Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Tempt of Fate ❯ Last Goodbye ( Chapter 5 )

Tempt of Fate: Chapter 5

Bulma's fight or flight reaction came up for some reason. One part of her wanted to fight the girl, she wanted to run towards the middle of the room and rip her hair out for getting close to Vegeta, but another part of her wanted to just run from the room to avoid seeing some interaction between the two of them that would just end up hurting herself.

But she stayed, unwillingly, for her feet were planted with curiosity.

Launch, as Vegeta had called her, just stood there for a while looking at Vegeta. “I may have come back a little ahead of schedule, but that should be a good thing. I have something that you want.” Her hand slid seductively up her thigh, onto her stomach, gently gracing her breasts, and then reached inside her top.

'What is that whore doing, is she going to pull them out right here and now?' Bulma almost shouted something indecent, but she just wanted to see what the deal was, so she let events unfold.

Launch pulled out a small sphere from her cleavage; it was orange, with three small stars on it. Bulma almost gasped, but didn't want to draw attention to the fact that she knew what Launch was holding since everyone else was asking among them what it was. But Bulma knew.

It was what they called Dragonballs. And she knew because that was the project she was working on.

In her younger years, Bulma had encountered one of them and studied it very furiously. Once she'd found the substance it was made of, she was able to take notes. But then she was taken and given to the King, moved to a whole other part of the country on her planet, and she didn't know what happened to the Seven Star ball. But she'd found others.

In fact, she was in the process of making a tracking radar to find all of them. Rumor had it from various sources of tradesmen on her planet, there were seven of them. Get them all together, they'd said, and the Dragon would grant you any wish you could conceive. So far, Bulma was hiding the Four, the Six, and the Two Star balls in her possession.

Apparently she wasn't the only one out to get all of them. Launch was probably just hired to find all of the Dragonballs and bring them back, there was no other purpose for her here. But the way she was leaning, practically offering her body to Vegeta was a tell tale that this wasn't the entire story.

Vegeta could see what Launch was doing. It wasn't going to work. He wouldn't be seduced. And he knew that Bulma was in the room. She'd been in the room since before Launch had arrived, and he had the sinking feeling that she was going to tell him something – but was now watching the show.

Which was why he was openly displaying his disgust for the woman in front of him. Launch had a history on this planet, but Bulma didn't need to know about everything that the woman had done.

He reached out and took the Dragonball from her, careful not to brush skin, and studied it before slipping it into his person. “You're dismissed.” Launch smirked. Bulma had seen that smirk before, it was exactly like Vegeta's. The mysterious woman turned on her delicate heel and glided her way out the side door, the entire congregation parting for her in the process. Even Bulma stepped aside for the girl. She didn't want to draw attention to herself and talk to the woman before she had more information.

After the woman closed the doors, Bulma felt his eyes on her. Of course he'd known she was there; her energy must always be a dead giveaway for him. She turned and met his eyes for moments, burning questions into them, before she turned and walked out the side doors as well.

--

Unbeknown to Bulma, Launch was waiting in the hallway on the other side of the doors, seemingly for her. She stepped away from the wall as soon as her eyes caught Bulma. “You, your name.”

Hm, another thing like Vegeta, she didn't ask questions either. These two could be related.

She would have normally ignored the rude demands and walked away, but Bulma took the high road. “Bulma, not that I need to ask yours Launch.”

“ Good. I never need to introduce myself.” Launch looked her over, and Bulma did the same, though she'd studied the woman pretty thoroughly in the other room, and still she found no flaws to this woman. “I hear you're causing quite the upset here at the castle.” Bulma gave her a confused look. “You're... trysts with the King won't last long. You have a husband, tramp, and you'll be leaving. You have absolutely no claim on him whatsoever. “

“And what makes this any of your business?” Bulma's violence mechanism was raging again for being called a tramp, though Bulma might have said the same thing if she was looking at herself.

“ It's my business because of my past with Vegeta.” Once again, Bulma gave her an odd look. “Ha, you didn't think you were the only one he'd slept with, did you? I guess he just has a taste for blue hair.” She gave Bulma a smug look and turned. Over her shoulder she cast, “I'll make sure he forgets about you as soon as you leave. Have no worries; you have you're own husband to attend to.”

Bulma looked at her retreating form... she could smack that woman, tangle her hands into Launch's dark blue locks and slam her around the floor, bang the limp body into the walls, beat her and take away that annoyingly smooth voice, anything of the sort. But everything she said... was all true.

What was she expecting? She'd be gone in days, and Vegeta would move on. But Bulma wouldn't. You don't just forget love like that. And he'd-he'd slept with her... Bulma almost couldn't think of that. She'd already lost feeling in her limbs... “You didn't think you were the only one he'd slept with, did you? I guess he just has a taste for blue hair.”

--

It was in that same position a half an hour later that her husband found her. People had come and gone, all tossing her odd looks for she was standing in the middle of the hallway looking at nothing in particular. Bulma would have slouched against the wall, but that would draw people to actually ask what was wrong, vs. if she just stood there, they'd think she was trying to decide if she wanted to eat before going back to her room, or something like that.

Atrono approached her, giving her a weird look like the others. “Are you alright, dear?” He wasn't as oblivious to her moods as she had originally thought, how nice. Bulma just nodded. She was trying to convince herself that going back to her home planet in a few days was going to be the best plan of action. Once she'd gotten back, Bulma knew she'd have plenty of things to keep her busy.

Getting things back in order and getting used to actually being home was one of them. And of course getting ready for the baby was another – wait. She wasn't pregnant.

Gosh, she'd heard it so many times repeated since it'd been announced. So many congratulations that were either empty or just didn't know they were for a fake baby and a fake marriage.

Finally she looked at her husband, who didn't seem convinced by her nod. He continued what he was going to say anyway. The news would probably cheer her up.

“Bulma I've decided that since you are pregnant, you're right. We should go home and get things ready for the heir that's coming. I can finally tell me people that they have nothing to worry about – that they will be in great hands when I am gone. Go pack dear. I've already informed the King. I'm going to have the ship ready and send someone in two hours – when preparations are done -- to get our things and escort you there. Aren't you excited to be going home?” Bulma couldn't breathe for minutes.

They were leaving.

After so many things had happened, they were leaving. In such a short time, she had fallen in love with another King, made new friends, grown accustomed to the walls, the climate, the smells. Everything. And now they were leaving.

And Bulma knew that they were not going to return any time soon. Why would they? It's not like Vegeta had made friends with her husband or anything; until another contract was due. Years.

She just nodded towards her husband once again and walked along the halls, forlorn, towards her room to pack. Atrono had to tell her right there in the hallway, didn't he? He had to break it to her when she was in the worst possible mood, the worst possible time.

Two hours? That was all. She stopped at Chi Chi's room on the way and asked her to accompany her to her room to pack. Chi Chi was aghast at the news, and they both walked silently down the halls.

--

Bulma could tell that Chi Chi was trying very hard to make conversation, to not let her last few hours be in silence, but it was strained. There were so many things that had gone on – how was she expected to say goodbye in such a small time?

Was she expected to say goodbye? To Chi Chi, yes of course. But Vegeta had been informed before she was, and he hadn't made an attempt to contact her in that time. Bulma wasn't sure she would see him if he did show up, but he hadn't even tried nevertheless.

“Bulma, I'm sorry.” Chi Chi finally placed a stack of clothes into the luggage. Bulma had insisted that she be able to do this and had made the servants sent there to pack her things leave. It helped her not think. “I do know how it feels to be separated from your love. For the longest time, I knew that Goku and I were meant to be together, but it seemed impossible. And it hurt, it broke my heart again and again, every time I watched Vegeta-sei fade in the distance from the window of our ship.”

Bulma strained her lips against her teeth, tears almost reaching their peak. “But you're married to him; you got your happy ending. I can't. With Vegeta and I, it's entirely impossible for us to ever be together. And that alone breaks my heart over and over again. So, you may know how it feels, but at the same time you have absolutely no idea to know for sure.” Chi Chi nodded and just turned back to the pile she was straightening. Bulma realized that she'd been cruel.

“I'm sorry, Chi Chi. I just can't help what I say.” Her close friend turned as well and stood to wrap her arms around Bulma. That was what she needed. Tears let loose, and she was crying, letting it all out. But that was okay right now. Chi Chi's actions were saying 'I'm sorry' just as much as Bulma had voiced it.

Their little union was broken for a knock at the door. Bulma looked at the time on the wall. It had been maybe thirty minutes since she'd been told; surely no one was there to take her away so early!

Chi Chi walked through the clothes on the plush carpet to open the door while Bulma sat on the edge of the bed. Her friend, in the meantime, found herself face to face with the King.

--

Vegeta had heard the news. Atrono had let him know, then exited the side door where he knew Bulma was. He'd sensed her ki.

She'd been out there for a long time now, ever since Launch's ki had left. No doubt she'd been informed of their past, Vegeta could just hope that for these next few hours, Bulma would not think of that and would only think of him.

But he couldn't bring himself to see her just yet.

Vegeta didn't really want to give them too much time to talk – to say goodbye. Such partings had never been his strong point, not when his father died, nor his mother. And they would be just as hard with her.

The love of his life.

But even though there was still plenty of time, Vegeta finally opened his chamber doors and walked straight to her quarters. Any moments that she had left on this planet were to be spent with him – and only him...

--

“Your majesty.” Chi Chi was a little surprised, she hadn't expected him to show so soon. But at the same time, she was very, fondly approving of his actions and looked straight at Bulma, whose head had risen at the words.

“I'll just – ahem – leave you two alone to say your goodbyes.” Chi Chi lay a kiss on Bulma's forehead. “You'd better write.” And she walked out, leaving the two lovers in straight silence.

“I didn't know if you were going to come,” Bulma finally broke the ice.

“I couldn't stay away.” Vegeta didn't care if he was being a bit too cheesy for his saiyan inheritance, he didn't care. He saw the tear streaks on her face. Cupping it in his hands, he took her lips in a passionate kiss, which told her in a smooth, wet language how much she meant to him.

Though he would never, ever admit it to anyone, Vegeta enjoyed the way she made him feel. And he was going to express that to her as he lay her down on to the bed. This time it wasn't just sex.

His fingers were gentle as they glided along her skin, his slow motions of their connected hips peaked as they met thrust after thrust, his tail tickled the skin of her waist as it wrapped around her body, breaths glittered the air as it prolonged the prelude to her departure for just the slightest of moments.

The moisture in the air was all evaporation from their join figures, laying and pulsing against the bed – writhing against each other.

It was the last goodbye. The last time both of them figured they'd be able to enjoy each other's body and mind. They reached a completion that clouded reality for a bittersweet moment before laying a blanket of cool air over both sweat covered bodies.

For the last time Vegeta made love to her and Bulma received it with the most willing of personalities.

--

Getting dressed seemed to be the hardest part. Both of them demanded that everything had been said and done – and now he would depart from the room without saying anything while she would get dressed and await the servants to escort her to their ship.

And they did just that.

Vegeta walked out with nothing but an unsaid goodbye on his lips and one last glance over his shoulder.

The walk to the hanger wasn't as gloomy as she had thought it might be. Maybe having that last goodbye with Vegeta had been what she needed to let go of this planet. She said it to Chi Chi, sent the goodbye to Goku, and expressed it mind, body, and soul to the only real lover and love that she had ever had.

Atrono placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her up the stairs and into a lounge for the trip. She sat in a seat across from him, looking out the window where she saw many technicians opening the port for their final departure.

Bulma thought she was okay; she had presumed the toughest part was over – but watching Vegeta's retreating form had been nothing compared to watching Vegeta-sei fade into the distance.

It was just as Chi Chi had expressed. It broke her heart to leave; she let out ragged breaths, sweat covered her brow and hands, and nothing could tear her eyes away from the window and the small star that the planet had soon become.

Luckily her husband hadn't been there to witness her breakdown, for again she was crying: she was a broken woman. Vegeta had broken her – just not in the way that he had wanted.

--

Three weeks later:

A hand shook her from her sleep, the vestiges of which were still remaining in her eyes until blinked away. Her hand instinctively went to her mouth to make sure she wasn't drooling again.

“My lady, you've overslept again. You wanted to get up early again today. Maybe you're working yourself too hard.” Bulma smiled at her young lady's maid. The girl was her shining star, and the only person who kept her sane these days. Looking at her calendar revealed once again that it had only been three weeks since they'd returned, but it had seemed like centuries. Lynna was the only person who kept her sane through the entire week.

But it was getting better. Bulma admitted that while her every waking thought seemed to be about missing life on Vegeta-sei, she'd managed to piddle through her days and finally finish the Dragonball radar showing the location of the other four she would need to collect.

But the radar didn't help her thoughts, for it showed two of those Dragonballs to be on Vegeta-sei... maybe that was a good excuse to travel back there once again!

But no – dangerous Bulma, she told herself.

Besides, Launch had probably moved herself into Vegeta's room anyways. A string of curse words finished the thought in her mind.

“Bulma, are you feeling well?” Lynna knew mostly about what had happened on the alien planet, which made it easier to express her feelings.

Finally, Bulma swung her legs out of the bed and stretched.

She had plenty of things to do today! Bulma got dressed and walked down the hall towards the main gathering room. Today, a member of the Planet Alliance was arriving to look at some of their technological advances, and Bulma was determined to give a good tour. But instead of meeting with the diplomat, she was met with a red flag.

“What do you mean my husband insists I stay in bed?” The poor page who was unfortunate enough to deliver such news to Bulma while in her current mood was now cowering a few feet away. His face pleaded to her to not take it out on him. “Well, I insist to see my husband. And if you deny me entrance to my meeting rooms, here's a warning: I think I can take you.” She smirked, resembling a person that plagued her mind – someone she wasn't going to think about anymore...

Bulma made her face calm again, noticing that she'd become rather irritable in the last few weeks. The page bowed and scampered off leaving her to greet the newly arrived diplomat. By the time the page had found her husband and convinced him to come talk to his wife and bring him back, Bulma was close to finishing the tour with the diplomat. Atrono appeared by her side, startling her.

“It's very nice to see you again, King Atrono.” The nameless diplomat bowed in respect and asked about his well being. Hm, such courtesy was bestowed when her husband arrived, but she didn't receive such treatment? Bulma had a mind to kick his ass, but that would make things a little rocky between her and the Alliance: they weren't exactly the people to piss off, now were they?

“I've been well. Things have gone smoothly since our return from contract renewal with Vegeta-sei. And Bulma informed me month ago, while we were staying there, that she is carrying my heir now, so we are truly looking forward to his arrival.” Congratulations were thrown out. Bulma rolled her eyes; stupid man, he always talked about he baby as his 'heir', never his child, which ticked her off. And it was always a boy – like he was going to disown it if it turned out to be a girl or something.

Bulma had to mentally slap herself... In the warm, sunshine filled main room of their palace, Bulma went frigid. Not even the warm color of the walls was enough to warm her. In her grief of leaving Vegeta-sei, Bulma had forgotten to inform Atrono that she was, in fact, not pregnant with his 'heir' as she had originally 'mentioned'.

But now he was telling it to a Planet Alliance diplomat! Everyone in that entire sector was going to think she was pregnant, and he'd announced it a month ago, Atrono had said – no telling how many people (including the entire kingdom) he'd told.

Shit.

Double Shit.

Did he say a month ago?

--

Bulma immediately excused herself and hurried (queen's don't run) to her room where she summoned Lynna.

“Yes, Bulma?”

“Can you recall my last monthly visit?” Bulma perched herself on the bed, but decided that she was too antsy to sit and paced the room instead. Of course, that's why Atrono wanted her in her room! He thought she was pregnant, and usually the queens were put on a strict schedule as to not put the baby in any danger... damn. Lynna placed her hand on her chin, then fiddled with a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

“Um, I can't remember. It was a while ago, though. I think it had to have been before you left for Vegeta-sei...” Lynna trailed off. “You didn't have one there did you?” Bulma shook her head. “Um, then I'd say you're husband's probably telling the truth when he says you're pregnant.”

Bulma's eyes widened. “Lynna... are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

“Hmmm, that you got pregnant while you were on Vegeta-sei, and-”

“There's no way it could be my husband's child.”

--

The King of Vegeta-sei was currently sitting in his throne bored out of his mind.

There were, for once, no known plots to overthrow him as ruler, the Dragonballs were being searched for, he had no business to attend to, and there were no visiting beauties around for him to torture...

Though Vegeta had to admit, on that last one, that as far as torturing and sexual molestation went, the Woman was the only one getting that certain attention from him.

So he sat there, oblivious to the turmoil that his lover was going through on her home planet...

And that's the way it would stay for now.

--

“Lynna! What the hell am I supposed to do? It's Vegeta's!” The young girl in from of her rushed to clamp her hand over Bulma's mouth.

“Bulma, don't scream so loud. We've got the whole kingdom fooled, don't want to ruin that while we've got it going.” Bulma nodded; Lynna removed her hand. “Besides, the King swears by the kid as his 'heir', no one's going to assume otherwise. Does Vegeta look anything like Atrono?” Bulma smiled a bit. No, they were nothing alike.

Vegeta was handsome, dark eyes and hair, and very muscular. Atrono was a graying blond, handsome enough, and though he had some muscle, she would say he had a 'slight build' when standing next to someone like Vegeta. Bulma just shook her head violently 'No' to also get rid of Vegeta's image in her mind.

'Well, if the baby comes out with black hair and eyes, then I think you'll need to have some kind of explanation for that. But maybe it'll get some of your genes and even things out a bit. Then you can just butter your husband up until he loves it like his own.” Bulma just sat there and contemplated the 'love it like his own' statement. Nah, not going to happen. “Plus, your husband might be right about the boy thing.”

Bulma was confused, “The boy thing? Like the sex?”

“Yeah, I read a little on saiyans when you were leaving for Vegeta-sei, and it said that saiyans are sensitive in their tails (vulnerable to extreme pain and pleasure), they mate for life, and when they mate, the chance of the first child resulting being male is a very high percentile. So, you've mated with Vegeta and now you're probably going to pop out a bouncing baby boy.” Lynna smiled. She'd read the whole book. :P

“I 'mated' with Vegeta? How did we 'mate'?”

“It's all in the sex. When a saiyan decides to choose a mate, they make it official. Did he wrap his tail around you when you were, well, in the moment?”

Bulma nodded, “Only the last two or three times we made love, yes.”

“Well, that's pretty much the indicator there. You're mated.”

“That shouldn't mean anything; he could just do that in the heat of the sex and not even notice.”

Lynna smiled, she may be a few years younger than Bulma, but she was quite wise on these matters having lived in the castle for so long. “That's the really cool part; saiyans' tails have minds of their own! When a saiyan isn't directly controlling it, the tail acts on more primal instincts of the owner – without him realizing it. You follow?” Bulma had a dear in the headlights look.

“Let's just say that when Vegeta's tail wrapped around you, it meant that in his deep subconscious, he'd chosen you. And since he did that, it acts like a bond for you two.”

Bulma slowly looked at her lap and creased her brow... “So Vegeta... you did love me just as much as I love you.” She looked at Lynna, “I bet he's regretting it now.”

“Doesn't matter. It's for life. No one can come between you two. -- But who am I preaching to? I only read a book – a large book, but one no less. I'm no scholar on saiyan culture, could be wrong.”

Bulma secretly hoped not.

Later, Lynna left Bulma to her own devices, mostly to think about her current situation. So, Vegeta had come home with her in a way – a part of him.

--

Bulma sat in her floor and flipped through her dictionary and looked for the word 'mate':

n. 1, a husband or wife. 2, a counterpart. v.t. 1, joins as a mate; marry; pair. 2, copulate

Damn. That seemed pretty permanent.

But he couldn't have meant to do that on purpose. This was really serious business! This was for life. If Vegeta did, then at the time he'd probably been in the throes and had no reservations. But what about now? Now that she had left, Bulma wondered, would he still claim her as a mate as he did before? He hadn't even mentioned it, so she probably wasn't supposed to know about it or what it meant.

But no matter what he thought about her now that she had left, Bulma had a piece of Vegeta with her now, she could be satisfied with that.

So, how would she cover up the fact that it wasn't her husband's child? Well, like Lynna said, she could be lucky and it would get some of her genes; that'd be nice.

Across the room, Bulma's Dragonball radar began to beep very furiously. She turned to the small capsule in her bureau and enlarged it's size to make sure her three Dragonballs were still in place: they were.

Then what did it mean?

Bulma crossed the room and grabbed the radar. Her eyes widened in curiosity as Vegeta-sei's location now had three of the Dragonballs.

So soon.

There was only one stray left now, and then they'd be fighting each other for them. As much as she wanted to avoid that planet for her own mental safety right now, Bulma realized that she might have to return sooner than she thought to collect them.

I didn't matter what kind of man Vegeta was with her, he was power hungry – no telling what he'd wish for if he managed to get all of them.

And Bulma just hated Launch.

--

Tsuyoku: **Mumbles more cuss words** I love you my dear readers, but please do not review and say anything against how I explained the 'mating' portion, nor anything against this part of the story. I get a premonition that someone will ask why I did it this way or complain that this isn't how it works. Fine, you'd have written it different, whatever. I just wanted something different than the biting... if Vegeta bit her, don't you think Bulma's husband would have some questions? Also I want to give credit to Webster's Dictionary for the lovely definition used above; I tried to write it out correctly and use the definition to shape Bulma's epiphany. As far as Launch goes, I thought it might be complicated enough to include Launch, let alone take on that odd personality switch she goes through in the Dragonball series. So I met myself halfway and combined her normal looks with the attitude of the other personality. Long footnote, huh? Read and review... even I want to see what chapter six is going! R&R!