Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Two Sides to a Story ❯ Old Friends, New Problems ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Two Sides To A Story
Chapter Three


Bulma waited for about three days for the world to come to an
end. When that didn't happen she reasoned that perhaps Vegeta was a
little more stable than what he had shown when he left Capsule
Corporation on that terrible day. Imagining him actually travelling
around Earth as a sightseer was hard for her to accept but she couldn't
deny the reality that everything was still intact. Even when a week
went by, there was not a whisper on the news or a vague article in the
paper and she was keeping a very close vigil. It appeared that the
Saiyan had gone to ground and pulled one of his infamous disappearing
acts.

She tried to get Vegeta out of her head but found the act nearly
impossible. A great part of it was the indignant rage created by his
callous exit. "I wish that you and that bastard half-breed had died
during the birth then have the pair of you mock me with your
existence!" God, how could he- How could anyone say such a horrible
thing?! And he had meant it, too. She should have been relieved to be
free of him once and for all.

Fine. So why wasn't she?

The answer became clear each time she so much as looked into
Trunks' open, endearing face. The babe was the perfect amalgam of both
parents responsible for his unique conception. He had her eye color but
Vegeta's slanted shape, giving him a visage that was already piercing
at his young age of only five months. The wisp of lavender hair, so
much like her own when she had been young was combined with his
father's olive skin. It was an exotic combination that was very
attractive. Trunks was also displaying an unhealthy stubborn streak
that was actually unsettling with its intensity. Both adults had more
than their fair share and she had to admit that it was inevitable the
baby would be plagued with their hardheadedness, though not so soon.
She blamed that mulish behavior solely on the Saiyan (but only because
it comforted her). How could she not think about Vegeta every single
time she looked at their child? The Saiyan was corrupt, evil, without
any redeeming qualities to speak of and yet… Here was this truly
innocent soul they had shared equally in its wonderful creation. Bulma
found it hard to believe that a truly evil man would ever have relented
to her affections in the first place and it was those doubts that was
plaguing her on a daily basis.

Those thoughts didn't end at the office. Rather, they were
intensified by all of the reminders of Vegeta's lasting presence the
short time he had worked there. One section of the Research and
Development lab, now headed by Charles McNeal, was devoted entirely to
variations of the initial communications chip the Saiyan had provided.
It was no longer just the Government sector who was providing the
funding anymore. The television Networks, mourning the poor coverage of
the Cell Games, were now looking for something that might be a little
more stable if such an event ever occurred again.

In other plants around the world, all of the land and air bound
vehicles that Capsule Corporation was responsible for manufacturing had
been all completely overhauled. Now they sported a revolutionary
exhaust system that was entirely pollution-free. It was an
unprecedented accomplishment with nothing that even came close to
rivaling its efficiency. The environmentally conscious populace of
Earth was practically standing in line outside of the dealerships
waiting for the first of the vehicles to arrive. That discovery had
boosted the Corporations standings as the top vehicle maker and allowed
them to completely corner the market. All thanks to a lone Saiyan who
had a talent for translating complex alien technology into
understandable blueprints. Vegeta was completely oblivious of the
effects of his two contributions to Capsule Corp. He had earned
billions for the company and hadn't even received a simple thank-you
for his efforts. How could Bulma go to work each day and NOT be
reminded of him?

>>>>>

By the second week, there was still no sign of Vegeta in any of
her covert inquiries. This was so unlike the brash Saiyan that Bulma
had to talk herself out of leaving work and going to look for him. She
had absolutely no idea where he would have gone and it wasn't the first
time that she was bothered by her own ignorance. There was very little
she actually knew about him that didn't circulate around the dinner
table or the bedroom. Did he like beaches or mountains? Would he be
camping or staying in a hotel? Her father had given him a charge card
so that she could track his whereabouts. Why wasn't he using the damn
thing?!

"Get a grip on yourself," she muttered, placing her burning face
into her hands. Sitting at her desk, she was deliberately avoiding the
mountain of paperwork piling up around her. A half-empty coffee cup was
holding open a textbook she had been reading for most of the morning.
She was trying to get an insight into Vegeta's character and was not
assured by what she had discovered so far.

There was a tentative knock at her door. Her secretary poked her
head inside and said, "An envelope just arrived for you. It's marked
urgent."

That didn't surprise Bulma. Everything was urgent these days.
"Who's it from?" she asked with a definite note of disinterest in her
voice.

"It doesn't say. A secret admirer, maybe?"

"Dare to dream," Bulma muttered and held out her hand. Her office
was off-limits to the cleaning staff and the secretary had to pick her
way carefully around the partially disassembled machinery and tools to
reach the desk.

The address on the manila envelope was clearly typed and
addressed to her. With a sigh, Bulma ripped open the seal and pulled
out the lone document contained inside of it. At the mere sight, she
released a strangled squawk of surprise.

"Ms. Briefs?" the secretary asked in concern. She wavered in her
retreat and stood stork-like amid the clutter.

Finding her voice took some effort but Bulma finally managed to
get out; "It's… alright, Staci."

"You sure?"

Bulma could only nod. Satisfied, the other women successfully
picked her way out of the office and closed the door. Only once her
shadow had settled back behind her own desk did Bulma pull the item
free of its envelope. She had to steady it with both hands they were
shaking so badly.

It was a video capture still-photo of Vegeta, enlarged to an 8 X
10. She wouldn't have been so upset if the picture had been of the
Saiyan when he had arrived to take part in the Cell games. Everyone had
got a good look at him that day and others would have made the
connection that he had stayed at Capsule Corporation, for a time. The
picture in her hands was much older and slightly blurred. It was a rare
image of Vegeta when he had first arrived to conquer the earth. He was
standing with his arms folded, staring upwards with that arrogant smirk
on his face. It must have been taken just before Nappa had attacked the
helicopters that had unwittingly moved into the battle area.

Written on its glossy surface were nine simple words:

I know who the father of your child is.

>>>>>

Four hours later Bulma was in her yellow hover-jet streaking a
path towards the southeast at roughly Mach 1. Her hands were clenched
around the controls and her eyes never wavered from the front window
except to periodically glance sidelong at the passenger seat. Strapped
into his baby-seat, Trunks was dozing lightly beside her, blissfully
unaware of the cause of his mother's distress. He still wasn't sleeping
through the night and spent much of the day doing precisely what he was
doing now.

When she reached her destination, she shoved the now-battered
envelope into her coat pocket and picked up her son. Ignoring the
stunned exclamations around her, she marched right past one flustered
security guard and threw open the door, screaming: "Where are you?!"

All around her, naked men froze in place before hastily picking
up a discarded item of clothing or piece of equipment to cover their
nudity. Bulma had charged into the locker room of the Taitans baseball
team right after they had finished a game and the majority of them had
just come out of the shower.

Advancing on one young rookie who was trying to hide in his
locker, Bulma turned on him and snapped, "I'm looking for Yamcha. Where
is he?"

The younger man had both hands cupped around his groin and could
only incline his head towards the showers. Undaunted, Bulma charged in
that direction while Trunks ogled his surroundings with great interest
as if to say; Sorry for the interruption, fellas, but you gotta
admit... It's a helluvan entrance!

Bulma went out of sight and for a moment, everything was silent
before the rest of the team started bellowing and came sprinting out of
the area, most still sopping wet and covered in suds.

"Hey! You can't come barging in here!" bawled out Yamcha's voice.

"I can and I will!" Bulma yelled back, "And what the hell are you
covering that thing up for? It's not like I've never seen it!"

"Damn," the shortstop muttered to the rest of his peers. "For one
minute there I thought it was my ex-wife." All around him were the
collective sighs of relief as the rest of the team got hastily dressed
while the arguing continued in the near-vacant shower room.

>>>>>

It was a much calmer, clothed and less-flustered Yamcha who
looked briefly at the photo and then slapped it back down on the table.
"I didn't send it. How could you blame me for something like this,
Bulma?"

Bulma realized he was telling the truth the moment she looked
into his gentle brown eyes. Her ex-lover was many things but an
extortionist was not one of them. Fighting back tears, she whispered,
"I-I'm sorry, Yamcha. When I opened the envelope, the only person who
came to mind was you."

"Why me?"

"I know that you resented my being with Vegeta. I mean, who else
knows about this but those in our little circle? Who else would have
had a motive?"

She has a point, Yamcha admitted to himself. Sitting across from
him, Trunks was settled into a booster seat and eagerly accepting the
spoonfuls of custard that Bulma was offering him. The instant the ex-
fighter looked at him, he swiveled his own eyes around and glared right
back. There was so much of Vegeta staring out of that little face that
Yamcha had to actively submerge a grumble of distaste. That should be
his son sitting there, not the product of a one-night stand from some
undeserving, murderous alien tyrant. "I've made my peace with the
situation," he said unconvincingly.

"So who else could have sent that awful thing?" Bulma wanted to
know.

"Obviously someone trying to rattle your cage," he reasoned.
"Let's face facts, Capsule Corp. is at the top of its game. There are a
lot of resentful people out there and most of them aren't very nice.
You haven't exactly been candid about Trunk's origin."

"What could I possibly say?" she said, dropping her eyes. Even
now, there was hardly a week that went by when some tabloid or talk
show wasn't harassing her for an interview about who was the father of
the new Capsule Corporation heir. "If it ever came out that one of the
original Saiyans who came to destroy the earth was Trunks' father, I
might as well just kiss Capsule Corp away."

Yamcha snorted as he leaned back in his chair. "Guess you and
Vegeta should have thought of that before the rubber broke-"

"You idiot!" Bulma threw down the dish and slammed her hands down
on the tabletop. Looming over the nervous athlete she hissed at him,
"You know damn well I was on the pill. None of this is Vegeta's fault.
If you want to blame anyone, then blame me!"

Visibly faltering, Yamcha's mouth worked for a moment before he
was able to get out, "What are you saying, Bulma? That you got pregnant
on purpose? For Dende's sake, why the hell-"

"I should never have come here," Bulma interrupted. She was
beginning to pack her things when Yamcha reached over and gently took
hold of her wrist.

"Don't go. Please," he said sincerely. "I'm glad you came,
despite the circumstances. It's always good to see you, Bulma. Please
stay here and talk for awhile."

Bulma hesitated. "Just so long as it's not about Vegeta. He's
off-limits."

"Fine, fine," Yamcha relented. It was clear that there was
something about the confusing topic that was yet unresolved but now was
not the time or place to bring it up. He could do the only thing that
he had been to her for the last fifteen years; be a friend and
confidant and lend as much support as he possibly could. In a desperate
attempt to change the subject he moved his seat closer to Trunks. The
boy's face tightened in agitation at the close proximity but he didn't
make a fuss. "Let's talk about this little fellow instead, shall we?"

"I should go get another bowl of custard. He's probably still
hungry," Bulma said, starting to relax.

Yamcha wiggled his finger beneath the boy's nose. "How about
that, Twunksie? Are you hungwy? Huh? Want some more custy-wusty?"

Bulma didn't like the way Trunk's eyes had narrowed and were
tracking the side-to-side movement of the finger in front of his face.
She was just about to call out a caution when the baby lunged forward
and bit down on the tempting appendage as hard as he possibly could.

>>>>>

When Bulma's giggles had tapered off to a few muted snickers, she
would glance at the boy in the passenger's seat and start all over
again. At one point she had to set the hover-jet on autopilot as she
wiped her tearing eyes, occasionally doubling over with some much-
needed laughter. Things had been too tense lately and the diversion
outside of the concession stand had turned into a welcome respite, even
if it had come at Yamcha's expense.

"You just showed him why I had to stop breast-feeding you," Bulma
said to the boy, grinning broadly. Trunks had latched onto Yamcha's
finger with the speed and ferocity of a bear-trap and hadn't let go
until she returned with another bowl of custard. The entire stadium had
echoed Yamcha's indignant screams of pain. "You sprained a finger on
his pitching hand, you know."

Half-asleep, the hybrid youth glanced at her with a bored
expression; Yeah, yeah… Whatever, that look said and despite herself,
Bulma broke off into fresh laughter. Deciding to take Yamcha's wait-
and-see advice about the incriminating picture, she figured that she
would make a day of it and visit the rest of her friends. She was only
a short distance from Master Roshi's island. As much as she resented
the old pervert's antics, the light-hearted atmosphere would be a
welcome relief and she could touch base with Krillin and perhaps find
out how Chi Chi and Gohan were coping with their loss.

Just before the lone island came into sight, the sensors on the
hover-jet came to life and called out a warning of a possible
collision. The radar was showing something small and fast advancing on
her position. Before she could react, a white streak passed by her port
side creating turbulence in its abrupt wake. She had to struggle with
the joystick to get the jet under control. For an instant she had
thought that it might be Vegeta, considering the figure's incredible
speed but something hadn't been quite right.

Managing a soft landing on the sand, Master Roshi, Krillin,
Oolong and the turtle were waiting outside of the house. When Bulma had
unbuckled Trunks out of his seat, she stepped towards the group and
inquired, "Was that Android 18 who nearly collided with me?"

Krillin's tanned features transformed into a brilliant scarlet.
Beside him Oolong snickered and nudged him with one pudgy elbow. "Tell
'er about your new girlfriend, Krillin," he taunted.

"What?!" Bulma screeched.

When Krillin still couldn't find his voice, Master Roshi took the
initiative and stepped forward. "Come inside, Bulma. Have we got a
story for you." Like a woman in a dream, Bulma went into the house and
barely reacted in time to prevent the old man from goosing her behind.

As it turned out, Number 18 had started visiting shortly after
Krillin made the wish with the Dragonballs that had effectively freed
her. She reunited briefly with her brother, Android 17, but it wasn't
long before each decided to strike out on their own. True to his
conditioning, 17 wanted little to do with humans but was utterly
consumed with racing cars. The last 18 heard of him, he had stolen a
Porsche 911 Turbo from an exhibition and was joyriding around the
countryside.

More mature and thoughtful than her twin, 18 decided that she had
endured enough excitement in her relatively young life. She made the
decision to track down Krillin, the only human who hadn't feared her
and actually saved what amounted to as her life. Her first visit to the
island had been a disaster. Krillin's ex-girlfriend, Marron, had
decided to pick that day to visit and the pair had exchanged thinly
veiled barbs about the others' appearance for most of the afternoon.
Normally levelheaded, 18 had finally lost her cool when the blue-haired
beauty had suggested that the blond must be artificially enhanced
because even her breasts looked fake. Using only a fraction of her
super-strength, she had thrown the woman inside of her hover-car and
thrown it so hard that it had skipped across the ocean like a flat-
sided rock for several kilometers.

She had left immediately after that scene and Krillin had figured
that was the end of any possible friendship, or something potentially
more intimate. To his surprise and delight, 18 had returned as if
nothing had happened, two days later. It wasn't uncommon for the pair
to simply sit at the edge of the beach and talk for hours. Lately
though, they had taken to holding hands while they did so.

Bulma sat at the kitchen table with a wistful smile on her face
as she listened to the tale of blossoming love. It was nice to hear
that at least someone had found a happy ending after the Cell games.
Krillin, as benevolent and gentle as anyone could be, deserved some
happiness in his own life. 18 appeared to have completely reformed her
evil ways and was smart enough to recognize her savior by rewarding him
for his efforts with her trust.

The blatant comparisons between Krillin's luck and her own
misfortune brought a sheen of tears to Bulma's eyes. She blinked them
back before anyone would notice.

"18 sensed that you were coming. She's still kinda shy about
being around other people," Krillin explained with a one-sided shrug.

"Kissed him on the cheek before she left, though," Oolong
whispered to Bulma and everyone watched, amused, as the little monk
flushed with embarrassment from the statement.

"I think it's wonderful," Bulma said sincerely. "Don't let anyone
get you off-track of what you feel is right, Krillin. You're the only
person that matters. You and 18 both. The opinions of other people
don't matter."

Krillin swallowed as he detected a double meaning to the woman's
encouragement. He doubted that Bulma had ever received any kind of
support for her liaison with Vegeta (some nights Krillin actually lied
awake wondering how the hell THAT had ever happened). When he thought
back to the first time that the Z Fighters had discovered that the
Saiyan had fathered Trunks… well, he wished he could get that moment
back. Any other woman would have turned her back on them for their
criticism but Bulma had remained their friend. She had told no one of
her pregnancy, so naturally it had come as a shock, but none of them
had ever painted Vegeta in a positive light when they were around her.
That had to stop. Krillin recognized his own indignation and
defensiveness whenever someone brought up 18's past actions. He
couldn't imagine what went through Bulma's head every time someone
blasted Vegeta in her presence.

Sure, Krillin was still scared shitless of the compact Saiyan and
he probably always would be. After all, he had faced him on the
battlefield and had been about the only one left standing when the
fireworks had finally been over. He had seen Vegeta take on both a
Kamehameha and a Spirit Bomb at point-blank range and still come back
itching for more. He was, without a doubt, the toughest son of a bitch
Krillin had ever seen. Even worse, he was now a Super Saiyan whose only
true adversary was dead. What the hell was stopping him from taking
over where Frieza had left off?

Perhaps… perhaps the reason is sitting across from me, he
thought, staring at Bulma who was watching Trunks as he played with the
turtle. The babe was supporting himself on the broad shell and actually
appeared impatient that the amphibian was moving so slow. Looking at
the undisguised love on the woman's face was enough to fill Krillin
with a momentary sense of doubt. He had spared Vegeta's life after
their first encounter and, in his own arrogant manner, the Saiyan had
later repaid the favor. Most recently, he had provided the surprising
diversion that had enabled Gohan to get the upper hand over Cell,
winning the battle and saving the Earth. Was that the action of a
warrior without honor? How much more of Vegeta had Bulma seen that the
rest of them purposely ignored?

Was it possible that they had all been wrong to misjudge him?

There were so many questions that Krillin wanted to ask but for
some reason, he remained silent. Part of it, he knew, was that it
wasn't any of his business. For better or for worse, all that mattered
at the moment was the little lavender-haired baby scampering around on
the floor. Trunks was squealing in delight as the turtle affectionately
nuzzled his stomach and everyone was laughing. Even if this child was
the only proof to ever exist, it meant that Vegeta had some good in him
after all to be able to help create such an innocent life. That was
enough for Krillin, past battles be damned.

"I wanted to ask you, Krillin. Have you seen Chi Chi or Gohan
lately?" Bulma asked when it appeared that the boy was finally winding
down with his endearing antics.

"I stopped by their house about a week ago but nobody answered
the door," he said. "I don't think Chi Chi is taking it very well. Are
you going to go visit her next?"

"I think that might be a good idea."

Everyone around the table betrayed a mute nod of approval but
nobody offered to go with her. Chi Chi was high-strung at the best of
times and usually best when left alone and unprovoked. All of the Z
Fighters were more than a little scared of her, including Gokou when he
had been alive. Not only was she was a martial arts expert but she
could also be a complete bitch. When it came to men in general, the
Fighters in particular, she had developed a particular resentment over
their antics that bordered on the maniacal. There was no telling what
state Bulma might find her in, but a visit was long overdue.

When she got Trunks settled into the passenger seat of the jet,
Krillin approached her before she initiated take-off. "Hey, uh… Tell
Vegeta I said 'hi', huh?"

Bulma blinked in surprise before allowing a sad smile. "If I ever
see him again, I'll pass that along, Krillin," she said sincerely and
closed the door on his shocked face.

>>>>>

Avoiding the trappings of civilization, the Son household had
made their home in the wilds of Mount Pazou, where Gokou had grown up.
It was over a hundred kilometers from the Western Capital and isolated
from any nearby town or village. The main building was a simple one-
story Capsule house with a small hobby farm in the backyard that had a
few chickens and pigs.

Landing in the front yard, the first thing that Bulma noticed was
that the family car was gone. Another was that no one had come out to
greet her. In the old days, the entire family had rushed out in
excitement when receiving a visitor but the premises now appeared to be
deserted. "Hello?" she called out tentatively. Trunks was asleep in his
seat and she decided not to wake him so she walked around the house,
looking into windows. "Hello? Chi Chi? Gohan? Is anyone home?"

An odd, sighing sound reached her ears. When she came to the back
patio, she saw the woman sitting in a lawn chair staring forlornly at
the mountain peak. "Chi Chi?"

The brunette turned slowly and stared at her blankly for a moment
before attempting a smile. It was all wrong on her pale, drawn face and
became a pained grimace instead. "…Bulma," she said, like an old woman
coming out of a dream. "How wonderful it is to see you."

"Same here, 'Chi," she responded, trying to keep her voice light.
"I've been meaning to visit for awhile now but you know how work- Well,
the timing, you know how it can be-"

"Yes. I know."

"And, well, I didn't see the car in the yard-"

"The bank took it back."

Swallowing, Bulma could only mutter, "Oh… 'Chi, that's awful! I
didn't have any idea that-"

Waving away her awkward apology, the other woman rose out of her
seat. "Come inside, I'll make us some tea."

"Just a minute and I'll go get Trunks. I wasn't sure if you were
home so I didn't want to-"

"You brought the baby? Can I see him?" Chi Chi asked suddenly.
For some reason, her eyes had grown very wide and were glittering with
unshed tears.

Utterly bewildered now, Bulma could only say, "Sure," and led her
over to the hover-jet. By now, the babe had woken up and just realized
he was alone. It didn't help when Chi Chi threw open the passenger side
door and exclaimed in that strident pitch of hers; "Oh! He's so
adorable, Bulma!"

Having endured enough excitement for one day, Trunks drew air
into his tiny lungs and started to bawl. At the same moment, Chi Chi
joined in the boy's lamentation and Bulma found herself torn between
two wailing people who both seemed to need the attention that only she
could give.

When she had finally managed to get everyone calmed down, it was
a much different scene in the kitchen than what anyone would have ever
expected. Bulma was the one fussing over the stove while Chi Chi was
nursing a hot cup of tea at the table. Opening a bag of biscuits, she
joined her friend at the table as she tried to get Trunks settled down.
He was cranky and out of sorts and it didn't help that his diaper
needed to be changed. "Full of shit just like your father," Bulma
muttered under her breath and began to rummage through her carrying
bag. To Chi Chi, she asked, "Where's Gohan?"

"He's fishing with his grandfather down by the lake," came the
answer. Before Bulma could ask the logical follow-up, she added, "He's
not dealing with this very well, either. He can't concentrate on his
studies. He isn't sleeping like he used to. I've caught him twice
trying to run away to that green monster he's so fond of."

"Piccolo is a good friend to-"

"He abducted my child the first time Gokou was killed!" Chi Chi
shouted. "If it hadn't been for that-that creature, Gohan would never
have gotten a taste of combat and would have remained the sweet little
innocent I wanted him to be. Now he's been tainted. He's killed, Bulma!
How can I ever get my little boy back now?"

"He saved us-"

"I know that!" Chi Chi snapped as she rose to her feet. "All of
those big strong men out on the battle-field and they stood by and let
a child fight the battle for them. How pathetic is that?" Her tears
were very close and Bulma was anticipating the approaching explosion
like a demolition expert in the middle of defusing a bomb. There was no
avoiding that display once it erupted. "Even Gokou stood by and
encouraged his son to fight. He actually allowed Cell to take a senzu
bean. How stupid is that? Small wonder he had to sacrifice himself to
save his son! Oh- !!GOKOU!!"

Here it comes, Bulma thought grimly.

Rather than start screaming, Chi Chi collapsed back into her seat
and took her face into her hands. "Why did he do it?" she wailed
through a mask of tears. "How could he do that to me? To us?"

"He saved the Earth when he teleported Cell to-" Bulma attempted
only to have her words waved away.

Chi Chi was suddenly furious. "He had the choice to come back and
he chose to stay dead! He left behind a widow and a fatherless son so
that he could party in the afterlife! How am I supposed to feel about
that?"

Bulma had been expecting an outburst from her upset friend but
had not expected the degree of rage behind the words. Looking at her
with acute helplessness, she could only concentrate on getting Trunks'
diaper changed as she struggled with a response. Gokou's choice to stay
dead had caught everyone off guard, particularly with his odd reasoning
that the Earth was somehow safer without him on it. With Shenlon's
immense presence looming over everyone with it's palatable impatience,
no one had even thought to bring up the warriors' duty to his family
until the final wish had been made and the Dragon long gone.

"Honestly? I think Gokou was wrong, Chi Chi," she responded
simply. Like the others, Bulma knew in her heart what happened to the
Son family had been a needless tragedy but no one wanted to admit it
out loud. Gokou was a best friend to each and every one of them but
wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. Nobody could betray that
friendship and actually admit that his choice had been wrong. Until
now.

The relief to hear those words was clear on Chi Chi's haggard
features and she was actually smiling as she wiped away her tears.
"Thank you, Bulma," she choked. "I wanted to hear someone else say that
so that I didn't think I was being selfish."

"Gohan deserves his father. You need your husband. There's
nothing selfish in that logic. It's the truth." She finished with
Trunks' changing and settled him back into his seat. The infant's eyes
were heavy with sleep and he didn't make any more of a fuss as he
slowly drifted off. Bulma was so proud of him that her heart ached and,
as usual, she inevitably thought of his father...

Chi Chi saw the troubled expression cross over her friend's face
and immediately recognized it. "How is that-" She cleared her throat
and tried again. "How is… Vegeta?"

Bulma's shoulders sagged when she admitted in a quiet voice, "I
wouldn't know."

"He's not living with you?"

"He left a few weeks ago after a… terrible fight. I don't know
where he's gone."

This was news to Chi Chi but she filed the information away until
her mind could deal with this revelation and how she could possibly use
it to her advantage. She would always brilliantly loathe that
destructive alien for upsetting the course she had carefully planned
out for her family. Where Vegeta was concerned, there was still a score
she intended to settle. "We're both of us abandoned by our men," she
moaned and erupted into fresh tears. "We're left to raise our children
all on our own! How could this happen?!"

Rubbing her friend's back as she sobbed, Bulma soothed, "It's all
going to be okay, Chi Chi. Gohan is a strong boy, very mature for his
age. He'll be a real help around the house-"

"That's not what's wrong!" Chi Chi screamed up at the ceiling.
"I'm pregnant, Bulma! I'm going to have another baby and my husband is
dead! I have no money! What am I going to DO?!"

Giving her friend one astonished blink, it took Bulma a moment to
absorb this new information. Apparently, Gokou had gotten off more than
just a last shot at Cell before leaving this world, after all. Bulma
ended up offering the only answer that she could. "Move in with me,"
she said.

Chi Chi stared at her as if she were mad. "You-you're not
serious..."

"I'm very serious," Bulma responded calmly. There was actually a
ghost of a smile on her face. "I'd love the company and I could use
your expertise on how to raise a half-Saiyan baby. I'll admit, I'm at a
loss on what to expect from Trunks. We have more than enough room and
Gohan will be close to all of the good schools. You won't be facing
your pregnancy alone and the nearest hospital is just down the road.
What do you say?"

After one stunned moment, Chi Chi overcame her paralysis and
leapt into Bulma's arms with a relieved squeal of delight. They were
still babbling in joy when Gohan walked in carrying several fish on a
line.

"What's going on?" he asked curiously. Behind him, his
grandfather forced his immense bulk through the small door and into the
kitchen, looking around with his usual kind-hearted cluelessness. "Chi
Chi? You okay?"

"Oh father, for once I'm wonderful!" Chi Chi gushed. She went
over to Gohan and wrapped her arms around the boy. "We're going to move
into Capsule Corporation! Isn't that great?"

"We are?" Gohan echoed reluctantly.

Peering up at the Ox King, Bulma offered, "You're more than
welcome to join us, if you'd like." In the back of her mind she was
picturing her mother hiding all of the delicate china and crystal
before this clumsy behemoth set one foot in the house.

"No, No, No! Someone has to look after the house and the
livestock," the man said enthusiastically. "The two of you go! You'll
have a blast!"

"Maybe… maybe it won't be so bad," Gohan considered out loud.
"It'd be kind of nice to spar with Vegeta. If, y'know, he'd even let
me-"

"Do you honestly think I would have accepted if that horrible man
were still living there?" Chi Chi cried, whirling on her heel and
advancing on her only child. She pointed a rigid finger at his nose.
"Vegeta has moved out for good. I won't tolerate you hanging around the
likes of him, that green monster is bad enough!"

"But, mom! Piccolo-"

"No buts! Your fighting days are over! It's time to hit the
books, young man!" With that, she marched off into the bedroom in
preparation to get their belongings packed.

Everyone in the kitchen fell into stunned silence from the
tirade. The Ox King muttered something about feeding the chickens and
forced his girth outside. Gohan's cheeks blazed scarlet and he dropped
his head and went to his room before his tears embarrassed him further.
Now alone in the kitchen, Bulma found her own face was as flushed as
the boy's, though for an entirely different reason.

"What the hell have I just done?" she muttered under her breath
with dawning realization.

>>>>>

Packing up in record time, Bulma touched down in the Capsule
Corporation yard three hours and two extra passengers later. Chi Chi
appeared to be finally shelving her grief at long last and anticipating
the change in address. She and Bulma's mother started exchanging
recipes even before they were inside the house.

Gohan was a different story. He was always a polite young man who
rarely ever complained but it was clear to Bulma that he was upset by
the suddenness of the move. His dark bangs hung over his face in an
untidy mess and his clothes seemed to hang on his too-lean frame.
Unpacking his and his mother's belongings, he hung back as his mother
and Bulma's parents disappeared into the Headquarters building. When he
finally looked up at Bulma, the loss in his dark eyes was staggering.
"Has Vegeta really left, Bulma?"

Nodding, she responded, "Yes, Gohan. He has."

The boy looked sadly down at his feet. Bulma had to resist the
urge to sweep that lonesome child up and assure him that everything was
going to be okay. He just had to give it some time. As if picking up
the thought, he took a deep breath and picked up his suitcase and
followed his mother into the house without another word. For some
reason, Bulma found the boy's unusual sullenness more than just a
little disconcerting.

>>>>>

Bulma ended up being very relieved for the younger woman's
presence, after all. Practically the day after her guests moved in, she
fell prey to a nasty viral infection that left her sick and weak for
the rest of the month. Chi Chi's expert ministrations helped her
through the worst of the inexplicable illness and she was able to rest
with the assurance that Trunks was being well tended to.

Thankfully, when she felt strong enough to return to work, there
were no more threatening reminders to arrive in the mail for her. That
menacing note was never far from her thoughts. The accounting
department notified her that there had finally been some activity on
Vegeta's charge card. Eyeing the receipts they provided, she discovered
that the Saiyan had first dined at some restaurant called the Gilded
Osprey the very day she had visited her friends. After apparently
enjoying the rich fare, he continued eating out at expensive
establishments for the rest of the week. At the moment, he was checked
into an affluent hotel on the East Coast and rediscovering the joys of
room service.

Leaning back in her desk, Bulma set the papers down and regarded
the far wall with a mixture of emotions. Vegeta had obviously made up
his mind to continue his solitary pursuits and ignore her and their
son. He was going to live the life of a carefree bachelor at the
expense of Capsule Corporation. There was no telling how long it would
take for him to come around. If he ever would.

It was time for her to move on.




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Chapter Four: The FATE of Vegeta!