Falling In Love A Second Time

Chapter 3 - A Mother Thing

Trunks slowly walked into his mother's room, silently reminding himself not to mention anything that might upset her. 'I can do this' he repeated as he jumped up to sit next to his mother. He felt a smile cross his lips as he noticed how much more lively she looked. Her ghost white skin had returned to a rich ivory, and her pale pink lips were more of a rouge color. Simply put, she looked more like herself.

Bulma had been sleeping when her son entered, but upon feeling the bed compress at her side, she awoke to find a handsome lavender haired boy sitting next to her. Bulma looked into his deep sapphire eyes and smiled. "You must be Trunks," she concluded after assessing the strong resemblance.

"I am." The boy spoke slightly timidly. "How are you?" he asked, just wanting to hear her voice.

"I'm feeling well," she yawned as she sat more properly up in bed, "but I would much rather hear about you."

"Me? What about me?" Trunks questioned.

"Well," Bulma was not certain exactly how to approach this bizarre situation. "I know I'm your mother and that your name is Trunks, but I'm afraid I can't remember anything about you. So, I thought it might jog some of my memory if you give me the basics."

Trunks nodded excitedly, he was willing to do anything that might help his mother remember. Quickly running through his age, schooling, interests, personal quirks, and a series of other random thoughts that popped into his head, Trunks finished just shy of a half hour, releasing nonstop information. He was however, in his ramblings, careful not to mention anything about his father, which was rather difficult, considering how large of a part his idol plays in his life.

"Who is Goten?" Bulma interrupted after her son's young friend was mentioned.

"Kakarrot's son," Trunks answered quickly. "You would take me over to Chi-Chi's to play with him ever since I was really little."

"Um…" Bulma was suddenly terribly lost. "Hold on a second there, kid. Who is this Kakarrot fellow?" Bulma questioned, only vaguely recognizing the name.

Trunks bit his tongue, cursing himself for being so careless. "Oh, did I say Kakarrot? I misspoke, I meant Goku, of course."

"Goku had another son. That's wonderful." Bulma smiled, ignoring the slip-up, the news was all too exciting for her dear friends. "Is he the same age as you?"

"He's a year younger actually. The two of us used to spar together all the time." Trunks' voice held a hint of regret at the thought.

"Spar… Um… wouldn't he be… Ah… a little too strong for you?" Bulma asked, thinking back to the strength advantage Gohan had at such a young age, thanks to his half Saiya-jin blood.

"Please," Trunks brushed off the insult to his abilities. "I am most definitely stronger than Goten."

"Really," Bulma chuckled, assuming he was exaggerating his talents as any boy his age would. "And I bet you're stronger than Goku too, hun?"

Trunks frowned finally realizing his mistake, and quickly moved to shift the conversation's direction. "Yea well, it doesn't matter anymore who I'm stronger than. I gave up fighting."

"Why?" Bulma asked astounded. In the near half hour the boy went on about his exciting life, the bulk of his time was dedicated to mentioning his thrill for combat. It didn't make sense that a boy who loved the excitement of a fight so much would simply give it up.

"I… I lost control." He sighed looking away from his mother, the mother he put into a coma, the mother who he took thirteen years of memories away from. "Didn't Chi-Chi tell you? I am the reason you are here. It's my fault."

Bulma's heart sank as she watched tears forming in the corners of the boy's eyes. "How could it be your fault?" Bulma asked softly as she lifted the boy's chin.

"I… I was the one that blew up the house. You were inside when it happened. I almost killed you Mom. It's all my fault." Trunks' restrained tears then began to fall, the memory was too painful to relive.

Bulma had just met this child and all she could think about as the tears slid down his cheeks was her need to ease his pain. She wrapped her arms around the boy and lifted him so he was sitting on her lap. Resting her head atop his, she pulled him affectionately into her chest. "Shh," she whispered. "It wasn't your fault. It was an accident. Things like this happen all the time."

Trunks couldn't help but release a chuckle amongst his weeping. "Right, kids almost kill their Mothers and blow up their houses all the time."

"Ok," Bulma conceded with a laugh of her own. "I can see your point. But, even though I don't know all the details, I am sure it was an accident. You can't keep blaming yourself. I am all better, save a little memory loss, so as your mother I am telling you that you are not allowed to feel guilty anymore."

Trunks smiled, his mother may have lost thirteen years of her memory, but she still knew just the right things to say to make him feel better. "You just don't know how much I missed you Mom." Trunks hugged her securely.

Bulma lightly kissed her son on the forehead as she sat wondering how a young boy could conger up enough energy to blow up her home and come out unscathed. 'Oh well, this might not be the best time to ask.' She decided not to destroy the breakthrough they seemed to be having.

The pair then spent the next hour catching up on various selective aspects of the life Bulma failed to remember, before Trunks decided to allow Bulma's many concerned friends the chance to visit with her.

Trunks gave his mother one final hug, then he hopped off of the bed and went back into the waiting room where his very agitated father had sat waiting for the last hour and a half.

"It's about time you came out boy!" Vegeta hissed as he walked over to his son.

"How is she?" Goku asked, as the rest of the group huddled around the young man.

"Really well!" Trunks offered happily. "She doesn't remember much, but she's in good spirits, and wants to see all of you guys."

"Well that's good to hear," Chi-Chi said with a long smile. "How about you guys go in to see her next," Chi-Chi nodded to her husband and son before looking back at Trunks, "And I'll take you to the cafeteria to get something to eat. You must be starved by now."

"No, that's alright," Trunks refused the offer, before turning to look at Goten. "I'd rather go spar. What do you say, Goten?"

"No way?!" Goten was thrilled to hear his partner was ready for combat once again. "Are you serious!?"

The entire group turned to look at Trunks as though he had just lost his mind. The boy's apprehension to fighting had been common knowledge for the last few months. Everyone stood in wonder, but Vegeta was the only one to voice his shock. "You want to spar?"

"Yeah," Trunks looked surprised by everyone's reactions. "I talked to Mom, she said what happened wasn't my fault and that I need to get past it and back to training."

"I have been telling you that for months!" Vegeta objected in utter frustration. "You never once listened or agreed with me, and now because she says it, it's suddenly alright?!"

"Um… I guess so." Trunks scratched his head in a surprisingly Goku-like manner. "It's just different when Mom tells me. When she tells me something, I just know it's right," Trunks shrugged before he and Goten waved goodbye. They then sped off down the hall to the nearest window, the quickest escape.

Vegeta's jaw dropped after listening to his son's words and intended destination. "Un-fucking-believable!" he shouted a little too loudly. "I try to get the boy to spar for six damn months and nothing! The woman doesn't even remember him and after spending less than two hours with the brat everything changes!"

"It's a mother thing," Chi-Chi smiled knowingly before turning towards her husband and son. "Why don't you two go in and see her now."

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Bulma had spent the remainder of her afternoon catching up with old friends and meeting newer ones her amnesia had left her in ignorance of. All were careful in how they answered each of her questions, and released various pieces of information, but as the evening wore on however, the warning glances, and stuttered responses only served to increase Bulma's suspicions, causing her mind to weave webs of more dastardly truths than the ones she was being 'protected' from.

Visiting hours were about to end when her final guest greeted Bulma. "Trunks," the tired woman smiled as the blue-eyed boy reclaimed the seat he had taken during their first conversations.

"I just came to say goodnight," Trunks completed his thought as he settled himself on her bed.

"Well, it was nice meeting you." Bulma chuckled at the absurdity of offering such a compliment to her own son. "I suppose you're staying with the Sons while I'm here?" she covered her mouth as she yawned the question.

"No, actually I'm still staying at Capsule Corp." Trunks spoke thoughtlessly, as he reflected his mother's contagious gesture.

"You're staying by yourself?" Bulma stuttered in surprised concern.

Trunks blinked shortly before realizing his error. "Oh…Um… no… I… ah… have someone looking after me." He nodded assuredly. "Yeah, you don't have to worry about me at all."

Bulma raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Trunks, is there something you're not telling me?"

"Of course not Mom," Trunks shrugged off, as he quickly eyed the exit. "But I really do have to go… I'll see you tomorrow," he said hastily before planting a quick kiss on her cheek and sprinting out the door.

Bulma watched as her son so guiltily sped out of the room, before she had a chance to question his guarded responses. "He's definitely keeping something from me," she insisted. 'They all are,' she thought assuredly, before sliding back under her covers. 'And I'm going to find out exactly what it is,' she adjusted herself until she was comfortably able to rest, 'after,' she yawned, 'I get a good night's rest.'

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The flight home for Trunks and Vegeta was silent. Vegeta was deep in thought, wondering how he was going to deal with these new developments, while Trunks was plagued by the same thoughts, but for a different reason. He had watched how poorly his father had taken loosing his mother for the last six months, and now that the only memory she had of him was one of fear, Trunks worried his father might altogether lose it this time.

Trunks was well aware, even before he fully understood the full extent of his father's temper, that his mom was the only one that could hold the imaginary leash that keeps his father tamed. She keeps his temper in check, his ego from bloating, his training to a survivable maximum, but most importantly, she keeps him happy. Since the accident Trunks had seen his father in a pleasant mood, at least pleasant by his father's standards. And judging by the way his mother's recovery was going, it could be another several months before that changed, a thought that Trunks both feared and empathized with.

When father and son finally touched down at Capsule Corporation, Trunks decided to go straight to bed. He would have wished to talk about the day's events with his father, but Vegeta sported one of his 'you try to talk to me, you get your head bitten off' looks. Refraining from the temptation, Trunks briskly said his goodnight before speeding off to his bedroom.

Vegeta had been relieved when his son had opted to go straight to his room. He didn't want to address the memory loss 'issue,' he was much too agitated to handle a conversation that wouldn't end in ki blasts and screaming.

Heading into their bedroom, Vegeta began pacing back and forth wondering why. He had long feared his past sins would some day come back to haunt him, but never like this, and never with his mate. Falling ever so ungracefully on his bed, Vegeta dropped his head into his hands. He could barely control his need for her these past six months and then another possible five months without her, seeing her awake and healthy, but having utterly no interest in him…

Vegeta shivered at the thought. It wasn't just that he missed her physical presence, that he could handle, but what he couldn't handle was what this was doing to their bond. He had felt the strain their link suffered everyday she was unconscious, everyday she was separated from him. With these new circumstances he began to fear things were only going to get worse. With every second she has no knowledge of his presence, her connection to him weakens, but his remains unchanged. Hence, the reason he has the agony of feeling the torment of their breaking bond.

Vegeta growled at himself as he thought back to how strong their bond had become before this disaster. Their connection had grown so deep that they could feel each other's emotions. He had for these last months hoped, as she lay alone and unconscious that she could still feel him, that he could help guide her back to him. But, his hopes were dashed as her slumber endured. Each time he visited her he realized how much weaker their connection had become.

Vegeta's fingers unconsciously slid to his neck, running over the bite mark she had made so many years back. He thought of her mark, the one he had so passionately branded her with. It had started to fade in the more recent months. The last time he saw her, the mark was almost completely gone, and after this, Vegeta imagined the worst.

That if this went on much longer, her bond, her willing connection to him could be severed completely. He closed his eyes, as he feared the thought. The emotional battering a withdrawn bond caused the still bonded mate was more physical, along with mental, pain than even a Super Saiya-jin could survive.

'Damn it! What a fool I was, bonding to a weak human female! How could I have had such a lapse in judgment?! How could have I allowed myself to…' Vegeta became lost in his tirade, his ego always failed to comfort him when it came to matters regarding his mate. He knew damn well why he bonded to her, and he knew if he had the choice to do it over again, he would in less than a heartbeat. 'I won't wait,' he shook his head as he rose from his bed and walked over to their balcony. 'I can't allow this to happen... I won't lose her!' he promised himself, before bolting into the air. 'Fuck what that harpy wants, I will see my mate. I will make her remember what I am to her, no matter what it takes.'

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Author' s Note: Poor Vegeta. So the million dollar question: what's next? Well, Vegeta seems determined to get Bulma to remember him. Will he be successful? Or will he only end up frightening her more so than he ever had before? Until the next chapter…