Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Falling in Love the First Time ❯ Trunks ( Chapter 12 )

Falling In Love The First Time

Chapter 12 - Trunks

It was a day later that Bulma's parents came home to find their daughter nervously sitting on the couch waiting for them. "Honey, did you miss us!?" Mrs. Briefs asked as she walked over and gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek.

"Of course I did Mom." Bulma smiled as she gave her mother a hug. "How is grandma?"

"Oh she's fine," Mrs. Briefs noted quickly. "So, where is our handsome houseguest? I bet he's been in a fit missing me these last few weeks!" Mrs. Briefs chuckled as her husband's face sported an embarrassed frown.

"He's in the GR," Bulma explained quickly. She had not actually seen Vegeta since the conversation about their child; she imagined she would be seeing very little of him from now on. "But why don't you guys sit down. I have something important to tell the both of you."

"Alright my dear," Dr. Briefs nodded as he and his wife took a seat on the couch.

"What is it, sweetie?" Mrs. Briefs asked melodiously.

Bulma took a long breath as she thought there was no simpler way to break the news to them, than with the very blunt truth. "I'm pregnant."

As soon as the words left Bulma's mouth, Mrs. Briefs jumped up from her seat and began clapping her hands together in excitement. "Oh my dear that is so wonderful!" She cheered, "when I left that note about you and Vegeta and your biological clock I never actually thought you would take my advice to heart, but I am so glad you did! Oh, I'm going to be a grandmother! This is so exciting; I must go congratulate Vegeta!" The dizzy woman cheered as she moved to head out back to the GR.

"Mom, no!" Bulma jumped up to stop her. "Save the congratulations just for me. Vegeta and I are not staying together for this. He has his goals and designs for life, and they don't include me or this child."

"Oh honey, that can't be true. Vegeta is such a nice boy, I'm sure he wants to be a father to this child. Let me go talk to him!" Mrs. Briefs suggested.

"I said no Mom. I'm a grown woman and I don't need you interfering in my life. Leave it alone," Bulma said, her voice firm.

Mrs. Briefs sighed as she turned and headed off for the kitchen. "I guess I'll just go make you some snacks then. I'm sure you must be hungry now that you're eating for two."

Bulma closed her eyes in exhaustion before she plopped back down on the couch. She looked up when she saw her father move to sit next to her with a concerned expression on his face. "Do you want to explain what happened?" He asked, not as clueless as his wife to assume that her note was what started all of this.

"It's a long and complicated story Dad, but no, he didn't force me or hurt me in anyway." Bulma set the record straight before the inevitable question came.

"I wasn't going to suggest that he did, but I have to wonder," Dr. Briefs dropped to a lower tone, "are you in love with him?"

Bulma's sigh deepened as she looked down at her stomach. She placed her hands over her still flat belly as she considered the question. "What is there to love Dad? The guy hates everything. His values are centered on murder and domination. His goals in life include death and destruction. He's selfish and cruel, and… And his interest in me is only on a physical level. I don't know how I can love all of that, or why I should. He doesn't want me, and to be perfectly honest I don't want the SOB either."

Dr. Briefs wrapped an arm around his daughter's waist as she rested her head upon his shoulder. "I trust in your judgment my dear. If you think the boy will be a bad influence on your child then perhaps you are right to accept his disinterest in your future." Dr. Briefs spoke the words he knew his daughter wanted to hear. "You know you have your mother's and my full support." He verified before kissing his daughter lightly on the forehead.

"Thanks," Bulma whispered before breaking from her father and straightening herself out, "but I have to be going; there is one more person I want to tell about this. I don't want him to hear it from anyone but me." Bulma then grabbed her car keys and heading out the door.

Dr. Briefs watched as he daughter left; he knew where she was going, and to some extent it broke his heart. As fond as he had grown of the Saiya-jin training in the backyard, he had always hoped that his precious little girl would settle down with someone more stable. He sighed as he rose to head into the kitchen. As much as the parent in him wanted to go outside to rant and rave at the Saiya-jin prince, he refrained. It was his daughter's life, and she had to handle it on her own.

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"I'm really glad you asked to meet for lunch. I was beginning to think you would never talk to me after what happened," Yamcha said rather solemnly as he looked across the table at a woman he had loved for as long as he could remember. He was just never man enough to take the next step.

"I was really hurt, Yamcha. But I realize now that as angry as I was with your actions, I ended up missing you. Not as much as a lover, but as a friend. You were always someone I could go to when something was wrong, or I needed to get something off my chest. And even though we ca not and never really could work as a couple, we worked beautifully as friends. I do not want to lose that."

Yamcha nodded slowly as he forced a smile upon his face. "Yeah, you are and have always been my best friend, Bulma. And as much as I wish you would say that you wanted to try again as something more, I guess I can settle for just being friends."

"Good," Bulma took a long breath. "Just make sure you remember those words as I tell you what I have to next."

Yamcha's smiled immediately fell to a frown as he mentally braced himself. "Oh Kami, Bulma-what did you do?"

Bulma took another breath before she began to speak. "I… I'm going to have a… a little… a… a baby boy." Bulma whispered, almost cringing as she awaited Yamcha's reaction. His face immediately displayed hurt, his eyes searching hers as if to see if this was some cruel joke. When he seemed satisfied that it wasn't, his eyes began to inflame, almost as thought he was suppressing tears.

"I knew it," he whispered; his head hanging low. "I knew he would use our break up to take advantage of you. Kami, I wish I could have stopped him from hurting you. I'm so sorry, Bulma."

"Yamcha," Bulma shook her head. She was fascinated that now all three of the people she had told this to guessed the father right off the bat. She wondered if they knew something she didn't. "Vegeta didn't take advantage of me," Bulma clarified softly, "we were just foolish and ill prepared. He didn't hurt me, I swear he didn't." This was now the second time she had told that lie; more accurately, he didn't intentionally hurt her. But that was a completely different issue; the emotional damage he inflicted was even more of a nightmare.

"Then why?" Yamcha asked, genuinely confused. "We had been dating since we were teenagers. You would not sleep with me until, kami, it was just over a year ago, Bulma! You kept telling me that you wanted to make sure it was love before you made that kind of commitment. Why was it different with him?"

The hurt in his voice as he posed the question was painfully clear. He was right in his mystification. His question was one she had no answer for; the only justification she could offer was what she did know. "The circumstances were… well… bizarre to say the least. And though we didn't exactly have sex out of love, the act wasn't completely devoid of emotion."

"On your part or his?" Yamcha asked very directly.

"Both," Bulma was quick to admit in an almost defensive manner. She slowly covered her face for a moment as though to control her emotions. "I know how bad this must sound, but regardless of how this child was conceived I am going to love him with all my heart."

"Alone?" Yamcha softened his tone. He could see what this was doing to her, and it tore him up inside.

Bulma paused again, as every question made her emotions harder to control. "You don't think I can raise a child alone."

"That's not what I meant," Yamcha quickly explained as he stood and moved his chair so he was right next to her. "Do you really want to be a single mother?" He asked as he used a tissue to wipe the tears that had begun to roll down her cheeks.

"Of course I don't want to be a single mother!" She snapped, a little more harshly than she intended. "But I'd rather be a single mother than raise my son with a man whose interest in our child is only superficial."

Yamcha frowned as he gathered Bulma in his arms and pulled her against his chest. "You know I'll be there whenever you need me," he offered honestly. The child might be the son of a man he hated, but due to whom the boy's mother was, he could easily forgive his paternity.

"Thank you for understanding," Bulma forced between her tears. She slowly pulled away from him as she dried her eyes. "But this child is my responsibility. I can't in good conscience ask you to share that."

Yamcha smiled as he sat back in his seat. He knew Bulma held as much pride as Vegeta, and he would never dare force help when she wanted differently. No matter what happened with the bastard Saiya-jin prince, he was certain the child would have a wonderful mother. "The offer will always stand," he added quickly before moving back across the table. "So what will you name him?" Yamcha thought it wise to lighten the tone of the conversation. He wished to not see another tear grace his friends face.

Bulma smiled as he did exactly what she wanted; focus on the more pleasant part of the miracle inside of her. This was how she wanted to center the rest of her pregnancy, on the positive. "I was thinking something that would blend in with the family. Something like…Trunks."

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Eight months had come and gone with little incident. Vegeta locked himself away in the GR nearly twenty-four hours a day preparing for the androids that would be arriving in a matter of months. He purposely severed all contact with Bulma during those months. He hadn't said one word to her since the day he vowed that she and the child meant nothing to him. On rare occasions, when the nights seemed particularly lonely, he regretted those words. However, more often than not, his 'family' was far from his thoughts. At least until today.

Early that morning Mrs. Briefs came banging on the GR door to tell Vegeta that Bulma had been taken to the hospital, that she was going to deliver the brat. That was the first time Vegeta had ever heard anyone besides Bulma acknowledge him as the father. Vegeta naturally laughed in the woman's face and briskly stated that he didn't give a damn and slammed the door in her face. Mrs. Briefs left him alone after that. He heard nothing about Bulma and her son's progress until several hours later when he received another knock at the GR door.

Vegeta was ready to scream at the blonde woman for interrupting him once again, but froze as he saw Dr. Briefs waiting at the door. Vegeta had to admire the man's composure as he spoke. He could tell the good doctor was angry with him over the 'mess' his daughter was in. Though he never verbalized his disappointment in Vegeta's actions, the man's feelings on the matter were clear to the Saiya-jin.

"What?" Vegeta had asked coldly.

"Bulma delivered her son one hour ago," Dr. Briefs spoke as thought his words were merely a courtesy. He pulled off his glasses and a cloth from his coat pocket and began wiping away some smudges. "She just went though eighteen hours of labor. The doctors thought she wasn't going to make it at two different points during the delivery. Her son made it quiet well though; the boy is in prefect health. Bulma however is still very weak; the doctors are monitoring her around the clock… just in case." Dr. Briefs finished cleaning his glasses and placed them squarely on his face before looking back up at the emotionless Saiya-jin. "Have a good night training, Vegeta. We all know how important becoming a Super Saiya-jin is to you. "

With that thought the doctor left Vegeta with an almost guilty look upon his face. 'Did he just insult me?' Vegeta asked himself as he closed the door to the GR. 'Was the old man trying to imply that becoming a Super Saiya-jin is less important than the woman's birthing?' Vegeta tried to shrug off the thought, but the nagging words of Briefs kept forcing their way back into his mind.

Bulma however is still very weak; the doctors are monitoring her around the clock… just in case.

'Was the old man implying that the woman's health is in some kind of danger? Feh… Rubbish! I'm certain that damn woman is too stubborn to die!' Vegeta told himself as he began throwing punches into the air.

He stopped, however, as his mind refused to let him focus. Thoughts of Bulma's possible death suddenly seemed… painful to him. Why should he care though? So she dies…they have the Dragonballs to wish her-no… the damn dragon can't wish back those that die of natural causes. Vegeta sighed as he walked over to the controls and completely shut down the simulator. He headed back into the GR shower room. It seemed he wasn't going to get any more work done until he could silence his--worries? Vegeta tried not to examine his feelings too closely as he undressed and stepped into the shower. One quick flight to confirm the woman's health would surely put this foolish annoyance to rest. Wouldn't it?

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Vegeta touched down on the roof of the hospital with a scowl on his face. He didn't want to converse with the weakling hospital staff to find Bulma, so he closed his eyes and tried to focus on her ki. He was unsuccessful in finding Bulma's ki, but he did feel an energy that, as small as it was, overpowered every other in the building. 'The brat,' Vegeta thought confidently as he flew down to where the larger ki was, assuming he would find its mother near by.

Vegeta climbed through the window nearest to that of the ki he felt. He walked a few paces down the hall until he finally found the ki of his son. He looked through a large window into a room were multiple babies were placed. He raised an eyebrow as he was finding it difficult to determine exactly which child the ki was coming from.

"Is one of these little angels yours?" The voice of a female nurse suddenly interrupted Vegeta's search. He eyed the woman accusingly before nodding in agreement. "Which one?" The woman asked as she waved to one of the little babies.

"I do not know," Vegeta admitted in a frustrated tone.

The female nurse only smiled as she concluded that the man was a first time father. "What's the mother's name?" she asked, hoping perhaps she could solve the mystery, since she had assisted in the births of many of these babies.

"Bulma Briefs," Vegeta spoke briskly a name he had used scarcely over the past few years.

The nurses smiled as she heard the name. "You must be, Vegeta." The woman began to laugh lightly.

The Saiya-jin prince raised an eyebrow, "how the hell did you know that?"

"I think the entire hospital does," the woman's laughter increased slightly. "Ms. Briefs was cursing your name throughout almost the entire delivery."

"Was she?" Vegeta asked with a smirk. He wouldn't have expected anything less from the fiery woman.

"The cute one with the curl of lavender hair and the big blue eyes is your son," the nurse noted as she pointed at the handsome boy.

Vegeta looked upon the boy with an odd feeling running through his veins. Something about seeing the small life, knowing that the little child was his offspring took him aback. He would forever have someone in the world that would have to respect and even love him for no other reason than because he helped create that life. The thought was strangely comforting to him. "Would you like to see your fiancé as well?" The nurse asked softly.

"Fiancé?" Vegeta repeated, not registering the term.

"Yes, Mrs. Briefs informed me that you and her daughter were engaged to be married," the nurse explained.

Vegeta huffed in annoyance as he could only imagine what that blonde flake had concocted in her mind in regards to him and her daughter. "Take me to the woman," he demanded after stealing one final look at the small boy.

The nurse then guided Vegeta down a series of halls before they finally arrived at Bulma's room. "She is still very weak, so I suggest you allow her to sleep. But should she wake up, try to keep her as calm as possible." She explained before leaving the prince to his mate.

Vegeta walked slowly over to Bulma's bed, carefully examining her appearance every step of the way. She looked hideous by kind standards. She was extremely pale, and her hair, which he now noticed was shoulder length, was messier than he had seen on even her worst days. And yet there was something serene in her appearance, that even the arrogant prince could not ignore, something absolutely stunning.

Vegeta gently sat on the side of her bed as he watched her sleeping for a few minutes. Here he had only wanted to confirm her health and now all he seemed to want to do was stare at the soft face that he had neglected these last few months. Unconsciously his hand drifted to her temple as he moved a sweaty strand of hair that had attached itself to her cheek.

The movement was unintentional, but it nonetheless exposed his presence as the sleeping woman suddenly opened her eyes. Bulma blinked a few times as if to make certain that what she was seeing was in fact, "Vegeta?" she whispered his name softly, almost longingly.

"I heard you were calling for me," he smirked as he thought of the nurse's comment. "I thought I might as well confront the witch cursing me."

Bulma frowned slightly as she closed her eyes and rolled her head to the opposite side to which he sat. "You picked a really sick time to come and insult me. I'd rather sleep in peace than listen to your shit."

Her bitter tone startled Vegeta, but he became more concerned as he watched her cringe when she shifted away from him. "How much pain are you in, woman?"

Bulma flinched as she wondered if this was some opening to a stream of insults about how weak and fragile she was. "I'm fine," she moaned unconvincingly.

Vegeta recognized the art of hiding pain all too well; he happened to be an expert at it. With a muffled growl he gently placed his hands over Bulma's lower stomach and focused his energy until he could soothingly transfer it to her.

Bulma, confused by what he was doing, was going to object, but refrained as she suddenly felt a comforting feeling from the outside in. She closed her eyes as she felt warmth engulf her body. After a few moments she felt him remove his hands, ending the warmth, but her pain seemed much easier to bear. Tears slowly began to form in the corners of Bulma eyes as she turned back to look at the man who lightened her discomfort. "Why?" she asked as the tears began to fall freely.

Vegeta's face held his typical mask as he slowly leaned in and placed a chaste kiss upon Bulma's chapped lips before slowly rising and walking over to the window in the room. He opened it, pausing before leaving her behind. "I will never be what you want woman; it is not in me. But that doesn't mean I wish to see you, or the brat in pain."

With those honest words Vegeta left Bulma's room, and headed back to Capsule Corp. He knew what it was time for. He had been among these softhearted people for too long. It was time he headed back to where his true self thrived-Space. By the time they released the woman from the hospital he would be long gone. It was his only chance at finally achieving that which he wanted more than anything in life-his goal to become a Super Saiya-jin. The only goal he knew he was worthy of.

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Author's Note: Ouch, things aren't looking much better for our pair. Will things change? I'm not telling, you will just have to wait until the next chapter…