My Inner Demons

Chapter 8

Gohan breathed harshly as he followed his friends and family out of the helicopter. Gohan felt tears build up in his eyes as he was completely ignored, but refused to let them fall. He shoved his emotions away, not wanting to lose them in the crowd.
They stood off to a more secluded spot, waiting for Goku to show up.
"Man, it's crowded," Krillin stated.
"Hey, Goten?" Trunks called, catching the boys attention.
"Yeah?"
"Do you really believe that story your mother told you?" Trunks asked.
"I don't know," Goten said, looking around.
Trunks glanced around, too, frowning after a few moments.
"Hey, where's our big brother?" Trunks asked, unknowingly catching the other's attention.
"Maybe he stayed at home? Or he's exploring?" Goten suggested.

Trunks opened his mouth to protest, but got cut off by a weird whooshing sound.
There stood none other than Goku.
"Hey guys!" He greeted happily.
"Goku!" Krillin called, trying to keep in his tears.
It was silent for a moment.
"So are you guys going to just keep standing there?" Goku asked and was immediately tackled by a large hug from a number of people.
"Oh, Goku, I missed you!" Chi-Chi called, noticing how Goten was hiding behind her.
"I missed you, Chi-Chi," Goku answered and looked her over, noticing the small boy behind her legs.

He pushed passed his friends, going over to the little boy.
"Hi there, what's your name?" Goku asked as he kneeled before the boy.
"I'm Goten," the boy answered.
They stared at each other briefly before Goten ran from behind his mother's legs.
"Daddy!" Goten yelled, hugging his father tightly. Goku laughed whole heartedly, not noticing that someone was missing.
Gohan was so angry, he felt as though he could murder someone. He stared intensely at the scene before him, how his father was playing with his brother. He remembered that his father never played with him like that, he was forced to grow up to quickly.

Once Goku finished playing with Goten, he placed the boy down on the ground and ruffled his hair. Goku looked at all the smiling faces around him. Well except Piccolo and Vegeta. He found it strange that Vegeta was glaring at him more intensely than normal. Once he looked over all his friends and family he noticed that someone was missing. He was to shocked by the fact that android Eighteen was a part of Z warriors to mention it at that exact moment. After he congratulated his best friend on his relationship with the android, he finally made a move to bring it up.
He was cut off by Baba clearing her throat.

"Just remember Goku, twenty four hours, that's all I can do," she stated.
"Thank you, Baba," Goku said, fully expecting her to leave, but watched as she stared at a spot by a tree.
"Poor boy," she muttered, before turning and leaving.
Goku went to bring up the question, but was cut off again.
"We should go to the check in station before they close," Piccolo said.
Everyone turned to leave, but Goku glanced around confused.
"Wait guys!" He called.
They all turned around, giving him curious glances.
"Guys, where's Gohan?" He asked.
Tension instantly filled the air.
"Goku, Gohan is- well he-I-" Krillin started, but got cut off by Vegeta.
"Your son is dead, Kakarot," Vegeta stated bluntly.

Goku felt his breath leave him far to quickly for his liking. Gohan was dead? When? How?
Goku suddenly started laughing hysterically.
Gohan stared at the man and couldn't help but face palm.
"Hahahaha, I'm sorry, Vegeta, but I think I heard you wrong! Did you just say Gohan's dead?!" Goku laughed, convinced that they were pulling a joke on him. He stopped laughing, however, at the grim looks on his friends' faces.
"B-but how? When? Why? I didn't see him in other world," Goku said, his heart clenching at the thought of not seeing his son again
"It probably has something to do with the way he died," Bulma said softly.
"W-what happened?" Goku asked.
"Gohan committed suicide, Kakarot," Vegeta explained.

Goku felt his world start to spin quickly as the words rang through his head. Suicide? But Gohan was so happy! Suicide and Gohan shouldn't even be in the same sentence.
"Why?" Goku whispered, feeling tears well up in his eyes, but tried to hold them back, he had to be strong. How long has it been?
"Because you left and didn't want to come back," Piccolo said.
Goku felt those words stab him through the chest, finally letting his tears fall.
"He was denied his father's love, not to mention that his pathetic excuse for a mother was to busy preparing for another baby to realize what her son was going through! He felt alone! Because in a sense he was. He didn't even get to meet Goten! And you know what, Kakarot? It's all your fault," Vegeta said, venom dripping from every word he spoke.