AN: So… this story is one of the four I wrote for GV Week 3.0, but never uploaded. But I like this one, so I decided to put it up. Hehe. It's just about Videl wondering what will happen to her now that she has realized just how much she loves Gohan.

I don't know why, but there's a lot of gravity from G/CC pairing nowadays for me. Haha, I feel it pulling me. That's mainly why I wrote this. It's a little short. But it's supposed to be.

Silver And Gold

Dende…dear, dear Dende, please don't tell me he loves me.

There was an informal pattern with the wives - or lovers- of the warriors sent to rescue mankind. Videl barely knew all three of them, and dreaded to become the fourth.

The trend was simple, but it was like a disease. It targeted the spirit, which used to be spontaneous and wild – a daredevil – and tamed it down to a lonesome soundtrack, only to be played at home. It then moved to the dreams, also once so substantial and significant to the woman, and deflated them into mere ideals of a healthy house. It affected the heart and mind too. It made them vulnerable to the heartaches of constant abandonment and to the logic that 'everything else is more important than me'. Of course, what else could be expected from a woman if her husband is one of the strongest men in the universe? She would undoubtedly fade in the sidelines in comparison. Just a speck. Just another being. Just a wife. And because they were warriors, it was unfair to make them choose between their wives and their battles. However, just in case they must, the woman must be prepared to know that she could never win.

"He loves you a lot, you know?" Chichi muttered to her.

There. The dreaded words.

Videl sighed, contemplating whether the words were accountable or just a magnificent hook of a sales stalker for a damsel-in-distress group.

Here, join our club! You'll be such a perfect member. As a matter of fact, you are demonstrating great abilities right now! Sitting around, pretending that looking for the Dragonballs is a great feat that will save yourself from worry. You are probably already beside yourself wondering just what the heck happened to your lovely man; he did not even say goodbye. He probably made you expect that he will eventually return, even though he might never do so. Videl, you're a perfect contender.

The young woman shook the thought away and decided to take a different approach: innocence.

"No, Chichi. I don't know. He's never told me."

"Oh, but he does," Chichi added dreamily. "Trust me. He'll probably ask you to marry him."

Videl wanted to change the subject, because this one was too heavy, too serious for her to handle at this moment. She spun the conversation into a different angle.

"You'd like that, won't you Chichi? You'd like me to be his wife because I'm rich." She had not intended to sound so scornful. She really hadn't.

However, the mother of two could only laugh at her statement. "Oh, Videl! Remember that I'm a princess. I only joke when I say that. You might be richer than me, but not by much." Chichi pleasantly explained.

"What happened, then?" Videl asked, knowing she sounded quite bitter. This topic really was distressing. Especially at a time like this. "Why don't you live in your castle? Why are you not helping your father govern your people?"

Chichi laughed a bit more, and even though there was humour in her eyes, what she said next was a depressing reality. "I married Goku."

Well… here was such an original idea, that maybe fairy-tale writers would disapprove of it: a princess turned to a maid.

Except that this was no fairy-tale.

Videl realized that for Gohan and her to be truly together ever after, she must sacrifice everything else. And still, 'together ever after' may mean 'together some nights, alone for most'. She knew that all the silver and gold in Ox King's possession could not have saved Chichi from love. All the martial arts training and education could not either. She had traded her princess hood for a few wonderful days, all of which had already passed. Chichi could not regain any of these back. She could not even regain the husband whom she had sacrificed dearly for.

"So what would happen if I marry Gohan?"

There was a flash of worry in Chichi's eyes. "Videl, don't think like that. Gohan is nothing like his father."

Yes, that was true. But Videl was just like Chichi. She was amazingly rich like the princess had once been, spirited, determined, hopeful.

And in love.

So undeniably in love, that it hurt her to think about it at times.

She loved Gohan, but she was not prepared to be another Chichi. Perhaps she could be more like Bulma – still so stunning, successful and important – but that was little consolation to her.

"Does Goku love you?" Videl asked.

"Oh yes, he does."

"So why does he always leave you?"

"Because he loves me," Chichi answered, showing no reaction to how paradoxical her statement might have sounded. "It might be hard to understand right now, but think of Goku's leaving as the protection we need to survive."

A thought entered Videl's mind. "Fifty rooms? That's like a small village! And you're planning to marry this girl?"

Quite frankly, Videl would rather have Gohan marry her because she was wealthy, and leave her once she was poor, than marry her because he loved her then leave her for that very same reason. That way, she would be spared of the hurt, knowing it was only money that was the foundation of their marriage. It made it a little bit easier to pretend that there was no love in the first place after love had left.

Videl sighed once again, rubbed her temples and tried to assuage the rising conflict in her. Leave and protect… how could a man protect those he loved if he was not there?

She had known that money could not buy happiness, but perhaps love could not either. In this case, at least. In her case.

Maybe loving Gohan would be a sacrifice, indeed. But if she thought about it, how much had these warriors sacrificed for them in return? They had risked their lives every time death hovered over the planet, and brought peace and prosperity before they were even robbed. These were the real heroes. They were the epitome of true saviours, without the flashy nonsense her father had flaunted. There was nothing they asked in exchange, be it a collection of flimsy metal or world wide recognition.

All they had ever asked from a few people was to risk loneliness for them.

Maybe one day, when Videl was ready, she too would risk everything she had for a few blissful nights with Gohan.

But she was not ready yet.

AN: Uhm… so yeah, there you go. Look, I know that most people probably have not thought of G/V's relationship like this, but think about it. All the other women have faded into the background (and so did Videl if you consider the last couple of DBZ episodes and the whole of GT), and I just don't think that's fair. Mostly to Chichi and Videl. They had such strong spirits, and they had promising personalities, but from out of nowhere, they just vanished. I'm quite sad about that.

Anyway, I just thought that Videl might have noticed this pattern, and I know that with her teenage personality, being a housewife is probably not her priority. I just wanted to write something that reflected a more realistic reaction other than "I love Gohan so I will give up everything I ever have, including myself, for him". I mean, sure, the latter is more romantic… but I'm just exploring.