Today's Corny FUNi dub line comes from Tenshinhan. We all know that there was an extremely pathetic attempt made in early DBZ to censor everything, even prohibiting the usage of the word 'heaven' because of the effect it would have on little kids (who, of course, the censors thought were the only age group who'd watch it! What loons!) Anyhow, Nappa charges our lovable tri-eyed friend and cuts his arm off.
Tenshinhan: JUST WAIT 'TIL IT GROWS BACK!
A/N: AHHHHHHHHH!!! Okay people. Let's EVERYONE NOTICE that Tenshinhan is half Namekian, therefore he has the ability to grow limbs. If this isn't the case, then let's assume that he just likes to psyche his opponents out by means of intimidation....But eesh! I mean, the man's screaming and holding his mangled limb in mid air, people! The dubbing here is shameless, he doesn't even move his mouth because, like EVERYONE ELSE would be, he is truly wallowing in the fact that he is ARMLESS! GOOD GOSH PEOPLE!
Anyhow, I'd like to say thanks to all of those who stuck around this long, and for helping me break the 100 review mark. Trust me, when I logged on and had 100 reviews exactly, it was nearly enough to encourage bowel movement!! *DATA OVERLOAD* Oh well! Thank you guys so much. And thanks also to my good friend, Chrystaline, who has remained true to this story since chapter one, and who is now working on MORE fanart for this story. (Her first pic was GREAT! Truly exceptional, and once I can get a website, I'll post it for all of you guys to see!) I could cry, I have four exceptional artists hard at work to draw scenes from my measly story. Wowie *Hugs for all* Thankies!
Also, I appreciate everyone's nice words about the lullaby. I was really skeptical about it since I am EXTREMELY nervous about posting any kind of songs or poems I've written. Stories are the easy parts for me. So thanks to all of ya'll who were so nice, and thanks for the outstanding reviews!
And FINALLY, this is not the end of the story. People, in all respects it 'aint even CLOSE to the end. I'm beginning to scare myself because my chapters are getting longer and longer. By the time this story is over it may very well be the longest DBZ fiction on the site. Are ya'll up for it?! I HOPE SO!
And thanks for bearing with chapter six. It was really sad, and many people couldn't believe that I actually did it, since everyone was kinda expecting the baby to live. But in order to make this story mold to the master plan, I had to kill the poor baby, though when it came time my fingers were stalling and I was thinking "Tenshi, you don't HAVE to do this, he could still live!" But I had to do the gutsy thing and end it.
And to those wondering, no baby Goku doesn't have a tail.
Now that that's done, on to Chapter Seven!
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It had been a long night, the longest he could ever recall in all of his eighteen years.
After they had come and taken the baby away, Chichi had not stopped crying. The doctors had all talked to her intensely, trying to calm her down. They had told her that her crying would only encourage her condition, which wasn't looking good anyhow. At the time, she didn't even have a clue to how bad her situation was, but now it looked as if she honestly didn't care. All she wanted to do, she said, was die.
Goku had been sent from the room while the staff tried to soothe her, give her medication and painkiller....but it didn't seem to work at all. She was truly broken.
Goku went and sat down in the waiting room of the nineteenth story. He had come to find that that floor was never busy, and that the lights were even sometimes turned off in that room. Luckily, there seemed to be no life there at all tonight.
He walked to the window against the southern wall and pulled the blinds back. The night's moon was gone again, and it was showering lightly. The glow of the orange street light outside lit each droplet of water against the window, which was the only light now against the dark night. He touched the glass of the pane, and the heat from his hand against the cold window fogged it over. The change in weather was depressing, and though he was no philosopher, he mulled over the situation heavily,
"The rain came when I didn't know what to do, it thundered and lightnin'd the whole time I was bringin' her here. And then when he came, it didn't rain anymore. The weather was odd lookin', but prettier than I can remember....A lor like him. And now that he's gone, the rains' here again...."
Goku slid down the wall onto the floor and laid his head in his hands.
It hurt. It hurt so badly. In all of his life he couldn't remember any kind of pain like this before. When he had been hit with Mercenary Tao's Dodon Ray, when he had been subject to Chiaozu's telechenesces and in turn pummeled aggressively by Tenshinhan, and even when he lay, bones crushed to dust and gasping for air when Piccolo had shot a hole straight through him and tore his lung near to the point of death....
None of that came close.
Maybe it was because he had had very few encounters with emotional pain in his life. He had always overcome it with his good nature and happy outlook. Even when he had been so moved by seeing Gohan again and collapsed crying into his shirt, when it had come time for him to leave, he wasn't sad that he was leaving, just happy that he got to see him in the first place. That's how Goku always took things.
But this was a baby. Not an old man, who had plenty of chance to live his life and have good times and know happiness. His child hadn't even known life without pain.
He thought it a waste, to have so much raw power at his fingertips that he could literally move mountains, yet he couldn't save the life of something so small by any kind of strength he possessed.
And now, to top all of his misery off, he couldn't be in with Chichi. It was a peculiar sensation, because he wanted to be with her, but at the same time he didn't want to be near anyone. Either way he would be unfulfilled.
Then he realized that he was alone, and now he didn't have to worry about anyone seeing him be vulnerable. But somehow, he couldn't allow himself to dissolve. He had to keep being constant, not just for her, but for himself. However, he couldn't restrain the pearls from falling silently down his face.
***
"Chichi, your going to have to overcome this." Mayo stated firmly. Chichi turned her face away from him and buried it deeper into her pillow.
"Listen to me! Your going to die if you don't try. If you lose your will then nothing will save you." He nearly vented. Why wasn't she listening to him? He had tried to talk to her three times already, and nearly every other staff member who had even come in contact with her had given up. Except for Mira, who was still trying as hard as he was. Mira wasn't exactly close to him, but he found himself glad to have her on more than one occasion because of her level of dedication. She rested her hand by Chichi's and began to talk lowly,
"Look, Chichi Son, you still have a lot to live for. What about Goku Son? Isn't he just as important to you? I know you love him very, very much, so you have to try for him, okay?"
Mayo shot her a look, which Mira didn't comprehend. She glanced inquisitively at him, silently interrogating why he gave her such a stare.
"Chichi," Mayo started so authoritatively that she actually listened. "At first we gave you little hope of making it at all. But now your body seems to be doing much better than we could have hoped for. What you need is rest and nourishment, a little bit of surgery and a blood transfusion and you could actually go home even by the end of the week, if all works out. But your only making those chances slimmer by sinking into this slump. You've got to come out."
Mayo and Mira both had hoped that she was taking this into consideration, as she seemed to be listening.
Chichi opened her mouth to speak and murmured,
"Just leave me alone."
Mayo looked startled, and Mira felt, for some odd reason, like hugging her and strangling her at once. She was not usually a violent person, though she had temper flares from time to time. She just recalled Goku, his cooperation through it all, his care, his undivided attention.... And his countenance, how worried he had been though he hid it, how apprehensive losing her made him, and she felt the anger swell.
"Leave you alone?" She began suddenly, and Mayo nearly doubled over at her tone of voice. "Do you want to know something, Chichi Son? Your being selfish and childish by asking that! Do you not care one LICK about Goku Son? He's been worried sick since he first found out about this whole ordeal, but he couldn't let you know! He couldn't let you realize how scared he was, how frightening the prospect was of living without you! If I were you I'd be extremely honored that a man of that caliber felt that way about me! If you truly care for him, then make an attempt!"
As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted them. She'd never flown off the handle like that at a patient before, especially not one who had just been through what Chichi had been through. She noticed Mayo's expression, which showed no sign of anything but disbelief, especially at the sight of Chichi's sudden movement. At least she had evoked some kind of response, though she knew it wasn't going to be the kind she had hoped for.
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?!?" Chichi fumed, gaining a sitting position in the bed, "I'VE JUST HAD MY SON DIE IN MY ARMS!! HOW IS MOURNING HIM BEING CHILDISH? IF I DIE, THEN THAT'S MY DECISION, AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN MADE! I DON'T CARE WHAT ILLUSIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT GOKU CARING ABOUT ME, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THEY ARE, ILLUSIONS!"
Mayo's eyes widened considerably, though it seemed impossible that they could dilate a millimeter more.
Mira, who had been extremely sorry for her outburst, felt obligated to jump in for her friend's defense.
"How could you even say that it's an illusion? He loves you, Chichi."
Chichi laid her head in her hands once more. She didn't cry, she didn't sob. She just lie still. Mira laid her hand on her shoulder, and to Mayo's surprise, Chichi didn't shrug it off.
"Look, Chichi Son, I'm sorry for snapping at you, I shouldn't have, I know. But your going to die if you don't stop, and I really, really don't want that to happen." She whispered softly. Mira neared closer to her and whispered softly,
"Honey, do you love Goku?"
Chichi hesitated, but nodded slowly, never tearing her face from her hands.
"Then why do you want to leave? He needs you, too."
"Be...Because, he doesn't..." She stuttered chokingly, but stopped. "I just don't want to stay anymore."
***
Goku swallowed deeply and felt his throat nearly cave in. His hands shook almost violently as he dialed the number in front of him. He knew he should call his Father-in-law, but something deep trembled at the thought of having to tell him.
"Dad's so emotional, I know he won't take it well...."
He was snapped back into reality by the tone on the other end of the line. It rang menacingly it seemed, and he dreaded having it's chord broken for an answer.
"Hello?" The baritone at the other end of the line chimed through his ears, causing him to half choke at the unexpectancy of the pickup.
He took a deep breath, and though he felt like throwing the phone down, he pursued.
"Dad?" He drawled quietly.
"Son, what's wrong?" The voice beckoned, concern filling every fall of pitch.
Goku cringed. Was his discomposure really that obvious?
"Dad, I..." He started, but felt the lump lodged in his throat began to work it's evil power's on his words. "Chichi had the baby....."
"She did?!"
Goku felt his heart drop at his Father-in-law's reaction, how could he ever finish?
"Did everything go okay? Is everything all right?!" He beckoned in a frenzy.
No answer.
"Goku?! Tell me is everything okay?!" Gyuu felt his heart rate accelerate rapidly at Goku's lack of responsiveness.
"No, it....it isn't..." His voice cracked, and Gyuu felt his ambition fall through the floor at Goku's lack of composure. If Goku wasn't functioning, something was terribly wrong.
"Wha..What happened?"
"The baby...he didn't...."
Gyuu shuddered as Goku stopped. Nothing was said on the line for a moment until he boomed in,
"And my daughter?!" He asked sadly.
"I....I don't know, dad. Maybe you should get here as soon as you can."
***
"What do you think your doing?!" Mayo piped in, extremely irritated as he chased Mira down the hall.
Mira spun around to look him in the eye. "What do you mean?"
"Why did you jump on her like that?! You know it's not good for her!!" He vented angrily.
"I know, I didn't mean to, it just kind of happened.... But I think I know how I can fix this ituation."
"Oh? And how?!"
"I'm going to get Goku Son to talk to her, I think when he does then she'll--"
"No you won't and that's an order!" Mayo interrupted abruptly, casting a disapproving shadow over her suggestion.
"Why not?!" She demanded.
"Because I don't want him in to see her if at all possible. This early birthing is all of his fault. If he had been watching her and not allowing her to move around then this wouldn't have happened!!"
Mira's mouth dropped, she couldn't believe the venom in his tone and the accusing nature in which he regarded the kindest person she knew. "That's a lie, Mayo. It was all a big accident!! He would have nev-"
"How did it happen then, huh? Does anybody know?!" He spat vehemently, narrowing his eyes at her.
"Sh...She fell, an-"
"But how did she fall?!"
Mira stopped and tried to conjure any recall she could towards the situation. After a few seconds she shrugged her shoulders,
"I don't know, sir. But I know it wasn't his fault."
"How so?" He replied calmly, daggers piercing his low tone nonetheless.
"I just know. Goku Son is very responsible, and he'd sooner die then let anyone down."
"And just how is it that you know him so well after only three months of seeing him sporadically for moments at a time in the waiting rooms?"
There was something about his tone that unnerved Mira dramatically, as if his intentions in asking reached far deeper than the question itself. The look in his eyes and the expectancy that hung far beyond their own physical appearance caused her to nearly shiver. It momentarily reminded her of how a victim must feel on the stand of a courtroom, with all of the accusations flying around so fast that she had to remind herself that she wasn't the one responsible of the crime. She shook her head slightly,
"I...I don't know how to answer that." She said quietly, "It's just something I know."
Mayo continued his piercing gaze, until he sheathed it in the confinements of his depth.
"It looks like your not the only one confused on his intentions. But regardless of your standing on the issue, he is not to have contact with her. END OF STORY."
Mira stared at his form as he strolled down the hall. Her brows lowered in a defiant sneer,
"Oh we'll just see about that."
***
"Hello?!" The spry, elderly voice reverberated on the end of the line, "Kame residence, now what do you want?"
Had this been any other instance, Goku would have been extremely soothed to hear his old Master's voice, but now it nearly hindered him as much as talking to his own Father-in-law.
"Master?" Came the quiet inquiry.
"Yes, yes this is Master Roshi, and who are you?" He questioned, not rudely, but not exactly friendly, either.
"It-It's me, Goku."
He listened intently to hear his reply, but none came at first. Surely he couldn't have forgotten him already? He was mulling it over silently when the cry came exuberantly,
"GOKU!! Is that you, son?! I wasn't expecting a call from you, it'd been so long I thought you'd forgotten about us!!!"
Goku was about to reply when Roshi called across the house, "HEY KRILLIN! It's Goku!! Goku's on the phone!! Can you believe that sorry bum?! HAHA!!"
If the circumstance had been different, Goku would have been deeply warmed by the response in which his master had received him, but it seemed that no inferno was capable of heating his internals. They felt as dead as his son.
"Master, I..."
"DID YOU SAY GOKU?!?!" He heard an all too familiar voice laughing friendly in the background. He knew it instantly as his best friend. How he wished that this was a happier occasion.
"KRILLIN!! GET AWAY, THE PHONE'S MINE!!!!" Goku ascertained a small wrestling match ensuing on the end of the receiver as Roshi and Krillin struggled. Typical of the chaos that regularly abided at the small house.
Krillin's tone rang clear from the background, "OWWW!!!"
"HAHA!! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET!!!" Roshi screamed triumphantly. It was almost enough to bring a smile to Goku's face, just listening to the others happiness. Yet it pained him to know that others were as carefree as he had once been.
"So son, what's been going on? How's married life treating you?" Roshi inquired brightly.
"Well, it's been good..."
"HAHA!!! YOU SLY DOG, I BET YOU AND CH-" His sentence was cut to pieces as Krillin retaliated his defense, this time seizing the phone for himself.
Goku was thankful. That was really the one reason he hadn't been able to call his master since the wedding. He knew the commentary that would follow, and though he usually had an embarrassment level of zero, the content of the 'Wedding Night' was something that made him flush easily. And he knew that if he did get back on terms with Roshi, that was all that he would talk about for the first two months.
"At least...."
"GOKU!! HEY BUDDY, WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Krillin chimed in, contentment lacing his every word.
Goku felt slightly better at his voice. If there was one person on earth who could make him feel better about anything, it was Krillin.
"Well..." Goku started silently, but stopped as he heard another voice on the line. It was high pitched, squeaky and feminine.
"Is that Bulma?" He asked.
"Yeah, she came over to visit with us today, something YOU could take a lesson from." He mocked playfully. Goku was a little relieved, Bulma was going to be his last phone call, but he didn't know if he could manage even one more. Now they could tell her so he didn't have to.
"How's Chichi?" Krillin asked.
Goku started, and had to remind himself that Krillin didn't know of her condition. He was merely inquiring on her state in general.
"Well...um..." He stammered, his voice weak.
"Hey, Goku, is everything okay?!" Krillin asked, concern soaking his voice. Goku sounded sad and sick, and VERY seldom had been the times when he had ever seen his best friend in either pair of shoes.
Goku sighed heavily, "To be truthful, no, Krillin, it 'aint."
"What's wrong?"
"It's Chichi."
"OH! Marriage problems, huh? Don't worry bro, it happens to the best of us. So what did you do that she sent you to the doghouse for, anyway?" Krillin's voice eased back into comfort, as he assumed nothing was out of the ordinary.
"I 'aint in the doghouse, Krillin." He answered lowly.
Krillin cocked a brow, despite he knew Goku couldn't see his manner. "Then what?"
He breathed heavily, as he heard Roshi, Bulma, and another voice arguing in the background, though he closed them off to concentrate his energy on speaking. "We're at the hospital."
"The hospital? For what?"
Goku hesitated, "She....She just had a baby, an-"
"SHE WHAT?!?!" Krillin screamed so loudly that Goku clamped his hand over his ear, and Roshi and the others quit their scuffling.
"What?! What, Krillin?!" The other voice demanded. After a second, Goku identified the street savvy voice as belonging to Launch.
"CHICHI JUST HAD A BABY!!!" He laughed heartily, and Goku could nearly hear the phone shaking excitedly in his hand on the other line.
"CHICHI WAS PREGNANT?!" Bulma screeched in falsetto range.
"HAHAHA! WHO KNEW GOKU WAS SUCH A MACHINE?!?! I FIGURED IT WOULD'A TOOK HIM AT LEAST THIS LONG TO FIGURE THE WHOLE PROCESS OUT!!!" Roshi bellowed, laughing heartily, until Goku deciphered a scream and a thud.
"Oh MAN Goku, I would have NEVER thought you'd be the first one of us to have kids!! I mean, you weren't exactly familiar to the whole thing...." Krillin trailed off when he realized he was being rude, and he didn't want to humiliate his friend first thing.
"There'll be plenty of time for that later!!" He laughed to himself before continuing,
"Was the baby a girl or a boy?!"
Goku's heart hit his knees and his eyes started to slur in vision.
"A...boy..." His voice trembled.
Krillin was too taken in the joy of the moment to hear his pain. "HEY EVERYONE!! THEY HAD A BOY!!"
His insides froze over again, and he bit his lip to keep it from quivering visibly as he heard everyone's reactions. Why couldn't he just tell Krillin what had happened? Then it would be all over and the nightmare would be partially bearable, but his vocal chords wouldn't vibrate.
"What did you name him?" Krillin relayed Bulma's inquiry.
Goku blinked, and his eyes didn't blur anymore, just sopped.
"Goku."
Krillin laughed heartily, "THEY NAMED HIM AFTER HIS OLD MAN, YOU GUYS!!"
Goku took a deep intake of air, before mustering enough rationale to end the reverie which had erupted on the other line.
"Krillin..."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"I...."
"Yeah? Is something wrong?"
"He....he's dead."
Goku cringed at the unnatural silence on the other end of the line. He felt his throat contract, and found it hard to breathe.
"What did you say?"
"He...he died. He was too weak. He didn't make it...." Though he had tried to stay constant, his voice quivered and broke.
Krillin felt his insides churn. What was he supposed to do now?
"Oh...Goku, I'm so, so sorry, I didn't know....I...."
At his words, the room stopped it's boisterous jests and listened intently.
"What happened, Krillin?" Bulma finally asked.
Krillin turned to look at everyone, yet motioned that they remain quiet.
"You didn't know, Krillin...." Goku replied softly.
"How is Chichi doing? Is she taking it okay?"
"She.....She's in bad shape, I don't know if she's 'gonna make it either."
Krillin's eyes widened, and his mouth parted half way in disbelief. "Oh, Kami, Goku.... What do you mean? She's all right isn't she?"
At his words, the company at the Kame house all looked at each other apprehensively, piecing together that Chichi's birthing hadn't gone well. Bulma inched closer to the receiver, Launch sat down by the stand, and Roshi lingered at the other end of the room, listening carefully.
"I'm sorry I hadn't called before, but when she got pregn'nt they gave her just a 'lil chance of survivin' if we kept the baby. But we decided that's what we should do, even though they said he wasn't 'gonna be normal, and that he prob'ly wouldn't make it, either. But she was up and doin' pretty well, but when he died, she just......"
Goku stopped, but Krillin understood his insinuation.
"Goku, if there's anything we can do, we'd be more than willin' to help you..."
"I know, and thanks, Kril. I was just wonderin' if ya'll might come to the....fun'ral... Since he 'aint 'gonna have just a whole 'lotta folks there, and I wanted him to. Maybe it's weird, but I just wanted there to be, 'ya know?" He drawled, and Krillin heard his voice search for understanding.
"I know, it's not weird at all, it's really admirable. We'll be down as soon as we can. What hospital are you guys at?"
"South City Medical."
"Okay, we'll come tonight or tomorrow, as soon as we can all get arrangements made. You won't be having the funeral before then, will you?"
At the sound of the word 'funeral', Bulma covered her mouth and Launch's eyes dilated. Roshi shook a little, but otherwise remained motionless.
"No, it'll be the day after tomorrow, if Chichi's feelin' up to it. If not, it may be longer."
"Buddy, I'm really, really sorry." Krillin consoled as best he could, though no words he could say would be able to describe the depth of his sympathy.
"Yeah..."
"If I could change places with you, I would. We all would."
"I...know...."
Krillin felt a tug on his shirt, he glanced down to see Bulma, restlessness filled her wild eyes, but a sense of remorse hung over her movement and expression.
"Tell Son-kun that I love him..."
"Ditto." Launch echoed Bulma's sentiment roughly.
"The girls want you to know they love you, Goku." Krillin soothed, "And if I could get away with it without being labeled, I'd say the same thing."
Despite himself, Goku's smiled sadly, "Thanks, Krillin, and thank the girls for me, too, and give my best to Master Roshi."
***
Krillin hesitantly laid the receiver down on it's cradle, and turned to the eager room.
"What happened, Krillin, who's funeral is it?" Bulma interrogated breathlessly.
"Their baby died, you guys, he called to ask us to the funeral."
"Oh no..." Bulma laid her face against her hand, and covered her mouth with the other.
"And Chichi?" Launch asked hastily.
"She's not doing well, either. Once this storm passes, we're heading for South City Medical, unless anyone else has plans."
"If anyone does, they'll cancel." Roshi stood to his feet, "We all need to be there for Goku now. He's saved our hides a million times, so we might as well be there for his."
***
Goku sat with his head in his hands. Everything was going wrong, he didn't understand how it all happened so fast. It was as if he blinked and the world caved in. He found it ironic that he had saved the physical world, but nothing of his might could save his own.
"Goku?"
Goku jumped a little at the voice in front of him. He hadn't sensed anyone coming, and he was caught totally unaware. His blurred vision focused on the figure in front if him.
It was a little girl, no more than seven years old and extremely small for her age. Her long, blue hair tumbled down her back raggedly, and her eyes searched his silently. They were large, beautiful eyes, such as many children never acquire until adulthood, the color of blazing sapphire, framed by thick, dark lashes. She wore a white cotton gown that hung passed her knees, accentuating her shape which was curvy but underdeveloped. She chewed on the fingers of her right hand skittishly, while the fingers of her left occupied the paw of a stuffed bear.
Goku recognized her immediately, and quickly knuckled his eyes and pulled his composure.
"Hey Keiko..." He tried to make his tone sound normal, but failed miserably.
Keiko was one of the many children at the hospital he had evolved a friendship with over the months. Whenever Chichi's situation required their stay, he often found himself visiting the children's wing of the hospital to talk and play with the terminally ill and cancer stricken children to pass the time. There were many occasions when Chichi followed along when she was able, and the children had grown to love her, too. Though in their book, no one was quite as wonderful as Goku was. All of the children adored him, bending over backwards to catch his eye.
The little boys all knew him as the World Martial Arts Champion, so they felt as if a celebrity was in the very midst, and acted up twice as much to deem his attention. They all begged him for sparring matches time and time again, so they could see how they fared against 'The Master'. At first Chichi was skeptical about his wrestling with the kids, since she knew Goku wasn't exactly easy, but she was soon amazed at how gentle he was with all of them. Despite that he was the Martial Arts Champion of the World and a tactical genius with electrifying power at his fingertips, he had lost every match he had ever fought in when at the Children's Hospital. He didn't mind losing to them, especially when he got to see their expressions afterwards, as if the thought that he had let them obtain the victory never crossed their minds.
The girls all loved him as well, though most of them usually stayed with Chichi and played with her hair, or listened to anything she had to say. She was a calming figure when she was around, which, sadly, wasn't often enough for their taste.
Though of all the children that Goku had met and loved, the one that he termed his 'pet' was the slight-built, blue-haired Keiko. She was shy and withdrawn most times, and he felt it his mission to bring her out of the shell she retreated to, which had been evaporating more and more every time he visited.
The first time they had met he was wrestling with the boys, as usual. She was off in a corner by herself, a sad look plastered on her face. Goku had dismissed the Royale he had created and let the boys fight amongst themselves. He walked over to where she was, and started talking to her. She blushed, but seemed extremely honored that he had turned his attention on her. Her shock was magnified when he set her in his lap and actually combed her hair. She had never met a man who took the time to notice her so extravagantly, so she didn't really know what to make of it, except that she liked all of the attention on her for a change.
***
"Why do you do that?" She asked in singsong falsetto.
"Do what?"
"My hair...brush it, why?"
"My wife makes me brush hers, so I'm used to it by now." He laughed and ruffled the loose strands on her scalp.
"Where is she?"
"Here in the hospital."
"Is she sick?"
"'Kinda, we're 'gonna have a baby in a few months, so she 'aint feelin' too well."
"Is it a girl?"
"We 'dunno just yet, they haven't told us."
"Do you want it to be?"
He smiled thoughtfully, "It don't matter too much to me, either would be great....but havin' a 'lil girl could be nice, I think. But I'll be just as happy if it's a 'lil boy."
"Why would havin' a girl be nice?"
"'Cause I could brush her hair every night like this." He laughed and ran his fingers through her hair.
"What about your wife?"
"Don't worry, I'll still brush her hair, too."
"That's weird."
"What's weird?"
"I've never knew a man who liked 't brush hair."
He laughed again, "Well, it 'aint so bad, but I'll quit if you don't like it."
"No, don't." She protested, "You may be a weirdo, but I like it."
***
"Why were you crying?" Her small voice inquired, straight and simple.
He was a little startled she had known, he thought he had composed himself enough so that she wouldn't notice. He sat silent for a moment, looking at her.
"I don't like it when you cry, it makes me sad."
"Keiko," He began, a little bit of bewilderment in his voice, "You've never seen me cry before this, so how could it make you sad?"
"You cry inside." She answered plainly. "I see it when you come over lately. You don't have tears, but it's the same. It makes me sad."
Goku bit his lip and stared at the floor. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel sad."
"Why are you sad? You used 't not be."
He continued staring at the floor. He could feel the venom of the moisture biting at his eyes, and though he tried to resist, they filled.
"Keiko, it's... It's 'kinda hard to explain, 'an I don't know if you'd understand..." His voice crescendoed silently, and he looked up. His heart wracked when he saw her crystal eyes shimmering, too.
"Don't cry, Keiko, please..."
"But your sad...."
Goku straightened his seating in the chair and held his arms out to her. "Come here, Sweetie..."
She approached him slowly, and allowed him to hoist her onto his lap. She adjusted herself comfortably, and looked at him with absorption.
"Is Miss Chichi sick?" She asked heavily.
Goku nodded, "Yeah 'hon, she's real sick."
"Is she 'gonna die?"
He felt like throwing up, but remained firm. "I... I dunno, we've 'gotta pray that she won't."
"Did she have a 'lil girl?"
"No," he added quietly, "She had a'lil boy, but..... he had to sleep."
"Is he 'gonna be awake soon? I'd like to see him when he's awake."
"No, Keiko, he's not 'gonna be 'gittin up...."
"Is that why your sad?"
"Yeah."
She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled close to him in a sincere hug. He thought he could feel her shake, but he wasn't sure if it was his fault in the sensation.
"Goku?" She whispered lowly.
"Yeah?"
"'Ya know how you said once you might 'wanna have a 'lil girl? Well, I could be yours, and you could brush my hair whenever you wanted to."
She buried her face in his neck and added,
"I...If you wanted, I could be your kid...."
Goku kissed her lightly on the head,
"That's okay, Keiko, you already are."
***
Mira clomped down the hall in a frenzy. She had been looking for Goku nearly an hour, and she couldn't find any trace of him. And she had combed over his usual haunts several times.
"Come on, Goku Son, where are you?!"
She peeled out of the elevator to check some more of the waiting rooms on the upper story. She had hoped against hope he hadn't left the hospital, but she couldn't imagine him leaving while Chichi was in such an unpredictable state.
"Where ARE you?! Mayo's going to be back soon, and we'll miss our chance if he gets back before I find you!!"
Mira was about to step back on the elevator when she caught a glimpse of him through one of the adjoining doors. He was sitting in a chair by the telephone, with a little girl in his lap, but who she was Mira didn't look twice to discern.
"Goku Son! There you are!!" She exclaimed as she bounced through the clear, Plexiglas door. "I've been looking all over for you!"
Goku stood to his feet quickly, nearly forgetting to place Keiko on the floor.
"What's wrong, Mira?"
"There's no time for talk, we've 'gotta get you to see your wife immediately! She's doing much better and with some treatments she could be okay! But she's refusing all of our help, and I need you to talk to her, but if they catch you we're both in very real trouble!" She spouted out all in one breath. Goku's eyes widened.
"You mean she could be okay?"
"YES! But your the one who's 'gotta talk to her, because she won't listen to anyone else."
Goku turned to Keiko, who was listening with absorption. "Hey Keiko, don't say a word, okay, kiddo?"
She smiled, "'Kay."
***
The heavy door creaked as Goku entered. Nothing stirred in the darkness, except for the faint lull of the machinery Chichi was hooked up to. He walked over to the bed and sat down. He knew she was awake because of her impossible positioning, not even he could sleep in such an uncomfortable state.
"Chichi, I know your awake, 'hon."
No response.
"Please say something, Chichi, I don't care what it is."
She moved slightly but didn't stir.
"Mira come and got me, she said we'd get in trouble if they found out I was in here, so I can't stay real long, so please just talk."
"There's nothing to talk about." She rasped laboriously. Goku was taken off guard as he didn't expect her to answer so soon.
"Yeah there is. Mira said that you were 'gonna get better, but you wouldn't let 'em help you to. Why don't you 'wanna get better?" He asked innocently, trying to touch her. She felt cool and clammy, but he made his hand stay though he wished to pull it away.
"I just don't."
"But if you don't get better, we'll have to stay here, an-"
"And I'll die, so what? What would be the loss there, huh? Isn't that why you had me carry him full-term, so I could die? You knew it would kill me to let him go, but you insisted on giving me hope anyhow. You lied to me, Goku, you lied, and I honestly don't care if I never see you again. It's not like you wanted me in the first place...." Her words broke into sobs, though her body didn't move with the exception of her choking.
Goku stared at her, disbelief crossing his features. His breath tangled around his tonsils, and his insides liquefied.
"What do you mean I wanted you to die?! I....I never wanted that, Chichi.....Ever." He stammered.
"YOU DID, GOKU! You can't stand me, you never have.... You stayed out of pity, that's what our entire relationship has been built around! You made the promise to me out of pity, and you thought you'd never have to come through on it! And then when I showed up, you didn't even remember who I was!! You couldn't even stand for me to touch you, much less be married to you! But your so blasted honorable that you HAD to come through on your promise, lest your stupid honor code be defiled!! And now that you have a chance to be free, to get on with your life and have no ties, I'm not going to stand in your way! I'll let you have your freedom, the freedom you've wanted so bad since the day we were married!! And I'm sorry for not being what you had hoped, because I see the disappointment in your eyes even now. I've ALWAYS been a disappointment, I couldn't even make a kid without killing it! So go ahead and get on with your life I've stalled!! AND JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"
Goku was completely rigid. He couldn't even classify a word for what he felt, and no word would have been able to describe his thoughts, no matter how flamboyant the definition.
"Chichi....."
"I said to leave me alone, what part of that don't you understand?"
"Why?" He voiced in his escaping breath. It was so sincere Chichi's insides knotted. She suddenly felt as if maybe, just maybe her assumption was wrong.
"Why what?" She asked, her tone a bit softer, though most definitely harsh.
"Why could you even think that? How could you...even...." He trailed off.
"Be-Because it's true..." She said unconvincingly.
"Isn't it, Goku?"
"Maybe I didn't remember you right offhand, Chichi, but it wasn't because I forgot you, it's just that when you showed up, I couldn't believe that you were you. I remembered you as a just a 'lil girl, I didn't actually think you'd grown..."
"How can our entire relationship be built on something you swore when we were twelve years old, that then you didn't even know by definition? If you knew then what 'marriage' was you would have never agreed..." Tears cascaded down her face.
"I would've, Chichi...." He touched her finger softly.
"Don't do this." She rasped, her throat clogging her oxygen intake, "Don't make this any harder..."
"How could you think that I wanted to be free? I am free, but I choose to come back."
"And for what?Your stupid...honor...code..." She sobbed sarcastically.
"No, I come back for you."
"Stop it. Stop it right now, I can't take it, I-"
"I 'aint stoppin'." He stated authoritatively, grabbed her arms and forced himself over her so she couldn't avert her eyes from his. "Not until you know the truth."
She gasped, tears running into her mouth, "Truth?" Her voice quaked.
"Truth is, Chichi, I was scared when we got married. I was scared!!" His voice rang eerily. Goku confessing personal apprehension was as alarming as an angel confessing a sin.
"I was scared for the first time ever! I didn't know what you were about! You scared me, Chichi! You showed up and I had to jump headfirst into somethin' I didn't know anything about!! You were all hugged up on me and I was nervous, 'cause no girl had ever touched me that way before, and I didn't know what to do! I thought that life was 'gonna be like in battle, when I tried a technique I'd never used before, but was able to do it first try! But then you come along, and your loud and unpredict'ble, and next thing I know I'm sayin' some vows an' I don't even know you!!" His voice rang something eager, and Chichi felt her heart drop. She was right about his feelings for her, and to finally hear that her assumptions were right should have filled her with a sort of satisfaction...
But how she wished she were wrong.
"But then I got to know you, and you weren't loud anymore..... just concerned, and you weren't unpredict'ble..... just free. An' I come to know you, not for the 'lil girl I met six years ago, but for the 'lil girl you are now."
Chichi's eyes watered. He called her "'Lil Girl", which had been his pet name for her early on. She wanted to talk, but he pressed on. Besides, her vocal chords were far too tangled, anyway.
"An' if I had known then, what I know now, I wouldn't have even thought over it twice before I said 'Yes'. 'An do you have any idea why, Chichi Son?" He asked with an odd curl to his lips.
She shook her head.
"'Cause I love you."
Her heart stopped mid-palpitation, but her overwhelming skepticism tried to interfere.
"Goku, don't s-"
"I know, you said don't say it if you don't mean it the day we found out you were pregn'nt. I thought about that a whole lot, 'cause I didn't know what you meant. I thought you knew I didn't lie, but I guess you didn't. I thought about it and I asked myself what it was that made someone get loved? And when I thought about it...."
She pricked her ears, and a faint smile lit his eyes.
"It was just you."
"Goku....I...." Her eyes filled and spilled in an instant.
"Just in case you didn't know before, I 'reckon you know now. So please don't do this, Chichi. If you've ever felt anythin' about me, then you won't. I won't ask anythin' from you again if you just wo-mmph!"
He couldn't finish his sentence before she had regained strength enough to yank him down and kiss him. When she released, she fell sobbing into his arms. He felt awkward, there went those mood swings again.
"You know I don't deserve you..." She grunted between hiccups.
"Yeah you do, you just don't know it." He soothed, "Maybe if I had told you more you wouldn't have doubted it in the first place."
"Don't..." She started, but was unable to finish.
Silence reigned momentarily, Goku rubbed her back compassionately while she cried.
"So where do we go from here?" He asked.
"It'll be hard...." She whispered.
"But I think we can do it." He voiced reassuringly. Since being reunited with her, he felt his marital defensiveness kicking in, and was now twice as assured as he was when he first entered the room. Though the pain didn't levitate much, it felt bearable now.
"Now that we're together again."
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A/N: Hey! Sorry for the abrupt ending, but this is longer than the normal chapter *page wise, it's probably about even, but since there was so much dialogue, it just made it longer.*
Anyhow, please review if you would. I'd appreciate it much! The next chapter will probably be coming sooner than this one, but no promises! Oh yeah, to those Yu Yu Hakusho fans, Keiko *ISN'T* named after the Keiko in that series. Keiko is, in fact, an extremely popular Japanese name that I have taken an extreme liking to. I'm already naming two of my kids Japanese names, and Keiko may well be the third! Lol, that is if choose to have that many! Anyhow, thanks for everything ya'll! Much love! God be with you!
¤BONUS!!¤
In the last chapter I mentioned that Goku was *drools* wearing tapered leg jeans and a football jersey. When my sister proofread it for me, I asked her what color she thought the football jersey was. She said a certain color, which was not the color I had envisioned it to be. However, she said that she was nearly certain 80% of my reviewers would agree with her on the color, and that no one would agree on mine. This may be stupid, but she requested that I ask you guys to post your guess in the review. The next chapter I'll let ya'll know, but ya'll don't have to take part in this if ya'll don't wanna. But I thought it could be fun for those who like to interact. Thankies!