Your touch without
Your love darling
They had been on the road for nearly five hours. In that time Videl had asked about how Gohan had done the little stunt he pulled back at her apartment and why. Gohan had taken most of the 5 hours explaining this incredible story to her. Most of Videl didn't wan to believe it, but a small part of her wanted too. To make a very long story much shorter Gohan had told her he was half alien and that why he had done what he did only happened when the need to protect the people important in his life surfaced within him.
Now for the last fifteen minutes Videl had been trying to take in what Gohan had told her and pondering on this story presented questions to her. Aliens? Most unlikely. Gohan is probably just sort of mental. However how does that explain that weird transformation come into play? I saw something similar at the beginning of the broadcast of the Cell Games, but those guys already had gold hair and dad once said it was a trick. What did Gohan mean by he only makes that transformation when the need to protect the people important to him surfaces? Am I that important to him that he cares about me? I'm just a bartender. Who would care about someone who does that for a living? Videl thought to herself as they continued to drive down the road.
Gohan could see the tiny house that he called home coming into view. "Hey Videl, we're almost there." Gohan said as he smiled at the site of the only home he ever knew.
When no answer came for the passenger side of the care Gohan glanced over to see Videl just staring straight ahead. Gohan shook his head and then put his hand on Videl's shoulder. "Hey Videl." Gohan repeated.
Videl awakened from her thoughts and looked over at Gohan. "What?" Videl asked.
"I said we're almost there."
Gohan then pointed to the small white domed shaped house that they were approaching fast.
There was no driveway present so Gohan drove up the grassy hillside and parked close to the house. Gohan helped Videl out of the car and they both walked up0 the pathway to the front door. Gohan knocked on the door. The two waited for a few minutes for an answer, but when none came Gohan started to walk away. "Where are you going?" Videl asked as she followed Gohan.
"They're probably in the backyard." Gohan replied.
Gohan and Videl walked the short distance around the small house and stopped when they came into the backyard. A small boy about the age of seven was the first to look up. As soon as he spotted Gohan his face lit up. He then turned to an older looking woman. "Hey mom Gohan's home!" The young child said excitedly.
The older woman turned from the clothesline that had been occupying her attention as a wide smile crossed her lips. "Gohan?" The small boy shouted excitedly as he ran at Gohan.
Gohan smiled as he bent down and opened his arms to the child. The boy then jumped into Gohan's awaiting arms. "Hey squirt." Gohan said as he lifted the boy onto his shoulders.
"Gohan you home!" cried the ecstatic woman as she to came towards Gohan.
"Hey mom!" Gohan said excitedly as he gave the woman a big hug.
As Gohan's family rejoiced at the sight of seeing each other once more Videl couldn't help, but think of her own family. She quickly reminded herself of why she left though and shoved the thought away. After Gohan's mother and what Videl took as his brother were done hugging and squeezing the life out of Gohan they finally turned to see who the mysterious girl Gohan had with him was. "Mom, this is Videl." Gohan said as he looked from his mother to Videl.
"Hello Videl, it's very nice to meet you. My name is Chichi." Chichi said as she extended her hand.
Videl took Chichi's hand and shook it. "Nice to meet you ma'am." Videl replied.
"Oh please, call me Chichi."
"Ok." Videl said.
"Don't forget me Gohan!" the young boy said.
"Oh yeah, this is my brother, Goten." Gohan said as he ruffled Goten's hair.
Videl bent down so her face was level with Goten's. "Hello there. It's nice to meet you." Videl said as she extended her hand to Goten.
"Hi! Are you Gohan's new girlfriend?" Goten asked curiously.
Gohan blushed as he looked down at his brother. Videl noticed the blush on Gohan's face and couldn't help but smirk. "No Goten I'm not Gohan's girlfriend. I'm just a friend." Videl said.
Goten looked confused. "Well if you're not his girlfriend then are you his boyfriend?"
Videl was confused for a minute before realizing what Goten meant. She couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Well if you put it that way, than yes I'm one of Gohan's girl friends." Videl said.
"Oh, ok." Goten replied still a little confused.
After everyone had exchanged their greetings Chichi led Gohan, Videl and Goten inside the house. They appeared in the kitchen and Gohan sat down at the kitchen table, as did Videl along with Goten. Chichi proceeded to the refrigerator and opened it. "Well Gohan I'm taking it you're hungry after the long drive so I'll fix you and Videl something for lunch." Chichi said as she peeked into the refrigerator and began looking for something for her boy and his friend to eat. "Thanks Mom." Gohan said.
"I'm fine thank you." Videl said.
Chichi's head appeared out of the refrigerator. Her eyes wide with surprise and shock, as if she'd never heard Videl's words spoken before by anyone. "Nothing to eat? Oh, dear, but you must be hungry." Chichi said.
"No I'm fine." Videl said.
"Gohan looked over at Videl. "But Videl, you haven't eaten in a while. Mom makes a plate for Videl too. Here let me help you." Gohan said as he got up to help his mother.
"No Gohan, honestly, I'm-"
"Videl please eat lunch with us. Gohan and his brother eat a ton anyway. I don't think it's going to be a hassle to feed one more. Just please stay and have lunch with us." Chichi said.
Chichi then pulled what looked to Videl to be a giant bucket of rice. Chichi then reached back into the refrigerator to pull other various ingredients out. "Gohan, why don't you go get a fish." Chichi said as she opened a cupboard door and pulled out a large black frying pan to cook the rice in.
"Ok, be back soon." Gohan said as he got up and began to walk to the front door.
"Gohan, can I come huh, huh?" Goten asked.
"Sure, Videl do you want to come too?" Gohan asked.
"Yeah then we can show Videl how big the fish are!" Goten said excitedly.
"How big are they?" Videl asked smiling for she was amused by the child's excitement.
"Uh…" Goten paused to think as he put his finger on his chin, "this big!" Goten said as he stretched his arms out all the way.
"Wow, that's pretty big." Videl said before smiling once more at Goten's awesome display of cuteness.
"Alright Mom, we're going to go now. Be back in a little bit." Gohan said as he pulled a giant fish net from the closet.
When Videl saw the net her eyes were wide with disbelief. "Wow those fish must be big." Videl said as she took in the size of the net.
"Told you they were big." Goten said cheerfully as he followed Gohan out the front door.
Videl followed slowly behind them, still not sure of what to make of the situation.
All three walked out the door and down the grassy hill and headed towards the river. Gohan walked ahead with the fish net dangling over his right shoulder and a grin on his face. Goten hopped and scurried every which way every once in awhile to try and catch an animal that passed in their path. Videl was in the rear. She was awed by the beauty of the forest and various forms of nature that presented themselves to her. She had never been in such a heavily wooded area before since the city and its streets of concrete and stone had always been her way of life. Gohan, Goten and Videl reached the river about fifteen minutes later. It wasn't really a big river, just big enough to sustain life. Gohan put the net down and began undressing his upper body when Goten interrupted. "Gohan let me catch the fish, please." Goten begged.
"Oh alright." Gohan said as he put his shirt back on.
"YAY!" Goten shouted excitedly as he took the top half of his gi off and jumped into the water.
Not five minutes later Goten had successfully caught a giant blue fish. Gohan held the net so that Goten could put the fish into it. Goten then climbed out of the water and put his gi shirt back on. "Ok, let's go." Gohan said as he got up.
"That was fast." Was Videl could say.
She was still taking in how Goten had caught a fish 3 times his size with his bare hands. The three walked back to the house. Gohan put the fish on a giant skillet and then put the net away. "Gohan, let's go outside and spar!" Goten said.
"Ok. Mom me and Goten will be outside, call us when lunch is ready." Gohan said as he and Goten went back outside.
Back inside the Son House Videl watched from the dining table as fried the huge amount of rice and cooked the fish at the same time. Chichi came towards the table a few minutes later. Before she sat down though she went to the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of water as she then started pouring some in a glass. "Would you like something to drink Videl?" Chichi asked as she finished pouring her glass of water.
"Water please." Videl said.
Chichi went to the cupboard, standing on her tiptoes, and pulled out another glass. She then poured water for Videl and set the glasses down at the table before sitting down herself. The house was now quiet except for the frying sound coming from the two pans on the stove. Chichi was the first to speak. "So… how old are you Videl?" Chichi asked.
"I'm 21." Videl replied.
"Oh so you and Gohan must go to the same school. Is that where you two met?" Chichi asked.
"Actually I'm not going to school. I graduated from Orange Star High School. After that I moved away and began working." Videl said, not wanting to tell the woman too much.
"Oh…so where do you work?" Chichi asked.
"I work at a bar." Videl said.
"So where did you and Gohan meet?" Chichi asked.
"Actually that's where we met was at the bar." Videl said.
"Really, now long have you known each other?" Chichi asked.
"Oh, a couple of weeks. We met at the bar one night when I was working," Videl said as she saw the look on Chichi's face and she knew exactly what Chichi was thinking, "he came in that night after some classes of his. He ordered a-"
"Yes what did my son order. It wouldn't have been anything with alcohol in it would it now?" Chichi asked as she continued to stare at Videl.
"Uh, no, he ordered a root beer. We talked for about an hour, then he left." Videl said.
"That's it?" Chichi asked somewhat amazed.
"Yeah." Videl said.
"What happened next?" Chichi asked as she put her chin on her hand.
"He came back next week and that was it." Videl said, not wanting to talk about the rest.
"That's it? So you talk to my son a couple of times and then he brings you home. You guys must be close." Chichi said before talking another drink of her water.
Videl gave Chichi a disapproving look at her last comment. "Actually no."
"Then do you have a-"
"No." Videl cut in abruptly.
Chichi was taken a back by Videl's tone of voice.
"Just wondering."
The house fell quiet once more. Chichi tried to think of something to talk about. Videl didn't seem to like to talk about herself much. So Chichi thought she'd try talking about Gohan instead. "So Videl, what do you think of Gohan?"
Videl shrugged her shoulders. "Oh I don't know. He's all right, I guess. He's kind of weird though." Videl replied.
"What do you mean, weird?" Chichi asked as she felt her anger rise slightly from Videl talking about her son that way.
Videl didn't pay any attention. "On the way here he told me about that he was half alien or something and that his father was part of this Saiyan race. Most of me doesn't believe him, but yet there's a small part of me that does." Videl said.
"Well you should believe it." Chichi answered.
"Why?" Videl asked.
"Because it's true. Every word of it."
"Well how the hell was I supposed to know?" Videl replied.
They then looked over to the door as they heard the sound of Goten and Gohan coming in. "Is lunch ready?" Goten asked.
Ten seconds later the timer went off. "Now it is." Chichi said as she got up.
"I'll set the table." Gohan said.
Gohan then went to the cupboards and pulled out plates, forks, spoons and knives for everyone. "Don't forget the cups!" Goten said excitedly as he jumped up on the counter and grabbed some cups.
After the table was set all sat around as two very hungry ones began digging in and piling their plates full of food. So much food that Videl thought the food would begin to fall off the pile that had formed on both Goten and Gohan's plates. In the end Videl could only guess how much more the two boys had eaten then she had. So much more she guessed that it would have made a normal person explode. "Ah, thanks Mom. That was great." Gohan said as he looked down at his now full stomach and smiled in satisfaction.
"Yeah Mommy that was the best! You're the greatest mommy in the whole entire world!" Goten said excitedly as he outstretched his arms in emphasis.
Chichi smiled. "Why thank you Goten. Now you know what you two boys could do that would make you the two greatest sons in the world?"
"What Mama? What can me and Gohan do?" Goten asked excitedly as Gohan just shook his head and sighed.
"You can help me wash dishes." Chichi replied.
Goten thought for a moment. "Ok."
Gohan sighed. He wanted to protest, but he didn't want to have to face the wrath of Chichi for he knew all to well what the results were after Chichi's Wrath had been inflicted upon a person. Videl watched as the large piles of dishes were carried by Goten and Gohan to be washed. All to simple to put it, they were victims of their own appetite. An hour and a half later all the dishes were done. Gohan and chichi sat down at the kitchen table while Goten went outside to catch some wild creature. This finally left Gohan to talk to his mother about Videl staying with her and Goten for a little while. "Mom there's something I must talk to you about."
"What is it Gohan?" Chichi asked.
"Well I was wondering if it would be alright if Videl stayed here with you and Goten for a little while." Gohan replied.
"Why?"
"Well, something unexpected came up and Videl needs a place to stay just for a little while."
Chichi was silent for a moment. "I know that there's not that much room here Mom, but Videl doesn't need much." Gohan said as he looked over at Videl.
"No not at all. I'll even pitch in and do my share around here. I'll even pay rent." Videl said.
Chichi turned her head to look at both Videl and Gohan. "Well it's fine with me. Does you family know that you'll be staying here? Why don't you call and tell them." Chichi suggested.
At the sound of Chichi's words Videl's face went from that of somewhat happy, to that of dark and angry. Videl glared daggers at Chichi. "I really don't care to call." Videl said.
Chichi's smile faded and fear gathered in her features at the sound of Videl's voice. "Well, ok then. That's fine with me." Chichi said as she quickly got up from the table and left.
Gohan looked over at Videl. He could see by the look in her eyes that there was something wrong. "Videl what's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong." Videl said in a tone that Gohan did not agree with.
"Videl, what's wrong? Is this about what Mom asked?"
Videl looked at Gohan. "I don't want to talk about it."
"It is isn't it?" What is it?" Is your family gone? There must be a relative, friend, boyfri-"
"I said I don't want to talk about it! They don't need me and I don't need them. I loved one, but I love no more!" Videl yelled.
She then got up and ran out the front door, leaving Gohan all by himself. Gohan was mad at himself for making Videl angry with him, but her statement also puzzled him. Gohan got up from the table and went to the door. He then decided there was only one thing he could do to help Videl. "Maybe Bulma can help." Gohan said to himself as he took to the air.
Gohan headed towards Capsule Corp. He was about too dwell into a part of Videl that she wanted no one to know about. What Gohan would find out would be far more than he expected and there would be only one way he could help her. Gohan would have to fall in love with her.
Only you are
The life among the dead
- Evanescence
