"Welcome to Part Two of It Started at the Coffee Shop".

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Chapter 29

"Seven months," muttered Trunks. Dark circles had formed underneath his eyes from the lack of sleep and stress, and his hair remained uncut. For business meetings, he started to pull it back into a low ponytail. His mother insisted. At this moment, he really wanted to pull out his hair. It had been seven months since he saw his beautiful yet treacherous wife. Why did she run away? AGAIN! He should have known something like this would have happened. After he did something life altering, like marrying her and making her his mate, he should have known she would get cold feet and run away.

He felt betrayed and so stupid. He should have known to take things slow, but he knew all that was at stake.

Now Trunks was at the butt end of this mess. He desperately wanted his wife and friend back. She was nowhere to be found and every trail he found leading to her lead to a dead end. He could feel that she was on this planet, but he knew nothing of her current whereabouts. Trunks could not have been more frustrated. Pan did not send him anything, not even a letter with no return address. He would have graciously accepted that, or an email.

She left without a trace and no doubt had help. If Trunks ever found out who helped Pan's great escape, he would give that person or persons more pain than they could ever imagine.

He still couldn't believe she was gone.

There was a knock on the door.

Trunks lifted his head.

He noticed his father-in-law, Gohan, walk in. Trunks looked down resting his head in upturned hands.

"Trunks, there is something I need to tell you."

"Another dead end?" asked Trunks with a voice full of sorrow.

"Not exactly."

Gohan tossed a large envelope towards Trunks. It slid on the desk and hit one of Trunks' elbows. His downcast face noticed the color before one of his hands grabbed the envelope. "What's this?" he asked softly.

"Something you would want to see."

Without another word Gohan silently left the room. Trunks made no mind of it as he carefully pulled out the tabs to the envelope before opening the lip of the envelope. The paper thin contents slid out. He fingered some glossy paper before holding it up to see. He raised an eyebrow.

What is this fuzzy black and white picture? He could see the circular thing in the picture and something that looks like a hand. He turned the picture sideways. Is that a leg? He turned the glossy paper around and saw handwriting. It looked almost like Pan's handwriting.

"Five-month sonogram?" he whispered.

His eyes widened in realization.

"No...way."

He turned the paper around and probed the lines once more. That really was a tiny hand! And that leg. It really was a leg! And the curve was a part of a head.

Trunks' breath was hitched.

This was impossible.

Had Trunks not been sitting down he would have fallen to his knees. His mind was racing a million miles a minute. I couldn't believe it as he stared at the picture. His fingers traced the definite lines. He covered his mouth with his hand as he stared at the photo wide eyed.

He set it down five minutes later to notice one more sheet of pictures. He found at least three other images. The photo was more recent- the sixth month sonogram. The baby was more developed. The eyes were noticed as well as a small nose, mouth, hands, body and legs… wait. Was that a tail? His eyes widened even more.

"A tail," he muttered dumbfounded.

The shock turned into excite as he eyed the appendage once over again. "A tail! It has a tail!" Trunks' face dropped, "Oh kami, it has a tail." That meant one exciting but scary fact.

The baby was his.

He began breathing heavily.

He had a child.

This was his baby.

He stared at the photos before setting them down and leaning back in his chair.

"I'm a father," he whispered.

He stood from his desk and ran a hand through his long hair. He shook his head. He couldn't believe it. Pan was carrying his child. HIS child. Being the mate of Pan, his instincts demanded him to find her and bring her home. Now that he knew she had a child growing inside of her it was urgent that she'd be found. There was no way in hell he would allow his future child to grow up without a father.

He looked back down to the desk and he noticed some more documents.

There were six letters all together.

Taking his place at the desk he grabbed the letters. He noticed Gohan or Videl had written the month and year the letters were written. He read the earliest letter.

'Dad and Mom,

I'm safe. I need to stay away for some time. Don't come looking for me.

- Pan'

Trunks' buried rage began to surface. "I need to stay away for some time? What bullshit is that? I'm your mate Pan!" he hissed at the letter. Old fears and anxieties surfaced. Why did she want to remain away from him? He was a prince, a successful business man, and a loving man. He did not understand. "You need me as much as I need you! You can't stay away long."

As much as he did not want to read the next letter, his curiosity made the best of him. He switched the papers and started to read the second one sent a month later.

'Dad and Mom,

I'm living comfortably and have a job. I am attending school to finish with my degree. I have not been feeling well the past few days. My stomach has been upset. It might be spoilt food. I have friends now, and they accept me as family. I know you are still searching for me. You will never find me if I continue hiding. Love you mom and dad.

Love, Pan

Ps: That stunt Trunks pulled by building new Capsule Corp. plants around the world was cute. Even if he was in the area, it will still be difficult for him to find me.'

He raised an eyebrow. "So she caught on," he muttered. He would have never moved the Capsule Corporation business outside of Japan had he known this could be a subtle way to find his wife.

He switched to the next letter.

'Mama, papa, you will never believe me if I tell you. Brace yourself, and sit down when you read this. I'm serious. Here I go. I just found out that I am pregnant. Yes, it is Trunks' child. I've been feeling sick for over a month and can barely keep anything down. I still have my job, and I am still in school. The nurse criticized me for not having safe sex "outside of marriage". I guess that shows little of what she knows. Maybe later I will try calling. It makes me sad that I can't hear all of your voices. I'm afraid to seek a doctor. Many don't know about saiyans, and I'm sure they will harass me further to get rid of the child. Almost everyone I know at school has caught on that I am pregnant and urge me to get an abortion. Papa, mama, I could never do that. I already love this child, and I deeply care for the man who gave it to me. I know now you will up your search, but you still will not find me. Don't worry. I will do everything I can to make sure this baby is healthy and strong.

I don't know if you should tell Trunks just yet. I know he'll become all weird and psychotic like the night I ran away. Maybe you should break the news to him after some more time has passed.

Love you much, Pan.'

Trunks raised an eyebrow. "Psychotic? I'm not psychotic! She's the one with the issues."

He turned to the next page.

'Papa, mama,

I'm starting to show a little. People tell me I'm skin and bones. Trust me, I'm not. I've gained ten pounds since you last saw me. I know it is all baby weight .I miss all of you, even Trunks. My friends are nice and helpful, but it is nothing like home. I want to visit you guys so bad .My grades are decent, and more people are starting to notice the extra weight calling me pudgy. I know it's just my baby, and I won't let it bother me. It turns out one of my friends' family members is a doctor and can give me regular checkups. So far everything looks normal. The doctor scheduled me for a sonogram next month.

I'm grateful the smells at my job are easing any morning sickness I have.'

Trunks paused and he picked up the paper. He brought it to his nose and deeply smelled it: coffee beans. He smiled. If his instincts told him correctly she works at a coffee shop.

'I'm looking at surrounding colleges, but I seriously doubt I will be able to attend college with the baby. I've been hoping to find out what I am having so I can start purchasing things for him or her. If you want to tell Trunks about the baby then tell him. If he already knows I'm glad. I don't think I'm ready to come home yet. But you two will be the first to know of when I plan to return. I know my friends will be extremely disappointed if I leave. They are like family to me. I should go.

With much love, Pan.'

Trunks smiled. She wanted him to know about their child. That warmed his heart. Even though it was a month after she found out about their child, it was still sooner than when some couples realized they were pregnant. Trunks turned to the next letter.

'Mama and Papa,

The picture in your hand is the baby's first sonogram. I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I love my baby so much and I am so excited for the day the baby will be due. The doctor told me he can't tell what I am having yet, but I'm hoping for a boy. No doubt Trunks is hoping for a boy also.'

Trunks paused. He never really put thought into it. He thought just having an 'it' was good enough! But a boy? Oh, that would just be the icing on the cake.

'I'm showing more, and I really wish you two as well as Trunks were here. I was really considering returning home, but I can't. I'm afraid that Trunks hates me and will refuse to take me back. My morning sickness is gone and the baby is making me eat strange and ridiculous amounts of food. I'm starting to become nervous. I don't know if my wages will be enough to feed this hungry child. My friends will help me, but I'm really feeling homesick. I am trying to finish school early so I can have more time to work and more time to my baby when I have the baby. I still can't believe I am going to be a mother.

Send Trunks my love, even if he hates my guts.

Much love, Pan.'

"Hate her?" Trunks muttered. He shook his head. Yes, he was still pissed off at what she did, but he serious doubted if he hated her. He was just worried sick with how she was doing. He needed to find his mate and child before anything terrible happened to them.

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "She thinks I hate her?" That started to break his heart. He needed to find her, desperately.

He pulled up the last note and began reading.

"Mama and Papa,

I'm showing even more. The baby is getting stronger by the day. I felt a kick. I almost spilt a hot drink on one of the customers when it happened. The baby is so strong like his father. Yes, the baby is a boy. When he is born, I think I'll follow the Briefs' family tradition and name the boy Speedo.'

Trunks raised an eyebrow. "Speedo?"

' Just kidding! Make sure Trunks will never find out what I said.'

Trunks smirked playfully. He would make sure she paid for that one.

'I think I will live on my own a little longer. Sometime ago I received a glimpse of Trunks. He had visited the area I live in. I dig the long hair scruffy look. He must have not shaved in days nor cut his hair since I left. Am I right?'

Trunks chuckled. He had not put any thought into his hair. It was his mother who insisted that he'd at least pull his hair back. As for his now noticeable facial hair, it took months just for a couple of centimeters to grow on his face. Saiyans were rarely known to have facial hair unless they left it alone for at least two or more years.

'I was seriously considering of making myself known to him, but I didn't. I knew some huge scene would have been made had I suddenly appeared with tons of cameras around. I'm having major regrets. I really wish I never ran away. I was so foolish. I just might call you guys later this month if I have any time off. There is so much for me to do and so little time.

I love you all. Pan.'

Trunks closed his eyes. She should have come to him regardless of who was around. He wanted her safe in his arms away from any threats that could cripple or destroy her.

Trunks looked at the back of each sheet of paper before glancing through all the letters again. So, he knows that she's got to be seventeen by now. Her birthday passed two months ago. His fingers drummed on the table. The last time he had sex with her was seven months ago. Each of the notes in this stack represented the first six months since her escape. This was month seven and no doubt she would send a letter soon.

He smelt the coffee beans on the letter and she referenced to working at a place where she almost burned a customer with a hot drink. A coffee shop was his conclusion. She is now seven months pregnant and in high school. She also claimed to have seen him sometime between month five and six. That was when he visited the two new sites for his C.C. plants. One was located in Virginia, and the other was in Washington.

Okay, so he narrowed it down to three things. She is young pregnant woman who is a senior in high school, who works at a coffee shop and lives in one of those two states.

That narrowed the search amongst a couple of million people. Now, if he could only pinpoint her location…