Chapter 7

(Gohan)

She was right there in front of me on my lawn staring. It wasn't a dream she was really there. No more hiding from my responsibility toward her no more worrying about how I am going to go get her. She is here right in front of me. Her stare cuts through and I feel a mix of emotions but I don't know what to say.

I wonder what she is thinking. Studying her does no good because she wears no expression. Was she expecting this? Neither of us says a word for the longest time. We just stand there studying each other's expression trying to read the other's mind. I can't figure her out.

"Gohan," she whispers. She looks quite a bit different now. Her hair has grown out and is tied in a braid behind her back. Both of us have aged slightly but she has more than I have.

"What are you thinking," I whisper back. For some reason I can't move. I want to go to her and take her into my arms but my body will not budge. After so long I don't think I have a right to touch her or be with her.

Videl shrugs and stares at me, "You don't look much different." There's a small laugh in her voice but also a hint of sadness.

"Well," I searched for something to say to keep her from crying, "So much for me being the hero." This made her laugh again but she began to cry also.

"You are too late to be the hero, Gohan," She moved towards me quickly and wrapped her arms around me. Everything came flashing back the second she touched me. From the time we played together when we were young to this point I knew I loved her. Why did I have to be so stupid and wait so long? Why was I so scared of what would happen.

Videl cried harder than I had ever seen anyone cry. My arms found their way around her shoulders. It felt right to be with her again and I felt complete again, but would she stay with me?

I pushed her back a little so I could look at her face. "Videl, I'm sorry. I know that doesn't make it okay and I understand if you don't want to see me anymore. I don't know what I was thinking. I was scared for some reason but the longer I waited the more afraid I got that you wouldn't love me anymore, that you wouldn't want me. What I did was just stupid," I knew I was rambling fast but I was trying to get it all out. Everything I wanted to say came out wrong and stupid like a damn kid trying to tell a girl he had a crush on her.

"Gohan stop," Videl cut me off, "Of course I want to see you, why would I be here if I didn't? I don't care about what happened I just want to be with you. You were right I should have left with you. That place is just familiar it isn't any kind of a home especially for Pan. I love you I really do."

She rambled on as I had done trying to explain but it was too much. There's was no reason to explain to each other because deep down we both knew what the other had gone through. I pulled her back into my arms and sat on the ground with her. The only thing that mattered was that she was back with me and I wouldn't let her go again.

We decided to head back to that place to get Pan. I wasn't sure where we were going to go after that, I just wanted her out of there. Videl headed to her room to find Pan and get her stuff. Being there again brought back memories. I could see why Videl thought this was her home it was a little depressing for me to leave this place too. Luckily Goten didn't remember anything about this place and mom and I didn't plan on telling him.

I followed behind Videl slowly taking in everything around me. Everything seemed to have a memory behind it waiting to jump out at me. Each room contained the ghosts of my past playing out a scene like a play. The room where I first met my daughter was just upstairs. My stomach twisted when I thought of seeing her again, she seemed to hate me the last time we spoke.

Videl called out for Pan. "Your daughters name is Pan by the way," She smiled at me.

"Yeah I met her actually. She doesn't seem to like me that much. I can't expect her to though, it's not like I've been there for her."

"It's okay Gohan. I know it's going to be hard for her and all of us but I'm just glad that you are here now," She hugged me, "Stop being so hard on yourself, I'll focus on yelling at you later," she smiled.

Pan finally came into the room looking like she had just woken up. She took one look at me and jumped awake. She must have thought I was there to do something because she jumped on her defense. Her eyes stared me down making me sink in my skin. I felt bad for what I had done already and this was just making it worse.

"Pan, it's your dad," Videl said gently.

"I know who it is. What are you doing back here? Have you come to try and save us? What is your deal?"

"Pan we are leaving with him. We're getting out of here. You don't need to grow old in this place and neither do I."

She still looked at me with her big black eyes. There was anger in her eyes but something else too. "What if I don't want to leave with him?"

"Come on Pan. It's best for us, I promise."

"Why is everyone all of a sudden coming back for their children? This isn't some sort of daycare they are running here."

"Please Pan."

"No! I want answers. You just pick up and leave and suddenly you want everyone back. Well why should we come back? Maybe it's not much of a life here but that doesn't mean we have to go with you."

I sighed and tried to think of what to say. How do you explain yourself in a situation like this when you know you have no good reason? Pan's eyes narrowed telling me that she was waiting. She must have wanted me to turn and run I could see it in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," I sighed, "I have no good explanation as to why I left. My mom wanted us to leave, it happened without warning. I wanted to come back and get your mother but I knew that your mom didn't want to leave. I waited a little bit and that turned into a little bit longer. Pretty soon I thought she would reject me if I came back to her. I figured that I had waited too long she would despise me if I came to get her at that point.

The guilt over leaving her ate at me for a while and I just let it go on. Goten saw me looking at this place a lot and thought that I wanted to come here but I was really thinking about your mother. I finally decided it was time to come get her and I ran into you on the way. I went home ready to come back for her in a few days but she ended up at my doorstep waiting for me."

Pan sighed, "So what? You expect me to start crying and call you daddy? I'm not going to. It's going to take more than that to make me believe that you care."

"Can you trust me for now? I'm sorry about what I did but I would like to get you guys out of here once and for all. I don't want you to spend anymore time here. Please Pan."

She looked back and forth to Videl and I searching for some answer in our eyes. Her expression changed from anger she looked confused and sad. I knew it wasn't an easy decision for her, but I had to get them out of there I had let it go long enough.

Finally she let out a long sigh and hung her head. "Okay, I'll go with you. I don't really want to but if it's what mom wants then I'll go."

Videl helped Pan get packed up quickly. We headed back down the hallway to the door not speaking to anyone we passed. As we got closer to the door the knot in my stomach untied. We were going to make it out and we would finally be able to work at rebuilding our relationship. I should have done this sooner but what's done is done we are getting out now. The door opened before us and let in one beautiful ray of light. I shut the door behind us and we did not look back even for a glance.

A/N: One more chapter, and I'm done. Please review and tell me what you think.