Chi Chi regarded the sleeping namekian, an expression of thoughtfulness on her face. �We�ll see how he is tomorrow. If he�s any worse, we�ll have to get your dad�s old doctor out here.�
�But Piccolo-san is a namekian.� The demi-saiyajin pointed out.
�Your father was a saiyajin. He�s used to doctoring complete alien warriors.�
Gohan nodded, trying hard not to let his concerns get the best of his emotions. Sensing what was about to happen, Chi Chi walked out the door, adding, �It�s almost bedtime. You need to get some sleep, Gohan.�
The moment he heard her head downstairs, the tears came. Gohan gazed at Piccolo through blurred vision. �You can�t die, Piccolo-san�I don�t want you to leave me again. Dad is still gone�doing that stupid training or whatever, forgetting completely about mom and me. You�re everything to me, Piccolo-san�like a second daddy.�
He stood there by the namekian�s bedside for what had to have been an hour. Then, exhausted, he crawled onto the edge of the bed and laid there, sobs reduced to hiccups.
A heavy hand fell to rest across his shoulders and Gohan�s head snapped up to find Piccolo looking at him drowsily, with that same feeble smile on his face. As if his emotions regenerated, Gohan burst into tears and moved close enough to rest his head on the namekian�s chest. It was only when that muscular arm draped over him that he drifted off.
The next day provided no better results. If anything, Piccolo�s illness had intensified. He remained in a comatose state, not waking up at all. Chi Chi and Gohan watched him worriedly as he gasped for breath.
�Gohan, the thermometer said that his temperature�s rising 105 degrees.� The demi-saiyajin�s mother told him. �Even for a warrior of his strength, it could be fatal.�
�No, Piccolo-san�� Gohan murmured, tears glittering in his eyes, threatening to spill down his face.
�You stay with him,� Chi Chi said. �I�m going to go to the doctor�s to see what we can do.� In an instant, she was gone.
Gohan watched her drive away in her red air car from the window. Just then, a voice, so soft it was almost unreadable caught his ear. �Gohan��
The boy crawled up to his mentor�s side. �I�m here, Piccolo-san,�
�Listen�� he rasped, holding back the urge to cough. �You have to take care of yourself now�and your family.�
�But Piccolo-san! You can�t mean that��
Piccolo regarded his student�s tear-streaked face with glazed eyes. �I�m sorry, kid�but this is probably the last time I�ll ever see you. I wish�you didn�t have to see me waste away like this�but one can�t help�what happens.�
�No!� Gohan�s speech was barely audible for he was blubbering uncontrollably. �I won�t let you die!! It�s bad enough that Daddy�s not here!�
�Gohan��
�NO!� Realizing that his outburst had hurt the namekian�s sensitive ears, he shot up his hands over his mouth, determined to keep a low voice.
Smiling slightly, Piccolo continued, �I know you�ve heard something like this before�but I just want to let you know�that you�re like�a son to me. And I�m really proud of how you were in battle�with your great potential.�
Hiccupping, Gohan nodded and leaned over to wrap his protector in a frightened embrace. For once, Piccolo didn�t or rather couldn�t reject it. So, the two stayed there for the next hour in that same position, even after the namekian slipped back into unconsciousness.
�������
�Gohan?� Chi Chi pushed the spare-room door open. Gohan, who�d fallen asleep under one of Piccolo�s arms, snapped up his head. His mother hurried over and showed him a bottle in her hand. �This might do the trick.�
Snatching it out of her grasp, the boy picked up Piccolo�s limp head and removed the cap with his teeth. Chi Chi put her hands under the namekian�s shoulders to help support him. �Piccolo-san,� Gohan hissed, silently praying that he would hear him. �I�ve got some medicine! Try to swallow it.�
This time, however, there was no response, so the demi-saiyajin was forced to pry open his mouth with a free hand and pour the potentially life-saving fluid down his throat. Piccolo emitted a small cough as it entered his system, but still didn�t stir. Mother and son placed his head back down.
�What�s supposed to happen now?� Gohan asked, grasping Piccolo�s cold hand, staring up at Chi Chi with a frightened gaze.
�The doctor considered these symptoms part of a type of pneumonia.� She answered quietly. �We�ll know where we stand in a few days.�
Nodding silently, Gohan resumed his vigil over his downed mentor, hoping with all his heart that the namekian would pull through.
�������
Three days passed and Gohan never left Piccolo�s side, not even to eat. Finally, Chi Chi managed to convince him to take a break to eat, for if the namekian were to see him so weak from hunger, who knows what would happen. After making his mother promise to keep a close eye on the namekian, he reluctantly scurried downstairs.
The wife of Goku sighed as she replaced the dry cloth with damp one for his forehead. The fever had gone down at last, yet he rarely woke up. During the times he was awake, however, she had seen the gentle side of him. He really did seem to adore her son. She sat down at the desk beside the bed, watching him carefully. At the same time, determination erupted in her mind. He has to get through this! He can�t leave Gohan like this. Not like his father did! She hated to admit it, but she had to respect the surly namekian for trying to pull through for the sake of the young demi-saiyajin, for she knew the boy�s intense love of him was all that kept him alive and striving to recover.
Just then, Piccolo stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes ever so slightly. Chi Chi immediately got to her feet and took a step closer, �Piccolo?�
�?� The namekian glanced at her, curiously. �Gohan�s mom?� He sat up a little bit, propping his elbows against the pillow for support. �Where�s Gohan?�
�I made him go get something to eat.� She replied, relieved he was able to actually move. �He�s been guarding you for three days straight.�
�Piccolo-san?! Are you awake?!� Gohan stood in the doorway, feet frozen to the ground, mouth wide open.
As if seeing the boy gave him even more strength, Piccolo sat up completely and smiled. "Yeah, thanks to you and your mother."
Dropping the bowl of rice he had to the floor, the child made a running leap into the namekian's arms, sobbing with joy. "Piccolo-san! You're finally better!Oh, I can't believe it!!"
Piccolo rose on hand to tousle the boy's hair and rested his chin atop the boy's head. "It's okay, Gohan. It's okay."
Chi Chi smiled happily at the joyous sight. It was almost as if Goku was home. Piccolo was definitely a terrific fatherly character to Gohan. And for once, she wasn't ashamed to admit it to herself.
THE END