You Like me More Than a Hamster ch 6

2.5 years post move into Capsule Corp

They had been playing shows like this all day and Bulma was sick of it.

Blonde haired boys and their middle aged dads, smiling and thumbs-upping one another as they fussed over spark plugs and grilled steak nearby. Toothless five-year olds in princess dresses, dancing around their fathers like a fairy-pole, while moms walked in and took lasting photos. During commercial breaks there were advertisements for tools and grills. Then the show returned with the same revolving message: Isn't dad the greatest?

It was Father's Day after all so the stereotypical exhibition was expected, but Bulma just wished that something else was on TV to distract the two somber boys lying about her.

It had been a little over two years since they moved in and they were beginning to settle nicely so they tried not to look too qualmy but the mother of three knew it still bothered them. Gohan had gone seven years now without his father and Goten had never met him. The holiday always sat awkwardly with them—more so the eldest than his younger brother—and it didn't help that everywhere they went, flashing images of fishing sons and dancing daughters bombarded their sightline.

Nor was it helpful that their adoptive father Vegeta wasn't a typical dad.

Of alllllll the things the Saijin Prince had to put up with—bottling his thirst to kill, becoming a domesticated husband and father of three, taking his mate's dreadful last name—he only asked for one thing in return: leave him the hell alone on Father's day.

It was his day after all and once he learned that, his routine had become solidified. Steak and eggs for breakfast—his favorite— a twelve hour training session as opposed to nine, more steak (this time with noodles) for dinner, and once the kids were put to sleep, a blow job from his wife while dressed in her silk black nighty and red bottomed heels.

Vegeta loved it. It was the one day out of the year he could be left to his own vices and have a moment's peace. And peace was a rarity now that he had adopted two children who weren't his own.

Not even Trunks had any grievances about his father's choice to spend the holiday. The young Prince had learned long ago that bonding with his father came in the form of fighting or food and on the rarity he got the opportunity to do recreational things with him, he learned it had to be spontaneous, not planned. So the lavender-haired offspring took the opportunity to be spoiled by his grandparents instead and during this time of year Bunny and Dr. Briefs often took their grandson to a kid's paradise, where they could shower him with gifts and food. This year it was an adventure park, complete with a dinosaur thrill ride. Per Bulma's last report from Bunny, Trunks was in absolute heaven and would have to be physically removed from the park if the sun and snacks didn't wear him out first.

Truthfully Bulma hadn't had any gripes about Father's Day in her household; she wasn't allowed to. She couldn't be mad at Vegeta for his request because she had asked him to do so much, and he was always —begrudgingly—willing to compromise. This was the only thing he asked for in return.

She also thought it was important for Trunks to develop a healthy relationship with his grandparents and enjoy the spoiling only a grandparent could offer his grandchild. Her father loved Trunks, and loved to boast about his brilliance. Dr. Briefs was in part responsible for the boy's genius and curiosity and Trunks relished in the attention, looking forward to showing his grandfather his latest inventions (even if they were mostly weapons of mass playground destruction). So they would spend a day in the lab together, and then Bunny would come along to whisk them both to some lavish vacation. This had been their routine long before Gohan and Goten moved in it wouldn't come to a halt now that the household has changed.

Bulma only wished that it didn't leave her in the position to be both mother and father to the boys today; there had to be some better alternative.

Bulma sighed and flipped through the channels. She pet Goten's hair once while he lounged on her lap, and Gohan abruptly stood up from next to her. He grumbled something about SAT prep before he left the room.

He couldn't take it anymore. Rightfully so. In the two years since he's moved in Bulma's offered to take him fishing, at least to distract his mind but he always said no. She thought at first it was because fishing was something reserved only for he and Goku but now she was beginning to think it was too painful.

"Ok hun, dinner will be ready soon." She called after him but he was already gone. She looked at the clock; it was about that time that she started preparing her husband's royal dinner.

She eased Goten off of her lap and he yawned and stretched, looking to her with half-lidded eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry baby. I didn't realize you were asleep." She rubbed his back and laid him back down on the sofa. "Go back to sleep honey, I'm just going to go make dinner."

At the mention of food he was instantly awake. "Can I help?" he offered and Bulma smiled.

"Of course you can"

XX

They started by washing and peeling potatoes, and now that Goten could fly, he didn't need the foot-stool to reach the sink. So he hovered over the water with the pink apron dangling below his feet like a ball gown.

They worked in silence mostly, for once the young chibi not in the mood for conversation. He had never spent this sacred Sunday with his father and really was mostly upset because his brother was upset. Although naïve, Goten was still intuitive and could sense the discretion in the household.

From the window above the sink, he could see the gravity room perched on the greens of Capsule Corp's lawn. It always glowed red lights from the windows when Vegeta was inside and occasionally he'd catch the flashes of his ki blasts.

Goten had been in the gravity room a handful of times—all of which he could count on one hand. He always went with Trunks or Gohan yet both were ahead of him in skill and strength so they left him be in a corner somewhere while they got to more intense work.

Goten felt awkward about training. His mother had forbid it and when he moved to Capsule Corp, Vegeta had pushed for it. He tried to get him to understand that being at his peak meant living up to his rights as a Saijin, and having a title no one could take away from him. It seemed in the Briefs household honor was important while in the Son household affection was.

But overall these conflicting morals gave Goten a hard time. He was adjusting to a lot of new things: a new mommy and daddy, a new house, a new school. And with his mother's tears still in his head at the thought of him becoming a warrior, he ignored the urge to fight.

"What does he do in there all day by himself?" he said aloud, moving some potato skins to the trash can.

Bulma sighed a belabored sigh. She often wondered that herself. Vegeta was the only person in the world who could find being locked up in an empty room alone for 12 hours entertaining. Most people call that insanity. "Who knows," she finally answered Goten. She pulled some steaks out of the fridge and began digging around for seasoning. "Sometimes I think he's just in there watching TV and eating; faking us all out with this training thing." She nudged Goten and gave him a wink and the young boy giggled. That sounded like a good Sunday to him.

At that moment the TV in the kitchen decided to give way to all of the Father's Day propaganda and a flashy commercial for the upcoming World Tournament was announced. The same blonde MC Bulma had come to know over the past couple of decades was the front-liner, shouting about glory, money and bragging rights over green-screen images and replays of previous years fights behind him.

"And for the first time ever, WT LLC is proud to announce a junior class tournament division! Yes, you've heard that right! Junior fighters ages 3 to 16, enter in your chance to become a Junior World Champioonnnnn!" His lips pursed in an 'O' as his sang his excitement. "Brag too all your friends, kick ass, make your parents proud!" The announcer balled his fist and hugged it at his side, locked and loaded to grab the kid's attention. "All entries for pre-qualification will be accepted until this week! See you there!" A gremlins voice, that was supposed to be challenging and exciting, closed the final words of the commercial before it was gone.

Goten's eyes were enthralled. They never left the screen and they weren't minding the knife over the potatoes, almost resulting in a sliver of skin being sliced off.

Make his parents proud. Make his father proud. Maybe that's what he needed to do.

"Huh, would you look at that." Bulma meanwhile hadn't looked up from the steaks but had heard everything. "As if they're not done exploiting men to pulverize each other, now they need to include children too?" She shook her head in shame.

Goten looked to the gravity chamber again and thought about what Vegeta had said. This time he didn't see his mother's tears but her smiling face. And he felt gentle hands nudging his back.

When he looked behind him he didn't see anything but he saw his father's smile in his head. It was next to his mother's.

Goten put down the potato and peeler. He set his apron on the counter and began walking to the door. "Mommy Bulma I'll be right back."

It took Bulma a moment to register what he said and by the time she turned around he was already out the kitchen door, treading down the lawn to the gravity chamber. Bulma wiped her hands in her own apron then looked back at the TV. "Huh," she curiously mumbled to herself and picked up the abandoned potatoes to continue peeling.

A cold breeze tickled the hairs on the back of her neck, springing some of them loose from its bun. Bulma turned around but nobody was there. And when she looked at the window, it was closed.

XXX

Goten didn't know what to say but that was ok, it was Vegeta behind the door. Just offer yourself up to fight and words wouldn't be needed.

He knocked on the titanium chamber and stood patiently while the gravity powered down and the Prince ripped open the door. His eyes met a blank space at eye-level which told him he was expecting Gohan or Bulma, not the little runt in front of him.

Vegeta immediately grimaced but the chibi welcomed himself inside. Stunned by his boldness as he was sure the runt knew what today was, Vegeta was just about to remind him the rules for Father's Day when Goten spoke up.

"I want to enter the World Tournament." He said it plainly, just like that. And after a brief lull of silence Vegeta's only response was a bead of sweat that dropped from his nose to the ground.

The Prince was confused. That wasn't what he was expecting. Every time Goten sought him out, it was to ask questions he didn't know the answer to or for asinine favors. As far as Vegeta knew, he was still afraid of his late mother's disappointment in his fighting.

"Excuse me?" Vegeta was still holding the door open, still confused.

"The World Tournament has a junior division this year." Goten elaborated. "I want to enter."

Vegeta finally caught up. He had almost forgotten about the World Tournament because it had been so long since he entered. But it was usually about this time of year; after school let out and before summer camp and holiday barbeques really got underway.

Then he looked to the chibi in front of him. His fingers usually stroked skittishly at his gi when he spoke to his adoptive father, or his head poked curiously to the side because he didn't understand things. But he was direct and confident now, being guided by something that asked him to grow up.

Usually Vegeta wouldn't need any further explanation. The boy asked him to train and it was about high time he stopped being a runt. But this wasn't Goten. His first thought brought him to his son whose favorite past-time seemed to be taking cheap shots at his best friend, but his son left yesterday, that couldn't be it. Maybe he was restless from watching too much TV but his eyes weren't glossy and lazed, they were focused and direct.

They looked like Kakkarot's when he made the determination that a monster couldn't be helped, but had to be killed.

Vegeta had to ask. "And where is this sudden change of heart coming from? I thought you weren't allowed to fight?" It was often Goten's excuse when Gohan would try and goad him into the gravity room for exercise.

Finally his eyes released some of that confidence and became squirrely. They broke from Vegeta's gaze for a moment before coming back; partly unsure. "I have to enter. I want to win."

"Why?" Vegeta felt like this might be a conversation where he was pulling teeth.

"I want to make him proud."

"Him? Him who?"

"My dad." Goten said it quietly and his eyes lost traction at Vegeta's stoic look, but it was still loud enough to hear the empathy that it begged.

Vegeta's face remained uniform but inside his chest tightened. He knew what that felt like, fighting to earn pride from a corpse. He wished he had someone to show him how when he was a boy; someone to warn him it would destroy him inside.

But when he looked to Goten, he knew he wasn't ready to heed that warning today. He just needed to get it out; release his natural instinct and all the pain he's held in—relatively so— for the past two years, and maybe longer than that. This was the first time he's mentioned his father out loud (save the other night when Trunks called him a hamster) and yet he didn't want to talk about him. He just wanted to be like him.

Vegeta sighed and finally closed the GR door. "Very well. If it is your wish to enter, than I shall train you." The young boy seemed to brighten. "Although you do know if Trunks decides to enter, your chances of winning will decrease." He couldn't help but smirk proudly at the thought of his son beating a Son.

Goten nodded. "I want Trunks to enter. To win fairly I have to fight the best, and Trunks is the best."

Vegeta admired his integrity. "He's stronger than you. He's been flying a lot longer."

"If you show me the technique you show him, I'll practice hard. Between now and the tournament, I'll get strong enough to have a good match."

His spirit made Vegeta consider his own entry into the tournament. Though without much competition besides Gohan, his inevitable victory might not be as fun.

"Your courageousness proceeds you boy." Goten didn't know what that meant but he felt it was a compliment so he bowed in gratitude.

Vegeta threw some weights in his direction. "Put these on your arms and feet. I want 300 laps around the chamber. And when you're done, I want you to try and land a punch on my chest."

While Goten was strapping up he stopped to look at Vegeta as if he was crazy. Landing a punch on Gohan's chest maybe…maybe. But Vegeta? That was asking for trouble.

"What? Lost your confidence?" Goten blinked. "Tell you what, I'll incentivize you. If you can land a punch on me before this session is over I'll give you half of my food at dinner time."

That did it for the youngster. He smirked a very Goku-like smirk and started running, excited at the prospect of more food.

Vegeta watched him go, hoping this was commitment out of the runt and not a one-time escape from reality. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned around with a jolt, unpleasantly surprised that his wife was able to sneak up on him.

His wife wasn't there. No one was. And when he glanced at the gravity room door, it was closed.

XXXX

Dinner was quiet that evening. Not painfully so like during the day because it was just Bulma and Vegeta at the table. Gohan had been cooped up in his room all afternoon (although Bulma was sure he escaped to fly to his old home up in Mount Paozu), and after 5 hours of grueling training Goten had fallen asleep in the shower only to be put to bed by Bulma. He hadn't landed the punch to Vegeta's chest as initially challenged but Vegeta had rewarded his effort anyway by placing some of his steaks at Goten's place at the table. He'd get to it later when he woke up.

When Vegeta looked up from his usual plate-to-mouth shoveling, he found his wife staring into the depths of her broccoli, pushing around her food instead of eating it. Among her many talents, cooking wasn't one of them but she actually made a pretty good stake and along with her husband, she enjoyed her own recipe. Tonight's dinner came out just as well as it usually did, but she didn't seem interested. Maybe she just missed her son.

"The runt wants to enter the World Tournament," Vegeta announced. He slowed down his eating so he could talk to her and Bulma's eyes met his.

"Is that what this afternoon was about?" It was a rarity for Goten to be holed up in the gravity room with Vegeta alone, more or less for five hours.

"Hn'. Now that he's made up his mind, I'm sure your son will be next." Bulma didn't say anything. "And I don't think it'd be a bad idea to include the eldest one. He could use some time away from that girl and that dratted phone."

Bulma sighed.

Vegeta stopped eating completely. "What?"

"Do you think it's a good idea for them to be fighting in the tournament Vegeta? Trunks maybe, he could stand to redirect some of his energy but I don't think the other two are ready."

"Bulma," Vegeta prepared his speech. "It's been two years." He said this exasperatedly and Bulma cut him off.

"I know—"

"Stop babying them."

"It's not what Chi-Chi would have wanted."

Vegeta responded carefully, this was always a touchy subject. "She's not here anymore." It was a definitive statement, barely above a whisper. After she had overcome her grief of her best friend's loss, Bulma had tried to follow the letter of Chi-Chi's way, raising her sons in a way that would make her late friend proud. It was making her neurotic. She went so far as to buy the kind of soap the boys used back home because she knew it was what Chi-Chi would have wanted for their skin. It took careful reminders from her husband that Kakkarot's mate was no longer here to have input and Bulma had to do what she felt was best.

But battling that guilt was hard. "I know, I know she's not but she didn't want them fighting. Not for recreational use anyway and I think I have to respect that."

"I didn't goad him into it if that's what you're thinking—"

"That's not what I said…"

"He asked me to do it. He wants to make Kakkarot proud."

Bulma stopped. Stopped thinking and stopped talking. She didn't know what to say. Goten never talked about his father, and it was hard for her to console him about two grieves instead of one. That was Chi-Chi's job and once Chi-Chi passed, the job just went away. Goten didn't know Goku so he didn't know what to talk about. But now? Perhaps it was the bombardment of father's day that pushed him over.

Right when she was about to ask some higher power for guidance, Gohan came trampling down the stairs.

"Oh my God Bulma! Bulma! Bulma! Bulma! Bulma!"

She didn't know if he was panicked or excited so she leapt up out of her chair. "What? What? What happened honey?!"

He slid into the kitchen on his socks, his face full of beguilement and wonder like he was eleven again. "Bulma! Bulma!" he was out of breath.

"Yes, yes honey what is it?" she was trying to still him but he was ready to bounce right through the roof.

"He's coming! Bulma he's coming!"

"Who's coming? What's going on Gohan?"

"My dad!" Gohan paused to inhale and catch his breath. "My dad! My dad he's coming for the Tournament! He's coming! He's coming with my mom!"

Bulma read his animated face with concern. He actually believed what he was saying and she wondered if he was up there snorting drugs or inhaling paint.

She didn't respond but made way to go up to his room to search.

Gohan caught her arm. "Dad! Tell her dad! Tell her you're coming back!" He shouted to the roof.

The three of them waited for a moment, Bulma looking at Vegeta, Vegeta looking at Gohan and Gohan looking at the roof with his mouth open in a grin. When they were met with silence Bulma was back on her mission for a drug hunt.

And then she felt a click in her head. "Hey there Bulma! How's it going?!"

She recognized that voice anywhere. It was just as cheery as the smile that always accompanied his face. But he was nowhere to be seen, just in her head.

She was in disbelief. "Goku? Is that you?"

"The one and only! Sorry to get in your head like this, I know only mates are supposed to communicate this way" From his spot at the table, Vegeta gruffed. "Oh hey Vegeta! Nice to hear from you too!" The Prince folded his arms over his chest.

"Goku…you're…you're coming back?"

"I sure am! Only for a day though. I've been extra good up here and Babba decided to use her powers to grant me a favor. She's allowing me to return to Earth but only for 24 hours. And I decided what better day than the World Tournament!"

"And Chi-Chi?"

"Yep Chi-Chi is coming too, she's real excited to see the boys." Gohan almost had tears in his eyes. He was excited too.

"So does this mean you're entering the tournament as well Kakkarot? Or are you coming just as a spectator?"

"Wellll initially I was just planning to spend the day with the boys and see the show. Plus you can't beat those stadium hotdogs."

"Hotdogs!"

"But if you're willing to enter Vegeta, it's been a long time since I've had a good match."

Vegeta smugly smirked. Yes, it's been a long time since he's had a good match himself.

"Goku, I—" Bulma was still in disbelief. "When are you guys coming?"

"In two weeks, the morning of the Tournament.— Ooop, I really have to go guys, Babba says I'm hogging her crystal ball."

"But Goku—"

"I'll see you guys there, I can't wait!"

"Bye Dad! Bye! Can't wait to see you!" Gohan was shouting to the ceiling, having long released Bulma. And then the communication was terminated.

Bulma was left in shock, her husband pleased at the idea of a good spar and Gohan still riled up with excitement. "Aw man I have to tell Goten! I have to tell everyone! He's coming back! Whoo-hoo! He's really coming back!" Gohan shot up the stairs just as excitedly as he came down. "Goten! Goten wake up! Guess what little brother!"

She could hear the shouts of excitement upstairs and yet she sat at the kitchen table, all the excitement ripped from under her like the sole detaching from an old shoe.

How could she be excited when in two weeks, the boys would no longer be hers.

XXXXX

The first week awaiting Goku and Chi-Chi's return had been painful. Though that pain was exclusively Bulma's.

Gohan and Goten were in the gravity chamber with Vegeta non-stop. They woke up at the crack of dawn each morning and jetted down to the GR without breakfast. Then they came out to wolf down lunch at noon and went back until 5 or 6 that evening. By the time dinner rolled around they were much too tired to mumble a hello to Bulma at the table but nothing kept them from sharing their excitement with each other before they went to bed.

And once Trunks returned and found out he was the only one not kept abreast of the World Tournament entries, he immediately jumped into their non-stop training routine which made Vegeta the elixir of human life, while Bulma was about as needed as a balloon without air.

The second week was much worse and only because Bulma's brain was beginning to tear away at her systematically, like a seven course meal. At first she was wounded because the boys were excited about something that had nothing to do with her. Vain, she'd admit, but it still hurt her feelings that she wasn't the core of their attention as they so needed these past couple of years.

Now that the reality was beginning to sink in that Goku and Chi-Chi were returning, she was beginning to feel like she was losing something—better still that someone was taking something from her. She felt the polar opposite of everything she should be feeling: joy, excitement, and encouragement. This was a thrilling time for Gohan and Goten and she was missing it by lazing around like a frump.

After three distracted days in the lab and two accidents (one fire and one hammer to the hand—not her hand) Dr. Briefs had suggested that she take a break and help prepare the boys for their visit. It was actually code for: I think it would be best if you just got out of here until your head is on straight but Bulma knew it was sage advice.

She tried doing everything she liked to do when she wasn't working. She met some of her girlfriends for drinks, she went shopping and bought the boys new clothes for their big day, she even changed her hair from a shoulder bob to one above her ears. Nothing however seemed to sweeten her sour mood.

And then just like that it was the day before the tournament. They boys had only trained a half-day that day, Vegeta warning them that too much of anything was not good and they needed to rest and get their minds right.

That was much easier for Trunks to do than it was for Goten and Gohan who were bouncing around like children on Christmas Eve in anticipation of the next morning.

A few days ago Bulma thought this would be a perfect time to finally have dinner with the boys and give them one final good snuggle but by the time dinner rolled around she wasn't much in the mood to be around anyone. She just left cereal on the table and retreated to her room to mindlessly flip through the channels on the TV.

She could hear them downstairs, laughing and making a mess in her kitchen and after some brief barks from her husband, the laughter was suppressed to giggles.

He came a little while after, a cereal box in his hand and he munched reluctantly, expecting something better to be in his bedroom. He found instead his wife laying hopelessly in the sitting area in front of the TV, her palm squished into her cheek to keep her head propped up, though it desperately wanted rest.

Without a word Vegeta sat at the left edge of the couch, lifting her legs so he could sit under them, then resting them on his lap. He stared at her and shoveled more cereal into his mouth, straight from the box.

She felt his gaze on her, and she knew he was prepared to say something about her lack of wifely duties. He always did when she left them to fend for themselves for dinner or got lack-luster about what she prepared like toast and eggs for dinner.

Not being in the mood to talk but knowing her husband would do it anyway, Bulma spoke first. "You stink," she said, and gave him a side eye and a grimace with the left side of her face.

Vegeta looked down at his armpits as if he could see the offending smell. "Hn'" he grunted to himself. He was a little odorous but nothing intolerable. Plus he was fresh from training, he had an excuse. He didn't take his own bullshit advice about too much of anything being a bad thing and only said that so he could kick the boys out and make some final preparations for his spar with Goku. He spent quite a bit more hours in the evening doubling up on his training after the boys had went to bed just to assure he was at his best. He hadn't been slacking in the time of Goku's departure but he could never be sure what kind of access his opponent had to training where he was so Vegeta wanted to be sure.

Of course his increased time in the GR meant that his wife was consequently being neglected but he had seen enough of her moping to know that she was less than excited about the Tournament tomorrow. His wife needed attention in those weird ways. She liked being needed; being useful. And for the most part she always was. Bulma had the kind of energy that people gravitated to, and they relied on her in personal ways that gave her fulfilment. It was different from the kind of fulfillment she got a work, that kind of fulfillment wasn't enough. She needed her friends and family, constantly putting their trust in her and leaning on her and then she felt unstoppable. She was the indomitable Bulma Briefs; no one could stop her.

The problem was, there'd come a day when their need of her would lesson, and eventually morph into complete independence. And the second that happened there was a paradigm shift that caused her to do weird things that she wouldn't ordinarily do to bring attention to herself.

When Trunks first went to kindergarten Bulma holed herself up in her lab for a week—no showers, hardly any food and she started smoking again. Her coworkers thought she was coming up with the next greatest in capsule technology to revel to the corporation but once the week was through they had found that she only took everything in the lab apart, put it back together and wiped it all clean as brand new penny. They were astounded and she was disappointed no one was impressed by her remarkable cleaning skills.

Vegeta had learned over the years to just let her be. Bulma had to acclimate to change on her own. He was only glad this year's behavior wasn't that dramatic. He liked her new haircut and the clothes she bought them for the tournament were nice—he tried his on this morning.

"Cereal huh?" he downed he last of the box and put it at the foot of the couch, then dusted his hands off.

Bulma gave him a side eye again. "You're more than welcome to order a pizza." She dismissively waved her hand and changed the channel.

"Or," suddenly she was in her husband's hold, he had scooped her up with one arm like a monkey. "We could send the brats to go get pizza and you can shower with me." He nuzzled her neck and Bulma's head was sill turned to the side, eyes still on the TV. She expected his breath to smell like sugar and rice but Vegeta had this weird way of getting rid of food breath without brushing his teeth. It must have been a Saijin thing but either way she was turned off so she pulled from his hold.

"Vegeta not now. Just go and take a shower and I'll have pizza ready by the time you come out."

She dismissed him carelessly and it didn't make the Prince happy. She didn't even attempt a smart retort or a lame excuse to pick a fight; she just gave in. And Bulma Briefs was no quitter.

Vegeta growled and got up from the sofa, marching out the room and slamming the door behind him.

Bulma winced but a few minutes later she heard the cheers of the boys downstairs and their scattering to the door. The hover car roared to life in the driveway before taking off at Gohan's responsible speed.

Vegeta returned shortly after, and entered just as haughtily as he exited, swinging the door back open so it banged against the wall. "There, they're gone!" he reported and all but dragged his wife from the sofa. "Now would you get your ass up and come downstairs so we can eat a blasted meal together."

Bulma dug her heels in the ground and sat at the bed. He had managed to move her closer to the door. "No," she balked. "I'm not hungry."

The vein throbbed in her husband's forehead. "Bulma…"

"How can you act like this? Like it doesn't even bother you?"

"Like what doesn't bother me?!"

She didn't want to say it; he knew what tomorrow was and so did she. Dooms day.

Vegeta let go of a hard sigh and then his tone softened. "Bulma…" She had tears in her eyes.

"Tomorrow they won't be mine anymore…they….they get to go back." Vegeta sat with her on the bed and offered his hand of comfort by placing it next to her.

"They won't be taken away Bulma they just….." Vegeta was not very good at reassuring words. "Christ it's only going to be for 24 hours and then they'll be yours again."

"It's not the same," she sniffled. "I just…they don't even need me anymore. Gohan's eighteen and he'll be going off to college soon. Goten is so enthralled with training and has you now and Trunks…Trunks hasn't needed me since he started walking."

Vegeta sighed again. "Would you like me to ground them then? If I become the bad guy they'll gravitate toward you again."

"No, don't do that I just—" she took the hike of an inhale of someone about to bawl. "I just want them to need me again." And then she started to cry. It was the first time she's cried since she found out about the Son's return to Earth.

Tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed on her and her husband's hands and Vegeta tried his best to wipe them away but they were relentless. "Bulma please," he tried to verbally stop them but they just kept coming. "It's going to be fine. It's only a visit and then after that things will go back to the way they were."

Her watery eyes met his, taking a break so she could speak. "They can't go back to the way they were Vegeta. It's already changed." And then she started to cry again.

Vegeta hated to see her this way but there was nothing he could do. He had to let her get it out of her system because that's the way she worked. There was no talking her out of it, just letting her cope.

She sniffled some and leaned into her husband's chest, despite her complaints about his odor, minutes earlier. "Can you just hold me?" she asked between sobs. She tried not to sound too pathetic but at the moment she needed to take a break from being needed and let someone need her.

Her husband of course was the one who always would.

Vegeta pulled her into his arms and laid them both into bed, holding onto her until she stopped crying and for the first time in two weeks, fell soundly asleep.

XXXXX

"C'mon wake up! Mommy Bulma wake up! It's here! It's today! It's here!"

Goten pounced on her bed in his blue pajamas, shouting with glee and shaking her when he came back down on the bed for another pounce.

Bulma took a moment, first to wake up, second to accustom herself to her surroundings, and she found Goten leaping with glee on her California King while her husband lay dead as a rock next to her. He was in blue sweats that hung low on his waist and his shirt was missing which means at some point he left the bed to shower last night but she could tell he came right back to her. She really did adore him.

"Mommy Bulma! Mommy Bulma! It's time to wake up!"

Now Vegeta was beginning to wake up and he groaned while tossing a pillow over his head.

"Get out you brat," he threatened but Goten couldn't hear anything but his own excited voice.

"Goten," Bulma struggled to see her clock, even though the numbers were in bright red. "Honey it's five-thirty in the morning, the tournament isn't until 11."

"But you take forevvvverrrr to get ready mommy Bulma and I don't wanna be late!"

She hauled a pillow over her head, just like her husband but Goten swiped both of them. "C'mon! Grandma Bunny is already making us a warrior breakfast!" And he dashed out the room with both of their pillows.

"I'm going…to kill that boy." Vegeta grumbled into the mattress.

Bulma sighed. "Let him at least meet his father first."

XXXX

Bulma was slow to get up for several reasons. One: she was useless without any coffee and when she shouted downstairs her mother replied, "In a minute!" which means she forgot to put the pot on. Two, waking up before eight am on a weekend was purely criminal. And Three: Today was the day she was dreading for weeks.

They say time flies when you're having fun but it turns out it flies as equally fast when you're commiserating in misery.

Bulma took her time in the shower, washing her hair and shaving her legs lazily, hoping that would make the time go slower but it didn't. She could hear the boys dashing about in the house, pulling themselves into their new gear and excitedly huddled around the breakfast table awaiting Bunny's food.

"Do you think we could have one more session before we leave Mr. Vegeta?" Goten asked. "Just a quick one?"

"Yeah dad, I need a few minutes to perfect my Goten ass-whooping attack!" Trunks karate chopped the air once then balled his fist in excitement.

"In your dreams you'll whoop my ass!" Goten defended and laughed while he kicked his feet under the table. "You're toast Trunks!"

"You guys sure are confident about who has the upper hand," Gohan interjected. "I can't wait to see all these "ass whooping" moves."

"Stop saying ass!" Vegeta suddenly barked. He was cranky too from the manner in which he had awoken, not the mention if he was even half an hour shy of his normal wake-up time, it made for a grumpy Prince. The boys stifled their laughter while Vegeta poured two cups of coffee. "Settle down and don't get your new clothes dirty. I'll be right back."

When Vegeta entered his bedroom his wife was in the bathroom but no noise was coming from inside. He couldn't tell what she was doing behind the closed door. Perhaps brushing her hair or applying make-up but there was always the swoop, swish of the brushes she used when sprucing herself up. There was nothing coming from the door.

Vegeta sighed and set the coffee on the nightstand, exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

Bulma waited until she was sure Vegeta was gone before exiting the bathroom. The coffee on the nightstand made her smile at the thoughtfulness of her husband but it was placed next to the clock. 7:30 said the big red letters. They had to leave by 9:00

XXX

By 8:30 Goten was in the mirror of his room, brushing his hair with enough pep in his step to rip the strands from his scalp. He was grinning fantastically at his own reflection, trying to finalize every detail before his perfect day got started.

He barely noticed Bulma appear shyly in his doorway, leaning casually on the frame as if seeing him this way didn't rip her to shreds on the inside.

"Hey there buddy," she tried not to sound so sullen but forced cheer was not something the genius was skilled at. "Need some help there?"

"Oh hey mommy Bulma," Goten didn't distract from his reflection in the mirror. "No, I don't need any help. I'm a warrior now and warriors can do anything by themselves." He said confidently. He was ready to show his mom and dad what a big kid he's become.

Goten jumped down from the stool he was standing on and placed his brush on his dresser, then slipped on his shoes.

"Oh, ok then. Well do you want me to tie your training band for you?"

He didn't hear her because Gohan breezed in the room with a whoosh of wind that sprayed loose bands of hair across Bulma's ears. "Hey little guy, guess what I've got!" He revealed what was in his hands and it made Goten dance.

"No way! Weighted arm bands! For me?"

"Yep, and they match your gi," he said proudly, helping his brother slip them on.

Goten moved the stool to again look at his reflection and with his completed gi, he was a carbon copy image of Goku. There was no way his father wouldn't be proud when he saw him.

"Thanks big brother!"

Gohan smiled and stood next to his brother in the mirror. "No problem, you ready for today?"

"Ready!"

Then the older Son felt a shift in presence retreating from the room. "Oh hey Bulma, sorry I didn't see you there—" but she was already gone. "Huh, wonder where she disappeared to."

XXX

Already dressed Bulma decided to gather her last few minutes alone before it was time to go. From here on out it would be a barrage of cheery people stuffing their way down her throat so she had to bottle her last bout of sadness before the others caught on.

She lay on her bed with her back to the door and her eyes on the French doors with a beautiful display behind them.

It was a gorgeous day out, perfect for a summer tournament and reuniting with loved ones. On the inside she wished it was dark and stormy, just so the day wasn't that perfect and she'd still have something to hold onto.

Bulma sighed. This was it. She had to pep talk herself out of these blues because she had approximately 20 minutes to get herself together. And outwardly she did feel a little ridiculous for her behavior but inwardly her conscious told her she had every right to feel the way she did.

Just when she was about to force herself from the bed to make herself useful, a purple bob was against her chin and a small face squished between her breasts.

Bulma suddenly found her arms encircled around her son and in a beat, his grinning face looked up to meet hers.

She couldn't fight the smile on her lips and she pet his silken hair and kissed his forehead.

Instead of gawking in disgust like he usually did, Trunks closed his eyes and welcomed the affection.

"You ok mom?" he asked. His hands met her cheeks, trying to sooth the tears from falling.

"Of course I am baby," she lied and held onto her bread and butter.

"You seem different," he observed. "You feel different. Your ki is sad."

Bulma fumbled to find a response. It was hard pretending to be supermom to half-Saijin children who could feel the Earth rotating on its axis more or less her shifting emotions but she forced on a smile anyway.

"I'm not sad honey. Mommy is just adjusting."

"Oh," Trunks tried to process something in his head. "We'll aren't you happy to see Aunti Chi-Chi and Uncle Goku again?"

"Of course honey," And she was happy to see them, she just wished it was when Goten was eighteen.

"Goten is really happy too," Trunks added. "Like really happy. He doesn't even wanna play race cars with me anymore. Now there's no one to be the losing car when I win."

Bulma breathed a chuckle into her son's hair.

"He's just excited to see his parents is all honey. I mean how would you feel if you hadn't seen your dad in a long time and he was coming home? I bet you wouldn't want to play race cars either."

Trunks looked up to shoot his mother a retort look in which the both of them understood the same information. Vegeta was not Goku. Under any circumstance of his father's absence, Trunks was sure his race cars would be fine.

Bulma chuckled again. "I'm sure he'll play with you again soon baby. Not to worry."

"Yeah I guess," her son sighed and wiggled back into his mother's embrace. "Mom," he said after a momentary lapse of silence.

"Hm?"

"I'm always gonna be your baby ok?" he declared it rather than asked and Bulma's smile touched the tear that threatened to leave her eye. "Even though I'm not a baby, baby, I'm still your baby ok?" she ran her fingers through his hair again. "And as long as you promise not to smother me in public and stuff…or tell dad…you can hold me in here anytime you want."

Without needing further permission, Bulma held onto her son for the next 17 minutes.

XXX

No one would miss Goku and Chi-Chi's homecoming which meant the entire Z-gang met at Bulma's house before piling into her hover bus and taking to the sky.

Bulma drove slowly there, prolonging the inevitable and tried to make small talk to mask her belabored speed. No one really noticed though, they were all excited to spend the day socializing and meeting up with their long lost friends so her attempts at prolongment had gone unnoticed.

She had noticed that along the way Goten had gotten quiet. He was at first bouncing around and had to be ordered by her husband to sit down and buckle up a few times and when he finally did he kept his head low and was twiddling his thumbs in his palms. He was getting nervous. It was the same nervous look he had when he had to explain to Vegeta what happened to the TV he broke in the living room. Bulma wanted so desperately to leave from her chair and snuggle him but she had put herself in the awkward position of giving him up to the parents that awaited him so it suddenly felt inappropriate.

When they reached the arena, registration had gone faster than she would have liked and suddenly it was the lot of them, wondering the grounds and searching for Goku.

"Did he say where to meet him Gohan?" Krillen asked, hands in his pockets while his wife and daughter toted next to him.

"Nooo, he didn't say," Gohan kept a keen eye peeled out for his dad. "He just said he would be here. You think he meant to meet us at the house Bulma?"

Bulma was walking with her hand looped around Vegeta's forearm and almost missed Gohan's address.

"What I don't—"

And then there he was.

Six-foot-five of hero glory, zapped in on an instant transmission with the same smile that never left him. His wife stood proudly next to him, with his hand on the small of her back and the other washed bashfully behind his head.

"Hey! Guys!"

The group was floored still. It had been seven long years and here he was, their long-time hero.

While Piccalo and Vegeta could be counted on to remain stoic, the rest of the group was immediately lit with tears. Krillen's upper lip touched his nose and caught his tears, Yamcha had to grab his handkerchief, Master Roshi tried to hide behind a cough, while the others drew proud smiles on their faces.

Bulma leaned into her husband's shoulder, trying to hide her happy-disappointed face.

"Dad…." Rivers streamed from Gohan's eyes down to his cheeks, while he stood in shock and drunk in the sight of his father.

"Woah! Gohan! You're a giant now!" Goku was genuinely shocked to finally see his son in person who touched his own height.

"Mama!" Goten burst through the crowd, pushing his own brother out the way to run to his mother. "Mama! Mama! Mama!"

Chi-Chi caught the speed of light that crashed into her arms and like Gohan, the tears bounced off of her cheeks and onto her son. "My baby boy," she cherished him and breathed in his scent; he smelled the same; just as she left him.

"Mama! Mama it's you! Mama!" Goten couldn't contain his excitement. He held onto his mother the tightest he's ever have, and nuzzled his nose against her cheek. Chi-Chi nuzzled back and he wrapped his legs around her to hold on tighter. "Mama," Goten was crying now, ashamedly so as he remembered what Vegeta said about warriors and crying. "Mama, it's you," he brought his hands to her cheeks and Chi-Chi brought her nose to his.

"Yes it's me baby boy. It's me," she cradled him the same way she did when he was born, the same way she did when he was sick and the same way she did when he needed her love. Her hands pet his head and caressed down his back, and she swayed him back and forth while her long tresses cascaded along side of him. Goten ran his hands through it and drunk in her love, brining the crowd into further tears of joy.

"I'm so sorry my love," she pressed her check at the top of his head and kissed it. "I'm so sorry I left you."

"I love you mama," Goten responded. "Mama, I missed you."

Chi-Chi's tears were relentless and she opened her arms to reach for her other son, who took his cue to jump right in.

"So guys, are you guys just gonna stand there at me all day? Or can I get a hug too?"

The crowd all rushed at once to dog pile on top of Goku, who laughed and relished in the attention.

The Briefs stayed behind in the ambush, Trunks not knowing who the heck Goku was, Vegeta not caring and Bulma not realizing she herself was in tears and was gripping on tightly to her husband.

"It's so great to see you all," Goku took the chance to embrace each of his friends, one by one. "Wow! Krillen! You have hair!"

The laughed with each other as if no time had passed at all, and all the while, Bulma kept her eyes on Chi-Chi. She was tearful and silent, holding on tightly to each of her boys as only a mother would. It made the heiress shift uncomfortably in her shoes.

And then a hand removed her grip from his forearm to lace her fingers with his, while a smaller hand latched to her leg and leaned into her. Lavender hair billowed in the breeze and strong blue eyes reassured her; she wasn't alone.

Bulma caressed his cheek just in time to catch Chi-Chi setting Goten on the floor. He was hiding behind her skirt in an instant.

"Goten, it's ok," Chi-Chi consoled, catching the attention of her husband.

"Whoa Chi-Chi, I think there's a little me hiding behind you."

Goten peeked out from behind his mother to look at the stranger who looked just like the picture in his book. "I'm Goten," he breathed shyly.

Goku smiled and took a step away from his friends. "And I'm Goku," he responded. "Hi," his voice was friendly and calm, just as it always was but he was careful not to frighten the child.

Goten took a moment to study him from behind the safety of his mother and found kind eyes and a friendly face. There were ears jutted out to his sides, and hair that spewed in every direction. He was tall like his brother Gohan and dressed in what he could only assume was the family gi. But when he searched the place where his father lived, he found that his heart was connected to this man that was in front of him.

"Daddy!" Goten ran from behind his mother and into Goku's arms, who caught him with ease.

"Whoa! You're pretty strong there little guy!" Goten was surprised by his own strength; no one had ever told him that before and he immediately fell in love. He took a brief rest on his father's shoulder before Goku had him in his arms to make him an airplane.

"Here, you wanna be an airplane?" he launched him up and down. "Here ya go!"

Goten was laughing in the attention and earning heartfelt smiles from the group before he remembered something. "Daddy wait! I can fly! I can fly on my own! You wanna see me? Vegeta taught me! Vegeta—"

The young chibi stopped once he remembered his adoptive father; they all did.

The mood of the group stilled and suddenly all eyes were on the Briefs family. Bulma pressed her lips together and tried to suck up her tears. She leaned into her husband for support and forced on a smile.

Before she knew it, Goku and Chi-Chi were approaching her and her heart was thumping.

This was it. This was the moment; the boys were no longer hers.

"Bulma," Chi-Chi was the first to speak, her eyes still wet with tears and her hand still laced with her youngest son. Goku held onto his other hand.

She took a long inhale, and a long exhale while Bulma held her breath. She almost winced but she knew the others were watching.

"Bulma…thank you." Chi-Chi was at a loss for words. There was nothing else to tell the woman to which she could never pay back.

"Oh it's…"Bulma tried to awkwardly brush it off. "It's ok, I…I would do it for anyone."

"No Bulma, thank you." Chi-Chi reiterated and pulled her best friend into a hug.

For the first time all day, Bulma relaxed. She allowed herself to release the weight of the tension she's been carrying around all day and she eased into her friends hold, letting go of her husband and son to wrap her arms around her. She's forgotten how much she's missed her own friend. "Bulma thank you," Chi-Chi said again. "They're perfect."

Bulma chocked out a happy sob and released her friend to wipe her tears. "Well if they are, that's your doing. I only picked up where you left off."

"I could never repay you,"

"You already have," Bulma looked down at Goten who was watching to two of them cry. Then at Gohan who held a warm smile. "Their love is enough."

The two friends chuckled at their own sappiness, and wiped each others tears.

Feeling the tension dissipating, Goten grabbed the hand of his mother, and the hand of Bulma and smiled. "Now I have two mommies" he said proudly and both women kissed one side of his cheek.

"Vegeta," Goku extended a hand to his former foe. "Thank Yo—"

A swift left hook brought him to the ground before the breath could leave his body, and the gang was in shock.

"Vegeta!" Bulma was the first to scold, but her husband ignored her and shook out his wrist from the blow. It felt like he was punching steel. That meant that the bastard had been training on King Kai's lookout.

"Vegeta what the heck is wrong with you!" Gohan yelled.

"No, Gohan, it's ok," Goku said from the floor. "It's ok." Goku held onto his jaw and brought himself to his feet rolling his tongue around his teeth to make sure he still had them all. "That was promised to me," he explained for the Prince who obviously felt that he owed none.

"Left hook is stronger than I remember," Goku met Vegeta again. "You've been training well."

"As have you," Vegeta gave his wrist one final caress. "I thought I was punching titanium."

Both men smirked. "It's gonna' be an interesting fight I presume."

"If by interesting you mean, you on your ass Kakkarot then yes; this battle will certainly be interesting."

The smirked again and finally shook hands, leaving their wives, and the rest of the group for that matter in a quandary.

"I want a hot dog," Goten said out of nowhere and it was music to his father's ears.

"C'mon son, I'll race ya'"

"Last one there, has to eat chicken feet," Gohan was prepared for a challenge and the three took their places.

"Last one there, is a chicken foot." Trunks, always ready for a competition, was the last one to take his mark.

When they took off and left Bulma in the dust, she could only smile in the fact that for the first time in quite some time, she felt whole.

XXXX

This is most likely the closing of this story. I may include an epilogue but I like it ending where it is. I hope you've all enjoyed! Review!