Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Whatever It Takes ❯ Chapter 18

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

AN: To those of you who hate cliffhangers, hopefully this chapter will make up for last chapter's Evil Cliffhanger ending. There are some fluffy bits, especially at the end, but I think that for the most part we all enjoy those moments. They add a little something special, don't you think? It can't be angst and hurt all of the time. Besides, a little fluff never hurt anyone.

Special thanks to my husband for reading this for me.

Enjoy!


Disclaimer: Dragonball Z was created by Akira Toriyama. It is owned/licensed by Toei, Bird Studios, Shonen Jump, Funimation, and Viz, not me. However, you will see some characters that weren't created by Toriyama-san, and those are my brainchildren. No money was made in the production of this work, more's the pity.


Chapter Eighteen

Thanking Kami that she'd had the foresight to take some ki from Vegeta before the proceedings had begun, Anya moved faster than the eye could see to catch him before he hit the hard balcony floor. "Pops!"

^Anya, listen to me,^ Vegeta rasped out. ^Make sure that Geta trains Vegeta well, and brings him here when he is old enough.^

^Pops, you're going to do that yourself,^ Anya admonished him, taking his hand and holding it close. ^Stop talking like you're dying. You're too stubborn for that.^

^I've died before, Anya,^ he reminded her. ^It's an unmistakable feeling. You... you of all people know that. This is no different.^ He labored to draw in a rattling breath, as it was becoming more difficult to breathe. ^Please listen, while I... while I still have breath to speak to you.^

Anya nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. She was hardly aware of the flurry of servants rushing around behind them, the shouts of her father demanding that his personal physician be brought, or the sobs of her mother, who knelt beside her. ^I'm listening.^

^Do what is needed... to make it so, and to protect.... both of our worlds.^ His trembling hand touched her cheek. ^Don't cry, Anya. So much good... has happened here today.^

It was better off this way. After his failed conversation with Bulma, it was obvious to him that nothing would be lost as far as she was concerned in the event of his death. Offering his life to preserve that of his new ally, however, might earn his son some favor in the eyes of these people that he might not otherwise have received, as twisted as the thought seemed.

Anya began to sob even harder, unaware of his morbid thoughts. ^I love you, Pops.^

He managed a weak little smile. ^You too...^ She beamed despite her tears, and for not one moment did he regret those two little words. It might be his last chance to say them. Speaking of which... ^Anya, tell Bulma for me... that I'm sorry... so sorry, for everything.^ His grip on her hand weakened. ^Especially that I never had... the courage to tell... to tell her that... I...^ His eyes began to droop closed and the hand touching her cheek fell, leaving a smear of blood behind.

^No!^ Anya hissed at him, reaching over to shake his shoulder. ^Don't you do this! You're stronger than this, and you're going to tell her yourself!^

He shook his head, feeling weak as a baby as he did so. ^P-poisoned,^ he whispered. ^Burning away insides...^

^I'm going to get some help,^ Anya insisted. ^Hang on just a little longer, Pops, please,^ she pleaded. ^I'll be back in just a moment, Mother. Don't let him go to sleep.^ Focusing her concentration on her husband's ki, she touched her forehead and disappeared.

***

"Geta, I need you now!"

Geta turned at the sound of his wife's voice. His eyes widened when he saw her disheveled and covered in blood. "Anya, what happened?" he exclaimed incredulously.

She snatched their son from his arms and handed him to Bulma, who looked equally horrified. "No time to explain." She grabbed his arm and teleported to the medical lab, where she pressed a button on the regeneration tank to encapsulate it. "Pops jumped in front of some projectile meant to kill my father, and he's this close to dying," she told him as she hastily gathered up the things she needed. "He said he can feel poison burning away his insides." She wiped at her face with her hand. "He can't die again Geta, he just can't. Even when Earth's Dragonballs are ready, we can't use them for him again."

Geta stared at her in shock. She was right- it had been the Earth's Dragonballs which had been used to raise Frieza's victims on Namek. They wouldn't work for his father again. "Tell me where Gerdia is," he instructed her, taking her hands in his. "I will go tend to Father. If it really is poison, I don't want you near it. You go to Goku's house and have him get you a senzu bean from Korin. Go back to Gerdia as soon as you have it, and we'll take Father out of the tank and give it to him."

"But-"

"Anya, if Father's about to die, we don't have any time to argue. Please, help me out here!" His eyes pleaded with her. "I don't know where Gerdia is or even where to begin to search for Father's ki, and I don't want you getting trapped there if something happens and no one with ki you can use to get home is there."

Anya got the point immediately- if Vegeta died while she was there, until Geta managed to find and make it to Gerdia, she'd be stuck there. Besides, borrowed Saiyan strength or not, there would be little she could do requiring physical effort- such as lifting Vegeta into the regeneration tank- in comparison to her much larger and stronger husband. :You're right. I'm sorry.: She opened her mind fully to him.

:Don't be sorry. I know you love Father.: Geta kissed her forehead and accepted the capsule containing the regeneration tank and some medical supplies from her. "Now hurry." He concentrated deeply on his father's rapidly weakening ki and disappeared before she could say anything else.

***

^I don't know, Herrón. She said she would be right back, and not to let Prince Vegeta go to sleep,^ Queen Evalina told her husband nervously. ^She said something about getting help.^

It was at that moment that Geta appeared, capsule in hand. His eyes widened when he saw his father lying, unmoving, in an alarmingly large puddle of his own blood. "Father!" he exclaimed, rushing over to him. "Oh, no, Father..."

Those currently tending to Vegeta moved aside when the much larger man pushed forward and dropped to his knees. Judging by the looks of him, he appeared to be a relative of the fallen prince. One servant quietly pointed out the tail wrapped around the tall man's waist, confirming their suspicions.

"Father, please..." Geta placed two fingers on Vegeta's neck to feel for his pulse. It was very weak, but still there. ~Kami, he's burning up!~ "Give me some sort of a response!" He pressed the plunger on the capsule and set it down a safe distance away, ignoring the shocked gasps he heard when it opened. He repeated the procedure with the regeneration tank, to which he attached a power supply and a container holding the fluid.

"Geta?" came the barely audible response.

Geta breathed a sigh of relief. "I have the regeneration tank, Father. Anya is trying to track down a senzu bean. When she gets back, I'll take you out of the tank and give you the bean."

He could hear a wet rattling sound come from his father's chest as he drew in a breath, attempting to respond.

"Father, don't speak. Tell me telepathically." Geta struggled to maintain his composure.

:Take it out first.:

:What?:

:You need to remove whatever it is that struck me. I can feel it eating away at my insides.:

:Hold on...: Geta gripped the neckline of what was left of his father's blood-soaked shirt and pulled, tearing it down the center. He winced and sucked in his breath between clenched teeth. Whatever object had struck Vegeta had traveled at an upward angle into his chest, lodging itself deep inside behind his ribs. Blood and body fluids mixed with the toxic substance seeped from the festering wound. The sight and smell of it almost made him physically ill. "Kami," he muttered. :Father, how am I supposed to remove this object? It's behind your ribs, and it looks like it may have struck one of your lungs as well..:

:It did,: Vegeta confirmed. :A couple of my ribs are already broken. Just move them out of the way.:

There was no way that Geta could have hidden his shock. :But-:

"Do you want to help... or not, Geta?" Vegeta wheezed. He opened his eyes and looked up at his son.

Geta bit his lip, fighting back tears. He didn't want to cause Vegeta any more pain, but there was no way around it. "Yes, Father." He sat down on the ground, legs stretched out straight, and carefully slipped one leg across his father's collarbones. He rested the other one over his waist, effectively pinning him down. "I'm sorry, Father," he whispered as he pulled on some surgical gloves.

"J-just do it." Vegeta closed his eyes.

"Do you know how deep it is?" Geta poised his hands above Vegeta's chest.

:Here.: Vegeta mentally showed him where it was. :I trust you, Son.:

The king and queen stood behind him, their eyes widening when the young man drew in a deep breath, then felt inside the festering wound. Vegeta's arms and legs jerked in response, then stiffened. His fingers dug into the concrete and his teeth were clenched so tightly that it was amazing that they didn't crack.

^Oh... I cannot watch this,^ Queen Evalina whimpered, burying her face against her husband's shoulder so she didn't have to see the involuntary tears of pain trickling down Vegeta's cheeks. She could hear the occasional gasp of pain or groan that escaped the injured prince's lips, followed by a strangled scream of agony as another rib snapped.

"I have it, Father!" Geta exclaimed, holding up a sharp, bullet-shaped object in his hand. He dropped it on the ground. "How are you holding up?"

:Just kill me now.: Vegeta coughed, and more blood dripped from his lips.

"Don't be ridiculous," Geta murmured. He took some long cloth bandages from the supply kit and wrapped them around Vegeta's chest. "I'm sorry, I'm nearly done." He hurriedly attached the electrodes to his father's chest and slipped the breathing mask over his mouth and nose. He picked him up and placed him in the cylinder as carefully as possible.

"I love you, Father," he whispered. "You'll be just fine." He closed the door and started the process to fill the cylinder with fluid.

Vegeta managed a weak nod before slipping into a healing sleep.

Geta peeled off his bloody gloves and rested his forehead against the glass, completely exhausted mentally. It was only then that he allowed his own tears to fall, only now they were tears of relief. He sank to his knees in front of the tank. "Thank you, Kami."

^Prince Vegeta?^

Geta lifted his head, staring straight ahead at the blue liquid in the regeneration tank. His heart raced; he knew who the voice belonged to.

Anya's father.

He turned to face the king, his eyes widening when he saw both of Anya's parents standing behind him. Anya was a perfect blend of her parents; she had her father's blonde hair and her mother's green eyes and delicate facial structure. He shifted awkwardly to face them and lowered his head, right fist and left hand over his heart as he remembered seeing Anya do during her formal introduction to his father.

^Rise, young man,^ King Herrón commanded in a soft voice.

Geta's mind raced nervously; he did not understand in the slightest what his father-in-law had said. He was able to discern that the king had not used a typical conversational tone of voice, so he assumed that it was he who had been addressed, especially since he had understood his name spoken earlier, but how was he to know? He had no desire to offend either Anya's parents or the thousands of people still watching by inadvertently doing the wrong thing. Even more so, since he hadn't ever contemplated actually meeting his wife's parents, he had not realized just how important receiving their approval was to him. He couldn't ruin his only chance at a good first impression.

Geta lifted his face slowly to meet his father-in-law's gaze and shook his head sadly, shrugging his shoulders in a helpless fashion. "I don't speak Gerdian," he murmured quietly, gesturing in a fashion that indicated speech from his mouth and shaking his head again. An embarrassed blush spread across his cheeks. ~Talk about ruining any chance of a good first impression...~

King Herrón's eyebrows rose. Even though he hadn't understood what Vegeta's son had said, the meaning of his behavior was clear. ~So, the boy does not speak Gerdian. How unfortunate.~ ^Rise, young man,^ he repeated, coupling his words with his hand as he raised it up.

Geta got to his feet immediately, feeling a little awkward as he stood towering over everyone around him. ~What would Father do in this situation?~ He did the first thing that came to mind and smiled, bowing respectfully to them. ~They don't like Saiyans to begin with, but somehow Father must have gained a measure of trust, since Anya's mother is still alive. So perhaps I am trying too hard. I need to lighten up a little.~ "I am Geta," he told them, resting a hand on his chest for emphasis.

The two monarchs nodded; they recognized the nickname from what Vegeta had told them. Feeling good about the positive response, Geta decided to follow through on an idea he had and pulled his wallet out of his pants pocket. He opened it and pulled out a picture, knowing they had already seen his wife and had evidently figured out who he was.

Queen Evalina accepted the photograph from him and examined it. She beamed and let out an excited gasp. ^Oh! Herrón, you must see this!^ she exclaimed, her green eyes shining with delight.

Her husband took the picture from her and chuckled when he saw it. It was a shot of Geta sitting on the couch with his arm around Anya's shoulders. They were smiling warmly at each other and their son was stretched across their laps, fast asleep. He looked up from the photograph to see Geta beaming proudly.

^He looks so proud,^ Queen Evalina noted. ^I can see why. What a beautiful picture.^

^Indeed,^ King Herrón agreed. ^Who would have imagined this?^ He pointed to the picture. ^I never would have.^

Geta pointed to the sleeping child. "Vegeta."

They gave him a skeptical look, as if needing confirmation that yes, the boy too was also named Vegeta. He only sighed and nodded, his resigned expression earning an amused chuckle from his in-laws.

***

"Hello?"

"Chi-Chi, it's Anya. Is Goku home?" Anya asked breathlessly.

Chi-Chi frowned a little and cradled the phone between her head and shoulder as she pulled one of the curtains aside to peer out the window. Anya sounded so anxious. "Yes, he's outside chopping wood. Why, is something wrong?"

"Yes, I need to speak to him immediately. It's an emergency," Anya told her.

Chi-Chi rapped her knuckles against the window to get her husband's attention and waved him inside. "I'll put him on, okay?"

"Thanks." Anya waited as patiently as she could as the phone was being transferred.

"What's wrong, Chi-Chi?" she could hear Goku's concerned voice asking.

"I don't know," came Chi-Chi's response. "It's Anya asking for you, and she sounds pretty upset."

"Oh." Goku took the phone from his wife. Had Anya found out what had happened? Maybe she was mad at him for not telling her. "Hello, Anya? Is everything okay?"

"No, and I need your help," Anya told him in a shaky voice. "Pops is in trouble on Gerdia, and he's going to die if we don't get him a senzu bean right away."

Evidently she did know, but how that had happened wasn't important at the moment. "What?" he exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

"No time to explain," Anya insisted. "Can you get me one and come over with it?"

"But I got Vegeta two of them before he left," Goku told her. "Did he already use them both?"

"I don't know anything about that," Anya told him. "I just need one now."

He could tell that she was on the verge of tears. "I'll try," he promised. "I'll go see Korin, okay?"

Anya sniffled and nodded, despite him not being able to see her. "Okay. Thanks."

Goku sighed as the line went dead and hung up the phone. "I've gotta go, Chi. I'll finish the wood when I get back, I promise."

"What's going on, Goku?" Chi-Chi asked worriedly. Her usually happy husband was now solemn and lost in thought as he pulled his boots back on.

"I can't explain right now, but I'll tell you everything later." Goku slipped his coat on, kissed his wife's cheek, and disappeared, leaving her standing alone and confused.

***

Anya sniffled and dabbed at her face with a tissue as she exited her bathroom. Mrs. Briefs had taken her son so that she and Bulma could talk. She'd cleaned herself up and changed into some fresh clothes as she told Bulma, who was sitting on the bed, everything that had gone on. The only thing she'd left out was the message from Vegeta. She wanted him to have the chance to tell her himself.

If he survived.

"He's... he's dying?" Bulma asked blankly. She couldn't help but feel both guilty over their last conversation and pained by the thought that he might never come home again.

Anya handed her-mother-in-law a tissue and sat down beside her. "If we can't get him a senzu bean, well..." She swallowed. "He was in really serious shape when I left. I don't want him to die, and there's nothing I can do for him but hope. I feel so helpless." She started to cry, which only served to set Bulma off as well.

"He'll be all right, Anya. Goku will get us a senzu bean, you'll see." Bulma dabbed at her face with the tissue.

"I hope so," Anya told her. "He's the closest thing I've ever had to a father, and I love him so much."

~Oh, Kami...~ How could she respond to that? "I know, Sweetie," Bulma said, putting an arm around Anya's shoulders.

They both jumped when Goku suddenly appeared in front of them. "Anya, I got the very last bean," he exclaimed. "I had to promise a few favors, but I got it."

Anya jumped up and threw her arms around him. "Oh, thank you, thank you so much, Goku!"

Goku returned the hug gently. "Of course, Anya. I don't want to see my friend die, and I know he means a lot to you, too." He looked up past her shoulder to Bulma, trying to pick up on her feelings.

Anya sniffled and let him go. "Yes, he does. Let me have the bean and I'll go."

Goku placed the bean in her hand. "Best wishes, Anya. Vegeta's really lucky to have you."

"Thank you, Goku. For everything." Anya concentrated for a moment, searching for her husband's ki, then placed two fingers to her forehead and disappeared.

They were both silent for a moment before Goku sat down next to Bulma. "I hope Vegeta will be okay."

Bulma nodded. "Me too, Goku."

"He's important to more people than he realizes," Goku added. "Plus, VJ shouldn't have to grow up without his daddy. Vegeta has so much to offer him." He looked straight ahead, avoiding looking at Bulma.

Bulma drew in a deep breath. She knew he was fishing for a response from her. "He's important to me too, Goku," she said quietly. "I don't hate him. I never did. I..." She trailed off. This whole trip had made her do a lot of thinking. She was forced to admit that she still had strong feelings for Vegeta. He was the first man that she had truly, deeply loved, even more than she had loved Yamcha. She was also forced to admit that she still loved him, and that it would devastate her if something bad happened to him. How would she deal with it if he actually died?

"Tell me the truth, Bulma," Goku said, interrupting her thoughts. And don't tell me I'm being ridiculous, either."

He didn't need to say what he meant. She knew very well what he was referring to. He'd told her that she still loved Vegeta at Anya and Geta's wedding, and she insisted that he was being ridiculous. But it was a lie. Bulma felt her face crumple as her emotions overtook her, and she leaned over to hide her face against his shoulder.

Goku put his arms around her and rubbed her back soothingly. No words were needed. Her sobs were confirmation enough.

***

"I'm back!"

Geta turned to see his wife reappear and leapt up from where he'd been sitting next to the tank to meet her. "Did you find one?" he asked anxiously.

She nodded. "Goku had to go see Korin, but we got one."

Geta closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Kami. He's pretty bad off, and I don't think that the regeneration tank is going to cut it much longer." He took her hand and led her over to the tank.

"He looks, I don't know..." Anya paused, frowning. Her unconscious father-in-law floated peacefully in the blue healing liquid, but didn't look any better off, and she knew she'd been gone for nearly two hours. The tank should have at least begun healing him. "His skin looks so reddish, doesn't it?"

"You're right, it does." Geta looked at the gauges on the machine and frowned. "No wonder- the filtration system can't keep up with the amount of poison in his body, and it's contaminating the fluid," he explained worriedly. "He's alive thanks to the tank, but because we don't have any more new fluid to replace the contaminated fluid, instead of healing him, it's... it's..."

"Cooking him," they chorused, quickly meeting each other's eyes after having done so.

"Let's get him out of there!" Anya exclaimed, digging in her pocket frantically for the senzu bean.

"I'm draining the fluid now," Geta announced, pressing buttons on the tank.

The king and queen had stepped up behind them when Anya reappeared but stayed back somewhat, watching as their daughter and her husband spoke briefly before flying into action.

^I wonder what they are talking about,^ Queen Evalina murmured, taking her husband's arm worriedly. ^I do hope that Prince Vegeta will be all right.^

^I hope so too.^ King Herrón stopped talking when Anya and Geta began shouting frantically. Geta hit the tank, which was partially empty, with his fist in frustration and ran his hand through his hair. Anya reached into the bag Geta had used earlier and took out another pair of gloves.

"Can you tell why it's not draining?" Anya asked, handing him the gloves.

"I'm guessing that whatever that poison is, that it's a lot stronger than we thought," Geta answered as he slipped the gloves on. "If it's destroying the tank, it's a wonder it didn't eat through my gloves. Let's hope it doesn't this time, either. Stand back, and get your parents back, too." He levitated to the top of the tank and pried it open, tossing the top down. :Father... Father, wake up,: he sent. :Let's get you out of there.:

There was no response.

:Father!: Geta frowned and reached inside to gently shake his father's shoulder. "Father, wake up! Kami, he's even more feverish than before!" he exclaimed. He reached in with both hands and lifted Vegeta up and out of the tank, wires and all, resting him on the ground. "Quickly, give me the bean!"

"Here it is," Anya managed through her tears.

"Father, you need to eat this senzu bean," Geta told his father in a loud voice as he pulled off the breathing mask and the various wires used to monitor his vital signs. "Come on, wake up. Wake up!" he cried in desperation, shoving the bean between his father's lips and giving him a little shake. "Father!"

^This is what happened to you, Evalina,^ King Herrón told his wife in a quiet voice. ^I thought I had lost you. They said you were gone, but I was stubborn and managed to get the bean down your throat, thank the gods.^ His arm tightened around her.

The queen wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. ^Oh, Herrón... this whole situation is just dreadful. He was willing to sacrifice his life to save us all, and it appears that he just may have done so. How can I sleep tonight knowing that it was I who should have- oh!^

She put a hand over her mouth when Vegeta groaned and sat up slowly. A few gasps and shocked exclamations were heard from the crowd of people watching.

"Pops!" Anya shrieked, throwing her arms around him.

Vegeta shook his head and moved away before she came in contact with him. "No, Anya, don't touch me. I'm covered in poison. You'll only burn yourself. I can feel it stinging away at my skin even as it heals."

Geta took her arm to bring her aside. "Anya, is there someplace nearby where Father and I can wash off and not contaminate the palace?"

She thought about it as quickly as possible. "The ocean isn't far, but it's salty just like on Earth," she mused, eyeing Vegeta worriedly. His newly healed skin was already beginning to show signs of burning. "Oh! There's a little fish pond with a fountain in the garden. Let's take him there." She beckoned to the two men.

The king and queen watched in confusion as their daughter took to flight, the two Saiyans behind her. "I am not even going to contemplate," Queen Evalina mused.

"Nor I," her husband agreed. "The guard has done well keeping everyone here. We should attempt to determine who was behind this."

***

"Wow." Geta stared at the now ruined fountain and its adjoining decorative pond. "I think it's safe to say that we trashed it."

"Oh yeah." Anya looked over at her father-in-law. "Feeling any better yet, Pops?"

Vegeta swam over to the side of the pond and looked up at them. "Yes. I should shower, but this seems to have gotten the majority of the poison off." He nudged a dead fish floating nearby away in disgust and grabbed Geta's pants, which Geta had taken off and laid there for him.

"I'm glad, Pops." Anya turned to give him some privacy and couldn't help but giggle. "This situation feels rather familiar, doesn't it?"

She heard a low chuckle. "I suppose, although now it is me borrowing too big clothes so I don't run around butt naked rather than you."

She giggled again. It was so cute when he used such informal speech, especially considering he'd picked the phrase up from her. "Well, it's a good thing Geta is here." She turned back around. "Once this mess is all sorted out, maybe we can relax a little. The palace grounds are beautiful."

Vegeta gave her a little half nod, half shrug. "We'll see." She was a good woman. His son was a very fortunate man. "For now, let's take care of business."

Geta looked down at his state of undress and sighed. His shirt had been ruined and Vegeta had his pants, leaving him with only one wearable article of clothing. "Of all the days to wear briefs," he sighed. "Add to that the complete inability to speak a word here. I must be making such a wonderful impression."

Anya frowned and took his hand. "Honey, don't feel that way. My parents know that these things are out of your control."

"I know." Somehow her words weren't making him feel any better.

"Geta, you're trying too hard," Anya told him. "Just be yourself. You're a wonderful person. I wouldn't have fallen in love with you and married you if you weren't." One blonde eyebrow quirked up at him. "I am royalty, and I have exquisite taste, don't forget."

Geta laughed at this and held her close. "What would I do without you?" he murmured, gracing her with a smile.

"Same thing I'd do without you," she responded seriously. "Wish and wonder about the one that got away."

He kissed the top of her head. "We'd better go before everyone wonders what happened to us."

"Yes, save that for later. You don't need any reaction because of mushy stuff when you've only got those on." Vegeta indicated his son's skimpy undergarment.

"Okay, all right." Geta blushed despite himself as they flew back to the palace.

***

Vegeta stood on the balcony, arms crossed and a scowl firmly upon his face. He'd gotten a glimpse of who had shot him, but the man was probably long gone... Wait. His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward a little.

^Prince Vegeta?^ King Herrón asked, noting the expression on Vegeta's face.

Vegeta levitated up above the balcony. ^You!^ he shouted, startling the crowd. His finger pointed accusingly into the swarm of people.

^Prince Vegeta?^ King Herrón repeated. ^What is it?^

^I see the bastard,^ Vegeta growled. ^Shall I go retrieve him for you, Majesty?^

King Herrón's lips pressed firmly together as he reined in his anger. ^Yes, I would appreciate that,^ he retorted. This man had tried to kill him and had almost killed his new ally. ^He will be punished most severely.^

Before anyone knew what was happening, Vegeta rocketed into the crowd. People pushed back in fright as the angry Saiyan landed in their midst and grabbed one man by the throat, lifting him off of his feet. ^You miserable, filthy maggot!^ he shouted, well aware that the insult was considered highly offensive by these people. ^How dare you?^ People screamed in terror as Vegeta's hair turned platinum and a golden aura crackled around him.

The man clutched at Vegeta's hand in an unsuccessful attempt to free himself. ^You're... you're the maggot,^ the man managed. He gasped for breath when Vegeta dropped him unceremoniously on the ground.

Vegeta crossed his arms. ^Is that so? I am not the one who attempted to kill your king, am I?^

The man scowled at him as he got to his feet. ^King Herrón betrayed us when he made an alliance with you, and even more so when he sold his daughter to your worthless son, you disgusting murderer,^ he spat.

Further cries of fear came from the people around them when Vegeta grabbed the man, growling as he bared his sharp canines dangerously close to the man's throat. ^You hypocrite! You tried to murder your king, who made this alliance for the benefit of you all! I should dispatch you right here and now and make an example of you!^ he roared. He turned toward the palace. ^What say you, O King?^

Without a word, King Herrón crossed his arms and turned his back, indicating his unwillingness to interfere in the man's benefit.

^I expected nothing less from that cowardly traitor,^ the man shouted. He had nothing to lose and intended to turn as many people on to his point of view as he could before his life ended. ^These people have been deceived by his treachery long enough, and he deserves to die! He has done nothing good for this planet or any of us.^

^That's not true,^ an elderly man spoke up. ^I was a young man when the Saiyans attacked, and even before that happened the average citizen's life was far from perfect. I have watched King Herrón's reign with great interest since he took the throne, and he has done much to restore the condition of this planet and its people. True, we still do not enjoy the conditions we once did, but it is obvious to me that King Herrón has done all he can given what resources he has at his disposal. He has made great advances to improve the quality of all of our lives, and deserves not only our fealty as our king but our gratitude and loyalty as well.^ He stepped forward, waggling an accusing finger at the man. ^You, young man, are the treacherous one, and you are the one who deserves to die for your traitorous actions.^

The crowd burst into an uproar at this.

^I agree with this wise man's words,^ a woman holding a small child spoke up. ^King Herrón has always made sure that those of us with little means of life have always had a place to live, clothing on our backs and food in our mouths. My children have never gone hungry, even after my husband died. Why now would he destroy what he has worked so hard to attain for us by making an alliance that would harm us? I admit that I am afraid of the thought of an alliance with the Saiyans, yes, but none of us know what the king does of this man's loyalty to him. King Herrón has done us no wrong thus far. If this alliance does not work in this planet's favor, I have no doubt that our king will do what is right to correct the situation.^

The crowd clamored in agreement again at the woman's indisputable words. Seeing that the traitor seemed to have few supporters, Vegeta released him and stepped back. ^Perhaps I shall allow your brethren to show you how they feel.^ He leaned in. ^You are not worth bloodying my hands over, maggot,^ he hissed. ^Citizens of Gerdia, what shall be done with this traitor to you and your king, this man who would destroy your lives as you know them? By the authority granted me by His Majesty the king, I leave him to your tender mercies.^ Without another word, Vegeta flew back to the palace, leaving the startled traitor suddenly feeling very much afraid as the angry crowd closed in around him.

***

"Wow, that was pretty intense," Geta commented. "I'm glad I had nothing to do with it."

Vegeta eyed his son. "If the arrangements King Herrón and I have made remain the way they are, I have no doubt that your younger self will be involved in many political actions on behalf of the Gerdian crown," he informed him. "It will be his duty as the husband of this planet's princess, and someday as its Prince Consort, should she decide to bestow the title upon him when she becomes queen. Either way, it will be his responsibility to protect and uphold the security of the crown in all respects."

Geta shifted in his chair a little uncomfortably. "That may be so, but I'm still glad I don't have that much responsibility. It was hard enough protecting Anya and Vegeta from the androids, and look how that turned out."

Anya placed her hand on his arm. "Honey, you did the best you could on your own," she told him softly. "Besides, such a responsibility comes with the title, like Pops said." She said nothing else, just eyed him expectantly.

Her meaning suddenly struck him. "You mean, you..." Geta trailed off, not liking the very idea of what she was insinuating.

"Have blood on my hands, too?" Anya finished for him. "Of course. I never personally carried out any executions, but I had to sentence people to death in certain situations according to Gerdia's laws," she told him softly. "Believe me, it wasn't an easy thing to do, especially for a little girl. I went to my chambers and cried the first few times it happened before I realized that I had to make the act impersonal. It never got easier, but at least I was able to deal with it better."

"I will train Vegeta in the ways of the royal court," Vegeta spoke up. "He'll know exactly what will be expected of him." He eyed his son. "Anya is correct, Son. You did the best you could. I couldn't save my people, remember? There is no point in dwelling on the past."

Geta nodded. "Thank you, Father."

There was a knock on the door.

^Enter,^ Vegeta called out.

The door opened and Marius stepped forward, bowing respectfully. ^Your Highness, King Herrón has summoned you.^

^I will accompany you presently,^ Vegeta responded. "Anya, why don't you show Geta the grounds as we discussed?" he suggested. "I don't know how long I will be in discussion with your father." King Herrón had granted him time to refresh himself and to place a call to Capsule Corp. Dr. Briefs had answered the call, as Bulma had been resting due to her stress, and Vegeta assured him that all was well. They had a few matters to attend to, and then they'd be home. It was just as well that Bulma hadn't answered, as he didn't know if he could face her again so soon after their last failed conversation.

"That's a great idea," Anya told him. "Come on, Geta. We'll take a tour of the palace later, once Pops is done with his business with Father."

"Sure." Geta took his wife's hand and allowed her to guide him out to the grounds.

Vegeta watched them go before turning back to Marius. ^I am ready.^

***

"This place is absolutely beautiful," Geta commented. They'd seen the gardens, the greenhouses, the stables, and some recreational and relaxation areas. "Those greenhouses were spectacular. We should do something like that at home. Well, on a smaller scale, anyway."

Anya nodded. "Sure, we could do that." She glanced over to the fence separating the palace's grounds from the area surrounding it. "See those little kids?"

Geta chuckled. "Yes, they've been following us for a while now," he commented with amusement.

Anya giggled. "I'm sure they're just curious," she told him. "Some of them probably saw what happened today or heard about it from their parents, and told their friends about it."

He looked back over at the children who were standing at a distance, giggling and whispering to each other, openly staring as they did so.

Embarrassed, Geta turned to his wife. "What are they talking about?" he asked, feeling rather self-conscious.

"They've never seen a man with a tail before," Anya explained, "and I doubt anyone as tall as you, either." She listened further, then giggled.

"What?"

"They want to touch it."

Geta blushed. "You mean touch my tail?" He sounded horrified at the thought; his past experiences with others wanting to 'touch' his tail had not been pleasant.

"They don't mean any harm, Sweetie. They're just genuinely curious." Anya squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Hmph." Geta approached the fence, sending the children rushing a little further away.

"Geta, what are you doing?" Anya exclaimed. After what had happened that day, she wasn't sure he should be going outside of the grounds.

Geta levitated above the fence, causing fascinated little twitters of excitement from the children. "C'mon, let's go out for a little. If anything happens, we'll just leave," he urged.

"I don't know..."

"Anya, we're here. I want to see some stuff before we go home." He turned on the puppy dog eyes, pleased when she finally acquiesced.

"All right," Anya agreed. "But if anything gets weird, we'll leave right away." She frowned at the skeptical look on his face. "Geta, you have to understand that some of these people are desperate just to get by. Add to that the fact that you're a Saiyan who has my father's approval, and you have to see why we might not be the most popular people around here right now."

"Especially after what happened today," Geta added. "All right, Anya. Just for a little bit." He grinned at her. "I'm not saying we should go on a tour or anything. They're just harmless little kids." He levitated over the fence.

Anya sighed and followed her overzealous husband over the fence. "Just be careful, okay?"

Geta kissed his wife's cheek, smiling when the children giggled in response. "I will." He waved at the children, making the most timid of them dash behind the others.

A little girl, perhaps seven years old or so, stepped forward, apparently being egged on by her friends to do so. ^Hi. Can my friends and me see your tail?^ she asked boldly. The other children giggled.

Geta found himself a little surprised that this child would so readily approach and talk to a 'dangerous' stranger, but perhaps that was the point, to see what she could get away with after having heard so many stories about Saiyans and how evil they were. Although it was pretty evident what the girl had asked, he turned to his wife for a translation.

Anya smiled, thoroughly amused. "She said, 'Hi. Can my friends and me see your tail?' " she reported.

~They don't seem like bad little kids.~ He shrugged. "I guess so," he responded, unwinding his tail from around his waist and holding it up before her.

Satisfied by this, the girl stepped closer to examine her subject. She smiled and turned her head to say something to the other children, then peered at it again, even more closely this time. Small curious twitters spread amongst the rapidly growing group, who were gradually edging forward.

Anya laughed. "She said, 'It looks like a kitty-cat's tail,' which I suppose it does, in a way."

He couldn't help but chuckle, and the little girl looked up at him wordlessly, but any fool could tell what she wanted. His eyebrow rose and he looked down at her with amusement. "Well?" he asked.

"She said it's pretty, and asked if she could pet it," Anya translated for him, completely charmed.

Geta chuckled again. Obviously he wasn't as scary as they'd been told. He lowered his tail a little more, tickling her arm with the very tip of it. She squealed excitedly and jumped, then reached out slowly to touch it herself. ^Ooooh... It really does feel just like a kitty's tail!^ she informed the small band of children surrounding them. ^It's so soft...^ Her fingers ran a few inches along its length before stopping and moving back up to repeat the petting motion. ^Does it like to be petted, Mister?^ she asked, looking up at him with large brown eyes full of wonder.

Anya's eyebrow rose. Oh, what a loaded question. If this girl only knew the pleasure or pain one could so easily inflict by touching a Saiyan's tail... "Does it like to be petted, Mister?" she repeated.

"An, how do I respond to that? Uhm... sometimes, if it's in a nice way like that. But other times, even kitty-cats don't like being petted," Geta ventured.

"Sounds like a good answer to me." Anya translated for the girl.

This seemed to satisfy the little girl, who nodded. ^Is your head hair soft like your tail?^

"Anya, maybe I should just satisfy her curiosity," Geta told his amused wife after she'd translated. He sat down cross-legged on the ground, surprising the young girl, and looked at her expectantly.

She hesitated, but reached out toward him after he touched his hair and beckoned to her. She touched his hair lightly and smiled, a giggle escaping her lips. Her little fingers grew bolder as she again examined him closely, feeling his heavy eyebrows, his ears, his mustache.

Geta looked up at Anya after she burst out into peals of laughter at something the girl said. "What?"

"She said you have big ears," Anya reported, "and I never thought about it, but you do. But they're nice to nibble on, so I can't complain."

The girl giggled, quickly followed by her band of friends, when the big man's cheeks turned pink.

***

^Herrón, Prince Vegeta, come see this,^ Queen Evalina called to the two men entering the room.

^What is it, Evalina?^ Curious, the king gestured for his guest to follow him to the window overlooking the street, where his wife stood and watched whatever was going on below.

^Isn't that adorable?^ she exclaimed, pointing to a crowd of children on the street.

^I cannot tell what they are doing... wait. Anya is there. Is that your son with those children, Prince Vegeta?^

Vegeta peered down, and his eyebrow rose. ^It is indeed,^ he confirmed. ^Majesty, did you happen to see what they are doing?^ he asked the queen.

Queen Evalina nodded. ^It appears that they are curious. They doubtless have never seen a man like your son. From what I was able to ascertain, the little girl closest to him asked if she might see his tail.^ She smiled with amusement.

Vegeta bristled slightly. ^What did he do?^

^Well, he reacted similarly to how you just did,^ she responded, ^but Anya must have assured him that they are simply curious. The little one even got him to let her touch it, and I managed to pick up her saying something about a kitten's tail.^ She laughed. ^She must be quite the little charmer, because your son now has a whole throng of children wanting to feel his hair and mustache. They are particularly fascinated by his tail, however.^

Vegeta couldn't help but chuckle. ^I suppose I can understand that. It's not every day that they would see someone with a tail.^ He sighed. ^They are so care free. What do they have to worry about? While part of me is resentful that my son's rightful inheritance has been denied him, the rest of me longs for him to not have to endure the things I did at their age, and the things that Geta and even Anya endured.^ He watched the excited children below. ^Would their parents allow this if they were aware of it?^

The king and queen exchanged a look of hesitation. ^Probably not. After all, my own behavior when you arrived was not exactly cheerful,^ Queen Evalina admitted shamefully.

^Think nothing of it, Majesty,^ Vegeta assured her. ^I would not have behaved even as well as you did. I have only recently learned to become patient.^ He paused. ^I still do not believe I would have the patience that Geta has. A Saiyan's tail is a very private matter.^

Their attentions were all turned to the street below when they heard a yelp, and some of the children scampered away.

^What happened?^ King Herrón asked, noting Anya scolding one boy.

^The boy deliberately stepped on the prince's tail,^ Queen Evalina reported, noting the sour expression on Vegeta's face. ^I'm sure he was not expecting that.^

They watched as the boy pointedly ignored Anya's chastisement and stuck out his tongue. A small girl who had been too shy to approach earlier did so now.

^That's not nice! He wasn't mean to you, and he letted us pet his tail, not hurt it!^ she told the boy, hands on her hips.

^Oh, be quiet, you stupid little runt,^ the boy snarled, giving her a hard shove. ^Get lost!^

The girl hit the ground with a small shriek and promptly started to cry, although she appeared to be more embarrassed than injured. She sat up and clutched her knee, which was scraped from her fall. ^You're mean!^

Geta got to his feet, sending the children scattering. He scowled at the boy and pointed down the street in a manner that clearly meant that the child was to go home. He turned and went over to the little girl and knelt down beside her. "Hey," he said softly. "Are you okay, hmm?"

Frightened, the girl scuttled away and let out a little whimper.

Geta frowned and looked up at Anya. "An, tell her that I wouldn't hurt her," he requested. "I just want to make sure she's all right."

^It's all right, little one,^ Anya spoke softly to the girl. ^Geta would never harm you. He just wants to make sure that you're not hurt.^

The girl looked at her, then over to Geta, who had a reassuring expression on his face. ^All right,^ she relented. The blonde haired lady seemed nice, and she was pretty, so the girl decided to trust her.

"Okay," Anya said, and Geta came over, crouching down to the girl's level.

"Hi there," he said softly. "I see your knee got scraped a little." He waited as Anya translated for him.

The girl nodded. ^Uh-huh. It stings.^

Geta frowned upon hearing what the girl had to say. "Anya, we should get her cleaned up," he decided.

^Would you like Geta to fix your scrape?^ Anya asked.

The girl nodded. ^It hurts, and Mama will be mad if I go home dirty.^

Geta didn't need to know what the girl was saying. Aside from her nod, she still had tears in her eyes and her lower lip was trembling. He felt his heart melt at the little girl's big sad eyes. "Aww, it's okay," soothed, offering her his hand. She took it hesitantly and let him lead her back towards the palace.

^Hey, where are you going?^ one of the children yelled.

^He's gonna roast you like a pig and eat you for dinner!^ another chimed in.

^Don't you listen to them. They're being ridiculous,^ Anya assured the girl, who looked rather unnerved.

"What are they saying?" Geta asked as he picked the girl up and flew toward the palace. "She looks a little nervous."

"Never mind," Anya grumbled. "They're just being silly kids."

***

^There now, all better,^ Anya soothed as one of the palace's doctors put a bandage on the girl's knee.

^It still hurts,^ the girl reported.

^The doctor said you didn't break anything, but that's a bad scrape. It will hurt for a while until it heals, right?^ Anya told her, smiling as the doctor nodded in agreement.

^Okay. Thank you, mister doctor,^ the girl said timidly. She'd never been to a doctor before. He was a nice man.

^You are welcome, young lady,^ the doctor told her, lifting her up from the cot she was sitting on and setting her down on the floor.

"Everything okay now?" Geta asked.

"Yes, she'll be just fine," Anya told him. "We should get her home now."

"I guess so." Right on cue, Geta's stomach growled, making the little girl giggle in turn. He chuckled. She was a very cute girl and he liked seeing her smile, considering she'd been afraid of him earlier. "Ask her if she's hungry, An," he requested, pleased when the girl took his hand without prompting and walked out of the medical ward with him. "Find out her name, too. I feel weird calling her 'the girl.' "

Anya giggled. ^What's your name, Sweetheart?^ she asked the now charmed girl, who had completely overcome her fear of the big man whose hand she was holding.

^I'm Leeta!^ the girl chirped. Now that her knee was bandaged up, she seemed to have taken a liking to Geta and was staring as small children often do.

^Hi Leeta, my name is Anya,^ Anya told her. ^Geta said to ask you if you're hungry, too.^

Leeta nodded. ^I din't eat lunch yet.^

^Oh my, then you are hungry. Let's go get something tasty to eat,^ Anya suggested, shooting an amused look her husband's way as she mentally sent him a translation.

^Okay!^ Leeta let Anya show them to the kitchens.

Anya strolled inside, heedless of the glances of the servants. She knew exactly where she was going and who she wanted to see. ^Jankar?^

A middle-aged man turned, looking a little confused when he saw who had addressed her. Based on her clothing she was obviously a guest of importance, but he didn't recall ever having seen her before. ^Yes?^

^We are guests of Their Majesties and would like to give this young lady a snack before she goes home,^ Anya explained. ^Do you have something tasty she could have?^

Jankar looked down at the little girl in peasant's clothing, who looked up at him with eager blue eyes. He smiled at the girl. If these individuals were amongst those whom they had been advised that the king and queen had received as guests, then giving this child something to eat wouldn't be frowned upon. Jankar, along with the other palace servants, knew the rules: always see to the needs of a guest in every way possible. In other words, spoil them shamelessly. It was all the more so in his case today, as this young woman had searched him out personally. ^Why yes! Of course I do, M'lady,^ he responded cordially. He crouched down to Leeta's level. ^Do you like chocolate, little miss?^

Leeta shrugged. ^I don't know what that is,^ she told him, looking a little confused when he and the pretty lady laughed.

^Well then, I shall just have to show you,^ Jankar told her. He went over to a cupboard and pulled out a pan, selected a few tiny confections from it, and placed them on a small plate. ^Here, try these.^ He held the plate out.

Leeta hesitated for a moment before picking up one of the little treats and putting it into her mouth. Her eyes grew impossibly large as she chewed.

All three adults chuckled. ^Ah, I see you do like chocolate,^ Jankar commented as the girl unhesitatingly took another piece.

***

"Geta, I'm going to make sure that someone gets Leeta home safely before her parents start worrying about her," Anya told him. "It should only take a few minutes. Why don't you take a look around the armor gallery while I'm gone? I think you would like what you see."

"Sure." Geta squatted down to Leeta's level. "Bye-bye, Leeta," he said with a little wave.

^Geta says bye-bye, Leeta,^ Anya told the girl.

Leeta looked shy for a moment, but suddenly wrapped her little arms around him in a hug. She returned the wave before taking Anya's hand and letting Anya guide her down the hallway. She had a little bag of treats from Jankar and, all things considered, had had a fun day.

Geta chuckled as he watched them go, wondering what it would be like to have a little girl of his own. Who was he kidding, there was no wondering to do. If she was half as darling as Leeta, any daughter of his would have him wrapped around her little finger rather effortlessly and he knew it, especially if she looked anything like her mother. Anya loved children; perhaps she would like to have a daughter. It wasn't as if he could choose should they have another child, but he'd mention the idea to her sometime and see what she said.

He entered the room Anya had indicated and stopped as soon as he got inside, stunned by what he saw. Rows of armor and weaponry filled the room, and some of the armor was put together, lacking only the soldier inside. He went in further, examining everything intently but touching nothing.

***

^Ah, Anyakita. There you are,^ a voice called out.

^Father?^ Anya turned to see her parents and Vegeta coming down the hallway behind her. ^Father, I just had a messenger take that little girl home,^ she told him. ^She was so sweet.^

^She did seem to be quite a pleasant child,^ Queen Evalina said with a smile. Anya and Geta had come into the palace with Leeta and, having seen everything that had happened, the king had commanded that the girl be tended to.

Anya nodded. ^She was afraid of Geta at first, but it wasn't long before he won her over.^ She smiled fondly.

^Where is Geta now?^ Vegeta asked.

^I suggested that he take a look around the armor gallery while I saw Leeta off,^ Anya told him. ^I figured he'd enjoy it.^

Vegeta nodded in agreement. He too had enjoyed looking at all the armor and weapons in his father's gallery as a small boy, and understood Anya's reasoning perfectly. ^Ah.^ He paused, thinking about all that had transpired that day. While they had eaten dinner rather early that day in his behalf, the announcement of the children's betrothal had been made, and the whole incident with the traitorous Gerdian had occurred. All of this had taken time. Therefore, it had been growing dark when the children had been playing outdoors. ^Why were those children outdoors so late? Do their parents not wonder where they are?^

King Herrón shrugged. ^As long as these children play together in relatively safe areas, their parents do not seem to be fearful of their safety. Many of the parents are employed for long hours and do not have anyone to mind their children after school hours and on weekends. This is their answer. While I do not agree with this solution, I understand why it has happened.^

^I see.^ Vegeta frowned. He didn't like the idea either, but what else could these parents do? Only the wealthy could afford personal care for their children. He found himself very grateful that Bulma could afford a private caretaker for their son when necessary.

^We have thought deeply on the subject and are doing our best to implement a reasonable solution while allowing these children the freedom to associate with each other. Right now, while there is very little formal control exercised over these children, for the most part they are relatively well behaved, with a few exceptions, of course. We can at least be grateful for that,^ Queen Evalina spoke up.

^Besides that, everyone in the town keeps an eye on the children who live there,^ Anya added. ^If a problem arises with one of the children, someone will step in however they can.^

The queen nodded in agreement. ^Anyakita is correct.^

Vegeta nodded. ^I understand completely, Majesty. I also understand that your Majesties have done much to better the welfare of Gerdia's citizens. Of course you would be concerned for the future of this planet's people.^ Anyakita would have her work cut out for her when she became queen.

^I appreciate your understanding, Prince Vegeta,^ King Herrón told him. ^There is still much reform work to be done, but we do what we can.^ He gestured toward a closed door. ^But for now, I present to you the armor gallery.^

^Ah, yes. I look forward to seeing it,^ Vegeta responded, stepping through the door which Marius was holding open for them. The king's personal servant had appeared seemingly out of nowhere; did he lurk behind his master on a constant basis? Vegeta had to wonder if Yajeel too wasn't far behind, and a quick sweep for the man's ki indicated that this was the case.

They stepped inside the large room filled with armor, weaponry, and paintings of various battle scenes on the walls. It didn't take long to find Geta, who was examining a suit of prominently displayed armor much more extravagant than the rest.

"Ii kamo..." they heard him murmur, making Anya giggle. Aware that he was no longer alone, Geta turned around and bowed politely to her parents. "Anya, come see this."

"Yes, isn't it something?" Anya commented as she approached him. "You have good taste. That's a set of Father's armor."

Geta smiled. "I should have guessed. It's really cool."

"So I heard." Anya stepped closer. "There's the Gerdian royal seal..." She continued to point things out to him.

Vegeta took a turn examining things in the room. He found himself particularly interested in the paintings. As expected, he came across a couple depicting the attempted purge of Gerdia, the Oozaru looming menacingly above the much smaller Gerdian resistors. One painting in particular caught his attention, and he levitated up to view it more closely. "Geta, come see," he called out.

"What is it, Father?" Geta asked as he came over.

"It is a painting of the Saiyans coming here, but there is something I want you to see. Or, rather, someone." Vegeta pointed to an individual on the canvas before him.

Geta's eyebrows rose. "Is that..." The man in the painting looked a lot like Goku.

Vegeta nodded. "Kakarrot's father. Whoever painted this was quite talented, as it looks startlingly like him. They even got the scar correct." He set back down on the floor. "Bardock was one of the few soldiers who were not killed by the resistance and actually made it back home."

^Do you see someone you know, Prince Vegeta?^ King Herrón asked with interest.

^Yes, a third-class soldier by the name of Bardock,^ Vegeta reported. ^He is the father of Kakarrot, the other Saiyan I told you about who lives on Earth.^ He chuckled. Geta was no longer by his side. ^Right back to your armor, I see. Well, at least you will not have a problem getting my son to dress in the Gerdian royal colors when he comes to live here,^ he commented with amusement.

***

^It is a beautiful night, isn't it?^ Queen Evalina sighed and wrapped her arms around her husband from behind.

^It is,^ King Herrón agreed softly, turning slightly to take her under his arm. He knew that he should be more affectionate with his wife, especially after she had responded so well at dinner. He bent his head down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead before gathering her close to his chest.

She sighed with contentment and slid her arms a little more securely around him. It was truly wonderful when he was so affectionate; not that he generally wasn't, but he usually was much more reserved in the way he displayed it. ^What are you looking at, husband? The stars?^ she suggested, turning her face up to look at him.

Her reaction to his embrace did not disappoint. The absolute love shining in her eyes made his efforts to show her just how much he did care for her worth it. ^I was,^ he agreed, ^but I noticed something else just a moment ago.^ He indicated the direction of his current interest with a nod of his head.

The queen followed his line of vision down to the courtyard below, where their adult daughter and son-in-law sat. The young man held her closely, his chin resting top her head as she sat on his lap, snuggled against his chest. She must have said something to him, for he lifted his head to look down at her. The expression on his face spoke volumes; it was evident that he was completely and helplessly enamored with her. He cupped her face with one hand, his thumb stroking her cheek as he responded in a gentle, deep voice before leaning down to kiss her softly.

^We made a good decision, Herrón,^ Queen Evalina murmured. ^He was gentle with those children and is tender with our daughter, despite growing up under such unfortunate and difficult circumstances. Now, with the precautions we all can take, it can only be better for the boy while he grows up.^

^Indeed,^ King Herrón agreed. ^Any qualms I may have had have been satisfied... oh.^ His smile widened when he noted that they were kissing quite passionately. Geta's arms were wrapped around his wife, and her arms had slid up his back, the fingers of one hand tangled in his hair. He broke the kiss to nuzzle her neck, dropping little kisses along it. She sighed happily and took his hands, rising from the bench they sat on. Her demure little look and the suggestive way she ran a finger down his chest left no doubt as to what her intentions were.

He grinned foolishly at her as she led him away, not putting up resistance in the least- until, that is, he happened to look up and see her parents standing at the window and watching them with smiles on their faces. His eyes widened in surprise and, despite the darkness, they could see him blush deeply in the dim light provided by the torches in the courtyard.

Anya looked up when he stopped following and saw them as well. She giggled and waved, then tugged him along after her as she entered the garden.

^That seems like a fine idea, don't you think, dearest?^ the king murmured against his wife's neck.

It was her turn to blush now. ^Herrón, I just gave birth today,^ she tried to object, but what he was doing felt absolutely wonderful.

^Yes, but...^ The king sighed raggedly and kissed her neck one last time. She was right. After all she'd been through that day, he couldn't complain, nor would he even point out the fact that the senzu bean had healed the stresses that their daughter's birth had placed on her body. ^Yes, you did. You blessed us with a beautiful daughter. I could ask for nothing more at this moment.^

Queen Evalina smiled broadly at him. She knew quite well what was on his mind. ^Of course, Herrón.^ She placed a kiss on his lips. ^I suppose you shall simply have to content yourself with holding me right now.^

King Herrón's eyebrow rose. ^I nearly lost you today, Evalina,^ he murmured softly, tipping her chin up to look at her pretty face. ^'Content' hardly scratches the surface of how holding you makes me feel.^

Tears welled up in the queen's eyes. ^Oh, Herrón,^ she managed, burying her face against his chest. ^I love you.^

^I love you too, Evalina.^ After the events of that day and hearing Prince Vegeta's rather sad story, he was bound and determined to make his wife feel loved and cherished in word and deed. Realization of the importance of his actions to her made what had once been an occasional happening much easier to do.

***

Vegeta put down his wine when he heard a knock at his door. He didn't recognize the ki of the individual at the other side. Who would be visiting him this late in the evening? He opened the door to see a young woman holding a large bag. ^Yes?^

^Highness, my name is Pallia,^ the woman told him, bowing as she did so. ^I am one of the king's masseuses and he has sent me to attend to your needs, should you desire my services.^

^Hmm...^ Vegeta's eyebrow rose with interest. The offer certainly was tempting. Anya and Geta had gone out to walk in the gardens and he wasn't ready to go to bed yet. What was the harm in it, especially if the king himself had sent her? ^Very well, Pallia. I would like that.^

The woman smiled brightly. ^I will set up my table in your room, Highness. That way, you will not be disturbed.^

^Good.^ Vegeta stepped aside so she could come in and shut the door behind her.

^I can set up in the wash room so that you are not far from your bath, or perhaps near the fire for warmth,^ Pallia told him, ^wherever you prefer, Highness.^

Vegeta contemplated this. ^I would like to be near the fire,^ he decided.

^Very good, Highness.^ Pallia pulled a folding table from the bag and expertly set it up, then placed sheets and a lightweight blanket on it. ^All right, I will leave for a moment so that you may- oh!^ Surprised, she blushed and averted her eyes; the prince had already removed his clothing and was unabashedly waiting for her to finish. A small smile flickered at her lips ever so briefly. This man wasn't timid at all and, given his physique, she couldn't say she regretted the misunderstanding in the least. She folded back a corner of the blanket and stepped aside. ^If you could lie belly down beneath the blanket with your face over the hole, we can begin.^

Vegeta found himself mildly amused by her surprised reaction. Wasn't this woman going to see his naked body anyway? He personally had no problem with it, as he'd never been ashamed of his body. Dismissing the thought as unimportant, he got onto the table as the woman had directed while she got out her oils.

Vegeta had to admit that he was looking forward to this. It had been quite a while since he'd had a massage, and if she was one of the king's personal servants, she had to be good. He closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind of how wonderful it had felt every time Bulma had touched him. It had been too long, far too long. Maybe this would help him feel something other than pain and regret.

It wasn't long before he felt the blanket being folded down just below his waist and her hands begin to glide across his back, distributing oil over it. After a while she worked a little deeper on the sore muscles and paused when she heard him let out a little groan.

^Highness, shall I use a lighter touch?^ Pallia asked. He was rather tense.

^No, it feels good,^ came the somewhat muffled response. ^Don't worry about pressing too hard.^

^All right. Please inform me if anything becomes uncomfortable.^ Pallia began rubbing again, her hands expertly following the length of each bone, muscle and tendon. Given the sheer mass of his musculature, her task was difficult enough, but she took him for his word and applied as much pressure as she could, using her forearms and elbows to gain more leverage and deeper access. She nearly paused again when she both heard and felt a low rumbling coming from the prince's torso and smiled when she realized what it was. She couldn't help but feel a little flattered, because evidently the rumors were true- Saiyans did purr like felines when they were content and relaxed.

As she worked further down his back, her eyes fell upon a dark round scar. ~His tail?~ she wondered. Taking a chance, she applied a moderate amount of pressure to the area, stopping when he suddenly tensed up. ^Highness?^

Vegeta forced himself to relax. He couldn't help but recall Bulma touching him there, knowing that just the right touch would bring him intense pleasure, while the wrong touch brought intense pain. ^It would be best to avoid that spot,^ he told her.

^I apologize, Highness. I meant no discomfort to you,^ Pallia said, covering his back with the blanket and starting on the backs of his arms. ^I should have asked you how you wished me to proceed.^

^It's all right,^ he mumbled. He sighed. Her touch had unfortunately been pleasurable, and he didn't want anyone other than Bulma doing such a thing to him.

***

After a solid two-hour session, Pallia found herself rather tired. Her patient's muscles had been extremely tight, and it had taken quite a bit of effort to work out all of the knots and tension. She was currently massaging his head, rubbing little circles into his scalp with her fingertips. It seemed that her earlier mishap had quickly been forgiven, as he'd let out a sigh and relaxed as she started up again. ^We are finished, Highness. Was everything to your satisfaction?^

^Hmm... magic fingers,^ came the groggy response. She'd beaten the hell out of him, and he'd undoubtedly sleep well that night.

Pallia let a little giggle slip. Despite the stories she'd been told of the Saiyan prince's violent outburst after the attempted assassination of the king, this man's demeanor was not at all what she had expected. He was not like that of the other guests of the king who she had worked on, most of whom had seen her as merely a slave to their desires. He had actually been quite polite to her, and she'd found her guard slipping ever so slightly. ^Thank you, Highness. Is there anything else you require before I leave you to retire for the night?^

Vegeta opened his eyes and sat up a little, leaning back against his forearms to look at her. She was watching him expectantly, and he suddenly realized just what she meant. Obviously her services were restricted to the royal household and any guests that the king might designate, as he had been, and most likely many of them expected more from her than simply a massage. A wave of guilt rushed over him, as he had been guilty of unhesitatingly taking advantage of such opportunities in the past. But now, he just couldn't do that. Despite Bulma no longer wanting him, he had the feeling that she would be hurt. Even if that wasn't an issue, this woman could never even begin to replace Bulma, and being with her had spoiled him for lesser women than the beauty he had once called his mate. ^No, you have pleased me well, I assure you,^ he told her. ^I do indeed offer you my gratitude.^

She nodded, managing to hide her surprise that a man of royalty would actually thank her. ^It was my pleasure to serve you,^ she told him. ^I will collect my things when you have entered your bath. Please let me know if you require further assistance in any way.^

Pallia couldn't help but feel a little disappointed as she left to draw his bath. She didn't typically enjoy the portion of her job that extended past the massage, but there was something different about this man. Despite his reputation, he hadn't been unpleasant at all, and added to the fact that he had a physique that she could compare to no other man she had ever seen, she'd actually been looking forward to it. Besides, she would have had some serious bragging rights with the other female servants. How many of them would have been able to say they'd bedded the Prince of Saiyans himself? None!

She sighed. Ah, well. No doubt he'd be back. There was always next time.

***

^Must you also go so soon?^ Queen Evalina asked, a hint of pleading to her voice. Geta had already left that morning to care for his son, and now her daughter and Prince Vegeta were planning to go back to Earth.

^I'm afraid I must,^ Vegeta told her. He bowed gallantly, placing a kiss on her hand as he did so. ^I have some things I must attend to at home. Anya, if you would like to stay, Geta or I could come bring you home whenever you wish,^ he offered.

Anya sniffled and wiped at her eyes. ^I would like to, but I missed my birthday party. Bunny will probably be disappointed if I didn't at least have cake with the family. But I promise I'll come visit again soon with Geta and our son.^

Queen Evalina looked very close to crying herself. ^Yes, do come back soon,^ she urged. Such a lovely woman her daughter would become, and young Prince Vegeta a tender husband. She couldn't be more pleased unless they were to have stayed longer.

^We will.^ Anya nodded in agreement and took Vegeta's hand. ^Ready?^

Vegeta was about to agree when a thought suddenly crossed his mind. He'd searched high and low for the second senzu bean he'd brought with him to no avail. There was one place he'd been where he hadn't thought to look, and it gave him an excuse to do something else he'd wanted to do but hadn't wanted to feel foolish asking to do it. ^I just thought of something I must do,^ he told her. ^Go home and see to Bulma and the children. I will be along in just a moment.^ He gave her hand a little squeeze, bowed to her parents, and left the room.

^Anyakita?^ King Herrón asked.

Anya shrugged her shoulders helplessly. ^I have no idea, Father.^

***

Vegeta crept into the nursery. To his disappointment the baby was asleep; he wouldn't have minded seeing her again before leaving. Not a very macho thing to do, no, but not only had his adult daughter-in-law earned herself a very special place in his heart, but the infant version of her had struck a chord with him as well.

^Highness? Is everything all right?^ a voice in the hallway asked.

Vegeta went back into the hallway to see Dotelli, Anyakita's nanny, approaching. ^Yes, I am just saying goodbye to the princess,^ he responded, feeling a little embarrassed when she smiled as if that was the most adorable thing she'd ever heard in her life.

^Of course, Highness. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you,^ Dotelli offered, bowing.

^I will.^ Vegeta paused. ^You didn't happen to find anything unusual in the nursery, did you?^ he asked. ^I am looking for a small bean with medicinal qualities which I have misplaced.^

^Oh! I have not seen one, but one of the nurses told me of such a bean which had been given to Her Majesty when the princess was born,^ Dotelli responded brightly.

^Yes, that is what I am referring to. I will look, but if you happen to discover the bean in the nursery, please give it to King Herrón,^ Vegeta requested.

Dotelli smiled. ^I would be pleased to be of any assistance, M'lord.^ She bowed again and continued on down the hallway.

Vegeta re-entered the nursery and examined the floor, using his ki to dimly illuminate the room so as not to wake the baby. He sighed in frustration when again, the bean was nowhere in sight. He was just about to leave when a little noise came from the cradle which held the princess. He might have crept out so as not to wake her but the child suddenly hiccupped, then started to cry.

Vegeta went over to the cradle and carefully picked the tiny bundle up. ^Hey now,^ he murmured softly, ^don't cry, little one.^ He turned on a light so he could see the baby better, and so she could see him, pleased when her whimpering quickly stopped.

Anyakita's hands were balled up into tiny fists and he tickled one with a finger, chuckling when the little hand opened and took hold of his finger in a firm grip. She gazed up at him with sleepy blue eyes which he knew would soon turn a lovely shade of green, and he couldn't help but smile before a sober thought permeated his mind. He'd missed out on this with his own son. He should have been there while Bulma had given birth to their son, and have been the first one after Bulma to hold him. He should have done right by both of them, been a good father, and an even better mate to Bulma.

He should have proudly called her his wife, and now it was too late.

His morose thoughts were interrupted by another hiccup from the newborn cradled in the crook of his arm, and he lifted her to rest upon his shoulder so he could rub the little back gently. ^What a precious child you are. Someday I will have a little princess of my own,^ he murmured softly. ^She will look just like her mother, and I'm sure she will be quite spoiled as well.^

The baby let out a little sigh and wriggled against his shoulder, and Vegeta felt his heart melt. How could he ever have not wanted to be a father? As loathe as he had been at one time to admit, he treasured his son and very much enjoyed being a father. It would not end with his son.

^I swear it.^

***

"Vegeta!" Bulma shouted, leaping up from the couch as he suddenly appeared in the den. "Oh, thank Kami! You're alive!" She threw her arms around him and began to cry. "When I saw them drag you away, after what you said I thought you were done for. But I knew somehow you couldn't be dead, and you weren't," she sobbed into his chest. "And then when Anya came back, all covered in blood, I just..."

"Shhh, Bulma, it's all right," Vegeta soothed, holding her close with one arm and rubbing her back gently. "No one died and everything is fine. I'll tell you all about it." He noted Hiroshi's angry glare and let her go. :However, if looks could kill, I'd be dead right now.:

"What? Oh!" Bulma blushed fiercely and dabbed at her eyes. "I'm, uhm, glad to hear it, Vegeta."

He nodded. "It went much better than I expected, actually, despite my brush with death and a disturbance at the palace. I'll tell you all about that as well."

"Thank goodness Anya snuck off, or you'd be a goner. She's a hero," Geta teased his wife. He stood in the doorway with his infant self in his arms and handed the baby to Vegeta, who had immediately come over to claim his son.

"Oh, what a relief," Hiroshi interjected sarcastically. "As entertaining as I'm sure sitting here listening to your stories of carnage may be, I have better things to do." He got up from the couch.

"Hiroshi!" Bulma objected. "Vegeta's life was in danger! It had nothing to do with fun and games." She scowled at him.

"Yes, what a devastating loss it would have been to lose our dear resident psychotic," Hiroshi said dryly. He leaned down to kiss Bulma but she moved away, her scowl intensifying.

"That was completely uncalled for," Bulma snapped. "What's your problem today?"

"I see, you'd rather throw yourself into your ex's arms than accept an innocent kiss from your boyfriend. Don't let me get in your way. I'll see you around, Bulma." He headed for the door haughtily.

"Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out," Geta called after him angrily. He crossed his arms. "What a jerk."

"Geta, watch your mouth," Bulma said weakly, resting her head in her hands. "You'll only provoke him further."

"Whatever," Geta mumbled. "I'm just relieved that everything turned out all right." :If it were up to me, I'd snap that Kami damned bastard's neck.:

:Only if you could beat me to it,: Anya retorted.

Vegeta nodded. He agreed with his son and daughter-in-law, but as long as Bulma defended the man, what could he do? He sighed. "I know."

"You know what, Vegeta?" Bulma asked, then it hit her. "You three are talking about Hiroshi, aren't you?"

"Yes. Never mind," Vegeta said emotionlessly, not denying her accusation. "A lot of good came from my trip."

Bulma sighed, grateful for the change of the topic of conversation. "Tell us about it."

Vegeta shifted his son in his arms and held him closer. "Well, at first my message wasn't very well received, especially the condition I laid down to King Herrón to get me to talk, but once we got past that, things were fine." A smile spread over his face as VJ rested his little head on his shoulder and began sucking his thumb contentedly.

"Condition?" Bulma asked. "What did you ask for?" She was surprised; she thought he had been doing all of this for Anya's sake.

"Daddy made sure that his little prince gets a nice little princess," Vegeta told his son softly, running a hand over the baby's head gently.

Bulma gasped, her face brightening as she realized what he must mean. "Vegeta, are you saying you-"

VJ lifted his head. "Da-ee." He beamed at his stunned father.

Vegeta's attention immediately turned back to the baby in his arms. "He said... did he say...?"

"His first word," Bulma breathed, her eyes tearing up. "My baby said his first word." Her eyebrow rose. "Oh, fine. I carry you in my body for nine months and undergo an excruciating labor giving birth to you and your first word isn't even 'Mama,' " Bulma complained with a lopsided smile.

Vegeta didn't know how to react. He hadn't expected his son's first word to be anything other than 'Mama,' either. He gave his son a little smile and cuddled the child close, taking in a deep breath. He'd thought she was nuts at the time when she'd made the remark, but Bulma had been right; babies did have a good smell. Especially this one, of course. A warm feeling welled up in his heart. "That's right," he whispered. "Daddy's got you." He paused, suddenly remembering the others in the kitchen, watching him.

Vegeta was surprised to realize that right then and there, he didn't care who was watching him. This was his son, the child he hadn't wanted but had wormed his way into his father's cold heart and become a source of pride- as well as comfort- to him.

VJ babbled happily and reached up to pat at his father's face. "Da-ee," he proclaimed loudly.

The warm feeling grew stronger. This child meant everything to him. Only one other person meant as much. "When I arrived, the king's behavior was guarded, which hardly surprised me," Vegeta began in a soft voice, "but he agreed to speak with me. After explaining exactly how it was that I so quickly went from approaching the planet from space to standing in the control room and what a 'capsule' is, I decided to just get to the point and explain why-" He paused as VJ attempted to grab his moving lips. "Why I was there." Without thinking about what he was doing, he took the little hand patting at his face and gently nuzzled it with the tip of his nose the way he'd seen Bulma do before, making his son smile and babble happily.

"What did he say?" Geta asked, trying not to sound too astonished at his father's behavior.

"I told him that I knew of danger against Gerdia and he took it as a threat," Vegeta responded. "I told him that I was not a threat, then the subject of the Saiyans' failed purge came up, and Frieza's involvement. I also told him that I knew of the Queen's condition and that she would give birth to a daughter the following day. The condition I spoke of earlier was that I would tell him everything I knew if he swore to betroth the girl to Vegeta."

Anya winced. "Clever idea, but I'll bet he about went through the roof, didn't he?"

Vegeta gave her a lopsided grin. "You could say that. But it was even worse when I told him that your mother was going to die having you. He threatened to have me executed right then and there, but I told him that if he gave her the senzu bean I had with me it would save her life, and hinted that certainly as the just man he is, he would wait to see if I was telling the truth or not. I told him that if I was indeed lying that I would submit to his decree."

"Wow," Anya commented, impressed. "Good call there, Pops."

"I know what would push my buttons. I just had to determine what would push his," Vegeta told her with a smirk. "He wasn't too happy with me, but when everything happened as I said it would and your mother's life was saved, he quickly changed his mind. He actually personally came to the quarters where I had been assigned to speak with me, and thanked me for my assistance. The possibility that I just might truly know of a threat against Gerdia as I had known about the queen's difficult labor was enough to convince him to listen to what I had to say. So, he invited me to dinner that evening.

"When Queen Evalina saw who her husband's 'honored guest' was, she was quite surprised, as I expected. She was reserved but polite, up until the point that King Herrón told me that he had decided to accept my proposal and found out what it was."

"She got upset, then?" Bulma offered. She took VJ from Vegeta and sat down on the couch with him, draping a blanket over her upper body so she could nurse him.

Vegeta let out a hearty laugh and sat down on his favorite chair. "Oh, to say the least," he responded with amusement. "She leapt out of her seat and began shouting her disapproval."

"Mother did?" Anya asked incredulously. "She seemed so sweet and loving!"

"She is indeed," Vegeta agreed, "but so is another sweet young lady I know who I have seen in a sour mood." He chuckled when Anya's cheeks flushed pink. "I don't blame her reaction. Had I been in her shoes, I daresay I would probably have burst a blood vessel."

"Yeah, like we've never seen that before," Geta piped up, making his wife and mother laugh in response.

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up," Vegeta told his son good-naturedly. "Think about it. Not only had she attempted to have a child for many years, but the very same day her husband agreed to betroth that child to the son of their planet's sworn enemy, and she certainly hadn't been consulted about it." He sighed. "Making important decisions without discussing the situation with all parties involved doesn't fare well, I've discovered."

Bulma felt a twinge of pain in her heart. "Vegeta-"

"But anyway," Vegeta continued before Bulma could say anything about his indirect apology, "once she heard the facts she settled down. By the time I related the entire story of what was to befall Gerdia and your history," he said, indicating the young couple seated on the loveseat, "she was in agreement." A slow smile crossed his lips. "Perhaps I am more charismatic than I thought."

Anya giggled. "Oh, Pops."

"Hmph." Vegeta enjoyed seeing the daughter-in-law of whom he was so fond smile after what they'd all been through. "Anyway, soon enough the aforementioned sweet young lady decided to show up and break up the party after she found out what had happened to me. But all was well, and you got to meet your mother after all."

Anya nodded, her eyes growing shiny with unshed tears. "Thank you, Pops. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Anya," Vegeta told her sincerely.

"So how did the whole mess with Anya showing up all bloody happen?" Bulma wanted to know. "She really freaked us out."

"King Herrón needed to make the announcement that Anyakita had been born, which the people responded to favorably," Vegeta began. "He decided to announce our alliance and the betrothal of our children at the same time. Needless to say, the people were not happy when they heard it. I still don't know whether or not that had anything to do with it, but someone in the crowd had a weapon and attempted to assassinate the king. I would assume he meant to do it anyway, since why would someone be carrying a concealed weapon with bullets containing a toxic substance if he did not plan to use it? Regardless, I saw it happening and managed to move him aside, placing myself in harm's way instead."

"I see," Bulma responded thoughtfully. "But why didn't you just put up a ki shield to block the bullet instead of letting it hit you?"

Vegeta's mouth opened, then shut again as the validity of her question sank in. He frowned, a low growl emanating from his throat. "I don't know," he admitted a little irritably. "There was only a second in which to act, and I didn't even think to do it. I made a poor choice which nearly cost me my life." He shifted in his chair. "I suppose that is something I must work on improving during my training."

"Did you catch the person who did it?" Bulma asked in an attempt to save at least a little of his dignity.

Vegeta nodded. "The king's guard were stationed all around, and no one was able to leave. Once Anya returned with a senzu bean, I was able to point the guilty man out. He claimed that King Herrón didn't have Gerdia's best interests in mind, but a couple of people pointed out the good he has accomplished. I left the man to the people to do with as they wished once they realized that he had tried to kill the most praiseworthy ruler they have had in a long time."

"And?" Bulma asked hesitantly, as if she didn't actually want to know the answer but just had to ask anyway.

"Never mind, Mother," Geta spoke up. "Suffice to say that he was dealt with according to what he deserved."

"Oh." Bulma lifted her son to her shoulder to burp him. "Well, I'm glad that your trip was a success, Vegeta," she said quietly.

Vegeta nodded. "As am I."

The room was quiet for a moment, but Bulma said nothing more about what she should have been glad for. "Okay, now that we're all home safely, where are Bunny and Shatsu?" Anya spoke up. "I'd love a piece of birthday cake."

~Dear, sweet Anya.~ "Daddy said Vegeta called and everything was all right, so he and Mom went to a benefit dinner," Bulma reported. "They should be home soon."

Vegeta nodded. "I think I'll get something to eat," he commented. "I haven't had anything since breakfast, and I'm hungry."

"Breakfast was only two hours ago, Pops," Anya teased.

"Yes, but those cooks were definitely not prepared to feed Saiyans," Geta pointed out.

"Tsk, poor starving lads," Anya said with a chuckle. "There's leftovers in the fridge. I already had a peek." She took Geta's arm. "Let's go check on Vegeta." Her intention was clear; she wanted to give the other two occupants of the room some privacy.

Vegeta sat in silence, leaning forward on his chair with his hands between his knees. He stared down at the carpet, not knowing what to say. "I suppose I'll go see what's in the fridge, and maybe train a little," he commented after a particularly long silence. He got up from his chair. "Would you like me to put him in his bed?"

Bulma looked down at her sleepy son, who was yawning and rubbing at his eyes. "Sure, thanks."

Vegeta took their son from her. "No problem." He headed for the door.

"Vegeta?" came her tiny voice.

He turned to look at her. "Yes, Bulma?"

"I... I was really worried about you. I'm glad you're all right," she whispered.

Vegeta felt his heart wrench in his chest. Someday, he'd hold her in his arms again, or die trying. "Thanks." He managed a little smile and left the room before anything else could be said.

***

Vegeta stepped out from under the shower and used a burst of ki to dry himself. He'd had a poor training session that evening, and knew that feeling sorry for himself wasn't helping matters. Bulma had been grateful when he'd come back home. She'd told him that she was glad he was all right. He was overreacting.

He'd waited until Bulma's parents had returned, knowing he'd never hear the end of it from Mrs. Briefs if she didn't get to fawn over him and say that she was glad that he was safely home, what a sweet boy he was to do what he had done, and how hungry he must be after all of that. He'd been correct, of course, and had accepted her hugs and kisses along with a hearty, freshly cooked dinner, after which he'd trained for several hours. It was now well into the night, but there was something else he had to do before he went to bed.

He pulled on a pair of sweatpants, a hooded Capsule Corp sweatshirt, and some thick socks before homing in on his sleeping son's ki. In an instant, he stood beside the crib, looking down at the little boy. It was very close to the agreed upon time, so he scooped the child up.

"Da-ee?" the sleepy boy asked.

"Yes, Son." Hearing the name applied to him spoken by his son warmed Vegeta's heart more than he'd ever imagined it could. Holding VJ close, he left the nursery before his grandson woke up and headed for the kitchen, where he retrieved a bottle from the refrigerator.

Vegeta couldn't help but chuckle as VJ reached for the bottle and began to whine when he wasn't able to grab it. "Patience, Vegeta. Let me warm it up for you," he told the impatient boy. He applied just the right amount of ki energy to the bottle, warming its contents to an appropriate temperature before sticking the nipple in his son's mouth. "Greedy child," he teased.

Vegeta headed for the labs and the communication console Bulma had installed there. By the time they arrived, the entire bottle was gone. "I suppose I should get a burp out of you so you don't throw up all over me while I'm showing you off," he commented to his son.

The boy only smiled and babbled, happy now that his tummy was full.

Vegeta let out a sad little chuckle and shook his head. "Your greatest concern is your next feeding, isn't it?" he murmured as he patted his son's back. "I wish I could claim something similar."

"Da-ee," VJ crooned, using a fistful of his father's hair to pull himself up.

"Ah! Son, don't pull Daddy's hair," Vegeta complained, trying to loosen his son's iron grasp from his hair. "All right, you're done. I'm making the call now, got it?" He chuckled again when his son continued to act as happily as if he hadn't been chastised. Nothing ever seemed to bother the boy unless serious displays of negative emotions were involved.

After a few moments the call went through and a servant answered at the other end. ^Inform King Herrón that Prince Vegeta has contacted him as he requested,^ Vegeta instructed the man.

^Ah yes, Highness, he has been expecting you. Right away,^ the servant agreed, bowing briefly before hurrying away.

Vegeta looked down at the baby on his lap and let his lips curve up into the tiniest of smiles. "Well, my son. You will get to see your future father-in-law," he murmured softly. "How about that?"

The baby babbled happily and bounced on its father's lap. Vegeta couldn't help but chuckle still again as he smiled broadly at his son, who had his hands clamped firmly around a finger on each of Vegeta's hands to anchor himself. "Ah, it's not as though you understand anything of the sort right now, but someday you'll live there. He wants to see you."

^Prince Vegeta?^

Vegeta looked up to see the king of Gerdia at the other end of the communication. ^King Herrón.^ He nodded to the older man.

~What a difference a smile makes on that man's face.~ ^You're right on time, Prince Vegeta,^ the king commended. ^I am assuming that you were addressing your son earlier?^

^Yes, indeed,^ Vegeta agreed, scooping his son up and lifting him so that he would be in view of the communications screen. ^This is Vegeta.^ Even if he couldn't have seen his face, the pride in the prince's voice was evident.

^Even if I had never met Geta, there would be no doubt whatsoever that this is your son,^ King Herrón acknowledged. He smiled when the boy stuck his fist in his mouth and chewed on it, drooling profusely as he did so. ^I can certainly see the resemblance, right down to the wild hair.^

Vegeta found himself a little surprised by the king's lack of protocol, but then again, he hadn't encouraged anything else and had actually told him to screw royal propriety as far as his wife was concerned. He let out a little snort. ^Wild hair, yes.^ He turned his son and lifted him up to examine him, only to be forced to admit that the child's hair was rather disorderly. It was soft and downy and stuck up wildly, rather than in the sleek, flame-like shape his own obediently adopted. At times, one could even joke that the boy must have been electrocuted, since his hair puffed up so crazily. This was one of those times. He sighed and lowered his son. ^All right, all right,^ he conceded, making the king openly laugh. ^I blame his mother's genes.^

^Yes, of course,^ King Herrón chuckled. ^Never fear, he is an attractive child and I have seen his adult self,^ he said with amusement. ^Eight standard months, you say?^

^Yes. He is teething and of course, drooling all over one of Daddy's favorite shirts, aren't you, Son?^ The Saiyan prince didn't look perturbed in the least but gathered the child up in his arms against his chest. As Vegeta expected, the boy rested his little head down against his shoulder and promptly began to suck his thumb, his other arm draped over his father's collarbone. The smile returned. ^Trust me when I tell you that your daughter is one of the greatest experiences you will ever have,^ he said softly, rubbing little circles along the little boy's back.

King Herrón smiled at the scene before him. Anyone could see the love this man had for his child. If the prince loved the boy's mother as much as he did the boy, he felt for the poor man's loss even more than he had before. ^I believe you,^ he told him seriously. ^I confess, the first time I held my daughter in my arms, I felt something I have never experienced before, something deep inside.^

Vegeta nodded. He knew exactly what the king was talking about. ^I daresay she will probably have you wrapped around her little finger before long,^ he teased.

^Am I receiving an accurate demonstration of what you are referring to?^ King Herrón teased back.

Vegeta paused, but let out a little chuckle. ^I suppose so,^ he admitted. ^He is all I have left, and he deserves a better life than what either Geta or I have had. I mean to make certain of that.^

King Herrón nodded. ^I have no doubt of that,^ he agreed. ^I thank you for this glimpse of your son.^

^It is my pleasure, I assure you.^ Vegeta glanced down at VJ, whose breathing had become deep and even. ^Fast asleep,^ he commented.

^I know it is quite late where you are, so I will end the transmission now,^ King Herrón told him.

Vegeta nodded respectfully. ^ I will keep in touch, Majesty. A pleasant day to you.^

The king returned the nod. ^And a good night to you,^ he responded.

***

Vegeta left the nursery and was shutting the door behind him when he detected Anya approaching. "Hey."

"Hey Pops. Checking on the kids?" she asked, tying the belt of her robe closed.

"They're both asleep," he responded. "What are you doing up?"

Anya shrugged. "I woke up and can't fall back asleep. My mind is just racing with everything that's happened in the past couple days."

"I know what you mean," Vegeta murmured, guiding her down the hallway away from the bedrooms. "Let's get some hot chocolate. That should help you sleep."

"Okay." Anya headed for the stairs. "What are you doing up so late, Pops? Training?"

Vegeta nodded as he turned on the kitchen light. "Yes, that and I placed a communicade to Gerdia. Your father hinted that it was a shame that he didn't get to see Vegeta as I got to see your younger self, so I told him that I would place a call to him when it was convenient for him. He'll no doubt be tied up in a lot of legal proceedings for the foreseeable future, so I told him I'd contact him tonight, and that I would be up."

"So he got to meet VJ?" Anya asked.

"Yes. In a manner of speaking." Vegeta put two mugs of water in the microwave to heat.

"Aww, that's so sweet," Anya cooed. "I'm sure he must have liked him. VJ's such a cute baby." She giggled at a sudden thought that came to mind. "I think the crazy hair is hilarious, too."

Vegeta tore the tops off of two packets of cocoa mix. "Oh, not you too," he growled.

Anya placed a hand over her mouth and giggled some more. "He pointed out the hair?"

Vegeta shook his head in resignation and sighed. "Yes." He eyed his daughter-in-law with amusement. "I knew you must have a few of your father's quirks in you, even with your mother's being so dominant. It appears that I have found one."

Anya blushed a little and retrieved their mugs from the microwave. "You mean his attention to detail?" she countered.

Vegeta chuckled and traded her a cocoa for a mug. "Yes, exactly." He sat down at the table and stirred his drink. "So, based on your lack of reaction during that disturbance at the palace, Geta must have told you, hmm?"

"Yes," Anya confirmed, sitting down across from him and taking the spoon to stir her own cocoa. She knew what he was referring to. "Geta told me about your trip into space. He wanted me to understand better why things happened the way they did, and why you've chosen to remain silent, not only about your ascension but the Wethion, too. He said you would understand if he spoke to me about it."

Vegeta nodded and sipped at his cocoa. "I understood the benefits of his informing you of the situation," he agreed. "There would be no misunderstandings between you and no verbal slip-ups. Besides, I did not wish to place the burden of asking him to keep secrets from his wife upon him."

Anya understood his unspoken statement and reached across the table to take his hand. "Pops, please don't keep beating yourself up over what happened," she urged softly. "Let's focus on fixing the problem, instead." She gave his hand a squeeze and got up from the table. "Try to get some sleep, okay?"

Vegeta nodded. "I will."

She smiled at him, a trace of sadness on her face, sadness he knew was for him. "I love you, Pops. Good night."

"Good night, Anya." Vegeta stared down into his mug as the door swung shut behind her. She was right. He needed to focus on the future, not the past. He'd always beaten himself up over the past. But tomorrow was a new day.

Kami willing, it would be a good one.