39- Back Again
Early Summer
"This-" Tarble croaked as he glanced around the infirmary. "We really are home, aren't we?" He shook.
"Hyung," Trunks reached out to him and hugged him tightly. "We thought you died. Frieza said, you died."
Tarble shook his head as he clutched Trunks tightly. "No, he's a twisted monster. He said my prison would be torment for you all."
"I knew you were still alive," Goten was saying as he hugged Goku tightly.
"I've missed you all so much," Goku sighed as he held Goten. "I have so many questions! How did you end up here?"
"I found that book you left behind," Goten sniffed. "And Gohan- he found it too, but he pretended like he didn't for a while. He's on earth, but he comes to visit, and Mom and Pan- they're here!"
"They are?" Goku gasped.
"Trunks?" Dr. Brief hobbled into the room, half-asleep. He had been staying on Vegeta-Sei mostly since Pan's pregnancy was so unusual. "What's-" he stopped when he saw Goku. "Y-you."
"Hi, old friend," Goku smiled at him.
"Grandpa," Trunks said. "This is my uncle," he squeezed Tarble's shoulders. "Can you check them over, please? They've had a rough few years."
"Of course," Dr. Brief nodded.
"Dad," Goten whispered. "Why did you stay there for so long?" He asked the question he had been wondering since he first found him. "Instant Transmission- you developed that technique. Why didn't you use it to escape?"
"I couldn't," Goku said slowly. He gasped, and his hand flew to the back of his neck. "Dr. Brief!" He rushed for him. "There's a chip in the back of my neck to stop me from using any ki. You have to remove it now! Or else they'll find me!"
Trunks watched with wide eyes as Goku scrambled to a table, and his grandpa rushed about to grab an operating knife. He glanced at Tarble and still couldn't believe he was seeing him. "Do you have one of those?" He asked.
"No," Tarble answered softly. "I wasn't a threat with Ki. Mine was with swords." He glanced at Trunks and smirked at the sword on his back. "I see you take after me."
Trunks smiled, "yeah. Appa will be so shocked to see you," he whispered. "I can't believe you were the other person," he let out a sigh.
Trunks felt it as soon as the chip was removed. The power radiating off of Goku was ground-shaking, literally. The castle shook for several seconds before Goku quickly lowered his Ki and sat up. He grabbed the chip from Dr. Brief and raised his Ki in his palm to explode it.
"Sorry," he apologized. "It's been bottled up for so long," he said.
"Do you think everyone's up now?" Goten asked Trunks.
"My Appa probably is, and he's probably going to kick my ass," Trunks winced.
"Yeah," Goten nodded. "My Mom probably is too."
"Your Mom," Goku smiled.
"I'll go get her, Dad," Goten smiled back.
"I better go meet my Appa. You two stay here and get checked out by Grandpa. We'll be back!" Trunks said before he rushed out the doors.
Vegeta grumbled as he marched down the hallway. Bulma was right behind him, asking a million and one questions. He didn't understand why she did that when she knew he was just as clueless! Still, that Ki had felt oddly familiar like he knew it from somewhere.
"Appa! Eomma!" Trunks ran down the halls suddenly, and Vegeta stopped.
"What did you do?" He asked.
Trunks gasped, "why do you instantly ask that? Where's the, 'are you okay?', or, 'what happened?'?"
"Because every time something happens, it's usually you," Vegeta muttered. "So, what mess did you make this time."
"I made no mess," Trunks huffed. "I kinda snuck onto Frieza's ship."
Vegeta's eyes widened as Bulma screamed. "WHAT?!" She clutched the front of Trunks' shirt. "Are you crazy, Trunks?!"
"Eomma, it's fine," Trunks grabbed her hands and smiled at her. "Goten was with me, and we didn't get caught."
"Why in the hell would go on that bastard's ship?" Vegeta asked. His son might be rash at times, but he wasn't stupid. Vegeta knew there had to be a good solid reason as to why Trunks would have done something like that.
"Panna has these dreams," Trunks began. "And they come true. She's had more than one that's been like that, and she started to have dreams of her father. She said he was on Frieza's ship. So, Goten and I went to the ship, and she was right again. He was there, but he wasn't the only one."
Vegeta could see how his son's eyes were softening. "Who else?" He asked quietly.
"Hyung," Trunks whispered. "Hyung is alive. He was on Frieza's ship the whole time!"
Bulma gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. "He's here?"
"He's in the infirmary. Grandpa is looking at him and Goku."
"You brought them home," Vegeta was shocked as he looked at Trunks. His son had sneaked onto that Tyrants ship and brought his brother and friend back. "You have done good, Adeul."
"Thank you, Appa," Trunks smiled. "I'm going to go get Panna."
"I can't believe him," Bulma whispered as they watched Trunks run down the hallways. "He's grown so much over the last few years."
Vegeta nodded his head in agreement. "Ever since he met Pan," he said. That's when he had started to notice the changes in Trunks. He wasn't as foul-tempered or quick to act.
Vegeta let out a sigh and wrapped an arm around Bulma. "Let's go see them," he told her gently.
Chi-Chi gasped as she sat up in her bed. Her heart pounded in rhythm with the walls that were shaking. She knew it wasn't an earthquake. She could feel this power in her bones.
She tucked her dark hair behind her ears as she got out of the bed slowly and pulled on her robe. She was shaking as she put on her slippers. Her heart couldn't slow down, and her stomach felt tight as she reached her door. Chi-Chi peeked out and saw no one in the hallways.
The hallways were dark and cold, but Chi-Chi felt as if she were burning, and there was some light guiding her forward with each step she took.
"Mom!"
"Goten!" Chi-Chi nearly cried as he ran to her.
"Mom!" He grabbed her shoulders as he smiled widely. "You'll never believe who's here."
Chi-Chi felt her shoulders start to shake. "Is it him?" Her voice trembled in a whisper.
"It's him, Mom," Goten nodded slowly. "He's in the medical wing."
Chi-Chi didn't wait for another second, and she took off down the hallway. Her tears halfway blinded her, but she wouldn't let that stop her. She had to see him again!
She made it to the medical wing, and she was trembling all over. She was about to see him again, and her body knew it. Chi-Chi opened the door and walked in. She didn't have to look around because her eyes found him instantly.
Chi-Chi gasped as she choked on silent sobs. Her shoulders were shaking, and her legs trembled as he walked over to her. One of his rough hands reached out and held her cheek carefully, and she clasped his hand between hers, holding him close. She looked at him through her tears. After all these years, and he still looked as young as he had when he left. She, however, was graying. Lines were appearing in places they used not to be. She imagined she looked like a rag next to him.
"You're still as beautiful as ever, Chi," he whispered as if reading her mind.
She sobbed harder, holding his hand tighter. "G-Goku-sa," she managed to choke out before she sniffed, clearing her throat. Her tears were still blurring her vision, but she managed to look at him. "Welcome back."
He smiled, reaching his other hand up and cupping her face with a smile. "I'm so happy to be back." He leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips.
Gohan sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He felt a small shift through the air, and he turned his head just in time to see Goten arrive.
"Hey," he said. "I'm surprised to see you awake so early."
Goten let out a laugh. "I was going to say the same thing to you."
Gohan's lips gave a faint twitch. "Yeah. I was asleep, but I woke up a while ago. I don't know. It's like something woke me up."
"Yeah," Goten nodded. "You probably felt dad."
"Yeah, probably," Gohan nodded. It sure did feel like his father.
It took Gohan several seconds to realize what exactly Goten had said, and what he had said as well. He gasped as he stood up and looked at his younger brother.
"What did you say?" He asked quietly.
"Dad," Goten said with a small smile. "Gohan, he's back. I know you must have felt it, just as we all did that he wasn't really gone. We were right, and Trunks and I found him! He's back on Vegeta-Sei!"
Gohan felt himself shaking. His breathing was strained and turning ragged. He had wanted to believe it for years, but it seemed nearly impossible. His father- his hero, was alive?
"Tell me you're not joking," Gohan choked.
"I wouldn't joke about this, Han," Goten whispered.
Gohan fell back into his seat and bowed his head as he felt his chest tightening. His shoulders were shaking as he sobbed. It was something he had wished for ever since his father had disappeared. He felt Goten's hand on his shoulder as he squeezed it.
"He's waiting to see you, Han."
Gohan took a few minutes to collect himself as his sobs quieted down. He caught his breath and wiped his eyes as he stood up to fave his brother.
"Okay," he said. "I'm ready."
Pan looked out across her and Trunks' balcony. Their new room had an even better view of the Dragons Den then Trunks' old room had. The moon was half-full, and its dim glow was casting across the mountains.
It had been hours since Trunks and Goten had left on their mission, and Pan hadn't slept a wink since. She had refused to sleep until she knew they are back safely, as well as her Papa.
Pan had felt it when they returned. She didn't know how to read Kis or search for them, but Trunks' presence was one she could always sense. She also felt her Papa's Ki when it shot up, and she had to catch her breath at how the walls shook.
Pan was half tempted to run out of the room and find Trunks and the others, but she didn't. She knew Trunks would come for her, so she would just wait.
The door opened, and Pan turned to meet Trunks' eyes as he walked inside the room. He was grinning at her, and Pan's lips tugged into a smile.
"Are you here to tell me that I was right?" Pan asked softly.
Trunks nodded as he walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around and hugged her tightly. "You were right, Panna," he mumbled into her hair. "You were so right."
Pan let out a small breath as she held Trunks. She blamed her pregnancy hormones at how her eyes started to tear up.
She had dreamed it for weeks, but she couldn't really believe it. Her Papa was back. She hadn't seen him since she was five, and honestly, she was nervous.
"Panna," Trunks leaned back to look at her. "Do you remember what you said about your dad having a friend that he wouldn't leave behind?"
"Yes," Pan nodded. "Did you and Goten grab him too?"
"We did," Trunks nodded. "Panna, it was my Hyung."
Pan's eyes widened. "Really?" She gasped. "So, just like my Papa, he wasn't dead either?"
"No," Trunks shook his head.
"It doesn't make any sense," Pan furrowed her eyebrows together. "Why would Frieza like about my Papa and your Hyung's death?" She asked. "What did he have to gain from it?"
"Our suffering, most likely," Trunks mumbled. He reached a hand out and tucked her hair behind her ears. "I want you to meet my Hyung," he smiled. "And, of course, your Dad is waiting for you."
Pan let out a small breath. "I feel nervous."
"Because you haven't seen him in so long?"
Pan nodded her head slowly. Trunks didn't say anything more. He just held his hand out to her. It was his way of saying that he would be right beside her, and she didn't need to worry. It did make her feel better, and she smiled as she took his hand.
Goku felt as if he were dreaming. He felt too happy to be awake or even alive. After thirteen long years, he had seen most of his family and friends again. Chi-Chi hadn't let go of him since she ran into the room. Vegeta and his wife, Bulma, and their daughter, Bulla, arrived soon after, followed by Radtiz and his son, Endou. Next was Goten and Gohan. There had been a lot of hugging and crying.
Now, the only person Goku hadn't seen again was Pan. He was both excited and nervous to see her again. She had been just a little girl the last time he had seen her, and he was sure that she was a beautiful young woman now.
"Oppa should be here any minute with Panny," Bulla smiled.
"Oh, Goku-Sa," Chi-Chi said. "You don't know this yet, but Panny and Trunks are married."
"They are?" Goku's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't know much about Trunks, other than the stories Tarble had told him. But Trunks had been with Goten to get him and Tarble out of prison.
"Yeah. She's pregnant too, just so you know, and very grumpy," Goten said.
"That's not true," Bulla elbowed his side with a pout. "She was only grumpy when Oppa was gone for that long raid, and that was because she missed him."
Goten gasped, "she's grumpy to me all the time!"
"You do steal her food," Gohan chuckled. "Not a very wise thing to do to a pregnant Saiyan."
Goku chuckled as he watched his boys start to banter. He had missed this.
The door started to swing open, and Goku stood up quickly. He just knew it was Pan.
Trunks walked in first, and he was holding hands with a young woman. Goku noticed her eyes first. She still had his dark eyes! And she had turned out to be a beauty! She had her mother's little nose and lips. She was looking at him with wide eyes as her lips parted. Goku knew they had said she was pregnant, but she didn't look like she was very far along. Four months, at the most.
Pan looked up at Trunks and smiled before she let go of his hand and started to walk to Goku. His heart was pounding with excitement. He couldn't believe this was the same little girl he used to carry everywhere.
"Hi," he barely managed to find his voice when she reached him. "I don't know if you remember me well-"
"I do," Pan smiled as she nodded her head. "I remember you, Papa. Welcome home," she told him before she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
Goku felt himself shaking. He had already cried so much already, but the tears kept coming. He held Pan tightly. "I'm so glad to be home," he sighed.
"Be easy. Take your time. You're coming home to yourself."
-the becoming