A loud noise woke me up.

I had no idea what it was, but I shot up from the futon worriedly and looked around the dim room. "G-Goku?" I whispered to the air. I really hoped it was him that I heard and not a bear or some other big animal.

"Sorry Ariel," Goku said.

I sagged in relief. "You scared me!"

"Didn't mean to. I was tryin to be quiet but I stubbed my toe on something."

In the darkness I could barely make out his form. It dawned on me that I'd never saw Goku here at night time. Maybe something happened. "Hey, what's going on? I asked.

He sat down on the futon. "Nothing really. Chichi just...she..."

I waited for him to add to what he was saying but nothing. So I prompted, "Chichi just what?"

"Er-" His hand grabbed mine in the dark. "She was upset at me again." He sighed. "I really don't think I can do anything right."

"That's not true at all!"

"Then why? Why is it that no matter how hard I try to do what she wants, I'm always wrong!"

My chest hurt. Goku sounded so upset. He had no idea how good a person he was. How lucky Chichi was to be his wife. "Goku..." I threw my arms around his neck, "Stay here if you want. I won't yell at you or anything. Even if you take all the cover."

"She'd just get even madder then."

"That's up to you. But I'm here if you need me-"

He cut my words off with a kiss. It was raw and sudden and desperate, and I could feel how upset he was by everything. My mouth returned his kiss and it melted into passion; he leaned me into the bed and rove his calloused hand up and down my side sensually.

Our kiss turned into more as our tongues swam inside one another's mouths, and he brought my hand to his crotch. He had an erection. I broke the kiss off and leaned back panting, "Haa...Goku."

"Ariel, I want to have sex. To feel better."

"Right now it may not be a good idea Goku. You shouldn't have sex just to feel better-"

He sighed and flopped onto the bed next to me. "Then can you hold me? Please?"

"Yes." I curled up against him. He put his arms around me and we cuddled like this until he began to doze off. "Goku," I whispered, "Are you trying to sleep in here?"

"Mmm? Can I stay like this forever? It's comfy and you smell good." He burrowed into my chest.

"...Yeah. As long as you need it."

I played with his hair and eventually the both of us fell asleep like this.

The next morning I awoke to a yell.

Goku, who was already gone from the hut, must have returned home and gotten into further trouble. I threw on my clothing and peeked out the hut, seeing Chichi smacking him in the head with what looked like a broom. He ducked but she kept doing it.

"Hey!" I yelled. It angered me to see it. So what if Goku was strong and it didn't leave marks? It still hurt him inside.

I ran down the slope and across the tiny bridge until I was standing close to them. "What's going on here? Why are you hitting Goku in the head?"

Chichi's angry gaze turned to me. "Oh look! It's the home wrecker herself! Don't think I don't know where Goku went to last night!"

"So? Can you blame him?" I crossed my arms. I wasn't going to let her intimidate me.

She fumed and stormed to me. Goku stepped in between, waving his hands, "Chichi! Don't be upset at Ariel! It was my fault-"

"Of course it was your fault! It's always your fault Goku! You never think before you do anything! Always running off and doing what ever you want-"

I grabbed the back of Goku's Gi angrily. It took all of my willpower not to lay into her with my fists.

Goku sighed. "I'm sorry Chichi-"

"Sorry isn't going to cut it! Get your lousy self to that garden mister-"

I'd heard enough. I walked around Goku and stood in front of Chichi, glaring down at her. "Listen you, I don't know what your problem is but Goku does his very best! You should appreciate him more!"

Chichi's mouth fell open. "Y-You-what the heck do you know?! I'm trying to get him to be a man for once!"

"Be a man?" I repeated, "He's the best man you could ever have! Quit treating him like some run of the mill factory worker! Did it ever occur to you that he can't change who he is?!"

Goku put his hand on my shoulder. "Ariel that's enough."

I turned to look back at him. There were tears in his eyes but he shook his head. "I'll do better Chichi," he promised, "I just don't know where to start."

Chichi crossed her arms. "You see? He doesn't need your help!"

With a heavy heart I turned away and trudged up the hill. My eyes blurred as tears began to fall down my face. Poor Goku. He was so far gone he didn't even know what to do without Chichi bossing him around.

I remembered him telling me how he had grown up in this tiny hut with just his Grandpa until he was nine. I imagined that life as I laid there, upset for the man who had obliviously stolen my heart.

My stomach rumbled with hunger and I tiredly walked down the stream. I could have asked Goku for food but I knew that he had enough to worry about, so I followed the stream until I found a red apple tree. I plucked a few apples and ate them, watching the stream water flow by.

Would Goku ever leave Chichi? I wondered if he would.

Some time later after I'd stopped zoning out I trudged back up to the hut. I spent the rest of the evening cleaning it and dusting, making it look as neat and tidy as possible.

It was a simple life here in the hut. No job to worry about, no bills. Just me and my thoughts. I sighed and flopped down on the futon, wishing Goku would come visit.

It was the middle of the night when I heard a TAP TAP on the door.

"Goku?"

"Yeah. Sorry to wake you. I just wanted to talk."

Instantly I sat up. "Yeah, come on in."

Goku peeked in and looked to the hearth that was still somewhat blazing, lighting the room like a night light. "I was busy all day. Man am I tired.." He sighed and hugged me tightly.

"Goku...you're such a tease," I told him.

"Tease? I'm not tryin to tease ya Ariel."

"It's just...I waited all day to see you. I felt sad. I didn't think you'd come."

He chuckled. "Well, ya know, I felt the same way. Except for I was sad about Chichi being mean to you and also that I couldn't come here sooner."

"Goku...why are you with Chichi?"

"I told you didn't I? I made that promise and stuff."

"But that was when you were a child!"

"Yeah, I know. But..." He nestled into my ear, "I wish I would've picked you instead."

"You mean...you wish you'd married me instead of Chichi?"

"Yup."

He sat upright. "Oh no! I told her I wouldn't come here at night. She was real upset about that."

I sighed. "So that means you're leaving."

"Sorry!"

"Can I at least get a kiss?" I asked, miffed.

"Sure." Goku hovered over me and our mouths found one another, merging as if we would be apart for centuries.

"Ariel," Goku said, "I'll visit when I can."

"Okay. Just...what ever Chichi says, don't let it get to you."

He nodded. "It's gotten some better. Since I met you." With a cheeky smile he waved and hopped down the hill.

The following morning I awoke and heard more yelling. My nerves were already on edge, and I knew that I shouldn't eavesdrop but I couldn't help it. My feet wound down the slope and to the bridge.

"Her or me, Goku! You pick!"

The defiant slam of a door signaled the end of that conversation. My heart sunk. I knew who Goku would pick and it wouldn't be me. Before he could follow I ran off into the woods, dodging trees and snagging branches in my hair.

I didn't stop until I was too tired to continue. Then I dropped down and sobbed. This was it, I thought. Goku would tell me goodbye and I'd have to forget him forever.

My tears overflowed as I hugged my knees.

"Ariel!"

Goku's voice which would normally make me happier than anything only brought sadness. "No!" I shouted, "Don't come any closer!"

"H-Huh?"

I shook my head, "I don't want to hear it!"

"But I wasn't-"

I threw a rock in his general direction. "Go away! You already broke my heart enough!"

"Ariel-"

"Go! Now!"

Goku stood there for a time before he turned around and walked the way he came.

I wiped my teary eyes and stood up. In the beginning I knew that Goku and I couldn't be a permanent thing, with him being married. But my little heart had hoped for more. Yearned for more. Began to care for him beyond what I wanted, until his absence felt worse than being nipped at by wolves.

My feet brought me to the site of my RV and I looked at it, thinking of the life I had been so willing to let go of for Goku. How simple minded I had become to think that a person like Goku would ever really want to be with me.

With a heavy heart I opened the RV and sat down, just staring at the mess the thieves had left. Some of my things were here, and some not. I'd sort it later. I pushed things off my bed and curled up in it, crying myself to sleep.