A/N: So much sad in one chapter. Wah.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or anything affiliated with it.

-MalRev

Spectre

12

My foot wouldn't stop tapping.

I tried to relax but it was difficult when I was sitting in the living room with Goten's lean arm slung carelessly around my shoulders. My leg kept bouncing nervously as all of them talked, laughing and sipping their drinks like nothing else mattered. The smell of Goten's cologne just reminded me that I was still starving to death but they were too busy chatting to notice or care.

Goku was completely at ease, slouching in his armchair while he swirled the ice cubes in his water. He pretended to be smiling at everyone but if their eyes left his, he'd fix his black gaze on me and smirk at me over the edge of his cup. Each contemptuous sip he took made my foot twitch even harder. It wasn't meant to be threatening—he was enjoying my discomfort with being touched by his son. I wanted to shrivel up like a leaf in the fall and decompose.

Not to mention my palms were still throbbing in pain from the incident with the counter. I hadn't even had time to clean up the blood. Why did everything bad happen to my hands? It couldn't be my legs or my arms; it specifically had to injure my godforsaken hands.

The ice cubes in my soda clinked lightly against the glass as I took a tentative sip. My hands were shaking. Goten laughed at something Bulla said and pulled me closer. I made a serious effort to look away from Goku at the floor but it was really difficult. He'd said something about blonde hair and halos and being in his bed… my life was just getting worse and worse.

That's what you wanted, said the voice in my head. If you play with fire, you're gonna get burned. I warned you not to get involved with married people. And what possessed you to go to a party with Goten? Oh, trying to make his daddy jealous? Newsflash, moron: Goku doesn't care about you. He's mad at his wife and just as upset about your father as you are. This will all pass over soon.

It was a painful truth. I'd let my teensy little crush become something more and it was spiraling out of control very quickly. I didn't want to be left alone with Goku because I wouldn't be able to control myself. I hated saying no. Agreeing with what everyone wanted was so much easier. But if I agreed with him, I'd end up in bed with someone who was twice Goten's age. That was even worse!

If only mom and dad were home to talk to me. I seriously needed to hear some of dad's corny jokes before I exploded. He always had ten of them up his sleeve to diffuse arguments with mom over money or the mortgage or me or whatever. God, I hoped he remembered them. I hoped he remembered me.

My stomach howled angrily and I grimaced, clutching my abdomen while Bulla prattled on about school. Why were they here? Didn't they have someplace to be? I wanted to eat some lunch, see my parents, and get everyone with black hair out of my house. Goten was annoying me, Goku was… I didn't even know what to think of him, Pan was ogling Trunks, Trunks was pretending not to ogle her, Bulla wouldn't shut the hell up about things none of us cared about—

"Well Marron and I should get going," Goku said. "She's going to see her parents and I think 18 is coming back home. It feels like she's been gone forever."

Yes, thank you. Everyone was so calm and carefree while I was roiling inside, worried to the point of insanity about my parents. I didn't have time to deal with nonsense from these people.

Goten looked over at me and kissed the side of my head. "Want me to come along?"

"Cool your jets, Uncle Goten!" Pan said, speaking for the first time. "Jeez, can't you tell that Marron would rather be alone right now? She doesn't need you breathing down her neck."

"Shut up, runt!"

They started squabbling, requiring Bulla and Trunks to pull them apart. I awkwardly said goodbye and avoided Goten kissing me on the cheek again, neatly hopping to my feet and offering Goku my hand. He eyed me for a moment before getting to his feet and knitting his big fingers through mine. His palms were calloused and rough but somehow soft. He squeezed my hand.

"We'll be back later," he said, placing two fingertips to his forehead.

Pan waved. "We'll be here for you. Take your time, Marron."

I smiled halfheartedly as Goku and I vanished.

We reappeared outside a huge hospital with whitewashed walls that loomed over a crowded parking lot. It looked more like a mansion than an actual hospital, though. There were palm trees planted in the parking lot between the rows of cars, casting some shade across the pavement. A few elderly people with walkers were strolling around in the courtyard with their attendants.

It seemed peaceful. The lawn was green and manicured, there was a small fountain where a few nurses sat with their patients, and a gnarled oak tree offered a place for people to sit and read outside. I had been expecting a normal hospital; a cold place that reeked of formaldehyde and death.

Goku's cheery disposition shriveled. He didn't let go of my hand, but squeezed again and pulled me closer to his side. I looked up at him but he was hiding his face behind his locks of thick black hair. It was hard for him, too. He had technically known daddy even longer than I did. I took a deep breath and we started towards the building, still hand-in-hand.

The inside of the place smelled like old lady perfume. I wrinkled my nose as Goku led me down the hall to an elevator, ushering me inside and pushing the button for the fifth floor. He was silent but sadness glazed over his black eyes and he stared dead ahead without blinking. I played with the hem of my shirt, beginning to reconsider our visit. I could wait a few more days and come back.

We stepped out onto the floor and Goku released my hand to gently lead me along with his fingertips on the small of my back. My palms were sweating beyond belief as we walked past more old people lounging around with their nurses. My throat felt tight; it was getting hard to breathe.

Goku stopped outside a room, turning to put both of his huge hands on my shoulders. "I know we've been teasing each other lately but I want you to know that it's okay to be sad. I'm not expecting anything out of you, Marron. I'm here to take care of you and make your life easier. Okay?"

Then you probably shouldn't have pinned me and started saying stuff about my hair in your bed! I thought furiously.

"Alright," I said.

The Saiyan smiled and leaned down to kiss my forehead. My cheeks immediately flushed with heat from the touch of his lips, but he didn't seem to notice. He turned the door handle and allowed me to head inside the room first. God, he had to know he was screwing with me. Even Goku couldn't be that naïve. He was married and had two kids for crying out loud. No, he was just mad about Chi-Chi. It'd all blow over in a week and everything would be—

I stopped dead, nearly causing Goku to bump into me.

Daddy was sitting up in a bed with bright blue sheets, gazing blankly at the wall. He was wearing pajamas which were highly unusual for him. He blinked out of his reverie and slowly turned his head to look at Goku and me, fixating a confused stare on both of us. I smiled and took a step forward with my hands outstretched. If I looked friendly he'd understand.

Mom was asleep in the chair next to him with a magazine spread open across her lap. She didn't budge as I approached my father warily. He looked really small in his pajamas. Tired. I wasn't looking at the same dad I knew, but a hollow reflection whose grey eyes passed straight through me. I was nothing to him but a shadow on the wall.

"Hi, daddy," I said, pulling up a chair to sit beside him. "How's it going?"

No response. I tried again.

"Nice weather, huh? I was hoping to go fishing later. Do you think they'll let you come with me? It doesn't look like mom wants to get up and go anywhere."

His eyes burned through me. He was trying to remember who the hell I was.

I smiled and tried to remain calm. "Goku's been taking care of me for the past few days. I'm glad you asked him to. I would've been really lonely otherwise."

Dad nodded vaguely and turned to shake mom without taking his eyes off me. She yawned as she woke and stretched, blinking like she hadn't opened her eyes in days. She noticed me and leapt out of her chair to pull me into a bone-crushing embrace, possibly shattering a few of my ribs. I wheezed for air until she was finished and set me back down. She still showed no emotion on her face.

"Krillin, this is your daughter," mom said as she touched his arm. "This is Marron."

When I saw dad look up at her, I felt my stomach twist uncomfortably. She touched his hair and I realized that there was no room for me in their lives anymore. Mom was going to stay with dad until the end, leaving me out in the cold. I understood but it still hurt. It still cut like a knife knowing that I was about to lose both of my parents.

But daddy needed someone to take care of him like he had taken care of me. He was still taking care of me. Goku came up behind me and put his hand on my back to keep me steady. There were a lot of people that loved me and wanted me to be happy. I wanted mom and dad to be happy, too.

"I'm guessing you aren't coming home," I said to mom as she fixed dad's sheets.

She didn't even flinch. "Not for a long time. I'll check in sometimes but the nurses agreed to allow me to live here for the time being. Your father needs an anchor."

"Oh. Well, yeah, I know. You're right. Am I staying in the house?"

"I suppose. Goku agreed to let you live with him and Chi-Chi but I'd prefer you to live at home. It shouldn't be too bad. I've already set up a checking account so you can buy whatever you need. You can still go to school and come visit your father and I afterwards if you'd like."

A big arm wrapped around my shoulders. "Marron shouldn't be alone. Krillin wants her to be with people and he wants you to stay home with her. He knew you'd do this."

"What are you talking about?" mom asked, still fussing over dad.

Goku scowled. "18, you have a teenage daughter who needs you. This is just as hard for us as it is for you but you're making it worse. Go back home and visit Krillin while Marron's at school. You'll only be away from him for a few hours a day. He said he wants the whole family—"

Mom rounded on him in a flash, generating a ball of red energy in her palm that she aimed directly at Goku's head. Her eyebrows were knitted together angrily but her mouth still hadn't moved. Goku lifted his lip in a silent snarl and took a step forward, daring her to make a move. I knew mom wouldn't hesitate when it came to dad. She was fiercely loyal.

"You promised to take care of her and I don't see you doing it," mom said. "Yet another disappointment of Son Goku. Krillin would be upset." The energy in her palm vanished and she began stroking dad's head, her eyes only focused on him.

I didn't exist anymore.

"I always keep my promises. If you're putting Marron under my roof, I'll take care of her no matter what, but I don't want to hear you complaining." His black eyes narrowed.

"Do what you will."

There was nothing more for us. We left while mom began looking through photo albums with dad. He never seemed to understand who I was.