Gohan is exhausted after the party. Lost in the joy and merriment, no one had realized how late it was until it was already 11:00pm. Chi-Chi immediately bade me to take Gohan home, as it was already an hour past his bedtime.

It is midnight now. Gohan situates his pillow in my lap and lays down, drawing the blankets up to his chin. I can feel the tiredness in his mind, begging him to sleep. He pushes it away as usual, frightened of his nightmares that will surely come.

I rest my hand on top of his head, running my fingers through his unruly hair for just a moment. He sighs and closes his eyes.

"Piccolo?"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember what happened when Cell was trying to crush me, to make me angry?"

I cringe as the image flies through our minds. "Yes. You called for you father to help you."

"But before that. Remember what you were thinking?"

...My son. He's killing my son!...

"Yes. I called you my son," I relent.

"Did you mean it? Am I really your son, Piccolo?" he asks, looking at me with big black eyes.

"Yes, I meant it. You're as close to a son as I'll ever have."

"Piccolo?"

"Yes?"

"When I was calling for my daddy, I wasn't calling for Dad. I was calling for you."

I smile softly at him and ruffle his hair. His eyes close and tonight, he doesn't dream.

Life is good in the Son home. Gohan's nightmares have finally ceased, and I have taken up my residence at the foot of the bed again. The days are long, and it's turning to summer now. Gohan does his school work in the morning before the house gets too hot, and then for the afternoon we head out to my waterfall for swimming and meditation.

It always starts the same. Gohan jumps in without hesitation and swims around for a few minutes, chasing the fish. He soon gets bored with this and begins the process of begging me to come in with him.

"No, Gohan."

"Aw, come on! I'm bored!"

"If you're that bored, you should have no problem sparring right now, then."

"Noooo. It's too hot to spar..." he whines.

I throw a weak blast at him that he flicks away with his thumb and index finger. "Stop whining! How many times have I told you? It's annoying!"

"I'll stop if you come in the water with me."

"I'm not hot. Entertain yourself without me."

"Aw, come on."

"How about you ascend all the way to your maximum and jump in the water. See what happens."

"No! I create lightning that way! I'd get electrocuted!"

"It would shut you up for a few hours if it knocked you unconscious."

"You're mean."

"And you're annoying."

"What if we sparred in the water? Could we do that?"

"Spar...in the water..."

"Yeah! It'll be fun!"

"We've been over this, Gohan. I don't do fun."

"Blah blah blah. If you come in the water and play with me, I promise tomorrow we will spend ALL days sparring. No studying, no swimming."

"Hm."

"Please?"

I sigh and stand, taking off my weights and shoes. "I swear to god, if you lie about training tomorrow, I will beat you to within an inch of your life."

"Yeah yeah, okay. Now get in the water! It's really nice!"

I reluctantly step into the water. Gohan lets out a cheer before grabbing my hand and pulling me in...

"PICCOLO! GOHAN! COME HOME NOW!" Chi-Chi's voice rings out. I yank myself back onto the bank before he can pull me all the way in, pulling Gohan with me.

"Wait, what? What are you doing, Piccolo?" he asks in confusion.

"Your mother is calling us. Come on."

"Gosh, you have good hearing. I can't even hear her!"

"It's not a gift. It's a damn curse."

Gohan chuckles as he quickly pulls his gi back on. I pull on my shoes and training weights, taking to the air. He catches up easily, flying circles around me.

"I wonder what she wants..." he muses as we land. Chi-Chi is in the process of loading up the car with towels and a suitcase.

"Hey Mom, what's up?" Gohan asks, inspecting the car curiously.

"Krillin just called. They're having a party over at Kame House. Bulma, Trunks, Vegeta, and Yamcha are headed over there. So get in the car and let's go! You too, Piccolo. Go get your swimsuit on Gohan. You don't get to swim in your underwear this time."

"Okay!" Gohan says, running into the house.

"You might as well get going. We'll catch up," I say. She nods and gets in the car, driving off.

Kame House is bustling with activity. Bulma and Eighteen are lying out on towels in bikinis, and Chi-Chi joins them, albeit in a swimsuit more conservative. Thank god.

Yamcha and Krillin sit at the table with Roshi and Oolong, drinking beers. Vegeta is in the shallows of the ocean with Trunks. I'm shocked he is willingly with his son, sitting in the water with him, allowing him to splash the salt water on him.

Gohan immediately runs for the ocean, jumping from the shore to ten feet out, diving in. Trunks claps happily as he approaches.

"Finally." Vegeta says, standing up. "Your turn to watch him."

"Okay!" Gohan says accommodatingly. He takes Trunks up to the shore where the water gently laps around them. Gohan begins to show him how to build structures in the sand. Vegeta watches them for a moment before coming to stand by me.

"Namek."

"Saiyan."

"You are the only one I can tolerate for more than five minutes."

"Shocking," I say dully.

"You and the boy have been training."

"We have."

"What is the secret to his power?"

"Think about it. When Bulma died, you were able to ascend to a Super Saiyan. You understand now the need that is required for transformation. Now picture a child so terrified of losing everything that he would give his own life to make it right. That is the secret of his inner power."

Vegeta says nothing, merely nodding.

"Hey Vegeta, Bulma! Look what Trunks and I made!" Gohan calls proudly. They look over.

"Very good, Gohan! Don't let Trunks eat the sand though," Bulma calls.

"Oh, oops. Trunks, don't do that!" Gohan scolds, washing the toddler's hands off. "Hey Piccolo, Vegeta! Let's go swimming! C'mon!" he calls, waving us over. "Especially you, Piccolo. You promised!"

"I'm not going," Vegeta answers, turning his back.

I grunt, not having much of a choice. Another annoying trait I picked up from the boy: complete honesty and the inability to go back on my word. I take my weights off, leaving them on the shore.

"Vegeta! Go get Trunks so Gohan can go swimming!" Bulma commands.

"No, woman! I already did my time!"

"Vegeta, he's your son, not Gohan's!"

"You birthed him! You watch him!"

"VEGETA! I watch him all day, every day while you train! It's your turn! All you have to do is sit with him in the shallows and make sure he doesn't drink the water! That can't be too difficult for his royal highness!"

Eighteen and Chi-Chi snicker softly. Vegeta snarls at them all, before stomping over to his son and plopping down beside him, grumbling angrily.

"You owe me big, woman!" he shouts.

Gohan laughs before striking out to deeper water. I wade out to where the water reaches me chest, far above Gohan's head. He swims around me effortlessly, alternating from his front to back as he swims in circles.

I smirk at him, feeling his happiness and content mix into my soul. Gohan turns onto his back, floating on the water. I smirk deviously, pushing my hand onto his stomach, effectively sinking him. He comes back up spluttering.

"Hey! No fair!" he cries, launching himself at me. I catch him and toss him back into the water. He laughs, jumping at me again. I repeat my actions.

"Again! Again!" he says joyously. "Higher! Higher!"

I chuckle lowly, obliging, forgetting my composure.

So, this is what it feels like to raise a son.

To play games.

I could get used to this.

By this time, I am aware everyone on the shore is watching us, and I just don't care. I can hear them laugh as I throw Gohan higher and further out, he laughing and screaming out happily. My ears ring slightly.

Then, like lightning, Gohan rebounds off the surface of the water, phasing in front of my, pushing me backwards. I lose my footing and go under. Coming up, Gohan is laughing hysterically, treading water beside me. I grab him around the waist, pinning his arms to his sides. Flying out of the water, we hover fifty feet above the surface.

"No! No!" Gohan cries, laughing, sensing my intensions.

"You asked for it."

"NO!" he cries as we plummet head first towards the water. As we crash into it, under the waves, I hold him under for a moment as he struggles before finally releasing him. We come up at the same time. Everyone on the shore is laughing besides Vegeta. We begin to head back to shore, swimming in.

As we near the shore, Krillin runs into the water, tackling Gohan back into the water, causing hysterics among the group as Gohan shouts out in surprise. I quickly leave the water before I can get pulled into it. Trunks claps his hands happily together, giggling at the spectacle.

"Dog pile!" Yamcha shouts, diving into the fray.

"No!" Gohan cries as Yamcha tackles both him and Krillin into the water.

"Quick, hold him down!" Krillin says, grabbing Gohan. Yamcha grabs onto his wrists and Krillin begins to tickle him mercilessly.

"Ah! No, no! I give, I give!" Gohan says between laughter. "No fair! No fair!"

Suddenly, the air turns gold briefly and Krillin and Yamcha are thrown backwards into the water. Gohan sits up triumphantly, a Super Saiyan.

"I win!" he yells, grabbing both of them around the necks under his arms.

"Gohan, let go!" Krillin says, struggling.

"Yeah! What gives!" Yamcha says, trying to pull away.

Gohan laughs, releasing them. They fall into the water with a resounding splash. "Hah! Don't mess with a Super Saiyan!" Gohan says jokingly.

Night has fallen, and with it the temperature. Trunks is asleep in Krillin's room and the rest of us are gathered around a bonfire on the beach. The women have changed into clothes a bit warmer and the men have pulled on shirts. My gi is finally dry and I've pulled my training weights on.

I stand behind Gohan's chair and observe the group.

Bulma leans against Vegeta's side as she roasts a marshmallow in the fire before giving it to him. Krillin sits beside Eighteen, and they speak quietly to one another. She smiles and punches him playfully in the arm. It is clear to see that she has adjusted to life here quite well. Her harsh demeanor has mostly disappeared except around Vegeta and she's edgy around Gohan. It is obvious Krillin is completely smitten with her, and it's likely maybe one day, she'll return the feelings.

Gohan happily eats his marshmallows, occasionally offering one to me, which I refuse. He chats away with Yamcha and Krillin, sharing stories and jokes. Eighteen puts a little input, and then speaks with Bulma and Chi-Chi over petty things, such as clothes and shopping. They plan a shopping date together.

Gohan leans back in his chair and gazes up at me, his blue eyes shining brightly in the fire light. I rest my hand on his head, ruffling his blonde hair. He smiles happily and sighs.

If only this peace could last forever.

Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this filler chapter! Next chapter begins the Buu Saga! Love you all!