Recap: Gohan's controlling behavior casts a wider net between his family and the Briefs. Bulma, who plans to return to work, struggles with blurred lines between reality and illusion and identity. There are consequences, but which ones are appropriate?

Warning/Trigger Alert: There is a scene in the Bulma and Vegeta section that involves drugging and the fallout from it.

Hercule's massive cheeks filled with inhaled air, driven by nervousness and frustration. Being a well-meaning, loving grandfather blinded his better judgment at times. This was one of those moments. Gohan would be gone for the weekend through the following Tuesday, telling them he wouldn't be in contact to focus on work. He usually didn't. Soon after, Hercule told Pan he would convince Vegeta to allow Bulla to travel with them - which he did, shockingly. It would be his special surprise for the girls, and Vegeta would know where they were. Hercule decided against telling Gohan until later.

"His girls" had been outside playing on the grounds of his vacation home. Bulla and Pan hurled snowballs like rapid gunfire as they flew around each other like honeybees. Saiyans - that's what they were to their core, Hercule thought, despite having extraordinary human mothers. Most kids would've been terrified of being pummeled by large, compacted ice missiles, but not these two. The girls hadn't fully grasped the depths of their strength like the other strongmen in their lives. They would soon enough. Both might follow in their footsteps as adults, protecting Earth or a forgotten planet, willingly risking their lives. Hercule took solace knowing that he would probably be dead before seeing that.

He had been grateful that the girls were allowed to be kids, despite their high intelligence and, of course, emerging powers. Gohan's upbringing had been radically different, and Hercule never forgot that. He hesitated criticizing his son-in-law for that reason sometimes, having witnessed Gohan's power from childhood. Back then, the magnitude was like none other. Earth was diverse, to be sure, and rife with powerful fighters with special talents, but this was radically different.

Child Goku had been the happy, curious and supremely determined fighter despite losing a loving guardian early in his life. Gohan, however, never truly had a childhood – not like Goten or Trunks did. Earth and the universe were inundated with terrible threats back then, and Gohan fought through all like a grown man, including some battles Hercule hadn't learned of until much later. His innocence had been ripped off like a blood-dried bandage. Vegeta and Goku would plainly say that was necessary back then.

He stood at the picture window overlooking the grounds below, feeling ambivalent as the girls played.

Bulla and Pan sized-up their lopsided snowman. The tree branches used for the arms and nose were too heavy. Shrugging, they abandoned the effort. There were more important concerns, such as whether to drink hot chocolate with marshmallows.

"See, I told you," Pan said, pointing and laughing. "I'm sure auntie Bulma would make us build it again."

Bulla threw a handful of snow back. "I don't want to talk about mommy. That's the rule."

"Well, I'm sick of your rules," Pan replied, folding her arms. "It's been like this since she's been home. You don't trust me anymore? I'm your best friend. You can't be mad at your mom forever, either."

Bulla rolled her eyes. "Really, Pan? Like you tell me stuff about your father? Last time I checked, you don't say much. You're still mad at him too. I don't ever bug you about that."

"I'm not mad as much as I was before, I guess. He's also lonely and really misses my mom. That's why he spends so much time working. It's hurt my feelings, but my grandfathers helped me understand better. Uncle Goten and grandma Chi-Chi help too."

Bulla yanked a branch from the snowman, breaking it in half. "Maybe I don't say much about home because, well, I don't want us to argue like we were about to do just now. Mr. Satan seems to be the only one who isn't a total mess. Even my papa is…"

"What about uncle Vegeta?"

Bulla propped her arms behind her head. "My papa is the strongest, smartest man I know. I want to be just like him when I grow up. I want to fight and protect people. He may not be the nicest person all of the time, but he is a good man and he loved mommy as she was. I'm not so much mad at her being Saiyan now, you know? I guess that can't be changed now. I'm still mad that she seemed to not care about how he would feel. She hasn't said 'I'm sorry,' to any of us."

Pan poured hot chocolate into a cup, handing it to her. "What Bulma and my dad did caused a lot of trouble for everyone, but grandpa Goku tells me to be careful about how I judge others. Vegeta hasn't left home, and your whole family is caring for Sorrel, so maybe focus on that. That's good."

Their faced each other, holding hands, until they were caught off guard. Smiles dissolved, replaced by confusion and nervousness. Gohan towered above, dressed in a black, double-breasted wool coat and jeans, along with leather gloves. His daughter had noticed several style upgrades recently. He looked handsome, but she wondered why he made them.

"Yes, that is good, girls. My father is right. I am proud of you both – and Bulla, I'm sure your father will be pleased that you want to follow in his footsteps. That said, you both could do a better job of sensing others with power like yours. I raised my ki on purpose before stopping here. "

Arms akimbo, Pan stood in front of Bulla. "Dad, what… what are you doing here? How could you hear us? How did you know we were here?"

"Because I made an effort to," Gohan said, "and does it really matter? I'm your father, and I am curious about why no one told me about this trip."

"Did you really have to do this?" Pan protested. "I mean, there's so much going on."

Gohan looked over his daughter's head. Bulla's fists were closed, and, although her face was blank, her semi-lowered eyes betrayed her fright. He wondered what Vegeta and Trunks had taught her about fighting when backed into a corner – literally and figuratively. Terrified children could be a pain to calm down. He had to re-establish enough trust to keep Bulla from bolting like a frightened horse.

He looked over his shoulder. "Well, girls, so far we're the only ones who know I'm here."

"I won't lie to papa," Bulla said softly. Her father probably be disappointed seeing her now, she thought. Watching Gohan's reactions was appropriate, but giving into fear wasn't. Vegeta didn't hold back drilling her on these lessons while sparring. Gohan wouldn't dare to touch her, though –regardless of whether he cared for her - knowing that her father would go ballistic.

Gohan gave her a warm, fatherly smile. "I'm not asking you to, young lady."

"Then you're asking to do the same thing grandpa Hercule did with me – to not say anything. That's just as dishonest." Pan disliked seeing Bulla uncomfortable. Her father had to stop dragging this out.

Gohan nodded in agreement. "It is, I suppose, but of the two fathers you're dealing with, which person's reaction worries you more, now that I'm standing here?"

The girls fidgeted, knowing the obvious answer. Bulla hated that he was right. However understanding Vegeta could be with her, which he usually was, his temper was much shorter than she had ever witnessed. Trunks didn't seem as bothered. Maybe he was faking so she wouldn't be upset.

Gohan bent down to their level, looking into their eyes. "Hmm. Your silence tells me what I need to know. Let's go inside. I need to speak with Hercule."

Pan tugged his coat gently, twisting the fabric between her thumbs. "He's not feeling well today. Don't be too hard on him."

"Your grandfather can take care of himself, sweetie. Trust me. Also, Bulla, do you want to go home? I want you to feel comfortable. We can have someone pick you up. I'm returning to work, though, not staying here."

Pan looked over. "Dad is right. Do whatever you want. I'll be fine. We can stay at your house another time, maybe?"

"I'm not leaving," Bulla said calmly. "We were having fun."

"Very good," Gohan said.

Ignoring his approval, Pan stepped closer. "Bulla, what if uncle Vegeta asks about…"

"I said I won't lie," she replied, looking at Gohan, "but I know what I can say so papa won't be angry." She reached for Pan's hand. "You're just checking to see if we're safe, Dr. Son. I'm okay - really."

"You can still call me Gohan," he said, bowing halfway. "Now run inside. I want to enjoy the snow a bit longer." The girls were strong-willed, but children their age usually wanted to please adults they love and respect. Manipulating that desire for closeness and recognition had been easy for him. Trunks would be harder to sway when time came because he was near full adulthood, more or less. Bulma would be the linchpin for that outcome too. The smartphone ringer pushed this musing aside, annoyingly.

"What?"

"So, uh, well, uh, aren't you coming inside, Gohan?"

"Do you want me inside, Hercule? That wasn't the plan before, obviously."

Hercule waved from the window. "Oh, don't be like that, son. I only wanted the girls to have a little fun without worrying about us adults. They need time to themselves. Frankly, you and Vegeta can be rather… intense."

Gohan hovered in the air over the balcony. "Glad you just figured that out. I'm leaving, but don't do this again. Pan is still my kid, and I have right to know where she is. Not once have I stuck around when Trunks takes my child from my home to see Bulla. Think about that. I'm persona non grata in my home!"

"Come on, Gohan. You're being unfair."

"Unfair? This isn't about unfair. Imagine the outcome if Vegeta decided to visit on a whim, just like me? Having all hell break loose isn't how I want to spend my weekend."

Hercule finally had enough. He looked back, lowering his voice. "Then leave, Gohan. Leave now, and stop being a selfish jackass. You could have called first, but you came anyway. You knew damn well what the risks were. Worse, that sweet child must face her father and mother later, who may question her. I won't say anything now, but you can bet your ass that I won't lie if they ask me about you."

Gohan released a quiet grunt. "Fine." His head throbbed as more anger swelled inside. Fortunately, he expected to see Bulma soon. Now they could speak the same language.

"Yes, this is what I'll do."

It was 5 a.m. Bulma had been thinking out loud and sipping coffee, while Vegeta was sleeping late. She had barely slept more than a few hours each night for a week. But she hadn't felt tired, not even when they tended to Sorrel at night. She felt giddy and electrified. It may have been Sunday morning, but the time had come. She had to return to the lab. Her body was healed and ready to work. Within a month or two she wanted to roam freely around Capsule's headquarters. That was her expectation.

She would arrange a meeting with reporters from the big television stations and newspapers first, spinning her story of scientific progress into an amazing tale for the public and her employees. Her family's contribution to society would be revealed in its entirety. They were all Saiyans!

Her family would know beforehand to prepare themselves. Vegeta was already a lone wolf, so he'd have no problem avoiding scrutiny. She would have think harder about how the kids would face their peers. She had been ready to jump out of her skin earlier that week. The strength she felt inside. So this is how it felt for them all. Her mind jumped to training.

She tapped her feet. "Well, I could take longer so Trunks and Vegeta could help me learn - or maybe Goku." She was a fast learner, right? Her photographic memory captured their fighting styles over years, when they weren't battling at speeds beyond what untrained human eyes could observe easily.

But she wasn't human anymore.

She wasn't, and no more tests were needed to prove it. Tights confirmed that her physiology basically matched the others. Bulma ignored her sister's warnings about other concerns. She already knew of enough from working with Kaleb. She had lived through the worst of it! That should mean something.

Maybe she could make her public announcement and delay full-time duties at Capsule another year to learn. Maybe even two. She had to stay connected with Kaleb, though. That was non-negotiable.

She couldn't stop these racing thoughts. She smiled and held out her hand, firing a small shot through a canister outside of the kitchen window. It wasn't much, but the move worked well, she thought.

Vegeta rushed downstairs, amazed that Bulma's power had increased so quickly. She managed to control her ki spike then, but he was furious. How could she use it inside of their home? The result could have been disastrous. Her body could go haywire at any time. There were too many unknowns.

She greeted him with a wide, satisfied smile. "How does it feel to you?"

Vegeta's eyes zoomed across all four quadrants of her body. His facial expression was one of absolute stoicism. "So you're playing games now."

Bulma's tail swished from side to side. She grinned pleasantly, but apparently she had forgotten momentarily that Vegeta had a tail once too. He observed the movement: irritability – a whole hell of a lot of it. She had much to learn about her new body, he thought.

"I'm not, Vegeta. I want to learn to be disciplined and focused in your way. I want you to teach me."

"Do you now?" he said skeptically. Of all people, he thought Bulma understood the pitfalls of overconfidence without having the skills to back it up. "Okay then. Your first lesson is you're doing a shitty job of exercising discipline. That playful, irresponsible little power spike proves it. You've shown your hand to a seasoned warrior without forethought. If you were one of my students, I wouldn't be as forgiving as I am now."

"My, how self-righteous of you, Prince Vegeta. You must accept sometime. I refuse to argue anymore. You can't keep fighting me each step along the way. We are soul mates. There is no competition."

Vegeta turned away. "I want my wife back."

"I am your wife, damn it!" Bulma ran in front of him, waving her arms. "I am your wife. I'm still beautiful and intelligent and your best friend. Remember me?" She pounded her chest. "I remember the first time I held you. I remember the day I realized I was in love with you. I remember my soul caving in after learning that you committed suicide to save us."

"You have always been beautiful to me, Bulma, even when I could not stand you after I came to Earth."

Bulma stepped back, dropping her head. "God, you can be…"

"Such an asshole," Vegeta said, smirking. "Yes, I know."

Bulma paused and then erupted with laughter. Vegeta's eyes softened watching her. She could laugh at just about anything when she wasn't badgering others to submit to her will.

She held out her left hand. "Let's be normal for a bit, hmm? Have chai with me. It's your favorite." Vegeta stared at her wedding ring.

"I know that, Bulma…"

"Please? I'll bring it upstairs. It's still early. You aren't training until later. I know that."

Vegeta finally took her hand. "Fine." He fingered through her hair and nodded.

Bulma exhaled as he left, pulling a tiny vial filled with white powder from her pocket. Vegeta would be fine. He had been more tired than usual, she thought, so this would help him feel better. It would be the first and last time. She just needed lots more time to get things done. Trunks would watch Sorrel. She would tell him that she would be in the compound for a while and didn't want to be disturbed. She could call later. She just couldn't have Vegeta asking more questions after the stunt she pulled.

After they finished their beverages, Bulma climbed on her knees behind Vegeta on the bed, rubbing his rock-hard shoulders until he leaned back. There had been music playing in the background, and Bulma's light touches felt like nectar pouring through his limbs. He felt happy, warm and in love with the most wonderful woman in the universe. He was aroused by the texture of her clothing rubbing against him. Bulma looked down, pushing a finger between his lips. His eyes were dilated. He was ready. She leaned over to kiss him until he pulled her in front, burying his head into her chest.

"I… missed… you," he whispered, pushing his pulsating hardness deep inside of her. "I missed you."

Bulma could barely moan. That's how good it felt. Afterward, she stroked Vegeta's head while he slept. His slumber was deep, and he wouldn't awaken fully for hours. Seeing him that way aroused her just as much as their active lovemaking did earlier. The drug she gave him released his pent up frustrations, she believed, and she was overwhelmed by the erotic urge to have him again before leaving. So she did.

She kissed his neck from the back and fondled him until his body shuddered. His reaction time was slow, and his touches unsteady, but she liked that too. Her hands moved across buttocks, which she caressed until sinking below the bedsheets to perform fellatio. Vegeta moved and gasped through it all – even crying out her name - but he didn't wake up. She stopped before he climaxed, sliding back up to lick his lips and stroke his penis again. She held him until he finally reached his peak and came all over her legs.

"You needed this," she said in his ear, biting her lips. "You'll feel much better when you wake up later."

Bulma didn't feel like she had taken advantage of her husband in the moment. It just felt good. Sure, they had drunk sex together before, but each agreed that they could "play around," because the other person would likely wake up for even better sex later. All of it was consensual.

Then the moment passed. She covered her mouth as her eyes widened. What had she done? Was she imagining things? She had used her husband's body sexually without his full awareness or permission. Only one word defined her actions – a terrible one. The drug, created by her father, was set aside to use on any Saiyan who went berserk – if anyone got close enough to dispense it without being cremated. Bulma hadn't given Vegeta anywhere near a full dose. He would have been knocked out for days.

Who was that person? She covered her eyes until her mind stopped spinning. Did this really just happen? She would never, ever do it again. She hadn't planned to take it this far. This was beyond horrible, and she didn't deserve to cry over it. She still had to see Kaleb, though. She still had to see him. His voice replayed in her head like a broken record. She had to destroy Vegeta's hesitance about their relationship and achieving his destiny.

But she just betrayed his trust in the worst way, more so than ever, and without his knowledge. She retrieved her clothing and stumbled out of the room, gasping for air.

"I'm so sorry, Vegeta. I'm so sorry."

"Are you all right, Cress?"

Feeling cold, Bulma rubbed her arms. "I'm okay."

"Very good," Gohan said, pulling out chair. "Have a seat. How are the nightingales?"

"They're lovely." Bulma rubbed her temples. Her subconscious mind was trying to make a connection. It felt good when Gohan said the word, but the effect was clouding her judgement more. She would sink into a hole and re-emerge more uninhibited than before.

Gohan frowned. The post-hypnotic suggestions had worked out well for a while, he thought, but something wasn't right with her. Something far different. "Are you sure you're okay? Let me get some water."

"I don't want any water." Bulma looked up at him, stone-faced. "Let's get one thing straight. I call the shots on securing my husband's agreement - not you."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Gohan said. "What is this really about? What did you do?"

Bulma waved him off. "You may think you know my husband well, Kaleb, but you don't know one-eighth of what I do. I don't need any more suggestions from you. Do your job, and I'll do mine."

Gohan couldn't see Bulma's aggressiveness resulting from anything he'd done to her - maybe. Perhaps she was hyper-hormonal. She had to be tested again, nonetheless. Whatever it was affecting her couldn't continue. Worse case would be dragging Tights in quietly to help. He disliked the idea, but he would do it if necessary. Bulma couldn't self-destruct. Not on his watch. Not this time. They had come too far.

"Okay, I understand, Cress. Did something happen with Vegeta or Sorrel earlier? You seem agitated."

"No." She shook her head. "They're both fine. Let's just go."

"As you wish."

Notes: Essentially Gohan has two large problems. First, are others conspiring against him? Second, can he keep Bulma on track? He's not worried about the first problem as much, to be honest. Vegeta hasn't killed him yet, so that's enough for his peace of mind. Goku may factor into this prominently later. I also suspect some of you are wondering (maybe angrily) how Bulma could do those things to Vegeta. It's just not like her. Maybe not, but how much of her thoughts and reactions are grounded in reality? Did she do everything she thought she did or only some of it? Also, Piccolo may be in cold storage for now, but he hasn't disappeared.