At World's End

Chapter 2: Dream Walking

Please don't hate me for leaving the first chapter like that. Ready to start where we left off? Good!

Last time on At World's End, all of the Earthlings are brought back to life, except Goku and Vegeta, which Gohan has just finished explaining to Videl in the pouring rain. Does that sound right to you?

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"What?" Videl asked. What Gohan had just told her could not be true. She had not heard him right. The rain was messing with her hearing.

"I said my father and Vegeta are dead," he repeated. Videl bit her lip. 'What do I say to him to comfort him? I have no idea what to say to him! It's just Gohan - say something!' "I'm so sorry, Gohan. I know how it feels to have lost a parent. My mother died when I was five. I'm still not over it and I don't think I ever will be."

Gohan shrugged. "I guess I'm used to it by now. I mean, he died when I was five. Then he died again when I was eleven and he decided that he didn't want to be brought back to life. But then Buu came and he came back, and he promised me he would stay, but he wasn't able to."

Gohan watched Videl's shocked face. "Gohan, I'm so sorry. It must be extra hard to have him die and then have him come back just to die again. I didn't know he had died before. Is there anything I can do to help you and your family?"

Gohan shook his head. "Not really. My mother can be a very strong person when she needs to be. As for Goten, my father was dead when Goten was born, so Goten's used to not having a father figure around. My mother says it helps that he has an older brother to look up to."

"What about you? How are you holding up?" Videl asked softly. She had so many mixed feelings for Gohan and the more he told her, the worse she felt for him.

Gohan shrugged. "It's hard to complain about your father not being around when he's saved the world four or five times. It's just that it's painful having him and then having him taken away from me again. But I guess it also helps that I'm going to school this year. My mother thinks study will help ease the pain some."

"Does it? I mean, does school help you forget about him any?" Videl asked.

"School was never meant to make me forget him. I'll never forget him. But it doesn't help ease the pain anymore than fighting and martial arts help. Being alone helps too, but my mother doesn't like me being a hermit."

"I really am sorry about your father, Gohan. I wish there is something, anything, that I could do to help you and your family."

Gohan didn't say anything. The rain beat down harder on the two teens. "Maybe you should go home. It's getting late and you'll catch a cold. On second thought, why don't you come to my house until it stops raining? Hanging out at my house will be far better than flying in the rain."

Videl smiled. "Thank you, Gohan. I think I'll take you up on your offer."

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Ten minutes later, Videl had dried off and changed into one of Gohan's old t-shirts and a pair of his old sweatpants. Her hair was dried and put up in a sloppy ponytail. Once Videl made her way back into the family room, she realized why Gohan's family didn't need any help. Goten seemed perfectly happy chasing Gohan around the room, trying to hit Gohan with his Nurf gun. Gohan had a water gun and was squirting it like mad at his brother. Goten ran in front of Videl and Gohan accidentally squirted Videl. Gohan put down his water gun and Goten put down his as well.

"What is the point in changing into dry clothes if you're just going to get me wet again?" Videl asked the boys.

"To see what you look like in Gohan's clothes," Goten answered, doing a somersault over the arm of the couch. "You look funny, Videl."

Videl smiled. "Thank you, Goten." Videl caught Gohan's eye. He seemed to be just staring at her and that made Videl blush slightly. 'Well, no guy has ever made me blush before.' Then Videl blushed even worse when she realized that she wasn't wearing her bra. 'Omigod he's staring at me and I'm not wearing a bra. Thank god this shirt is so baggy.' Videl smiled nervously just as Chi-Chi walked into the room. "How is everyone doing?" she asked politely.

"There's no need for small chat, mother. You've met Videl before. And Videl, you've met my mother," Gohan said to state the obvious. I smiled at Chi-Chi and sat down on the couch.

"The rain should quit soon, so you'll be able to leave," Gohan said.

Videl nodded, taken back. 'Is he trying to kick me out? I've been nothing but nice. He invited me in, and now he's trying to kick me out again. What is up with this crazy family?' "Thank you so much for letting me stay here while it rains. I really appreciate the hospitality."

It took an hour for the rain to stop. For that one hour, Goten had everyone playing Monopoly. Videl was excited when it stopped raining. It's not that she hated the Sons or anything, it was just that a whole hour of Monopoly with an eight-year-old can really drive at your nerves, especially when he's beating you. "I win!" Goten yelled as he did cartwheels around the room while Videl collected her top, pants, and bra. "Thank you again," Videl said as Gohan walked her to the front door.

"Your welcome," he said and grinned at her.

Videl felt herself blushing for the second time that day, all because of Gohan. "Well, I'll make sure I bring your clothes back."

"Take your time. I don't wear them anymore."

Videl nodded and then took off, somewhat happy to leave, and somewhat disappointed.

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"Hey, I'm home!" Videl called and then remembered that she had given the staff some vacation time. However, Melissa was at the door to greet her within seconds. "Welcome home, Miss Videl. Would you like me to take those clothes and dry them for you?"

"You don't have to, Melissa. I can myself, it's really no trouble at all," Videl said, but Melissa took them away anyway. "But I must, Miss. And Master Hercule is waiting in his office for you. He seemed upset, but it could just be me."

Videl was shocked to learn that her father was home. She raced up the stairs and slammed open the door to her father's office. Some slutty woman was sitting on his desk, wearing nothing more than a bra and underwear, both lace, and feeding him grapes. Hercule was laughing, at least until he saw his daughter. The slut was excused and Videl sat down in one of the chairs. "It's good to see that you haven't lost your taste in women," Videl said sarcastically.

"Don't be like that, Videl. I wanted to meet with you to tell you," Hercule froze in mid sentence. "Whose clothes are you wearing, Videl?"

Videl shrugged. "They could have belonged to the slut that just left. I noticed she was missing hers."

Hercule sat up straight in his chair. "You like the way we live, don't you Videl? I know you do. I mean, you don't complain when I buy stores. And you certainly do not complain that I pay your credit card bills for you. Well, you get all these things because I'm famous. But being famous has its territory. For example, women are attracted to famous, handsome, strong men. Since I am strong, famous, and extremely handsome, many women are attracted to me. You just can't let that bother you anymore. Your mother died twelve years ago, Videl."

"Stop! Don't you bring Mother into this conversation as an excuse why you can be dating women that are my age! They are my age! You are old enough to be their father. The only reason they are your slaves is so they can get a chunk of your fortune." Videl stood up and slammed her palms against the table. "I know you had your secret spies following me before the Buu attacks. Stay out of my life Hercule, or else!"

"I am your father and you will treat me with respect!"

"You only earn as much respect as you give, which leaves you at the bottom when respect is concerned. All you have ever cared about is yourself!" Videl stormed out of the office and slammed her bedroom door shut while she locked it. 'Mother, I wish he had died instead of you. I really need you.'

Videl fell asleep quickly.

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Gohan's eyes snapped opened and he saw Videl standing in his bedroom doorway. 'What is going on? It can't be happening again.' Videl was now wearing a very revealing lace bra and a lace thong. Gohan's heart caught in his stomach at the sight of her. 'This is not going on!' Videl sat down at the edge of his bed. She turned her sweet, pale face to look at him. "I'm sorry about your father, Gohan. I wish I could help you with your pain." She crawled over next to him. "I wish I knew what would cheer you up."

Gohan tried as hard as he could to swallow, but it still wasn't easy. She had just shown up in his room, wearing extremely arousing lingerie. 'And she still wants to cheer me up?' Videl inched closer to him and placed her arm around his shoulders. "Is there anything I can do you make you feel better? Anything at all?"

"No," Gohan squeaked.

Videl didn't listen. She pulled his head closer to hers and closed her eyes. Their lips brushed against each other before Videl vanished. Gohan ran his hand through his hair and waited for his heart rate to slow down to normal. 'I have got to stop drinking the water here.'

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Videl woke up again, sighing. She had been this close to kissing him and then she woke up. She scolded herself on her choice of sleeping attire. She knew that what was happening wasn't just a dream anymore. She didn't quite know what it was, but it wasn't dreaming. It was almost channeling.

Realizing how excited she had gotten, Videl decided to change and try it again. She changed into a plain white tank top and forest green carpenter pants. Then she jumped back into bed and closed her eyes to fall back asleep and see where she ended up. Her dreams were getting stronger and it was getting harder for her to wake up, so maybe this time she wouldn't.

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Videl found herself back on the cliff where Gohan was sitting. But this time, Videl was in total control of herself. She had the power of will over her own body. Somehow, she didn't think she was still sleeping.

"Gohan, hi," she said softly to catch his attention.

Gohan's eyes grew big. "Well, at least you aren't just in your underwear."

Videl blushed. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to transport that time. Or the time before. This is the first time I've tried."

Gohan stood up. "You've got me confused now."

"Well, I've been going to sleep and finding myself all over the place. Like I was here last night. That was the first time and I had no control over my body and so my brain woke up quickly. Then, a little while ago, I totally forgot about my sleep walking, hints my clothing, and I had even less control, but my mind was more powerful, so I could stay in my walking state longer. And so then I tried it again and I was aware of my power to transport my body while I'm asleep, so I willed myself to not wake up and so instead, I ended up transporting my body here. I think it's quite cool."

"Are you telling me that you just transported yourself here? And you've done it the past two times as well?"

Videl nodded. "Except this is the only time I've had control over myself and it's also the first time I've finished a transportation, instead of waking up in the middle of it like the other two times."

"So I'm not crazy?" Gohan asked me.

I smiled. "Of course not." "Good," he smiled his smile that made Videl melt, "because I thought I was losing all my marbles for a while. But now I know otherwise, which is good."

"Yeah," Videl said and then an uncomfortable silence slid over them. "Gohan?"

Gohan looked up at her to meet her eyes, which sent chills down her spine. "Yeah, Videl?"

"Why don't you like me?" she asked softly before she could stop herself.

Gohan looked at her. "Why do you think that I don't like you?"

"Well, it's just that when I was over here the other day and it rained, you and your mother seemed to want nothing more than to shove me right out of your house. I guess it just seemed out of character to me."

"I don't dislike you, Videl. It's just that, well, I don't really know," he ran off the rest of the sentence.

Videl stood closer to him, placing her right hand on his cheek. Gohan did the same and placed his left hand on Videl's cheek. Her heartbeat increased as she leaned up and closed her eyes, praying to God that Gohan wouldn't hate hurt. To her delight, Gohan leaned down and met her lips with his willingly. Videl threw her free arm around his neck and Gohan put his free arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Videl felt herself getting lost in him.

Gohan felt her press her body up against him. She was going way too fast for his comfort. Gohan pulled away from him slowly. "I've been waiting two nights for that," she admitted.

"Me too," Gohan agreed, mentally telling himself to breathe. "What now?" he asked.

"I think now is when I leave," she told him.

He nodded, but neither one of them let go. Instead, Gohan pulled her back to him, their lips meeting quickly. They kissed longer than the time before and they slowly broke apart when Videl needed to breathe. "We have to stop doing this," she whispered. He nodded, but they ended up lip-locked once again.

This time, when Videl pulled away, she pulled her whole body away, letting go of him. "I'd better go or my father's going to kill me," she explained.

"Right. Father. Kill," Gohan muttered.

Videl smiled and closed her eyes tightly, trying to concentrate as hard as she could. The world seemed to sway and she threw an image of her room into her brain. Her body went limp and when she opened her eyes, she was back in her bed. 'This is going to be a very interesting and useful gift.' She smiled as she remembered the way Gohan had kissed her. Videl felt lightheaded and then fell back asleep.