Lost Sight
Part 4
By: Dark_T-K
"What?" Bulma shouted. "You can't be serious! Goku can't get cancer!" Bulma screamed out. The doctor sat Bulma down into a nearby chair. The doctor rubbed Bulma's back in sympathy.
"As much as I know about Mr. Son, I know this is hard to take. Goku has had this cancer for quite some time. In fact, he's had it for about two years now." The doctor said as he sat down next to Bulma.
"How come no one knew? If he had it for so long, how come know one discovered it?" Bulma asked as tear slid down her cheek. The doctor sighed.
"It was not very noticeable at the start. It's only gotten worse since Goku's depression started. The tumor in his head is so badly damaged it hasn't really been able to take affect. He's lucky he's alive now." The doctor said.
"Can he survive?" Bulma asked hesitantly. The doctor sighed and took a moment to think.
"If he gets out of his depression and starts eating properly than yes. We can operate on him soon after he wakes, but he must pull out of the depression, or the cancer will take his life." Bulma looked away.
"He isn't going to respond well. He's been in depression for a few weeks at least. Who knows what he'll do." Bulma said as she stood up.
"Bulma he can pull through. First he must fix what things have been broken inside. Once the tumor is removed, it will be easier. But he must make the decision Bulma." Bulma nodded and headed for the waiting room.
Bulma entered the waiting room to be greeted by the entire Z-gang and family. Gohan held his mother while she cried. Trunks held Goten while he shook with pain, Vegeta stood by the window in total misery.
"Hi guys. I have some good and some bad news about Goku." The entire room instantly perked up to hear.
"Tell us now onna. What's with Kakarott?" Vegeta said contritely. Bulma smiled at Vegeta and stood in the middle of the group.
"Good news first. Goku will be awake in ten minutes so everyone can go see him soon." The room sighed in relief. "The bad news is, Goku…" Bulma began to cry softly. Vegeta wrapped her up into his arms and gently rubbed her back.
"What is it Bulma? What's wrong with Goku?" ChiChi asked holding back tears. The gang had guessed Goku had something bad. Bulma never cried unless it was something really bad. Bulma took a deep breath and pushed Vegeta away.
"Goku…he has cancer." The group fell silent. ChiChi broke the silence by burying her head into Gohan's chest and crying hard. Goten did the same but stifled his mournful sobs. Gohan laid his head down on to his mother and shed a few tears. The Z-Fighters stood stunned apon hearing the news. Vegeta pulled Bulma close again and supported her while she cried.
"Will he make it Bulma? Is he too far in to survive?" Gohan asked hesitantly. Bulma took another breath.
"No Gohan. He can but only if he chooses to. Doctors say Goku's operation will occur in a few days. They're removing Goku's tumor, which is causing his deep depression. It surprising that Goku hasn't died yet. Doctors said Goku has had the cancer for about two years now. With all the damage to the tumor, he's been able to live longer." Gohan and Goten both looked at each other.
"So all this time, my father has been in depression because of cancer?" Bulma nodded. The group sighed again in relief.
"Ms. Briefs?" A nurse called. Bulma turned around. "Mr. Son is awake now. Only his wife and you are allowed in at the moment." The nurse turned around and walked away.
"Let's go see him. It might make him feel better if we all go." The Son family nodded. "Vegeta and Trunks. You two please. It will make things easier for all of us if you both came." The two saiyans nodded and followed the small group behind the doors.
The group entered Goku's room to find the saiyan tugging lightly at his I.V. tubes and whimpering.
"Hey Goku!" Goku jumped slightly. The small group surrounded his bed.
"Who else is in the room Bulma? I know you didn't come alone." Goku said softly. Bulma nodded her head.
"Well there's ChiChi, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, Vegeta, and I. Your friends are all in the waiting room." Goku sighed and relaxed a bit. "How are you feeling?"
"Like a ton of bricks fell on me. I can't see anything still, and I feel worse than before." Bulma giggled slightly at Goku's sarcastic remark.
"Goku I have some good news for you. I'm sure you'll want to hear it from me then the needle wielding doctors." Goku's expression was priceless.
"Needle wielding?! Is that what they bring in here?!" Goku screamed. Goku's family face faulted as the Briefs could only sweat drop.
"What did you expect them to bring in here Bakarott? A giant lolly pop?" Vegeta asked sarcastically. Goku pouted.
"Well that was one of the things that came to mind. But anyway, what news do you have for me?" Vegeta face faulted.
"Well you are going to get better, but you need surgery Goku. Right now you have brain cancer. The doctors can remove it and save your life but it all depends on you. All the pain, all the depression, it can all end with the surgery. What do you say Goku?" Bulma asked hopeful. Goku laid back and thought for a moment.
"Will I see again?" He asked. He heard Bulma sigh sadly. "I see. I'll live but without my sight." Goku slumped further into his bed.
"It's better to live without sight, then to die and have your sight back Goku." ChiChi said sadly. Goku sighed again. "Goku if it makes you feel better, we'll go to New Namek and wish for your sight back. As long as you do this one little thing Goku, I promise the gang and everyone else will do their best to return your sight." Goku sat up. He reached out to ChiChi who took his hand. He pulled her onto his bed and held her close.
"I'd do anything to see what you'd look like right now. If you can fix my sight then that will make me happy for all eternity. If this surgery is one step towards getting my sight back, then I'll do it." ChiChi and Goku hugged tighter as Gohan and Goten jumped on to the bed to hug their father as well.
"Kakarott!" Goku turned his head to the direction of Vegeta's voice. "Once you are healed, I will escort you to namek to wish for your sight." The group grew quite.
"Thank you Vegeta. That means a lot to me." Vegeta and Trunks both left the room as the Son family made up with their father. All too soon the Son family had to leave as Goku was drugged to go back into a restful slumber.
Days later, Goku was strong enough to go into surgery. Just as planned, Goku's tumor was removed under the watchful eye of Bulma. Bulma made sure Goku had the best treatment, especially when he awoke.
"Hey guys! Good news!" Bulma said happily as she took off her doctor garments and untied her hair. Gohan and ChiChi jumped up quickly as Goten beat them to run up to Bulma.
"Spill, spill!" Goten shouted anxiously. Bulma smiled happy and pushed Goten aside and walked into the middle of the group.
"Alright everyone listen up!" Bulma called out to gain all of the group's attention. Once the group was silent she began. "Goku has finished his surgery. His tumor has been removed successfully. He'll be awake in no time at all." The group shouted and cheered happily at the good news of their best friend.
"I'm so relieved! I thought Goku might leave us again!" ChiChi said as she cried happily into Gohan's arms. Gohan hugged his mother tightly.
"Yeah. Me too. For a moment he had me worried…" Gohan trailed off. Then he remembered something, which made him tense up very badly and suddenly become very quiet. ChiChi noticed Gohan's sudden mood swing and looked up at him.
"Gohan what's wrong?" ChiChi asked. He looked down and put on an indescribable mask.
"Nothing mom. Just thinking how it would have been if we lost dad." ChiChi smiled and went over to talk with the others. Gohan sighed as he watched the group. Piccolo somehow managed to sneak up to Gohan with out being noticed.
"How long do you plan on hiding the truth from them?" Piccolo asked. Gohan lowered his head.
"I didn't plan on telling them at all. I was going to say sorry to dad then head out on my own again. Try not to hurt him..." Gohan said as he sighed.
"Goku doesn't want that Gohan. He wants love and respect from you. He understood, he was the only one to understand. Even when you had raped him he still wanted to help." Piccolo said putting a hand onto Gohan's shoulder. Gohan's shoulders sank as he drew in a deep sigh.
"It's not that. It's what I said, and did before I was sent to the institute. I really broke him Piccolo. His feelings were completely shattered. I feel like such a heel…" Piccolo turned Gohan around.
"Talk to him. Fix things between the two of you. If worse comes to worse, he'll get sick again from depression and die." Gohan tensed once again.
"I'll talk to him but…" He just couldn't finish.
"You'll talk to him and fix things up between you two!" Vegeta hissed as he finished his sentence. Gohan starred at Vegeta.
"I can't…he'd never forgive me." Gohan said then looking away. Vegeta growled as Piccolo held him back.
"Gohan." Gohan turned to Piccolo. "It is better to apologize to him now, then to wait for things to worsen. You may not have another chance." Gohan sighed miserably.
"What if…what if he doesn't…" Gohan paused. He couldn't think about it. Vegeta stepped in front of Gohan.
"What if he doesn't accept your apology?" Vegeta asked. Gohan nodded. "He will. Kakarott has never been known not to let anyone not have another chance."
"But he already gave me chances, and I blew them." Vegeta snorts and turns around.
"You should have more faith in your father boy. He gives everyone more chances then they deserve. Even people who don't deserve them." Gohan looked up shocked to discover Vegeta smirking proudly at him.
"You will never know Gohan unless you try. If Goku doesn't accept, you can always try again or give up knowing that you tried." Piccolo said placing a hand on Gohan's shoulder.
"I guess you're right. But…" Vegeta pushed Gohan over to the door. Vegeta stopped then backed away.
"Just go in there already! He's not getting any younger!" Vegeta then stomped off. Gohan sighed then entered the room. Goku was still fidgeting with his needled arm. Gohan had to smirk. Even with a disability, his dad had always known when a needled was inserted into him.
"I know its you Gohan. You don't have to hide in the shadows for me not to know." Goku said flatly as he continued to work at the needle. Gohan sighed and stepped closer.
"Hey…d-dad…" Gohan said hesitantly. Goku stopped what he was doing immediately and looked over to him. "I thought maybe…um…I could…" Gohan couldn't get the words out right. He noticed his father began to tremble, as if he already predicted something horrible to come.
"I don't mean to upset you Gohan, I really don't. To know that you think I'm weak…and that you have no faith in me…it just…" Goku paused to wipe the tears that formed in his eyes. "It just kills me. You don't know how hard it is for me…" Goku said trying desperately to hold in his tears. Gohan walked to Goku's bedside.
"I know how hard it was, because I too was a father. True, I don't have your problems, but that doesn't mean that I don't know." Gohan said as he placed a hand on his father's shoulder. Goku turned his head away in shame. "Dad…"
"I work so hard to make all of you proud of me. I especially wanted my two sons to look at me with respect. But all I did was blown it every chance I got. I even hurt the one son, to who I owe my life to…" Goku sighed miserably.
"Dad you owe me nothing. I am the one who has done the misdeed. I am the failure not you!" Gohan cried out. Gohan latched himself onto Goku's chest and sobbed. "You don't know what I went through dad! Every time I woke up, I remembered the pain I caused you. The one man, who loved me and raised me, I hurt you in ways that were unspeakable. You have done nothing wrong!" Gohan sobbed. Goku clutched his son and hugged him.
"I let you down. You were right the day I came to visit you. I never break a promise. I broke one, the one I made to you. I let you down…" Goku said as he squeezed Gohan harder. "I should be the sorry one."
"No you shouldn't! You had a lot to deal with. I shouldn't have pressured you. Goten's graduation, your blindness, Pan missing. I should have known it was too much." Goku froze on the spot.
"Gohan I know. But that is no reason to hurt those whom I love." Gohan sat up. He took his father's hand and held it.
"No it is. None of this was your fault. It was mine. I came to you in anger and beat you senseless. Then I violated you! You have no reason to blame yourself. You are a great father and loving husband! Dad! The reason I came here was to get you to forgive me for all I have done! I didn't want to hurt you more!" Gohan said as tears began to fall from his eyes once more.
"Gohan?" Gohan hesitated. "I told you before, I forgave you…" Gohan sobs silenced Goku.
"After Videl died from Cancer, I thought my life would come to an end. Pan couldn't stand the pain so she ran away. I couldn't stand it all. I lost everything…" Goku pulled Gohan close again. "I almost lost the most important figure in my life…" Goku smiled as he rocked slightly.
"I forgive you for all that has happened. I give you my sympathy for loosing the closest people in your life. I sympathize all the pain you have felt. And that I ask you forgive me as well…" Gohan slowed his mournful sobs down.
"What can I forgive you for? You have done nothing wrong." Gohan asked as he sat up once more. Goku smiled slightly.
"Forgive me, I should have noticed the pain you went through. I should have been there to comfort you in your time of need. I should have been holding you while you cried out your pain. And most of all, I should have been more of a father…" Gohan and Goku embraced and hugged.
"Let's just forget about it, it's in the past now." Gohan said cheerfully as tears rolled down his cheek. Goku nodded.
"First step, GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Goku said in total panic. Gohan and Goku broke out laughing.
~ A Month Later ~
(Goku's POV)
We have lived happily ever since Gohan and I broke down in the hospital room. Both of us saw counseling for depression and helped one another through tough times. Gohan still hits his moments of loneliness, and I too hit them.
I remember what Vegeta said though. It was a terrifying experience. I still remember all the scary times of being blind. Even though I recovered thanks to Vegeta. He challenged me to a bit a one on one easy training. He hit me in the head again, and corrected my vision. Ever since Gohan and I have been closer. I never thought this could happen, but then again I was always naïve.
Vegeta and I have also become very close. He tells me of his old life during his servitude to Frieza, knowing his parents, and growing up on our home planet. I love the part where he tells me that our planet is the color of blood. The color saiyans love to see more than anything else. I guess that's why saiyans are a brutal race, we were born on a blood red planet.
Vegeta also told me of my parents. I don't remember any of them, it kind of upsets me that I don't, but Vegeta said I didn't miss anything. Even if I knew my dad, I still wouldn't see him much.
Now a days I go out with Goten and Gohan and fish and have a fun time. Goten's graduation is in a few days and I'm so proud of him. I'm proud of both my boys, and in a way, ChiChi was right. School is important. It made my boys show their potential in the earthling way instead of strength. ChiChi is always right then again. You don't have to be smart to fight, but you do have to, to make it far in this world. I've learned that now and I support my boys in whatever they choose. But that doesn't stop me from telling them to train now and again now does it?
The End