My BIGGEST apologies for keeping you guys waiting!! I am sooo surprised at how well liked this story is! I didn't think it was going to go anywhere honestly, ha. Thanks soo much for the great reviews and in return I'm going to update sooner than what I normally do! Thanks so much everyone!! :D

~Monica

Chapter 9: Understanding

Bulma led Vegeta to the living room and motioned toward the couch for him to sit. He looked at it and shook his head. "You sit," he said softly. She didn't argue.

Vegeta stood before her at his full height, his shoulders straight, and his eyes looking straight ahead at the wall behind her. He stood that way for a moment before letting out a sigh and looking down.

"I was known to have the best speeches back on Vegetasai.." he smirked, "but now.. Why did you lie to me?" he asked with a hard look. Bulma looked down, her fingers fidgeting with each other.

"I was scared.." she whispered.

"I thought so." she looked up to his face. He wore a soft expression while his eyes looked down at the floor; he looked very much like a man with a guilty conscience. She waited for him to continue speaking, but he didn't for a minute. Then he moved his eyes back to hers.

"I was not born a symbol of fear. I was made into one. I fought against it with all my being, but it consumed me." he sighed, "I was taught never feel. But I feel.. Things I've never felt before. I don't know… I don't know how to.. Deal with it. So I felt a feeling I know too well. Anger. I made myself feel it."

He paused and studied Bulma for a second. He noticed her wide blue orbs looking at him curiously. He noticed how she slightly hugged her growing belly, protecting it. Protecting his child. Their child.

He continued to stare at the home that protected their child. "You were protecting it."

Bulma was confused for a second before noticing the direction his eyes were.

"Him."

Vegeta's eyes snapped up to look at hers again. "Him?"

"I had an ultra-sound a little while ago, they told me the sex of the baby. It's a boy." she said softly.

Vegeta looked down at her stomach again, processing the little bit of information Bulma just told him. A boy.. My son.

"You were protecting him." he repeated. Bulma nodded slightly and frowned. Where's he going with all this?

"From me." he whispered.

"Vegeta…I-"

"No. I understand."

"What?" she asked with confusion. Her brows drew together as she looked at Vegeta, trying to study him and this odd behavior.

"You did what your instincts told you. It's what any one.. any saiyan.. would have done." Vegeta turned and walked to the window across from Bulma. She continued to study him. He continued to stand upright and she watched him cross his arms in front of his chest. She smiled at that.

"Vegeta?"

"Hn."

She took that as acknowledgement.

"I'm sorry." he kept his back to her, but she heard him sigh softly.

"Don't be woman."

"But-" she tried again.

"Bulma, stop." she froze at hearing her name. "I will not be like that love sick fool Yamcha. I don't even know if I'm capable of love, but I am capable of regret. I would never physically hurt you or my child. But I understand why you've done what you have."

Bulma stood from the couch and walked over to Vegeta's solid figure, softly cradling her baby in her stomach. He jumped slightly when he felt her hands on either side of his arms. That's when another thing came to Vegeta.

"Why can't I sense your ki?" he asked, not moving around to look at her. She smiled and moved her right arm in front of him, the gold bracelet dangling from her wrist.

"It's able to hide my ki as long as I wear it. Waterproof and pretty much damn near indestructible I'd say." she chuckled to herself.

Vegeta looked at the bracelet. Then he reached for it, placing a hand softly around her wrist and the other on the bracelet. Bulma was shocked momentarily by the feel of his hand on her skin, visions of his hands on other parts of her skin coming to mind. Just as she closed her eyes she felt the bracelet swiftly slid off her wrist. She opened her eyes and looked over Vegeta's shoulder only to watch him crush the bracelet in his hand.

"HEY!" she screamed incredulously.

He smirked, "Not 'damn near indestructible I'd say'." Bulma couldn't help giggling at that.

"Well, I should be ticked off, that thing took awhile to make." she said after a minute of laughing.

"You don't need it." Vegeta said matter of factly.

"I don't?"

Vegeta turned around. He looked into her eyes and rested his hands on her hips, noting the slight curve from her pregnancy.

"No."

Bulma wrapped her arms around his neck and Vegeta lifted his hand to softly caress her cheek. Bulma was sure he was going to kiss her, but then she felt him sigh and pull away.

"Vegeta?"

"Now's not the time for that."

"Why? It's just a kiss.."

"If I kiss you woman, I won't be able to stop myself from taking you right there on that couch."

Bulma's breath caught in her throat. He was dead serious, she could read it on his face, by his body, and in his eyes.

"Guess we'll have to wait on that then." she said with disappointment.

He smirked at her. "Come, we still have a few more things to talk about."

"Like what?" she asked, weaving her arm through his arm as he led her to the couch.

"Like what we're going to call our son."

Bulma smiled at that, "Ok, that sounds pretty important." she giggled slightly. They took a seat next to each other on the couch.

"I was think Vegeta Jr." Vegeta said thoughtfully.

Bulma sighed and rolled her eyes, "Could you be even more in love with yourself?"

"It's a very good name!" he said defensively.

"I like Trunks." she said thoughtfully, ignoring Vegeta's previous statement. He thought for a minute.

"It'll do."

Bulma looked at him in surprise. When he looked at her, she just smiled at him. Trunks. Our son. They both thought at the same time.