NICKTOONS IS HAVING A DBZ MARATHON, SO I DECIDED TO UPDATE SINCE I WAS INSPIRED. I have to say I feel bad for Gohan during his fight with Nappa and Vegeta, I don't blame him for being scared, that is a shitty fight to be in for a five year old.
This story is going in a different direction then I originally planned. I wanted this to explain on why Gohan stopped fighting during those seven years after the Cell Games, but it is turning out to be Gohan simply forgiving himself on his mistakes. I might try to loop it around in the end, but I don't think that is going to work. I just hate that Gohan didn't train those seven years that even when I try to justifiable it, it doesn't happen. LOL, oops.
I also made a one shot of Chi-chi collecting the Dragonballs to make a wish. If you want to read that it's called "Chi-Chi's Wish"
I don't own DBZ. Please review!
Last time on The Wish:
It was at that moment when Gohan realized that his wish in front of the dragon was true; he really did want to die. He wanted to die because it wasn't fair that his father died. It should have been him. He was the one that fought Cell, he was the one who toyed with him, and if anyone should have made that sacrifice it should have been him.
It should have been him.
Gokuu's words did not help him, as Gohan pounded his fists into the ground, trying to find a different outlet for his emotions. He knew if he began to cry then those words would come out. He kept slamming and slamming his fists into the ground, causing cracks in the ground.
"GOHAN," Gokuu shouted, watching as his son seem to be fighting with himself. Gokuu watched as his son powered up to super saiyan two. Before Gohan could cause more damage to the ground Gokuu grabbed ahold of his arms, jerking his son slightly forward, "GOHAN!"
The jerk caused Gohan's eyes to widen, slowly staring up at his father. A single tear escaped his teal eyes.
"Why couldn't it have been me?"
The Wish
-Son Akito
"Why couldn't it have been me?"
Gokuu stared down at the broken child before him. Gokuu had never seen this look in Gohan's eyes before. They were of pure horror. It confused Gokuu. He had seen Gohan is so many battles in his short life, but this look in his eyes were large and filled with fear.
Gokuu didn't know how to respond, "W-What are you talking about, son?" Gokuu gripped his hands around his son's wrists, he had to make sure that his son would not cause any more damage to the ground.
Gohan's eyes were wide, as he was trying his hardest not to continue crying. He knew he would not be able to hold these tears in his eyes much longer. Yet, he didn't want to tell his father his deepest secret, he knew what his father would say and did not want that conversation. He knew his father would be disappointed in him, but he couldn't help what he was feeling. Not knowing what else to do, Gohan jerked his hands away from his father, and brought his head to the ground, his arms wrapped around his head, he let out a long, painful sob, and let the tears escape his eyes.
"Gohan?" Gokuu softly whispered, placing his hand softly on Gohan's back, as if he wasn't sure if his present was wanted.
A flashback of Gohan as a young child entered Gokuu's mind, a time before Radtiz, before all the fighting, a time when everything was peaceful. Gokuu had tried to train Gohan behind Chi-chi's back, and the first mistake he had made in a simple stance had brought the young saiyan to tears. Gokuu simply did not know what to do, and as soon as Chi-chi had appeared, and claimed their child down, she had screamed at him for training him behind her back and forbid Gohan to train. Gokuu hadn't tried to train his son until after he came back from space, and by then Gohan had already been though a handful of battles.
At this moment, Gokuu felt just has helpless as he did ten years ago. The sounds of his son's painful cries were too much; it was as if he could feel the energy of Gohan's pain enter his own being. Gokuu was never one to cry, but by the painful sobs he heard from his son he couldn't help but to get a little teary eyed.
"Son?" Gokuu rubbed his son's back, watching as Gohan's fists were so tight that blood started to run though his fingers. Seeing this panicked Gokuu greatly, as he grabbed ahold of both his son's hands, holding them, "Stop, please." Gokuu pleaded.
Gohan felt his father's hands in his own, and held on to them as tightly as he could. He wanted to hit something, he wanted to let all this angry and sadness out of his system but he simply could not. If Gohan had been angry his body would react in a much violent way, but his sadness surpassed his anger. Gohan tried to breathe, tried to clam down, but it was hard to do so. He knew this outbreak was wasting time, he had just under two hours left with his father and he spent them crying like a child.
Gohan hated himself for that.
Gohan let out a long sigh, before sitting up looking at his father. His eyes were red and filled with tears. He brought up his arm to whip the tears out of his eyes.
"Gohan-chan?" Gokuu softly said, placing his hand onto Gohan's shoulder. Gohan widen by the way his father called him. Gohan only remembered him calling him by that name when he was a very small child, before Raditz came along. That name was something only his mother called him now. Hearing that name caused Gohan to blush.
Gokuu couldn't help to slightly smile by his son's embarrassment. He lightly shook his son's shoulder, "Son, what was that?"
"You shouldn't have interfered," Gohan said flatly, his eyes cascaded to the ground.
"With what?" Gokuu lowered his head, trying to get a glance from his son.
"Cell," Gohan looked up at his father, his young face stern, "You shouldn't have interfered with Cell. That was my battle, and you shouldn't have did what you did."
Gokuu blinked at his son's stern face, almost in disbelief in what his son was saying. There was no way Gohan could have saved the planet when Cell was self-destructing.
"You wouldn't have interfered if it was Vegeta-san, Piccolo-san, or Trunks-san." Gohan's face did not change, as he stared at his father.
"That's not true," Gokuu tried to put his hand back on Gohan's shoulder, but Gohan moved his shoulder slightly back. Gokuu looked at his hand in midair, "If any of our friend were in the same situation I would have done the same thing."
"No you wouldn't have," Gohan looked away from his father, his eyes falling to the floor, "None of them would have been as stupid as I was," Gohan balled his hands into a fist, "If I hadn't toyed with Cell you would be back home with us right now."
"Gohan," Gokuu softly said, leaning closer to his son, "We don't know what would have happened if it would have been anyone else. You did what you thought what was best."
Gohan laughed at that remark, looking back up at his father, his eyes forming tears, "I was eleven years old Dad, I didn't know what I was doing. I was a stupid kid."
"Hey now," Gokuu made sure that his son was looking him in the eye, he smiled at his son the way he always did, his smiles were always gentle and understanding, "Don't blame yourself on what happened. Piccolo was right that day, I shouldn't have put you in that situation in the first place."
That got Gohan's attention; his eyes widen looking at his father, wanting him to go on.
Gokuu reached his hand behind the back of his head, "I mean, I know now that it was wrong of me to ask you to defeat Cell, but I also knew you were the only would that would be able too. If I could have defeated Cell, I would have, but I can admit that I shouldn't given him that sensu bean. That was stupid of me," Gokuu's eyes were serious as he stared into his son's eyes, "You act so mature and you are such a powerful warrior that I forget you are only a child. I'm sorry for putting that much responsibly on you."
For the first time in the young saiyan's life, Gohan felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. Gohan never looked for an apology in his father; he had never thought that his father should be sorry for anything, but just hearing his father acknowledge the past cleared a lot of worry that Gohan never knew he had. For the first time, Gohan felt that he could finally breathe.
Gokuu couldn't help to smile when he saw his son feeling better. Gokuu placed his hand on top of Gohan's head, ruffling his hair, "How about we stop with all this training, and let's just sit here and talk. Tell me everything that has happened with you and your Mom since I've been gone."
Gohan and Gokuu spent the next hour about talking about their lives. Gokuu told Gohan what it was like being dead and living in The Other World, when Gohan went on to tell his father about all his friends and family on Earth. He was shocked to find out that his best friend is having a child with an android, but even more surprised that he had a son of his own.
"You mean I have another son?" Gokuu's eyes widen, "Wow, unbelievable." Gokuu started to laugh, "We never talked about having any more children, we planned on only having you, so I'm sure your mother freaked when she found out."
Gohan smiled, thinking of his little brother back on Earth, "He looks just like you, Dad." Gohan lowered his eyes to the ground, "It's a shame you haven't meet him."
Gokuu didn't know how to respond, as he looked down at his hands. Gokuu was never good at talking about emotions. Sure, he wish he could have meet his youngest son, but he was dead and he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. He looked up at his eldest; his eyes glanced at the ground, deep in thought. Gokuu couldn't help but to smile, Gohan has always acted beyond his years, and he cared deeply about his friends and family. Gokuu knew that his newest boy would have a strong role model to look up too. Although he missed his family and he knew they missed him, they didn't need him to go on. They have been able to go on without him before he died. In that instance, looking at his mature teenage son, Gokuu couldn't help but to have a hint of regret. Regret that he wasn't able to see Gohan grow into he young man he was becoming. Gokuu hadn't been there for most of his childhood.
Gokuu gave out a long sigh; Gohan didn't have much of a childhood to begin with. That thought pain him greatly. That was his fault.
"Hey there," Gokuu placed his arm on Gohan's shoulder, "Goten will be okay. I know he will be because you are there to watch over him."
"It's not the same," Gohan looked up, "I couldn't picture you not being in my life growing up, and I just wish Goten could have you too."
"Goten will be just fine," Gokuu gave Gohan's shoulder a tight squeeze, "With a big brother like you, I know you'll make sure nothing bad happens to him."
Gohan looked at his father giving him a stern nod. He'll make sure that nothing will happen to his little brother. Without his father around, he is the one to protect their family now.
"Say Gohan," Gokuu took his arm off Gohan's shoulder, leaning his head and tilting his head slightly to the side, "Can I ask you something?"
Gohan blinked at his father, waiting for him to ask his question.
"Before," Gokuu started, rubbing the back of his head, "When you said, "why it couldn't it have been you" what were you talking about?"
Gohan hissed softly and turned his head away, he knew his father would not like he what he would say, and he had hoped his father would have forgotten his out break.
"Can we just forget about that," Gohan asked, his head turned, eyes lowered.
"Well, no" Gokuu's voice was calm, watching his son's expression, "We can't just forget that."
Gohan kept his head still, his eyes lowered to the ground; he knew he had to answer to his father. He didn't know how to say the words out loud.
"I wish you taught me the instant transmission," Gohan whispered, he closed his eyes, he'll say it but he didn't want to see his father's expression, "Then I would be here instead of you."
Gokuu leaned his head back, blinking in surprise. He wasn't sure what his son was implying.
"What are you trying to say?" Gokuu asked, he needed Gohan to spell it out for him.
Gohan looked over at his father, before he stood up, turning his back to his father. His hands balled into fists, he wasn't sure how Gokuu would react. He didn't want to tell his father.
"I didn't tell you this earlier, but I gathered the Dragonballs to try to make a wish to see you. I knew I couldn't wish you back, but I just wanted to see you for a while. When the Dragon couldn't grant the wish-," Gohan took a deep breath, as Gokuu stood up, taking a few steps towards his son, "I asked—I asked the Dragon," Gohan closed his eyes, shaking his fists, "I wanted to take your place, I want to be the one that died that day. It should have been me," Gohan turned around, his eyes narrowed at his father, "You shouldn't have been the one to die by my mistake, I wish it was me. I wish I was the one who—"
Before Gohan had a chance to say another word, Gokuu appeared in front of Gohan, Gokuu looked down at Gohan with an expression the teenager couldn't place. It was a mixture of anger, disappointment, sadness, and regret. Gohan wanted to take a step back from his father, but the look in his father's eyes didn't allow Gohan to move. Instead, he stared back at his father with his own expression, he felt at that moment shame, sadness, embarrassment, and childish. At that moment all Gohan wanted to do was wrap his arms around his father and cry into his chest. Yet, he had already cried enough today, and would no allow himself to do such thing.
Instead he stared into his father's eyes, waiting for his reaction.
In that instance Gokuu wanted to punch Gohan straight in the face. It worried him that hitting his child was the first thought that crossed his mind, and it took every ounce of his saiyan blood not to hit Gohan. Even though Gokuu was raised on Earth, he still had his saiyan pride, and hearing his son want to give up his life was enough to anger the saiyan.
Seeing the expression Gohan gave him killed those instincts instantly. Gokuu didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to tell his son that it was his duty as his father to do anything to protect his child. And that is what Gokuu did that day, when he saw Cell begin to blow himself up; he knew what he had to do for the planet and his son. Once Gokuu thought of what to do, and there was no other what to protect everyone, he didn't give it another thought as he used his instant transmission and appeared in front of Gohan and Cell.
That was his duty to his son, he had put Gohan in that mess, and if giving up his life was the only way to save his son he would pay that price. Unfortunately when his death was in vain and Cell had returned, he couldn't have been prouder of Gohan when he defeated Cell after being injured from saving Vegeta.
When he had told the group that he would not be coming back from life, Gohan seemed okay with it. Seeing his son now, clearly he wasn't.
Gokuu's face soften, as he pulled his son into a hug. Gohan didn't respond at first, his eyes widen, confused on his father's change in emotion. The young boy put his arms around his father, breathing deeply. He missed his father's embrace.
"When you defeated Cell, Gohan, I couldn't have been more proud," Gokuu tighten his grip on his son, "I am so proud of you, and I knew I could stay here knowing that you are there at home protecting our family. I don't want you thinking that you should be here because The Other World isn't your place, your place is at home with our family."
Gohan stayed in his father's embrace, he nodded his head softly, before resting his head on this father's chest.
Telling his father his deepest secret, and still having his father love him, made Gohan feel a million times better.
If only it could stay like this forever.