The Threads of Destiny

Chapter 4- Unexpected Visitors

By me (aka SaiyanLover)

Videl woke at 6:30, just like she had every morning for the past eight years of her life. Like clockwork, no matter what time she went to bed the night before, she would always wake up at that time.

Her eyes opened on their own, and the first rays of sunlight made her blink out of reflex. Her brain, however, was not as awake as the rest of her. Despite the odd way she woke every morning, Videl was not a morning person. It was impossible for her to think before she had a shower.

For Videl, taking a shower was like drinking coffee. It woke her up and gave her energy. Today was no different. As she rubbed shampoo into her hair, she remembered what her plans for the day were.

//Shopping...Gohan//

Either of those two words would have been enough to wake her up. But when they came together she felt even more awake.

She smirked, already beginning to scheme. The more she thought about it, though, the more nervous she became. She swallowed forcefully and chided herself silently.

//Videl, this is GOHAN. Your best friend, your fiance. You love him and he loves you. You have no reason to be nervous.//

The felling eventually subsided, leaving only a giddy anxiety.

While getting dressed, Videl's eyes automatically wandered to the wall that her balcony occupied. Over the past few years, she had filled it with framed pictures. A few were of her and her father, or Erasa and Sharpner. Most of them, however, were of her new "family."

She smiled, looking and seeing the personalities she had come to know so well shine through their faces. Every space of the wall was covered in pictures. It was like a huge collage of Videl's life.

Only one picture of Videl with her mother was on the wall. It had been taken when Videl was a mere five years old, before her mother had died in a plane crash.

Next to it was a picture of Videl with her father. It had been taken two years ago. Two or three of the pictures showed Erasa and Sharpner back in middle school and in high school.

The rest were of Videl with Gohan or other members of the Son family. Some were of the Briefs' or Krillin's family.

One of her favorite pictures was of Goku, Gohan, and Goten. They were all super saiyan and were smiling as if their lives depended on it.

Another of her favorites was of Vegeta. She had caught him laughing, and the moment was too precious not to frames.

Her favorite picture by far was the one of Gohan she had taken when he didn't know she was there. He was sitting on a small ledge, the sun setting in front of him. She had taken it from an angle so you see his face, but not the sun, so it seemed as if he radiated of oranges and reds. His face, so peaceful and happy, never failed to melt her heart.

But then her eyes would travel to the next picture...

Saiyaman.

Shaking her head, she smiled at Gohan's reliable, yet somehow unpredictable, personality.

A sudden rap on the balcony window, covered by curtains, made her jump several feet into the air.

Collecting herself, she realized it must be Gohan, and rolled her eyes.

//Doesn't he know how to use the front door?//

She walked over and opened the door, but the person standing there was most definitely NOT Gohan.



"PICCOLO??" the Namek graced Videl with a small smile.

"Last time I checked." He replied in his deep voice. Videl blinked several times, still in a slight state of shock. Piccolo cleared his throat, and she came to her senses. She blushed, embarrassed at being so caught off guard.

"Sorry. I was expecting Gohan and..."

"I'm not him." She smiled.

"Do you want to come in?" He shook his head and looked up to the sky.

"No thanks. Gohan will probably be here in a few minutes." She raised her eyebrows, slightly mystified by his appearance.

"So, why did you come?" He turned back to look in her eyes. Although he had always intimidated her, she gazed back steadily.

"I just wanted to warn you." Videl made a face and felt a vague sense of unease wash over her. "You know about the saiyans' tails and the full moon, don't you?" Not seeing where he was going, she nodded.

"Yeah..." Piccolo's gaze left hers.

"Well, I'm not sure, but I have a suspicion that the full moon may affect them in...other ways." A purple blush came to the Namek's cheeks. Videl frowned.

"So why are you telling ME? Shouldn't you tell them?" Piccolo began to look uncomfortable.

"Well, because you need to be...prepared. And I'm not even sure that I'm right. Maybe it only affects pure saiyans, or maybe just half saiyans." Finally catching on to what he meant, Videl blushed, too.

"So, you're saying I should be careful during the full moon not to get Gohan too..."

"Yes, that's what I mean." Piccolo interrupted hurriedly before he had to be embarrassed even more. He jerked his head around. "He's coming."

Videl's eyes went up to where Piccolo was gazing. She could barely make out a small speck in the distance. Unconsciously, her mouth turned up slightly.

"Well, I'll keep that in mind, Piccolo." She turned and blinked several times. "Piccolo?" Not really expecting an answer, she rolled her eyes.

She was still standing on the balcony when Gohan landed on the balcony beside her. She was staring off into space, looking concerned.

Puzzled, he moved his face directly in front of hers. She seemed to look right through him.

"uh...Videl?" She blinked, clearing the fog from her eyes.

"ACK!!!! Gohan!" He backed up.

"Sorry, Videl! I didn't mean to scare you. You looked zoned out. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking."

//I probably should tell him...but not now.//

She smiled and did a goofy little dance.

"Ready to shop till you drop?" Gohan sweatdropped.

"Sure, Videl. Whatever you say." She ran into her room, grabbed her shoes and bag, and ran out onto the balcony and locked the door. She turned to Gohan and smiled.

"Ready!" Gohan smiled, amused at her enthusiasm.

"By the way, good morning." Before she could reply, Gohan softly pressed his lips against hers.

After a moment, he pulled away. There was a slight flush on Videl's cheeks.

"Good morning to you too, lover boy."



"What d'ya think?" Gohan turned around in the department store chair. They had already accumulated a large pile of bags, and Videl was in the process of trying on quite a few dresses.

The one she had on now was long, and the very bottom swirled out when she spun around. It was a dark red material that spilled over her shoulders and neckline. Gohan smiled.

"It's gorgeous." She stopped twirling and struck a pose-one hand on her hip.

"You've said that about all of them."

"Well they all look gorgeous on you." She smiled and twirled around a few more times before walking over and placing a kiss on his forehead, causing his face to heat.

She turned around and walked back into the dressing room, feeling Gohan's eyes follow her. She smirked.

Gohan sat patiently waiting. Humming softly to himself, he leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

A minute later, he heard someone emerge from the dressing room. He opened his eyes, thinking it was Videl.

At first glance, it wasn't her, but when he looked back, his mouth fell open when he realized.

//that's...Videl//

She had on what can barely be called a dress. It was silver, and was shorter that the dresses Bulma wore. It had spaghetti straps, and even on someone as petite as Videl, it went down tantalizingly low. It was skintight, hiding nothing.

Gohan realized his mouth was still open, and he shut it. Although he couldn't help but continue to stare.

Videl smirked and turned around, revealing that it left her back uncovered.

"So, what do you think of this one?" She asked. Gohan nodded and swallowed.

"It..." his voice squeaked, "I..." She walked over to him and surprised him by giving him a soft kiss. He started to kiss harder, but she pulled away and stood up.

"I'll take that as a yes." She walked back into the dressing room, leaving Gohan shocked and embarrassed. He shut his eyes again and took several deep breaths.

//She did that on purpose! I haven't ever seen her wear something like...that.//

An amused laugh came to his ear. He snapped his eyes open and turned. An older woman, hair half gray half blond, with laughing eyes and a grin was standing a few feet away.

She met Gohan's confused gaze and she smiled wider and walked towards him.

"Girlfriend?" she asked, still smiling. It was Gohan's turn to smile as he shook his head.

"Fiance." The woman nodded.

"I take it that dress was a bit of a shock?" Gohan blushed and nodded. She sighed and patted his shoulder.

"It's good to see someone who still has innocence. Don't ever loose it. In fact, if I had to guess, I'd say that was one of the things that attracted her to you in the first place." She raised an eyebrow and her eyes crept past Gohan to a spot behind him. "Am I right?"

"You're right." Gohan turned at the sound of Videl's voice. She was back in her regular clothes, several dresses thrown over her arm. She smiled down at Gohan, and he smiled back- slightly embarrassed at having this woman be able to tell so much about them, and at the same time proud that his and Videl's relationship was obvious to others.

The woman watched the unspoken feelings play across the faces of them both, and she smiled. Looking towards Videl, she said,

"Never let him go, dear. And you," she looked at Gohan, "take care of her. May your life together be blessed by God." And with that, she walked away, disappearing behind the many shoppers and endless racks of clothing.

They stared after her for a moment, until Videl giggled. Gohan smiled at the familiar sound and turned to face her. She laughed again and shook her head.

"What's so funny?"

"I don't know. But she was so right, I think she might be psychic."

"So right about what?"

"Your innocence being what attracted me, mr. Nerd boy." Gohan groaned, picked up the bags beside his chair, and turned his back on the embarrassing memories. Videl snickered, and ran to catch up with him. She grabbed his arm and fell in step beside him.

"That, along with many other things." Gohan looked down at her, unconvinced.

"Like what?"

"Well, you innocence, how smart you are, your naïveté,"

"Hey!!"

"How cute and handsome you are."

"That's better." She rolled her eyes.

"Your strength, your dedication to being a hero, your goofy laugh, your extremely bad lying skills, the fact that you're Saiyaman and the Gold Fighter, how you love your family so much, how hard you tried to fit in, your amazing baseball skills, your mysteriousness, your eyes, your gravity- defying hair, how you get embarrassed so easily, the way you blush and put your hand behind your head, your muscles." She squeezed his arm, and his cheeks flushed.

"Aww! There's that cute blush!" He flushed deeper.

"I didn't know that it was all that. I mean, geez...Can't you just say you like me?"

"I don't like you Gohan, I love you." He blushed again.

"You know what I mean."

"Well, no I can't just say I love you. I have to have a reason."

"Oh,"

"You know, to be so smart, you really can be dense sometimes."

"Geniuses have no common sense." He said, sticking his nose in the air.

"So what's your excuse?"

"HEY!!" she laughed.

"Just kidding, Gohan. So," she smiled, "it's your turn. Why do you love me, Gohan?" he blushed.

"Do we have to do this now?"

"Yes."

"Well...the way you acted so tough, but really weren't as mean as you acted; the way you cut your hair when I suggested it; you're Saiyagirl; your pretty blue eyes; the way you wouldn't give up until you found out who Saiyaman was; the way your eyes bulge out when something surprises you; the way you smile; the way you accept me for who and what I am; how you guessed that I was the boy who defeated Cell; the way that last dress looked on you..." she punched him lightly on the arm, and he smiled down at her. "Shall I go on?"

"No." she answered, blushing.



"Um, Videl?" She looked up from the stack of shorts she was looking through. Gohan was grinning sheepishly.

"What? Do you have to go to the bathroom?" He shook his head, and gave her his goofy grin, complete with the hand behind the head.

"I was just wondering," a loud growling noise filled the store, and Videl almost thought she felt the ground beneath her shake. Everyone turned, staring at the person from which the noise had come.

Gohan laughed, embarrassed. "When do we eat??"



I AM SOOOOO SORRY I haven't updated. I've had serious writer's block. It probably won't take me as long to update now since I'm on vacation, but I'm not making any promises.

PLEASE PLEASE review!!! I will love you forever if you do!!! ^_^

SaiyanLover