The Real Gohan? Or a Fake?

Krillin felt himself return to his body before cheering in sheer happiness. "I CAN'T BELIEVE HE DI-" He stopped dead as he saw Gohan standing in front of him. His eyes weren't opened, in fact, they were closed. But who knows, he could be faking it…

Taking two cautious steps back, he was about to fly off, if it wasn't for the sneering voice… "And where do you suppose you're going?" The Android chuckled as Krillin slowly turned his head. The Android seemed delighted at his expression as he grabbed Krillin by the throat and threw him to the ground. "You and your friends are going to regret ever attempting to bring the brat back." Krillin struggled opening his eyes as he felt the Android push him in the ground even more. "Enjoy your last moments…because this is your final stand…" He chuckled.

Gohan slowly looked up at the two of them with, something strange flickering in his eyes…

"DIE NOW!" The Android shouted before charging up an energy beam. Krillin looked back down with a paled face as he knew there was no way of getting out this. His friends were on their way, but they were too far.

The Android released the energy before feeling a hand grab his and snap his wrist out of place, causing him to growl in pain. "Who dares to-" His voice failed as he saw who had done it. "But, but why?" He asked unable to move a muscle as Gohan stood in between him and Krillin.

Gohan looked coldly down at the Android with much hatred and vengeance. But as the Android looked more closely, his eyes weren't filled with evil; they were filled with care and love.

"WHAT? YOU, but, BUT HOW?" Gohan just continued to stare down at the Android as he was struggling to stay in control, the only thing that was allowing him to do so was Krillin; there was no way he'd let Krillin die…

Krillin heard the Android's terrified tone and quickly turned despite the pain he felt only to go in shock at what he saw. "Ga, Ga-Gohan?" He stuttered before the teen slowly turned and smiled sweetly. "It, it is you…" Krillin's eyes began to water up. His friend was back, and not in pain! At least, not on the outside. "Goku was right, you're still alive!"

Android 20's eyes became stern; he needed to find out a way to get the Cell back in control before the teen decided to finish him off. He had to wait until they got back to the lab to make the poison, but if Gohan attacked before hand, the ingredients would surely be destroyed… Standing back up, he clenched his fists and began powering up a stun attack. Gohan quickly turned back to face him, but didn't make any move that indicated that he would attack him or not.

"So it seems like your pathetic friends have given almost all your soul parts back…" He said before trialing off into his own thoughts. 'What's the deal? Surely he would've sensed me charging up my energy yet he seems like he doesn't even notice…unless…' His eyes widened before he smiled. "But they haven't returned the most important part have they?" Gohan flinched, confirming the Android's suspicions. "Ha ha! What good does returning your soul pieces do when they don't return your power part?" Krillin's eyes feel wide open in fear. 'Wa, what? Does this mean all of Gohan's powers are gone?'

Gohan just clenched his fists and got ready to defend himself anyway. "Krillin, get out of here while you still can, I can't hold off the Cell much longer…" Gohan trailed off in a frustrated laced with pained voice. Krillin looked at the Android and back at Gohan. There was no way Gohan would be able to defend himself against the Android if he couldn't access his energy.

"I won't leave you!" Gohan turned and gave Krillin a half evil half angered expression that sent shivers down his spine.

"GO!" Krillin took a step back in consideration before becoming firm. There was no way Gohan was going to convince him to leave; he couldn't bare it if they lost him yet again!

"No way buddy, I'm staying with you!"

Gohan scowled even though he was happy. The Cell was already trying his best to push Gohan back down, but Gohan held on; his friends and father's words of advice replaying in his head…

The Android chuckled. "Aw, how touching, too bad that this little reunion won't last long! – I know you can feel him boy…the Cell will continue to attack and drain you until you fall back to your place…"Gohan just glared at the Android, but he knew he was right. The Cell was giving it it's all to try and push Gohan back, but nothing was holding him back any more. If he didn't stop him right here and now, everyone he has ever loved would be gone…

"No…." The Android looked up at him. "No he won't, 'cause I won't let him!" Gohan hollered before beginning to charge him. The Android smirked as he waited for the teen to get a little bit closer, a devious smirk making its way on his face.

It took Krillin a few seconds before feeling the energy the Android was gathering and began to panic. "NO GOHAN, IT'S A TRICK!" He yelled, but it was too late. The Android threw the attack and Gohan couldn't use his energy to avoid and was hit with the electrifying attack; causing him to scream out in pain and agony as he fell to the dirt.

"GOHAN!" Krillin screamed before seeing the Android take a step towards him and let his anger be his guide. In less then a second, Krillin was in 20's face and attacking him with everything he had, but the Android seemed to be dodging it easily.

"This grows tiresome…" 20 chuckled before punching Krillin in the face and he crashed next to the trembling Gohan. Android 20 landed next to both the fallen warriors and smirked. "It's about time I ride this world of one of their heroes…" He chuckled before kneeling down to the fallen Krillin. Gohan weakly opened his eyes to see the Android beginning to charge up an energy beam, but he was unable to move. This stun attack was too overwhelming…

"Bye now." He sneered before feeling someone brutally kick him on the side of his head, causing him to go flying. Krillin weakly looked up to see Trunks kneel down to him, smiling gratefully.

"You alright Krillin?" He asked as he helped him up.

"Ya- GOHAN!" Krillin yelled before going over to the demi-saiyan. Trunks's eyes fell wide-opened as he didn't want Krillin to get hurt.

"Krillin no!"

"Relax, it's the real Gohan!" Trunks's face lit up with both excitement and doubt. He was relieved that his friend and mentor was back, but then again, the Cell did like to trick people...

Krillin kneeled on down to Gohan and placed a caring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you alright?" Gohan weakly opened one of his eyes.

"Ya but, but I think he hit me with a stun attack."

"Figures, he's just scared you'll beat him while he tries to take you away." Trunks couldn't hold back his excitement any more and ran over to them, kneeling down with an overjoyed expression.

"Oh Gohan, it's really you!" Gohan looked up at Trunks before he let out a weak chuckle.

"Ya, than, thanks to you guys…" He trailed off before he began trembling even more, concerning his friends greatly. "He's, he's trying to gain control again…I, I don't know how much longer I can hold on like this…"

Trunks's face became stern. "Hey, don't talk like that; just keep on fighting for us 'kay?" Gohan remained silent, but the gleam in his eye was all they needed to know that he understood.

Android 20 rose out of the rumble and looked on over at the three friends, anger faring out of hid nostrils. "You, you all will pay DOUBLE!" He yelled before rushing at them. Trunks and Krillin immediately got up and got prepared to defend them selves, but then the Android disappeared.

"WHAT? Where'd he go?" Krillin hollered as both he and Trunks lost sight of him.

"Up here you fools!" They heard, but it was too late to do anything. A blinding light surrounded them and soon overwhelmed them before they lost consciousness. Gohan's eyes widened in fear as he could scarcely sense them and tried to move over to them, but felt some one pick him up instead.

"Looks like your friends were no match for me…" He chuckled which angered the teen to the point where even the Cell knew to back off for a moment. But even if Gohan wanted to clobber the Android, he had no energy to do so. "Now let's get you back to the lab so we may finally do away with you…" Gohan's eyes widened in fear, he knew what he meant, the Android was going to create the poison that would slowly drain him from his life until he died completely… The Android seemed to notice his sudden discomfort and laughed. "Don't worry; you won't feel the pain once you're in Other World!" And with that, the Android took off, Gohan trying to free himself from the Android's grip with no luck…

(At the Look Out)

Past Vegeta soon arrived at the Lookout with a successful smirk on his face. Usually he wouldn't dare show emotions around others, but this was a different case. He was glad he got to help Gohan out, and if anyone asked him why he was happy he would say that he was one step closer at getting home. Vegeta did care about the teen; he just didn't admit it…

He was soon brought out of his thoughts once he saw Goku sitting on the steps, looking blankly out at the sky. Vegeta was surprised when he noticed that Goku hadn't even acknowledged he had arrived, but he understood. He had lost his son during the fight with Cell and couldn't handle it. It was as if a hole had been tarred right through his heart and he couldn't even start to mend it back together, but Goku's case was a lot worse. He saw Trunks die without suffering, but Goku saw his son in excruciating pain, screaming in agony and being ripped right out of his hands and he could do nothing to help. He was dieing from the inside out, not the outside in… Even now Gohan's body was being used as a weapon to take over the universe, if Vegeta thought he had it rough, Goku had it ten times worse…

Vegeta straightened up and slowly walked on over to Goku, who still didn't even notice him. 'He must be completely torn…' Vegeta began to muse before noticing the dark purple bags that had formed under his eyes. 'I wonder what's holding him together….' He wondered before sighing. He needed to get Goku back to being happy again, no matter how much he hated him, he couldn't stand seeing the used to be cheery Saiyan like this any more.

Goku kept staring blankly out at the clouds before feeling someone place a hand on his shoulder and turned. When he saw it was Vegeta, he was completely lost for words.

"You've got one heck of a son, you know that?" Goku could do nothing but stare up at Vegeta, surprised beyond all rational reasons at why Vegeta was saying this. Vegeta just smirked. "He's tough, loyal, brave, kind….just like his father." Goku's jaw wanted to drop at hearing this, but Goku forced it to stay glued to his jaw. "I know how much it feels to lose a son…" Vegeta trailed off as he Goku heard his confident voice laced with sadness before Vegeta removed his hand off his shoulder. "So I'm gonna make a proposition for you, I help save your son and you never breathe a word I even said any of this."

Goku's face seemed to light up a hundred times as a smile slowly made its way on his face. "Thanks Vegeta, I'm glad someone knows how I feel." Vegeta just smiled one last time before walking off. Goku watched him disappear in the Lookout's chambers, a new found hope filled up within him. 'Thanks Vegeta…you can't imagine how much that meant to me…' His thoughts trailed off before he felt both Krillin's and Trunks's power levels fade. 'WHAT?' He jumped up and went to the edge of the Lookout to try and see what was wrong. This sudden movement caused Vegeta to turn and see the stressed out Goku and immediately ran over to him, also sensing his future son's power level low.

"What's going on?" Vegeta asked.

"I don't know, let's go check it out." Goku replied before placing is hand on Vegeta before they disappeared.

(With Gohan)

Gohan felt himself going in and out of consciousness as the Cell was trying to pull him down again, but he wouldn't allow it, not this time. If he let go, he would die and all his friends would soon join him in Other World. He slowly opened one of his eyes again to see they were now flying over a forest area. It was beautiful! Everything was lush and alive, no burned places were about, and he could sense all the life that scurried down below. 'I've gotta keep fighting, the whole world is depending on me…' He reminded himself before the Android came to a stop in front of a large mountain. Gohan couldn't see what he was doing, but knew that this was where the lab was located, it was giving off that eerie feeling that he dreaded.

20 quickly punched in the access code before the mountain began to shift, revealing a passage way. They flew in rather quickly and Gohan watched as the door closed, sealing them off in a completely black hallway. He couldn't even see the ground below him move, which terrified him even more.

Three minutes past when they finally saw some light that was in a larger room. However, Gohan knew what this room was already and tried to struggle free, but he was still stunned.

Android 20 landed and threw Gohan into the wall before quickly getting the ingredients over to his work bench. Gohan slide to the floor, letting out a painful grunt as he felt his back sting from his previous wound.

"Computer, begin the blending of the ingredients." He ordered as he put the objects in a clear sphere before it closed.

"Beginning process now." It rang out as the sphere clouded over, apparently blending all the objects together to make it into a liquid. Gohan kept on trying to move, but the stun attack was still in effect. 'Daddy, please, please SAVE ME!'

(With Goku and Vegeta)

The next thing that Vegeta and Goku saw was a desert and two figures lying in the dirt below them. "TRUNKS! KRILLIN!" Goku yelled as they quickly descended on down to them.

Trunks stirred a bit before opening his eyes slowly. "Ga, Goku? Is, is that you?" He asked before seeing both his father and Goku looking at him worriedly.

"Ya, what happened to you guys?"

Trunks slowly pushed himself up looked up at the two with a huge smile on his face. "He's ALIVE! GOHAN"S ALIVE!" Both Goku and Vegeta's eyes fell wide opened at this. "We talked to him! He even saved Krillin from Android 20! – NO!"

"What's wrong? Where is he?" Goku asked worriedly.

Trunks sadly look up at Goku. "The Android took him; he went to make the poison for Gohan..." Goku's face paled over a few times. He couldn't' believe that he allowed himself to be too caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice this fight before it ended. He could've saved him!

Vegeta noticed Goku's inner conflict before stepping up. "Which way did he go?"

"I'm not sure, he rendered us unconscious before he took Gohan, but I sensed him take off West." Vegeta nodded before hovering off the ground.

"Then let's go! We might still be able to catch up to him!" Trunks and Goku nodded as Krillin finally felt himself somewhat back to normal and nodded as well before they all took off in the west; they were going to find Gohan no matter what…