Gokou shook his head in sorrow. Krillin and Gohan had just come back from yet another search for the missing Yamcha. He felt it was such a shame, his long-time friend ending up in this situation. No one had seen or heard from Yamcha since that fateful night. Some say he took his own life others that he went back to the desert. Even so Gokou and the others had lost someone that they had respected and they had also lost someone who was very dear to them all.

Bulma.

Vegeta thought the pain in his chest would never go. He couldn’t breathe. Tears threatened to prick at his eyes, he screwed them up and tried desperately to think of other things. It was no use he couldn’t think straight.

His training had intensified; he was powerful and dangerous.

Gokou had tried to get through to him but it was no use, he wouldn’t let up. Night and day he slogged it out in the gravity room. Occasionally when the grief was too much for Gokou he would join Vegeta and they would spar until both were too exhausted to move. Never had the regen tanks been used so much as now.

It had been three months since Vegeta had found Bulma. He had howled like a wounded animal, when he’d realized he was too late. Gokou too had sensed something was wrong he’d felt a surge in Vegetas power level and flown over to the Capsule Corporation buildings. He’d had to prize Vegeta away from Bulma’s lifeless body. He wouldn’t let her go. The pain was too great.

He’d powered up and gone looking for her killer

*******************

Four months to go before they could use the Dragonballs again. They would have to find them first though, but thanks to Bulma’s Dragonball radar it wouldn’t prove too much trouble.

It was now though. Each day was a chore. Even though he knew he would get her back once they could use the Dragonballs, it made no difference to what he was going through now.

When they had mated and the boy had been conceived he’d made a bond with her and she’d accepted it. Now he was paying the price.

He felt as if he’d lost a limb. The pain he felt didn’t lessen with each passing day. His training had reaped benefits from his grief, as he was more like an animal than ever before. Dr. Briefs had a full time job keeping up with repairs to the gravity chamber. As soon as he repaired it, Vegeta would rip it apart again.

He was tired though. It was a tiredness that sleep couldn’t fulfil. He would sit out at night and watch the sky, looking at the place where Vejiitasei used to be. He would liked to have taken her there. She would’ve been safe amongst his kinfolk.

His boy would’ve been almost three months old now had this not have happened.

The pain in his chest tightened once more and he clenched his fists into tight balls. This pain can’t go on He was a warrior, a fighting machine. How could he have let this happen.

He could no longer control his emotions. He’d failed her, failed to keep her and his brat safe. He felt shame and he felt completely alone.

Gokou, Gohan and Krillin were now spending every moment of every day collecting the Dragonballs. The year was up from when they had last used them, and so they would have transformed at last back into the orange spheres from which Shen Long would hopefully grant their friend back from the next dimension.

They were up to five now and none of them would rest until they had all seven. Vegeta had joined them at first but after threatening one or two of the locals, who had got curious, with death if they didn’t get lost, the others had agreed that it would be best if Vegeta kept out of the way. So he stayed back at base making sure that the Dragonballs were kept safe. After all they were his ticket out of this grief stricken nightmare that he was stuck in.

At last all seven were together and everyone gathered around them to summon the eternal dragon.

Krillin spoke; uttering the words needed to awaken the sleeping reptile from within.

The sky darkened and storm clouds gathered. The air grew thick with tension and thunder rolled around the surrounding hills. Something was amiss. Things were not happening, as they should. A low rumbling came from within the centre of the gathered balls, and they began to vibrate.

"Separate the balls, NOW!"

Everyone turned to see who had shouted this command…. It was Piccolo. "Do it, don’t hesitate."

No one waited to find out why they had to do this and so they each grabbed a ball and separated them all. The vibrating stopped and the sky cleared. Everything was back to normal.

"The Dragonballs. One is not as it should be." Piccolo stated flatly.

"What do you mean green man?" Demanded Vegeta "What do you mean it’s not as it should be?"

"It’s a fake. Someone has managed to replicate one of the Dragonballs. Obviously not very effectively." Piccolo picked one up and turned it around in his hands.

Gokou walked towards the Namek. "What would have happened if we hadn’t have separated the balls?"

"They would have exploded. Taking everyone within a hundred kilometre radius with them."

"Jeez, it’s a good job you showed up when you did Piccolo, how did you know?" Gohan asked

"I’ve been watching for a while now, felt a disturbance that I’d never felt before. I’d figured that someone had been tampering with the balls, then when Gohan told me you were looking to get them together again, I thought I’d better come see. Good job I did!"

"So who’s been messing with the Dragonballs Namek, do you know? If you do then I suggest you tell us pronto, before I rip it out of you." Vegeta snarled.

"Hold it Vegeta, if you kill Piccolo then how do you expect to know who’s to blame for altering the balls?" Gokou stood between the Namek and the Saiyan. Keeping the peace was something he was used to while Vegeta was about. He was certainly volatile, more so since losing Bulma.

"So what are you suggesting we do now Piccolo?" Gokou asked.

"Leave it to me, I think I know who is responsible for these actions." Piccolo wasn’t revealing much. Ever the quiet one.

"Any funny business Namek and you’re dead meat." Vegeta spat out. "I’ll come looking for you if you don’t do this."

"I wouldn’t expect anything other from you Saiyan."

Before Vegeta could retaliate Piccolo sped off into the blue. He knew exactly what he was going to have to do and whom he was going to have to do it to. This wasn’t going to be easy. It wasn’t that he was helping the Saiyan out, he knew Vegeta was stronger than he was so there would be no contest there. He knew Vegeta meant it when he said he’d be dead meat, but it didn’t scare him. What scared him more was that some one had tampered with the ancient Dragonballs, and if he didn’t succeed in obtaining the original, then his whole future would be at stake.

****************

Back at Capsule Corp. Vegeta was tearing the place apart, taking his frustration out on anything that came within reach. Gokou was desperately trying to calm him down. "Stop it Vegeta, what’s the point in destroying everything? When Bulma is bought, back she’ll be as mad as hell you know that. Calm down." Vegeta took a breather and stared at the big Saiyan. The air was tense between them but Gokou knew that Vegeta was coming to his senses. Slowly he could feel his ki becoming calm, and then the proud Prince’s shoulders slumped as in defeat.

"I feel so helpless. I need to fight, to be in control. This situation feels out of my hands. I don’t trust the Namek. What if he’s faking?"

"Piccolo won’t let us down I know he won’t, he’s not doing this for you or Bulma, he’s doing this for himself. That means he won’t fail or if he does he’ll die doing it." Vegeta’s head shot up to look at Gokou and with a chilling warning said, "If he fails and he’s not dead already he’ll wish he was."

Piccolo scanned the horizon as if looking for a familiar landmark. This quest he’d set upon bothered him. It was as if someone had set this up on purpose to goad him into coming out here. It had been years since he’d set foot on this land. He sensed danger but he had to go on.

He knew he was near his destination, his senses were alert to anything unusual and they were going off the scale right now.

*********************

Gokou stretched as the sun broke through into his room. He was hungry as usual, time to eat! The balloons were still up from the previous day when they thought that they were going to be celebrating Bulmas return and Gokou looked at them wistfully. He missed his friend dreadfully and although he trusted Piccolo he wished he’d let him go with him on this one. He was so insistent though and Gokou respected that. Besides he had his hands full keeping on eye on Vegeta.

Poor Vegeta he must be going through hell at the moment, where was he anyway? Gokou searched his senses but couldn’t locate the Saiyans ki anywhere. "I’m getting a bad feeling about this." Thought Gokou. He was getting worried now Vegetas ki was non existent, here anyway. He searched deeper, yes; he could feel it but only just. That would mean that Vegeta was a long way off. DAMN.

Suddenly Gokou realised what was going on.

Vegeta was going after Piccolo.

"Damn hothead," thought Gokou "now I’m going to have to go after him. Why can’t he listen to anyone, why does he have to go careering off after his own ego?"

Gokou set off to find Vegeta before he found Piccolo.

*****************

Vegeta flew low over the rocky terrain "What kind of godawful place is this anyway?"

He could sense the Namek nearby but couldn’t see him yet, which surprised him as this barren desert land was so open that he was sure that he would have found him by now. Suddenly he was grabbed by the ankle and dragged to the ground. Before he could act a hand came over his mouth; "If you want to live Saiyan I suggest you keep quiet." The hand was released and the Saiyan shot around to face the Namek. "What the hell do you think you’re playing at?" he demanded. "I could say the same about you." Answered Piccolo. "I knew you’d follow me that’s why I kept an eye out for you."

Piccolo was staring out towards nothing that Vegeta could see. "What’s the matter, what can you see? What are you looking at green man, tell me or I’ll rip your green head off."

Vegeta was getting agitated; he was ready for a fight. Piccolo pointed to a rough outcrop "Over there, it is camouflaged, if you concentrated you can feel it’s presence."

Vegeta followed the Namek’s gaze and searched his senses until at last he could feel the chameleon’s ki. It was well hidden but now he had it he could almost see it.

"It is guarding the entrance to an underground dwelling, if we can defeat it we have a chance to get the Dragonball back. I had almost anticipated your coming Saiyan, I think we can be of use to each other."

Patience was not one of Vegetas strong points and without warning he sped off towards his unseen enemy. "Do what you have to Namek, I’ll take care of the chameleon." He shouted over his shoulder, and with that he was gone.

Piccolo shook his head-"That idiot, a brilliant fighter, but he’ll kill himself soon that’s for sure." He made his way towards the underground entrance, the heat from Vegetas blasts searing the back of his neck as he did.

It was cooler underground, the tunnel stretched out in front of him. It was all too familiar, his subconscious began to stir and memories were flooding back to him.

The last time he had been here was when he was but a boy.

The cave widened somewhat into the dwelling and in the centre sat a curious figure, crossed legged and levitating in meditation.

"Piccolo."

The voice was dry and rasping, it had changed since he’d last heard it. The earth shook from Vegetas battle above ground and dust filtered through from cracks.

"Kinto, what do you want with me?" Piccolo asked, walking towards the wizened old Namek.

"I’m dying Piccolo and I need to pass on to you my legacy, my knowledge. The only way I knew to get you here was to tamper with the Dragonballs. After all if they had been destroyed you knew the consequence."

"The chameleon, what of him? Will the Saiyan be able to defeat it?"

The Namek looked at Piccolo, his eyes tired.

"No. The more the Saiyan injures the chameleon, the stronger it will become. He cannot defeat it. Defeat will come when death overcomes me."

"Then I will take your life. There is no contest. Much rests on having the real Dragonball. I cannot let down those that have put their lives before mine."

"So be it Piccolo. Come closer so that I can give you my legacy."

Piccolo knelt before the old Namek. He had learnt much from this old man, but he’d surpassed him at a very early age and rebelliousness had overtaken him and he’d left his old teacher to find his own way in the world. Now he was back.

Kinto laid his hands on Piccolo’s shoulders and felt the warmth within. An aura surrounded them both and the transition began.

Vegeta was thinking that this was not such a good idea. He thought that with his Super Saiyan strength he would be able to defeat this hidden monster. It was harder than it looked. His strength was almost all used up and the thing seemed to be getting stronger.

It hit him again and he smashed against the rocks with a crack, his ribs shattered. It hurt to breathe now and he was weak.

"For crying out loud Piccolo, get on with what you’re supposed to be doing, I can’t hold on much longer." He shouted to the air.

Piccolo was hurting, the legacy Kinto was bequeathing him was the power to heal, he absorbed it and his body shook.

It was over. The old Namek slumped forward, his energy spent.

Piccolo looked up. "Where is the Dragonball? Give it to me."

"It is inside my body, you will have to destroy me to obtain it." The Namek looked his former student in the eye. "Kill me Piccolo."

"I have no choice." Piccolo raised his hand and summoned the ki ball that would end this sad and sorry life.

The chameleon raised its head and let out a heart-rending howl. It slowly dissipated until Vegeta could no longer feel its presence. "About time, you bastard." He spat, wiping the blood from his mouth.

**********************

"It’s no use, I don’t know what the problem is, but if we don’t do something he’s going to die." Bulma put her head in her hands in despair. It had been almost a week since Piccolo had bought Vegeta back from the desert, half dead from the fight with the chameleon. They had used the regen tanks, but it seemed he needed something more than this.

She paced back and forth across the room. How could it be like this? They had bought her back for what? To see her lover in this state? She now had a feeling she knew what Vegeta had been going through when she had died that awful night.

She felt so helpless. He’d been in the tank for almost a week now, what was going on?

She ached to be with him once more, to have him hold her, making her feel safe. She felt so vulnerable no-one knew what had happened to Yamcha so for all she knew he was out there waiting for her, to catch her on her own again. She also desperately wanted to tell him their news.

Gokou came into the lab followed by Piccolo.

"Piccolo has something to ask." Gokou whispered to Bulma as she sat with her head pressed to the tank glass painfully watching the one she loved slowly slipping away.

"What is it Piccolo, what do you want?"

"When we were in the desert, Vegeta was a great help to me when I retrieved the Dragonball. I received a gift while doing so and I think it may help Vegeta."

"What was this gift?" Bulma was intrigued.

"It is the power to heal. On Namek we had two types of people, those who fought and those who could heal. That was how it was. I am a fighter and now I have the power to heal also."

"Dammit Piccolo why didn’t you tell us this before now?" Bulma rounded on the Namekian. "Can’t you see he’s dying?"

"I tried to deny to myself that this was possible for this to be, but I think its part of my destiny now."

"Well enough of the philosophising Piccolo let’s get this goddamn tank emptied and get on with this, we’re losing valuable time." Gokou slapped his old friend on the back and went to help Bulma.

Vegeta couldn’t remember how he had returned to the Capsule Corp. building. He figured he must have passed out after the chameleon had finished its onslaught. His body ached all over. He opened his eyes and took in his surroundings.

Someone was moving about in the other room.

There were two. One ki was larger than the other. He subconsciously began to power up, then he caught it, her scent, he could smell her scent. Kami would this agony ever end? Now he believed that he could smell her presence. He closed his eyes again and laid back into the pillows.

Did the Namek succeed in retrieving the Dragonball? He tried desperately to remember, failing miserably.

He heard the soothing tones of a mother talking to her baby.

He opened his eyes again.

Bulma was sitting on the end of his bed talking soothingly to an infant, who lay across her shoulder. She turned as he pushed himself up on his elbows.

"Ah! You’re awake, I thought you were going to be asleep for yet another day!"

He couldn’t speak. He was choked. Finally he said. "How long have you been here?"

"Almost a week and a half now. You were really out of it. They wished me back not long after Piccolo bought you and the Dragonball back here. He carried you all the way, said you’d really had a rough time of it."

"Was I in the tank for long?"

"About a week, There was something the matter with it that I couldn’t seem to fix – Piccolo healed you! It was amazing, he just laid his hands on your body and we could see you healing as we watched, you were pretty exhausted though so we just let you sleep."

"When did the boy arrive?" He asked, sitting up fully. He could see the infant now, he had his mother’s hair colouring and he was pulling a frown that would make a Saiyan proud.

"The same day that I was wished back, I think it was all the excitement! He came very quickly. I hardly had time to think! One minute I’d been wished back the next I was giving birth. Trust you to not be around for the big moment!"

Vegeta pulled his mate closer to him so that he could take in her scent more fully. He had dreamed of this moment and it had seemed impossibility to him.

"I’ve missed you so much." She breathed into his neck. The baby squirmed in her arms and Vegeta released her slightly.

"I missed you so much, I so wanted you to see the baby, to be with us."

Vegeta looked down at the boy.

His son.

His heir.

His ki was strong he could feel it.

"I’ve named him Trunks, you remember him don’t you? The one you were rude to most of the time. He reminds me so much of him. His hair is the same colour and he seems to have that gentle air about him too, it just seemed to fit. I hope you don’t mind?"

Vegeta wasn’t paying much attention to what she was saying, he was just taking in the fact that he had a son and he had back the one thing that he prized most of all.

Bulma.

*********************

The seasons passed slowly by and Bulma settled into motherhood as if it was second nature to her. Trunks was a quiet child, which surprised her, having a Saiyan warrior for a father and a former wild child as a mother. This fact annoyed Vegeta he wanted a warrior for a son, a fighter, someone to train. This boy was way too quiet for his liking and he never failed to let Bulma know how disappointed he was.

Trunks had fallen asleep on his bed. He was just turned three and even though he had so much energy, still fell asleep in the afternoons. Bulma was going to take the opportunity to nap too while Trunks was asleep when Vegeta came looking for his son.

"You’ll make the boy soft, with your stupid human ways woman. The boy needs to be training with me now, make him strong. Not sleeping like a baby in his bed."

"He’s only three Vegeta, let him have a childhood for crying out loud. You’ll get chance to train him when he’s older."

"It’ll be too late when he’s older, he needs to train now. He’ll start again in an hour, whether you like it or not." Vegeta snarled at her through gritted teeth. He kicked the door in as he passed through.

Bulma put her head in her hands. "Why does he always feel that he’s got to prove something?"

She walked over to the bed and watched as Trunks snoozed peacefully. "It’s a wonder he didn’t wake up with all that noise." She thought. She stroked his hair and sighed. Life was certainly different living with two Saiyans.

Bulma walked through to her room and laid down on the bed, she was tired and shut her eyes to catch up while her son slept.

*******************

The room was dark when she opened her eyes. She must have overslept.

"Wow I needed that, I must have been asleep for hours. It’s almost dark outside."

She stretched her legs out over the edge of the bed. The house was so quiet, was Trunks still asleep?

She headed for the boy’s room to wake him.

Something was wrong.

His door was ajar, she was sure she’d shut it.

Slowly she pushed the door fully open.

The bed was empty.

Vegeta must have fetched him for his training. She feared he would work him too hard, he was only a boy.

Vegeta was training in the gravity room; she could hear him slugging it out with Gokou.

She hammered on the door. "Vegeta come out you bastard, have you got Trunks in there with you?"

The fighting stopped.

Vegeta turned off the gravitron and headed for the door.

"Having a few domestic problems Vegeta?" Gokou laughed.

"Nothing I can’t handle." He retorted.

He flung the door open to be confronted by the angry Bulma.

"What is it woman? Can’t you see I’m busy?"

"Where is he Vegeta? Where’s Trunks? Have you got him in there with you?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about. The last time I saw him was with you asleep."

Bulmas face paled, she put her hand to her mouth. "So where is he then, he’s not in his room?"

"He’s probably just gone walkabout, he can’t have gone far. Come on we’ll go look for him." Gokou put a reassuring hand on Bulmas arm. "I’m sure he’s fine. Coming ‘?"

The two Saiyans flew off to search the compound and Bulma returned to the house to search inside. She wasn’t sure what it was but she had a bad feeling about the whole situation.

********************

Almost four hours had passed since Gokou and Vegeta had taken off to search for Trunks and Bulma was getting decidedly edgy. She’d searched every room in every quarter of the compound at least twice. Everyone who wasn’t engaged in priority work had taken part in the search too, but with no avail. The bad feeling she’d had was getting stronger. Was there something she was missing?

Another two hours went by. Vegeta and Gokou returned empty handed and by this time Bulma was almost hysterical.

"Someone’s taken him I know they have." She sobbed.

"Why would someone take the child of a Saiyan warrior? They would have to be mad, or just plain crazy!" Vegeta said as he looked out onto the Capsule Corporation compound.

Bulma looked up; something Vegeta had just said seemed to trigger something in her.

"Oh my god, no, it couldn’t be, could it?" She felt the bile rise up in her throat and the room spun.

"What’s the matter Bulma, what is it?" Gokou walked over to her and took her arm; she looked awful as if she was going to pass out. Vegeta spun round as if the penny had just dropped with him too.

"That bastard, I knew I should have killed him when I had the opportunity."

"Excuse me, but I’m not quite sure I follow?" Gokou looked puzzled.

"Haven’t you got it yet dimwit? She means your friend Yamcha. The bastard’s taken my son."

********************

This was getting tedious; the boy had done nothing but cry since he’d taken him. It was getting on his nerves. He almost hoped he would come soon.

This is what he wanted to take another shot at the Saiyan who had taken the only thing in his life that meant anything to him. Okay so he’d played around a bit, so what. Isn’t that what most blokes did?

His thoughts were jumbled, he wasn’t thinking straight.

It wasn’t his fault that she panicked.

Trust her to fall for that bastard.

Shit, it had scared him though the night that the Saiyan had evolved, he thought he was going to die. Now that was scary.

He was tougher now though, he’d been training.

He couldn’t believe his luck when Vegeta hadn’t come after him after he’d sorted Bulma for good, or so he thought.

He’d forgotten about the Dragonballs.

He didn’t want her to be with him.

He didn’t want her to be carrying his child.

He couldn’t bear the thought of the two of them together.

He thought he’d sorted them for good.

Those blasted Dragonballs.

The thought of Vegeta wallowing in a pool of self-pity had kept him going. The thought of him going through what he had, when he realised he’d lost her, was food for him. It nourished his soul but made him bitter and twisted.

The boy renewed his crying, the pitch getting higher.

"I want my MOMMY!"

Yamcha lifted the boy up by his collar, "Listen brat, if you want to live I suggest you keep quiet."

The boy stopped crying "My dad is gonna get you, you see."

"We’ll see about that, he has to find us first."

***********************

Bulma had been sedated and was now sleeping. She had been hysterical at the thought of Yamcha holding her child. She knew what he was capable of. In the end the only way to calm her was sedation.

Gokou had told Vegeta that he knew of a place where he thought Yamcha might be hiding out. It had been somewhere the two of them used to use when they were younger and were training together. The two of them set off to retrieve Vegetas son.

Yamcha was unnervingly calm now he knew his destiny was approaching, he could feel Vegetas rage and he knew he wouldn’t show any mercy this time.

He wanted to die.

Life was empty.

He knew he’d behaved pretty badly towards her, it was after the attacks that he knew his life would not last for much longer.

His life would only last as long as Vegeta stayed away from him.

Now he had his son and he knew that he would not stand for that.

He knew he was going to die and he welcomed it with open arms.

The two Saiyans were close now; Vegeta’s power level was climbing rapidly. He could sense his son’s ki and he knew he was okay, for the moment.

"Vegeta let me handle this. It doesn’t have to end in violence. Maybe I can talk him into handing the boy over."

"You have got to be joking, right? Not after what he’s done. You’d better step aside, or I’ll kill you too Kakarott."

"Vegeta no!"

Before Gokou could stop him, Vegeta had kicked the door in to the small dwelling where Yamcha was holding Trunks.

There was no sign of the boy only Yamcha.

He’d been waiting for this, they both had.

"Where’s my son?"

"Hold it Saiyan, who said that I had anything to do with your brat going missing?"

Vegeta powered up.

"I’ll rip your eyes out and piss on your brain if you don’t co-operate boy."

Without any warning Yamcha fired a blast at his opponent. Vegeta side-stepped it without a second thought.

"You’ll have to do better than that half brain, don’t you realise what you’re dealing with?"

"I couldn’t care less, c’mon give me your best shot Saiyan scum."

The two lunged at each other fighting furiously, the Saiyan had a higher power reading but his opponent seemed to be outwitting him, the training was paying off. They fought long and hard, matching each other blow for blow.

Both were exhausted.

Gokou shouted at them to stop. It seemed to be getting them nowhere. He couldn’t stand by and watch either his friend get pulverised or his kin.

The room seemed to explode and the two fighters were flung to the ground.

Trunks stood in the centre of the room surrounded by a blue aura.

His power level was going off the scale.

Vegeta smirked "This boy is cool."

A helicopter whirred overhead.

Bulma landed the helicopter and jumped down, she ran to Gokou.

"How the hell did you find us?" Gokou asked "Should you be flying that thing after that sedative we gave you?"

"I’ll be fine, I’m afraid I bullied Krillin into telling me where you both were. Have you found Trunks, is he alright?"

"He’s in there with Vegeta and Yamcha, hell knows what’s going on!"

Bulma ran to the doorway before Gokou could stop her.

"VEGETA! TRUNKS!" Bulma screamed.

Trunks saw his mother, powered down and ran towards her. Before he could reach her Yamcha grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. "Where the hell are you going brat?"

Vegetas fury was incredible. He almost exploded. "Take your filthy hands off my son."

Bulma advanced towards the two of them

"Yamcha put him down, let me have him, you don’t want to hurt him now do you? He’s only a baby."

"What the hell do you care. You’ve never cared before." The grip Yamcha had on the boy tightened.

"That’s not true Yamcha, I always cared for you. Please let me have my child." She was crying now, she felt so helpless. Trunks was struggling, she could see he could hardly breathe under Yamchas tight grip. She was so scared, with one flick of his wrist she knew that he could snap his neck.

"You scared me that night Yamcha, that’s all. You know that I loved you."

"Then why did you have to go screaming out that bastard Saiyans name every time I came near you, expecting him to come to your aid. Were you fucking him Bulma? Was that why you kept calling for him?"

Yamcha was getting desperate now. He would take her child with him if Vegeta tried anything. Then perhaps the two of them would know what grief he’d been going through over losing her.

"No, Yamcha, that’s not how it was and you know it. It was you who were cheating on me. Don’t you think I didn’t know about those two-bit whores you used to go with, huh? How the hell do you think I felt when you used to come calling on me with their perfume still hanging around your collar?"

Yamcha tensed "You bitch."

Trunks’ struggling was becoming laboured, he was giving up. Bulma’s heart was being torn in two watching her child suffer like this.

"Vegeta, for kami’s sake do something." Gokou could stand it no longer either.

"I can’t, Bulma is right in the way. If she would just move a little I could get a pot shot at him. I can’t risk hurting her too."

Bulma edged towards Yamcha.

"Please Yamcha, you have to let him go, you’re hurting him. I’ll do anything if only you’ll let him go."

Yamcha loosened his grip slightly and the colour slowly came back to the child’s face.

"Anything?" he asked. "Even come back to me, wash your hands of the Saiyan?

Vegeta tensed at this proposal. "Why you bastard! I’ll kill you." Gokou restrained the struggling Saiyan.

"Vegeta please, let me handle him." She turned back towards the man she’d known for years and held out her hands. "Yamcha, let me help you. I’ll do what you say, but let me have Trunks, please." He looked into her tear soaked eyes and felt lost. Slowly he handed the boy back to the one love of his life.

"I’m sorry Bulma, so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you." He held out his hands to her as she stood gripping the weeping child to her breast. She sank to her knees sobbing with relief.

Vegeta used the opportunity to deliver the final blow, and with a flash of light Yamcha

was blown off the ground and landed with a thud some distance away, smoke pouring from the hole blown through his chest. Death descended quickly and with a last shuddering breath he was gone.

Bulma felt relief combined with sadness, relief at getting her child back safely but terribly sad that it had to end this way.

Poor Yamcha.

She felt responsible somehow, for all of this. She felt that in the end he wanted to die, and he did too at the hands of the one person who she loved and trusted more than anyone else in the world. Vegeta.

The Saiyan walked over to his mate and child and took them both in his arms.

"It’s all over." He whispered "He can’t bother you now."

She was shaking.

Slowly he tilted her chin up. She looked into his eyes, those deep unfathomable eyes and saw there the love he had for her and their child.

He would do anything for her.

She loved him with all her heart and she knew that although he could probably never say it to her she knew that he felt the same.

Trunks struggled to get down and Bulma released him.

She walked over to Yamchas body and stared down at his lifeless form. Tears pricked at her eyes and the fear she’d felt for this man was replaced with pity. She had loved him once thought that he’d loved her, but it had been replaced with jealousy and it had destroyed him in the end.

She turned to go, to be with the people she loved and who loved her in return.

At last retribution had been delivered.