Disclaimer:
I do not own DB/DBZ/DBGT or any of it's content or characters. Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me, anything you don't recognize does.
I'm using an original character rather than Pan for Trunks love interest because I don't really like Pan in DBGT and can't really do what I want with her in this story. Still, other characters will take the POV in later chapters so it isn't all about her. Still, please give Emily a chance. she's a really cool character (at least I think so) even though she doesn't actually exist. If you don't like OC then don't read it. Please Review!!Chapter 1:
Return Home
I stared at the small oak door in front of me unsurely. I didn't really understand why I was so nervous, I was only returning home. After three years away from my family, with only video phone communication, I had grown nervous that they might not like the new me. After all, people change a lot in three years didn't they? I nervously checked my reflection in the small illuminated glass that decorated the top of the door. My tight bun had loose flecks all over my face and head. I grimaced angrily. That bun had taken two hours to make but only four minutes in this windy mountains had made it go from fantastic to fiasco. Giving up, I sighted and pulled my hair loose. It was just as well anyway, my saijan hair wasn't really meant for tight dos. I caught sight of my light green eyes in the glass before shaking myself calm. I was starting to act ridiculous; being scared to go into my own home, afraid to face my family, suppressing my chi, thinking that I had to get them all to like me all over again? I'd even done my hair up in a bun for crissakes. I just had to be normal, be myself. I plastered a pearly white smile on my face and knocked on the door. After a few seconds of silence I knocked again. Nothing.
"Odd" I whispered to myself "they knew I was coming."
I knocked slowly one more time before banging savagely on the door, all feigns of politeness thrown out the window.
"Come in" the gruff voice of my brother came from the house. I smiled, for real this time, and walked inside, mentally prepared for the banner, balloons and 'welcome home' yells.
The living room was empty when I walked in. "What the…?" I dropped my bags on the couch and headed for the kitchen. The house hadn't changed much. A few more photographs and a new paint job but it was still the same little cottage I'd left behind. My twin brother was sitting on the kitchen counter eating ice cream right out of the container, his eyes transfixed on the small television set that sat on the counter. He wasn't wearing a shirt which made me notice that he'd gotten stronger or at least more built since he had several extra muscles than weren't there when I'd left three years back. His then shabby long black hair was spiked sideways in a military cut that imitated our older brother's haircut. A short search for chi made me conclude that besides him and me, the house was empty.
"Sheesh what a welcome back bash this is" I stated, leaning in slightly against the kitchen wall.
My twin jumped up, startled by my voice, and stared at me as his spoonful of ice cream fell and dripped down his chest. "Em?" he stared for a beat and then his eyes went as big as saucers as he jumped up the stool and started running in circles around the kitchen with his arms flapping in the air like a chicken "Ahhh! Cold cold cold cold cold cold COLD!" he screamed.
I started laughing, grabbed a paper towel and threw it at my nut job brother. He grabbed it immediately with his quick reflexes and wiped the ice cream off himself. He gave a sigh of relief when he was done and then, as if the whole thing had never happened, turned to look at me once more. "Emily!? What are you doing here?"
"What are you talking about you dunce? I told you I would be back today three weeks ago." I replied.
"Nuh-huh" he said "You said you were coming back tomorrow."
"No I didn't…" I stopped talking halfway, realizing something "Did you tell everyone that I was coming back tomorrow? Is that why no one is here?"
"No" he said, his eyes sliding away from my face- a clear sign he was lying.
"Goten" I whispered in a threatening voice.
"I didn't" he said again but I could tell his resolve was fading. One more push.
"Goten" I repeated. This time my voice dripped with an underlying 'don't lie to me or I'll be really sad and disappointed' voice that I'd perfected during our childhood years.
"All right fine" he mumbled unhappily "I might've made that mistake."
I gave him a small disapproving look before smiling and falling back down on the couch. "Just as well" I said "I hate the big fuss and embarrassing spectacle they would've probably made."
"Tell me about it" Goten answered, relieved that hi sister wasn't mad at him "Mom and Bulma have been buying balloons all week. They're out right now buying more decorations." He scratched the back of his head a gave the signature Son apologetic look "I guess I should call them and tell them to stop."
I laughed some more and smiled at him "Yeah" I stood up in front of him "you really should."
He laughed nervously before smiling and asking "So are you back for real?"
"Yep" I nodded "You're stuck with me all over again".
He laughed and gave me a huge Goten style hug that involved spinning, laughing and the mussing of my hair with his knuckles. I let him muss up my hair since no one else was there, but once the hugging was over I headed to the bathroom to fix my mane while he called mom and Bulma to tell them I was home.
I looked at my hair in the mirror and for a second, I saw the me of three years ago. Three years ago, I had graduated high school and headed off to France to study Advertising and Marketing. College was a breeze after all of Gohan's, mom's and Bulma's extra curricular training sessions my whole life and I had finished in three years. Three years ago, at the tender age of 17, when I still trained with my brothers and father, I'd never really cared about what my hair looked like. Training always made me sweat and always made it puff up but it had never really bothered me before. Back in those days my hair was usually tangled up around my head or in a loose ponytail or braid.
It was easy to get sidetracked from those ideals after three years of studying in the fashion capital of the world and having a Fashion Major for a roommate. I smiled a bit thinking that if Marie could see my hair right now she'd faint. She'd call it a windy hairmergency. I chuckled to myself a bit. Marie was funny like that. I ran my fingers through water and then ran them through my hair. I put it up in a high ponytail and used water to keep any loose strands from getting out. My bangs fell across my forehead and I smiled at my reflection a bit before heading back to the kitchen. Here in the mountains, this was the best I could do.
Goten was sitting on a stool with a new pint of ice cream on his lap. The house phone stood still atop the kitchen counter and my mother's voice could be heard yelling from over the receiver.
"Told her huh?" I whispered slowly.
"Yep" he mumbled back, mouth full of ice cream.
I placed my ear close to the phone and stifled a laugh "Sounds like she's taking it well."
"No" Goten said, finally swallowing "she's just mellowed out in her old age."
We both turned to look at the phone and started laughing as quietly as we could. I grabbed an extra spoon from the cabinet and joined in on the ice cream fun.
"So where's everyone else?" I asked swallowing a huge spoonful of chocolate ice cream. I looked at the house across from ours through the window and asked Goten "Gohan home?" Gohan was our older brother and he lived across our parents' house with his wife and daughter.
We heard a click and turned to look at the phone. "She hung up" Goten said putting the telephone back in its place "finally."
He looked out the window and answered "Nope. Gohan is teaching a class, Videl had lunch with her dad I think and Pan is still in school."
"Where's dad?" I asked.
"Who knows?" he shrugged.
Suddenly two chis registered and I turned to give my brother a questioning look. "Pan and Bra are here." he smiled oddly and headed for the living room. I followed closely behind. The front door opened and in walked a younger version of Videl followed by a younger version of Bulma. "Hey Uncle G" Pan walked in a dumped her beaten up book bag on the floor. An orange bandana held her shoulder-length black hair down and clashed horribly with her gray and white uniform. Her feet were adorned with sneakers while her brown eyes were outlined with brown eyeliner and stared at me in surprise when I came into view. "Oh" she mumbled more to herself than to us "Who is…" she looked closer and gave a me a disbelieving look "Oh my gosh! Auntie Emily?"
"Yep" I laughed and gave her a very tight, very noisy hug that involved a lot of jumping around. Pan turned around and yelled "Bra! Auntie Em is here!"
I poked her arm impatiently "I've told you not to call me that. It makes me sound like the aunt of Wizard of Oz."
"That's why she does it, you know" Goten smiled nervously. He was fidgeting with his hands and his smile was wider than when I'd arrived. I gave him a 'what's wrong with you look' to which he did not respond. He was staring over my shoulder. I turned to find myself face to face with Bra. Her shiny blue hair hung glamorously long up to her lower back while her blue eyes were decorated with white glittered eye shadow and black eyeliner. Her hair was held in place by a red diadem and her neck and arms were all adorned with red accessories. Her shoes were a couple of 2 inch red heels. She smiled at me and gave me a tight hug.
"It's great to see you Emily. We missed you a lot." she turned to look at Goten and gave him a quick once-over her eyes lingering slightly on his exposed chest. She greeted him with a nod and turned back to me at once.
"Come on Aunt E" Pan said pronouncing it to sound like 'auntie' and pulling me down on the couch. "How was France tell us."
"I'll tell that story when everyone is here. I don't want to repeat it a million times."
"Good point" Bra said "but tell us if you have a boyfriend."
I laughed and said "I did for a while but I don't anymore. How about you guys?"
Pan blushed red and mumbled "I haven't had a boyfriend yet." while Bra said "Broke it off with a guy I was seeing a couple of months ago and now I'm free as a bird."
From the corner of my eyes I could see Goten's fist clenching. Oh sheesh.
"We're only fifteen thought." Pan kept talking and I nodded along paying more attention to Bra and Goten's interaction rather than what she was saying.
I was mentally strangling my brother, when the front door opened and virtually everybody I knew walked in. Mom and Bulma were ahead of the crowd that walked in holding banners and balloons while yelling "Surprise" and "Welcome Home".
Mom ran towards me and whispered "Oh hunny we are so sorry we mistook the date." she paused and gave Goten a death glare. Wow, she really was mellowing out.
"Yeah" Bulma cut in for a hug "so we ran around looking for everyone and forced them to come here.
"Yeah" Krilin, my dad's best friend, spoke from the crowd that was taking turns giving me hugs and settling around the living room. "It's not good for my image when a couple of women come to my martial arts dojo in the middle of my class and drag me out of there against my will. I lose all credibility with my students you know." He ran his hand through his hair and blushed red as everyone around him laughed.
Piccolo, another family friend, looked very strange with his green skin clashing strongly against the canary yellow walls. I gave him a small smile which he returned without moving from the wall space he had claimed.
Other family friends like Yamcha and his wife, Oolong, Puar, Master Roshi, Chaotzu and Seventeen stood around the living room, laughing at Krilin's embarrassment. Well, except Seventeen…she was glaring at him rather than laughing. The door opened once again and the whole room smiled at the man who walked in through the door.
"Hey bud" he smiled at me "welcome home" and I ran to him and embraced him. "Dad" I yelped back happily. I was used to my dad being absent in my life for long periods of time, but I was always exceedingly happy when I saw him again.
Behind him, my godfather entered the house. "Hi Vegeta" I smiled and gave him a quick nod. He nodded and even granted me a small grin. I stared behind him but no one else followed him in. Disappointed, I turned back to the living room and told an abridged version of my life in France while my mom cooked dinner for everyone. A couple hours later the door banged opened once more and a very haggard Gohan and Videl sprinted in. They immediately turned to me and gave me a simultaneous hug. In the midst of their affection I heard Vegeta mumble "Someone should really lock that door."
After a few kisses and loving words Videl disentangled herself, leaving me hugging Gohan. For the first time since I got back I had to stop myself from crying. Although I loved my dad dearly, he would always be more of a friend and a sparring partner rather than a paternal figure. To me and Goten, the one who raised us, was our older brother Gohan. When I was young and had a nightmare it was Gohan who consoled me, when we sparred and got hurt it was Gohan who made us feel stronger and when I decided to go study in France, It was Gohan who I'd had to convince to let me go. I separated from him and saw his eyes shine with unfallen tears through his glasses.
"You look good Gohan" I smiled at him.
"And you look beautiful Emy." he replied, giving me a kiss on the forehead before turning to settle down next to his wife. I chocked back the lump in my throat before settling back down to eat. Everyone that had stopped eating to watch the exchange resumed eating. Neither dad nor Vegeta had stopped eating. The dinner was nice, filled with ease and laughter and I scolded myself for worrying about returning home.
Still the absence of some very important people loomed heavily on me. In the middle of dessert I gave in and asked "Where are Trunks, Tien and Uub and the others?"
"Well they were hard to get a hold of but they'll be stopping by soon enough." Bulma said.
"Oh alright." I mumbled. After dinner we all sat around the living room and laughed, mostly at dad. When it started to get dark a familiar chi registered and a huge smiled plastered on my face. The door banged opened and in he walked…
