-----Chapter Ten-----

Erasa watched as Videl sat in front of the mirror fixing her hair. She looked all gussied up. She'd dressed herself in a denim skirt and wore a black jacket over a light blue shirt.

"Well, well, don't you look dashing," Erasa said.

"I have a date," Videl replied putting on a hair clip. She looked so girly. Normally, she would have hated looking that way but she wanted to look nice for Gohan.

"Oh? Does it have anything to do with your hot boss named Son Gohan," Erasa teased.

"Stop it."

Erasa flopped down on the bed. It just amazed her how they could just start over again. Videl had been lucky in finding Gohan. He was such a patient, loving and gentle person. If only she could find someone like that.

"Erasa," Videl said as she stood, "can you drive me to his place? I don't—"

"Of course. I'll be your little chauffer, or something," she said happily jumping up off the bed.

It wasn't a surprise to Videl that her father was nowhere to be seen. If she had to guess, she'd guess that he was at some random bar with some random woman who fawned over him like he was a god. That or he was at another "business" trip. They got into the car and Videl told Erasa of the address.

After missing the building several times, Videl finally got out of the car and went up to the main door. There stood a guard.

"Good evening, may I help you?" he asked.

"I'm here to see Son Gohan," Videl replied. "We—"

"I'm sorry miss, but Son Gohan is out at the moment," replied the guard cutting her off.

Videl frowned. "Out? When will he be back?"

"He didn't say anything. He just left. Maybe you'll have to come back some other time."

Videl sighed. How unfortunate. She was really looking forward to hanging out with him tonight. What made the situation worse was that Erasa had gone and it had started to rain. Her head hung in disappointment, she stepped out into the pouring rain.

"Videl? Videl! Hey!"

She looked around just in time to spot Gohan running to her. She smiled. Forget the fact that she was soaking wet, at least he showed up.

"I'm sorry. I went to get some stuff. I thought I could make it back in time," he explained as he walked with her to the door.

"I'm late though. Erasa and I kept missing your building," Videl replied as she joined him in the elevator. "What floor?"

"Tenth. Yeah, this building's hard to catch at night. I'm just glad you made it."

Videl took the other grocery bag in his hand as soon as they reached the intended floor. She followed him down the dark blue painted corridor to the very last door. The number Ten Twenty-four hung upon it.

Soon she was standing inside the nice cozy apartment. There were several bookshelves and a table in the living room full of metal parts. It may have been small but it was warm and had that homey feeling about it.

"Thanks for the help," Gohan said as Videl set down the bag on the kitchen. "Look at you! You're soaked! You have to get out of those wet clothes. Come on, you can borrow some of mine."

He lent her a shirt and some pants, which of course were a bit too big for her but she made do with it. She looked rather raggedy but that didn't seem to matter anymore.

"I like your apartment," Videl said stepping into the living room. "It's cute."

Gohan laughed. "Not much to see really."

After Gohan gave her a proper tour of his little home, they went back to the kitchen to cook. Videl wasn't much of a cook so she was glad to learn some cooking skills from Gohan. Finally cleaned up, they sat at the table ready to eat.

Talk was small but they enjoyed the silence. It was warm and comforting, not awkward and deafening. It was all going great.

"Oh, I'm stuffed," Videl, said as she leaned back on her chair. She blushed as she accidentally let out a loud burp. "Oops, excuse me."

Gohan only laughed as he picked up their plates. He hadn't laughed so much in such a long time. He was glad she was somewhat back in his life. As he washed the dishes, Videl stepped out onto the balcony and watched the cars pass by beneath them. She looked up to come face to face with the large full moon that hung in the velvet sky.

Her knees buckled beneath her as soon as she felt his hands slide down her arms and hold onto the railing, caging her in between him and the railing. She spun around to see Gohan's smiling face. Smiling, she reached out and touched his soft skinned cheek.

Without a doubt in her mind that she loved this man, Videl stepped closer to him, her lips meeting his.

Images, flashes, of her and Gohan during one night in the park. They'd been sitting on a bench underneath the glow of the full moon. She remembered losing her breath. The beating of her heart. The feel of gohan's lips pressed against hers… The words he so quietly whispered…

"I love you…"

Like someone had pressed the burning end of a cigarette on him, Gohan jumped, stumbling back. He pressed his palm against his forehead. He rushed inside, flopping down on the sofa. Worried, Videl rushed in after him.

"Gohan, what's wrong," she asked. His face was buried in his hands. "Gohan?"

Slowly, she pried his hands away from his face. she saw the tears flowing down his cheeks. He looked away. He didn't want to let her see him cry.

"Gohan, what's wrong?" she asked again, but this time, her voice was soft… understanding.

"Don't… Don't say you love me. I don't deserve it," Gohan said gruffly.

"But… I do love you," Videl said. She was confused.

"No. No, please—"

"Gohan… Why don't you… Don't you love me?" Videl asked. She could feel her heard shattering.

"I do… But I shouldn't," he stood up. "It's all my fault."

It's your fault!

Videl looked up at him. "What?"

He hung his head. "It's my fault you can't remember anything… Well, some things, but it doesn't matter because it's my fault you're suffering. It's my fault you got into that accident."

"Gohan…"

"I begged and pleaded. You didn't want to drive but I kept—"

"Gohan—"

"It was raining and I just forced you to—"

"It's not—"

"It's all my fault—"

"STOP IT!" Videl yelled standing up and startling him.

Gohan stared at her. Videl shook her head. No wonder he kept distancing himself from her. she couldn't imagine what he'd gone—or was going—through. She only wished she'd been there for him.

"Gohan, it wasn't—It's not!" she glared at him when he opened his mouth to interrupt. "It's not your fault okay? It's no one's fault. It was an accident. Besides, even if you hadn't of begged… I probably would have gone anyway."

Gohan hung his head. He just couldn't stop feeling responsible for her accident. If he hadn't have pressured her or used guilt or whatever it was he did to get her to drive out that night… he looked up when he felt her hand touch his cheek. He sighed. He loved her so much that it hurt. He felt his body relax when he felt her lips land ever so softly on his.

"I love you," he whispered.

Oh whoa
Yeah, yeah
I love you more than I can say
I'll love you twice as much tomorrow
I love you more than I can say

They fell together on the sofa, their lips never straying far from each other. Videl raked her fingers through his hair as he trailed kisses down her neck.

Oh whoa
Yeah, yeah
I love you more than words can say
I love you more than I can say…

"I love you Gohan," Videl said hoarsely as she tilted her head back on the arm of the sofa. She felt like she was soaring.

"Say you forgive me… Forgive me…"

"I forgive you…"

I love you more than I can say

I forgive you…