Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ AFTER THE KISS ❯ Chapter 9 ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonballz nor am I making any money off this story. I'm just having a wee bit of fun.

AFTER THE KISS

*Chapter 9*

Vegeta sat perched in a tree, hidden in the foliage, but with a perfect view into the small house. It had been simple to locate, once he knew what he was looking for.

A half-Saiyan, half-human ki. His child.

His initial burst of anger at Bulma's evasion had faded, though he was still angry that she thought she could keep something like that from him. Did she think he wouldn't figure it out? If he'd been focused on anything but her this afternoon he would have noticed the ki in the room immediately, but he'd seen only her. . . felt only her.

Did I really think having her hate me would make me not want her as much? Caring for her was involuntary, why would I think I could NOT care voluntarily? I can't have her, I know that, but. . .

I wish there was some other way, but there is no other way for a warrior.

The last vestiges of daylight were leaving the sky. He'd been watching the house all afternoon, but his current vantage point allowed him to see inside only one room. He could see a chair and an odd barred thing in the corner. He realized it was some kind of bed when Bulma came and picked the baby up out of it. She put him to her shoulder like she'd done in her office, then walked over to the chair and sat down, still cradling the baby to her shoulder. The chair began to move back and forth and he realized this was some sort of comforting ritual. He should have been disgusted at the sight of a Saiyan child being coddled so, but oddly he wasn't. There was something soothing about watching Bulma be so tender. Considering that the child was half his, he was amazed that she could care for it at all. Of course, that thought brought him back to his reason for being here. Answers.

Suddenly Kakarott appeared out of nowhere using his instant transmission trick. He was holding some kind of pot in his hand. Vegeta immediately dampened his ki, but Kakarott's head swung around in his direction and he knew he'd been spotted. He didn't approach Vegeta however, or call out. He turned his attention back to the house and knocked on the door. In the window he saw Bulma put the baby back into the bed, and then she left the room to let Kakarott inside.

Moments passed. Was Kakarott telling Bulma he was out here? Would they both come out and demand that he leave immediately? Bulma could do that by herself, of course, but without Kakarott as backup she could hardly force him to leave until he got what he came for.

Finally, the front door opened and Kakarott came back outside-alone and empty handed. He looked in Vegeta's direction again, then put two fingers on his forehead and vanished.

Interesting, Vegeta thought. Kakarott didn't seem alarmed at the prospect of me lurking in the trees outside Bulma's house. Perhaps he didn't tell her I was out here. Maybe I'm just imagining that he recognized my ki. But no, there's no reason for him to come back outside. He could just leave from inside the house now that Bulma knew he was here. He came back outside so I would know he was gone.

It was now completely dark. Vegeta wondered how much longer he could sit out here, cowardly gathering his courage, steeling his resolve. She owed him explanations, but he wasn't going to demand them until he was certain he would be in control of the conversation. Being near her was too. . .unsettling. If this afternoon had taught him nothing else, it had taught him he was far from immune to her presence.

The front door opened and Bulma marched outside.

"I know you're out here," she called. "So you might as well show yourself---unless you flew off like a coward the minute Goku showed up."

Ready or not, here I come, Vegeta thought and descended from his tree.

Bulma strode over to him.

"What the hell do you want? How did you find out where I was?" she demanded.

Excellent tactics, Bulma, Vegeta thought. Always better to be on the offensive. Unfortunately, you've underestimated your opponent.

"Why did you lie to me?"

So he knows. "Lie? I didn't lie to you." Somewhere inside her head, Bulma swore she heard her brain groan in frustration.

How dare she. . .!

"Yes, you did! 'No one you know,' you said! Well, if there's one thing we can agree on, it's that there's at least one person on this planet of whom I'm aware and that's ME! What did you think? I wouldn't figure it out, stupid Saiyan that I am? Did you think you could pass off that child as human? That ki led me here like a beacon and if I hadn't been so fucking distracted at seeing you again, I would've seen it this afternoon!"

His outburst stunned Bulma, both with its intensity and its length; then suddenly something registered.

"You were distracted at seeing me again?"

Vegeta turned his face away sharply, refusing to answer. He took a deep breath and tried again.

"You said this could not happen. You said you were taking a contraceptive pill."

This was true. Maybe five days into their affair, Gohan had dropped by wanting help with some math problems. The sight of the boy made Vegeta realize that his nocturnal activities might have other ramifications, so he had asked Bulma about the possibility of pregnancy. Bulma had been charmed at the almost embarrassed way Vegeta had broached the subject and had been happy to lay his fears to rest.

"I was. I didn't lie about that."

"Then do you care to explain how this happened? You said it couldn't."

"Well, I've been working on that," she said, unconsciously switching into her scientist voice. "The pill I was taking works by suppressing ovulation-if there's no egg to fertilize, there's no pregnancy." She paused, uncertain how to say what happened next without looking like a lovesick fool.

"When you. . . after you left, I didn't take the pill for two days. Without the hormone in my body, I must have ovulated. This wouldn't be a problem with a human partner since human sperm only live seventy-two hours at most, and it had been a least that long since I'd had sex."

"But I'm not human," Vegeta said.

"Exactly," Bulma said. "Apparently Saiyan sperm live longer and some of your boys were hanging around just waiting to get their clutches on my egg. So you see, I didn't lie to you."

"Yes, you did."

"Alright, I did. I admit it. I could've said something this afternoon, but I guess I decided that someone who had lied his way between my thighs for three weeks wouldn't be interested in the truth."

Vegeta ignored the attempt to change the subject. "I wouldn't be interested in the fact that I have a son?"

She slapped him.

"Don't say that! Don't you even think it! Trunks is my son, do you hear me? Mine! And I'll see you dead before I let you get your lying, blood-soaked hands on him!"

Vegeta's head, forced to one side by her sudden slap, turned slowly back to face her, full of anger.

"You didn't mind my lying, blood-soaked hands on you."

"That was because you made me believe you cared! How could you do that to me? I gave you everything. How could you use me and laugh behind my back?"

"I never laughed at you, Bulma. And stop acting like I was the only one who found pleasure in your bed."

"Yes, to my eternal shame," Bulma said. She was losing control of her emotions and knew she was dangerously close to crying. "I knew what you were. . . .I knew. And still I believed. . . when you touched me, I was certain you cared for me. . ."

Then she lost the battle and tears slid down her cheeks. The sight of her tears and her desperate sense of loss enraged him. Did she think she was the only one who suffered? That she was the only one who lost? He grabbed her by her upper arms and jerked her to him.

"Of course I cared, you little fool! That's why I had to end it. That wasn't supposed to happen. If I'd known how deeply you were going to worm your way under my skin, I would have killed you rather than kissed you that day! I knew indulging myself with your body was wrong-it goes against everything I know is true, but I convinced myself it would be just once, but it wasn't just once. Then I told myself I would tire of you quickly, but I didn't. Then I realized you had somehow trapped me into giving a damn about you!"

"I trapped you? What about you, huh? What about Mr. Tender and Gentle? What about Mr. "I shouldn't be here, but I can't stay away?"

Ye gods, did I say that? he thought and he remembered that he had. It had so naturally rolled off his lips one night when she'd inquired about his training, he'd forgotten that he had said it.

". . .if I trapped you, then you sure as hell trapped me! You couldn't have made me fall in love with you any faster if you tried!" Bulma jerked herself out of his grip.

"Don't you try to pin this on me! You started it! You should never have kissed me!" Vegeta said.

"You ASKED for it, you imbecile! Just because your little trick backfired on you doesn't mean this isn't all your fault. Don't blame me because you got more than you bargained for!" She turned away, struck by the absurdity of the entire conversation.

"This is ridiculous," she said to the trees, "I can't believe I'm standing out here fighting about this." She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes and backed a few steps away. Her fatigue and the threat of more tears had eroded what was left of her will to fight. Maybe it was the newfound maturity motherhood had brought her or maybe she'd spent too much of the day stressed out by her anxiety over this inevitable encounter, but she didn't want to play "who's fault is it?" anymore.

"You know what? You're right. This is all my fault. Me and my atrocious taste in men. You'd think I'd know by now not to pick a guy based on how cute he is, or how dangerous he is, or how much I think he needs me to "save" him. All I get is left behind somehow with nothing to show for it. At least Yamcha said he loved me. At least he wasn't ashamed to care for me. You're a real piece of work, Vegeta. I think I preferred it when you just fucked me for the fun of it rather than this 'I'm too strong to care for you' bullshit."

"I cannot care for you, Bulma. It interferes with everything I must be as a warrior and a Saiyan."

Bulma gave a sad smile. "That's the problem then. I only wanted you to be Vegeta."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? I am Vegeta, warrior and Prince of all Saiyans."

"Then that's all you will ever be." This conversation was finished as far as she was concerned. She turned to walk back into her house.

"Where the hell are you going? This isn't finished."

"Yes, it is, Vegeta. You ended it, remember? You can't care for me, but I think it's more true to say you won't care for me. You've gotten your answer about Trunks, but you don't want him-after all, babies require lots of care and that would interfere with everything you have to be, wouldn't it?"

"You don't understand anything. . ."

"I don't? This isn't about Trunks then? Maybe it's about you wanting somewhere soft and warm and wet? Are you regretting your offer to pimp me in the West Quadrant? Maybe you came over here hoping to smooth over that faux pas with your kisses and worm you way back into my bed?" She gave a half-hysterical laugh. "The really sad thing is that if it were just me, I would actually consider it. Somehow, there's a stupid, insane, self-destructive part of me still wants you. But it isn't just me anymore. I have to think of Trunks first. I can't give in to foolish impulses anymore and sleeping with you again would be the mother of everything foolish. If that boy was telling us the truth, the androids will arrive tomorrow. I expect you to keep your part of the bargain and help destroy them. You don't need to worry that I'll be blabbing to the others all the sordid details of our little affair. I would die of shame if that ever came to light. They'll figure out who Trunks's father is soon enough and I'm hoping they'll chalk it up to a test tube or a drunken one night stand. Anything would be better than letting them know I ever thought there were any redeeming qualities to you!"

She turned and walked back to her house. "You can leave now," she said over her shoulder. "Stay away from me and stay away from Trunks."

The back-draft of ki hit her so forcefully it knocked her forward. She barely broke her fall with her hands. She pushed up and looked back to see Vegeta. . . .

Sweet Kami! He was. . . .he was. . .golden. He glowed so brightly she had to squint to look at him. His hair was burning gold and his eyes were the blue green of turquoise. He grinned evilly at her then looked at his hand, which playfully formed a small ball of ki and he twirled it with his fingers.

"As I said before, you don't understand anything." He walked toward her, still playing with the ball of ki. "How can you? You have no idea what it's like to want something with every fiber of your being. You've been given everything. When you have been denied your destiny, when you have been humiliated by the one who enslaved you for the entertainment value of it, when you have been disgraced by one who should be bowing at your feet, then you will understand what I feel." The ball of ki grew bigger. "I've waited for this my entire life. This power. . . you can't know what it feels like to finally have it. This is my destiny." He stood above her and looked down.

"I will destroy the androids. Then I will kill Kakarrot and regain my honor; and nothing, not you, nor your brat child or anyone else on this planet can stop me. So I think if anyone is going to stay out of anyone else's way, it had better be you; because if you come between me and my destiny, I will go right through you."

He powered down and walked away, then he stopped and faced her once more.

"You're right. I won't care for you, but I don't want to hurt you either. Choose your actions wisely, Bulma."

She scrambled to her feet and screamed at his departing back. "Well, Kami knows that any choice I make from here on out will be vastly wiser than my decision to sleep with you. I will regret that mistake till the day I die! You know what? I hope the androids do kill you! I hope they blast your worthless ass to smithereens because only then will I never have to look on your ugly face again, you bastard!"

He never turned around and took off before she finished, leaving her screaming the last to trees. She stood there in the darkness, numb from the encounter. Finally it registered that her phone ringing. She went back inside and answered it.

"Hey, Bulma." Chi-chi said. "I just called to see if you like the soup."

"Ummm, I haven't had a chance to try it yet, Chi-chi."

"Well, I thought it was rather soon to call myself, but Goku became pretty insistent that I call you a few moments ago. He was going to go back over there until I said I would call. I don't know what got into him. I mean, it's good soup, but hardly an emergency! Bizarre, huh?"

"Yeah, well, you know Goku," Bulma said.

Chi-chi laughed. "Don't I ever. Well, let me know how you like it then, OK?"

"OK. Goodnight."

Bulma hung up the phone and went to check on Trunks. She wanted nothing more than to pick him up and hold him, but he was sleeping soundly. She pulled his blanket up a little more and tucked it in around his feet. She kissed her fingertips and touched them to his cheek, then went into her own room and lay down. Her mind wouldn't let her sleep however; it kept replaying her conversation with Vegeta. Her heart broke again as she recalled him choosing his "destiny" and heritage over her. How had a secret fling turned into this ache? She didn't even like him, for Kami's sake, but somehow, he pulled at her soul. Something about him just called to her. She would never understand it-or him. And now it's almost over, she thought. What would tomorrow bring? Would they win easily or would all the work put into the last three years not be enough? And if we win, then what? She believed Vegeta meant what he said, so even if the androids were destroyed easily, her worries were far from over. He would go after Goku next and even though she was ninety-nine percent certain that Goku would win, the one percent chance he might lose drove her crazy. What would happen if Vegeta won? Would he destroy the Earth as originally planned? Would he just leave? And if Vegeta lost? If he lost, he would be dead. His pride would have it no other way. She didn't like the thought of Goku losing, but if Goku winning meant Vegeta's death. . . . Finally, before dawn, she fell asleep. It was not a peaceful slumber though, peppered as it was with dreams of destruction and a golden-haired demon.

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The next night, Bulma rocked Trunks to sleep. He'd actually been asleep for about thirty minutes, but Bulma couldn't bring herself to put him down just yet. To say that the day had gone badly would be an understatement. And to think she had thought the worst thing about today would be the expressions on her friends' faces when they realized who Trunks's father was! Maybe they were just too anxious about the androids arrival, but they had been rather blasé about the whole concept and had not asked her any embarrassing questions. You know it's gotta be a bad day when what you thought was going to be the low point turns out to be the high point!

The androids had attacked as expected, but she'd been relegated to staying put with Yajirobe. Yamcha had almost been killed and the fight had moved from the city, so she guilted Yajirobe into coming with her to the battle. She gave a slight smile as she remembered threatening Yajirobe with Vegeta---that'd been a little fun. Truth be told she was riding a little too high on adrenaline to think about what she was saying or what she was doing and had almost gotten herself and Trunks killed in the process. They both would have died had it not been for that boy from the future (her son! She still couldn't quite call him Trunks, though. That was just too bizarre.) She'd learned from Gohan how Goku was attacked by the heart virus and was saved by Vegeta, of all people. Later she would learn from Trunks-the other Trunks-how Vegeta did his best to get his stubborn self killed. If this boy was a shock to her, she could only imagine how Vegeta must seem to him. He had grown up without his father and it was clear that he wanted this Vegeta to be that father. He'd better get used to disappointment, she thought. Then she realized that he was probably more used to disappointment than she would ever know. He was fighting now to make sure this world didn't turn out like his own. . . .

Bulma finally put Trunks down and went to her own bed. I hope tomorrow isn't any worse, she thought. Today was so awful, I can't see how it can be any worse. There's so many unanswered questions though. What about that other time machine? And that strange creature. . .where did it go? Will Goku's medicine work? And where is Vegeta? Auugh! I'll go crazy if I keep this up. Tomorrow's got to be better. It just has to be. Right?

Of course, only Kami heard her thoughts, but he couldn't agree about tomorrow being better, or even the next day. As a matter of fact, he believed the future was going to get a lot worse.

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Notes: First and foremost, a big THANK YOU to all who have left reviews. I can't begin to tell you how much even a few words brightens my day. Knowing you are enjoying the fic makes it all worthwhile.

Second, I know I played a wee bit with the story here. Goku technically learns about Trunks the day the androids attack, I know, but that's the way this part of the story came to me. Hopefully this small liberty doesn't ruin the fic for you. *crosses fingers*

As always, super-duper thanks and hugs to all-star beta, EMBER! Yaaaaay!