clothes, cleaned herself up, wrote her note and prepared a lunch for Trunks, and was out the door with another kiss to his forehead.

She was back in her lab where she drank her coffee and was "looking" at her blueprints on the computer device they had given her. She was hacking into the database where she could maybe find out more about the Saiyan diseases. So far, her search came up with nothing. She sighed heavily into her morning coffee. How was she supposed to help her son when she had no clue how to help him? Resting her head on her arms as she closed her eyes, she silently wracked her mind for some sort of miracle, or even a prayer to help solve this. If she went to a doctor that would be it. Her son would be taken from her or worse killed. She would die before she let anyone put their hands on him. He was her everything and the only reason why she hadn't killed herself a long time ago. He depended on her and she refused to let him down.

Suddenly she found herself ramrod straight as the red blaring of the alarms echoed all over the compound. Blinking it begun to register that this was not a drill. There was only one reason why only those sets of alarms would go off: they were under attack. As protocol, they were to remain in their lab areas, or other designated areas. If not, they were to return to their cells. This didn't register in the frantic mother's mind. She had only but one goal: Trunks. Slamming her computer down, she put it in her bag and yanked it over her shoulder. She needed to get back to her child. Everyone was in a panic as soldiers were running up and down the hallways while workers and slaves were getting out of their way and back to their area.

"Bulma! Get back to your lab!" Her boss had come out and yelled.

"I wish to go back to my cell."

"What the hell for! Can't you see we are on lock down!"

"I need to go back!"

"You have to be shitting me. Get back to your lab or I swear I will have them whip you when this is over!"

"Then whip me!" Bulma yelled and yanked open the door and rushed out into the chaos. She could care less. All that mattered was getting back to her cell. As the lab doors closed behind her, she heard her boss calling for an AWOL slave with her ID number. She did not have time to consider the consequences. This kaos was the perfect opportunity for her to escape. She maneuvered through the crowds and soldiers. All were too worried about the alarms and the ground shaking to pay attention to one weak Human slave. She easily made it back to the cell and past through the hologram after overriding it.

"Trunks!" She screamed.

"Momma!" Came his frightened voice from under the bed. Instantly she dropped her bag and scrambled to him. He had the emergency capsule pack in his hand as the room was bare. He reached out for her and she pulled him into her arms. He buried his wet face in the crook of her shoulder. She held his trembling form in her arms. She offered soft words of comfort to assure him that everything was going to be alright. The small boy gripped her so tight she almost struggled to breath under his strength. With him holding her, she managed to grab her cloak from under the bed. She let him hold her as she wrapped it around her neck and strapped it on. She let her son cling to her as he was terribly scared.

"T-Trunks loosen up baby." She pleaded. He did so slightly, but he kept a vice like grip on her. "D-Do you remembered what we practiced?" She watched him nod with his watery, wide eyes and trembling lip. "Good. Good. Okay baby, let's get going. Everything is going to be alright. Do you trust me?" She tried to appear calm and smiling which seemed to ease her sons nerves. She watched as he nodded his head again. "Alright, think of this as a game? Ninjas, right?"

"Ninjas." He affirmed.

"That's right baby, Ninjas." She grabbed his blanket she made him and wrapped him up in it like a cloak. He tucked the capsules in his pocket and then she picked him back up letting him hold on on his own as they stood behind the veil of the hologram. "What are the rules Trunks? Can you tell me them?"

"We don't to strangers unless you say it is okay. We run until you say we can't. If we are separated, I don't talk someone unless they know it is our secret word."

"What is our secret word?"

"Vegeta."

"Repeat it."

"Vegeta" He did.

"Good, what are the rest of rules?"

"Whatever you say, I will do without question is the last rule."

"Even if that means I am hurt and I tell you to run?"

"But Momma I- "

"Trunks!"

"I don't want you to die! Please don't make me!" More big tears fell from her eyes in his face.

"This is for your safety. I don't want to die or be hurt, but if you can live, then that is worth it to me!" She reprimanded him. She saw him lower his eyes, but did not respond. "Will you do this for me?" She asked more firmly, and she noticed he nodded. "Good. Whatever I say, goes. No exceptions Trunks." She held him more tightly against him and took a deep breath. "Here we go. Now or never."

With her goal set in mind and her son holding her tight, the young mother rushed out the door into the hallway and flickering lights. There was screaming all around from people being attacked and the place seeming to be purged. She knew she needed to get to the docking ships and slip on one. Trunks buried himself in her with the blanket hiding him. Making sure her hood covered her face, she begun to run in the direction of the docking ships. Trunks stayed so quiet as he gripped her securely. They manage to make it as far as the labs before they ran into trouble, guards fighting what she easily recognized as Saiyans. She pressed herself to the wall before they saw her, and her eyes were widening in fear. Was Vegeta here? Did he know she was here? Had he come all this way to rescue her? How did he even know she was here in the first place?

So many questions raced through her mind that she forgotten the situation she was currently in until one guard came flying her way. He barely missed her and her son. The hood yanked back from dodging out of the way from the flying guard. She looked down at her blanket to her hidden son and sighed in relief as he appeared to be fine without any sort of scratches. "Is that her!" A man said in Saiyan that she clearly recognized. She felt herself freeze up and hold onto her child.

"That is! Blue hair, check to see if she has blue eyes! Is she human?" At this, Bulma found herself back on her feet. What if they were there to kill her and her child? She couldn't risk it. She bolts in the opposite direction in attempt to get away.

"HEY! Get back here! After her!"

She wasted no time in making a run for it, using the walls and knowledge of the compound to gain the upper advantage. But luck was never on her side. As she turned the corner, she ran into the soldiers who immediately recognized her. Her face paled in realization as they grabbed her with one of their weapons raised to beat her down. She used her body to shield her boy as she was struck on her back and fell to the ground. She cried out in pain as one aimed his leg back to kick her. They swore at her as she was kicked in the face and sent sprawling. Trunks let out a cry as he held onto his mother.

"She has a little bastard!" One cried in realization.

Bulma was seeing stars as black and white spots blocked some of her vision. Her head hurt as blood dripped down and she felt a rib might have cracked. She didn't have time to dwell on the pain as they were beginning to advance on her and her son. She got him back in her arms and back up against the floor of the nearby wall that caught her when she was kicked. They stood around her menacing.

"Well, well, look at what we have here. Looks like you were hiding a little fucker with you huh? He yours? Cause it is gonna be fun for him to watch as you get punished." The one who kicked her reached down and gripped her baby from her.

"No! Don't you touch him!" She screamed out and went to reach for him. Two of his men held her down while they begun to rip her clothes. She could hear her son's cries as the man begun to hit him and swing him around by his tail. His blood curdling cries hit her ears and made every pain in her intense. She hadn't paid much attention to them spreading her legs and yanking her bottoms down, nor them as they were ripping her top by shredding the material. They were on her and her world was going back to when she was separated from her friends. Fresh tears fell from her eyes as they were about to rape her in front of her little boy. Just as she was about to cry out the name of the man she always kept on her mind, a flash of lights past them and hit the man holding her child dead center in the head with a Ki blast. Instantly the small boy was dropped and hit the floor with the man. He started to bawl and holding his injured tail crying. The Saiyans that were pursuing her came running around the corner as the men got up from her and begun to charge at them to fight. She scrambled up and pulled her baby into her lap in the corner. There was no escape, so it was useless to find a way out when there no way to safety at this point. She, instead, checked her crying baby for any injuries as the battle continued right in front of them. She noticed his tail was broken in a few places and showed signs of swelling.

When she went to place her fingers on them, he let out a cry so blood curling it distracted some of the fighters. "Okay Trunks, Trunks look at me. I need you to bite down on this." She paid no mind and found a piece of her torn clothing and wounded it into a ball. "I need you to bite down as I set this alright?" She tried to appear calming, but it only came out in a waver tone. The boy was shaking his head sobbing into her in pain. Her heart broke to see him this way. She didn't know much about Saiyan tails or anatomy, but she wasn't so ignorant to know that those tails were sensitive. She was able to get him to bite down on the cloth and set the first break. The sound that came from that boy was not natural.

"Not like that, you stupid wretch!" One of the available Saiyans found his way to her. "What the fuck are you doing!"

"His tail…"

"I can see that. He needs a tank. How do you know Saiyan? Are you Bulma Briefs?"

"No. But his tail…I learned…he needs." She lied.

"Do you know Bulma Briefs?"

"Maybe. But you have to help him first!" She argued desperately.

"I can see you are Human. We were sent here to help Human refugees back to our home world."

"Vegeta-sei…" She breathed.

"You seem to know a lot about us." He eyed her suspiciously.

"I need you to help my boy. Please." She begged quickly changing the topic.

"Are there other Humans?"

"4 in the labs, you go past these halls until you see the signs. You will know when you see it. Those are the only other Humans I know of." She focused on wrapping her boy in his blanket and fixing herself under her cloak. She cradled him best she could in her arms and pulled him close to her chest. She needed to get them both to safety. If she was right, Vegeta sent his men to come save her. She could almost burst into happy tears at the thought and realization. But thinking about her son's condition only dampened the mood. The Saiyan covered her in a robe and escorted her back to the safety point where there were a few other Humans. The Saiyan turned to one of the ship commanders.

"Get this group on the first ship and full speed back to Vegeta-sei! I need to get back there and help find the others before that fucking prick realizes what we are up to!" He yelled to the ship's pilot. They were loaded into the first ship and took off the ground. Bulma was seated in an area where she saw out the window after applying the protective harness around her. She saw the lot of the compound and how big it really was. She had spent so many torturous years of her life here, and she couldn't say she was sad to see it disappear when the ship exited orbit. Her little boy was curled up in her lap when the ship docked with the main one. She was so exhausted from everything she could barely keep her eyes open The last thing she could recall is her son's tears on her lap as she hummed him a soft lullaby.

~Vegeta-sei~

When Bulma Briefs had awoken, she found herself stepping out of a regen chamber and covered in a warm robe by Saiyan women that she assumed were nurses. Her head was fuzzy, and it took a few more moments to remember anything that happened or who exactly she was. When she had fully digested her situation, she was sitting and cradling her head. Both women looked at her confused. "M-my boy." She spoke Saiyan as she recalled her lessons, and by now could speak it second nature.

"Your son is still in the regeneration chamber. Because he is so young, he needs more time."

"How long was I in mine?"

"A few hours, Miss."

"Take me to my son." She stood finally and glared at them firmly.

"We have a few- "

"Nothing fucking happens, until I make sure my son is better. You take him to now!" She threatened.

"Follow us." The one on the left spoke and opened the door for her to follow. Bulma did not hesitate as she walked out in step behind them. She was lead towards the nursery where she saw many Saiyan infants towards the end of the long hall where some children or even babies were in the same tank as she was. The tanks were significantly smaller than hers, but she couldn't help but feel her heart twinge at how small and alone these little ones look. The women led her to the room where her son was in a tank. She slowly approached the tank and gently put her fingers on the warm glass. She watched him almost lifelessly float with a mask on his face. She could spot that his tail was becoming unbent as the healing waters took form.

"What is this?"

"A healing solution. This advances injuries back to their previous state." One of the women replied.

"How long as he been in here?"

"Since you first arrived Miss. We have answered your questions and we have taken you to your offspring. But now it is time you answer our questions." They firmly spoke. The young mother took a seat on one of the lounge couches by the tank and rung out her long hair as she begun to make a side braid with it.

"Fine, talk." She finally spoke and glared up at the two women protectively.

"What is your name."

"Depends on who wants to know?"

"You should answer our questions."

"How about you fuck off."

"No need for hostility…"

"I don't know you. I don't know why you have kidnapped us. I won't answer any questions until he is better. If you want answers, you can go fuck yourself."

"We understand that you feel hostile-"

"Feel hostile? No, you have no idea how I am feeling. All I want is for you two to leave us."

"No until you answer our questions for documentation. If you want services here, then you will need to start cooperating."

"And if I refuse?"

"We will report you are being defiant and matters will be taken."

"Then bring on the matters." They looked at each other nervously, but wordlessly left the room. Bulma only scoffed at their departure and turned her attention onto her little boy whom was floating in the tank. Somehow she felt solely responsible. She should have been so much smarter about all this. Putting her face in her hands she re-lived the whole ordeal. She reprimanded herself for her flawed mistakes in their escape. She trembled at the realization that she was almost violated in the presence of her son. She could only hold herself that she had no idea where she was. Was this his planet? Was he here? Did he know about her? Why was he collecting Human refugees? She found herself in the same circumstance of so many questions, and still never enough answers. What was she even doing here? Lifting her head and she eyed her helpless baby floating in that water. Almost five years old and this was his life; the only life he has ever known was in shadows. God, she was a terrible mother. She should have tried to escape much sooner before all this. She should have given him a better life than she was able to provide. Instead, she put them both in this situation, and he too had to pay the same price.

Tears threatened to fall from her cheeks as she watched him continue to float. Maybe she was being harsher than she should of towards those women? Maybe they really were trying to help? But then again, she knew how help was rewarded. No one ever did anything for just nothing. That was the first lesson she had learned out in this universe when she was taken. Nothing is ever free. She needed to be more careful and think ten steps ahead of them all if she had a prayer of making it out alive with her boy. Maybe her parents were here or even Goku? One could only hope, but for now, she had to wait by her little boy's side and pray that he recovers soon.

Time did not matter in this place it seemed. It could have been twenty minutes or even several hours before a knock was heard at the door. The young mother did not move from her spot as she continued to watch her baby float. By now his tail was mostly straightened out save for one bad spot, and the bruises he suffered were turning different colors in the healing process. Another knock was made, and she still refused to acknowledge it. Perhaps if she did then maybe they would get the message and leave them be. She did not want to talk to anyone. She did not want to sleep or eat or even smile. All she wanted was to sit here and be by her baby's side. The door opened behind her and someone stood at the doorway far too long than she liked.

"Either come in or leave. Can't you see I am…Vegeta…" She breathed. She had stood and turned to angrily face the person who dared to disturb them. He looked more handsome than she last remembered. Time did not age on his face as she drank him in greedily with her eyes. She noticed he used her same armor designs, but altered it to fit his royal lineage. The dark colors with his scarlet to accent really flattered him well. He even had a cape! If she wasn't in such an emotional state of reuniting with the man she dreamt about, she would have probably laughed and giving him hell for it. But there he stood with his hand on the door handle and his mouth slightly ajar while his eyes transfixed not only on her, but then also on the boy in the tank. She felt the air being sucked out of the room and time had come to a standstill. It was as if the past five years hadn't happened a single day. It felt like he was in her room and demanding her to fix another one of his machines. For the pair of them, all their memories and history echoed in their minds as they gazed upon the other.

She had to keep repeating to herself that he was here; that eyes were not deceiving her. For a moment she had entirely forgotten to breathe. Where had all those years gone? Suddenly she had become completely self-conscious about her appearance. What if he thought she aged? What if he thought she was ugly? Time had been kind to him, but she was certain it hadn't for her. After all, enduring what she had hardened a person; and she was no exception to the rule. And time did not wait for no one as he slowly was coming into the room wordlessly. She searched his expression for any hint of what he might be thinking; but, however, he was always completely unreadable. This worried her for various reasons considering it was her wellbeing and her son's that needed to consider; she needed to protect them both regardless of what dangers may not be present now. Without thinking, she subconsciously backed up into her son's tank with her back pressed to the glass.

Their eyes were locked onto the others with neither willing to separate in fear that the other might disappear from their grasp. How many sleepless nights had she laid away and memorized every inch of him to comfort her in the situation she was forced in. When she was raped by those men, she felt so hurt, so betrayed. It was like she would never see the sun again. It was like she was trapped under the ocean and no matter how much she cried or screamed; no one would come and save her. She was helpless, lost, and a former shell of herself. It had taken her a long time to begin to move past what had happened in the early years of her enslavement. Those men took pieces of her with them with their unspeakable acts, and she had often wondered if the man that was standing before her would ever forgive her? She had only thoughts of what he might say to her to get her through those dark months Would he look at her the same as that night that she looked at him? Would he offer her comfort in the way only he knew how? Or would he toss her away? Would he blame her for everything: her home, those men taking her over and over, or even…Trunks? God, she must tell him about his son. How would she even begin to have that type of conversation? She had gone over this scenario over and over in her mind for years, and still she had felt nothing prepared her for the day to arrive. Just like so many other things in her life surely, he would understand that everything she has done was to lie and wait for her opportunity to come and return to his side, or at the very least to get them to safety and get her home back.

This is when she begun to ask herself, why he wasn't speaking? He was just as strong and just a regal as she had remembered, but that also came with him being exceedingly quiet. He stood before her with a presence that was all too familiar to her. Even she could hardly believe it when he stopped right before her and his eyes moved from the floating child to her trembling lips and watery eyes. Since when had she start crying? She hadn't begun to realize that she still didn't know it was him as he lifted his hands and placed them on her cheeks. Was this all a dream; please don't wake her up if it is. She didn't think her heart could take anymore abuse, and she was brought out of these thoughts when she felt his thumbs rub away the droplets that fell from her eyes.

"You're alive." She heard him breathed in disbelief. It was the first sentence she heard him speak. Hearing his voice was…well it was better than coming home, better than that night together, better than anything in this whole world; just hearing him speak to her. God, why was she crying so much? She had promised herself to greet him with a smile, not this blubbery mess. So, she barely managed to give him a light nod and her best attempt at a small smile.

"I'm back…" Her voice broke resting her head against his hand.

"H-How?" His voice whispered to her in almost disbelief.

"Very carefully." She sniffled and attempted to try and calm herself.

"Still got that tongue of yours."

"Yeah, still see you haven't changed much, arrogant jerk."

The prince remained still, and she watched his eyes shift from her to the child floating. His hands went from her cheeks down to her shoulders. The tension of the reunion still thick in the room. She tried not to move as she observed his expression. So many emotions were flickering in his eyes, but the most predominate was confusion. He licked his lips almost nervously and the butterflies in her stomach were fluttering in a panic as her heart began to sink in her stomach. She knew exactly what he was looking at. It has been five years, yes, but what she never got to tell him was that he was soon to be a father. She gulped, and his eyes narrowed back her.

"Whose!" He growled deeply.

She blinked back confused, "Wh-whose?"

"Whose is he?!" He tightened his hold and rage slowly consumed his face.

"Let me go Vegeta. You are hurting me…" She winced under his touch. He was mad now and she didn't know if she was emotionally stable to handle any of this right now.

"You whored yourself out didn't you! You dare you even show up here! I can't believe I looked for you!" He exploded angrily. He looked like she had stabbed him in the back and her eyes widen. He couldn't possibly be serious, could he? All the hell she had endured and only for her to come back to him in this way.

"Let go of me you bastard!" She screamed, and he suddenly released her as she held onto herself. His hand prints begun to show up on her shoulders in angry, red marks that would soon be bruises. She glared at him with such disdain. Of course, he had to ruin a perfectly good reunion! "Go fuck yourself Vegeta! You have no idea what I had to go through!

"Did you or did you not lay with another!" He growled darkly.

"Why? You going to avenge me?" She snapped back. This broke him out of his tirade.

"Explain yourself!"

"Oh, now you want me to explain? Get the fuck out!"

"You seem to forget that I am Prince here-"

"You could be the ruler of this whole universe, but you better fucking think twice before stepping to me that way! It was your fucking fault all this happened!"

"MY FAULT?! You created the damn communicator and fucking went to find my people!" he snapped back angrily as he starts to pace.

"And I didn't expect you to stab me and everyone I love in the back, jackass!"

"Fucking wretch! You will hold your tongue! I am the Prince of all Saiyans and you are in my palace! I could have you killed!"

"Do it then! Or get the fuck out! I do not want to see you right now!"

"Who is he!"

"My son."

"That isn't what I asked."

"But it is the only answer you are getting from me! If you think I am such a slut, you don't deserve to know his goddamn name! Get out!" She went and shoved him towards the door. As she was beginning to push, the alarm on the machine begun to whirl as doctors and nurses rushed to the arguing couple that had paused to look. All she could recall was the sound of her son's heartbeat that was flatlining by the machine, and all she could remember was darkness that engulfed her in its wake.