If I was told as a young girl that love could be this complicated, I think I would have steered clear of it altogether. Well, maybe not completely, but oh you get what I'm trying to say. I guess it would have been impossible for me to live a loveless life, although I'm not one to admit it, I like to think that I don't really need anything or anyone other than myself in this world. I've secretly always felt that I've had one of the greatest love stories of our time unfolding at my feet, and that it was my duty to carry it on. I'm first and foremost a scientist and I'm not one to dabble in the topic of soul mates or "the one" but if ever there was a couple destined to be together it was my parents. I mean, their marriage was not only a union it was a partnership. I presumed that I'd find a relationship like that, but then again I suppose every girl wants the ultimate fairy tale, she desires that her white knight and his noble steed to come racing in and love and cherish her forever. What I've learned through the years is that one mold can't possibly fit the entire population it's impossible. We all get our fairy tale that's for certain, but sometimes we just can't see it because it doesn't follow the glamorous pattern we're accustomed to. That is the biggest mistake a woman can make, glamorous is enchanting, but most things in life that are glamorous burn bright then fade. No, it's the true and everlasting things that count, the things that matter from day to day. It's important to remember that everyone has a different destiny, and I believe mine just happens to be more bizarre than the usual.

I've noticed that as I get older my musings on life become more frequent. Perhaps it's because with age comes wisdom, the kind I wish I had had at sixteen or even forty. I've always been intelligent, many refer to me as a genius, but this genius can say and I have said to my daughter many times that the best knowledge doesn't come from books it comes from experience. There are certain things that no amount of studying can ever teach you. My life began in the best and worst ways, I know that may seem impossible but it's true. I was born into money, but what people fail to realize about it is that not only is it a great privilege to be given so many things that others only dream of, but it's a huge hindrance as well. I always had to be the best and do great things, if I didn't I'd know that I would embarrass not only myself but the entire Brief's name. That's a lot of responsibility to put on an adult let alone a child, and I grew up with that pressure over my head. Don't get me wrong I had a great appreciation for the things I was given but I always felt a sense of resentment for not being allowed a "normal" life. Nothing about my life has ever been what one would call normal, and I wonder from time to time what it would have been like to just have a typical existence, then I realize even if I was given the option to trade it all in, I could never, the things that I've gone through and the people I've met have made me who I am today.

One of the greatest impacting factors on my life has been love. I've loved many different people in many different ways, my children unconditionally, my friends loyally, my parents unrestrainedly, and my husband with every fiber of my heart and soul. Love comes in various sizes, and types. Not everyone is capable of loving to the same degree but that doesn't make their love any less valuable. I know I've always loved Vegeta more than he's loved me, I'm not saying that he doesn't love me, I know he does even if he can't always show it, but the fact of the matter is that Saiyans don't feel things the way humans do. So the question that comes to mind is how do I know he loves me then? For all the times he threatened me or claimed to care less about me, he's never once hurt me, and in fact he's protected me, and for a Saiyan the greatest show of love is to protect. They're an intelligent, strong, and very passionate race, but the mysteries of affection often elude them, and I can't blame my husband for something that is a part of him. The greatest thing you can do for someone you love is to accept them exactly as they are.

I have many different theories on the Saiyan race. It's my speculation that it's not necessarily their nature per say, but their radically different values that make it harder for them to express love. Goku, for example, defies everything a characteristic Saiyan would see as useful. He's openly caring and kind despite his Saiyan blood, while Vegeta on the other hand has a much harder time displaying these traits. My hypothesis is that Goku's time spent with humans is the reason for that, not some genetic fluke, and I've noticed that Vegeta, while still the powerful warrior he's always been, has softened his harsh exterior since he first arrived here. Ah now, there goes my scientific mind again, no matter how hard I try I can't shut it off completely, it's a part of me as much as my liver, heart or kidney, it's gotten me out of many a tight situation and without it I'd be dead many times over by now.

Now the even bigger question, why would I, Bulma Briefs, heiress to Capsule Corps, fall in love with a Saiyan prince? Sometimes I'm not even sure why, the man is completely infuriating, although I know he feels the same way about me. I've heard that opposites attract, and how much more opposite can you get than an entirely different species? We've found each other over the spans of the universe, and what are the odds of that? From the very beginning it seems as if destiny was working against us, not just geographically but physically, genetically, you name it and we've managed to overcome it. Someone, years ago mentioned that I was destined to find him out of all the other men out there, his sheer power and my enormous wealth would have drawn us to one another. They told me that money and power always go hand in hand, and maybe that's it. Maybe by some celestial fluke one of the wealthiest and one of the most powerful families in the cosmos came together. Perhaps fate drew up our destiny a long time ago. I personally find that to be utterly ridiculous, as a scientist I believe that we create our own fate, but still I can't say that the concept that we were born to be together doesn't produce a certain warm feeling in the pit of my stomach and cause my heart to flutter. Vegeta gave me the greatest gift I could imagine, together we created out children, and for that I'm eternally grateful to whatever source, be it fate, luck, or sheer coincidence that brought us together. I know I could never love another the way I love him, he completes me, Vegeta is my fairytale.

I set down the rough draft of my first chapter and looked to my biggest critic to see how she liked it.

"Mom that's great, the autobiography is really coming along, I didn't know you could be so sentimental" Bra said as she took a sip from her glass.

"Hm yes, I still don't know about the title though, my publisher is dead set on 'Bulma Unbriefed: My trials of life, love, and learning' I think it sounds a bit ridiculous to be honest"

"Catchy titles sell you know, people really do judge a book by its cover" Bra lectured.

I smiled, she may have looked just like me but she reminded me of her father.

"I guess you're right, well I'll leave it up to that publisher it's his job to make it a best seller he knows what he's doing, and he's terrified of your father so I doubt he'll screw up" I laughed as I stood up and stretched. I had been working on the first chapter for a week and my body ached from spending so much time sitting in the hard kitchen chair.

Bra glanced behind me and her eyes widened "Oh my gosh look at the time I'm late! I've got dinner plans" she giggled as she grabbed her coat.

"Ok, be careful" I called out after her as she slammed the door. I sighed, even with my kids almost completely grown up I couldn't help myself from worrying.

"So that's what you've been working on"

I turned at the familiar voice "Yes, I didn't know you were listening, I didn't want you to hear it until I had the final draft done" I said a little embarrassedly as I walked over to the sink to wash the cup Bra had left behind.

"Hm, it needs some work" Vegeta scoffed, I didn't take offence, I knew it was his way of saying he liked it.

"Care to offer any suggestions?" I asked absentmindedly.

"Actually yes" he cleared his throat uncomfortably "About that part where you say…well that you love me more than I love you."

Vegeta was not a man to let his guard down and I could sense that he was uncomfortable, this caught my attention, and I set the dish down and turned from the sink to face him.

"Well, I…I just think that you know, it's not exactly the truth" he said gruffly as he crossed his arms.

My eyes widened "What?"

"I, well what I mean is that, I do have a certain amount of fondness for you that equals the amount you feel for me" he stated staring up at the ceiling.

"Are you trying to say you love me?" I questioned softly.

He looked down as his brows furrowed in thought. I knew that this was probably one of the hardest things he had done in his life, and if he could go to battle to get out of this situation he would have done so in a heartbeat.

"I suppose"

I hate getting sentimental, but after so many years together I had finally heard the words I had always longed to hear from him.

I walked over to my husband, my lover, and my best friend and looked up into his eyes.

"I love you too."