Gohan was up early again. He hopped into Piccolo's lap with Jade in his own, leaning back against his chest heavily and sighing in content.

"Hey, Mr. Piccolo?"

"Yeah?"

"I have an idea."

"For what?" Piccolo asked, curious now.

"Yesterday, Lady Tsuki said Vegeta's heart would change with time and love. What if we don't have a lot of time left before her brother's next attack? I think Bulma might love him, but...that could take a while..." he drifted off.

"Okay, so what's your idea?"

"Do you think Lady Tsuki could, I dunno, arrange a meeting with the spirit of Vegeta's mother? So that he could see her?"

Piccolo sat in stunned silence for a moment. "I...I don't know, kid. That's quite the request. You haven't even seen your own parents."

"I know, but, well, I have you, Mr. Piccolo. I know you love me. Vegeta doesn't know. Remember when Paragus was baiting him about his mother? He was so... not-Vegeta-like, ya know? I wonder if Lady Tsuki or maybe even Lady Gami could bring her around, even for a minute. If she would try to change his heart for us."

"I can ask, Gohan, but I cannot make promises. It may be out of Tsuki's hands."

"Okay, and I'll try to reach Lady Gami!" Gohan said, settling himself even more firmly against Piccolo and snapping his eyes shut.

Piccolo waited in silence, trying to reach out to Tsuki, but she provided no answer. The goddess was certainly fickle when she wished to be about when she would show up. Finally, after a long while, he heard in his mind the words beyond my control.

Gohan was suddenly out of his lap and frantically changing into his gi. "Lady Gami said she can do it! Only for a few minutes, but she can do it!"

"What do we do?" Piccolo asked, standing from the bed.

"All we gotta do is get Vegeta and take him to the waterfall. Lady Gami will do the rest."

"And just how do you plan to get Vegeta to come with us? He'll never believe you," Piccolo said, skeptical.

"I'll think of something. Come on, let's go get him! Jade, you stay here. We'll be back soon!" Gohan said, hopping out his window, Piccolo behind him.

Piccolo was sure Gohan knocked this time, refusing a repeat of the incident after the battle with Broly. Surprisingly, it was Vegeta who answered, clad only in shorts with a towel slung over his shoulder.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I have a surprise for you, Vegeta!" Gohan said excitedly.

Vegeta looked skeptical. "What is it, brat?"

"Well... I can't really tell you..."

"Then go away," he said, making to close the door. Gohan's hand shot out lightning-fast to stop it.

"Please, Vegeta. Just come with us. I promise it'll be worth it! If it isn't, I owe you a spar. Deal?"

Vegeta stayed silent for a moment before hissing, "Fine. Let me get changed. This had better not take long. I'm busy."

Vegeta followed them warily to the waterfall and when they arrived, his patience wore thin quickly.

"Okay boy, what's the surprise? This had better be worth my time," he said, annoyed.

"It'll happen soon. I promise," Gohan reassured. "I- hold on," he said, and he closed his eyes in concentration. Then, he smiled, nodded, and opened his eyes. "And now, I present to you, Queen Tama!" he said with great flourish.

Vegeta's eyes went wide. "Whatever sort of trick this is, it isn't funny," he snarled.

And then, the air before him shimmered and a silvery figure appeared.

A woman, obviously.

She was regal, with wild dark hair down her back. A thin tiara adorned her forehead, and she wore a gossamer red dress. Yet she carried herself as a warrior.

There was no doubt she was a Saiyan.

Vegeta's mouth dropped open and he blinked in disbelief.

The woman lifted a finger and shut Vegeta's mouth for him. "Mouth closed, dear. You'll let the bugs in," she said.

"M-Mother?" Vegeta whispered.

"Do you really have to ask?"

"But...but..."

"I'm dead, I know. Since when have you ever called me Mother?"

"Mama," he said softly.

She smiled. "That's more like it." She held her arms out then, and Vegeta hesitantly stepped into them. But when she wrapped her arms around him, he grabbed onto her earnestly and buried his face in her neck. "Easy, dear, easy," she soothed, running a hand through his hair.

"Who killed you?" he whispered into her neck.

"That giant pink oaf. Dodoria, I think his name was," she said easily, as if it meant nothing to her.

"I killed him," he replied, still not pulling away.

"I know. We're proud of you."

Vegeta pulled away then and swiped at his eyes. "I wasn't even the one to kill Frieza. There's nothing to be proud of," he muttered. "I'm a disgrace."

Queen Tama smiled, placing her hand on his cheek gently. "You certainly are no disgrace. No one thinks that. Especially not me, or your father."

"Father? He is not disappointed?"

"Of course not. You're a legendary Super Saiyan. He could not be prouder."

"But, I was not the first. This...this mutt was! Not including Paragus' brat, Broly!" Vegeta said indignantly.

"Now, now, watch your mouth. The son of Kakarott, though not pure-blooded, is as Saiyan as you and I. He is the reason I'm here right now. He could have instead asked to see his own mother, but instead, he brought me here to you." She smiled then and turned to face Gohan. "Thank you, young Gohan, for your selfless act."

Gohan bowed. "It is my honor, Queen Tama. He needs you more than I need my mother."

Vegeta said nothing, staring at his mother's stomach. "Were you pregnant when Dodoria murdered you?" he asked finally.

She nodded. "I was. Wait for just a moment."

And with that, she faded. Vegeta watched the empty space before him intently, eyes never cutting to Gohan or Piccolo. When she reappeared, a bundle was in her arms. Vegeta immediately became enraptured with it.

"Here's your baby sister, Vegeta. Her name is Nashi. Would you like to hold her?"

Vegeta dumbly held his arms out and she gently placed the bundle in them. He cradled the baby to his chest, smiled softly when her tail wrapped around his wrist and her hands reached for his face. "Will she always be a baby?" he asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"She was not yet born when I met my end. You do not age once you die. The fact that she is her own entity is amazing, really. And I'm glad. I do not fancy being pregnant for an eternity."

Vegeta stroked his hand through the baby's hair. "She should have been born," he said with menace lacing his voice.

Queen Tama rested her hand on Vegeta's shoulder. "There is anger in your heart, my son. I know you are upset by the destruction of our great race. Rightfully so. But the blackness must recede now. What's done is done. There is nothing that can be changed. This boy you stand with, his very existence depends on your purity and loyalty to this new world. There are great evils in this world, and the realms beyond. You must help protect him, for he is the greatest hope."

Vegeta lowered his eyes to her feet. "I am to be nothing but a...a bodyguard?" he asked scornfully.

"Prince Vegeta, you are a great and powerful warrior. You are certainly not a bodyguard. You are to be his ally."

"I've done nothing but kill my allies. Nappa, Jeice... I killed them, Mother. I...I killed them," he said, handing Nashi back to her. She disappeared for a moment and when she returned, she was empty-handed.

"I know," she said softly. She turned to Gohan and Piccolo then. "If we may, a moment, please?" she asked. Gohan bowed and instantly flew several feet away and turned his back, Piccolo following suit.

"I killed them in cold blood," Vegeta whispered.

"Sometimes, we do things we are not proud of, my son. You are remorseful. That is what counts."

"I killed my only friend, Mother. I killed the last pure blooded Saiyan besides myself. I will never have a pure heart."

"Your heart is already purer."

"I feel no different."

"And you won't for quite some time. But that's okay. I know it is purer."

Vegeta swiped furiously at his eyes. "Jeice...Nappa..."

Queen Tama wrapped her arms around her son. "Come now, come now. It is alright."

Vegeta returned the embrace. "Mama..." he said brokenly into her neck.

"Shh, shh..." she cooed, rubbing his back.

"I have no one left," he said, pulling away.

"Now, now. That is not true. We are always with you, here in your heart," she replied, putting her hand on his chest. "The son of Kakarott will always be your most loyal comrade. The human Krillin and Namekian are your allies. And the human Bulma..."

Vegeta blushed. "Mother..."

"I like her. She reminds me of me when I was young. A spirit and will fit for a stubborn Saiyan prince."

Vegeta's face turned even redder. "There is nothing between us," he muttered.

Queen Tama merely smiled. Then, her form dimmed a little. "My time here is coming to an end. I can stay no longer."

"Mother, please..."

"Your father and I are very proud of who you've become. Never forget that. And never forget that we love you."

"I...I won't."

"Good. Goodbye, young Gohan. And thank you," she said, beckoning Gohan to her and embracing him. Then, she embraced Vegeta once more. "Goodbye, my son."

And with that, she faded away.

Vegeta stared at the empty space silently for a few moments before letting out a heavy sigh.

"Vegeta, are you okay?" Gohan asked, coming closer.

He looked for a second as if he would snarl at the boy, but instead, he rolled his shoulders back and set his jaw. "I'm fine."

"Was it...was it okay for me to have brought her here?"

"Yeah. Yeah brat, it was."

"Do you need anything?"

"No. I'll just...stay here for a while. Alone."

"Okay," Gohan replied, turning to leave.

"And kid... thanks," Vegeta muttered.

"You're welcome," Gohan said happily.

Piccolo and Gohan returned home quietly. When Gohan opened the door, Jade rushed out and entwined herself around both their legs, rubbing and purring loudly. Gohan reached down and scooped her up, heading into the kitchen. He filled a pot with water and noodles and put it on the stove, then filled a glass of water, handing it to Piccolo.

"Do you think I did the right thing today, Mr. Piccolo?" he asked finally.

"Kid, you gave up a chance to see your parents so that someone who tried to kill you yesterday could see his. If that isn't right, then I don't know what is."

"He needed to see her. She was stolen from him without a goodbye."

"So were your parents."

"Yeah, but I had you. He had Frieza."

"I was a demon king when I took you, Gohan. Barely better than Frieza."

"Nah, I never really believed that."

"Hm. I suppose it doesn't matter anymore anyways."

"Nope!"

Suddenly, there was a hissing sound. Both snapped their heads to the pot on the stove, which was steadily boiling over, noodles slipping down the sides into the heat and catching fire.

"GOHAN!"

So yeah, that ends the Frieza and Broly Saga. Next chapter, we start a new one!

Yeah, Vegeta may be a touch out of character here, but we don't know anything about his relationship with his mother, other than what I had alluded to in previous chapters, and in my companion story, Of a Friendship. Maybe there is something softer to him after all. Don't worry though, he's still a badass. This chapter will change nothing about his overall hard-ass self!