Bonds of Destiny
By: Kimberly

The story begins when everyone is teleported back to earth. Bulma had invited all the Nammek’s plus Vegeta to live at Capsule Corps. During that time, Bulma couldn’t help herself from becoming more and more attracted to Vegeta and less and less attracted to Yamcha. The attraction to him stemmed from her curiosity of him. She wanted to know why he always kept to himself and never talked to anyone. She also wanted to know about his personal life and his past (for he also kept that heavily guarded secret.) He was bad news, and Bulma knew it. She liked it. She had a thing for bad boy’s. Maybe she was just a glutton for punishment. Even though he live in the same house as her, it was rare that she ever saw him. So, when she was around him, she would try to make her presence known. But Vegeta never noticed her. He seemed to only take notice to those who ‘might’ be a potential threat. Everyone else was just an annoyance that he either ignored or tolerated. Moreover, He always seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. But Bulma didn’t let his unapproachable disposition stop her. She was determined to know him; so she put undetectable spy cameras on his usual routes. Then to make things worse, her father had happily built him a space craft hoping that he would leave their home, leave the planet and never come back. Vegeta would leave, for months at a time, but he would always come back. Why? Not even he understood why...

Bulma heard Vegeta’s space craft land at the landing site early that morning and decided to wait for him in the kitchen . She knew that would be the first place he would go. It always was. When he finally came into the kitchen, his presence frightened her. She immediately stood straight up as he entered, almost making her chair topple over. Her body stiffened as she wrapped her arms around her waist and watched him as he ignored her. About 5 minutes after Vegeta raided the fridge, of all things edible, and sat down with his meal, her voice finally came back to her. She slowly sat back in her seat.

"Where do you go off to for months at a time Vegeta? Bulma asked innocently. She hid her fear well.

Vegeta slowly turned his gaze away from his food and to her. He looked at her as if he just noticed that she was in the room with him. As he stared at her, she stared back, almost directly into his eyes. Her heart started to palpate with fear and excitement.

Vegeta who was still more interested in his food than in her wanted to tell her ‘None of your business’ in a very rude way but decided against it. He chose to be silent, ignore her question and resume eating.

Bulma saw that Vegeta wasn’t going to answer her. So she took a deep breath and asked him another. "Do you leave, so that you can be.. spend time with your... girlfriend?" It practically killed her to say girlfriend.

Vegeta almost choked on the sandwich he was eating. When he regained his composer and cleared his throat, he looked straight into her eyes and asked "Why? Are you jealous?"

A flicker of embarrassment, anger, and fear of revealing her true feelings glimmered (but only for an instant) in Bulma’s eyes. She stayed silent, cursing her tattle-tale eyes.

‘Ahhh, so she is jealous.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Why is she worrying about what I do. She needs to worry about that weak Baka mate of hers.’ (Yamcha)

Bulma finally began to speak "I’m just curious that’s all.... Anyways I think it romantic that you go half way across the universe to who-knows-where just to spend time with someone..." She smiled warmly at him and got up from the table and went to the counter to get a cup of coffee and sighed. "I wish someone cared enough to do the same for me..."

"What!" At her words Vegeta quickly stood up knocking his chair on the floor. "Listen woman, I am not! Have not! Or will not ever go gallivanting across the universe to spend time with some female!!!" He seemed to spit the words out as if the very thought of doing such an act disgusted him tremendously.

She spent on her heals and turned to him. His sudden outburst scared the crap out of her, but she couldn’t help but to feel a little relieved. (ok a lot relieved)

"Then were do you go? And what are you doing!!!" She yelled then quickly brought her hands to her mouth. She didn’t mean to yell at him. It was very dangerous to yell at him. But her heart was still very much racing from being scared, and being who she is...She couldn’t help herself.

Vegeta took a deep breath and calmed down. He narrowed his eyes at her and wondered ‘How could she possibility think that I, the Prince of all Sayien’s, The Supreme Warrior, and The Destroyer of Plants could possibly lower myself to the beck and call of some female!’ His composure was as cool as stone but on the inside he raged ‘Furthermore, why should I have to answer her question?.. Hmm... Because if I don’t she’ll go and tell all her Baka friends that I’m making month long rendezvous with a secret girlfriend!!’ He was now scowling at her ‘Baka woman, your fantasy's are making me out to be even more of sap than that idiot Kacarrott!!’

He finally spoke in a tone that disguised his rage. "Not that its any of your business, but I have been taking care of Freza’s army." A devilish smirk came across his face.

A surprised look came to her face "Y you’re taking over...?" The fear in her voice was apparent.

"No." Vegeta answered her in an irritated sigh. (He wanted her to go away and leave him alone.)

"Then what are you... Ohhh...Why? Freza’s dead. They can’t hurt us now." She was beginning to understand what he had been doing all those months while he was away.

"This might be a new concept to you, but have you ever heard of the term.. revenge?" His words were sarcastic and arrogant.

Bulma fumed. She hated when he talked to her like she was stupid. ‘He’s the stupid one! He’s the dunderheaded Sayien!!!’ Then her mind thought about what Vegeta just told her ‘Freza’s army wanted REVENGE!!’ "Did they say they were going to retaliate?" Her fear was back she was thinking about what coulda, woulda, and shoulda been her impending doom.

Vegeta smirked. She knew that meant yes even if he didn’t come right out an say it.

‘If it wasn’t for Vegeta....’ she thought as she slowly sank back into her seat ‘I..no Earth probably would have been destroyed right now!’ "Thank-you Vegeta" She whispered looking up at him. She gave him a warm smile.

Vegeta’s smirk quickly turned into a frown. He then gathered up the many plates of food in his arms and started to walk out of the kitchen. "I didn’t do it for you or your Baka friends!" "I was bored. And it was something to do... Anyways, I needed the training." And with that he walked out the kitchen, and to where ever he goes to be alone.

Her mind focused on the last part of his statement. ‘Training huh.’ Bulma had an idea. An idea to keep Vegeta training on this planet!

*****

Bulma had worked on Vegeta’s gravity machine for about a month and now it was almost finished. All she needed to do now was insert her hidden camera.

"Ahh all finished"

She went to her office and checked her secret monitors to see if Vegeta was anywhere on the grounds. Luckily, he was. He was watching tv in family living room. She quickly washed the oil and grime off her face and hands, then took off the unflattering baggy work suit. Under the work suit, she had on tight white daisy dukes and a hot pink tank top. One more glance at the monitor. ‘Great he’s still there!’ Bulma ran to the living room to catch him before he decided to leave. She slowed her pace as she got closer to where he was.

"Oh hi Vegeta...I didn’t know you where in here!" ( she lied) She tried to subtly catch her breath. "You know this is the family entertainment room. The resident entertainment room is on the other side of the building."

Vegeta just looked at her then turned his eyes back to the tv.

"Well it doesn’t matter" She walked and plopped beside him on the couch "I was going to look for you later anyway. I have something for you."

He ignored her presence and continued to watch tv.

She turned and frowned at him. "Did you hear me Ve-ge-ta? I said I have something for you!"

Vegeta rolled his eyes and sighed. He put out his hand so she could give him whatever it was she wanted him to have.

She giggled. "It’s too big to hand it to you. You’ll have to go to it."

"Then forget it. I don’t want it." His eyes never left the tv.

She stood up quickly and put her hands on her hips. "Trust me Vegeta, you’ll want this!" She was pissed. ‘How dare he say he didn’t want my gift. He hasn’t even seen it yet and he tells me doesn’t want it. Well he’s gonna take whether he wants it or not! Especially since I poured all that hard work, blood, sweat and tears in making it for him!!!’

Vegeta watched her as she continued to get angrier and angrier as she waited for him to get up. He smirked. His curiosity was getting the best of him. He slowly got up and gestured his hand for her to lead the way.

****

"It’s a gravity room!" Bulma said excitedly after she noticed Vegeta’s brow fork as he looked quizzically at the dome shaped building.

He looked at her with a stone expression but his eyes showed that he was curious of her intentions. "Why did you build this for me?"

"So that you can train and get more powerful than Goku!" Inwardly she winced at the though of him becoming more powerful than Goku, but she wanted to make him happy. So she decided to push all those bad thoughts and premonitions out of her mind.

"What makes you think I’m not already?" Vegeta frowned. He knew that he wasn’t stronger than that Baka Kacarrott but he hated that others knew it too.

Not knowing how to answer the question without offending him, she decided to change the subject. "The code to get into the gravity room is, yuugi. (intimate friendship) It's a verbal code. Only you or I can use it. "

Vegeta scowled when heard what the code was and inwardly he demanded that it to be changed. Although he said nothing. She was right; he did want his gift.

They walked into the gravity room together.

Vegeta looked around his new training room. He didn’t smile but he actually looked pleased. Pleased with it. Pleased with her. And pleased with the possibility that he will once again be the most powerful Sayien in the universe.

Bulma watched him and waited for a thank you until it dawned on her that she’d be waiting a long time for that . She didn’t mind. She really didn’t expect him to say thank you. She took a piece of paper out of her pocket , walked over and gave it to him.

"Here are the instructions on how to use the machine. ok." She started to leave. She decided to write the instructions down because she didn’t want to ruin what could the beginning of a new friendship (hopefully more) by telling him what to do.

Vegeta unfolded the paper and looked at the writing. "Woman."

Bulma spun on her heels to face him. "Yes?" her voice happily chimed.

Vegeta sighed. He had to let his guard down and humble his pride. He held up the paper. "I don’t understand this."

"What the directions?..."

"The symbols!" He interrupted ‘stupid woman’

"Oh.. I’m sorry Vegeta I didn’t know you couldn’t read."

Vegeta’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He couldn’t move because he was in total shock by what she just said to him. Finally words came to him. "Baka, for your information I can read just fine!!.. This may come as a surprise to you but Japanese is not a universal language!!"

"I know that! There are hundreds of different languages on this planet alone!... And the Nammeks spoke a different language too....." Bulma spoke defensively.

‘Yes I remember.’ Vegeta’s thoughts interrupted her ranting’s. He remembered when he was on Nammek and how he couldn’t get his wish because the Nammek Eternal Dragon couldn’t understand him. If he would of had more time, he would have researched the planet and learned their stupid language before he got there. And got his wish to become immortal. Then he would of killed Freza then Kacarrott and went to rule the universe with an iron fist!.... No better yet, he would of killed Kacarrott First, then killed Freza.. ‘Yeah, that’s what I would of done.’ He smirked at the thought .

Bulma kept on with her ranting until Vegeta interrupted her.

"Look woman I didn’t ask for a geography lesson! All I want to know is what these symbols mean!"

Bulma walked over to the control panel "Here I’ll show you!"

Vegeta didn’t budge.

Bulma turned to him. "I thought you said you wanted to learn how to work this thing!"

Vegeta narrowed his eyes to her and started to speak slowly as if she were stupid "Woman what I said was, I wanted to know what these symbols mean." His voice was very irritated. "You don’t listen!"

"Oh.. ok I’ll tell you but it might be kind of confusing. Japanese is not the easiest language to read, you know." She tried to explain what the instructions said but she wasn’t doing a good job in explaining what the symbols meant.

Vegeta looked at her and wondered if she knew how to read herself.

"I know!" She had an idea of an easy way to teach him how to read Japanese. "Vegeta follow me"

He didn’t want to but with a sigh, he followed her. She led him to her private library. She gave him some books on the Japanese language and was helping him out in the beginning. But she quickly found out that after he understood the basics, the rest was a piece of cake for him. He sped read the pages of each book until the pages looked like a blur. And in less than thirty minutes He knew more about the Japanese language than she did. She couldn’t believe it. She was dumbfounded. She would of never guessed a Sayien could be so intelligent. When he was finished he got up and headed for his gravity room.

"I didn’t know you could do that." She was astounded.

"Do what?" He asked as he kept walking, not turning around. He was almost at the gravity room

"Learn a language so quickly"

"I know hundreds different of languages" he gave her a side profile of his face and frown, then spat out "And I can read them too!!" and with that he went into the room and closed the door.

After about a month Bulma regretted ever making that blasted gravity room. She saw less of Vegeta now than she did when he would go off and kill Freza’s army. Good thing she had her cameras. ^_~

Bulma had a big project that had to be finished by the next day. She was falling behind on her work because she was always watching Vtv (Vegeta television). So she decided to turn off ‘big brother’ (her spy cameras) and finish her work. But after awhile she became distracted and got lost in her thoughts thinking about how different Vegeta was from Goku. ‘Both are Sayiens but Vegeta is so mysterious, intelligent, and handsome. Not that Goku isn’t a sight for sore eyes, but Vegeta ...he’s soo... ‘Rico Suave’ and he didn’t even have to try. He’s just ...Soooo Sexy!’ She was so wrapped up in her daydreams that she didn’t notice Vegeta standing behind her. Watching her as she hugged herself, and kissed an imaginary person.

"Ohhh Vaagee...".

"Woman."

She spun on her heels toward the sound of the person who called her name. Her hair swished around her face. ‘Oh no!’ She quickly looked back at her monitors ‘Thank Kame I cut them off!!’

Vegeta took note to where she looked but kept it to himself. Later, he was going to investigate it further.

"Yy yes Vegeta?" She gave him a sheepish grin.

"My gravity room is making a buzzing sound. I want you to correct the problem." He spoke with a royal authority.

"Ok, I’ll go and check it out. But it’ll be a minute."

He narrowed his eyes at her and crossed his arms "I know how long your minute can be, so be sure not to take too long woman. I have training to do!"

"Fine Vegeta! But its not like you’re the only one with something to do! I work, you know!! I .."

"Hmph, I saw how you work" He smirked.

Bulma felt all the blood rush to her face. Her eyes widened she was so embarrassed she couldn’t speak and she couldn’t move. She could only watch him walk away.

"Just don’t take too long woman!" He called out to her, as he left.

After Bulma composed herself, she ran to her room and put on some of the perfume she had just bought. The sales woman assured her that no man would be able to resist her if she wore this fragrance. It was supposed to be an aphrodisiac. "Vegeta watch out because hear comes Bulma." She looked at herself in the mirror one last time "Perfection" and smirked. She was now ready to get her man.

When she got into the gravity room Vegeta was waiting for her with arms crossed. As usual, he did not look pleased.

"The noise is coming from over there" He pointed to the left side of the room. Vegeta notice that Bulma had put on some...‘What does she call it.. perfume’ He didn’t like it. He liked her natural sent. Though he wouldn’t admit it, not even to himself.

Bulma walked over to were Vegeta was pointing, and started doing the necessary repairs. However, she worked very seductively, creating a double meaning for every movement she made. She kept glancing at him to see whether her body language or the ‘magic potion’ perfume was working . Nope .

"What do you keep looking at woman?! Do I have something on my face!!!" Vegeta yelled in an irritated sarcastic tone.

"I was just looking that’s all! Do you have a problem with that?!?!" She yelled back putting her hand on her hips.

"Woman do I look like a mirror...?"

She frowned at him and went back to her work.

He continued "So apparently, yes I ... Ahh..I...ahh..I have..... ACHOOOO!!!!!"

"Ouch!" Bulma covered her ears. And quickly turned around towards Vegeta’s direction. Vegeta’s already loud sneeze seemed to amplify and echo in the gravity room. She noticed that he was bent over, holding his nose as if someone had just broke it.

"What the....!" Vegeta didn’t understand what just happened to him. All he knew was, whatever just happened, it hurt his nose and the roof of his mouth like crazy.

"God.. bless ..you" Bulma interrupted softly and slowly.

With out moving his body Vegeta looked up and glared at Bulma. He didn’t understand why his body reacted so violently, but he knew it had something to do with her! Just by her reaction. Her quick nonchalant response... ‘God bless you’ (he mimicked her in his mind.)

"What did you do to me?!?" He roared demanding to know. He slowly straightened up and practically stood in a fighting stance.

Bulma started to get frightened but spat out angrily "I didn’t do any thing to you!! You sneezed! Haven’t you ever sneezed before?!" She could tell by his silence and his eyes that he had never sneezed before in his life. ‘Note to self: Never where this perfume again.’

"You did this to me woman! You and your disgusting fake pheromone!"

"DISGUSTING!!! I’ll have you know, I spent A LOT of money on this PERFUME!!!"

"I don’t care how much money you wasted on that animal fat. Just stay away from me when you have it on!!!"

"For your F.Y.I. this perfume is not made from animal by products!" She seethed although she wasn’t sure. (Some perfume was made from animal fat)

"Nan de mo! JUST GET OUT!!!" Vegeta screamed in a higher pitch than usual. He felt another sneeze coming on.

"Don’t you whatever me!!" Bulma stood still with her hands on her hips glaring at Vegeta.

"GET OUT WOMAN!!" He screamed as he tried to stifle his sneeze but it came with a vengeance. He thought his eyes were going to pop out it sockets and it hurt his nose worse than the first time. He sneezed three more times. Each one more painful than the other.

As Vegeta sneezed Bulma started to take notice. She had never seen him react to something painful. He always said and acted like pain was nothing and only the weak relented to it. But to watch him sneeze. He acted like he was dying a slow and torturous death. She decided to leave before he blasted her for making him suffer.

He noticed her finally leaving "And don’t ...Achooo.... come ...Ahh ahhh ...back until...Achooo ..... you’ve taken..Achoo ..A SHOWER!!! ACHOOOOOO"

********

A month had went by since the perfume incident. They both sort of stayed away from each other, for they both were consumed with their own work. Although she still kept tabs on him because she still had her monitors. And now she had an alarm system that informed her about Vegeta’s movements. She was never going to get caught daydreaming about him again.

BEEEP!!

"Nani" Bulma looked up from her work and at the clock. It was about 8:45pm "He’s done training already?" Bulma watched Vegeta on her secret monitors as he left the gravity room and walked to his room. As one camera focused on him as the other shut off (she programmed the cameras to follow his movements and only his) She couldn‘t help but wonder why he stopped training so early. A minute or two later he walked back out of his room and went to the bathroom. 45min later he left the bathroom and went back to his room. He had taken a shower and had a sky blue towel around his waist. ‘ Mmmmm’ About ten minutes later he was dressed in regular clothes and headed for the kitchen.

"Ohh so he is done for the day!" She got up from her desk and headed for the kitchen.

When Bulma got to the kitchen Vegeta was already there, with his head in the Fridge.

"Oh, I didn’t think you would be in here..(she lied)...Finished training already?"

He slowly stood up and looked at her with his usual stone cold expression. "Woman I swear sometimes I think you’re following me."

A subtle guilty blush came across her face. Vegeta frowned telling Bulma he acknowledged her reaction. Bulma took a deep breath shaking off her embarrassment and his disappointed reaction. She decided to change the subject.

"Why do you always call me that?"

"Call you what?" He was clearly tired of talking to her but his curiosity got the best of him "What are you blubbering about now wo...."

"Woman!" She interrupted, pointing at him "Right there! that’s what I’m talking about!"

"What should I call you?" His voice had a glint of curiosity.

"Well, for one I have a name and It happens to be Bulma!" She walked over to the kitchen table and sat on it.

Vegeta pressed his lips together and slightly raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders as if the say "So What" and then he stuck his head back into the fridge and inspected it’s contents.

Bulma decided then and there that enough was enough! She has been practically stalking this man for about a year and still he didn’t have a clue to her intentions. She hopped off the table, walked closer to him, leaned slightly over him (pretending she was looking in the fridge too) and placed her hand on the small of his back. (Which incidentally is the spot were his tail used be. ^_^ It’s a very sensitive spot for Sayiens)

He jerked up. Hitting the back of his head on the freezer compartment above the fridge.

"I’m sorry did I startle you?" She couldn’t help but be amused by his reaction to her touch.

With his hand grasping and trying to soothe the back of his head, he spoke to her with an agitated sigh. "What do you want woman?!"

"I want to know why you keep pushing me away?!? she pouted (but not in a baby voice)

He looked at her with a facial expression that clearly said "What are you talking about?" ( but not that nicely)

She sighed "Do you like me Vegeta?"

Vegeta shocked by her question "I don’t...loathe you." He shrugged his shoulders and slowly shook his head side to side.

Bulma bowed her head, sighed, and gently pinched the bridge of her nose ‘Ok, this is going to take longer than I thought.’ She looked up at Vegeta with a renewed determination.

"Vegeta do you find me attractive? Because I find you very attractive. And I would like to know if..." She stopped in mid-sentence. Vegeta did not looked amused of even appreciative of her intentions or words.

"Why are you asking me these thing?" He scowled and narrowed his eyes to her .

"Well I was wondering.. if...."

He interrupted her "Aren’t you Yamcha’s mate?"

Her eyes widened "NO!"

Vegeta went from anger to complete surprise "Really?" (His voice still sounded very evil though.)

He slowly walked to her. His face still looking at her with the look of impenetrable anger. She was starting to get scared and matched his steps backing up until the counter stopped her escape. Vegeta stopped when he was only a few millimeters from touching her. He closed his eyes and leaned his face closer to hers. She thought he was going to kiss her. So she leaned her head forward so that her lips could meet his, but he moved his head and now they were cheek by cheek . Even though he wasn’t touching her, his close proximity to her made her knees feel weak. She was drunk from the smell his wonderfully intoxicating manly scent. Without touching him she could feel his warmth, strength, and power. It was almost like she could feel his essence. She tried to brush her cheek against his but to no avail He matched her movements. Then it was over.

"Why did you lie to me?" He said calmly but angrily as he slowly backed away from her.

Bulma’s eyes slowly rolled back out of her head. She was acting like she was in a dreamy state (drunk with lust). "I didn’t." She sounded drunk too.

His eyes narrowed ‘She’s still lying to me!’ "I searched your thoughts woman!" he began yelling "I Saw your memories and I watched you mating with that weak Baka mate of yours!!!!"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY YOU DID!!" She screamed as she was coming back to reality.

Vegeta was silent. He just frowned at her.

"I can’t believe you!" She was seething. "How dare you look into..."

"How dare you lie to me!" He interrupted. "I saw you .....performing cunnilingus, fellatio and analilingus on each other!" He was almost shaking as he spat out his words "And the last one, I might add, was really yaoi and I feel like I’m going to vomit!!"

She paused before she spoke. She had to think about what he was talking about. ‘Analilingus?...Oh..’ "Vegeta what you saw was NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!" she yelled "However, what you saw was not mating!" She simulated quotation marks with her fingers. "It was petting!" She was using words the proper Sayien would understand.

"There is no difference." he spat out calmly there was a low angry growl in his voice. He crossed his arms.

"Trust me Vegeta, there is a BIG DIFFERENCE! Anyways I’m still a virgin!!" She spat out with her hands on her hips

Vegeta’s jaw slightly dropped and his eyes rolled in his head, as if to blocked what he felt was lying words from reaching his brain. "Nan de mo!" He turned on his heels and walked out of the kitchen.

"Don’t you whatever me!" She screamed as Vegeta disappeared around the corner.

She sat back down this time in a chair and thought about what just happened ‘I can’t believe it. Vegeta’s a virgin too.’

For the next month or so Vegeta did everything he could to avoid her. He practically lived in the gravity room. He practically lived in there anyway, but this time it was different. And Bulma knew it was all her fault so she gave him his space and decided to only watch him threw her monitors. (Didn‘t expect her to give up cold turkey did ya?)

Three times a day she would leave a huge meals for him out side of the gravity room door. But on this day she decided to leave him a note with dinner.

A week later Vegeta decided speak to her. He told her that she was ugly. She knew that this was his way of telling her that they were friends again. It was weird considering herself a friend to Vegeta. Everyone one on the planet was terrified of him. And they had more than enough reasons to fear him. But she was attracted to what they were terrified of. She was falling in love with him and she welcome the feeling even though she knew that he would probably never return it.

********

It was starting to get cold outside. The season was changing into winter and Vegeta only had the spring/summer clothes she bought him after she built the gravity room for him (to keep him on earth.)

It was about 11:47pm when Bulma spoke the code to open the gravity room door. She could hear the hiss of the room depressurizing.

"What do you want woman!" Vegeta spat out as she opened the door.

He didn’t have a shirt on and the sweat glistened on his muscular tan chest. Bulma thought her knees would give out. Her cheeks blushed but she didn’t care; he knew she liked him.

"Vegeta, tomorrow you and I are going to the mall to get you some winter clothes and..." she said in an absolute tone. She was ready to argue with him until he agreed to go.

"Fine." He interrupted began to close the door.

"Fine? Just like that?" She blinked slowly "Last time you gave me such a hard time and...."

"It’s cold woman." And with that he closed the door.

That next day around 11am Bulma and Vegeta went to the mall. She drove.

The mall was crowed. Bulma knew that the overly congested mall was working on Vegeta nerves but she also knew that he wouldn’t blast anyone. (unless there was a good reason). Sure, he had a no tolerance for people, weakness, stupidity, etc, but ironically he seemed to have a large amount of patience, considering how much damage his anger could cause.

‘That’s probably why he keeps to himself’ she thought as she bustled through the crowd.

She was only going to buy him about a dozen outfits but his perfectly proportionate body looked so ..GQ in everything she picked out and made him try on; he ended up getting about 4 dozen outfits.

"That’s enough! I don’t want to try on anything else!" He demanded in a calm but clearly irritated voice when he noticed her picking out two more outfits.

"If you don’t try them on how will we know if they fit?" She said in baby voice giving him a puppy dog face.

He slowly shook his head. She was giving him that face again. The face that made him try on more than 48 outfits "I have enough clothes. I’m ready to go!" He looked away from her. He was not going to succumb again. As he turned his head he saw a shirt that caught his eye and walked to get it. It was a pink shirt with Bad Man written on the back.

Bulma turned up her nose as she saw him pick it up "Pink?"

"Here woman I want this shirt. Now lets go." He practically threw it at her.

She held it in her hands and inspected it "Vegeta are you sure you want this one?"

"Yes." He said absolutely.

"But it’s pink." She looked quizzically at him.

"So." He said absolutely.

"It’s pink!... Are you sure you don’t want that white one?" She pointed to the shirt that was behind him.

Vegeta turned and looked at the identical shirt but in white that was still hanging on the rack. Then he looked back at Bulma. "Woman, which one did I pick up!... Apparently I.."

"But it’s pink Vegeta!" she interrupted "Pink is not a very masculine color!!"

Vegeta narrowed his eyes "If they didn’t want a man to wear it, then they wouldn’t have put in in the men’s section. Now lets go!"

Bulma tilted her head back and sighed. "Fine." Her mind couldn’t believe that he really wanted a pink shirt. ‘For someone who wears his pride on his sleeve, I can’t believe you picked out a pink shirt...I don’t care if it does say Bad Man!...How bad can you be in a PINK shirt!’

As she paid for his remaining clothes. Vegeta couldn’t understand what her problem was. He liked the color.

With Vegeta’s stuff safely capsized, they started leaving the mall until Vegeta felt a familiar weak ki. And started to walk toward it. Bulma followed him He had on one of his many new outfits and she noticed how good he looked in his new clothes.(and how his chino’s hugged his butt just right ^.~ oww yeah) He was going toward the perfume store which sold her the perfume that he was allergic too.

He stopped out side the entrance of it. And smirked ‘Busted.’

There was Yamcha, flirting with one of the female employees in the store. What Vegeta didn’t know was, the girl he was flirting with was the same girl who promised Bulma that the perfume she bought would attract him and make her irresistible all to men. (Yeah right !!) So Bulma was upset on many levels; although, most of her anger was directed toward Yamcha. Sure, she didn’t want him anymore. Nor did she love him or even want him to touch her. But they were still a couple!! She never officially broke it off with him!! And there he was flirting, pretending to be smelling the Bimbo’s perfume but actually kissing her on the neck and ear!!!

Vegeta’s eyes glanced over at Bulma when he felt her ki appear and begin to rise. Sure the ki was weak and pathetic but it rose rapidly ‘Hmm ,she has potential’ He laughed to himself ‘This is going to be interesting’ He crossed his arms and raised his ki a little to get Yamcha’s attention. He was ready to see the spectacle.

Yamcha’s head snapped toward Vegeta’s direction, but who he saw was a very irate Bulma. Yamcha’s eyes were wide and pleading. He hoped inwardly that she didn’t see what he was doing.

Bulma took a deep breath. She decided to play the game. "Hi Yamcha" she said sweetly "Didn’t expect to see you hear." She walked into the store. Vegeta stayed outside the entrance.

"Uh... er.. Hi Bulma"

Bulma’s eyes narrowed at the way he addressed her ‘No Bulma-baby or Bulma-chan’ She glanced at the girl at the counter. She didn’t notice the tension between the two. She was innocent in this "Lucky for her" Bulma said under her breath. She walked slowly and confidently towards Yamcha.

Vegeta noticed her little delicate hand rolling something between her slender fingers. He looked closer. It was a little, nearly invisible ki ball. A malicious grin slowly appeared on his lips. ‘This is going to be good’. He couldn’t help himself; he was impressed that she was able to create a ki ball. I was almost impossible for humans to do it. And even when they did manage the task, they usually had to practice the skill most of their lives just to form the ball she made in anger.

"Bulma have you met Crystal? She was just showing me some ne..."

"How in the Kame would I’ve met Crystal, Yamcha? I just walked into the #%$#%^ store!" She was pissed; Yamcha was already starting with his lies.

"Sure we met. Remember, about a week ago?" Crystal was trying to make friendly conversation. She was totally oblivious to the situation at hand. Bulma ignored her.

"Yamcha how could you disrespect me like this! Again" She hissed out.

"It’s not how it looks...."

"Like HFIL it is!!!" Bulma interrupted.

She then began to curse him out in front of everyone in the store. She used curse words that even Vegeta didn’t know! (but he took note to remember them and use them later) Needless to say Vegeta was impressed. Impressed with her temper and with the way she took control of this situation. She wouldn’t allow Yamcha to have a word in edge wise. She even cursed at the customers in the store that were giving her disapproving looks for being such a foul mouth.

After about 10 min Yamcha finally turned away from Bulma’s icy glare. His gaze fell upon Vegeta who had a satisfied smug look upon his face.

"Ah hah" Vegeta mouthed to Yamcha and chuckled to himself.

Yamcha whipped his gaze back to Bulma "So now I understand what this is all about! You’re with him now and you're trying to make me out to be the bad guy!!"

Bulma spun around to see who he was talking about, only to see Vegeta who was staring at Yamcha with and icy stone expression. Bulma spun back around.

"How dare you accuse me of being unfaithful .." She interrupted her own words with her hand slapping Yamcha’s face. He flew at least 10 feet back and crashed into one of the counters that held perfume. She was totally shocked. ‘Did I do that?’ She turned and looked at Vegeta. He was out right laughing. He had to bend over and wrap his arms around his waist. His laughter was hurting his sides. Almost instantly Bulma felt the pain of her actions. She looked down at the palm of her hand. It was blistered and had third degree burns. She ran out of the store, holding her hand in the other. She wanted to cry but didn’t. She didn’t want Yamcha to think she was crying over him.

Vegeta noticed her leaving and was about to follow her until he heard Yamcha groggily mutter some choice words about Bulma. Vegeta turned his head and looked at Yamcha with his famous side profile. He created a pea sized ki ball and flicked at him. The little energy ball ignited the liquid that had poured out of all the perfume bottles and caught Yamcha on fire. Vegeta left to catch up with Bulma, laughing at the sight of Yamcha screaming and running around the store in flames.

Bulma drove home with one hand and the injured hand clutched against her chest. She was stifling back her tears. Vegeta noticed this but tried to ignore her until her tears started streaming down her face.

"What are you crying about woman? If you were going to cry over him, why did you end the relationship?" Her weakness irritated him.

"I’m not crying over him!" sniff sniff "I hate him! It’s just that..." She held out her injured hand " I can’t believe he did this to me." sniff sniff sniff

Vegeta gingerly took her hand in his. "Little one, he did not do this to you." He was holding back his laughter "This is what happens when you make contact with ki" Then it dawned on him ‘Why did I just call her little one!’

"What do you mean?" She was trying to fight back her tears "I don’t have ki" (because of the pain she didn’t even notice he called her little one)

Vegeta looked at her with a warmer expression (than his usual look) and smirked "Sure you do." He was relieved that she didn’t catch that little term of endearment. However, he was even more impressed with her now that he knew it was her sheer will and not something she practiced that made the ki ball. He placed his other hand over hers and it began to glow. When he released her hand it was completely healed.

"So I guess it’s true" he said sarcastically.

"What is?" she was looking at her hand. Amazed. She was amazed that she had ki, amazed that her hand was healed and more amazed that it was Vegeta who healed her.

"That hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!" He laughed as he remembered the days events.

"Yeah, so don’t you forget it!" She laughed too.

"Trust me! I will not forget this day." He laugher harder. "I bet you broke his jaw."

"Good"

They both laughed and made fun of Yamcha for the rest of the ride home.

******