Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of its products nor anything associated with it.

Chapter 49

"I'm heading out!", Videl's voice floated up through the house to Gohan on the second-floor library and Erasa stretched out on the couch. The blonde pulled herself up into a sitting position as she turned her head towards the front door.

"Where are you off to? It's freezing out there, even Gohan refuses to go outside for training", Erasa yelled to her friend.

A small set of clacks came from Videl's direction as she answered, "I'm just going out. I want to get off this mountain for a while. I'll be back by tomorrow, I promise."

Gohan had come down the stairs drawn by the yelling and the persistent clacking as Videl's Ki grew anxious, "Would this happen to do with you sneaking out last night, and what is that damn clicking?"

"Clicking…", Erasa paused as she thought and an audible sigh could be heard from Videl as the blonde continued, "You're wearing heels, and you snuck out!"

Before Videl could protest Erasa had already cleared the couch and had her in sight. Letting out an excited squeal, Erasa exclaimed, "Oh this is great, now it won't be all weird when Seventeen shows up tomorrow. You did invite him right?"

"Yes, I invited him. You know I wasn't mad, but he did need to watch his words better. Besides, it's not like we're going to elope tonight or anything. He's just going to help me look for my dad", she tried to defend herself.

"Awfully flashy clothes just for a search and rescue. If you don't have anything else clean I'm sure that Erasa has a Gi that you could borrow, I bet she even has a more conventional pair of shoes and it would all be weighed down already", Gohan cut in as he raised an eyebrow at the assuredly not Videl heels and slimming dress topped with insulated leggings and an itchy looking fancy coat.

"Fine, we already found him last night. We're going to meet him and tell him about the Christmas party at Bulma's tomorrow. After that, we're going to dinner and then a late night Christmas special at the theatre. Then I'll be home, and please don't weigh this down. Just for tonight, I don't want to be a fighter. Please, you guys?", the raven-haired girl pleaded.

Erasa looked expectantly at her boyfriend. He's going to shoot that idea down in a heartbeat. Maybe I can convince him to at least cut the weight in half. I mean it's not like she'll be that active at a table and a theatre, and if she did get active it certainly wouldn't be with clothes on. Of course, this is Videl we're talking about so that's about as likely as Goku combing out his hair.

"Fine", came the young man's gruff reply as he shrugged.

Two sets of Blue eyes stared at him in amazement until Videl finally spoke up, "Really? There isn't some insane drawback to make up for this?"

"Nope", Gohan replied as he headed for the kitchen with a wave of his hand.

Videl decided not to press it and rushed out the door with a quick wave to Erasa. Erasa hurried after Gohan to find him making a sandwich with a content look as though he had already forgotten the whole ordeal.

"So, what was that all about? I was sure that you were going to say no", Erasa started.

"It's Christmas. Besides, I figure she's come a long way from the brat that she was, the least I could do was be nice once", Gohan replied as he pushed down on his sandwich to compress it to a more manageable size.

Erasa just shook her head as she headed back to the couch to resume her movie binge. I guess miracles do happen. I really am impressed, he's gotten worse and worse with every time that he tried to talk to Piccolo. I guess he finally hit his rebound.

The day continued to pass slowly until Gohan and Erasa were both on the couch after dinner as the watched a movie together. With the house unusually quiet the two had stuck together since Videl had left. Gohan absently tossed popcorn into the air and caught it in his mouth as Erasa was decidedly more distracted from the honestly horrible movie. He seriously loves pretty much any movie we watch. I didn't think anyone could be that technologically deprived as a kid. Even I got to watch the occasional movie. He flew in spaceships and was around Bulma Briefs his entire childhood and yet a simple movie is still astounding to him.

How the hell does he catch that ever time. Suddenly Erasa's gaze locked onto his face. Between airborne kernels, she leaned over against him to get his attention. Gohan turned towards her with his hand still half extended to throw the next kernel up.

"Kiss me", Erasa demanded.

Gohan complied instantly as he dropped the popcorn back into the bowl. Keeping his attention on the girl next to him, he fumbled to the set the bowl aside on the coffee table. With the sound of ceramic on glass signaling success, Erasa gently shoved his arms aside as she swung her knee over to straddle the young man and get back to their heated kisses. Gohan, taken aback by the sudden authority, held her hips as he returned the mutual desire.

Grabbing his face with both hands, she pulled her torso closer as she pulled her lips back enough to speak, "The house is empty if you'd like to…"

"Pretty sure I'd always like too", Gohan muttered as he snaked forward to steal another kiss.

"So, you gonna romantically carry me up the stairs?", The blonde teased.

With a slight groan, Gohan replied, "Why do we have to go upstairs? There's a perfectly good couch right here."

Erasa pulled back and popped him upside the head, "We're not having our first time on the couch. Besides, other people sit here."

Gohan looked slight abashed but mostly just anxious as he wrapped his arms around the girl on him and rose up. Adjusting his hold to a bridal style carry, he made his way to the master bedroom. Kicking the door shut behind them, he deposited Erasa on the bed.

The blonde rolled over and turned on a random playlist on her laptop as Gohan gave her an odd look, "I think some background noise would be nice. Any complaints, Fly Boy?"

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her closer as they resumed their fervent session from before. Gohan, while much more ill-tempered and manner than his childhood component, remembered a few things from that awkward talk with Chichi. When it's the first time, you always move at her pace and not yours. Finally, Erasa's courage began to really build as she went from kissing to trailing her fingers under the hem of his shirt. Gohan took the hint and lifted up slightly as the shirt slowly slid over his muscled frame. Gohan's jaw clenched in the dimmed light as he reciprocated the action.

The two stayed still in a sense of nervousness and awe. Erasa, straddling Gohan again, stared down at the man before her. The muscles and scars suddenly seemed different, no longer did they emphasize how strong he was but instead they made it obvious how gentle he was truly being. Gliding her hands over his chest, she felt the rise and fall of each muscle until she reached his shoulder. The right was one mass of muscles with some light ridges where scars reside, but the left was as much scar tissue as it was muscle. She stared at the once ugly wound and realized that it was also a badge of honor. Leaning over, she kissed the shoulder lightly as if to recognize the person that it represented before turning her attention back to Gohan.

Gohan laid looking up at the blonde as he took in the lithe and muscular frame while still being soft and feminine. Knowing that there was more than nearly bare breasts before him, he thought of everything that had to the woman atop him. Suddenly his thoughts were disrupted as she kissed the scar, the one area that he was certain would unnerve her. Then he remembered that it was Erasa. The girl that was starving but wouldn't ask for help. The girl that was by all rights not a warrior, but she went to another planet and did battle with a being way out of her league. The same woman that had overcome physical, mental, and emotional battles. He knew that in her own way, she was as strong as he was.

Then both stopped thinking of such serious matters as Gohan rolled over to lay her on the bottom and him on top. Erasa deftly reached to the nightstand and pulled out a foil packet as Gohan grinned, knowing that the blonde must have been thinking of this for some time. Quickly, the kisses left each others' lips as they explored one another for the first true time. Yes, they had fooled around, but when your friends and family can all sense power levels from across the world, they had to stay rather calm about everything.

In a matter of minutes, both were clad in the bare minimum with Gohan in her boxers and Erasa in just her panties. Erasa bit her lip as Gohan hesitated, "Are you ready?"

The blonde grinned, "Honestly no, but I am sure that this is what I want."

"We're still young, we can wait if we need to", Gohan tried as he mentally kicked himself.

"No, if we were just normal people with a normal relationship then I wouldn't this, but we're not. We aren't even eighteen and already we have a life together, why not a love life? Everything feels right, I'm just nervous", the quiet but confident wind chime voice assured him.

Gohan nodded and sat dumbly until Erasa guided his hand to her underwear with a small smirk and a quirked eyebrow. In less than a minute, Gohan had both of their underwear off and tossed aside, but to them, it felt like much more work. Ripping open the foil packet, he assured himself that he wasn't fumbling up too much. Alright, Gohan, think of what to do. I need to make this as easy on her as possible. Damn it, mom, out of everything you made me read why wasn't there anything about this? Wait, what the hell am I thinking about this for? Fuck it, just take it slow and easy and...hope that I don't fuck this up.

Slowly the two eased together while Gohan tried his best to keep as easy as possible. In time the slow and steady rhythm began to speed up as they both grew more accustomed to the new experience. As the natural high took over their minds, they stopped paying attention to the world around them. All too soon the new experience came to an end as the two lay in bed together with Erasa's head on his chest.

"Holy shit, that was way different then I expected but still amazing", Gohan mumbled half asleep.

"Mmh", came the sleepy response of the blonde as she stirred slightly, "I hate to ruin the moment but we've got to shower."

"Mkay", was the quiet response.

Erasa stared at the young man in bed with her before she slid out of bed and headed for the bathroom. She was almost to the door when she could hear Gohan become alert as he recognized the plural wording of the sentence and scramble to catch up.

Miles and miles away, Goku absently sat up straighter on Bulma's couch as he paled, "Wow, I really didn't they would be training this late at night when it's freezing outside!"

Bulma had her eyebrows raised as she looked to Vegeta who had begun laughing, "I know you're not that dumb Kakarot. You're son already told me how it was very exaggerated. Speaking of your son, I'm sure you are aware of the meaning of the word sex, right?"

Bulma grinned as she turned the sickly looking Saiyan who was in denial, "I can hope. I mean, surely they wouldn't actually be doing that already. Right? Chichi wouldn't approve of this. I don't know if I approve of this!"

"Goku", the blue-haired scientist demanded attention as she continued, "You love Gohan, we all know that, and we all know that you approve of and love Erasa. So, what is there to not approve of?"

"Their age!", the wild-haired man exclaimed.

"You were only eighteen when you married Chichi and she was still seventeen at the time. They really aren't that far behind you too. Plus, it's not like they're having meaningless sex. You know that neither of them would do that. Now, just settle down and stay here for the night. Everyone is coming here for the party tomorrow anyway. You um, might want to get to sleep early also", the scientist hinted.

"Oh kami, you don't think they'll go again do you?", Goku asked with dread.

"Young, dumb, and full of cum, Kakarot. Does that answer your question?", Vegeta piped in.

"I can't sleep through that!"

Bulma waved her hand, "Oh hush, it isn't that bad."

"Bulma, do you have any idea what it's like to sense Ki? No? Well, let me explain, when a particularly powerful person powers up on the same planet or even galaxy as you, you have to feel it. Now, Gohan currently stands as one of the strongest in the universe! How do you think I can miss that?", Goku shot back as he grew irritable at the conversation.

"Not to mention the fact that it feels like a giant bearing down on an ant", Vegeta chipped in.

Goku made a face of disgust as Bulma motioned for Vegeta to shut up, "Alright, what exactly is the problem?"

Goku huffed, "What if they have a kid?"

"Well, yeah that would be pretty irresponsible, but I'm sure that those two are smarter than that", Bulma argued.

"I hope so…", Goku trailed off.

"Goku", Vegeta snapped. The taller Saiyan looked up in surprise at the use of his Earthling name as the prince continued, "Gohan would be a good father, and you would be a good grandfather. I understand your worries but they're baseless."

"I was such a horrible father though", Goku argued.

"Says who? Not Bulma or myself. You could've let your son be taken by Raditz and try again later to save him, but you sacrificed yourself to save him. When Recoome snapped his neck, you kept your head and took care of him. When he went totally fucking nuts against Cell you didn't berate him or mock him. You guided him and when he still messed up you did your duty and fixed it for him. That's what fathers do. As far as fathers go, for a Saiyan, you're pretty damn good. So, was your father. Now, stop bitching and moaning. If you still can't sleep then there are some tranquilizers somewhere around here."

Before anyone could respond to the unusual amount of comfort from the flame-haired prince, Vegeta stood and left. Bulma shrugged, "He's worried about the same thing ever since Cell. He may not look like it, but he's a good dad."

"So, you think he meant it?", Goku asked with a spark of hope.

"If it concerned Gohan, he wouldn't lie about it. For some reason, when Gohan came back it was like they just clicked. It's not even because of the sparring. Vegeta just legitimately likes him, Erasa too. Now that you're not pretending to be mental I think he likes you, maybe not as much but a decent amount", Bulma explained as she too stood and stretched as she left the bewildered Saiyan sitting on the couch with a small grin.

Goku sat still for a moment more until he felt Gohan's ki stirring and decided it was a good time for bed. Catching Bulma, he got one of the tranquilizer pills and let himself be whisked off to sleep in the nearest guest room.

High above the mountains, a caped figure floated in the lotus position. Piccolo was astutely ignoring the spikes in Ki from his estranged pupil's Ki for the second time that night. He had made that mistake with Son Goku only once when curiosity got the better of him. He had promised himself that he would never again investigate why a Saiyan might be training that late at night indoor.

"This is ridiculous. I can't even yell for them to settle down. Next time I sense a huge threat, I'll just keep my damn mouth shut and let the others be surprised. I have two people, I guess three now with Erasa, that I actually care for and I can't even speak to them because I decided that some lazy hapster Kai doesn't know best on one thing", Piccolo muttered.

"It's hipster, actually", Dende piped in as he silently floated up to meet his companion.

"Whatever, have you thought of a way around this damn curse?", Piccolo demanded more than asked.

"Hey, you can look at, hear, and think of him again. How about a little appreciation and faith? I'll get it", Dende defended himself.

"If it involves more rooting through my mind, I think I'll take death. I don't know what you did last time, but it hurt", Piccolo complained.

"I…", Dende began as Piccolo cut him off, "Keep it to yourself. If the Kai's are listening right now I don't want them knowing how to undo it. I'm already breaking their rules again, I may as well be smart about it at least. How about your end of things?"

Dende sighed, "I can explain to him what happened but it'll still be awhile, a few months at least. Doing my guardian duties from the Earth has slowed everything down, I'm sorry."

Piccolo grunted, "Don't be, you're undoing a curse made by the Grand Kai, it can't be easy. Besides, you're putting your neck on the line for this."

"That's true, but if I succeed it could mean good things. Maybe the Kais will admit that mortals can be trusted with information", Dende sat with confidence.

A bark of laughter preempted Piccolo's response, "That or they decide to sentence us all to Hell when we die."

"I'm not worried either way", Dende responded.

"Oh", Piccolo arched a brow, "Why's that?"

"Simple, between Vegeta, Gohan, and you, that place would be the under control in a matter of days", the small guardian responded.

The two Nameks enjoyed a brief laugh together as the night slowly wore on and all the Earthlings and Saiyans eventually went to bed.