Chapter 2

Claudia had called a cab after she had snuck into her and her husband's room to pack a suitcase. Her and Rose were in the cab adn Claudia had her head against the back of the drivers seat. Would her mom still recognize her? John kept her on so many different medications, she doesn't even remember the last time that she had looked into a mirror. All that kept her going was Rose.

"Mom?" Rose asked, bringing her back to the present.

"Yes, Rose?" Claudia asked, looking at her and forcing herself to smile.

"Don't worry. Where ever we go, we'll be ok. I trust you with my life." Rose said, looking as serious as a heartattack. It brought Claudia sadness at the rate Rose had grown. She was already eight years old and Claudia couldn't remember most of those years. She was determined to see her child grow up, for the rest of their lives.

"Thanks, honey. Don't worry. I'll keep you safe. We should be there soon.

"Ok." Rose replied, holding her favorite rabbit.

After about an hour, the cab stopped at a house in the middle of the woods. Claudia woke Rose up and paid the driver. She got their suitcases out of the trunk and closed it. As the cab drove off, Claudia and Rose walked up to the door. Claudia knocked on the door and hoped for the best.

After a few minutes, a woman answered the door. She looked at Claudia and asked,

"May I help you?"

"Pan?"

"Yes? Wait...Claudia? Is that really you?"

"Yes. Rose, come out and meet your aunt Pan."

"Wha-" Pan said, looked down as Claudia moved Rose from behind her.

"H-h-hi." Rose said.

"Who is it, Pan?" Rose heard a voice say and she ran back behind her mother. The woman walked to the door and stopped in her tracks.

"Clauida? Is that really you, Claudia?"

"Yes, mom. It's me. Rose, come back out here and meet your grandmother."

"What? I have a granddaughter?" The woman asked. Rose came out from behind her mother once again.

"You're my grandma? You're pretty. What's your name?"

"My name is Videl. What's your's?"

"Rose."

"That's a pretty name."

"Thank you. Come on in. It's good to see you again, Claudia." Videl said as she hugged her daughter. Claudia walked through to the living room while her mother shut the door behind them. She did recognize me, Claudia thought as she reached Rose, who seemed to like where she was.

"I'll get you some blankets and pillows and then you and Rose can get some sleep." Pan said. A few minutes later, Claudia and Rose were lying on the hideaway couch. I just hope I dont the right thing, Claudia thought as she drifted asleep.

John awoke the next morning and found that Claudia wasn't in thier bed. Maybe she went to the bathroom, he thought as he got up and went downstairs to the kitchen.

When he got there, he saw a piece of paper on the table. He picked it and read what it said,

John,

Hitting Rose was the last straw. Rose came to me and told me what you done to her. We left and I'm keeping the bank acount. It was in my name, anyway. You can keep the house and car. Me and Rose will be back for our things.

Goodbye,

Claudia

John re-read it twice before it finally sunk in. After it did, he crumpled it up and said,

"I promise to find you and make you pay. No one, I mean NO ONE leaves me unless I say so!"

Claudia woke with a start. She had dreamed that John was after her to kill her. She shivered and got up to go into the kitchen. Once there, her grandmother, Chi chi, was standing at the stove, cooking breakfast.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well last night?"

"I guess so. It's nice to see you again, grandma." Claudia said as she gave her grandmother a hug. She sat at the table and remembered breakfasts from when she was little.

A few minutes later, Goten walked into the kitchen.

"Smells good, mom." He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Claudia. "Claudia?"

"Yes?" Claudia asked, being pulled back into the present.

"What happened to you?"

"Huh?"

"That's a good question. What did happen? You look like you've been out of it."

"I do? I haven't looked into a mirror for no telling how long. I don't know if I want to or not."

"Well, whatever the cause, some time at home will make that go away."

"Yeah, I guess it will. Some of your pancakes may help, too." Claudia said with a twinkle in her eye and a laugh in her voice.

"Well, I guess you'll have to wait just like the rest of us." Chi chi said with a chuckle.

Rose was standing at the foor, unnoticed, watching her mother laughing. She never saw her do that before. Mom's so pretty when she laughs, Rose thought. At that point, she was almost ran over by a man trying to get into the kitchen.

"Whoa. Be careful." The man said. He had black hair just like her. HE wore an orange outfit with blue clothes underneath. His shoes were blue and were kept on his feeet by pieces of rope. Rose thought that he didn't give off the same vibes as all the other adults. He felt more like a big kid.

"Hi. I'm Rose. What's your name?" Rose asked since he felt like a kid, just like her.

"My name's Goku. Nice to meet you, Rose." Goku said as he picked her up. He looked up and saw Claudia. "Claudia! It's been a while!"

"Yeah. Rose really seems to like you, grandpa."

"Grandpa? He's your grandpa? I thought he was just a big kid." That made everyone laugh.

"No, he's your great-grandpa. You can just call him grandpa Goku." Claudia said when she finally stopped laughing.

"Ok." Rose said.

"And this is your great-grandma Chi chi. You can call her grandma Chi chi." Claudia explained, pointing at the woman standing at the stove.

During breakfast, Rose's mom introduced her to all of her family. Rose didn't even know that she HAD family other than her mother and father.

"Claudia, have you told Rose of her heritage?" Goku asked Claudia as they were finishing breakfast.

"No. John kept me on so many medications that I didn't even know where I was most of the time. I would have, but I couldn't."

"Well, I think it's time she learned. Come on guys, we'll go outside with Rose while the women clean up the breakfast dishes."

"Mom, can I?" Rose said, looking at Claudia with her eyes twinkling.

"Sure. He's your grandpa. I trust him." Claudia had never seen her so excited.

"Yay!" Rose said, jumping out of her chair.

"She's really excited. Let's go." Rose's grandpa Gohan said as he pushed in his chair.