Okay, so I did this chapter a little different. There's only 2 chapters left before I start the fan fiction associated with this prologue. Thank you for sticking with me this far. Please feel free to let me know what you think so far, and let me know if you think the villain should be a repeat out of revenge, or an original.

Gohan with Goten

"Gohan, wake up!"

Huh? I must have fallen asleep reading again. I brush my hand over my face before looking over at my little brother, a smile on my face. Reaching over, I ruffle my brother's hair before sitting up and stretching. Swinging my legs over the side of the couch, I glance at the time before frowning. "Goten, it's two in the morning. Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Goten shrugs his shoulders. "I can't sleep," he replies, sitting at the other side of my couch. I watch him thoughtfully before leaning back. Neither of us speak for a moment but then Goten breaks the silence. "Do you ever wonder what would happen if one thing changed in the past?"

This kid. I muse inwardly as I give him a side look of confusion. "Not really," I answer honestly. "I believe everything happens for a reason, and if something changes then a lot of things would be different." I contemplate on my own answer for a moment.

Goten stares at the floor momentarily before looking up at me. "What do you think would happen if that Raddish guy didn't come to earth? Then dad wouldn't have died that time and we could wish him back if something were to happen again."

I think about this for a moment but frown at that idea. "Well, for starters, either I never would have not been trained by Piccolo and he would have been another threat, or I wouldn't have met him at all." Goten let his eyes grow wide for a minute before pursing his lips.

"I didn't think about that aspect," he murmurs. "I can't imagine not having Piccolo around. He helped Trunks and I learn the fusion dance, even if he did get frustrated at us. But you should have seen the look on his face when mom and Bulma started yelling at him about pushing us too hard."

I can't help but laugh at that image, rubbing the back of my head for a moment. "You know, there is a reason I never told Mom exactly how my training went when Piccolo first took me in. She would have had a fit. It took mom forever to warm up to the fact that I look up to him." I smile as my mind goes back to memory of all the times I spent with Piccolo. "I don't think she knew right away that he sacrificed himself for me during the fight with Vegeta and Nappa. I remember feeling like one of the most important people in my life was taken away from me, and I didn't do anything to stop it."

Goten blinks and tilts his head. "You were only four then," he starts but I shake my head with a rueful laugh.

"I know that now, goof. There have been so many times that Piccolo has had my back since then, from Frieza to Cell. Even Buu I knew he would step in if he had to."

Goten nodded, solemn. "You know, I tried to help Trunks save Vegeta and Piccolo tried to stop me." I look at him with a smile on my face. "I may have said something to shock him, like if it were you, he would let you go," he continues and then quickly adds, "I didn't know that Vegeta had announced you were dead otherwise I…well, I don't know if I would have said that or not."

I stay silent for a moment, brows furrowed in thought. "It felt great fighting alongside Piccolo during that Tournament. We were able to have each other's backs, and we made it so close to the end before Dad and Vegeta eventually won the whole thing," I smile slightly, remembering the relief that I had felt at our universe winning. The stress of it all washed away.

"I still can't believe that someone wished Babidi back," I grumble under my breath. Goten hears me and crossed his arms.

"I know, and with a cheap trick!" he exclaims with a huff. "Doing some magic spell to link you with the villain!"

I frown at the reminder. "We had come up with a fairly simple plan that we were going to use the dragonballs to unlink us, but when I felt Piccolo needing help, I kinda forgot and took off. I remember dad and Vegeta yelling at me to come back, but I was already focused."

Goten nods with a frown before speaking. "Yeah, Piccolo got mad after you died saving him. He was going ballistic. I knew dad was mad too and Vegeta. And everyone. But it was Vegeta that found the last dragonball and wished you back."

I chuckle nervously. "Hey, the result was the same, right?" Silence follows for a moment before I change the topic slightly. "You know it's funny seeing Vegeta doing the fusion dance?"

Goten giggles at the image, and I grin sheepishly. "When he showed me, I almost asked him to do it again but I saw that vein pulsing already. I knew I was going to get words from both him and Piccolo. But we had to defeat our enemy first."

I close my eyes for a moment before opening them again. "After Dad sacrificed his life to save us from Cell blowing us all up, and I defeated him, I almost wanted to quit fighting all together. But I didn't want anything to happen to anyone else, so I asked Vegeta to train me along with Piccolo. Most of the time it was separate training sessions, but when it was a group session, those two argue like no one I've ever seen."

Goten laughs again, adding, "I've seen it once or twice but I think Vegeta cares about Piccolo a little, if only because he's important to you. Also, I think the 'need to watch over the last of the saiyans' is just a façade. I think he's gotten close to both of us in a way, and he's definitely protective of both of us."

I ruffle his hair, much like Piccolo has done to me so many times, and smile. "Yeah, I think the same can be said for both of them," I agree quietly.

"Let's just not share that with them though. They'd deny it in an instant." I yawn and he does the same. "But I think we should go to bed. It's getting late. You can stay in the guest room if you want. I know Videl won't mind."

And with that, I go to bed, my brother doing the same.