One - Written by PhantomScribe72

Chapter 16

Bulma hummed happily as she folded the laundry. She watched Trunks playing with his trucks in the corner of the room. She glanced at her watch, knowing that Vegeta would be in from the gravity chamber soon and that he would want his dinner on the table as soon as he hit the door.

Things had been very good between them for the past three years. Bulma had learned to accept him as he was and he had learned to control his anger...most of the time anyway. He still left Capsule Corp. occasionally, but never for more than a few days at a time. And when he returned, he always made such sweet love to her that she forgave him for his absence immediately.

“Mama,” Trunks said, snapping Bulma out of her thoughts, “I'm hungry.”

“Just wait a little while, baby,” Bulma crooned. “I'm getting ready to start dinner now.”

“I don't want to wait,” Trunks whined. “I want to eat now!”

“Well,” Bulma said standing and turning her back on the boy, “we all occasionally want things we can't have.”

“I WANT FOOD NOW!” Trunks screamed at the top of his lungs. Bulma spun around and saw the ki ball in the palm of his hand only an instant before he released it. It hit her squarely in the shoulder. She screamed in agony and hit the floor with a dull thud. Trunks saw his mother writhing on the floor and sobbing with pain. He started screaming at the top of his lungs.

Seconds later, Vegeta crashed through the door with murder in his eyes. He scanned the room, looking for an enemy. When he didn't see one, he hurried over to Bulma. He shoved a bawling Trunks out of the way and knelt beside her.

“Woman,” he said urgently, “are you alright? What happened.”

“Trunks,” Bulma moaned, “a ki ball...”

Vegeta stood and grabbed the boy by his arm. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?” he roared.

Trunks screamed louder and tried to squirm out of his father's grasp.

“No, Vegeta,” Bulma pleaded, “it was an accident. He's confused.”

When Vegeta didn't release Trunks, Bulma tried to stand. She made it to her knees before collapsing in a heap on the floor. “Please,” she sobbed, “please Vegeta...he's just a child.”

Vegeta turned to look at her. He took a deep breath and slowly released Trunks. Trunks immediately ran to his mother and buried his head in her lap.

“Vegeta, you have to help me,” she gasped.

Vegeta picked Trunks up and sat him on the floor beside of his mother. “Hush boy,” he grumbled, “you're mother will be fine. Go find your grandmother and tell her she needs to look after you until I get back.”

Trunks bit his lip and tried to stop his cries. He slowly nodded his head. “I'm sorry Mama,” he said in a small voice. “I didn't mean it.”

“I know baby,” Bulma managed through clenched teeth. “Mama's fine. Now go find Granny...I think she's in the garden.”

Vegeta bent and scooped Bulma up in his arms. He took her to their bedroom and removed her shirt so that he could examine the wound on her shoulder.

“How bad is it?” she gasped.

“Pretty bad,” Vegeta said grimly. He got up and went into the bathroom. Bulma heard the medicine cabinet open and close again. He came back in with bandages, medical tape, a wash cloth, and a bottle of pain pills.

He shook two of the pills out of the bottle and handed them to her. “Here, take these,” he said.

Bulma gulped the pills down. Vegeta began to gently clean and bandage her wound.

“The boy could have killed you,” he said matter-of-factly.

“He didn't mean to Vegeta,” Bulma said tiredly. “He just lost control...”

“That's my point,” Vegeta interrupted. “I am going to start training him tomorrow.”

“NO!” Bulma said, trying to sit up. Pain shot through her shoulder and she collapsed back onto the bed. “Vegeta, he's still a baby. He's only four years old.”

“He is not a baby anymore,” Vegeta returned. “It's obvious that he is going to be a very powerful warrior. If he doesn't learn to control his power, he will be a great danger to himself and everyone else around him.”

“I won't let you take my baby into that gravity room,” Bulma said stubbornly. “You'll kill him!”

“Surely,” Vegeta snarled, “you are not insinuating that I would deliberately hurt my own son.”

“No,” she said quietly, “not deliberately. But you could loose control...”

“Woman,” Vegeta said with irritation, “the only way I will lose control is if I come in to find you wounded and rolling around on the floor again.”

Bulma looked at him warily. “He's still a baby,” she whispered.

Vegeta bent his face to hers so that their noses were almost touching. “I'm not an idiot,” he said lowly. “I know that he's a small child and I will treat him accordingly...but he must be trained. Woman, think about it. He could hurt himself as bad or worse than he hurt you today.”

Bulma's eyes widened. She hadn't considered that. “You'd better not hurt him,” she gave in. “I'd hate to have to kick your ass.”

Vegeta's lips curled in a smirk. “You're only being so brave because you think I won't do anything to you while your injured.”

“You wouldn't do anything to me even if I weren't,” she said with a mischievous grin.

“There are other means of punishment besides violence,” he said suggestively.

“Well,” Bulma said looking at him with lust filled eyes, “I can't wait until I'm better so that you can show them to me.”

Vegeta laughed out loud. He finished bandaging her shoulder and stood up. “Are those pills kicking in yet?” he asked.

“Yes,” Bulma sighed, “I can't feel a thing.”

“Good,” he said with a grin. “I guess I'd better go get that little monster before he buries your mother in the garden.”

Bulma laughed in spite of herself. “Thanks for taking care of me,” she sighed.

Vegeta looked uncomfortable for a moment, but he quickly mastered it. He bent and kissed her on the cheek softly. “I'll be back soon,” he said before walking out the door and shutting it gently behind him.

“Dammit Boy!” Vegeta roared, “You're supposed to be aiming at the bot, NOT AT ME!”

Trunks tried to wipe the smirk off his face before his father saw it. “Sorry, Dad,” he said sheepishly, “I'm trying.”

Vegeta rubbed his thigh. The little snot had gotten in quite a blow. If Vegeta hadn't known better, he would have sworn Trunks had hit him on purpose.

“Come on, Dad,” Trunks said. “I'm tired. We've been out here all day.”

Vegeta looked at his son warily. The little boy was quite powerful...but he was still a little boy. Vegeta knew that he had to be exhausted, but to his credit, he hadn't complained...much.

“Alright,” Vegeta sighed, “we'll call it a day.”

“Yippie!” The boy said running for the door.

“Wait!” Vegeta yelled. “You go in and take a shower. I don't want to hear your mother bitch about you stinking up the house!”

“Yes sir!” Trunks said smartly and darted out the door.

Vegeta left the gravity room and walked toward the house. He couldn't stop the grimace that spread across his face as he heard Bulma and Chi Chi giggling in the kitchen. He had learned to tolerate Chi Chi over the years...but only barely. The only person that got on his nerves more than her was that sniveling idiot Yamcha.

“You're kidding me?” he heard Bulma say with a giggle.

“Nope,” Chi Chi said. “I thought Krillin was going to explode!”

“Well,” Bulma sighed once her laughter had subsided, “18 sure surprised the hell out of me sometimes.”

“Yeah,” Chi Chi agreed. “I have to admit I was more than a little worried when Krillin married her, but she's ended up being the best thing that's ever happened to him. Plus, she's an excellent mother. She truly adores that little girl of hers.”

“Yes she does,” Bulma sighed.

“You know,” Chi Chi said with a wicked grin, “she reminds me a lot of Vegeta.”

“You're kidding!” Bulma said in disbelief. “How?”

“Well,” Chi Chi began, “she was an evil, heartless being whose sole mission in life was to cause pain and destruction...until love changed her. Just like Vegeta.”

“He'd kill you if he heard you say that,” Bulma said warningly.

“Maybe,” Chi Chi murmured, “but just because he can't admit it doesn't mean it's not true.”

“I don't think we should be talking about this.” Bulma said sadly. “Vegeta wouldn't like it.”

“Bulma,” Chi Chi said in awe, “you're still afraid of him.”

“No I'm not,” Bulma said quickly. “He'd never hurt me...it's just that...”

“Come on,” Chi Chi insisted, “spit it out.”

“He doesn't like to talk about it,” Bulma finally said, “and I don't like to push him.”

“Do you mean to tell me,” Chi Chi said with shock, “that he has never told you he loves you? Not once in all these years?”

Bulma sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “He doesn't need to tell me how he feels. I already know.”

“Yes, but still...” Chi Chi trailed off.

“What?” Bulma snapped.

“Look, let's be honest,” Chi Chi finally said. “You know what people are saying about you. You've been living with him for years...you have a six-year-old son. But you two have never gotten married.”

“I don't care what the gossips say,” Bulma said roughly.

“Yes you do,” Chi Chi said, “don't forget who you're talking to. I know you too well for you to try to fool me.”

Bulma sighed heavily. “I know what they say behind my back. That he only stays with me for money and sex...and that I'm pathetic because I continue to let him use me that way. But they're wrong and I'm not going to dignify their idle gossip by trying to force him into something he doesn't want. Besides...he'd never allow it. He'd just leave.”

“You know,” Bulma continued, “last year, the board at Capsule Corp. tired to force my father to make me resign. They said that I was causing a scandal and that I was giving off the wrong image for the company. One of them called me a slut right in the middle of a stockholder's meeting. It broke Daddy's heart, but he stuck by me.”

“I didn't know that!” Chi Chi squealed. “”I'm surprised that Vegeta didn't go over there and kick someone's ass!”

“I never told him,” Bulma whispered. “I didn't want him to think I was using it to pressure him.”

Chi Chi looked at her friend with admiration and pity. Bulma was clearly upset about this. She was near tears. Still, her friend refused to push Vegeta, even a little. “OK,” Chi Chi finally said, “calm down. I'm sorry I ever brought it up.”

“It's OK,” Bulma smiled sadly, “it's just that I love him so much and he...”

“I know,” Chi Chi said, “I know.”

Outside the door, Vegeta snarled and clenched his fist in anger. How dare anyone speak of his mate that way? Why hadn't she ever told him any of this? Could she really still think that he would hurt her...that he would leave her?

Vegeta breathed deeply and tried to get control of the fury that was sweeping through his body. When he was sure his rage was contained, he jerked open the door to the kitchen and stomped inside.

“Vegeta!” Bulma and Chi Chi screamed at once.

He raised his eyebrow at them but said nothing. He stalked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of juice.

“Are you and Trunks done training already?” Bulma asked nervously.

“Yes,” he said, keeping his voice even, “the brat came in a few minutes ago.”

“He must have come in the other door,” Bulma said, searching his eyes for any trace that he had overheard the conversation. “I didn't see him.”

Vegeta shrugged. “Why are you here?” he asked Chi Chi rudely.

“Well,” Chi Chi said rolling her eyes, “you can bet I didn't come to see you.”

The corners of Vegeta's mouth turned up in a smirk. “I'm so disappointed,” he said smartly.

Bulma relaxed. Surely if he'd heard what they were talking about, he'd be throwing ki balls around the kitchen by now. “How's the training go?” She asked Vegeta.

“The little brat was lazy today,” Vegeta said with a snarl. "He didn't even transform.”

“Excuse me,” Chi Chi said in shock, “transform? Are you telling me that Trunks can transform into a Super Saiyan already?”

“I wasn't telling you anything,” Vegeta growled, “but if you must know, my son has been able to transform for quite a while now.”

“Wow,” Chi Chi breathed. “That's unbelievable. Goten is strong, but...well, I'm doing most of his training. Gohan is so busy with his studies...”

“Humph,” Vegeta sighed, “he needs proper training. The boy has potential.”

“Really?” Chi Chi asked, “are you volunteering?”

“Why not?” Vegeta said after a moment's consideration, “but only a couple of times a week. My focus must remain on Trunks.”

“It's a deal then,” Chi Chi, said standing up. “I'd better get going. I'm sure Goten is driving Gohan up a tree by now.”

“OK,” Bulma said, “I'll walk you to your car.”

Vegeta watched the women as they made their way out the door. He finished his juice and walked back out to the gravity room. He wanted to be alone. He had a lot of thinking to do. He needed to decide what he was going to do about Bulma's problem. “I should just kill someone,” he grumbled to himself, but he knew that wasn't a solution. He had a feeling he would be making some hard choices in the very near future.

Bulma turned over and looked at the clock. It was 2:45 in the morning and Vegeta still hadn't come home. She wondered if he had taken off again. She sat up and snapped on the lamp beside the bed. There was no way she going to be able to go to sleep, she thought to herself, so she may as well just give up.

She climbed out of the bed and walked to the window. She always had trouble sleeping when Vegeta wasn't home. Even though her brain knew that he would be back, there was a deep fear in her heart that he would stay gone forever.

“Bulma,” she mumbled to herself, “you are such a pathetic weakling.”

“I've been telling you that for years,” a deep voice said from the doorway. “I'm glad to hear you finally admit it.”

Bulma almost jumped out of her skin. “I swear, Vegeta,” she mumbled, “one of these days you really are going to give me a heart attack.”

Vegeta grinned and walked over to the bed. Bulma watched as he pulled off his shirt and tossed it into a corner. She ran her eyes hungrily over his muscled chest. It still amazed her that still, after all of these years, she wanted him so badly. No matter how many times or in how many ways he took her, he always left her wanting, needing more.

He felt her staring at him. He slowly looked up and locked his eyes with hers. “Come to bed, Woman,” he demanded.

Bulma crawled back into the bed and lay back against the pillows. She studied him intently as he finished undressing.

“Take of that garment, Woman,” he ordered.

Bulma's eyes widened in surprise. He usually liked to undress her himself. She slowly pulled the gown up over her head and let it drop soundlessly to the floor. She lay before him dressed only in her tiny silk panties. He looked at her body with pure lust shining in his eyes. “Take off the underwear too.”

Bulma hooked her thumbs under the lace and slowly slid the white silk down her legs and kicked them off with her feet. She felt as if she were in some sort of trance. If he had ordered her to jump off the balcony she didn't think she would have been able to refuse him.

Vegeta lowered himself to the bed. He reached out and tangled his hand in her hair. He jerked her head back and began to lick and nibble her neck. Bulma moaned and struggled to get closer to him. He pushed her away from him and held her down on the bed. “I am in control,” he said lowly. He lowered his head and began to massage one of her nipples with his tongue. Bulma whimpered with pleasure. “Spread your legs,” he instructed and she complied without question. He began to massage her pussy with his fingers. Bulma writhed wildly under him. Vegeta bit her sensitive skin around her nipple as his fingers moved roughly against her womanly folds. “Wider,” he breathed, “spread them wider.”

Bulma was sobbing with pleasure. She opened her legs as far as she possible could. As a reward, Vegeta entered her with two fingers. He moved them around in a circular pattern as she squirmed with delight. He began to move his fingers in and out of her as his thumb rubbed her clit. “How does that feel, Woman?” he whispered as his tongue continued to caress her swollen nipples.

“Mmmm,” she panted, “it feels so good.”

Vegeta began to kiss and lick his way down her body. He stopped just above her aqua curls and raised his head to look at her, “I'm going to make you scream.”

He used his fingers to hold her pussy lips apart and sunk his tongue into her wet hole. He swirled it around until he found her clit. He began to suck on the hard nub roughly. He pinched between his teeth and Bulma did indeed scream out in pure pleasure. “OH MY GOD,” she screamed as a swift and powerful orgasm shook her body.

Vegeta laughed cruelly and began to eat her out as hard and as rough as he could. He worked on her clit with his teeth and his tongue as his fingers rubbed her walls and lips. Bulma came over and over again, but Vegeta had no mercy. He continued his torture until Bulma's clit was so over stimulated that his touch became painful. He jerked her up and threw her onto her stomach. He slammed his cock into her without warning. She groaned and panted his name as he drove into her relentlessly. He moved into a sitting position, with her on his lap facing away from him. “Look in the mirror,” he grunted. “Watch me fuck you.”

Bulma looked up and saw Vegeta lifting her up and slamming her back down on him over and over again. Her breasts her bobbing up and down with each thrust. She reached one arm behind her and wrapped it around his neck while she played with her own nipples with the other. Watching him fuck her in the mirror was one of the most erotic things she had ever experienced.

Vegeta knew he was close to losing control. He snaked a hand around her and again began to rub her clit.

“VEGETA!” she screamed loudly as she came again. Vegeta thrust into her harder and harder until her finally found his own release.

The next morning, Bulma awoke so sore that she could hardly stand up. Vegeta had taken her over and over again. He had been incredibly rough with her...showing her absolutely no mercy. He had taken her in positions that she would have never have thought would have been scientifically possible. She had reveled in it. When he was finally finished with her, he had pulled her into his arms and told her that she had been a very good girl, then drifted off to sleep. Bulma shook her head, trying to clear it of the sensuous memories. She was starting to get horny again already.

She winced as she stepped out of the shower. As much as she loved the rough stuff, Vegeta was going to need to be gentle for the next few nights. Bulma smiled as she wrapped herself up in a towel, she loved the gentle stuff just as much.

“What are you smiling about, Woman?” Vegeta asked with amusement.

Bulma was surprised to see him. “Last night,” she said dreamily, “what else?”

Vegeta chuckled softly, “You are such a hot little slut sometimes,” he said as he gave her a gentle good morning kiss.

“Yes, I am.” She agreed. “But only with you.”

Vegeta claimed her mouth completely. When he finally lifted his head he asked her a question she never thought she would ever hear. “Do you want to marry me?”

“What?!” she asked in shock.

“You heard me,” he grumbled moving away from her. “You humans are such a simple species. You seem to require the meaningless ceremony. I can see no harm in participating in it.”

“Oh, Vegeta,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “You're so romantic.”

“Please, spare me the sarcasm. I know you have been wanting this. I'm not thrilled about doing it...I think it's stupid and unnecessary. But...you are my mate. We are bonded forever...so I see no harm in giving you your precious little ceremony and piece of paper.”

“I don't want to pressure you...”

“Woman,” Vegeta snapped angrily, “you couldn't pressure me into doing anything I don't want to no matter how bad you wanted to. Don't confuse your romantic little dreams with the reality of our relationship. I will marry you if you wish, but it won't change anything between us. I am still my own man...and I always will be.”

Bulma turned her back on him before he had a chance to see her tears.

“Well, Woman,” he asked impatiently, “do you want to do this or not?”

Bulma sighed raggedly. She was desperately trying to get her tears under control. Why did he always have to do this? Why did he have to make her feel so...low all the time?

“I will not wait for an answer,” he said angrily.

“You don't have to,” she said quietly, keeping her back to him. “Yes, Vegeta, I would like for us to get married.”

“Fine,” he said simply. “Make the proper arrangements,” he said as he jerked open the door and stomped out of the room, leaving Bulma behind, shaking with fury. She picked up a vase of flowers from the bedside table and flung it violently into the closed door.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" she screamed before collapsing in an exhausted heap onto the floor.

Bulma was starting to get nervous. The wedding was scheduled to begin in a half-hour, and Vegeta still hadn't bothered to show up. In fact, she hadn't seen much of him at all since the morning he'd “proposed” to her. She sighed and wondered for the thousandth time if she was doing the right thing. She knew that she wanted to marry Vegeta...there was absolutely no doubt in her mind about that. What she didn't know is why he had agreed to go through with this. It was painfully obvious to Bulma (and to everyone else) that he was not exactly thrilled with the situation. She had tried everything she could think of the placate him, but nothing seemed to help. He stalked around the house in a constant fit of barely controlled fury.

“Maybe things will get better once this is over,” she muttered to herself. She glanced at her watch again. Fifteen minutes to go and still no groom. A horrible thought occurred to Bulma, surely he wouldn't stand her up to punish her for...for what? She had been wracking her brain for weeks, trying to figure out exactly what it was that she had done to make him so angry.

“Oh, Vegeta,” she sighed sadly, “what's wrong with you?”

Suddenly the door flew open and Chi Chi came running into the room. “He's here,” she said breathlessly.

Bulma let out a huge sigh of relief. “What kind of mood is her in?” Bulma asked, praying that, by some miracle, Vegeta would be behaving calmly.

“A typical Vegeta mood,” Chi Chi said with amusement. “He practically knocked poor Yamcha through the wall when he had the stupidity to question him about where he'd been. Gohan had to step in to keep Yamcha from getting a royal ass kicking.”

Bulma buried her head in her hands. “Oh, for Dende's sake!” she moaned. “Why me?”

Chi Chi grabbed Bulma's hand and pulled her up out of the chair she'd been sitting in. “Come on girl, it's time to go,” Chi Chi said, rolling her eyes. “It's a little too late to start second guessing this thing now.”

Bulma walked over to the mirror and took one final look at herself. “How do I look?” she asked Chi Chi nervously.

“You look absolutely breathtaking,” Chi Chi replied. “We'll be lucky if Vegeta doesn't ravish you at the altar!”

`Yeah, fat chance,” Bulma mumbled.

Chi Chi walked over and took Bulma's hands in hers. “Listen,” Chi Chi said in a motherly voice, “I know Vegeta's been a real asshole lately. But if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that he would not have agreed to do this unless it was what he wanted.”

Bulma took a deep breath. “I hope you're right,” she said quietly.

“I know I'm right,” Chi Chi said reassuringly. “Now, let's go get you married,” Chi Chi said, pulling Bulma out the door.

“OK,” Bulma sighed and followed Chi Chi reluctantly. She squeezed her eyes shut. “Please,” she prayed earnestly, “please let everything work out OK.”

Bulma lay on her side and stared out into the darkness. Beside her, she could hear the deep and even breathing of her husband's sleep. Husband...she still couldn't believe it. He had actually gone through with the ceremony...and it had been a lovely ceremony. Vegeta looked so handsome and sexy in his tuxedo that Bulma could barely rip her eyes from him. She also caught the look of appreciation he had given her when he saw her coming down the aisle in her flowing cream colored gown. The ceremony itself had been short but sweet. The minister had joined them as man and wife and Vegeta had given her such a gentle and soulful kiss that Bulma's toes had curled. Yes, Bulma thought, the wedding had been lovely...it was the reception where everything started falling apart.

Vegeta had only made a brief appearance at the reception, and that had been under protest. Bulma sat at the bridal table with Chi Chi and her parents and opened the gifts and greeted guests without him. Of course, almost everyone made a point to comment on the groom's absence. When Bulma got tired of making excuses, Chi Chi began telling everyone that Vegeta just hated crowds.

After Bulma had opened the last gift, Yamcha had come to her and asked her to dance. Bulma had reluctantly agreed and followed him warily onto the dance floor. She felt the eyes of the crowd boring into her skin as Yamcha spun her around in time to the music. He held in a loose, brotherly embrace, but that didn't stop the gossips from speculating about why the bride was dancing with her ex-lover instead of her new husband. Bulma had been just about ready to end the dance when she heard a murmur run through the crowd. She looked up and saw Vegeta standing next to her and Yamcha, giving her a look that could have turned her to stone.

Bulma and Yamcha stopped dancing and Bulma stepped out of Yamcha's embrace. She looked at Vegeta with pure fear in her eyes. He held his hand out to hers and she took it without question. “I was just saying goodbye,” Yamcha whispered fearfully. Vegeta tore his gaze from Bulma and gave Yamcha a look of disgust. “I think your good-byes should have been said long ago,” Vegeta growled quietly.

Bulma looked around the crowd and noticed that everyone was craning their necks, trying to get a better look. Her eyes pleaded silently with Vegeta not to make a scene. He pulled her gently into the circle of his arms and led her away from Yamcha. Almost as if he were aware of the curious crowd's thoughts, he bent his lips to hers and claimed them in a gentle, but passionate kiss. The crowd, sensing that the awkward moment was over, began to whoop and holler and cheer as Vegeta continued the kiss. He kissed her with such passion that Bulma soon forgot about the crowd and lost herself in pleasure. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body up against his. Vegeta smirked against her mouth and squeezed her tightly. He ended the kiss and leaned down to whisper quietly in her ear. “Now there shouldn't be any doubt about who you belong to.”

Bulma stared up into his eyes, still in a lust-induced haze. He chuckled evilly and pushed her through the crowd over to her parents.

“We are leaving,” said to no one in particular. “See to the woman's things.”

He turned around and started pulling Bulma toward the door.

“Wait!” Chi Chi screamed in a high pitched voice, “she needs to throw her bouquet!”

Vegeta told Bulma to hurry up and get it over with. He barely gave her enough time to get everyone gathered before he insisted she throw it. Bulma turned around and tossed the flowers over her head. Vegeta whisked her out of the room before she even had a chance to see who'd caught it.

Everyone at the reception (including Bulma) thought that Vegeta was so impatient because he wanted to get home to make love to his new bride. Everyone was wrong.

When Bulma and Vegeta got back to Capsule Corp., he didn't follow her into the house. He walked straight out to the gravity room and slammed the door. Bulma was in such shock, she had gone upstairs and flung herself across the bed. She didn't even bothered to remove her wedding gown. She lay culled up alone and cried until she finally fell into an uneasy sleep.

That's how Vegeta had found her hours later when he had finally come in from the gravity room. He sighed with irritation when her saw her tear streaked face and her wrinkled and ruined gown. He gently shook her shoulders until she opened her eyes.

“Woman,” he asked, “what the hell is wrong with you?”

She turned way from him, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his indifference to their wedding day had hurt her.

“Nothing,” she answered shakily.

Vegeta rolled his eyes. He gently pulled her up off the bed and helped her remove her gown. He went into the bathroom and moistened a cloth which he used to remove the tear streaks that the runs of makeup from her face. He removed his own clothes and pulled her down on top of him on the bed.

“Why the tears?” he asked. “I thought this was what you wanted.”

She buried her head in his chest. “It is,” she sighed. “I just wish you wanted it...just a little.”

Vegeta began to stroke her back absently. “Woman,” he said lowly, “you ask for too much. I have bent as much as I can. Either it's enough for you, or it's not, but I can do no more. I have reached my limit.”

Fresh tears welled up in Bulma's eyes as she considered his words. She suddenly realized how much pride he must have swallowed to marry her. He stood in front of all of those people and swore to be hers forever. It had to have been extremely hard for him. She reached up and stroked his chin. “It's is enough.” she whispered. “It's more than enough.”

Vegeta caught the hand that was stroking his face and brought it up to his lips. Bulma shivered as he began to kiss and lick at the sensitive area on her wrist. She crawled up fully on top of him and brushed her lips against his. He let her control the kiss for a while before claiming her mouth with ruthless possession. He stroked her body with his hands, paying special attention to her buttocks. Bulma tangled her hand in his hair and silently begged him not to break the kiss. He stroked her breasts and her nipples while Bulma squirmed on top of his.

“Please,” she whispered, “I'm ready. Take me now Vegeta.”

Vegeta moaned into her mouth when she positioned herself on top of his shaft and slid down onto it slowly. She began to move up and down in a slow tortuous rhythm. He lifted his hips to match her pace. His lips never left hers. They rode the wave of white-hot pleasure together until it finally crashed, sending them both into an unbelievably fulfilling release.

Bulma stared into the dark and shook herself back to the present. She smiled as she remembered the lovemaking. As she lay there now, hours later, her back against her husband's strong chest, she made up her mind to stop wishing that things were different between them...that he was different. He was not perfect, but he was close enough for her.

Bulma overslept the next morning. She had wanted to get up early so that she could kiss Vegeta goodbye before he went off to the gravity room. She was incredibly surprised to find that he was still in the room, staring out the window.

“Good morning, handsome,” she said sleepily.

Vegeta glanced in her direction and raised an eyebrow. “Bah, it's practically afternoon.”

Bulma looked at the clock beside the bed. It was only 7:30, but she wasn't going to start an argument with him this morning. “I'm surprised you're still here,” she said softly.

Vegeta turned to look at her. “I need to ask you something,” he said just as softly.

Bulma's eyes widened. He was admitting he needed something from her? She held out her hand to him. He looked at her skeptically for a minute before taking it and sitting down beside of her on the bed.

“I assume,” he started, “that now that I am your husband and not just your mate that you will stop discussing the problems of our relationship with others and discuss them with me.”

“What are you talking about, Vegeta?” Bulma asked, genuinely confused.

“I have overheard you on two occasions. Once with your pathetic ex-lover and once with the harpy,” he answered.

Bulma shook her head and tried to think. What had he overheard? She hadn't seen Yamcha in months (except for the wedding) and she couldn't remember....

It suddenly dawned on her. He had overheard her and Chi Chi in the kitchen on the day before he had asked her to marry him. She looked up at him with uncertain eyes. “I didn't want you to think I was trying to trap you,” she finally said.

Vegeta sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Bulma, I promised you long ago that I would be with you forever. Your refusal to accept that promise has caused you a great deal of unnecessary pain. It's true that I never wanted to get married, but if you would have told me what you were going through I would have done it a long time ago.”

“I just thought...” she trailed off.

“I know what you thought,” he snapped angrily. “You thought I would get angry and leave you.”

“Y...yes,” she stuttered.

“I have given you my promise...my honor time and time again. I will not leave you and the child. You must accept that if we are to ever have any peace between us.”

Bulma began to cry silently. Vegeta sighed heavily and wrapped his arms around her. “I just don't want to lose you,” she finally said.

“You are my chosen mate. I have bonded with you,” he said with a mischievous grin. “Now, I'm not saying that I won't ever get angry with you. In fact, you make me mad enough to strangle you on a daily basis. But I will not leave you.”

Bulma sighed and buried her face in his chest. “It's true that I didn't want to marry you,” Vegeta said seriously. “But it wasn't because I wasn't committed to you.”

Bulma raised her head and looked him in the eye. “Then why?”

“Woman,” he explained slowly, “I am a private man. Our...feelings for one another are between us. I didn't want to put it all on public display...but had I known that you were suffering because of my wish for privacy, I would have married you years ago.”

“I'm sorry Vegeta,” she said stroking his face. “I should have trusted you.”

“Yes you should have,” he said with a smile.

Bulma pulled his head down and gave him a slow, searching kiss. He returned it until she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. He groaned and pushed her away from him gently.

“I have to train,” he ground out, getting off the bed. “We'll finish this later.”

“I can't wait,” she said with raw need.

He shook his head and amusement, “You're insatiable.”

“Yes, I am,” she agreed. “And you made me that way.”

Vegeta laughed out loud. He paused and the door. “No more doubts, Woman.”

“I promise, Vegeta.”

She wouldn't swear to it, but she thought she saw the corners of his mouth curl up in a smile just before he closed the door.

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