A/N: Season 8 is now up! Haha sorry for the long wait. I was in an emotional slump and would have ended up killing everybody off so I thought it best to take some time off. Sorry for the short chapter but wanted to get it out there.

:*: Big Brother's Hunch :*:

Valese paced up the walkway to the Brief's home, knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell, patiently waiting for someone to answer. It was barely an hour ago when Bra had stormed out of the police station, shaken and distraught by the news.

Bulma answered the door and led the way to her office in silence, Valese followed suit.

"She was not supposed to go to the hospital. How much did you put in her drink?!" Bulma spoke angrily once Valese had closed the office door.

"I don't know, Tundra handled it-"

"Oh, great. I knew that girl was a ditz. If he took her to the emergency room, they most likely tested him too. When that comes up in court, we're fucked." She paced around her office, playing out every excuse, every outcome in her head.

"Mrs. Briefs..." Valese watched her, biting her lip with regret. Bulma mumbled in response, prompting her to continue while she strode about the space. "I... I thought we were just going to file a sexual harrassment case to get Goten kicked out of Nagoya. I didn't know all of this would go to court..." She lowered her eyes as she felt the woman's glare on her now.

"Don't play that innocent card with me. You knew damn well what the plan was. Do you think they would let explicit photos, two rape accusations, and drugging go lightly with an expulsion from a school? Of course this is going to court. Don't forget what that boy did to you." She pressed on, trying to rid her puppet in this masquerade of any doubt or regret. "He used you to get closer to your dad, all so he could have a job at his contruction company. Plus, he said those embarrassing things about you after he dumped you." Bulma lied. "Besides, how would I get what I want with a mere expulsion? I'm dragging that family name through the mud for what they did to me. And, if you're still having regrets, how would that look on you if you went back to the police station and told them this was all staged? You think they would release him and shred the paperwork?" She scoffed. "People do get imprisoned for lying, my dear. Valese, you're already in too deep. At this point, it's Goten going under the bus, or you. Take your pick."

Valese released a long sigh. "So... what's the next step in the plan?" She reluctantly agreed to go on.

Bulma smirked in victory. "Find out whether or not he got tested. We'll have to do some damage control if he did."

Valese nodded. "This is where Tundra comes in handy..."

xXxXxXx

Goten stared blankly about the room as he followed the instructions for his mug shots. He hadn't spoken a word since the handcuffs were slapped on his wrists. The past couple of hours already seemed like such a blur, seeing Pan's crying eyes, Trunks in absolute disbelief as the arresting officer read the charges.

Sexual assault.

Administering sedatives to nonconsenting persons.

He still had no idea what they had confiscated from his room. Once the photo-op was over, he was ushered into a small room where he exchanged his street clothes for the infamous orange jumpsuit. He was left to sit in the small, concrete room while a correctional officer watched him until the next step in the booking process took place.

The correctional officer corrected his stance as the door opened, appearing alarmed. "Uh-sir, good evening. This inmate has yet to be informed of the case against him, we are still waiting for-"

Vegeta waved an annoyed hand, gesturing the officer to leave the room, leaving him and the youngest of the Son boys in private.

"V-Vegeta..." His mind had been so displaced, he hadn't even connected the name of the prison with Vegeta's workplace.

"What the hell did you get yourself into?" His eyes were stern,yet emitted a heavy wave of concern.

Goten shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I knew. The police showed up, searched our house in Nagoya, and arrested me. They found something in my room, I don't know what it was. I don't do anything illegal, Vegeta. I have know idea why I'm even here."

Vegeta had read his paperwork over and over again until he had received notification that the boy had arrived. "Sexual assault, drugging, none of that rings a bell?"

Goten explained the situation with Bra to him, how he had taken her to the ER, she tested positive for Rohypnol, why he didn't get himself tested, and the two of them had disappeared the majority of the night, neither of them remembering anything.

Vegeta listened to his radio as Goten neared the end of his story. "Listen, your bail hearing will be within the next seventy-two hours. There they will list your charges, evidence, and bail information. After our discussion here, you are able to make one phone call. Who are you planning to call?"

Goten rested his cuffed hands on the table, dreading about relaying the news to his family.

"I suggest you call your brother, he's the brighter one compared to your father. Once you're done, I'll give Gohan a call myself and line him up with a few good attornies. Any questions?" His dark orbs idled on the terrified figure across from him.

The young male was at a loss for words. He had no idea what was going on and how this all would end. He had so many questions, but none that Vegeta could help him with now.

"Keep your head up, brat. Take it one day at a time. We'll get this straightened out." Vegeta stood to his feet and left the room, leaving Goten with two correctional officers to lead him to the phone.

He didn't know what to say. He had a hard enough time trying to wrap his head around the charges being thrown on him. The dial tone rang three times before he could hear his brother's voice on the other end.

"Gohan Son speaking." He answered in his professional tone as he often did when receiving a call from an unknown number. "Er-hello?"

Goten realized he had to say something before his brother hung up. "Gohan."

Gohan had difficulty putting the hushed voice with a face. "I'm sorry, who is this?"

"... It's Goten. I got arrested this afternoon."

"What?!" Gohan shouted in disbelief. "What happened?"

"I..." He shifted in his seat, the mere idea of his charges making him uncomfortable. "They're trying to get me for a couple of things. I didn't do it, Gohan. I don't know what happened that night, but it wasn't me. Someone drugged Bra at our New Years party, I had to have been drugged too... Nothing's adding up right now, I'm still trying to get a grasp on it myself." His thoughts were completely scattered, he felt like he was rambling.

"Goten, what are you being charged with?"

Goten sighed in shame, rubbing his palm over his face before going on. "Sexual assault and drugging someone. They pulled something out of my room before arresting me, I don't know what it was. Vegeta says I'll find out at my bail hearing in the next seventy-two hours." The discussion filled with silence as both Son males absorbed what was said.

"Gohan, I'm scared."

The eldest brother's heart tightened in his chest. Hearing his brother admit that he was scared just darkened the matter even more. At first, he thought he had gotten arrested for some harmless shenanigan he pulled. But this was bad, and he had yet to scratch the surface. "You're at Vegeta's prison?"

"Yeah, in the holding cells until they decide what unit to put me in after my first hearing."

He sounded so hopeless, so defeated. This was not the younger brother that Gohan knew. "Goten, we'll get you out of there. I don't care what it takes. Whatever they have against you, I know there's not a way in hell you could have done something worthy of imprisonment. Just hang in there."

Silence ensued again. Goten wanted to believe him, but he knew how ruthless the judicial system could be. "Bye, Gohan."

Those last two words from his brother sounded much too bleak for Gohan to sleep on it for the day. Gathering his coat and keys, he began a personal investigation of his own.

xXxXxXx

Over the next three days, Gohan had managed to gather who he could into one room to line everybody up on the same page. The Son family, Vegeta, Trunks, Renji, Nori, and a couple of other close friends that attended the party sat in Trunks' living room to exchange stories and eye witness accounts. Since Goten had yet to have his bail hearing, they still were not certain of te evidence against him nor the victims. All they knew was that there were two victims, and it occurred New Years night. Everyone had the same story: Goten was primarily with some guy friends at the beginning of the party. Once Bra and Marron arrived, he was with them. After that, he and Bra disappeared, Bra tested positive for roofies the next morning.

Unfortunately, Bra was not present at the meeting to give her overview of the night.

"You weren't able to get a hold of your sister?" Gohan asked Trunks in private, disappointment coating his words.

"Sorry, Gohan. She's not picking up. She's been acting pretty distant since... well since that night actually. I'm beginning to wonder if she's hiding something from us." At first, he thought that she was too distraught by the news of Goten's arrest to talk to anybody, but after hearing Marron talk about how tearful Bra was New Years day and the days ensuing, he knew something was definitely wrong.

"Trunks..." Gohan started, hesitating on his own words. "You don't think that... Well..."

Trunks shifted the weight in his stance, curious as to what Gohan was getting at.

"Do you think your sister reported my brother to the police?"

Trunks narrowed his eyes with furrowed brows. "Do you hear yourself right now? Gohan, do you actually think your brother would do something to her?"

Gohan removed his glasses with one hand while rubbing his temples with his free hand. "No, of course not. That's not what I was implying. I know Goten would never do such a thing. Maybe his alleged victims weren't the target at this party. Maybe it was Goten. Either somebody was trying to drug him, or frame him." Gohan placed his glasses back over his eyes as his eyes continued to study the faces in the room conversing amongst each other.

The words hit Trunks like a brick wall. Of course. There was a reason why Goten's brother was a genius. But who?

"Was there anybody you invited tonight that didn't show up?"

Trunks scanned over the small crowd once more. "A few. But no red flags."

"Just keep your eyes and ears open. Jealous classmates, females, teammates, anything. We won't find out what we're up against until his hearing tomorrow. The evidence against him should help us scratch the surface on who may be involved."

"Dad, do you want another beer?" Pan approached them, playing hostess for the evening as somewhat of a distraction to the matter at hand.

Gohan shook his head. "No thanks, Panny. I think we've got about all we can out of tonight. Trunks, keep our conversation between the three of us." He nodded his head towards his confused daughter. "He'll tell you about it once everyone leaves." He answered his daughter's questioning eyes.

xXxXxXx

He had spent three nights in his concrete cell, with only a two-by-two foot window to glance at the outdoor trash receptacles. Vegeta had made arrangements for him not to have any cell mates, thank Kami. The two males in the next cell over had been there only two days and already sounded as if they were about to jerk each other off any second now.

How had his life gone from completely normal to incarceration for something he didn't do? Hell, he didn't even know why he was here in the first place.

What if that morning at the gym was his last moment of freedom? What if sitting on the floor, eating breakfast next to Bra in his living room was his last moment with her?

This could be it. Life as he knew it could be over for him. He hung his head over his knees, fighting back the tears of fear threatening to come out. Keep your head up brat. Take it one day at a time. Vegeta's words echoed in his head.

And at that moment, he covered his ears as they males next door began grunting with pleasure.