33- Home

Late Winter

Pan was still as Trunks washed the blood from her palm. She sat in the bathtub in his bathroom, warm water was spraying against her naked body as Trunks' gentle hands ran over her.

She didn't know what to think or feel. The last tangible thing she remembered was sitting in the library, watching the fire. The next thing she knew, she was in the Northern fields, a fire iron in her blood-stained hands.

Pan had been hysterical in confusion and shock. Trunks had quickly taken them away to Vegeta-Sei, where they were currently.

"What-" Pan's voice croaked, and she swallowed hard. "What happened?" She asked.

Trunks met her eyes. He had been mostly quiet, and Pan didn't know if it was because he was letting her think or because he was in just as much shock as she was.

"Appa and I arrived to tell Koba to fuck off," Trunks said. "But you showed up. You had a man with you, and it looked as if you used the fire iron to poke his eye out."

Pan gasped as her eyes widened. "I- I did that?" She choked out. "What did I do to Koba?" She asked.

"You threatened him," Trunks shook his head slowly. "I've never seen anything like it. He moved quickly, and he had his sword too. You- you moved faster than I could, and a light came out of you," he whispered. "When I could see again, you had Koba by his shirt and the fire iron on his chest."

Pan swallowed hard as she looked down at her feet. She knew she should feel guilty, but she didn't.

They deserved it, a voice in the back of her mind declared.

"Do- do you think I'm a monster?" She whispered as she looked at Trunks.

"Of course not," Trunks squeezed her hand. "Panna, you know the things I have to do for Frieza. You were just protecting yourself and your family."

Pan swallowed the lump inside of her throat. "What's wrong with me?" She asked. "This isn't the first time that I've lost control like this. Remember my teacher? That day he came and whipped me? It's like something inside of me blew up that day, and I- I burned him!" Pan shook at the memory. She could still remember the blood-curdling screams her teacher had made and the smell of his burning flesh.

"Panna, I think I might know why," Trunks' voice was gentle.

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly. "Is it something to do with my Ki?" She didn't understand how her Ki could make her so erratic or act like that. She was just a human!

"When I returned home this morning, my Appa and I had a long talk," he said quietly. "And then, Goten and I talked. I'm sure this is something he probably wanted to tell you himself, but-" Trunks let out a heavy breath. "Panna, your father was a Saiyan."

Pan's eyes widened. "A Saiyan?" She repeated in a whisper.

Trunks nodded slowly. "That's why Goten's been here all these years. I think maybe your Ki is just unsteady, and not used to your Saiyan powers. I'm sure that it sensed you were in danger both times and just acted," he reasoned.

Pan let out a breath. That made her feel a little better. Still, it was hard for her to believe that her Papa was a Saiyan. That meant she was half-Saiyan, and she just couldn't imagine it.

"I'm too weak to be a Saiyan," Pan muttered.

"You're strong," Trunks said. "I saw it myself," his lips curled into a small smirk. "I have to admit," his voice grew soft and husky. "It was hot."

Pan felt her cheeks growing warm as her lips twitched.

"Want to know more shocking news?" Trunks asked.

"Hm?" Pan raised a dark eyebrow. She doubted anything else could shock her at the moment.

"I'm like you," Trunks said. "I'm half-Saiyan, half-human."

Pan's eyes widened. She stood corrected because she was shocked. "What?" She gasped.

Trunks nodded slowly. "My Appa told me this morning. My Eomma is from the earth, and get this- Dr. Brief is my actual grandpa. I bet he knew I was his grandson all along," he muttered.

Pan blinked as she wrapped her mind around the information. "We're the same," she whispered.

Trunks nodded with a smile. "We are," he said quietly. "I don't think Koba will be bothering the Kingdom on Earth anymore, nor the rebels. I guess we can officially start planning our wedding."

"I think there's something we else we have to do first," Pan said as she placed a hand on her stomach.

When she had first snapped out of the trance, she had been worried something had happened to the baby. Trunks had reassured her, though, that he could still feel the babies fluttering Ki, and Pan had relaxed slightly.

"Yeah, you're right," he nodded. "We won't be able to keep it a secret much longer, and I already told Appa."

"You did?" Pan's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah, this morning. It just kinda came out," he let out a heavy sigh. "It's still doesn't feel real to me, although I can feel it's Ki."

Pan watched as Trunks' lips tugged into a small frown. When she had told him the news the night before, he had barely reacted. His eyes had widened, and that was about it. She hadn't expected him to be overwhelmed with joy, but she was starting to feel like maybe she was the only one that was happy about the baby.

Of course, it had been a shock and a surprise. She had been on birth control, but Dr. Brief assumed it was her body's illness that made it void. Pan now wondered if it was because of her Saiyan blood.

"Are you ready to get out?" Trunks asked gently.

Pan nodded and stood up. Trunks grabbed a robe and wrapped it around her before helping her out of the tub. He walked her to his bedroom, where he began to search for clothes that she could wear.

Pan watched Trunks with a small frown. What if he didn't want the baby? They had never really talked about children before. Maybe he didn't want to be a dad. The thought caused Pan's heart to throb, and she didn't know what she would do if he didn't want the child.

Chi-Chi paced across the study anxiously. It had been hours since the event of the rebellion. Yamcha hadn't arrived on time, but the Saiyans had. The greatest shock of it all, though, was what had happened with Pan. Chi-Chi couldn't believe her ears as Gohan and Goten recounted the event.

Had her Pan really done something like that?

"Chi-Chi."

She stopped her pacing and glanced at Bulma and Bulla. The women had come to earth with the rest of the Saiyans and had hidden out in Dr. Brief's study while the fight happened. It hadn't surprised Chi-Chi to find out that Bulma was Trunks' Mother. Not as much as it surprised Yamcha to find out that Trunks was half-Saiyan, and so were his nephews and niece.

"Here," Bulma handed her a cup. "I know you must be anxious about Pan," she said gently. "But Trunks is taking very good care of her at the moment."

"I know," Chi-Chi sighed as she held the steaming up in front of her. "He is so good with her," she gave Bulma a small smile. "I just-" she sighed heavily. "I want to see her."

Bulma nodded her head in understanding and patted Chi-Chi's arm. The room was quiet for the most part. Vegeta, Trunks' father and the Saiyan King was off in the corner, talking to Gohan and Goten with Saiyans named Radtiz and Endou. It had surprised Chi-Chi to discover that Vegeta had known Goku and that Radtiz was his brother!

The door to the study creaked open, and Chi-Chi held her breath as Trunks and Pan walked in. Pan looked healthy, which was a relief, though Chi-Chi could tell that something was bothering her.

Pan's cheeks grew pink as everyone looked at her. "I don't remember what happened," she told them.

"It's okay, Panny," Gohan spoke up. "We're just so happy you're okay."

Chi-Chi sat her tea down before she ran to Pan and hugged her tightly. Instantly, Pan was hugging her back. Chi-Chi didn't let go of her for what felt like hours until she finally leaned back to look at Pan.

"Are you okay?" She asked gently as she cupped Pan's face.

"I'm okay, Mama," Pan nodded with a small smile. She sniffed as she reached up to hold Chi-Chi's hands. "I know about Papa," she said. "I know that I'm half-Saiyan."

Chi-Chi let out a small breath and closed her eyes for a few seconds. "I never meant to keep it a secret to hurt you, or any of you-" she said as she glanced at Gohan and Goten. "Your Papa and I, we loved you all very much," she said softly. "His biggest fear was always the chance of Frieza finding you." She swallowed hard as she felt her body trembling. "He'd be so proud if he could see you all now."

Pan hugged Chi-Chi again, and she could feel it. Something was definitely up with her daughter. Chi-Chi pulled her back and saw the tears glistening in Pan's eyes. "Panny, what is it?" She asked worriedly.

Pan glanced up at Trunks. He had a gentle look on his face, and he nodded his head slowly. Pan took a deep breath and looked at Chi-Chi. "I'm pregnant."

Trunks let out a small grunt as he pulled a box down from his closet. He opened it and smiled in victory as he pulled the little knitted blue hat out of it. Quietly, he walked out into his room and saw Pan curled up in the blankets.

He couldn't believe so much had happened in just one day, but Trunks was thankful the day was coming to an end. After Pan had told their families about the pregnancy, it was decided that their wedding needed to be moved up as soon as possible. Trunks didn't mind it, the faster he married Pan, the better. If he had his choice, he would marry her that night.

But something was wrong with Pan. Trunks couldn't quite place it, but she had seemed sad all afternoon. He wondered if what had happened earlier with Koba was bothering her again.

"Panna," Trunks called to her gently.

"Hm?" Came her soft response.

Trunks sat down beside her on the bed. "I have something that might cheer you up," he said as he tugged the blanket away from her face and handed her the little hat.

Pan picked it up and held it carefully. She sat up and looked at it better as her brows furrowed together. "Is this a baby hat?" She whispered.

"Yeah," Trunks' lips twitched. "It was mine when I was a baby."

He could hear Pan's breath catching. "This- For our baby?" She asked tearfully.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked her gently as he reached over to wipe her cheeks. "You don't like it?"

"I do," she held the hat to her chest. "It's just- are you okay with this baby? Are you really?" She asked. "I know it's a surprise and-"

"Panna," he cut her off. "Have you been sad this whole evening because you think I don't want our child?"

Her cheeks turning red was his answer, and her lips trembled. "It's just- you didn't react or say anything-" she choked out. "So I didn't know-" she shrugged.

Trunks let out a heavy sigh, and he slid off his bed into the floor so he could lay his head on her stomach and hug her. "Panna," he said quietly. "Earlier, your Mom said that your Father's biggest fear was Frieza finding you and your brothers. That's mine for our child," he said. "My first thought was, what if Frieza find out? I don't want our child to work for him. I don't want our son or daughter to have to bow their head to that monster."

Trunks let go of her and got to his feet quickly. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I was trying to hide my worry from you, but it seems I just worried you more. So let me say it, so you know clearly how I feel," he said as he sat down on the bed beside her again. "I am terrified," he confessed. "But I want this baby because it's apart of you and me. I don't know what the future is going to be like, but I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to protect you and our child."

Pan sniffed and wiped her cheeks. "I've been so emotional these last few days," she muttered.

"You're carrying a baby," Trunks said gently as he wrapped his arms around her and brought her to his chest. Truthfully, he didn't know much about pregnancies, but he did know it put emotional and physical stress on women's bodies.

Pan leaned back enough to glance at him. "Do you think it's over now?" She asked quietly. "The rebels wanting to attack and Koba-"

"Panna," Trunks said gently. "After the threat, you gave him today, he'd be pretty dumb to come back and even try." He smiled slowly, "I have a feeling that you won't see Koba again."

She nodded her head slowly, "and didn't your Appa say he would station guards on earth so the North wouldn't attack?"

"Yep. You know, it was quite a surprise to find out that your dad knew my Appa," he said gently. "It just confirms that meeting you was fate. Didn't you used to dream about me?" He asked.

Pan smiled gently. Her cheeks were turning a faint pink, and she nodded her head slowly. "I did. I never could remember much about my dreams, but I saw your lavender hair and your smirk. When I first met you, I knew you were the one I've been dreaming about right away," she let out a sigh and rested her head against his chest. "Come to think of it, a lot of my dreams happen to come true."

"Really?" Trunks asked curiously. "Maybe you have a gift of seeing the future."

Pan let out a small laugh. "It's mostly little things," she told him. "I would dream about the weather, and the next day, the weather would be like it was in my dream. Or, I would dream of a certain food, and then it would be served the next day. Although one time, I did dream Goten fell about of a tree, and he did the next day."

Trunks chuckled and ran his fingers through Pan's hair. He could feel her relaxing against him, and he squeezed her gently. In a matter of minutes, Pan was asleep against his chest. Gently, Trunks laid her down. He chuckled as he saw she had his old hat clutched in her hands, and he took it from her before sitting it on a nightstand. He pulled the covers up around her before shutting off all the lights before finally crawling into bed beside her.

Instantly, Pan was seeking him out. She wrapped her arms around him, and Trunks adjusted them, so her head was on his chest.

"Trunks," she mumbled.

"Hm?" He whispered.

"I dreamed about this too," Pan said. "Of being here with you on Vegeta-Sei."

"Are you okay with it?" He asked softly. "You know I'll take you to earth whenever you want, but I know moving to a new home is a big change."

Pan lifted her head and looked at Trunks with a sleepy smile. "You are my home," she said simply.

Trunks smiled at her and tucked some hair behind her ear. "And you and our baby are mine," he told her.

Trunks still had a thousand worries, but as Pan cuddled back down on his chest, her nose against his chin as her breath brushing against his neck, he felt okay. As long as he could keep her in his arms and keep their child safe, all would be well.

"'Can you breathe okay with my head on your chest like this?' His answer was, 'it's the only way I know how to breathe.'"
-Dr. Lucy Kalanithi, When Breath Becomes Air