A/N:I know you're probably wondering why the hell I haven't disclosed what Bulma said in the email in this chapter, but you all are going to have to wait until the next one! Whoo, this story's getting better and better! Keisha and Bulma are friends, Keisha's seen her brother.. And... what's going on with that? Find out next time...maybe!

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

The younger dark-haired woman looked at Bulma from the corner of her eye. They had been sitting in the same office for three hours and now, neither would like anything more than to go home and have a cup of warm tea.

Isis was curled up, head facing the door, chin on paws like she had always done. A shadow was seen through the closed blinds of the cramped office and a hand went to reach for the doorknob when both hand and shadow vanished and more footsteps echoed down the long hallway. Bulma let out a sigh.

"This is bullshit." She grumbled, bottom lip stitched back together with a blue thread that would dissolve in a few weeks.

"Hn." Was all Keisha said as she swung a leg back and forth.

Cheek swollen and eye starting to turn an already ugly shade of black, Bulma turned her head and looked at the woman. "What the hell has gotten into you?"

"If you haven't noticed, we've been sitting in the same place for three hours, and no one's even come in yet. That's what's wrong with me. Not to mention that my pimp beat you up, you happen to know him, and it seems that you know my brother; and yet, all in all, you won't tell me anything."

"I will...and you'll hear it all when someone–" She was cut off when the door finally opened and both a man and women walked in, each carrying a file folder in a hand.

"So, Miss Briefs," The woman sighed tiredly as she took a seat behind the desk, her male counterpart standing off in the corner with a smug look on his face.

"Bulma." This rewarded her another glare from Keisha.

"It seems that you've got quite the history with Mr. Anderson."

"Yes."

"Care to fill us in where your file leaves things out?"

For the next hour and a half, that's what Bulma had done. Keisha let out gasps and muttered curses under her breath, but hadn't said anything. But the police in front of them weren't buying fully into the story.

"So, after he supposedly blew your house up, where did you and your daughter stay for the time being?" The male asked.

"At her parents house, with her brother."

Keisha's head snapped up and whipped around quickly on her neck. It was a surprise she hadn't given herself whiplash. "My..."

This had caught the woman's attention and she was now almost as smug as the man when he had walked in. There was almost enough information and evidence to sentence Jade with multiple charges! "So, you and your daughter had stayed in the residence of this girl's parents house with her older brother for how long?"

Bulma shrugged wearily. "Couple months."

"And then you came here with your daughter?"

"No."

The woman leaned forward, hands clasped together on the top of her desk. "Then where's your daughter?"

"Still with Vegeta."

Keisha burst out into wild peals of laughter. "Hold it. I can see some parts of the story about Vegeta being really true, and other parts just, as fake as you could get. He doesn't care for anyone but himself. He'd never look after a child, let alone one that's almost two. Vegeta's not like that."

"And how would you know?" Bulma shot back, green contacted eyes blazing. "You haven't talked to him in how long? So don't you dare give me that bullshit about knowing what your brother would and wouldn't do." Keisha closed her mouth and slumped down in her chair. Next Bulma turned on the male and woman. "And you. You've kept us waiting for more than usual. Just because I'm famous, you think that gives you the right to keep me waiting? I would think that you'd be glad for all the publicity you could have gotten for this, and to think, I can still go to the press about how lack the police department really is in this city."

The woman went to open her mouth, but Bulma shot her a furious glare. "Shut up." Was all she said before continuing. "Now, I'm going to call a cab, and go home. If you want to talk to me further you have my permission to phone my father and ask hi for permission. Other than that, I'm done with this shit."

"Bulma please..." The man all but begged.

" 'Bulma please' nothing. You people are morons. That's it that's all. I'm injured, I'm hungry, and I'm tired. I want to go home." Picking up her purse she gingerly placed it on her shoulder and walked out of the office with a loud slamming of the door on the other side of the wall when she threw it open. Keisha ran after her, Isis quick on her heels. People watched as the 18 year old woman moved with purpose down the hall, her sandaled feet flopping loudly on the shiny ground.

Glancing at a clock on one wall, she saw that it was just after 10:30 and it was high time she had something to eat. Her stomach rumbled loudly and Keisha looked at her with a look of new interest in her dark eyes. They stood outside and looked around for a moment before walking down the street a few paces in silence.

"I'm sorry." Keisha said, hoping that her apology helped ease the discomfort that Bulma was feeling.

"Whatever."

A cab was rolling slowly down the street and Bulma hailed it. Once it had pulled over, both women got into the back, along with the dog. At first the cab driver refused to let the dog in, but with the promise of a large tip, he allowed the canine into the back seat as well. The ride was uneventful and as they rolled to a stop in front of their building, Keisha turned to look at Bulma, bottom lip in teeth as she chewed thoughtfully for a few moments.

"Listen, I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind if I stayed with you tonight? I mean, I can understand if you don't want me too, but I'd feel a lot better if I could sleep on your couch tonight."

"Sure. Truth be told, I'd enjoy the company and I'm sure you have more than a few questions you want to ask...and are dying to know some answers." Bulma paid the cab the fare and gave him the promised tip. Keisha ran ahead of the older woman and opened the door with her silver key and then lead the way down the hall to the elevator.

"I'm going to run home for a minute, grab some things and then come right back. Won't be any longer than a few minutes. I promise."

"Okay."

Keisha took off at a run as soon as the silver doors slid open just enough for her to squeeze her way through them. Bulma walked down a few doors until she reached her door and unlocked it. Stepping into the front hall she let Isis in and the closed the door, only to lock it again. Putting her keys in the bowl sitting on a small table near the door, she hung her purse up and then went into her room and changed out of her shorts and shirt. Sliding Vegeta's shirt over her head carefully, she tugged on a pair of white satin pants and then stood in front of the full length mirror in her room and looked at the bruised reflection.

The doctors in the hospital stitched up her lip but couldn't do anything for the cracked ribs and swollen cheek, other than prescribe her some pain medication, which she couldn't take. Running a brush quickly through the false red hair, she had just enough time to twist it up into a hasty, messy bun before a knock came from the door. Isis started to growl, like she always did when someone came knocking, but Bulma threw her a look that told her to shut her yap. Her hormones were starting to run rampant, and she had no problems telling anyone or anything off if she deemed the opportunity well enough for her to do so.

Opening the door, Keisha shoved passed her with a bulging backpack slung over one shoulder carelessly. "Hi." She panted and stepped into the living room after toeing off her shoes. "Nice place." Slamming the bag from her shoulder onto the floor beside the couch, she slumped down onto the thickly padded cushion of the black love seat and turned to look at Bulma. "So?"

"So what?" Bulma sighed, instantly tired.

"How do you know my brother? I mean, really. I don't want to believe all the dilly-dally that you told the cops."

"We met in school.. Things happened. My house was blown up, I lived at your parents place...my daughter's still with Vegeta."

"He's not there anymore."

Bulma had to lean up against the wall for support. "What?"

Keisha's dark eyes danced with a wicked secret. "In fact, I know where he is, right now, and who he's with...and let me tell you, she's a hot blonde."

That little tid-bit of information made Bulma turn around and run to the bathroom before she lost the contents of her stomach. Worried, Keisha followed hot on her heels, Isis not too far behind. "Holy shit. Are you ok?" Looking around, she found a face cloth, slightly smudged with make-up and dampened it, only to kneel beside the heaving woman. Brushing up a few loose strands of curly red hair, she placed the cool cloth on the back of her neck.

"...no..." Bulma muttered as she heaved again. Fingers grasping the base of the toilet like there was no tomorrow, she continued to heave until there was nothing left in her to throw up.

"Are you sick with something? The stomach flu?"

"...you could say that." Bulma's voice echoed in her own ears, her words bouncing off and around the white porcelain her face was in. Lifting her head, she pulled the wetted cloth from her neck and pressed it to her brow, after she wiped her mouth. And before Keisha could say anything, Bulma threw herself forward and curled into a ball, protecting her stomach and began to weep gently.

A few moments, those gentle sobs turned into violent body-shaking tremors and Keisha began to worry that something terrible was wrong with the friend of her brother. "Oh...Keisha..." Bulma moaned, tears making her face look as if she had just washed, flesh damp and sweaty.

"If that jerk has gone and broke your heart, I swear to God..."

"No Keisha." Bulma whispered, lifting a hand to scrub at her face. "It's... it's a long story." Pushing herself up, she scrubbed at her face, hoping that the bright pink splotches that had popped up over her flesh would go away. She hated crying, and she couldn't get enough of it.

"If it has you crying like a baby, then there's got to be something terribly wrong."

At the word baby, Bulma hugged her stomach. "Keisha..."

For a moment the younger woman blinked and cocked her head to the side and then, after a few heartbeats her eyes widened and she backed away. "No. No fucking way. Oh shit.. He's going to kill you when he finds out!" Keisha couldn't help but laugh.

"I know." Bulma muttered and stood up, with the assistance of a counter. "That's why I haven't told him."

"But you have too. He's going to flip."

"He's obviously moved on." Bulma all but whispered, bile rising up in her throat again. "He doesn't need me around, pregnant. He's looking after my daughter. Why else should he still care about me? I was the one that ran out on him."

"But it takes two to get pregnant, and if you told me correctly... my brother's been making some serious changes, and I think you're the one behind it all."

"Fuck. Whatever." Bulma sighed and moved out of the bathroom. Going into her room, she picked up one of two cell phones and then proceeded to walk around Keisha. Bare feet padded through the hall with ease, Keisha shadowing her every movements.

"Who are you calling?"

"My daddy."

"Why?"

"Because I think he needs to know about what happened tonight."

"Oh." She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that her new found friend wasn't gutsy enough to take the plunge and call her brother. Looking around, she spotted the laptop and an idea came to mind. Sitting down, she smoothly slide her fingers of the keys and grinned foolishly as she found out that Bulma hadn't bothered to lock the computer before leaving for the day.

Humming to herself, she listened for a moment while she heard Bulma's soft voice in whispered on the couch, no more than twenty feet away. Quickly going online, she typed in a few things and was then busy looking at something, eyes unblinking, and when the cell phone went flying past her ear, she jumped back, chair falling over.

"GOD DAMN IT!" Bulma shouted, stomping her feet.

"I take it... it didn't go too well?"

"No!" She flared, crossing her arms and allowing her lips to turn down in a pout. "Daddy's said that he's sending us a few bodyguards, we're moving to a few place..."

"Hold it... we?"

Bulma nodded her head slowly, 'Yes. You and me. Makes 'we' doesn't it?"

"Why?"

Turning fully around, Bulma looked at Keisha on the computer and shakes her head. "My daddy likes the fact that Vegeta's been so helpful and kind towards me and wants to extend the same favor towards you."

"Thanks, but I don't need your help."

"I figured you were going to say that, but know this, you're coming whether or not you want too, and that's final." Keisha couldn't help but gape. The woman was starting to sound like her mother! Bulma smirked at the expression on Vegeta's sister's face. "Plus, who else is going to go and get me ice cream at 3:30 in the morning?"

"I don't think so."

"Too bad. You're coming whether or not you want too. And that's final."

Keisha chewed on her lower lip for a moment, another idea springing up in her young mind. "I'll go, if you do something for me."

"What?"

"You have to promise me right now, yes or no?"

Bulma looked at the raven haired girl for a moment and took a deep breath. "Sure. Yes. I promise. But why does it feel like I'm signing my soul over to the devil?"

"Nothing like that, now all you have to do is sit down, and write an email. That's it, that's all."

"To who...?" But she didn't need an answer. By the way that Keisha's eyes were glittering, the younger woman had everything already planned out in her mind. "No."

"You just promised. Now, if you want me to go with you that badly you're going to sit down, right now, tell Vegeta where you are, roughly, and that Jade had decided to be a prick. Do it. Now, or else I'll go home and not talk to you ever again...then you can totally forget about me going with you." Crossing her arms after she slid out of the kitchen chair, Keisha almost glowered at the woman.

"Keisha.. I just..."

"Do it."

"It's not that simple!"

"Yes it is. Do you want me to do it for you?"

"No!"

"Then just do it! Grow some balls and fucking sit down! If you love my brother as much as you say you do, then you'll do it!"

"FINE!" Shoving her way passed Keisha, she all but threw herself down into the chair and slammed her fingers onto the keyboard. "Do you want to put fucking words into my mouth too?"

"No. I'm sure you can do that. Tally-Ho Silver, but I'm going to go raid your cupboards and see what there is to eat. Better yet, do you like pizza?"

"Yes."

"Good." Keisha vanished from Bulma's line of vision and she was left staring at a blank screen. Taking a deep, calming breath she opened up her web-browser and then logged herself into her email account. Chewing her lip, she slowly created a new email and began to type. The email stayed unfinished while she and Keisha ate pizza, drank some tea and watched a movie.

"Are you done?"

"Um. No." Bulma said, stuffing another piece of pizza into her mouth.

"I wasn't talking about the pizza."

"I know."

Chancing a glance at the clock, she saw that it was now 3:40 am, and it was a wonder why she wasn't getting tired. Maybe the events of the day were still fresh in her mind. "You have to finish it."

"I know. It's almost done."

"Good. See that it's done. I'm almost ready for bed, but I'm not exactly tired."

"I know." Finishing off her tea, she stood up and slowly walked back to the kitchen table and sat back down in front of the computer. Her fingers flew over the flat keys and after a few more minutes, she signed it, entered in Vegeta's email address and pressed send.

"There. Done." But she felt like she had left out so much, so many things were left unsaid. Sighing, she shut her laptop down and pushed it away from her. Keisha was busy cleaning up the living room and Bulma moved to the linen closet and pulled out an extra blanket and pillow. Looking at them, she shoved them back into the closet and walked back into the living room empty handed. "Listen, this might sound really stupid, but .. Do you mind sleeping with me? I don't want to sleep by myself."

"Never thought you'd ask!"

After turning off all the lights and making sure that the door was firmly locked they made they way, stumbling and laughing down the hall in the dark, to Bulma's bedroom and climbed into bed. "Well, good night,." Bulma yawned, pulling the blanket up over her shoulders and turning over onto her side.

"Night." Keisha said, snuggling up against Bulma's back, slipping an arm around her waist comfortably. They both lifted their heads as Isis jumped up as well, and together, the three of them fell asleep.