Chapter Eight: Family

"You look, beautiful mum," Gohan told his mother came out entirely made up, in her white gown. The Princess of the Ox Kingdom was glowing as she was fully dressed up for a big day.

Chi Chi was fussing over her oldest son, wiping away invisible fluff. "You look handsome, oh my baby, you look all grown up."

"Someone would think this was Gohan's wedding and not yours," Bulma teased the bride.

"I always imagined Gohan would be getting married around this age," Chi Chi gushed. "I was younger than you when I got married."

"I know, you keep reminding me," Gohan replied.

"Maybe his weddings not far off," Bulma replied. "Have you told Videl that you like her yet?"

"No and don't you dare say anything in front of her and you promised you wouldn't mention anything to mum or in front of mum." Gohan blushed.

"Videl?" Chi Chi beamed. "Oh I like her, she'd make the perfect wife for you. How about we make it a double wedding?"

"Mum!" Gohan cried out. "Videl and I aren't even dating."

"Well go out and change that. I'm sure that she likes you." Chi Chi gushed. "I was hoping to push you towards Erasa, she likes you as well. She's excellent with children. Maybe she'll be perfect for Sharpener instead. Those two spend a lot of time together when she visits. I get two perfect daughters-in-law. Maybe yours and Sharpener's wedding can be a double wedding."

Gohan rolled his eyes. "Let's get your wedding out the way first. I have no plans of getting married just yet. And I know that Sharpener isn't ready to get married. Getting married without dating may have worked for you and dad, but I don't want to rush into anything. Are you ready to get married."

Chi Chi nodded her head. She took Gohan's arm. Bulma snuck past them to sit next to the Ox King who had the two boys.

"Let me know if Graphite hurts you, mum. I'll protect you no matter what, even from your husband."

"I will sweetheart," Chi Chi kissed Gohan's cheek, leaving a lipstick smug. She cleaned his cheek and made a final fuss over her son before he walked her down the aisle. When she married Goku, her father had been the one to walk her down the aisle. This time it was her eldest son. Her father was in the crowd crying as she walked passed him.

"I'm so proud of you Chi Chi," her father sobbed.

"Mummy, you look so pretty," Goten yelled out as they started walking towards the altar where Graphite was waiting with Sharpener.

"Sit down Goten and behave for your grandfather," Chi Chi scolded her youngest son. Goten looked sheepish as he sat down. The Ox King was crying about how lovely his daughter looked.

Gohan kissed his mother's cheek as they arrived at the altar, handing her over to Graphite. "Look after my mother."

"I will kid, believe me, I will," Graphite smiled.

Gohan continued standing beside his mother. He and Sharpener shared a look. They'd failed in breaking up their parents. Both didn't seem to be upset, they were just happy that their parents were happy.

Vows were said, kisses were shared, and the two small families left as one family.

DBZ

Gohan and Sharpener stood together as Graphite and Chi Chi left for their honeymoon. Goten would be staying with the Ox King while the two teenagers were left to their own devices. Graphite and Sharpener were moving into the Son family home permanently. Gohan finding that he didn't mind that another man was moving into what was once his parent's room and Sharpener into the guest bedroom. His mum wasn't replacing his dad or was she going to forget about his dad.

"Just warning you, when mum gets back she'll probably be planning a double wedding for us, she's got it into her head that I'll be marrying Videl and you'll be marrying Erasa."

"Last week she was marrying you off to Erasa, what changed?" Sharpener asked.

"I didn't know she was doing that," Gohan blushed for a moment before admitting. "Mum found out that I like Videl."

The boys heard an excited shriek behind them coming from Erasa. "That's just prefect. Videl likes you as well."

"Erasa," Videl shouted, turning crimson herself.

"If I marry Sharpie and you marry Gohan we get to be sisters," Erasa hugged her best friend. "I always wanted you as my sister."

"Double dating sounds like a great idea, these two need all the help they can get," Sharpener agreed.

"I don't need any help," Gohan shouted at his new brother and friend. He turned to Videl. "Would you like to go on a date with me, without these two ... or my mother."

"I'd like that Gohan," Videl smiled. "I'd like that a lot."

DBZ

Chi Chi and Graphite had been married a year. In that year Sharpner and Gohan had both graduated from high school. Sharpener had been picked up for a team after being recommended by Yamcha to play professional baseball.

Gohan and Videl had started a steady relationship before the end of school and were still together and to Chi Chi's pleasure engaged. Gohan studying a variety of subjects at university and Videl studying to become a proper police officer. Sharpener and Erasa were not ready to settle into a long term relationship jumping from relationships to whoever was new and exciting, having each other as a fallback date if something fell through.

Goten was still homeschooled since he could not control his strength, despite wanting to attend school since Trunks had started earlier in the year. He missed playing with his best friend almost every day.

"Graphite and I have are expecting a baby," Chi Chi told the three children.

"I get to be a big brother," Goten shouted out happily. "I get to be a big brother, did you hear that Gohan?"

Gohan nodded, he would be closer in age to his mother then he would be with his new baby brother or sister. This also cemented Chi Chi and Graphite's relationship as permanent more than their marriage.

"Wow, I was not expecting this," Sharpener told his dad and stepmother. "I was expecting to stay a sort of only child the rest of my life. Congratulations."

Gohan smiled at how Sharpener worded that. He'd actually expected to be an only child all his life as well. The baby was going to be closer in age with Goten then what Goten was with him. It wasn't like his mother was too old for children. She'd been young when she'd had him.

"Congratulations you two," Gohan smiled at his mother. He really meant it as well.

"Now Gohan, when are you and Videl thinking of having children?" Chi Chi asked. "I may be a mother again, but I still want grandchildren."

Gohan sighed, he was hoping that the his mother having a baby would get him away from this discussion. "After we get married."

"And when is that, last I heard you hadn't set a date?" Chi Chi asked.

"When we set a date you'll be the first to know. We don't plan to have a long engagement, so probably after Videl finishes her study. She'll finish a lot sooner then I will," Gohan honestly answered.

Chi Chi nodded, happy that she wouldn't have to wait too long for a wedding.

DBZ

Gohan and Sharpener both went outside that evening to talk. They hadn't just talked for a while, both being busy with life.

"I guess a baby makes this permanent," Sharpener said.

Gohan nodded. "I'm actually excited to be a big brother again. Did you see how excited Goten was? He's always wanted to have a brother or sister."

"When we're babysitting we're going to be mistaken for the parents. I don't think I'm going to be believed when I tell the girls that it's my brother or sister, not my child." Sharpener replied.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about babysitting for a long time. I didn't leave my mother's side for the first time until I was four. When I did, I got kidnapped. Twice. In one day. She didn't let Goten with anyone else except Bulma or grandpa until she started dating your dad. That was only with myself and occasionally Bulma's parents."

Sharpener looked out into the distant. "I can understand why your mothers so overprotective now. Living with your family has changed my perspective on a lot of things. She's been good for my dad."

"And your dad's been good for my mum." Gohan nodded in agreement. "They've been good for one another and for us and Goten, especially Goten."

"And they'll be good for the baby as well. Our shared sibling is going to grow up with both its parents unlike us." Sharpener told Gohan.

"And if the worst does happen, we'll step in for our parents," Gohan told Sharpener. After all, life was unpredictable.

"That's a promise," Sharpener agreed.