Break- Prologue

by Tanyaneko

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Ball Z/GT or any of the characters. I don't make any money off of this, either. I just write because it's fun... (And it's something to do when I can't sleep.) And because there's a contest going on… The song at the end is the first half of You're Gone by Matchbox 20. I don't own that either, hehe. ^.^ So nobody sue me!

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12 Years Earlier…

"Do you know where Pan is?" Videl called to her husband from the kitchen. "I haven't seen her all day."

Gohan put down the research paper he was reading. "She's up in her room, working on something. She won't come out, and she won't let me in, so I have no idea what it is, but I think it has something to do with a Christmas present." Making no further comments, he picked up the paper again and began to study it.

In her room, 6-year old Pan held an energy ball next to a little clay figure. Her daddy's daughter, after all, she had ingeniously discovered that doing so would bake the object, and it was much easier than using the oven in the kitchen and getting in trouble for it. When she was finished, she tapped it lightly to make sure it was hardened enough, and then got up from her chair, walked over to her bed, and slid under to retrieve the art supplies Bra had lent her.

Carrying the little case with her, she strolled back to her desk and sat down again. As carefully as a girl her age could, she uncapped the tube of green paint and squeezed some of the substance into the little paint well. She only got a few splotches on her desk, and they could be removed. She smiled, and began to paint the little dragon dark green. When the paint job was done, she painstakingly wrote on the dragon's tail with a little black marker: 'Trunks and Pan'. She grinned, placed the little figure in a box to give to him on Christmas day, tidied up the mess, put the art case back, and walked out to clean herself off.

The next night, at the Briefs' annual Christmas party, Pan fidgeted uncomfortably in the frilly red-and-green dress she'd been forced to wear.

"I don't see why it bothers you so much," Bra told her. "I mean, I'm wearing almost the exact same thing, and it's not bothering me." She twirled around happily.

Pan merely glared at her friend. "That's because you like wearing dresses. They wouldn't even let me wear my bandana!"

"Well, of course!" Bra replied, sounding almost horrified. "Imagine how orange would clash with the colors of your dress!" Then her tone changed, and she lowered her voice to a whisper. "So, did you finish the present for Brother?"

"Yep," her friend whispered back proudly. "You think he'll like it?"

"Of course!" the blue-haired girl said confidently. "My mother always says that the gifts you make are the best."

Pan nodded, hoping that Bra was right.

Later, when it was time to open presents, Pan watched as Trunks opened her gift to him.

The lavender-haired demi-saiyajin stared at the small clay figure, while everyone around cooed "Aww!" Well, everyone except Vegeta and Gohan. Vegeta because he never said things like that, and Gohan because he was too busy glaring at him, the exact same glare he would glare at Trunks for the next 12 years, recognizing him as the man who would eventually take his baby girl away.

Trunks rubbed the back of his head and plastered on a smile, not wanting to hurt Pan's feelings. "Eheh… it's… nice." Everyone then turned his or her attention away from him and to the other presents. Just then, Goten crashed into Trunks, who dropped the little sculpture. "C'mon, Trunks! Let's go outside and spar!" Trunks shrugged and raced Goten out, not noticing the dragon was lying in broken pieces on the floor. In fact, no one noticed- no one but Pan, who stared silently and tried her hardest not to cry.

I think you're already gone

I think I'm finally scared now

You think I'm weak - But I think you're wrong

I think you're already leaving

Feels like your hand is on the door

I thought this place was an empire

But now I'm relaxed - I can't be sure

I think you're so mean - I think we should try

I think I could need - this in my life

I think I'm just scared - I think too much

I know this is wrong it's a problem I'm dealing

If you're gone - maybe it's time to go home

There's an awful lot of breathing room

But I can hardly move

If you're gone - baby you need to come home

Cuz there's a little bit of something me

In everything in you

I bet you're hard to get over

I bet the room just won't shine

I bet my hands I can stay here

I bet you need - more than you mind

It didn't help any that the song repeating itself in her head seemed so relevant. And even though outside she kept up her smile, inside she was sobbing.