Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Ones They Take For Granted ❯ Gaining Perspective ( Chapter 4 )

The Ones They Take For Granted

By Pareathe

A/N: Considering the fact that I have four other stories that are demanding my attention and that I just updated this one, I shouldn't be working on this again. *sighs* Oh well, unfortunately for the people who read my other stuff, this fic has overtaken my brain. Who am I to argue with that? *grins* I'm sure you guys don't mind a new chapter so soon, right?

Big hugs to BluEydMnstr for yet another great beta job.

Chapter Four: Gaining Perspective

~This world don't turn when you're not in my arms, the sun don't shine whenever I'm without you~

"Hey, 'tousan... working hard, eh?"

I sensed his ki heading my way a few minutes ago, so I'm already using my orange gi top to wipe the thick layer of sweat from my face and neck when I hear his semi-sarcastic greeting. I know he means it as a rhetorical question; I was going at it pretty strong a minute ago, and we both know that. One more deep breath, and I turn around and give my oldest son a sheepish grin while I scratch the back of my head. "Yeah, I guess I was. Why?"

"Well," Gohan takes his glasses off and rubs the bridge of his nose - why the hell does he wear those things, anyway? His eyes were fine when he was a kid - before he scans the landscape behind me with a slightly-raised eyebrow, "you usually don't rattle the foundation of the house when you train, Dad."

I chuckle lightly and study his face for that look that tells me he's exaggerating. I'm not seeing it. Kuso, I didn't realize I was training quite that hard. "Gomen, Gohan... musta gotten a little carried away," I offer weakly. Yeah, real convincing...

He grins and shrugs it off; he always was quick to forgive and forget my little, stupid oversights. "It didn't bother me," he explains, "though 'kaasan was having a fit about it."

Great. That's just what I needed to hear.

I guess Gohan notices my lack of enthusiasm at the prospect of facing my irate wife. "Don't worry, 'tousan. When I left, Videl was with her, so by the time we get back, I'm sure she'll be calmed down. You know how Mom is about Videl."

Yes, I do. So does Videl.

~And there's an empty space inside my heart when you're gone~

"I'll have to thank her for the save," I tell him with a chuckle. It's hollow, though; there's no mirth behind it at all. It's not that the idea of making it up to Videl isn't - good Kami-sama - extremely inviting, it's the fact that I won't be able to show my gratitude properly for another... three days, when Gohan's vacation is over and he goes back to work.

Damn, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to hold out that long. Maybe it's time I get kicked out of the house again...

I already know I can't do that. Especially since Videl and I haven't been together for over a week. Hell, we haven't even been able to really talk for the last five days because Gohan's been around. If I were to go over there right now...

Why is this so damned hard? There have been periods that I've been away from my wife for years at a time, and I managed just fine. Sure, I missed her, but I was able to deal with that. Yet here I am, one week without Videl, and I'm about to lose it. Kami, if I could just speak to her for a few minutes, I think I'd be alright. Sometimes that's all we do when we meet nowadays. Just hold each other and talk about whatever's on our minds.

~And whenever you're gone, it's too long, and the waiting is driving me crazy~

"Chikyuu to 'tousan..."

Shit, I can't afford to space out right now. I blink once and laugh once again. "Gomen, Gohan... what'd you say?"

"I was saying that you seem a little off today," he replies, thin lines of a concerned scowl creasing his brow. "Is there some reason you were training so hard? Some threat I should be worried about?"

I shake my head quickly. "Iie, it's nothing you need to lose any sleep over, son."

Not as long as Videl still loves you instead of me.

The severe frown disappears from his face, but it's quickly replaced by a gentler, genuinely troubled expression. "Are you sure you're alright? You're not acting like yourself, Dad."

And just when I think I've felt and dealt with all the guilt my conscience could possibly generate about everything that's happened... Of all the people in the world to be worried about me right now, I'd give anything for it not to be my son. Kami knows I don't deserve his sympathy since it's my feelings for his wife that have got me turned inside-out. Still, I need to answer and set his mind at ease, so I opt to be as honest as possible, given the circumstances. "I'm alright. It's just been a long week."

One of the longest of my life...

~Baby, I'm not alive till you're here by my side~

"Ah," he acknowledges with a nod accompanied by a knowing smirk.

I know what he's thinking. He's assuming that, because he's been home and we've all been spending a lot of time together, being bossed around by Chichi is starting to wear on me. And he's half right. Normally I keep myself occupied away from the house from mid-morning to dusk, so I'm not used to being around her as much as I have been the last few days. It's pretty obvious that she's not used to it either, cause Kami knows she's been getting progressively more annoyed with me as well. It's the whole reason I came out here to begin with. Today was one of the few times she's ever told me that I needed to get out and go somewhere else for a little while when she wasn't mad at me. As a matter of fact, considering the way she said it, I think it was supposed to be a reward for not trying to sneak away so I could train rather than participate in the various family activities she'd planned for us.

Not like I would have tried to get away; the numerous meals and outings we've been going on are the only times I've been able to see Videl.

Gods, my son is standing right in front of me, and I still can't stop thinking about his wife...

~I count the minutes, I count the hours, I count the seconds till you're here by my side again~

"You know, if you really want a decent fight, you should go spar with Vegeta-san," Gohan suggests.

Of course! Vegeta and I haven't sparred in over a month; if he can't get my mind focused on something besides Videl, I don't think there's any hope for me. "Hai, that's a good idea," I agree, and I'm sure my anticipation is evident in comparison to my earlier somber mood. "I think I'll go see if he's up for one right now. Tell your mother I'll be home in a while, but if she wants to reach me, just call, and Bulma will get me the message."

Gohan nods once before flying back towards his house. I watch for another minute before taking to the air myself. I could have found Vegeta's ki and been at his door in seconds, but on days like this, there's just no substitute for the feel of the wind caressing your face. If I close my eyes, I can even pretend the feeling is coming from her fingertips.

Oh Kami, help me...

***

~And every minute goes on for hours until you're with me, till I look in your eyes again~

Three months ago, when Videl and I both finally gave in to the fact that we needed something from each other we couldn't find anywhere else, I never imagined things would turn out like this. Back then, we both needed companionship... to feel like someone understood us...

And I have to admit, the mind-blowing sex was a definite bonus.

It's weird because, looking back now, I realize that we could have accomplished the same result by just talking to each other. It didn't feel like it at the time, though. Probably because both of our spouses are a bit neglectful in the physical intimacy department. Videl hadn't been shown much tangible affection for weeks, and I hadn't received any in... well... a very long time. But we didn't just need sexual gratification. We needed to feel... It's one of the many things Videl and I have in common - when we do something, we do it all the way; we invest a piece of ourselves in whatever it may be because we're both guided by our emotions.

So when it comes down to it, the sex was just killing two birds with one stone.

Unfortunately, that very philosophy is the reason why I'm in the position I'm in now. And who knows? Even if we hadn't started sleeping together, even if we had only comforted each other with words rather than action, I can't help but wonder if the same thing would have happened anyway. It may have taken longer for these feelings to develop, but I have a suspicion - call it gut instinct - that fate had this card up its sleeve for me either way.

I really hope someone up there is getting a good game outta all this. Oh yeah, I'll bet Kaio-sama's laughing his ass off; he always did have a twisted sense of humor, though Kami knows if poor Dende's taken a peek and seen what's going on, he's probably having a stroke. Especially since he and Gohan have always been good friends, he'd probably be completely disgusted with me right about now.

Oh well, that would make two of us.

~And time is standing still till you're here with me, I need your love to set me free~

It was never supposed to get so damned complicated.

In a way, I think we both used our devotion to our spouses as justification for what we were doing. I mean, we were both unhappy with the way things were because we felt like something important was missing in each of our relationships, so if we could get that one thing from someone else while maintaining the other areas of our marriages, then everybody would be better for it, right?

Unfortunately for me, that's where our situations are very different.

I know my son may be kinda distant when it comes to physical affection, but I've never doubted that he loves Videl, and I don't think she has, either. Sure, she didn't feel like he desired her, but I doubt she ever truly thought he didn't love her anymore. He just doesn't know how to show it the way Videl needs him to. I, on the other hand, don't have that to fall back on. Not that I think my wife hates me or anything - she does still put up with all my little quirks, but I think she does it because it's her job. Chichi's one of the most loyal women any man could hope for, and I have honestly come to believe that even if she didn't like me at all, she'd still do all the things she does for me now just because we're married, and that's just what married women do.

Videl uses our affair to fill in the gaps of her otherwise good relationship; for me, it's all I really have these days.

~Each night's a lifetime when I'm not with you, and every day just seems to take forever~

I really should just be happy with what I can get. I mean, these last few months have been the best of my life. The first couple of weeks were a little awkward, only because neither Videl or I were sure of what we were doing. It's not like either of us ever intended it to turn out this way. Still, it didn't take long for our planned meetings every so often to become more frequent, probably because that one week while Gohan was out of town totally spoiled us both. And we were doing more than just tearing each other's clothes off on sight - we would walk, we would spar, and we started talking. A lot.

She told me about what it was like for her as a child without her mother around, and I told her about growing up after my ojiisan Gohan died before meeting Bulma. She described what it had meant to be the daughter of Satan-san, and I in turn explained how I felt when I found out that I was a misplaced Saiyajin warrior rather than the abnormally-strong human with a tail I had grown up believing I was. We traded stories about the various tournaments we had participated in - we both found it pretty funny that, while she won every Budakai she ever competed in except the last one, it took me three times before I won my first time. Of course, I quickly grabbed onto the excuse that, back when I was still working the tournament circuit, there wasn't a kid's division. Her response was that she would have won anyway and that she always suspected her father set that up so she wouldn't end up defeating him in his own contest.

I was inclined to agree with her on that one.

~I'm missing when I should be kissing you; I can't wait, cause I live for the love that we make~

Talk of the tournaments inevitably led to talking about Chichi. We had avoided discussing either of our mates at first, but Videl admitted after a while that she had been curious as to what happened between my wife and me to make us... well, like we are now. Especially since our wedding had been described to her like a fairy-tale romance kinda thing.

So I told her the un-Chichi-fied version of events that led to my marriage.

I'll never forget how those clear blue eyes just kept getting wider and wider as I related to her how I'd met Chi when we were both kids, how she got me to promise to marry her without me even realizing what I was saying, and how, years later, she found me and reminded me of our childhood betrothal. When I finished, Videl was gaping at me in complete, undisguised shock.

"So you weren't in love with her when you got married," she had whispered, like she was talking to herself.

I had simply shrugged. "Well, I have a tendency to love everybody," I told her.

"Loving people and being in love with someone are two very different things, Goku." I didn't say anything to that, and after a moment of chewing on her lower lip, she shook her head. "I don't understand. If you barely even knew her when she approached you, why didn't you just say no?"

I thought about how to answer that, but I finally decided to just tell her the truth. "Because I gave her my word."

She stared at me for several minutes, and just as I was about explain that I didn't regret it or anything, she took my face into her hands and pulled me to her, kissing me so deeply that I pretty much forgot what the hell I was gonna say after that.

That was the moment her words hit home to me. I'd loved everyone, but I had never actually been in love with anyone.

Until now.

~I can't breathe till I feel you beside me, and I'm lost in the dark till you're here in my arms~

We've spent pretty much every day together since then. We only have a few hours each time, but it's enough to get me through - Kami knows Videl can pack a whole lot into that short time together. I haven't told her I love her since, first off, I don't want to scare her away when I know that's not how she feels about me, and secondly, I don't dare say the words considering our situation. I'm not supposed to be in love with her. My job is simply to give her what Gohan won't. And I have no intention of stealing my son's wife from him, so it's best if I keep my own personal feelings to myself. Still, I can't ignore the fact that it has been getting harder and harder to let her go when she has to leave. And this week...

Good gods, this week has been pure hell.

There was a time when I had convinced myself that I'd actually be pleased if Gohan stayed home more. I mean, it's what Videl's been wanting for so long, for him to put his work aside and spend some real time with her and Pan. I've told myself over and over that I'd gladly step aside if Gohan ever came to his senses and realized what he has in Videl because I want them to be happy. Not just Videl, but both of them. Kami knows I love my oldest son more than my own life; he and I have been through more together than most fathers and sons could ever dream of. I would never want to hurt him intentionally.

Unfortunately, my heart and my brain seem to have a difference of opinion on that point these days.

***

~I count the minutes, I count the hours, I count the seconds till you're here by my side again~

"Kakarotto."

Huh? I stop in mid-flight to see Vegeta hovering about ten feet in front of me, arms crossed as always. "Oyahoo, Vegeta," I call out, despite my surprise to see him right now. I guess he felt me heading this way, though he usually waits for me to get to his door before acknowledging my presence.

His customary smirk broadens slightly. "Were you planning to stop, or are you wasting energy for the hell of it?"

I know I look confused, because he gestures with a slight nod to look behind me, and when I do, I see what he's talking about. I passed Capsule Corporation by about a mile. Damn it... Now he's gonna know something's up. "Ah, guess I wasn't paying attention, eh?" I offer with a crooked grin. "But yeah, I wanted to spar if you're up for it."

He raises an eyebrow and huffs impatiently. "Hn, how do you plan to focus on fighting when you cannot even concentrate on where you are going? I have no desire to beat you if you are not at your best, Kakarotto."

His less-than-receptive attitude doesn't bother me. Hell, I'd be worried if he didn't act like that, actually. And he's probably right, but getting my ass kicked is, at the moment, preferable to allowing my mind to keep running rampant. "C'mon, Vegeta," I plead hopefully, "I'm bored outta my skull. Chichi doesn't want me around right now, and you know I can't get Gohan to spar with me anymore."

"I suppose you would be getting restless by now, wouldn't you?"

Oh shit, there's that look again - the one that sends my fight-or-flight instinct into overdrive.

~And every minute goes on for hours until you're with me, till I look in your eyes again~

"Ano," I begin nervously, falling into my habitual stance of chuckling and rubbing the back of my neck. Before I can continue, he turns and begins making his way back to his house, but not before slowing and turning his head, motioning almost imperceptibly for me to follow.

Good, maybe he's decided he wants to spar after all.

I fly behind him until we touch down on the front lawn, though my anxiety returns when he heads for the front door rather than the large capsule that's taking up half of the yard to the left. "Uh, Vegeta..."

He opens the door that leads to the kitchen, closing it behind me. "I need something to drink. So do you."

Okay, normally his little riddles and subtle comments don't bother me much, but today just isn't the day. "Are we gonna spar or not?"

"No."

"Then what the hell did you bring me here for?" I ask as evenly as I can manage with my quickly-thinning patience.

"Well well, Kakarotto, aren't we acting rather Saiyajin." He throws me an amused glance as he opens the refrigerator and pulls out two beers. Quicker than any human eyes could have followed, he tosses one of the longneck bottles to me. "The woman is bringing out the worst in you."

Figures he'd blame my bad mood on my wife, not that it's not an understandable error. I place my bottle on the counter and run my hand roughly over my face. "Gomen, Vegeta. I guess I am a little short-tempered today, but it doesn't have anything to do with Chichi."

He twists the cap off of his drink as he leans against the counter and regards me with a rather pointed gaze. "I wasn't talking about your mate, Kakarotto."

~And time is standing still till you're here with me, I need your love to set me free~

Oh Kami... oh gods... anyone at all that can hear me up there... please, please tell me that doesn't mean what I think it does.

I clear my throat and grab my beer. Hell, I might need something stronger in a minute. "N-nani? I don't-"

"Baka, do not act like you have no idea what I am talking about," he commands, cutting off any possible excuse I could give him for my strange behavior. "I know about you and your son's onna."

I shove back my first inclination, which is to totally freak out.

Vegeta knows.

On the bright side, if there's anyone who had to find out about my relationship with Videl, I'd much rather it be Vegeta than anyone else. At least he can keep his mouth shut. The bad thing is that he looked down on me before, so this probably puts me at an all-time low in his eyes. I mean, not only did I defeat him when he was supposed to be the strongest and later take away his only chance at vengeance against the madman that had stolen his dignity and his birthright from him, but now I've been proven to be an honorless, gutless bakayaro as well.

"Sit down, Kakarotto."

~I can't wait a minute more just to touch you, cause I love you, baby~

Being that I am in absolutely no position to argue with him, I take a deep breath and pull out one of the stools that sits around the kitchen table, seating myself and pulling my legs up so that my feet rest on the thin bars near the floor before putting my head in my hands.

Okay, I'm ready... lemme have it, Vegeta. Call me a baka, call me a coward... whatever it is, I deserve it. "I can imagine what you must think of me now," I mumble despondently. Contrary to popular belief, I actually do care about what Vegeta thinks of me, since he's the only other person besides Videl that's ever treated me like a grown man rather than a foolish, naive child.

He snorts, bringing my eyes back to him in time to see him cross his arms once again, holding his beer against his bicep. "Do you really think I give a damn who you fuck in your spare time?"

I blink. Twice. It takes another second for it to register in my head that he's not acting as though he cares at all. For some reason, him not being judgmental is worse than if he had berated me to hell and back and, strange as it may be, is actually pissing me off. "But... I don't understand," I admit angrily. "I mean, what I'm doing is wrong, Vegeta!"

He cocks his head to the side slightly. "Is it?"

~Don't make me stay away from you too long, cause this waiting is driving me crazy~

"Yes! We're both married! Hell, she's married to my son, for Kami's sake!"

"Those ridiculous human rituals mean nothing, Kakarotto," he replies matter-of-factly. "Neither you nor your son are bonded to your mates. If you were, this would not have happened."

Leave it to Vegeta to turn that argument into a Saiyajin thing. "She's almost half my age," I shoot back.

"And if you do not get yourself killed again, you will still far outlive her."

Shit, if I didn't know better... "You're not helping."

"Then perhaps you should shut up and listen rather than going on with your mindless nonsense."

Now I've known Vegeta for a long time, and I can count on one hand the number of times that he's ever initiated a conversation with me. Out of those few instances, only one didn't revolve around fighting, preparing for a fight, or ascending to a new level of Super Saiyajin, and I'm not about to remind him of that single exception, considering he was near death and conveying to me why he wanted me to avenge our entire race when he couldn't do it himself.

This should be interesting, to say the least. And, quite frankly, I'm willing to take anything at this point. I've dealt with all of the how's; now I need to know why.

"Why is this happening, Vegeta?"

~Baby, I'm not alive till you're here by my side~

"Forging a lifelong bond with a mate was not a common thing on Vegeta-sei," he begins, his narrow eyes becoming distant. "Saiyajins were not led by emotions like humans are, they were driven by the need to become stronger. Still, there were those who desired more than just a sexual partner, and when a Saiyajin found the companion they felt best suited them, they performed the necessary steps and bonded with them. It was a complicated process, and the mate a warrior chose was very carefully selected. Due to our extended life spans, if a man was not careful when picking a mate, he could find himself bonded to someone he detested for the rest of his miserable life."

"But we're not on Vegeta-sei," I point out, earning me a condescending glare from the prince.

"Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, you are Saiyajin, Kakarotto. And, regrettably, you allow yourself to be guided heavily by your emotions like a Chikyuujin as well. Therefore, you feel the need for more than just physical gratification from your mate. Because you are not properly bonded to your onna, your Saiyajin instinct has continued looking for a more suitable companion, since it is quite obvious to everyone but you that your hellcat of a wife is not what you desire in a permanent mate."

Alright, so far I can buy all that. I mean, in a way it makes sense, and it does answer some of the questions I've been asking myself. There's one more thing, though, that I don't understand. "Why Videl? If what you're saying is true, and I'm instinctively looking for someone to be with forever, why would I be so drawn to someone I know I have no chance to be with permanently?"

"You wouldn't be."

~I count the minutes, I count the hours, I count the seconds till you're here by my side again~

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but that definitely wasn't it. "So you think that I really believe subconsciously I could have her, even though she's already with Gohan?"

"If your instincts sensed that she truly belonged to another, you would not continue to pursue her," he replies with a shrug.

I really feel like I should argue with him about that, but then I remember who I'm talking to. This is Vegeta, the same Saiyajin prince that came to this planet with every intention of turning it into space dust, only to settle down with my best friend several years later. The seemingly heartless warrior that swore off any type of emotional attachments just to turn around and basically swipe Bulma right out from under Yamcha's nose. Not that it wasn't understandable. Not only was Bulma's relationship with Yamcha rocky, but there's no denying that Vegeta and Bulma do have an awful lot in common.

But then again, so do me and Videl.

Oh Kami, then that means... I wouldn't really try to do that... would I?

~And every minute goes on for hours until you're with me, till I look in your eyes again~

I can tell he knows where my train of thought ended up, because Vegeta chuckles at my expression, which I can imagine looks something close to horrified. "You seem to forget that the onna was not happy with that weakling ninjen. I only took what she more than willingly offered. I suspect you would require the same."

Well, that's a relief. It's small comfort, but it is nice to know that I won't suddenly 'go Saiyajin' and claim Videl as a mate... unless she wanted me to.

And I just don't see that happening.

"I appreciate the talk, Vegeta. Domo." I get up and smile gratefully. It may not have been exactly what I wanted to hear, but at least his little speech did provide me with some insight into what's been going on inside my head the past few months.

"I thought you wanted to spar. That is why you came."

I pause and turn back around to find him pushing off of his perch. "I didn't think you wanted to," I state curiously as I run my hand through my hair.

"I did not wish to fight you when you are not at your best," he replies impatiently. "If you can manage to get your low-class ass in gear and concentrate, then we will spar."

I do feel a lot better, and the thought of getting a decent workout today is definitely appealing. I offer him a broad grin and nod. "I think my low-class ass can handle that."

Unfortunately, my stomach picks that moment to make it known to both of us that, though the spirit is willing, the body is not.

He snorts sarcastically and turns to the refrigerator. "Hn. First we eat. Then we will see."

***

~And time is standing still till you're here with me~

I walk out into the cool night air and let it soothe my aching body for a moment as I run the back of my hand across the gash on my swollen bottom lip. Kami, that was a particularly nasty kick I took, so I'm not surprised when I see the smear of blood on my knuckles. Still, it didn't come without a price, eh, Vegeta?

Feeling pretty sure he's not doing much better than me at the moment, I lift my hand to my forehead and focus on home with every intention of taking a bath and falling... and I mean falling - I barely have enough energy to transport myself home - into bed.

Then, it'll only be two more days. Thank Kami.

The transmission creates a technicolor tunnel around me, and less than a second later, I'm standing a few feet away from my front porch. And the woman sitting on it.

"Oh Kami, Goku!"

Okay, either I passed out and I'm dreaming, or this is real, and... "Videl?"

She doesn't answer me. Instead, she takes me by the arm and pulls me into my house until we're in my living room where she quickly pushes me onto the couch. I blink several times - what the hell's going on? Where is everybody? - as she kneels down in front of me and runs a finger over my lip, making me wince involuntarily.

"What happened to you? You look like you got hit by a train."

"I-I was sparring with Vegeta," I answer, still dazed by both my low energy level and the fact that the woman that's been haunting my thoughts all week is now hunched down right in front of me.

She rolls her eyes before flashing me that beautiful smile. "Figures. A train probably wouldn't do this much damage anyway." Then she gets up, looking around. "Do you have any senzu beans?" When I nod and move to get up, she quickly puts her hand on my chest, pushing me back. "Just tell me where, and I'll get it."

~I need your love to set me free~

A few minutes later, I'm feeling good as new and completely confused. Once the senzu kicked in, I did a scan and found Chichi and Pan both at Videl's house, but Gohan's nowhere near here. "Where is everyone?"

"Chichi took Pan home and put her to bed after Gohan left," she says softly. "I told her I'd stay and clean up."

Okay, I can't afford to get my hopes up. Not yet. Still, my heart starts racing, and it takes every ounce of self-control I can muster to make my voice come out the way it's supposed to. "Where's Gohan?"

"The big project he'd been working on fell through," she begins, taking the only step between us, "so he had to leave."

Oh Kami... "W-when will he be back?"

"Tomorrow."

***

Lyrics: I Count the Minutes by Ricky Martin

***

Okay, that's it for this chapter... now, to thank all those that were speedy reviewers this time *grins*

KA-OH-KEN: Domo! Lol, yeah, the pairing is pretty interesting, neh? Anyway, I normally update all my stuff about once a month, but *sighs* this fic had kinda stomped out all the rest at the moment. If you want to know when I update by email, I have a mailing list you can sign up on. It's down at the very bottom :)

Animeangel: Uh oh... did I miss you last time? *slaps hand* Bad Pareathe! Gomen, I'll make sure not to do it again, and thanks for the strange review, I love those! And no kidding... poor Goten... *sighs* And yes, I detest Chichi thoroughly.

The Lost Saiyan: Hehe, yeah, I've seen little hints that Goku may not be as big of an idiot as he seems on the surface, so that's how I prefer to portray him. And big hugs for 'not wanting to be right'... what fun would that be? *winks*

ShadeKnight: LOL!!! Hehe, yep, I'm afraid they can't go to never-never land anymore because they have all grown up *sighs* That's okay, there are plenty of other magical worlds Goku can take Videl to... *grins broadly*

Demon Queen 17: Aw, that's so cool! I know, I've read a lot of fics, but there are very few that I keep going back to and rereading, and if you do that with one, I'm absolutely ecstatic. And, oh yes, Goku is definitely... *purrs* very fine indeed.

W-chan: Speechless is wonderful! Hehe, I love it when I can do that! Domo!

Nekoni: Lol, 'wow' is good, but 'wowowowowow' is even better! I know... maybe Goku should have gotten that trenchcoat after all, neh?

Fried Wantons: Aw, domo arigato, and my surgery went very well - I can even type a little - so hopefully my updates won't suffer like I was afraid they would.

AlphaOmega: *grins* Oh yeah, they're gonna get caught, alright... it's just a matter of when. *coughverysooncough*

NeoQBirdie: *rereads review for the twentieth time and sniffles* Okay... anyone who knows me knows that me being speechless is... well... impossible, but that review has put me as close as I think I've ever come. To know that you not only believed the emotions and actions of the characters, but actually connected on such a level that you actually cried... wow... And you know, when I got this idea, I was a little skeptical of the pairing myself - I went through a 'where the hell did that come from?' stage, and I must have watched and rewatched certain DBZ and GT eps over and over to make sure that what I was seeing was actually there... and it was like: Oh... my... Kami... this could actually work! You see, I'm really ticky on plausibility and realism. If I'm reading a fic where people are falling in love, I don't want 'I love you' in the first chapter... because that's not real. Know what I mean? So if I'm going to write a fic about an affair, I want to be able to back up the reasons for that affair... most people that are perfectly content don't go out and cheat... especially when you're dealing with two people who typically have very steadfast standards of morality. But everyone has a breaking point, no matter how good of a person they may be, and that's what I wanted to show with this. And I actually do have the entire fic mapped out, resolution and all, though, as it is in reality, not everyone is going to live 'happily ever after'... but that's what sequels are for. *grins* Anyway, thank you so, so much for everything you said, it means the world to me. It's why I do this in the first place. And you are worthy - believe me! I'm just glad I can combine my lifelong passion (writing) and my newest interest (Dragonball and other various anime) by writing fanfiction and sharing it with anyone who wants to read it, as well as get feedback so I can continue to improve.

autumn: I know, the pairing is definitely unique, and if I was the reader, I would have wondered about this one, too. I'm glad I've made ya a believer! *grins* And I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Goku's faking it a lot of the time...

Meiyume: Hehe, don't feel bad, a lot of people are probably still passing this one up when they see the pairing. That's okay though, you and everyone else that has decided to give it a try has more than made up for it! Domo!!!

Sorceress Fujin: *grins* I do what I can... hehe. Glad ya like it!

mae: Hey, first reviewer! Aww, thanks hun! *blinks* Wow... I have a fan... I actually have a fan... That's so COOL!!!! *dances around happily and continues chanting 'I have a fa-an... I have a fa-an...'*

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Okay, that's it for now. Once again, if you want to be notified by email when I update this fic (also covers The Kakarotto Timeline), just send a blank email to pareathe-subscribe@topica.com and that'll get you on the list. Thank you all, and I'll see you next time!