I only realised after I finished writing this that I had totally forgotten about Ox King. ^^;; It was too difficult to find somewhere to put him in afterwards, so that's why he's not in this. Sorry about that.

I actually got super depressed while writing this. It's set in the Mirai timeline, so you know it's not going to end happily. :(

It all happened so quickly.

One day, Goku was his normal self, always laughing and smiling, doing his training, ruffling Gohan's hair as he sat down at the dinner table and inhaling everything in sight.

The next day, it all went wrong.

Chichi was inside the house preparing lunch. Today was the one day a week she allowed Gohan to train with his father instead of studying, and the two Saiyans were outside sparring. 'With both of them out there training, I'm going to have to cook even more than usual. It always makes them hungrier, if that's even possible!' she thought. Outside, she heard Goku yell. Chichi didn't pay it any attention, he was always yelling when he was training, he was probably powering up or firing some energy blasts. But then she heard her son start yelling, too.

"Mom! MOM! Come quick! Something's wrong with Dad!" He sounded panicked. That... couldn't be good. Chichi dropped her ladle onto the counter, running outside.

"What is it, Gohan? What's wro..." Chichi stopped dead in her tracks. Goku was on the ground, his hands at his chest, writhing in pain. Gohan was kneeling over him looking terrified.

"What happened?" demanded Chichi, running over and dropping to her knees on Goku's other side. "Were you pushing yourselves too much? Did you hit your father too hard?"

Gohan shook his head, looking stricken. "I didn't even touch him! He just suddenly grabbed his chest and collapsed! I don't know what happened!" The boy looked like he was fighting back tears as his father suddenly screamed out in pain. "What's wrong with him, Mom?"

Chichi's mind was reeling. 'A heart attack? No, that can't be right! Goku's way too young and healthy for that!' she thought. Goku screamed again. It felt like a vice had clamped over Chichi's heart when she heard it – she had never heard him make such a terrible sound before.

"Goku?" she said, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Goku! Can you hear me? What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Goku's face turned towards her slightly, his eyes prying themselves open to look at her. "Chi... hurts... real bad..." he gasped out. "Don't... know why-" Goku stopped talking, screwing his eyes shut as he yelled out again.

"M-Mom! What do we do?" Gohan was panicking. What was wrong with his father? He had never seen him like this.

"Get your father inside, Gohan." Chichi ordered. "Get him into bed. I'll go and call a doctor." Gohan nodded, heaving Goku's prone form over his shoulders. Rising into the air a few feet so he wouldn't drag his father across the ground, he made for the house. As Gohan flew his father to his bedroom, Chichi ran for the phone. 'Don't panic, Chichi,' she told herself as she dialled the number for the emergency doctor. 'Knowing Goku, he's probably just making a big deal out of a bad case of heartburn, or something.' Chichi screwed her eyes shut, gripping the phone tighter as she heard Goku cry out again. 'Please, please let it be something silly like that.' She thought desperately.

Chichi stood anxiously in the doorway, clutching Gohan's hand, as the doctor examined Goku. It had seemed like it had taken forever for him to get here – why did their house have to be in the middle of nowhere? Chichi had been at her wits end when he finally arrived. Goku just wouldn't stop screaming.

She stepped forward as the doctor sighed and straightened up. "Well? What's wrong with him?" she asked. "Can you give him some medicine, or does he have to go to hospital?"

The doctor turned, regarding Chichi with sad eyes. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but it seems your husband has contacted a new virus that emerged recently," he said. "It attacks the heart."

Chichi took another step forward. "But you can fix it. Can't you?"

The doctor sighed again, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, but... I'm afraid we can't." He brought a hand up, rubbing his face wearily, trying to find the words. "This virus is so new that a cure hasn't been found yet. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do.

Gohan felt his mother start to shake beside him. He gripped her hand tighter, looking between her and the doctor fearfully. "But... but he'll get better, right?" he asked. "It... it'll pass, won't it?"

The doctor looked down at Gohan, hesitating for a moment, before saying "I'm afraid I don't know how to say this, but... in all cases of the virus we've seen so far... well, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that it's been... terminal."

Gohan felt as though the world dropped out from beneath his feet. 'No! That can't be true! My dad can't... he can't...' He covered his ears as Goku screamed again. He couldn't take it anymore. Trying to hold back his tears, he turned and ran from the room.

"Gohan...!" Chichi called after him, but she heard the front door slam. She covered her face with her hands, breathing deeply. "There's... there's really nothing you can do?" she choked out, lowering her hands to gaze at the doctor.

"I'm sorry." He said again, walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder. "But... there is a chance that he may be able to fight it off. But I don't know for sure, we haven't seen enough of this virus to know for definite whether it's terminal in one hundred percent of cases."

"How much of a chance?"

"I can't answer that. But it's probably a slim chance. We just don't know enough about this virus to be sure. But I would prepare yourselves for the worst. I'm-"

"Sorry." Chichi finished for him, staring at the floor, tears rolling down her face. "Yeah... I know."

Over the next few days, Chichi didn't leave Goku's side. She had drawn a chair right up to his bedside, and sat there, day and night, holding his hand in both her own. She was exhausted – she sometimes fell asleep, slumped over the side of the bed, but it was never for long. She was always woken by her husband's cries of pain.

The doctor had prescribed some medicine to try and ease the pain. It was all he could do. It seemed to help – after a dose Goku would quiet down, but he still wouldn't wake up. All she could do was pray.

Gohan didn't seem to know what to do. Sometimes he just wanted to leave, run from the house like he had done before – he couldn't stand seeing his father this way. But if he did, he always returned almost immediately. He didn't want to be apart from his father, not now. And his mother needed him.

"Mom?" Gohan said cautiously, edging into the room. Chichi turned her tired eyes on her son and tried her best to smile.

"Hey, sweetie." She whispered. "What's that you've got there?"

Gohan came further into the room, carrying a tray. "I... made you something to eat." He said. On the tray was a plate with a messily made sandwich and a glass of water. "It's probably not very good," he muttered. "But you haven't been eating properly, Mom. I'm... I'm worried about you."

Chichi was touched. "Oh, Gohan..." she said, starting to rise from her chair. At that moment, Goku yelled in pain again. Chichi looked wildly around, trying to find the pain medicine. Gohan's hands started shaking, making the contents of the tray rattle as he gazed at his father with wide eyes.

"Here, Goku," Chichi whispered. "Drink this, sweetheart." She tipped the medicine into Goku's mouth. Her head whipped round when she heard a crashing noise.

Gohan had been gripping the tray so tightly that it disintegrated in his hands, the plate of sandwiches and the glass of water shattering on the floor. "I-I'm sorry," he choked. "I didn't mean to. I'll clean it up. I'm sorry."

Chichi set the medicine down on the bedside table before going over and gathering her son in her arms. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. It's okay."

Gohan gripped his mother tightly, still shaking. "Why isn't he getting better?" he sobbed. "He should be getting better! He's too strong to get sick!"

Chichi stroked Gohan's hair, tears starting to fall from her eyes, too. "It'll be okay, sweetie. It'll be okay."

The next day, Bulma and Krillin came to visit. Bulma hugged Gohan when he opened the door before heading off to Chichi and Goku's room. Krillin lingered behind, watching Gohan. The poor kid seemed utterly defeated.

"Is it really that bad?" Krillin asked. Gohan said nothing. Krillin stared around the room, trying to think of something to say. "Hey, chin up, buddy," he said, forcing a smile. "I've known your dad since we were kids, and I've never known him to even get so much as a cold. He'll pull through this, you'll see."

Gohan just nodded mutely. Krillin clasped his shoulder before following Bulma into the bedroom.

"You look absolutely terrible." Bulma said, her arm around Chichi's shoulders.

"Thanks very much." Chichi replied, her eyes on Goku's face. He was quiet and still, for now.

"You know what I mean," said Bulma. "When was the last time you slept properly? Or ate?" Chichi shrugged. "Right, well you're going to go and get some rest right now."

Chichi looked up at Bulma. "I can't. He needs his medicine if he's in pain. I have to give it to him."

"We'll take care of that, don't worry," Bulma said gently. "You go and have a lie-down. You'll make yourself sick too, at this rate."

"But-"

"Don't worry, we'll take good care of him, I promise. You go and rest."

Chichi hesistated for a moment before rising from her seat. "Thanks, Bulma. You too, Krillin." She said, heading towards the door.

Bulma took Chichi's vacated seat beside Goku's bed. Krillin walked up and stood beside her. "He is gonna get through this, right?" he asked uncertainly.

"I hope so." Bulma replied. "He has to! I mean... it's Goku. You hear me, Goku?" she said, addressing the unconscious Saiyan. "You have to get better! Chichi and Gohan are in a right state, and we're all worried too. And if that isn't enough, think of Vegeta! That jerk is almost destroying my house every other day because he 'has to surpass Kakarot!'" she said, trying to imitate the prince's haughty tones. "I hate to think what he'll do to my poor house if you lose to this stupid virus before he gets to fight you!" Bulma sniffed, grabbing Goku's hand, shaking it. "You hear me, you idiot? Hurry up and get better!"

Chichi stroked Goku's hair as he slept. She was still just so tired. And her back was killing her from falling asleep slumped in this chair all the time. She looked at Goku worriedly. He had been quiet for a while now. She carefully climbed onto the bed beside him, cuddling up to his side. She had been too scared to do this before, worried that she would disturb him or cause him pain, but she needed to feel him close. She sighed sadly, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Oh, Goku..." she murmured. "Please get better soon. I don't know what I'd do without you. You're all I've wanted ever since I was a little girl." She smiled, thinking back to when she first met Goku. He had been pretty weird, and very naive, but still kind and pure hearted.

"Remember the World Martial Arts Tournament? When you didn't remember me? Oh, I was so angry at you that day, Goku. I couldn't believe that you had forgotten about me, about the promise you made. It seemed so heartless. But at the same time, I couldn't stop gawping at you. I remember thinking, wow, he was cute before, but now he's damn hot!" she sniggered. "I got flustered just looking at you. And then, thinking marriage was something you ate," she laughed softly. "I couldn't believe it. You were so naive, Goku. But you still kept your promise and married me, even though you didn't quite know what you were getting yourself into. It was hard at first, but I've been so happy with you." She kissed his shoulder gently before pressing her face against him harder. "Even though you're not what most people would consider ideal husband material, you've always done your best. Sorry I get so mad at you sometimes. But I don't really mean a lot of the things I say when I'm angry." She sighed again, closing her eyes. "I love you, my Goku."

It took a few seconds for Chichi to realise Goku was stirring slightly. "Goku?" she whispered, shooting up into a sitting position, staring down at his face. After what seemed to be a great deal of effort, Goku opened his eyes, looking up at her. "Goku!" Chichi's heart leapt. He was awake!

"Chi...chi?" he breathed. She had never heard him speak so quietly before. Every word seemed to be a struggle.

"I'm here, sweetheart," she said, smiling, stroking his hair. "Always here."

A tiny smile tugged at Goku's mouth. He was trying to raise his hand. Chichi caught it in both of her own. "Love you." Goku spoke so quietly Chichi barely heard it. Tears stung at her eyes as she leaned down and kissed him gently. "I love you too," she whispered. "Now shhh. You rest. You need to get better."

Goku smiled up at her again before his face contorted, groaning in pain. "Hang on, Goku," Chichi said worriedly. "I'll get your medicine." She leaned over him carefully, grabbing the bottle. As she started unscrewing the cap, however, Goku became still again. Chichi sighed in relief, replacing the bottle. 'He was able to calm down without the medicine,' she thought. 'Maybe he's getting better!' smiling happily, she lay down again, resting her head on Goku's chest.

Wait. Something was wrong.

Goku... he was too still. She couldn't see his chest moving as he breathed. And slowly, she realised with horror that she couldn't hear his heartbeat.

"Goku?" she shot upright again, cupping his face. "Goku!" she said again, more desperately. She pressed her head against his chest again.

Nothing. She couldn't hear it.

Chichi gripped her hair in despair. "No. No! Goku!" she started to shake him, tears streaming down her face. Despite all her worry, in the back of her mind, she had been sure he would recover. He was Goku. He had survived battles against monsters she couldn't even imagine, had even survived a planet exploding. Goku could always pull through anything. How in the world could he lose to a stupid illness? It didn't make any sense!

"Goku, no. Please, Goku. GOKU!" she screamed.

The door banged off its hinges. Gohan came running into the room, looking around wildly. "Mom! Mom, what's..." Gohan stopped dead as he saw his parents. His mother was lying across his father's chest, clutching at him as she sobbed uncontrollably. "N-no..." Gohan's legs gave out from under him and he sank to the floor. It couldn't be true. "Daddy!" he yelled, forcing himself back to his feet, running to the bed. "Daddy, wake up!" he choked.

Chichi tumbled off the bed, reaching for her son. She clutched him to her, still crying. Gohan was gripping her back tightly enough to crack her ribs, but she barely noticed.

It couldn't be. It just couldn't be. He was Goku. He was the strongest fighter in the universe. It wasn't supposed to end like this. Goku was always supposed to be there. He had to be there.

Chichi cried harder when it dawned on her that this wasn't like last time. When he died before, they had been able to bring him back with the Dragonballs. But not this time. This was a natural death. The Dragonballs wouldn't be able to revive him. Son Goku, the Earth's protector, her husband, her love, was gone.

And this time... he was gone for good.