Chapter XII

Wind rippled past Nine's face, making her bright red hair flutter into her face. She was humanoid looking but not entirely. She could not pass off as human but she came very close. It was her skin that gave her away. Having been made in the early stages, as a side effect, her skin was a light indigo shade. Dark green eyes peered out from her face. She was pretty small in stature but not so small that it made her abnormal.

Her outfit looked more fitting for Ancient Greece than for Japan. It was a white short dress, a tunic in actually with golden clasps holding the shoulders.However, aside from the dress like top, she had on tight black leather slacks, to her ankles. Thick brown hiking boots protected her feet but she carried a sling like sheath across her shoulder where a golden hilted sword rested.

Twigs snapped underneath her feet and she paused briefly, focusing her eyes on the large house that dwelled ahead of her. Her mission was to discover how strong Goku was and if possible to hurry the brat's death along. An easy enough task. She zeroed in with her sensors, trying to locate the boy's energy signature. She found it in a far right room. Slinking close to the ground, she slipped closer.

The light in the room made it easy to detect. However, there was a woman outside, even in this dark night. She looked like she was washing some dirty blankets, no doubt due to the boy's illness. She was crying, Nine could hear her. Foolish humans. She would never understand emotions of any sort. Ten was her partner but he was not an emotional attachment but rather he was her best compatible associate. He thought like she did. He fought like she did. The doctor had designed them that way. Their Android Brother and Sister Seventeen and Eighteen were different because he hadn't designed them from machine alone. They were altered humans which Nine considered a mistake but she was not one to question her master's planning.

Still, the human woman would be a nuisance to sneak around. It would be best to render her out of action at least. Nine could easily kill her but she didn't want to waste energy to do so. Knocking her out would be sufficient enough for her to get to Goku and his child inside. After all, her target was hardly this human woman. Nine upped her speed and shot forward with mind boggling speed, slamming her elbow into the back of ChiChi's head before the human woman could even turn around.

ChiChi slumped forward, face down, sprawled into the grass. Nine snorted and walked on. She stepped over the unconscious woman and through the open door. It was dark inside, with only a few lamps lit. The kitchen looked a mess which indicated that a meal had just been prepared. Her doctor had said the boy was unconscious so she supposed, judging by the blenders and whatnot scattered around that the two parents were blending nutrients into liquids that could be given to the child. Pity that they went to so much trouble when it wouldn't make a difference.

Nine knew all too well that the boy would die soon. She could feel it just by his energy signature. His heart was weaker. His time was drawing ever nearer. In a way, she supposed she was doing him a favor, putting him out his misery. Not even Gero had bothered to create a cure for his virus. Once it was given, it was given. There was no way out then. It was a dead end street from there on out.

She didn't understand the emotion this Goku felt for the child. After all, all the child was a mixture of his and the human woman's DNA. There was nothing special about him. If he died, which he would, Goku could have merely produced another offspring with the woman. Why did he bother wasting his energy trying to save his child? He was the next generation, nothing more.

Nine rolled her eyes at the idiocy that was emotional attachment and slipped down the halls.

OOO

Wiping a splatter of carrot juice off his face, Goku eyed his unconscious son again. Gohan couldn't eat anything but liquids and those had to be poured down his throat slowly. Occasionally, some would slip up and the gag reflect was initiated which certainly explained the orange, purple and yellow stains on his gi top and the patches of liquid decorating his face.

"Oh, didn't like that one, did you?"

Goku tried as hard as he could to keep talking, to keep his hopes up but it was so hard. It was so much easier when Gohan had been able to answer, had been able to smile at him. Now, he lay limp as the dead in bed, his face pale and his ki so low Goku had to strain to feel it at all. The only indication of life from his child was the deep breaths that made his chest rise and fall.

"C'mon kiddo, let's try that again, okay? You can't get better if you don't have anything in your belly."

Goku supported his child up against his chest. He slid the dropper into his mouth and gently slipped the liquid down his throat. This time, he took it. Goku had gone through about three of Gohan's outfits before he decided it would just be easier to feed the boy without the clothes. Bulma had said the coma could only last a few hours, a few days or even a week. Maybe longer. If it lasted past a week, she wanted to put Gohan on tubes but if it was only for a few days, she didn't want to put Gohan through that. Goku didn't mind this. It was weird though. Gohan had been able to eat on his own for years. Gohan had been out of diapers for three years and yet here they were back in that state again.

It brought back memories that under normal circumstances would have made Goku grin and made his son blush furiously and bury his face into Goku's leg. Now though, they just worried him. He trusted Bulma but he also knew that they would need a miracle to get out of this one. Goku had been granted his share of miracles over the years. Was he all out of them?

He shook his head, trying not to think of that. He refilled the dropper, this time with prune juice. He knew Gohan hated it but he also knew it would help it more. He was hoping to get some kind of horrid face because that would have reassured him that his baby boy was still with him but he received nothing when he slipped the liquid down Gohan's throat.

"Gohan, can you hear Daddy?"

Nothing.

"You're going to get better, little man. You just keep fighting." He pulled Gohan into his lap completely so he could wash him off and change him. Wetting a cloth in warm water, he rubbed the liquid trails off his son's face. Gohan didn't move in the least. Bulma had said to put Gohan in different positions in order to avoid bed sores so Goku checked him over for any bruises or things to that degree and he found none.

"You done, little man?" He smiled forcefully. "Once you're better, Daddy'll get you so much ice cream you'll get a belly ache. You look forward to that, okay? We can make a day's trip out of it. Maybe we can go to park afterwards and Daddy has some zennie left. You be thinking of what kind of toy you want, okay? I saw a stuffed dragon the other day that reminded me of Icarus. I'll show you and you can choose, okay?"

Nothing.

Goku squeezed his eyes tightly but blinked his tears away and laid his son down on the ground to check his diaper. It was so bizarre to be changing his six year old. He didn't mind it but it was disturbing. Gohan hated even having accidents and here he was depending on diapers again. Goku hoped, for his son's sake, that he didn't remember this part when he woke up. It would upset him…

"Geez!" Goku turned his head away and tried to joke with his unconscious child. "You used to save these full loads for your mother, not me, little man. You mad I made you drink prune juice?"

Nothing but Goku kept talking as he cleaned the boy up.

"Sorry I had to give you prunes, kiddo. I know you hate them. They're real good for you though. They'll make you grow up strong like Daddy. You wanna do that, right? You wanna be a fighter like Daddy, right?" He winked as he strapped a clean garment on his son and tossed the old one. "I won't tell Mother, I promise."

Goku lifted Gohan up into his arms and sat down in a chair with him swaddled in his arms. Tears came then. He buried his face into Gohan's chest, saying, "I'm sorry, little man. I should have protected you better. This was supposed to be Daddy, not you, little man. Not you, you've so much to do yet, Gohan. You're still a little baby." He smiled faintly. "Get upset all you want, kiddo but you're always going to be my baby. You better get used to it."

Gohan didn't reply except to breathe. Goku stroked his face, thinking. "I promised to protect you, baby. I failed. I'm sorry…I'm so sorry."

Goku couldn't lose Gohan, not now. He had only gotten him back. He had only been back a few months. He had always been able to protect him before, be it from a real monster like Freeza or a fake one, like those Gohan told him hid under his bed. He shook his head, wishing more than anything that he could rid his son of this demon as easily as he had that one…

Less Than A Month Ago…

"110! 111! 112! 113!11-"

"Daddy?"

Goku dropped his one thumbed push up and pushed himself up to sit back. "Hey little man. What are you doing up? Didn't your mother and I tuck you in an hour ago?"

"Yeah…"

"What's the matter?"

"Can't sleep."

"Why not?"

Gohan looked at his feet and shuffled them a little bit. "Just…can't."

Goku raised a brow and gave a knowing grin. "Bad dreams, little man?"

Gohan half nodded.

Goku picked his son up, resting him on his hip. Tweaking his son's nose, he chuckled, "You wanna talk about it, little man?"

"It's Freeza again…" the boy confessed. "I keep thinking he's gonna spring out at me out of the darkness or under my bed or something." Blushing red in his cheeks, he added, "I'm sorry, I know that sounds stupid."

"Hey, hey, any fear my little boy has isn't stupid. Is Freeza picking on my baby boy?" Goku demanded, his face taking on an overly serious expression. Gohan blinked at his father but nodded, his head against Goku's shoulder. Goku turned down the hall, still holding Gohan and stormed into the boy's bedroom, hollering at the top of his lungs. "FREEZA! STOP HIDING LIKE A COWARD!"

Setting Gohan down for a moment, Goku lifted his son's bed off the ground with one finger and shook his head, "Not there…COME OUT YOU SCUM OF THE UNIVERSE!"

He pushed his son's closet door open and finding nothing went on to survey the entire room. Gohan knew he should have felt a fool because he knew full well Freeza was dead. Trunks and his father had both ensured that. Still, his young mind felt a lot better knowing Daddy was giving the room a twice-over. Illogical yes but comforting nonetheless.

Goku finally stopped and turned to his son, getting down to his level. "Well, if he was here, he's chased off now Gohan. Promise."

Gohan nodded "Thank you, Daddy" he chirped.

"Hey, that's what Daddy's for. Anyone else comes and tries to bother my little boy, you just call me in, okay?"

Gohan nodded. "I didn't pay Daddy for tonight's fumigation though." He stood up on his tiptoes, asking "You take regular, butterfly or wet?"

Goku grinned, as it was a familiar joke between them. "All types of kisses accepted."

Gohan promptly planted about three wet butterfly kisses on his father's cheek, fluttering his long lashes against Goku's cheek making the Saiyan laugh. He pulled the boy away, saying "Uh oh, this one bounced." He planted a big one on Gohan's nose and then added "Oops, your account's overdrawn, gotta return this one.' He planted several over his son's neck making Gohan laugh.

Present

Goku laid his son down in his bed, burying his face into the boy's chest, keeping a firm grip on his hand, finding comfort in the steady beat of his son's heart.

OOO

"Yes, yes…please…"

Bulma watched the data of her latest trial stream by her face, tears in her eyes. She bit her nails, a habit she had long since been out of but her heart was racing a million miles a minute as she saw the infected cells she was testing react to her latest attempt at a cure. She wanted to believe what she was seeing. Rubbing her bloodshot eyes, she rewound and replayed the data.

"YES! I DID IT! HOLD ON GOHAN!"

Bulma grabbed the nearest staff member which happened to be her father and danced around with him, screeching "We did it, Daddy! We did it! A cure, a cure, a cure, a CURE!"

The human woman raced downstairs with her father towards a phone to call Goku and give him the good news, leaving her cure in the sealed vial. A dark set of eyes peered in through the window, long brown hair framing a dark olive skinned face. Dark brown eyes narrowed, analyzing before reporting through a speaker in their left hand,

"Doctor, Number Ten reporting. You were right as always. The human Bulma has devised a cure. Recommended Method?"

"Destroy it."

"Understood Sir."

OOO

Goku's ears perked up at a faint feminine step behind him. He almost rose and asked ChiChi what had taken her so long but he froze. He knew his wife's steps and those weren't hers. These were heavier. Much heavier. He opened one eye and sprung to his feet, jerking his arm out, blocking a sharp katana blade aimed straight for his son!

Hair flamed to blond in anguish and fury and Goku's eyes bleached to dark aqua as he took in the assailant. "He's helpless! He can't even defend himself! What kind of coward are you?"

The woman remarked "I have a mission to fulfill."

"Not involving my son, you don't!"

Goku snatched his child up from the bed, focused on Roshi's ki and vanished. He didn't say anything, just ran inside of the turtle house, nearly knocking Krillin over in the process. Laying his child on the couch, he remarked to Krillin, "Androids, at my house. They came after Gohan."

"What? He's helpless!"

"I know" came the growled reply. Krillin ground his fists tightly.

"I'm going with you Goku."

The Saiyan nodded and turned to his little boy, still dead asleep. "Stay alive, little man, please stay alive."

To Krillin, he said, "Grab my arm."

That said, both vanished.

Gohan slept on.

OOO

It's cold…Daddy, it's cold here.

Gohan curled into a tight ball, trying to give his naked body some coverage, some warmth. He felt like he was sleeping in some kind of lake because it was cold and wet but for some reason, he didn't sink. Why he didn't sink, he couldn't even begin to guess but right now, he wanted to be warm! It was cold here! There were even sheets of rain falling. He curled up tighter,

Where are you Daddy?

He's fighting!

Huh?

A shot of a blast came out of nowhere and Gohan rolled to avoid it. He had to fight to stand up because the cold was zapping his strength. His little hands curled into tiny fists and he shifted his stance to the typical guard position. Who's there? Who is it? Where's Daddy? Where am I? What's going on? I want some answers, please!

Daddy's fighting for you because you've given into the virus.

What?

Your father is fighting for his life now because you gave up!Another blast came out of nowhere, this one connecting. Get up and go help him!

Groaning, Gohan forced himself to sit up. His chest ached now. His sharp eyes searched the landscape for the source of this voice and this attack. The voice was eerily familiar, like he should know it. From where he didn't know but what the voice was saying was scaring him. Daddy's in danger? Daddy's hurt? Where's Daddy? Where am I? Who are you?

A form stepped out of the sheets of rain. Taller than Gohan but a good two heads but still only a little taller than Krillin. Spiky blond hair and dark aqua eyes. His muscles were highly defined, his face serious and determined. He wore an orange gi identical to Daddy's! As he walked, lightning flashed around him and his met Gohan's eyes.

I'm the power that sleeps inside of you. The time has come to wake up, Son Gohan.