Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own Dragon Ball Z…yet.

A/N – If you don’t like Yamcha bashing – and I mean literal Yamcha bashing - then don’t read this first part ^_^

~*~

Vegeta watched Yamcha get out of his car through eyes that felt as though they were burning with anger. His prey yawned and stretched, oblivious to the predator who was waiting and watching in the darkness. He just had to wait for Yamcha to move out of the light of the parking lot and step into the shadows – then he’d be free to teach that worthless human a lesson or two. He’d been careful to make sure there were no real humans nearby – the only life was the dozing clerk in the 7-11 opposite Yamcha’s apartment block, and the clerk didn’t pose much of a threat.

The rage that was burning in Vegeta’s heart was like nothing he’d ever felt before. He had lusted after women many times and had never felt bad about taking what he wanted from them, but this time he wanted Bulma to come to him willingly. He planned to win her trust and then slowly work his way into her life and replace Yamcha as the dominant male she looked to. Of course for this plan to work he had to make sure it was Bulma who instigated any physical encounters – or at least he had to make her think it was her who instigated them.

In Vegeta’s hand was a burlap sack that contained the unconscious body of Puar. He had caught the blue creature by surprise and had injected her with a drug that rendered the victim unconscious for hours. The poor creature hadn’t even seen him coming, he could still hear her squeak of surprise as he’s stabbed the needle into its fur. The memory was enough to make him smile in the darkness.

Vegeta dropped the sack, unmindful of the poor creature within it, and picked up the baseball bat he had left at his feet. His hands tightened around it and a dangerous looking smirk slid over Vegeta’s face as the metal creaked in his hands. He loosened his grip and grinned – a flash of white teeth all that was visible in the darkness. He looked badass and he knew it. It was a pity that he was only dressed like this to maim, he looked so good that he could have worn this to any of those human nightclubs and easily have entered – well, if he took off the black ski mask.

Vegeta was dressed in a tight black turtleneck that showed every curve of every muscle off, and black jeans that were tight enough to look good without looking sleazy. On his feet he wore black steel capped boots that made daunting thudding noises with each step if he put his foot down hard enough. To complete the look Vegeta wore black leather gloves and a black ski mask that he had just managed to fit his hair under. Black was definitely his colour.

He straightened and waited till Yamcha had reached his doorstep. Then he stepped out of the shadows and began to move towards Yamcha, silently threading his way through matches of moonlight and shadow until he was close enough to his prey that Yamcha could hear him.

“Who are you?” Yamcha asked unexpectedly, whirling around and dropping into a fighting stance. Vegeta kept quiet and rushed Yamcha, easily knocking him off his feet. He looked down at him for a second, enjoying the look of terror in his enemies eyes before he proceeded to lay into him with the baseball bat. Each whack of the bat cracked bones and did more damage then one of his sabiremen could have done. Yamcha’s strength was no match for Vegeta’s ferocious attack and within minutes he was lying in a pool of his own blood. He appeared to have a cracked skull as well as more broken bones then most people get in a lifetime and several very deep gashes.

Yamcha coughed up blood, wheezing and blowing red blood bubbles as he tried to breathe. His eyes were closed and his ki was dangerously low but Vegeta knew that he wouldn’t die – well, not if he went and called an ambulance right away. Satisfied with his work, Vegeta walked back and collected Puar in her sack and dumped it near Yamcha’s broken body. He hesitated briefly as he saw Yamcha’s car, then with a slow smirk he picked up a rock from beside his feet and hurled it at the car, chuckling sadistically as the rock shot through the front and back windows and sent the glass shattering in all directions.

Satisfied with his handiwork, Vegeta gathered up his black bag and stowed the baseball bat in it and took off flying back towards capsule Corp, pulling off his black ski mask as he flew and howling with laughter into the wind.

He hadn’t had this much fun since his first planet purge!

~*~

Bulma mouth open and closed silently before she dropped the phone back into its cradle; her face turning deathly pale as she wobbled unsteadily on her feet for a second, then she gave up the fight with gravity and allowed herself to fall towards the ground.

“Woman!” Vegeta burst in the door in time to see Bulma swoon and in an instant he was by her side. He caught Bulma as she passed out and gathered her up into his muscular arms. “Woman?” Vegeta asked again as he put her on the couch and bent over her. “Woman! Wake up!” He very softly slapped her cheek; half afraid he would hurt her. Bulma muttered something about Yamcha but didn’t wake up.

Vegeta smirked as he realised that Bulma must have just gotten the news about Yamcha’s attack. The ambulance officers obviously hadn’t wasted any time if Bulma was getting a phone call so soon, but then again Yamcha’s injuries had been extensive and critical enough for them to phone his girlfriend. Honestly – you’d think Yamcha would have had some family, but apparently Bulma was all he had. Sad really.

Slyly, Vegeta looked up and glanced around the room and seeing nobody he bent down and kissed Bulma. He opened his mouth against hers, revelling in her taste as he groaned and sank down on the couch next to Bulma’s prone body. With an effort Vegeta pulled himself away from her, breathing hard. He gathered her into his arms and lay down next to her, arranging Bulma next to him in a comfortable position as he let his body relax and his mind flew into a whirl.

As soon as the woman woke up he would begin his act of concern. Vegeta smirked and ran a hand down Bulma’s body; next to him she moaned and snuggled in close to him, her arms snaking around him. Then again why not use their current position to his advantage? He could tell the woman that they had done things and that he hadn’t realised she was in shock. The way to make the woman believe she was guilty of something she hadn’t done. Vegeta grinned as he pictured her reaction – she’d be horrified at first, but then she’d begin to wonder what was done…and if she’d enjoy it. Fooling the woman was going to be fun indeed.

~*~

Bulma woke up to find herself wrapped securely in someone’s arms. “What? Yamcha?” Bulma muttered as she struggled up; assuming that the horrifying phone call she had received last night had merely been a bad dream. Then she looked down at the man holding her and found herself staring into the cold obsidian eyes of Vegeta. Bulma gasped and jerked away from him. “Vegeta!” She choked on his name as she looked down to see her legs tangled with his and her arms locked around his solid bare chest. Bulma let go immediately and sat up. “What happened?” She looked at the seemingly at ease saiyan prince in confusion – what on earth had she done last night? She hadn’t…had she?

Vegeta pulled himself up next to Bulma, inwardly laughing with glee at her startled and much befuddles expression. “You don’t remember?” Vegeta managed to make himself sound hurt, and then he mockingly raised an eyebrow and smirked as he leered at her body. “You told me this was what you wanted, that you had been waiting for me to ask you for a long time.” Vegeta moved closer to Bulma so that he could lean into her as he spoke. “You begged me to do it, you begged me over, and over, and over.” Vegeta voice dropped to a whisper and he met Bulma’s wide blue eyes, pleased with the distraught look in them.

She looked at him in disbelief and something not unlike fear slipped into her eyes as realisation dawned on her. “What…” Bulma cleared her throat but her voice still came out as a whisper. “What did we do?”

Vegeta lent in to Bulma so his lips were almost touching hers, prepare to tell any lie if it meant the woman would give in to him. He could hear her heartbeat speeding up, as he got closer to her. “We…”

At that moment Bulma’s parents came cluttering into the room, they stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Bulma and Vegeta on the couch. Both of Bulma’s parents stared at them in shock staring in shock. “My God Bulma! What are you doing?” Bulma’s father dropped the bag he had been carrying, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Vegeta smirked at them turned his head back to look at Bulma who was still ignoring her parents, her blue eyes focused on Vegeta’s mocking black eyes. “…We had some fun.” He gave her a meaningful look and Bulma gasped and pulled herself away from him, springing into her mother’s arms with a sob.

“Mama! Yamcha’s in hospital! Somebody attacked him last night and beat him up!” Bulma sobbed into her mother’s neck, unaware as her father and Vegeta continued to stare at one another warily. Vegeta was not best pleased with Bulma’s piteous reaction towards the weaklings beating – he had been hoping she would be crying to him instead of her mother.

“Darling that’s terrible!” Bulma’s mama hugged her daughter and tried to soothe her, her blond locks tumbling over her forehead as she bent over Bulma and gently rocked her. “It’ll be alright, your Yamcha is a survivor.”

“You don’t understand! The worst part is that Yamcha may have irreversible brain damage!” Bulma sobbed even harder and her voice rose to a whine. Vegeta winced and covered his ears until he was sure it was safe for him to uncover them.

He stared at Bulma, slightly disappointed by her crying act. “Like brain damage would make a difference to him!” Vegeta muttered nastily as he stood up. Bulma swung around angrily and glared at him but she stopped when she saw Vegeta’s smirking face. He was taking a lot of pleasure in making her uncomfortable – especially doing it in front of her parents.

Vegeta walked up to Bulma and stopped near her, his eyes swept over her mother and father and came to rest on her. “You know Bulma if you ever want a…” Vegeta paused as if searching for the right word. “…Rematch…” Vegeta smirked, knowing that Bulma would jump to conclusions. “Give me a call.” With that Vegeta walked from the room, a small smirk lighting his face as he danced down the hallway to his room.

~*~

Bulma sat tearfully clutching Yamcha’s hand at the hospital. She was still sobbing her heart out as she pleaded to Kami for Yamcha to get better when the doctor poked his head in a sighed. The poor young lady hadn’t moved a muscle or stopped crying since she had got here – she merely held the hand of the man the doctor assumed was her lover and sobbed. Honestly, the he was fed up with her whining, but he understood the pain she was going through as she was faced with the prosect of losing her man.

“Miss Briefs, I really have to insist you get some rest, you’ll be the first to know if there's any change in his condition.” The doctor stepped into the room and managed to win the blue haired woman’s attention. He was startled by how blue her eyes looked surrounded by the bloodshot whites of her eyes but he hid his reactions and hurriedly continued to speak. “I’ve called your house and arranged for someone to come get you, so if you wait in the hall…” The doctor trailed off and pointedly looked at Bulma, hoping she would take the hint and leave.

With a long suffering sigh Bulma kissed the hand of her boyfriend and stood up. The doctor led Bulma from the room and gently pushed her down in a plastic hospital waiting chair outside of the room. “Try not to worry about him, he’s in a stable condition and he’s getting better with each passing minute.” The doctor shook his head and left Bulma, wondering how on earth the man he had talked to when he had phoned her house planned on coercing the woman to leave.

Whoever the man was, hopefully he’d be one hell of a manipulator.

“Oh Yamcha!” Bulma dramatically moaned into her hands as she began to heave dry dobs again. She was on the verge of bursting into tears when a hand came down on her shoulder and roughly pulled her to her feet.

“Stop your snivelling, woman!” A voice muttered into her ear, snapping Bulma out of her depressed state.

“Vegeta!” Bulma gasped and pulled away, rubbing her shoulder where he had touched her as though it was tingling. She shook her head in shock as she realised that Vegeta, the man who she’d been trying to avoid all week long, must have been the ‘someone’ who the doctor had arranged to take her home.

The saiyan prince frowned, perplexed by her shaky response. “What's wrong with you, woman? I’m here to take you home.” Vegeta’s face softened when he registered Bulma’s embarrassment. Obviously the woman was still fretting over what they had apparently done the other night. Perhaps it was finally time to let her ‘off the hook’ so to speak. “Woman, are you still upset about the other day?” Vegeta tried her hardest to sound concerned, not sure if he sounded genuine enough to fool her, though. Bulma nodded and looked away, narrowly missing Vegeta’s grin as his inner devil danced a jig. “Why? All we did was play chess! I know I beat you in every round but that’s no reason to get all embarrassed.” Vegeta watched Bulma’s reaction and was almost annoyed when she looked relieved instead of disappointed.

“What? You mean we didn’t…” Bulma broke off abruptly and managed a watery grin as waves of relief washed over her. She cleared her throat and continued speaking, her voice much more self-assured. “I mean, I’m awfully sorry I’ve been so grumpy about it.” Bulma easily slipped into the lie, unaware that Vegeta was ruthlessly manipulating her.

Vegeta stunned Bulma by pulled awkwardly pulling her close to him and giving her an awkward hug. “I know I’m not the nicest person Bulma but I just want you to know you can count on me.” Vegeta didn’t want to see the relieved look in her eyes so he switched to his sympathy mode again, knowing that the woman was still cut up about her weaklings beating. Honestly, this woman was easier to play then the recorder!

Bulma, who had tensed up at his touch, softened in his embrace and dissolved into tears again. “Oh, Vegeta! Everything was so perfect and then this had to happen.” She sobbed into Vegeta’s shoulder, not bothering to ask herself what possible reason Vegeta could have for caring about her emotions. Her legs slid out from under her again as she cried her heart out, blissfully unaware as Vegeta lifted her up into his arms and walked down the corridor hallway.

By the time they had exited the hospital and were at the car Bulma had calmed down enough to be confused by Vegeta’s actions. “Why are you being so nice to me, Vegeta?” She asked him as he gently set her down in the car and did her seat belt up for her. It could have been her imagination but Bulma thought Vegeta looked panicked for a moment, as though he didn’t know how to answer her question.

Vegeta looked up at Bulma as he put the key in the ignition and turned the car on, his mind desperately searching for a reasonable explanation for his futile attempted to win her trust.

“I…” Vegeta looked down as if stuck for words, and hid a smile as he finally found an explanation that he knew would meet the woman’s expectations and leave him looking good. “I’m just concerned for you. On planet Vegeta if woman were stressed, men would do everything they could to make them feel better.” Vegeta laughed suddenly, pain lancing through his tone. “I guess old habits die hard, just don’t go expecting me to be nice for long.”

Vegeta pulled out of the car park, careful to hide his smile as they drove along, so far everything was going to plan. Bulma was looking at him as though she wanted to hug him in return. Obviously she had fallen for his nice guy act, just as he had predicted she would. All he had to do know was comfort her and insert himself so far into Bulma’s life she wouldn’t be able to push him away.

“Vegeta.” His prize turned to face him, her wide blue eyes questioning. “Why didn’t you just tell me that we played chess? Why?”

Vegeta schooled his features to look embarrassed, not having expected the woman to ask him why he hadn’t told her the truth. “I thought you were joking about not remembering, I honestly had no idea that you were suffering shock while we played.” Vegeta grinned to himself when Bulma nodded and looked away. Honestly, the woman was almost too trusting.

“Besides,” Vegeta added, making his voice slightly regretful. “It was obvious what you thought had happened between us and loath as I am to admit it was nice to imagine even for a moment that someone like you could…like me.” Vegeta’s inner beast clawed and growled inside of him as he spoke the painfully emotional words.

“Oh.” Bulma looked out the window; her face was set in an emotionless mask as she struggled not to let any of her inner turmoil out. “What was your home planet like Vegeta?” She finally asked to change the topic as Vegeta took the turn off to capsule corp. She was curious about the saiyan prince and listening to him talk was distracting her from the pain of Yamcha’s condition…and she didn’t want to think of Yamcha lying there beaten and bruised…she just wanted to forget for a while.

“It was beautiful to me. It was similar and yet very different to earth. Everything on planet Vegeta was red and dry; it had a red sky and red seas.” Vegeta sighed, this time he didn’t have to make himself sound nostalgic; he honestly did miss his home world. “No matter how long I live here on earth I’m always going to feel alone here. I’m always going to feel like an outsider, like an alien all alone on a strange planet.” Vegeta looked out the window and didn’t have to pretend to be sad as he surveyed Earth. “I lost my entire world Bulma. No body can ever possibly know what that feels like.”

Vegeta was surprised to feel Bulma’s hand on his shoulder. “Yamcha was my whole world Vegeta, if I loose him…” Bulma turned away as she began to cry softly again. Vegeta clenched his teeth; why did the woman have to say that? The weakling couldn’t possibly mean that much to her could he? Well, no matter - tonight he’d win the woman over. Tonight he would make her forget about the weakling Yamcha if it was the last thing he did.

~*~