Recap: After a close encounter with the Androids during a grocery outing, Vegeta decides that he wants to put an end to them before they finish their hunt for the remaining dragon balls. Thinking he has the perfect strategy for defeating the Androids, Vegeta starts working closely with Piccolo and Gohan to train for the inevitable battle. Bulma, who knows exactly how much is at stake if anything goes wrong during the fight, tries her hardest to convince Vegeta to forget about training and finish locating the dragon balls instead. The saiyan is too confident that his plan has no possibility for failure, though, and all of her attempts are in vain.

The battle ends up coming sooner than anyone anticipated when the Androids happen to come across the capsule house during one of their flights. After leading them away from Bulma and the house, Gohan and Vegeta team together in effort to put a stop to them once and for all. This involves Vegeta taking on his oozaru form, during which he tortures and attempts to crush Seventeen. Things don't go as easily with Eighteen, who mortally injures Piccolo after he comes to Gohan's defense.

Not only is Piccolo killed during the fight, but Seventeen comes back from his supposed demise to cut off Vegeta's tail. Consequently, Vegeta reverts to his humanoid form before passing out. Mistaking this for his death, the Androids leave with the promise that they'll return to take care of Gohan the next time they get bored.

Vegeta struggles to come to terms with everything that happened – from his "foolproof" plan going array, to Piccolo's death, and then losing his tail. He attempts to push Gohan and Bulma away during his anguish, but realizes he would rather find comfort from Bulma after she walks into his room in the middle of the night. During this encounter his defenses are so low that she is able to see just how torn up he is inside, and she does all she can to try and comfort him. While holding each other during a round of makeup sex, Vegeta confesses that Bulma was the only thing to take away the numbness he was feeling in the aftermath of everything. She starts to confess her own feelings for him, but he quickly shuts her down. Feeling rejected, Bulma starts to leave for a shower. The saiyan announces that he's going to join her, saying "I didn't say I wanted you to leave me alone."

Half a week later, the three were entering the premises of West City.

Though they had made up the night after the battle that had gone so wrong, Vegeta's behavior had only gotten worse during the following days. Even more sporadic than what she had grown used to, the saiyan was kinder than he'd ever been to Bulma when they were alone at night, but during the day - and especially in front of Gohan - he was so cold that he acted as if she didn't exist at all. Vegeta wouldn't speak to her, let alone even look at her. And, as much as it bothered her at times, Bulma knew exactly why this was.

Because, even when Bulma told Vegeta about the situation with the dragon balls and their need to travel to Namek, he had been surprisingly calm. All he had done was nod his head, and after a moment of silence he told the Bluehead that she was not welcome to attend on the trip. He'd said it so firmly that she didn't bother arguing, and instead she left him alone to brood with his decision. She'd gone the rest of the day without speaking to him, and they did not even share the same room until that night when she crawled into bed.

He never did apologize for his harsh reaction to the news. But when Bulma took her place on the opposite end of the mattress, the saiyan immediately rolled over to close the distance between them. He pulled her into his body as they lay together, so tightly that she could hardly move. And he refused to let her go, even hours later when she tried to explain that her body was growing too warm from embrace.

It had been like this each night since he learned the news. Sometimes, during these hugs, Bulma would complain that she was starting to sweat from the heat of his body under the sheets. But Vegeta would only groan a lazy reply before pulling her in even tighter, as if to assure he that he'd never release her at all. During these embraces Bulma had tried several times to bring up the matter of Namek, but the saiyan would quickly shush the subject away and refuse to speak about it at all.

It was clear that he was grappling with the subject on his own. Perhaps that was why he tried so hard to distance himself from her during the hours that the sun was up. These were likely the hours that he felt most strong. But at night, whether he would admit it or not, he'd lose any ability in maintaining this façade. Whether he said it or not, the way he touched her in the darkness of their sheets communicated the truth that he would not say.

He needed her.

And Bulma, who wanted so hard to be able to push him away and lecture him on behaving so fickle, couldn't bring herself to be so strong. As much as his unstable attitude teased her emotions so painfully, she needed him too… Kami, she never wanted these nights to end.

.

"God, it looks terrible." Bulma was commenting, as the plane flew over the decaying tops of murdered skyscrapers. Gohan was sitting beside the Bluehead in the copilot chair. Meanwhile Vegeta was training by himself in the gravity room, which had been set up in the back of the plane. The boy was peering out the window, his eyes glazed over as he blankly watched the rubble that they were flying over. Streets were cracked, bridges had collapsed. Any building that remained standing had human shaped holes blown into them, and Gohan didn't have to use his imagination to know how they got there. He was looking at the skeletal remains of what had once been a thriving metropolitan oasis, the technological capital of the world. And now there was nothing left but ruins, and it all looked the same as any other city did...

"This used to be my city..." The Bluehead was sighing now. It was hard to take it all in, and yet it was incredibly easy at the same time. This was what she had already seen on the drone she made to try and find her parents weeks earlier. This was what she had imagined in her dreams, and had been telling herself to expect for days. Somehow, seeing it up close and in person took any remaining denial from her, and she was left with only the saddening closure that it was indeed true and horrifyingly real.

"Gohan, will you go tell Vegeta that he needs to secure himself? We'll be landing before too long."

The boy was so glad to have an excuse to pull his eyes away from the decay below that he didn't bother to reply. He ran from his seat, eager to tell the saiyan that it was time to get secured for landing. And, ten minutes later, the wheels of the plane were skidding to a halt on the cracked pavement that marked the street where the Briefs residence once stood…

.

Vegeta was the first to step out of the plane, and he inhaled the scent of charred wood as he took in his surroundings. So much had occurred since the argument that transpired between Vegeta and Bulma so many weeks earlier, when she confronted him about whether or not her parents were living. Things had been so busy after this that the dispute might have been long forgotten - if the entire concept of going back to West City hadn't brought it up again. Bulma seemed distracted enough in her own matters - her ailment, her performance as pilot of the plane, her dedication to Gohan... She hadn't mentioned anything to hint that the argument was on her mind, but it had certainly been on Vegeta's. He was remembering everything she'd said to him - that he was a liar, that she thought she could trust him, that he had given her false hope by insisting that her parents lived. Despite what he had told her of her parents' wellbeing, Bulma had believed them to be deceased. And she likely still did, for there was no reason to assume that she'd suddenly changed her views.

They were now drawing closer to the house, and even before they landed the plane Vegeta could feel the older couple somewhere within the debris. Just as he had known and insisted, Bulma's parents were very much alive and thriving. What he found curious was how. How could their life auras be so strong and obvious, yet be wafting out from under the collapsed building? If those weak humans had been crushed under the house as the Androids took it out, then how were they so well? How did they survive at all?

Not only were Mr. and Mrs. Briefs somewhere under the remains of Bulma's once beloved home, but there was another as well. Vegeta had recognized it hours earlier, as they advanced in their flight. The prospect of potentially having an encounter with this third aura was enough to sour his mood, but he tried not to let it consume him. After all, why should he care about any matters of this low-class planet when he was going to very soon leave?

The saiyan had fallen behind, and Bulma was now leading the way as she cautiously trudged towards her childhood home. In the far end of the yard lay the drone she had designed, which she had powered off remotely after deciding she no longer wished to stare at the images of what became of the Briefs residence. There was a lump in her throat as she stepped closer to the wreckage, but she swallowed to ward it away. 'You've been preparing for this, Bulma.' She thought to herself. 'Keep a level head. Just stay calm...'

"Look at it." Gohan observed out loud, stepping over a blackened ply board.

"I know." She shot back, trying to put an end to the conversation before it began. They needed to be straight to the point if she was going to get herself through this. There would be time to have a breakdown later. "The spaceship's capsule should be in the lab. We need to get to the basement, and I guess we'll have to do that by tunneling our way in. Gohan, you can help Vegeta by clearing everything away." She turned from the destruction as she spoke, instead choosing to face the street. She was going to have to emotionally detatch herself from this as much as possible if she was going to be describing such things. She just couldn't look at the heap of materials while speaking. Not right now. Not yet.

"Why don't we just find the tunnel that's already here, Miss Bulma?"

"Huh?" Okay, the Bluehead just had to look up at back like that.

"Well, they have to have a way to be getting in and out... don't they?" Gohan was looking at the Bluehead as if they were both participating in two different conversations. "Right, Miss Bulma? Wouldn't they?"

"They?"

"She can't sense ki, remember?" Vegeta rolled his eyes. The kid was right, though, so the saiyan left it at that. At that very moment, while the two went back and forth, someone was actively making their way out to greet them. The saiyan could feel as they drew closer, and he looked up just in time to see Yamcha pull himself out from the debris. "Bulma?"

The Bluehead's mouth dropped open, and she took a step back as if she thought the Z-Fighter's figure was an apparition. "Yamcha?"

"B, it's really you!" He exclaimed, before turning back towards the rubble. "It's okay, guys! It is her!"

She couldn't even breathe. Did this mean..? And as she watched, some dust lifted from the debris. She heard the sound of movement, and then from the back of the heap rose Mr. Briefs, followed shortly by Mrs. Briefs. Tears were in the Bluehead's eyes before she even saw them. As soon as she realized there were more people coming out from under the house, her hopes rose. She became so hopeful that she was terrified, so utterly frightened that she'd be wrong. And when she saw her parents standing together, their clothes a bit tattered but otherwise looking okay, she sobbed. "MOM!"

She shot like a rocket, racing and stumbling over loose rubble as she desperately made for her family. She'd hoped and wished that a moment like this would come true. She had dreamed of it, even, but never did she really believe this was a possibility. Now she was hyperventilating, and she didn't catch her breath until she was falling into the arms of her father. "DAD!"

"Don't cry, honey..." Mrs. Briefs was saying softly, rubbing a hand against her daughter's shoulder as the Bluehead nuzzled against her old man. And then she turned to fall against her mother, wrapping her arms around her and letting out another sob. "I'm so happy!" She gasped. "You guys are okay! I thought... I mean, I-"

"I'm sorry, dear." Mr. Briefs said, and his voice was cracking as he brushed a palm across the back of his daughter's head. "We really did try to call, but all of the phone lines are out. The signal's been terrible since it happened, too. I think it's all the gunk that's been kicked into the air. Not just here, but everywhere. It's as if the entire world has had a change of climate. The wireless phones just can't get a connection."

"I'm just..." Bulma was beside herself. "Oh, this better not be a dream! I can't... I won't be able to-"

"I'm so glad you're finally back, B." Another hand clapped on her shoulder, and Bulma was too euphoric to push him away. She didn't reciprocate, though. She didn't even acknowledge him, even though she was tolerating the Z-Fighter's touch. Yamcha was squeezing the Bluehead's shoulder, but the situation was far too desperate for her to want to make a scene now. Instead she chose to hug her mother even tighter, and she did not let up until Mrs. Briefs took the initiative to step away. "We really should go inside before anything dangerous happens." She said, before turning towards Gohan and Vegeta.

They were both standing by the side of the property, not having moved since the scene started unfolding. Gohan looked as if he were about to burst into tears, perhaps in yearning for a similar experience with his own mom. And Vegeta had his arms crossed, his jaw tight as he glared at Yamcha from meters away. "Both of you, come on!" Mrs. Briefs called. "Come inside, and we can all visit where it's safe."

Gohan was more excited to do this than Vegeta, who kicked his feet as he dragged behind slowly. Up ahead Mr. and Mrs. Briefs were both holding Bulma in the middle of their bodies, their arms wrapped protectively around her shoulders as the led her around the rubble and towards the back of the lot. This is when the Bluehead saw it - the entryway of clearance that had been dug out from the debris. She could see that it opened directly to the stairway that led to what was the basement, and she grinned. The fact that it could only been seen from a certain angle of the yard made her even happier. "Brilliant!" She breathed as she began to make her way down.

It nearly brought Bulma to tears again to see that the basement was hardly changed from what it had been during better times. The thick stone walls had done their part in absorbing the shock of the house's collapse, effectively protecting everything that had been stowed downstairs. The only real difference was that there were now two cots tucked into one of the corners, along with an assortment of canned foods that had been collected on one of the shelves. "Welcome home, dear." Mr. Briefs said, sensing his daughter's relief that one room had been spared from absolute destruction.

.

The hours flew by quickly as Bulma reacquainted with her parents and Yamcha, listening to what they had been through. Gohan was included in the conversation, with Mrs. Briefs doting over the child and trying to force feed him any random snack she had on hand. The only one who did not join in with the reunion was Vegeta, who sat on one of the cots across the room and merely listened to everything instead.

The story went that Yamcha had been on high alert for the Androids ever since Krillin had encountered them for the first time. Because of this, the two men were not exactly surprised when the Androids made it to West City - although they were caught off guard. The Androids made their presence known just a few streets down from the apartment that both men shared, and unfortunately only one of them survived the ensuing battle.

"It wasn't like we even wanted to fight them. We knew we were screwed, and we were just trying to get away." Yamcha had said. He described, in vague detail, how they were on their way to leave the city when their trail was intercepted by one of the horrendous creatures. It was only by pure chance that she'd targeted Krillin, choosing to take him out first.

The Z-Fighter was longfaced and grim as he told it, explaining that both men had already discussed their plans for any instance in which an encounter with the androids might occur. Understanding that neither of them would be capable of overpowering the fiends, they agreed that if one was injured, the other would go on and try to save themselves. With this he did not bother describing anything more of Krillin's fate, leaving Bulma to wipe her eyes with the implication.

What Mr. and Mrs. Briefs both attested to was the fact that Yamcha had gone straight to their home. Things were happening so fast that news hadn't even had time to cover it, and the older couple were unaware that their city was under attack. The Z-Fighter had been the one to give warning that they needed to flee, but it was Mr. Briefs who had the idea of taking cover in the basement. It was in there that the three huddled together with the lights out, listening to the crashing of the buildings surrounding their house. Holding their breaths in fear that the Androids might hear their presence, they hid together in the dark for hours after the attack was over.

So fearful that the monsters might return, they would have stayed in hiding indefinitely if they could have. But they were on borrowed oxygen, and it was the threat of suffocation that eventually brought them to tunneling their way out. This was when they were able to accumulate a supply of food, and with nowhere else to take shelter, the basement was where they all remained.

"You guys can't keep living like this." Bulma said. "Especially now that we're here, too. Six of us cramped together in this room?"

"I'm okay with being cramped." Yamcha replied, and the way he smiled at the Bluehead made her roll her eyes. "No," She said. "We're going to end up killing each other."

"Right about that." Vegeta muttered from his place, but nobody cared to look up and see that he was glaring at the Z-Fighter once again.

"There isn't enough room, anyway. I need space to work on the ship, and I'm not going to do it up there. What if the Androids come back and I don't have time to capsulize it? We can't risk the spaceship getting destroyed."

"What do you suggest then?" Yamcha asked, his voice curling a little at the rejection. "It's not like we have anywhere to go. You saw the city - they wiped everything out!"

"We have the house that I've been sleeping in. You guys can stay in that! There's enough room in the yard, just set it up out there. If the Androids return, you guys will have to just make it back down here."

"I don't know about that..." Yamcha, who didn't even know that the teenagers were Androids until Bulma had explained it to him, wasn't happy. "I don't feel safe up there."

"Oh, please!" Vegeta shot. "Act like you have some spine!"

"Hey now," Mrs. Briefs interjected. "You can't blame him for being uneasy."

"Yeah, man! And what business is this of yours, anyway?!" Yamcha stood from his position beside the Bluehead, much to her own relief. "I was here first, so I have way more say in this than you!"

"She's right though." Mr. Briefs said, then. "Bulma needs the space to…"

... And then all three of them were lost in a flurry of words, as Bulma and Gohan watched. Vegeta was barking things in support of the Bluehead, Mr. Briefs was also in support of his daughter - though he was speaking with far less contempt than the saiyan. Yamcha was screaming at the aspect of having to give up the basement, and Mrs. Briefs was trying to encourage everyone to stay neutral.

"Oh, GOD! JUST STOP!" Bulma, who was getting tired of watching this, finally howled as she jumped to her feet. This effectively brought everyone to a halt. Her parents and Yamcha both turned to stare at her in awe, meanwhile Vegeta only smirked and crossed his arms. The Bluehead was panting, trying to catch her breath. "Now, this is my house, Yamcha! I'm telling you how we need to utilize our space, and it isn't negotiable! Vegeta and Dad both agree with me. And Mom - I know you do, too, you just don't want to be rude. The capsule house has one bedroom, but it has two couches. My parents will take the bed, and you guys can decide which couch is yours. I am saying I need my basement to work! And my work is more important, since the future of our planet depends on it! You guys are going up to the yard, and that's final!"

"Are you okay, honey?" Mrs. Briefs asked. She was quick to notice how exhausted her daughter was as she yelled.

"I'm fine, I'm just pissed off. And this is exactly why we can't all share this space. One disagreement, and it all goes to hell." With that the Bluehead let herself fall back into her seat, her mouth hanging open as she continued to catch her breath.

"Are you sick?" Mrs. Briefs tried again, taking no time in putting a hand to her forehead.

"I'm fine - just tired." Bulma, who didn't want to share her pregnancy news during circumstances like this, swatted her mother away. "I'll be fine..."

"Oh... are you hungry?"

'Yes,' Bulma thought, but she still shook her head. "I just need to rest for a bit, and then I want to start on the ship."

With that, the group slowly dissipated to settle into the capsule house. Yamcha refused to leave Bulma alone, stating he couldn't trust Vegeta to be around her. It wasn't until the saiyan physically removed the Z-Fighter by force, with Gohan quietly tagging behind, that Bulma was finally left to take a nap on one of the cots in the corner...

.

It must have been 10 or 11 P.M. when Bulma pushed herself out from under the spaceship, wiping sweat away from her face as she did so. Her father had worked with her for a bit, but she continued tinkering away even after he went off to bed. The Bluehead sighed as she began to stroll towards the idle desk that was seated in the center of the room. She was just about to start unbuttoning her shirt, but then she started to hear footsteps heading down the stairs…

"Bulma," Yamcha breathed when his face became visible from the stairway. "Oh, good! You're still awake."

"Sure am."

"I've been trying to find a good time to talk to you…" The Z-Fighter was now quickly approaching her, making her uncomfortable as the distance was closing in between them. "I wanted to see you… when it was just the two of us - alone."

Bulma, who had already been frowning, now blinked at the Z Fighter. He had known her for years, and he knew just how irritating it was when someone interrupted her when she was trying to work. Of course, he wasn't aware that she had just decided to stop for the night – but still. The fact that he was purposely bothering her now meant that he either didn't care, or that whatever he was about to say was actually important. She doubted it, but she wanted to give him a chance to prove her wrong. Biting the inside of her cheek, she sighed and took a seat at the desk, folding her hands over it to try and look busy. "This better be good, Yamcha."

"Just hear me out, that's all I ask." He walked around the desk so he could be by her side, and then he knelt down so that he could be face level with her. "I've been thinking so much these past few months – about everything. And I was so happy to see that you're alive."

He was looking straight into her eyes, which made Bulma even more uncomfortable. She tried to edge away in her chair. "Gee, thanks…"

"Were you happy to see me?" He asked. "Be honest."

"Of course - I'm glad you're alive, too. But I would have also been happy to see Krillin. I wish everyone was okay."

"Well, that's a start at least…" Yamcha muttered, but he didn't relent. He leaned closer to her, compensating for the few centimeters of distance she had tried to add between them. "Look, when all of this blows over, I want us to have a second chance. I really mean it this time. I've done so much thinking, and there's been so many times where I thought something might have happened to you… It made me realize, babe. I'm tired of this lifestyle I've been living. I'm tired of the high life. I'm tired of running around, going with any girl I want, and being so irresponsible. I don't just want any girl, Bulma. I want stability, and I want the one girl I've ever actually loved. I want to settle down, and I want you."

"How… sweet…" The Bluehead scoffed, her face twisting as his words sank in. How long had he been planning this conversation, and that was the best thing he could come up with? "You're tired of living the high life? So, what does that say about me? Being with me would be your low?"

"You know that's not what I meant." Yamcha replied, and he reached out to grab her hand. Bulma was quick to pull away. "No, Yamcha. I'm putting a stop to this right now. You know that isn't going to work for us. You've told me all of that before, and I was stupid enough to believe you the first forty times. I'm not falling for it again."

"This time is different, babe…" Yamcha grabbed Bulma's hand again, and he held it even tighter. "I've never had to face anything like this before. I thought I was going to die, and I thought you were going to die. When your whole mortality is right in front of you, it really changes the way you look at things. And I'm officially done. I don't want to go back to living like that after all of this. Please, just give me a second chance."

"You've had your second chance! MORE than that!" Bulma was trying to pull out of his grip, but he was holding her firmly as she spoke. "Let me go." She growled, her back pressed against the chair for leverage. "Yamcha – stop!"

Finally, he sighed and released her. Of course, he'd waited until the Bluehead was kicking her feet into the ground and desperately leaning back to try and get away. And Bulma, who had still been trying with all her might to wriggle her hand from his grip, went tumbling backwards as the chair gave out. "Babe!" The Z-Fighter started. "Are you okay?"

"I am not your babe!" Bulma yelled. She had fallen on her back, and was now pushing herself up from the floor. "And you aren't the only one who had to face your own mortality, you know! Sure, earlier I mentioned a few things here and there when I was talking to my parents, but you never even asked what I've been through these last few months! You have no idea what I've had to deal with! Our relationship has been dead for a long time by now, and it's going to stay that way!"

"I haven't had the chance to ask." Yamcha pressed. He wasn't going to let this go so easily. "I was going to ask… But I never had a chance."

"Oh, please! If you actually cared then you would have started our conversation with that, instead of this!"

"Please… Bulma." Was he actually whining? "You gotta hear me out… Don't you miss us?"

"Not anymore. I haven't missed us for a long time and you know that." The Bluehead's face was now red with the anger she was attempting to suppress. "Look, I care about you, and I'm glad you're okay. I don't want anything bad to happen to you. But that doesn't mean I trust you, and that doesn't mean I want anything other than amicability. We were young when we got together. I was your first girlfriend, you realized you wanted a taste of what else was out there, and you got it. How many breaks did we take? How many times did we decide to end things, just to get back together again and repeat the cycle? We aren't meant to be, and that's that. Stop trying to convince yourself you feel something that isn't there."

Yamcha's face had completely dropped, and he was staring as she pulled her chair off the floor and settled it back on its legs. She was huffing, her face even redder than the Z-Fighter's, and she plopped herself down in the seat again before turning to glare at him. He blinked dumbly in response as he looked her up and down. This wasn't the first time he noticed how breathless she would get, and he wondered what that was all about. She seemed to get winded by anything. Was she falling out of shape or something? He decided he would have to ask her about that later, but for now he needed to stay focused on his current goal. He looked her body over once more before settling back on her eyes before opening his mouth again. "You don't mean that. I know you don't really mean what you're saying."

"Are you serious?" A deep voice scoffed, and it was so sudden. Yamcha jumped before swinging around to see Vegeta standing at the other end of the room. The saiyan was leaning against a shelf that had a bunch of dead computers stored on it, and he was watching the two with marked disapproval as he sneered. "I can't tell if you're stubborn, or just a fucking idiot?"

"I forgot you were here!" Bulma gasped, making it clear that Yamcha wasn't the only one surprised by Vegeta's presence. "Holy hell, Veggie, you scared me!"

"Veggie?" Yamcha's frown deepened.

"Yes, that's what she called me. Is there a problem?" The saiyan pushed himself away from the shelf, starting to walk towards the two. He slowly cracked his knuckles as he went, an act that only added to the already building tension in the room.

Licking his lips nervously, Yamcha looked back to Bulma. He eyed her, almost as if hoping that she'd offer some type of apologetic explanation. But all he saw was a fuming Bulma Briefs, who seemed to be progressively growing calmer as Vegeta drew closer towards them.

Calmer?

And then it clicked.

And he took a step away.

"You two… Bulma… Him?"

"Don't you start." She snapped, putting a hand on her hip. She knew exactly what was coming. Yamcha was going to start yelling, and he was going start listing all of the reasons why the concept of dating Vegeta was insanity. She expected him to go off on a rant on why he was the better candidate, and so she was surprised when all she heard was a sigh instead.

"Wow, man. Just… wow." Yamcha ran a heavy hand through his dark hair. "Alright, then. I guess I'll just leave you both alone."

"That would be nice." The Bluehead narrowed her eyes. By now Vegeta had made his way to her side. Looking like an annoying body guard, he was staring at Yamcha and watching to observe that he would actually leave. The Z-Fighter didn't say anything more. He simply shook his head as he turned away, and within a few seconds he had gone up the stairs.

Bulma watched him go, and she didn't address the saiyan until she was sure that they were finally alone. "I really forgot you were here, you know. That scared the crap out of me!"

"Don't be vulgar, Woman."

The saiyan began to stroll across the room, making his way for the two cots. "Come to bed."

She had no care to argue, and the Bluehead carefully slipped out of her sweaty clothes as she complied. She crawled into the cot that was closest to the wall, and she watched as Vegeta slid his bed to be aligned up with her own. He then rearranged the blanket so that it would cover both of them before turning off the light.

In the darkness Bulma took a deep breath as Vegeta crawled into bed and reached for her body. As he did every night, the saiyan wrapped his arms around her figure and pulled her into his chest as he spooned her body. He didn't speak a word, his lips resting just behind her ear as he breathed deeply against her skin.

"It took you long enough to step in." She whispered, adjusting herself to a more comfortable position against. "That was terrible."

"I wanted to see how you'd handle him." He replied, his voice deep in his relaxation. "I need to know you'll be able to fend for yourself once I am gone."

"So, you're still planning to leave me behind."

He gulped before responding. "You know you need to stay."

"I don't." She replied, happy that he couldn't see the distraught expression that was spreading across her face. Her heart was sinking now with desperation – the same way that it did each time the subject was brought up. "Vegeta, I want to go."

"You are far safer in this bunker than you would be out there." He replied. He sounded calm – or, at least, Bulma could tell that he was trying to. But there was something in the back of his throat, and she could hear how much strain it took to try to hold it back. "It is my fault that the trip to Namek must even be made, and I will not have you tagging along and risking your life."

"My life isn't guaranteed if I stay here, though!" She was trying not to lose grip, but this was something she couldn't control. After such a long day that had been filled with so many emotional twists, it had been such a relief to climb into bed with the saiyan prince. Their time together in the safety of the dark was something she looked forward to everyday. The thought that she might not get to have this anymore was nothing less than panic inducing.

"You need to eat more." The saiyan muttered, his way changing the subject. "You haven't eaten all day."

"I need to work."

"You need to eat."

"The sooner I finish this ship, the sooner-"

"Woman." Vegeta's whisper was firm. His palm was slowly sliding down from her ribs, the rough callouses bringing goosebumps to her skin as it moved. "You are not in the same condition you were when you built the gravity machine." His hand stopped on her stomach, and he pressed it into her belly. Bulma could feel a warmth on his fingertips, and she wondered for a moment if she was imagining things. She had noticed this sensation in his touch only a couple of times before, and the last incident had been during one of her breathing spells after an argument over Gohan's training. He had taken her hand while she panted on the couch, and she could swear that his hold had helped her in catching her breath. "I like it when you touch me like that," She whispered.

"Just go to sleep. You need to rest. And tomorrow, you will eat." His hand was even more hot – and she knew she wasn't just imagining this now. It was as if a surge of warmth was flowing into her just from his hand, and she pictured herself laying in a warm bathtub. Her muscles felt as if they were becoming revitalized, her groggy head clearing from its fog. She knew that what she was feeling was real, but was this all in her mind? Did she care about Vegeta so much that his hold could do this to her? Kami, even her anxieties about being left alone were fading away!

Bulma put her hand on top of his, holding it in place as she smiled. She knew that they only had a short amount of time left, and she was going to appreciate every second she could. "I'll see if my mom will make us all a big breakfast tomorrow." She whispered. Images of hot springs were rising in her head, her dreams taking form even as she spoke.

"Very good." Vegeta breathed his reply, and she felt as he lips pecked a kiss on the back of her neck. "It's crucial that you allot time to take care of yourself, or else that child in you will suck you dry."

"Will not." She breathed. His hand was still firmly palming her belly, and the warmth radiating from it was now tingling down to her toes.

"Just go to sleep, Woman." Vegeta sounded as if he were now half awake, himself. "We both need the rest…"

"Okay, but just... Please don't leave me, Veggie…" Bulma sighed, and this was the last thing she said before she drifted away…

The saiyan bit his lip at her words, and he pecked another light kiss on the back of her neck. He wasn't sure if she was even aware, since she was always practically asleep whenever it happened. But she'd been saying the exact same thing to him every night since he'd told her she wasn't permitted to go to Namek. Just as she was drifting away to her dreams, she'd make one last plea for him not to leave her behind. As if she were terrified that he would be gone when she awoke. As if he would leave her in the middle of the night.

The fact that this was always her last thought before falling into slumber was a burden on his conscious, but this was something he'd never let her know. He knew that she wanted to go with, but it just wasn't right. Even after all the stories he'd shared with her during their long nights together, there was no way that the Bluehead could possibly comprehend what types of horrors awaited if she was unlucky enough to stumble across the wrong individuals while in space. And the likelihood of that happening was too high to risk.

There was a bleak future with staying on Earth, but it was still the lesser of two evils. If any thing bad happened to her, she was far better off at facing such fate on Earth than she would ever be in Frieza's hands. Vegeta knew that he would never be able to forgive himself if she ever had to face Frieza. He knew he'd go mad if her last moments living were in that lizard's hands. The saiyan knew he had to keep her as far away from Frieza as possible, and to do that he had to leave her behind. She just didn't understand – she couldn't – but this was how things needed to be. They were on borrowed time with one another, but if they were ever going to get the dragon balls, then separating was the only chance they had.

The saiyan pressed his hand even tighter into Bulma's stomach, which seemed to be growing softer by the day. He placed another kiss on the back of her shoulder. And, as he did each night, he savored the smell of her silky flesh. "Goodnight, Bulma." He whispered as he nuzzled his face into her skin.

He was doing all he could to memorize these moments with her - for she was only living creature that he had.

AN: In case you missed it, two new chapters to The 7 Year Gap were added in the last week! :)

AN 2: Also, I now have a tumblr. I made this in order to communicate during times that I am unable to post new chapters to my stories. So, if there ever comes a time where a story update is overdue and you start to wonder if I've gone away forever, be sure to check my Tumblr. I'll likely have posted an explanation to my absence. I have the same username on there, surelysaiyangood. :)