Dragonball: Unforgotten

Chapter 71

Dragonball: Unforgotten 
Chapter Seventy-one

You weren't sure how, but Bulma kept getting better. Not only was she building you a spaceship that could get to Namek, she was going to have it done right after Prom. She'd even looked upset that it would take that "long". Apparently some of the parts had to be delivered and the capsule Corp subsidies didn't move fast enough for her liking. To you that was amazingly quick but apparently not quick enough for her liking. You weren't sure but you thought her impatience stemmed from wanting to reprimand Goku for something or another. Probably something to do with Vegeta seeing as he still had bandages around his ribs. Not that he really let that slow him down. Regardless of the reason she put off a energy (not in the fighting type of way) in regards to Goku being brought back finally.

Her enthusiasm was matched only by Goten who'd practically exploded with it. You were just glad that he was focusing on that instead of the fact that you were pregnant with his half-sister. Especially when he went home for the night. Gohan, in the other hand, didn't seem nearly as ecstatic as his brother with everything going on.

After the second day of his sullen behavior you finally called him out on it. Of course you waited until it was lunch time. That way you'd been able to surprise him and grab his arm as he walked out of the classroom. You barely had to concentrate before you and he were at your studio.

"What's been bothering you?" You asked directly.

Gohan was quiet as he stared down at you. You felt the fact that he wasn't ignoring you, nor was he ignoring your question. Whatever his answer was it was something he had to wrestle with to put into words. So you waited; your hand would have dropped from his arm if he hadn't held it in place with his own. In his silence, he moved your hands fro his arm and across his chest until you were above his heart.

"I don't want you to wish my dad back," Gohan said quietly, with a heavy heart. "And I think...I think that makes me a bad person."

Gently you unfurled your fingers so that they were stretched out over his tightly pulled white shirt. You pressed in towards him so that he could feel each digit.

"You've got a good heart Gohan. I'm not sure if you could be a bad person even if you tried," you responded calmly.

He lowered his head in a mix of shame and embarrassment. "Don't wish him back."

His plea was quiet. The very sound of it coming from him, so weak and pleading, hurt to hear. The words themselves made it feel worse. You had a feeling you knew why he was making this plea and that's what really moved you. And not in a good way. Your fingers curled again; you used your loose fist to tap him. He didn't even raise his eyes.

"I made him a promise, Gohan," you spoke softly.

"Yeah but he won't keep his side. I know he won't."

You gently tapped him again. Gohan shifted slightly as he started to look into your eyes.

"You don't know that for sure. He deserves a chance. Besides don't you want Goten to get to know your guys' dad like you got to?"

"No," he said quietly, the monosyllabic sound filled with guilt. "Not if it means that he will be with you. Because I know he won't keep his promises. I wouldn't."

Well then, you supposed that said something. Your felt your heart thump a little faster. For all your bluster and talk about him staying loyal to Chichi, about staying with her as her husband, that wasn't what you really wanted. It was just what would be right. It was what would be best for the majority of people. But Gohan was so sure that his dad wouldn't do what was best for everyone based on the fact that in this situation he wouldn't. That, in part, concerned you.