A/N: Thank you Storm-of-insanity, Volcanic, Chikyu, and Daffodil8728 for the reviews! I am so, so, so, so, sorry for extreme wait for this chapter. I've been working on and off with it and just didn't want it to suck. I really want this story to be as good as the last story, even better. Again I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. (And for the horribleness my story Keep Me Quite has become --)
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It's gone from light to gray
But I'll move those clouds away
Letting the sun shine through
In this ode to you
Let the demons have their place
If so, it's angels you'll create
And disguised within the dark
Light will wait
Dredge- Ode To The Sun
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"Back again Piccolo?"
Piccolo scowled folding his arms over his chest as he peered up at King Yemma, "Believe me, it wasn't my choice."
"Let's see…" King Yemma flipped through several pages of the large book on his desk, "Ah, here we are… Piccolo Damaio Junior… It seems you died in a-"
"Don't say it." Piccolo grumbled, "Just stamp it and let me through... Or send me back."
Yemma chuckled stamping the page, "You know the rules…" He paused for a moment, his face growing solemn, "You know they can't wish you back this time. This time it's permanent."
Piccolo snorted, "I'm sure you said that to Son at one point." He folded his arms over his chest.
"Ah Goku… he always did seem to be able to find a way out of death." Yemma smiled sadly, "Go on out the door on the right."
"No, I'm not ready." Piccolo said solemnly.
Yemma blinked, "But if you don't…"
Piccolo smirked, "I know," He said turning away from the desk, "But I'm not ready yet."
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Bright, the day was bright. Kage frowned covering his eyes with the pair of sunglasses he had fished out of a drawer. He didn't want to see the sun today, he wanted it to rain. Hizashi ran out in front of him to Krillin and his daughter Marron.
"Hi!" Hizashi grinned then blinked shaking his head, "I mean, hi." He bit his lip and waved soberly remembering that this was a day to be serious.
Marron smiled sadly, "Hi, Hizashi. Sorry about your Grandpa."
"Yea…" Hizashi nodded, "It's okay, he'll be back tomorrow." He smiled again.
Marron furrowed her eyebrows, "How?"
Hizashi shrugged, "He always comes back."
"Hizashi," Kage sighed noticing the sad looks being tossed his way; the boy hadn't quite grasped what had happened yet, "Grandpa's not…" He couldn't find his voice anymore and was thankful when Andy stepped in kneeling before their child.
She took Hizashi's hand, "Come on Hizashi," She whispered, "Videl wanted to see how big you've gotten." Her eyes slid back to Kage as she stood up, "We'll be right back."
He nodded and the two disappeared into the house. Kage sighed bowing his head when he felt a hand on his arm.
"It's difficult for children to understand death at that age." Krillin said moving his hand to his daughter's head before she ran off following Andy and Hizashi into the house.
Gohan side stepped the little girl and avoided tripping on the garden hose Trunks and Goten had left out earlier. At least some things never change…
Krillin nodded to Gohan as he saw the man approach, "I should go find my daughter before she causes trouble." He winked jokingly at Kage before retreating into the house. Gohan paused for a moment nodding to Krillin as the monk passed by.
Kage pressed his lips together then sighed forcing himself to look over his shoulder at Gohan, "Odd, huh?" He called over.
Gohan continued forward trying to give the young Namekian a friendly smile. It just wasn't going to happen; his lips wouldn't perform the action. Kage understood, he couldn't bring himself to smile either, not when his soul ached.
"What's that?" Gohan asked stopping before Kage.
Kage breathed in slowly through his nose, "I didn't think he'd ever... die" His eyes burned with the unshed tears working their way up his throat.
Gohan swallowed, "Neither did I."
Kage nodded turning away; he opened his mouth wanting to say something else then decided against it. He heard Gohan sigh quietly behind him before heading back into the house. A moment later the door reopened and a small green blur ran into Kage's leg.
"D-daddy," Hizashi sobbed clawing at the fabric cladding Kage's legs, "Daddy no… no, no, no!" He cried burying his face into his hands, "Grandpa's coming back, he's coming back!"
Kage gaped down at his young son unable to find his voice. It was like someone had punched him in the stomach then ripped out his heart. Slowly he knelt down to his knees, Hizashi pulled back and stared at him with watery eyes.
"I," He hiccupped rubbing at his large eyes with clenched fists, "I want my Grin-pa."
Kage pulled the boy to his chest and held him there, "Me too." He whispered.
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Two Weeks Later
"Kage, come to bed."
It was well after midnight and the Namekian man hadn't slept at all in the past two weeks. No matter how hard he tried to hide it Andy could tell, she could see the wariness and sorrow in his eyes. She wanted so much to just take it from him and let him get at least one nights rest. That's why she stood there now, in the doorway of the darkened kitchen, if he couldn't sleep then neither would she.
He frowned slightly pulling the half-empty bottle of sake closer to him, "Just go to sleep Andy."
Andy stepped further into the room, "Not without you mister. You need to stop this, it isn't good for you." She tried putting up the tough front she had seen Bulma use with Vegeta; it had seemed to work for her.
Kage scowled raising the lip of the bottle to his lips, "I don't need sleep, I'm a Namekian." He grumbled taking a long drink, the liquid sloshed inside the brown bottle as he set it back down.
"Raised on Earth!" Andy cried, "Your body is used to sleeping! Please Kage…" Her voice wavered slightly, "Please… I know it's hard but you need to collect yourself. Not just for me but for Hizashi, he's… he's…"
Kage lifted his head, his eyes glazed over from lack of sleep and the over consumption of sake. Andy stared at him sadly, "He needs you."
Silence filled the small kitchen for a few scat seconds. Andy sucked in a slow breath threw her nose then moved across the room snatching the sake bottle from the Namekian. The smooth surface of the glass slipped against her fingers falling to the hard wood floor with a crash.
Kage jumped up from his seat, "Damn it Andy!" He yelled ignoring the way the woman startled back at the unexpected snarl in his voice, "Why can't you just leave me alone?"
Andy coward slightly, "Kage," She whispered composing herself, "I'll clean it up."
"It's not about the sake," Kage growled kicking at the shards, "Stop nagging me damn it!"
"Now you listen to me mister!" Andy frowned not liking the role of scared little housewife she was finding all to easy to fall into, "You're hurting this whole family acting the way you are!"
Kage stepped up to Andy, "Back off." He hissed.
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He had fallen for him the moment that he saw him. He promised the same promise he had made to two others, he would not let harm come to the child. Large blue eyes that followed him everywhere he went, those eyes resting on him now. Those eyes filled with tears begging him to do something. But it wasn't him they were staring at; it was the door that led out to the kitchen.
Hizashi's small frame trembled with sobs, "S-stop it." He whispered pulling his blankets up to his mouth, "Please…"
Piccolo turned glaring at the door. Just outside Kage and Andy argued, 6th time that week. Their voices carrying into the small boy's room loud and clear. Piccolo scowled, his death had brought Kage crashing down into a mass of anger and depression. The boy needed to get a hold of himself, and, by the sounds of it, soon. A crack echoed through the wall, the familiar sound of skin connecting with skin, and then silence. Someone had been slapped, and hard.
The door flew open going right through Piccolo and slamming into the wall before slamming shut again. Hizashi whimpered as Andy pulled him to her and held onto him, "Come on." She whispered softly kissing the top of his head. A bruise was already forming on her right cheek just under her eye.
The door opened again before she could make it to it, "Andy-" Kage gasped as the woman pushed through him.
Piccolo whirled around on him, "You hit her?" He barked, "Kage!" He shouted his words falling on deaf ears.
"No Kage!" Andy cried, "No! We're leaving until you get your act together!"
Kage shook his head grabbing Andy's arm, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, please don't leave." She pulled away from him moving to the front door, "Andy he's my son you can't just take him!" Kage cried following her out the door and down the steps, "You can't leave! Please don't leave, I'm sorry!"
Andy opened the car door and put Hizashi inside before turning back to her husband, "Kage," She said closing the door, "You need time to collect yourself." She moved to the driver's side and opened the door, her eyes flickered back to Kage, "You're not stable, get some help."
And then she got into the car and drove away leaving behind a trail of dust. Piccolo watched Kage from the doorway, a look of disgust overwhelming the anger in his eyes. This was not the man he had raised.
Kage dropped to his knees sobbing, "I've lost everyone I-I ever loved." He cried crumbling to the ground, "D-daddy."
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A/N: Please Review!