Author's Note: I meant to upload this earlier today, but I honestly lost track of time and forgot. Whoops. So here it is several hours late . . . and less than half an hour before midnight.
Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z. At all. I only own my fond childhood memories of it and some of the movies on DVD.
Fight 29
Grief
Mother and son stood in silence as what she had just said sank in. She was trying to keep the tears away by keeping her eyes screwed shut and he simply understood. Gulping nervously he began to step towards her, "Mom . . ." With her eyes closed as they were she didn't know until his arms circled her. "Nothing the criminals of Satan City have could hurt me. You know that."
And Chi-Chi did. But she had lost her husband not once, but twice. The second time he chose to not come back out of the idea that he was the one attracting all this trouble. But even before that it had taken him much longer than Gohan to return home after going into space. Because he stopped at random planets to train. Whether Goku's choice was in fact the reason for these last seven years of peace was a mystery, but that didn't make it any easier for his family.
"I know, but," she drifted off unable to continue her thought out loud. Leaning into her son's chest as she failed to keep from crying.
Gohan didn't move and only held her tighter, "I promise that I will not leave. Not like that. When I leave it will be with a diploma in hand and ready to become that scholar you've always wanted me to be."
"Oh Goku . . ."
He closed his eyes and pleaded silently with her, "Let him go. You are only hurting yourself. Please." They stood like that for several minutes with Goten watching unable to fully understand. Having never met Goku and being too young to know what they were feeling.
Chi-Chi finally spoke with her voice shaking, "Fine. Just be careful." She pulled herself away from the embrace before quickly turning and striding into the kitchen to make dinner. Where she, as if out of obligation, yelled a threat, "If your grades even slightly dip then no more hero business!"
Word Count: Approx. 325
