Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put them in. Everything else belongs to somebody else and that's just the way it's gotta be. Thanks to all my loyal readers out there, hope you enjoy and review this latest chapter.

From Laboring to Loving

The first thought that crossed Vegeta's mind as he stared down at his son was that the child was on the ugly side. He was small, incredibly tiny and was rather red, like he was blushing all over for some strange reason. Not to mention the hideously cutesy pink and blue blanket, which didn't help any. In fact, as far as he could tell, the Saiyan tail was the only thing that made it abundantly clear that this was a future Saiyan warrior. He hoped. Oh by the gods he hoped.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Laying a kiss on her son's downy head Bulma smiled up at Vegeta, looking very much the serene Madonna for the moment. The tail had been a bit of a shock to the midwife but she'd pulled through admirably, all things considering. It was going to cost her a fair bit to buy the woman's silence on it but she'd seen that one coming a mile away. The head of Capsule Core having a child with a tail was big news after all and the gossip mags would print it up like wildfire if they caught wind of even the chance that it could be true. Now she would just have to arrange for said tail to be removed and all would be right with the world, Bulma thought to herself as she nuzzled her cheek against her little boy's. "He's the most beautiful baby in the galaxy."

Rather taken aback by this, seeing as she'd been screeching like a harpy only hours before, Vegeta thought it wise to hedge his bets and not disagree with her about the child's looks, however wrong she might be. Then again, he'd almost prefer her yelling at him to looking all soft and dreamy like she was now. That was freaking him out more than a little bit. "He looks just like you." Apparently that was the right thing to say because her smile widened and she looked the way she did after she was half way through a bowl of ice cream. Yup, she was one happy human all of a sudden. Maybe the midwife had given her drugs? That would explain it.

"Do you want to hold him?"

Raising an eyebrow Vegeta looked from the baby to Bulma and that back again, his face saying it all. "No." Something that small and delicate? He'd break him without even trying. Besides, holding the child was her job, he decided, not willing to risk it. This was the only son he'd ever have after all and he didn't even want to think about what she'd try to do to him if he so much as touched the baby the wrong way.

"Why not?" A pout starting to form on her lips it was obvious that Bulma didn't like his answer one little bit.

"Do you really think you can trust me to do that properly?"

Having to admit he had a point Bulma figured it was pretty safe to assume that Vegeta had never held a child, much less a baby in his life. Plus, he hated to take instruct from anyone, especially from her when it came to the proper way to do things. In other words, she had to find another way to start the whole bonding process between father and son because there was no way she could count on that happening naturally. Turning the logistics around in her mind she came up with a feasible Plan B that while painful, would get her what she wanted. "Okay, then we'll do this." Shifting over more so that he had more room she instructed him to sit on the bed properly with his back against her headboard and his legs stretched out in front of him. Gritting her teeth against the pain moving caused Bulma slowly and carefully maneuvered herself onto Vegeta's lap, holding the baby against her with one arm while using the other for leverage as she slid into a more comfortable position.

"What are you doing?" Vegeta demanded to know, unable to move since doing so would obviously hurt her more. Not that he didn't like her in his lap but this was neither the time nor the place.

"Holding him..for you." She explained, settling back against his warm, solid chest with a grateful sigh of relief. Shifting her hold so that she was once again holding Trunks in both arms Bulma turned her neck slightly so that she could see Vegeta looking at her like he thought she was an idiot. "Now put your arms under mine."

Refusal was at the tip of his tongue but she had just gone through hours of labor and this did seem to mean a lot to her. His eyes clearly conveying that he was doing this against his will Vegeta lifted his arms and wrapped them around her waist, just under her own arms so that they looked like they were both supporting their sleeping son. Annoyed by the smug smile that crossed Bulma's lips Vegeta turned his gaze back to his son, looking the boy over again as the child slept on. Maybe it wasn't so ugly after all, he decided, watching the small hand move in sleep, fisting against his mother's breast. The child would never be the beauty his mother was but looks weren't that important, in the grand scheme of things. In fact, his son was already making fists, Vegeta realized, pleased with the idea. Probably dreaming of battle, already willing to fight and do his race proud. Feeling warmer towards his small son now Vegeta figured that with plenty of food and training the height problem could be overcome and surely the boy's skin would become a more natural shade given time. Yes, maybe the boy had potential after all. Lifting one hand Vegeta brushed a finger against the delicate skin of Trunk's hand, watching the tiny fingers flex against his own. That's right, Vegeta thought, smiling slightly as he watched those tiny fingers shift against his own. I'm your father and I won't let your mother turn you into some weak momma's boy like Gohan is. No, you're going to be one bad ass Saiyan and you're going to kick Gohan's butt, just like I'm going to kick his father's one of these days. In fact, we can kill them both together. Doesn't that sound nice? Already planning all the things he had to teach his son now that he knew it was indeed a boy Vegeta decided he was glad he'd gotten her with child. Maybe this was a blessing, rather than the curse he'd assumed it would be. A son, Vegeta thought to himself. He had a son.

Surprised by the show of affection Bulma instinctively looked up, her breath catching in her throat at the look on her former lover's face as he gently brushed a finger against his son's hand. Love was too tame an expression to use for the look that had come into Vegeta's eyes, those black depths revealing rather than cloaking his feelings as they so often did. There was a fascination, a softness to them that had never been there before, even in Vegeta's most unguarded moments. Everything was going to be okay now, she realized, finally allowing her eyes to close as she relaxed completely again him. Yes ...everything was going to be okay.

As promised Vegeta stayed for Trunks' first two months, leaving the parenting up to Bulma while he watched from a safe distance. After all, he had to make sure she didn't coddle him too much. Of course he didn't put up much of a fight either when she dragged him into spending time with her and their son, only drawing the line when it came to diapers. He wasn't changing one of those and there was nothing anyone could say to change his mind. After witnessing it being done once, the Saiyan had quickly reached the conclusion that he wouldn't do it even if it meant achieving Super Saiyan status. There was just some lines a Saiyan didn't cross and this was one of them. Finally the week of his departure arrived and the Briefs got busy preparing for his departure, wanting to make sure that he had everything he could need in order to insure he got back in one piece. During that week Bulma could be found most often working on his ship, tinkering around with it and adding new features while Trunks watched from his carrier, happy to be wherever his mother was. Vegeta helped her out as well when he wasn't training and the two fought little for once, Bulma making it clear that she wasn't going to get into any of their usual pissing matches in front of their son, since it couldn't be good for him to hear his parents argue all the time. Secretly it had more to do with her determination to be on good terms with him when he left but the baby was a handy excuse.
Soon the big day arrived and after giving Bulma's father an awkward handshake and suffering through Mrs. Briefs' hugs and blubbering Vegeta bid adieu to Bulma's parents at the house before heading down to where the ship waited with Bulma and their son. Trunks, dressed up in a sailor suit Vegeta had deemed strange but acceptable, was quiet as always, content to simply watch and see what was going to happen next. His lack of crying and sound making in general had freaked out Bulma in the beginning but now she was the envy of every mother she knew. Being the mother of a child that only complained when something was really wrong was a status to be coveted. No, Trunks didn't say much of anything and Bulma couldn't see that changing if the boy intended to emulate his father. Provided of course that Vegeta was around to teach their son how to be a socially inept talker, Bulma thought, looking over at the Saiyan in question from the corner of her eye.

"Is there something you want to say, Woman?" She kept stealing glanced at him and it was really starting to freak him out. Was she up to something? Some plan to make him stay here on Earth rather than continue his training in space? She wouldn't dare, would she?

"Well first, don't call me woman! Secondly no, there isn't anything I want to say to you..for the moment."

Smirking Vegeta led the way to the open hanger, the ship waiting outside for him to climb in and blast off into space. The woman had felt the need to add all sorts of things to it and Vegeta figured he'd be jettisoning plenty of it into space as soon as he got the chance. Women and clutter. One tended to go hand in hand with the other.

Seeing the ship Trunks began to squirm, knowing that that usually meant he would be leaving his mommy's arms to lay in his carrier which wasn't nearly as warm and comfortable. Plus, the ship made a lot of noise and his sensitive ears didn't like that either.

"There there, it's all right. And don't you roll your eyes at me like that, Vegeta." Rocking her fretful son Bulma made soothing noises, giving Vegeta a dark look for rolling his eyes at what he considered babying. Well of course it was babying, she thought as she stuck out her tongue at him. Trunks was a baby after all.

"I'll roll my eyes if I want to."

"Now who's being childish?"

His turn to give the dark look Vegeta pointedly ignored her as he pulled out the device needed to open the ship's door, the hatch opening without a sound to emit its passengers. Since he knew talking her out of it was impossible Vegeta let her get in, looking everything over one last time while Trunks sat on the floor, fiddling with the laces on his father's boots while Vegeta watched him from above, tolerating it for the moment, since the boy had yet to figure out how to actually undo the laces Vegeta had taken to double knotting for this very reason. "Are you done yet?" He asked, tiring of standing still after only a couple minutes.

"Nearly done." Was her response from the cockpit.

Hearing the definite sound of tinkering Vegeta let out a deep huff, leaning down to reluctantly scoop up his son, gingerly holding him the way he'd seen Bulma do a thousand times. Unfortunately he wasn't allowed to leave the baby by himself. Vegeta had learned that the hard way. Walking over to the baby carrier Bulma had left inside by mistake Vegeta quickly had his son secured in it which caused Trunks to frown mightily up at him, not appreciating the change in scenery at all. Just to be safe Vegeta set the carrier on the floor and giving his son his set of house keys to play with went off to stop Bulma from whatever it was she was doing.

Lifting her head at the sound of his arrival Bulma gave him a fierce look at the sight of him sans their infant son. "Where's Trunks?" Getting to her feet her expression said there was going to be hell to pay if she didn't like his answer.

"He's stuck in his carrier, playing with my keys." Used to this response Vegeta could understand why women were considered at their most dangerous when it came to protecting their children. Whatever the species, they seem to instinctively try to tear you to shreds if you messed with their babies in any way.

The fiery look receding from Bulma's eyes she decided that was okay, even though she wasn't thrilled about the fact that Vegeta hadn't brought Trunks, carrier and all, with him. "I was just making one last adjustment."

"Right." Clearing not buying that excuse Vegeta slid into his seat at the helm, looking over at her pointedly as if to tell her to get her butt out so that he could be on his way.

Taking the hint Bulma tried not to take it too personally. After all, the sooner he left the sooner he was coming back, right? "Did you say good bye to Trunks?"

"Yes." Actually, all he'd done was pat the boy on the head but it wasn't like the kid would have understood a good bye anyway. Trunks was only two months after all and the kid preferred his mother to him anyway. He wouldn't be missed surely and he'd be back soon enough. Hopefully by then the training could begin or at the very least some words would be nice, instead of that nonsensical babbling only Bulma and her mother could understand.

Tempted to make him do it again, just in case he was lying, Bulma decided not to push it. Damn, this was good bye then, Bulma realized, knowing that there was no way she was going to be able to stall him anymore. He was ready to go and there was nothing she could say or do that was going to change that. Taking a deep breath she walked over to stand beside the chair, watching him watch her from his seated position. "Come home safe." Leaning forward she wrapped her arms around his startled neck, nuzzling her cheek against his for a moment in an instinctive show of affection. And need. God but she needed him to come home safe.

The unexpected physical contact snapped something inside him, Vegeta's body reacting to a need he hadn't allowed to surface in such a long time. Reaching out his own arms wrapped around her waist, yanking her onto his lap as his lips descended to hers, capturing them in a fierce kiss that threatened to consume her with its all consuming intensity. Shifting in his lap so that she was straddling him Bulma gave back as good as she got, starving for the taste of him as her nails dug into the tough, muscular shoulders that strained in reaction to her frantic touch. His left hand moved to cup her rear while his other slide under and up her shirt, Vegeta trailed his fingers along her spine in a way that had her arching closer, shuddering at the slow, sweeping caress of those calloused fingers. Unable to get close enough, to taste and feel all that had been denied them for so long the air was thick with desperate needs and gasps for breath in between drawn out shudders and moans. No words were spoken, none were needed as they moved restless against one another, unable to break physical contact as their mouths and tongues acted out what their bodies longed to do but were as yet denied.

Lips moving from her swollen lips to her neck Vegeta fought for control as he kissed a wet trail down her shivering flesh, hungry for the taste, the scent, the shape that was hers and hers alone. Want her? No, it was far beyond that by now. He needed her now. Needed her the way he needed air to breath and food to eat. He couldn't imagine not needing her anymore. At the moment, he couldn't think why he'd ever thought that was a bad thing. Now all his thoughts were for her and having her as much as possible before he left, before he had to go without her for however long it took to become man enough to be both her lover and the Saiyan he had to be.

"Vegeta." His name all her brain could manage to come up with Bulma moved restless against him, straining for more even as she wished for it to never stop.

Burying his face against her neck for a moment Vegeta inhaled the scent of her damp skin against his face, taking a moment to get himself under control, knowing what he had to do even as he fought against it. This was not the time, this was not the place. Pulling his head away he looked up and into her eyes, watching their beautiful blue depths meet his own as they struggled to focus. "I have to go." He said simply, his breathing slowly returning to normal, the hand against her back becoming a long, slow sliding up and down her back in an almost soothing gesture. "You need to go and get Trunks and see me off."

Ducking her head so that he couldn't see her eyes as she got herself under control Bulma took some slow, calming breaths of her own. then slowly slide off his lap, standing in front of him with her head held high, tears she refused to shed in her eyes. "You'll be back soon?"

"I promise."