I stood there, my mouth hanging open in disbelief. What a second! Goku...married? But wait, he is *my* friend! Not *hers*! How could he have married so early? He was fifteen years old! You were barely supposed to be dating yet! But, I shouldn't be one to talk. Had *I* been totally loyal to that fact on Vegetasei? I had to stop and think about this one.

Okay, I would take this step by step, questions, one at a time, I could do this. "So...where did you guys meet?" I asked, totally forgetting that Chichi, I could nearly gag on how stupid that name was, was mad at me.

"Uhh, I think we met when I escaped back to Earth. Her family took me in so I could hide, yeah, that's it!" Goku explained, a very thoughtful, un-Goku like look on his face.

"Actually, *Goku*, we met when *you* bumped into me and knocked all my things out of my hands onto the hard cement," Chichi snapped, crossing her arms.

"Uh. . . oh," I stuttered uncomfortably. This wasn't a very comfortable situation! I didn't even know why I was so angry, maybe it was because I wasn't used to sharing *any* of my friends, like Vegeta, he wouldn't have let me have any other real friends. . . but I wouldn't try to think about that.

"So, Bulma! What *are* you doing back? I'm sure that you heard about the whole war thing. . . well, heh. . . ya see. . . " Goku sheepishly said, putting a hand behind his head and laughing. "That got out of hand."

I was about to tell him everything, but something inside me told myself to shut up about the whole Frieza thing and figure out what to do later.

"Well, I escaped, and here I am!" I said, smiling, and hoping it didn't look pasted on or fake.

Goku nodded understandibly and looked at Chichi.

"What are we gonna do about where to put her?" He asked, slowly backing away, for Chichi had a frying pan. . .

"We *do* have a guest room, you know," Chichi snapped, and Goku nodded nervously, and Chichi left the room in a huff.

I looked down, knowing that Chichi didn't like Goku having such a close girl friend. I felt kind of guilty, and the childish nervousness came back. I really wanted to make a good impression on Goku, I hadn't seen him in awhile.

"Um, Bulma. What have you been doing all this time?" Goku asked quietly, sitting down across from me, and I sat down, too.

What a question! What could I tell him? I didn't want him knowing about Vegeta, or Lela, or *anything*, really. What would he think?

"Well, I have been around, doing stuff," I said lamely. "I had a job back on Vegetasei, and things were going fairly well, for what it was, anyway. No abuse, slavery, anything for me. But I hear quite different for you." Good, I changed the subject.

Goku shifted anxiously. "Well, yes, I was pretty much abused and everything, but not so horribly that I became suicidal or something," He started, and I could tell *he* didn't want to talk about it, either.

"So this basically means that we each have a few secrets," I said, looking him in the eyes.

Goku blushed, much to my surprise, and looked away.

"I guess so," He said, and he returned back to normal. I liked to think that I could get something out of someone so easily. I just wished that it would have been like that with Vegeta, but it was too late now.

"Do tell. . . we can have a little 'heart-to-heart' before Chichi comes back," I suggested, and he nodded.

I smiled. It was going to be a long night.

~*~

The morning sun shone through my window. I smiled happily, I hadn't seen the sun in a long time. It warmed me up, and the fresh spring breeze blew the yellow curtains back. I breathed it all in and slid out of bed. I then remembered that I didn't have much to wear. I had only brought what I could carry.

I opened my black duffel, and the dark, forlorn colors clashed with all the cheeriness of the house and nature outside. I had to get some nicer, happier clothes before this was all over!

I picked out the most cheery thing I had and put it on. It was a pale blue sundress, one that barely came to my knees. It had spaghetti straps and a nice, silky, light material that reminded me of my mother's sundresses. That was really the only reason I had taken it.

I left my hair down and curly. I left all my makeup alone, except for some white eyeshadow and pink blush. I gave myself one last look , happy that I didn't look like Chichi, and smiled. I couldn't help but diss the girl that Goku loved.

I gently opened the wooden door and padded downstairs, the smell of breakfast floating up.

Chichi looked up when I got down and scowled.

"Well, Sleeping Beauty has arisen. But I must wonder what she found so interesting last night with my Goku," She sneered, finished setting down the plates of food, and left the room quickly.

I stared after her angrily. Sleeping Beauty! Hah, I would show her *Sleeping Beauty* next time I saw that wench! I clenched my fists and smirked, no doubt looking as evil as Vegeta. I gathered myself up again, and turned around calmly.

Goku was sitting there, staring like I had just faced a lion in my underwear.

"What?" I asked shortly and sat down across from him. "Is there something wrong, Goku?"

"Why do you hate Chichi so much?" He asked, looking confused.

"Well, *probably* because I have never liked women who are *constantly PMSing*!" I said a little too loudly. Goku was now looking at me like I was a much larger evil than Chichi ever was.

"She is not! I think you are jealous!" Goku said, glaring at me, a very un-Goku like thing to do.

"Really! I am not! Why would I love *you*? You are just a friend!" I yelled back, getting up defensively. If there was one thing that I knew how to do, it was fight verbally. Vegeta was very good at it, so I had to be.

"Oh, I get it! You love someone *else*! I wonder who. . . ," Goku said coldly, standing up also. This was getting ugly.

"Sorry, you don't know him too well," I sneered, shooting a death glare to the floor.

"I bet that I do, who else could you like but one of the Saiyans? They are the only ones that you have seen all these years," Goku said, knowing he was right. "The question is, which *one*?"

I looked down at the floor nervously. That one hit home. Should I tell him? It wasn't exactly something you tell your best friend that you were currently fighting with. I gritted my teeth and glared at the floor. If glares were lasers, the floor wouldn't be too pretty by now.

"I bet it is Prince Vegeta. Don't think I didn't hear about how much you two hung out. Everyone was always talking about it, you two were quite the couple," Goku snarled, crossing his arms.

"No. . . I, geez! What were they saying? We were friends! That was it!"

"Sure, Bulma! Everyone said that you were coming on to him badly. I am

guessing that he was, too," Goku glared at the floor also.

"Goku, is it like me to do something like that? Have a 'fling' with someone who held me captive?!"

"Bulma, I don't know you at all. I haven't since we were six years old. I know the old you, and I can already tell that you are different, braver, I think. You are like a stranger, and you don't appeal to Chichi, or me... I think you should leave," Goku quietly said, and walked from the room.

I stood there staring after him. He was kicking me out? But how could he do it? I then made a decision. Goku wasn't my friend anymore. What did I have to lose from him? I went into the room Goku had entered.

"Goku. I think you should see the ship I came in. It is something I think you would want to know about," I suggested, keeping my glance away from his eyes, so he couldn't see my insecurity.

"Bulma. . . I. . . fine. I will go. Let's go now, before Chichi gets mad," He said, and went to get his shoes on. I smirked and ran up to my room.

~*~

Goku and I walked slowly towards Frieza's ship. He had totally burned me, and I was smoldering mad now. He deserved it, didn't he? Nobody burned *me*! I had to do this, or else Frieza's team of goonies would be out to get me, I was sure.

"Why is this so close to where you used to live? Did you do it on purpose?" Goku asked, looking around us.

"Yes, I did," I said slowly and walked into the clearing where Frieza's ship was, Goku close behind.

"Well, well, well, Kakkarott, long time no see," Vegeta snarled, glaring at Goku.

Frieza stepped out from behind him and smirked. "Bulma, I believe you have met King Vegeta, Goku, you?"

~*~

Hey ppl, I am SO sorry that a chapter hasn't been out in a long time!! My gay brother really is bugging me lately and I HATE HIM SO SO MUCH SO I CAN"T WRITE!!!!!!!! Ahem, anywayz, I um, anywayz, LOL, don't worry the next one will be much much better! Ja ne!!

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Chapter 18