Red Roses2: I'M BACK! A good friend of mine convinced me to do another fan fiction, seeing that my others that I haven't finished died. I'm really happy with this one. Tell me if I got Lime's grandfather's name messed up.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. If I did, Gohan would've either gotten with Lime or Piccolo, and the Great Saiyaman wouldn't exist.

Prologue

Cell pointed his index and middle finger towards Gohan and shot a red-violet beam at him. Gohan bent backwards just in time as the beam sliced through the air and into the rock fixture behind him.

"Careful, Gohan!" Krillin yelled, "That's Frieza's finishing move!"

Cell shot a couple more beams at Gohan, and Gohan jumped away from each one, narrowly avoiding them. Cell continued to shoot beams at Gohan, and each time he did, he narrowly missed Gohan by a few inches. Then, as Gohan moved to his left, Cell followed him, then grabbed him. With Cell's arms circled around him, Gohan couldn't move. Cell increased the pressure he was putting on Gohan's body.

"AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!" Gohan screamed. Suddenly, he heard something snap.

Cell heard it, too. Piccolo stared, horrified by what his sensitive ears picked up.

"GOHAN?" Piccolo shouted.

Cell dropped Gohan. The boy collapsed onto the ground, his face hitting the dirt. His back hurt so much that he could barely get another scream out. He tried to move his legs. They wouldn't move. He tried to pick himself up with his arms.

"What's wrong with him?" Trunks asked.

Piccolo's jaw dropped. No, it couldn't have!

Goku raised an eyebrow. "How come he's not getting up?" he asked.

"His . . . ," Piccolo started. "His . . . ."

"His what?" Yamcha asked.

"His spine snapped in half. . . . He's paralyzed from the waist downward." Piccolo said, unable to take his eyes off of Gohan.

Cell smirked to himself.

"So much for the all-powerful Son Gohan," Cell said. He pointed his index and middle fingers and pointed them to where Gohan's heart would be.

"GOHAN! NO!" Piccolo screamed, flying towards them as fast as he could.

"I'm sorry," Gohan rasped out as Cell's beam tore through his chest.

Goku stood there, not believing what just happened. Gohan wasn't supposed to die. Cell was. Gohan was supposed to defeat Cell. He and Gohan were supposed to go home and tell Chichi to stop worrying about them. He was supposed to be proud of his little warrior. Gohan was supposed to come out of this a hero like his dad always did.

"GOHAN WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE!" Goku screamed, yellow flames surrounding him. Not even the camera crew could mistake his yell for something as stupid as a lunch break.

Cell smirked. "Now I can have a real fight."

Piccolo stared at Gohan's lifeless body, not even paying attention to Cell as he and Goku flew at each other. His best friend was dead. The little boy he looked after while they trained in the forest was dead. The sweet, angelic boy who was willing to fight the Ginyu Force and Frieza, just so he could bring this cold, angry Namek back to life, was dead. His whole reason for being a Z fighter, for living, was dead. And it was all. Goku's. Fault.

Piccolo bared his teeth. He stood up, took off his cape, and laid it over Gohan's corpse. Now the poor thing looked like he was just sleeping . . . . Piccolo threw his turban to the side.

Cell was NOT going to be standing when he was through with him.

-

Chichi stared at the television screen in shock. Her baby . . . her baby was . . . .

"NO!" Chichi cried, clutching the sides of the television. "NO! MY BABY! MY POOR BABY! NO!" Fat tears rolled down Chichi's face as she stared at the television screen that showed her how her son died, how her husband let Gohan fight Cell all on his own, how the man she thought of as a monster tried to save her baby.

Chichi was overcome with sobs and tears and wails. Ox King held her close to him, tears threatening to spill from his own eyes. His only grandson, the little boy he enjoyed spoiling with books of all sorts and toys, was dead.

"I'm sorry, Chichi," Ox King said, sobs trying to get out. "I'm so sorry this has happened."

-

Lime and her grandfather stared at the television.

"What just . . . ?" Lime asked.

"Gohan . . . ." Lao said.

Grandfather and granddaughter alike had tears in their eyes.

"How could his dad do that!?" Lime screamed. "How could his dad make him fight Cell!? How could he!? Doesn't he love Gohan!? Doesn't he!?"

Lao watched the television as Gohan's father and the green-skinned fighter ganged up on Cell. One of the other fighters, the lilac-haired one, joined the fray as well, as much in tears as Lime was. Lao didn't even need an up-close camera shot to know that. The boy's scream was enough to prove how anguished he was over Gohan's death.

"I don't know, Lime. I don't know. But there are others who cared about Gohan greatly, and they won't let Cell get away with it."

Lime wiped her tears away, just to have them replaced by more.

"KICK CELL'S ASS, YOU GUYS!" she screamed.

-

Cell blocked a kick from Goku and a punch from Trunks, but he couldn't block the energy blast from Piccolo. Cell couldn't tell if Piccolo was even trying to avoid hitting the others. Trunks didn't wait for the energy blast to vaporize before he rammed Cell in the head with a hammer fist. Goku instant-transmissioned behind Cell and did a kame-hame-ha wave to his back. Cell was constantly flung this way and that by Piccolo, Trunks, and Goku.

When Trunks's turn to whack Cell came again, Piccolo powered up. Yellow energy gathered up in his index and middle finger. Trunks grabbed Cell's head and forced it to collide with his knee. Cell took that as an opportunity to shoot another beam of energy through a half-Saiyan's vitals.

Vegeta watched as Trunks's dead body fell to the ground next to Gohan's corpse. An unexplainable emotion shot through the Saiyan prince's heart. Was this how Goku was feeling right now? If so . . . it was terrible.

Vegeta couldn't help it. He screamed his heart out and joined the battle, determined to take Cell out. He powered up his Final Flash.

Goku powered up for another kame-hame-ha wave.

"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"

"FINAL FLASH!"

"KA-ME-HA-ME-HA!"

Cell was ripped to pieces. When the energy and light died down, there was nothing left of him. Cell's energy completely evaporated. There certainly wasn't a body or cell left of him.

Vegeta landed next to Trunks's side, staring at his lifeless form. Krillin, Tien, and Yamcha landed next to Vegeta.

"Hey," Yamcha said, "Vegeta . . . I know we don't see eye-to-eye, but we can wish him back with the dragon balls. Gohan, too."

Yamcha turned to Goku and Piccolo when he said that last part. Yamcha blinked. Piccolo was hovering over Gohan's corpse like a tiger protecting its baby, making Goku look like the hungry beast that wanted to eat it. Piccolo and Goku were glaring at each other.

"Don't. You. Come. Near. Him." Piccolo growled.

A waterfall of tears tumbled down Goku's face.

"He's my son," Goku sobbed.

"JUST STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" Piccolo screeched, clutching Gohan's corpse to his chest. "IT'S YOUR FAULT HE'S DEAD! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Goku couldn't have held it in if he wanted to. He fell to his knees and cried loudly, sobbing like an infant. He didn't make any attempt to wiping the tears or mucous dripping from his nose away. The liquid dampened the dirt on the ground.

"I'm sorry!" Goku choked out. "I'm so sorry! Gohan, I'm sorry! I'm – sorry!" Goku couldn't make out any other words.

Tien stood to the side awkwardly. He had never seen Goku like this. Then again, he didn't think anyone had seen Goku like this. He watched as Krillin walked over to Goku and held the grown man, trying to comfort him the best he could.

"It's going to be okay, Goku. We can revive Gohan with the dragon balls." Krillin comforted.

"I think . . . ," Tien started, not sure if he should be interrupting. Piccolo looked like he was about to kill; Vegeta looked like the lights were on but nobody was home, and Goku looked inconsolable. "I think we should go to Kami's lookout. That's where the dragon balls are, after all."

"That's a good idea, Tien," Yamcha agreed.

Vegeta held Trunks's body in his arms. He wasn't going to cry. He was going to have his son back soon. Piccolo cradled Gohan's corpse in his arms, his cape still wrapped around the boy. Gohan's head rested on Piccolo's collar bone, looking like the most adorable angel ever put on God's creation.

Goku was still sobbing uncontrollably when Krillin got him to stand back up and fly to Kami's Lookout.

-

Dende's eternal dragon stared down at them, waiting for their second wish. Piccolo looked up from Gohan's still dead body. Trunks, with a hole in his uniform showing a patch of his chest, walked over to Piccolo and checked Gohan's pulse.

"Something's wrong. He should be alive now, like me," Trunks said.

Trunks immediately regretted saying that out loud. Chichi howled in sorrow before she managed to quiet herself down again. Trunks looked over at Goku; he honestly didn't know how the man could look more miserable. Goku was curled up into a ball and, though he was quiet now, still had tears and mucous running down his face.

"Uh, Mr. Dragon, sir," Bulma said, holding baby Trunks in her arms. "We wish that Gohan was alive."

The dragon's bright red eyes glowed. The light died down, then his eyes glowed again. The light died down once more.

"Your wish cannot be granted."

"WHY NOT!?" Chichi screeched.

"I can only revive those who have gone to the Other World. There is no eleven-year-old Son Gohan there," the dragon said.

Chichi plunged herself into another fit of sobs.

"Can you put Gohan in the Other World?" Piccolo asked quietly, still holding Gohan's corpse; the Namek had had an iron grip on it since Cell was destroyed.

The dragon waited for a moment, then replied, "No."

"Can you make sure Gohan's happy?" Piccolo questioned.

"No."

Piccolo's eyebrow ridges furrowed. Dende, and Mr. Popo were the only ones who knew that Piccolo was upset.

Krillin said something about making Android 18 human, and then asking if the dragon can take out the bomb inside her. That last wish was actually granted, and the dragon balls flew across the earth.

Chichi wiped her tears the best she could and walked up to Piccolo. Piccolo looked at her, his eyes seemingly unemotional. She took a deep breath.

"I'll take my son now," Chichi said.

Piccolo stared at her for a few moments.

"No," Piccolo answered. Inside his head, Nail and Kami objected to Piccolo's response, but Piccolo ignored them.

It looked like tears were going to leak from her eyes again. "And why not?" she asked.

"Gohan's not going anywhere near Goku."

"That doesn't mean you can just keep my son from me!" Chichi objected.

"What are you going to do with him?"

"We'll hold a funeral."

"I don't understand what that means."

"It means . . . it means Goku and I will burn the body . . . ."

Piccolo stepped away from Chichi, his eyes taking on an emotion no one had ever seen Piccolo display before.

"I won't let you."

"He's dead, Piccolo," Chichi hiccupped. "His body isn't of any use to him anymore. As much as it hurts, we have - ."

"I won't let you take the only person I've ever cared about and barbecue him!"

Whether Chichi was shocked by the implications of cannibalism or of Piccolo's declaration of love to her son, she didn't say anything in response. They stared at each other for a long time. It felt like eons.

"Okay. Just take care of him, all right?"

Piccolo nodded. "I promise."

Chichi nodded back and bit her lip as she walked back to Goku.

"Goku, sweetie," Chichi said softly. "Let's go home, okay?"

Goku nodded vaguely and barely responded when Chichi helped him stand up. Piccolo retreated into the building as the other Z fighters left the lookout. Dende followed Piccolo.

"What are you going to do?" Dende asked.

"I'm going to find Gohan's soul and make sure he's okay. I'll need your help with that." Piccolo said, laying Gohan's corpse on a bed. He tucked it in and wiped the blood from Gohan's face. "Mr. Popo?"

"Yes, Piccolo?"

"Can you wash Gohan off for me? As best you can without removing his clothes?" Piccolo asked, sounding more like Kami.

"Of course."

"We'll need to keep Gohan as fresh as possible until further notice," Piccolo said as he turned away from the corpse. "In the meantime, I'll try to locate Gohan's soul. When I find him, you'll help me take him to the Other World, right Dende?"

"Yes," Dende replied.

Dende looked over at Gohan's corpse. He looked like he was just sleeping, the way Piccolo tucked him in. Maybe that was the point over covering up all the dried blood with the sheet.