Author's notes: Lookie! After a year, I finally hooked up with Audrey Mary again. ^_^ After going over ideas for this with her, I was finally able to write the epilogue. And here it is!
"…Well I've known you forever
We complete each other's thoughts
Ain't like we never got in trouble
It's just we've never gotten caught
And if you have a secret
It's in me you can confide
And if we ever get split up
I'll always be on your side…"
-Soul Asylum, Close
"Happy birthday dear Chanson, happy birthday to you!" the gang sang, a big-eyed now five Chanson clinging to Goten's leg.
Paris giggled, and pushed her own five-year-old daughter forward with a gift.
"Here, Chan-chan!" Euterpe said, offering the gift.
Chanson cheerfully ripped it open to reveal a brand new gi, blue fabric sewn and embroidered expertly with Chanson's own personal symbol. "Wow!" she squealed, holding it up against her body. "Let's go spar, 'Terpe-chan!"
Goten grabbed her before she could run off. "Not yet. Grandpa Vegeta, Aunt Bra, Marron and Pan all have gifts for you still. Don't be rude."
"Oh, OK," the little girl said, somewhat disappointed, putting down the gi and turning to the other gifts.
Marron laughed, stooping to hug the girl. "Here, I think you'll like this," she said, handing Chanson a smaller box.
"Oooh, pretty!" Chanson exclaimed, admiring the silver musical note necklace she pulled from the box. "Thank you, Kaasan." Marron was listed legally as Chanson's mother, and was treated very much that way.
Bulma was the one with the connections to make a fake birth certificate- some things were very difficult to do without them. Bra and Pan had a fit when they found out Marron would be listed as the mother. Bulma had to very patiently explain that Marron was the best choice for several reasons. Number one, she didn't want to favor either Bra or Pan, and get the other one angry. Two, Goten and Marron could pass for Chanson's parents. Three, she was older. And four, it would be rather odd to have to treat an aunt or a cousin like her mother as well. To appease the younger girls, Bra and Pan became Chanson's godmothers.
Bulma stepped forward with her own gift. Chanson unwrapped it to reveal a new Capsule Corp innovation, a small, handheld computer. She began gushing about how Chanson would be starting school in the fall, and she'd need the computer, and….
Vegeta, standing behind Bulma, rolled his eyes and slipped Chanson a small package, which she opened while Bulma was occupied. Chanson grinned- Grandpa Vegeta might act tough, but he usually had the best gifts. She gathered that he thought Bulma was being stupid, and whatever was in the package was probably something more fun. Her suspicions were confirmed as the package yielded some yummy but very expensive candy. Vegeta winked at her, and she quickly stowed it in her back pocket before Bulma could notice.
Bra had already given her gift to Chanson- she'd taken her niece on a shopping trip. Trunks jokingly said that Chanson had spent too much time with Bra and Pan, since she seemed to have taken on some of both of their personalities. She had Pan's love of fighting and Bra's love of shopping, and, on occasion, drove Goten and Trunks up the wall by wanting to do _everything_.
Pan, who had apparently coordinated with Paris or Ubuu (whichever parent had picked out Euterpe's gift to Chanson), gave her a set of hairpieces to match- "Because girl fighters have trouble keeping hair out of their eyes!" Among them were plain hair ties, some clips, and, of course, a bandana- all in blue, of course.
There were only a couple people missing, Goten noted. His mother- that was no surprise. But he'd kind of hoped his father would show up. He sighed. Who was he kidding? _Vegeta_ had been more of a father to him at times that Goku. At least he'd been around. Goten had finally gotten to meet his own father, and almost immediately he'd taken off to train some boy who was apparently more important than his own son.
Not that he held it against Uubu. Uubu was really a very nice guy, and he was glad that he was happy with Paris.
Suddenly, as if Goten had willed it to happen, he felt Goku's ki approaching. Seconds later, the great Saiyan entered the house, not bothering to knock. Goten rolled his eyes. Some things never changed. (Although Goten had finally gotten fed up and told his father the facts of life…the male way, so Goku no longer asked about that. However, Goten thought he might be scarred for life, or at least permanently embarrassed. His father asked a lot of questions! He also had a greater appreciation for what his mother went through.)
Goku slipped through the assembled guests to where Chanson was sitting, handing her something and talking softly to her. Goten could see her eyes get really wide as she nodded vigorously. Goten nudged Trunks. "Hey, I think he's giving her the bo staff."
"Wow, that's nice of him," Goten said.
Goku, approaching, picked up their conversation. "Yeah, well…I don't use it anymore, and I figure she might have some fun with it. And it's too good of an artifact to be sitting around collecting dust."
"Appreciated all the same," Goten said with a smile.
From the corner of his eye, Trunks noticed his father watching them. "Tousan? Did you want something?" Vegeta blinked and…blushed?
"Er…yeah. Could you and Goten come with me for a minute?"
"Sure," Trunks agreed for both of them, elbowing Goten to get him to come along.
In the kitchen, away from the guests, Vegeta pulled a package out of his back pocket. "Here."
"Huh?" Goten said.
"This is for the two of you- I…" Vegeta had to struggle to say what he wanted to. "I commend you for staying together for so long, through trials, and for managing to find each other despite the stupid gender restrictions of this planet. Made this awhile ago- been saving it to give to you."
"Thanks," Trunks said, puzzled. It felt like a video tape, but of…what?
He scowled. "And I'm glad my son found someone more…worthwhile than that shiftless, whiny, angst-y writer your sister's dating. And I don't say it much, but…I'm proud of you for having the courage to confess your feelings- something I could never do, much less to the ones I love."
"We all know you love us, Tousan," Trunks said. Vegeta glared at him.
"Don't say the "L" word around Vegeta," Goten teased.
"Not everyone knows…" Vegeta muttered.
"Eh?"
Bulma poked her head into the room. "He's referring to some guy he has a crush on," she teased him.
"Onna!" Vegeta protested.
Trunks and Goten exchanged looks. "Oh?"
Bulma nodded. "Back when you two first got together, he was trying to talk me around, in his own little way. Somehow the conversation led to him, and he confessed that he loved a guy once, but he said it didn't matter anymore."
"Oh, I think it obviously does to him," Goten said, wrapping his arm around Trunks. "But I guess I see your point- I am glad I have Trunks."
Bulma nodded, and grabbed Vegeta by the ear. "Now come out and socialize, and no cheating on me if you ever _do_ confess- wait until I'm dead. You'll have plenty of time, since you say Saiyans live longer than humans."
Trunks raised an eyebrow. "Well, that was interesting.
"You can say that again."
"I love you."
"I love you, too. "
Marron poked her head into the kitchen. "Awww…look, they're all snuggled up sleeping." Indeed, Trunks and Goten were sacked out on the kitchen floor.
"More like sprawled all over each other," Pan said, sticking her head in underneath Marron's. "But they _are_ cute."
Bra giggled from behind them. "The party wore them all out! Some Saiyans they are!"
Marron hugged Pan. "Let's stay together…just like them."
Bra snorted. They both turned to look at her. "What?" Pan asked.
"Nothing," she replied innocently. "Except that you two have such an on-again off-again relationship! You spend almost as much time fighting as you do making out. And that's a lot of time!"
Pan glared at her, and Marron looked mildly offended. "Honestly, we're not that bad!"
Bra snorted again. "You're like a couple of guys!" She paused, reconsidering. "No, you're worse. I remember Trunks and Goten. The first month they were sappy, _then_ they were walking bundles of hormones, and then they went back to being sappy again."
"Whatever," Pan said, in the "drop it because I know I've lost" tone of voice.
"Come on," Marron said. "We should get Chanson to bed."
"OK," Pan agreed, as Marron closed the door softly behind her.
It wasn't until later that Trunks and Goten watched the video. Goten asked Trunks what happened to it, and Trunks had to go fetch it so Goten could see what was on it
"Hey, this is the karaoke bar where…"
"Yeah," Goten grumbled. "I can't believe he was filming me."
"Oh, I think it was kind of sweet. Don't tell him I said that."
"Don't worry, I won't. I want you in one piece, you know."
Trunks grinned. "I'm sure you do."
"Hentai."
"You know it."
"…Do you think your dad will ever….?"
"No idea. He's got that schoolboy mentality going. You know, 'I must tease everyone I care about so they don't know it?'"
Goten snorted. "No kidding. I hope he does, though. He's been the most supportive of anyone, except maybe Bra and Pan."
"It seems like he's more so, because we weren't expecting it of him."
On the video, Goten walked up onstage. "Enough extra recording time," Goten muttered.
"Hush," Trunks returned. "I wanna hear your beautiful voice."
Goten blushed, and rested his head on Trunks' shoulder as the music washed over them.
Upstairs, Marron was sitting on the floor reading Chanson and Euterpe a bedtime story, since the little redhead was spending the night. Pan had her arms wrapped around the blond from behind, and Marron was smiling.
Vegeta gazed up at the night sky, looking for the spot where his home planet used to be, and wishing he was still there, where he could have anyone he wanted.
Bra was out with her boyfriend, blushing as he recited a poem that he wrote for her.
And Goku slept on, snoring loudly, completely oblivious to the fact that someone, somewhere, might be thinking about him.
"…Well I've known you forever
We complete each other's thoughts
Ain't like we never got in trouble
It's just we've never gotten caught
And if you have a secret
It's in me you can confide
And if we ever get split up
I'll always be on your side…"
-Soul Asylum, Close
"Happy birthday dear Chanson, happy birthday to you!" the gang sang, a big-eyed now five Chanson clinging to Goten's leg.
Paris giggled, and pushed her own five-year-old daughter forward with a gift.
"Here, Chan-chan!" Euterpe said, offering the gift.
Chanson cheerfully ripped it open to reveal a brand new gi, blue fabric sewn and embroidered expertly with Chanson's own personal symbol. "Wow!" she squealed, holding it up against her body. "Let's go spar, 'Terpe-chan!"
Goten grabbed her before she could run off. "Not yet. Grandpa Vegeta, Aunt Bra, Marron and Pan all have gifts for you still. Don't be rude."
"Oh, OK," the little girl said, somewhat disappointed, putting down the gi and turning to the other gifts.
Marron laughed, stooping to hug the girl. "Here, I think you'll like this," she said, handing Chanson a smaller box.
"Oooh, pretty!" Chanson exclaimed, admiring the silver musical note necklace she pulled from the box. "Thank you, Kaasan." Marron was listed legally as Chanson's mother, and was treated very much that way.
Bulma was the one with the connections to make a fake birth certificate- some things were very difficult to do without them. Bra and Pan had a fit when they found out Marron would be listed as the mother. Bulma had to very patiently explain that Marron was the best choice for several reasons. Number one, she didn't want to favor either Bra or Pan, and get the other one angry. Two, Goten and Marron could pass for Chanson's parents. Three, she was older. And four, it would be rather odd to have to treat an aunt or a cousin like her mother as well. To appease the younger girls, Bra and Pan became Chanson's godmothers.
Bulma stepped forward with her own gift. Chanson unwrapped it to reveal a new Capsule Corp innovation, a small, handheld computer. She began gushing about how Chanson would be starting school in the fall, and she'd need the computer, and….
Vegeta, standing behind Bulma, rolled his eyes and slipped Chanson a small package, which she opened while Bulma was occupied. Chanson grinned- Grandpa Vegeta might act tough, but he usually had the best gifts. She gathered that he thought Bulma was being stupid, and whatever was in the package was probably something more fun. Her suspicions were confirmed as the package yielded some yummy but very expensive candy. Vegeta winked at her, and she quickly stowed it in her back pocket before Bulma could notice.
Bra had already given her gift to Chanson- she'd taken her niece on a shopping trip. Trunks jokingly said that Chanson had spent too much time with Bra and Pan, since she seemed to have taken on some of both of their personalities. She had Pan's love of fighting and Bra's love of shopping, and, on occasion, drove Goten and Trunks up the wall by wanting to do _everything_.
Pan, who had apparently coordinated with Paris or Ubuu (whichever parent had picked out Euterpe's gift to Chanson), gave her a set of hairpieces to match- "Because girl fighters have trouble keeping hair out of their eyes!" Among them were plain hair ties, some clips, and, of course, a bandana- all in blue, of course.
There were only a couple people missing, Goten noted. His mother- that was no surprise. But he'd kind of hoped his father would show up. He sighed. Who was he kidding? _Vegeta_ had been more of a father to him at times that Goku. At least he'd been around. Goten had finally gotten to meet his own father, and almost immediately he'd taken off to train some boy who was apparently more important than his own son.
Not that he held it against Uubu. Uubu was really a very nice guy, and he was glad that he was happy with Paris.
Suddenly, as if Goten had willed it to happen, he felt Goku's ki approaching. Seconds later, the great Saiyan entered the house, not bothering to knock. Goten rolled his eyes. Some things never changed. (Although Goten had finally gotten fed up and told his father the facts of life…the male way, so Goku no longer asked about that. However, Goten thought he might be scarred for life, or at least permanently embarrassed. His father asked a lot of questions! He also had a greater appreciation for what his mother went through.)
Goku slipped through the assembled guests to where Chanson was sitting, handing her something and talking softly to her. Goten could see her eyes get really wide as she nodded vigorously. Goten nudged Trunks. "Hey, I think he's giving her the bo staff."
"Wow, that's nice of him," Goten said.
Goku, approaching, picked up their conversation. "Yeah, well…I don't use it anymore, and I figure she might have some fun with it. And it's too good of an artifact to be sitting around collecting dust."
"Appreciated all the same," Goten said with a smile.
From the corner of his eye, Trunks noticed his father watching them. "Tousan? Did you want something?" Vegeta blinked and…blushed?
"Er…yeah. Could you and Goten come with me for a minute?"
"Sure," Trunks agreed for both of them, elbowing Goten to get him to come along.
In the kitchen, away from the guests, Vegeta pulled a package out of his back pocket. "Here."
"Huh?" Goten said.
"This is for the two of you- I…" Vegeta had to struggle to say what he wanted to. "I commend you for staying together for so long, through trials, and for managing to find each other despite the stupid gender restrictions of this planet. Made this awhile ago- been saving it to give to you."
"Thanks," Trunks said, puzzled. It felt like a video tape, but of…what?
He scowled. "And I'm glad my son found someone more…worthwhile than that shiftless, whiny, angst-y writer your sister's dating. And I don't say it much, but…I'm proud of you for having the courage to confess your feelings- something I could never do, much less to the ones I love."
"We all know you love us, Tousan," Trunks said. Vegeta glared at him.
"Don't say the "L" word around Vegeta," Goten teased.
"Not everyone knows…" Vegeta muttered.
"Eh?"
Bulma poked her head into the room. "He's referring to some guy he has a crush on," she teased him.
"Onna!" Vegeta protested.
Trunks and Goten exchanged looks. "Oh?"
Bulma nodded. "Back when you two first got together, he was trying to talk me around, in his own little way. Somehow the conversation led to him, and he confessed that he loved a guy once, but he said it didn't matter anymore."
"Oh, I think it obviously does to him," Goten said, wrapping his arm around Trunks. "But I guess I see your point- I am glad I have Trunks."
Bulma nodded, and grabbed Vegeta by the ear. "Now come out and socialize, and no cheating on me if you ever _do_ confess- wait until I'm dead. You'll have plenty of time, since you say Saiyans live longer than humans."
Trunks raised an eyebrow. "Well, that was interesting.
"You can say that again."
"I love you."
"I love you, too. "
Marron poked her head into the kitchen. "Awww…look, they're all snuggled up sleeping." Indeed, Trunks and Goten were sacked out on the kitchen floor.
"More like sprawled all over each other," Pan said, sticking her head in underneath Marron's. "But they _are_ cute."
Bra giggled from behind them. "The party wore them all out! Some Saiyans they are!"
Marron hugged Pan. "Let's stay together…just like them."
Bra snorted. They both turned to look at her. "What?" Pan asked.
"Nothing," she replied innocently. "Except that you two have such an on-again off-again relationship! You spend almost as much time fighting as you do making out. And that's a lot of time!"
Pan glared at her, and Marron looked mildly offended. "Honestly, we're not that bad!"
Bra snorted again. "You're like a couple of guys!" She paused, reconsidering. "No, you're worse. I remember Trunks and Goten. The first month they were sappy, _then_ they were walking bundles of hormones, and then they went back to being sappy again."
"Whatever," Pan said, in the "drop it because I know I've lost" tone of voice.
"Come on," Marron said. "We should get Chanson to bed."
"OK," Pan agreed, as Marron closed the door softly behind her.
It wasn't until later that Trunks and Goten watched the video. Goten asked Trunks what happened to it, and Trunks had to go fetch it so Goten could see what was on it
"Hey, this is the karaoke bar where…"
"Yeah," Goten grumbled. "I can't believe he was filming me."
"Oh, I think it was kind of sweet. Don't tell him I said that."
"Don't worry, I won't. I want you in one piece, you know."
Trunks grinned. "I'm sure you do."
"Hentai."
"You know it."
"…Do you think your dad will ever….?"
"No idea. He's got that schoolboy mentality going. You know, 'I must tease everyone I care about so they don't know it?'"
Goten snorted. "No kidding. I hope he does, though. He's been the most supportive of anyone, except maybe Bra and Pan."
"It seems like he's more so, because we weren't expecting it of him."
On the video, Goten walked up onstage. "Enough extra recording time," Goten muttered.
"Hush," Trunks returned. "I wanna hear your beautiful voice."
Goten blushed, and rested his head on Trunks' shoulder as the music washed over them.
Upstairs, Marron was sitting on the floor reading Chanson and Euterpe a bedtime story, since the little redhead was spending the night. Pan had her arms wrapped around the blond from behind, and Marron was smiling.
Vegeta gazed up at the night sky, looking for the spot where his home planet used to be, and wishing he was still there, where he could have anyone he wanted.
Bra was out with her boyfriend, blushing as he recited a poem that he wrote for her.
And Goku slept on, snoring loudly, completely oblivious to the fact that someone, somewhere, might be thinking about him.