Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Learning To Love Again ❯ Interventions ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: Well, here is where I'm supposed to tell you something about my not owning DBZ or any other such nonsense, but instead, I'm refusing. It's about time I lived up to my name of hippiechick and protested something, and I protest an already wealthy man like Toriyama owning DBZ and not sharing. How rude and selfish can you get? I want to own them too! I do after all love them with all my heart....*gazes longingly at the cover to The History Of Trunks movie and sighs*

A/N: Yeah, I know it's been forever since the last chapter. Hopefully by now you all know the cause behind the delay. Trust me though; this chapter was well worth the wait. I sincerely hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Now, on with the highly anticipated and much talked about new chapter. ^_^

On her way home from confronting Gohan, Marron realized the last thing she wanted at that moment was to return to Kame House and ruin everyone's happiness or make them worry. Thinking quickly while trying to see to drive through tear-filled eyes, Marron turned from her previous route and took a new heading, toward Yamcha's home.

The entire way she thought of exactly what she'd say when she arrived, but pulling into the driveway and seeing Yamcha outside practicing his a kata made Marron forget everything. Quickly climbing out of her vehicle, Marron swiftly walked to the aging martial artist, giving him a woeful look before burying her face in his shirt and crying out her frustration against his strong chest. If anyone could understand her pain, the pain of rejection, it was Uncle Yamcha.

Surprised by Marron's unwarned behavior, Yamcha did the only thing that came to his mind and put his arms around her, his right hand stroking the back of her head soothingly. "Shh.... It's going to be okay. Whatever it is will be all right," Yamcha managed in an attempt to stifle the quivering blonde's sobs. "Why don't you tell me what it is? What's bothering you?"

Marron paused in her misery long enough to pull back slightly from Yamcha's chest and wipe her eyes. "I'm sure I look awful right now." She sighed dejectedly. "Is there some place we could sit down, maybe?"

"Sure thing." Yamcha gently took Marron's fragile hand in his own calloused one and led her to a swing on the porch. "That better?" he questioned once they were both seated, Yamcha with his arm around Marron while she laid her head against his chest as he rocked the swing slowly back and forth.

Marron nodded her head. "Yes, much." Once again she sighed tiredly.

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong, or am I supposed to guess?" Yamcha tried to coax her feelings into the open.

"It's Gohan," Marron answered indifferently, as long as you discounted her face of course.

"Gohan?" Yamcha seemed more than slightly surprised. "I thought we had agreed you were going to talk with him and get everything cleared up."

"I tried," Marron answered soberly. "I really did, but it didn't help." Marron fell silent; the gentle movements of the swing having its desired, calming effect, as her mind took a short break from harsh reality.

Yamcha's kind voice brought Marron's mind back home, effectively ending its vacation. "Exactly what was said?"

"I asked him what he meant by the kiss, and he looked so confused, so bumfuzzled, that you would have thought it had never happened," Marron bared her story. "I gave him a moment to process the question and remember what happened, and I know he remembered it. I saw it in his eyes.

"I asked him a second time, and he refused to answer me. The only sound he seemed capable of was `uh'," Marron made the unbecoming sound, implying he was brainless when it came to the subject at hand.

"Umm," Yamcha sounded, piecing together the rest of the scene from his past experiences with women. "So you got your feelings hurt because he made you feel insignificant by not already having the answer to a question determining exactly what you mean to him. Am I right?"

Marron blinked in surprise before nodding her head, agreeing with his picture.

"Look, Marron. Right now Gohan's just as confused as you are and he's going to need time to think about things and figure out what he's going to do. You're just going to have to be patient with him. Besides, it's all you're fault anyway," Yamcha added with a smile.

Marron's head shot off her uncle's chest as she, frowning, turned her now flashing blue eyes on him. "What's that supposed to mean? I didn't do anything. He kissed me, and he's the one who can't make up his mind!" she finished angrily.

Yamcha's eyes held a very amused glimmer to them, accompanied by quite a bit of humor. "Marron, if you weren't so fun, loving, caring, interesting, and not to mention beautiful, this never would have happened. It's your fault because you're a wonderful girl...I mean woman. No man alive, except possibly your father and Vegeta, could fault Gohan for wanting to kiss you."

Marron's anger dissipated, slowly replaced by a smile. "Oh, Uncle Yamcha, what would I do without you?" she cried, giving him an affectionate, thankful hug.

"I don't know, sweetheart," Yamcha softly replied, returning the youth's hug. "But I have faith that you'd be just fine, and always a joy."

*******

After pulling his cake from the oven, Gohan had simply set it aside, not feeling up to the task of icing it at that moment. Instead he had stood looking out the kitchen window, watching the wind blow a swing he had hung years ago for Pan, now forgotten in her teenage years.

As he watched the leaves tumble across the yard, Gohan felt the loneliness of his position to his very core. His soul suddenly longed for someone to talk with, to find comfort in.

Who could he speak with? Who would listen without judging him harshly? Who could he possibly turn to?

Making his decision, Gohan turned from the window, went to the phone, and quickly dialed a number.

"Hi, I need to speak with Mr. Satan. This is Son Gohan," Gohan spoke as a servant answered the telephone, miles and worlds away.

"Hello? This is Hercule," a boisterous voice came on the line.

"Oh, hi Hercule," Gohan responded automatically. "I was wondering if you would mind keeping Pan another night. I know you were planning on bringing her home today, and I know you're awfully busy, but I would really appreciate it," he almost pleaded.

"Well..." Hercule sounded almost hesitant. "I did have a date planned, but Pan's more important, being my granddaughter and all. Hercule Satan, World Champion Martial Artist, never turns his back on family."

Much quieter, obviously having pulled the phone's receiver from near his mouth, Gohan's Saiyan ears heard Hercule say, "Be sure to write that one down. Ha!" Gohan just shook his head, same old Hercule. Some things never changed.

"I appreciate it. Thanks," Gohan told Hercule, eager to end their conversation and get on his way.

"Uh, no problem," Hercule said, being brought back from his ego trip by Gohan's voice. I'll be sure to tell Pan you called."

"Sure thing. See you both tomorrow," Gohan forced a cheerful tone before placing the phone in its receiver. "Time to go," he softly whispered and walked to the closet for his shoes and coat, which he put on with his body on autopilot and his mind in another dimension entirely.

The drive to his spot, where he could talk with his friend in solitude, was nothing but a blur, barely a memory. Gohan had been so lost in thought, he barely realized he had even started his car until he had parked and was gathering his courage to climb out and face the encounter.

Taking a deep breath, Gohan pushed open his door and began his ascent toward his destination, nestled beneath a small grove of cedars. The sky, once again, was overcast and threatening rain, but Gohan didn't mind. He knew his heart would not be settled until he had this talk...until he had gotten his answers.

Upon reaching the grove, Gohan knelt on his knees before a granite stone, and read the inscription several times before speaking.

"Videl, I know I say this every week, but I really wish you were here or at least able to answer me. I don't know what to do. I'm completely lost," Gohan solemnly admitted.

"Every time something happens, the first thought in my head is `I have to tell this to Videl.' Then I remember...I can't. No matter how much I want to, I can't, and it's all my fault.

"If only I hadn't left after that argument and gone to see Piccolo at Kami's Lookout...if I had just said no to the idea of you being my `sidekick'...if I had only forced Dad to teach me his Instant Transmission...you'd still be here, in my arms..."

Gohan closed his eyes tightly. This was not going how he had planned. He had a lot left to say, and breaking down now was not an option. He had to clear his conscience, get it out in the open.

Raising his eyes to the dark gray clouds above, Gohan searched for the courage to continue, hoping somewhere up there, Videl was listening. "If I could change anything, I'd change that day. I would have answered that call to the bank robbery instead of you. Instead of finding you," Gohan choked, "like that... You'd have been safe in my arms instead of...hurting.... I didn't even make it soon enough to say good-bye. Just like that, you were gone...forever...."

"All these years, I've spoken to you, not knowing for sure if you even hear me, but somehow I just know you do. Maybe, just this once, King Yemma will bend the rules just a little and let you speak back to me...help me..." Gohan took a deep breath to sooth his aching chest…and heart.

"Please forgive me. You know I love you, and I always will, but...things are different now. I'm sure you know what's going on, but just in case you don't, I'll tell you quickly."

Gohan raised his eyes to the sentient conifers, silently asking them to lend him their strength. Strength he so desperately needed at that moment. Lowering his eyes to the ground before him, Gohan continued.

"I kissed Marron. Yeah, Krillin's little girl. I don't know why.... Well, maybe I do, and that's the problem. Videl, I love Marron. I always have, but something's different. She's all grown-up, not the girl you knew, and somehow, somewhere over time my feelings toward her changed." Gohan guiltily laid his forehead against the headstone.

After a few minutes of silence, Gohan took a deep breath. "Videl, please tell me it's okay to fall again, that she won't leave me like you did. That I can be happy again...just once..."

Gohan, lost in his thoughts, didn't budge from his kneeling position, so close to his late wife, until a small bird landed above his head, singing its sweet song. Lifting his head, Gohan smiled a little at the creature and held out his hand, which the bird readily, trustingly, hopped onto.

"Hey there little fellow," Gohan greeted the bird, who was curiously staring at him, head cocked to the side. "You're trying to cheer me up, aren't you? You know, you shouldn't still be here. It's winter. You should have gone south with all the other birds, poor thing."

The little bird watched Gohan closely for another moment. Wondering exactly how tame his new friend was, Gohan raised his hand, moving it slowly toward the animal to stroke its back.

Though the movement of his hand was almost painstakingly sluggish, the bird, startled by the movement, took to the air, skittishly flying from Gohan's sight.

With the creature gone, Gohan felt more alone than he had even before. "Yeah, just like me to act stupidly and run-off the one creature to show me sympathy." Gohan sighed and muttered, "I seem to be doing that a lot lately."

Head hanging, Gohan turned, his face pointing toward the patch of dry, dormant grass at the base of the rock. Staring blankly down, Gohan's thoughts returned to all he had lost.

A few minutes passed in silence with no soul in sight, save one destitute man, who kneeled alone, yet again pondered what might have been. Gohan.

A stem of Canterbury Bells landing at Gohan's feel brought him from his musings. Looking upward, his eyes fell on his friend from earlier, who promptly stuck out her chest proudly.

Confused, Gohan looked down to the flowers and back up to the small bird before gingerly lifting the stalk, its buds beauty unmarred by the ground, the fragrance wafting to his Saiyan nose.

"Did you-" Gohan started, disbelievingly. There was no way such a petite Aves could have born such a load through the air. As he glanced around, Gohan became even more mystified since no living thing was in sight, save the bird.

"You did. Didn't you?" Gohan studied the bird again.

When Gohan looked directly at the bird, she puffed out her feathers again and began singing, looking directly at him, singing to him. Yet in Gohan's mind, why would such a simple creature do something so...intelligent, almost human. Once again, the creature spread her wings and took flight, circling Gohan twice before flying from sight again, all along, singing her song.

Gohan, dumbfounded, looked to the flowers in his hand, with the bird's song resounding in his ears. He frowned slightly in thought. "If I didn't know any better..."

Suddenly, his eyes widened and he looked at the name before him. Now it made sense.

As tears filled his eyes, clutching to his heart, Gohan chocked out, "Thank you...Videl."

A/N: Anyone out there crying? If so, here ya go. *hands out tissues* Okay, was this chapter not worth the wait? C'mon! It was great! J/k, but if you enjoyed it (or didn't) I'd love to hear from you. What does that mean? Simply put, LEAVE A REVIEW!!!!!! Oh, and for all of you out there doing just that, especially for every chapter, THANK YOU!!!!!! *hands everyone some Oreos and milk* Gotta love it. ^_^