The following week was simultaneously the quickest and most painstakingly slow week of Chi-Chi's life. At first, she could do little more than sit in her hospital bed and twiddle her thumbs - until her father put yarn and needles in her hands and she could resume work on the sweater she wanted Gohan to wear for his next birthday. Gohan spent the first few days sitting at the foot of her bed with a book on sign language open in his lap, clumsily translating the conversation in the room.

According to the doctor, Chi-Chi's eardrums had been ruptured so badly it was unlikely she'd ever fully recover her hearing, but it ought to be serviceable after a couple of months. As it was, Chi-Chi struggled to remain part of the conversation. It was better at the end of the first week, as voices became slightly more distinct and she got better at reading lips and Gohan got better at sign language. It had gotten to the point that Chi-Chi could understand all of the terrible ideas being thrown about - and she could chime in from time to time.

"Krillin, I don't think a slingshot apparatus is going to get anybody to Namek," Chi-Chi said, leering at Krillin as he tried to mime his theory for the room.

Krillin's arms and face fell and he sat back down. "I mean, it isn't like anybody's got a better idea..." He muttered that, and Chi-Chi only got the gist of it thanks to Gohan's increasing dexterity in signing.

Krillin was saved from Goku's heart monitor being broken over his head by Bulma and Mr. Popo suddenly arriving back in the hospital room. Bulma fell gracelessly off of the flying carpet, tumbling over Chi-Chi's bed by the window and falling into a heap on the floor. She was quickly back on her feet, though - face flushed and beaming. "Guys, it's perfect," Bulma reported jubilantly. "Mr. Popo and I made it to Jupiter and back in seconds - I'll have to run some numbers to get an exact time, but we could probably get to Namek in like a month. Then we can just borrow Namek's dragon balls, wish back everybody killed by the saiyans, and be home in time to catch a movie!"

What followed was a series of whoops, clapping, and excited babbling that to Chi-Chi was incomprehensible - but she supposed she got the gist of it. Bulma started talking again, too fast for Chi-Chi to read her lips, and with too many words Gohan didn't know how to sign. After all but pulling his hair out trying to keep up with Bulma, Gohan gave up and turned to Chi-Chi, saying and signing in unison, "Could I go to space with Bulma?"

Chi-Chi took a moment to process the request before going with her gut and too-loudly proclaiming, "No - absolutely not!"

Every head in the room - save for Goku's, as he was trapped in a giant metal cocoon of medical equipment - swerved to see what she was on about. In a more level tone, Chi-Chi went on, "It has been over a year since all three of us have been together, I won't let you just immediately flounce off to space the moment this family is back together. This is something the adults can take care of. Besides, do you have any idea how much school you've missed out on? We'll have to put you on a modified schedule as it is just so you're back on track-"

"Aw, come on, Chi-Chi," Goku chimed in. Even with her semi-nonexistent hearing, Chi-Chi recognized the sing-song cadence of her husband having a critical thought. "It's just for a little over two months - Gohan could learn a lot about space n' stuff from Bulma, that's like school."

Chi-Chi squinted at Gohan's hands as he signed this to her. "You're not embellishing, are you?" she asked sharply.

"No, it's what he said - honest," swore Gohan.

"Goku, I don't appreciate you undermining me like that," Chi-Chi said, not missing a beat as she whirled on Goku.

She had a fifteen thousand word tirade prepared, but Goku was saved from the worst of Chi-Chi's ruthless tongue as Gohan tugged on the sleeve of her hospital gown, redirecting her attention. "Please, Mom," he signed, his mouth pressed into a thin, grim line. "It's my fault he's dead - I have to help bring him back."

Whatever furious words she had at the ready died in her throat. Chi-Chi heaved a sigh, her hand automatically going up to Gohan's head to play with his hair. "Very well," she said evenly. She turned her attention to Bulma next, "I can rely on you to make sure he does his studies, can't I? Going to Namek is hardly a vacation and I don't want him acting like it is."

Bulma's eyebrows rose to her hairline, a bit taken aback by Chi-Chi's sudden change of mind. "Uh, yeah. You got it," she said, giving Chi-Chi a halfhearted thumbs-up.

Satisfied, Chi-Chi turned her attention back to the half-finished sweater in her lap. She supposed she ought to be proud - even if Gohan wasn't as focused on school as he ought to be, he still had a sense of responsibility. Besides, Bulma was a literal genius and travelling through space did provide plenty of opportunities for learning. Even with all of this in mind, Chi-Chi's insides squirmed at the thought of Gohan leaving for Namek. It may very well be an uneventful jaunt to space and back, but the number of things that could go wrong was staggering. Catastrophic spaceship malfunctions aside, anything could be out there in the great beyond: magnetic storms, fluctuating gravity, toxic gas, asteroids-

Vegeta.

The needles snapped in Chi-Chi's grip. "I'm going with," she announced to the room.

"Mom?"

"Chi-Chi?"

"It's far too risky for just Gohan and Bulma to go by themselves," Chi-Chi said plainly.

Krillin moved so that Chi-Chi could see him and read his lips. "It's cool, Chi-Chi. I'm going with 'em, too. It'll be fine."

"I'm stronger than you," Chi-Chi said, "and anything could happen."

"What about me? I don't wanna stay on Earth all by myself," Goku hollered from his steel cocoon.

Chi-Chi gave Goku her sweetest smile. "Oh, you silly thing. It's only a little over two months, you'll be fine," she said. "You might even be fully healed by the time we get back. Then we can all go home together and things can go back to normal."

Goku grumbled something that even those hearing individuals in the room couldn't make out, which Chi-Chi took as a victory. "Bulma, when do we leave?" Chi-Chi asked.

Bulma scratched her chin, considering. "Well, there are a few repairs and preparations to be made... Between a week and ten days, I'd say," Bulma said.

Chi-Chi nodded, already making a mental checklist of everything they'd need for the journey. Shampoo, socks and underwear, healthy snacks, textbooks- "Gohan, my goodness," she gasped suddenly. "It's been over a year since we've been shopping - none of your old clothes fit!"

Gohan blinked. Apparently, that hadn't even occurred to him. "Oh, uh. Yeah. I guess we'd need to take care of-"

Chi-Chi slid out of the hospital bed, not even wincing as her bones groaned in protest. "Dad, would you help me dress? We need to take care of some shopping for Gohan-"

"Right now?" asked the Ox King.

"Mom, we have a week at least-"

Chi-Chi scarcely heard either of them, but could guess the nature of their complaints well enough. "We won't have time to pack if we wait around. Where's my purse? You did bring me my purse, didn't you, Dad?"

"I don't think they'll let you leave just yet," Krillin said, tapping Chi-Chi on the shoulder to get her attention.

Chi-Chi shrugged his hand off. "Goku, we're borrowing the Nimbus," was all she said, "and before you complain, we'll bring you back a snack. How's that sound?"

"Great - have fun on the town, sweetie," Goku said, beaming. "Be good to your mother, Gohan!"

Chi-Chi found her purse by elbowing Master Roshi in the throat and knocking him over. She slung it over her shoulder, dressed haphazardly, and went over to the window. Mr. Popo narrowly avoided getting shoved himself. "Gohan, are you coming?" she asked.

Gohan hurriedly tied his other shoe, himself changed out of hospital clothes rather sloppily, and came over to the window with her. "Great," she said, before opening the window as wide as she could and bellowing out for the Nimbus.

The little yellow cloud appeared over the horizon, rapidly zigzagging around buildings until it came to a stop under the window. Chi-Chi hopped on, followed closely by Gohan, who gripped her leg for stability. Chi-Chi looked down at him, smiling fondly.

"You need a haircut, too," she said.

Gohan frowned. "A haircu-?"

His voice was drowned out as the Nimbus sped off towards the nearest barber.