Title: Killing Me Softly
By: Ashley




I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd,
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud.
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on.




Gohan sighed at his daughter's exit. He tried his best to explain what had happened, but he didn't even know. He sighed once again and looked at Bra. She was crying and wouldn't look away from Pan's back. He walked right behind her and tapped her lightly on her shoulder. She turned around and buried her head in his chest.

"If only she knew what happened between us. If only we could just tell her, but I still don't understand."

Gohan rubbed her back lightly and pulled her away after her words. "You mean, you know what happened?"

Bra wiped her tears away and bowed her head. "Gohan-chan, I don't exactly know how to put this but.... we're bonded."

Gohan looked at her and shook his head slowly. "No... you can't be serious." He patted her back soothingly but stopped when she jerked away from him.

Bra strangled to talk through her tears as she looked at him. "I'm serious. I've had a feeling about it for a while now, but... that kiss confirmed it." She looked at the ground again before looking back at him. "Well..."

Gohan looked at her with confusion. "But... how?" It took all of his will power for him to stay up.

Bra wiped her tears away and frowned slightly. "I don't know exactly how. But this cannot be a good thing. I know something bad is going to happen," she said. 'Mainly to me...,' she thought miserably.

Gohan looked at her strangely. He studied her as she became more tense. Softly he called out to her, "Bra-chan, maybe this isn't bad. You're probably just looking at things the wrong way." He smiled softly at her.

Bra uncrossed her arms when she saw him looking at her. There was this strange look in his eyes she couldn't look away from. Slowly she looked away from his piercing gaze. She cursed herself inwardly for appearing weak. "Gohan... trust me on this. This will end in a bad way." She didn't say anything else as she silently looked at him challenging him to say something else.



"Pan... babe, why didn't you at least wait for an explanation from your father and Bra? Maybe they care for each other?" Ubuu said as he stopped his girlfriend at the end of her driveway.

Pan turned around defiantly. Her medium black hair swing with the abrupt move. She stared hard at him with blazing dark eyes. "Ubuu I didn't need an explanation. I saw what had happened which was more than enough for me. He can't love someone else. Mom hasn't been gone that long. I just don't get it and I refuse to understand it."

His big brown eyes pleaded with her. "I didn't say that they loved each other. Love takes time, it doesn't happen right away. I said that they probably cared about each other on a deeper level." He lowered his voice, "Pan if you really love them both, you would try to at least understand. How do you think they feel right now. You are the closest thing to both of them and if you leave, that could bring them apart or closer together."

She looked down at the ground. "Ubuu... I'll think about this tomorrow," she said softly and slowly. She turned around to look at the outline of her house before facing him again. "Can I stay at your place tonight? I don't think I can go back just yet."

He sighed at her stubbornness and nodded his head reluctantly. "You know you can stay there without even asking."

A small smile crept to her pained face. She filled in the gap between them both as she hugged him tightly. "I can't believe how good you are to me," she said into his muscled chest.

He patted her back and kissed her soft, black hair. "I love you Pan-chan, don't forget it."



Carmen watched her uncle with curiosity. He seemed upset about something. His eyes didn't look the same color and he had a intense frown on his face. "Jiisan Juu-kun, is something wrong?" Her wide, clear blue eyes shown with concern on her small pixie face.

Juunana looked at his niece and smiled faintly at her. He walked over to her and kneeled by her side. His fingers played with her lavender hair. "Nothing's wrong. Don't worry about me just yet." He smirked at her childish smile.

Carmen smiled for her uncle in hopes of cheering him up. Something was wrong with him and she needed to find out. It seemed like something was just taken away from him and he could never get it back. 'Don't worry Jiisan... I'll make you smile again, somehow.' Her smile turned into a toothy grin before she turned her attention back to her toys.




Gohan held up her hand when her gaze changed into a glare. "Bra-chan... really this cannot be all that bad." He smiled at her as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I can't be all that bad, can I?"

Bra dropped her eyes away from him and smiled. She set her hands on her hips and smiled again at him. "It's not that, it's just things are more complicated with us. I don't think you realize how complicated they are." She looked straight at him and became more serious. "Have you forgotten about Juu-kun and I? How about two half-breeds bonding together? What about the fact that you could still be in love with Videl-san and I could possibly love Juu-kun? How about the age differences?" She looked at him waiting for some answer but she received nothing but silence.

Gohan tapped his chin with his index finger when she brought up all of the things that could effect their bond. He changed thoughts when she began talking about love. "Bra-chan, I loved Videl deeply, but I know I've got to move on." His voice lowered before picking up on a strong note. "You said you didn't know how you felt about Juunana-gou. Why all of a sudden you think you're in love?" He looked at her doubtly.

Bra frowned and walked away even further from him. She was silent for some time before she finally spoke. "I don't like bonds. I never liked them when I first learned about them. They make me panic and I always said I would avoid getting bonded." She turned around to face him with a wry smile on her face. "I always thought that I would end up with Juu-kun ever since I first met him. I didn't want a bond, just him. Then I met you and I got mixed-up. Who would have known I would have gotten bonded to my best friend. Who would have known it would have been with you." She sighed and tried to look brave in front of him. "Life is a bitch sometimes." She smiled and wrapped her arms around herself again.

Gohan had mixed feelings about what she had said. He was touched she had finally started opening up to him but he was concerned that something bad would really happen. He also felt a bit offended. 'I wonder if she really likes me more than just a friend?' He shook his head to clear things, he would ask her later.

He walked right behind her and hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know what to say really. If I scared you I didn't mean to..." He trailed off when she placed her hand over his.

"You didn't scare me. You just made me see things differently." She turned around to face him. She smiled gently at him. "Maybe this won't be so bad for now. I just need a lot of time to think about things before I actually make the full adjustment."

Gohan was still worried about her but some of his uneasiness about her faded away. The fire that had lit her eyes when he first met her came back slowly when she smiled. He grinned as he took her hand. He rubbed the back gently and tightened his grip around it. "Bra-chan, I am always going to be your friend. Even before the bond I was your friend and nothing is going to change that." His soft, black eyes pleaded with her to understand him. He then smiled viciously at her. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to pretend I like Juunana-gou. Now I have even more of a reason to be jealous of him. I got to figure out a way to make you fall for me and get over him."

Bra's eyes popped out of her head at his words. She grinned at him before speaking. "I fall for whoever I want to. No one is going to make me fall for them." She smiled inwardly at the way he could make her feel sometimes. It was almost like he knew the things to say to make her happy again.

Gohan laughed to himself at the way she could be. "So does this mean you are okay with the bond?"

Bra's smile dropped temporarily off of her face. "I don't like bonds. I never will but I could get used to them." She saw his face drop before smiling again. "We don't even have a full bond yet, anyhow."

Gohan looked at her a bit confused. "I don't get it?"

She smirked. "Bonds are like marriages in a way. They both have to be consummated." She snickered at his blushing face. "I don't care how much I like you, that's not happening anytime soon." Bra looked down at her watch and frowned slightly. "I have to go somewhere. I'll talk to you later." Bra reached up to peck him on the cheek. "Bye Gohan."

Gohan waved numbly at her when she walked away. She seemed in a hurry to get to wherever she was going. "Bye Bra-chan..."

His eyes drifted away from her back to his house. He knew Pan wasn't going to come home tonight. She probably wasn't going to come home anytime soon. He sighed as he thought of his daughter. He didn't mean to hurt her, it just happened.

He walked up the low set of stairs to the font door. When he walked in he felt suddenly lonely. He drifted from different rooms until he came to his room. 'I don't have nothing else to do tonight, might as well get as much sleep as I can,' he thought tiredly.





An image of his daughter running went through his mind. Vegeta slapped the oncoming ki blast out of his way before sitting down to think about what could be wrong. "Something does not seems right about her." He stretched his senses to hers but a block was around her mind. He tapped his chin in thought. This was not like his little girl. Something was definitely wrong.

He stood up and clenched his fist. Something was bothering her and somehow he knew he could not help her with her problem. He dropped the fist and grabbed his towel as he wrapped it around his neck. Whatever her problem was he would find out and try his best to see if he could be of some help to her. He would find out what was bothering her soon enough. Anyhow, she was on her way here.

He walked out of the new gravity room Bulma built for him. The sudden night breeze came to him by surprise. Stupid Earth weather. Snow and ice would be coming soon and would halt his training schedule. He sighed as he looked for his daughter in the distance.


Bra ran as fast as her two legs could carry her. Too many thoughts were running through her head. She was mainly focused on him. She had to get to her father, he would know what to do. He would know why she was feeling this way. Papa always knew what to do when she was in a fix. She slowed down when she saw the curve of the Capsule Corp. building. Without stopping she ran to the gravity room where she knew her father would be.


He smiled inwardly as he saw her petite outline coming his way. When she finally reached him, her breathing was irregular and her hair was thrown everywhere around her head. His face wrinkled up in shock and mild humor that his daughter seemed tired. She must have put all of her energy into running to come see him. When she had seemed like she had calmed down he grunted for her to look up to him.

Bra recomposed herself as she heard her father's grunt. She fought around with the idea of telling him the truth of not, but it would come out sooner or later. "Papa, I have something to tell you." She looked down before speaking to him again. "Please don't interrupt me, just listen this time."

Her tone of voice had provoked Vegeta's curiosity. "What do you have to tell me?" He crossed his arms looking at her expectantly.

Bra looked at her father, silently debating whether to tell him of her predicament or not. She sighed inwardly that he might as well know it now then later.

She crossed her arms and looked at him in the eye. "I've bonded with someone."


One side of Vegeta's mouth curved up and he shook his head. "I know how much you hate bonds but that doesn't seem to be the bad part. Is it?"

Bra's eyes didn't waver from him. "It's not." She dropped her hands to her sides and bowed her head. "Papa... I really like him. I don't know if my feelings are deeper than what I want them to be. I think I love him, but I'm not sure. I haven't known him that long." She looked up at him and began speaking again. "Papa, what happens when you love two people and you're bonded to only one of them?"

Vegeta looked at his daughter and a wave of panic overtake him. He looked away from her and breathed in deeply. "Bra, your not bonded to the cyborg, are you?" He closed his eyes hoping she was.

Bra shook her head no. "No... it's not with Juu-kun."

He opened his eyes. A trace of fear was evident but that was all. "Just don't tell me it's with one of Kakarott's brats," he said through clenched teeth. When he received no answer he growled. " Bra, who is it with?!"

Bra couldn't meet his eyes and looked away from him quickly. Quietly she answered him. "It's with Gohan."

Vegeta frown and looked at her with sympathy and fear for her. "This is not good." Vegeta wanted to scream at her and kill the brat. His eyes closed at the strain of trying not to get mad to quickly, but it was getting hard. He knew he couldn't help her on this and he cursed the fact that he was wrong. Jet black eyes flashed open and he looked at her. Something was going to happen to her and she knew it. He turned around heading back to his training. "I don't know what to tell you. It seems you know more about what's about to happen then I do." Before she could say anything he locked himself in the gravity room.

Bra frowned. She expected this, but that didn't cover her disappointment. She took one last look at the gravity room before exiting the Capsule Corp. grounds.




Trunks and Marron were still at dinner when Marron noticed him drop something else. "Trunks!! Why do you keep dropping your fork?" Marron looked a little fustrated.

She threw her napkin on the table in and sighed in exasperation. She cast her bright blue eyes down and her blonde hair came down with her. After a moment lost in thought she raised her eyes to meet her husband's worried ones. "I'm sorry Trunks, it's just that I think something is wrong with Jiisan and it doesn't feel right."

Trunks eyes became more concerned. "I know what you mean. I have the same feeling about Bra. I don't know what is going on back home but I know we are missing a lot."

Marron nodded. "I know what you mean." She looked away for a minute before asking her next question. "Why do you keep dropping your fork?"

Trunks gave her a half smile. "I sometimes forget how dense you can be at times." He laughed at her flushed face. "But the answer to your question it that, I think I need to choke someone and my hand always has something in it to keep me from doing the job."

"That's mean." She looked down at her plate as she pushed around some of the food. "But I think you should try and get the hospital and bank investing deals done fast so we can get home. The computer and toy manufacturing deals will have to wait until later." She looked up to meet his eyes. "But I do know that, whatever Jiisan is going through Bra must be going through the same thing on a higher level."

Trunks tapped the fork lightly against the table. His wife's face was deep in concentration. He sighed as he tried desperately to think of a way to wrap up the business deals.




Bra entered her apartment duplex and walked up the stairs slowly. She felt tired a more confused than ever. When she entered her place she went straight to her room to get ready for bed.

She sat on her bed feeling bored but not sleepy yet. Her eyes glanced around the room in search of nothing particular until she spotted her notebook and pen on the dresser. "I don't have anything better to do," she mumbled to herself. She reached for the notebook and began writing him a letter. 'It's not like I'm going to give it to him,' she thought before writing. "Dear Gohan..."

"Gohan... I am the perfect combination of my parents. I have his pride and attitude with her looks. It makes no damn sense. I love them both, but they confuse me even more than my feelings on you and Juu-kun do. Even though it might seem that I absolutely hate my mother, she can be okay at times; but only when she isn't pressuring or talking to me for a really long time. Then there is Trunks. I don't know what to say about him really. After he came back from his trip with Pan and Goku-san, he started treating me different. I don't know what caused this in him, but we've been close (as close as I wanna get) ever since then.

...Remember when you asked me how I felt about you? I didn't give you a straight answer because, I didn't really know. I like you a lot, and it's confusing. I thought I was in love with Juu-kun, then I met you. Now I think I just don't like you anymore. I can't describe it, but I feel something with you that was deeper than anything Juu-kun and I could ever have. That right there scares the hell out of me. I thought it was just the bond but I felt this way before I even kissed you or was it the other way around? I think I love you, but what does that mean about the way I feel about Juu-kun? Was I wrong about my feeling towards him or am I wrong about the way I feel about you. I wish I knew how I felt. I want these feelings to end so I can stop being so confused. Whatever it is, it's killing me and I want it to end before I do it.

Your... well what am I to you now?
Bra Briefs"

Bra looked over the four-page letter and smiled slightly. She was about to put it away when her stomach rumbled. Slowly she stood up from her bed and headed for the kitchen to get something to eat. She dropped the letter on the table on her way to refrigerator.




Trunks came running into the hotel room with a smile on his face. "Babe, I finished the hospital deal this morning. I managed to get the rest rescheduled for next month. I only have to do wrap one meeting today then we can leave."

Marron dropped her book in her lap and smiled at him. "I had a feeling you would end it soon. I packed our things an hour after you left. How soon do you think we can get a plane back home?"

Trunks smiled and a strange spark lit his eyes as he looked at her. "We don't need a plane. Have forgotten your charming husband can fly faster than the best planes."

The same spark caught Marron's eyes as she walked in front of Trunks. "I haven't forgotten, it's just that I chose to forget it."

He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Remind me to be mad at you later. Right now I have got to change. I promised Carmen I would bring her something while I was away." He smiled down at her again before heading towards the bathroom.





Gohan walked the short distance from his house to her apartment. He couldn't sleep at all last night. He kept thinking about Pan and her reaction towards him. The thought was pushed in the back of his mind when he came to the door. He straightened his glasses on his face when he rang the doorbell.


Bra stirred sat at the kitchen table stirring her coffee when the doorbell rang. She dropped her spoon in the cup before getting up to answer the door. "Who is it?"

She heard Gohan state his name before opening it. "Isn't it a bit too early to see me?" She smiled as she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

He smiled and grabbed her before she had a chance to pull away. His dark eyes bore into her blue eyes. "I missed you." He said it more to himself than her as he looked at her. The words surprised him as much as she was surprised. He smiled down at her and kissed her on the lips gently.

Bra was confused at his action and she blushed as she tried to get out of his hold on her. "It's only been a day."

He shook his head to clear things when he released her. He would think about things later, not now. He smiled again and closed the door behind him. "Bra-chan, it's almost three o'clock and you just woke up?" He followed her into the kitchen where he saw a bucket of chicken and a cup on coffee on the table.

She shrugged. "I slept late. It happens sometimes." She sat down at the table and pointed to the chicken. "Want some breakfast?"

He grinned and reached for a drumstick. "I've never met anyone who ate chicken for 'breakfast'." He finished his drumstick before sitting down in front of her.

"I want to take you somewhere tonight but I figured you wanted to watch the movies we had gotten last night." He held up two tapes for her too see.

Bra nodded. "I was going to go to your house, but since you're here, we might as well." She finished her coffee and three more pieces of chicken before standing up. "I've got to wash up and change clothes." She looked at him before asking. "You don't mind waiting for about an hour, do you?"

He shook his head. "I'll read a magazine or something while you're getting ready." He smiled to show he was really okay with it all.

Bra grinned at him before leaving the kitchen.

Gohan looked around the room when a piece of paper caught his eye. The first words he could see were "Dear Gohan,". He fought around with the idea of reading the letter, but it was for him anyhow. He read the letter and was almost in tears before he finished. He laughed in some parts and frowned in others.

'She loves me, I know she does,' he thought over and over. He had to prove to her that she did love him. He was even more jealous of Juunana-gou than he was before. His eyes drifted down to the letter in his hands. A tired sigh escaped his mouth as he put the letter down on the table. He left the kitchen taking one last glance at the papers before going to the room with the television.


Bra grabbed her denim jacket and put it on over her red sweater as she walked down the hallway to the living room. She frowned at the way he looked. "Gohan... is something wrong? You seem different." She sat beside him and glanced at him.

Gohan smiled and shook his head. "Just thinking about things." He looked at her and ran his fingers through her hair. "I still don't understand your hair color."

Bra pulled away from him. "I know you weren't thinking about that." She turned around to look at him. "What were you thinking about?"

Gohan looked at her and smiled sadly. "If Pan-chan will ever understand and why would you even like an old guy like me."

She rolled her eyes. "Pan will come around eventually. She gets to things on her own time. Just because you've gotten over Videl-san's death doesn't mean she has." She sighed before going on. "And to why I like an old guy like you, is because I choose to be different. I don't meet people as sweet as you everyday. I should be asking you why you like someone as weird as me." She smirked before going on. "You're stuck with me for life, it's too late to change things now."

He smiled at her. "I don't think I would want to change things anyhow." He smiled again before picking up the remote. "Let's watch the movies now."




Ubuu followed Pan to a bench after walking around in the park for quite some time. He smiled to himself that she had calmed down over the shock of Gohan and Bra kissing in front of her. He was a little angry at the two because they had made her so mad. He shook off the feelings as he looked at her. She smiled at all the little kids as they went by. "Are you happy Pan-chan?"

Pan turned around and looked at her boyfriend. She smiled and leaned in towards him. "I feel a lot better than I did yesterday." She looked up at the red sky. "It's going to get dark pretty soon."

Ubuu nodded his head in agreement. He wrapped his arms around her tighter.

Pan sighed happily. "I wish I could stay with you longer..." She trailed off not expecting him to really answer her. Evertime she talked about marriage, hinted at it, or anything like that he became quieter than he normally was. When he agreed she turned around in his arms to look at him confused. "What's that suppose to mean?"

Ubuu felt his insides knot up and his heartbeat grow faster. He smiled to keep cool on the outside no matter how he felt on the inside. "I was going to do this next week, but now seems like the best time." He shifted to pull something out of his pocket and pulled away from her.

Pan stared wide eyes at the small, black, velvet box in his hand. "Ubuu..."

Ubuu sighed and opened the box for her to see. "Pan-chan, we've known each other for a long time. I really love you and I don't want to see you unhappy. I would do anything to keep you smiling." He hesitated feeling a deep panic rise in his gut. He swallowed the lump in his throat before asking, "Would you marry me?"

Pan looked at him feeling tears burn her eyes. Her glassy eyes drifted from his face to the diamond ring with blue sapphires around it. She smiled and locked her eyes with his. "Yes," her voice croaked out.

Ubuu smiled and placed the ring on her finger. "I mean everything I said, I really do love you. I don't want to see you unhappy."

The tears rolled off her cheeks and she smiled at him. "I won't be now." She looked at the ring when the full impact hit her. "I'm getting married!" She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him full on the mouth. "I love you so much."

She pulled away from him feeling different. She sat down beside him and laid back against him. "You know just what I need to make me happy, don't you?"

Ubuu smiled and kissed her cheek. "I told you I would do anything to keep you smiling."




Gohan checked the clock on on the wall and looked at Bra snuggled next to him. He frowned at the thought that she would have to move away from him for them to leave. "Bra, it's time for me to take you to that place."

Bra yawned and looked up at him. "Can we go someplace to eat afterwards?"

He nodded and turned the television off with the remote.

Bra attached herself away from him to find her shoes. "I'll be right back." She hurried to her room and left him there alone.

Gohan stared after her before looking at the kitchen entrance. He saw the corner of the papers and sighed. He would try and get through to her. If he couldn't do that then he would make his feelings clear to her tonight before he went on his convention.


Bra walked by his side. She wondered what was going inside that head of his. He had been unusually quiet since they left her place. Her thoughts drifted off when she realized where they were headed to. "Gohan-chan?"

He smiled down at her when she saw the building not far from here. "Remember when you said that you would sing a song one day?"

Bra held her head down. "I didn't actually think you would listen to me. It's not going to be tonight hopefully."

He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. "I listen to everything you say and if you don't want to you don't have to." He rubbed her arm and continued walking towards the building. "I have a surprise for you though."

She looked up at him confused. "I don't get it?"

He shrugged. "You'll see." He smiled devilishly at her to prove he wasn't going to reveal anything.

She sighed and looked away from him. She would see what he was going to do soon enough.


Gohan walked in the club scanning the area. Today was pretty crowded but he didn't worry about that. He searched for the manager of the place. His eyes came across the young man about twenty something. "Adam! Come here for a minute!" He called out to his friend.

Gohan smiled when the man came to them. He looked out the corner of his eye at Bra before looking back at Adam. Gohan looked at his friend differently. Bra was closer to his age and he was handsome in a way. He diverted his thoughts and concentrated on the thing he wanted. "Adam, this is Bra." He looked proudly at her before looking back at him.

Adam eyes went across the girl. She was more than pretty. She was the kind of person you don't see everyday. He smiled up at Gohan. "I'll get your girl an opening tonight if she wants to sing. If she can sing as good as she looks then there should be no problem." He smiled at her blushing face. "What's your name babe?"

Bra smiled at the man. She assumed he was American by his strange accent. "It's okay, I don't want to. My name is Bra." She didn't bother to mention her last name.

"Nice meeting ya." He wondered if Gohan and her were a couple. He didn't bother to ask, he just looked at her.

"Thanks," Bra said.

Adam nodded smiling a bit confused. "You're welcome."

She grinned at him then at Gohan.

Adam nodded and tore his gaze from her to Gohan. "Your usual?"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah."

Adam looked back at the young woman beside him. "Okay... you know when. Talk to ya later." He smiled friendly at Bra before he left.


When he finally left Gohan wrapped his arm possessively around Bra. He felt like breaking every bone in Adam's body, but he knew the guy was only being nice.

"So are you going to tell me what my surprise is?" She smiled sweetly up at him.

Gohan chuckled and shook his head. "Just wait." He looked at the clock on the nearby wall and his face went blank. "I have to go get ready now." He left her in a table in a dark corner with a good view of the stage.

He walked over to the DJ both and gave him the song. He smiled at Bra before heading towards the stage.


Bra looked at him for some kind of hint to what he was going to do. She looked down at her drink and smile softly. It was like the first time she came here. She had her lemonade and now he was going to sing a song for her... again.

When he came to the stage her heartbeat skipped every second beat. He was doing it again. He made her want to run up to him and ask him how he knew so much about her. That song... it reminded her of something. Bra bit her lower lip in concentration before the idea hit her like a sack of flour. 'He found my letter!' Her mind screamed to get out of the building fast. She knew she was overreacting but she couldn't take her chances.

Her eyes searched for the door but frowned when she spotted it. "He must have known what I was going to do," she mumbled under her breath. She tried her best to calm down until he came to a part of the song that made her blood freeze.

"Touch if u will my stomach/Feel how it trembles inside/You've got the butterflies all tied up/Don't make me chase u/Even doves have pride"

Her eyes drifted over the crowd to see if anyone had noticed her uneasiness while he sang. She looked away from the crowd to Gohan again. He sang the chorus. What was he trying to do?

"How can u just leave me standing?/Alone in a world so cold?/Maybe I'm just 2 demanding/Maybe I'm just like my father 2 bold/Maybe you're just like my mother/She's never satisfied/Why do we scream at each other/This is what it sounds like/When doves cry"

Bra's tears ran down her face and she made no effort to stop them. He was doing it again to her and she couldn't stop the rush of feelings going around in her head. 'I hate him so much', she thought over and over. No one ever made her think about things the way he did.

When the song ended, Bra stood up and clapped. It seemed like she wasn't the only crying. Her eyes scanned the area to see if he was coming towards her. When she couldn't find him she sat back down to finish her lemonade.


Gohan stood out of eyesight from her. He just wanted to see the impact he had on her. He saw the dry tear marks on her face and smiled. He knew Juunana-gou didn't have this effect on her, why couldn't she see that? Juunana-gou didn't have a bond with her. But Juunana-gou had her. His eyes went down to his feet before looking back at her. It was her feelings on Juunana-gou that kept him and her from really being together. 'I wish I knew who she cares for more?' He breathed in deeply before walking to her.

"So what did you think?" He placed his hands on her neck and massaged it gently as he talked from behind her.

Bra scowled before bending her head back to look at him. "I hate you." She sat upright again to drink her lemonade.

Gohan massaged her shoulders for a few more seconds before taking the seat opposite of her. "What did I do?" He smiled and reached for her hand.

Bra scowled again before snatching her hand away from him. "You know exactly what you did! You found my letter! I can't believe you!" She yelled at him in a very loud whisper.

Gohan smirked and looked up at the ceiling. "Well, it had my name on it." He looked back at her red face before continuing. "I guess this is what you meant by being the perfect combination of Vegeta-san and Bulma-san, ne?" He chuckled to himself when she stood up from the table.

"I still hate you. You weren't suppose to read that. I wrote it to just release some stress... I didn't think you would actually find it." She turned to look at him again. "I hate you."

He smiled as he stood up. "You don't hate me Bra-chan," he tilted her chin up to meet his eyes and spoke more softly at her. "You said yourself that you like me too much to be mad at me for long." He dropped her chin and stared at her longer. "I didn't mean to make you mad or embarrassed. I was trying to prove something to you."

Bra felt a burning fury build up inside of her. He was doing it again but she didn't mind as much. "And what exactly would that be?"

"Bra-chan, I don't think you know how much I care for you." He didn't take his eyes off of her know shocked face.

"Gohan?"

"Bra-chan, I think I may be falling for you. I've known ever since we came back from the video store."

Bra's eyes widened. "What?"

He tried to calm his fast beating heart. "Bra I think I love you."

Bra stared at him more confused than ever. Both stood there soundlessly staring at each other waiting for some kind of response.





Pan stared at her new ring while she rode in the car to Ubuu's place. Ubuu sneaked a few glances at her every once in while as he drove. There was a question he had been dying to ask her ever since they left the park, but he was afraid of how she might respond to it. The longer he thought about it, the more sense it made to go ahead and ask her. "Pan when are you going to tell you dad?"

Pan looked at him startled. "I don't know. I think I'll tell him when he comes back from his convention. I'll have a week to think about things while he's away."

A slight smile came to his face when she finished talking. She was willing to listen to her father and maybe hopefully she'll listen to Bra.





Vegeta walked out of the shower. He grabbed his boxers before heading towards Bulma's and his room. He was still thinking about Bra. He always thought that she wouldn't be the one he had to worry about. He had told both of them that they could not get involved with Kakarott's brats. He told them what could happen.

He stared at his wife next to him before going back to thinking. To make matters worse, she was involved with that cyborg along with that brat.

He thought about his daughter again. Vegeta felt tears sting the back of his eyes. His toughts drifted to his alternate son more than thirty years before. He was going to lose another child and he could do nothing to stop it again. 'Why is it when someone needs me the most, I can't do anything about it.' He tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling before relaxing to drift off to sleep.




"Gohan... are you sure? Maybe you have some kind of affection for me. It can't be love." Bra was barely aware that her voice was shaking.

Gohan shook his head. "I've known this since yesterday. I love you Bra. I love everything about you. I think I've always felt that way."

She still looked at him not believing his words. "When?"

Gohan smiled ironically at her. "I think I first starting realizing it when I started paying more attention to you. It was strange, but I felt that I had to protect you." He stepped closer to her. "I'll understand if you don't agree with me, but I had to tell you." He traced her jaw line slowly. "I just had to let you know before I left on my convention." He bent down and kissed her sweetly.

When they pulled apart he looked straight at her. "As to what you are to me now... that is up to you. I want you to be more to me than just my friend but if you want to be friends, that's fine with me."

Bra looked straight ahead not really concentrating on anything in particular. "I don't get it?"

Gohan looked at her. "You said in the letter you don't know how you feel about Juunana-gou and me. What we are," he pointed to both of them before continuing, "depends on you."

Bra looked away. "Give me time to figure this all out." She sat back down at the table and looked at her empty lemonade glass. "I just need a few days to figure this all out."

Gohan smiled. "You'll have plenty of time. Remember when I told you I would be leaving on some teaching convention next week?"

She nodded. "So you'll be leaving when?"

"Tomorrow."

Both were quiet for some time before Bra broke it. "I guess this will be good for us in a way." She fished a cube of ice from the glass then spoke. "We'll get to see how things are without having each other around." 'And I get to spend time with Juu-kun and see what I feel about him', she thought. "You'll call me though, right?"

He pulled her up from the seat. "You know I will." He hesitated before going on, "Bra, I told you how I felt because I wanted you to know before I left and I wanted you to think about how you feel about me." He caught her as she rolled her eyes. "I know you hate thinking about something for too long, just do this for me."

She leaned in towards him. "I will... just be sure to call me everyday while you're gone."

He kissed the top of her head. "I will, you can trust me on that."




Trunks and Marron came into the hotel from the meeting. "That was boring. Why did I ever want to be your secretary anyway?" Marron complained as she undressed.

Trunks shrugged his shoulders. "I think it was the thought of me being your boss." He smirked when an oncoming shoe came his way. "C'mon, I know you want to get back to Carmen and to talk to your uncle."

Marron nodded as she stuffed her suitcase with the clothes she just removed. "What time do you think we'll get there?"

He looked at the clock. "Check-out time is in fifteen minutes, and we can make it home in about an hour." He grabbed the bags and her hand as they walked to the hotel lobby.

"I don't think we'll have to stop at Bra's place. She might be at his house."

Trunks nodded as he pushed the elevator buttons. "So we're just gonna take our relatives and start asking what's wrong? Seems like a good plan to me."





Juunana left Carmen playing in the living room as he went to answer the door. He thought it was Marron to pick her up, but was surprised when he saw someone else.

"Hi, Juu-kun." Bra smiled brightly at him. She tried to hide her discomfort. It was like she and Gohan were strangers again. Being this close to him made her heart rate faster and her face to blush lightly. "May I come in?"

Juunana moved aside for her to enter his house. He kept his eyes away from her as she walked past him. He wanted her so bad. 'Why am I feeling this way?' He thought miserably although he already knew the answer, he was crazy about the girl. "What brings you here?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

Bra smiled at him. "I had to know if what I felt was right."

Juunana was about to ask what she meant before she pinned him on the wall in a kiss. His shock faded away as he leaned into the kiss. When they parted he touched her cheek lightly as the corner of his mouth curled up. "What was that about?"

Bra felt the butterflies in her stomach throw up. That voice of his made her want to fall in his arms. 'I hate Gohan! He made me lose my views on things,' she thought bitterly. She snapped out of her thoughts to look at him. "I really don't know. I had to know..."

Juunana's eyebrow shot up at her strange answer. He studied her face and felt sick. 'She is involved with that brat. Why did she have to fall for him? Why did he have to get my girl?' He looked away from her to the ceiling as he leaned back against the wall. "Do you love him?"

Bra forgot what she was thinking when she heard his voice. "What do you..."

He dropped his arms from his chest. "Don't make me say that again," a tired sigh escaped his lips. "You and the brat... I know you two are more than friends."

Bra didn't look away from him. She locked her eyes onto his and got an icy glare in return. "I don't know what we are. He wants to be more than friends... but it depends."

He watched her before speaking. "And what would that be?"

Bra fidgeted under his intense glare. "You. It depends on you."

He looked away from her. He was silent for some time before managing to talk. "You obviously know how I feel about the situation."

Bra's eyes hardened and she growled under her breath. "I don't know how you feel! You never tell me anything Juu-kun! Everything with you seems like a game!"

Juunana locked eyes with her and didn't look away. 'I love you! I've always loved you Bra-chan!' He wished he could say it, but his pride got in the way. "I told you I liked you," he said low and seductively.


Carmen was about to run up to hug her aunt but stopped entrance to the den. They seemed like they were arguing over Gohan-san or something like that. "This is probably what's got Jiisan Juu-kun upset," she whispered to herself. She shook her head slowly letting her pigtails hit her face. She never understood her aunt and uncle. They were too much alike. She was about to turn and go back to her toys when she saw the door open. "Mommy!!"


Bra and Juunana stopped their staring contest when they heard Carmen's squeal "Mommy!!".

Marron stepped in from the door with a set of keys in her left hand and reaching out for Carmen in another. "Hi sweetie!" She bent down to the floor to hug her daughter.

Trunks walked in after his wife and smiled down at his little girl. "No hug for me?" He grinned down at the young girl as she threw herself in his arms.

Marron smiled down at her daughter before looking at her uncle and sister-in-law. "Don't get mad Jiisan. I knocked at least five times and no one heard me. What's been going on?"

Bra and Juunana exchanged glances before looking at the two. Carmen saw her aunt and uncle and sighed. "Mommy... they were arguing over Gohan-san."

Marron looked down at the girl in confusion and Trunks's jaw clenched. "What the hell is going on?"





Pan sat at the table looking at the phone. Ubuu walked in from the kitchen and frowned at her. "Pan... babe, just call her. I know you want to. It's been almost two days and you haven't talked to either of them." He gently laid one of his hands on her back.

Pan looked over at his hand on her shoulder and smiled softly. "I don't know what to say to her."

He rubbed her back soothingly. "You won't unless you call."

Pan smiled at his gentle forcefulness. She picked up the phone and dialed her number. After a while she set the phone back on the hook.

"Well... what happened?"

She didn't take her eyes off the phone. "She wasn't home."




Juunana shifted his gaze from her to his niece from time to time. It was obvious no one was willing to say anything else. He locked his eyes on her with his arm around his chest. "If you want to know what's going on, as her. All this happened because of her." Juunana looked away from his arm to her. His eyes twinkled devilishly. He smirked at Bra before addressing Marron and Trunks again. "But it will have to wait until I'm through talking to her."

Bra's anger boiled inside as she saw the confident smirk play on his lips. "I thought we were through talking?" She said through clenched teeth.


Marron and Trunks traded confused glances before looking back at the other two. There was something they were not telling them. And what did Gohan have to do with all of this?


Juunana ignored the people around him as he put his arm around Bra. He looked over her shoulder at his niece and her husband. "Stay, here," he said before leaving out of the house with Bra.

Bra wanted to argue with him more, but she knew her efforts would be in vain. "What's going on Juu-kun?"

Juunana looked at her intently before taking her hand in his. "I don't know... you tell me." He didn't bother to meet her eyes. Everything about her made him weak. His eyes looked over her hand and a small smile came to his lips. She was one weakness he didn't mind having though. 'Doesn't she what she does to me?' He thought bitterly.

"Juu-kun stop it," she said softly as she pulled her hand away from him. His frosty, pale, blue eyes came up to meet her face and she frowned. "I know what you want to talk about and why is it so important to you?"

Juunana's eyes hardened. "You know why it's important to me. I thought we..." Juunana felt uneasy. He had never faltered on his words before. He always knew what to say. Why was this happening now?

"What, Juu-kun? You made it clear to me we were an on again off again couple. What am I suppose to do? Wait for you until you decide what you finally want from me?"

Juunana was speechless. He knew it was unfair to her, but he couldn't say it. He couldn't bring himself to say those words that would change everything between them.

Bra wanted to slap him but she held back her anger at him. "I don't understand you. You won't tell me what's going through that head of yours. You..." Bra felt her face getting hotter hut she ignored the heat. He voice dropped to a tone below normal as she talked again. "I don't want to tell you this, but you should know. Gohan said he loves me and he wants to be something more than friends, but we can't." She looked straight at him. "It's because of you. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm probably in love with someone who will never love me while there is someone else I'm bonded to and he loves me. What am I suppose to do? I am in love with two people and I don't understand either of them."

Juunana tentatively grabbed her and held her in his arms. 'She loves me... but she loves him too.' He tried to push his thoughts in the back of his head but it kept popping up. He wanted to tell her, but why couldn't he? Why couldn't he tell her how he felt?

Bra wanted to stay out of his hold on her, but she couldn't. It felt right, but what did that say about her and Gohan?

She felt tears burn her eyes threatening to spill over. 'Why can't I decide? Why is this so confusing?' She thought but she knew the answers already. She knew why her father had warned her not to get too involved with 'Kakarott's brats'. 'If only I listened...' She buried her face deeper into Juu-kun's shirt. 'Why did all of this have to happen now?'



Trunks peeked out of the window. He wondered briefly what had gotten his imotochan so worked up. His eyebrows creased up and a frown came across his face. 'What the hell has been going on?' He sighed and walked away from the window when he saw the two coming.

"Stop worrying so much. They will tell us... eventually," Marron said as she came back from the back room with Carmen's bag.

Trunks snorted. "That's what I'm worried about. How eventually will they tell us?" He walked to the nearby chair and sat down. "I've got to get Bra alone to talk to her."

Marron didn't say anything at his reply. She knew how he could be at times and it was annoying. Only his father and her uncle were more stubborn than he was.


Juunana opened the door to his cabin. He ushered Bra in before looking at his nieces. "You want to talk now or later."

"Now."

"Shut-up. We'll talk later Jiisan. Thanks for watching Carmen for us." Marron moved out of the way to hug her uncle. "I'll call unless you want me to come by."

Juunana shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me."

She smiled slightly before turning around to glare at Trunks. "Trunks and I have to leave now. We didn't unpack before we came here."

Trunks sighed mentally. He really needed to talk to his sister. "Marron, can I talk to Bra for a couple of hours. I'll be home before dinner." His eyes met hers for a waiting answer. "We have a few things we need to talk about. Plus we have to stop my parents house for something."

Marron waved. "I still don't know how you do it, just be back before it gets too late." She kissed his cheek and left took Carmen's hand. "Bye," she called as she exited out of the door.


Bra looked at Trunks for some kind of response to why he wanted o talk to her. When he didn't reveal anything she looked for her coat. "I'll see you later, Juu-kun." She paused for a second before kissing his cheek. "Come on Trunks, we can talk about whatever is on your mind on our way to Capsule Corp."

Trunks waved at Juunana-gou as he left the house. When they had gotten a few meters away from Juunana, he broke the silence. "Bra-chan, what has been going on? What's going on with you and Juunana-san and Gohan-san?"

Bra rolled her eyes at his inquisitiveness. "Why is it so important?"

His blue eyes narrowed down at her. "I don't know. I've been getting these funny feelings while I was in Greece. I was worried about you while I was away. Something isn't right about you and you won't tell me."

She looked up at him above her eyelashes. She didn't say anything as she walked on. Her arms crossed over her chest as she continued to pick up speed.

Trunks saw her move and walked up to catch up with her. "Bra... tell me."

Bra wanted to ignore him and walk to her apartment but the tone he used made her twitched on the inside. "I've bonded to someone."

Trunks's jaw dropped open. "You can't be serious. You?!"

She regretted already what she had said.

"So who is the guy? It's Juunana-gou, isn't it? I knew it! That's why Marron and I have been feeling funny!"

"Shut up Trunks. It's not with Juu-kun."

His eyebrows went up. "Then with who?" He felt his stomach do cartwheels. "It can't be..."

Bra turned to face him. Her eyes daring him to say something about it. "It's Gohan. What do you have say about it?"

Trunks wanted to punch something. This could not be happening. His eyes darkened and he tilted his head in an angle. He wasn't aware how much he looked like his father at that moment. "What are you going to do?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I just have to see what happens."

Trunks felt the muscles in his jaw tighten up. "I'm not talking about that. What are you going to do about..." He trailed off. He didn't want to say it. He couldn't say it.

"I don't know. Don't say anything to anyone. Gohan doesn't know neither does Juu-kun. And I don't want them to know," she said in a low tone.

He felt his eyes getting damp. He shook his head from side to side. "They have a right to know Bra-chan." He ran his fingers through his hair when another thought came to him. "What about papa and mom?"

"Papa knows. He was the first person I told." She looked away from him. "Plus you know how I feel about mom. We were never close. Why should I tell her?"

Trunks looked up. "Bra! Think about it! That's your mother... she has a right to know. Does it matter that you two disagree about everything? Tell her what's been going on because if you don't, I will."

She scowled at him. "I can't stand you."

He touched her shoulder gently. "Bra, if someone doesn't keep you thinking about the realistic things no one will. I just don't want to see mom upset if she finds out from someone else. Think about how she would feel."

"You're only saying that because you're her favorite. You did everything she told you to do. I can't stand listening to her."

He shook his head again. "You can't stand listening to anyone. Just do this for me. Please?"

She looked to her side. "I'm not explaining nothing to her but I'll tell her."

He sighed. He didn't try anymore than that. He was lucky he had gotten her to do that much. "Thanks."

"Whatever. Let's get there. The faster I tell her the faster I can get home." She walked away from him towards the main roads leading into the city.




Bulma smiled as she opened the door. "You cut your trip short?" She kissed her son's cheek as she moved to the side so he could come in. Her smiled widened when she saw her daughter follow him. "Bra-chan?"


Bra resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her mother. 'I wish I was anywhere but here. I don't want to be near this woman,' she thought bitterly.

Trunks looked back at his sister and hoped that she would hold in whatever she wanted to tell mom. The two never had gotten along since Bra graduated. He shoved his thoughts aside and wrapped his arm around Bra. "I came to tell you I rescheduled two deals for later next month." He tapped his fingers on his sister's shoulder. "And Bra said she has something to tell you because if she doesn't, I will."

Bra wanted to choke him.


Bulma looked at her two children in confusion. "I don't understand..."

Trunks pushed her towards their mother. Bra looked at the ground. She hated talking to her. Everything she said always ended being twisted into something else. "I've gotten involved with someone you're not going to like and I don't care what you think about it." She looked up at her mother and crossed her arms.

Trunks sighed deeply at his sister's behavior.


"Who is it?" Bulma tried to seem like she was okay with her daughter's attitude, but she knew it would happen this way. She was too much like Vegeta and herself.

"It's Gohan," she said softly. She didn't feel like playing games with her. She just wanted to leave.

Bulma was quiet for a while. "Isn't he too old for you? What would your father think? I thought you were with Goten? How long has this been going on?"

Bra felt her anger start to simmer but she kept her temper in check. "I'll decide who is too old for me and who isn't. Papa doesn't like anything related to Goku-san... but he never mentioned anything about Gohan's age. Goten and I have been through for almost two years now. And is it any of your business how long this has been going on?" Her tone of voice was calm but it held a sense of authority in it.

Bulma could do nothing but shake her head. "If you came here for my approval, don't depend on it."

The younger woman snorted. "I don't answer to you. I didn't even want to tell you, but the baka over there thought you should know. I really don't care what you say about me. Just don't bring Gohan into this. This is our business and has nothing to do with you or your opinions." Bra kept a cool exterior but she was smiling on the inside. She had always gotten a kick out of making her mother mad.

Bulma wanted to cry. What had happened between them? In the past they could have talked to each other without getting into an argument. "Fine Bra... do your own thing, but don't come crying to me when something bad happens between you two."

Bra rolled her eyes as she headed for the door. "I'm not you... so stop trying to live my life. If something bad happens, then it's my mistake." She called good-bye over her shoulder as she headed out of the house. She was once again reminded why she didn't like coming home anymore.




Gohan checked his watch, it would be close to nine where she was. He picked up the phone and decided to call her.

"Hello, this is Bra speaking. Who may I ask is this?"

Gohan smiled at the sound of her voice. It made the past hours of meetings and the reading he had to do seem not as exhausting. "This is Gohan. What's been going on?"

Bra smiled on the other line. "The usual. I talked to Juu-kun and got even more confused. I hate you, you know that right?"

"What did I do?"

"You made me lose focus on things. I used to understand Juu-kun but it seems like he is even more confused than I am. Then Trunks made me talk to my mom. I can't stand that woman. If she doesn't have her way she's acts like you just committed a crime. Even when she does get her way she still isn't satisfied. She expects to much from me and I'm not listening to her. Just because I happen to look like her doesn't mean that I have to live her life. I never liked robotics or engineering. It's boring. Why can't she understand what I want to do. I'm going to do what I want and I don't give a damn what she says about it. Papa always understood that, why the hell can't she?"

Gohan held the phone away from his ear. He wanted to laugh but at the same time he wanted to comfort her. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything at all, I just had to tell someone." Bra stopped talking when she heard a knock at her door. "Hold on, someone is at the door."

She left the phone turned down on her bed as she walked out of her room to answer the door. "Who is it?" She called from behind the door.

"Bra-chan, open up! It's me Pan, we gotta talk."

Bra looked at the door for a while before doing as she was told. "Pan-chan... how are you?"

Pan didn't say anything as she brushed by her. "We've got to talk." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Bra nodded her head in agreement. "Ohh... well can you wait for a minute. I have to hang up the phone." She walked away when the other woman nodded.

"I've got to go. Pan-chan is here."

Gohan sighed and felt ten years older. "Hope everything goes well."

"Me too."

"I come back tomorrow night." He was silent before saying the next part. "I love you Bra..."

Bra was shocked to hear him say that again. "Um... okay. Bye." She hung up the phone. She didn't know what to say to that. She took one last glance at the phone before walking to meet Pan.

"Do you love him?"

Bra cringed. Why did everyone want to know that. She sat down on the couch and held a hand to her head. "I don't know. I like him more than I should... but I don't know if it's love."

Pan nodded. She looked around the spacious apartment. "Does he love you?" She really didn't want to hear the answer, but she had to know.

"He said he does, but I don't know. He barely knows me, but he said he loved me."

Pan felt something break. She wanted to cry but she couldn't bring herself to do that. She would appear weak, and that's the last thing she wanted. Hoarsely she whispered, "So you're not trying to steal him away from me?"

Bra looked up at her friend. Her shiny, black hair covered half of her face. The half that she could see clearly made her frown. Those indigo eyes of hers made her feel a bit guilty. She scanned over her athletic frame and smiled slightly. "I would never try and take your father away from you. What happened between us, just happened. I never wanted to hurt you and you know he didn't want to either. I care about you too much to hurt you on purpose. You already know how much your father needs you... don't stop talking to him just because you are hurt by what had happened." Bra sighed before continuing. "You seem better than you did two days ago."

Pan smiled. She uncrossed her arms. "I am. Ubuu is the sweetest person ever. What he did for me made my day. If it wasn't for him, I would have been happy hating you." She managed to give the other girl a friendly smirk.

"I see. So when did he propose?" Bra smiled brightly at Pan's laughter.

Pan laughed. "Yesterday." Pan smiled at the other girl. She still didn't like what was going on, but at least she didn't have intentions on replacing her mother. "Did you tell Juu-kun?"

Bra grew quiet. A tight smile replaced her previous one. "I didn't tell him. He figured it out on his own. I don't know what to do about it. I don't know if I love him or Gohan. It's confusing."

Pan nodded. She was quiet again before asking another question. "So if you have to pick between Juu-kun and my father, who would it be?"

Bra didn't say anything as she looked at her.




I don't own DBZ/GT. I also don't own "Killing Me Softly," it belongs to Roberta Flack. So please don't sue.