Goku easily reappeared on top of the Lookout with Goten in his arms. He smiled as he spotted Dende and Alice walking along the edge and he set his son down, "Why don't you go find Paige while I talk to Piccolo and see how Jenny's doing?"

He chuckled as his son gave an excited cry and darted off. He turned and walked to the guardian and smiled down at Alice, "Hey guys! Thought we'd come and visit. How's Jenny doing? Didn't she have that first dose of chemo this week?"

Dende gave Goku a small smile and placed his hand on Alice's head. "That's enough for today's lesson. Why don't you run and play with Goten and your sister?" He watched as she walked away calmly before Dende turned and started walking across the Lookout, leading Goku towards his brother, "She did, but I am afraid her body is taking it a little harder than we anticipated."

Goku looked towards the bathroom when they passed it; he could hear retching coming from inside. His eyes widened when he realized that Jenny must have been inside throwing up. He rubbed the back of his head feeling terrible for her. "Gosh, that bad huh?"

The guardian nodded, "She has been unable to eat anything substantial since her treatment. Thankfully, we've been able to keep her hydrated, but I fear what the future courses of treatment will do to her." He finally came to a stop near his meditating brother. "If you can think of a way to help her, we are open to suggestions."

Meditating was useless. No matter how hard he tried, Piccolo just couldn't drown out the sound of his wife getting sick in the bathroom. He could hear her gasping and the frustrated sobs from her throat as yet another meal was wasted. He got to his feet and turned towards the Saiyan. "Hey, Goku," he said, hoping his voice didn't sound as depressed as he felt. A small smile touched his lips as he heard Paige shriek in excitement when Goten found her in her room. "It's good you brought Goten by. I haven't heard Paige sound happy like that in a week."

In fact, Paige had not been handling her mother's sickness very well at all. She didn't seem to understand why her mother felt so tired and kept getting sick. She kept throwing fits for her mother to play with her and refused to play with anyone else, even when Rose or Dende offered. When she wasn't throwing fits, she just seemed to sit quietly in her room by herself. That wasn't like Paige; she was usually so energetic and full of adventure. Now on top of worrying about his wife, Piccolo was starting to worry about his eldest daughter.

At Goku's questioning look, Piccolo explained, "She doesn't understand what's happening to her mother." He'd been reminded several times by Dende that Paige was only four and that Piccolo shouldn't expect so much from her. He cringed as he heard Jenny heave once again and he ran a hand down his face in an attempt to hide his frustration. "I wish that damn anti-nausea medication would work for her. I'm losing all faith in this planet. Surely there has to be a better way to treat this fucking disease." He winced at his own words; he normally didn't swear like that. "Sorry," he murmured, "I'm frustrated."

Goku rubbed the back of his head, looking towards the bathroom as he heard Jenny. "Poor thing. I can't imagine not being able to eat!" His stomach growled in agreement and he rubbed his belly. He thought for a moment, trying to figure out anything that could help Piccolo's wife. "Medicine isn't working? You know, Gramma might have something to help her out. You know how she is; she doesn't trust the hospitals either. Maybe she has some kind of potion or spell that could help Jenny eat and not get nauseated. I don't really have to be anywhere and I know Goten's been wanting to play with Paige for a while. I could run Jenny over to her and see what she has to say."

Piccolo's spirits lifted a bit at that. If there was anyone who could make Jenny feel better, it had to be Gramma Arthusia. The old woman was strange to him, but she had never failed them yet. "That's actually a really good idea," Piccolo said in his even, low voice. "Wait here." He strode past his brother and Goku, heading straight for the bathroom. He knocked softly before he peered inside and saw Jenny hunched over the toilet, her head on her forearms as she breathed heavily. He went to her and placed a comforting hand on her back. "Hey," he said softly. "Goku is here. I don't know if you feel up to the trip, but he said he could take you to Arthusia's house if you want. She might know a way to make you feel better."

Jenny whimpered when her husband came in and put a hand on her back. She felt horrible. The smell of vomit was sharp in her nose, her mouth. She felt as if she had a bad case of the stomach flu. She felt bad that she couldn't even play with her daughters. She reached up and flushed the toilet, leaning back against her husband's cool skin, looking up at him with tears in her eyes, "Anything. I'll do anything to stop this. I don't feel like myself at all."

"I know you don't," he said in a soft voice as he wiped the tears from her face. Her face felt hot in his hand and he grabbed up a washrag and wet it before he wiped the cool cloth over her cheeks. "I wish I could make it stop. I don't know if Arthusia could do anything or not, but it's worth a try. If nothing else, maybe just being around her might make you feel better."

Jenny leaned into his hands as he cleaned her up and she nodded, running a hand through her short hair and freezing when she felt something odd. She pulled her hand away and looked down at her palm, frowning at the several dark strands that remained there. "Shit," she said, brushing the clump into the waste bin. "I'll go. Did you want to come with us?" she asked as he helped her up off the floor.

"No, I'll stay here and keep an eye on the kids. Goten's here and Paige seems happy. You go with Goku and enjoy the quiet for a little bit," he said as he got to his feet and helped her to stand. He ignored the bit of her hair that she brushed into the trash. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and let her lean against him as they walked outside to where Goku and Dende still stood on the edge of the Lookout.

Goku turned as they approached and offered Jenny a smile. "You are looking better than you did in the hospital. I'm sorry you aren't feeling it though," he said as he walked over to her, bending over to pick her up in his arms, "You need to eat something, you are as light as a twig."

Jenny couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped her. "Been trying, but that food is fighting back," she said, leaning against him, losing her strength to keep her head up. She looked over at Piccolo and Dende. "Hold down the fort for us," she said before she closed her eyes.

Gramma was humming a little tune to herself as she stirred a big pot of soup on the stove when Goku appeared in her kitchen. Not the normal spicy Italian soup she usually made for Goku's visits, that was far too much for Jenny's stomach. Everyone knew that chicken soup was much better for you when you didn't feel well. She couldn't sense energies like the others could, but she still knew the instant Goku arrived with Jenny in his arms. "Took you long enough to bring her to me," she said lightly without turning around.

Goku wasn't surprised that Gramma seemed to be expecting them, even though here on the other side of the world it was the middle of the night. She always seemed to know when he would be around and usually had a full table laden with food by the time he arrived. "Sorry about that, we've been pretty busy," he admitted, feeling guilty as he pulled out a chair and helped Jenny sit down in it. "We didn't know she would be feeling this bad from the chemo."

Jenny let her head thunk on the table, smiling softly at the heady scent of food. Her stomach growled, but underneath it was the seemingly ever present nausea waiting for her to take a bite so she could throw up again, "Let's just go back into the dream and eat cake like we did during my surgery. Mind over matter right?"

Gramma banged her spoon on the pot and set it down before she went over and ran her fingers through Jenny's hair. "Exactly, dear," she said quietly. She frowned as she could feel the emotions from Jenny. "Don't be so hard on yourself, darlin'. You have to focus on getting better. All these thoughts you're having about yourself aren't true. You didn't do anything wrong and you didn't let anyone down." It made her heart ache for Jenny to be feeling these emotions of guilt and anger and fear, but she also understood that it was part of the process. "Goku, be a dear and fix a bowl for her, won't you?"

Goku nodded and went over to the stove, inhaling deeply the wonderful scent of the chicken soup and his own stomach grumbled in protest. He ignored it and picked up one of the bowls Gramma had set out and filled it to the brim with the hearty soup. He carefully balanced it on the way back to the table and set it in front of Jenny's nose. He knew that she would be able to eat this; there was something about Gramma's food that just defied all laws and logic. He handed Jenny a spoon and watched as she lifted it up and put it into the bowl. "Want me to spoon feed you?" he asked sincerely.

Jenny shook her head, lifting the steaming spoonful to her face and visibly relaxed as she sipped the broth down. She braced herself, expecting the nausea to hit her at any moment, but it never came. She ate as quickly as she dared, knowing it was probably only a matter of time before the stomach pains hit and she would be praying to the porcelain god once again.

"Slow down, baby, slow down," Gramma said, brushing her hand through Jenny's hair over and over. "I know you're hungry, but you have to take it slow. You could still get sick. The soup isn't going anywhere." She blinked over at Goku, who was just sadly watching Jenny eat. "There's plenty for you, too, you know. You don't have to be so polite. Go ahead and help yourself," she smiled as she pulled out the chair next to Jenny and sat down. A slight frown touched her lips and she rubbed at Jenny's back, trying to will some healing and peace into her body. It was so torn up with the chemotherapy already. This was not going to be an easy road for her at all. And not just on a physical level, but an emotional one as well.

Jenny did her best to try and slow down, but it was so hard. She hadn't been able to eat much of anything since her chemo session. She closed her eyes and forcefully willed herself to slow down and take in the healing energies around her. She swallowed another spoonful and opened her eyes. "Great, I just need to come here for breakfast lunch and dinner," she said longingly, but knew that was not a possibility. For one, Goku couldn't do that three times a day, seven days a week for who knows how long. Another thing was Gramma couldn't do that three times a day. Simply this one meal probably exhausted her to make. The spell she had cast throughout it had to have taken a great deal of time and care.

Goku sat down with his own full bowl and reached for the bread basket in the middle of the table, tearing off a piece of the crusty bread before he dipped it into the soup. "Gramma, is there anything we can do for her when she's not here? From what I've seen and what Piccolo told me, her nausea is really bad. Dende says, well, he says it's only going to get worse."

"Dende's right, I'm afraid to say," Gramma nodded. She went quiet for a moment, knowing what Jenny's and Goku's reaction to her suggestion was going to be. They'd both seen the destructive path that could result from it, but Gramma had to suggest it anyway. "There is one other option that has worked for everyone I know. You could always try marijuana."

Jenny dropped her spoon in her bowl and looked up with an energy that hadn't been there before. "Absolutely not," she said firmly. She remembered what it had done to Lindsey, but more than that, "My dear sister is still a pot head, I've seen what it's done to her. I do not want to end up like her. I won't. I don't want to give her boyfriend any more ammo against me." She spoke with such venom about her sister that Goku cringed.

Goku remembered that word, the months he had spent training Lindsey, getting her clean from that and the other drug she's been addicted to hadn't been easy. "How does marijuana help Jenny in this case? I've seen what it does, too. It changes people into something they aren't. I don't see how that would help."

"It could control her nausea," Gramma answered. "And while she may have an appetite now, she won't soon. It'll get to the point where food doesn't even taste good to her and the nausea will make it where she won't want to eat at all. Marijuana will give her an appetite." She sighed at Jenny. "You are not your sister. She abuses it and you know that. And if that prick she's dating tries to give you any problems at all, you call me. I know what's going on with them and I've had about enough of it. They need to leave you out of their problems."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Isn't that the understatement of the century," she deadpanned. She looked down at her bowl, Gramma's words rang true in her ears even though she did not wish them to be. "A last resort. I will save the pot for the absolute last resort. Hopefully I never get to that point," she said and picked up her spoon again, "I hate to overstep your generosity, but is there something else you can do? A spell, a blessing?" She shook her head, not sure how to ask what she wanted. Or if what she wanted could be asked for.

Gramma fixed Jenny with an understanding, sympathetic stare. "I can try, honey. But you have to understand, there are some things that even magick can't fix. It might help, it might not. I'll do what I can," she answered and took the empty bowl from Jenny to refill it. She set it back on the table and kissed the top of Jenny's head. "Let me get my book."

Goku watched as Jenny ate more of the soup and smiled. Piccolo would be happy to know she at least ate something. "When is your next round of chemotherapy?"

Jenny swallowed her spoonful and looked over at Goku. "I have to go every two weeks."

Goku winced, "Twice a month?" He rubbed at his face. "What if I came and got you twice a month, if I can't bring you here, I can bring you to our house. You know Sabriena cooks like a dream. She took lessons from Gramma too, didn't she? I won't believe it if you tell me no. They are both too good."

Jenny chuckled into her bowl, "Sure... if it will help. I don't want to waste anyone's cooking. I could just eat it and then throw it up again in a matter of minutes." She hated being sick. Dende and Rose went out of their way to make meals on some nights, and not all of them were vegetarian. She threw it up and it made her feel horrible.

Gramma returned with the large, leather-bound book in her hands and set it on the table as she started to flip through it. Just as she always did, she withdrew one of the clove cigarettes and lit it as she read over the pages. It frustrated her. She could maybe ease some of Jenny's discomfort, but cancer was a tricky disease. She silently prayed that Jenny wouldn't be disappointed in her if it didn't help. She came to the back of the book where the secondary cover was and ran her fingers over the ornate lock. No one had been able to open that part of the book for as long as it had been in her family. It was rumored that powerful spells were locked within and Gramma suddenly longed to know what was there. Perhaps there was a spell strong enough to heal Jenny.

She suddenly shoved the book towards Goku. "Open that," she said. "I don't care what you have to do. I've tried everything to get into that damn lock and it won't work. Break it if you have to."

Goku blinked down at the book sudden shoved towards him and he hesitantly let his hands touch the ornate lock Gramma pointed out. "But, this is your book. I don't want to damage it." He looked up at her but saw the determination in her eyes. He nodded and took the lock in his hands and used his power to deliberately snap the lock in half.

Only it didn't.

He had done the same thing to thousands of dinner plates, tin cups and who knew what else and they all easily snapped beneath his grasp. This lock though, it was made of something different, something ancient. It reached towards him, trying to wrap around his soul and he pushed the book away, removing his hands with a start and looked at Gramma. "I'm sorry. I can't do it."

Gramma heaved a sigh through her nose in disappointment. "Shit," she hissed and pulled the book back closer to her. "Well, we'll just have to try one of these other spells then. Thank you for trying."

Goku looked distressed, if there was some spell in the back that might help Jenny, then he had failed. "I can try again!" he pleaded, turning Super Saiyan with little effort and reached for the book again, but the result was the same and it didn't budge. He growled in frustration as he worked his fingers under the secondary cover and pulled, trying to rip it free of the lock. It wouldn't budge! He gave a cry when his grip slipped on the book and he cut his finger. He cried out and dropped out of the advanced form, holding his thumb before he sucked on it, "Owww, that hurt."

"Oh dear," Gramma said and hurried around the table to him. She pulled on his wrist until his thumb slipped from his mouth and she frowned at the deep cut on his finger. She held his hand in hers and tried to will it to heal. Usually she could heal minor abrasions and things like that, but not this one. Something about the magick in the lock that now permeated his cut resisted her magick. "Oh good Goddess, this is ridiculous," she huffed and went to a cupboard, banging around the kitchen for a minute. "Powerful ancient magick," she mimicked in a high-pitched voice as if she were quoting someone who had irritated her. "Passed down through the generations for centuries. Mother to daughter. Blah, blah." She dropped the falsetto voice, "Lotta damn good it does if no one can access it."

She pulled out a little jar before she returned to him. "Sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to do that," she apologized as she soothed the healing balm over his thumb and smiled as she felt him relax in relief, the sharp sting of the cut gone. She wrapped it in a bandage and patted the back of his hand before she sat down. "See if Trouble can't heal that up properly for you when you get home. Jenny has no business trying to heal anyone right now and, well, as I've always said, the girls' magick is different from my own. Theirs is powerful in other ways, it manifests itself differently than mine."

She tried not to sigh again as she pulled the book closer to her. She flipped through some pages of the open part of the book and finally settled on a couple spells. "We'll send this cancer a good karmic kick in the ass. It might not heal you completely, honey, but it'll help. It'll quicken the process." She stood and took the book with her, "Jenny, when you're done with your soup, come to the upstairs bathroom. We'll start there."

Without another word, Arthusia left the room and headed straight for her temple to grab a few items before she went upstairs to the deep claw foot bathtub. She snapped her fingers and the pillar candles around the room ignited as she filled the tub with hot water and added the sandalwood oil to the water. A few heaping handfuls of sea-salt were cast into the bath and she closed her eyes, holding her hands over the water as she willed healing energy into it and waited for Jenny.

Jenny finally finished with her soup, feeling the weight settling inside of her, making her feel full. She leaned back and looked over at Goku who was looking at his thumb. "I hate to ask, but do you think you can help me up the stairs? I feel weak," she admitted and looked down at her empty bowl. She prayed to the Goddess that she would be able to keep this meal down.

Goku looked over at her and nodded, standing up and carefully picking her up in his arms. "I wish we could get you feeling better. It was good to see you eat something."

Jenny chuckled as he carried her up the stairs, "That was the easy part, the tricky part is keeping it down. Don't stick around, you'll probably see me throw it up." She breathed in deeply the fragrant scent that enveloped them in the bathroom and she relaxed further in Goku's arms. She wanted to curl up in that heat and go to sleep.

Gramma turned to them as they entered the bathroom. "This is a simple spell that works for most any sickness," she explained. "All I want you to do is to rest in the bath for awhile and envision all the illness being pulled out of your body by the salt water. When you're done, drain the water and stand up, then rinse off with fresh water. You can dress in this afterwards," she said and set a soft crimson-colored gown on the vanity. "You take as long as you need. Goku and I will be in the temple when you're done. Meet us there, okay?" She planted a kiss on Jenny's forehead, then linked her arm with Goku's. "Come help me get the next spell ready."

Goku made sure that Jenny wasn't going to fall over before he and Gramma left the room, shutting the door behind him. "She's going to fall asleep in there, you know." He let Gramma lead him to the temple; he remembered it from when Vegeta had gone inside to try to communicate with Bulma when she had been banished to the shadow world. And during the battles with Apollymi. He stopped short of entering, speaking with sobered words, "Am I really allowed?"

"Of course you are," Gramma said and let go of his arm to hold his hand instead, giving it a squeeze. "I don't know how well this spell will work, but we're going to give it the best shot we can. I want your help." She tugged on his hand and stepped into the room. The magick in that room was tangible. She drew a deep breath, just drinking it in for a moment before she went to her book on the altar. "Over there on the shelf, would you grab one of the green candles for me? And the little bottle of tea tree oil."

Goku looked around as he stepped into the room, the magick seemed to curl around him. He was sure if he tried, he could lift a hand and touch it. He nodded and kept his lips pressed together as he walked over to the shelf. It felt odd to be in the room, his curiosity about it had simmered down and now that he was in the room, he didn't want to offend the forces within it. He blinked at the shelves as he looked for the items that Gramma said she needed, picking them up carefully before bringing them over to her, "These?"

"Mmhmm," Gramma nodded as she grabbed up a few other items she needed. "Have you ever done magick before?" she asked. She smiled as he shook his head. "Well, consider this your first lesson. Sit here," she said and guided him to sit on the floor in front of the altar. "Don't look so nervous, dear. It's not as complicated as you think. Now, just hold the candle in your hands and think about Jenny getting better. Imagine healing energy flowing into it and then rub some of that oil onto it for me."

Goku's eyes widened at her instructions, picking up the candle again and looking down at it. He could face down a thousand enemies and not blink an eye, but this… He didn't want to do anything wrong and accidentally hurt Jenny more instead of making her better. "Are you sure? What if I make a mistake? What if it makes her worse?" He didn't want her to get worse. He wanted her to feel better. He closed his eyes and focused on the candle in his hands. He thought of it as like an extension of himself and he imagined he was drawing in energy for a spirit bomb, gently willing it into the green taper candle.

Goku only cracked an eye when he looked around for the oil, finding it open and at his side. He carefully picked it up and tipped the bottle over the candle. A small drizzle fell and coated it before he set it back down and closed his eyes once again as she began to rub the oil over it.

Gramma smiled. "You can't mess it up. It's not possible. Your only intention is to do good. The Goddess knows that. There's no way we can make it any worse," she assured him as she went to one of the bookshelves and withdrew a photo album. She pulled out one of her favorite pictures of Jenny before she sat on the floor next to Goku. "You can set that on the altar when you're done. Then all we have to do is wait until she's done with her bath." She sighed as she looked down at the items in her hands. "I only wish there was more I could do for her."

Goku finally opened his eyes, feeling the candle in his hands. He wasn't sure how, but he knew that no more energy could fit inside of it and he carefully moved to set it on the altar. He sat next to Gramma and nodded, "I know. She's done so much and to have this happen to her is almost like an insult." He sighed and looked down at the picture in Gramma's hands; it brought a smile to his face. "Wow, look at her. A real cutie at that age, I bet she gave all the boys a run for their money," he gently teased as he looked at the young, smiling girl in the photo.

"She always has," Gramma answered proudly. "All my girls do. I wouldn't have brought them up any differently." She gave a soft laugh and leaned her shoulder against him. "You might not believe it, but I gave the boys a run for their money, too in my day." She chuckled again and gave him a wink.

Goku laughed and wrapped an arm around Arthusia's shoulders as he rested his head on top of hers. "Oh I don't doubt it, you're still giving Vegeta a run around aren't you?" He smiled at the flustered expression on the prince's face every time he had to meet with Gramma. He had gotten to walking around with his hand's on his ass around her to discourage pinching. Goku sighed and knew that they had a large task in front of them.

Gramma snickered at the mention of the Saiyan prince. "He's just playing hard to get," she chuckled. "He likes the attention. He's just too proud to admit it."

"Jenny's going to beat this. She's too strong and too stubborn not to. It's just going to be a long road for her to get there. Even with our spell, I fear it's going to get worse before it gets better. We just have to figure out the best way to help her and Piccolo as much as possible without smothering them or making them feel incapable. There is such a thing as too much help. They're both too independent for their own good." She sighed as she relaxed against him. "I'm so glad my girls have you in their lives. You're so good to all of them, Goku. Thank you for taking care of them. I still say you don't get nearly as much credit as you deserve."

The Saiyan chuckled, "I get as much as I want now. I like where I am now in my life. I can live it out quietly with my mates and my son. I don't want any more credit than that. I never really was one for the spotlight, you know? I fought in tournaments because I'm a fighter and there's not really any other good way to make money. It was never about the recognition or fame. As long as my friends and family know the truth, they know that I'm trying to help, that's all I need." He sighed contentedly against the older woman, "I just don't want to see them suffer. It's not fair."

She rubbed his back. "I know it's not fair," she said quietly. "All of your family has been through so much. But don't you worry. Once this is over, things will settle down. I can feel it. There's a time of peace coming. I've felt it ever since Dende and Rose reunited. You'll have time to relax for a change."

Goku smiled against her and sighed contently. "I hope you're right. But I'm not sure if I will know what to do with myself!" he joked. "It would be nice to not have to worry about things for a while and just really enjoy family." He blinked, remembering, "Oh! Are you coming back to help with Lindsey's pregnancy again? Twins! I can hardly believe it. I think I'll just steal them for myself."

"Oh, I don't know," Gramma answered. "Gohan handled that pretty well with the first one. I might just sit back and let him do it." She snickered to herself. "Ah, who am I kidding? I can't stay away from things like that. You know me. But I bet she'll let you steal Phoenix for awhile when those babies get here." She looked at him then and wagged her eyebrows as if she knew a secret. "Has she told you what she's having?"

Goku crossed his arms and pouted. "No. She said she didn't want to ruin the surprise. I think I am partial to the boys, but two granddaughters could be interesting." He shook his head, "But I think two boys would be less of a, uh, you know, a handful."

"Oh, well if she wants to keep it a secret, maybe I shouldn't say anything," Gramma said, trying to keep a straight face as he pouted even more. She couldn't do it. She threw her head back and laughed. "Okay, okay. But you have to pretend to be surprised. It's a boy and a girl. She's finally getting that daughter she said she wanted. She's gonna have her hands full with that one. Personally, I think it's karmic payback."

Goku blinked, pulling back from the older woman a moment to look at her with confusion. "But, how is that possible, I thought she was having twins? She isn't?"

"Oh, Goku," Gramma sighed and covered her face with her hand. "Of course she's having twins! They don't have to be the same sex to be considered twins. One boy, one girl. You'll have to come get me when it's close to time for her to have them."

A smile split his face as she agreed to come to Japan again. "You got it!" he grinned.

Jenny wrapped herself up in the dress Gramma provided. The warm bath left her feeling refreshed in a way she hadn't felt in a week, perhaps even longer than that. She felt subdued, beaten down, weak. It had been good to push all of those feelings and the illness out into the water. She would beat this thing.

Dressed, she carefully made her way down the steps, holding onto the iron wrought handrails as she went, making sure she wasn't going to take a tumble down to the first floor. It was easy to find them, the temple part of Gramma's house was warm and welcoming to her, as if it were expecting her. She paused at the doorway, a small smile playing at her lips as she watched Goku wrapped around Gramma, holding her so carefully.

Gramma turned as she felt Jenny's presence at the doorway. She stood and went to her, giving her a soft smile. The bell-sleeved red gown was slightly too big on her. She'd lost weight already. The joking atmosphere in the room gone, she took Jenny's hand and led her over to the altar. "You sit down here between me and Goku," she said as she sat on the floor.

She picked up a tiny glass bottle of blessed water and sprinkled it around the taper candle Goku had blessed for her. She smiled to herself. For all his uncertainty, Goku had willed a tremendous amount of energy into that candle. It was exactly what she'd been counting on. She handed Jenny a small piece of parchment and a pencil. "I want you to write down everything you want to banish from yourself. The cancer. The nausea. Your fears, guilt, sadness. Anything and everything that is affecting you right now. And don't just write it. Imagine that as you write it, it becomes trapped in the paper. You understand?"

Jenny's eyes prickled with hot tears as she processed Gramma's words, but nodded. She leaned over on the floor, her pencil poised above the paper. Everything she wanted to banish from herself. 'Guilt of being unable to give Piccolo the son he and I wanted so dearly,' she wrote down first; it was the thing she carried the most with her. Somehow, if she had been able to give Piccolo a son, it would have made this journey easier on her heart. She wrote down her cancer, the nausea, and inability to eat or keep anything down. She wanted to banish the fears she had with her, so that she could have absolute focus on her healing, even though it seemed as if it were out of her hands now. Nothing to do, but sit back and watch it go by.

Gramma set a small cast iron cauldron on the floor when Jenny was done. She leaned forward and blew on the candle until a flame sprung to life. "Magick mend while the candle burns. Sickness will end and health will return." She turned to Jenny, "Now set that paper on fire from the candle's flame and let it burn to ash in the cauldron. We're going to banish all of that from you."

Goku watched on, the spells that Gramma could do may not have been what Sabriena and the other girls did, but that's what made them fascinating. She had her own brand of magick that she wielded like a sword and he found himself entranced by it. His heart ached on some level for Jenny and her illness. Sabriena had cried herself to sleep the first night she had found out. It had been a restless night when Jenny had her surgery as well. He truly hoped that what Gramma had said was true.

That peace was coming.

Gramma picked up a stick of lavender incense and lit it in the flame of the candle. She smiled at the photo of Jenny in her hand and held the picture in the smoke of the incense as she concentrated, imagining Jenny surrounded by a healing green light. She was silent as she worked, focused on her task. When she felt confident that the photo was full of strong, happy, healing energy, she rolled it up and began to wrap it with a piece of red ribbon.

She pulled a silver ring from her finger that was set with a beautiful piece of jade and slipped it onto the rolled up photograph. Then she dripped a little bit of the blessed water onto it. "Surrounded by a ring of jade, encircled by the healing waters, bound together by cord of blood, strength restored and life renewed." She held the photo in her hands for a moment before she removed the ring and placed it on Jenny's finger. Then she touched the edge of the rolled up picture to the candle's flame and dropped the burning picture into the cauldron on top of the ashes of Jenny's note.

Goku frowned, looking down at the burning photo. It had been a good picture, happy and full of life. He didn't understand why she would burn such a treasure. The inkling of a thought wormed its way into his mind, that burning a pure picture such as that would bring harm instead of good, but he trusted Gramma that she was doing the right thing.

She took hold of Jenny's hand then reached for Goku's with the other as she indicated for him to hold Jenny's other hand. "You're going to beat this," she said in a stern whisper as she fixed Jenny with an intense stare. "It's not going to be easy and you may even reach a point where you feel like you want to give up. But you can't. You're stronger than this and you can do it. I know you can."

"Jenny," Goku started, rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand, "Since we first met, I knew you were a strong person. Strong character, passionate beliefs and nothing would stop you on the way to your goals." He looked at her, seeing the fear in her eyes, "You've saved a lot of us. You've done so much. Let us help you now. It's not weakness. Our friends are our strength. Asking for help now when you can is a strength few realize is an asset."

"Let's just sit quietly for a minute while the candle burns out," Gramma said. She looked at Goku, "Just concentrate on her being healthy again, like she's already beat this thing." She let her eyes close and she squeezed their hands a little tighter as she did exactly that, picturing Jenny happy and healthy again. Training with her father, running and playing with her little girls, enjoying worry-free moments with Piccolo.

Goku closed his eyes, remembering all of the times he had seen Jenny. He could barely remember a time when she wasn't with Piccolo. The good she brought out in him. The way he became more social, attending family gatherings and the like since she came into his life. When he came to America for Lindsey's wedding. When he and Jenny found out they were pregnant with Paige. How hard they'd fought to rescue Paige when she'd been taken from them. How dedicated Jenny had been to making the armor that saved their lives in that battle. How she always seemed to be a calming, warm presence in their lives, despite the rough upbringing she'd come from. He wanted more. He imagined her bringing her girls to play at his house, running around the garden, chasing the chickens, fishing, hunting.

He imagined Jenny being at Lindsey's side when the twins would be born, Jenny's daughters and his son playing with the twins. Phoenix laughing and playing along as well. He wanted that. With all of his heart, he wanted it.

Jenny could feel the positive energies coming from them both. They were strong, both of them the best at what they did. She took that strength into herself and focused on the life she wanted, the life that had seemingly halted her life before. She wanted to grow old with Piccolo, watch their daughters grow and blossom into the powerful women she knew they would be. She wanted to keep training with her dad, know her brother and sister's children. Her mother. She wanted it all. She held the thought of her mate close to her heart. She ached for him the most. She wanted him to stop losing sleep over her, to stop worrying every time after dinner when she ran to the bathroom to throw up.

They stayed that way for quite a while until the candle burned out. Gramma dropped their hands and picked up the little cauldron of cooled ashes. Goku's frown at the burning photo wasn't missed. "Burning the list she made represents releasing those problems to the universe, the Goddess, letting them handle it. The photo showed Jenny as happy and healthy and was imbued with healing energy. Burning it releases those energies out into the universe as well," she explained as she mixed the ashes together and tipped them into a little green satchel. "Does that help you understand?"

Goku watched as the ashes fell into the little bag and he nodded, "Yeah, that makes sense. I just, I mean, wasn't that photo precious to you?" He almost smacked himself; Jenny was precious and her life was more meaningful than any old photo could be. He blushed and rubbed at his hair as he bowed his head. "I'm sorry, nevermind. I understand."

Gramma smiled at him. "Of course the photo means something to me. Don't you think I have a double of it?" she winked at him as she added some lavender to the little pouch and pulled the drawstrings tight. She pressed the bag in Jenny's hand. "You hide that away somewhere until the full moon and then you bury it, okay? And you keep that ring. It'll give you strength."

Jenny nodded, taking the bag and holding it carefully before she wrapped her arms around Gramma, "Thank you. Thank you for everything. It feels better. I hope it will last. I will do my best to beat this disease. This chemo. I'm just so happy I don't have to go through it alone."

"Of course you're not alone, darlin'," Gramma said and hugged her tightly. She could still feel the emotions from Jenny, the fear, the guilt, but they were lessened now. Gramma pulled back and cupped Jenny's face in her hands and smiled at her. "Now you go home and rest. Take care of those little girls. You call me if you need anything at all and we'll get Goku to come get me. You hear? Don't be stubborn or proud about it. It's okay to ask for help."

Jenny nodded her head. "I promise," she said as she pulled back, "Thank you. I may send Goku for food every so often." She chuckled. "Maybe I'll send Trouble with him and you and her can cook and bring me back a feast I can eat." She chuckled and looked at Goku. "Let me go change and we can go home," she said as she got to her feet and left the room.

"Send Trouble to outdo me in my own kitchen," Gramma muttered with an amused expression on her face as she grabbed Goku's hand and led him out into the living room. She sat down on the couch as he sat beside her and she pulled him to lay his head in her lap. "I know you. You're not going to leave unless I do this," she chuckled as she began to run her fingers through his hair.

Goku purred loudly as her gentle fingers sifted through his hair and he closed his eyes, getting more comfortable. Vegeta said he should be embarrassed, but it felt too good and he could go to sleep with all the energy they exerted. "I don't think I could bring Sabriena with me to you with an intent for her to cook. I would seriously die from over eating!" He laughed before he quieted down and nuzzled into her leg, wrapping his arms around her calves and purring louder.

"Well then you'll just have to bring that prince with you so you don't eat ALL the food," Gramma said mischievously. A smile played across her lips; she enjoyed antagonizing Vegeta so much. It amused her to no end. "So how is Goten doing? I don't think you've said lately how he's adjusting to everything. He seemed happy when I saw him briefly after that last fiasco."

Goku smiled against her and turned his head so he could peer up at her, "He's doing really well." His heart warmed as he thought about his son, "He's started calling Sabriena and Tien mom and dad. It's really great. Sabriena, she's been amazing with him, calling him her little boy and all of that. Tien called him his son the other night. I can't really express how happy I am. To see my son embracing my family as his own. I almost lost hope that he would ever have a normal childhood. But here it is. Sabriena's teaching him how to cook. I've never seen him happier. Tien's teaching him how to hunt and forage. They come back with meat and mushrooms and then I eat until I can't move. I'm doomed."

Gramma threw her head back and laughed. "If Trouble's turning him into as good of a cook as she is, yeah, you don't stand a chance." She shook her head as she continued to play with his hair. "I'm so happy to hear that. That little boy deserves a good family." She tried to stifle a yawn. While it was the middle of the day back on their side of the world, here she'd stayed up until the early morning hours to make that soup because she knew they were coming. "I'll have to visit with him the next time you come to get me. He's still wearing his necklace, right?"

Goku smiled against her and nodded, "He never takes it off. He won't even take it off when it's time for a bath. I more than understand why, I'm glad you were able to give him something to protect him in his time of need." He reluctantly sat up as he heard Jenny coming back down the stairs, "Get some rest, you've done so much. I just wish there was something more I could do for you."

"You don't owe me a thing," Gramma assured him. She got up and went to Jenny to hug her one last time. "You're going to be fine," she said softly in her ear. "Just don't lose faith. You're going to beat this, baby."

Jenny hugged Gramma back tightly. "Thank you Gramma. I will beat this thing. I hope Goku will bring you to visit soon. Don't be a stranger," she teased lightly before she pulled back and went to Goku, giggling softly as he picked her up bridal style once again, "See you around."

"Goodbye, my darlings," Gramma said and they vanished from the spot. She sighed sadly to herself and muttered, "Goddess, watch over them. This isn't going to be an easy road at all."

Author's Note: Nobody panic! Chichi only makes a couple brief appearances in this story. She's not going to cause any more trouble. It's more like we're foreshadowing for future stories. GreenSaiyan nailed it: Gramma's curse is starting to manifest itself.