Based on MasakoX's What If series "What if Gine went with Goku to Earth?", but a retcon with some changes of my own on how I think the story would have went down had Goku's mother escaped planet Vegeta with him.

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CHAPTER 47: PICKING UP THE PIECES

Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep...

That damn beeping, it won't stop.

In the depths of unconsciousness, Gine groaned as she tried in vain to blot out that maddening sound. As she did, she became vaguely aware of the presence of pain radiating somewhere. No, not somewhere. Everywhere. All over... her body? She couldn't feel her body, just the dull aching pain that vaguely felt like the shape of her arms and legs and torso and her head.

The beeping increased in speed, stirring her even more.

"She's coming to." A disembodied voice echoed in the darkness that was being punctured by flashes of reddish light shining through her closed eyelids.

Her eyes fluttered open or at least one of them did, the other was too bruised to open fully. In her semi-conscious post-battle state, she expected to awake floating in the murky green fluid of the healing tanks. Instead, she was momentarily blinded by the medical flashlight shining between her eyes.

When the light went away Gine gasped in shock by the sight of a man's face she had never seen before and almost struck it in reflex, but she winced as the pain flared sharply from all over. Gine felt like she had been flattened by a steamroller. She hurt too much to even lift her arms let alone throw a punch.

The doctor, seemingly used to patients awaking in a panic, held up a hand urging her to calm down and addressed her in his most soothing doctor's tone. "Relax, Mrs. Son. You are in West City Hospital. You're safe now."

"Wha..." Gine croaked, her throat felt as dry as sand.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'm here." Kakarot appeared beside the doctor, looking down at her with concern that was melting away at seeing her wake up. Her fight or flight instincts vanished at the sight of her youngest son.

"I'm here too, Gine." Said Bulma, who was standing at the foot of Gine's bed.

The doctor placed a cup of cold water to her lips, and she greedily drank it all down. Feeling life slowly returning to her, Gine looked down to see that she was indeed in a hospital bed. She noticed that beneath her blanket her gi was gone, clad just in a hospital gown hiding bandages that wrapped around every limb, her bruised torso, and around her head with some strands of hair poking out. Her smashed nose was incased in a form-fitting brace, making it hard for her to breathe. Wires were strapped to her chest and an IV line was hooked into her arm with saline fluids and painkillers.

The memory of the battle before she passed out suddenly returned. She looked up to Kakarot to urgently ask about the others, but he anticipated her question.

"It's okay. Raditz is right here." Kakarot said as he stepped aside to reveal his older brother in the bed next to Gine's. He was laid up with both of his legs in casts suspended by supports, and also was stuck in those ugly hospital garments.

"Seriously, what is this, the dark ages?!" He bemoaned, looking very much displeased by the bed being too small for his tall bulk, and the primitiveness of Earth's medical technology while trying to fight the pain in his legs. But he was nonetheless alive.

"Mrs. Son?" The doctor got her attention again. "I'm not sure what happened to you, but you seem to have taken quite a beating."

Gine chuckled dryly. "You have no idea."

"Heheh. Well, in either case..." The doctor continued. "You have a few broken bones in both arms and legs, two cracked ribs, your collarbone, your nose, cheekbones, and then some bad bruising, abrasions, and cuts. But aside from all that you are in surprisingly good health." He said merrily. Despite the pain, Gine wondered if he knew about her Saiyan physiology since he wasn't asking more questions after examining her, unless Bulma paid him off to not ask.

"But I still want to keep you under observation to make sure you heal up nicely, okay?" The doctor asked, and Gine nodded. "Alright then, I'll be back later to check up on you." He went past Kakarot and they were alone at last.

"How did we get here?" She asked.

"We picked you up after the battle and flew you here." Said Bulma. "Everyone else is here too!" She pointed to the door just as Krillin, Yamcha, Chi-Chi, and Little Gohan entered. All of them were in various states of injury, but alive and well. Even Yajirobe was here.

"Hey, look who's awake!" Krillin cheered as he came over to Gine's bedside, limping but in good spirits. Roshi, Ox-King, Puar, Oolong, Korin, and Grandpa Gohan were there too. Everyone congregated around her bed, happy to see her conscious again.

"Grandma!" Little Gohan hopped up onto her bed and scrambled over to embrace her, which she happily reciprocated despite her body's protesting. Never had she been happier to just simply hold her grandson.

"Are you okay, grandma?" Little Gohan asked, unable to contain his worry. He was wrapped in a fair number of bandages that showed just how badly beaten he was by Vegeta, but he seemed more scared for her.

Tears of joy threatened to fall from her bruised eye. "Never better, now that you're safe." Gine hugged him tightly again, while Grandpa Gohan put a reassuring hand on her good shoulder which she squeezed gratefully with a free hand.

"You had us scared for a while. But I bet after a battle like that, you'd be quite tuckered out." Krillin explained.

Gine shrugged painfully. "Yeah, well, I certainly feel like how I look."

"But we sure showed those Saiyan bullies to not mess with us, eh?!" Yamcha smiled triumphantly, standing proud on his good leg.

"That was incredibly brave of you all." Bulma said as she cuddled up to Yamcha, embracing him tightly as if he might disappear. "Especially you, Yamcha. My hero." She cooed in a loving voice.

"Oh, well, yeah, I did my part I guess." The desert bandit scratched the back of his head in embarrassment from his girlfriend's praise. "But if anyone deserves congratulations it's Gine here. She led us all to victory!"

Gine shook her head. "No, no. You all did great. You too, Kakarot. If you didn't show up, we'd all be dead."

Kakarot, humble as ever, shook his head. "Oh no, I couldn't do that, Mom. You guys had to do all the hard work, I just finished off Vegeta."

"Well, what about Gohan here?" Krillin interjected. "Things were getting pretty grim before you showed up, but just as Vegeta was about to do in Gine, Little Gohan came out of nowhere and took on the big bad prince himself!"

Kakarot, who hadn't heard this detail, was enthralled. "Is that true, son?!"

"Uh, uh-huh." Little Gohan nodded.

His father beamed at him. "Wow! Gohan, I'm so proud of you! What you did was very brave. If it weren't for you, who knows who would've been left before I got there."

"Yeah! You helped save the day, little man!" Yamcha ruffled the young half-Saiyan's hair which made him giggle.

"Yeah. I suppose he did." Chi-Chi said distantly.

Gine looked to her, and they momentarily locked eyes. Chi-Chi's expression was unreadable, but Gine knew what she was thinking: of their argument before this all started...

"Sure, don't thank me for saving you guys." Yajirobe grumbled in the corner, but no one paid him any mind.

Deciding to not dwell on her daughter-in-law, Gine turned to her eldest son. "You too, Raditz. You saved us all, and I can't thank you enough, son."

Raditz looked uncomfortable from the praise, but just curtly grunted in acknowledgement as if to say: "don't mention it." It was then that Gine noticed Blonde Launch by Raditz's side, knelling on the floor and her face buried in her crossed arms while Raditz had a hand gently on her convulsing back. Gine realized she was crying.

Gine was momentarily confused, but when Raditz looked back to her she then knew why.

"Tien." She uttered softly.

The jubilant atmosphere died suddenly with the mention of their fallen friend. And he wasn't the only one.

"And Chiaotzu." Krillin added sadly. He was gone too. And...

"Kami." Gine whispered aloud. His name itself enough to carry the weight of what his death meant to them all, and to the countless dead of East City...

"Yeah." Krillin said somberly, he and everyone else knew as much as she did that with him, the dragon balls were gone. "I'm so sorry." Was all the little bald man could say.

"Yes. Me too." Roshi added.

No one else said anything, feeling ashamed for even celebrating moments before.

It was a pyrrhic victory. They saved Earth. But their friends and millions of innocent lives were gone. Forever this time.

Bulma buried her face into Yamcha's shoulder as he held her. The only sounds were the hospital PAs as they all mourned silently for their fallen friends...

Eventually the doctor came back in and gave Gine more painkillers and other medications to help speed up her recovery. Based on his evaluation of her quickly healing injuries she'll be discharged by tomorrow, but the Son family decided to stay to watch over her and Raditz. Yamcha and Krillin went back to their ward next door while everyone else took their leave. There was an unspoken agreement that they will properly memorialize their fallen friends in the near future once they've had time to themselves to rest. Launch stayed by Raditz's side as she wept for the remainder of the day and fell asleep beside him in his hospital bed.

Later in the evening as Gine waited in vain for sleep to come, they turned on the TV in their room. But on every channel it was the same: news reports of the destruction of East City. The one they were on showed images of Nappa's attack ball in an isolation chamber. Reporters spoke of how eyewitnesses saw the second craft take off on its own during the recovery operation, and the government was in the process of studying the remaining craft to learn it's secrets while rescuing survivors from the rubble.

It then switched back to showing more images of the destroyed city, the sprawling metropolis it was before now contrasted with the blackened moonscape it had been turned into in the blink of an eye by unknown invaders from the stars. Then flashed footage of traumatized survivors in humanitarian aid tent camps propped up outside the city. Some people were too injured to even be shown on camera, others were too frozen in shock to answer questions. Countless numbers of them were desperately asking around for where their loved ones were, some of them were children crying for their parents, and some were parents sobbing uncontrollably for children they could not find...

Chi-Chi sat on the couch by the room's window as she watched the TV, Little Gohan was sleeping peacefully on her lap. She clasped him even tighter at the sight of all those poor souls. It was as if the news reports were reminding them of how much they failed to save those people from the Saiyans, doubly so now with the dragon balls gone.

Kakarot got up and turned the TV off, unable to watch it anymore. The silence that followed was deafening.

Gine thought of all those people killed, their grieving families, the orphaned children, the Saiyan pod, and the one that escaped with the prince...

"He'll be back, you know." Gine said out loud.

Kakarot didn't look in her direction but knew that she was speaking to him. "I know." He said. "And we'll be ready for him."

Gine looked at him now with the serious expression she only gave him when he did something really wrong.

"That's not the issue, Kakarot. Why did you let Vegeta go? You could've finished him off when you had the chance." She said almost accusingly. Raditz looked at him too, wondering the same thing now that his mother mentioned it.

Her youngest son returned her serious stare. "You know it wouldn't have been right if I did."

Gine recoiled. "Wouldn't have been right?!" She repeated incredulously. "Son, that monster killed Kami, Tien, Chiaotzu, and countless millions of people! No, BILLIONS of people, before he ever came here to Earth! You saw what he and his friend did to all those people. He's a murderer! And he would've killed your own wife and son if you hadn't stopped him!" She said, pointing towards Chi-Chi and Gohan in question. Her daughter-in-law didn't say anything.

"Maybe." Kakarot said cooly. "But even if he deserves to die it doesn't mean I have the right to kill a helpless opponent. Or else I wouldn't be much better than he is. Besides, it's not what Kami would've wanted either. He taught us the value of life to all living things, good or bad."

Gine scoffed. She loved how unfailingly kind and gentle Kakarot was, but hated how could he be so utterly naive.

"While I'm glad that you've shown that your capacity for mercy is inspiring, it was plain stupid to let him live if I'm being honest. Do you really think he's going to be grateful and say thank you next time you see him? Because I don't think that's what he said when he took off."

"I have to agree with mother, Kakarot. Letting Vegeta live was a terrible mistake." Raditz opined. Gine was grateful for her eldest son in seeing reason.

Kakarot crossed his arms and sighed. He didn't like the way both his mother and older brother were questioning his judgement, especially after he had just saved them. "I can only hope that he does. But I think I've shown him that he cannot come here next time without walking away intact. Who knows? Maybe he might even leave us alone."

Raditz shook his head vehemently. "No, Kakarot. You don't understand. I know Vegeta. He is far too proud to let any slight against him stand. You, a low-class warrior besting the heir to the throne? He will come back with a vengeance to finish the job and destroy everything you hold dear, brother."

"Yes, son. What are you going to do when, not if, when he returns?" Gine demanded.

"Well, I'll deal with him the next time he comes back. If he comes back that is." He said, trying to keep his cool.

But Gine felt he still didn't comprehend his actions. "He will, and we don't have the dragon balls anymore. If he comes back and more people die, just know that you could've prevented it."

Kakarot turned away, unable to face his mother's questioning, and now he was seriously beginning to doubt what he did what right. Seeing this, Gine tried to reassure him. "I know you meant well, sweetheart. But some people are just too evil to live."

At that, he wheeled around and looked angrily at her. "Like Tien? He was a ruthless assassin when we met him. And he gave his life to save the world as our friend. Or how about you and Raditz? You've both killed millions of people too, some I'm sure you regret and some you don't. Yet you aren't evil. Who are you to say who deserves to live or die?!"

Gine's breath caught in her throat. She was stunned that Kakarot would raise his voice against her, and even more struck by his words. Raditz just sat unmoving in his bed.

"Let's not start fighting amongst ourselves." Grandpa Gohan pleaded before anything else could be said. Chi-Chi sat quietly but with her hands covering Little Gohan's ears. Gine saw and her shoulders sagged, feeling ashamed for arguing in front of her family.

"Mom." Kakarot's voice was small and choked. "I didn't mean-"

"No, no. It's fine, sweetheart. You're... you're right. In a way." She conceited with a sigh. "Compared to things that I've done even when under duress, and with Tien... I have no right to judge."

"There are times for mercy and times for not." Grandpa Gohan added to ease the tension. "Nothing is ever clearly right or wrong when it comes to life-or-death in the heat of battle. In the end everyone loses."

Gine nodded sadly. That was far too true. She really wondered now if it was right to question Kakarot's judgement to let Vegeta live after all he had done?

But... Vegeta was pure evil. He had no remorse. Then again, neither did Bardock. Didn't he also deserve to die for the things he did? Wasn't he doing what he did just to survive as she did? Was the Prince of Saiyans as much a prisoner to that kind of life? And deep down he wasn't all that bad? She wished she could believe that, but her feelings were still too raw at the moment.

Kakarot turned to his older brother apologetically, but Raditz just shrugged.

"Wasn't the worst thing I've been told. No hard feelings, brother."

Kakarot nodded in understand and looked to the ground in defeated consternation. There still hung in the air that very real possibility that Vegeta would return, and with some backup if he really was determined to destroy Earth...

But he won't be able to come back with reinforcements though, Kakarot realized.

"Didn't he say that he came here to recruit you against Frieza?" Kakarot asked. "I mean, he can't go back without being wanted for turning against his master, right? He'll be a wanted man and disappear before we see him again."

That gave Gine some pause. For that was also true, for the emperor of the galaxy must've known of Vegeta's contempt for him. If he returns to any planet under his domain, Vegeta would be dead for treason. And he knew the truth about the destruction of their homeworld, could he really serve under the same person who killed his entire species with that much pride in himself and his race? But then again, he may not return to Frieza at all. Out of all of the vastness of space, she knew it was possible to hide somewhere without being found. He could find a quiet place to hide and heal then come back again without Frieza ever knowing. Would he do that instead? There were too many what ifs.

"Maybe so. I know I wouldn't. Then again this is the prince after all, I don't think he'd turn tail just like that." Raditz summed up. And in the end, Grandpa Gohan put the matter to rest.

"Then that will have to be a problem for us to deal with in the future. For now, let's be grateful for those who survived and for the planet still beneath our feet."

The rest of the Son family agreed silently with him. Now was not the time for speculation or finger-pointing. What matters is Earth had been saved. Despite the loss of life and the dragon balls, life itself will go on.

But even with all questions about Earth's future safety set aside, Gine knew life will never be the same again. Some of it might be for the better now that she had both of her children back again, but her future with her family she couldn't guess now with the uneasy looks between her and Chi-Chi.

She and her daughter-in-law still have unfinished business, and she shuddered to think what would've happened if the Saiyans hadn't arrived when they did...

The next day, Korin arrived with some sensu beans and gave each of them one when the doctors weren't looking. When Gine took hers, she felt her muscles swell so tightly as if they might tear through her skin, and all the bones snapping back into place. In the end she felt far stronger than she did before Vegeta showed up. But she was too tired and unmotivated to test out her new strength.

As her old gi was ruined beyond recognition, Grandpa Gohan had planned ahead and brought her fresh clothes from home. Soon they were walking out of the hospital, passing flabbergasted medical staff who had seen them just the day before in critical condition. Despite how medically impossible it seemed to them to recover so quickly; the gang was discharged with a clean bill of health.

With no need for everyone to return to Mount Paozu for more training, everyone decided to go their separate ways but promised to meet up again in a week's time to plan the memorial. They all shook hands as Krillin took off with Master Roshi while Yamcha went home with Bulma. Launch was still too broken up with grief to go anywhere, so the Son family welcomed her to return home with them and stay as long as she wanted.

Once they were back Raditz helped settle Launch in, and they closed the door behind them. At Kakarot's home there was an awkward silence when Gine refused to come in upon her son's invitation.

"I'm still too tired from the battle, son." Gine knew her excuse sounded lame, but it was true. "But I promise I'll come back once I've had a rest, okay?"

Kakarot nodded with a good smile. "I understand, mom." He gave her a big tight goodbye hug which she gratefully returned. After everything that's happened, she was so happy to have her boy back.

"See you later, grandma." Little Gohan clung to her, and she bent down to give him just as fierce an embrace. "You too, sweetie."

She turned to Chi-Chi but didn't say anything. And neither did she. So Gine just got up and waved them goodbye, no one except Grandpa Gohan noticing the subtle but strained exchange between the two women.

"See you later!" Kakarot called out as he and Little Gohan went inside, both oblivious to Chi-Chi lingering outside watching them leave before slowly turning in herself.

Gine and Grandpa Gohan didn't say anything on the walk back to the cabin. But he knew what she must've been thinking, and once they were back inside their home he said to her urgently, "You have to talk to her."

"And tear our family apart in the process?" Gine ruefully retorted, as if knowing he would say that.

She collapsed down onto a chair and stared at the floor in despair. "I mean... what is there to say? She called me and my son irredeemable murders like we were no better than Vegeta. Does that mean her own husband, my son, is as heartless as that savage?! Some loving wife she must be." Gine spat.

Grandpa Gohan just sighed, saddened to hear people he loved so dearly at each other's throats.

Then Gine turned mournfully worried. "What's going to happen if, or when, she tells Kakarot everything that happened? Would he take my side? Or would it break his heart that his own mother said aloud that marrying the love of his life was a mistake? How could we ever live under the same roof ever again if he knew I hated her and almost wanted to kill her? How will we even speak to each other ever again?"

She buried fer face tiredly into her hands. "Oh, what a mess." She said as deadpan as she could. The sensu beans may have healed the aches in her body but her heart hurt more than ever before.

Gine felt Grandpa Gohan's arm around her shoulder as he tried to comfort her. She looked to him with misty eyes, regarding his that had the understanding gaze that she always loved about him. The father figure she never had who was always there for her without judgement yet with brutal honesty. Something in someone not found often anywhere in the known universe.

"What do I do?" She pleaded, her voice barely audible.

A few seconds passed before Grandpa Gohan answered. "Then don't talk to her. Listen to her instead, Gine."

Gine's sadness was replaced with confession, not expecting that answer. "What do you mean? I know what she said to me. What else is there for her to tell me?" Did he not understand? Or, she thought worryingly, if Gohan's old age was finally getting to him.

He shook his head. "No, Gine. Listen, not talk." He interrupted her protesting and said, "She said those things because she was very upset. Why do think she said those things to you? Why was she upset? What started it all?"

Gine was about to speak when it clicked what he was saying.

"Little Gohan." She realized aloud.

It all came back to her grandson. Chi-Chi's child. In the heat of it all, they had forgotten all about why she lashed out at her. Not just from him accidentally looking at the moon... But everything they put him through. The training, the incident that landed her in the hospital, the threat of the Saiyans, and trying to coax him into fighting at all. He may be half-Saiyan, but he was still an innocent little boy. Chi-Chi's baby.

From mother to mother, Gine until then never realized how she had basically ignored Chi-Chi's feelings of her only child being put in danger. She just wanted her son to be safe and have a happy life, but Gine disregarded what any mother would say if someone told them they had to draft their young children into a life-or-death conflict. No wonder she flipped out and called her a savage. To a Saiyan it may seem normal, but to a human it was barbaric. Yet, she did it anyway, sounding no different than the very same Saiyan caste-enforcers she despised into making her life miserable along with everyone else they conquered in the galaxy.

"But... we saved the Earth though. If we hadn't trained Gohan, Vegeta would've succeeded." She said aloud, as if she was trying to convince herself instead of him.

"She was just trying to protect her child, Gine." Grandpa Gohan said gently. "I know you meant well, my dear. And yes, in the end he made the difference and saved us all. We owe him a debt of gratitude and to you for the foresight to do what was necessary. But you still coerced her into putting him in danger without her knowledge through him, violating her right to be a parent to her child. He may be as strong as his father but he's still only five years old. Not all ends justify the means."

Tears fell from Gine's eyes, shaking her head slowly, at herself.

How could she be so selfish? She went around her daughter-in-law's wishes to keep her child safe, basically having to force her to do so under the threat of the Saiyans. And kept forcing her to go along with it whether she wanted it or not with or without her knowledge, even after Gine almost got her killed.

"What she said to you about Raditz was uncalled for." Grandpa Gohan said, validating her own feelings. "But at least you know where she's coming from."

Gine knew then what she had to do.

"Okay." She wiped away her tears and got up. "I'll be back."

Without saying another word, she turned around and walked back out the door. Grandpa Gohan watched her go in silent prayer that his adopted daughter can do what is right, and save their family...

The late-afternoon walk over to her son's house went by before she even noticed, yet her mind was a turbulent swirl of emotions and conflicting thoughts. Thoughts of how from Chi-Chi's point of view, her life and the life of Little Gohan got needlessly complicated over the appearance of Raditz and made things overall worse. In a way, it has. For now, three friends were dead along with a whole city of innocent people, and the means to bring them back lost. If he had stayed dead, none of this would've happened. And who was she to say that's not how anyone else in Chi-Chi's position would say as much? Hell, before he arrived Gine had long since made peace that Raditz was dead and had made a wonderful life for herself.

But life doesn't always work out the way we imagined it. What happened, happened.

She loved Raditz and Kakarot, no matter what. Motherly love is very irrational at times. She'd do anything to protect her children, even if it meant she had to die or kill, as any mother would to protect their young. So, did she subconsciously risk the people of Earth and her own grandson just to save her firstborn? It was distressing thought, but when she got down to it, as a situation that was pressed onto her, that was the biological truth to it. Or was she rationalizing it?... Maybe.

The things we do for family. She once said not too long ago. Never had words sounded more truer than in that moment.

Before long, she was standing just outside the front door. Gine tried to calm herself down and think of what to say depending on who opens. And how would she talk with Kakarot about what happened.

She had no time to think already if she was already at the door, and just surrendered herself over to whatever comes next. Whatever happens, happens.

Just as she was about to knock, the door opened, and Chi-Chi stood there frozen in shock.

The two just starred at each other wide-eyed, not sure of what to say...

"Everything alright, honey?" Kakarot's voice called from within, startling them both.

Before Gine could speak, Chi-Chi called out over her shoulder. "Uh, yes, dear. Just, uh... I'll be right back!"

She closed the door behind her before Kakarot could say anything else. Outside, she and Gine were alone. Several silent awkward moments passed.

"I..." they both started, then stopped in embarrassment that surprised the other.

"Do you want me to go first?" Chi-Chi asked.

Gine was taken aback but nodded. She was sure Chi-Chi was going to unload on her, but in a way she felt she deserved it and braced herself.

Instead, Chi-Chi looked down at the ground in shame. "I'm sorry for the things I said."

Gine's heart skipped a beat as Chi-Chi continued. "If it weren't for the training Gohan and I went through... we'd all be dead now." Only then did her daughter-in-law dare look her in the eye. "I'm sorry I questioned your judgement, and for wishing Raditz was..." She struggled and closed her eyes in guilt when she said, "...dead. It's shameful to wish such ill on people, especially after they've saved my life like he did."

Gine swallowed hard. Then shook her head vigorously. "No."

Chi-Chi looked up worried, about to regret what she said but Gine stopped her by speaking first. "No, Chi-Chi. I am the one who should apologize to you."

Her daughter-in-law perked up in surprise. Gine decided to just lay it all out there.

"I shouldn't have lied to you with training Little Gohan behind your back, and for putting him in harm's way. He's your child, your responsibility, not mine. I should have respected that, but I made a selfish choice even if it was for a greater cause. I had no right to do that to you. You deserve to be angry at me, and I understand if you don't want me around him anymore."

Chi-Chi stood there in stunned silence, looking at Gine with that unknowable expression. Gine awaited her damning words of never showing her face around again...

So, she was shocked to instead see Chi-Chi smiling, the first time she had in so long. Tears streaking down her face.

"Thank you." She choked out.

Feeling a wave of relief sweeter than anything she ever felt, Gine felt her eyes watering too and both she and Chi-Chi came together in a tearful embrace. Holding back sobs as they silently forgave each other.

Minutes passed as they held each other in silence, before breaking away and wiping away their messy faces. Both feeling heavy weights have been lifted from their hearts.

"Some day, huh?" Gine half-joked while rubbing her red eyes.

Chi-Chi chuckled like she needed it. "You can say that again." She took a deep breath feeling much better.

"You know, I never felt prouder of my little boy than when he told off that arrogant jerk and stood up to him no matter how much stronger he was. He was so brave." Despite having nearly dehydrated herself, the memory of Little Gohan's stand against Vegeta threatened more tears from her.

Gine smiled lovingly at the house where her grandson was surely lurking somewhere in. "He has his father's courage and yours, that's for sure."

"And he certainly can be stubborn like both of us too." Chi-Chi remarked good-naturedly, but Gine knew what she meant. Even if Gohan was drafted into the fight, he still fought with all his heart and dove willingly into the fight when he was safe someplace far away. He knew he could make a difference and acted on it despite his age.

"I know he's half-Saiyan, that's never going to change. He can make his decisions, but he's your boy, and what he can or can't do should be up to you until you say he's ready." Gine conceded.

Chi-Chi nodded in understanding. "I'm starting to see that he may not like what I want him to do. So, I know there may be times where I can't stop him, but no matter what, I'll do what it takes to make sure he is safe." She looked her in the eye one more time, this time pleading for what she needed Gine to say.

And she said it like she meant it, because she did. "And if he does go against your wishes, I'll be sure to send him back home to you no matter what."

"Thank you, Gine. That means a lot to me." She said sincerely. They hugged each other again, sealing the silent agreement between mothers to always lookout for Little Gohan.

"Would you like to come in?" Chi-Chi asked once they parted. "Raditz is over so the three of you can chat if you like."

Gine was pleasantly surprised at this. She had already considered whether or not she should go home first or come back later given the emotional day she has had. But in the end, decided against it. She had promised she would return, and she did, and it's been a year since she had some peaceful time with Kakarot, and with both her sons in a more peaceful setting, and to be with Little Gohan again (a privilege she will never take for granted ever again).

"I'd love that." Gine said. Then asked somewhat nervously, "Kakarot doesn't know of the whole story yet, does he?"

Chi-Chi shook her head. "No. Raditz hasn't told him either. What he doesn't know won't hurt. But you can tell him later if you want."

Gine found a new appreciation for her daughter-in-law. "Thank you."

Chi-Chi just shrugged it off as they stepped inside. Through the door, they saw Kakarot playing with a giggling Little Gohan in the living room as they walked in, father and son having some much-needed time together after he had been away for so long. Raditz sat, or rather lounged, on the couch as he watched his younger brother and nephew catch up, looking bored yet content.

Gine stopped, savoring the sight of both her sons together in the same room for the very first time in nearly twenty-five years. Half a lifetime ago and halfway across the galaxy. Now finally reunited. She committed to remember this little moment for the rest of her life.

Kakarot perked up on seeing his mother walk in. "Oh, hey mom! Everything okay?"

She and Chi-Chi regarded each other with a smile. "Yes, dear... everything is going to be okay."

Raditz could only raise an eyebrow at that.

"Grandma!" Little Gohan ran to tackle Gine but she caught him in time, laughing as she hauled him up. "Daddy was just telling me about his adventure to some magical world beyond our own!"

"Is that so?" She playfully asked as she went to join her son on the couch. Just then the phone rang, and Chi-Chi went to answer it.

"Yeah, Otherworld is quiet a weird place. Hard to believe there's a whole dimension of where people go after they die, from anywhere in the universe." Kakarot added.

Gine raised her eyebrows at that.

"Yeah, I'm still grappling with the implications of that too." Raditz quipped.

"Where's Launch?" Gine asked.

"She's cried herself to sleep back at my place. Poor woman..." Raditz's eyes were downcast, sad and worried for her.

For a weird reason despite the terrible pain Launch was going through, to Gine it was the sweetest sight to see Raditz so concerned over a girl. She secretly hoped for all the best that could come from their relationship...

"Why yes, Gine is here. Hang on one second." Came Chi-Chi's voice from the kitchen before walking in with the phone out to her.

"It's Bulma. She said it's urgent." Chi-Chi said, looking concerned.

There wasn't a phone in Gohan's cabin, he didn't want to be that connected to the outside world. So Gine got up and took the phone, putting the receiver to her ear. "Yes, Bulma?"

"Hey, Gine. Kami was an alien, right?" Bulma asked frantically over the line.

Gine furrowed her brow, the memory of her recently deceased friend bringing back more sad feelings she tried to suppress. "Uh, yes. He was."

"And he made the dragon balls, right?" Bulma asked, sounding more like she was waiting for confirmation than asking a real question.

Now Gine was wondering where Bulma was going with this train of thought. "Uh... yes he did. Why?"

There was a pause before she answered, but the excitement in her voice was unmistakable. "Ha! Well, I think you may want to come over to Capsule Corp right away."

"Huh? You mean right now?!" She asked incredulously. Everyone was looking at her now. "Why? What's going on?"

Bulma's voice came back not a second later, as if she was expecting her to ask that question. "Well, I think it's better if you all came down so I can tell you. Because I think I may have an idea on how to bring him back and the dragon balls!"

Gine was motionless. Hope she dared not entertain threatened to overwhelm her. Was this real? Or was she going crazy? Only one way to find out.

"Okay, we'll be there." She said finally.

"Awesome! See you when you get here!" And with that the line went dead.

"What'd she say?" Kakarot asked, now looking concerned too.

"She says she wants us all over there now. Said she has an idea, a long shot to bringing back the dragon balls!" Gine told them, not believing what she was saying either.

Hope sprang into their eyes. Kakarot was already on his feet and clasped his hands in determination.

"Well, let's go then! Any chance is better than no chance at all."