Striking The Heart

Why?

A few months had passed by slowly and things had started to come back to life in the Son residence. Goten had returned to school and Gohan was studying with less worry. Goku was actually going to work twice a week, with Bulma or Ox-King watching over the few month old Gosha. Things seemed to be getting much better.

It was a Thursday afternoon and Goku had just entered his house from a long day at work. The whole 'explosion' thing was his assigned case at the moment. He had to investigate on it. He hated it. In one way, he wanted this case to find out who did it…but, in the other…he just couldn't because of the horrible memory it brought back.

He dumped his briefcase and blazer on the kitchen table and called Bulma's name. She came in from the back room with a gurgling Gosha in her arms. Goku smiled when he saw her.

"Hey!" he said gently, taking her out of Bulma's arms, "How's daddy's little girl?" he asked holding her up in front of him. She giggled cutely and waved her arms about. He smiled at her and pulled her back in his embrace.

"How has she been Bulma?" he asked, loosening his work tie.

"A little angel" she said with a smile, "She fits her name perfectly. She's just so adorable Goku" Bulma said.

"So have you guys been anywhere?" he asked rubbing little Gosha's nose with his.

"Oh I took her for a walk down the woods. And we saw the birdies didn't we Gosha?" Bulma asked her, holding the baby's hand with her finger. Gosha gurgled some more and blew a bubble which popped and startled her. Bulma and Goku laughed.

"Daddy!" Goten called happily as he ran in. He hugged his father's strong leg.

"Hey kiddo! How was school today?" he asked his youngest son with a ruffle of his hair.

"Great daddy and guess what?"

"What Goten?" Goku asked as excited as he could.

"I got ten out of ten in my mathematamics test!" he said happily.

"You mean your mathematics test"

"Yep…mathematic..ics" he said once more. Goku laughed and picked him up in his other arm.

"I'm very proud of you Goten" Goku said gently.

"Heehee…hi baby sister" Goten said kissing Gosha on the forehead. Gosha smiled and pulled Goten's hair, "Ow! Daddy…Gosha's pulling my hair"

"Alright Gosha not so hard. She's only playing son"

"She is?"

"Uh huh" Goku replied settling him down.

"Hey Bulma, is Trunks home?" asked Goten. She smiled.

"Yeah he's been home hours. I'm dreading what the house will look like when I get home. Trunks and Vegeta on their own…"

"I can imagine" Goku said with a laugh. Bulma smiled once more and picked up her bag.

"Thank you for everything Bulma…I really do appreciate it"

"I know you do Goku. Just remember we'll always be here for you. Don't be afraid to ask anything" she said and walked out of the house.

"See you next week Bulma"

"Alright!" she chirped walking out the door.

"Say daddy can I go call for Trunks now?" Goten asked

"Alright Kiddo but only for an hour. I'm going to do dinner now"

"Okay daddy! See you later!" he shouted as he ran out the house. Goku started dinner and so he placed Gosha in her new highchair.

"There you go. Now you can watch daddy cook. Maybe you could learn something too. Besides, I believe making every task educational" he said winking at her. She smiled and said something in baby language, "Yeah I was joking Gosha" he said laughing. Then suddenly to Goku's surprise, Bulma came running back in. Goku heard her footsteps and turned around instantaneously.

"Bulma did you forget something?" Goku asked looking at her. He was suddenly afraid at her appearance. She looked deathly white like some one had just died. Her form was trembling and she couldn't stutter out the words. Goku became worried.

"Bulma what happened?" Goku asked her, running up to her and putting his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. She didn't speak. She looked up into his eyes, tears forming in hers.

"Auntie Bulma" Goten called.

"Goten what are you still doing here?"

"I was leaving then there were these police men with Yamcha and Tien. They were looking for you and then told something to Bulma" Goten said. Goku looked back into Bulma's eyes. Something was wrong…something bad. He swallowed.

"Goten I want you to stay in here with Bulma you hear me? Watch Gosha for me too" Goku said as he walked outside. When he entered the outside world he saw Yamcha and Tien standing there with Tenshu and Li and two other officers. Goku peered at them all one at the time…and they were all looking painfully shocked.

"What's going on?" he asked walking closer to the statues.

"Something…something has…happened" Yamcha whispered in the form of a stammer.

"What?" Goku asked curiously. Yamcha couldn't form the words for some reason and he looked at Goku with eyes that told him…something bad had happened.

"Something bad has happened Goku…something you…you need to see" Tien said. Goku glanced at him and then at his fellow officers.

"You better come with us Goku" Li said quietly, avoiding eye contact. Goku was confused but utterly scared.

"Yamcha, will you stay with Bulma and take care of Goten and Gosha for me" Goku asked quietly. Yamcha nodded. Goku smiled lightly and jumped into the police car with Tien.

The two cars stopped beside the cemetery. Goku was becoming afraid.

"Why are we here" he said fear portraying in his quiet voice. Tien said nothing. Goku nervously swallowed and opened the car door. Looking dead in front of him he saw a small crowd of people, all bewildered and shocked by something in front of them. Officers were there trying to clear them off, trying to do something. Goku walked forward, three officers guiding him through the crowd. He didn't know what he was to come up against when he reached the end of the crowd. He didn't know what he was about to see…but something told him in his heart that it was bad. He pushed through a few more and then became the first in the queue. When he looked down before him…his heart had stopped…

He couldn't breathe…he couldn't feel his heart beating…he felt so cold, freezing cold, like he had been forced into a freezer with no way out. His eyes stared, shocked, pained and frightened.

There was his wife's grave…destroyed…her coffin…gone…

He couldn't think, he couldn't feel, he couldn't hear…he was just a body with nothing inside. He felt pain; he felt anger…

His body trembled and so did his bottom lip as tears forced to shed form his stinging tired eyes. His knees buckled and he fell to the grass upon them shaking. His breathing returned, ragged and quick. His hand shuddered when he touched the dug up soil.

Why? Why is this happening? Why did somebody do this? Why her? Why him? This was all he had left of her…this was all he had to remember her by…

…now it was gone…all gone…

…why?…

The crowd had been told to go and silently they left, saddened by the sight, saddened by him. His friends and his colleagues fell silent and moved back to the cars to leave him in peace. But there was no peace for him anymore. There was no quiet, no peace, and no innocence. He was angry, he was livid…he hated who was responsible…he despised them…he wanted to kill them, break their hearts, make them crawl on all fours in sorrow. And he was going to do that. He was gonna find the culprit. He was gonna kill him, slowly and painfully. Tears burned up and fell down his face, dripping off his chin to land in the large dug up hole. He grit his teeth, whimpering in grief, whimpering in fury.

No more would he have someone striking his heart…no more would he let them hurt him, hurt them, hurt her…

This was it…this was beginning of the end…

…This was war…