One - Written by PhantomScribe72
They never talked about it. Not once. Vegeta had tried to bring it up a couple of times…especially right after he came back. But Bulma wouldn't hear it. It was over, and by some undeserved miracle, he had been returned to her. She just wanted to get on with their lives and forget it ever happened.
But, no matter how hard she tried she couldn't forget it. She could still remember that horrible day as clearly as she could the day after it happened. Vegeta had been overcome by his jealousy of Goku and he had let himself be consumed by it. He had allowed his soul to be taken over by the evil wizard Babidi in return for unbelievable power.
That day…the day of the tournament… had started out so well. Bulma's life was full of love and laughter that morning. It had been full of anger and emptiness by the evening. Vegeta had attacked their friends, blowing the stadium apart in an effort to anger Goku enough to make him fight…and it had worked. Then, it in worst moment of her life, she had felt him die. He had sacrificed his life in an effort to protect her and Trunks from the evil Buu. He had touched her mind in the moments before his death, asking her forgiveness and confessing his love. She remembered how angry she had been that he could never tell her he loved her while he was alive. He waited until he knew he was going to die before he let her know. She thought of the horrible weeks that followed without him. She had moved on with her life, determined to help stop Buu, but she had ached so much from withdrawal that she often thought she would die of it.
Bulma shook the thoughts from her mind. It was over now. Buu had been defeated and Vegeta was back and everything had been set right again. He had been given a second chance as a reward for sacrificing his life to protect the planet.
Bulma had tried to put the past behind them. She had accepted him back into her life with open arms, never asking him to explain himself. He was more attentive to her and Trunks now than he had ever been. He was making a real effort to be the man she wanted him to be…but things still weren't right between them. As hard as she tried, she couldn't trust him completely. She knew that he had no intention of causing her any more pain, but she also doubted that he had complete control of his violent jealousy of Goku. Chi Chi had told Bulma long ago that Vegeta would always be a threat to all of them because of his obsession with Goku. At the time, Bulma had brushed off the warning. Now she had to admit, at least to herself, that Chi Chi had been right.
“What are you doing?” an amused voice broke the silence of the lab and pulled Bulma back to the present.
“Working,” Bulma said with a smile when she looked up and saw Goku.
“Doesn't look like your getting much done,” he said glancing at the bot that was still in pieces on her workbench.
“Well,” Bulma said with a sigh, “I guess I'm having a hard time concentrating.”
Goku walked over and sat down on the edge of the workbench. “I bet I can guess what's keeping you from concentrating.”
“Listen, Goku,” Bulma said in a warning tone. “I don't think we should discuss it.”
“Why not?” Goku asked. “Aren't we still best friends?”
“Of course,” she said reassuringly, “but Vegeta…”
“Vegeta knows I'm here,” Goku said quietly. “He took Trunks and Goten off into the forest to train so that I could come see you.”
“He did?” Bulma asked in shock. “Why would he do that?”
“Maybe he thought it would help,” Goku said.
“Help what?” Bulma asked in confusion.
“Help sort out whatever is going on between you two.”
Bulma was suddenly overcome with anger. “Has Vegeta been talking about our problems with you?”
“Yeah right,” Goku said rolling his eyes. “You know better than that.”
“Then how do you know there's anything going on between us?”
“I know him,” Goku answered, “and I know you. There's something that's not right. I thought if I could talk to you about it, it might help.”
“What's to talk about?” Bulma snapped. “You can't take away what happened…no one can. And you can't promise me that it will never happen again.”
“No, I can't,” Goku agreed.
“Then tell me,” Bulma said through clenched teeth, “how do you think you can possibly help me?”
“You know, Bulma,” Goku said evenly, “you aren't being reasonable.”
Bulma stood up stalked away from the bench. “Why should I be reasonable?” she snarled. “I trusted him He promised me, Goku and he broke that promise. How can I ever trust him again?”
Goku stood up and walked to the door. “You know Bulma, I think it's high time you grew up. You are still the girl I met all those years ago, searching desperately for the perfect boyfriend. Here's a news flash for you, Bulma. No one is perfect. Not, Vegeta, not Yamcha, not me, and certainly not you. Vegeta will never be what you want him to be because what you want is impossible.”
“You don't know what you're talking about,” she spat.
“Really?” Goku said. “How do you think Chi Chi and I have managed to make a life together? Do you think she likes it when I leave her for years at a time? Do you think it made her happy that I chose to stay dead after the Cell games even though I knew she was carrying my child? But she still believes in me. She still accepts me in spite of it all. Do you why? It's because she loves me. It's because she chose long ago to be with me. She's never given up. No matter what she never loses faith in me. You could learn a lot from her Bulma.”
“It's not the same thing,” she sobbed.
“Why not?” Goku asked, gentling his tone. “He loves you, Bulma...he died for you. How much more proof do you need? Yes, there's a possibility that he'll screw up again, but if you love him as much as I think you do, you'll just have to accept the fact that he'll do his best. That's all he can do.”
“Oh, Goku,” Bulma said through her tears. “I'm such an idiot.”
Goku walked over and hugged her tightly. “Yes, you are...but you can fix it.”
“I will, I promise,” she said against his chest. “Thank you so much.”
“Hey,” he said into her hair, “that`s what friends are for.”
Hours later, Bulma sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Vegeta to finish his shower and come to bed. She couldn't believe how nervous she was. She hadn't felt like this since the first time that he had made love to her. Vegeta had sensed that she was up to something. He had been studying her intently all evening. She had avoided his eyes all night, but now she was ready to talk...and do other things.
Vegeta opened the bathroom door and started toward the bed. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Bulma. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed only in a silk and lace covered white teddy. He was immediately overcome with lust, but he forcefully pushed it back. He was determined to let her control the pace of the evening.
“What are you up to?” he asked with a smirk.
“What makes you think I'm up to anything?” she asked innocently.
“You seem to have forgotten how well I know you,” he said with a growl.
“You don't know me nearly as well as you will by the end of the night,” she said seductively.
Vegeta shuddered at her words. They had made love frequently since he had returned, but this was the first time that she had made the first move. He shivered with anticipation as she slid back on the bed and held her arms open to him. He crawled into her arms and kissed her deeply. When he finally broke the kiss, she reached up and stroked his face gently.
“I'm so sorry, Vegeta,” she whispered. “I want you to know how much I love you. I need you to know that I trust you to love me back.”
Vegeta was overcome with emotion. He had been praying to hear her say those words for so long. He had accepted that he would never hear them...that she would never offer her trust to him again.
“Bulma,” he moaned as she stroked his back. “I'm so sorry...for everything.”
“Don't be sorry,” she replied. “I love you, not in spite of who you are...but because of it.”
Vegeta moaned and claimed her mouth in a gentle kiss. He moved his arousal against her slowly, making her moan with need. He made love to her slowly and thoroughly, leaving no part of her body untouched. When she finally let go and allowed herself to climax, Vegeta completely lowered his mental wall. She saw clearly, for the first time, inside of his soul. She thought she would die from the intensity of his emotions. She felt his arrogance and his pride. She felt his pain, his humiliation, and his shame. But the most powerful emotion he possessed was his love and his devotion to his family.
Bulma was so overcome with his feelings that she thought she was going to lose her mind. She began thrashing her head back and forth across the pillow, overcome by his presence in her mind. Vegeta broke the mental link and kissed her possessively. He pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair, waiting for her recover.
Finally, she lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. “I never knew...”
“Well,” he said gently, “you know now.”
Bulma laid her head back down onto his chest. “And I'll never forget.”
“I'll be here to make sure that you don't,” he murmured against her hair as she drifted off to sleep.
Bulma sighed in relief as the hot water poured over her skin. It had been a long day, and she was happy to finally have the chance to be alone and take a long, hot shower. As she worked the shampoo through her hair, her mind drifted over the events of the day.
Vegeta had woken her up at the crack of dawn to make love to her. He was spending the day with Trunks and he needed to get up early. They were going to some remote little island Vegeta had found to train. Although Bulma knew she would miss seeing them around the house, she was also thrilled at the prospect of having a day of total solitude. She was falling behind on her work...Dende knew it was hard to concentrate with Vegeta around.
Once Vegeta and Trunks had gone on their way, she had gulped down some breakfast and headed out to the lab. She was starting to make some significant progress on her latest project when the phone rang. Bulma picked up the phone and listened with amusement as Chi Chi excitedly told her that after a long and difficult pregnancy, Videl had finally gone into labor. Bulma sighed and packed away the invention she had been working on and took off to Gohan and Videl's house.
After hours of labor, Videl finally gave birth to a beautiful little girl named Pan. Chi Chi had been in near hysterics the whole time and it had been Bulma's job to keep her calm. “No wonder I'm so tired,” she muttered to herself as she rinsed the shampoo from her hair.
The baby was so beautiful. Holding the little girl had taken Bulma back in time to the days after Trunks was born. Bulma suddenly found herself missing her precious little baby. Trunks had grown into a fine young boy and Bulma was proud to be his mother. But she missed the closeness she had once shared with him. Although it was obvious that Trunks still adored his mother, he was growing up...and he was spending more and more time with Vegeta.
Bulma smiled dreamily as she thought of her husband. He seemed to have changed so much since the Buu incident. He was so attentive to his family that Bulma often found herself wishing he would find something else to keep him busy. It's not that she didn't enjoy all the attention...the truth was she enjoyed it too much. It was difficult to get any work done with him around. He still spent a great deal of his time out in the gravity room, but he often surprised her by showing up out of the blue and demanding her body. And if there was one thing Bulma was totally incapable of doing, it was denying him when he wanted to make love. The spiritual bond that they now shared had strengthened their physical bond significantly. Vegeta had succeeded in turning Bulma into a raving sex addict.
Bulma was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the bathroom door open and close. She almost jumped out of her skin when the shower door slid open to reveal her smirking husband.
“If I've turned you into an addict,” he said removing his clothes, “then I think it's time you had your fix.”
Bulma shuddered wildly at the sight of her naked husband looking at her with unrestrained lust. “You're reading my mind again,” Bulma protested weakly as he climbed into the shower and wrapped her in his arms.
“Keep your fucking mental wall up and you won't have to worry about it,” he said with a chuckle as his mouth kissed the sensitive flesh behind her ear.
Bulma moaned and arched her body against his. He brought his hand down to cup her breast, flicking his thumb across her nipple. Bulma sneaked her hand down to his shaft and stroked it gently. She smiled a triumphant smile as he jerked in surprise and pleasure. “You're going to pay for that, Woman,” he muttered as his mouth claimed her breast. He sucked strongly, using his tongue to tease her nipple. Bulma screamed in ecstasy as one of his hands found her clit and began stroking in gently. Vegeta laughed out loud at her response. He backed her up against the shower door and sank to his knees. He pulled one of her legs up over his shoulder. Bulma watched him in fascinated lust as he spread her womanhood with his hands and dropped his mouth to her clit. Bulma screamed his name as he drove her out of her mind with pleasure. He licked and sucked her until she exploded in a giant orgasm. He licked up her juices and stood up slowly.
“More?” he asked seductively.
Bulma was incapable of answering him. She nodded her head frantically. He smiled a sexy smile and lifted her up to meet his cock. Bulma screamed as he entered he swiftly, only to pull back out. He bent his head to her breast and claimed one of them with his mouth.
“Please, please,” she begged as he slowly slid into her again. Bulma wiggled her hips in an effort to get him to increase his pace, but he resisted her pleas. He slowly thrust in and out of her as she moaned his name. She tangled her hands in his hair and pulled his mouth up to hers. She kissed him desperately and deeply. Vegeta couldn't hold back any more. He increased his pace and thrust into her harder. He thrust into her over and over again until they both crashed in a wave of pleasure.
Bulma panted, trying to catch her breath. Vegeta slowly slid her down off his body. He looked at her with intense emotion for a few moments before kissing her gently. He lifted his mouth from hers and began to stroke her buttocks. Bulma knew he was going to take her again. She moaned and cupped his face in her hands.
“Vegeta,” she breathed out, “let's have another baby.”
Vegeta stopped stroking her and looked into her eyes in confusion. “What did you just say?” he whispered.
“I want you to make me pregnant,” she said with a sweet smile. “I want to have your baby.”
Vegeta removed his hands from her body as if he'd been burned. He backed away from her towards the shower door.
“No,” he said harshly.
“What?” Bulma asked in confusion.
“I said no,” he repeated gruffly, stepping out of the shower. “There's no way I'm making another brat with you.”
“But...” she started.
Vegeta took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. “No, buts...I said no and that's final. I don't want to hear another word about it.”
“Why?” Bulma asked her eyes full of hurt.
“Because I said so,” he replied as he walked out of the door and slammed it behind him.
Bulma squeezed her eyes shut, causing her tears to spill onto her cheeks. She leaned up against the shower wall and sobbed violently. As much as Vegeta had appeared to change, he'd just made it perfectly clear to her that he could still be one mean son-of-a-bitch.
The next few days past in a blur. Bulma tried to avoid Vegeta, but it was downright impossible, seeing as how he refused to be ignored. He watched her carefully, but never brought up the baby issue...and neither did Bulma. There was no way she was going to risk another confrontation with him. She tried to act as if everything were normal, but inside her heart was breaking. She didn't understand how he could be so tender and loving one minute and so cold and brutal the next. He went on about his business as if nothing had happened, as if nothing had changed between them. He still showered her with attention. He still made love to her every night. Bulma tried to understand, to forget about what he'd said, but she was finding it very difficult.
Bulma's train of thought was broken by the sound of Trunks slamming the back door. He ran into the dining room where Bulma was setting the table for the evening meal.
“Is dinner ready yet?” he asked in a rush of air. “I'm starving.”
“Almost,” Bulma said with a smile. “Go on upstairs and wash up and I'll have it on the table when you get back.”
“Is that a threat?” Vegeta said in a teasing voice from the doorway.
Bulma turned her head to give him a nasty look, but she said nothing. Trunks laughed as he ran out of the room and up the stairs. Bulma turned her back to Vegeta to finish setting the table. She felt the warmth of his body as he walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
“I was only teasing,” he whispered in her ear.
“I know,” Bulma said quietly. She shook his hands away from her shoulders. “I need to go to the kitchen to get the food.”
Vegeta dropped his hands to his side and stepped away from her without a word. When she was out of the room, he sighed raggedly and ran a hand through his hair. He knew that she was hurt. He had been harsh in his response about the baby. He was sorry that he had upset her but he was not sorry for what he said. He didn't want another child, and there was no way he was going to give in just because her feelings were a little hurt. He was sure she'd get over the whole thing eventually.
Trunks came back downstairs just as Bulma finished putting the food on the table. The family ate in silence for a long while. Bulma watched Trunks shove the food into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in days.
“Trunks,” she finally said in exasperation, “I know you have some table manners. Please use them.”
“Sorry, Mom,” he said with a guilty grin, “but I really am starving.”
Bulma raised her eyebrow questioningly. Trunks had been with Vegeta since early that morning. Surely, Vegeta had remembered to feed him. “Didn't you have any lunch?”
“Sure,” Trunks said. “Videl made lunch for us.”
Bulma was surprised to hear this. “What were you two doing over at Videl's?"
“Goten spent the night there,” Trunks answered. “Me and Dad went to get him and once we got there Dad ended up sparring with Gohan.”
“Oh,” Bulma said distractedly. She hadn't been over to see Videl since the day Pan was born. It was too painful. Somehow it really galled her that Vegeta was getting to spend more time with her friends than she was.
Trunks finished eating and pushed his plate away. “She let me hold the baby,” he said excitedly. “It was so cool.”
Bulma took a long drink of her tea to keep from choking. “I'm sure it was.”
“You know, Mom,” Trunks said with a grin, “I think you and Dad ought to think about having a baby. It'd be so cool to have a little brother.”
“Alright, that's enough,” Vegeta growled throwing his napkin on the table. “Trunks, go upstairs now.” Vegeta put emphasis on the last word, making it clear that the boy had no room to argue.
Trunks widened his eyes in shock as he hurriedly pushed his chair back from the table. “Geez,” he said under his breath, “what'd I do?”
Bulma sighed heavily and stood up to start removing the dished from the table.
“Sit down,” Vegeta ordered gruffly
Bulma rolled her eyes and flopped back down into her chair.
“Did you put him up to that? Vegeta asked suspiciously.
Bulma's eyes flashed with anger. “And just when do you suppose I could have done that, seeing as how you have him with you all day everyday. I hardly even see him anymore.”
“Is that what this is about?” Vegeta asked tiredly. “You miss your baby so you want to make another one to fill the void?”
“No,” she answered in a small voice. “That's not what this is about.”
“Good,” Vegeta barked. “Because that's a damn stupid reason to have another child.”
Bulma said nothing; she just sat there in her chair and stared off into space.
Vegeta stood up and walked over to the window. “Children grow up,” he finally said. “It's the natural order of things. You can't just decide to have another one just because someone else has one and you get a little jealous.”
“I am not jealous,” Bulma said. “Trunks growing up or Videl having Pan has nothing to do with why I wanted to have another child.”
“Wanted?” Vegeta turned slowly to look at her. “Past tense?”
Bulma sucked in a deep breath. “You've made your feeling on the subject perfectly clear. I have already experienced having a child with you that you didn't want. Believe me, I have no desire to go through that hell again.”
Vegeta almost exploded with rage. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to grab her and shake her until her teeth rattled.
“How dare you bring that up now?” he asked with a snarl. “After all we've gone through, you still desire to punish me for my past sins?”
“Oh, fuck you, Vegeta,” she spat at him. She stood up and stalked away from the table.
“Don't you dare go through that door,” he said menacingly.
Bulma stood up straight. “I'll do as I damn well please,” she said as she left the room.
Vegeta didn't come to bed that night. Bulma worried that she had pushed him over the edge. It occurred to her over and over again that he might leave, but she felt his strong presence close by all night. She finally decided that he was spending the night in the gravity room. She buried her head in a pillow and cried herself to sleep.
She woke up late the next morning. The clock beside of the bed read 9:15. “Shit!” she said as she bounced up out of the bed. “Trunks is probably starving by now.”
“I fed the boy and sent him to Kakarrott's,” Vegeta's voice said from the other side of the room.
“I waited up for you,” she said quietly.
Vegeta ignored her comment and began to pace across the room. “Tell me why you want to have a baby,” he finally said.
Bulma sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I just...I just do.”
Vegeta stopped pacing and turned to look at her. “Not good enough.”
Bulma sighed and tried to organize her thoughts. She finally took a deep breath and began. “Vegeta, I love you and Trunks more than I ever thought it would be possible for me to love another being. Sometimes, I feel like my heart is so full of love that it will explode. I just want to have someone else to share that love with.”
Vegeta walked over to the window. It seemed like hours before he finally responded. “Have you forgotten the pain you endured while you were carrying Trunks?” he finally asked. “Having him almost killed you.” He turned to look her in the eye. “I will not allow you to endanger yourself like that again.”
Bulma's eyes grew as big as saucers. Once again, she was marveled at the depth of her own stupidity. All of this had because he was worried for her...because he didn't want to see her in pain.
She got up and walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I haven't forgotten, Vegeta. But it was all worth it. Look at what a wonderful little boy we have. I know I could have died...but you saved me...and you will again.”
Vegeta shuddered violently when she pressed her lip to his. He moaned and wrapped her tightly in his arms. “What if I can't?” He asked roughly. “What if something happens and I can't?”
“You will,” she said reassuringly. “Vegeta, we have so much love to share. Wouldn't you like another little one to share it with? Besides,” she said grinding her body against his, “think of all the fun we'll have trying to get pregnant.”
Vegeta sighed in defeat. He knew he couldn't deny her anything. He lowered his head and kissed her deeply. “Oh, I don't know,” he said with a smirk. “I don't think we'll have to try for very long.”
“Still,” Bulma said seductively, “I think we should get started right away...just to be on the safe side.”
Vegeta burst out laughing and picked her up in his arms. He laid her down on the bed and made sweet, gentle love to her.
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