Part I

Chapter 9: Insight

Son Gohan was in his room, sitting on a chair directly next to his bed and watching over the small figure lying in it. The whole room was wrapped in almost complete darkness though it was still light outside. Only through few gaps of the curtains a bit of light was able to invade the room. For any normal human it would have been nearly impossible not to stumble over something in these shadows. But still, as Gohan's eyesight was much keener than the one of a human would ever be, he could still make out every single detail in his room. So he could also see the paleness of his sister's face and the bandages that covered her forearms.

Gohan wanted to bury his face in his hands, but he refused to turn his gaze away from the bed. His mind was working overtime. Just this morning he had comforted her after Trunks and Goten had again played a trick on her and now she was lying here in his bed, unconscious. It was his fault that she was lying there now. He had promised to play with her, but then Vegeta came with his plans for training and she told him to go. Had he just stayed! Then this – whatever it was – would not have happened.

When Trunks had called out for his mom, the moment all of their heads turned it was already too late. They had to shield their eyes from the whirled up dust, but Gohan feared the worse. If the ki-blast had really hit Bulma, then she would not have had a chance to get out of this alive. At that moment he still didn't know that his sister had also been caught in the explosion.

After the shockwave of the detonation had gone past them, the cloud of dust slowly started to settle, but even though the explosion had subsided, the Saiyajins were unable to do anything. Seemingly glued to the ground and frozen in shock they were just standing there, waiting for the dust to clear. None of them wanted to face reality sooner than they had to.

Then they saw her: floating at least one foot in the air with her arms crossed in front of her face. Bulma was sitting behind her, obviously having been thrown down by the shockwave, with a dazed expression on her face but she seemed to be okay otherwise.

"Jenny…" Gohan just managed to croak out in utter disbelieve. He knew that it was his sister, it just had to be her, but she didn't look at all like the Jenny he knew. Her once blond hair was suddenly jet-black and she had – he had to blink a few times to make sure that his eyes really didn't betray him, but it was still there, swaying from one side to another – a tail. For the first time in his life he felt like he would faint - and this not because of heavy injuries.

After what seemed like an eternity for him, but what was in reality only merely seconds, the girl's arms dropped to her sides and her eyes rolled back, before her limp body fell to the ground with a thud, where her hair color changed back to the normal blond and the tail disappeared. First at that moment everyone snapped out of their trance and Gohan and the two boys ran up to them, while Vegeta just snorted and took into the sky. But Gohan didn't pay him any heed, because he just wanted to make sure that his sister and Bulma were alright.

Bulma, who had immediately come out of her dazed state, when Jenny had hit the floor, had reassured them quickly that she was alright and had just some minor scratches, since Jenny had taken the full impact of the blast. Gohan had brought Jenny quickly to the infirmary, closely followed by Bulma and the boys, but the latter two were sent to their room and after Gohan had placed her on one of the hospital-like beds, he had also been shooed out of the room. Much to his dislike the door didn't have any windows, so he really could just stay there and wait for Bulma to tell him something.

It had been hell. He had been scared – still was – that his sister wouldn't be able to recover from the injuries, especially since they didn't have any senzus at the moment, though he hadn't seen any more wounds than the burns on her arms, and Bulma had told him afterwards that her forearms were really just the only body parts hurt, he still felt like someone was choking him.

The last time he had felt like this had been when his mother had died. He had been devastated then and it was still hard for him to think about it, though he was confronted with those hard facts day by day. Dende, four and a half years had passed and he had never even found the strength to visit his parents' graves! So, what would he have done, if something worse had happened to Jenny, if he… had lost her? Would he have been able to be strong for Goten, or would he have lost his mind? He honestly didn't even want to know. The twins were everything he had still left of his true family and just the thought of losing one of them or both made him want to cry out in despair. If this happened, it would be his end and not even the Earth's Special Forces would be able then to stop him from whatever he would do in his grief-stricken mind.

After 28 minutes and 51 seconds – Gohan had tried to keep his mind from imagining the worst things that could happen by staring at the clock at the wall and counting every single minute and second that passed with a tick and a tock – Bulma had finally come out of the room, looking a bit exhausted but having a smile on her face. She had then told him about Jenny's injuries and that she had given her something for the pain that would also let her sleep for a while. She had also asked him to bring her somewhere, where she wouldn't be disturbed. Gohan had immediately complied and had brought her to his room.

And there she was now lying in his bed, still fast asleep. In the quiet of the room he could hear her steady and deep breath and through the covers see the rising and falling of her chest. Her face held a serene and peaceful expression that made him wonder, what she was dreaming of. Was she even dreaming at all, or had the drugs Bulma had given her put her into a dreamless slumber. He already dreaded the moment they wore off and the burning pain would pull her out of this well-needed sleep. When she awoke, would she even remember what had happened? Or would she be even more confused than he was right now? Fact was that he didn't want to let her wake up alone in a room that wasn't hers. He had to be there to comfort her, to answer the questions that she would have – though he wasn't sure if he had all the answers to them. But he would do his best; that's what he owed her.

A bitter tear rolled down his cheek and he didn't stop it, when he voiced out in a merely whisper what was going through his head. "I failed, dad. I failed, yet again. I promised to take care of Jenny and Goten and to protect them. And I failed. Just like the other times. First I failed you, then mom and now Jenny. Just why? Why does everyone that I love get hurt? Why…?"

A faint knock at the door let him jerk out of his silent turmoil and he quickly wiped away the tears that were still lingering in his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. The door opened a small gap and let a faint ray of light fall inside. Gohan sat up straighter, so that the light missed his face, in the hope of hiding his lightly puffy eyes in the darkness. It was Bulma, who was standing in the door. "Gohan? Dinner is ready."

"I'm not hungry," the teenager simply answered. He turned his gaze from the door back to the bed and continued in a lower tone. "I can't leave her alone. She might need me, when she wakes up."

He heard Bulma sigh and shortly after he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Jenny won't wake up for another couple of hours and you haven't eaten anything since breakfast, so don't tell me that you're not hungry." He felt her giving his shoulder a small squeeze. "I know you better than that. And if it makes you feel better, my mother offered to look after her in a few minutes until you've finished your dinner. Come on, freshen yourself up and then you could do me the favor and tell the duo from hell that dinner is ready. I come later, when my mother gets here."

"But––" Gohan began to protest, but Bulma cut him short.

"No buts, Son Gohan. Now, go."

Still not wanting to leave his room, but also knowing that he couldn't win an argument with a woman like Bulma, when not even Vegeta was able to do even this. So he complied, if more than a bit reluctantly, and got up to go into his private bathroom, just to return a few minutes later with the redness washed from his face and feeling a bit refreshed. When he got back, Mrs. Briefs was already there, sitting in the same chair he had been sitting in for the whole afternoon. Bulma was already gone. "You will tell me, when she wakes up or something else happens, won't you?" Gohan asked the woman.

"Of course, dear," the blonde told him. "Oh, and before you go, Bulma said that she's in the kitchen preparing the rest and that you still have to get the boys." Gohan returned the smile she was giving him and left the room, but not before looking back at his sister one last time before the door behind him closed.

He walked down the short distance to the three kids' room and stopped in front of the door, when he heard the two boys talking inside. He strained his ears to understand what they were saying and a small smile appeared on his face, when he heard Goten's voice say, "I think Gohan is really mad at us. He hasn't said anything to us since the accident."

"I think you're right," Trunks' voice answered. "He's gonna kill me."

"You? I attacked you."

"But it was me who made it hit mom and Jenny!"

"Gohan's gonna kill both of us! But wasn't Jenny's trans–, transfo–"

"Transformation?" the other boy offered.

"Right! I still think Jenny's transformation was cool!"

"Yeah…" Trunks agreed and Gohan had to grin at the boys' sudden change of mood, even though the subject was a touchy one for him. "Hey, maybe she's a Saiyajin after all!"

"Of course is she a Saiyajin! I'm one, brother is one, so why shouldn't she be one, too?"

At that moment Gohan decided that he should go inside. The more time he spent in front of this door, the longer he couldn't be with Jenny. The boys looked at him with large eyes, when he opened the door and stepped into the room and he even thought that for a moment he could see fear in them. Did they really think that he would hurt, or worse, kill them? "Bulma sent me," he said and for a moment he thought that their eyes had become even larger. "Dinner is ready."

Both let out the breath they had been holding upon seeing Gohan and grinned at each other. "How's Jenny?" Goten wanted to know.

"Still asleep, but she'll be alright." Hearing his voice saying that somehow made it sound more believable, so that he also slowly started to be more optimistic. "But now, let's go. I'm sure you are hungry."

Without waiting for another second to pass, the two boys dashed past him. Gohan just shook his head and followed them, but at a much slower pace.

Dinner passed without much talking, mostly due to the fact that all in all five Saiyajins (Vegeta would never miss a meal) were sitting at the table, gulping down everything that was put in front of them and remotely resembled food. Gohan was surprised by how hungry he truly was. The whole afternoon he had not once thought about the possibility of eating something, but when he smelled the scent of food, he noticed that he was close to starving.

After dinner the boys quickly went back to their room. Gohan also wanted to leave once the dirty dishes were put into the dishwasher, but Bulma stopped him, before he reached the door. "Gohan, would you please sit down again? Vegeta and I, we need to talk to you."

Gohan gave her a confused look and glancing at Vegeta, he sat down on his chair. A frown had appeared on his face, because since Vegeta would be a part of the conversation, he could already guess what it would be about. "What is it?"

"Well," Bulma began and Gohan could feel that she was quite uneasy. "This afternoon, after… Vegeta came to me and he – you'll probably won't like it, but I agree with him – well, he told me…"

"Stop your pathetic stuttering, woman, and tell him! Or better yet, I'll do it. I intend to train the brat."

Having already expected this, Gohan wasn't that surprised, but still his whole body tensed and he jumped up, the chair falling down behind him. "No! I won't let you train her. She is no fighter. Jenny's just a girl, a normal girl!"

Vegeta snorted. "After what happened this afternoon you still want to tell me that she's just normal? You can't tell me that you believe this nonsense."

"So what? Just that there seems to be some power flowing in her body doesn't mean that you have the right to force her into something that she might not want!"

"Something that she doesn't want or that you don't want?" Vegeta questioned him.

"Hey! Calm down! Both of you!" Bulma quickly interjected, when even she started to feel the room heat up and to see the air around her waver. "No fights in the house!"

"Well, then… Gravity room." Vegeta just nodded at the young Saiyajin's challenge and followed him outside, leaving behind a with anger boiling Bulma.

"Get back here, now!" she cried after them, but to no avail. They wouldn't listen anyway. "Saiyajins…" she muttered and wiped with her palm over her face.

It was already long dark outside and the stars glistened at the sky, when Gohan trudged through the corridors of Capsule Corporation to get to his room. He was a mess. His whole body was covered with bruises, burn marks and other various wounds and his left eyes was swollen shut. The clothes he wore weren't anymore – the only remainders were shreds. There had been no holding back – neither he nor Vegeta had wanted to give in. In the end it was Bulma who had stopped the fight and this only by shutting down the main control of the gravity room. At least Vegeta looked the same.

He stopped in front of his door and carefully opened it, just to find Bulma sitting in the chair next to the bed. The woman looked up and walked up to him, gently shoving him out of the door and closing it behind her. She seemed to take a good look at the boy, who was already a few inches taller than her, and shook her head sighing. "Oh Gohan…"

"I'm sorry…"

"I know you are," Bulma answered smiling. "And I'm not mad at you. But please tell me, why don't you want Jenny to train?"

Gohan heaved a sigh. He should have known that Bulma wouldn't stop bugging him, but now he felt too spent and tired to be angry or be willing to argue with her. "Until this afternoon she was a normal girl with a chance at a normal life. She could do everything I'd just dreamed of. But when–, if she trains, everything would be different. She would get stronger and become a fighter – a fighter who'd have to go out to defend the Earth if a new threat arrives. I just…" He took a deep breath. "I know that you probably want to know why I let Goten train… With him and Trunks it's different. I know that it will sound stupid, but I think it's because they're boys. They possess the strength of a Saiyajin. They already tried to mimic Vegeta's and my moves as soon as they were able to walk. They were born into a world of fighting and before I even realized what was happening it was already too late. I couldn't stop Goten anymore. But Jenny, she has always been the calm and weak one and I just want to protect her – always wanted to. I still want to protect her, though I know now that at least a part of her strength has awoken. She always wanted to be like Goten and Trunks – she just told me again so today – and I know that, when I let her train, then she won't turn back. I can't deny anymore that she's a Saiyajin, no matter how much I want to do it."

"You are right, Gohan," Bulma said softly. "With everything you've said. Jenny's a girl, but she's also a Saiyajin – she's your father's daughter after all – just like you and Goten. I know you Saiyajins and what fighting means to you. Jenny, also Goten and Trunks, are still kids and easy to carry away. Why don't you just ask her what she wants, once she's awake and even if she decides to start training, who knows what she will do in a few years, when she's a teenager? You can't protect her forever. And who knows, maybe she'll give up the fighting and turn her interest to other things, boys for example."

"Boys?" Gohan asked her startled and he could see the knowing smirk on her face.

Bulma shook her head and laughed lightly at the shocked expression on the teenager's face. "Oh yes, boys… Believe me, Gohan. There'll be much more and worse things you have to worry about in the coming years." Gohan swallowed hard and Bulma could see his face pale even more. "So, Gohan. Why don't you go to your room now? You look like you could need some rest. And remember what I said."

Gohan smiled at her, as he put his hand on the doorknob. "I will. Thank you, Bulma." The blue haired scientist just winked at him and left. Now feeling a lot better than before, Gohan opened the door and stepped inside. He sat down on the chair and rested his head on his hand, his eyes resting on his sister's still form.

…

Gohan's head jerked up, when he heard a movement of the covers and a tired yawn. Had he nodded off? He looked at the clock at the wall. It was about four o'clock in the morning. Yep, he had nodded off. His eyes turned again to the bed and he saw that his sister's head was turned to him and that her eyes were open. "Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," she replied, just as quietly and slowly sat up.

"How are you feeling?"

She shrugged. "I'm tired and I'm thirsty. And my arms itch. Why are they bandaged?"

"They're burned," Gohan told her, as he filled the glass on the nightstand with water and gave it to her. "Do you remember, what has happened?"

She took a few large gulps, emptying the glass within a few seconds and wiped her mouth with her bandaged arm. "Bulma and I were making cookies for you. We just wanted to bring them out to you, when I saw a blast flying at us. I was scared and I dropped the plate with cookies to protect my face, just like I saw you doing it, when you were training. Then… I dunno… I suddenly started to feel strange. I remember that I closed my eyes, because there was so much dust. After that… nothing." Suddenly a though occurred to her. "Is Bulma okay? She was behind me."

"She is okay," Gohan reassured her and ran his fingers through her blond hair. "You took the full blast and saved her life. Jenny, we don't know, yet, how it happened, but you transformed and with the transformation your ki went high enough to block the blast."

Jenny's eyes went as wide as saucers and a huge grin spread over her face. "I transformed? Into what? Does that mean I'm not weak? Can I train now with you and the others?"

"Hey, hey!" Gohan laughed. "Not so fast. Yes, you transformed. Your hair color changed to black and you grew a tail. But the tail disappeared again and your hair changed back to blond when you fainted. And you haven't been weak at that moment, otherwise your injuries would be much worse and concerning the training… Well, Vegeta wants to train you, but I––" He suddenly stopped, not knowing what to say. He didn't want to upset her and seeing the sparkling gleam in her blue eyes, he decided not to tell her the truth of what had happened just a few hours ago. "I told him that I'd have to ask you first. So, do you really want to train?" She nodded eagerly, her grin not once wavering. "Okay, then it's settled. As soon as your wounds are healed, we will start to train you." As long as you don't start to date until I'm too old and too weak to stop you, he added as an afterthought.

"By the way, Gohan?" she suddenly asked, upon taking in his whole appearance of the bruises and torn clothes. "What happened to you?"

Gohan grinned at her and scratched the back of his head. "Well, let's just say I got into a small fight, okay?"

"Okay…" she yawned and lay down again, snuggling into the covers. "Gohan, can you tell me a story, please?"

"What do you want to hear?"

"Tell me about dad…" she said, her eyes already closing.

"Dad… Dad was a great man. Warrior, husband, father… He was the strongest man on Earth and the whole universe, defeating every enemy that dared to attack him. He never gave up and always saw the good in someone's heart. He was usually always cheerful, just like Goten, but in a fight he could be a complete different man. Fighting was his life, though he never forgot about his family. He decided not to return to us, because he wanted to protect not just the world, but also us, his family. He loved us." Noticing that his sister was already fast asleep, he bent over and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. "He still does."