(1) The Home of the Briefs: 12:00AM

A young purpled haired half saiyan couldn't sleep. His eyes held the light from the fireplace. He sat in the dark, and he leaned his head back against the chair. A sigh escaped his lips, and he turned to see his father before him. He looked away and saw the flames from the fire entrance him. He didn't want to talk to him. He was afraid he would break down, and he learned from an early age that showing emotions made him vulnerable.

Vegeta stood in front of him, waiting for him to speak. He knew he wouldn't, so he decided to talk. He took the chair beside his son's and looked to where his son's gaze was. He knew he was hurting but what he had to say had to be said. He needed to realize that life would go on, and he had to to. "Trunks."

"Father please I just want to be alone."

The coldness in his son's voice surprised him, but he didn't show it. It was the voice he had held so long ago when he was destroying planets. "I understand son, but you need to let it go."

"Let it go. LET IT GO!" He gripped the armrest. "My best friend is dead. I can't let it go."

"Calm down Trunks, you're mother and sister are asleep."

Trunks sighed. "I'm sorry father, but Goten can never come back. The dragon balls have been used so many times. They can't be used again."

Vegeta observed his son closely. It wasn't just that Trunks missed his best friend. There was something more to his pain. Goten meant something more. From the beginning when Kakarott's second child was born, Trunks formed a connection with the boy that seemed unnatural and unheard of. Was it possible that his son-? No Vegeta thought. It couldn't be.

Trunks was curious when his father didn't speak. Of course he knew that his father wasn't much of a talker but when he talked, what he seemed to say was important. "Father."

"Son, you need to get some sleep, and you will eat everything on your plate tomorrow you understand. You're a saiyan for kami's sake. Your body needs the right amount of food to survive."

"Father, what were you thinking about?"

"It doesn't matter now off to bed." Vegeta got up and headed towards the stairs.

"No!" His eyes were full of rage. "You tell me, or I will yell."

He was again surprised about his son's behavior, but he turned towards him. He came back into the room with his face serious, and his eyes unwavering. "Kakarotts's brat, are you in love with him?" Trunks's eyes widened and a blush formed on his face. "Your pain seems more devastating, like you lost a part of yourself."

"I think it's time I went to sleep." Trunks stood up, realizing that when he took a step that he was going down. He felt a pair of arms support his body as they went upstairs.

(2) In other world…

Goten had made it to the end of snake's way. He was still surprised that he got to keep his body, but he wasn't complaining. He found King Kai's home and flew towards it. When he landed, he saw bubbles the monkey up in a tree, and he smiled. "Hey bubbles."

He knocked on the door to see King Kai surprised to see him. "Goten."

"Have you seen my father?"

"He's at King Yemen's marshal arts tournament."

"Ok, thanks King Kai." He brought his finger to his forehead, concentrated, and disappeared out of thin air. He didn't notice King Kai's surprised face as he left.

He appeared in a crowd, cheering at the fight going on. Goten realized his father was the one fighting an opponent. Suddenly, Goten was afraid. What would he think of his son being here? Would he ask what happened? He didn't want to tell him when all he wanted to do was forget that awful night.

The fight was over, and Goku looked into the stands. His eyes came into contact with what he thought was his son, but he thought he was mistaken. His son was alive but when his eyes swept the crowd again there was no mistaken. It was Goten. Goten flew down to his father and landed in front of him.

"Goten."

"Hey dad." He smiled sadly. "Long time no see."

"What—how—why are you dead?"

"Can we talk somewhere more private?"

They came to a field, and Goten started to walk around as Goku waited for his son to speak.

"Goten."

"I-it's too painful to talk about. I can only say I was alone when it happened. I died a week ago and no one knows how I died. Only I do and I'm not ready to talk about that night."

"Why were you alone?"

"I needed some separation from my dorm room, so I went for a walk."

"You were in college, I'm proud of you son."

"Thanks dad, so this is where I'll spend the rest of my days. It's a nice place." He felt his father's hand on his shoulder. "What is it dad? What's wrong?"

"I can't let you stay here. There's got to be a way to get you back to earth."

"I'm not going back alone dad. If we're going to find a way back, then you're coming with me. We both go back or nothing at all."

"Alright son, you win."

They appeared at King Kai's and surprised him. "Goku, Goten."

"Hey King Kai," said Goku. His eyes turned serious. "Is there anyway we can go back to Earth?"

"Yes, there is, but it's not easy you two. If you don't make it through once, then you will never be able to return to Earth or other world. Where you both go is unknown to me."

"We're willing to take the risk," said Goten. Goku smiled. "What?"

"Is there someone down on earth?" Goku said suggestively.

(3) At Capsule Corporation…

Trunks was very busy as President of Capsule Corporation looking over proposals. Most of them he had refused and he wondered how many of his employees were actually creative. He sighed as he saw the tall stack before him. He didn't see his friend Marron come in until she spoke.

"Hey Trunks, wow that's a lot of paper work."

"Yeah well someone has to go through it."

He watched as Marron came towards him and sat on his desk, crossing her legs seductively. She smiled at him, and he knew what she was doing. She was always trying to get into his pants, and he always refused. At first he didn't understand it. He used to go for any attractive girl, but he felt himself hesitate. Ever since he discovered his feelings towards Goten, he hadn't slept with a single girl. Trunks smiled. He wasn't even here, and he was changing him.

"Trunks, what are you thinking about?" She moved, so she was sitting closer to him.

He brought his attention back to the blonde-haired girl. "I was thinking about Goten."

"You miss him, huh?"

"Well! Don't you?"

"Of course I do but we have to move on Trunks. He would want us to be happy."

"I know that, but I can't move on Marron." He got up and walked around his office. "He wasn't just by best friend. He was like a brother to me. We spent our childhood together. I can't just throw it away. I refuse to."

"Then how will you ever move on?"

"I won't."

Marron walked over to where he stood and turned him to her. "Come on." She took his hand. "Let me make you feel better." She was about to put her hand on his cheek when he brushed it away.

"Sorry, I'm not like that anymore Marron."

"Trunks please, let me help you. I love you."

Trunks froze when he heard those words. From her they felt empty. They didn't mean anything to him. "I don't love you Marron and besides you don't even know me."

"I can learn to."

"No, you can't. If you don't know me, you never will. I'm sorry Marron. You seem like a nice girl, but I'm not the one for you."

"Well, could you at least fuck me before I go."

"No. Now please leave. I have important work to get back to."

Marron ran out of the room crying. Trunks didn't feel like going after her. And besides she's better off without him, he thought.

Before he got back to work, his mind drifted off to Goten. Worry filled him, and he didn't know why. He just hoped that wherever he was, that he was ok. "I miss you Goten. You don't know how much. I can only hope that you're happy wherever you are."

His mind started to go to that night his best friend died. He wondered how he died. Suddenly, he got the feeling that he died alone. "I wish I could have been with you, chibi."

(4) In the murky forest of other world…

Goten and Goku were breathing heavily. Goku looked at his son's wounds, which were not that severe. He smiled at his father and lied on the earth. "You think we lost them, dad?"

"For now we have anyway. How are you doing?"

"I'm ok, just cold and tired."

"Well let's go find some shelter."

They found a cave and discovered no one was there. They sat down and rested up for the journey ahead. Goten could sense that the silence was making his father uncomfortable, so he decided to speak. "Everyone on earth misses you dad."

"Well I can't wait to get back. How is everyone?"

"Mom joined a ladies club. I think it's where mom gossips with other women. Gohan is a professor at my college, and I think mom told him to get a job there to keep an eye on me." Goku laughed. "Videl helps her father train new recruits to fight in the World Marshal Arts Tournament. Pan is doing great in school. I don't know about everyone else. I've been in college. Of course all this was happening while I was still alive. I don't know if anything's changed."

"We'll find out when we get out of here. I promise we will get home."

"I know dad."

"Goten."

"Yes dad."

"When are you going to be able to talk about what happened to you?"

"I don't know."

"When we get back, everyone's going to want to know what happened to you."

"That's true." Goten looked to see it was getting dark. "I'm going to get some sleep now, goodnight dad."

"Night son." Goku stayed up and watched his son sleep. He was worried. Whatever happened to him was serious. He missed his family and hoped he would be able to get his son safe in sound in the arms of his mother.

He began to wonder who his son was interested in. He felt bad that he hadn't been around for most of his life, but he would make it up to him. Goku feel asleep and smiled in hope.

The sky became light and they were off into the woods again. They were both high on alert from the creatures who had been chasing them the day before. They came to the end of the woods to wide-open space. In the distance they saw a regular looking door.

"That's strange," said Goten. "Should we try it?"

"I don't see why not," said Goku. He pulled open the door and took his son's hand in his. "Come on."

"How do we know this is the way out? What if it's a trap?"

"We'll never know until we try son, so take my hand."

They went through the door and ended up in a canyon. They looked around the place and as Goten faced his dad, he saw him smile. "Dad."

"We're home son. We're back on earth."

Goten smiled. "What are we waiting for?" They flew towards the direction of the World Marshal Arts Tournament where they sensed their friends and family.