CHAPTER TWENTY:

“You are what?!”

Bulma’s loud complaint was heard practically outside the large home as she dropped her coffee mug, barely realizing that it had shattered to the floor, to stare at the spiky-haired man moving about with brisk purpose. Yamcha, who had winced at the scream, eyed Vegeta with curiosity as well. He rose to his feet and followed the Saiyan prince up the stairs. Bulma, not wanting to be left behind, went after them with mumbled curses beneath her breath. Who the hell did Vegeta think he was, anyway? He couldn’t just poach off her family and then decide to take off whenever he liked. There were rules to being a freeloader, after all!

“Answer us, Vegeta!” she barked out coldly. Her hands were crossed before the bright-red sleeveless dress that she wore, bare feet tapping the carpeted floor in agitation. Her hair looked frazzled and her eyes flashed with mostly anger…although one could tell that there was a hint of worry and fear behind them. This was most definitely not like Vegeta…well, almost.

“Yeah, Vegeta.” Yamcha piped up. “I mean, you can’t just announce that you are leaving and then not tell us where you are going to.”

“And since when did I make any of my business yours, human?” came the cold retort from within the closet in the large bedroom. “I do not owe you anything and you have no right inquiring about…”

“So, why the hell did you come into the kitchen to tell us in the first place?! Why didn’t you just take off like you normally do?”

Vegeta froze in his movements and stepped out to eye the couple, particularly Bulma. Feeling her face heat up at the dark and intense look in the prince’s eyes, she faltered a bit in her tirade and glanced at Yamcha as if hoping that he would rescue her in case Vegeta decided to go berserk. She frowned and tried to compose herself before turning back to face the still silent prince. “Well? Got nothing to say for yourself?”

Vegeta opened his mouth, obviously about to say something, only to snap it shut with a small shake of his head. He walked back into the closet and began to pull out his clothes, idly wondering if he really needed them in the first place. He could vaguely hear the couple argue behind him, although they tried to keep it down as much as they could.

~ They are happy, even if they fight like animals every other moment. They have each other and I…I… ~

He clenched the black shirt in his hands tightly and squeezed his eyes shut. There was no turning back now. He had made a mistake and this time he was going to set it right. No one and nothing was going to stop him, especially not these people in his room.

~ Ayeka…my son… ~

“Vegeta…please, at least tell us where you are going to if nothing else.” Yamcha pleaded softly. “We…we worry about you…”

Vegeta gave out a sharp bark of laughter. “And what did she threaten you with to get you to say that, ningen?”

Yamcha flushed and Bulma had finally had it. “Listen up here, mister! Ever since you came here…uninvited…”

“Uum…didn’t you invite him, Bulma?”

“Shut up, Yamcha! As I was saying, ever since you came here, you have been nothing but trouble for every one of us! And if you think you can just walk in and out whenever you like, making us all worried sick on whether or not you are about to go ballistic and blow us all up to bits, then you are sadly mistaken!! We don’t have to put up with this, you hear me! Go! See if we care! We don’t give a…mmmphff!”

In a movement that was too quick for her to see, she found herself being pulled by stoic saiyan. Too surprised to even think or react for several seconds, Bulma could only remain in the strong embrace limply, before the enormity of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. She found herself burying her face against his chest and sobbing helplessly, her hands wrapping themselves around his lean waist to clutch fistfuls of the shirt he wore with desperation.

Vegeta made no attempt to stop her from crying, neither did he say anything to ease her grief. He allowed her to spend herself on him, dark eyes turning away to stare out the window. Nagy was waiting for him and he didn’t have much longer to spend here. Letting the woman enjoy the last few moments with him he didn’t mind that much.

He shifted as he felt her sobs finally subside. Gratefully, Yamcha had had the decency to leave them alone to their thoughts, and so the two now stood in the room, staring at each other with so much to say, but yet not really knowing how to begin. Bulma stepped away from him, unable to hide the dull blush that had come to her cheeks. It was the first time that she had ever been in Vegeta’s embrace. It wasn’t the way she had planned it to be, but still…she hadn’t wanted to be seen sobbing like a baby. She wrapped her arms around her body and walked towards the window, staring blindly out of it.

~ Compose yourself…be cool now… ~

“So…are you going to tell me where you are going, now?” she asked softly.

Vegeta shrugged and turned back to pick up the strewn clothes on the floor quietly. “To the planet Jurai,” he finally replied.

Bulma stiffened at the name and swallowed the well of jealousy and bitterness that rose to her throat. She should have known.

“Ah…to see her, right?”

There was no reply to her question and Bulma didn’t really need an answer, since she could already figure that out for herself. “They hate you there, don’t they?” she asked softly. “Why don’t you just let her…”

“Forget it, Bulma. I have no intentions of leaving the woman that rightfully belongs to me in that nation with my son!”

The blue-haired woman felt as if someone had doused a bucket of ice water on her. Son? Son?! Ayeka was pregnant with Vegeta’s son?

“I...I didn’t know…”

“How could you? I didn’t tell you, did I?”

“Well, at least you could have told us instead of acting like a big jerk about it!”

“And what good would that have done, onna?! Throw me a baby shower?! Buy us lots and lots of baby goodies?!”

“You…you!! Argh!! I hate you, Vegeta!” She stomped her feet and began to walk out of the room, too angry to make a coherent sentence. Slamming the door shut behind her, she leaned against it and covered her face with her hands, the tears beginning to fall again. The gamut of emotions was too much for her to bear. One minute in his arms, hoping to perhaps make him see reason, and now this news.

~ Why do you hurt me so much, Vegeta? You bakayaro!! ~

“You okay, Bulma?”

She lifted her head and stared at the kind and concerned face before her. “Oh, Yamcha…he…he…”

The scar-faced man pulled her into a warm embrace, soothing her with comforting words as she began to sob into his chest. “It’s gonna be okay, Bulma. You’ll see. Vegeta has a right to go if he wants to. All we have to do is hope and pray and wish him luck, ne?”

“I hate him,” came the muffled and sniffling reply. “I hate him. Hate him. Hate him.”

“Do you want me to call Goku?” Yamcha volunteered softly. “Maybe…”

“Goku won’t be able to do a thing.” She pulled away from him and wiped the tears from her face. “I wonder how he plans to go, anyway. I mean, the last spaceship dad built got destroyed and I don’t think he has another one in place. You don’t think that that mad woman has something built up for him now, do you?”

“Who? Washuu?”

Bulma frowned and nodded, mumbling something beneath her breath about crazy freeloaders. “Come on, Yamcha.” She tugged on his arm and began to lead them back down the stairs. “Let’s go find out how Vegeta plans to leave.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Hey, Chi-Chi! I’m home!”

The dark-haired woman continued to chop the vegetables a bit faster and louder. Her son raised his head from the book he had been reading on the kitchen table to eye his mother in concern, before turning to smile at his sheepish-looking father. “Hey, dad! Mom was worried about you! She was about to go look for you herself.”

Goku blushed lightly and placed a hand behind his back to scratch his head. “Oh, really? I am so sorry, Chi-Chi. I would have come home earlier, but…”

“Go to your room, Gohan.”

Father and son blinked at the cold words. “But mom…I still have to finish…”

“I said go to your room, Gohan. Now!”

The boy needed no second bidding. Picking up his books quickly, he smiled apologetically at his father and headed into his bedroom, but he was careful to leave the door slightly ajar. He had a nasty feeling that something was about to happen.

Goku stood, indecisively, in the kitchen before sighing softly. “I have to go take a shower…”

“You smell like her.”

“Chi-Chi…”

“You bastard!! You were with her!!”

The Saiyan’s quick reflexes were the only thing that saved him from having his head sliced off by the knife she had thrown in his direction. Watching the utensil get stuck in the wall behind him, he swallowed tightly and began to explain as quickly as he could.

“Listen to me, Chi-Chi, she came because of Piccolo and it was only to watch us train. I didn’t do anything…too much with her, honest! I swear to you, Chi-Chi!”

“You didn’t do anything…too much?! What the hell is that supposed to mean, Son Goku?!” She was beginning to advance again, this time with a large pan in hand. Her eyes blazed with hate and Goku could feel the first rise of fear well up in his throat. This was bad. This was really bad.

“Chi-Chi…you know I would never do anything to hurt you like that. I swear it! I only comforted her…”

The woman gave a harsh laugh. “Comforted!! You comforted her?! And how do you do that, Goku?! How do you comfort a woman?!”

“She just needed…”

“Did you touch her?!”

“What?”

“Answer me!! Did you sleep with her?!”

For a moment, Goku wasn’t sure he had heard right, but there it was…Chi-Chi was accusing him of womanizing. He clenched his hands into tight fists at his side and lowered his gaze to the floor. His tone was one filled with sorrow and heaviness.

“How could you think that, Chi-Chi? You know that I have always remained faithful to you.”

“Until she came along!! Ever since she came here, she has had her eyes set on you, Goku, and you know it! I am no competition to her!” Chi-Chi wiped the stubborn tears that had begun to fall from her eyes. “She is more beautiful than I am. Has a better figure and is stronger!!”

“But you are the mother of my son, Chi-Chi!!”

“So, what?!” The tears fell harder. “That is all I am to you, Goku, isn’t it? The woman who has your son. I know that you have never truly been in love with me. But…but…I had hoped that in some way…you would grow to have more than these ‘sisterly’ feelings towards me. I hate just being the mother of your son!! I want to be your lover and mate, too!!”

Goku was beginning to get confused and he knew that it wasn’t the time to ask silly questions. “You are my lover and mate, Chi-Chi. You know that I could never be with another…”

“Then why did you stay with her?

Goku remained silent, not really knowing how to reply to that. Why had he stayed with Ryoko? Why hadn’t he just pulled away and told her to leave?

~ Because you couldn’t, that’s why. You were too soft to refuse such an offer. ~

“Do…do you want a divorce, Goku?” When she noticed the blank expression on his face, she sighed and sat down on a kitchen chair. “Do you want us to break up? To go our separate ways?”

“No!” Goku shook his head rapidly and fell to his knees in front of her. “Please don’t leave me, Chi-Chi. I don’t know what I would do without you!”

“You mean, you don’t know who will cook for you, Goku.”

“No…no…that’s not it at all. I care for you and I want you to…”

“Don’t give me any of that hero crap, Goku! I am not just another person to ‘save’ or ‘rescue’! Perhaps it will be best if we went our separate ways for a while…I think we should…”

Gohan had heard enough. He closed his door gently and sat upon the floor, eyes misting over as the muffled voices of his parents came through the door. His parents were going to break up and it would be all her fault.

~ Ryoko…I will never forgive you if my parents ever get divorced! ~

He got to his feet and stepped towards his window. The voices were still clear and he could now hear his mother moving about the kitchen with his father, no doubt, chasing after her with fervent pleas. Running back to his bed, he made it carefully, slipping a few pillows to disguise the shape on the bed as his body. Nodding in satisfaction at his handiwork, Gohan opened up his window quietly and jumped out of it. He began a slow jog at first, not wanting to garner his parents’ attention, but once at a safe distance, he took off into the early evening air, with his sights set on confronting a certain space pirate.

~*~*~*~*~

Nagy landed lithely within the Capsule Corporation compounds, Ken-Ohki closely in tow. She pulled back her cape and eyed the large home with interest.

~ Hn…what a place. Wonder how Vegeta can stand living here. ~

She was just about to step into the house when a cold voice stopped her in her tracks.

“And just where do you think you are going?”

Nagy sighed in exasperation and turned around to face the Namekian. “And since when did you become the Brief’s bodyguard? I thought you were supposed to take care of the Saiyan and his son.”

“I am no one’s bodyguard, so get that idea out of your head,” Piccolo retorted sharply. He stepped out of the shadows and glared maliciously at the smiling bounty hunter. “What’s so funny?”

Nagy threw back her head and laughed. “You are, Piccolo. You are so filled with the need to protect others that you fail to see that you might be the one in need of protection.”

“What are you talking about?! Do not compare me to a human with weak and frail emotions!”

“I have no time to compare you to humans. You are doing quite well on your own.”

“You haven’t answered my question yet. What are you doing here?”

Nagy snorted and turned back to face the house. She placed her hands on her hips and smirked lightly. “I am taking the Saiyan prince on a little journey.”

“Grr…I won’t let you harm Vegeta!” came the angry growl from Piccolo as he clenched his fists and began to power up. “We might not be the best of friends, but he is still one of us and hell will freeze over before he comes with you!”

“Oh, my…such loyalty. I am touched.” She spun around and pinned intense blue eyes on him. “For your information, this is a mutual agreement. So there will be no need to display your strength tonight, unfortunately. Save it for another day when you will really need it.”

“What…what are you trying to say?”

Nagy allowed a small frown to crease her face before replying. “Let’s just say that things are about to get interesting from now on.”

She stopped as she noticed the trio heading towards them. Washuu flanked by a babbling Bulma and a flabbergasted Yamcha, were obviously on their way to meet them.

“Hmph! Just what I needed. A mad…no, two mad women to make my evening better. Where the hell is Vegeta? We need to get going right away.”

“Ah, Nagy! What brings you to this side of the galaxy?!”

“Washuu. I thought you were dead.”

The scientist tried to look hurt. “Ow…is that the way you greet me after all these years?”

Nagy sneered. “I do not have the time to waste right now. I need to find Vegeta. We have a long journey ahead of us.”

“So, it’s you!!” Bulma cried out. She stepped up to Nagy and pointed rather rudely into the taller woman’s face. “So, you are the one taking Vegeta to Jurai, right?!”

Nagy pushed the offending finger aside gently. “Yes, I am the one. And you must be the woman he is so desperately trying to get away from.”

Bulma sputtered indignantly and would have made a smart-assed comment, if it weren’t for Yamcha’s intervention. “Hey, now…why don’t we all get along. Who are you?” he asked, turning to face Nagy. “I don’t recall ever seeing your face around here.”

“She is a bounty hunter,” Piccolo explained. “She was here to arrest Vegeta…”

“Arrest Vegeta?! What for?!”

“Allow the man to finish, Bulma.” Washuu sighed. “Honestly, one more squeak out of you and I will turn you into a cabbit.”

That made the blue-haired woman snap her mouth shut. Piccolo continued in the same flat tone as if he hadn’t been interrupted at all. “She was supposed to arrest Vegeta for the kidnapping of Ayeka, but apparently…things have changed.”

Yamcha blinked in confusion. “Changed?”

“Yes. We have worked out a compromise and I will be taking Vegeta to Jurai.”

Bulma made a face. “I am not buying it. What if she decides to turn Vegeta in? How can we trust her?”

All eyes turned to face the hunter, eagerly awaiting her answer. She was just about to retort, when the familiar, raspy voice intervened. “Because I will kill her if she doesn’t deliver the goods as promised.”

Washuu bit on a fingernail absentmindedly. “Look who decided to crash the party.”

Ignoring everyone else, Vegeta walked up to Nagy and nodded curtly. “I am ready to leave whenever you are. Where is your spaceship?”

“Whoa there, Vegeta!” Washuu exclaimed. She stepped between the prince and the hunter and held up a finger. “I think I have something that might make your trip to Jurai a little bit faster.”

“Nani?” came the cries from her audience.

Washuu, always one to relish the spotlight, grinned and nodded. “Hai. I have the perfect spaceship that can take you to Jurai in no time at all. On your regular Ken-Ohki here, the trip would take you about three months, ne? Well, with my new and improved, Ryo-Ohki…”

“Hey, isn’t that…”

A bop on Yamcha’s head, caused him to keep silent. Washuu cleared her throat and continued. “With my new and improved Ryo-Ohki, I can guarantee you reaching Jurai in less than a month!”

A hushed silence fell after her announcement and she scowled at the looks of disbelief and wariness on their faces. “You don’t believe me?!”

“I refuse to enter any contraption that belongs to Ryoko,” Nagy replied coldly. “You could improve Ken-Ohki in that format, but I will not ride in that spaceship, got it?”

“Grr…we have no time for improvements on your spaceship, Nagy!” Vegeta snapped in irritation. “Let us just go with what she has. The sooner I get to Jurai, the better!”

“Fine! Then we will use my ship which should get us there in three months!”

Bulma shrugged. “If I were you, I would take the crazy old scientist’s advice…hey!! What did you do that for?!” She glared angrily at Washuu, rubbing the now sore spot on her head. “You didn’t have to hit me so hard!”

“The name is Little Washuu, or you don’t call me at all!”

Vegeta closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten as the arguments picked up around him. He was two seconds away from forming a ki blast and sending them all to kingdom come, when Piccolo’s warm grip fell on his shoulder. Stiffening at the contact, he growled and glared at the Namekian. “What is it?”

“Let Washuu improve on Ken-Ohki,” Piccolo said shortly. “It shouldn’t take her that long and, besides, you want to get to Jurai quickly, right?”

Vegeta sighed and nodded in reluctant agreement. “Alright, Washuu!” he barked out. “How long do you think these so-called improvements will last?”

Washuu grinned in victory. “It shouldn’t take more than twenty-four hours. Just give me Ken-Ohki and I will be on my way.” She held out her hand to receive the now chuffing cabbit. “Easy there now,” she cajoled softly. “This shouldn’t take long! See you all in a while!”

“Wait!” Nagy shouted. “I am coming with you. I don’t like the idea of leaving my cabbit with you alone. You might do something crazy to him.”

Washuu was about to protest, when Vegeta interjected. “I am coming too. I want to see what this ship is supposed to look like.”

“I really do not like people interrupting me in the middle of my work,” Washuu muttered. “But, I guess I can make an exception this time. You can all come and marvel at my genius!! Hahahaha!!”

Loud groans could be heard from her audience as they all followed her through the wooden door into hyperspace.

~*~*~*~*~

Gohan could sense Ryoko’s ki in the distance and, picking up his speed, he flew over the last remaining cliffs, noticing that there was a lake beyond that. Landing a few yards from where he guessed she was, he walked through the ridges and froze in shock as he watched the woman jump out of the lake.

Totally and completely nude.

Slapping a hand over his mouth and eyes, Gohan squeaked out a breathless whisper and ran back behind a clump of bushes. He struggled to wipe the image away and willed himself to remember what he came here for. He was only eleven, but he knew what a naked woman looked like…well, he had had only his science books and an occasional peek at Master Roshi’s Playboy stash… but to see one live and in person…

“How long do you plan on hiding there?”

Gohan nearly jumped out of his skin as he spun around to face the, thankfully, now dressed pirate. The tight orange and white outfit she wore didn’t exactly make him feel any more comfortable, for she was leaning forward and her ample bosoms threatened to spill out of her dress at any second. Darkening with embarrassment and confusion, Gohan staggered weakly to his feet and stepped back, trying hard to regain his composure. He eyed the smiling face, and then remembered the cold words.

/ You smell like her./

That scent. Gohan had smelled it too, the moment his father had walked into the kitchen. And, now inches away from him, the perfume threatened to make him go insane. Maybe he had secretly prayed that it wouldn’t be Ryoko. But the evidence was there. This woman was about to make his parents separate and that, in itself, was inexcusable.

He powered up and fell into a stance, dark eyes flashing with hurt and anger. “I will defeat you before you think of making my parents break up! Arrrrrrrgggggghhhhhh!!!”

He flew headlong into Ryoko, surprising her completely with his speed. Unable to phase out in time, she took the full brunt of the blow, smashing into a cliff and sending it tumbling to the ground in pieces. She tried to get up and gasped again as she found herself staring into now cold eyes. Struggling to form an energy beam, not wanting to hurt the boy, but yet knowing that if she didn’t fight back she could very well die tonight, she flew out of reach and remained in the air above him, eyes widening in confusion.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Gohan?! What is this…”

“Shut up and fight me!!” He roared and flew towards her again, this time sending off rapid kicks in her direction. Luckily, Ryoko managed to compose herself and was able to fend off most of the blows. But finally having enough, she formed a quick blast and sent it through Gohan’s stomach, knowing that it would only sting the boy. At least, it should give her some time to find out why he suddenly hated her.

/I will defeat you before you make my parents break up!/

Her eyes widened and she flew slowly back to earth. Had Gohan seen them? Oh, god!

“Gohan…let me explain.” She tried to reach for him, but her hands were slapped away. She felt her heart break at the cold look on the handsome face and she backed away slowly. “Gohan…I am so sorry…”

“How could you?! After all we did for you! What did you do to my father?!”

“Gohan…”

“I hate you!! I wish you had never come to Earth! I wish we had never been friends with you!! Don’t you ever come near my family again, do you hear me?! Never!!”

Each word sent another wound right through her heart. She shut her eyes and shook her head slowly, willing the painful words to stop ringing around in her head. It was all her fault. For daring to think that she could ever belong with others. It was all her fault. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!!

She opened up her eyes and flashed angry, reddened eyes at him. “So, what the hell are you doing here?! You better get out of here before I kill you and, trust me, I will not go easy on you, kid!!”

“Ryoko! What the hell is going on here?!”

“Dad!!”

Both Gohan and Ryoko spun around to face the Saiyan that hovered in the air a few feet away from them. A thunderous scowl was on Goku’s face. A scowl that Ryoko had never seen and one that sent a shiver down her spine. It looked like Goku was planning to kill her.

Gohan flew into his father’s arms, sobbing helplessly. “Please, don’t break up with mom! I tried to defeat her dad…I…I…”

“It’s okay, Gohan,” Goku murmured softly, his hands brushing the younger Saiyan’s hair gently. “You go on back home now…”

“No…I want you to come with me, Dad…please…”

A flash of something akin to sadness came across Goku’s eyes. “I can’t come home right now, Gohan. Your mother and I…”

Gohan shook his head rapidly. “No…you didn’t. Please, dad…”

Ryoko watched in dismay, although her face gave none of the horror she felt inside. This couldn’t be happening. She had caused this much sadness to a family that had been so kind and generous to her. She felt her heart thud a bit faster as Goku’s gaze clashed with hers. Gone was the warm gaze that she had witnessed earlier in the evening. Gone was the kindness, instead an empty, almost dead look filled within the dark eyes and Ryoko knew that she could not remain around a moment longer. Lowering her lashes, she flew back slowly, the words that fell from her lips filled with regret.

“I am so sorry. I have caused you all so much…pain. Please, find it in your heart to forgive me….”

And with those final words, she phased out of sight.

Father and son remained in the tight embrace, both filled with thoughts on what had just occurred. “Dad…I am sorry…”

Goku laughed lightly and pulled back to stare into the saddened depths below him. “There is nothing to be sorry about. It was all my fault to begin with. So, I guess you heard your mother and I, ne?”

Gohan nodded and rubbed a hand across his eyes. Goku sighed and ran fingers through his hair. “Gohan…your mother and I…we…we need some time to think things through and we will be separating for a while.”

Gohan gasped and began to shake his head. “No, dad! I want you two to be together…”

“We just need to be apart for a while, Gohan. I promise that we will be a family again soon. Please, try and understand…”

“Then I am coming with you, dad!” came the vehement reply. “I want to be with you!”

“Gohan, your mother needs you too. It wouldn’t be fair for us to leave her all by herself.”

A thick silence fell between them before Goku sighed in resignation. “I was going to see Bulma and the others. Do you want to come with me?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Gohan replied softly. “We won’t tell them about anything now, will we?”

Goku nodded. “Hai. We should keep this a secret…for now.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Hmm…and now just a few more adjustments to the sensory rays and we are in business….What the hell is that?!”

All six occupants in Washuu’s lab jerked around in bemusement as a loud rumbling sound was heard. This was soon followed by a loud cat’s ‘meow’ and the sound of something huge…so huge, in fact, that the ground beneath their feet trembled at the enormity of it.

“It’s Ryo-Ohki!” Nagy screamed above the sound. “What the hell is Ryoko doing back here?!”

Washuu shook her head in confusion. There was something clearly bothering her daughter and, she for, one was going to find out what it was.

“Alright, you guys! I think she is all set to go now!”

“Huh?! I thought you said it would take twenty-four hours to get Ken-Ohki fixed!” Bulma asked, bewildered. “It’s been barely four hours!”

“In hyperspace, four hours is twenty-four hours!!” Washuu reasoned. This didn’t exactly sit too well with the others. Nagy, for one, felt betrayed.

“You promised to make my ship much faster!”

“It is much faster. And if we all make it on now, we should be able to get to Jurai and catch up to Ryoko at the same time!”

“Why are we trying to catch, Ryoko?” Nagy asked.

Vegeta was beginning to think that this was a horrendous nightmare. “And what do you mean by we? You aren’t planning on following us now, are you?!”

Washuu nodded with a frown. “Of course I am. I designed this ship, so you are going to need my help!”

“We don’t need your goddamn help!” Vegeta bellowed back. “This trip is for only Nagy and I!!”

“I don’t think so! I am coming with you!”

“And so am I!” Bulma piped up as well. “There is no way in hell I am missing all the fun!”

“Onna…”

Yamcha stood beside his girl and nodded curtly. “If Bulma goes, then I go.”

“Not you too!!” Vegeta snarled and spun around to face Nagy. “This is ridiculous. I refuse to go on this journey with these clowns for company! Let us leave now!”

The door leading out of the ‘lab’ was suddenly opened up and two spiky-locked heads appeared.

“Uuum…hey, guys! Are we too late to join the party?”

Bulma grinned and waved. “No, Goku. We were just about to go to Jurai to rescue the princess!”

~ This isn’t happening…this is not happening… ~ Vegeta had finally had enough. “Alright!!”

The chattering stopped and everyone turned to face the furious prince. He began to speak out in clipped tones, barely able to control the fury he felt inside.

“This was supposed to be a simple plan. I would leave quietly with Nagy to bring back Ayeka, but, somehow, somehow all of you…unwanted creatures…have found a way to disrupt my plans! I do not need anyone’s help! I do not need to have you all tagging along and making things more difficult than they are! So, you will kindly leave us alone and go back to your lives and allow us to head on to our destination!!”

For a moment, nothing was heard as everyone lowered their gaze in shame…or not…

“We can’t do that, Vegeta,” Bulma stated quietly. “You have become a part of us, whether you want to admit it or not. Whatever happens to you, affects us all in more ways than one. You might think that no one cares for you…but…” She waved her hand around the room towards the others. “We all do. So, we don’t show it in the best of ways, but it’s still there. And right now you are hurting inside and we all feel it, too. You want to bring back the woman you love and the son you never got a chance to see and…we all want to share that with you. Why don’t you give us a chance to be your companions…at least for this trip and then when we all come back, you can kill us all if you like.”

Vegeta stared at Bulma in quiet disbelief. Had she really meant those words? Or were they all just trying to pity him? He clenched his hands into fists and tried to maintain the glare, but he was failing miserably. His pride would have to be put aside for a while. He refused to allow that strange feeling of gratitude consume him at the words she had said. His final gaze fell on Kakkarrot and his young son. He could sense something…melancholy… between the two, but the thought of his own flesh and blood being so far away from him brought him back to his senses and he growled before nodding.

“Fine! It’s not my spaceship,” he added with a scowl, as he folded his arms across his chest. “So, don’t expect me to give you permission to come on board.”

Bulma yelped in excitement and ran across to plant a big kiss on the surprised prince’s cheek. She raced out of the room, pulling Yamcha in tow. “Come on! We have to go pack and stuff!”

Every one else stared at the couple in bemusement, before Washuu clapped her hands together. “I think Ken-Ohki can fit us all in! You two are coming, right?” This she asked to Goku and Gohan, who both exchanged glances and shrugged. Goku was about to say something, when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. “Of course we are going. I am not leaving any where without my husband.”

Vegeta and Piccolo groaned. Nagy and Washuu eyed the newcomer with interest, while Goku and Gohan gasped in pleasured surprise.

“Does this mean that…” Goku dared to ask, with faint hope in his eyes.

Chi-Chi scowled and tugged gently on Gohan’s arm. “No, Goku. I am just following you on this trip because of Gohan. I was actually here to see Bulma, but she told me about this and I decided to tag along.” She turned to face Washuu. “You don’t mind now, do you?”

Vegeta did mind and he was about to make that point clear, when Nagy cut in with a resigned sigh. “We don’t mind. I hope that’s the last of them. I can’t take any more, no matter how super Ken-Ohki is now.”

“That’s the last,” Piccolo said as he made his way out of the room. He, too, had sensed the animosity between Goku and Chi-Chi, but had decided to refrain from saying anything. “So, when do we leave?”

“In about four hours,” Washuu replied, her hands already busy on her floating laptop. “That should give everyone enough time to get themselves in gear, right? Hurry up now! Once we are set to leave, we wait for no one!”

And with a quick wave of her hands, she shooed everyone out of her laboratory.

~*~*~*~*~

Four hours later found the motley crew standing around the lawns of the Brief’s household. Surrounding Bulma and Yamcha was luggage enough to last for a year and Chi-Chi had not spared any expense her self. Aside from the regular sleeping essentials, there were packages piled high with every imaginable food conceivable. Washuu and Nagy eyed the humans with bewildered expressions. Even Ken-Ohki meowed softly. This stuff could weigh more than a ton.

“So…is everyone here now?”

All were accounted for, except…

“Hey, where is Vegeta?” Yamcha asked.

Piccolo stepped forward with a light grunt. “I will go bring him.” And, hardly waiting for a response, he flew towards the area he had sensed the prince’s ki from. Sure enough, Vegeta was sitting upon a high cliff in a meditation pose. A look of eagerness and yet determination was etched on his visage and he barely turned towards Piccolo’s direction.

“We are about to leave, Vegeta.”

Nodding once in understanding, the prince rose to his feet and closed his eyes, taking a lungful of the fresh air with relish.

In a few weeks, he would be back on land again, but this time… he would be a whole lot closer to the woman he loved and to the son that would be heir to a nation that hated him.