Pan
Her skin was as pale as the snow surrounding her face, only one had an unhealthy blue tinge to it, and it wasn't the snow. Her lips were a purple so deep it could almost be called violet. But it was her eyes that were the creepiest. The blue-black orbs that were once so full of life were calm, emotionless, and scary. They were what made her truly seem dead.
"Isn't there any way to restore her to life?" They asked the kami of Earth; a young Namekian named Dende who came from the Dragon Clan.
"Yes, with the Namekian Dragon Balls," he told them and they rejoiced. Pan would soon be alive again. But the question that rang through their minds was, why? How she died was easily enough figured out, she'd died of the cold. The cold had literally ended her life as she lay sleeping in a snow bank, trying to keep warm, even though nothing mattered to her anymore.
One person knew why Pan had died. And that person was Dende himself, who actually wasn't a person but the god of Earth and a Namekian on top of that. Dende knew the reason, and he had been hesitant on telling the others that Pan could be brought back to life. But Dende would never tell. No, he knew that it was imperative he keep her secret, that much he'd promised her as she died. She'd threatened to kill him if he tried to save her and it had been torture for him as he listened to her cries of death. But he would keep his promise.
For that answer, we have to go back ten hours in time.
Ten hours earlier
Pan had just finished getting dressed for school. She hated the place, but she went. She knew her life was not in education. It was in fighting. Even with Hercule as a grandparent, fighting was a part of her blood; it was her life. Pan had no idea what she would do without fighting. Most likely die, was her thought on the subject.
"Pan! Hurry up, Bra's waiting for you!" Videl, mother of Pan, yelled at her teen daughter. Pan glared at the door, which was closed, and grabbed her backpack. It was full of bad grades, as was her report card, which she had yet to show her family and friends. It wasn't like she was a genius like her father, Bulma, Trunks, and Bra. People that were to smart for there own good surrounded her. Pan walked down the stairs, hoping that she could leave quickly. She did not want to hang around home today. She just wanted to leave a quickly as possible. It was a Friday, which meant she had a nice long weekend ahead of her. Actually, more like a nice long Christmas vacation ahead of her.
"Wow, I can't believe these grades Bra! They're so good!" Pan heard her mother praise Bra.
"Yes, they are excellent;" a male voice joined in. Pan had to repress a groan. It was her father. He'd want to see her grades, then he would be disappointed that she hadn't tried harder and gotten better grades. Which wasn't true at all. Pan did try hard; she just didn't understand what was going on. Pan tried her hardest to try and please her parents, but she just couldn't grasp the material and the D's and C's were proof of that. The only one who had ever really understood Pan was her Grandpa Goku, but he was gone. He'd been gone for over three years. He'd left when Pan was 15, and now she was 18, a senior.
"Good morning Pan," her father, Son Gohan, college professor and genius, greeted her as she walked into the room.
"Hey dad, mom, Bra," Pan greeted each with a nod.
"Pan, Bra was just showing us her report card," Videl began, and Pan knew what was next. "Can I see yours?" It was shaped as a question, but it was really a demand. Pan took out the report card and handed it over, waiting for her parents' reactions.
"Pan," her father sighed after he'd seen the grades. She could hear the disappointment in his voice. She grabbed the card and tore it up, running out the door, tears streaming down her face.
She flew to school, stopping a few blocks away and walked the rest. The tears had frozen onto her face and she knocked them off. No need for people to see them. She looked at one and found it was so perfect, so beautiful. She crushed it in the palm of her hand. Perfection, the one thing that always bested her. She couldn't be the best. She didn't get the grades, she wasn't super saiya-jinn, she wasn't pretty, but she was miserable. Misery fit her like a gown that had been sewed on and she couldn't take it off. She did have one thing that Bra didn't have though, and that was Uub. To bad she was in love with Trunks and was even having an affair with him. Pan didn't even know why she was with Uub. But she was planning to break it off with Uub that day. She had to, for she had something important to tell Trunks. Besides, it would just make Uub feel worse if she were to continue this on much longer.
The bell rang and she headed to her first class. Soon, but not soon enough, she went through second and third periods as well. Fourth period was her favorite class. Gym. The one class she always got A's in. She felt happy to run the track at a slow pace, barely breaking a sweat. She was still the first one done. Pan loved running, she loved all the sports, but running was her favorite. It was the only one where she only had to rely one herself and no one else. All to soon, the class was over and she had to go to lunch. Lunch, with Bra.
Pan got her food and sat down at the usual table with Bra and Bra's friends. Pan didn't like Bra's friends, and they her. The only reason Pan sat with them is that she didn't want to be alone. Loneliness was something didn't want but did seem to have. She just wanted to be accepted for who she was. But, as Pan got started eating her lunch, she felt sick and went to the nurse. Or, so she said. Pan actually just went off to a part of the school where few ventured, the Band Room.
She had no idea why she went there, but she did and it was quiet. The band was in the auditorium, practicing for their upcoming concert the next night. She sat in a back room, hoping no one ventured in. She wanted to be alone. Bra's friends had annoyed her enough that she was succumbing to her fear. She heard footsteps and hid in a small room that had the lights off. There was a sink, a few stands, but not much else. No one went into the room and she was safe. She stayed in the little room until school was over. She flew to Capsule Corps. She wanted to see Trunks, to tell him her news. She wanted to tell him that she was going to break it off with Uub. And another that she had kept secret for a few weeks.
Not even bothering to knock, Pan walked into Capsule Corp. and headed to Trunks's office. She didn't knock, just went in, and ran back out. Tears were flooding her face.
Trunks was in there with another girl, and they were doing certain things. Things that brought pain to the teen. Unimaginable things. They were having sex in the middle of his office, right out in the open.
She fled, running out of the building. She ran into Vegeta, but she just bulldozed past him, leaving the prince wondering what had just happened. Luckily, Vegeta was the only one she ran into. Finding an empty room, she opened the window and flew. It was snowing outside. She finally landed on a small island, one that was covered in snow and cried.
'Dende, please, don't let them wish me back. Life hurts too much, and I just want peace. Please, let me stay dead. I wish I could have told him first though, but don't tell anyone. Don't tell anyone what I'm going to tell you. Please, don't tell them that I'm pregnant with Trunks's baby.'
The cold started to get to her as she cried, telling Dende her last message. She'd forgotten a coat that morning and she was finally feeling the cold. The cold practically sapped all of the energy out of her as she curled into a little ball, trying to keep warm. She didn't want to, but her body had its own agenda and wouldn't listen to her mind. A little ball of ki was used to dig a spot for her in the snow bank. She crawled in and waited for death.
On the Lookout
Dende had heard Son Pan's message and cursed. But he promised he would honor her wish about not telling anyone about her child. Her body sent out pleas for warmth, but all to soon, they stopped. He felt her life force give out and she passed on. But, the child she was carrying still had a little life. He didn't want the child to die.
'Hey, everyone, I just felt Pan's life force disappear, can you find her? I can't,'
Dende lied. He got responses from everyone and they all agreed to help find her.It was Goten that found her. He brought her still body up to the Lookout and Dende told everyone to get up to the Lookout that Goten had found her.
'Good, still alive,'
he thought as her lifeless body was laid onto a bed in of the rooms in the Lookout. He was referring to the child."Isn't there any way to restore her to life?" They asked the kami of Earth; a young Namekian named Dende who came from the Dragon Clan.
"Yes, with the Namekian Dragon Balls," he told them and they rejoiced. Pan would soon be alive again. But the question that rang through their minds was, why? How she died was easily enough figured out, she'd died of the cold. The cold had literally ended her life as she lay sleeping in a snow bank, trying to keep warm, even though nothing mattered to her anymore.
But he forgot to tell them that the Namekian Dragon balls had currently been used and that they couldn't be used for another 128 days.
Dende said he thought he felt a small life force in the room with Pan's body and disappeared. It was true; he did feel a life force. Using some of his powers, he was able to save the child. Walking out of the room, he carried the child, a boy. Pan's boy.
Videl saw the child and fainted, as did Chichi. The child had the traditional black hair of a Son, blue eyes, and a small, wet, black tail. The hair did not stand up, but instead hung like Trunks's did, flat down.
Flames arose in Gohan's eyes and he demanded that Dende tell him the father. Goten looked at the child curiously and took him from Dende.
"Hello little guy," Goten said. He knew who the father was. One look at the child's eyes told him. The eyes belonged to his best friend, Trunks. Uub wondered who the father was as well, he felt sorrow though. He thought that Pan had loved him, but instead, she'd loved another. He'd always known that, but now, he knew that it was the truth. She had never loved him. She liked him only as a friend.
Bra came over to Goten and looked at the child and gasped. The boy had her brother's eyes, nose, and well, basically, his whole face.
Bulma had a feeling she knew who the father was, but she wasn't sure. She didn't move though. She didn't want to be right. Normally, she did want to be right about things, but not at the moment. Her mate, Vegeta stood off to the side. He looked disinterested, but he was interested. But he could never show it. It would be to out of character for him to do that. Krillen, who had helped in the search, along with 18, wondered whom Gohan would kill. Marron, who had been with Bra at the time Dende had sent out his message, had long wandered over to the child. He looked familiar, but she couldn't place where.
Trunks, he stood off to the side, next to his father. He knew. He knew who the father was. He knew that he was the father. He didn't even have to see the child to know. But that didn't mean he wasn't happy about it. He hadn't even known that Pan was pregnant
He walked over to his friends and sister. Marron was the first to notice Trunks come over and she did a double take. It clicked in her mind on why the babe's face was familiar. It was the face of Trunks Briefs, co-CEO of Capsule Corporation. Without a word, Goten handed Trunks his child.
"Gohan," croaked out the new father. Gohan looked at the guy and Trunks gulped. This was going to be hard. "I'm sorry."
The flames in Gohan's eyes rose to a fury that could not be matched by any other. Bulma sighed; she'd been right. The others, the ones that hadn't figured this out already, gaped in wonder and shock. Uub sighed; he'd had a feeling it had been Trunks. That didn't make the pain go away. Vegeta looked at his son with a new emotion in his eyes. If Trunks had paid attention, he would have realized that it was a look of respect. The hardest thing in the universe to earn from Vegeta.
Goten had to restrain his brother; Krillen had to help. Both of them wanted Trunks to live. It would not do justice for Gohan to orphan his grandson.
"Name?" A voice said from the back. It was Piccolo. He had somehow been restored to life. Trunks drew a blank, as did the rest of the people. Well, except for one. Vegeta snorted and said, "Name the kid after Kakarot."
Trunks nodded at his father and the child was named Kakarot. The boy-child was named after his grandfather, Son Goku.
Videl and Chichi had finally come to and they were not happy. They had not wanted to become a grandmother and a great grandmother so soon in their lives.
"Why?" Asked a voice. It was Bra.
"It was all of our faults in one way, and it was Pan's as well," Dende spoke up.
"Report card," Videl said.
"Lunch, and school," Bra added.
"Everything." Trunks added, holding his son close to his body.
"Not saving her," Dende put in.
Videl started to cry, her baby was gone and she was partially to blame. If she hadn't asked about the report card, this would never have happened. Bra had tears well up in her eyes. She should have noticed Pan was unhappy at school, but she was too caught up in her own world. Gohan didn't know what to do. He had made her leave that morning, it was his fault. He had acted disappointed in her, but really, he was about to congratulate Pan on her grades. She had gotten one A, four B's, two C's, and only one D. It was the best report card she had ever had. He had wanted to surprise her. She never looked at her report cards so she had no idea that she had done so well.
Trunks, well, he knew what he had done, and that he kept to himself. He was in enough trouble as it was. Vegeta thought back to that afternoon when Pan had run past him at a pace he doubted that even he could run. She had been crying, he remembered that. He wondered if there was any way he could have altered history and not have had Pan die.
They all wondered if that they had done things a little different, that Pan may be alive, but it was to late for that now. Dende looked at the group and knew the hardest part of all was yet to come.
"She doesn't want to be wished back," he announced. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the Namek.
"What do you mean, she doesn't want to be wished back?" Asked several people at once.
"Just like I said, she doesn't want to be wished back to life," he repeated. It took Goten and Uub to hold Gohan back and Vegeta to hold his son back. Both wanted to rush over and demand why. But no one held Videl back.
"I understand why," Videl said aloud, as she walked over the kami. "Life was too painful for her, wasn't it?"
Dende nodded his head and watched as Videl collapsed in grief. Both Chichi and Bulma rushed over to comfort her as she sobbed uncontrollably. Soon, each person went into the room with Pan's body to say good bye.
"Pan, my Pan, I love you so much," was all Videl could say. Gohan went in next and he couldn't even manage that much. All he could do was keep the tears flowing down his cheeks as he looked at the once living body of his daughter.
Chichi went in next and sobbed as she saw her granddaughter, but at least she was able to say good bye.
"Hey kid, I'll miss you. It'll be hard not having you around anymore; I'll miss you. Don't worry, I'll make sure your son's raised right. He won't have to fight if he doesn't want to," Goten said when it was his turn.
Bulma walked in and saw Pan, then turned back around. She couldn't say anything and left the room. Vegeta was next.
"Kid, you were all right. A little annoying at times, but you would have been a helluva good mate for Trunks," was what the prince of her race said to her. For Vegeta, that was the equivalent of that he had like her and would miss her.
Bra followed her father and cried, saying. "I'm sorry." Uub went in next and he told Pan that he would always love her even if she hadn't loved him.
Marron was the next person, and she couldn't think of anything to say. Krillen and 18 went in together and they told her that they would miss her and that she was and always would be part of their family.
Piccolo walked into the room, much to everyone's surprise.
"Pan, daughter of my student and closest friend, Gohan, why did you die? You will be missed." Which in Piccolo meant that he would miss her greatly and that he wished she hadn't died.
Trunks, holding Kakarot, went in last. "Pan. Pan, I'm so sorry, for everything." He sat by her for what seemed hours. He could have stayed by her side for all eternity. But a cry erupted from his lap. Kakarot. He got up and left her behind, his child cries stopping.
He looked at everyone and nodded.
"So, who's going to take care of Kakarot?" Asked Vegeta.
"He's my child, I will," Trunks told his father. Vegeta looked at his son, and Trunks thought his father would call him a fool, but actually, he saw that respect was what shined in his father's black orbs called eyes.
With that, everyone went his or her ways. Plans for Pan's funeral were arranged, she would be cremated and the ashes scattered across the wind. It was only fitting since she had loved the outdoors and had always loved the feel of the wind rushing past her when both flying and running.
A/N: Wow, this is the longest one shot I've ever written. It has had no revisions and has 3354 words in it. I don't own anything in it, but it does make me a bit sad. I can't believe I wrote this. Also, why is it, whenever Pan and Trunks are a couple and have a kid, it's a girl? I was tempted to have the kid be a girl in here, but I decided a boy would be better. It's hard to believe that this story takes place in only one day. Sorry if I made anyone to out of character, but I wanted to make a good sad fic. Would you believe that this story only started out with one line, and that's very first one of the story and it came from me being just a little cold?
Started: 10:13 P.M. Sept. 10, 2004
Ended: 10:55 A.M. Sept. 11, 2004