Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Neither am I making money of these characters :-)They belong to Akira Toriyama and the rest.

Comment: I know, how many more of these stories (Bulma/Vegeta get-together stories) can one take? I just had to put my two cents in :-). But I'm not satisfied with the way Vegeta turned out in this part. Oh well. I'll make it up to him in the second part. Well, here it is. My two cents.

Twenty Days

Twenty days. Twenty days had passed since the incident at the gravity chamber. Twenty days had passed since Vegeta, Prince of the Saiyajins was badly injured by the explosion. Twenty days had passed since Bulma had panicked and rushed to save his life. Twenty days since Bulma, had dropped her beloved projects to save the person she hated with her life and nurse him back to life. It had been twenty days since he looked at her, and he saw the hatred and coldness often seen on her face replaced with a more comfortable kindness and warmth. Twenty days had passed since his heart had leapt unexpectedly when she smiled, that kind smile of hers.

It had been fifteen days since he left Capsule Corp. in an attempt to understand what caused his heart to leap in a way in did, to understand why his mind was clouded with thoughts of her and why he couldn't return without....

Frankly, the whole situation was damned annoying. He, Prince Vegeta, was unable to train and to work because of a woman clouding his thoughts.

That was the reason he left Capsule Corps. He wanted to understand this emotion he was feeling. He knew he felt grateful, but he wasn't satisfied with that explanation. Perhaps...

But it had been twenty days. It was time to forget about it. He couldn't care less now. He had only one purpose to life as of right now. And it was to train his ass off until he attained Super Saiyajin, if it was the last thing he did. He will train.

Watching the stars in the midst of the black night brought him a sense of melancholy which he usually didn't allow himself to feel. He knew the constellations by heart. He knew many things at the back of his palm. He was, after all, Prince.

There had been times, during his childhood when he would stare outside the palace windows. He would see the children of the servants playing with their fellow friends or their siblings. Sometimes, the prince allowed himself to feel a sense of longing and want. But most of the time he had to put those emotions away. Although he was a warrior, he had to be a scholar too. He had to spend his time memorising the ancient scriptures of Vegetasei, those boring long history lessons he had to endure when all he wanted to do was to train....and play. He knew from within that all those memorisation's were pointless, those ancient scriptures should be burnt. When he was smaller, he dared not say his thoughts out loud, fearing his father would hurt him for saying such things.

Well, he was right, he thought ironically. Memorising those scriptures were pointless. Vegetasei's history was reduced to a cloud of dust and to a memory belonging to the sole survivor of his race. Kakarott didn't count as a member of his race.

He was supposed to inherit a whole empire. He inherited nothing.

The melancholy was about to trace into his heart again when he pushed it aside and held onto indifference. It didn't matter to him. Nothing really matters except achieving Super Saiyajin.

Vegeta did not want to think or remember. The memories he harboured would reduce him to a sniveling five year old he once was. He preferred to think himself as the person who had enjoyed seeing the fear reflected in his father's eyes when he had managed to knock his father down in a training session.

Bulma...

He shook his head in annoyance. No matter what he did, the name would pop back into his mind. He had said he wanted to understand why he was feeling the things he was feeling. But emotions clouded judgement. If he should ignore his emotions...

He got up and flew back to Capsule Corps.

***

"Oh, Yamcha, you're so silly!"giggled Bulma who was sitting on Yamcha's lap. Yamcha grinned a wicked smile and whispered into Bulma's ears something. She looked at him and playfully chastised him.

"You're so naughty!"

If there was anything was able to reduce the prince to a heap of vomit on the floor, it would be the lovey dovey act between the two lovers. It didn't help him when they do their act at every moment of the day, including meal times.

Vegeta sickened to his stomach, with their acts of love, tried to his best to swallow the tasteless food that Bulma prepared.

"Yamcha, you're so adorable."

That pathetic excuse for a man sure satisfied her last night. But then again, it doesn't take much to satisfy a SLUT like her!

Bulma turned her head sharply and glared at him as though she overheard his thoughts.

"What is it, honey?"asked Yamcha, confused.

"Nothing, Yamcha. I don't know..I think somebody's not getting some."she said sweetly.

"Some what?"

Bulma got off Yamcha's lap and stretched her arms. "Scrambled eggs! You want some, Vegeta?" She asked, stressing some with a cruel smile playing one her face.

"I don't think anything you have would satisfy me."Vegeta replied, his eyes on her.

"Are you sure? It's a bit hard to tell when you can't taste any of it's flavour. "murmured Bulma softly.

Yamcha watched the two, unsure on what to say. The tension in the room was almost electrifying. He was confused with Bulma's and Vegeta's sharp argument on scrambled eggs.

And why was Bulma insulting her own cooking by calling it tasteless?

"The eggs are really nice, Bulma."Yamcha said quietly.

"Of course they are, honey. It's just that Vegeta burnt his tongue, he can't taste anything now."she said and hopped back onto his lap.

Yamcha was still confused and was discomforted by the glare, Vegeta had on his girlfriend. He had to say something to break up this hostile..almost sexual tension.

"You know, you should wait for the coffee to cool down some. Maybe then you wouldn't burn your tongue too easily."

***

How dare that woman taunt him! He wanted to hold on anger, but all he felt was a strange desiring and lust for her. She was taunting him, teasing him and doing that little hip thing while she said that.

And the idiot boyfriend of hers, didn't have a clue.

He grinned a wicked smile of contentment.

***

Yamcha went to the bar nearest to his apartment that night. The argument that Bulma and Vegeta had this morning, for some reason, it disturbed him. He knew, at the back of his mind that whatever the both of them were saying were sexual in content. He was freaking horny in his younger days, but why couldn't he figure out what they were saying?! It was as though they were talking in some sort of secret code or language. It depressed him that someone was able to talk to his girlfriend that way.

"You look glum, hun? What's wrong?"

Yamcha turned around. It was Erma, the young busty waitress who wore her skirt to short and her tops too tight. Yamcha grinned a sad smile and gave her his best puppy eyed look.

"My girlfriend, Erm. My girlfriend."

Erma's eyes lighted up with home and her voice rose an octave higher, expressing her indignation. "What did she do again this time!?!"

Erma's indignation wasn't faked. Yamcha knew the young waitress had a major crush on him. Yamcha felt he should play up a bit.

"She was fooling around with another guy. I love her and she says she loves me, but why does she do this to me?"he asked, throwing her the saddest look he could give. Bulma do that? Not quite. But Yamcha was sure it would arouse sympathy.

Erma flared up. "I'm sorry to say but your girlfriend's a bitch! You deserve someone better, hun!"

"But I love her."he sighed.

Erma's face softened. "I understand you feel this way. Come on, let me getcha a drink and we'll talk this over, okay? My shift's almost over, ya know."

Yamcha, nodded sadly and smiled to himself. This would be one hell of a night.

***

The phone rang incessantly. "Can't someone pick up the damned phone?"yelled Bulma from within her lab.

Vegeta heard the phone, he was in the kitchen getting some food but as though he cared.

"Can't anyone do anything in this house? Must it always be me?"

Vegeta pulled out a fruit out of the refrigerator.

"Mother? Father? Is there anyone useful out there? Pick up the damned phone!" Bulma yelled. She sighed in frustration and pulled off her safety goggles. She stormed out of her lab and picked up the phone.

"What?!"she huffed in frustration.

"Is Ms. Bulma Briefs there?"asked a young timid voice.

"This is her."

The voice cleared her throat. "This is Yamcha's girlfriend talking here."

Bulma could feel the blood draining from her face. The phrase repeated itself. This is Yamcha's girlfriend talking here.

"What are you talking about?"Bulma demanded.

Vegeta peered his head out of the kitchen and watched Bulma thoughtfully.

"I'm his girlfriend. You...you were his girlfriend."

"What do you mean were, you whore!"Bulma said dangerously, gritting her teeth. "Yamcha is tired of being cheated on. I, on the other hand, will not cheat on him. I will love him forever."

"Listen to me you whore. Who the hell do you think you are talking to me this way, you slut!"

"I'm the one who he's with right now."the voice said, gaining confidence.

"I don't believe you,"Bulma hissed.

"Erma, who you're talking to, honey?"said Yamcha, as to which Bulma could hear over the phone.

Bulma froze.

"Erm, who's that honey?"

Bulma could hear Erma's futile attempts to cover the phone with her hand.

"No one, just a friend from the pub."

"Come back to bed. It's cold without you."whined Yamcha. She could hear him grab the phone and speak into it. "Erma's busy right now, okay? Call back later." All she could hear next was the dial tone. And the world Bulma knew came crashing down. *** Yamcha opened the doors to the Brief's mansion humming. It's been a good day, everything's been perfect. He was surprised to see the living room in darkness. Too happy to bother himself with questions, he flipped the light switch on.

Sitting down on the sofa was Bulma.

"Hey, darlin'. Haven't seen you all day."he greeted. He leaned down for a kiss. Bulma's face was unreadable and she refused to turn her head for a kiss. Yamcha had to satisfy himself with a kiss on the base of her neck.

"Bad day at the work, huh?"he asked.

"Work was fine."she replied in a hostile voice.

He grinned. "Yep, work was bad."

"I said, work was fine, you freaking horny bastard."

Yamcha, who was heading towards the kitchen turned around slowly. "What?"

Bulma got up and faced him, her face was pale. "You heard me, you son of a bitch. Work was fine!"

"What the fuck did I do wrong? Why is it that I can never come back home in peace without arguing over some little stupid thing!"Yamcha asked, angry and confused.

"Stupid little thing, my ass! You fucked up so badly, that you're going to be sorry that you met me, you're going to be sorry that you were born."

"Hell, meeting you in the first place was the bane of my existence in the first place you little bitch. Tell what the fuck is wrong!"

"Home, don't you ever, ever call this place, home, asshole."

Yamcha came closer to her. "Don't. Touch. Me."Bulma said quietly, her eyes on fire.

Yamcha withdrew almost immediatly. "Bulma, you know I would never hit you."

"Don't. You. Ever. Ever. Touch. Me."she said.

Yamcha felt an increase in Ki in the surrounding area. Great, Vegeta was around.

"Bulma, baby, what's wrong, tell me, so we can make things right again."

"I'll tell you what's wrong."Bulma flared up. She picked up an imaginary phone.

"Erm, who's that honey? Come back to bed. It's cold without you."immitated Bulma.

Yamcha's face turned white. "How did you.."

"Who the fuck do you think she called, asshole?"she yelled.

She turned around. "Leave."she said quietly.

"What? Bulma, you don't understand, it was a mistake!"Yamcha began, pleading frantically.

"Meeting you was my mistake. I said, leave. Leave your keys. I'll send someone to get your things. It's over."

"Bulma..you always say that."

"But I've never asked you to leave your keys. Leave. This isn't your home anymore. And your apartment...it's no longer my home. Yamcha, please, leave me."

Horror-stricken, Yamcha put the keys on a counter and left the house and Bulma's heart forever.

Bulma, who had managed to stop herself from crying through out the whole day, allowed the first of the many tears to come streaming down her cheeks. A sob escaped out of her and she crashed to the sofa, in tears.

Vegeta came in, after standing at the door for a long time.

"He didn't satisfy you enough?"he asked.

Bulma got up. "Now is not the time."

Vegeta was about to say something stinging when Bulma's expression stopped him.

Her face mirrored pain and hurt, he had only seen once before.

"I didn't hear him hurt you, woman. So why are you crying about it? Admitting you're weak?"

"I admitted I was weak long ago, Vegeta. On the other hand, you hadn't. I know where I'm weak, and you don't."she murmured spitefully.

"I'm not weak, woman."

"And you're going to go into that crap about being a Saiyajin? Give me a break."she said.

Vegeta did not know how to reply. The anger of her insulting his race was incredible. Anyone who would have said that to him would have been dead by now. But, he couldn't bring himself to hit much less kill her

"Vegeta, you are so damned weak. I could hurt you."

Vegeta laughed wickedly, amused. "Show me, woman, how you can hurt me. There is no way, you can hurt me."

Bulma wiped off her tears. "You picked the wrong day and time to mess around with me."

She stood up, her face mirroring his arrogance, gave a cruel smile.

"I don't believe that you are heartless, Vegeta."she began, emphasising his name spitefully. "I don't believe that you don't have any emotions. Your anger and your arrogance is a pretence, a way of hiding your true feelings and your pain."

"You pain, is over your lost kingdom. Your pain, your highness, is shown when you were belittled when that young man and Goku were Super Saiyajin. The pain. The pain."

Bulma came closer to him. He couldn't back off.

"And I can heighten that pain, Vegeta. I can."

"Because, I know what you want, Vegeta. I can see it in your eyes, in your gestures. I can show you that you are weak."

Vegeta smirked, not backing off. It was a certain kind of game.

"Vegeta, I can look into your eyes and hurt you. I'm going to add pain the way you had hurt countless of people in this world."

"Do it woman. Hurt me."he taunted.

"You want me, don't you?"Bulma paused.

She looked straight into his eyes. "I hate you."she said truthfully, smiling cruelly.

It took all his might, to stand straight and smile back. It took all of him not to falter and pretend that what she said did not hurt him. He felt..he felt as though his world came crashing down on him.

He took her, and pushed her against the wall, but not hard enough, to hurt her.

He kissed her hard and she kissed back with equal passion.

He broke the kiss, and she smiled back seductively. In her eyes....for the first time in Vegeta's life, Vegeta understood what it meant to hope.

"He didn't deserve you in the first place."Vegeta said quietly.

Bulma shook her head and smiled sadly. She pulled him and they crashed onto the sofa.

Tonight, they will give in to each other because of pain. But, there will be a day, when he understand the mess he got himself in, there will be that day, when they will give in to each other...for more.

End of Part 1! ^_^