"Mr. Toriami, I would like to request a leave of absence for tomorrow." Gohan's supervisor looked at him over his wire rimmed glasses. The young man stood before him solemnly. Gohan worked hard, and did good work. He rarely asked for time off. Toriami responded with a stern face.
"Why, Gohan?" He expected it to be something about the new baby or his younger brother.
"I need to go see my mother, I've…" Gohan trailed off, his voice dropping.
"Yes, then maybe you'll get your work standards up." Mr. Toriami shooed the young man out of his office. Gohan thanked him and walked back to his desk.
Scene Break ***************
The next day Gohan left the house at the same time as always. Videl noticed a change in him after Vegeta's surprise visit. He flew to the house where he'd grown up. For the first time it seemed small and sold to Gohan. Kimchi came up, tail wagging, happy to see him.
"Hey boy, some guard dog you are." Gohan scratched the three legged mutt between the ears, to his delight.
"Mom!" Gohan hollered, not wanting to walk in just yet.
"In the garden." Chichi shouted from a distance .She was bent over the tomatoes, her floppy hat anchored on her head, gum boots on her feet.
" Hi, Mom." Gohan watched as his mother struggled to stand upright. A smile spread across her face when she saw him.
"I thought it was Goten calling." Chichi bear hugged her oldest son.
"Mom, can we talk?" Gohan wriggled out of her crushing embrace like a toddler.
"Yes, come inside, have you eaten? How's my rand daughter?" Gohan didn't know what to answer first.
"Pan is great, let's go over to the picnic tables." He took her arms as if Chichi were feeble.
"I came to talk about what I said the other day, I was wrong." Chichi started to speak but Gohan shook his head, he needed to finish.
"Dad's gone and it's permanent, it hurts to see you moving on, always before you waited and Dad always came back, I don't know if it's you moving on or if it's the fact that it's Vegeta." Gohan sighed, he felt older than he really was.
"I understand, believe me, no one can ever replace your father, especially not Vegeta, but you have to understand, he's all alone, everything he's ever had has been taken away." Chichi's big, dark eyes looked to Gohan for understanding.
"I just don't know if I'll ever really understand, but I support you and I love you, Mom." Gohan put his arm around his mother. They sat for a long time and talked.
Scene Break ******
Trunks walked into the house at nine o'clock. His shirt, pants both was torn and he was dirty. Bra sat at the bar in the kitchen eating supper. Her eyes widened when she saw her brother.
"What's happened, Trunks?" Bra's small hands dropped the flatware she ate from.
"I'm fine, I've just been sparring with Dad today is all." Trunks' aqua blue eyes sparkled.
"How is that asshole?" Bra snarled. She had been bitter and sullen every time Vegeta's name came up.
"No need to be so disrespectful, he is still our father." Trunks snapped at her.
"He can be your father, mine flew away." Bra slid her plate away and stalked off. Trunks didn't know what to do with her. He knew exactly how she felt but at the same time he was beginning to understand how Vegeta felt. Sighing, he walked into his own bedroom to shower and change. Most nights Bra stayed at school, in the dorm. Occasionally she stayed with Trunks at his apartment in the city. The Briefs' compound was still where Capsule Corp production took place but neither Trunks not Bra had the heart to stay there.
Trunks got his supper then laid down for the night. Bra curled up with the newest novel in the "Sparkling Twitter" series. Unbeknownst to either of them Vegeta sat out on the balcony listening. He had sat there many nights. It hurt him to hear his Princess call him an asshole, but then again, the truth usually did hurt. The introspective warrior sat most of the night, thinking about how to make it up to Bra.
Scene Break *****
Time moved slowly for Chichi as she sat crocheting. Orange and blue hooked together to make the large afghan she planned on giving Gohan for is birthday. Vegeta hadn't been to the house since before Gohan's visit, three days earlier. The house was quiet and lonely again. It was a good time to think. Chichi did a lot of that lately, think. She contemplated her life with Goku, Gohan, and Goten, life without them, and occasionally Vegeta. Kimchi laid by the hearth asleep. He was a good dog and a good companion but a lousy watch dog. Chichi's fingers worked hard on the two lengths of yarn she was using to make a border along the quilt. It got more and more difficult the sleepier she became. Soon Chichi nodded off in the middle of a stitch. Her dreams were so vivid. Goku was there, halo and all. He reached out to embrace his wife. Tears streamed down Chichi's face as she put her arms around his neck. In his arms was where she always wanted to be. The house lit up around them as Goku carried her t the bedroom and laid her down on the bed.
"I've missed you." She cooed. Goku kissed her cheek.
"I love you, Goku." Almost too low to hear he whispered back the same. Chichi sighed happily and moved onto the next dream.
Under any other circumstances Vegeta would have decked someone who called him by Kakarot or his Earth name. He made an allowance for Chichi, who dreamed of her husband regularly. Her feelings for him were as alive as ever, even if he wasn't. In Chichi's dreams Goku was alive and well, everything was perfect again. In a way Vegeta wished his dreams were pleasant, like Chichi's. She looked so peaceful lying curled up in the big bed beneath a summer coverlet. To be so headstrong and opinioned, Chichi had moments of beauty and grace. He laughed to himself, guessing even he looked better when asleep. Tired from too many of life's trials Vegeta laid down beside Chichi and fell into a pleasant dream for a change.
Scene Break *******