Never Forget

Yes, I actually wrote another DBZ fic with Videl in it. And no she is not dead this time, nor will she die in it, just to warn those of you who have read 'Hush Little Panny' and its sequel, 'I'll Always Love You, Mommy'. So you can be proud of me for that. Hehe^^. One note: This is an AU. Buu and such never happened. That is why Goten has never seen his dad. So read it and see what you think!

Videl was curled up under her blankets, grasping tightly onto her teddy bear. She was only seven. Her mother had passed on a few days earlier, and it had broken her heart more than anything else ever had, even the time she didn't that get 3-d fighter game for her birthday. She stared at the wall, watching the creepy shadows projected upon it from her night light.

If mommy were here, she would make the shadows go away. If mommy were here, she would tell daddy to be nice. If mommy were here… But she isn't here, and I want mommy so much thought Videl painfully as tears pooled in her eyes and fell onto her teddy bear.

It was normal for the teddy bear's head to be soaked with Videl's tears since her mother passed on. Its fur was ruffled and out of place, but it was dear to the girl and a comforting piece in her life. She clutched it closer in a hug. "Teddy, daddy wants to move to a big house. A really big one. But I don't want to go. I want to stay in our small house where mommy used to live. I don't want to forget her. Only I think daddy does. He took down all her pictures. I stole a few. They are in my chest. Daddy can't have them," she whispered to the bear.

She looked down at the bear. Its deep chocolate brown eyes looked back up at her. She searched them for an answer. Teddy could not talk, but he could comfort her. And that is what he did. Videl kissed the top of his head. "Thank you, Teddy," she whispered as she fell asleep.

10 years later

Videl sat on her bed, her crossed arms resting on knees drawn to her chest. In front of her was a wooden chest that she had not seen in years. It had been hidden in the back of her closet, forgotten for years. The chest was lying open, and on top were photos and a ragged, faded teddy bear. Tears fell silently from her face as she brushed the photos lightly with her fingertips. Her mother. Her long dead mother that she had loved so dearly. And herself. A little, happy girl sitting in her mother's lap as if it were the best thing in the world.

Memories of her childhood returned to her. At first, she was helping her mother make cookies. Then she was on a picnic with her whole family. After that came Mother's Day. In each memory, Videl could recall how her mother looked specifically. A short woman, with long jet-black hair pulled back into a low ponytail with eyes of the deepest greenest shade imaginable. And my family would always say I looked like her she thought sadly.

She pushed the photos aside and pulled out the teddy bear that was underneath them. It had worsened as time had gone by. It was missing one of its eyes, and there was a patch on its right arm. The brown had faded to dull, and the fur was a mess. None of that mattered to Videl though. She hugged the teddy bear close to herself and it also brought back memories of the lonely nights she spent in bed. She was alone, always. Nothing to call a 'friend', even if she had wanted to. All of the tears she shed were all soaked into Teddy, the only thing that had always been there for her. Videl laid her head against it and closed her eyes.

Her ears perked up at an odd tapping sound. She listened harder. The tapping stopped. Then it started again, this time louder. Videl lifted her head and turned around. It surprised her to see Goten floating there, clothed in his orange and blue gi. She forgot that she had been crying, and walked to the window to let him inside. She didn't notice Goten's face screwing up in confusion at the state she was in.

As soon as the window was unlatched, he tumbled inside. Looking up at Videl, he asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing Goten, really."

"You've been crying. Why?" he asked innocently.

Videl sighed. "If I tell you, will you promise not to tell Gohan or anyone else this? It's a secret that I don't want anyone to know just yet."

"I promise," he answered with a solemn nod of his head. "I won't tell anyone."

"Come sit on my bed then and I'll tell you." Goten sat down on her bed and Videl sat across from him. She told him the whole story about her mother, and how close they were when she was very young. Goten listened carefully. As she told him, she showed him the pictures she had and Teddy. "My Froggy is just like Teddy. Froggy is nice to me when no one else is. And your mommy was a pretty lady. You kinda look like her," interrupted Goten at one point.

"Um… thanks Goten," she replied, blushing.

When Videl was finished with her story, Goten spoke up. "At least you knew your mommy. I don't even know my daddy. He died before I was born. You got lucky."

Videl just stared at him. She had forgotten that. "Goten, I'm not lucky at all."

"Yes you are. You got to spend time with your mommy, special together time. I never got that with my daddy. I have pictures, but that doesn't help me know what he was like. I wanna spend a day with my daddy." His face wrinkled up and it looked as though he would cry.

Videl could not help but feel sorry for the little boy. He is right. I had a chance and he didn't she thought. She took him into her arms and rocked him gently. It had a calming effect on him. "You know Goten, I wish I could change the past. Do you wish you could do that?"

"Yeah. Then I could have found out what daddy was like and we could have sparred together. I have dreams 'bout that. People only tell me that he was the strongest guy on Earth. I wanna be just like him."

"Someday Goten, you will see your daddy again, you know that?"

"Waiting will take forever."

Videl knew exactly what he meant. She had said the same thing when she was his age to her grandparents. Unfortunately, they did not understand what she had meant and smacked her for being sassy. Videl decided to change the subject to keep Goten from lingering on those thoughts. "Goten, why are you here?" she asked.

"'Cause Gohan sent me to come get you for dinner."

Videl looked puzzled. "But Gohan never said anything about inviting me over."

"He didn't tell me either. I was just outside trying to catch a frog and Gohan told me to come and get you for dinner. Of course that stupid frog got away, but I'm here to do as he said."

"Well then we shouldn't keep him waiting now should we?" asked Videl as she put the stuff back into her chest. She stuck it back into her closet where she had found it. She would make sure to go through it more thoroughly when she returned home.

"Big brother is very excited to see you," commented Goten as he stepped onto her windowsill.

"And we'll just have to find out why then," answered Videl as she flew out the window past him. "C'mon! I'll race you!" she hollered back cheerfully.

"Hey! Wait a sec! You had a head start!" whined Goten as he gained speed and chased after her.

Both of them flew off into the night, laughing happily and teasing each other. For the moment, Videl had forgotten how bad she'd felt that afternoon. Wondering what the heck Gohan was up to kept eating at her mind instead. Let's just see what you have in store, Son Gohan she thought as she made sure to keep ahead of Goten.

Before you ask, yes I meant to end it like this. =P So you will just have to guess what Gohan was up to. Anyway, what did you think of it? Review please!