Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ in any way.

Author's note: So, we get to see more Trunks-Pan action in this chapter. This chapter is a little bit on the shorter side...sorry(Sweat drop). Don't beat me!

Behind Light, there is Always Darkness

Chapter 7: Hatred, Fear, and then some more Hatred

All the blood just rushed to my head! I can't believe that I've only been back for half a day, and already I see the one man the I despise the most in all the universe! Trunks Vegeta Briefs, you stand there like you're happy to see me, but I know that you're just happy to have your toy back! Well I won't be played with any longer! I spent so many nights, over these past 15 years crying over you.

Not anymore, I refuse to cry over you! I refuse to be drawn back into all the mind games, all the lies, all the deceit... I've gone back so many times before, you probably think that I'm just as weak minded as I was all those years ago, but I've changed. Try and break me! Try and use me! I will never give in...

"Pan... I..I can't believe it," Trunks stated staring at Pan in utter disbelief.

Pan was so heated, she didn't know how to reply. Well, actually she did but that kind of response had to do with Pan being charged with first degree murder after all was said and done. She was about to respond when she remembered why she had shot over hear in the first place. Brushing of Trunks' statement, she turned to the others, asking," What happened to Sophie? One minute I could feel her ki and the next, it was gone."

"We left the room to go find the doctors, and the next thing we knew, she had stopped breathing," Bra stated. They all turned to look through the window, into the hospital room. The doctors were still working frantically to revive Sophie, the situation didn't look like it was going well at all.

Damn, Why the hell is this happening, I need to do something! Maybe... Vegeta had been deep in thought when he turned his gaze to land on Pan. The only way to find out if there is a connection would be to test it Finally he spoke, "Pan, go in there, and touch her."

Pan turned a questioning gaze toward her former sensei, "Sensei, I don't understand..."

"It is not for you to understand because quite frankly I do not understand it completely, but I need you to do as I say," came his response. By this time everyone standing outside of Sophie's room was looking at Vegeta as if he had two heads.

"But Vegeta the doctors are in there," came his wife's voice of reason. Vegeta stared at Bulma for all of two seconds before he turned his determined gaze back to Pan.

"Pan...Trust me," was all he said, eyes locked on hers. She understood, or rather she didn't understand, but she would do as her former master instructed.

Pan turned from the rest of the group and placed her hand on the doorknob. Her heart was racing, what was her touching the girl going to help? Slowly she stepped into the room. She was immediately met by one of the nurse who had been assisting the doctors.

"Excuse me miss, but you can not be in here at the moment!," the nurse said in urgency.

"It's okay, let her pass," Pan turned around to see that Trunks had stepped into the room after her. " I am the patient's father, Trunks Brief, notable contributor to the North Wing hospital. I don't think that the administration would be to happy to hear that they have lost one of their biggest financial backs just because of a trivial incident such as this," Trunks added on for affect.

"No, o-of course not Mr. Briefs," the nurse stuttered as she realized that she was standing in the company of the richest man alive.

Pan rolled her eyes, leave it up to Mr. Moneybags to flaunt it to get what he wants. She turned back towards Sophie, great, she had gotten pass the nurse, how the hell was she supposed to get pass the eight doctors that surrounded her? That's when she heard one of the doctors say something that made her heart drop.

"We've lost her...call the time of death," the doctor said, hanging his head in disappointment.

"W-Wa-Wait!...Let me try," Pan stuttered out.

"Miss, this is a private area! What are you doing in here," one of the doctors said staring at Pan. He didn't give her time to answer before he turned to the nurse from earlier, "Kim, why is she in here, see this woman out of the room!"

"This woman, has my permission to be here," Trunks said taking a stride forward, "Now step aside like she said."

"Of course Mr. Briefs, of course," came a chorus of voices as all the doctors stepped aside.

Pan was frozen, she didn't know what to do now that everything was clear. She slowly walked up to Sophie's bedside, and suddenly her faced became twisted and pale. She's so frail looking, and so pale! How am I supposed to help her now. Maybe it's too late!... No stop thinking that! Be positive, there's still hope

"Sophie," Pan whispered leaning down to Sophie's right ear. "Sophie, I'm here. Do you hear me? I'm hear and I'll never leave you. I love you too much to ever let anything happen to you. Whatever this is we'll fight it together." Pan had been so concentrated on Sophie that she failed to realize that Trunks had come up behind her and had heard every word.

Whoa...What! She loves her, she only met her but a few hours ago! Look at how she's looking at her, this is so intense, it's almost as if they were connected. But how? Trunks was brought out of his thought by the sound of the heart monitor beeping. He looked up, and sure enough the machine had registered that Sophie had a pulse again. Everyone in the room was shell-shocked. How could the doctors be working on the girl for so long, yet to no avail but a woman walks in and whispers in her ear, and suddenly she has a pulse?

Pan looked up, she couldn't believe that she had said all those things to a girl she only met a couple of hours ago and that those words had actually worked. The color was returning to Sophie's face and she seemed to be...smiling? A drop of water fell on her vanilla cheek and it was only then that Pan realized that she had been crying. Pan stood up straight, she had to get out of here, she was experiencing far to many emotions in one moment. She turned to leave and ran smack into Trunk's arms.

"Pan? Are...are you okay," his breath tickled her cheek and for a moment everything was how it used to be. She could just melt in his arms knowing that everything was fine and she was safe. But the feeling was short lived as Trunks spoke again. "Pan, are you crying? It's okay, Sophie is going to be okay," Trunks said pressing himself closer to her. Pan immediately jumped away from his embrace, remembering that this was the very man she vowed to loath for all eternity.

"I'm fine," Pan replied coldly, "I just got caught up in the moment that's all," Pan was flustered, she really needed to get out of here. Pan went to walk around him when Trunks reached out and pulled her hard back up against him.

"Why did you say all those things to my daughter?" Trunks mouth was only two inches away from Pan's.

"It- it was out of impulse! I had to say something to encourage her to fight for her life! I didn't see you coming up with any bright ideas." Pan tried to push him off of her, but he held on to her arms, with an intensified grip.

"Still why say that you'll never leave her, that you love her? You don't even KNOW her Pan," Trunks eyes drilled into Pan. She honestly didn't know why she had said those things, it just seemed natural... so right.

"I-I don't know," came Pan's small voice. She was about to loose her composure again when she gathered all her strength and pushed Trunks back. He flew into the doctors who had been spectators to their whole conversation and flew out of the room.

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Bra had been watching from the window outside the room when Pan came flying out at top speed. She was about to go stop her when her father placed a hand on her shoulder. "Leave her, she needs time to think things through."

"Father, I don't understand..."

"In time you will girl, in time we all will. In the mean time lets go see how Sophie is doing," With that Vegeta, Bulma, and Bra walked inside of the room.

The doctors were checking her over to make sure that no other 'surprises' occurred. "Well Mr. Briefs, all her stats are normal. She's still not conscience, however, she seem a lot more relaxed then she was before," said Sophie's main doctor.

"I see, and when will we know what is wrong with my daughter?" replied Trunks.

"I will personally go to the lab right now and see if the results are done yet," and with that all the doctors filed out of the room, leaving the Briefs alone.

"Oh, look at my grand baby!" Bulma cried, rushing to Sophie's bedside. "Why is this happening Vegeta! I want answers!" Bulma was becoming frantic.

"Calm yourself woman! Didn't you just hear the man say he was going to look for the results!" Vegeta seemed angry and thoroughly annoyed, but he walked over to her and began to rub her back. The truth was, he wasn't upset at her, he was just upset that he had no clue what was going on, but he had a gut feeling it was bad.

Trunks had remained silent. He was in deep thought about Pan and Sophie and everything that had gone on today. He knew it had been a long time since they had spoke, but he really needed to talk with his father alone and without all the animosity.

"Dad, can you take a walk with me... please," Vegeta was hesitant but he nodded his head in agreement, if what he thought was true was in fact the truth he had to let Trunks know and fast.

Both men left the women in the room and stepped out into the hallway. "Dad...," Trunks spoke first.

"I know that you're worried about Sophie and Pan, but you have to listen to me Trunks," Vegeta said cutting his son off. Trunks stayed silent. "Good, now listen, I know that this may seem a little far fetched but what if I told you... never mind," Vegeta cut his statement short. He wanted to be sure of his theory before he went blabbing to his son. The idea that is was actually her was so far fetched, but what else could it be? Bra noticed it and so had he, but still how? He would have to find out some way, watch Pan a little, or maybe that bitch Marron new something. Where was she anyway?

"Dad continue, what if you told me what?" Trunks pressed.

"I said never mind! You know what you should be worrying about don't you? Where exactly is that whore of a wife of yours Trunks? Shouldn't she be here tending to her child, yet she is nowhere to be found!"

"Dad," Trunks was about to defend his wife when he gave up the argument before it even started, "I don't know where she is, she's always disappearing now-a-days." Trunks admitted.

"Whoa-ho, there must really be trouble in paradise if your not willing to start an argument with me to defend the whore's honor! Or is it just that your ass got tired of getting the shit knocked out of you for back talking me?"

"Whatever dad, when you're ready to be serious and talk to me about what's going on, come find me," Trunks said while walking back inside the hospital room.

He's finally growing up, and getting serious. I always knew that once she returned he would begin to see the light once more Vegeta thought with a smirk.

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Pan had ran to the elevator, she was to weak to fly. She just hoped that Trunks knew that she wanted to be alone and that he wouldn't follow her. What was going on, she didn't know nor did she care. She just knew that being here, in the hospital that she had died in, in the hospital that Sophie had almost died in was too much to bare.

The elevator door opened and she accidentally tackled the woman trying to get out of the elevator that she was trying to get into. "Oh, my gosh! I-I'm so sorry I wasn't watching where I was going. I...," But Pan never got to finish her statement because she had finally looked into the eyes of the woman she had tackled.

"You..."

"You..."

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Well, I promise that there will be plenty more in the near, near future. So many things have been going on, I've been going through a very minor case of writer's block, but that's over now! I also have been thinking about other things, like my possible trip to Africa this summer (cross my fingers!). But don't worry, I'll update sooner seeing as I'm on vacation. Peace.

PS- remember to R and R, it really helps to get you guys feed back about the progression of the story, thanks.