This is it done at last- not the ending I'd originally planned for and this fic hasn't gone the way I originally intended either, but I was thinking of it the other day and this actually popped into my head: the first piece of inspiration since I last posted! And for me, it worked, it was enough for them. It's not perfect, nor is it a great piece of writing I think, but I wanted to end this, to give this mental couple a well-deserved break.

Thank you so much to all reviewers over the years- I'm sorry I haven't really done you justice but I hope this gives you a feeling of release too. I'm planning on reading the whole fic in one go now to see how it plays out again!

Thank you,

Lola.

'Face to Face'

Chapter Twenty-Three: We Are Face to Face

'These hands will become unwrapped
You love their touch again
This time things will be different
And you're gonna see
See...
Give me one more chance
Give me one more chance
Give me one more chance
To love you.'

Bloc Party: One More Chance

She had forgiven him. Hadn't she? She'd convinced herself that she'd forgiven him because she didn't love him anymore; because she understood he had never loved her and that he never would love her or Trunks.

Then he had just bloody dropped her shuttle on her lawn as a fucking Super Saiyan!

Bulma realised the minute she saw him that she had not forgiven him; that she still loved him and that she hated him just as much as now as she had when he left her for the second time.

Vegeta's eyes sought her out immediately. She looked the same and he took a moment to marvel at her beauty and how seeing her affected him as it had done so before. He wanted her. He flew gracefully down from the shuttle and landed mere feet away from her. They stared at each other- eyes locked like animals ready to attack- and he took one step towards her, lips turned up in his usual arrogant smirk.

"Don't you dare!" Bulma screeched immediately and Vegeta winced at the shrillness, "Don't you dare come near me again buddy! I can't believe you even think you could just turn up here again and think you're going to get my knickers off! I told you I never wanted to see you again so fuck off!" She could practically feel the anger burning her skin and tears welled in her eyes. Her voice echoed as he stood silently watching her. "Didn't you hear me?" Bulma stepped closer and pushed at his chest, though he didn't move, "Go away! Go away! Fuck off!" she kept pushing at him and he wouldn't move and she burst into tears, furious and heartbroken still and his complete apathy to her was like a physical pain. She stepped away from him, blue eyes filled with tears and slapped him hard across the face. Vegeta hardly flinched and she moved to slap him again.

This time he caught her wrist with a growl and pulled her to him. She struggled in his grip but he held her tight by her upper arms, until she froze, whimpering.

"Stop it woman. Get a grip. This isn't you."

His words, so sharp and cool, stung her even more.

"You don't know me Vegetablehead. You don't know a thing about me and you don't give a shit, don't you are dare pretend otherwise!" Bulma hissed at him, struggling in his grip again and hating how much she just really wanted to sink into his arms.

He chuckled darkly and pulled her closer and tighter. He knew she would react badly to seeing him; he had dreamt of it and thought of it many times on his return and he knew- remembering the moment that it was she in his mind as he ascended- she loved him. "I know everything about you." His breath tickled her ear and his lips ghosted her neck, "I know you want me right now, I know you have missed me, I know no one will ever touch you like I can-" Bulma whimpered and struggled again as his mouth trailed her collarbone before he reached her mouth.

Bulma desperately wanted to pull away from him but she couldn't- her mind was screaming at her that she was insane to let him hold her like this, talk to her like this- but his face was so close to hers and his eyes were boring into hers… and suddenly she saw a glimmer in them, something different but familiar, something she had not seen in him since before he left her for the first time… she was frozen now, captivated, hopeful…

"And I know that you were my ascension. You were there Bulma."

It wasn't an apology, or an 'I love you', or even 'I've changed, forgive me'… but it was exactly what she needed to know from him then. It was the most she had ever gotten from Vegeta and it was enough.

She felt her body sag against his, the fight in her gone at last, and it took Vegeta only two seconds to press forward and kiss her hard. He pulled back only moments later and a familiar, smug, almost affectionate smirk adorned his lips.

"Alright Vegetablehead," Bulma sighed with a small smile, "Come inside."

She turned from him towards the house, knowing he would follow; knowing now that he would always come back to follow her, and as the doors slid open and Trunks hesitantly wobbled out to her, she threw a quick glance over her shoulder before scooping her son up in her arms, kissing his cheek and turning to face Vegeta with a challenge on her face.

Vegeta looked at the two of them - his mate and their son- and his mind flashed a million images through his head: his father, his home, Frieza, Kakarott, his battles, his first night with her, his first return to her; his ascension… this was it for now. The androids would come; but this was his reward.

He snorted gruffly and raised an eyebrow imperiously back at her before striding forwards, as if to walk straight past them, when Trunks small hand shot out and grabbed his hair. He froze and spun to glare at the boy, annoyed and aroused by the look of triumph on Bulma's face, before he reached up to the small hand gently and picked it from his hair, stunned- as he dropped the boys hand limply to his side- at the current of power and energy and bonding that ran through him.

Bulma's own smirk blossomed to a grin as she walked on again, cooing to her son, "Good boy Trunks," and Vegeta followed again, eyes locked with the staring eyes of his son over her shoulder.

Done- thanks again.