AN: Hello! Sorry for the delayed update. I put my focus into finishing my other story, Finding Immortal. It took a lot out of me to write the last few chapters. Truly, I put so much energy into it that I needed a bit of a break. On top of that, I am still getting settled after moving to another country, and trying to enjoy to chaos of Christmas season. I am hoping to be able to start posting more frequently again soon. Thank you for all of your support!

Hugs and Kisses,br /

-xx surelysaiyangood xx-

The next morning, Bulma was laying awake as the sun rose. She watched Vegeta dreamily, noting how his chest rhythmically moved with his breaths as he slept. They'd fallen asleep in each other's arms, and that was something that she found she could easily get used to.

Carefully, so as to not wake him, Bulma placed her fingertip on the line of Vegeta's jaw, tracing it along his face. She admired how his skin felt against her touch, how he twitched in response to her caress. She smiled, noting the butterflies that were releasing within. Breathing through her rising pulse, biting her lower lip.

He had told her, after they'd both finished their rendezvous and were laying together the evening prior, that he would be leaving in a couple of days. Evidently it had been decided that Vegeta needed to fly to the Planet Zocrom.

The saiyan base that was set up there had been attacked. According to the saiyans that were stationed on Zocrom, stability had been regained and an assailant had been captured. Vegeta was going just to assess the situation and question the rebel that had ambushed the base.

Even though the trip sounded safe and straightforward, Bulma didn't want him to go. She found herself already missing him, even as he lay right beside her. As he dozed through her touch.

What was she going to do for the five days he was to be gone?

What is something went horribly wrong, as it had the last time he'd been away on a trip?

Vegeta must have stirred, for he pulled Bulma's hand from his jaw and placed a firm kiss on the top of it. It took her by surprise, stirring her from her thoughts, and he seemed to notice. He was smirking when she looked at him.

"You're awake," He said, his voice still husky from his slumber. "Thinking of me?"

She smiled shyly, blinking back her response.

He climbed on top of her as their lips met, pulling the blanket up to cover their bodies from the drafty room.

It was half past two in the afternoon when Kakarot found Vegeta in the server room. He had arrived days ago, but had spent time fulfilling routine duties and meeting with Bardock until that point. "Vegeta! Or should I say - King!" The saiyan exclaimed, patting his royal majesty on the shoulder.

"Don't be so excited about my father's death, won't you?" Vegeta growled.

"Come on, Vegeta!" Kakarot continued, trying to steer the conversation into something more pleasant. "I didn't mean anything by it! And, hey, the Earth diplomats should be arriving any day now!"

"Augh," Vegeta groaned. He put two fingers to his temples, trying to keep himself from growing angry. "I fucking forgot about that! Damnit!"

Kakarot frowned, but Vegeta continued before he could respond. "I'm going to Zocrom soon. When are the Earthlings projected to arrive?"

"Hmm. It'll be within two days."

"That's when I'm leaving." Vegeta slapped a palm to his face. "How the hell did my father handle all this?! Everywhere I turn, there's just more crap built up!"

"Gee, Vegeta," Kakarot scratched his head. "It's just some diplomats. We should be able to handle things even if you're gone, don'tcha think?"

"Hmph," Vegeta grumbled. He thought back to how his wife had handled the visitors from Planet Morricone with such expertise, and how effortlessly she had conducted the trade for carolline. He needed to remember to give her more credit. "My wife will stand in for me during my absence."

"That's the spirit!" Kakarot cheered. "And, just think! You can meet Chi-Chi!"

Vegeta froze. The name triggered something inside of him, and he looked warily at his comrade. "The Earth woman you knocked up?"

"She's having the baby, but she's more than just an Earth Woman. " Kakarot grumbled, visibly displeased with the word choice.

Gulping, Vegeta thought back on his bouts with Bulma. How time and time again he'd failed to take any precautions. How could he have forgotten? Panic was welling in his gut, and he ground his teeth to keep from showing it. "And… What of that doctor you spoke of? The one that would surgically remove the child?"

This question meant that now Kakarot was frowning, too. Seeing his reaction only made Vegeta's mouth even more dry. "What is it?"

"About that." Kakarot's eyes moved to the floor. "We couldn't get the doctor to come."

"What?!"

"Hey!" Kakarot put his hands up, as if in surrender. "A lot has been changing on Earth, see? The doctor refused to join us, and we have no authority to order it. But we'll get him to come before the baby arrives! I know we will!"

Vegeta lunged forward and grabbed Kakarot by the shirt, twisting the fabric in his hand. "What do you mean, no authority?!"

"Easy, now!" Kakarot replied. "I told ya! A lot has changed on Earth! The King's really sick. I don't think he has much longer with us - if he still is with us, I mean."

"Fuck!" Vegeta shoved Kakarot back. Now he was also trying to ward off the pang of guilt that jerked his gut. How could he have forgotten this, as well?

The king was ailed - the man had said it himself! And he'd made Vegeta promise not to foretell Bulma of his state.

Snarling into space, Vegeta glared as a memory flashed his mind… One of Bulma tearfully begging to be able to say goodbye to her father, while Vegeta forced her onto the ship and yelled that she didn't deserve to…

Poor Bulma.

He should have let her spend more time with him… He should have sent her back to Earth to share last goodbyes, her father's wishes be damned. Vegeta should have warned her. He should have coaxed her into the situation…

And now it was too late , for it would come off as an afterthought if he mentioned it at this point.

Now, he was between a rock and a hard place.

Damn his father-in-law for putting him here!

"You okay?" Kakarot asked softly.

It only added to Vegeta's inner turmoil. "Of course I'm okay!" He spat.

"Woah!" Kakarot jumped. " Easy !"

.

"Chi-Chi!"

The squeal filled the halls when Bulma saw her dearest friend. The ship had landed an hour earlier, and finally the passengers had been cleared for entry into the palace. The black-headed maiden was the first to enter the premises.

"Bulma!" Chi-Chi replied. She all but scooped her friend into her arms, letting out an affectionate "mmmm!" as the two girls squeezed one another.

The delight was painfully short-lived. In a split second the smile had left Chi-Chi's face, and she leaned as close to her friend's ear as possible. "Listen. Brace yourself."

"What?" Bulma whispered back, and Chi-Chi simply pursed her lips.

Unfortunately that was all of the warning Chi-Chi was able to give her friend, for a moment later Krillian walked into the hall, accompanied by a rather tall man. Bulma literally gasped when she saw him, throwing a hand over her mouth and backing up a step.

The reaction was enough to make Krillian cringe, Yamcha beside him watching the princess stoically.

"What's wrong?" Vegeta demanded, jumping forward.

Gasping to catch her breath, Bulma was as pale as a ghost. She glanced from Yamcha, to her husband. And back again. Slowly realization settled in, and she registered that Vegeta genuinely didn't recognize the man standing before them. It made sense, for Yamcha's appearance was far different than it had been during his only meeting with the saiyan prince.

On the wedding day, Yamcha had been pallid, skeletal, hair overgrown, and skin caked with dirt. The Yamcha standing before them now had gained back the majority of his weight, had cleaned up immensely and shaved the shags from his face. His hair was now clean-cut, and his clothes fit perfectly instead of hanging from his body like rags.

"Bulma?" Vegeta mumbled under his breath. "What's wrong?"

"I-" Bulma stuttered. She didnt want to express who Yamcha was. Not when she knew it would result in his immediate death. Not when his life was in her hands… "I-…I-"

"Have you met this man before?" Vegeta asked suspiciously, his eyes moving to Yamcha. "This… diplomat?"

"Diplomat?" Bulma's eyes widened. She turned to her husband. "Why-Why are there diplomats here?!"

Perhaps this question did enough in explaining her shaken demeanor. For the wary look on her husband's face faded, only to be replaced by something that was perhaps even more disconcerting. A flash of something flew across his pupils, and he blinked it back. It had only been there for a split second, but it was enough to fill Bulma with even more angst.

"Vegeta…" She repeated. She grabbed his wrist, willing him to answer. "Why are there diplomats here? I… I thought it was just Chi-Chi that was coming. Why do we need diplomats?! "

His jaw tightened and he turned to look at the guests. "Bulma, why don't you show Chi-Chi your quarters. I will have Kakarot meet you both there."

"Kakky!" Chi-Chi breathed. "Oh, Bulma! Come on! Do show me! We have so much catching up to do!"

And, without a chance for another word in edgewise, Chi-Chi had snatched Bulma's hand into her own. A pit of anxiety swelling in her chest, Bulma silently obliged and began to lead her friend through the corridor. Looking back warily at her husband over her shoulder, willing herself not to glance at Yamcha, for she might just pass out.

Once the two women turned around the corner and disappeared from sight, Vegeta turned to the two diplomats and nodded in greeting. "Nova here will lead you to the guest quarters. I take it that you both are hungry and tired after such a long trip. Breakfast will be delivered shortly. And I am due to soon leave on a mission that cannot be delayed. My wife and council will be more than sufficient in my place."

On cue, Nova stepped out from the shadows. Her eyes were flaming over Vegeta's form, and she smiled slyly. "Right this way, men." She breathed, before tearing her eyes away, gesturing to the guests.

Vegeta watched them go, his stomach welling with guilt as he considered, yet again, the predicament he was in. Damn him, damn himself, for being so overwhelmed with the duties in wake of his own father's death to lose grip of time. To actually forget that things were also changing on Earth… To be so neglectful on warning his own wife…

Damn it all…

The door snapped shut as soon as the girls walked into the royal quarters, and Bulma turned on her friend. She tried keeping her voice down, but her tone cut through the softness. "Chi-Chi! What is he doing here?!"

"Don't look at me like that!" Chi-Chi replied. "I didn't know until we were more than halfway through the trip!"

"What do you-?"

"He was hiding in the ship when we took off! It was supposed to just be me and Krillian! Oh, and my doctor, but he wouldn't come-"

" Doctor? " Bulma raised her eyebrows. There was just too much happening at once. "What-?"

"I'll tell you later," Chi-Chi cut in. There was far too much going on right now, and this wasn't the way she wanted her best friend to find out about her expected child.

"No! Chi-Chi, why did you need a doctor-"

"Kakky!" Chi-Chi squealed, effectively interrupting her friend. Bulma turned to see Kakarot walking into the room, not bothering to hide the excitement on his face as she moved right for his girlfriend.

The two caught each other in a hug, which included Kakarot picking Chi-Chi's from the floor and spinning her around before setting her back down. "How's my girl?! And how's my baby?!"

Chi-Chi jumped, and playfully swatted Kakarot on the arm. "I wasn't ready to tell her yet!"

"Baby?" Bulma blinked. She would have thought it was a figure of speech, had it not been for Chi-Chi's swift reaction.

"We're having a baby!" Chi-Chi grinned. "That's what the doctor was supposed to be for. And, well, so much is happening that I was going to wait until a calmer time to tell you. But it's true! Kakarot and I-"

Chi-Chi was cut off by Bulma wrapping her arms around her.

A few hours had passed, and Bulma was sitting at her desk. Long before Kakarot had taken Chi-Chi away, under the guise of introducing her to his home.

And Bulma had spent the time since then pacing about the quarters, cracking her knuckles nervously. Trying her best to ward off the anxiety of why Yamcha would be there. Of what would happen to him when Vegeta realized who he was. Of what might happen to her, simply by association.

Twenty minutes earlier she had plopped into the chair at her desk, exhausted of panicking. She now had her screwdriver out, along with several chunks of metal, as she tinkered with one of the gears she had been trying so hard to get right. Trying her best to distract herself. To get this robot right.

The door opened behind her, and Bulma looked up to see Vegeta striding across the room. She frowned as she watched him disappear into the closet, her stomach sinking with a familiar pang of loneliness, which was now also contaminated with guilt. Guilt that she hadn't been honest about Yamcha's identity. Guilt that she was keeping a secret from her husband. And suspicion that he knew something she didn't. After all, he still hadn't told her what the purpose of the diplomats were.

When Vegeta re-emerged from the closet, Bulma stood, clutching her hands to her chest while she eyed him sadly. More than anything she felt in that moment, dread was clouding it all. "Do you really have to go?"

The question elicited a chuckle from the saiyan, who placed his items on the bed and then began heading directly for her. "You know I must," His voice low. But it was a challenge not to smirk at the disappointment on her face. Not when it was stark evidence that she cared about him. "Why, will you miss me?"

"Perhaps I will." She frowned,

"I'll be back before long," Vegeta replied, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I know," Bulma pouted. "But that's not soon enough."

Especially considering how rocky their marriage had started, Vegeta loved hearing her admit this. His fingers found her chin, and he willed her to look up at him, his eyes fixed on her. She watched him so sadly, and once again he felt the guilt building inside at what she would soon learn about her father.

With no warning.

He couldn't just allow her to go to the wolves like that. He had to tell her.

"Bulma," He breathed. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.

"What?" Her eyes glistened.

And he stared at her blue irises, taking in that crystal sheen. Her hopeful expression, her carefree demeanor. Once again Vegeta found the idea of shattering her innocent bliss too much to take, and his jaw tightened.

"Should anything happen while I am away," He said, internally cursing himself for his lack of spine. "You know how to contact me."

"I do?" Bulma raised an eyebrow.

"You do." He put a hand on her cheek. "Tell Bardock you need to speak with me. He'll start a transmission call with my pod."

"And if you aren't in your pod?"

"Most likely, I won't be. But I'll check often to see if any calls were missed, and I will get in touch as soon as possible."

Smiling, Bulma looked down at her hands shyly. Feeling comforted that he wouldn't be completely unreachable. Touched that he cared. "Vegeta?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll miss you," She looked back into his eyes. And he took her face into his hands, his lips embracing hers in response.

"I'll be back sooner than you'll realize," He whispered. And she nodded, not wanting to say anything in response. Only wanting to postpone the inevitable for as long as possible in his arms.