A/N: Sorry for the delay with this chapter. I've been busy playing soccer. Fed up cos we lost 9-1. Anyway, next chapter.

                                                          Chapter 4: The failed wish!

Real time, Japan.

         Goku landed on the lookout, looking thoroughly pleased with himself, clutching a bag containing all seven dragonballs. Using his instant-translocation technique, he had gathered them all in no time.

         He was greeted by Mr Popo, and then Kami walked over to join them.

      "Ah, Goku! You're here to make your wish." Kami said in greeting.

Goku nodded, his face very serious once more.

      "Very well, put the dragonballs down there." Kami pointed to the floor, towards the centre of the lookout.

After Goku had placed all seven balls down, Kami shouted,

      "Arise, great Shenron!"

The balls started to glow and the sky went black. Then the green dragon rose up, as if from nowhere, and coiled its body to resume his normal shape, giving off a yellow aura. Then the eternal dragon, Shenron, spoke.

      "I can grant you one wish within my power. Speak it now."

Goku looked up at the gigantic dragon, he'd first seen when he was a boy, and spoke his chosen wish.

      "Please bring my son back from where ever he is now!"

Shenron's eyes went red, and for what seemed like years, Goku waited.

      "Your wish cannot be granted!"

The dragon's voice echoed around the floating platform, hovering above the earth.

      "W…why?" Goku's face fell down to his feet.

Shenron replied in his booming voice.

      "It is beyond my power to bring back your son, because he is in a different time zone."

Goku stared at the dragon in disbelief. A different time zone? Where? What should he wish for now? And more importantly, how was he gonna get Gohan back?

London, 1900.

         Gohan woke up on his third day in the past. His tummy rumbled. All he'd eaten yesterday was the apple he'd stolen for breakfast and bread and oranges, Jack had brought in the late afternoon. He missed his mother's cooking terribly. He pulled his rag around himself more tightly, the late October wind biting into his skin.

       "Morning Gohan."

Will patted Gohan on the shoulder. Gohan stared up at him and stifled a yawn.

       "Morning W…"

       "No time, kid, we gotta go. Hurry up!" Will interrupted.

Gohan pulled himself up, his aching back, where he'd been lying on the hard roof, protesting with every movement. Will was already on the ground when Gohan reached the top of the drainpipe.

       "Come on, Gohan! We gotta catch the morning rush." Will plunged his hands into his pockets and looked up at Gohan, impatiently. Gohan, seeing Will's look, quickly swung his leg onto the drainpipe and descended it with speed.

       "Wait for me, you two." Jack called, virtually sliding down the pipe. "I'll come with you this morning."

Jack joined them and they headed off down the alley to the market square.

         The market square was busy. Busier, even, than yesterday. Gohan thought the whole of London must be here. He wondered what they were gonna do today.

       "Hey Gohan! Look over there!" Will pointed at a man. He was wearing an expensive looking suit. His slightly grey hair was combed back, out of his eyes.

       "The man in the suit?" Gohan asked, confused.

Will and Jack smirked at each other.

       "Yeah Gohan. The man in the suit." Jack answered, grinning.

Gohan looked bewildered. "What are we gonna do?"

       "Follow me, Gohan." Will instructed, walking towards the man.

Gohan, completely confused, just trailed after Will and Jack.

Real time, Japan.

         Goku looked from Shenron to Mr Popo and then to Kami and back t Shenron again. What should he do? What should he wish for? Then like a light bulb turning on inside his head, Goku had an idea.

       "Shenron! Could you please keep my son alive while he's in this alternative timeline?"

The great dragon's eyes flashed red once more.

       "Your wish has been granted! Your son is temporarily immortal."

Shenron's yellow aura slowly disappeared and the great, coiled mass of scales followed the auras departure. The darkened sky lightened once more and all traces of the eternal dragon were gone.

Goku slid down to the floor and sighed.

       "At least Gohan can make it home safely, when he finds the way."

       "I'm glad you have faith in your son." Kami said. "I'm sure he'll find the way home."

Goku looked up at the aging Namekian and managed a small smile. Then got to his feet.

       "Thanks a lot for your help, Kami, you too Mr Popo. See you soon."

With that he placed his two fingers on his forehead and instant-translocated away from the lookout.

         Piccolo was hovering in the air, meditating by his usual waterfall, when Goku appeared. He guessed straight away that the wish had been unsuccessful because Gohan would have been with his father, otherwise.

       "Piccolo?" Goku asked, unsure if the Namek could hear him.

Piccolo opened his eyes and stood on the ground before Goku, eyes and ears attentive.

       "Piccolo, it didn't work." Goku stated, and then proceeded to tell him exactly what had happened.

When Goku had finished, Piccolo said,

       "Well you've done all you can. The rest is up to Gohan." The Namekian then started meditating again.

Goku instant-translocated home to see his wife.

London, 1900.

         Gohan stood behind Jack and Will, as they took cover behind a wall. The man stood about six feet away, talking to a stall owner.

         Jack and Will were whispering to each other and then turned to Gohan.

      "In a minute, Gohan, we're going to casually walk past that man, and Jack's going to get us a lot of money." Will explained, smirking

Gohan looked aghast. "W…what do you want me to do?" he asked, unhappily.

Jack smiled at him, and said, "You and Will have got to talk to him. To distract him."

Gohan labouredly swallowed. O…okay." He agreed, reluctantly.

       "Let me do the talking, Gohan." Will said, confidently.

Gohan nodded and then drew in a sharp breath. Hoe could he do this? Help steal this man's hard earned cash. He was brought up as and honest boy, with good manners, not as a thief. Why did he have to come here? Why couldn't he be with his mother and father back in Japan?

         Jack gave a signal with his hand, and Will tugged Gohan's shirtsleeve, and stepped out into the crowds. They walked towards the man, who was just leaving the fruit stall he had stopped at.

       " 'scuse me, Guvnor. Can you help us please?" Will asked, innocently.

The man looked down at them and smiled.

       "What can I do for you, boys?" he asked, kindly.

Gohan looked down at his shoes. How could they steal off this man? He was being so kind.

       "Well you see. There's this old man who's making little kids steal for him." Will explained. At the same time he kept one eye on jack, who was calmly walking towards them.

       "Oh! What's this man's name?" The man asked.

       "I…I can't say." Will said, putting on a scared face.

Jack sidled up to the man's pocket.

Gohan stared wearily around himself. How could he be doing this? He'd always helped people before.

       "It's okay, son." The man said, softly, mistaking Gohan's expression for anxiety.

Jack slipped his hand in the man's pocket and expertly pulled out the wallet.

       "Hey! That boy's stolen your wallet."

Gohan looked towards the voice, and saw a stall owner pointing at Jack.

Te man spun round, and grabbed for Jack, but missed him by a whisper. By the time he spun back round, Will had grabbed Gohan, and they bolted off in the other direction.

         Gohan snuck a look back as he ran. There were two policemen hot on their heels. He guessed the man was running after Jack. Will was just ahead of him.

Suddenly he fell headlong and realised he'd collided with a rubbish bin. He flew through the air and landed heavily on his back.

His head was spinning and his vision blurred, but he felt a hand roughly grab his shirt and then saw a blue blur. He realised a policeman had hold of him.

End chapter.

Ooh, cliffhanger. Don't worry I'll update soon, as long as you r&r, please!