A/N: We're getting close to the finale. I want to do another story with this pairing but I don't have any good ideas. Blahhh.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

-MalRev

Cherished

11: Falling Together

Goku's arms were already around me before I could fly up out of bed. He had a knack for sensing when I was upset and I suspected he had been watching me making all sorts of weird faces during my dream. After I panted for a few minutes and managed to catch my breath, he carefully released me and touched my chin so I met his eyes. It was unbearable. How could I look him in the face? How could I act like my feelings mattered more than anyone else's?

"I know what you're thinking," Goku said without missing a beat. He used his thumb to wipe away a traitorous tear sliding down my cheek. "It's the same thing that always makes you cry. I understand. I know it's hard for you to decide. For me, it wasn't. Chi-Chi and I weren't exactly a match made in heaven. But you and Gohan always got along so well, up until now.

"If you do change your mind, I want you to know that I won't resent you. I used to think it would drive me crazy, but… I think I'm ready to commit myself to your happiness. If Gohan makes you happy, which he usually does, I want you to stay with him. Don't tear yourself away from him for my sake. I mean, if it wasn't for me, none of this would have happened in the first place." Goku smiled sheepishly.

I sniffled and wiped my nose with the back of my hand. It wasn't very ladylike but it didn't bother Goku. There was a lot less pressure to pretend to be something I wasn't with him. Living was so easy; so free and careless. That was a double-sided coin, though. With that freedom came a lack of stability. As much as I loved having no worries, I loved feeling secure even more. That was Gohan's appeal. He was tried and true, a safety net that I had fallen back on too early.

More tears came. "I'm so sick of feeling this way. I know I want to be with you, but leaving Gohan like that just doesn't seem fair. He's been so good to me. We have an unbreakable bond."

"Chi-Chi and I do, too. It's part of being married, I guess. I care about her in a different way than I care about you. I've never been able to talk about my feelings like this with anyone, especially a woman. It's kind of awkward but you're a good listener and I think you understand me better than a lot of other people." Goku twiddled his thumbs and looked at the sheets, trying to hide his blush.

"Please, Gohan never told me his feelings like this and we've been married for years. It's an instinct in men. You all think showing your humanity is a sign of weakness."

"That's true. So it really means something if I can tell you these things without too much hesitation. Normally I act like nothing bothers me so no one worries but it's nice to have a person who I can depend on for support. I'm under a lot of pressure, y'know?"

"I know." I leaned forward to hug Goku and gently ran my nails up and down his back. "Maybe we should head back now instead of waiting until morning. I don't know about you, but I can't sleep. There's no point in delaying the inevitable."

Goku halfheartedly agreed and we both got out of bed alongside the chirping birds. He left to find eggs for breakfast while I made my way to the bathroom for a quick shower. Afterwards, I put on the plainest clothes I could find and got the table ready for when Goku came back. My dream had severely shaken me. I was afraid to go back to sleep. What if another alternate reality was lurking in my subconscious?

We had our breakfast in near silence and cleaned up the house a bit before we got ready to leave. It wasn't like we had anyone to impress, but we would probably be coming back sooner than later and I wanted it to be clean. Goku hovered behind me while I dusted and finally gripped my shoulder to stop me when I got ready to shake out the rugs. I was trying to bide as much time as I could. I would never be ready to face our friends and family.

"We need to get this over with," Goku said, turning me to face him. He bent down to kiss my forehead and hugged me tightly. "If we stand together, we can't fall."

There was nothing more to say. Goku rose and placed two fingers to his forehead. We vanished in a heartbeat and I felt the familiar tingling of instant transmission. When we reappeared, it was outside of Capsule Corp., where Bulma was already standing impatiently. Vegeta was in the shadow of a tree, eyes closed and arms crossed. I felt Goku take my hand as Bulma approached us with a huge grin on her face.

"We've been expecting you," she said, giving me a fierce hug. "Everyone is inside. King Kai told us you'd be coming down sometime today. I don't think this will be as difficult as you two think."

"You're not mad?" Goku asked.

"Of course not." Bulma released me and dusted off my shoulder. "You should be with whoever makes you happy. And I'm sure this goes without saying but… Chi-Chi is kind of a bitch. Once we get everything all settled I think everyone will be feeling much better."

"How will this not be difficult?" I pressed as we headed toward the huge building. "Did something happen while we were away?"

But Bulma's lips were sealed. I could feel the beginnings of a migraine as we entered Capsule Corp. and Goku pulled me closer; his palm was sweating against mine. You would have never guessed how he was feeling based on his facial expression. As usual, he looked calm and collected. Vegeta joined up with us when we stopped outside the living room door and he hesitated before putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Good luck, woman," he said.

The doors swung open and we all stepped inside. I stopped dead before we walked three feet.

Gohan was sitting on the couch with his arm around a noticeably pregnant Bulla, who was chatting easily with Pan and touching my husband's leg. Goten and Trunks were sitting beside each other on a smaller couch to the side and looked completely at ease in spite of the circumstances. All of them seemed to look up at once and see Goku and I holding hands. To my shock, Pan leapt to her feet and ran forward to hug us both tightly.

Goku let my hand go to swing Pan around in the air, ecstatic with her reaction to our arrival. My husband jerked to his feet awkwardly and helped Bulla rise. My eyes zeroed in on her round stomach. They hadn't slept together once or twice. It was difficult for humans and Saiyans to crossbreed. What they did must have been intentional. I watched Vegeta enter my line of vision and sit on the couch.

"I told you everything would work out," Bulma said from behind me.

"More or less," Vegeta interjected.

I stared blankly at Bulla.

A warm hand settled in mine and I was pushed into a chair near Gohan and Bulla, who both sat on the couch beside Vegeta. Goku leaned back like he couldn't be more comfortable and threw an arm around my shoulders. Pan took a seat next to him and Bulma made Trunks and Goten give her a spot on their little couch. I continued to stare at Bulla without hesitation. Gohan was a great liar.

"Chi-Chi didn't want to come," Bulma said when no one spoke. "So Gohan, do you want to tell Videl a few things to help her feel better?"

Gohan nodded and leaned forward. "The truth is… well, I've been so absent because Bulla and I have been involved for a while. When she turned 20 things started happening and I think you can piece the rest together. I wanted this for Bulla and me, but I didn't want to hurt you. You becoming involved with Goku was the best solution and I thought I would be okay with it. But you know as well as I do how hard it is to give everything up we built together."

"So after all our arguments and me trying to deny my feelings, you're telling me you were doing the same thing with a girl half your age?" My voice was rising in pitch. "Deliberately! Goku and I just sort of happened, but you actually planned everything out. I haven't slept in so long over my guilt."

"You're missing the bigger picture," Pan said, "which is that you and dad can be happy now. I was really mad at Bulla for a while but if she and dad are happy, what does it matter? Everything else is secondary. I'm not saying it isn't weird. Trust me, you and grandpa being together is the weirdest thing I've ever seen." She took my hand in hers and looked in my eyes, smiling. "But you two are happy."

"We're all happy, right?" Gohan asked.

I looked around the room at everyone's faces and couldn't help but agree with them. There wasn't a sour look besides Vegeta's and he was always pissed off. It still hurt to know that Gohan had been unfaithful for so long. I wouldn't recover from that knowledge for quite a while. With Goku and the rest of my family by me side, the pain would certainly be easier to cope with.

A quick glance at Goku solidified my decision. He was radiantly happy; it seemed like his face would explode if anything else positive happened. All of the pieces had fallen together, albeit awkwardly. Gohan had technically left me for a much younger woman and I had left him for his father. Both of us were pretty messed up. But Pan was ok with everything and that was all that really mattered to me. I had hoped Chi-Chi would come to terms with Goku and I being together.

Bulma suddenly clapped her hands together and grinned. "Who's hungry? I bet dinner is ready by now. Let's all have a bite."

Goku was gone before I could blink and the other Saiyan hybrids followed soon after. I watched Gohan help Bulla to her feet like she would shatter into a million pieces if she so much as stumbled. When they left the room, Vegeta and I were sitting across from each other on separate couches. His black eyes were open for a change and drilling into me, trying to read my thoughts. I stared back at him coldly.

The Saiyan Prince smirked. "You don't look very happy."

"That was all too perfect," I admitted, maintaining my steely gaze. "Gohan used to feel so strongly about us and it's just… gone now. Something doesn't feel right."

"Why question it? You and Kakarot got everything you wanted and none of your little friends are angry."

"I guess. Why do you seem so giddy? Your daughter is pregnant by Goku's son."

"I find that fact more hilarious than irritating. Besides, now she's settled down and I don't have to worry about her as much. She's Gohan's problem." Vegeta's smirk widened and he closed his eyes. "Everyone wins in the end, woman. Quit complaining and stop worrying."

When I rose to my feet and headed toward the kitchen, he didn't follow.

Reviews/comments/questions

TFSrules- Everyone kind of won, lol. Chi-Chi is crying in a corner somewhere.

super saiyan 4 chichi- Lol yeah, if she killed herself Goku would be in Other World in an instant. That would just make everything even worse.