As their lips slowly parted Chi-Chi felt like she was in some sort of fantasy, the purple skies around them lending a hazy hallucination to it all. Then all at once, she snapped back into reality.......

She had kissed Vegeta.

She looked at him with a frightened expression as he almost brazenly kissed her again, or it would have seemed brazen, had she not so willingly kissed him back. His mouth pressed against hers more hardly the second time she noted as if against any will power she was mustering, her hands pulled gently at the hair on the back of his head causing him to release a soft moan against her mouth. Her stomach flipped at the sensation of his soft lips gently massaging hers in a barrage of small kisses, it had been so long since she had felt wanted or loved. Was it so wrong to want to be touched or needed she wondered..........

She felt herself tipping slightly as he pulled her closer against him, one of his hands lightly massaging the back of her neck. Almost without thought, her lips parted to his velvety tongue as the grass met her back. She hadn't even realized he had maneuvered them to land that way and she was wondering if even he had been aware of it. He shifted his weight to his free arm and side so he wouldn't crush her as his tongue continued its assault against hers.

Finally she came up for air, noticing a familiar figure in the distance. No it couldn't be possibly.....her eyes grew wide as she saw the symbol upon it that she had dreaded seeing.

He looked down at her with intense eyes full of yearning, seeing finally that her attention was almost painfully transfixed on an object ahead of them. His eyes lowered in thought before he turned back thinking perhaps, her delinquent husband had decided to return.

Chi-Chi eyes filled with tears as she continued to stare ahead of them. She knew this place had looked familiar when they had arrived hours before. She and Goku used to come up here to have picnics, how could that have slipped her mind? She looked at Vegeta, who was looking behind him, wondering what it was she was looking at. Quickly she stood and turned from him, "I can't stay here." With a final look she ran down the hill towards the small cottage.

Vegeta sat on the breezy hill silently for a few moments as he watched her run off. He wasn't even sure why he had let her run off so easily without any questions. He was sure it had something to do with weakness however.

The sky was darkening rapidly as was his mood. Finally he decided to stand, he looked down at his hand and sneered, noticing that he still held the clip that had held her hair up. With a grunt he threw it into the air and blasted it. Blasted human emotions, he was not human why should feel any regard for anything? But he did........didn't he? Blasted female, toying with him.

With a snarl, he vowed to be through with her as of that moment but for curiosity's sake, he walked toward the only object he could guess she was looking at, the nearby tree. His eyes grew wide as came closer to it.....carved deeply into the trunk years before in a heart were the names, Goku + Chi-Chi.

Always second best. The ground quaked below him as he shot off into the sky. His jaw clenched tightly as he flew in no particular direction. He swore he would kill Kakarot for all the time he had wronged him. And his female? His eyes suddenly lowered in uncertainty. He glowered angry that he wasn't as enraged at her as he thought he was, in fact, he was starting to question whether he was angry with her at all.

He hmphed in confusion coming to stop, either way she simply wanted Kakarot, so what did it matter?

****

Safely in the confines of her cottage, Son Chi-Chi collapsed onto her rickety bed and released a deluge of tears. She was nothing but a cheap cheat, the type of person she would normally look down upon and warn her son about. She had kissed another man, hell she'd made out with another man. He'd never forgive her and even if he could find a way to forgive her, how could she ever forgive herself? Because when it came down to it.........she bit her lower lip so hardly she could taste blood......she didn't regret it.

They were destroying two families. What would Gohan do if he found out? Her throat let out a small whimper, she didn't deserve such a wonderful son. Hell she didn't deserve Goku, given, he'd leave her but at least he never kissed another woman. Which was worse she wondered? It didn't matter though, in the end, in the eyes of society and all of Goku friends and even in the eyes of the gods, she was the one who was wrong, the one who had been weak and uncaring to the champion of the universe, the untouchable, sin free Son-Goku. She let out a heart-wrenching sob as her hands balled into fists around the worn out blankets.

*******

Bulma grunted as Vegeta stormed into the capsule compound, looking as always, moodily preoccupied.

"Oh what is it Vegeta? Another bug die up your ass?" Bulma muttered as she stirred her tea slowly.

He turned and glared at her menacingly, momentarily making Bulma lose her nerve as she put her teacup down wearily. She stepped back as he took another step towards her. She exhaled nervously taking another step into the counter, he quickly closed the space between them and began kissing her lips voraciously, much to Bulma's confusion and delight, it been months since he had been physical with her in any way and even though she could barely stand the man, he was physically irresistible.

She gave into his insatiable kisses, pressing her figure against his. His response was quick and carnal as he lifted her and in a thoughtless rush, whisked her to his quarters before his logic came back.

*********

"What the hell did I just do?" Vegeta muttered to himself as Bulma turned to the furthest side of the bed, taking most of the blankets with her. She yawned wearily and shut her eyes in sleep; Vegeta scowled as he looked over at her. He felt a rush of nausea hit him. How could he be with someone who made him physically ill?

He shut his eyes, trying to piece together exactly what he had been thinking when he had reentered Capsule Corp. All he could remember was anger, pure unadulterated anger towards Kakarot and his........female. His eyes open into frustrated slits, and now he was in bed with the damn scientist again. He made himself sick.

Standing up, he quickly searched for his tangled clothing, as they lay discarded on the floor. Training wouldn't even make him feel better after that, he needed to get off the damned mud ball before he made another hare brained decision.

Bulma turned suddenly and looked at him quizzically as he dressed quickly. She sighed, she understood he wasn't the cuddling type but still he was rushing out of there pretty quickly, she looked down at the blankets sadly, "Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving." He looked at her from the corner of his eyes, as the blanket fell down her chest slightly, showing more than a fair share of cleavage.

"I can see that." She answered, pulling the blanket back up, causing him to turn back to his boots.

He shrugged, "You're the one who asked."

"Dammit Vegeta, I'm just trying to get close to you, why won't you let me!" she exclaimed, leaning forward.

He winced at her last words, turning to her slowly; "Because to be quite blunt onna, all you have ever been to me is a good lay. I apologize for any pain this revelation might cause you, but I tend to think, you see me in the same light. Now, I'm leaving this planet, I can't stand to be near you or your species for another minute."

Her mouth hung open in shock as he stood in front of her. How could he say that right after they had just......her eyes flashed with anger and hurt but all she could choke out were four words, "You have a son."

"Come now, he'll be far better off without my influence." He answered, turning his back to her as he stormed out, "Don't you agree?"

Gritting her teeth, Bulma stood up and wrapped a sheet around her as she stormed out after him, "Now you listen here pal, if you leave this time, I'll never let you back into my OR Trunks's life!"

"Fine.' He called back to her, entering the yards where Bulma's father had left space pod he had been working tirelessly on for months. He eyed it and quickly flew up to the door, opening it.

Bulma followed quickly in tow, stopping at the door, spewing through clenched teeth, "Fuck you Vegeta."

"Hmph, I believe we already played that game." He answered with a final smug smirk, as the door slammed shut. She watched helplessly as the pod flew up into the air and shot out sight. She stood there for a moment, beside herself before finally loosing it in a string of curse words that would make a sailor blush.

Quiet........it was so damn quiet it was maddening. No crying, no screaming, no birds chirping......what made him think he could take this intolerable quiet? Vegeta's eyes shut tightly as he lay on his bed, he could hear himself think, and that was the one thing he couldn't take. Thinking meant remembering and remembering always lead to second-guessing and regrets.

Damn woman. Damn brat. Damn planet. Damn Kararot. Damn Red. As planets flashed by the windows of the ship in a blur, he found himself second- guessing. What had he done? If that damned scientist were to raise their brat on her own, she'd turn him into a soft earthlings. His eyes closed tighter.......

What the hell did he care if the kid ended up being a weakling? The brat would hold him down, better to cut off ties now. What would the prince of all Saiyajins do with a half-breed spawn like that anyway? He'd certainly be of no use to him and it was not worth putting up with his mother.

Yes, why would he waste his time on insignificant little mud ball of a planet when there were galaxies out there all for his taking? With Frieza out of the picture and Kakarot bound to his little planet, he was the strongest in the universe and it was all his if he desired it, so long as he stayed away from the Earth. His lips twitched into a smirk. He didn't need immortality anymore.

He would have to commend the damn clown for giving him a second chance, an honorable but stupid move. Like Vegeta, the strongest soldier in the universe could actually go soft and change his ways-stupid. Then again that damn circus clown had always been a moron. Look at the way he treated his mate? His beautiful, fiery, passionate mate............

She was so Saiyajin that it blew his mind every time he thought about it. From her features to her attitude, hell she was even a formidable warrior. How can any Saiyajin, let alone male, abandon her for such long periods of his own free will? For that alone, he should kill the baka. Then the to the victor go the spoils............

Opening his eyes he shook his head, quickly reprimanding himself for letting his thoughts stray there. The woman had made her choice, Kakarot........always Kakarot. His fists clenched the sheets beneath him. Why was it he couldn't stop thinking of that damn woman? It was like she had invaded his mind like a demon.

With a growl he threw himself out of the bed and he staggered slowly to the main chamber of the ship. What was the point of trying to rest? It never did him any good. He needed something to occupy his thoughts with. Anything.

Training. Wear the body out, so the mind can't think, then he's be able to escape her. At least for a little while.

******

He'd left two weeks and three days ago, she had kept count. For two weeks and three days she'd been going over their last meeting over and over again in her head. She shouldn't have freaked out the way she did, he must have taken it as rejection. She fought back a sob as she leaned against the counter in her kitchen.

She had to finish cleaning......everything was unclean........She was unclean. For some reason, however, she couldn't bring herself to hate herself or Vegeta. Even at night as she lay awake, uncertain, she'd find herself hoping that he'd come back. Imagine that. She'd actually hope that that surly piece of arrogance would come back to her.

"Oh Kami." she moaned clutching her stomach. She apologized silently to Goku for thinking such a sinful thought and her son, oh gods! Her son. When had she gotten so selfish? she wondered.

Heavily exhaling she squared her shoulders back and grabbed her broom, roughly sweeping the already clean floors. "Have to make it cleaner." She whispered harshly to herself, remembering the phone conversation she had had with Bulma after Vegeta had left.

The heiress to Capsule Corp. fortune had called Chi-Chi in a huff, blaming her right and left for making Vegeta leave, saying she was on to their little sordid affair. How had she put it? Oh yes, she had called her a 'two- timing skank and home wrecker and how she could look herself in the same mirror that Son Goku uses was beyond her comprehension'.

She gripped the broom so tightly that the handle broke in two. Chi-Chi couldn't remember how the rest of the conversation went, although she partly remembered loosing it on Bulma before she hung up on her. Or had it been the other way around? She wasn't sure. Hell, she wasn't sure of much of anything anymore.

Had she really been cheating on Goku all those times she had seen Vegeta? Perhaps in spirit and mind if not in body. No, they had never made love to each other, instead they had done something far worse, she decided, they fell in love. There it was for the whole world to hear, she had fallen in love with Vegeta! She knelt down and picked up the broken pieces of the broom.

At least if they had only slept together, say the first night they had met, it would have been a one time mistake that she could move on from with regret and self loathing. But at least then, she'd still love her husband and the affair would be over, after her body had taken what it had wanted. She cringed, at the idea of making herself look so animalistic. Like she would actually use someone just for bodily need or lust and worst, the idea that she would have been better off doing so. Yet, she knew that was better, love was worst, love lasted far longer and went much deeper than lust or loneliness and her relationship with Vegeta went beyond those two things.

When he had kissed her she felt like she was melting away from her horrible reality into some beautiful escape. She shook the memory out of her head and stood up with the two pieces of what was once a broom in her hands. Maybe it was for the best he had left because had he stayed she was sure she wouldn't be able to carry on with Goku.

***

With a grunt Vegeta continued a regiment one-fingered push-ups. "It's not like she'd leave him anyway." He rationalized under his breath as he rose and fell constantly, "and even if she did, what type of relationship could we have? She'd never stand by and watch her son's confusion and hurt over her parent's break up."

His eyes slanted angrily. Just for once he'd like to get something his way and besides that how could he sit back and allow her to become Kakarot's victim again? Surely there was a better way. How could he leave her the way she was? He was just as bad a Kakarot. He just up and left her alone in her self loathing again and what was worse, was the fact that he gave a damn he had done so.

He stopped in mid push up. But perhaps he could do something to make a mense for that, something Kakarot never thought to do..........he'd come back for her.

He shook his head, no, he wouldn't go back for HER. He'd go back for himself, to demand she take off this spell she'd casted on him and order that she tell him why she would choose a loser like Kakarot over him. Yes, that was why he was going back, it wasn't that he cared for her feelings or anything.

*****

Chi-Chi tossed restlessly in her bed as she watched the shapes on the ceiling from outside. The arms of the trees gently jarred against one another in an endless dance, so beautiful and sad at the same time. The sky lay dark except for the stars that lit up the night. How she missed the moon at times.

Past the romantic reasons for it's presence. She missed being able to walk the perimeters of her house drenched in the moonlight; it made it so much easier to see at night. She sighed. Oh well, no reason to obsess over such things. She turned to her side about to close her eyes when a huge explosion awakened her.

She ran to her large window. Viewing only a darkened landscape, she deiced it was nothing. She had hoped perhaps Vegeta had returned, or maybe even Goku. She huffed and turned on her heels to go back to her bed when a sudden rustle of the chilly wind struck her back. She turned to lock the ajar window and was greeted to a figure in front of the huge shudders.

Intruder. She backed off a few steps as the figure grew until she could see his enlarged shadow in the rustling curtains that blew in the breeze. She bit back her fear and grew determined, if it was some robber or fiend was he is for the surprise of his life. Son Chi-Chi was no victim.

"I know karate!" she screamed all at one, rushing at the figure in overly large worn cotton nightgown that rustled with her every bare footstep.

A more powerful wind finally caught the curtains and sent them to the side. She stopped dead in her tracks as she looked face to face with the eyes she had grown so accustomed to.

"Veg.....Veg.....but I thought......Bulma told me........" she stammered her arms still over her head in an odd attempt to look threatening.

His eyes lowered as he took a step in, deciding to ignore her earlier foolish antics, he wasn't there to laugh at her, although for a moment as he looked at her still moronic pose he was tempted to. Placing a finger to her lips, he bit back the chuckle threatening to escape his lips and instead concentrated on her dark caramel eyes. His face grew serious as he spoke lowly, "I have but one question for you, it's been driving me insane since I left. How can you choose Kakarot like the rest of them?" he looked at her with an almost pleading expression, "what gift or power is that he possesses that I lack? Please I must know." His cursed himself silently, he had come off far more gentle than he had wanted to he realized, it was the way she was looking at him, it made him feel so exposed.

Her eyes lowered with his fingertips as they fell from her lips in order to let her speak. "'Vegeta......." she took a step towards him, "When you left all I could think about was......" she winced, knowing that once she admitted it, there was no taking it back. She looked into his dark eyes and smiled, "you......Vegeta-kun......I..........I" She looked away as her face grew red as the words lingered on her tongue, "I think I'm in love with you."

Vegeta's hand touched his stomach, as he felt an odd burning sensation take it over. He felt hot all over. "Witchcraft." He whispered with wide eyes as he took a step closer to her and replied with a demanding tone, "Enchantress take your spell off of me."

She scanned his darkened figure, colored only by the few stars that filled the clouded sky, "I'm not......." She studied his confused expression carefully, "Vegeta, I'm not a witch."

"You have to be." He argued as he scowled softly, his hand reaching out, gently moving up and down her arm, "You've entered my mind and attacked my soul, there's no other explanation." His fingers gently traced up her neck and jaw line as he studied her soft figure against the material of her pink nightgown. Even now, he wanted her; he let out a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been keeping in.

Her breaths became uneven as she saw the look of longing in his eyes. "Why do you tantalize me so?" he whispered as though he were in pain. Chi-Chi felt her heart doing flips as she took another step towards him, her hand peeling his away from her face, entwining her fingers in his. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out, she had said everything there was to say. With her free hand, she turned his face inches from hers, and kissed him softly, giving him time and room to escape.

Vegeta inhaled sharply as he felt her mouth crush softly on top of his. After a lingering moment, he gave into the feelings surging through his veins and wrapped his free arms around her waist, pulling her tightly against his muscular figure, he felt her moan softly at the sudden body heat. His body burned with sensation as her fingertips gently massaged the back of his head, with a soft moan he ran his tongue passed her lips, over her teeth and searched for velvety tongue as the flavors invading his mouth made him pull her closer to her him.

As his tongue wrested with hers, she felt her knees going weak. Finally, he released her mouth for air and she inhaled sharply, wrapping her arms around his neck as she collapsed against him. Without thought, he lifted her and placed her on the bed as he laid butterfly kisses across her jaw line and down her neck.

Her eyes slid shut with renewed desire as her hands pulled at his raven mane. She shuddered arching her back as his hands pushed her nightgown up past her milky white thighs. Her eyes opened as she felt a cold breeze hit her exposed skin. She suddenly caught an all too familiar figure by the window. The three unmistakable spokes of hair standing against gravity. She went cold, as did Vegeta. Slowly, he rose from her and turned to the figure in the window with a menacing growl, "Kakarot."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

TBC...