Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Ones They Take For Granted ❯ Part One: When All Hope Seems Lost ( Chapter 8 )

A/N: Three points to make about this update.

First of all, I want to thank everyone that's reading this even though I'm no longer posting at FF.net. Your continued support means more to me than you can know, and I'll still be responding to reviewers, so if you leave me a comment (whether on Mediaminer, my site's message board, or my email) I'll be addressing it at the end of the chapter. Domo arigato, minna-san!

Second, as you'll see by the title, this chapter will be posted in two parts. Sorry for the delay with this one, but things have just been insane, and I was forced to put this on hold for almost two weeks because of everything that's been going on with work, my kids, FF.net, etc. I think things are settling down, so it shouldn't take more than three to four weeks for the next part, so hang in there, k?

Last but not least, I've been keeping track of song suggestions, so even if I don't end up using them in this fic, I probably will in another in the future (I'm a sucker for music and writing, and I love combining the two). As for the ones in this update, I'm betting a lot of you have never heard the second song, so I linked the song title to a page on the band's official website where you can go and listen to that song yourself. Trust me, it's worth the time, and if you're anything like me, actually hearing a song is much more effective than just reading some lyrics on a page. *sighs* I love this group, and I adore this song in particular.

It's well after dusk, and I come through the back door of my house from a particularly rigorous training session, beginning the countdown in my head as I enter my bedroom and lay down - she's done the same thing every day for the last two months, once she realized her relentless badgering wasn't gonna get her anything but out of breath. Three... two... one -

Like clockwork, Chichi's indignant huff floats down the hall and reaches my ears. "Your dinner is cold," she shouts.

"That's okay, I'll warm it up later," I call back without bothering to lift my head, letting my eyes go out of focus on the ceiling. I've become very familiar with the patterns up there; there's one spot in particular that looks like that baby dragon Gohan hung out with as a kid if I tilt my head a little to the side... But my mind snaps back to attention when I hear Chichi come storming down the hall. Wow, seems I spoke too soon. It's been a while since she even bothered coming back here. After those first couple of weeks, she's been perfectly content to let this conversation stop with an inquiry about mealtime followed by a string of curses muttered just loud enough for me to hear.

Her shadow fills the doorway before she flicks the switch by the door, flooding the room with yellow-white light and making me wince as my eyes adjust to the sudden change. "Damn it, Goku, this has gone on long enough! What the hell is going on these days?"

The irony of the fact that she'd eat her words if I actually gave in and told her doesn't escape me. "Nothing," I reply tiredly, throwing in a half-hearted smile for good measure. "Why d'ya ask?"

"Because you haven't been acting like yourself for weeks now. You and Gohan both." Her dark eyes narrow - a look that used to back me into a corner when it landed on me - as she advances toward the bed. "And speaking of Gohan -"

Sorry dear, but times are a-changin'; the threatening demeanor she's relied on to keep people in line all her life doesn't work on me like it used to. "I don't know what's going on with Gohan these days," I state honestly. "I haven't seen him since he moved to the city."

Chichi stops, and I see the pain that contorts the lines of anger on her face. She took Gohan's decision to move away really hard, though it was no less than I expected. After all, I don't think she's been separated from him for more than a week since the time he traveled to Namek with Krillin and Bulma to collect the dragonballs and revive Piccolo. "I still don't understand why he wanted to leave all of the sudden," she whines mournfully.

"He told you why," I repeat for the hundredth time from the script that we agreed on when Gohan, accompanied by Piccolo, informed me privately of his intent to relocate his family a few hundred miles away from me. "He's closer to Capsule Corps., Pan's closer to school and all of her friends-"

"And Videl's closer to her father. I know what he said," she finishes sourly before she sniffles sadly. "He's been gone for weeks, and he hasn't even come for a visit," she pouts, large tears forming in her eyes. "And what if something happens to him? Who's going to take care of him?"

I remind myself that she's still totally in the dark about what happened. I know this has been really rough on her, so I close my eyes and force my teeth to stop grinding together. "His wife," I answer tightly.

"Well, of course Videl would do the best she could," Chichi argues, "but it wouldn't be the same! I'm his mother... he needs me!"

"Gohan's fine," I reply as evenly and patiently as possible. "If anything was wrong with him, I'd be able to sense it."

Her mouth turns down in a thoughtful frown. "Are you sure? I mean, if he got hurt-"

"I'd know."

A minute pause. "But what if he gets sick -"

"I'd know," I repeat wearily.

"Well... well, what if -"

I sigh loud enough to stop her impending rant, though it earns me an angry glare - one that I disregard entirely. "If anything at all happens that could hurt him in any way, I'd be the first to know," I state firmly. "Don't worry about Gohan. He's a grown man with his own family to take care of, Chi. I'm sure he'll come to see you any day now."

"This all started the day Gohan was carried home knocked out, you know," she says, her tone laced with ill-concealed suspicion. "That was almost three months ago, and you and Gohan both have been acting strange ever since. And I want to know why!"

And once again, it's back to the script. Kuso, I am getting really, really tired of this. "We've already been through this. Gohan and I were sparring, and we got carried away. Happens all the time," I add, though it comes out a little more sarcastically than I had intended it to.

And it looks like she's heard that explanation one too many times, because she's bowing up like a python ready to spring. I shouldn't be surprised; I tried to tell Gohan that excuse sounded bogus from the beginning - not that I was able to come up with anything that sounded more plausible, either.

"It does not happen all the time!" she shrieks. "My Gohan is not a muscle-bound brute like you and Vegeta! He doesn't fight for fun! He has a job... he works like a good husband is supposed to. And he would not have gone into the woods and spar at five o'clock in the morning after being at the office all night! Something happened out there, and I demand that you tell me what it was!"

Okay, I have two choices. One, I can break my promise to Videl, plaster on that ridiculous grin, feign total ignorance in the scenario she's laid out, and pull my "I dunno, Chi..." - rub neck - chuckle. My other option is to actually tell her I'm not going to explain myself to her and probably get a frying pan to the head for my insolence.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't. Oh well, when in doubt, try option three: total avoidance. "Look, I've been training all day," I plead. "I'm hot, I'm dirty" - I pull on the sweat and dirt-soaked fabric of my orange shirt - "I reek like an old gym bag, and I've barely got enough energy left to keep my eyes open. Can't we talk about this tomorrow?"

"No, we are going to talk about this tonight," she retorts sternly, but after she takes a deep breath, her face screws up in disgust and she pinches her nose, "after you've taken a shower! Kami, Goku, you smell like a dead animal." I guess she doesn't notice me gaping at her, because she turns on her heel and stomps out of the room without a second glance. "And put your clothes outside," she calls over her shoulder. "I don't want them stinking up the whole house."

Wow... I can't believe that actually worked.

I just said that 'cause it was all I could come up with, but I guess I really do reek. And I gotta admit, a nice, long bath does sound really good. With a soft groan, I hoist myself back up and make my way to the hall closet to get a towel and the soap and shampoo. She's already back in the kitchen, and I hear the soft, rhythmic 'swoosh' of the broom going across the floor. "I'm gonna go outside and soak in the tub." And maybe if I take long enough, she'll give up and go to bed. I grin despite my dark mood. Chichi, give up? Oh yeah, that's a good one.

It doesn't take long to fill the tub, and rather than bothering with a fire to warm it up, I wait until I've tossed the beach towel over the clothesline, undressed and gotten in before raising my ki enough to heat the water so that it's nearly boiling. Getting clean isn't the main reason I chose to come out here instead of using the shower inside, so I only spend about five minutes scrubbing myself down and washing my hair, and I rinse off by dropping my entire body below the surface, shaking my head a few times to get the more stubborn suds out of my hair before coming back up.

Now that that's outta the way, I lean back, resting my head against the edge and prop my arms on either side of me while my eyes move up to the dark blue sky that's littered with white-yellow stars. Gods, I'm finally starting to feel my age, though it has nothing to do with my physical condition. In fact, I'm in the best shape of my life right now thanks to the daily dawn-to-dusk training regimen I've been putting myself through, not to mention the fact that fifty isn't that old by Saiyajin standards. Nah, I know it's not the miles I've put on this body that are making me feel like this. It's my head... and my heart.

I can remember a time not too long ago when I could have stayed out here for hours just to marvel at a night like this. The color of the sky, the languid evening breezes that make the thin blades of grass sway gently, the way the stars seem to flicker as wispy clouds pass over them sporadically... When you think about it, it really is amazing how things that are so simple can be combined to make something so beautiful. Unlike most people on this planet that take stuff like this for granted all their lives, I've always been able to appreciate it without a second thought.

I'm finding it harder and harder to do these days, probably because everything that I've seen or done since the night I left Videl feels meaningless in comparison. Morally, I know we did the right thing by returning to our families... or family, I suppose, is more accurate considering that she's my son's wife and the mother of my granddaughter, but none of that changes one very complicated, yet painfully simple, fact.

I'm in love with her, and the more time I am without her, the more it seems I always will be.

It amazes me now as I look back on the last three months, that I thought going back home to my wife and returning to my old routine - minus the happy-go-lucky baka demeanor - might help ease the raging emotions that threatened to drown my soul and spirit when Videl and I parted. The exact opposite turned out to be true. The differences between Chichi and me used to be an annoyance from time to time, and there were even a few instances when the things she said when she didn't think I could hear did hurt me on some level. But now that I've been with Videl, now that I've actually experienced that kind of relationship, my marriage to Chichi has become the worst type of sadistic mockery imaginable.

If that wasn't disheartening enough, it's even worse because, by most normal standards, my marriage to Chichi is better now than it has been for nearly twenty years. It took me about a week to see that something was gonna have to give. Chichi was furious that no one would explain exactly what happened the day Gohan and I fought, and that tripled once Gohan got around to telling his mother that he had rented an apartment a few blocks from Capsule Corps., and that they were moving out the very next day. Gohan gave her all the same reasons he told anyone else that asked, and I stuck to that story as well, until Chichi finally decided badgering me was futile and gave up.

And so the new system was born. I leave before the sun rises, train all day, come in at night, and retire to my bedroom to sleep. She, in turn, has basically returned to business as usual - cleaning, cooking, shopping, and whatever else she does while I'm gone. I don't talk to her unless she initiates it - which she has done less and less as time has gone by, until today, that is - and I noticed that our silence is normally a companionable one, and that's when it hit me.

Chichi actually likes it this way. This is what she's wanted from me. This makes her happy.

I think that's why I'm so surprised that she said something today. Maybe she thinks, now that some time has passed, I'll be more likely to slip up and tell her what she wants to know. Or maybe she's just in the mood for an argument since she hasn't had a good reason to bitch at me for a while. I guess I'll find out soon enough.

I glance over my shoulder and notice that the lights are still on, and I see my wife walk back and forth in front of the kitchen window several times. Damn, I guess she does plan on staying up to talk to me, after all. So much for wishful thinking. In that case, I probably shouldn't keep her waiting much longer, especially since my brain's too mixed up these days to try and think of a new excuse for her. I might as well get this over with.

I take one last dunk under the cooling water before climbing out, giving my head a few good shakes to get the majority of water out of my hair before elevating my ki to dry off. Then I grab the towel off the line and wrap it around my waist as I walk to the front door. Normally I'd go through the back and get dressed first, but at this point, I really don't care. If Chichi wants me to get some clothes on, she can tell me herself.

Chichi had just turned to begin pacing this way again when I walk in, closing the door quietly behind me. She keeps walking as she had been, stopping only when I lean comfortably against the counter, making it quite clear that I wasn't planning on going anywhere.

Her pensive visage hardens slightly. "Are you going to put something on?"

"What for?" I reply with a shrug.

"Because you're... you're..." she splutters uncertainly, and I raise an eyebrow curiously at her, though I manage to keep myself from laughing at the expression on her face. "Damn it, Goku, you're naked!" she finally shrieks, her cheeks going very red in the process. It's too bad she doesn't realize how much younger it makes her look when she does that... and how much prettier.

And that's just another reminder of where we are in our marriage these days, and the urge to smile vanishes with that thought. "So?"

"So? Normal men who are in their fifties do not walk around without any clothes on," she states as though it's a given fact that any idiot should know. Even me.

"You don't know that for sure, Chi," I respond lightly. "Besides, normal men don't train for sixteen hours a day, and last I checked, they weren't born with tails, either. Though I'll bet that most normal married men do sleep in the same room as their wives at night," I add matter-of-factly, and I note with fair satisfaction that her face goes from red to almost purple as that particular comment sinks in, "so let's not compare me to other guys, alright?"

I wait patiently as she struggles to close her gaping mouth and make her eyes stop bugging out at me, and I'm fully expecting, even anticipating, an explosion of massive proportions once she collects herself. I don't know if it's because I'm just now beginning to understand how much I've missed talking to somebody, even if it is something like arguing with Chichi, or if it's the fact that all these secrets and all of the conflicted emotions I've been wrestling with really have taken such a toll on me that any distraction from that is a welcomed one. Maybe both. But it seems the night is full of surprises, because when she finally does gather her wits, her features become pale and lined with anxiety. It's my turn to stare now as she takes several quick steps, closing the considerable distance I ensured there was between us and puts her hand on my forehead.

"I knew it! You have a fever!"

Oh, for Kami's sake... "I just got out of a hot bath, Chi," I groan tiredly.

"I know that," she snaps impatiently, "but you're much warmer than you should be. You need to lay down and -"

"I'm not sick, Chichi."

"Then... then there's something else wrong with you! Maybe -" she stops, and her eyes go very wide - "maybe that fight with Gohan gave you a head injury. Have you been having any headaches? Nausea? Is that why you haven't been eating as much lately?" Her sentences run together, though I see that familiar light rekindling in her eyes, the one that shows how much she relishes having someone to take care of who can't take care of themselves, and the very tenuous thread that's kept me here, playing my designated role in this joke of a marriage, finally snaps.

She called me in here for an explanation to everything that's happened recently, but I've got news for her. I've got some questions of my own - thirty years worth - and they're damned well gonna be answered, too.

"There's nothing wrong with me," I growl in irritation, and Chichi immediately takes a step back, her confusion plainly evident on her face. "I'm in perfect physical health," I go on, opening both arms wide, letting my weight against the edge of the countertop hold the towel in place at my hips while my face stays blank to let her know that this isn't a gesture of arrogance, but one to allow unhindered observation, "as you can see. What more proof do you need?"

But the color once again floods her furious features. If I wasn't so damned tired of all this, I'd probably think this was pretty funny, 'cause she looks a lot like a puffer fish right now. "I want to know why you're acting like this!" she rages breathlessly.

"I haven't heard you complaining about it lately," I respond, the sarcastic edge in my voice taking both of us by surprise.

She blinks rapidly for a moment before she is able to prepare a suitable comeback. "I'm not talking about the way you've been acting the last few weeks. It's actually been nice to see you behave like an adult, even if I don't understand what brought it all on," she finally forces out. "But I'm talking about your attitude tonight... right now. It's like I don't even know who you are!"

Interesting choice of words, Chi. Very sad, considering how many years we've been together, but very true nonetheless. I don't know what bothers me more, though - the fact that she's absolutely right, or that it's a hell of a lot more my fault than hers that this is the case.

"I'm sorry to say that you're right, Chi," I offer regretfully. "You don't know me very well at all."

"N-nani?" she stammers, clearly not expecting that answer from me, and she begins backing away until her back hits the table, which she reaches for behind her and grabs with both hands until her knuckles are white. "What are you talking about, Goku?" she whispers roughly, her round features going like a seesaw back to the color of buttermilk that contrasts sharply against her wide, disbelieving ebony eyes.

"You're right; we do need to talk, but not about Gohan," I concede weakly, and I force out a single, half-hearted chuckle, grabbing the thin towel around my waist as I push off the counter. "But I probably should get dressed first."

That seems to bring her moment of dumbfounded shock to an abrupt end, and she suddenly jerks away from the table, runs in front of the doorway to the hall, and puts her arms out to block it as much as her small frame is able.

"I thought you wanted me to put some clothes on," I remark inquisitively as I note that her outstretched hands are trembling; it looks like the muscles in her face are fighting a tug of war with fear on one end and anger on the other.

"Oh no you don't, mister. You... you're just trying to change the subject! You don't want to tell me what happened to make Gohan decide to leave!"

No matter how guilty I may feel about our marriage and the large part I've played in its current dilapidated condition, my ability to stay calm in the face of this woman's volitale temper is dangerously close to its max. Or who knows? Maybe I'm at my breaking point just from the knowledge that I'm what forced Gohan to move away from her, that my current emotional turmoil has pushed me too far, that I simply can't take this anymore. If Gohan had just told her, then I would have left, he and Videl would have stayed next door, and everyone would be a hell of a lot happier than they are right now...

"We don't need to talk about anything except why Gohan is gone -"

I hear what she says, but her voice barely registers in my mind as a new string of thoughts races through my head. If Gohan had just told her what happened, and I left so he could come back...

"- and what you did to make him think he had to leave his home and his family!"

... If I left, then my son would be close to him mom now when he needs her most...

"Did Gohan leave because of you? Answer me, damn it!"

And now, as the obvious solution cuts a clear path from the sorrow and emptiness of my heart to the haywire emotions of my spirit, everything becomes so incredibly clear, and my mouth is already forming the words even as everything solidifies in my brain. "Hai, it's my fault Gohan's gone, Chichi. It's all my fault."

Chichi gasps sharply. "I knew it! What did you do? Did you encourage him? Did you tell him that he would be better off in the city?"

"No, Chi. There's a lot more to it than that, but if I leave for a while, he'll come back."

"What are you talking about?" she snaps. "That's the most ridiculous thing -"

I shake my head solemnly. "Chi, listen to me -"

"- I've ever heard," she finishes as though I hadn't even spoken. "You just need to go over there, take back whatever you said to him, and tell him that he needs to come home," she says, her tone meant to leave no room for argument.

"He didn't leave because of something I said," I explain impatiently. Gods, why won't she listen to me for once! "He's gone because... something happened that day we fought..."

She huffs indignantly, folding her arms over her chest and rolling her eyes. "Really?" she questions sarcastically. "And what could you have possibly done that would make Gohan want to move so far away?" She watches me skeptically as I try to figure out how to answer that, knowing all the while that I can't. After another moment, her expression becomes almost victorious. "You were trying to use this as an excuse to go off and train away from home again, weren't you?" she accuses balefully. "Well, that won't work with me, Goku."

Kami damn it, I've had about as much of this shit as I can take. "I'm not making an excuse," I growl warningly.

"No? Then tell me what it is that you did that was so terrible that Gohan would leave just because of you," she challenges mockingly, her superior expression and condescending tone burning through what's left of my already teetering self-control. "Come on, Goku, let's hear it!"

"Fine, if you want to know the truth, so be it," I hiss. "Gohan left because he found out that I was having an affair with Videl for several months, and he moved so far away to make sure there'd be no way she'll be anywhere near me ever again. There, are you happy now?"

And, just like it always happens when I've done something unbelievably stupid, the realization of what I just said, as well as everything that will happen because of it, begins to register as my wife's entire body goes frighteningly rigid.

Oh... shit! What the hell was I thinking? "Chichi, I -"

Her hand moves so fast that it takes me several seconds to figure out that the sharp pain across my cheek came from her slapping me with every ounce of strength she possesses. Not that I didn't deserve it and then some.

"How dare you," she croaks furiously as though her rage has stolen her voice.

I open my mouth once again, but I can't seem to make anything come out now. I mean, how the hell do I fix this? There's no taking something like this back. "I... I..." Oh Kami, help me... please!

Her entire body is shaking now, and her eyes are like black flames that are boring into me, burning away every thought and feeling that's running through me until all I'm left with is a gut-wrenching guilt. "How dare you," she repeats, backing up a step, which I instinctively take forward to keep her from running as I grip the towel around my waist even tighter. "I can't believe... how dare you..."

Oh gods, Chichi. I didn't mean for this to happen, for you to find out like this... never like this. Onegai...

"How dare you joke about something like that!" she bellows wildly.

This time, it's my turn to freeze as her words manage to find a clear path through my self-loathing and begin to sink in.

"If you don't want to tell me about Gohan, then just say so. But don't ever make up something like that again!" she admonishes in disgust. "I can't believe you would say something like that just so you wouldn't have to explain yourself! It's... it's... Ugh! Forget it," she snarls dismissively. "I refuse to deal with you like this. I'm going to bed."

And all I can do is stare in complete disbelief as she spins on her heel, stalks down the hall, and marches into her bedroom; she slams the door so hard that the dishes in the cupboard rattle.

"Here you go," Bulma offers with a smile as she sets a glass of soda in front of me, but after another minute, her mouth curves into a worried frown. "You know, you don't look so good, Videl. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," I lie as I wrap both hands around the tall cup and focus my eyes on the minute bubbles that rise to the top and pop, making the surface of my drink ripple over and over again. "Arigato, Bulma-san."

I guess I wasn't very convincing, because she continues scrutinizing me intently for another minute. Then she gasps, and I glance up to see her leaning over her side of the table, a bright smile on her face. "I've got it!"

Even though I highly doubt she has any idea what could be wrong, my stomach does an uncomfortable flip-flop anyway.

"You're pregnant again, aren't you?" she squeals in premature delight.

I didn't even realize I was holding my breath, but I must have been since two lungfuls rush out in a loud whoosh that nearly makes me choke. I don't know why I was so surprised by her assumption, though. Until one of Bulma's children makes her a grandmother, it's up to me to give her the next best thing. Not that she doesn't love Pan - she does - but Pan's no baby anymore. "No, Bulma-san," I manage out after a second. "I'm not pregnant."

"You're not? Are you sure?" she questions, her smile faltering significantly.

"Positive," I confirm honestly.

"Oh." She stands straight once again, one hand on her hip while the other swipes at her cropped aqua hair. Her mouth opens as though she's about to say something else, but the shrill sound of the phone ringing stops her, and she sighs, throwing me a quick grin. "Hold on, I want to know what's up with you, so don't move," she commands firmly as she reaches for nearest phone, which is hanging on the wall next to the table I'm sitting at.

"Moshi moshi, Brief Bulma speaking," she chirps sweetly, throwing me a sly wink, but her playful expression vanishes immediately as she jerks the headset about a foot away from her ear. I don't blame her because I can hear whoever it is on the other end screaming all the way over here on my side of the table. Either it's a very, very upset woman or a man that just got kneed in the crotch, because the voice of the person Bulma is trying to listen to without doing permanent damage to her eardrums is unnaturally high.

After several pleas for her caller to calm down, Bulma shakes her head resignedly and tells the person to hold on for just a second. "I'm sorry, Videl, but I have to take this. But I meant want I said, okay? You stay right there, and I'll try to make this as quick as I can. I would just tell her to call back, but you know how Chichi can be."

Every muscle in my body tenses. "Okaasan?" I squeak.

"Yeah. Whatever Son-kun did this time must have been a doozy," she remarks lightly. "Let me get her calmed down, and I'll be right back."

I watch numbly as she puts the call on hold and jogs out of the room, leaving me alone with a whirlwind of emotions battering the walls of my heart just from the mention of his name. Of course, she doesn't know that I came here under the pretense of waiting for Gohan to get off work just so I wouldn't be alone with my increasingly depressing thoughts. She doesn't know that being in that Kami-forsaken luxury apartment only reminds me even more of what I lost the night I let Goku leave my father's house after promising blindly that I would go back to my husband.

Not that Gohan hasn't tried his best to handle this. All things considered, he's been better than I could have ever expected of him. I know it hasn't been easy for him; the first two weeks were the hardest. His moods would shift so quickly that even he couldn't keep up with them a lot of the time, but through it all, one thing never changed. Goku had been right in saying that Gohan would want to work things out. At first, his desire to 'fix' our relationship was so forceful and frantic that it seemed to border on an obsession, but after several heated arguments and more than a few nights sleeping in different rooms, he began to calm down somewhat. Of course, every time he looked out any of the windows that faced his father's house next door, he would bristle visibly as though he was sure Goku would suddenly appear and try to take me away at any moment.

If only Gohan knew that I had found myself at those very same windows more than once in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, wishing for that very thing.

Looking back now, I should have seen what was coming after that. But I didn't, so when Gohan announced to Pan and me that he had arranged for us to move into one of Bulma's corporate suites a few blocks from Capsule Corporation over that weekend, all I could do was stare and force myself to remain calm until he and I could be alone. I knew as soon as he saw Pan's face that he had not considered... well, much of anything, before making such a rash decision. He tried to explain to Pan that we, as in he and I - nevermind the fact that I was just in the dark as she was, thought she would like being closer to school and her friends, especially being so close to Trunks and Bra. Pan's answer: I don't want to be close to my friends; I want to be here with Ojiisan. Then Gohan tried to comfort her by explaining that, by being closer to Capsule Corps., she'd also be able to spar with Trunks and that he would even see about borrowing the training room sometimes so they could train together. And once again, she shot him down by tearfully proclaiming that she didn't need to train there when her grandpa would spar with her anytime she wanted right in our backyard. And then she had turned to me, demanding to know why we hadn't talked to her about it first when we had always promised that any decision that would affect all of us would be made by all of us.

I ended up sending Pan to my father's house for the night, and what followed was the first and last no-holds-barred battle that Gohan and I have ever had since before we got married.

It had lasted most of the night. Just as I was furious for being misrepresented in Gohan's choice to move us away, he was absolutely livid at my lack of support for his decision. I can barely remember half of what we cursed, screamed, spat, and snarled at each other, though there are a few things that stand out. Like when he claimed that leaving, that moving as far away as possible from Goku, was the only way we could get through what had happened. Or when I called him a short-sighted, selfish bastard, not for leaving me out of the loop, but for being so consumed with his own feelings that he hadn't considered Pan's. And when he countered by accusing me of using Pan as an excuse to remain within arm's reach of my all-too-convenient former lover and very waspishly added that there were plenty of men I could find for a quick fuck in the city.

That was when he found out the hard way that Goku and I had done a hell of a lot more than just have sex, because I sent him flying across the room with a single punch to the jaw that he wasn't expecting. And in truth, despite the sudden burst of pure fury that had made my vision go red when he made that comment, the fact that I had actually hit him because of it had made my heart skip a beat.

And that had been the end of the discussion. That one act seemed to drain every ounce of anger from him, and I was so shocked that I had reacted in such a way that I couldn't make myself move to stop him as he got up off the floor and wiped a thin line of blood from the corner of his mouth before stating in a dull, empty voice that I would need to start packing in the morning and walking stiffly upstairs to our bedroom without looking back at all. Still to this day I haven't apologized to Gohan for doing that, but then again, he's never asked for one. And if he did? As bad as it sounds even within my own mind, I don't know if I would say I was sorry, because I'm not entirely sure that I am.

"Where is the onna?"

My head snaps up to the source of the gruff inquiry, and the one person in the world I was praying I wouldn't run into while I was here returns my wide-eyed stare with a intense one of his own. "Um... she- she's on the phone in the other room," I stammer weakly, pointing towards the living room.

His eyes narrow momentarily as he cocks his head slightly in the direction I mentioned. "Hn, talking to Kakarotto's harpy," he states dismissively, and even though it was a statement rather than a question, I nod nervously to confirm his observation. I turn my attention back to my drink as he pulls a bottle of water from the refrigerator, figuring that the normally tight-lipped fighter will go in search of something more interesting, but I'm proven wrong when he pulls out a platter stacked a foot high with sandwiches and drops it onto the table in front of me, seating himself directly opposite.

Or maybe I wasn't wrong. The food probably is more interesting, considering he's a Saiyajin just like Goku and Gohan.

I keep my eyes lowered and try to convince myself that this isn't as awkward as I think it is, but I'm not doing a good job of selling my unsettled thoughts on the notion. I mean, I understand that Vegeta knew about what was going on between Goku and me before Gohan did, and I know he hasn't told Bulma or anyone else. If he had, everyone would probably know by now. But what I don't know is what he thought about it all. The only real hint I have is the look he gave me the day Goku and Gohan fought - the one that looked suspiciously like approval when I voiced my intent to pick a fight with my out-of-control, ascended Saiyajin husband to save Goku from committing guilt-induced suicide. Then again, maybe I was just seeing things that morning. Kami knows that I'm no expert on Vegeta and his implacable reasoning, and I had been up all night...

Kuso, that train of thought is one I need to get off of immediately, so as I hear the click-clack of Bulma's shoes heading this way, I say a silent thank you to the gods for her impeccable timing.

"Sorry about that, Videl," she offers breathlessly, though I can't help but worry that she's not smiling at all as she turns to the man sitting across from me stoically consuming sandwiches in two clean bites each. "Vegeta, can you do me a favor?"

Vegeta chews leisurely before swallowing and turning his fierce midnight orbs on Bulma. "There is nothing wrong with him," he drawls. "The problem lies with the hellcat he is married to."

"Don't talk about Chichi like that," Bulma scolds half-heartedly. "And I think there may be something to worry about this time, Vegeta. Some of what she told me..." she lets the sentence hang, though her anxious tone relays the message with perfect clarity. "She's afraid he may be suffering from some kind of Saiyajin psychosis or something," she continues.

This time, the slight prince snorts derisively. "I have no doubt that she does," came the vague, disinterested reply.

"Vegeta, this isn't funny!" she admonishes sharply as she props herself against the wall, scowling with her arms folded in a manner that leaves no doubt that she picked up the familiar pose from the prince. Despite her disapproving glare, Vegeta picks up another morsel and places the entire the thing into his mouth in such a way that it looks perfectly refined rather than wolfishly inhuman. "Well, there was one thing she said that Son-kun told her to get her off his back that was kinda funny," Bulma allows after a moment, her stance relaxing slightly. "But only because it's so totally absurd."

Even as I feel a foreboding lump form in my throat and my hands tighten around my beverage, I notice Vegeta has stopped eating again and is watching his mate with renewed interest, one eyebrow slightly raised in an unspoken prompt to explain.

"Well, it's..." she begins, but when she throws an uncertain glance at me, my insides feel like they've just been sent on a roller coaster ride; I can feel the blood draining from my face. "I don't think I should say... erm... right now. I mean... you know, Son-kun has a strange sense of humor sometimes..."

"We are all familiar with Kakarotto's idea of humor, Onna," Vegeta replies impatiently.

The older woman chews on her bottom lip for a second. "Alright, but" - she turns to me again - "don't freak out or anything, okay?"

"H-hai," I force myself to say even as my throat threatens to close entirely.

"Okay," she concedes with a broad grin in my direction, seemingly oblivious to my growing panic even though my hands are starting to shake so badly that the glass I'm holding is scrubbing on the tabletop. "Apparently Chichi was grilling Son-kun about why you guys moved away for the hundredth time or something, and I guess he got tired of her accusing him of encouraging Gohan to leave home" - she rolls her eyes - "like he ever would. Anyway, I guess she must have really been on him, because he finally told her that it was his fault, after all."

Oh gods... he couldn't have told her about us; he wouldn't... would he?

"She started asking him what he'd said, and Son-kun told her that he'd done something, but he was reluctant to elaborate. Of course, Chichi figured he was just trying to get her off his case, and she told me that she asked him over and over what he could have possibly done to make Gohan want to come to the city."

Even as I'm looking at the glass that both of my hands are wrapped firmly around, I hear Vegeta lean forward and rest his elbows on the table, and I even catch, out of the corner of my eye, the beginnings of a strange smirk forming on his normally tight lips. That only adds to my growing confusion because, despite my promise and the fear I have of hurting my family, that anxiety is rivaled just as intensely with a dangerous, quickly-growing sense of hope.

He was the one that insisted we go back to the way things were as best we could, but if he's decided it's too much for him... if he's told Chichi what happened between us, then that would mean that all bets are off. Still, the logical part of me knows that if Goku had admitted that he had been involved in an affair - with anyone, not me specifically - to his wife, Bulma wouldn't be laughing about it right now, and Chichi wouldn't be assuming Goku has become mentally unstable.

I don't know if Bulma's pausing for effect or if she suddenly noticed the look of alarm on my face, and quite honestly, I don't care at this point. I just have to know what's happened between Goku and Chichi. "What did he tell her?" I question, forcing the waver out of my voice. "What did Goku tell" - damn it! - "I mean, Goku-san tell her?" I repeat, forcing myself to speak softer and steadier, trading the tone of fright for one of curiosity. "You said I shouldn't freak out about this, but what did he tell 'kaasan that would make you think I would?"

"Well," Bulma begins, chewing on her thumbnail indecisively for a second before breaking into a fit of nervous giggles, "you know, I bet you won't freak out. I mean, you and Gohan lived next door to Son-kun for years, so I'm sure you know not to take much of what he says seriously."

Vegeta growls impatiently. "Just tell us what the baka said," he insists firmly.

"You're no fun, you know that?" Bulma shoots back, but there's no anger behind it. When she leans over the edge of the table and throws a sly smile my way, it takes every ounce of control I possess to keep my face blank and my breathing steady, all while I concentrate on every word she says next so that I can hear them over the blood that's thundering in my head.

The grin grows even wider until it looks like each corner of her mouth is going to reach her ears, and her eyes never leave mine. "He told Chichi that Gohan moved away because he found out you and Son-kun were having an affair," she whispers conspiratorially, though it's obvious she's having to work hard not to start laughing again.

Her smile disappears when the glass I'm holding shatters in my grasp.

I only vaguely register anything after that - the sudden jerk of the table when Bulma jumps away, the soft buzz of one of the robots of Capsule Corps. immediately responding to a mess that needs to be cleaned, the feel of someone forcing open one of my clenched fists that's holding what is left of what was probably a very expensive piece of glassware. Instead, my gaze locks onto the fathomless black eyes of the only other full-blooded Saiyajin alive.

"He told her?" I whisper raggedly as a million different possibilities bombard my mind and shake the very core of my being.

Vegeta looks as amused as I've ever seen him, and he shrugs noncommittally. "Even Kakarotto has his limits, Onna. It was but a matter of time before he sacrificed his judgment to the ridiculous human emotionalism he clings to. But," he continues, though his face becomes very serious, "that is between Kakarotto and his mate."

Oh gods... Chichi! "But after what Chichi said -"

"I was not referring to the fool's wife."

That single statement holds so many amazing and equally frightening implications that I find I can't even begin to question or respond. Thankfully - or not - I don't have to because Bulma's grabbing my arm and pouring some clear liquid, probably alcohol by the smell, all over the palms of my hands, making the numerous little cuts I didn't even notice until now burn painfully.

Oh Kami! Her glass... our conversation... I was so shocked by what Bulma revealed about Goku's talk with Chichi that I totally spaced out. I all but admitted the truth to Vegeta - of course, since he already knows, that's not big deal - but she's been here the whole time! "I-I'm sorry about that, Bulma-san," I stutter anxiously, trying to gauge whether or not she heard me. Maybe, just maybe I'll be lucky, and she'll have been too preoccupied with the shards of glass on the table or getting the stuff she put on my cuts to have heard the worst of it.

Please, oh please, whoever's listening up there...

"Chichi thinks Son-kun was joking so she'd leave him alone," Bulma states, her voice wavering slightly, and I feel the layers of lies that I've been surrounded in for months begin to crumble around me. She takes a few deep breaths before her eyes level on mine, wide-eyed and pleading desperately. "He wasn't serious, was he? I mean, it's just ridiculous to even consider the possibility, right, Videl?" she questions, forcing several sharp, humorless chuckles to emphasize the point.

This is my chance, probably my only chance. I should just tell her, "Of course it's not true! C'mon, Bulma-san," and give her a few laughs of my own, and she'd probably let the whole thing go without another thought. I mean, if it hadn't happened to me, I wouldn't think it was possible, either.

But now that the opportunity I prayed for moments ago is right here within my grasp, I... I can't. Kami forgive me, but I just can't!

I'm tired of lying to everyone, and I'm tired of lying to myself. Things aren't going to get better. My feelings for Gohan won't ever be what they once were, and my love for Goku isn't going to simply fade away. I know that I made a promise to him, and for as long as he wishes me to, I'll keep it. But the truth still remains. I love Goku like I've never loved anyone in my life - more than I could ever love anyone else - and no matter how many miles separate us or how long it is until the next time I'm lucky enough to see him again, my heart will always belong to him.

"Videl?" Bulma asks meekly.

All I can do is break my dangerously wet eyes from Vegeta's intense stare and turn them to Bulma just as the first tear escapes my eyelids and slips uncomfortably down my cheek. Her eyes become saucers as her jaw falls open; seeing her reaction reminds me once again of what I've done, what I've lost, the palpable trepidation that's been following me any time I considered the chaos a moment like this might bring into my already tormented life.

Bulma leans heavily against the wall and blinks a few times before turning her attention to Vegeta. "The fight Gohan had with Son-kun," she mumbles as though to herself, though Vegeta obviously hears her clearly as he looks at her with a carefully blank expression. "I thought it was weird that he wanted to move all of the sudden, especially when Pan told Bra that she didn't even know they were leaving until a few days before. I... I thought she was exaggerating," she continues almost inaudibly.

"She wasn't," I croak, the memory making my stomach turn nauseousingly. "Neither of us knew until Gohan told us to start packing."

"You were having an affair with Son-kun," she reiterates, though there's no tone of reprimand in her voice. It's more of an observation, a way for her to digest the information that puts a new light on everything that's been happening lately in the lives of those closest to her. After several more long minutes of Bulma repeating those words soundlessly, she finally seems to have enough of a handle on the concept that her strength returns, and she pushes away from the wall. "You knew," she snaps at Vegeta, who shrugs indifferently.

"I am also aware of the fact that Kakarotto's physical involvement with the onna was not the reason the boy left," Vegeta replies.

Ashamed as I am of my emotional state in front of the stoic ouji, I still snap my gaze back to him. "Nani?"

He regards me discerningly for a moment. "Kakarotto did not tell you what he said to Gohan that prompted the end of their battle," he remarks calmly, "and I am not the third-class baka's messenger."

Translation: Goku's secret is safe with him, so don't even ask. Not that I have the opportunity, because he suddenly pushes his chair back and stands, turning on his heel and heading for the door. He stops as he opens it and glances over his shoulder. "I have no desire to hear endless emotional dribble. My mate is more that capable of dealing with such things, and I am confident that you will find her past experience in a similar situation... enlightening."

I'm not exactly sure what he means by that as the door closes behind him, but one look at Bulma's face tells me it's something big he was hinting at. And then it hits me just as she takes my uninjured hand and gives it a gentle tug.

"C'mon," she offers with an empathetic, mournful smile. "Let's go to the garden so we can talk without the chance of anyone overhearing us." She grins even more as I hesitate, correctly guessing my misgivings. "I know I can be gossipy," she admits before her face turns grave, "but Vegeta knows that I can keep my mouth shut when I need to. Besides, no one should have to go through something like this alone."

I don't even make it out of my chair before the grief I've kept carefully at bay bursts forth, but thankfully Bulma is more than willing to let me lean against her as she guides us into the peaceful night air that contradicts sharply to the storm in my soul.

I don't worry about turning around when I hear Vegeta land on the soft dirt a few feet behind me. He didn't hide his approach, so he knows I'm aware of his presence whether or not I look at him, although his appearance does make me nervous for an entirely different reason. Namely the ki I detected with Bulma that's still fluctuating wildly.

"So that was Bulma that Chichi called, after all," I state darkly.

"I will not tolerate that hellcat of yours upsetting my mate with her incessant foolishness, Kakarotto," Vegeta responds warningly, and I know the sharp words are a double-edged message. He disapproves of Chichi in general, and he is making his displeasure of how I handle her in situations like this crystal clear at the same time.

And at this point, I can't say I blame him.

"Gomen, Vegeta," I apologize solemnly. "I didn't mean for Chi to worry Bulma with this. I don't know what the hell came over me tonight," I admit softly as I look up at the small patch of midnight blue sky that's visible from between the mountains that surround my favorite sparring ground.

"Hn, I see that promise to your rightful mate does not keep you from lying."

I ignore the observation; we both know why I acted like I did, though it has become almost a game for Vegeta to call Videl my mate anytime she comes up in our conversation - which happens to be every time I see him nowadays since he's the only connection I have to either Gohan or Videl these days. "You said she wouldn't last a month," I remind him in a futile attempt at humor, and my voice comes out choked with regret. "You lost."

"The woman is a thick-headed as you are," he replies evenly.

***
Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love? Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail thru the changin' ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life? I don't know...
***

"She's okay, isn't she?" I ask anxiously.

Vegeta huffs condescendingly as he finally moves to stand beside me; his arms, as usual, are crossed comfortably over his chest. "You can sense the weakening of her ki as well as I can, baka," he answers gruffly.

Wow, Chichi's call pissed him off more than I thought. Or maybe he's just tired of dealing with me like this when the simple solution is so clear as far as he's concerned. I'm not about to argue with him about that, though. "I'm sorry, Vegeta," I mumble again as I watch a thick group of clouds obscure the sparkling view above us. "I feel like I'm going insane," I confess with a frown as I try to sort my jumbled thoughts. "Maybe Chichi was right. Maybe I am sick."

"There is nothing wrong with you that was not already beyond repair long ago," Vegeta quips.

I shake my head slowly. "You and I both know that's not entirely true. I mean, I've been married to Chichi for years, and I was perfectly happy before all this."

Vegeta lifts an eyebrow skeptically and snorts.

"Okay, maybe not happy," I correct with a sheepish grin, "but I was satisfied with the way things were. I mean, Chi was the way she was, and I pretended to be a brainless guy whose only focuses were eating, training, and saving the planet."

"I doubt your inclination to food has ever been fabricated," the prince comments off-handedly, "as well as your desires to fight or protect this backwater mudball."

I shrug good-naturedly. "The most plausible lie is one wrapped in truth, neh?"

Vegeta's reply is an almost imperceptible nod of assent after a long pause.

***
Well, I've been afraid of changin', 'cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I'm getting older, too
***

Ah well, I'm sure Vegeta's had enough of hearing me whine. "Have you talked to Gohan?"

I don't expect the same cold reaction that I got with the others to that question. He's noticed that Gohan's shielding his ki, though he's not as acutely aware of the cutoff as I am. What I told Chichi earlier was true. If something was seriously wrong with my son, I'd know it immediately because he wouldn't be able to sever himself so painfully and completely from me otherwise.

Vegeta nods once. "He inquired about Saiyajin mating," he elaborates meaningfully as his eye darts to me momentarily. He seems satisfied that I got the gist of it when a strangled gasp accidentally slips out.

"He plans to make Videl his life mate," I groan helplessly, despite my claims that I want them to work things out and that I want her to move on with her life. I mean, you can't make a commitment any more permanent than intertwining your soul unbreakably with another person.

"That was his intention," Vegeta confirms as a sly smirk finds its way onto his lips. I stare blankly back for a minute, and the smirk grows even broader. "Was," he repeats conspiratorially.

It takes me a few minutes to grasp his hint this time. I mean, I'm no expert on Saiyajin mating - my only source has been the bits and pieces given to me by Vegeta - but Gohan knows even less than me, and if Vegeta wanted to lead him astray, it wouldn't be too difficult, no matter how smart my son is. "You told him he couldn't," I whisper tentatively. When Vegeta doesn't answer, but rather shrugs indifferently, it's as good as any confirmation I could get from him. "I can't believe you lied to Gohan!" I cry, half disappointed and half immensely relieved.

"I did no such thing, Kakarotto."

***
Oh, take my love, take it down, climb a mountain and turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills, well, the landslide will bring it down
***

Nani? "But you just said -"

"I know what I said," he interrupts sternly, "and I do not recall mentioning anything having to do with spreading falsehoods."

And this opens up a whole new set of possibilities. "You mean Gohan really can't bond with Videl?" The temperamental royal nods once again. "But... but why? I don't understand; it's not like I could stop him."

"You already have, kisama," he answers blandly.

Oh Kami, my head's so scrambled right now that I have no way of deciding whether that's a good or bad thing... "How?"

"When two Saiyajins compete for one mate, the winner of the battle earns the right to decide," he explains matter-of-factly. "The one who fails cannot change that. There are only two ways that Gohan could supersede the result of your combat. Either the potential mate can initiate the bonding herself with the mate of her choice, though with a ningen, I doubt that is a possibility..."

"Or?" I prompt hesitantly.

"Or you must relinquish your claim on her to him directly," Vegeta concluded.

Oh gods, that means it's totally up to me, then.

We've been apart for months under a mutual agreement that we would never be together again, but now that Vegeta has put this right in my face, I don't know if I can let her go like that. I'd be lying to him and me if I said that there hasn't been a corner in my mind waiting, praying for her to break her word and come back to me. But if she becomes his mate according to Saiyajin tradition, that's it. There will be no chance for us until she passes into the afterlife, and that's only if she managed to keep her body in death while Gohan didn't.

***
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills, well, the landslide will bring it down
The landslide will bring it down
***

But on the other hand, this isn't just any woman. This is my son's wife, a woman he truly loves with all of his heart. How can I allow my own selfish desires to stand in the way of that when she is so torn? Videl is showing signs of severe strain, but she's hanging in there. Doesn't that on it's own prove that she's gonna be okay in time?

And I love my son, and this may be my only chance to redeem myself to him. It may be the only way he'll ever forgive me for what I've done to him.

"I warn you," Vegeta intones somberly, "that knowingly rebuking a bond as strong as the one you and your son's woman have already developed, whether you acknowledge that fact or not, will have considerable side effects on both of you. A mating that is initiated and decided by honorable combat is not meant to be left unfulfilled, especially under these circumstances. This particular provision to the ritual is meant to be used only when intended mates have been separated by battle, and one of them is near death."

"Will it hurt Videl?"

Vegeta takes a deep breath. "Because she is human and not naturally telepathic, I doubt the effects would be life-threatening," he answers stoically.

That settles it, then. Of course, there is the possible negative outcome that I don't even know he's sure of. "You said this is meant to be used when people are separated by battle, so does that mean this can be done at a distance?" I ask suddenly as an idea comes to me.

"Distance does not matter as long as you are able to establish a mental link with the boy," Vegeta replies interestedly. "Do you intend to make a return trip to Kaio-sama's domain?"

"Too risky," I state genuinely. If this thing is as detrimental as Vegeta is implying, I can't take any chances of losing control of my power around anyone. "I was actually wondering if your spare gravity capsule is still spaceworthy."

*~*~*~*

Lyrics: Pushing Me Away by Linkin Park, Angels by Stretch Princess, Landslide by Fleetwood Mac

*~*~*~*

Reviewer Acknowledgments:

autumn: Aw, thank you! I know, I really struggled with how to go about doing the Gohan/Videl converstation in the next chapter - whether he should be mad as hell or grief-stricken, and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. A fine line you have to walk, I've found, when portraying Gohan and keeping him IC. Thank you again!!!

PsychoShadowSam: Thank you, I'm glad you like the pairing, as odd as it is, and the story in general. :)

Gohan's Onna: Oh man, I do actually know what it's like to get your modem struck by lightning... it's awful! I hope things are getting better for you, and I'm sorry the update took so long. Fanfiction.net put a major kink in my schedule... but hey, I've gotten my website cleaned up, at least, and there's Mediaminer.org and so forth. Either way, I'm not letting that get me down *grins* Hopefully the next one won't take nearly as long, though, so don't stop your updates, damn it!

Goku's Daughter: Hehe, yep, Goku rocks, girl. No doubt about it *grins* Glad you're still feelin' it, and I'm sorry for the delay. I'll try to do better.

ThePinkSpider: Ah, thanks! I'm glad you like it... and I don't think you'll be disappointed with the ending, though not everyone's gonna end up happy, I must admit, but time will tell *winks*

Misao Soup: Wow, thank you for the great feedback! Yeah, I'm trying to be fair to everyone (though if I'm being unfair to Chi, it's only because she grates on my nerves *laughs*) and I'm glad that you are able to want that happy ending for Goku and Videl while sympathizing with the other characters. And I hope the conclusion is good *sweatdrops* I'll definitely do my best :)

Calendar: *bows down apologetically* Please, I beg forgiveness for my slow update... it's all their fault *points accusingly at FF.net* Anyway, I can't believe you read it all in one sitting! Woah! The word count is up over 100,000 if memory serves... I'm so flattered! Thank you! And I'm glad you like it even though you're a Gh/Vd fan, that definitely makes me feel like I'm doing something right :)

Arashi Lioncourt: Coming from you, that review was especially great to hear, I'm so glad it's moved you so much. I wanted to get Gohan involved, though he is MIA in the first half of this chapter, he'll be coming back in the second half, and I didn't want to do a fic like this without showing the effect on him, as well. He's not 'main cast' in this, per se, but he is a key player in the plot, and I think it's important for people to feel his reaction to all of this. I hope you like this update just as much as the rest, and thank you again!

dbzmomma: *sighs* Yes, Goku is very, very yummy... and I like to think of him as more than muscles and a pretty face. And I love that they feel real to you - that's always a goal of mine. Thank you!

AlphaOmega: Now, I can't make Gohan demonic. He's too... sweet and silently complex to be overtly nasty, but there's a chance you might like a thing or two in this chapter. It's not him walking out, but there's one line in particular I think you'll enjoy. *grins*

Kichi: *chuckles* You might like this one, then. I'm glad you got on the list, especially now that I've had to relocate from my main posting spot. But I'll be looking forward to what you think about this chapter *grins* Tomako Briefs: You know, I tried to find the info on the Beckett website, but I couldn't :( Ah well, I'll take your word for it since I'm pretty new on a lot of the character specs, and I'll revise it when I get finished to take that info into account. Thanks again for the heads-up on Goku's physical attributes - and I'm glad you liked the new chapter!

Sorceress Fujin: HAI, HAI, HAI!!! *passes over 25 page document and runs, laughing insanely* Arigato!

serene outlaw: LOL!!! I've been told by quite a few people that I'm creating some closet Goku/Videl fans out there... I think that's so cool! Of course, I doubt I could ever do another fic with them paired - this feels like a once-in-a-million kinda fic, know what I mean? But hey, it's been fun to write even though it's draining, as well, and I'm really glad you're sticking with me on it, even though my updates are slow at best. Thank you so, so much!

Selenity Jade: Thank you, and you're right on - late is definitely better than never. And that's so cool, your first faves non-V/B fic... LOL! That's really awesome, especially since I know when I first started reading DBZ fanfiction, I read all V/B's, too, and I didn't care for much else for a while. And now, here I am, I've never written anything with the Vegeta/Bulma pairing except a Valentine's Day one-shot and a contest one-shot, LOL! Don't ask me what's given me ideas like this one, but I'm glad you like it! Thank you so much!!! That's what the Gems list is for, neh?

Kioko: LOL, thanks! I'll do my best to keep it up :)

Yen: Oh man, tell me about it! I wasn't sure a Goku/Videl fic would be any good when I started, but man, I'm so glad I decided to post this after all instead of leaving it unfinished on my hard drive like so many other fics I've started. Thank you!

dbz obsessed: Aw, thank you! I know, poor Goku/Videl/Gohan... and I don't feel sorry for Chichi, either. I mean, how can you? Well, I know some people could, but I have to fight really, really hard to try and be fair to her in this story. She's just so... so... Ugh! Anyway, thank you, again!

Z: Aw, you cried? That's so great! *clears throat* Sorry, but it is for me. And I know the whole situation is just heartbreaking for everyone involved, and that's the way I want it. After all, realities like this are rarely simple and always painful for everyone, no matter what the outcome. I'm glad you've been able to connect with that, thank you so much!!!

Spazzer Monkey: I did check out the song, and even though I've pretty much mapped out what songs I plan to use, I may be able to squeeze it in (it reminded me of this story, too), but if not, I know I can put it in another. *grins* I'm a song fiend, and I love songfics like no other if you haven't noticed, LOL! Anyway, I think you have reviewed before, but no worries! I'm really glad you like it, and I hope the outcome that I've planned works for ya :)

EmberMaxximus: Oh yes, the DBZ moms rock! *chuckles* And I considered the pregnancy idea a while back, but I decided against it. For some reason, I guess it seemed to me like a way to force Goku and Videl together without as many emotional consequences... I've got the ending worked out as of now (though my stuff tends to change as the chapters are written, so who knows, LOL!), so I hope you like how I finish this up. Thanks!

trutenor: Aw... thank you so much! Your favorite DB fic? Really? That's so amazing! And as for Chichi and proper retribution *grins broadly*, you'll like part two of this chapter, methinks. Thank you again!!!

Meiyume: I hope you've come out of your depression... if not, this chapter might not help you much. And as for writing like me *shrugs*. I think anybody can with a little talent and a lot of practice. I've been writing stuff like this (well, not exactly like this, but you know what I mean) since I was twelve, so that's thirteen years of practice I've got under my belt, and I still keep working to improve my craft. With any luck, I'll do this for a living someday... *knocks on wood* Anyway, thank you!!!

Fried Wontons: No worries, hun, that wasn't the end. I've got the second half of this chapter and two more to go after this as far as my outline goes. Of course, nothing's set in stone, but it's safe to say that this is not the end. *grins* And I'm glad you felt so much from the last chapter, I hope this new one is up to par. :)

Poppy: I'm glad you liked the emotion... lol, I tend to put all of the strays that threaten to make my head explode into this particular fanfic *laughs* Suffice it to say this is therapy for me, for real! Thank you!

Vegeta Goddess: Nah, I'm not 'too good' yet, but I'm working on it *winks* And thank you!!!

W-chan: How do I do it? *yawns* Man oh man... I dunno. I love writing this fic, but these chapters are emotionally exhausting for me at the same time. Guess I just love you guys too much not to update. *grins* And thank you for the compliments!

ShadeKnight: Oooh, I love that song Chop Suey! I actually considered that one for one of the previous chapters, but ended up using something else instead... but it might come up yet. Time will tell, neh? And the flux between reactions is awesome, thank you!

NeoQBirdie: Your wish for more Vegeta has been granted in this part, and he'll be popping in and out from now on, matter of fact. And man oh man, if this fic is as good as it gets for you, it barely compares to what your reviews mean to me. They truly do inspire me like little else can. Thank you so much for your continued support and your wonderful words of encouragement. Thank you so much, girl! And hey, on the plus side, you don't have to wade through FF.net for my stuff anymore *laughs*

StillbornAngel: I know, the update time is long, but this time, it's really not all my fault. It's FF.net's... having to clear off of there took me almost two weeks. Man oh man, I had no idea how bad of shape my website was in until I decided to take down my stuff rather than revise it to fall under the R rating... Ah well, I will do my very best to be faster in the future, though, so hang in there, k? Thank you!

DemonQueen17: Arigato! I know, it's sad for all three of them, and as much as I'd love to say it's gonna get better this time... well, next chapter I think will be the first rays of sunshine for two of them... but you'll see *grins*

Majin Launch: LOL, you know, I've had several people tell me they found this by accidentally putting in Goku and Videl instead of Gohan... I get a kick out of that every time I hear it, too! LOL, and I'm really glad you like it, and I really appreciated both the email and the review. Thank you so much!!!

SaiyaSith: Ah yes, I love cliffhangers... absolutely love them. I don't think a chapter should end without one, can you tell? *laughs* And thank you so much, I'm glad you loved it!

RoamingLake: I know, I've seriously gotten into odd-couples of late. They're so challenging if you're striving to make it plausible, so I'm glad you like this one. Thank you!

Saiyajin-Raven69: Yeah, I didn't want Gohan to come off overly-hostile in the last chapter, despite the situation because his character seems to take time for things to really settle in and, in turn, set him off the deep end, hence the references in this chapter. The anger inevitably comes, but I really felt like I had to walk a fine line with it, and in the end, I was really happy with how his reaction came out in the last chapter. Anyway, I'm glad you liked it, and I'm sorry for the wait for this one especially... I think it's been, what? Almost two months? *sighs* Damned FF.net...

Ane S. Thesia: Aw, thank you! I know, it is really draining to write these chapters, but hearing the feedback from you guys has made it soooo worth it! Thank you! Oh, how's the host search going? Good luck with it!

Princess Megglie: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it, and I'll try to update faster next time!

mae: *grins* Yep, three more, I think. And thank you, I'm glad you like the long, in depth chapters! Hope this one keeps you going as the rest have, and thank you again so much!!!

TBC