34

Summer

Trunks took a deep breath. "It's time... I need your help."

Bulla's eyes widened dramatically. "Seriously?!" she was grinning like mad. "You're really bringing her here?!" She was practically shouting in excitement.

"Will you lower your voice?" Trunks scolded before he smiled softly. "Yes... But, Bulla this is serious."

"I know that," the princess said, tucking a piece of blue hair behind her right ear. "She's from earth, of course we're going to have to be careful."

Trunks swallowed hard. "That's not all..." he said gently.

"What?" Bulla raised a blue eyebrow. "What else is there?"

Trunks looked at the floor, dreading what he was about to tell his sister. Would she change her mind after she found out Pan was the princess of earth? Would she run and go tell their father? No... She hadn't done that in years, and she knew that he had something on her, too. Him and her had grown out of tattling on each other- they were a team now.

"Hello? Brother?" Bulla smiled, snapping her fingers in front of him. "What's going on?"

"She's the princess," he looked at his sister with wide eyes.

"Oh shit..." Bulla's face fell slightly.

"And, I've been secretly courting her for the past few months..." Trunks added.

"Oh shit..." she repeated. She shook her head, looking at her brother. "Daddy's going to kill you if he ever finds out."

"Yeah," Trunks stretched out nonchalantly as he shrugged. "Look, I don't think the earthlings killed dad's friend, and even if they did- she's nothing like how our race thinks they are ."

Bulla watched her brother's soft facial features. "You really like her, don't you...?"

"I do," Trunks' smile was soft.

"Well..." Bulla blew out some air before smiling. "Tell me a bit about her. What's her name, age, what does she look like, what does she like to do-?"

"I'll let her tell you about herself, but her name is Pan, and she's sixteen."

"She's a year younger than me!" Bulla smiled happily. "What do you call her?"

"Pandora," Trunks leaned against one of her dressers. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything," Bulla placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought. "We can't call her Pan; someone might connect her to earth. You calling her a nickname could make finding out a cover name easy- and it did!"

"Huh?" Trunks raised an eyebrow.

"Dory," Bulla's smile widened. "That's Pan's cover name while she's on Vegeta-Sei."

"Okay... But, what about her cover story?" Trunks raised an eyebrow.

"She's my friend from planet Titan- they have good clothes there, and Daddy won't question it."

"You've planned this out before, haven't you?" Trunks glared at his sister with a dull look.

"Guilty!" she laughed, unashamed. "When are you going to bring her?"

"I was thinking this coming Friday, and she could stay the weekend...?" He suggested.

"Yes!" Bulla beamed, clapping her hands. "Yes, yes, yes!"

"Calm down," Trunks muttered dully.

"How can you not be excited?" Bulla asked.

"You're forgetting that I still have to ask her, and she still has to find a way to get past her brother..." Trunks sighed... He just hoped that they could do it.

XxXxX

Two slender figures made their way through a small garden behind the King's castle on earth. From a distance, you would think the two were siblings, both having fair tones and raven hair. Closer, however, you would see that they are mother and daughter.

Chi-Chi picked a bright pink tulip, adding it to the small bouquet she was making for her room. Pan kept pace with her mother, stopping occasionally to smell a flower. She felt like she was about to burst with excitement, and many times she had to remind herself to stay calm. She couldn't celebrate until she knew her mom would cover for her.

"Trunks came the other day," she said casually, not bothering to use his cover name since her mother knew who he was anyways.

Chi-Chi cracked a smile. "He comes daily, doesn't he?"

"Yeah..." Pan nodded with a small giggle. "He wants me to go to Vegeta-Sei with him this weekend..."

Chi-Chi froze, her insides feeling cold. Slowly, she looked at her daughter. She couldn't let Pan go; didn't she know that the two planets didn't get along? Just because Trunks liked her, didn't mean the others would- though Chi-Chi knew they would if given the chance to know her.

"Trunks has a sister, and they've both planned out everything," Pan explained quickly. "I won't be from earth, I'll be from Titan, and my name won't be Pan. Please Momma," her eyes were wide and pleading. "I've wanted nothing more than I have ever wanted this..."

Chi-Chi looked down into her eyes, seeing her late husband's. Swallowing hard, she forced herself not to cry. What she would give to have one more day with her Goku, for her youngest to know her father. If Pan went to Vegeta-Sei, she would unconsciously be learning about part of her heritage... Chi-Chi at least owed her that much.

"Okay," she nodded slowly.

"Oh thank you, Momma!" Pan wrapped her up in a tight hug, grinning happily. "I have to go tell him!" she said before dashing off.

Chi-Chi watched her go with a sad smile. Her little girl wasn't so little anymore... She was growing up and falling in love. The older woman leaned against a stone wall in the garden, her head resting on the cold rock. She closed her eyes, going back into a memory... a memory where Goku was there with her, holding her, caressing her, promising that everything would be alright...Why did he have to be wrong?

XxXxX

"She said yes!" Pan laughed, running straight into Trunks' arms.

He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist as she squeezed him tightly.

"I'm so happy!" She squealed in excitement.

Trunks smirked as she leaned back to finally look at him. "Good, my Princess. I'll turn you into a savage in no time!" he teased, leaning down to kiss her.

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much."

-Jim Rohn