Title: When Twilight Fades

Author: Ayame

Disclaimer: As you know, the characters of DB/Z/GT are not mine. Akira Toryama, who rightfully gets credit, created them. I only use them for my devious little plot lines. =)

Rating: Not sure yet.

Summary: Bra's life with Goten was absolutely perfect… until the appearance of an enticing stranger invaded her world and turned it upside down. Now, Bra must choose whether or not she should, and even has the ability to, fight against the dangerous passions that this stranger can show her. She must choose whether her life with Goten is enough… or if she would be better off with the Android, 17.

When Twilight Fades

-Prologue-

                He could still see her dancing. The lazy glow of the setting evening sun filtered through the mesh, silken curtains, washing the room in a surreal haze. Her laughter floated into the air, ringing crisp and clear, lilting with joy and comfort. Her hair, a light turquoise shade, was pulled up away from her face in a clip, with small delicate tendrils of blue locks trailing down her slender neck. Her body, slender but athletic, was clothed in a thigh-high silk white dress. Spinning around on bare feet, she turned to face him, a bright smile playing on her lips, her eyes sparkling, she skipped toward him practically leaping in his arms. With a grin of his own, he wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around to the time of the fast-paced music.

                With a sigh, the image faded from his mind, trying to stop thinking about her. She'd left him. Stepped out of his life without so much as a good-bye. And he desperately yearned for a reason why.

                Rubbing a hand over his face, he stepped further into the living room that they had shared. He felt tired and burnt out; a dying candle at the end of its wick, drowning in the liquid wax surrounding it.

                The sofa sat in the middle of the room, atop an expensive Oriental area rug, shielding the legs of the furniture from scraping up the hard wooden floor. The far wall was an expanse of windows, giving a view of the bustling life of Tokyo below. Decorative items, end tables, a coffee table, and television set were placed strategically through the room, but that wasn't important to him. The things were here, but she was not. Her things were still here…

                Next to the door that he stood at was a small table which he'd placed some of her belongings on. One in particular caught his attention. A red book covered in a soft vinyl. He reached for it, noting there was no title on the dust jacket anywhere. A thin red strip of ribbon marked the last page viewed. Picking up the book, he moved further into the room, studying it without opening it.

                Dim sunlight filtered through the pulled shades, bathing the area in a surreal glow. Dusk would take way soon. With a sigh, he brought his palm to his face, rubbing it tiredly again. Taking a seat on the sofa, he let out sigh, thinking back to a time that seemed so long ago…

                "Goten? What are you doing? We're going to be late." her voice rang clearly across the room. She stood in the doorway of their bedroom. Her light blue hair was pinned up almost in the fashion of a French twist, but with silken strands caressing her face and slipping neatly from the bun. She wore and ankle-length, satin dancing dress, a slit on one side that slid up to the hip. Red with velvet trimming, it accentuated every curve. With a grin, he got to his feet, grabbing her coat which had been resting on the arm of the sofa. Stopping before her, he placed the jacket over her shoulders and leaned in, kissing her softly on the lips. She broke into a smile, returning the kiss. "Back from your dream world, I see?" she spoke with a small laugh.

                Shaking his head, he grasped her hand, noting that despite the fact that she was in a dancing dress, she was wearing high-heeled, but casual appearing, sandals. Not exactly they type of shoes that would match with the dress, but it wouldn't be like anyone was going to see her. And it would be like she'd be wearing the shoes for long. "The place of your choice, then?" he winked at her as he spoke the words.

                Sticking her tongue out, she moved across the room and picked up the bags that contained their lunches. They'd head over to their favorite lunching area, out in one of the many, but nearly unused parks in the city they lived in. Usually, she would cast aside her shoes and walk around barefoot shortly after their arrival. Turning, she slugged him playfully in the shoulder. "Let's get going. I'm starved!" She spoke as she headed through the door. And just as before, this image as well, faded from his mind. Still, he sat alone on the sofa, angered at the fact that she was no longer with him. Angered and sorrowful at how he'd been too blind to stop it from happening. Angered at how he had failed in seeing that she would leave. Angered that it had taken him by surprise, suddenly, and maliciously.

                Thoughtfully turning over the soft, velvet feeling book in his palms, fingers tracing small lines against the smooth material, he tilted the item up, looking at the top. It appeared to have been a little more than half-way read through. Pulling over the cover, he shifted through the first few pages to find that it wasn't an ordinary reading novel. A diary. Teeth clenching, then relaxing, jaw tightening with anticipation, then soothing with a slow inhalation, he let his fingers slide through the pages, reaching the first one that contained adamant writing.

                He stared at the script, not really seeing it at first. His curiosity to find out if her secrets had been written here… his desire to know why she had left him, brought his eyes to register on the words. And it was there that Son Goten began to read about the innermost thoughts and decisions of his former lover.