It was a cool summer night.  The soft breeze made the trees sway softly under the starry sky.  It would’ve been a perfect night if not for the fact that a lone woman was sobbing, dreaming of her dead loved one.

ChiChi lay in her bed, burying her face into her pillow.  ‘Why?  Why do you have to torment me so, Goku?  Even in death you make me so sad...’  Wiping the tears from her eyes, ChiChi slowly lifted her head up and shakily pushed back her hair from her face.  Knowing she couldn’t fall asleep once again without being tormented with dreams of Goku, she reached over and flipped on her bedside radio.

“This is WJL100.  It’s 2 AM and if you’re awake, you shouldn’t be.  Here’s some light listening for you late-nighters...,” the announcer broadcasted.  Soon, a mournful melody drifted out of the speakers.  But as the artist began to sing, tears began to form in ChiChi’s eyes once again.  As the song went on, the lyrics stuck a deep chord within her that made the tears fall faster.

::Don't leave me in all this pain::
::Don't leave me out in the rain::
::Come back and bring back my smile::
::Come and take these tears away::
::I need your arms to hold me now::
::The nights are so unkind::
::Bring back those nights when I held you beside me::

‘Oh Goku.  Why did you have to die again?  I’ve been through so much pain.’  ChiChi sighed with grief.  Gohan was always so concerned for her.  Why shouldn’t he be?  ChiChi never smiled anymore, and she barely spoke.  She walked around like a zombie.  Her son could probably hear her at night when she was crying.  But it didn’t matter to her.  All ChiChi knew was that Goku wasn’t beside her anymore, wasn’t there to protect her from the dark shadows of the night.  ‘I know the world needs protecting Goku, but for once, why couldn’t you just protect me?  I can’t live without you.’

::Take back that sad word good-bye::
::Bring back the joy to my life::
::Don't leave me here with these tears::
::Come and kiss this pain away::
::I can't forget the day you left::
::Time is so unkind::
::And life is so cruel without you here beside me::

ChiChi closed her eyes in pain as she remembered the day that Goku left for the Cell Games.

Goku and Gohan walked to the front door when it was time to leave.  Gohan looked up at his now teary eyed mother and hugged her.  “Bye Mom.  I love you.”  ChiChi smiled softly at her son.  “I love you too Gohan.  Please come back safe.  I don’t want anything to happen to you or your father.  Alright?” 

“Ok Mom.  Bye!  We’ll be back soon.  Dad, ready to go?” Gohan asked, turning to his father. 

Goku eyed his wife before answering.  “Why don’t you go ahead Gohan.  I’ll catch up in a couple of seconds, ok?” 

Gohan, realizing that his parents needed some time alone together, simply smiled and took off. Goku turned to his wife and was surprised as he was caught up in a crushing embrace. 

“Oh Goku.  Please come back safe.  I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you or Gohan.” ChiChi said softly. 

Goku looked down stricken at his wife.  What made her think that he would let anything happen to their son? 

“I won’t let anything happen to Gohan, I promise.” Goku said down to his tiny wife.  ChiChi looked up into Goku’s dark eyes.

 “But what about you, Goku?  Are you planning on sacrificing yourself once again?  Oh God, Goku.  I couldn’t take it if you died again-“  Before his wife could continue, Goku planted a soft kiss on ChiChi’s lips. 

“Hey, don’t start thinking like that.  I don’t plan on sacrificing myself or dying.  Everything will be all right.  I have to go now, but I’ll be back with Gohan safe and sound.  I promise.”  Giving ChiChi a soft squeeze, he planted a kiss on her forehead before turning around to take off.  But before he left, he looked back at his wife and said, “Goodbye ChiChi.  I love you.”      

ChiChi wiped the tears that were threatening to spill, and answered her husband.  “I love you too Goku.  Come back soon.”

Goku gave her his trademark smile, and took off into the sky after his son.

‘Oh Goku, please come back safe with our son.  I love you too much to bear it if you died again.’ ChiChi thought before returning into her home.

But the days following the news of Goku’s death were hell.  ChiChi realized that she was pregnant with her second child.  But she tortured herself at night with the good times with Goku and all of the memories of her husband and first love.

::Unbreak my heart::
::Say you'll love me again::
::Undo this hurt you caused::
::When you walked out the door::
::And walked outta my life::
::Uncry these tears::
::I cried so many nights::
::Unbreak my heart::
::My heart::

            As the song went on, ChiChi began to cry harder as the memories of Goku were pushed into her mind.  The first time they met...their wedding...the first time they made love...Gohan’s birth...conceiving Goten....and then, his death at the hands of Cell.  ‘Stop...STOP!’  Now ChiChi had wrapped her arms around her legs, drawing her knees up to her chest.  She began to rock back and forth as the silent tears came faster.  She tensed when a knock came on her bedroom door.  Gohan opened the door slowly and poked his head in.  “Mommy?  Are you ok?”  He walked in the room and stood by ChiChi’s bed.  Now he saw her bloodshot eyes and tear-streaked face. 

Gohan slowly climbed into the bed next to his mother and hugged her .  “Please don’t cry Mom.  Then you make me sad.” 

"It’s just...just your dad, he promised me....promised me that he'll....he'll be back with you safe and sound." she said between sobs and sniffs. She was about to continue when he spoke....

"Mommy, please, stop it."  Gohan begged.  "Daddy loves us so much, that's why he sacrificed himself.  I know Mom, it really hurts, but we have to move on.  Daddy's not gonna like it if you kept crying every night.  So, please Mom, stop crying." he begged once again.

ChiChi sadly smiled down at her son.  “I’m sorry Gohan.  I won’t cry anymore, ok?” 

“It’s ok Mom.  I just want to get better!”  Gohan looked up at his mother, flashing a grin, before hugging ChiChi again and closing his eyes.  ‘That smile...it’s exactly like Goku’s.  I see so much of him in Gohan...Oh Goku, you torture me so.’  She began to tear up again.  Oh Kami, when would this pain stop?  Should she just end her life?  Looking down at her sleeping son, she made her decision.  No...how could she think such a thing?  ‘Gohan needs me, and so does this little one.’ She thought, patting her rounded stomach.  She hugged her son closer to her and closed her eyes.  ‘I love you Goku, no matter what.  I know you’ll come back someday...you always do, for the Earth, for your family, and for me.'  She smiled before drifting off to sleep for the first time in days.

::Unbreak my heart::

The End.