A/N: Sorry for the long delay…hehe…busy, ya know!

Alone

~Last Time~

"Hear about what?" Pan asked getting worried. "May I?" She asked, gesturing towards the remote. Bulma nodded as if giving permission. "What channel?"

Chapter Nine: The Truth about almost everything…

"Kittens?" Pan half laughed as the image of ten little orphaned kittens appeared on the TV. "You're crying over kittens? Man, I thought I was emotional when I was pregnant." She smirked as she turned off the television set; half relieved, half annoyed.

"No, no. You must've missed it." Sarah sobbed. "Are you sitting down?" she asked.

"Yeah." Pan confirmed awkwardly as she crossed her legs. "Spit it out already, you've got me all worried."

She heard Sarah sigh before taking in a large breath. "Jason…he killed her." She tried to say before breaking down in a fit of sobs. "He killed Izumi because she was going to leave him. She's dead because of that SELF RIGHTEOUS ASS HOLE!" She screamed the last part so loud that Pan had to take the phone away from her ear. Half the room, mostly the sayains also heard the last part. After a few moments of silence, Sarah recomposed herself. "Pan, you there?" she asked softly into the phone.

After clearing her throat, "Yeah, I'm still here. What about the children, are they okay?" she asked while thinking about her late sister-in-law and her three children. Zack and Zeke, identical twin boys of 6 years of age were always getting into some sort of trouble, whether it was playing cruel jokes on their teacher or running around the police station getting their uncle Emmanuel in deep shit with his superiors. Mau, the 14-year-old girl was a bit of a computer geek, but all the same a good kid who happened to be the youth district boxing champion; a good combination for the part of the city she lives in. "Sarah, what about the children?" she repeated after a long silence on Sarah's behalf.

"They're on the train."

"The train? To where?" Pan asked half suspicious.

"Well see you're the only living relative who is capable of taking care of them." Sarah informed.

"Why didn't anyone call me before the put them on the train?" Pan half yelled hoarsely as she tried to discreetly leave the room where separate conversations were being held among her friends and family.

"I don't know! I don't know!" She responded. "I thought they did call you! That's why I called, to see if you're going to be alright."

"I seriously can't do this." Pan replied. "I have me hands full with Emmanuel alone and I'm still not even sure how to do this whole parenting thing. I'm a 24-year-old single mother widow trying to make it on her own; I can't raise three more kids, one by the way not that much younger then myself!" she said as she were about to faint.

"I know. I know." Sarah sighed. "There's always foster care…but there's no guarantee that they'll be able to stay together."

Gohan stood unnoticed in the doorway watching his daughter on the stairs. "I can't do this on my own. This is a big responsibility, hell I'm not all that responsible!"

"Single mothers need to stick together, right?" Sarah stated more than asked. "Listen, right now I'm unemployed, living on welfare in the shit part of city. I could come stay with you; this place has nothing to offer me anymore. Then with our combined income, we'll be able to nearly scrape by. We can get a bigger apartment and you'll need a van, which I have."

"You don't need to do that."

"Yes I do and like it or not Pan, I will. I'm leaving tomorrow." Sarah informed stubbornly into the phone. "No, the children's train arrives at Satan City Station in half an hour, on platform 7. They don't have an escort and I'm sure the media has caught wind of their destination. You can't let them ask any question about their mother…the twins don't know yet. Just get them out of the station as soon as possible and get home."

"Alright. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Pan said shakily into the phone before hanging up. For the first time she noticed her father's gaze. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that you're in over your head." Gohan stated as he walked up to his daughter and gave her a reassuring hug that meant that no matter what, he'd always be there for her. "So what's up?" He asked.

"I hate all this drama! Can't I have one perfectly normal day?" She asked softly. Her father sighed as if in agreement. "I have to go." She said as she pulled away from him.

"Where you going?"

"I have to go to the train station to pick up my niece and nephews." She breathed.

"What?!" Gohan nearly shrieked, but recovered from the shock almost instantly. "What happened?"

Pan explained to her father about the whole ugly situation about her sister-in-law, Izumi and her freeloading boyfriend; how she was going to leave him and about the three children. "It's funny you know. Right when you think life is better, it kicks you right back down." She laughed as she wiped away her tears that threaten to trickle down her cheek.  

"Then it's settled then." Gohan said confidently. "You, Emmanuel and your niece and nephews will stay at my house for the night. I'll watch them while you're at work, then when you're friend gets here you guys can fix up your apartment."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because you're my daughter." He answered simply.

"I better get going."

"I'll drive. After all, I still have the family air car."

"Okay. Let me just grab Emmanuel and get his car seat out of Yamcha's car, then we'll be on our way." She said cheering up a considerable amount. Once she entered the living room, Emmanuel had woken up and was jumping up and down on Goten's chest. Yamcha was talking about Poker night at his house tomorrow when he threw Pan the keys to his car. Gohan offered to get the car seat prepared while Pan took care of Emmanuel.

As soon as Gohan went outside, Goten handed Emmanuel to him rightful mother. "Where you going?" he asked.

"I have some things I have to take care of before the night's end, that's all." Pan answered simply as she changed another poopy diaper. Once she got his pants back on, she struggled with young infant to get his shoes back on.

"I guess we'll see you tomorrow." Trunks said as he gave her a hug.

"Feel free to drop by tomorrow, anytime! Oh and if you feel the need to play a hand of poker, most of the guys will be over at my house at 5." Yamcha invited.

"I'll remember that." Pan smiled warmly; keeping up her 'everything is perfectly fine' routine without fault. Gohan stepped into the house and threw the keys back at Yamcha.

"You're going to show up tomorrow, right?" Yamcha asked Gohan.

"I may stop by, but I expect to spend most of the day with Pan." He shrugged. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah." Pan replied. "I'll see you all soon." She said as she and her father walked out of the house. Within fifteen minutes they were at the train station. Sarah was right; the media really did catch wind of the children's arrival.

"Why's the media making such a big fuss over this?" Gohan questioned after noticing Pan's discretion.

"You know how I said my husband was a cop? Well, he was killed in a hostage situation and hailed a hero for giving his life to save the infant girl. The media from Mistengate city made it a real big deal; so I kept my maiden identity secret cause that would just cause another media explosion. Now, the media is going be over everything, even Mom's death."

"Aunt Pan!" One of the twin boys screamed as he, his brother and his sister got off the train; earning the media's attention, who all started rolling their video cameras and taking pictures. Pan handed Emmanuel to her father expecting what was about to happen. The boys ran up to their aunt and jumped into her arms while Mau, the girl, took her time, but beat the media. "We've missed you so much!" they both chimed as they gave her kiss on either cheek.

"Mrs. Black!" One of the reporters yelled. "When did you learn of your sister-in-law's death?"

Pan ignored him and started for the exit. The reporters and news cameras still followed, bombarding the group with questions until they were situated inside the car. Gohan didn't waste anytime getting the hell out of the station.

It didn't take long for the media to add one and one together, fitting the puzzle pieces together perfectly.

~@ Capsule Corp.~

"What's the weather supposed to be like tomorrow?" Krillin asked.

Bulma shrugged and turned on the T.V. "Maybe we'll be able to caught the weather." She said.

"We have breaking news tonight…" the newscaster announced urgently. "Izumi Black, of Mistengate City was murdered in her inner city town house late last night while her three children slept soundly in their beds. Jason Kotez shot her five times in the stomach and twice in the head. Neighbors informed police that two had been dating for a little over three years but Izumi was planning leaving him. Her parents, Mr. And Mrs. Black didn't want to comment on camera because they were understandably upset and shaken; not only did they lose their only daughter, but their only son, Emmanuel Black who was heroically killed in a hostage situation a little over a year ago; leaving his 8 month pregnant wife." Film of the hostage situation started to play on the screen, taken by an amateur cameraman. The picture was shaky, but you could faintly see a man with gun pressed to a child's head and another trying to negotiate with him. The film grew even shakier and you could hear an 'Oh Kami' before the camera whipped around and gunshots were heard. "Emmanuel Black, died 6 hours later in the intensive care unit at Mercy Star Hospital. Now the children were sent to live with their Aunt, Pan Black; widow of Emmanuel who's true identity is believed to be Mr. Satan's granddaughter. She lost her mother, Videl Son to the HIV virus last year. Pan and her father were seen at the Satan City train station to pick up the children of Izumi Black earlier this evening, but didn't comment on camera. Back to you Scott."

"The weather for tomorrow it SUN, SUN, SUN! Yes, you heard correctly! The snow clouds will be gone tomorrow but expect for many more days like tomorrow!" The weather man announced happily.