No Regrets [A DBZ Fanfiction]

Chapter 16 - Confessions

Goku breathed in the cool night air deeply as he floated against the inky blue night sky. He didn't know why he was here, he definitely knew that he shouldn't be here and he knew he had other options of places to be. But...he was here and honestly didn't want to be anywhere else right now. It was one the places he could forget his troubles.

Unexpectedly the sliding glass slid open and Bulma padded out to her balcony, wearing a heavy blue terry cloth robe with felt yellow stars embroidered on the back and her curls piled up high, with a stack of parenting books in her arms. Goku's breath caught as he watched her as she set the books down on her patio table with a loud thump and went back inside to her room. He didn't think that he would see her so soon upon his arrival. She came back out carrying a large jar of pickles and then she plunked herself down on a lounge chair. Much to Goku's amusement, she swore loudly as she struggled for several minutes attempting to twist the jar's lid open.

"Do you need help with that?" Goku asked with a wide smile as he landed on the balcony's ledge.

"KAMI GOKU! Is it your life goal to scare me to death?" Bulma shrieked, placing her hand on her heart.

"What are you doing here anyways? I didn't think I would see you so soon after..." Bulma words trailed off as she started thinking of their night of wanton passion.

Goku bowed his head and then he hopped onto the platform of the balcony. His gaze met hers as he grabbed the jar out of her hands and easily unscrewed the lid. Handing the pickles back to Bulma, he sat himself down in the lounge chair next to hers.

"Chichi threw me out of our house," Goku explained in a soft whisper, the memory of his confession still fresh in his mind.

As soon Goku returned home and saw his wife sitting at their table, her forehead wrinkled as she was correcting their son's homework, he was hit with guilt. He couldn't keep his night with Bulma a secret, his conscience demanded that he seek his wife's forgiveness.

He sat across from her, attempted a goofy smile which didn't quite reach his eyes. His remorse must have tinted his signature smile because as soon as Chichi saw him smiling weirdly at her, she immediately got up and took his temperature.

"Goku, your temperature appears to be normal, did you eat something funny?" Chichi asked looking at the thermometer, even though she knew Goku's stomach could practically handle almost anything she shoved down there.

He stood up and held his spouse tight against him, the mother of his children, the wife who cooked him awesome meals every day, the girl who made him promise to marry her when he didn't know what marriage was and the woman's heart he was going to break with his confession.

"I can't believe you told Chichi about us!" Bulma gasped at his admission.

"I couldn't keep such a big secret from her, Bulma. It was the right thing to do," Goku asserted. Keeping their first kiss a secret wasn't right but it was easier since they had labelled the event a 'good-bye kiss'. However, keeping their evening together at the Capsule house a secret, didn't sit well with him. He knew he was opening up a can of worms by confessing to his wife but he had to do it.

"Chichi, I need to tell you this..." Goku started off saying, choosing his words carefully as he spoke them, terrified of his wife's reaction. "When I found Bulma, I spent the night with her."

With the guilt written all over his face, Chichi knew exactly how to interpret that statement.

"YOU WHAT?"

"Chichi, she's my first love-" Goku started to explain before he was abruptly interrupted.

"I AM YOUR WIFE, GOKU! How could you do this?" Chichi shook with anger as Goku still held her tight.

"Oh Goku, sometimes you're too good for your own good!" Bulma said as she placed a consoling arm around her friend.

"Bulma, please don't say that. Even after what happened with Chichi, look where I ended up going? Back here with you..." Goku looked at her. "What is going on inside my head?"

"Or inside your heart?" Bulma stated, placing her palm against his chest.

Even if Chichi may have always felt slightly guilty for getting Goku to marry her when he didn't know exactly what he was committing himself to, she still had the right to be upset. Who in her situation wouldn't be?

Chichi wasn't blind, she knew her husband held a great affection for his oldest friend. Yet to what degree? She never really knew and truthfully didn't want to know. Chichi thought if she dominated their relationship that Goku would never investigate his feelings for Bulma. That he would remain her fearful, yet sweet husband.

She was wrong, Goku had followed his heart right to his Bulma which left Chichi...fuming! She wanted to thrash about, knock out teeth and let some of her fists fly but she remained fiercely calm in his grasp. Goku's strong arms around her were only a cold comfort.

"Do you ever think about the first time we met?" Goku asked, resting his hand over hers. He hastily changed the subject, not wanting to examine the matters of his heart as it only got him in trouble.

"Of course I do! Who would have thought that the goofy and grimy child that I met so long ago would turn out to be the one of most heroic people that I've had the honour of knowing?" Bulma responded with a bright smile.

"Chichi did..."

"Chichi, you have every right to be mad at me. Please forgive me," Goku implored, holding her even tighter, crumpling her gown in his fists.

"Goku, do you still want to be with her? Huh?"Chichi gritted her teeth as she forced the question out of her mouth.

"Chichi, I want your forgiveness. I want to be part of this family! That's what I want!"Goku replied.

"Well, I want you out of this house until you can tell me that I'm the one you want!" Chichi yelled, tears streaking her face as she broke out of his hold. "Am I the one in your in heart or is it still her?"

"I guess Chichi did see that..." Bulma acknowledged grudgingly, giving Chichi the point. She definitely saw Goku's potential before Bulma herself did.

"But Bulma, all I saw...was you," Goku stated. "All I see...is you." Finally conceding that his heart had always belonged to her and that it still did.