The next day was rather uneventful aside from Gohan's impatience in the day. To Videl and his friends, he seemed to be in a rush to end the day with his constant glances at the wall clocks and his watch. Even his usually packed with notes notebook had very few notes in it for the entire day. He seemed somewhere in outerspace, distracted, and very quiet.

"Gohan, what's eating you today?" Videl asked as she met him at his locker in the hall.

"Huh?"

"Exactly. You've been everywhere but here today. What's wrong?"

"Why would there be anything wrong?"

"Right there. You never answer a question with another question unless there's something wrong or you're in trouble somehow. I'm getting to know you too well Gohan."

"It's nothing. Honest Videl."

"You're keeping something from me and I'm going to find out what it is Gohan. You can quote me on that."

"I know. But--" Gohan began to say before the sound of the bell interrupted him. "Look, gotta go. See ya on the ballfield." Gohan replied as he slammed his locker shut and made a dash for the boys lockerroom for gym class.

*Hmm, Gohan, you are definitely hiding something. You haven't acted this skittish since your Great Saiyaman secret.* Videl thought as she watched him depart.

While sitting out in right field,Gohan again checked his watch. This was the last class of the day.

"GOHAN! YOU CAN RETURN BACK TO THE DUGOUT NOW! WE'RE UP!" Videl yelled. The other team had already taken their places in the field and stared dumbly at Gohan who hadn't left it yet.

"Eh? Oh, yeah, heheh...." Gohan muttered as he quickly removed himself from the field. Upon reaching the dugout, he refused to meet Videl's icy stare. Instead, he fumbled with his sneakers, retying them.

After twenty more agoninzing minutes, the bell rang. Gohan quickly changed, ran for his locker and was about to dash off that is until he was intercepted in the hall.

"Gohan! Where's the fire?"

"Huh?"

"Aren't you coming with us to Spanky's to study? We need you to tutor us for the upcoming Chemistry test."

"Sorry Eliza, I've got to go straight home tonight."

"Oh." Eliza replied sadly as she turned to look behind her and return Videl's gaze. Videl smelled a rat and was determined to prove it was Gohan.

"Look, what IS going on? It's too obvious now Gohan."

"Videl, I need to go straight home tonight okay? It's rather important."

"Sure, whatever, but you are going to fess up tomorrow, got it?"

"Perhaps." Gohan replied as he waved and sped off, leaving a stupified Eliza and Videl left staring at his departing form.

A few hours later...

Gohan was rather silent during dinner. He usually was seeing how he usually had his mouth stuffed with food, but quiet before and after dinner perked his mother's and brother's curiousity.

"What's up brother?"

"I'm just not feeling too well Goten okay. Uhm, could you sleep with mom tonight? I don't want you to catch whatever it is I'm coming down with."

"Sure, but do you want mom to get you some medicine or something?"

"No, I'll be fine. I'm just going to finish my studies then go to bed a little early. " Gohan replied as he rubbed his lil' brother's hair and headed for their bedroom.

"'kay, if you say so brother. " Goten replied as he returned to playing with his toys on the floor of the living room.

Once in the bedroom, Gohan shut the door. He pulled open a sack that contained two of the freezing chambers he was looking for. He had gotten them from a friend who's mother worked at the local fertility clinic.

*Two to show I'll keep my end of the bargain. Hopefully, the other two tomorrow and then this whole ordeal will be over with.* Gohan thought as he checked the two chambers to be sure they were functioning properly.

Wanting to get the task done as quickly as possible, Gohan switched off all lights, except his desk lamp. This allowed his room a dim glow, but wasn't completely dark. With a quick look around (though he wasn't sure why), he found all was clear and sat upon his bed. He closed his eyes and allowed his imagination to wander to a certain special someone.

Gohan was deep in thought (and action) when suddenly, the door burst open! In rushed his mother with a thermometer and bottle of aspirin. Not having much time to return to reality, Gohan grabbed the nearest object to cover himself with. His face was flushed red with embarrassment (and the heat of arousal), and his body had developed beads of sweat from the heat of the act.

ChiChi was so concerned about her son's health, she didn't even notice, aside from his appearance.

"Oh gosh, you're burning up with fever! Look at how sweaty and flushed you are! Why didn't you tell your mother you were feeling sick!? I had to hear it from your brother." ChiChi rambled as she stuck the thermometer in his mouth and felt his forehead with the palm of her hand.

Gohan said nothing and held the teddy bear firmly in place on his lap. His eyes suddenly trained onto his desk where he had set the canisters. Would his mother notice? Would she even know why they were? Hopefully not.

In a few minutes (of which ChiChi continued to ramble about this and that), his mother removed the thermometer.

"Hmmm, seems normal. Don't you scare your mother like that again, young man! But you're still not looking well. Are you sure you're okay?"

Gohan nodded as seriously as he could. He was seriously doubting he was going to get out of this without some major embarrassment so he was prepared to make a joke of it all if necessary.

"Well, then finish your studies and get to bed early. We'll see how you are in the morning. If you still look as you do now, you will NOT be going to school tomorrow, understand?"

Gohan nodded again.

"Good. Now, I'm going to get Goten's blanket, pillow, and favorite bear so he can sleep in my room tonight.

*Favorite bear?! OH CRAP!* Gohan thought as he immediately realized what he was covering himself with.

ChiChi pulled the blanket and pillow from Goten's bed then began to look about for the bear. "Now, where is it? Goten said he'd left it on his bed, or was it on the table? No, not there, hmm, let's see..." ChiChi muttered to herself then realized there was still another presence in the room.

"Gohan, have you seen Goten's bear? You know how he can't sleep without it."

While ChiChi was looking about, Gohan slid a wad of blanket over himself and the bear.

"Mother, I'll find Goten's bear and place it in your room when I do. Okay?"

"Fine then. Don't forget. I want some sleep tonight and not hear him rustling all about because he isn't."

"Right."

ChiChi gathered up the bedding and Goten's pajamas then departed down the hallway.

Gohan let out a sigh of relief. *THAT was close. I've got to do this somewhere else. It's too risky here.* Gohan thought as he removed the blanket. He broke into a laugh when he noticed how he had placed the teddy bear. *Eeesh, wouldn't want my first time to be with a teddy bear. Sorry bear, I don't do stuffed animals.* Gohan laughed then became serious once again. * I can't give Goten this bear back! I've disgraced it. Shit! Now how am I going to get myself out of this one?!*

Gohan quickly donned his Great Saiyaman outfit, grabbed his spare cash and slid out the bedroom window. His task, to find a store still open late enough, with the exact same bear and be back home before his mother or brother could notice he left.

After combing Satan City for nearly an hour with no luck, he made his way to Videl's home . While floating, he found her bedroom window and lightly tapped upon it.

Videl was busy in her homework (and on the telephone) when she heard the knock at her window. She hung up the phone and quietly opened the window.

"What's up!? Is it a crime? Should I transform?"

"Whoa, wait Videl, there's no incident. Well, there sort of is, but it's not society related, it's uh, personal."

"Personal eh?" Videl repeated as her voice became a purr and she gave a sly wink.

"No, no, not like that. I need your help. " Gohan said as he tried to correct her intentions.

"Help? With what?"

"You know that teddy bear of Goten's?"

Videl nodded, 'yes.'

"I need to find a new one of those, immediately."

"I don't have one. You need to go to a store for--"

"I did. I've combed this city. No bear."

"What happened to the old one?"

Gohan blushed though Videl couldn't see it. "It was uh, in an accident. Goten doesn't know. "

Videl raised an eyebrow in curiousity of the bear's 'accident', but the sense of urgency and panic in Gohan's voice told her that this was serious.

"Okay, I'll help. Do you know what store that bear came from?"

"I don't know. Goten got the bear from---shit, that's right, Trunks!"

"So, we need to either go to Western Capital City or ask Bulma---"

"Bulma, oh crap! Perfect! She's calling me back! I'll just go visit her instead."

"Gohan, what are you talking about?"

"Gotta go! Thanks for your help Videl!" Gohan said excitedly as he sped off before Videl could react.

"Uh, you're welcome I guess." she murmured to the air where he once was.

Meanwhile, Gohan had powered up and was speeding to Western Capital City. He could see the yellow hue of the Capsule Corporation building, his destination, in the distance. But, before he could even reach the city limits, he was intercepted. Immediately, he powered down and ceased forward motion.

There, in his way, floated the prince of Saiyans. In his usual pose with arms crossed, he remained fixed on the son of Kakarot and looked ready for combat. Gohan was not going to get past him without a confrontation. The fire of determination and challenge flashed in Vegeta's cold, dark eyes. Gohan gulped. Why was he always falling into one pitfall after another?! If it were his father, everything would turn out smoothly. But, he was not his father, and he was definitely in a situation now. With less than a couple of hours before Goten would go to bed, even time was now against Gohan!

to be continued...