Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for Ima and Appura

A/N: This is set about two months after the last chapter. I don't know when I'll be uploading the next chapter as I've got a wedding to go to this weekend so bear with me and I'll get number 6 up ASAP.

Chapter 5

Home Invasion

Appura watched as her mother paced up and down in front of her. Today was the day, Ima had promised to reveal who her mystery lover was. She'd been going out with him a couple of times a week every week since that first date. Appura even knew that he'd stayed overnight at least once because she'd heard the door opening and closing and hushed voices. Her mother had even stayed at his a couple of times. It had been going on for three months now and finally Ima felt ready. "Ok," said Ima, finally coming to a stop, "Ok, so he's going to be here soon but you have to promise two things. First, don't freak out, second, don't tell your dad because he'll freak out even more."

"M...Mom, it'll be fine," said Appura, "Please tell me."

"Ok," said Ima taking a deep breath and sitting down opposite Appura, "It's Yamcha." Appura's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Y...Y...Yamcha?" said Appura, "You've been dating Yamcha? You're having Bulma's sloppy seconds?"

"She had mine," said Ima defensively, "But that's not the point. The point is, we've been going out and I actually really like him. He's been nothing but a gentleman."

"Mom, you know how he treated B...B...Bulma," said Appura, crossing her arms, "All those stories of him going out with other girls while claiming he loved her. It drove her so crazy that she jumped into bed with d...dad just to get back at him!"

"He's different now," said Ima, "In the whole three months we've been dating, he hasn't been near another woman. I would have been able to smell it if he had." Appura tried to find some flaw in her mother's logic but could find none. She sighed.

"If he makes you happy, m... mom, then that's fine by me," she said, "But you will have to tell Dad eventually. Or maybe you plan on telling him right when you push out Yamcha's kids?"

"That's enough sass off you, young lady," said Ima, "Look, I'll tell your dad when I'm sure he won't freak out too much but for now, it's our secret. Now, we're going out tonight, will you be ok on your own? I know that you're staying here because your dad and Bulma have got a house full tonight."

"I'll be fine, mom, I'm a big girl now," said Appura, "I think I can survive one night on my own. Plus, if I need anything, the Son family are staying at Capsule Corp, G...Goku can be here in under three seconds."

"How'd I get an amazing kid like you?"

"You're just lucky!" said Appura, smiling.

Appura woke just a little before midnight that night. She thought she'd heard something. Her eyes darted around in the darkness but she couldn't see anything. She sniffed. There it was, the unmistakable stench of a stranger. Thank Kami for a Saiyan's sense of smell. She heard glass breaking and realised that someone was breaking in. She slowly reached up to the phone next to her bed. She held it to her ear. There was no dial tone, they'd cut the line. She gulped. She heard glass being crushed under someone's foot. She started to panic. Her first night home alone and someone was breaking in.

Ima smiled as Yamcha poured her another glass of red wine. She cautiously checked her cell phone. Nothing. No calls or messages from Appura. She was probably in bed asleep. "I'm glad you still wanted to come out tonight," said Yamcha as Ima looked back up from her phone, "There's something I wanted to ask you." He put the bottle back down on the table and reached into his pocket. "Ima, I love you," he said gently. Ima's stomach tied itself in knots.

"I love spending time with you and well..." he said, "Will...will you marry me?" Ima gasped. She had not expected that. "Yamcha, I..." she stuttered.

"I understand if you want to say 'no' and leave it for a while," said Yamcha quickly, "It's...complicated obviously because of Vegeta and Appura but I just wanted you to know how I felt."

"Yamcha...I...yes," said Ima, "Yes."

"You...really? You mean it," said Yamcha, his face lighting up.

"Yes," said Ima, smiling. Yamcha beamed and stood up. He leant over the table and gave her a kiss before reaching back into his pocket and pulling out a ring. Ima smiled up at him, trying to remember the last time she was as happy as she was at that moment and she knew exactly when that had been; the day she had given birth to Appura.

Appura sniffed the air. She could identify two distinct scents. Two men. She lay frozen in fear in her bed. Despite being a full-blooded Saiyan, she had been raised on earth in relative peace and did not possess the innate bravery her father and Goku did. The two men were making their way closer and closer to her bedroom. Appura closed her eyes, hoping to feign sleep if the two men should come in. 'Help,' she thought, 'someone, please, help me!'

Gohan couldn't sleep; he just lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling. Something wasn't right but he couldn't figure it out. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind, but it didn't work. He sat up and put his feet on the floor. He could hear his father downstairs with Vegeta and Bulma. His mother was already in bed and Goten and Trunks were asleep in Trunks' room. He stood up, put on his clothes and headed back downstairs. Bulma, Vegeta and Goku were relaxing in the main sitting room, the TV on in the background. Goku was telling a story, Bulma was laughing between sips of her rosé wine while Vegeta was nursing a half-empty glass of red. He clearly had something else on his mind but neither Goku nor Bulma noticed as they continued talking over each other. Gohan shut the door behind him a little more forcefully than was necessary. Bulma and Goku stopped talking immediately and looked over at him.

"Hey Gohan," said Bulma, "Can't you sleep?" Gohan shook his head.

"Come sit down, your dad and I were just talking about the first time we met Yamcha," she said. Gohan sat on the sofa next to Vegeta, who was still staring at his wine glass. Gohan tried to relax and leant against the back of the sofa as Bulma and Goku resumed talking. It didn't work; he was agitated and restless. He sat up and then leant forward, resting his forearms on his upper legs. The window was opened, allowing a cool breeze into the room. Gohan closed his eyes and took a deep breath in through his nose. He saw something in the back of his mind. It was Appura lying on her bed, frozen in fear. Two strange men were in her house. Gohan's eyes flew open and he stood up. "Whoa! Where's the fire, Gohan?" said Goku, laughing. Gohan turned his head to look at Vegeta. The Saiyan Prince nodded. He felt it too. Gohan ran from the room with Vegeta just behind him, heading for the main door. He didn't have time to put shoes on, all his thoughts were of Appura and how he needed to save her. He pushed the main door open and took straight to the air. He'd never flown so fast in his life; he was directing himself purely on instincts. His Saiyan senses had picked up on the scent of Appura's fear and the scent of two strange men in her house. He didn't even know how he knew she was in trouble; he just knew she needed help.

Appura pulled the covers over her head. The men were just outside her door. She was absolutely paralyzed with fear. Tears leaked out her eyes as she begged herself not to break down and start crying. She heard the door handle turn and the door opened. "There she is," said one of the men. She heard them start coming forward. She could see them now her eyes were used to the dark from the gap between her covers and her mattress. She heard the rustle of clothing as they extended an arm towards her. Her Saiyan fighting instincts kicked in for a second and she swung her leg, catching the guy behind his knee. He dropped to one knee, banging his chin on the bedside table. Appura rolled over and out of bed. She dodged around the two men and ran out the bedroom.

She ran into the hallway but didn't get too far. She felt two arms grab her around her waist and brought her to the ground, winding her. She rolled over but felt a fist collide with her face and then another with her stomach. She coughed and spluttered and readied herself for the next hit. But it didn't come. She heard another window break. "What the hell? Who are you?" said one of the men.

"Your worst nightmare," snarled a voice. It was her dad. She felt the weight of the guy on her being lifted off. She heard two yells, two thumps and then silence. The light came on and she blinked. Gohan's face appeared above her. "Appura, are you ok?" he said. His voice shook with worry. He gently held onto her upper arms and lifted her up so she was sitting. She winced. "You're hurt," said Gohan gently.

"I'll be fine," she hissed, her stomach really hurting.

"WHERE THE HELL IS YOUR MOTHER?" barked Vegeta.

"Sh...She...She's out, she's on a date," said Appura. Vegeta was seething.

"I'm gonna call the police," said Gohan quietly and he left Appura alone on the landing with her father.

Ima's smile only faltered once that whole evening and that was when she came home. There were several police cars waiting on the driveway. "Oh Kami," she whispered, letting go of Yamcha's hand as they walked up the drive, "Appura!" She ran the rest of the way with Yamcha just behind her. She burst through the open front door, calling her daughter's name. She was pointed towards the sitting room by a police officer. She ran in and saw her. Appura sat on the sofa, Gohan next to her. Vegeta and Goku were leaning against the wall. "Oh, my baby, are you ok?" she cried, rushing forward, sitting on the opposite side to Gohan and pulling Appura into her arms. "What happened?" she asked.

"Home invasion," said a police officer, "Appura's father and his friends came over when they were unable to put a call through to the house. Looks like they cut the line. We're done here." Ima tightened her hold on her daughter who seemed ok except for some bruises. The officers left. "Where were you?" snarled Vegeta, "Appura says you were on a date, you left her alone!"

"Vegeta, our daughter is an adult now," said Ima, "So excuse me for thinking she'd be ok for one night on her own!"

"Yeah, it's just bad luck, no one's fault," said Yamcha. Vegeta suddenly noticed the man who had stayed by the door. "What are you doing here?" he barked. Yamcha didn't even flinch, he just waited whilst Vegeta put two and two together. "You?" snarled Vegeta, "You're the one Ima has been seeing? You're the reason my daughter was left unprotected?"

"Vegeta!" snapped Ima, still clutching Appura, "I will not allow you to speak to my fiancé that way!"

"F...Fiancé?" stuttered Vegeta, looking from Ima to Yamcha and back again.

"Look, Vegeta, none of this would have happened if you had let Appura learn to fight," said Ima, "It's not like she had the dozen round the clock bodyguards other princesses had, and you're not here all the time either! If this is anyone's fault, it's yours! Now, go, thank you for saving her and looking after her, but I will not have you talk to Yamcha and I like that!" Vegeta snarled and started to leave. Yamcha stepped away from him as the angry prince passed him. Gohan passed him next. He whispered a quick 'congratulations' before hurrying past. Goku was last to leave. He gave Yamcha a friendly bear hug. He was just putting the terrified man down when he heard Ima sing softly:

"Come stop your crying, It'll be alright,
Just take my hand, Hold it tight,
I will protect you from all around you,
I will be here, don't you cry."

Something switched on in the back of Goku's mind and he heard a woman's voice singing,

"For one so small, you seem so strong
My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm
This bond between us can't be broken
I will be here, don't you cry

'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on, now and forever more

You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart always, always."

It sounded distant as if long ago and far away. He shook his head. He'd probably heard it somewhere before. He patted Yamcha on the shoulder again and followed Vegeta and Gohan outside.

A/N: Song is 'You'll be in my heart' by Phil Collins. Now, I'm tempted to write a 'Those Three Years' fic about how Bulma and Vegeta got together? What do people think?