I confess. This Chapter is pretty much frivolous but I was in the mood to write these scenes so I did. In the next Chapter, which I will also be posting today, things will start to pick up for you adventure lovers.

NOTE: From this point on the events in the Mirai timeline are out of sinc with the regular. For Bulma and Vegeta a month has past but only a few hours have passed for Mirai Trunks in the future. When Mirai Trunks leaves the past his adventures there only last 3 days but he reenters the past months later for his own reasons.

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ but that won’t stop me from writing stories about it so please don’t sue. (As if anyone important will read this!)

Vegeta stared up at the stars. The night was eerily silent except for the sound of the wind as it whipped through the trees above him. He closed his eyes, cleared his mind of all distractions, took a deep breath and focused his thoughts on one objective. A smirk crossed his face and suddenly his aura began glowing about him. Quickly it rose in intensity and his lips parted as he bared his teeth in concentration. With one last push of his power-level the transformation occurred.

Vegeta laughed as he felt the immense power under his control. It was a euphoric feeling unlike any other to know that he had attained the status of an ultimate warrior- a Super Saiyajin. There was only one thing lacking; an opponent, an opponent worthy of the honor to fight an elite soldier of his strength. For now he had to settle for just training exercises, which would allow him to master his new form. Vegeta knew that he would master it, just as he had mastered the oozaru form- a feat the most powerful warriors of his race had claimed was impossible.

Vegeta leapt into action and moved quicker than the naked -eye could follow. He spared with his imaginary opponent for a few moments until he could feel the surge of adrenaline rushing through his body. He felt the battle rage begin to flow through his veins, the almost uncontrollable urge to destroy and fight that made his kind such a lethal opponent. It was a saiyajin's personal mastery of this rage that determined how great a warrior they would become. Some were never able to conquer it and thus, although powerful they became nothing more than sloppy assassins and always met a regrettable end before they met their full potential. This primal rage was more intense in the oozaru state and 10 times more potent in the super saiyajin form. According to the legend the last super saiyajin couldn't handle this rage and had gone insane decimating everything in his path until he finally was destroyed by his own power. Kakkorot had somehow managed to control this power and Vegeta was determined to do the same.

Harnessing the rage Vegeta sent a blast of energy at the nearby stand of trees incinerating them instantly. He flew at mountain and methodically began tearing it apart. He concentrated on using his rage rather than letting it go out of control and continued on until he felt strained in his struggle to maintain it. It had been longer than last time and he smiled at this knowledge as he powered down to normal. It wouldn't be long now before he would have enough control to battle in the super saiyajin form for as long as he desired.

He landed down by his campsite and shot a short energy burst at the kindling until it began to burn. He fanned the flames with his gloved hand until they were large enough and put the remainder of his recent kill on it to cook. Normally he would be content in such a lonely place, living off the land, eating what he had hunted but he found his thoughts now drifting to a woman far away with deep blue eyes and aqua hair.

He sighed in disappointment. Try as he might he couldn't get the woman off of his mind. When he had gone out into the wilderness to master his super saiyajin form he had hopes that he could concentrate solely on his training without her so near but it didn't seem to help. He thought the desire he had for her would diminish now that he had satisfied it by taking her as his mate but it had only seemed to intensify. This emotion Bulma had called love was proving harder to control than even the saiyajin battle rage.

The aroma of the cooked flesh snapped him back out of the daydream and he hungrily devoured the meat. With his meal finished and his hunger satisfied he realized he should probably resume training but his heart wasn't in it. There was something about this night that made him restless for action. He hadn't been in a good battle since the probe had come and it felt odd not to be moving constantly from battle to battle as he had done for as long as he could remember. The only thing that there was to do was wait and train for the coming battle with the androids and patience had never been one of his strong suits. It was more than his desire to fight that made him restless this night, however. It had been three weeks since he had left Bulma and he couldn't stand the yearning to see her anymore. His yearning for battle would have to wait but his desire to see his mate was something that he could satisfy now. He took off into the sky and headed for the Capsule Corporation.

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Mirai Trunks stood alone at the top of an abandoned building staring out at the charred forest which stretched off into the blackness. He shivered as the icy breeze ruffled his hair. It was too quiet. There was no distant sound of battles being waged or people running for their lives. Ordinarily this would give him satisfaction but tonight it didn't. He had that odd feeling that this peace would not last and something terrible waited beyond the horizon.

He sat down on the roof allowing his legs to dangle over the side. He peered into the darkness looking for any sign of life but found none. "Mom where are you?" he questioned in worry. He had decided, after much persuasion from Chi Chi, to wait until the morning before he went off searching for her. He hoped his mother's friend was right and that she'd show up but he still had that overwhelming feeling of dread for her safety.

Just then his sensitive hearing picked up a noise from behind and he turned towards it. He could barely make out a shape in the darkness coming out of the door to stairwell that led to the roof. It made it's way toward him and as it got closer he could see that it was graceful and light. His senses told him that the familiar figure belonged to Chi Chi so he relaxed his tensed muscles and turned his attention to the vista before him once more.

"Trunks," Chi Chi said softly "I brought you some hot tea to help warm you up."

Trunks smiled to himself. Chi Chi never seemed to feel comfortable unless see was fussing over someone. "Thank you Chi Chi" he said taking the cup from her.

The breeze whipped around Chi Chi and she drew the coat that she wore around herself. "Do you mind some company?" she asked.

Trunks took a sip of the tea. "Not at all" he said with a small smile. He didn't exactly feel like company but it was obvious that Chi Chi did want some besides it would keep him from dwelling on his fears for a while.

Chi Chi sat down next to him and hung her legs over the side as well. Observing her Trunks couldn't help notice the dark circles under her eyes. He remembered how surprised he was to see them look haunted and lost when he arrived there from the past a few hours ago. She was still very pretty the only traces of age being a few wrinkles and some gray hair lightly peppered her raven black head.

"I can't believe that you wanted to take a watch tonight" Chi Chi said, "I thought you'd want to be rested for tomorrow."

"I feel too restless to sleep tonight" Trunks replied "and if I did manage to fall to sleep it still wouldn't be very restful"

"Nightmares?" Chi Chi asked.

"Yes" Trunks answered.

"I've had them quite often since Gohan was killed" Chi Chi said sadly.

Trunks felt his heart sink at the mention of his friend and mentor. He turned and looked at Chi Chi and could see the dim light reflecting in her tear filled eyes. Though his pain was deep, hers was deeper still.

"Chi Chi" Trunks said reaching out and touching her shoulder "I never told you how sorry I was. I was so caught up in my own grief that I never got to tell you before you left the Capsule Corporation. I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough to help him."

"Oh Trunks" Chi Chi said reaching out to caressing his cheek soothingly "It wasn't your fault. You have nothing to apologize for."

Trunks let go of her shoulder and avoided her eyes. "You wouldn't say that if you'd watched him being killed," he whispered. He tried to push back the memory as it began to surface. He lay broken and battered on the ground wondering why the androids had not killed him watching as Gohan fought bravely against them. He was helpless to do anything but watch as they mercilessly pummeled Gohan until he also was too injured to move. He could still here the androids laughter as they discussed what to do with them. The androids mocked him and called to him telling him to look over in their direction. He gathered enough strength to turn his head towards his fallen friend just in enough time to witness his execution. Then they came over to him and declared that he was too pathetic a warrior to deserve a quick death and they left him to die there slowly with the memory of his closest friend's violent end burning brightly in his mind. His mother had found him, however, and he did not die but instead he was left to live with the memory and a guilt-ridden heart. Trunks felt the tears he was desperately fighting begin to break through so he stood up and turned his back to her before Chi Chi could see him start to cry.

Chi Chi sat in silence not knowing what to say. They both had lost friends and family members but she had never witnessed someone close to her die in front of her. It was hard enough to watch others die and could not imagine what she would have done if she witnessed a loved one killed in as brutal a fashion that her Gohan was. It was hard enough for her to deal with the memory of finding his bloodied, broken and lifeless body.

"Chi Chi" Trunks finally asked turning towards her. "If you had the power to erase our world from existence, would you?"

The question took Chi Chi aback. "I don't understand what you mean."

"I mean" he said looking her in the eye "That if you could make this world disappear so that no one had to suffer any longer, would you?"

Still not exactly sure what the teenager meant Chi Chi thought about her answer for a moment. "If you mean just to destroy the earth no I don't think it would be wise."

"Why not?" Trunks prodded. "You of all people have lost so much. Why wouldn't you want it to end?"

"Because" Chi Chi said "Everyone that I have loved who has died has done so defending this world. To just destroy it because we didn't want to suffer would be cowardly and disrespectful to their memories."

"Would you still think that even if those loved ones still existed in another world where none of us ever had to suffer?" Trunks asked.

Chi Chi's eyes widened and her mouth hung open in shock when she finally understood his line of questioning. "You're talking about that alternate universe that the time machine created aren't you?"

"Yes" Trunks answered.

"Then you really mean to destroy our world, don't you?" Chi Chi cried rising to her feet. "Oh Trunks you can't!"

"I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet," Trunks said in an effort to calm the woman.

"Trunks, does your mother know about this?" Chi Chi queried with concern.

"Yes, I told her" he answered her simply and calmly.

"You can't tell me that she approves of it" Chi Chi inquired coming towards him.

"She doesn't," he said turning from her unable to look into eyes any longer.

"But you still are planning on going through with it?" she questioned in a disbelief.

"I haven't made a decision yet," Trunks assured her. "I'm not sure what I should do right now."

"Trunks" Chi Chi said "I know that once you've made your mind's made up there'll be no stopping you because you're every bit as stubborn as your mother and your father so please listen to me now."

Trunks turned and looked at the older woman to see her expression had changed. She no longer looked lost or forlorn but hopeful. "I know that you may not think it now but this world is worth saving. I felt the same way you do for a while after Gohan died. My family was the world in which I chose to live. After Goku died I still had Gohan and he was my hope and my reason to continue on. When he was gone I just wanted to die too. I was tired of suffering and struggling and that's why I was hiding here in this city. Then when I saw your mother yesterday she reminded me of something and now I'm going to remind you of it too."

She took one of Trunks' hands and held it between her own and looked earnestly into his eyes. "Life is precious and the fact that we recognize that separates us from mindless and heartless killers like the androids. They stamp out life without remorse or regard for its value. The moment that we believe that our lives and lives of others doesn't mean anything and aren't worth fighting to protect we're no better than they are. If we give up and stop the struggle to survive then they've already won and we proven them right. Don't give up Trunks. There are plenty of people who haven't given up. Your mother hasn't and neither have I."

Trunks smiled at the older woman and placed his hand on hers. "Thank you Chi Chi" he said "You've given me a lot to think about."

"You're a good boy and I know you'll do what's right," Chi Chi said. She kissed his cheek, smiled warmly and backed away. "I'll leave you to your thoughts now."

Trunks watched as she glided away and disappeared into the dark stairwell like an apparition. "Maybe she's right," he thought pulling his sword from its sheath and slowly turning it so that the light played across its blade. "As long as there's someone to fight then they should but what if there's no one left to fight. I'm no match for the androids. I'm just lucky to have survived the battles that I've been in with them and right now I'm the only one that even has a chance at beating them."

Trunks lifted his head and let the cool breeze sting his cheeks reminding him that he was alive. "If there's no one strong enough to fight them then everyone might as well be dead because the androids will massacre them all. In that eventuality it would be kinder just for them to be painlessly wished away." He stared off into the distance and pondered the still unanswered questions in his mind.

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Bulma slowly awoke to the feeling that she was not alone. She thought she had felt something brush against her cheek but she wasn't sure if she hadn't just dreamt it. She rolled onto her back and slowly opened her eyes.

Vegeta silently cursed to himself as he quickly made his way to her balcony. He had come in and quietly studied her sleeping form for what had seemed like an eternity. He only wanted to look upon her angelic face, peruse her soft curves beneath the covers, and marvel at the beauty that was his Bulma. However, he couldn't resist the urge to reach out to brush a strand of her silky hair from her cheek and that had been a mistake because she had begun to stir. Unwilling to face an emotional scene he hoped to make good his escape before she woke up.

Believing that she saw something out of the corner of her eye Bulma looked in the direction of her balcony and could see the curtains in front of the glass doors fluttering in the wind. A figure cloaked in shadow began to duck outside.

"Vegeta is that you?" she asked in a groggy voice as she sat up instantly awake. It had been so long since she'd seen him that she was afraid it was an illusion. When he had left three weeks ago it had been difficult for her to accept but she had. If he felt that he needed to train alone to master being a super saiyajin then it must be necessary. Goku didn't return to earth for some time after he became a super saiyajin, probably for the same reason. After all she couldn't even come close to understanding the strange power that she witnessed during Vegeta's battle with the probe.

Halfway out he heard her voice and although he knew that he should probably ignore it and just leave, her words seemed to hold him there by an invisible tether. "Yes'' he replied after a moment of silence "go back to sleep woman." He stepped all the way out onto the balcony and began to shut the glass doors.

"Wait" Bulma said climbing out of the bed and making her way over to him. "Don't go yet. " Upon reaching him she threw her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. "I've missed you so" she whispered somewhat puzzled as to why he stood perfectly still without responding to her affectionate greeting. "Why don't you hold me? she asked him sadly.

His arms ached to hold her but he wouldn't allow himself to do it because he was afraid that if he held her in his arms he wouldn't have the strength to leave her again. "I don't have time," he said coolly. "I must go woman."

"Why did you come?" Bulma asked feeling the tears begin to collect at the back of her eyes. Perhaps she would have been able to deal with his strange behavior better if she hadn't already spent the day in emotional turmoil but right now she didn't have the strength.

"To see you," Vegeta answered truthfully careful to keep his expression blank and his voice even "and now that I have I must go."

"I don't understand how you can be so cold Vegeta" Bulma said as her tears began to flow. She was so confused. Since their relationship had become intimate it seemed that he had become more reticent with her. He vacillated between being an attentive and affectionate companion and an indifferent stranger. It was more than she could bear, especially with the news she had received that day.

Vegeta looked at his mate's face once again and saw the pain and confusion in her eyes and it tugged at his heart. He desperately wanted to comfort her and reassure her but he couldn't He had chosen to allow his heart to give in to the exquisite weakness of loving her but that same heart was the heart of a proud warrior prince that mocked him for accepting this same emotion. If she only knew the torture she caused him. "Shut up woman" he softly scolded gently taking her into his arms "you don't want to make a racket and wake your parents up do you?"

Bulma smiled at his reproof and buried her head in his chest. Despite his words the tender way in which her held her said it all. She snuggled in his strong embrace and enjoyed the moment. Just when she had begun to doubt about how he felt he reassured her of his affection in some small way.

Vegeta would've been content to continue holding his lovely and fragile mate for the rest of the night but he couldn't. He indulged himself for a moment longer taking in her smell and this time noticed something different about it. What it was he wasn't quite sure but he didn't have time to try and figure it out. As difficult as it was he needed to leave her and get back to his training.

Bulma felt panicked as she felt him pull away from her. She needed him now more than she could say but she was afraid that he would scoff at her. She wondered if she should tell him of her need to be close to him and why she needed him. A thousand words stood at the tip of her tongue but all she could ask was "Can't you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

Vegeta looked into her hopeful eyes and showed his consent with his lopsided smirk. He cursed himself for letting this weakness override his duty as a saiyajin warrior. He knew that training should always take precedence over everything else but this aqua-haired creature had once again worked her magic on him and he willingly followed Bulma when she grabbed his hand and led him to the bed. He sat down as she commanded him to do and allowed her to snuggle into his arms once more.

Bulma smiled as she felt Vegeta's arms go around her waist and hold her close. "Thank you," she whispered kissing his hand.

"Your welcome my Bulma -chan" he whispered in return feeling the barrier he kept around his heart melt away with her tender affection. He was truly happy when he was with her and it was a strange and alien feeling. He rested his head against hers and savored the moment. He allowed himself feel the bond they now shared and used his senses to take in every last detail of her and he smiled when he at last realized what the difference was that he had detected before.

Bulma felt his hold on her shift so that his hands rested on her belly as he curled up closer to her. It was wonderful when he was so affectionate. She knew that he must love her when he did things like this although he hadn't yet told her that he did. In fact, sometimes, when they were close like they were now, she could almost swear she could feel his love for her. She had felt that way the night they first made love and she felt it now. "I wonder what his reaction would be if I told him what I found out today?" she thought. "I should tell him. He has a right to know and next time he leaves who knows how long it will be until he comes back."

"Vegeta" she said timidly "I'm pregnant."

"I know" was his reply.

"What?" Bulma said lifting herself up to look him in the face. "How could you know?"

"I could smell it" was the Prince's reply as he opened his eyes and watched his mate's eye's widened in response to his explanation. He couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. "Every living thing has a distinct odor, as do you my mate. You can't detect them because your human senses are inferior to my saiyajin senses. I could tell by the way your scent changed that you are carrying my brat."

"Did he just call his own child a brat?" Bulma thought in surprise. "I know he calls Gohan and other children brats but I didn't expect this."

Vegeta knew that Bulma was dissatisfied with him for some reason when he looked into her eyes. It made him uncomfortable to know that he couldn't live up to her expectations in some ways. "If you have nothing more to say woman go to sleep so that I can get back to my training" he quickly blurted out to break the uncomfortable silence.

"That's it" Bulma asked "That's all you have to say 'I know you're pregnant. Go to sleep so that I can leave again?"

"You expect me to say more?" he asked now feeling a bit frustrated.

"Well I just thought you might be happy or feel some way or another about it" Bulma answered, "Instead you seem not to care at all."

The Prince snorted. She wanted him to be sentimental and that he could not be. "You talk too much woman now go to sleep" he said patting his chest.

Bulma obediently laid her head on his chest and heaved a sigh. "There's so much that I just don't understand about you," she silently said to him in her heart "but I love you just the same."

Her disappointment in him was made clear by her sigh. It pained him that he had hurt her and he tried to think of something to say to that could express the pleasure he felt when he realized that they had created a new life together but was at a loss for words. "It's good to continue the royal family line of Vegeta," he at last said.

Bulma smiled and closed her eyes understanding the meaning of his seemingly indifferent statement. It was hard loving someone that found it so difficult to express their emotions but she was up to the challenge. The last thing Bulma remembered as she drifted off to sleep was feeling him gently playing with a strand of her hair in his fingertips.

Vegeta felt her relax and her breathing become deep and steady. He looked at her sleeping face and marveled at her angelic appearance once again. It was frightening to him that he could be moved to care so deeply for someone that he would be willing to give up the only existence he had ever known for an entirely new way of life. His intention in staying on earth may have originally been to learn all he could by observing Kakkorot, challenge him to a battle, vanquish him and become the ruler of the universe but somewhere along the line it took a turn. He now wished to stay on earth to be with Bulma. He knew that he could never again live solely for battle as he had with his only purpose in life to be the most powerful being in the universe. Now his obligation was protecting his mate and their child.

"My child" he thought as he placed his hand so that he could feel the tiny Ki emanating from within his mate's whom "you are one of the last of a proud race and the descendant of its royal house. You shall know your heritage and be proud of it. I shall mold you into becoming a great and powerful example of a saiyajin warrior. This I swear to you."

He felt contentment wash over his soul as he lay there with her in his arms. "I should leave now" he thought "But I don't wish to go just yet. I only want to stay just a little longer and enjoy the feeling of holding her." He closed his eyes drew her close and before he knew it he had drifted off to sleep.

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