A/N: I've had this idea for a while, decided to get the story started and see where it goes. I always wondered how things would have gone if Raditz took Goku just like he planned, and knowing Vegeta's back story, what exactly Raditz would have been thinking Goku would do for them if it worked. Everyone will stay true to character, though dramatic events may cause shifts in personality, similar to how Vegeta changed over the course of DBZ. The beginning in italics is almost ver batim DBZ episode, just so you know where this is starting, then the storyline diverges where the italics end.

"That boy is your son, isn't he?" The newest arrival to planet Earth asked as he eyed the fearfully trembling tailed boy behind the Earth's strongest fighter.

"N-no!" Goku vehemently denied as he protectively stood between his self-proclaimed older brother and his young son.

"There's no use denying it." Raditz remarked confidently as he inspected the boy. "That tail is proof of that child's Saiyan blood. And since his father isn't cooperating, I'll just have to take him in his father's place." Raditz said coolly as he took a step towards Gohan.

Goku braced himself to defend against his much stronger brother, though he knew he had no chance against him alone. Even with help, Raditz's devastating power would be hard to combat.

"Stay back!" Goku warned as daringly as he could while Raditz chuckled and charged at him.

Raditz struck Goku in the gut with his knee, using so much power that he took the accomplished fighter down in one move. Raditz crossed his arms and sneered in disgust at his brother's undeveloped power. He glanced over his shoulder at the group of his brother's friends, gawking at Raditz and frowning fearfully as his nephew ran to his father.

Raditz smirked as he swiped the boy by the collar of his shirt and lifted him to prevent the boy from reaching his father.

"Maybe I should take out everyone here right now. They're making you weak, Kakarot! I'd hate to kill my own nephew if I don't have to, but maybe once they're out of the way, you'll realize your true nature!" Raditz exclaimed as he raised his free hand threateningly to the wiggling, crying boy in his grasp while the rest of the group gasped and cowered helplessly before him.

Goku winced in pain as he forced himself to sit up slightly, facing his brother and seeing the helpless, terrified looks on the faces of his friends and son.

"Get up, Goku! Fight him!" Krillin yelled encouragingly as Goku grimaced, realizing that was impossible at the moment.

"Wait!" Goku exclaimed desperately just as Raditz was forming a ball of ki in his hand.

Raditz raised a brow in surprise as he turned to face his fallen brother.

"I'll go with you!" Goku cried as he fell back from the exertion it took just to utter those few words after that devastating blow from his brother.

Raditz walked over to Goku, standing over his younger brother with a look of amusement. "I can understand the boy. But do you really care that much about these Earthlings? You would sacrifice yourself and come with me when you have no desire to, just to save their worthless lives?" Raditz scowled as he bent on one knee, studying his brother closely. "Or maybe you do feel the excitement for bloodshed boiling in your veins?" Raditz said with a smirk.

Goku closed his eyes, picturing the happy, peaceful time he had spent with his family over the past few years, as well as the joyful memories and all the adventures from earlier times with his friends. He wouldn't change a thing about any of it. And now this threat came here because of him. He couldn't be responsible for letting that threat harm anyone on Earth, especially not his friends and family. But Raditz was just too powerful to fight, and he intended to kill his friends right now if he didn't do something. He would leave and take the threat with him. He would do it to protect the Earth that had treated him so well.

"Yes! But you have to promise to leave them and the rest of the Earth unharmed." Goku said forcefully as he began catching his breath and propped himself on his elbows again with some effort.

"Alright." Raditz easily relented as he stood upright again.

"Goku, no!" Bulma shouted.

Raditz released Gohan, who scrambled to his feet before running to join the group. Bulma wrapped her arms around Gohan, who cried for his dad.

"You can't trust this guy!" Krillin said angrily.

Goku slowly sat up, looking miserable as he faced his friends while Raditz shook his head at their pathetic pleas.

"Trusting him is our only chance." Goku relented dubiously as he glared at Raditz.

Everyone's eyes became downcast.

"What else can I do?" Goku said, "He is my brother. All he wants is my hand in conquering this other planet. If I go with him, at least I'll know you're all safe."

Even as his friends looked saddened by the talk of such a sacrifice, Goku remained determined.

"Yeah, yeah. So where is your space pod, Kakarot?" Raditz asked impatiently as the others scowled at him.

Goku looked to Master Roshi's solemn face. "Did my grandpa tell you where he found me as a baby, Oldtimer?"

"W-Where?" Master Roshi asked, startled at the attention he suddenly received from everyone, including Raditz. "I think he found you close to his house. He said there was a huge crater. I imagine that crater would still be there." Master Roshi frowned.

"You know this place then, Kakarot?" Raditz asked as he turned to Goku, who was rising to his feet, clasping his stomach with one hand in lingering pain.

"Yeah." Goku said absently as he looked upon his whimpering son who clung tightly to Bulma in her protective arms. "Gohan." Goku called the boy's name encouragingly as Gohan sniffled and turned to face his father with a hopeful gaze. "Tell your mother I'm sorry I had to leave. Take care of her for me, okay?"

Goku's endearing optimism made Gohan smile meekly in light of the recent decision his father had made. Gohan nodded dutifully, running to his father for one last hug before tears welled in his eyes again.

"And no more crying!" Goku ordered sternly as he maintained his optimistic air. "You need to be strong now."

Raditz smirked at his brother's forceful words. "Well said." Raditz commended as Goku turned to him in surprise. "Spoken like a true Saiyan, Kakarot."

Goku received the praise like a painful blow. The last thing he wanted was Raditz's praise, or to be a Saiyan at the moment.

Goku glared at Raditz before turning to his friends. "I guess this is goodbye." Goku said so plainly that one would have thought he was only going home for the day, rather than leaving the planet for good.

"Goku..." Bulma said sadly, reaching for her friend and embracing him briefly.

Goku stood still, surprised at the affectionate embrace.

"Let's go, Kakarot!" Raditz growled irritably. He tired of waiting to leave this planet of weaklings. He was anxious to get his brother training, so he would be of some use when they landed at their destination.

"Hey!" Bulma shouted audaciously, turning from Goku to the other Saiyan. "Your brother is leaving his home and everyone he cares about for good! You can't give him five minutes to say goodbye?!" She shouted indignantly, getting right in Raditz's face as he balked in surprise.

"Bulma..." Turtle warned warily as he tugged on Bulma's shorts, attempting to pull her away from the vicious alien she probably just pissed off.

To everyone's surprise, Raditz turned to Goku with a conceited chuckle. "She's a feisty one, huh?" He asked as he cast a sideways glance at Bulma. "Maybe I should take her with us."

Bulma gasped and frowned fearfully at him.

"No!" Goku said with an obstinate glare. "I'll only go willingly if you leave them all alone!"

Raditz frowned at his brother. "Fine, fine. Once we get where we're going, we won't have time for women anyways." Raditz groaned disappointedly as he gave Bulma one last look over.

"Goku. Don't go." Krillin said sadly, pulling on the front of Goku's gi as his eyes watered over and his bottom lip trembled.

"I'm sorry, Krillin." Goku said with a frown. "I have to do this, for everyone on Earth. It's my fault he's here. I'll be alright." He added with a reassuring smirk. "My brother's not completely wrong about me. If I'm going somewhere to train and fight, it can't be that miserable where I'm headed."

Krillin and Master Roshi frowned at Goku's uplifting manner in disbelief.

"Look after my family for me, Krillin." Goku said as he moved to stand beside Raditz.

Krillin nodded determinedly as Raditz slapped Goku on the back. "Lead the way, Kakarot!" He said with a smirk as Goku reluctantly shot into the air towards his home.

They flew towards Mt. Paozu, and then past his house, searching the surrounding area for any signs of a crater. Raditz pushed a few buttons on his scouter, and Goku looked at him in confusion.

"What are you doing?" Goku asked.

Raditz appeared to be concentrating on something. "The scouter should be able to detect any nearby ships. If you landed here, it will help us find your space pod." Raditz explained as he narrowed his eyes and abruptly turned his head to the left. "There!"

The scouter began beeping with odd symbols flashing across it. Goku narrowed his eyes at Raditz as he saw an opportunity. With Raditz distracted like that, Goku might be able to take him by surprise in an attack. If he could grab his tail, it might weaken him like the weakness he used to experience. Then he could send him away from Earth in the space pod.

Goku waited for the right moment, and as Raditz began descending, he quickly launched at his brother, taking him off-guard. Goku threw his fist into Raditz's face and attempted to grab his tail, but Raditz was too fast, quickly spinning around and knocking Goku across the head before he could grasp the weak appendage. Raditz followed the blow with another devastating punch in Goku's already-injured gut, causing Goku to double over with a pained grunt.

"Hn!" Raditz scoffed angrily, as he rubbed his jaw. "Nice try. I can't blame you for trying to attack me once. But don't attack me again, or I will kill you." Raditz warned ominously.

"I thought you needed me." Goku choked out at Raditz as he winced in pain, balling his fists tightly by his sides.

"I do. But not if you're going to be a problem." Raditz replied resentfully.

Goku frowned deeply. His chance was missed, and as much as it was against his nature to cooperate with something like this, he had to keep reminding himself that it was the only way to save the others.

The two descended as soon as Raditz located the space pod and inspected the long abandoned vehicle. Raditz tore away the vines that had grown over it, then gestured for Goku to take a look inside. Goku cast Raditz a suspicious glance as he stepped past his brother to look inside the vessel that brought him to Earth. Strangely, in spite of his memory loss, Goku found the sight of this space pod familiar. He gasped as he looked inside it.

Raditz crossed his arms haughtily as he watched his brother's reaction. "I don't know why you're fighting this, Kakarot. Saiyans are not meant to live on peaceful planets. You'll be much happier in the fold with the rest of us."

Raditz leaned into the pod, shoving Goku aside as he activated a few buttons, the lights and sounds stuttering to activity in the long-dormant ship. "Once you arrive at the space station, you should have a better understanding of things. Just wear this." Raditz offered Goku a small item from inside the space pod. Goku knit his brows in confusion as he held his hand out to receive the item. A pristine, blue lensed-scouter similar to the one Raditz wore was placed in his hand.

Goku looked back into the space pod with curiosity. "This...is mine?"

"Yes. Though you've never touched it. It was meant to help you accomplish your mission and communicate to us when your mission was completed." Raditz became distracted as he turned his head thoughtfully from Goku. "Speaking of which..." Raditz suddenly shoved Goku into the space pod, sealing the hatch shut with the push of a button and slapping it hard as it began hovering above the ground.

Goku stumbled inside the ship, then turned to his brother in alarm, pounding on the window of the sealed space pod. "Raditz!"

"I'll be right behind you, Kakarot." Raditz said. "I just have a job to finish first."

Goku's ship lifted high and fast into the atmosphere. Goku hurriedly affixed the scouter to his ear and pushed every button he could, trying to reach Raditz as he could no longer communicate with him from inside his quickly ascending ship. "Raditz! Raditz!" He called anxiously as a strange gas began to fill his chamber.

"Rest up, Kakarot. You'll need it." Raditz's voice advised over the scouter.

"Raditz! You promised!" Goku yelled as he gasped and covered his mouth, attempting to ward off the effects of the gas.

The last thing Goku saw before his eyes rapidly grew heavy and sleep took him was Raditz flying above Mt. Paozu, heading back towards Kame House.

As a small white spacepod rocketed from the Earth's atmosphere, flashes of lights and wild explosions could be seen on the surface of the planet from space. Goku slept in the confinement of his pod, the scouter subliminally programming his mind as he slept with all of the data he should have known at the time his mission began over two decades ago. The nature of his mission, to whom he was to report, the coordinates for his return location, and uses for the scouter being relayed to him over his two month flight to a new space station, and a new life.