| All for Nothing Part One Chapter One Disclaimer: I don�t own DragonBall Z. Please don�t sue me. Like most writers here, I do this for fun and without a penny to my name. Thank you. *** Hi! This is my first attempt at a fanfic. I absolutely love Mirai Gohan, and I wrote this so that his life wouldn�t seem so superficial. Warning: I�m a hopeless romantic. Please give this story some time. Chpt. 1 isn�t very good, but I have so much more in store� just work with me. For Chpt. 1 the rating is probably PG, but I can�t say the same thing for other chapters. Gohan�s going to get PrEtTy SeRiOuS with someone �IF ya know what I mean� but again, I don�t want to give whole the story away. This is just to show how they met. The real story starts in the next chapter or two. Enjoy, and be nice with the reviews. All for Nothing ALL FOR NOTHING CHAPTER 1 Christine stopped in front of her apartment door and balanced her groceries in one hand while she unlocked the door with the other. She twisted the handle and kicked the door open, setting the bags on the countertop. At age seventeen, Christine was making a good living, and she had a decent place to live. She considered herself fortunate, after all, most young people who lost their families to the androids ended up on the street. Christine set a pot of water on the stove for tea and put the groceries away. Letting her slightly-longer-than-shoulder-length brown hair down, she sat at the table and pulled out her bills for the month of November. The heating bill had gone up. She figured. Lucky I got that bonus last week� She looked out the window and saw the city. A light snow was falling, adding to the snow already coating the top of each building like icing on a cake. Christine looked back at her bills and began writing a check. All of the sudden there was a loud noise that threatened to break the windows and she was jolted to the floor. �The hell�?� Christine threw on a sweater and left her apartment. She shielded her eyes from the bright sun reflecting off the snow as she searched the skies. Barely visible, were the androids. �Shit.� Christine turned and ran as she saw one of their blasts heading her direction. People all around her were running. The instinct of flight, followed by panic, had set in. The blast hit and she was propelled to the side, landing on her arm. She forced herself back up and continued, tripping along the way. I�m going to be just another victim, Christine thought. She shook her head forcing doubt to the back of her mind. But it resurfaced again when another blast propelled her forward, lifting her off the ground, then crashing back to it. She heard a ripping sound, and before she lost consciousness, she saw debris flying at her. �HELLO?� Gohan, now seventeen, climbed among the wreckage of the city. �I was too late,� he said through clenched teeth. �IS ANYONE HERE?� Christine�s vision focused, blacked out, and focused again. She tried to move but was covered in debris. I'm buried alive. She tried to move and call out, but she couldn�t do either. She opted to cry. Gohan stopped when he felt a ki nearby. Had someone survived the attack? He walked over to a pile of rubble and began to pull it away. Someone�s going to get me out! Christine�s spirit lifted. She steadied her breathing as she felt the pressure on her body lessen. All of the sudden a man�s face appeared in front of her. �Are you alright?� He asked. Christine tried to sit up but couldn�t, she shook her head. The man gently put his arm between her back and the ground, supporting her. �My name is Son Gohan. I�ll get you out of here, I promise.� Christine didn�t respond. �I won�t hurt you.� Gohan said. Christine coughed and with his help, sat up. Gohan stood and offered his hand. She grabbed it and pulled her self up, but as she went to put weight on her left leg she fell to the ground. �My leg�� she said hoarsely. Gohan nodded and turned to her leg. The snow nearby was soaked in blood. He tore the jeans material and inspected her leg. �It�s not broken, just torn up. You�ll be okay. I�m going to take you to a friend of mine.� Christine wanted to object, but Gohan had lifted her into his arms and by then she didn't have a thought of resisting. �Bulma!� Gohan knocked on the door. �Bulma! Trunks!� After a minute Bulma answered the door. �Gohan! Oh Kami! What hap-� Gohan cut her off. �She survived an attack by the androids. You have to help her. We need a bandage for her leg. I also want to make sure she didn�t hurt anything internally.� �Okay.� Christine was fading in and out of consciousness. Gohan laid her on the bed and Christine saw a woman with blue hair approach her before she passed out again. When she awoke, the woman with blue hair was sitting by her bed. �Good. You�re awake. I�m Bulma, welcome to Capsule Corp. I took care of your leg and you seem alright. I thought you might want to take a shower though.� Christine sat up. �A shower?� That sounded so nice. Bulma helped her up and showed her to the bathroom. �Take your time, okay? I�ll get some clothes together for you.� Christine acknowledged her words with a nod. She turned the water on warm and stripped off her shredded clothes. She stepped in and allowed the hot, pelting beads of moisture to fall on her aching body. She had washed her hair and body when she heard the door open. Instinctively she wrapped the shower curtain around herself and hid behind it. She raised her voice. �Who�s there?� The man from before, Gohan, answered. �It�s Gohan. Sorry, I hope I�m not interrupting anything. Don�t worry, I brought you some clothes, I�m not going to join you or anything.� He chuckled and left. Christine turned off the water and grabbed a towel that was set out. She pulled on a heavy shirt that was a little too big and pants that were the same. She wrapped her hair up in the towel and exited the humid bathroom. She silently walked down the carpeted hall until she got to a large living room. All of the sudden a small boy with purple hair stood up from playing with his toys. �Mom!� he shouted. �Who�s the pretty girl out in the living room?� Christine smiled. �I�m Christine, but you can call me Chris.� �I like that name... Christine,� a male voice said, pondering. She turned around, face to face with Gohan. �Wanna eat?� He asked. Christine nodded. An hour later Gohan stood up from conversing with Trunks and Bulma. �I�m going home, Christine, perhaps you should come with me. Since you don�t have anywhere to go and all.� Bulma smiled at Gohan�s offer. �You don�t have to� I can find somewhere to stay.� �No, I wouldn�t have asked if I didn�t want to. My mom would probably enjoy the company.� Christine looked at Bulma and Bulma nodded her head, signaling Christine to go with him. Christine rose and Gohan hurried to help her walk. �Thank you kindly,� Christine said towards Bulma and Trunks. �It was nice meeting you, hopefully, it won�t be the last time.� Bulma stood. �Your welcome, Christine. Take care of her Gohan.� Gohan stepped outside and picked Christine up. �What are you doing?� �Going home.� �How?� Christine asked, not seeing a car. �The most convenient mode of transportation.� �What would that be?� �The sky.� �The WHAT?� Gohan abruptly flew off into the air. When they landed Christine was shaking, not with cold but with fright. �Who are you?!� Gohan smiled. �If you�re going to be staying here I suppose I should tell you a few things about myself. One, I fly.� He opened the door and lay her in a chair. �Two, I eat� a lot.� He poured a citrus smelling drink into a cup and handed it to her, indicating to drink it. �Three, I�m half alien.� Christine spit out the liquid in her mouth back into the cup. He continued casually, �I�m not lying. I usually don�t tell everyone, but if you�re going to be living here it�s going to be kind of apparent.� �Hal- Ha- Half a- a- a- ali- alien?� She stuttered. Gohan nodded and smiled, handing her another cup. �Swallow this time.� Christine regarded the cup suspiciously. �There�s nothing weird in it. Drink.� A woman with jet black hair pulled back into a bun entered the room. �Gohan, you�re back. And you have a lady friend?� Gohan nodded. �Yes, mom. She�ll be staying for a while.� �Give her the spare room, okay?� �That�s what I intended.� Chi-Chi left and Christine stammered out another sentence. �Is sh-she an a- a- alien� too.� �No, it runs in my dad�s side. Watch.� Gohan�s hair turned blonde and his eyes teal. �Damn, I must have been out longer than I thought.� Gohan chuckled and powered down. �I�m only here to help you so please don�t feel threatened. If it makes you more comfortable my mom can take care of you.� His ebony eyes looked into her bright blue ones. The moment lasted only a second, but it felt longer. She shook her head. �Alright then, I�ll take you to your room. Right this way.� He stood up and offered his arm for her to lean on. They began walking to the room when Chi-Chi entered again. �Maybe you and her could go down to the lake tomorrow. Or maybe we can go shopping. It�s been such a long time since there�s been another person in the house. Let alone a girl." �Mom�� Chi-Chi smiled and left. �What did she mean by that?� Christine asked. �Nothing, she means I never get out much.� He opened a door and laid her on the bed. Christine studied the man in front of her. "So do you, like, come in peace?" Gohan shook the bed as he laughed. "No, I'm like a human, just evolved differently. I'm not a little green man in a human costume if that's what you're thinking, though I do know a few." He pulled the covers over her, minding her leg, and shut off the lights. "Night," he said. "Goodnight, and thank you." "No problem." A month or more later, Gohan and Christine were always seen together. They had moved beyond the savior-and-rescued relationship and Chi-Chi and Bulma would talk about what they saw to be a growing romance. �Gohan, will be eighteen come spring Chi-Chi. Don�t you think he�s feeling something more than just a friend to Christine? Don�t you think he will?� Bulma would always ask. Chi-Chi would laugh and respond, �I hope so.� Meanwhile, Gohan told Christine about his father, the Saiyans, and their enemies like Ginyu and Frieza. Christine had listened in disbelief. �So Saiyans are sort of like big mutated ape things? No offense,� Christine had questioned. �None taken, and only sort of,� Gohan had replied, laughing. Christmas Morning: �Christine! Wake up it�s Christmas!� Gohan ran into her room and shook her. �Just like a little kid,� Christine muttered. �What?� �Nothing.� They walked out into the living room, Gohan wearing a long sleeved training gi and Chi-Chi and Christine in robes. Gifts were exchanged. Most were practical, since money was tight and they didn�t want to spend it on extra things. Christine received mostly new clothing; Chi-Chi a few more dishes; and Gohan a brand new gi. Two presents remained under the tree, one for Trunks and one for Bulma. They would be coming over that night. Christine dressed and helped Chi-Chi in the kitchen with the cooking and in the living room with the decorating. Gohan, since he could fly, lined the roof with lights. It wasn�t important and no one could see it, but it was something his father had always done and he felt it necessary to continue the tradition. Soon the Briefs� arrived. Trunks was delighted to see Gohan and Christine again. They had a very large dinner that left them all full. And, as younger kids tend to be, Trunks was eager to open presents. Bulma gave the Sons� and Christine cash, knowing that they could use it. Chi-Chi had bought Bulma a pair of earrings that she had mentioned she�d wanted, and Trunks received a toy truck, since he was going through that �machinery and big stuff� phase. Bulma and Chi-Chi sat back with cups of tea and talked as Trunks made �vroom-vroom� noises pushing his truck along the ground. Christine excused herself to start doing the dishes and Gohan followed. Gohan entered the kitchen and leaned against the wall, watching as Christine did the dishes. Without turning around Christine began, �Don�t watch me like that, Gohan.� �I�m sorry.� Christine dried off her hands and turned around. Gohan looked her up and down, then he held her blue eyes with his dark ones. Christine swallowed. �Gohan, please don�t look at me like that either.� Gohan cleared his throat and looked away. �Chris,� he paused. �I love you.� Christine looked at him critically. THAT came out of nowhere. She turned around to grab more dirty dishes. �I love you, too, Gohan.� Gohan continued to stand there. �Christine?� She turned back around. �What?� Gohan swallowed. �I meant� I meant like� like, I�m in love with you.� Gohan stammered. When he saw she remained unmoving he turned to leave. �Nevermind.� �Wait Gohan!� Christine grabbed him by his sleeve with her soapy hand. Chris! He loves you! This attractive, totally handsome, nice, sweet, strong, innocent, kind man is in love! With you! �I don�t know what to say,� Christine blurted out. Gohan�s gaze dropped as he turned to face her again. �Then� don�t say anything,� he replied, moving closer, not making eye contact. He bent forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. �Sorry,� Gohan said pulling back immediately. �For what?� �That. I�m sorry. I don�t know why I did that. I didn't mean to. I-� �Gohan, don�t be sorry, as a matter of fact....� Christine stopped and decided to kiss him back. She rose up on her toes and brought her lips to his. His eyes widened in shock and surprise. �....As a matter of fact I kind of liked it. Don�t be sorry,� she breathed. Gohan stood frozen for a moment, then in a second he had his arms around her kissing her gently on the lips. She urgently returned his kiss. Where the hell did this come from? His body�s strong ki warmed the two and she felt herself melting into his arms. Gohan broke the kiss. �I wasn�t expecting that,� he remarked. She nodded her head to agree. �Maybe we should just�� Christine began, she trailed off when Chi-Chi called them. �Can you two stop doing the dishes for a moment and help us pick of the wrapping paper in the living room?� Gohan sighed in relief, his mother hadn't seen them. Trunks wheeled his play truck on the floor as Christine and Gohan sat, with a garbage bag, in the middle of a heaping pile of wrapping paper. Christine yawned. Gohan looked at her. �You tired?� Christine nodded. �C�mon, I�ll carry you to bed.� �But we have to clean-� �I�ll do it, we're almost finished anyway.� Christine tried to object but her head was on her pillow before she realized it. �Goodnight and Merry Christmas, Chris.� Gohan stroked some of her dark brown hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. �Goodnight, Goh-� She fell asleep, in mid sentence. Gohan allowed himself a small chuckle. He stood up straight next to her bed, turning to leave. His warrior�s profile visible in the dark room. �What did I just do?� He asked himself out loud. �I�m a fighter. I can�t provide her with what she needs. I can�t even promise that I�ll live long. As it is I have already escaped far too many fights with the androids half-dead. �Chris, I�m sorry for whatever happens now. But I�ll try to protect you, as best I can.� Like I said, I�m trying to get to the love story part of this thing. I'm rushing this a little bit but the next chapter is going to be short. I don�t know exactly what people consider �dirty�, but Chapter 2 might just be it. If you want to skip it you can but I don't think it's anything that you might not see on a movie. Well, what do you think? R&R! It gets better I promise! I�ll continue with it even if you don�t but I�d like to know what you like/don�t like. Arigato! |