One comment before I begin: Since this setting is taking place in America, not Australia…Piccolo would say sidewalk. Thanks for catching that, though. I wonder to myself, if maybe someone would not have reviewed at all if I had not mentioned the miniscule continent. Oh well, a review is a review. Thanks to everyone who did review, once again. I don't own Dbz.

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After thinking about the happiness I had shared with Lila, I had fallen into one of my more depressed moods. This lapse hadn't gone unnoticed by my assistant, and by a complete stranger…

"…She said her name was Sarah."

Only about five minutes had passed since I had gotten through explaining the incident that had occurred earlier in the day. Here I was, just trying to do my job…when BAM, a little punk comes along and shakes everything up, after the dust was finally starting to settle from last week's session. The kid was sixteen I think, and bossy as all hell. She wanted to pry into my private life, one which I barely let my psychiatrist into!

"Can you give me a description? What did she look like to you?"

"Well, quite honestly she looked like just a nosey little kid. Nothing too peculiar. She didn't wear really fashionable clothes… More like something that was comfortable. And her hair kind of flipped out a little, unlike how most young women wear it long. She was really pale looking, almost unhealthy. And I think she is too small for her age, maybe breaking about five two or so." As I thought about the kid again, I sighed to myself. The last thing I needed in my life was some catalyst in the form of a worrisome teenager. I mean, I actually felt like I was beginning to go back to my normal life… Quiter, certainly, but more normal since the divorce. The more I thought about it, the crosser I became. What right did she have to intrude upon MY happiness. I had to smile at that last thought. Was she interrupting my happiness, or my unhappiness?

"Uh huh… How old did she say she was again?"

"I think about sixteen. She acts like she's a fifty year-old mother-in-law, though, prying so much."

"I thought you liked your mother-in-law."

"I do, I'm just using a metaphor." I sighed and rubbed my temples. Obviously the session wasn't going anywhere fast. "I just meant that she doesn't act like a kid should."

"In your opinion, how should a kid act?"

"It's not so much of how I think they should act, it's how I have observed the way they act. I don't know of one kid who would rather help someone and listen to their problems than go to the mall."

"How many kids do you know?"

I had to stop at that question. The only children I knew of were my patients, really, and the annoying little buggers next door. Other than that, I had no experience with children. Strange, seeing as how that was one of the biggest subjects that caused controversy between Lila and I.

"About…well, what do you mean, know?"

"Knowing their name, for example."

Smartass. But he did have a point. The neighbour kids… what were they called again? And other than the punk from earlier, did I remember any of my child patients' names?

"Ok, let's say one now. So what?"

Briefs scribbled something on his notepad and nodded like a moron, making barely audible 'uh huh' noises. What a douche.

The kid wasn't the only problem that had surfaced that day. I had come home to find none other than my ex-wife there, charming as a angel-faced snake. As if the damn divorce settlements weren't enough, she had to come leeching my funds more. I decided that I didn't really want Brief's 'help' on this one, and decided to keep it under my hat for now. I finally had something new on my mind.

I couldn't stop thinking about the kid. Here we were, a dentist and patient… and she speaks to me as if I were some school girl at a slumber party. Ok, maybe that is an exaggeration. She didn't really seem like the type to attend those sort of social things anyway. I'd wager that her assertiveness gets her into trouble with the other, more conventionally reserved demon spawn/teenagers. Like the slew of names she called me… What did she say again? Oh yeah, that I am an introverted, antisocial, teeth-fixing son of a bitch. I smiled at the memory for some reason. It just seemed so obscure, so out of place, so… well, new and somewhat refreshing. Well, not that being called a son of a bitch was anything new. That was almost Lila's pet name for me during the divorce. I stuck with calling her a dirty whore.

"How did this Sarah make you feel? Happy, depressed-"

"Try annoyed and a little pissed off." I huffed, taking off my glasses. "I mean, she just throws out her suggestions without any invitation! How can she possibly know anything about my spot in life? No matter how good her intentions were, there still has to be some human law that states that a teenaged patient and her dentist cannot have a friendship because he's in a depressed rut!"

"Is that where you see yourself Piccolo? In a rut?"

I glared at the smaller man while he smiled calmly back at me. "What would YOU call it?"

I bet the guy was about to say 'good point' when he changed subjects. "Have you been searching for another partner?"

I eyed him suspiciously and raised a brow. Just a moment ago we were talking about the kid, and then THIS question comes out of left field… "Not really. Would you be in such a hurry for the same thing to repeat itself?"

"There's no guarantee that it will happen again, Piccolo."

"There's no guarantee that it won't, either." Asshole. It's easy for him to talk about such things when he himself has a wife who probably adores him and his asshole-iness… Damn it, he's got me making up words again!

"I think I see where one of your biggest problems is." Oh, do tell. "You are afraid to extend any part of yourself emotionally, after being wounded like you were." No shit? That's about as good a deduction as saying that a man whose leg was burned off is now afraid of fire. Dipshit.

"Can you blame me? I don't see what the big rush is! I mean, I just turned thirty; I got a little time, don't I? Or will every woman cease to exist after being single for half a year?"

"No need to be sarcastic, I'm only trying to help." No need to be a total prick, I'm just paying you by the hour.

"Sorry." Wait, why am I apologizing? I have got to get my nerve back. I wouldn't have let that kid walk all over me six months ago, either. I would have been more loose, but I know when to say knock it off. What did she say again? 'Tell your friend Sarah all about it', or some crap like that. 'Your friend', HA! My friends went to Lila in the divorce. Well, most of them, anyway. I hardly see the other ones anymore. Parties occasionally, but being with Lila all the time kind of severed my connections a little bit.

"I really think it would be helpful for you to perhaps allow this child into your life." Not going to happen. "It might be beneficial for you to see the way others perceive you, particularly a younger person."

"Why?" I swear, this guy must not listen to the shit that comes from his own mouth sometimes.

Briefs sighed suddenly, as if dealing with a troublesome child. "Piccolo, have you thought about the prospect of being homosexual?"

…!

"I'm not gay." I replied hotly, feeling resentment burning in my throat. "And I don't appreciate the insinuation you are making." Insinuation? That bastard basically just called me a faggot!

"There's nothing to be ashamed about. Your little outburst is a common reaction when a man's…secret is found out."

"Or it could be because I am straight as the day I was born, and don't like people telling me I'd like the feel of a dick up my ass!" Whoa, who just said that! Was that…me? I hadn't felt so in power of a situation since… I don't remember when. It felt good. So good, in fact… "Maybe you are the one who is looking for that special partner to fill that certain void, eh Briefs? And by void, I mean the empty spot between your legs, you jackass!" With a last triumphant look at my shrink's face, I stormed out of the office and grinned at the secretary, who looked as shocked as I felt. Who was that daring guy back there? The one who finally got his balls back?

-

Go Piccolo, it's your birthday! Woot! Another chapter down. I hope people can see the connection to the story now. I wanted to show the changes that spasmodically occur in Piccolo's character, therefore showing that some actions he makes later on were in fact somewhat expected. Man I rock!