Goku smiled lightly when he touched down and entered his little house deep in the mountains. He wasn't smiling because he was happy to be home, because this wasn't his home, he was smiling because it hit him that he may actually have a chance. A chance to save his marriage, a chance to win his wife back, a chance to go home and leave this place.

He knew he deeply hurt his wife and the worst part is he had no one else to blame but him. In turn he lost himself.

Her love, her warmth, her comfort, her trust, the way she'd wrap him up and keep him safe and he'd breathe her in. He lost that. He lost all of that.

But now there was time. This was his time! He was too damn deep, his heart was too full of love to give it up. And he wasn't about to let her give him up.

He should never have treated her like a glass ball in his hand.

He dropped her one too many times.

His eyes fell upon his messy, unmade bed, the same bed they made love in only a few nights ago. The smell of her still lingered on his bed sheets, the feel of naked skin against his, the taste of her on his lips. It was nearly all gone in the blink of an eye, but he could never forget what she felt like, what she tasted like.

He knew they still needed to heal, well, her more than him, but he was going to be there to get them through it. The sun would rise again, he was sure of it.

Goku grabbed a towel from his chest of drawers and walked back outside and round to the side of his house. That's when he felt a familiar Ki and smiled when the person landed a few feet from him.

"You look worse than what you did earlier, if possible" Piccolo smirked at him, taking notice of Goku's tattered Gi and bloody face.

"Ah, y'know it was a good fight when ya clothes get all ripped off" Goku chuckled out.

"Well, it's all over now, thankfully" Piccolo thought, relieved. He watched as Goku stripped off the remainders of his Gi pants, leaving him in just his torn, blue boxer shorts. Piccolo couldn't help but shake his head in amusement. At least he didn't get naked. Makes a change, Piccolo thought.

"Whatcha doin' here anyway, Piccolo?" Goku wondered as he turned on his outdoor shower, waiting patiently for the water to start flowing through from the nearby river.

"Just ... wanted to check that you were okay, and I got you a little something, courtesy of Korin" Piccolo told him. Goku quickly put up his hand to catch whatever Piccolo was throwing at him. He smiled.

"A senzu bean, huh?" Goku didn't hesitate, chucking it straight into his mouth. Piccolo observed as Goku's wounds disappeared seconds later and Goku sighed quite contently.

"That feels much better, thanks, Piccolo" Goku then cocked his head to the side in wonder as he stared at Piccolo. His green friend seemed a bit nervous, he wondered what was wrong.

"You ok, Piccolo?" Goku asked him. He waited for Piccolo to respond, curious by Piccolo's hesitance and fidgeting.

"Alright, I'm just gonna say it!" he blurted out suddenly, "I thought of an idea for you to get your wife back!" he told Goku.

"You ... have?" Goku replied, shocked by Piccolo's words.

"You told me before that she likes it when you take her places, maybe you can take her somewhere ... Um ... what's the word you used ... ugh, Gohan mentioned it before, too!" Piccolo wracked his brain in a stumbling mess.

"Um..." Goku was speechless.

"Romantic! That's the word! That's it, you should take her somewhere romantic, and it will make her happy again!" Piccolo told him.

"Piccolo, I-"

"-And I know the perfect spot! Somewhere I know you haven't taken her before, because it's the one place you two haven't disturbed me at!" he frowned hard at Goku, "The only place I can say I've had peace and quiet away from you lot and called it my own, but I'm ... happy to share it with you, if it helps you. It's really nice ... and peaceful. There's a small waterfall over the lake ... it's uh ... it's a nice view" Goku couldn't help but smile at Piccolo. Piccolo was never one to suggest something like this, he never really understood human/Saiyan relations and never wanted to. He'd been around Goku and Chichi enough to know that couples did certain things together, some of which he probably wished he never knew, but Piccolo would normally stay out of it and give them their privacy.

This was the first time Piccolo had ever spoken like this to Goku and he couldn't help but feel warm at Piccolo's admission. Piccolo wasn't the person he used to be, and had become a very loyal friend to Goku. He had been a part of the family for many years, even watching over the family in Goku's absence. It felt good knowing the big green lug cared so much about their little family.

"Aw, Piccolo" he cooed gently, making the small purple blush on Piccolo's cheeks bloom.

"Shut up! Just take it or leave it!" He huffed at him.

"Well, uh, funny you should mention it. I actually spent some time with Chichi the other night an' i'm 'bout to go over there now to try an' really patch things up" he informed him, one hand behind his head with his signature grin.

Piccolo's eyes widened, his one eye twitching in irritation.

"You what?" he ground out.

"Hehe, ye, my bad" Goku chuckled.

"Why didn't you say anything before I started rambling?!" He fumed, his cheeks flamed an even darker purple.

"'Cause you were sayin' such nice things, I didn't wanna interrupt ya"

"You ass! Last time I help you!"

"Aw, don't be like that" Goku laughed out.

"I'm going!" and with that, Piccolo hastily took off into the sky.

"Bye, Piccolo!" Goku waved him off amusedly, "an' thanks for the suggestion!"


Chichi was pacing back and forth in the kitchen less than an hour later, worrying about her husband and waiting for Goten to come home. She felt sick to her stomach. She knew her little son was okay, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could wait to hear from Goku. There was suddenly a knock at the door and she jumped, her heart thumping in her chest. Could it be ...?

It couldn't be Goten, surely, because Goten never knocked the door, he always just bounded in. He lived there after all. Chichi quickly made her way over to the main door and opened it, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes met those of her husband's.

"Hi" he greeted her quietly. Her heart raced seeing him standing there. It was really him! He was okay! He was really okay! She was so relieved! And he looked so good in his white, cotton shirt and jeans. So damn good.

"H-hi" she stammered back.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Okay"

"Thank you"

"I was expecting Goten" she commented, walking a few paces back, allowing Goku to walk in.

"Nah, he's still at Bulma's. I just talked to her" he said, closing the door behind him.

"Oh, well, is he on his way home?"

"Uh, no, he's gonna stay there"

"Why?"

"'Cause I wanna talk to ya"

Chichi watched as her husband took a couple of steps closer to her, and she felt her nerves rising. She hadn't stop thinking about their night together, in good and bad ways. They still hadn't talked properly, she knew they needed to, but she was annoyed at herself for how she handled things. She couldn't keep it in any longer.

"I'm sorry" she suddenly blurted out. This caught Goku off guard.

"You're ... sorry? For what?" He wondered.

"For taking advantage of you the other night"

"Huh? Whaddya mean?" where did that come from?

"I came over to talk to you that night, but, that didn't exactly happen" she thought. It took Goku a second to understand what she was on about.

"I don't think ya took advantage of me. I wanted it."

"But, it was wrong of me-"

"-Chichi, I kissed ya first. I wanted to have sex with you, if ya let me. I just wanted to be close to you" he interrupted her.

Chichi was silent.

"Y'know, talkin' ain't always 'bout usin' your words" he continued.

"What do you mean?" she said quietly. She observed as Goku thought about it for a moment.

"When we're together like that, we're showin' each other how we feel. We're communicatin', just, not with words. Y'know I ain't always good with words. Feel like I can tell ya better if I show ya" he told her softly. Chichi still didn't comment.

"Chichi, if I didn't want it, I woulda said so. Not that I would ever say no to you" he lightly chuckled out. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes, and he didn't like it, "There ain't nothin' wrong with what we did, Chichi. We're married, remember? An' you obviously wanted it just as much as me"

"It's just ... that wasn't what I was planning to do. I just didn't want you thinking that's all I wanted from you" she wanted to check, "I wasn't coming over to use you like that and then just leave".

"I never once thought that" he assured her. Her eyes fell to the floor, he could see her thinking about it. He decided to change the subject slightly, because as far as he was concerned, there was nothing more to say about that.

"You ok? The house looks ok, but are you?" He asked her.

"It was a bit crazy, the house shook a lot. We lost some plates and glasses, a few pictures fell off the wall, but otherwise it's okay"

"I asked if you were okay" he reminded her. Her eyes met his, and it made his heart race. Everything stood still, time, the spinning of the Earth, his mind, everything just went silent. And he wasn't sure for how long, but he was trapped under her hypnotising gaze, lost in the intensity. Chichi swallowed, her mouth going dry. His gaze was strong, and it told her he was there, and he wasn't going anywhere. She felt engulfed by him in the most breathtaking way.

"I'm okay" she barely whispered out.

"I know you're not" he responded. He could feel her Ki, he could feel her stress, her anxiety, her fear.

"I meant from the earthquake. I'm ... not hurt or anything, I'm okay" she corrected herself. She felt his eyes on her, his pupils darting back and forth hers.

"Well, that's good" he gently told her. Chichi took a breath, her fingers fidgeting as their gaze lingered.

"So ... you wanted to talk?" She pressed.

"Why did'ya get them divorce papers?" He asked her quietly, the sadness in his eyes just as painful to look at, as it was to hear it in his voice. She wasn't expecting that question, at least not yet, seemed he wanted to get right to it.

"I didn't get them. I never asked for them. He gave them to me" she told him, and she couldn't help but feel guilty for it.

"I felt so small when I saw them papers, Chichi. I can't even tell ya how much that hurt"

"And like I said, I didn't ask for them, Goku. I didn't even read them, I couldn't bring myself to read them. They just stayed there on the top of the microwave"

"Are they still there?"

"No, I threw them out" she assured him. Goku went quiet for a few seconds before talking again.

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be upset with ya. I'm the one that caused all of this. But, it hurt so bad when I saw them" he admitted. Chichi hesitated for a moment, before pressing on with their much needed conversation.

"My head was in a mess, I didn't know what to think, and his advice was just offered to me. The more we talked about it, the more I didn't want it. I found myself defending you and your actions" Goku could barely control himself, he wanted to smile so damn hard at that. Chichi may get mad at him, real mad at him, but like hell was anyone else allowed to bad mouth him.

"Why did ya hit him? What did he do? He didn't put his hands on ya, did he?" Goku questioned her seriously.

"No, nothing like that" she assured him, "He just said a lot of things I didn't like, and he just wouldn't stop. I gave him a chance to stop and to leave, but he didn't, so I made him"

"An' that's it? You swear he didn't lay a hand on you?"

"Goku, be real, he wouldn't be alive if he'd done that" she returned just as seriously, making Goku's heart swell with pride, "He did proposition me, but that was it"

"Proposition ya? What's that mean?" Goku wondered. Chichi mentally chatisted herself for bringing it up. Okay, she wanted to be honest with him about everything, but did she really need to mention that?

"Um, it's when someone makes a suggestion of sex, and not subtly. He basically offered me his services as a divorce lawyer for free if I would have sex with him" she explained. She felt and saw the change in her husband immediately, the anger clearly written all over his face, his jaw tense, his brows knitted together.

"Are you serious?" he asked with a clenched jaw.

"It's fine, Goku, that was the last thing he said before I punched him. I dealt with it"

"Shoulda hit him harder" Goku thought, "Damn, an' I was right there with him. I shoulda broke his arm off"

"Goku, no, it wasn't necessary"

"Maybe a leg" Goku thought.

"Goku" Chichi gave him a knowing look, "That's not you"

"Coulda been" he grumbled out. Chichi shook her head at him, his need to defend her making her stomach flutter. She couldn't help it, she always did like it when he was protective of her. As oblivious and as naive the man could be, he had always been protective of her.

"I am thankful, though, for you standing up for me and taking the fall. You didn't have to do that" Chichi told him gently.

"Ye, I did"

"No, you didn't. You could'ave been locked away for something you didn't do"

"Pfft, would like to see 'em try an' lock me up" Goku told her cockily, swiping his hand away as if to dismiss her silly words. Chichi couldn't help but snort, his silly behaviour amusing. It made him smile in return, the awkwardness in the air lifting some.

"Well, thank you all the same" she softly said again.

"It's okay" They were both glad that was settled. Goku was glad that Chichi didn't really want to divorce him.

"That night at Upa's. Did you mean all those things you said? I know you were drunk, so, i'm not sure how much you really remember from that night" Chichi asked him.

"I remember" he assured her.

"I know you apologised afterwards for your drunken state, but, we didn't talk about what you said"

"Well ... I said a lot'a things. It just ... came out" Goku shrugged unsurely, "I was really drunk, but I meant everythin' I said"

"Everything?" Chichi questioned.

"Yes, Chichi, everythin'!" Goku stressed to her, "Everythin' I was feelin', everythin' I had goin' through my head, that was all real"

"You expected me to just tell you what to do, like it was me who needed to figure out how to fix this, like this was all my fault" she reminded him.

"Okay, maybe I didn' mean that part. I was angry at myself an' frustrated an' ... I guess I took it out on ya. I just so badly wanted to fix this, I wanted you to just take me back so I could show ya how sorry I was, an' that I could be better. You could still be mad at me an' make me sleep on the couch, that was okay, I deserved that, but, I just wanted you to lemme back in just a lil bit".

"It wasn't as easy as that"

"I know that now. But, stupid, drunken me didn'. Thought I was someone with all that talk" he cringed, remembering the absolute state he was in that night.

"You did open up to me" she guessed, "You've never spoken to me like that before"

"I just said what I was thinkin' an' how I felt"

"You asked me if it would'ave been better if you'd stayed dead ..." she trailed off, sadly. Goku didn't respond at first, he chewed the inside of his mouth and he avoided her eyes.

"Would it'ave been?" he questioned her back, his eyes slowly coming back up to meet hers.

"How can you ask me that?"

"I thought it in my head, so I said it" he told her honestly, "I just felt like I was one, big, massive screw up! I thought you hated me, Chichi!"

"I never hated you" she made it clear.

"Felt like it" Goku told her, "an' I couldn't blame ya if ya did. I hated myself, too."

"Why did you do it?" she suddenly asked him.

"Do what?" Goku asked, unsurely.

"Lie to me" Chichi could see Goku's demeanor completely change the moment those words left her mouth. She waiting patiently as his eyes dropped to his boots, his fingers fidgeting at his sides, a thoughtful expression on his face. They'd talked about what Goku had done, she'd made it clear she was angry and hurt by what he did, but they hadn't talked about why he lied about it all.

"I knew you'd be angry" he admitted quietly, his eyes still on his boots, "I knew you'd worry about me, I knew you'd tell me not to do somethin' so stupid. It's just ... at the time, I didn' think it was stupid. At the time, I just ... I got lost in the excitement an' the thrill of it all" he sighed, trying his best to explain himself.

"Fightin' for me is a need. I need it in my life, it's there all the time callin' to me an' I can't ignore it. Ever since I can remember I've had this passion, this hunger, this drive to fight an' be the strongest I can be. I can't just turn it off. Sometimes I wish I could turn it off, but, then I wouldn' be me" he shrugged, "I just get drawn in an' sometimes I don't think about anythin' else"

"I know fighting is a massive part of your life, Goku. I don't always like it or agree with it, but I accept it because it's who you are. I wish you didn't do it so much, I wish you could be home more with me and the boys and Pan. I want you around, Goku, I want you here where I know you're safe, where you can be a father, and be my husband. But, I would never ask you to stop being who you are" she told him.

"You're tellin' me you wouldn' rather me be just a normal guy? Workin' a job an' bein' home with you everyday?" Goku questioned her seriously.

"No" she seriously responded, "That's not you, Goku. That's not the person I fell in love with. I have thought about it before, when you were dead. I thought about a lot of things and how different our lives would be if you weren't a fighter. But, something would be missing. We first met because you were travelling the world in search of the Dragonballs and fighting off enemies. The World Martial Arts Tournament brought us back together again. Without you being you, without you being a fighter, we would never have met. We wouldn't have gotten married, we wouldn't have fallen in love, we wouldn't have our children" Chichi paused for a moment, Goku's eyes on her.

"I know you get lost in it, Goku, I know you don't mean to hurt anyone and I know you don't mean to be so careless, but you did go out of your way to lie to me! To me, Goku! Of all people, your wife of 20 years! We've shared everything together, our hopes, our dreams, our happiness, our fears, our demons! You hid from me your true feelings about the Cell games and your plan for Gohan to fight! Then, you died and refused to come back because you thought it was best for us! You kept all of that from me! That hurt! You will never understand how much that hurt! It took me years to try and move past that and accept what you hid from me and accept your decision! But, purposely putting your life on the line to sate a thrill, then lying about it?! And telling Vegeta not to tell me about it?! That is absolutely crossing the line! That is selfish and hurtful!" she raised her voice at him.

"I know" Goku agreed solemnly.

"You know?" Chichi questioned back, almost mockingly, her voice wavering slightly.

"I fucked up" he cursed out. What else could he say to that? He had massively fucked everything up!

"You more than fucked up, Goku! And your reasons for not telling me was because i'd get angry at you?! Because i'd worry about you?! Because i'd tell you not to do something so stupid?! Of course I'd tell you not to do something so damn stupid, Goku! Of course i'd be angry! Of course I'd be worried about you! Funny enough, Goku, I love you! I don't want you to get hurt or to die on me again, I want my husband! I need my husband!" her voice trembled.

"I know, Chichi, I know ya want me around, I know ya care 'bout me, more than anyone does! I failed you, Chichi. I let ya down ... too many fuckin' times! I know you're mad at me, an' I completely understand why, I deserve all of this! I deserve your anger! I deserve bein' kicked out an' pushed away! I deserve bein' alone an' missin' you! I hurt you, Chichi, an' that's the worst thing I could'ave ever done to you! I hate myself for it! Every single day, I hate myself for puttin' you through all that!" Chichi felt a lone tear gently cascade down her one pale cheek. She just couldn't stop it. Goku felt like his heart was being crushed in his chest. He took a few steps towards her and took hold of her small hands in his own, clammy, trembling ones.

"I'm sorry, Chichi. I'm sorry for everythin'. I should never'ave done what I did. I should never'ave lied to ya, no matter what your reaction would be. You've always been there for me, you've always known the right thing to say to make me feel better, you've always given me the best advice. No matter what, you've always had my back, an' I betrayed you" he swallowed hard, his emotions getting to him, just as much as they were his wife. His eyes momentarily dropped to their intertwined fingers, and he took a shaky breath.

"I might need fightin' in my life, but, I can't have one without the other. I need you, too, Chichi". They both remained silent for a good few seconds, stood there, holding hands. Chichi couldn't help but gaze down at their interlocked fingers, watching as he held hers so tightly, and noticing the wedding band he wore so proudly. It made her feel so sad.

"I wish you didn't lie to me" Chichi whimpered out.

"I know, I wish I could take it back, babe, but I can't" He let his large thumbs tenderly brush over her knuckles.

"An' I know it's selfish of me, but I can't walk away from you. No matter how mad you are at me, you're still what matters most to me, an' I can't let you go! I told myself I'd do whatever ya wanted, no matter what that was, 'cause I thought that was the right thing to do, 'cause you deserve better than me! But, I can't let you go, Chichi" more tears fell from her sparkling eyes, and Goku released one of her hands, so he could gently wipe them from her beautiful face.

"I ain't been myself, Chichi. I dunno what i'm doin', I can't sleep, I can't think straight. All I can think about is you. That's how much I care about us, Chichi, that's how much I miss you. I didn' think ya'd kick me out for as long as ya did. You were damn serious an' that's how I know how badly I messed up. It got me thinkin' 'bout what I did an' understandin' why you were so mad at me. It wasn' just 'bout the lie, it was what I lied about. I just didn' think, I got excited an' was careless. You were right, Chichi, I was wrong for that, I shouldn'ave acted that way."

"I'm disappointed in you, Goku" she added in, and if he could feel any worse, he did right now.

"I know" he said with guilty eyes.

"You made a promise to me when you came back to life; you said you'd never hide anything from me again. You broke that promise, Goku. You did what you said you'd never do to me again"

"I'm sorry I broke my promise. I do my best to keep my promises, I always have, y'know that. I got no excuses for ya, I shouldn'ave done it. I was selfish, I was reckless, I was a fuckin' idiot. I just hope that you can somehow forgive me" his hopeful eyes bored into hers. Chichi avoided his gaze, a pained frown on her face as she stared down at the floor. Goku took a breath.

"Ya pops once told me when things get tough we hav'ta keep goin'! We gotta keep tryin' together! We can't give up on each other. I don't wan'ya to give up on me, Chichi. I dunno what i'd do" he told her, letting his thumb brush across her cheek in a gentle caress.

"I've never given up on you, not even when you left me for 7 years, Goku" she reminded him.

"I know, an' i'm so glad ya didn'"

"You're saying everything I wanna hear, but how do I know you really mean it? How do I know you won't do this again?" she asked him. Goku stepped even closer to her, leaving absolutely no space between them, and she found herself buckling under his intense gaze. He was melting her resistance, one word at time, one breath at a time.

"'Cause for a moment there, I lost you" he breathed out, "I lost your trust, I lost your respect. I said to you that night at Upa's, that we spent our entire lives buildin' all this together; our home an' our family, but we built trust between us, too, an' that took some work. I know it wasn' easy gettin' me to open up to ya, but ya helped 'cause ya just had a good aura 'bout ya an' you were always so honest with me an' you explained things to me, taught me things I never knew, things I shoulda known at that age. But, ya never made me feel stupid for things I didn' know. I never had that before. Trustin' someone like that was a big deal to me. No one gets to see that side of me. No one gets to see me vulnerable. Only you" He took a breath and licked his dry lips.

"Point is, ya stopped trustin' me. An' it's like ... " He frowned, trying to find a way to explain himself, "It's like droppin' a glass on the floor an' it breaks. Ye, you can fix it up some, but it'll never be the same again. You were that glass, Chichi, an' I dropped you. I had to watch you break apart. An' now i'm tryin' to help patch ya back together, 'cause I want you, I want all of you. I want you to hold me again, to love me again, to trust me again, to be proud of me again. I wanna see you smile again, but I wanna be the one to put that smile on your face" He wiped away the tears that fell from her glistening eyes with his thumbs, his intense gaze not once leaving hers.

"I can't tell ya that I won't make mistakes, 'cause that'd be lyin'. I will make mistakes, Chichi. But, I won't hurt you like that again. I won't lie to you again". He dipped his head down and closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers, his nose softly nudging hers.

"You're the best I ever had" he breathed out.

"How would you know that, when you've never had anyone else but me?" She softly responded.

"I never needed to have anyone else to know that I have the best" he whispered to her, pulling back slightly, so he could look her in her eyes.

"I'm yours, Chichi. I've always been yours. An' you're mine. That's just the way it is"

Her armor dropped when his soft lips descended onto hers. There was a warmth in her chest and a tremble in her knees, her small hands clinging to his cotton shirt in an attempt to steady herself. Goku sighed contently against her lips; lips so soft, so delicate, so sweet, it had his heart pounding in his chest and the butterflies whirling in his stomach.

"I love you" he whispered softly against her lips as he slowly broke the kiss.

"I love you, too" she breathed back, her shimmering eyes catching his as he pulled away from her slightly, the look of absolute shock yet complete happiness evident in those big, innocent eyes of his.

"Really?"

"I never stopped loving you, Goku" she told him with a warm smile on her face, "You're my Goku. You've always been my Goku."

"Does that mean you forgive me?" he asked her. Chichi could see the longing in his eyes as he stared back at her, waiting for her to give him an answer.

"Yes" she told him softly, "I forgive you"

"For real? Y'mean that?" he wanted to check with her. Chichi gazed into his eyes for a few moments, thinking of the right words to say to him.

"It took some time, trying to figure it all out in my head, to try and understand why you did what you did, to try and accept what you did. When I saw you that night at Gohan's, I couldn't stop thinking about you and worrying about you"

"Why?" he interrupted.

"Because look at you, Goku! You've lost weight! When's the last time you had a real, proper home cooked meal? And you looked so tired, you wouldn't keep still, and I know you're a fidgeter anyway, but this was worse than normal! I hated it! It made me so upset!" she divulged.

"Sorry" he mumbled quietly, a sheepish look on his face.

"And then you went out there risking your life again, and I was pacing around here like some crazy person, worrying about you as always! All I could think about was how I didn't get a chance to tell you I loved you. Because what if you died out there? What if I never saw you again? It hit me that I was never gonna stop worrying about you and caring about you. It didn't matter what you did, in that moment I just wanted you home with me, where I knew you were safe. I wanted you in my arms"

Goku immediately pulled her to him in a tight bear hug, burying his face in her neck. Chichi closed her eyes, relishing in the feeling of her husband's strong arms, the warmth he radiated, his earthy smell, his beating heart.

"Thank you" he said, his voice slightly muffled, "You have no idea how much that means to me"

"I think I have an idea" she told him, holding him even tighter.

"I'm not sure I deserve it" he spoke against her skin, "But, I appreciate it more than anythin'" Chichi pulled away from his embrace, intense eyes staring deeply into his, and it had him feeling all sorts of nervous.

"I need you to promise me, Goku. Promise me that this will never happen again. And you have to mean it! You don't make a promise to me that you can't keep!" she was serious, the fire in her eyes was raging, and normally that would excite him, but right now it frightened the shit out of him. He swallowed, hard.

"I promise you, Chichi. I'll never do this again" he told her seriously. He nervously stood under her scrutinising glare, a sweat droplet forming on his brow.

"Okay" she responded.

"Okay?" he unsurely repeated.

"Yes, okay, I believe you" she clarified. Goku instantly felt a flood of relief wash all over him.

"Good" he returned with a smile, "Can I kiss you again, now?" he asked her, his lips no more than an inch away from capturing hers.

"You can do more than kiss me" she murmured against his lips, and he didn't need anything more than that as he crushed her mouth to his in an all consuming kiss, making his little wife moan in delight at his eagerness. He physically swept her off her feet, positioning her around his waist where she instantly wrapped her strong legs around him, and he took her straight to their bedroom.


Lights were off, clothes were shedded, minds were connected.

Bodies pressed together, skin against skin, two hearts beating as one, his feverish touch heating her body like molten lava as he kissed down her jaw. She arched her back against him, a moan sifting through her parted lips as his teeth grazed her collarbone, his skillful hands trailing down her chest to settle on her firm breasts, thumbs brushing across her hardened nipples.

"Goku" she breathed.

"That's right, i'm here" he whispered back, bucking his hips up to meet hers as she straddled him, "It's just you an' me". He dipped his head, his wet lips tormenting her chest with hot kisses, his tongue darting out to lick a pebbled nipple, his torturous ministrations leaving her limp in his arms. He suckled and nibbled, Chichi throwing her head back, her trembling voice calling his name, her fingers digging into his shoulders as he ravaged her.

He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his lips as he kissed her breast. He'd missed the way she called his name, the way she'd cling to him, the way she felt in his arms.

Her love was like boiling hot liquid, drowning him, melting him slowly. Her love knew him in a lost place, her love found him, held him, it promised to keep him safe.

His Chichi.

She was the oxygen to his lungs, his armor, his rainbow, the most real thing he'd ever found in the whole damn Universe.

She really was like catching a smile in a bottle. And that was a smile he put on her face, a smile he caught, a smile he'd never let go of again!

He gasped against her open mouth as she slammed her hips down onto him, a moan escaping her, her eyes daring, her hands pulling at his wild hair. He could feel her breath on his lips as she inhaled sharply at the slam of his hips as he returned an equally powerful thrust, her soft breasts rubbing against his broad chest, puckered nipples grazing his taut skin. He closed his eyes, taking in her scent, enjoying the feel of her as she rode him, his large hands sliding up her thighs before reaching her perky bottom where he grabbed a handful of flesh.

Her hands cupped his face, nails sensually raking across his skin, her feathery touch causing goosebumps to spread across his entire body. He groaned through hooded eyes, his face turning against her one arm where he pressed his lips to her pulse point, teeth then playfully nipping at her palm. Chichi's breath quickened and she hastily hooked his neck in her arms, heaving herself against his scorching hot body, her mouth posessively taking his. She swallowed his sultry moans, her tongue dipping inside to taste what was hers, his pelvis bucking up harder, her hips circling his aching shaft faster.

Goku couldn't stop himself as he took control, his both hands grabbing the flesh of her perky bottom, where he bounced her up and down hurriedly, desperate to feel more of her, desperate to hear her passionate cries for him. Up and down he lunged her, every bounce of her bottom breaking down his own reserves, and leaving his breathing ragged. He grinded into her body with strength that could easily harm a lesser woman, but not this woman, not his wife, she could take everything he gave to her. An animalistic grunt rumbled deep in his throat as she threw her head back, her body writhing against him, a startled cry vacacting her lips.

She was on her back amongst ruffled bed sheets a moment later, her hair a tangled mess amongst pillows, her mind silenced, her breath caught in her throat as he slammed himself back inside of her. Her throaty cries for him had his loins burning and his passions soaring, the need to make her his all over again completely taking over him. And he could see it in her eyes, that pure love, that darker side that got his blood pumping and his heart racing. She bit her bottom lip through hungry, half-lidded eyes, her hips coming up to meet his as he dug deeper, hitting the spot she loved so perfectly. Those eyes of hers, those vixen eyes. He was enraptured.

His fingertips trailed lazily up her naked body, touching, feeling, caressing every inch of her skin. She couldn't contain the lustful murmurs that escaped her as he ground his hips, his throbbing cock delving deeper inside of her, his coarse pubic hair stimulating her clit.

His hands, so large, so coarse, so strong, yet so gentle with her. It was no wonder she fell into them so easily.

Her whole body was ablaze, she felt incredibly hot, so hot not even the cold, rough waves of the ocean could cool her down. And she knew he felt the same, with the way her hands slid so easily up his strong, clammy back, the sweat dripping down the side of his face, his moistoned chest gliding across hers. She felt him groan against her as his pelvis picked up the pace, her mouth gaping open with a sharp intake of breath at the power and speed of his thrusts.

His hands were on her waist, lips on her neck, she was all he could taste.

She was everything he loved, everything he missed.

He used to feel so embarrassed with how easily he would lose himself like this, and how easily he would crumble in her arms. But, now, he yearned for the feeling of helplessness, he wanted nothing more than to fall apart and give her everything he had, everything that was him. He hooked her legs in his arms, spreading her wider for him as he repeatedly slammed into her wildly, her throat going hoarse as she screamed for him, the bed creaking, ready to give way at any second beneath their violent thrashing.

She was going to cave at any moment, she was going to lose herself, and she didn't care how quickly she did. Her little body flailed about beneath him, suffocating in his grasp, her mouth dry, her eyes rolling, her thighs suddenly trembling in his vice-like grip as she felt the rush of ecstasy hit her.

The sparks flared, every colour of every firework exploded, fairy dust made her entire body soar. She wasn't prepared for the intensity, but she should have been, it was Goku, afterall.

As her walls clamped down around him, her erotic screams filling his ears, he felt his composure fading. It was like an adrenaline rush, so fast, so intense, he forgot to breathe. He buried his face into the crook of her clammy neck, his weight pinning her down, his hips going into overdrive as he pounded into her, clamouring for his own release. And he lost himself in her. In a way that he wanted to be lost, in a way that he had missed so damn much. His breathing was choppy, his hips suddenly spasming, an electrifying thrill zipping up his spine, a deep groan erupting from his throat as he released everything he had into her, filling her to the brim, his entire body trembling through his orgasm.

Everything went still for a moment as he held her in his arms, his hands in her hair, her fingers soothingly trailing up and down his clammy back and caressing his powerful shoulder blades. Even in the humidity of their passionate embrace, her scent didn't once leave him, and he couldn't stop inhaling her every essence. He never once thought in his entire life, that anyone could affect him like this, that anyone could make him so damn weak, bringing him to his knees, over something as simple as their scent. He purred against her soft skin, his nose lovingly nuzzling her neck, he couldn't get enough of her.

"I don't wanna let ya go" he whispered against her skin. He felt her arms fully enclose around him, or at least as far as they could go, her lips peppering gentle kisses against his jaw.

"You don't have to" she whispered back.


The next afternoon had come, and a massive party was being held for Krillin's birthday at Capsule Corp. The weather was still quite nice, considering it was now October, so Bulma had the party set up outside. There were several balloon arches, lots of tables for everyone to sit and eat, food tables piled high beneath protective gazebos, chefs all stood in a line serving the food. Bottles of wine and beers were stacked into ice buckets, music playing in the background, the sound of gentle chatter loud above the music.

Everyone had arrived, except for Goku and Chichi. It had everyone speculating what had happened between them, to the point where Gohan had to intervene and ask them all to stop talking about his parents. Although, he was just as curious, but it was his parents' business, and no one else's. If things had gone as his father planned, as Gohan hoped they had yesterday, they'd find out soon enough.

It was at that moment that both Goku and Chichi materialised in front of them all. Everyone went silent, the light music being all that could be heard, all eyes on the two of them. Chichi dropped her one hand from Goku's bicep, where she had held on for Instant Transmission, and without a word being said, they both split apart, walking in different directions. Everyone felt deflated as they watched the two of them silently part ways.

"Oh, no" Videl pouted.

"They didn't make up" Bulma added in sadly. Gohan could only watch as his parents went their separate ways with the saddest look upon his face. He really thought this would be it, he really thought his dad would win her back.

Goku made his way over to Krillin, Goten tackling his jeans like a wild bull as he was mid-walk, making Goku chuckle.

"Hey, kiddo" he greeted his youngest son, ruffling his crazy hair.

"Hey, dad, can I come home with you after the party?" Goten asked him. Goku raised his brows.

"With me? Y'mean to my house?"

"Yeah! Can we camp outside again? Like last time? That was fun!" Goten cheeped. Goku smiled at him, letting his large palm rest on the little boy's head.

"Tell ya what, let's enjoy the party first, an' then i'll talk to ya mom" Goku told him.

"YEAH!" Goten cheered, before taking off towards Trunks at one of the tables, "Bye, dad!" he shouted out from across the lawn.

Goku made it across the grass to Krillin, where he stood conversing with Yamcha, little Marron picking daisies from the grass by Krillin's feet. She smiled her biggest smile when she saw Goku and stood on her tiptoes, putting out her arms for him to pick her up. Goku didn't hesitate to pick the little lady up, flying her around in the sky like a rocket, her little giggles making him laugh, too.

"Weeee! I'm so high!" She squealed, waving her little arms.

"Well, pretty much anythin's gonna feel high up after bein' down there with ya dad"

"Shut up" Krillin grumbled at him. Yamcha couldn't help but snort out a laugh.

"I wonder if she'll be short like you, or tall like 18" Yamcha wondered. Krillin shot him a glare, which only fueled more laughter.

"Hehe, 18 ain't even tall" Goku pointed out, his eyes looking over to 18, who stood chatting with Bulma, Mrs Briefs and Videl.

"Whatever, she likes my height, an' that's all that matters" Krillin huffed at them, crossing his arms over his chest. Goku held Marron to his chest, watching as the little child poked daisies into one of his buttonholes, where his white shirt wasn't done all the way up.

"Um ... so ... what happened, man?" Yamcha grabbed his attention.

"Huh?" Goku gaped.

"With you an' Chichi? Gohan said you'd gone over there to see her, an' I know Goten stayed here last night. Did you talk to her?" Yamcha asked him.

"Ye, I talked to her" Goku told them. Yamcha and Krillin eyed each other up, confused by his nonchalance.

"Well? What happened?" Krillin pushed. Goku ducked his head slightly, so Marron could slip a daisy into his hair.

"I don't wanna talk 'bout it right now" he told them coolly.

"Sorry, we shouldn'ave said anythin'" Krillin apologised.

"It's fine" Goku told them with a smile, "I'm hungry though, wanna come get some food with Uncle Goku?" Goku asked Marron.

"Yeah! I want a hot dog!" she chirped.

"They have hot dogs?!" Goku was almost salivating, "Oh, boy! Let's go!" he excitedly told the child, before jogging off with her towards the food table. He stopped half way to look back at the guys, "Oh, I almost forgot, happy birthday, Krillin!" he called to him, before resuming his jog to the food table.

"That was strange" Yamcha spoke first.

"Ye, he doesn't seem glum at all. Seems pretty spritely" Krillin thought. The other half of the Son duo suddenly caught Krillin's eye as she walked over towards him, a birthday bag in her hands.

"Hi, Krillin" she greeted him sweetly, "Happy birthday" she said as she handed him the gift bag.

"Aw, ya got me a gift? You really didn't have to" he told her genuinely, taking it from her.

"You gotta have a gift on your birthday" she told him, "It's only a little something, anyway"

"Well, i'm real grateful, thanks, Chichi"

"You're welcome, I'll catch up with you later" she chirped, before bidding her goodbye and walking off.

"Okay, what the hell is goin' on?!" Yamcha exclaimed, once Chichi was far enough away.

"I have no idea" Krillin murmured.

Chichi reached one of the tables where her father was sat with Gohan and Pan. Chichi immediately put out her arms and Gohan smiled, handing a happy, gurgling Pan to his mother.

"There's my sweet girl" Chichi cooed, snuggling Pan affectionately, making the small child giggle.

"Hey, mom, how ya doing?" Gohan asked her, scooting over and pulling out a chair for her.

"I'm fine, thank you" she chirped, sitting at the chair Gohan had pulled out for her, "Even better now i've seen you" she poked her granddaughter's little nose with her index finger, making her smile.

"You seem ... happy" Gohan noted.

"Did you ... have a nice evening?" her father asked her. Chichi knew what her father and son were trying to get at, but she gave them a vague response.

"It was good, thanks, dad. Just what I needed. I managed to relax, I slept well, and I felt refreshed this morning" she told them.

"Um ... did you see dad? He said something about going to see you" Gohan asked her hesitantly.

"I saw your father" she replied. The Ox King and Gohan shared a confused look. She wasn't giving them anything.

"So, you saw dad?" Gohan wanted to check.

"Yep" she replied calmly.

"And ... everything's okay?" he questioned her further.

"I'm just fine, Gohan" she tapped his knee gently before playing with her granddaughter at the table. Gohan and her father were beyond confused.

"I'm gonna get a drink from the table, do you want something, mom?" Gohan offered as he stood up.

"I'd love something cold, surprise me" she answered. Gohan just gaped at her.

"O-kay" he returned, still stood on the spot, "Um, grandpa, you want anything?"

"No, i'm fine thank you, Gohan" the big man replied. Gohan nodded and walked off towards the drinks table, where his wife, 18, Bulma and Mrs Briefs all stood waiting for him.

"Well?" Videl quietly asked him when he reached them.

"I got nothing" he shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Bulma added.

"She said my dad went to see her, and that was it. She said she had a relaxed evening, slept well and feels refreshed this morning" Gohan divulged.

"It's just not adding up" Bulma thought, her hands perched on her hips. 18 remained quiet, but she absolutely agreed. She'd already bothered her husband about it after he spoke to Goku. Apparently he had been just as vague about it all. They were hiding something, 18 thought as she eyed them both. Something was going on.

The party continued, either way, stories being shared amongst old friends, laughter reaching all of their ears, presents being opened and everyone singing happy birthday to Krillin. Everyone were enjoying a slice of birthday cake some time after, and all the women were sat around at one of the tables, happily chatting away.

"You seem so relaxed, Chichi, it's so good to see you like this" Videl commented, smiling warmly at her mother-in-law.

"Thank you, Videl" Chichi responded, gently rocking Pan's stroller next to her as the baby slept.

"And you look good" Bulma pointed out, "Where have you been hiding those?" Bulma was referring to Chichi's strong, creamy legs, which were out for all to see in her lemon knee-length dress. She wore a short-sleeved waistcoat, her hair was in a loose ponytail, a gentle blush on her cheeks, red lipstick to match.

"Well, I just wanted to make the effort" she told them, "It's a birthday party, after all". Bulma wasn't buying it.

"Sure" Bulma decided to answer, "Well, anyway, I was talking to the girls earlier, before you arrived, about thanksgiving"

"Okay" Chichi nodded to her.

"I wanted to do thanksgiving here this year, and invite you all over. I know you normally like to do your own little thing as a family, but, I know things have been ... different ... and you've been through a hard time, so, I wanted to see if you'd like to spend it with us?" she asked the younger woman.

"Oh ... well, that sure is nice of you" Chichi thought.

"It's less stress for you, means you don't have to worry about cooking or cleaning up. And, I would just really like you to be here" Bulma told her with a smile, and it was a real smile, a genuine smile, and Chichi couldn't help but smile back.

"Hmm, okay, lemme just check", she said, before turning in her chair, "Goku?! What do you think about having thanksgiving here at Bulma's this year?!". Goku looked up from his table, catching her eye.

"Ye, sounds good to me, honey!" he smiled warmly at her from his table, hot dogs in both hands, Marron sat on his knee munching on her own hot dog. Chichi turned back around to face the girls at the table.

"There we go, then. Looks like we're coming to yours for thanksgiving" she cheerfully decided. She could barely hold in her laughter at the absolute shock on all of their faces.

"You little sneaks!" Bulma shouted accusingly at her, making Chichi's laughter break free. Videl and Mrs Briefs were clapping their hands, so excited for her, 18 smirking in her seat. Yamcha grabbed hold of Goku's broad shoulders from where he stood behind him and shook him wildly, happy for his friend.

"Way to go, man!" he cheered on his friend.

"You two really had us goin'" Krillin chuckled out. Goku grinned mischievously.

"Dad" Gohan groaned out two chairs up from his father, "That was mean".

"What?" he laughed out.

"You know what!" Gohan threw back.

"Does this mean you're comin' home with us, dad?" Goten questioned his father excitedly, his big, innocent eyes gazing up at him so hopefully as he leant on his father's free knee.

"Ummm ... well ..." he wasn't sure how to answer that one. They hadn't actually talked about that. After having a lie in together that morning and enjoying some breakfast together, Goku left her to go and shower and put on some of his more presentable clothes, before returning to Chichi and teleporting them both to Bulma's. If he was being honest, he didn't want to push his luck by asking her. Chichi had let him back in, he was just happy about that right now.

"MOM?!" Goten called his mother, who turned to look at him, "Is daddy comin' home with us?!" he asked her, making Goku freeze in his chair.

"Does daddy want to?!" she questioned back, aiming the question at her husband.

"Ye, I do!" there was no hesitation in his response.

"Then, I guess daddy's coming home with us!" Chichi told her son. Goten jumped for joy, cheering for his father, before tackling the large man's leg in a tight hug. Goku just simply stared at his wife, in complete awe.

Wow, he thought, how did he get so lucky?

He felt someone nudge his arm, so he turned his attention to them.

"Knew you'd do it, dad" Gohan told him quietly.

"Thanks, son" Goku gently spoke back.


It was starting to get dark, but the party was far from over, the birthday party now expanding into a celebratory party for Goku and Chichi. Goku had joined Vegeta on one of the far off tables, a beer in hand, a comfortable silence between them.

"I knew it" Vegeta broke the silence.

"Knew what?"

"I knew you two were back together. You may have fooled them, but you didn't fool me"

"What gave it away?" Goku chuckled out.

"Well, aside from the fact that I could smell her all over you, I caught you both eyeing each other up from the table. It was subtle, but I saw it. And it didn't feel so tense between you"

"Oops" Goku grinned.

"Well, it's about damn time" Vegeta commented, "Now, please, do me a favour and don't fuck it up again! I can't deal with another breakdown from you!" he growled at Goku.

"Aw, c'mon, I wasn' that bad"

"Wasn't that bad?! I thought I'd signed up to the fucking suicide squad! And not by choice! Do you understand the stress you've caused me?! And i've had Bulma all over my ass, telling me to keep an eye on you! You dick!"

"Hehe, sorry, buddy" Goku chuckled out, "I appreciate it though, just so y'know"

"Shut up" Vegeta muttered.

"I mean it!" Goku continued, "Think ya stopped me from jumpin' off the edge a few times. Don't think I woulda gotten through it without ya" Vegeta just narrowed his eyes at him, but, Goku knew better. Vegeta really had kept Goku from completely losing it, in more ways than he realised. And Vegeta may get mad at him, but, he knew Vegeta, and he knew the silly, heated, little Saiyan man cared about him deep down.

"Anyway" Goku concluded, putting down his beer and lounging back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head, "You love the drama, bet ya went skippin' back to Bulma to tell her everythin' whenever ya left me"

"For fuck sake, Kakarot" Vegeta huffed out.

"It's true!" he laughed out.

"No, it's not! God, you're so annoying!"

"Ya love me really" Goku winked at him.

"I hate you" he grumbled at him, making Goku laugh. As his chest rumbled from the laughter, Goku's eyes caught the deep, piercing eyes of Piccolo in the dark, where he sheltered in the trees just up from them. He always came to parties when invited, and he would sit with them and tap his feet along to the beat of the music for a while, but it always got too much for him, so he'd make himself scarce.

It may have been dark, but Goku could just make out a hint of a smile from the Namekian, to which Goku returned gratefully. Maybe he'd take Piccolo up on his offer to take Chichi to the waterfall he spoke about. He'd ask him about that soon, he thought.


Goku and Chichi returned home not too longer after, little Goten draped over Goku's shoulder, snoozing away gently. Goku took him straight to bed, laying him down carefully on the mattress and removing his little boots. Goku tucked him in with his blanket and silently watched him for a moment, so grateful he could do something as simple as tucking him into bed. He smiled warmly at his son and affectionately ruffled his wild hair.

"Goodnight, Goten" he whispered, before leaving his room. Goku quietly ambled down to the room he previously shared with his wife and he walked in, hearing his wife in the en-suite bathroom. He reached the foot of their bed, one which didn't belong to him for quite some time, his eyes falling to the comforter, thoughts running through his head. He untucked his shirt as his wife walked into the room and headed to her vanity table.

"You sure 'bout this?" Goku asked her after unbuttoning his white cotton shirt. He silently observed as his wife kicked off her pumps and placed her short-sleeved blazer over her vanity chair, before slowly wandering over to him at the foot of their bed. She let her small hands caress his rock hard abs when she reached him, her eyes lovingly gazing up into his.

"I'm more than sure"

Goku smiled down at her, her simple words silencing his thoughts.

"I love you" he whispered to her, cupping her jaw in his hands and caressing her soft skin with his thumbs.

"I love you" she softly whispered back.

No more words were needed as his lips met hers.


There will be a final chapter to follow - a little epilogue with some wholesome family times! Couldn't leave my beloved Gochi like this after everything they've been through :3