Secrets and Revenge

Piccolo watched boy boy sleep in the bed Bulma had provided for Gohan. It had been nearly three weeks since Vegeta and himself had rescued Dende and Gohan from the madman Shovri oe Loe Lookout. Three long arduous, pain filled weeks. Son Gohan had yet to wake in all that time. The only sign he still lived was the times he cried desperately in his sleep, the tossing and turning as he screamed for his parents, as he cried and pleaded to the ghost of Shovri, that he\'d be a good boy and not tell anyone. Bulma had to come up with a Ki dampening collar, since Gohan had fought in his sleep, and nearly took out half the recovery room the first night out of the tank. He was now safely inhibited, the collar siphoning just enough ki energy to keep him from lashing out dangerously.

The internal conflict Piccolo felt as he watched the orphaned boy was tremendous. Guilt warred with grief, anger fought with sadness, a sense of utter loss mixed in with everything else; on top of that, the sick feeling that crept up on him at various times, as he caught himself thinking about what Shovri had done to Gohan. He\'d never had these feelings before. Anger, yes. Hatred, yes..he harbored a lot of hatred for many things. Guilt? Yes, even the \'great\' and once evil Piccolo held guilt in his heart. Guilt for many things.

But one thing he\'d never ever feel guilty for, was for learning to care. Learning to care for the boy he currently stood silent vigil over. It was the very child he watched over that had taught him that one human emotion. He had often put up a facade, snorted about having emotions, that they were near useless. Especially the softer less... namekian warrior emotions.

Sighing softly, he picked up the book he had set down a while ago and looked for where he\'d left off. When Bulma had first suggested Piccolo reading a book to the near catatonic boy, he\'d been strongly against it. He recalled the conversation.


~~~ ~~~
\"YOU want me to what?\" Piccolos voice was a low growl as he stared at Bulma incredulously. The muscles twitching on his jaw. Beads of sweat dotted the dark green skin.

Bulma waved a book in the Nameks face and replied in a condescending voice. \"Reading Piccolo. You DO know how to read don\'t you?! Besides, I\'ve heard that reading and talking to people in catatonic states can sometimes bring them out of it. It won\'t kill you to lose the macho scene and do something \'mushy\' for once. Guh your as bad as Vegeta.\"

Inside his own head he heard Kami snort with laughter, he silently told the old god to stuff it. He glowered at the blue haired woman and spoke through clenched teeth. \"OF course I know HOW to read Woman! The human language isn\'t THAT hard to pick up. Since you all feel the need to write crap in the most inane places. I\'ve lived on earth all my life. You\'d THINK I\'d pick up on a few things!\"

Bulma again looked up with a slight smirk. Piccolo knew in that instant how Vegeta must feel dealing with the woman on a daily basis. In that moment he also felt a sliver of pity for Vegeta. \" Then go in there crack open the book and start reading!\" Pointing to the doorway and towards Gohan\'s room.

The namek scowled and snatched the book from Bulmas hand and stormed off. Passing a smug Vegeta on the way. Piccolo KNEW why he was so smug. He hadn\'t for once been on the receiving end of Bulmas sharp tongue.Dende knew how many arguments he\'d been forced to hear just in the first week alone. Muttering as he passed; \"An\' you all wonder why Nameks are asexual. If we had to deal with lippy females like you humans....\" Trailed off as he passed by.

Vegeta just smirked, leaning against the doorway and watched the disgruntled Namek pass by. Bulma looked rather pleased with herself.

Piccolo had opened the book, and with a voice not used to being uso muo much, he haltingly at first started the first chapter to the book. Bulma watched from the doorway, a faint smile on her face, silently encouraging the large alien to not stop.

~~~ ~~~

Blinking, he came back from that memory with a light snort, book held in hand. He\'d hadot tot to think about in that time. In that time they\'d had a double funeral for both Goku and Chichi. Their own son unable to attend. Piccolo had only watched from a distance as the couple had been lowered into the ground together. Again another sad memory. He sighed softly, closing the book and setting it aside on the small nightstand.

He regarded the small boy, he\'d begun to think of as his \'son\' for the past week and a half now. He watched his face as he slept. Even in sleep Gohan looked tortured, scared.... so very haunted. Innocence shattered, Piccolo thought to himself. I wonder how humans have managed to survive all these centuries. So willing to torture each other.

~~But Piccolo, Kami\'s voice cut into his thoughts. Much to Piccolos irritation. It wasn\'t humans who did this to him. It was a saiyajin wgreagreat Psi power. Gohan\'s own race. Its not even really fair to blame a race for cruel ways. Every specie is capable of cruelty and evil.~~

Piccolo glared at nothing, wishing Kami was right there so he could yell. Instead he responded in a soft, yet angry voice. ~~ It doesn\'t matter. This never should have happened. I don\'t even fully understand WHAT happened. As much as it annoys me to admit this to you. All I know is that the kid was hurt in one of the worst possible ways, and I can\'t fix it. ~~

Kami knew that it took a lot for his host to admit this. After all, they had been one and the same so long ago. He recalled the arrogant pride he\'d once felt before splitting. But there wasn\'t much Kami could offer in the way of explaining, or in the way of consoling Piccolo. He only knew that sympathy would get him some caustic remark. So he retreated to his own corner of the shared mind.

Piccolo again focused on the still form of Gohan, careful of his own claw like nails, he gently as possible grasped Gohan\'s hand in his and spoke softly. \"Gohan, I know you can hear me. I know your in there Son Gohan. Don\'t try to hide from me, you\'ve always been lousy at hiding from me. You need to wake up and face the world again kid. He\'s gone Gohan, Vegeta and I made damn sure that bastard is never coming back. I swear on my life Gohan. I know I know I let you down, I know I wasn\'t there to save your family. Wasn\'t there to keep you from hisch; ch; but I swear to you Gohan, your safe.\"

Piccolo, wiped small beads of sweat off Gohan\'s forehead, waiting, for a response. A flicker of coherency, anything, a simple twitch of lips would have made him happy. He sighed a bit in disappointment as he again received nothing. Still holding the small hand,closclosed his eyes, slightly falling into that meditative state. He somewhat hoped that if he could just have contact with Gohan and exert a relaxing presence, that maybe it\'d be enough to coax the boy to waking. He smiled faintly to himself. Hell why not? He always seemed to find me when I was meditating, maybe he\'ll come out just to disturb me. It was worth a shot.

Vegeta watched from the door way, silent. He\'d watched the two interact off and on for the past three weeks, Piccolo doing his best to wake the boy; Gohan balking to wake up. The boys being a coward, Vegeta thought angrily. The brat is just hiding from what happened to him, if I had my way I\'d shake and slap the kid awake. But of course not.

Vegeta knew that there couldn\'t be anything worse he could do right now. Waking and slapping the boy might even make it worse, driving him further into the depths of his own mind, or even worse, killing him. He growledtly tly as he watched the nearly lifeless Gohan and turned away, unable to watch anymore.

It angered Vegeta. Not at the fact that Gohan was here. No, if anything deep inside he was at least grateful the boy wasn\'t killed. What angered the Prince was that his only rival had been murdered by his own son, through the actions of Shovri. What pissed him off even more was the fact that a low level saiyajin had successfully had done to his rival in which he, a elite and Royalty could not. It angered him. He simply brushed off the fact that the boy had been brutally raped, mind controlled, and forced to kill his own parents. Selfish thoughts he knew; but right now he couldn\'t care less. He was too angry about Kakkorot being dead.

Changing into training gear he entered the training room Bulma had made for him. He needed time alone.


==================================================================================

The night was shattered by a soul rendering scream. Gohan\'s back arched as he fought the enemy in his mind, as he screamed and begged to the cruel hands of the nightmare to release him. The very foundations of Capsule Corp. rocked as he flared his ki, breaking the collar that drained him, sending shrapnel like pieces flying throughout the room. Gohan\ody ody hovered over the bed floating for a moment, back arched arms akimbo to his sides, legs splayed a bit. He gave one final shudder and dropped back onto the bed.

Piccolo picked himself up off the floor, the bed being the only cover the room had to offer. Grunting softly he plucked bits of metal from his skin and hissed a bit in pain. Purple blood dripped from a deep laceration on his cheek. It\'d heal in time, so he didn\'t bother to worry about it. Wiping his face with his arm he immediately went to check on Gohan.

\"Gohan! Gohan, hey kid can you hear me?!\" Piccolo brushed bits of plaster and housing materials off of the boy, hearing a choked sob from beneath.

\".....noooooooo....god...no... \" The speech was slurred but Piccolo could hear Gohan\'s raspy voice, the complete and total grief. Piccolo, clenched his own jaw tight, as if he were empathic, and felt the desolate emptiness Gohan felt inside himself. Tears formed in the Nameks eyes as Gohan clung to him. The words Gohan\'s spoke next tearing the alien apart. \"Otousan.... \"

\"Oh my God...\" Bulmas voice broke through Piccolos spiraling thoughts, she clung to Vegeta, who was in a ki shield of his own. Bulmas armsppedpped around Vegetas neck she in a light nightgown, Vegeta a pair of black silk boxers only adorning him. He\'d gone super in order to protect himself and Bulma. He \'t \'t look none to happy about it either.

\"CAN\'T YOU CONTROL YOUR BRAT BOY, NAMEK!? I\'M NOT FACING THE SAME FATE KAKKOROT DID!\" Vegeta instantly regretted the words that slipped from his lips his mouth snapping shut with an audible sound. Vegeta could have swore that the color actually drained from Piccolos face. Vegeta actually stammered. \"I.. I... meant.. I spoke out of ang-\"

The damage had been done; Gohan had heard Vegetas words as he hung limply in Piccolos arms. Aat mat moment the room could actually feel Gohan willing himself to die. The moan that escaped his lips was nothing more than him wiling himself to stop breathing. Piccolo let a soft cry escape his lips as he could feel the boys ki slipping away.

Bulma jerked out of Vegetas grasp and despite the danger of sharp objects and shrapnel, she ran to Piccolos side and tried to pull the boy out of Piccolos arms. The boy and namek simply refused to let go of each other.

\"Piccolo let me have Gohan! Please! You have to let me take him to the Regen tanks! Please Piccolo..aaahh god... please... He didn\'t mean it.. Vegeta didn\'t mean it Gohan, please.. hear me.\" Bulmas voice cracked with a sob, as she finally got the boy out of the others arms. She kissed and cradled the young boy, hot tears spilling from her che cheeks and onto Gohan\'s. Stroking his hair and giving motherly touches she desperately tried to bring the boy back from death.

Piccolo turned to face Vegeta, intent on killing the saiyajin prince with his bare hands. Last god damn true saiyajin or not. He roared in rage as he noticed Vegeta had indeed possessed the brains to scram. He forced himself to calm down, for Gohan and for Bulma. Despite her outer attitude towards Piccolo these past few weeks, he could still smell and sense her fear of him. Forcing his features to relax, knowing he probably looked like a creature possessed he spoke softly. \" Take him to the tanks Bulma, but I don\now now if it will do any good. Your fool husband probably just killed the last shred of hope or any repair that had been done. If he dies Bulma.. I can swear that I won\'t die until Vegetas head is torn from that runt body. \"

Bulma swallowed and stepped back from Piccolo, eyes wide, clutching Gohan so tightly the boy actually squeaked a protest, despite his unconscious state. \" Hai... I... I...understand..Pic..Picc. I.. I.. p p promise to do what.. what.. I can... \"

Piccolo glared at her snorting in exasperation. \"Calm down woman! I\'m not going to hurt your or eat you. You\'d think after all these years, you and Chichi both would have gotten over your ridiculous fear. I get sick every time I smell i you you. Just take care of Gohan. I\'m going to the Lookout to speak with Dende. I\'ll be back soon.\" That said, Piccolo launched through the hole in the wall, and into the night sky.

Bulma managed to make it to the lab before fainting; a lab assistant scooping Gohan from her arms before they both hit, another rushing to tend to her. This was going to be a long time in healing, Bulmas muzzy thought flitted through her head as the darkness drowned her in numbness.


==================================================================================

**One year later **


The sun shown down on Capsule Corp. the June air hot and humid, only with the barest hint of wind for relief. The garden of CC was in full bloom, various flowers and plants placed there by Mrs.Briefs herself gave off a mixture of scents, and depending on the nose, one could either find it pleasant or appalling. The rooms that had been destroyed by Gohan one year previous had been finished and the building once more stood proud and whole.

Bulma, Vegeta, Piccolo, Krillin and Gohan sat at the poolside in the garden, enjoying the summer sun and warm air. Wanting to put the nastiness of nearly a half a year ago away once and for all. Gohan had pulled through with a lot of encouragement from Piccolo, Krillin, Dende and Bulma. Even Vegeta had offered in his own gruff way to help the boy. In due time they had brought him back, had started the process of making him whole again. Trying to show him how to be a little boy again. Today, was a special day.. the first day Gohan had willingly stepped outside.

Piccolo sat quietly next to Gohan under a large lemon tree sitting in his normal meditative position; Gohan sat curled up in his lap, head resting on the Nameks knee. Krillin chatted amicably about the prospective marriage to the android turned human 18. Piccolo mostly tuned the annoying noise out aocusocused on relaxing around Gohan; Gohan listened to Krillin and occasionally spoke softly, answering his friends questions.

Gohan\'s small cracked and still broken voice piped up, rousing Piccolo from his thoughts. Piccolo grimacing at the boys voice. It had been nearly destroyed by Shovri, by his brutal torture, the boys own screams nearly stripping the cords. \"Otousan?\"

Piccolo smiled faintly as he heard the word Gohan now used for him religiously.\"Yeah kid?\" He cracked open his eyes and looked down at the face that stared up at him from his lap.

\"Krillin san wants to know if I can to go to his wedding... \" The young face stared up at him apprehensively; Piccolo could tell it took a lot for him to ask. Not because he was afraid oft Pit Piccolo might say, but more because he was asking to go somewhere. Going somewhere meant other people, other people meaning men would be there. Men, who could be another Shovri.

Piccolo glanced at Krillin who smiled faintly, both of them knew that this is what Gohan needed to help recover from his fears. Piccolo nodded and smiled down at his \'son\'* \"Sure kid, maybe Bulma will be willing to take you clothes shopping.\"

Krillin grinned and laughed. \"Just don\'t let her make you wear anything dorky.. I need a good looking ring bearer at my wedding. Style is the only requirement.\" He grinned a bit as his comment managed to get a small giggle out of Gohan.

Bulmas voice called out from the pool. \"HEY! I resent that! I have style thank you very much. I Have to! SOMEONE\'S gotta dress Vegeta.\"

Krillin and Gohan both laughed softly, Piccolo snorted in response and Vegeta leaned against the wall and glowered, muttering; \"No one dresses me, woman.\"

Piccolo watched them quietly, watched as Gohan and Krillin moved away from him to talk of things with out disturbing him. He smiled faintly as he watched Gohan\'s expression lighten, finally starting to look like a 12 year old again.

~~He\'s finally learning Kami. It\'s taken a long time, but he\'s finally learning to be a boy again. It has taken us a year, there\'s been some close calls..but he\'s slowly rebuilding himself. I Had hoped that the dragon balls could have restored Goku and Chichi, but it was too late. I had spoken to Dende and as I feared there was no way around that.~~

Kami remained silent a moment, making Piccolo start to wonder if his other half was even there. Then his voice echoed in his mind. ~~ Yes, it has been a long arduous trip. But I think we all knew he\'d pull through. He\'s a Son, a Saiyajin, and now.. your son. You and Goku taught him well how to be sg. Ag. At times I think you have been more of a father to him than G Goi Going to great lengths to make sure he\'d survive whatever was thrown at him. I\'m proud of him and of you. Both of you have taught each other many things. Love being the most important. I think I can safely say that Gohan couldn\'t have picked a better substitute for a \'father\' than you. ~~

Piccolo reflected on this for the rest of the day, meditated on it until Gohan roused him once more from his thoughts to say he was tired and wanted to go inside. Standing and stretching somewhat stiff joints, he offered his hand to Gohan, who slipped his hand into the Nameks. Walking inside, he prepared Gohan for bed.

Gohan laid in bed, watching Piccolo. His friend, master.... father. He\'d never forget his parents. Neverget get Goku\'s gentle joking voice, sometimes clumsy manner, his willingness to protect those who couldn\'t. The man who taught him how to be.. human. Or Chichi. He\'d never forget her gentle touch when he hurt himself, her stern words when he tried to skip out on studying, the kisses she\'d give him when tucking him into bed. Those memories would never fade.

But now, they were gone. He still blamed himself for not doing the right thing and telling his parents what Shovri was doing. He still harbored that pain of hurt for what he\'d done. Shoving the memories away, the guilt he watched as Piccolo approached the bed. He whispered. \"Goodnight Otousan.. I.. love you..\"

Piccolo smiled faintly and brushed hair off of Gohan\'s forehead, turning off the light with his other hand.oodnoodn........obocchan (son) I... love you too.. \"

Gohan smiled sleepily his heart leaping at Piccolos words, that flame of hope and life returning. Soon, he fell asleep.

Piccolo, waited till Gohan fully slept, then...resumed his place back in the shadows to watch over the most important thing of his life. His son.


~Fin.~