Disclaimer~I don't own DBZ got it? All I own is my made up character, Amber.

Author's Note~This fic is dedicated to all my fantastic friends(you know who you are) ^-^


Dragonball Z

Out Where Only Dreams Have Been

Chapter 2-The Aftermath



The rising orb of bright firey energy rised into the heavy grey sky. Rays from first light of the morning, for the first time not indicating another bloody day of struggle, fight for survival and death. The world had awaited this day for over 10 years.
This was the first day of final peace.
However, for many, the world that was left was not the world they were trying to save.

Ripples of a forever lost reflection spread like ocean waves across the surface of the stream, their meaning posessed a deeper magnitude preserved within them.
Reflection of the person is the reflection of their heart, Gohan knew this all too well. It was something that his father had taught him well.
Dull black eyes looked over the destroyed and ash covered land. Nothing much was left of his home and what he knew, it had been ground down to dust.
The battle had been won by them, but he was the only one left alive. Gohan was the soul survivor of the Z Fighters. This wretched war had taken everything he had cherished and dearly loved. His family, his friends, his life.
It was a miracle that he and others had survived at all, since the ferociousness of the war was, in all honestly, a worse fate than death and hell. Gohan had lived through this war since he was 8 year old and had witnessed first hand the horrors and now he had to live with them. The memories, seeing his family being ripped apart, his friends burning in fires of hell, everything he knew being reduced to nothing but smoke.
Living with these memories was a fate worse than death.
Blood covered black hair shielded the never ending tears streaking down his bruised face. His only purpose now was the help rebuild what was destroyed and to repair the damage done. But his heart, that could never be repaired. Gohan thought the path ahead of him would be one endless struggle between his soul and the new world in which he lived. He thought he'd never be able to cope. He had yet to discover that life and love would show him how to live once again.

Amber struggled through the ruins of what was once the street where she lived. Now, it was a simple muddy river containing rubble, debris and the air filtered was the stench of death and it was helped by the torrential rain pouring down. Her eyes welled up with tears as she clambered through the filth, pulling along a dirty old rucksack.
"Aw come on you stupid bag!" Amber moaned as the bag got caught up on a jaggered piece of metal.
Amber pulled very hard put her hands slipped on the strap and fell over into a puddle of mud.
"Darn it!" Amber muttered as she tried to get back up.
Then, a hand extended down to Amber. She trustingly took it and she was pulled up on her feet. Her crystal blue eyes met dim black, tear filled eyes. In that split second, Amber felt a large twinge in her heart. Then, the owner of the black orb eyes handed Amber her bag.
"Um, thanks." Amber said.
"Don't mention it."
Amber could hear the pain and sorrow in his voice and her spirit dropped instantly. She felt very sorry for this black haired stranger.
"Hey listen, what's you name?" Amber asked. "I'm Amber, who are you?"
"Gohan."
"Well Gohan, thanks for what you did just now. I appriciate it." Amber said.
"All I did was help you up." Gohan said, turning around.
"Not many people help other people up nowadays." Amber said.
"Look, I don't need your pity." Gohan said bitterly, turning around and walking off.
"Hey!" Amber yelled.
She ran up and stood in front of Gohan.
"I was NOT giving you pity! I was just saying thanks!"
"You said thanks now I'm saying goodbye." Gohan said, walking past Amber.
"Rude! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?!" Amber yelled.
In a flash Amber found herself sitting on the ground.
"Ow!" Amber yelled, looking up at Gohan who was glaring fiercely at her.
"MY PARENTS!" Gohan yelled. "THEY'RE…they're dead."
Amber gasped silently, realising why she'd hit such a sensitive spot.
"My whole life died in this war. My family, my friends, my world. Everything I loved and cherished, now nothing more but dust floating in the wind. I'm the only one left."
Amber got to her feet, slowly walked over to Gohan and gently rested her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm really sorry Gohan." Amber said. "I didn't mean to yell at you. I should've been more considerate."
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry." Gohan said quietly. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. You have no idea how many looks people give me when they see me walking down the empty streets and destroyed cities. I hate it when people pity me."
"Tell me about it." Amber said. "And I do know how you feel Gohan. My parents and grandfather were killed in this war. I'm alone too."
"Did you see your parents get slaughtered in front of your own eyes?" Gohan asked.
"No."
"Then you don't know exactly how I feel and believe me, you don't want to."
Amber sighed and hugged her rucksack
"I take it that you have no where else to go." Gohan said.
Amber slowly shook her head.
"Do you wanna stay at my place? I mean, at least until life tries to fix things up again."
Amber nodded her head.
"Come on then." Gohan said, holding out a hand.
Amber once again, trustingly took it. Then, Gohan slowly rose into the air, scaring Amber.
"Easy easy, you won't fall." Gohan said.
"H-H-H-H-How can you fly?" Amber stuttered.
"Just a little something my…my dad taught me." Gohan replied sadly.
"You fought in this war, didn't you?" Amber asked, regaining some of her nerves.
Gohan nodded.
"You must've been scared." Amber said.
"You have no idea." Gohan replied.
"Gohan, do you truly believe that life, that we will recover from this?" Amber asked.
Gohan stared into Amber's shiny crystal eyes. He knew she believed. He sighed.
"You don't want to know what I believe." Gohan replied.
The rest of the journey was silent.