I bet you're all surprised to see an update! I've been hooked on Indulgence, but inspiration for this chapter came out of no where and I finished it up within a couple days. I decided to go a new route with everyone seeing Goten's progress, so I hope you enjoy the format. I also added my own opinions on the mental history of a couple characters. If you don't agree, I don't care. I also thought it would be interesting for all of you to see just how a psychiatrist can take what you say and shape it into whatever they want and for many people to see that patient's in a mental facility are still just as much a prisoner as an inmate in a prison.

Warnings: Cussing, lots of dialogue.

Disclaimer: I do not own DB/Z/GT. All canon characters belong to Akira Toriyama. All OC's belong to me. Do not use without my permission.

Chapter 21: Patient 022170

"Patient number 022170… Day 68... Diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenic… Medication includes 200mg of Clozapine in the mornings, 50mg of Olanzapine with breakfast, 75mg of Aripiprazole and 115mg of Amitriptyline throughout the day, and 150mg of Lithium Carbonate at night. Progression has been slow but highly effective since admission. Let the record show that patient's legs and wrists are shackled due to violent outburst last night with the orderlies. This has been the first violent incident in 21 days. Patient claims an orderly was trying to take advantage of him."

"He was taking advantage of me. He doesn't have to try when you're strapped to the bed."

"… Let the record show there is no evidence of this claim. Patient must be strapped down at night to help him from harming himself due to fits he has in his sleep recently."

"That's because I'm getting molested at night!"

"Goten, you are making this session very hard and we have barely even started. If you want to file a claim of harassment, I'll give you a form to fill out to give to HR when you're stable enough. If you're going to keep interrupting, then I will have no choice then to confine you to your room until tomorrow. Now, can we get back to business?"

"… Fine."

"Good. Now, the last time we left off, we were talking about your parents. Mother, Son Chichi, killed in gas leak explosion over 2 years ago, had a history of manic depression w/ schizophrenic tendencies. Once admitted into a mental hospital as a child for bouts of screaming and for claims of "bad imaginary friends" for 5 months. Released after intensive therapy and daily medication. Assumed sexual abuse due to inappropriate clothes and flirtatious behavior as a child, but never reported or recorded. Father's name is Son Goku. No recorded history of mental illness, but consistently absent in patient's life. Patient's father finally walked out and moved in with another man and started a sexual relationship with him-"

"My mother threw him out."

"No Goten. The divorce decree states that your father chose to leave on his own accord and he filed first."

"But I was there. I saw it all happen right before my eyes!"

"You mean like that time your mother somehow managed to collect hundreds of exotic spiders and put them all over you in your bed? Come now, Goten… You know you have had severe hallucinations since childhood."

"I swear that happened… I could feel them…!"

"The brain is a wondrous thing, Goten. Fear can cause all sorts of physical responses from you like chills, skin sensitivity, and heightened senses. That doesn't mean that what you feel is actually there. You know you just hallucinated the spiders, Goten… Just like you hallucinated the abuse you claim she caused you… I know you know."

"...… I guess… when I think back to that night… it doesn't make much sense…"

"Exactly. The same goes for the Majin Buu catastrophe."

"I know I was apart of all that, Doc. I died and everything!"

"Goten… you were only 7 years old during all of that. There is no possible way."

"I was!"

"Let the record show there is no evidence of patient 022170's involvement during the Majin Buu catastrophe. This is still one fantasy that we must work on."

"I was there… My entire family was… even Trunks!"

"Now, there is an interesting topic we can switch to. Patient 022170's childhood friend, Trunks Brief, is a main trigger to many hallucinations and violent outbursts. Patient claims that Mr. Brief was always trying to hurt him or plot against him. Patient claims to have been bullied constantly. There is no record of such harassment in either Orange Star Middle or High schools. Goten, if you interrupt me one more time, we will end this session and you will spend the rest of your day on your bed. Is that what you want?"

"… No…"

"Thank you. Patient 022170 has been admitted to our facility due to attempted murder and sexual assault of Trunks Brief. It is court ordered by the state of New York that patient seek treatment until he is fit for society. Court ordered to record progress for each session to determine any new diagnosis or decisions for future release. Dr. Simoko Chan, his first psychiatrist, first diagnosed patient with schizophrenia and accused Trunks Brief as the main trigger to make his illness come to the surface. Goten, can you remind us again of the relationship you and Mr. Brief had?"

"… We were best friends… ever since I could remember, it was always him and me…"

"And he was a bit of a trouble maker?"

"Yes… He liked to push the limits, especially mine. I didn't do anything unless he did it… What are you writing?"

"Don't worry about it, Goten. Please continue. When did the relationship fall apart?"

"… In middle school… He was starting to get wrapped up in being the popular rich kid. The kids all but worshipped him and he really got off on it. I… started to realize we were drifting apart and it really hurt… I started feeling things that hadn't been there before…"

"You developed a crush on him."

"… Yeah…"

"And you told him how you felt."

"… Yes."

"What happened?"

"He beat me up… And called me a 'fag'. It was never the same after that."

"Patient went to hospital and has record of minor head trauma and bruising. Would you say after that was when you really started to notice hearing and seeing things?"

"… Um… I… I guess…"

"Without Mr. Brief being involved in your life, would you say you feel normal?"

"Yes."

"Noted. Let's move forward. I see here in your notes from Dr. Chan about a brief relationship you had with someone named Hayden Marlo."

"… He went by Zoomie…"

"Right. According to Dr. Chan, you became obsessed with Mr. Marlo, stalked him throughout school and to the point of following him home. It says here you forced yourself on him multiple times, but he never pressed charges."

"… N-No… it was all consensual… He came onto me first!"

"No, Goten. You know that's not true. He was too scared to report you, until after you followed him home and sexually assaulted him."

"Wh-what…? No! We loved each other!"

"Let the record show that patient was finally given a restraining order and the family moved after the incident out of the country."

"N-No… we loved each other…"

"Goten… think about it."

"… Ok… Yes… I stalked him and forced myself on him."

"Let the record show patient shows remorse for his actions against Mr. Marlo. And the package, Goten? It was not a confession of love before his death, was it?"

"… No. I made that up. They… were letters of hate and disgust. He felt… he had suffered even more from his cancer because of me…"

"It's good that you can admit this, Goten. It shows you are making progress. You are able to show that you know it was all in your head and you know the truth. You were obsessed and angry that he wasn't responding positively to your advances, so you took matters into your own hands."

"…Yes."

Goten's POV

He was in my room again, his large hand running up my exposed leg and over my thigh, touching me as he please. I couldn't fight him off because I was strapped down to my bed, and he always made sure to gag me so I couldn't yell. I stared up at Vlad, the large Russian orderly, waiting for him to see what he was going to do next. I know I had started this. I was completely sane when I initiated the interest in him, but I didn't know it would turn into this. Instead of coming together as two bodies wanting a taste, instead I was forced to let him touch me while he touched himself. He always had a skill of pulling my pants down under the straps and pleasuring me, making me moan even though I hated it.

Because I was determined to get the hell out of this madhouse, I took all the medicine they shoved down my throat and participated in group and individual therapy. And because I took all the medication, my head was clear and I was always aware of what was going on in reality around me. I knew a lot of the past was made up by my imagination, and was convinced a lot of what I saw was just hallucinations. I had lived in my own world for too long, and it was time to yank me out of it. I had imagined and fantasized so much that it was hard to know what really happened without someone guiding me in the right direction. I hated my individual therapy, but it was good for me.

Vlad stroked me until I was hard, causing me to shiver and groan as I ached. I watched with heavy-lidded eyes as he masturbated in front of me, his thick lips parted as he panted. I can't blame the Russian for doing this to me—after all, I started it. I wish that he would leave me alone, but another part of me doesn't want him to stop. He reminded me of a man I once gave my entire heart and soul and mind to, and I was desperate for that connection again.

"Patient number 022170… Day 76… Diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenic… Medication includes 200mg of Clozapine in the mornings, 50mg of Olanzapine with breakfast, 75mg of Aripiprazole and 115mg of Amitriptyline throughout the day, and 150mg of Lithium Carbonate at night. Progression has been steadily getting better since last session. Let the record show that patient is not shackled and free to move as he pleases and there are no orderlies in the room."

"Finally."

"Let's talk about Dillon Santinni."

"… What's there to talk about?"

"Patient was in a sexual relationship with Mr. Santinni for 3 years. Lived with him for the last 5 months before admittance to us. Mr. Santinni covered all costs for trial and payment for admittance into facility. Moved back home to Italy just 17 days after patient was admitted… Let the record show patience shows remorse at the mention of Mr. Santinni being gone."

"I don't care if he's gone."

"Goten, you're lying."

"… No I'm not…"

"Goten, it's ok to miss him. He was a huge part of your life. For him to suddenly leave like he did without saying goodbye has to still hurt."

"… A little."

"I'll take that over nothing. Do you still hear his voice with the others?"

"Yes…"

"And what does he say?"

"… That you are all lying to me… That he's not really gone, but that you refuse to let him come see me…"

"And you believe that?"

"… No… Not anymore…"

"And why is that?"

"Because… I know the voices are all in my head… And I have to learn to live with them and ignore them."

"Good… Do you still believe he is associated with organized crime?"

"… No."

"Why do you think he tried to convince you that he was?"

"… To scare me… and control me…"

"He has always tried to control you, hasn't he?"

"…"

"He lied about his age, he falsified records to gain access to your school, he all but kidnapped you for several weeks to go out of the country, he constantly tried to control your every move when you were with and without him…"

"…"

"He was abusive both mentally and physically. He made it to where you could not live without him."

"Why are you saying all of this…?"

"I am just reading the notes from Dr. Chan, Goten."

"Bitch…"

"When Patient 022170 was first admitted into our facility, he had wild accusations of riding along with the mafia and helping them to commit crimes, cannibalizing enemies and fearing that they were going to come after him next because he was locked away. Patient claimed to be the Night Crawler that the news talked about months ago, but there is no record or evidence of his involvement. Since given consistent dosage of medications, patient has denied such claims and has apologized for his outbursts."

"I'm still sorry…"

"It's ok, Goten. You wouldn't believe the kind of things that the patients in here say they have done or who they are. You weren't the only one screaming at night about being the Night Crawler."

"… I figured as much…"

"Would you say Dillon Santinni caused a lot of your madness?"

"Yes."

"And would you say that without Mr. Santinni, you actually feel normal?"

"… Yes."

Goten's POV

I found it hard to look into the eyes of Trunks as he sat across from me, staring down at the table or over at the other patients in the great room. He was surprisingly patient with me, waiting for me to say something or to start the conversation. As part of my recovery, my doctors wanted me to "face my demons" and find closure so I could move on with my life. The heir to Capsule Corp was more than eager to meet with me, and it left me a little unnerved.

"You look well, Goten. Last I heard, everyone was worried because you weren't eating and had gotten really skinny." He spoke softly. "I even like your hair cut short the way it is now."

I didn't respond to him, staring down at my knees and scratching my arm a little from being agitated. He was right in the fact that I used to be skinny, but all of the medication they had me on now made me gain all kinds of weight. If anything, I was starting to get a little pudgy as I stared at my stomach. It also helped that I no longer thought that they were trying to poison me with their food. They also cut my hair because I kept ripping it out at night due to my nightmares.

"… Goten… I just… I wanted to say that I'm sorry… for anything I did to make you this way."

I snorted and was finally able to look over at him, seeing the scarring under his eyes where I tried to claw them out and his slightly crooked nose from where I had bashed it in. "If you ask the quacks around here, they would say that I was already crazy before you decided to kick my head in back in the day."

"I know… mental illness has a high probability of being hereditary… But I still wanted to apologize for that day, and all the other days. All the times I hurt you … I wish I could take it all back… I was young and stupid back then. I was so concerned with maintaining this stupid image that I lost track of what was important…"

"I'll say." I rolled my eyes a little, putting my arms over my chest.

He was silent for quite some time, looking away from me and seeming as uncomfortable as I was. I wondered if he really had wanted to see me, or if someone had put him up to it. "Goten… you don't really think I had it out for you, do you…?" He suddenly asked me, the question putting me off guard a little.

"Yeah, I did. What of it?"

"You have to know now that I don't, right…? I mean, I didn't even testify during the trial. I didn't even want to press charges! After what you did to me, I forgive you… I will always forgive you. I know you're sick… And I know I caused a lot of it… Honestly, I thought you were faking it… And I was angry and jealous from the attention you were getting."

"That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard."

"I know. Really dumb." Trunks sighed and hung his head. "There's nothing I can do to take it all back… All I can ask –beg for- is for your forgiveness…"

I didn't answer him. I was still too angry to forgive him and I didn't think I would ever be able to.

"If it means anything… I… I really care about you Goten… In fact, I could honestly, finally, say that after all of this… I love you, too."

"Patient number 022170… Day 112… Diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenic… Medication includes 200mg of Clozapine in the mornings, 50mg of Olanzapine with breakfast, 75mg of Aripiprazole and 115mg of Amitriptyline throughout the day, and and increase in 200mg of Lithium Carbonate at night. Progression has backtracked since last session due to patient's attack against his childhood friend, Trunks Brief. The meeting was meant to bring closure to patient, but instead caused a negative response. Let the record show 022170 is shackled again."

"…"

"Goten, why did you attack Mr. Brief?"

"Because he fucking deserved it."

"But why, Goten? Why did he deserve it?"

"He was mocking me."

"Mocking you? Are you sure?"

"Yes. He had the audacity to tell me he loves me after everything he's done to me."

"Is that so wrong?"

"Yeah it fucking is."

"Why?"

"Because me telling him my feelings all those years ago is the reason he beat the hell out of me and bullied me all through middle and high school. Now I'm locked away in a psych ward and he feels the need to reciprocate?! Now he's sorry and wants to make amends?!"

"Maybe it took a while for him to realize his feelings. He was angry at himself for how he felt and-"

"That shouldn't give him a reason to do what he did to me!"

"I agree with you Goten, I really do. He shouldn't have mistreated you because you expressed your feelings to him. The same goes for you though. You shouldn't mistreat him because he expressed his feelings to you."

"This isn't fair…"

"What isn't fair, Goten?"

"Why doesn't he have to suffer like I have? No matter what he does, he gets a slap on the wrist. But when I do something, I get locked away in a hell hole with some doctors telling me when I'm sane again."

"Mr. Brief didn't try to kill you, Goten."

"Maybe not physically…"

"Are you sorry for what you did?"

"Fuck you."

Goten's POV

I stopped taking my Clozapine just to spite the doctors and orderlies at the hospital. Whenever it was given to me to swallow, I hid it under my tongue and spit it out as soon as I knew no one was watching me. Before long, my hallucinations became stronger and finally Ten and my Protector were back. I sat with the child on the couch in the great room and we simply watched the other patients around us. I didn't speak, knowing better than to show such things with the orderlies watching me, but Ten did.

"You know we're safe in here, right?" Ten spoke, kicking his feet back and forth and smiling. "The world out there is bad and won't ever accept us. I think we would be better off just staying in here forever. We get fed three times a day, we get our own room and a bed, and we get to participate in fun activities!"

Fun activities included going outside and standing around in a courtyard surrounded by cement and barbed wire with our ankles shackled. If a patient was lucky enough, we were allowed to help garden or clean up trash around the area, or push around a cart with water and shitty snacks.

"As long as we continue to stay good, we will be set for life!" Ten looked up at me and smiled again, his innocence and naivety showing from his ideas of what an ideal life was.

/That all sounds fucking terrible. Stupid little boy./

My Protector stood in the corner of the room, his arms crossed over his chest and he glared at the both of us. He was now the perfect mix of Dillon, Trunks, and myself, like something out of a strange fantasy movie. The hallucination rarely showed himself when the sun was up, but the glorious thing about him was how he always wanted to keep me on my toes.

"It's not terrible! It's good. We are safe in here and we should stay in here!" Ten whined back at my Protector.

/We need to fucking get the hell out of here! We are prisoners! Tell him, Goten!/

"Nu-uh! You're wrong! We are safe! Tell him, Goten!"

I sighed and pulled at my hair a little, getting agitated from their arguing. Both were right in a sense and I couldn't just pick one to agree with. When I didn't answer, they both got louder and were suddenly in my face. Ten was crying and my Protector was screaming, each of them demanding I take their side and take action either against the hospital or for the hospital. I whined a little myself and couldn't help putting my hands over my ears, trying to muffle the noise. I was starting to regret not taking the Clozapine now.

"Goten, are you ok?" A voice finally snapped my attention to reality and my hallucinations disappeared. When I looked up, I was relieved to see that it was Raven with those icy blue, artificial eyes. I had completely forgotten that he was coming to visit me and I was grateful for the relief. "Do you have a headache?" He asked and sat beside of me, stroking my hair with concern.

I blinked a few times and shook off the experience, giving the hybrid android a small smile. "Nah I'm ok... Definitely better now that you're here." I kissed his lips with a purr.

"Patient number 022170… Day 133… Diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenic… Medication includes 200mg of Clozapine in the mornings, 50mg of Olanzapine with breakfast, 75mg of Aripiprazole and 115mg of Amitriptyline throughout the day, and we are still at 200mg of Lithium Carbonate at night to help patient sleep. Progression has increased with great improvement. Patient has admitted to spitting out his Clozapine the last few weeks, but claims he is taking them again. We now check 022170's mouth to make sure that all medication is taken."

"You really don't need to do that."

"Oh yes, we do Goten. We are happy to admitted to this, but you broke our trust. Can you tell the courts why you started taking them again even though you did not get caught?"

"… My hallucinations started to get dangerous and I feared I would harm myself and others."

"Is that all?"

"Well… Raven helped me to decide to get back on them. He doesn't push like everyone else. He just gives suggestions and reason that I don't think about."

"And Mr. Gero, he is your boyfriend?"

"Kind of…"

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's complicated…"

"Humor me, Goten."

"… We… care about each other a lot. I think there was always something there between us since we had an immediate connection as friends when we met, but our interests were elsewhere. When Dillon left, he stepped up to the plate to continue to give me consistency."

"Have you been intimate with him?"

"Huh? What's that have to do with anything?"

"It has a lot to do with it. Please answer the question."

"… Well, we haven't fucked if that's what you're asking."

"You do not have to be so vulgar, Goten. Intimacy does not have to involve actual penetrating sex. Have you been intimate with Mr. Gero?"

"… Yeah… I have. And it was all consensual!"

"I believe you, Goten. We can tell he cares very dearly for you."

"He's always taken care of me when Dillon couldn't. He wouldn't do that if he didn't care about me."

"We have notes here that he used to be involved in a homosexual relationship with a mutual friend of yours that passed away. Is that correct?"

"… Yeah."

"A Jason Kemp?"

"He went by Voorhees…"

"How did Mr. Gero take Mr. Kemp's death?"

"He was devastated. I think Voorhees was the first person he ever actually loved. Probably the only person-"

"And how do you feel about that?"

"Me…? Why?"

"Don't answer a question with a question, Goten. How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know, Doc. Are you trying to get me to admit some feelings I had for Raven? Or have now?"

"I think it's imperative to know what is going to happen between the two of you. We are only concerned for your mental health, Goten. If you are going to jump into a relationship with someone who just lost a person they loved, you have to be mindful."

"Relationship? Look, Raven and I care about each other, but I don't think it's going to end with a white picket fence and a house on a hill with rings on our fingers."

"So he only cares because he lost someone?"

"What? No!"

"Then why do you think the relationship won't turn into something good for you?"

"You're twisting my words around!"

"Is it because Raven needs to take care of you? To fill a void?"

"I don't want to do this anymore. I'm done."

"We still have 45 minutes."

"I fucking said I'm done!"

Goten's POV

I hated visiting hours.

"Your doctors think that you might be fit enough to move into a group home, Goten. Isn't that great?" My father was smiling at me, beaming with hope and confidence. My brother was there with him as well, the two of them making sure to see me every Wednesday for the full two hours.

"Peachy." I responded dryly.

"I thought you would have been a little more excited…" Gohan spoke up finally. He was usual quiet during their visits, constantly riddled with guilt thinking he could have done more for me. I wish he would fucking grow up and get over it.

"Forgive me for not jumping for joy to share a house with a bunch of nut jobs while still being monitored and controlled throughout the day."

"You get more freedom there," My father kept the conversation on the positive side, "And it means that you are getting better! It's the next step to being able to be apart of society again."

"Eh, I don't know. I kinda like it here." I shrugged and put my arms across my chest. "I get fed three times a day, I get a room to myself, and they even let me go outside if I obey well enough."

"You don't have to be such a brat, Goten." Gohan scolded me.

"No, Gohan it's ok. Moving into a group home is a big deal. I would be afraid about it if I were him." My father defended me.

"I'm not scared!" I raised my voice, irritated from not getting any sleep at night. I never got my Lithium I was prescribed because of Vlad and the lack of sleep was really started to set me in a permanent sour mood. "I just don't wanna get my hopes up, ok? They told another patient they were thinking of moving him into a group home and that was like, fucking two years ago." Both my father and brother were silent and it felt good to get a little peace. I let out a sigh and rubbed my eyes, glancing back up at the two older men.

"Well… I think that it's at least a nice slice of hope..." My father started up again, always trying to be positive and while it annoyed the hell out of me, I was appreciative for it.

"It is…" I finally agreed, nodding my head.

"You're taking your medicine, right?" Gohan piped up, his arms still crossed over his chest while he looked at me.

"Wanna cavity search me and find out?" I snorted, scowling at him.

"Boys…" My father tried to interject.

"Is Raven still coming to see you?" My brother was getting more irate now.

"Maybe. What's it to you?"

"Boys…" Again, my father was trying to be patient and get us back on track.

"I've never liked him you know. He's always been a bad influence."

"You never liked him because he took your little mistress away. Does Videl still not know?"

"Enough!" My father finally raised his voice and stood to his feet, frowning at us both, especially at Gohan. He had our attention at last and he looked quite upset. "Both of you need to stop bickering and picking fights! Whatever happened in the past is where it belongs—in the past. You each need to focus on what is happening right now, and do whatever it takes to make things better!" My father wasn't the type of person to ever raise his voice to us and when he did, Gohan and I both watched him obediently. "Now please… Let's enjoy the rest of the time we have." He settled back down in his chair.

My brother and I both nodded at the same time, agreeing to behave. At least for now.

"Patient number 022170… Day 200… Diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenic… Medication includes 200mg of Clozapine in the mornings, 50mg of Olanzapine with breakfast, 75mg of Aripiprazole and 115mg of Amitriptyline throughout the day, and at 150mg of Lithium Carbonate at night to help patient sleep. Progression has continued at a steady pace. Patient has been approved by the courts to be released into a group home of schizophrenics and is allowing the hospital to make the final decision on release.

"Based on our evaluation of the patient on the 200 day mark, we fill that is he fit for group housing as long as he is monitored on a daily basis. He is self aware and has good management on his pill intake, but continues to be stubborn and confrontational. If he is not monitored, it is our worry that he will lash out against a patient or physician. Should this happen, he must be immediately readmitted to our facility for another 200 days of intensive therapy.

"We feel that while number 022170 is somewhat confrontational and aggressive, he is no longer a danger to himself or to society. With this, we grant him release into group housing."

"It's about god damn time."

TBC.