Author's Note: This is a Christmas Chapter! Enough said lol! I'd like to apologize for taking so long in getting this chapter up everyone. See I started college this week and have been super busy. Anyways I will try to continue to update this story with 2 chapters per week. So expect the next chapter sometime early next week. Enjoy Everyone! As always review and comment! ^_^
Stars twinkled in the night sky on this snowy Christmas eve. All things seemed at peace on this silent night. Winter was in full swing with all it's beauty and splendor. The snow glistened in the night with the moonlight shining down upon it.
Of course that wasn't the only thing glistening. The Son family house was decorated with lights of all colors that shined with a wonderful glow that symbolized the warm feelings that Christmas brings. But probably what was most beautiful was the glistening in the eyes of two half saiyans.
Roza and Goten stood outside on the balcony drinking hot chocolate and watching the snow fall. The cold air gently blew against their pale cheeks and the calm atmosphere of the moment put both of them at a gentle and peaceful ease.
"So this is Christmas eve. This is nice." Roza said softly.
Goten smiled as memories of his childhood Christmas' came rushing back to him, "Yeah…I've missed this. It's been so long since I actually got to properly celebrate Christmas."
Roza looked down, "I'm sorry…it's my fault you missed 15 years worth of Christmas."
Goten took her hand in his and kissed her cheek, "Stop thinking that way….it's forgiven. I'm just glad I have the chance to enjoy Christmas again and this time I can spend it with you."
"Goten listen…." Roza started to say something but was interrupted by Goten.
"Stop right there….no more…no more talk about the bad stuff…This is Christmas and only good things should happen on Christmas….okay?" Goten told her in an almost angry voice but that was quickly replaced by a happy child like smile.
Roza had begun to notice lately that Goten would often shift moods quickly and radically. One minute he could be angry and then in a second he would be happy. Roza was terrified that all the stress and suffering he had been through had finally caused something in him to snap and make him have an almost split personality…or maybe it was his mind trying to defend itself by blocking Goten's senses and mind from reality. Whatever the case it couldn't be good.
"Are you okay Goten?" She asked worriedly.
Goten looked confused, "Um sure…why do you ask?"
Roza quickly made up an excuse, "Oh well it's just so cold out here and I didn't want you to get sick."
Goten chuckled, "I wish you could have been as concerned about me getting sick when I had to jump into that pond to save you. I was sick for a whole week after that."
Roza looked down, "Sorry about that too…."
"Stop it!" He said again in a almost angry voice, "Forget about it….let's just enjoy Christmas. Come on let's head back inside." He said in a happy voice now.
The two headed inside and when Goten looked at the clock he was surprised, "11:00 pm! It's that late! Everyone must be in bed already. I guess we should head to bed as well."
"Guess so…goodnight, Goten." Roza said and started to walk to her room but Goten grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"Actually…I was hoping we could sleep together again…like we did before…" He asked nervously.
Roza blushed, "Oh…are you sure? Are you really ready for that yet?"
He smiled, "Of course…Otherwise I wouldn't ask."
"Well um…okay…" She agreed.
They spent the night together and made love in the warmth and safety of his bed as the snow fell softly in the night. An hour passed and Goten looked at his clock.
"Midnight…It's officially Christmas…" He smiled and then passionately kissed Roza, "Merry Christmas, Roza."
Roza blushed, "Oh Goten…" She cuddled up to him and rested her head on his chest with the blanket wrapped around them.
They fell into the serenity of sleep and slept peacefully through the silent night. Then the dawn arose that Christmas morning. The smells of ham, mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, chicken casserole, green beans and other wonderful aromas of treats that comprised Christmas dinner filled the air.
Of course a saiyan's nose never rest even in sleep and Goten's nose was like an alarm clock for him when the smell of his mother's cooking was present.
Goten's eyes popped up opened and his nose wiggled, "Food….and it's Christmas morning….Mom's Christmas dinner!" Goten said in excitement.
Goten's excitement awoke Roza as well, "Huh? What?" She asked as she slowly came out of sleep.
"Oh sorry I woke you, baby. It's Christmas morning though!" He said with a huge childish grin on his face.
Roza smiled softly, "Well in that case Merry Christmas."
"Come on let's get dress and head downstairs!" Goten jumped up and slipped some pajamas and a loose T-shirt on. Roza got up and slipped on some pajamas of her own and a T-Shirt.
They headed outside where they met Goku in the hall. Both of the young saiyans froze as did Goku. Goku looked at Roza's bedroom and then at Goten's room and then at the saiyans.
"Why would you two be coming out of the same bedroom in the morning?" Goku asked with an I gotcha smirk on his face.
Roza and Goten lowered their heads and blushed. Goku laughed and placed his hand on Goten's shoulder as he walked passed them, "Just don't let your mother find out." He laughed.
Goten and Roza looked at each other both relieved that Goku wasn't mad.
"Close one." Goten said.
"No kidding" Agreed Roza.
They both couldn't help but laugh though.
They headed downstairs and found Pan watching the Disney World Christmas parade on TV. She was waiting impatiently to open her presents under the Christmas tree.
"Merry Christmas, Pan!" Goten cheerfully told his niece.
Pan jumped up and hugged her uncle tightly, "Merry Christmas, Uncle Goten."
Then Pan said something surprising, "Merry Christmas, Aunt Roza."
Roza smiled softly, "Merry Christmas to you too, sweetheart."
As Roza watched Pan walked over back to the TV she couldn't help but get an odd feeling. It was weird in the sense it was unfamiliar yet happy at the same time.
"What's wrong, Roza?" Goten asked.
Roza looked at Goten and said, "She called me her Aunt…."
"Well you will be soon, right?" He reminded her.
She nodded, "Yeah but…well it's just I don't know if I deserve to be called her Aunt. I'm not even worthy of being the wife of her uncle…."
Goten placed his finger on her lips and said, "Hush….no more talk like that…." He gave her a kiss.
Gohan stepped out of the kitchen and announced, "Dinner's ready! Come on everyone!"
Goten bowed like a gentleman, "Shall we my lady?"
Roza giggled as he took her hand and led her into the kitchen. The table was decorated with a beautiful red and white table cloth. There was food galore on that covered the table separated only by spaces for plates where each member of the family would sit. At the center of this feast was a large turkey cooked to perfection.
"Oh my God…." Roza said in disbelief as she felt her natural saiyan appetite kick in.
"I've never seen her cook a Christmas dinner this big in my life…." Goten said as his mouth started to water.
Gohan couldn't help but drool a little bit over the meal. Videl saw this and knew it wasn't his fault, it was his saiyan nature to be enticed by food. She nudged him slight and whispered, "Honey, you're drooling, stop it!"
Gohan quickly rubbed the drool away, "Sorry about that."
Goku rushed down stairs and moved passed the rest of his family. He jumped in the air with a massive grin on his face ready to dive into the food. Chi-Chi smirked and threw a big frying pan at him sending the strongest man in the universe flying to the ground.
"Owww! Chi-Chi what was that for!" Goku asked rubbing his head.
"You were about to ruin the dinner! Luckily I anticipated as much from you and kept a frying pan at my side." She explained.
Goku sighed, "Well hopefully a bump on the head wasn't the only thing you're planning to give me for Christmas."
Goku stood up and looked at Chi-Chi innocently, "Can we eat now…pretty please?"
Chi-Chi giggled, "Of course, everyone sit down and start making yourselves a plate of food."
Once everyone had their food and had said grace the family began to eat. Laughter and words of comfort and kindness filled the air. Everyone was relaxed and finally having a good time. Goten was so happy. Sharing Christmas dinner with his family once again symbolized everything he had been dreaming about the past 15 years.
Everyone was laughing except for one, Roza. Goku picked up on this and asked softly, "What's wrong? It's okay, come on sweetheart you can talk. It's not a crime. It's Christmas Roza. This is the season of giving, and family, and friends, and love, and well…forgiveness."
Goku stood up and looked at his family, "Listen the past few months have been tense…scratch that the last 15 years have been tense and well they've sucked basically….but the past few months have made things even more tense…"
"Haven't we lost enough of our lives focused on this…..look we're all still alive, we all have our health and we all have each other…besides time it's not like we have lost anything we can't get back…I think Roza has suffered enough already…it's time we all forgive her…Goten did and he was the victim of this…if he can forgive her then what right do any of us have to keep hating her for what she did?" Goku explained.
Chi-Chi was surprised. This was one of the few times Goku had ever shown this deeper side to anyone but herself and a few of his friends. If Goku was willing to come out like this then he must have been thinking about this hard.
"I forgive you Roza…." Videl stood up and said.
Gohan stood up next, "I forgive you too…"
"So do I." Said Pan.
Goku looked at Roza and placed his hand on her shoulder, "I forgave you months ago…"
Goten held her hand, "You know I've forgiven you…I love you…"
Everyone looked at Chi-Chi to see what she would choose. Chi-Chi felt conflicted. The mother inside of her wanted to destroy Roza for hurting her baby, but deep down she knew what she was doing was wrong. If she kept hating Roza then she would be hurting her son.
Besides she had to admit that deep down somewhere she wanted to mend things with Roza, she wanted her to be a part of the family. It was hard but Chi-Chi swallowed her rage and with a few tears that were in truth only drops from the stream flowing inside of her she finally spoke up.
"I….I…I forgive you…Roza." Chi-Chi said then closed her eyes.
Roza smiled softly and brushed the tears out of her eyes, "I…I'm sorry…"
"You don't need to apologize anymore…" Goku said with a smile.
"Thank you…." Roza softly said. "Thank you so much…I just don't know what to say….The love you all show even to someone like me…is overwhelming….it's amazing…I just don't know what to say…"
Goku knelt down and hugged her, "How about we just say…Merry Christmas."
That night after dinner they gathered around the tree to open presents. The presents were nice, mostly jewelry and clothes for the women, and some video games and fighting stuff for the boys. Goten got an extra special gift courtesy of the Brief family, all the latest game systems.
While the rest of the family continued to celebrate around the tree, Goten and Roza were outside just taking in the night.
"Roza…" Goten whispered.
"Yes Goten?" She asked curiously.
"Come with me I want to show you something." Goten said as he held her hand and flew her to a tree with two hearts carved into it. In one heart the names Goku and Chi-Chi were carved. In the other heart the names Gohan and Videl were carved.
"This tree is where my mom and dad and later Gohan and Videl carved their names, a symbol of their love. I think it's about time a third couple was added to this tree don't you?" He said with a smile.
Roza blushed a deep red, "Goten…"
Goten pulled out a knife and carved half of a heart. Roza took the knife and carved the other half of the heart. Then she carved Goten's name into the heart and Goten carved Roza's name into the heart. With the symbol of their loved made out, they held each other's hands and stared into the night sky as snow fell on their pale faces.
"Merry Christmas, Roza." He whispered.
"Merry Christmas, Goten." She whispered back.