Gohan sat in the waiting room of the hospital, waiting, worrying, about his mother and baby brother, praying that they were both alright.

At sometime around two in the morning, he was woken from a dead sleep to the sound of his mother screaming.

He got up to her room in an instant, shattering the door in his rush to see his mother clutching her belly and a puddle of water on the floor under her. He knew what it was. He gently picked her up and walked downstairs with her in his arms, taking off into the air after they cleared the front door.

The flight was spent with Gohan helping his mother with her breathing. 1 long in, 3 short out. It took about ten of the longest minutes the young man had ever spent in his life to reach the hospital, landing outside to a chorus of astonished people. He ignored them and ran inside, calling for a doctor. A balding man in a white coat walked up to them with a wheelchair, the half-breed setting his heavily breathing mother into the seat.

He began asking Gohan questions about his mothers health, diet, previous visits, basic things. Once they were done and the forms filled out, the doctor ushered them to a room in the maternity ward, leaving the two alone while Chi-chi got comfy. The contractions had died down a fair bit by this point, though they did still catch her off guard.

Another doctor, a young man this time, came in, greeting the two. "Hello, my name is Dr. Stein, no relation to the monster." Gohan chuckled lightly. "He gets it." The doctor turned to Chi-chi and smiled kindly. "How are we feeling today, Chi-chi-san?"

She glared at the young man, resisting the urge to throw the bed at him. "I'm giving birth, not kicking the flu. How do you think I feel?" She gasped loudly and clutched her belly, grasping Gohan's hand tight enough that it made the young titan visibly cringe. The fighter also noticed the doctors face darken in expression for a moment.

He then laughed a bit at her comment. "Fair enough." He pulled up the foot braces, throwing a thin blanket over the warrior princess's legs. "Now before we continue, Chi-chi-san, would you mind telling me if your contractions were that rough with…?"

"Gohan." the boy answered.

"Gohan-kun here?" The mothers silence was enough of an answer for the young doctor, who wrote something down quickly. "Would you mind propping your feet up?" She did as she was told, her boy turning and staring at the wall. "Well, it seems as though we still have a bit of time before we begin, and by that point, Dr. Hirano should be in. Gohan-kun, I'll be stepping out and I'm sure you have people you want to call, so why not come with me?"

The boy quirked a brow, but obeyed after kissing his mothers cheek, telling her he'd be back after he called all their friends. He stepped out after Stein, the young man turning to look at Gohan, a rather serious expression on his face. "Gohan-kun, I wanted to tell you something before we continued. I'm not your mothers acting OBGYN, but I do see problems with what's going on."

The boy's heart began to thud in his chest. "W-what do you mean?"

He knelt in front of the fighter, placing a hand on his shoulder "Normally, I wouldn't tell you this, I'd be telling your mom or dad, but we need your mom as relaxed as possible and your dad isn't here. Your mother's contractions are much more painful than they should be. This could mean many things, but I don't want you to worry about that right now. What I want you to do is call your family friends and keep your mother relaxed. This could go south quickly and we don't want that. Once Dr. Hirano gets here, she can decide for herself what needs to be done, but until then you need to be your mom's rock, okay?"

Gohan stood frozen for a moment before donning a serious expression, nodding. The young doctor smiled, patting the boys shoulder. "Good man. The phone's down the hall on the left wall, about three doors down." He stood after that, walking off down the hall opposite the phone.

The boy stared after him for a moment, but shook his head, running to the phone and dialing the number for Capsule Corp.

"WHO THE FUCK IS CALLING HERE AT THREE IN THE MORNING!?" Vegeta bellowed into the receiver after the third ring, causing several people behind the half-breed, who had to yank the phone away from his ear to keep his hearing in tact.

"Good morning to you too, Vegeta."

A loud sigh sounded from the phone as Gohan heard Bulma trying to coax her husband back to bed. "What do you want, Gohan?"

The boy smiled as he heard Bulma get rather quiet. "Bulma wanted me to let her know when Mom went into labor."

"What hospital are you at?" The saiyan prince asked.

"West City General."

"We'll be there soon." The line went dead after that and Gohan hung up the phone. He'd of called Kame House, but he didn't know what the number was. He also didn't know if Krillin and Eighteen were even there. They had gone on a world tour as a vacation and nobody had heard from them since they left. He could've gone out and tracked Krillin down, but that would mean having to leave his mother alone.

As he was finishing this train of thought, he heard someone fly by the entrance to the hallway, the boy poking his head around the corner to see Bulma, wearing a coat over a night gown, and Vegeta, wearing a black button-up with a pair of khaki's, trying to get directions to him and his mom. He whistled loudly and waved.

The blue haired woman took off on a dead sprint, scooping Gohan into her arms and hugging him tight. "Oh, Gohan, I'm so excited for you! It's awesome having a sibling! You'll be able to hang out and you'll know everything about each other!" The blue haired genius started to go off on a random tangent as Vegeta walked up to the two.

The warrior tapped his mates shoulder, bringing her back to the matter at hand. She stood with a noticeable blush on her face. She couldn't help it! She was just so excited for her friend and for Gohan.

Vegeta, on the other hand, saw something in the younger warriors eyes. "Gohan, what's wrong?"

Gohan jumped a bit at this, looking down. "Just- Just promise me you won't stress Mom out. The doctor we saw after we came in said her contractions were a lot more painful than they should have been. He didn't tell me what that meant, but he said that things could go bad fast, so we just have to keep her relaxed."

The two nodded, Vegeta opting to stay in the hall as Bulma went in to talk to Chi-chi. Gohan looked to Vegeta and cleared his throat, the older man looking back at him. "You wouldn't happen to know the number for Kame House would you?"


Gohan and Vegeta were currently decimating the hospitals supply of food as Yamcha, Master Roshi, Krillin, a somewhat miffed Eighteen, Oolong, Puar, Piccolo, Ox-king, and Bulma sat back and watched as if this was nothing new, while the rest of the room was rather horrified and somewhat disgusted.

"So, kiddo, you excited to be a big brother?" Krillin asked with a big smile.

Piccolo chuckled a bit. "It's all he's talked about the past eight months."

Gohan swallowed his mouthful of food and blushed. "Piccolo."

The rest of the party, sans Vegeta, laughed at the young warriors embarrassment. Dr. Hirano, an older woman with bright red hair and a pair of thin, wire frame glasses, stepped into the cafeteria, shaking her head a bit. She'd been Chi-chi's OBGYN and acting physician through both her pregnancies, so she knew what to expect when she came into the room.

She walked up behind Gohan, gently touching his shoulder. "Gohan." The young fighter turned and smiled up at the doctor. "It's time. Would you like to come to the waiting room?"

The group gave a collective gasp, the boy leading the stampede as they made their way to the waiting area. Hirano passed them a few moments later, patting Gohan's head before going into the birthing room with his mom. It had been a few hours since that point, and nothing. They had heard Chi-chi screaming for a good while, then a few more doctors and nurses came running down the hall.

Gohan stood and followed them, Krillin, Piccolo, and Vegeta behind him. "What's going on?" He asked.

Hirano came out for a moment, her gloved hands covered in blood. "Gohan, dear, you need to go back to the waiting room."

"What? What's happening?" He looked past her to his mother, noticing she was still, no longer screaming and her skin was eerily pale. "Mom?" Hirano ordered the three behind the boy to get him back to the waiting room. Vegeta and Piccolo grabbed him tight by his shoulders, trying hard to pull him back as he fought them, Krillin trying to convince him to go back. "Mom? Mom?! MOM?!" Gohan screamed as he finally heard the EKG. It was flatlining.

Back to where we began this story, the half breed sat in the waiting room, his friends around him. It had three hours since that scene, and no one had told them anything. It wasn't until Hirano came out in her scrubs, a bit of blood on her. "Gohan." The boy looked up at her, his expression telling the story. He was scared. "Your brother, Goten, is fine. But… I'm sorry. There were complications with the birthing, your mother started hemorrhaging. We lost her."

Gohan felt his body go numb, as if a bucket of ice water washed over his back. He stood frozen as the rest of the party, even Vegeta, began demanding answers. Piccolo was the first to notice that the boys energy had dropped off dramatically, turning to see Gohan's eyes roll into the back of his head. He crumbled under his own weight, slamming face first into the floor.


The boy groaned lightly as he woke up, nearly blinded by the bright lights of the hospital room. He remembered everything with stunning clarity, his chest shaking in sobs as tears began running down his cheeks. "Mom..."

"Gohan." The boy looked to his side, seeing Dr. Hirano on his side. "Your friends are with your mother right now, but your father is waiting outside for you to wake up. Would you like me to send him in?"

Gohan's eyes widened at this bit of info. He looked rather shocked, but he nodded nonetheless. The doctor walked out of the room and entered the one man Gohan never thought he'd see until it was his time to go. "Dad?"

Goku gave his son a soft, sad smile. "Hey, kiddo."

Gohan's eye welled up with more tears, the dam broken and the tears cascading down his cheeks as he jumped forward, grasping his father tightly. "Shhh, it's okay son, I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."

"But how? I don't understand." the boy sobbed.

"I met someone in Otherworld. My father, Bardock. He had this ability to see into the future and he saw what happened to your mother yesterday." Goku pulled Gohan off his chest, sitting them both down on the hospital bed. "Even if I had wanted to do something, I couldn't, so I thought of the next best thing. I had King Kai get in contact with the Namekians and asked if they would revive me. They were happy to help and once I was alive, I waited at the check-in for your mom.

She wanted me to tell you that she loves you and your brother and to never doubt that. She said for you to continue studying, but that she knows your going to train with me around, and that she's okay with that. She wants you to do what you want for once instead of what she wants."

Gohan looked down at his lap, tears still dripping down. "I… I wanna be a fighter, but I want to be a teacher when I get older."

Goku chuckled and smiled that old Son family smile. "Well, no one ever said you couldn't be both." His smile faded as he looked at the door. "Son, you should go to your mom's room say your goodbyes."

Gohan sniffled and nodded, hugging his father tightly before standing and walking out of the room. He noticed that his room had been right next to his mom's, the rest of their friends outside the room. Though he wasn't crying, Vegeta didn't have the angry, fiery expression he normally did, looking at Gohan with a look that could almost look like pity.

The boy nodded to his friends, accepting hugs from Krillin, Bulma, Yamcha, Puar Oolong, Piccolo, his grandfather, and, surprisingly, a heart felt embrace from Eighteen who told him she understood his pain and that if he ever needed someone to talk to, she was there.

Gohan hiccuped a bit as tears began to build again, but he pushed it down, knowing if he started again, he'd never get through this. The android kissed his forehead and let him pass, the boy entering the cold, lifeless room. His heart began to pound as he saw Chi-chi, how she looked just like he remembered, yet somehow completely different. He made his way to her side, sitting in the chair beside the bed.

Her hair was in disarray, her cheeks still full, but pale instead of peach. Her eyes were shut and her face was peaceful, as if she were sleeping. He gently grasped her cold hand. "Mother, I love you. I'll never stop. I know you lost your mom when you were my age, but I had no idea that it could hurt anywhere near this badly. I promise, I'll keep studying, I'll be a good big brother to Goten." He started to shake as tears started to drip onto his clenched fists, blood dripping from his palms. "I'll make you proud to look down on me from Otherworld. I promise, Mama." He leaned his forehead against his mothers chest, sobbing loudly into it. He felt his father wrap his arms around the boy, pulling him into his chest instead of his mothers.

"Gohan." Goku said, getting the boys attention. "Do you wanna meet your baby brother?" he asked, letting the boy look over at a small baby bed in the back of the room, a squirming mass in the blue blanket.

Gohan walked over to the bed slowly and looked in it. What looked up at him looked like an infant version of his dad, who was behind him looking down on his n second born son with the same love and excitement he had when Gohan had been born.

The half breed gently lifted the other half breed from his bed, earning a giggle from the baby boy. He smiled and cradled his baby brother in his arm. "Welcome to Earth, Goten. I'm Gohan, and I'm gonna be the best big brother you could ever ask for." The boy smiled lightly, feeling his heart grow a bit warmer as he felt another hand on his shoulder. He knew if he turned to see who it was, there'd be nothing, but he didn't need to turn to know who it was. "I'll make you proud, Mom."

"You already have, my baby boy. Take good care of your dad and brother. I love you all."

Gohan wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled lightly, looking up at his father. "Dad, let's go home. I'm tired." Goku smiled and hugged his son before walking to the body of his wife, signing a paper that sat beside her bed. He looked over at her and smiled sadly, a single tear running down his cheek.

"Sleep well, my love. You deserve to rest." He whispered, kissing her forehead before turning and holding a hand out to Gohan, who took it. The saiyan warrior pressed two fingers to his head and began concentrating.

"Hey, Dad?" Goku looked down at his eldest. "Do you think you could teach me your Instant Transmission technique?"

The fighter chuckled lightly and nodded, pressing his fingers back against his head, focusing on their home. He made the jump and the three vanished from sight, leaving a smiling Bulma behind them. She looked over at her old friend and sighed. "I'll keep an eye on them, Chi-chi, I promise."


The end is merely a beginning, a means to a new end. For some, it is salvation. For others, it is damnation. But I know for certain, the end does not come to those who are undeserving. Forever rest, that is the promise. Forever peace. Take heart, slumbering souls, you will live on. In the hearts, in the minds, in the souls of those who have yet to join your eternal sleep. Sleep well, beloved souls, and know you are Forever Loved.

-Harley Bailey, Forever Loved, May 2012


So yeah, I claim to be a bit of a poet when the muse hits me, but that's an older poem I wrote at the beginning of my senior year for a dear family members eulogy. It earned a standing ovation if nothing else, but then again this was at a memorial service. This full document came out to 2,808 words minus the poem, 3,060 after editting.