Thank you so much for your continuous support, reviews and follows! I'm a writer, who keeps the deadlines, so here is the newest chapter.

Chapter 14

In between

This time, when Vegeta returned to Vegetasei, Bulma was prepared. Even though she hasn't seen him for more than a year, she has spoken with him at several occasions, using the communication devices. Of course it was all work related, still she was happy to see him, even if it was just a virtual image on the screen. He never indicated that he missed her and she tried very hard to repress her own feelings, though sometimes, after those conversations she ended up in her room, sitting in the dark and trying to gather herself. When he arrived back, once again she ended up his room and they had passionate sex. It was clear, how much they craved each other and that year was making it worse. She was simply unable to resist him, not that he had much self-control either, when it came to her. She even though about the possibility to never sleep with him again, but once he returned and they kissed, she knew she wasn't ever serious about it. This time it looked like he will stay for a while and Bulma wanted to enjoy every minute with him, as long as she could. They never spoke about her confession and he never asked again why she was sleeping with him.

"Just confess that you were missing me!" She told to him smiling.

They were in his room once again, already out of their clothes, kissing on the bed wildly.

"As if" He answered with a smirk, then grabbed her and pulled her closer to himself.

As they spent more and more time together, they slowly discovered the pleasures of the foreplay and while there were still times, when he took her almost instantly and roughly, sometimes he was gentle and caring. She never expected him to be able to behave like that, but once again he surprised her. At these times, she felt so close to him, that she almost believed that they had something, that their times spend together wasn't just about sex. Once it was over and she left his room, she knew it was impossible and she was chasing false dreams. Still it was so good to believe it, even if it was just for a split second. As usual, she wanted to leave after they finished, but this time, he grabbed her, pulling her back on his bare chest.

"Vegeta?" She asked, unsure what to think.

He didn't say a word, but the way his strong arm was around her, it was pretty clear he wanted her to stay. That was a first!

"Vegeta?" She whispered again, trying to make out his face in the dark.

"Shut up, Bulma!" He called turning away his face from her.

For some reason, she felt so happy at that moment, that she wanted to cry. She desperately tried to gather herself, knowing how he would despise her for being weak and would never even understand that she wasn't crying because she was hurt; she was crying because she was happy. She snuggled a bit closer and closed her eyes, unable to believe that for the first time ever, she will spend the whole night with him. She expected to be too excited to sleep, but she almost instantly drifted off as she was exhausted.

Vegeta on the other hand had a hard time to fall asleep. When she wanted to get up and he pulled her back, his actions surprised himself just as much as it did her. Was he weak, allowing her so close to himself? It wasn't like he had a choice, it just happened. Despite everything, he knew by now that he cared about her and that frightened him. He never felt anything like this, but fact remained, he enjoyed being with her. More than just physically and that was the worst. He could have accepted the fact that she was making him crazy with her body, but it was so much more than that. When did he past the point of physical craving? Or was it always more than that and he was just too stubborn to recognise it? Since he returned again three month ago, somehow he began to notice how she felt at times. He saw when she was sad, even when she tried to hide it from him. She was fragile; he could have snapped her in two without any effort, yet she was strong. This strength had nothing to do with physical strength, this came inside from her. He never knew that strength also had different variations and he learned it the hard way. Just like the day, he realised that the respect Bulma had around the other slaves, were completely different, from the respect he had among the saiyans. Somehow during the years, his way of seeing certain things changed due to the effect she had on him. As he felt her drifting off to sleep in his arms and felt her warmth and sweet smell, he knew he wanted to have her. Not like this, not in secret, but as a mate. He knew that it was impossible though. Still the thought alone, that he was finally able to confess it to himself made it harder to keep this up. He was 21, he knew he soon had to choose a mate; a saiyan mate. Every saiyan was forced to mate eventually, making sure that they have children, which would help the race to remain alive. Once he will have a mate though, he won't be able to be with her any more. Saiyans, as unlikely as it was, were fateful to their mates, even though they mostly felt nothing for each other. Still, the saiyan law enforced it, to prevent any dispute among them. Their numbers were less and less since centuries, they had to avoid any dispute among their ranks with stern rules and this was one of them.

One morning as Bulma was getting up, she felt a sudden nausea coming over her and she barely made it until the bathroom. As she grabbed the toilet, she was thinking about what she might have eaten to upset her stomach. Sure, she was late, but based on the fact that saiyans were not able to conceive children with alien races, there was no way she was pregnant. Hence, she must have some slight food poisoning. It was easy to believe it that day, but when the same happened the second and the third morning, she began to have her doubts. Also, her breasts felt heavier and she felt fatigue many time during the day. Those were no way related to food poisoning. While her logic told her, she was pregnant, everything what she knew about saiyans, contradicted it. Damn, this planed had no such thing as a pregnancy test and while they had healers and doctors on Vegetasei, Bulma wasn't sure how much knowledge Yaoki and the others had about humans physiology. Sure they had ultrasound devices, but in this early, she would easily miss the foetus as it was quite small.

"You seem to be awfully lost in your own world" Karris stepped to her.

Just then did Bulma realise that she was staring at a scouter for Kami knows how long, with a screwdriver in her hand.

"Yes, it looks like it. Maybe I should take a walk. Do you want to come with me?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I have something, what I want to ask from you." Karris answered and he looked a bit embarrassed.

Bulma smiled, thinking that whatever Karris wants to discuss might help her to get off her mind about her own problems. They walked in silence for a while, when they finally stopped at the fountain, which was made from stone and shaped as a dragon. It was the same place, where she first met Vegeta on her own, after coming to Vegetasei.

"So, what do you want to discuss with me? Is it about Chessa?"

Karris blushed, but by now not very surprised that she already knew. Truthfully he managed to change Chessa's mind about him during the last year and they relationship developed into quite a romantic one. While they never yet got past from kissing, he was sure he was on the right track. Until now.

"I think I did something to her, but I have no idea what! We were on a date, picnicking in the woods as you suggested and we just started kissing, when she suddenly pulled back, with tears in her eyes, while she asked "What do you want from me?" Then she simply left. I have no idea, why! I guess it's because of me, but I just don't see what I did."

"It's easy, I think she is in love with you and she is afraid."

At that point Vegeta walked towards them, but they were so deep in conversation that they never saw him. He cursed, feeling outraged that he found them alone in the garden. Just what the hell was she doing with him? Sure he knew they had to work together but alone in here doesn't really count as working. Bulma was way too familiar with him and even though she spoke about friendship and other retarded human relationship types, he didn't like the fact that she was spending more time with Karris as with him. Sure, she was also on good terms with Kakarott, but he was a clown, he was sure there was nothing going on between them. But Karris… He wanted to get moving, before getting detected and also felt tempted to crush Karris' bones one by one, but his legs refused to move for either purpose and he ended up listening to the following part.

"Afraid of what?"

"That you will hurt her."

"But I would never touch her!"

"You saiyans are so simple minded, when it comes to these things. I'm not talking about physical pain. Hurting somebody from inside, hurting their feelings, that is way more deep as any other pain. If you kill somebody's child, that's more painful, then killing the person herself."

"I have no idea, what you are talking about, I mean she has nobody and…"

"Let me just finish! So hurting a beloved one is also a way to make a person suffer, one way from the many mental pains. In case she loves you (and I think she does), but you don't feel the same way, that can crush her. Being in love with somebody, who is indifferent about you, or toying with you or just craves you physically, it's one of the worst pain, believe me! Being in love, when it cannot possibly end well… there is nothing more painful!"

Even from the distance Vegeta could see, that she was suffering and somehow he felt like she was not just talking about Karris and that woman, but in a way, she was also talking about herself. Had he really hurt her so deeply? Just like Karris, he had no idea, what this other kind of pain was, not really. Then again, it's not like he forced her to be with him! At least he knew that Karris wasn't into her; why would he try to get that other human woman otherwise? He felt strangely relieved knowing this, which led to outrage. Why the hell was he thinking like this?! He decided he heard more than he ever wanted and left quickly, making sure not to make any noise.

"Are you saying, she is afraid, that I'm just toying with her?"

"Something along these lines, yes."

"But that's not true! If I just wanted to have sex, I could have raped her a long time ago!"

"Gee, never tell this to her, otherwise she would never speak with you again!"

"I don't see why, it's the truth!"

"Let's take another approach. What do you want from her now? Now that she loves you."

"I want to take her as my mate! I want to live with her. Not like most of the saiyans live with their mates, though I'm not sure what other way there is."

"Why don't you tell her this?"

"She would never be my mate."

"Maybe not the saiyan way. What is the saiyan way anyhow?"

"Once two saiyans sleep together, they are mates; plain and simple."

"Ok, that might not be the best way. Try the human way; propose to her!"

"What?"

As Karris was listening to the whole Earth tradition he had several doubts. He was an unusual saiyan and he changed a lot since Bulma and Chessa, but this… this was just too much. Bending down to one knee, offering her a ring and asking for her hand? Saiyans chose their mates based on the strength and it wasn't rare that one of the parties were not willing to do the mating. This case, the stronger party won; either the mating was forced upon the unwilling saiyan, or in case the stronger one was unwilling, he (or she) beat up the one who was trying to force the mating and left her (or him) there, on the verge of death. After this, Bulma's advice was coming off somewhat strange.

"If you truly love her, this is the path you should follow" Bulma smiled and left him there, letting him gather his thoughts.

Did he love her? Karris couldn't really answer this question as love in itself was something alien to most of the saiyans. Maybe he did. He never felt anything like this, but does that mean it was love?

A whole week passed and Bulma's morning sickness was not passing. By now, she was sure she was with a child. Sure she could deny it until she will feel the foetus moving inside her, but even without that, she simply knew. That also meant, that she had to tell it to Vegeta; he had the right to know as he was the father. Just thinking about it made her shiver. She was aware that he was never aware that they could have this consequence, just like she never expected this to happen. Who would have thought that from all the races out there, saiyans and humans will be compatible after all? Before she will face him to break the news, she wanted to inspect her own feeling. She was so confused, that at first she had no idea, what she thought about it. Was she sorry? No, not at all. Was she happy? Truthfully, that was a though question. At a 20 years old woman, stranded on an alien planet she never gave any thoughts about having a baby. On Earth, she hardly ever played with dolls, she was much more interested in his father's work and played with wires and toolboxes. Having a child as a slave, wasn't the best idea, though the father is the Prince of all saiyans. What will that mean for the baby? Will he be a member of a royal family; a rightful heir with time, or will he/she be discarded as a common bastard? Regardless how she was thinking about it, she couldn't figure out his reaction at all. He wouldn't be thrilled, that's for sure. To complicate things more, saiyans were not the model parents anyway. Their offspring were sent out in the war from early age on and while later they shared the same living quarters, they were not really acting as a family. The only thing they held big interest in was the power level of their child, nothing else. She has never seen a saiyan crying over the death of a mate or a child. It wasn't necessarily because they were heartless, it was rather because they never were so close, to feel any real loss.

When Vegeta entered his room in the middle of the night, he felt Bulma's Ki. As he walked to the bed, he saw here there, tucked in. First he assumed she was already asleep as her face was facing the other way and he could see her. He undressed and slid next to her, wearing only his boxer.

"Vegeta, is that you?" She asked on a sleepy voice.

"Who else were you expecting?" He asked then heard her chuckle in response.

He put his arm around her and pulled her close. She turned back to face him and kissed him just above his eye-brown.

"We need to talk" She sighed and sit up, turning on the lights.

"We don't" He objected, also sitting up and kissing her.

Bulma needed every bit of her will power to pull back from it and tell him why she came here tonight.

"We really do" She said and squeezed his hand slightly before looking into his eyes.

"Fine, what is it?" The Prince asked defeated.

He knew how stubborn she was, so he decided to let her have her way, before they argue and after two hours she will have her way anyhow.

"I'm pregnant" Bulma said, watching closely for any expression on his face, which would reveal how he felt.

While he tried to keep a stoic face, he failed to; he just felt hurt. This pain was something new, unexpected any very powerful. Did she seriously came here to tell him that she was sleeping around with some guy possibly from Earth? Sure, she wasn't her mate, but wasn't she the one, who stated that she loved him? Or did she finally see how this, whatever they had, could never possibly work out and decided to choose a possible mate? He shouldn't really feel angry about it, with time he will do the same; he will take a saiyan woman as his mate. Still, the fact that she decided to end it first, hurt. He recalled her conversation with Karris from a few days ago "Being in love, when it cannot possibly end well… there is nothing more painful!" The pain he felt was unexpectedly powerful and he had to restrain himself not to grab her arm and shake her. Because despite everything, he didn't want to hurt her; truthfully he was unable to hurt her. As this also hit him and he knew it was the truth, he looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. Finally after what seemed like forever for both of them, he asked on a neutral voice:

"And I should care, why?"

She looked at him, like he just slapped her and that was strange, even from her. What kind of response did she expect?

"You know what? I'm not sure that you should care!" She answered felling how her voice began to rise. "I just felt that I have to tell you, because you are the father, but…"

"What?" He asked and this time he grabbed her, preventing her to leave as she was just about to do so.

Bulma froze as she looked at her shocked face. It was like her words only sunk in now. Or… was he thinking that she was pregnant with somebody's else child? Why would he think something like that? She loved him, she even told him that, so…

"Don't tell me you thought that I was with somebody else?" She asked, testing her theory.

"Of course you were! Maybe you are not aware, but saiyans cannot conceive children with other races!"

"I knew that obviously, but it seems like humans are the exception to that rule, because I was never with anybody else, I never even wanted to be, so do the math; you are the father dammit!"

Again, as unlikely as it sounded, Vegeta could see that she was telling the truth. Yet, what she stated was preposterous, wasn't it? How the hell did she knew at all, that she was with a child? He let go of her arm and placed his palm on her belly, trying to sense the Ki. Even though the foetus might be very small, it already has to have a Ki, as every living creature had one. First he felt nothing, then as he was about to give it up, there was something. He checked it, felt it with his mind and there was no doubt anymore; it was a second Ki coming from her body. As he opened his eye and removed his hand, he met her agonised look.

"You are pregnant" He whispered.

It wasn't really for her sake that he confirmed it, it was like he needed to hear his own voice, stating this fact in order to believe it.

"You could already feel his Ki?" She asked and she sounded excited.

He nodded, not quite trusting his voice to answer. She kept meeting his look and waited for him to say something, say anything, but he remained silent. Finally she spoke up:

"I'm aware, that you never expected this to happen and that this, whatever we do, doesn't mean anything to you…"

She couldn't finish the sentence as he silenced her with his kiss. First, she wanted to object, but her resistant faded almost instantly as he run his hand up her leg. While her head was full with questions, she couldn't really concentrate on any of them; she just felt as the passion grew inside her and she wanted to be with him. This time was the best time from all and she felt really happy. As they lied there next to each other, satisfied and tired, he finally said:

"You are mine now, I took you as my mate!"

"But how? I mean you also told me, that can never happen, so what changed so suddenly?" She asked, leaning her head on her arm, watching his face from close up.

"I… I couldn't possibly take somebody as my mate, who cannot give me heirs. Now that this issue is settled, I took you."

Even though it was semi-dark, Bulma could see that he blushed. Wow, it was a long time ago, that she was able to make him feel embarrassed! But why did he change his mind so suddenly? Was he doing it so, because his unborn child?

"You don't have to make me your mate, out of obligation…" She said.

While she was happy and for an instance it felt like her dreams were come true, she wanted to clear something up. Maybe she was too greedy, but she had no intention forcing herself on him.

"I'm the Prince of all saiyans; I can do, whatever I want and I want you to be my mate!" He grunted.

That's when Bulma lost it, and she couldn't restrain herself any longer. This almost sounded like a love confession from him and while he was too proud and too stubborn to say it out more openly; he just told her, that he loved her. She quickly turned away, trying to prevent him from seeing her tears. However he noticed her sudden change in mood and he rolled her back on her back. He was taken aback by her tears, it was the first time he had seen her cry.

"Why are you crying?" He asked.

"It's nothing" She answered and wanted to turn away, but he pinned her down.

"Are you hurt?"

This time beyond annoyance she could also detect worry in his voice. It turned out he was not such an insensitive, heartless person after all.

"I'm happy!" She answered. "I'm crying because I'm so happy that I cannot bear it."

With that said, she pulled him down on her and kissed him with so much passion, that it even topped her usual attitude, when they were together.

So they are finally together; it took them long enough though Still… this is not the end of the story yet; look for the new chapter soon!