CHAPTER SEVEN: Chain Reactions

"Oh my god, I am NOT looking forward to this." Bulma said aloud, scared of their reaction.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Vegeta reassured her, squeezing her hand with a smile. "You are twenty-nine, you cannot be controlled by your parents anymore."

Bulma was about to drop the bombshell of her imminent marriage and pregnancy to her parents, and she was utterly DREADING it. It was almost dinnertime at the Brief household, and she and Vegeta had planned to do it after dinner. Bulma didn't think it was wise to do it during dinner, purely because they'd probably throw her out, and then she'd be hungry AND homeless.

"BULMA, VEGETA! DINNER!" Mrs. Briefs bellowed, and they walked, attempting calmness and trying not to display their affections for one another.

"Evening dears," Bulma's mother said happily, smiling warmly as she served their shepherd's pie, and they started on it, chewing in rather morose fashions, nervous of ruining the atmosphere of the evening.

Oh man, this REALLY sucks. Can't believe I'm scared of my own parents, Bulma wailed in Vegeta's head.

Hey, it's natural, he answered her, shooting her a discreet smile. Don't worry though; You need to eat now.

Yeah, I suppose. Thanks 'future husband', she replied, and they giggled in each other's heads.

Dinner was an edgy affair; neither Vegeta nor Bulma could concentrate to eat, and both felt a little nauseous at the prospect of telling her parents.

"You two alright?" Bulma's dad asked, puzzled at their morbid faces.

Just wonderful. Vegeta thought sarcastically. You're about to make my fiance feel like shit-couldn't be better!

"I guess," Bulma muttered somberely, eating a mouthful of delicious shepherd's pie that may have well have been cardboard for all she could taste of it. Oh, I can't take this tension anymore. Let's just tell them! Bulma pleade in his head, and he shot her a quick, wondering look.

You sure? I mean, I don't mind, but you were adamant about doing it after we'd eaten. Vegeta replied, gathering assurance that she really wanted to do that.

I'm positive. I've strangely lost my appetite actually. PLEEEEEEEASE can you do it?

WHAT?! ME?! Why me?! They're your par-

PLEASE, VEGETA! You can deal with it better than I can!

I have all the tact of a fricking teaspoon, but if you want, course I will. Vegeta opened his mouth to speak and found that nothing came out of it. Where the hell do I start?! Vegeta enquired frantically.

Start with, oh hell, I don't know. Well, Mom and Dad, I guess!

"Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... Mr. Briefs, Mrs. Briefs..." Vegeta began awkwardly, and Bulma inwardly panicked at the tension she felt. God, if tension affects babies, this kid's going to be one little worry wart!

"Yes?" Mr. Briefs inquired with a beam that would bring a Kamehameha to shame, and almost brightened Bulma's mood.

"I have something to tell you," he said clearly but rather quiet.

"Fire away, dear. My cooking isn't that shocking, is it?" Mrs. Briefs asked mockingly, giggling.

"No. Damn palletable, actually," he chuckled and she grinned. "It's... Er... Well, me and Bulma are... Errrrrrrrrrrrrrr... Getting married and having a baby."

CLANG!!! Both Bulma's mother and father's cutlery fell to the floor, and landed with a sharp clank.

"You're kidding, right?" her father demanded of her sternly.

Bulma shook her head apprehensively.

"What, you mean you're pregnant now?" Bulma's mother questioned, ever gentle.

"Four months next week," she answered, just audible.

"Well, I'm very happy for you both!" Mrs. Briefs said fervently, getting up excitedly and giving both Bulma and Vegeta huge hugs. They both looked at her incredulously.

"You are?!" Bulma replied, astonished.

"Yes, of course I am!" her mum smiled. "So is your father. Aren't you, dear?"

"Well, I'll get used to it, I guess," he responded blankly.

Vegeta eyed him nervously.

Hey, if he isn't bellowing, it means he doesn't mind, Bulma assured happily, and Vegeta beamed.

"Wow. Well, I'm damn glad you both approve because we are getting married regardless," Bulma added with a sort of pure ecstasy within her at her parent's mainly positive reactions.

"So, have you planned the wedding yet?" her mother wondered of them and they both shook their heads.

"OOOOOH LET ME HELP!" she begged and Vegeta inwardly laughed at her enthusiasm.

"You can help, don't worry," Bulma answered, giggling. "Do you think I'd exclude my own mother from my wedding?!"

Her mother smiled. "Wow, I'll phone up the best dress-makers in the world, tomorrow, to make sure you look STUNNING in your dress!"

"Well, I think we need some alone time. Thanks for dinner, Mother. It was delicious," Bulma commented sincerely, although she hadn't managed to eat much of it through the constrictions she felt in her throat before she had told her parents.

Come on, Vegeta! She commanded telepathically, firm but avoiding bossiness.

"Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Briefs," the prince said with a noticeable joy in his voice, and allowed himself to be pulled into the escalator by Bulma. They watched Mr. and Mrs. Briefs as the doors of the escalator slid firmly shut.

"HAHA! THAT IS SO COOL!" Bulma cried joyously, hugging Vegeta as the escalator ascended speedily.

"Yeah man! Thought you said your dad was gonna flip?!" Vegeta replied earnestly.

"Well, I was pleasantly wrong," she beamed, and stepped out of the escalator as it grinded to a halt on their floor. The doors flew open, and they walked off to their room.

"You are going to make such a great dad," she told him sweetly.

"Yeah, sure I am," he said sarcastically.

"You are!" Bulma replied, giggling at his lack of confidence. "You shouldn't think negatively, it's not good for you."

"Yes. Well, I hope so anyway."

"You will, don't worry."

"So, do you want to start the wedding planning now?" Vegeta queried, pushing open the door to their room effortlessly.

"Can't, don't have any brochures to flick through," Bulma replied sadly, reclining on the bed.

"Oh, I was looking forward to that too," he said with a grin.

"Whatever!" she giggled. "You couldn't think of anything more tedious."

"As if," he snorted with a little laugh. "You questioning my commitment?"

"As IF," she replied mockingly, "Would I DO such a thing?!"

"Hell yeah," Vegeta answered with a grin, earning himself a small slap across the forearm. "No, you wouldn't, you're angelic."

"Hardly," Bulma answered shortly but sweetly, and she hugged him as he reclined next to her. "We can get my mum to grab some brochures tomorrow if you like."

"That'd be great."

"God, I'm shattered. Are you tired?" Bulma inquired. "I feel pathetic, being so drained at only eight in the evening."

"Yeah. Kakarott half killed me earlier," he said in amusement. "I'm glad he did, though. I needed someone to help me see the obvious."

She beamed at him. "I feel tired but my brain won't shut down," she mumbled ruefully, cursing her overactive imagination.

"Don't worry, I'll help you," Vegeta said, enthusiatic as a class of small children all eager to assist their teacher. "If you'll let me in, of course."

"Why wouldn't I?" she smiled, closing her eyes and allowing him to enter her mind.

Vegeta stood on a grey-coloured pathway within his mate's head. Far into the distance he noticed a small sign that said "END OF THE ROAD!"

Guess I need to finish off up there, Vegeta estimated, racing along the path. Without warning, someone ran right into him. Vegeta looked up incredulously, and saw himself staring back at him!

What the hell?! He called to Bulma, confused.

You need only to run straight through him. He isn't half as powerful as you, he is just an annoying doppelganger, Bulma informed him.

Fair enough, Vegeta answered cheerily, running straight along the path and right through his rather more "thoughtful" twin.

The prince sped effortlessly around the winding roads of the path, not even considering flying or teleporting. If he had, that couldn't have eradicated Bulma's bothersome thoughts, or at least he didn't think he could have. Trying just didn't cross his mind, so determined was he to reach the end of the road, and that enormous wrought iron gate at the culmination of the path.

Several minutes later, after knocking several thousand of Bulma's worries skywards, he ran through the finish line at the end of her brain's curvaceous racetrack, and tumbled straight and rather abruptly out of her mind. He wondered why she had let him out so damn carelessly but he didn't have to look very far to find the answer. She had fallen asleep in his arms and had obviously lost control of her thoughts in her slumber.

She's so beautiful, he told himself sincerely, staring at her snoozing figure. And right then, Vegeta noticed something he hadn't yet seen, although he knew it was inevitable sooner or later-Bulma had a small bump on her stomach. It was only tiny but for Vegeta it symbolised yet another reason to love Bulma and to care so much about her, the fact that she was having his child.

I don't think I've EVER been so damn tired without battling, Vegeta mused mentally, and with a shrug, curled up next to Bulma and almost instantly fell into pleasant dreams about his future wife.

THE NEXT DAY

"Here you go, guys!" Bulma's mum called as she got home and saw Vegeta and Bulma watching TV.

"Did you get them?" Bulma demanded, getting up to look. Her mother beamed at her.

"Did I get them?" she muttered sarcastically, throwing a massive stack of thick booklets to Vegeta, who attempted to catch them all rather precariously and ending up falling off the sofa. Bulma giggled.

"Cannot believe you can kick Frieza's ass yet you end up falling off the sofa when a human throws you a couple of maritial leaflets!" Bulma said, greatly amused.

"Hey, I could send Frieza!" Vegeta retorted, to which Bulma just grinned.

"Should I, er, leave you to it, then?" Mrs. Briefs guessed rhetorically and went off to fix the pair some lunch in the sizeable kitchen.

"Cool!" Bulma crowed in enthusiasm and threw Vegeta a handful of books to look through. "Here you go. If you like it, we'll include it in the wedding!"

"Fair enough," he replied with a smile and opened a booklet entitled "PRONUPTIA BRIDAL DRESS HIRE".

Bulma leafed rather ecstatically through a book about a limosine company, who specialised in occasions such as weddings and funerals. "Wow, can we have a limo???" she pleaded, eyes sparkling.

"Of course, whatever you want," Vegeta told her and she gave him a huge hug.

"Wow, what did I do to deserve that?" Vegeta wondered aloud and she laughed.

"Nothing really. Just be yourself, is that good enough a reason?"

"Anything's a good enough reason to get a hug from you," Vegeta informed her and she grinned at him from over the top of her pamphlet. They spent most of the day skimming through various booklets and leaflets and by the end of the day had the wedding all but paid for.

"Do you fancy writing your own vows, Vegeta?" Bulma queried of him gently as they lay next each other that night, preparing for slumber.

"Can you do that?" he wondered, fascinated. "God, you could NEVER have done that on Vejitasei; it was all traditional there though." His voice trailed off and Bulma felt his evident homesickness through their bond. She cuddled up to him, trying to ease his emotional pain but having little success.

"Do you, ever, miss your family?" Bulma asked Vegeta tentatively, overwhelmingly curious.

"Not really, no. They weren't exactly the loving type." the Prince replied. "That's probably why I'm so damn cold at times."

"You're not cold. Yamcha is cold as ice; you have integrity and loyalty to your credit." Bulma told him and he smiled.

"I don't know how to write my own vows, though." Vegeta fretted and Bulma giggled. "I am a Saiyan for god's sake!"

"It comes from the heart. There's no certain way to do it."

"That easy, huh?" Vegeta said with a low whistle.

"Yeah, pretty easy," Bulma responded sweetly. "Anyway I am off to sleep now. Night night."

"Night," he answered, giving her a quick kiss before she rolled over and fell quiet.

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