No Regrets [A DBZ Fanfiction]

Chapter 17 - New Memories

"Oh, Goku...I don't know what to say," Bulma said to him after a long pause. She had told him that she'd wait for him to come back to her and here he was in the flesh, not in her fantasies and much sooner that she could have predicted. She had given up any hope of them reuniting in the near future, she had assumed that they were destined to be together when they were retired and all their obligations had been faded away with time. Even so, he was here and he admitted that she was the only one in his heart and she wasn't going pass up such a great chance at love. "But I know what I want to show you...as long as you promise not to get mad at me."

Goku smiled. "Bulma, I don't think I can get mad at you ever. Show me what you got."

"Okay, wait here! And don't you dare touch any of my pickles!" Bulma warned as she sprung off her lounge chair, running to her room. Goku was curious about Bulma's show and tell exhibit as he craned his neck toward her sliding door, sneakily stuffing some pickles down his mouth before Bulma got back. Bulma hurried out carrying a familiar looking brown leather satchel and sat across from him.

"I got this just in case you ever came back to me," Bulma explained, placing the satchel on her lap. She flipped the flap open and dipped her hand inside. Goku eyebrows rose in shock as Bulma pulled out the Four Star dragonball. This dragonaball held so much meaning for the both of them.

"You actually retrieved the dragonball from the nest?" Goku asked.

"ONLY this one," Bulma replied as she clutched the golden orange orb in her fingers. "I promised myself that I wouldn't go looking for the other ones without your help."

Bulma snuggled into the lounge chair that Goku was perched on, looking up at him with hope in her eyes.

"So…how about it Goku? Shall we go on one last quest for the dragonballs together?" Bulma was nothing but a delicious temptation in a fuzzy blue robe as she held the dragonball out to him like she was offering him a forbidden treat.

"Bulma, if we do this EVERYTHING will change, nothing will ever be the same. Are we sure we want to do that?" Goku asked.

"If we're together without guilt and shame, wouldn't it be worth it Goku?" She implored with her big blue eyes.

"What about your baby and Gohan? Isn't that why you stopped searching for them in the first place?" Goku replied, threading his hand through his hair. A life without his son was unthinkable.

"Well, Goku…I was thinking. Maybe we could use the 2nd wish to bring our children into this alternate life we'll wish for each other. Gohan could be OUR son and this could be our baby instead." Bulma responded with a hopeful smile as she placed one hand on her womb.

"Chichi and I are having another baby too, what about my other child?" Goku inquired. Bulma's scrunched her forehead as she thought about a way where she could have it all.

"Perfect! We'll wish for them to be twins! They'll be the best of friends!" Bulma said excitedly, thinking about her new life with Goku. "Oh Kami, can you imagine it Goku? My dad would be so excited! With smarty-pants Gohan's as his grandson he could be the next CEO of Capsule Corp!"

Goku smiled longingly, imagining a life with Bulma by his side. He could wake up next to her every day, he could hold her close every night, make love to her anytime without the worry of it being their last time. Bulma was pretty convincing, but he still had some questions.

"What do you think would happen to Vegeta or Chichi in this alternate life?" Goku asked.

"I could care less about Vegeta, he basically told me to raise our baby by myself. That damn arrogant bastard. It's as if he had no care or consideration for our child at all! This kid will be better off without him," Bulma fumed, remembering their encounter on the stairs. Goku frowned, he was actually surprised at Vegeta's response to fatherhood. Goku sensed there was some good in Vegeta, especially after Vegeta confided about his childhood to Goku on Planet Namek.

"And who knows, maybe Chichi and Yamcha will be together, since we'll no longer be standing in their way," Bulma hypothesized about the outcome of their romance's effect on other couples.

"Yamcha and Chichi?" Goku asked incredulously. Goku chuckled, where did Bulma come up with this stuff?

"Yeah? Didn't you feel some kind of vibe going on between the two of them when they first met or was that just me?" Bulma probed thinking back to the time when they first met Chichi. The young Chichi wouldn't stop blushing around Yamcha.

Goku tilted his to one side as he thought about it. The two of them together was laughable but Goku did recall his own confusion when Chichi apologized to Yamcha after she proposed to Goku. At the time he thought marriage was some type of exotic berry, which is why it might have made sense for Chichi to apologize to Yamcha. Yet, now that he knew what marriage was, why did Chichi say sorry to Bulma's then boyfriend? Goku shrugged, he didn't understand girls and he probably never would.

"Maybe you're right about the two of them," Goku conceded.

"Soooo….does that mean what I think it means?" Bulma asked with an optimistic edge to her voice. "Will you be joining me on a hunt for the other six dragonballs?"

Bulma bounced onto his lap and hugged him close while batting her long lashes at him. How could he say no to that face? She was so excited and truthfully he was as well. Him and Bulma together with no rules or boundaries between them, no shame or guilt for expressing the feelings that was in their hearts. Also, not hurting anybody else by being together. Goku was definitely wavering.

"I don't know Bulma, I think I'm going need more convincing," Goku hinted. Bulma giggled and placed a playful kiss on Goku's lips.

"Goku? Why do you taste like pickles?" Bulma asked. "Did you eat my pickles?"

"Bulma, it was food. And more importantly, I think you better break out your dragonball radar!"