One Heart

A/N: I don't own DBZ. As I started to finish chapter six (this chapter) I wanted to start chapter seven pronto. It's more romantic and a bit funny, but—well, you can check out the next chapter's summary at the end of the chapter.

Chapter Six: The Plague (Part II)

Capsule Corps.

Bulma turned and saw Gohan coming from one of the spare rooms. "You look a bit happy, how's she doing?"

"Better. She can sit up and smile." Gohan sighed. "She doesn't remember anything except…" Gohan trailed off.

"Except, except what?" Bulma questioned.

"Nothing…"

Bulma decided not to push him into answering. "Just make sure she stays put, she can move about but not further than her room."

"She says she's too tired to do anything. We just talk for about ten minutes then she grows tired and falls asleep."

"What do you talk about?"

"Stuff…" Gohan shrugged. "Nothing really, just anything I guess."

Bulma nodded. "Hey, why don't you get her a tray of food?"

Gohan hesitated.

"Don't worry, her mother made the food. Kami help us—"

"Vegeta!" Bulma snapped. Vegeta merely shrugged and grinned before swallowing the last piece of food on his plate. Bulma frowned and him and placed her hands on her hips. Bulma gestured to the kitchen and Gohan smiled before he walking in.

Vegeta grinned and opened his mouth to say something but Bulma beat him to it. "Don't even try it."

Vegeta grumbled something and took up his plates. "One of these days—" Bulma warned.

"Woman, you wouldn't dare—"

"Don't tempt me, Vegeta." Bulma casually leaned against the door leading to the gravity room with the grin Vegeta had worn seconds ago. "Don't tempt me."

Vegeta decided he wouldn't risk it for now, besides even if Kakorat wasn't alive he'd be damn if the man remained stronger than him. "You haven't won the war, woman."

Bulma smiled. "Keep telling yourself that, sweetie."

Spare Room (Videl's Room)

Videl sat on the chair by the balcony. Everything seemed to calm and peaceful. "I miss you." Videl murmured to herself. Videl opened her eyes and gaped, a woman was standing there with sliver hair and yellow eyes. Videl gaped and turned around and nearly knocked over the nearby small desk beside her.

"You've served you're purpose, humanoid. Now it's time for you to go away now. It is time for me to actualize my great dream." She smirked and stepped just a bit closer to Videl.

"W-who are you? What the hell is this all about?" Videl stood up and felt her knees about to give out. Whatever this sickness was it was draining her energy. She felt so weak that it was no longer easy to breath or stay awake.

Videl stepped back when she saw the gleam in the woman's eyes. Something was so familiar about her voice, as if she heard it before. Videl knew it would be nearly impossible for her to put up a decent fight in her current state and she doubt she could muster enough energy to scream for help.

"You don't need to understand anything human, just come to me."

Videl narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?" Videl took two larger steps when the woman took two smaller ones.

"No, Gohan help me, please." Videl thought and she felt a tear run past her cheek. Then something happened, like a gush of wind coming from the woman's hand, Videl felt herself going past the railing and over the edge. "I don't want to die!" Videl thought and was shocked to find herself hanging by the railing. Her fingers began to slip and she knew she shouldn't look down, but she did. If she fell—Videl swallowed—if she fell she'd be dead, it was as simple as that. "Gohan, help me."

She felt the winds and the rain beating against her body. Her body continued to dangle and her grip began to loosen from the water interference. "Gohan…!" Videl bit her lip, she doubt he could hear her over the wind and rain. Dammit.

Videl gasped and looked up.

"No one can hear you. A pity you had to be born, if only time could be paused at this very moment I'd cherish this. You, the reason I existed was to kill you." She smiled. "A pity my job is now finished. As you can see my powers are great, with the power of creation comes the power of destruction."

If Videl hadn't had believed words were power, she'd believe it now. For right before her very eyes the balcony had somehow vanished and she was holding onto—holding onto…nothing! Then her world came apart and she screamed as she fell backwards. She saw the woman of silver hair waved at her impassively. Videl closed her eyes. Videl waited to feel her end come, there was no way to stop it. No way to—that felt strange.

Gohan banged on the door. "Videl open the door! Videl, it's me." Gohan realized the door wasn't locked and turned the knob. What he thought to greet wasn't Videl at all, but that woman he'd swore he'd kill for harming Videl.

"Ah, Gohan, you weren't quick enough? I've already gotten rid of the poor dear." She gestured happily at the area where the balcony once was.

Peering down, Gohan swallowed hard and fought back something that threatened to be freed. Something that had desperately wanted to be free, something that wanted nothing better than to kill that woman and never feel a bit of remorse. "…Videl. VIDEL!"

She looked dead.

Videl opened her eyes, she was alive? How strange.

She felt the water seeping through her clothing and the raindrops falling upon her body.

Videl looked at her arms; except for a few scrapes she was perfectly fine. How was this—this couldn't even be possible. She should be dead.

Videl kept her eyes closed, she remembered now. Just seconds after seeing that she was close to death, she felt something warm engulf around her. She felt as if she were truly flying! She felt so safe, so warm and content as if nothing could harm her when she was in this space of warmth.

Something didn't add up here. Videl sucked in some air and breathed out as she tried to get up. Her legs hurt and so did her elbows. Her cheeks burned and her hands felt hot. The woman in slivery gaped and sneered at what she just witness. "If—it can't be…she can't be—this wasn't suppose to happen." She clenched her fists. "Damn you."

Gohan never felt so happy in a long time. He probably never had been this happy before. She was alive, not dead. He felt, in that small time period, that this woman in sliver had taken the one thing he loved the most away from him. Loved, Gohan smiled.

"Well a minor setback will not stop me." Just as she said these words she'd descended to where Videl managed to stand up.

Videl gasped.

"You definitely have your mother's wit, human. I'll give you that."

"How do you—?"

"But who doesn't know of your mother. The woman who beaten her ever opponents in two minutes flat ever tournament she enters; the woman who has every bachelor from thirty to fifty-five pining and lusting after her. The woman who married one of the wealthiest men in the world; the woman who stole my birthright and the woman whose daughter shall die at my hands."

"I won't allow that." Gohan stood right there in-between the two.

"Saiyans, they are always looking for a challenge." The woman in silver spoke. "Well let me tell you, warrior boy, this is a challenge you are far too ingenuousness to handle.

"Believe me lady; you don't know who you're talking to."

Sarcastically she replied, "Oh, I don't? Enlighten me." She waved her hand in the air in a lazy fashion.

Kitchen

Bulma lifted her fork to her mouth but before she could take a bite of the pie and loud crash shook the entire building. Bulma found herself on the ground clutching the fork, with her chair fallen beside her right by the fallen pie. Bulma groaned.

She could hear her son, Trunks grumbling about earthquakes and their bad timings.

She saw Vegeta running outside and within that instant she knew only one thing could cause such a tremor.

Bulma groaned again. "Oh great..." This was just what she needed, not.

Gohan landed at Orange Star High and saw Videl laughing with Sharpener and Erasa as they left the school grounds. "Can you believe that guy in the cafeteria?" Sharpener scoffed. "He spilled everything!"

"I think he did it on purpose just to get you're attention, Videl." Erasa giggled. "Seiko, can never take "no" for an answer, boys."

"He was funny though." Sharpener commented.

"Yeah, talk about desperate for attention, huh."

"Well at least he was having fun being laugh at." Videl shrugged.

"V-Videl—" Gohan called. "Wait."

Videl turned around and stared at him for a few seconds before waving at him.

Gohan swallowed and she smiled.

"Hey, what's wrong Gohan kun? You're looking like you just saw a ghost." Videl giggled.

Erasa and Sharpener along with the planet around them vanished.

Videl stood behind him now with the mysterious woman's voice, "Why do you look so uncertain saiyan? How come you're looking so uncertain saiyan? This is my world, my creation is it not? I can manipulate it as much as I want and you're girlfriend is under my control."

"You'll pay for this!" Gohan growled. Somehow Mayuka had once again gotten into his mind and was brining him back into this dream world. He had Videl's body by the collar and his hands shook with rage.

"Gohan, hi, you ok? You look upset, what's wrong. Let's talk about it, k?" Videl spoke.

Gohan's features softened. In this world, Videl was alive.

He released her.

"There, I'll just leave you two alone. Do as you wish, this world is just for you two. You could stay here forever or are you once again willing to sacrifice you're dear Videl, for this pitiful planet?" Mayuka chuckled.

Outside Capsule Corps

Bulma gaped at the scene she saw. Vegeta was attacking some woman who was definitely abnormal, Videl looked unconscious and Gohan looked—Gohan looked like he was in la-la land.

"How odd…" Bulma murmured and hurried over to the demi-saiyan. "Gohan, hello, you in there? What are you doing staring like some idiot, I would think Vegeta would like some help. Hello? Can you hear me because if you can it's very rude to ignore me."

"It's very hard not to ignore you." Videl murmured. "My head is killing me."

Bulma walked over towards the girl who was only a few feet from where Gohan was. "I'll forget you said that since you're in a lot of pain. What happened out here? I bet half if not all of West City's population scurried out here like cockroaches confronted by light."

"Enough with analogies please." Videl grumbled.

Bulma took out the first aid kit she'd snagged on her way out. "You're so bloody, you're hair's a mess and I doubt you'll be able to walk even the shortest of distance from the blood loss and that disease thing. Which reminds me, Gohan mentioned you say those things, those bugs. Do you see them now?"

Videl shook her head. "No, I guess that woman thought everyone was infected by now, I guess. But I wouldn't put it past her to double check."

Bulma looked frantically in the bag before smiling. "Here they are. For emergencies I keep a bottle of theses." She pulled out some senzu beans from the bottle. "Here." Bulma handed Videl one.

Videl frowned and looked skeptically at Bulma as if she grew horns on her head. "I don't mean to sound rude but, how are beans going to help me, Bulma?"

"These are not just any beans, these are senzu beans."

"And they are different because? They look like ordinary beans to me."

"They're healing beans." Bulma empathized.

Videl blinked, "And you're wondering why I'm skeptical. Never heard of them, sure they'll work?"

"Positive."

Videl eyed the bean in her hand, "They look so small…oh well." Videl murmured before chewing and swallowing the bean. She was thankful she had chewed because these things not only tasted bad but were hard as a rock!

"You should feel better real soon, depending upon the level of pain and damage." Bulma added. She turned and looked at Gohan, "Tell me, what happened to Gohan."

"I don't know. One second he was attacking the witch and the next, he was like some zombie. I don't get it; it probably had a great deal to do with the black smoke that she blasted at him. He seems so distant." Videl said.

"Gohan! Gohan, can you hear me. Say something." Videl yelled. She began to shake him by the shoulders and continued to call his name desperately. "Gohan!" Videl felt herself breaking, what had that woman done to him? Why wasn't he responding to her? It was as if his body was here but his mind and soul was elsewhere. But where? "Dammit, Gohan. Wake up." He looked so damn serious, she wanted to see his eyes light up and see that goofy grin of his. She wanted to hear him laugh, she wanted—she wanted him.

Before Videl knew what had happened she collided with the side part of the Capsule corps building. She saw a burly vision of the woman in sliver before falling in the darkness.

Gohan felt his heart breaking for some unknown reason then it hit him. He stood up and Videl stood up beside him.

"What wrong?" Videl asked softly.

He brought her close to him. "Videl…I..."

"Yes?" she looked up at him curiously.

Gohan held her closer to him. "I know how you feel, but no matter how wonderful and joyous this may have seemed, it's only a dream world. People cannot live on illusions. I promise you, I will never forget, never."

"What—what do you mean? What are you saying, Gohan?" she asked frantically.

"Videl, I have to face the truth. This world, our family, you, and I—I…" he felt his vision blur by a tear. "I have to go."

"No!" Videl gripped his arm. "I don't want to alone. Don't leave me! Don't leave me all alone."

"Videl, I love you and I always will love you." He hugged her.

"Gohan please—"

"Videl, you know it's true. You're not real, at least not this you. My Videl is waiting for me."

"But I am—you can't. I can't live without you."

"I know and that is why I'm really sorry. Dreams are dreams, but dreams like you will forever be a reality. I love you, I'll never forget you, I swear."

"Too bad we just can't dream anymore." She hugged him tighter and he returned her hug. "She must be something special."

"She is. She is."

Then the world around them shattered into a dark span of space. They seemed to be floating in the night's air, both holding tightly.

"Videl let me tell you something." She looked up at him and smiled. Gohan parted his lips as if he were ready to say continue. She placed a finger to his lips and silenced him. "No, you don't need to say anything…let go. It is time."

"I won't forget you."

"Yes you will, you have me there and what we had here was simply a dream. Gohan, you have an important mission ahead of you. People are depending on you, and you're home is waiting for you. " She kissed his cheek and parted from him. She took a few steps back smiling before she vanished.

"Goodbye, Gohan."

The trance broke and Gohan was freed. His attention was focused completely upon the shocked woman in sliver who had blasted Vegeta in a nearby building.

"Oh, you're awake." She sounded disappointed. "Had a nice dream? You looked so happy I didn't dare disturb you—"

Gohan sneered at the woman in sliver. "Happy? HAPPY? You stupid witch!" he clenched his fist. "I never felt so—and it's all your damn fault! Do you know what I've lost?" Gohan paid no attention to the buildings around him that went flying before crumbled to the ground. He was so damn angry, angrier than he thought ever possible.

Videl swallowed. She never had seen Gohan to angry before. No wonder Sakia had commented that Gohan was a dangerous person when he had tantrums.

The woman with sliver brushed her slivery hair from her eyes and smirked. "For a moment there I thought you were actually going to kill me! What a mistake." Her frown turned to a dark smirk. "A mistake I will not make, I assure you."

She drew a ki blast and dratted after the angry saiyan. Videl and Bulma watched in awe as the two fought against the other. Vegeta blasted the rumble from his body and brought himself onto his feet. "Damn her." He scoffed and wiped the dust from his face.

Vegeta watched as a few ki blasts went past him and smirked. "So I see he hasn't been slacking off as much as I thought, interesting." He spotted Bulma and Videl, "So she's the one, hum? Saiyans do tend to pick strong females, weather physical or emotional strong. Picking one with both defiantly runs in Kakorat's family."

The woman in sliver drew her hand from her face and gaped at the window beside her. "How—how dare you." A hideous scar was forming upon her faultless skin. "How dare you, you bastard!" she narrowed her eyes at the demi-saiyan. "Foolish."

Trunks rubbed his head and helped his mother gather the supplies for her first aid kit. "I got this big bump on my head—" He poked it, "—Ow, that firkin' hurts."

"Serves you right you cheater!" Goten commented. "I would have won that game if the power didn't go out."

Trunks glared at his friend. "Shut up will you? This bump—"

"How about—"

"Mom, though this hurts like—" he stopped in mid-sentence realizing he shouldn't say such words around his mother without risking being grounded and given human food servings. "—erm the dickens." He frowned at the word, "I don't think wasting a senzu bean on this would be wise. Last time I had to be in bed with a broken leg with no senzu beans available."

"Let me get you some ice for that." Videl suggested.

"And can you get me something for this headache too?" Trunks asked.

Videl nodded. "Sure thing." Then she walked back into Capsule corps.

Videl stopped some Tylenol in the cabinet and managed to hold the bottle, a small glass of water and an ice pack within her hands.

"My perfect…" she trailed her fingers down from her face.

Gohan frowned for he was completely uninterested. "You really are so vain, aren't you?"

The woman in sliver clenched her fists. "You stole what was most important to me so. I'll just have to steal what's important to you!" she smirked and looked straight ahead. Gohan then realized with a start she wasn't looking at him but past him!

But to his regret before he was able to realize this, it was too late. "—Videl!"

Videl proceed to the front of the door and paused when she heard Gohan call her. And after that she saw white. Gohan watched as Videl collapsed onto the ground with the containments in her hands spilled onto the grass.

The iniquity woman forgotten, Gohan ran as fast as he could towards Videl. He gripped her. She received no response. "Videl, wake up. You can't die."

-Baby you're all that I want

When you're lying here in my arms

I'm finding it hard to believe

We're in heaven-

He felt her living barely within his arms. "Videl. Wake up." He whispered her name so softly he was unsure whether she heard him or not. "Hang in there."

Her eyes opened slightly, "Gohan…I…I'm sorry." Videl managed to squeak out.

Gohan looked shocked. "S-sorry…For what…?"

Videl barely was able to smile the way she wanted to and placed her hand upon his cheek to brush off a tear from his face. "Don't worry about me."

"How can I not? I—"

"It's ok. I…I'm ok… because I believe in you." Videl closed her eyes.

She placed her head upon his chest and her breathing began to slow. "You're chest …is warm." He shook her over and over.

"Videl…? Don't go." Gohan closed his eyes and whispered, "P-please don't leave me. I love you…"

We'll be together again…I promise…

She was his Videl, she was his life.

"Looks like I won, saiyan." The woman in sliver smirked, "Tell me, saiyan." She hovered a few feet from Gohan and Videl. "How do you feel? Do you feel the sadness of losing your beloved one? How about the sadness to lose your happy future? Now you can understand my—" Gohan scowled.

"I'll never lose to you." He looked down at Videl, "I swore it."

The woman frowned, "How foolish...to follow your beloved one. You'll give up you're own dreams and future. Your tie to this world is dwelling."

Gohan glowered at the woman. She'd made him feel so helpless, just like Cell had done to him before. "I never felt I could hate someone this much, but I do now. You showed me that." He stood up. He never had felt such anger in a long, long time. "She didn't deserve this, you killed her." His blood began to boil and his ki began to rise dramatically. "You fucking killed her!"

No one had time to register that this was probably the first time they'd actually heard him say such a word but from the circumstances—it was expectable. Plus, it was interesting to watch him take all this anger and not actually be the target.

Goten coughed and shook his head. He felt so dizzy all of a sudden.

How odd.

The smoke cleared from the crater and the woman emerged with a large smirk upon her face. "I wanted to get you out of this for old time sakes. But enough sentimentalities, tell you're woman "hello" when you see her." Gohan growled and before he managed to attack the woman two ki blasts collided into her and brought her to her knees. Gohan looked back and saw Vegeta and the chibis who obviously shot those ki blasts were standing.

Gohan clenched his fists. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful guys but I'd prefer if you stay out of this." Gohan narrowed his eyes. "This is personal." Vegeta found himself nodding. He understood that feeling, and if it wasn't for Bulma he realized, he never knew what true love was until he met her. Something, Vegeta decided, that Kakorat had discovered long before he had.

"Let's get out of here." Bulma insisted and looked around. No one would be crazy enough to be around this battlefield, the vain spiteful woman vs. a pissed off saiyan. Bulma frowned; this was exactly what she was afraid of. And if what Vegeta said about saiyan males and their mates being killed—Bulma winced, she almost felt sorry for this woman; almost. Bulma managed to lift Videl up onto her shoulder and felt her heart reach out to the suffering saiyan teen.

She looked at Videl's pale face, "Now you're all together again."

"Brother!" Goten called. "Get out of here, Goten, now." Gohan ordered.

"No, you can't die too! I need you big brother!" Goten yelled.

Gohan scowled, "I know Goten. Please...just get out of here now." Goten hesitated for a second and judging from his brother's tone there was no "buts" or "ifs" allowed.

Goten nodded. "O—Ok." Goten took flight following the Vegeta and his family. "You better not die on me big brother…you're the only one I have left." Goten thought. In truth, he had his grandparents and Mai, his cousin.

But Gohan and Videl, even with the short amount of time he got to know her were the only people that were really close to him. Gohan returned all his attention to the woman before him. "If you want to kill me, that's fine. But I won't let you hurt anyone else. Understood?"

"Hum…" Her gaze drifted to the retreating forms in the sky.

"I told you, stay away from them!" Gohan formed a ki blast surpassing hers.

Elsewhere

Chichi bit her lip and gripped her tissue but didn't say a word.

"This isn't good." Goku thought looking at his wife.

"I think she went into a state of shock." Supreme Kai suggested.

"You think?" Old Kai snapped.

"M—my baby…his future…his mate…his—" Chichi whispered but none of the three could hardly hear her.

"Chichi…?" Goku asked and took an uncertain step towards her. "Chichi, you ok honey?"

"G-Gohan..." Chichi sniffed. Ten all of a sudden she jumped up and gripped Old Kai, "Get us out of here, right now old man! Do it! You haven't done shit since we got here other than drool over girls who would never ever dream of being with you!"

"I can take insults but that was just plain rude..." Old Kai snapped. "Furthermore, it's quite untrue." Old Kai went into a "truthful" story of when he was just a wee lad at the tender age of 2, 000 years old.

"You know you take little white lies to a whole new level." Supreme Kai commented.

"And—oh zip it!" Old Kai snapped. "In my day, women knew their places."

"Big mistake!" Goku and Supreme Kai thought.

"EXCUSE ME?" Chichi yelled and shook the kai by his collar. "What did you say?"

"I'm sure my ancestor is extremely sorry and will be more than happy to apologize, right?" Supreme Kai said.

Old Kai muttered something that sounded like a childish apology.

"I don't have time for this!" Chichi dropped him onto the grass and huffed. She placed her hands firmly on her hips and glared at the planet. "Dammit." She stomped her foot. "This is all you're fault, Old Kai."

"What?" Old Kai snapped.

"You know why, so don't try to play innocent!"

"I am not because I am innocent!"

"You've never been—"

"Shut up!" Old Kai cut off Goku's joke.

"Don't tell him to shut up!" Chichi snapped and took a threatening step towards the eldest kai.

"Yeah—"

"Shut up, Goku!"

"But Chichi, you just said—"

"Never mind what I just said, you try to get us out of here while I have a nice chat with old kai." Chichi replied. Just as all the males had feared her round shiny friend appeared in her right hand, hot and ready to clobber the kai.

Goku and Supreme Kai stepped out of the way and saw Old Kai and foolishly stuck his nose in the air as if he had no fear or knowledge of the frying pan. Even with all the strength of the universe, all beings that have encountered this weapon cowered with fear. Obviously, old kai didn't know what he was up against. True, the welder wasn't the strongest person in the universe but the power within the weapon and the anger that drove it sure was strong.

CLONK

Goku and Supreme Kai winced, "Ouch."

CLONK CLONK

"The last two were because I felt like it. I haven't used this baby in a few days." Chichi smirked. "I can't wait to get back to earth."

"I still don't know how this was my fault." Old Kai grumbled.

Chichi glared at him and Old Kai sweat dropped. "You know exactly why. You were the reason why we had to stay up here so damn long. We could have went back as soon as we died, but no all of HFIL had to break lose literally, and you—you I don't even know why we met you but you were the great genius who flirted with—"

"Ok, ok, geez." Old Kai muttered. "I'll get you back to earth, Kami sakes."

"Really…?" Chichi jumped in the air with a cheer like a young schoolgirl. "Finally…!"

"I don't see the problem in being so anxious." Old Kai muttered.

"After living here for some many centuries you get use to the loneliness and stuff." Supreme Kai answered.

WestCity

"Just who the hell are you?" Gohan asked.

She smirked, "Mayuka, but it doesn't matter you won't live long enough to remember it, saiyan."

Gohan only returned her smirk and in the depths of his eyes she saw pure hatred for her.

The woman in sliver scowled at Gohan. She had thought she'd receive the upper hand if she took out his mate but instead it empowered him even the more. She'd asked him what he'd been fighting for and the answer shocked her. He was fighting for someone who was dead!

"How strange these saiyans are, they'd endure such pain for someone they love. Humph. I have never been beaten by ANYONE! I give no mercy and I expect none from my opponents. But now…what is left to challenge my competitive spirit?" She thought.

The woman in sliver gaped as Gohan emerged from the dust clouds but her surprise didn't last long. She frowned, "I can't believe the saiyan is able to walk let alone remain so confident after I placed some of my best attacks on him, interesting. Could he be the one I have been destine to fight for all these centuries?"

"Videl…" Gohan whispered to himself. "She was there…right next to me…as if she were living still. She isn't dead, she's really there. I know she is. Her smile, her laugh, and the way her eyes sparkled…" Gohan scowled once more at the woman. "Mayuka, you can't take that away from me, you CAN'T!!!!"

"Here he comes." Mayuka thought. "This will be an interesting fight. But this is drawing out too long, I don't have enough time for this to progress on any longer."

Then without warning the area around Gohan began to change and everything went white.

Mayuka smirked, he was trapped in one of her dream worlds and when the dust cleared—

Mayuka collapsed onto the ground with a splitting headache. She looked up just a bit and saw Gohan. Gohan! "You're supposed to…"

"I don't fall for things twice, Mayuka. I'm not stupid, as for you, you must be for thinking I'd fall for it again."

As soon as she got up she was knocked back down with brutal force from the demi-saiyan.

-And lovin' is all that I need

And I'm finally there in your heart

It isn't too hard to see,

We're in heaven-

Mayuka collided onto the ground, her energy draining fast. Mayuka coughed and saw Gohan approaching her. "Can't you do better than that, s-saiyan?"

"Believe me I can." Gohan smirked and stood hovering a few feet away. "You just don't get it do you, Mayuka? It doesn't matter how much you want to kill me, no matter how much you try to blind me with imagination, you can't change my feelings for Videl or this planet."

Mayuka charged. "Shut up, let's finish this!"

Other World

"It's ok, Goku." Chichi took the tickets from King Yema. "We can go home now."

"Then can we eat something?" Goku asked.

Chichi glared at him.

Goku laughed nervously, "Erm…that is after everything's ok down there, of course."

"Of course." Then she smiled.

"Yeah, because up here you cant get anything decent enough to eat. They like on Earth banned me from most of the All-You-Can-Eat. I mean hello, it says it in the name, I mean what am I going to disobey such a great rule? Then they had the nerve to say, "All you can eat, NOT all you can see!" with a picture of me. Liars, they told me if was for the newspapers. They never had the decency to even tell me I had a noodle in my hair, people these days."

Elsewhere

The group landed by a forest a good one hundred miles from West City.

Goten looked at Videl. Trunks leaned over his friend and poked Videl on her arm.

"Quit it Trunks!" Goten snapped.

"Huh? Why?" Trunks asked.

"Because it's not nice, my big brother, Gohan always says it's not nice to speak ill of the dead or to poke things that are dead, it's not only disrespectful but just wrong!" Goten scolded.

Trunks poked Videl on her shoulder, "Looks pretty dead to me. I wonder what you're brother gonna do now."

"We're going to wish her back, dummy!"

"Hey, who are you to be calling me a "dummy, "dummy!"

"Oh yeah?—"

"—yeah!—" just as Bulma turned around to see the two trying to kill the other over—what were they fighting about?

"Would you two stop fighting?" Bulma snapped. "We have enough trouble on our hands as it is!"

"Fine." They grumbled.

WestCity

Mayuka scoffed. "I don't need you're pity."

"It's not pity."

"Rugh, you damn liar!"

"Mayuka, how will the disease stop?"

Mayuka smirked, "Only unless I'm unconscious or dead, saiyan. Either one won't happen."

"Don't be so confident."

"Humph."

"You're so selfish! People are dying because of you! Children who have yet to have begun their lives are dying because of you! Parents will lose their children, children will lose their parents! Do you even have a damn conscience?"

"Poor saiyan, he's upset. Are you going to kill saiyan? Kill like you're father and forefathers have? Are you such a cold blooded murder?"

"You're one to talk; you kill for the fun of it. You don't kill for self defense or for good, just for evil."

"You don't know me saiyan, so don't you be condemnatory with me!"

"Before, I probably would have knocked you out to receive the cure, but after what you did to her, I'll never forgive you. Hell, I would never have forgiven you before that either. You've causes too much pain, too much trouble."

"Don't you are lecture me, you stupid monkey!" Mayuka charged, unaware she'd continued to fuel the fire that raged within the saiyan's anger. The fire that was soon about to ignite from the gunpowder she produced from her words.

Gohan placed his hand out and a ki blast began to form. "Let me tell you something Mayuka, though you probably will never understand, Videl's heart is gentle and true, and you know what? Because of my love for her gives me the power to triumph!"

Boom

-And your loving is all that I need

When I'm finally there in your heart

It isn't too hard to see

We're in heaven-

Bulma and the saiyans turned as the saw the explosion emerging passed the tall trees. The debris swept past them and they opened their eyes when everything had settled.

"Kami…" Bulma murmured and pulled a twig from her hair.

Mayuka coughed out blood. "He actually stopped my attack and came back with one of his own."

"Got 'cha…!" Gohan said.

Mayuka smirked and fell backwards.

Gohan clenched his fists. "It's over now, you have to accept defeat."

Mayuka chuckled and for a second Gohan thought she'd cracked. "Saiyan, you may call it a defeat but I for one call it a victory. Thank you." And with that peculiar explanation she vanished.

Gohan dropped to his knees; he was surprisingly exhausted more from his anger than the battle itself. He learned from this that anger truly did take a lot of energy out of you. "Videl…"

He collapsed and drifted into the world of darkness.

Capsule Corps

Sakia closed the spear room door with a frown and damped her eyes with a tissue.

"How is he?" Mai asked.

"He keeps slipping in and out. One second he's saying something the next…he's unconscious."

"Are you ok?" Mai asked softly.

Sakia barely nodded.

Vegeta grumbled and rubbed the Band-Aid on his arm. "Damn, stupid, mother fu—" he trailed off when he received a glare from Sakai.

Mai couldn't help but giggle at the pink band-aid on Vegeta's arm. It was so scandalous and so funny she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing anymore.

"What happened to you all mighty, saiyan prince?" Mai teased.

Vegeta glared at her, "Ask the woman. She says this should cure all the infected people but I was infected. I mean shi…erm shot."

"—Better safe then sorry." Mrs. Briefs entered.

Vegeta rolled his eyes, "Yeah, whatever."

"Why are you so happy? I doubt anyone can be that happy after getting a shot with such a big needle." Mai commented.

"That's my little secret." Mrs. Briefs beamed, "Oh, I better go get my muffins out from the oven. They're blueberry flavored. I believe that's one of Gohan's favorites, right?"

Sakia nodded but again didn't say anything more.

Mrs. Briefs gave Mai and Sakia a muffin then she approached Vegeta. "Here you go, you're majesty." She giggled.

Vegeta rolled his eyes once more and reached for the muffin, Vegeta suddenly stopped just a few inches from the dessert.

Mrs. Briefs blinked, "It's not poison, Vegeta."

Vegeta hadn't looked at her skeptically as she'd thought, instead he looked so serious.

"I-I don't believe it," he smirked.

"Believe what?" Mai asked.

Bulma smiled, Vegeta was the last person that needed the injection. "Well Mayuka, you had us in a tight spot, but looks like we've finally won."

BOOM

Bulma fell off her chair and groaned, "Kami now what? If this keeps on happening I won't have—" she paused and opened the door that lead to the large living room. "Oh…my…word."

There stood…no way!

"G-Goku…Chichi?" Bulma managed to say. Was this for real? They were gone so long.

"We're alive, Bulma! I'm a living, breathing woman again!" Chichi beamed and hugged her best friend. "It's so good to be back."

Chichi was caught off guard by her mother who was crying harder than anyone possible could have imagined. Chichi broke away and handed her mother a tissue, "Where are Gohan and Goten, mother?"

"Goten should be around here somewhere playing video games and G-Gohan…well he's—he's…"

Chichi bit her lip; she hadn't been able to see what had happened to her son. "He's what?" If her mother had said "dead", Chichi knew for a fact she'd faint.

"He's unconscious, Chichi. I didn't mean to make it sound as if he was dead."

"It's ok. It's ok." Chichi giggled.

"Bulma, Trunks cheated! He took my controller away and—" Goten stopped dead in his tracks.

"Nauh, he's lying, mom! He's—uff!" Trunks collided with Goten's back and fell backwards. "What the…? What are you looking at Goten? Hey, bonehead…"

"It's her, Trunks. I remember her; I remembered her singing to me when I was a baby."

Trunks blinked. "Duh, you're grandmother—"

"Not her—her." He pointed to Chichi. "I can remember it, well not her face but I remembered her giggles when I was a baby. It was the last thing that made me fall asleep that one day I'd see her again. And she's here."

"You know." Trunks tilted his head. "They do look like those people in you're—"

"—Mommy!" Goten and ran towards Chichi and when he jumped into her arms, he fell back into Goku's.

"Goten…" Chichi smiled. She felt tears welt up in her eyes. She's half expected him to leave and never want to see or speak to her again. Her son, it had been so long since she'd held him. "I love you so much, Goten." She held him tighter and from his muffled response, she knew he was crying. "My baby, my son…"

Trunks bit his thumbnail and blushed. He felt so out of place during these mushy moments. "Uhm…"

Goten now hugged his father who Goten had commented looked like his other self.

Chichi looked around, "Where's Gohan now?"

"Over here." Sakia gestured.

Spare Room (Capsule Corps.)

Chichi sniffed, Gohan looked so pale, so lifeless. He looked dead.

"G-Gohan," Chichi murmured.

Goku placed a reassuring hand upon Chichi's shoulder. "Bulma says he'll be up and about fully recovered in a few minutes…well physically recovered that is."

Chichi gasped when she saw Gohan's head moving from one side to the next, slowly at first, then faster and faster. Soon he clamed down and after a moment, he slowly opened his eyes.

His vision was burly at first then it cleared. Gohan closed his eyes, he had to be dreaming or dead for that he was seeing before him. He couldn't be…could he?

He opened his eyes, expecting the person to vanish but she hadn't, his mother.

"…Mom?"

"Gohan, you're awake. Thank Kami." Chichi smiled.

Gohan blinked a few times, "I—are you?—"

"—Ssh, you need to rest." Chichi interrupted him.

Gohan nodded, and to his left he saw his father who looked equally as worried as his mother. "Am I dead or something?"

"You're alive, Gohan. Except for some scrapes and bruises you are completely well." Chichi replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Like h—crap." Gohan replied.

"Bulma wanted me to wait until you were awake to give you this." She handed him the senzu bean. "She has yet to test it for it to be injected instead of digested. She gave you the vaccine shot while you were unconscious."

Gohan nodded, that explained the pain coming from his shoulder. He's told Videl when she'd asked him to donate blood. True, he was afraid of needles, which he told her and knew he'd sound like a wimp saying it; but the main reason was he couldn't. Needles broke on him unless they were saiyan-proof. Videl hadn't laughed; she'd only smiled and told him "it's all right." She'd told him that she had use to have a fear for needles too but she'd always imagine even now, though she felt silly, that her mother was holding her hand and guiding her through the pain.

"Videl…" Gohan whispered.

His parents had heard him though Gohan hadn't noticed. Chichi frowned and concern filled her eyes. Her husband, who stood beside her nodded, he always seemed to understand and read her like a book.

Son House

Gohan looked at the picture resting in golden frames of both Videl and him laughing just a few days before all of this had happened. She looked so happy.

Gohan, thank you for everything, I know you're probably upset that I'm writing this and not resting but I really wanted to just in case…I've come to realize even though I've been so lost for so long, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm creating magical memories every time I'm with you. And I know as time goes on we'll have more and more to share. The times we spent together, every smile, every touch, all the hopes and dreams we had for the future, I'll cherish them all. I will cherish every memory. And my treasure will remain right here in my heart. I have it all now, Gohan. I won't feel lonely ever again. That's all that matters to me now. Everyday my love for you is becoming more and more real. I think I was born to fall in love with you, Gohan.

A tear from the saiyan's eyes dropped upon the picture. "V-Videl…"

Chichi closed her older son's bedroom door. "Gohan."

She walked back silently into the kitchen. "Goku…" She looked around and saw no sign of her husband. "Goku, where are you?"

"Gone—" A woman answered from behind her.

Chichi gasped and looked behind her. After seeing who it was she let out a little sigh. "Mother." She hugged her mother for a few moments then drew back, "Gone where?"

"You know where." Sakia smiled.

Chichi frowned, "Do you think I should tell Gohan?"

Sakia shook her head. "He's been through so much today."

Chichi nodded. "But he'll be heart broken if we keep such a secret from him."

"He'll be too happy to be angry. Believe me."

"He hasn't eaten in so long, it's normal for what he's going through, but not normal for his body." Chichi said. "He could die since he has such a high metabolism. I don't want to lose him."

"I'm afraid; you've already lost him, Chichi." Sakia whispered. "There's only one person that can bring him out of this and she's coming back."

Elsewhere

"Hey, you do know we have to wish Hercule back too." Goku said in a matter-of-factly tone.

Vegeta scoffed. "Don't push you're luck, Kakorat. I only went because the woman blackmailed me into it."

"You know it's funny, our mates and Gohan's soon-to be are all alike, and they seem to blackmail us."

"Because their not strong enough for physical means."

"Maybe, but it's always foolproof, no space for cracking it or anything."

"You're the next Einstein, Kakorat, you figured out the great "mystery"!"

"You don't have to be so sarcastic." Goku rolled his eyes, "Besides, you won't be signing that "their weaker than me" song once Bulma gets that present Chichi's going to send her for Christmas."

"Who do you think you're talking to, some naïve human? I'll burn it!"

"And have two pissed of women on you're tail, remember, Chichi's fire proof. I tried it, I had the lump to prove it. I had like what you're use to every night, sleep on the couch."

"Ha, ha, Kakorat, that was really funny." Vegeta said sarcastically.

"Thought so—"Goku landed and say the dragon ball, "Number seven, finally."

Vegeta answered the cell phone, "…Yeah…uh huh. Yes, woman we have the last one. I don't see why you couldn't just have given me the damn radar."

"How dare you, don't curse at me, remember Vegeta, I hold all the cards!"

Vegeta scoffed. "Whatever, do we have to—" Vegeta groaned. "Fine, we'll wish the imbecile back, yeah, whatever, bye."

3 Minutes Later

Hercule blinked. "Hum?" he looked around him, everything seemed like how it was on Earth; the sounds, the smells, everything.

Then he spotted Goku and Vegeta and from that he yelped a jumped back a few feet. "W-where am I?"

"Earth moron, where else?" Vegeta grumbled.

"E-earth, but—but I'm dead. This is not funny!" Hercule said.

"Believe me, I don't see I "ha, ha" either." Vegeta replied. "You were better off dead, it saved my ears a lot of pain from hearing you're voice."

"You're really rude, you know. Did I forget to sign you're autograph at—"

"OF COURSE NOT, why would I—"

"Gosh, that must be why."

"You STUPID moron, I don't like you, I never ever will like you, ok?"

"Gees, you don't need to be so rude." Hercule grumbled.

"Erm…yeah…! Eh." Goku laughed, "Dragon? I'm glad you're waiting so patiently."

The eternal dragon sweat dropped. "Please hurry with the last wish. I don't have all day."

Goku nodded. "Ok, could you—"

"—D-Dragon?—" Hercule spun around. He looked up…up…up…and up some more…and then… "What the hell? Holy shit, it's a d-dragon. A really, really big ass dragon!"

The two saiyans and the now edgy dragon chose to ignore him…well to the best of their abilities. "—bring Videl back to life?" Goku asked then he added the location of the Son House.

After a moment, his eyes glowed red. "You're wish has been grated…" he flew upwards into the sky, "Farewell." And then it glowed before the dragon formed into seven individual spheres. Each sphere separated from the bunch and flew off in different directions.

Son House

Chichi hummed and looked around her house. It hadn't changed a bit. Her mother had kept it up and it was as cleaned as she had left it. "Man, I missed this house." She never felt so much at home until this very moment.

She took a spoon and stirred the large pots of soup. "This is Gohan's favorite soup. Maybe this will cheer him up for now, at least." Chichi sighed. She didn't know what else to do but wait and cook this. Her son was so depressed and so—so lonely; lonely, on the terms of having that special someone with him.

Chichi placed a large bowl filled with the delicious award wining soup. It was a recipe her great, great, great grandmother had made long before she was born and was passed down every generation. And Chichi hoped she'd be able to continue the tradition.

Chichi turned and just as she did Videl popped right up in front of her. Chichi gasped and nearly dropped the tray carrying the large bowl on top of them both. Chichi managed to grip the tray hard enough to keep her and the tray stable.

"Kami above…" Chichi muttered and set the tray down.

"Erm…who are you? And where am I?" Videl asked.

Chichi wiped her hands, "Who are you first." Chichi blinked, "Videl?"

Videl gasped for air when Chichi began to hug her. "A-air…I need air, please."

Chichi released her. "Sorry, sorry. I just got so excited and well…I'm so glad you're here."

"How do you know me?"

"I'm Chichi Son, Gohan's mother." She explained.

"Oookkk…" Videl shook her head. "Gohan said you were dead. And I'm supposed to be dead, am I dreaming or still dead?"

"Videl, I know this is hard to believe but, I think it would be best if you talk to Gohan first." Chichi said. "I don't think it would be my place to explain certain things to you because they tie into erm…personal things about my son."

Videl nodded, "Where is he, Mrs. Son?"

"Call me "Chichi" and he's upstairs, the second door on your right."

Videl smiled, "Thank you, Chichi."

"Don't worry about it. When you're done, get yourselves down here for some food."

Videl proceeded up the stairs; it felt like a strange dream. She must be dreaming. It wasn't possible. She'd died in Gohan's arms and…and… second door on her right.

Videl swallowed. If this was a dream, Videl bit her lip, she'd just die. Maybe not literally since she probably was dead but it would hurt too much.

Videl turned the knob and looked in. Then she moved in slowly and saw Gohan lying on his back sleeping. He looked so innocent. She saw the picture they'd taken a few days before all of this had happened.

"Please let us both be alive, let this be real..." Videl thought.

Gohan felt something warm surround his body. Something that now made him, feel loved and comfortable. Something…

Gohan opened his eyes, and again the second time that day he felt like he was dreaming. "Videl…" he whispered her name. She looked like an angel; she was glowing with such a soothing ethereal light around her.

Her hair, no longer in pigtails flowed freely over her shoulders and down her back. Her eyes sparkled and she looked so concerned and happy at the same time. The way her eyes sparkled…she was not an illusion. She couldn't be …She can't be.

She reached out to him and touched his cheek. "Gohan…" she smiled. Her hands were so warm and he covered hers with one of his own. He returned her smile.

"It just hope I'm not dreaming." He whispered. "It just feels like a wonderful, sweet dream."

"You're not dreaming." Her soft voice answered him. "A dream can not hold you, touch you or love you as I do you. I love you."

Her lips parted as screamed, "Kiss me", and he did.

The Next Day…

Gohan and Videl sat on the tree branch several feet from the ground below.

"So much has happened in such a short amount of time, huh." Videl said.

"Yeah…" Gohan nodded. "I still wonder…"

"Mayuka couldn't have stayed in the world the way she was."

"Maybe Bulma could have but then again." Gohan said.

Videl shook her head. "You said it yourself, Mayuka wanted this deep down and you helped her realize something about herself and emotions." She turned to Gohan, "You saved me, and I want to thank you for that."

Gohan blushed. And the two leaned in—

Goku blinked, "Ooo, kissy-kissy stuff."

"WOO!" the two jumped apart from the other and saw Goku hanging from branch above them.

"So this is lover's hill, huh?" Goku beamed. "Very intriguing," then he laughed and got ready to instant transmit himself elsewhere.

Goku grabbed his dad and felt between embarrassed and a bit ticked off. Somehow he knew more of these "accidentally" meetings would become more frequent.

Goku squirmed a bit from the glare, "I swear! It was accidental. I left—"

"Ooh, dinner's getting cold!" Videl saw Chichi on a nearby tree. Chichi continued to bang the spoon on the pot.

BANG

BANG

"Hi, big brother—" Goten chimed.

"Hey move it. You're blocking the view!" Trunks yelled.

"Stop being such ruffians!" Bulma yelled.

"You're one to talk." Vegeta grumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"I give; I wasn't purposely trying to ruin the moment!"

"Dinner's getting cold!"

BANG

BANG

"Hey, that's mine!"

"Come and get it, meanie!"

"Rugh—!"

"What do you mean by that?"

Videl blinked, this was the family and friends he had to deal with one a daily basis. Videl smiled, they were something else that was for sure.

"You're ruining their moment!" Mai and Sakia yelled.

"Leave me alone!"

"Can't a woman have any privacy?"

"Dammit, Dinner's getting cold!"

BANG

BANG

"Erm…Gohan, you can let go of me now…"

"Welcome to my life." Gohan grumbled and released his father from his grasp. He saw Videl laugh and he soon found himself laughing. At least Videl was here. That was all he needed.


Completed: 10/23/2004

A/N: The ending was a bit…erm weird I guess. But I felt like having a little insanity in the end.

It's sort of a preview of what the next chapter. Maybe like, maybe. One Heart will generally be updated either on Sundays or Mondays. I will begin to work on the next chapter of "Stolen Kisses", "Forget Me Not" and "Celebration: DBZ Style." I don't know when exactly I'll have them updated, but I'll inform anyone who's interesting my next author's note in the following chapter.

This came out to be a long, long chapter I know. Don't hit me, I know I killed Videl san, and Hercule was a bit…erm ludicrous even for him (I think) in this chapter. But I hoped you enjoyed it. The next chapter is really interesting, romantic and a bit crazy.

() symbolized, whenever Gohan was trapped into Mayuka's dream world. Once again, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. It wasn't as romantic as I wanted it to be because if I continued too much into this it would end p being a two chaptered chapter instead of two different ones. 00 I think I lost a few of you in that explanation.

-Lyrics- I wasn't planning on having this song in it, but I really liked it.

Erm…Comments, tips, concerns? I'm more than happy to clarify, answer questions or listen to suggestions.


Next Time:

Chichi and the gang are out on a mission, getting the two bashful teens together. What does that mean? Easy, going to the Orange Star school festival but it's never that easy with the Z gang involved. "Kami, help us!"

A day of confessions, mayhem, returning and new rivals! In other words, a day we all wish would never would happen to us—or maybe not.

Will they push too hard and end up on the wrong side of both teens? Or will sparks fly and will feelings finally be let out? Who will be left hurt and who will end up being euphoric? Find out on the next "One Heart"

Next Time, No need for matchmakers!!!


Reviews from pervious chapter

Luna's Meow

I have to re-read this. Because I just got completely lost... I read too many stories.


SSJ3MysticGohan

Well, it looks like you took my tip. Good for you. You might get more reviewers now. Anyways, I got a bit confused in this chapter. I'm hoping that it will be explained in the next one. See ya next chapter.


Soil

You have done a wonderful job with this fic, and I can't wait until it's updated so I can read what happens next