Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Getting Back Together ❯ Getting Back Together ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ, and am not making any money out of this. All the characters belong to their respective owners, I'm just borrowing them (and without permission, may I add) - please don't sue!

Author's Notes: This is my take on what happened that Bulma and Vegeta were not together when the androids came. There will be more stories in this series, more or less canon. One of them is Vegeta's Pet, which is still not finished, and the second one will be a Yamcha one, on his perspective of how things happened (for now, untitled). Another one will be a Krilin/18 and Tien/Lunch fic. Most of them will be more or less canon (as in, happening as something that we didn't see on the show), and perhaps slightly AU now and then.

Also, I am not a native speaker, so humour me.

Getting Back Together

It was a very late summer night.

At Capsule Corp., a lone figure was sitting at the kitchen table, deeply lost in thought. Bulma Briefs, the richest woman on the planet, was obviously in a no nonsense mood. It was obvious, because she was frowning, the fingers of her left hand nervously drumming on the table surface.

It was one month after Son Gohan defeated Cell, and peace was restored to Earth. Actually, the entire universe.

Her future son, Mirai Trunks, staid for about a week or so after the Cell Games ended, but eventually had to leave, because he was worried about his mother. He loved being here, where he spent time with his parents and friends, but duty called, and the young man had to go. It filled Bulma's heart with hurt and happiness to see this handsome young man, her offspring, being so very mature at an age the only thing he should be worrying about were girls, not defeating some monstrous androids that wanted to destroy the Earth.

But the thought of her future son wasn't what kept her from sleeping at this particular night. Actually, she would love to sleep - running Capsule Corp, and taking care of her infant son was seriously taking its toll on her. She loved doing both, but like any other normal human being she also needed sleep. No matter how much she would love to believe otherwise, she wasn't indestructible. But one thing that was almost indestructible with her was her pride. Bulma Briefs was a proud woman, stubbornly so, and would never, ever budge. But then again, Bulma Briefs was also a loving, doting mother, and the mother in her always won. . . Just like this time.

~D~B~Z~

Everything started when Trunks was born.

Her relationship with Vegeta was actually getting better after she got pregnant - the proud alien prince actually started to care for the human woman more than he would just for an occasional 'mating partner', as he liked to call it. Vegeta wasn't very happy that his heir to the Saiyajin throne was only a half-breed, but he got used to the idea with time. After all, this was the best he could get, if he considered the fact that there actually were no other female Saiyajins left in the universe.

But everything changed after Trunks was born. . . She remembered that day as it was yesterday.

Flashback

The doctor anxiously put the small bundle into Bulma's hands, looking shaken. Bulma, exhausted and covered in sweat and tears, her heart brimming with joy of finally holding her son, didn't miss that particular expression on his face. Cradling her son to her chest, she whispered: "Doctor. . . What's wrong?" Fear started filling her, making her whole body go numb.

Please, God, please let my baby be all right. She thought, now really starting to panic.

But neither the doctor nor the nurses said anything, just stared at her with wide-eyes, seemingly upset. Like she. . . And her newly born baby were some kind of freaks.

Bulma didn't care how the looked at her, she was used to strange looks into her directions - she got plenty of those because of her temper tantrums in public, and because of hanging out with the rest of the Z fighters. . . But she couldn't for the life of her stand looks like that directed at her precious little son!

Forgetting all about her exhaustion she barked at the doctor: "WHAT?"

The doctor cringed at the sound of her voice, and said slowly, shaking: "I. . . There's something you should know about your son, Miss Briefs. . ."

"What? Spit it out already? Is there something wrong with Trunks?" she asked, an unknown feeling of dread creeping down her spine.

Suddenly, something soft and fury wrapped itself around her arm - she looked down to find Trunks's tail wrap itself around her arm while the boy himself slept soundly. It must have been some sort of reflex.

The looks of horror and disgust on the faces of people in the room (other than her) were priceless - and made Bulma want to cry. So this is what they thought was wrong with her son. . .

From the moment she got over the initial shock of finding out she was pregnant, she loved the small person growing inside of her unconditionally. She promised to herself she'll always love her child, no matter what gender it will be or whatever it does, and she'll give it everything, and made sure it has a happy childhood with lots of friends. . . But if her son has a tail, a normal and happy childhood will be impossible for him.

"GET OUT!" she yelled, and the doctor and nurses happily obliged her, seemingly relieved to get away from the mutant baby.

Tears were streaming down her face as she reached out for a scalpel that was lying on a table next to her bed. She looked into Trunks's peaceful face. "I am so sorry, sweetie." she whispered, and with one smooth swing, the appendage was gone. Trunks started crying for all he was worth. . .

End flashback

Bulma sighed. She and Vegeta got into a nasty argument when he noticed Trunks's tail was missing. When he found out what she did, he was absolutely livid - she never saw him this angry before in her life. He turned around and walked out of the house, and the next thing she heard was how he took off to space with the space ship her father had built for him a year ago.

She hadn't seen him until the androids came.

Now, after the Cell Games, he was living at Capsule Corp again, but it was blatantly obvious he was ignoring both her and their son on purpose. And although it hurt that he completely disregarded her, the fact that he did the same with their son hurt even more. And Trunks Vegeta Briefs was the only reason she decided to bury her pride and apologise to her stubborn man. Or whatever he was to her.

~D~B~Z~

The man she was waiting for just landed on the front lawn of Capsule Corp. Vegeta visited Gohan almost daily after the Cell Games, and the two would spar the whole day, despite Chi-Chi's temper tantrums that he should leave her son alone.

His clothes were battered and torn, and he himself was covered in sweat, blood and bruises, but he felt great. Sure, Gohan landed a few good punches, but so did he. A spar with Kakarott's son was better than a day's work-out in the Gravity Room, that was certain.

He suddenly noticed light in the kitchen, and frowned. Checking, he sensed Bulma there. "Just great!" he muttered to himself sarcastically. He was in no mood for a verbal spar - he was too hungry for that. Then again, he was also hungry, and he would be damned if he let some puny, weakling human woman intimidate him.

He crossed his arms and walked into the kitchen, stopping at the door. He took in her appearance - she was obviously exhausted, he could tell that by the bags under her eyes. He reined in the sudden feeling of pity that filled him, and schooled his face into a stony scowl he usually wore.

"What are you still doing here?" he snapped, almost making her jump out of her skin.

She turned around and glared at him: "God, Vegeta, you're such an ass! You almost gave me a heart-attack!"

Vegeta, his face expressionless, snapped back: "Too bad it didn't work."

Bulma said in a small voice, truly hurt by his nasty reply: "You don't really mean that, do you?"

Vegeta already opened his mouth to say that he did, when he noticed tears in her eyes. Shit! Not the tear display again! He would never admit it, of course, but Bulma's tears could make him do anything. Thank God Bulma didn't know that. He sighed and looked away from her. "What do you want?" he asked, annoyed, but his voice wasn't as sharp as he would want it to be.

Bulma noticed that, and couldn't help but feel a little bit more confident. "I want to talk to you about our son," she started after thinking about what to say for a few moments.

"I don't have a son!" he snapped in response, his eyes narrowing dangerously, glaring at her.

Bulma's jaw dropped, but she collected herself. "You son of a bitch!" she hissed at him.

Vegeta braced herself inwardly - that meant she was madder than when she was screaming her head off. She stomped towards him, waving her finger in his face, and hissing: "You damn son of a bitch! How dare you say something like that? No matter how much you fucking pretend it isn't true, Trunks is your son!"

Vegeta cocked his head and looked at her through dangerously narrowed eyes: "Are you finished, woman? I know the brat is mine. I was talking rhetorically - meaning, he stopped being my son the same moment you butchered his Saiyajin heritage."

Bulma blinked, and again, pulled herself together and hissed back at him: "What the fuck is your problem, Vegeta?!?! All this shit just because of that fucking tail . . ." She never managed to finish as the Saiyajin prince roared at her: "JUST a tail??? Woman, that was the only thing I was able to give him, the only heritage he'll ever get from me - and you took it away! You got rid of it before he'll ever get the chance to realize what that tail means - FUCK, before he even realized he had it at all! YOU, woman, had taken MY son away from me, that's why I don't have one anymore!"

The blue-haired woman stared back at him in shock. Finally, she managed to whisper: "Oh god, Vegeta. . . I didn't know. . . I never realized. . ."

"Of course you wouldn't!" he added venomously.

Bulma looked him in the eyes and said sincerely: "Vegeta, please. . . I am so sorry, I didn't mean to. . . If I'd known. . ." She didn't know what to say, or how to apologise. He just stood there, watching her, his gaze full of hatred.

She didn't know what else to say, so she gently took his arm into her own hands, and smiled weakly at him, tears starting to form in her eyes. "Vegeta. . . This is all my fault. I acted without thinking twice about what I was doing, I deprived Trunks of his tail. You have every right to be mad at me. . ."

Vegeta blinked - this wasn't heading in the direction he expected it to - no one EVER apologised to him without fearing for their lives and/or being forced into it. He didn't know what to say, but he didn't need to say anything, because Bulma continued: "It's all my fault - if you have to hate someone, then hate me. But please, don't take it out on our son. It isn't his fault, you know that. I screwed up, but don't you do the same mistake I did. If you walk out on him, you'll deprive him of Saiyajin heritage all over again." She hesitated for a few moments, then added harshly: "Besides, you know how hard it is for me to admit I am wrong and apologise. It's only going to happen this once, so enjoy it while it lasts."

She stepped back from him, and they just stared at each other for a few moments. Bulma expectantly, and Vegeta rather dumbly - he wasn't quite sure what to say. Bulma, realising that her words had some affect on him, added just before she turned to leave: "I didn't want OUR wonderful son to be looked at as a monster. I reacted in affect. I am sorry for what I did, I shouldn't have. It's like I denied all those feelings I have for you. But that's never going to happen, and we both know it."

She smiled at him, then turned around and left the kitchen, in the middle of which Vegeta stood, staring after her.

After he snapped put of it, he went up to Trunks's room. He stood in the dark, looking down at the sleeping baby. . . At his son. If there was ever a Saiyajin baby that looked least like a Saiyajin, Trunks was one. With his blue eyes and lavender hair he was a complete opposite of what Vegeta wished his son and heir would be like - but he still couldn't help to despise the boy, or, even less, hate him. No matter what, Trunks was his son a part of him. His tail didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the fact that Trunks was his son - his and of the only person that ever loved him.

~D~B~Z~

Bulma was lying in her bed, completely awake. She was exhausted, and yet she couldn't sleep - all she could do was think about the discussion she just had with Vegeta. She missed him so much. She wanted him back, and she wanted him to forgive her, but above all she wanted him to accept Trunks.

Suddenly, the door opened with a soft 'woosh'. She jerked upwards and blinked at the all too familiar dark silhouette that stood in the door post.

"Vegeta?" her voice was hardly above a whisper. She was almost afraid to speak - as if by opening her mouth she would ruin the magic, and he would disappear.

He didn't answer, just came into the room, and the door automatically closed behind him. He stood there, scowling at her, and she felt her heart pounding and the blood rushing through her head.

What's going to happen? What is he going to do? What is he going to say? Is he leaving?

But Vegeta offered no answers to the questions that plagued her - he merely stood there, staring at her, not moving a muscle.

She couldn't stand the pressure anymore, so she opened her mouth to say something - but he was quicker.

"Woman, I am only going to say this once, so listen well. The brat isn't to blame for what happened to his tail, you are."

Bulma flinched as if he hit her.

The alien noticed that, but continued like nothing happened: "But… This isn't Vegetasei. I don't give a damn what these stupid Earthlings say or think about me. I could blast this sorry excuse for a planet to the Next Dimension if I wanted to. But I will never allow that my offspring is treated like a bloody monster - not if he's going to be such a weakling when it comes to emotions as that idiot Kakarot and his brat are."

Bulma stared at him like a moron. Did he just say what she thought he did, or what?

He sighed - and this woman considered herself a genius. "I still don't like what you did, and I never will. But… I made mistakes in the past as well…"

He stood in the middle of her bedroom, staring at her, and she stared back at him from her bed, still trying to comprehend what he just said. Did Vegeta just tried to patch things up with her?

In his own special way - yes. It must have taken a lot out of the proud prince to say what he just did - hell, she should know, after all, it wasn't easy for her to admit to him she was wrong either.

She didn't know what to say next - but deep down inside she knew words are really unnecessary right now - anything she might say could ruin the moment, and she didn't want that.

She stood up, and gently cupped his face, kissing him gently. At first, he was a bit taken aback… But he responded soon enough.

When she pushed away from him, he was half-smirking, half-smiling.

"I suppose that means we are even."

Bulma grinned: "Oh Vegeta, shut up and kiss me again!"

The End