Hello everyone! I re-read this story recently and cannot believe I made so many mistakes in my writing! haha I guess that's what you get when a bilingual 13 year old writes it. I edited the entire story and changed a few minor details to make the writing a bit cleaner (at least I hope it's cleaner). As always, I do not own the rights to anything Dragonball Z, and I am simply a fan writing a story I think others might like. Enjoy! :)

First Time Together

*After Buu is destroyed*

On the way home from the lookout, Gohan wouldn't stop talking about what they could do together, since they were FINALLY a family again. Goku wasn't paying much attention to Gohan though; he was thinking about what it would be like to be at peace again. They hadn't been able to say that in a LONG time, and although he did like to fight, it would certainly be nice to relax. For some strange reason, Goten was very quiet. With Gohan talking the whole way and Chi Chi sleeping in his arms, Goku was the only one who noticed. Although he hadn't known him for long, Goku knew that a quiet Goten was not typical.

"Hey Goten, is anything wrong?" Goku asked. "Goten?...…...GOTEN!" Goku repeated, almost shouting as Goten was flying right towards a big mountain. He was deep in thought, not hearing the question. Luckily, his father's shout brought him back to reality just in time; he flew up and joined his family as they looked at him with confusion. Goku signaled for them to land and asked, "Are you ok son? You seem distracted." He put Chi Chi down for a moment and all three of them looked at Goten with concern. "Yah I'm fine, I was just thinking", Goten replied with a fake smile as he scratched the back of his head, embarrassed at being caught in thought.

Goku wasn't sure if he was telling the truth, but didn't want to press any further. They had a long day and maybe some food and a good night's rest would do him some good.

They arrived home less then 5 minutes later and Goku was the first to speak up, "I'm STARVING Chi Chi!" She smirked and shook her head, "You boys hungry too?" she asked. "YAH!" They both replied, excited. Chi Chi sighed with a smile and started to make them some food.

-After they were done stuffing their faces-

"Gohan!" Goten yelled. "What is it sport?" Gohan asked as he went to join his brother in his room. "Can you read a story to me?" Goten asked looking soooo cute. "Alright, but you need to go to sleep as soon as I'm done, OK?" "Yep!" He replied happily. Once Gohan was done reading the story, Goten did as he asked and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, Goku and Chi Chi were in the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner. "I'm so glad your back Goku! It's been so difficult without you. Seeing how much Goten looks like you…well it was hard to imagine that you weren't here." Chi Chi said, thinking back on the past 7 years without Goku.

"I know Chi-Chi, and I am sorry that I wasn't here. But I'm here now, and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon." Goku put one hand on her shoulder and used his other one to wipe away the few tears of joy that were running down her cheeks. They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment before Goku leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't passionate, nor was it desperate; this kiss was one of pure love and affection. For Goku, this was the way to show Chi-Chi just how much he loved her and missed her. They stood in the kitchen, oblivious to the world around them, reaffirming their love for each other and marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

-Later that evening-

Goku and Chi-Chi were in bed, relaxing before going to sleep.

"Do you think Goten is ok Chi-Chi? He was obviously distracted when we were coming home, and he hasn't spoken much to me all night." Goku said with a worried look on his face. "I wouldn't thing anything is wrong; he is so honest! Anytime he doesn't like what I cook or what I'm wearing, he just comes out and says it!" Chi Chi said laughing, and Goku joined in. "I think he was just hungry and tired after the long day, and will be right as rain tomorrow." Chi-Chi turned off the light, said goodnight to Goku, and went to bed. Even though Chi Chi wasn't worried, Goku still had a feeling that something was wrong.

-The first few days-

The first few days spent with his family were fantastic, but they also made Goku suspicious. Goten was still acting weird around him and he didn't know what to do. Goku didn't want to be overbearing, nor did he want to give Goten the impression that he the thought Goten's behaviors were weird, but he needed to do something! When he went to bed with Chi Chi one night, he decided to mention his concern again.

"Chi Chi have you noticed that Goten is hesitant around me whenever we do stuff?" "What do you mean Goku?" She said with confusion.

"Well…like today: he went fishing and seemed to be having fun, but when I came to join, he went to the side and watched, like he wasn't allowed to fish anymore. Gohan told me he just needs to get used to me, but it's been a while, since the tournament of course."

"Well... Maybe he wants to see how you are with him; even though he usually gets along with everyone, you've been dead all his life and he probably doesn't know what to expect from a father." Chi-Chi said, hoping that she was right. Goku fell asleep with Chi Chi's theory in his mind all night.

-That Night-

"Gohan... Gohan...GOHAN!" Goten shouted in front of his brother's bed. "What?! Do you know what time it is! " Gohan fell out of bed, looking annoyed but also confused as to why his brother would wake him up in the middle of the night.

"Gohan I had a bad dream and you're the only one I can talk to." Goten said sadly. Gohan's eyes softened. He picked Goten up and they both sat on the bed. "No I'm not; you can talk to mom, and dad now too." "I can't talk to a stranger about my scary dream…" Goten whispered to him, with a hint of anger in his voice. "Goten, dad's no stranger. You need to believe that. He's our dad, and he wants to help you. He loves you." Gohan knew Goten had been behaving strangely towards Goku, and so he hoped that he could convince his little brother to give Goku a chance.

"Well...You do it better." Gohan looked really sad and vulnerable as he hugged Gohan.

Gohan sighed, "Alright, what happened in your dream?" The boys stayed up most of the night talking about Goten's dream and about what the future will be like, now that they were all together.

-That morning-

The two boys were really tired from their long night; it was a good thing that it was Saturday! Goku was already at the table ready to eat when they came downstairs. "You boys are probably really tired since you stayed up ALL NIGHT! Chi Chi yelled scaring everybody, even Goku.

"How did you know?!" Gohan said with a guilty surprise look on his face. "Gohan, I can hear you across the hall when you whisper; Goten yelling your name only makes it easier for me to hear." She grinned a little but still seemed mad that they stayed up.

They just sat down, without saying a word. Everyone started eating, except for Goten. Goku asked if he was ok, because if one of the Sons didn't touch their meal, something was definitely wrong. Goten didn't reply, and Goku couldn't wait anymore to find out.

"Why are you so quiet lately? You are always so happy and overjoyed!" He said in a stern voice. "How would you know?!" Goten raised his voice, startling everyone, especially Goku.

"You were never around to see me grow up, so how do you know that I'm always happy?" Goten yelled, getting louder. "Goten! No shouting at the table!" Chi Chi said firmly.

"They even tried to bring you back with the Dragonballs, but instead, you decided to stay dead and leave me here with Mom and Gohan! I wish you could have seen my face when Gohan had to tell me that my father was DEAD! Do you know how it felt to hear that you had a chance to be here, as my dad, but that you didn't care enough for me to want to stay? I want to love you, but how can I if you don't love me back?!" Goten started to cry and levitated as his body filled with fury. "Well I hope you're happy 'cause now I don't love you, in fact, I HATE YOU!" Goten released his energy and flew out the door as fast as he could, destroying everything in the kitchen.

Goku got everyone out of the mess in the kitchen and brought them outside. Goku couldn't believe what just heard. His son hated him and it was all his fault. Goku looked at his family, "I'm sorry if I made any of you feel like that." He said quietly, looking distraught.

"Dad, I would never think that! You're the best dad in the whole world." Gohan said instantly.

"Thanks for your comment, but obviously Goten has another opinion. I'm going to talk to him, don't wait for us ok?"

They both agreed and Goku took off to find Goten.

"Goten! Goten!" Goku shouted since he couldn't sense Goten's power level.

Goten hid behind a bush so that Goku couldn't find him, and he started to cry.

"He will never really love me like he loves Gohan." Goten thought to himself over and over until he cried himself to sleep.

Goku looked for Goten all day and night, but couldn't find him. He told himself that he wouldn't give up looking. He had to fix this and he knew Goten was around here somewhere. Finally the sun began to rise and Goku found a little person curled up in a ball behind a bush: that's Goten! He attempted to pick him up, but Goten woke up. He noticed that his dad picked him up and so he started to fly again.

"Why don't you just go home and spend time with the son you actually love?" Goten replied sadly, trying to fly away, but not having the energy to fly far. Goku was following him and appeared in front of him using instant transmission. He looked at Goten very lovingly but seriously at the same time.

"Goten, I know you are hurting right now, but could we maybe talk about this, instead of waste precious energy?"

Goten looked down at his reflection in the nearby lake: his eyes were extremely red from crying, and his clothes were all wrinkled from sleeping outside all night. With a sad/tired look, he said, "I don't know…" As he replied, he suddenly felt very weak and couldn't levitate anymore; he started to fall! Goten fell straight into the lake below and Goku swooped down just in time to get him out of the water within seconds. Goku landed on the grass nearby. He gently placed him against a tree and looked firmly into his eyes. "You ok, Goten?" Goku asked looking at his son, a bit panicked but relieved. Goten felt so tired that he just look as his father with a confused look. Goku asked Goten if he could take off his shirt to let it dry in the sun. Goten nodded, and so Goku placed his and Goten's shirts in the sun as they both sat under the tree for a bit to rest.

Now, Goten, let's talk about what happened at breakfast yesterday." Goku said with a loving look towards him.

"First of all, you need to know that I love you a lot, the same as I do for Gohan." Goku gave a worried look to his son to see if he understood. "The truth is, I didn't know about you until the tournament. You see, at the time, when I died, I thought I was doing what was best for the planet. All of the trouble that had been caused on Earth was because of me: Frieza, the Androids, and Cell all came here to come after me, and so I thought that by staying dead, I could protect the Earth. Trust me, if I knew about you when I made my decision, I would have definitely stayed. You are my son, and I will always love you, no matter what you do." Goku finished his speech and hoped that Goten could understand his point of view.

Goten was speechless; he didn't realize that his father loved him like he had hoped. He also didn't know that Goku had no idea he even existed when they tried to wish him back. Goten wanted to say something, but he just couldn't. He eventually had the courage to say, "So...You're happy that I'm around?"

Goku laughed, "Son, I couldn't be happier" Goku smiled and lifted his son and gave him a big hug. "Just so you know Goten, you don't need to keep things bottled up inside until you pop, ok?"

Goten shook his head in agreement. They grabbed their shirts that were now dry, and took off, Goten safely in his father's arms.

"Hey dad?" Goten said as he was falling asleep. "What?" Goku asked.

"I don't hate you." Goten said just as he slept for a while.

When Goku got home, Chi Chi had a look that was both full of worry and anger. So... she hit Goku on the head with a frying pan. (Since he WAS gone for a whole 24 hours) Although she was mad, she was also relieved that they were both back, safe. Goten woke up from the noise, and said " What's for breakfast Mom? I'm STARVING!" Chi-Chi hugged Goten, "You are so much like your father" she laughed, and started preparing breakfast. Goten grinned at Goku. He was back to his old self, and things were back to normal, their relationship mended.