Raindrops

A moment of silence. A quiet sob here and there. Whispers of condolences. Endless raindrops. "Gohan...I'm going to go a lot sooner than you are."

It was cold. Much too cold.

Videl shuffled closer to her beloved as he opened up an umbrella, shielding the both of them from the quiet, endless raindrops which descended from the sky.

It was quiet. Much too quiet.

She peeked up at him, her heart nearly shattering again at his cold, composed expression, as he gazed into nothing with bloodshot eyes. She absentmindedly rubbed at her own eyes, wiping tears away which she never seemed to notice were there.

The somber group of friends and family stood by the casket sitting outside on the wet grass in a still, haunting silence. Due to unforeseen weather, the beautifully decorated casket was closed, so none could see the old woman who lay resting forevermore, an eerie smile on her face, as if she had finally found peace and calm.

Much, much too quiet.

Silently, Videl removed her hand from her pocket, reaching for Gohan's hand. With the other hand, she tugged absentmindedly at her black dress, wishing desperately for someone to say something. Anything.

A few days prior, Chichi, mother of two saiyans, wife of the world saviour, fighter till the very end, had passed in her sleep. A painless death. They guessed that it was the enormous amount of stress she faced in her previous years that caused her to age so quickly.

Much, much too quickly.

And this time, the dragonballs could not revive her.

Videl glanced warily around at everyone present. Goten, standing by Krillin and a few others, his eyes red as he bit the inside of his cheek, lip quivering. Her baby brother-in-law, only 17 years old, dressed in a black suit, was not the cheery young man he always was; he seemed broken, in a sense.

Videl shivered.

Krillin staring at the ground somberly, holding a black hat to his chest. Android 18, her severe gaze not as severe as it usually was as she stared down at her husband carefully. Marron standing by her parents, a few tears streaming down her face.

Videl's gaze turned to the Briefs. Bulma, sobbing quietly into Vegeta's chest, mourning the passing of the woman who had become her best friend throughout their years of peace. Vegeta, a cold, distant expression on his face; it took someone close to him to see the emotion behind his empty stare. Trunks, with bloodshot eyes, stared at the coffin in a look of almost disbelief. His young sister, Bulla, trying her best to be strong and not let loose any tears.

Videl looked down, thinking of her own 3 year old daughter, who just earlier cried herself to sleep over the loss of her beloved grandma. Gohan and Videl agreed to let her sleep in the backseat of the car until the ceremony was over and it was time to go home, as young Pan refused to get back up, and she was within sight, anyways. Videl glanced back at the car which was parked nearby, catching a glimpse of her daughter sleeping peacefully through the window.

She sighed, her tired gaze returning to the group of people. Yamcha, Tien, Piccolo..the list went on. Everyone was present. Everyone dressed in black.

Finally, a cough was heard, and everyone watched as Bulma composed herself enough to stand in front of the small group of people.

"So," she stopped, swallowing once before continuing. "Today we are gathered not to mourn the passing of a strong, incredible woman...we're here to celebrate her life." Her voice broke on the last word. Videl, not meaning to, tuned out, and turned her gaze to one person in particular. A man, standing a good distance away from the group of people. A man, dressed in black, swallowing hard, staring at the casket which held the wife he himself held so dear.

This man was Son Goku.

Videl winced. She could not begin to imagine the kind of pain the saiyan was going through. His own wife passed, suddenly, so suddenly...not to mention, she died while he was out training Kami-knows-where.

Sure, their relationship had its flaws. Sure, many questioned it from time to time. But one thing that no one ever doubted was the fact that Goku loved his wife dearly.

Goku was a saiyan. This not only entailed strength, but the ability to live long- to look and feel and be much younger than his age should permit. When Chichi looked like an old-woman, Goku looked young, and fit, and strong. And there was no doubt in Videl's mind that it was killing Goku thinking of how long he had to live knowing his wife was waiting in Otherworld.

While Goku would always smile his goofy smile during the toughest of times, it scared her seeing him so...so numb.

Videl swallowed hard.

She had finally come to face the thoughts which had been plaguing the back of her mind these past few days.

What would happen when she grew old, and weak, and weary?

What would Gohan do?

She bit her lip, looking up at Gohan as he focused on the people who came up to talk about their experiences with the tough princess who became such a great mother, such a strong person. They laughed, they cried, they choked and stumbled over their words time and time again. Yet Videl could not tear her attention away from her husband who was so broken at this moment. He turned to look at her, tears in his eyes which he rarely, if ever, showed. He bent down to kiss the top of her head, as if reassuring her not that he was okay now, but that things would be okay soon. Finally, it was Goten's turn to speak. The young man told stories of his life with his mother, good and bad, a lot of them ridiculously funny. Videl laughed softly as he recalled one of being chased around the house by his mother with her deadly frying pan due to the fact that he had decided to run around naked. Gohan chuckled.

"I remember that," he murmured to himself, which Videl caught, making her smile softly.

Finally it was her husband's turn to talk, as he slipped his hand out of hers, handing her the umbrella and walking up in front of everyone. She held her breath.

"You know," he began, smiling softly. "I had always been, and always will be, a momma's boy."

The group laughed, thinking of a young Gohan who always did as his mom told him to. "With mom gone...I'm not sure what to say. There's nothing I can say other than the fact that she will remain to be the greatest mother to ever grace this earth. She did so much for Goten and I-" his voice broke slightly as he tried to compose himself. "I'm sorry," he murmured, taking in a deep breath. Tears streamed down Videl's face like the raindrops which continued to stream down the sky. Videl set the umbrella down as she watched her husband speak.

Eventually there would come a time when Videl grew old, and Gohan stayed young, and she knew it would absolutely kill him. What would they do when that time came?

"My mom was incredible. And all I can really say is that I can't wait to get to Otherworld to tell her about her all about the great mother my wife became, the great things my daughter went on to do, and everything in between. I can't wait to fill her in on everything that I know she would have loved to see. Rest in peace, mom, wait for us...years go by fast."

Endless tears streamed down her face. Endless raindrops fell through the sky. Videl watched her husband walk over to her, kiss her softly, embrace her, and cry quietly into her shoulder. Her heart broke once more as she whispered words of love into his ear, wanting nothing more to make him feel better.

Wanting nothing more to feel better, herself.

Oh how she wished she wasn't human.

The two stood, side by side, as the ceremony came to a close, and as the casket was placed inside a large grave. Slowly, they covered her up, filling the hole with dirt and placing the gravestone down securely, which read, "Beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. Strongest one there ever was."

Slowly, one by one, people placed flowers on her grave, walked towards Goten and then towards Gohan and Videl to give them their condolences. Little by little, everyone left, until Gohan and Goten walked together to her grave, placing an array of flowers down, hugging each other, and then walking away. Goten quickly took to the skies, wanting to get back to the room he was staying in at the Briefs. All who remained were Gohan, Videl, and Goku.

Goku, who had remained silent through the whole procession, walked slowly towards his wife's grave, placing a rose on it, before turning to glance at Gohan. He smiled wearily before flying away.

That would be the last time they would see him for a long time.

And then there were two.

"Gohan..." Videl began. He turned from his spot in front of where his mother was laid to rest, looking at his wife.

"Yeah?" he asked quietly. She swallowed, making him look at her with concern. "You alright?" he asked.

"Gohan...I'm going to go a lot sooner than you are."

He stayed silent, his eyes widening as he realized what had been on his wife's mind all day.

"Videl..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

Videl's bottom lip quivered as she struggled to reveal what was on her mind.

"I'm only human," she whispered. "That's the problem. I'm only human." she glared at the ground, crossing her arms across her chest as tried her hardest not to burst into tears. Gohan quickly closed the distance between the two, striding over to his wife and embracing her.

"I don't want to worry about that right now," he murmured, stroking her hair in an effort to soothe her. She pulled away, angry not at him but at herself for being so...mortal.

"But we'll have to worry about it eventually, Gohan!" she cried out. "I'm going to grow old, and you'll look just as good as you do now...I'll look old, and I'll be weak, and I'll have wrinkles...what happens then?"

He stayed silent, watching his wife carefully before responding.

"I'll still love you."

"When I'm old and gray!? When my eyesight starts to go, along with my hearing? When kisses won't be the same, and when we won't be able to make love anymore? Even then, Gohan? Answer me that!"

"I'll still love you, Videl." he said quietly, with absolute conviction. More and more tears poured down her face as the rain soaked the two of them.

"How can you say that with such absolute certainty? I love you, Gohan, but what makes you so sure that you'll want to be with me when you can still do so much and I can only do so little?" her voice raised to a shout.

"Videl..." he sighed, shaking his head. "All I can say is that, no matter what the situation is, I'll love you. Even if you're old and gray. Even if your eyesight starts to go, along with your hearing. I'll kiss you every chance I get, Videl, even if we can't make love, I can promise that I'll always love you." He wrapped his arms around her waist tightly as she wrapped hers around his neck, sobbing into shoulder, staining his suit.

"She was so young, Gohan...it scares me," she mumbled.

"She was," he affirmed. "But she was amazing."

"I just want you to be happy, always."

"Videl, I'm happiest when I'm with you."

"You're just saying that," Videl mumbled, pouting. Gohan chuckled.

"No, I mean it, and you know it. I don't know what I'd do without my beautiful wife. But I don't want to worry about years and years from now. I want to be with you every chance I get right now."

They stayed in each other's arms, a comfortable silence enveloping the two.

"I wish she was here right now," Videl murmured softly.

"I do, too. But she's happy, I'm sure. We'll see her eventually and she'll be happy to see us and hear how life went for us. She'll go nuts."

Videl smiled slightly, until her motherly instincts kicked in.

"Oh Kami, Gohan, you're gonna get pneumonia out here in the rain!" she exclaimed, pulling away and looking at him worriedly. Gohan laughed.

"Videl, I'm Saiyan. Another 'perk' to that is not getting sick easily. You, on the other hand, we need to worry about."

Videl smiled sadly.

"Can't help but worry." Gohan smiled, and without words, as they weren't needed, grabbed her face gently with both hands, kissing her with as much love and passion as he could muster in that moment. Eventually, Videl pulled away, smiling smugly.

"You know, we've got a 3 year old sleeping in the car, we probably need to get out of here." Gohan's eyes widened in realization. Videl laughed. "She's fine, I've been looking back at her, she's out like a light..." she looked over at her dear mother-in-law's grave solemnly. "You ready to go, hon?" she asked softly. Gohan walked over to the gravestone, kissing his hand and placing it on the headstone softly, before turning around and nodding. He grabbed the umbrella from its place on the ground, placing it above his and his wife's head as they walked towards their car together.

"I can't wait to tell her how life went for us, Videl," he said, smiling. Videl smiled softly.

"I'm pretty excited to see how it's gonna go, myself."