36- Take My Hand

Early Spring

Pan smiled as she walked closer to her target. He was laid back against a tree, reading a book from one of the libraries. As quietly as possible, Pan snuck around the tree before she leaned over it.

"Hey, Han!"

Gohan jumped with a small gasp before he saw it was Pan. "Panny," he sighed as he closed the book he had been reading. "You scared me," he chuckled. "What are you doing?"

"I was looking for you, actually," Pan said as she sat down next to him.

"Me?" He blinked in surprise.

"Yeah," Pan smiled. "I've wanted to ask you something for a while now, but things kept happening and getting in the way."

Gohan smiled at her. "What is it?" He asked.

Pan knew she didn't need to be nervous, but for some reason, she did. She let out a small breath to calm her nerves. "Ever since Papa died, you've stepped up into the role of my father-figure. You're always there for me, Gohan, so I was hoping you would be the one to walk me down the aisle."

Gohan was silent for several seconds, and Pan was starting to get worried. "You want me to walk you?" He finally spoke.

"Yes," Pan nodded. "If you want to."

"I would love to," Gohan beamed.

Pan returned his smile. Everything seemed to be going great! The wedding was just a few days away, and Pan couldn't wait to marry Trunks!

Her stomach rumbling caused Gohan to laugh as he stood up. He helped Pan up and smiled, "Come on, let's go get a snack. I don't want my nephew or niece going hungry."

Pan laughed and took Gohan's arm as they walked inside the castle. They were almost at the kitchens when they spotted Marron. Pan almost didn't recognize her at first, her blonde hair was now a chocolate brown, and she had in green contacts. Her new appearance was something Pan was still getting used to.

"Are you okay?" Gohan asked her with a frown.

"I just spent four hours being poked by the seamstress for the wedding," Marron said with a small sigh.

"Sorry," Pan frowned. She had managed to talk Marron into being one of her bridesmaids, but since it was such short notice, the seamstresses were working like crazy.

"Don't be sorry!" Marron told her quickly. "I'm so happy that I get to be apart of your wedding. It's just my side is sore from the needles," she teased.

Before Pan could speak, a loud trill ran through the castle. There was something about the sound that made Pan straighten up in fear. She swallowed thickly and put a hand over her stomach as an uneasy feeling rose in the air.

"Panna-" Trunks appeared suddenly. His blue eyes were wide and fearful. He grabbed her shoulders with shaking hands.

"Trunks, what's going on?" She whispered.

"It's Frieza," Trunks' voice was hallow. "He's here in our atmosphere. Help be landing any minute."

Pan felt a cold shiver run down her back as she started to shake. She had never met the monster before, and honestly, she was terrified to.

"Gohan," Trunks looked at him. "Take Marron and Panna fo earth and keep them there until I come."

"Trunks-" Pan began. She didn't want to leave him! Even if she was terrified to see Frieza, she could see the fear in Trunks' eyes. He was even shaking!

"Panna, no," Trunks shook his head.

"I can't risk Frieza seeing you or finding out about the baby." He squeezed her shoulders and kissed her forehead before he took off.

Pan held her breath as she watched him go. Marron reached over and squeezed Pan's hand, her way of saying that it'll be okay.

Trunks hated it when Frieza visited. The little creep always had to ask questions to try to rile everyone up. What Trunks hated the most was that everyone just stood there and took crap from Frieza. Trunks knew that it was smart to do whatever Frieza wanted. The creep may have been the size of a child, but he was deadly powerful. Trunks had witnessed Frieza blowing up countless of planets as he laughed mechanically too many times. He couldn't let that happen to Vegeta-Sei.

Frieza's ship docked, and Trunks stood beside his Appa as he waited. It took everything in him not to cross his arms and glare. He had to think smart because he had a mate and a child to worry about now. Trunks felt a chill at the thought of Frieza finding out about his child or even seeing Pan.

The ship's doors opened, and Trunks wanted to snort. Frieza was feared across the galaxy, but he rode around in a hover chair like he had a problem with walking. Slowly, Frieza's chair grew closer, and following him were several guards. Trunks had stopped getting scared when Frieza visited, and instead, he just got angry. Now that he had things he wanted to protect, he felt like a child all over again.

"Vegeta," Frieza's slimy voice hissed as he stopped his chair a few feet away.

"My Lord," Vegeta bowed his head, and Trunks was quick to follow.

"I've heard there's going to be a wedding soon," Frieza said.

"Yes, Trunks is getting married."

"Where is the bride?" Frieza's beady eyes swept across the grounds.

Trunks swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "She's not here at the moment, Sire," he said.

"That's too bad," Frieza frowned. "I wanted to meet her. I guess I will have to come back another time."

"Please do," Trunks forced himself to say.

Frieza's lips curled into a cruel smirk. "Unfortunately, I bring work during these happy times. Planet Siren, in section 3792 of the northern galaxy. In their murky waters lays countless of gems and gold. This mission might be a bit difficult because these aliens' voices are something else, but I trust you Saiyans are plenty capable of handling it. If you weren't, there wouldn't be any point of me keeping you around, wouldn't there?"

"Of course we can handle it," Vegeta bowed his head.

Trunks wanted to scream. He would be getting married in a matter of days. Would he be able to enjoy a honeymoon with Pan?

"Because of the wedding, I will wait for two weeks, but no longer. Don't ever say I'm not gracious."

Trunks gritted his teeth together so hard that it was painful. "Thank you," he managed out a small hiss.

Pan nibbled on a cracker slowly. She had lost her appetite, but she forced herself to eat for the baby. She was too worried about Trunks to concentrate on the soft conversation Gohan and Marron were having in front of her. She knew they were just trying to distract themselves from worry, and she didn't blame them.

A shift ran through the air, and Pan dropped her cracker as she stood up quickly. She turned around just in time for Trunks to appear. His face was pale, and he looked emotionless.

"Panna-" he held his hand out towards her in a whisper.

Pan went to him immediately. His hand clasped around hers tightly. She didn't have time to spare a glance at Gohan or Marron before Trunks had vanished them away to their room.

"Trunks?" Pan whispered as she turned to face him.

Trunks let go of her hand and grabbed her in a tight hug. She gasped in surprise for a moment, before she wrapped her arms around him tightly. He was shaking as he held her. One of his hands was clutching the back of her shirt and the other tangled in her hair.

It took several moments before he spoke. "He asked about you."

Pan felt a shiver run down her, and she tightened her hold on Trunks.

"I won't let him see you," Trunks promised as his voice shook. "I won't let him use our child. I won't let him hurt someone I love ever again."

All Pan could do is continue to hold Trunks. She wished she could take his fear and worry away from it. She would give just about anything if she could put an end to Frieza's terror.

Trunks pulled back from her and gently stroked her cheek. "There's another thing," he said quietly. "I have to leave on a raid in two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Pan's eyes widened. They would only have a little bit of time to enjoy their married life before he would have to leave.

Trunks let out a heavy sigh and leaned his forehead against Pan's. "Don't worry," his voice was quiet. "We still have our wedding in a few days. I'll work hard to come back to you as soon as possible."

"I know you will," Pan whispered before she tilted her head so she could kiss him.

Pan was in pure bliss. She smiled as her head rested on Trunks' arm, and she at their reflection in the mirror across the room.

Pan's gown was beautiful and glowing. She had off the shoulder sleeves, and the dress had been made out of a lacy fabric with flower designs in it. Her skirt flowed out onto the floor, and it was puffy enough that if hid her swollen stomach. Her dark hair, which was usually straight and wild, was curled and held into place with pins and hairspray. Bulla and Chi-Chi had pinned up beautiful white flowers into her hair. Bulla had also done Pan's makeup, making her eyes look even wider and her lips red.

Trunks looked so handsome in his outfit. He was wearing his royal armor, with its black leather pants and leather undershirt. The armor plate he had one was specially made. It had the same flower designs of Pan's dress sculpted onto it.

Their wedding had been everything Pan had dreamed it would be, plus more. Gohan had walked her down the aisle with a beaming smile and a few tears. Her Mama and Bulma were huddled together crying, but Pan couldn't stop smiling at Trunks. As soon as he had seen her walking towards him, a giant smile spread across his face, and it hadn't left since.

"Do you think we can just skip the reception?" Trunks whispered in her ear.

Pan smiled as a shiver ran down her back. She wasn't surprised that he wanted to ditch the reception, and she was half tempted to let him. They had a few minutes of alone time since the Saiyans has a tradition of the bride and groom having a moment together after the ceremony. A little time together wasn't enough for Pan. She knew that once they left, they would have only a little over a week to enjoy their married life before Trunks had to go in a raid.

"I wouldn't mind, but I think your Eomma will strangle you if you try," Pan told him with a small smile.

Trunks let out a huff and kissed her cheeks before he found her lips. "I can't wait to be alone with you tonight-" he glanced down at her stomach and grinned. "Almost alone, I guess."

Pan giggled as her cheeks grew warm. When they had first found out she was pregnant, and after everything that happened with Koba and then Lapis, they had been careful. Now that Pan was feeling better than ever- except for occasional nausea, they could get back to doing other things.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He held her close as he kissed her back, and it wasn't long before they started to get lost in the moment.

"Hey, you two!" Bulla's voice laughed as she peeked her inside the room. "Don't honeymoon just yet! It's time to get out!"

Trunks let out a huff, but he let Pan go before he held his arm out to her with a small grin. "Ready, Princess?"

Pan was sure that as long as Trunks was the one beside her, she would be ready for anything. She took his arm and smiled. "Ready," she said.

"There is darkness in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights."
-Bram Stoker