Yea, I know…I have a fascination with trapping characters somewhere. Usually to get them to hook up. Oh, well…

Am I the only one that finds it odd that the Z-gang can stop bullets with their body without a mark, and block swords with their bare arms, yet Toto was able to scratch Gohan's face?

Chapter 2

Gohan shook his head as he groggily came around. I must have been hit by a big piece of rubble to the head. I think I blacked out for a moment.

For a moment, he wryly mused that it had to have been a hefty chunk to have knocked him out, even for a couple seconds.

After all, Sharpner's 75mph fastball had only startled and stung him.

Then again, rocks were bigger than baseballs, even baseballs going 75mph.

Gohan frowned, then glanced down to see if Videl was alright.

She appeared to have been knocked out either from the force of the explosion or a random piece of debris that Gohan missed protecting her from, but was breathing and didn't have any injuries aside from small shrapnel scratches.

Gohan let out a breath of relief, then gasped in pain that motion caused. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he easily saw what caused the pain that had shot through his left side.

He was somewhat glad that he hadn't curled up completed around Videl, and that he had grasped her closer to his right side. Else, she would have also been hit with the beam that had speared him.

Gohan gritted his teeth as he followed it with his eyes. The top half was trapped in rubble above them…which meant that he wouldn't be able to move anywhere unless he did something about it.

A quick inspection told him that it had luckily missed his vital organs…but he could already see the dark puddle that formed where his blood ran down the part that protruded from his front.

Gohan sucked in a breath to avoid shouting in pain and carefully maneuvered his left arm to reach back. When his fingers touched the beam, he concentrated his ki and melted it.

That, at least, would allow him movement now that he had cut it in two.

Not that he wanted to move with the pain, but if he survived until they were rescued, it would also help them move him out.

He contemplated blasting through the rubble since Videl was still unconscious, then scrapped that idea. He had no idea how much was on top of them, and was lucky that some of the beams and other rocks formed a small 'cavern' around them. If he blasted out a wall, it could cause a cave-in.

And, in his current condition, he wouldn't be fast enough to move to the exit with Videl and a beam through his side.

Gohan entertained the idea of pulling it out, but then scratched that one. The wound bled, but it would bleed a lot more once the beam came out. Instead, he carefully tested the rest of his limbs. Aside from shrapnel wounds and the skin that pulled taut at his back which indicated burns and possibly scrapes from shielding Videl with his body, he seemed to be in functional order.

A stab of pain from his side made him reassess that.

His arms and legs were in functional order, as was his head and brain. However, unless he went Super Saiyan or got a boost of adrenaline, he doubted he would be moving too much.

A groan brought him out of his thoughts, and he looked down. Wow…this position is certainly compromising.

After all, he was on his hands and knees above Videl's prone form.

As another jolt of pain made him grit his teeth, he figured he should try and talk to her before she smacked him upside the head. "Videl-san? Can you hear me?"

Videl blearily opened her eyes…and saw nothing but black. After a brief moment of panic, she realized that it was the darkness of the area combined with Gohan's black vest.

"The school came down around us. We're trapped under the rubble," Gohan explained as sweat rolled down his forehead.

Videl took a couple moments to reorient herself, then realized the position they were in.

As soon as he saw her eyes widen, Gohan tried to stammer an explanation. "It's not what it looks like…!"

"Like hell…! Were you trying to take advantage of me while I was unconscious!? All alone…?! GET OFF!" Videl roughly pushed against his chest.

The movement caused the melted tip of the beam that stuck out behind him to scrape against the edge that was still held up by rubble.

Gohan's right shoulder hit the rocks nearby as the friction passed, but he couldn't help but scream. The jarring did nothing to help the wound, and he could feel the area on his front and back grow damp with blood.

Videl immediately sat up and stared at his hunched form. "Gohan-kun?" Did I hurt him? Geez, I can't believe I reacted like that…of course someone like Gohan-kun wouldn't try to take advantage of me…I don't even think he knows what that means!

Gohan tried to speak, but just coughed in agony between pained grunts.

It was then when Videl's eyes adjusted a bit more to the darkness, and she saw what she had failed to see earlier.

Meaning, the metal beam that protruded from Gohan's side.

Videl trembled. She didn't even know what to say. Working with the police, she had usually helped before things got bad or someone went down with more than a few scrapes.

And, aside from the police force, she didn't know them.

This was someone she knew…a classmate…a friend…

…that had a metal beam clear through his side that dripped with blood.

"G-Gohan-kun…" Videl stammered.

Gohan tried to smile at her. "It looks worse than it is."

"But…but it's…" Videl's hands shook, her eyes wide. And I pushed him! What if it drove it in deeper? Or made it worse? Oh, geez…no wonder why he screamed! Tears welled up in her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hand.

She felt sick.

Not just from seeing the beam through her friend, but at the thought that she might have made it worse.

"Videl-san? Hey!"

Videl looked up as she struggled to keep down her lunch.

"It didn't hit anything vital. And the bleeding has already slowed…" Gohan grimaced. It felt strange to have a piece of metal in him, but at least it helped to plug up the wound. Once it was removed…

Well, that would be another story.

"How…how far did…?" Videl trembled.

"All the way," Gohan responded.

Videl choked back bile.

"Videl-san? Is your communicator still working?" Gohan questioned her. His side ached, and he knew that he had already lost some blood…but ironically, he seemed to be the only one with his wits intact.

Fighting against aliens to the death could do that to you, he supposed.

He had quite a few brushes with death when he was younger…two of which came from the adventure on Namek, alone.

Videl didn't have that experience, nor had she ever seen a friend get mortally wounded.

"Videl-san?" Gohan prompted the girl, then reached out and weakly touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Videl rasped. If I hadn't challenged those guys…if Gohan hadn't covered me…he wouldn't be…

"I'm not dead, yet," Gohan reminded her. Though, he did wince, and his hands clutched his pants tightly from the pain. Sweat dripped from his chin to the floor, but he ignored that and the trickle down his neck that made him shiver. "Your communicator…"

Videl shook herself out of her shock, and checked it. "It's intact…"

"Good. You can contact them and tell them where we are. I imagine a building as large as the school coming down created quite a bit of an area for them to search."

Videl was amazed at how calmly he took it. Or, maybe he's just in shock from the wound. Not good. She activated the communicator. "Chief?"

"Videl! A couple of your friends said that you were caught in the explosion that downed the school!"

Videl blinked in confusion. "My friends?"

"Yes…blonds, the both of them. A male and a female. Said everyone else was in the gym, and the building collapsed on you and another student."

Videl immediately knew who it was. Sharpner and Erasa. Then, they already know our general area. But they don't know about Gohan-kun's injury. "Chief, how long will it take to dig us out?"

"We've already started…a couple hours, maybe…"

Videl shook her head. "You have to work faster than that! The other person in here…my friend, Son Gohan-kun…" …shielded me, and… "…is severely injured! As in, we don't have a couple hours to wait! Make it less than an hour!"

The chief paled at the other end. "It's that bad?"

"Yes! Ask my father to help if you need to since he's strong…I'm sure he'll pay for cranes or whatever…get the best you can to get us out! Track down that goof Saiyaman if you have to! Oh, and have an ambulance on standby!"

"R-Right!"

Videl cut the connection and realized for the first time that she had shed tears during the call.

"Videl-san?" Gohan questioned.

Videl carefully moved over to where he leaned sideways against the wall. He couldn't lean back against it due to the beam, after all, and there wasn't much room to begin with.

"You…lay down." Videl pointed.

Gohan blinked a couple of times. His vision had blurred a bit, and he knew that wasn't a good sign. "Why?"

"You're injured, you moron!" Videl shouted, then took a few deep breaths to collect herself as she wiped her eyes. She carefully pulled at his shoulder, and got him to lay on his left side. Yes, it was the side with the injury, but she figured the pressure might help ease the bleeding, and would much have him lay so that his uninjured side wasn't restricted by the ground for his breathing.

Gohan blushed a bit when he realized his head was on her lap. "Videl-san…?"

"If you breathe a word of this to anyone…"

Gohan chuckled, then cringed.

They sat in silence at first. Videl didn't know quite what to say, and Gohan fought against the pain in his side…and the realization that, despite his injury, he was quite comfortable.

Then, Videl gave into the silence. "Why did you do that?"

"Huh?" Gohan blinked groggily. He was beginning to feel a chill in the air…combined with the way his vision grew fuzzy at times, he knew that he'd be dead if they didn't find them soon.

"Cover me…you could have died. If a chunk of rubble had hit you…" Videl trailed off with a concerned glance to the beam that was darkened in spots with his blood. You still can die…

She didn't want to admit that part aloud.

"I couldn't just let you die. You're my friend," Gohan responded.

"The media will get a field day out of this one…"

Gohan flinched, but not completely from the pain. "Oh, man…I didn't think of that. I don't want to be on the news."

Videl was silent for a few moments. She had heard of it in movies and in some stories she had read…people that threw themselves in the paths of bullets or danger for family members or friends.

But she didn't think that such a person actually existed.

Someone that so willingly, and without a second thought, threw himself in harm's way just to keep her safe.

Not for glory, money, or publicity.

Not to have his name in the papers and across televisions.

But only because he cared about her.

Gohan blinked when something wet hit his face. "Videl-san?"

"Idiot…" Videl wiped her eyes with her arm. "You're an idiot! I haven't exactly been very nice to you…always accusing you about Saiyaman, suspecting you…but yet you still…"

Gohan was about to say that he would have done it for anyone, but felt that it wasn't the right thing to say right then. Plus, though he would have covered anyone, Videl was special somehow.

"You're still a good person," Gohan finally answered. Then, he smiled. "Ya know, my father did things like that. It didn't matter who it was…even if it was his enemy, he would show mercy or try to help them."

Videl felt warmed by his innocence. "You inherited that, then."

"I'm not sure about that. Father managed to stay alive while doing it." Most of the time…

Videl looked down at him and was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

"Dying is painful." Gohan didn't know why he was talking. Maybe he was half delirious from the wound, he didn't know.

"Well, from a beam, I'd imagine you aren't too comfortable…" Videl nearly squirmed in guilt. If he dies…it'll be my fault. I'm supposed to protect the citizens of the city! Yet, my stubbornness might cost him his life!

"I don't mean that…" Gohan took a shuddering breath, then let it out. "For everyone else. It's painful. Because you can't do anything. You can only stand there and watch it happen. Pray that it's not true…pray they can be saved, or that they haven't passed on, yet…"

Videl was confused at first, but then seemed to catch on. Especially with the way he spoke of it. "You've…seen it."

The tears that rolled down Gohan's cheeks was confirmation.

Videl clasped his hand in hers to reassure him, and nearly jumped. Cold. His hand is so cold… her mind immediately snapped out of the thoughts the conversation had caused as she stared at him. Cold isn't a good sign. Dammit, where's the rescue party!?

"Of course, nobody wants their friends and family to be sad or stay sad at their passing. You know, someone sacrificed themselves for me when I was little."

Videl wanted to tell him to stop talking and save his energy, but just couldn't form any words.

"I cried…but then…" Even with his mind foggy from blood loss and pain, Gohan knew better than to say anything about the Dragonballs. "…I knew he wouldn't want me to mope around. He wanted me to be happy. I was always determined to make him proud. And later on…I could have sworn he told me. He was proud of me."

Videl shook her head. "Stop…" Stop talking…because it sounds like the way I'd imagine someone on their death bed to talk. About death…about leaving people behind…

"He wasn't the only one that's sacrificed himself in front of me. That died in front of my eyes. At first…I didn't know some of them well. Others, I did. But, and he even said so…that he didn't want us to be sad. I've still got mom and my little brother…grandpa, too…"

Videl was confused at first, since it seemed as if he talked about quite a lot of people and then started to talk about a single person. Once she realized that, she was able to follow the talk better.

Gohan didn't know why he continued to speak. His vision was hazy, and he was surprised he hadn't started to shiver from the cold. "He didn't leave us to make us sad. He died doing what he loved. And he left us the memories he made in our hearts. He left us with what he loved and enjoyed doing. He didn't fight to die…he fought to live. That's what he left us."

Videl didn't know how to respond. She had never had to watch someone die, and with all her jobs with the police, had never even experienced seeing death or was anywhere near it. She pushed back the tears that hadn't fallen yet, and questioned him, "You aren't sad?"

Gohan smiled weakly. "A little. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. After all, I won't hear his voice again or see him fight. But…I'm not alone. He didn't leave me all alone. He left me with our family, with friends…and with what he enjoyed."

Videl shook her head and bravely held back a sob. "Enough……please…"

Gohan smiled up at her.

Despite his condition, he smiled at her.

"Gohan-kun…"

Then, his eyes slowly closed, and his body seemed to relax.

His grip on her hand slackened.

"Gohan-kun…?" Videl trembled, then squeezed his hand. "Gohan-kun!?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she shook his shoulder a bit. "Please don't die! Gohan-kun!!"

In desperation, Videl clutched at his hand. And it was then when she felt it.

Weak, but there.

Her eyes widened, and she moved a bit to put an ear to his back.

It was slow…but it was definite.

His heartbeat.

His pulse.

Videl hugged his shoulders and head to herself as her tears fell. He was still alive.

Just then, there was a rumble, and Videl had to flinch away from the light that suddenly invaded the area.

The girl looked up, then laughed in relief when she saw a few members of the rescue force.

The relief soon turned to a chill as she remembered Gohan.

"Hurry and get him out, first! He's getting worse!!" Videl shouted.

The workers hurried to do so, and some blanched at the beam that had gone through the teen.

Then, another couple helped Videl out.

In the sunlight, Videl was able to see the damage that had been done to them, and the blood that caked Gohan's torso as they loaded him onto a stretcher and fixed a respirator to his nose and mouth.

Videl pushed away concerned workers as she ran to the ambulance they loaded him into.

A couple glanced at her in confusion.

"I'm coming." Videl left no room for argument with that statement.

The workers just nodded. They could only patch up Gohan's minor injuries, after all. They didn't have the equipment to remove the beam from his side.

Especially with how much blood he had already lost.

Videl reached out and took Gohan's limp hand. Gohan-kun…

TO BE CONTINUED…