First I want to thank you for all your response to this story. I honestly thought that nobody was still interest in read this, it made me really happy see your positive response.

A special thank to: elianni; ladyg228; AnkSkywalker; annabelgonzalez92; Jazz; arag7. Your review were amazing, it made me really happy. Thank you. Hope you enjoy this chapter as well. =D


Bulma watched as Vegeta ignore her and went inside the building with the General. She frowned at his response. Why is he being like this? She thought still looking at the door where he disappeared a few minutes ago.

Maybe he haven't recognized me. She thought but a second later, she discarded that hypothesis. He recognized me. How couldn't he? He had my project on his hands, with my name on it. Then why is he being such a jerk?

"Bulma!" just then she remembered that Kakarot was still at her side. "Are you okay? You look tense". She didn't have patience to talk to him now. She needs to get out of there.

"I'm fine Kakarot. Sorry. I have to go".

She didn't wait for his answer and started to walk fast.. She was hurt by Vegeta's indifference Ten years! It's been ten years since they saw each other. Sure she never expected the same level of intimacy with him again but completely indifference?! That was out of proportions! She felt sad, hurt, humiliate even by Vegeta's response. Of all scenarios that she had imagine meeting with him again, that coldness, that indifference, it wasn't in her wildest imagination.

They were best friends! Hell! He was her first love! But suddenly he stop visiting her, or calling her. He never had any time for their friendship anymore. And every time she was in the Capital he was away on business.

He don't want my presence anymore. She was angry at him, so much that she wanted to throw something on his head

Forget about that. It's not like you expected to have his friendship back. She thought trying to ignore the ache in her heart. Just do your job, leave this city and get back to your life. She decided. But it didn't hurt any less. Bulma felt like crying. I won't! She held her tears. I won't give him the satisfaction.

Stupid monkey king. She thought angrily as he drive her car off the base.

-o-

On the other hand, Vegeta couldn't focus on doing his job the rest of that day. Eventually, he drop the papers in front of him and left his office to the Training Room.

He was angry. He just didn't know if it was with his and Bulma's situation, if it was at her or if it was with himself for ignoring her today.

No. I haven't done anything wrong. He thought trying to convince himself as he get ready to do some training.

She has been here for weeks and didn't have the decency to come to see me! How dare? How dare her try to act like that in front of the soldiers! What did she expected of me? After ten years! Ten years and no news of her. She never call me again or stop by.

He thought as he punch the invisible enemy in front of him.

I don't need this. I don't need her. Those years were proof enough of that.

He assumed his super saiyan form and use all his power against his invisible enemy, letting his stress go during his training sessions. He always felt better after those.

After that, both, Bulma and Vegeta, decided to ignore each other's presence or the fact that they were both at the same city, sometimes at the same place, and focus on their jobs and work.

It work for a while. They both manage to concentrate at their tasks and buried their feelings and resentment towards one another. Their peace, however, didn't last long.

Later that week, as usual, Bulma went to the Royal Palace in order to deliver the General her weekly report. Her job was almost at the end. Soon, probably after the Ball, she would be able to go home and get her life back.

She walk through the Palace's halls until the familiar room that was the General's office. She was nervous. It was the first time that she was in the Palace ever since she saw Vegeta that day and he ignored her.

Just thinking about this made her angry. She wanted to get out of there was fast as she can.

Once she arrived in front of the General's office, as usual, she turn to his assistant to deliver the document. This time, however, the man stop her before she could leave.

"Hold on one minute Miss Briefs. The General would like to have a word with you".

Bulma narrowed her eyes, but accepted. There was nothing she could do about it. "Okay".

She waited at the hall for a few minutes, watching as people walk around the Palace halls, secretly wishing that Vegeta won't be one of those people. She didn't want to see him. Not now, not ever!

"Miss Briefs" spoke the assistant. "You can come in".

Bulma get up and went inside the General office with her report in her hands. The General made a sign for her to sit in front of him as he spoke something with his assistant that Bulma didn't pay much attention.

"Is this your report?" he ask pointing at the document in her hand after the other soldier left the office.

"Yes". She gave him the papers and he briefly flipped thought it putting those papers aside for a moment.

"Miss Briefs, you are doing a marvelous job those last weeks and it's going faster than we expected".

"Thank you Sir".

"You prove to be everything that your reputation says you are. And that is the reason why we want your help on a classified matter from now on". Bulma frowned but spoke politely.

"It was my understand that I was here only to help plan and develop the new weapons and ships".

"Yes. But things changed and I think your abilities and intelligence might be what we need to solve this problem".

Just what I need. She thought angrily. Bulma didn't saw an way out of this, she sighed in defeat.

"Okay. What is it?". She questioned and the General get up from his chair and walk for the door.

"Follow me". He told her opening the door and walking out.

Bulma follow the General though the halls, walking further into the Palace until they reach a door. The General type his password and the door unlock itself. Before he opened, he turned to Bulma.

"I don't need to remind you that what we say and what you see here is classified right?"

"I'm aware sir". She internally rolled her eyes at him.

Once inside, the room was filled with equipment's and computers, it's screens showed maps of the universe, on the table at the center of the room there were some documents and a very beautiful sculpted black box. It was intact with no obvious way to open it, just some codes, also beautifully sculpted in it. In general, it was a very elegant object.

"We received this box weeks ago. And our intelligence couldn't figure it out how to open it".

Bulma look at him astonish.

"You brought me here to open a box?!" the man just look at her. "This seems harmless. I don't think-".

"It was address to our King". He spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the universe.

"So..? It was probably a gift". Spoke Bulma not seeing the importance of all this secret.

"What if it's not? And something happens to him? Could be a virus".

Bulma thought the man was overreacting but she decided to keep that thought to herself.

"So why don't you throw it away. I'm' sure, whoever send this won't even know about it".

"I thought you were smarter than that." he insulted her and Bulma narrowed her eyes at him.

"Excuse me?" she spoke raising her voice before she could control herself.

"If we throw it out and a civilian opens it, if there's a biological threat inside it could cause an epidemic and by the time we had our people ready to control it, it could be too late".

Bulma couldn't deny that he had a certain point, but still in her mind this was too much, he was overreacting over a present that someone sent to Vegeta.

So paranoid! Really, the man is like the strongest in the universe.

"Okay. I'll take a look if you want to". She spoke not sounding excited with her new task.

"Good. You start effective immediately". He announce.

"What?!"

"We need this matter solved as fast as you can. I'm tired to lose my time with it. You can use those equipment's, if there's something you need you let me know". He, then, informed her the code to open the door of that room.

"Am I working here? At the Palace".

"Yes. Will that be a problem?"

Hell yeah! Lot's of it! She scream in her mind. But what she spoke was: "No. It's okay".

-o-

Bulma had spent the last three hours looking at that damn box and reading the previous report from the Army Intelligence. She didn't want to try the same methods of them, therefore she need to know what they did and what they had tried already.

I think I need a fresh air. She look at the clock, it was already late. There was no windows on that room so she didn't felt the time passing. It's probably dark already. She thought collecting her stuff to go home. She took the report with the intention to finish reading it at home, walk out of the room and close the door locking it automatically behind her.

All Bulma could think of was getting home, have a couple hours laughing and chatting with her friend, maybe call Akira before start reading the reports again.

Akira…he had agreed to come to the Ball that they were invited. And different from what she initially thought he sound excited with the event.

At least one of us is. She sighs heavily. I still need to find a dress for that thing.

She took her phone out of her purse and start to look for dresses and stores near her place while walking out the Palace. She was looking at some dress pictures when she hit on something.

"Ough!"she complain holding her left arm in pain and looking at it to see the damage. For a moment, she forgot where she was and spoke angrily. "Are you blind? Can't you see me here?"

"Get your face off that phone to walk woman!" that voice; she knew that voice. She look up to see two black pools fixed on her.

"Vegeta" she murmured, and he frowned. "What are you doing here?" she whisper forgetting for a moment that she was angry, in a bad mood and hurt.

"I live here". He simply spoke. Vegeta was surprised to see her here. This wasn't her place, she shouldn't have access on these areas of the Palace. "The question is, why are you here, woman?". He spoke angrily; more angry than he initially wanted. And that only made her frustrations flow, but they were always like this. Always teasing one another. This arguing was a familiar territory for her; for them.

"Over the years you got dummier? Did you forgot my name?". She spoke teasing him, pretending to be mad. But Vegeta didn't saw it that way. He didn't like her tone, the intimacy that she was speaking with him. Yes, once they were close like that. But that was in the past. Ten years ago.

She lost her privileges when she decided to ignore me! He remind himself angrily.

"I suggest you be careful with your words, woman". He spoke firmly and add: "I am your King, and as your King I demand your respect".

Bulma frowned her eyes and try to hide the hurt that his words cause on her.

"Why are you being like this?" she simply questioned him.

"Like what?"

His indifference only hurt her even more. And she spoke impatiently and starting to get nervous again. "We were friends Vegeta. We knew each other as kids! We grew up together!"

"We were friends. It's in the past. In case you haven't notice woman, things change". He spoke and started to walk out.

"I can see that" she whispered disappointed before yell letting her frustrations get the best of her. "And it's Bulma. Jackass! Maybe next time you'll remember". She turn to walk the opposite direction of him. "Asshole… King of assholes! 'I am the King, I demand this. I demand that'" Trying to imitate his voice. "He should demand to born again with a little more brain this time".

As she was driving home, her anger didn't subside. Her mind was replaying that last encounter and their dialog

"I can't believe that I use to like that jerk!" she spoke angrily already parking her car at Aya's. "I swear if I could I would knock his head of over and over and over again!" she murmured while enter in the house.

"Whoah, somebody had a bad day". Joked Aya.

"You don't even know half of it". She almost yell. When she saw the look on her friends face Bulma add with a little more calm now. "Sorry. I'll explain to you later". She walk to her room. She needs a hot and relaxing shower after that to get her mind off Vegeta.

After she calm herself Bulma told Aya about her meeting with the King. At first her friend was happy and excited that Bulma had finally been able to meet with him. It took Bulma sometime but after Aya's excitement toned down, she was able to explain everything.

"Really?!" Aya spoke laughing when Bulma stop talking. "That's why you came home like that?"

"It's not funny. Who does he think he is?! I'm so pissed at him right now"!

"It is. He is the King, you know, and you two are like an old married couple". Bulma look at her annoyed.

"Really Aya?"

"Yeah. Always teasing each other. Come on you can't deny that! Look at all the stories you told me!" she tried to calm her earthling friend.

"That wasn't teasing. It was a fight. He insulted me and made very clear that our friendship is over". Bulma spoke with a mix of sadness and anger.

"You really think so?" the saiyan saw as the blue haired woman nod.

"It's better this way. At least now I can stop thinking about this". She spoke making a decision to let her friendship with Vegeta in the past, where it belongs.

-o-

The weeks went by fast. Faster than she expected and the weekend of Ball was finally coming. Bulma had already find her dress. Akira was coming tomorrow. Her job with the weapons and the ships was over. All she needs to go home now is, go to this "stupid" Ball and solve this "damn" box.

No combination that she had tried had work on it. Bulma was lost. The code sculpted was a sequence of numbers but only five numbers were a constant. Bulma had tried everything and even so, nothing happened. This box was starting to piss her off.

I'm going to incinerate you… let's see if you won't open then. She thought frustrated and look at her notes again to try to figure it out what she was missing.

Meanwhile, Vegeta look at the names of the women that were invited to this weekend's event. The Council gave him the files of the girls that were the best choice for him as a mate. Some of the girls he knew, some of them he never saw in his life!

He sighed heavily as he read their status and power level. This wasn't how he imagine to choose his future wife. But then again, he never gave too much thought about it before.

He took the list of the guests with his free hand and gave it a fast look. Until his eyes stopped at one name there.

Me and my rushed decisions! He though and he stare at Bulma's name on it. Why the hell I thought it was a good idea to invite her?!

Now he had to spend a whole night looking at her while she had fun with her fiancé. It was bad enough that he had to avoid certain areas of the Palace since she was working here. Now, not only he had to spend a night looking at her and her lover but he also need to endure his future wife.

It's like the night couldn't get better. He thought sarcastically as he get up and walk out of the room. Vegeta was walking through the Palace halls as he thought about the event that was going to take place tomorrow. He had to make a decision tomorrow night. Even if it was just to calm the Council down for a while.

He try to imagine how his life would be with a mate from now on. He was a lonely person, and he like it that way. He never had the patience to socialize more than he have to, but he guessed that would change with a mate.

He was with that in mind as he walk in front of a door that got his attention. He remembered the day that he saw Bulma leaving that place. It's been a couple of weeks since their last encounter on these halls. What she was doing here?

He thought curious as he decided to walk to that door and check it himself. Not that he wanted to see her. No. I just want to know what she is working on. If it justifies her presence here.

He type the passcode to open the door and walk inside it. He saw her as she was completely focus on the notebook in front of her, and from time to time writing something on a paper. She didn't notice his presence, she was too focus on her task.

A black box was in front of her. He recognize that box, he saw it with the General that was concern about it's contents. They are still working on that shit?! What a waste of time.

His eyes then, moved to the blue haired woman. He let himself admire her for a few moments, knowing that it was safe, she wasn't aware of him being there. She was truly something! So beautiful and so smart! He remembered how fast she learned a couple of things, when they were on class together; things that even he thought it was almost impossible to learn, and she made it seems so easy! She was very highly educated since Bulma did most of his classes with him at that time when they were kids. She would have made the perfect Queen! He thought with regret. What the hell did she saw on that guy anyway?!

Bulma sighed heavily at the paper in front of her. This is impossible! She thought angrily.

"Come on Bulma" she told herself. "You are not stupid". You can do this. She motivated herself.

"Ah! Says you!" She heard a voice behind her. She turned to see the owner of the voice, although she already knew who it belong to, only to see Vegeta with his back on the door watching her.

"It's you!" she spoke with indifference and Vegeta decided he didn't like her reaction. "What are you doing here?" she questioned turning her back to him and looking at the papers again.

"Again with this?! I live here woman".

"'Again with this'" she imitated him. "It's Bulma! Try to remember that".

At the lack of his response, Bulma turn to look at him to find him standing next to her. He was so close that she could almost feel the heat of his body.

"What are you doing?" he asked with that husky voice of his. And Bulma had to tell herself that his close presence and his voice wasn't the reason for her sudden lack of air and her heart beating fast. It's just stress.

"I- I.." she stuttered and Vegeta let out a smirk. That is not sexy at all, thought Bulma automatically.

"What? Lost the ability to speak?" Vegeta tease her making her angry.

"Working on your present. General's orders". She pointed at the box.

"He's obsessed with that" Vegeta simple spoke leaning closer to her and her notes, and Bulma just made a noise letting him know that she agrees with him. Why is he so close?!

"I thought he had our Intelligence to look at that," he murmured looking at her notes then he turn his eyes on her.

Bulma had to avoid the look in his eyes to answer him. "He did. They couldn't figure it out so he ask me to look at it. Since my job here was already finished".

"Any progress?" he asked sounding genuinely interested and Bulma realize that it was the first decent conversation they had since they met again. With that in mind, she decided to put her anger and hurt towards him aside for a moment and enjoy this.

"No. Lot's of theories but nothing concrete". She get up from her chair to stretch her body and explain to him some of her notes. Vegeta listen quietly moving his eyes from the box back to Bulma.

"We can always break that thing to look inside". He spoke seriously and she smile at him.

"Violence it's not everything you know… and it's incredibly resistant! I already tried". She pointed at the equipment's that she had use to try open it using force. There was a brief moment of silence when Vegeta spoke.

"Yeah.. Well.. I'm stronger than that". He smile proudly crossing his arms on his chest and that made Bulma's smile grow.

"Whoah! It took you more thirty seconds to say that you are the strongest. That's progress Veggie!" She joke for a moment remembering when they were kids.

"Don't call me that". He simply spoke, not really caring. He was enjoying this little moment with her. As always, her presence always made him forget about his problems, or made them seem not so important. It was like this when they were kid, and it's still the same now. He decided that he like that.

"Then don't call me 'woman'" she spoke defiant as she look at him.

"I call you whatever I want to".

"Then I will call you Veggie, Veggie!" She tease him.

Suddenly their anger, their hurt, the ten years away; didn't seem to matter. It was like the old times when they enjoy giving each other a hard time.

"You are incredible annoying, Woman." spoke Vegeta teasing her.

"And you are incredibly bossy, Man". She smile at him.

They stare at each other for a moment. Neither knowing how or when but they were close; really close to each other that they were almost touching. Neither could tear their eyes away.

Bulma let her eyes look at his black ones. She had missed him! She always love their teasing moments, and Vegeta was the only one stubborn enough to keep up with her. She let her eyes fall on his lips that had that annoying proudly smirk on it. His lips look so firm, she wondered if they were also as soft as they used to be. She look back at his eyes and saw that he was watching her intensely.

Vegeta look at her blue navy eyes. Blue was always his favorite color, but in her eyes they were so much more intense. Front time to time he let his eyes wander to her lips. He wanted to kiss her. He's been holding a kiss for 10 long years! And she was here, in front of him again, not walking away. With that in mind, he made his move and lean in to kiss her.


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