Title: Home Too Late

Author: RemusGirl21

Rating: FR15

Disclaimer: I do not own. If I did…Chichi would find happiness…

Warning: Tear Jerker!

Summary: "I knew…that the man who was just a boy…had grown up. While away from my sight, he matured into a strong man. He was never mine to have…he was the worlds. And it was time that I realized this…and let him go…"

Chapter 1: Home Too Late

Goku turned to gaze at his wife, confusion clear on his face. She was shaking, tears pouring down her cheeks. But her eyes, her beautiful dark eyes were fierce as they glared into his face.

"Chichi?"

"If you leave right now Goku…I will not be here when you decide to return."

Goku stepped forward quickly, trying to reason with her, but he stopped shot. He had seen it; it was almost invisible to the human eye. But he was anything but human.

She had…flinched…

"Chi…why are you doing this?"

She turned around, her back ram rod straight. Even as her lips quivered, she spoke:

"When I married you Goku, I didn't see the hero. I didn't see the strong man whom everyone worshipped. I saw this man, a boy really, who was just trying to find his place in this world. Like I was…"

She stopped with one shivering breath, her shoulders shaking as she forced her sobs down.

"I saw myself in this boy…I saw him as someone I could spend the rest of my life with. And when he accepted…I was ecstatic! He wanted to be with me too…he felt the same…but I was wrong…"

Her shoulders slumped. Goku had never seen her look so defeated since he met her. And it was all his fault.

"Chi-"

"I have spent my entire life pining for you!" she screamed suddenly as she whirled about, her voice straining his sensitive ears. He took a step back, surprise evident on his face. Sure, she had screamed at him before, more times then he could count in fact. But it had never sounded so…blatantly desperate.

"That's not true Chi and you know it!" he pleaded, his palms raised in surrender. "You know I love you. Lets calm down and-"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" she screamed, her eyes and fists clenched tight. "Ever since we got married you have left me alone! It has never been just us…it has always been just me…For a while there I had Gohan…and then along came Goten. When I had them…I wasn't alone. I never had time to be. But then Mirai came…and Gohan fell in love with him. When Goten realized his feelings for Trunks…I knew what would happen. Don't get me wrong…I am happy that my boys fell in love, especially with men who would love them and cherish them always. But now…all I can do is walk these lonely halls and wonder what in Kami's name I had done to deserve this lot in life…"

She scrubbed furiously at the tears trickling down her cheeks, but they refused to cease. She hurt…she hurt so badly inside that she could barely stand it. The moment she had seen him come through the front door earlier that morning…the dam had broken. She stared blankly into space, trying to force herself to calm down. Looking at him wouldn't help her any, but his soft voice deterred her plan.

"What happens at the end of your story Chichi?" the saiyan asked hesitatingly. Chichi's bitter laugh almost crushed his heart, the lump in his throat choking him as he forced the words to come out. Dear Kami, he couldn't breathe!

Chichi smiled her sad, broken smile as she turned to face her husband of countless years.

"One day I woke up to an empty bed, came downstairs to an empty kitchen, and came to the realization that my life wasn't what I wanted it to be. Something had to change. So instead of fixing a large breakfast that only I was going to eat, I decided to take a walk in the forest. I strolled down the path that the man who was still a boy used to walk when he was still around, not off training himself and others. And at the end of this trail, near the waterfalls…sat him…"

"Him?"

Chichi nodded, her eyes closed in concentration. She couldn't look at him, not if she wanted to finish this.

"He sat there, just as sad and alone as I was. He hid it behind cold eyes and bitter sneers, but someone who knows the feelings can tell. He was the only person who remembered a planet long forgotten, and still he fought the changed life brought. This was the man who was never a boy. He was grown since the first moment of birth, and how I wanted to be like him. To be strong and fight even when I was isolated and alone. To sneer and glare at all those around me, instead of waiting at the door, waiting for someone to come home…"

"So I sat down next to him on the rock, half afraid of his reaction. I was not close enough to touch him, just close enough to smell the deep muskiness that surrounded him. He asked no questions, only raised an eyebrow and went back to staring off into space. I left that day, never once speaking to him. And the next day, when I walked the path, he was there at the end of it, perched on our rock."

"Day after day we met there while everyone else went on with their lives. Day after day we did not speak, just sat there in silence. Until one day…instead of letting me sit down…he threw me into the water…"

The soft smile on her face infuriated Goku, almost past the point of his limits. He used to be the one to make her smile like that…to make her sigh in happiness. But another man had come in and taken that away…right underneath his nose…

The sound of cracking wood caused both of them to jump, effectively breaking the spell the story had put them under. Chichi stared at the strong hand, her eyes beginning to shine once again. Goku quickly let the table go, his hands clenching in his lap.

"Please continue…"

Chichi nodded, her eyes clearing.

"I came out of the water, swinging my fists and laughing for the first time in years. I was having fun…and I felt free. I felt like the old Chichi again, not the indrawn housewife I had become. But then…the man who was still a boy came home…smiling that damn goofy grin of his. For one day, one glorious day that was granted to him…to fight. He came for a tournament, and for once I had hoped he was there for me too. But…I should never have gotten my hopes up. He didn't notice me at all, he noticed the seven year old boy clutching my dress. He picked up his son, spinning him around, never once looking my way again. I could feel the man's stare, those knowing dark eyes, and I tried so hard not to cry. I was there to support my family…and that meant I had to be strong. Even as I watched my boys fly off to fight, even when I died…I was praying for everyone's safe return. And when everyone showed up at the lookout, and the boy's friends gathered around him to give their congratulations…it was then I knew…"

"Knew what?" Goku asked, tears rising to his eyes. He knew the answer; he felt it in his breaking heart. He just had to hear her say it.

"I knew…that the man who was just a boy…had grown up. While away from my sight, he matured into a strong man. He was never mine to have…he was the worlds. And it was time that I realized this…and let him go…"

"But why now? Why after so much time has passed?"

"Gohan and Goten. They needed me here too much for me not to stay. As much as it hurt, all those years of loneliness and neglect, I wouldn't trade them because you gave me my sons."

"So," Goku grunted, trying to clear the knot in his throat, "What happened to the man who was never a boy?"

"Say his name Goku…you know who he is…"

"Why him Chichi? Why did you choose Vegeta?"

"Vegeta and I…had an understanding. We would meet to talk, but never further. As much as I would have…as much as I…I was still married to you. I could never betray you like that."

Goku snarled, eyes flashing turquoise as he tried to control his anger. Chichi stood her ground, her eyes never wavering as they stared into his.

"So then what do you call this? How is this not betraying me?"

"This is me breaking free from this painful life! Call me selfish, say I betrayed you! But I cannot stand my life anymore! I cannot stand being this way!" she screamed, her fists clenching. Goku could smell the blood as her nails cut into her skin, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"You were able to break free all this time, with your fighting and your ability to fly. But you never taught me to fly…never even game me the chance to try. You left me at home to wash your dishes and mend your clothes. You made me raise your sons alone, two demi saiyans who had no knowledge of who and what they were. If it was not for Veg-"

"Don't say his name!" Goku roared, his aura flaring gold. Chichi stepped back; the sudden raise in power burned at her skin.

"Goku-"

"All this time; all this time that I thought I was saving the world, saving our sons, saving you…you were shacking up with him!"

"You see Goku…even now you cannot put me before all else…" Chichi whispered, her head bowed low.

"What?"

"It has always been the world, not me. It would never be me. Because while I wanted it, dreamed of it, the boy who had grown into a fine man could only see himself as the hero. He couldn't step aside, couldn't let anyone else try for once. It was him against the universe. And no one else."

"Is that how you really see me? As some power hungry hero?"

"Not power hungry…never that. But yes Goku, I would have never said it if I didn't mean it. You know me better then that."

"Have you…told the boys yet?"

"I informed them of my decision to leave…about a week ago."

"A week? Why didn't you leave then?"

"I couldn't leave without telling you first. You deserved better then that."

"What…what did they say?"

"Goten was mad at me for a while. He went home to Trunks, and came back the next day to help me pack. Gohan…" she couldn't finish the sentence as Goku's shoulder's shook.

"He…supported it…didn't he?"

"Yes…without a doubt. I don't think he has ever forgiven you…for leaving like you did…"

Goku shuddered, his breath coming out in pants. It hurt…it hurt so much. His family was falling apart at the seams and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Do you…do you all hate me that much?"

Chichi gasped and rushed forward, the fresh feeling of sadness settling over her. She wrapped her arms around her shaking husband and drew him tight against her body. He buried his face against her neck, instantly seeking the mark he had placed there on their wedding night. His eyes widened in shock as he drew back slightly.

"It's…gone…"

She nodded slightly, her eyes bright with tears.

"It faded the moment you died for the first time. It never came back."

He couldn't stop the wave of tears that surpassed him, taking over his body. He sank to his knees, bringing her with him. Their tears mingled together as they held each other tight.

"I never hated you, my Goku. Even now I can't. But I can't stay…not when things have changed so much."

He glanced down at her, his eyes shining. For a moment, just one moment, the man was once again the boy, the boy she had fallen in love with.

"Will it make you happy to leave me?"

She cupped his cheeks with shaking hands, her soft smile shining through her tears.

"You have been my life for so long Goku. You were my first love, my first constant. This does not make me happy, to leave you like this. But I have been unhappy for so long…that I no longer know what it means. But maybe…later on in life…I can find it again."

"But…Vegeta…he will help you find it?"

"Yes…I think he will…"

The moment she said those words his eyes hardened and the man once again returned. He pulled her to her feet, instantly dropping hr hands as it that one simple touch burned his skin.

"Then you need to go."

"Goku-"

She was silenced by his kiss, something she hadn't felt in so long. She leaned against him, arms around his neck as her lips parted in invitation. He deepened the kiss, crushing her tightly against his body. For one bright, shining moment they were boy and girl again, their love raw and young. There was nothing standing in their way; only a bright future filled with hope and happiness was laid before them.

But the spell was broken as he pulled away. He turned his back, not able to watch her walk out of his life. He knew who was out there waiting for her, somewhere down that beaten path where waterfalls drummed against the rocks. She would go to him…was going to him now. He could hear her soft footsteps, light and graceful, even as she whispered goodbye. She shut the door behind her, leaving silence in her wake.

She was gone from his life, and now he couldn't tell her. He couldn't explain that in that moment, that one parting kiss, that he had found something he had lost long ago. Between the endless fighting and countless deaths, he had lost the one thing that meant more to him then anything else…even the world.

"…you…"

TBC

Okay folks, I decided to add one more chapter that occurs after Chichi walks out. I hope you like it!

RemusGirl21