Chapter 8.

"Trunks, that's enough now," Vegeta called to his exhausted 1 year old child.

"Ok dadwy." Vegeta almost smiled at that, he found it cute the way his son couldn't pronounce some words. He looked over the child, the woman had made him his own training gi: a black one. Vegeta would have preferred it if she had made him a set of saiyan armour, to match him, instead of the apparel he wore, which resembled Kakarot's.

"Dadwy?" Trunks called, a questioning look on his face, "why we stop?" For a one year old Trunks had a decent concept of time, and he was sure that his daddy had cut their training session short.

"I need to talk," Vegeta cooly responed. He needed to tell his son what was going on, so he didn't feel bad. He sighed, that sentimentality was precisely why he needed to do this.

"Boy, I have decided to go away for a while," Vegeta paused, unsure how to continue. "I am going to space for a month," Trunks' face began to fall and his eyes began to tear up, "do not cry Boy, it is weakness. You are not weak, and besides you will see me again."

Trunks wiped the tears from his eyes and put on a steely glare he had seen his father use many times.

"OK dadwy." Vegeta sighed in relief, he was afraid that his son would take it badly. Now he just had to hope that the woman would be the same.

"Oh and Trunks, your mother doesn't now yet, so keep it a secret." Trunks nodded.

"OK."

Vegeta switched the gravity back on and proceeded to train with his son.

Meanwhile, Bulma sat in the camera room with tears pourinh down her face. She felt betrayed and angry. Normally she enjoyed watching Vegeta and Trunk's, but today finding out that Vegeta was leaving and told her son before her, had upset greatly. She turned the monitor off and let the tears flow.

-(m)-

Vegeta looked around the breakfast room, confused. The Woman was always awake and downstairs at this time of day. Maybe she was I'll. He hoped not, it would make his situation much, much worse. He sensed for the Woman ki and found it on the ground floor in a room he didn't know the purpose of. He gave a glance to his son, who was happily playing with the other woman, and made to leave.

Vegeta was flying down the hallway, when he got something solid.

"Vegeta, please look where you are going." Vegeta had hit Dr. Breifs, and knocked him to the ground. He stood up shaking of the dust, and picking up the black cat that always resided upon his shoulder.

"Is it done."

"Ah, your usual blunt self I see." He could see Vegeta's annoyance at his long delivery, and cut to the point, "almost, it just needs feuling. You can leave after lunch."

"Good," and with that Vegeta flew of, in the direction of Bulma's ki.

When he was outside the room he looked at the door apprehensively; now he was closer, he could sense something wrong with her. He became afraid, it would not be good if she was angry. He pulled himself together and opened the door. He needed to do this, for himself and his pride.

"Ow." Vegeta exclaimed. He was not ready for the chair to be thrown at him. He was supprised, the Woman was not that strong. 'Shit' he thought, rage must be feuling her.

"Why?" Bulma shreiked through the tears.

Vegeta was stunned, why was she crying? And what the hell did she mean?

"Why him first? Do you care about me at all?" She was crying harder now, even she did not realise how much this was affecting her.

"Shit," was the response Vegeta gave. He didn't know what to say. She knew. That was bad. Then a though stuck him.

"How?" Bulma just pointed at the monitor which was currently showing images of differwnt rooms within the house. Vegeta got it instantly: the Woman was spying on him.

"Why?" Bulma asked again, irritated by Vegeta's lack of explanation.

"You owe me remember. Let me go."

Bulma picked up another chair

"You can go. I don't even want you here." Vegeta frowned and stared at the Woman. He sighed. His voice softened.

"Calm down. Let me explain." Bulma looked at him and put the chair down. She wiped her eyes clean and answered.

"Ok," she said quietly. Without so much anger, the sadness was beginning to show.

"I'm afraid." Vegeta voice was almost inaudible.

"What?" Bulma was stunned. She had never seen Vegeta admit weakness. It was something he abhorred.

"You heard me, Woman."

"Of what?"

"This." He said plainly. "I'm afraid of my life, and what it's become. I'm afraid of giving affection and of receiving it. I'm afraid of becoming fond of the Boy and you."

Bulma just sat there, unable to move. Never before had Vegeta opened up about how he felt. Never.

"I'm going to get away from this life. I want to be alone to think it over."

Bulma walked over and hugged Vegeta.

"Why are you afraid?"

"The past."

"With Frieza?" Bulma felt Vegeta's head nod against her.

"I was given to that monster as a child. The father I thought I loved was weak. He gave me away without a fight. Just left to become what I became." Vegeta's voice shuddered, and Bulma felt something wet on her face. Vegeta's tears. "After he destroyed my home, I stopped feeling anything. I became cold and heartless. I was perfectly fine with preforming planetary genocide. But now that though angers me. And I hate it. I hate the change that has happened to me. I no longer feel like myself.

"Oh." It was all Bulma could say. She was astounded that Vegeta had opened up so much, and now she understood his behaviour so much more. She looked up at her saiyan prince, and kissed his tears away.

"You can go, I understand." Vegeta smiled at Bulma.

"Thank you."

-(m)-

The two blue haired billionaires stood in the garden of their home looking at the new generation rocket ship Dr. Briefs had created. They stood waiting for the arrogant prince to arrive, so they could say goodbye. Mother and son were soon joined by Dr and Mrs Briefs, and there they stood waiting for the, now late saiyan, to arrive. Mrs Briefs was holding a large bundle of pre cooked meals that only needed to be heated up with the ships microwave. Bulma also had a gift for Vegeta: a sack of freshly picked sensu beans. Yaijarobe had dropped them off at her request.

Trunks reached up and tugged at Bulma's trousers. He wanted to be picked up. Bulma obliged and held her son in her arms, stroking his lavender hair. She didn't say anything, but could feel his tears against the skin on her neck. She almost felt like joining him, but she knew she had to be strong. Vegeta hated weakness.

At long last Vegeta finally came out of the house and walked across the garden to his spaceship. The Woman's father had taught him how to operate it, but really if that idiot Kakarot could fly it, then he would have no trouble.

As he approached the ship, he caught sight of his family. He smiled inside. He wanted to say his final goodbyes, although he was afraid of what the blonde one might do. He walked a little quicker and was then greeted by his rocket of a son, who he had to admit was getting the hang of flying very quickly. He wrapped on of his arms around the boy, and then just stood there together. Eventually Trunks, who was supprised to get so much attention, spoke one word of goodbye, and then flew back to his grandparents.

Vegeta then approached the Woman, he pulled her into him and kissed her right there. He pulled away when he felt something get shoved into him. The sensu beans.

"Thank you," he wispered.

"Your welcome."

Bulma leaned in and gave Vegeta one final kiss, and then let him collect his food and enter his ship. On the ramp he turned around and waved, before walkig into the ship. Bulma and company began to walk away to the safe zone to watch the spaceship take off.

Bulma couldn't suppress the tears any longer and embraced her family, causing them to completely miss the spaceship taking off.

"I love you, Vegeta."

To be continued...