How to describe this: "It's complicated." Giant thanks for the thoughtful reviews to push me along. I won't guarantee back-to-back submissions - my daytime activities get in the way sometimes - but I will do my best to make each one interesting.

Vegeta had been sleeping soundly that morning - the first time he had in months - when he felt pressure on his chest and thighs. Bulma had climbed on top of him, blindfolded, with four unlit candles in her hand. The act was a tempting invitation to continue from where they left off the night before. Yet, uncharacteristically, he felt reluctant. Given his fondness for kinky sex, the hesitance baffled him. His wife's libido had returned with a vengeance, despite what had been her lingering tiredness before they slept together. Admittedly, he took full advantage of the pleasurable reunion that she encouraged, but now he had mixed feelings about it.

"Hey, Bulma, I have students today," he said. "I have to get some training in before that, and I still need to wake up. Normally I would be down for more playtime, but your energy feels off from last night too - and you are busy as well."

Ignoring his comments, Bulma began to kiss his neck again, giving him a candle to light, presumably for dripping hot wax on her. "But I want more. I'm not some delicate flower here, and the kids aren't around. You're treating me like a glass doll."

"I never said that you were," Vegeta said, rising up on his elbows. "I certainly did not treat you like that last night, which was phenomenal, but still…"

Bulma threw the candles at him and stormed off. "Fine then!"

Confused, Vegeta tossed the bed sheets and grabbed her arm as she entered their bathroom. "What is this about? That reaction just came out of nowhere."

"Let go of me, Vegeta," she said, shaking off his grip. "Just go do your fucking training - all right?"

Vegeta pounded his fist on the wall. Over time, these arguments had forced him to wrestle with difficult memories from years past. Bulma had once been in his position. He tried to remember that before losing his temper altogether.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to put myself out here with you, repeatedly, to have this happen? What do you want from me?"

"Just go," Bulma said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Not good enough! Not good enough. Quarreling has always been the norm for us, Bulma. This, right here, is not."

Vegeta shut his eyes to calm himself. The anger he felt came from fear. Bulma has lived through my nightmares and cried in the darkness with me. The man she first met did not deserve her love, but she gave it anyway. I know her. I know my wife.

"I cannot help until we figure out what you are struggling with," he said. "Yes, I said 'we,' because I am not walking this tightrope with you anymore. I may think everyone else around me is an idiot, but you and I are partners."

Bulma wanted to feel reassured by Vegeta's "marriage is for better or worse" speech. He certainly talked a good game. She had once been sure that the experiment wouldn't hurt her, providing more leverage for his acceptance. Good signs were there, though - but then the pregnancy happened. The situation was preventable, and she should've planned better.

Vegeta, for all of his intelligence and tactical knowledge, was being emotionally manipulated. Whether Bulma realized how much damage her actions would cause was unclear.

"Whatever we discuss at the lab later better damn well include patience on your end, because I am not leaving until everything is on the table," he said. "I need you to hear me on this, Bulma."

Bulma's mind raced as objects took on different shapes. I wish he would be quiet. Must he always have the last word? His voice sounded louder, making her head hurt. An oncoming tremor in her hand forced her to grab a shower rail, which she managed to hide from Vegeta. She had to shrug it off.

Sensing her discomfort, Vegeta stepped forward. "Something is wrong."

"I'm feeling a bit queasy. I guess you're right that we overdid it last night," she said. "I'm OK. Again, I apologize for yelling at you. Maybe it's just hormonal."

"I do not like this at all." Vegeta placed his palm on her forehead. "When do you see the doctor? You feel warmer than normal, and your eyes are moving around unsteadily. They also look darker. I did not see that yesterday."

"I said I am fine." Bulma removed his hand from her face. "I promise I'll take it easy this morning. Just come meet me this afternoon after Tights leaves, as we discussed."

"As much as I may regret saying this, perhaps your black widow of a sister should remain here another day or two," Vegeta said through gritted teeth. "I will stay out her way as long as she avoids me."

Rubbing her stomach, Bulma faced the bathroom mirror. "Not a chance. I can't take the stress of you two together - and neither can you. Now if you're fast, you can leave before she arrives for breakfast."

"I will see you later," Vegeta said as he grabbed his gym bag. "I trust Tights to watch over you. Do not tell her I said that, since we will never hear the end of it."

Looking at her eyes in the mirror, Bulma giggled so hysterically after her husband left that she had to clutch the shower rail again. It was hard to stop, and none of it made any sense.

Tights had been rummaging through cupboards in the kitchen like a hungry wolf until she felt someone standing behind her. She almost choked on a piece of bread hanging from her mouth. Bulma, still dressed in a bathrobe, rolled her eyes.

"You scared the crap out me, Bulma! You could've announced yourself. Are you hungry? I assume Vegeta is off beating up someone today."

Bulma leaned heavily on the kitchen table. She had been trying to control her thoughts, but her sister's relentless nitpicking was getting in the way.

"Will you just stop, Tights? It's too early for this. Vegeta left to give us some time together."

"Yeah, right," Tights replied, handing her a cup of coffee. "Why, how thoughtful of your sweet prince. Did you two have another argument? You look out of it."

Bulma slammed her cup down. "Leave it alone, or you can get out now. You got me?"

Feeling guilty, Tights hugged her sister. "I'm done now, and I apologize for upsetting you, although I don't appreciate the threat. Look, why don't you stay with me for a week or two at the beach house? I can hang out on Earth a little longer. I promise I won't mention Vegeta either. It appears this pregnancy is giving you the blues. You look a little flushed, too."

"I can't anytime soon," Bulma said. "I need to catch up on work. My rest time has been long enough."

"Work, huh?" Tights placed her hands on hips. "Sometimes you're just like father. When are you having more prenatal tests?"

"You and I are both like our father. Anyway, I already had the first set of tests on my own. We're having a boy."

"Oh! You had the ultrasound done without Vegeta? When will you tell him? What about other tests?"

"I'm telling him later today - and you know genetic tests are complicated and take more time. Someone I trust is reviewing our data on the Saiyans, including our kids, to make sure there are no defects."

Tights reached across the table for Bulma's hand. "You know what I do for a living, little sister. I can't understand why I can't perform the tests. I'm one of the best geneticists in this part of the world. I've worked with multiple life forms from other planets. Plus, I know the Saiyan data well. Why else would father give it to me too?"

"I know, but you would become too involved," Bulma said. "That's just who you are. I can't say who this person is because you would take over immediately. When they're done, I will deliver the results to you and we can go from there."

Tights found the secrecy bizarre. She wasn't being that pushy about supporting her sister. Bulma's lack of passion for having a baby wasn't reassuring either.

"Well, as long as this mysterious person doesn't go blabbing everywhere, Bulma. The results probably won't be much different from your first two kids anyway. You see how healthy they are, so that probably won't change. It certainly helps that their father is built like a thoroughbred."

"Maybe so, Tights. But my body is older now. That makes a difference."

"True."

###

Bulma was hearing strange sounds again. The stress of her sister's short visit made them worse. Her head was throbbing terribly, too. She almost changed her mind about visiting the lab but knew that would be foolish. She activated her screen to monitor Vegeta's descent to the lab. He was on time as usual. He was always prompt with her - angry or not.

It startled Vegeta a bit to see images of him and his Saiyan counterparts onscreen after he arrived. They all looked younger and somewhat thinner. Bulma stood against the wall, examining his reaction.

"Why are our images displayed?" he said. "I haven't seen anything like this since we were examined years ago."

Bulma began to laugh. "I would've never thought that you could be vain like this."

"You are acting oddly, Bulma." Vegeta frowned. "What are these images for?"

"What would you say if I could give you back your tail?"

Vegeta faced her. The excitement in his eyes betrayed his otherwise reserved appearance. "Permanently?"

Fabulous. I've got his attention. "Yes, darling."

Vegeta crossed his arms. "It all depends on what you are planning to do."

Bulma almost broke the pencil in her hand. He was so good at verbal Karate. "When are you not suspicious?"

"It has served me well," he replied. "Now get to the point, Bulma."

"Vegeta, as you know, I have been working on a long-term project," she continued. "I know we've been under a lot stress lately, but I believe the results are a breakthrough that will bring us closer."

Vegeta felt his stomach churn. He wasn't thrilled. "Closer how? Has this project been worth our arguments, your mood swings, and sacrificing your health? What about the effect on our children? We are near the breaking point here."

"Just hear me out," Bulma continued. "I have used gene therapy to modify my cell structure to become full-blooded Saiyan. My work is drawn from father's data on you and Goku. I also used Dr. Gero's data on you before he created Cell to terrorize Earth."

Vegeta's grabbed the lab table to steady himself. This had to be a nightmare.

"You did what?! And you waited this long to tell me?! This is insane. Who convinced you to go through with this?"

"Look, no one forced me to do anything," Bulma said. "This was my choice. As I said, I wanted us to be closer, in order to experience the same things you feel. I see the way you treat our children. They share something with you that I never will."

"Oh really? Listen to yourself, Bulma. This is your choice alone? You have experimented on your body, possibly endangering your life. You did not give your husband or children a voice in this decision. Your selfishness is astounding."

Bulma noticed a bitter taste in her mouth. She was becoming more detached. The weird shapes she saw before had returned.

"Vegeta, please, calm down."

"Woman, it is taking all of my will not to destroy this room! Who is helping you? You are not a geneticist by specialty."

Bulma moved to a darker side of the lab. She needed some water. "Would you just stop yelling at me? Why can't you believe that I did it for our relationship?"

"Because that is a lie," Vegeta replied. "You may have convinced yourself that is your true motivation, but I do not buy it."

So I'm a liar in his eyes now? "Well, what about the chance for this project to restore your tail, Vegeta? And don't tell me you've never considered what it would be like to have a Saiyan woman - someone on your own level."

Vegeta stared her down. "Stop it. The reality is if I had stayed on my planet, I probably would not have partnered with anyone - and you have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

"Fine," Bulma said softly. "Since you think you know so much about my motivations, by all means, please correct me."

"This is about power, Bulma. That you were willing to go through this makes it clear. I have been where you are. How could I not recognize it? I never thought you could be so insecure."

Vegeta shut the screen off. He couldn't stand seeing his image anymore.

"What you did has nothing to do with me," he said. "Not one damn thing. You tried to see how far you could take this because you are driven. I believe that you want to 'experience' my feelings, but you see negative consequences happening already. You humans call that 'Murphy's law,' right? You hoped I would readily accept because of my love for you, but guilt has eaten away at your spirit."

Bulma nervously rubbed her stomach. "That's unfair. Your insecurity led you to commit some terrible acts, for which I forgave you, along with many others. I am not insecure."

Vegeta snapped out of his fury as he observed her movements. "Oh my god." His heart sank. "What about your pregnancy? You were still experimenting before we found out, am I right?"

"I… I don't know how it's affected the fetus yet." Bulma's eyes glazed with tears. "We need more time before I can run tests to identify genetic abnormalities, if any."

"So what do you know now?"

"It's a boy."

Vegeta bent over. He didn't know how much longer he could speak logically. "And who will perform those tests?"

"I have a general obstetrician, which you know," Bulma said. "Once we have the standard genetic test results from the fetus, I'll compare them against my body's changes, in addition to your data."

Vegeta recalled what he told his wife earlier that day: He couldn't help unless they identified the problem together. It pained him that she didn't fully recognize or acknowledge the crisis they were in. He had to get ahold of himself.

"You still have not answered my question, Bulma. Who helped you with this gene therapy?"

"I can't tell you that right now."

"What do you mean you can't tell me?" he said quietly. "Am I not entitled to know?"

Bulma's head was spinning. "Stop it, Vegeta! I can't… I…"

She cried out and lost consciousness. Vegeta, visibly stunned, managed to catch her within seconds as her eyes rolled back in her head. Her body was stiff at first, but then her limbs shook uncontrollably. Vegeta then ripped off her lab coat to cushion her head. As the convulsions decreased, he turned her sideways to help her breathe.

Then her skin color and eye color changed - completely.

"Alpha Polaris, engage!"

"Yes, Prince Vegeta?" A computer-generated image of a woman appeared behind him. "You sound upset. Why is Dr. Brief on the floor?"

"She is having a seizure," he said. "Sound the alarm and get Ron here now." Bulma wasn't responding.

"The medical alarm is activated. Dr. Johnston has been paged and will be here quickly. How else can I help, sir?"

"Alpha, tell my son to meet us at the hospital and wait in the private lounge until I get him. He should ask Hercule to watch my daughter tonight and keep quiet until I tell her." What has she done? I pushed her too hard. I caused this. I caused this.

"Yes, sir. Dr. Brief's transport is ready for departure, too."

Trunks ran to the sequestered emergency unit as soon as he sensed his father's presence at the hospital.

"What's wrong with mom? Is it something about the baby?"

"Son, I gave you instructions to stay in the lounge."

"Are you kidding me, papa? No way did I plan to stay there! If you were in my shoes, don't tell me you would have either."

Vegeta gestured for Trunks to sit down. "Bulma had what the doctor calls a grand mal seizure at the lab. She had another episode soon after we arrived. If they cannot stabilize her, we may lose… may lose…"

"It's OK," Trunks said softly. "I get it. Can I see her?"

"Not yet - only me for now - but we need to get your aunt Tights here. She has the knowledge to help the attending doctors with your mother and the fetus. Did you talk before she left?"

"She was shopping before leaving for the space station. She may be gone already. I'll see if I can reach her. She usually loses access for a time once she hits hyperspace."

"Find Kararot to help. He travels fastest. I have to go back in now."

Trunks saw right through Vegeta's cool facade. His father was deeply shaken. Maybe others had seen the Prince like this, but he never had - not once - until that moment. It scared him. He was close to taking flight himself to find his aunt until a familiar face appeared on his watch.

"Goten! Thank goodness! Do you know where your father is?"

"Yeah, dude. He's fishing nearby. What's happening? You sound troubled."

Trunks paced the hallway. Noise in the hospital typically considered routine increased his anxiety.

"Mom is very sick. Please ask Goku to teleport aunt Tights from the launch station, if she's there, or board her ship before she reaches hyperspace. We need them at the hospital now."

"You got it," Goten said. "I'll try finding my brother too. He hasn't responded to my calls. I hope Bulma will be OK. Are you still there, Trunks?"

Trunks swallowed to keep his voice from choking. "Yeah, I'm here. Thanks, man."

###

Tights' shoes snapped like firecrackers as she sprinted to the lounge near Bulma's room. Her anger flared once she spotted Vegeta. He must have upset her sister in some way. Bulma seemed fine before she left her.

The battle was on before Trunks and Goku could stop them.

"What happened?! What did you do, Vegeta?"

Vegeta backed her against a wall. "What did I do?! Unbelievable! You are wasting time, you vicious harridan. Get in there and see your sister before I do something I might regret… or not."

Goku thrust his arms between them. "Stop this, both of you. You won't help her by taking your shared hatefulness in there. One of Bulma's private doctors briefed Tights after we arrived."

Tights ran into the room and grabbed a lab coat, while Vegeta walked in the opposite direction, stone-faced, with his son. Meanwhile, Goku sat and breathed a sigh of relief.

"We will return," Vegeta said from the hallway. "You just saved my sister-in-law's life, Kakarot. Remind her to thank you."

Goku bowed his head and smiled. "She's a lucky woman, Vegeta, but I know you could never hurt her. Anyway, I will stay with all of you until we know more."

Tights covered her mouth in shock after seeing Bulma's appearance. It was like night and day, and no one there could explain it. The time for surprise was over, though. Work had to be done. She demanded the highest level of care for the medical treatment, while she thought about the long-term effects. Her hair was strewn everywhere when she re-entered the lounge later. Vegeta stared at the wall. Goku and Trunks slept nearby.

He didn't move as Tights approached him from behind. She has seen everything now.

"We should take a walk while my son sleeps," he said.

Rubbing his eyes, Goku followed behind them. "May I come with you?". Tights nodded and led them down the hallway.

"Bulma is in a medical-induced coma to halt the seizures and reduce brain swelling," she said. "The doctors will keep her on medication to maintain her blood pressure while she recovers."

Goku looked over at Vegeta. "And what about…"

"The fetus seems to be fine," she continued, "but, given Bulma's condition, I'm taking over all genetic tests to identify potential defects. That includes examining Bulma's physiology separately from the prenatal analyses, Goku."

Vegeta stared at her blankly. He knew what was coming next.

"Do you have any idea what caused this, Vegeta?"

"Bulma experimented on herself, Tights. That is the cause. I did not know until today. Her seizure began when we were arguing."

Goku stepped back in astonishment. "Did I hear that correctly? Experimented how? Why?"

"Kakarot, she was trying to change her genetic structure to become Saiyan." Vegeta faced Tights, giving her an understanding look. "My sister-in-law and I have seen the effects. That is why I have not let Trunks visit with her yet."

Tears streamed down Tights' face. For the first time she felt real pity for Vegeta. His matter-of-fact explanation caused it. He clearly didn't want any of this.

"I just don't understand," she said as Vegeta turned to leave.

He stared at the floor. "Neither do I."

Tights and Goku didn't try to stop him. They had another problem to solve.

Trunks marched angrily toward them. "Why didn't any of you wake me? That's not right, and I'm tired of waiting to see mom. Papa, where are you going?"

"Do not follow me, son."

"But why?"

Goku pulled Trunks aside. "No, let him leave. He is in pain. That's not good for anyone around him."

"He's in pain? This isn't about him. I'm frightened too, but we have to be there for mom. What the hell is going on?"

"That's enough, Trunks," Tights said. "Your father needs space right now, but he will return. He would've stayed by your side if we weren't here to care for you. Trust us."

"What's happened to mom? Is she going to be OK?"

Tights gently touched the back of his head. "Well, honey, let's talk privately in the lounge. It's getting late, but I'll get food brought up for us anyway. We have a lot to discuss, and some of it might disturb you, unfortunately."

Tights glanced back at Goku. He spoke with her mentally to avoid making Trunks more anxious.

"You don't have to say anything else. I'll wait a little while before finding him."