Becca: It's about something... More light will be shed on it next chapter. The story they're talking about is when Goku set his hair on fire when he was in the HTC with Gohan, the goof XD
The Night Whisperer: Hahah... Zeshin is special, but you just gotta love him!
LVR4Trunks-n-Vegeta: Uhh.. No :( There's a reason too, promises.
emikot316: Hahah naaah, I thought about it tho. It's kinda hard to explain... it'll still be a while before the aliens get there though.
Kim: Heheh I love writing him! He's such a fun character! Huehuehue definitely not! But we both know that if we were Pan, we wouldn't be able to get a single thing done! Hahah!
Nando: *jumps on Goten's back* now I can run forever... Pan... well... I guess you'll see... *yells* RUN FASTER, GOTEN.
VampireKnight123: Awh thank you!
I apologize if I missed anyone's review... I seriously didn't mean to skip anyone. I love you all!
Thank you Kim!
36- Those Three Simple Words
Gohan hugged his wife and daughter tightly as he stood in front of the chamber door. Piccolo stood a few feet away, leaning on a pillar and giving his old student some time with his family.
"I'm going to miss you two so much," Gohan whispered, holding the girls tighter.
"We'll miss you, too," Videl said softly, resting her head on one side of her husband's chest as Pan laid her head down on the other.
"I don't know how I'll be able to make it a year without my girls," Gohan said quietly.
"Papa," Pan looked up at him, her dark eyes wide and curious. "Haven't you gone in there before?"
Gohan nodded, "when I was younger, around ten or so. I went in with your grandfather..." A faint smile graced his lips as he thought about the time he had spent with his father. "That's when I went Super Saiyan for the first time... And, your grandfather caught his hair on fire."
"What?!" Pan asked in surprise, "did he really?!"
"Sure did," Gohan chuckled. "You should ask him about it."
"I will," Pan smiled with a nod.
Gohan wrapped her and Videl back into a tight hug, and when he pulled away he gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead and his wife a soft kiss on the lips. Pan watched her parents for a few seconds, admiring the love she saw in both their eyes. After all these years, they were still in love...
Pan looked away from her parents and glanced around until she saw Trunks. He stood a few feet away, talking quietly with Goten and the now calm Zeshin. She couldn't stop looking at him; he was beautiful. He stood up straight when he talked, his clothes didn't have a wrinkle in them, his hair looked perfect, and his smile... His smile turned her insides into melted butter in a second.
"I love you."
Pan turned back to her parents when she heard the exchange and her heart raced quickly as she looked back at Trunks. He caught her eye this time and sent her a wink with a mischievous smirk. Everything inside Pan fluttered, making her feel like she could be lifted off the ground in an instant. She was in love with Trunks...
XxXxX
"But Grandpa, how?" Pan asked for the third time.
Goku laughed, patting his granddaughter's head. "I'm telling you, Panny… I honestly don't know."
"How can he not remember how he caught his hair on fire?" Bulla asked from beside Pan as they watched Goku walk away.
"I can't believe he caught his hair on fire," Suzu commented.
Bulla snorted. "You will once you get to know him better, trust me."
Pan turned slightly as Suzu and Bulla started talking about fall sweaters. She couldn't believe it was almost fall either, but for some time now she had the strangest feeling that she was being watched. Squinting her eyes, she found the suspect... Dende?
Sneaking away from Suzu and Bulla, Pan walked over to Dende, who blinked and blushed at being caught.
"Dende-Sama?" Pan asked softly, raising an eyebrow. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," the Namekian nodded. "Sorry for staring at you. I was thinking and didn't realize I was looking right at you."
"It's okay," Pan said honestly. "What were you thinking about? Horosha?"
Dende nodded, looking at the ground in embarrassment. "I'm... I'm still pretty young," he admitted. "I know nothing about the Horosha... Nothing at all. I can't even tell you guys when they will be arriving, other if it will be soon... It's all very frustrating."
"It is, isn't it?" Pan asked him. "Not knowing... But, you're trying your best Dende-Sama. Everyone knows that."
Dende looked up at her, smiling softly. "Thanks Pan, I know you Saiyans are trying hard, too. I will continue to keep searching for any other information on the Horosha. Maybe if I contact the Grand Elder, he can tell me something."
The young Saiyaness smiled, "it's worth a shot."
XxXxX
"What was that about?" Bulla asked Pan when she walked back over to her and Suzu.
The raven-haired girl shrugged. "I was just asking him if he's heard anything about these Horosha aliens."
"Girls!" The boys suddenly came running up in front of them, giant smiles on all their faces.
"Mr Popo made a feast for everyone, and I really do mean a feast!" Goten exclaimed.
"Yeah, and if you girls want some, you better hurry, because Goten and I are gorging tonight before we go in the chamber tomorrow!" Trunks informed them.
"Will you two really?" Pan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Huh?" Goten and Trunks asked, giving her a confused as ever look.
Bulla giggled, knowing where Pan was headed, so she added, "Goku and Daddy are still here tonight..."
Dread kicked in both boys' eyes and stomach. "Damn!" Goten said, "we'll hardly get anything then!"
"Oh yes we will!" Trunks said, pushing up his sleeves. He grabbed his friend by the front of his shirt. "It's time we show our fathers who's really in charge!"
"I've never seen people more enthused about food," Zeshin shook his head slowly, watching the boys take off.
"Come on," Bulla laughed lightly, following after the boys. "If we don't hurry, there'll really be none left for us."
XxXxX
Pan watched from the side as her father embraced her mother. His time in the chamber was up, and she could feel the hair raising energy coming from him! It was amazing how much he had improved in just one year...
She glanced around, seeing Bulla holding onto Goten tightly before he left. Slowly, she looked up at Trunks who was standing beside her. When he felt her looking he looked down at her and smiled. That was all she needed to wrap her arms around his waist and hold onto him. He hugged her back, burying his nose in her hair and breathing deeply, trying to imprint the smell onto him, so he wouldn't forget it.
"Remember to sleep well, and to eat healthy," Pan told him, closing her eyes.
"You sound like my mother," he chuckled. "Goten and I have done this before, we'll be alright... I think." If it wasn't for the fact that he would be missing her like crazy, he would say he would be perfect...
"Even if it's only for a day, I'll miss you..."
"I'll miss you more," he whispered. "I'm going to think about you every day."
"Yo, Trunks!" Goten called, "you about ready?"
"Yeah!" He yelled back. He was ready for training, what he wasn't ready for was leaving Pan.
She looked up, staring at him carefully. Her heart thudded against her chest as she opened her mouth. "I love you."
Trunks stared at her, his eyes a bit wide from shock. She loved him...? He opened his mouth to reply back, before shutting it quickly. Suddenly it felt like glue was in his mouth, keeping the words from being spoken. He knew what he wanted to say, but the words! Why weren't they budging?
"Come on, buddy!" Goten arrived by the couple. "It's time, finish saying goodbye," he grinned. "Bye Panny," he leaned down, kissing her cheek. "See ya in a year!"
"Be careful, Niisan," she told him with a smile. "Don't let Trunks beat you up too badly."
He just simply rolled his eyes before continuing to walk.
Pan looked up at Trunks, who was still staring at her with the same shocked expression. Finally, he blinked, clearing his throat. "I-I... Um, I-" the words! He couldn't say them...
"It's okay," Pan smiled, reached up and cupping his face. "I'll be waiting when you come out..."
Trunks nodded, leaning down and kissing her softly. "I'll see you soon..."
Pan watched him walk into the chamber with Goten before the door clicked shut. One day... She had one day to wait for his reply. But, the way she was feeling, she might as well have been the one in the Time Chamber.
XxXxX
"I'm so excited!" Bulla gushed as she waited with Pan for the chamber door to open. "I can't wait to see them!"
"Me too!" Pan agreed, albeit a bit nervous.
"I hope they took care of themselves," Bulla sighed.
Pan giggled. "Knowing them, Trunks had to remind Goten to take showers and Goten had to remind Trunks to pick up after himself."
Bulla giggled, too, "probably so. You know, Goten being so neat was a shock to me. I was surprised, but happy to see how neat he kept his apartment."
Pan gave her older friend a look, "you must go over there quite often..."
Bulla shrugged with a devilish smile. "You could probably say, we're practically living together now!"
"Really?" Pan raised a surprised eyebrow. "So... You two have done it?"
This time Bulla blushed, "a long time ago, actually..."
"Oh..." Pan trailed off.
"Have... Have you and Trunks not-?"
Pan shook her head, blushing darkly. "But, he's wanting me to move in with him once this whole mess is over."
Bulla's eyebrows shot up, "really?!"
Pan nodded, starting to play with her fingers. "I told him yes..."
"Are you nervous?" Bulla grinned.
"Of course I am!" Pan huffed.
"Do you want to-?"
"Yes," the younger girl admitted, blushing as bright as a tomato. "But, I don't know how to bring up the subject without embarrassing myself."
"You're going to embarrass yourself no matter what you do," Bulla giggled.
"Bulla!" Pan pouted.
"What?" The older girl laughed. "The first time will almost always be embarrassing, but it gets better the more you do it."
Suddenly the chamber door opened, getting the girls full attentions. They could feel the boys, feel how much stronger they were. How they've changed...
Goten was the first out. He only took a few steps before he ran the rest of the way to Bulla, wrapping her up in his arms.
Trunks was a few steps behind Goten... Pan was expecting something, but she didn't expect Trunks to grab her arm and take off with her down some random hallway on the Lookout. She followed him, trying to keep her short legs from tripping. He hadn't said a word to her yet, was he okay?
Trunks stopped suddenly, almost causing Pan to run into him. He turned to look at her and she bit her bottom lip, dread starting to kick in.
Trunks sighed, his rough features from hard training softening. "My stars, Panna!" He grabbed her shoulders gently, backing her up against the wall.
Pan was so confused, but she didn't have time to ask as Trunks leaned down and kissed her. One of his hands found hers, holding onto it tightly. The other one found her chin, tilting it up slightly, so he could slither his tongue inside of her mouth. She met his burning tongue with her own, her free hand reaching up and grabbing the nape of his neck. Her fingers curled into the ends of his hair.
She could feel him leaning against her... This was her Trunks. Had it really only been a day? It felt like so much longer... It probably felt like forever to him!
Trunks pulled away, his eyes already on hers when she opened them. He had the softest, sweetest smile on his face, despite the fact how passionately he had just kissed her.
"I love you." He said it... As clear as day, his eyes never leaving hers, his smile never faltering.
"Trunks," Pan whispered, almost too happy to form words.
"I love you! I love you! I love you!" He said again and again, picking her up in his arms and spinning her around. "I love you, Pan Son!" He shouted loudly down the hallway.
Pan blushed darkly, positive that others had just heard, but Trunks hadn't seem to mind. She looked down at him as he continued to hold her in his arms. His smile was soft, his eyes warm as they looked right at her. Slowly she shook her head with a soft smile...
She grabbed his face, giggling quietly. "I love you too, Trunks Briefs," she leaned down, meeting him hallway for another kiss.
Previews for the next chapter:
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Trunks looked at her intently.
"Yes," she breathed, though she didn't sound sure at all.
Trunks grabbed Pan's hand, kissing her knuckles gently. "This gift you're giving me, is a great honor to take."
Pan blushed wildly. Why was he acting to silly? It was just making her more nervous...
"But," Trunks spoke in a hushed, quiet tone that made Pan look at him in bewilderment. "Before I take it, you must make a promise."
"A promise?" Pan leaned closer to him, curious.
"Yes, a promise," Trunks smiled softly. "Want to hear it?"
Pan nodded silently, her eyes never leaving his.
"In order for me to be your first, I want you to promise me that you will be my last."
Ah Trunks, you're such a dork...