CHAPTER TEN
Author's Note; So I finally got this next chapter out. I want to apologise for the delay of an update, RL has just been so hectic lately that I haven't really had the time to really get back into the writing mode and be inspired or motivated. Well, until now. This chapter is dedicated to a good friend of mine who demanded that I keep writing because he loved the story so much. Pew, I wuv joo. :3Bulma sighed as she sat at her desk, twirling a pen between her fingers as she held up her head with her free hand. Life has certainly slowed down, at least for her. With a year left to get as powerful as they could, both Vegeta and Goku were seldom seen around the place. Vegeta was constantly in his gravity machine, now the sixth remake that Bulma and her father had been forced to build.
Goku however, normally just seemed to vanish early in the morning, and then arrive back home late at night to get a few hours of sleep. Bulma was worried. She knew Goku was eating, due to the large amount of food that seemed to literally disappear each day and the fact that Vegeta had now taken to ordering in his own food, and he was obviously sleeping, but not as much as he once had.
It felt like Goku was slipping through her fingers again. The first few months of having Goku around had been wonderful, and it brought back memories of their time together when they were younger. There was something else there, something they both felt, but weren't sure enough to act upon. And then, Goku just began to drift away from her.
She knew the divorce had taken it's toll on him, and spending time with Gohan had been very limited. But she had tried her best to get him through the tough time, and it felt the more she tried, the more he pushed her away. Now it had been days since they had last spoken. And frankly, Bulma wasn't willing to cope with it.
Standing up from her desk, she clenched the pen tightly in her hand. She was going to set things straight. Checking her watch, she gave a small smile. Goku would likely arrive back within the next half an hour. Then she would be able to discuss her frustrations with him, and sort their issues out. She missed him, and she wasn't going to lose him without a fight.
Bulma strode out of her lab, brushing her aquamarine hair over her shoulder. She'd been content with growing it out, deciding to be unconventional as all the ladies in the city wore theirs short. Bulma wasn't a conformist, she set her own trends, and that wasn't about to change any time soon.
A figure loomed in the hallway just ahead of her, and Bulma couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly.
"Woman, I demand that you fix that damned machine of yours. Once again, it appears to have malfunctioned." Vegeta glared at her, his gaze ferocious that any other woman would have fainted from pure fear. Bulma simply snorted at him. "I know that it's not broken, you're just not using it properly, as per usual. What, is it too complex for you? I could easily write you up a manual-"
Vegeta snarled. "Are you suggesting that I, the Prince of Saiyans, am at fault here? Clearly woman, you are incapable of learning, for you should know better." he retorted, giving her his trademark smirk before remembering his fury. "Fix it, or you can say goodbye to your precious city."
Bulma closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as Vegeta stormed off. She was used to dealing with the Saiyan Prince, but it just seemed that over time, his demands had become even more ridiculous, and she questioned if they simply a cry for attention. She had to admit she enjoyed the verbal spars, no man had been able to catch up with her and her witted tongue before, and Vegeta was a fine foe if she did say so herself.
But she had no time to focus on Vegeta, having much more important matters to attend to. Goku's room was right near her own, it was how she had figured out when he came home at night. She slipped into his bedroom, leaving the room dark, hoping not to freak out Goku when he arrived. Bulma sat down on his bed, crossing her legs and closing her eyes, waiting.
Luckily for Bulma, she didn't have to wait long. A few minutes later, she felt a slight breeze, and could sense the presence of another person. Before she had a chance to announce herself, Goku sat down on the bed beside her.
"Not to be rude Bulma...but don't you have your own bed?" he asked rather innocently, and Bulma fought the urge to wrap her arms around his neck. She smiled instead. "How did you know I was here?" she inquired, already knowing the answer, simply trying to make small talk. "Your energy signal. I'd know it anywhere." Goku replied, before getting off the bed and switching on the light, before turning back to Bulma, his tired face breaking into a grin. "And now I can see you!"
Bulma gave a small chuckle, before indicating for Goku to join her on the bed once more. He frowned slightly before joining her. "Are you okay Bulma?" he questioned, cocking his head slightly to the side. "I'm alright. Just...missing you, I guess. You're never around these days, sometimes I even forget that you've been living here." Bulma admitted, wringing her hands together as she spoke.
"I only have a year left to become as strong as possible. I can't afford to lose this battle, to lose my friends. I've been training as much as I possibly can, to strengthen my abilities." Goku explained, leaning back on the bed momentarily before he placed a warm hand on Bulma's back. "I'm sorry I haven't been around. I've missed you too."
Revelling in the warmth of the hand that laid upon her back, Bulma lowered her head slightly. Those words were like music to her ears. "I know...I know things have been tough on you lately, considering everything that's been happening with-" she cut herself off, worried that she would upset Goku once more. "I just want you to know...you're not alone with this. I'm here for you, whenever you need, okay?"
Goku gave no reply, instead moving the hand that rested on Bulma's back up and down in a soothing manner. She turned to look at him, noticing the dark bags under his once-bright eyes that now looked so dull and lifeless. He gave her a half-hearted smile. "I should really be heading to bed now." he stated, removing his hand from Bulma and rubbing his right eye.
Bulma nodded and stood up, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. "Okay." she said softly, before leaning down and kissing his forehead. Goku looked up in surprise, but her face gave nothing away as she left the room and closed the door, leaving Goku to himself and his thoughts.
He ran a hand through his black hair, giving a yawn at the same time. With all the training he had been subjecting himself to, there just hadn't been enough time for the sleep he needed in order to wholly recover. And his thoughts had made it difficult to rest easy as well. Goku had never really had any trouble drifting off into a deep slumber, but then again, his life had always been easy, simple, carefree.
He pulled off his ripped and dirty gi, slipping on his pajama pants and then sliding into his bed. He knew that he should probably have opted to go and have a shower and clean himself of the day's training, but he was certain that if he were to do that, he would most likely fall asleep in the bathroom.
Resting his head gently on the pillow, Goku stared at the ceiling. It had been good to see Bulma, he had missed her greatly, more than he had ever remembered. It was small things, her laugh, her smile, the way she rolled her eyes at something. And yet, at the same time, Goku had purposely been avoiding her.
It was nothing that Bulma had outwardly done, it was simply that Goku didn't know how to handle the situation. Chi-Chi was still furious with him, and was not making anything easy for him. Gohan was visibly upset every time he and Goku got to see one another, and seeing the anguish and sadness that was now permanently etched on his young son's face was breaking Goku's heart.
He wanted to be happy, but being the selfless man that he was, he would have rathered everyone else around him be happy. For Chi-Chi to smile and not scowl every time he looked upon her face. For Gohan to not be constantly upset and worrying about his parents. For Bulma to have the brightness that he once found in her blue eyes.
She was hiding her feelings, Goku had known her long enough to be able to tell. She was putting on a brave face and acting like nothing was wrong, when clearly there was. He was aware that he was the cause of the problem. His mind kept returning to the moment they had had in the kitchen, the almost-kiss they had shared. It haunted his mind, at that point he had still been with Chi-Chi, and knew such a thing was wrong, and yet it had felt so right at the time.
His eyelids growing heavy, Goku closed his eyes. A few fleeting images passed through his semi-coherent thoughts, including that of a purple-haired teen from the future. But he had no time to dwell on it, sleep finally taking over his body.
The next morning Goku awake to the sun's ray blasting light into his room. He blinked a few times before sitting up, once again, his sleep had been restless. Stretching his arms up above his head, he thought it may be a good idea to see Gohan again. He felt like time was slipping away from him when it came to his young son, and he knew that Gohan wished to spend more time with his father,
Slipping out of bed he headed for the bathroom, grabbing a new, clean set of clothes on the way. He passed by Bulma's bedroom, the door slightly ajar. His curiosity getting the better of him, Goku quietly pushed the door open further and entered the room, looking upon a sleeping Bulma, her limbs stretched everywhere and the sheet hardly covering her body. Luckily for them both she was wearing a daggy pair of sweat-pants and an old t-shirt that Goku recognised as Yamcha's.
He leaned over closer, amazing at her beauty. As he looked closer, he could see moisture on the sides of her face, coming from her now-closed eyes. Had Bulma been crying? Goku frowned. Perhaps things with Bulma were worse than he had noticed. He was determined to spend more time with her and make more of an effort, after all, she had allowed him to stay in her home.
Silently he moved closer and brushed a lock of her aquamarine hair off her face, stroking her cheek with the back of his warm hand in one fluid movement. Goku proceeded to then leave her to her slumber and continue on with his trip to the shower, hoping that maybe the cool running water would help to ease his mind a little more.
Back in her bedroom, Bulma stirred slightly, her eyes opening for a moment before closing once more. She could have sworn that there had been someone else in her room, a warm, comforting presence, but there was no-one around. As she quickly drifted back to sleep, she came to the conclusion that it must have been her mother in a quest for dirty laundry.
It certainly was a warm day, and Goku could feel the heat on the back of his neck as he walked up to the Ox King's manor. Knocking loudly, he stood back from the door and braced himself for impact.
"Coming! Who is- Oh, it's you." Chi-Chi grimaced as she opened the door, her once-cheery demeanour dropping from her face in an instant. "Goku, what do you want?" she asked bluntly, holding the door ajar with one hand and placing the other upon her hip. "I was hoping I could spend some time with Gohan today." Goku replied, trying his best to keep up his bright smile.
Chi-Chi frowned. "He needs to catch up on his studying. You should know how important that is." Goku sighed as his smile faltered slightly. "I know that, but it's such a beautiful day today. I thought I could maybe take him fishing, or go on a hike-""
"Dad?"
Gohan's head slipped around the door, and Goku beamed. "Hey champ." he greeted his son, who then proceeded to run through the door despite his mother trying to block him and into his father arms. Goku hugged Gohan tightly, almost afraid to let go. Gohan reluctantly pulled back from his father, a quizzical look on his face. "Dad, what are you doing here?"
Goku laughed and then scratched the back of his head momentarily. "Well I was hoping that because today is so nice I could take you out and we could do something together." he explained, looking at Chi-Chi and then instantly regretting it. Her face was livid. Gohan turned around to face his mother as well, seemingly ignoring the intense fury that was now etched in her features. "Can I go Mom? Please?"
"What about your studies?" she question Gohan, who did not falter. "I'll do them when I get home, plus more, I promise." the small boy replied, and Goku could see that his fingers were crossed, hidden from Chi-Chi's view. She looked back at Goku, and scowled at him, with a look he had seen quite often, but on Vegeta's face, not hers. "Fine. Make sure you get him back before dark, Goku." she spat, before turning on her heels and moving back into the house.
"Well kiddo, got everything you need?" Goku asked Gohan, crouching down slightly so he was at a similar height to his son. Gohan nodded enthusiastically. "Yep!" "Well then, what did you want to do?" Goku asked as they began to walk off, and he couldn't help but notice that Gohan kept sneaking glances back at the house before he answered. "Dad, could we train?"
Goku let out a chuckle before ruffling Gohan's ebony hair with his hand. "That's my boy!" he exclaimed, not at all surprised. Gohan was certainly his father's son, there was no doubt about that. "Got anywhere in particular?" he inquired, trying to think of a good place to test his son's developing skills.
Gohan's cheeks flushed red momentarily. "Can...can we go home? The places we used to train around there are my favourites."
It took Goku a moment before he realized that Gohan was referring to Mt Paozu, where they had all lived once as a happy family. He hadn't been back there since Bulma had come to collect him after Chi-Chi had left, it held too many memories that he hadn't had time to deal with, his training had been his main focus as of late. But he could see the hope in Gohan's eyes, and who was he to refuse his son of such a thing? He nodded, and grabbed Gohan's shoulder before placing two fingers to his forehead.
Seconds later they appeared in front of the family home that had once shared. Goku fought within himself to hold back the flood of emotions that threatened to erupt. He looked down at Gohan, who appeared to be having a harder time. He was fighting the tears, but to no avail, they still streamed down his cheeks. Goku placed a comforting hand on Gohan's head before returning his eyes to the house before them.
Gohan had been born in that house, and lived his entire life within it. He could understand that Gohan was attached the the place, as he himself was. He could still see the older building, where he had resided with the older Gohan, the man he had referred to as his Grandpa, where he had trained for the early years of his life, the training he now passed on to his son.
He patted Gohan's head lightly. "Come on Gohan, let's go." he said softly, the younger Saiyan nodding his head but saying nothing. The both hovered in the air and flew to a nearby open field, one that they had trained on many times before. The sun bared down on them as they landed, taking in the scope of the land. Gohan took off his clothes, revealing his gi underneath, the ones that matched those worn by his early mentor, Piccolo.
Goku grinned, taking off his own day clothes to reveal his orange gi beneath. "Are you ready son?" he asked, crouching into a defensive stance. "You bet!" Gohan replied, taking an offensive stance opposite his father. Goku grinned. "Well then, show me what you've got!"
Goku walked up the Ox King manor once more, as the light in the sky began to darken. He looked down at his sleeping son in his arms, hoping that Chi-Chi wouldn't become suspicious of their actions of the day. Shifting Gohan into one arm he knocked on the door with his free hand. He heard footsteps and moved Gohan back so he was more comfortable as the door opened.
Chi-Chi said nothing, only looking at Goku for a moment before her eyes fell on Gohan. She gasped. "My baby! Is he alright? What on earth did you do Goku?" she demanded to know as she stepped forward and began to fuss over their sleeping son. "He just fell asleep, he had a tiring day." Goku explained, moving Gohan into Chi-Chi's arms.
She looked over the sleeping boy momentarily before her dark eyes snapped back to Goku, the rage that was now within them unnerving. "You trained with him, didn't you." she spoke, her voice steady and low. Goku winced. He had attempted to clean off Gohan's wounds and the dirt his skin had accumulated, but apparently it had not been a good enough job. Not that he was surprised. Goku knew that Chi-Chi was very perceptive and had a keen eye.
Chi-Chi took in a deep breath before she focused her eyes on Goku again. "I don't think you should see Gohan anymore. It's detrimental to his studies, and to his health. You can't force him into being a fighter like you, not when he could go to college, become a doctor or a scholar and then live the rest of his life comfortably. Fighting will get him nowhere, and I want the best for my son."
Goku's face fell. "Chi-Chi, you can't just take him away from me." he replied, trying his hardest to stay calm. Chi-Chi's face did not change. "I am doing what is best for my son, and for me. You have turned both of our lives upside down just because of-" she hesitated, before speaking once more. "You brought this on yourself. You made a decision to deceive your family. Now you pay for the consequences."
Without another word Chi-Chi turned around and entered the house once more, closing the door behind her. Goku stood silent for a moment, the emotions within him struggling to stay contained. He raised two shaky fingers to his forehead, his need to get as far away from that place as possible growing with each passing second.
Seconds later, Goku appeared on the lawn of Capsule Corp. He took a step towards the house, and then his emotions broke lose. Yellow flames erupting around his body, he let out a scream of despair and woe, falling to his knees.