Chapter 7: Harsh Words

A/N: Apologies for the delay but we're back up. And yeah I wasn't aware of the mistranslated error, I just went off of him being eleven at the end of Cell then going seven years him being 18. But fixing everything bit late, so it'll have to be a minor error.

Glad you guys found the Vegeta conversation appropriate because I felt if anyone could discuss first world problems to real problems our prince would be the one and considering Vegeta and Gohan have fought together and against many times they would have a bond through saiyans.

Also, Goku hate it's a story line never explored. You can't tell me that Gohan just thinks the world of his father all the time. Besides this helps me break the mold, I'm not a Goku hater but it's something that anyone could feel about someone given everything Gohan has been put through and don't pretend any child would be just A Okay about their parent who has a choice to come back walks away from them won't fester resentment plus I'm writing it that way. So just sit back and enjoy it ;)

Gohan had a chair brought in by one of the staff, it was pulled up against the side of the bed. Resting his chin across his forearm, the older brother gently stroked his little brother's forehead. His breathing was still very soft, nothing close to the heavy snores that resembled his happier days much like the man he resembled.

He'd never, if ever, seen Goten sick or injured and the only comparison was when Goku was out with the heart virus and that had been one hell of an event that he never wanted to relive. Fleeing from house to house, Goku's panicked nightmares and his heavy cries were all something that he'd wanted to forget. But all those dreadful memories were clawing back up, bringing tears to Gohan's eyes. "My fault… this is my fault. I let this happen to you because I didn't do the right fucking thing in the first place." His harsh voice barely above a soft whisper, it was a private conversation.

The moment he had the chance he squandered it to get Paris fired, she didn't deserve to be in that penthouse. She failed to take care of Goten, and most of all she was completely fucking inept at the job of just doing something as basic as keeping things out of reach of a small child!

The hospital staff mostly let the teen be, after his hair had dropped from its brilliant gold to black. People assumed it had just been a trick of the mind, people just couldn't change the color of their hair like that. Though Gohan didn't necessarily mind that face either, he wanted privacy.

But apparently the word, in some shape or form, had gotten around. A knock on the door, Gohan didn't answer, just continuing to stroke his little brother's head. Pushing the sliding glass door open, one of the nurses looked inside. "Mr. Son," Even if he was still a teeanger they called him 'sir.' "There's some friends who wished to see you, a Miss Erasa and Miss Videl?"

"What?" Gohan turned his head back towards the nurse. It had been over half an hour since he'd arrived and not once had he drawn his gaze from Goten's form.

"If it's a problem we can tell them no visitors." The nurse spoke. "If they aren't related I can have them-"

"No, no it's fine. You can send them back." Gohan said, rubbing his eyes. Although he still wasn't wearing a shirt, Gohan was less concerned about that. But as the nurse left, there was another thing he had to 'fix'.

It was two minutes later, Erasa and Videl walked in. "Oh God," Was the first thing to pop out of Erasa's mouth, holding her hands over her lips. She partially rushed over and wrapped her arms around Gohan. "Gohan, how's your brother? No, wait, are you okay too? What happened? Did-"

"Erasa, girl, I said you had to be calm if we were going to come back here." Videl said scolding, walking over she gave the blonde a glare who shrunk slightly but knew that it was probably not the time or place to start bombarding someone with questions.

"It's alright, but," He looked to the two of them. "How did you guys know about this? I didn't tell anyone." Erasa looked to Videl, Gohan followed her gaze to her. "Videl?"

"Sorry, but I was doing some work in the hospital today when I heard someone mention a juvenile patient coming in, and forgive me, but I was just a little nosey and walked around and saw the last name and that you were the visitor. It wasn't right of me to be peeking like that but when I saw it was you… well I thought you might want a little company." Videl confessed to the tiny sin, it wasn't done out of malice but considering she had learned that Gohan had a deep attachment to his family it would be wrong to let him do this all by himself. Considering she didn't see his mom's name on the guest list. "If it's a bother we can leave."

"No, no it's fine." Gohan said trying to force a laugh, but a strange comfort came from hearing Videl say she wanted to be here to support him. With two of his friends here the teen felt a bit better, though Erasa squeezed his neck reassuringly. "What happened?"

"Erasa." Videl growled, her friend was seriously jumping boundaries. They were guests not family.

"No, it's fine. My brother got into some prescription pills… opiates." Looking away from them as he admitted it like it was his fault.

Both girls were quiet, "Is that why someone barged into the library and got you?" The blonde brought up a question that was a part of the bigger picture. "Some angry guy barged his way in and took you away, people said, while you were tutoring." She didn't add the fact that Gohan was tutoring Sharpener's big sister. Figuring she could question him about that later.

"Heh, yeah… one of my family friends," His voice stretching the term, he doubted that the prince would see it that way and would bludgeon anyone who disagreed with his assessment of it. "He came and got me."

"Poor baby." Erasa said sitting herself in his lap, her fingers stroking his face and long black hair. "Is he doing okay? Do you need anything?"

"He's fine," Gohan answered the first question, taking the time to just lean his head against her shoulder as her presence offered him a level of comfort. I've missed this feeling. "No I should be fine for right now. I'm just waiting on some family to show up at the moment."

Videl approached the bed, Gohan followed her for a moment but didn't say anything. "Is he okay to touch?" Gohan nodded his head, but saying little as he just let Erasa stroke his head and face. Sitting on the side of the bed, Videl brought her own hand to Goten's forehead. Pushing up one of the large bangs of hair as she felt the warm skin. "I'm sorry Gohan, i know it doesn't mean a lot now but I can't imagine how you feel, but if you need anything you can tell us until this is over."

"Thanks." Gohan spoke softly. Feeling exhausted after so much high adrenaline for the day, Gohan was tempted to just let his head lay down upon Erasa and sleep.

Still softly caressing Goten's face, Videl could see through all of the turmoil that she and Gohan had been through. Mostly on her own faults had been worth nothing in the end. Perspective and hindsight always made things seem simpler. 'Rushing over here without even a shirt on and all alone.'

Just another person struggling, even if he put on a hard front it was here when he seemed vulnerable. The image of the perfect student and seemingly invincible Son Gohan shattered. This wasn't someone who had everything in his control and metaphorically walked on water in the eyes of everyone in the school from most students and faculty alike.

But here he was, thrust into a terrible situation and having none of the normal aura that existed around him.

Erasa just whispered softly in his ear, telling him it was going to be okay. As Videl was stroking Goten, she did her best with soft kisses on his temple and cheek. He leaned into her more and more, it felt like she was the one taking away some of that pain which made her heart only wrench as she brought both of her hands around his head and held him.

The visit held for a while until Gohan started to fall asleep. Videl noticed this and thought it would be a good time to excuse themselves. Gohan needed to rest and they weren't family. "Erasa, we should see ourselves out and let him be."

"But-" She protested.

Videl gave her 'the look,' "Gohan can call us, but he needs space to be with his family, no doubt they are coming here so we should let him be."

Erasa opened her mouth to speak but found nothing to say against it, Gohan was her boyfriend, but Videl was right they weren't close enough to be here when his family showed up. He was dozing in and out, missing the conversation as he felt his head lay back down on the bed beside his brother. Someone whispered in his ear before leaving.

He was just so tired…. Drifting into a black slumber, no dreams or nightmares to be had just the pull of his heavy eyes.

Gohan remained unaware until his ears picked up on several pairs of feet heading towards him, and they didn't have the same quiet reserved ones that were expected of nurses, doctors, and faculty. Then the feeling of their kis came next, so distracted and lost in his own thoughts. Eighteen was the first one to push open the door, followed by Dende, and then Krillin.

"How's the little one?" Eighteen's usual cold indifference wasn't there, she sounded so human that Gohan couldn't believe it was her. The news that the android was going to be a mom, in the not too distant future, may have some impact on that.

"Just sleeping, they are letting the drugs run through his system right now as he's so young they don't want to give him a drug cocktail to counteract it because they don't know if he has allergies." Though Gohan didn't need to inform them that Goten was also half saiyan and probably not going to handle the drugs all the same either. Though the opiates he consumed would affect any creature because they target muscle groups and slowed blood flow, the addicted pain killer had been used throughout history - he'd been researching it while he was here simply because understanding something always helped when dealing with situation beyond control sometimes - with its emergence despite its addictive properties no doubt on the part of drug manufacturers producing the addiction substance. But everything could be an addiction if mishandled.

Dende walked forward, his staff still lightly tapping on the ground. "It's good to see you Gohan, but we'll save the reunion for later." The young guardian smiled as he approached the bed. Letting his staff rest against his shoulder, Dende outstretched both of his palms over the small boy sleeping. Closing his eyes he concentrated hard, focusing deep within to draw out and cleanse the poison that crippled the boy in front of him.

A yellow golden light began to fall like sparks from his fingers, taking great care to not rush his healing. It took all of three minutes, but Dende finally opened his eyes back up.

Gohan went to ask him if it had worked, but as Goten's eyes popped open the older saiyan didn't need to. "Goten!" Gohan cried out, his voice breaking in an elation. Goten was now looking back up at him. He looked groggy but considering he'd been out cold due to a massive drug overdose it was to be expected.

Squeezing Goten in a tight hug, Gohan almost broke down crying but he didn't want to panic his brother. "Thank you Dende, thank you!"

The scene unfolded, as the hospital staff who had heard some level of excitement came in to check and before their eyes was now alert Goten. Disregarding the Guardian of Earth, who they wouldn't recognize anyway, the nurses went through their tasks making Gohan take a step back. But the ladies working the pediatric area worked miracles and had the young demi saiyan soon all smiles and excited when presented with a jumbo sized lollipop.

Standing back, Eighteen watched and holding her own hand over her stomach felt something beneath her cold metal chassis underneath. This is what having a life is like. This is how it'll be when I have my own child, my own path and future.' In a rare moment her hand gripped Krillin's hand, saying nothing but the human she'd married understood and squeezed hers back.

Goten's revival had made both future parents think just how they would be in such a situation.

Dende remained off the side with his good friend. "It is good to see you again, Gohan." Putting a reassuring hand on the teen's shoulder, they were both almost the same height with Gohan having two or three more inches on him.

"Likewise Dende, sorry for asking you to come here yourself." Dipping his head out of respect.

Dende smiled, shaking his head, "Gohan, it's not a problem. You've done so much for me and my planet. I couldn't offer to return some of the work you have done for so many people out there." The two remained quiet listening as Goten giggled as the nurses teased him stick out his tongue real wide and play with his mouth. "I removed all traces of the poison and repaired the vessels in his brain, though I can't say for sure that he'll be a hundred percent, but he will be better."

"Thank you," Gohan repeatedly elated to see his little brother back to normal.

As the guardian remained by Gohan's side his head turned slightly. "Gohan? Forgive me if I may be sounding too curious, but you seem different." There were more changes than just the physical that Dende could tell. The demi saiyan's aura emanating wasn't the same.

"Oh, well, today has been a roller coaster of a day for me. Dealing with Vegeta, then Goten… ehh it's just been one very long series of events in my life, Dende."

Pressing his lips flat, Dende's attena flicked slightly. "That's not exactly what I mean," Gohan looked back at him confused. "There just seems to be more than just all this chaos bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Talk about it? Shaking his head, "No, I talked about it with Vegeta." Releasing a laugh as he saw the taken back look by the guardian of Earth. "Yeah, crazy thought I know, but yeah me and Vegeta had a talk," more appropriate examination of their 'talk' would be a fight, but that was neither here nor there for Dende to realize. "It helped me get some feelings I'd been holding back out."

"I see. Well then that's good, it's not safe to bottle up your emotions. But if you ever need help you can look to me or Piccolo."

With that the Guardian departed, leaving Krillin and Eighteen. "Crazy day, huh Gohan?" Krillin said as Gohan took a set next to Goten who was happily munching away on all the free stuff he'd been given to eat.

"Yes… Very." Gohan smiled ruffling his brother's hair. Goten just laughing along before calling out happily for more food.

"You know, you should bring Goten around Kame Island. I think it will be great to see more of you guys." Krillin offered but Eighteen actually chuckled making the teen actually look at her.

"Having Gohan around won't protect you from working and doing the lists of chores I have for you, Krillin."

"Aww, but Eighteen, come on it's Gohan, the kid saved your life." As if she needed a reminder of that moment.

She rolled her eyes at him but she didn't say anything more. "It's fine guys, I'll see what I can do to get out of here and back to familiar grounds." Gohan told them, but Krillin then whispered something to Eighteen before she left the room. Leaving just Gohan, Goten, and Krilllin by themselves.

Once they had their guy moment, Krillin then looked at Gohan. "So what happened? I asked Eighteen to leave because, well, she doesn't need to have more stress since she's got my kid."

"How? I thought she wasn't well a human, how can-" Gohan started but Krillin cut him off. "She was human, and trust me it works." Blushing slightly but he shook his head. "Irrelevant though, what happened, this doesn't seem like something my little buddy from earlier would be experiencing."

He really didn't want to explain this to another person, Vegeta was bad enough. "It's just things at home, Mom always works, Dad stays dead because the Other World is too much fun and I'm stuck playing high school." That was perhaps over simplifying it but the less people thinking he had a problem - which he didn't - was for the better.

Krillin bit his bottom lip slightly, 'Wow… I wouldn't have guessed his dad's death would've affected him so much. It's crazy considering who his father is, but just wow.' "You know your dad did everything he could for you right, little bro?" Krillin thought of Gohan as more of a nephew but since Namek he'd been Krillin's bro despite it being a little absurd. Since Gohan was taller than him! He saw Gohan roll his eyes. "Come on man, you know your dad cares about you."

Gohan didn't want Goten to hear this, he'd never bad mouth Goku in front of him. He wanted his little brother to know him for what he had done for them and not hold onto all of these feelings that he himself was having bubble up inside of him. He pulled down the T.V. and turned it to something Goten could be distracted by, usually the food channel as he directed Krillin to the other side of the room. "Look, I know you guys all have this super big opinion of him, but if he cared he wouldn't be dead right now."

Krillin couldn't believe that, "But you heard what he said, and he has a point. A lot of bad things have happened and since then it's been pretty nice." He let that part slip out a little too easily as Gohan shot him a glare that had been picked up by another saiyan who resided on this planet.

"This!" He almost hissed reigning in his tone to make sure Goten didn't get his attention taken away. "This is not pretty nice, living alone with my mom and raising my little brother is not something I should be doing, he should be here right now. Taking responsibility for his actions, not pretending that he can just wash his hands and say I'm done when we're still stuck here because of his actions."

'Wow. I never would've guessed that of all people Gohan would have resentment towards his dad.' It was shocking Krillin to see and hear this, considering everything they had gone through. 'Man, Goku I really am questioning why you stayed dead.' It was done in good faith, he respected it, didn't particularly agree with it but that wasn't his choice to make at the time.

"Krillin," Gohan was seeing it on his face, the same look everyone - aside from Vegeta - gave him. "I didn't ask to be any of this. And I know you want me to respect his wishes for deciding my own, Mom's, and Goten's fates without a second thought. I have had to live with his choices and for the majority of my life, I've had to live through not only his choices and decisions but his legacy. One that I now do not want, it is not my job to be anything other than myself. Yet everyone wants me to step into his shoes, well I don't!"

"Your dad-" Krillin began, "Don't, do not call him my father." The words were cold and it made Krillin lose his ability to maintain that train of thought. 'Gohan… just… what?'

They both remained silent, Gohan having finally spit out the words that had been rolling around inside of him for quite awhile. Every single thing was as a result of his 'dad' It was ALL HIS FAULT! None of this would be going on if he would've had the fortitude to return to life. Forcing burdens that he had created and then hefting those mountains upon the shoulders of his son and the woman that he claimed he loved. 'I almost doubt that he really did love her. Probably imagined that marriage was more about food than being the responsible parent and adult.'

Everyone of Goku's friends would probably all say the same thing. That he was such a great guy, "You all probably still kiss the ground he walked on, but none of you bothered to think about his actions."

"That's not true Gohan. We all didn't think it was the best decision, but it was still his decision we can't tell him what to do." He failed to understand how a boy who once idolized and did everything he could to be just like his dad had completely flipped. What was once admiration was disgust, those emotions of seeing your father the hero now saw him as a villain.

Gohan snorted, "His decision which was what, two seconds? Are you sure Goku is not questioning him? I was a young boy, kidnapped by my uncle, trained by my father's nemesis and forced to become something I had never been. Then I was put on the battlefield because I had potential, not because I or my parents had any say in it. I was young and impressionable, believing that I was doing the right thing because someone older and supposedly smarter than me told me so. It's taken me years to think through my life, Krillin, and ask yourself how many times did you have to save the world before you were ten?"

The short answer was zero. "Gohan, this isn't the same thing. The world I had was-"

"It was the same, there were powerful forces on this planet and just because you weren't on their level doesn't mean they weren't happening. Everyone just let Goku do what he wanted, let him act without consequence, that's been his entire mantra. Do it because I know it's the right thing to do. Well guess what!" He almost shouted, drawing attention from the medical staff who cast a glance back, but they were waved off. "He made his choice and I have to be the one stuck living with it and if I decide that the man who sired me is a no good coward who once things got too big and tough for him to handle he pawned it off on his son. Then I guess this is the result of his choices, because I hate him!" His voice was dripping with boiling anger. "I hate him for making me feel this way, for abandoning my mother, my brother and the world he created and thrust it upon me, a little god damn boy to pick up and carry his burdens."

There was nothing good to say about 'him' he was a bastard, his family's needs were always secondary to others. 'I was just to blind, lost and caught up in the blinding radiance that was his friend's admiration and Vegeta was right… I have to live with it and move on. So I will move on and I will spend my days hating him for it. I will walk the path that he created for me since I never had the chance to be myself.'

Krillin tried several times to open his mouth. To offer some response or maybe even a defense, but what was there for him to say. This wasn't his family, it was Goku's and… his son had a point. They might be without Goku but his influence on their world was clearly still being felt. "I'm sorry, I'll leave you be." It was all that came out, and Gohan found a part of him breaking upon hearing those words. Because he did like Krillin, they'd shared more than enough time together to be friends.

Yet the teen refused to apologize. He'd spoken the words that were true to his heart. Taking them back was impossible now.

Two hours later, Chi-Chi made her arrival but was stopped by officers waiting to speak with the legal guardian/parent of the child. She hadn't been overly enthusiastic about speaking with police but she had little choice since circumstances demanded it. Giving out all of the necessary information and her celebrity status Chi-Chi was given a fair bit of leeway by those in charge. Harassing anyone with a fair amount of clout and money always ran the risk of stepping on the toes of someone more important, making their own lives more difficult.

"Mrs. Mao, we understand you want to see your child so we'll be as brief as possible. Now please just answer honestly and truthfully and we can get you back to your son." The first officer said, addressing Chi-Chi, a second remaining standing his eyes looking around with a bored expression showing.

"Yes, yes, just ask away. I want to see my son." Chi-Chi said, wanting to speed this along as much as possible.

"Yes, the pill bottle brought in. It was a high volume opiate, though it expired over a year ago. What was the reason you had those in your home?"

"I'm not a pill popper," She defended herself immediately, her eyes giving the officer a once over.

"I didn't state that you were ma'am, but we have to document why you had those."

Releasing a frustrating sigh, Chi-Chi brought a hand to her head. This life was taking its toll on her, she was going to need a few drinks to calm down after this. "Those were for my pregnancy, I had a home birth since I wasn't able to be given an epidural. I used maybe three or four to handle the birth and post labor pains, but I haven't taken them since."

"I see…" He jotted down some information on the pad in his palm. "So about how many pills would you say you had left?"

"I don't know, most of the bottle probably." She answered.

"And you're sure you haven't been taking them off to the side for any reason. I know I may be beating the dead horse but I have to ask this question."

"No, I don't take them and why are you asking me that?" Chi-Chi wanted to know where this was exactly leading.

The officer speaking opened his mouth but as he did a new face popped his head into the doorway. "I'll handle this. You two stay outside and let me talk with the parent." A plain clothes man said, though clearly he was an officer. A white male, middle aged around forty years his hair starting to thin but maintained a moderate level of brown hair. His face showing the signs of a thick five o'clock shadow. The man looked tired but set about his duties. The two other boys in blue quickly left the room as the other walked inside. "Sorry for taking up your time. I'm Detective Marquis and I'm in the drug task force unit for West City. I won't beat you over with further accolades. I will cut straight down to it."

At least someone had some sense. "Please." Chi-Chi said her voice somewhat strained, gesturing with her hand.

"You've had an agent that keeps quite the leash on you, and considering your busy schedule and phone records, which I already received from him, I didn't need to get a warrant." The detective addressed before more questions were raised. "I can tell that you are not a drug user, yet that only leads me with three options. One, this was a freak accident, while possible I am not going put any validity into that."

"Why not detective?"

The man pulled out a cell phone and held it up to Chi-Chi. "This bottle was for fifty of those pills and you said no more than six pills you took over several years ago…" Swiping the screen he then held up another picture of the bottle. "The entire top was ripped open, I'm not sure how it was done by an adult or someone with some force. But that aside your son ingested only ten pills, with another elven in the bottle…" The Detective's voice faded as his hint was obvious to Chi-Chi.

'Eleven plus six, plus ten means… half the bottle was missing.' "Someone was taking them?"

Maquis nodded his head. "Yes, now considering the circumstances it would only leave two suspects. The nanny who brought him here or the other occupant in your home unless there's someone else who would know they were in there?"

"You're saying Paris or my son was taking opiates?" Chi-Chi sounded offended and shook her head in disbelief. "Paris has worked for me for over a year without an issue until recently." The mother couldn't believe the hard working young woman would be stealing her pills.

"Well, her statement to my officers earlier was that she was emptying the medicine cabinet and had left the bottle on the counter. Which is how your youngest got to them. Though I can't imagine how the entire bottle was ripped open."

"My son is quite powerful, if he wanted to break a plastic pill bottle he can. For his age he's much more capable than he looks." The detective gave her a skeptical look. "I'm telling you the truth. My sons come from the world's strongest man. I have no doubt they have their fathers genes in them."

The detective gave her an incredulous stare, eyeing her as if she wasn't joking. When she did not make any effort to correct herself he cleared his throat. "Genes or not there is the question of nearly half a missing bottle of pills. So… who would be guilty in your opinion."

"I don't know who would've taken them, even if that were the case it is most certainly not my son. Gohan loves his little brother and helped raise him since his father died and I know that he'd never do anything." Chi-Chi would never believe that Gohan would ever intentionally or unintentionally do Goten harm, that simply was not possible.

Marquis finished writing his notes for the time being. 'Mother believes son is innocent, declares eldest wouldn't hurt child. Unknown level of pills left in the bottle, possibility of error but parent states with certainty a high number of pills remaining.' Flipping back to his other page he then cross checked something before wrapping up. "How is the relationship in your home? Any troubles, domestic, or juvenile going on that might help me figure out if this is an accident or not?"

Chi-Chi glared at him, "Are you insinuating my house is full of delinquents? I'll have you know Gohan is a perfect student, top grades last year, perfect SAT scores and Goten has never been a problem at his daycare. Aside from my son missing his father there's nothing wrong in my house."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" She was getting tired of having to explain herself.

"So Paris wasn't threatened by your son a few weeks ago?" Marquis gave her an analyzing stare as the emotions flashed on Chi-Chi's face, giving him the answer as she paused just a second too long in answering. For a veteran detective he had his answers.

"It was a misunderstanding. Gohan is very protective of Goten." Chi-Chi had to defend her son, though she didn't approve of how he handled it. She wasn't going to play into this fantasy that Gohan was a threatening person.

"I see, even still that's a domestic situation, family or not she lives and works for your family correct?" The detective saw a line of questioning open up.

"Did Paris say something to you that was beyond her being yelled at and her job threatened?" Chi-Chi asked, but the detective just kept his face calm and shook his head. "I can't answer that."

"This was addressed over a few weeks ago, Gohan just found her asleep, that was all."

"Could I talk with Gohan about this, just to scratch this scenario I have in my head off the list then? He's still a minor and I can't have an interview without your permission, Mrs. Mao."

She snorted through her nose. "Absolutely not, Gohan is not at all a problem. It was just an accident and I don't want to hear another word about this being anything to the contrary." Telling him with a stern tone, but the detective merely shrugged.

"As you wish, but if you change your mind here's my card." Pulling out a small white contact card for her to speak with him about. She took it but gave him one hell of a dirty look for it.

"It won't be necessary I assure you." Pocketing the card, though she intended to throw it away later.

Standing up, the detective put away his notebook. "Sorry for the trouble and taking up your time and before you leave… keep an eye on your son. Sounds like he might be willing to do anything to protect his brother from the nanny you hired."

The notes he had gathered from the initial report were painting one picture but the other part wasn't something he could rule out when he had spoken with the pro or (person reporting the offense). "So you were just cleaning the house per usual, correct?"

Paris nodded her head, "Y-Yes. I did know Mrs. Chi-Chi likes her home to be immaculate. So I have to work hard at it and keeping a lead on her son is tough too."

"And you're sure you found that bottle, you didn't get it from her medical cabinet correct?" She nodded again. "So why were they in easy reach of a toddler, could you perhaps clarify that point for me?"

"I was just… well I didn't know Mrs. Chi-Chi had any of those things. I was going to ask her what I should do with them so I left them on the kitchen table where I found them."

"Did you need her permission?"

"No, but…" The detective raised her eyebrow.

"But what?" Paris shook her head. "I can't say it, Mrs Chi-Chi will fire me."

"Paris, your actions poisoned a three year old, I'd worry more about your current rights about remaining silent than your job." Leaning just a little hard on the woman, Marquis wanted to hear what this girl had to say. "So what exactly are you concerned about?"

So he listened to the girl's story, while not the plausible reasons it wasn't impossible and when it came to police work you could never disregard the near impossible. The nanny might be a little frail, some prior teen drug charges and the occasional traffic ticket but nothing that jumped out to him as some child monster. While everything gave the appearance of an accident, the detective had to wonder if there was some more nefarious reasoning and since he couldn't talk to another person who had some involvement in all this he just had to speculate.

Saying nothing, Chi-Chi merely glared at the detective. Gohan was perfect, well mostly perfect, but certainly not anything like the hack detective tried to insinuate. 'But i'm tired of this.'

She reached the pediatric wing of the hospital in record time. She opened the door and saw that it was just Gohan and Goten. Once she was inside and closed the door, her eyes boiled over with tears, there was a time and place for composure, but not when it came to her children. She'd suffered enough near heart attacks with Gohan's upbringing. She'd hoped that she'd never have to feel those emotions again with her youngest son.

"Oh my boys!" Her voice sobbed as she grabbed Gohan pressing his head into her chest and scooping up Goten and clutched him tightly, rubbing her head against his. "How are you two? Gohan, is Goten okay? Did they say anything about-" Her voice became an incoherent motherly ramble.

Though tempted as he was to tell her everything was fine now, Gohan held back, feeling this lost comfort. It was different with Erasa, his mother's embrace made him feel warm, safe, and protected like it always did. The way her fingers curled through his hair, and how she felt worry for him and his brother. It was like old times, better times.

"We're fine mom, Dende came and healed Goten though we can't be a hundred percent sure that everything is back to normal. But once Dende healed him he woke right back up so I think he should be good."

"REALLY?! Oh, thank you, thank you! Oh Kami, this is wonderful." Chi-Chi said, her tears spilled into happier ones as she let go of Gohan and fully squeezed her little boy. "Goten, oh you had mommy so worried!"

Not fully understanding the reasoning, Goten just laughed, "Thank wooo Mommy!"

Taking a seat on the bed, Chi-Chi feathered her youngest son with kisses on his cheek. Settling him into her shoulder as she looked to her oldest. "I hope this wasn't too hard on you Gohan, and I'm sorry that you had to handle Vegeta today. I told Bulma to see if Vegeta had any hints or something about saiyans growing up that could help you, he's the only other person sort of like you, I never asked him to go and rip you out of school. I can't imagine that the brute of a prince knows how to handle your situation."

'Not that I really had a situation to begin with.' "It's fine, I feel a bit better, I got some frustrations out and managed a good fight with him. It helped me deal with some of my problems, but if the school asks, just say Vegeta pulled me out for this. He wasn't exactly subtle when barging into my high school demanding I follow him."

"Ugh," Chi-Chi shook her head. But it was a small matter in the grand scheme of things. Her children's wellbeing trumped any minor annoyances that she'd have to deal with later. Looking over her son, Chi-Chi did realize that her son had indeed been fighting. The very obvious rips and tears in his clothing were quite evident enough but there was a more glaring one. "I guess Vegeta is the reason that you aren't wearing a shirt either?" Cracking a small smile. "I'd assume you'd be embarrassed but I guess I was wrong."

"Well I didn't exactly have time to sit down and change." Gohan admitted blushing.

"It's fine, but don't you think about flaunting your physique. No hoochy or skanks are to be touching you." His mother said, half serious and partly joking.

"No, of course not." Barring Erasa and Videl seeing him. "So… Mom, will you be staying around a bit longer?" Hopeful that there might be some time to be a family, after his talk with Krillin Gohan needed some comfort from one of the few people whose opinions actually mattered.

There was a slight need to his voice, Chi-Chi understood it and she nodded. "Yes, and I think it would be nice if we took a little holiday… spring break is coming and your birthday, isn't it?" His mother's warm smile made Gohan find relief.

"Yeah. it is." Letting his head fall down, Gohan wrapped his arms around his mother, his head resting against her stomach.

Not understanding Gohan's emotions she just sighed but brought one hand to cradle his head while the other held Goten. "My boys… my boys." They definitely needed a break.

R&R

A/N: Spring break and a little more family fun and drama to come.