The echoes of the old grandfather clock chiming twelve rang painfully through the d¾mon's mind as he flew in some random direction. Anger, alcohol and stark plain fear drove him on to a city just north of where the other Z fighters resided.

Landing with a stumbled crash into some garbage cans in an alley, he meandered his way through this nameless city, powering up his energies even as he walked. People passing by began to walk faster as they saw the glow of power begin to form around him, slowly becoming brighter until he became the full force of a super saiyan.

He felt the cracks growing in Gohan's prison; felt them until the entire stone started breaking. Gohan was half free, and the d¾mon could feel his distorted rage. The pain was intense; making his head throb with each step he took until finally he raised a hand and sent an energy blast careening into a tall building beside him.

The building's foundations trembled and shook. Frustrated, he sent another and another until the metal beams holding the place together screamed as metal rubbed metal in a slowly falling arch to the ground. People ran and screamed, trying to avoid the downward path of the huge metal structure.

ÔGohan' moved on to another building, and another. Helicopters flew above him to catch the horrific scenes on television; scenes which no one would believe or even witness until morning. But pain and alcohol were making ÔGohan' make mistakes and on one building he took a misstep. The building tilted and fell, coming towards him, but direction was muddied and instead of moving back, he moved forward to be buried beneath tons of heavy metal.

Videl stared at the television set in horror and wonder. Not only was Gohan leveling another city but also then suddenly he was buried under a building. Perhaps

She quickly picked up the phone and dialed Bulma's number.

The Z fighters grumbled at the early wake up call but had gathered at Bulma's once more nonetheless. The news report was played again for the rest of them to see, causing amazement. Not only was Gohan alive (or was) but also he had destroyed part of a city. Again.

They agreed to at least go to the scene of events and find his body before the authorities did. Though most of them were rather reluctant to do so. Little Goku strapped to her back, Videl led the party as they flew low over the building that had last fallen: the one that had fallen on top of Gohan.

Hours of searching found nothing until Piccilo and the other three saiyans straightened in surprise. Videl and the others looked up cautiously.

"What is it?" Videl asked.

"Gohan." Was Vegeta's grunted reply.

"He's moving away from us." Trunks explained.

Goten nodded in agreement, Piccilo only looking thoughtfully at the ground.

"Do you think you could lead us to him?" Videl questioned hesitantly.

"Yes." Goten said at the same time Vegeta replied, "What for?

Videl scowled and waved for Goten to start leading, jumping into the air as eagerly as the half ling.

They found Gohan on a deserted island (a/n: so conveniently scattered ALL over the place), holding his head in his hands. They landed on a cliff above him, lowering their energies in hopes he would not note their presence. Piccilo laid out a possible plan of action.

"I say we quietly knock him out and bring him back to Bulma's. He can stay in one of Vegeta's gravity chambers until we figure out what to do with him.

Vegeta scoffed at such menial use of his training rooms but made no effort to counter the plan.

The rest agreed that it was a good plan of action. Goten would knock out his brother with a clean hit to the back of the head. As they turned to watch him do his job they were stunned to see that Gohan had vanished. They had absolutely no warning when Gohan sent a large energy blast into the cliff they sat on, causing a rockslide.

Vegeta was the first to struggle from the tumult of rocks. He gazed upwards, hand over his eyes, to see Gohan above him. The man didn't even seem to be gloating, quite the contrary. His eyes were clouded and vague, looking completely as if he didn't want to but felt he had to do something.

Vegeta growled and flew up to meet him, hands knotted into tight fists.

"Gohan." He snarled.

"Vegeta." They flew silently in circles a while longer before Gohan winced and rubbed his temples as if pained. When he looked up again his face held menace. "Well now that we've learned each others' names, lets get this started.

He sped to appear behind Vegeta and send a bone-crushing blow to his head that no human would have survived. Vegeta was sent soaring into the rubble below where everyone else had just climbed from and to safety.

While Vegeta struggled to free himself from the rocks, Trunks and Goten took flight. Trunks set himself behind Gohan, while Goten floated before him. Gohan tensed and knotted his hands into fists.

"So little brother. Decided to battle your teacher?

Goten grimaced but his retort was less than kind. "You weren't much of a teacher for the short time you actually tried to teach us.

Trunks roared with anger and sent his most powerful energy blast at Gohan, sending him spinning into Goten who equally threw a hard punch to drive him back. The two boys volleyed him between them before sending him downwards into the rock below.

The others ran forward to gaze into the crater, which Gohan had created. Goku sat huddled beside his mother as they stared downwards, wondering if Gohan would rise again. The ground trembled and stilled. They waited longer. Dust blew around them and the sun beat harshly but still nothing moved.

As they began to give up hope and take partial relief, a figure began to rise towards them. Gohan slowly appeared, chin against his chest looking downwards as he rose. One foot touched the edge of the crater; bringing the other forward to land.

Arms crossed, he looked up, the only sign of damage on him: a small trail of blood from his mouth. He wiped that away with a smirking grin, mocking them silently as they skittered away from him. Gohan's eyes moved downward to take in the form of his son and scoffed.

Goku glared at his father and knew the truth that no one realized. "Hey you! Big red man! Let daddy out of your rock cage!

Gohan scowled viciously. "What do you know about that brat?" Two strides brought him directly in front of the boy, Videl moving forward to shelter her son.

But Gohan was stronger and Videl was easily thrown aside as he picked up little Goku and threw him over the edge of the crater. Videl screamed but made no move forward. They all stood in shocked silence and horror as a red aura shimmered around Gohan, his face twisting in rage and determination.

The aura vanished and Gohan blinked rapidly in the sunlight; looking around him and pondering the sound of some high-pitched wail coming from behind him. Suddenly he remembered what had given him the extra strength needed to subdue the D¾mon.

"GOKU!" He screamed and leapt off the side of the crater in a desperate attempt to save his son. But the scream suddenly stopped and a sickening smack reached all ears. Gohan reappeared over the edge of the crater, looking down in horror and sadness. He landed, still looking at the crater.

The others stared in growing rage as he turned and looked emptily at them, one tear rolling down his muddied cheek. Knees giving way, he fell to the ground and stared ahead of him in a daze before crumpling forward with a pained groan. Goten growled and charged forward to kick his brother harshly in the gut.

Gohan rolled over limply, hardly wishing to fight them any longer. Vegeta and Trunks soon joined him, followed by Krillin. Piccilo and Videl merely gazed at the scene unfolding in front of them; Videl in shock at the loss of her child and Piccilo in wise consternation.

Finally, after beating him back and forth, they stepped back in amazement at what they had done. Gohan lay bruised and beaten but never raised a finger against them, having been perfectly capable of making it at least a fair fight. But something dead was in his eyes. Something so broken that it made his wounds seem mere scrapes.

Suddenly he coughed and cringed in agony, screaming with the burning sensation that overlapped his every nerve. A red glow surrounded his being, growing larger and solidifying until a small red glob flowed into existence in front of them. Gohan looked up tenderly to watch the thing scream in pain and sizzle before turning to ash. He smiled wearily and let his head fall back to the dusted earth in unconsciousness.

For a long while the others only gazed in fear and amazement. Confusion passed between them in the form of discreet little glances. As they stood, watching, the wind picked up and blew the small pile of ash that had once been a d¾mon into the clear sky. Finally Piccilo stepped forward to gather the limply unconscious Gohan and take to the air.

"Perhaps we should bring him somewhere for him to explain." He offered.

Slowly, the other's dazedly followed.

Gohan awoke in a soft bed, sunlight hurting his eyes. His first thought was of his son, and the terrible deed he had let the d¾mon commit. He rolled onto his side and sobbed. The broken image of his small child came to his mind.

With a shattered cry he flung a fist wildly at the wall, hitting it with enough force to break through and make the entire building shake on its foundations.

Several floors below, Bulma looked up from her work. "Vegeta, what are you doing now." She muttered.

"What are you talking about woman?" Came Vegeta's gruff voice.

Bulma jumped. "That wasn't you?

"No. It was Gohan." He growled suspiciously.

Bulma was already gone, dashing up the stairs. Goten and Trunks joined her halfway.

"He's awake isn't he?" Goten said nervously.

"Either that or he's having a bad nightmare. Trunks go call Videl." Bulma ordered.

Goten entered Gohan's room first, where the battered saiyan had been unconscious for close to three days. He held back though, nervously observing his brother. Would he still be as violent and hurtful as before?

Actually the sight surprised him, and he reluctantly moved aside to allow Bulma, Vegeta, and eventually Videl and Trunks, to enter.

Gohan sat upright on the side of his bed, back to the group. Power vibrated from him, but it was benign, nothing more than a general meditation exercise.

Videl ran forward, and then halted. Her hand shakily went to her husband's shoulder. Her light touch did not cause him to startle or pull away. His own hand came up to meet hers and the power faded from him.

Slowly, he began to break down, the sorrow of the past years crushing him. He stood and took Videl into his arms and sobbed his regrets over and over. Videl gently hushed him, giving the others a look that requested their privacy.

A few hours later Videl led a stern and hardened Gohan out into the main living area of Bulma's home. Vegeta, Trunks and the newly arrived Piccilo stood in readiness. Gohan looked away, ashamed.

Videl sighed nervously. "Its ok, please sit down. GohanÉhe has an explanation.

"Heh. No explanation can satisfy me." Vegeta snarled and made to leave. Videl was suddenly there before him and she slapped him, hard across the face.
"Sit down, Prince of the Saiyans and listen!" She hissed. Vegeta growled and only sat once Bulma had pulled him back, for fear of Videl's safety.

Videl sat also, along with Gohan and the others who had risen. After a few moments of tense and fearful silence, Gohan began his story. He told them how he had found the creature, how it had consumed him. He told them about Kay, and the man's life work. Eventually he came to the end, but couldn't bring himself to continue, and didn't need to.

The other fighters could see the change in their beloved Gohan. He was hard, cautious, and broken. He would recover, all of Goku's offspring had the same optimistic, undying hope that always kept them going, just like their ridiculous but powerful ancestor. (We all love Goku, admit it.) But for nowÉhe was a very tired and sad man.

Author's Note: Ok obviously, I don't own DBZ. Sorry that it doesn't fit at all with the actual series, consider it a creative interpretation. Even if the ending is sad, we all know they'll get over it. J Thanks everyone for Commenting and have a Day!