Chi-Chi looked down at the small child; at his chest rising and falling with each steady breath. His little hand was curled into a fist, and a spot of drool was on his chin. She looked at him, and loved him with everything she had. At three years old, Goten was her youngest son of two.

Her eldest son, Gohan, was sleeping in his own bed, though not in a separate room. After Goku's death, Chi-Chi had insisted on moving him in to be with her and they had transformed his old room into an exercise center. When Chi-Chi turned over to her other side, she could just see Gohan's sleeping form sprawled across the bed: one arm above his head and the other draping over the side to the floor. His mouth was open, and every so often he let out a gentle snore.

Chi-Chi's eyebrows creased as she watched him and reached a hand out toward him-past the long empty space where a cold ghost lay—as if she could cross the distance and touch him. Nowadays, it seemed sleep was the only time Gohan was hers. Treasured and precious in her heart. Ever since Goku's death three years before, the now-twelve-year-old boy had become less clingy and more…mature somehow. Of course he was devastated by his father's death, but he had learned to cope well, while Chi-Chi remained desperately heartbroken. Chi-Chi felt she was losing Gohan. He was growing up; he didn't need her like he used to. He didn't actively seek out her attention anymore. With a silent, choked cry, Chi-Chi closed her eyes and turned back around to Goten.

I am losing him. Just like I lost my husband.

Struck by a heavy bout of emotion, Chi-Chi lowered her face and buried her nose in Goten's springy hair. How long would it be before he, too, asked for his own bed? How long before he, too, started to fall away?

She continued rubbing her face in his dark hair—so much like Goku's. It was so soft. So feather-soft to the touch. Taking a chance, Chi-Chi wrapped her arms around the small body and pulled him close. He let out a little sigh and twitched, but did not wake.

Chi-Chi closed her eyes again, and a tear rolled down her cheek and into Goten's hair. Of course he was a hard sleeper like his father. For as long as she knew him, Goku had slept as hard as a rock.

Goku.

How long had it been since someone had held her? Since someone had looked at her and loved her? Goten was clingy at this part of his life, but Chi-Chi was becoming increasingly paranoid about losing him. Like she had lost the love of her life. Like she was losing her precious son, Gohan. If Goten stopped needing her, she would have no one. There was Bulma, of course, but in some ways Chi-Chi could not connect with Bulma. In some ways their bond ended after a mutual friendship with Son Goku. Everyone else thought she was annoying. An annoying and loud and harsh and overbearing mother.

Another tear escaped.

She was alone.

She was lonely.

She missed Goku and his cheerful smile and his unearthly patience. She missed his strong arms and gentle touch. She even missed those moments when he forgot his own strength and she'd had to pay for it. He had left her without even a "goodbye." He had left her all alone.

Chi-Chi hugged Goten closer and he moaned a bit in sheepish protest, but made no further attempts to stop her cuddling. And Chi-Chi held him and cried until morning.