15- Shattered Reality

Mid-Winter

Trunks paced across his bedroom floor as he ran his hands through his hair. He couldn't believe what he had done. He blamed the nearly full moon for making him crazy.

He had kissed Pan! Not just a quick little peck, either. Her sweet taste still lingered on his lips, making him want more. It was taking all of his willpower plus more to keep himself from going back to the earth and kissing Pan again.

Trunks shook his head to clear his thoughts. No! It was late. He had walked her back inside of her castle before leaving, knowing that he needed to get away from her and cool his head for a while.

With a groan, Trunks flopped onto his bed and let out a deep breath to calm his heart down. Pan was going to be the death of him; he was sure of it. Pan made him feel a way that no one else had ever made him feel.

When Trunks was with Pan, it felt as if he forgot everything but her. He even forgot about Frieza for a few short blissful hours. She made him feel vulnerable in an exciting way. Like he could tell her anything, and most times, he did. He always told her too much. More than he knew he should say to her about his life and Vegeta-Sei.

There was a bang on Trunks' door, and he shot his head up just in time to see Bulla walk into his room. She was pouting for some reason as she marched over to him and sat at the end of his bed with a huff.

"What?" Trunks muttered, unsure if he wanted to know what made her mad.

"I hate Frieza," she muttered back.

Trunks let out a heavy sigh. Bulla, for the most part, never had to deal with Frieza. Occasionally the slimy bastard would ask her a question. When she turned fourteen, he demanded that she go on a raid to prove her worth to be a Princess. Their Appa and Eomma both had hated it, but thankfully Bulla got to go on a raid that Trunks and Endou were both on. It was an easy raid, and Bulla had done nothing but stay on the ship.

"Join the club," Trunks sighed as he rolled over onto his stomach so he could see Bulla better. He nudged her with his shoulder. "Did your boyfriend have to go to a raid or something?"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Bulla's cheeks turned red.

Trunks smirked, instantly reminded of how pink Pan's cheeks for whenever he teased her. "You could have fooled me with how you sneak out in a rush to meet him all the time."

Bulla let out a loud scoff, "you mean like how you always rush out to meet your girlfriend?" She shot back.

Trunks stared at her for several seconds before they both grinned. Trunks didn't know all of Bulla's secret, and she didn't know all of his, but they still had each other's back.

"It's late, but I bet Endou is still awake. Do you want to go find him and drag him with us to go shoot some fireworks?" Trunks asked.

Bulla stood up as her eyes shined mischievously. "I do like bugging Endou Oppa. Let's go!"

Trunks just chuckled as he rolled off of his bed and stretched as he followed Bulla. He wondered what Pan was doing back on earth, and a gentle smile twitched across his face. He couldn't wait to see her again.

Pan smiled to herself as she brushed her hair and got ready for the night. Her lips still tingled with the touch of Trunks, and she let out a giggle as her cheeks grew warm. She let out a blissful sigh and hummed to herself as she twirled around her room. She wondered how late it was on Vegeta-Sei and what Trunks was doing.

He would spend hours at a time with her, but Pan would still miss him as soon as he left. She always wanted to talk to him, even when he wasn't there. She wanted to know what he was doing and the ongoings of Vegeta-Sei.

Pan passed her small table and picked up the velvet fabric Trunks had gotten her for the Yule. She ran her fingers over the soft frantic as she picked it up. She still hadn't made anything from it because she was almost afraid to cut such beautiful fabric. Just what could she make out of it?

An idea popped into Pan's mind. A beautiful velvet dress and a velvet vest for a certain someone to wear. Her cheeks grew hotter at the thought. Would he wear it if she made it for him? Although she didn't know his exact measurements, she had pretty good eyes, and she was sure she could get it close. It could be a surprise for him!

With a grin, Pan held the fabric against her as she took off up to her loft to get busy working.

Trunks glanced around the hallways as he looked for Pan. It had been a few days since he had last seen her, mostly because his Appa had kept him busy with training. Even though he was sore, he was eager to see Pan so he could feel refreshed.

"Trunks."

He turned and smiled as Dr. Brief walked down the hall Trunks was in. "Grandpa," he greeted with a secret smirk. "Where's Panna?"

"She's our in town for the day with the Queen," Dr. Brief answered.

"Oh," Trunks frowned. No wonder he hadn't been able to find Pan in her room or the greenhouse.

"Trunks, come with me, please," Dr. Brief's said as he passed him. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Talk to me about what?" Trunks asked curiously as he followed.

"Let's get somewhere private."

Trunks' brows furrowed as he followed the short doctor. He wondered what Dr. Brief wanted to talk to him about. Perhaps he was curious about Saiyans? Maybe he wanted a blood-sample from Trunks. With all the help Dr. Brief's had given him and Pan, Trunks would gladly give him some blood.

They made it to Dr. Brief's study, and he shut the door behind them. "Please, take a seat-" he motioned to the couch near the wall.

Trunks took a seat and watched as Dr. Brief prepared some tea before he walked over and handed Trunks a cup. "Thanks. But, Doc, what's going on?" Trunks asked. "Is something wrong with Panna, or are you curious about Saiyans?"

Dr. Brief pursed his lips together like he was thinking of the best way to answer. "No," he finally said, his mustache twitching as he spoke. "Nothing is wrong with the Princess. At least, not at the moment."

Trunks felt a cold shiver run down his body down to the pit of his stomach. He let out a hard swallow and removed the cup of tea that had been steaming away from his mouth and to the side table.

"What do you mean, 'not at the moment'?"

Dr. Brief let out a loud sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose underneath his glasses. "Trunks, I've been taking care of the Princess' health ever since she was little. I don't think she's ever told you this, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps, I shouldn't be telling you this either, but I feel like you need to know it. You must know it if you want a relationship with her."

"What? What is it?" Trunks whispered.

"When the Princess was born, she was close to death," the Doctor began. "Her father managed to bring her back to life. I'm not sure what it was he did. It was a miracle if I had ever seen one. For many years, we all thought the worse was behind us, but when the young Princess was just eight, she began showing symptoms of an unknown sickness. At first, we thought it was just a cold she couldn't get over, but we soon realized it was much worse.

"The Princess has a fragile immune system. It's why she's not allowed to go out much during these colder months and why the King requests that she has checkups weekly. She is not strong, Trunks, I'm sure you've sensed that."

Trunks' heart felt as if it was beating slow. He could hear it in his ears.

Bump.

A breath.

Bump.

Another breath.

The coldness inside of Trunks has spread up to his fingertips and down to his toes. They felt numb as he listened to Dr. Brief. He had always known Pan wasn't the strongest earthling around, but it was a fact that he had grown to not care about. So what if she wasn't strong? He would be strong for both of them!

"I know what you're thinking," Dr. Brief said quietly. "You're strong. You're strong enough for both of you."

Trunks swallowed hard. That man was a genius.

"I have to ask you though, are you ready?" Dr. Brief said. "Do you know why Lord Koba is persistently trying to court the Princess? It's because the Royal Advisor, Lapis, wants to marry her off. To get rid of a problem, so to say. Of course, he won't admit this, but I've seen the way he looks distastefully at the Princess."

Trunks felt his jaw clench. He had never met Lapis, but he had heard enough about it from Pan to not care for him.

"So what?" Trunks asked. "Are you saying you want me to fight for Panna?" He looked at Dr. Brief, and the look in his eyes made Trunks' eyes widen. "You don't want us together," he whispered.

"It's not that," Dr. Brief's denied. "Because I do. You have made her the happiest she's been in years. I just think you haven't thought things through."

Heat replaced the cold that had filled Trunks, and he stood up and clenched his fist in anger. "Thought things through? Of course I have! I know she's a human, and I'm a Saiyan! I know that! You don't think I've thought of it?"

"Think about it harder, Trunks!" Dr. Brief snapped back. Although his tone was stern, his aura was still calm, composed. It eased Trunks a little, but it unnerved him even more. "How many enemies do Saiyans have? Or should I mention the one alien you work directly under? What would you do if he found out about the Princess? Would he spare her because you're fond of her, or would he still use her as a pawn?"

The coldness was back with a vengeance. It spread down to the tips of Trunks' fingers and toes, causing him to feel numb. He couldn't stop shaking. Dr. Brief was right. Trunks hadn't even thought of the possibility of Frieza discovering his and Pan's relationship and what it might mean for them. Trunks had to swallow the vomit that threatened to rise in his throat.

"You're right," he whispered hoarsely. Of course, Dr. Brief was right. "I can't put her in that danger."

"Trunks, I said these things because-"

"I know-" he interrupted him. His eyes met the Doctor's, and he forced a smile, "you don't want her hurt. Neither do I," he said before he swallowed hard. "I can't let her get hurt. I'll go," he promised.

"Trunks-!" Dr. Brief began.

Trunks took a step back. He couldn't hear anymore. He couldn't think any more of what might happen to Pan if he stayed by her side. It was too dangerous. He was too dangerous.

Before Dr. Brief could utter another word, Trunks pressed the button on his transportation bracelet. His world shifted in less than a second.

Suddenly, he wasn't in the palace on earth anymore. He was back home, on Vegeta-Sei. He was on the west side of the castle that was covered in dry hills. The weather was milder than usual, a small chill ran through the air, but it wasn't nearly as cold as it was on earth.

Trunks fell to his knees as his body shook. His heart was pounding against his chest so hard that it hurt. He gasped in an attempt to catch his breath, but he couldn't. With hot eyes, he grabbed his chest as he hunched over and let out a scream. He grabbed the bracelet and forcefully yanked it off of his wrist. He held it in his hands tightly as he gasped out dry sobs.

For months, he had been ignoring the reality of the situation. He was curious about Pan, and he let that curiousness blind him. How could he be so stupid to forget about the threat of Frieza and what it might mean for Pan? How could he be so stupid to get so close to her- an earthling! How could he be so crazy to crave her, to desire her, to want to be with her!

She needed someone that could protect her, and Trunks couldn't do that. Not where Frieza was concerned. He had already lost one person he loved to Frieza, and he couldn't lose another.

It hit Trunks hard, like a punch in the gut, and he gasped.

He didn't even have a chance to tell Pan goodbye.

It was for the better.

He needed to disappear from her side. He needed to make it, so no trace of him was by her. That way, no one could ever use harm her to get to him. That way, she would be safe from all dangers, including him.

Trunks raised his Ki, and he felt it when the bracelet blew up. He clenched his fist so tightly that his nails were cutting into his skin.

What had he just done?

"And if we were stars in the galaxy, you would be that one star giving birth to itself upon a dying star... And I would be that dying star.

And they call our heartbreak-nebula.

But do you know what scientists are saying?

A nebula is one of the most magnificent stellar phenomenons to behold.

Baby, Baby, we are a beautiful tragedy."

-Royla Asghar