GoChi Week 2020:

Snippets in Time:

Day Seven: Post ToP

Not too long ago, Goku returned to Earth after a wild ending to the Tournament of Power. His and all the twelve universes were saved and revived thanks to 17's wish. It was a close one. For a brief moment, Goku feared his team wouldn't win and their universe will be wiped away but luck was on their side again.

After picking up Goten, Goku headed for home where an angry ChiChi waited for him. Bulma told ChiChi about the Tournament of Power. Bulma was usually the main culprit to keep secrets from ChiChi. Like everyone else, Bulma was furious with him on how the tournament came to be and lay all the blame at Goku's feet. Bulma knew she wasn't strong to physically beat up Goku, but she knew the perfect way to get revenge on her oldest friend was telling his wife what he did.

ChiChi was furious! Goku laughed it off but his hand in the tournament's creation, his tattered clothes and Goten's dirty clothes, sent ChiChi in a fiery tirade.

Goku knew he was in deep trouble. ChiChi was left in the dark about the Tournament of Power. He truly didn't want to do that but after the incident with Hit where he set up his own assassination, he couldn't risk ChiChi knowing about the tournament. When ChiChi learned about his part of Hit killing him, it almost killed his marriage. It was the first time in his life, he feared ChiChi would ask for a divorce. His heart stopped the day she moved out and took Goten with her.

"I can't, Goku. I can't look at you. I don't want to even think of you. After dying twice one me, how can you be so selfish to set up an assassination attempt on yourself?! Are you so selfish and fighting hungry you didn't care about me at all on what your death would've done to me?!"

Goten saw the incident as a vacation at Grandpa's home until Mom cools off but Gyumao, Gohan and Goku knew the gravity of the situation and how fragile Goku's marriage was at that point. It went against what he wanted but Goku followed Gohan's advice and didn't contact ChiChi. Gohan visited his mother every day to read her feelings on when his Dad can begin groveling.

It was two weeks before ChiChi would even talk to Goku. It was another week before ChiChi moved back home on the promise Goku will follow her demands. Goku had to put real effort on the farm again; he had to spend more time with her and Goten. No more will he teleport to visit his friends and spend more time with them than his family. It was time for Goku to be a dedicated family man and father again like he was when he was a new Dad to Gohan.

Goku dedicated himself to honoring ChiChi's request. It was the least he can do to make up to her and show her he was truly sorry for his actions.

It took a while but Goku got into a happy routine of being a farmer. Over the months he dedicated himself into growing large and plentiful crops and selling them at the market. He was a man of his word spending more time with ChiChi and Goten.

The ice between him and ChiChi began to melt. Two months after the incident with Hit, ChiChi engaged in intimacy with him again. As more time passed, they became flirtier and more playful with each other. For several months, things were perfect. Goku was a family man working on the farm, spending time with ChiChi and Goten and his eldest son and granddaughter. It was great but ever so often, that little itch crept up in Goku. In the beginning, Goku ignored it. He was focused to making up with ChiChi but over time it got bigger and bigger until it had to be scratched again.

Goku wanted to fight. He could never give up fighting. ChiChi knew that and she knew he will have an urge to fight again. Goku knew ChiChi wouldn't mind as long as it didn't interfere with his work as a farmer or family time with her and Goten. All Goku wanted was a simple tournament to get the urge of fighting out of his system for a while.

What he got was a simple tournament escalating into a life or death situation where his universe will be wiped out if he loses. It was a worst-case scenario but Goku played it off it wasn't a big deal. All they had to do is win and their universe will be saved. It was a tall order and after the Saiyans, Freeza, Cell and Majin Boo, it was something no one wanted to go through again. Everyone wanted to spend their remaining years on Earth in peace. Instead all Goku's friends and even Gohan were angry with him and his chill attitude over the tournament. Experience taught Goku he can't show his real feelings in a crisis. So, he played the overconfident, oblivious naïve fool to deceive everyone.

With him back in ChiChi's good graces after the Hit incident, telling ChiChi about the tournament would've been suicide. If Gohan got angry with him, he couldn't imagine how angry ChiChi will have gotten. All that goodwill he built up would be gone in a flash. He feared it would've been a tipping point to ending his marriage so Goku kept it a secret.

It was easier than he thought. He gathered his team without ChiChi's knowledge, made a deal with 17 where Trunks and Goten will protect the animal wildlife he cares for. ChiChi didn't detect anything when Goku left with Goten. She assumed he was spending the night with Trunks.

With ChiChi unaware, Goku looked forward to the Tournament of Power. He was eager for the fights; insane and entertaining matches and the raised stakes that got his fighting juices pumping. It was incredible seeing his friends put so much heart and dedication to the fighting. The thought of their universe being wiped out was a strong motivator but Goku was happy to see it, especially in Gohan. He was proud to see how Gohan skills have sharpened since Freeza's attack on Earth.

It was a great tournament but coming back home seeing Vegeta's reunion with Bulma and their new baby, recalling how Krillin and 18 fought side by side together, hear Gohan talk of going home to Videl and Pan, made Goku miss ChiChi and Goten. Reality hit hard on how close he came to losing his family.

The tournament's end also left Goku thinking it's time to take a real break.

These months he spent working on the farm, spending time with ChiChi and Goten, Goku did it out of necessity; to make up to ChiChi. He didn't take a break from fighting because he wanted to. Now he was ready to do it. He wanted to resign from fighting for a while and be a farmer to support his family. He wanted to spend more time with ChiChi and Goten. He missed out with Gohan but Goku wanted to watch Goten grow up to be a man. He will settle that itch to fight by sparring with Vegeta or Gohan occasionally but for now, Goku was done with the big tournaments.

If only he can convince his wife this.

Right now, Goku sat on the edge of his bed while ChiChi tended to his wounds. Her anger had finally cooled but her silence was worrisome to Goku.

An angry ChiChi, Goku can handle. A silent ChiChi brought out Goku's worst fears. Goku didn't know if ChiChi had forgiven him or if she was seriously contemplating walking away for good. At least with ChiChi angry, he knew how she felt.

"I didn't mean for the tournament to get out of hand, ChiChi. I just wanted a fight." Goku winced at the stinging antiseptic on an open wound on his back. He really should've stopped by Korin's Tower and get senzu beans. "I would've told you but after Hit…. I didn't want to make you mad again."

More silence from ChiChi. "I know. I know. Putting the universe at risk of being wiped out would've made you mad." She heard ChiChi open a bandaged and placed it on his back. "I did everything in my power to find the best warriors for the tournament that would guarantee us victory. I had to ask Freeza for help. Do you know how much I hated that? He killed Krillin, almost killed Gohan and I had to ask for his help to save us. Then Whis rewards Freeza by returning him to life."

Goku thought Freeza's revival would garner a reaction from ChiChi. Instead she continues to quietly tend to his wounds. "But I learned my lesson, ChiChi. This tournament really made me see how selfish I've been recently. I can't say no to a good fight but even I know when it's time to walk away for a while." He was getting used to ChiChi's silent treatment. She probably won't believe what he'll say next but he was completely honest. "No more tournaments. I'll spar with Vegeta and Gohan when they have time but I wanna spend more time with you and Goten. I wanna spend more time with Gohan and Pan. I'm ready to settle down."

"Until your next big adventure," ChiChi finally spoke. She sat beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm no fool, Goku. You're burnt out….for now. You need a break from fighting. It happened after you defeated Piccolo all those years ago. It would've happened if you didn't stay dead after the Cell Game." She linked her hand in his. "I know you're gonna do something that gets you in another crazy fight with Earth at stake. You're gonna make me mad. You might even leave me for periods at a time but I know you'll always make the right choice for us and if you leave, I know you'll come back."

"Always," Goku promised giving ChiChi's hand a light squeeze. "I'll always come back."