Disclaimer—I don't own DB/Z/GT.
A/N—Hope you like this chapter! Thanks to EVERYBODY for reviewing! ::throws out kisses, hugs, and Mirai Trunks action figures indiscriminately::
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Gohan leaned on his palms, panting heavily. In the time they'd been here—in this place—he'd come so close. It'd been mostly because of his father—Gohan smiled a bit as he watched his father spar with the air, giving Gohan a chance to regain his breath. It was so strange how they'd come to be so close, in such a short time.
Gohan blinked wearily, and shook his head, little beads of sweat, spattering to the floor. At one time, he could never have imagined telling anyone his deepest, darkest secrets. In the seven months that they had been training together in the Room of Spirit and Time, however, Gohan had retracted that 'never.'
He'd told Goku things he thought he'd forgotten himself—things he'd wanted to forget—and found that the old cliché actually had it right. 'Pain shared is pain halved,' and his father was willing to take up that burden for him.
Whether it was through the sharing of old memories, or was simply a result of being confined together in such a small place for such a long period of time, Gohan had come to care for his father deeply. Goku was the only one who knew his past—his entire past. Gohan had left nothing out.
On long nights in that endless whiteness, they would discuss the past, and somehow, Gohan felt himself coming to grips with it.
It was hard—so hard, to trust—to trust anyone. But Gohan found that with each secret his lips poured forth, his love and trust grew, especially as Goku spoke not a word in condemnation.
Gohan loved his father. Goku meant everything to him.
Gohan stood up from the floor, and signaled his readiness to continue by lobbing a ki blast at the dark-haired Saiyan sparring in the distance.
As Gohan had expected, Goku dodged the blast with ease, and turned on his son with a grin, ready to continue their training.
As Goku attacked him, Gohan felt the whining buzz of power surging through his veins. He knew he was close—close to Super Saiyan.
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Goku saw the familiar look flicker in his son's eyes. Gohan was close to transforming—close to losing control.
Goku's chin hardened and his lips thinned a bit. He'd come to know Gohan better than he'd ever known anyone, excepting perhaps Chi-Chi, within these last few months.
Goku had been shocked and enraged at some of the horrors that Gohan had endured under Frieza. Goku had known he was something of an innocent—had known he was a bit naïve to the cruelties that people were capable of inflicting on each other, but he had seriously underestimated the extent of that naivety.
At times, Goku had even found himself feeling—vengeful. A feeling that was completely foreign to his character and makeup, yet surfaced none-the-less every time a new scar was explained—every time a haunted look would inexplicably pass over Gohan's face at some seemingly innocuous comment—every time he was woken from a sweet dream of Chi-Chi to his son's terror filled cries from across the room.
Goku blocked, and jabbed, and finally flickered up to Super Saiyan as he saw Gohan about to do the same. Goku firmly reminded himself that he trusted Gohan. Trust was such an important thing—sometimes the most important thing in the world.
Goku had a plan—a plan that would finally free his son from the grip of the past—but that plan all rested on the trust a father had for his son.
Goku looked into Gohan's eyes. His turquoise eyes, surrounded by strands of shining golden hair. Powering up, Goku forced a response from Gohan, brutally knocking him out of his internal struggle and back into the real world.
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Gohan stared at his father in shock, as rage battled with hurt. His father had just blasted him—it came out of nowhere! Why had he done that?! Unable to stop his body's involuntary reaction, Gohan met Goku's Kamehameha wave with one of his own, struggling to overmatch his father.
Gohan was confused as his father grinned at him—what was he smiling about?! What did he think he was doing?! Gohan smashed to the ground as Goku phased in above him and planted an elbow hard in the top of his neck.
Gohan felt as if all sense had left him. He had stopped even trying for control. His ki fluctuated wildly, and settled at its highest level, as Gohan surged across the room at Goku, with only one thought raging through his body, 'Kill.'
Gohan came face to face with the smiling Goku, and swung an incredible kick at his father's head—a kick intended to maim—a kick intended to kill. Suddenly, almost before he could comprehend what was happening, one of the pulsating golden glows vanished. Goku had dropped out of Super Saiyan.
Gohan's foot stopped not two inches from his father's temple, as he stared at Goku in shock and terror, "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!" Gohan clutched at his racing heart, both feet now planted firmly on the ground. He looked at Goku accusingly, "I could have KILLED you!"
Goku was looking at Gohan oddly. Gohan couldn't figure out what was wrong with his father—first he drops out of Super Saiyan in the midst of a fight, and now he was looking at Gohan with some strange emotion. Gohan had seen it a few other times on his father's face, though he didn't recognize it. It was pride.
Goku grinned at his son. Gohan didn't even realize what he'd done.
Walking up to the irate boy, Goku held out Gohan's long mane of hair for the boy to see. Gohan blinked. It was still golden. He was still a Super Saiyan. Gohan stared at his father in astonishment—had he—had this been a test? Had Goku really dropped Super Saiyan on purpose? Did his father really trust him that much?
Goku smiled at the look of startled realization on his young son's face. Putting a hand on Gohan's shoulder, Goku looked into his eyes. He had to make him understand. "You're free now, Gohan," Goku whispered intently.
For a second, Gohan did nothing, then he nodded mutely, still numb. He understood.
***::Claps hands and jumps around happily:: Yeah, Gohan's torture is over! ::mysterious voice:: Or is it? R&R PLEEEEAAAASSSSEEE!***