Chi-Chi woke up to the soft glow of dawn illuminating the room. She swiftly got out of bed to start her daily routine. In the kitchen, she orchestrated a symphony of flavors, the clattering of pots and pans accompanying her culinary artistry. The scent of a hearty breakfast began to waft through the house.

Goku, awakened by the inviting aroma, stumbled into the kitchen, his stomach eagerly anticipating the feast ahead. "Wow, Chi-Chi, that smells good," he exclaimed with a wide grin.

"Thank you, Goku. Please, go and wake up Gohan; food should be done in just a few minutes," Chi-Chi replied, her hands expertly maneuvering around the kitchen.

Goku, ever the eager eater, charged towards Gohan's room, announcing the impending breakfast with a hearty shout. However, his exclamation abruptly halted as he swung open the door, only to quickly shut it again. His eyes widened in disbelief—Android 18 was snugly nestled in Gohan's bed, and Gohan himself was in the midst of dressing, shirtless.

With a hushed whisper, as Gohan opened the door and closed it behind him, Gohan tried to explain the situation, "Listen, Dad, I promise it's not what it looks like."

Goku, matching the subdued tone, retorted, "What would have happened if it was your mother and not me?"

Aware of the complexity of the situation, Gohan pleaded with his father not to divulge the incident to Chi-Chi. Goku, agreeing to silence, added, "Sure, I'll make sure to give you an extra plate. I'm sure she'll be hungry when she wakes up."

As Gohan thanked his father, the window in his room flickered open and shut, signaling Android 18's discreet exit. They opened the bedroom door to have Gohan discover a note on the neatly made bed expressing her gratitude and reluctance to intrude further, signed with a heart containing the number 18. A sudden rush of emotions painted his face crimson.

-?-

Meanwhile, not far from the Son household, Piccolo meditated on a forest branch, his keen senses catching a glimpse of Android 18 soaring away from Gohan's residence. Intrigued but unbothered, he decided to dismiss the incident, sensing no unusual power fluctuations.

Back at the Son household, Gohan approached his mother in the living room who was folding laundry, asking permission to visit Bulma. "Hey mom do you mind if I go over to bulmas ?" He asked

"…sure sweetheart, is everything ok?" She was still getting use to not having her baby boy around and this was the harsh reality that they lived in now.

"Yea, I just wanted to go and ask her a few things that pertained to my studies." He was obviously lying, but his mother didn't know that.

"Alright hun, be careful."

"Thanks mom." Placing two fingers on his forehead he used his fathers infamous instant transmission. Locking onto Bulmas Ki signature he teleported to her destination.

-Capsule Corp.-

Bulma was looking over blue prints to a gravity chamber design that she was working on for Vegeta to help him train. In an instant, Gohan utilized the Instant Transmission technique and then appeared out of thin air, "Hey Bulma!"

She made a squeal noise and jumped out of her seat almost causing her to almost have a heart attack. "My Kami Gohan you scared the crap out of me!" She was still getting use to the fact that the little boy she had went to namek with was a full grown man.

"Sorry about that, but is Vegeta around??" He asked the scientist.

"Yes he should be out back. He just put the baby down for a nap." She replied.

"Thanks Bulma, I'll see you later." Gohan waved as he walked away.

As he ventured towards the backyard, Gohan found Vegeta standing with crossed arms, gazing at the bustling city. Initiating a conversation, Gohan adopted a more serious demeanor, stating, "I need some insight from you, Vegeta."

Vegeta, smirking at the transformation in Gohan's attitude. "I'll answer you under one condition. We spar." A small aura erupted from Vegeta as he then began to levitate off the ground and took off to an isolated location. Gohan had followed suit wanting to find answers on why he felt this 'rage' inside of him.

-Wasteland Training Ground-

As Gohan and Vegeta faced off, they assumed their fighting stances, the tension thickening. Both springing into battle the wasteland echoed with the sounds of clashing energy and intense sparring. Gohan, with his newfound power, initially had the upper hand. However, Vegeta, never one to back down, transforming into a Super Saiyan, the golden aura surrounding him as he unleashed a relentless assault.

Feeling the challenge, Gohan responded in kind, his power surging as he too transformed into a Super Saiyan. The battlefield became a canvas of energy, each strike sending shockwaves through the air. Vegeta, in the midst of the intense exchange, urged Gohan to stop holding back, demanding to witness the full extent of his power.

Vegeta's stern command spurred Gohan to push further. With a determined yell, Gohan ascended to Super Saiyan 2, his energy radiating with newfound intensity. Vegeta, however, remained unimpressed, scoffing at the young Saiyan. "No, you're still holding back. You held back against Cell too. Show me that new power you've found!" Vegeta challenged, a mix of annoyance and anticipation in his voice.

Gohan, fueled by Vegeta's words, let out another powerful scream. His energy surged to unprecedented levels, and his hair extended as he entered the coveted Super Saiyan 3 transformation. Vegeta, despite his pride, couldn't help but feel a bead of nervous sweat as the overwhelming power enveloped Gohan.

"That's more like it," Vegeta muttered, a wry smirk on his face. The two warriors continued their fierce battle, the landscape quivering under their might. Vegeta, ever resilient, pressed on, matching Gohan blow for blow.

In a display of immense strength, Gohan executed a powerful kick that sent Vegeta hurtling through the air and crashing into the ground. The impact forced Vegeta to revert to his normal state. Gohan descended, reverting to his base form as well.

As Vegeta rose to his feet, breathing heavily and nursing an injured arm, he spoke with a hint of wisdom. "I know what you came here to ask me. You've reached adulthood, and your Saiyan instincts are running rampant. All you've ever known was to fight to survive like a true warrior of our race, but it's time for you to find a mate, Gohan. Only then will that itch in your soul disappear."

Gohan absorbed Vegeta's words, his expression reflecting a mix of contemplation and concern. "What if I can't find one?" he asked, uncertainty in his voice.

Vegeta, uncharacteristically offering advice, retorted, "You idiot! Have a backbone. No woman likes a chump. Have some confidence in yourself. If you're anything like Kakarot, you'll definitely have a hard time finding a mate. Same time and place tomorrow, we'll spar again until Dende has the Time Chamber back up and active."

With that, Vegeta walked away, leaving Gohan to ponder the Saiyan's words and the new chapter of challenges that lay ahead.

A/N Hey guys, I've been recently swamped with work and I've been trying my best with the holidays around. The next chapter is definitely going to be more definitive for Gohan and 18. I'm going try my best to push out a quality chapter either late tonight or early tomorrow! Happy Turkey day !!!!