A/N:

On time! Phew, am I cutting it close. Note: I wrote about...most of this in the past couple of hours, so excuse me for minor grammatical errors. This is what happens when I set arbitrary timelines for myself v_v

Thanks sooo much guys for all of the reviews and adding to favorites/alert lists-ness. you guys deserve fudgey brownies.

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HOLY SNAP. 300 REVIEWS? I LOVE YOU ALL.

Sorry for not adding my little weird tidbit replies...(sigh...rushrush). But I do appreciate all of your reviews :) I read them all (multiple times), and love to know what you all are thinking about my writing!

Disclaimer: I wonder if Akira Toriyama would trade me DBZ rights for econ textbooks...But until he agrees, I don't own DB/DBZ/DBGT.

Fair Trade

Bulma remained close to Goku, both of them staring at the sky. She tried to keep her thoughts grounded, thinking of little Gohan and how scared he must be, thinking of where the Hell her boyfriend was and why he wasn't back yet. But her thoughts kept drifting, getting caught in the wind and focusing on Vegeta. How Vegeta was alive, how he hated her, how he looked incredibly...

Stop it.

This thought process of hers was getting annoying. Bulma stood up, leaving her forgotten magazine on the ground and retreated back inside the Capsule house. She never did get to take that shower of hers, and she really needed it. She heard more than felt Goku trailing behind her, undoubtedly a worried look plastered on his normally goofy face. He continued following her all the way to the bathroom door, until Bulma finally turned around, hands on her hips. "I'm fine, Goku. You can stop following me."

"I just want to make sure." He rubbed the back of his head innocently, and Bulma felt guilty for her slightly annoyed tone. It wasn't Goku's fault that he was always responsible for the well being of his friends. She had relied on him a lot when they were young, so it only made sense that Goku thought she still needed him now. She didn't need him now though, not for her problem with Vegeta anyway. He could protect her from all the big, bad monsters and aliens he could, but she didn't need his protection from Vegeta. That was something she had to figure out on her own. There's nothing to figure out.

Bulma turned the handle, half walking into the bathroom while her eyes still had a stare down with Goku. "How many times do I have to say it?"

"You can say it how many times you want, Bulma." He shrugged, his innocent expression seeming to fade with something more omniscient in his eyes. "I'll understand though, if you want to come with us."

Huh? She was not expecting that. Maybe the opposite. She could expect Goku to ask her to stay here, where it was safe, where she wouldn't have to see the Saiyan Prince ever again. "What?"

"Don't get me wrong. I like Yamcha. But that guy did seem pretty angry. I bet he missed you a lot when you left."

She couldn't help but snort. "Chichi really did hit your head pretty hard, huh?"

Goku just smiled and took a step back from the bathroom. "You're our negotiator, right? You must think you have some kind of power." He shrugged and turned around, "And we all know that it's not physical power...at least not the same kind me and the guys have."

"Goku!" Was she really hearing this? "I'm taking a shower now." She let out an agitated sigh. "And I'm not going to seduce him to get your son back!"

"...I never said that!" The Saiyan said embarrassed. He turned around suddenly, "Though you did say that you didn't want us to fight..."

"Goodbye, Goku!" She slammed the door with as much force as she could muster, back settling against it as her chest rose and fell. Bulma groaned, incredibly exasperated. She switched the water temperature to hot and speedily stripped down, anxious to just block out the past hour. Where's Yamcha?

She was incredibly glad he hadn't been here to see that. Her reaction to Vegeta hadn't exactly been completely innocent, and she could only imagine what Yamcha would think. Or what he would do. That was potentially dangerous, most definitely deadly. It wasn't about her pride anymore. She couldn't let her stupid old teenage feelings surface when Vegeta was around. Otherwise Yamcha wouldn't make it back to Earth.

Krillin and her boyfriend were back by the time she got out of the shower. Apparently Goku had already explained the situation because both Krillin and Yamcha were murmuring about why the Saiyan Prince would want to meet at a Namekian village.

"You'd think he'd want to keep his appearance a secret. Not really the best idea to just broadcast that he's after the dragon balls." Krillin sighed before falling down on a nearby couch in the living room. He rested his feet on the coffee table before continuing, "Perhaps we should go tell Guru."

"Huh?" Bulma sat down on a nearby chair, blue hair wrapped sloppily in a towel. "Who's that?"

She tensed slightly as Yamcha approached her, partly feeling anxious, partly feeling guilty. Get a hold of yourself. But Yamcha didn't appear to notice. "He's apparently the father of all the Namekians. They reproduce asexually, you know. Like how Piccolo just popped out of that egg thing."

"Yeah, I know." Bulma's tone was slightly frustrated. She didn't need an explanation about that. "So what?"

"Apparently the kis we initially detected were Namekian. Some guy named Nail and another named Guru. He unleashed their hidden potential." Goku grinned, "Wow, guys. Maybe I should pay him a visit later too. Your kis definitely increased."

Bulma raised an eyebrow, "Why would he do that?"

"To stop the Saiyans," Yamcha said happily. "He knows they're here and even offered Nail if we had any trouble with them. Four against three. Not such bad odds."

Bulma silently gulped.

Krillin grinned, "Hey, maybe that means this whole Saiyan battle thing won't be a total death sentence. Am I right, Goku? You got a reading of one of them, didn't you?"

"Not really, Krillin. He was hiding his power level." Goku scratched his head, "It was difficult trying to see how high it really is."

Yamcha shrugged, "Maybe he's just that weak. Whatever, I'm ready." He cracked his knuckles and sat down on the arm rest next to Bulma, who was straining from keeping her mouth shut. She didn't want them to fight. Hell, she didn't even want them meeting.

"We should get going soon." Bulma rubbed her hair vigorously with the towel. "He doesn't like people to be late, Goku, and that village is pretty far away, right?"

The Saiyan nodded. "Okay sure. Do you want Yamcha to fly you over?"

She was about to say yes solely based on habit, but immediately stopped herself when she noted Goku's expression. He seemed to be thinking the same exact thing as she was, which was a first. They couldn't make Yamcha a target like that.

"I can fly you over if you want, Bulma," Goku offered, earning a strange look from her boyfriend. But the Saiyan ignored the weird stare. "I can handle it."

She laughed it off, understanding his meaning but not admitting to it. "Sheesh, I'm not that heavy, Goku. I'll just take a Capsule plane."

"You sure, Bulma?" Yamcha stood up. "I don't mind at all."

"What if you guys need to fight though? They might need you, and I'll have to go. The plane will be easier."

They all made their way outside, Bulma with wet hair, no makeup, and a small capsule in her hand. She fought the urge to try to look nice, reminding herself that they were here for Gohan, not some re-imagination of a wish gone horribly wrong. Vegeta was an asshole, a murderous jackass. He was damaged and vengeful and short. There was no one to look nice for.

"Just follow us. Okay, Bulma?" Goku was still looking like she was going to break down any second.

"Roger." She let loose the capsule plane and stepped in.

Gohan was squirming in his armor, obviously anxious. His hair was wild and black, much like a Saiyan's, and Vegeta could tell that for some reason it was bothering him. "Would you please stop moving around, brat? The Namekians will hear you."

All four of them were camped a few yards away from the small village, hiding under the weirdly thin trees. Raditz and Nappa were mostly keeping to themselves. They were too busy abiding Vegeta's orders of looking out for the Earthlings to pay attention to Gohan's excessive fidgeting.

"Sorry, Uncle Vegeta." The little boy sat down, giving up on trying to get his hair flat. "But if Mom's here, she won't like how long my hair got..."

Vegeta grunted, "She should be happy that you're alive." He half swore to himself that if Gohan dared to mention his mother one more time he would snap...again.

"I guess so..." Gohan scrambled up suddenly, tiny fingers pointing at the sky. "Look! Look!"

Nappa grinned and patted Gohan on the back. "Good job kiddo. There's the weaklings."

"My dad isn't so wea-"

Raditz interrupted Gohan's protest. "Should we go meet them now, Vegeta?"

"Yes." He hovered slightly off the ground. "Radditz, take Gohan. Make sure he doesn't run off."

Raditz nodded and grabbed the little boy's hand. It half disgusted Vegeta to realize the boy seemed to calm down at Radditz's familiarity. But the Saiyan Prince shook that off and faced Nappa, "You get our other leverage."

The bald headed Saiyan grinned, "Yes, sir." And then he took off.

Vegeta watched the village nearby, grinning as Nappa demolished a house in one blast. A demonstration, was what they would call it on purges. Purely an example if the stupid aliens decided to actually rebel. Of course half the time Frieza ordered everyone's deaths anyway, but there was no reason to cause chaos. That just made the job harder.

Nappa continued the slight wreckage. He hit some older Namekian to the ground and proceeded to round everyone else into a tight circle, one hand raised, ki blast ready.

It had gone easily, as expected. Vegeta smirked at the simplicity and flew off, landing squarely in front of the group of green aliens. He had lucked out, slightly. There were apparently no warriors currently residing in this village. That much was easily distinguishable from looking at the small group. However, there were some small children, which could only add to his bargaining chip. The sadistic grin was hard to shake.

"I'm sure my subordinate here has already explained the circumstances you currently find yourself in." He began to pace, dark eyes directed straight ahead. "It's quite possible that all of you will die before we leave, but it is also possible that you live. Better odds than you expected, no?" Vegeta stopped and crossed his arms, huffing at the blatant fear stretched across their green faces. "Your job is to not talk, not move, not to do anything that might incite Nappa here from blasting the antennas off of your head."

"You're Frieza's minions, aren't you! We won't obey anyone from the Cold Empire!" It was that older Namekian, the one on the ground, bleeding purple from Nappa's strike.

Vegeta's smile fell and he raised his hand, yellow light bathing and destroying the already fallen body. He turned back to the group of green aliens, "And that is what happens when you don't follow the rules."

Gohan was quivering, he could hear it, but Vegeta refused to look at the little boy directly. Despite his lengthy stay with them, he had never seen any of the Saiyans take someone's life. It was bound to happen. Vegeta turned his back from the group of Namekians, staring at the dots in the sky passively.

They had obviously saw what he had just done. It was likely they had a more accurate reading of his power level too. Perhaps that's why they aren't approaching. But Vegeta immediately disagreed with himself. Kakarot was too anxious to get his brat back to suddenly back out now. Then what are they waiting for?

His question was soon answered by the small blue plane hovering behind him. The three fighters landed slowly with the plane, and out emerged her. Vegeta immediately grimaced, feeling his stomach involuntarily tighten.

"Ha, Vegeta, look." Nappa was laughing. "This is great. You can finally get your revenge."

"Revenge?" Gohan walked up a bit, dragging Radditz with him. "Hey! My dad! And there's that guy Krillin too!"

Raditz pulled Gohan back a bit, "Which one is that, Gohan?" Vegeta looked at Raditz painfully at the question. Raditz shouldn't have been that curious about the stupid Earthlings, but Vegeta just hoped the third class was just asking for pure tactical information.

"The short one! He's a fighter too! He trained with my dad when they were younger."

"And the other one?" Vegeta questioned. This one was taller, with scars marking his face. He noted they were all wearing the same color uniform. "Did he train with your father as well?"

Gohan shrugged, "I've never seen him before...but it looks like he was taught by the old man too!"

Old man? Vegeta didn't give it a second thought. The Earthlings' training didn't really matter. If they didn't follow his orders, they'd be nothing more than dust.

Kakarot was the first to approach them, his dark eyes serious and fists clenched at his side. His face seemed to lighten when he spotted Gohan holding his brother's hand. "Gohan!" The third class immediately started walking towards the boy, but Vegeta raised his hand, stopping his motion forward.

"What do you think you're doing, Kakarot? This wouldn't be a fair trade if I just let you take the boy now, would it?"

The bald and scar faced fighters were now approaching with that same look of hatred in their eyes. It was a look Vegeta was all too familiar with, and it didn't bother him at all. But the girl...the girl who was no longer a girl but a woman, had some other expression. It reverberated some memory in is mind, some distant image he thought he had put to rest. As she shuffled behind the fighters, Vegeta saw the almost lightness in her blue eyes, the lack of fear, the look of almost pity.

It disgusted him to think that such a weak creature like her could ever pity him. Was that the reason she had stayed with him for so long? Because she had pitied him? And then when she finally had enough, she let herself get wished back or she went back herself or whatever the fuck happened back then. It didn't really matter, not anymore.

"I thought killing people broke our deal, Vegeta." Kakarot's voice was gruff. He was staring at the pile of burnt carcass that was once that Namekian elder.

Vegeta shrugged, "There'll be even more blood on your hands if you don't tell us more about these dragon balls."

There was a collective gasp from the group of Namekians, but none of them dared to speak up, not with Nappa's hand directed towards their bodies. But Kakarot didn't flinch. He stood there, stoically, and Vegeta had the passing thought that for a second, he actually appeared like a real Saiyan, not some Earth bred weakling. But he wrote the thought off as soon as the moron opened his mouth. "Gohan, you can come over here now. Daddy will protect everyone."

Vegeta turned back to the half breed, and smirked when the little boy shook his head. "He quite liked his stay with his real Saiyan family, Kakarot. Perhaps we should keep him from you a little longer." No way did he have any intention of doing that. Sure, the boy could be an asset with fighting Frieza, but with Vegeta's wish, they wouldn't need that. And besides, Gohan was making Raditz a little too soft for his liking.

But he was enjoying the rise he was getting out of Kakarot. The younger Saiyan's power level spiked up significantly, confused and most likely upset by his son's reaction. The short, bald one standing next to Bulma was muttering something about Stockholm Syndrome, but she just shook her head.

Vegeta's eyebrows narrowed as Bulma walked forward, slowly at first, with her head cast downwards and her hair blowing softly against her face. Her hair looked nice like that, short with those straight bangs. His fingers tingled softly at the physical memory of that hair. It was silky and soft, so different than the rough coarseness that he had. He remembered those light blue strands slipping through his fingers as he played gently, holding her close to his body, her small, fragile frame held so tightly to his own. She looked up then, with those pitying blue eyes, and Vegeta attempted to snap his thoughts back. He was here to kill Frieza and possibly her, not to relive some idiotic time in his youth!

But those thoughts also seemed to go away when her hand rested on Kakarot's shoulder, "He's a smart kid, Goku. He knows that we should listen to Vegeta. Otherwise people will get hurt."

"No way, Bulma. We're not listening to some psychopathic aliens." This was the scar faced one talking. Vegeta raised one eyebrow at the look he was giving the woman. He was definitely concerned for her, that much was obvious, but the look seemed almost possessive, which sent a shock straight through the Saiyan Prince's spine.

"You will." Vegeta used his voice to turn his mind off. "Or I won't hesitate to kill you and then go to your stupid planet and destroy that as well. You will help me get the dragon balls."

"You don't need us," Bulma said, taking her hand off of Goku and stepping closer. "You can just ask them, can't you? Why go through all of this, Vegeta? Just give us Gohan and have your stupid wish."

For some reason, that last line had bothered him more than he would have ever thought. "It is not some stupid wish, Woman. You know why this is so important. You know what I must do."

"I know...but you don't need..."

"My men have been ordered to not use their scouters." He watched her eyes flick upwards to Raditz and Nappa. "We would have no way of tracking the next village, and I would not risk Frieza spying on us when I can easily obtain them in a much easier way. Your inconvenience does not concern me. Don't be such an idiot." Vegeta didn't turn to notice Nappa's expression. As far as Nappa knew, they were here for Frieza, to protect the Cold Empire from some crazy (if even existent) Namekian device.

"Hey! Don't talk to her like that!"

It was that scarred face one. How weird. Vegeta expected Kakarot to be the one to object to such a thing, but the third class Saiyan didn't move a muscle. The scarred face human, however, looked practically livid. Vegeta scoffed. "I'll talk to the annoying wench however I please. I am the Prince of all Saiyans. I do not need to listen to weaklings such as yourself." Moron.

"Yamcha, don't." Bulma gulped and grabbed the scar faced one's arm. They were too close for Vegeta's liking, too close that his stomach began to swish and burn with acid. And the weakling actually listened to her, calming down and stepping back in line with Kakarot.

Kakarot also seemed less angry. He was looking at his son, some weird, foreign expression occupying his face, and then he glanced back up to Vegeta. "If it's that important to you, Vegeta, we may be able to help. Just tell us what you want to wish..."

"No. Absolutely not." He spoke quickly, not giving Bulma or Gohan or Raditz the chance to reply for him. Nappa was not to find out about this. Yes, it had been a risk bringing the old Elite with him, but Vegeta needed the extra muscle, and Nappa was still much weaker than himself that there was no actual reason to worry. But this was no time to risk a potential, although slight, mutiny. "My wish does not concern you."

"Then I guess we won't help you."

The Saiyan Prince shrugged at Kakarot's comment, "Then I guess you won't see your son ever again."

"Daddy!" Gohan was crying slightly but still clinging to Raditz's hand. "Daddy! Please just help them! They have some really, really bad..."

"That's enough, Gohan!" Vegeta cut him off sharply and then redirected his eyes to Kakarot. "As I said, what I plan to do is none of your concern. But do know that the dragon balls will be mine, and that if you try to stop me you will..."

"Wait, Vegeta!"

What is she doing?

Bulma had interrupted him, running up to stare at him straight in the face. Her hands were planted on her hips, as if she were trying to appear tough or strong or the least bit intimidating. It was most definitely failing. Yet that didn't stop her from talking. "You can't just make those kinds of threats to my friends!"

"Hmph." He wanted to push her away, but there was something about their proximity that kept him standing. "And why not? I owe you nothing, Woman." He vanished in front of her, closing the small gap between them. Vegeta rested his lips right above her ear, letting his fingers feel the silky hair tendrils once again as he whispered, "But you owe me a lot."

His body was roughly pushed away from Bulma, and Vegeta blinked in surprise. But it wasn't Bulma herself that pushed him aside. It was that scarred human Yamcha. "Don't touch her! Don't you dare touch her, you asshole!'

"Yamcha...please." She was trying to pull him back, and the fool actually seemed to listen.

Vegeta could only cross his arms in confusion. He found his sudden possessiveness over Bulma rather disgusting. She shouldn't belong to such a weak, pathetic creature.

But Yamcha obviously thought the opposite. "You're lucky buddy. If I wasn't here to watch my girlfriend, you'd be lying on the ground begging for mercy right now."

Vegeta could only laugh at that. It was a soft chuckle at first, but then exploded into full out, stomach keeling laughter. He didn't know what Yamcha had meant by the term girlfriend, but the mere thought of such a deplorable fighter ever making him beg was downright hilarious. Nappa's whining voice stopped the sudden fit, "Vegeta, can't we just kill these guys and get on with it?"

"Don't be so rash, Nappa." Raditz pulled Gohan closer. The child was full out crying right now. "We need their information."

"They're not giving it. And Frieza doesn't want us staying here too long. Let's just kill the bastards and move on. Vegeta, I'll let you have the girl." There was a slight pause before he felt like adding, "To actually kill this time. No more pets."

"Shut up, Nappa." Vegeta calmly walked forward to stare down Kakarot. He was the strongest fighter out of all the Earthlings, that much was obvious, but he hadn't said much. He didn't even mention anything about his son again, which, if Raditz was any indicator, seemed rather strange for a third class. The prince was momentarily stricken by their height difference, but that never really bothered him in the past. One Galick Gun and Kakarot would be nothing but stumps anyway. "You have three seconds to tell me how to use and find the dragon balls or all the Namekians die. Are you ready?"

Kakarot made no response.

"One."

Nothing but air and whimpering green aliens.

"Two."

Kakarot shifted a little, his black eyes looking at Bulma of all people. Like she was going to be the one to... "Wait!" And she was. The stupid woman had actually dared to interrupt him, again. "Wait, Vegeta. I'll help you find them." She was shifting through her pockets. "I'll help you use them."

"Stop it, Bulma!" It was Yamcha again. He grabbed her hands this time, their fingers interlocking, and Vegeta had to push back the small amount of bile. There was something infuriating about their interactions, something that made his fists immediately clench.

She shook her head, "Me for Gohan. It's the only way."

"Just give them the radar. They only need the radar, Bulma." The bald one...Krillin, was talking now.

"So what? He collects them all and wishes for world domination or to be super powerful and we're stuck with some crazy Saiyan out in the universe?" What was meant as a whisper came out clearly. Bulma half covered her mouth, but sighed, seeing it was too late.

Yamcha was fuming, "He'll kill you!"

That thought caused Vegeta's smirk to increase.

"Well it'll be better than all of you and Gohan."

"Let me go. I can call the dragon too. I have a better chance of..."

She leaned forward, resting her chest on top of Yamcha's and sliding her hands through his hair. Bulma was speaking in a low whisper now. "I'm the one with experience, Yamcha, remember? I'm a pro at interrupting bad guys' wishes."

"I want the woman." He didn't intend to phrase it like that. Hell, he didn't intend to say that at all. He just hated how close they were. How seductive she seemed to be to the moron. They needed to be separated. They needed to stop touching each other like that. It was absolutely revolting.

Nappa immediately growled, "Not again...Vegeta..."

"You heard me." Vegeta ignored his subordinate's grumblings. "The boy for the woman. Fair trade. Better trade for you even."

Bulma nodded slowly, "Fine. Deal."

"Are you sure, Bulma?" It was Kakarot this time. But he didn't have the same desperation Yamcha seemed to posses. He was only looking for clarification, which Bulma gave with a simple head gesture. Kakarot returned the nod, "Alright then...thank you, Bulma."

"It's my fault this all happened, anyway...really." She walked away from Yamcha and over to Gohan. "You can go back to your daddy now, okay, Gohan?"

There was some sense of relief that Gohan didn't seem to recognize her. That meant Kakarot and Bulma hadn't mated. Vegeta found himself internally cursing that he almost wished they had. To be replaced by a Saiyan, even some low grade third class, could have been barely tolerable. But to be replaced by some scarred, human slug? Vegeta gritted his teeth, "Go to your father, boy."

"Uncle Vegeta?" Gohan wandered towards him. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Hmph. Go to your father. Try to teach him what it means to be a real Saiyan."

The little boy nodded slightly, wild hair covering half his face. "Yes, sir. And Uncle Raditz...Uncle Vegeta...and even you, Mr. Nappa...I hope everything goes well."

Raditz couldn't stop smiling. The idiot. "Take care of yourself, Gohan."

Gohan nodded and ran up to his father. Kakarot immediately grabbed his son, hugging him tightly before looking back to Bulma. "Please be careful, Bulma."

"I told you, Goku. I can handle myself." Bulma was staring at Yamcha, her face surprisingly unreadable. "Trust me."

Yamcha was still incensed, but he bridled in his anger. "Bulma..."

"Don't worry." Her voice was so soft, so gentle that it made Vegeta nauseous.

Yamcha took a step closer to where Bulma was standing, almost side to side with Vegeta. He sighed deeply but didn't reach towards her. "I love you, Bulma."

Within an instant, Vegeta's hand had moved from his side, contacting with Yamcha's temple and sending the fighter's body slamming to the ground. He then raised his arm to stop Bulma from moving forward, but that didn't stop her from hitting him squarely on the back. "You bastard! Why'd you do that?"

Vegeta grunted and turned around to let Kakarot and Krillin pick up Yamcha's unconscious body. The Saiyan Prince shrugged and grabbed her wrist, trying to ignore how warm her skin felt even through his gloves. "He talked too much."

A/N:

I'm sure some of you were pleased with that ending...ha. thanks for reading guys :D and drop a review if you want! see ya next week!