Here is another chapter to this exceedingly long story about Bulma and Vegeta. It's been a while since I updated, mostly because I haven't had much time to sit and hack out a chapter. And, I had to re-read some of the story to get back into the feeling of it. And thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far.

Also, I have once again decided to skip ahead to move things along. How Bulma and Vegeta have been getting along since their last confrontation will be revealed (but if you can't guess, I don't know…j/k!)

Chapter 34

Blinking her eyes slowly to rid them of early morning dryness, Bulma half-heartedly covered her mouth as she let out a long and tired sounding yawn. Pushing the covers forward, she shivered as the cold air of the room hit the bare skin of her arms and upper torso. Swiveling around, she thrust her legs over the side of her bed and slowly stood, letting the rest of the blankets fall away from her naked body as she yawned and stretched her arms over her head, feeling goose bumps spreading across her body.

It had been a few hours since Vegeta had left her that morning and she had been unable to fall back asleep. Watching the minutes and then hours pass by on her alarm clock, she had finally come to a decision that laying around in bed would only lend itself to her increased anxiety. She herself wasn't an early morning riser, so that fact that she was up and about at five thirty in the morning still hadn't registered with the rest of her body. Stumbling slightly, she slowly made her way to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Turning on the shower, she made sure the water was hot before she stepped inside and slumped against the wall, watching the water as it made runnels down her skin before descending to the floor drain.

Tomorrow was the day.

Tomorrow, Vegeta would find out if all of the training he'd pushed himself to endure was worth the trouble it had caused both for himself and for…for her.

Tomorrow, they would find out if the nightmare of the future that the strange boy had told them about would also become their reality.

If Bulma was honest with herself, she wasn't ready to face tomorrow. She didn't want it to happen and…and she didn't want Vegeta or any of her friends to end up becoming casualties to the horrors the boy from the future had foretold three years earlier. All of her friends had already suffered enough, ever since Goku's brother had decided to come and pay a visit.

Why did it continue to have to be like this? Why were there such people out there who only cared about their own petty concerns and quests for power? It never had made sense to Bulma why someone who could do good would end up turning bad over something so trivial as trying to prove that they were the best. All such actions ever caused was hurt and misery, two things that Bulma hated above all others. Maybe it was because she had grown up with a life of privilege, never having really known hardship that made her feel the way that she did. Or perhaps, since coming to be in a relationship with Vegeta, even if it was a rather one-sided one, she had finally caught a glimpse of someone who had truly suffered throughout their short life, even if they hid the fact even from themselves. Whatever the reason, even though she knew her friends had been preparing for this event, she did not want tomorrow to happen because if things didn't go according to plan, she would end up losing…everything.

Shaking her head slowly, she mentally told herself to stop focusing on the negative and to think about the positive. Pulling away from the shower wall, she took a shower puff and squirted a dollop of shower gel onto it. Lathering it up, she brought it to her nose and inhaled the scent, closing her eyes and letting the hot water relax her already tense muscles. It smelled…it smelled like Vegeta. Blushing slightly, she dropped the puff away from her face and started to wash her body. He had taken a liking to this particular brand of shower gel, although he never would have admitted to such a thing openly. However, whenever he ran out of it, he would leave the empty bottle in her room with a simple note attached telling her to buy more of it for him. And for some reason, she had decided that she liked the scent of him wrapped around her own body, so she had started to use it as well. Wondering if Vegeta noticed that she smelled like him on a day-to-day basis, Bulma allowed herself to smile slightly before getting back to the task at hand.

In a few moments, the lather from the soap was making swirls and eddies as it slowly slid down the shower drain. Yawning unenthusiastically, Bulma once again found herself slumped against the shower wall.

Vegeta…

He was training…somewhere. Somewhere to the north of the city, far enough away that he wouldn't be observed by humans but close enough that when he decided to come and get nourishment, it would only take him a few minutes to fly back if he used some of his ki to augment the speed of his flight. Even though their bond was solidifying, if that's what one would call it, and both her and Vegeta had stopped fighting it, he was still impossible to read. In reality, Bulma didn't want to know what was going on in his head in regards to her anyway. It was just…painful.

He had been back for months now, yet he felt more distant then he had even before they had come together after her disastrous breakup with Yamcha. In a way, she was glad for that because it was easier to go along with his stipulations regarding their relationship as a pair. As long as she focused her energy on doing what was required of her so that he could succeed, it wasn't as difficult as she thought it would be to put aside some of her pride and follow his edicts. He was, after all, here to protect the Earth for the time being. And being his other half, once she finally decided to accept things as they were, it only made sense to provide the things that he needed and required in order to fulfill his role as protector. It still rankled though, that he refused to…

Growling under her breath, she let out a tense pant and then decided to focus on finishing her shower instead of thinking about Vegeta and herself. Quickly washing her hair, she rinsed the soap out and then slid the tap shut, cutting the hot water off. Watching the steam billow up and over the glass shower door, she pulled her towel down and started to dry off before she became overly chilled. It didn't take long before she was out of the shower and in her terry bathrobe, brushing her recently cut hair and looking at her reflection through her clouded over mirror.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Bulma used her hand to wipe away some of the moisture clinging to the glass surface of her bathroom mirror. She didn't look much different then she had a year ago except that she wasn't pregnant. And she wasn't alone or abandoned, although sometimes it still felt like she was. It didn't help to dwell on the things she couldn't change, though. Straightening up, she smiled brightly to hide her anxiety about tomorrow and pulled away from the bathroom sink. Humming slightly, she stepped back into her bedroom and made her way over to the closet, rummaging around for a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Once she was dressed comfortably, if not exactly elegantly, she left her room and walked across the hallway to where Trunks was situated.

Even though it was still early, she wasn't surprised to see that her son was already awake, standing against the railing of his crib as he clumsily tried to reach for the animal shapes of his mobile. As soon as he saw her, his face lit into an almost toothless baby grin before he inelegantly plopped back down onto his crib mattress and put his arms out as a signal for her to come and pick him up.

"Ma…Mamamama…ma!"

Stepping across the room, she picked him up in her arms and snuggled her face against his soft, lavender hair. She loved him so much and it hurt inside to think that if things went wrong tomorrow…but she wasn't going to think about that. Inhaling slightly, she could tell that Trunks needed a change of diaper and so she went about cleaning him up and dressing him without thinking about anything other then the tasks set out in front of her. There would be time enough later in the day for that. Pulling him up and away from the changing table, she carried him out of his room and down the stairs, stopping in the kitchen to grab something to eat before she headed to the lab.

Walking through the doorway, she wasn't surprised to find her mother already up and about.

"Morning Mom. Do you have any coffee made?"

Her mother motioned towards her left and Bulma saw that a pot had already been brewed. Putting Trunks in a high chair, she walked over and pulled out a mug before pouring herself a cup. Taking in a small sip, she savored the acidic taste before she put her mug down and looked over to where her mother was making something.

"You're up early Bulma. Did Trunks wake you up again?"

"No. Vegeta left at around three to train and I couldn't fall back asleep. So here I am."

"He's working himself too hard. He should take the day off and relax once in a while. And why does he always insist on leaving so early? No matter how hard I try to be up and have a good breakfast ready for him, he's always gone. It's like he's avoiding me or something."

Not meaning to, Bulma chuckled slightly. Maybe Vegeta was avoiding her mother, but she didn't think he was doing it intentionally. Well, maybe he was…slightly. Who could really blame him for that anyway? Her mother could drive the most easy going person in the world batty and Vegeta wasn't known for having a good handle on his temper. Deciding to reassure her mother, Bulma walked around the counter and gave her a hug, something she didn't normally do.

"What was that for?"

"Because I wanted to. Besides, you worry too much about Vegeta. Like you've told me countless numbers of times, he's a big boy and he can take care of himself. And by now you have to know that when Vegeta wants to fulfill a goal, there is no break until he's met it. I would think something was seriously wrong with him if he wasn't up at the crack of dawn training, especially today of all days."

With that said, Bulma pulled away from her mother and walked around to the table, taking her mug of coffee with her. Sitting down, she stared morosely at her hands.

"Bulma?"

Blinking, she looked up and focused on where her mother was still standing, looking at her in concern.

"What?"

"You'd better feed Trunks before he decides to eat his high chair."

Startled, she looked over to where Trunks was sitting, hungrily knawing on the knuckles of his fists. Standing up hurriedly, she went into the pantry and pulled out his baby cereal, mixing it up quickly at the kitchen counter and bringing it over to where he was sitting along with a bottle of juice she had pulled out of the walk in refrigerator. Putting the food in front of him, she pulled a chair over and helped him to eat the sticky cereal, watching as he managed to smear it all over his face and hands and down the front of his bib. Still, he was only a baby and he was starting to get better at feeding himself, along with learning how to walk and talk. To think that a year ago, he wasn't even born, it was amazing how far he'd already come in his short life.

Finishing up, Bulma stood and grabbed a damp washcloth. Quickly and efficiently, she washed Trunks face and arms, unclipped his bib and then placed him in the play pen next to the table before sitting back down to finish her coffee. Taking another sip, she looked on as her mother put whatever it was she was making into the oven and then walked over to the kitchen counter and started to slice into what looked like a homemade coffee cake. Taking out two plates, her mother put a generous portion on each before she walked around to the table and sat down, handing one over to her daughter.

Shaking her head, Bulma pushed the offered breakfast item away.

"I'm not really hungry Mom. But thanks anyway. I'm sure it's good. I've got to get going anyway. You don't mind watching Trunks for a while, do you?"

"I don't mind watching him, but why are you in such a hurry to get to the lab? You usually don't show up until after ten and it isn't even seven yet. Besides, your father is still asleep and I don't want this coffee cake to go to waste, since Vegeta left before he could enjoy it."

Deciding it wasn't worth arguing with her mother about, Bulma pulled the coffee cake over to herself and took a bite, even though it tasted like ashes in her mouth. Smiling slightly, she forced herself to eat even though her body was telling her not too. Taking a swig of her now cool coffee, Bulma washed the rest of the cake down before starting to pull her chair away from the table.

"Bulma, don't go down there today. Please."

Stopping, she raised her eyebrow at her mother, wondering what was prompting her to ask such a thing.

"Why?"

"You need a break, just like Vegeta does. Going down there to work on something isn't going to change what will happen tomorrow."

"How do you know that Mom? Maybe it will. At any rate, working on something in the lab will keep my mind occupied on something besides worrying over what will happen to Vegeta and the others tomorrow."

Leaning back in her chair, she waited for her mother to say something before she stood up and went over to Trunks's playpen.

"We are all worried about tomorrow. But I'd like to spend it with you and Trunks, and your father if I can persuade him to take a break as well. How long has it been since we've done something together?"

Shrugging, Bulma bent over and kissed the top of her son's head. Pulling herself upright, she crossed her arms and found her eyes locked on her mother's.

"I don't know. It's been a while, I guess. Maybe we can have a special dinner tonight, but I really, really need to be in the lab or else I'll drive myself crazy with worry. I don't want that for myself, or for Vegeta either, especially since I know he can feel everything that I'm feeling. He has to stay focused, and so do I. So I'm sorry."

She could see in her mother's face that she was disappointed, but she wasn't going to change her plans for the day. Her mother nodded glumly in disappointment, making Bulma feel guilty for refusing to spend the day going on a shopping spree or out for a spa treatment. However, there were more important things that needed to be done instead of spending her time in a frivolous manner. If they all made it out of the Android's attack unscathed, there would be time enough for that later. It was her current responsibility to remain focused and in control.

Waving slightly to her mother, Bulma turned around and left the kitchen, walking quickly down the hallway towards the entrance that led to the corporation and the labs that it held. Following the rote directions in her brain, Bulma was at her lab before she even realized it, opening the door and stepping inside. Turning on a light switch, she watched as her surroundings were suddenly surrounded and bathed in artificial light. Grabbing a lab coat, she slipped it on over her arms and then walked over to her computer, unlocking it and pulling up plans for some of the revisions they were looking at doing for their space capsule lineup. Focusing her energy on deciphering and making changes to the plans, Bulma became engrossed enough that thoughts of tomorrow finally were pushed out of the forefront of her mind, at least temporarily.

Many hours later, around 9 pm…

Vegeta stepped out of his room into the hallway that ran outside of it. Rubbing his damp hair slightly with a towel, he stood outside his doorway and glanced at the room next to his before throwing the towel over his t-shirt clad torso. He knew Bulma was in her room and it wasn't hard for him to zone onto her location in any event. Letting out a sigh of inevitability, he walked over to her room and hesitated slightly before he pushed the button and waited for the door to slide open.

Striding confidently into her lair, he was surprised to find some of her lamps lit but no sign of his woman. Glancing around, he made sure she wasn't in the bathroom before he walked towards the doors that led to the balcony outside. Peering into the lengthening darkness of the night, it wasn't hard to pick out her shape leaning against the balcony railing.

He stood there for a while, content to watch her as she gazed out over the city in front of her. He didn't know if she noticed him or not, but he narrowed his eyes when he saw her hand move away from her mouth as a tell tale ring of smoke escaped in front of her. Taking an unconscious step forward, he cleared his throat slightly to make sure that she knew she was no longer alone outside.

Not turning around from where she was standing, Bulma brought the cigarette to her lips and sucked in another drag, using the nicotine as a way to calm her overactive nerves.

"What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want anything?"

"Because Vegeta, with you, it's always about what you want and what you need."

He had to agree with her, but it wasn't always about what he wanted and what he needed. And tonight was one of those times, though even he wasn't completely sure why he felt compelled to seek her out for the hell of it. Maybe, on a subconscious level, it had to do with the fact that tonight might be the last time that he would see her. Bah, he did not want to spend the rest of the evening trying to figure out the intricacies of his fucked up mind and fucked up relationship with Bulma. Trying to change the subject, he walked over to one of the patio chairs she had set up on the balcony and took a seat.

"I wish you wouldn't do that Woman. It makes you seem stupid."

He looked on as Bulma slowly turned around and leveled a glare at him, purposely flicking the ash off the end of her cigarette in his direction before taking in another drag of the noxious drug.

"So what? I don't care if it makes me seem stupid. It's all about what feels good, and right now, this is what I…"

She didn't have a chance to finish her sentence. Before she even registered what was happening, Vegeta had the wrist of the hand that was holding her cigarette in his grip. Putting pressure on her wrist, Bulma cried out slightly and instinctively dropped her half-finished cigarette to the ground. Backing away somewhat and nursing her sore wrist, she angrily watched as Vegeta stomped the flame out with his bare foot before moving away from her.

"You have some nerve Vegeta!"

"Don't push your luck with me tonight Woman. I'm not in the mood. And as for nerve, do you delight in poisoning yourself with that filth? Do you even know what you're doing to yourself? Baka, baka, baka!"

Feeling defensive, Bulma crossed her arms under her breasts and looked spitefully at her mate as he stared at her, his mouth twisted into a vicious looking snarl.

"Of course I know what I'm doing to myself. And it's my choice, not yours! At any rate, I hardly ever smoke, only when I need something extra to help me relax."

"Hmph, it seems like the hardly ever part has become a regular habit of yours. You can lie to yourself all you want, but I can smell the stench of that disgusting drug on you no matter how you try to hide it from me. I am telling you from experience that taking a stimulant to alter your state of mind is not going to help you in the long run. For once, heed my advice before you end up becoming a victim to your own stupidity."

Blinking in surprise at Vegeta, she let out a sigh and walked over to where he was sitting. Pulling a chair around, she sat down and crossed her legs, leaning forward and looking intently towards her mate.

"You have some experience with drugs Vegeta?"

"What concern is it of yours?"

"It's not a concern…I'm just curious is all. I mean, you never voluntarily give information out like that. At least, not in the entire time that I've known you."

Letting out an exasperated laugh, Bulma sighed and leaned back against her chair, looking off to the side and up at the dim stars above.

"I hardly know you Vegeta. Yeah, I've seen images of your past, but even that has faded a lot since that night…Buy hey, I don't expect you to start now, so forget I even asked."

Watching Bulma as she looked up at the stars, Vegeta licked his lips. He didn't understand it…why he was here with her, why he…why he had let that smidgeon of his past escape. Perhaps it was because she was his partner for life and the thought of her needlessly throwing that life away by using some disgusting chemical disturbed him. And maybe it was even simpler than that: he could die tomorrow, though he didn't think that he would, and this could very well be the last night that he would spend with her. Instead of parting in hateful silence, he wanted her to at least have some sort of…fond memory of him. Grunting sourly over his softness towards Bulma, Vegeta looked away as he composed his thoughts.

"In all honesty Bulma, you're better off not knowing 'me.' I understand this about your personality: you pity things that seem unkind or cruel to those you know. I cannot stand pity and if you really knew…if you really and truly understood about my past, that is how you would feel about me. If it means anything to you, I would rather have you think of me as a cold blooded killer than as an object to be pitied."

Bulma glanced at Vegeta and then let out a tired sounding sigh, trying to understand why it seemed impossible to ever truly get the chance to figure him out.

"Knowing you doesn't mean knowing about your past. I mean, the past does make you into the person you are, but I'm not even thinking about it like that. What do you like Vegeta? What are your interests besides fighting? What's your favorite color? What's your favorite food? Who was your first girlfriend? Maybe those questions seem trivial to you, but they aren't to me. I don't care if you ever did drugs before. Fuck, we all do stupid stuff growing up. That's just a part of life. I'd just like to see the other facet to who you are besides the Saiyan killer you'd like everyone to believe that you are. But I suppose it's too late for that anyway."

"That's just it Woman. I don't want you to think of me as anything but how I have presented myself to everyone. Why do you always have to try to delve into things that matter so little to begin with? Who the fuck cares what my favorite color is? I don't even care about that! Or the food I like to eat? What does that matter? My life has been given to me in order so that I can fulfill a purpose, and that purpose is proving that I am the strongest. Not Freiza, not Kakarrot, and not some stupid Androids. In the end, who is going to care about the trivial shit that makes up who I am? Who?"

At the end of his tirade, Vegeta was shouting. Audibly clicking his teeth together, he let out an angry snort and tried to reign in his rage. He was here to spend time with Bulma, not to argue with or become upset with her, but she was such a stubborn woman! And when it all boiled down, her finding out those things about him would only cement the emotional ties she already had vested into him, though she continually tried to hide the evidence. He didn't want things to become even more complicated then they were because there was the very real chance that he could die tomorrow. He knew how she would react and if she felt an even deeper attachment to him…Tapping his fingers against his biceps, he tried to ignore the fact that the reason he was trying to stop Bulma from forming unnecessary attachments to him was because deep down inside, he cared about her future well being, and she was the first being he had ever felt such a feeling for. But Bulma wouldn't understand that and he was too stubborn to ever admit to such a weakness on his part in the first place. If he was honest with himself, Bulma's attachment to him was such that anything he did to try to pull her away from him ended up backfiring anyway. What difference would it make if he divulged a little frivolous personal information to her anyway? He was here to leave her with some sort of fond memory of him to begin with. He was about to speak up when he heard Bulma's voice chime in quietly.

"I care about it, Vegeta."

"Baka onna, I know you do and that's the whole problem."

Glancing over at where Vegeta was sitting with his arms crossed, his damp hair laying against his head in a haphazard manner, Bulma bit her lip uncertainly, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't anger or agitate Vegeta more then he already was. She didn't want to add to the discomfort he was most likely feeling thinking about the upcoming battle tomorrow and how it would turn out for him and the rest of humanity.

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she frowned slightly and once again leaned forward to get a good look at him.

"It's hard…not too, you know? I don't even understand it myself. It's not like I wanted to have the feelings I have for you Vegeta. They just happened, though things would have been so much easier if we…well, never mind. But it doesn't have to be a problem. It's what you make of it, I guess."

"Well, if it makes you feel better to know something stupid and pointless about me, my favorite color is…it's blue. My favorite food, hmmm…anything that still isn't alive when I eat it. I have no interests besides becoming stronger and beating Kakarot, and I have never had a girlfriend."

Bulma blinked her eyes slowly and then burst out laughing. It had been so long since she had found something funny enough to laugh at, she couldn't stop herself even though she had a feeling Vegeta would take offense towards her reaction.

"Your favorite food is anything that still isn't alive when you eat it? And you don't have any interests besides beating Goku? Hahaha! You have to be the most boring person I know!" Snorting out a laugh, Bulma wrapped her arms around herself until she stopped laughing, tears of mirth leaking out at the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Woman. Had I known, I would never have lowered myself into telling you." Vegeta stated dryly as he stood up to leave, embarrassment warring with his damnable sense of pride.

Taking a step past his recovering mate, Vegeta was surprised when he felt Bulma's hand latch around his own, effectively stopping him from walking back into her bedroom and then to his own quarters.

"Wait Vegeta. Don't go! I'm sorry, really I am. It's not really funny, it's just that, well…"

"Well what? Pray tell."

Blushing faintly, Bulma let go of Vegeta's hand and waited while he turned around and peered into her eyes.

"I don't think you were telling me the truth about any of that. Except for the part about your favorite color being blue. Is it really so difficult to tell me about yourself?"

'Yes, Bulma, it is.' Vegeta thought to himself before answering her aloud.

"Look, I've never given any of that much thought, my survival taking precedence over the things that I have a fondness for or an interest in. When one's life is not their own to live, those trivial things matter little."

Bulma understood that, but Vegeta had been on Earth long enough to have realized that his life was his own, so far as it was concerned here. In a way, it saddened her that he still hadn't found the time to find out the things that he enjoyed, but then again, it was Vegeta.

Standing up from where she was seated, Bulma took a step over to where Vegeta was standing uncertainly in front of her. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she rested her head on his shoulder and was happy when he didn't pull away from her embrace, even if he didn't reciprocate it.

"I understand Vegeta. I shouldn't have laughed. It's been hard, these last few years and…I shouldn't have. Thanks…I'll…I'll stop smoking, too, if it means something to you."

"It means nothing to me Onna." Vegeta grumbled into her hair, even though they both knew it was a lie.

"Whatever. I'm not going to get into another argument with you about it. We don't have much time together before tomorrow as it is. I'd rather…I'd rather not be upset with you, if that's okay?"

Why was she asking him if that was okay? Still, he supposed since they spent most of their time angry or annoyed with one another when they weren't having sex, it was a normal sort of question to ask. Grunting slightly, he found himself slowly wrapping his own arms around her back.

"Fine."

With that said, they pulled apart and headed back into Bulma's room to spend what time they had left together before Vegeta would leave early in the morning to make his final preparations for the Android's inevitable appearance.

Early the next morning…

Vegeta woke up with a start, finding himself once again wrapped in the blankets on Bulma's bed, her body pressed tightly against his own. Untangling his limbs from hers, he sat up slowly and slid out of the bed, making his way to the bathroom to relieve himself and then quickly clean his body as best he could before going to get dressed.

Finishing his business, he went over to the sink and thoroughly washed his hands before splashing cold water on his face. Today was the day. In less then five hours, he would be fighting against the maniacal creatures the boy from the future had warned them about. If, indeed, he had been telling the truth. In all honesty, Vegeta had no doubt that the youth had been completely honest when explaining the Android threat to his idiotic rival. And now it would be made clear if all of his training in the intervening years had paid off, if he was finally stronger then Kakarot. If not…Vegeta did not want to dwell on the ramifications and complications of such a possibility.

Stepping backwards, Vegeta turned off the bathroom light and then entered back into Bulma's room. Finding his discarded boxer shorts and t-shirt in the dim light, he slipped the underwear over his bottom half, covering his nakedness before making his way to Bulma's bedroom door. He was about to open the door when he heard Bulma's voice coming from the direction of the warm bed he had just recently left.

"What is it Woman?"

Waiting for her reply, Vegeta turned around impatiently and watched as he saw her turn on the nightstand light and clumsily climb out of her bed. Wrapping a blanket around her body, Bulma stumbled over to her desk and dug around in a drawer before pulling out a slim, metal case. Walking over to Vegeta, she handed it to him.

"It's a case containing capsules of the modified armor and uniforms you requested a couple of days ago. I was going to give them to you last night but I…"

She let her sentence trail off as he took the offered gift from her and held onto it in his hand.

"Vegeta…Vegeta, promise me you won't die."

Bulma had a feeling that it wasn't the right thing to say to him, especially when she saw the grimace that twisted his face, but she couldn't think of anything else that mattered more to her then him coming back alive. It wasn't that she thought poorly of his abilities. It went so much deeper then that, but she didn't think Vegeta would really understand her thinking.

"You think that lowly of my skills as a warrior? Have you no faith in me?"

Trying to think of someway to make him understand, Bulma unconsciously took a step closer towards him, hitching up her makeshift gown as she moved.

"It's not that Vegeta. I know you've done your best and you are ready for this battle. But…"

She was surprised when his free hand snaked up and snagged her chin, stroking the side of it with his thumb. Swallowing, she waited to see what he would do.

"I understand. I'll come back alive. Just…just do not interfere and put yourself in danger. I cannot look out for you."

With that said, Vegeta finally stepped away and slipped out the door, feeling unsettled that he had left Bulma being much more accommodating then he had planned on being. He had meant to put his walls back up after last night, yet for some stupid reason, he had tried to reassure her before reaffirming his unwillingness to protect her should she try to become willingly involved with his fight against the Androids. Shoving some of his burgeoning softness to the side, he entered his own room and changed into one of the new uniforms provided to him by Bulma. Ignoring the worry seeping into his subconscious from Bulma, he walked over to his own balcony doors, opening them up and stepping outside. Taking in a lungful of air, he looked up at the sky and blasted off, flying towards South City and his destiny.

What is Vegeta's destiny, and how will his disastrous fight with the Androids affect his already tenuous relationship with Bulma? Find out in the next chapter. And feedback is appreciated!