The first rays of dawn crept through the window of the Son household, painting soft golden patterns across the bedroom floor.
Goku's eyes opened slowly, his mind immediately clear despite having just awoken.
Today was the day.
He carefully extricated himself from Chi-Chi's embrace, her sleeping form curled against him. The warmth of her naked body against his own made leaving the bed all the more difficult, but he knew what awaited them.
What awaited Earth.
Silently, he rose and began to dress. First, his blue undershirt, smoothing it over his battle-hardened torso. Then the orange gi pants, tightening the drawstring with practiced movements.
The orange top followed, the familiar weight settling on his shoulders like armor. He wrapped his blue wristbands around his forearms, then bent to secure his blue boots.
As he tied his belt around his waist, he heard the rustle of sheets behind him. Chi-Chi had awakened.
"Goku?" Her voice was soft, vulnerable in a way only he ever heard.
He turned to see her sitting up, the white sheet clutched to her chest, her long black hair cascading freely around her shoulders. The sight made his heart ache.
"I didn't mean to wake you," he said quietly.
Chi-Chi slipped from the bed, wrapping the sheet around herself as she padded across the floor. She moved behind him, encircling his waist with her arms, pressing her cheek against his back.
"Promise me," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "Promise me you'll come back."
Goku closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her against him. "Chi-Chi..."
"I know I don't understand completely what you're facing. I know it's worse than anything before." Her arms tightened around him. "But I need you to promise. For me. For Gohan."
He after a long moment of silence turned within her embrace, gently grasping her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. The usual sternness had melted away, leaving only love and fear.
"I promise I'll win," he said softly. "For us."
He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss.
When they parted, he tenderly brushed a strand of hair from her face, his thumb caressing her cheek.
His senses extended beyond the room, picking up the fluctuating ki signature from down the hall. Gohan was awake, his energy pulsing with a mixture of fear, worry, and determination.
"I need to talk to him," Goku said, his eyes flicking toward the wall separating them from their son's room.
Chi-Chi nodded, understanding.
Goku moved down the hallway, knocking softly on Gohan's door before entering. The boy was already dressed in his purple gi, a mirror of Piccolo's outfit with its red wristbands and blue sash. He stood by the window, looking out at the morning sky.
"Dad," Gohan said, turning to face him. "Cooler's almost here. We shouldn't waste any time."
Something in Goku's expression made Gohan pause. The usual carefree demeanor was gone, replaced by a seriousness that Gohan rarely saw.
"Sit down, son," Goku said, gesturing to the bed.
"But Dad-"
Goku raised his hand, palm forward, silencing Gohan's protest. The boy reluctantly sat on the edge of his bed, and Goku settled beside him.
For a long moment, neither spoke. The ticking of Gohan's study clock seemed unnaturally loud in the silence.
"Gohan," Goku finally said, his voice steady. "You won't be coming with us to battle."
"What? But Dad-"
"Listen to me," Goku continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You need to take care of your mother. If Vegeta and I fail... if we lose against Cooler, you'll need to be the one to stop him when you're older."
Gohan's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"
"Everyone's been talking with Bulma. She's prepared a spaceship - for your mom, for herself, Dr. Brief, Panchy, the Namekians, Krillin, Nappa... everyone." Goku's gaze was steady, unflinching.
"If we lose, you - with your potential - need to grow up, train, and eventually defeat Cooler. With the Namekian Dragon Balls, you can bring everyone back someday."
"Dad, I..." Gohan's voice faltered, his face contorted with disbelief. "I can't do that. I'm not as strong as you."
Goku smiled gently, placing his hands on the back of Gohan's head. He leaned forward, bringing their foreheads together.
"You can be stronger than all of us, Gohan," he said softly. "Your potential is greater than mine, than Vegeta's... than anyone's. I believe in you. I've always believed in you."
Their foreheads pressed together, father and son connected in a moment of absolute truth.
"I hate having to put this burden on you," Goku continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "But you're our only hope if things go wrong. There's no one I trust more than my own son."
Gohan remained speechless, overwhelmed by his father's words. After a long moment, he asked, "What about Mr. Toji? He's the strongest of all of us. Couldn't he stop Cooler?"
Goku's expression turned somber. "Yes, Toji could defeat Cooler if he comes back. But we don't know what's going on with him son. If he and Freeza kill each other, and if Vegeta and I fall against Cooler... someone needs to be ready."
After a while, a long silence, determination slowly replaced the fear in Gohan's eyes. He nodded against his father's forehead. "I'll do it, Dad. You can trust me."
Goku pulled back, ruffling Gohan's hair with a proud smile. "Of course I can. You're my son, one I'm very proud of."
Neither noticed Chi-Chi standing in the doorway, still wrapped in her sheet, tears streaming silently down her face.
Her smile was bittersweet - joy at the bond between father and son, terror at what the day might bring.
---------------------------
The wasteland stretched in all directions, barren and desolate - the same place where the Saiyans had first arrived on Earth.
Goku and Vegeta stood side by side, their expressions grim as they awaited their opponent.
"You remember the plan?" Vegeta asked, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Of course," Goku replied. "We need to create a ki cloud big enough to cover the entire Solar System and beyond, and all that, right?. That way, the spaceship can escape without being sensed by Cooler - if he can sense ki - to that peaceful planet the Namekians mentioned."
Vegeta nodded, satisfaction evident in his eyes.
Their year together in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber had forged an understanding between them that neither would have thought possible before.
"Then let's begin," the prince said, uncrossing his arms.
They stood several feet apart, both clenching their fists at their sides. In perfect synchronization, they began to power up.
The ground beneath them cracked as their auras flared to life - Goku's a brilliant white, Vegeta's a royal blue. Rocks levitated around them, disintegrating into dust as their power continued to rise.
"HAAAAAAAAA!" they roared in unison, their voices echoing across the wasteland.
The earth quaked violently, fissures spreading outward from their position like spiderwebs. Their auras expanded, merging into a massive energy field that pulsed with raw power.
Suddenly, the sky darkened as if night had fallen prematurely. The clouds above swirled into an ominous vortex, and a red light descended from the heavens.
It stopped in the darkened sky above them, shrouded by clouds. Two glowing crimson eyes peered down at them, unblinking.
The winds picked up, dispersing the clouds to reveal their adversary in all his terrible glory.
Cooler hovered above them, his 5th form sleek and deadly, bio-gems glinting in the strange red light that seemed to emanate from his very being.
"I see that I have been expected," Cooler said, his voice carrying easily to them despite the distance. "Good, that should make things simpler."
---------------------------
(Author note: Hello everyone! I know, this chapter is very short, but I believed it deserved its own.
This is quite the serious situation after all, no dragon balls to save the day, the enemy is so, so much stronger, their best fighter's fate is just unknown, well, it's almost like the setup for the future Trunks timeline, and we know how dark that one is.
Well, I hope to see you all later today when I write the fight,
Bye!)