Author's Note:

Hi! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read this. I hope you like it! Please rate and tell me how I'm doing. I am quite awful at... doing these little welcome paragraphs without the use of the phrase: "So, yeah!" I will try to refrain from using it! Everyone have an awesome day.

Disclaimer: If anything, I can only take credit for watching this show three million times. I don't own Dragon Ball Z – that award goes to Akira Toriyama! bows down

Jeez, it's going to be a pain putting that at the start of every chapter. Oh well!

BlahBlahBlah = Thought

BlahBlahBlah = Speech or description. Normal stuff!

BlahBlahBlah = someone is YELLING. cough cough Chi-Chi cough cough (this bolded thing also applies to actions I may be doing. For some reason, my computer doesn't like me using the stars [**] for this stuff!

~DBZ~

This particular fanfic is on Gohan – personally, my favourite character. And, what would happen if he did die in the Cell Games. A whole new saga!

I believe that he was sorely tossed aside during the Buu Saga. Everything up to there was great! Gohan was around five years old (maybe six) when he fought Frieza. The Cell Games were AWESOME. Then things fell apart afterward. Silly Gohan. Chi-Chi isn't that scary... considering that you are MUCH stronger than her.

Oops! Babbling. Sorry! On to the fanfic.

~DBZ~

CHAPTER ONE

Gohan's world was full of pain. Torment. I... I promised Dad! That I would beat him!

However, the half-Saiyan could only be thrown backwards from the blow that Cell had given him. He crashed into a rocky mountain face, screaming. The rocks broke under the force, sending Gohan straight through the small mountain. He landed on the other side, face twisted in pain. His arm was bent at an odd angle, his eyes closed. Gohan was tensed up, unable to get up from the pain.

"GOHAN!" Piccolo screamed, his throat raw from screeching for his former pupil. Piccolo had a horrible ache in his heart, his stomach rolling and tossing with nerves. "Don't you even care, Goku?" he demanded, turning with rage in the pit of his stomach to the Saiyan beside him. "That's your son! He's going to die, Goku! Yet all you do is sit there. What is wrong with you?"

~DBZ~

"Gohan will come through for us." Goku narrowed his eyes at Piccolo. "Just you sit and see, Piccolo. Don't worry – when Gohan is backed into a corner, the only way out will be right through Cell."

"You're wrong about your son!" Piccolo replied hotly, fists clenched. "He may be the most powerful person in the world, but he's also a scared eleven year old boy!" Piccolo's eyes were burning with rage, refusing to give up on Gohan. "He may have that power, but it doesn't matter! He doesn't thirst for battle and mayhem! He's not a fighter like you!"

Goku turned to stare at Piccolo, the realization hitting him like a kick to the gut. W...What? Gohan isn't a... fighter? That doesn't make any sense!

Goku turned to the battle, eyes widened. This can't be happening!

~DBZ~

Gohan was on the ground. No amount of mental force would get his body moving. He was broken, defeated.

"Finally time to end this, once and for all." the smooth, unhindered voice of Cell came from above Gohan. Painfully, the eleven year old opened his eyes to stare at the one who would destroy him. "Hm. Do you finally see what a mistake you have made, Goku?" Cell turned to the other fighters. "Your son will die because of your arrogance."

~DBZ~

"Mr. Satan!" the reporter shoved his microphone into Hercule's face. "What do you think of the recent developments? That boy seems to be on his last legs! Oh, who shall save him now?" the reporter from Z TV put the back of his hand to his head dramatically, leaning towards Hercule.

"Ah, that chump is dead! O-Oh course, I could totally take Cell with both hands tied behind my back." Hercule laughed, weakly, flashing the peace sign in the reporter's face.

"Oh, Mr. Satan! If you're so strong, then go save that poor boy!" the reporter grinned. I've got you now! Finally time to capture a fight the people have been waiting for!

"Uh... well... I mean..." Hercule stammered, looking away from the camera. "I'm still not over my stomach ache... ooh!" he gasped in (fake) pain, doubling over and collapsing to his knees. "I would, I just can't get over the pain of my... ooh... stomach!" Hercule collapsed onto the ground.

Dang it! The reporter shook his head. "What hope is left for this brave boy?"

~DBZ~

Goku's heart was hammering in his chest wildly. No... NO! It wasn't supposed to end like this!

"Get DOWN THERE, Goku!" Piccolo cried, glaring daggers at a man he considered his friend. "Save your son! No one else is powerful enough to stop Cell! If you don't do something right now, then Gohan is going to die!"

~DBZ~

Cell smirked. This brat and his father... they will pay for their arrogance.

Cell charged up an energy blast in his hand, powerful enough to kill the defenseless Gohan. Cell grabbed the front of Gohan's shirt, lifting the half-unconscious half-Saiyan up to face him.

Gohan managed to crack open his eyes, staring Cell right in the face.

"I will destroy you." Cell smirked, not one trace of emotion.

Then I will have died for my home... my friends... the people I love. Gohan thought, looking over at the other Z Fighters. "Tell Mom that I... I'm sorry. I... wasn't strong enough." Gohan closed his eyes, knowing Piccolo would be able to hear him.

~DBZ~

This can't be happening. I won't ALLOW it to happen! Piccolo surged forwards, throwing his cape and turban off. I won't allow you to die alone, kid. You taught me everything I know about being a true "good" guy... as Piccolo flew off the cliff, desperation giving him the strength he needed. In the prison of his mind, Piccolo thought of the time he had beaten Gohan, but the boy refused to give up. He remembered watching Gohan grow so stronger. He had only realized his affection for Gohan until he had died for his pupil. Piccolo had watched as Gohan stood up to foes such as Frieza without batting an eye, had watched him unlock his hidden potential to serve a higher purpose. Gohan had always defended the weak and took pity on the broken. He had taught Piccolo to do the same. Wait for me until I get there, Gohan. Don't you die on me!

Goku tried to grab Piccolo, but the Namekian couldn't be stopped.

"Piccolo! Stop!" Goku flew after his former rival, now his friend.

~DBZ~

Cell threw Gohan into the air, watching the half-Saiyan come plummeting to the ground. Cell kneed the nearly unconscious boy in the stomach, watching with a sadistic smirk on his face as Gohan's eyes flew open, widening in pain as he spat out blood. It splashed on the ground, near Cell's feet.

Cell watched as the boy flew upwards again.

"Ka..." Cell started off the old, familiar chant.

"Me..." he readied himself for the blast.

"Ha..." Cell smirked. I have won.

"Me..." in between Cell's hands, energy grew with a pulsing light.

"HAAA!" Cell screamed, releasing the energy. He threw his head back, and laughed sadistically as the bolt smashed straight into the Saiyan child. It exploded, the light blinding everyone except a certain Namekian, who was blinded by something else.

~DBZ~

Piccolo didn't register anything but the blast. The expression on Gohan's face. The fact he was too late. Everything came piling on him at once, and Piccolo couldn't hold back his rage any longer. He flew straight to Cell, punching a hole through the android's head. That was for Gohan.

~DBZ~

Cell fell to the ground, purple blood gushing out of his head.

"You have my cells." Piccolo spat. "I can't regenerate if my head is damaged." he lifted his hand, rage filling his eyes and belly and heart, blasting Cell's structure away until it was no more. There isn't even a cell left of him. And still, it wasn't enough. No matter how many deaths he suffers, it will never make up for Gohan's one.

Piccolo held out his arms as Gohan's frail body collided with him. The Saiyan child's head lolled back, his eyes opened, blank, staring at nothing. There was no life within him. His heart refused to beat, his lungs refused to breath. Piccolo set Gohan down on the ground, tears filling his eyes for the second time in his life. I was too late...

~DBZ~

Cautiously, the other Z Fighters approached the scene. Piccolo was by Gohan's side, not moving an inch.

"I can't believe this." Tien admitted. "Gohan..."

"He was too young." Yamcha agreed, bowing his head down in respect.

"I know! We can just use the Dragon Balls to wish him back to life!" Krillin said, perking up.

"You're right." Piccolo said, his voice low, tears shining in his eyes with grief. "I'll contact Dende."

~DBZ~

(a little while later, at the lookout...)

"I cannot grant this wish." Shenron rumbled to the assembled Z Fighters. Chi-Chi, in the back, fell to her knees in disbelief.

"W-Why not?!" Krillin demanded.

"There is a force far stronger than I holding the one you call Gohan. His spirit is lost." Shenron growled. "What is your next wish?"

"Show us this enemy." Piccolo was not to be messed with right now. "Who is this enemy? Tell us everything you know of them."

"This force goes by the name of Erai." Shenron allowed all the Z Fighters to see the memories he held of the demon.

~DBZ~

(flashback sequence!)

"P-Please..." a man backed away from a woman's shadow. She stalked up to him, resting one hand on her hip and leaning her weight on her right side.

"Why should I?" she purred. "You killed them."

"Why are you after me?!" the man demanded. Erai snapped, grabbing the man's neck and lifting him up into the air, staring him in the eyes.

"I am the entity designed to protect the children of this world. When one is betrayed by their parents, they are mine. And then, alongside the betrayed child, I will destroy those who dared to scar innocents." Erai smirked as she tightened her grip on the man. As he died, suffocating, he looked behind Erai to see his tiny daughter, clutching the teddy bear she had died with.

~DBZ~

(end flashback!)

"She... goes after children who have been betrayed by their parents?" Goku wondered out loud, frowning. "Why didn't she go after Vegeta's father, then?"

"Excuse me, clown, but my father never betrayed me." Vegeta snapped, turning on Goku with murder in his eyes. "It was Frieza." he hissed.

"Oh. Sorry, Vegeta." Goku said, eyeing the other Saiyan.

"Erai captures the hearts of the children, offering them comfort and shelter from the horrors of their death. She was created by the Kais in order to help restore peace to the lost souls of murdered children. However, she was filled with a dark power when she absorbed the emotions of the children, and rebelled. The Kais lost control of her, and soon, she was murdering the parents." Shenron rumbled, continuing with granting the wish they had asked of him. "Name your second wish."

Gohan... Piccolo narrowed his eyes, shaking in rage. "Is there a way to reverse the process? Can we stop her?" he demanded of Shenron.

"Is this your second wish?"

"Yes."

"It is possible to defeat her. None of you are at the strength level. You must train, and quickly. There is no way to reverse the process – the longer you take to get to her strength level, the more separated Gohan will become from you. He will no longer remember you. He will fight to end the one you call Goku's life. He will become, in truth, a child to Erai. I have completed all you asked of me. I will be taking my leave." with those final words, Shenron disappeared. The sky turned it's normal blue, the lightning fading.

"End my life?" Goku echoed. "I haven't done anything to Gohan."

"Yes, you did." Piccolo turned on Goku. "You forced him into a fight no eleven year old should have gone through. You forced him to train, which is unlike him! You misjudged his true nature. You were the reason Gohan was killed." Piccolo snarled. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I refuse to sit back and wait until Gohan and Erai come looking for us. I'm going to train."

~How will Gohan handle Erai? Will she wipe his memories, and force him to kill his father? Find out, next time!~