Second Chances: Prologue

A/N: I thought of this story while sitting in the sixth circle of hell that was my army training for a month. One of those A/U's that I love so much with a little twist. Just a prologue though ;)

Update for newer readers, if you don't want to see how the pre-dragon ball stuff changes that's okay skip ahead to chapter 8. The next couple chapters are a set up for things to come.

Sometimes we want the life we want, not the one we need. When pressed to have a simple wish where you would be strong enough to undo all of the mistakes that you made before. But… what if that that came at a price… To be with the woman you love, what would you give up? How much would you sacrifice?

Goku sat on the docks edge just starring off into the water, this wasn't how it was supposed to be but it was happening. There was no getting around the changes that had occurred in such a short time, Chi-Chi was dying. She had barely turned fifty and cancer had taken a hard toll on her body. He bit back his own tears as he had just stepped out from the hospital where his wife was suffering miserably. Sure she had been putting on a strong front but Goku knew, it wasn't going to be long until she died. The sweet girl that taught him all about love, marriage, and being a part of a real family was going to die and there was nothing he could do.

Shenron couldn't undo natural damages caused by the body, the cancer would simply return. It was the natural way of life but it bit hard into a man who sat here with the power to move worlds but unable to stomach the slow death of his wife. Sure he had seen death, watched his best friends die but not like this. Not watching their body and mind dissolve away it was tearing his heart to pieces.

Chi-Chi's hair had all fallen away due to the chemo therapy, a dainty teal headband wrapped around her skull as the cancer had continued to spread, and had settled in her brain slowly draining her memories and sanity. His wife couldn't remember their children's names, or their faces anymore. She merely smiled giving a fake laugh of joy as they hugged her wishing her the best that she could pull through but Goku didn't have the guts to tell his boys that they would not see their mother for much longer.

Watching her at nights as she struggled to breathe, the ventilator hooked up to her side made him wish that he could do something to ease her passing.

Until the previous night everything hadn't been too bad but Goku had to hold Chi-Chi down as she thrashed, losing control of her body during a seizure. She cried and screamed as her eyes rolled back into her head and defecated all over her sheets and her husband. It was the moment where his will had broken. He had hoped she would go peacefully quietly but no she wasn't. The disease was tearing his poor wife apart and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it!

"Damn!" Goku swore as he punched the water, tears running down his face as the water fired upwards as if a truck had fallen into the water. "Damn!" He swore again as he brought both hands down into the water his eyes clenched tight as the image of his wife covered in filth looking up at him with her eyes rolled back into her head. This wasn't fair! Chi-Chi never deserved this! He should be suffering not… He snorted the running snot from his nose as the image of his wife played over and over in his head.

It was overbearing and Goku screamed, louder than he had ever screamed before. More than when he ascended to super sayjin three against majin buu. As his head went backwards his power flaring all around him as his hair went from black to yellow.

The sky which had been partly cloudy spread apart completely as Goku continued to scream to the heavens. The rings spreading apart casting down rays of bright sunshine as his tears still ran from his face. "This isn't right! This can't happen like this! Not to my wife! Not to Chi-Chi!" He roared as he ascended further his hair spiking behind his back as he let lose all of the emotion that had been boiling inside of him. His clothes flapped and struck against him as he let loose with his cries of frustration and futility. Until he finally collapsed to the ground sobbing into his hands.

He was too distraught to notice the ki behind him. "That's enough Kakarot… Your wife needs you. She's calling out for you and I'm not playing messenger boy more than once. Be thankful my woman has a few favors I owe her." The sayjin prince grunted wearing his blue tank top and long dark blue pants with matching white boots and gloves. He looked down at the third class with pity, it was a strange feeling but he knew it. Kakarot couldn't win this fight, it wasn't a battle he could win either. He just was thankful his Bulma was the same way. He doubted he'd be handling it any better than the younger sayjin. The harpy looked pathetic and ready to die any moment but still fought to stay alive, she was a tough little bitch in a good way. But even he considered if putting her out of her misery would be best, she was only going to get worse.

"I can't… I can't go back and watch it Vegeta." Goku said hitting the ground with his fists forgetting his strength he beat a massive hole into the ground but he didn't care. "I can't do it…"

"Get up clown, at least let your mate see your face when she dies. Or will you abandon her again like you did with Cell? I'm sure even a third class moron could gift his woman with a simple thing." Vegeta snorted turning away from him, he had said his piece he wasn't going to force Kakarot to come back.

Goku spat as he got to his feet his hands glowing with power, angry not only at what Vegeta said but the painful truth that he was right. "It's not right. None of this is." His aura dropping back down as he tried to calm himself from doing something irrational but this was something he had never trained for. It was consuming the proud warrior with a feeling that was beyond mental, and emotional agony.

"That is life Kakarot. I lost my childhood to Frieza but here I stand making do with what I have now. Your woman stood by you for years even when you died, and now when she needs you the most you leave her all alone." Vegeta glared at Goku with contempt. "You are disgusting. I'm done with you." He blasted off from the ground leaving the younger sayjin to figure out what he was going to do. Vegeta had enough conversations like this for one year, he would return to his gravity chamber and beat out this sentimentality over the next few hours.

Goku dropped to his knees and cried harder, I don't know what to do! He beat the dirt as a small pair of eyes watched his torment.

They had been sent behind Vegeta to make sure he did what he supposed to but it was clear that Goku wasn't ready to come back yet. Fortunately, they had talked to Chi-Chi while everyone was away, even if she didn't remember them she knew where the dragonballs were. Chi-Chi had a wish… but had said not to make it, because it was selfish.

She made up some story about it being just her time, the small figure dashed back to the house. No! Shenron could fix this, Goku just had to be stronger and he could do anything! All the stories were about how strong Goku had become but what if was strong to begin with? Never needing to train as hard as he did? What if he was the Legendary super-sayjin when he met her back when he asked to marry Chi-Chi? Then Goku could fix everything! He wouldn't loose and have to die, he could beat the cancer! It would work!

Goku pulled himself back together after another ten minutes and placed his fingers to his forehead and teleported back to the hospital. He appeared in his spot as Chi-Chi was sleeping. No one else was around, it was just how he wanted it to be, he pulled his chair to the side of her bed. His hands shaking slightly as they pulled over her frail ones avoiding the I.V. bags in her wrist, his fear of needles nowhere near overriding his pain of seeing his wife like this. He couldn't stop the waterworks as they came back again as she was barely breathing with the ventilator. He heard the machine pump in the air and take it back out as he watched her chest rise and fall to the tune of the machine.

"I'm sorry…" He cried cradling his wife's hand in his own two shaking. "I should've been a better husband, a better man." He said watching her not even react, her ki fading slowly away. "Chi-Chi… please don't go like this please! We still have a granddaughter to raise and-"his breathing hitched" We have Goten's wedding to look forward too!" He could barely keep himself under control. "Please Chi-Chi don't go!" His tears dropped from his cheek as they slowly splashed down on her hand.

"G…Go..ku.." A heavy breath said as barely opened eyes looked towards where the figure that was just a blob was.

Beep…. Beep… Beep.

"Chi-Chi! Chi it's me!" Goku said holding her hand tighter as he pulled himself closer bringing her hand to his chest letting her feel his warm chest and heartbeat.

She took a sharp breath in as the ventilator beeped for a moment before returning back to its pace. Her hand and grip was so weak she couldn't even see the face in front of her. It was all so dark. "I can…t" She exhaled feeling her husband's hands slide under her and pull her up to his chest, it was there she knew his warmth. His spiky bangs and orange gi… she just couldn't remember what it looked like. "Hon…ey" She said as something pressed against her forehead, she could feel water. The roof must be leaking again.

Beep….. Beep

"I'm here. Chi. Please I'm right here!" He choked out as he felt it coming.

"Be… Be… good. I-" Where was she? Where was everyone? Why were the lights out?

*high pitched* Beep

Goku's chest sucked in air as Chi-Chi's head rested against his chin. Her ki was flickering, her breathing so faint and her pulse had dropped. This wasn't how it was supposed to be! If only he knew better! If only he could have done more! His wife didn't deserve this! He didn't want to suffer with her like this!

"kiss… g-bye?" She muttered as she wondered why she hadn't kissed Gohan before he left for school. She should've remembered to do that, just… which one was Gohan? Was that her first son or her grandson?

Goku leaned down and pressed a soft feather touch against her lips as she smiled. "I'll miss you. So much! I don't what I'll do." He sobbed holding his wife tightly as her monitors flashed.

Beep-!

"Huarrgghhhh!" Goku screamed throwing his head back as he held his wife tightly, the ventilator stopping as did his wife's heart.

The nurse came quickly as the scream and warning lights flashed from her panel. She came into the room bearing a sad sight as the husband clutched his dead wife. His tears running down his face as he rocked back in his chair holding her close to him. It was common feeling as she approached him placing a consoling hand on his shoulder. "Sir." She said as the man rocked back in the chair crying still controllably. The other medical staff arrived a minute later but it was too late, as the Nurse shook her head holding up a hand for five minutes to let a husband grieve.

Goku laid her back down on the bed holding her hand as he cried hard into the mattress. What he wouldn't give right now to make everything right again! To do what he needed, knowing everything that he did now. He closed his eyes tightly as he felt a warm blanket placed over his shoulders. Probably one of the nurses trying to comfort him but he didn't want comfort! He wanted his wife back! He felt warmth all over him, as the blanket covered his back and down his legs until it almost enveloped him but didn't pay it any mind. He was only focused on his wife and her ki that no longer was there as slowly his mind went blank.

[***]

He awoke later against a wall, his head wrapped up in something. He couldn't understand why this all had to happen, not wanting to open his eyes but his hair was so tight, the nurses must have bunched up his hair or something! Wait… Where was Chi-Chi! His mind snapped fully alert as he jumped up to his feet, eyes popping open completely and he found himself in an alleyway. It wasn't the hospital!

What the hell happened!? His mind screamed as he looked down at his clothes which were all different his pants were yellow with blue and white boots? His top wasn't his orange gi but a blue thick sweat top like the one Kami gave him before he went to the world martial arts tournament. His hand reached to his back and he grabbed a familiar orange pole. He knew it anywhere, his power pole but just? Where? How!?

Goku took a step from the alley into the streets the midday sun just overhead as he saw people walking all around, his eyes looking over to the side where he noticed the world martial arts stadium. The one that he had fought in when he was younger? Was he dreaming? This had to be a dream or some terrible hallucination as he reached to scratch the annoying object wrapped around his head causing strips of cloth to fall from his head.

That was a turban? It was the one-! Goku blinked. His clothes? Power pole? It was all just like he had been at the 23rd world martial arts tournament? Just what was going on? How had all of this happened? Goku looked into the shop he was next to, his clothes just like he had thought in the reflection but as he looked up he saw something that made his mind stop. His face, his hair, his appearance…

He touched the glass with his fingers as he stared into what was his face as when he blinked the reflection blinked back. When he moved it moved as well. "That's not me." Goku said, his voice deeper and not the one he was used to which made his voice hitch as lump form. There was no mass of unruly spikes around his head. No there was a small bush of hair atop his head with five small spikes hanging down and around the sides of his forehead. The as a thick back base of hair fell down and around his shoulder blades.

This wasn't his face… no this wasn't even his body? But it was his mind? He was supposed to be sitting next to his dead wife in a hospital but now he was staring back at a reflection of what was not himself. Or what should not have been himself as he pinched his cheek. "I'm…" He swallowed as he looked hard at the unruly black sayjin expression he gave himself.

"I'm Broly…"

R&R. What do you think?

MB