Part Two: In Which All is Found

28- Intertwined

Late Summer

Pan smiled to herself as she walked down the castle hallways. She couldn't believe how good her life was at the moment. It almost seemed too good to be true. She got to see Trunks nearly every day unless he was away for a raid. Her Mama, Uncle, and Brother were all healthy. Things were so good.

As Pan neared the Entrance Hallway, she could hear voices, and one of them belonged to Gohan. She sped up her pace and hid behind a wall as she peeked out over the stair rails. Lord Koba was standing in the Entrance Hallway, and he looked very displeased. Pan felt her stomach dropping.

"I didn't even get a chance," Lord Koba stated.

"I'm sorry," Gohan apologized calmly. "But she has made her choice."

"You know that I would be way more beneficial to the Kingdom-"

"Lord Koba," Gohan raised his voice.

Lord Koba's eyes widened, and he took a step back as he bowed quickly.

Gohan let out a heavy sigh and held his head up high. "Our Kingdom is peaceful and thriving. Your lands are abundant with minerals and fruits, as are all the other lands, and my sister is happy. Her happiness is my top priority. I will not force her to court anyone she does not wish to. It's her choice; it always will be her choice."

Pan blinked her eyes as she let out a small breath. She watched as Lord Koba's nostrils flared in aggravation before he bowed again and left. Gohan let out a heavy sigh once Lord Koba was gone, and Pan rushed out of her hiding spot and to the stairs.

"Han!" She heard him gasp in surprise as she hugged him tightly.

"You heard that, didn't you?" Gohan asked as Pan let go of him.

"Part of it," Pan admitted with a small nod.

Gohan let out a small sigh. "You should have heard him when he first got here. He wanted to fight Trunks for your hand."

Pan's eyes widened. Her lips were quivering as she tried not to laugh. "Are you serious?" She muttered.

"Yeah," Gohan frowned. "But I've seen Trunks fight, you know. I knew he could demolish Lord Koba. I had to say I was against that, even though I have to admit it's tempting to just say yes."

Pan giggled at the thought. "Do you like Trunks, Han?"

"Yeah," he nodded with a smile. "He seems like a great guy, and he makes you happy. You seem to like him."

Pan's chest felt warm as she smiled. Whether Gohan liked Trunks or not wouldn't have changed Pan's feelings, but she was still glad to know that her brother liked her boyfriend. He was right too. Pan did like Trunks. She liked him so much that she knew her feeling for him were much more than a simple like.

"Come on, let's go get some ice-cream," Gohan held out his arm to her.

Pan smiled and took it. "Did you mean what you said about it being my choice?"

"Of course," Gohan nodded with a smile.

Pan wondered if he would still think that if he ever found out that Trunks was a Saiyan. It made her queasy to think that her happy world could get turned upside down so quickly. She shook her head and pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. She would worry about it when the time came. For now, she was going to enjoy her happiness.

Early Fall

"Panna?" Trunks called as he stepped into her room. He started to look around for her when two arms reached out and wrapped around him from behind. "There you are," he smirked as he lifted his arm.

Pan wiggled her way underneath it and adjusted her grip, so she was still holding onto him. "I timed that perfectly," she grinned up at him.

Trunks smirked as he leaned down to kiss her. It was Pan's birthday, and she was eighteen years old. Eighteen was the legal age to get married on Vegeta-Sei, and it was the thought that raced through Trunks' mind most of the day and caused his heart to feel chaotic.

"Are you all packed?" Trunks asked her. Her birthday and the festival fell on a Friday, and she would be staying for the whole weekend with him.

"Yes!" She chirped as she motioned you're a bag on her dresser.

Trunks smiled and reached out for her bag before he grabbed her. In a matter of seconds, they were gone from the earth and on Vegeta-Sei. Trunks landed them in his room and placed Pan's bag down on her bed gently. He honestly wasn't sure which room she would end up in at the end of the night, but he had hopes that it would be his. He had been waiting patiently for this night.

Pan turned around and smiled up at him in a way that caused his heart to squeeze. It was amazing just how much she had taken over his life. She was his first thought in the morning and last thoughts at night.

Trunks raised his hand, and he caressed his fingertips down her face slowly. Pan blinked at him in confusion, and he felt his face growing hot.

"What was that?" She smiled softly.

Trunks smirk and slowly shook his head. He would tell her later, after the festival what it meant when he would give her his present.

Knock! Knock!

"Are you guys back?" Bulla's voice came from the other side of the door.

Trunks smiled at Pan and went to his door and opened it. Bulla grinned when she spotted Pan and rushed inside to hug her. She pulled back and grabbed Pan's hand and started to lead her towards the door.

"Come on, let's go get ready!" Bulla grinned.

Pan looked back and smiled at Trunks, and he sent her off with a wink. She always looked beautiful, but he couldn't wait to see her dressed up with clothes from Vegeta-Sei. He shut his door once Pan and Bulla were gone and let out a heavy breath as he patted his pocket. The gift was still there. He just hoped that Pan would accept it.

Pan smiled as Bulla finished up her hair. The dress she had on was a beautiful golden color that came off of her shoulders. The sleeves were fluffed in sheer fabric, and the bodice was tight with a few ruby buttons to hold it in place. Her skirt flowed to the ground in golden waves.

"Thanks for helping me get ready," Pan told Bulla.

It was the first time for her to be at Vegeta-Sei during the whole Day of the Dead festival. Last year she had only seen the last portion of it.

Bulla caught Pan's eye through her mirror and grinned. "Of course! I'm happy to help," she said as she fluffed Pan's hair.

She had curled Pan's hair before putting half of it up. Pan had what looked like glittering stars in her curls, and she smiled as Bulla took a seat beside her on the bench.

"My Oppa is going to swoon as soon as he sees you," Bulla said.

Pan giggled as her face grew warm. "You look really beautiful," she told Bulla.

She was wearing a tight-fitting red dress with a low dip and a short skirt. Pan knew she was trying to impress someone, but Bulla was secretive when it came to the man she was seeing. Pan didn't pry. She wanted Bulla to tell her at her own pace, though sometimes she sensed her friend wanted to tell her something.

"Thanks," Bulla grinned.

"Hey, what does it mean when a Saiyan caresses your face like this?" Pan asked, and gently, she ran her fingers down her face as Trunks had done earlier. She had seen other Saiyans do it before, but she didn't know what it meant. Trunks' face had gone pink too after he had done it, so Pan assumed it was something that Saiyans who were bonding done.

"Where did you see that?" Bulla giggled.

"Oh, I've seen a few Saiyans do it to each other," Pan said. "I was just curious as to what it meant."

Bulla giggled and nudged Pan's side. "Love."

"What?" Pan blinked in surprise.

"It's like saying, 'I love you,' but in a Saiyan type way," Bulla said with a smile. "We're very affectionate creatures, you know. My Appa and Eomma do it all the time-" she rolled her eyes, but the smile was still on her face. "It's a deep kind of love, too. Usually, only Saiyans who are mates does it."

Pan could feel her body going from warm to hot. Her heart thudded in her chest. Trunks loved her? She felt as if her stomach was whirling. If weren't for the fact that she could feel her feet on the ground, she would have thought she was flying.

"Oh, it's about time!" Bulla gasped as she glanced at her clock. "We better get to Town Square!"

Bulla grabbed Pan's hand, and they rushed out of her room. She kept pace with Bulla as they ran to the Town Square, and they made it just in time for the lanterns to light and the music to begin. Bulla let out a sigh of relief that they had made it in time, and Pan smiled as she glanced around. She didn't see Trunks anywhere.

They watched as several dancing acts start, and Pan was amazed by all of them. Soon, Saiyans from the crowd were joining in with the dance and song. Many of them were dressed up like Pan and Bulla were.

"Hey, you've become quite a regular visitor."

Pan turned and smiled as Endou stepped up next to her. She had seen him just about every time she visited, and she enjoyed talking with him. It almost made her feel as if she were talking to Goten again.

"I know," Pan grinned.

"You know what? I've decided," Endou nodded.

"Decided what?" Pan raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I've always wanted a little sister, so I'm adopting you as mine. From now on, I am your Oppa, got it?" Endou told her with a smirk.

Pan laughed and nodded her head. "Okay, Oppa."

Endou snickered and looked at Bulla. "I'm taking my new sister to go dance."

"Go for it," Bulla giggled. "But for your sake, I hope my Oppa doesn't catch you."

"I'm not scared of him!" Endou laughed before he grabbed Pan's hand and led her to the dance floor.

Endou was an enthusiastic dancer. Pan laughed as he had them twirling across the dance floor. He had some moves that had many nearby Saiyans take a few steps away for their safety. The song ended, and just as another was about to begin, a hand grabbed Pan's waist, and suddenly, she was being spun around until she was against a familiar chest.

"Hey! You're stealing my sister!" Endou pointed a finger at a pouting Trunks.

"Your sister?" Trunks raised an eyebrow.

"That's right," Endou nodded as he placed his hands on his hips. "I've adopted Pan as my sister. I'm her Oppa now."

Trunks looked down at Pan, who simply giggled and shrugged her shoulders. He looked back at Endou and rolled his eyes. "Go find Kimi and dance with her. I'm taking my date back."

Trunks grabbed Pan's hand and instantly started to lead them in a dance. Pan smiled up at him as they danced across the dance floor. His blue eyes were shining as he looked at her, and she felt as if she could die at that very moment and go happily. Who wouldn't want to die in the arms of the one you loved?

Pan held Trunks' arm as they walked down a quiet outside hallway of the castle. The large moon overhead glowed down, casting its light across the dark pavement. Trunk led to a spot that overlooked the gardens below and smiled at Pan. They had snuck off from the festival just a few short minutes ago. Pan could still hear the music playing from the Town Square.

Pan let go of Trunks' arm and grabbed the rail as she leaned forward carefully. "This place is so beautiful," she sighed dreamily. It was amazing how Bulma had managed to grow all kinds of flowers in her garden.

"The gardens?" Trunks asked quietly.

Pan nodded with a smile. "Not just the gardens, though. All of Vegeta-Sei is beautiful," she told him. Each time she visited, she felt it harder for her to want to go back home. She sighed as she looked at the garden blow.

Something cold fell onto her chest, and she glanced down just in time to hear a small click and see a beautiful necklace hanging around her neck. The chain was golden, just like her dress, and the gem was a ruby in the shape of a teardrop. The ruby was small, no bigger than her pinky nail, but it was beautiful. Pan had never seen a ruby so dark or-

Pan gasped and looked up at Trunks. "Is this a ruby from the Dragon's Den?" She asked quietly.

Trunks licked his bottom lip before he nodded slowly. Pan glanced down at the necklace and held it in her palm gently. Trunks had told her that rubies from the Dragon Den mines were so rare and valuable that only royalty had them. Bulma wore hers in her earrings and Bulla in her tiaras. Pan wasn't sure how the King wore his, but Trunks had his in a necklace with the Saiyan crest, and-

"Panna?" Trunks grabbed her free hand, and she looked up at him. She could feel herself blinking her eyes quickly.

"Is this-? Are you-?" She couldn't think properly because her heart was pounding so quickly. Her mind was running wild.

"Yes," Trunks squeezed her hand. "I want you to be my Princess," he said. "I want to marry you," he confessed, "and be with you forever."

Pan raised her hand and quickly wiped her cheeks. She didn't want to cry- not now!

"I know it's a lot to think about," Trunks said gently. "I know it's asking a lot, and you have duties to your planet. I promise we'll work something out. I-"

Pan raised her hand, and just like how Trunks had caressed her face earlier, she did his. His eyes grew wide as he looked at her.

"I have a confession to make," Pan whispered. "I dreamed about you before I even met you. When we first met, I thought it was unbelievable that the literal guy from my dreams was there. I used to wonder how it was possible for me to dream about you before meeting you, but now I know why." Pan placed her hand against Trunks' cheek and smiled at him warmly. "Because I love you."

Trunks let out a shaky breath before his lips were on Pan's. His hand found her hip, and he pushed her closer to him. Pan slid her hand from his cheek to around his neck to pull him even closer.

"I love you," he said, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke.

"I know," Pan whispered.

Trunks swallowed hard. "Will you come to my room tonight?" His hoarse voice almost sounded like it was pleading, and Pan felt her knees shake and a twist in her groin as she shivered.

"Yes," She answered, pulling his lips back down to hers.

Pan felt Trunks picking her up and the swaying feeling of Instant Transmission. Not a second later, her back was on the soft material of Trunks' bed, and he was leaning over her. They met each other's eyes, and she gave him an encouraging smile to let him know that she wanted this just as bad as he did.

Trunks smirked and reached down to pull off his shirt, and Pan could feel herself growing hotter. "What are you thinking?" Trunks asked as his nose traced her jaw. His fingers were behind her, working on unzipping her dress and sliding it down.

Pan smiled as she shook her arms out of her dress sleeves. A shiver ran through her body as Trunks pulled her dress off of her legs slowly, and she sat up to wrap her arms around his neck as she smiled.

"I just thought that this is the best birthday ever," Pan told him truthfully. "You really keep outdoing yourself," she grinned.

Trunks grinned, "always the best for my Princess," he said before his lips found hers.

"You are everything my heart dreams of."
-J. Lynn