AN. Aww, separation is always hard. Poor Tien/Chiaotzu (hugs) ... Anyway (cough) as I said last chapter, this is nearly finished now. Just another three or four chapters after this. I'm back in Melbourne now, back in my messy, messy room (I really need to learn how to clean...) I'm updating now because this Friday I have an exam, and so there will be lots of studying going down. I'll update next after the exam is finished :D

Chapter Twenty-Five

Tien sank down further, relief weakening his muscles, and he smiled widely at the young boy in the bed. Chiaotzu was still sniffling, but his grip on Tien's hand was tight, and Tien was sure that if he could the small boy would currently be clinging to him, his face buried as close to him as possible. It wasn't possible, not with his cast, but Tien was content with the small contact from their linked hands.

"I was scared you'd leave me," Chiaotzu whispered, his eyes never leaving Tien's face.

"Never," Tien whispered back. "I promise. We won't be separated again."

There were running footsteps, making Tien's stomach sink, and the door flung open. It revealed a group of concerned martial artists and a livid doctor. The latter of these two saw him next to the bed and puffed up like a bullfrog, trying to look intimidating. It didn't work, because it only made him seem fatter rather than taller, and doing so made his face twice as red.

"I have to ask you to leave," he said coldly, glaring openly at Tien. Tien's heart sank into his stomach and Chiaotzu let out a quiet whimper of protest that went unheard by anyone except his big brother. "I can't have you here endangering my patients."

"Who am I endangering?" Tien demanded.

"I don't know how you inflicted those injuries on that child without being found out sooner, but I will not let you hurt anyone else," the doctor said.

Tien shot to his feet, his eyes narrowing, his teeth baring in a snarl, fury twisting his face.

"I'm not leaving," he spat.

"If you don't I'll call security," the doctor said.

"Kami himself couldn't drag me from this room," Tien said.

The group before him exchanged glances, varying in emotion from worried to amazed. Tien lifted his head, lengthening his spine, using his now well developed acting skills to portray a confidence he no longer had. This technique was much more effective than the doctor's puffing up. He didn't just look it, he truly was tall, imposing, frightening, his very aura radiating threat. He looked dangerous, an extremely violent person, until you looked down and realised his hand was still tightly entwined with Chiaotzu's.

"Don't make Tien go," Chiaotzu whimpered, tears welling in his eyes again. His soft voice made everyone except Tien jump. Tien looked down at the bed, his face softening instantly.

"They can't make me," he said quietly. "No one can." He returned his gaze to the group in front of him, his mood suddenly serious again. "I will not leave," he said. "You can stay here if you don't trust me, but I would never hurt Chiaotzu. I never have and I never will."

There was a silence. Without a word, both the doctor and the rest of the group moved into the room, finding chairs around the perimeter. Goku graciously gave up his chair for his wife and son, and soon only he and Tien were standing.

Chiaotzu's hand tightened around Tien's, the equivalent of tugging on his sleeve, and he looked down. The boy was looking up at him with wide, frightened and hopeful eyes.

"He's gone, isn't he?" he asked hopefully. Tien felt a jolt, then nodded.

"He fled, like the coward he is," he growled quietly, feeling anger rise in him again. This was quenched almost instantly by Chiaotzu's relieved whisper.

"Now you don't have to hurt anyone anymore."

Tien nodded again, smiling slightly. The people around the room were exchanging glances again, but he pointedly ignored them. His threatening aura disappeared, his very body seeming to shrink as he knelt by the bed again.

"I'm sorry, Chiaotzu-kun," he whispered, aware that the others were listening closely. "It's…all my fault. If I had been stronger he wouldn't have hurt you…" He broke off, tears sliding down his cheeks again, and he looked down to try to hide them from Chiaotzu.

"Don't cry," Chiaotzu murmured. His hand pulled free of Tien's and gently brushed over his cheeks, the bandages absorbing each tear. "Please don't. You did everything you could, I know that. I kind of wish you hadn't done anything he said from the beginning. Then you wouldn't have made so many enemies." He glanced around the room, meeting the eyes of every single person. Most of them looked away, not meeting his level, tear-filled gaze.

"It's just eating away at me," Tien whispered. "I've hurt so many people, but he still hurt you so badly… I did everything he asked, but I couldn't commit murder…"

"If you could then you wouldn't be my brother," Chiaotzu said quietly.

Tien smiled through his tears, moving forward and gently wrapping his arms around Chiaotzu. The boy's unbroken arm reached around his back, his face nestling into the crook of Tien's shoulder, his body instinctively leaning closer.

"How can you not trust him with me?" Chiaotzu asked in a slightly louder voice, and Tien realised with a jolt that he was talking to the other people in the room.

"He ruthlessly broke Krillin's arm and my leg," Yamcha said hotly.

"He didn't want to," Chiaotzu said, lifting his head and staring at Yamcha, not releasing his grip on Tien. "He forced him to."

"He? Who the hell is he?"

"I don't know his name," Chiaotzu said. "But he is the one who made Tien do it. He is the coward who hid behind a child." Chiaotzu lifted his chin, looking suddenly much older than his young age. "He is the bad guy, the one you should hate."

"His name is Shen," Tien murmured, his eyes closed as he tightened his grip. "You must have heard me call him that at least once. Surely…"

"I only heard you call him 'Master'," Chiaotzu admitted quietly.

Tien flinched, then muttered angrily, "He is no master of mine."

"See?" Chiaotzu said, looking back to Yamcha.

"Then why did he do it?" Krillin challenged. Chiaotzu turned his gaze to the short adult, Krillin becoming visibly uncomfortable under the boy's hurt gaze.

"Tien only did what he asked because…because he was threatening me," Chiaotzu said in a dejected whisper. "He was going to hurt me if Tien didn't do what he wanted. And he did...so many times…" Chiaotzu trailed off, shuddering slightly.

Tien felt his heart freeze. Chiaotzu nestled close to him, his head down, refusing to meet Tien's eyes, his entire body trembling. Tien comforted him quietly for a moment, feeling the others' eyes burning into his back, before murmuring quietly, "What did he do?"

AN. (sad sigh) Poor Chiaotzu-kun... He's such a sweetums... (hug) ... Ahem, anyway, I will update in a week! Or 6 days... Yeah, 6 days. So...you know...just...hang in there XD Also, Megami (my friend on DA) drew a picture that kinda follows sorta the plot at the start of this... Tien finds baby Chiaotzu, picks him up, carries him with him... Y'know, the first coupla chapters? Anyway, it can be found here: http :// megaminoeien. deviantart. com/ art/ Snow- Buddies- 119575216 ... by removing the spaces :D