Well, finally, here it is! Chapter 3 just for you my dear readers! This is a bit short, but don't worry, next chapter will be here next week, and there will be more drama in it!

I want to thank all the followers of this story, and also for all the support you are giving me. Your reviews are the best!

I don't own Dragon Ball Z or any of these characters, sadly.

Chapter 3

He Knows

Gohan woke first next morning. He stretched out a bit before standing and searching for his clothes. All the while, he contemplated the sleeping figure on the bed.

Piccolo was fast asleep. She was sleeping on her back, half into the sheets half out; her right arm resting on the pillow next to her head, and her left one resting on her belly. Piccolo's long green hair was spread all over the pillow and her shoulders. To Gohan's eyes, she looked almost divine: her eyes seemed relaxed, and her long, dark eyelashes made a nice frame for them; her cheeks were softly blushed, and her soft, pink lips were slightly opened, revealing a pair of pure white fangs.

Gohan felt the sudden urge to lean down and place a smooth kiss on those lips. He actually stepped closer to her, watching the gently raising and falling of her chest as she breathed quietly. He sat next to her, moving slowly down to her face, his lips now only a few inches from hers…

And then she sighed. Gohan stood up like a crazy man that just saw a ghost, too afraid that Piccolo might found out his intentions. He contemplated her as she stretch out, yawning a bit and finally opening her dark, bright eyes.

"Ah, Gohan you're up" she said, finally remembering herself and where she was "what time is it? How long have you been awake?"

"I… I…" Gohan was blushing violently now, he knew she would get mad if she only knew his latest plan "Just a few minutes ago, time enough to get dress" he answered "I… I better go get breakfast ready, excuse me!"

She sat on the bed, staring at her training partner rushing into the kitchen. 'My training partner' thought to herself. 'I wonder…' she began, but stopped herself before continuing. 'This is Gohan… Gohan the kid I took care of when he was four years old, Gohan the child that went into space to fight Freezer, Gohan the boy who killed Cell… Gohan the teenage boy who took care of his mother and brother when his father was death… this is Gohan, the son of Goku… Gohan… why does he love me that way? Why? And why did he tell me now? Why didn't he say so before? I… I am an alien, why would he love someone like me? I'm not even a man… well, I'm a woman now but I'm still myself… what could have possibly possessed him to love such a creature like me?'

"Gohan" she nearly whispered behind the young man, who was surprised of her being behind him "Gohan why?"

"Ahm… I'm sorry, why what?" Gohan gave her a puzzled look.

"Why do you love me? I mean…" she cleared her throat before going on "I have always being your mentor, your friend, your confident, I was already a grown up person the first time we met, and… you were just a kid… even when I was only five or six years older than you… I mean, what I'm trying to say is… aren't you just, confused, or something, about your feelings towards me?"

The question might have been more painful to say for her than for Gohan to listen; either way, both suffered because of it. Gohan remained silent for a moment staring at her with an open mouth and a disbelief face; the only sound to be heard was the teapot that was about to explode. Gohan turned around to put the fire on the stove off. He didn't turn around again to face her. "Confused?" he finally whispered. "Am I confused?" Piccolo noticed then the sadness in his voice. "Is that what you think of me?" he finally said, holding the tears back "that I'm a 'confused' child?"

"I didn't mean that Gohan"

"Then what DID you mean?" he said, turning to her, still trying to hold his tears even harder.

"I've known you since ever" she began, trying to keep cool "Since you are kid, an innocent boy! I've known your father since he is like sixteen years old or something! I… I was full grown up the first time we met… and you were a child… Gohan I've seen you growing all these years, turning from a child into a good man, and now… you're telling me this, after all these years, after all we've been through…"

Gohan began to understand now. Of course this was weird for her! To think that the child of your enemy… wait! Their parents were enemies, and Piccolo and himself were friends, despite the fight their parents had… anyway, yes, Piccolo had always being like a second father to him… 'I guess it was to be expected…' he thought "It must be weird for you, to think that a child that's being like a son or a brother to you tells you this… that he loves you as something more than a friend"

Piccolo remained still. She was kind of hoping Gohan would take back his words, but something at the back of her head, a little voice was expecting the opposite.

"It is not weird Gohan, only hard to understand. I am… was, a namekian after all, and I don't understand love the way humans or saiyans do. I could only understand a father's love, a brother's or a friend's"

"I see…" said Gohan, breathing fast "I guess that makes sense. I never meant to hurt you with this, Piccolo, really"

"I know kid, and despite this" she pointed to her changed body "you haven't"

"My feelings" continued Gohan "Are true and honest. It might be hard to understand, at first I just saw you as a second father, then as a best friend and I still do but… somehow…" Gohan returned to the teapot. A slight blush was covering his cheeks, which in no time turned as red as his father's uniform. He began serving tea while speaking "somehow I just noticed… no one understands me the way you do… nobody has ever take care of me as you have… and just the way you are, so strong… so proud" Gohan began laughing nervously. He had just noticed that he was thinking aloud.

"I'm sorry" he said putting back the teapot on the stove "I'm so sorry"

Piccolo noticed the small tears running down his red colored cheeks. 'Why do people like suffering for love this much?' She wondered. Following that idea, a slight pain crossed her chest. She placed a hand on her heart, and recognized the feeling. She always hated when Gohan cried. She had seen her other so called friends cry, but when he did… it was unbearable.

"Don't cry, I don't hate you" she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Gohan I…" was that really that hard to say? She wanted desperately to say 'I love you' but, how can you admit a feeling you don't really understand? "Gohan I… I love you"

Gohan stopped sobbing and turned to her. Her cheeks were turning into a soft shade of pink, and a soft smile was crossing her delicate lips.

"You… you do?" he said.

"I don't know"

"What?" that was confusing "you don't know if you love me?"

"I have never felt love, I already told you I don't understand love like you do, but I do know that the idea of loosing you is… I don't think I could stand having you far from me, being with somebody that isn't me, or… seeing you with another person… You see… I can't live without you, or so I feel. Would you call that love?"

Gohan took a step closer. As if he was in a dream, he stared at her with an intoxicated look, his heart beating harder and faster.

"Have you… ever wished… to be… closer?" he asked.

"C… closer?" she asked in response, getting anxious and not really knowing why.

"Yes"

"Closer how?" she was staring at his eyes, who were focusing on her lips.

"Closer like this" he slowly moved his face near hers, their lips finally meeting in a tender kiss, their eyes closing at contact.

Piccolo found herself on a weird position; somehow, she had passed from the teacher to the student, moving along with the current, letting Gohan taking the lead, and moaning from the pleasure his hands were producing on her body, since Gohan was already touching her hips and back. The feeling was just intoxicating, and just when she open her mouth to say something, he pushed his tongue inside it, making her feel hot.

Gohan on the other hand was so focused on the moment, so intoxicated by her sweet flavor that was near to not thinking clearly. He had waited for that moment for so many years, that all he wanted to do was making Piccolo his; he moved his hands slowly on her body, and getting not other answer than her moaning, he assumed she was ok with it. After some more touching, he released her, both were gasping, and she had a confused look on her redden face.

"Gohan I…" she whispered gasping.

"Yes?"

"I can't" she finally said, pushing him aside, and walking fast to the training ground. Gohan stood there, confused, puzzled by her reaction.

However, he did not try to follow her. Something at the back of his head told him he shouldn't. He stared at her, sitting in a lotus position, trying to meditate; although Gohan knew her well enough to be sure she couldn't focus. He finally resolved getting into bed, cover himself with the sheets, and try to forget everything. Neither of them could.

"Gohan" she finally said after half hour, next to the bed. Gohan sat on the bed, facing her; his face wet with tears meeting her redden eyes. "Gohan we have to go"

"Go where?" he replied.

"Out. We can't stay here together a whole year, it would be unbearable. We need to go outside, and… perhaps… try to avoid each other's company, at least until I get back to normal…"

Gohan looked at her in disbelief. Did she hate him that much? Was that kiss so terrible to her? So disgusting?

"If… that's how you want it…"

"Yes" she answered without even doubting "Yes that's how I want it. I will stay at the Kami sama tower though, but… if you could be so nice… not to come… until… you know… I return to normal, I would really appreciate it"

She turned around and walked to the door; as she reached it, without turning, she coldly said "Aren't you coming?"

Gohan couldn't believe it; it was as if something had just killed him inside, as if life and everything was now meaningless. After a few painful seconds he finally nodded, followed her, watched her open the door and they both walked outside into the light of a new, dark day.

So, what do you think? This chapter is merely an introduction for what's coming next, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! Leave a review and let me know your thoughts on it! Thanks for reading! See you next week!