A/N: This is mostly a fluff chapter...no scratch that, it is a fluff. Enjoy Bra/Goku fans!

Apologies & Forgiveness

Bra smiled as she took in the scenery of the West City mall. With the food court on the far left and stores such as gaming, jewelry, and clothing to her right, it definitely arose the feeling of nostalgia, the vivid memories of her past life causing goosebumps to break all over her pale skin

Realizing that the half Saiyan was no longer by his side, Goku back tracked and tapped her on her shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked with concerned.

Bra nodded. "Yeah, I was just thinking." With a small grin, the half Saiyan latched her hand onto his wrist and tugged him until he relented, letting her drag him forward.

"Hey, what ya doing?!"

"Come on!" And she suddenly felt like she was sixteen again, her orbs glittering with glee and all.

The full Saiyan wasn't too pleased when he saw just where she was dragging him to.

A clothing store.

It's not that he hated it, no it's more that he didn't find it interesting and quite frankly felt that it was a waste of time. However with Bra…maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Once they entered the shop, Bra began to browse through the articles of garments. She wasn't really searching for anything in particular, mostly just taking a trip through memory lane.

When she saw the section of the store that held boots she decided to head there.

"Hey Bra, look what I found!" Bra whipped around and looked at whatever Goku had found so fascinating enough to have her tear her eyes off a beautiful pair of boots.

However, when she saw exactly what he was gazing at, her lips cracked into a grin, her feet automatically propelling her to Goku. She ran a slender hand over the delicate material of a replica of the jacket she currently wore.

"Is this where you bought the jacket?" Goku asked.

Bra nodded. "Yeah..." her hand traced the tagged logo on the left breast.

"Feel my jacket." Bra extended her arm so Goku could run a hand down the length of it, feeling the leathery texture.

"Now the jacket on the rack."

He obeyed and as he felt the material, he realized that it was soft and cushiony, probably containing feathers inside while Bra's felt rough yet sleek, akin to an alligator's skin.

"Huh?"

"When I purchased the jacket, I had mom make copies of it. But as always, she went further by changing the logo from 'strawberry', the name of this store, to Capsule Corp. She even altered the material it was made out of."

"Ohh, that's mmphh!"

Goku was stunned when the half Saiyan seized him by his collar and reeled him into a sweet kiss, a kiss that melted his insides. As soon as his brain caught up, he returned her affections, his arm snaking around her waist and molding her against him. Though reluctant, the Saiyan Princess ripped herself from his form, leaving the other Saiyan dumbfounded.

"Whoa…what was that for?"

Bra laughed. "That was a thank you." Looking from side to side to make sure no one was paying attention, she levitated from the rugged floor and once she was leveled with him, she grasped his cheeks.

"It was because of you that I'm wearing the outfit I have on now." She said, pecking him quickly before releasing him and placing her feet back on the floor.

Goku grinned. "Heh, I find that hard to believe."

"Okay, so you merely suggested that I wear a white shirt under the jacket, but still…it meant a lot to me." She said, her cheeks shading pink, her fingering knotting together nervously.

"You-were-cru…"she trailed off, her voice fading into gibberish mumbles.

"Bra, are you trying to say th-"

"Forget it!" the half Saiyan blurted out, scurrying from Goku and back to the boots section.

Toying around with one of the boots, Bra's body tensed when a large hand landed on her shoulder. "How long did you…"

"Did I what?" She asked, clearly playing the 'dumb card'. Trying to further avoid the subject, the half Saiyan sat down on one of the benches, grabbed one of the display boots, taking off her red ones and slipping on a nearly identical black one; she frowned.

"Do these make me look like a stripper?"

Sitting beside her, Goku blinked. "Uhhh-wha?"

Bra wrinkled her nose. "Oh Kami…I look slutty with these boots…" With disgust now written on her face, she pulled off the black boot and slipped the one she owned. "There, all better now."

"But…they are the same kind of boots!"

"Yeah, but mine make me look like a 'good' slutty, know what I mean?" she waved her hand in dismissal. "Never mind, it's a girl thing."

"Bra…stop avoiding the question. How long have you had a crush on me ehhh." he teased.

With a sigh, she surrendered. "Since I was a little girl." She grinned. "Ever since you gave me your ice cream cone when this mean kid slapped mine out of my hand, I absolutely adored you."

She continued. "At the time, my mom had left me to your care because she had a meeting to go to. Sure she could have left me with my grandparents, but since you didn't know me too well at that point, she decided that that day was the perfect day to have me hang out with you."

"It was at a fair that the whole 'ice cream crisis' happened'." She laughed. "You know, after that day, even though I love strawberry ice scream, I never ate it again."

Standing up, Goku grasped Bra's hand and lifted her up. "Let's fix that."

"Huh?"

Goku grinned. "Your strawberry ice cream phobia! Let's eating some, together! My treat!"

The Saiyan Princess was hesitant at first, but when she took in her lover's smile, she nodded.

"Sure…why not?" She agreed, her lips curving upwards.

DBZDBZDBZDBZxxxxxxxxxDBZDBZDBZDBZ

Touching the ground, Bra eyed the Saiyan Prince, who stood perfectly still near the edge of the cliff just several feet away. From her angle, he seemed to be lost in deep thought, but she knew better. He was well alert of his surroundings and if it had been her father from her reality, she would have tried to attack him for shits and giggles, even knowing that he would obviously counter it. However this is no joking matter.

No, she was here to apologize for being a bitch. It might have only happened about a day ago in the real world, but for her, since she had been in the Time Chamber, a year has passed.

His voice suddenly startled her.

"You know, when Kakarot defeated Frieza, I became enraged. It was my right to take that bastard's life. That clown never had to suffer through his ruling. What I had done, all those I've slaughtered, I only did it for survival. I knew that one day I would have the power to kill him and finally have my revenge for not only all the torture he put me through, but also to avenge all my fellow Saiyans; it didn't help that the third class had even taken my birthright, to become Super Saiyan."

To say that Bra was stunned was putting it mildly. It's not that she's never heard her father talk like this. No, it was that she hadn't expected him to say so much. He has always been a man of a few words, most of the time being blunt and a straight up asshole. His douche-baggery had never left him, but over time he did somewhat improve.

Moments like these were rare indeed.

He continued. "Then when the bastard landed on this planet, I was disappointed that Kakarot hadn't got the job done, yet ecstatic because I could still get my vengeance. Granted, back then, I wasn't a Super Saiyan, but I was determined to end him no matter what it took. However once again, the kill was taken from me, not by one, but two Super Saiyans."

Though she couldn't see his face, she knew he was smirking. "Imagine my astonishment when I learned that the two Super Saiyans that killed both Frieza and his father were my offsprings. That revelation drained all the rage inside of me and I couldn't help but feel-"

Bra's turquoise orbs went wide and when she saw her father turn around, she gave him a smirk that mimicked his.

The Prince's aura flared to life, yellow consuming white. "Enough of this sentimental shit, why don't you demonstrate how much stronger you have gotten!"

As the Saiyan Princess' aura ignited, hurling herself at him, she knew that that was her father's way of saying all was forgiven.

DBZDBZDBZDBZxxxxxxxxxDBZDBZDBZDBZ

Sitting in front of the TV while her son ate to his heart's content, Chi-Chi hummed along with the program airing on the TV.

"Son…how's your father doing?"

Gohan paused for only a brief moment, then resumed eating faster, more vigorously than before in hopes that he could evade the question.

No such luck. Chi-Chi doesn't like to be ignored.

"Gohan-"

With a sigh, he relented. "He's doing good."

"Oh..."

"Okay." He continued to eat and once he was done, he grabbed one of his mother's amazing homemade cookies.

"Gohan, he and Bra were inside that weird room for an entire year, I'm certain something else-"

The half Saiyan just about slammed his hands on the wooden table, but halted as he was able to keep his anger in check "He's better than good mom! In fact I've never seen him as happy as he looks now!" He finished off the cookie and picked up another. "It was strange; it's almost as if he reverted back to how he was before Bra came into the picture, yet different because he seems much more relaxed, content."

"I'm pretty sure mom…that he's in love with her…" he added.

Chi-Chi smiled weakly, feeling somewhat better than she had been these past three years. If being with the half Saiyan made him happy, made him a better person, then who is she to have a say in it? If Bra is truly the missing piece of his heart, then she would have to accept that whether she liked it or not.

Taking a huge bite out of his eighth cookie, he grimaced when he bore witness to his mother's teary orbs, her lips quivering fervently.

"Well…that's just fine-" She tried to speak, but the lump in her throat was much too large, causing her voice to fade into a mere whimper.

"See… this is why I didn't want to tell you." Gohan said sadly, his eyes drooping with sympathy.

He was the one who comforted her at moments such as these. Unfortunately, most of the time, he was unsuccessful.

It looked like this was going to be one of those times.

Despite that, he walked towards her to try his best to ease her sorrow, only to come into a standstill, greenish-blue eyes wide and jaw hanging low.

Though her vison was blurry do to her tears, she was able to see her son's shocked expression.

"Gohan, what's the matter?"

The half Saiyan just pointed to something behind her…or rather someone.

Turning one hundred eighty degrees, Chi-Chi stumbled when she came face to face with a blue and orange clad chest. His appearance astonished her so much, that she began to fall, but the blond haired Saiyan wasn't about to let that happen.

As his toned arms wrapped around her waist, the black haired woman stared at her ex-husband, utterly dazed at his causal dazzling grin.

"Go-Goku-Ahhh!" Chi-Chi heart leaped when he reeled her against his chest, his arms wrapping around her, giving her an embrace that she has missed dearly, turning her insides into mush.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Chi-Chi asked, her body trembling as her legs became wet noodles.

Goku chuckled. "I thought you could use a hug."

And because Goku was being, well so Goku she just had to return it, her arms giving his wider waist a death grip.

"Ch-Chi…I'm sorry for everything. You know I'll always love you until the day I die, even if it isn't in the manner you want me to. You are the mother of my son and-and how can I not love the woman that has given us the awesome boy behind you."

Chi-Chi giggled while the 'awesome boy' blushed heavily, his heart leaping with joy at finally witnessing his parents getting along.

"You helped too you know!"

She felt Goku's shoulders shrug nonchalantly. "Sure I did, but you carried him. You did all the work during and after his birth." His shoulder slackened. "In fact, you've always done everything…and I'm sorry for never helping you out with anything."

Chi-Chi sighed. "Well, at least you did bring in the food like you said."

"Don't make any excuses for me…"

"it-it's okay…." She choked out.

"I don't expect you to forgive me, but I hope you can one day."

"Goku…I don't think I cannot not forgive you even if I tried." She laughed at her wording and when he started rocking from side to side. "Why are we still hugging?"

"I'm making up for the three years I didn't hug you while I still have the chance! Do you want me to let you-"

"Please don't!" she blurted out, her arms tightening around him. "So Goku…can't you still love me while in the afterlife?"

"I'm sure I can! When I get the chance, I'll probably bother King Kai to let me talk to you! But if you start yelling at me, I'll hang up on you!"

"Haha, very funny…" she said dryly.

While his parent's playfully teased each other, Gohan couldn't seem to ignore the foreboding feeling that snaked into his mind.

DBZDBZDBZDBZxxxxxxxxxDBZDBZDBZDBZ

Bra snorted when Goku plucked a piece of bread out of the paper bag that sat on the bench in between them. While she did try to surpass a grin, she not only failed but also couldn't prevent herself from rolling her eyes as she watched the Saiyan toss the piece of food onto the pond. It didn't take long for one of the several ducks to use its beak to snatch it out of the water and gobble it down its thin throat greedily.

"Goku…I seriously wanted to do something more exciting today. It's the last day before the Cell Games and you want to spend the day feeding ducks."

Goku threw another piece of bread. "It's not so bad at all! Why don't you give it a try?" he said, gesturing the half Saiyan to join in.

Huffing with annoyance, she picked up some bread and chucked it onto the water. Her eyes rounded when she saw two ducks practically dueling each other for the precious food. She gave a tiny laugh when the one that won pedaled from the loser.

"See! It isn't so bad now is it?"

"I guess, but I'd rather do something else…"She said, tossing a hand full of bread at the pond.

"Like what?"

"Like maybe stay in bed." She said coolly, a mischievous look following right on after.

Goku sighed. "And here I thought you've had enough while in the Time Chamber."

"Nope!" she chirped. "Oh! Oh! There was this one thing I forgot to do, which involves a can of whip cre-Ooof!" She grunted when the full Saiyan elbowed her side.

"Hey dad!" Gohan yelled from afar, a grin breaking across his father's face when he arrived.

Timidly, he gave the female Saiyan a nod as a greeting, in which she returned with a friendly wave, stunning him. It's true that Gohan hasn't known Bra for very long. Despite the fact that she's been living in this reality for well over three years, he has never taken time to learn more about her, for obvious reasons of course. But from what he has seen thus far was that she's a really angry and gloomy person, always taking in the negative aspect of a situation, ignoring the positive. She never seemed to consider putting them side by side, breaking them down and mulling it over so that she could come up with the best possible conclusion.

Thus seeing Bra with this happy-go-lucky attitude that mirrored his father's was unbecoming. Nevertheless it was refreshing, as it brought out her radiant features and might just show how the half Saiyan was before whatever catastrophe caused her to abandoned her reality and come here.

Goku's voice broke his train of thoughts, preventing him from further analyzing the half Saiyan.

"What's up son?"

"Oh… well it's going to get dark in a few hours and you had said we could go fishing…" Gohan said, his cheeks red, most likely do to the fact that Bra was smiling a little too much and-and it was starting to creep him out.

Goku eyed Gohan, then Bra, then back to his son. Through his peripheral vision, Gohan saw a suspicious gleam in his father's orbs and needless to say, it was making him feel uneasy.

"So yeah son, your mom had asked me to help her with this thing." Gohan began to panic when he saw his father pressing two fingers against his forehead.

"Dad wait!" The half Saiyan extended his hand, but with a friendly wink and a wave he vanished.

With a sigh, Gohan practically dragged his feet to the bench the other half Saiyan was sitting on and flopped next to her. After a few moments of silence, in which the Saiyan Princess tossed bread crumbs at the lake, he decided to speak, so that he could get this over this.

Bra beat him to the punch.

"I'm sorry." She said, throwing Gohan for a loop. Her apology sounded simple, so plain that one would think that she wasn't being honest. However her sincere facial expression spoke otherwise, told him that she was.

"The you that I knew was this kind and upbeat person. I never knew how you were when you were younger, me not being born and all. But from what I was told, you were just as gentle as a kid as you were as a adult." She smiled.

"And I could tell that you were here too." She frowned. "Then I came and screwed everything up and now you're just so damn angry all the time. I wish I could take it all away you know? Get the friendly Gohan back."

The son of Goku's eyes widen when a single tear rolled down her right cheek.

Surprising himself, Gohan reached out with his left hand and give her a reluctant pat on the back, causing Bra to jump.

"It's alright." He started, moving his hand back to his side. "Yeah, I wasn't happy with the triangle love story, but now that I think about it, I was more mad at my dad than you. You knew you did wrong and so did dad, but when I asked him why he wasn't with mom, he kept avoiding the subject. I might be a kid, but hello I read and study a lot, so I'm much more educated than many kids my age."

"I for some reason couldn't put it together on the day my dad had returned and you first arrived, that he had cheated on mom with you. Other than mom, you were the only girl there that dad could have been with!" He laughed, but it was one tainted with sadness. "However something tells me that he hadn't been thinking straight when he let you kiss him, right?"

Pursing her lips, Bra threw the last of the bread crumbs at the lake and tossed the paper bag into the nearby trash can.

As soon as she opened her mouth to speak, she snapped it shut. "Wait! I didn't kiss him! He kissed me!"

"Really?" The smaller half Saiyan said, rubbing his chin.

Bra sighed. "You know, mom said the same thing. Why do people always think I'm the bad guy!?"

"It's not that! It's just hard to believe that dad would do such a thing."

"Yeah big bad Bra, taking advantage of poor little Goku. Listen, between you and me, I've had a crush on your dad since I was a little girl!" The Saiyan Princess couldn't believe she had just admitted that.

Gohan shuddered. "That sounds kinda creepy don't you think?"

"What?"

"That you knew dad as a little girl and now you're in a relationship with him."

"DON'T SAY THAT! I'M NEAR HIS AGE HERE! I'M IN MY MID TWENTIES AND HE'S LIKE UMMM THIRTY OR SOMETHING." Bra shouted, her head swelling twice its size.

"Yeah, the key word being 'here'. Back in your reality, he must be old enough to be your grandpa! Seriously that's…that's ugh!"

Bra growled, her rage rising as the smaller Saiyan gave her a victorious smirk.

"I take back that gentle and sweet crap! You're a total brat!" She then eyed him meekly, twiddling her fingers together. "Do I seem slutty to you?"

"What? What does that-"

"Never mind, just don't tell your mom I said that word." Bra cut in, causing Gohan to stare at her puzzlingly.

"Anyways back to the kissing thing. When I had transformed during our spar, he seemed to be captivated by my appearance. I kept on thinking it was because I looked awesome as a Super Saiyan. Or maybe it was because he was surprised that I could do it. But why would he be so surprised? It's because I'm a girl isn't it? Does it matter if I'm a girl?! Girls can so do everything a guy can! And-"

Seeing Gohan looking at her strangely, Bra quieted instantly, a hand now twirling one of her blonde bangs in a nervous fashion.

"Well, you do look pretty-" With lightning fast speed the half Saiyan covered his mouth, his cheeks turning into a nice shade of pink.

"Awwww thanks Gohan!" Bra said, snickering.

"You look pretty cool! That's what I meant! Cool!" he insisted.

"That's so cute! Hmmm…I wonder, are you starting to like girls?! You are around that age you know." Bra cooed.

Gohan's face wrinkled thoughtfully as a set of blue eyes came to mind. "Did I have a girlfriend in your reality?"

The female Saiyan pouted in disappointment, as she had wanted the brat to continue shrinking in embarrassment. "Yeah, you did."

"What's her name?"

Bra cracked a grin. "Not saying."

"But-"

"Noope!"

"But-But why?"

"Because then you'll be looking for her. I don't want to ruin your surprise! Also, if I tell you, you might not meet this special girl. I really like her, so no, not screwing this one up."

"Oh…" Gohan's head lowered in in defeat. "Wait…can you tell me one thing about her?"

"Depends on what this one thing is."

"What color are her eyes?" He asked without hesitation.

Bra thought of backing out of this unofficial deal, but quickly disregarded it. "Blue…a beautiful vibrant blue."

Gohan's eyes brightened. "Like an icy-blue?" Could it be?

"Yeah, that's…right." Her rounded orbs squinted with distrust. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Nope."

There was a moment of silence, both the half Saiyans staring at the quacking ducks pedaling about.

"So Bra, why did you come here? What was so bad that you had to run from your reality? Was the reasons similar to Trunks'?"

Bra frowned. "Sort of…but much worse. Trunks has some reason to return…and that is to free his timeline from the Androids. As for me…I don't." Her lips tightened at the mental image of the pink bastard's smug grin.

"Earth is gone and I would have also joined it if I hadn't jumped inside the Time Machine."

Gohan's eyes widened. "Where are the others? I'm sure dad and-"

"Dead… I was the only one left."

"But couldn't you have used the Namek's Dragon Balls to revive everyone back?"

"Didn't have time to." She looked at Gohan. "In the manner that all of you had died, I don't think even the Dragon Balls could have helped. In fact, I'm not exactly sure if you're all dead. That monster…who took everything from me, is still out there, probably getting stronger and stronger with each day that passes. Believe me Gohan, Cell is nothing compared to this thing."

"He wasn't the same as the 'common' bad guys that we all have fought in the past. He was a universal threat and-"

Bra started to tremble, her hands tightening and Gohan couldn't tell if it was out of fear or anger…perhaps both? Maybe he shouldn't have asked the question.

"Gohan…there is not a day that passes that I don't feel like a coward. Running away...it's something that I'll have to live with for the rest of my life."

Gohan squirmed uncomfortably, not liking in the slightest in the way she was glaring at one of the ducks in the pond. Her power level had increased a tad bit and if he didn't say anything, the female Saiyan might just unintentionally explode one of those poor ducks.

"Bra…are you going to be okay?" He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, snapping her out of her rage.

"Yeah…" The tension left her body, a smile appearing across her face when she bought herself back to the present.

Gohan sighed. "I shouldn't have asked huh?"

"Why don't you go find your dad, it's getting late."

"Alright."

Gohan hopped from the bench and began to ascend to the sky. "I'll see you around then."

"Hold up…are we okay now?"

When Gohan smiled pleasantly, Bra returned the smile.

"Not really."

Bra's jaw dropped as she watched the half Saiyan fade further and further from view.

"Little jerk…"

A/N: So, all is forgiven! Now we can move on from all this drama...to possibly more drama! Yay!

Anyways, as I said, the chapter after the next will be the official start of the Cell Games! The next chapter is done, just requires much proof-reading. I found out that in re-reading this chapter, I kept on finding issues with it EVER SINGLE TIME! and I'm sure that it's like that for pretty much all previous chapters. I've re-read some of the old ones at times and yeah, I see many many mistakes and it VERY annoying. So like the chapter's title, I apologize for having to read through all those typos and I hope you can forgive me! =( I'm starting to think I have to look into a beta reader.

Well, I hope I can pull off a great finale for the Cell Saga! If I use the powa of friendship (looking at you (Super) Trunks), I know I can do it XD

Smell ya later!

(Posted: 11/14/16)

~Gater~