Gohan's eyes flickered slightly as he began to wake up from hazy and confusing dreams

" Why don't you listen to me? How many times do I have to tell you?"

A pause.

" Just let me out! Let it go! LET IT GO!"

" Wake up kid," a rough voice growled through Gohan's conscious. Gohan shifted in the chains that he hanged from. He smelled blood, his own of course. He felt it clearly also. It was streaming down his arms that felt like rivulets. Surely that was his imagination. Either way, he didn't want to know.

Instead, he kept his eyes closed, head hanging, and tried to ignore the growl that erupted from the figure that stood before him.

" I said wake up!" It yelled. Gohan thought it was kind of familiar, but then again he lost a lot of blood. He must have been imaging that also…

Soon, rough hands grabbed the front, and what's left, of Gohan's blue gi and pulled him up.

" Lemme go," Gohan whined. He just wanted to fall back into his dreamless state. At least there he couldn't feel the burning hole that singed through his thigh. It didn't go all way through though, which Gohan wished it had. At least then it would be in one spot and not all the way down his leg. He guessed Bardock meant for that to happen.

" Open your eyes," the dark voice ordered. Gohan sighed. Did he have to…?

" Do it!"

Gohan finally complied, and peeled open his swollen eyelids. Getting a punch from Bardock meant business. It still hurt to even breathe correctly. While he waited for his eyes to focus as the large figure before him, his hands shot up to grasp the claws that held him. Moaning, Gohan realized he couldn't feel the skin under his fingertips; he must have lost so much blood that he had none in his hands. The thought made him sick; to think that maybe he would never be able to use his hands again.

" What are you staring at?" The capturer growled. Gohan blinked and looked up at the man who held him.

" Piccolo?" Gohan squeaked, voice coming out small and raspy, from lack of use and swallowing his own blood for the last couple of hours. Slowly, Piccolo came into focus. He looked like he was in perfect condition. The wounds that Gohan had nightmares about were gone and healed, leaving no scars on the pink and green flesh.

" You're alive!" Gohan chirped but then regretted the excitement he let in his voice as he went into a coughing fit.

" Obviously," the Namek grunted and dropped the boy who collapsed on his knees. As soon as he did, the invisible chains that attached themselves to Gohan's wrists broke off and fell to the floor with a clatter. The boy slowly followed, falling face first into the hard core of space. (Author's Note: it's the floor but it looks like he's falling in space since you can see through the space ship. I hope I don't confuse anybody about that.)

" Now get up," Piccolo ordered, crossing his arms.

" Are we leaving now?" Gohan asked, trying to get his hands underneath him. Unbelievable. The simple task needed all of his concentration.

As soon as Gohan was sitting, he looked up at his best friend with a tired hazed look. His breath started coming in short again, having used all his strength to just sit himself upright. And now, the Namek didn't look like he was going to be helping Gohan walk around either.

" How can you be so weak?" Piccolo hissed.

" Piccolo?" Gohan asked, eyes wide and completely shocked; Piccolo had never spoken like that to him since he was four years old.

" What's so special about you anyway?" Piccolo asked, more to himself then the boy in front of him. " The Legendary, humph."

" Legendary…?" Gohan echoed. There was a small pang in the back of Gohan's head but it was gone before he really noticed it. " Piccolo, are you okay?"

" Stop calling me that," Piccolo growled and picked up Gohan by the front of his gi again to bring him up to his face. " My name is (1)Daimou (sp?). Piccolo is dead."

Gohan's eyes widened again, not in shock this time, but fear. Piccolo is dead. Now Gohan was on his own.

1. I'm pretty sure it's Piccolo Daimou but I thought this 'nickname' would be better. Please tell me if I'm spelling it right, okay?

Sorry this took forever to write. Just been having writer's block lately.