Hello my dears,

I'm really sorry for not updating my other stories. I feel ashamed of myself... I even received a review which shook me to the core, telling me that I was unfair to the readers - my readers - and that I left them unsatisfied and such as I'm unable to update anything. That is something I really don't want.

I basically could the feel the anger just by reading the message. So I have to thank the person giving me the hint. Sometimes you really need people who tell you their mind. I appreciate that.

Thank you very much. And sorry for making you furious.

And in order to apolozige to you all, I've started writing this story here. It had ghosted around my brain for awhile and I didnt want to present it to you until it was definitely finished.

So as a proper apology to you all I will not "update" this story but present you the whole thing in one go. Only the epilogue is something I will keep hidden as I want the absolute end to be a little surprise. Well...maybe it won't be a surprise at all but you will not have to wait long for it as I'm rather creative right now.

To summon everything up shortly:

There are some sexual descriptions in it - yes, I wanted to do some M-rated story. But don't worry, the main pair will not ravish each other the whole time. I DO like having a little bit of romance in there.

I just wish you will enjoy reading "Reaching for gold" as much as I have enjoyed developing the plot over the last two years. (Yes, it actually took me that long...)

Pls note that I do not and never had a Beta-reader. There will be mistakes and I know that. I apologize beforehand for the major ones.

Love you all

Red C...

I hate you

Today was the day.

No, correction: Today was the day. Today she would finally know what it was like to become a different person. Today she finally witnessed the mystery of marriage. The celestial bond between a man and a woman!

"Chichi, are you ready?" a familiar voice took her out of her thoughts and she took one last look into the mirror to check her make-up. Everything just had to be perfect! One last deep breath and she stood up to walk down the almighty aisle. The wonderful, marvelous way to the altar: the symbol of entire love!

"Alright…." She murmured to herself, checked her dress one last time and made her first step, showing herself to the crowd. They looked in awe, some of the women had tears in their eyes, men were looking with jealousy – the groom really was a lucky fellow! Chichi smiled her brightest smile. She shone with happiness and pride – the bride was as beautiful as a blooming rose in winter.

Yes, it was the best day ever!

Because today she was going to be - "Bulma, you look beautiful…" The groom suddenly said, and Chichi almost stumbled over her own feet as they suddenly came to an abrupt stop.

Holy crap! The way of entire love was somehow awfully short.

Chichi's best friend's cheeks colored a shy red and the bride smiled at the said words. "Thank you…" she whispered with small tears in her eyes while she took the hand of Vegeta who grinned his typical grin – evil, yet somehow lovely. He was a strange guy with strange habits, but he was the man Bulma was going to marry today.

And Chichi was going to be their bridesmaid! It was her first time ever: she was the one who organized everything – well, she should have. Chichi frowned as she remembered how Bulma had run through each store like a maniac and did it all by herself after all.

The black haired shook her head lightly as the past didn't matter anymore as she was indeed the one who was to hold the veil of the bride - hurray!

If today wasn't the best marriage ever, then she would hate herself!

"Today we got together to celebrate the wedding between Bulma Briefs and Vegeta Sai." The priest started to speak and Chichi had to hold in some subs. Goodness, this was so wonderful! Everything was white, everything was perfect, the people were happy, the pair looked beautiful, and the church was glittering in Chichi's eyes. There was absolutely nothing, not one single thing to destroy this very moment of pure bliss!

Or so Chichi thought.

Just before they started to make their eternal vows, the big door crashed open and a black haired shadow raced in yelling: "I overslept! I'm really sorry! I thought my alarm clock was set right, but I got the wrong time!"

"Goku…." Chichi murmured while the black haired shadow – finally revealing himself – halted beside Vegeta who looked as if he would kill his best friend right here on this sacred floor. Said best friend just scratched his unusual spiky hair and smiled boyishly. It had been a while since Chichi had last seen him but the feelings she had had for him were back in an instant. She knew he would be here today, but she obviously wasn't prepared enough. She bit her lip as her eyes turned back to her best friend in white.

After the short disturbance the people calmed down again and then finally the bride and the groom were allowed to finish their ceremony.

But for Chichi everything was ruined! Gosh, how she wanted to turn back time to the point before she had met this man! How wonderful life would be if she just didn't know this guy personally. Really…

xXx

Chichi fumed while she watched how the others enjoyed themselves with dancing after the wedding ceremony which had finished about six hours ago. The hall was filled with laughter and happiness, the bride and the groom were dancing lovely to the slow song the band was playing…but somehow for Chichi there was this constant and annoying sound tormenting her ear. And because she was very pissed right now, she suddenly just snapped: "Could you eat more quietly? It's getting on my nerves, you monkey!"

A round face looked at her with big eyes. "But it's delicious…" Goku whined with his mouth full but Chichi ignored him and slammed her hand down on the table, making everyone near her turn around. "And just gulp down before you speak!" she hissed and smiled to the others as to assure them that everything was just fine. Why had Buls sat him right beside her anyways?!

"And here they go." Bulma sighed into the chest of her new-made husband who just growled lightly and shook his head. "Pair of idiots…" He commented dryly before he whirled his wife around again and laid his chin on her head gently. Her carefree laughter filled his ear before she spoke up again.

"Will they ever make up with each other? Those two have been fighting ever since and even after all the time they continue where they have left off two years ago. Although, it's more like Chichi's biting off his head alone, he's not doing anything, but still…. I'm actually afraid of our house when both of them are visiting. It's a shame."

"Hn." Vegeta affirmed curtly and Bulma smiled as he indicated another little pirouette. It was unusual for him to dance with her, so she just had to enjoy every movement.

"I guess we have to invite them separately after all." She stated as she was once again in his arms. "And I just had wished Chichi would finally change her opinion of him…oh, why is she so stubborn all the time?"

"Hn."

"But what about birthdays? It would be pretty unfriendly to just invite one of them, don't you think? But on the other hand it's even more unfriendly towards our other guests having them watch her snapping at him without a specific reason."

"…Ah."

"You hate people visiting us, I know but…"

"Could we stop talking already?" Vegeta slightly mouthed and looked at her with longing eyes. "I'm finally having my wife in my arms and all she can think about are two idiots who can only argue with each other since the day they had met." They looked at Chichi and Goku who now stood and talked with each other more than just lively – well, she talked, he just listened obediently. It looked like a probably regular fight between those two. Bulma smiled and pecked his cheek. "Sorry dear. I'll stop now."

Vegeta just nodded curtly and pressed his wife into his chest again. The night was short and he wanted to enjoy every minute with this creature in his arms in more ways than just flat and boring dancing.

"You know what? I hate you!" Chichi finally concluded and poked her index finger into Goku's chest who looked at her with perplexed eyes. Well, he had known before what she thought of him, her declaration didn't really surprise him.

He watched how she gulped down her tenth glass of red wine in one swing and asked her why she did hate him that much. He never really figured that out. Her red cheeks faced him again and she looked pretty angry. "Because you are an iiidiot. That's why! You-you got that?"

"Not really." he sighed and really looked clueless now. Chichi shook her head. The movement made her head spin, so she had to sit down clumsily. "Ah…you really, really, really are stupid…I mean: look at ya! Even your hair is too stupid to lay flat on your head…ya look as if you got struck by lightning." she laughed and sprung up as if a shock was pulsing through her body, yet because she was pretty drunk now, her high heels were in the way and she crashed down flat on the ground. "Ow…"

"Oh my goodness, are you alright Chichi?" Bulma yelled before she tried to help the giggling woman up.

"Tha' was kin' of embarrassing, wasn' it?" Chichi asked and laughed constantly until she was halfway on her feet again. She really couldn't stand straight.

"By the way!" Chichi yelled turning to the bride. "Why're you still 'ere? Isn'it pas' midnight? Your groom should ki'nap you already! Hey!" she screamed for Vegeta who growled and looked at her. "Ki'nap her and leave! You should go n' use the night, have const'nt sex – hmm!" she was interrupted because Bulma clasped a hand above her mouth to silence her. "Shh! Be quiet!"

"Why? Don' you like the word sex – hmm!" Again, a hand over her mouth silenced her.

"Behave, Chichi!" Bulma warned her and left her mouth once again.

"But you're doin' it all the time!" Chichi whined but got ignored as Bulma now angrily turned her attention to Goku, who was suddenly there again although he never left in the first place. "I'm sorry Goku, but could you get this stupid girl home? She behaves like an idiot when being drunk…"

"Uh…I guess I can." Goku agreed, not sure if this was the right choice or not but the young woman protested right away. "Why do I have to be taken home by 'is monkey? I can walk on m' own, see?" Two steps and she lay on the ground again. "Stupid shoes…"

"Yeah, I can just see how perfectly you can walk." Bulma ironically said and turned to Goku again. "It would help a lot if you could bring her home. Avenue 23, Upper East Side, Apartment number 506."

"Alright." He agreed once again and smiled unsurely before he helped the protesting Chichi up and took her out of the hall, totally ignoring her insulting him. He was still kind of used to it. Sadly enough. And as she was indeed very drunk he didn't mind her words at all.

"Don' touch me, moron! Bulma, don' forget to wear the underwear we brought for the hon'ymoon! I said no' to touch me, idiot! Vegeta, if Bulma's not pregnant with'n two months I'll have your body checked! Is'sat clear? Ah…I'm feeling sick…." And both of them were gone.

Bulma's head was beet red and Vegeta growled. There was nothing wrong with his body! He was perfectly healthy, and his thing down there was perfectly intact!

"You think they are going to be alright?" Bulma unsurely asked her husband. "I'm kind of worried."

"I don't care if they kill each other…" Vegeta stated coldly and Bulma sighed. This was the kind of wedding she hadn't imagined…

xXx

A man, a woman, a toilet. This wasn't the kind of night Goku had imagined, yet here he stood holding the ebony hair of the woman who kneeled in front of the porcelain box and vomited into it. Drunk women were scary, he concluded tonight. This was the worst kind of taxi-drive he ever had! When they had left the building, she suddenly had kicked him in the shin and called him a pervert. When he finally got her to understand that he didn't want to do anything to her, but bring her home she had slapped him for shocking her like that. Then she had cried. Then she had laughed and told him it was a joke. When they had been in the taxi – finally – she had started to sing with all her might and just to make one thing clear: she was terrible at it.

And then, at last they had stood before her apartment door and she suddenly had clutched his jacket pressing out: "I'm gonna puke…"
And now here they were! Goku nearly made it to the toilet carrying her and Chichi was already jumping from his arms when she saw the object of her current needs. Rubbing her back and holding her hair for Chichi, there was nothing more he could do to help her.

Nearly did he know that Chichi felt more than just happy to have him help her this kindly, yet at the same time she felt utterly embarrassed that it was him who helped her. She had behaved way out of line today, even towards him. And he still was being nice to her, like always. If she wouldn't have to be so stubborn, she even might have felt bad. But she wasn't as drunk as to admit it.

"Are you feeling better now?" Goku asked her afterwards while he brushed her forehead gently. She was really pale.

Slapping his hand away she hissed "Of course not! I'm tired, and pissed at you, and depressed and frustrated…my dress is ruined, I'm embarrassed and everything is just a disaster…"

"You should rest. Will you be okay alone?" he asked Chichi and the glare she sent him would have killed him! If it could…He bet that this was a yes. Leaving her alone after making sure that she was tugged between the sheets of her bed and closing the door behind him he stretched his arms and looked at the starry sky, wishing he could just understand this woman, even just a little. She had disliked him since the first time they had seen each other. He hadn't seen her for about two years but she still hated him with all her might, didn't she?

He didn't know how to change her reaction to him. And somehow his chest ached at that thought...

Chichi rubbed her temples and cursed at herself. Lying in her bed and looking at the ceiling didn't help to get rid of this dizziness at all! On top of that she couldn't forget the feeling of this stupid guy's big, warm, gentle hand on her back…

"No no no no no!" she yelled to herself and shook her head in defense. Mistake. The pain crawled over her whole head!

Sighing in frustration she scolded herself, not to think of him as "nice" or "comforting". He was an idiot. Ever since they first met she had thought of him as an idiot. The biggest in the world. And if he didn't even get the fact that he was one, then he was even a bigger dumbass than she imagined him to be! She sighed to herself as she lay in her bed with all fours stretched out. It didn't take her long to drift off into a restless sleep.

xXx

"You are the absolute biggest idiot I have ever met in my entire life!"

"Oh god Buls,…please don't be so loud, my head hurts…."

"I don't care if you have a headache! Do you even remember what happened last night?"

"I wish I wouldn't…"

"Oh, sure you do! Being drunk and making a fuss…Goku's a nice guy, so be nice to him, too! I don't believe it…what is it you hate about him? You haven't seen him for years and you are still behaving like a little child! Is it still because of this one little accident? He never did anything to you and I mean he was...like...your idol-"

"You know that was ….is kind of…I…he….uh…I just don't…"

"I'm gonna hang up on you…Really. I don't have the nerve to discuss this with you any further…

"Bulma you know it's kind of…I just don't know it myself…I just can't make myself to forgive him…"

"I thought so. But do me one favor. Just try to be nicer to him, alright? Could you do that for me? I beg you…with chocolate and crème on top…please!"

"…I'll try…but I can't promise…"

"Uh…whatever…do what you want. I don't care anymore… I'll see you in a few weeks."

Holding the phone in her hand Chichi cursed under her breath. Oh what the hell! This guy was making everything more complicated just because he came back from overseas; it was entirely his fault that Bulma was angry with her. Absolutely just his fault! Stupid monkey!

xXx

"You don't look happy, Chi." Lunch stated while Chichi scribbled in her notebook. Her ears weren't on the professor in front; in fact she only scribbled some signs. Yet she answered her friend: "I'm not in a good mood…"

"Trouble studying? Or is it a guy-problem?"

Chichi's face changed into a pure red and smashed down on the table. "Say What?!"

Lunch smiled her unsure smile and pointed to the notebook.

"Gah!" Chichi choked and looked at the scribbles. Damn it! Why in the hell where there little people with spiky hair? As fast as she could she took her rubber and erased the scribbles until the paper ripped. Lunch just tried not to laugh at her friend. She was so embarrassed about the situation; it was definitely a guy-problem that troubled Chichi!

"So…who is it?" Chichi sighed at the stubbornness of Lunch. Once she found something interesting she had to know about it. Immediately. And all of it. Without something missing. Of course.

"Nobody interesting."

"Oho…"

"Don't make that face! And why are your cheeks red? It's not what you think it is! He really is just someone I absolutely disgust!"

"Then why do you concern yourself so much with him if he is just someone you don't like? Huh? It's not what you usually do."

Chichi's face went pale. Lunch was right. It was the first time for her to actually concern herself with somebody she didn't like. Normally she wouldn't say anything and just ignore the person. But Goku somehow….he had captivated her ever since, she knew; just because he had been her secret cru-

Chichi stopped herself from ending her thought! That wasn't it! That had been long ago! It was because he was such an idiot! Yes, that must be it! He was especially stupid! Too dumb to be ignored!

"What do we have next?" the girl behind them asked as the current lecture was over.

"Training for me, girls!" Chichi announced with a light smile as she scattered her things and made her way out of the auditorium. Maybe she was able to calm down while running a few laps. Her coach was awfully strict with training and the next marathons were just around the corner. So training was definitely something for her to distract her mind.

xXx

"Keep your breath in balance; don't use too much strength at the beginning." Her trainer advised her as soon as she had finished their warm up. She stretched her upper arms and grinned at him cheekily.

"Yamcha, I know what I'm doing. It's only a fifteen kilometer run today. To the park, three times through it, and back. No big deal. We had our big route two days ago."

"Yeah, but you know that the real one is about forty-two. So don't give me that look, lady!" he shouted at her as she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah yeah, whatever...It's not my first one, you know."

After bouncing shortly, she just started to run, ignoring the advices of her coach perfectly after sticking her tongue out at him. Because she had already run a few bigger marathons and trained eagerly, she was very fit; it was not much for her to run fifteen kilometers in about 45 minutes. She would even do it in just 30 minutes, although she might be dead afterwards.

"Up we go!" she cheered for herself and started to run. Closing her eyes she smiled as she felt the first warm breeze of the upcoming spring on her skin. This was heaven! But just for about 35 minutes...

"Oh, you're making a good figure!" someone suddenly said beside her and she surprisingly looked at the beaming face of Goku.

"W-what?" she breathed out and her feet lost balance. Lying flat with her face on the ground she cursed under her breath. Why in the world was he here?!

Coming up as fast as possible she raced after him, only to glance angrily at him.

"What are you doing here?" she spat. Here she had run about twelve kilometers in absolute peace and now he was there!

"Nothing special, I'm just helping a friend's pupil of mine with his trainings." He grinned.

Chichi snorted. "Whoever gets you as a trainer must be really stupid, huh?"

"Why would you say that?" he frowned and looked really hurt but she only huffed and sped up. Why should she talk to him anyway?

"Are you trying to race with me?" he again nonchalantly asked her, while he held her speed easily. Without answering she tried to go faster again, although she actually felt how exhausting this was for her, suddenly. The sweat on her skin made her clothes glue to her uncomfortably.

"Are you okay? Your face looks a bit red to me. Do you have a fever?" he asked her once again right beside her, still not looking as if he needed much energy although they were running pretty fast now.

"Grr…you…stop following me!" Chichi wheezed with her last strength and sped up some more although her legs were already feeling very weak.

"You should rest a bit, you look exhausted." Goku stated and stretched his hand out to stop her. She slapped his hand away and hissed like a snake. "I don't need to stop..." she huffed as the goal was suddenly clear to see. She inwardly sighed as her trainer came in sight. Only 800 meters left to go!

"But you look as if you're just about to pass out!"

"I don't!" she shrieked and with ten last steps she reached the side of Yamcha and collapsed to the ground with a loud "Oomph!" Her whole body felt like it was on fire and her muscles cramped uncomfortably.

Yamcha just shook his head in disapproval and looked at Goku who was still breathing normally.

"Ah, Goku!" her trainer smiled and came over. "I'm so glad you had time to help me! I'm honored! Ready for this special training with my little lamb? As I see, you already made acquaintance with my idiotic black rascal here." He smiled at Goku and shot Chichi a death glare. She just lay on the ground and groaned into her hands.

"Don't tell me the idiot who gets him as a trainer is actually me!" she whined but was perfectly ignored by both males.

"Yeah, in fact I already knew her before!" Goku smiled at Yamcha and patted Chichi lightly on the shoulder as soon as she was able to stand again, only to unwillingly push her back to the ground. And there she lay once again, eating dirt.

"Ah, I'm so sorry! Sometimes I forget my own strength, are you hurt?!" He helped her up. Chichi was trembling by now as she stepped away from him as if his touch was poisonous. Goku held in a sigh.

"What in the world was that, you're trying to kill me?" she yelled at him with wobbling legs but only received a growl from her trainer.

"Behave yourself! He's going to coach you until the competition next month! Without him you're not even close to winning! Look at you! You wheeze like a grandma and you have no strength left in your legs!"

"But-!" Chichi tried to protest but the glare she got from Yamcha shut her up immediately.

"Don't but me! You're clearly not in any good shape! If you try to run with your current condition you would pass out after only five meters. It's a wonder you even survived your marathons up until now! How you even qualified for the upcoming one is still a mystery to me! He's going to train you, end of discussion! You should be honored!"

"Grrah!" she screamed as she threw her arms in the air, turned around frustrated and vanished into the women's shower room only to yell a loud "I hate this!" which could be heard on the whole campus.

Yamcha grinned apologetically to Goku who just frowned even more before he sighed. She really didn't like him, did she?

"Don't panic." Yamcha patted his shoulder. "She's going to get used to you. She just doesn't know how lucky she is to have you as her trainer!"

"I doubt it." Goku smiled unsurely as he still couldn't stop thinking about the way Chichi behaved around him once he was near her.

Was he going to survive the upcoming three months? He winced inwardly. If he had known it was her he had to train he probably would have declined the plea.