Author Notes: Hi all. I'm back! Ready for part 2? I know I am. This chapter may be a little short, but it drops a nice bomb shell so I feel like it's worth while. Don't worry. Future chapters should be back to normal length. If you're still here, thanks for your patience. If you're just now joining, lucky you, not having to wait over a year for an update. =)

Let us see what Goku is going to experience now, shall we?

Silhouette

Part 2: Kakarot

Chapter 1: Return

~!~

I was born on the planet of the Saiyans. Sent away as a baby.

"You have to stay alive."

Abandoned by my parents for the sake of a warrior life. Did they even care? Do Saiyans care?

"Kakarot, take care…"

I hate them. I hate all of them. I wanted to escape, to kill.

"...have to stay alive…"

But then I fell. Hit my head. And everything since then has been warped.

"...stay alive…"

Now I have a chance to take my life back. A chance to find what was lost.

"...alive…"

Can I make them accept me? Can I find something worth living for?

"...take…care…"

Like this idiot inside me has. I want his life. My life. I want it.

"...stay…"

He won't push me away. I won't leave. I'm here forever.

~!~

"Thanks, Whis."

Goku offered a tight smile, but Whis merely stared back at him with an impassive stare. Eyes searched his until Goku looked away, feeling just a little freaked out by the unblinking gaze. Of course Whis took that glance away as the chance to tap his staff against Goku's skull.

While he yelped and rubbed his head, Whis lectured. "If you lose control of yourself again, you know who to call."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Goku whined. "You didn't have to hit me. I've got him under control now."

"Hm," Whis hummed. "There is no him. There is simply you. The sooner you understand that, the better off -"

"No," Goku said, narrowing his gaze. "That other guy isn't me."

Whis stared back at him and then shrugged. "Suit yourself. Beerus does enjoy playing with you, so feel free to call me when you lose control again."

Before he could respond to the 'when' choice of wording, Whis disappeared on his journey back. Well, fine. He didn't feel like arguing the point anyway. He had some other guy stuck in his head, some guy that wanted to say he'd been there from the beginning, some guy that seemed to know all about him while he knew nothing of the other guy. Some guy that thought it was okay to attack his sons and kill his wife.

Standing alone in some random field, Goku clenched his hands into fists and then sighed as he let it all go. He'd spent so long away from home, and he only had a day to enjoy his time without interruption. Now wasn't the time to think about the other guy. They'd made a deal. He had a full twenty-four hours to catch up with his family before...well, before the other part of the deal was enacted. Point being, he shouldn't be standing here wasting time.

Bringing his fingers to his forehead, Goku concentrated on finding Chi-Chi's ki signature. It took a little longer than normal, but he found her somewhere out near their house. Just as soft a glow as he remembered. A smile almost formed on his face, but at the last second he pulled his fingers back and felt his smile falter.

No. He shouldn't just drop in like that. Who knew what she even thought of him anymore? After all, the last time they'd seen each other was when…

Wiping his hands on his pants, Goku shook his head and decided to just fly home. As much as he didn't want to waste any time, he still wasn't sure he could face them right now. How could he face her? After what he'd done… Sure, it hadn't really been him, but…

With a grimace, Goku hovered in the air and then slowly flew off toward the house. He stopped paying attention halfway there and instead let himself autopilot in some random direction as he crossed his arms and tried to think about what he was going to say. He wasn't even sure how long it had been. So much time away and he was going to have to explain the compromise. Somehow. He still wasn't sure Chi-Chi would be okay with the new situation, if she'd want him around at all. Maybe he should just go back and keep trying for a better solution. But…

Goku sighed again and glanced around at where the wind had taken him. He smiled at the familiar flower field by a familiar lake with a familiar apple tree that had grown but was still there, still sharing apples. He landed next to the tree, setting a hand on the trunk, remembering the time he'd jumped out as a kid and surprised Chi-Chi. Man, time sure had flown by since those simple days.

His smile dropped at the reminder and he muttered. "I'm not so sure you'll even want to see me. Especially when I tell you what I had to do."

After what he'd done, what the other guy had done, and then having to tell them the only solution he'd found… So long away and he couldn't even get the solution they all would want and expect from him.

Frustration at his lack of ability filled him, but before he could release it in any form, another energy source made its presence known. Behind him. "Who's ther-"

When he turned around, he froze mid word, mid step. His tongue went to the roof of his mouth and he found it suddenly difficult to breathe. A young girl stood in the flower field, chubby hands picking out the yellow flowers specifically. But that didn't matter. It was the outfit she was wearing. Blue bikini armor with pink boots and gloves, a cape flowing behind her in the light breeze, and a pink headband where long black hair flowed out across her shoulders in a familiar cut.

"Chi-Chi?" Goku whispered when he finally found his voice, only to shake his head and frown. "Can't be."

Still. The similarity was uncanny. He took a couple steps toward her, as slowly and non-threatening as possible, his heart trying to choose a rhythm when the girl looked toward him. Her eyes were almost exactly the same, too. God, why?

"H-hey," he managed to say. "Could you tell me your name? It's just that you look a lot like someone I know."

Before the girl could answer, another person made his presence known, a small source of ki that Goku had completely missed until now. "Hey, Chi, Mom'll have lunch ready soon so -"

An older boy appeared, cutting off mid-yawn when he stepped into the scene. Goku turned his gaze from the little girl to the teenager, frowning when the dark haired dark eyed boy jumped in front of the girl. Not only that, he fell into a stance, as if prepared for a battle, and the sudden glare aimed at him made Goku grimace.

"Stay behind me. This man could be dangerous," the teenager said to the girl before facing Goku with an even darker glare than before. "Who am I talking to right now?"

"Whoa – whoa – it's okay," Goku said as quickly as he could, holding his hands up to show he meant no harm. "I'm sorry. It's been a long time since I was here and I didn't realize there were people living here now. My name's Goku."

The boy's gaze faltered, almost looking sad for a moment. "I know your name."

Goku opened his mouth to respond, but the little girl stole the attention instead as she peeked out from behind the teenager's leg, patted at said leg, and looked up at the boy. "Goten. He doesn't feel bad."

At the name, Goku felt his world freeze. He hadn't recognized him. How many years had he been gone? Too long. Again…

"Come on," he heard Goten whisper. "There's no way you can tell that."

Reaching toward the teenager – teenager – with a trembling hand, Goku felt a smile forming on his face again. "Goten? Is that really you? I didn't recognize you – I – wow."

The hair had changed. That was probably his best excuse. Instead of being a mirror opposite of his own, Goten's hair had been cut down to where it was his own style completely now. Not to mention how tall he had gotten. Wow.

Swallowing something in his throat, Goku brought his hand to his chest. "It's daddy, Goten. Come on, I couldn't have changed as much as you."

Goten didn't move, keeping his protective stance. "You haven't, but I still don't know who I'm dealing with here."

"I can too tell. He feels nice," the girl muttered from behind Goten, patting his leg again. "What does he mean, Goten? Why did he say daddy?"

Feeling a little too preoccupied to pay attention to the child, Goku instead focused on his son. "Goten, I know a lot has happened. I know it's been some time – I don't know how long but -"

"A long time," Goten murmured.

"It's all right, Goten. I have everything fixed now. Well, not fixed perfectly but he is under control. I mean, he'll pop up but -" With an awkward laugh, Goku rubbed the back of his head and tried to ignore the blank stare from his son. "Sorry. I was still trying to think of a way to explain everything. Didn't expect to find you babysitting."

"Dad, I -" Even if Goten tensed, Goku felt a well of relief at hearing his youngest call him dad; he'd been so worried he'd never get to hear that again. "I'm not sure how I feel about having you around."

Though he winced and wanted to address the issue presented, the little girl demanded attention. Looking like a miniature Chi-Chi, she stepped around Goten and approached him, as if something that had been said had broken her shy spell. Wide childish eyes looked up at him, followed by a soft little gasp.

"Dad?"

"Huh? Me?" Goku blinked down at her, and then waved her off with a laugh. "Oh, no, there's no way I'm your dad."

The eyes that were so similar to his wife's eyes blinked up at him and then one of the gloved hands pointed back to Goten. "But he's my brother."

At the words, Goku twitched in place, feeling like the world fell away beneath his feet for a moment in time. "Ah – you're – but – how -"

Looking to Goten earned him a shrug and a mumbled response. "She turned four a few months ago. You kind of left Mom with her before you left. Like with me."

Feeling his eyes widen, Goku dropped into a squat in front of the little Chi-Chi look-a-like. "So...you're..."

Unable to really believe it, he closed his eyes and forced himself to focus. Forced his heart to relax even if it still ached. Felt out the energy in front of him. Now that he was really looking at her energy, he could feel the little waves of Chi-Chi, and the little bits of his own touch lingering in the mix, too.

When he opened his eyes, he stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. "Wow. I really am your dad."

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but her reaction was definitely not among the options. She didn't reach or jump for him. She didn't even say a word. She just looked up at him, her eyes and mouth both slowly growing wider with each passing second until she let it all go in one happy high pitched squeal. Her arms came up but only so they could shake in the air as she bounced from foot to foot. A pure, true form of excitement.

"Oh wow. You have quite the bit of energy in you, don't ya?" Goku laughed and looked up to Goten. "You said she's four now?"

Goten nodded, his stance having relaxed though his eyes were trained on him.

Turning back to his daughter – daughter – Goku smiled. "You look so much like your mother. I was worried for a second there."

She grinned back at him before breaking out the sad eyes and trembling lip as she reached out for him, though she didn't actually touch. "Can I hug you?"

Feeling his eyes widen, Goku bit the inside of his cheek, finding that he wasn't sure how to respond. "I – uhm – do you think your mother would be okay with that?"

With a disappointed huff, she dropped her arms. "Oh. Uhm. I don't know. I guess I need to ask her. Can I call you Daddy?"

His breath caught in his throat and his heart skipped a beat. "I – uh – y-yes?"

The question shouldn't have hit him so hard, but it reminded him of the four years she had grown up without him, probably wondering if he would ever show. Now that he was here, he wouldn't be able to fulfill all those stories they'd told her. Judging by her reaction, they'd told her the good ones. Only now he was…

Shaking the negative thoughts off, Goku sent her a sad smile. "Yeah. We should probably get home to your mother. Maybe you could let her know I'm here for me."

He heard Goten scoff under his breath. "Yeah, sure, make the little daughter you never met do the hard part for you."

"Okay, Daddy!" His daughter shouted to turn his attention, as she rushed over to Goten, picked up the flowers she had dropped earlier, and then reached for Goten's hand. "Come on, Goten. I'm ready to go home now. With Daddy this time."

Smiling back at her, Goku stood up and met Goten's curious gaze. With a sigh, he held back all the things he wanted to say in that moment and went with the simplest, most basic choice. "Lead the way."

With a roll of his eyes, Goten picked up his little sister and started hovering as he said. "All right, Chi. Let's not let Mom worry."

Once again, Goku found his breath catching as he blinked at the sound of his son using that nickname. A name that he had always used for Chi-Chi and how his son was using it for...wait...what even was his daughter's name? He hadn't thought to ask and no one had used it, so...was he ever going to know? What if Chi-Chi didn't want to see him? What if he wasn't allowed to come home? But then...his daughter seemed happy to meet him. Ecstatic almost. Even if Goten wasn't. Someone had to have been feeding the girl good stories of him, which meant Chi-Chi would be happy to see him too.

Right?