Trunks awoke with a start to the sound of clattering dishes, and the feeling of heightened ki levels from a room beneath him. He jumped out of bed, his heart racing. Worried the androids had arrived at his home and he needed to protect his mother before they-

He blinked. Looking around him, he slowly took in his surroundings. He wasn't at home, he wasn't even in his own time. The room he was expecting to be a desolate, dilapidated ruin, was immaculately clean and bright. He remembered he was in the past at Capsule Corporation with the younger versions of himself and his parents, and his home.

Shaking his head, he rubbed the bridge of his nose, embarrassed at himself for making such a mistake, but also to clear away the remaining feelings of panic. He reminded himself that he was safe, and that the androids, and even Cell, were no longer a threat to them.

If it wasn't androids, then what was the cause of the commotion? Trunks reached out and felt for the energy around him again, this time taking note that his father had vacated the building and his mother was heading closer to him.

He quickly got dressed putting on the same clothes he arrived in, now freshly washed and patched by none other than his grandmother surely. He pulled his violet hair back into a low ponytail, reminding himself to trim it before he went back to see his true mother, otherwise the initial shock of his return might be a bit more than she originally bargained for. He pressed his ear into the bedroom door as he picked up on footsteps just outside. His guest bedroom shared a hallway with Mrs. and Dr. Briefs, so as Bulma carried baby Trunks upstairs to her parents bedroom, his enhanced hearing could easily tune into the conversation.

"Hey mom, Trunks is alright but he just choked on a piece of sausage. I need to go check on Vegeta, could you hold him for a sec?" Before she finished her question, she was already making her way back downstairs.

"Oh my! Poor Trunksie! We'll have to cut those sausages up even smaller for ya, huh? You and your daddy just don't know how to pace yourselves when you're eating, do ya?"

The baby cooed and giggled in her arms and adult Trunks couldn't help but smile to himself. It sure was weird being under the same roof as yourself from 17 years ago.

He was concerned about said self, but relieved none the less to hear he was alright. He wondered what his mother meant by needing to check on Vegeta. Was he okay? If baby-him was the one to choke, then what was wrong with his father?

Intrigued and having inherited his mother's nosiness, he decided to ease drop on their conversation as well. Looking out the window, he attempted to see the couple from his view but it was for naught. That would be too easy, he figured.

Trunks opened his balcony door and lightly pushed his feet off of the floor, taking flight and heading up to the roof. He followed their ki to the east side of the building, just around the corner from where his bedroom was. Perching up on the roof, he found an AC unit and hid behind it. He peaked his head around and peered down at his parents. What he saw made him instantly regret his decision.

He was astounded to find his father in a way he'd never seen him before- completely disheveled and if he didn't know better, he'd swear he was crying. The thought of that rubbed him the wrong way and he instantly hid himself behind the AC unit once more. He struggled to organize his jumbled thoughts. He knew his father would hate anyone witnessing him in such a state, and Trunks criticized and chastised himself for the bright idea of going up there in the first place. He had turned to leave when he heard the gravelly voice he knew well, and it stopped him in his tracks.

"I can't stop picturing him, laying there," the whisper was barely audible, Trunks' superhuman hearing was struggling to pick it up. "I was so cruel to him. We spent a year together and I barely-" Vegeta stopped to take another breath and Trunks listened more intently.

His brows were pushed so close together they could have fused. Could he be talking about-?

"I just wish I could tell him how sorry I am." His father continued. Trunk's heart nearly stopped beating in his chest.

"Well, good news is, you can if you want." His mother spoke. "He's upstairs."

Trunks eyes widened as his suspicions were confirmed- they were in fact talking about him. Not only that, but it sounded like they'd be headed to his room any second- only he wasn't there anymore.

He dashed back to his quarters, not waiting to find out if Vegeta would even take the offer. He silently landed on the balcony and closed the sliding door. Leaning against the wall nonchalantly, he waited what seemed like an eternity until he felt a strong ki drawing nearer to him. After spending a year in the time chamber with him, and countless hours battling along side him it was easily recognizable as his father's.

Trunks startled as he heard the tentative knock on the door despite expecting it.

"C-come in," he stuttered.

In walked none other than Vegeta, standing tall and proudly, you would never have guessed this was the same man Trunks spied hunched over in tears just a few moments ago. The man knew how to put on a mask, he thought.

"Father," Trunks was the first to speak, anxious after an uncomfortable moment of silence.

"Trunks," Vegeta acknowledged. It was obvious to the boy that the man in front of him was extremely uncomfortable in the current situation. So Trunks decided to help the conversation along.

"I wasn't sure I'd get to see you before I went back to my timeline," he admitted truthfully. He wasn't expecting a goodbye, much less the tearful conversation he overheard moments ago.

"Yeah, well,…" Vegeta rubbed the back of his neck and fixed his gaze on the hardwood floor. "Listen Trunks, I-"

"Wait," Trunks interjected, surprising Vegeta and himself. If there was anything he knew about his father, it was that he was not well versed in expressing his emotions. And if he were being honest, he already knew how his father felt about him; he knew from the moment Yamcha informed him of his outrageous attack on Cell. That after he had died, Vegeta let loose an unruly scream and fired everything he had at the monster. Trunks knew that you don't behave that way unless you love someone- and the tears spilled earlier solidified that fact for him.

"Yamcha told me what you did, you know, after I died," Trunks finally blurted out. Vegeta's features immediately took on a more serious look, and the boy could have sworn he saw a bead of sweat dropping down his forehead. "I-I just wanted to say thanks."

The Prince eyed him, and a look of relief washed over him, just barely noticeable. "Yeah, well, don't mention it." He murmured, the stoic look returning to his face. "Cell was wide open, and no one else was willing to take the shot."

"I know."

They both stared at each other. Trunks had a knowing look in his eye and a goofy smile on his lips, Vegeta was attempting, yet practically failing, to mask his own smirk, both of their cheeks were radiating a faint pink hue.

"So when are you returning to your own time?"

"Pretty soon, actually. I'd like to eat first and then I think Mom mentioned giving me another haircut before everyone else gets here to say goodbye."

The word lingered in the air like a dense fog. Vegeta and Trunks both knew that he would be returning to his own timeline, but actually facing it now left them both feeling somber. Vegeta wore a better poker-face than his son.

Finally the prince nodded and turned to open the door. "Breakfast is downstairs if you're hungry," he mumbled, and didn't wait for a reply before exiting.

—————————

The rest of the day flew by. After Vegeta and Trunks's brief conversation, Vegeta returned downstairs with his son not far behind. Bulma was sitting on the living room floor playing with baby Trunks and Vegeta sat on the couch, turning the TV on but secretly paying more attention to the two in front of him. Trunks ate his breakfast at the table and when he was finished, Bulma called him over to sit with them as well.

They talked about a lot of things, mainly about what he would do when he got back to his future. He talked about making sure he stops the Cell in his timeline, and about finally defeating the androids and rebuilding the world. This earned a backhanded remark from Vegeta about how he wasn't sure how Trunks hadn't managed to accomplish that yet, and that he certainly shouldn't have any problems doing so now. Trunks and his mother smiled at each other, and when the conversion was over they headed upstairs so she could trim his outgrown hair again.

Before they knew it, guests began to arrive to say their goodbyes. The first to ring the doorbell was Krillin and Gohan. Then came Master Roshi and Oolong, and finally Yamcha and Puar.

He said a brief goodbye to everyone individually, and when it was time to leave, a final exchange with his mother. With a firm yet tender handshake, she let him know how proud of him she was. As he walked back to his ship, a simple gesture from his father conveyed the same message.

Everyone stuck around to chat and hang out for a bit, with Goku being the main topic of conversation. They all shared their respective memories of the Saiyan, good and bad, laughing, and crying. While Vegeta had been watching from a respectful distance, never participating of course, eventually Bulma took notice of his disappearance.

Finally, sometime after everyone had enjoyed their fill of lunch and reminiscing, the guests began to leave one by one. Yamcha and Puar had yet to bid their adieus, awkwardly hovering as Bulma helped her mom clean up the leftovers from their meal.

"If you're gonna stand in my way, Yamcha, you could at least make yourself useful and help clean up," she joked.

The man nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sure thing, Bulma." He began grabbing plates and walked along side her into the house.

"Listen, Bulma," Yamcha began, and Bulma withheld a sigh. She knew what was coming next.

"What is it, Yamcha?"

"So, now that Cell and the Androids are gone, what do you think Vegeta is planning on doing?"

She dropped her dishes into the sink, a bit too forcefully, and stared out the window in front of her. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't asked herself that same question, though she tried her damndest not to. She knew there had been some change in the Saiyan's heart, though she couldn't be sure how much since they hadn't actually had a real conversation about it yet.

Yamcha took her lengthy silence as an opportunity to continue. "Look," he breathed heavily as if regaining some courage. "I know you've made things pretty clear on where we stand as a couple. Or as friends, I should say." His cheeks reddened at Bulma's icy glare and he became more serious once again. "But I do want to let you know that I'm here for you Bulma." His calloused hand placed itself on her shoulder and she realized she didn't immediately jerk away from his touch. "If he sticks around and actually gets it through that thick skull of his how great he has it here, I'll be happy for you. But if he doesn't…" their eyes met as his words trailed off. "Like I said, I'm always here for you."

Their gaze kept them locked in place, his hand remaining on her shoulder as if either of them were too frozen to move a muscle.

"I-" Bulma opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by her mother bringing in the rest of the dishes from outside.

"Oh thank you dearies, but I can take it from here! You guys go on and enjoy the rest of this beautiful day! I'll put some more tea on."

The suddenness of her enterance caused the pair to bolt apart, breaking them out of whatever spell they were in.

"Thanks mom, but-"

"Actually Mrs. Briefs, I think Puar and I are about to head on out of here. Thanks so much for having us, we had a great time."

Yamcha and Bulma locked eyes once again, and she gulped as he turned away and left with Puar on his shoulder.

"Oh goodness, I hope I didn't say something to scare the boy off."

"No mom it's okay, he was leaving anyways." Bulma dried off her hands with a kitchen towel and turned to exit the kitchen. "Is Trunks still napping?"

"Yep! He's sleeping like the perfect little baby he is!" Panchy giggled and held up the baby monitor.

"Great, I need a few minutes alone."

With that she headed upstairs to her bedroom in search of the one thing she knew she could turn to in times of stress- her cigarette stash.

She quickly grabbed the pack and stormed back downstairs. What the hell just happened with Yamcha? She was over him, and she knew that without a shadow of a doubt. But when he looked at her like that, and questioned Vegeta's intentions, his touch felt… comfortable. It felt safe. She knew she could be happy with him. Yamcha had always been a good, reliable friend, even when they were "on a break." However, she knew in her heart she would be settling, and if there's one thing Bulma Briefs didn't do- it was settle for less than she deserved.

She burst through the doors as she reached her destination. Her favorite place to ponder her relentless thoughts happened to be her father's animal sanctuary; it was peaceful, and quiet until like her disorderly mind. As she found her spot underneath a tree near the pond,she was surprised to find it already occupied.

"Oh sorry, I didn't realize you were here." She found herself apologizing, flustered but she didn't understand why.

Vegeta was sitting with his eyes shut and his back against the tree trunk. She wasn't sure if it was his unusual presence in the space, or his menacing aura that made the animas keep a great distance from him, but she didn't mind as she preferred to be left alone here anyways. He had his arms crossed and when he heard her voice, he peaked one eye open at her but closed it again as he grunted a reply.

"Are all your friends gone yet?" He put an emphasis on the word that lit a spark on her temper. This was a greatly changed attitude from the man she interacted with this morning.

She took a breath in an attempt to calm herself and was only partially successful. "Yep, they're all gone Vegeta. It would have been nice to have you join us for a while."

He grunted in disapproval. "Hmph, I have no time for your Earthling customs and I'm certainly not wasting what little time I do have on making nice with those people you consider friends."

There was that mocking tone of his again. She was standing above him now, hands on her hips and face reddened with anger.

"Those friends just helped save your life and the whole world in case you forgot! Not to mention while you ran away pouting, they're the ones who revived our son with the Dragon Balls!"

She struck a nerve and she knew it. She also knew that Vegeta would never show her how bad that remark stung, if it did at all. If she wasn't so pissed, she might have noticed the brief second his eyes squinted in a wince before returning to their steely glare.

She didn't know what had taken over her, perhaps it was her conversation with Yamcha that had her questioning her and Vegeta's situationship, maybe it was her conversation with Trunks the day prior, or maybe it was the feeling of absolute contentment she felt as she laid in his bed next to him in his most vulnerable state. Whatever it was, she was going to get to the bottom of it, and fast before she wasted anymore time franting over the man in front of her.

"Look Vegeta, you can say you don't care about me or my friends all you want, but the fact of the matter is: you're still here. The androids are gone, Cell is gone, your mission is complete! You saved the Earth- hooray, congratulations. And yet here you still are. What else is keeping you here, huh? If it's not an enemy to beat, or a new power to ascend to, then what is it tough guy?"

In an instant the prince rose at her outburst to face her. His dark orbs penetrated her blue ones with their fierce gaze.

"If you need me to spell it out for you, maybe you're not as much of a genius as you claim to be," he growled menacingly, his soft tone betraying the harshness of his words.

"I don't know anything when it comes to you, Vegeta!" She threw her hands up in exasperation, turning around to avoid his stare. "We don't talk, you don't tell me anything. I have no idea how you're feeling."

"How I'm feeling? I'll tell you how I'm feeling," his voice grew louder and she felt her heart race in her chest. "I feel like I'm a fucking disgrace to my people. Kakarot did what no one else could and what I never will now that he's gone."

"We all miss him too Vegeta, that's what we were all talking about today-"

"I am not grieving, I could care less about his pathetic excuse for a life here on this planet," he viciously spat and she forced herself to withhold a gasp. "I am the prince of our race, I and I alone was destined to be the strongest, to be the greatest. And now that he's gone I will never get the opportunity to prove myself against him again. I no longer have a reason to exist in this Kami forsaken universe. My entire planet and culture are gone, destroyed at the hands of Freiza. My one goal in this life was to usurp him and avenge my race for his brutal enslaving of us, and then I needed to avenge them for their merciless demise. And when I finally had him within my grasp, not only did I fail, but I died. And Kakarot, the low level Saiyan that he was, was the one to ascend into the Legend and defeat him, all before me. It was at that point that I had a new goal in life- to prove once and for all that I was better, that I was stronger, more worthy of the title Super Saiyan than he."

Bulma was still facing away from him, though she hung onto his every word. Her eyes welled up with tears and she folded her arms across her chest, gripping them tightly and willing the tears not to fall. His harsh words about her departed friend tore open the fresh wounds of the loss in her heart. Either oblivious or uncaring about her grief, he continued.

"The one thing holding me onto my center of gravity was my pride and now that's gone along with him. I failed again and there's no denying it. There is no point in continuing fighting if I'll never truly be the greatest, if I'll never achieve my destiny as Prince of all Saiyans. There's damn near no point in continuing living at all."

She took a deep breath before blinking away her remaining tears and turned to face him once more. He had turned his head away from her, now looking directly to their left, a downcast look sprawled across his face. When he noticed her movement, he geared his head back in her direction, his signature scowl returning to it's home in his features.

"Despite what you might think," she started nervously, careful not to let too much anger through in her tone. She knew this was a rare moment of vulnerability for him and she wasn't about to screw it up. "Pride isn't everything Vegeta- power isn't everything." His scowl deepened and neared a look of complete disgust, but she continued anyways. "Sometimes all you need in this life is people around you who love you."

The Saiyan rolled his eyes and refused to meet them with hers. Bulma noticed a faint pink hue warming his cheeks as he stared hard at the ground. "And if you'd open your eyes you'd see you already have that."