Chapter 11: Reunited

The prince angrily punched the wall again. In less than three minutes he had turned the solid barrier into a slice of Swiss cheese, and yet it still held strong. This frustrated him even more, the woman was in danger and he couldn't do anything to help her! He had sworn to protect her, yet he couldn't even break down a simple wall! If he didn't get out soon, she was as good as dead.

He stopped for a minute in his tirade, feeling out the force after Bulma... it was still a ways off. But since he couldn't fly, it'd take him longer to find her... and he didn't have much time.

"WOMAN!" Vegeta roared, actually managing to power up a good degree. His power continued to rise until the wall disintegrated under his enormous ki level.

The disorientated man stopped when he heard the obstacle come crashing down. He stomped through the rubble and began to run his fastest towards the woman's miniscule ki. The thing after her was coming closer and closer by the minute.

He sped up even more and darted around the discolored trees in his search of her.

* * * * *

Bulma heard something. The rustling of leaves being brushed past and the crack of a twig caused her to scramble to her feet in fear. She held back her frightened cries and listened to the silence all around her. Her eyes strained in the dim light of the three green moons above, but it was useless - - she couldn't even see her hand when it was less than a foot from her face. Bulma dropped the appendage to her side and tried to blend into the tree behind her. She was terrified of what might pop out of the bushes at any minute.

"V-Vegeta... where are you? I need you now... " Bulma whispered, hoping for a miracle.

Only silence replied to her desperate plea.

After ten minutes or so of absolute quiet, Bulma slid down to squat at the base of the tree. She let her fear and sorrow consume her and broke down into hopeless sobs. Big mistake.

The creature that had been after her needed to stop and lock on to her position again. Unknowingly, Bulma's crying led the predator right to her location. It hid behind a bush and watched her for a moment, the element of surprise on its side.

* * * * *

Vegeta was only a matter of meters from the woman's tree, but his senses told him that the creature was already there. He broke through a barrier of bushes to find a bull-sized wildcat stalking towards the female. At the new sound, Bulma looked up in panic - - fearing to see another animal coming to kill her. Her eyes flooded with new tears as they set upon the short man who had come to save her.

Vegeta growled threateningly at the predator who was only inches from the woman's position. The cat turned and bared it's teeth at the new quarry. The feline slowly turned onto a trek that headed straight for the Saiyan. Vegeta crouched down and continued to snarl at the beast, challenging it. The cat-like animal snapped at the prince and increased its speed.

Bulma couldn't watch as Vegeta fought the beast with his bare hands. The woman turned her head towards the tree and covered her ears to block out the noises. After almost five minutes of trying to keep her stomach in check, Bulma felt a hand on her arm.

"V-Vegeta? Is it over?" she asked quietly, putting her hands down but not looking at him, afraid of what she might see.

"Yes woman. That living rug is now dead." Vegeta answered gently, keeping his hand on her limb in a comforting grip.

"Oh Kami Vegeta! I was so scared!" Bulma sobbed, turning to take in the inevitable damage done to him.

But he wasn't hurt at all. Not a single scratch on any of his exposed skin. Granted, his tunic was torn in more than one place...but not him. She looked over behind him and saw the cat lying lifeless on the forest ground, its neck appeared to be broken.

"Oh thank you for saving me, Vegeta! I thought I was a gonner for sure!" Bulma exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his thick neck and burying her face in his collar.

"There is no need to thank me." the Saiyan told her, allowing her to seek comfort at his pride's expense. "I swore to protect you for as long as I was able, I was simply keeping my promise."

"I am still grateful." answered Bulma's muffled voice. "What happens now though? They'll be out looking for the both of us for sure now! I don't want to go back, Vegeta! Please!"

"Hush woman. Lets find shelter and get some sleep, we'll talk at daybreak. Come." and he did a thing so unlike himself, he reached down his hand and captured hers. He gave it a quick squeeze and led her off into the darkness.

* * * * *

"HE WHAT?!" roared an irate Doctor Ungo.

"He... um... he-he somehow tore down one of the walls of the house. He's long gone, and we can't figure out how he did it." the frightened soldier answered.

"Souesho hsehow nke! Get out of my sight now!" Ungo ordered. "This is just perfect! He probably went after the woman, which means he most likely found her... and, knowing Saiyans, he'll keep the both of them well hidden for who knows how long! I can kiss my experiment and the Yangh's protector good bye! We'll never find them now!"

"I may be able to assist you, Doctor. I have someone here who wishes to help." stated Incoz's voice.

The Doctor glanced towards the ground where his faithful servant was kneeling in respect.

"And whom may this be?"

"An angry spouse, Master. He watched Vegeta kill his mate, now he only wishes for revenge. He is willing to do anything to get even."

"Interesting... now tell me my pet, where is he?"

"I am right here." growled a new subject.

"Very well. You are to track down this couple, wait until Incoz shows up before you approach them, however. I do not want them to know what we are up to. Are you clear?"

"Yes...Doctor Ungo."

* * * * *

Bulma unconsciously snuggled closer to her savior. His cold eyes shifted down to her sleeping form, she looked so relaxed and peaceful in her dreaming state. Vegeta wrapped his arms tighter around her when he noticed a slight shiver travel through her body. It was cold out. Even he felt the chill in the night air, and he didn't want the woman to freeze to death.

After the whole ordeal with the wildcat, he thought she might go into shock... and was relieved when she didn't. A slight chuckle emitted from his lips as he thought back to their fight about where to sleep. She had kicked and screamed and cursed him about resting in a cave for the evening, she was afraid of facing another ferocious beast. He had to admit she had a point, and checked the cave with her cowering at his heels. She could be a handful at times... but he was glad for the company. This surprised him... he usually relished being alone, and tried his hardest to always be solitary; like a lone wolf. Yet this wolf had discovered that he enjoyed the company of a certain foul-mouthed bitch. And Vegeta had to admit, these past few days of being stuck in the same house as she had brought him to admire her courage and determination. She wasn't as weak as he had thought, she was probably one of the strongest beings he had ever met... and the most disrespectful. But still, he accepted her... just as she accepted him.

"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be stuck with you for all time after all..." he whispered to her sleeping face.

"No, it wouldn't." she responded, opening her bright blue eyes and staring at him intensely.

"Woman...I thought you were asleep." Vegeta growled.

"I was, but it was a light sleep; so when you laughed, I woke up." Bulma answered.

"Why didn't you open your eyes?" he asked of her.

"Because I was trying to go back to sleep, baka." she said softly.

"Oh."

"What were you thinking about, Vegeta?"

"Nothing."

"Liar. You said that maybe it wouldn't be so terrible being stuck with me for all time, why?"

"I am tired, and I was talking nonsense."

"I don't believe you. You know what, Vegeta? You're an even worse liar than Yamcha."

"Humph. Fine, I'll tell you."

"Good."

"I was just thinking about how we were going to get off this shitty rock, and my thoughts led me to the doctor's proposition..."

"You're not going to accept his offer? Tell me you're not, Vegeta! What about what I want?" Bulma protested, raising herself to sit up.

"Woman! You didn't let me finish! I was thinking about how if I were to become connected to you through a bond I-"

"Vegeta, what's bonding?" Bulma interrupted.

"A bond is like a Saiyan's declaration of love. Only it is much more powerful and deeper than you could ever imagine. There are two kinds of bonds, mental...and physical."

"How do you bond?"

"Well... I'm not really sure."

"Huh? But you're a prince. Shouldn't you know all this?"

"No. The royal family did not bond. Partners were chosen for the prince or princess by the king."

"So they couldn't bond?"

"Woman, you are not listening. They could bond, they just chose not to. Mates were only for producing an heir, and were usually forgotten after that. My own mother was a simple whore whom my father had taken a liking to. Her name was Celeria, but other than that I never learned anything about her."

"Oh. So I wonder what my dream Vegeta meant by 'bonded?'" Bulma whispered mostly to herself.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Don't you lie to me, woman. I heard what you said; question is, what did you mean by 'your dream me?'"

"I had a dream, just before that cat thing attacked me. In it I was in the middle of a wasteland. I could tell it used to be a city by all the buildings that had been torn down. I starting climbing over the junk and looking for some sign of life. Then I saw you, you were all broken and bloody... and half-dead. I went up to you and tried to get you to wake up. When you finally did, you seemed surprised to see me. I asked what had happened and you told me that the Androids had attacked earlier than anyone had expected and everyone else was dead. You also mentioned that you weren't a Super Saiyan yet because you couldn't train without me there, because I was obviously still stuck here, on Kraston. Then you started talking about how you hadn't had enough time to bond with me, but you'd wanted to. Except, before you could finish, the Androids showed up and finished you right in front of me. It was horrible."

"I see. Did anything else transpire in this 'dream?'" the unusually patient Vegeta questioned.

"Um, no... not really, I don't think. When you died I woke up." Bulma answered nervously, carefully omitting the part where he had proclaimed his love for her.

"Humph. Baka woman, I would never be defeated by a bunch of robots. And I will become a Super Saiyan before they come."

"If you say so, I'm only telling you what I dreamt."

"Only someone stupid like you would even consider that happening to me. I am far stronger than any tin can."

"Okay."

"You doubt me? I oughtta teach you a lesson."

"But Vegeta, I finished all my schooling by age 13! I don't need to learn anything else!" Bulma replied innocently.

"Grrrrrr... you're just asking for trouble woman!"

"Maybe so...but I enjoy trouble." she responded, sitting back down in front of him and smiling widely.

"You don't know what you're getting into, woman..." Vegeta warned.

"Show me..."

"Fine."