A/N: While only a few so far have reviewed, it is greatly appreciated. This is the next chapter, but the last in this after death arc, if it can eve be called that. Well that's all I got.

Chapter 3

A Family Mourns

Goten couldn't sleep tonight. Hard as he tried, it would not overcome him. His brother had left him one year ago today. His mom requested that Goku take herself and Goten up to the Lookout. ChiChi wanted to visit the last place she had seen her eldest son. She said she felt closest to him there, but could not explain it. Goku picked her up in his arms and Goten flew beside them on the way up to Dende's and Piccolo's place. When they got there they were greeted by Dende himself, but Piccolo was nowhere to be found. Goku was hoping to talk his his sons first friend, but if he knew Piccolo, what he was doing was important. Dende did not even know why Piccolo was not there. He had been keeping his ki relatively low, making him harder to track. Dende decided against asking the Namekian fighter what he did for most of the day because he knew Piccolo would either lie or disregard the question entirely. ChiChi quietly sobbed as Goten sat next to her and Goku visited with Dende.

Goku sensed a power coming to the lookout, and recognized it to be Krillin, along with his wife and daughter.

"Hi Goku." As Krillin said this, a tear came to Goku's eye. His best friend was here in honor of Gohan today as well. Goku went to hug his long time companion, and gave his daughter a soft kiss on the cheek. He was not sure how to address the woman who used to want him dead, but before he could decide she wrapped her arms around him. She had been crying as well.

"What's wrong mommy," Marron said.

"It's nothing sweetie, mommy's just a little sad. A little while ago we lost a great young man."
Goku heard these words and was very surprised to hear them come from Eighteen. Even though she had changed, she had never been very strong with emotions like that with the exception of her daughter. The miracle child. That's when Goku realized why Eighteen was in the shape she was in. Were it not for Gohan, her miracle baby would not likely have lived much longer were Buu still alive.

"I see I'm not the only one who thought of this idea." Goku looked toward the edge of the Lookout to see Bulma, Trunks and even Vegeta walking toward everyone else. Bulma's eyes were red, and Goku was pretty sure that even Trunks had been shedding some tears. However the always proud Vegeta looked composed.

"We tried to get Videl to come, but she said she was not sure she could handle it," Bulma told Goku. Trunks went over to see Goten who was still by ChiChi. Bulma followed.

"So Kakarott you and your offspring sure are quick to self sacrifice. You, to stop your brother and Cell, and your son to stop Buu."

"Yeah, I guess he was more like me than I had thought."

"Of course he was like you Kakarott, kind hearted, good natured, honest, everything a Saiyan shouldn't be," Vegeta Said sharply, but his next sentence came with ease and compassion. "But at the same time, I have never been so proud to know someone so noble."

Goku looked at Vegeta and noticed the single tear falling from his left eye.



"Vegeta."

"It's nothing Kakarott, just…just something in my eye that's all." Tears started to fill Goku's eyes. Goku let them out and inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly and spoke.

"I thought I could accept Gohans death. When he headed down to face off against Buu one last time I was so proud, my son had surpassed me again. He was going to save our sorry butt's just like he did against Cell. After things started to get back to normal, I didn't even want to fight anymore, and neither did Goten. We would help ChiChi around the house, or maybe just go out and sit in the woods for a while. Goten only recently said that we should go and train for a little bit because Videl had told him it sometimes eased the pain."

"Well that explains why she still fights those weakling crooks in the city. She often sends more to the hospital than jail," Vegeta said with a smirk.

Bulma was able to get ChiChi to a table with chairs that Dende had brought out. ChiChi sat there, with Bulma's arm on her shoulder comforting her. She had slowed her crying a little, and noticed that Bulma must have been crying too.

"How are you doing ChiChi," Bulma knew this was a dumb question to ask, but ChiChi knew she meant well.

"It's hard. 'sniff'. My husband comes back to me, but I turn around and lose my son. I'm a mess aren't I?"

"Not as much as Videl is. That poor girl keeps all this bottled up inside her. The rest of us let it out. I know she is hurting. She lost the love of her life, just like you did all those years ago. We tried to get her to come up here today, but she said it would hurt too much to see all of us here together, knowing the last time we were here together was the last time she saw him.

"What about Piccolo, why is he not here. Goku told me Piccolo considered Gohan to be his first friend. Do you guys ever see him? Dende even said he is not here much anymore."

"I haven't seen him, but Vegeta keeps asking 'why is that damn Namek always sitting on our roof'. I got suspicious and asked him to tell me when he arrived and left. Vegeta let me know when and it seems to coincide with when Videl is there working."

"What do you think he is doing?" ChiChi asked.

"I don't know, but Vegeta doesn't seem to concerned about it, so I just leave it at that. But maybe he is just keeping an eye on Videl, out of respect for Gohan. If what you say is true about Gohan being his first friend maybe Piccolo feels some sort of obligation to protect who Gohan chose as his mate."

"It's good to know someone is watching over her. Goku has not been the same either. He is not as happy and care free as he used to be. He doesn't even eat as much as he used to, he and Goten only recently started training again. I think Goku is afraid to lose another son to fighting, but like Goku and Gohan, Goten would never back down from what he knew was right." ChiChi finished by wiping her eyes.



"Vegeta would never admit it, but he has not been the same since then either. He spends time in the GR, but I know he's not training."

"How do you know?" ChiChi asked.

"Well for one, it hasn't blown up once since…" Bulma started but stopped before she said the next part of that senctence. "And I know that the gravity is never turned up either. I had no idea that he felt that way about your son."

For once ChiChi felt for the sorrow for Vegeta, knowing the pain he was carrying in his heart was for her son.

"But like I said, Vegeta won't admit it. Whenever I bring it up, he just tells me to shut it," Bulma couldn't help but smile at that, and neither could ChiChi.

"Dende the food you requested is here." Dende turned around to see his consul Mr. Popo.

"Thanks, please put it on the table.

Everyone sat at the table, but no one at too much of the mounds of food that werethere.

Sleep continued to elude Goten, but as he wiped the tears from his cheeks he smiled happy at the thought of all those people who showed up today in remembrance of his brother.

"You need to come back Gohan, I miss you, mom and dad miss you, but most important of all Videl needs you. Please come back." Goten finally was able to fall asleep shortly after his eyes dried.

DBSS

Piccolo floated high above Videl's house trying to figure out why she did not join the others on the lookout today. It would have done her good to see that she was not the only one who missed him, but Piccolo realized that she probably knew she was not the only one hurting. She was starting to fall asleep, Piccolo knew, because the pain was numbing a little. With that he turned and headed toward the lookout.

"Why do you watch her all day?" Piccolo looked up to see Vegeta floating above.

"You're getting good at hiding you power," Piccolo said with a grin.

"Maybe, or maybe you are getting rusty at detecting," Vegeta said flashing his own grin.

"Not likely," Piccolo shot back his eyes narrowing.

"You still haven't answered my question Namek," Vegeta said getting agitated.

"You wouldn't understand. I do this not on request, but out of respect. He chose her, and she lost her protector. I watch over her because Gohan can't," the green warrior answered honestly.

"You would be surprised how well I may understand. You are not the only one who keeps an eye on her." With that Vegeta left.

"His death sure changed him, even if he still has that cover up. I can tell he is not the Saiyan he used to be." Piccolo said this to himself.



"Gohan, I know that was you that night, but why didn't you stay, why didn't you say something," Videl asked this to a picture of him as tears slipped from her eyes. "I miss you so much." Videl fell onto her bed, tears flowing from her eyes. She fell asleep not long after, her hand clutched onto the photo of Gohan, her work clothes still on.

DBSS

"Why didn't you come up here today, I'm sure you knew everyone was here?" Dende asked.

"Let's just say that I am doing an unrequested favor for a friend," Piccolo answered back. Dende was surprised to hear the truth from him.

"Very well than, good night Piccolo."

"Hmph."

DBSS

2 years later

"What the…what is that. I, I can see again."

"Yes, that's good to hear, the healing is almost complete."

"What really, three years is almost up?"

"Yes Gohan, you can leave very soon."

"Wow, thanks for everything Guru."

"No, thank you Gohan, with you and your father together Earth will never have a worry."

"Hmm, right."

A/N: I do not like this chapter as well as the last one, and if anyone else shares my opinion, I apologize, but even though I feel like I shouldn't have made it, I also feel like it was a need that I show how Gohan's family and friends are taking his death. The next chapter will be about as long as the first one, and will be the chapter that everyone has been waiting for. So now I leave you, I will upload the next chapter tomorrow most likely. The bad news is updates will slow down after that as I will have caught up with my hand written stuff after that. But I have an end, and a beginning, and now all I need is the middle. So bare with me and I hope that you will enjoy it.