Disclaimer: Nope, I have no record of me owning DBZ. So don't sue. But if you'd like to sue hire me in um…12 years. I'll be sure to be out of school then!
Areiko: I must be a good writer to have answered your question before you asked. There isn't going to be a battle scene in this chapter, but there probably will be in the next chapter.
Blame
Chapter 16
"You guys don't have to bring me along. I know you want to spend time with your mother." Meg said sadly.
The Son boys, Gohan and Goten, were taking ChiChi and Meg out to dinner on Goku's request and Meg was feeling like a third wheel. She knew that Goten and Gohan wanted to spend time with their mother. Meg wouldn't have minded to stay back at the Son house, but Gohan and Goten refused.
"Nonsense, we want you here." Goten said. "You both have been dead. You need some time out."
Goten said that with a smile at Meg. Meg slightly blushed. He had been this way ever since they had shared that little kiss. It was nice, but Meg still couldn't help but feel bad. She was dead. He was living. Nothing could happen between them both.
"Too bad Goku didn't come. Do you boys know why he wanted to stay home?" ChiChi sighed, lifting up the restaurant menu.
"No idea Mom." Gohan said.
"Same here." Goten agreed.
Meg herself was confused of why Goku didn't come to dinner with them. "Maybe Mr. Son wanted to give you guys alone time. You never spent much time with your mother. Maybe he waned you guys to spend time together."
"I guess you are right." ChiChi replied. "He's so different than I remember him. You all are."
Meg couldn't help but feel sorry for the woman. She had her life taken away. She had never gotten to see her two youngest children grow up. Goten was only eight when she died and Tai was a newborn. She had never gotten to see Gohan marry Videl or see her first grandchild be born. She hadn't even seen her first grandchild yet. Meg twirled the straw in her tea around and looked to the side. She gasped when she saw an old man approaching the table. She knew him well. His wife had been her and Tai's teacher and he had worked with Goku as a lawyer. His name was Mr. Gibson and he was walking toward the table staring directly at her.
"No." Mr. Gibson gasped. "It couldn't possibly be."
"Hey, Mr. Gibson, meet my cousin Ashleigh and my Aunt Melody. They're visiting from London." Gohan lied.
"Cousin? I almost thought she was little Meg Ferris. But that couldn't be her now, could it?" Mr. Gibson sighed.
Goten was the first to speak, "No, I guess it couldn't."
"Gohan, is you father fine? He hasn't been at the firm in a couple of days and the Ukina vs Shoshoma is coming up soon. And my wife said that Tai hadn't been in class either. Is everything all right?"
The gang all exchanged worried glances. They all needed a good cover, but what? Meg soon came up with an idea. "Well, Tai and Mr…I mean Uncle Goku…um…are sick with the flu. That's actually the reason why my mother and I are here."
"Well, tell them I said get better. I best be off now. Goodbye." Mr. Gibson waved.
When he left Gohan sank down in his seat and Goten took a large sip of water. He was gone. That was good for everybody. ChiChi though was looking quite confused. "Your father has a job?"
"You didn't know?" Goten inquired. "I thought Dad would've told you by now."
"You won't believe this but he's a lawyer." Gohan said.
"The best this side of West City. He's awesome." Meg said.
ChiChi looked as if she were going to have a heart attack. This was not the Goku she knew. Her Goku was carefree and would never consider or ever want to be a lawyer. It was so unlike him. But times had changed since she had died. Goku was different. He aged with time. Everything did. She was shaken out of her thoughts when the food arrived with many waiters and waitresses. She wasn't surprised though. Two Saiyans were at the table and Meg herself a lot of food. ChiChi shook herself out of her thoughts and continued to enjoy her meal with her sons and Meg.
Back in the pastTai stuffed a large forkful of spaghetti into her mouth. It was heavenly. It was true what everybody had said, ChiChi had been a wonderful cook. Tai never had anything this good. The meat sauce was superb, making her taste buds explode. The noodles were cooked perfectly.
"This is good." Tai complimented happily.
"Thank you." ChiChi replied smiling.
Tai kick Uub's shin and he looked up at her. Tai nudged him, trying to get him to say somethin. "Amazing," he said, "I never tasted anything this good."
Goku stopped eating and looked up at Uub confused. "Haven't you eaten ChiChi food before. You are dating Tai."
"Ummm…never on spaghetti night. When I ate over here we had…umm…chicken cordon bleu with some salad." Uub covered.
Tai rolled her eyes and Pan tried to stifle a laugh. Tai was sure Uub never had chicken cordon bleu at her place because she never cooked it or neither had her brothers and father. Uub probably just made something up, the first thing that came to his mind.
"So…Tai…tomorrow is your birthday." ChiChi said taking a piece of garlic bread out of the basket.
"Umm…yeah." Tai said confused.
"You'll be eighteen. That's a big event for a person."
"I guess it is." Tai said taking a drink of her water.
"So me and Bulma decided to throw you a party tomorrow at Master Roshi's."
"WHAT?"
Tai was so surprised by what her mother had said, she spat out her drink. What was she thinking? Tai knew ChiChi thought she was doing a good thing, but Tai didn't feel like celebrating her birthday. Yes, she was turning a year older, but that meant her mother had been dead another year. That was not something to celebrate.
"You don't want a party?" ChiChi asked, slightly hurt.
"No…a party would be good…I was…I was…I was just surprised…" Tai whispered.
Pan and Uub were looking at Tai oddly. They knew why she freaked. Tai brushed a lock of hair out of her face and stared down at the table. "I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about." ChiChi smiled.
"I'll clean up." Tai murmured.
Later that night Tai, Pan, and Uub sat on the guest bed whispering to each other. Tai was still feeling slightly embarrassed about what happened earlier and Uub and Pan were comforting her.
"I just…I know she's thinking well…but…you guys know…" Tai stuttered.
"I know." Uub said wrapping his arms around her. "It'll be okay."
"I shouldn't have told them tomorrow was your birthday. It's my fault." Pan apologized.
"No, Pan, it's my fault. It's all my fault. God, it's all my fault." Tai sobbed, tears rolling down her face. "They're all…they're all so happy…and I'm going to take it all away."
Uub just sat there holding Tai as she cried and Pan tried to comfort her aunt. But both knew that Tai was hurt and it wasn't going to change.
Meanwhile in the Future
ChiChi slowly shut the door behind her. She told the boys and Meg goodnight and headed off toward the bedroom. She was still wondering why Goku didn't come to dinner with them. She sighed. Things between her and Goku weren't exactly going well as she had hoped. She knew there would be some problems between them, but she thought they'd work it out. All they seemed to do thought was argue. She didn't want to leave for Other World without working things out with Goku first. Taking another sigh, she walked into the bedroom.
"Goku…"
This was nothing of what she had expected. Goku was standing in front of her, in a suit she knew she had never seen him wear. In his hands was a bottle of champagne. A smile covered his face, something she hadn't seen since she arrived back on Earth.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm not entirely sure." Goku replied, flashing the 'Son Grin', "We've just been distant lately, even though we're together and I guess…I wanted to do something special for you. I don't know how long you're going to be here."
"That's sweet."
"Thanks. So," Goku said lifting a wineglass, "can we make the best of our time together?"
"Yeah." ChiChi smiled.
The next morning, in the past…Tai stood outside staring into the sky. She was wondering what the day would bring. She didn't know how the day would turn out. She did, though, have an awful feeling that something bad was going to happen. She could feel it, but she didn't know what. She then sensed somebody behind her. She turned around to see Gohan.
"Oh…it's you…" Tai murmured.
"You don't sound to happy about that." Gohan said. "Listen, I heard what you last night."
"So you were eavesdropping?" Tai snapped, glaring at her brother. "Didn't they ever teach you that eavesdropping was wrong?"
"By they, I guess you mean Mom and Dad. And I didn't mean to. I was going to the bathroom when I passed the guest room." Gohan explained.
"Oh…"
"You're really hurting here, aren't you?"
"What do you expect? Living is this time makes me hate my life even more. They are happy…Part of me wants to tell them…but the other half doesn't want to cause them so much pain." Tai sighed.
"If it helps, I know how you feel. I blamed myself when Dad died in the Cell Games. But, Tai, you've got to learn that it is not your fault your loved ones die." Gohan said.
Tai was about to say something, but the rest of her family joined the two outside. Tai decided to save what she was going to say to Gohan later.
Back to the FutureThe Z Fighter stood around the Time Machine. They were getting ready to leave to the past and Trunks was giving them the idea of what they were going to experience.
"This will transport us to the past. While in the Time Stream do not move. Keep still for if you do, you may die horrible painful deaths." Trunks said.
"That sounds safe." Meg said sarcastically. "How do you suppose we get back, Einstein?"
"Well, Meg, I will give each of you a watch. When we are to go back home, here, you know what I mean, I will send a message to my mother who will beam us back." Trunks explained.
"What if you die?" Meg inquired.
"All of your Time Watches have a communication chip." Trunks answered annoyed.
"What if our watches get blown up?"
"MEG WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP!" Trunks shouted.
"Sorry." Meg replied angrily. "So who's going?"
"Finally a valid question." Trunks mused sarcastically. "Me, you, my father, Gohan, Goten, Goku, ChiChi, and Piccolo."
"That's seven people." Goten noted. "That would be eleven if you count the others in the past."
"Yes." Trunks said exasperated. "Now here are your watches. Put them on."
They did as they were told. Bulma pressed a button and the Z Fighters disappeared.
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