Well guys, I must be on a roll because I finished chapter 3 in 3 days. haha, I figure since I had the week off because of the flooding, it would be a great idea to get some chapters in for this story. Sometimes i get lazy with my writing, so a apologize if some things seem to be moving too quick or certain things don't make sense. In these first few chapters, Bulma and Vegeta wont seem that close, and they wont be. I think both of them have to get all this nastiness out before they can even begin to form anything solid between them. I've said Vegeta's been on the fence about the relationship, but it seems Bulma is as well. I think this chapter kind of changes that a bit (not a lot though).
Once again, I own naahthing!
A several weeks had passed by since the BBQ. Bulma was now, more so than ever trying to get over Vegeta after learning how he truly saw her. And every interaction they had after that never came out positive. Thankfully, being a mother for Trunks and running the business kept her mind more than occupied, but it wasn't always a good thing. With all the added stress in her life, Bulma was finally feeling the limits of her body. She looked out her window, seeing all the people below. It looked so peaceful and yet all Bulma wanted to do was rip her head off her own head. She would rather relive Cell than have to sit in boring meetings and listen to old men talk about the company. Not that she couldn't follow what was going on, but she had better things to do with her life. She was a scientist, not a business woman!
She turned around to face her computer and the stack of paperwork she had to go through. She internally cried as she felt that there was no end to it. Man, did she hate Mondays...
"Hello in there!" Dr. Briefs said as he walked into his old office. Bulma sat up from surprise.
"Dad! What a surprise! I didn't expect for you to drop by." Bulma said, lighting up as she saw an excuse not to do work.
"Well I just wanted to see how you're doing. I hardly get to see you anymore since you moved." Dr. Briefs said as he took a seat on the other side of Bulma's desk. Bulma noticed her father wearing a suit, which was weird. She hardly ever saw him wearing something outside his usual lab coat. "How's it going kid? You didn't come home for Sunday night dinner last. I take it you were busy?"
"Eh… I completely forgot dad… everything has been so hectic lately, I've really been burning the candle at both ends…" Bulma said. Yeah she was busy, but she also didn't want to go from an incident that happened last time she went to dinner. Vegeta and her argued over why Trunks couldn't walk yet. Nasty things were said and Bulma wasn't in the mood to deal with bullshit that week. At least Vegeta was stepping up. "What's with the suit?"
"Well, that's kind of something I wanted to talk to you about this past Sunday over dinner…" Dr. Briefs said, shifting a bit in his seat. His own daughter scared him sometimes. She eyed him carefully.
"Dad, what is it?" She asked inquisitively.
"Well, I had a meeting with the board of directors thi-" He was cut off.
"WAIT, WHAT?! How come I wasn't notified that there was a meeting?!" Bulma yelled.
Everyone on the corporate floor heard their current CEO yell to the top of her lungs making Bulma's secretary quickly close the doors. "Come one people, nothing to see here!" he said shooing nosy people away.
"Well, sweetie I tried to contact you many times, but you never answer your phone…" Dr Briefs said, looking down.
"What do you mean I don't answer my phone?! I have my phone on me 24/7!" She said as she pulled her phone from her bag and started looking at the call history. Her face went blank.
3 missed call from Dad
Bulma recalled how she had set her phone on mute the night before so Trunks wouldn't be woken up by the noise. Even in the lowest setting, he still wakes up and cries when it rings. Which is was something Bulma hated when she herself was trying to get some rest... Damn Saiyan genes! Bulma regained her bearings. "Well then, why didn't you come to me before the meeting?"
"You know me Bulma, I'm always running late…" Dr. Briefs said as he dug into his pocket for a cigarette.
"So? What was this meeting about?" Bulma said, staring daggers at her father as she leaned back to her chair and crossed her arms. 'How could he meet with the board of directors and not let her know. Why was it so damn important?' She thought.
Dr. Briefs took a puff of his cigarette. "Bulma. They think you should step down as CEO."
"WHAT?!" Bulma said incredulously. She was fuming now. "LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING DAD! EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE COMPANY, PROFITS HAVE DOUBLED! THIS COMPANY WOULD FALL WITHOUT ME! YOU CAN TELL THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO SHOVE IT!" Bulma yelled.
"Bulma, honey, calm down… I know this company that I've built could not be in better hands, but the idea wasn't theirs…" Dr. Briefs said.
"Then who's was it dad?!" Bulma said, out for blood.
Dr. Briefs shrinked in his seat. She was going to find out sooner or later. "It was your mother and mines. I brought it up with the board…that's what the meeting was about. We didn't want to involve you yet because… well, you're kind of scary sweetie." He said, looking for another cigarette.
Bulma was flabbergasted. How could her father and mother betray her? "WHY DAD?" Bulma asked, still mad as hell.
"Now Bulma hear me out. Your mother and I love you very much and know you're more than capable of anything you put your mind to…" He began.
"So then why?" She asked, giving her father a chance to explain himself.
Dr. Briefs shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He loved his daughter and enjoyed the time they shared together but Dr. Briefs was never one to get into his daughter's personal business. He always believed Bulma was smart enough to make the right decisions for him to lecture her. "Well sweetie, think of Trunks. Raising a child is a team effort. And I know things with you and Vegeta aren't in the best of terms and Vegeta well… isn't ready to take on the responsibility when you're not around. Trunks needs you and I think if you stepped down and came back to research and development as head scientist, you're more free to spend time with Trunks and can set your own hours…" Dr. Briefs finished. He looked at his daughter and wasn't sure if he should just start running towards the door. He sure wish he has Scratch, his cat, with him...
Bulma thought about it. On a good day, she'd only see Trunks for a couple of hours. She'd go to sleep, wake up, take him to her parents and then pick him up late at night when he's already asleep. On the weekends she's too busy trying to catch up with work that she doesn't pay much attention to Trunks. As long as he has had his diaper changed, been fed and is kept out of trouble, Bulma was doing a-okay as a mother. Her thoughts were interrupted by her father, who was still kind of scared by his daughter's silence.
"Don't think for one second that your mother and I don't want to help you with Trunks. We love him to death and will always be there for both of you. But your mother and I are concerned that you're not there enough for him...You don't have to move back if you don't want to, we completely understand." Dr. Briefs said. Bulma just kept looking at him and then turned her back on her father. She needed a moment to think.
The only reason Bulma wanted to take the CEO position was so she can be away from home, be away from Vegeta. But now she was realizing her stubbornness was having negative consequences on Trunks. She can't remember the last time she just held him because she wanted to or just went out to the park with him or read a book to him. She loved that her parents were helping her raise her son, but it wasn't their responsibility to do so. She couldn't put that load on them, especially now that her father is retired. She felt guilty. She remembered when she was a little girl, she would always be on her dad's lap as they both tinkered with gadgets. He always made time for her. She wanted that kind of relationship with her son. But right now, she was pushing Trunks far away, just like Vegeta was doing.
Bulma felt terrible. Her son was her world, but his father was an asshole she did not want to be around. But her dad was right. Vegeta is not ready to completely commit to Trunks, so Bulma is all Trunks has as a parent. So for her son, she swallowed her pride. If she had to be around Vegeta, then so be it if it meant Trunks would have a good childhood. "So what would happen if I were to step down?" She finally spoke, turning back around, relieving a very terrified Dr. Briefs.
He sat upright and smiled in delight. "You know what? How about we talk about it over lunch?" He said.
"Only if you're buying old man." She half smiled as she got up.
"Look who came to visit!" Mrs. Briefs said as she held Trunks in her arms in the doorway of the gravity room. He was chewing on a plastic ring for his teeth. Vegeta kind of looked in disgust at his drooling son.
Vegeta just walked passed by them as he toweled himself off. "Is lunch ready?" He asked.
"Baba!" Trunks said as he was reaching out for his father. Vegeta was caught off guard by Trunks calling him. Where did the time go? How odd he thought. Never in his life he thought he'd experience having children. He always thought they were a nuisance...well, they still were. But he found pride in his son being able to recognize him as his father.
"Aww, he's been saying Baba all morning. I think he misses his grandpa!" Mrs. Briefs said, unintentionally stepping on Vegeta's pride. He shrugged it off and headed towards the kitchen.
"Where's the old man anyway?" Vegeta asked as he looked over the empty seat. He usually didn't care, but every now and then he'd strike up a conversation with Mrs. Briefs just for the hell of it.
"Oh, he went to go have lunch with Bulma. If all goes well, she might come back home!" She said all giddy.
Vegeta almost spat out his drink. Bulma was coming back? That old man had to do a lot of convincing to bring Bulma back to this household. Especially with what Vegeta tried to do to her at the BBQ. Not that he wanted to take advantage of Bulma, but he's pretty sure Bulma got another message from that encounter. And from all the other encounters after that...Communication was never his strong point.
"Oh really?" Vegeta said nonchalantly. Trunks threw his toy at his father, only for it to be catched and disintegrated effortlessly by Vegeta's mighty hand. Trunks just scowled at him. Like father like son.
Mrs. Briefs placed a couple of sandwiches in front of Vegeta. He began to chow down while Mrs. Briefs went on about something.
"I hope that she moves back. Maybe then you two can get back together and give me more beautiful grandchildren!" Mrs. Briefs said making Vegeta almost choke on his lunch. He really needed to make sure he wasn't consuming anything while Mrs. Briefs spoke. The shock just might kill him.
"You're crazy!" Vegeta said as he drank some water.
"You know Vegeta, the longer Bulma is away, the more likely some other stud will conquer her heart!" Mrs. Briefs said.
He turned to look at her. "And I care why?" In reality, there was a small, tiny, almost immeasurable amount that actually made Vegeta worry about that, not that he'll ever admit to it.
"Well, don't you want to get back with my daughter?" Mrs Briefs said, now sitting herself down for a conversation. She sat Trunks on the high chair next to her. She gave him some cereal to keep him busy.
"No." Vegeta said trying to finish his lunch.
'Liar' his conscious told him.
"Why not? What's wrong with Bulma?" Mrs. Briefs pressed on.
"I've committed mass genocide and almost tried to destroy this very planet and your loved ones, and you're asking me what's wrong with your daughter?" Vegeta looked at her incredulously.
"Well yes! She's probably the only one, other than myself, who can see past that and still love you!" She said cheerily, as if what Vegeta just said was normal. "I mean, you have so many endearing qualities."
Vegeta looked at her as if she sprouted another head on her neck. 'Yes! A sociopath has a lot of 'endearing' qualities.' he thought. He dropped his sandwich on his plate, losing his appetite. "We are not having this conversation. This is not happening." He said, losing his mind and ready to dash.
"Oh c'mon Veggie! I know you find my daughter attractive! Why else is my little Trunks here?" She said only to find an empty chair. "Where'd he go?" Mrs. Briefs said looking around.
"Papa!" Trunks said as he pointed towards the door a giggled.
Bulma and Dr. Briefs were finishing up their lunch. Bulma was in a good mood now that she had gotten something in her belly-in a better mood now that she was about to eat dessert.
"So I'll still be in charge?" Bulma asked happily as she eyed her cheesecake. She was now entertaining the idea that she'll be able to spend more time with Trunks, and actually doing work that she enjoyed.
"Of course sweetheart. You're still the boss of the company. You'll meet with the board every quarter and you'll be advised by your acting CEO. All decisions made by you are still final." Dr. Briefs said.
"Yeah, about that. Who's going to look over the company while I'm away at the lab? Have you and the board decided on someone?" Bulma asked.
"Well, the board and I discussed, and we compiled a few candidates who have been loyal to the company. They want you to interview the candidates and see which one you feel most comfortable with running the company. They want your decision before the end of this next quarter so the new acting CEO can start the next." Dr. Briefs explained.
"Oh, okay. Well, I'll start looking into their profiles." Bulma said, not really eager to be interviewing anyone. But, if that's all they asked for, then why not?
"Wonderful! It would be great to have you back in the lab. There are so many things I wanted to go over with you. Some of the other scientists can't keep up…" Dr. Briefs went on, telling Bulma in his own little way that he missed her in the lab. He kept going on and on about some of the experiments he was conducting for new tech, but Bulma's thoughts went a different route. She was curious about what her father thought about her situation. Not with the company, but about her unexpected family...
"Dad?" She said, kind of quietly.
"Oh, I'm sorry dear. I know I must be rambling." Dr. Briefs said, chuckling
"No, it's okay. It's just I wanted to ask you something." Bulma said in a serious tone.
"What is it sweetie?" He asked.
Bulma blushed. She was kind of embarrassed to ask her father about relationship advice. Usually it was her mother she'd ask about men troubles, but Bulma knew how she felt about Vegeta. She need another point of view. "Well, how do you feel about Vegeta? I mean… how would you feel if I were to have a relationship with him?"
Dr. Briefs wasn't quite sure how to answer that. One of the smartest man alive, and he was stumped by his daughter's question. "Well, I thought you hated him? Isn't that the reason you moved?" He said, kind of confused. Women were confusing.
"Yeah, but, don't I owe it to Trunks to at least try to make it work with his father?" She asked.
"Well, yes. But I don't think you and Vegeta are one the same page. You want to get married and settle down. I don't think Vegeta seems to want that. If it's really that important to you, you should find someone that wants what you want, but I don't think you'll find it with your son's father" Dr. Briefs said, feeling kind of upset he had to be put in a situation. He liked Vegeta, but it was the truth. His daughter needed to move on for her sake.
"Thanks dad…" Bulma said as she smiled. Bulma gets so mad at Vegeta that she doesn't stop to think that maybe she might be the problem, something she learned the hard way with Yamcha. Sometimes, she just needs a little reassurance.
"Dr. Briefs! What a surprise!" A man said as stood in front of the table. Bulma and Dr. Briefs both looked up to see the man that called out to them.
"Ren! It's been a long time lad! Join us!" Dr. Briefs said as he pulled up a chair and Bulma smiled from ear to ear. It was an old colleague of her that she had not seen in years. He was an intern back when Dr. Briefs started grooming her for the CEO position several years ago, he still worked for Capsule Corp. just in another city far away.
"It certainly has been a long time." Ren said taking a seat.
"To what do we owe the visit Ren? You haven't been in West City for years now!" Bulma said, pleasantly surprised.
"Well, a little birdie said I might have a new job here in West City."
Thanks for reading guys. I'm not too sure what I'll write for the next chapter. To me the story seems more dramatic than humorous (which is not really my intention) I think it would be funny to put Vegeta and Bulma in a situation where they both have to work together for Trunks' sake in the next chapter. A new character is introduced in this chap and I think I'll be introducing a lot of new characters (but not long lasting characters) that will try to charm Bulma away from Vegeta. What will he do? Will certain Z fighters help Vegeta in his secret quest to win back Bulma? Keep reading and find out! Dont forget to REVIEW! :3 Let me know what you guys think!