Vegeta reached out blindly to restart the training program, then hissed as he jerked his fingers back. The console has hot! The 'about to explode' kind of hot. The Saiyan blinked and wondered why things took a second to focus, finally he glanced at the time keeper and nodded. He'd been training non-stop for nearly 40 hours.

Before the knowledge, he'd been fine. But now that he knew the time, his stomach rumbled. Yes. He needed a chance to eat and refuel, and to let the machinery cool down.

Vegeta grabbed an already sweat soaked towel and winced. No clean drying cloths, over-heating machinery, and a lack of food. He frowned sharply. Why hadn't his mate called and pestered him about taking a break?

Or had she? Vegeta grunted and checked the messages. He could have just turned off the communication devices, he'd done so before although he didn't remember doing it ...no, they were on and ...there were no messages.

The Saiyan frowned again. It wasn't like his mate not to nag him. Was she simply out of practice after his long absence? Or was she trying to teach him a lesson. Like that would work. He snorted derisively.

Vegeta walked out of the training pod and blinked in the sudden sunlight. Suddenly he yawned, one of those jaw-cracking deals. His frown turned into an outright scowl. He shouldn't be so tired, not from a little training.

Of course, there had been the fights with the androids. Still, he was of royal Saiyan blood and should still be ... "WOMAN!"

A beat. Foul emotions flew through him, fed by a lack of sleep and a distinct lack of food. "WOMAN!" He bellowed again, not even sure what it was he wanted from Bulma.

The angry Saiyan stalked toward the main house, frustrated and upset even though he knew it wasn't really her fault he was so tired and hungry. Even if she had called him and told him to take a break, he wouldn't have done it.

But she hadn't called. She always called. But she hadn't, not this time.

"WOMAN!"

o.O.o.O.o.O

"So ..." The word was dragged out, and then a very long pause. Bulma waited for it. "Vegeta? Really?" Yep. There it was. She winced at the disgusted tone of voice.

"Chi Chi, I'm ..." What? She wasn't sorry. Not about the relationship, even though it was crazy how it all came together. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you." There, that she really could apologize for.

There was another long pause and Bulma could almost hear the thoughts racing through the other woman's mind. Where to start? That she was now mated with the man who had tried repeatedly to kill Chi Chi's husband? That she'd hidden their relationship, and her pregnancy? That Bulma was the worst kind of friend, some kind of hussy, and ...and ...untrustworthy? She decided to let Chi Chi have her say, hard as it was.

But when the words finally came, they weren't what she expected. "Your baby? Trunks? You ...you had changed ...how did you put it ..."

Click. Bulma's mind shifted from recrimination and suddenly knew what Chi Chi was asking. "Changing your body chemistry." She whispered.

A pause. Chi Chi's voice firmed. "You owe me."

Bulma nodded, unmindful that the other woman couldn't see her over the phone. "Vegeta insisted I tell no one of our pregnancy, to protect against enemies. Not that you are an enemy!"

"Only married to the man your husband is trying to kill." Chi Chi sighed and gave a wry laugh.

Bulma took a deep breath. "He says 'defeat', not kill. Not anymore. And they are working together to beat the androids. But forget that right now. We were talking about getting you pregnant."

Chi Chi didn't say anything, though Bulma could almost 'hear' her holding her breath.

"No embarrassment, we need to talk straight out. I was on birth control pills to prevent getting pregnant when it happened. I assume you were too, when you conceived Gohan." Bulma ignored her own slight blush.

"Really, Bulma." Chi Chi sighed. "Yes, well ...yes. You shouldn't talk like that, but ...yes."

The turquoise-haired woman smiled wanly. "I think the pills change our body chemistry to be more receptive to the Saiyans. Allows us to get pregnant, and not doing ...er, what they were designed to actually do."

"Really?" The voice was a whisper now, infused with longing. "Do you really think so?"

"Yes. I'm ...I'm going off of the pills for right now." Bulma crossed her fingers. "Me being pregnant freaked Vegeta out. Oh, he wanted his son, but he didn't handle me actually being pregnant well."

Something loud in the background, from outside. Bulma ignored it, keeping her focus on her telephone conversation. "We don't have a lot of data to base this on, just me and you. But both of us got pregnant while actively taking birth control pills. You haven't been able to get pregnant while NOT taking the pills. What will it really hurt for you to try them again?"

Soft breathing on the other line as Goku's wife tried to work through it all. Bulma winced as she recognized the bellowing in the background as her erstwhile mate. Husband. Whatever. "I really think it's worth a try, Chi Chi." She nearly whispered.

Baby Trunks gave a whimper from his high chair and Bulma tucked the phone between her shoulder and cheek so she could pick up the baby. Immediately the boy smiled and made a grab for the phone. Bulma chuckled and moved him to the opposite hip while she waited for Chi Chi's response.

"I still don't know why you married that monster." Chi Chi answered, but her voice was much softer now. Bulma knew without it being said that the other woman had made a decision.

"WOMAN!" Vegeta shouted at her from the doorway, glowering at the sight of her on the phone. "I have need of you!"

Bulma deliberately turned her back on the Saiyan Prince, bounced Baby Trunks on her hip twice as he reached out for something on the counter, and spoke into the phone. "I've got to go, his mister high-and-mighty is making demands." A pause, a giggle. "No, not the bigger one. The really cute new one."

"WOMAN!" Vegeta bellowed, then grunted as he saw her hang up the phone. "About time! Don't you know ...what are you doing?"

Bulma ignored him as she put the baby boy back in a high seat with a tray, the baby kicking and protesting until she took a bowl of food and a spoon. Then the boy grinned and waved his arms imperiously.

Vegeta watched his mate coo and smile as she bent forward to feed the baby.

"Woman." His volume was lower, but no less insistent. "There are no clean drying cloths and the machine is over-heating." That wasn't all he wanted to say. But watching her ignore him to focus on the baby was making him feel ...off balance somehow.

"Fresh towels are in the dryer, I haven't folded them yet but help yourself." She didn't even look at him as she made a funny face for the giggling baby. "Open wide baby Trunks!"

Help himself? Vegeta stared at his wife's back. Her hair was different, but with his mate that was nothing new. She changed styles constantly. Her blouse was ...not formfitting. Vegeta frowned, she wasn't dressed to entice him. Her shorts where baggy and she was not in those ridiculous high heels she seemed to like. Which he liked seeing her in, he admitted to himself reluctantly.

"Get them for me, woman." He deliberately poked at her temper, something else he'd missed while away. "And food. Lots of food."

"In the refrigerator." Bulma said absently, spooning some sort of pureed glop into the baby's mouth. "Help yourself. I have to take care of baby Trunks."

"Help myself." Vegeta repeated. Then grinned evilly as he reached out and ran a possessive hand over her rear end. "I think I will."

Bulma spun, slapped his hand and gave him a sharp frown. "Not now, Vegeta. Can't you see I'm busy with the baby?"

Stunned, the Saiyan watched his mate mutter to herself as she turned to grab a chair and sat down to continue feeding the child.

Baby Trunks looked up at the man standing over he and his mom and started to make a face, a frown appeared, a lip trembled. Then crying. Loud, irritating crying. Vegeta blinked, unsure.

"Go away, Vegeta, you're scaring baby Trunks!" Bulma scooped up the baby and cradled him to her chest as she rocked him.

The Saiyan glared at his son and mate, unsure why all of a sudden, he wanted to break something really, really big. He gritted his teeth.

"Where is my big boy, where is my handsome boy?" Bulma's blonde mother rushed into the room and Vegeta started to relax. Yes, she could take the baby and he could get his mate back. Saiyan women more often than not gave up their infants to child care specialists in order to get back out on the battlefield. In this case, getting Bulma back to taking care of him rather than the baby.

Vegeta frowned. No, that didn't sound right. He didn't want her nagging at him again. His dark eyes cut over to where the two women were fussing over how much the baby was eating. But he also didn't want to be ignored. He coughed.

Bulma's mother looked up with a wide smile. "Oh, there you are! I have just the thing for you!"

Tension eased slightly. Food. Food in great quantities. His stomach rumbled. Yes, that was why he was feeling so foul, he was hungry.

"I left the boxes in the other room." Bulma's mother then bent down and made cooing sounds for the now giggling baby.

Vegeta frowned. "Boxes?" That didn't sound like food, unless they ordered in. He opened the door to the living room and blinked. There were indeed a lot of boxes. And bags. And they all seemed to not be smelling of food. The Saiyan opened one box and frowned at the clothing inside. He pulled out the shirt and went back into the kitchen.

"What the hell is this?" He growled.

Bulma looked up and then smiled. "Oh, I like that color, mom."

The blonde grinned and nodded her head, even as she petted baby Trunks and tickled his little belly. A game the baby really seemed to enjoy.

A vein started throbbing near Vegeta's left temple. "I have no need of new clothing."

Bulma sighed, getting irritated with her personal Saiyan warrior. "It's a new shirt, Vegeta. Say thank you and move on. No big deal."

The pretty blonde moved on to playing peek-a-boo with Trunks, not even looking at the others. "Oh no, not just a new shirt, a whole new wardrobe."

Vegeta nodded at Bulma's surprised look. He held up the new shirt. "There is a mountain of boxes in the other room."

She shook her head. But Vegeta merely shrugged. He wasn't kidding.

Bulma looked over at her distracted mother and sighed. "Mom. Why did you buy Vegeta a whole new wardrobe?"

The blonde smiled prettily and looked up at her daughter, and then over at her son-in-law. "Space particles must have eaten up all his clothes. He didn't have a stitch to his name the other night."

Bulma's eyes closed dramatically as she blushed, remembering how Vegeta had opened the door to the hallway stark naked. With her mother right there in the hallway, unsuspecting.

"Poor, poor Mr. Vegeta. Those space particles are bad for clothing apparently." The blonde continued, oblivious.

"I don't need clothes, I need food." Vegeta balled up the shirt in his hands. "Food. Do you not remember food?"

Bulma's mother finally seemed to hear him, blinking vapidly for a second. Then she smiled brightly. "Would you hand me that fruit on the table?"

Fruit? He needed something more substantial than mere fruit. Vegeta looked at the table though and saw nothing but some tiny jars. He frowned. He picked up one jar with the picture of an apple on it. His frown deepened. This wasn't even enough for a snack.

"Thank you!" Bulma took the jar from him without another word. "Mom, he seemed to like sweet potatoes last night."

Vegeta felt a headache starting. Probably from lack of food. The fruit was for his son. The baby. He ground his teeth together as baby Trunks slapped his hands down on his little tray and immediately the two woman rushed to give him more food. It wasn't fair!

Dr. Briefs walked into the room, then smiled at his family. "Oh, there you all are. Glad to have you back, young man." He nodded at Vegeta and then walked over to the refrigerator.

"They aren't cooking." Vegeta complained.

The doctor nodded. "Haven't since Trunks arrived." The older man opened the door to the refrigerator and pulled out a giant sandwich. "I've been having food delivered in for a while. Stepped up the order when I saw you were back. Help yourself."

The Saiyan Prince gathered his tattered dignity, accepted the sandwich and reached for two more before sitting down. It would be a start. He glared over at the oblivious women, who were still ignoring him for that small, puling, child. His son. "Bah."

Vegeta took a giant bite of his sandwich while he stewed in his bad temper.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Twenty sandwiches later, and after devouring an entire pot of stewed beef from a local restaurant, as well as a baked chicken and rack of ribs, Vegeta was feeling better. The shower had helped.

Even better? Trunks was taking a nap.

Vegeta looked down at his sleeping son and finally was able to nod. A son. His son. One that would grow into a very young Super Saiyan. He knew, because he'd met the future version of his son. So. The boy would grow. That was good.

And maybe it wasn't bad that his mate was taking care of the child. Vegeta would just have to talk to her that his needs came first, before the infant. She'd understand, his mate was quite smart after all.

Bulma. Vegeta grunted softly, so as not to wake the child. The last thing he needed was for his mate to become distracted again. He needed to lay out some new rules. Like how his needs came first.

Vegeta checked the kitchen and living room, but Bulma wasn't there. He went up the stairs and to their room. Excitement started to build slowly. Perhaps she was waiting on him, even now. The Saiyan opened the door and smiled.

Bulma was indeed on their bed and waiting ...she snorted, rolled and settled. His mate was ...asleep?

Vegeta shifted his weight and tugged on her ankle. "Woman."

Bulma sat straight up, her hair sticking out at funny angles. "What's wrong with Trunks?" She demanded.

"Nothing."

Bulma nodded and flopped back on the bed bonelessly.

Vegeta frowned. He jerked on her ankle a bit harder. "Woman!"

She sat back up, blinking wearily at him. Vegeta frowned. She really did look tired. "What's wrong?"

"Hire someone to take care of the baby." He told her. Suddenly he didn't like how tired she looked any more than he didn't like how she was ignoring him.

Bulma blinked twice, rubbed her eyes and then stared at him. "Huh?"

"Hire someone to take care of the baby." He repeated, making it an order.

"No." Bulma's jaw firmed and she glared at him.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Bulma yawned, desperately wanting her nap. The baby was napping, and that meant she should be doing the same. But nooooo ... instead she was watching Vegeta pace back and forth ranting and raving about something stupid.

She didn't need help with the baby. Trunks was a little angel! What she needed ...was a nap. That's all. A simple nap.

The turquoise-haired woman barely even listened as her Saiyan mate continued to rant, enumerating reasons she needed help.

It was insulting. Like she couldn't take care of the baby. Who did he think had been taking care of the baby while he'd been away?

It was with a slight shock that she realized he had stopped and was staring at her. Waiting for an answer. Crud. She didn't know the question. Still ...she figured she knew her answer. "No." She said calmly, then yawned. "Now go away."

"I've been away you crazy, stupid woman!" Vegeta roared, and Bulma winced. He'd wake ...oh, wait ...sound proof. She looked over at the baby monitor. Yep, Trunks was still asleep, thank goodness. "And you act as if you don't care I've even come home!"

Blink. Blink. Tear up. Blink faster to keep the tears from forming. Bulma's mind raced. Finally connecting the silly dots. "You're jealous."

The whispered words hit like a sledgehammer. "I AM NOT!" The Saiyan bellowed. "Jealous of what? You? YOU ARE MY MATE!"

"And Trunks is your son!" She bit out the words.

"Who should be cared for by nannies and tutors and stuff." Vegeta was glaring at her.

Bulma smiled sharply, completely disregarding his foul mood. "So that I can care for you?" She said with mock sweetness.

"YES!" He roared. Then glared some more. "I mean no."

"Is the big man all out of sorts because he feels ignored?" Bulma dared to mock him further as she slid from the bed to put her arms around his muscular waist.

Vegeta sighed, even as he accepted her embrace, though he was slow to put his arms around her. "You make fun of me at your own peril, woman."

"Man." She sighed and pressed a kiss over his heart. "You're acting younger than Trunks."

"You didn't nag."

Bulma smiled against his chest. It wasn't a declaration of love, but in a way ...it was sweeter. "Do you want me to nag?"

"Of course not, stupid woman." Vegeta tucked his head between her shoulder and neck. "I did not miss you." He lied.

"I missed you." Bulma gave him the words he needed to hear. She started to tell him to go away now, she still wanted that nap. But a snuffling sound from the baby monitor distracted her. "Trunks."

Vegeta watched as his wife sped from the room, following her reluctantly as he peeked into the nursery. He frowned at the pictures of baby animals on the walls. "This room is not a place for a future warrior."

Bulma put baby Trunks down on something the warrior couldn't name and began to undress him. The baby was kicking his legs in protest. "What? There should be war pictures around here? Dripping with blood and gore?"

Vegeta stared at a picture of a lamb in a field. He sneered. "It would be preferable. But more along the lines of a Saiyan standing victorious on the battlefield."

"You need to hold your son." Bulma smiled as she pulled off the baby's soiled diaper.

Vegeta slowly went over and looked at his son, now happily grinning up at them, nude from the waist down. He wondered how quickly the boy would grow and if the future Trunks became a Super Saiyan at such a young age without his father, how much better would the boy do with Vegeta there to guide him? "When can I begin training him?"

Bulma scowled deeply. "Not for years, Vegeta. Now stop that."

"Years?" The Saiyan frowned.

And it was lucky his mouth was closed because at that moment, baby Trunks christened his father by peeing on him. The arc shooting up suddenly before either parent could react.

Trying hard not to laugh, Bulma quickly cleaned the baby and put on a fresh diaper. She dared not to speak, or she knew she'd lose it.

With quiet dignity, Vegeta ripped off his new shirt and tossed it in the trash. "Did you teach him to do that?"

Bulma bit her lip to keep from smiling, she merely shook her head.

Vegeta nodded. "I'm going to go train." He announced solemnly.

"I'll nag you in ten hours." Bulma promised.

Vegeta grunted. "I will not respond."

They both knew that while he wouldn't agree to the break when she nagged, that he would be upset if she didn't nag at him to rest. The thought warmed her.

"You will go back on those pills." He said with quiet authority.

Bulma nodded, not even trying to explain that the pills would have the opposite effect. She'd try to explain later and if he insisted, she'd just get a placebo set of birth control pills. Neither of them were ready for another child. Not yet.

When she didn't argue, Vegeta grunted in appreciation. He opened the door, then stopped as he saw Bulma's mother standing there, hand out as if she'd been about to open the door.

Bare chested, Vegeta stared at the blonde woman. She smiled and tutted at him. "I think you need a different soap."

Bulma and Vegeta both looked at each other in confusion. "Soap, mom?" The turquoise-haired woman asked first.

"Well the kind he has isn't cleaning off the space particles. They're still tearing up his clothes." The bubbly blonde smiled. "More shopping!"

Vegeta muttered something under his breath about Earth women and left the room to head toward the training capsule.

Bulma's mother stared after the departing Saiyan. "Perhaps we need to get shirts made out of the stuff your father uses to make that space ship work. Something to keep those nasty space particles from tearing up his clothes!"

"This time it wasn't from space. He got peed on, mom." Bulma smiled and ticked the baby. "Good aim, Trunks. Good aim!"

o.O.o.O.o.O