A Night's Consequences: Five Years After

Part Four

Noiselessly, Videl entered her house. It was four o'clock in the morning, and Heiji must be still sleeping. Good. He won't even notice that she had been gone.

She had left Gohan's place while the latter was sleeping, not feeling capable to face him after what they had done. She still couldn't believe she fell for him once again. She had cheated on her husband, yet again. Yet she'd sworn to herself that it would never happen again. Why was she so weak?

She slipped under the covers, next to her sleeping husband, and was careful not to make any noise to not wake him. She closed her eyes, trying to forget the night she'd just spent with Gohan. But it was no use; she couldn't stop thinking about it. About him.

Why can't I forget him?

---

Gohan was surprised to find himself alone in his bed when he woke up. He saw a piece of paper on his pillow, and took it, frowning as he read it.

It was a mistake, we shouldn't have.
Please, forget me.

Videl

He clenched the paper in his fist. She regretted? When she told him that she loved him? Did it mean nothing to her?

He quickly got dressed, then got out of his house, running at a breathtaking speed toward Videl's Ki, with the firm intention to demand explanations. He arrived in front of a house, figuring it was hers, and went to ring the doorbell, all the while containing his anger. Heiji answered the door. The chestnut-haired man frowned when he saw Gohan.

"What do you want?" He asked, in an almost aggressive tone.

Gohan narrowed his eyes. "I need to see Videl."

"She's in the shower. Come back later."

"I'll wait for her." He said, inviting himself to come in.

Heiji was ramping. Who the hell did that man think he was? Heiji was about to tell him exactly how he felt when Pan arrived, her face lighting up at seeing Gohan.

"Hi Mister Gohan!" She greeted happily. "Why are you here?"

Gohan's face immediately softened when he saw his daughter, and he smiled. "Hello Pan. I came to see your mother."

Heiji's eyes went from Pan to Gohan, and their resemblance hit him.

No, it can't be…

Right then, Videl arrived. She froze when she saw Gohan.

"Go-Gohan? Wha… What are you doing here?"

Gohan's face became suddenly serious. "We need to talk, Videl. Let's go outside."

"I don't have time to talk to you, I have to take Pan to school." Videl said.

"Okay, then I'm going with you. We'll talk after dropping her off."

Videl sighed, knowing that she couldn't get away from it. "Alright. Come, Pan, we're going. See you later Heiji."

They soon left the house, leaving Heiji alone, whose mind was racing.

Videl would have… with that guy? No, it's impossible, she would never do that to me. But Pan looks so much like him, she has his eyes… And she has inherited nothing from me. She could be… his daughter? No, I have to be wrong, I'm imagining things. Videl would never do that to me.

But the doubt was here and it had no intention of going away.

---

"Bye Mommy, bye Mister Gohan!"

Videl watched Pan enter the preschool with a smile, but then she felt Gohan's gaze on her, and her smile fell. She sighed.

"Look, Gohan… I'm sorry I left like that, but it was really a mistake. I'm married now. You and me, it just wasn't meant to be."

Gohan clenched his fists. "And when you told me you loved me, was it also a mistake?"

She lowered her head, saying nothing.

"Answer me!"

"Let's go talk about it elsewhere. This isn't the best place to make a scene."

"Fine."

He took her hand and started to walk very quickly with Videl almost having to run to keep up with him. They arrived in a small deserted street and Gohan let go of her.

"Well?" He said. "You still haven't answered me."

"I…" She stopped, not knowing what to say.

"You told me you loved me, Videl. Did it mean nothing to you? Were these words in the air?"

She looked away. "Look, Gohan… We can't be together. I'm married to Heiji."

"Why won't you leave him? You're not happy with him."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Yes, I'm happy with him. And I love him."

Those words shattered Gohan's heart. "You… You're lying…"

Videl opened her eyes and looked right into his. "No, I'm not lying. I love him."

"Then why are you cheating on him with me?"

"Because you're a good lay."

"So that's all I am to you? A good lay?" He asked, pain evident in his voice.

"Yes."

He closed his eyes, clenching his fists, trying to ignore the pain in his heart. "But you told me you loved me."

"It was a lie."

He swallowed with difficulty. "I… I see. Then I'll leave you. I wish you happiness."

And he left, heartbroken. Videl closed her eyes, trying to stop her tears from spilling. It hurt so much to tell him all these lies, to see him suffer. But she had to. She was married, and she couldn't allow herself to cheat on her husband anymore.

It was better that way.

---

Heiji paced in the living room, waiting for his wife to come back.

For all I know she's…

No, he mustn't think like that. Videl would never do that to him. She was an honest and trustworthy person. He was imagining things, it was impossible that she was cheating on him with that guy, or that she had cheated on him before their wedding, and that Pan was actually…

He shook his head sharply, trying to dispel those thoughts from his mind. Pan was his daughter, he wasn't to have doubts.

But she looks so much like him, whereas she took nothing from me…

Could it really be that Videl had cheated on him with that doctor? It coincided with the dates; she had met up with Gohan at pretty much same period in which she became pregnant, five years ago. But, no, Videl would never do that to him, he mustn't think that way. He had to trust her.

Heiji heard the sound of a key turning in a lock, and stopped pacing, watching the door open on Videl. She looked sad. Despite that, when she saw him, she forced a smile.

"Hey Heiji. I wasn't too long?"

He decided not to talk about his doubts for now, and also forced a smile.

"No, not at all."

---

Gohan flew at a breathtaking speed, his tears evaporating the very moment they left his eyes. Videl's words echoed constantly in his head.

At least, now it was clear: she didn't love him. She loved her husband, not him. He was wrong from the beginning.

Gohan landed in a deserted place, and blew out his power, letting out a heartrending cry. He turned Mystic, his aura making him look like he was surrounded by blue flames. He then began to vent on the surrounding boulders, destroying everything in his path.

In a corner of his mind, he sensed several familiar Ki's coming towards him, probably alerted by the power he was displaying, but he didn't care and continued to vent on his surroundings.

Four men landed a small distance away from him, but Gohan seemed almost oblivious and continued. The men were Goku, Goten, Trunks, and even Vegeta.

"Gohan, what's happening to you?" Goku asked, having to shout to be heard in all the racket his eldest son was making.

"Leave me alone, before I decide to vent on you too!" The Mystic Warrior yelled, blasting another boulder with a kick.

These words shocked the four Saiya-jins. It wasn't like Gohan at all to say those kinds of things.

"Gohan, is it about Videl?" Goten then asked, shouting as well to make himself heard.

Gohan stopped his assault on the boulders abruptly, and turned an icy glare towards his younger brother.

"Don't ever mention her again." He said, his tone colder than a blizzard.

"I should've known…" Goten muttered.

While Gohan was starting to destroy everything again, Goku turned to his youngest son, confusion being read clearly on his face.

"Goten, who is Videl?" He asked.

"You should know who she is; you often helped her as the Great Saiyaman when you took Gohan's place."

"Oh! It's that brunette who kept trying to unmask the Great Saiyaman!" Goku realized.

Trunks rolled his eyes. "Even I remember her."

"But why would Gohan be in that state because of her?" Goku asked, more confused than before.

"Isn't it obvious?" Vegeta said. "She must have dumped him or something like that."

"Oh." Goku said, finally understanding. "So they were dating?"

"Not exactly…" Goten answered hesitatingly. "Actually, she's married to another man, and Gohan was trying to win her back…"

"Shut up!" Gohan yelled, his overdeveloped hearing allowing him to hear everything they had said. And he could not stand to hear any more. "Shut up, shut up, SHUT UUUUUP!!!"

"Gohan, calm down!" Goten shouted, trying to get closer to his brother, but he was swept away by Gohan's powerful aura.

"Leave me alone! Don't make me hurt you!"

Goten was about to try another approach, but he was stopped by Vegeta's voice. "Let him be. He'll eventually calm down by himself."

"But…"

"Vegeta's right." Goku intervened. "We can do nothing for him for the time being."

Goten clenched his fist. He didn't like the idea of leaving his brother in that state at all. In the end, he sighed. "Fine, then let's get out of here."

With one last look towards his big brother who was still venting on his surroundings, Goten took off to the air with the three other Saiya-jins hot on his trail.

---

"Videl, we need to talk."

Heiji couldn't hold it any longer, his doubts becoming stronger and stronger. He needed to know.

"What is it, Heiji?"

He took a deep breath. "Is there something between Dr. Son and you?"

Videl was taken by surprise by the question. Could it be that he was doubting her faithfulness? Not wrongly, of course; she had cheated on him, after all, and on several occasions, on top of that. But what could have put this doubt in his mind?

"Why do you ask me that?" She asked.

"Please answer me. What is there between this doctor and you?"

"Well, he's an old high school friend, that's all."

"So you don't have anything other than friendly feelings for him?

He's really doubting. Videl realized.

"Yes. We're just friends." She lied, looking right into his eyes. She had become good at lying, by dint of practicing. "Why are you asking me all these questions?"

"Nevermind." He said. "Well, I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight…" Videl replied, uncertain.

Heiji pulled the covers over him. Pan is my daughter, and Videl never cheated on me. He thought, reassured by his wife's words. I was imagining things.

Videl lied down beside him, hiding her worries. He's starting to have doubts. She thought. This is not good at all.

---

When Gohan finally clamed down, it was very late at night or very early in the morning. He lowered his power and collapsed in exhaustion. He was panting and in a bad condition. After a few minutes, his breathing calmed down, but his body refused to move, too worn out by the physical effort he'd just imposed to it.

He then saw a pair of sneakers land before him, and vaguely recognized his younger brother's voice telling him that it was about time that he finally calmed down. Gohan was barely conscious enough to have witnessed himself be carried by the said brother, who then took off, taking him home.

---

Gohan groaned as he woke up. He was aching all over. He slowly opened his eyes, his sight adjusting little by little.

"Ah, you're finally waking up. You passed out on the way."

He didn't need to turn his head to know that it was his brother who just spoke. He tried to straighten up, but his body protested.

"You shouldn't try to move." Goten recommended.

He sighed, deciding to listen to him. "What time is it?" He asked weakly.

"Ten A.M."

"Shit, I'm late. I have to go to work." He said, trying to get up again.

"Hey, take it easy, you're not in a good enough condition. Don't worry about work, I called the hospital to tell them that you won't go to work for a few days. I told them you were sick."

Gohan fell back on his bed. "Thanks, Goten."

"No problem." He said. "So, how about you tell me what happened with Videl?"

"Don't wanna."

"Not even to your dear little brother?"

Gohan sighed, resigning himself to tell him. "She told me… She told me that she didn't love me, that she loved her husband, and that she was with me only because I'm 'a good lay'."

"Ouch." Goten said, grimacing.

"Yeah."

There was a silence, which the younger one ended up breaking.

"So… You're gonna give up?"

"I don't see the point of continuing. She doesn't love me and never did. I wasted my time."

Goten frowned. Then he remembered that his brother was still in a bad condition and got a Senzu bean out.

"Here, eat this." He said, holding it out to him. "You'll feel better afterwards."

"Thanks, but no thanks." Gohan said, refusing the bean.

"Huh? But why?" Goten asked, not understanding his brother.

"I would rather feel the physical pain. At least, it makes me forget a little more about the pain in my heart."

"Gohan, you have to eat it. I understand what you're feeling, but you can't stay in that condition."

"What do you understand? You never were in love."

Goten frowned again. "Maybe, but that doesn't mean that I never suffered. You may not believe it, but I sometimes get dumped too!"

Gohan couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped his lips, but he immediately regretted it, feeling an intense pain in his stomach, which caused him to start coughing.

"Don't make me laugh." He said coughing. "My stomach is aching."

"I thought you wanted to feel the pain?"

His coughing finally calmed down and he let out a deep sigh.

"You still don't want the Senzu bean?" Goten asked, after a while.

"No."

"Okay, fine. But you should at least get changed; your clothes are in shreds. And take a shower, while you're at it, you really need it."

"Just say that I stink."

"I'm not the one who said it."

Gohan threw a pillow at him, but his brother dodged it. He then decided to listen to him, and got up from the bed with difficulty, then took off what was left of his shirt.

"Oh? What are these marks on your back?" Goten asked, noticing the nail marks Videl had left him the night before.

"It's nothing." Gohan said, a bit embarrassed.

"It looks like… nail marks…" The young Saiya-jin realized. Then he smirked. "Nail marks left by a woman, if you see what I mean."

Gohan blushed.

"Did Videl do that to you?" Goten asked, his smirk still present.

"I'm gonna take a shower." Gohan said, entering the bathroom, red as a tomato.

Goten sniggered. "Well, at least he doesn't get bored."

---

While she helped Erasa pack so she could head back to the city, Videl told her everything that had happened: her night with Gohan, the lies she had to tell him, and lastly, Heiji's doubts. She hadn't had the opportunity to tell her everything the previous day because Heiji had been there all day. Now, he was at work, and she could confide in her friend without fear of being overheard.

"Well, a lot of things happened, I see." The blonde said.

"Yeah… I can't believe I slept with him again. And worst of all, it was fantastic. Heiji was never able to make me feel these kinds of things."

"Really Videl, I don't understand you. You have a great guy who sends you in the seventh heaven every time you two make love, who is head over heels in love with you, and you're still staying with Heiji."

"I thought you liked Heiji."

"I do, but he's not the one for you."

"Maybe, but he's my husband and I can't leave him."

"Why not? I know that you don't want to impose your separation to Pan, but she won't be the first one to see her parents getting divorced, even at that age! She'll survive! Besides, Heiji isn't even her real father!"

"I know, Erasa, but I still don't want to impose it to her. She's far too young."

Erasa sighed. "Fine, as you wish. At least I tried."

"I don't get why you want me to be with Gohan so much. I'm perfectly fine with Heiji!"

The blonde rolled her blue eyes. "You may be able to fool Heiji and Gohan with your lies, but certainly not me."

"Yes, okay, maybe I'm not really happy with Heiji, but I can't be with Gohan. It's too late."

Erasa shrugged. "If you say so. As for me, I'm tired of trying to convince you; you're more stubborn than a mule!"

"Hey!"

---

The shower had done him good, but Gohan was still aching all over. He got out of the shower, took a towel and dried himself with it, then wrapped it around his waist, and left the bathroom. His brother was no longer in his room, but he could sense his Ki in the living room; he was probably watching TV. He walked toward his closet, wincing from time to time because of his sore muscles. He opened it and took some clothes, putting them on somehow. Maybe he should have taken that Senzu bean… No, he had been right. His heart was in pieces, and the physical pain was the only way to forget about some of it.

He sighed, exiting the room, and went through the corridor to arrive in the living room. Goten was in front of TV, like he had suspected. The latter turned his head as he heard him arrive.

"Here we go, much better!" He said, seeing his brother showered and wearing clean clothes. "Say, what do we do for lunch? You're in no condition to cook and I don't want us to ruin ourselves by eating outside."

"You only need to go home. I'm not hungry." He replied, sitting down on the couch beside his brother.

The said brother frowned. A Saiya-jin who wasn't hungry wasn't very reassuring. Not at all.

"Why don't you come with me? It would reassure our parents." He suggested.

Gohan sent him an icy look. "I hope you didn't tell Mom anything about Videl." He said, his tone almost menacing.

"Me? No, I didn't say anything."

Gohan sighed in relief.

"…But Dad did." Goku's youngest son finished.

Gohan immediately tensed. His mother knew…

"Oh shit." He sighed. "And how did she take it?"

"Well, she wasn't very happy that you were trying to steal another man's wife, but she was delighted that there's a woman that is interesting you, even if she's married."

"And did you tell them about Pan?" Gohan asked.

"No, don't worry." Goten replied. "By the way, we still haven't decided what we were gonna do for lunch."

"I told you I'm not hungry. But don't let that keep you from going to have lunch at Mom's."

Goten frowned again. He absolutely had to find a way to cheer his brother up. He couldn't leave him like that doing nothing. He quickly decided what he had to do.

He had to see Videl.

---

Videl was hugging her best friend, who had to go back to the city. Then, Erasa pulled back from her and hugged little Pan, who had tears in her eyes.

"Do you have to go back?" The little girl asked.

"I'm afraid so. I have to go back to work."

Pan crossed her arms and pouted. "I don't want you to leave!"

As she said that, she stomped her foot on the ground. It cracked under the strength of the impact. Videl looked at her daughter, intrigued. Pan had always been very strong for her age; she even seemed stronger than some adults. It wasn't normal. Kids weren't supposed to be this strong.

"Pan, be careful with your strength." Heiji reprimanded. He also was intrigued by Pan's strength.

"Sorry, Daddy."

"Well then, bye everybody." Erasa said, before climbing on her Jet Copter. With a small wave, she made the Copter take off, and the little family watched as it flew away.

"Um… Videl?"

The woman turned toward the unknown voice that just spoke. She found herself facing a young man who resembled Gohan in a disconcerting way, although he was about ten years younger. She then realized who he was.

"Goten?"

The young man smiled widely. "Ah, you remember me."

"Who is that, Mommy?" Pan asked, pulling on her mother's pants.

Videl turned her attention to her daughter. "This is Gohan's younger brother, Goten."

"Oh!" The little girl said. "You're Mister Gohan's brother?"

Goten smiled, delighted to finally meet his niece. "Yes. And I suppose that you are Pan. Gohan told me a lot about you."

Pan's eyes sparkled. "Really?"

"Yes." He said. Then he turned to Videl. "Videl, can we talk? In private."

"Err yes. Okay. Let's take a walk."

Heiji watched his wife and the brother of the man he hated so much walk away, his eyes narrowed.

He didn't like it at all.

End of Part Four