Fated

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Dragon Ball Z

A/N: Well, I'm a little upset that I received only one review last chapter… but I decided to update anyway. I hope you're all enjoying this so far… Oh and if anyone notices any errors or typos please tell!

R: Thank you!

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To say Chichi had taken the news of her baby-boy having a girlfriend well was an understatement; the moment he had introduced Videl and Chichi had sized her up the older woman immediately began gushing over the idea of grandchildren, to Gohan and Videl's chagrin. The couple had spent the night there, catching up or getting to know each other.

The next morning Gohan sat in the kitchen, reading a newspaper for the latest news on the androids and sipping hard-to-get coffee before anyone else woke up. Gohan checked his watch, 'almost seven, mom should be up soon.' Gohan thought and not two minutes after he thought it his mother walked into the room. Chichi paused at the doorway and abruptly broke down in tears again. Gohan blinked in confusion but got up and pulled his mother into a hug. "Mom? What's wrong?" Gohan asked softly.

"I thought it was a dream! You're really alive!" Chichi cried. Gohan smirked against his mom's hair and rubbed her back, kissing her head again.

"Yeah, I'm alive… I'm sorry I worried all of you but mom, listen - don't tell anyone else that I'm alive yet… I want to see how things go, I have a feeling something is going to happen and I'm not sure how I will affect things if people know I'm alive." Gohan explained, pulling his mom away at arms length. Chichi sniffled and wiped tears from her eyes.

"Okay Gohan… I don't understand what you mean but I'll do as you ask." Chichi said and noticed for the first time since Gohan popped back into her life the scars on his face. "Oh Gohan!" Chichi said alarmed, tracing his scars with a shaky hand. "What… what happened? Are you okay?" She asked frantically. Gohan smiled and took her hand.

"I'm fine mom, just a couple scratches…" Gohan said. Chichi sighed and sat down at the table.

"Scratches huh? You're your father's son alright… Goku would come back with half his arm hanging by a bit of skin and he'd say it was just a little cut…" Chichi said as she idly tidied up the table where Gohan had dropped his things to comfort her moments earlier. Gohan felt his throat constrict at the mention of his father and willed himself not to break down in front of his mom.

Chichi however knew her son and felt the change in atmosphere. She turned back to him and gave him an apologetic look. "Oh I'm so sorry Gohan… I wasn't thinking…" Chichi said, knowing how deeply the death of his father cut into Gohan.

"It's… it's okay mom." Gohan said and let out a breath, forcing his emotions back under his control. Chichi knew it was not "okay" but she said nothing for she also knew that her son was an adult now who had to learn to deal with reality without his mother holding his hand… despite how badly Chichi wanted to protect her "little boy".

"Oh, by the way, as I was changing upstairs in my room I saw Videl outside… I think she's waiting for you?" Chichi informed. Gohan's eyes widened and with a kiss on his mother's cheek he walked outside in search of his girlfriend.

"Videl? What are you doing out here so early? I thought you liked sleeping in?" Gohan asked, giving Videl a morning kiss who kissed back enthusiastically.

"Well… I've been meaning to ask you something, something that's been bothering me since the day you told me your name…" Videl began, trailing off uncomfortably.

"What is it?" Gohan asked curiously, sitting down next to her, feeling the cool breeze blow through his hair. He had not felt this kind of peace in a long time… even with the reality of the nightmare in the back of his mind.

"You said you were not exactly human… what did you mean? And how is it that you can change the color of your hair and eyes and be so strong?" Videl asked, giving Gohan a piercing stare that left no room of escape – she wanted answers and she would not leave him alone until she got them. Gohan felt his normally solid fortress that barred his emotions and kept him more serious than he probably would have if things had gone differently, cracking with Videl's stare.

'Ah! We've only been dating a month and she already has me whipped!' Gohan thought helplessly as he scratched the back of his neck and leaned back to rest on his elbows as he thought of how to explain things to her. "Well… I'll start by telling you a bit about my dad first… a long time ago, an alien named Raditz arrived on earth searching for his brother… he had initially wanted to recruit his brother into destroying the populations of worlds with him to sell to other celestial buyers…

Raditz found his brother, who had bumped his head as a child, completely changing his personality, and realized that his brother had amnesia and had no desire to join him… Raditz then sought to torture his brother into relenting to his wishes… suffice it to say Raditz underestimated his brother and the ones around him that day…" Gohan scratched his back idly and his gaze flickered over to a confused looking Videl.

"What does this Raditz guy, being an alien and trying to find and recruit a brother with amnesia have anything to… oh…" The light in Videl's brain suddenly switched on. "You can't be serious! Are you telling me that your dad was an alien??" Videl asked incredulously. Gohan merely nodded and smirked at her shocked expression.

"Yes… and I am half alien. A race called Saiyan, much like the human race except they are – or were born for combat." Gohan explained and scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it… I seem to remember reading something in one of my school books as a child that humans are sapiens… ape like, it's kind of odd now that I think about it, how alike the two races are… maybe they're connected somehow…" Gohan trailed off when he noticed the still flabbergasted look in Videl's face and laughed sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I got off topic… Yes I am half-alien, half-human… having Saiyan blood in me enables me to "ascend" from this normal state you see me in into something called "Super-Saiyan", giving me enormous power … originally it was supposed to be a simple legend, a story told to children at night but my dad changed all that when he went Super-Saiyan… then, a few years ago I discovered I could as well…" He finished. Videl seemed to look a bit calmer now, as if accepting what Gohan was telling her.

"If… if that's true… than shouldn't you be strong enough to destroy the androids??" Videl asked almost excitedly. Gohan's relaxed face suddenly turned sour as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes, his brows furrowing in thought.

"I thought I would have been able to beat them but… I wasn't strong enough…" Gohan muttered gruffly. Videl frowned in thought, scratching her chin and gasping when a thought suddenly crossed her mind.

"Hey! If you say you can "ascend" to this… Super-Saiyan thing, than isn't it possible that you can "ascend" higher than that? I mean, I know it sounds like a fantasy but-"

"No! You're right! I remember Vegeta saying something about there being higher levels once! Ugh! I'm so stupid! I should have trained harder! I could have beaten the androids long ago – damn I'm such an idiot…" Gohan said, clutching his fists tightly.

"No, no Gohan, you're not an idiot, don't beat yourself up – all you have to do is train harder right? Well I heard that a woman named "Bulma Briefs" had invented all sorts of machines to help train people like astronauts… maybe she could help you?" Videl offered, unaware how well Gohan knew Bulma. Gohan had mentioned Trunks to Videl but had not mentioned his last name.

"That's a great idea!" Gohan said suddenly, his eyes widening in excitement – a look Videl had never seen from the usually brooding man, she decided the happy look suited him well.

"Great! Maybe when-" Videl stopped mid sentence when she saw a look of horror cross Gohan's face. "Gohan?" she asked, "are you okay?"

"It's… it's Trunks… I can feel his energy, his Ki… it's fluctuating… he's fighting the androids!!" Gohan suddenly stood and his gaze held steady in the direction of the city. "I have to go help him, make sure he doesn't die! Tell my mom I had to leave…" Gohan said and turned to her suddenly. "I promise I'll be back." Gohan said, never before had she seen such a hard determination in his eyes… sure she had only known him for almost two months but it was almost scary! Without a warning Gohan shot up into the sky, making himself ignore Videl's alarmed cry and her voice pleading him to return.

Gohan was on a mission and no one had better cross his path…

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End A/N: Oh noes!! Poor Videl lol I wonder what Gohan will do?! Will he show himself? Read and review!!