Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

The room was dark. That was the first thing Trunks registered when he woke up from another nightmare. He rubbed his hand down his face and took in his surroundings. A part of him was surprised he wasn't in his room, but then he remembered that he went home with Mai. Ever since his confession to his family, Trunks was on edge, but he started to lean more on his loved ones. He talked about his feelings and anxiety more often. Kuriza wouldn't let him play off his fears with his jocular façade. At night, Trunks didn't want to be alone, so he either spent time with his parents at Vegeta's apartment until he was ready to pass out or stayed with Mai at her place. Everyone wanted to help him through all of this, process his trauma, and support him while being faced with Goku Black's return.

Trunks was certain his parents spoke more about this whole thing than he was aware. Sometimes he'd catch them whispering, either about their concern for him or stuff about Black that he couldn't hear. It didn't help with his anxiety, that there could be something more he needed to know about his adversary, but Trunks tried to remember this wasn't his case anymore. Gowasu had no plans to send anyone undercover to attempt to trick Black. The FBI agent already knew he was bad news and had his people watching the guy. Of course, it couldn't be 24/7 or Black would be suspicious. He knew his release didn't wipe his slate clean. In fact, knowing Black, Trunks was sure he was counting on that.

"Mm," Mai hummed as she turned in the bed to face her boyfriend. She must have felt him shift in the bed. His girlfriend was a light sleeper, after all. Mai wrapped her body around Trunks, her leg curled over his hip and leg. Trunks sighed in contentment as Mai placed gentle kisses on his neck and face and traced gentle lines all over his body with her fingertips. Her light touches relaxed him as much as they drove him crazy. Trunks wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin atop her head. It didn't matter if Trunks was having troubled sleep when his girlfriend did everything she could to make him feel better.

"I love that we can be public about our relationship now," Mai murmured in Trunks's ear.

"I'm the luckiest man alive," Trunks huskily returned. "I'd love to shout it from the rooftop."

Mai's light laugh was like a soft melody to Trunks. It helped to set him at ease, that is until Mai's voice took a more serious tone. "Why didn't you tell me about the case?"

Trunks tensed in her grip, but Mai's gentle ministrations continued to soothe his frayed nerves. "Part of it was because the report was redacted," Trunks explained. "Gowasu wanted to make it look like my record was clean. If it got in my file that I developed severe anxiety and had PTSD from a high-profile case, I wouldn't have been able to help Kuriza, which was the whole reason I got involved with undercover work in the first place."

"You still could have told me," Mai reiterated. "I could have worked through it with you."

Trunks sighed and held her tighter as if trying to get closer to her. "I know. I should have. I wanted to. I just…"

As Trunks trailed off, Mai's hands stopped trailing his muscles. She pulled away to look her boyfriend in the eye and could see so much pain housed in his oceanic pools. "Just what?"

Trunks averted his gaze, his bangs dropped in his face. "I didn't want you to think less of me," he admitted.

Mai couldn't believe the words that fell out of her lover's mouth. She always admired Trunks when they were at the academy. He was dedicated and true, a kindhearted man who was steadfast in his convictions. They'd been friends for a long time and had a mutual attraction from the very beginning. She'd been in love with him for the past couple of years but knew he needed to keep his head in the game, at least until Frieza was brought to justice. The only reason she was finally able to admit it was because she almost lost Trunks. He could have died without ever knowing just how deep her feelings ran. There was no way she could ever think so little of him just because he was human and reacted the way any normal man would to his family being threatened.

"How could I ever think less of you?" Mai said reassuringly. Her hands slid up his shoulders and grazed his neck as they snaked their way into his hair. The feeling of Mai's fingertips scratching against his scalp turned Trunks into a puddle of goo, and his head dropped forward against her shoulder. "You were willing to become a cop and take down Frieza, of all people, for a friend…not even because it was your fight. It didn't become your fight until you learned that Vegeta was your father. Even so, you willingly went after Zamasu, the lowest of the low. You knew the risks, and you still risked your life to try and stop a terrible man, and you did. I could never think less of you."

"You just listed all of my positive qualities," Trunks groaned against her skin. "Qualities that made me good for the job. I'm talking about the negatives. I did all those things, yeah, trained to be able to handle anything, and I still couldn't stay strong."

For a moment, the only sound that could be heard in the room was the wind that crackled the glass of the window and the ticking of a clock. Mai couldn't understand why her boyfriend held himself to some ridiculous standard, but she couldn't let him continue to wallow in misery. It wasn't his style.

"Having PTSD and taking anti-anxiety medication doesn't make you weak," she ascertained with determination. "You're even stronger for it. You could have left Kuriza in the lurch after Zamasu and still had a good and promising career."

Trunks shot up away from her. Anger filled his eyes. "I could have never done that to Kuriza. That thought never even crossed my mind!"

Mai smiled, unbothered by Trunks's outburst. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his nose, disarming him. "And that is why I love you," the woman said sultrily.

It wasn't the first time Mai voiced that she loved Trunks, but his heart still burst regardless. He took possession of her lips with his, caught in a passionate embrace. The two felt an all-consuming fire between them and nearly lost themselves in each other. Trunks broke away just for a moment to ask, "Do you think the chief would give us the day off?"

"If he doesn't, we can always say we ate the same thing at a restaurant and have food poisoning," Mai half-joked.

Trunks smirked and rubbed his nose against Mai's as he gripped her shoulders. "You are devious."

"I learned from the best, detective."

Gowasu always prided himself on his natural intuition. It failed him only once, but he usually had a sixth sense. Right now, it told him to be wary, that something dark and angry was coming for him. It didn't surprise him when his newest prodigy entered his office at the precinct.

Vegeta glowered down at the FBI agent. The former mafia runner always wondered why Gowasu took a special interest in him and offered to be his mentor during his time at the police academy. After Trunks's admission, everything clicked. It made sense that Gowasu would be interested in the father of the youth he recruited. Vegeta felt completely betrayed.

"Why?" Vegeta growled out through gritted teeth. "Why is it that you put my son through a nightmare and then tried to cover it up?"

Gowasu sighed. "Trunks told you."

"You're damn straight he told me," Vegeta hissed, "and if you so much as think about taking his badge…"

"Trunks won't lose his badge," Gowasu assured Vegeta.

This confused Vegeta even more. "Then why couldn't he say anything?"

Gowasu's head dropped in defeat, but he knew he needed to explain the story of Zamasu to someone. Who better than a man who was not only familiar with the darker side of the world, but who was familiar with Goku Black as well?

"Please, sit down, Vegeta." Gowasu motioned to the seat across from him. "I'll explain everything."

Vegeta scoffed and crossed his arms, but he took Gowasu up on his invitation. He wanted answers, to understand as much as possible to be of help to his son. "Go on."

Gowasu's body relaxed, filled with only an iota of relief that Vegeta was willing to hear him out. "Zamasu, like you, was a man I mentored during my earlier days in the FBI. He was upstanding, moral, and wanted to clean up the streets, more than anyone else, and he dedicated himself to this goal. I handpicked him and trained him to succeed me. I never expected him to take such a dark turn. He turned to crime and used his training for evil."

Vegeta's brows furrowed, disbelief evident in his face. His hands gripped his arms as he tensed. What could have changed this man, Zamasu, so much that he did a complete one-eighty?

"He learned from his time with us," Gowasu continued morosely. "How we did our searches… He met suppliers through interviews. Then one day, he just disappeared, until sometime later, a bomb went off at one of the local federal offices."

Vegeta remembered the attack. It was all over the West City news station for weeks. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Gowasu's shoulders slumped, his head dropped as he stared down at his wooden desk. The pain it caused him to even discuss these happenings dug so deeply at his soul. "Everything," he spoke like an apparition, his ears filled with a ringing sound, Vegeta's baffled expression in his vision.

Vegeta's arms unclenched, and now his palms fell to his legs. If Zamasu was responsible for such an extreme act of violence, it terrified Vegeta to think about what Trunks had yet to tell them. Vegeta was no fool. During Trunk's confession, his son only gave the bare minimum he could bring himself to disclose without completely triggering himself. Trunks continued to show how much strength he truly possessed by living his life every day in spite of this.

"The bomb we found…" Gowasu began, "it was a large-scale version of the bomb I taught Zamasu to diffuse during training. He changed the mechanism so it would go off when anyone attempted to stop it. I lost a lot of friends that day, and Zamasu… He broke my heart."

Vegeta remained silent as his mentor mourned his fallen prodigy. The former mafioso never met this Zamasu, and he already hated the bastard for the trauma and anguish he caused his child and the threats he laid against his woman. Still, he respected Gowasu. As much as he wanted to degrade the deceased lunatic in that moment, Vegeta knew he needed to let the man grieve.

After a moment, the pain on Gowasu's face transformed to his usual patience and serious demeanor. "I know what Trunks suffered, what he saw, and I knew I couldn't take it away," the agent admitted. "It was my fault. I knew the case would be too much, but Trunks was the best at this precinct with such an amazing record and the least amount of PTSD from previous assignments. I thought he might be able to brush Zamasu's darkness off, like his other cases."

In defense of his son, Vegeta was about to snap that maybe he would have if his cover wasn't blown, but Gowasu beat him to it.

"I didn't know Zamasu knew someone who knew your family or who Trunks was, or I would have never…"

A strange calm fell over Vegeta. It was clear Gowasu regretted Trunks's experience more than anyone. He felt personally responsible for something no one could have foreseen. Even Vegeta would have never expected his childhood nemesis to cause problems for his family so many years after he disappeared. This was on no one but Goku. Vegeta couldn't blame Gowasu.

"Why couldn't Trunks talk about it?" Vegeta pressed. "Why redact the report?"

A sigh echoed in the silent room. "I hoped that if I told him to just forget Zamasu that he would. I redacted the report so that if Trunks ever tried to look at it again, he never had to relive the worst of it. I didn't want him to suffer with the guilt for killing a man or living in fear. All members got life. I don't know how Black got out."

Vegeta understood. He understood it all. Everything made sense. Gowasu, in his own way, was trying to protect Trunks from that horrible assignment. It also made sense to Vegeta why Gowasu had been reluctant, in the beginning, to train Vegeta when he started at the academy.

As if reading his mind, Gowasu said, "It was never about you, why I was skeptical about being your mentor. Trunks obviously thought it was a great idea, but it's true I had my doubts about you. After all, Zamasu came with a glowing record and firm morals. You came from organized crime. It's ironic. Both of you went to opposite sides of the law."

"Why did you give in?" Vegeta genuinely wanted to know. His voice held a bit of hesitance to hear the answer.

Gowasu simply smiled. "Because if Trunks could vouch for you after all he's seen, then I knew you'd be a good decision."

Vegeta gave a curt nod. "I won't let you down," he assured Gowasu. "I won't let Black take over this city."

There was so much conviction in his statement that left little room for doubt. With Vegeta involved, Goku Black's days of freedom were numbered.

Bulma paused outside the door of a familiar building, her hand and arm clutched around her crossbody bag. She looked up at the main city building of Capsule Corp. to the very top where her office used to be. She swallowed down her nerves and abandoned the safety of the sidewalk. Even the cool, spring breeze did little to quell the rising heat formed by her anxiety.

When she entered the building, she practically charged to the elevator when the friendly voice of the receptionist reached her ears. She turned to look at the woman who picked up the phone to let her father know she was there. The woman merely smiled and motioned for her to head upstairs.

"Good to see you, Ms. Brief."

Bulma put on a soft smile and slowed her pace as she continued to the elevator. A few people got off it and did a double take. Several, unfamiliar faces just stared at her like regular people. As the door closed, a worker asked, "Is Ms. Brief really back?"

When she reached the floor where hers and her father's offices were, her stomach dropped, but she pushed past it. After all, they were just meeting up with each other. The other office on the floor was no longer hers. She chose a different path for herself. She was just a daughter visiting her parent at his workplace.

"Welcome back, Ms. Brief. Your father is waiting for you in his office."

"Thank you, Lime," Bulma spoke in a voice that portrayed much more poise and calmness than she felt.

A moment later, she was face to face with her father. Well, sort of.

Dr. Brief was reading a report when she entered the room, but when he heard footsteps, he set it aside and eyed his guest. He never tired of seeing Bulma in front of him, healthy and happy. For so many years, he wondered what happened to her. He feared the worst knowing the type of people she spent her time with. It was good to know she'd been safe all these years. His fears had not come to fruition.

"Hey, Dad," Bulma greeted almost awkwardly. He didn't blame her. The last time they were together in this office was a major blowout. "You asked to see me?"

Dr. Brief smiled, and Bulma seemed taken aback by the kindness in his eyes. It hurt him to know his daughter was still timid around him, but her feelings were definitely valid considering how he'd let his grief, anger, and fear get the best of him decades before. She had no idea the secrets he'd harbored in his heart after her mother died, why he was so hard on her specifically over her sister.

"Yes, yes," he warmly chimed. "I was hoping you'd like to join me for lunch. Maybe talk some shop for old times' sake." When Bulma's nose scrunched and her lips creased into a moue, he wilted. "Or…are you still upset with me?"

Bulma shook her head almost immediately. "No, it's not that. I don't want to 'talk shop'. I don't mind lunch."

"I take it you won't consider returning to your old position here…"

"I'm sorry if that bothers you, but no," Bulma rejected as kindly as possible. "I like the flexibility of my schedule, and it makes it possible to make up for lost time with everyone. It's what I love to do."

"I understand," Dr. Brief replied, shocking Bulma. "To be honest, I wanted to talk with you about that today. Why I wanted you to work here, and why I was so hard on you."

"There was a reason for that?" Bulma asked aghast. "It wasn't just because we lost Mom?"

"That was part of it," Dr. Brief admitted with a sigh. "Truthfully, I'm not as clueless about things as I seem. Your mother and I were both aware of the life that surrounded Vegeta, Kakarot, and their families."

Bulma seemed surprised, mainly because her parents were always welcoming when her friends were around. They never let on to the fact that they knew what the teenagers were dealing with. "How?"

"Panchy and Kalina were friends," Dr. Brief revealed. "After Kalina wed Vegeta's father, their conversations became sparser, but one time, at a parent/teacher meeting, they ran into each other and caught up. Vegeta's father was against Kalina having any sort of life in the outside world. Whether it was because he was worried about her going out in public or just possessive, I don't know. I just want you to know we were aware."

Bulma felt paralyzed for a moment, but she pushed past that feeling and calmly spoke. "Okay, and? What does that have to do with anything?"

Dr. Brief sighed and folded his hands. His head dropped only a fraction, but Bulma could tell by his posture that he felt both defeated and ashamed. "After your mother… I saw you losing yourself, and I didn't know what to do to stop it," Dr. Brief admitted. "I had a feeling it was more than her death breaking you. Then, I found out about Vegeta from an employee."

Panic touched Bulma's heart for just a moment. Who could have known about Vegeta that worked at Capsule? As if Dr. Brief could hear her thoughts, he explained, "It was hearsay from an outsider, Kakarot's twin."

"What?" Bulma practically hissed. "Goku told…"

Bulma closed her eyes and shook her head. That didn't even make any sense to her. What did Goku have to gain from spreading this information to her father, and how did he know? Did he hear it from Bardock or Raditz? She was certain neither would have told him about that world, so he must have eavesdropped. It still didn't explain why he was so invested in her family. A chill ran up her spine, but she couldn't linger on this, not now.

"I still don't get what that information had to do with the way you treated me," Bulma argued. "Why not talk to me about it directly?"

"I…had a feeling that Vegeta dragged you into his world," Dr. Brief answered. "I wanted to keep you out of it, as far away as possible. I went about it all wrong."

Bulma's serious mask dissipated instantly. Her father was so upset and angry all the time because he was scared he was going to lose her? Since they had lost her mother, she knew he was an emotional wreck. She never considered that he was afraid he'd experience more loss because of the information a random employee told him.

"Oh, Dad," Bulma sympathized. She knew this didn't excuse the behavior, but she could understand where her father's head was at. Given her depression at the time, and the fact that she, too, didn't try to talk to him, how he went about his grief was similar. "You didn't have to worry about that. Vegeta and I always planned he'd stay out of his father's business, but if he ever got involved, we knew we couldn't be together. Something happened, and Vegeta didn't have a choice." She left out the part where her life was threatened by Vegeta's father and the gory details of Vegeta's actions. "Vegeta and I knew I couldn't be a part of it. It was hard, and for a second, Vegeta didn't want to keep the promise we made in high school, but he knew that Trunks and I couldn't be a part of his world. He sent us to live with his brother out of town, and I went off the grid except for my remote writing job."

"Something happened," Dr. Brief laughed bitterly. "Is that your way of not saying you were in danger?" Bulma averted her eyes, knowing she was caught. "Please, Bulma, you can tell me, and then I'll never bring this up again."

Bulma nodded weakly and admitted, "You weren't wrong when you said that there was more to my depression than Mom's death. Before Mom passed, Vegeta and I kept in touch with each other by letter. Eventually, he stopped answering my letters, and I knew. That's when my grades started to drop a bit. Then I got involved with a horrible person which turns out was one of Vegeta's father's men. It…was bad. When Mom died, everything just…shattered."

The pain reflected in Dr. Brief's eyes took Bulma by surprise. It wasn't pity or fury. Instead, the man looked heartbroken. "Why?" he barely managed to get out. "Why would you get involved with…?"

"I didn't know," Bulma told him. "It seems Vegeta's father didn't want us together. It kept Vegeta from becoming who he wanted him to be. I won't tell you anything about what Vegeta did that got him involved, but what kept him involved was that his father threatened my life unless he cut all ties with me. He sent someone to watch me, to make sure his son was fulfilling that promise. The guy decided to play me instead. Vegeta's father…didn't plan that and told Vegeta he killed the guy. Anyway, when Vegeta and I ran into each other again, he kept trying and I kept fighting. It didn't stop us from…having Trunks. When his father found out, he was furious. Vegeta, he saved our lives."

Dr. Brief's felt like clarity had fallen over him, and everything now made sense. Vegeta wasn't completely oblivious to the dangers of his world, and he didn't drag Bulma into it like he'd feared, at least, not directly. He couldn't blame the youth for the actions of his father when he tried so hard to protect the woman he loved, and then their child.

"Vegeta saved my live," Bulma reaffirmed, "saved Trunks's life. He never wanted us involved."

Her father visibly relaxed and let out a breathy chuckle. "That's such a relief to hear. I didn't know how much I needed to hear that he wanted you safe. At least, with that other fellow, Frieza, gone, it's all over now."

Bulma hesitated.

The cheerful expression on her father's face fell, and he shakily questioned, "It…it is over, right?"

If there was ever a time Bulma wished she could say 'yes', it was this moment. Unfortunately, the issue with Goku was still looming overhead, even more so now that she was given this new information.

"Dad… I have something to tell you."

After what happened the other night, Kakarot wasn't surprised when he found Goku waiting for him near his home. There he stood, his darker reflection, standing on the other side of the train tracks. This time, Kakarot wasn't surprised. He was angry, furious. Goku could see it all over his twin's face and grinned. It amused him to see his younger brother this way. Kakarot was normally the happy-go-lucky type that couldn't be moved by anything. It always sickened Goku.

"Hello, little brother," the older twin crooned. "Think more about my offer?"

Kakarot's eyes narrowed, but he remained otherwise unmoved. "Cut it out. We're only a few minutes apart. And I don't need to think about your offer. I would never help you. I know what you've done to my friends' family."

Goku was unperturbed. In fact, he had expected this. "Ah, Trunks ratted me out." He snickered cruelly. "How is the detective? Hopefully not too scarred."

Deadly rage filled Kakarot's heart. How could his brother be so heartless? Was this truly the brother he grew up with? The man's posture shifted as he sneered, battle ready. Once again, Goku was amused and smirked at Kakarot. "That's the energy I want. I always knew you had it in you."

"Quiet!" Kakarot hissed, fists clenched. "How dare you? What you did—"

Goku made a placating gesture with his hands. "Now, now, no need to get too hostile. Besides, we should join forces."

"Are you on something?" Kakarot venomously snarled. "I would never betray my friends."

"Even though they lied to you all these years?"

When Kakarot didn't even flinch or falter, Goku's amusement seeped out of him, and his face contorted in irritation. There was no curiosity in Kakarot's demeanor, just acceptance. The older twin knew the secret leverage he had just the other day was completely out in the open.

"Vegeta wanted to keep Bulma and their son safe from people like you. I understand their reasons," Kakarot disclosed, and the spark of wickedness returned to Goku's dark eyes. For a moment, the villain believed he still had insider knowledge. "We've all reconnected. I trust them with my life."

"What about Goten's life?"

The question startled Kakarot. How did Goku know about Goten's name let alone his involvement with the fallen Ouji organization? This level of intel was not normal, especially for someone who'd been out of their lives.

"Vegeta and Raditz employed him. That has to anger you."

"I'm angry at the situation," Kakarot admitted, "but I know Goten's reasoning. We talked it through as a family. He's out of that life, now. He's not going back."

"You sure about that?"

A train whistle blared, and the light from it nearly blinded Kakarot. All he saw before the train blocked his view was a sinister, evil smile that chilled him. He wanted to know what Goku meant by that last threatening remark, but when the train passed, Goku was gone, disappeared like the wavering sound of the distant train whistle.

Vegeta returned to his apartment. He was hoping to have as peaceful a night with Bulma as possible, as much as they could after he planned to fill her in on what Gowasu told him. He didn't plan to tell her everything about Zamasu or the incredibly sick and violent way he took out his own comrades. That went beyond the scope of what happened to their son.

He never expected to find Bulma with another.

A downtrodden Kakarot sat on one of the sofas, his head buried in his hands while Bulma patted his back. "Kakarot…what…?"

Kakarot's attention snapped up immediately, his eyes vulnerable and upset. "He really wanted to turn me against you." His friend didn't even need to explain who "he" was. "He even threw in my face that stuff that happened with Goten."

Vegeta released a heavy breath, his demeanor awkward as the guilt in his heart remained. "Kakarot, I am sorry for that."

"I know," Kakarot assured him. "I'm not upset with you guys. Just… When I said Goten is out of that life, he asked if I was sure…"

"Goten has his problems," Vegeta agreed, "but he's definitely done with the business, that part of it at least. He really likes his job at the gym. Besides, the Ouji organization is dismantled, and there is no one Goten would turn to aside from us."

Kakarot nodded, his breath a little shaky. "I know you're right, but why would he say that?"

Vegeta scoffed. "I have no idea what your moronic brother meant, but I know Goten. He is safe, Kakarot."

His friend finally relaxed, his shoulders slumped. He looked downright exhausted, and Vegeta wondered how much sleep his friend had lost since his vile twin returned to their lives. "Go home, Kakarot," Vegeta calmly spoke. "Spend time with your wife and sons and leave that bastard to the law. Don't let him get to you."

"I will try not to," Goku responded with as much positivity as he could muster in his current state. "Thanks, Vegeta."

Goku got up and headed to the door, but he paused before he left for home. "I'm…really sorry, about what he did."

"It's not your fault, Son," Bulma assured him. "You don't need to apologize for his actions."

Kakarot relaxed at the informal way Bulma regarded him. He chanced a glance at Vegeta, and his best friend nodded in agreement. It lifted the burden Kakarot had been carrying since they found out about what his brother did to their son. Kakarot had this worry that his friends would not be able to look at him the same way again. It seemed his worries were in vain. "See you guys soon."

Once he left, Bulma and Vegeta exchanged serious looks with each other. Bulma patted the spot next to her on the couch and Vegeta sat with her. "I…saw my father today."

Vegeta was surprised by that, and the shock was evident on his face before he regained his composure. "Oh. How did that go?"

Bulma cuddled against him and leaned her head on his shoulder, and Vegeta reciprocated the affection, wrapping his arm around her. "It went fine, surprisingly. It turns out… He was hard on me because my parents knew that your father was in the mafia, and when I grew sullen after we stopped talking… He assumed you were involved as well and that I would be targeted. He thought forcing me into Capsule Corp. was the safest option and went about everything all wrong."

As much as Vegeta wanted to make a snarky remark about her father's behavior, he could understand how irrational criminal activity made a person behave. He became just as forceful, wanting to keep Bulma with him despite knowing the dangers. Once he had time to think about it all, he knew that his decision to send Bulma somewhere safe was the best course of action, and it allowed her the freedom to pursue the life she wanted and raise their son.

"I get it," Vegeta remarked. "Did he apologize?"

"Not exactly," Bulma answered hesitantly. "He explained why he did what he did, and I told him about what happened between us, how you saved my life. He was relieved, and I'm sure he would have apologized. But we got sidetracked…"

A dark brow rose. "Sidetracked how?"

"Well, he asked me if it was over, and I hesitated, especially after what he told me…"

Vegeta wasn't sure why Bulma kept hesitating. Whatever she and her father discussed must not have been completely pleasant. "Bulma, I'm irritated at your father, yes, but you can still talk about him. If he said something to upset you—"

"It wasn't that," Bulma replied firmly. "My father and I have a lot to work on and discuss, but the reason I'm trying to think of a way to say this is I'm still making sense of it. Apparently… Dad said it was Goku who alerted one of our workers to your involvement with the mob…"

"Goku told a random employee?" Vegeta was aghast. "To what end? To make sure it got back to your father?"

Bulma shrugged. "I don't know, but given what happened with Trunks… Why is he messing with our family?"

Vegeta didn't have a solid answer, only his suspicion. It definitely seemed like his perception wasn't just in his head. It really sounded like Goku wanted to interfere with his and Bulma's relationship. Instead of just being forward and talking it out like an adult, he seemed to scheme against him. If he truly knew that Trunks was their son, he might have targeted him purposefully just because of whose blood he shared, perhaps as a way to punish Vegeta for having a child with Bulma and to punish that child for existing.

Sick bastard…

Of course, it was all speculation at this point, but Vegeta planned to make sure both Bulma and Trunks didn't get dragged into this. Not after his conversation with Gowasu.

"Speaking of what happened to Trunks," Vegeta cut in, "I spoke with Gowasu today."

Bulma sat up, her mood instantly alert. "What did he say?"

Vegeta couldn't explain everything to the woman, nor did he want to. Zamasu seemed like a psychopath, and the fact that Kakarot's twin worked for him… It wouldn't sit well with her to know all the deplorable acts these criminals committed.

"Apparently, Gowasu selected Trunks because of his past assignments. He knew Zamasu committed heinous acts, but he had no idea that someone we knew would be involved or out Trunks. He said if he'd known what would have happened, he wouldn't have put Trunks on the case. The reason it was redacted was so that Trunks wouldn't be able to read what happened to him over and over again."

Bulma's head drooped, her mood sullen. "I feel like a terrible mother. I didn't even notice my own son's suffering. I mean, when he returned home after the case, his gaze would sometimes linger on me, but whenever I asked him why, he said it was nothing and he was happy to be home. He would smile and chuckle, like nothing happened. I should have known."

"No," Vegeta countered. "No, you wouldn't have been able to tell. Trunks is an incredible actor, Bulma. He put on such an act at the precinct when Kakarot came to tell me about Goku. He acted like he had no idea who we were discussing, even suggested he go undercover again."

Bulma's body jolted. "W-what? But, Goku already knows… Why would Trunks even say that after…?"

Vegeta took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. "Exactly. He was acting like nothing happened to him, normal even. I reminded him of his promise to you, and he still tried to convince us, until we said Goku's name. That's when his mask started to chip. We noticed something was wrong, and that's when he admitted it."

Bulma nestled against Vegeta and felt her body shake with both sadness and rage. Trunks tried to hide his pain from her for years, and then tried to pretend he was fine even in front of his father. His acting skills that he developed from this undercover work were frightening. Who knew if he was telling them everything now, or if he would continue to pretend he was okay when he wasn't?

"I think we need to have a talk with our son," Bulma said solemnly. "He can't use these acting skills to cover up how he's feeling, not with us."

Vegeta nodded in agreement. "We will talk with him. When we do, we will tell him that we expect total honesty from him from now on. And we will be honest with him too."

Bulma released a shaky breath. "I know. There's a lot we should tell him about our families, and about all my father had to say. If no one else, the three of us need to be able to count on each other, and that means unpacking all of the things we tried to avoid."

Vegeta let out a wry chuckle and a sarcastic, "Sounds incredibly cathartic."

At that, Bulma laughed, and the tension started to dissipate. "I… I love you, Vegeta."

A smile curved its way, and Vegeta leaned down and kissed Bulma sweetly on the lips. "You too, woman. I promise you. We will get through this."

Bulma felt reassured by Vegeta's promise. The two of them spent the rest of the night unwinding, avoiding the uncomfortable topic of Goku Black. There was so much to be thankful for, including the fact that they could openly talk about Trunks's case without his position being in any danger. They just needed to take everything one day at a time.

It was at sunset when Goten decided to call it quits at the gym. He'd had a very productive day at work. He didn't think he would ever find a place where he felt so much relief. The ability to go and hit the heavy bag if he grew frustrated was highly cathartic which helped him when frustrated patrons called with some problem or another. He also had Nappa there, and his uncle sometimes visited. Goten had no idea what his uncle was doing nowadays now that Vegeta's father's organization was finished. Maybe he'd like to join him at the gym, or maybe he needed to find himself like Goten had needed.

"Well, well," an unfamiliar voice crooned. "If it isn't my beloved nephew."

Black…

Goten hadn't yet had the displeasure of meeting his Uncle Goku. The story Trunks told the family the other day still weighed heavily on Goten's mind. Trunks was the reason Goten left the organization, and in a way, a hero to him. He didn't like that his own blood was gunning for a friend.

"I have nothing to say to you," Goten immediately shut him down. "I hardly know you, and I want nothing to do with you."

Black wasn't even affected. In fact, he chuckled as if he were amused by his nephew's rejection.

"Was it that biting anger in you that led you to organized crime?" Black smoothly jeered.

Goten glared at him. His mental condition was a source of great embarrassment and disappointment for him, and the fact that his uncle was making light of it was infuriating. The youth took a deep breath to center himself, lest his anger get the better of him.

"Leave now, before I call the police."

Again, Black remained unperturbed. "Man, that Trunks must have run his mouth real good. Listen, kid. I'm not here on a social call. I have a proposition for you, one where you can get the action you need. And you'd still be working with family. Me."

Goten wanted to ask Black if he really thought that he would agree to get involved with crime again, but then something hit him. Black hardly knew him. He didn't know why he got involved with the Ouji organization or why he left. For all Black knew, Raditz and Vegeta kicked him out. Maybe there was a way to get information out of him.

The youth put his hand to his chin, his expression mimicking someone seriously pondering the offer. Goten's eyes grew hard, cold, as he faced his sickeningly pleased uncle. "Alright, Uncle Black. I'm listening."

Goten was certain he would never forget the cruel, ominous smirk of his own blood.

A/N: Man, it's been a long time since I posted anything in any of my fandoms. I hope everyone is still out there enjoying the story. :) Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!