The next morning Bulma wakens first, Vegeta half rouses as she slips out from beneath his arm.

He rolls towards her, reaching to pull her back with him into bed.

"Not now." As she eludes his grasp. Since she isn't going to stay, he rolls over as if to go back to sleep, flinging one arm over his eyes.

"I'm headed upstairs to change." She picks up her corset and stockings from the floor, then slips the skirt and jacket on. "Since I can't very well wear these to do work in the lab."

She grabs the coverlet and pulls it off him. "I'll be back down, shortly. Mom'll have breakfast ready soon. So get up."

She walks out the door leaving the Saiyan Prince to his own devices.

He reflects, that her father is right females are bossy and Bulma seems more so than most. Vegeta lays there staring at the ceiling, thinking. With the woman gone, a dark moodiness begins to color his thoughts once again, his loneliness returns and seems deeper than ever. His resentment at the universe starts to reignite, it almost includes her, but even a floor away he still senses her too strongly. Her close presence the last two days had buttressed him from his normal rancor. Dispelling the bitter shadows of his past with her sunlight. But now he starts to emerge from the sunny dreams of delight she has spun.

Logically he understands what is happening to him, the bond between them weakens quickly with distance and time spent apart. He had felt the effect yesterday in the store and that was why he hadn’t waited, instead he had sought her out. It is a survival tactic so mates can function separately when parted. And although the bond is never completely severed, it’s emotional effects can become almost totally mitigated over time. At least until the mated pair reunite, reestablishing their psychic bond during their sexual reaffirmation.

That is why, for the moment, she affects him so strongly when they're in close proximity. Their repeated bouts of lovemaking over the last two days has caused his unusual receptiveness to her spiritual aura. He is reluctant to end them, since until her all he has ever had were individual one-time encounters with females, that he had not even realized till her, were totally inadequate. Having a permanent partner that can accommodate his needs perfectly and knows his preferences is pleasant. It gives him a feeling of permanence that he has not had since Freiza had taken him from the Saiyan palace all those years ago. He knows that the bonding will take some time to become fully established but once completed he will have to end this idyllic interlude with her. Her emotions are already starting to affect him adversely, he can feel them weakening his resolve. Abating the resentment and fury he has against Kakarot, simply because he is her friend, he’s already reconsidering his decision to totally destroy the Saiyan renegade.

Finally frowning he rises from the bed, sits on the edge then looks around. He will have to leave her for a time if he wants to accomplish any of his goals. He stands, then heads into the bathroom after showering and shaving, he dons a tee shirt, athletic shorts and jeans. As he comes out to the main room he hears an impatient tapping at the door.

"Who's there?" He calls out gruffly.

"It's me." Replies Bulma's voice.

His spirits lift slightly. "Open."

She’s framed by the doorway, dressed in a blouse and slacks. Even fully clothed she stirs his blood.

"It's about time I've been waiting out there for five minutes." She says crossly, his dark moodiness has affected her.

"Why didn't you just come in?" He looks at her perplexed.

She avoids his gaze. “Because I know how much you value your privacy and how much you need it to feel secure.” She had felt his disquiet even from her apartment. Although unable to actually read his thoughts she did sense he was struggling with a monumental decision that would affect both of them. Instead she just stands there arms crossed defensively before her, “Until you‘re willing authorize me to enter your apartment freely I won’t violate it by activating my override.” It hurts her a little that he had not done so already.

“Is that all?” He turns to the computer. “Computer, from this moment Bulma has full unrestricted access to my quarters.”

“Recorded.” answers the machine.

“You don’t have to do that.” She tells him.

“I wouldn’t have if I didn’t want to.” He replies.

“Thank you.” There are tears in her eyes, she knows how much his trust in her means.

“We’ve become one, and now you are as much a part of me as my own hand.” He comes towards her. “You are the core of my sanity.”

“I know, and you’ve become my heart.”

“You know I can’t help but break it.” He says slowly.

“Why?” she asks. Already knowing his answer.

“Because to become what I must I will have to leave you. You distract me too much weakening me, weakening my resolve and my anger.” He turns away from her to look out the window at the sky. “It is all that I know, it’s what I am and I am driven by it, I must surpass Kakarot.”

“Why can’t you just let it alone.” She reaches a hand towards him but stops. “Goku doesn’t want to fight you that way.”

“I can’t!” Is his terse response.

“You could become friends.” She pleads, “You know Goku already admires you and I think that Gohan does to.”

He turns on her anger blazing, “I will not discuss Kakarot or his son anymore.”

“But they’re Saiyans.” She counters, “Maybe all that is left of your people. You should stop this and become friends if only because of that!”

“Kakarot is Saiyan , but his son is not!” he retorts.

She recoils, at his vehemence, “If Gohan isn’t a Saiyan what is he?” she asks softly.

“I told you once, he’s just a half-breed.” He sneers.

Sorrow fills her eyes, “So what would that make any children we might have?”

He stops stunned. He had never thought beyond the here and now of the two of them together. Even though he had unconsciously known that the bonding would never had occurred if the possibility of offspring were not extremely viable.

“You’re not?!” He turns to her incredulously.

She shakes her head sadly, “No I don’t think so, and it would be too early to know even if I were, but I had hoped we might someday.” She turns away, “But if this is how you feel then, ....” her shoulders slump. Bulma had wanted to give him a child, as a symbol of the future for him and his people.

He approaches his dejected mate, suddenly realizing that she had cherished the thought of someday having his child. Using it like a shield against his overwhelmingly violent emotions. He can feel how he has shattered her hopes and happiness with his thoughtless rejection of Kakarot’s half human child. How his darkness is suddenly inundating her now unshielded vulnerable spirit.

He has to try to explain, to restore her hopes. She needs to know how much he would treasure any child of his by her. He would never hesitate to claim it as his but until it could prove it’s strength and pride to earn it’s heritage, it could never truly be acceptable as a Saiyan. All half-bloods had always been subjected to these criteria.

“Bulma,” he starts.

“No! You’ve talked about leaving. So why don’t you just go away!” She refuses to even look at him, knowing that seeing the look on his face would make her cry.

“But I want to,..” he tries again.

“Obviously you don’t really want or need anything from me.” She dashes the tears from her eyes, “Except to be left alone. And that’s what I want too!” She runs from his apartment.

He stands alone in the room.

Bulma returns to her penthouse. She can sense his presence moving about below. Her heart stops when he heads to the elevator, but instead of bringing him up to her, it goes down. She can feel the distance increasing between them. Her heart sinks, Vegeta had said that he would leave and now he doing so, she’s really lost him. Going to her bedroom, she collapses onto the bed and begins sobbing uncontrollably into her pillow.

Vegeta goes down to the main part of the building, he prowls the grounds aimlessly, unsure of how to handle this totally new situation. He needs her now more than ever, the bonding is still incomplete he cannot leave until it has finished forming. How can he explain anything to her if she won’t even listen to him? What should he do? He wanders out of the dome in a fog of uncertainty, past several buildings till he comes to the security fence, he starts following it around, bringing him past the buildings that house the Nameks. Muri and Dende are outside and see him but say nothing just watching the solitary Saiyan warily until he moves off.

“What’s wrong with him?” asks Dende puzzledly.

“Vegeta is struggling with himself.” answers Muri. “His spirit is changing.”

“Why is that happening?”

“Because he’s found something he needs. And he can’t just overwhelm and conquer something to get it. He has to readjust his methods and outlook, to accept and adapt himself to the changes that are occurring.”

They both stare after the troubled Prince.

Vegeta continues wandering until he stumbles upon the garage where the variable gravity chamber she had built him is in. Suddenly he feels driven to vent his violent emotions with action, an intense training session is just what he needs. He has always been able to best formulate what actions should be taken when engaged in some form of physical exertion. He enters the chamber removes his outer clothing and then remembering her limited explanation of how it operated, he sets up a difficult battle session. Then increasing the gravity level to 75 he prepares for the attack. The battlebots, emerge from their niches and begin circling him, analyzing his stance and power level. The higher gravity slows his movements, the remotes start their onslaught and the he is hit painfully several times. As the assaults increase, he raises his power level, and begins deftly dodging the blasts. The drones compensate and the battle begins in earnes.

Bulma’s crying jag is has subsided to intermittent racking sobs. The two kittens had come to her, instinctively cuddling close when they had sensed her distress. Their gentle purring as they rub their heads softly against her thigh begin to sooth her jangled nerves. That’s when she finally realizes that she can still sense Vegeta. He’s still in the compound!

She can feel the lashes of pain coursing through his body then senses his power increasing. With it, under it all, there’s also an ebbing of his frustration and anger. She suddenly realizes what happening, he’s in the gravity chamber, training! He hasn’t left her after all, could it mean that he still wants her, even with the possibility of her conceiving? Her hope stirs forlornly.

Vegeta is astonished, his power has increased, dramatically. His new level is incredible, he had never had such a strong power increase before in his life. Part of the increase he knows arises from his defeat, death, and resurrection but now there’s so much more, more power more than he even expected. It seems that the dismissed gentler emotions are indeed a factor, at least in part, this explains some of Kakarot’s secret source of strength. Those same emotions, which Bulma has released and nurtured in him, have now added to his power level as well. She is the source of his new strength. Her face and form suddenly fill his thoughts, breaking his concentration.

Suddenly he is violently hit by multiple intense energy blasts, followed by sudden blackness.

Bulma can feel his elation. Then there is a sudden sensation of fierce pain and then nothing. Suddenly she knows what’s happened, Vegeta had started training with the remotes set at very high level, for some reason he lost his concentration and they’ve managed to stun him. Fear erupts within her. Her heart freezes in her chest. He’s hurt! Unconscious! But she can still feel the painful lashes from the battlebots continued onslaughts! What’s wrong? The safety protocol should have froze the bots programs the moment he fell but it isn’t working! If the fail safe is malfunctioning they could kill him! Fear for his safety burns through her veins, she reacts instinctively.

Frantically she runs to the elevator screaming, “Emergency Override!” it appears in seconds, “Main Floor!” The doors crash shut and she grasps the safety rail as it plummets full speed to the ground. When it opens, she runs out rushing straight for the gravity chamber.

Her mother sees Bulma’s desperate flight, and calls out to her “What’s wrong?”

“Vegeta’s hurt! He’s still in the gravity chamber with an unrestricted training program running!”

Her mother reacts, quickly grabbing her medical bag yelling, “Your father disengaged the safeties earlier and he must have forgot to reinstate the protocols!”

Reaching the chamber Bulma can see the remotes through the window, continuing to blast away at Vegeta’s prone body. It jerks with each blast, blood trickles from the corner of his mouth. Her concern for him makes her hands react with lightening fast speed. Frantically, she deactivates the remotes ending the training program and lowers the gravity back to earth normal from the outside board with her overrides. Finally after seeming eons the doors slide open and she rushes to his side. Her mother on her heels.

Lifting his head to cradle it in her arms, she worriedly scans his battered visage, “Vegeta!.. Vegeta.., oh love please wake up!” She starts to cry, her dripping tears splash on his cheek and his eyes flutter open.

Her mother is carefully examining the Saiyan for any major injuries.

He glares up at Bulma, “Woman, I told you, you were too much of a distraction.”

She hugs him tearfully.

He closes his eyes, lapsing once again into unconsciousness.

She looks anxiously at her mother who smiles back at her in reassurance.

The plant’s medical team and doctor arrives quickly followed by an automated gurney. Carefully they load him on it and take him to the medical section. Bulma follows, her mother has her arm around her distraught daughter. “I thought you two were going relax this morning?”

Bulma sniffles, “No, something happened, we had a f ight.” She wipes at her eyes, “I ran off and he must have decided to work out.”

She looks at her mother, face filled with regret, wailing , “It’s my fault he’s hurt, Mama.”

“No it’s not and he’s not hurt that badly, dear.” Her mother reassures her, “It’s mostly just shock and bruises than anything else. All he needs is rest and some tender loving care.” She looks appraisingly at Bulma, “And I think I know who can provide that, don’t you?” She pulls a hypo from her bag, and presses it against her daughter’s arm. “This‘ll help calm you, he needs your support.”

The tranquilizer takes effect quickly and Bulma nods as they enter the infirmary.

Vegeta has been taken into a treatment room. Very shortly Dr. Timz comes out to talk to Bulma and her mother. “He’ll be fine, he was battered pretty badly but nothing life threatening and no major bones were broken, but he does have a hairline fracture in his shoulder and internal bruising. He’ll be sore for quite a while and needs to take it easy. I want him to stay here for a couple of hours and then you can take him back to his own rooms. Someone will have to be there watching him for the next twenty four hours just in case he’s concussed. After all that punishment he took, he’ll really need to just stay in bed and rest for a few days to a week.”

“I’ll do it.” Replies Bulma, “But I’ll take him up to my apartment, he’ll be more comfortable there.”

The doctor nods, “That will be fine, I’ve sedated him for the moment and he’s already asleep.”

“Is it all right if I stay with him?” Bulma asks.

The doctor nods, “Just don’t disturb him till he wakes by himself.” He cautions. “I’ve had him put in the isolation room where it’s quieter, so he could rest better.”

Bulma’s mother pushes her daughter towards the room and then turns to confer with her colleague.

Bulma enters the isolation room, the nurse sitting in the chair beside him sees her and smiles, she makes a shushing motion then whispers, “He resting comfortably.” She gets up to let Bulma take her place.

Bulma whispers back, “Thanks, Maggie, I‘ll watch him.” The nurse nods and leaves.

Silently she takes the seat beside his bed. Gazing down at him, she softly takes several deep breaths of relief. She’s so thankful that he’s going to be alright. When Vegeta had lost consciousness in the chamber and she had lost the sense of him, except for the echoes of his pain, she had nearly fainted herself with fear. She was so frightened that he might be dead. He truly has become so much a part of her in such a short time that she doesn’t know if she could or even would want to live life without him.

She watches the slow steady rise and fall for his chest as he breathes. Realization of how much the thought of his death had affected her, terrifies her. The intensity of her feeling for him makes her reconsider her options. All of her life she had wanted to find a man that she could love, one she could raise a family with. But with Vegeta’s prejudice against half-breeds as strong as it seems, he might not want any children with her, ever. Could she live life with him knowing that and still be satisfied with just him. Or should she let him leave her forever and hope to find someone else that she might only be able to love a fraction as much, just to have the children she’s always craved.

Her heart hesitates with just the thought of never seeing or being with him again. She looks at the strong stubborn lines of his face and decides that she would rather be with him than without him. His life has been so hard up till now. He has lost more than most people could bear and still be willing to even live. He doesn’t need to lose her too, she loves him far too much to cause him any more pain or to let him go so completely.

She’s decides that she’s even willing to forgo her dreams of children if that’s what it takes to keep him as hers.

Bulma senses when he begins waking and that he knows that she’s there. She sits watching him, with her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

Slowly, although his eyes are still closed the hand closest to her turns upwards and opens, as if in invitation. She slips her fingers hesitantly into his open palm. His fingers closes firmly but tenderly, about hers. They both draw comfort from the touch.

Finally he opens his eyes. “I need to talk, to tell you some things. It’s important that you understand fully what I’m saying. Please just listen and don’t do or say anything until I’m finished.”

“All right, I’m listening.” She gives him her undivided attention.

“First, when I say they are not Saiyan, I am not rejecting Gohan or any other half-breed. There have been many half-bloods among my people who tried to reach the goal of becoming Saiyan. And there was great cause for celebration whenever it happened, but it was an extremely rare occurrence.”

He pauses to look at her, gauging her reaction, her face had turned wooden as he started to speaking of half breeds, she is stiffly resisting any kind of emotional response of grief, anger, fear or even hope to his words.

He watches her face as he continues speaking, “Any child of ours, I will welcome claiming it gladly as mine. I will strive with all my might to help it become a true Saiyan, it is difficult for half-bloods to do so, but it is not impossible.”

He shakes his head, in regret, “Gohan has the potential, I have seen it in him when he fights but he’s too soft, he hesitates to follow through in releasing his full strength. Until he stops doing so, he will never become a real Saiyan.”

He stops and waits expectantly for her reaction. He can sense her hope stirring, her happiness returning, it disperses his gloominess, breaks through his darkness and bathes his soul in light once more.

“So you really aren’t against us ever having children?” She smiles tremulously.

He squeezes her hand. “Any child you will give me would be a gift beyond any price.”

She leans forward happily into his embrace, but careful not to cause him any more pain.

When the doctor releases him from the infirmary a few hours later they slowly make their way back to her rooms she is leaning heavily on his wheel chair for support as she pushes it. He had explained to her during their wait for the doctor to release him, that he was drawing on her strength to heal himself. He also informed her that that had been what had saved him in the chamber, a surge of frantic energy from her had aided him in forming a shield of sorts about his body as he lost consciousness. It also explained her almost fainting.

He couldn’t stop the continuing exchange, since it was yet another side effect of their bonding, besides the sharing and reading of each other’s emotions. So by the time he was allowed to leave they were both, physically and emotionally drained. But at least the incredible healing powers of the Saiyans had already banished the most lightest of his injuries to the past. All that remains is the stiffness of healing muscles, the last of the internal bruising, the cracked shoulder and the bone deep fatigue that always follows rapid healing.

They finally reach her apartment and she assists him back to her bedroom. Helping him shed the last of his clothes she settles him into the bed, telling him, “I’ll call down to the lab and have them postpone my work schedule.”

He says wearily, closing his eyes, “Don’t be long. You need to rest, too.”

She nods, then seeing he’s already half asleep murmurs, “Alright, Vegeta.”

She departs, he hears her soft voice on the phone in the other room.

Before he descends into a deeper healing sleep he senses her return, a few moments later he feels the warmth of her unclothed body slip into bed beside him. Cuddling close, they drift off into shared dreams of love and family.

She finally wakes as the sun is setting, Vegeta is still sleeping. She wonders what had woke her then hears to soft burr of her phone in the outer room. She slips on her robe and goes to answer it.

It’s her mother, “Bulma, I hope I didn’t disturb Vegeta. I just called to let you know that your father and I weren’t going to expect you for dinner tonight.”

“Thanks, Mom. We appreciate that.” Bulma takes a breath, “I suppose rumors are flying in the plant.”

“Yeah, you’re concern was a just little obvious,” her mother chuckles, “even you father’s noticed.”

“How does he feel about it?” Asks Bulma curiously.

Her mother sounds a little surprised, “Your father actually approves of your Vegeta, even knowing his history. You knew he liked Yamcha, but never really felt that he was quite good enough for you. He wasn’t exactly happy when you were with him.”

“Yeah,” is Bulma’s response, “I think that was one of the biggest problems between Yamcha and me. We both knew dad wasn’t pleased about the pairing.”

“How’s Vegeta doing?” inquires her mother.

“He’s just starting to wake up.”

“You take good care of him, for some reason I get the feeling he needs all of our support and love. Let him know that we’re worried about him too.”

“Okay, Mom.”

“Well call if either of you need anything, dear we’ll talk some more tomorrow. Goodnight, baby.”

“’Night, Mama.”

She returns to find Vegeta fully awake, “You’re close to your mother. Do you call her Mama often?”

“We understand each other, but I only call her that when she calls me baby. It means she’s extra worried about me.”

“Why do you think she’s worried?”

“Because she saw how frightened I got when you were hurt. She knows that I’ve never reacted that way with anyone else that had been injured before, not even when Yamacha was killed. Sure I’d get upset, but I’ve never really all out panicked before.”

He looks at the ceiling, “I barely remember my mother. She died when I was small.”

Bulma sits on the bed beside him. “Well you’ve got another one now. Mom just told me she was worried about you, too. She doesn’t often let her concern be known, it’s part of her cheerful bedside manner.”

“I think I like that.”

She smiles at him, “You better, if you plan to keep me.”

He pulls her down. “I’ll always keep you,” he touches his breast, “here and here.” He touches his temple. “Even when I’m not with you.”

“So your still thinking of leaving?” She hides her face in his shoulder.

“I’ll have to sometime, if only to see if there are any other Saiyans left besides Kakarot and myself.” He regards her sadly wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “It’s one of my responsibilities as the last of the Royal family.”

She reluctantly nods, “Then I guess you do.”

He lifts her chin. “But I won’t leave till I‘ve c onfronted Kakarot.” He feels her spirits lift, “And you must always remember as long as I live, our bond will always draw me back to you.” Then he kisses her. She slips free of his arms to remove her robe and then slides back into bed beside him. Returning his kiss she strokes his chest. Feeling the hardness of his muscles under the skin. Her hand encounters his nipple and she tweaks it gently, instinctively he reaches for her then groans as his stiff sore muscles protest.

She feels his discomfort and pushes him back down. “Don’t move! You’re supposed to be resting.“

“I don’t want to rest, I want you!” insists Vegeta with a light in his eye that’s begun to become very familiar to Bulma.

Starting to share the same stirrings she finally relents, “Alright, but this time try to let me do all the work.”

She leans over and kisses him, softly caressing his cheek, then rising to her knees she begins tracing a path down his neck and chest exploring the contours of his body with her hands and fingertips. She stops from time to time lowering her face to kiss and lick each scar she discovers.

Stroking the flat curve of his muscular breast, she gently drags her nails across each firm slab to rub her palms over his hard nipples. Reaching his rock hard stomach, her silken mane trails over his flat muscular abs, as her tongue inspects the crater of his navel, sending a ticklish sensation of pleasure straight through his core. His body responds to her delicious ministrations and she watches with delight as he starts to stir.

She slips one leg over his chest straddling him facing backwards, careful not to put any of her weight on him, she starts at the base and caresses the growing rod with her tongue until it rises before her. When it stand tall she slides her lips over the peak of his still rising tower. The fall of her hair past her shoulders mingles with the brush at the base of the growing edifice. Each strand is a slash of pleasure against his loins. Starting at the foundation her hands enclose burgeoning shaft, coaxing it’s ever upward growth. Her finger tips trace the nether ridge stimulating him even more, as her tongue explores the crevice in his hood.

Suddenly she feels his hands grasp her hips pulling her back and downwards. She feels his chin press up against her mound as he buries his face between her legs. The spikes of his luxurious hair brush against her inner thighs making her quiver with delight. He begins doing to her what she has been doing to him. His hot breath, exhaled against the hidden parts of her, causes them heat and swell. The probing of his tongue sends tingles throughout her being.

She continues her avid attentions to his steadily enlarging spear. Eager to see it’s full majesty once more.

His hands caress her buttocks, thumbs stroking that crevice, as his mouth seeks her center of pleasure, finding it his teeth nip softly at it. She reacts, inhaling sharply her teeth slightly tighten, stimulating the sensitive underside of his cap, he thrusts upwards instinctively. Her hands stroke downwards and then she reaches lower to tenderly grasp his velvety pouch.

The feel of her soft hands encasing one of most sensitive parts of his being excites him further. He sucks at her nub hard and her torso convulses in response. Pulling her mouth free of him she throws back her head and moans in ecstasy then quickly returns to her task. Taking the full upper third of his shaft into her mouth, she begins to raising and lowering her head swiftly as she gently fondles him exerting soft pressure on his hidden spheres.

He is eagerly devouring her as well. His grasping fingers cause red welts to rise on her behind.

Tasting saltiness she stops, releasing him and pulls free of his grasp, only to swiftly reverse her position. Her hands braced against his chest, her nails digging in, her pulsing channel descends to encase his throbbing tower.

He reaches up and grasps her breasts squeezing them forcefully. She begins to quickly rise and fall over him, his hips pump upwards with her every descent. Her nails rake down to his waistline. She exhales, huffing in pleasure with each impact, arching her back and raising her face to the ceiling as her pleasure increases. His penetrations begin triggering the increasingly strengthening orgasms within her. Her tempo increases further until she feels his final forceful swelling followed by the pressure of his fountaining essence within her. Again they have reached completion in unison as it coincides her soul shaking cry of ultimate release.

She collapses over him in exhaustion, their bodies still joined.

He enfolds her in his arms, the weight of her body a pleasant pressure and warmth over his still sore, aching one.

She starts as she feels his soreness and tries to rise, but he holds her tightly preventing her.

He looks up into her eyes, “I want you to know, this is how we are, how I will always see us in my thoughts. United, one in mind and body. You are my truemate, My Consort. And somehow I know that any child of ours will one day become truly Saiyan.” She buries her face into his shoulder, her happiness once more complete. He loosens his arms to let her roll free, when he feels her joy fully returned.

She’s certain now that whatever should happen in the future, that whenever and as often as he may he depart from her side, he will always return for her embraces as long as he is able.

Continued in- Chapter Six-Acceptance Rated PG17