A/N—I need an answer from yall…I'm thinking about going back and starting from the beginning of Sanzo and Hakkai's romance after this is over. Should I write more of this, or are you tired of me and I should just shut up?

Part 8: Turn Back Time

Goku

I could hardly believe it when I saw him and now that we're all sitting around Gojyo's kitchen table, I still am having a hard time. He's been gone a long time and a lot's changed. If only we could go back in time…

Gojyo looks just as confused as I am. He casts me a look. After thirty some years of friendship I know what he's asking. Does he know? Apparently Sanzo can read us just as easily. "So are you two going to explain this whole Gonou thing to me or not?"

Gojyo clears his throat and Lirin stares at the table. I guess that leaves me. "A woman calling herself "Kanan" and our old friend Nii stole Hakkai's body and resurrected him…sort of. It's not really Hakkai. He's changed. He kills whenever he feels like it. He…he doesn't recognize us, Sanzo. He says that we're after Kanan."

"Heh, so this is what she meant that I had something left to do. That bitch," He mumbles.

"Mom! Dad!" We all turn and face Jien. The tall, thin boy in the door way is completely unaware of our dilemma. He could have been Gojyo from twenty-five years ago, except he has his mother's green eyes and his demon blood shows through more. "Hey, Goku. What are you doing out here?"
"I…uh.." I start to stammer.

Gojyo stands and smiles. "Sanzo, I'd like you to meet our son Jien. Jien this is Genjyo Sanzo."
He gives us all a disbelieving look. "The Genjyo Sanzo? The priest with a bad attitude?"

"You're Gojyo's kid alright." Sanzo snorts.

"Oh yeah what's that supposed to mean, you degenerate monk?" Jien shouts.

Like clockwork, we barely even see the gun before he fires. Jien stares in absolute disbelief, while Gojyo and I laugh.

"Hey, baldy," Lirin warns "can you not point that thing at my son!"

"Sorry, old habit's die hard." He turns to me ignoring Jien. "So he's killing demons? Humans?"

"Anyone who happens to be handy." I sigh and stare out the window. "The woman with him seems to decide who dies and who lives. Whatever they did to his head, it's got a strong hold on him. Sanzo, if anyone can break it, it's you."

"I thought he almost recognized me the last time. It was like he was losing his will to fight," I add.
A flash of anger and pain crosses his face. "Do you know where to find them?"
I shake my head. "They've been on the move, but they'll attack and then disappear. Gonou pops up out here so often, but it's strange."

"Why?"
"Well, he doesn't seem to care so much about fighting. He will if we confront him, yet he just seems to be looking around when he's here."
Gojyo frowns. "There is some of Hakkai left in there. They have to be doing something to his head. Hakkai wouldn't do these things."
Sanzo nods and walks out of the room without a word.

"You gonna follow him?" Jien asks,

"The monk needs some space," his father answers.

In the evening, Gojyo and I sit on the porch. In the past twenty years, we've relied on each other more than I ever though possible. Gojyo has always been my friend, but Sanzo was my "best friend," and it was kind of like that for Gojyo and Hakkai. We rarely bicker any more. I guess you could say that we grew up, only it happened in our thirties. Fatherhood does that to you.

When Houmei died, Gojyo and Lirin were there to comfort me and help out with the kids. Lirin took care of Tsuzuki, because I couldn't bear to look at him. I didn't blame my son, but things were complicated. One night, Gojyo came in and put the boy in my arms, telling me to get my act together and remember Sanzo. That did it for me right then, I thought back to the day of Sanzo's "death" and what I told him. That morning I made breakfast for the kids and we all ate around our table for the first time since Houmei's death. I still miss her, but I had to live for them.

"Hmm, I guess I'm the only one of the group that got old," Gojyo says quietly.

I look at him for a moment. I've watched the gradual changes in him. The lines that appeared at the corners of his mouth, the gray strands that have streaked his hair, and the loss of that lean muscle he had. He's not an old man yet, but he will be. Even now, I haven't aged much. He's right. He and Sanzo were the only ones with human blood. "You're not old," I tell him.
"Ha, like hell I'm not. Somehow, it never really occurred to me that I actually was old—even when we joked about it—until I saw him. I used to think that I was eternally twenty-five."

I swallow and shake my head. "You know if I could trade you places I would. I don't like this feeling, Gojyo. I look at you and I look in the mirror and I feel like I'm being robbed of something. Nothing has ever really been normal in my life. I wasn't really born, I don't really age; when will I die? Will I get to see everyone I love die long before I do? My kids are slow to age, but they are getting older. Then there's me."

"I'm sorry, man. I'm just a little bummed that there's this great reunion here and I'm not much good right now. It makes me think of how he must have felt all those years ago."

I sigh and remember. "He didn't take it well at first, that's for sure. But you remember how he was at the end."
"I do. Any way, we'd better hope that Sanzo can reach him, because if he doesn't…you know what Kougaiji is planning."

I feel a chill. "Sanzo will reach him."