I Never Dreamed
By: AMCM74
Chapter 26
"I think by tomorrow you will be ready to go home. Mrs. Briefs" Her doctor looked over her charts. "As a standard practice we like to keep our near death patients a little longer then normal deliveries."
Trunk smiled at the words and looked over to little Aiko. Aiko was on her bassinet eyeing up the new pink bunny Bulma had dropped off earlier. Pan nodded as she looked over the door.
Mark stood there waving happily. Bra appeared close bbehind with and arm load of toys. "Hello, baby." Bra walked over to Aiko and began introducing the baby to her toys.
"I am going to run a few more test on Aiko." The doctor finally closed her folder. "Nothing special just the ordinary. Aside her tail, but there seems to be no issue with that. That is about all. Any questions?"
"Yeah." Mark looked up from the baby's bassinet. "Should she smell like this?" He wrinkled his nose.
Trunks laughed, "You found it. You change it."
Mark shook his head. "I didn't get the memo on that one at my office today."
Bra picked the baby up and held her out to Mark. "You heard the man, no slacking. I'll get you a new diaper."
Mark reached out and took the squirming bundle. He gave a pained look. "Are you sure I am qualified? I didn't even get to see the instructional video."
"I think, I am going to run out for a moment and get something for us to eat. What do you want." Trunks looked right at Pan.
She didn't respond. As she pushed back into he bed and looked away from him.
He gritted her teeth. At least yelling he could handle. She was even blocking her bond with a strength of an old pro. Every time he reached out to her mentally it felt like walking through jello.
"I want a bagel!" Mark responded. Then looking at Aiko he frowned. "Not that I will be in the mood in a few moments."
Bra looked over at her brother. "You can get me so coffee. I already ate with mom and dad."
Trunks left the room with a heavy stride, as he passed a nurse. "I am here to get your baby. She has some tests that need to be run. It will only take a moment."
"Bra could you take her down for me." Pan looked up. "I need to talk to Mark."
"Of course, Come on Aiko, you and Auntie Bra are going to go for a walk." She lifted the baby back into he bassinet and pushed it to the doorway.
"Right this way, miss."
Mark sat down in the chair. "What is it?"
"How do you know I want something?" Pan looked over at him.
Mark sighed and leaned his head back. "Why else would you want everyone out of the room? You are planning something, just like that night in Anchorage. You screwed over that love struck solider from Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf."
"I want to go to America with Aiko." Pan said in a calm voice. Her fingers slowly plucking at her blanket
"YOU WHAT?" Mark looked over at her as if she had lost her mind. "Are you insane? Pan, Trunks is your husband. You have a kid together for cry out loud. It's all way to sudden." He grabbed her by her arms and looked her straight in the face. "Damn it, let us not forget you love him. Which you told me repeatedly before."
"You don't have any idea what he has done, Mark." Pan broke free of his hands and came out of her bed.
"I don't?" Mark turned from her. Here was his moment of hell. Thank you Trunks Breifs. Not. "Does this have to do with Aiko?"
"You know." Pan sounded pained. "Yet you defend him. Great. I thought out of everyone you would be the one to support me. To take my side. But you knew and you didn't bother to tell me."
"It's not that I agree with what he did. It's just that he is so remorseful over it. Plus I have to factor in what will make you happy. I could not bear for you to be broken hearted." Mark tuned back around and embraced Pan. "I know you love Trunks. You are married. You can't just forget that."
"I know that." Pan pulled away and walked to the window. "But America is the only place I stand a chance of keeping Aiko" She looked into the distance. "I am planning on getting an annulment."
"Pan!" Mark cried, "There is no way you are going to get an annulment. Trunks can lock that up in legal issues forever. Even if you go to the States."
"Fine. I will go after a divorce. There is no way I can live my life with a man who has manipulate me to the extent he has."
"You are just mad right now."
"Of course I am mad!" Pan gasped as she turned to face him. "Do you blame me. I have loved that man forever. There will never be another, he saw to that the other night." Pan touched her neck as she moved across the room in an angry pace.
"Pan, give him sometime. Please try." Mark couldn't believe he was arguing for Trunks. It was a shocking revelation on his new found feelings for Bra. Pan shook her head. "All right, One month. What could it hurt? After that, if you still want to leave, I will help you."
"Mark." Pan pleaded.
"No, those are my terms. You know as well as I do that you will need my help to keep Aiko. I am not going to lie to you. No matter what you do, Trunks does have rights to his daughter."
Pan bit her lip and nodded. "You are right. I will give him one month."
Mark watched her turn back to the door. It was obvious she didn't like his ultimatum and he hated doing this to her. Still if he did what she wanted it would be the end of his relationship wit Bra. The blue haired beauty would never forgive him. He was still taking a chance. If Pan remained stubborn he was screwed. Just plain old screwed. He swallowed hard when he realized his future depended on Trunks. Ohhhh that man owed him big.
Trunks returned to see Aiko munching happily on her bottle "Do you ever stop eating, you little lemon?" Aiko completely ignored him. Pan looked up at him. Their eyes met. "I brought you something." He nodded his head to the bag in his hand.
"Thank you." Pan looked back down at her baby. "Mark and Bra had to go. He said to save his bagel. He will be back."
"So you're talking to me again." Trunks replied quietly, "That is a start." Setting the bag down he reached out for Aiko. "Here, let me burp her."
Pan nodded and handed her daughter to her father. The image they made was heart wrenching. Damn, Mark. How would she ever be able to take Aiko away from Trunks if she had to see them together all the time? Their emotional attachment would only grow deeper. That was assured because Trunks would be a wonderful father to the Aiko. Did she have it in her to be so heartless? A loud belch sounded. "AH, was that Aiko?"
Trunks looked up from the baby. "The one and only. She eats just like Goku. Lots and all the time."
"I don't think I will ever get any sleep with her in the house." Pan smiled and walked over and touched the baby's head. She stood so close to Trunks she could feel the heat radiating off his body.
"Of course you will. I have an interview with a few nannies today." Trunks answered.
"Nannies? What do we need with a nanny." Pan stepped back. "I am perfectly capable to taking care of my daughter on my own."
"I just thought you would want help."
"So I need help raising my baby. Now that what you really think of me?" Pan glared at him.
"I don't mean, umm that is I didn't say-" Trunks watched the tears well up in Pans eyes. He leaned over and lay Aiko down. "Aww Pan, don't cry." As soon as the words where out of his mouth she burst out in uncontrollable crying.
The nurse walked in and smiled. "Postpartum depression setting in?" Trunks held Pan next to him in a comforting embrace. He glanced over to the nurse as she put her hands to her heart. "You two are so sweet together. What a lucky little girl." She smiled at Aiko. "Let me just check her chart and her vitals and I will leave you three alone."
A tentative truce had been call between Trunks and Pan. He carried the car seat loaded with his new baby daughter out of the hospital. Pan walked a few steps in front of him. "Where are we going?" She asked opening the door and looking back as he followed.
"Capsule. Everyone has gathered there for Aiko's homecoming. Mom is really excited by the idea." He took the lead and led her toward the waiting car. "She has turned it into a sort of baby shower thing."
Pan rolled her eyes. "More gifts. Just what you need, Aiko."
Aiko just stared up at her father. She seemed confused by the new feeling of frilly lace. She had screamed loudly enough as Trunks and Pan had tried to dress her in her 'homecoming' outfit. That was not her idea of a good time. Not that she really had any idea what a good time was. She just knew bows and ruffles were annoying, and she was ready for any excuse to show it.
Pan had talked to her doctor just before she signed her release forms. "Remember, you are not to be intimate until after your six week check up. The doctor should give you the thumbs up and put you on your birth control of choice. You want to make very sure you follow the guidelines we have on your sheet." Pan had also received various papers on what to expect from Aiko and what to do in case of any problems.
Trunks had gone stiff as he watched Pan listen with renewed interest when the doctor had mentioned birth control. She was obviously suspicious of him. Looking down at his daughter's bright blue eyes he knew no matter the future cost of his actions he could never regret them. To do that would mean he regretted Aiko. That would never happen. Aiko was like a bright shiny spot in his life. Since the baby had been born he thought of little else, except Pan and Aiko. Work had finally taken a back seat. Bulma was picking up the slack. It also seemed she enjoyed the task. The only thing left to do was win back Pan's trust. It was clear she still loved him. He saw it in her eyes every time she looked at him.
Pan walked into the nursery Bulma had put together for Aiko. The room was decorated in white and dusty rose. She smiled as she noticed the crib, a canopy crib, white with golden accents. Aiko was laid down and looked up past her mother to the musical mobile. Little bunnies and plush carrots twirled about her head. She looked back at her mother and pushed out her lower lip. "aww baby." Pan rested her head on the side of the crib. Aiko looked back up at the mobile again then burst out crying.
"What's wrong?" Mark walked in behind Pan.
"I don't think she likes her mobile very much." Pan picked the baby back up and rocked her. The baby looked over at the mobile and screamed some more. "Mark could you please take that thing down."
"Sure." He reached and removed it.
Pan finally set Aiko down with out a bout of tears and turned to Mark. "So what are you doing here."
"I wanted you to be the first to know. There have been some problems in my Pittsburgh office. I have to fly over there and take care of it. After that the headquarters needs my full attention again." Mark watched her confusion. It became clear that he would have to be direct. "I am leaving. It's time for me to go home."
"But what about Bra, I thought there was something there." Pan frowned. She didn't like the idea of mark leaving. No when things were still so unstable in her life. Mark was the only one she could talk to and the idea of him leaving was almost unbearable. She opened her mouth to speak ignoring the strange sensation of the hairs on the back of her neck rising.
In the hall, Trunks walked over to the nursery door and heard Pan "I thought there was something there." He stopped when Devero replied.
"It's true there is a deep attraction to staying here, but I have to go." Mark answered,
"You can't just walk away when things are starting to heat up. Besides I need you!" Pan cried. Trunks felt like his father had just punched him in the gut. She had not just said that! She had not just said that! Trunks repeated in his head. What did she need Devero for? She had him.
"Pan, I know I promised I would be here for you if you decided to leave Trunks. I still will be if it comes to that. You have to remember you're married to the man. It's not like you can just up and walk away from a commitment like that." Mark hugged Pan. He winked down at her "Besides Pansy, how long can you expect me to wait around for you, anyway? Global can't run its self forever."
"I wish it could. I want you here." Pan leaned her head against his chest. Mark had always felt like this. He was safe and secure. It was almost like she had an older brother.
Trunks stepped around the corner and saw what his mind most feared. Pan in the arms of Devero. The other man was rubbing his hand over her back. His head rested on hers, as he started toward the now sleeping baby. Pan was nestled so deep in the hug she was near invisible to Trunks eyes.
"So you are planning to leave me, Pan." Trunks said in a low voice. "To bad you didn't have nerve to tell me to my face."
Devero release Pan and she stepped back. "Trunks." Pan's eyes widened.
"Devero, I want you out of this house. Immediately." Trunks didn't even bother giving the other man a glance. His eyes settled on Pan. "It's up to you, Pan. You can either leave with him or stay here. Right now, I really don't care." He turned and walked back out of the room. Mark looked at Pan's nervous face. "It's my fault. I opened my big mouth." He started to follow Trunks.
Pan reached out and grabbed his arm. "Mark! What are you doing?"
"I am going to explain." Mark gave a reassuring grin.
"No I will. In the mood he is in he may kill you." Pan stepped around him and out the door.
Mark sighed and sat down in the rocking chair. Looking over at a sleeping Aiko he said, "As if your daddy hasn't tried that move before."
Pan caught up with Trunks as he stormed out the back door. "Trunks." She reached out to grab his arm, but he pulled away from her. "I have to talk to you."
"I think I said that several times before, didn't I." Trunks turned on her in an angry rush. "But you never wanted to hear me. Well, now it is your turn. Go ahead. Give it your best shot. See if you can clear up this mess." He stood over her and Pan wanted to turn and run. She found she couldn't move. Trunks wasn't just angry with her. He was down right furious. "I thought you wanted to talk. Don't stand there and try and look gorgeous, it wont work."
"I want to explain, Trunks." Pan said in a worried voice, just above a whisper.
"Explain. You want to explain." Trunks ran his hand through his hair. "Please, just tell me Devero made that crack about you wanting to leave me up." He looked right past her eyes, right to her heart. She stood shaking, as his face grew darker. This was a side of Trunks she had never seen. It was scary. "I can't believe you." He growled. "Just go. Pack your thing and leave. Just remember to leave Aiko. I will NEVER let you have her."
Pan felt her heart crash. She could hardly breath. She just stood there on the lawn as he walked away from her.