This may be a little sad, I don't think it's all that sad but, you might. Sorry for the long author's Note last time, but I had my reasons. I don't think I'm meeting my goal at giving you people short notes...^_^ Hee, hee, my bad...

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Gohan, Goten and the rocking chair

It was a nice peaceful evening at the Son's residents. It had been almost 6 years since the Cell Games, and Gohan and Chi Chi were coping quite well with Goku's absents, thanks to a little extra addition to the family, Goten. They had forgotten their sorrow and grief because of the little happy joy filed boy. He was the spitting image of his Father, Goku. With his black spiky, messed up hair, his care free ways, his puppy dog eyes and he even had the same ridiculous innocent smile. Gohan and Chi Chi thought of Goten as a gift from heaven. That's part of the reason why they called him Goten, ten means heaven in Japanese and they thought it the perfect name for him. He brought Joy to their lives and helped them forget their sadness. For they were to occupied with the little stinker to do much of anything but watch over him, he was at times quite a handful but it was part of his charm and they loved him even more because of it.

If there is one sad thing about this little boy of 5 years, it's that he never knew his father. He doesn't know who he is, what he was like, he had seen pictures but seeing what a person looks like does very little to help you figure out who the person really is. It had never bugged him that much, he had always thought of his big Brother as somewhat a Father to him. He had never really thought hard about it, he was used to the way things were in his life. When one grows up without something they are used to it, they adapt to it, and the only time they ever reconsider it is when they see someone else with it. That was how little Goten felt, when he saw his best friend, Trunks, with his Father, Vegeta. They weren't really doing anything, but it was still something he didn't have, that he often saw other children with. And why he didn't have one, was a total question to him.

So, on this night, filed with peace and love that can only be shared by siblings, Goten decided to ask his question.

He totaled up the stairs to his shared room with Gohan, and peeked in the door way. He saw his big brother in the old oak rocking chair that both he and Gohan were often rocked to sleep in as babies. He was rocking back and forth the chair slightly creaking with each back and forth movement. Gohan was looking out a window on the other side of the room from where Goten stood. He looked tired and Goten thought about waiting until later to ask him, but Gohan noticed him.

"You don't have to hide behind the door, Goten." Gohan told him with a light chuckle. " What'd ya want?" He stopped rocking.

Goten hesitated, but walked in through the door, shut it, and slowly walked over to Gohan. He stopped in front of him and looked at Gohan's feet for a moment. Gohan was a little confused. If Goten ever had something he wanted to say, he was always right out with it, no matter what the subject was.

"Hey." He said in a deep but soft voice. "you okay squirt?"

Goten looked over at the window watching the curtains as the wind slowly made them dance in their own unique but beautiful way.

"Why don't I have a Daddy and Trunks does?" He finally was able to ask. He looked up at his big brother.

".....Gohan?...............Are you okay?" He asked him with concern.

Gohan was looking straight ahead at nothing in particular.

"I'm so sorry..." Gohan said in a small quiet voice.

"Sorry? For what?" Goten asked confused.

"I'm sorry you never knew your Dad...It's my fault." Gohan told him on the brink of tears. Goten was a little scared by his brothers words, but that didn't stop him from asking his questions.

"What happened?" He asked, unsure weather or not if he wanted to know.

Gohan moved his gaze to his little brother.

"Big Brother was stupid...and I'd rather not go into details." Gohan told him, knowing that he wouldn't understand.

"Stupid? But...you're not stupid Gohan, you're smart! You always help me wit my homework and..." He was cut off by Gohan.

"Not that kind of stupid..."

There was a long silence between the two. Goten was thinking about Gohan's words, but decided not to go any further into the subject.

"So." He asked a little unsure. "Where is my Daddy?"

Gohan looked at his brother and gave a weak smile as he opened up his arms invite Goten to join him. He reached his arms up to Gohan and allowed him to pick him up. He sat Goten in his lap and raped his arms around him.

"Our Daddy, is in heaven." Gohan told Goten with a little smile, tying to cover up his real feelings of sadness and regret.

"Heaven?" Goten asked. "You mean...He's dead?" He was surprised to hear this, but, at the same time, he felt like he had always known it.

Gohan was staring off into space. He was deep in thought, sorting through all kinds of mixed emotions. He could feel his cheeks burning, he looked down at Goten. Goten noticed that his eye's were watery. Gohan held him closer. Goten could feel that his brother was uncomfortable and unhappy, sad. He didn't understand why, but it made him sad too. Goten decided not to push for an answer, like he usually would. Instead, he rested his head on his big brother's chest, and listened to the steady rhythmic beating of his heart.

They cuddled together for a long while. Gohan sitting in the old oak rocking chair slowly rocking back and forth, while he gently cradled Goten in his arms, who was slowly, but surely, being overcome by sleep. His eyes fluttered open and shut, resisting sleep.

"Gohan?" Goten asked in a voice that only a child could use.

"What's Dad like?"

Gohan smiled and stroked his brother's hair.

"He's like an angel Goten..."

"Oh." Goten yawned. "What's an angel like?" He asked before closing his eyes.

"I don't know..." Gohan told him in all honesty. "All I know is when you're with him you just feel safe, secure...happy."

He stopped rocking, and thought about his words. "safe, secure and happy." He wished that he felt that way right now. He sat in thought for a moment before remembering the little person he held in his arms, who's bed time had long since past.

"Okay Goten, I think it's time that we got to..." Gohan looked down at his little brother, he was fast asleep, clinging to the shirt that covered Gohan's chest. He smiled and started rocking again, back and forth, back and forth, until he too fell fast asleep.

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Nothing great. But it just came to me in Math class and I had to write it down. Hope you enjoyed it! ^-^ R&R please, if you have the time to, please.^_^