Fourteen: The Challenge

- 14 -

The Challenge

Bulma lay in bed that night staring up at the ceiling. The events of the day playing in her mind kept her from sleeping. So much had happened and yet she couldn't stop thinking about what she had done. Really, what was wrong with her? To push him like that. Bringing her hand up, she touched her forehead before weaving her fingers through her hair and grabbing a fistful. She still felt horrible for biting him and thought she had gone too far in defending herself...Then there was that little thing he revealed to her and Goku that made her blood run cold. 'My skin has been shredded to the bone more times than I can count...' The way he said it so nonchalantly...

Tears filled her eyes. She had known bad stuff had happened to him, but having him say those words like that... It only made her realize how much she really didn't know about him or what he went through. Wiping her eyes, she turned onto her side, looking to the balcony door that was open slightly, letting the cool night air in and stirring her curtains. But then she had only really known him for a few days... that whole time he had been unconscious didn't really count. It was amazing how it felt like she had known him longer than that. How she already felt he was a friend. Then again the same thing could be said about Bardock. She had only known him a day and a half and she already thought the same about him.

In an attempt to forget about her own troubled thoughts, she thought about the mock battle. It was painfully obvious that Goku was way out of his league. Then when Piccolo showed up and joined him so it was two against one... Bardock blew both of them away with his speed and technique. He wasn't even breathing heavily by the end of it. Perhaps that was why Chi Chi decided to suddenly start teaching Gohan how to fight right then and there. It sure had shocked and even scared Bulma at how utterly unprepared they were, and the same thoughts or ones akin to them had to be going through the younger woman's mind. Goku's wife wasn't stupid. It wasn't merely this battle with Raditz... no matter what anyone said, Earth was on the map and others would come. What peace they found here on out would most likely be short-lived and shaky at best...

That thought only made getting to sleep worse, knowing that her peaceful happy world would never be the same. But then hadn't she been tired of it? Hadn't she wanted adventure? Sighing, she turned to her other side and wiggled into the soft mattress, getting into a comfortable position. At least it had been nice to see Tien and Chiaotzu. Even they had made an appearance earlier today in the meadow, having felt the massive wave of energy coming from Bardock and sensing that Goku and Piccolo were fighting it. By the time they filled them in and discussed what was going on the mock battle was over. Goku and Piccolo both were nearly passing out from exhaustion. After talking about it some more, Piccolo, Tien and Chiaotzu left, going back to wherever they had come from; Krillin, Oolong and Master Roshi returned to their island, while everyone else returned to her home. All of them said they would be training for what was to come, though what could really be done in two weeks was a stretch at best.

Closing her eyes she sighed, wondering where Vegeta would fit in all this if he wasn't so hurt. Certainly he was stronger than Bardock... He was a prince after all. She had problems simply imagining someone that strong when her whole definition of strength and power had been Goku. But it was nice to have someone that strong on their side and they were hopefully gaining two with Vegeta. Yet, they still had to get past Raditz alive without either of them helping. Her mind started to slow as sleep finally settled over her. Could Bardock teach Goku enough in the two weeks they had to do any good? Would he gain enough power to stand with Piccolo and beat his brother? That was the billion dollar question that she unfortunately could not answer as sleep finally came.

.~-~.

She stood in the doorway in the darkness looking into the room. The pale moonlight revealed the boy in a fitful sleep and what little reached her reflected in her blue hair. He got random thoughts from her, but nothing of importance or anything that stood out from the rest. Deciding it best not to wake him she closed the door and continued downstairs, missing the sudden frantic words spoken... His nightmares were twisted random memories. All the while he felt like he was thrown into a fire, burning alive. For hours he stayed in this hellish state, muttering and hurting. It was like his body was fighting itself, tearing him apart.

Then Bardock saw himself enter the dream. With the morning light, he finally woke and felt his charge's struggle. Concerned, he got the doctor and together they managed to pull Vegeta from the fever, but that was of course after having to keep him still. The boy's animal side had awoken, pulling out what little strength he had left in his body to fight off what he thought were attackers. It wasn't much compared to the strength Bardock had, but it would have been enough to seriously hurt a human... After calming Vegeta, his eyes took in the half dozen dents in the steel table. They were fortunate that Bardock had found him... he would have hated to see what would have happened if Bulma or the doctor found him.

The dream skipped back then, confusing him as he saw Bulma standing in the doorway again looking at Vegeta as if none of the stuff he had previously seen happened. And like before she had been about to close the door when a misty shadow formed behind her. Sensing something, she looked around and even though she looked right at the shadow, it was like she saw right through it. After another few minutes the shadow stepped away to the wall across from the door, secretly watching as she shook off the strange feeling and was about to step out again only for her to catch the frantic words. She stepped into the room, going to him...

"No..." Bardock woke swiftly in a cold sweat, breathing heavily.

He shook his head as the vision slipped through his fingers, only remembering fragmented pieces. Wiping his brow with the blanket that bunched around his bare torso, he glanced at the window finding that the sun had already risen. The smell of food drifted lazily up the stairs and under the door to him and he couldn't stop his mouth from watering. Somewhat puzzled, he lay back and stared at the ceiling, trying to recall what had upset him. It had something to do with Vegeta, but then what didn't now-days?

With the thought of his prince he frowned. They had been very fortunate that everything turned out so well after that little fiasco the other day. Bulma was certainly a one-of-a-kind and he silently thanked the gods for that. She not only defused the situation but forgave the boy... Working with the two geniuses again last night before bed, he came to the simple conclusion that with them not only would things lean in the Saiyans' favor, but they could very well be the key to winning the war against Freeza and the Cold Family. So it was important they stayed in their good graces. Now he only needed to talk to the boy and make him understand that. Which was easier said than done... he really wished he hadn't said anything about his attachment the other day, but it was too late for that.

Sighing, Bardock got out of bed and went to his armor that was set on the dresser and quickly put the black body suit on with the main body, leg, and arm armor pieces over the top. Saiyan armor had more of the durable hard shells because when he designed them he didn't want them to look anything like their old outfits which had become standard in Freeza's ranks. Also with pieces covering his upper arms and thighs along with their chest and groin, they were far more protected... Better looking too, in his opinion, but in the end it was the better protection that won out.

He ran a hand through his hair as he wrapped his tail around his waist. Maybe he should go get Vegeta's armor; Bardock had brought it with him knowing he was going to see the prince... But then again why did that matter? It wasn't like Vegeta would need it when he couldn't fight. Walking from the room he crossed his arms. He guessed he could get it so Vegeta could use it later when he was healed. That, however, was going to be at least a few months and knowing Vegeta, he was thinking he would take Raditz's pod when it was time for him to leave. Only thing was, the more Bardock thought about it, the more he realized that the boy needed to stay right here. It was painfully obvious he was too weak to protect himself if he brought him back to the base with him, which made it a prime opportunity for someone to kill him and try to make a power play for the throne. There were a few Bardock had in mind that would try something like that... And while he would protect him with his life, Bardock couldn't watch him every second of the day. Here on Earth he was hidden and sheltered from his own people and the betrayers... More importantly, he was protected from Freeza.

When he talked to Tash the other night he was informed about the message his source within the betrayers had left: Freeza didn't know Vegeta was on Earth. In fact, the leader of the betrayers had purposely given him the wrong planet and then proceeded to delete the history so he wouldn't know. He didn't know why... it seemed rather strange considering it was the tyrant who was sponsoring them. But it was something they could use to their advantage.

Vegeta of course wasn't going to like it. They hadn't really talked about it since learning about his condition... actually they hadn't really talked at all. After the spar with Goku and Piccolo, they all came back to eat. Then Vegeta disappeared and Bardock went into the labs with Dr. Briefs and Bulma to continue working on the communicator. The boy was intelligent and before getting captured would always shadow him when he was in the labs back at the base. While Vegeta never admitted it, he had enjoyed it. Learning and seeing the inventions his people... namely Bardock, were trying to create. It bothered the older Saiyan now that he hadn't been with them, but considering all that had happened that day it was probably a good thing he hadn't been there.

Shaking his head, Bardock walked down the stairs, the smell of food growing as was the frequency that his stomach growled. He did have to hand it to Mrs. Briefs, she really could cook... and good. Normally he ate, not caring what it was... but having tasted how good it could be he was dreading more and more the time when he would have to return to the base. And there were so many condiments... Sweet, sour, tangy, and salty... there were some flavors he couldn't even describe. Unknowingly the older Saiyan started doing what his son did quite often: dreaming of all the wonderful foods Earth had to offer as he entered the kitchen. His face took on that daydream look that Goku's would... just more tame... making ChiChi do a double take, having first thought him to be her husband. She blinked, surprised before breaking up into fits of laughter, the sound drawing him from his thoughts.

"Did I miss something?" He looked around the room, finding that Vegeta was already awake, sitting and eating at the table as far from Gohan as possible with a scowl on his face considering that meant he had his back to the front door.

"I'm sorry..." She tried to get her breath. "It's just for a second there, Bardock, you had a look that Goku wears a lot."

His brows rose right before Vegeta snorted, "I certainly hope not. Last thing our race needs is a mindless clown as a leader."

ChiChi promptly collected herself giving him a hard look. "My husband is not mindless..."

"Hn." The prince turned his attention back to his food and muttered, "Notice how you didn't deny the clown part."

Rolling her eyes, she looked back at Bardock. "No, the look he had was one Goku gets whenever he is thinking about food..." Her lips turned up. "That is what you were thinking about, wasn't it?"

Bardock coughed into his hand, hiding his embarrassment. "I may have been... thinking about food."

Mrs. Briefs was suddenly next to him with a plate of food. "Ahh it's so nice when a young man has a healthy appetite." She grabbed his arm as she handed him the plate. "Here you go, hun... Oh would you feel those arms!" Bardock looked at her, stunned, as she proceeded to feel his arm and made him somewhat uncomfortable. He glanced at Vegeta, whose brow had risen and ChiChi snickered in the background, hand over her mouth.

"Mom..." Bulma sighed, picking that time to walk into the kitchen after her morning jog. "Would you stop feeling up my best friend's father?" Pulling out the ear bud from her left ear, she came to stop next to Vegeta, who had stopped momentarily in his eating having caught her overpowering scent. "Really... he's probably ten years your senior."

"Oh fiddlesticks, dear... such a handsome young man can't be that old." She let go though, going to collect more plates of food for him.

Bulma rolled her eyes at her mom's back before Bardock gave her a thankful nod as he sat down across from Vegeta. It was then he noticed the prince had stopped eating and was simply staring at his food with a blank look on his face. Confused, the older warrior looked at him then to Bulma, who was about two feet away rolling the cord to the music player around the small device. When she turned quickly, setting it on the half wall behind Vegeta, her hair flicked making the air move and letting him smell her scent above that of the food. Bardock cleared his nose and started to eat, his eyes going back to the boy. He had to admit, the girl had a pleasant scent, but it wasn't anything special. But then different scents affect Saiyans differently.

"Oh, Bulma dear, your secretary called." Mrs. Briefs set the plates before Bardock before busying herself with collecting used dishes.

"Shi-" She stopped herself before using the cuss word and glanced at Gohan before swiftly changing it, "Crap, looks like my vacation's over." Pouting, she put her hand on her hips, looking much like a spoiled child. "What did she want?"

"Something about a project needing your approval and that it was important. It was for... Tri..." she paused trying to think of the name.

"Tri-sec." Bulma sighed, "Yeah, that's an important one. Guess I'll have to go to the main Headquarters downtown today and see what other VP duties I've been neglecting." She glanced at Vegeta's plate and eyed one of the strips of bacon. "I'll just shower and change real quick before eating..." Taking a step closer to Vegeta she put one hand on the table leaning forward. "Hey, can I have this little piece of bacon here?"

Bardock stopped eating, shocked when Vegeta gave a small nod. "Thanks, bud." She picked it up and started for the stairs, munching on it.

"Hey, can you wake Goku?" ChiChi asked her retreating form, "He's slept in long enough."

"Sure, no prob!" Bulma called back, waving as she jogged up the steps.

Bardock blinked when Vegeta suddenly moved again, shaking his head and clearing his nose. The boy's scowl deepened as he stared at his food before eating, clearly not happy. Slowly, Bardock started to eat again as well, glancing up at him every so often. Saiyans never let another take their food. Even if there was excess. Well not never... He frowned. Only parents shared with their cubs... and mates shared food. And not just any mates. Bonded mates. He looked up again at the prince, who had noticed his looks but was choosing to ignore him, obviously too angry and confused with what happened to acknowledge him.

Bardock knew though, what was happening for he had been there once before. And thinking back he then realized why Vegeta had been immobile. While Bulma's scent hadn't done anything to the older Saiyan, for the boy it clearly did. The same thing had happened to Bardock when he passed his late bonded mate after she had been sparing. It was like all thoughts ceased and you couldn't move or speak. It was rare for a scent to affect a Saiyan male like that... and even rarer for a female. But if both had the same reaction to the other's scent they always bonded...

Moving the empty plate he finished a minute ago to the side, Bardock grabbed another and started to eat again. While it was normal and natural, he never heard of it happening outside of their race before. Then again... he glanced over at Chi Chi. He suspected his son was bonded to the Earth woman -or at least partly- who's to say her scent didn't affect him too? Though it was possible to bond even if the scents didn't do anything for them... Bardock needed to talk to his son later about it. For now though, he wondered what this could mean. If Bulma's scent affected Vegeta this much then there wasn't anything he could do to stop them from bonding. But it remained to be seen if the reverse was true. Human's didn't rely on smell as much as they did...

Pushing the problem away to think on later, he decided to ask a question he could actually get an answer to. "What's VP mean?"

Mrs. Briefs picked up the stack of plates forming between him and Vegeta. "Oh that's Vice President, hun. As you would expect my dear husband is the President of Capsule Corporation that he built from the ground up and my little girl has been running it alongside him for... oh my..." she paused, thinking, "It's been quite a while. Ever since she became a legal adult at eighteen, she has been the Vice President."

The older woman rinsed off the dishes before putting them in the dish washer. "What are her duties?"

"Mmmm..." Mrs. Briefs continued with the dishes as she thought it out. "Well she meets with business prospects, supervises the main Headquarters, and well, I don't know..." She shrugged. "She does a lot of things. Her father and she normally split the work, each taking certain sectors and countries."

Sounded to him like she was a very good diplomat and knew how to keep things running properly. Though he didn't like the thought for the mess it would make, Vegeta could certainly do worse than Bulma as a queen. While he had been Freeza's ambassador on occasion, he lacked the patience most of the time. The other duties, the ones that kept their people going, bored the boy to no end. Bardock had long since given up on getting him to sit with him and learn it all. It wasn't something he worried too much about though, he would always be there to help Vegeta and do it for him, but it would be nice not to have to do it all by himself.

"Oh..." his thoughts stopped as Mrs. Briefs suddenly spoke, "I completely forgot with all the excitement happening... Next week is the Corporation open house of sorts."

He stopped eating, turned and looked at her. "Open house?"

"Yes! You young men must come. Goku, Gohan and you too, ChiChi. All the leaders and rulers of Earth will be there as will many famous stars." She bubbled with joy, "All to get a glimpse at this year's new gadgets that the Corporation will be releasing to the public."

His brow rose at that, intrigued. "The Company is important enough to get all the rulers in one spot?" He looked at Vegeta, who had slowed in his eating; while he would never openly show amazement, he could tell the boy was impressed.

"Of course..." She nodded to herself. "Everyone wants the newest technology and it's easier simply to show everyone at once. Of course it isn't only Capsule Corps. Other companies will bring their own inventions, but we've always held it."

ChiChi sighed, "I didn't bring anything to wear to something so important..."

Goku chose that time to walk down the stairs, clearly still half asleep. "Wear what?"

His wife rolled her eyes at him as he sat down and started to devour the food in front of him. "The C-tech Expo, Goku. That thing we keep getting invited to, but never go..."

"Itz tat time alredy?" he asked mouth full, clumps of hash browns landing in his lap.

"GOKU!" All three Saiyans cringed at her loud voice, "Close your mouth and swallow before you talk!"

Doing as she said, he repeated himself, "It's that time already?"

Mrs. Briefs hummed happily, "Sure is. Oh it's such a good thing Bulma took care of all the food and entertainment months ago... we could certainly make it happen if she hadn't, but it wouldn't be as good."

Goku was about to speak with his mouth full again, but ChiChi's withering glare stopped him and he swallowed, "Food?"

"Oh yes, lots of food, dear..." She grabbed more plates from the table and started to load the second dishwasher they had installed back when Goku had lived with them for a short time. "I don't know what she had planned, but it's always from the best restaurants. And don't worry about the dress, dear, us girls can go shopping sometime before and get you one. Our little treat to you."

"Oh no! I couldn't..." She started, eyes wide with surprise.

Chuckling, Mrs. Briefs waved her hand. "I insist, dear, we'll make you look like the princess you are. Besides, your father will be there and we can't have his little girl showing up with normal clothes."

The younger woman looked to her husband, who shrugged. "I guess..."

The kitchen fell silent, well almost silent as the older woman hummed, and everyone ate as she cleaned up after them. Vegeta thought about this expo thing... to him it sounded like a huge trade gathering of sorts. There was going to be lots of people by the sounds of it... which made his decision much easier. There was no way he was going. He didn't do crowds. Let alone, smelly weakling earthlings that he'd sooner kill than mingle with. He looked up, feeling the old man's gaze on him, a knowing glare that threatened bodily harm if he didn't go. Snorting, he ignored him and went back to his food. Nothing in the universe would get him to-

His thoughts momentarily stopped after looking up as Bulma came down the stairs in a nice gray business suit and a light blue blouse underneath, which was buttoned rather low. He had thought short shorts were bad, but the pants and suit top she wore now hugged her body, accenting her form nicely. Her hair was still somewhat damp and wavy as she tried to put an earring on her right ear. He tore his gaze away, looking to see if Bardock had caught him and relaxed seeing he hadn't. Mentally he berated himself for being so weak, looking at an alien woman like that...

Her heels clicked on the hardwood floors and he snuck a glance up as she walked toward her mother, her hips swaying. "I just got off the phone with Beth... I can't believe I forgot the Expo is coming up."

"We were just talking about that dear..." Her mother chimed in cheerfully, "I told everyone they should come."

Bulma turned, arms folded and leaning against the counter, her eyes settling on Vegeta. "That sounds good. I don't know about Vegeta though, Mom..."

He looked up with his name as Mrs. Briefs asked, "Why not? He's a prince, he should do fine..."

Her lips twitched, amused, meeting his gaze head on. "I don't think he's tactful enough to be with so many pathetic humans, let alone ones as arrogant as he."

Bardock chuckled softly, rapidly earning a glare from Vegeta. "I'll have you know, woman, that I can be diplomatic when I want to be."

Fixing him a look, she huffed, "Right... Do what I say or I kill you? Unfortunately, dear prince, that won't work here and I don't want any troubles this year." Grabbing a piece of toast she looked at it. "This is my fourth year planning everything by myself and every year someone manages to find something that is wrong..." She took a bite, covering her mouth. "Even though there is absolutely nothing wrong."

Swallowing, she rolled her eyes. "Last year some spoiled prince said he didn't get his steak cooked right and it was all over the stupid tabloids about how horrible everything was, when really he was only upset that I wouldn't become one of his many girlfriends." Grabbing a plate, she sat next to Bardock. "Please. He might be a prince, but Bulma Briefs doesn't like to share. Not to mention he had the personality of a pet rock."

Mrs. Briefs chuckled, "Oh that one..."

She turned back to look at her mother. "See, even you agree..." Looking back at her plate, she paused before clearly mimicking some foreign accent in a low monotone voice, "We are Ajiv and you will be our fourth. We are denser than this slab of concrete we are leaning against, trying and failing to look sexy, and still we look down at you because you're a woman, but that's okay, look at our amazing muscles and swoon." She flexed her arms as everyone but Vegeta laughed.

"Is he really that bad?" Chi Chi asked as she wiped egg off of Gohan's face.

"That and worse," she spoke in between bites, "I mean he's handsome, but he's not really that muscular and I, for one, don't want to come out of a conversation feeling dumber than when I went in." Her voice rose a little, "Hell, this guy makes Goku look like a brilliant scientist."

"That's a feat," Vegeta muttered.

Bulma chuckled, "Indeed."

Goku pouted as he actually stopped eating. "Hey!"

Grabbing her fork she stabbed a little too hard at the hash browns. "I swear, Mom, if he tries anything again this year, I'm going to go ballistic."

Smiling, the older woman walked up behind her and kissed the top of her head, rubbing her shoulders. "Well, if he thinks my little girl's beautiful then he's not as stupid as you say, is he?"

That made Bulma pause. "True..."

Mrs. Briefs went back to work clearing the table. "Maybe some other young man will save you."

Leaning against her arm that was propped up on the table, she swirled a piece of bacon in one of her egg yolks. "Right, and pigs will fly..." Goku opened his mouth, but she cut him off giving him an amused look, "And Oolong doesn't count, bud." Munching on the bacon she sighed, "If a guy did help he would probably be as bad if not worse than Ajiv."

Actually swallowing his food, Goku gave her a sympathetic look. "I'll protect you, Bulms."

Bulma noticed the sideways glare ChiChi gave him. "Ahh thanks but no thanks, Goku... You're going to have your hands full keeping delusional men with heroic complexes away from your own wife."

ChiChi blinked, surprised. "From me?"

"Yup. No one has seen the princess of the Ox King in five years..." The heiress got a wicked grin on her lips. "The rumor is Goku took you against your will by slinging you over his shoulder like a caveman and carried you out into the middle of nowhere to bump uglies whenever he felt like it."

Chi Chi merely shook her head, chuckling, "You got to be kidding me."

"Nope... Seriously, that is what one of the tabloids said recently." Bulma eyed Vegeta who had just choked on what he had been eating and she winked, making him blush a little.

Goku laughed, scratching behind his head, "I guess we do live out in the middle of nowhere..."

ChiChi gave her husband a playful smile. "Except it was me who slung him over my shoulder."

Bulma shook her head, snickering, "Too bad Oolong and Roshi aren't here... Right about now they would have some other comment that would have princy-poo here redder than a cherry." He glared at her but said nothing as he continued to eat.

Bardock stared at the boy, amused. "We Saiyans can be rather vulgar ourselves, but thinking about it now I don't think I've ever heard Vegeta joke about such things."

"Ohhh, a real gentleman... How sweet!" Mrs. Briefs chimed in happily.

Bulma winked at Vegeta again. "Too bad he's not charming in other areas as well."

Vegeta would have taken being back on Freeza's ship as a captive over their teasing any day. It was like they all were ganging up on him... and the way that blonde haired twit looked at him. He suppressed a shiver. That woman really made him uneasy. And such off handed jokes weren't really that funny to him. Considering all his experiences in that department had not been pleasant, it wasn't unexpected that he would feel this way. He could even make a comment that would shut them up, but he would rather endure this than have them know anything about that. He continued eating, not even bothering to give his old mentor a glare. If he simply ignored them sooner or later they would get the hint or grow bored and stop... Didn't mean it was not making him furious though.

"Oh c'mon, Vegeta, we're only playing. Don't be such a stick in the mud." Picking up her half eaten plate of food, she set it before him seeing as he was almost done. "Here... finish this for me." He looked to the plate, scowling. Standing, she started to walk past him. "Besides, I think it's cute that you blush. Anyway, I got to go... Drat." She stopped suddenly and Vegeta glanced sideways at her. "ChiChi, I made a worksheet last night for Gohan, just to see where he is. I'll go get it really quick, but I don't want anyone to help him. I wanna see what he can do by himself."

The younger woman stared at her, taken aback. "You didn't have to go through so much trouble, Bulma... I know you're busy..."

She chuckled, "It was no biggy. I came up with the problems while working on one of my projects." As she walked towards the lower staircase, Vegeta tried not to look at her backside, but annoyingly failed. "I was doing this stuff when I was his age, so needless to say it really didn't take too much of my time."

The kitchen fell into silence again with her leaving, something he was thankful for. Blasted woman... He looked at her leftovers. I'm not cute... I'm a warrior... And a monster. Contemplating whether or not he should eat the food, he was about to let it sit there when he noticed Kakarot eyeing it from the corner of his eye, both having finished more or less at the same time. That made his decision for him, something not sitting well with him when he thought of the clown eating the woman's food, and he promptly finished off it off. He sneered at the younger Saiyan's disgraceful pout. Does he have no pride? That look on a Saiyan should warrant the younger Saiyan's death.

He glanced up to Bardock who was watching him intently, studying him like one of his experiments. Not liking it, Vegeta shifted his gaze away, feeling suddenly self-conscious. What did he do now? After getting that warning yesterday he hadn't really insulted anyone. He stayed silent and kept his distance. He was still planning on somehow getting back at the woman through mind games though... Problem was figuring out what approach he should take. Having actually taken some time to think about it he realized that his normal tactics wouldn't work on her. She was too intelligent. Her overbearing personality and ego would force her to call almost any bluff he threw at her.

Arms crossed, he sat leaning back against the chair, his fingers tapping his bicep. Vegeta kept coming back to the same problem... he couldn't figure her out. It was infuriating. And knowing how she thought seemed liked it was something he needed to play mind games. Yet to do that, he would have to spend more time observing, which meant spending more time around her, and he really didn't want to do that... Okay, he was lying to himself there. But his fear of Bardock's warning kept him back. He would not fall that low again. His pride couldn't take it.

Bulma walked back up the stairs, stapled papers in hand. Vegeta's jaw clenched when she walked right to him setting one copy in front of him, then handed the other to Bardock to give to Chi Chi. Fortunately her scent wasn't anything like that morning... something that still really confused him... but it still made him pause in his thoughts. Had he acted this way towards it before? No... he didn't think so... Well, there was that time in his room and then in her lab... then yesterday after she chased that old guy. Shit he was losing it. This place was making him soft and messing with his mind. He couldn't wait until Raditz was taken care of so that he could leave with Bardock.

She bent down, tilting her head to meet his gaze, a small smile on her lips. "I made a version for you, mister, let's see how far you get compared to boy wonder over there."

His eye twitched as he glared at the table. "I will not lower myself for your amusement, woman."

Her brow rose and she straightened, folding her arms. "Oh, sounds to me like someone is scared a child will beat him."

"I know your ploy..." Growing, his eyes narrowed as he glanced at her. "It's not working."

Bulma gave a playful pout. "Drat... you saw through me." Sighing, she brushed a stray hair from her face. "Fine, let me put it this way. You have nothing better to do, Vegeta, and it's not going to hurt you. Instead of sulking all day work your mind." She shrugged, walking away. "Up to you though, just thought it beat sitting around and doing nothing all day." Grabbing her things that were on a little table in the living room, she said over her shoulder, "See ya guys later."

"Bye Bulms." "Goodbye dear." "Bye." Everyone but Vegeta acknowledged her leaving, their voices mixing together and becoming one mashed up noise that made him cringe.

Shortly after, ChiChi and Mrs. Briefs started to talk again about some mindless thing Vegeta couldn't really care less about, so he tuned them out. Closing his eyes, he continued to think about his problem dealing with the woman. At the same time he followed her small ki, something he had learned the other night. He couldn't do it if his eyes weren't closed and he could only pick up those currently residing in the compound. Annoyingly, he found himself going to her ki all last night and early this morning... It was like a moth to the flame. He could see for himself how pathetically weak she was, but there was something about her ki...

Curious Bardock reached over grabbing the papers. "She is right in that you need to do something, boy."

Vegeta's concentration wavered a little and he almost lost her ki as it got farther and farther away from the compound. He bit back a growl of frustration. Of course the old man could see he wanted to be left alone, yet that had never stopped him in the past. Always pushing. At first he thought to ignore the older warrior, but Vegeta knew he wouldn't stop until he got an answer out of him. In a way Bulma was like him in that aspect. Perhaps that was one of the things that drew him to her; she was similar to the two people he already respected... It was a thought. One he didn't like because it was about her once again... but it was still a thought.

"I was meditating yesterday and plan to do that until I can start training again, old man," he said trying to sound indifferent, though there was a little of his irritation coming through.

"Using what? Five plus old memories of spars..." Losing the woman's ki in a mass of weaker ki, Vegeta's eyes snapped open and he scowled at the table, willing it to burn to ash. "Can you even recall everything given what happened?" They both knew what he was referring to... his time with Freeza being tortured. It wasn't like he had much time to train as of late and that meant he had no new memories to go off of, which meant he had to look back past these past five years... A feat easier said than done.

"I don't see how that concerns you." His voice was cold as he looked up.

It was annoying when his old mentor was right. After dinner the other night, he had sat down trying to relive some old battle he had been in, but he was startled and furious that the detail he had once been able to remember had disappeared. Instead he found himself remembering things from the last five years whenever he tried to concentrate on the past. It was like there was a block in his mind. Which was why he started to try finding ki on his own. He wasn't about to have the clown teach him when he could readily teach himself. Hell, if it was so simple Goku could get it, why couldn't Vegeta? Now that he had though, he was angry that he hadn't realized it before. He was not as intelligent or creative as Bulma and her father, but he wasn't an idiot. He gritted his teeth. And there was Bulma again in his thoughts...

"As your guardian and mentor, boy, it is very much my duty." Flipping a page his eyes continued to scan, sounding impressed, "She even wrote it in standard for you." He stopped on one, taking a closer look. "Mmmm, some of these would give me problems..." Vegeta knew what he was doing. He was trying to get his curiosity involved instead of insulting him into doing it as the woman tried.

"Again, old man, such tricks won't work on me." Bardock looked up giving him a puzzled look. Then again maybe he was being serious. "Besides, I wasn't training my mind like that and I didn't plan to do that today either." The older Saiyan's brow rose in question, but Vegeta wasn't going to offer anything else.

Sensing that he wasn't going to get anything from him, Bardock set the packet of papers down and turned his attention to Chi Chi. "Did I hear wrong? You're a princess?"

Uncaring about the harpy's status on Earth, Vegeta stood and strolled out the back door without another word. He was restless really. He wanted to train, wanted to move around, but just the simple walking he was doing left him drained. Yesterday he had been almost dead on his feet by the time he rolled into bed, but then his mind wouldn't shut down... It kept going and going. He actually didn't go to sleep, which only made things worse now. Mentally and physically, he was at his limit, which was frustrating; only a day and he was crashing. Saiyans could last nearly a week or so without sleep... it was pathetic.

Sitting down by a tree, he leaned against it and closed his eyes. One knee bent and the other laid flat bent underneath it, he rested his arm on his knee. A gentle breeze brushed his skin and he felt himself relax. Truly relax. The sounds of nature around him were... comforting in a strange way he never noticed before. Actually thinking back now, it had been a long, long time since he simply sat down and relaxed... the last time, in fact, had been when he learned of his planet's destruction when he was six. His brow pinched at the thought and feelings he had long thought gone came surfacing. It was like his dream with his mother all over again. He gritted his teeth and opened his eyes, looking down at his other hand.

Opening and closing his fists, he frowned. "This damn place... it's making me weak."

.~-~.

Bulma returned home an hour after noon, setting her purse on the small table in the living room. "Hey, I'm home." She waited for an answer only to be greeted with silence.

Puzzled, she walked into the kitchen, knowing that with three Saiyans and a half Saiyan they should still be eating, but no one was there. Shrugging, she went to the fridge and grabbed an already peeled hardboiled egg, eating it on the way to her room. Work had been stressful. But then she had been gone for three weeks, and things had been backed up like no other. If it was anyone but her the mess would have taken a week to straighten out... It's like everything falls apart when I'm not there. Incompetent old fools. That is what the board is made of, idiotic morons the bunch of them. Rolling her shoulders as she got out of her suit coat, she then carelessly threw it onto the bed. The blouse and pants soon followed and she stood there in her underwear looking at the things in her closet.

"I feel like taking a swim before doing anything else." Grabbing a random pool dress with pink flowers and her pink tube top bikini, she walked into her bedroom and swiftly changed leaving her underwear on the floor. "I deserve some rest before I dive into my other projects... and it's just too sunny not to."

Putting on huge white-rimmed sunglasses, she checked herself in the mirror. With a sly smile she pulled the glasses down to the bottom of her nose and winked. I'm one sexy beast. If I do say so myself. Pushing them back up, she reached into her closet, seizing one of the oversized beach towels and threw it over her shoulder before exiting the room. Her thoughts were on the scouter; she needed to start making it, and given the expo was next week, it would be perfect to use it as one of their gadgets. Of course she had already planned most of the tech they would be showcasing out a long time ago, but this was going to blow everyone away. Maybe she could even mold it into sunglasses... Oh that's an idea!

Imagining the looks on all of the guests' faces, she opened the door and walked outside. Everyone but her parents were there, it seemed, as her eyes scanned the back yard. Chi Chi and Gohan were training off to the far right of the pool, in front of her Goku and Bardock were sparring far past the almost reconstructed pod... that seemed to be on hold for now... and off to the far left Vegeta sat against a tree, sleeping by the looks of it. So this is where everyone is... Going to one of the lawn chairs she tossed her towel down, wondering if her father was still working in his lab and where her mother had gone off to. She shook her head as she pulled off her sunglasses, freeing her hair. She had thought to call out to the others and say hello, but by the looks of it, they all were concentrating hard and she really didn't want to interrupt that.

Tugging the pool dress up over her head, she threw it on top of the towel and her sunglasses. What a beautiful day... She held onto the handrail of the pool steps and stepped into the cool water; taking another step in deeper she shivered in delight. It was precisely the right temperature: cold but not too cold. Taking a deep breath, she held it as she dived the rest of the way in. She came up for air not too long after, tossing her hair back so it wouldn't be in her face, then turned letting herself float on her back, lazily back stroking. Looking up at the clouds, she listened to the sounds of the others. Frowning, she thought that there was something... missing.

After a few minutes of floating it came to her. Music! Of course... Swimming back to the stairs, she wondered what playlist to use. With them training, she doubted they would want anything slow... Stepping out of the water, she bent over running her fingers through her hair and shaking out most of the water before running her fingers through it and flipping it back again. She didn't really think they would enjoy the current pop music or dance hits... Going to the outside storage container, she opened it up and pulled out the little player. She scrolled through the lists. She didn't mind rock, but it couldn't be the general blah stuff that came out most of them these days.

"Ha..." She stopped scrolling, finding the perfect playlist with music from the old world. "Three Days Grace should be fine." Selecting it, Riot started to play and she smiled to herself, making it so the music was only background noise so as not to be so loud that it interrupted the others talking.

"B, you're back!" Goku called out cheerfully, and she turned finding both father and son looking at her.

She shook her head, having to clear the twin image of them standing together. "Yeah, I've been back for a while, silly." She walked towards them, grabbing her things in a pile on the way and carried them. "Where's my mom?"

Shrugging, Goku wiped his brow with his armband. "I don't know..."

"She went to the store," Bardock offered, shaking his head at his son. They had both been there when she told them.

"Ahh okay... well don't mind me. I just thought you guys could use some music." She noticed ChiChi watching them and waved. "How's the teaching going, ChiChi?"

The younger woman gave a proud smile. "He's certainly his father's son, he's catching on really quick."

"I knew he would." Bulma chuckled, then turned back to her friend and his father. "I'll leave you two alone now and go pester grumpy over there."

Bardock's brow rose with amusement as she left, then turned back to his son. "Okay... do it again."

Vegeta kept his eyes closed, frustrated. Why does that blasted woman have to bother me? He was off to the side by himself for a reason. Like she had thought he had originally been sleeping, but that had been long before she came outside. As her ki neared the house and crossed his senses, he had woken. At first he had been confused as to why when he heard her car. That of course didn't help his mood any. He was angry with himself for that. What more were the thoughts she stirred up when watching her going in and out of the pool. He was having difficulties denying even to himself that he didn't find her attractive now.

Why hadn't he noticed it before? Well... of course he noticed her looks and her body, it would have been hard not to with how she flaunted it, but why hadn't he noticed it like this? He was starting to think something had shifted in him when she not only fought back when he attacked her, but had thoroughly put him in his place. While he would never admit it out loud and had difficulties swallowing it, he respected her... even if he wanted to kill her more often than not and hated her for the cage she was confining him to. Hated her for the weakness she was generating in him. The fact still was that while she was normally a flea to him, right now she could hurt him. He could not stress how much that drew out his animalistic side. It didn't care that he was hurt. It had no logical capabilities other than knowing she had bested him and that he liked that on some primal level. She was also his superior when it came to intelligence, something he had always prided himself with having over everyone else, or at least being damn near close to equal when it came to Bardock and Tash. Freeza and his elites could beat him to a pulp five times over, but he always knew in the end it was he who would win out in the astuteness department. It was the only reason why he stayed alive as long as he had. Not with her, however. Never ever would he be able to compete with her if she really set her mind to it.

That thought not only scared him, but also excited him. Like any true Saiyan, he loved challenges. Not just with fighting, but also mentally. It started out as curiosity and had quickly became a challenge to him. Not only to bring her down a notch or two, but to figure her out. To be able to know what she would do next and toy with her like he did with others. Only problem was... he was starting to think he was playing with fire. The very same fire he saw light her bright blue eyes. Perhaps it would be best to leave her alone.

Yet, here she was walking towards him, dripping wet in one of those, hardly anything, swim suits. Once more he was feigning sleep, hoping it would deter her, but of course it didn't. What was worse was, even with his eyes closed he could still see her. Her blue hair caked to her face... beads of water rolling down her fit and curvy body. The way the sun reflected off her wet skin... Mentally he kicked himself, furious. She is not of my race... it is a disgrace. His lashing thoughts did nothing to curb the image of her in his head. The primal animal was winning over the monster and his pride.

Her footfalls where light as she drew closer. "I know you're awake, Vegeta, you can stop faking it."

He kept his eyes closed, afraid of himself and what his thoughts would be if he looked at her. "If you had not turned on that horrible racket I would still be sleeping." Truthfully, he really didn't mind the music, but never would he admit to actually liking something that was Earth made.

She moved near him, by the sounds of it laying something down, before in turn lying down herself. "Right... well sorry, but its staying on, mister. So have you just been sleeping out here all morning?"

Hearing that she had settled down, he opened his eyes and swiftly wished he hadn't as he swallowed. She lay not even a yard or so in front of him, barely out of the tree's shade and resting on her back, her arms crossed behind her head with her white rimmed sunglasses covering her closed eyes, protecting her from the glare of the sun. She was so close that even in his wounded state he could pin her beneath him in a matter... He gritted his teeth, shaking his head to clear the unwanted thought and images. His gaze fell to the grass next to him... he really needed to get off this mudball planet before he let this weakness take him completely.

"Vegeta?" Looking back up he found her watching him, her head tilted slightly as she looked out of the corner of her eye. "Are you okay?"

No I'm not okay and you're the damn problem, woman. In his head his thoughts seethed, but his reply was neutral, "Hn."

Turning to her side to face him, she propped her head up with her hand. "I'm sorry about yesterday..." Her other hand played with the grass and her eyes were downcast to it. "I- I don't normally push people like that... and..." He blinked, surprised that she was apologizing again. "And what you said to me under the effects of the drugs..." she sighed, pausing, "I shouldn't have used against you and I promise I'll never do it again."

He rolled his eyes. "You can keep your promises, woman, for I will never be so weak that I reveal anything of that nature again." When she looked up he shifted his gaze away so that he was watching Bardock and Goku.

"But that's the thing, Vegeta..." She sounded sad. "I want to be your friend and-"

"Hn-" he cut her off, "There's your problem, I don't want to be your friend. So leave me alone."

She remained silent, thinking before she sighed, rolling onto her back again. "Well, whether you want a friend or not I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. So if you change your mind it's no biggy."

He didn't answer. Nothing he said it seemed would deter her, so it was a waste of his time to even bother trying. Instead he closed his eyes again, willing himself to dismiss her and anything to do with her while he listened to the music and the sounds of the others. Fortunately for him, she got the hint that he didn't want to talk and didn't say anything else.

"You say you feel so down,
Every time I turn around
You say you should've
Been gone by now,
You think that everything's wrong,
Ask me how to carry on,
We'll make it through
Another day
Just hold on

Cause life starts now,
You've done all the things
That could kill you somehow
And you're so far down
But you will survive this
Somehow because
Life starts now

I hate to see you fall down,
I'll pick you up off the ground,
I've watched the weight of
Your world come down
And now it's your chance
To move on, change the way you've lived for so long,
Find the strength you've had inside all along

Cause life starts now,
You've done all the things
That could kill you somehow
And you're so far down
But you will survive this
Somehow because
Life starts now

All this pain
Take this life and make it yours,
All this hate
Take your heart and let it love again,
You will survive this somehow

Life starts now,
You've done all the things
That could kill you somehow
And you're so far down

Life starts now,
You've done all the things
That could kill you somehow
And you're so far down
Life starts now"

He snorted to himself. Humans and their sentimental crap. It made him want to kill something. At the same time though, deep inside he felt something. He wouldn't acknowledge it of course, but it was there. He wouldn't let himself dwell on it either. If he had though, he would have seen he really hadn't been taking control of his life. Even when Bardock freed him from Freeza's service, he was always living in his master's shadow. He was what his master had strived to create. A monster in his own image. Twisted and tainted. Never becoming what he was meant to be. Broken forever.

.~-~.

Perhaps if he had thought about it, he would have saved himself all the hardship that would follow that coming year. Maybe he would have even stopped what was going to happen in the coming weeks ahead... Saved himself from the pain. Then again, given his stubborn pride, it probably wouldn't have changed a damn thing. It was for the best really, for you never learn something unless you fall down a couple times, skin your knees and pick yourself back up. And maybe that was why the strange force that seemed to be lingering around them remained silent this time, doing nothing to curb him or push him down another path. Whatever the reason, his course was set and things were going to get rocky.

~~~~ .~-~. ~~~~

Beta'd by LPphreek