Hidden Secrets

by: emma jane (LUV)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything!!!! that's all....

Chapter 4

Why? Why couldn't she just go to him?

She sighed heavily and tears began to roll off her eyes. It hurt to hear what she had heard. Why couldn't she just tell him and return in his arms forever.

No she couldn't.. The rejection he would give her would be too painful. Besides, he had someone now. She was beautiful, rich and sexy. Something she would never be. Woman like Heather Yoshiboku were the kind of woman that he wanted. Not women like her.

Pan looked off into the distance through her apartment window. She had chosen the apartments besides Capsule Corporation so she could at least feel she was near her family.

She had seen what she wanted to see. She had traveled the world like she wanted. She had fallen in and out of love with many men. She had seen the whole world. And yet, through all those years she still carried with her a certain something that made her see his eyes whenever she laid eyes on it.

She wanted to go back and say that her adventure was over. She wanted to embrace her family again and let them know that she was okay. But she couldn't.. Not now.. Not after what had happened.

Pan stared at Capsule Corporation and saw a figure in a small balcony. She stared harder and smiled when she realized who it was.

Trunks.

Even from afar she could tell it was him. He was looking off into his balcony. He looked unhappy for a moment, but Pan shrugged that thought off. Of course he's happy.. Why wouldn't he be? He had everything he wanted. She continued to watch him with a loving smile on her f ace..

Capsule Corporation

Trunks stared off into the distance.

Pan...

He couldn't get her off his mind. 'I wonder where you are?' He thought to himself. He missed her a lot. He realized that even if she would return and she had no feelings for him. It didn't matter. As long as he would be able to see her face, too see her smile, and to hear her laugh.. He would be happy.

He thought of the events taking place tomorrow. The annual presentation would be tomorrow. His mother slaved day and night over the invention she was going to present to the company. She was so excited about it for some reason. He didn't bother asking her why, she would just go on and on about a time machine or some other crazy invention she had always dreamt of. He loved his mother and her ability to make her dreams reality. She was a strong woman that always hade time for everyone that needed her time. She had comforted him when he was sobbing in his room one night and she never told his father. She had rocked him like he was a child and he felt better because of it. She was an amazing woman to him and he wouldn't trade her for anything else in the world.

His mother had strangely invited the entire Z-crew to the presentation tomorrow. She had never been this into her work before. 'I wonder what mom has been working on..' Trunks thought.

He stared off into the midnight sky again and sighed sadly..

Pan.. Where are you?

The next morning at Trunks' office, Trunks was moping around in his usual mood. He didn't feel like signing papers today. He wanted t just go out and fly, or go train in the forest.

Trunks turned when he heard his door open. In stepped his secretary. She stared at the stack of papers and frowned.

"Sir, can you finish those papers before tonight? It's very important." She said angrily. Ever since he became President all he ever did was cause trouble.

" I will.. In a minute." Trunks said.

The secretary looked at her boss. She had noticed a change in him long time ago but never said anything. He always seemed sad and nothing seemed to cheer him up anymore.

"Well, there is a new employee here that you need to interview. Her name is Scarlet Hera." The secretary said.

Trunks nodded his head, "tell her to come in."

Suddenly he heard footsteps in the room.

"Just sit down in the blue chair." He said, not turning his head. He was too into the scenery below.

"What is your position?" Trunks asked.

"9th base." She stated.

'Wow, she must be smart.' Trunks thought.

"Why did you take this job?" Trunks asked.

A silent pause filled the room. She was obviously thinking. After not getting a response Trunks turned to look at her. He chocked back his words when he saw her.

She was beautiful. She had blue eyes and brown straight hair with a hint of blonde in them. She had an incredible body and a cute face. But Trunks noticed something else about her. Something he couldn't quite explain.

Shrugging off his strange attraction to her he continued to ask questions.

"Well? Why did you take this job." Trunks asked again, his voice was nicer this time.

Scarlet looked at him for awhile, "I have no other job I would like to go to, then to work here."

Trunks didn't care what she had just said. He couldn't stop staring at her. He felt strange around her, almost like he was at lost for words.

"How old are you?" He asked.

"28." She stated.

"Would you like to go out for coffee later?" He asked. He didn't know why, but it felt like the right thing to do to get to know this woman.

Scarlet looked at Trunks and smirked, "No thank you." She said simply.

Trunks was shocked, he had never been rejected for a date in his life. Maybe this woman was a lesbian or she had a husband.

"Why not?' He asked.

"I.. It's personal. Besides you don't want to hit on me... I have a kid." She said.

A kid? With that body. Now he had seen everything.

"Do you have a husband?" He asked.

"No.." She said.

"Were you ever married?" He wondered.

"No.." She answered.

'Oh.." He understood, it was a love child, 'Well I'm not trying to hit on you or anything.. I just wanted to go have a drink with you. Just to talk. I haven't been out in awhile."

"Well... Okay" she answered.

Trunks grinned. "All right, meet me in the front of the building at lunch. I'll take you out for a drink."

Scarlet smiled, "That would be nice. I'll go back to work now."

Scarlet waved to him and walked out the door.

Trunks just stood in his office with a huge grin on his face. He would finally get over Pan.. Finally...

**

Lunch had come around slower than he expected. When it finally came though, he jumped in his red convertible and drove to the front of the building where he would meet Scarlet.

She was there and she had a huge smile on her face. She laughed as he came screeching in and she hopped in the passenger seat of his car.

"Aren't you a little old for that?" She said to him.

"I'm only 42!" He said offended.

Scarlet laughed.

Trunks smiled. There was something about this woman that he really liked. Maybe it was her laugh.. He didn't know. Maybe it was the fact that she didn't mind he was already 40!

"So how come I've never seen you before?" Trunks asked.

"Well I came from Europe with my daughter." She said.

"Your daughter? So how old is she?" He asked.

"She's about 5 years old. She's a very nice girl. She's kind of lonely without her father around though. She needs a dad." Scarlet said sadly.

Trunks nodded, "All kids need a father."

"Ya.." Scarlet said sadly.

"What's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"Well, I haven't seen my father in awhile. He moved to Nepal 5 years ago, before Toya was born.

Toya.. Her daughter..

"I see.." Trunks said. He suddenly remembered something. Pan had traveled the world.. Maybe Scarlet had met her.

"You wouldn't have to ever have run upon a Son Pan would you?" Trunks asked hopefully.

Scarlet looked at him with confusion, "A what?"

Trunks sighed," Never mind."

Scarlet shrugged it off and stared off on the road.

"So where is your daughter now?" He asked.

"My neighbor is taking care of her." She said.

"Oh, that's nice." He said.

"Are you going to the presentation tonight?" He asked.

"Ya.. I think everyone is supposed to." She said.

Trunks nodded. "Ya.. It's going to be interesting tonight because my mom invented some crazy invention that she is very proud of."

"What does it do?" Scarlet.

"I don't know. But I know it's some kind of radar." Trunks said.

"Oh.." Scarlet thought for a moment. "Rader.."

"Ya. But I don't know anything else about it." Trunks said.

Scarlet didn't say anything.

"Well where do you want to go?" Trunks asked.

"Let's go to Starbucks." She said.

"Starbucks it is.." Trunks said. He pressed on the gas pedal and they found the nearest Starbucks.

"Nice..." Scarlet said impressed.

Trunks grinned and helped her out of the convertible. The two sat and ordered their coffee.

"So how long are you planning to stay?" Trunks asked.

"I don't know... Maybe for while." Scarlet said.

"Well where do you live?" Trunks said.

"Why? So you can stalk me?" Scarlet said jokingly.

Trunks smirked, "I don't know.. I'm unpredictable."

Scarlet laughed.

"So have you ever been in love?" Trunks asked her.

Scarlet didn't say anything. She stared at him for a moment, "Yes.."

Trunks nodded. "What happened?"

"I had his baby." Scarlet said sadly.

" Oh... Well did he leave you?" Trunks asked.

"I didn't give him a chance." Scarlet said.

"What do you mean?" Trunks said.

"I never told him.." She said.

"Why?" Trunks asked.

"He loved someone else." She said.

"But you should have given him a chance." Trunks said.

"No... He used me that night. He was drunk. He told me he loved me and since I loved him so much I told him I loved him too. He woke up that morning and... I... I.. I never knew rejection hurt that much." Tears began to well up in her eyes.

Trunks realized that he had said something wrong. He should have let the subject alone.

"Sorry I asked." Trunks said quietly.

Scarlet looked at him and choked back her tears. "It's okay.. You didn't know."

A long silence was between them.

"What about you?" Scarlet broke the silence.

"What about me?" Trunks asked.

"Have you ever been in love?" She asked curiously.

Trunks paused. He thought of Pan. The only girl he ever truly loved. He had thought he had fallen in love before, but when he told Pan he loved her, there was something that was totally different from the other girls he had thought he loved.

"Once." He said.

"With who?" Scarlet asked.

"A girl... She left 5 years ago. The night I told her I loved her.. I woke up the next morning and she had left.." Trunks said sadly.

Scarlet didn't say anything.

"I don' understand.. I thought she loved me too.. But I guess I was wrong. I wanted to wake up that morning and be beside her, but instead I woke up to nothing. But it's weird because everyone says that she will never come back.. And yet, here I am, still waiting for her. Crazy huh?" Trunks said.

Scarlet sat there silently, not a word escaped her lips.

"But I have to move on.. I can't wait for her forever.. Right?" Trunks said, a hint of sorrow in his voice.

Scarlet didn't say anything. She just nodded.

"I think we should go." She said quietly.

Trunks looked at his watch. "Ya I think we should. Thanks for listening to that. I never told that to anybody."

Scarlet attempted to smile. Something was bothering her, but Trunks didn't notice.

The two jumped in his car and drove back to Capsule Corporation in silence..