Emily stared puzzled as she watched Gohan disappear into the distance, and then shaking her head, made her way into the kitchen.
What is with everyone lately? She thought, trying her best not to let herself get upset anymore as she pulled a couple of pans out of the cupboard. She sighed as she opened up another cupboard door and scanned the cans for something simple to make for the kids. Looks like there are only four of us tonight... she thought as her eyes welled up again.
"Mum? Are you alright?" A voice asked. Emily span around to see Alex staring at her. Wiping her eyes, Emily nodded.
"Yes honey, I'm fine. Have you done your homework?" She asked.
"You know I heard what dad said last night. He's wrong isn't he?" Alex stated, walking over. Emily stared at her daughter in shock, not knowing how to comfort the eight year old.
"Your father is somehow upset with whatever happened to him last night. Yes it hurt what he said, but I know deep down he didn't mean it." She sighed, pulling Alex into a hug.
"How do you know? I'm not exactly the worlds perfect daughter." Alex asked. Emily managed a weak smile.
"I'm sure your father would have a lot more to moan about if you were Alex. I've known your father for a very long time and we both love each other very much. I know he's just upset. Now have you done your homework?" She replied firmly this time, staring at her daughter now.
"Yeah, I have." Alex said.
"What about Jake?"
"Dunno."
"Well if your both done, why don't you go and play with Pan and Daisy." Emily suggested. Alex nodded and ran out the room and Emily turned her attention back to the cupboard.
Wonder what is up with Gohan, he just ran out and left Pan behind, now I know that's not like him. Sighing she pulled out half a dozen cans and lined them up ready to start dinner.
Over at Zara's house, Trunks had just arrived with her, worry increasing on his face every time he looked at her.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"I just have the bad headache." She mumbled, going back to holding her head. Putting his arms around her shoulders, he led her into the cottage.
"You still have that? You've barely used your powers! I think something is up. And something weird is going on, with my dad and then Mirai walking out on Emily and all." He commented.
"Yeah, wonder what happened there, I thought they were in love." Zara agreed and Trunks nodded.
"They were, they were all mushy together and then she would get depressed if he was away. My mum said something about Mirai having a reality dream." He sighed, Zara's eyes widened at this.
"He had what?" She cried, and then winced as another wave of pain shot through her head.
"A dream that felt weird. I mean even I know that Emily wouldn't insult him. Why what's wrong?" He asked, staring at her.
"Dunno. Just dreams seem to make a difference again. But they can't be that, you guy's fell into comas when they hit you last year. Mirai is up and walking about as if nothing attacked him, except Emily and the kids." She mumbled, shaking her head and instantly regretting it as she prepared herself for another wave of pain, almost causing her knees to give way. Trunks caught her then carried her over to the couch.
Meanwhile back at Mount Potaz, Goku landed outside the three houses and immediately made his way over to Emily's house. Knocking on the door, it was quickly opened by Daisy.
"Hi Grandpa Goku!" She chirped as she struggled to swing it open. Pushing it gently, Goku smiled down at her.
"Isn't your mother in bed?" He asked and to his surprise, Daisy shook her head at him and pointed.
"Nope, she's in the kitchen." She replied then ran back up the stairs. Frowning, Goku made his way into the kitchen and sighed he as spotted his daughter hunched over the oven.
"What are you doing up?" He asked. Emily spun around and cracked her father a weak smile, although her eyes were still red and puffy.
"Well, the kids needed feeding." She mumbled as she turned back around and began stirring the contents in the pan.
"Where's Gohan?" Goku asked, frowning now. Emily shrugged her shoulders as she focused on the pan.
"Good question. If you find out let me know." She said.
"Emily." Goku said firmly, Emily just sighed.
"I dunno where he is, he just took off after I asked if he could help me with dinner. He even left Pan here." She replied.
"He just took off?" Goku asked.
"Yep."
"Well, stop cooking, I want you to stay at ours for the night." Goku announced. Emily shot her father a suspicious look.
"It's ok, really. I'll be fine." She argued, and struggled to keep a yawn in, Goku just smirked at her.
"You need help, and I'm sure Chichi can help with the kids. You're still hurt from last night and I want you to get rested up properly." He said sternly.
"Dad, you can't just move four people into a three bedroom house. Honestly, I'll be fine." She said.
"I don't think so. You, Daisy and Alex can have your room and Jake can bunk in with Goten. Don't worry about it all, its now when you need the help the most." He argued, Emily just gave in, not in the mood to argue anymore and switched the oven off.
"Alright, if you insist. Thanks dad, you know how much I appreciate all this. I still don't understand what I did wrong." She said.
"Well, I took the liberty to go over to Capsule Corp and he was there. I'll tell you all about it later." Goku said, grabbing her hand and leading her out the kitchen. Little Pan met them in the living room.
"Grandpa Goku? Where's my dad?" She asked.
"We don't know, but we're going to find out." Goku said.
Later on that evening, Mirai Trunks sauntered down the stairs to find Bulla and Bulma in the kitchen eating dinner. Trunks had gone to spend the night with Zara and Vegeta was working out in his "precious" gravity room.
"Hey there, how are you feeling?" Bulma asked as he sat down.
"Although I slept better, I'm still upset over everything. I just don't know what to do, maybe I should just go back to my timeline." He sighed. Bulma frowned at him.
"Now don't even think of doing such a thing. You're welcome here anytime, but remember you have a wife and three kids at home. Just let things cool down between you two for a couple of days and things will eventually work out." Bulma said.
"I don't think I want them to. The things they said..." Mirai Trunks argued, Bulma glared at him now.
"Oh come on Trunks, do you really think Emily would say those things? And ok the twins maybe troublesome but they know respect. Look if you want to go back, I won't stop you but just think about what you are losing by doing all this." She sighed. Mirai Trunks just nodded in agreement, as those painful images kept replaying themselves in his head.
That evening in the Son household, Emily had put Daisy and Alex to bed. Goten wasn't happy about sharing his room with Jake but felt he owed it to his sister after what she had gone through. Goku had just finished explaining to Emily what Mirai Trunks had told him earlier, whilst Emily gasped in shock.
"I can't believe he'd think I'd do such a thing. He knows it was a dream dad, he should know none of it was real. And he knows better than to assume I'd let the twins do the same thing. Something isn't right here, the way Vegeta acted, then Trunks took off and now Gohan disappears. What is going on around here?" Emily sighed. Goku shook his head.
"I don't know honey. Why don't you have some sleep, you've had a tough day." He said. Emily nodded.
"Alright, see you two in the morning and thanks again for everything." She said, making her way up to her old room. Smiling at the memories as her parents had kept her room exactly the way she left it after she had married Mirai Trunks, just thinking about it made tears well up into her eyes again.
He'll come back. He loves you. Doesn't he? She thought as she climbed into her bed next to her two daughters.
A short while later, Goku and Chichi eventually retired to bed themselves.
"I hope things work out for her Goku, she's really upset." Chichi sighed, Goku nodded.
"I do too. And she's right; something is not right around here. Videl still hasn't heard from Gohan, he's just gone." He replied.
"We'll sort everything out tomorrow." Chichi said as she drifted off to sleep, Goku doing the same thing.
He suddenly found himself outside the house, the sun was shining and he noticed a figure approaching him.
"Gohan! There you are!" He called, running over to him, as he approached his son, to his surprise, he fisted him in the stomach.
"How dare you come near me after what you have put me through." He snarled. Goku frowned at his son.
"Gohan?" He asked.
"Don't you Gohan me. You disappear for years worrying the hell out of us and you expect us to welcome you back with open arms? Who do you think you are?" Gohan snapped, glaring at him.
"I don't like your attitude Gohan." Goku said frowning at him.
"Do you think I like yours? Go and disappear again, we're well used to you doing it now." Gohan laughed and disappeared. Looking around, Goku narrowed his eyes and cautiously made his way inside. He was greeted by a frying pan smashed into his head.
"Oh you're home are you?" Chichi stated staring at him.
"Nice to see you too." Goku muttered rubbing his head.
"Oh now your being sarcastic with me?" Chichi demanded. Suddenly Emily appeared behind her, also frowning at her father. Goku smiled at her thinking she was going to back him up or something.
"How could you disappear on us like that? Do you have any idea how much change we have had to go through since you decided to do the disappearing act? Come on dad, this was something I'd expect my father to do, not you. The kids barely know you." She lectured.
"Kids?" He asked, suddenly four teenagers appeared in the room, Goku quickly recognised them as the twins, Pan and Daisy, but funnily enough, Emily hadn't aged, and neither had Chichi.
"Who is this guy mother?" Alex asked.
"Is he bothering you Grandma?" Jake added.
"Yeah, we'll take care of him for you." Daisy said along with Pan, both girls narrowing their eyes at their grandfather. Goku stared at them, not knowing what to say.
"Believe it or not kids, he is your grandfather." Chichi sighed.
"No he isn't. We have only one grandpa." Alex argued.
"Yeah, Grandpa Vegeta. Speaking of Grandpa Vegeta, we need to stop by his gravity room to work out. We're up to 600 x earth's normal gravity and can go to level 6 now." Jake said.
"Wish I can go that high." Daisy said.
"Don't worry, level five is still good Daisy. I'm sure Grandpa Vegeta will get you to level 6 in no time." Pan said, as the four walked out, leaving Goku speechless.
"You left us dad. The kids forgot you. I don't want to start confusing them now by bringing you back into their lives. I'm sorry; I really thought this would be something Raditz would do, not you. But I guess that's what all you power mad saiyans do: disappear and leave your loved ones behind." Emily spat, running out. In her place, Gohan appeared again.
"I had to take your place dad. Do you think I enjoyed that? I had to become a big brother, a student and a dad." Gohan yelled.
"I had no husband for seven years. And before that you disappeared after Namek refusing to come home. Because of you, Goten never saw his dad until he was seven." Chichi screamed.
"You're a bad dad. You're a bad dad!" They began chanting, and then Emily came back in, this time holding a ten-year-old Goten by the hand, both of them chanting the same thing too. Goku brought his hands up to his ears to block the chants out, and then the whole room went dark. Suddenly, only a portion of the room was lit up, and familiar golden eyes could be seen.
"Zara?" He asked.
"Pay more attention before you lose your loved ones." She mumbled.
Meanwhile outside the dream, Alex woke up.
"That aura. I sense it again!" She hissed, careful not to wake Daisy or her mother as she crept out the room. She sneaked into Goten's room and her woke her brother up as she quickly explained what she felt.
Meanwhile over in Zara's cottage, Trunks had got up to get a drink of water when he checked in on Zara and was shocked to see her bedroom empty. Taking off out the front door, he didn't understand why he was suddenly drawn to Mount Potaz.
Back in the Son Household, the twins ran into their grandparents' room, Goku was tossing and turning whilst moaning at the same time. By his side, they found a figure, which had her fingers pressed against the side of his head. They didn't know who it was at first, until they saw a glow on the chest.
"Zara?" A voice came from the doorway; the twins whirled around to see Trunks standing there.
"What is she doing to our Grandpa?" Alex demanded.
"And what is that thing around her neck?" Jake added. Trunks made his way over to her and shut on the light; Zara's eyes were hollow looking as she concentrated on Goku.
"What's going on in here? Oh my god, what is she doing?" Another voice gasped that made the others spin around to see Emily standing there, with Goten hot on her heals and staring past his sister.
"Trunks? What's she doing?" Goten asked.
"I don't know. Some one help me get her off him." Trunks replied as he attempted to pull her off, but was suddenly thrown back by a telekinetic force field.
"Now what do we do?" Goten asked, helping his friend up...