Author's Note: Takes place after GT, except it's an AU fic since Goku is still around. First attempt at a major horror story, it'll be getting more graphic and detailed later on, I thought it best to be easy at first *grins*

Warning: Gore, graphic death scenes, and more coming up later in the fic. Lots of suffering and such, so be aware.

Disclaimer: Do not own dragonball, so please do not sue.

Italic denotes thoughts

Endless Nightmares

Chapter 1: Fears in the Night

A tall man ran through a tainted forest in a frenzy, his racing breath drawing through the stale-like darkness that loomed around his vision. The sounds of twigs breaking and grass crashing under his feet echoed throughout the dense forest in which the man was running through, his fine shoes clumping heavily into the solid earth underneath him as he strode to gain speed to his strides. His gait was long, dark eyes widened with a hint of fear within their ebony depths, and the rustling of his clothing barely audible to even a Saiyan's sharp ears. Wind whipped through the man's spiked hair, the raven strands held upward and away from his face as if to keep his line of vision clear, his large glasses gently sliding down the front of his nose, moist from the sweat trickling down his brow. The figure gulped, daring a glance behind him though his pace did not slow with the motion. His mouth opened agasp in shock, his foot catching in an overgrown plant root that sent him flying forward and to the surface quickly approaching. Son Gohan groaned deeply, prying himself from the ground quickly as the heels of his shoes dug deep into the surface of the earth, carrying him back and away from the being that was chasing him. He didn't even seem to notice that he had lost his glasses along the way, a tingle of fear running through his spine as he heard the crack of glass against large weight.

He wasn't going to make it.

Fear sized Gohan as he tried to hurry his pace; really wishing he didn't always dress up so formally for work. The dark navy suit looked good on him, or so Videl had mused when she had purchased him the wardrobe for work. 'A teacher...eh…you usually don't see to many of those running through the forest in the middle of the night,' thought Gohan in vain, not believing that he was thinking such a thing when he was being chased around for Kami's sake! He pushed the thoughts away from his mind, trying to stay focused on fleeing before something he didn't want to happen actually happened.

Pan. Videl. His family.

Gohan moved the thoughts away from his mind, not willing to let them stay there where they would surely drive him insane. He couldn't think about them now. It wasn't the time nor the place. He frowned at his own thoughts, shaking his head to rid them from his mind as he moved his head back to glance once again behind his shoulder, making sure to watch where he was stepping as he did so this time. He didn't even want to give anyone a chance to get closer to him, the thought running through his mind and causing his train of thought to stride away.

Too close. Much too close.

Gohan cringed noticeably, seeing his attacker racing closely behind him, the shadowy figure's body and features lost behind him as he stayed well within the cover of shadows of the night. A feeling of dread…or was it fear?…settled into Gohan's mind, his head shaking to try to push them away. He couldn't give up. He had to keep going.

Gohan sighed. This wasn't easy. He had been running from this nightmare for ages, the dark figure always chasing so close behind him. Gohan was afraid to fight him, something holding him back from giving in and trying to fight the being in front of him. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Gohan's face, his mind in turmoil.

A tingle settled into Gohan's subconscious, his head snapping back as he felt the evil presence come closer, his speed already increased to its maximum. He screamed out in fear as a hand latched onto his shoulder and he fell face first into the ground.

*******

Gohan jolted up from his bed, his chest heaving in deep breaths and his mouth agasp as his lunges strided to fill themselves with the lolling oxygen that encompassed him. His ebony eyes blinked, a wide hint to their dark depth as he stared at the wall in front of him, one hand moving to rest over his racing heart. He stared around for a moment, his wide eyes critical and watchful as he inspected the room he was in as the small shadows that still lingered in dawn's presence slowly became exposed. "Nothing…" Gohan breathed the words through a sigh of relief, his hand slowly leaving his chest only to rest atop the bundle of thick blankets that were spread out in front of him. They were spread and messed up around his form, showing that he had obviously had a fitful night of sleep.

Reaching up a hand to his brow, Gohan unconsciously wiped away small beads of sweat from his brow, the cool droplets contradicting to his body and his racy mood. He shook his head slowly to rid himself of his thoughts; his hands pulling away the covers on his bed before he slowly slid off the side. His bare toes flexed against the cool surface, a shiver running down his spine and causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. Gohan cringed, his arms wrapping around himself almost protectively.

He blinked when he suddenly took notice of something very important…

He was alone.

Gohan's gaze stared around the room, his eyebrows raised as he noticed that Videl's usual sleeping spot was vacant and the space in-between them where Pan would usually run to in the middle of the night was also empty. His daughter had been having horrible nightmares recently and caused her to become frightened and bolt for her parent's room in the middle of the night where she felt a little more safe next to her "hero-of-a-father" as Pan so bluntly put it.

A smile crept onto Gohan's lips as he shrugged off his worries for the time being. They were probably just in the kitchen anyway.

Moving into the bathroom, Gohan sighed softly. He quickly discarded of his sleeping clothes, letting the articles of clothing fall into the hamper within the bathroom as his hands reached out to grab a towel from the cabinet, which he quickly wrapped around his waist. He walked over to the shower slowly, turning on the water and listening as droplets of water streamed from the faucet. Gohan moved away the towel wrapped around his waist before moving into the shower, the warm water cascading down his chest that served to help calm his raging nerves.

He slowly went about the task of cleaning himself; washing his hair, soaping off his body, as well as many other things, not at all feeling like rushing. Only when he heard the gentle rapping at the door of the bathroom, a soft angelic girl's voice shouting through the thick door as she tried to call out to her father. "Dad! Mom said you're going to be late for work if you don't hurry up!" called out Pan; Gohan's first and only daughter. 'Damnit, I forgot about today's lecture,' thought Gohan, a curse ringing off his lips as he shut off the water within the shower. He slowly reached out a hand for the towel he had discarded earlier, rewrapping it around his waist as he stepped outside into the cool air of the bathroom that caused his body to shiver.

"I'll be out in a minute Pan," called out Gohan to his daughter, a smile flickering onto his lips as he heard the small 4 year old squeak an 'okay' and then scamper off, the sounds of her feet padding against the ground clearly heard with her movements. Gohan shook his head slowly at his daughter's antics before moving about drying himself off and continuing with daily routine, though not as slowly as before.

It was a good half an hour before Gohan found himself completely ready to go, his hands absently adjusting the tie around his neck as he fit it into place. He sighed softly, retrieving his glasses from the nightstand by his and Videl's bed before slipping them over his eyes as he headed out of the room. He really didn't understand his mother and Videl's need to make him look older by telling him that he needed to wear glasses, a sigh on his lips since they were quite annoying at times. He shrugged his shoulders nonetheless, putting on a small smile as he walked into the kitchen and saw Pan sitting at the table, absently munching some cereal that Videl had placed in front of her.

"Hi daddy!" chirped the small girl, her short strands of black hair bouncing around her thin face. She smiled; an orange bandana wrapped around one of her wrists and waving through the air as the young girl waved hello to her father.

"Morning Panny, where's your mother?" asked Gohan softly, smiling at his daughter as he walked over to her slowly, kissing her lightly atop her head. Pan squealed loudly, hugging her father tightly and as best as her small arms would allow. "She's said she had to go to the store 'nd pick up 'tuff for dinner tonight." Said Pan in a rush, her bright eyes shining as she watched her father walk over to the counter and look through his bag that held all of his lecture materials. Her head tilted to the side slightly as she heard a deep sigh ring from her father's lips, her brows furrying in a confused expression. "What's the matter dad?" asked Pan tentatively.

"Nothing Panny, I'm just thinking." Replied Gohan simply, forcing a thin smile onto his lips as he finished looking through his bag once he found everything he needed within its confines. "Pan tell your mother I left for work. I don't want to be late. You remember what we told you?" asked Gohan gently, a smirk on his lips as he watched a pensive look form on Pan's visage.

Pan's sudden look dropped from her face in a flat second and was replaced by a bright smile as she remembered. "Yeah!" she piped rather cheerfully after a short moment. "Don't talk to strangers, don't answer the phone unless its grandpa's number, 'n' don't open the door!" said Pan, thoroughly pleased with herself. She loved that her parents gave her the freedom to be home alone even if it was only for the few minutes that her father was gone at work and her mother was on the way home from picking something up from the store in the morning or late afternoon.

"Good job Panny. I'll be back later. Behave." Said Gohan softly, giving Pan a proud smile of confidence for her accomplishment. He found it amusing how happy the small girl was about just the simplest thing but for her age he figured it was a big deal. He knew he would never be allowed to stay home alone when he was her age with Chi-Chi as a mother, though he doubted he would have liked it if he had been allowed. He never did like being left alone when he was younger, though that had changed over time.

He chuckled softly to himself, waving Pan goodbye as the girl waved vigrously back at him, a wide smile on her lips as black strands of hair bounced at the sides of her face. "Bye daddy!" the little girl yelled out as Gohan walked out of the door of his home, unknown to him that he would never see his daughter again.

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