Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ A Cop Story ❯ Rice and Cakes ( Chapter 26 )

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. And yes, you've heard the rest all before.

A Cop Story

Part Twenty Six

By RM

Rice and Cakes

She fixed her dark hair once again and tried to convince herself that she did not have to pee. Despite her usual take charge demeanor, she couldn't quite control the detached and dizzy feeling in her head and limbs or the nervous shaking in her legs. She gazed around the large bedroom at her friends who were busy fussing over themselves amidst the clutter they had created.

"You look absolutely beautiful Chi," Bulma smiled excitedly as she clutched Chi Chi's hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Chi Chi did indeed look quite beautiful in her pristine white wedding dress. It was elegant yet simple, daring yet modest. It complimented the bride's own attitude in every way, innocent yet challenging.

"Positively radiant!" Launch giggled as her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Really?" #18 commented as she smoothed down her hair, "I'd say she looks a little sick."

Bulma turned her head and frowned at her other friend. "Its just jitters. They go away."

"Do they?" Chi Chi whispered, looking quite pale.

"Yes, they do!" Bulma stated firmly, pinching a small portion of the bride's cheek, forcing blood into her pale complexion. "Think blushing bride Chi, not pasty corpse."

#18 smiled at the reflection in the mirror. She'd never seen the black haired woman this nervous about anything.

"Remember how determined you were to marry this man?" Bulma questioned. "Well, today's your day. You should be excited, not nervous. There's nothing to be nervous about."

Chi Chi's dark eyes locked on sky blue ones as she managed a weak smile. She knew her friend was right. She had always known this day would come, she just hadn't imagined it could be this nerve wracking.

"Just imagine how nervous Goku is right about now. One of you has to be calm about things. Show some spunk!" Launch offered with a slight giggle.

"I'm so happy and nervous…" Chi Chi began as she squeezed Bulma's hand in return and her eyes misted over. #18 coolly offered the bride a tissue so that her mascara wouldn't smear. Chi Chi grabbed the offered tissue daintily, nervously glancing around the room one last time before excusing herself and making a mad dash to the washroom.

"Let's hope this doesn't happen at the altar," #18 stated with a smile.

*****

"Nervous?" Raditz slapped his little brother's back soundly with a self-satisfied grin.

"No," Goku shrugged. "I was just looking to see who was here," he answered truthfully as he stood at a small side doorway leading to a small patio balcony which overlooked the spacious and well-manicured lawn of the Mayor's mansion. Chi Chi had set her heart on an outdoor wedding complete with a lot of sunshine, a lot of flowers and a whole lot of people. It was the largest private garden anywhere, thanks to the efforts of Mayor Popo and his cohort Kami, who not only were avid horticulturists but also had keen skills with a spade. The mansion itself was also quite impressive, both Goku and Raditz had to admit, although if asked, Raditz could recall much more magnificent structures back on the Saiyan homeworld.

"Are you really expecting him to show up?" Raditz raised an eyebrow as Goku continued his vigil at the doorway.

"Who are we waiting for?" An irritated voice demanded from behind the pair.

Goku turned around with a bright smile and partially closed the door quickly.

"I'm glad you could make it Vegeta," Goku stated cheerfully. "I was worried there for a minute and thought maybe you'd changed your mind about coming."

"I told you I would be here," Vegeta responded with a hint of disdain. "I gave you my word I would be present the moment you take that screeching bitch as your legal life-long mate."

Goku merely smiled at his partner's remark, letting the comment slide. He figured Vegeta had every right to be jealous. After all, he was about to marry the most beautiful woman in the world, not to mention the greatest chef. He hadn't been upset or even surprised when Vegeta declined to be in the wedding party, but he would have somehow felt guilty had he not even offered it to his friend.

"Maybe, but she's all mine. How long is this going to take? I'm starving!" Goku exclaimed as he peeked out the door once more, trying to keep his voice down.

Raditz creased his brow in thought. He tried to gauge his brother's reaction carefully as they watched guests being ushered to their seats or finding ones for themselves. He personally believed his brother was being a bit hasty concerning Chi Chi. It wasn't that he thought of the whole thing as a mistake. He just believed that variety was the spice of life. Essentially, his brother was settling for the same dish much too quickly. He momentarily thought of his own arrangement with Yamcha. They both believed themselves to be the perfect couple, and they were in a sense, at least for each other. Neither one of them were willing to settle and it made things so much easier for them both when they decided to switch up for a while. It wasn't that they didn't love each other. Raditz supposed that he loved Yamcha as much as he could love anyone. They were still together after all, but every now and then, the thrill of a new conquest drove them both to stray, and the most perfect aspect of their relationship was that each one understood why the other did it. Hell, Raditz thought, it had even resulted in some very interesting group nights out.

"I'd better get back out there to help with crowd control," Raditz finally stated as his reverie came to an end. "Don't be too nervous!" He slapped Goku on the back once again.

Goku frowned at his brother as he walked away. Hadn't he already said he wasn't nervous?

Vegeta watched Raditz walk off as he crossed his arms and glared. The whole moment of possible tension was brought to a close as Vegeta's stomach erupted in a loud growl. Goku's stomach merely responded in kind.

"You know," Goku began in his best conspiratorial voice, "we should have plenty of time to grab a few treats from downstairs before we get this started. Are you game?"

Vegeta blankly stared at the grinning fool in front of him as his stomach growled loudly once again. He glumly nodded for Goku to lead the way, with the thought that perhaps this whole wedding thing wouldn't be such a bust after all.

*****

He wiggled his fingers to relieve the stiffness and promote the blood flow which seemingly had been cut off by the vice-like grip being exerted on his forearm by his breathtakingly beautiful daughter on one of the most important days of her life.

She looked beautiful in the full, elegant dress with her hair styled and curled, delicate pink rose buds woven into the plaited crown of hair circling her head. As they stood together on the threshold of the back patio, just inside the archway of the stately great hall, he brought his large hand up to cover hers which was still gripping his arm.

"I'm very happy for you honey," he stated quietly as the first flower girl began her march onto the patio, toward the stone steps and the crisp, green lawn where rows upon rows of spectator seating had been set up. "And I'm extremely proud that you're my daughter."

"Oh daddy," her eyes misted over as she smiled sincerely up at her father. "I'm just thankful you're here to share this with me."

#18 smiled at father and daughter and quickly dusted off the long, rich, plum colored gown the bridesmaids were wearing. She fixed the thin, spaghetti straps and nonchalantly adjusted her bust before tucking a wayward strand of blonde hair behind her ear and taking Krillin's arm to begin their walk out onto the patio. Krillin shook his head and smiled. Sure, he could dress her up but he wasn't always sure what she would do when he was or wasn't watching.

"Me too," Ox admitted with a chuckle as he shifted his weight to his other foot, nervously glancing down the aisle as Tien and Launch made themselves ready to go.

"Stage fright?" Chi Chi asked when she noticed his fidgeting. Most of the crowd had their attention already focused on the stone patio where the procession was starting, anxious to catch the first glimpse of the beautiful bride.

"A little," Ox admitted this time. "Are you a little nervous about being a wife?" He asked with a toothy grin, wiggling his fingers, trying to concentrate on something besides the feeling of pins and needles in his fingertips.

"No," she breathed as she felt Bulma gather up and position the long train of her gown behind her, sprinkling pink rose petals onto the luxurious fabric for effect. She took a deep breath as she pulled on her father's arm and stepped out onto the patio with a fabulous smile, "but I am a little nervous about being a mommy."

*****

She hadn't seen him when she made her way down the aisle and the thought that he might not have come really ticked her off. While the whole concept of wedding ceremonies really didn't excite her, she had never once failed to show at any of the ones she had ever been invited to. She was also actually excited in this case, and it was mostly due to two reasons. The first reason being that she was actually in this wedding and the second being that she actually knew the people getting married.

She held her breath as she peeked behind her to look the crowd over once again, sighing when she caught no sight of him. #18 poked her in the side, letting her know she was being obvious. As she aimed her gaze across the aisle she saw Raditz picking his fingernails while Launch and Tien were holding hands and smiling at the bride and groom now exchanging vows. She sighed again and imagined how special this moment should be if only that self-centered little prig was here to share it with her.

She concentrated once more on Goku and Chi Chi as #18 pinched her knee in an attempt to get her to do something other than sulk. Bulma finally forced herself to smile, which she found much easier to accomplish by the second and tried to enjoy what was left of the brief ceremony.

#18 crossed her legs and clasped Krillin's hand firmly in her own, squeezing it every so often as the reality of the situation dawned on her. Goku and Chi Chi were finally getting married. This was for real. This was forever. And both of them looked extremely happy about it. Her intense gaze shifted from the ceremony being preformed in front of them, to the short, adorable man sitting next to her, half paying attention and half falling asleep. She smiled down at him and planted a soft kiss on his bald-head as he sat unsuspecting. No one had ever made her feel the way she did about everything the way he did. Krillin would always be the only one for her, and while she recalled having once remarked to her friends that a girl had to keep her options open, the options she had been referring to had consisted of marrying Krillin now or later. She was just satisfied to know that Krillin was hers, and that he loved her just as much as she loved him.

He looked up at her and smiled, his vision a bit fuzzy and blurred as he tried to blink himself awake. He yawned as he settled back in his seat, enjoying the warm, summer sunshine and the freshness of the lush vegetation surrounding him. As his eyes began to slide shut once again, he heard Bulma sigh softly. He knew she was looking for her little prince charming. Krillin knew he was there somewhere since he had caught both Vegeta and Goku sneaking cream puffs like hoarding little chipmunks at one of the tables that had been set up for a pre-reception reception in an adjoining back garden of the estate just before the ceremony was to begin. Goku had to tear himself away from the goodies to get married while Vegeta had no prior engagements. Krillin would be willing to bet big money that by this time, there were no cream puffs left alive.

Across the way, Tien couldn't believe that Goku was actually going through with it. It wasn't to say that he couldn't see Goku not wanting to get married or anything of that nature. It was just that the whole prospect of one of his best friends getting married made him feel old.

It also made him a little nervous. He glanced at the enchanting woman sitting next to him, her excitement extremely evident in her bright eyes and broad smile. Launch was a dreamer, he knew, and in all cases was a complete 180 to his own pragmatic manner. He had known that this whole wedding would put ideas into her head, and in every hypothetical circumstance he could possibly conjure up it would break his heart to have to tell her `no.' It didn't really bother him much that Launch was susceptible to romantic, spur of the moment notions. It was one of the main reasons he loved her so much. She was always so very sincere about everything, so sweet and positive. It was because of her that he looked forward to a lot of things he previously would have just brushed off. But Tien knew himself to be the planning type, and he could only hope that he wouldn't disappoint her by making her wait just a little while longer until he was ready for that level of commitment. Or at least until he knew he didn't have to work so many mid-nights.

His thoughts were cut short as Raditz shifted in his seat next to him. Tien smiled as the large Saiyan rolled his eyes, indicating that the ceremony was taking entirely too long. Tien continued to smile as he discretely pointed across the aisle at Krillin, who looked as if he was fighting a desperate battle to stay awake. Raditz had expressed some concern over that particular occurrence before the ceremony had begun and had even suggested that everyone eat something to promote bad gas in order to keep from drifting off. Needless to say, there hadn't been any takers, and #18 who had somehow managed to be present for that particular conversation had pointed out that although it was close to the truth, it simply wouldn't do to have the best man smell like the monkey house at the zoo. In retrospect, Tien figured it might have done the trick, although he also figured he would have been a direct casualty and the overall result would have been the same with Krillin still falling asleep.

Well, Tien thought, it certainly wouldn't help matters to sit and watch other people getting tired. Instead, he checked his watch, collected his thoughts, and settled himself against the backrest, concentrating on one of the nearby trees of the garden. At least the sun was shining. It certainly did feel good to be outside during the daytime.

*****

Piccolo stood poised behind two old ladies wearing very fashionable hats that smelled a little musty. He clenched and unclenched his fist as he rhythmically tossed a small bundle of some type of seed that was handed to him by some small child dressed in a very loud suit in the other. He watched the crowd as they gathered around the garden archway where the newlyweds would soon make their way under and through. Almost every precinct had managed to show up and that made for a lot of people who made with a lot of chatter.

He snorted quietly as the thought of plugging Goku with a packet full of seed crossed his mind. The snort quickly turned into an evil chuckle as his real target presented himself on the other side of the path.

Jiisu's hair looked bigger and brighter than usual, although it was most likely due to the sunshine and a brand new, state of the art, professional hair dryer. He was wearing a pair of reflective sunglasses and had managed to attach himself to a rather tall, thin woman. The other members of the Ginyu force stood nearby, some with dates and some without, and although the commercial traffic evened the odds a little, it still wasn't much of a challenge.

It was almost too easy.

Another figure standing up against the stone wall caught Piccolo's attention due to the fact that he was trying to stay out of sight. Yamcha was holding a glass of champagne in one hand and some kind of fluffy, pink pastry in the other. Piccolo cleared his throat and frowned as the puffy, sweet, sugar coated goody brought a sour memory to mind. It had been five months ago that Vegeta and Goku were ordered to haul in a serial killer that had successfully mutilated over thirty-five people in the greater metropolitan area alone. Piccolo had been the on-duty investigator that night and the fruit of their efforts had turned out to be just that. What they had found was only best described as a fat, pink blob wandering around wearing baggy pants, a vest, a cape, and a pair of bloodied, mismatched gloves. And while fashion wasn't Piccolo's concern, the initial picture was rather disturbing. The blob's mind, or what was left of it, was completely random and had apparently never fully developed. The chore of bringing him in had been a nasty one to say the least, and it was at that point that Piccolo had understood Captain Roshi's reasons for choosing the two Saiyans for the job. When the ensuing battle had come to a close, Vegeta had been relieved of the use of this left arm and Goku had managed a few broken ribs, jamming all of his toes as a bonus. The chunky, pink guy hadn't made it out in one piece after that and Piccolo recalled that even Goku had felt better about it. They had later discovered that the guy called himself Buu, an odd name for a guy that reminded Piccolo of a tart.

Feeling a little unnerved, he squeezed the firmly packed bundle, popping the mesh and spilling the small granules of seed into his palm. Tearing his attention away from Yamcha and his disturbingly familiar treat, he focused on the smug, wee Ginyu member.

The crowd began to liven up and cheer suddenly as the newlyweds appeared on the other side of the stone archway, ready to make their dash towards the limousine that would cart them away for their wedding photo session before the reception.

Piccolo was about to take the Jiisu rule to a whole new level. And with very little skill, Vegeta would soon owe everyone about two hundred drinks…

*****

The food was decent and the company was not as bad as expected. He didn't really know most of the people at his table and the two that he did know, he sometimes wished he didn't. Placing his drink on the table with a thud, he resumed his meal with the minimal amount of chatter and suddenly realized that he was lacking, and actually longing for one major component for the evening.

The woman.

She was sitting up at the head table with the rest of the wedding party on a large dais at the other end of the room. She was extremely easy to pick out in the crowd, what with her unusual and exotic coloring. He had to admit to himself that she looked absolutely stunning in the dress Chi Chi had picked out, although the clothing had very little to do with it. Chewing thoughtfully, he continued to stare at her intently, and his mind began to wander to another time and place.

Vejiita-sei.

He had often felt cheated that his planet had been destroyed and his rightful reign as a member of the royal dynasty had been denied. Tonight, instead of dining with a bunch of morons and human weaklings, he would have feasted as the ruler of a superior and powerful race, and although he would still have been surrounded by those weaker than himself, the pathetic factor would have been considerably lower. But the one factor that he had discovered to make him actually contented for the first time in his life would be light years away, and in all likelihood, fucking someone else.

This did not sit well with him.

What would life be like without her now? He knew he could live quite well without her, but the fact of the matter was that he didn't even want to entertain the idea. He could exist, but knowing what he knew now, he would be completely miserable. Sure, he would have slaves and concubines to cater to his every whim, but the reality of it would be that he wouldn't have her. What was it about Bulma that made him feel the way he did? What was it about her that wouldn't allow him to simply get her out of his system?

Of course, the ultimate scenario would be to have Bulma as his chosen mate back on the Saiyan homeworld, although realistically he knew that could never happen. Not only would she never be accepted, but she would have been beaten and raped within the first two hours of her stay, if not by himself then by someone else. That thought didn't sit well with him either. Vegeta knew he had changed considerably, and it was all due to his new life on Earth. But the more he thought about it and compared the two, he found that out of the two existences, if he had to chose, he would stay right where he was. He was stronger than anyone could have foreseen and he was happy. He'd never thought it could be important to him, but he found that it was. He could just imagine what his father would say to him if he were still alive, although that was ages ago and worlds away, and memories that he tended not to dwell on.

Laying his fork on the table, he continued to chew with a frown, receiving a few curious glances from Piccolo and #17 who were sitting at the same table. Recognizing those looks coming from his cohorts as the type that might ask questions, he shoved the rest of his vegetables into his mouth, yanked his napkin from his lap and threw it down on the table. Pushing his chair back, he quickly stood and made his way toward the nearest exit before anyone had the chance to say something stupid.

Vegeta figured it was time for some fresh air.

*****

Bulma was politely pretending to listen to Krillin lay the ground plans for the gang's next camping expedition when she noticed Vegeta dash out in what could only be described as a pensive huff. She'd been watching him all night and not just because he was sitting with #17, Piccolo and some very attractive, single women. She hadn't really had the chance to spend time with him in the past three months, ever since her father had put together some type of gravity chamber that Vegeta showed an awful lot of interest in. There were plenty of nights she'd spent alone since then, as he had a habit of staying at Capsule Corporation training for hours on end. Sometimes she didn't mind having time to herself while at other times she found that she actually missed the little prick terribly.

Excusing herself with the old `powdering the nose' routine, she quickly descended the steps of the dais and cut her path to the same exit Vegeta had escaped through moments before. She pushed past several people from another reception that had booked a different banquet room at the establishment on her way to the foyer, receiving a few curious and appreciative glances in her very flatteringly fitted dress. It didn't take long for her to spot her Saiyan in the spacious yet crowded lobby since he'd been collared by her mother who was slowly backing him into a corner.

Amused by the look of sheer panic on his normally stoic façade, she began to seductively sway her hips as she approached the pair, knowing full well that he could see her and knowing full well that it would knock him for a loop.

She was definitely going to show him a thing or two about lonely nights.

*****

She giggled as she teased him with a spoonful of sweet cream, scalped from a small, tantalizing tart. He sat very still, his eyes steadily following the progress of the utensil as it waved about in front of him. Licking his lips and growing impatient, he reached out to her, covering her hand with his and directing the spoon into his mouth.

Chi Chi smiled happily as Goku, her husband, closed his eyes and delighted in the sugary sweetness of the treat. He looked so very childlike and sweet with his cheeks puffed out and nose wrinkled up as he tried to smile. Of course, the little glob of cream at the corner of his mouth only served to solidify the image for her.

She thought about the day's events as she scooped up another generous helping of the whipped indulgence. Things had gone very smoothly, everyone had been on their best behavior and everyone currently seemed to be having a good time. Holding the spoon up, she glanced around the large room to inspect all of her friends, family and in most cases, acquaintances that had been invited to the wedding on formality. Her father had invited quite a few political people and also business affiliates since it could only help matters with the day to day running of the city's police force. She didn't mind at all, since she would get more presents and it made for a feast of grandeur. As long as the huge banquet tables continued to be stocked with food as instructed, she knew her friends would be just fine.

Next to her, Goku sloshed the gooey concoction around in his mouth, almost passing some through his nose as his brother made a snide remark concerning Nappa and the cut of his pants. He quickly refocused however, when he saw that spoon weaving in and out of his line of fire, heaping with another load of sweet, whipped cream. He turned to face his Chi Chi, his delectable sugar cookie, his wife. He frowned momentarily as he realized that married life so far didn't really feel any different. Some of the guys at the station had commented that things changed and that he'd start feeling different about Chi Chi. Well, he thought as he checked his watch, perhaps he'd need a little more time, although he was only willing to give it another five minutes, since after that he'd had to concentrate solely on dancing.

As that last thought struck him, his eyes widened and he again was forced to guide the spoon into his mouth. Feeling his hand on hers once again, she turned to him and smiled. Pulling the spoon from his mouth, she firmly grasped his other hand and prompted him to stand with her. Once up, she led him to the dance floor, completely ready to begin the festivities for the evening. And as they stood in the middle of the floor by themselves, she leaned in for a kiss, thinking that the night could only get better.

*****

There had been times when he wasn't sure if he'd make it out alive and there had been other times when he wasn't sure if he'd make it out unscathed. In this instance, he honestly couldn't be sure of either one.

Mrs. Briefs was a persistent one without being too cunning, which was a little unnerving in Vegeta's opinion. Her actions were unpredictable, her thoughts so random and just generally out there that her next move was always hard to gauge, and in turn, hard to counter. And although he was always guaranteed that the ill-fated ass-grab was coming, it was still a dangerous gamble as to when and how often. Tonight however, the prospect was made more perilous by the fact that he'd been having thoughts about his woman. Impure thoughts. And while he would be the first one to confess that he may not be capable of any other kinds of thoughts regarding the little minx, his current situation could turn very ugly very quickly by a relatively slight `slight of hand.'

He really needed fresh air.

He really needed to think fast.

"There you are," Bulma's sweet voice sifted through the thickly blanketed fog of panic. "Dad's been looking for you."

"Oh?" Mrs. Briefs raised an eyebrow and giggled as she turned slightly to answer her daughter.

Vegeta's black gaze shifted from one Briefs woman to the other as he slowly realized, to his horror, that the ditz had physically managed to trap him against a wall.

"They're dancing," Bulma added very matter-of-factly as she smoothed a palm over her hip, a move which she knew would not go unnoticed by a certain Saiyan. "He was looking for his fox trot partner."

"Oh dear!" Mrs. Briefs exclaimed while still sounding much too cheerful, "I hope he hasn't started without me." She chimed, hurrying off and chattering away as she went, excitedly reminiscing about all of the dances she'd ever been to in the space of five seconds. Vegeta visibly relaxed as he watched her go while Bulma never once took her eyes off her Saiyan, who was ungraciously plastered against the elegant wall of the busy reception area.

"She doesn't bite, you know," Bulma teased.

"That's your opinion," Vegeta growled with bared teeth.

"Serves you right," she continued on, closing the distance between them. "You were trying to escape without me."

He stiffened momentarily before relaxing once again as she wrapped her arms around him. He regarded her carefully as she pouted at her last statement. While he understood she wasn't being 100% serious, he remembered his earlier thoughts and he felt guilty to make her feel that he would ever abandon her.

"I would never leave you," he breathed, pulling her against him.

She sighed heavily against his neck at his confession, making double sure to smear some of her dark lipstick on his tanned skin. She absolutely loved the smoothness of his skin when he was recently shaved and she loved it even more when he admitted something to her that he normally would never admit. Trailing her hands down his back, she pressed her pelvis into his, not at all surprised to discover that he was very much in the mood to be alone with her.

"Woman, you have exactly two minutes to decided where you want to be fucked. If you do not make a decision by then, I will take you right here. You know I have no qualms about taking you in front of complete strangers."

Her eyes widened and her knees wobbled when she realized that he wasn't kidding. It didn't help matters that by that time, she'd already lost thirty seconds.

"Shall I begin the countdown out loud?" He questioned with a completely straight face.

Almost frantically, she began to twist around, trying to spot someplace where they could enjoy each other as he held her tightly against him, his breath beginning to come out in hot gasps against her neck. She wanted to give in just as she noticed a roped off staircase leading up to the darkened second floor. Perhaps…

"Upstairs…" she breathed out as he let her go and took her hand, pulling her in the direction of the forbidden second floor. His strides were brisk and purposeful and she was forced to grab and lift her dress with her free hand to keep from tripping, completely aware that time was running short.

Easily side-stepping the barricade, he pulled her into his arms and levitated up into the second floor hallway, trying to prevent her from clunking up the stairs like some kind of deranged, charging rhinoceros. Standing in the middle of the darkened corridor, his lips immediately descended to her bare shoulder and he smirked at her apparent lack of control as she sucked in a ragged breath. He was actually just as eager as she was, seeing that it had been at least two months since he'd had a proper taste of her. Bunching up the rich material of her gown, he slid his warm hand up her thigh as he licked her neck, becoming more worked up by the second. He was really beginning to get into the spirit of the exercise when she suddenly managed to pull away slightly. Loosening his grip, she managed to turn around in his arms to lead him down the hallway in the darkness, the sound of merriment drifting through the air like a slight breeze. Spotting a small loveseat in the corner at the end of the hall, she turned and pushed him down so that he sat in the middle, then seductively lifted her form fitting skirts to straddle him. Stretching his arms out along the backrest, he leaned forward while she met him halfway for a passionate kiss.

Not wanting to waste any more time on a warm up, she went straight for the belt, her fingers working nimbly on the small buckle. She could hardly believe the urgency she felt and she could hardly believe that she was allowing this to happen where she could get caught at any moment. But he certainly knew what she liked, and he certainly knew just how to use his lips and tongue to get what he wanted.

She knew that she didn't want to think anymore as she felt him push himself inside of her. She could only hope that Chi Chi could forgive her for sneaking off during the reception.

*****

She was fuming as cheerfully as she could. Although she wasn't accustomed to frequent bouts of any type of emotion other than sunny, her disposition was quickly darkening as she stood in front of a large, garish mirror in the ladies' room lounge. Flicking her compact open, she snatched the small powder-puff and practically attacked her own face with an over-abundant dusting of powder.

"Miss Launch," she gave herself a heartening pep-talk, "you just have to face the facts. So what if your cuddle-bear was touching another woman? It doesn't mean he liked it." She nodded at her reflection and let out a heartfelt sigh, one that amazingly exuded confidence. Her hands had other ideas however, as they immediately resumed their powdering functions.

"You know, if you keep it up with the powder, you're going to end up looking like Choutzu in no time." #18 stated calmly as she approached Launch sitting at the vanity. "What is up with that suit he's wearing anyway?"

Launch paused, watching the blonde fix her hair in the mirror behind her. She had been frowning which made her feel uneasy and a little bit strange, but as #18 made her observation, Launch's frown turned into a blank stare. She was about to open her mouth to half-heartedly chuckle out a reply when the lounge door opened and the object of her wrath stepped through.

It really hadn't been anyone's fault that Marron had been the lucky young woman who had caught the bride's bouquet. Well, Launch conceded to herself, perhaps it HAD been someone's fault, but the fact that the bouquet had been caught by someone other than herself hadn't been the final transgression. What really set her off was the fact that Tien had somehow managed to catch the garter. And the sight of her bald-headed Bunny sitting in-between some other girl's legs to put said garter on had not been a pleasant one.

In an effort to remain lady-like, Launch once again began to dab furiously at her nose with the fluffy puff, and in the process, managed to set up a rather bizarre turn of events that would later only be remembered by one very confused off-duty police Lieutenant who just happened to be in the room at the time.

She sneezed.

Before her head even managed to snap back from the rather violent bodily function, she was halfway across the ladies lounge pulling a very flabbergasted Marron's hair with one hand, and putting her into a sleeper hold with the other.

Marron had never been attacked physically, which was completely due to the fact that the attackers were always held back by a second party who recognized that a knock to the head really wouldn't serve to jog her intellect. The desire had been there many times for many people, and in this instance, the only second party present was too busy trying to piece together where the angry blonde attacking Marron had come from.

"Ahhh!" Marron screamed as she felt someone jump on her back, wrapping an arm around her neck and trying to direct her into the nearest wall.

#18 was momentarily stunned. One minute, Launch was sitting at the vanity, as cheerful as could be in all of her brunette glory. The next minute there was some psycho blonde woman trying to accost young ladies who where planning on using the facilities, and doing all of this in the same dress Launch had been wearing.

"Get off of me!" Marron exclaimed in a pained whine, teetering in her heels as her unseen attacker readjusted her grip. "I know I'm prettier than you but…"

"Shut up and fight me like a woman!" The now blonde Launch demanded with a snarl.

The pair faltered around together as Marron accomplished the task of staying on her feet, the years of insensible shoe wearing had conditioned her sense of balance to that of a sewage treatment plant worker on a very narrow catwalk. Her downfall was eminent however, as her knee collided with a small table holding a basket of silk flowers.

They hit the carpeted floor with a thud and began rolling over one another from the sheer momentum of the fall. Marron shrieked protests the entire way down and over while Launch merely grunted upon impact.

#18, now thoroughly amused with the prospect of Marron getting her ass kicked, swiftly moved to the door, locking it to prevent anyone else from entering and breaking up the fight.

"He's mine!" Launch growled as she grabbed at the blue haired woman, rolling her underneath her own body.

`What are you talking about?!" Marron screamed as someone knocked on the door while #18 assured them without opening it that things were totally under control. "Does this have something to do with last Thursday?!"

Rolling into a position where they were finally face to face for the first time, Marron blinked up at the blonde woman trying to strangle her. She knew that she didn't know her but she felt that she was somehow familiar.

Looking into that blank, hollow stare, Launch was becoming more enraged by the minute. But what was also driving her to the brink was the fact that Marron was somehow succeeding in breaking every grip she was able to apply.

"That's it!" Launch announced, the desperation clearly evident in her voice.

#18 picked up on the possible severity of the situation, completely recognizing and understanding what the blonde menace was going through. Sure, it would be a great end to a great night to watch Marron get trashed by what she could only describe as a transformed Launch, but it could only cause other problems, and they were problems that #18 didn't exactly want to be questioned about.

"OK," #18 stated as she made her way to the grappling match taking place on the floor, "let's simmer down and break it up."

Launch, sensing that someone was about to break up her disciplinary procedures quickly kicked out and caught #18 off guard, causing her to fall with a very startled expression. Focusing back on the struggling woman underneath her, Launch held Marron by the neck as she pulled her fist back and aimed for her nose.

And then she sneezed again.

Everyone blinked in surprise. #18 couldn't believe what she just saw. Launch couldn't remember what had just happened, and Marron didn't understand what was going on.

"Get off of me!" She demanded again, this time kicking her foot out and connecting with Launch's back. It wasn't a hard hit, but it proved to be hard enough as Launch was propelled forward onto the carpet. Marron finally stood with a frown and dusted herself off. "If that blonde woman was a friend of yours Launch, tell her she's…she's…not very nice!" She finished as she flipped her hair behind her and continued on her way to the washroom.

Launch sat shaking her head as if she were trying to clear it while #18 stood up in a state of almost disbelief. She could believe Marron's reaction to the whole situation, piecing together what she had learned from Krillin. But she couldn't believe what she had just witnessed with Launch. There was a whole other side to Launch that no one had bothered to tell them about. One that wasn't all sunshine and giggles, and it made her like Launch even more.

"Come on," #18 gently grabbed Launch's arm and helped her up as she rubbed her forehead. "Let's get that hair fixed up and get you out there for some more action."

*****

They were dancing. Mostly. Goku had caught on relatively quickly to the concept, twirling Chi Chi around the dance floor with ease. Yamcha and his date were very good dancers, as were Krillin and #18, both pairs exhibiting a particular sense of style. Tien and Launch were slow dancing despite the quick tempo of the music as #17 and Zarbon sandwiched a very disconcerted Marron in-between them. The entire Ginyu Force were out on the floor with their dates and dancing partners as well, although they were proving to be very uninteresting dancers. Bulma had even managed to drag Vegeta out onto the dance floor where he was executing flawless form despite appearing a little stiff. The most entertaining show for the evening however, was Raditz, who proved to have absolutely no sense of rhythm whatsoever. It was for that specific reason that several people out on the dance floor breathed a sigh of relief as the music changed to a slow melody, one of them being Raditz's date who didn't think her feet could last much longer at the current rate. Several of the couples stayed out on the floor, hugging or holding each other fondly as they swayed in time to the new tune.

"So what do we have planned after this?" #17 asked a rather impartial Piccolo as he sat back down at the table.

"I could go for a pizza," Oolong suggested. At his comment Piccolo grunted. The pig had decided to sit with Piccolo once the dancing had begun along with Puar. He'd already had much too much of the pair.

"Pizza sounds great!" Goku chimed in as he made his way to the table from the dance floor.

#17 raised an eyebrow at Goku's comment. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Captain Roshi, who was passing by on his way to the bar, chuckled at Goku's expression.

"Uh…am I forgetting something?" Goku questioned as he scratched his head in thought.

"Your wedding night, you dolt." Piccolo commented, slightly sneering at Roshi. Why in the hell did people have to gravitate to his table anyway?

"So does that mean that I can't go for pizza with you guys?" Goku asked.

A few more chuckles broke out around the table.

"No," #17 pointed out with a grin. "But you know I don't like pizza. I'll save you some."

"You used to like the pizza at Garlic City," Oolong added, giving Piccolo a dirty look. Everyone knew that Piccolo was the one that had his hand in shutting down their favorite pizzeria for no apparent reason. It irked more than a few people.

"There's that new place," #17 offered. "I hear the pizza is pretty good. Its called Pilaf's Palace Pizzeria. I guess they just opened a few weeks ago. I like their subs." He added with a shrug.

"I take it this means that I still can't go," Goku cut in. He was a little put off that his friends were excluding him.

"If Kakarott is not going, count me in," Vegeta's voice interjected into the conversation as he approached the table with Bulma hugging his waist as he walked. "Where is it that we are going?"

Goku caught Vegeta's wicked grin at the thought that he would be miserable while everyone else got to eat pizza. "You guys aren't very nice."

"How about this?" #17 replied, "we can have some delivered to you at the hotel. Will that do?"

"Yeah!" Goku cheered with enthusiasm. "You're a pal!" He continued as he put #17 in a firm headlock. #17 struggled for a few seconds until the Saiyan finally released him.

"You two look so cute sitting at the table together!" Launch gushed as she dragged Tien to sit down with their friends.

Piccolo looked a little uneasy as he eyed Oolong. He could only hope that she was referring to the cat and the pig.

"Have we decided what the plans are?" #18 asked as she gracefully approached the table with Krillin in tow carrying a small tray of drinks.

"Pizza!" Goku cheered excitedly.

"I thought we already discussed your involvement?" #17 eyed Goku as he fixed his tie.

"My feet are killing me," Raditz commented as he sat down next to Puar on the far side of the table. His date, a busty brunette the gang hadn't been properly introduced to shot him a murderous glare, then quickly excused herself to go freshen up. In passing, she grabbed her friend, who was Yamcha's date for the evening, and the two wandered off together.

"You looked pretty bad out there," Yamcha commented to Raditz as he sat down next to the large Saiyan. "I thought we worked on that?"

"That whole counting thing," Raditz answered. "I warned you once that I wasn't much of a dancer."

"I guess I didn't believe you could be that bad," Yamcha replied with a smile. "Maybe you just need a few more drinks to get you going?"

"Please," Tien piped in, "I think everyone would have to be worried."

Everyone smiled except for Yamcha, who laughed outright.

"Perfect!" Chi Chi exclaimed as she wandered over to the table with her father, who she had been dancing with. "Everyone is together."

Piccolo winced. He was sure something bad was about to happen.

"Daddy? Could you take our picture?"

Chi Chi handed her father the camera as she took her position next to Goku, smiling brightly as she hugged him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

The group at the table quickly positioned themselves, one of them frowning while everyone else seemed mostly OK with the situation. Goku and Chi Chi stood at the back, smiling as they held hands behind the table. Immediately to their right was Tien and Launch, standing together just behind Piccolo and #17 who were sitting next to each other at the table, Piccolo holding a small glass of water while #17 held a beer. Directly in front of the newlyweds sat Puar and Oolong along with a few small cakes the pair had been eating. Raditz and Yamcha also sat at the table. #18 sat in front of Raditz hugging Krillin and also serving to hide the Saiyan's big feet, which were currently being rubbed by their owner under the table. Lastly, Vegeta and Bulma stood behind Raditz and Yamcha and directly to the left of the happily smiling husband and wife. She was hugging him and resting her head on his shoulder. He ran his fingers once through her hair, seemingly forgetting that they weren't alone.

"Everyone say Raditz is a pansy," #17 shouted to the group as Ox held up the camera, readying himself to take the picture.

"Say cheese!" Ox announced, apparently not hearing the other command just before his.

"…Or cheese," #17 commented one last time as Yamcha and a few of the others laughed, including Raditz himself.

The shutter clicked.

The flash blazed brightly.

And only two people said `cheese'.

*****

The End. For Now…

And that's all there is folks. I can't help it if you don't like it. Thanks to those of you who have offered an opinion here at MM. I'd like to thank a lot of people for supporting me throughout this long and tedious process (when the story was first posted at FFNet, and I still want to thank them here). W-Chan, Darke, VJ, Trixie-Chan, Catgirl26, Nips, Veggies Mate, Selenity Jade, Miss Lisa, Kei, Flying Pen, Inei Tenshi, Lady Nightshade, Saki, Deadly Beauty, Popo'sbia, MoonSaiyanPrincess, Silversun…the list goes on and you all know who you are. But I'd also like to thank those people who put up with me on a daily basis and have made comments and suggestions to me throughout, even though most of them will never read this. To Kim, Sharon, Teri, Missy, Doreen, Vanessa and Cindy. And of course to Kris who makes me laugh. A lot. And to Phil, the only one of the guys who knows that I wrote this. The others would all beat me severely. And yes, the epilogue is done and rearing to go. It should be up shortly.

Thanks a lot for reading everyone. Have a good one and take care.

-RM aka FatherMcRoury