Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ What You Wouldn't Expect ❯ Videl's Mother ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter Eight: Videl's Mother

Goku started whining after an hour. "This isn't fair! I want to fight too!!"

Vegeta gave him a look that said, "shut up or die", and Goku pouted, sitting on the cold metal floor Indian style. Vegeta followed suit, and soon so did the Supreme Kai. Gohan had Videl situated between his legs, and her head was resting against his shoulder as he himself leaned against the light gray metal wall. Videl was ready to fall asleep from just sitting around, but he kept nudging her to make her stay awake. Well, he wouldn't have done it in the first place if she hadn't told him to keep her awake. He would have just let her sleep, and he could have gotten a wonderful opportunity to watch her peaceful expression as she slept propped up against him.

"Come on, Videl. You have to stay awake," he told her, nudging her again for the fifth time that minute. She mumbled something, trying to stay awake herself. "I don't know why I can't stay awake, it's so weird. I haven't ever been this tired in my whole life."

He felt an odd tugging at the back of his mind, like something was wrong, not with Videl, but something was happening that shouldn't be happening. He felt like he was getting sleepy too, and everyone else seemed to be getting ready to nod off. His eyes started to get heavy, but he forced them open, reawakening Videl in the process. "Dad," he said, noting the small tired drawl to his words. "Dad...something's wrong."

Goku opened his eyes, blinking them to keep back the sleep. "Huh? Gohan, just go back to bed," he said, as if they were back home, and they were in their own safe beds. Gohan was tempted to laugh, but he shook it off. "No, we can't fall asleep, something is wrong with these rooms. They're making us-" he yawned, not even bothering to cover his mouth. "-tired," he finished, and then was out like a light.

Soft, sweet, blowing wind. The tug of clothes and hair as it wafted over her. The feeling of complete serenity as one breathed in, and then breathed out. The feeling of warmth, love, and kindness next to you. She felt like she was in heaven, and wanted to stay there forever. It felt so good, just to be content and happy. When had that happened last? When?

She knew. She knew even if she didn't want to think about it. Fifteen years ago, when she had been three. When she had gone. She hadn't known at the time why she had left. But she did now. She had died. She hadn't left, just like her father had told her when she had been so young. No, she had died, from some unknown alien disease that no one on Earth could figure out, not even the smartest scientists.

She squeezed her closed eyes tighter, trying to keep her tears back. She hadn't even known her, and yet she had died from something that she hadn't deserved. She remembered her father telling her how strong she had been, not just emotionally, but physically. She had been what her father had called, "The strongest woman on the planet."

She hadn't ever understood that. She knew nothing about her mother either. Every time she would approach her father, it would be, "I'm too busy, Videl," or, "Videl, I don't think it is time for me to tell you." Something stupid like that.

The tears left her eyes despite the protest. She felt a warm hand wipe them away, but she didn't open her eyes. She knew that they were no longer in Babidi's ship, but as long as she was with Gohan, she knew she was safe.

Gohan heard her whisper his name, and he pulled her tighter against his side. He shushed her, rocking her back and forth as she held onto him like a lifeline. After a while her crying stopped, and although she hadn't uttered a single sound, he could tell from when the small trembles racking her body ceased.

"Videl, open your eyes," he said quietly, trying to convince her to feel better. She opened them slowly, seeing quite the surprise in front of her. They were by the ocean, on a small island it seemed, except they weren't alone. Vegeta, Goku, and the Supreme Kai were somewhat off in the distance, Vegeta leaning against a thick palm tree with lazy green leaves, Goku with his boots off and his feet in the warm water, and the Supreme Kai sitting nonchalantly in the sand.

Videl looked up to Gohan, and he gave her a soft and caring smile, his thumb trailing across her cheek. "What's wrong, Videl?"

She closed her eyes. It almost hurt to look at him sometimes. He was the picture of innocence, strength, and ultimate power all in one. "I had a dream," she whispered, afraid to tell him.

He felt another shiver go down her spine, and his arm tightened around her. "Do you want to tell me?" he asked carefully, wondering what she would say.

She kept her eyes closed, but questioned first, "Where are we?"

"I think Babidi transported us to another place for some reason. Don't worry, we're safe."

She knew he was going to say something like that. A faint smile touched her lips, and she deemed that it was time to open her eyes. "I had...I had a dream about...about my mother."

That caught his attention. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Videl."

She shook her head. "No, I need to talk to someone. I haven't had dreams about her since...since the Cell Games."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Why?"

"I don't know. It seems like...some sort of cycle. Every time a time of crisis arises, something odd happens to me. I thought I was going to lose my dad against Cell, and I was only what...ten, eleven years old. I was really strong for my age, as you probably already knew, but then I started to-" she gasped, sitting upright. Gohan watched as she placed her hand over her stomach, and looked back up to him. "My stomach started to hurt."

He stared at her, trying to understand. "You mean...you get these stomach pains when something bad happens?"

She nodded blankly. "I never...never realized that until now." She laughed. "Odd, huh?"

He nodded just like her. "Yeah. Is that all?"

"Well, in my dreams, I never see my mother, and I don't even know what she looks like. My dad got rid of all the pictures, everything. She died when I was three, so I have little to no memory of her. My dad has only told me two things about her. She died from an alien disease, and that she was really strong."

Gohan tried to piece everything together. "That's all?" he asked, scratching his head. The wind decided to pick up, and he smiled when he saw her hair moving gracefully around in the wind. It enticed him to put his fingers in it, and Videl smiled at he buried his whole hand in her hair. She giggled when he said, "Your hair is really soft, Videl."

"Yeah, I guess I don't get my hair from my dad, right?"

He laughed with her, getting nervous on the subject of her father. "Ok, so, every time something bad happens, like now, your stomach starts to hurt. You get dreams when bad things happen also, and they are only about your mother, correct?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I take it we won't be able to figure anything out until I ask my dad, huh?"

He smiled. "Yep. Until then, don't cry, Videl. I know how it feels when you lose a parent, and I know what it's like to go through the pain. Sometimes...sometimes I guess we all just need somebody."

She wrapped her arms around him, sighing. "Thanks, Gohan. You really made me feel better."