Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Idomu ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 13 )

 

Disclaimer: I don't own DB/Z/GT or any of the characters found in this fic. They are the property of TOEI ANIMATION in Japan and FUNimation in the U.S.A. I am not making any profit from this.

 

Rating - NC-17

 

Warnings - INCEST. And although I don't know that it is so much a warning for this group as it is an encouragement…Yaoi (M/M, M/M/M). Followed by, ice, fire, voyeurism, body modification, bonding, tails, S & M, slave/master, character death, lemons, limes, random Japanese terms, A/U, wishes. (And I apologize for any other warnings I have forgotten!)

 

Pairings - (stepping out on a limb here folks) Lemons: Prince Vegeta/Kakarott/Gohan, K/Gh, PV/K, Radditz/Gh, V/Gh, V/G.

 

 

A/N: THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME HOSHI! I know it says the same thing, but I mean it!

 

Another note, the time lines have started to separate. You'll see evidence of that in this chapter, and those to follow.

 

 

 

Idomu - Chapter 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You heartless bastard!”

 

Vegeta's shoulders slumped as Gohan once again tested his bonds. This whole `discussion' thing was highly over rated, especially when the person one was supposed to be talking to was stubbornly refusing to cooperate. If it were anyone but another sayian with catastrophic powers, Vegeta may have been willing to let him loose long enough to fight this out of his system…

 

The kid had cajoled with tears, pleaded convincingly and begged pitifully, for release, more drugs and/or death: all in the first hour after he had woken. It was now creeping towards the third hour he'd been stuck in the room with him, and Gohan had finally started in with the threats, cursing and insults. Vegeta found himself running out of patience, “I am going to get Videl,” if anyone was going to be forgiving of this kind of behavior, it was either Kakarott or Gohan's human wife. Gohan trying to kill his own father made Kakarott a bad candidate: Videl just might have a fighting chance of getting through to this mess of a man…sayian.

 

“NO!” Gohan twisted, yelping when he cause his tied tail pain, “Please, no…”

 

“Why not?” Vegeta asked with more venom then he had intended.

 

“S-she won't understand…” Gohan began.

 

“I don't understand,” Vegeta said in exasperation. Gohan may be willing to say things, but none of them actually pertained to what had happened…to make him react this way.

 

Blissful silence engulfed the room as Gohan turned his head away. Vegeta sat down again resigning himself to begin the waiting process over…

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

“They've been in there for hours!” Chichi paced the kitchen floor impatiently before turning on Videl, “I am surprised you haven't tried to go see him yet. Some `wife' you are…”

 

“CHICHI!” Goku exclaimed.

 

“No, Goku, it's true, I probably should have already…”

 

“Videl, we all know he isn't ready to see anyone right now,” Goku interrupted. Even ki restrained, all those who were able to sense ki could feel Gohan's spiking erratically.

 

“No, but Vegeta isn't exactly a sympathetic ear,” Piccolo said from the doorway.

 

“Why don't you go?” Chichi turned to the green alien. She didn't much care for the freak, but at least she knew this creature cared for Gohan…

 

“If I thought it would help, I would,” Piccolo grunted, “However, he seems irrationally pissed at me for killing his uncle.”

 

“Uncle?” Pan asked from the corner she had been sitting in, staring out the window. She didn't know her father had had an uncle…

 

“Radditz,” Goku said.

 

“Oh,” Pan remembered those stories about one of Vegeta's henchmen coming to Earth and threatening her grandpa and dad, but… “Wait, you're saying Radditz was my dad's uncle?”

 

Goku shrugged: the detail hadn't seemed important while telling the bedtime story…

 

“That would make him your brother?” Pan pressed.

 

Goku grimaced, “I guess. I didn't remember him, and he was threatening Earth…”

 

“Huh…” Pan said. This brought a whole new light to the story, but she didn't feel the need to press for details in the face of everything else that was going on. She turned her gaze back out the window.

 

“So?” Chichi asked.

 

“So?” Goku echoed.

 

“Is someone going to go down there?!” Chichi insisted.

 

“I'll go,” Goten looked up from the card game he and Trunks were playing, “I don't think he has a grudge against me…”

 

Chichi smiled proudly at her youngest, “Thank you.”

 

“You want me to go with?” Trunks asked.

 

Goten shook his head, “Nah…it's my brother,” he said as he got up and headed for the lower labs.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

Vegeta looked up as someone knocked on the plexiglass window. He sighed in relief to see Goten. Why hadn't he thought of that? “You okay with your brother coming in?” he asked the silent sayian on the table. He got up at Gohan's listless shrug and went to the door, exited and closed it quietly behind him.

 

“How's he doing?” Goten asked as he peered into the room behind the window.

 

“Not well,” Vegeta confessed.

 

“Is there anything I can do?” Goten asked.

 

“Well, he still isn't really talking,” Vegeta began, “If you could sit with him for a couple of hours…” gods he needed to stretch.

 

“Sure, Vegeta.”

 

“What ever you do, do NOT let him out of those restraints,” Vegeta cautioned, “He's been trying to connive his way out of them since he woke.”

 

“They don't look very comfortable…”

 

“Don't let him fool you. He's in no condition to be let up yet,” Vegeta started worrying about Goten's attention span. Maybe this wasn't a good idea…

 

“I promise,” Goten said.

 

Vegeta sighed and nodded, and Goten opened the door, “Hey bro,” Vegeta heard him say quietly before the door was closed. He watched from the window as Gohan shifted uncomfortably as Goten moved closer.

 

Goten stopped, unsure as his brother turned his face away from him. “What?” He was certain Gohan had said something. He felt sympathy welling inside his gut as his brother's shoulders started to shake, jerkily, an awkward movement seeing how both his elbows and wrists were strapped down to bars on each side of the table.

 

Oh, gods, it hurt! He couldn't live with it…Gohan jerked his head away as gentle fingers smoothed over his forehead, shifting sweat soaked bangs back from his face, before settling on his cheek, “Sha, Gohan, I am here.”

 

`But you're not whom I wish were here…' Gohan thought despondently.

 

Goten flinched as Gohan screamed, tendons in his neck and arms becoming evident with exertion: thankfully there was no shock wave from this one, his brother's ki having been mostly locked away. He pressed his hand down on Gohan's chest; a gentle, warm contact meant to be reassuring…

 

Gohan thrashed, trying to make the comforting touch over the hollowness inside his chest go away, and it did, only to feel those incessant fingers against his cheek again.

 

Moments of stillness and silence passed as Goten watched streams of tears run down his brother's cheeks: surely enough to have soaked the padding beneath his brother's shoulders. Open, flooding eyes, focusing on absolutely nothing. They closed as he removed his hand from his brother's face to pull his lightweight jacket off, bunching it up before lifting his brother's head with one hand and placing the pillowed material under his brother's head.

 

Goten jerked his hand back as he unwittingly smoothed it over Gohan's covered bonding mark and his brother snapped at his fingers. Steely, angry eyes stared him down as his brother's lip lifted and Gohan actually snarled at him. “Oh, Gohan,” Goten said quietly, no hint of rebuke in his voice or countenance, “What's gotten into you?”

 

Gohan's features relaxed minutely, and then seemed to crumble all at once. Lower lip trembling, eyes narrowing and then clenching shut, eyebrows scrunching together. Gohan's mouth opened to release jerky, breathless sobs. A great inhale, and then a shuddering, helpless cry. Goten leaned over as best he could with the situation and pulled Gohan's face to his chest, running a strong hand through his hair before pressing the other's face to him tightly. Kissing the top of his head consolingly.

 

It hurt - to breathe: his throat so constricted…just a little more, and he wouldn't have to feel this anymore. Seconds ticked on, counted with the beat of his brother's heart. “I-I f-fu-ck'd u-up, Go-ten-n,” Gohan's words were barely understandable in their hushed and stuttered fashion.

 

“We'll…I'll get you through this,” Goten whispered back steadfastly. He felt his brother's headshake in his grasp.

 

“Y-you can't,” the hopelessness in Gohan's statement told him his brother had already given up, “I have to pay for it,” the resolve of believed blame and assumed necessary punishment of someone convinced of their guilt, “I'm already paying for it,” Gohan sighed resignedly, trying to pull his head back from Goten's chest.

 

Goten let him do so grudgingly, “There's nothing you could have done to deserve this.”

 

Gohan chuckled mirthlessly at his brother's naivety, “So young.”

 

Goten growled, “I am not that much younger than you. Basing my understanding of what is happening on my age before telling me what has happened isn't fair. I'm not a stupid kid, Gohan,” he stopped as his brother gave him a genuine, though weak, smile.

 

“No, Goten, you're not stupid,” Gohan agreed, turning his face away, “But you don't know…”

 

“Does this have something to do with Radditz?” Goten blurted, and jumped slightly as his brother's whole body lunged his direction, shifting the bed, even if he didn't come out of his bonds.

 

“What do you know of Radditz?” Gohan hissed.

 

“Just what Dad and Mr. Piccolo were discussing upstairs,” Goten held up his hands.

 

“Stupid, nosy, indiscreet bastards,” Gohan growled as he turned his attention away from Goten again. Minutes passed.

 

“You going to tell me about it?” Goten asked quietly. He sighed when the only response he gained from his brother was an undecipherable grunt, “You act as though…”

 

“Fuck you, Goten,” Gohan spat. He didn't want to hear what his brother thought about his actions.

 

“No,” Goten said, moving closer, grabbing hold of Gohan's jaw, and forcing his gaze his direction, “Fuck you, Gohan. You're acting as though this is the only thing that matters…”

 

“Because it is,” Gohan hissed.

 

“You're saying I don't matter?” Goten accused, “Your wife doesn't matter? Our mother or your daughter - don't matter? Everyone's efforts over the last six months to bring you back?”

 

Gohan jerked his jaw out of Goten's grip, “No”

 

“Look at me and say I don't matter,” Goten gripped his chin again, forcing Gohan to look at him.

 

“You don't…” but he did…some little part of him still cared. He felt useless tears building in his eyes again: was he already betraying Radditz? Was he really that fickle? “You don't understand.”

 

Goten nodded, “I don't understand. But I want to.”

 

Gohan smiled, a subtle shift of his lips: nothing more. “I hope you never do, little brother. It hurts- a lot.”

 

Goten pulled up a stool and sat down, “So, are you going to talk to me?”

 

Gohan sighed, closing his eyes, “I'm going to cry…” he warned. He could already feel the tears lining up to be let out…his throat aching again….

 

Goten nodded, “Okay…”

 

Gohan turned his head to the side, “Pull the robe down,” he instructed in a barely audible whisper.

 

One of Goten's eyebrows raised as he reached hesitantly for the area his brother had been so protective of earlier. Even after having given his permission, Gohan growled at him as he pulled the material down. Goten ignored the capsule his brother had tied around his neck as a necklace, in favor of the wound on his brother's shoulder, “Holy shit, Gohan. What is that?” It looked days old, but still ugly, red and swollen.

 

Gohan shifted uncomfortably at being exposed, “I'll try to explain, Goten.”

 

 

~o0o~~o0o~

 

 

 

Radditz looked up as Gohan seemed to be cast in shadow. The red, clear sky indicated that clouds covering the suns weren't the culprit. When he looked back, Gohan had moved…no, he - he was….

 

…Gone?

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

Five heads lifted as though they all felt a change in the weather coming. Five faces looked at each other, expressing different things from confusion, concern to understanding.

 

Kakarott looked over to the last place he'd seen Radditz and Gohan conversing. “Oh, no,” he said so quietly even Prince Vegeta had a difficult time understanding what he had said. He watched as his brother's tall form collapsed to his knees. “Radditz…” gods, he felt as though he were in slow motion: couldn't get to his brother fast enough…

 

Stopped and just stared as his brother looked up at him, “He's gone,” statement of fact spoken with wonderment - no, disbelief.

 

“I know,” Kakarott answered simply. He watched as Radditz turned his gaze away, back to where Gohan had last stood, he surmised, and then just stared.

 

“Radditz….”

 

“I thought I could make him stay,” Radditz voice was feeble, “Why couldn't I make him stay?” Guilt started to compound: he hadn't loved him enough; he'd rejected him when he needed him most; he'd cared more about what others would think, than what had really mattered, and now he was gone…

 

Kakarott didn't have the answers: he didn't know either. He had never seen his brother look so lost. He turned away momentarily as Vegeta touched his shoulder, “I have to go soon….” The prince said.

 

“You can't go alone; Go…” caution and courtesy changed Kakarott's wording, “He said you shouldn't,” he whispered.

 

Prince Vegeta nodded, looking at his commander, “I don't think he should be left alone. You can't stay here though. Proving Idomu is critical to this face off with my father.”

 

…His fault, Radditz knew he'd been considered too weak, but he was not up to the task of shouldering this burden alone…someone else had to be responsible as well….

 

“I'll take him back to the house,” Bardock interjected, and both Kakarott and Vegeta relaxed. It wasn't as though they didn't care that Gohan was gone…Vegeta was pissed at the former slave's timing; Kakarott wanted to cry, for himself, for his brother, but both of them understood there were tasks that had to be accomplished before there would be time for them to grieve….

 

Radditz jerked his arm out of Bardock's grasp as his father reached to direct him up from the ground, “I can get up on my own, old man.”

 

“Then by all means do,” Bardock's voice held none of the sympathy he felt.

 

Radditz snarled, still looking at nothing. Moments later, “I-I don't want to,” he whispered. He could stay here forever, if he chose. It was none of their business if he wanted to stay here.

 

Vegeta shook his head, coming behind his commander and striking where jaw line met neck, causing Radditz to pass out. “He can be pissed at me later. We need to go now,” he said, looking over his shoulder at the rising dust clouds caused by legions of low flying hover vehicles.

 

Bardock grunted as he hefted one of Radditz' arms over his shoulder, and Toma came to assist him with the other. Even sharing the load, both of them had difficulty dragging Radditz' dead weight in the direction of the house.

 

“Come, Kakarott,” Vegeta said, touching his shoulder once again. He nodded knowingly as Kakarott turned to him, tears building in his eyes, “One crisis at a time.”

 

Kakarott had a feeling it wasn't going to be that easy. They all seemed to be arriving at once….

 

 

~o0o~~o0o~

 

 

Gohan grimaced. He really didn't want to see Videl at the moment. Admittedly, he didn't want to see any one at the moment with the possible exception of his brother.

 

“You can't keep avoiding her,” Goten sighed, “You've been down here over 86 hours.”

 

“I could try…” Gohan said wistfully: he knew Videl would expect certain things from him, like a husband, happy to see his wife, but he couldn't give her that. Maybe if the wish had happened a couple of days earlier, he'd be here, asking her forgiveness of his transgressions. Now? No, not now.

 

Gohan rubbed his wrists, thankful to be free, but knowing any moment he showed signs of losing it, he'd be right back in them. His brother and Vegeta were very dutiful in keeping tabs on him: it was somewhat annoying.

 

However, it was difficult to keep his emotions under control. Both Goten and Vegeta knew this, and yet Goten was insisting he see Videl, “Can't it wait a couple more days?”

 

Goten shook his head, “I suppose it could, but it's not going to make the situation any better,” he still wasn't certain what his brother would tell Videl, but that wasn't his business. His business was to make sure his brother kept on moving forward, instead of back…wherever that took him.

 

Gohan looked at the floor, “Fine.”

 

Goten grinned, “I'll bring her down when she gets here…”

 

Gohan shook his head, “I'd like to take a shower and be in some real clothes first, please.” They'd at least let him have that: right?

 

“Stalling?” Goten asked knowingly.

 

Gohan grimaced and ran a hand through his hair and held it out for his brother to inspect, “Not really.”

 

Now it was Goten's turn to grimace, “Sorry…”

 

“It wasn't like you could trust me over the last few days: I understand,” Gohan shrugged.

 

Goten shifted his weight. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but he still wasn't so certain he could trust his brother when it came to ki fluctuations, emotions and…well, the subject of `marriage'. He turned and pressed the intercom button on the wall, “Vegeta.”

 

Vegeta scowled as he was paged. He was just starting to break a sweat in his routine, damn it! He turned the controls back to zero and grabbed a towel before walking over to the com unit on the wall, “Yes.”

 

Goten rolled his eyes at the annoyance both he and Gohan could hear in the sayian's voice, “Gohan would like to shower and dress before Videl visits.”

 

Vegeta looked up at the gravity room's ceiling, beseeching patience, “And?”

 

“Well, I can't exactly get him clothes and still keep an eye on him….” Goten tried his damnedest to keep sarcasm out of his reply.

 

Vegeta growled, “Fine. Meet me in the west lab…”

 

“Which room?”

 

Vegeta grit his teeth: Goten was being a pain in the ass on purpose, he could feel it, “37” the kid had practically grown up here. He knew where the chemical spill showers were…

 

“Okay, we'll see you there,” Goten said just before he released the button, and turned back to Gohan, “What?”

 

“You really ought to think about not antagonizing him like that,” Gohan said, trying to keep the wicked grin off of his face.

 

“He hasn't killed me yet,” Goten said, affecting little concern.

 

Gohan shook his head as he hopped down from the bed, “I think `yet' is the variable term here…”

 

Goten shrugged, “Did you really want a shower? Or do you want to stay in here and coach me on how to approach Vegeta?”

 

“Lead the way,” Gohan stated, “You know this place better than I.”

 

Goten opened the door, “About that…”

 

“Hmmm?” Gohan asked as he followed his brother out of the room he'd been in for days. He stopped for a moment just to take in a breath that wasn't saturated with his own scent….

 

“Bulma's got this plan,” Goten began, smirking at his brother's groan.

 

“Do I have no say in my life?” Gohan asked with sufferance in his voice.

 

“Probably not for a while,” Goten said in all honesty. His brother may be acting normal at the moment, but there was no way he was over…this.

 

Gohan's shoulders slumped, “What's the plan?” he asked in defeat as they began to progress towards the west wing.

 

“It seems, that when your job fired you…oh, yeah, we haven't talked much about what's been going on here,” Goten said after his brother stopped again, “You've been fired.”

 

Gohan shook his head, “Yeah, just got the memo.”

 

“Any way,” Goten said as he resumed walking, “Videl came to ask Bulma if she might have a job for you.”

 

Gohan growled faintly. He hated being anyone's charity case. “What's she got planned?” he asked resignedly.

 

“Seems, for some reason, Bulma's decided the time machine project needs to be brought back on line….”

 

Gohan stopped, “What?!” There wouldn't be many reasons for the President of Capsule Corp to resurrect that project…the hazards involved with that type of technology in the wrong hands would have to be nullified by the good of having it in the right hands….

 

Goten held up his hands, “Don't worry. Nothing world threatening caused her to make this decision,” he tried to assure his brother.

 

Gohan shook his head as the turned into a lab the size of a small airplane hanger, “Do you know what did?” he asked. There were a few Capsule Corp employees around; Gohan surmised they were working over time hours, but otherwise the place was deserted for the weekend.

 

Goten shook his head, “You're going to have to ask her yourself,” he said before stopping, and nodding his head in the direction of Vegeta standing with his back against a wall, “Of course, that's after you talk with Videl.”

 

Gohan's tail lashed once before he wrapped it back around his waist, “Okay.”

 

“I am going to get something to eat,” Goten said loud enough for Vegeta to hear and turned to leave the lab before Vegeta could form any objections if the sayian had wanted too.

 

“I can't wait until we don't have to baby-sit you any more, brat,” Vegeta growled as he shifted away from the wall to shove some clothing into Gohan's hands.

 

Gohan growled back, “I have a name,” he set his clothing down on a counter top and pulled the curtain back to enter the shower room without giving Vegeta time to respond. He was shedding his medical robe when Vegeta walked in after him, “Can I at least shower on my own?” If he didn't have a moment's peace he was going to destroy something soon.

 

“I was in the middle of training when your brother called,” Vegeta said, taking off his training top, “If I am not going back for the next couple of hours, I need a shower also. Might as well do it here,” he finished explaining.

 

“Oh,” Gohan couldn't find fault with that: well, the fact he still had to be watched…he sighed as he walked into the shower proper, Vegeta following after Gohan had already set a spigot to his liking. The younger frowned at the smell of the soap/shampoo that came out of the dispenser on the wall, but rubbed it into his hair any way.

 

Gohan had the soap rinsed off and was relaxing under the spray when he opened his eyes to find Vegeta staring at him. The sayian grunted and turned his face into the water coming down from above him, “What?” Gohan asked in irritation, tail wrapping back around his waist.

 

“Wondering how you got your tail back,” Vegeta said off-handedly.

 

The statement made Gohan pause. Then, “Do you want yours back?”

 

Vegeta turned to face him again, some indescribable emotion in his eyes, “You know how?”

 

Gohan grinned, “Yeah,” then he frowned, “But…I need to make the formula, and it hurts…a lot.”

 

Vegeta turned his shower off, “I want it back. What do you need to make this happen?”

 

“Well, according to what Goten said, Bulma's already going to have me working here, for a while,” Gohan stated he reached an arm back and turned the water off, “It will just take some time…” that phrase coming out of his own mouth…Gohan could feel grief making a come back with vengeance. Goten had reassured him it would only take time, but Gohan was certain this was something he didn't want to heal from: he considered it the equivalent of forgetting…and he never wanted to forget. ~Radditz~

 

He was shocked back to the physical world from his spiraling thoughts as ice-cold water rained down on him. The only thing accomplished was him opening his eyes to find out who the guilty party was: the sobs still came. Fuck, crying in front of Vegeta…again.

 

Vegeta sighed, turning the water temperature back up now that Gohan's ki was no longer on the rise. He frowned as he noted Gohan clawing at the mark, “It'll never heal, if you don't leave it be,” he spoke quietly, sighing again as Gohan shook his head childishly, helpless wails still coming from him. Vegeta growled, wondering where Goten was: that brat was better at this emotional comforting shit than he, and this was his brother. When had he drawn the short straw on watchdog duty?

 

He grimaced as he noticed Gohan had managed to tear the mark open, and it was bleeding profusely now. That had to stop. He bent to reach for Gohan's wrist, to pull it away, and slipped as Gohan's tail lashed in agitation, knocking into his ankles.

 

Vegeta grunted as his knees hit tile, and growled in irritation, yanking Gohan's left hand away from the damage it was doing to his right shoulder. All fight abandoned the other's body at once, and Vegeta suddenly found himself with an arm full of sobbing Gohan. His hesitance in putting an arm around the other was replaced by action as Gohan's head and upper body began to slide down his torso. His whole body froze as Gohan's arms came around his waist: what was he supposed to do now? He wasn't made for this!

 

Vegeta closed his eyes, and a flash of Bulma wrapping her arms around Bura and patting her back gently at some hurt the child, his child, had thought she had suffered, came to mind. He lifted a hesitant hand and patted Gohan's back awkwardly….

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

“We're here!” Goten sighed at Videl's call as he finished putting the remainder of the lunch makings back in the fridge. “When do I get to see him?”

 

Goten closed the fridge, “Well, he wanted to shower, and change into a decent set of clothing before you visited,” he said as he picked up the platter and moved from the kitchen to the dinning room table. “So, it will probably be a little while. Half hour?” he addressed his sister-in-law as he sat.

 

“Can I have some?” Goku asked, licking his lips.

 

Goten smiled. He should have realized Videl would have his father IT them to Capsule Corporation as soon as she got the `okay'. “Yeah, Dad. Go ahead. I can always make up more,” he turned his attention back to Videl, “I wouldn't expect too much from him,” he cautioned, “You want some?” he asked her, pointing to the food on the table.

 

Videl shook her head, “Nah, I am too keyed up…”

 

“Mind if I have her share?” Trunks' voice came from the hallway.

 

Goten laughed, “That's a small portion…” he warned.

 

Trunks moved into the dinning area, “Well, as I heard from down the hall, you can always make more,” he stuck his tongue out at his friend as he sat, and grabbed a sandwich.

 

“Actually, I can make some more now, since I am not going to eat,” Videl said, moving into the kitchen, “And it will give me something to do while I wait,” she informed them as she opened the fridge.

 

Goten only shrugged his shoulders as he stuffed more food into his mouth. Fine by him if she wanted to do the job.

 

Tummies were only half way full when three mouths stopped chewing. “Shit,” Goten exclaimed, standing and swallowing his mouthful, ready to dash down to the labs as Gohan's ki began to rise. He had barely lifted a hand in a warding gesture as he noticed his dad bring his fingers to his forehead, “Dad, no…” but Goku was already gone, “Fuck,” he cursed again as he turned to go to the labs the mundane way. He was at the stairwell when he stopped; Gohan's ki had leveled out.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

Goku stood at the shower's entrance, ki as low as he could possibly make it. He was glad he'd at least had that foresight. Neither of them noticed he was there. It looked as though Vegeta had everything covered….

 

…Well not exactly covered, but he knew what he meant…damn it! Under control…yeah, that's what he had meant to think.

 

He turned to leave the two, walking from the room instead of IT'ing out, two sets of discarded clothing barely registering as he walked past, and managed to stop the few employees in the area from entering the showers as he exited, “Everything's fine,” he grimaced as his son's sobs finally penetrated his shock. “Well, everything is under control,” he amended, and people stalled before turning away. If this man said things were okay, they'd believe him. None of them had the energy or time to tackle what was an obvious, monumental emotional upheaval, and not a crisis pertaining to work, with quarter end deadlines and quotas staring them down.

 

Goku sighed, placing one hand on the back of his head, running it down and rubbing at muscles that had suddenly become tense in his neck before walking out of the lab and heading upstairs, chastising himself for even thinking of the possibility Vegeta would take advantage of….

 

He stopped at the entry to the kitchen/dinning area in the Briefs household. Three sets of eyes turned to him, expectant in varying degrees, “It may be a little while more before Gohan's ready to see you today,” Goku tried to break the news to Videl gently. He knew she'd had her hopes up….

 

Videl sighed tiredly, “Okay,” she turned to Trunks; “Is there a spare room I can take a nap in?” she didn't feel like going home, only to have to make the effort to come back later that same day. She was worn out: mentally, emotionally and physically.

 

Trunks nodded, “Sure,” he said as he stood, “Follow me.”

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

“Better?” Vegeta asked after Gohan's sobs had become intermittent hic-cups. He was very uncomfortable with the situation, both the overly emotional and physical contact aspects.

 

“Not really,” Gohan answered in a tired and hoarse whisper.

 

“Water is cooling down,” Vegeta observed, he felt Gohan nod against his shoulder.

 

“Yeah…I guess,” Gohan managed to move himself away from the other, turning his face into the now cool spray, rinsing off tears, drool, snot…he grimaced, and he'd been doing that all over Vegeta, “Sorry.”

 

Vegeta didn't comment as he stood, waited for Gohan to back out of the water before rinsing himself off, “Next time at least let me get a towel for you to drool on.”

 

The idea Vegeta thought this might happen again, and apparently wasn't threatening him with life or limb because of it, struck Gohan as funny. He laughed, giggles at first, turning to almost silent hysterics.

 

Vegeta rolled his eyes: the kid was obviously off his rocker, but he could at least deal with this, “Come on. You've got people who are here to see you,” he said as he turned the shower off.

 

Gohan nodded, managing to sober up the slightest at the mention of Videl. “Yeah…how long have we been down here?” he said, looking around, but the underground facility wouldn't give up clues as to what time of day it actually was.

 

Vegeta shrugged as he exited to the next room. Gohan followed, noting subconsciously the many scars on the sayian's back, “In terms of time? I don't know. Long enough for the water to turn cold, and the tanks for those showers are big,” Vegeta said as he grabbed a towel off a rack.

 

Gohan grabbed a towel from the group on the opposite side of the entry. He toweled off, and looked around, sighing before sticking his head out of the curtained entrance and making a grab for the clothing Vegeta had brought down earlier. He hurried to put them on, pants sticking to still damp skin, as Vegeta waited with a towel on around his waist, his dirty training outfit rolled up and tucked under one arm, boots held in his hand on the opposite side, “Didn't know your brother was going to take off,” Vegeta shrugged as he noted Gohan's observations, “Would have brought a set of clean clothes for myself, if I had.” He used his forearm to press the curtain aside, allowing Gohan to exit before following him.

 

 

~o0o~

 

 

Videl's eyes fluttered open as someone shook her gently awake, “Gohan's ready to see you,” she heard Bulma's voice in the dimly lit room.

 

Videl stretched and yawned, “Okay,” she said as she sat up. She had to look a mess after having napped in her clothing. She shrugged to herself as she stood, and slipped her loosely tied shoes on. The door opened as Bulma exited before she did, the lights in the hallway somewhat uncomfortable until her eyes became accustomed to the new stimulus.

 

She followed her friend and employer down the hallway, coming to a tiny room with a huge window she hadn't known existed until that moment. She smiled as Gohan turned his attention away from the view from the window at their entry. Something about the smile he gave in return wasn't encouraging, “I'll leave you two some time alone,” Bulma said, “Both Vegeta and Goten are near by,” she informed Gohan before leaving.

 

Videl swallowed at the seriousness in Bulma's statement before turning back to her husband, “What's that all about?” she knew her husband was a wreck, but certainly he wasn't a danger to her any more: was he?

 

Gohan sighed, looking out the window again, “I am not certain how much Goten has told you…”

 

“He hasn't told me anything,” Videl said with exasperation, “And before you ask, neither has Vegeta. The only one that has said anything that's given me the slightest clue is your father, and that was the first day after you were wished back, and he hasn't said another word about it since. What happened?”

 

Gohan turned his attention back to the woman at one point he thought he would live the rest of his days with, “I am no longer the same man,” he whispered. He didn't know if was actually telling his wife, or trying to confirm this to himself.

 

Videl nodded, taking a seat in the chair opposite Gohan's, “Vegeta mentioned something about…well, slavery, on Vegeta-sei, after you were wished away,” she stopped, not totally comfortable with the subject.

 

Gohan nodded, at least he wouldn't have to introduce her to the idea, “That's part of it,” he confirmed.

 

“Was it a male or female master?” she stopped, it didn't really matter what gender: what was important was getting her husband back, “We can work together to overcome that,” Videl tried to reassure him, but flinched as Gohan's tail thumped the material of the chair he sat in, “I know it won't be easy…”

 

Gohan shook his head. It wasn't going to be easy, but he knew there was no place in his heart for her any more, “I was unfaithful while I was away.”

 

Videl spoke before she knew all of the details, “I wouldn't call being a slave and having no choice in the matter `unfaithful'.”

 

Gohan's interlaced fingers tightened to the point he was causing himself some pain before he spoke, “I was only a slave on Vegeta-sei for part of the time I was there.”

 

“Oh,” Videl hadn't known this, “Oh,” she said again, this time with dawning understanding, “By unfaithful…” did she really want to know the answers?

 

Gohan couldn't look up. Looking up meant he had to show her how much Radditz meant to him, and he was barely keeping himself in check as it was.

 

Videl knew she had to fill in the answer on her own, “You mean you loved another?” sex with someone was one thing…she may have been able to deal with it, but at her husband's nod, she wondered why she had fought so hard to bring him back, “How could you?” it was asked quietly, but still held a great deal of hurt.

 

“There was a time I didn't think I was coming back, Videl…”

 

“You should have known I was fretting about you every moment you were gone!” Videl ground out.

 

“I kept calculations, Videl. Like I said, there came a time I didn't think I was coming back, and I…” he took a deep breath, “I let my guard down…” he closed his eyes, clenching his teeth against the memory of Radditz marking him, “If you had wished me back sooner…”

 

Videl sat up straight; “I didn't have a choice,” she hissed, “Someone smashed all of the radars four weeks before the dragon balls were reactivated. It took Bulma and a crew 29 days to get them rebuilt and another two days to get the dragon balls gathered. Don't you think I would have had you by my side as quickly as possible?”

 

“What?” Gohan asked, looking up in shock. Someone had done what?

 

“Someone came and smashed the radars. We weren't able to find out whom. Bulma's security team found one fingerprint that wasn't Bulma's, but she didn't have the identity of the person in her database. If I ever come across the bastard that did this to you, to me, to our family, I will kill them,” she threatened, meaning every word, even if it didn't change the present.

 

Gohan had fallen back in his chair, too stunned by her statement to respond properly. The possibility of someone wishing him back before Radditz had claimed him…would he want that? All the pain he was going through could have been avoided?

 

…But now? Even though he knew it was the more rational course, he still wouldn't wish this pain away: it meant too much...he supposed if he'd had the choice before Radditz had marked him, he probably would have gone down the rational road…but he couldn't…wouldn't take the easy road now….

 

Videl stood, “I am going to go,” she said, “This,” she sighed, “I can see you've already given up on us, and I am too tired to continue to fight for it,” and she left. She had struggled for him for over six months, and he wasn't willing to match the effort it would take to keep them together. She couldn't begin to express the frustration she felt at the moment, and even if she could, Videl wasn't certain she wanted to be expressing it to him.

 

She turned from her initial direction, walking through the halls of the Brief's home before she finally found Bulma sitting in one of her less formal offices, and knocked on the door frame, Bulma jerked in startled reaction before looking up, “Oh, Videl…” she stopped, taking in Videl's appearance, “I-I take it this didn't go so well,” she stated, more than asked.

 

“No, it did not,” Videl huffed, “I am giving you my two weeks notice…”

 

Bulma stood, “Videl, if you need to take a leave of absence…”

 

Videl shook her head, “If he is going to be working here, I don't want to be in the same building,” she said, “I-I can't even think straight right now…”

 

Bulma nodded, “I know, that's why I suggested the leave instead of quitting.”

 

“No. I…I need to get away,” she sighed.

 

Bulma frowned, not happy with the situation, but not totally without understanding, “If you need to, you can quit now. I won't hold it against you if you care to use me as a reference.”

 

Videl looked up and nodded, “I am going to take you up on that. Thank you for looking out for me, I just…I'm not strong enough to do this any more,” and she left in search of Goku to IT her home.

 

Bulma sighed as she returned to her chair. She barely had enough time to take two breaths before her own husband was standing in the doorway, “Well?”

 

“Videl quit, and by the looks of it, I'd say their marriage isn't going to last,” she rubbed a hand tiredly over her face before looking up at her husband, “You don't seem too surprised by this,” she accused.

 

Vegeta shrugged, “That ugly mark on Gohan's shoulder is a mating mark,” he informed her.

 

Bulma's eyes widened, “A what?”

 

“It's a…sort of…like…marriage…”

 

“What do you mean by `sort of'?” Bulma asked with suspicion.

 

“It's a little more binding than a piece of paper,” he said gruffly.

 

Bulma's eyes narrowed, “If you are saying…”

 

Vegeta held up one hand, “I am saying, neither partner has much of a choice after it's been done, and they are usually damned well sure when they do it.”

 

“Usually?” Bulma asked. Something about the way her husband's stance had changed when he mentioned that…

 

“Gohan doesn't have both marks,” Vegeta interpreted, “Which means something happened to disrupt it, they weren't compatible for some reason, or he doesn't have the necessary glands to reciprocate…” but he knew better…he was just giving reasons…the brat's lower canines held the distinct characteristic of a bondable...maybe he'd better check Goten and Trunks as well…and the way Gohan had been so focused on Radditz, left little doubt in his mind as to whom the brat was partially bonded to. Seemed his commander was capable of acting rashly in other time lines as well.

 

“Glands?” she held up her hand before Vegeta could answer, “Wait…I need a break. Then I'll grill you for answers.”

 

Vegeta groaned, “I'd much rather you'd grill me for something else…”

 

Bulma frowned, “Maybe later.”

 

 

~o0o~

 

“Why didn't someone tell me the radars had been destroyed?” Gohan quizzed Goten as they exited the building. He'd barely managed to get his brother to agree to letting him outside. He paused, looking around, “What happened?” the landscape was torn up, buildings were under repair…

 

“You did,” Goten said, scarcely noticing the orange cones and yellow tape he'd become accustomed to over the last few days as he led his brother to the other side of the building. He sighed thankfully as he sat down on a stone bench near one of Mrs. Briefs' koi ponds: the heat from the day still warming the benches even though the sun was going down.

 

Gohan took a seat on the next bench across the pool of water from him, “Sorry…” he had a feeling he was going to be apologizing a lot.

 

Goten snapped his attention away from the orange and white fish and their graceful, if seemingly aimless, movements, “When was there an opportune time to tell you?” he asked, not knowing if there were an answer Gohan would come up with. He spoke again when his brother did not provide one, “So, yes, the radars were destroyed. But…” he hesitated, “You want to know all the important details now?” Goten hoped his brother would give him a break.

 

No such luck. Gohan sighed, “Might as well give them all to me now. I seem to be holding it together fairly well,” considering he had just called off his marriage…not that he blamed Videl for any of this. He knew that even if she had tried, the failure of their marriage was inevitable…and would have still been caused by him and his lack of vision for it.

 

Goten nodded to himself, trying to gain a measure of strength to get him through this, “Pan was supposed to tell you this, but I fear, if this were to wait…” he hesitated again.

 

“What was Pan supposed to tell me?” Gohan asked quietly. He'd hardly thought about his daughter since he'd gotten back, and knew he'd have to apologize for being such a poor father later, as well as everything else.

 

Goten kicked a tiny pebble into the water, watching as some fish scattered, and others hardly took notice, “Pan made the wish that sent you to Vegeta-sei,” he stated quietly, “Something along the lines of wanting you to learn a lesson, but take no permanent harm from it,” Goten explained further when his brother didn't speak up immediately. Silence followed and drew out. Crickets started to chorus.

 

Gohan didn't have a response for his brother's statement. He knew Goten was expecting him to ask questions, but right now, he had other questions he was asking himself that seemed more important. He should be angry at his daughter for doing that…but then, he'd never have been to Vegeta-sei. He would have never learned as much about himself as he had. Sure, some of the experiences he'd gone through, he wouldn't want to repeat, but on the whole, as unsettling as some of his character flaws were…he wouldn't change it, “Okay.”

 

“Okay?” Goten asked: he'd been anticipating some sort of emotional outburst from his brother, not complacency.

 

“Look, it's done,” Gohan said as he sat up straighter, “I can't change it…”

 

“If the time machine works, you could…” Goten brought up.

 

“Yeah,” again, Gohan was forced to examine his motives. “I guess,” even if he did wish these discoveries and memories away…wouldn't he be doomed to make the same mistakes over? Now, at least, he knew what he was dealing with…if he were honest with himself…and he was going to try to be.

 

“You mean you wouldn't?” Goten tried to keep his response neutral.

 

“Probably not, Goten,” Gohan responded, looking back down at the fish, “Sure, I hurt now, but there were a lot of things I would prefer not to become ignorant of again.”

 

“Like?” Goten needed to know what his brother thought made it worth it.

 

“Radditz,” Gohan said fondly, and surprisingly, no guilt or grief came as he consciously thought about the other.

 

Goten noted his brother's hand reaching for his shoulder, but it wasn't the incessant scratching he'd become aware of over the last few days. “About that,” he said, looking to the side.

 

“Yeah?” Gohan asked.

 

“I-I didn't behave so well when Vegeta brought up the subject of…well, to put it bluntly, gay sex,” Goten confessed, and was shocked when his brother laughed.

 

The thought of this Vegeta as a sex educational figure: Gohan had a difficult time picturing it, “I don't think I would have taken it well either, Goten,” he sobered, “But on Vegeta-sei, two of the same gender being together wasn't referred to in those terms.”

 

“Huh?” Goten responded.

 

“As a matter of fact, sex was called sex. If I heard anything about it, it was called `preference',” Gohan tried his best ease his brother into the idea, “Kind of like if someone here prefers blondes to red heads.”

 

Goten sighed, waving a hand at Gohan, “It doesn't bother me, any more. I was just shocked at the time. It's worn off now. And,” he stilled.

 

“And?” Gohan pressed.

 

“Well, I-I think…well, Trunks,” Goten tried to expound on the subject, but found it too awkward.

 

Gohan smiled a knowing smile, “About damned time…” the older brother had figured that out before he'd been to Vegeta-sei.

 

Goten looked for something to throw at his brother for teasing, but came up with nothing, other than a ki ball, and the situation didn't seem to warrant that, “Yeah, I just don't know how to break it to Dad….”

 

“What?” Gohan was surprised by this concern: if anything, he would have thought the more difficult parent to break this to would have been their mother.

 

“Dad's…well, he's being stubborn about it, and I don't know why,” he said, looking up at Gohan. “I mean, you said on Vegeta-sei…he and Vegeta….”

 

“Yeah,” Gohan said, frowning while he thought, “He's a lot older than you,” Gohan stated, tail flicking water at his brother when Goten snorted at him for stating the obvious, “Maybe…maybe it's just going to take him longer to get over the shock of the idea,” and then another thought hit him, which he wasn't certain he wanted to share with Goten…not yet. His father was always working so hard not to give into his sayian instincts…maybe this stubbornness had its roots there.

 

“So, are you going to start behaving normal now?” Goten asked.

 

“Normal?” Gohan growled.

 

“Well, if you wouldn't use the time machine to go back and change the way things happened, then I don't want to hear you whining about it,” Goten stated his mind with all the tact of a rhino.

 

“Sheesh, Goten. Even I can't guarantee that. A little more patience, okay?” Gohan asked flicking more water his direction.

 

“Will you stop showing off?” Goten asked as he wiped his face off again.

 

“It could have been a fish,” Gohan warned.

 

“Mrs. Briefs would kill you,” Goten countered with all seriousness.

 

“Beware of the wrath of Bunni Briefs,” Gohan couldn't help but chuckle at that.

 

The chuckle was infectious, and Goten joined in before saying, “Well, if you are staying here, I would suggest you do. She'll be the one feeding you after all.”

 

Gohan sighed: and there was a whole other set of problems he'd been putting off. If he and Videl weren't together any more, where would he be staying? When would he get to see his daughter?