Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z.

A/N: This story is for the SweetestIrony forum's January contest: The Future. It is set in the Mirai timeline, in between Gohan's fight with the Androids in which he loses his arm, and his death. The Mirai Gohan and Mirai Videl in this story are not the same as the Gohan and Videl in my other Mirai story.

Three Mistakes

"Look, Videl. This… this just isn't working. I can't keep seeing you anymore. I'm sorry. Goodbye."

The one armed warrior turned to walk away, his dark eyes downcast in a mixture of sorrow and shame. Truth be told, he loved the woman he had just spoken to.

He loved her enough to know that it was time to leave.

"Bullshit."

Gohan looked back. That was his first mistake.

"I know you love me," Videl said, her head held high. Inside, she felt as if she was dying, but the fiery human had more pride than to let that show. If this was her last chance to convince Gohan that their relationship was worth it, then she needed every ounce of strength she could muster.

Gohan felt himself become trapped in her gaze, drowning in the blue depths of her eyes. He swallowed back the lump in his throat, and tried to turn away again. He had to leave.

She wouldn't let him.

Videl was a fighter, too. She may not have been a Saiyan, as her partner was, but she was fast enough to grab hold of his lone arm. Digging her nails into his flesh, she pleaded to him with her eyes. Please stay.

"I… I have to go," he whispered, his voice hoarse. If he spoke any louder, he was sure he would risk crying.

"No you don't," she replied, also whispering. She screwed up her nose, hoping that the tears she felt burning towards the surface would stay put. She did not want to cry right now.

They stayed silent, staring at one another, both aware of each other's pain.

"Look at me," Gohan said eventually, gesturing to the limp cloth hanging from his left shoulder; underneath it lay the raw stump that was the only remnant of his left arm. "I'm broken, Videl. I lost my arm. I won't survive the next fight with the androids."

"You don't have to fight th…"

"Yes I do!" he yelled, scaring the small woman. "I have to fight them! It's the only choice I have! You have to understand, Videl, I was not raised to sit by when other people need my help. I have to fight them, but I'm going to die. So you should get used to being without me, okay?"

"No you won't," she whispered, as the first tear trickled down her cheek.

"If not next time, than the time after, or the time after that. Eventually, I will lose."

"I'm going to die too, Gohan," she replied, louder this time. "Don't you realize? Everyone will die sometime! But right now, you're here, I'm here, and we love each other! So don't you dare leave me Son Gohan! As long as you are still on this Earth, you are mine!"

He looked down at the short woman, with her hair blown across her face from the wind, tears streaming down her cheeks, her nose running and red, with her eyebrows turned down in a scowl.

He looked at her, and thought she was beautiful.

Before he could control himself, he had instinctively reached for her, one arm drawn around her waist, as her leaned down towards her.

Just one last kiss, he thought. That was his second mistake.

Videl sighed as his lips moved against her own, and wrapped her arms up around his neck. He shifted slightly, and she pressed further against him, until she felt as if they were so close, they would melt into one.

He couldn't stop. In fact, the mere idea that he may die soon made him want to savour this moment even more. Inwardly, he cursed himself for being so selfish, for continuing down this foolish path, knowing fully well that he would cause her more pain. But he did not stop.

Walking back into the house was too slow. In the half-crazed state they were in, drunk on love, lust, and a sudden sense of recklessness, they did not want to waste time. Using his one arm, Gohan threw her over his shoulder, running as fast as he could into the bedroom, and flinging her onto the bed.

"Tell me you love me," she said, pulling him down on top of her.

"I love you," he said, kissing her neck with heated passion, "More than you'll ever know."

"I know," she replied, half tearing the shirt off him. Breathing heavily now, she gasped as he tore off her jeans. "Gohan, oh Gohan, I do love you."

He couldn't wait. He was too lost in madness, and the only cure was to lose himself in her. That was his third mistake.

They kissed and moaned and loved until each had given themselves to the other fully, mindful of nothing but the flesh in front of them.

"No one can predict the future," Videl murmured later, stroking his hair as he lay still, drifting slowly into sleep.

"I'm just so afraid," he replied.

Videl shifted closer to him, leaning her head against his shoulder. "So am I. But I love you, and I'm going to live for today. Today I'm happy to be here with you. The future can wait. Just remember that I'll always love you, and everything will be okay in the end. No matter which one of us goes first, we'll find each other someday."

Gohan sighed, wrapping his arm around her, his hand stroking her stomach lightly.

Neither of them could predict the future. If they could, they would have seen that Gohan's mistakes that day grew into something much more.

A child.