I do NOT own Dbz or the characters nor do I profit from any of them. The same applies to any references made about songs, movies, books, or shows. Credit for the plot goes to Charismatic Beauty and the first 16 chapters were written by Petros24.

A/N: Thanks again for all of the positive comments on what I've written so far and I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters. This chapter held a lot of ideas from Charismatic Beauty and I really had fun playing off the ideas and working toward a more progressive chapter.

~~~~~~~Chapter 19: Progress~~~~~~

Goku and Chi-Chi just watched each other in silence for a few minutes. Goten was now going to be staying with the Briefs until further notice. Good, this space should be good. But why does it feel like everything is falling apart one day at a time? 'No more delaying. We need to fix this' thought Goku as he took in a deep breath.

"Chi-Chi? Why do you keep blaming me for your mistake? I understand that I neglected you and I took you for granted for far too long. I assumed you understood why I prioritized my training. Bulma said I had put you in a tempting situation by not giving you attention and so you went and found it with another man, but I tried to change things. You're not the only victim here... " said Goku in a sorrowful tone. The emotional toll was wearing him down, but he still had to push forward.

"Oh? So I'm supposed to just sit here and accept your neglect? I have done so much for you and the boys and all of you cast me aside at the first moment I mess up. What about you and all of your mistakes? No one seems to be taking that into consideration. They all just see what I did!" exploded Chi-Chi. "I know your friends aren't that fond of me because they think I'm an overbearing housewife, but I have always been a faithful and devoted wife and mother!" She was tired of feeling like everyone was casting aside all of her emotions and everything she had endured with her family for over 20 years.

"I'm not saying I haven't made my fair share of mistakes. Not trying harder to be a better husband sooner is one of them, and I know that now. As for everyone else, we'll as far as they know you've never messed around even when I was dead. So why would you start now, when I'm right here?" asked Goku. Trying to rationalize the situation was hurting his still hungover head but he needed to push her to talk. He needed to figure out where she saw herself in this mess.

"Because you weren't here! Being alive is not the same, Goku! It's true, I never remarried or so much as dated while you were dead, but I had made peace with that. I knew you weren't coming back and prepared myself to be a better mother for the boys. When you were dead you weren't just ignoring me! Your absence then couldn't have been helped versus now, when you are alive and well, training every single day. You wake up in my bed, change into the clean clothes I wash, eat the food I prepare, and then fall asleep in my bed without so much as a kiss. When you were dead I never had to see you and feel like you couldn't see me. Telling your wife that you can save the world and take care of your son but a little time for her isn't something you could do? That was a stab through my heart, Goku. After all I had done for this family and I'm suddenly not a priority? I'm sorry, Goku, but that's when I truly gave up on you." The tears burned at her eyes as she allowed them fall freely. This wouldn't have happened if he had just paid her attention. No woman should ever feel as though she is a ghost in her own home.

"I'm sorry Chi-Chi. I never meant to hurt you this way and I hope you can realize that I'm hurt too. So are Gohan and Goten. Until you come to terms with your mistake I doubt we'll be making much progress." Goku looked down at the floor as he brought his hands up to rub his aching head. "I think I'm going to head over to tell Goten he'll be be staying with Trunks for a while. He might get upset if he doesn't hear from one of us. I don't want him to feel like he's being abandoned because of all this. I'll be back later. Some air would probably do us both some good."

"Fine" stated Chi-Chi plainly. She had to agree that she could use some air.

This talk had not gone very well. At least not from Goku's perspective. He wasn't sure Chi-Chi even acknowledged her mistake with how she kept blaming him. He gave her a nod with sad eyes as he placed 2 fingers up to his forehead and used instant transmission to find Goten.

***********Capsule Corp************

Goten was finally allowed to take a break. Vegeta was right, his dad wasn't as hard on him when it came to training. He decided to sit under a tree behind the compound to enjoy the shade. He was finally getting a chance to be alone with his thoughts. 'I hate this. Why did mom have to start being a whore?' he thought pulling at some blades of grass.

"Hey son" said Goku making a his presence known. "How are you feeling today?" he asked as he sat down next to his youngest.

"I don't know. Still pretty fucking mad" replied Goten not wanting to make eye contact.

"Watch your mouth. I know you're upset, we all are, but that doesn't mean you can just keep acting up like this" reprimanded Goku.

"Sorry dad. Are you here to take me home?" asked Goten.

"That's what I came to talk about. Your mom and I are going to need some time to fix things between us and..."

"WHAT?! YOU MEAN YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO BE WITH HER? DAD, SHE CHEATED! WHY ARE YOU PUTTING UP WITH THIS BITCH?!" screamed Goten getting to his feet in an aggressive stance. He was far more pissed off now than ever before. 'What the fuck!' he mentally shouted as he began to pace.

"Goten! You need to calm down and listen to me. I am not going to abandon your mom after one mistake and you shouldn't either. These violent outbursts are exactly the reason we decided its best you stay here with Bulma, and I'm not going to tolerate you talking about your mother this way! She raised you alone for the first 7 years of your life and you shouldn't be this disrespectful no matter what she has done." Goku raised his voice and tried to use a stern yet calm voice not wanting to further upset his son, but also not letting him get away with his harsh tone.

"You're leaving me here? Are you serious?! First mom cheats and now I can't come home? Is she just trying to get rid of me or something?" Goten was feeling his emotions skyrocket to new heights. 'How can this be happening to me?' he thought as he panicked over his dad choosing his mom over him.

"No, Goten. We are not abandoning you or anything like that. This is why I came to tell you in person instead of letting Bulma tell you. Your mom and I want to try and fix things and we think it's best we all have some space to work things out. You're far to angry to be around your mother, that much is certain. We want you to be away from her so you can sort out your own feelings first. You'll get to hang out with Trunks, train in the GR with Vegeta, and Bulma can make sure you have more than enough food to keep your strength up." Goku sighed as his attempts to make this seem less stressful failed. Goten was now quiet and just staring at him. He stood to be face to face with him.

"Look, I want us to be a family again, and right now you're so angry at your mom and Gohan that I think it's best you take a break from us for a while. It's not permanent but I would really appreciate it if you could try to give us all a chance to make things work." Goku placed a hand on Goten's shoulder with a pleading look. Why do teenagers have to be so complicated?

Goten closed his eyes and tried his best to steady his thoughts as well as his breathing. He hadn't realized he had gotten so worked up over this conversation. "OK dad. If you want me to stay here then I will, but I'm not forgiving mom."

"All I want is for you to try, Goten. Not right now since you're emotions keep getting the best of you, but after some time I want you to at least be able to be home without some kind of explosive reaction towards your mother. We'll work on the rest later" said Goku with a kind smile. "One step at a time."

"Fine. I guess I can see how things go here. I can't promise the rest though" agreed Goten.

"Well not promising isn't the same as saying no" said Goku, "but it's a start, son."

********2 Weeks Later*********

Chi-Chi was on her way to Capsule Corp. Goku had decided he needed to find someone to spar with after weeks of repeating the same conversations. They hadn't made too much progress in repairing their relationship. They still slept separately and Chi-Chi still blamed Goku for her actions. Goku on the other hand was now very well aware of his roll in the damaged relationship but he still held his ground, looking for a way around the barrier Chi-Chi had created. She wasn't trying to see where she had gone wrong aside from the infidelity.

Gohan was apparently taking a vacation that his parents had only learned about 3 days ago. He had been avoiding his parents while attempting to spend as much time with his wife and daughter as possible. Goku had seen him here and there but they hadn't made too much conversation. Goku could tell he was still just as upset as he was before only at least now his anger was dialed down. That vacation time was really helping look well rested at least.

Once Chi-Chi arrived at Capsule Corp she was greeted by Bulma in her usual upbeat manner and lead to the sitting room on the far side of the compound, as far away from the gravity room as possible. Goten had just started his spar with Trunks and he didn't need the distraction of his mother's energy being too close.

"So how are you and Goku getting along?" asked Bulma setting a tray of tea and cookies on the coffee table.

"Not very well I guess" sighed Chi-Chi adding sugar to her cup.

"Really? I thought you guys would have worked things out a decent amount by now" said Bulma taking a sip of her tea.

"Well it's not like we aren't trying. We've been talking about it every other day and giving each other space on the off days. I guess that's Goku's way of letting me clear my head, but I feel like we're having the same argument over and over" explained Chi-Chi. "Goku keeps saying he knows where he went wrong but says that I'm refusing to acknowledge my wrong doings. I know I cheated and I regret it with my entire heart and soul, but I can't change that! What else have I done wrong?" She held her cup and allowed it to warm her hands as she mentally replayed her conversations with Goku once again.

"Alright girlfriend, it's time for some truth bombs. Now I'm only saying this as a good friend so maybe you can figure out how to make progress. Although I do sympathize with you Chi-Chi, we've always known you to be a very conservative and self respecting woman. For you to go so horribly over edge and do this is just too out of character for you. This isn't anything any of us expected from you." Bulma tried to prepare herself for the worst. Telling those I'm denial truth bombs didn't ever go well from her experience.

"I know, I'm disappointed with myself too and that's not like me at all! As a child I was always told to be a lady and not be running around like some hussy, but Bulma I am really getting sick and tired of all the blame and criticism from everyone! Gohan, Goten, Goku, Vegeta and now you? What do you people want from me?!" Chi-Chi shouted as she began to get all worked up. Not this again! "Why does everyone keep pointing out what I did wrong?!"

"Whoa Chi-Chi, calm down! I'm not trying to hurt your feeling or anything. We just need to establish that you understand that actions, especially unexpected ones, have consequences" said Bulma holding up her hands in an attempt to placate her friend.

"Well I'm already suffering severe consequences! Everything I have worked so hard for and everything I did to maintain it is ruined. My family HATES me!" Chi-Chi was on the verge of tears again. Fuck, was she tired of crying!

"They don't hate you Chi-Chi. Everyone is hurt, that's all. You need to give them time" said Bulma softly. It was hard watching a marriage fall apart, but harder to watch an entire family.

"And what would you expect after your husband says some bullshit like he can't spend time with you because you are his last priority? I swear if I wasn't tired I would have slapped the hell out of him with all my strength!" exclaimed Chi-Chi wiping her eyes before her frustrated tears could fall.

"Well, you know what you could have done instead?" Bulma asked and waited for her friend to make eye contact with her.

"What?" asked Chi-Chi somewhat skeptical of more judgement.

"You could have asked him for a divorce. In Gohan's words, 'It would have been more honorable,' and I'd have to agree with him. You could have sparred yourself and Goku the humiliation you now have to face" continued Bulma.

Chi-Chi gasped at what not only Bulma said but also her oldest son. "Bulma, I can't imagine living without Goku on a permanent basis! When he was dead it was different, it couldn't be helped, but living without him while he's alive is...is horrible to think about!"

"I know divorce seems scary to most people but it would have been the better alternative, but a neglectful husband doesn't justify cheating. I'm sure mentioning divorce would probably have made Goku realize how serious you were when you talked to him about your unhappiness in the first place." Bulma sat closer and placed a hand on Chi-Chi's shoulder to soothe her.

Chi-Chi allowed the words to sink in as her tears streamed down her cheeks. "I know that now, Bulma. I shouldn't have given up so quickly and given him the chance to redeem himself. He had tried so hard the days following the conversation and I didn't allow him to get close because I felt so dirty from seeing Enzo. I should have stopped seeing him when Goku began trying harder but I got caught up in not hurting Enzo's feelings as well. I don't know what had gotten into me to allow the affair to progress, and before I knew it, I was in his apartment!" Chi-Chi burst into tears as she finally realized where she had gone wrong. It wasn't just the affair that was her mistake, but everything that lead up to it. She should not have given up so easily and she should not have hid her unhappiness for as long as she had.

After calming herself down, Chi-Chi began to mentally plan things out. She needed to make it up to Goku somehow. She needed him to know that she understood what he meant when he said "come to terms with your mistake."

"Thank you, Bulma. You've helped me out so much and I don't think I could possibly show you the appreciation you deserve, but I will try and make it up to you. I need to head home and prepare to talk to Goku again. Maybe now that I fully understand where I went wrong we can start to move forward. Please tell Goten I love him and that I miss him. I hope he doesn't hate me for all of this" said Chi-Chi as she stood to make her way back to the front door.

"Don't sweat Chi. I'm always glad to help my friends and I hope you and Goku can patch things up. Don't worry about Goten, I will give him the message and maybe I can get through to him soon too." Bulma smiled as she walked her friend over to the door.

********In the Gravity Room******

Goten had sensed his mother on the Capsule Corp property. He was furious. How can she stay away for 2 weeks and show up out the blue without warning? It had already been a couple days since his dad came by to visit and from what he understood his mom was still being a bitch. 2 weeks of having to be forced to do Vegeta's intense training as his punishment. 2 weeks of doing his school work and whatever chores Bulma could find while Trunks was back in school. Why wasn't he allowed to go back to school? That's right, because his MOTHER pulled him out to home-school him and the Briefs had no authority to re-enroll him! So here he was, training instead of having a small social life and all because his mother was out to ruin his life!

~Punch, kick, jab~

'How much longer do I have to keep putting up with the shit!' thought Goten as he continued his spar with Trunks.

~Uppercut, leg swipe, punch, punch, PUNCH~

"Goten!" yelled Vegeta as he grabbed his wrist putting a stop to the boys movements. "Pay attention! Trunks is unconscious!"

Goten looked down where he had Trunks pinned down. He was bleeding from his nose and mouth, his left eye was turning purple and swollen shut, and he wasn't moving. "Oh shit, Trunks!" he shouted as he tried to shake him awake.

"GET BACK BOY!" shouted Vegeta in a protective manner. He checked Trunks' vital signs before scooping him up and walking to the door. "Don't go anywhere! You're next sparring partner will be me!"

"Oh God what have I done!" he cried as he watched Vegeta walk out to get Bulma to care for Trunks.

********At A Deserted Island*******

Goku was floating in the air in the middle of Krillin, Piccolo, Yamcha, and Tien. It had taken several calls for Krillin to get Yamcha to answer and invite him to the island, and at least an hour of Goku spiking his energy as a signal for Piccolo and Tien to meet him. He could have used his instant transmission but decided against it since he showed up in the shower with Krillin that morning. That was an unpleasant surprise for both of them, although 18 sure found it amusing. Now that everyone was here he could finally let off some steam.

"Alright guys, come at me with all you got" Goku said as he dropped into a stance.

"No problem! I've been needing a good spare. I'll go first if you guys are OK with it" called out Yamcha getting ready to make his first move.

"NO! I want you all to attack at the same time" shouted Goku powering up to Super Saiyan 2.

"WHAT?!" shouted everyone simultaneously.

"Goku, you can't be serious? I know you're powerful and all but what good will this type of spare accomplish?" asked Tien.

"Are you trying out a new technique?" wondered Piccolo.

"Listen, I know its a strange request and no it's not a new technique, but I've been having some issues at home and I need to let off some steam." Goku wasn't sure if his friends even knew about his troubles, but he hoped he could still count on them to help alleviate his stress.

"Well if its bad enough to garner attacks from 4 people at once then maybe we should do it. As long as you promise to fill us in when we're done here, Goku. I don't want to get beaten to a pulp without an explanation for 18" said Krillin getting nods from his comrades.

"Deal" smiled Goku returning to his stance as everyone followed suit.

*******Back At Capsule Corp******

~Dodge, block, after image~

Goten was not prepared to take on the level of skill that Vegeta was bringing to the table. The worst part was Goten knew that Vegeta was going easy on him.

"What's wrong boy!" Vegeta shouted blocking a series of sloppy punches. "Your mind is affecting your form!"

Goten said nothing as he struggled to inflict damage to Vegeta. He was getting more and more frustrated with every failed attack.

"What is it about your mother's presence that pisses you off? What about her makes you so ANGRY?!" Vegeta screamed as he swiped away a badly formed Ki ball.

"BECAUSE I'M NOT GOHAN!" screamed Goten as he let loose waves of yellow energy effectively showing off his anger. His power level began to rise with every heated word as he continued. "I CAN'T BE THE PERFECT KID THAT OBEYS WITHOUT HESITATION! I CAN'T HAVE PERFECT GRADES AND BE PERFECTLY CONTENT FINDING HAPPINESS IN BOOKS! AND I CAN'T GO THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT FRIENDS OR MAKING MISTAKES! I'M NOT GOHAN! I'M NOTHING LIKE HIM AND SHE PUNISHES ME FOR IT!"

Goten fell to the ground completely exhausted having pushed all his energy out in a furious show of contempt. He finally let out his deepest frustration and now he was breathless on the floor.

Vegeta stood in front of Goten several feet away keeping his air of indifference as he allowed Goten the small break. "I think it's time you go speak to Bulma. Go find her and don't come back to the GR until you have your head straightened out. Your human emotions are making you sloppy and far too unstable to keep training in here."

Goten caught his breath and stood. 'Maybe I should talk to Bulma. I blacked out when I sparred with Trunks and that can't be good' thought Goten watching Vegeta keep his glare on him. "I think I'll go check on Trunks" he said walking towards the door.

"Good, Bulma is with him. Talk to her. That's not a request!" growled Vegeta as he watched Goten walk out. "Finally! I can train without these damn brats!" he stated as he bumped the gravity up to 500 and began his warm ups.

******Back At The Deserted Island*******

Goku had unleashed a level of aggression no one had ever seen. He was hitting harder than necessary and had managed to not take any damage from any of his friends so far. He was pushing them to their limits and became more enraged as Piccolo finally landed a hit. He shielded his fast with Ki as he threw a punch at Piccolo hitting him square in the shoulder. Piccolo was thrown down to the island and skipped across the beach before landing face down in the water.

"Yikes!" shouted Yamcha as he went down to drag Piccolo back to shore.

"Goku! Can we take a break? I feel like our lives are in danger here!" shouted Krillin holding his hands up in surrender.

"Not yet! I have yet to land a hit and I'm not letting up until I do!" shouted Tien charging Goku once again.

Krillin and Yamcha watched with horror as Goku continued to out maneuver Tien, effectively avoiding every attack. Lucky for Tien, Goku wasn't throwing any attacks of his own. 20 minutes went by as the warriors became visibly exhausted but refused to back down. That was until Gohan arrived.

"What the heck is going on? I felt Piccolo's power drop and came to see if there was trouble" inquired Gohan. He had sensed his father's signal before but also noticed the others arrive. He assumed it was just another spar until Piccolo went down. His dad was always careful when sparing but he was sensing unusual hostility.

"Your dad asked us to spar with him because of some kind of issue at home, but we didn't realize how bad the situation was when we agreed to fight him at the same time" explained Krillin.

"Yeah I had to tap out after he sent Piccolo into the water! I've never seen Goku this thirsty for blood!" added Yamcha.

"Maybe I should get in there with him. I haven't had a decent spar in forever and the problem with my parents isn't exactly leaving me with any peace of mind" said Gohan as he powered up and charged his father. Goku was able to barely block the attack before taking a kick to the ribs from Tien. He spun around and kicked Tien across his back sending him down with the others.

Piccolo was regaining consciousness as Tien was sent down. They all watched in apprehension as the 2 Saiyans assaulted each other with ferocity unlike anything that had ever witnessed.

*******Back At Capsule Corp******

Goten stood over Trunks as he rested. Bulma had made sure to drug him so he wouldn't get up and seek out Goten for the attack. He was just like his father in that sense. He never could just take time to heal.

"Now that he's out, how about you tell me what happened" suggested Bulma. Vegeta had been vague on details as always so filling in the blanks was up to Goten.

"I...may have blacked out when I was fighting" replied Goten nervously. It had never happened to him before and the level of damage to his best friend made him feel uneasy.

"So do you want talk about why you got so mad? I'm sure it had something to do with your mom being here" said Bulma putting 2 and 2 together. "Come on, let's leave Trunks to rest and we'll go over what I talked to your mom about."

"OK" relented Goten following Bulma to the same sitting room where the cookies were left untouched.

Bulma grabbed Goten a gallon of milk and the rest of the cookies from the kitchen. 'Saiyans and their bottomless stomachs' she thought as she walked back into the room. "Now" she began, "what happened in the GR with Vegeta. You blacked out when sparing with Trunks, so obviously Vegeta went back in and pushed you into talking to me. He may have just wanted his GR to himself but you seem more relaxed. Like a weight was lifted off your shoulders?"

Goten sighed as he considered telling Bulma about his confession in the GR, but she already had him figured out from what he could tell. 'Might as well' he thought as he shoved several cookies into mouth.

Bulma waited patiently as Goten tried to settle his nerves by filling his stomach.

"OK" said Goten finally getting his thoughts in order. "Vegeta asked me what about my mom pisses me off and just screamed that I'm not Gohan. I feel like my mom wants me to be the perfect kid like Gohan was and she punishes me for it. He set a standard that's impossible for me to live up to and now my social life is ruined while mom runs around fucking anyone she wants!"

"Goten, I understand that it must be hard to follow your brother's footsteps, but I can also understand why your mother punished you so harshly. Parenting is easier when there are 2 parents to balance each other out. Chi-Chi has had to play the roll of 2 parents for longer than she should have. I allow Vegeta to handle Trunks' punishment because I know I'm too lenient. My parents allowed me to do what I wanted as a teenager and I would most likely be the same with Trunks. You need to understand her point of view on why she barred you from socializing. She was worried that if you continued down this path that you'd end up getting a girl pregnant. If that happens then your life would have changed drastically! Your childhood would be over, you'd have to find a job to support the baby, you'd need to be involved in raising the child whether you and the mother stay together or not because no one wants to be labeled a deadbeat, and most of all you'd have to do it all yourself. Sure your parents will help when they can but they will no longer be responsible for taking care of you" explained Bulma.

"Almost all the girls at school are on birth control and I know to use a condom. I'm not as stupid as everyone thinks I am" stated Goten.

"That may be so, but condoms tear and 1 antibiotic can render birth control ineffective. You aren't 100% safe just because you both think you are. Now I'm not against exploring your sexuality and gaining experience, but you definitely want to make sure you're in a steady relationship first. The punishment may have been harsh but all actions have consequences. You need to stop complaining about your lack of social life and accept the punishment for your behavior. You won't be banned from being social forever, just until you learn your lesson or move out at 18. Your mom was just being strict because she's never had to deal with things like this before. She has no idea how much trouble a normal teenage boy can be." Bulma waited until Goten gave her nod to assure her he at least heard what she was saying before she continued.

"As for your mother throwing it around, well she really wasn't. From what she told me it was a one-time thing and she truly regrets her actions. She is now at risk of losing her entire family for a fling all because she wanted attention from your father. You have no idea how much she wants to go back in time and make sure it never happened. I do NOT agree with what she did but, now don't get mad, Goku has his own actions partially to blame. Now he's dealing with those repercussions."

"I get it. Actions have consequences" interrupted Goten, "but what does that have to do with you and mom blaming my dad? What justifies these consequences?"

"Nothing justifies it, Goten. Your father wasn't acting like a husband" began Bulma.

"So you are blaming my dad! And saying that he's just a bad husband?" defended Goten getting a little irate.

"No, that's a little harsh. Let's say Chi-Chi didn't really understand what she was getting herself into when she married your dad. Goku is Goku and nothing can tame his adventurous spirit or his will to fight. I agree with Gohan when he said she should have asked for a divorce instead. Marriage isn't easy, you either stick it out or you file for divorce and that's what I would tell anyone in a trying situation. So your dad saying he didn't have time for your mom was the straw that broke the camel's back and she lost all patience with him. Goku may be a genius when it comes to fighting, but he's dense when it comes to people and emotions. The both messed up here. Chi-Chi has put up with a lot during the past 20 years, from your dad dying twice to him running off to train at every chance he gets and leaving her to raise you boys by herself. It's a shame that she gave up now that your dad is finally here. It's really bad timing for both of them."

Goten sat in silence. He hadn't considered how hard it was for his mom to be both the loving, nurturing parent she tried to be AND the strict, disciplinarian she needed to be. She had no balance and for the most part no help aside from Gohan when he was younger. Bulma was also right about his punishment; he couldn't be forced to be anti-social forever. He could move out at 18 and most likely his mom would have gave him more freedom given more time for her to calm down. His attitude hadn't been helping her either. He even realized he was angry at Gohan for being a momma's boy, not for keeping the secret to save him from the internal turmoil that he had probably been dealing with. 'Why do I still feel like shit?" he thought feeling the tears of remorse made their way to his eyes.

"Bulma? Am I a bad kid?" he asked as his voiced cracked and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"No! No, you're not a bad kid Goten!" reassured Bulma feeling like she was about to cry too. "You are a great kid that has made some bad decisions recently. We all make mistakes and bad decisions but that's how we learn to be decent people. Having a harsh reaction to things seems like a trait you picked up from your mom to be honest" joked Bulma trying to lighten the situation. "And she said she loves you and misses you so how could you be a bad kid?."

Goten gave a small chuckle as he wiped his eyes. "Great, now I'm a hypocrite like her" he stated with a smile. Bulma couldn't help but laugh as his revelation actually made some sense. Things weren't anywhere near being back to normal but this was a giant leap in the right direction.

********The Deserted Island*******

Goku and Gohan were now breathless and lying down on the beach. They had both over exerted themselves after unleashing powerful Ki blasts at one another. They looked as if someone had tried to run them through a wood chipper with how mangled their clothes and bodies were.

"Gohan, you should really try and train more. You would've beaten me for sure had you been in top condition!" gasped out Goku as he spit up a few droplets of blood.

"Yeah but if everyone hadn't worn you out first I wouldn't have stood a chance either way" groaned Gohan clenching at his sides. Probably a couple of fractured ribs and internal bruising. 'Videl isn't going to be happy about this' he thought as he remembered about their dinner plans.

"Well then. I think you owe us an explanation as to why you were so blood thirsty" stated Piccolo. His shoulder was sore but he'd manage. Although he wasn't happy about being taken out so easily.

"Yeah Goku, I don't remember you being this brutal even when were enemies" added Tien as he sat down to alleviate the pain in his back.

"Are you still having problems with Chi-Chi? I haven't heard from you since that night you came over to talk" reminded Krillin.

"What? What kind of problems?" asked Yamcha feeling out of the loop.

Goku sighed as he worked up the nerve to unveil his marital woes to his friends. He noticed Gohan stiffen at the thought of having to relive the moments leading up to the explosive confrontation at his parent's home that night.

"Well things between Chi-Chi and I hadn't been like they used to be. I made the mistake of neglecting her and then made things worse when I told her that I couldn't put my training aside to spend time with her. I tried to make things better by asking Videl for some helpful advice and stopped training as much, but by the time I had realized what she had meant when she said she was unhappy it was too late. She hadn't given me enough time to try and fix things before she gave up on me, and...well, she had an affair" explained Goku avoiding everyone's curious eyes.

"WHAT?!" screamed Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien in shock as Piccolo stood back in discomfort. 'So this is what had Gohan acting so strangely' he thought was he watched the Son men avoid the looks they were receiving.

"What do you mean she had an affair? With who?" asked Krillin.

"An affair! Like my mother whored around with some strange man after all the strict preaching she ever did!" shouted Gohan feeling his anger come forward.

"GOHAN! You watch how you speak about your mother!" yelled Goku. He was getting upset that Gohan was now stooping to Goten's level.

"Well she is isn't she! She went out and fucked another man and expects all of us to act like it never happened! You wouldn't have ever known had I not been the one catch her and treat her like the bitch she is!" screamed Gohan.

"STOP IT!" roared Goku suddenly powering up Super Saiyan and standing over his son. "You will NOT speak about your mother in that manner ever again! Do you hear me?! It's bad enough I have to go through this with Goten, but now you?"

Everyone watched in horror as Goku scolded Gohan. None of them had ever heard Gohan speak awfully about his mother and none had seen Goku get so worked up towards his children.

Goku took a breath and dropped down to his base form. "I know you are upset with your mother but as I told Goten, she has raised you alone for 7 years while I was dead. One mistake doesn't merit this much disrespect from you boys" he grit out through tightly clenched teeth. "I can understand Goten not knowing how to handle this because, as you pointed out, he's a teenager. You are an adult and I expect you to have some understanding and ACT like one."

Gohan was taken aback by his father's deadly glare. He had only ever seen that look on his face when Frieza killed Krillin on Namek. Goku was definitely not pleased with how his sons were acting.

"S-Sorry dad" Gohan apologized feeling like a child again. He lowered his head in embarrassment and mentally vowed to think before he speaks. Nothing like getting taken down a notch by your father to strip you of some man points.

Goku sat down in the sand with his legs crossed and his elbows on his knees so he could rest his face in the palms of his hand. Krillin and Yamcha sat down next to Tien trying to keep distance from the irate Saiyan while Gohan decided to stand near Piccolo to give his father some space.

"G-Goku? Are you okay?" gulped out Krillin trying to be the next victim of Goku's wrath.

"I...I don't know, Krillin" said Goku finally looking up with an exhausted look in his eyes. "I don't know the man that she cheated with and I'm not sure I ever want to know. The night I last talked to you was the night Chi-Chi confessed everything. We had to let Goten stay at Capsule Corp because he tried to attack Chi and Gohan after he found that Gohan knew and didn't say anything. I've been trying to work things out with Chi-Chi since then and so far we haven't gotten anywhere."

"No offense, Goku, but why would you want to stay with her after she betrayed you?" asked Tien.

"I know this isn't going to make sense to you guys, but it's not entirely her fault" said Goku fully getting Gohan's attention.

'What is he talking about?' wondered Gohan afraid to ask the question out loud.

"How so?" asked Piccolo picking up Gohan's curiosity.

"Well, I wasn't being a good husband. I put her in a 'tempting situation', as Bulma put it, by not spending time with her. I prioritized my training and my role as a father but disregarded my role as a husband. I hadn't seen any of this coming, none of us did, but if I had not taken her for granted then she wouldn't have done it. I know it didn't force her to do it or anything but I understand what my actions caused her to do. She's done so much for me and the boys over all our years together, and never once did she ever find comfort in another man while I was dead or training, but once I made her feel unimportant...she broke." Goku tried his best not to let his voice crack but was unsuccessful. "Now she's guilt ridden and cries herself to sleep every night, and I'm trying my best to fix things but she's in denial. She only wants to blame me for what she did and why our family is falling apart. I just want us to be a family again" he finished as his chin began to tremble.

Everyone watched in agony as the once happy-go-lucky Goku they all knew was reduced to a weak, dismal man. How could someone so strong be so broken?

Gohan watched as he felt remorse for his actions previously. He hadn't helped his father at all these past 2 weeks. They talked in passing but he never tried to fully understand why or how his father was handling the affair. He felt as if he had been contributing to the lack of progress because he had been acting like Goten. Like his unwillingness to try as he had once promised Videl was holding his mother back from trying to accept that this was deeper than the affair. She hadn't tried to solve things sooner and now she was paying the price. If he wanted to avoid the severe consequences that could come later, he had to try sooner as well. 'I can't wait until I break. Not like mom did' he thought. 'I need to work this out while it can be worked out.'

"You're right dad" said Gohan sullenly.

Goku and the others turned to Gohan in surprise. They hadn't expected him to speak up again after what happened earlier.

"We need to fix things so we can be a family again. I know I haven't been helping you through this like I should be. In fact I think I'm holding mom back because I was so hard on her when I caught her" Gohan continued.

~~~~~~~Flashback Ch. ~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello mother," Gohan greeted her in an angry voice with a penetrating stare.

Chi Chi paused in the middle of the sidewalk, knowing who it was but afraid to acknowledge him. With Gohan at her side facing her, she stared straight ahead into the urban landscape with wide eyes, completely stunned and defeated.

Gohan stepped in front of her and assailed her.

"What's going on?" he asked, with a deep and almost blood thirsty voice that only a Saiyan could muster.

"I…" Chi Chi stuttered.

"I was visiting a mutual friend of Bulma's for lunch," Chi Chi finally let out in an unconvincing voice.

"Well that must've been a literal power lunch then giving the bodily activity of you and the other person. Were you talking bites while doing push-ups?" Gohan sarcastically asked.

Chi Chi let her head and eyes fall to the ground. It occurred to her Gohan would've known what happened without seeing it.

The awkward silence between the two was filled by buses, cars, cyclists and pedestrians.

"Look, I knew something had be up for a while. I don't know how long this been going on but you can certainly count on me to NOT consider you as my mother from this point forward."

Chi Chi now looked up with tears welling in her eyes.

"Not only have you shown yourself to be a hypocrite with me and my brother, by raising us to act in exactly the opposite manner you have; but more importantly you've betrayed the love and caring of my father. In what world does he deserve such a thing?!"

Chi Chi had no response because she knew this was ultimately indefensible, as tears now rolled down her face.

"I'm going home. At least I'm at peace knowing what all of these strange behaviors with you recently have been all about," Gohan concluded as he started to walk away.

~~~~~~~~End Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~

"I promise I will try harder. Things shouldn't have escalated the way they have and I know I didn't help" admitted Gohan feeling like he was taking after Chi-Chi with his harsh treatment to his mother in order to punish her.

"Thanks, Gohan. This really means a lot to me" said Goku with a small smile. If Gohan could talk things out with Chi-Chi then maybe she could understand how they were all feeling. He was much better with processing his thoughts into words than Goku was, and maybe he could eventually get through to Goten too.

Everyone on the island gave the Son men words of encouragement as a form of support. They weren't in any position to oppose their decisions but the would be supportive in any way possible for their long time friends. If anyone could fight through such trying times, it was Goku.