Hey guys! I'm so thrilled people still read this! I thought for sure no one would have an interest anymore. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised!
I can't begin to express my gratitude at the warm welcome back I received from a number of you and I'm thrilled you enjoyed my chapter.
A few remarked on how I kept the Gohans character, may I just say I can't picture him any other way. I've read a few fanfics where people have made him bitter and such; it just felt odd to me, like something was missing. I much prefer to keep his original character, so thank you to those who appreciate that I kept him the same!
I did receive one question about Gohan and Videl furthering their relationship on a more intimate level. I just want to say, should you read this chapter, and I don't think I'm going to write on their intimate relationship. It's just not my style, you are welcome to imagine if they've engaged in sex during this time frame, I know most people have by this point in a relationship. I'm more focused on bringing the bigger picture to life in my story. Sorry if this disappoints you!
Let's begin, shall we?
Chapter 26: Evaluation
'Thinking'
"Talking"
Sunshine. Sunshine is an amazing thing, isn't it? It ushers in the dawn of a new day, it allows life to grow, it impacts what the weather will be for the day, it can turn a miserable day into a wonderful one, it allows colours to seem more vibrant and can instantly brighten spirits as its warm rays caress our skin.
But for Videl, sunshine meant she was another step closer to the trial of the century, the trial that will decide if she'll be able to enjoy that sunshine, or admire it through bars. With much regret, she allowed her eyes to slowly peak open through heavy lids, allowing herself to adjust to the rays of sun that were shining down on her bed.
'Well, not my bed' she thought as she turned slightly and cast a glace and the man who held her in a loose embrace.
She had no idea why, but when she slept with Gohans in his bed, it was like her nightmares had no way of getting to her, it was as though he not only protected her every waking day, but even in her dream land as well. She couldn't begin to express her gratitude for the love and protection this man offered her every day they shared together.
She cast a lazy glance at the clock and noticed that she woke up half an hour before the alarm was supposed to go off. She looked up at Gohan and admired how at peace he looked when he slept. His one arm was around his pillow, where his other was loosely wrapped around her waist. She shifted a little so she could turn and face him, being ever cautious not to disturb him.
She let a small smile cross her lips, she watched the light movements his chest made as he exhaled and inhaled. She traced her finger lightly along the muscle contours of his arm. Earning a groan in response she stopped and curled closer, enjoying the warmth he emitted.
She watched him unconsciously remove his arm from her waist to pull the covers up a little, then wrapped his arm around his waist again, the whole time, remaining in blissful unconsciousness.
Videl closed her eyes in an attempt to get those few extra minutes of sleep, but every time she closed her eyes new thoughts about the trial would arise.
'What if this psychiatrist has been bought off by the district attorney? What if the jury is biased and won't consider all of the facts when making their decision? What if I'm attacked? What if the district attorney manages to convince everyone I'm guilty? What if they believe the New Year video is a fake?" she bit her lip as she pondered the many questions rushing through her head.
"It'll be okay", she heard Gohan say quietly as he gave her a small smile, "don't over think everything".
"I can't help it" she mumbled, slowly meeting Gohans gaze, "How did you know what I was thinking?"
"I just know you well and I know how you over think everything" he responded, leaning down to slowly kiss the top of her head.
"It'll be okay today. Karie will make sure the district attorney wont harass you, and she'll make sure the jury sees how much of a victim you are" he said as he slowly sat up, removing his arm from her waist. "How'd you sleep?"
"Better than I had earlier yesterday" she said, doing her best to take comfort in his words. She was going to ask how he had slept, but the annoying buzzing of the alarm now rang through the room.
"Shall we?" he questioned as he stretched his arms up and slowly stood up from the bed.
'I'd rather not' she thought to herself as she grasped his extended hand and allowed him to pull her up gently.
She raised her arms and gave a big stretch, allowing a big yawn to escape her lips. "I'm exhausted" she muttered as she rubbed her eyes.
"You look it" Gohan said quietly as he moved closer and wrapped his arms around her for a quick embrace. "But, you still manage to look gorgeous", he said as he bent down and kissed her cheek.
Videl gave a smile as she stood up on her toes and gave is cheek a quick kiss. She felt his fingers intertwine with hers as they silently made their way out of Gohans room.
The couple walked in silence down the hallways as they made their way to the large dining room.
"ugh", Videl said as she moved her free hand slowly go up to her stomach, "I feel like my stomach is in knots" she said, earning a gently hand squeeze.
"It's probably stress. Maybe a little food will make you feel better" Gohan responded as they approached the kitchen.
"I don't feel very hungry" she said quietly as she rubbed her tummy lightly. She looked up and caught a glimpse of the worried look Gohan was giving her. "It's not that I don't want to eat, it's just that I don't feel hungry" she offered, trying to ease the worried look.
"You look like you've lost weight again" Gohan said, heaving a light sigh. "I'm not saying I think you're doing it intentionally, I just worry about you" he said, turning as they arrived at the kitchen.
"Try and eat something?" he offered, earning a weak nod from Videl as they moved in to the kitchen.
"Hello sweeties" Chi Chi said, offering the two teens a smile as they walked into the kitchen. She gave a concerned look towards the two teens, taking off her oven mits she slowly made her way to Videl. She pressed her hand against her forehead. "You look pale, sweetie" she said as she removed her hand, "at least you don't have a fever".
"I feel okay, my stomach just feels like it's in knots" she said, offering a weak smile.
"It's probably all the stress you've been through, it's almost over" Chi Chi offered as she cast a sympathetic glance to the teen as they sat down at the kitchen table. "Breakfast will be ready soon, people will probably be arriving anytime now".
As if on cue, Goku walked in. "Good morning guys" he said offering the teens a smile, moving to give Chi Chi a kiss on the head.
"How did you sleep?" Goku questioned, casting a glance at Videl.
"I slept much better than I had yesterday… I'm sorry you had to see that" Videl said as she turned her face, embarrassed that Goku had seen her in such a state of weakness.
Goku shook his head, "don't be, you've been through some pretty rough stuff. I used to get nightmares after battles when I was younger" he offered a small smile.
"It's true, only he'd scream and cause the house to shake as he powered up while dreaming" Chi Chi said, coming over and wrapped an arm around her husband's waist.
"You'll get through this," he offered, allowing a bigger smile to grace his features, "but first, let's get through breakfast!" he exclaimed as a larger grin broke up.
"Not till everyone gets here" Chi Chi, giving a small glare to her husband.
"They're all heading down now" he responded, earning a deeper glare from his wife.
"Actually, he's telling the truth" Gohan added as Bulma walked into the kitchen.
"Morning all" Bulma said, rubbing her protruding belly.
Goku arched an eyebrow, "Bulma, your belly looks like it's grown. That was fast" Goku said, fearing that he might set off a mood swing.
Bulma smiled, "Saiyan babies grow significantly quicker than human babies. By six, maybe seven months I'll look like I'm nine months. The bright side is that based on my birth with Trunks and the two Chi Chi has had, we go into labour around the seven and a half to eight month mark. So simply put, yeah, it did get bigger" she said, again, smiling as she continued to rub her belly.
"Take note Videl" Chi Chi said with a wink, earning a blush from the two teens. "Gohan will you help set the table?" she turned her attention to her oldest son, earning a nod as he quickly went out to put all the food on the table.
"I'll help" Videl mumbled as she grabbed a large pile of plates and followed Gohan out of the room to help get ready for breakfast.
"She looks thin again" Bulma said quietly, making sure the teen was out of ear shot.
"She looks pale and exhausted too. She said her stomach has been bothering her" Chi Chi said quietly, casting a worried glance towards the door Videl had just walked out of.
"I don't think she's doing this intentionally though, I think she's just stressed out" Goku interjected. "I'm sure Gohan is keeping an eye on her" he said, earning a smile from the two women.
"They're so good together," Bulma said with a smile, "I can't wait till they have kids", her comment earning a big grin from Chi Chi.
"Amen sister!" she exclaimed as she grabbed a large plate and moved to bring the food out to the dining room.
Once everyone had arrived, they ate and made small conversations among themselves. Everyone marveled at how Bulmas appetite her grown in such a short time and was eating almost as much as Goten and Trunks.
Gohan cast a glance over at Videl as he inhaled his pancakes. He noticed she had a muffin on her plate but had only taken a bite out of it.
"How about some toast?" Gohan said quietly as he grabbed a piece of toast and spread some peanut butter on it before placing it on Videls plate.
"My tummy is bothering me" she responded, inadvertently rubbing it gently. She looked up and noticed the worried look on Gohans face and she gave a small sigh, "I'll try" she said, earning a small smile from Gohan.
Videl took a few bites from her toast, but with every bite she took she felt like her stomach tied itself into another knot. She managed to get half way through her toast before she gave a defeated sigh and pushed her plate away from her gently.
"Sweetie, you haven't eaten much" Aaliyah said, a worried look on her face.
"My stomach feels like it's in knots; just haven't felt that hungry" she responded, offering a small smile in an attempt to ease her mother's worry.
"Have you taken anything for it?" Her mother questioned.
"No, I figure it's just from stress. It'll go away soon I'm sure" she responded. She slowly pushed her chair away from the table and grabbed her plate. "I think I'm going to go for a shower and get ready for Karie" she said, standing up slowly, waiting to receive some form of approval.
"Sure thing sweetie" Her mother responded.
Videl leaned down and gave Gohan a kiss on the cheek before giving everyone a wave and silently left the room to bring her plate to the dishwasher and head to her room.
Silence lingered in the room for a few minutes after Videl had left. Gohan looked around and noticed almost everyone was staring at him. He put his fork down and returned everyone's gaze, "I'm keeping an eye on her, I think it's just the stress of everything getting to her" he offered.
"She looks like she's losing weight again" Aaliyah said, a frown on her face.
"She is, and she knows she is. She's promised me she's not doing it intentionally, she said her stomach has been bothering her" he said, casting a worried look at the ceiling, avoiding everyone's gaze.
"Has she taken anything for it?" Bulma questioned, "I probably have something that will ease her stomach pain".
Gohan shook his head, "I'm pretty sure she's going to be stubborn and try and deal with it on her own".
"Videl seems so sad lately" Goten stated quietly, averting his gaze from his large plate of food.
"She is squirt. But we're all just going to have to try and cheer her up for the next little while. She's just got a lot on her plate right now" he responded to his little brother, offering a small smile to try and cheer him up.
"I'm going to give her a big hug when I see her again" Goten stated proudly.
Gohan smiled, "I bet she'll love that, squirt" he said, causing Gotens grin to grow bigger
~*~*~A little while later~*~*~
Videl heaved a sigh as she stepped out of her hot shower. She wiped her hand on the large mirror to get rid of the steam that had accumulated on it. She took a moment and stared at her naked form; turning to the side to view her profile before turning back to face it straight on.
She gave a frown at her reflection, 'I do look thin' she thought to herself as she stepped on the scale that was in her bathroom. It had been awhile since she had stepped on the scale, she had been attempting to avoid it to try and stop her obsession a little while back.
She stared at the digital number that appeared and frowned even more. In a few short days she had managed to lose twelve pounds. "No wonder Gohan has been so worried" she mumbled as she grabbed a towel and wrapped it tightly around her small frame.
She smile a little, a year ago she would have considered twelve pounds in a few days quite the accomplishment. Now she was disappointed and frustrated at the fact that she felt she couldn't physically handle food as a result of the stress she's been under.
She walked out of the bathroom and cast a glance at the clock. She almost jumped when she noticed she had been in the shower close to an hour. She shook her head and went to her closet, attempting to get ready quicker, realizing Karie would be here soon.
She grabbed a pair of black dress pants and topped it off with royal blue tank top with a black button up top over top of the other shirt. She went back into the bathroom and put mascara on and dabbed concealer under her eyes to try and hide just how exhausted she was.
She gave a small smile in satisfaction as she began to dry her hair, before she went down to meet the others.
~*~*~Meanwhile~*~*~
A knock was heard at the door before Karie slowly let herself into the large mansion. Bulma long ago had told her to just walk in, even went so far as to give her a key to their house. Karie still preferred to knock just to be polite.
She walked towards the living room and noticed Goku, Gohan, Bulma, Trunks and Goten were all in the living room.
"Good morning darlings" Karie said, offering a big smile and a wave to everyone in the room.
"Karie! Want to play Halo Reach with us?' Goten questioned, taking a quick second to pause the game.
Karie gave a small shake of the head, "sorry kiddo, I've gotta be leaving shortly, maybe after?" she offered, earning a grin from the two young boys as they began playing their game again.
Bulma gave Karie a smile, "You look very professional when you've done laundry" she said with a laugh earning a grin from the lawyer.
Gohan gave Karie a quick look over, she did indeed look much more professional then she had when they had first met. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail behind her left ear, making it look as though her hair was just hanging over her shoulder with a few stray bangs hanging over her face. She wore a black high waist pencil skirt with silver button at the top. She topped it off with a white button up shirt with ruffled short sleeves, the shirt was tucked neatly into her skirt and she topped it off with thin black suspenders and a pair of flat black slip on shoes.
"Thanks Mrs. B! I was going for the vintage meets business woman look" she said, giving her boss a wink before she sat down on the couch beside Bulma.
Goku gave a worried look, "what happened to your knee?" he questioned as he noticed the large bruise on her knee.
"My goalie pad slipped and I took a wicked slap shot off my knee cap the other day. Bright side, I made the save, down side, it's not that pretty" she said, offering a shrug.
"Karie do you think I could come with your guys today? I realize I can't go in with Videl, I just more or less wanted to go for moral support" Gohan said, drawing the attention of the young lawyer.
"Sure, that works for me. It'll give me someone to talk to other then Drew" she said, frowning as she mentioned the district attorneys name.
Karies face quickly contoured into a smile, "hey good looking" she said with a smile as Videl walked into the room.
Goten quickly paused the game he and Trunks were playing, "Videl, you look so pretty!" he exclaimed as he stood up and hugged her knees.
"Thanks kiddo" She said with a smile, returning the hug before he quickly went back to play his game again.
Videl gave a small smile, "I love your outfit Karie" she said earning a grin from the young lawyer.
"It's too bad we have to waste these doing courtly matters, that and seeing the D.A" she said, another frown gracing her features.
Videl offered a small smile, unsure of what to say. "When do we need to leave?" She questioned.
Karie cast a glance at her watch, "we can leave anytime you two are ready" she said standing up.
Gohan and Videl gave a weak smile, "I'll go get our jackets and we can head out" Gohan said as he quickly left the room.
Karie gave a blissful sigh, "I want to be in love" she said, earning a laugh from Bulma and a blush from Videl.
Gohan came back shortly after and handed Videl her coat as he put his on.
"Shall we, my lovelies?" Karie questioned as she motion for the teens to follow her. "See you all later!" She said with a wave as she walked out of the room.
Gohan and Videl offered a wave and a smile as they quickly moved to follow Karie to her car.
Karie motioned for the teens to get into her car and once everyone was in she started the drive towards the psychiatrist's office.
~*~*~30 Minutes Later~*~*~
Videl stared out the window as a large glass building came into view. "We're here!" Karie said, as she pulled into a parking spot. She turned her car off and turned back to look at Videl.
"Videl, just remember that you are the victim in this. Answer all his questions honestly, this is not the place to let embarrassment get in the way. Air all that dirty laundry out; be truthful and try and stay calm. Don't freak out" she said offering the teen a smile.
Videl nodded silently, unsure of what to say, she followed Karies actions and exited the car with Gohan in tow.
Karie held the door open for the two teens, she walked up to the large directory before she pulled out her phone and started skimming through old text messages. "Doctor Fry" she mumbled as she looked through the directory, stopping as she found his name.
She pushed the button on the elevator and motioned for the teens to follow her in. Her smile was cut short as she realized who was in the elevator with them.
"Drew" she muttered, casting a glare at the district attorney.
"Karie; may I say you look very nice" Drew said, a smirk on his face as he tighten the tie on his suit.
"I'm aware" Karie said in a disinterested voice.
"Miss Satan, you're looking wonderful for a woman who was on the verge of death a few days ago" Drew stated as he made quotations with his fingers.
Gohan sent the district attorney a glare as Videl let her eyes cast downwards.
"Drew, refrain from talking to my client. You received the documents with regards to the regeneration chamber. Did you bother to read them or are you still clinging to the desperate hope that some feeble minded person will agree with your ridiculous claims" Karie retorted before Gohan had a chance to say anything.
"I was merely paying the girl a compliment" he responded, a smirk still on his face.
"Don't. Leave the compliments to this lovely gent here" Karie responded, shooting Gohan a smile.
"I did review the documents for Mrs. Brief's regeneration chamber. It seems a little far-fetched. I'm going to make a request with the judge to see it and view it work in person" he answered in a nonchalant voice.
"You're going to try it out personally?" Karie questioned.
"Doesn't someone need to be injured to in order for it to work?" Drew question.
Karie allowed a grin to grace her features, "I'd be happy to help you with that if you want to try it personally."
Drew gave Karie a glare, "Funny aren't we?"
"I thought so" Karie said, giving Drew a sweet smile. Before either lawyer could respond with another comment, the elevator dinged and the doors opened. Karie shot a glare at Drew and motioned for Gohan and Videl to step out first before following suit.
Gohan and Videl took a seat in the office while Drew and Karie walked up to the receptionist.
"She's quick on her feet" Gohan mused as he watched the two talked with the receptionist.
"He's a bit of a cocky bastard, don't you think" Videl whispered, turning her full attention to Gohan
"A little. But apparently it's nothing Karie can't handle. I guess if she can deal with Vegeta she can deal with the best of them" He let a small smile creep to his lips, "she really is a lot like you".
Videl rolled her eyes at Gohan before returning the smile. Before she could respond she noticed that an elderly man walked out from behind a large black door and greeted the two lawyers. They exchanged short pleasantries before he turned his attention to Videl.
"Miss Satan, come, let's talk" he motioned, offering a small smile as he stepped aside and motioned for her to come into his office.
Gohan gave Videl a reassuring squeeze as she silently stood up and made her way into the room. She glanced up quickly and saw Karie give her a small smile as she then walked into the large room and the door was closed behind her.
She took a quick look around, it was a stereotypical professional room. A number of degrees were hung up on the wall opposite to a large book case. A large window was opened behind the big cherry wood desk allowing sunlight to fill the room. She noticed there was a large plush, black couch against the wall, followed by a few plush swivel chairs.
"I'm Doctor Fry, it's a pleasure to meet you" he greeted as he sat down in the large chair behind the desk. He motioned for Videl to take a seat in front of the desk, "how are you today Miss Satan?" he questioned, offering a small smile.
"I'm alright I guess" Videl said quietly as she sat down in the large chair.
"So I'm going to give you a break down on what will be happening over the course of the next hour and a half or so. We're going to be doing a lot of talking; are going to tell me about the abuse you experienced with your father and then we'll talk about your father's death. It is my job to assess if you are mentally fit to follow through with the trial and make general observations. Sound ok?" he questioned, looking over the brim of his glasses.
Videl nodded quietly.
"Good, now let's begin. Videl, tell me about your childhood. What memories stick out most to you?" he questioned as he pulled out a large pad of paper and a pen.
"I guess memories with my mom mainly stick out…" she said quietly.
"Why's that?"
"I was really close with my mom, we did everything together before she died. She taught me things like how to bake, how to sing, how to skate and such" Videl let a smile creep to her face.
"What about with your father?"
"When mom was around they would argue a lot, but after she had died, it was as though dad was always angry" she again responded quickly. She hadn't expected to feel this emotional this quickly.
"How so?" Doctor Fry said, watching Videl cast her eyes downwards and avoiding meeting his gaze.
"It started off with just general insults, with regards to my weight or my intelligence. I attempted to get involved in sports he liked, but it was as though I couldn't do anything right in his eyes. After I turned twelve, then he started to get physical" she said, a small tear making its way down her cheeks.
"Did he ever make any sexual advances?"
Videl shook her head, "no, nothing like that. It was more like he would throw objects at me or slap me. Sometimes he left bruises on my arms from grabbing me too hard" she said, unconsciously rubbing her arms.
"Why didn't you every tell anyone?"
"I thought it was how everyone acted, it took a few years before I realized that I was wrong and by that point my dad had become famous for defeating Cell. I didn't think anyone would believe me" she said casting a teary look out the window.
"Did anything change after that?" the doctor questioned as he grabbed a box of tissues and pushed them closer to Videl.
"He got worse" she whispered, grabbing a tissue to dry her eyes. "The fame made things worse; he'd accuse me of trying to steal the spot light or embarrassing him in public. As a result it led to regular beatings, more insults about my weight and just general put downs" she said, a few more tears trailing down her cheeks.
"How did this make you feel?"
"I questioned suicide a few times…." she trailed off quietly, "I could never pull it off, and anytime I tried I failed. My dad caught me once trying and made fun of me for failing, said I was better off with a bullet in my brain" she choked the last part out as more tears flowed through her eyes.
"I tried to impress him and started fighting crime, I thought maybe if I won over the public's favor he would be proud of me. As much as I tried, he just got more aggressive" she said, making sure not to make eye contact with the doctor.
"How did he get more aggressive?"
"A few times I had to go to the hospital; he broke my cheek bone and fractured a few ribs and my sternum at one point. I told the hospital that it was from fighting crime" she looked up and watched him scribble down notes furiously.
"How did you deal with this?" the doctor spoke, not lifting his gaze from his pad of paper.
"Suicide was always tempting, I would starve myself a lot too; it felt nice to be in control of something…even if it was only the food I put into my body. It's weird, I felt like I had some form of power with restricting my eating. I hit a real low about two years ago, but it was actually around this time that I met my boyfriend. He changed my life." She said, a small smile forming on her lips.
"What did he do to change your life?"
"He grew suspicious when I kept coming to school with bruises and he grew really worried when I stopped eating. He seemed to be the only one who noticed these things and no matter what excuse I came up with, he wouldn't believe me. I became really sick before Christmas one year and he took me to his place, he saw I was covered in bruises and when he asked Mrs. Briefs to check me over, discovered I was hiding more bruises and looked too thin. I went back to my place and when Gohan came to visit me he found me laying on a track where my father had forced me to run. I had collapsed from exhaustion and a high fever. I confessed everything to him shortly after".
"After Christmas I went to visit my father, he slapped me in the head and forced me to swim laps. When I finished I saw he had opened all my windows and took all my covers and such so I couldn't change out of my wet clothes. I managed to sneak out of my room and make my way to Mrs. Briefs place, where my boyfriend was staying… from that point on he wouldn't let me go back because he was afraid for my safety. From there he has done everything he could to keep me safe physically and helped me overcome my eating problems" A shudder came make its way down her as she recalled the memories.
"Tell me about New Year's."
"We were enjoying our new year's party… and my dad broke into Mrs. Briefs home and attempted to shoot me. One of the bullets skinned my arm," she lifted her arm up and showed the doctor the scar that was left on her arm, "and the other missed. My boyfriend and his family told my father if he was not to ever come after me again. From then on I officially moved into my boyfriend's family's house".
Tears began to flow more freely down her cheeks as recalled the first attempt made on her life. She grabbed another tissue and started to desperately try to slow the tears down only to fail miserably.
"Take a minute" the doctor offered gently as he looked at the reactions Videl was having to his questions.
Videl felt her shoulders shake, she blew her nose and nodded silently as she looked back up at the doctor who was now staring at her.
"Tell me about the death of your father" he said, he watched as Videl paled and her hands began to shake and her breathing appeared to be a little laboured.
Videl drew in a shaky breath and exhaled deeply, "I was leaving the library after doing research for a class assignment, and I decided to walk to the park to get to Mrs. Briefs place a little quicker. As I walked I kept hearing this noise behind me and twigs snapping, so I started to run. I thought I had managed to out run them then had a wet cloth shoved in my face, I passed out after that". Her voice quivered as she spoke, desperately ringing out the hem of her shirt to try and calm down.
"When I woke up I noticed my hands and feet were tied together and I had a cloth shoved in my mouth and tied to my face," she unconsciously reached up and gently touched her lips while recalling the memory. "I realized I was in my room, my father came in shortly after that realization. He called me a whore and told me how I was an embarrassment before slapping me in the face; he made me bleed".
She zoned out as she continued to tell the doctor what happened, "I tried apologizing and agreeing with him, but I think it only made him angrier. He kicked me in the arm, then grabbed my throat and shoved me hard against the wall; I passed out. I don't know how long I was out for, but I remember throwing up shortly after and feeling like the world was spinning".
The doctor watched Videl as she spoke, he made notes on how her hands continued to shake, the unconscious movements she made as she recalled injuries and the way she trembled as she recalled her father choking her and her unwillingness to make eye contact. He flipped to another page and continued to listen intently, quickly scribbling more notes as she told her side of the story.
"He dragged me by my wrists and threw me in the bathtub…he planned on cutting my throat," tears started to flow harder from her eyes as she spoke. "He dragged the dull side of the blade across my throat. I don't think I've ever been more terrified then I had been at that point, and he was only teasing me at that point. He was about to dig the serrated side into my throat but the doorbell rang". Her shaky hand gentle reached up and touched her throat, unconsciously checking for any injuries.
"Who was at the door?"
Videl shook her head lightly, "I have no idea. I just saw it as an opportunity to try and come up with a plan to escape. I couldn't believe it… I had been seconds away from having my throat cut and I was literally saved by the bell". She looked up and noticed the doctor made a motion for her to continue.
"I broke a disposable razor and used the blade to cut my bindings. I think I cut my hands… I don't really remember. I went to sneak out of the bathroom once I was free but I slipped and landed on my knee. I knew that told my dad I was moving freely. I panicked and grabbed the closest and hardest thing I could find and when he came into the bathroom I smashed it into his face and ran". She paused, she felt like she was going to lose it; her eyes hurt from crying and her nose felt raw from rubbing it too much with a tissue.
"Whenever you feel ready, feel free to continue" the doctor said, attempting to offer partial comfort to the patient.
Videl nodded lightly and drew in another deep breath, "I knew he was chasing me; he tried to stab me while I ran, he even threw the knife at me". She lifted her shaky hands to wipe more tears away from her face.
"I fell, but kept running. I tried the front door but it had new locks on it; the phone line had been cut. I saw a number of packed bags, I knew he had no intention of letting me go away freely. I remembered he kept a gun in the china hutch… so I made a run for it. I grabbed it but he caught me and held me by my throat… I managed to kick him between the legs; he let me go and I grabbed the gun". Videl felt a new wave of emotion surge within her; her hands shook more, her breathing became more laboured and she felt her speech getting quieter.
"I told him not to move… he grabbed a lamp and charged at me; I shot him in the shoulder. I remember him screaming, still threatening my life…he tried again…" her voice was barely above a whisper now. "I shot again, and again… and again. I watched him die in front of me… I blacked out after that next thing I knew I was in the hospital", tears had begun to pour harder down her face and her hands shook violently. She felt like air was caught in her throat and started to cough, desperately trying to relieve herself of this mysterious pressure that had over taken her lungs.
"How have you felt since your father's death?" the doctor questioned gently as Videl attempted to compose herself.
"I can't sleep alone… I get nightmares where he comes back to kill me. I wake up screaming and drenched in a cold sweat. My boyfriend won't let me sleep alone anymore because of it" she whispered, her eyes now fixated on a spot on the window. "I don't feel hungry anymore either; my stomach feels like it's in knots and attempting to eat only makes it worse and makes me nauseated".
"How bad would you say these stomach problems and sleep problems are?"
"I've lost twelve pounds since this happened… I'm hungry but can't bring myself to eat or digest the food," she blinked as she took a quick glance at him, watching him scribble notes furiously. "Any time I try and sleep without someone present, it only lasts for a short period of time before I wake up from the nightmares. I'm exhausted but I'm afraid to sleep…" she whispered again, her voice suddenly becoming horse.
"Okay, Miss Satan that will do" he said gently, noticing Videls hands were still shaking violently and her breathing is laboured. "One moment" he said quietly as he stood up and slowly walked out of the room.
~*~*~Meanwhile~*~*~
"So Bulma tells me you're planning a party for Videl, how is the planning going?" she asked, flashing a smile to Gohan.
"I think I have the basics worked out, it's just a matter of putting it all into motion" Gohan said, letting a small smile come across his worried face.
"Well, if I can help in anyway please let me know. This is so romantic," Karie said with a sigh, "I wish more men were out there like you". She heard a snort coming from Drew's direction, she quickly turned and shot him a glare.
Before Karie had a chance to remark they all quickly focused on the large black door that was opening in front of them.
Gohan sat up, looking at the clock he realized it had been a little more than an hour they had been waiting.
The doctor walked over to the group and cleared his throat, "You're Videls boyfriend I presume?" he questioned, earning a quick nod from Gohan.
"You may go in to bring her out here, I'd like to speak with these two in private briefly" he spoke as he motioned towards Drew and Karie.
Gohan stood up silently and walked into the large room, he quickly saw Videl with her back to him. He noticed her shoulders were shaking and he could hear soft crying. He frowned gently as he moved to her chair and gently touched her shoulders.
Videl jumped and quickly spun around, her eyes wide as he she was greeted by Gohans face.
Gohan gave her a soft smile, "hey…" he whispered. He noticed her eyes were swollen and red; the makeup she had put on was now long gone.
Videl quickly dove into Gohans chest and allowed fresh tears to poor out of her eyes. Gohan embraced her tightly, rubbing her back as her shoulders continued to shake violently. "Come on…" he whispered as he moved her so they could walk out of the room.
Karie gave Gohan a sad smile as she watched the two walk out of the room. Videl looked emotionally and physically exhausted; she felt bad that someone so young had endured so much.
The two lawyers followed the doctor into the room silently, the doctor closed the door. Drew quickly taking this opportunity to speak.
"She can put on quite the act, eh?" he questioned earning a glare from Karie.
"Drew, shut your mouth" she seethed, "she does not deserve that type of treatment".
Drew rolled his eyes in response to the comment.
"Actually, Mister Bailey, she doesn't" Doctor Fry responded, staring at the male lawyer over the brim of his glasses. "Miss Satan is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the trauma of nearly being killed. If she was my patient, I would have her on an assortment of medications and weekly therapy to deal with her past alone".
"You've got to be kidding me!" Drew exclaimed, heaving an exasperated sigh.
"Doctor Fry, when can we have a copy of your notes?" Karie asked, flashing Drew a smirk.
"I need to process them properly, then I will fax the both of you, as well as Judge Novak" he said, earning a glare from Drew. "Mister Bailey, don't shoot the messenger" he said, giving a disapproving look to Drew.
"Thank you doctor" Karie said, earning a node from the doctor as the two lawyers walked out of the room.
Karie saw Gohan was still comforting Videl, she cried softly into his chest as he gently rubbed her back and gently kissed her head. She was jarred out of her romantic thoughts as Drew spoke up.
"Want to cut a deal yet?" he asked, earning a snort from Karie. Gohan and Videl looked up waiting to hear from exchange.
"Sure, no prison time and a declaration of innocence" she said, offering a smug look towards her former boyfriend.
"Six years prison time, with a chance of parole on good behaviour" he countered.
"Nope. Drew, just give up. You have no case and you're grasping at straws. I understand that we are proceeding with this trial as a means of protecting Miss Satan but you need to realize you have no case" Karie stood close to Drew and narrowed her eyes into a glare.
The two paused for a moment as they glared at each other. "I'll see you in court" Drew said quietly as he left the office.
Karie exhaled a sigh as she shook her head. She walked over to Videl and kneeled down and met her gaze.
"How are you feeling kiddo?" she questioned gently.
"I'm been better" Videl spoke, offering a small smile in appreciation for how Karie stood up for her again. "Thank you for standing up for me" she said quietly.
"Hey, my pleasure. Especially against a jerk like him" she said, standing up offering Videl a grin. "How about we head back to Bulmas? Maybe get a little food in you and help you relax" she said, earning a small nod from Videl.
The two teens got up and followed Karie in silence to the elevator, happy to leave the doctor's office.
~*~*~A Little While Later~*~*~
Drew pulled up to the police station and slammed his car door shut. He shoved the doors open to the police station and moved quickly towards the Chiefs office. He opened the Chiefs door abruptly and slammed it shut.
Chief Connell jumped up as his door slammed, he stared at a frustrated looking district attorney as he sat down in the seat in front of him.
"So, I take it the psychiatric evaluation went well?" he asked sarcastically.
"You have to give me something to work with. Videl needs to be held accountable for killing the mayor of our city." He grumbled as he ran his hand through his messy hair.
"Drew… all the evidence supports her story; we really don't have anything," he watched the lawyer give out a frustrated grunt. "I would love to have someone pay for killing Hercule, we all will. But all the evidence supports the fact that Hercule was the attacker and that he had a previous history of violence towards Videl. We even went back and checked old hospital records with criminal records, none of her injuries match up with the police reports that were filed with any incidents that occurred around that time frame. I'm sorry Drew, we have nothing" he said, earning a glare from Drew.
"I will not let Karie win," he seethed, "That moron will slip up".
"Keep your personal matters separate from the case Drew" Chief Connell said as he whipped his brow.
Drew sat silent, he gave out a frustrated sigh before he stood up abruptly and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
~*~*~Elsewhere~*~*~
Karie, Gohan and Videl walked silently up to the doors of Bulmas house. The car ride back was in relative silence. Videl would go through bouts of crying and neither knew what to say to offer some comfort. Both knew Videl had a lot of pent up emotions that she needed to air out and felt it was best to allow her to do that uninterrupted.
They walked into the mansion, Videl heaved a heavy sight as took her coat off. She looked up and noticed Goku, Aaliyah and Bulma were coming to greet them.
Videl heaved a sigh, the last thing she wanted to do was talk to anyone. She felt emotionally exhausted and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for the next two weeks.
"How'd it go sweetie?" Aaliyah asked. As Videl looked up her smile turned into a frown as she noticed how puffy Videls eyes were.
"It went well, but I think Videl might be a little tired" Karie offered as Videl slowly nodded and quietly walked out of the room.
"She looks terrible" Bulma said quietly as soon as she was sure Videl was out of earshot.
"Did she say how it went?" Goku questioned, looking towards his son.
"She hasn't really said anything to be honest with you. She's just been crying off and on" Gohan said, heaving a defeated sigh. "I should go up there, especially if she's going to fall asleep," he offered a wave to everyone and jogged quickly out of the room to catch up with his girlfriend.
The three adults looked up to Karie, waiting for her to tell them how it went.
"Bright side, we have this trial in the bag. The psychiatrist feels she has PTSD as well as feels she should be in therapy and on medication for her past alone, this was just the icing on the cake. We didn't talk much but he's going to send me his notes tonight so I'll be better able to understand her reactions and such" Karie said as she took off her shoes and offered a small smile.
"I'm thinking she didn't react well" Aaliyah trailed off as she stared at the door way her daughter had walked out of a few minutes ago.
"She's one step closer to be done this… that what we need to remind her" Goku said, attempting to see the positive side of it.
"Poor girl looked exhausted, I hope she can get some sleep" Bulma mused.
~*~*~Elsewhere~*~*~
Videl numbly walked up to Gohans bedroom. She was exhausted emotionally and physically and felt sick to her stomach. Since the evaluation her hands haven't stopped shaking, her eyes hurt from crying and her chest felt like it could never get enough air.
She stopped and inhaled deeply, tears slowly started trailing down her cheeks again. She gave an annoyed groan, 'not again!' she thought as she rubbed her eyes.
She quickened her pace to the room and walked in, silently closing the door and threw herself on the bed. She just laid there face down in the blankets, attempting to try and get her control over her emotions. A hand gently touched her back causing her to jump and sit up quickly.
"If you're going to sleep, I'll stay here with you" Gohan said offering a weak smile to try and cheer her up.
Videl heaved a heavy sigh, "I love you so much" she said quietly as she moved over to hug Gohan tightly.
"I love you too" he whispered as he embraced her and rubbed her back gently.
"I feel so out of control of everything, I just want this to be over" she mumbled into his chest.
"I know baby, it'll be over soon, you're a step closer then you were yesterday" he grabbed her shaking hands and held them gently. "I think you should try and take a nap, I'll watch some TV while you sleep".
Videl sighed as she pulled away from Gohan, "I'm so tired," she mumbled, Gohan still holding her hands.
Gohan let go of her hands, stood up and moved the covers back. He laid down underneath them and motioned for Videl to do the same. Videl gave a small sigh, she snuggled closer to Gohan as she inhaled deeply in an attempt to get herself to relax.
Gohan grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, he turned to a TV show called 'Cosmos', nodded to himself and put the remote down. Videl looked at the TV and felt herself yawn as she listened to the gentle talking of the host of the show.
She looked up and gave Gohan a funny look. "Hey, I sounds interesting! And he has a relaxing voice so you won't get too interested in the program" Gohan said offering a smile as he wrapped an arm around Videl, pulling him so she could rest her head on his broad chest.
Videl nodded silently; she watched the program on TV and felt her eyes becoming heavy within a few minutes. Between the slow and quiet talking on the TV and the way Gohan was gently rubbing her arm, she felt herself give in to the sleep that was desperately trying to overtake her.
After watching ten minutes of 'Cosmos' Gohan looked down and noticed Videl was sound asleep. He watched her slow breathing movements as her tense body began to relax against him. He smiled, glad he was able to provide enough comfort the help her relax enough to catch up on some sleep.
~*~*~Meanwhile~*~*~
"These must be for Karie" Bulma said as she pulled out papers from her fax machine and skimmed through them. She took a bite out of the brick of cheese she had at her side, coughing as she read the notes from what she now knew as Videls psychiatric evaluation.
"That poor girl…" she said quietly, getting up off her seat to give Karie the papers. She continued to read as she made her way through the maze of hallways, brick of cheese in hand. She heard giggling and figured that was a perfect place to start with to try and find the young lawyer.
As she expected, she saw Karie sitting on the couch with Trunks and Goten playing video games.
"You take the drop ships and I'll take out the snipers on top of the building" Karie said as she stared intently at the video game that the three of them were playing.
A few moments later the screen turned to a mini action shot informing them of a plot development, Bulma took this as a chance to interrupt.
"Karie, a fax came for you" Bulma said, taking another bite out of her cheese.
"Are you eating a brick of cheese?" Goku asked as he walked into the room, drawing the attention of Karie, Goten and Trunks.
"I was hungry" she said, blushing lightly as she received the attention of everyone.
"Aww, Mrs. B! You're so cute" Karie said as she moved towards her boss.
"How come when I do it, I get yelled at, but you do it and it's cute?" Goku said with a pout.
"Don't worry Goku, you're just as cute" Karie said with a wink, earning a blush from Goku. "So files came in for me?" she questioned turning her attention to Bulma.
"I skimmed through it, it's the results of Videls psychiatric evaluation…. That poor tortured girl" Bulma said sadly as she handed the papers over and took another big bite out of the cheese.
"Oh good!" Karie said, she too started to skim through her notes and let a frown come across her face. "This poor girl should be in therapy" she mumbled, seeing the sad look on everyone's face.
"Dad, will Videl be ok?" Goten asked, gently tugging at Gokus leg.
"She's too tough not to be!" Trunks exclaimed.
Goku picked Goten up and put him on his shoulders, "Trunks is right kiddo, Videl is tough. She's just going through a really bad rough patch right now".
"Can I help her?" Goten asked, pouting from his perch on his dads shoulders.
"You just keep being adorable" Karie added, earning a smile from Goten. "Videl adores you kids, and the fact that you two are cute doesn't hurt matters either. A hug every once in a while I'm sure will help her feel better".
"I can do that!" Goten exclaimed, excited that he would be able to help Videl feel better.
"We should have her play a game with us in the pool, swimming always puts me in a good mood" Trunks though out loud, earning an energetic nod from Goten.
"Let's go get her now!" Goten said excitedly as he went to jump off Gokus shoulders.
In mid jump Goku grabbed Goten before he could hit the ground running. "Maybe wait a little bit kiddo, she's pretty tired right now, and I think she went upstairs to sleep". Goten pouted in response, "Maybe later after we eat" he offered, earning a smile from his youngest son.
Bulma gave a stern look at her son, "Don't you dare bug her until she comes down, you hear me mister?" she said, earning a nod from her son.
"Kiddos, I think I should duck out for a while. Keep the mission alive for me!" Karie said, giving the two young boys a salute as then went back to playing their game, taking Karies character out.
"Is it that bad?" Goku whispered once the kids started playing their game again.
"I'll know more when I read it fully, but just skimming through the first few pages, she had a very physical reaction to retelling her story. It mentions her hands shaking, laboured breathing, crying, whole body shakes and trouble focusing" Karie said, making sure the boys didn't hear her.
"I wonder if she'll follow through the advice of therapy and medication" Bulma mused, eating more cheese.
"I doubt it, she's pretty stubborn" Goku said with a laugh. "But at least she has Gohan to make sure she doesn't go too far into the deep end".
~*~*~ Later on ~*~
Gohan felt himself wake up, the TV still on quietly in the background. He looked around and realized that it was almost two and a half hours since they came into his room earlier. He looked down at Videl and saw she was still sound asleep.
'Guess she really was exhausted' he thought as he went to stretch.
"How long have I been asleep for?" Videl said quietly, bringing a hand to rub her eyes.
"Almost two and a half hours" he replied quietly.
Videl covered a yawn, "I'm still tired" she said, letting an exasperated sigh escape her lips. "And hungry" she said, letting a little laugh escape her lips. A loud grumbling noise startled her and caused her to laugh more.
She looked up at Gohan and noticed his blush. "Are you by chance hungry too?" she questioned as Gohans blush deepened.
"What gave it away?" he said, letting a laugh escape his lips.
The couple got up and made their way down into the kitchen. Not to their surprise Chi Chi was in the kitchen cleaning up.
"We ate earlier; we knew you guys went to take a nap and we didn't interrupt you. But I save you guys some food" Chi Chi as she pointed to the food that was left on the counter.
"Thanks mom" Gohan said as he moved quickly to eat his mother's delicious cooking.
Videl grabbed a plate and filled half of it with food, she slowly picked at the food, her stomach was still rebelling against the food, but she wanted to at least try and get some food in her system.
'Just try…just keep trying' She thought to herself, taking a deep breath and forcing another bite of food into her mouth.
Ok so that's chapter 26! If my evaluation seems a little off it's because I have no idea what a psychiatric evaluation involves, so if you know and I'm way off base then I'm sorry!
It will probably be 2-3 weeks before I post my next chapter. I'm leaving for Cuba for a week on Sunday and probably won't be bringing my lap top. So I wanted to make sure I got this chapter out before I left!
I hope you enjoyed it and I'd love to hear from you so please feel free to review!
Later dayz!