Warning from adimra: This story was inspired by the Greek Tragedy of Oedipus Rex. For those who are not familiar with it or Freud's 'Oedipus Complex,' you should be aware that the main theme is a son falling in love with his mother (though like Oedipus Rex, the son doesn't know it's his mother). Now, the first chapter of this story deals with very mature and graphic content. Bulmaveg_otaku does push the envelope quite a bit, and while certain scenes will be disturbing to most, things do not go past the point of no return. If you feel that you will be upset by reading those scenes, then scroll past it or don't read it at all. Please do not send angry emails to either myself or the author. I can guarantee that this is a Bulma and Vegeta story - it is just done very differently. If I haven't scared you away yet, then please, continue.

The Way I Feel for You
By: Bulmaveg_Otaku

Dear Son,

By the time you read this I should be gone. Having sacrificed my life for this chance to have you escape from this living hell that makes up our world. Every living thing has been destroyed except for you and a few other survivors, but they won’t last much longer. You know of the androids destruction and the radiation that has leaked into the atmosphere. The only good thing about it is that those blasted androids won’t have any thing to play with once all living beings are dead, and I’m sure that it won’t be long until even their superior bodies succumb to the toxic poisons. This world is dead; nothing remains to even be saved… except you. I have devoted my life to leaving you a saving legacy. While you have been confined to this safe prison to read your books and watch your holo-vids I have been creating my masterpiece, my magnum opus. The last twenty years of my life have been spent trying to find a way to right the terrible wrong that has occurred to this world, but I’m afraid that the completion of my work has come too late to save the world. It can, however save you, and offer you a real life.

How I wish that I could have been there for you, with you like a real mother should be, but the I couldn’t risk the radiation contaminating your safe underground, and as you very well know, I could never fit through the detox-hatch. This letter, and my gift to you, could however. And so I send you your freedom, with the hope that, in another time, it is not too late for you to have a real life and be a normal boy. My last request is that you assure the safety of your new home by destroying the threat before it overwhelms it as well. You know where, I have assured the when. Everything you need can be found in the capsule I assume you are holding in the palm of your hand. I have supplied you with everything required. Now it is up to you. Just push the button and complete your task, and your life should be relatively home free. Try and forget about this nightmare. My best wishes and love go with you.

Love,
Your Mother.

Two weeks had past since his death, and still Bulma felt her chest ache as though her heart had ripped out. The pain was as fresh and as new as when she had been informed of his death and had sunken into the sand with body racking sobs. She laid in bed staring out the window and waited for the pain to go away, but it persisted. She felt tears well up as she sighed, trying to control her emotions. She shouldn’t have been hit so hard by his death, but perhaps it was the threat and hopelessness that life could very well end soon, combined with her loss of a dear friend.

Why get out of bed and go to work if everything that you were building was just going to be destroyed in a year anyway? Her thoughts seemed to snap. ‘Because life still has to go on, Bulma. You still have that year, and you still have hope. All of your friends are training so hard to make sure that you have a future and all you can do is lay in bed and give up. What kind of coward do you think that makes you?’ She rose suddenly form bed and walked downstairs and out side to get some fresh air. ‘It’s time to fight. There are things that you can do to help, but you have to get out of bed. Goku would be disappointed if he could see me now. I have to do all I can to make sure is death is not in vain.’ Sorrow threatened to overwhelm her again as she thought of her friend’s valiant sacrifice, and her heart constricted and seemed to almost stop beating. ‘No more time for sorrow. Back to life.’ She blew a kiss to the wind and went inside to get ready for work. There was lots of work to do in the next year. And Goku would be back. After he had finished his straining at King Kai’s. Thank Kami for the dragon balls…

The tall young man stood on the edge of the cliff and surveyed the valley around him. According to his calculations the lab would be just under the ledge bellow him. He climbed over the edge and started on his way down. He swung his legs over the lip of the cave and then dropped down with a satisfied grunt. ‘Here it is.’ A frown creased his normally handsome and innocent face. ‘This is where it all begins. The death of the world is born behind these steel doors.

Trunks swung the pack off his back and opened it gently. Inside he found the things that had been prepared by his mother’s hands. He took the small silver pistol and swung the pack back onto his shoulders. Taking a deep breath he raised the gun and pointed it at the doors. Pulling the trigger, he watched as the doors disintegrated in a manner of milliseconds. Stepping through the now gapping hole he looked around quickly before entering the larger inner chamber. He could hear an alarm ringing loudly while red lights flashed down the end of a hallway to his left. To his right was another hallway with several doors leading off into other individual labs. Straight in front of him was another set of double steel doors. ‘This has to be it.’ He raised his high intensity laser gun to make another entrance for him when the doors opened themselves and out stepped the creator of death himself.

Trunks stepped out from the wall where he held his defensive position and glared at the old man. "Dr. Gero, I cannot allow you to live. You have destroyed all that was dear to me, and now I will make sure that you never hurt anyone else ever again. This stops now!" With these words he fired his weapon at the shocked Dr.’s chest. He never even knew what hit him. The gun dissipated his entire body before he could even open his mouth to protest his own death.

Standing still for a few seconds, taking in the fact that he had changed everything for this time, Trunks breathed in sharp ragged breaths, the gun still held poised in it’s firing position. After he regained control, he realized that he want finished yet, and there was no way he was going to leave the job half done.

A half hour later he stepped back out into the sunshine and smiled. The empty pack hung from one hand, while a small trigger device hung from the other. It only took him a few minutes to scale the cliff and walk back from the edge. He continued to walk, his face up, enjoying the feel of the sun and the fresh air on his skin. After he figured he had walked a safe distance away he turned and, without hesitating, pushed the small red button. Almost instantaneously a large area in front of him exploded, shooting rocks and trees into the air. Mettle and rocks poured our of the mountain in a poor old faithful imitation and then seemed to hang in the air for a split second before turning and plummeting back to the ground. Thousands of tons of earth and steal and Dr. Gero’s entire lab were being displaced and scrambled like a few dozen eggs. Fire mixed in with the debris as things began to settle. Everything was either smoldering or on blazing on fire.

Trunks smiled. "Mission completed, mother." He stood for a while just watching the countryside burn, knowing he had saved mankind.

When the call came in to the fire department in south city to help with the mysterious fire that was revenging the forest and hillsides just outside the city, it was no shock to anyone. In fact, they were already on their way. Everyone with in a hundred mile radius had seen the explosion, including Bulma Briefs, who was on her way to work. She saw the cloud rise in the distance and hear a sound like thunder a few seconds later. ‘What the…?’ She turned her air car immediately towards the sight. ‘I have to find out what happened.’ She took off in the direction of the explosion, not even thinking of the consequences.

As she neared ground zero she could look down and see large red trucks on the edge of the flames trying to put out the fire with little success. Bulma flew in lower to survey the damage. ‘It appears like there was a huge explosion here. By the looks of the mettle debris, and the collapsed mountain, I’d say it wasn’t accidental. Who would so such a thing?’ Her thoughts distracted her and she didn’t even see the tree that clipped the edge of her vehicles wing and sent her in a spin towards the earth.

She let out an ear-piercing scream as she watched the brown earth and green trees rush up at her at a dizzying speed. In a matter of seconds she felt her craft impact with the earth jarring her whole body and snapping her head forward to connect with the steering wheel. Darkness ensued.

The next thing she knew, she was lying on the hard ground. She blinked and peered into a pair of azure eyes filled with worry. They lightened slightly as the beheld her conscious state.

"Are you alright? The voice was soft and kind, and genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I think so. I hit my head I think, and my whole body hurts, but I don’t think anything’s broken." She attempted to sit up, but a firm hand on her shoulder held her down.

"Don’t try to move, just yet. Let me look you over." The young man focused on her eyes as if searching for a concussion, then he moved to examine her head and arms and stomach. Bulma was in awe at the handsome mans care and expertise in looking her over.

"Are you a doctor or something?" He looked to young to be a doctor. He looked about her age, maybe even a little younger.

He looked at her a little confused. "A doctor? Um, no, not really."

"Not really? You mean your not sure? You seem to know a lot about how to take care of the injured."

"I just know a few things about first-aid. I read a few books." He said casually as he ran his hands over her legs trying to feel for breaks. His touch sent shivers up Bulma’s spine. "I think you’re alright. Can you stand?"

"I don’t know. You wouldn’t let me. You seemed set on your examination first." She smiled a little and looked into his eyes. Then he actually blushed.

"Oh, well, you can try now." He said as he stood and helped her rise. She went slowly testing all her muscles to make sure they would hold before leaning all her weight on them. Soon she was standing with her hand on the shoulder of her savior.

"Well, that wasn’t so bad. Everything seems to be in working order, just a little sore, that’s all." She looked around and saw her air car a few feet away. The front was a little dented in and the bottom was all scraped up, but other then that there seemed to be no damage. "I guess that crash wasn’t as bad as I thought it was."

"You were really lucky. At the speed you came down you could have been really hurt, but I guess the angle was just right and most of the impact went to the bottom of you craft. I don’t know if it’ll work though. You might want to get in and try it."

"Yeah." Bulma said as she climbed into the open door and sat in the drivers seat. She tried to turn the key, but the engine wouldn’t turn over. It growled in protest and then quit all together. "Well, I guess your right. Looks like I’ll have to get a ride with you." She smiled inwardly at that thought. She seemed draw to this stranger, and felt an intense need to get to know him better.

"Let me take a look." He walked over and popped the hood. After a few minutes of tinkering around he yelled to her, "Try it now!"

She turned the key again, only this time after protesting, the engine roared to life. "Wow. You fixed that quick. Your not a mechanic are you?"

He seemed to ponder the question, analyzing the meaning. "A mechanic? No, not really."

She smiled skeptically. "Let me guess. You just read a few books?"

"Well, yeah…" He seemed embarrassed and blushed again.

"What do you do then? Not just read books I hope? Oh, wait, I know. You wonder the woods helping stupid girls who get in wrecks in the middle of the forest? Am I right?"

"Um, well, I don’t think your stupid. I just got out on my own I guess you could say. I don’t really know what I’m going to do now, I’m just glad to be here. I guess I can do anything I want now." His innocence and honesty brought a smile to Bulma’s lips.

"I’ll bet you could. I’m Bulma," she said holding out her hand. "What’s your name?"

He looked down at her hand with a worried expression on his face. "Um, hi, Bulma. I’m Trunks." When he didn’t take her hand, but just looked at it with a confused look on his face, Bulma almost laughed.

"What? Haven’t you read any books on hand shakes? Here, let me show you." She took his hand and shook it vigorously. "There, that wasn’t so bad, now was it?" She continued to smile at him while he stared at their locked hands. He seemed to blush even redder and then he hesitantly pulled his hand away.

"Well, I need to get going, I have to get to work, maybe wash up some." She touched to cut on her brow and winced at the pain, and the blood that stayed on her fingers. "Do you live around here? Do you have a way home?" She wanted to know that she could get a hold of this guy before she left.

"I don’t have a home anymore. I’m kind of looking for a new home at the moment." He seemed sad, but who wouldn’t. She was defiantly going to take advantage of this.

"Well, I have plenty of room. You could stay with me for a while until you find a place, and I could even offer you a job. You seem pretty smart, and there are a million things I could have you do for me…" She stopped her words as she realized the meanings he might take, but he didn’t seem to notice. "So, um, what kind of things are you good at? What do you like to do?"

He considered it for a second. "I’m really good at fixing things and putting them together, and I enjoy Hyper-level Metaphysics especially." He said seriously. Bulma couldn’t believe it. This guy was probably a genius and he was just out in the woods saving people.

"Well, I’d say you defiantly have a job then, if you want one, that is…" She seemed unsure that he’d accept, but every doubt was wiped away when he smiled brightly and nodded his head. She smiled too and then they climbed into her vehicle and flew off.

It was only a few months before Bulma really realized Trunks’ potential and had him working in the upper levels of her company. She worked closely together with him as they tried to come up with a few energy-altering devices. A ki enhancer and a ki shield were top on their list. At night Trunks would go home with Bulma, eat dinner with her and her parents and then bid them good night. Bulma was a little frustrated by the fact that their relationship was only friendship and work related. She was starting to really like her purple haired guest.

Trunks, as well, was having trouble dealing with their relationship. Bulma was the first girl he had ever seen, besides his mother, and that was nothing to go by. His mother had been deeply scarred and burned by the radiation and had always worn a mask around her face. The only other person Trunks had ever seen was Gohan, whom he learned a few martial arts and some other basic skills from.

Just now he lay on his bed staring at the ceiling and pondered the blue-haired beauty that had opened her doors and invited him in so freely. Every time he saw her he felt warm in his chest and his stomach. He longed for something, but he wasn’t quite sure what it was. His eyes closed as he drifted asleep letting the confusion wash away from him.

~~~~ "Mother, are there any other people?" This was something Trunks’ young mind had been pondering a lot lately.

In the morning when he woke, Trunks had decided that he wanted to be a father and have a new family, now that his old family was gone. ‘How do you fall in love?’ he considered this as he dressed for the day. With all of his knowledge and learning, with everything he had obtained from books, he couldn’t even begin to comprehend the concept of love.

Being Saturday, Mrs. Briefs had prepared a continental breakfast and Trunks ate his fill. When Bulma came down he watched her eat struggling with the tense feelings in his chest.

"Today, I thought that you and I could spend some time together, Trunks." Bulma announced as she finished her orange juice. "We never really get time to talk."

"We talk all the time at work." Trunks was confused at her words.

"Well, yeah," she seemed a little embarrassed. "But that’s all work stuff. We never get to talk about ourselves. I hardly know anything about you, except that you are a brilliant guy who acts as though he’s been raised in a cave…" She stopped realizing that that might be a little rude.

Trunks was a little taken back at what she had said, but their awkward moment was saved by the doorbell. "I wonder who that could be…" Bulma rose and walked to the front door. When she opened it she saw several familiar faces that she had been missing. "Yamcha! Krillin! Tien!" She rushed forward and hugged them all in turn. "Hello, Chaotzu, how have you been? Come in you guys! How’s your training going?"

They all came in and Krillin began to tell her all about what had been going on with them since they had last seen each other. "We decided that we should visit you and see how you were doing, considering how hard you took it when Goku…" He stopped and bowed his bald head.

"I’m okay, Krillin. At first it was really hard on me, but I’m ok now, besides, after he finishes what ever he’s doing in the after life, he’ll be back to take care of those Saiyan creeps. I just miss him so much." They all nodded. "By the way, where’s Gohan?" She hadn’t seen Goku’s little boy among the crowd.

"Piccolo took him out in the wilderness to train him. Funny as it seems he’s probably the best chance we’ve got to win, besides Goku." He gave a nervous laugh. Bulma looked over at Yamcha and noticed he was frowning, and that his attention was looking somewhere over his shoulder. She followed his gaze to see Trunks leaning up against the doorway.

"Oh, hey guys! This is Trunks. He’s been working at Capsule Corp. for the last few months. He’s also been staying here because He has nowhere else to go, so I invited him to live with me.

Trunks smiled and shook hands with the group. That was something he’d gotten used to during his stay at the Briefs home. He had heard the name Goku and knew that that was the name of Bulma’s friend who had died just before he arrived. These were evidently her other friends. He was surprised to see they were all male, like him. ‘Great, what are the chances that she’ll love me other then one of these.’ He kept the smile on his face, but inside his heart was twisting.

"Trunks and I were going to go out today and take a picnic for lunch. You guys are welcome to join us. I can have my mom pack some more food…" She was glad to spend time with her friends, although she wanted some one on one with her guest. That could wait though.

"Well," Krillin began. "We really shouldn’t. We just stopped in to…" Yamcha cut off his rejection.

"Geez, Bulma, we’d love to." He wanted to make sure that there wasn’t anything going on between Bulma and this new guy.

"Um, Ok, I guess, but just for a while, then we have to get back to training." Krillin consented.

"Chaotzu and I are going to decline, Bulma. We really ought to get back to our training, if that’s ok." Tien said. He had no desire to sit around and watch Yamcha play the jealous boyfriend.

"Sure, Tien, that’s fine. I understand completely. It was good to see you! Good by, Chaotzu!" She placed a kiss on the small emperor’s cheek and he blushed before disappearing out the door behind his three-eyed bodyguard. "Look’s like it’s just us four then." Bulma gathered up their things and they left shortly afterwards.

In the car Yamcha began to question Trunks. "So, what’s your last name Trunks?"

"Uh, I don’t know." After starting work Trunks had soon discovered that all people had two names. One of their own, and one they shared with their family. He had never been called anything besides Trunks.

"You don’t know?" Yamcha asked shocked and skeptical. "Where did you grow up? Where’s your family?"

"My family is all gone. They died. I’m not sure where I grew up, exactly. I think it was around here somewhere, but I don’t think that my home is here yet, uh, I mean, anymore." He tried to cover his tracks. He didn’t want to revel too much. He had decided that if people knew about where he’d come from they wouldn’t understand and they would reject him. He hadn’t, however, come up with a convincing story to tell about his past. So far no one had really asked, or cared. At work they just knew he was a brilliant man who understood concepts they had only begun to conceive.

Trunks had been surprised to find out that Bulma’s father had created Capsule Corp. the company who made capsule technology that was all too familiar too Trunks. They had that in the future. It made him realize that Bulma had probably existed in his world as well. He wondered what her life had been like then. If she had had family and how she had died. It made him sad to think about that. It was probably this guy that seemed to hate him already that was father to her children. It also made him realize that his mother was out there as well. She would be young and unmarred by the radiation. He wished he knew her name, or at least what she had looked like. He would have liked to find her, but that was basically impossible.

‘Wow,’ Yamcha thought at the guys words. ‘He sure is a weird one. I hope he’s not dangerous.’

"I didn’t know your family had died, Trunks. How did they die?" Bulma asked sympathetically.

"My father was killed by two murdering monsters, and my mother, well, she was sick, I guess." Trunks explained trying to hide his pain at their memory.

Bulma say his pain, despite his attempts to hide it.

"Wow!" Krillin exclaimed. "That’s really sad."

"Yeah, I guess." Trunks shrugged it off and sat in silence as they finished the ride to the park where they were going. When they arrived, spirits lifted and they all got out and found a place to lay their blanket.

"It’s not quite time to eat yet, guys. So…"

"Hey, Yamcha, lets spar!"

The two guys went a ways away and began to fight leaving Bulma and Trunks to themselves. They got everything out of the car and then sat down on the grass.

"So, what was your mother like? You don’t mind me asking, do you?"

"No, not at all. I didn’t know my mother very well. I only saw her every once in a while. She was really busy with her work. She couldn’t stay with me because she was always looking for part for her project and it was too hard to go back and forth. From what I did know of her though, she was very kind. Always trying to save the world and help everyone out. She sacrificed her whole life to her work. She was really smart and she could build almost anything.

"Kind of like you, hu? That must be where you get it. She sounds really nice, despite being a workaholic. What about you dad? You said he was murdered? By who?"

"I’m not really sure…" he didn’t quite know what to tell her. "I never really knew them, but my mother told me that he was killed trying to protect some people from some, uh, dangerous people." He wanted to change the subject. "You have a nice family, though. I have enjoyed staying with you and your mother and father."

"Yeah, my parent’s are pretty great. Sometimes, though, I wish that I had a family of my own." She dropped this subtle hint hoping that Trunks wouldn’t get scared away by it.

Trunks heart jumped and then he looked over to where Krillin and Yamcha were fighting. "Are you good friends with them?"

"Who? Yamcha and Krillin? Yeah, sure. We’ve know each other since we were kids. It’s been really hard on all of us since Goku’s death…" She bowed her head and pushed back the tears.

Trunks leaned forward and put his hand on her shoulder. "Don’t cry." This all seemed so familiar. Only this feeling was so warm and real. She lifted her teary eyes to his and they stared into the depths of each other’s eyes.

At the house Trunks had seen Bulma put her lips on her small friends cheek, it had seemed a sign of affection, so he decided to try it. Gently he leaned forward and touched his lips to her soft cheek. He was surprised at the softness against his own skin. He pulled away slowly, not wanting to give up the feelings, but not sure what he was doing or what it meant.

"Why… Why did you do that?" Bulma said breathlessly. She was confused by his actions. He didn’t seem sure about himself, yet at the same time he managed to make such a heartfelt action that her heart had melted and she felt her stomach tingle. He was so gentle, but was it just kindness or did he really like her.

She reached her hand up and touched his cheek. Brushing his shoulder length hair behind his ear. The whole time she searched his face for any kind of reaction. His eyes widened when she lightly touched the side of his ear. His hand on her shoulder tightened a little and then retreated back to his side. He sat back away from her and took a deep breath. His blood was rushing through his body with tremendous force and his entire body seemed to be shaking. He didn’t know what was going on, but he knew that it started to fill the need he felt. Until he figured out what was going on, he needed to take a step back. He stood and then he heard a shout from near by.

"Hey, Yamcha! Where are you going?!" Krillin shouted at the other man as he flew away. Trunks stared in disbelief. ‘Yamcha could fly?’

Bulma noticed that Yamcha had taken off. "Hey, Krillin! What’s up with him?"

"I don’t know. He just stopped fighting all the sudden and took off. I don’t know, he looked pretty angry… Man, that’s it for training." He hung his head and flew back to where Bulma and Trunks were.

"Let’s eat!" Bulma said, trying to lighten the mood.

It worked and the three talked and ate happily for a while. After they were done Trunks asked Krillin something that had been on his mind since Yamcha had taken off.

"You and Yamcha, you can fly?" He seemed very curious, and somewhat confused.

"Yeah, we fly because of our ki." Krillin tried to explain.

"The same type of energy that we’ve been working on at work, Trunks. They can already use it to fly and fight." Bulma said in her scientific way.

"Oh," Trunks exclaimed, "Could you teach me?"

Krillin laughed nervously. "Well, I don’t know. You have to be able to control your energy in order to…"

"You mean like this?" Trunks interrupted as he raised his fist and shot a ball of energy at a near by hill.

"Whoa!" Krillin yelled as he jumped up. "Where’d you learn to do that?" He thought that him and the rest of the z-fighters were the only ones who knew ki manipulation.

"My father taught me. He showed me some basic fighting moves and how to use my energy to increase my strength. He never taught me how to fly though. I know he knew how to, but he never told me because he was afraid…" ‘that I would escape or try to leave.’ But he couldn’t finish the sentence that way. "…that I’d get hurt."

"So your dad taught you how to fight, hu? Why don’t you show me what you’ve got?" He walked a few feet away and took a defensive stance. Trunks fallowed unsure at first and then more confident as he took his own position.

"Krillin, don’t hurt him!" Bulma warned. She knew she couldn’t stop men from fighting when they had their mind set on it, but she didn’t want to watch Trunks get hurt.

"Don’t worry. I’ll go easy on him." Krillin stepped forward in an attempt to throw a punch at Trunks, but he easily sidestepped. "Your fast, hu? Well, try this one." The shorter guy jumped and kicked up at Trunks face with his right foot while bringing his left leg around to hit him in the side. The first leg missed, but the second landed squarely on the arm. Trunks didn’t even flinch as he watched the bald man land before he stepped into punch him in the chin.

Krillin went flying, landing several feet away, his head swimming with stars. Bulma stared in wonder before running over to where Krillin was sprawled on the ground.

"Krillin, are you alright?" She knelt over her dazed friend.

He shook his head and stood up. "Yeah, yeah, he just got a lucky punch that’s all." Then he pushed Bulma aside and walked up to Trunks again. They went into a serious of punches and kicks Trunks mostly blocking Krillin’s fevered advances. Krillin was giving him all he had, and it wasn’t even winding him. Finally, trunks sent his leg up and knocked Krillin aside with one kick to the side.

Once again, Krillin saw stars. This time, he didn’t get up so quickly. Trunks and Bulma ran to his side this time. "Hey, Krillin! I’m sorry about that. Are you ok?"

"Uh, yeah, I’m fine!" He said as he fell back against the grass again.

"I guess I don’t know my own strength." Trunks shrugged sheepishly as he helped Krillin stand. I’m not really used to fighting real people. All my training was done on robo-bots." Krillin and Bulma looked shocked, but they let the strange comment slide.

"Well, I guess I can teach to fly." Krillin said as he was placed in the back seat, "But only if you promise to train with us. We’re gonna need you help against the Saiyans." Krillin said seriously, his hand on Trunks arm.

"Bulma’s told me about these Saiyans. I don’t think that she’ll be happy that I’m off fighting and training with you guys, but as long as I still spend some time helping at the lab, I think she’ll understand. I accept."

Bulma came back carrying the blanket and all of their things. "Thanks for you help, guys." She said jokingly. When she saw the serious looks on both of their faces she stopped. She put the things in the back and walked around to look at them. "Why are you so serious all the sudden?"

"Bulma, I’ve… I’ve decided to train with Krillin so that I can help fight the Saiyans."

‘NO! Not you too! You’ll go away and fight like all the rest and then you’ll be killed, just like Goku.’ Her heart ached and her mind screamed. Her face smiled. "Oh, really. That will be great. I know that they can really use your help. When do you start?"

"Monday," Trunks said. He could tell she wasn’t really as happy about it all as she was acting.

‘She took that well’, thought Krillin, totally fooled by her act.

"I’ll still help out at work, I’ll only spend part of my time learning to fly and training."

"Oh, ok. That’ll be good. I still need some help finishing our inventions, but their almost finished…" She climbed in the drivers seat and they drove home.

After they got back to Bulma’s house she went somewhere to hide. Trunks and Krillin began to talk about the training until Trunks blurted out a peculiar question. "What is love, Krillin?"

Krillin gaped at the words as if they were floating in the air in front of him, then he smiled and winked at Trunks. "Gone and fallen for Bulma, have you? Well, I have to admit she is beautiful and smart… You mean to tell me you’ve never been in love before?"

"Bulma’s the first girl I’ve ever met, besides my mother. I don’t even know what to do. Every time I’m around her my chest aches and I get a funny feeling here." Trunks put a hand on his lower tummy."

"Well, that’s just…, you mean you don’t know what that is?" Krillin asked in surprise again. Trunks shook his head and waited with pleading eyes for Krillin to explain. "Well, it’s… didn’t your father have this talk with you? He taught you how to fight, but he didn’t teach you… about sex?

"No, there was never time. Um, what’s sex?" He asked confused, yet intrigued.

"Well…,"

A few hours later Krillin left and Trunks sat on the couch staring into space. ‘Is that what she’s been wanting me to do this whole time?’ His thoughts were all a whirl. ‘There’s only one way to find out.’ He stood and went in search of Bulma.

He found her sitting in the large entertainment room upstairs, on a large couch watching, or at least staring, at the television. He walked up behind her and looked at her hair taking in the sight of her blue locks resting on the back of the couch. "Bulma," He said softly.

"What?" She sniffed. Her voice quivered as though she had been crying. He walked around the couch and sat beside her. He could see she had been crying. He lifted his hand and wiped away the tear trails that glistened on her cheeks.

With out a word he leaned in. Bulma thought he was going to give her another innocent peck on the cheek, but instead, his lips met hers hesitatingly. Slowly he began to press his mouth to hers more firmly, kissing and kneading her lips with his own. She sat in shock for a second before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. His own hands found her sides, pulling her to him. He was a little surprised when her tongue entered his mouth, even though Krillin had told him about this, he hadn’t expected it to feel so… good.

His own tongue explored her mouth, tentatively at first and then with more hunger. His hands instinctively found their way to her hips and then wound their way back to her side before brushing the sides of her breasts. She gasped against him as his thumbs trailed to her nipples and began to circle them through her clothing.

Gently he slid his hand down and dipped his fingers under her shirt. His finders danced carefully up her stomach until his hands came to rest on her bra. He broke the kiss and stared into her half-lidded eyes. ‘This will be much easier when we get our close off.’ He smiled with anticipation. ‘I can’t wait to get her clothes off.’ He pulled her shirt up over her head quickly and tossed it on the floor. His eyes fell on her body and he felt a tightening in his groin. Krillin had informed him to expect this, especially since this was his first time.

Bulma grew a little impatient and reached behind her back to unclasp her bra. When it fell away, Trunks couldn’t help but let his jaw drop a little. His hand, seeming to have a mind of it’s own found it’s way to her plentiful bosom. He traced his fingers over her hardened nipples and then cup her breasts, squeezing softly. They fit his hands perfectly.

Bulma laid slowly back on the couch and pulled Trunks with her. His mouth found it’s way to her neck as he began to nip and suck a careless pattern over her neck and shoulders. He felt a strong urge to bite the soft place just above her collarbone, but restrained himself because he didn’t want to hurt her. Bulma licked his ear and caught him by surprise. Her own hands were on his arms, and were making their own patterns of possession.

His mouth finally found her left nipple and he let his tongue slip out and taste it. She groaned softly in his ear and he proceeded to administer more sound tortures. Sucking persistently he felt her hands wrap around his arms and squeeze. When he stopped Bulma took the opportunity to rid Trunks of his shirt. Then she let her hands touch every part of his muscular chest. Leaning in she licked his own bronze nipple and smiled as he gasped in surprise. Every new experience was better then the last, and with each new discovery he felt himself harden more.

He lifted her chin and kissed her again, holding nothing back. After what seemed like eternity he broke the kiss and stood to remove his pants. Bulma couldn’t help giggle at the size of the man before her. He was very exited.

Kneeling on the couch she leaned against him and kissed him again. Her mouth drifted down to his chin, followed by his neck, his chest, stomach, and then she paused. Trunks was holding his breath. Teasingly she licked the end of his penis and then blew softly. He let out his breath in a groan as his entire body trembled with pleasure.

‘He’s not going to last much longer.’ Bulma could tell that his inexperience was making it hard for him to remain in control. (No pun intended.) She grabbed his hands and placed then at her waistline. He took the hint and undid her pants. His fingers quickly disappeared inside the open flaps and his hands pushed them down over her hips and thighs where them met the obstructing couch. Bulma obliged by sitting back and pulling her legs out from under her so that he could remove her pants completely. He did so quickly and then began to follow suit with her panties.

Suddenly a strange thought flashed in Bulma’s head. ‘This is wrong.’ She pushed it away he rid her of the last of her clothing. Kneeling of the couch between her spread legs he lowered himself slowly. Kissing her again he let his hands explore her exposed body. Every nerve in Bulma’s body seemed on fire, but the thought came again, more persistent this time. ‘This needs to stop now. This is very very wrong!’ She tried, once again to block that thought as Trunks prepared himself to enter her. Lowering his hips he brushed himself against her wet entrance.

‘This is it! This is what you’ve wanted!" His mind was reeling and his body was almost ready to explode.

He reached down with his hand to help guide himself. When his tip discovered her opening her brought his hand back up beside her shoulder and then slowly inched forward.

‘NONONONONONONO! Don’t do it! NOOOOOOOOO!’ Bulma could no longer ignore the persistent feeling.

Trunks’ tip entered her as she shouted, "Wait! Stop!" He retreated immediately as if he’d been slapped and then looked to her face for an explanation.

Her breath was ragged and heavy. "Don’t. This… This feels weird."

Trunks dropped his eyes. "Because I don’t really know what I’m doing… I’ve never… I’ve never done this before, Bulma."

"No, it’s not that. You’ve done everything right, it’s just that… this feels wrong. I don’t think we should do this." She tried to explain herself with our hurting him.

"But, I… I want…I need to…I love you Bulma and I want to have a family with you. And I feel so, hungry. I need to be inside you. I need to feel you completely and, I know you want me to… why…?"

"I can’t explain it, Trunks. Yes, I do want you. My body is screaming to finish what we’ve started, but my head keeps screaming no. I’m sorry, but I can’t." She crawled out from under him and began to gather her clothes.

"But Bulma! I…" He was too kind to insist, and Bulma hated herself for leading him this close and then deserting him. To not follow through when he was so near the end was cruel and unusual punishment, but she just couldn’t allow herself to let him finish.

"I’m sorry, Trunks. So sorry, please forgive me. I didn’t mean for it to happen like this… good bye!" She held her clothes in her hand and then ran out of the room.

Trunks sat, wondering what he had done wrong, and what he was supposed to do now. He was still swollen and he craved some kind of release. But his mind kept repeating one thought over and over again. ‘Bulma doesn’t want me. She doesn’t want me.’ He wished he could fly. All he wanted now, was to get out and get away. He settled down slowly and then he began to cry softly. ‘If only my mother was here…’

The next day Bulma avoided Trunks completely. He didn’t see her even once. He wasn’t angry at her, just hurt and confused. "What did I do?" He questioned out loud as he took a walk through the woods to get away.

Bulma felt guilty and embarrassed, but still hid away. She wondered if he would ever be able to forgive her. ‘What was work going to be like on Monday?’ She questioned, horrified at the thought of having to spend and extended period of time with him in close quarters. "Oh, how he must hate me!" She hit her pillow. ‘I never meant to hurt him, but I don’t love him like that. I care for him deeply, but not the way he cares for me…’

She was spared having to tell Trunks her true feelings because on Monday he was nowhere to be found. Bulma’s mother told her he had eaten early and then left with Krillin.

‘Oh no! He’s going off to train, and I’m never going to see him again!’ She cried most of the afternoon and didn’t get any work done.

A few weeks later Trunks showed up at work to keep his promise to help with the completion of their projects. There was an awkward moment of silence when he first entered the room. Bulma was the first to speak. "How has your training been going?"

"Good. I can fly now, and I’ve I learned a few moves from Krillin that have helped me get a lot stronger. I’m sorry that things didn’t work out between us, but I still want to be friends."

"Oh, Trunks, me too. I just can’t love you the way you want me to, but I do care for you so very much." She closed that gap and gave him a desperate hug. "Please say you forgive me."

"For what?" Trunks smiled trying to ignore the feel of her hands on his arms. His training had gone so well because he had pushed himself to the max trying to forget her touch, but it haunted him in his dreams and anytime he wasn’t fighting.

"Thank you." Bulma said smiling back at him. "Are you ready to get back to work?"

"Yeah, lets go." He tuned his mind to their work and tried to forget that he loved a woman who would never love him back.

* * * * *