Goku sat nervously in the kitchen, dragging this hands through his hair. Gramma had told him he would only make Goten more nervous than he already was, so he was to sit out here with the others while she did her work, "I don't know what I'm thinking guys. Half of me wants her to not find anything, but the other half." He closed his eyes, ignoring the tears that slipped down his cheeks, "I just want Goten to be safe. I should have seen the signs. I should have done something to protect him! Now, it this is what we think it is, I might lose him forever." He bit his lip with worry, glancing down at the hallway again.

Lindsey reached over and rubbed at his back. "Shh, Dad, it's going to be okay," she soothed. "This isn't your fault. Chichi managed to hide it too well. Even Gohan didn't see it. You can't blame yourself for this." It made her angry to see him so upset. Hadn't Chichi put him through enough as it was? And now she was hurting Goten as well. Lindsey shook her head. No, she'd been hurting Goten all along and none of them had seen it. "Gramma will figure this out. I know she will."

He swallowed hard and nodded, but it didn't change how he felt. He must have failed as a father for not seeing the signs. Sabriena, his loving wife, had see the signs. Seen the signs after spending a total time of less than an hour with him. He tugged at his hair, positive he would be bald before this ordeal was over.

Lindsey frowned at the way he pulled at his hair and reached out to grab his wrist, tugging him to stand. "Come on, let's go sit in the living room. You can lay back on the couch and try to relax for a minute," she suggested. "You look way too stressed out. Come on."

Goten followed Gramma back into an old room, lined with books and candles. It smell like incense and had a relaxing quality about it. He peered around nervously as the little tub of water in a wooden basin that sat in the middle of the room, over the star in the middle of the candles.

"It's okay, Goten," Gramma said in a gentle voice, reaching for his hand. She could feel how frightened he was, how confused he was. It wasn't fair that someone so small had to deal with such big problems. There was no question about it, his mother had hurt him repeatedly. Now it was just a matter of finding the proof they needed to be able to remove him from her custody. She was proud of Goku for keeping a level head about this and doing it the right way. She didn't doubt for one minute that Chichi would do everything in her power to create as many legal problems for him as possible if he didn't do it this way.

Gramma crouched down next to Goten and smiled warmly at him. "I'm just trying to help your father protect you," she said. "But in order to do that, we have to see what your mother did to you, honey. You understand?"

Goten swallowed hard, but nodded, "Momma said...said I wasn't supposed ta tell anyone." He said in a small voice. She was going to be furious, but if this meant he got to spend more time with his daddy, then he wanted it, "Is… is this going to hurt?" He asked her with big eyes as he carefully pulled off his shirt and pants, stripping down and stepping into the pleasantly warm water. It smell of lavender and made his eyes droop.

Gramma gave him an apologetic frown. "It might hurt a little bit, honey," she said as she knelt down in front of the basin, picking up the sea sponge. "But we'll see if we can't get you healed back up as quick as we can, okay?" She drew a deep breath as she dipped the sponge into the water. Already, she could see marks on his shins where the water had washed away the effects of the senzu beans.

As gently as possible, Gramma Arthusia washed him, her frown growing as more and more of the ugly switch marks appeared on his body. Long, thin lines in varying degrees of healing revealed themselves on nearly every inch of his little body. Some were fresh and red, others dark purple, some fading to green. But it was his back that was the worst. She felt bile rise up in her throat at the sight of his poor little back. He'd been whipped so severely that it had broken the skin in horrifying slash marks that crisscrossed his back.

She felt dizzy from it all. She could feel the hatred in the marks. Oh, what a disgusting creature his mother was. She had to pause and calm herself for a moment before she continued to gently swipe the sponge over his skin. A tear formed in the corner of her eye as she saw him flinch and heard him whimper. "I know, darlin', I know."

Goten was trying his best not to make a sound. Mother had always scolded him for crying while she was punishing him, hitting him harder and calling him a crybaby, that he needed to man up. His back hurt the worst and when Gramma passed over it again, he cried out and fell forward into the water, grasping the sides of the tub as he cried out, his hot tears falling to the floor, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Became his chorus. His back stung horribly, it was as if he could feel the skin breaking open again, marring him once more.

Gramma stopped and moved in front of him once again. "Goten, you don't have to be sorry," she said, cupping his face in her hand. She lifted his face to hers, staring intently into his eyes. "Don't you ever say sorry for this. You didn't do this. Your mother did. This is not your fault, baby. You didn't deserve this."

She picked up the sponge once again, still holding his face in her other hand, and hesitated for just a moment. She wasn't sure if she wanted to wash his face. She didn't know if she could bear to see it. Grandma Arthusia dipped the sponge into the dark, herb-laced water once more. She brought the sponge up one last time, hesitating, then said, "Close your eyes, boy." She set her jaw and exhaled sharply through her nose, then gently scrubbed at his face. Gramma had to bite back a gasp as a dark purple line appeared on his little cherubic face. Goten's left eye was dark purple, tinged with green around the edge. There was a long line from the right side of his forehead, down across his face to the left corner of his mouth as if he'd taken the switch directly to his little face.

Goten didn't know what was going on. The marks were appearing on his skin, they hurt, not as bad when he had received, but they stung as if they had freshly been put there for an hour or so. He couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his face them, He remembered the full pain when Chichi had hit him, punished him for being a bad boy, a little monster. He closed his eyes, warriors didn't cry, but he couldn't help it. The sponge was warm, it felt pleasant. Momma was going to be so mad at him. He wasn't supposed to leave the house with these marks on him. He looked up at grandma, pain evident in his little voice, "Why does momma hate me? I try real hard to be good." He sobbed miserably.

The old woman paused and stared into his dark eyes. "It's not you she hates, sugar. It's herself." Gramma looked him over once more, absolutely disgusted. How many times had this boy been whipped? And judging by the degrees of healing these marks were in, this had happened over the past few weeks at best. Dear gods, is that all this woman did? The marks on his back that were still fresh and open were seeping blood, turning the water red.

Gramma dropped the sponge in the water and cupped Goten's face in her hands, her eyes intense but warm. "You're a very brave little soldier," she said in a low voice.

Goten looked at her, her hands were warm and he leaned into her touch. He remembers the mark that she was cupping his face for. He swallowed hard, nodding. "Momma, she got mad at me. I tried to cook. Make dinner for her, but a pan caught fire...I couldn't put it out..."

"Shhh, shh, shh," Gramma hushed him. "You don't have to explain anything' to me, darlin'." She stood up suddenly and offered him her hand to help him out of the little wooden tub. She wrapped him in a fluffy towel, careful of the marks on his back. "Do you like chocolate?" she asked him and took his hand, leading him towards the kitchen. "I've got some chocolate cake I think you might like."

He scrubbed at his face with his fists, trying to stop the tears. His whole body ached as he followed her. He nodded at her, "I love chocolates! But...momma says I can't have them unless I've been good." He pulled the towel around him, it was soft and warm as if it had just come out of the dryer. He licked his lips as they went into the kitchen, "I would like some."

Gramma set him in a chair at the table and made sure there was space between his back and the back of the chair before she cut him a big slice of the cake and set it in front of him. "You have as much as you like," she told him. "I need to have a word with your daddy." She left the room then, and leaned against the door when she closed it behind her, relieved to break the connection between herself and that little boy for a moment. Arthusia had been an empath for as long as she could remember. Everyone always thought her odd or eccentric. But the truth was, she knew things about people because she could FEEL them. She couldn't see into their minds or, like so many fools assumed, READ their minds. But she could feel the emotions of anyone close to her. That's how she'd known Tien's heart was aching for Sabriena all those months ago. That's how she knew Chichi was leaving Goku before the year was out. But feeling poor little Goten's emotions was almost too much to handle. And when she brushed her thumb over the marks, she could feel Chichi - that cold, self-loathing hatred that screamed within that woman's soul. Gramma Arthusia shuddered violently. This had to stop. And it had to stop now. She hurried down the hallway to the living room where Goku and Lindsey waited.

Goku was laying on the couch, his head in Lindsey's lap as he started at the ceiling. They had been talking quietly, she had been telling him about Phoenix. About happier things to take his mind off of the current situation. He tried hard not to think about what his son would look like with the magick of the senzu beans undone. To show what Chichi had been trying to hide. He hummed a sad little tune as his daughter stroked his hair, massaging his scalp. He felt safe in this place, everything smelled like incense and herbs. He tilted his head back as he heard Arthusia coming back. Reluctantly he pushed himself up, but stayed close to Lindsey's side and looked over as the woman came into the room. His voice shook, uncertain, "Did...did you find anything?"

Grandma Arthusia drew herself up to her full height, fixing Goku with a serious stare. It was easier to feel people if you could get a good look in their eyes. There was nothing in him that made her think he had known about this. He was frightened for his son, beyond livid with his ex, and angry with guilt at himself. And there was still hope there. Hope that it wasn't true, that something had been said wrong or misunderstood. "How in the Hell did a pure spirit like you end up with such a wretched creature like her?" Gramma demanded.

Goku wasn't expecting that question, but the implications that it posed were unmistakable. He had never seen this woman so fierce, so angry before in the entire time he had known her. His brow creased with worry and he shook his head before he could form words, "I... she... she made me promise... when we were little... I thought..." He looked away, he really was such an idiot and his son was paying the price for it, "I thought wedding... marriage... was a type of food... I promised... her..." He looked back up at Arthusia, "I don't break my promises and I would never regret my sons." He rubbed at his eyes, feeling the tears well up, a panic setting in, "What... did she do to my son?"

Gramma pressed her lips to a thin line as she stared at him for a moment longer. He was hurting and it broke her heart to feel it. "You'll have to see it for yourself," she said and stepped closer to him. She took his face in her hands, staring down at him. "There's no way to sugarcoat this for you, honey. She hurt that little boy bad. The spell worked. It revealed the most recent marks. I'd say these occurred within the past three weeks or less." She paused and shook her head. "Your son is lucky your blood runs in his veins. A normal child wouldn't survive this, emotionally or physically."

Goku shuddered, she might as well have slapped him across the face. The marks, the beatings had been lethal? "Are you saying that he would have died if he was normal child?" He blinked at her, he felt a twinge of anger bubble up inside of him, but it was surpassed by his need to make sure Goten was alright, "Can I see him? Did it hurt him?"

"Dad, you said Chichi was a fighter, too," Lindsey gently reminded him. She hadn't thought about it before, but now the thought of Chichi with a switch in her hand frightened her. Beating a child with that? It made her stomach churn.

"The wash undid what those beans covered up," Gramma answered. "He's hurting, so try not to touch him too much. Especially his back. It looks like that's where he got the worst of it." She moved to sit next to him and took his hand in hers. "Your little boy has a strong spirit. But he's very soft-hearted like you. You are going to have to make a very hard decision to do what is best for him. You can see him. But honey… it's not pretty."

Goku nodded and looked at Lindsey, "Will you come with me? I'm not sure what I'll do." He swallowed hard and squeezed grandma's hand, "Thank you, for everything." He stood up and walked down the hallway as he slipped his hand into Lindsey's. Each step seemed to take forever, his feet felt as if they were made of lead. The door was in front of them and he put his hand on the knob, twisting it and pushing it open, "Goten?" He pushed the door open and looked around the kitchen. He spotted his son instantly as he was happily eating a large piece of chocolate cake but, the mark on Goten's face made him hesitate, made anger well up inside of him. He walked over to Goten and tears formed in Goku's eyes as he knelt in front of his son. The mark across his face, the black eye. He could see more bruises and wounds hiding beneath the towel, "Goten, can I see under the towel? Please?" He looked fearful, "Im not going to hurt you son, I would never hurt you like this. I promise you, she's never going to hurt you ever again, but I need to see."

Goten nodded as he pushed the empty plate away and slipped the towel off, cringing as the soft material stuck to his back a little bit. He whimpered when he saw thin lines of blood on the white cloth. "I'm sorry, Gramma," he said, looking apologetically at her for ruining her towel.

Goku fell back sitting in a heap on the floor, tears falling down his face. His eyes were glued to the horrifying wounds on his son's back. Deep, ugly criss cross patterns that had been cut deep into his skin. The jagged skin was sure to scar over and leave him marked like that for life. All of this came from the past THREE WEEKS?! His arms, his chest, his neck, his legs. He got to his knees, "Oh my boy." He cried out, his head bowed down, touching the floor, "I'm so sorry Goten... I'm so sorry... I should have seen... I... please forgive me, Goten... I'm so sorry. I should have seen this, I should have protected you!" he sobbed out, his tears splashing onto the wooden floor, his soul aching.

Lindsey hung back in the doorway, tears sliding from her eyes as she saw the marks on his body. Chichi would not get away with this. Surely they could get Goku full custody now. This was horrible. She'd never seen anything like it in her life.

Goten stared at his father with a concerned curiosity. "Daddy, you don't have to be sorry!" He jumped off the little chair and tugged at his father's shoulder. "Daddy, don't be sad. You didn't do anything wrong!" He didn't understand why his father was apologizing. He didn't like seeing his daddy so upset. "I'm sorry, Daddy," he sobbed. "Maybe Momma has another bean I can eat and the marks will go away again! I didn't know they would make you so sad."

Goku let himself be pulled up at Goten's insistence as tears rolled down his face, "You have every right to be mad at me, son. That mommy was doing this to you and I never even suspected." He looked over at Lindsey, his eyes fierce and hidden with worry about what would happen next. He swallowed harshly, a hard decision had to be made. No, it was very easy choice and yet, very hard at the same time, "Goten..." he gasped, pulling back and looking at his son in his eyes. He didn't even try to ignore the mark that ran diagonally across his face, "We have to call some people about mommy. She shouldn't be doing these things to you, not ever. These people we are going to call, they..." He swallowed harshly, "They're going to take you out of the house. Away from mommy. Away from me, for a little while. You will be safe, but its going to be a little scary, but you've done so much. Can you be brave for me for a little while longer while we sort this out? Hopefully the people we call will let you stay with your brother or me while we sort it out. They are going to want to take pictures of you, okay?"

"I don't want my picture taken!" Goten protested. "Momma says the marks are ugly!"

Lindsey knelt down next to them, looking Goten in the eye. "They are ugly, baby. But that's not your fault. They're ugly because of where they came from, you understand?"

Goten shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "Daddy, I wanna stay with you and Sabriena! And Tien! I like it there! Please?!" He turned to Lindsey, "Or you and Gohan! Gohan's always nice to me. Why can't I stay with my brother?!"

"We're gonna try, Goten," Lindsey promised. "We'll try." She knew she didn't even have to ask Gohan about it. He would gladly take in his brother in a heartbeat if it meant keeping Goten safe.

Tears slid down Goten's cheeks again. "I promise I'll be good! I don't want Momma to get in trouble. Please, Daddy, I love Momma. I don't want anyone to take me away!"

Goku nodded, "I know you love momma. She gave me you and your big brother, but she's not doing very loving things for you right now. Parents who love their children don't do this Goten. You've always been a good boy. Your mother got on me for a lot of things too." He gently cupped Goten's cheek, hating to see the fear in his eyes, "These people, they aren't going to trust me or your brother at first, so they have to take you away, but we'll be here for you. Bulma and everyone will help us get you back to us as soon as they can."

Goten's eyes filled up with tears and he cried, "Can I... can I see Sabriena before we call the people?" He sniffled. It all sounded scary. And he would be alone? "Daddy, I dont want to be alone."

"There will be other kids there, Goten," Lindsey said. "It might be fun; you could make a new friend."

Gramma reentered the room then, carrying something in her hand. She stopped and held out her hand to Goten, a little silver hammer balanced on her palm. It was attached to a simple piece of leather string. "Do you know what this is, Goten?" she asked. She smiled when he shook his little head, staring at the gleaming piece of silver that was intricately engraved. "This is Mjolnir. The hammer of Thor. Thor is a Norse God," she explained. "And he is a protector and a healer." She fastened the necklace around Goten's throat. "He will protect you. Never ever take it off. Okay? This one is specifically for you."

Goten touched the warm silver metal around his neck. It felt good. Peaceful. Safe. He nodded at Gramma before he threw his arms around her neck, hugging her, "Thanks for the cake." He withdrew and went back to Goku, crawling into his dad's lap.

Goku looked at Arthusia, "I can't thank you enough," He sighed shakily, tears slipped down his cheeks and he wiped them away with his hand, "I hope I'm strong enough to face Chichi." He leaned down and nuzzled Goten's cheek affectionately and wrapped his arms more securely around him, as if he could keep away all the evils of the world in that embrace.

"You just do what's right for him," Gramma said in a firm voice. "I know you will. But you keep a level head, too. Don't let her get to you, no matter what happens. She's going to try to make you look like the guilty one, Goku. She's going to say you did this, or that Tien or Trouble did this. You have to be ready for that. And you can't let yourself get angry, especially not in front of those caseworkers. Those people will use every trick in the book to make sure neither of you see him again if they have anything to say about it. I know there's some good ones that work there, but just like anywhere else, there's bad ones, too. So you be careful about what you do and what you say."

Goku nodded, "I'll do my best." He looked down at Goten, committing his face to memory. It was going to be a while before he would see him again. He tried to laugh through his tears, "Guess I should have taught you that instant transmission technique, huh?" He licked his lips and tasted his salty tears, "Let's go see Sabriena and Tien one more time before we call them."