Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Lost and Found: Royal Line Blues ❯ Vegeta's anger and Goku's guilt ( Chapter 37 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z. Toriyama and Toei Animation Co do, as does Funimation. This is fan fiction, and I don't get paid for this! I hope everyone who's been reading this enjoys this next chapter. There's only one more to go before I reach 40, and the end of this story!

Lost and Found

Chapter 39 Vegeta's shock and Bulma's trepidation

***

"Foolish boy I can hear every word," Vegeta mumbled, blinking in the morning light. A muffled exchange between Piccolo and Gohan had not gone unheard by the Saiyan no Ouji.

"What are you babbling about, Geta-chan?" Bulma yawned, sitting up. Sheets fell from her body, while her hair partly concealed her porcelain skin and delicate face.

"Never you mind," Vegeta answered, brushing the hair out of her face while he examined her with bottomless midnight dark eyes. Strange how one moment she couldn't see herself in their depths, but the second moment she could see her mussed hair and confused countenance the next.

"Morning already?" she yawned, and then leaned over to kiss her mate. Vegeta bound her momentarily in his arms, gracing her lips with a kiss.

"You taste terrible," he made a face.

"Jerk," she answered. "You're no breath mint yourself!"

"Humph, get some clothes on woman," he teased, giving her a playful shoved out of the bed.

"Okay I'm moving, jeez I'm not Speedy Gonzalas…"

"Then learn to be his daughter, we can't keep Kakkarot's clan waiting. If there's any chance of getting food I'm sure we must make haste," said Vegeta, watching her climb out of bed. He threw her something, and she realized it was a pair of his boxer shorts, and a sleeveless T-shirt. Quickly she put them on, savoring the masculine scent of his clothes. Vegeta dressed in a clean bodysuit, but just as he was about to don his armor she heard the knock at the door.

"Vegeta-sama, Bulma-san, are you awake yet? Mom's wondering if you're coming over for breakfast?" asked Gohan's voice.

"We shall be there presently. Hold your horses!" Vegeta grated his voice still a bit gravelly from their night of passion. Although his voice had that deep sound most of the time, it was particularly throaty after they made love. Such a thing caused tingles down Bulma's spine as she tried to make the bed.

"We're not going into battle, Geta-chan, can you at least forget the armor for once?" she snorted.

"Woman, I wear what I please," he sniffed.

"Oh yeah, right… like it's royal protocol to wear armor in a defenseless house?" she asked.

"Kakkarot's mate may be a nuisance but she insists on threatening my person with that damn matchstick…" he snorted.

"Geta-chan, leave the armor, and let's go. I'm starving!" Bulma sighed.

"Fine, have it your way," Vegeta snorted, and then shed his top shirt in favor of a matching tank top. "I suppose unless I do, I'll hear you bitching at me all day!"

"You got it, sweetie…" she grinned.

"Ugh, don't you DARE refer to me in that RIDICULOUS moniker…"

"As you wish, your Majesty," she giggled.

"Infernal woman," he snorted, and zipped out of view. She felt a smack sting her backside, not enough to hurt, but enough to give her a jolt of surprise.

"HEY!" she cried.

"Didn't you tell me that was horse fodder?" Vegeta smirked, scooping her up and draping her around his shoulder. He playfully swung her around, and delighted in her laughter. Nudging the door open with a booted toe, he strode out towards the house.

"Are you two training?" Gohan asked.

"Mind your own business, brat," Vegeta snorted, setting Bulma on her feet. "Lead us…"

"Right this way… I think you're gonna have a nice surprise…" said Gohan with a grin. He led the way towards the house, grabbing Bulma's hand and tugging her.

"What? Is Goku okay?"

"Wait a moment…" Vegeta snorted, left behind.

"Oh come ON!" she said, grabbing his gloved hand and tugging him after her.

"Whatever… just don't delay my breakfast for long because I'm STARVING, and you don't like me when I'm cranky!" he snorted.

***

Pots and pans rattled a symphony in Chichi's extensive kitchen. Just off the dining area, it was only a few paces from the huge round table that dominated the chamber. Already six places had been set, causing Bulma to blink in surprise.

"Have a seat… it's almost ready!" Gohan said, pulling out chairs for both of them.

"You expect ME to eat with you?" Vegeta asked.

"Behave! You're a GUEST for crying out loud!" Bulma snapped, stepping on his foot.

"Don't tell me what to do," he snorted, sitting down next to her. Gohan rushed off to help his mother bring in large pots of oatmeal and plates of toast, piling them on the center lazy Susan that rotated with a mere push. Like many Chinese homes, it allowed for each person to get what they wanted without having to pass the dishes awkwardly.

Other breakfast foods were put in place, by a very efficient and silent Chichi. Her muscular body was clad in a long pink silk dress that left her arms bare. As always her hair was pinned back in a braided bun. She gave Vegeta and Bulma a cursory; "Well it's about time you two woke up. Once we're all here you can go ahead and start…"

Before Vegeta could retort with something rude he felt Bulma's hand gently sliding up and down his thigh. His mouth dropped open in shock, "What in the name of the legendary are you doing woman?"

"Shhh, just relax will you? I know you think of him like some plebian, but you ARE his prince, and you can act a little bit civil at least… for little old me?" she pleaded. "I'll make it up to you later…"

"Fine, I suppose given the right incentive," he snorted, sitting up perfectly straight in his chair. "But you owe me BIGTIME, Blue."

"What are you doing out of bed! Get back there this instant!" Chichi yelled at someone.

"But Chi, I feel fine! I can't stand sitting in bed, you know that!" Goku whined.

"Kakkarot, what the BLAZES are you doing up?" Vegeta demanded, shouting through the house. "You're supposed to be RESTING!"

"Hiya Vegeta, Bulma…" Goku said with a tired but more usual smile as he ducked his head and shoulders through the door.

"Dad! You're up! Are you feeling better?" Gohan asked.

"Well enough, thanks to you and Vegeta! I feel pretty good actually, and I'm STARVING!" he laughed, walking slowly but steadily into the dining room to take his usual seat closest to the kitchen door.

"Honestly Goku, how in the hell can you get better when…" Chichi snorted.

"For once I'm in agreement with your mate, Kakkarot! You're an insufferable idiot! I wont' have you getting sick again! How the hell can I…" Vegeta snorted. Chichi glanced at him in surprise, and both she and the Prince glared quickly away from each other across the table, folding their arms across their chests.

"Jeez guys, I'm sorry, I just thought it would cheer you all up to see me here with the rest of you. Where's Piccolo?" asked Goku, glancing at everyone.

"Remember your napkin, will you? We have guests! And one of them's royalty so I won't have you acting like a baka!" Chichi gently scolded him. Vegeta fought a smirk, and watched the two of them gently bickering while Gohan took his own seat.

Soon, portions of food were being dished out, and the gentle hiss of the central platter spinning faded into the background with the sounds of chopsticks clinking on bowls. Vegeta sniffed the food awkwardly at first, and then began to eat when he saw Goku shoveling food rapidly into his mouth. "Low class baka… I don’t' see how he can…"

"Shhh," Bulma urged him, gently rubbing his thigh. She gasped when something tickled the back of her leg, and saw a furry object swish back around his waist.

"Two can play at that game, Blue," Vegeta smirked at her, hiding his smile behind the portions he was delving into.

"C'mon you two, eat up! There's plenty for everyone!" Goku said through a mouthful of food. "You two sleep okay?"

"IT was tolerable," Vegeta answered. "So, I see you're finally getting your third class ass out of bed. I take it you're somewhat improved?"

"Thanks to you, Vegeta. I don’t' know what was in that shot that Gohan gave me, but it's done the trick… I feel a WHOLE lot better now!" Goku laughed, scattering bits of food that landed on Bulma and Vegeta's faces.

"Goku!" groaned Chichi, throwing him a napkin. He mopped his face off, and Vegeta snorted as Bulma helped him pick the debris out of his spiky black cone of hair.

"Humph, you're just as boorish at the table as your late brother," muttered Vegeta with a disgusted snort. "But the food is adequate. I suppose I should be grateful to your mate's skills. It tastes far better then the crap you make, Blue…"

"Oh thanks a MILLION," Bulma snorted at him.

Chichi momentarily flashed a smile at the left-handed compliment. Yet as soon as she saw Vegeta's glance she hid her reaction and replenished the food on her plate and Goku's. Gohan's manners seemed a bit more refined, to the Prince's relief. Most of the food he shoveled into his mouth got there, unlike the bits that scattered on Goku's blue shirted chest and orange workout pants.

"So, you two got something to tell us, hmm, hmm?" Goku said with an infuriatingly eager grin.

"What are you babbling about, Kakkarot?" Vegeta snorted. "Knock it off before you piss me off!"

"Goku, you shouldn't overdo it!" Bulma cautioned him. "I gotta agree with Chichi… you're still not 100 percent yet…"

"Hey Bulma, you look pretty good. Did you and Vegeta have a nice trip up in space?" Goku said, and then gave them a rather suggestive wink.

"Dad!" groaned Gohan.

"I bet you guys had some really interesting adventures. I can't wait to hear all about them," Goku said, trying to break the tension he was sensing mounting between his wife and Vegeta.

"If it's ANY of your affair my trip was successful. If not for that, you'd be dead," Vegeta said, lifting his gloved hand and examining the seams in the back.

"Are you sure that's ALL that happened, ne?" Goku grinned. "C'mon you can tell me… I won't blab. I promise… cross my heart and hope to…"

"Goku!" Chichi sighed. "Really…"

"Pinky swear?" he asked, closing his hand and extending the little finger.

"Son-kun, you MUST be better because you're just as silly as I remember," Bulma giggled, delighting in his goofy mood.

"Ugh, you clown, make your point! What are you insinuating?" Vegeta rolled his eyes, putting away his fifth plate of breakfast food.

"Should we tell him?" Bulma whispered, looking at Goku as he set his chopsticks aside of his plate and rested his head on one hand. He leaned aside in his chair, while resting his other arm before him, as if ready to hear a great story.

"Go on, you know that whatever you have to tell me won't go past this table, right?" asked Goku quietly.

"Humph, I suppose you're insinuating that I HAVE something of import to tell?" Vegeta grunted. "The impertinence!"

"IF it's anything to do with why you're hiding your neck like that, Bulma, you can trust us, really," said Goku.

"WAIT!" Bulma yelped. Chichi blushed momentarily, getting up and moving into the kitchen.

"Gohan, I need your help cleaning up, please," Chichi said. Gohan nodded, and stacked the plates on a tray to carry them into the kitchen after his mother.

***

Once the three of them were alone, Vegeta glanced suspiciously at Goku, then to Bulma. She shook her head with incomprehension, then glared at Goku with lowered brows. For a moment he started at the identical curve to their frowns, and their hands simultaneously crossing over both their chests. He gave a goofy grin that infuriated the new couple even more.

"She has some sense after all," Vegeta mumbled, tapping his fingers of one hand against his muscular arm.

"Uh Goku… what are you… implying?" asked Bulma nervously, folding her hands on her lap.

"It's okay you guys, your secret's safe with me…" Goku said gently.

"WHAT?" Vegeta spluttered.

"C'mon Vegeta my nose is as sharp as yours," said Goku with a smile, tapping the bridge of his nose. "And I know what's happening because it happened with Chi and me… and you see that Gohan's the result…"

"So, you're not as ignorant about the ways of the world as I assumed. Fine. I suppose you'd figure out SOONER or later…" Vegeta snorted.

"That you and Bulma are mated, and you're going to have a kid? That's GREAT!" Goku laughed.

"You mean you…" Bulma stammered, sweating hard.

"Well, I suppose you can sense the ki," said Vegeta, mildly impressed. "But if you tell anyone before I give you leave I'll…"

"No way, I'll be discrete you can count on me! Whoa, this is the BEST news I've heard all year! It's GREAT! Woohoo!" Goku laughed, leaping up from the table and grabbing Bulma in a hug.

"Put my mate down this instant you imbecile!" Vegeta yelled. Goku did so as Bulma hugged him back, tossing her towards the Prince.

"You're gonna be a father, Vegeta! Isn't this GREAT! WOW!" Goku laughed, rushing over to slug Vegeta on the back.

"Get AWAY From me you moron!" Vegeta groaned, giving him a shove as Goku tried to grab him in a hug.

"Aww, I wasn't going to hurt you or anything…"

"Just STAY over there!" Vegeta snarled, backing away. "Don't touch me, you buffoon!"

"Sorry," Goku apologized, seeing the horror in his face at any sort of PDA.

"You're taking this well… I thought you'd be… well… less positive," Bulma breathed, sitting down in a chair.

"Why should I be upset? You're gonna have a son! This is TERRIFIC!" Goku laughed. "You guys picked out a name yet?"

"Kakkarot… do you know more than you're telling us?" Vegeta snorted, glaring at him.

"Oh me, no? I just have a good gut feeling about this!" Goku said nervously, waving his hands back and forth before his chest and giving a laugh that Bulma knew was his attempt to act nonchalant.

"Okay, Son-kun, you're hiding something, and you know that dries me CRAZY!" Bulma snorted.

"Um… nothing…" Goku said with a slight uneasy laugh. "Honestly… it's nothing to worry about. I bet you two are THRILLED! Or are you worried about what the others are gonna think?"

"They won't, because we won't tell them till the baby's born," said Vegeta quietly.

"I don't want people to freak," said Bulma.

"It's your baby, so you shouldn't," said Goku. "You should be proud!"

"Hmph, it's amazing how you can be so nonchalant about this, Kakkarot. But I take it you will keep your lip zipped till the appropriate time?" Vegeta asked.

"I'm GREAT at keeping secrets. But won't everyone NOTICE you're pregnant, Bulma? It won't be long before…"

"I know Goku. I'm not ashamed that it's Vegeta's…" she said. "But you know why we're…"

"It'll be FINE! Trust me," Goku said with a grin. "So, what are you gonna name him?"

"Trunks," said Bulma.

"Oh that's a GREAT name!" Goku laughed.

"You've GOT to be kidding me, woman!" Vegeta groaned.

"Well he has Vegeta as his middle name, so are you happy?" Bulma shot back.

"Fine, have it your way. I suppose I should be grateful the brat would have a proper name, but that ridiculous family tradition of…

"Trunks was my grandpa," she said. "It's a VERY old and distinguished brief's name!"

"You know it's kinda funny, because someone ELSE had that name. You know that kid from the future?" Goku asked.

"What are you babbling about?" Vegeta snorted.

"Well… his name was Trunks too," said Goku.

"Give me a break!" Vegeta snorted. "HE never told US his name!"

"Vegeta… do you remember that strange dream that I had?" she asked.

"What dream?" Vegeta asked. Goku listened intently.

"You and I… when we were traveling in space… I had a dream… about that kid… and you got all jealous on me? Well I thought you'd have remembered what his name was in the dream…"

"It was Trunks," Vegeta said quietly, struggling to recall the mental images. Bulma let a few of the memories drift through their rapport. His eyes widened discernibly as Vegeta placed the memory.

"Great Oorzu… you named our son after THAT brat from the future? Why woman?" asked Vegeta.

"Because… I think that kid's very familiar, and there's a good reason why he and our boy should have the same name!" Bulma said.

"Blue, what are you hiding from me?" asked Bulma.

"Trust her, listen to what she has to say," Goku urged him.

"Stay out of this, clown!" Vegeta snapped. "What are you getting at, woman?"

"I figured it out, Vegeta. That boy from the future can't be Goku or Chichi's son. And you are the only other Saiyan alive. At first I thought he was another Saiyan's kid, but there is only ONE way he could have gotten that hair. He's our son, Vegeta… from the future… it's the only way…" said Bulma.

"I…" Vegeta gasped, almost picking his jaw up off the floor. "HOW? WHY?"

"She's telling the truth," said Goku. "You see Vegeta, that kid wanted me to keep his identity a secret, because he was afraid if you two knew, he'd never exist… I'm sorry to hide something from you…"

"You mean you KNEW all along you idiotic fool?" Vegeta yelled. He pounded the table, causing the remaining dishes to rattle.

"Son-kun…" Bulma gasped, backing away.

"HOW COULD YOU hide something from me?" the Saiyan no Ouji snarled at Goku.

"Vegeta please, I had to! Trunks asked me to! He didn't want to stop you and Bulma from getting together in our time! He's from a parallel universe where we're all dead! You have to understand I meant no harm by it! I promised!" Goku insisted.

"You… knew… all along… DAMMIT Kakkarot!" Vegeta blew up at him.

"Vegeta please, you're acting like you're MAD we're together!" Bulma gasped, tears swimming in her eyes. She wiped them away, fearing the worst. Vegeta pushed away from the table, whirling around as he paced the room. With his back to both of them he clenched his fists at his sides.

"Please Vegeta, it was for the best. Now that you know, doesn't it make sense?" Goku asked. "He gave me this vial of medicine. He wanted you and Bulma to be together. But in his time, you were dead before…"

"Is he coming back?" asked Vegeta quietly, not looking at either of them. Muscles in his back knotted with tension.

"Yes," said Goku.

"I can't believe this. You deliberately concealed the truth from me! What the hell am I supposed to think! I can't believe this! Damn it!" Vegeta snorted, and strode out of the room.

"Where are you going… Vegeta!" Bulma cried as he suddenly rocketed off into the sky. "WAIT!"

"Vegeta?" Goku asked as Bulma leapt up and rushed after him. "HEY!"

"VEGETA! Don't leave me here! What the hell is your problem?" Bulma yelled. "VEGETA!"

"Leave me alone woman! I need to think… ALONE!" Vegeta yelled back. "I'm so pissed I can't SEE straight!"

***

"Oh man," Goku whispered, seeing her standing there with tears running down her face. Bulma began to sob, dropping to her knees. Goku moved around to gently raise her to her feet.

"He hates me… he must… I figured it out, and I hid it from him… and now…" Bulma sobbed bitterly.

"Hey, shh, it's okay… we'll make it all right… he'll be back!" Goku whispered, hugging her tightly. She grabbed the front of his shirt, soaking it with her tears.

"How can he trust me again?" sniffed Bulma. "You saw the look on his face… it was like someone betrayed him!"

"Shh, c'mon… we'll go after him," said Goku. "Hold on…"

"But you're not well enough to fly!" Bulma exclaimed.

"Flying nimbus!" Goku yelled. Instantly his cloud streaked down from the sky and hovered.

"You know I can't ride that!" she cried.

"I do, but if you hold onto my shoulders tightly maybe you won't fall through," he said. Lifting her piggyback, he leapt up on the cloud and stood up. Bulma clung to him tightly as he made stirrups with his arms. She yelped at the cloud levitated up, and streaked quickly after Vegeta's blue ki trail.

***