Hello there! This is a story I promised I will post soon! I came up with this story completely accidentally and in two days I had entire plot in my head!

The story takes place after Goku dies in a fight with Cell. This is a story about what could have happened in those 7 years given the congenial circumstances and choices.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Stranger

How could he? Chichi thought. How could he leave us like this? Chichi was 9th month pregnant with Goku's second child. Saiyans wanted to be born in the 10th month of pregnancy, apparently (as she and Bulma already experienced). 9th month was hard. A human's body could hardly handle it. She was so big and so sore. But she loved the child growing inside of her. She wanted him to be born. It was her beloved and deceased husband's child.

Did you know, Goku? She thought again. Had he any idea that he left her expecting. She will never know. Her husband was dead for good. His son, Gohan, had the duty to take care of the family. A 12 year old boy had to be a man in a house. Chichi hated this. She wanted Gohan to have a childhood. After all those years of fighting bad guys, constantly being in battles that a child should never ever experience, all he got was a new responsibility – a family to take care of. She hated this and she did not want to burden her son. That's why she would always try to do things alone and let Gohan do what he wants. Gohan was a good boy. He helped her all the time. That's why she sometimes sent him off to his grandfather so he could feel like a carefree child and play with children his age.

This was one of those times and she decided to go to town alone and buy some food. Even if she was one of the strongest women, she underestimated herself a little bit. Three loaded bags of food were a little too much for a pregnant Chichi. While still in a supermarket, she put those bags on the ground and wiped the sweat from her forehead. It was going to be a long journey to the Mt. Paozu. She gathered all her strength and picked those bags up. As she was walking through the door, a stupid pool of juice, that a kid dropped not too long ago, happened to be just under her feet and she slipped and fell on the ground. Her first instinct was to somehow fall on the side and try to avoid hitting a baby in her belly. The products she just bought scattered around the place and she hit the arm pretty badly.

"Darn it." She breathed.

As she was getting on her elbows, a man's hand appeared in front of her, offering her help. Not really having much of a choice, she accepted it and the man helped her get up.

"Is everything alright? Are you hurt, ma'am?" She heard a concerned baritone voice near her ear. The stranger was still holding her, making sure that she does not fall again.

"I am alright. Thank you, sir." She said politely and backed off a little. She looked at the man. He was a handsome man. Around the same height as Goku, had blonde hair and light blue eyes. His age was something between 30 and 35. A second later she was already reaching for the products on the ground.

"Allow me." The man said, not letting her do anything. "He picked all the groceries back to the bags and looked around.

"Is nobody with you?" He asked.

"Umm, no." She said and instantly regretted it.

"Excuse me for my interference, but are saying that you are carrying this much alone?" He could not hide his surprise.

"I don't see how this is your business, sir." She hated when somebody poured salt on her wounds. "Thank you for your help. I will be going now." She took the bags and started walking as fast as she could just to get away from that man.

"I really can't bear at this. At least let me accompany to your car." The man took the bags without her consent and walked down the street together with her.

"It is really not necessary." But she did not try to take her bags from him. A little help to the bus won't hurt.

They went to the bus stop and Chchi stopped.

"Please, don't tell me that you are going by bus." The man said judgementally. "I am not going to let you torment yourself this much. I insist driving you home myself. Please." He said.

"I am going to have to say no. I don't know you, sir. I am sorry. Thank you for carrying the groceries."

"Right." He said putting the bags down and bowing before her. "I am Mr. Tanigawa Ryoto, and you are Miss…?"

"Mrs. Son Chichi." She bowed back politely.

He smiled to her. "Thought so. Just text to any of your family member my name. If I am not going to drive you home safe, they can kill me but I am not letting you go like this. It is dangerous to your baby."

She studied his face for a while. Any hints, any bad things about him but he seemed like a good person. He was the only one who tried to help a pregnant woman despite of being lots of people around. In any case, if something happens, Gohan will find her and save her. And her arm was really starting to hurt so going lots of miles by foot with the bags would be a nightmare.

"You persuaded me, sir."

Ryoto's face brightened.

"Wait here, I'll be right back." And he left to take his car.

Soon after that, a new white pearl metallic Volvo appeared and stopped at the bus stop. Mr. Tanigawa put all the bags in the back and they drove off.

"Where to, Mrs?" He asked.

"Mt. Paozu, please." She smiled.

"This far? As far as I know buses don't go there." He was concerned.

"Can I ask you something, Mr. Tanigawa?"

"Please, call me Ryoto." He smiled.

"Ryoto." She corrected herself. "Why would you care so much?"

She looked at him and his face went from a bright one into a dark in a second. His lips looked like he never smiled in his entire life. Only then did she notice dark circles around his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat as if knowing what happened.

"Let's just say that I had a very unpleasant period of time in my life. And I feel like I need to take care of you at these circumstances."

"You shouldn't bother yourself with strangers." Chichi said.

"Oh don't worry about it. I'm just happy that I can help someone." He smiled but the smile did not quite reach his eyes. "What about you, Mrs. Son? Where is Mr. Son?"

"Aren't you a little too curious for someone who did not answer my question?" She challenged him a little for he was challenging her too.

"Alright then." He signed and she saw that he was trying to be as far from what he is about to say as possible. "My wife died while she was giving birth to our girl. It turned out that the girl was dead a week before the birth and her blood infected my wife's blood… I… I loved her… so much. And our girl… she didn't even get a chance in life." Ryoto's voice cracked from grief gathering in his throat. He tried to swallow it again and again.

Chichi knew too well about loss and grief, her own eyes swelled with tears.

"I'm... so sorry."

"That's why I couldn't bear a thought of leaving a pregnant woman behind like this. And I can't believe that Mr. Son could let his woman go shopping without his help. I'd really like to teach him a lesson or two…"

"He's gone…" She said and lowered her head.

"Oh, I'm so sorry… If that is the case I really sounded rude, didn't I… I am really sorry for your loss." He said sadly and for a moment a silence took place.

Chichi looked through a window into the forests she was familiar with. They were getting close to her home. Soon there will be a family of three again. She was caressing her belly. He heard a strange sound from a man's lips, a said laugh.

"You know, coincidences like these make you think. Two victims of similar fate meeting each other accidentally."

Chichi smiled sadly. He was right.

"There. There's my house." She said pointing in the right direction.

"I see it." He parked his car near her house and got out of it to open her door.

"Thank you", she said, getting out of car with Ryoto's help.

"I can't imagine what were you thinking, going by bus and then by foot this far, Mrs. Son." He shook his head. "I hope the baby is alright after that fall." He took the bags out of his car and carried them to the door.

"He's fine. It's going to be a strong boy." She said with a smile. The man had no idea what kind of strength was she talking about.

"I'm sure he will, with such a strong mother-to-be. By the way, shouldn't you be in a hospital by now. This far from any town and on a verge of giving birth…" Ryoto showed his concern again.

"Oh, don't worry, I am only due next month." She smiled. He looked at her stomach. It was huge.

"Well… Anyway, I can't leave you like this, if you need help, I will be glad to be there. This is my number, just in case." Ryoto gave a card with his name, surname and a telephone number.

"Thank you, Ryoto, you are very kind." She bowed back to him taking the card and Ryoto left. She watched him disappear and then sighed. This man really helped her when she least expected.

She smiled looking at the card he gave her.