One month later.
Vegeta straightened his tie for the fourth time, pacing back and forth in the tiny room he'd been shut up in. This was the day that decided his future and he had never felt this nervous in his whole life. He no longer doubted the bond he and Ally shared. He saw it as a strength, not a hindrance, in his life here on Earth. When he had came to this underdeveloped planet after the battle with Frieza, he had never thought he'd stay more than a few months at most, much less marry a human girl. And yet after more than a year, he was still here and was about to be tied down forever.
"How much longer do I have to wait?" he growled to himself. It was bad enough these strange human customs prevented him from seeing the woman all day long. All this waiting would be the end of him.
Some knocked on the door.
"Come on in."
Oh no, he groaned inside. Not him again.
"Hey, Vegeta!"
Just kill me now. "What do you want this time, Kakarrot?"
"I just went to see the bride-"
Vegeta jumped on him instantly. "What did she say? How is she? Dammit, Kakarrot! Tell me!"
Gokou grinned. "She's doing fine. ChiChi and Bulma have been helping her get ready. It's like a mad house in there. I nearly got trampled. What about you?"
"What about me?"
"How are you doing?"
"I'm fine," Vegeta snapped.
The other Saiya-jin didn't lose his wide grin. "Never thought you'd one day be our son-in-law, Vegeta. Gohan never had an interest in fishing, maybe you and I could-"
"DON'T EVEN SAY IT, KAKARROT!!"
Gokou held up his hands. "I was kidding!"
At that moment, Krillin barged in, wearing his own pale blue tux. "They're calling for you, Vegeta!" he said and hurried out.
The Prince fiddled with his tie again, smoothed his hair. This was it. His future.
* * *
"Buuulmaaa!" ChiChi wailed. "You got her tiara on crooked!"
"Calm down, Mom," I said, and pulled the plastic thing out of my hair. "Problem solved. It hurt my head anyway."
"At least let Bulma roll your hair!"
"ChiChi," Bulma interjected. "If the girl wants to be simple, then let her."
"It just wanted it to be perfect."
"It is, Mom," I assured her, patting her hand. "Vegeta wouldn't care how I looked anyway."
"I still don't see how you wound up with him," said Bulma. "Of all the men in the world, why him?"
I smiled. "He's smart and funny and handsome and . . . well, he loves me and I love him."
"Enough!" she cried. "I've heard enough mush for one day!"
We all laughed. Krillin came running into the room. "They're . . . ready," he announced breathlessly.
I stood, the white gown I was wearing swirling about my ankles. Here we go . . . We walked solemnly to the entrance of the hall. Bulma spread out my train while ChiChi handed me my bouquet of flowers, kissing me on the cheek. I caught glimpses of family and friends before I found myself standing alone.
I had waited for this day oh so long. All my dreams. I couldn't move.
Gokou came up beside me and took my arm. He gave me a smile of encouragement and led me into the large room amid flowers strewn on the white carpet. First I spied Piccolo who was off by himself in the very back of the congregation. His face lit up when he saw me and he gave a nod of his head. His medallion, along with Vegeta's bottle, hung trustedly around my neck. Then I passed by Tien, Chaozu, Yamucha with Bulma and their baby, Master Roshi, and many other familiar faces. Krillin's eyes were shining as I walked down the aisle and before the main stretch Gokou stopped.
"I know you'll be happy with him," he said in a low voice so no one else would hear. "He is a good man."
"I know, Dad. I know."
He hugged me tightly and joined Gohan and a bawling ChiChi on the bench.
Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders, preparing to go ahead. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach.
Then I saw him standing at the far end of the aisle with his arms crossed. He was struggling to see me over the crowd and, with a scowl on his face, finally stepped out away until we were facing each other. His eyes widened, arms dropped limply at his sides, and I could feel myself blushing. For a moment, I stood there staring. He looked so handsome in his black tuxedo and hair free of tangles. Our gazes locked and I found I could move again and came to his side. The priest began the ceremony but I barely heard what he said until the final vows.
We turned to each other, Vegeta taking my hands in his, eyes glittering.
"Do you, Vegeta, take Ally to be your wife to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
He never hesitated. "I do."
"Do you, Ally, take Vegeta to be your husband to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
Now I had to overcome my fear. This was it. What I had waited for. All the battles, all the tears and laughs and hugs and fights and pain, all of it had led me to this decision. I stared into Vegeta's eyes, searching. This was the person I had given up riaru Earth for and he loved me. He loved me.
"I do," I said and Vegeta sealed it with his lips in a sweet kiss. Then he held me tightly against him, deepening the embrace. A cheer rose up and we broke away. I laughed when Vegeta gathered me in his arms and twirled around. For the first time, he seemed truly happy, eyes sparkling and merry, and he wasn't afraid to show it.
Later we all went to the recession at Gokou and ChiChi's house along with all our close friends. There was a great circular table set up in the backyard covered in a plain white tablecloth and in the middle sat the wedding cake ChiChi herself had baked. Krillin sat on my left and Vegeta, who had not taken his eyes off me, sat to the right. We cut the cake, opened presents, and poured the final round of champagne.
I stood. "Before we begin the last toast, there are a few things I'd like to say."
"Speech! Speech!" they all shouted.
"No," I said, grinning. "I just want all of you to know how happy I am here with all of you. I always dreamed of this and here I am; having great friends and now married to the most wonderful man alive. Thank you for giving me a new life."
They clapped and cheered and we raised our glasses.
"Here's to old friends-" began Yamucha.
"And new," added Tien, smiling at me and Vegeta.
"To laughter!" cried Chaozu.
"And life!" said Bulma.
Gohan lowered his glass of water, thinking, and raised it again. "Here's to having fun!"
"Well," stated Master Roshi. "I don't know about the rest of you but I'm toasting to the newlyweds' first night together."
Vegeta and I both turned a dark shade of red.
ChiChi smacked the old man. "Here's to dreams come true . . . and don't you say another word, pervert!"
Piccolo rolled his eyes at the pair. "I toast to surviving battles together," he said.
"And to happiness," grinned Gokou.
"To friendship," said Krillin.
"To love," I whispered, gazing into Vegeta's eyes.
"To our future," he said softly.
"Here! Here!" everyone cried and we clanged our glasses together.
"And now," said Vegeta loudly to get everyone's attention. "If you will excuse us, my wife and I will now retire."
Everyone grinned and I blushed again.
"Are you sure you two aren't going on a real honeymoon?" ChiChi asked me.
I smiled. "We decided to just disappear to our new house Bulma gave us for a few weeks."
"Speaking of which," Vegeta growled.
I winked at ChiChi and wound my arms around his neck as he lifted me.
"Goodbye! Goodbye!" they all called, waving, and Vegeta took off into the night sky.
Soon there was nothing but cool darkness surrounding us. I slyly unbuttoned part of my husband's shirt, lightly running my fingertips over the hard muscle of his chest. Vegeta tensed in response and I playfully nipped at the exposed flesh, extracting a little pleasure noise from him.
"Any more of that," he groaned. "And we might not make it to the house."
My cheeks burned and I stopped my taunting. Our new home loomed in the distance, sheltered on a pretty piece of land between two great mountain peaks. A small lake lay still beside the house and Vegeta alighted on the porch soundlessly, setting me down. We explored the inside, finding a great library for me and a gravity room in the back for Vegeta. He nodded approvingly and we journeyed upstairs. On the landing, Vegeta swept me into his arms, grinning devilishly and I laughed as he carried me into our room.
Just inside the doorway, his foot caught on a wrinkle in the rug. He lost his balance and sent the both of us tumbling into the huge bed, Vegeta on top. We giggled like little children, trying to catch our breath until we noticed the position we were in and the laughter faded.
He kissed me softly, tasting my lips, his own warm and tender, gradually intensifying the kiss. Then he broke off, pulling his shirt over his head and I stared at his flawless beauty. He covered my mouth with his own again, allowing some of his weight down on me. I could feel the heat of his body through my thin gown and when he pressed into me more fervently, the fear rose.
He sensed me draw back and said gently, "I will not hurt you, Ally."
"I'm scared, Vegeta," I whispered. "I've never done this before."
He put his lips to my forehead and then bit lightly on my nose. "Trust me."
I automatically put my teeth on his chin, accepting him as my mate and feeling him accept me as his. "I do, Vegeta, I do," I told him, staring into his tender eyes.
Suddenly that awful fear was gone. Vegeta made love to me that night and our souls became one.