When Love Comes Knockin' At Your Door
by Gie: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The characters within aren't mine, unless they are--then they're mine. Simple as that.
There are two songs included within: 'Any Man of Mine' is sung by Shania Twain, and 'Daddy's Money' is sung by Ricochet, Yes, I know, they're Country songs! I think they fit *soo* good, I couldn't help it. *grin* During the Ricochet song, the lyrics are altered slightly, so they fit better. But it's for the best, really. Although Vejiita wouldn't think so. *snort*

This is the last chapter, folks. And it is the *longest* I have ever typed. Ever. Just under 150k. So make sure you have a drink handy, and plenty of Puffs Plus, with aloe, of course. Don't wanna scratch up your cheeks when you're wiping away all the tears of laughter, ne? So please review when you are done. I would love to hear from you. I had a lot of fun writing this, and I can't believe it got so long and involved--from just a passing thought to this monstrosity. *grin* Oh well, I don't hear any complaints, ne? Enjoy! Gie-chan

When Love Comes Knockin' At Your Door
Chapter 4: Let's Dance On

Once again, the sky, wind, and sun were the only ones to bear
witness to the epic battle that befell Chikyuu's war-torn soil. The
elements looked on, sadly, at the damage caused by the warring males
and sighed to themselves, as Chikyuu mourned the loss of another of
her mountainous sceneries. But the destruction was not the
forethought in the two males' minds as they lie on the hard,
unforgiving ground. The first thought was their next breath, and the
ability to take it…

Vejiita wheezed as he pulled away from Goten, the younger
warrior still unconscious. He glanced around and let out a sigh,
realizing that in his condition he was not going to be able to make it
out of the crater by himself. His two broken legs and arm were not
going to be able to support his massive weight to stand, yet alone to
crawl out of the deep crater his own ki had created. He glanced at
Goten once more, frowning slightly. He couldn't tell what damage the
young senshi had, but just on outer appearances, and the punctured
lung he heard earlier, Goten was in as bad of shape as he. Plus, he was
still unconscious. So he would be of no use in escaping the pit.

Giving himself a push with his one good appendage, the Prince
jerked his way across the dirt floor, slowly dragging his useless body
to the opposite side of the hole. Panting, he collapsed against the
wall; the little ki he had left barely gave him enough strength to
breathe, so the few feet he traveled wore out his reserves.

As he leaned back into the mud, not caring about the state of
cleanliness, he stared at the immobile figure across the way. He
didn't know what his daughter saw in the third class spawn. He looked
exactly like his father, from the same annoying hairstyle to the same
mannerism of speech--they were almost identical. And Bura knew that
Kakarotto was his mortal enemy-his most hated rival for the position
of most powerful in the universe. So to want to be near-mate
even-with his spitting image was almost akin to treason in his mind.

But he could not fault his daughter's heart. He could not tell
her whom to love. If they were meant to be with each other…then so
be it. If she was meant to…bond…with Kakarotto's spawn, there was
nothing that he could do to dissuade her. He shuddered at the thought.
Bura had the combination of his fierce tenacity when focused on
something or someone, and her mother's steel-lined temper. Either one
was vicious in itself; a combination was deadly for the one that dared
defy his Oujoko. He had seen the result borne unto Trunks when he had
tried to strong-arm her. He learned the hard way to never hide her
favorite doll again.

Closing his eyes he sent out his ki senses, trying to track down
his ornery female of a mate, and was not surprised to find everyone
who had a slight stake in the battle to be surrounding her. He felt
hers, intermixed slightly with his own-an after affect of him being at
Level 4. Trunks was there, as well, and for some reason he was at
Level 1--although his ki seemed to be laced with worry--be it for him
and Goten, or someone else, he could not tell. Kakarotto, his first
spawn, and the spitfire of a female Saiya-jiin, Pan, were there as well.
But he opened his eyes when he felt the last ki level-it was Bura, and
it was over a hundred times higher than she had ever been.

He opened his eyes and let himself grin. So she finally broke
the barrier--he was wondering when his daughter would get the proper
motivation to ascend to the Golden level status. It had taken her so
long, he wasn't sure if females could make the transition, and had just
about given up hope.

He closed his eyes once more and concentrated on the mix of
his and his mate's ki, puny as it was, it was burned into his soul and he
could pick it up anywhere on the world--maybe extending throughout
the solar system. He focused and sent a message to her, via their
Bond:

Onna, what in the hell is going on?

********

*Capsule Corp*

Everyone was staring at the flashing Bura, eyes wide as they
took in the golden glow that surrounding the howling female. Trunks
stood up and slowly made his way over to his sister, squinting his eyes
against the light. "Calm down, B-chan! Turn off the fireworks."

"Goten!" She wailed loudly, her eyes wide with fear. "He's
dead! I can't feel him anymore! Papa killed him! Goten!"

"Calm down, Bura, calm down!" Trunks dropped to his knees and
wrapped his arms around her, flaring himself to the first level so he
would not be burned by the power she radiated. "You need to calm
down or you'll burn yourself out!"

"But Goten…"

"Shh, shh, it's okay, B-chan, it's okay." He rocked her against
his chest as she bawled into his shirt. After a few moments, her cries
fell to sobs, and as she calmed so did her ki, her fair falling down her
back in purple waves as she let go of the transformation. Trunks let
his fall as well. "Are you better, Bura?" He ran a soothing hand over
her head, pressing a cheek to her forehead.

She sniffled a couple times, rubbing her nose in the fabric.
"No."

The others chuckled and made their way back to the balcony.
Goku knelt next to Bura and put a hand on her shoulder. "Bura, look at
me."

The young female turned her head toward the elder male, her
red-rimmed eyes blinking. "What?"

He smiled kindly, wiping away a few tears off her cheeks. "He's
not dead, Bura-chan." Everyone let out a gasp.

"Son-kun! What are you saying! He's alive?" Bulma's red eyes
narrowed dangerously.

"Don't say that, Goku. He's your child! How can you think
that?" Her face screwed up once more, ready to cry. "I can't feel
him anymore, and I always could before! Even when he concealed his
ki, I could still feel it." Her blue eyes flashed green in defiance.

"Ah, Bura-chan, you just need to concentrate. Your emotions
are getting in your way. Close your eyes and concentrate on him.
You'll see."

Bura glared at him, but Goku just smiled and nodded. She
closed her eyes and was silent, searching out her potential mate's ki.
Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration, and she grunted in
frustration. "I can't feel anything! It's like he's not there," she
opened her eyes again and turned an accusing glare on the elder male,
"or he's dead."

He shook his head. "I thought you could feel him at any time,
Bura-chan," he chuckled. "If I can feel him, why can't you?"

Gohan cleared his throat. "Dad, do you really think he's still
alive? I can't feel him, either." Trunks and Pan nodded in agreement.

But Goku stuck to his claim. "Yes, I think he is. He's injured
really bad, but he is alive." He turned his gaze to Bulma. "As is
Vejiita."

She let out a gasp. "He is?" Goku nodded. "But I thought only
one could survive…"

Onna, what in the hell is going on?

"Vejiita!" All eyes turned to her as she closed her eyes.
Vejiita! Are you dead?

Baka Onna, if I was dead, then I couldn't speak to you, ne?

What happened out there? Is Goten okay? Is he dead?

He sighed mentally and after a moment he spoke again. Your
future son in law is hurt, but alive. Thank you for your overwhelming
concern for me.

Bakayaro. I know you are okay-are you?

Che. As if the spawn of a third class idiot could take down the
Saiya-jiin no Ouji. But a senzu bean would help the healing process.
The brat has a punctured lung.

"Mom? What's going on? What's Dad saying?" Trunks stared
at his mother, trying to read the different expressions across her
face.

She opened her eyes and blinked a few times. "Well, your
father is hurt, but alive, and Goten is…"

Bura stood up, her eyes wild in excitement. "Goten! I felt him!
He's alive!"

"Didn't I tell you that already?" Goku teased her, a wide grin
on his jovial features.

"He's alive!" Bura was jumping up and down in joy. She threw
her arms around Goku and squeezed tight. "Oh, he's alive!"

Bulma smiled at the euphoric state of her daughter, and turned
a serious look to Goku. "Vejiita says that Goten has a punctured lung,
and needs a senzu immediately. I have a few in the medbay."

Trunks stood. "I'll go get them." And he took off.

"When he gets back, I'll teleport over there. Tell Vejiita I'll be
on my way." Bulma nodded and closed her eyes again.

Vejiita, Son-kun will teleport to you with a couple senzu as soon
as Trunks fetches them from the medbay. Can you hang on for a
minute or so?

Of course, Onna, I'm not a weakling like the spawn here. At
least I'm awake and conscious.

I know, I was just making sure. I see you didn't damage your
ego any. She paused a moment and continued again. Thank you for not
killing him, Vejiita. I knew you had it in you.

Che. Don't think because I didn't kill him that I didn't try. I
just thought that if I had, then I would have to face Bura's wrath for
the rest of my days. She takes after you in that way.

Whatever, you baka. So, did that son in law comment mean
that Bura and Goten can get married or mate or whatever you want to
call it?

If she accepts him…then yes. Bulma could detect a grumbling
in her mind. I wouldn't have been able to stop her if she wanted to
anyway.

Bulma smiled and shook her head. No, you wouldn't have. But
at least you admit it. It's a step in the right direction. Trunks is back
with the senzu, so Goku'll be there in a minute. You did good today,
Vejiita. I'm proud of you.

Whatever, Onna. Just tell Kakarotto to hurry up with those
damn beans.

Okay, see you in a few minutes. I love you.

If you say so, Onna.

Bulma opened her eyes, a small smile curling at her lips. "He's
as ornery as ever, Goku, so be careful."

"Ah, I've dealt with his temper before, Bulma, so that's no big
problem." He tossed the small sack of healing senzu in his hands.
"These should improve his outlook some. Ja!" He put two fingers to
his forehead and prepared to teleport.

"Wait! I'm coming too." Bura jumped up and wrapped her arms
around Goku's arm.

"Are you sure you want to go, Bura-chan? Goten and your
father are more than likely very beat up." Goku stared down at her.

She returned the stare. "You're gonna try and keep me away
from him?"

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I guess
not. Let's go, Daughter." He furrowed his brows in concentration,
Bura blushed at the new name, and the pair disappeared.

The four people that remained on the balcony blinked at each
other. "Daughter?"

Gohan nodded his head slowly. "Well, it'll be true when she and
Goten mate. I guess Dad considers her his daughter already."

Pan sighed and gave her father a long stare. "Promise me,
Papa."

"Promise you what, Pan-chan?" Gohan blinked down at his own
daughter in confusion.

"Promise me that you won't fight my boyfriends to the death."
She stared at him seriously.

He smiled and gave her a hug. "Of course I won't, Pan-chan. I
wouldn't let a normal human have to fight me. If I did, they would not
survive." He chuckled when she hugged him back. "Now, it'd be a
different situation if he could handle it. Honor demands that he
prove himself able to protect you."

"Papa!" She glanced at Trunks out of the corner of her eye and
saw he had turned pale. "I can take care of myself!"

"Of course you can, Pan-chan," he cooed at her, "but that's
beside the point. If he can protect you, he needs to prove it to me
before I hand over my daughter's soul."

Pan sighed and shook her head. "What is it with you guys?"

Bulma chuckled at the younger girl. "I try not to think about it
too much, Pan-chan. Saiya-jiin will be Saiya-jiin, ne?"

"I guess. But Bulma," Pan said, turning a curious gaze to the
older female, "what's with the red contacts? And the lock of black
hair?"

*******

Bura and Goku materialized in the middle of the crater and the
female Saiya-jiin blinked a few times, scanning the surroundings.
"Goten!" Bura squealed and ran over to him, crouching next to his still
form. "Goten! Wake up!"

Goku chuckled and turned to Vejiita, and scrutinized the older
Saiya-jiin's condition. "Wow, you sure did a number on each other, ne?
It looks like you both have some serious injuries."

Vejiita snorted and turned his nose away from the younger
male. "They're just flesh wounds. It's not like your spawn could injure
the Saiya-jiin no Ouji in any fashion." He caught the senzu bean in his
good hand and put it in his mouth, chewing on the healing legume. He
nodded to Bura, who was still trying to revive Goten into the land of
the living. "Why did you bring her along?" He let out a small sigh
when he felt the bean's magic taking affect.

"She wasn't going to let me leave without her. Would you want
to say no?" He held out a hand, and to his surprise, Vejiita accepted
it, using him to bring him into a standing position.

"As if you could." The prince shook out his once broken arm
and legs, feeling the bones knit together and the wounds close on
their own accord. "Your brat has a lot of potential." He admitted
grudgingly. "He went Level 4."

"I knew he had it in him. He just needed the proper
motivation." Goku nodded his head at the couple. "Bura also made the
jump when she thought Goten had died." The two males made their
way over to the other end of the hole.

Vejiita nodded. "I felt it. Took her long enough."

Bura turned around when she heard them come close. "Papa!
He won't wake up." Tears shone in her eyes.

Goku handed her the senzu. "Since he's not conscious, he can't
chew it on his own, daughter." Vejiita turned a startled eye to the
taller male, but said nothing. "You need to help him."

She took it and nodded. "Okay." She placed it in her mouth
and chewed the hard bean, making it into a paste with her own saliva.
She knelt down next to him once again, and placed her mouth on his,
forcing his slack lips apart with her tongue and placed the healing
paste on the back of his tongue. She rubbed his throat, coaxing him
to swallow.

After a moment, she felt a muscle twitch under her, and when
she withdrew, he sucked in a deep breath, his eyes opening wide in
shock. "Ahhhh!!"

"Goten!" Bura gasped, leaning close to him. "Are you okay?"

"Bur…Bura?" He blinked a few times, focusing on the female
hovering inches over him. "Am I dead?"

She smiled and shook her head, tears starting to spill down her
cheeks. "No, you dummy, you're not dead." She brushed away a lock
of hair from his forehead, sticky with blood. "You're very much alive."
She gazed fondly at him, but blinked a few times, realizing there was
a pattern to the blood on his face. "Papa, this is...this is..." She
turned a wondering gaze to her father, hope very much evident in her
eyes. "This is the seal..."

Vejiita grunted, nodding his head slightly. "It is, Bura."

Goten began to stand up when he heard Vejiita's voice, Bura
helping him. "Papa, does that mean..." She noted the same symbol on
Goten's chest, and traced a finger over it. "Does that mean that he..."

Vejiita interrupted her. "It means what it means, Bura." He
turned black eyes to Goten, who seemed a little wobbly on his feet.
"What do you think it means, senshi?"

Goten blinked and looked down at his chest, and saw the
intricately designed symbol drawn in blood. "This is the same design
as your tattoo, Bura." He blinked at her, and she nodded, her smile
growing wider. "Then that would..." he turned questioning eyes to
Vejiita. "You accept?"

Everyone turned an anxious glance to the silent Prince, who just
stared at Goten with piercing eyes. "Your performance today was
lacking, senshi. I expected to die on this field today, and yet I still
stand." He turned around and faced the other wall. "I expect you to
strive higher the next time we spar, Ouji."

"Papa!" Bura jumped onto Vejiita's back, causing the elder male
to bend slightly under the momentum. "I love you, Papa!" She wrapped
her arms around his neck, and her legs around his waist, her tail
wrapping around his own affectionately. "Thank you, thank you, thank
you!"

Goten limped over to his father, and both stared at the father
and daughter pair. "So, did he accept it?"

Goku laughed. "I think so, Goten. He called you a prince, ne?"

"I guess so." He rubbed his hand over his chest unconsciously.
"Say, Dad, do you have any more senzu? My wounds are healed, but
I'm still really sore."

He shook his head. "No, Bulma only had two, and I don't have
any on me, either. You'll just have to do it the normal way."

"Okay, I guess," he nodded and let out a gasp when Bura made a
running leap onto him, knocking them both on the ground. "Hey!
Watch it, B-chan, I'm still really sore."

"Well, Nurse B-chan is here to help her poor, injured G-chan,
ne?" She grinned down at him. He laughed back up at her. "The first
thing we have to do is give you a bath. You stink like an over ripe
garbage heap, mister! Phew!"

He nodded, smiling up at his future mate. "A bath it is, then.
Let's see if I have enough ki to do this yet, ne?" He winked at her and
wrapping his tail around her waist, he put two fingers to his head and
both disappeared, leaving the sound of Bura's surprised yelp in the air
behind.

Goku sighed and shook his head. "Kids these days." He turned
to Vejiita, who had his arms crossed, an impatient look on his face.
"Ready to go back?"

He nodded, rolling his eyes. "For a while, baka."

"Right. But before we go, I just wanted to say thanks, Vejiita.
I know you had the chance to finish the fight," he held up a hand to
stop the Prince's refusal. Vejiita frowned, but didn't say anything. "I
know you could have finished it, but you didn't. And I wanted to just
thank you. You showed you truly are the High Prince." He smiled and
placed a warm hand on the other's shoulder. "Welcome to the family,
Ouji-sama." Lifting two fingers to his forehead, the pair disappeared.

********

Gohan, Trunks, Bulma and Pan were chatting rather amicably
when Goten and Bura popped in, Bura finishing off her scream. "When
did you learn that? I need warning, baka!" She beat him on the chest,
and got up from the floor where they had reappeared, and stalked
inside.

"Goten!" Bulma exclaimed, getting up to check on the still lying
male. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Bulma," he reassured her, and slowly stood up.
"I'm a little sore yet, but okay." He returned the hug he got from her,
and gave the others a grin. "I'm okay."

"You look like a truck ran you over," Trunks remarked, giving
his best friend a wry grin. "Now you know how it feels when Dad goes
all out on ya."

"Yeah, lucky me." He shuffled to the side and turned to face
Vejiita and Goku, who appeared in the same spot that he stood only a
moment before.

"Goten, get your mangy tail in here right now before you smell
up the entire Western Capital! My nose can detect your reek from all
the way down the hall."

He let out a small chuckle. "I'm coming, I'm coming," he called
back. He gave Trunks another grin and slowly walked inside.

But not fast enough for Bura. She walked up to him and shook
her head. "You walk slow enough to start growing toadstools in the
garden of dirt you have on you."

"But, B-chan," he whined, "gimme a break! I almost died!"

"So did Papa, and do you see him hobbling around like an old
man?" She pointed to her father, who was being fussed over by
Bulma. The two males locked onyx eyes, and Goten grinned, giving the
elder male a nod. "Get your lazy ass in gear, buster!"

"Okay, okay! I'm coming. Don't get your tail in a knot." He
leaned in closer to whisper in her ear. "Although I could help you
untangle it if it did..."

Bura blushed a little and flicked her gaze to her father, rolling
her eyes. "You are one big walking hormone, Son Goten! I don't know
what I see in you."

"I don't either, B-chan," he grinned and pecked her lips. "I
don't either. But you have me." He winked and walked through the
doors.

Bura let out another little sigh and shook her head. "You
should've just killed him, Papa. Now I have to deal with his big head."
She threw a grin at her father, and followed Goten out the doors.

Vejiita blinked a few times, shaking his head. "I will never
understand her, will I?"

Bulma shook her head. "Nope. Don't even try."

"And you never will, Vejiita. It's the mysteriousness of the
female that attracts the male." Gohan grinned and stood up.
"Speaking of females, we better get going, Pan-chan. Your mother is
more than likely wondering where we are."

"I'll take you two home, Gohan," Goku offered. He turned to
Bulma. "ChiChi wanted to know if the party is still being held
tomorrow night, Bulma."

"As far as I know, Son-kun, it is," Bulma nodded, the black lock
of hair bobbing up and down. "I'll give her a call later on, okay?"

He nodded, and Gohan and Pan reached out to touch the elder
male. "Okay, see you later!" The other two waved, with Pan calling out
a promise to call Bura later as well before the trio disappeared.

Trunks turned to his parents. "So, how was the fight, Dad?
Did Goten really go Level 4?"

"Yes, he did." Vejiita grunted and turned a frown to his eldest.
"You have a lot of training to do to catch up with him. I will not have
third class spawn be stronger than my own. Be in the gravity room at
five tomorrow morning."

"Five?! Dad!" Trunks gaped at his father. "That's too early!"

"No it isn't, brat, and if you keep complaining, it'll be made
four."

"Damn, Papa." Trunks growled and stood up, his tail thrashing
behind in frustration and anger. He flashed his father an evil glare
and stomped out of his parents' rooms, grumbling to himself. "You'd
think he'd want to rest after almost dying this afternoon, but
nooo...punish me for Goten's overactive hormones..."

Bulma sighed and sat back down on the couch, rubbing at her
forehead wearily. "Don't you think five is a little early, Vejiita?" She
patted the seat next to her.

He sat down and Bulma curled into his side, ignoring his state
of dress and cleanliness. "He won't make it out there, at the earliest,
until six." He rumbled, pulling his mate closer to him, nuzzling the
lavender hair that fell against his cheek. He reached out and
fingered the long black lock that looked completely out of place
against the other purple ones. "You reacted, again."

She nodded against his bare and bloodied chest, her reply
sounding slightly muffled. "Yeah. My scar started to bleed, too."

Vejiita's fingers sought out the familiar mark and came away
with drying blood on the tips. He put them to his mouth and licked
them clean, enjoying the taste of the slightly metallic flavor. A
rumble went through his chest and using the same fingers, he tipped
Bulma's head up, so he could look into her red eyes, alight with
confusion, concern, and love. He grinned and leaned down to capture
her lips with his own.

When they broke away, her cheeks matched her eyes in
intensity. She gave him a wicked grin. "Aren't you a frisky one! You
think you're up to it, after the events of the afternoon?" She poked
him in the chest, and licked away the blood from her fingers.

He pulled her closer and stood up, holding her to his chest in
his embrace. "I am always 'up to it', Onna, you know that." They
walked into their bedroom, and he set her down on the bed.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You're not getting my
clean sheets all bloody, buster. Bath first, then playtime."

"A bath then," he leaned closer to her and flicked his tongue
over her cheek, cleaning away a smudge of blood, a result of her
leaning on him. "It looks like you need to take your own advice, Onna,
ne?" He turned around and walked into their bathroom, tail curling
slowly behind him. Soon the sound of water filling up their large furo
could be heard.

The lavender haired genius sighed and shook her head. "He's
always so horny after a good fight. You'd think he'd want to eat and
then go to bed." She stood and started to take off her bloodied
clothes, throwing them in the hamper.

"I plan on doing just that, Onna, after the bath." He called out
from the other room.

"Damn Saiya-jiin hearing," she grumbled and entered the bath,
closing the door behind her.

********

The next day dawned early for several members of the Briefs
household, and Vejiita was surprised when Trunks arrived in the
Gravity Chamber at a little after five in the morning. The young male
was grumpier than ever, being not much of a morning person. Vejiita
was reminded that his first born was more like his mother than ever.

Bura was awakened earlier than she wanted when an
unidentified body jumped on her bed. "Wake up, sleepyhead! It's your
birthday...sort of."

"Ungh." She peeked out a blurry blue eye from under the
covers to see a very awake Pan grinning at her with the smile she
inherited from her father's side. "What in the hell are you doing here
at," she glanced at the clock on her night stand, "ten in the morning?"

"Well," Pan sat on the bed, cross-legged, "since we never really
celebrated your birthday last week, I thought we could do a little girly
stuff today, to get ready for your party tonight."

Bura sat up a bit, blinking her eyes in shock. "P-chan? Did you
just say 'girly stuff'? Did Hell just freeze over?"

"No, it didn't," she rolled her eyes, "and don't call me P-chan.
I'm not a little black pig."

"You eat like one," mumbled a masculine voice from the other
end of the bed.

Pan blinked a few times. "Uncle? What are you doing in here?"

"I was trying to sleep away my aches and pains, but since I was
so rudely awakened by someone sitting on my tail," Goten poked his
tousled head from out under the blankets and gave his niece a
meaningful glare.

"Your tail? What's it doing on this end of…" she trailed off, a
hot blush spreading across her face. "I think I'm gonna go see what's
going on in the Gravity chamber." She bolted out of the room.

Bura sighed and fell back onto her pillows. "Damn, I was hoping
I could've slept in today." She let out a contented purr when a
muscled arm pulled her farther under the covers, a furry tail brushing
over her stomach. "Mmm…although I could think of a few things to do
while I'm awake."

"Oh, like what?" Goten murmured in her ear, pulling his
bed-mate closer to him and snuggling close.

"Well, I could take a long bubble bath, since I smell like
Goten-sweat, which is always not a pleasant thing, mind you." She
received a grunt in response to her barb. "Or I could decide what you
are going to wear tonight. Do you have anything decent in purple?"

"Goten?" When she didn't receive a response, she peeked
under the blankets. What she found was a fast-asleep Goten, head
resting comfortably on her chest, his arm wrapped around her middle,
holding her tight to him. His tail had wrapped loosely around her calf.

She sighed and ran her long fingers through his mussed hair
absently, her blue eyes staring at the ceiling as she thought about the
male sleeping on her. She almost lost him yesterday, in the fight with
her father. All over her. She didn't want them to do it in the first
place, and threw a major tantrum when her father announced his
terms for their 'courting' as he called it. She didn't mind the training,
since it kept both Goten and her father occupied-and maybe they
would draw a little closer, or grow to understand the other. Goten
actually liked her father--he had thought of him as a father figure
when he was younger, playing and sparring with Trunks. Goten,
though, reminds her stubborn father of 'Kakarotto' too much, and
there was the whole rivalry issue there. So she didn't mind the
sparring--it was beneficial to her, too, since it kept her father's
attention off her, as well.

But she protested loudly when her father said that Goten
would have to fight for her. It sounded…medieval! She was not a
'thing' to be fought over--a prize to be won. But her father was
adamant, claiming that it was Saiya-jiin tradition. She whined and
pleaded, flashing her big blue eyes, even going so far to promise
training time with him. But no, he wouldn't submit. She then switched
tactics, threatening to run away and elope with Goten. All her father
did was give her an annoying smirk and claim that she wouldn't
dare--and if she did, he'd drag her back home by the hair on her tail.
She then threatened to hate him forever, and that seemed to break
his stubborn resolve a little, but he continued to hold firm to what he
wanted.

So after a few weeks of ignoring him and sending scalding
glares in his direction, she relented to the terms, but only adding her
own: whatever they do during their 'courting,' he could not get upset
or angry about, and try to break them apart. He blinked in surprise at
her request, but agreed after a minute of contemplating. So when he
found out about her and Goten advancing their relationship to the
point of 'intimacy,' he ranted and raved in the privacy of his own mind.
The only public reaction they got from him was a couple of glares at
the breakfast table.

But it wasn't like they couldn't tell when he and her mother
were involved in their own…activities…such as last night. She giggled
to herself. Trunks was the only one that wasn't involved with anyone
last night. "Poor thing. He has to find himself a girl sometime soon."
She smiled down at the mass of black spikes on her chest when Goten
stirred slightly, burying his face even more into her softness. She
sighed and wrapped her arms around his head. "You won me, Son
Goten; now, when are you going to propose?" She closed her eyes, and
took advantage of the silence of the morning to catch a few more
minutes of sleep while she could.

A small smile curled at the young male's lips, and he clutched
the female even closer. Just you wait, B-chan…just you wait.

*******

There weren't enough hours left in the day, at least for Bulma
and Bura, as they were trying to organize the details for the party
tonight at Jellies. Once Bura had roused Goten from his 'nap', she
whisked him off to the closest mall, to get him the perfect outfit--at
least in her opinion, since Goten would have been happy to go in
nothing but a towel.

Bulma was on the phone most of the day, confirming invites to
family and friends, discussing with the caterers the very large menu
that will be needed for seven very hungry Saiya-jiin and a handful of
other guests. Finally, she called Jellies to make sure that she was
still able to even have the party. She wasn't disappointed, for who
would be insane enough to turn away The Bulma Briefs, and live to
serve the next day? She was relieved to know that she would be able
to have use of a back room, to set up the food from the rest of the
club.

But the most daunting task was to get the males of the
household ready. Dr. Briefs could take care of himself, so Bulma
wasn't worried about him. Goten was fairly well taken care of, since
Bura didn't let him out of her sight. But the other two, Vejiita and
Trunks, were harder to tame. The two males did not emerge from the
Gravity Chamber for most of the day--Pan escaping only after an hour
or so of observation. When they had finally come out, late in the
afternoon, both shown signs of a hard day's battle, although Trunks
was in worse shape than his father. Vejiita had a satisfied look to his
face, so some good had to come from the day.

Bulma and Bura left early to prepare Jellies for their arrival,
so they left the three males to their own devices, hopefully to dress
in the clothing set out for them, and to arrive on their own, and on
time. The two females weren't disappointed much--they arrived via
Goten's teleport only half hour late, and Trunks had switched the pair
of pants set out by Bura with a different color.

Bura greeted her boyfriend with a glare. "What took so long?
You were supposed to be here a half hour ago!"

He tugged at the tight black shirt he wore. "Me and Trunks
were finishing a game of cards, when Trunks spilled a glass of juice on
his pants. So he had to change."

"Oooh! You two!" She admonished him, throwing her brother a
glare over his shoulder. He just ignored her. She turned to her
father. "You'd better find Mom--she's starting to see red." He rolled
his eyes and ambled over to his mate, who was talking with the
caterers. Bura grabbed Goten's hand and pulled him into the crowd.
"Come on, I have to find Nia; she said that she needed to talk to me
about something."

"Why do I have to go? She's your friend," he whined, trying to
get out of her iron grip.

"She may be, but she's never really met you before, and I want
to introduce you two, so stop complaining." The pair disappeared into
the crowd, leaving Trunks alone.

The purple-haired Saiya-jiin shrugged and made his way up to
the bar, sitting on one of the stools. He signaled to the bartender and
got himself a drink. "So, Thom," Trunks glanced at the man's nametag,
"what're the big happenings tonight?"

Thom, a good-looking man in his late twenties, shrugged. "A
couple things tonight. There's a band in about an hour or so, and some
hot rich chick rented out the back room for a birthday party."

"A hot rich chick?" Trunks blinked a few times.

The bartender nodded, winking at him. "Yeah, she's in this
short little blue dress that leaves nothin' to the imagination." He
stood up straighter. "Actually, here she comes now."

"Thom, here's a list of the people I mentioned before."

"Sure thing, Ms. Briefs. They get open bar, ne?" Thom glanced
over the piece of paper, noting the forty or so names on it.

"They'll have a red mark on their hands, too, so they'll be
rather easy to spot." She held out her hand, showing the red marker
on her hand. She turned to Trunks. "Here, you need yours, Trunks."
She marked his hand with the red marker she held.

"Okay, Mom."

Bulma smiled and the two males watched as she made her way
into the crowd once more. Trunks turned back to the bartender and
watched with a knowing smirk as Thom let his words sink in.

"Mom…mom? That's your mom!" Thom blinked a few times.
"How old are you, kid?"

"I'm thirty -six," Trunks smirked wider, "kid."

"Holy crap! You don't look that old! Hell, your mother only
looks that old!" Thom stared at him, flabbergasted. He turned to the
male that just walked up to the bar and sat on the stool next to
Trunks. "Tell me, mister, how old do you think this guy is?" He
pointed to Trunks.

The black-haired man snorted. "I don't care. Give me a beer."

Trunks snorted back and shook his head. Thom put a pint on
the counter and then pointed out on the floor. "Okay, man, then tell
me how old do you think that purple haired hottie is out on the floor?"
All three turned to see Bulma, who was still talking with one of the
caterers. Trunks waved to his mother and Bulma nodded, coming back
to the bar.

The man growled under his breath and glared at him over the
rim of his bottle. "That is none of your business."

"Hey, man, chill out! I'm just looking, not touching." He winked
and his growl turned into a snarl.

Trunks shook his head. "Baka."

"Vejiita, there you are! I need to get a mark on your hand."
Bulma said, as she squeezed in between her two males. "Can I get a
rum and coke? By the way, Thom, meet my husband, Vejiita."

Thom blinked, and locked his startled green eyes with the
frowning onyx orbs of Vejiita, and his face paled considerably. "Sure,
Ms. Briefs, rum and coke." He hurriedly filled the glass and handed it
to her. "There you go, Ms. Briefs." He swallowed hard but didn't take
his eyes of Vejiita.

"Thanks, Thom, you're a sweetie. So polite!" Bulma planted a
kiss on Vejiita's cheek and tweaked Trunks' nose. "Why don't you boys
join me out here? Son-kun keeps looking at the caterers with a weird
look in his eye, and they're getting nervous."

Vejiita grunted and slid off the stool. "Fine." He flashed Thom
a meaningful glare and wrapped a possessive arm around Bulma's waist,
his tail thrashing behind him agitatedly.

Trunks let a chuckle escape as he shook his head at the frozen
bartender. "You deserved that, man." He reached behind the bar and
refilled his glass and slipped off his stool to go join the growing
crowd.

After a minute or so, Thom the bartender woke up from his
stupor. "Did…did he have a…a tail?"

*******

The night was in full swing by the time the band had started,
and the floor was crawling with thrashing bodies. Bura and Goten
were never far apart, since she had latched onto his tail and wasn't
letting go. At the moment, they were on the floor dancing to the
rapid rock song that the band was pounding through their instruments.

Most of the adults were in the back room, where the food was
set up. The caterers had filled several tables with tons of food--most
of the snack and 'grab & go' variety. There was always an employee
not far from the tables, watching over the levels, and restocking if
necessary.

The four mothers: Bulma, ChiChi, Videl and Juuhachi were
sitting at a table, nibbling on their own plates, chatting, and watching
the activities on the floor with a distant eye. ChiChi almost choked
on a cracker when she saw Bura wrap a leg around Goten's waist and
grind her hips into his. "What are those two doing out there? It's so
indecent!"

Bulma laughed out loud. "It's called 'dirty dancing', ChiChi.
Very sensual, ne?" She winked at Juuhachi, who just rolled her eyes.

Videl stifled a few giggles. "I tried doing that once with
Gohan, but he just blinked at me a few times and blushed like mad."

"I bet he did." Bulma laughed again. "He's almost as prudish as
you are, ChiChi. Let's hope he doesn't see what Pan-chan's doing out
there. He'll throw a spasm." She pointed to the quarter Saiya-jiin,
who was dancing rather closely with Trunks; both had wicked smiles on
their faces.

Videl gasped out loud. "Pan! What in the hell...Bulma, what is
your son doing with my little girl?" She blinked a few times and
peered at her daughter harder. "Is she wearing a dress?"

"Umm...the tango?" Bulma shrugged, standing up. "Looks like a
lot of fun, though. I'm going to the bar. Anyone want refills?" They
all mentioned their drinks of choice, and Bulma left the room.

ChiChi shook her head, her eyes on the young couples out on
the floor. "Those kids just don't know how to dance anymore!" She
swallowed the last of her drink just in time for Bulma to set down a
new one in front of her. "Thank you, Bulma." She threw the entire
thing down. "Like I was saying, kids these days don't know what real
dancing is." The pupils of her eyes got wide and her gaze turned far
away. "I always wanted to wear one of those beautifully long ball
gowns, with all the petticoats and lace and such. And the man of my
dreams to come up to me in a five piece suit, hold out his white-gloved
hand, and say..."

"Hey, ChiChi, wanna go dance?" Goku ran into the room, his
eyes wide and a big, excited smile on his face. "They're going to play
my favorite song!" He grabbed a hand and yanked her out onto the
floor without so much a word from the black-haired female.

Bulma and Videl turned to the other, each having a confused
look. "Somehow I don't think that was what she was going to say,"
Videl mused. "What song is Goku's favorite?"

The three females were quiet for a moment, listening to the
strain of music coming through the door. They all glanced at each
other with knowing smiles when they recognized it.

"The Chicken Dance!"

Juuhachi sighed and shook her head. "Figures." She down the
rest of her glass, and turned to the other two. "Now that the
schoolmarm has left the room, do you ladies want to do shots at the
bar?"

"Oooh! I haven't done shots since college!" squealed Bulma,
clapping her hands in excitement. She immediately stood up and
grabbing the other two females' hands, she pulled them out the door
and to the bar.

Videl blinked in confusion. "Bulma, I thought you...how old were
you when you graduated from college?"

The genius jumped up onto the rim of the bar, her too-
short-already dress riding up, and pulled the other two down into
chairs surrounding her. "Well, it was before I met Son-kun, so...maybe
15?" She turned her head over her shoulder. "Thom, sweetie, get us
a round of tequila, and keep it flowing!"

Thom turned around quickly and saw who it was, and nodded,
glancing away quickly from the exposed thigh of the purple-haired
woman. "Sure thing, Ms. Briefs." He set down the requested glasses
and bottle and walked away quickly, a bright blush to his features.

She poured the first round. "Here's to the guys! May they be
strong and brave in battle and long and hard in bed!" Bulma threw
back the glass and wiped her mouth. "Oi! That's good stuff!"

Videl almost choked on her drink. "Bulma!" Juuhachi smirked
and downed the burning liquid as well.

"What?" She blinked, pouring the next round. "Come on, Videl,
you've got a Saiya-jiin in your clutches! All Saiya-jiin are...built...for
battle, be it on a field or under the covers." She leered at the
younger female suggestively.

"Well, sure, but..." she blushed, realizing what she revealed.
She grabbed her glass and downed it quickly. "Oh, boy. Gohan's going
to kill me for talking about this to you two." She shrugged. "Oh well."

"That's my girl!" She quickly poured the third round. "Bottom's
up, ladies!"

The song ended and ChiChi strolled up to the bar where the
others stood. "You're doing shots? Without me?" She took Videl's
glass out of her hand and slammed it down. "Ooh, the good stuff!"

Bulma blinked at ChiChi, already feeling the affects of several
shots on top of the rum & cokes she drained earlier. She nodded to
Thom to bring over another glass, and he slid it down the bar. Bulma
grabbed it and poured another for Videl. "Here ya go, hon." She
turned to ChiChi. "We're already three up on you, Chi. Gotta catch
up!"

She nodded. "All right. Let me find a..." a chair materialized
behind her, courtesy of Thom. "Thank you, dear!" He blushed and
went behind the bar. She turned to Bulma. "What a nice boy!" Bulma
nodded in agreement. "Anyway, pour me another, Bulma. I got to get
me a good buzz going if I want to stay sane listening to you tell me
how bad your Vejiita beat up on my Goten yesterday."

"My Vejiita?" Bulma blinked. "Your Goten crushed my Vejiita's
leg! He said it was broken in three places!"

"He deserved it, I tell you," ChiChi threw back another shot.
"Since he was the one that wanted this to happen, he deserved to get
roughened up a little!"

"Well, my Vejiita gave as good as he got!" Bulma sputtered out.
"Just ask Goten about his punctured lung!"

"I can't!" wailed ChiChi, "he never talks to me anymore. And if
he does, it's always about Bura this, and B-chan that." She sniffled
loudly. "Your brat stole my baby!"

"She did not! Bura didn't 'steal' Goten at all. Do you think I
want him over at the house all the time, eating my food, and stealing
by Bura away from me and her father?" She poured herself another
shot and slammed it down quickly. "Your spawn has my baby's heart!"

"Spawn?"

"Spawn!"

Videl and Juuhachi just glanced at each other and shrugged,
Juuhachi grabbing the wildly swinging bottle from the excited Bulma's
hands. She poured herself and Videl another drink, and clinking
glasses, ignored the yelling females.

********

Out on the dance floor, a slow song started up after Goku's
requested 'Chicken Dance', and Goten and Bura were wrapped up in
each other's arms and tails, swaying very slowly to the melody. Bura's
head was tucked in his neck, and she had her eyes half-closed,
enjoying the closeness and presence of Goten. She sighed and flicked
out her tongue, caressing the underside of his ear. She smiled when
she felt the tremor run through him. "I love dancing with you, G-chan.
You glide so smooth across the floor." She sighed again and tightened
her hold of his neck.

He grunted in agreement, his face buried in her sea of lavender
hair. "It's not hard at all, when you dance with someone that fits as
perfect as you do, B-chan, in my arms." His lips wandered down to her
neck, and he nibbled a little on the delicate skin there.

She let out a moan and craned her neck a little bit, giving him
better access. "That feels so good..." She pulled back slightly when
she saw what was going on at the bar. "Oh my god..."

Goten's eyes were half lidded with desire for the female in his
arms. "What's wrong, Bura?" He looked in the same direction she was
and his eyes immediately snapped open. "What in the hell..."

What drew their attention, and everyone else's was the loudly
arguing ChiChi and Bulma, who were standing on the bar counter,
unknowingly the center of attention. Bura and Goten started to make
their way over to the bickering females when all of a sudden they just
stopped their arguing and sat back down on bar, and drank whatever
was in their glasses. They started to talk quietly to each other.

The pair just blinked. "What in the world?" Goten wondered.

The young female just sighed. "I think our Moms are getting
piss drunk, that's what I think." She looked around the room, and
spotted her father in a corner, Goku sitting next to him. Both were
shoveling in food like it would disappear within the next few minutes.
"I'll be right back." She caught his lips in a long kiss. "Let me go run
interference."

He watched as she made her way over to their parents and
knelt in front of them. Watching the eyes of the two males as they
followed the finger of Bura, as she pointed in the direction of their
mothers. Goku's eyes widened but he nodded and stood up, Vejiita
rolled his eyes, but stood up reluctantly. Bura gave her father a hug
and a peck on the cheek and she made her way back to him. Wrapping
her up in his arms once again, he asked, "What did you say to them?"

"I told them that both Mama and ChiChi were getting piss
drunk and making a spectacle of themselves, and if they could go
sober them up some." She shrugged and they both watched as the
two males fireman-carried their wives out the doors and into the cool
night. ChiChi was protesting loudly to the attention, but Bulma didn't
voice a complaint; only making a grab for another unopened bottle on
the bar.

Bura let out a sigh and turned back to Goten. "How are we
related to them again?"

Goten smirked but shook his head. "Don't ask me--I'm an
orphan." He led her off the floor and over to the bar.

She laughed. "Me too! What a coincidence, ne?" Goten smiled
and spotted Trunks and Uub at the other end of the bar. He let go of
her and made his way over to them. She turned an apologetic smile to
the harried bartender. "Sorry about that, Thom," Bura apologized.
"They can get rather rowdy when drunk."

"That's okay," Thom winked at the beautiful female. The
beautiful, alone, girl with dazzling blue eyes. "They're good kids."
He leaned close to her. "So what'll ya have, gorgeous?" I think I'm in
love!

She mentally groaned. Oi! "I'll take a berry cooler, thanks."
He opened the bottle for her and placed it on the counter. "So, when
does the band start taking requests?" She pointed to the flyer on the
bar, which stated that they do a fixed set first, then they take what
the audience wants, as long as they know what it is and how to play it.

"Well, I don't think 'The Chicken Dance' is in their repertoire,"
they grinned at each other, "so they're taking requests now." He
glanced at his watch. "Say, I get a break in about fifteen minutes. If
I request a song, will you dance with me?"

Bura blinked a few times. "Um, sure, I guess." She glanced
over at Goten, who had his back to her, talking with Trunks, Uub and
Marron, who she didn't see there before. She caught her brother's
eye and gave him a look. She quickly turned back to Thom. "What
song would you request, so I know which one it is?"

He smirked, staring at her cleavage in the little purple tank she
wore before meeting her blue eyes again. "How about, 'Let's Get it
On?'"

"Or what about 'I Breaka Your Face?'" Thom glanced up to the
pair of aquamarine eyes that seemed to be screaming, "Pain!!"

He smirked and shrugged. "Easy, buddy, let's let the girl here
decide on what song?" He turned back to Bura and leered at her
chest again. "So what will it be, gorgeous?"

Bura smirked and shook her head and spotted someone out of
the corner of her eye. "I don't like either one--how about, 'Papa's
Girl?'"

Goten and Thom blinked at each other. "I don't know that one."
Thom said slowly, and saw that the guy that was behind the girl now
sat next to her and was ignoring him, and somehow he had a bottle of
beer in his hand. Weren't his eyes green before? Now they're black...

She grinned at Goten and pulled a familiar man over to her, who
was just walking past. "Hi Papa! I want to introduce you to someone.
Papa, this is Thom, the lecherous bartender. Thom, the lecherous
bartender, meet my father, Vejiita." She leaned her head on the
older male's shoulder and smiled beatifically.

Vejiita stared at Thom, a murderous look in his obsidian eyes.
"Greetings...Thom."

Thom, the hapless, unlucky, lecherous bartender swallowed
hard. "Greetings...sir." He flashed a look to Bura, now realizing who
she was. "You must be the birthday girl, then. Congratulations." He
smiled sickly at her and backed up from the counter. "It's my break
now, so I think I'm going to go break down...I mean go on break..." He
bolted from out behind the bar, leaving only a trail of smoke in his
wake.

"What about our song, Thom?" Bura called out after him. "And
I so wanted to dance with him..." she sighed.

Goten spit out the mouthful of beer. "What? You did?"

"No, silly!" She rolled her eyes and gave her father a big hug.
"Thank you for scaring off the bad boy, Papa. I would have had Goten
do it, but he's just not scary enough." Goten spit out another
mouthful of beer.

"Che." Vejiita snorted and pulled his arm out of Bura's hold.
"Your mother escaped me. Do you see her anywhere?"

"Ummm..." she glanced around and covered her mouth when she
found her. "Yeah, Papa, but I don't think you want to get her now."
She pointed up at the stage where both Bulma and ChiChi stood,
holding microphones. "I think she's gonna sing...with ChiChi...?" She
glanced at Goten and saw his face buried in his arms. Muffled moans
reached Bura's ears. "G-chan?"

"Don't tell me my mother is on that stage...please don't tell me
she's on that stage, drunk, and going to sing..." The music struck up
and Goten wailed louder. "She's gonna sing, oh god, she's gonna sing...."

A violin struck up a solo, and the drums started to thump out a
beat behind it. Everyone turned to the stage when the lead singer
announced that they had a request for a song--and the requesters
were going to sing it.

Bulma and ChiChi had wide grins on their faces and when they
were given the cue, they began to sing, ChiChi taking the first verse:

Any man of mine better be proud of me
Even when I'm ugly he still better love me
And I can be late for a date that's fine
But he better be on time

The crowd started hollering as ChiChi swayed her hips with the
music, and really getting into it. Bulma winked at the crowd and slowly
ran a hand down her side as she began to sing the next verse:

Any man of mine'll say it fits just right
When last year's dress is just a little too tight
And anything I do or say better be okay
When I have a bad hair day

Vejiita let out a growl at the whoops and catcalls Bulma
received and started to storm the stage, but Bura pulled him back.
"Stay, Papa. She's having fun, can't you tell?"

"Fun at my expense!" He snorted, crossing his arms.

"Oh, Papa, swallow your pride and let Mama have some fun."
She giggled at the look she got in return. She turned to Goten, who
had his mouth gaped open at the two females on the stage. "Now I
know where you got your voice from, G-chan! Your mama's really
good!"

Goten blinked and smirked. "You thought it was my Dad? But
it's obvious where you got yours from. I didn't know you could sing,
Vejiita! I've never heard you before."

Vejiita snorted and crossed his arms, staring at his mate on
the stage. "And you never will, brat."

The two females leaned close to each other to sing the bridge:

And if I change my mind
A million times
I wanna hear him say
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah I like that way

The crowd started to go crazy as they separated to work the
masses, dancing and wiggling to the music:

Any man of mine better walk the line
Better show me a teasin' squeezin' pleasin' kinda time
I need a man who knows, how the story goes
He's gotta be a heartbeatin' fine treatin'
Breathtakin' earthquakin' kind
Any man of mine (woo!)

Bura let out a bolt of laughter, wiping away the tears and she
enjoyed the display her mother and future mother in law were putting
on for everyone. "They are going to so regret this in the morning,
that is if they remember it!" She laughed even louder when her
mother scrunched up her face at a man trying to clamor up on the
raised stage, only to be pulled down by the duet's bodyguards of
Trunks and Gohan. "Trunks and Gohan are Security Roadies!"

Bulma started up the next verse, and spotting Vejiita in the
crowd, blew him a kiss.

Well any man of mine better disagree
When I say another woman's lookin' better than me
And when I cook him dinner and I burn it black
He better say, mmmm, I like it like that

Bura pulled Goten off his stool and onto the floor. "My
favorite part of the song is coming up, Goten! Let's join in!"

Vejiita just let out a groan and shook his head. "That's it.
She's gone completely insane. That onna can not hold her liquor."

And if I change my mind
A million times
I wanna hear him say
Yeah (yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah I like it that way

Any man of mine better walk the line
Better show me a teasin' squeezin' pleasin' kinda time
I need a man who knows, how the story goes
He's gotta be a heartbeatin' fine treatin'
Breathtakin' earthquakin' kind
Any man of mine

The new Country Duo of the Year leaned down into the crowd
as they sung the pickup line and key change:

Let me hear you say yeah, (yeah), yeah (yeah), yeah
I like it that way

Any man (any man) any man(any man)
Any man of mine better walk the line
Better show me a teasin' squeezin' pleasin' kinda time
I need a man who knows, how the story goes
He's gotta be a heartbeatin' fine treatin'
Breathtakin' earthquakin' kind
Any man of mine

Bura let out a whoop as she started to line dance

You gotta shimmy shake
Make the earth quake
Kick, turn, stomp, stomp, then you jump
Heel to toe, Do Si Do
'Til your boots wanna break
'Til your feet and your back ache
Keep it movin' 'till you just can't take anymore
Come on everybody on the floor
A-one two, a-three four

Whoops and hollers sounded for the pair, as they accepted the
praise and were 'escorted' off the stage by red-faced Gohan and
Trunks. Quickly they were swooped off the floor and out of sight by
two other males--Goku and Vejiita.

Bura sat back down at the bar, her eyes bright with laughter.
"That was a lot of fun! Even though it was really embarrassing for
everyone that knew them, it was really fun!" She smiled at the
blushing Goten, who sat next to her and buried his face in her
shoulder.

"That was so embarrassing," he mumbled into her shoulder.

"Aw, poor baby," she cooed at him. "I think it took guts for
them to go up there and face all these people, making a complete fool
out of themselves."

"Fools, that's for sure." He sighed and looked up at her. "I'll
never do it, that's for sure."

"Never?" A glint entered her eye.

He recognized that glint and knew to fear it with his life.
Goten began to pale dramatically. "No! You are not getting me up on
that stage, Briefs Bura Vejiita. No way, no how! Uh uh!" He shook his
head viciously and started to back away, glancing to the sides for an
escape route.

"Yes you are, Son Goten!" She stood up and backed the hapless
male up against the bar, placing her hands around him to block all
escape routes. "You are going to go up there and sing a song for me!"

"But--but I don't know any songs, Bura!" he sweatdropped.

"Sure, you do, G-chan, you know lots of songs." She spoke
sweetly, although a dangerous glint gleamed in her eye. Goten gulped.
"You just need to go ask the band what they know. They more than
likely have a list of songs to pick from." She backed up and allowed
him to move. "Why don't you go ask them now?"

"But what if I can't find a song I know?" He glanced around
and caught Trunks' eye, who shook his head and smirked at him.

"You'll figure something out." She gave him a friendly shove,
which sent him halfway across the room. "Pick out a good one!" She
called out.

Goten stumbled to his feet and glanced back at Bura, who
smiled and waved at him. He held up a shaky hand and attempted to
smile. It just turned into a grimace. He turned back around and as he
started to walk slowly up to the stage, Trunks joined him. "So, did she
fall for it?" He handed him a few sheets of paper and a small box.

Goten grinned wildly at his friend, his mood doing a complete
flip. "Hook, line, and sinker. She thinks I'm scared out of my mind. I
should be an actor!" He slid the small box into his pocket.

Trunks shook his head and pat him on the back. "I talked to
the band, and all you need to do is introduce yourself, and hand them
the music. They'll play a few songs, and then call you up on stage when
it's your turn. They know the song, just don't have the music for it."

He looked down at the papers in his hands and nodded. "It's a
good thing we found the sheet music right before we got here, ne? I
thought for sure your father was going to go ahead of us and ruin
everything."

"Me too. Although I don't think Dad was in a big hurry to
party. He just wanted to get here and eat and then go home."

The pair reached the stage and Trunks gave his friend an
encouraging smile and left him alone. Goten introduced himself to one
of the roadies and he was handed a book of music to select a song. He
glanced up to see Bura watching him from the bar. He gave her a
small wave and buried his nose in the book, making it look like he was
actually selecting a song.

What he was doing was putting the music sheets that Trunks
handed to him in the book so that the band could have them. The
mimed pointing out a song, and handed the book back to the roadie.
He nodded and shook Goten's hand.

A depressed-looking Goten slowly made his way back to Bura,
who looked really excited. "Did you pick out a song? Did you? When
do you sing? What is it? Do I know it?"

"Yeah," he sighed, looking rather forlorn, "I picked out a song.
The band will call me up there when it's my turn. I think you know it,
but I'm not sure." She knew it, all right. When it came out on the
charts, it was the only thing she would sing, and it was always around
him. It annoyed him all to hell. But then she was only twelve or so.

He sat down on a stool, and asked the bartender, who was not
Thom, for a drink. A hard, stiff drink. He might have planned this
out ahead of time, but it was still scary, and he'd need all the courage
he could get.

After a few songs, Bura started to get impatient. "When are
you going to sing, Goten? It's almost midnight, and the crowd is
starting to thin out." To Goten, the crowd seemed to be getting
larger, and more rowdy, but that could have been his nerves as well.

"The less people, the better, B-chan. But let's forget about
that for now. They'll call me up there when it's my turn. How about
we dance for a while, ne? We haven't danced for an hour or so." He
pulled a reluctant Bura out on the floor.

The pair danced to slow and fast songs, Bura getting into it
once more after a bit, and she seemed to forget about his request.
They were holding each other close, during a slow song, when it ended
and the lead singer stepped up to the microphone. "Well, we're almost
done for the night." The crowd showed their disappointment. "We've
had a lot of fun tonight, so thanks for all of your encouragement!"
The crowd cheered. "We're going to take a quick fifteen-minute
break, and then the last song of the night is a request song made by
Son Goten."

Bura's eyes got wide. "Ooh! You get to sing next! What song is
it? You never told me what it was."

He shook his head. "You'll find out in fifteen minutes. I'm
going to go to the bathroom so I don't piss my pants while I'm up
there. I'll go up to the stage after that." He leaned down and gave
her a deep kiss. "Make sure you're close to the front, okay?"

She blinked and nodded slowly, a big smile spreading across her
face. "You bet, I will. I wouldn't miss this for the world."

********

The fifteen minutes went by way too fast for the young
Saiya-jiin and when the band reassembled on the stage, he sat in the
dark wings, waiting for his name to be called.

"Now, let's hear it for Son Goten." Whoops and hollers greeted
his arrival on the stage. A spotlight hit him, and he blinked a few
times at the light. He accepted the microphone handed to him by the
lead singer and stepped to the front of the stage.

He blinked a few more times and looked out into the expectant
crowd. "Hey everyone." He spotted his family members and they
waved energetically to him, especially his mother and father. He
blushed a little bit, and then he spotted Bura, a couple rows away from
the front. He gave her a gentle smile and took a deep breath. "To tell
you the truth, I was dared by the birthday girl to come up here and
sing--I didn't want to, but, what are you gonna do, ne?" A few
chuckles reached his ears and he smiled again. "Well, actually, this
gave me an opportunity to do something that I've wanted to do for
awhile, so B-chan, this is for you. By the way, I changed a couple of
the lyrics, so they'd fit better--you'll see what I mean." He turned
back to the band and pounded out a beat. A guitar started to play a
fast country song and he turned back to the audience with a wild grin
on his face and a sly look in his eye as he began to sing:

Can't concentrate on the preacher preaching
My attention span done turned off
I'm honed in on that angel singing
Up there in the choir loft

Bura opened her mouth in a gasp and squealed, jumping up and
down as she recognized the song. Goten heard it and his smile got
wider and he moved about the stage dancing with the music:

She's got her daddy's temper, her mama's good looks
More laughs than a stack of comic books
A wild imagination; A college education
Add it all up it's a deadly combination
She's a good bass fisher
A dynamite kisser
Deadly in aquamarine
She's got her daddy's temper, her mama's good looks
And look who's lookin' at me

Bura moved closer to the stage, her face aglow with laughter. "You
goof! I know this song! Why didn't you say anything?" He just winked
at her and started into the next verse:

Her second cousin was my third grade teacher
I used to cut her grandma's grass
Back then she was nothin' but knees and elbows
Golly did she grow up fast!

She's got her daddy's temper, her mama's good looks
More laughs than a stack of comic books
A wild imagination; A college education
Add it all up it's a deadly combination
She's a good bass fisher
A dynamite kisser
Deadly in aquamarine
She's got her daddy's temper, her mama's good looks
And look who's lookin' at me

Bulma and Vejiita, who were watching the young Saiya-jiin's
display from next to the bar, shook their heads at the song. "Bura
used to drive us crazy with that song!" Bulma sighed, remembering.
"But he's sure got the lyrics right!"

Vejiita just snorted and turned his head away from his mate
and wife. "Che. The brat will pay for the insult, later." Bulma
elbowed him and he just snorted again.

Dende if you got any miracles handy
Maybe you could grant me one
Just let me walk down the aisle and say I do
To that angel with a choir robe on

ChiChi sucked in a breath and turned to Goku, who was bobbing
his head along with the music. "Is he? Is he going to do it? Oh my,
where's Bulma?" Goku pointed over to the bar, and found himself
being dragged over to where Bulma and Vejiita were standing. "Bulma!
Bulma!"

Bulma glanced over at the wide-eyed ChiChi. "What? What's
wrong?"

"Did you hear what he said?" She pointed to the stage, where
Goten was singing.

She's got her daddy's temper, her mama's good looks
More laughs than a stack of comic books
A wild imagination; a college education
Add it all up it's a deadly combination
She's a good bass fisher
A dynamite kisser
Deadly in aquamarine
She's got her daddy's temper, her mama's good looks
And look who's lookin' at me

Goten locked eyes with Bura as he sang the last line:

She's got her daddy's temper, her mama's good looks
And she's lookin' at me

The crowd went nuts when Goten finished. The modest
Saiya-jiin took his praise with a smile, and stepped to the front of the
stage. "Now, if I could get the birthday girl up here..." He eyed Bura
as she jumped in the air, somersaulting to land in Goten's arms. He
smirked and set her down, whispering in her ear, "Showoff."

She smirked, and wrapped her arms around his neck, and giving
him a long, deep kiss, much to the delight of the crowd. After a
minute, they broke apart, both with big, silly grin on their faces.
Goten stepped back and spoke into the microphone again. "Well, how's
that for a song, B-chan?" The crowd whooped and hollered for her
response. She just smiled and nodded.

He waved a hand to the crowd and they settled. "Well, the
thing I wanted to do was give you your birthday present, and this is a
good enough place as any, I guess." He reached into his pocket and
pulled out the box that Trunks handed him earlier for safe-keeping.
Bura saw the box and her hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide in
complete surprise. "Bura, I have loved you for a long time, long before
you drove me crazy singing that song, and now I have the bruises and
the seal that prove it." He got down on one knee and set the
microphone down, but it still picked up his words. He placed one fist
on his chest and blinked up at the startled female. "Briefs Bura
Vejiita no Oujo, I, Son Goten, by right of battle, request you to do me
the honor of becoming my Bonded Mate." He flicked open the box,
and held it out for her. "Will you marry me?"

The entire room was silent as they awaited her response.
Everyone watched as Bura took a small step forward, and knelt down
next to him. She pulled his fisted hand to her chest, wrapping it in
her trembling hands. "Son Goten," her voice wobbled slightly, and she
paused a moment to regain her strength. She smiled softly and
started again. "That song means more to me than you will ever know,
for I would always imagine it was you singing it to me. I had hoped you
would get the idea after the millionth time I sang it to you." He
grinned and shrugged. "I, Briefs Bura Vejiita, Saiya-jiin no Oujo,
grant you your request for Mating Rights." She wrapped him up in her
arms. "Yes, yes, yes!!"

The crowd literally erupted in cheers. The pair clutched at
each other and their lips met in sweet rapture--a sealing kiss long
coming, and well deserved. They pulled apart, and Goten took the ring
out of the box. He held her left hand in his and slipped the ring over
her finger, kissing the knuckle. "I love you, Bura, with all of my heart,
soul, mind and body."

She pressed her lips to his forehead. "And I you, Goten. With
every fiber of my being. For forever and beyond." The pair kissed
again, pouring all of their love into the simple gesture. When they
parted, they saw themselves surrounded by their families.

Goten grinned up at them all and rubbed the back of his head in
embarrassment. "Um, surprise?"

"MY BABY'S GETTING MARRIED!!!" ChiChi wailed and threw
herself onto Goten, toppling him over in surprise. "Why are you
leaving your poor mother?"

Bulma pounced on her daughter. "It's about time, B-chan!
Congratulations!" Her eyes welled up in tears. "She's so grown up!"

Bura smiled and hugged her mother. "It's okay, Mama. I'm still
your little girl." The pair stood up and she extracted herself from
her mother's clutches. She moved over to her father, and threw
herself into his arms. "I love you, Papa." Her voice choked up with
tears. "Thank you so much."

Vejiita grunted and wrapped his arms around his crying
daughter. "Hush, Oujoko. Such weak displays are not proper for the
Saiya-jiin no Oujo." He pulled away and gave his daughter a real smile.
"You're welcome." He paused and placed a kiss on her forehead,
closing his eyes. "My only wish is for you to be happy."

"I am, Papa." She blinked away tears and nodded. "I am." He
nodded and released her, immediately leaving the stage.

Trunks came up to her and wrapped her in a warm hug.
"Congrats, brat." He flicked her nose and shook a finger. "You
realize, now, that you're leaving me alone with Mom and Dad? She is
going to be riding me to get mated. And Papa," he rolled his eyes in
exasperation, Bura burst out in laughter, "what's he going to do
without his Oujoko around?"

"You'll survive, oniichan," she grinned and pecked his cheek at
her juvenile term for him. "And I know that you'll practically be living
with us, anyway. You and Goten are practically mated yourselves."

Everyone else handed out their well-wishes, congratulations,
hugs, and kisses. Soon, it was only the two main families left standing
outside in the warm summer night. Bura and Goten were standing side
by side, hand in hand, tail in tail. Bulma sighed and gave each of them
another big hug. "Congratulations you two! I'm so happy everything
worked out for the best."

Bura rolled her eyes. "We're not married yet, Mama. We'll still
be at the breakfast table tomorrow. And the day after that." Goten
just smirked and kept his mouth shut.

"I know, I know," the elder female sighed. She glanced around
for ChiChi, and found her trying to pull Goku away from the last of the
buffet inside. "ChiChi, just let him eat it," she called out tiredly. "It'll
be all tossed, anyway."

All the males, Vejiita, Goku, Trunks, and Goten, jerked their
heads up in alarm. "It will?" They made a beeline to the table, and
quickly the rest of the food disappeared.

Bulma smirked at her daughter, who looked rather disappointed
that she didn't get her share. "That's okay, B-chan, I sent the
caterers to CC to deliver the real leftovers. I won't have to cook for
a few days, at least." She watched as Bura's face lit up when Goten
brought over a plate filled with food. She laughed as the young
female devoured the plate within seconds. "Are you sure you two
haven't Bonded yet?"

She shook her head. "Papa would have killed us if we did." She
swiped a napkin over Goten's face. "But it was tempting sometimes,
Mama."

She nodded. "I understand. We'll have to start planning the
Ceremony soon, then, so you two can complete your Bond. You more
than likely have formed a partial one."

Vejiita came up next to her, holding a small plate with some
crackers, cheese and meat. Bulma widened her eyes and snatched it
from his hands. "That was mine, Onna."

"But now it's mine." She handed him back the empty plate. "Or
it was. You can have the plate." She grinned and pecked him on the
cheek. "Thank you?"

He grunted and tossed the empty paper plate on the ground.
Bulma sighed and picked it up, throwing it in the garbage where it
belonged. "I am more than ready to depart, Onna."

She suppressed a yawn and nodded in agreement. "Me too."
She turned to the newly-engaged pair. "Are you coming with us?"

They glanced at each other, and Bura shook her head. "Not
right away, Mama. See you in the morning?"

Bulma blinked and grinned. "All right. Don't do anything I
wouldn't do. Or maybe I should say would do?" Vejiita grunted next
to her and she rolled her eyes. "All right, Otoko, I'm coming." She
gave the pair another hug. "See you in the morning, B-chan, G-chan."
She grinned again. "Welcome to the family!" She waved and Vejiita
grunted at the pair, giving Bura a soft look, and Goten a hard stare.
He turned around and wrapped his tail around his mate, pulling her
close to him. As he passed his first-born, he latched onto his tail and
dragged the protesting Trunks along, and launched into the air.

ChiChi and Goku said their good-byes as well, ChiChi looking like
she was going to burst into tears again. Goku gave his son a big hug.
"I remember the first time I gave you one of these, son. You have
grown so much. I'm proud of you." Goten blushed but nodded his
thanks. Goku turned to Bura and wrapped her up in his embrace as
well. "Welcome to the family, Bura-chan. I've always wanted a
daughter."

Bura nodded. "Thank you, Goku-papa." The tall man blinked and
smiled. "But what about Videl?"

"Ah, well," he winked. "She's ChiChi's daughter." He leaned
down. "And you're mine." He tweaked her nose and stood back up.
"Let's go home, ChiChi." The pair waved and Goku scooped his mate
into his embrace, launching into the air and quickly becoming a dot on
the horizon.

Bura sighed and leaned into Goten's chest, wrapping her arms
around his muscular frame. "Have I ever told you that I love you?"

Goten chuckled. "Are you going to sing me a song now?
Because you need to choose a different one. That one sucks rocks."
He smiled at the face she made, leaning down to capture her lips in a
soul-searing kiss that lasted quite awhile. When they broke apart, he
smirked. "I think that could mean 'I love you.' Definitely felt an
attraction of some kind."

She rolled her eyes. "You are such a goof. And by the way, I
thought your lyrics fit better than the original ones."

"I thought so, too. So, you really imagined me singing that song
to you?" He grinned as he scooped up his fiancee in his arms.

"Umm hmm." She stared into his onyx eyes, getting lost in the
endless blackness. "I've been head over heels for you since I was
born, Goten."

He nodded and slowly launched them into the air. "I fell in love
with you the moment I saw you in the hospital, only a few hours old.
Never saw a baby before--you were an ugly raisin thing," he ducked
the swing, "Don't worry, Pan-chan looked the same way. But I knew
you were meant for me." He stared off into the distance as they flew
along. "I was only ten, but I knew deep in my heart."

She settled deep in his embrace, staring into his handsome face--so much
like his father's, but completely different, like her. She and her mother could be
taken for twins, but to those that knew them, they were as different as day and
night. But that was okay, since each had different paths that needed to be taken,
and different choice needed to be made. But these two would face them together;
hand in hand, heart in heart, tail in tail.
***********

And that's it! What did you think? The italicized words in Goten's song were the altered lyrics, but I didn't change much--since I didn't think Bura was 'country as a turnip green' and it's Bulma's money, not Vejiita's, ne?

Please, let me know what you thought of the story--I worked really hard on it, and I think it's really good! And that's all that really counts, ne? But still...oh well. I don't know what my next project will be...maybe get back to work on Yosei or ATTR-- haven't decided yet. Or maybe something else will pop up--I never know where my inspiration will lead.

Take care, and ja matte ne!

Angie
Gie-chan