Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z. Read and Enjoy!

Bulma woke in confusion; she looked around the room trying to sense what had woken her up. Vegeta's side of the bed was un-slept in, but that was normal for most nights. Glancing at the bed side table, there was no noise coming from the baby monitor…so what had woken her?

A soft yawn escaped her lips as she sat up and clicked the lamp on. The soft glow filled the room, casting shadows about the room. Then she heard it, the shower was running but she couldn't hear any movement from inside and the bathroom light was off.

"Hum," she sighed, wondering if she should enter or not. Closing her eyes she readied herself and pushed the door open. She clicked the shower's overhead light on and barely saw Vegeta through the fogged glass; he was just standing still in the shower.

"Vegeta?" she called, wondering what was wrong with him. By now he would have normally snapped at her for interrupting or occasionally coax her into joining him. He did neither, didn't even say anything to her. Now he was starting to worry her, more then usual.

"Alright," she muttered slipping off her cotton pajama shorts, cotton panties, and the oversized t-shirt. "I'm coming in."

Vegeta still didn't answer and she frowned in irritation. Normally that would have gotten arise out of him, but he still hadn't moved or even bothered to look at her. Rolling her eyes, she opened the glass door and stepped into the shower. Finally she got a good look at him, his head hanging and the hot water spraying on his shoulders, letting water cascade down the hard planes of his back.

Then she saw it; blood was pooling around at the drain. Moving closer she laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You're bleeding," she stated, kissing his shoulder. She sighed, "Are you going to tend to it or should I?"

"I lost…" came his hoarse reply. Bulma's eyebrows rose in contemplation and she tightened her hold on him. "Again," he whispered after a few minutes of silence.

Ah, she thought as everything seemed to fall into place. Vegeta had gone over to Goku's to spar again. He had been picking a lot of fights with Goku lately and she, of course hadn't exactly understood why. But she had a few good guesses as to why it bothered him to feel inferior. On some nights, she was able to get Vegeta to talk about his past, not much but she knew all of this steamed from his time with Freeza and how he couldn't do anything to change what had happened. Now, he was feeling inferior to Goku.

"So you'll just try again," she replied, reaching her arms down to lace her fingers through his as her thumb stroked the skin on his hand. "Besides what would you do if you completed your single minded goal?" He still didn't answer and she let her forehead fall on his shoulder again. "Okay, no jokes tonight. But we still need to have a look at that wound. And I really wish you two could do without all the bruising, your back looks purple."

"Do what you wish," he replied still not moving and Bulma was about ready to hit him. When Vegeta sulked, he did it exceptionally well.

"Fine, but you're acting like Trunks when he doesn't get his way." Reaching from behind him, she turned off the shower and opened the glass door. Snagging the near by towel she dried herself off quickly. Stepping out of the shower she let the towel drop on the floor to collect stray droplets of water as she looked for the small first aid kit Vegeta kept under the bathroom sink.

Once she found it she pulled out another towel and threw it at Vegeta. He caught it with ease and placed it over his hair, while Bulma went about cleaning up the ragged cut on his chest. Placing the gauze pad over the large cut, she turned her back to him and cleaned up the mess she'd made while trying to find the gauze pads. It wasn't like she could do any more to help, he didn't want it and she was going to let him be. He'd always been that way though, and it shouldn't hurt her feelings to not be needed or have him want to seek her out for comfort at times like these, but it did hurt just a little.

Bulma nearly dropped the kit when she felt two arms pull her back to a hard chest. He didn't say anything but just held her there taking the comfort she provided. Bulma gave a soft sigh, leaning into him, hooking her hands on his forearm. Some how it always ending up him being the one to comfort her, this was most likely his way of saying sorry and that he did need her…of course he'd never voice it out loud, so it could be wishful thinking on her part but she chose to believe it wasn't.

Using his unrestrained hand he turned Bulma's face towards his and he kissed her—a hot open mouthed kiss that made her whole body tingle. When he broke the kiss she could tell he was aroused but instead of continuing he gave her a soft press of the lips and let go.

"Go back to bed," he said, pushing her out the bathroom and towards their bed. Bulma heard the bathroom door close behind her and she smiled.

"You're welcome," she whispered, climbing back in bed. Reassured that Vegeta would be alright, she let herself slip back to sleep. In her subconscious she could feel when Vegeta joined her –pulling her against him so he could sleep easily.