Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z is property of Akira Toriyama and Bird Studio.

Gusts of a gentle breeze blew back Goku's hair as he sat in deep meditation on a cliff that overlooked a waterfall. It had been a year since his father had come back to him and taken away again. Even so, Goku managed to return to a relatively normal life with great effort. He was his happy-go- lucky self most of the time, but on occasions he would seek out solitude and meditate. His inner wounds were deep and still needed time to mend, however he would longer shut out his family and friends. They understood his pain. A saiya-jin approached him. Goku rose up and found his father standing before him.

"Kakarot," growled Bardock.

Goku answered, "It's good to see you, Father. We've come along way, you and I."

"Life's a funny thing, isn't it?" Bardock commented, "There was a time when I was a very proficient warrior, never hesitating to spill blood for the sake of our race. But now I'm so much more than a mere killing machine. For the first time in my life I am complete, and I owe that to you, Kakarot."

The younger saiya-jin closed his eyes and allowed the breeze to blow through his long black hair. "Sometimes I feel the opposite. Father, I felt a part of me was taken away with your passing. I reach my hand out to you, but you are always far away from my grasp."

Bardock broke off into laughter. "Kakarot, Kakarot, Kakarot," he chuckled, "You still don't get it do you? If you'd stop dwelling in the past you'd understand I am with you." He held out his hand to his son and whispered, "Come with me."

Goku obliged and took his father's olive hand. Together they teleported to a silver pool, the water shimmered like polished glass.

Bardock pointed to their flawless reflections in the rippling mirror. "Look here," he said, "What do you see?"

"Our reflections," Goku murmured. He was startled at how much he did resemble his sire. He also noticed the reflections were moving toward one another. They merged until he could see half of his face on the left and half of his father's face on the right. "Our reflections are now apart of one another."

"Yes," explained Bardock, "Just as we and apart of one another. My blood flows in you as you came from my seed, Kakarot. The spirits of generations upon generations of saiya-jin warriors live within you and will continue to live in your descendants. We are of one spirit, my son."

Goku's eyes were opened. "I get it!" he exclaimed, "Father you do live on! It's through me!!!" He laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

Bardock's tail stood erect. "Only you would laugh at an inappropriate time," he muttered.

The other saiya-jin shrugged. "I guess it's one of the things that makes me who I am."

Bardock folded his tail around his waist and gazed into the sunset. "Keep it that way then, Kakarot. Be like that sun. Provide your friends with warmth and comfort and scorch your enemies with fire and pain."

Before Goku could answer he felt something strike him in the shoulder. He felt himself fall against the earth. When Goku opened his eyes he found he was laying on the edge of the cliff with Gohan kneeling over him. "Where's father?" he asked.

"Are you allright, Dad?" Gohan asked him in return, "I found you sleeping. You almost fell off the edge."

Goku laughed, a sweatdrop appearing upon his brow. "Did I?' he asked, "I guess it was all a dream then, wasn't it? Otousan couldn't have been here since you can't leave the otherworld once you're dead."

Gohan shook his head. "I don't know, but how about catching a fish before going home? That's something we haven't done together since before Cell."

"Sounds great!" answered Goku, "I'll race you to the bottom!"

"What's that?" Gohan pointed to an oak tree that grew out of the cliff side. He caught a hint of something red caught on a branch.

Goku flew to the tree and discovered it was a strip of cloth someone had tied there. He carefully freed the item and held in his hands. His nose picked up the scent of blood-saiya-jin blood. He also detected his father's scent. Goku felt hot tears well up on his eyes. He clutched the cloth to his chest as if he had unearthed some priceless treasure.

"Dad?" Gohan shouted.

"Coming!" Goku shouted back as he secured the scarf around his forehead.

The End