Around dinnertime, Bulma stopped what she was doing and ascended the steps of her lab to join her family in the kitchen. Her steps slowed as she reached the doorway and she paused there in thought, gazing at the Saiyan prince whose attention was on the heaping plates of food in front of him. She put her palm to her chest, noting how much her heartbeat had quickened as soon as she saw him, and she had that strange, fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach she tended to get whenever he was around. Staring at him, it felt stronger now that she'd come to a decision about what to do with her feelings. Bulma decided it was much too early to take herself out of the game. She wouldn't give up on him. When she really wanted something, she never gave up on it. And she really, really wanted him. Again, she thought of Piccolo's change of heart thanks to Gohan, and it gave her confidence that she could do the same for Vegeta. She was committed to being that catalyst he needed to change and resolved to stick with him for better or worse.

Bulma smiled to herself, hardly believing what she was thinking. How did she know he would even be worth it or that he too was capable of change? She didn't know; she just had a big bright hope in her heart telling her that if she was brave enough to see it through, she and Vegeta could have something beautiful in the end.

"Hey sweetie, nice of you to join us," Mrs. Brief chirped when she noticed her daughter standing in the kitchen doorway.

"A girl's gotta eat," Bulma joked then moved to take her spot at the table.

Mrs. Brief went to the back of the kitchen and pulled a plate out of the oven.

"Saved you a plate," she said as she sat it down in front of Bulma.

"Thanks," Bulma mumbled softly. She picked up her fork and ate a few pieces of roasted potato, though she wasn't really hungry because she had been snacking the whole time she was down in the lab. Her eyelashes lifted up at the object of her desire sitting in front of her, looking every bit unconcerned about her presence. She'd only come to dinner to see him.

"How'd your meeting with the president of Bamco go today? Your father told me he was quite taken with you," Mrs. Brief inquired with a giggle.

Bulma glanced at her father with an eyebrow raised.

"The man was all about you, it was like I wasn't even there," Dr. Brief complained.

Bulma put her chin in her palm thoughtfully. She guessed what her father was saying was true but she hadn't really noticed.

"Ooh, was he handsome, Bulma?" her mom asked conspiratorially.

"… Yeah. He was," she answered slowly. Now that she thought about it, he was actually really good looking. Her mind had been too preoccupied with other things to care at the time though.

"Wouldn't it have been wonderful if he asked you out on a romantic date?" Mrs. Brief proposed dreamily.

"He did," Bulma said, stealing a glance at Vegeta. He gave no reaction.

"Oh my," her mother squealed. "Did you say yes?"

"No."

"Why not, honey? You're single, you should go enjoy yourself," Mrs. Brief said with an encouraging smile.

"I'm already taken," Bulma said resolutely.

Mrs. Brief's hand flew to her cheek in surprise. Bulma was in a relationship and she didn't know about it? How could she have missed such an important detail of her daughter's life? She exchanged a look with her husband before pressing, "Well don't keep us in suspense, Bulma! Who is this new mystery man in your life?"

Bulma sat down her fork, took a generous breath and fixed her eyes on Vegeta determinedly.

"A stubborn, arrogant, Saiyan prince who's too afraid to admit he just might be in love with me."

Her parents fell into stunned silence and looked to Vegeta. Vegeta stopped eating, and for the first time in weeks, looked Bulma in the eyes, his own blacker than black and radiating fury.

'That got his attention,' Bulma mused smugly as she stared right back at him, refusing to be the first to look away.

Dr. Brief chuckled awkwardly in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

"Well, congrat…" he began, but his words died on his lips when Vegeta shot him a fearsome glare.

Bulma pushed her chair from the table and stood up.

"Dinner was great, mom," she said brightly, though she barely touched her food. She turned to her father and said, "Goodnight, Daddy," with a wink, to which he could only nod dumbly.

Vegeta stiffened when Bulma came around to his side of the table and leaned down to his ear.

"Goodnight, Vegeta," she said softly and kissed him on his cheek.

Mrs. Brief giggled in delight with her hands clasped in front of her chest.

"How adorable! You're blushing, Vegeta!" she swooned, completely unfazed by his murderous expression.

Bulma walked to her room with a chip on her shoulder. She couldn't believe she'd actually done it. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest the entire time and she was afraid she was going to lose her nerve. She had anticipated that Vegeta would blow up at the table and a major argument would ensue but the man had been speechless, the expression on his face was priceless, however. She wondered if he was still going to keep up with his routine of ignoring her now after that. She didn't have to wonder for long.

"What the fuck was that, Bulma?" He spat out her name like it was the most disgusting word one could utter.

Bulma turned to face him and put a hand over her chest in mock surprise. "I'm sorry, are you talking to me? I could have sworn I was invisible to you." She flipped her hair in defiance, turned back around and kept walking. The irate Saiyan phased in front of her, halting her progress.

"I said what the fuck was that!" he snarled in her face.

She put her hands on her hips and lifted her chin.

"The truth."

Vegeta's chest was heaving in rage.

"Look, you delusional woman," he seethed. "There is nothing between us. There will never be anything between us. You were just a fuck. And I've had better."

Bulma scowled and rolled her eyes. "Bullshit. You really expect me to believe that after everything?"

"You had better believe it," he said leaning towards her threateningly. "I suggest you stay the hell away from me and stick to playing with yourself at night like a pathetic, wanton whore."

Bulma's mouth gaped and her eyes went wide, blazing with anger. She slapped him across his face with all the power she could summon. And then twice more because one time didn't seem like enough. After her assault, Vegeta was shaking with barely contained rage. He raised a clenched fist in front of his chest that was crackling with violent golden energy.

"You shouldn't… have… done that," he bit out between his teeth.

In her terror, Bulma forgot about her own anger. He looked like he was totally going to waste her! She turned and started running down the hall, but she tripped and fell in her haste. As she was scrambling up from the floor she was pinned down by Vegeta's heavy weight. He straddled her legs from behind and put his lips to her ear.

"Whore."

"I am not a whore, Vegeta!" she growled, struggling beneath him.

Vegeta tore her shorts off her as if they were made of tissue paper. Bulma bit her lip when she felt something rock hard pressing into her backside.

"Whore," he accused in her ear again almost lovingly and damned if it didn't turn her on.

Bulma tried as best she could to ignore her body and craned her neck to glare at him.

"Stop calling me that."

He reached his hand down into her panties and discovered what she was trying to hide.

"Why? Because it makes your pussy wet? Whore," he purred.

Vegeta discarded of her underwear and flipped her over onto her back, pinning her arms above her head with one hand and pulling himself out of his pants with the other hand. Bulma hardly had time to suck in a breath before he brutally plunged his full length inside of her and started fucking her hard on the hallway floor. She let out a loud high-pitched gasp and clung to his muscled back when he let go of her wrists, her moans loud as he drove into her relentlessly, the friction between them quickly pushing her towards her peak. The prince was on the verge of coming faster than he had ever come in his life but he didn't care, he needed this release. He needed her.

Bulma grabbed his face just as she was about come and pulled him down for one last passionate lip lock before they became gone to brain melting orgasms that left them both shaking. Vegeta collapsed on top of her with his head resting on her shoulder.

"I love you, Vegeta," she said, and started petting his gravity defying tresses.

He didn't say anything or move. For several moments he remained inside of her and on top of her, his eyes closed in contentment while her fingers massaged his scalp.

Dr. and Mrs. Brief were still at the kitchen table long after they'd finished eating. Dr. Brief was terrified to leave it until he knew for sure it was safe to do so.

"Dear…" Mrs. Brief began, but Dr. Brief shushed her and paused to listen to the air intently. The scientist breathed a sigh of relief when he could no longer hear any sounds of passion.

"I think it's safe to retire now," he announced.

Mrs. Brief rose from the table with her husband with a giggle.

"Those two are so in love!"

"Well it'd be nice if they'd keep their love in their room," Dr. Brief commented uncomfortably.

"They're going to make the cutest grandbabies, I can't wait," his wife said happily.

"I suppose," he replied, not knowing what else to say. The scientist nodded politely as she chattered on about planning for the arrival of her first grandchild as they made their way to their bedroom.