Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Trunks grumbled alongside his father and asked, "Do they really take this much time to get ready?" Vegeta merely groused, "Yes. And they're always late." Trunks eyed a dancing couple and then his father touched his arm and he looked back at him. In his father's eyes he saw it, love, the love he had for Bulma and then he saw more. He saw admiration and then his eyes followed where his father's gaze fell. And his heart stopped.

Pan. She looked, stunning, she took his breath away, in the dress she wore. He knew then, that she was not ashamed of her scarring, but she had been trying to hide them from him. For her dress was backless and her shoulder was left open. And he expected her to greet him, until his mother, sister, and Pan disappeared. Vegeta growled, "Coworkers," he supplied. He arched a brow and his lip curled up into a snarl. "I'm going to get something to drink," he reasoned. And Trunks felt his emotion take hold of him as he could now, only catch mere glimpses and partial views of Pan. And then, she disappeared.

His eyes widened as he lost sight of her and then a petite hand caught him and he heard her. "Would you like to take me for a dance?" she asked and his lip curled much like his father's as his demeanor turned deadly. "Why would I want to dance with a child?" Her eyes widened, and for a mere moment, he saw the hurt there, until she smiled and said, "I see you're upset with me," she observed. "We took too long to get ready huh?" But she lifted the skirt of her elegant dress just enough that he could see she wore something underneath. "Titanium brace, your mother fitted it for me," she whispered, "so I can dance with you tonight." And his hand rose to touch her, pulling her dress down, he did not want her showing off in front of other men, but also, he could not handle seeing the soft supple flesh of her thigh so openly without feeling the need to rush her off and take her. And then again, they were interrupted.

"Ms. Son?" someone called. Trunks' attention fell to a mousy young man behind her. She turned to face him and as she did, Trunks' gaze faltered to look at her bare nape, noting it was slender and rather lithe. She allowed herself to wear a backless dress that fitted her curves and revealed the scarring her shoulder possessed. "Hello Titan," she said, Trunks watched as she linked her arm in his and said, "Are you finished?" she asked and he stammered out, "Yes, Ms. Son, the arrangements have been made," he said. "Thank you."

"Arrangements for what?" Trunks pondered. "Your mother and father it is their anniversary," she said. He stared blankly at her. She was so thoughtful. He had forgotten how much she thought of others. She smiled at him and asked, "Is something wrong?" He shook his head and her smile teased him. "Were you upset that I was busy?" she teased. He turned his face away when her hand touched his forearm. Her breast brushed his forearm and he gulped as she pulled him aside, he pulled for a moment before he finally allowed her to guide him to the shadows near the open bar. He eyed her uncomfortably and she surprised him as she floated up to him and kissed him upon the cheek. His eyes widened and she pulled away smiling before she said, "Stop pouting. I still have to mingle with my coworkers." She reasoned with him as she pulled away and walking back to a small group of people she had not yet spoken with. His eyes lowered to half-slits as he watched her closely. She was too sweet. She eased to her feet once more and her head tilted, looking at him as she smiled. Her smile, it had been one of the only things he remembered at times. When he had forgotten all else, he had forgotten how she had tasted, how she had felt underneath his hands. And when he had forgotten that, he always remembered her bright smile.

And his eyes lowered to finally take in her state of the dress once more. This dress was different and he felt his heart begin to pound. It clung to her newly grown womanly curves. Her cleavage was plump, her skin pale like her mother's, and while he had seen her eyes sparkled for the men who gawked at her. He had felt jealousy. The dress was a deep blue, a bandage type that squeezed her waist extenuating its hourglass shape, while it framed her hips and tapered down to her knees, where it tightened gently before finally gracing down into a small train. He gathered himself once more and held his head high, his shoulders sharpened and walked out to her. She seemed preoccupied with the small group about her until her eyes met his and she excused herself. "Pardon me," she reasoned and all eyes went to Trunks as he stepped into her attention once more. It had only been minutes when they had just shared that small chaste kiss. He held his arm out to her and she took it gladly clinging to him as he guided her away from the small crowd.

He led her out to the dance floor and turned her to face him as they began to sway with the time of the song. "Do you enjoy them staring at you?" he pondered and she smiled for him that sweet, sincere smile. "I've been well Mr. Briefs, and yourself?" she pondered, ignoring his question. He frowned for a moment. "Don't call me that," he whispered gently and she retorted, "For a moment let's just pretend that you're Mr. Briefs again, and I'm just Pan." He saw her ease closer to him. As a child she'd been smitten with him, he'd known it, but clearly, now she'd grown out of her childhood crush for him and in their previous time together they had enjoyed one another. They swayed past another couple who was eyeing them tentatively. She tilted her head to look up at him, he felt the couple nudge them and he rolled his shoulders back to stop himself from snapping at them. He felt her eyes on him and he peered down at her. "You've let your hair grow out," she noted and he lightly blushed, "I did not have much of a choice." She shook her head, "You've always had such beautiful hair, it will be a shame to cut it."

His hand caught hers as she reached up to push it away from his face, he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Her eyes popped wide and she merely smiled for him. He pulled that hand to encase it in his as they continued to dance. He stared down at her and knew then she didn't see him as everyone else had. He was a scarred man now. After they had fought Morana a second time, he'd battled and had been left with a gnarled scar that scraped across his face and along the column of his strong neck. He saw her head tilt to the side with such innocence, the same innocence he knew she no longer possessed. "You're so handsome," she complimented. "Just like when I last saw you," she reasoned. His heart ached. "Pan, we were battling-"

She shook her head. "No, we together. At the beach house…enjoying a break away from our families." His head rattled for a moment as he remembered the nearly forgotten memory. And he looked at her. She joked, "I do say Mr. Briefs, it does seem as though you may have had a rough night." He merely smirked at her and leaned in and said, "I don't remember you complaining about that night." Pan felt her chest tighten and it did not go unnoticed by him. She blushed and he chuckled as he pulled away once more, continuing to dance with her. And then his eyes fell, and widened, how hand he not seen it before? "Pan," he whispered, and upon a necklace, she wore a very delicate silver ring. "You still have that," he whispered. Her eyes rose to meet his. She touched it. "Well, you did propose to me without a ring before you left," she reasoned. "I have always worn it since then." That ring was a gift from him when she was a teenager, and he felt emotion squeeze his heart. It proved to him that she loved him, still loved him, and had always loved him.

And then a voice called to her, "Son Pan. You are needed at the front." Her eyes looked up at him and he eased down and said, "We could leave." She giggled and pulled away. "I couldn't do that to your parents," and she kindly slipped out of his hands and towards the stage. He watched her rise with firm feet to the stage and the lights dimmed as she began. She said, "As you all know, we are here for our annual corporate gala, however, tonight honors another very special day in the Briefs family history and I have been given permission to celebrate it." Pan looked out over the crowd at Vegeta and his eyes narrowed before he felt Bulma's hand touch his. "Tonight marks the anniversary of our company's finest, Bulma Briefs and Vegeta Prince." Trunks felt a smile curl his lips at the sound of 'Prince.' A made-up surname for his father of course, but nevertheless, it made a smile crack his solemn face.

He felt a bump at his shoulder and looked over and saw his sister. "She looks pretty tonight doesn't she?" she asked. And he smiled for her, putting his arm around him as they watched Pan exit the stage as Bulma and Vegeta greeted her and Pan guided them over to a table where a cake was pulled out. And then Bura stiffened underneath her brother. He felt the change in her and Bura said, "The people are getting to close to her, she will get flustered." Trunks nodded and passed through the crowd. He excused himself and walked to his parents and Bulma's hand reached out to him and he kissed her cheek, murmuring, "I'm going to pull Pan from the limelight." And as he turned to Pan, his eyes narrowed at the sight of Najin reaching for Pan. Trunks pulled her against him and she stiffened against him, surprised. "Hands off," he growled roughly at him. He jumped and Pan saw his eyes widen and she felt a trickle of laughter fall past her lips as Trunks guided her outside. They escaped outside and Pan looked up at him and saw him still glaring at the Najin.

"Trunks, leave him alone, he was only helping," she whispered. His head lowered, his hard eyes still there and she patted the side of his face lovingly, she leaned up to him. "Kiss me," she murmured. His expression changed and his arm pulled away from her. His hand pressed her away from him and he gulped. "What are you saying?!" He became flustered and he realized he could not be so open with her in public. She smiled at him and caught the front of his suit and pulled him back to her. "Are you drunk?" he asked softly. She arched a brow at him and said, "Never mind." She turned away from him and walked over to the balcony and pressed her hands against the railing. She looked out over the city and sighed. Trunks saw her back facing him and her shoulders sunk in defeat. He found her shoulders to be bare in the dress she wore. Her deep scar scaled over her right shoulder and he watched as she eased onto her left hand to catch her weight. She rolled the shoulder and she sighed.

He came up behind her and his hand caught hers. She looked at him over her shoulder and slowly faced him, interlacing her fingers with his. She brought that hand up to her lips and gently brushed a kiss along his knuckles. "I missed you every single day you were gone," she admitted softly. His eyes softened and he leaned into her height and his eyes met hers. "Do you want me to kiss you?" She smiled and her head tilted up to look at him just as he leaned in closer. "Pan?!" Trunks' eyes went wide and Pan's eyes looked over to find Bura yelling for her. As Bura walked out to the balcony Pan let out a scoff. Of course, someone would interrupt their perfect moment. Her eyes looked at Trunks and he merely chuckled. Pan turned her face away and went to greet Bura just as she came upon them.

"Pan, my parents, they're looking for you-uh?" Bura stopped dead though. Trunks caught Pan's chin, and said to Bura, "Watch the door." Bura blushed and Pan felt his lips touch hers. And again, just like the first time he kissed her, sparks ignited. She felt her heart drop to her stomach and her hand traced up his suit jacket as his arm pulled her closer. The magic that had once been between them kindled and Trunks pulled away, smiling. His lips kissed her once more, just another taste before he stepped away and said, "I want to go back to the beach house, but for now, now you can have her Bura." Pan's hand touched his face once more and she turned away.

"Your parents?" she asked Bura and she nodded. "They want to thank you, eh, and dance was to dance…?" Pan's eyes widened and Bura added, "He said he wants to test your leg." Pan merely laughed and Trunks watched them disappear inside. He sighed and pulled his hands to his face and felt guilty. This happiness would soon end. For he knew as his father did, that Merona was headed their way once more.