(A/N: All right, here's how I'll do this. Since the characters are actually experiencing this now, that gets rid of the character conversation. But I'm going to try a new idea where I'll put a song clip before the chapter and like last chapter...I'll hang you with suspense with the exact thoughts of what's going through their heads—like I did with Reda; she left a cliffhanger for you. Anyway, that's how I'll do this. If anyone has a song suggestion—or a clip—tell me, give me a place where I can download and listen to the song, and I'll decide whether I want it or not. Okay? Thanks people. Oh yeah! I don't own Dragon Ball Z. . .)

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase.

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I'd held your hand through all of these years
But you still have...

All of me.

Chapter Two: All of me

The day was peaceful enough. Birds sang outside. Squirrels chattered as they gathered acorns. Even the dinosaurs in the mountains weren't fighting today; everything was normal and peaceful. At least, that's what Goku thought as he came down the stairs to give Chi-Chi a happy smile.

When he reached the living room, Goten and Chi-Chi were staring at the news broadcast on television. Chi-Chi was biting her nails to shreds, and her pale face said something was up. Goten had his fists clenched, his eyebrows lowered, his feet set in an attack position; he was ready to punch something. But the form was all wrong. His upper body was clear and open to attack; even if Goten was ready to attack, he was not ready to defend, and Goku had learned years ago that you needed to be ready for both if you wanted to survive any fight.

Even though Goten was wearing a nice pair of training clothes, Goku was not. He strode across the floor, getting behind his son. He heard the surprise sound Goten made as he reached out and put his son's hands in the correct position and moved his legs so that they could kick out fast and easy if necessary. Even as he did this, Goku felt a tremendous empty place grow in his heart. He had given up fighting. It was for the better. So why couldn't he just get over it?

"Dad? Don't look at the television," Goten said, his voice trembling.

Goku faked a small laugh. "Why? What could possibly be that bad..." The color drained from his face as he did exactly what his son warned him against. "Psyfoam..."

He took a step back when the television appeared to glow. Something was wrong, something was seriously wrong. Suddenly, he was surrounded in blackness, the last thing he remembered being taking one step too many and tripping over something to land hard on the tile floor. Now, a pair of fluorescent eyes glared at him from the blackness; he knew and hated those eyes; they haunted every single one of his darkness nightmares.

Then, just like in his nightmares a voice spoke to him. "I'm back, Goku, and you are mine. You always were mine, from the day you showed your talent...and you always will be mine."

"No! I'm done fighting; it's over, Psyfoam! You can't use me anymore!" Goku sounded unsure, even to himself. Fuck you, Psyfoam. I hate you. It's all your fault!

No wonder the voice laughed, "Goku, Goku, Goku, just because you gave up does not mean it's over. Remember, it's never over."

Goku felt himself trembling all over; he was scared stiff to be true; Psyfoam was telling the truth, as much as he hated admitting it. "Just leave me alone. I'm tired of it all. I can't take it anymore..." He sounded so unsure himself, and that empty spot just kept growing; he was missing something, something of real importance.

"Goku, you're not the only one that I want revenge on. In fact, I don't want revenge on you at all, but I do know one person that does. Two have escaped from hell with me, Goku; they are both gifted with my power. One wants revenge on you, the other on Gohan."

"Who?"

"Oh come on, who is the one enemy you know of that despises you because you were just a stupid monkey. And who is the only enemy that Gohan ever killed?"

Goku opened both eyes and shot up, feeling a wet rag fall to his lap. "Oh, Goku! Thank goodness you're all right," Chi-Chi said, hugging him. Suddenly, she slapped him across the cheek. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"Uh...Sorry, Chi-Chi," Goku said with apology; he'd never understand her; women were so complicated. He lowered his eyebrows and looked straight at his son. "Goten, you have to warn your brother."

"About what, Dad?"

"Cell's coming back, and he's got Psyfoam's power." Hopefully, he's not already there. Goku would never be able to live with himself if something happened to either one of his sons.

Goten nodded, his eye serious. "I'm gone; be careful, Dad. I have a feeling you're hiding something from me."

Goku laughed and shook his head. "Now why would I do that?"

His son sighed as he walked out of the house, his muffled voice leaving quite an imprint. "I don't know, Dad. You've been acting kind of strange lately. I don't know what to think; you're not the same."

I can't be the same, Goten. Every time I fight, I feel like some greater force is using my power. And against Psyfoam...I just can't; he uses me! That was the truth; that was the real reason he had quit. It could only go so far before his power was used against himself. For years he had worried about that, but now that he'd identified the person using his powers as Psyfoam, he wouldn't fight at all. Every increase of power he experienced made Psyfoam twice as powerful. They were connected in some strange, weird way; if his power increased, Psyfoam's power increased. So, he couldn't train anymore, which meant he couldn't fight. It was for the good of everyone.

"Goku, Cell's not the only one that Psyfoam brought back, is he?" Chi-Chi sounded worried, caressing the cheek she had slapped just a moment ago.

Something clicked in his mind and Goku grabbed Chi-Chi and ran out of the house, dragging his wife behind him. The morning mist was still in the air, but the smell of burning leaves was greater. Chi-Chi gasped and Goku slowed as he reached the burning forest. He could hear the cries of all the innocent animals getting trapped or losing their homes. It's not fair; they don't deserve this.

He spun around, his eyes full of rage and anger as the helpless, innocent cries of all the forest animals moaned together. "Frieza! That's going too far!"

Chi-Chi's gasp was plainly audible, but then her voice came back, strong and angry as she stamped over to the blue changeling standing just outside the now burning ruins of her house. "So you're Frieza! I've heard stories about you, and I can say...hey, wait a minute. Aren't you dead?" The sudden change of his wife's mood, right in front of Frieza, made a large sweat drop form on the side of Goku's head.

Frieza seemed annoyed that Chi-Chi was standing in his way, but a smirk crossed his ugly face all the same. "So, this is your mate, you stupid Saiyan monkey? Charming to say the least."

"Well, I never!" Chi-Chi got ready to enjoy one of her mad-spells, but Frieza had other plans. He cut her off with a quick swipe of his tail and then connected eyes with Goku.

"It appears we meet again, Saiyan," Frieza said with that mocking voice of his.

Goku lowered his eyebrows and put on his game face. There was no reason to let Frieza know he had quit fighting. So, he matched the flaring red gaze without the slightest tremble. "It appears that way."

Chi-Chi got up from where she had been pushed to the ground. "What is your problem? Just because you used to be a terror of the galaxy gives you no right to push me around."

The careless, red gaze in Frieza's eyes as he moved his red eyeballs to look at Chi-Chi made Goku's own eyeballs shake with sudden fear when he realized Frieza's intention. "No...don't do it, Frieza!"

His scream was cut off as a sudden, violent explosion rocked the ground. Goku was forced to put his arms in front of his face and close his eyes. The dirt, dust, smoke, and other debris filled the air and scratched against his skin, the wind brushing though his clothes. What frightened him the most was the fact that he couldn't hear Chi-Chi's scream. That either meant the explosion had made him deaf or Chi-Chi was no more; he was really hoping for the former.

But when he heard Frieza's laugh, his hopes were shattered. Goku still held onto his diminishing hope, though. Chi-Chi was a brave woman; she could have dodged that blast and never made a sound. She had stood up against him in the World Martial Arts Tournament all those years ago, and she had shown several other acts of bravery since and before then, too.

"What are you waiting on, Saiyan monkey?" Frieza's voice resounded through his head.

His legs were tripped out from underneath him, but he didn't fall. A slick, hard, thick tail squeezed his neck, forcing his head to face upwards, his eyes staring through the smoke. But he refused to show Frieza that it was bothering him, clenching his teeth and glaring through the smoke, which wafted away to reveal the nightmarish features of the blue changeling. Goku clenched his fingers into the blue tail, trying to pull it off and away from his neck. He wouldn't fight, but he could still defend or keep himself from dieing needlessly. His eyes tried to look around and behind Frieza, but it didn't show much of a view. Where's Chi-Chi? I can't even sense her anymore!

"You looking for your mate?" Goku locked his eyes back on Frieza, just as the alien grinned. "Well...I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but...you won't see much of her until you die again."

Goku felt the shock rain on him hard. Chi-Chi...gone for good. There wasn't any way he knew of to bring her back. He couldn't rely on the dragonballs this time; he couldn't rely on anything or anybody anymore. When Frieza slipped the tail grip off and kicked him in the gut as hard as possible, Goku hardly recognized the pain. He surfaced from the base of a mountain, angry and full of grief. It was Frieza's turn to be shocked. The silver glow around Goku proved that he was a Special Saiyan, but...would he be able to use the power? With Chi-Chi gone, the one person he had quit fighting for, would he drop and forget his vow to stop fighting?

The world could change with Goku's decision.

--

Goten: Oh man! (Stops flying and looks back) Dad knew he was sending me away when Frieza was right there, but why? Damn it! Why? (Looks toward Gohan's new house) Gohan can handle Cell; he hasn't quit fighting! (Senses Goku's huge uprising of power) Dad, did you... (Smiles and then heads back on his way to Gohan) If father did transform then it is Gohan that needs my help.