She'd just closed the cabinet door, the last of their supplies tucked away when she heard the faint footsteps behind her. Heavier than Goten's so must have been Gohan. Much as she believed he was fully capable of making proper decisions for himself, he could be a bit of an insomniac at times.
Standing, she spun around, Mother-Voice in full form. "Gohan, you—"
She broke off because it wasn't her oldest son standing behind her. It was her husband. Fresh out of the shower in only his boxers but given the time of night, maybe that wasn't a surprise. After all, she had on her nightgown and the boys were in bed.
"Goku!"
"Yep. Pretty sure I'm not Gohan." Grinning, he said "But I guess you're just used to him sneaking around at night, huh?"
How odd it was indeed but such a beautiful thing. How long had it been since Goku could sneak up on her?
Tears filled her eyes.
Goku winced. "Aw, don't cry, Chi! I wasn't tryin' to sneak up on you."
Throwing her arms around his neck, she shook her head frantically. "No. No. It's just…you CAN sneak up on me! Because you're home!"
"I'm glad I'm home too, Chi." Goku returned her embrace after a minute. "Maybe I owe Buu a thanks because I got to come home!" He laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "But you don't gotta cry."
Rubbing her eyes, she shook her head. "Tomorrow. We have you back and tomorrow you'll be here."
"Yeah!" He grinned. "The party tonight was fun but I've missed your breakfasts, Chi! And that funny snort you do when you try not to laugh."
"I do NOT snort, Son Goku." But she was laughing.
Goku gave her his famous smile, pulling her by the hands into the living room. "I missed so much, Chi. I looked 'round here while you were cleanin' and took me forever to realize the tall guy in the photos was Gohan, not me."
Smiling a little, she nodded. "He shot up like a weed. And looked more and more like you every day. Asked me to cut his hair so it wouldn't be such a reminder."
"I'm sorry, Chi."
"You've already told me that."
"I know. But I guess I didn't think about how much I would miss." Shaking his head, he said "Well, can't undo it now." He pushed the couch away a bit with his foot. "But I can try to make up for it."
"You're home, Goku. That's all we want—"
Goku approached her, took hold of her hands and wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her out into the clearing in the middle of the room.
"Goku!"
"Dance with me, Chi." He smiled at her, face so close they nearly touched. "I ain't danced with you in years."
How long HAD it been? Gohan must have been a little kid last time. "Dance? Here?"
"Sure. Why not?"
Looking down, she gestured to her attire. "I'm in my nightgown and you're in boxers."
"So? You can dance just fine in them." He took hold of her hand and started to lead her in a familiar step, one they'd done years ago at their wedding. He was terrible at remembering what dances were called. One was the slow dance, one was the waltz, one was—
"Goku!" ChiChi was lsughing, a light bell ringing amid his ears and he'd missed it so much. He'd not really thought about how much until he heard it again. "Are you doing the tango?"
"That's what it's called!" Grinning, Goku nodded "Yep. I remember you teaching."
"You were a fast learner." She turned, keeping a firm grasp on his hands and they marched across the room, as if they were both teenagers again. "And you remembered."
"Course I did. It always makes you smile when we dance." He seemed to contemplate, face ruffled a moment. "Shoulda done it more."
ChiChi shifted, her feet finding their rhythm again. It took a moment, as moving about on socks took a little more focus and because she'd nearly forgotten the joy she got from this.
She felt like a Princess again, coming home with her Prince on her arm. As Goku spun her about, she let her nightgown flare about and grasped him tight about the shoulders when are returned to him.
"There Ya go. Tol' ya you'd remember how to do it."
"Do you remember the waltz?"
On answer, Goku shifted his stance and ChiChi mirrored him.
In a way, maybe it was odd. Here they were, in nightgowns and boxers, her with dishpan hands and no music to speak of, but she lost herself in it.
It was easy to. Here, she could keep her eyes on his and that was what she intended to do. So many times over the past seven years, she'd done this so often in her dreams. She never bothered to consider the details of where they were or what she was wearing, those were insignificant. What was important was his eyes. She could see his eyes again s d for a moment, she could touch him.
Now, here he was, standing in front of her, twirling her about. His feet were matching her paces and they walked, swayed and spun together, as if it had been mere hours not seven years since they were together.
Music warmed her ears.
Goku pulled her close with their next embrace and dipped her down, her back resting against his forearm and she smiled, lost herself in his smile. It was real. She wasn't dreaming anymore.
"You're really home." She said it out loud, laughing to herself. "After seven years, you're home."
Goku looked down at her, took in everything—her eyes, her face, her body. Everything he'd taken for granted. In the Other World, he would replay her face in his mind, trying to remember and keep her clear in his heart. When he'd come back, seen her again, memories did her no justice.
And here she was again, gazing at him and for this moment, like when he'd first realized what romantic love was during that first year of marriage, it was like they were the only people in the world.
"Daddy, you're 'posed to kiss her now!"
The sound of the young voice made both of them turn.
Goten was grinning, head barely poked around the corner. Gohan came up behind him and delivered a light blow to the back of the boy's head. "Goten! You ruined it!"
Pulling ChiChi to stand up, Goku asked "Hiw long have you two rascals been there?"
"Not long," Gohan answered.
ChiChi huffed. "It's rude to spy on people."
Goten tilted his head. "But you were cute. Like a movie."
Her face colored. "Did we?"
"Yeah, you did." Gohan offered a shy smile. "We didn't mean to spy. Heard you laughing Mom and Goten wanted to see what made you so happy. Shouldn't surprise me."
Looking at Goku, she smiled. "Your father has always had that effect on me."
Grasping her around the waist, Goku spun her about, letting her fall over his arm again and pressed his lips against hers, a warm embrace they'd both missed.
ChiChi grabbed him about the neck and returned it until they broke apart.
With that sly grin of his, he said "Goten's right. I was 'posed to kiss you."
"Goku!" Her face red, she let him lift her up. "In front of the boys?"
"Ain't nothing wrong with me kissin' their Mama." Eyes serious and only for her, he confessed. "Shoulda done it more."
"C'mon Goten." Gohan directed his brother back to their beds. "Let's leave them alone. We'll see them in the morning."
"Aw, but I wanna stay up with them."
"No, you don't."
"Why? What're they gonna do?"
"…play."
"I can do that!"
"Not like they do it." Face red, Gohan pulled his sibling down the hall amid his barrage of questions. Goku and ChiChi made a mental note to both reward and tease him tomorrow. As the door closed, ChiChi turned to her husband.
"Did you mean that? About kissing me more?"
"Chi, since when do I lie 'bout anything?" He laid a gentle peck to her lips. "I mean it. If being dead for seven years taught me anything, it was all the "shouldas" in my life. Shoulda played with Gohan more, shoulda taken that trip to the park, shoulda showed you how important you are to me more." He shrugged. "I'm kinda dense sometimes. Don't mean to be. But now that I gotcha back, I'm not gonna forget it again!"
She smiled, so widely that her cheeks hurt. Resting her hand on his chin, she said "Well, Gohan did tell Goten we'd be playing. Can't have him be a liar, can we?"
Goku took her lips again.
