Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Piccolo and Alaura Saga, Episode Four: Children Of The Dawn ❯ Missing! ( Chapter 9 )

The rode back to the house in relative silence, Yamcha and Gohan sat in the back to give the front seat to the elderly out of respect for his age and everyone pretty much kept his or her own counsel. Alaura silently cursed the rain which had begun to fall soon after she left and the fear she felt in her gut at the realization that the father of all three of her children sat only a few inches from her in the back seat of her car.

Gohan looked out the window at the passing scenery and thought that it probably would much faster if he just flew and carried them all back to Piccolo and Alaura's…but he knew that wouldn't be appropriate to suggest. Not to mention what Piccolo would do to him if he showed up carrying his woman in his arms…No, Gohan did not want to dwell on that particular train of thought.

Still, He thought as he turned to stare at the back of her golden-blonde haired head, so unlike his own Videl's midnight locks, I have to admit, I've been thinking about her a lot…and little Neko…wait, He corrected himself, Neko's not little anymore, hasn't been for quite sometime. Kami, how I've missed that imp! I wonder what she's up to now…

Gohan looks like he's relaxing more, Master Roshi observed from the rearview mirror out of the corner of his eye, although he hadn't bothered to remove his shades, That's good. If what I suspect is true about those little girls of his everyone needs to be comfortable with each other. That means old grudges must be laid to rest…Roshi's eyes drifted over towards Alaura, downward towards her blouse where it's elastic neckline had be slowly drifting off one shoulder, nearly exposing one of her…She has almost as terrific boobs as Bulma…

Kam! Master Roshi's practically taking advantage of her! Yamcha narrowed his eyes at the sense taking place in the front seat, Geez, Old Man, put a cork in it, would ya! Ya make the rest of us look bad…hey, I wonder how that Neko chick's doing…she was looking hot the last time I saw her…

I hope we arrive home soon, Alaura thought as she noticed how Gohan was smiling at her front behind and the other two were pretty much ogling her straight out, She fidgeted in her seat and hoped none of the noticed, Not soon enough…

"Alaura," Gohan began, because he began to notice her energy seemed to…fade in and out, like she was nervous and trying to hide it or something, "Tell me, what has Neko been up to lately? Is she entering the tournament?"

"No," Alaura said after a slight pause, "Piccolo wanted her to, but she had other…responsibilities. She goes to college now and gets nearly straight A's. We're very proud of her."

Straight A's! Gohan thought, nearly beaming, Wow! She gets that from me, I just know it! I can't believe it, Neko's in college now! Wow!

"Is she…in school now?" He asked, warming to the topic, "What's her major…?"

"No, she's home visiting for a week," Alaura said, remembering all the fun they used to have when `Uncle Gohan' had been a part of their lives, she knew Neko missed him as well, "Something about a teacher's conference. She wants to be a doctor of some sort…to care for children…"

"She would be good with kids," Gohan mussed, "Maybe she can come over and help Videl after we have ours!"

Alaura grew silent. Her mood seemed to darken like the skies outside the car. The swishing of the windshield wipers the only sound for a few moments. Finally, she said, in a low voice, "You have other children who need you, Gohan."

"Yes, I was just…I mean I was only…." Gohan started as Yamcha leaned forward in interest and Master Roshi seemed sink lower in his chair.

I knew I should have told him, He thought, fearing the storm brewing within the car more than the one outside of it, How could I be so foolish…?

"You know what I'm talking about, Gohan." Alaura said, twisting the wheel hard to avoid a stray cat and nearly sliding off the road, the rain beat down like mad, "Don't bother to play stupid….that only works with your father."

"I swear! I have no idea what your talking about, Alaura!" Gohan asked as he held onto the side of the back door handle to keep from sliding into Yamcha, who had ahold of his'. "If you don't want to talk to now, at least wait until we're alone to tell me what's on your mind."

Alaura didn't reply. She was busy navigating through the treacherous dirt paths she rarely used which lead up to her house and grounds. One false move would leave them in a ditch or worse, slammed into a tree, not that she had any doubt that Gohan would be able to save them all from certain death, but still, better to be safe than sorry…

She felt something odd almost at once, like something was out of place, but she could quite discover it. Gohan cried out from the backseat, having felt that which Alaura had no name for. All he could feel was pain and a cry for help, echoing over and over in his head...

In Piccolo's voice!

"Something's happened!" Gohan cried, "Alaura! Your house! Look!"

She did and caught the scream in her throat, all she could think about were her children. The children she'd left in Piccolo and her daughter's care! If Neko couldn't handle them, she was certain that Piccolo would have no trouble…But, now flames engulfed her house, billowing smoke joined the dark grayness of the clouds pouring out rain onto the house as if the heaven's were offended by such destruction and wished to end it.

"No!" She finally got out, slammed her foot on the brake too hard and sent the car into a spin, "No!"

Finally getting the vehicle under control she barely had it stopped before she shoved open the door and stumbled out. She began to run, as if death were licking hot flames upon her heels, losing her shoes in the muddied ground, she tripped once, got up and continued, her white blouse muddied and wet, sticking to her and she face filled with a kind of terror no mother should ever have to experience.

"Alaura!" Gohan opened his door and got out, he took to the air and landed in front of her, "Wait! You can't go in there! You'll die! Alaura, stop!"

"Get out of my way, Gohan!" Alaura coughed, shoving a hank of wet tangled hair from her eyes which seemed more the color of cold, sharp ice right now, "I have to save them! Gohan, please! Help me! Go save my childen! Your children!"

Gohan! He turned from Alaura as his old teacher's voice filled his head once more, the old connection they had always shared seemed back as thought it had never been severed…perhaps it really never had been, Tell Alaura the twins are not in the house! Kami! Please help! I…I can't find them! I can't find…

"Piccolo!"

Alaura heard the mental communication which had passed between Piccolo and Gohan, being close to both, and a cold, dark had seemed to grasp her heart in it's grip and close ever tighter into a fist of utter fear.

"What does he mean," She asked, her eyes wide with terror, she grabbed Gohan's shirt front and yanked him towards her livid face "He can't find them?! What does he mean?!"

"I don't know!" Gohan said, disentangling himself from the frantic woman's grip, "I'll go find out! Stay here!"

He took off to the air and Alaura was left there to fume and worry in the rain. She barely heard her eldest come up to her and wrap her arms about her shoulders. Her arms, almost of their own accord, snaked about her daughter's waist as she bent her head into her gown-up child's shoulder. "What happened?" She cried, "I wasn't gone that long! What happened?"

"I don't know, Mom…" Neko cried, "I was just talking with Father and the girls were at the house fast asleep…I swear I only left them for a few minutes…I swear I…"

Alaura pushed her away and looked at her through cold, cold eyes. Eyes Neko had never seen herself reflected out of from her mother's point of view. It terrified her to her core. "You…left…them…alone?" Alaura's words came out very clear, very hard, Neko backed up and all but whimpered. For all the training in physical defense tactics she'd been through, all it took was a certain look or tone of voice from her mother to turn her into a quivering bowl of jello…

"I'm sorry!" She cried, "I didn't mean to! Mom…please…I…"

Alaura saw herself through her daughter's eyes and hated what she saw. She fell to her knees in shame, clutching at Neko's legs, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Neko…darling….I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…I would never blame you for anything….Never…"

Neko lowered herself to her mother's level on the ground and embraced her, the tears falling from her our dark eyes blending with her mother's as they pressed their faces, cheek to cheek, and wept, the rain washing both sets of tears away as the daughter forgave the mother for only reacting with her fear.