Hours later, sitting under a full moon, Gohan took another swig of soda and finished his story with the call to the guidance counselor's office. Now Videl understood why the poor man hadn't been back to school in weeks. Shaking her head, she looked at him.

"I STILL can't believe YOU -- the little goody-two-shoes, I-NEVER-do-anything-wrong, BOOKWORM -- are Satan City's superhero."

"Hell, why not? I need to do SOMETHING in my spare time," Gohan muttered as he looked up at the moon with no fear of transforming and climbing Capsule Corp with Videl clutched in his fist. "Piccolo can't keep up with me anymore and Goten's not old enough to really do anything. And Dad's just never home." He sighed and glanced at her. "I guess really my only friend is Princess Snake, and she's probably wondering how I got such weird ideas. And how I get her to help me."

"She gave you that sleeping powder thing, didn't she?" Videl said thoughtfully. "Damn, boy. Talk about knowing people in high positions!"

Gohan smiled and stretched out, folding his hands behind his head. "I used to wish I was normal, like other kids who only worry about whether or not they're going to have a zit or two on their first date. I have to worry about LIVING long enough to GO on my first date. But I don't think I could stand being a little computer dork like Mom wanted me to be."

Videl shook her head and laid down next to him, propping herself on her elbow. "You know, I wonder why I don't think this is some kind of wacky story you just made up as you went along."

"Maybe because Piccolo came to the school and threatened to kill me if I didn't get my ass into high gear? Or was it because my little brother eavesdrops on me when I sleep and can't keep his mouth shut?" He tapped his chin in mock-thought and closed his eyes. "Nah, it couldn't be one of THOSE."

Videl smiled and looked up. "Look at the moon. It's beautiful."

Gohan peeked out of one half-opened eye. "Yeah. One of these days people will learn not to wish it back. Otherwise Trunks and Goten are going to go on a rampage." Then he shot straight up so fast he went straight onto his feet. "The KIDS!"

"What?" Videl demanded as she jumped up, only to have Gohan scoop her off the ground and fly toward his house at breakneck speed. "Gohan! Put me down!" she screamed as he skimmed the lake, searching for signs of either his brother or the toddler prince.

When Gohan finally landed outside the cave the boys loved to play in, he remembered he was still holding Videl. Soaked and terrified, she slipped out of his arms and collapsed on the ground, shaking.

"O, Dende, Videl, I'm sorry," he said as he knelt, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her to him. "I didn't mean to do that."

Teeth chattering, Videl wondered at the sincerity in his words. "I think I'm okay," he said, clamping her mouth shut so she wouldn't shiver. If Gohan hadn't had Saiyan ears, he wouldn't have been able to distinguish the words.

"Gohan!" came a cheerful voice as the younger half-Saiyan bounded out of the cave, best friend in tow. "And Videl here too!"

Gohan looked up seconds before Goten bounced on him, wrapping arms and legs around his brother's waist before reaching for Videl with one hand. Trunks approached a little more slowly, but was caught by one ankle and hauled into the fun by Videl. Gohan noticed Trunks was growing by the second and realized with dismay that when Videl had grabbed him, he'd flipped onto his back.

"O, shit. This is going to be a LOT of trouble." The young half-breed was going to transform.

Goku smiled pleasantly at Bulma and nodded as she continued to rant about the how irresponsible and the maturity level of the two Saiyans living with her were. The silence made Goku come out of his trance-like state. "Yeah, that is too bad, Chi Chi," he said with a small smile.

Bulma's eyes narrowed. "You weren't listening to a word I said, were you?" she growled.

The younger adult blinked a few times. "Huh?"

"You called me Chi Chi," Bulma said, a trace of dry amusement sneaking into her voice. "I guess you don't listen to HER either, do you?"

"Don't tell her," Goku pleaded, black eyes wide and o-so-innocent. "She'll kill me. I hate dying! It's a pain in the butt!"

The scientist shook her head and waved her hands as she turned. "Don't worry about it." Then she got a strange look on her face and felt a tingling go up her spine. "Do you feel something?"

"It's Trunks," he answered, standing so fast that when the chair flipped over it shattered. "His power level is rising really fast. I wonder what's going on?"

"I don't know, but I think Goten is with him," Bulma replied as she poured the coffee into a nearby mug. Then she dumped it out and looked inside with a raised eyebrow and a groan. "I REALLY have to start checking these things!"

"Bulma, do you think he's all right? This doesn't just happen for no reason." Goku asked, voice conveying his worry about his youngest son.

"They're probably just sparring," Bulma answered. "They'll be fine. Even though I'm not putting EITHER of them through the test tank that Vegeta's helping me build."

Goku raised an eyebrow, but he knew better than to ask. Otherwise, he would be here for the next few days. "I wonder where Gohan went. He said he was going out, but he knows Chi Chi hates it when he isn't back home before school the next day."

Bulma smiled and shook her head. "Probably playing with the kids. Nothing to worry about."

Gohan narrowly avoided the blast that his young student tossed his way, courtesy of a technique taught by Piccolo. Jumping away from the rock, he silently cursed his old sensei for even getting to know Goten, since Trunks picked everything up from him.

"Gohan, what the hell are you doing?" Videl called from down below, holding her hands firmly over Goten's eyes.

"Trying NOT to get killed!" he hissed back, dodging another ferocious attack. Growling, he launched himself at the rampaging ape, aiming for the twitching tail. But he had also learned from Vegeta and flipped over the tiny flying body of his teacher before slapping Gohan to the ground.

Trunks roared and grinned that malicious monkey grin as he stomped past Gohan, who was just pulling himself out of the indent he'd left.

"Damn, that kid's got a punch," Gohan muttered as he shook his head and took to the sky after the young prince. "Too bad he hasn't learned how to control himself like that yet."

Videl pulled Goten back into the cave as Trunks passed, but the 30-story-tall ape bent down and grabbed the miniature figures, dropping Videl as he dangled Goten by one arm. Gohan effortlessly caught his crush, lowering her safely to the ground.

Finally, he did the only thing he could think of. Powering up so fast the wind nearly knocked Trunks over, he aimed his shot at the moon. With a shout, he let loose with a blast that shook the nearby mountains into crumb-sized pebbles, and the moon into slightly bigger chunks.

Trunks, who had been trying to involve a VERY confused and slightly unnerved Goten into a game of some sort, immediately began to shrink. Gohan retrieved his near-hysterical brother and placed him back in Videl's care before keeping a careful eye on Goten's best friend as he continued his transformation back to human. Gohan took the unconscious boy and shook his head as he jerked on the young Saiyan's tail experimentally. Finally he ripped it out, wincing as he remembered the last time that had happened to him. He hadn't been able to sit comfortably for weeks afterward.

Tossing the offending extra limb into the crumbled remains of the mountain, he turned to Goten and Videl. Cradling his snoozing pupil, Gohan lifted slightly off the ground. "Goten, can you carry Videl?"

The young boy looked over the thin teen and smiled. "Think so," he answered shakily, his best friend's transformation a little much for him. He effortlessly took his brother's friend into his arms and joined him.

"Then come on. Let's go take Trunks home. He's going to need a lot of sleep," Gohan said, starting off toward their destination slowly.

"We tell Daddy what happen?" Goten asked in an unreadable tone.

"Yeah. Him and Bulma will make sure it won't happen anymore," Gohan explained.

"Look fun." the other boy protested, tightening his grip on Videl until she whimpered in pain. "Sorry."

"Not fun. Hurts," Gohan snapped, feeling a pang of guilt when Goten flinched. 'Damn. I've been taking it a little hard on him,' Gohan realized. 'Maybe I should let up a little bit.' Then he remembered the conversation the boy had had with Videl. 'But only a LITTLE.'

Landing slowly, he found that Trunks was starting to wake up. Smiling down at the boy, he kicked open Bulma's front door and motioned for Videl to go ahead of him. Goten bounded into the house, shouting for anyone to hear. Vegeta was there.

Scowling, the irritated prince brushed past the happily bouncing little 5-year-old. "Kakorrot, will you tell your brat to shut up?" he growled as he passed Goku.

"Daddy!" Goten shouted as he launched himself at his unsuspecting father. Luckily Goku had quick reflexes and caught his son seconds before impact. "Guess."

Gohan sighed and looked at his friend. Videl followed him to Trunks' room, where the oldest Son boy placed the dozing Saiyan in bed and tucked the covers up around the small chin.

"Get some rest," Gohan advised, running a hand through the fine lavender hair. "You'll need it if you want to kick Goten's butt tomorrow."

Trunks muttered in his sleep and rolled over. Gohan smiled and led Videl out of the room. Closing the Saiyan-proof door behind him, she grinned. "You'd be a good father," she said honestly.

Gohan looked taken aback. "Yeah. You know my family history? If you go off-planet, make sure you have the ability to kill any local nuisance once you get there." He snorted, then began to speak in a high voice. "Daddy, what did you do when you were my age?" In a deeper voice, he added, "I went to Namek and tried to kill one of the most evil creatures in the universe."

Videl chuckled. "I'm sure it's not THAT bad."

Gohan shot her a look. "Wanna bet?" he muttered, banging into something large and immovable. "Uh, hi Mom! When did you get here?" he asked, swallowing thickly.

Chi Chi smiled in a way that made him ether want to run like hell or pee his pants. "Who's this?"

"Mom... this is my friend Videl..." Gohan began. 'Dear DENDE this is going to be a long night!'

Gohan stared at the wall and seriously debated in hitting his head against it. But that would only dent it and succeed in getting his mother -- not to mention Bulma -- angry. From the look on his father's face, Goku was having much the same thoughts.

With a heartfelt sigh, Gohan slunk even farther down in his seat. Videl and Chi Chi had hit it off, yet he couldn't tell whether he was happy or not. While it was nice that Chi Chi wasn't going to kill either him OR Videl over his choice in women, it wasn't too good to be sitting for over three hours listening to them talk.

Videl snuck glances at Gohan, who looked like he did in class: like he was paying attention but having that glazed look in his eyes that was a sure sign he wasn't listening to a word they said.

"Would you like more to drink Videl?" Chi Chi asked sweetly.

"Yes, thank you," she answered with a pleasant smile, kicking Gohan as hard as she could without being noticed. His eyes focused as Chi Chi asked him the same question. With a nod, he smiled thankfully at Videl and propped his elbows on the table, shooting one into his father's ribs.

Goku snorted and sat up sharply, looking at Gohan, then settled back into his chair as Chi Chi came back. "Gohan, go and tell your brother that it's time for bed."

"Right Mom," he answered, grinning at Goku as he passed. The older man sighed and slumped, looking almost like Vegeta when he was bored.

Chi Chi must have noticed because she smiled at him and placed a quick kiss on his nose. "Why don't you go up to bed? You look tired."

Goku smiled and nodded, his controlled hug only squashing her a little. "Good night Chi Chi." Giving his son's crush a two-finger salute as a goodbye, he made his way to his upstairs room that Bulma had prepared especially for his family to stay in.

"I'll be up later!" she called, grinning. "Don't you think it's time for you to go back? I'll have Gohan fly you."

Gohan came back down the stairs, grumbling under his breath and growled as he almost broke the first-aid kit. "Damn kid," he muttered as he rolled out the gauze with senzu beans in it.

"What did he do now?"

Gohan looked up, feeling the hard nub firm in his hand. "He closed his tail in the door again and spent 20 minutes trying to blow the damn thing down."

"So let him sleep it off," Videl suggested.

"I don't think so," Gohan said kindly. "He sleeps it off he literally won't be able to get out of bed in the morning. Physical impossibility."

Bulma wandered down the stairs, rubbing her eyes. "You guys might be night owls, but kindly keep it DOWN so those of us who have a VERY important meeting to go to in the morning can get sleep so they DON'T snore during the nice computer geek's presentation!"

"Sorry Bulma," Gohan said as he slid past her.

"No problem," Bulma sighed as he eyes fell on Videl. "It's getting late. Do you have a way home?"

Chi Chi's young look-alike blushed. "I hate to say it, but I don't know my way home from here."

"Stay the night here and I'll take you and Gohan to your place in the morning," Bulma offered. "You two can explain it then, and I'll vouch for ya." She smiled and pulled the teenager by the arm. "Come on. Bed. Now."

When Bulma had given Videl directions to her room, she turned back to her friend. Chi Chi smiled as Bulma's hands went to her hips.

"You too. Bed. And make sure Goku STAYS there this time, won't you? I HATE waking up to find half the house gone."

Chi Chi smiled and nodded, stretching. Videl disappeared down the hall. 'Gohan was right. You can get used to the most amazing things.' Snuggling down into the blankets, she yawned. This world of his was pretty weird. But she had to admit she liked it.

Videl woke to the strangest sounds in her life: rapid explosions and yells about cheating. Rolling over onto her stomach, she jammed the pillow over her head to block the noise and searched for a clock. When her eyes fell on the red numbers proudly displaying 6:00, she groaned and shook her head.

"What the HELL are they doing up at this hour?" she wondered as she slipped out of bed to glance out the window. What she half-saw made her head start to hurt. Goku was phasing in and out of sight constantly, while Gohan was close behind, with the purple-haired boy Videl remembered meeting after the incident with the guidance counselor.

Rubbing her temples, she decided it would be impossible to get any sleep, so she wandered out into the hallway, wishing for a map that would either direct her to the bathroom or the kitchen. Wish another groan, she put one hand on the wall and sleepily began her voyage through Capsule Corp.

Seeing a set of stairs after a good 10 minutes of wandering about, she grinned and took them two at a time. Unfortunately, the set of metallic gray double doors WASN'T the kitchen. Rolling her eyes, she looked for a handle or control of some sort to open them. Finally she threw her hands up and growled, leaning against the wall. Her elbow pressed back, and the doors slid open, a red glow coming from inside.

Curious, she stood straighter and peeked in to see the crazy car-wrecking man grunting as a shimmering gold fire surrounded him, black hair turned a shocking blond. Icy aqua eyes slid to her and he immediately hopped over to the controls. The red faded as she stepped inside, suddenly face-to-face with a furious Vegeta.

"Woman! What the hell were you thinking?" he roared, glaring at her from now black eyes. "You could have been crushed!"

Videl looked at him stupidly for a minute before focusing her gaze on the battered floor. "I was looking for the kitchen," she said softly.

Vegeta grunted and took her gently by the upper arm. "Does this LOOK like the kitchen?"

"Sorry, but this damn place is so BIG it deserves its own zip code! I don't know where I'm going," she explained. "Miss Briefs had to tell me where to go last night to sleep. After that, I got lost."

Vegeta expertly maneuvered her into a chair at the table. Bulma and Chi Chi stared back at her over cups of coffee. "Well, you're not anymore, woman. Next time, think before you go blindly walking into something."

"My lab?" Bulma asked, a hint of alarm in her voice.

Vegeta scowled. "Like hell. She couldn't find that thing if she tried. You've hidden it, woman. My gravity room."

Bulma turned to her. "I thought you were a late sleeper otherwise I would've sent something up for you to find your way around."

"Well, it's not easy with all them yelling outside," Videl admitted as she yawned. "Sorry for walking in on you," she said to a still irritated Vegeta.

He grunted and nodded before turning back the way he came. "Get me when breakfast is ready," he growled, "and not before. I don't want to put up with Kakorrot more than I have to."

Videl watched the prince disappear and sighed. "Jeez. I REALLY pissed him off or something."

"Videl, if you pissed him off, you'd probably be dead by now," Chi Chi muttered as she shook her head. "In fact, two years ago he probably would've turned the gravity up and turned you into a little grease spot on the floor." When Bulma gave her a look, the other woman only shrugged.

"Sounds great," she replied dryly, turning to Chi Chi. "Do you know the way to the shower? If it's okay I mean."

"That's fine," Bulma said, waving her hand. "Just get it before 7:30 or you'll lose your chance until dinner."

"Come on. I'll give you the not-so-scenic tour," Chi Chi said, rising. "Just stay away from where you were earlier and you won't walk into anything you can't handle."

"What, is the house booby-trapped or something?" Videl wondered out loud as she followed.

Bulma laughed behind them. "No, but close enough!"

Gohan wiped the sweat from his eyes and grinned over his shoulder at the boy perched on his back. "How ya doing back there, Trunks?" he asked the shockingly shy boy.

"Better than Goten," came the amused reply, as Goten was being cradled by his father and looking much worse for the wear.

"Well, you really put it to him," Gohan said, hiking him up higher so he could rest his chin on the unoccupied shoulder. "How about we ask my mom to make us a bath before breakfast?"

Trunks cheered, and Goku perked up. "As soon as we get this guy a senzu bean and some gauze,' he answered, looking down at the unconscious boy.

Bulma tried her best to hold back a sigh as they paraded into the kitchen, dripping things she didn't want to think about all over her floor. She noticed with some interest that red tomato sauce went quite well with white kitchen tiles as she watched the procession.

"Where's Chi Chi?" Goku asked as he handed his youngest son over to Gohan.

"The table," Bulma replied, turning her attention back to the eggs which had begun to turn black. Glaring at the offending food, she shrugged and dumped it onto a plate anyway. She was curious as to what Goku wanted, but she learned long ago not to ask.

"Vegeta's breakfast?" Gohan asked, eyeing the charcoaled food with disinterest.

Bulma grinned and shook her head. "It's not fit for a PRINCE," she chided, turning a bottle of tabasco sauce over it and letting it drain onto the eggs. With a certain air of satisfaction, she set the empty container next to her and looked down at the covered eggs. "THAT is fit for a prince."

Even Trunks chuckled, knowing how much his father hated the stuff. Goku walked through the door, hands in pockets. "She'll do it if I get firewood."

As he was leaving, Gohan grabbed his arm. "Dad, this time we DON'T need the whole tree. Bulma and Vegeta use INDOOR bathtubs."

"I know," he said, though his childish face was clearly disappointed. "I'm only brining enough for us,"

Videl, hair wrapped in a towel and skin still gleaming with moisture, sauntered into the room, looking quite proud of herself as she plunked down in the nearest chair.

Trying to towel her hair dry, she glanced up at Gohan, who was trying to convince Bulma to let Goten test out the new tank for them.

"Where's your dad?" she asked Gohan once he stopped to breathe.

"Getting firewood for our bath," he said, setting his still out-cold brother down carefully on the table.

Videl allowed her confusion to show. "I just got out. I didn't use THAT much hot water, did I?"

Bulma chuckled from the other side of the room, where she was currently supervising Chi Chi's cooking. "Didn't Gohan tell you they live out in the boonies? They take baths outside, in big ass things that Goku can stand up in."

"As a matter of fact he didn't," Videl said, turning her gaze to a blushing Gohan.

"Yeah, well I don't think she wants to know about my bathing habits," Gohan grunted, releasing Trunks.

"You'd be surprised," she purred, earning a deeper color blush from him.

Bulma sat back, arms crossed and grinned from behind her hand. 'She's gonna end up with him,' Bulma noticed as she watched Videl's casual flirting. 'I just don't think Gohan knows what he's getting into!'

All too soon, the weekend -- and their little adventure -- was over, and Videl actually regretted having to go to school the next day. The only good thing was that Gohan would be there.

With a sigh, she sunk into her seat and shook her head. 'What the hell happened to me? Two days ago I was ready to kill him, and now he's like my best friend.'

"So, how was your weekend?" her cheerleader friend asked as she took her place next to Videl.

"Pretty good," Videl admitted. "What about you?"

"Busy," the airhead replied with a sigh. "I didn't think Bryan would EVER go away!"

Only half-listening, Videl pulled out something that looked like homework and inched a piece of paper out from the back. The other girl not even noticing she was being completely tuned out, didn't look as Videl hastily scrawled a letter and ripped the paper in half.

"That sounds really horrible, but I have to go. Finish telling me when I get back?" Videl asked quickly, swinging her bang over one shoulder. "Thanks."

Finding Gohan's locker wasn't a problem: it was the one three down from the last door. Or the one with the holes in it the size of a decent canned ham. Sticking one paper into each coat pocket, she smiled and went back toward study hall, planning what she would tell Gohan in the next class.

Gohan watched as Videl scurried away, grinning about something. Getting a sinking feeling in the black hole he had for a stomach, Gohan crept toward his locker and reached inside for his jacket. One hand plunged into the nearest pocket and touched crumbled paper.

Knowing who it was from, he carefully smoothed it out against the wall, trying as hard as he could not to put dents in that as well. The message was short: I said the LEFT pocket, dummy!

Assuming she hadn't had time to tell him yet, he shrugged and dropped the paper, reaching into the other one. This time too, he came out with a paper and grinned as he read.

Gohan,
Well, I can't say it hasn't been an interesting weekend, but it was fun as hell. Nod if you thought so too.
Without thinking Gohan did so and grinned sheepishly as he read the next line. Now stop because I can't see you. Anyway, we'll talk later, okay?
Videl


Gohan stuffed the note into his shirt pocket and made his way toward his next class. Spotting his crush, he plopped down beside her and grinned. Sliding the slip of paper across the table, he asked totally innocently, "So, when's our next date?"