A/N: There's a bit of jump in time here so don't be confused, ok. ;)

"With the new materials we've gotten from Planet Euri, we'll finally be able to finish the installing plumbing and irrigation units in even the most remote areas of the planet. With those installed we can decide which areas need to focus on what resource," Bulma reported as she scanned her eyes over the clipboard, "Given that the Celrei region has such rich soil we might make them in charge of crops…"

"Celrei's weather is too rainy to rely on them for that," Vegeta cut her off. "All of the crops in that area would be washed out before anything worthwhile could be grown. The Rudabaga region is a far more stable and is centrally located for optimal shipping throughout the planet."

"But the Rudabaga region has terrible soil! Nothing would grow there."

"That's why we ship some of the enriched soil from Celrei and mix it with the Rudabaga's soil. Then the land there can become more prosperous."

"Then what do you suggest for the Celrei region then?"

Vegeta smirked enjoying the annoyed tone in Bulma's voice as she continually tried to find some flaw to his plans. It had been four years since his Father had accepted Bulma Briefs help and in that time she had not only found ways to improve everyone's way of life but by using her business skills had negotiated with several planets and set up a universal trading route.

And in that time Vegeta had made it part of his schedule everyday to not only check in on her work but to also study the archives to learn about everything his planet had to offer. He was amazed to learn that not everywhere on Vegetasei was desert-like like the city areas surrounding the palace. There were areas filled with dense forests and areas with grass as far as the eye could see. By studying the financial books he learned more about what their ancestors had relied on for currency before the time that they were employed by the Cold Empire. And by studying the Tuffle Ruins, while waiting for Bulma to finish her work at Capsule Corporation, he learned about the benefits of modernization and often applied his findings to Bulma's potential designs, often surprising her when his ideas improved her own. He loved it when she became frustrated at him finding a flaw in her work and often tried to turn things around in her favor by bringing up some paperwork that she assume he didn't bother reading.

'Too bad for you, Woman, I'm not the one that's misinformed this time,' he thought as he grabbed a file and tossed it to her. "As you can see, upon further research in the mountains of the Celrei region our men have found that there are areas rich in minerals. We need to build a refinery that will allow us to make our own source of metal instead of depending as heavily as we are on off planet sources."

Bulma's eyes narrowed as she read and re-read the report given to her. "Why wasn't I given this report?"

"Your scientists said that you weren't to be bothered for any reason so the report was sent back to me."

Bulma huffed and placed her hands on her hips, "Are you telling me that you sent important paperwork to me at a time that you knew that no one could give it to me because you threatened that anyone who bothered me while I was upgrading your gravity trainer up to withstand 500x g's would lose their job?"

"You had told me that installing such a simple upgrade would only take an hour so I had figured that you would have been done by that time," Vegeta shrugged, enjoying her increasingly tense frame. "Looks like I expected too much from you."

"Don't you dare try to pass this off as my fault! When you had sent saying that you were finished with training so I could go install the upgrade you neglected to tell me that you and Kakarot had damaged it as much as you did. Of course it took more than an hour since I had to practically rewire the entire motherboard."

"Well perhaps if you remembered that Kakarot and I have higher power levels than most and that my training equipment shouldn't be the same generic design that you give everyone else then it would break down so easily."

"The design is specified for your levels but it's not made for continued use at the maximum level while you two jump around for eight straight hours. No machine can handle that."

"Then shouldn't you design one that can?" He asked as he cocked his head to the side with a lazy smirk.

Bulma stomped her foot, "Why don't you make it yourself if you think it can be improved further, you spoiled, arrogant bastard," she yelled back.

"ENOUGH!" King Vegeta yelled making the room's two other occupants jump as they had completely forgotten that he was there. "I can see that you two get a lot done 'debating' like this but not in my study. For now, I'll have to say that we should move ahead and implement the ideas you've discussed. Vegeta: I don't want you threatening Bulma's employees from doing their work. If it's something important like this it needs to get to her. Bulma: I know it's frustrating, but could you please find a better design for training rooms? Our people are not used to restraining themselves."

Sighing, Bulma turned to face the King again. "I'm sorry but I just can't accept that. If they want to spar that roughly, why don't they just fight outside where there's more room?"

"Because we don't get the effects from the increased gravity, of course," Vegeta answered as if it was the most obvious thing that anyone could see.

"But why? Shouldn't we be focused more on peace than on training for war?"

"I would rather rip my tail off than make peace with the Cold Empire. They're acting as if they want to but I know that they're up to something."

"And yet they've done nothing during all of the time that I've been here. What, are you going to attack them based on the sewer system they made for you? That could have just been a flaw in the architect's design. Did you ever think of the possibility that he just didn't know that that was a main source of drinking water?"

"Yes, Bulma, we did," King Vegeta answered this time "which is why we never brought it up to them. There's no proof of ill intent but that's not the only reason we're expecting that something is up. We've also captured several spies from the Cold Empire."

"Spies? Couldn't they have just been people visiting?"

"I would be okay with accepting that if they had admitted that they were from the Cold Empire in the first place. Instead they have been coming here with false paperwork claiming to be from other, non-related planets."

"Well I don't blame them seeing as how you'd probably not let them in if they just admitted the truth."

"I understand your disbelief, Bulma, but for us it's enough to prepare for the worse. So I'll be expecting more out of your equipment."

"I… yes, your Majesty," Bulma replied knowing that further discussion on the subject would just be ignored.

"Now then, I'll see you two later."

Bulma and Vegeta both got up and left the room. Despite the fact that they were both going in the same direction, they kept to themselves: Bulma brooding, Vegeta enjoying her brood and wondering what he could say to agitate her further.

"Don't say anything," Bulma hissed through her clenched teeth.

"What are those domestic felines you mentioned called? You sound like a tiny version of one of those."

"Kittens. And I might be adorable like one," she smiled at him a fluffed her hair before glaring at him again, "but even kittens have teeth and will attack if prodded too much."

"Yes, you've shown your teeth before when you were trying to negotiate with the Euriopian Royalty. I do recall having to step in and finish that in your place after they tried to have you removed."

"Do you blame me? Every time your Father sets up a meeting about setting up a trade route with these planets the royals are all for it but the second they see me they sneer and refuse to take me seriously."

"Perhaps they're allergic to kittens," Vegeta suggested easily catching the clipboard she threw at him.

"This isn't a joke. I can't believe how narrow minded these people are. At least the King understands that work has to be done before results can happen. They honestly wondered why it would take a month to set up a trade route between planets that only takes one week of travel. Um, hello? Resource gathering, setting up shipping stations, currency conversion."

"Well it's done now so there's no point in worrying about it."

Bulma's fury was suddenly gone, replaced by a sad look that made Vegeta's gut twist in a way he hadn't experienced in years. "Yes, it's done now. Thanks to you. And the next time it'll be exactly the same; either you or your Father having to seal the deal. Because that's how it'll always be. No matter how much work I do it'll never amount to anything in those people's eyes because I wasn't born in a palace."

Vegeta had nothing to say to her comment. There was nothing to say after all. The system was not something that could be changed, though he had to admit that the subject had crossed his mind several times during the years. While researching the planet to be ready to face Bulma head on he had also became aware that all of the Saiyans living outside this area were classified as being third class meaning that the only Saiyans that labeled as elite class were the few thousand living in the city. At first he had pushed this knowledge aside deeming it as unnecessary since the social class system didn't need to change but the more he thought about it the more he realized that the planet's defense forces were possibly lacking because of this pre-ordained divide. Should he really sit back and accept the elites as the best soldiers simply because of their bloodline or was it worth looking into.

A ringing sound interrupted his thoughts. Bulma stopped and reached into her pocket pulling out her phone. "Bulma Briefs speaking."

"Bulma, you need to get to Capsule Corporation now!"

"Chichi! Why are you at work?" Bulma yelled at her angrily as she walked over to the railing, looking off at the horizon as if she was trying to see Capsule Corporation despite the distance. "You know that you're on bed rest."

Vegeta watched as Bulma talked to her assistant, Chichi he reminded himself. It was hard to forget the name when it was all Kakarot seemed to talk about these past few years. First it was how he wanted to pursue her, then about how she had accepted his advances. Next it was about how they were going to be mated. Nowadays it was more and more about the birth of his first son. The due date was coming up quickly so it was easy to see why Bulma was so worried for her.

"I know but this is an emergency. Something's wrong with the power supply at Capsule Corporation."

"What?"

"Yes. The computers, the equipment, the lights and air conditioning. Everything is down."

"I can't believe this. I'll get my things and go as soon as possible."

"Should I send Kakarot over to bring you? We really need this done now."

"Yes, that will be fine."

Vegeta grabbed her arm. "No," at Bulma's glare, Vegeta added. "It'll take him an hour to get here."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"…I'll take you. This might be a case of sabotage by the Cold Empire so I should go and investigate anyway."

"Oh please, not this again."

Chichi's voice cut through. "It would be faster though. We need to get this stuff running soon or else we'll never make the quota for this next order."

"Fine. I'll be there in a little over an hour," she confirmed as she hung up. "I don't know what your problem is."

"My problem is that you're standing here talking instead of getting what you need. I'd like to get this over with soon, if possible."

"Ugh, fine. Stay here. I'll be right back." She then turned and quickly jogged down the corridor in the direction of her room.

Meanwhile Vegeta leant back against the wall, waiting impatiently for her to get back. He knew that it would have been easier for him to let Kakarot come and pick her up but the thought of him flying her still didn't sit well with him. Despite Kakarot being mated and having no feelings for Bulma outside of 'friendship' he still held some resentment for the man.

He felt someone crash into him and he looked down to tease Bulma about her clumsiness when he realized that it wasn't her but one of the palace's pleasure slaves.

"Oh I'm so sorry, sire, I truly didn't mean to run into you," she said shaking as if she expected to be killed at any moment. Instead Vegeta just ran his eyes down her figure, taking in her sheer garment, rose colored skin, and delicate features. Upon noticing his look she jumped to the obvious conclusion. "Ah, I sorry. Is there, um, is there something I can do for you?" She asked, shaking more and she bowed in the way that she had been taught while presenting herself.

Vegeta kept his eyes glued on her wondering what was different. Four years ago he would have already ordered her to be in his bedroom before he returned that evening. Yes Saiyan women were fine, strong women but he preferred the more exotic looking ones, the ones that looked like they'd be soft to the touch. So it was odd to him that he was seeing an exotic looking woman, that was still close enough to a Saiyan physique to not be strange and not feel any lust for her.

"No. Watch where you're going next time." At the woman's confused look, he turned away and added, "You may go now."

He didn't even pay attention to her bow again before running past him as fast as she could. All he could think about was what happened, or rather what didn't happen. 'When was the last time I slept with a woman?' The fact that he couldn't remember was warning enough that something was possibly wrong with him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Bulma's voice rang through the hall as she walked towards him.

Vegeta took in Bulma's appearance, noting that she had on a pair of denim shorts that reached mid thigh and a loose tank top that was already dirty with grease. It was nothing to look at, especially compared to the scanty outfit the pleasure slave had been wearing but for some reason it was affected his libido much more. He had tried over the years to not see Bulma as an object of lust and any frustration he had felt had pushed into teasing and taunting her but at the moment he couldn't help but remember that he would be carrying her for an hour.

Once they were both outside, Bulma reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and he found that it required more effort than usual to just pick her up instead of pressing the rest of her body into his. Soon, though, she was settled into his arms.

"Here we go. Just make sure you keep your hands to yourself, okay?" Bulma said with a teasing wink. If only she knew.

'Ugh, why me?' Vegeta questioned, taking a deep breath and grabbing hold of his deepest control before blasting off into the sky.

There we go, four years later, one year before the first two chapters. Hopefully it wasn't too confusing. Anyway, I hope you're still liking this story, only two more chapters left. Thanks for reading. Feel free to review, I love getting feedback.