For disclaimer, see chapter one.

Author's Note:

Mwahahhaa! The revenge of the alcohol! Minor warning as to language, you know the teenage tongue. Ahem. As always, read and enjoy ^_^().

The Morning After

There were birds chirping. They were being quite loud about it. Senses drowsily waking themselves began feeding information to Gohan. He was lying on his back on something soft, but too short for him. His feet hung off the end. There was also something warm and heavy on top of him. It was breathing, whatever it was. It had to be morning, or somewhere round about, as the warmth of sunlight caressed his face and danced on his eyelids.

There was another thing the demi-Saiyan would rather have not registered. Raw, agonizing, pain. It felt as if every nerve fiber in his head had been rubbed backward with sand paper. And now they worked against him to a drum beat rhythm to rival any war song. Opening his eyes seemed a very dangerous prospect. Gohan felt wretched.

The young man lay there, unmoving, attempting to think of what he should do. Perhaps if he knew what he had done in the first place to end up in such a position… he tried to remember. The more effort he put into it, the louder the drum beat in his head grew. He gave in with a grunt and lay there listening to the noisy birds. 'All right," he decided, "I'll start with the basics. My name is Son Gohan, and I… Have no idea where I am.' That was useful.

The warm weight sprawled across him shifted slightly and snuggled into his chest with a sigh. A distinctly feminine sigh. Instantly Gohan's eyes snapped open, and shut just fast. He wished he hadn't of done that. The pain between his ears had just taken a quantum leap into another dimension. Light was very bright, it seemed.

Never one to give up a challenge easily, and more than curious about whom ever was on top of him, Gohan tried opening his eyes again. Or rather, his eye. Slowly, and only a crack. Still the light assailed him and he moaned quietly, but persevered. It was black hair that he looked down on to, it took the young man a couple of minutes to remember who it belonged to. Videl.

Well, that couldn't be right. Why was Videl sleeping on top of him? And for that matter, when and how did he get stripped down to his tank top and boxers? He had been wearing a turtle neck yesterday, he remembered that. He shook his head in confusion and wished he hadn't.

With a careful effort, Gohan opened both eyes, still no more than a crack, and looked around the room. Where ever he was, it couldn't be home. The place was a wreck! There were bottles and trash and little white kernels of popcorn strewn all about the place. They reminded him of snow.

And there were bodies.

Four bodies actuely. Each in its own contorted position in chairs or on the floor. They were all breathing, that was a good sign. Gohan looked closer at the bottles on the floor. 'Strawberry Wine Cooler' read one. Gohan closed his eyes and groaned.

Oh yeah.

He had gone to the party. This was Sharpner's house. They had alcohol. Oh hell, then this would be called a hangover. He had gotten drunk, Gohan realized, very drunk. Because Videl had kept refilling his glass.

Gohan hoped he hadn't done anything too stupid. The last and only thing he remembered was crying himself to sleep on Videl. Or passing out on Videl, whatever. Had he been dressed then? And how had Videl ended up on top of him? No, those things didn't really matter. What mattered was, what time was it? Gohan sighed, to find that out would involve not only opening his eyes again, but lifting his watch up to his face. He wasn't so sure that was possible.

Reopening his eyes, Gohan looked around the room again. This time with something more specific in mind. Bold green digital numbers jumped at him form below the TV screen. VCR, of course. Time conundrum solved. 9:13 am.

A slight shift in the breathing pattern of his makeshift blanket suggested that Videl too, was waking up. She sighed again and half made to snuggle deeper (if that was possible) into Gohan's chest. She stiffened abruptly in the middle of the act, for the first time aware of what she was doing. She tilted her head back until her eyes met Gohan's.

The half Saiyan met her half frightened, half sheepish look with a smile. "Good morning."

He had said it quietly, but the words rebounded around his skull several times, getting louder. Gohan winced and closed his eyes with a quiet groan. It was in just as quiet of a tone that she replied to him. "Good morning to you too."

Gohan reinvented his smile for her, but could not see fit to reopen his eyes just yet. Videl shifted again and he felt her hand brush against his forehead and run through his hair. The half Saiyan reopened his eyes. He was met this time by a sympathetic smile. Videl raised her hand again and half made to comb it through his hair once more. Instead, the hand stopped on his bang, played with it for a moment, and finally came to rest on his cheek.

"I'm sorry Gohan."

He was slowly getting used to this talking thing, as long as the conversation stayed quiet. "For what?"

"For getting you drunk. I know you didn't want to," she grinned, "and I know that you didn't know when you were drunk."

"No I didn't know," he raised a hand o his head. The first time moving something other than eyes or lips all morning. "I know now though."

The blue eyed girl made a move as if to slide off of him. Before Gohan could really know what was going on he found both of his arms encircling her body, effectively pinning her where she was. They're eyes met.

Abruptly he loosed his hold on her, feeling the heat of embarrassment rise in his cheeks. Hopefully Videl would not be to upset with him for this latest transgression. Casting his eyes down, Gohan mumbled, "Sorry."

When, after a moment, Videl had made no further move to get off of him, Gohan searched out her eyes again. Such a vibrant blue. She was smiling at him, a very pleased smile. The girl then moved up him a few inches and rolled so they laid belly to belly. She then wrapped both arms around his shoulders and buried her nose in his neck. From that position he heard her muffled words, "Go back to sleep Gohan."

Something in the animal part of his mind red lined and Gohan had to turn slightly to save himself a very large embarrassment. He covered the movement by wrapping his arms around her again. Which felt perfect. Laying a such, Gohan wasn't sure his body would allow him to go back to sleep. But his eyelids were feeling quite heavy and that sweet darkness beckoned so lovingly…

Abruptly Gohan started awake. One of those wonderful falling dreams being the culprit. He cracked his eyes open, and in finding surprisingly little pain involved, opened his eyes the rest of the way. He was lying alone on the couch this time, with a blanket thrown on top of him. The VCR said it was eleven am.

Nature was calling, Gohan realized. Sitting up, he stayed there for a moment. The war drums were threatening. Standing slowly, Gohan found his clothing folded on the back of the couch and disappeared into the bathroom. Carefully avoiding sign of someone not quite making it to the porcelain Goddess.

Upon washing up, the young man looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked like hell warmed over. Gohan ran a hand through his hair with water, in hopes of taming it back into some kind of order. He was thirsty, very thirsty. His stomach growled. Apparently he was hungry too.

Exiting the bathroom, Gohan headed towards the kitchen where he heard the light clinking of silverware and snatches of conversation. For heads looked up from breakfast and nodded very quiet good mornings to him. Gohan smiled internally. They all looked like they felt worse than he did. All of them were being quiet, aside from the occasional comment. This was most surprising from Erasa, who looked as if she were going to sick up in her bowl of Frosted Flakes. But the one person he sought was the one that wasn't there.

Casting his voice low, not wanting to anger the drums in his head or anyone else's, Gohan asked, "Where is Videl?"

To which Sharpner passed a note to him with out a word. It read:

Hey Guys,

I was called away by the police captain, should be back by one.

Videl

Sharpner then gestured to the cereal boxes on the table and a spare bowl. "If you want breakfast, dig in."

The demi-Saiyan nodded and took a seat with a bowl of Special K. Suthey was the first to really say anything to him. "Gohan, you sure you've never had alcohol before, not even a beer?"

"Yeah, I'm sure, why?"

Leawitz chose to take up the conversation. "Because, Man! You can tank up! I ain't ever seen a newbie hold their liquor so well!"

"Yeah," Suthey resumed, "And I haven't ever seen a nerd dance so well before."

"… Dance?"

"Oh sure, that whole thing with the lamp shade was fucking funny! And the girls at least, both seemed to enjoy the pole dance."

"Pole dance!?!"

"Yeah, but that whole strip tease thing for Videl, that was a bit weird for me. Good thing you fell before finishing."

Gohan swallowed hard. "Strip… tease?" Is that how he lost his clothes? "Oh dear Dende…"

Sharpner snorted loudly and all at the table winced. After a moment of recovery, he continued. "It's to damn bad that you turn into a melancholy SoB of a drunk after a couple of fun hours. I suggest you stick to being the designated driver."

Gohan was inclined to agree.

With a whimper, Erasa stood and ran for the bathroom. The group at the table listened in morbid fascination for a few minutes as she tossed whatever she had eaten. Three bowls were pushed to the middle of the table. Sharpner cleared his throat. "Uh yeah. As to that, I need some help cleaning this place up."

Suthey and Leawitz both stood then, angry with the very suggestion. "Hell no, Sharpner! Man, you invited us, and we bought the fucking booze. You clean up your own damned house!" And abruptly picked up their coats and stormed out.

Sharpner sighed and put a hand to his head. Gohan was, quite frankly stunned. His mother had been known to string people up by their toe nails for lesser offenses. He felt sympathy for Sharpner. He stood as well and taking all the bowls from the table, he emptied their contents into the trash and ran a sink full of soapy water.

"What are you doing?"

The half Saiyan turned to his friend. "I'm helping you clean up."

Sharpner smiled. "You can be real cool sometimes, Gohan."

Gohan smiled in return. Sharpner had used his name, instead of that annoying nickname. With in ten minutes the two of them had the kitchen cleaned, swept ,and mopped and were moving on to other rooms of the house. Sharpner was very impressed on Gohan's cleaning skills, and commented on it. "Oh, this is nothing, Sharpner. You should see how spotless my mother likes to keep things. If I can do anything, I can clean."

A quick garbage sweep and a vacuum (an incredibly loud vacuum that both decided to only run for as short of time as possible) over the living room did wonders for the appearance and that left them to the bathroom. Erasa hadn't closed the door behind her, so they both saw her kneeling in front of the toilet with her head resting on its rim. "I think," said Sharpner, "That we may have to leave this room until after she feels better, or goes home. All well. Thanks man, for the help."

"Your welcome. Thank you for inviting me to your party, and , "Gohan rubbed gently at his temple, "the hang over."

The blonde man laughed at that, and decided that they should watch another movie since he had spent the money on renting them all. The two were in the process of deciding which one to watch when the front door banged open and Videl came fairly running into the house. She stopped before Gohan and laid a hand on his arm. "Gohan, I need to talk to you now," she looked significantly at Sharpner, "Alone."

"I ah, think we missed a spot in the kitchen Gohan, I'll go get that." and Sharpner disappeared from the room.

"Gohan I… sit down."

"Why?"

"Just, just do it, Gohan."

The demi-Saiyan did as told and looked questioningly at her. Videl ran a hand through her wild black hair and looked to be gathering her words, or her wits. "You know I was called down by the Police captain, right?"

He nodded. "Well, that's because Mr. Pulaz was murdered last night."

"O.K.," Gohan was confused, "That's horrible. Why are you so upset by that, did you know him?"

"No, not personally. They called me down because… Oh Gohan, Great Saiyaman has been accused of the act!"