author: FireCracker [email protected]
(Italic copy bordered by_underscore_)
Archive? You'd better.
Pairing Goku/Vegeta

A/U -PREGNANCY FIC CHALLENGE

Reflections of the Future

_Six months after the Cell Games._

Vegeta sat alone along an isolated shoreline of Rentigo Bay, fifty miles west of South City. Cool water lapped his bare feet as he stretched on his back under bright sunshine. Sunrays captured reddish streaks that still laced the black flame of hair. The ouji groaned slightly at a slight cramp in his swollen belly.

_They must know by now, though they don't understand. Bulma even thought I had a tumor, the foolish woman! My own son stares at me like some kind of freak._

Dark eyes closed as he rested. _Let them think what they will...I have something no one can take from me. Kakarot's child._

He grimaced as the small ki within him sparked. The ouji smiled softly.

_Moving around already, my little one? Hai, you are royalty...and born with the blood of super saiyans! If only...you could know your father..._

Darkly handsome features pinched in pain against the sunlight. _I've tried not to think about him...but I can't. Ghods, how I miss you, Kakarot. It isn't fair...why did you have to be the idiot hero? Why did you have to die?!_

A fist slammed in wet sand as tears slid down the proud face. _I loved you, dammit, like I loved no one in my life...and now you're gone, ripped from me...from _us!_ It should never have happened. Your sacrifice was a waste!_

A keening wail of despair escaped his lips, a primal scream of rage. The outburst was a costly one. He rolled to his side in pain, cramps seizing his abdomen.

"Kami" he coughed, breathing raggedly. His body had gone through so many changes since he'd conceived, and the stress of his mate's death was taking its toll. Swollen and tender nipples strained against the black fabric of his bodysuit as he heaved.

_It's no good like this. I cannot allow myself to get so upset_ he rolled to a sitting position slowly, settling his weight on one arm. The pain gradually subsided.

_Your father was a wonderful warrior, little one. He drove me crazy, but he was a saiyan like no other. But as long as I have you, I am not alone._

Vegeta closed his eyes again, enjoying the warm sunshine against his skin. He remembered enduring the endless questions. Questions about the regrowth of his tail. Questions about his heightened sensitivity to heat and cold. Questions about his moodiness and isolation. But mostly he remembered the shock when he made the announcement. They told him it was impossible, that he was sick.

The ouji laughed out loud. "Idiots!! They presumed to tell me about _my_ species?!"

He remembered explaining it all to them tediously, like children...how certain families of males among saiyans had the ability to reproduce...

"But how, Vegeta? HOW?! You're a man!!" Bulma gasped in shock.

"Very astute, woman. During intercourse a small amount of semen dissolves directly into the bloodstream and is deposited in an extra abdominal chamber. The semen is held there until the other partner ovulates within the sac. If there is no sperm within two days the egg is reabsorbed. If conception happens, the fetus is later birthed through the canal just below the navel."

Trunks gawked. "But this is so freaky...why...I mean what would make you, uh, ovulate?"

Vegeta sneered. "You're a big boy, Trunks. Figure it out. Whenever hormonal levels in the blood peak conception occurs. For saiyans it doesn't happen often, except in the case of the rut."

"But why?" Bulma stammered, still not believing her ears.

Vegeta sighed. "Saiyans are extremely long lived, but not particularly fertile. Three children would be considered a large family, and two is the average. Our scientists have speculated for centuries that there is an inverse law of nature...the longer lived the specie, the less progency. This is why class was so highly valued on Vegetasaii."

"Incredible" Trunks shook his head in amazement.

Vegeta's brooding brought him back to the present. _Hai, incredible, my half breed. But unlike you, this one will be pure saiyan, free of taint. And if I can't have Kakarot...I can at least have this part of him._

Vegeta sighed, slowly gaining his feet as he stood. He looked about and listened to seagulls screeching in the distance.

_I'd best return home now. The child is dropping, and I could deliver at any time._

A silent form approached him from behind a tree. "Hello, father."

Vegeta spun in shock. _What? He must have been masking his ki..._

"How dare you sneak up on me!!"

The demi saiyan looked somewhat abashed. "I'm sorry about that, but I was worried about you."

"Why?"

"You...your pregnancy. You seemed to be in distress, and I-"

Vegeta waved him off. "Don't concern yourself with it. I was about to return home in any case."

Trunks stared at him closely. "You look pale."

The ouji grunted in annoyance. "Stop fussing, I say. I'm not an invalid!"

The demi saiyan glanced at his father's midsection. "Do I already know who the father is?"

Vegeta turned his back. "Probably. Who do you think?"

A sigh. "There's only one possibility. Goku is the only one you'd allow-"

"Watch your mouth, boy" the black tail puffed stiffly.

Trunk's eyes were hard. "You think I didn't know you truly loved him?!"

Vegeta spun in shock. "Nande?! I never said-"

Blue eyes were chips of ice. "I saw the looks, the touches...even when you seemed to be arguing or fighting."

Obsidian eyes glazed over. "You couldn't possibly know...how I feel...what I felt!!"

Trunks stepped in front of him. "No? Maybe you fooled the others, but not me...you always claimed to have hated him, yet you were always at his side!"

"Shut up" Vegeta growled dangerously. "I should-" his eyes went wide in horror.

Trunks panicked. "What is it? What's wrong?!"

Vegeta doubled over. "GGkkk...Trunks...baby..."

The demi saiyan froze, his thoughts a jumble. _What to do? Ghods, he's going into labor right in front of me!_

"Jerwqiiten, Zerratta!!" Vegeta swore in saiyan, clutching his middle and falling to his knees.

Trunks dropped to his side. "Tell me what to do!!"

Vegeta winced, barely able to speak. "Ha...help me pull off the top of this bodysuit."

Trunks nodded, reaching across muscular shoulders and pulling the straps down. Vegeta lay back in the wet sand, his breathing coming in quick gasps. Nervous hands yanked the elastic material past the swollen belly. Trunks could see a strange protrusion an inch beneath the navel.

"Father! What in-"

Vegeta gasped. "No time...umbilical cord...just pull it...slowly!!" he shrieked, a contraction stabbing white hot pain. Trunks nodded, sweat beading on his forehead. Slowly and gently he pulled...

"AAAIIIII!!!"

"Sorry!" his hands were shaking as he continued to pull. Amazingly, the flesh around the cord opened to a slit that gradually grew larger. Trunks saw a tiny foot begin to protrude. Then another...

Vegeta howled, pushing for all he was worth. Trunks continued, his pulse on overload. Blood pounded in his ears as small legs now exposed...

"That's it, father! The baby's coming!"

Vegeta managed a wan smile before howling as more contractions overtook him. Trunks eased his hands around a small torso, carefully inching the newborn out further. Seconds later the head popped free.

"Yatta!!" Trunks shouted in relief, holding the little one high. Seconds later the infant stared squealing. Trunks tore his jacket off and wrapped the baby in it. Vegeta frowned once more.

"Kami!!" he yelled, falling back again. "It can't be..."

"What father. Are you in pain?!" Trunks was instantly worried again.

Vegeta was deathly white. "There's...another one??" dark eyes were wide in astonishment. Trunks stared in shock. Sure enough, another pair of tiny feet were beginning to poke out.

"Hang on!" he pulled again. The second baby came out even more quickly. Vegeta lay back in exhaustion, trying to form a coherent thought. His eyes closed briefly.

"Kuso...Trunks, are they alright?" he managed.

Trunks grinned with pride. He was drenched with sweat from nervous energy. "Hai, father. It looks like I have two little brothers."

Vegeta smiled and opened his eyes. "Help me up..." he heard the infants squealing.

"Father, stay still!"

"I want to hold them."

Trunks handed Vegeta the swaddled infants. They blinked, their newborn eyes bluish and cloudy.

Vegeta couldn't describe the feeling. He could only stare, speechless.

"Father, I'm going to use my shirt and clean you off, okay?"

Vegeta nodded dully. "Yes. The babies need to be washed, too."

Trunks sidled the ouji against a tree. "Stay here" he instructed, before heading to the lake.

****

Half an hour later Trunks cleaned the newborns as best he could with his water soaked shirt. Vegeta cradled the babies in his jacket.

Trunks felt as if he were going to pass out. He was queasy, and his head felt light. His father noticed.

"What's your problem, boy?" the dark eyes were soft, teasing.

Trunks stumbled to his feet. "Scuse me...gonna be sick..." he managed to hold on until he ducked behind a tree.

Vegeta shook his head slowly. _You are no saiyan, although you carry my blood._ He glanced down peacefully at the newborns. They both had full heads of hair. Tiny tails wrapped around his wrists.

The ouji sighed blissfully. _So beautiful. And true saiyans, unlike your brother. Kakarot..._

A cough interrupted his thoughts. Trunks smiled apologetically as he dropped at his father's side.

"Sorry. It isn't everyday I deliver babies."

Vegeta lifted an eyebrow. "Hn, no saiyan would fall apart at a simple childbirth."

Trunks fanned himself. "I'm not most saiyans" he glanced at the newborns. "Wow. They've got a lot of hair."

"Of course."

The demi saiyan observed their features closely. "Father...it's interesting. One has Goku's hair and your features, and the other...has your hair and Goku's face."

Vegeta purred. "Hai, I noticed the same thing. Their eyes will darken in a few days."

The infants burbled, making small clicking sounds with their tongues. Trunks poked at the tiny tails. They immediately wrapped around his hand.

He laughed. "They're so cute!"

Vegeta nuzzled the small ones. Trunks couldn't believe the open warmth and love he saw.

"I never...knew this side of you, father."

The ouji smiled slowly, not taking his eyes off the twins. "I've never been a mother before" _and these will be mine to raise as true saiyans._

Trunks kissed his father's cheek. Vegeta looked at him in surprise.

"Trunks?"

"Nothing, father. I love you. _And_ my little brothers."

Vegeta gave a rare smile. "I see."

"I think you should rest more before you head home. Everyone will certainly be surprised!"

Vegeta nodded wearily. "Aye, my abdomen muscles need to settle down before I can stand."

Trunks breached a sore subject. "Do you think Chi Chi will accept this?"

Vegeta clicked his fangs. "I don't give a rat's ass. They're Kakarot's children, not hers. She has no say."

"But they were married-"

"I don't care, I said. She isn't blood."

Trunks sighed, putting his concerns on hold. "Have you thought of names?"

"Yes. Couliv and Tenaj."

"Clearly saiyan, but what do they mean?"

"Couliv means 'power' and Tenaj means 'pride.'"

Trunks nodded in approval. "Considering their parents, I'd say those names are perfect."

Vegeta closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of his mate through their sons. _Once I get the dragonballs we'll be together again Kakarot, I swear it!_

THE END