Chapter 1- "Death's Shadow"

"Gohan, please?!?!" Goku begged, something was obviously going on at the Son house. It had been three since the day Chi-Chi had died. No one spoke of it anymore. It bothered Gohan that's why, it had been two years since then. He was now 16 almost 17. He wanted nothing more to do with Goku.

"No, Dad!" Gohan growled, "I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to talk about "it""

"Come on, Gohan. It doesn't have to...."

"Shut-up, Dad! I told you to get off the subject!"

"Gohan, I'm all you have."

Gohan got up from the table and slammed his room door. He couldn't possibly be happy with everything that has happened. He just felt so alone now that Goku had to be a full time dad, he couldn't be a full time dad. He had fights to fight and places to go, that's how Gohan remembered it. He always had somewhere to go and Goten ended up meeting him late in life because of it.

Goku had no choice, he was a fighter for life and that was every Saiyans promise: That they would do fighting until they died. That was for life.

Goku looked at Goten who frowned, "I miss mom......I wish she was still here, dad. It's lonely without her."

Goku sighed, "Me too, It's so hard without, Chi-Chi. The meals just aren't the same...."

Goku went back to the kitchen and burned his ramen. He just couldn't stop thinking about Gohan. Gohan took it so hard and went into denial for months then he just withdrew from everyone around him. Even Piccolo couldn't get through to him, it was just too hard to try. Gohan was just too unstable to think or to act, he took the death so hard and Goku just thought he would wait it out.

Gohan appeared in the kitchen.

"Dad, why did you want me to be a fighter?" Gohan asked a hot question, Goku didn't know how to respond to it, "Did you force me, or did I choose?"

Goku smiled, "Well, I wanted you to...."

"Bullshit....." Gohan spat, "Bullshit, dad!"

"Gohan, you're a great fighter." Goku smiled, "You've come such a long way...."

"Dad! Stop, just stop, okay?!?!" Gohan slammed the table, "God, ever since mom died...."

Goku sighed sadly, this wasn't the time for his happy-go-lucky attitude at all. This just wasn't going to be easy. The death took it's toll on everyone, Goten was always confused, Gohan was always mad or in denial all the time, and Goku didn't know how to act or just acted like nothing ever happened. It was three different emotions going on at the same time and it caused a lot of tension with Gohan and Goku.

Gohan looked up at his father, "She died, dad. She killed herself...."

Goku sighed sadly, "I know, Gohan....I can't just give up, I have to be strong for you and Goten..."

"Dad! Just shut-up!" Gohan felt the tears coming out, "DAMN IT! Why do I have to go through all this crap?!?!"

"Gohan...."

Gohan ran upstairs and slammed his door. He just didn't want to deal with Goku anymore than he had too. The chain was already set off as Goten reacted with his ear shattering screams for cries. He wasn't doing any better than Gohan at this time.

"MOMMIE! MOMMIE!" Goten cried, "I want my MOMMIE!" Goten sniffled, "Mommie...."

Goku got him on his knee and tried to rock Goten, "Goten....Please.....Stop crying.....Look..." Goku got out a bag of candy, "Look what I got you."

Goten saw the bag and slapped it out of Goku's hands, "NO! NO!" Goten fell to the floor and screamed, he ran upstairs to his room with Goku chasing him, "Leave me alone, dad!"

The door slammed in Goku's face. He just guessed his sons needed time alone. He went downstairs and tried to clean up the kitchen and living room to get his mind off the anger. He just looked around and tried to think over what happened. As a fighter, he tried to move on when things were hard. How could he when his wife had just died? Chi-Chi was gone and never coming back.

He just couldn't go to bed that day. He went to bed without the love of his life. He would have insomina for the rest of the week due to it. He just couldn't sleep without knowing that Chi-Chi was right next to him, nestled right against his chest. She wasn't there anymore, all that was there was....nothing.

He could see it in his head. The way the look when he found her. It was evening, Gohan had gone out with friends, and Goten was over Trunks's house. He was coming up the stairs when he saw Chi-Chi on the floor of the bathroom. He stood over her as he waited and smiled, he thought it was a game that Chi-Chi had made to surprise him, he knew it was their anniversary. He waited and waited for Chi-Chi to jump up and surprise him. It never happened.

He hair was out perfectly, not in her usual bun. Goku turned her over and saw the blood from the knife and pill bottles scattered all over. She had taken pills to overdose, she resorted to the knife because they weren't quick enough. The knife finished her. Goku began to shake, her lifeless body was cold and numb. He waited for hours.

He continued to wait. He loved her, he wouldn't move from that spot until Gohan and Goten came home later.

Goku collasped to the floor and began to mourn. He just didn't know what to do without Chi-Chi. Without her, the house couldn't run. She kept it running all the time. The tears forced their way out of Goku's eyes as he cried and cried, he fell to the floor again and his cries turned into shaking cries. He wanted Chi-Chi to be there to make it all go away.

Goku continued to cry mournfully, 'Chi-Chi.....W-Why did you.........leave?'

He looked up. As a fighter, you were supposed to move on when it was tough. Goku couldn't, he lost something so dear to him. He felt that moving on caused more harm than good.

The tears continued to fall. Goku wanted the pain to go away.