Disclaimer: I do not own the songs "Don't Stop Dancing" (Creed) or "Invincible" (Crossfade)… so no suing. XP

Her Return

Chapter Thirty-Six

It's been about two months since Kira was killed. So far, everything has been good. Directly after the fight, Vegeta, Aya, and Areiko set off to New Namek to use their dragonballs like they had done three years ago when Orx had attacked. With the Namekian dragonballs they restored earth and everyone that was killed by Kira, which included Dende. And since Dende was alive again, this meant that the Earth dragonballs were as well. They hurried home to wish back their dead friends and filled them in on what had happened after their deaths. Once Goku, Vegeta, Videl, Bulma, Bulla, Pan, Aya, Chichi and Areiko were healed by Dende, they all went home.

The two months were peaceful, very peaceful. Areiko was finally back to her old self. A few times she would snap at people when she was annoyed, but they didn't mind that. Everyone has snapped at least once when people were annoying them right?

Areiko sat in her room with a guitar in her lap. She bought the guitar with her own money as well from working for Bulma for a few days out of the week. She made enough money to buy herself a black acoustic guitar that had a pink star at the base of it.

She sat on her bed with a notebook at her right side. She held her lime green pick in her right hand and had her left arm resting on the neck of the guitar. There was also a bright blue pen in her mouth. She strummed the strings a few times and thought for a minute. A smile came across her face as she set her guitar aside and picked up the notebook putting it on her lap writing a few things down.

Then there was a knock on Areiko's bedroom door. She lifted her head to see Goku stepping into the room. He smiled at her and closed the door behind him.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi Goku," She greeted back closing the notebook and slipping the pen into the rings that bound the thing together. "Sup?"

"What are you writing?" Goku asked seating himself next to her. Areiko placed a smirk on her face tossing the notebook onto her dresser.

"For me to know and for you to find out," Areiko answered looking at him.

Goku smiled. "I have a question for you."

Areiko blinked. "Oh yeah? Shoot."

"Remember that promise you made?" Goku asked, "while we were fighting Kira that you would sing a song for me?"

Areiko blinked a few times. She turned her head forward placing her hand onto her chin thinking. "Yeah, I remember." Areiko grinned. "I know the perfect song!"

Areiko adjusted herself on her bed setting her guitar in her lap a lot better then it was before. She began to strum the strings, humming softly before she started singing her song.

"At times life is wicked and I just can't see the light. A silver lining just isn't enough, to make some wrongs seem right. Whatever life brings, I've been through everything. And now I'm on my knees again!

"But I know I must go on…" Areiko started humming again. "Although I hurt I must be strong. Because inside I know…" Areiko's playing picked up. "Many feel this way!!

"Children don't stop dancing! Believe!! Believe you can fly away! Away! Away…!" Areiko's playing slowed down; she hummed once more closing her eyes getting really into the song. "At times life's unfair and you know it's plain to see. Hey God, I know I'm just a dot in this world but have you forgot about me? Whatever life brings I've been through everything. And now I'm on my knees!"

She began to play fast again. "But I know I must go on! Although I hurt I must be strong because inside I know… many feel this way!

"Children don't stop dancing! Believe!! Believe you can fly! Away! Away! Away…!

"Am I hiding in the shadows? Forget the pain and forget the sorrows. Am I hiding… in the shadows? Forget the pain… and forget the sorrows.

"But I know I must go on! Go on! Although I hurt I must be strong. Be strong! Because inside I know that many feel this way. Feel this way!

"Children don't stop dancing! Believe you can fly! Fly away! Away! Away…! Children don't stop dancing! Believe you can fly away… away!" Areiko's playing slowed down a lot. "Children don't stop dancing… am I hiding in the shadows? Believe you can fly. Forget the pain and forget the sorrows. Away… away… Am I hiding in the shadows?

"Am I hiding in the shadows? Are we… hiding in the shadows?" Areiko's playing stopped with one strum of the strings. She opened her eyes turning to look at Goku who was looking at her in awe.

"You have an amazing voice you know that right?" Goku asked.

Areiko nodded her head. "Yeah, I know that. I've heard people telling me that."

"You can go places with that voice."

"I'd rather not," Areiko told him turning her eyes onto the older saiyan. "I'd rather just stay home and what not."

Goku nodded. He was about to leave till Areiko placed her hand onto his wrist. He turned his head to look at her as she grinned holding up her guitar slightly. "You wanna learn how to play a few notes?"

Goku blinked a few times. He then smiled seating himself back down onto the bed. "Alright, are you a righty or lefty?"

"Lefty." Goku answered.

"Well… today you're going to pretend that you're a righty." Areiko said to him as she scooted herself next to him placing her guitar into his lap. She took a hold of his right wrist and forced him to hold the lime green pick as she placed his other hand underneath the neck of the guitar. That's when Goku's lessons began.

By the time he had left her room, Goku knew how to play one song, and that was The Lion Sleeps Tonight from the Walt Disney movie The Lion King. It took Areiko about three hours to teach Goku that song because he kept on getting side tracked. But he had finally learned it.

"By the way Reiko," Goku started turning around to face her. "What were you writing in that notebook?"

Areiko smirked, "I already answered that question." She said approaching the front door. "For me to know and for you to find out."

Goku stood there in the kitchen for a minute. He then placed a smirk and tackled her right outside. The two of them rolled around in the mud since it had rain the night before. Areiko pushed Goku off of her as he began laughing as she cleaned mud out of her eyes. She dropped her hands into the mud puddle they were sitting in watching Goku as he laughed.

"I'm glad you find it funny." Areiko mumbled crossing her arms. She listened to Goku's laugh since he didn't respond to her. She then looked down into the mud and grinned a little evilly. She grabbed a whole two handfuls of mud and threw it at Goku as it hit him right in the face. Goku's body jolted as the cold muddy substance hit his face. He blinked allowing the mud to roll right off of his face. Areiko grinned as she stood up getting to her feet. She held her hand out him.

Goku looked at her hand and then back up at her. He smirked as he grabbed onto her wrist quicker then Areiko could pull it away. He tugged at her arm pulling her back down into the mud.

"Ack!"

As soon as Areiko was pulled in; Goku jumped right on top of her and the two began to wrestle in the mud. It was within minutes that Chichi had came home from being in the city all day shopping for food that she found her daughter and her husband wrestling in the mud.

"What are you two doing?!" She shouted getting out of the car looking at them both. Areiko and Goku sat upright turning their heads to look at her. They glanced at each other and then back at the headstrong woman.

"Wrestling." Areiko answered with a big grin.

"Come join us!" Goku said waving his hand at her, gesturing her to join them. Chichi shook her head as she opened the trunk of the car.

"No thanks," she told them. "But hose yourselves down and help me carry in the food." She ordered as she began to carry in brown bags filled with food and other household needs.

Areiko and Goku pouted as they got to their feet. They walked around the back to the hose. Areiko picked it up and turned it on spraying Goku down first.

"I have a question for you Goku." She said as she sprayed the mud off of her father.

"Shoot."

"Do you know where Costa Rica's Pub is?" She asked looking up at him since she was looking at his legs spraying the mud off.

"Um…" Goku paused for a minute and jumped when he felt the cold water move towards his waist and stomach. "Yeah, it's in West City. It's that club where Aya goes on Saturday nights. She says that they have good artists and musicians there."

Areiko smiled, "you wanna meet me there later today?"

"Why meet you there?" Goku asked. "We can just go together."

"Because I have some things that I have to do before I go there." Areiko answered passing the hose over to Goku. "So I'll meet you there?"

Goku nodded, now spraying Areiko down. "Sure!"

"Great!" Areiko grinned brightly.

XXX

Later soon rolled in and Goku found himself sitting at a table at Costa Rica's Pub with a cup of soda in his hand. He had his arms folded on the table as he stared at the black stage that had a drum set, two electric guitars, and a bass guitar set up on there as if someone was going to play tonight. This was very much true. There was going to be a performance tonight but no one knew who it was going to be. As everyone started to file in and take their seats, Goku heard his name being called.

"Teddy-chan!"

Goku blinked; "hm?" he turned his head to look over his shoulder. Behind him he spotted Aya waving at him walking over with Vegeta following. He turned in his chair resting his arm on the back of it as Aya stopped in front of him and Vegeta stopped behind her.

"What brings you here?" Aya asked tilting her head. "I didn't know you came here."

"I don't," Goku answered turning back around to sit correctly in his seat. "I'm supposed to meet Areiko here."

Aya blinked as she took a seat down next to him and Vegeta sat down next to her. "That's kind ironic…" Aya told him.

Goku turned his head to look at her, "why do you say that?"

Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his head back against his chair. "Because we were dragged here to meet her here as well."

"You mean you were dragged here." Aya corrected. She turned back towards Goku. "Did she tell you why she wanted you to meet her here?"

Goku shook his head. He opened his mouth to answer but that's when the lights in the room dimmed and a spotlight shined onto the black stage. The three fighters turned their heads to look in front of them to see a man dressed in a navy blue suit. He pulled the microphone to his mouth and placed a large grin on his face.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen!" The man called out to the dining crowd as he looked about it. "Tonight, we really only have one musician here and she's a regular. I believe that you all know who she is."

"A regular?" Aya repeated cocking an eyebrow.

"You know who it is?" Vegeta asked turning to look at Aya.

Aya shook her head. "Nope." She answered looking at him. "She must be a regular throughout the week, I only come here on Saturday nights."

Goku looked around the room, craning his neck to see if he could see Areiko, but she was nowhere in the room.

"So without further ado, I give you… Ms. Son Areiko!"

"What?!" Vegeta, Aya, and Goku cried, their voices dimming because of the clapping and cheering in the room as Areiko stepped out onto stage.

Areiko came out on stage with her guitar slung over her shoulder. She wore a jean miniskirt that wrapped around tightly around the middle of her thighs. She wore the black boots that she had on when she first arrived in West City. She had on bluish silver eyeliner on popping her bright, icy gray eyes out into the room. Her hair was straightened and pulled into a ponytail that hung just above the ground. She had pulled her bangs out, which it looked as if they were cut because they were curled and resting against her forehead just above her eyebrows. She wore large silver hooped earrings that bounced every time she walked. She had on a red halter top with the strings hanging over her breasts. She had a mini short jean jacket on that was rolled at the end of the sleeve to seem shorter then it actually was.

Areiko smiled gently as she waved to the crowd taking the microphone from the man on stage and putting it on the stand. Then a group of men came out, all seemed to be dressed the same taking their positions at the instruments that were set on stage.

"Hello everyone," Areiko greeted speaking into the microphone. "This time I actually wrote my own song." She said with a grin. "This goes out to a few friends of mine that are actually in the audience right about now."

"I think she means us…" Aya whispered to Vegeta and Goku who had their eyes locked on Areiko.

She began to strum the strings on her guitar: "I memorized all the words for you. But if you only knew… how much that's just not like me. I wait up late just to hear your voice. But you don't know that's nothing like me.

"You know I wonder have you already figured out all these things that I try to hide. All this time I've been hoping you don't find out all these things that I hide on the inside!!"

The whole band kicked in.

"I can't be he—ld! Responsible! This is all so new to me! Just when I think I'm invinci—ble! You come and happen to me!!"

Their playing slowed down a bit, but it still held a quick and rock pace. "I want to make sure everything is perfect for you. If you only knew that that's not like me to follow through."

A wide grin appeared on Goku's face as he listened to Areiko's song, knowing that this was coming from her heart. He took this whole song into perspective. When she came back to West City, he thought that she truly believed that she was invincible because of the way she was treating everyone. But now that everyone has entered back into her life, she's changed. She turned back into that girl that Goku knew when they had first met.

"Maybe even give up on these dead end dreams just to be with you. But you don't know that nothing like me. Hey yeah, I wonder have you already figured out all these things that I try to hide. All this time I've been hoping you don't find out all these things that I hide on the inside!

"I can't be he—ld! Responsible! This is all so new to me! Just when I think I'm invincible! You come and happen to me!

"Now I'm waking up! I've finally had enough of this wreck of a life time! How I never thought I'd survive! Now I'm taking back! All I gave up for that! Leave my pain behind! Wash these stains from my life!" Areiko closed her eyes tightly as the background music slowly started to die, "Just when I thought all was lost… you came and made it… all okay."

Areiko opened her eyes and a smile came across her face as she looked at Vegeta, Aya, and Goku. Suddenly the music randomly picked up. "I can't be he—ld! Responsible! This is all so new to me! Just when I think I'm invincible! You come and happen to me!"

Areiko flicked her bangs back getting them out of her face. "I can't be he—ld! Responsible! This is all so new to me! Just when I think I'm invincible! You come and happen to me!"

The music suddenly stopped, nothing could be heard except for the strumming of Areiko's guitar strings. "I memorized all the words for you. If you only knew how much that's just not like me…" Areiko strummed the strings for one last time. When she stopped singing the crowd jumped out of their seats clapping and cheering.

Goku stood up clapping his hands with a wide grin on his face. Aya soon stood up and began whistling. Vegeta took a minute, but he got to his feet and nodded his head towards Areiko. Areiko grinned as she took her guitar off of her shoulder and set it on the stage floor. She jumped off of the stage and ran to Goku opening her arms.

Goku grinned as he stepped to the side opening his arms as well as Areiko jumped up wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Goku swung her around in circles as he hugged her tightly. Areiko grinned as Goku put her on the floor. Suddenly she was tackled by her best friend Aya.

"That was great!" Aya shouted placing her hands on Areiko's shoulders. "I loved the song!"

Areiko grinned at her. "Thanks." She told her best friend, widening her grin. Vegeta stepped toward Areiko. The two of them stared at each other for a moment. But then a smirk over took Vegeta's face as he opened his arms.

"Nicely done." He told her. Areiko grinned as she gave the saiyan prince a big hug.

"Was that the song you were writing earlier today?" Goku asked gaining her attention.

"Yeah," she answered. "I didn't want to you read it or find out what it was because… well you know why."

Aya suddenly jumped on Areiko's back. "You're right we do know why now." She said resting her chin on Areiko's shoulder. "And we also know why you invited us here." She added. "But right now, I'm hungry! I say we go somewhere else to eat!"

"Alright!" Areiko exclaimed. "But… who's paying?"

"Vegeta of course." Aya answered.

"Why don't you pay?" Vegeta asked looking at Aya. Aya turned her head to look at the saiyan prince as she got off of Areiko's back fixing her shirt that had wrinkled a bit.

"Because you're the one that has the credit card." Aya replied with a grin.

"Oh I see how it is." Vegeta said crossing his arms.

Aya suddenly glomped him. "And because you love us!"

Goku laughed, "alright Aya. Maybe you should get off of him before you break him."

"You mean before I break her, Kakkarot?" Vegeta corrected looking at the lower class saiyan.

Goku and Areiko started laughing.

"Would you really do that Veggie-kins?" Aya asked as they all walked out of the club.

"You'd be surprised punk." Vegeta replied heading down the street.

XXX

The dinner with Aya, Goku, and Vegeta went by rather quickly. Time flies when you're having fun. Now it was night, everyone was laid to rest in their beds. Everyone but one girl by the name of Son Areiko.

She sat on the edge of her bed looking down at the hardwood floor in her room. She sighed a few times lifting her head tilting it back to look at her ceiling. She closed her eyes sighing one last time. Areiko fixed her head so that she was looking straight as she got to her feet. She picked up a bag that was sitting on the floor next to her feet. She walked over to her bedroom door and slipped on her boots. She turned to the left and picked up her guitar case flinging the strap over her head so that her guitar rested on her back. She then quietly left her room. She entered the kitchen after quietly sneaking down the stairs, but when she got there, the kitchen light turned on suddenly to reveal a saiyan sitting at the table.

Goku was seated there, still dressed. He turned his head to look at her to see that she had packed her things with her. He sighed turning his head away from her to look at the countertops before him.

"I had a feeling that you were going to leave again…" Goku said, his voice trailing off.

"Goku…" Areiko started walking over putting her bag on the floor. "It's not like that." She started getting the saiyan's attention. "I'm not leaving because I think I'm a danger to you all."

"Then why don't you stay?" Goku asked looking into her eyes, begging silently hoping that she would give in to him and stay.

Areiko sighed heavily as she knelt down by his side. "It's… it's complicated Goku." She answered him. "I feel like there's something more for me out there. Like something… or someone is calling out to me. Like my job out there in the world isn't finished."

Goku stared at her listening to her words. He turned away once more thinking for a minute. After a few moments, he just nodded his head turning to her once more. "Alright, I'll let you go without anymore protest."

Areiko smiled a little standing up. "Thanks Goku." She picked up her bag once more. She approached the door about to open it when she suddenly stopped. "Oh… and Goku." She turned to look at the saiyan who was standing up standing near the doorway.

"Yeah?"

Areiko placed her bag down once more and took her guitar case off of her shoulders and gently set it against the countertop. "Practice your notes and you'll become a pro." She said with a smile picking up her bag once more and exiting the house.

Goku smiled a bit approaching the guitar picking it up. He looked out the open door hoping to be able to see Areiko flying away, but she was already gone. He sighed picking the guitar up, turning around and heading back to his room.

XXX

It's been about three weeks since Areiko has left. Aya sat outside in her backyard with her history book in her lap and her notebook sitting next to her with her pencil tangled in between her fingers. She was leaning against the only tree in the yard sitting under the shade shielding herself from the blazing sun. The wind blew gently, causing Aya to put her hands down on her book to stop the pages from flipping on her. When the wind died down, Aya turned to her portable radio and changed the station.

She wasn't mad that Areiko has left, and she found that surprising. When Goku showed up at the house with her reasoning why she left, she completely understood it because Aya had once felt like that too. But she had never gotten the guts to actually get up and depart herself with West City.

Vegeta stood in the kitchen looking at the window at his adoptive daughter watching her do her homework. He smirked a little turning away from the glass when he heard a familiar sound coming from his son's CD player that he had left on the table… with it still on. He cocked an eyebrow as he picked up the headphones placing them a little close to his ears. He listened for a moment; soon a smirk appeared on his face again as he picked up the CD player to see what station it was on. Then he turned it off placing it back onto the table and then stepped outside onto the porch.

"Hey punk!" Vegeta called out to her, leaning against the railing. Aya turned her head to look at Vegeta, giving him her attention. "Is your radio on?" he called out.

"Yeah why?" Aya replied.

"Put it on station 107.9 Kiss 108!" Vegeta shouted out to her.

Aya blinked a few times. That wasn't really a radio station that Vegeta listened to. Actually, to be honest, Aya has never seen or heard Vegeta ever listening to music. But she decided to listen to him and change the station.

She pulled her radio close to her and turned the knob putting it on 107.9 Kiss 108.

"I can't be he—ld! Responsible! This is all so new to me! Just when I think I'm invincible! You come and happen to me!"

A large grin appeared on Aya's face as she heard Areiko's voice coming from her radio. Vegeta walked off of the porch walking over to Aya seating himself down next to her. Aya turned her head to look at him.

"You think Goku's listening to this?" Aya asked.

"Knowing him," Vegeta paused. "Of course."

Aya grinned looking back at the radio. "Looks like Reiko-chan's going to be famous when she comes home."

"Seems like it."

To Be Continued…