Dear Chi,

Sorry I didn't get a chance to see you before I left, but I had to go in a hurry. Gohan really needs my help and I didn't have time to see you. I've got to get to Namek as soon as I can. They're waiting for me and it'll take 6 days to get there. I would've liked to see you or at least tell you I'm going, but there's no time. Please don't think it's because I didn't want to say goodbye.

Don't worry about me and Gohan. I'll make sure he's okay. He'll be home soon safe and sound and then you can make him study as much as you want. I know he missed a year of school when Piccolo was training him and I was gone. You must be pretty mad, huh?

I'm sorry we had a lot of arguments while I was in the hospital. I guess you were just trying to make sure I healed and all. But Chi, you know I hate doctors and needles! Being stuck in that weird thing without being able to move was awful. I couldn't stand it. I know you'll probably be upset reading this, but I'm glad I'm out and I'm happy to be going to Namek to help Bulma and Krillin and Gohan find the dragon balls. Bulma said there's some really strong guys there and I can't wait to fight them.

I promise to be careful and I'll be home as soon as I can. Got to go now.

Love,
Goku

The wild-haired saiyan pushed the button to send his message back to Earth for the Briefs to give to his wife and turned to go down the ladder to the lower deck of the ship. Having just finished his daily training, his stomach was growling loudly and he felt weak from hunger. Food was on the top of his priorities, so he didn't see the error message appear on the screen reading "Error – Message Not Sent. Try Again?" After a few minutes the error disappeared as the computer went into hibernation mode.

…

She was absolutely livid with him! The least he could have done was tell her he was going to Namek. And he could have stopped to pack some clean underwear! Sure, she was glad he was going to Namek if Gohan was in danger, but he could have at least had the decency to let her know she was losing her husband for an indefinite period of time again. For Kami's sake, he just got back from the dead not even a full month ago and he spent almost that entire time in the hospital recovering from his battle with the saiyan creeps. They hadn't had any quality time and she hadn't sufficiently told him off for leaving her for a whole year to train in Otherworld. See what good that did, he ended up almost getting himself killed anyway.

It seemed like he was never on her side anymore. Honestly, the way he encouraged Gohan to get out of bed to train, and even supporting his defiance when he insisted on going to Namek with that – that Bulma! And Krillin. They wouldn't be a good influence on her son, she just knew it. But Goku, oh! He thought it would be fine for Gohan to travel with them across the galaxy to revive Piccolo of all people, the monster who stole her baby from her for a year to train in the wilderness doing only Kami knows what…

Her lip trembled as she suppressed a mournful sob. Did Goku hate her so much that he couldn't wait to get off the planet again? Was she so loathsome he would jump at the first opportunity he got to run away from her? No, she refused to think like that. Goku was going to come back from Namek with their son (who would be safe and ready to pick up on his studies) and he would sit down and listen to every word she had to say. And boy, did she ever have a lot to say! He hadn't even heard the end of her complaints about him leaving the first time! He couldn't keep picking up and leaving at the drop of a hat like this! Or, like his misunderstanding of what a bride meant, did he think a wife was something to leave behind and ignore?

Chi-Chi could feel herself trembling with rage. Her husband and son had both up and left her for another planet, and there was no telling when they would be back. Would she have to wait another year? Longer? She hissed in pain when she cut herself as she chopped up vegetables for the soup she was cooking. Not that she had anyone to cook for. Oh no, her family was gone! She stuck her finger in her mouth as she crossed the kitchen, then held it under warm water at the sink.

"If they think I'm going to take this sitting down, they've got another thing coming," she growled. Too bad no one was there to hear her threats, complaints, and incoherent screeching. No one was there to see her throwing a tantrum fitting of a spoiled princess or wipe away the tears she shed. Nope. No one was there to care about Chi-Chi Son.

She was only making herself more frustrated as she ranted and raved in her head all the things she wanted to scream in Goku's sensitive ear. She wanted him to know just how angry she was. She wanted him to know how much it hurt to be deserted first by her son, then her husband. She barely even had them back in her life before they disappeared again! She shouldn't have to live like this, always alone. She might as well still be a widow.

With a tired groan she sat in one of the kitchen chairs, not caring that bright red drops of blood dripped from her finger to the recently scrubbed floor. "He still loves me, doesn't he?" she asked herself. "Was I too hard on him before? Maybe I shouldn't have been so mad at him. He was only doing what he had to do. That's just like Goku – saving the world at any cost."

Despite this, the aching in her heart didn't ease. She missed her husband terribly. All she wanted was for him to come home with Gohan. Maybe this time she could swallow back her anger and spare him a tongue-lashing. If it would make him stay…