p align=centeruHow Many Tears/u
iBy Kuro Enzeru/i/p

Disclaimer: *sigh* I don't own any of the characters in this fic. Akira Toriyama does. I don't own the song "How Many Tears" by Eternal. Though I love it. But I do own this plot!

Please enjoy my fic, I am a very dedicated fan of Trunks and Pan. Hey that rhymes! Hehe ^_^ Please review I don't care if it's a flamer. By the way this is pretty long so make sure you have a lot of time. Enjoy! Oooh yeah, if you're wondering what my name means (Kuro Enzeru) it means Dark Angel. Cool ne? It's Japanese. Okay now to the story. ^_^

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In between squiggly lines like those is where the song is played.
~~

These are the ages...
Trunks
36
Pan
22

p align=centeruHow Many Tears/u/p


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I see myself when I look in your eyes
And all of the sadness you're keeping inside
Oh baby can't you see
If anyone knows, if anyone knows it's me"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Bra! What do you think of this dress?" Asked Pan holding up a long blue dress with very short sleeves and a slit on the left side, probably much too high for Gohan's liking.
"A DRESS!? Pan are you on drugs? You can tell me, I'm here for you." Bra said jokingly as she patted Pan on the back.
"Shut up Bra!" Pan said shoving her away.
"Okay! Talk about temperamental!" Bra said Grinning.
Pan gave Bra a warning look.
"Alright, lets see it." Said Bra motioning Pan to hold it up.
Pan sighed as she held up the beautiful satin dress. Bra looked impressed.
"Nice choice! Especially for a tomboy!" Bra was genuinely impressed by Pan's decision.
Pan gave Bra a playful punch. Much too hard for Bra's liking but she was used to it.
"I'm sure Trunks will be drooling over you..." Bra started but Pan cracked.
"HEY! SHUT UP! I DO NOT HAVE ANY OF THOSE KIND OF FEELINGS WHATSOEVER FOR YOUR BAKA BROTHER!" Pan screamed at the top of her lungs.
Bra just sniggered as Trunks walked into the department store.
"Hey girls, the baka is here! Hey Pan, no feelings for me huh?" Trunks asked playfully grinning.
"Err..." Pan blushed crimson, maybe even darker, but she noticed a little bit of disappointment in his eyes.
Pan rushed into the changing rooms with the blue dress in her hands.
"Wait a minute, did I just see Pan holding a DRESS in her hands and running into the changing rooms with it?" Trunks asked shocked, rubbing his eyes over and over.
"Yup." Bra replied grinning.
"I gotta see this!" Exclaimed Trunks excitedly.
"I'm sure you've been dying to see Pan in a dress for aaaages." Bra said smirking.
"HEY I HEARD THAT!" Screamed Pan from the changing rooms, this just made Bra smirk even more.
Trunks blushed crimson.
"Hurry up Pan! I bet you're taking long because you don't even know how to put on a dress!" Bra shouted into the changing rooms.
"Alright! Alright! I'm done." Pan shouted back.
"Well come out now!" Bra demanded.
At this point Bra was agitated. She stomped over to the changing rooms and punched the door. It broke, after all she does have Saiyajin strength. Bra stuck her hand through the hole and unlocked the door. She pulled Pan out by the ear.
"Okay! Let go! I'll blast you! Just let me go and I'll walk out in peace." Pan pleaded, her ear felt like it was going to be ripped off soon.
Bra reluctantly let go of Pan's ear. Pan walked out into the open. Trunks stared, his mouth gaping. It was true, Pan looked gorgeous. She was always wearing baggy clothes so no one ever saw the curves she had formed and the way the had grown into a beautiful young lady. Pan was already 22 and had a job in CC that Trunks had given her. He sacked his secretary so that Pan could be just outside his door. Pan was happy with the job and her life was...perfect. As Pan stood there Trunks couldn't bring himself to take his eyes off her. The dress hugged all her curves and showed some cleavage, the slit went up to her waist and the short sleeves made it a beautiful dress, on a beautiful, grown woman.
"I think I've got to...umm...go home and...uh...take a...err...cold...yes...erm...very cold...shower...see you later!" Trunks stuttered and stumbled over his words before he ran out of the store.
Bra burst out laughing and Pan couldn't help laughing too, even though in her heart she was shocked at the way he had acted. He had shown somewhat liking, as in loving, towards her. Could it be? He feels the same way?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So many years I tried to pretend
That I would live on in silence my friend
Then something changed in me
Funny how love, it's funny how love sets you free"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trunks sat on the beach, far away from the department store. The waves lapped and broke in front of him, just hitting his feet. This was Trunks' thinking place. Suddenly something wet hit his arm. He wiped it off quickly. Another drop hit his foot. Suddenly his cheeks were flooding with tears. He couldn't stop himself as he broke down and cried. He didn't understand why he was crying, but inside his heart knew why. He was longing, longing for love, even though he'd already found it and it was right under his nose, he didn't realise. Trunks was an ignorant person to these kinds of things and that's why he hasn't had a serious relationship. On days like these he cried for no reason at all, well he thought it was for no reason. Trunks was lonely, a lonely person and whenever he even got close to the person he was destined to be with, he ran. Fast. Away from everything. He ran from love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Don't run away
From my love it could save you
If only you'll stay with me"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pan immediately stopped laughing, as she realised what was happening. Trunks was falling in love with her. No possibly he is but doesn't realise it.

No this can't be, he wouldn't, he doesn't, no.

Pan gasped as Bra lay on the floor clutching her stomach in pain and laughter. Pan payed for the dress hastily and ran out the door. She powered up a little and flew, she didn't care about the funny stares she received from the people on the street. She rushed into the house, past Gohan who was reading a book, past Videl who was in the kitchen. She ran upstairs and began to search her shelf. She was looking for something. She chucked stuff from her shelf to the ground and finally emerged holding, a tape cassette. On it was the words, "How Many Tears" messily written with black permanent texter. About seven years ago she had taped this off a friends cd. It was a beautiful song, which she loved. She ran downstairs and grabbed a machine. It looked like a cassette player, but it was actually a cassette recorder. It could put the current music on one cassette and put it on a cd or another new cassette. She grabbed a blank cassette from her drawer and taped the song onto the new tape. Gohan knocked on Pan's door, Pan jumped out of her skin.
"Panny, what are you up to?" Gohan asked playfully.
"Nothing dad, just taping a song from another tape to give to a friend." Pan said quickly.
"Oh well, with your rushing around the house, you were beginning to worry me." Gohan replied, relieved.
"Okay daddy, I'm fine now bye dad, I need my privacy." Pan said ushering her dad out the door.
Pan sighed loudly. She then walked up to her desk and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. She began to write.

Dear Trunks,
I've enclosed a cassette with a song that portrays how I've been feeling for a long time and I think you have too. I'd like to stay anonymous, the only clue I'm giving you is that you know me. Pretty well too. I think you should listen to the words of the song. Since I am anonymous I'll give myself a name. Please write back, just leave it with Pan, she knows who I am and she'll give it to me.
Love always,
Waga Bakari

(AN: Waga Bakari means, "My Only" in Japanese. =)

Pan pulled open her drawer and grabbed an envelope. She grabbed the cassette and folded the letter neatly and placed them both inside the envelope. She neatly wrote the name Trunks on the front (AN: The front of an envelope is the side where you put the stamps and address. Just thought you might like to know). She grabbed a key from under a baby blue vase on her desk and unlocked her secret drawer. She placed the envelope inside and then closed and locked the drawer. Pan let out a loud long sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How many tears will you cry in the dark
'Till you let me close to your heart
Doesn't the loneliness tear you apart
Let me get close to your heart"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trunks was now home lying on his bed. He was feeling depressed and didn't feel like doing anything. Usually on Saturday's he was bouncing around, but now he was thinking. Thinking of Pan. THINKING OF PAN?! Pan did look beautiful in that dress and Trunk knew it. He was afraid of rejection or to ruin the friendship or both. He decided it was best not to tell her tonight at the party. THE PARTY?! Oh kuso, Trunks cursed at himself. He had to take Pan to the party and in that dress! Trunks sat up violently. Cursing himself. Then Vegeta walked in.
"Son would you stop this! It is becoming irritating! Just tell her already!" Vegeta shouted at his son.
Then Vegeta turned around and stomped out. He was smirking but Trunks couldn't see that. Trunks sat there shocked. How does he know? Wait a minute! There is NOTHING to know. Trunks shook his head violently and lay back down on the bed. He felt lonely. Lonelier than he had ever felt before. It was already dark outside and he saw a star. One bright star. He began to speak, barely above a whisper.
"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight. I wish...that...that my loneliness would go away." He said with so much hope that it seemed like it would've come true right then and there.
He turned his head to glance at the clock on his bedside table. It read 6:00pm. KUSO! The party was at seven.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
""What can I do?" I hear you say
Feels like I'm frozen or driftin' away
Can my love unlock the door?
And you won't be lonely, you won't be lonely no more"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trunks arrived fifteen minutes late. Pan was wearing the beautiful blue dress she had bought earlier that day. She wore no make up, she didn't need it, and she let her hair down, every strand neatly brushed. No orange bandanna to be seen. No one would've guessed she was a tomboy. Pan wore the dress ignoring all her fathers pleads and detests to the dress, claiming it showed too much skin. But Videl was wearing a tight black dress that showed more skin. Much more skin. It was a halter neck and the straps were thin, very thin. It went halfway down her thighs, probably a little higher than that. It was tight and hugged all her curves. Gohan happily didn't detest that dress. Trunks was wearing all black. Not a tuxedo, but a slick all black suit. He looked pretty good and Pan couldn't help gaping, while he gaped back. Pan took Trunks' arm and then they flew together, ahead of all the adults.
"Pan...you know...err...nevermind." Trunks said turning red.
"So how's the love life going?" Pan said, shifting positions so that she was floating on her back, under him.
"Uh...err...well...It's...err...well no one special...err...at the moment." Trunks stuttered uncomfortably.
He was uncomfortable in this position and he had to control himself from just holding her and telling her and the world that he loved her. At this point Trunks realised his feelings. The feelings he'd been denying for a long time. The fact that he loved P-
"Come on Trunks!" Pan said hurrying her flying and grabbing him by the arm.
They landed together and walked into one of the many buildings at CC. Loud music and bright, flashing lights were coming from the inside.
"I'm hungry, really hungry." Pan shouted over the music as she grabbed Trunks' arm (yet again) and dragged him toward the table piled with massive food. Goten and Vegeta were already stuffing themselves silly. Pan sat herself next to Vegeta. Trunks sat between Goten and Pan (Goten was two seats away from Vegeta). Vegeta had a large and possibly the largest chicken leg on his plate. Pan angrily grabbed a plate and snatched the chicken leg off his. She sniggered loudly.
"HEY BRAT! THAT WAS MINE!" Vegeta shouted babyishly.
Pan brought her finger to her right, bottom eyelid. She pulled it as far as it would go while sticking her tongue out at Vegeta. Goten and Trunks sniggered loudly with their mouths full of chicken. Vegeta kept a sour face even though, inside he was thinking about what a great mate this brat would be for Trunks. Even though he'd hate to tie bloodlines with Kakarot, she was the best choice for Trunks. Vegeta kept a protective eye on Pan and his food. While Pan ate her chicken, rather violently, in front of Vegeta while making sounds of enjoyment of his former food. When she finished her large piece of chicken, she noticed there was only one piece of chicken left. It was medium sized, but worth fighting for. Pan glanced at Vegeta and then back at the chicken. Vegeta did the same, glancing at Pan and then at the piece of chicken. They lunged at it at the same time. Vegeta emerged victorious. Smirking he placed it onto his plate. Pan looked pissed. Really pissed. Vegeta eyed her and his piece carefully. Then suddenly Pan took it and coughed all over it.
"BAKA! KUSO! NOT AGAIN!" Vegeta screamed angrily.
Pan ate it quickly and began piling more onto her plate. When they finished eating, Pan dragged Trunks onto the dance floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hold me, hold me tight and don't let go
There's just one thing that you've gotta know
And that is love it holds the key, baby
So why don't you take it, why don't you take it from me"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a slow dance, and they began to snuggle closer. In fact, closer than any friends would dance. Pan rested her head on Trunks' chest and Trunks held her closer. Pan closed her eyes and imagined. That this was real. That he was holding her close because he loved her and wasn't afraid to admit it. She began to sing, not to the song that was playing, but just from memory.
"Hold me, hold me tight and don't let go, there's just one thing that you've gotta know, and that is love it holds the key, baby, so why don't you take it, why don't you take it from me." Pan sang beautifully.
Pan suddenly lifted her head from Trunks' chest and looked up at him.
"Is this real? Am I dreaming?" Pan asked Trunks, she spoke barely above a whisper.
Trunks looked back at her. They stared in each other's eyes, they looked lost, but soulful. It was obvious the way they felt for each other. The space between their mouths was decreasing rapidly. Their mouths were millimetres away. Their lips brushed, and that's when Trunks ran. Trunks pulled back suddenly. He was shocked. What was he doing?
"I'm...really sorry..." Trunks said quietly as he ran out the door.
Pan stood there bewildered. She felt her eyes flooding and the first tear fell onto her cheek, it rolled down, silently and dropped off from her chin. Then they all came, one after the other fast and furious. Her face was tear stained already and she had only been standing there for a minute.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Don't run away
From my love it could save you
If only you'll stay with me"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She ran, on the way stepping on her dress and tearing it. She ran until she got to the lake. She washed her face and took off her shoes. She sat down on the bank and dipped her feet into the cool water. She felt the current rushing between her toes. It was a very relaxing feeling. It was quiet, besides the sound of running water and Pan loved to think and meditate here. She lay down with her feet still in the water. She fell into a relaxed, yet thoughtful, sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How many tears will you cry in the dark
'Till you let me close to your heart
Doesn't the loneliness tear you apart
Let me get close to your heart"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trunks ran until he got to the beach. It was deserted, which was good. Trunks took off all his clothes until he had nothing on but his boxers. He jumped into the ice cold water. He floated on his back and stared up into the sky. He looked at a bright star that looked similar to the one he had wished on earlier.
"I didn't think you'd fulfil my wish so soon!" Trunks shouted to the stars.
"Why her?" Trunks shouted angrily.
"Because you love her." Replied another voice.
Trunks almost drowned of fright. He stood up and noticed a dark figure with his arms crossed in front of him. He had a large head...no that was hair. It was Vegeta.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How many tears will you cry in the dark
'Till you let me close to your heart
Doesn't the loneliness tear you apart
Let me get close to your heart"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kuso! That's not true. Leave me alone!" Trunks screamed at his father.
"It is true and you know it! Now stop it! This is becoming foolish!" Vegeta shouted back.
Trunks powered up and flew away. Away from his father who knew nothing. Nothing. Trunks flew home groggy and fuzzy of the events that occurred that night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh you just can't keep me away
Not another day, baby
You gotta open up and let me in
Don't try to run away 'coz I got so much to say
I could love you if you'd let me get close to your heart"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pan woke up, it was Monday. She slammed her alarm and accidentally broke it. She opened her cupboard door only to find there were no more black pants or grey pants. No pants at all which she could wear to work. Only one black, mini skirt and a blue top. Pan was having a bad day already. She luckily found a black suit, jacket to go with her skirt so she could wear that all day. Pan looked professional. Pan managed to fish out some black high heels. She then reluctantly opened her locked drawer and fished out the envelope. She didn't want to give it, but she felt that she had to. After placing it into her jacket pocket she was on her way to work. She was about to fly when she remembered. Kuso! She couldn't fly. Stupid skirts. So Pan called for a cab. The cab dropped her off in front of CC and on her way into the office, into the elevator and up to Trunks' floor and to her desk, she received whistles and guys' stares. She placed the envelope onto her desk and sat down.
Ring Ring.
First call of the day.
"Hello! Capsule Corporation, this is Son Pan speaking, how may I help you?" Pan said in a much too cheerful tone.
"Hello can I please speak to Mr. Briefs? This important." Replied a woman's voice.
"May I ask who is speaking?" Pan asked innocently.
Beep Beep Beep Beep.
Pan put down the phone in confusion.

At lunchtime Trunks emerged from his office. He looked a mess.
"What do you want for lunch?" Pan asked not looking at him and acting busy.
"I dunno. What do YOU want for lunch?" Trunks asked Pan.
"..."
"Okay Pan, you have a right not to talk to me but, I'm gonna get lunch so...you wanna come?" Trunks asked innocently.
"No." Pan answered sharply.
"Okay fine, I'll be back at 2:00 okay?" Trunks asked permission playfully.
"No. Be back at 1:00pm." Pan demanded, she was going to be strict for a while.
"Uh...okay then." Trunks said nervously and then flew out the window.
Tears began falling from Pan's eyes. She did not want to cry again. She quickly rubbed off her tears. She glanced at the envelope on the desk and opened it. She grabbed a capsule with a cassette player in it. And threw It onto her desk, She played that song over and over while reading her letter. She decided she wasn't going to give it to Trunks after all. She felt that he didn't deserve an admirer at the moment. She began to cry even more and soon the letter in her hand was smudged and a little soaked. She slammed the letter onto her desk and turned off the cassette before she rushed off to the bathroom. Trunks came from lunch early he flew through his window and walked out of his office. Pan was gone from her desk and there was a cassette player on the desk, along with a piece of paper. Trunks walked over to the Pan's desk and pressed the play button.

Hold me, hold me tight and don't let go
There's just one thing that you've gotta know
And that is love it holds the key, baby
So why don't you take it, why don't you take it from me

Trunks listened to the words of the song carefully as he picked up the piece of paper. He found it hard to read, as there was smudges all over the place. Pan came out of the bathroom and suddenly saw Trunks reading the note. She ran and snatched it off him before he could finish reading.
"Hey!" Trunks screamed, startled.
"Go away!" Pan screamed.
"So who is this girl?" Trunks asked, relaxed a little more than before.
"No one of your concern, besides she's having second thoughts about feeling the way she does." Pan replied bitterly.
She clicked off the cassette player and began to busy herself with papers on the desk which were already neatly piled.
"Pan." Trunks began to reason with her.
"What?" Pan replied angrily.
"Look at me please. Please?" Trunks pleaded with Pan.
Pan turned her head and looked at Trunks, with hateful eyes.
"I'm looking at you. Now what?" Pan asked, placing one hand on her hip.
"Gomen Ne Panny-chan." Trunks said sweetly and seriously.
"..."
"So is this girl beginning to reconsider her feelings about me?" Asked Trunks grinning.
"KUSO! I can't stay angry at you!" Pan screamed turning around.
"So? That's a good thing isn't it?" Trunks smirked.
"Shut up, and yes I think she is beginning to reconsider her feelings for you." Pan replied turning around to find that Trunks had moved closer, and was closing in on her.
"So would she like to go on a date, or maybe just hang out sometime?" Trunks asked moving closer to Pan.
Soon it seemed like Trunks couldn't move any closer without making Pan lean onto her desk.
"I think she'd like to hang out some time." Pan replied grinning as she began to lean onto her desk.
"That's cool. How about we hang out now?" Trunks asked, placing his arm around her waist and pulling her up from the desk.
"Okay." Pan replied putting her hands around Trunks' neck.
Trunks pulled Pan in closer and just before their lips brushed Pan pulled away.
"Before we do anything, promise me you won't run from this and hold me close forever." Pan asked staring into his eyes.
"I promise."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How many tears will you cry in the dark
'Till you let me close to your heart
Doesn't the loneliness tear you apart
Let me get close to your heart"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet ne? I really like it. Please review. I'm glad you got to the end too! Thanks for everything ~BrA~! You know who you are. I love all you pplz in msn and tell me what you think of this fic too. Bai bai!