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Thoughts

"Talking"

Pov

Chapter 18

Kagome

I look over at Vegeta and feel a rush of warmth for the man flying beside me. I'm so excited that he want's to court me! I know that he must actually care about me because he stopped us from doing something that he knew I wasn't ready for. I squeeze his hand and smile at him when he looks's at me. Who would have ever thought that Vegeta of all people could be so caring, compassionate, and understanding? I know most people have never seen past the mask that he wear's and seen the softer side of him, the tender, caring, comforting, and loving side of his nature. Hell, no one ever thought to look and notice that he was even wearing a mask. I'm so glad that I've gotten to see past his mask at the man that he was meant to be. I fell in love with the man behind the mask so quickly. It feel's almost like I had to go through everything that I have, so I would be able to see his mask and to look past it.

We are finally close enough to C&C for me to pick up that Shippou and Trunks are still there training in the dojo, but it seem's like Bulma, Yamcha, and Goku are gone. I guess that the first thing I will have to do once we land is fix supper for everyone. I know that Shippou will stay for the meal, I'll try to convince Trunks to stay for the meal since it will more than likely just be the four of us here tonight.

We land out side the back door; I turn to Vegeta and smile at him.

"Before I go in, I'll go and see if Shippou and Trunks will be joining us for dinner. Do you wanna go with me?"

He nod's his head and follows me. We both walk to the dojo, once we reach it we walk into it. We stand and watch Shippou and Trunks spar for a few moments. I noticed that Trunks is progressing very well with his training.

Watching him I wonder who his parent's are once again. He doesn't favor any one that I know. I know that he should possess a combination of his parent's auras, but all I can read from him is a combination of strength, pride, innocence, and purity, a very curious combination, one that I can't place. I wonder who his parent's are, and why he has come back in time to train? I wonder what forces is he facing, that would drive him to train so fiercely? But I promised that I wouldn't ask any questions. The more that I'm around him, the more I want to know the reason's.

After a few minute's they stop sparring and turn to us. Shippou walk's over to where we are standing.

"What have you been up to today Mom?" Shippou ask's me.

"Same thing as the two of you, training, I was just getting ready to start fixing supper and I wanted to know if you two are going to eat with us?" I ask them.

"Mom you don't even have to ask me about food especially something that you cooked. Of course I'm going to eat, besides I think it's time I got to know Vegeta better anyway." Shippou say's happily.

"I think the two of you should know each other better my self. Trunks will you join us for supper?" I ask him.

"Yeah I would like to join you for supper. Thanks for asking Kag." Trunks say's.

"Well if I'm going to fix supper I guess I should get going and get it started. You three play nicely together. I'll call you when I get everything ready. Okay?" I say.

"Sound's good to me Mom. We'll see you in a bit." Shippou say's.

I grin at them and then I turn and head to the kitchen to start preparing the meal.

Shippou

I watch as Mom grin's at us and head's for the house. I'm glad to see her smile again. I think that being around Vegeta is good for her, he seem's able to get through to her where none of the rest of has been able to.

I want to get to know him better, especially after I smelt the scent of arousal all over both of them.

I turn and look at him and try to see what it is about him that attracts Mom to him. He's strong, smart looking, and he apparently like's Mom a lot. He keep's following her with his eyes, Like he's afraid that she'll disappear if she get's out of his sight.

I think that it is cute, but I'm also worried about it. Her heart is very fragile right now. He could destroy it so easily.

I take a long look into his eye's and see all of his feeling's that he feel's for her. Kami! He's in love with her! I wonder if he realizes it yet? I hope so, I think that he would be able to keep her safe, happy, and most of all loved.

"So Vegeta what were you and Mom really doing before you got here? Because from where I stand it sure doesn't smell like training is all that was all either of you were thinking about. All I can say is don't hurt her, she's been through to much to deserve having her heart broke by anyone." I say.

"I would die before I hurt her, she is the first person to want to become my friend the first person to even try to see who I really am. I plan to court her to become my mate, if she'll have me that is." Vegeta say's.

"From what I've seen Vegeta she would have you. I've not ever seen her this happy with anyone before. And I have known her for a very long time. So if you two do end up becoming mate's does this mean you would become my Dad Vegeta?" I ask him.

"Considering your century's older than me, what do you think?" He say's.

"I think that is a definite no then, so how about friend's then? Mom would be upset if we didn't get along at all, and I really don't want to upset her." I say.

"Friend's I might be able to learn to handle, but you will have to teach me how to be friend's. Because Kagome Is the first person to ever want to be my friend." Vegeta say's.

"Don't worry Vegeta Me and Mom will teach you all about friendship. Mom is very good at becoming friends with stubborn people. I mean all you have to do is look at the relationship that she has with Sesshoumaru. When Sess first met her and for almost a year he half heartedly tried to kill her, but even after all of that they became best friend's. They see each other as sibling's and are closer than most real sibling's. I think that you'll be good for Mom, you're strong enough to protect her from harm and you seem to care enough about her to not hurt her. But let me warn you Vegeta, if you ever do hurt her you'll have me, Sesshoumaru, and probably Goku after your hide. We all love her and want to see her happy and safe." I say.

"Don't forget about me Shippou, I may not have known Kag for long. But I would hate to see her hurt by anyone. She seem's to care about everyone that she meet's and believe me when I say that where I'm from that is a rare thing. I think of her as like a sister. She's a rare kind of person, one that a lot of people care about Vegeta." Trunks say's.

"It would seem that when we get together as mate's I'll inherit a huge family. Family is a foreign concept to me, I guess I'll have a lot of people to deal with." Vegeta say's.

"And you'll probably butt head's with some of them. I can't wait until Sess find's out about you and Mom, he'll blow a gasket. You'll more than likely have to prove to him that your worthy enough to be her mate, which mean's you'll have to fight him to claim her. Which will piss her off to no end, cause she'll feel as if the two of you are fighting over her as if she were a possession to be won or she'll feel as if Sess doesn't trust her judgment. Either way she'll be mad over it. I'm glad that I'm not mixed up in this fight." I say wearing a grin at the expression on Vegeta's face.

"It wouldn't feel like a Saiyan mating if I didn't have to fight for the right to claim her." He say's gruffly.

"So it's common in Saiyan courtship for male's to fight over female's?" I ask him.

"Yes it was common for male's to fight over a powerful female, the more powerful she is the more males would fight to become her mate. A Saiyan male want's the most powerful female that he can get to become his mate, to breed powerful children." He say's.

"We could explain that it's a Saiyan courting ritual. That way Mom can't get mad at you or Sesshoumaru over it. Mom may not like it that the two of you are fighting over her, but she won't fight with you over your race's custom's she knows that they are important to you Vegeta." I say smugly.

I feel Bulma's aura returning, I turn to the two men standing beside me and grin at them.

"Bulma's back, I guess this mean's that the meal should be done soon. I can't wait! I love Mom's cooking! I don't know about you two but I think that I'll go in and see if she need's any help with it. You two coming?" I ask them.

Trunks nods his head at me and Vegeta just give's me a look. I turn from them and head into the house. I feel them following after me as I walk into the kitchen.

-Kagome-

I felt Bulma's aura approaching as I was putting every thing in dishes to take to the table. She walk's into the kitchen and look's around for a moment.

"I see that you already have the meal ready. Don't you ever get tired of cooking Gome?" she ask's.

"Not really B-chan, and it is a lot easier to cook since I got those recipe's from Sess. They take a lot less time to fix enough to feed everyone and for them to get full on what you fix. So how was your date with Yamcha?" I ask her.

"We're doing a lot better now that he's not hiding anything from me. How's your training going with Vegeta?" She ask's me.

"Really well, I'm having a lot of fun, and getting to know him better." I say to her.

"Some how the word's Vegeta and fun just doesn't sound right Gome. But then again Vegeta act's differently with you than with anyone else that I've ever seen yet. I'm still amazed that you got him to call you by your name, he doesn't call anyone by their name but you." She say's.

"I'm just happy that he trust's me like he does. That's why he act's differently with me than everybody else. B-chan I have something to tell you, it's important. Vegeta asked me if he could court me, and I said yes." I tell her.

"You and Vegeta dating, that's great Gome! When did you guy's decide this?" She asks.

"Well it's not dating it's courting. Saiyans don't date like we would, they court their potential mate's. And we decided it today." I tell her.

I feel Vegeta's, Shippous, and Trunks aura's heading for the kitchen.

"Dating and courting mean the same thing Gome!" She say's.

"Not really onna, dating mean's that it's start out casual with a chance of becoming permanent, courting mean's that your serious and trying to prove that your worthy enough to become their mate." Vegeta say's standing in the doorway by a grinning Shippou and a smile ling Trunks.

"Yep that what it mean's to youkai too Bulma, and Mom they're courting ritual's also mean that he'll have to fight someone in your family before he can claim you. Vegeta I have another question for you, when you claim your mate do you mark them to keep other male's away?" Shippou ask's him.

"Yes Shippou we do. We bite each other on the shoulder the first time that we mate with each other." Vegeta answer's him. While giving me a knowing look.

"You mean you have to fight some one in my family?" I ask him.

"Only if you accept me Kagome. It's Saiyan custom to fight for the right to mate the female of his choice." He answer's me.

"And if they're no one to fight?" I ask him.

"Then there is no mating." He answer's me.

I start to get worried, because the only male's in my family are Grand pa and Souta. He'd kill them in a fight without really trying to hurt them.

"Mom doesn't worry about it. Do you honestly think that Sesshoumaru would allow anyone to mate you without proving themselves to him in a fight. Sess would never let you get married to someone that he felt wasn't strong enough to protect you and your children. Don't get mad Mom, you know that is a youkai custom, and Sess see's you as his sister and his only family. Who knows you may have to fight against the female that he's courting before they become mate's." He say's.

"Is he that serious about her Shippou? I guess that since I view him as my brother that it's my duty to make her earn the right to become his mate, to make sure that she is worthy of him, and his to see if Vegeta is worthy of me." I say quietly.

"Mom no worries. If it's meant to be it will be. Just leave it at that. Now is the food ready? Cause I'm starving!" He say's.

"Yeah all I like is to carry it to the table." I say.

"You go ahead and sit down, me and Trunks will bring it to the table." He say's.

I start to head into the dining room to find that Vegeta is standing there holding the door for me. After I walk through the door Vegeta walk's up beside me and reaches his hand out to take mine. He uses his other hand and pull's out my chair, after I sit down he pushes my chair in and then he set's down beside me and take's my hand back into his. I smile at him as the other's come into the dining room with the food. Every one set's down and start's to eat.

I can't help but to worry about the future. I know that I love Vegeta and that he loves me, but I can't help but ot worry about all of the custom's that we will have to go through to be together, both Saiyan and Youkai. How did my life get so complicated?

That's all for this chapter. Sorry it took me so long to get back to it. I hope that you like it. Please review and let me know what you think of it.

Thanks

echo21