Disclaimer: Is still on the first Chapter.

Author's Note:

Well, here is a good sign, my muse is being agreeable. I don't know if I should put a tissue warning on this or not… I mean, its pretty corny that I almost made myself cry typing this, right? All well, I suppose you guys will let me know if it was sappy enough or not ~_^ Read review, and perhaps most importantly, enjoy.

And Us With Out a Dog

"I don't want to though, to go back to those pricks. After how they treated you!" The whole theory of having to go to the police, despite hating the idea of it, was grating on Videl.

Gohan looked thoughtful however. "There is one man there who might help us."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah, Sergeant Rund. He was nice to me, er, Great Saiyaman. Believed in him, if you will. And let me not have to go through most of the criminal processing. Yeah, he can help us, I think!"

Videl shook her head. Gohan was such a brilliant guy when it came to books, but some things simply escaped him. "Just because he was nice to Great Saiyaman, doesn't mean he'll show the same respect to you. Unless you plan to have Saiyaman walk into the Police station today?"

"No!"

She nodded, satisfied. "I didn't think so."

Gohan wasn't done yet though. "But… you would be coming in with me, right? No one there knows Son Gohan, but they know and respect Satan Videl."

The young woman blinked. There were also times when the naive half Saiyan was a little too aware of what was going on. She nodded. "All right then, lets go find your Rund guy."

The two of them flew to the outskirts of town before landing someplace discreet to walk the rest of the way to the police station. It was known that Videl could fly, but there was no sense in scaring people with having Gohan flying along with as well. As they walked down the city's busy streets, Videl noted that they were drawing a few strange looks. Rather, Gohan was.

"That outfit is… ah… a tich outstanding Gohan."

The boy blinked. "Huh? Oh, I'm sorry. It's the only thing I had to put on." He stated sheepishly.

Gohan looked back to the street ahead and Videl smiled mischievously. She couldn't help it, buts he would not have minded had he stayed wearing only the towel. Though, that probably would have drawn even more looks, and Gohan would have never understood her raging fit of jealousy over that. Videl suppressed a giggle at the image of it.

It defiantly said something about a guy who could pack it away like he just had and look like… well, like that! Still, Videl wondered. "Gohan, why is it that Saiyans eat so much, and where do you guys put it all?"

The young man considered a moment before responding. "Well, I suppose we eat so much because Saiyans have a naturally high metabolism. Compared to humans that is. To burn that kind of energy, the body needs a lot of fuel. And ah… where do we put it? Well, do you want me to go into details?"

Videl jumped in quick at that opening. "No, that's all right Gohan. I think I'll figure it out on my own."

They walked along for a block in silence before Gohan stopped abruptly and looked at her. "Why did you say that in future tense? That you will figure it out? Do you plan on watching me eat for a while?"

Videl stared at Gohan. He had missed her slip earlier with the naked comment, but he picked up on a way something was phrased. Even if it did take him a block. She looked away hurriedly feeling heat rising in her cheeks. "I ah… hey, there's the police station!"

The young woman then took off at a trot towards the building. It wasn't that she was running from Gohan exactly. Videl just wasn't sure if the look in his eyes was maybe… more understanding of her feelings towards him than she had given Gohan credit for. She couldn't forget that Gohan really wasn't as stupid as he acted. Nieve, yes, but certainly not dumb. And not blind. The way she had been acting lately, like a flighty little girl, even Gohan couldn't miss it.

For some reason, that thought mortified Videl. The very idea of him knowing that she cared more for him than as just a friend. What if he rejected that, what if she scared him off? Videl stopped dead in her tracks beside the police station steps and started laughing. This was Gohan she was thinking about. That question he had asked, had been just that. Gohan didn't know romantic desires when they looked him in the eye, he wouldn't think her mis phrasing anything more than that.

Then why did he bring it up?

The young woman felt a warm hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Gohan look around before looking down at her. "What's so funny, Videl? I don't see anything."

Videl couldn't help it, she threw her head back and laughed harder. Gohan was Gohan, that was all there was to it. And now the half Saiyan looked almost frightened. "Eh, Videl? Are you all right?"

Forcing the laughter away, Videl wiped the tears from her eyes for the second time this day. "Yeah Gohan, I just had a thought that struck me funny."

He nodded, "Oh." And as per typical Gohan, left it at that.

Videl grabbed his hand then, intent on dragging him into the police station before she distracted herself again. However, Gohan did no budge. His eyes were glued to something on the side walk. Videl followed his look and saw the newspaper page which had fascinated him so. She bent and picked it up. The headline read 'Local Officer Murdered'.

Swallowing in an effort to re wet her dry throat, Videl checked the date, it was today's paper. She read the line below the picture of a man she did not recognize, and understood why Gohan had gone so white. 'Fellow officers say Sgt. Rund will be a greatly missed member of the staff''. Oh dear Dende.

Reading on , the article stated that the murder could in no way be linked to Great Saiyaman (Obviously) as he had been in jail during the course of that evening. However, this killing bore all the ear marks of the murder of Mr. Pulaz. Under suspicion was a fellow officer named Hernandez.

"Maybe," the demi-Saiyan said softly, "Maybe we shouldn't go to the police, Videl."

Videl nodded slowly. "I think your right. I also think we need to decide on what our next step is, and you need to sit." She looked up and scanned the local shops. "There, lets go to the Tea shop. A little Herbal tea would be nice at the moment."

Gohan grunted what she supposed was agreement, but he looked positively lost. And there was something else on that face, a twinge of, anger? Videl shivered. No matter how angry she was with this Siaka guy, she didn't think she wanted to be around when Gohan got his hands on him. Or maybe she did.

Taking Gohan's hand, this time to lead, not follow, she ditched the bad news in a convenient trash barrel and crossed the street to the tea shop. Once in, she ordered a small pot of green tea and a plate of sweet buns. The waitress was kind enough to fill the first cup for each of them before disappearing to wherever it is that a waitress goes.

The half Saiyan picked up his glass with a small thanks to the serving woman and sipped gingerly at it before looking up guiltily at Videl. "I don't have any money with me…"

"Don't worry about it, I'm the daughter of the most famous guy I the world, remember? I get allowance. That isn't important anyway, Gohan. This is, horrible news. I know you knew him… Are you all right?"

Gohan looked away from her gaze, to some unobtrusive spot on the table. He mumbled into his cup, "Fine? I'm not the one that is dead."

Videl's eyes narrowed and she reached across the small table to lay a hand gently on his arm. "I didn't ask if you were alive, Gohan, I asked if you were all right."

He dredge a smile up and looked at her. No, Gohan looked at some point just beyond her shoulder, and the smile did not reach his eyes. "I'm fine, Videl. I only met him once, after all. Well twice." Gohan sort of choked on his words. "He said.. I… Great Saiyaman saved him once."

There were a lot of things, Videl decided, that she would take from Gohan. Lying however, he was no good at and she could not tolerate. This lie however, if she hadn't of known him so long, he might have gotten away with. It looked like an act and a mask he had down to a science. The thought of Gohan burying his emotions, being good at it, made something snap in her. "What the hell are you trying to pull Gohan? What kind of act is this? You are the most open person I know, and here I find a patented mask!" She kept her voice low, though it was tinged with anger. "Where do you get off burying your hurt when it might hurt someone close to you to watch you do that?"

Gohan went very rigid in his chair, cup of tea forgotten in his hands. "I have to bury the hurt. If I don't, it makes Mom cry, and Goten upset. Mom's cried to much because of me," Gohan said bitterly, he closed his eyes. "I don't want to hurt her anymore… and I don't want to hurt you."

Videl sat and stared, a tear escaping unnoticed down her face. Gohan wasn't the sort you would look at and say, 'Hey, that guy over there is an emotional train wreck!' He didn't look the part. He was always happy, smiling, questioning. She herself had known him for several months, and the first hint she had at any problem was watching him in that jail cell. Apparently, she didn't really know him.

Videl took a slow, deliberate breath, before trusting herself to speak. "Gohan, look at me." When he did not obey the command, she moved her hand from his arm to the tip of his chin and applied a gentle pressure. There were a suspicious lack of tears, considering the brightness of his eyes when he did look up. "Gohan, don't you see that your hurting me now? Your in pain, and emotional pain is as hard to watch as physical. I love you… as a friend and it hurts me to see you doing this to yourself!"

Though she still gripped his chin, Gohan's eyes wandered again. "It's because of me that Mr. Pulaz and Sgt. Rund died. If I hadn't of pushed Bulma to make me a costume so I could be a 'hero' they would still be alive. But they aren't, because of me."

"Gohan, you remember what you told me, not that long ago? That I shouldn't blame myself for decisions others make? You should take your own advice. You did not kill those two men, and the man to blame is the man we need to find. Not you. And it's because you pushed Bulma for that costume that thousands more people have survived around here. You know that."

"Yes I do," was his quiet response, "but that doesn't make it easier."

"Why not?"

"Old… memories and emotions…. I sometimes blind myself with them, or confuse them with other things, things that are going on now." Gohan sighed and finally set the tea cup down, taking Videl's hand from his chin and grasping that instead. His eyes met hers. "I know it sounds stupid, but those emotions, they don't go away."

Videl smiled sadly. "That I do know, Gohan. Impressions made on you when you're a child stick with you through life. Sometime, when this is all done, we should sit down and talk about some things like that."

Gohan closed his eyes again. "I don't know if I can do that yet, Videl." He then added in a barely audible whisper, "I don't want to do that to you."

They both fairly jumped out of they're respective skins when a set of hands abruptly slapped the table. "Man, don't you two look cute! Are we proposing here, Gohan? Or are you guys just going to tell me that your enjoying a little tea, eh?"

Gohan's countenance had returned to the norm so fast that their intruder would have never known the difference. "Hi Sharpner. Actually, we are enjoying the tea, it's very good, right Videl?"

Videl blinked, the change had been so quick she thought perhaps she had imagined it. "Uh… yeah."

"Uh huh," Sharpner looked pointedly at Videl's hand still caught between Gohan's. "Sure you were, Brains. Sure." Raising his voice, Sharpner called towards the counter., "Make it mint tea Erasa! It's safe to stay, the wicked bitch isn't here with them!"

Gohan blushed slightly and released Videl's hand, she was disappointed about that. The table was a booth variety and Videl realized they would soon be sharing it, so she pushed her cup to Gohan's side, stood and slid in beside him, right beside him. Erasa and Sharpner slipped into the other booth and the waitress deposited the tea before them before disappearing again.

Erasa giggled, "So what are you two doing here celebrating in a little tea shop? I mean, besides making out."

Gohan began saying they were doing no such thing when Videl wrapped her arms about his neck and purred right over him, "Why, you jealous?"

Gohan shifted slightly with the attention and turned a brilliant shade of red. Sharpner found this hysterical and roared with laughter, which after a fashion caught on to the other three teens at the table. Eventually, the blonde man calmed himself. "Seriously though, We thought you'd be celebrating the victory, not sitting, well, here. What's up?"

Videl sighed. "We know who the real murder is. But here's the deal, we can't go to the cops, be cause he's killed one of their own. They may think we're connected in some way that we defiantly are not. And, we don't know where to look for him."

Erasa grimaced, "Oh, that sucks."

"Yeah," Videl responded dryly, "That does suck."

"Is he a low life, or an upper class jock?"

Videl was confused. "I would assume right now that he's a low life, why do you ask, Sharpner?"

"Well, I my buddies discussing how there was a big timer hanging around their apartment building a lot. They kinda live in a rat hole. What's the guys name?"

"Kanus Siaka."

Sharpner's eyes got big and he exclaimed, "Yeah, that's the name they said! Siaka! The freak claims to be an actor or something, but not if he lives in that dump."

Videl stood from the booth, pulled out enough cash to pay for all of their food, even though most was untouched, and demanded, "Take us there."

Sharpner backed into Erasa in an effort to get away from Videl, no nice women to pull her off of him here. "Woah, Videl! It's all ready seven, it's kinda late to be going out and playing super sleuth, don't you think?"

"No, I don't think so. I think there's plenty of time to investigate. Now lets go. Erasa, you coming with or no?"

"Yeah! I wouldn't miss this for anything! We can be like that American cartoon, ummm, Scooby Doo!" She giggled, "I'll be Daphne!"

"Oh wonderful," grumbled Sharpner as he clamored out of the booth, "and us with out a dog."

"Oh don't that slow you down," Videl smiled sweetly, "Lead on Scooby. Fred, Daphne and I are right behind you.."

"Har har, Videl, that was REAL cute."

"GO!"

Sharpner nodded and fairly scurried out the door, Erasa on his heels. Videl looped her arm through Gohan's and said, "Shall we?"

He smiled and she lead the way out. As they followed they're friends through the lengthening shadows, Gohan turned slightly and nodded to the one that trailed them. Videl looked around as well and smiled when she saw a hint of emerald flesh flash through a light spot. Apparently he wanted to be seen.