"Just another two months…"
Chi-Chi sighed and placed a hand on her large belly. Only two months until delivery. Chi-Chi had imagined the day it would come. She was anxious to hold her child. She was also sure Gohan wanted to meet his younger sibling as well. As Chi-Chi laid down for yet another nap, she was surprised that a sudden thought had crossed her.
What would she name the baby?
It was times like this that made Chi-Chi wish Goku were here. She remembered her first pregnancy and mentioning naming the unborn child to Goku. They had laughs, but they were serious too. When they agreed upon the name Gohan, Goku had smiled and cuddled with her, promising he'd be a good father.
Chi-Chi sighed and looked up towards the ceiling. What she wouldn't give to experience pregnancy again with her husband at her side. She wanted to feel him against her as they would lie together, and when he would rub her soothingly.
She missed it when Goku would talk to her stomach and put his ear on it to listen for the child.
She blushed, remembering an incident.
It was a quiet evening, and Goku joined his wife in the living room. He stood at the entrance and gaped at how huge her stomach had become. He couldn't believe how someone, a human, could withstand carrying a child for nine months. He was brought out of his dream world when his wife alerted him.
"Huh?"
Chi-Chi laughed softly. "I said, what are you staring at?" Goku shook his head. "Oh, um, I was just mesmerized by how beautiful you still are, carrying our child and all." He eyed her curiously. "Is he alive in there?"
Chi-Chi smiled and beckoned him to come. Goku walked over to her and knelt to her level, looking into her soft eyes. His eyes shifted downward when he felt Chi-Chi's hand on top of his own. He felt Chi-Chi guide it to just below her stomach. "Wait," she whispered.
Goku waited, slightly puzzled, and kept his hand in its position.
After a few moments, he felt something push his hand away. His eyes were wide open with surprise. "Woah! What's that? He's really alive, Chi-Chi!" Chi-Chi laughed again. "Yes, he is." Silence filled the room, and Chi-Chi looked down when she felt Goku gently stroking her.
"He's so round," he murmured. "Um, I think he's a little squished in there."
Chi-Chi mumbled something softly to that, but was alert when Goku's strokes edged elsewhere. His hand traveled downward, and he gently began to rub there. Chi-Chi tensed.
"Goku…"
She blushed. "What do you think you're doing?" Goku looked up at her, confused. "You always used to like it when I touched you there." Chi-Chi's blush grew deeper. "But that was when we were making love, Goku. Now, um, it'd be safer to try this sometime after the baby is born."
Goku made his hand retreat. "So I shouldn't touch you until the baby is born?"
Chi-Chi shook her head, feeling her entire face heat up now. "No… I meant, we shouldn't be touched in intimate places until it's safe to."
Goku sighed, like an impatient child. "Okay…but hurry up and give birth, because I really wanna be with you again."
Chi-Chi, shocked, smacked Goku playfully, yet seriously, upside the head. "Son Goku…!"
Chi-Chi smiled at that memory. She felt such desire to be with Goku now. Suddenly, the baby kicked, but not so softly as in her memory. "Kami!" Chi-Chi clutched at her stomach and looked down. She groaned. "What do you want? You still have two more months!"
Chi-Chi felt the baby moving, and she rubbed her swollen belly, whispering soothing words to it. "You're more feisty than Gohan, you know that? I really think you take after your father on the Sayian thing…"
Then, she thought of what to name the child. Goku Jr.? Yeah, Goku just might like that… He hopefully wouldn't get confused when she called the child, and not him.
She gasped at a sudden thought. Suppose the baby was a girl? Ooh, she really wanted to know the baby's sex!
Would Chi-Chi be an okay name? Arrgh, the confusion would be present!
Chi-Chi chuckled absentmindedly. This was especially when she desired Goku's presence. She needed his suggestions…
Gohan had never been more angry and happy in his life. In his hands was the Dragon Radar Bulma had lent him. Happiness. And now, he was going to find all the Dragonballs to make his wish. But the thought of why he was going to make the wishes. Anger…
Gohan turned on the Dragon Radar. "I need to find the Dragonballs… This wish will make everything change in me and Mom's lives…for the better."
The Dragon Radar started blinking at the edge of the screen. Okay, the Dragonball was probably on some distant continent. No problem. It was going to be worth searching day and night for the Dragonballs.
His and Chi-Chi's lives would be so much better after the wishes…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Much time has passed since then. Gohan had pleased his mother with his high scores on his studies, and helped baby-sit two-year-old Goten often. He didn't tell Chi-Chi where he went to every time he went out of the house. If she knew he was searching for the Dragonballs to make a wish…
He couldn't imagine it.
Two years had passed since his search for the Dragonballs. It was critical that he finds them. So far, he had gathered five Dragonballs, and would not stop to rest until he found the other two.
He had to find them. He wouldn't forgive himself if he didn't. Just like he couldn't forgive his father…
The anger stored in him all these years turned into unwavering unforgiveness toward Goku. Three years had passed since Goku's death, and as time flew by, the more he and Chi-Chi suffered.
Gohan was slowly learning to cope without his father, but he couldn't erase the constant, heartwrenching scenes of his mother's breakdowns, and the pain and loneliness she felt from his mind.
It didn't take him long to know his mother desperately needed and wanted Goku back.
Goku didn't even have the kindness to talk through telepathy. Gohan knew his mother could have a brief moment of peace and happiness just by hearing Goku's voice. He wanted to give his father a head start, but he knew if he talked to Goku, he would start yelling.
Gohan wouldn't be able to control his anger if he talked to his father.
He had made his decision. He would find the Dragonballs and make his wish. There was no other way to go about it…
If working with the supernatural would get Goku's attention, then so be it. It was going to be some wake-up call…
"Yum-yum!"
Goten waved his hands as he sat in his high chair. He waited eagerly for his mother to return with a small portion of rice topped with sukiyaki. "Yeah, yum-yum," Chi-Chi agreed with her youngest son, serving him some of the food. "Make sure you eat it all up, okay?"
"K!"
Gohan entered the kitchen and greeted his mother and brother. He then began to serve himself some dinner, thanking his mother for making it. "Gohan, hi!" exclaimed Goten. Gohan turned and smiled at his kid brother, ruffling his hair, which was starting to grow thick and wild like his father's.
"What's up, kiddo? Ready for yum-yum?"
"It's yum-yum time!" Goten declared, and opened his mouth, so Chi-Chi could guide a spoonful of rice in. As Chi-Chi fed Goten, she talked to Gohan.
"Are you okay, Gohan? You seemed to be rushing all day." Gohan nodded. "Yeah. I was just trying to get some training in after my studies." He grinned, and added more to the lie. "I've gotta study if I'm gonna make you proud in high school!"
Chi-Chi smiled and continued feeding Goten.
Later that night while Chi-Chi was cleaning up, she was quiet, thinking of Goku. She missed eating dinner with him and Gohan, like a real family. She missed raising another child with him.
Chi-Chi smiled again as another memory took over her mind.
It was early morning, and Chi-Chi was awake before sunrise. She opened her eyes, hearing baby Gohan's soft cries from the next room. She slowly wriggled out of Goku's warm embrace and rolled out of bed. Oh, the joys and woes of having a baby.
"Shh," Chi-Chi quieted her son, picking him up out of the crib. "You're just hungry, I bet. Although it's kinda early for breakfast, don't you think? I was sleeping with your father…"
Chi-Chi was sitting in her rocking chair, holding Gohan with one hand, while the other was unbuttoning her pajama top. As she began to breastfeed Gohan, she hummed softly and rocked back and forth gently.
After she knew Gohan was slowing down, she heard feet shuffling on the carpet. She looked up and saw Goku sleepily trudge down the hallway, yawing and rubbing his eyes. Chi-Chi smiled.
She always loved Goku's natural, cute look he had in the morning.
"Chi-Chi?" he gently said. "I thought we were sleeping…" He looked up at her, and his eyes widened in shock, like they were going to bulge from the sockets.
"Chi-Chi, what are you doing? What's Gohan doing??"
Chi-Chi smiled and blushed, shyly knowing Goku was looking at her exposed breast. "Gohan's hungry," she said. Goku blinked. "He's eating you! He's liking it!" Chi-Chi laughed softly.
"He's drinking milk from me, Goku." Goku came close and watched Gohan carefully. "I don't get it…" He suddenly began to unbutton her pajama top even more so her other breast could be exposed. Chi-Chi tensed. "What are you doing?"
Goku eyed her curiously and touched her breast. "It's different from when we made love."
Chi-Chi blushed. "Yes. Now that Gohan's a newborn, my breasts are full and store milk for him to drink. That's his food."
"Oh…" Goku said.
Suddenly, he began to suck at her other breast, and Chi-Chi gasped slightly, blushing. "Goku," she sighed, trying to sound serious. "What are you doing?" She moaned as she felt Goku's teeth gently tug at her nipple.
When Goku pulled away, he looked at Chi-Chi, confused. "But you always liked it. Plus, um, I wanted to see if I could get milk too."
Chi-Chi blushed. "Only when we make love. But milk from my breasts is for babies. Um, our child."
Goku nodded, understanding. "Is it okay if I watch you feed Gohan? I know you only show yourself like this to me. And I want to burp him too."
Chi-Chi laughed. "He already has your appetite. He's draining me."
Goku grinned. "He's not the only one who can drain you."
Chi-Chi blushed and groaned at the sarcasm. "Oh, Goku…."
Chi-Chi watched Goten as he played with pots and pans scattered about on the floor. Yes, Goku had missed out on a lot of his son's life. It was going to take a long time for him to catch up. And, Chi-Chi secretly added, he would catch up in other areas as well.
To be continued…
Chapter Four: The Wish