An Angel's Tale

Author’s Note: WARNING!!!! This chapter contains dark subject matter!! It involves a miscarriage and a suicide. If you are uncomfortable with either or both of these, skip the part between the virtual roses. See longer note at the end.

Can’t Leave Well Enough Alone

DISCLAIMER: If you think I own this, I have some lovely ocean-front property in Southern Illinois I’d love to sell you. In other words, it ain’t mine.

Chi-Chi sat and stared at the six magic balls on the floor in front of her. ‘Goku has probably found the seventh by now,’ she thought. ‘Soon I’ll be welcoming my daughter-in-law back.’
~~~<~~~@ Flashback @~~~>~~~
One year before, Chi-Chi and Gohan had been sitting at Videl’s bedside when the doctor gave them the horrible news. The child she carried was not moving, not even his heart was beating. Goku had gathered the dragonballs then, and they saw the skies darken when the summoning happened. A few minutes later, he arrived at the room to deliver the bad news.
“Shen Long can’t bring the baby back. It was a natural death. I’m sorry,” was all he’d been able to say before the room erupted in sobs. Videl’s voice had been like the keening of a banshee in her grief when her father-in-law handed her a small golden frame. He’d used one of the wishes from the dragon to give them a picture of what their son would’ve looked like had he lived. It was a progression, holding images of both a boy and a man, and it broke his parents’ hearts.
She was never the same again. They’d kept the pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage a closely-guarded secret. Son Lucifer had been buried in the private garden behind Mr. Satan’s mansion, next to his grandmother, Lilith Satan.
All sorts of rumors began circulating about Satan City’s preeminent daughter’s descent into a depression so profound there seemed no cure. The papers claimed that she was taking drugs, both prescription and recreational, and drinking heavily. Both rumors were true, but they were the effect, not the cause.
Six months after losing her son, Videl disappeared. Her body was found propped up against the gravestone of her son, an empty vodka bottle in one hand and an empty bottle of prescription sleeping pills in the other. Unable to deal with the grief, she’d killed herself. The note found nearby said that she didn’t deserve to live while her son was in the grave.
~~~<~~~@ End Flashback @~~~>~~~

‘I’m sure she’ll forgive me for this. She wouldn’t want to see Gohan panting after that American whore anymore than I do,’ Chi-Chi thought bitterly. She was hoping that Videl’s competitive spirit would be enough to overcome the depression. She could almost forgive Goten for his indiscretions with Bulma’s slut daughter for letting it slip that the little bitch was bringing Seraphim back to Japan with the hopes of reuniting her with Gohan. He didn’t seem to realize that his mother was less than pleased to hear about the girls’ plan to pull Gohan from his own depression. Her plan was much better, and something he should’ve done himself.
Goku landed, the four-star ball in his hand. He set it down with the others, and then turned to his wife. “I still think this is a bad idea, Chi-Chi. She didn’t want to live anymore, and I think we should respect her choice.”
Chi-Chi rolled her eyes and turned to the balls. “That’s why you leave the thinking to me, Goku. She and Gohan deserve to be happy. TOGETHER. Shen Long, awaken!” she shouted as she turned. The sky darkened as the giant dragon appeared, dominating the horizon and blocking out the late sunset.
Goku took advantage of her distraction to take off. He had to warn the girls that there was going to be some competition for Sera.
Personally, he’d always liked the American woman. She didn’t pressure Gohan, and accepted him for who he was. She wasn’t bossy and moody like Chi-Chi, and that was something he wanted his son to avoid if at all possible.
It had taken him all day to find the dragonballs, and it was now rather late in the day. When he got to Capsule Corp. it was after ten o’clock. He searched with his senses until he found Gohan, but his son was close to Sera, and Goku could not bring himself to interrupt. So he kept searching and located the younger group. They were all together in one of the large apartments on the grounds, and so that’s where Goku went.
He walked in to find them throwing toast at the screen. His words froze the group, “Keep Gohan here until the party, Pan. Your grandmother is wishing your mom back.”

Author’s note (continued): For those who skipped it, basically Videl had a miscarriage and when they tried to wish the baby back, they weren’t able to. Goku used one of the wishes from Dende’s dragonballs to give them a picture of what their son would’ve looked like from birth until he was grown. Six months later she killed herself. For those who’ve never had the misfortune of having a miscarriage, let me tell you that suicide is, in fact, a thought that can cross your mind after one. I’ve had two. So, this chapter also let me deal with some of my personal demons. It’ll get brighter after this, I promise. So, ya’ll hit the review button, and tell me what you think so far, and while you do that, I’m going to go get started on the next chapter. It’s time for some lemonade after all this bitterness.