CHAPTER 3:

GOKU'S LOT

Goku sighed for the umpteenth time as he stirred the soup wearily. His dad would be home any minute now and the house looked like a cyclone had gone through it.

"Mine!!"

"No Mine!!"

He winced inwardly as his baby twin sisters’ voices grew louder and louder. They were probably arguing over another stupid Barbie doll again. Just then....

CRAASSSSSSHHHHHH!!!

"Oh, Oh…" one of the voices said quietly.

Goku didn't even want to know what they had broken this time. He loved his sisters to death and didn't want to scare them away with his temper. So putting on a  neutral face, he walked into the living room and saw....

"HOLY SHIT!" he exclaimed.

His father’s precious and prized Waterford Crystal Cross was nothing more than debris on the floor. The girls stood over it, lips trembling, knowing that if this got such a reaction from their big brother, think of what their father’s reaction would be.

"Holy Shit." This seemed to be Goku's mantra as he walked in a daze toward the mess.

"Goku..." began Akira

"...we didn't mean too," finished Aeisha glumly.

They were both close to tears now and had their best "puppy-got-lost" look on their faces. Goku stared at the two miniature versions of himself (only female form of course). Their hair if not combed right (which was right now) stood out in every which way. They still had on their school uniforms, which were messed up with chocolate and sand. I forgot to give them a bath.

Sighing, "Okay girls," began Goku, "you know the drill."

"Aren't you mad at us?" asked Aeisha.

"Of course I am," replied Goku, "but right now, you both need to go into the bathtub and take your showers. I have got work to do down here. Okay?" Ruffling their heads, he gave them a cheerful smile and huddled them upstairs.

Damn! Now what?

Half an hour later, a pair of Blues Clues pajamas-clad girls were sitting in front of the TV, while Goku finished cleaning up the kitchen. He had to work extra fast, as his father had called from his cell phone, saying he was on his way back from work. The last thing he needed now was another one of his lectures…not that he wasn't going to get one about the broken crystal.

Pouring himself a cup of orange juice, he stalked into his room to get his schoolbooks. He groaned at the amount of work he had to do.

Shit! I just had to go see Bulma's new car.

Another part of his mind whispered. But then you wouldn't have met Vegeta. He smiled at that thought. Yeah...probably not. He sure is different.

Vegeta radiated a powerful aura around him, which had in turn made Goku feel something tighten in his chest and lower regions of his anatomy. He sighed, books forgotten, as with his chin in hand, he stared out his window.

"Vegeta..." The name rolled off his tongue in a drawl and Goku was embarrassed to find himself getting hard again. Shifting uncomfortably in his chair, he pondered on what this meant. Chi-chi was his current girlfriend and he appreciated her, but she didn't make him feel ...

Feel what? Complete? Hn...and Vegeta does? Yeah right. He would probably rip my guts out and laugh at me if I decided to come on to him. Oh well...never mind.

Goku knew he was attractive to both members of the opposite sex. He had had so many girlfriends since grade school, that he lost count. In high school, several seniors (especially the football players) back then had invited him to their senior parties and boy! did he get an eyeful. Even now, a freshman in college, he didn't behave like an 18 year old, but rather as someone who was more worldly and wiser. He still got the same offers, but he had stuck with Chi-Chi. That didn't stop him from trying it out with other guys, too. Got to enjoy life while you can. He smirked.

His thoughts were cut short when he heard the rattling of the keys in the front door. Quickly flying down the stairs, he opened it.

"Welcome home, Dad!"

"Hey son!" replied Bardock.

"Daddy!" came the screams of two happy twins.

"How are my little princesses?!" chuckled Bardock, as he twirled the girls around in the air.

Goku listened idly to the usual baby talk between his father and sisters, a pang of jealousy running through him. He had never really been close to his father, despite what others might have thought. After his mom passed away 7 years ago, while giving birth to the twins, his father had practically shut him out. Oh sure, he asked the usual "how is school?" and all that , but they had never really had any wonderful father and son moment. He hurt every time he tried to engage in conversation and he would be given only noncommittal sentences or most times just plain silence. He hurt when his father would not come to any of his games, or school events, always coming up with the excuse that he had some important business at work. Hell! Bardock hadn't even shown up on his High School graduation for Chrissakes! He had been out of town and it had been his grandparents that had showed up. He could still remember the stilted conversation they had had when he returned.

~****~

"Well son... congratulations," Bardock began awkwardly.

“Thanks Dad," mumbled Goku, trying hard to keep back the tears from flowing .

"Umm...I have a gift for you..." Bardock shoved a black bound box into his hands.

"Thanks."

"..."

"..."

"Well, aren't you going to open it?"

Goku sighed and opened the box, revealing an intricately designed knife. The handle was carved with men in fighting forms, and the blade was curved at a wicked angle flashing brightly in the light.

What am I supposed to do with this? Goku thought miserably. Doesn’t he understand? I don't need gifts...I need you, Dad.

"Thanks a lot Dad. It's really neat," he replied with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

"Glad you like it. It costs a lot you know, so you better keep it safe."

"Sure."

~****~

"You hungry, Dad?" asked Goku, following the other three into the kitchen.

"No son, thanks for asking. Okay girls, it’s time for your shuteye. "

"Aww...do we have too?!" came simultaneous complaints.

"Yes you do, or no more ice-cream cakes for you both for a week," came Bardock's answer.

That promptly got the girls going, giving their dad a kiss on the cheek and a hug to Goku, but not before giving Goku a worried glance. Goku gave them a reassuring wink, although he felt far from it. With the girls gone, Goku felt even more apprehensive.

How to tell him?

He watched Bardock stroll into his den and turn on the PC.

"Working late again, Dad?" asked Goku.

"Yeah, I have got a lot of work to finish up."

Silence.

I can't do it! I can't tell him! Yes, you can! What’s the worse that could happen?

"Is there something you wanted, son?" asked Bardock quizzically.

Son...never Goku. Either that, or Kakarrot… when he was particularly upset (a name Bardock had insisted belonged to his great-grandfather, although Goku doubted that.) His dad refused to call him Goku. Only his mother had used it, saying it sounded musical to her.

"Umm...actually...I just wanted to tell you that...ummm..."

"I am not getting any younger, Kakarrot."

Now!

"I was cleaning up the shelf and then by accident, I tipped over the crystal cross..."Goku blurted out in a rush.

Silence reigned supreme for several agonizing minutes, as Goku became utterly fascinated with the wood patterns on the floor. Suddenly, he felt himself fly across the room, landing with a painful thud in the living room. He held his jaw, realizing that he been hit. He looked up fearfully into dark, enraged eyes.

"How dare you! Goddamnit! How dare you! You just had to destroy the very last gift your mother gave to me didn't you, Kakarrot! Have you no conscience? You bastard! I should kill you for that, but Fiona would not have agreed! I hope you are finally satisfied, you have finally destroyed something that meant so much more to me than..." Bardock broke off, clenching a fist into his mouth to stop the sobs that were wracking through his body.

"Father...please..." began Goku in a frightened whisper, trying to wipe away the tears that had silently been falling down his cheeks.

"Enough! Get out of my sight now!"

Goku scrambled up on weak knees and stumbled up the stairs to his room. He halted as he saw Aeisha and Akira peeking out of their doorway looking at him in fear and worry.

"It's okay, babies. Go to bed now. Everything's gonna be okay. Daddy's just a little upset. Okay?"

The girls nodded numbly and silently shut the door to their room. Goku released a pent up breath and walked into his room. Curling up in a fetal position on his bed, he let the tears fall unheedingly.

Oh God! I miss you so much, Mum.

And with the tears still cascading down his cheeks, he fell into dark, dreamless sleep with the vague sense of being watched over by brilliant, obsidian eyes.