Disclaimer: I love dragonball z to death, but I don't own it, but hopefully someday I'll own Piccolo! lol /cross you fingers/

How great it is to be loved by you!

by: Pic's Pixie

Chapter 9: Being grounded doesn't have to be boring

The next morning came and went and Piccolo was still in bed. Bulma had tried to wake her but the girl was determined to sleep in since she didn't have to go to school. It was about noon when she finally rose. Still half asleep she got out of bed and took a shower. She was awake when she came out and was now picking out her own outfit today. She was putting on running shoes today no more heels for now, then she had on denim capris with a pink belt. She also had decided to try this thing called a tube top, it was pink with rhinestones across the front of it. She didn't want to spend all the time doing her hair so she just combed it out and left it long. She skipped down the stairs and straight to the kitchen to eat. After that she was searching for something to do ,she couldn't find anything so she left to tour the rest of the city by herself since Gohan was grounded.

Meanwhile out in the forest there was a little cabin where the Sons' live. Gohan was in his room since he was grounded and was studying after his mother requested it. Goku was down stairs in the kitchen eating them out of house and home and Goten had left with Chichi to go do some shopping. Gohan had taken a break from his algebra and was starring out his window. How he wishes he were the wind, not held back by anything , and no one telling him what to do. He would be able to go anywhere anytime and see everything. He also wished he were the wind so he could go out and find Vicki he had seen her yesterday but already he was missing her like crazy. His desk was right infront of the window so he didn't have to move to get a better view. His head was resting in his hands and he was daydreaming of a particular green haired girl, when all of a sudden there she was ,right outside his window looking at him with a smile from ear to lovely ear. Gohan was so surprised that he fell off his chair and fell flat on his back. Piccolo sweat- dropped, she shouldn't have snuck up on him. She just floated there for a while and waited for him to come back to consciousness. Gohan was now lying on his back and looking at the ceiling. He must have imagined her. How would she have known where he lived, and most importantly his room was on the second storey of their house. Gohan sat up and peeked over his desk to his patiently waiting visitor. It was no dream ,she was really here, and she was floating.

"What?! How did you, ...how are you ....huh?" Gohan stuttered he was speechless.

"Could I maybe come in. That would be nice, but if not I'm fine out here." Piccolo wasn't even annoyed she had lots of patience when it came to her student.

"Of course!" he shouted noticing how rude he was being. Piccolo floated in and sat right on his desk where she sat down for the time being.

"How did you know where I lived?" Gohan had found his voice.

"Easy, phonebook." Piccolo actually didn't need one he had been to this house many times before.

"How did you get here?" Gohan knew that she had obviously flown but he wanted to know how she knew how.

"I flew."

"Obviously, but how come you know how to?"

"Veggie taught me!" Piccolo sent Gohan a smirk and laughed slightly at her new nick name for Vegeta. He had not found it too amusing when she had used it the first time.

"Veggie?? Oh you mean Vegeta, nice nick name what did he think of it?"

"He didn't like it as you probably could have assumed."

"I didn't think he would teach anyone anything about ki except for his own flesh and blood."

"Yeah, but I can be very persuasive, when I want to be." This got Gohan's face a bright shade of red. When Piccolo added a certain look and leaned in closer to what she had said.

"So what were you doing?" Piccolo was in a playful mood which confused himself because he was never in a playful mood.

"I was doing some algebra because my mom wanted me too."

"I don't see any algebra?" Piccolo really couldn't see any, she was looking all around.

"Umm, It's under you." Gohan was blushing even brighter and trying not to look at where his studies were.

"Hmn, ....Ohhhhhh!" Piccolo looked down following Gohan's shy gaze and realised that she was sitting on the papers. Piccolo hopped off and shyly smiled turning alittle red herself.

"Sorry" she said sheepishly.

"That's okay, no harm done." Gohan said while mentally telling himself that he would put those papers in a vacuum sealed bag and hide it in a vault forever. Piccolo looked around, his room was clean ,very tidy. She made her way to a wall with papers stuck to it. There was one particular child's drawing that held her attention. Gohan noticed and came over to see what she was looking at. As soon as he saw he just laughed weakly with a shy smile on his face and one hand behind his head.

"Oh that's a picture I drew when I was 9. That guy's name is Piccolo. He was my sensei a long time ago. He's still my friend though." Gohan's expression changed from one of slight embarrassment to one of admiration and respect.

"He's kinda funny looking huh?" Piccolo inwardly hoped that he would disagree.

"Some people think so, I don't. He's really a great guy I feel sorry for him sometimes. He lives by himself. He's always been alone." Piccolo could see the hurt in Gohan's face when he said this. He really did care for him. Piccolo gave his friend a light hug that only lasted for a second or two, and then she had realised what she had done and pulled herself away gently. Gohan was glad she was here, she always made him feel warm and protected. Then he remembered something.

"Oh yeah! My parents want to meet you, would you come for dinner on Monday?"

Gohan was worried about what his parents might say but he wanted to see as much of her as possible before she had to leave, forever as Trunks had said, he really didn't believe the boy.

"All right." Piccolo was already thinking of ways to freak Chichi out ,he knew how much she was pressuring Gohan to like Videl, which he felt was wrong on her part.

"Great!" Gohan exclaimed. His happiness easy to see. Just then Goku burst through the door saying something about his mother calling when he saw a girl standing next to his son.

"Oh, hi miss. Gohan what's going on?" Goku was really confused, who was this girl, was she this Vicki person, and how did she get in Gohan's room?

"Ahh, aa, hi dad this is Vicki she just stopped by for a visit." Gohan was so afraid that his father would tell his mom or worse yet embarrass him.

"Oh so this is the legendary Vicki?" Goku took the girl's hand in his and kissed the back of it. Both Piccolo and Gohan sweatdropped.

"Wait a minute!" Piccolo interrupted. "What do you mean legendary?"

"Everyone's talking about you especially Gohan. Oww!" Gohan hit his father in the back of the head and sent him a look like why-did-you-have-to-say- that? Piccolo just giggled and then looked at her feet she didn't know yet if she would get in trouble for coming uninvited.

"Well you certainly are as beautiful as they say!" Goku was looking her up and down. Gohan slapped himself in the forehead./How could his own father do this to him?/ Piccolo blushed and gave a small nod.

"So you know anything about martial arts?" Piccolo and Gohan both didn't expect Goku to want to fight her.

"Yes, of course I do. I do live with Vegeta for the time being you know!" Piccolo was acting more like himself now, they had moved to a topic of discussion that he knew about.

"WHAT!?!" Gohan shouted.

"I didn't know you knew martial arts."

"There's alot of things you have yet to have learned about me." Piccolo said with a seductive smirk while not really noticing it.

"Do you feel like a spar?" Goku assumed she knew what that was since she probably had done it with Vegeta.

"Sure!" Piccolo was dying to fight someone other than the prince.

"I'm sure you'll want a change of cloths then since what you're wearing isn't that durable." Piccolo was about to refuse and generate her usual fighting gi when she decided against it. They would recognise it as Piccolo's for sure and they knew that Vegeta didn't know how to regenerate clothing so she wouldn't have an excuse.

"Yeah I guess I do." Piccolo nodded. Goku left for a moment and then returned with one of his old gis that he had tried to clean and accidentally shrunk.

"Thanks." Gohan and Goku just stood there and looked at her not moving. Piccolo wasn't sure what they were starring at.

"I'm NOT changing here!" Piccolo had learned some looks that guys gave her and had figured out most of their meanings. Goku and Gohan were looking as if they were waiting for her to just undress right then and there. Both males came out of their trances immediately and blushed like mad.

"OF COURSE NOT!! Here's the bathroom you can change in there." Goku showed her to the door and closed it behind her. He took a deep breath and then went to his own room to change into his training cloths, Gohan did the same in his room as well. In no time all three were outside and had flown to a nearby clearing. Both boys were amazed that she could keep up ,they had expected her to just barely know the basics, but she was so graceful and talented as if she was an old pro. They first did some stretches and then they were doing rock/paper/scissors to determine who was up first. It was Goku and Gohan up first. They had been going crazy ,showing off for the girl, Piccolo assumed. She just sighed and bowed her head slightly at the males' stupid hormones. Then they stopped, they were kind of worn out, they had meant to do that so that the next person to fight Vicki would be weaker so she had a better chance. Piccolo knew this so she was going to allow them a break to freshen up. They landed and were surprised to see a not too astonished girl tapping her foot on the ground.

"Okay, I'll give you guys a break before I pound you into the ground, I want a challenge after all." Both guys' mouths were hanging open ,she was a cocky little she-devil wasn't she.

After half an hour of resting and drinking from the stream the boys were doing the game to find out who would have to take on Vicki. It was Goku. Gohan was so nervous, he was really worried about Vicki, but he knew his dad wouldn't do anything too drastic to her.

"You ready?" Goku asked as he rose into the air.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Was the reply as the girl followed right behind.

Both took their stances and took a moment to measure up their opponents. Goku waited for Vicki to make the first move and she did not hesitate. Piccolo vanished , and then quickly reappeared behind Goku and landed a two- handed fist to the back. Gohan was speechless, how could she be this fast, she was even stronger than Videl. Goku recovered quicker from the hit then from the shock of her technique.

"What's wrong, too fast for you?" Piccolo gloated, too used to being with Vegeta.

Goku didn't answer her he just turned around and entered the fight. He charged at her and threw punches left and right. And amazingly Vicki was blocking them all, well most of them ,Goku got a good one to her left arm and had been able to kick her in the stomach. She bent over in pain and was sent flying to the ground. Gohan was about to catch her when she let loose her ki and stopped herself, mere inches from Gohan's waiting arms. She opened her eyes and met Gohan's. She smiled then shot back up to where the battle was, with Goku. The fight continued for a very long time, both sides basically getting the upper hand during different segments of the fight. They finally ended, it seemed like a stalemate, but Gohan figured that his father was just pretending. Goku had even gone up to super saiyan, so he must have been holding out.

"Well done Vicki. You put up a good fight." Goku congratulated her.

"Hmm..thanks!" Piccolo had always enjoyed sparing with Goku.

"Oh yeah I forgot. Gohan your mother called, her and Goten are going to be spending the night over at Bulma's so Vicki can stay too if she wants." They both looked at Vicki.

"Well okay, I'll just have to call Bulma and tell her that I won't be coming home tonight." Gohan smiled and they flew back home. When they got there Piccolo called Bulma and then they all changed back into their normal cloths. Vicki was the last one to finish changing so she came down the stairs to find both Gohan and Goku sitting at the table looking at her.

"Ummm....Victoria do you know anything about cooking?" Goku asked shyly. Shooting her the son-smile.

"Let me guess you two are hungry." Both of them shook their heads in affirmation.

"If you die from my cooking you can't blame me, I've never cooked before. But I guess I could try." They both nodded. She shooed them out of the kitchen if she were going to burn the place down she didn't wanting them watching. They left to do whatever and she had realised what she had actually agreed to. Her the demon king, or I guess queen, is going to have to learn to cook real fast. She had watched Bulma do it at their place but had never asked to try.

"Okay, lets see now." Piccolo clapped her hands together to get her train of thought in the right direction. /rice, it was pretty easy to make/ She looked through cupboards and found the rice and a pot. She filled the pot with water and put it on the stove to boil. She then looked around for something else, and then another thing and before she knew it she was calling them in to eat. It was a mix and match kind of dinner. There was white rice, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hot dogs, raw vegetables, and tons of macaroni and cheese. Surprisingly nothing was burnt but it wasn't very elaborate, but saiyans don't really care as long as it's edible they'll eat it, and lots of it. Piccolo didn't eat very much maybe a bit of rice and half a hot dog, watching the two of them woof down the rest made her lose her appetite.

"Wow that was really good, thanks alot for cooking." Goku mumbled most of this because he was still chewing.

"Yeah you didn't have to." Gohan was really proud of her.

"It was nothing, really." After everyone was finished and the table was cleared they all piled into the living room to see what was on the television. A scary movie was playing. Gohan and Goku were both trying to be brave but they were so on edge if you coughed they would jump through the ceiling. Piccolo wasn't scared at all, and she was finding the situation she was in very humorous. But at the same time her maternal instincts were kicking in so she also felt as if she was suppose to comfort them or something. They were all seated on the one sofa with Piccolo in the middle. When a scary part would come up both Goku and Gohan would practically fall on top of her shielding their eyes and Piccolo would have to tell them when the scary part was over. Every time she told them they would deny that they were scared of course,

"oh I had something in my eyes."

"I lost my balance."

Finally the movie ended and it was time for bed then it was the situation of where would Vicki sleep. The sofa was as hard as a rock so that was scratched out ,so they decided to let her sleep in Gohan's bed in his room while he slept on a mat on the floor, Goten's room was a possibility until they actually looked in there, they could only tell where the bed was or had been because the junk rose like a mountain over the bed. Plus Gohan was a good kid and Goku was so innocent himself he didn't really know why boys and girls sleeping in the same room might be looked down apon. Goku just went to bed after that. Piccolo had nothing to sleep in but the outfit she came in so Gohan lent her a pair of his boxers and an old T-shirt. She changed in the bathroom and made sure to knock before she entered Gohan's room. Gohan let her in, he was wearing pyjama pants, his shirt was off since it was really hot in his room during this season for some reason, they had the window open for some cool air. As soon as he opened the door for her she froze, she had seen Gohan without his shirt many times before but now it was different, she was very aware of him and how he looked. His skin was tanned and scarred from combat, but the scars were old and faded you could hardly make them out, his muscles were perfect he wasn't overly burly and he wasn't too skinny, just perfect, the ripples in his skin were compatible with his skin tone. He was perfect. Piccolo noticed that she had been starring with her mouth opened so she quit both.

"Thanks for letting me take your bed, I appreciate it." Piccolo felt kinda funny around him for some reason but she decided to mark it off as the cool breeze sweeping through the room. Gohan spread open the sleeping bag he set out for himself and sat down on it. Piccolo curled into his bed, it was very soft ,and warm. Piccolo felt somewhat guilty of stealing his bed and making him lie on the cold floor.

"No problem." Gohan was actually getting a bit chilly. It was cooler than normal but he didn't really want to get up and close the window because he thought that Vicki was too hot ,or he didn't want her to feel trapped, she did come in that way. Vicki made sure he was fine and then she reached over and turned off the lamp that was on, on his night stand. Piccolo didn't sleep too great ,she kept waking up. One time she woke up she saw that it was 3 in the morning. /awww man I'm going to be so tired in the morning/ Just then she heard something, it was Gohan he was shivering. He must be cold she thought, she was kinda tangled in the blankets and she didn't want to wake Gohan up by closing the window. Piccolo took off one of the blankets that was on his bed and bent down to wrap it over Gohan's sleeping form. He stirred and she had thought he might wake up, but he didn't. She let out the breath she was holding, and tried to get balanced enough so she wouldn't fall on him, that would wake him up for sure. No wonder Gohan was cold he had been tossing and turning in his sleep and his sleeping bag had opened up letting all the cool air in, Piccolo was just about to fix it when, he started to thrash about a bit, he was also mumbling something.

Somewhere in his inner conversation her name came up ,it wouldn't have been as strange had it been her female name. But Gohan had called out 'Piccolo', was he having a dream about his old self, her thoughts were quickly turned around when strong arms came up and pulled her down beside Gohan. She was so close to him, right at his side, he had been dreaming and had pulled her down. Piccolo just lay still trying to think of a way to get out of this mess. Being this close to him was affecting her brain, she couldn't think about anything except how good he smelled like chestnuts and earth, and how beautiful he looked with the moonlight reflecting off his perfect skin. This boy was no longer a boy, he was a man and a very handsome one at that. Piccolo was just about to yell at herself for thinking that way about his student when he was all of a sudden pulled even tighter to the demi- saiyan's chest. She looked up and saw that he was still asleep, strange she wondered what he could be dreaming about. But just as soon as that question formed in her mind the answer was revealed. Piccolo was paralysed, Gohan had her in a lip lock, his mouth crushed against hers. She didn't know what to do, the last time and only other time when this had happened to her she had pushed the man away. But she didn't really want it to stop, it was nice. Plus if she pushed him away he would certainly wake up and be completely embarrassed she didn't want that, so she just didn't do anything and let him finish his assault.

Gohan was having a very strange dream, he dreamt that he was in love with Piccolo and that Vicki had somehow disappeared. Gohan eventually stopped and Piccolo was able to breath, alot had happened since she had been turned into a girl and surprisingly enough it wasn't all that bad. Gohan had loosened his grip and Piccolo was able to move about slightly, but he still had her in his arms and was nuzzling up against her, no doubt for warmth, it was freezing down here. Piccolo even pressed herself firmer against Gohan's body to give him warmth and also to borrow some from his. She slowly drifted to sleep in that position, carried away in the warmth of Gohan's embrace.