Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or its characters.

Author's Notes: As you may all noticed by now, Chi-Chi is my favourite character.  By my inclusion of her in all of my fanfics, no matter how small the cameo.  I wrote this as my reason for why she's so protective of Gohan.  This takes place between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z.

Nine months were almost up.  The day her baby would come was coming soon.  Chi-Chi waited patiently for the day that her child would be born.  She sat in the kitchen, alone, thinking.

She remembered telling Goku the news.  He was so happy, but he just didn't figure out how the baby got inside her.  She had to teach him the "birds and the bees".  But after that, they were still happy.

After her father, Ox King, was told of the news, he left the castle to take care of Chi-Chi through her pregnancy.  But it seemed that no matter how much she was told to relax, she had to clean up a small corner, set up the nursery, or make a meal.

She rubbed her buldging stomach and hummed lullaby.  Was it a boy or a girl?  Soon, she would find out.

Her father then entered the kitchen.  "Chi-Chi," he said quietly.  "Are you alright?"

"Just fine, I'm sure that you're excited to see your grandchild," she replied.

"Well, I'm worried about you."

"Why?"

"With you having a baby, it reminds me a lot of your mother," he said softly.

Chi-Chi was silent.  "I don't really remember much about mom.  You told me that she died shortly after I was born. I guess that's why you're worried about me."

Ox King solemnly nodded his head.

"Please, dad, tell me about her.  I never really asked, but now, I want to know.  Tell me about mom," Chi-Chi requested.

"You look so much like her, and act like her in many ways too," Ox King replied.  "But if you want to know, we first met when I had just moved into the castle.  Everyone in the villages below were so afraid of me, and so, I thought that I would visit one of them.  Some of the villagers heard that I was coming, and so they boarded up their houses and hid inside."

Ox King, in his old armor, approaches the gate of the small village, and sees a girl that resembles Chi-Chi standing in the way.  In her hand, is a rolling pin.

"So, you are the horrible Ox King!  Don't you even think of destroying this village and hurting my family, or else I'll bring this rolling pin on top your head!"

Ox King, looks shocked and replies, "I just wanted to visit you people!  Honest!  I don't want to destroy anything!"

The girl, embarassed, blushes and pulls out a pie.  "In that case, I'm Mi-Mi!  And welcome to my home!"

"That's how I met your mother.  Soon, she would visit me at the castle, and bring over some food for me.  We fell in love and then got married.  A few months later, your mother was pregnant with you!"

Chi-Chi listened with much interest, imagining her mother and father sharing the happy times together.

"While we waited for you, we planned your future.  Your mother wanted you to be a smart little girl and be the first female scholar!  I wanted to train you, but she didn't want you to get hurt.  We thought about it, and decided that you could train AND learn."

A sudden look of condern flashed across Chi-Chi's face.  "Dad, I don't mean to interrupt, but can you please finish the story at the hospital?"

"Of course, but why, Chi-Chi?"

"Because my water just broke."

Ox King suddenly got up and ran out of the kitchen and ran the door calling for Goku.

Chi-Chi calmly went to get the bags she packed for her stay at the hospital.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU DID THIS TO ME!!!  DON'T EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN!!!"

Chi-Chi's screams could be heard throughout the hospital.  Doctors and nurses ran for their lives from the delivery room.

After a few agonizing hours, for both parties, a little boy was born.  Again, doctors and nurses ran from the delivery room, to make sure that they weren't hallucinating when they saw the furry brown tail on the newborn boy.

Chi-Chi tenderly held the baby boy, while Goku proudly looked on (and massaged his sore neck and wrist).

Ox King tentatively entered the room.  "What will my grandson be called?" he asked.

"We'll name him after my grand-father.  Meet Gohan," Goku answered.

"Dad," Chi-Chi weakly said.  "Will you finish the story?  Tell me what happened to mom."

Goku, taking his cue, walked out of the room to find some pain killers.

Ox King took up Goku's empty spot.  "Then, the day came, and you were born.  But," Ox King paused, as if the memory were too painful.  Chi-Chi's eyes began to water.  But her father continued, "There were some complications."

Mi-Mi is lying in a bed, her face pale and weary, but she smiles as Ox King brings in the baby Chi-Chi to see her.  Mi-Mi gently takes her baby in her arms and smiles again at her child.

"Ox King, don't try to deny it, but you know that I'm dying.  Take care of little Chi-Chi."

"Please, Mi-Mi, why don't you rest?  Maybe things will get better."

"No they won't.  You should train her.  Without me around, she'll have to learn to take care of herself, and you.  She'll be too busy to study.  Besides, from the moment I felt her coming into this world, I knew that she was a fighter."

Mi-Mi looks down at Chi-Chi.  "Oh, my precious daughter."  She kisses her daughter's forehead, then she kisses Ox King.

"Good-bye, I love you both," she whispers as she closes her eyes and goes limp.

Ox King looked at the image before him.  His daughter depicting the same scene he saw.  Pale and tired, and holding her child close.  Then both had tears streaming down their faces.

"Oh, dad.  I guess mom wanted me to have a brighter future," Chi-Chi sniffled.  "Too bad mom isn't here personally to see Gohan, but I know that she's watching over us.  No matter what, I'll make her wish come true."

Ox King knew what Chi-Chi meant.  "A few months ago, you participated in the Tenkachi Bodukai Tournament.  What if you and Goku want to train him?"

"It doesn't matter what I want, and I'll make Goku understand.  Besides, Gohan is too young, he'll get hurt.  He needs me to take care of him, motivate him, and teach him.  Especially take care of him."  Chi-Chi held Gohan closer to her, somewhat feeling Gohan's fighting spirit.  Her concern for him grew.  "I want you to have what I didn't have.  Oh, Gohan, I want you to be a scholar."

Additional Notes: I thought that I would make a name for Chi-Chi's mom and fill the time gap.  Don't flame me for this, I just tried to fill in the blanks, in the most logical way.  Please, send in your comments for the reviews, I enjoy some constructive criticism.