In the previous chapters…

After coming to Gohan's defense, Piccolo is defeated during a battle with the Androids. With the resulting loss of the dragon balls, Vegeta makes the decision to risk the travel to Namek.

Concerned that the journey will be intercepted by Frieza and his men, he forbids Bulma to join him and Gohan. Knowing that she doesn't stand a great chance for survival on Earth, and not wanting to leave Vegeta's side, Bulma is undeterred by his warnings about the dangers of space. In secret, she designs a ring that straps around her ankle and successfully renders her ki unreadable when activated. Using this, she is able to sneak onto the ship while Vegeta and Gohan are distracted, and hides away in his bedroom. After hours of travel and anxiety at the idea of having left Bulma behind, Vegeta finally discovers her when walking into his room to get some rest.

The trip is long, with the ship feeling way too small at times, but they finally arrive to Namek in one piece. They don't have much time to celebrate their arrival, because they soon learn that some of Frieza's men are there, and they're pillaging the villages of Namek in search for clues of Vegeta's whereabouts. Because of this, he is immediately shunned during his first encounter with an elder. Instead of forcing his way to the dragon ball that the elder is protecting, Bulma convinces Vegeta to confront the ones terrorizing Namek. He takes off, but makes it clear that he's angry about it, which disturbs her a bit at how willing he was to hurt the elder.

It turns out that the man terrorizing Namek was none other than Cui, one of Vegeta's long rivals. Gohan and Vegeta intervene just in time to save a young boy named Dende from getting killed. After defeating Cui and his comrades, Dende expresses his gratitude by healing injuries that Gohan acquired during battle. He then tells Bulma, Vegeta, and Gohan that the dragon balls have the capability to grant three wishes.

Something about the way that Vegeta reacts to this new rubs Bulma the wrong way, but she doesn't have too much time to be concerned about this before Gohan takes her with to follow Dende and meet "Papa Guru". They leave Vegeta behind to hunt down dragon balls that had been left unattended in the villages that Cui destroyed, but Bulma has a feeling that something isn't right…

It was dark in Frieza's base, which was just as he liked it. Each hall was dimly lit with small electronic candles that cascaded shadows along the white walls, illuminating only what Frieza wanted his men to see. The floors were a dark and colorless grey, and the atmosphere was made complete by the temperature. At a stale 40 degrees (Farenheit), the base was kept cool to create as docile of an environment as possible. All of Frieza's men understood to talk with their voices low, since their emperor did not appreciate the burden of noise pollution. And at that exact moment there was no sound traveling through the corridors at all, except for the clicking of buttons as Zarbon typed commands into the mother computer of the control room...

Sitting beside Zarbon was Frieza himself, his small button nose turned upward as if suffering through a foul odor. He was still, not even breathing, as he silently waited for his top general to finish his task. Neither men were smiling, the freezing air of the room only making Zarbon's nostrils dry as he researched the situation on Namek.

"...No, sir." Zarbon finally sighed, leaning back from the machine. "All attempts at contact have been futile. I am not picking up the power levels of Cui, Appule, or Napple. Not only that, but all scouters except for Cui's, are indeed turned on. Cui's went out some time ago."

"So, that confirms it." Frieza smiled. "It seems our three elites have been... decomissioned... Cui's scouter likely became damaged during the battle. Are you able to access his records as they were before his system died?"

"Yes, but there were no readings out of the ordinary. The last power level logged was still in the process of being analyzed. But the number traced is only 14,000. That doesn't seem like anything that should have caused a problem."

"No, 14,000 shouldn't have been an issue... Unless it was much higher in reality. It seems our little Vegeta has finally learned to disguise his ki." Frieza breathed. "It is not unheard of. Captain Ginyu possesses the same capability."

"But, Vegeta doesn't know how to do that!" Zarbon heaved. "Not even I know-!"

"DON'T QUESTION ME!" Frieza, who had been so calm until that point, had finally erupted. Zarbon gulped, straightening his posture. He looked down to his feet sheepishly, waiting to receive the punishment that he so deeply deserved.

But nothing came - Frieza only sighed before continuing, his tone returning to a purr. "Vegeta has been away for quite some time. I would not put it past him to have learned this technique. Unfortunately, Cui turned out to be more useless than I thought. He failed in reporting why Vegeta has an interest in Namek before he was killed... My, my, we have quite a rebel in our hands, don't we? Vegeta sure likes to cause us turmoil."

Zarbon had no way of knowing whether this was a rhetorical question, so he did not dare respond as he watched his commander.

"Issue an update to the Ginyu Force. They are currently performing a purge mission on a planet that is in an adjacent galaxy. It will not take them long to travel to Namek. I would like them pulled from their current assignment and sent out for Vegeta immediately."

"Yes sir." Zarbon was surprised – the Ginyu Force? But, they were Frieza's top army! They were only reserved for challenging missions that required extraordinary strength and technique! Was Frieza really so worried about Vegeta – that entitled little primate – to request his top army? Although he wondered it, Zarbon didn't dare to ask just a thing out loud. He raised a gloved finger to initiate a call transmission, but Frieza held up a scaly hand as he continued.

"Oh. And Zarbon?"

"Yes, sir?"

"I have changed my mind about the monkey. He does not deserve the favor of perishing under my hands. Vegeta must learn his lesson for getting cocky and taking out my pawns... Make sure that Captain Ginyu knows that I want Vegeta's body delivered to me. I want his blood drained from his pit. I want the ape returned to me cold, withered, and DEAD."

"Yes, sir."

.

"Are... Are you sure he'll like us?" Bulma's voice was quivering. She was standing behind Gohan, clinging to his shoulders as if he were a shield. The two were walking closely behind Dende as they made their way through the village they'd just landed in. They had arrived only a few moments earlier, and it seemed as if they were already making quite a spectacle of themselves.

Unlike the first village that Gohan and Bulma had visited, where the elder had told them he would not permit them his dragon ball, this one made the Bluehead feel uncomfortably watched. This one seemed far more inhabited. Young and old Namekians stepped out of their round homes so they could observe the strange aliens, not a single one speaking a word as Gohan and Bulma passed. It made the Bluehead feel as if they were being lead into a wolf's den, and her fingertips dug even deeper into Gohan's shoulders.

"I think they were expecting us." Dende explained, as if this would somehow be comforting. His voice was always so quiet, even now as he happily smiled and waved at the onlookers. "These are all my brothers. They seem to like you!"

"Brothers?" Gohan asked.

"...ALL of them?" Bulma added. "They… they do?"

"Yeah! Papa Guru is our father!"

"I... I see." The Bluehead replied, somehow managing to nod and shake her head at the same time. 'Goodness,' She thought. 'The guy has this many kids? Guru must be a stud!'

… It turned out that Guru, indeed, was not a stud.

When the three finally reached the building of their destination, whether she was ready or not, they stepped inside. Bulma couldn't explain why exactly it was that she felt so utterly intimidated, but she was shaking as she clung even tighter to the boy in front of her. He was practically dragging her now.

"Miss Bulma..." Gohan whispered. "Come on! Let go!"

But she didn't care. At this point, she was so nervous that she was having to ward off the idea of climbing onto Gohan's shoulders and making him carry her piggyback.

"Don't be afraid." Dende said, taking her hand. "Papa Guru wants to meet you."

"Does he?" She asked. How could Dende know? He'd been with them the entire time since they'd met! It was obvious that this was some empty statement that was meant to only make her feel better. Still, she was intrigued to see this mysterious man who had fathered so many children, and that bit of curiosity alone was what guided her deeped through the dim hall.

"Ah," A large voice boomed. It wasn't that it was angry, but it was so loud that it was nearly omnipresent.

Bulma jumped from the sound, and her fingers started trembling even as Dende held her hand. He gave her a squeeze, and she was surprised that it actually made her feel a little less trepidation. Mustering the courage, it was then that the Bluehead finally looked up from the floor, taking in the rest of the house.

The home seemed to be made of only one large room, and at the end was a large green man seated on a huge chair that nearly took up an entire wall. The wrinkles on his face were so numerous that they covered his eyes, making him appear as if he were in the middle of a nap as they approached. Bulma's mouth dropped open - should she bow? He looked like an old expectant king seated on his throne! What was the protocol for this?!

"Papa Guru!" Dende called once he decided they were close enough.

Guru shifted his weight slightly, a low breath fanning out from his large mouth. "Mm... Dende... My boy..."

Instantly the child let go of Bulma's hand. Laughing, he raced to his father, giving the large legs an affectionate hug. "Papa!"

"My boy, I am so pleased to see you are safe..." Guru put a hand to the top of his son's head with an affectionate rub. "You have been through so much today."

There were tears in Dende's eyes, but the smile never left his face. "I want you to meet my new friends! Gohan saved my life, Papa! They stopped those men that were hurting all of us."

"Ahh... Gohan..." Guru shifted again, his invisible eyes moving to the saiyan child before him. "Yes... There you are. My boy, come here..."

The way he looked, spoke, and held himself, left Gohan with no concern of ill-intent at all. He held his head high as he walked up to the elderly man. When he was within arm's length, Guru placed his hand on the top of his head - just as he had done with Dende. "Clear your mind, so I may get a look at your past..." The Namekian breathed, and again Gohan immediately obliged without a worry or thought. He closed his eyes, taking in the feel of the warm palm that was firmly planted against him. In an instant a rush was surging through his body, tingling his skin and massaging his temples. It was not unpleasant, rather, it only left Gohan feeling safe... He saw nothing, heard nothing, and as quickly as it came the feeling went, and Guru slowly pulled his hand away.

"Ah... Gohan..." Guru mumbled, pulling his soft hand away. The child opened his eyes to look up at the large Namekian, watching in wonder.

"I trust that you understand... We Nameks do not like to fight. We live in peace, and murder is not to be taken lightly..." Guru said. "You have caused bloodshed on my planet's soil... But I see the guilt you experience when you must do so. Even right now, the fact that you had to kill brings pains to you... Doesn't it, boy?"

There was a lump in his throat, and Gohan sheepishly nodded.

"You find no pleasure in warfare. Not even in fighting. You participate only when you must."

Again, the child nodded. He was amazed at how much Guru knew – at how well he understood…

"I am... very sorry about your mother, child... Not only her, but your father. In such a short period of time… My, my... Losing both parents at such a young age... You have been through quite a lot as of late"

Tears were clapping onto the stone floor as Gohan bit his lip, trying to keep himself together. The way Guru was speaking to him made him feel safe - as if he were confiding in a long lost family member. Like grandfather who lived far away, but whom he shared an indestructible bond... It was amazing how Gohan felt as if he'd known Guru all of his life, even without having said a single word...

"The dragon balls will serve you well. You will see your mother again, young boy... I can promise you that." Guru sighed breathlessly before continuing. "I will communicate with the three other surviving elders that your objectives are benevolent... Just give me a few moments..."

It was then that Guru leaned back, tilting his head to the ceiling. All were silent, including Dende, as the old Namekian breathed. And then, after several moments, he tilted his head back down, and a smile stretched across his wrinkled face. "They have received my message. They will greet you with open arms."

"Woah! Just like that?!" Bulma asked, speaking up for the first time. "You can communicate telepathically?"

"Yeah!" Dende smiled. "That's how I knew that Papa Guru wanted me to come here! He wanted to meet you!"

"Amazing..." The Bluehead balked.

"Gohan, I know you have been using all of your time training recently..." Guru continued, a confident way about him as he shifted the subject. "...But you have much power within that still lies dormant. Would you like me to awaken it?"

"Dormant power?" Gohan blinked.

"Yes... I believe it will help you greatly to achieve your full potential... Come here, and clear your mind for me again..."

Dende and Bulma both watched as Gohan returned to an arm's length from Guru. Once again, the old Namekian placed his palm flat against the boy's head. However, this time, instead of silent observation, the child broke out into a yowl.

Bulma's mouth dropped open and she jumped back, not having expected this reaction.

Gohan was gasping and crying out, yelling with unfiltered ecstatic adrenaline, as energy surged through his core. When Guru has mentioned awakening his power, the boy had thought it was some type of metaphor, but in that moment he felt and knew that something inside him that had been sleeping his entire life was now coming to the surface. It was as if he were growing into himself, insecurities he hadn't been aware he even possessed fading into a distant memory. His skin was vibrating, pulsing, his gut quenching as something long dormant was furiously released…

Clammy with sweat and shaking, Gohan's cries slowly died down to a silent quiver. He still had his eyes closed when Guru finally pulled his hand away, licking his dark green lips with satisfaction at his work. "There you are." The elderly man smiled, leaning back in his throne. "Now your full potential has been realized... May this bring you prosperity in your future endeavors..."

"This power..." Gohan gasped, looking down at his hands. He opened and closed his fists, examining his palms as if they might have changed color since he'd last seen them. "How can I ever thank you? I... I'm..."

"Young boy..." Guru breathed. "You have done enough in saving the rest of my children from facing certain death. Please... if you must... Express your gratitude by honoring the sacred dragon balls... Use them wisely... Use them well... Now go... Please, I am growing quite tired... You must excuse me. Please feel free to continue on your journey..."

Nodding, the half-saiyan turned and looked at Bulma for the first time since entering Guru's home. No longer frightened, she appeared just as overwhelmed as he was, shocked at everything she had just heard and seen.

"The dragon balls will bring you nothing but fortune, but I hope you are aware of the other in your group..." Guru announced then, and neither Gohan nor Bulma knew which one of them he was speaking to. They both looked to him as he continued. "I saw him in your mind, Gohan... The man, Vegeta... He is a saiyan prince... You must be very wary of saiyans… especially the prince..."

"He's just misunderstood." Bulma cut in. She was used to people second guessing Vegeta. Defending him was becoming second nature. "He isn't bad. He wants to defeat some people that are killing everyone on my planet. He's going to help us."

"Mmm..." Guru sighed, turning his full attention on the Bluehead. "He may have redeeming qualities to his persona... The side he has chosen to share with you has been good... But all saiyans struggle with a darkness that is deeply engraved in their souls... Contempt, and greed... Violence… It is what they are all doomed to suffer... The power of the dragon balls can rise temptation... Temptation is quite hard for saiyans to resist... He will face trials in the presence of the dragon balls... As any saiyan would..."

"We came here with similar goals." Bulma tried again, but his words were slicing through her, even as she spoke. Once again, she was remembering the look that had been on Vegeta's face after learning that the Namekian dragon ball had the power to grant three wishes. It was the face of someone who'd been encountering temptation… "...We.. We both know what we are using our wishes on. There's nothing for him to have to think about."

"Mmm..." Guru sighed again. He paused, silently taking her in, examining her eyes as she stared back at his dark wrinkles. "You want to believe that... But you are still unsure..." He slowly shook his large head. "Just be aware of him... Don't put too much trust... With most, temptation is too seductive to resist. It almost always wins... Even if, to you, Vegeta is well meaning, his own desires may be enough to stray his heart... Especially now... Now that he knows there will be three wishes... He should not be trusted with the dragon balls... He must be watched carefully."

And with that, Guru huskily coughed. "I hope you two will excuse me... I grow very tired... I need to rest..."

"You've done more than enough for us!" Gohan smiled. "We'll be on our way! Thank you, sir!"

"Gohan, I will stay here with Papa Guru. I think I should take care of him." Dende said. "Once you've gotten all seven dragon balls, just come back here. I know the password for them to work. I can also translate what you wish for to the dragon. Porunga only speaks Namekian."

"Sounds great!" Gohan took Bulma's hand as he started to back away. "Come on Miss Bulma, we don't want to overstay our welcome. Let's go get the rest of the balls. Thank you Dende! Thank you Guru!"

"Hm..." Bulma's mind was far away, her heart dropping as she considered everything Guru had just said. Distracted, she idly nodded before mumbling her appreciation, and then she was being lead away.

As much as she hated it, Guru's words were terrifying. Sure, Vegeta could be selfish, stubborn, and rather demanding at times... But deep down, he was good. He was a good person, even when he himself did not want to admit it... She'd seen it countless times!

...But he had been through a lot in his life. He'd suffered enough loss in his life to drive anyone completely mad. Vegeta had gone through so much and had been forced into situations that had harbored so much resentment. It would be understandable if he wanted to try and use the wishes to create a completely different life for himself... But would he really want to do that? Was it better than anything she could offer him?

... Was there a chance he might actually think to do something crazy with the dragon balls? The grass was incredible on Earth, but did Vegeta think it was greener elsewhere?

… Bulma felt like she was going to be sick, even as Gohan wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug and began to lift them in the air. She'd only recently gotten over her concerns about him leaving her on Earth and not returning. They'd gotten to an understanding on that, but it had been so easy for Vegeta to behave so stoically and turn her away, even as she cried...

...Too easy...

She was the one who had to sneak on the space ship, hadn't she? Whether he wanted to or not, he had been completely resolved in just leaving her behind on this trip!

Not to mention the fact that he had been considerably more tense since landing on Namek. They hadn't been here for long, but he'd been so tunnel-visioned and harsh since arriving. Even more so than usual. It was clear that this place had triggered something inside of him, and perhaps there was more to that than just wanting to get the balls as quickly as possible...

'God, Vegeta...' Bulma thought, the wind hitting her face as they took off towards where the saiyan prince was currently waiting. 'Please don't do anything stupid...'

.

"Here it is!" Vegeta yelled out, to no one in particular. He was holding the large dragon ball up in the air as he admired it, grinning at his reflection in the crimson sphere. This was the third one he had uncovered from the debris of a destroyed Namekian village, and it had taken hardly any time at all.

The Namekian dragon balls were huge - far larger than the ones on Earth had been. The size of an overgrown melon, the saiyan tucked it under his arm as he took off into the sky, flying towards the lake he had thrown the other two in. With the excitement of retrieving them, Vegeta had forgotten to ask Bulma for a capsule to safely store the balls. 'No matter,' He'd thought. The bottom of a dark lake work perfectly well as a hiding place. Frieza would certainly be sending more men in place of Cui's squadron, and when they showed up, there would be no concern of the balls being compromised. They were safe, and they would remain hidden until they were ready to be used.

He could sense Bulma and Gohan's ki in the distance. They were drawing closer with each second, indicating their impending return. Vegeta smirked as he moved from the lake and found a nearby tree, planting himself under it as he awaited their arrival. 'Three wishes,' He thought for what may have been the millionth time since learning of the opportunity. 'Soon, it will be as if Frieza never met the saiyans at all... Soon, I'll assume my birthright...'

... But would that do?

As much as the thought enticed him, when Vegeta closed his eyes, he couldn't shake the image of Bulma looking sadly at the remains of West City... The saiyan knew that she was depending on him to take care of the Androids once he obtained immortality. He knew she would likely want to use one of the three wishes on reversing the destruction the androids have caused. She'd want him to go back to Earth, and would most likely expect him to stay... Vegeta was going to have to talk to her, but it would have to be later on. It just wouldn't do to bring any of this up in front of the boy.

Bulma and Gohan finally landed about twenty minutes later, after the saiyan had fallen into a nice meditative state under the tree. He smirked as he opened his eyes, watching idly as the two strolled over. "So, you didn't get any dragon balls while you were out?"

"No, but we got something even better!" Gohan started, but Bulma put a hand to the boy's shoulder in an act to silence him. He looked up at her, surprised at her unspoken gesture.

"Don't bother," She said softly, shaking her head.

The smirk dropped from Vegeta's face. She was staring right at him, her blue eyes fixed on his own. The way her brows were sunken, her cheeks pulled tight as if fighting back a grimace. It told him enough, and this completely blindsided him. She'd seemed uneasy before leaving, but now she was acting so disgusted.

It was true, then. She knew...

But how?

How did she know?

She was disappointed in him. She was upset. It was as if she had somehow read his mind just by looking at his face, long before he had the chance to tell her of his plans. Predictably, she wasn't at all happy with Vegeta's recent line of thought.

"Miss Bulma?" Gohan asked, turning completely around to get a better look at her. She was still staring at Vegeta, even as the child attempted to prod her attention. "Miss Bulma?"

"Perhaps you should run along and fetch one of the dragon balls, boy." Vegeta said, taking a step towards them. The shortened distance only made her scowl deepen, and she finally broke eye contact to look down at Gohan. "Maybe you can find us some food." She suggested. "Could you do that? Go to the next village and see if there's anything to eat."

Gohan didn't bother asking any thing else. He'd had his suspicions of why she was acting so stiff all the sudden, and it definitely had something to do with Guru's ominous premonition. He nodded sheepishly before taking off, deciding that he didn't really care to get caught up in whatever quarrel those two were about to get into.

"So..." She sighed, watching as the boy took off into the distance. And then she turned around, making eye contact with the saiyan prince again. Vegeta raised an eyebrow, waiting to hear what she was going to say...

The wind was whistling as Gohan flew away, the sound growing fainter with each meter he made. Bulma stared at Vegeta as the sound of Gohan's flight dissipated, unable to tear her gaze away from the madness behind his eyes. He was acting so calm, and it was clear he was attempting to be warm to her. But, as always, his eyes were windows into his inner thoughts. And right now, they looked absolutely deranged.

Guru's warning had raised her defenses, and every fiber in her being was telling her not to excuse this one away. When she had spotted the saiyan, dozing so restfully as they settled in, she knew Vegeta had reached a resolve during their absence. He'd just been far too calm…

There was a lot of danger in such a confident stature.

The way he had smirked at them. The way his eyes twinkled with an unspoken knowledge, despite how stoic he thought he was. He was trying to keep his decision a secret, but how stupid of him. He should know by know that she could read him like a book!

Now they were alone, and the amusement on his face had completely gone away. Just as she knew where his mind was without him expressing it, the saiyan knew she had her suspicions. They both understood one another without having spoken a word. He took another step towards her, and Bulma put a pale hand to her stomach as she stood her ground.

"So, you know." He said, far too easily, closing in on her. "I'm interested in learning how."

"How?" She replied, and she was surprised at the venom in her tone. "What do you mean, how?! You're wearing it all over your face!"

"Calm down. Don't take it so personally..." He breathed, and it was clear that he was trying to be soothing with how slowly he spoke.

"You want ME to calm down?! It's obvious that you want to steal the dragon balls for yourself, to do something none of us planned!"

"Don't look at it like that. I've merely realized what the best things to wish for would be. I want you to wish for them with me..."

"Care to elaborate on what you think is important enough to double cross us?"

"It isn't double crossing, Bulma..." Vegeta said. "I'm simply going to wish for immortality so I can defeat Frieza. And then I just want to wish my planet back to existence, as well as my people."

He was close enough now to reach out and grab her arms, and she let him. She bit her lip, having suspected just as much. But there were certain factors Vegeta didn't know about the dragon balls. At least, back on Earth, the dragon was only capable of wishing back the lives of those who hadn't died by natural cause. But the rule was they could only be wished back to life within a year of their passing. It was clear by now that the Namekian dragon balls had similar restrictions, though slightly different. Bulma didn't know what the time span was that Porunga could revive the dead, but she was sure Planet Vegeta's demise had surpassed it long ago.

And she also knew that there was no way for Vegeta to be aware of this. He had his hopes up, his desires high, and she wasn't going to be the one to bring him back down.

... Bulma was confident that once Vegeta learned that his wishes for his planet couldn't be fulfilled, he'd be so flabbergasted that she could easily make her wish before he thought of something else to request to the dragon instead. Or, even more likely, if she told him right now that his plans were futile, he'd give it all up and resume with their original goals. There was some comfort in that, but still... She didn't want to be Vegeta's second choice. She didn't want, whatever their relationship progressed into, for there to be a lingering desire for something better in the back of his mind... For him to simply be making due with what he had. If Vegeta decided not to proceed with this, and to make a future with Bulma instead, it would have to be of his own influence – without knowing the constraints of the balls…

"Just imagine it." Vegeta continued. He groped her arms tighter, massaging her biceps with his thumbs as he leaned into her face. "I will take my rightful position as prince of Planet Vegeta, and you will be by my side. One day I will be King, and you will rule as my Queen, Bulma! Can't you see? Just imagine it!"

"I don't want to!" She shouted back, wriggling against his hold. He let go, and she backed away. "My home is on Earth, Vegeta! That's where I want to stay."

The saiyan stared at her crossly, but then his expression softened. "I want you as my Queen." He reiterated. It seemed that he thought she'd only misunderstood. "You will-"

"No, damnit!" She shot. "If there's one thing I've learned about saiyan heritage from you, it's the pride you all seem to carry for your race. Do you think any of them would accept me as their queen?! Come on, Vegeta, I'd be assassinated immediately!"

"I wouldn't allow it!" Vegeta barked. His voice was rising as he realized just how serious she was, and it was also notable that he didn't deny her suspicions. "You will be respected as my Woman, and we will live amazing lives together! I'd never let anyone touch you!"

"No!" Bulma cried again, shaking her head. She wasn't going to tell Vegeta it wasn't even possible if he tried. She wanted to… But she just couldn't. If this was what he truly wanted, then that said enough about where they stood. "If you wish for your planet, you're going to wish to be alone. At least, not with me. Because I'll refuse, understand? I won't go!"

"No... I don't believe you." He replied, and his face shifted. At first his expression had been near pleading, but now he just looked offended. "You understand that, as prince, I have duties to fulfill."

"Then go fulfill them! I won't stop you!" She put her hands to her temple as she shouted. "I thought we came here so you could wish yourself the confidence you need to beat Frieza and the Androids! I thought, since we have another wish, I'd use mine to make the Androids human, so they'll be capable of defeat! I thought-"

"Just because I need immortality to defeat Frieza does not mean I lack confidence!" He snapped. "I know where I stand against him, and I am aware of his strength. Do NOT mistake that as anything other than what it is!"

"I don't believe that! Vegeta, you're the strongest person I've ever met, and you just keep getting more and more powerful each day! You're like a machine." Bulma couldn't take it anymore. She turned away, growing sick at the look in his eyes. "That's beside the point. I want to go home… To Earth after all of this. I don't want to live on Planet Vegeta. Since you're so loyal to your people, you should understand why I'm so attached to Earth."

"Earth will not be safe for you!" Vegeta tried. Once again he grabbed her, spinning her around to face him. "Bulma, now is not the time for this! You must listen to me!"

"If you want to go off and fulfill whatever duties you have, then so be it!" Bulma shouted, pushing his hands away. "But leave me OUT of it! If you don't come back to Earth and defeat the androids for me, then I will! I'll stay here and wait until I can wish again, and then I'll come up with a plan to get rid of them on my own!"

"How dare you say such things." He cracked, but he cut himself off before continuing with his rant. He looked at her, eyes wide, visibly astonished that she wasn't being receptive to this at all. He'd known that it might require some coaxing to get her to agree, but to completely reject this altogether? She didn't even want to consider staying with him?

"If you choose your planet, you're choosing to leave me." Bulma said, and then slowly she looked down at her stomach, slender fingers sliding over it protectively. "Not only me, but… You're... you're choosing to leave us... If that's what you want, then so be it... But Earth is my home, and I... I don't want to leave."

"You left to go on this damned trip together, didn't you?!"

"Don't try and twist my actions!"

"How dare you be so stubborn!" Vegeta continued. "Telling me that I'm the one choosing to leave! You're the one who won't even consider the idea, and yet you put this on me as if I haven't tried to convince you to join me!"

"Stop it!" Bulma crowed, but the saiyan ignored her and continued on. He was making it incredible hard for her to keep from blurting out that his entire plan for reviving his planet was completely futile.

"I thought you had some type of sentimental regard for the time we've spent together, but apparently not! You had me fooled, Woman! Real fucking fooled!"

"Shut up, Vegeta!" She shouted. "You don't know anything!"

"Oh, and I don't? You've said enough, Woman! I know plenty!"

"I take it you won't reconsider your plans." The Bluehead had backed into a tree, trying to think of anything she could to end this horrible conversation. Vegeta was clearly pissed now, and she was nearly seeing double with how stressed she was.

"Fuck, no!" Vegeta bellowed. "You're the one who finds it so easy to separate! Why should I care to rethink anything!? How dare you tell me to choose between you or my people, when you won't humor the idea for a minute!"

Bulma was chewing her lip, trying to think of something to shout back, but all she could muster was a ringing in her ears as the saiyan ranted at her. And then, with hardly any warning, he took off. She watched as he rose into the sky, the obscenities he was barking echoing behind as he went.

And then, in a second, he was gone. Away from sight, she couldn't even hear his ranting voice anymore as she stood alone with her back against the tree.

It had been a long time since he'd yelled at her like that – very long. And she might have been feeling slightly guilty about it all, if he hadn't been such a dick about it all. Clearly he was feeling betrayed by her refusal to go along with his plans, but what kind of position had he put her in?!

"The jerk!" She hissed, wrists shaking as she dug into her pocket and retrieved the dragon radar. She'd nearly forgotten about it, and she was surprised that Vegeta hadn't taken it from her when they'd separated earlier when she'd gone with Gohan to meet Guru. Clicking the tool to life, Bulma's eyebrows furrowed as she focused on the flashing balls that were lit up on her screen.

She knew that when it came to strength, there was no way she could overpower Vegeta. But she could certainly do something about making sure he didn't get his wishes so easily. He had the nerve to feel betrayed, when he was the one who had the idea of leaving all of their plans behind in the first place?

SHE was the one who should feel betrayed! And hell, she did!

If he wanted to yell at her and twist her into being the bad guy, after the shitty options he'd presented her with, then so be it. But she'd be damned if she just stood idly by.

The least she could do was make his hunt a lot more challenging…

AN:

I know I promised you all that this was going to be uploaded on Friday, November 1, but it turns out I'll be entirely too busy that day to post! Not only that, but I finished my proof reading early, and I was too excited not to publish this right now! I hope you guys enjoyed this latest update. As mentioned before, due to my schedule I know I am only publishing one chapter each month right now, and I really appreciate your patience and support during this time.

I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you!

P.S. Smut will be coming in future chapters! This story is rated M for a reason! There may be a lot of plot building in these recent chapters, but don't think we've seen the last of smut... This isn't even a spoiler, since I know you won't be expecting it when it comes... You'll just have to read and see... ;)