Love, A Game..

Chapter 14

Gohan felt like a popped balloon. Just a moment ago he'd been hyped on adrenaline, alive with SSJ2 power, seemingly indestructible as he exterminated Cell at last. But now that Cell was dead and the Earth was safe once more, the strength that fuelled his ascension to stage two had come crashing down around him and where there was livid rage before was now merely empty grief.

*Tr ... Trunks...*

He couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, couldn't exist without his koibito. Trunks was his reason for living, simple as that. Without him ... he had nothing.

"Gohan! Gohan, are you all right?"

The eleven-year-old's vision was obscured, firstly by the shimmering wall of saline in his eyes, secondly by the charcoal chaos that insisted on obstructing his gaze. But he didn't need to look to be able to tell that it was his father speaking. Goku picked him up, cradling the exhausted demi-Saiyan in his arms gently as if afraid he might break him. Gohan didn't have the heart nor the strength to tell his dad that he was already broken.

"Krillin, get me a senzu bean!"

"Uh, I'm sorry Goku, we're all out. You got the last one."

As if a senzu bean could have helped. The pain and fatigue that coursed through Gohan's body were nothing compared to the hollow ache in his soul. No miracle food could assuage the agony caused by Trunks' death.

"We'll take him to Kami's Lookout, then, and Dende can heal him."

Gohan could barely discern Tien's words, but then again he really didn't care. Everything happening around him was unimportant, all his own injuries were barely felt, receding into insignificancewith the death of his beloved. The onyx-eyed demi sagged limply against his father's chest, the last of his strength completely sapped from him. The effort it took to try and deal with his grief was so much as to drain all his resources - he couldn't have moved if he tried.

"Poor kid," murmured Krillin sympathetically. The short human's voice came from right by Gohan's ear. "He and Trunks were really good friends, weren't they, Goku?"

Finally, somebody had realised why Gohan was upset - Upset? What an understatement...

"Yeah ... yeah, they were." Gohan heard the sadness in his father's voice and felt as Goku held him just a little bit tighter, trying to convey his sympathy and offer comfort. Only he and Vegeta knew what the two demi-Saiyans had really meant to each other ... how close they'd been ... Gohan's eyes overflowed again and he burrowed into his dad's chest, wetting the orange gi with his tears.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"

The unnatural liveliness of Yamcha's voice startled Gohan from his quiet mourning and he slowly, weakly lifted his head to blink red-rimmed eyes at the scarred human who'd spoken.

"I mean, that's what we collected the dragonballs for, right? We can wish Trunks back!"

Gohan's heart stopped beating. He began to hear a ringing noise in his ears. His breathing grew louder until it was a grating rasp. And the world suddenly exploded with shining, swirling, brilliant light. He became aware that he was flying as fast as he could, pouring every ounce of energy remaining to him into reaching Kami's Lookout so he could bring his love back to life.

His head was spinning, his heart (now very much alive) was pounding in his ears, his breath was coming in sobbing gasps as he flew. He felt dizzy with elation and exhaustion. Only his determination to see his koibito was keeping him in the air, and soon even that wasn't enough.

Luckily Goku was there to catch him as he blacked out and fell from the sky. Only a dozen feet above the earth, a pair of strong arms wrapped around the unconscious Gohan and stopped his fall. The pure-hearted Saiyan gazed fondly down at his son as he held him for a moment, before flicking a glance over his shoulder to see Vegeta watching like a hawk. The prince's obsidian eyes were fixed on the unmoving eleven-year-old and a stream of complicated emotions were carefully hidden behind the mask that only Goku could see through. And what he saw made the Earth-raised Saiyan smile.

At first Vegeta's acceptance of Trunks and Gohan's relationship had been reluctant, achieved only because the other alternative was to admit weakness. But now the royal Saiyan had seen first-hand how much the young demi-human cared for his future son, and at last deemed him worthy.

::Like father, like son:: Goku transmitted telepathically, and watched the effect of his words. Vegeta looked at him sharply, but a second later understanding dawned in his eyes and the steely onyx softened to charcoal.

::Your woman needs you:: Even mentally the prince's voice was gruff.

::For now:: Goku couldn't hold back a grin at the half-smirk on Vegeta's face as the older pureblood turned and flew away. Nor could he immediately tear his eyes from the retreating Saiyan who'd occupied his thoughts and feelings for so long.

"Hey Goku, what's up?" questioned Tien. Goku came to himself and found that all eyes were on him. Forcing a smile, he shook his head dismissively.

"Ah, it's nothing," he said cheerfully. "C'mon, let's get to Kami's Lookout."

***

When Gohan woke, it was like coming out of a deep pool of dark water. Sound was muffled and difficult to define, but slowly things became clearer until he blinked his eyes open and everything swam into focus.

He sat up instantly. "Trunks. Where's Trunks? Is he back yet?" The demi-Saiyan looked around frantically, but his beloved lavender-haired bishonen was nowhere in sight. A dejected sigh left him and his shoulders slumped mournfully. But before the tears could return, a comforting hand landed on Gohan's shoulder and he looked up to see his father smiling at him.

"Don't worry, Gohan, he'll be back soon," said Goku soothingly. He looked up at the young Namek standing beside them. "Isn't that right, Dende?"

The Guardian of Earth nodded eagerly. "Sure, go right ahead!"

Gohan registered little of the summoning of the Eternal Dragon. He barely noticed the spectacle of the skies or the presence of the giant green serpent in the inky blackness above Kami's Lookout. He did, however, notice someone exclaiming in shock and a female voice demanding, "What on Earth is that?"

Curiosity momentarily overcoming his single-minded grief, Gohan looked around and saw Android 18 standing several feet away, staring at the imposing form of Shenron with enormous ice-blue eyes.

"Where did she come from?" he whispered to his father. In a voice equally quiet, Goku replied, "Krillin brought her - said that she could be one of the good guys." Seeing Gohan's confused look, the pureblood shrugged as if to say, 'I don't have a clue either.' Aloud, all he said was, "I'm sure he has a good reason to trust her."

The bald monk in question was currently talking to 18 in a quiet but cheerful voice. Slowly the android began to relax, and Krillin looped his arm around her waist and motioned for the wish to be made.

It was Piccolo who addressed the Dragon. "Please," he said, in a strong voice, "could you revive all those on Earth who were killed by Cell!" (A/N: I know, it's weird imagining Piccolo saying 'please', but even former guardians have to use manners when they're talking to a fifty-mile-long dragon) These were the words Gohan had been waiting to hear. As he waited, hardly daring to breathe, the lavender-haired form at Tien's feet began to twitch, and slowly, Trunks sat up. He blinked, squinted, and looked around.

"Gohan?"

"TRUNKS!!" With not a single thought in his head beyond the indescribable delight that made his heart do dizzying cartwheels in his chest, Gohan hurled himself at his beloved, all but crushing Trunks in his hug. The sapphire-eyed teenager returned the embrace just as fiercely, his own joy hardly any less than his young koibito's.

The glittering crystalline spilling down Gohan's cheeks were no longer an expression of grief. On the contrary, as he buried his face in Trunks' lavender mane, he was happier than he'd ever been in his life.

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XD ...Resurrection..

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