Don't own anything! Almost all song lyrics used throughout this fic are by the Ataris. The songs can be found on End Is Forever, Blue Skies, Broken Hearts…Next 12 Exits, or So Long, Astoria.

Other lyrics used are Sum 41 The Used, and The Beatles (and that's only off the top of my head…)

Okay everyone thanks for your patience with this chapter! Unfortunately, this is the final chapter. I thought it was best to wrap up this fic while I still had ideas fresh in my mind. So, I hope you like it. Remember to Review after!

Oh, and thanks for all the reviews. They mean a lot to me.

As I sit here all alone I wonder how I'm supposed to carry on when you're gone. I'll never be the same without you. I love you more than you'll ever know

ChiChi was miserable without him. She felt as if she was living in a dream, away from reality. It was a never-ending nightmare that she would never wake up from. The cruel realities in the world felt like simple illusions that refused to fade away with the wind.

Her appearance had suffered as well as her personal well-being. Her hair hung loosely over her shoulders, each strand almost holding a life of its own. Her eyes were always heavy and exhausted. Restless nights thinking about him never helped much when she had to wake up early the next morning. She wore wrinkled clothes and no make up, something that used to be very rare for her.

In short, she found no meaning to life. ChiChi did not care anymore if people talked about her, she did not care if a rumor was spread around the school, and she did not care what she looked like. Life had no meaning. None…

Sitting in the back of the room, ChiChi nearly slept through her classes. She was devoid of any emotion. She never smiled or frowned. Her eyes never sparked in happiness or narrowed in anger. No one could see through her, into her mind. No one could understand the pain she felt inside. No one knew the pain she kept from the outside world…from this simple nightmare that would never cease.

It was kept inside for too long. The light was quickly being pushed back as nothing but darkness took over. Yes, darkness most certainly overwhelmed her. It was only time before she broke down…

The reflection stared back. The emotionless stare startled ChiChi. It bounced back at her, and she could barely recognize it. The bags that hung under her eyes and the light red lines that scaled the white of her eyes made her look almost hostile. Maybe in a way she was hostile. No one had dared to take to her since he left. Everyone stared clear of her, afraid of what might happen. Snarling at the image of herself, ChiChi pulled her fist back, and thrust it into the mirror. The glass shattered as it flew into every direction. ChiChi's hand started to bleed a little from the impact. She breathed heavily, as she threw all her strength into that one punch. She did not even know why she did it. In a moment's time though, the confusion seemed to disappear as she stumbled backwards into the bathtub. Slamming the back her head against the tile wall, a few tears dropped from her eyes as all her emotions came flooding back to her.

"Run away with me ChiChi. We'll go someplace where no one will care about our pasts. Please, come with me."

Goku's voice echoed through her head, much like a ghost's. To her, he was nothing more than a distant memory. A distant memory that was lost forever. ChiChi decided that he was never coming back.

He was lost forever…she had lost him forever

ChiChi covered her face in her hands as her tears started to fall quickly. Part of her was expecting him to come and comfort her. She desperately wanted him to wrap his warm arms around her body. She just wanted…

She would never get what she wanted. It was lost forever. She was alone. All alone.

"Hey ChiChi, are you—oh my god." Bardock looked around the bathroom. Shattered pieces of glass lay on the ground, reflecting small drops of blood. He dropped the bags he was holding and rushed in.

"Bardock, go away." ChiChi said in a monotonous voice. She turned her head away from him so he could not see that she was crying.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Bardock said in a panicked voice. Since Goku left, ChiChi had become all Bardock had to consider family. He would go crazy if anything happened to her. "You're hand's bleeding. You didn't do anything stupid, did you?"

" If you mean to say am I cutting myself, then no. I'm okay. Really, I am." She tried to sound convincing, but the shaking in her voice told otherwise.

"Okay, if you say so." Bardock said in an uneasy voice. He had never seen ChiChi is such a state of distress. Her hair was unruly, and her eyes were now tinted a light red from crying. He backed out of the bathroom, figuring that she needed the time alone. He remembered he had to go visit someone, anyway.

No one...no one here. Alone…always alone.

He sighed deeply, and fell back onto the sandy ground. Exhausted after a hard day of training, he closed his eyes. Something flashed through his mind as he opened his eyes again. He wanted to forget it…he wanted to forget it all…

He was going to make a new life on the streets, doing nothing but street fights to make money. Even though he had made that decision long ago, he could not shake off the feeling that something was missing deeply in his life.

"Goku!"

No, nothing could be missing. The exciting world of street fighting was all he needed.

"Goku! Hurry up!"

A suppressed memory reentered his mind as he closed his eyes again.

"You don't seriously walk that slow!" She called out to him from nearly one hundred yards away. She cupped one hand around her mouth so it would act as a megaphone, "Come on Goku! The dragonball is right over this hill! You can't possibly move so fast, but walk so slow. Let's get moving!" She smiled as she wove her arm furiously in the air. The dragonball hunts were so exciting. You never knew what dangers lay around the corner, but somehow they never stopped you.

"Slow? You dare to call me slow?" Goku muttered to himself. A small smirk graced his face as he took off. In nearly five second, Goku had reached his target, swept the girl off her feet, and continued down the road. In ten seconds, they reached their destination.

"And you dared to call me slow," Goku said, a smile cutting across his face, "ChiChi, you are the slowest of them all."

"Am not!" ChiChi exclaimed, her hand touching her heart, "Now put me down!" She commanded. Goku followed her orders, and they stood side by side. After a short pause, ChiChi started to talk again, "You know, I hope that one day a knight in shinning armor will sweep me off my feet. Wouldn't that be romantic?" She sighed as she went into her own fantasy world.

"You never know…you might have already found him." Goku said softly, looking off into a distant sunset.

"What? Did you say something?"

"No…not at all," Goku said quickly. He gave her one of his goofy smiles; "You think we'll be friends forever?"

"Yeah…how can we not? Our friendship is perfect in every way." ChiChi looked back at him and gave him a small smile.

"Good, then I can approve all your boyfriends that you'll have when we get to high school."

"Will not!" ChiChi looked at him seriously, before she started to laugh, "You're such a joker! You know you're the best friend anyone could have…"

Her words faded into nothing, and the sun entered Goku's eyes as he cracked them open. Ironically, the sun was also setting inthe real world, too. The fiery ball floated in space, it's orange hue radiating on the eastern half of the world. Goku frowned as a figure blocked his path to the sun. He sat up and grunted, obviously giving disapproval to the person there. He was more than one hundred kilometers away from the city. How could anyone so close to him find his location?

"What are you doing here," Goku pushed himself off the ground and turned his back to the person, "How did you find me, and what do you want?"

"I tracked you down. Considering your energy level is far superior to everyone else on Earth, I only had my own, Vegeta, and your energy to work from. So you know, it was pretty obvious which energy was yours." The person crossed his arms and smirked.

Goku sighed and turned around, "All right, what do you want from me?"

"Nothing. I just need to talk to you about something…someone."

"Who?"

"ChiChi"

Goku shook his head and started to walk away, "No, I don't want to talk about it."

"Goku! Don't you are walk away from me!" There was a hint of anger in the person's voice.

"And why not? There's nothing to discuss."

"She's been miserable for the last month without you! I can hear her in her room at night, crying for you to come home. She hates herself now, and thinks it's her fault for your departure. Goku…look at me!"

Goku abruptly turned around, and frown firmly planted on his face, "Please, leave me alone…father."

"Why did you leave her?"

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because she's loves you! I don't want you to make a stupid mistake. Do you not realize the way you two act when you're around each other? Are you too blind to see what you have?"

"I left because I'm a danger to society. I almost killed another student. I can't be around people if I'm going to do that." Goku turned around again and started walking. Bardock…how dare he talk about as if he knows what love is. The man had never felt love in his life, and Goku was sure of it.

"I don't believe that," Bardock said, "I believe you're afraid. You're afraid of what might happen if you give in. You don't want to be weak, but it will only make you stronger. Please…don't be a fool like I was…"

"Like you?" Goku stopped his footsteps, keeping his back turned to his father, "What do you mean, 'like you'?"

"Your mother…I left her to fight, because I was afraid of letting her in. When I got back, she was dead. If I never left, I could have protected her. I regret it every day. Don't leave ChiChi in her state of mind. If you ever saw her, it would break your heart."

"Just leave me alone. I don't want to hear your story about my mother." Goku pushed his feet off the ground and let Bardock standing alone. Bardock simply shook his head and flew off in the opposite direction. Something had to sink into the boy's head at some point.

Or maybe his time away turned his heart into ice. That could not be possible though. Goku could never harbor any hatred towards anyone. His love for life always overthrew hatred and evilness in his heart. No, he had to care. He had to.

Scratch…scratch…scratch.

ChiChi grated the small jack knife against the hard maple wood. Small wood chips collected at the bottom of the pillar as she continuously scratched away, making a single line in the wood. After a few moments, ChiChi was satisfied with her work. She sat back and wiped her forehead, and stared at the tick marks that were appearing day by day next to her bed. By now, there must have been thirty of them. Thirty…

"Please don't let me go falling from the sky. This fasten seat belt sign just needs to go out. If only you could be right here by my side, home wouldn't seem so far from here." ChiChi sung the words softly to herself as she continued to stare at the tick marks. The words slowly stopped and simply turned into a sad hum. A salty tear rolled down her cheek. God, thirty of them…

Had he been gone for that long? Had he left her life only that long? To ChiChi, he had been gone for much, much longer. The days rolled by endlessly. The blazing sun rolled up, and eventually set into the blackening night. Even at night ChiChi felt uneasy. She felt as if someone was going to get her, and no one would be there to save her. Shadows crept along the walls, just waiting to grab her. But before they had the chance, the sun would rise again, and the shadows would disappear, defeated for another day.

Had she gone mad? Had Goku's absence made her go so crazy? Or was she just over obsessive? Maybe his sudden absence made her feel unwanted and unloved.

Or maybe she was so madly in love with him that it drove her completely to the edge of her sanity.

ChiChi looked at the blade of the jack knife. It was not big in size, but it was sharp enough to cause damage to a person. The light in her room bounced off the blade, making the steel look quite inviting. ChiChi pulled the blade towards her opposite wrist. Pressing the blade against her skin, she tested exactly how strong the blade was. Pulling it away, there was nothing but a mark from it being pressed against her skin. Flipping it over, ChiChi held the blade between two fingers. Flicking her wrist back, she thrust it forward, and it flew across the room and into the opposite wall. No, there was no any reason to be cutting herself…yet. Besides, she wanted to live, in case Goku ever decided to show up again. Death would have to come knocking on another day.

Besides the next day was Friday, which meant graduation! It would not be right if she killed herself the day before she graduated.

"I'm not going to go…"

But you have to! She'll be there.

"No…I'm not ready."

You coward! You're doing what she did all those years ago. Don't run away from her.

"I'm not running…I'm getting my head straight, that's all."

Liar. You're afraid of what might happen if you actually do love her.

"But…I told her I did. She knows I love her."

And you left her! Is that how you say 'I Love You'? She probably thinks you don't care.

"I can't go…I can't face everyone…"

Goku lay back on the lush green grass. He could not believe that he was having a conversation…with himself. He must have been going crazy. That voice inside him would not shut up. One side of him was saying to go back to ChiChi, while the other was saying to stay away. He was so confused. His emotions were mixed up. Those emotions were nothing he had ever felt before. When he thought about ChiChi, he would get this nauseating feeling in his stomach. Slowly, the nauseous feeling would turn into a deep sadness. He wanted to go back to ChiChi. Something inside him held him back.

Was it fear?

Was his idiot father right? Was he afraid of what might happen if he gave in to ChiChi's feelings for him? He was so confused how everything between them happened within a month? Isn't a love like this supposed to take years to develop?

If you'll just hold on for one more second. Just hold on for what you have. If you'll just hold on, just hold on, just hold on…

Pomp and Circumstance…it is the one song every kid in a high school band hates. Why, you ask? Well, my dear reader, would you like to play a song over once and again while all the seniors get their diplomas? No, I did not think so. If anything, you would be wishing that you were a senior walking up there, getting your final goodbye to your prison for the last four years.

The seniors walked one by one up to the podium in their white gowns and caps, smiles plastered across their faces. They'd get their diplomas, shake hands with the principal, and walk down. Slowly, and quite tediously to those watching, the task was completed with a speech by the class Valedictorian, and a single, jovial cheer by the senior class. Caps floated through the air as everyone celebrated. They were finally out! High school was finally over!

ChiChi quickly found Bardock and Bulma. They were the only two there supporting her. Vegeta obviously passed in order to train, and Goku seemed to have won his little conversation with himself. ChiChi looked behind Bardock hopefully. Someone important was missing…

"Bardock, where's my father?" ChiChi looked at him, searching for an answer.

Bardock gave Bulma and uneasy glance before clearing his throat to give her an answer, "He couldn't make it back from The States in time for the ceremony. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. Why did I expect him to be here, anyway?" ChiChi's original smile was replaced with a blank expression. Her father was never there for anything important. He was always on important business trips to the United States. She rarely saw him, and never had much of a relationship with him. Bardock was the closest thing she had to a father anymore, and Bulma was the closest to a mother. ChiChi brushed past Bulma and Bardock and headed to the car.

"Hey Chi, you okay?" Bardock called after ChiChi.

ChiChi ignored him, and kept walking. Bardock moved to follow her. Bulma held her hand in front of Bardock to stop him.

"You're flying home Bardock. Let me drive ChiChi home. I'll have a little chat with her. I have a feeling I know what's wrong."

"How do you…"

"Call it a women's intuition." She said with a smirk. She then left Bardock in the mob of people, and followed ChiChi to the car.

"Chi? You okay?" Bulma sat down in the driver's seat of Bardock's car.

"Go away." ChiChi muttered, her voice muffled by her knees. She sounded like a small child.

Bulma ignored ChiChi's request. The engine roared to life, and ChiChi pulled out of the parking lot.

Most of the car ride went in silence. Bulma decided not to press for answers, but to let ChiChi open up when she was ready. The last thing she needed was to have ChiChi blow up in her face about trying to act like her mother or something.

"Why aren't they here?" ChiChi muttered under her breath after a while.

"What was that?" Bulma pulled the car onto a side road.

"Why aren't they here?"

"Who?"

"You know as well who!" ChiChi snapped, her eyes flashing in anger, "Those idiots. I hate them."

"You do not! You will not say that about your father and Goku."

"Don't act like my mother," ChiChi stated in a calm voice. She rested her chin in her hand and gazed out the window. "They don't love me, do they?" She said absent-mindedly, "So it doesn't really matter if I no longer exist, because no one will care."

"Stop saying such foolishness!" Bulma exclaimed, "I love you, and Bardock loves you. So does your father and Goku. Don't think such negative thoughts."

ChiChi shrugged as she jolted. The car stopped in front of her house. Without saying anything back to Bulma, she left the car, and went to her room.

Time passed slowly. ChiChi scraped the thirty-first tick mark into her bedpost. She was on the brink of insanity. Her father was too busy with business to come back for her graduation, and the love of her life left her without a reason. Sure, he claimed that he loved her, but then why would he leave? It just made no sense. Life made no sense.

She sat in her room soundlessly. Okay, so ChiChi had graduated. What next? College waited for her, but now it seemed pointless to go. There seemed to be nothing to do anymore, except to be miserable.

"Chi? There's someone at the door for you!" Bulma called up the stairs. ChiChi had been in such a state of distress that she never heard the doorbell ring.

"Tell them to go away."

"No, you want to see this person, trust me."

ChiChi wiped a few tears from her cheeks, "No. I want them to go away."

"Fine," Bulma replied. ChiChi heard the front door slam.

"Marry me, stay the same. Lie to me and try to say you never will…" A distinct voice softly sung into ChiChi's ear. A pair of arms wrapped around her waist. A small smile tugged at ChiChi's lips as she slowly turned around. It could not be…

"Goku!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was back! Finally, after waiting a month, he had returned. An overwhelming joy had overcome her sadness. Goku hugged her tightly before letting her go.

"Miss me much?" He asked, his eyes shinning. ChiChi nodded, as she was lost for words. A few tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at him. They were together again…

"Something wrong?" He asked, a concerned look in his eyes.

"No," ChiChi said, wiping a few of them away, "I'm happy…I'm finally happy…" She moved forward and kissed him softly, "I'm finally happy." She whispered.

"ChiChi," Goku cleared his throat uncertainly, "I want to ask you a question…"

Another month later

It was a hot, summer day. Bulma walked from her front door to her mailbox rather quickly. The temperature had to have been in the upper eighties. Opening the mailbox, she pulled out envelopes of various sizes. Simply throwing aside the junk mail, she scanned each label, mentally noting if the envelope contained a bill or not. Towards the end, she came across a nice, thick envelope with calligraphy written on it:

To Miss Bulma Briefs and Mr. Vegeta

Bulma tore open the envelope and scanned its contents. A smile broke across her face as she read it. She could not believe it was happening! Something that she had bet on since her teenage years was coming true.

The envelope's contents read as followed:

Please join us as Goku and ChiChi come together in Holy Matrimony

on April Twenty-fourth Two thousand-four

RSVP to Bardock by December Thirty-first

Black tie affair

Bulma closed the invitation and rushed into the house. A wedding, how exciting! ChiChi would surely need help…

Life is nothing but Blue Skies and Broken hearts…

Some people are lucky though. Through the heartache they find love…a love that will never fade…

People fall in love, but they also fall apart. Only those who are lucky stay together…

My dearest reader, our tale has just about come to an end. If you should remember one single thing, remember this…

All you need is love, love. Love is all you need…