~*****~

"Are you sure you don't want to go train with Goku?" I ask Vegeta as he rubs at my feet while we lounge in the garden.

"Yes, I'm fine. You're the important one right now. You heard your doctor; you're supposed to be on bedrest." Vegeta expressed, thumbs digging deep into the sore parts in the instep of my foot. I sigh happily and stretch my toes towards him in an attempt to get more of the feeling. "And the baby is small..." He murmured after a moment.

I smile lopsidedly and sigh through my nose. "Relax, will you? The doctor says he's healthy, I'm like, only two weeks after my due date, and-" I suck in a breath when I realize my mistake. Vegeta stares at me for a long time, suddenly softer than usual. "Oops, sorry, I was trying to keep it a secret. I think I just wasted a whole party."

Vegeta presses his palms to my belly and stares at it hard. "You're a boy, so grow a little, will you?" He orders to my belly. There's a jolt against my belly.

"I think he's mad at you now," I comment as I rub at the spot he's kicked at. "If he has your attitude, I'm going to kick your butt."

"Yeah, yeah- you secretly love the kids acting like me." Vegeta retorts nonchalantly as he lays on his side besides me, absently rubbing at my belly.

"It's not like I hate it, but I've got four kids who look like I've insulted their ancestors when I tell them to eat their veggies." I express. I feel a pang of hunger. "Ooh, I'm feeling pizza. D'you want a few?"

Vegeta snorts at me. "Just give me the card and I'll go pick them up, don't you dare move from this spot, understand?"

I nod eagerly and curl my legs up a bit as he walks into the house, my wallet in hand. "Extra mushrooms!"

"You get heartburn when you eat mushrooms." Vegeta called out nonchalantly before the door shuts. I huff irritably in response. He's back not even ten minutes later.

"How'd you do that so fast?" I ask curiously.

"My wife is pregnant; I'm not letting her sit around without something to eat for long." Vegeta retorts as he plops a pizza on the table next to me and serves me.

~*****~

I hear Vegeta shout irritably when I'm in the staff kitchen at the office. I'd all but begged to go, so naturally, he would only oblige if I moved slowly and wore the comfiest shoes I owned. I walk out into the lobby with the box of cereal I'd opened up and peered at the scene. It's Goku and Goten with a bag from my favorite sweet shop getting yelled at by Vegeta for coming unannounced. "Oh, before I forget-" I call out through my cereal. "Goten, Chi-Chi called, and she said she couldn't stop your father, but she insisted that you stay with me." I mention as I waddle towards the lobby. Goten just whines unhappily. Vegeta rounds the counter frantically.

"Will you stop sneaking that sugary crap!" Vegeta ordered as he snagged the box from my hands.

I ignore him and peer at the bag in Goku's hands. "Are those for me~" I chirp happily. "Honestly, you are so super sweet to me! I thought you'd forgotten about the baby shower!"

"You shower with babies?" Goku asked.

"No, dingus, it's for the baby I'm going to have." I retort impishly, moving around the counter to talk to him better.

"Whoa! Mara! Someone's been hittin' the buffets!" Goku beamed.

"I'M PREGNANT, YOU IDIOT!" I shout at him.

"Seriously, how forgetful are you?!" Vegeta shouted in tandem.

I sigh out and palm at my forehead. "I worry about that bump you got on your head as a kid, I knew it'd make you forgetful, just not this much." I mention dejectedly. "If it's not for the shower, than what the hell is it for? And make it fast, I'm due any day now." I express.

~*****~

Goku explains the situation he's in once Vegeta all but orders to me to go rest on one of the patios, and I'm a little disappointed he didn't bring me sweets. But he did grovel and promised to get me some soon. "I'm happy for you, guys!" Goten expresses to Marble and Mars. "Do you know if it's a little brother or little sister?"

"No way, mom said she wanted to keep it a secret until it's born," Mars comments irritably. "Just as long as they're not lame."

"I want another sister. If they new baby is anything like Elara, she'll be better off for dad's heart if she's a girl." Marble expresses.

"I'm not that bad-" Eschalot comments dryly.

"You like to punch Mars when he's not looking, though," Elara chimes in.

"You be quiet!" Eschalot exclaims.

Elara laughs in response. "I hate this gender surprise-- she's already past her due date, we deserve to know!" Pilaf comments.

"Sorry, don't listen to them, Mara," Mai chirps. "They're just impatient 'cause they're excited."

"Yes we are!" Pilaf and Shoo chirp.

"And whether a he-baby or she-baby, we're ready!" Shoo adds. "I've been honing my ninja swaddling skills!"

"You didn't have to do that. I've got a little practice with kids, you know." I mention impishly.

"You know what, Mara, you should have these." Goku expresses. "You need them more than I do." Goku holds up the bag of treats he'd said were for Beerus.

"And I'll bet in exchange you'll ask me to guilt Whis and Beerus into training you?" I ask impishly as I rub at my belly. I sigh out. "You're a glutton for punishment, you know that? Beerus has been trying to stay away ever since I started showing more. It makes him super nervous that I'm a ticking time bomb of emotions that might just rip his head off." I chuckle happily. "I'll just get Vegeta to run to the shop for me later, you give them to Beerus and Whis. I'll live."

"You sure? You looked really bummed I said they were for Beerus," Goku hums.

"It's just the hormones, I promise." I giggle.

"So are you really going to go train with Whis and Beerus?" Marble asks.

"If your mom lets me." Goten chirps.

"Awe, no!" Mars whines. "You can't do that! We need someone to train with and those weenies can't keep up! And we can't leave until the babies here!"

"We are not going to be a Saiyan's punching bag!" Pilaf and Shoo bark. "Scatter!" The two run off.

"We can't train if you're halfway across the universe, Goten, so will you please stay with us?" Marble asks in a pouty tone.

For the first time since I've seen that boy, he actually began to flush at her tone. "Y-Yeah! Okay! I can train here!" Goten exclaims. He begins rubbing at his head and laughing to hide his face.

"Yeah! We'll start right now!" Mars cheers.

Goku chuckles. "Looks like Goten wants to stay here." Goku comments. "That'll make his mom happy."

"I'll call Chi-Chi and let her know I've persuaded her son." I explain. "And tell her you had a big hand in swaying his decision to stay, so she's not so mad you snuck out with him."

"Aw, thanks, Mara, you the best!" Goku cheers.

"So are you gonna invite Vegeta to train with you and Whis?" I ask curiously.

Goku hummed before gasping in remembrance. "Oh, yeah! I totally forgot!" Goku chirped. I wave him off and relax in my chair. When Vegeta returns a few moments later, I'm honestly surprised.

"You chose to stay?" I ask curiously.

"Of course I did!" Vegeta retorted as he lifts me off of my chair and stalks back into the house. "I'm not leaving your side until the baby is born."

"Dad's a softie-" Eschalot and Elara chirp in unison as they run past him.

"I am not a-" Vegeta growls out.

"Softie-" Mars, Goten, and Marble chime before running towards the gravity room.

"Little brats-" Vegeta growls irritably.

"They're taking advantage of your nerves." I comment impishly. "And they're right- my husband is a softie and I love it so."

"I'm not nervous! I've sat by your side with all of our children." Vegeta retorted.

"Yes, but you were nervous, then too." I explain.

Vegeta snorts irritably and turns his nose up. "I can't help it. You're fragile. I can't even make love to you without worrying I'll break something." Vegeta snorts. I flush at the comment. It's not his usual language, but there are prying ears around that are very young. "Is my wife having naughty thoughts?" Vegeta suddenly asks, causing my face to flush harder.

"Can you blame me? It's been months, you've been so anxious and stop right before we can get going." I hum irritably. "Now take me to our room and take care of me." I order.

"Bossy." Vegeta snorts.

I'm nearly delirious with pleasure merely twenty minutes later, so we take that time to cuddle out in the garden. It's no surprise that Goku shows up again, asking for him to join him in some little expo. "I already told you! I am waiting for my child!" Vegeta barks angrily.

"Okay, Vegeta, chill out. You don't have to yell my ear off." Goku complains. Vegeta snorts and stands up, righting me on my feet a moment later. I grimace and rub at my belly as it drags me down a bit. I rub at my back tiredly.

"I don't know what this Zeno Expo is, Kakarot, but if you need help, then why not ask your son?" Vegeta asks.

"Yeah, I could. But I have no idea who we're gonna fight." Goku retorts. "Goten may not be up to the challenge yet." He thinks for a moment before gasping. "Wait! My other son! Thanks, Vegeta! That's a great idea!"

We watch Goku fly off. "Is it?" I ask worriedly. "Gohan's gotten a bit... soft." I mention. I feel Vegeta's hands wrap underneath my belly and lift, and I no longer care who the hell Goku picks for this expo because I am one happy lady.

~*****~

Vegeta ran around the house, moving from the rooms with empty baskets and returning with full, then repeating. Ever since I'd started having contractions, the house had become impecable. Even the children were squeaky clean. "How long do we have to wait before we can train again?" Mars asked boredly.

"I guess until your father says so," I retort with a shrug.

"He won't let me paint, I wanna train if I can't paint." Marble commented dryly.

"Your sisters are okay with the situation," I mention. The three of us peer at the twins, who are playing with their extra clean toys.

"That's because they're fine with toys. I feel ansty, I just wanna let out some steam." Mars hummed. "Can't we stay at Goten's tonight?"

"I don't see a problem with it, just make sure you call beforehand and ask." I suggest.

"What if she makes us study with Goten?" Marble asks suspiciously. "I don't want to do schoolwork."

Mars shrugs. "I think we'll have to risk it." Mars hummed. "Or did you want to stay around while Dad's on a manic cleaning mission."

The two kids stare at one another before bolting to the kitchen where the phone sat. "Can we go?" Eschalot asks curiously.

"Will you two behave? And I mean it, don't punch Goten, Mars, or Marble." I express.

"I don't punch anyone," Elara retorted passionately.

"Oh? And you're going to look me in the eye and say that after I witnessed you not only bonking your brother on the head with your tail, but also Eschie when she refused to give you her doll?" I question. Elara clammed up and turned her nose up, attempting to whistle as if she didn't know what I was talking about. I chuckle lightly and wave my hand at them to go ask. Vegeta returns from the twin's bedroom with an empty basket. "Can you sit down for a while? You're making me dizzy with all the running around."

The basket is launched through the hall as Vegeta blasts towards me, grasping at my shoulders tightly. "Are your contractions getting closer?! Is that why you're so dizzy?! Should I prepare the room for your labor?!"

"No, I'm not even in the range for early labor. They're like, an hour apart. When they start getting thirty minutes apart, I'll let you know." I comment with a chuckle. "Just sit down with me, I'm bored." Vegeta sits forcefully, his back ramrod straight and his arm thrown tightly over my shoulders, as if he's poised for a fight. I guess labor is his next battle he's going to conquer. "Honestly, your energy would've been better used in that expo Goku mentioned."

"Any energy I'm going to use is to make your life easier until the child is here!" Vegeta retorted stiffly.

"Oh, thanks so much," I murmur sarcastically, dreading the sleepless nights when he's away training. "You'd seriously rather be here than fighting some super strong guy from another universe?" I ask curiously.

"So? What of it? I think I prefer to see my pretty wife rather than some disgusting freak trying to fight me." Vegeta retorted. "Are you hungry?"

My stomach growls as if on cue. "Hey, mom, Chi-Chi said she and Goten were coming over instead-" Mars calls out.

Vegeta bursts through the house, cleaning violently. I shrug as the kids stare after him in annoyance.