Haunt 19
...the heart ...
Trunks could see how nervous Goten was as they left his daughter in the bedroom to sleep. She sure got pale real quick when they arrived and nearly collapsed. She insisted that she was okay and that she just was glad to be home before she swooned again.
She looked kind of disappointed when she didn't see her husband in the bedroom, but that changed as soon as he walked in.
She really did love him.
"How did you get here? I mean, Where did she go?" Goten said and not really looking at him. He looked so confused. Poor guy. He brought out a bunch of leftovers from the fridge and started to heat them up.
They ate as he explained what he knew. Which really wasn't that much when he thought about it. He just knew that she wanted him to come with her for a little bit and Shelong allowed it.
But that was not what he wanted to talk to Goten about. "She is worried about you."
"Worried?" Goten said and scratched his head. Boy, he looked familiar but he just couldn't place the guy. He knew that he didn't know him from his time. At least he didn't think so. "About me?"
"She is worried that you will be mad at her for all the time that she pushed you away. That she may have gone to far this time." He said in a stern but gentle voice. He really didn't know what kind of man he was, but he didn't look like he would hurt his daughter on first impression. He knew better than to just go on first impression though. "And she is especially worried about how you will react to her..." he didn't know another word... "sacrificing your child for Benot." He had listened in on her talking with Bulma. She wouldn't tell him this stuff but since become a father, he had learned how to eaves drop, quite well.
Goten rubbed his head again. "I never really thought of it that way," Goten said and sat down. "I guess that is what happened, huh?" He sat silent for a bit. "I was only worried about her. I mean, I was worried about the baby and all, but, you know. I was worried that she wouldn't come back. When Goku fused with the dragon, it took him five years to come back. Well, nearly six, but it was a very long time. I didn't think that I could be without her for that long."
Trunks nodded.
"I went searching for her everyday and I couldn't find her. I could always find her - well, most of the time - and it really disturbed me quite a bit," Goten said. "She doesn't deserve to go through any of this alone, even though she tries."
That was his daughter all right. She never thought that she needed any help.
"We will work through all of it together," Goten said standing up. "No matter what the obstacles are, and no matter how hard she pushes me away. We never know what the future can hold for us but I know that I won't leave her. I know that she doesn't mean to do the things that she does. She can't help it though."
"You sound like a good man," Trunks said.
Goten looked a little shocked and then laughed slightly. "Hey, I almost forgot that you are my REAL father-in-law."
Trunks smiled. "You just treat my little girl right."
"I have never done anything but that, um, sir," Goten said. He looked all nervous again. That was all right. He was glad to see that she had married such a good man that obviously cared for her a great deal. A great deal. "I promised her that I would stick by her side and I don't plan on changing that. Ever."
Trunks smiled brightly. That was what he wanted to hear. "I am glad to hear that."
There was a moment of silence between them and Trunks couldn't help but wonder why he was so familiar looking to him. Maybe it was just because he wanted it to be that way. He didn't know and it really didn't matter. He looked like a guy that could stick by his daughter, as stubborn as she has become. He promised himself that he could make sure that his little girl didn't turn out like the older version.
Goten stood. "I should call Raymond," Goten said and went to the phone. "Just to make sure she is okay. I mean. I wouldn't want something to happen to her. She is more fragile than she lets on at times."
He just nodded to that. She never would admit when she was to hurt to go on. He knew that all to well! His stubborn little girl would do the same thing to him, when they spar and he got a little carried away. Bulma always said that she acted just like Vegeta did. She would insist that she was okay and go on with the fight, or at least try too. Just like Vegeta.
"Who's Raymond?" he asked after he got off the phone. She never mentioned a Raymond.
"Oh, Bra's husband. He has sort of become our local physician, even though he didn't want that," Goten said.
Was that supposed to explain who Raymond was? Oh well. He had other things to worry about.
"I would like to see my grandchildren," he said. He felt kind of odd saying this. "I may never get another chance to see them." This part he was nervous about. He so wanted to see them, for all that he did to his little girl and how alone she was for most of it. The children that he never got to see.
"Well, only Flint and Flare are here right now and they must be sleeping. You could go peak on them. Legen is over with Fry right now and Benot is over with Bulma and Vegeta. Benot doesn't really want to be around me right now." Goten said. "How long are you here for?"
Trunks sighed. "I think I have 3 days, I could have up to five." No matter how long it was, it was never going to be long enough to make up for all that he did to her.
"Oh!"
He turned and saw a pretty blond girl enter the room. "Trunks! What are you doing here? Your arm! Did you get a sensu bean?" she rushed over to him and grabbed his left arm and touched his cheek. "Your eyes isn't swollen either! Were you able to talk to Corin and Yajerobi?"
"Uh?" he said and took a step back. He did not know this girl, but she seemed to know him. Was his other self hurt?
Goten pulled Marron back. "Uh, Marron, I didn't know you were still here."
"Oh. Well, we didn't even hear you come home, much less Trunks come over. You look a little dazed. Are you okay Goten?" she said and pressed her hand against his forehead. He backed away.
"I'm fine," Goten said then smiled brightly as if he had just remembered the most wonderful thing. "Soyna is back! She is upstairs right now. She is sleeping. I just called Raymond to check on her. She looks like she is okay."
The blond squealed. Literally squealed and gave Goten a big hug. "I'll go tell Junior."
"Tell me what?" Junior said as he walked in the room and froze.
He knew the boy on sight, from what Soyna told him and what his gut told him. That was his boy. He stood and looked at him. He didn't know what to say. This was a son that he had abandoned as much as his daughter. He looked so strong and boy did he ever take after his grandfather. Spiky hair and everything. Expect for the green eyes. He definitely had his mothers green eyes!
Junior dropped the glass that he was holding. "Dad?"
He smiled.
He knew it too.
"Hi," he said. "I brought your sister home."
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The phone kept ringing but he didn't want to answer it. It was most likely Pan again calling from her parents place. He rubbed his sore arm and sighed. He just wanted to sleep and forget that it ever happened. Tomorrow he would talk with her. But not tonight.
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Turnks looked in on his two grandchildren who were sleeping nicely together in their cribs. The girl sure looked like Soyna when she was that small. The boy, sure looked like his father! They still had their dark reddish brown tails curled up behind them. He wanted to scoop them up but he stopped himself. These were grandchildren that he was never meant to see. It was too late to go see the other two, but he would see them in the morning. He really wanted to see them now. He felt as if his time here was rushed. There was so much to see and so many people to talk too.
He did want to go talk to his father. He had no idea what he would say to him, but he did want to thank him for watching over his daughter as if she were his. He knew he could get that much out of his mouth. He remembered how stoic his father was last time. He hoped he was a little more open than that.
That Raymond fellow and his... well... sister was here. Bra was frantic when she saw him asking him, why he took his cast off and he got a glare from Raymond until Goten explained who he was. It took a while for him to get over the shock as well. He never knew he had a sister. He knew his mother and father remained in this time together, but he never knew that he had another sibling.
Raymond was currently checking on his daughter. She did look better than she did when he first laid her down, her color was much better and quite a bit of the dragon escaped from her skin.
"Dad?"
He turned and saw his nervous son. Was he always like this? "Yes," he whispered as he closed to door. He knew how precious sleep was for the little ones.
He rubbed the back of his head and gave a crooked smile. "It's really good to see you." His eyes were on the floor. "I missed you a lot." His voice cracked. He felt pain in his chest. What did he do to his children?
He patted his son on the shoulder and looked at him in the face. He was not going to make the mistake that he did with them. He was not going to repeat it. He was not going to end up with broken children. They did not deserve this! And his son wasn't even born yet and he felt so bad... He would make sure that they would not loose their mother and this Krad was dead before he could even see the planet earth! His eyes must have gotten dark for a second because he saw a confused look on his son's face.
"I'm sorry," was all that he could say.
"Sorry for what?" Junior said. They all called him Junior here, instead of his real name. They didn't want to upset Vegeta Sr.
"I didn't want to have you miss me," he said. "It won't happen again.
Junior smiled a bit. "That's good. You don't know how hard it was growing up with a sister like her," It was a humorous smile. "I won't miss the arguments you had. You were the only one that I ever heard her yell at. Well, most of the time." He smiled. "She sure is happy that you are here."
He could hear some hushed voices coming from the room. Goten and Raymond were talking about something, he could see them by the door. He wondered where his (OTHER SELVES) sister and his son's woman went too.
"Um, and dad," Junior said. "Well, Sis, doesn't yet know about me and Marron yet," his voice was hushed. "So, don't say anything until I tell her, okay."
He raised his eyebrows. "Sure, son," he said. Why was he keeping his relationship secret? Oh well. He didn't need to understand this time. "I am just going to take a peak in on Soyna and do you think that Vegeta will still be up and about. I would like to talk to him."
Junior looked at his watch. "I would be shocked if he was sleeping. I don't think he has slept since Soyna left and I think he would be relieved to hear that she was back too."
He went into the room and saw that Soyna had changed into a pair of pink flannel pajamas. He could never get her to wear pink! They tried but she always insisted that it be green or black. Sometimes she would wear red, but that was as colorful as she would get. She smiled as soon as she saw him. She did look better.
"You look better," he said. "You should wear pink more often."
Did her cheeks turn pink? "They were a present from Benot. I think he is a little color blind."
"You rest now," he said and gave her a kiss on the forehead, like he did to the smaller version he was used to, "and I will see you in the morning."
"Will you be okay?" she asked.
"Fine. As long as you get some rest," he said. That seemed to satisfy her as she curled up in the bed again.
He turned to see Raymond and Goten looking at him. "How long are you staying," Raymond asked.
"A couple of days," he responded and Raymond got a dark look came on his face as he said that.
"I was hoping it was longer. She really doesn't listen very well to me," Raymond said. Bra had entered and gave him a gentle tap on the chest at that comment. "Well, she doesn't. None of your family does! It is as if they have a death wish!"
He didn't doubt that. It seemed at times that they did.
"If you don't mind, I am going to stay with her," Goten said. "I don't really want to leave her alone right now." He almost blushed a he said this.
"Sure." He said. "Junior already promised to show me around." They all left the room and let the husband and wife be alone with a word of caution from Raymond. "Do not upset her. I don't want to have to put her in the hospital or give her any more sedative." The words were directly at Goten who just nodded and promised.
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Her eyes were bright as she sat up in bed as he joined her. "I..." was all that she managed to get out before he grabbed her and kissed her. He didn't want to talk. He was just so happy that she was back. His wife! She was back! She had given him the saddest look that he had ever seen and all he could think of doing is kissing her.
They finally parted and he just grinned at her. She looked at him with confused eyes. "Your not mad at me?" her voice was that soft voice that she talked to the children with it or when they were alone in bed.
"Why would I be mad at you?" he said. "Your back."
She rubbed her hand and he could see the faded tattoo of Shelong there. He knew what she was thinking.
"I had a talk with your dad." He said. "He sure is different from the Trunks we know here. He is so worried about you and he wanted to make sure that I was okay for you, I guess," she saw her stunned look on his face, but they could talk about that later. "I know what you did, you did because you saw no other choice. I saw Benot with his throat cut and I... well, I didn't know what to do. Ligh kept making his wishes and the dragon wasn't listening to us, but he listened to you...I was so worried about you," he gasped on his words. "I am glad to hear that you were not alone."
"Shelong thought it best to go where I was the happiest to recover and rest for a little while," she said. "He knew I still pined for that time and my old home." He could never blame her for that. Her home was here now, but that was her childhood home and she was happy back then. With her father and mother. A happy little family. He was just happy that she came back. "It has helped sort through a lot of anger that I had and made me realize that I have a lot to make up for."
"You are back. That is all that matters," he said and he meant it.
"I am sorry for saying that it was just a wish," she whispered and looked at the mark on her hand again. He was stunned that she was still thinking about it. It had been so long ago it seemed that she had said that. "Without the wish it would have taken me a lot longer to open up to you though. It allowed a bunch of walls to come down that I had pushed up, which was why I was in so much pain and my head hurt. Seeing Brennen snapped the wish. It was broken and it snapped me too. I was torn between two of me. The warrior and the woman that I was trying to be. Shelong understood and was trying to help me, but then, he also had other motives for his behavior and it didn't help that Goku didn't understand what he was trying to say to him. A wish had never been broken before and it created a great deal of trouble inside Shelong, which is why he asked for his freedom and... I... I ... I never meant to say yes." She rubbed the spot even harder as if she were trying to rub it out. "I do love you Goten, no matter what was going through me head before. I could only think of you when I was with my father back home. I wished you were there. I wished you could met my real dad and that you could see how good things were when I was little. You could see that I wasn't always so cynical," she sighed. "Does that make sense? I am not even sure what I just said."
He smiled at her and pulled her close to him. "Everything is going to be alright now. We will work through this pregnancy, even if I have to tie you to the bed and hope the best for the child. But no matter what, you won't be alone."
...............................
"Wow," Trunks said as he looked at the compound. "This is a pretty big place. So, the Son's and the Brief's all live here together? Wow? I never thought that would happen."
Junior smiled, "Well, it just kind of was easier, with all the kids and stuff always running between houses. Trust me, I wasn't too happy at first! Goten and I had to total revamp ChiChi's garden and we had to leave it. A whole weekend of slave labor lost and then we were kind of forced to rebuild it here!"
He looked confused. All the kids and stuff? Why would that matter?
"That is Gohan and Videl's house over there," he pointed. Wow, Gohan got married! "Over there is where Goku and ChiChi live. That house there, well, that is Trunks and Pan's. Pan didn't want to be to far from her parents."
"I'm married in this time?" He said. He wondered who this Pan was. And where was her parent's house?
Junior just grinned. "I don't think I could deal with that story in one night. Let's just get you over to see Vegeta."
They walked past the garden, which was quite beautiful, with the ponds full of fish. Wow, what a wonderful place to be.
"Trunks!" He turned around and saw a slim woman with long dark hair looking at him. "Trunks!" She rushed at him and threw herself at him. He caught her and she kissed him fiercely. "I am so sorry. Please. Please forgive me. I was so stupid!"
He was to stunned to reply and looked up at Junior for help. Junior looked a little taken aback at first but then could see a smile on his face. Great, his son had a warped sense of humor.
"Uh, Pan?" Junior said.
"Well, say something will you!" Pan said and shook his shoulders. "I'll do anything to make it up to you! Hey! What is your problem! Don't look at me like that!"
"Uh, Pan!" Junior said as he grabbed her arm and gently pulled on it.
"Go away Junior. I need to talk to my husband, here!"
He gasped. "HUSBAND!" this was the girl that his other self was married too! Oh great.
"Don't sound so shocked," she said and was now standing above him as he still sat on the walkway path. "Hey, did you get a sensu bean or something. You don't have your cast on. I am really sorry for talking to daddy before coming to you! I just lost my temper! Forgive me?"
"Pan..." Junior said and got shot a death glare. Woah. Did all women have that look? They must get taught that look from their mothers. His wife even had that look and he didn't care that he could turn into a supersaiyian. He never wanted to piss his wife off to get that look again!
"Well, I am not the Trunks that you think that I am," he said. Boy, that sure sounded lame.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she said and put her hands on her hips. "There is only one Trunks that I know and you are it."
"Well, Pan," Junior said. "This Trunks is not the one you know, this Trunks is my..."
She turned and glared at Junior. "This is NONE OF YOUR BUSNESS Junior." And then turned back to him and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears. "I am so sorry for accusing you Trunks. I just missed you so much and you were spending all the time at work... I thought that I lost you and I lost my mind."
"Um, okay," he said and started to stand, wiping the dirt off his clothes. "But I am not the person you should be talking too."
That anger came into her face again. "What the hell are you talking about!"
"PAN!" Junior said sharply. "This is my dad! He brought Soyna back."
She got a weird dazed look on her face and blinked a few times at him.
"Nice to met you," he said and watched her faint dead cold.
Junior grabbed her before she crumpled to the ground. "Well, that went well," he said with heavy sarcasm. Boy, he hoped that he could get all these people straight soon. He didn't want anyone else thinking that he was this other Trunks and from the sound of it, he needed to have a sensu bean.
He was also curious as to who her father was, if his other self needed a sensu bean, the guy had to be strong...he would think about it later.
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...the heart ...
Trunks could see how nervous Goten was as they left his daughter in the bedroom to sleep. She sure got pale real quick when they arrived and nearly collapsed. She insisted that she was okay and that she just was glad to be home before she swooned again.
She looked kind of disappointed when she didn't see her husband in the bedroom, but that changed as soon as he walked in.
She really did love him.
"How did you get here? I mean, Where did she go?" Goten said and not really looking at him. He looked so confused. Poor guy. He brought out a bunch of leftovers from the fridge and started to heat them up.
They ate as he explained what he knew. Which really wasn't that much when he thought about it. He just knew that she wanted him to come with her for a little bit and Shelong allowed it.
But that was not what he wanted to talk to Goten about. "She is worried about you."
"Worried?" Goten said and scratched his head. Boy, he looked familiar but he just couldn't place the guy. He knew that he didn't know him from his time. At least he didn't think so. "About me?"
"She is worried that you will be mad at her for all the time that she pushed you away. That she may have gone to far this time." He said in a stern but gentle voice. He really didn't know what kind of man he was, but he didn't look like he would hurt his daughter on first impression. He knew better than to just go on first impression though. "And she is especially worried about how you will react to her..." he didn't know another word... "sacrificing your child for Benot." He had listened in on her talking with Bulma. She wouldn't tell him this stuff but since become a father, he had learned how to eaves drop, quite well.
Goten rubbed his head again. "I never really thought of it that way," Goten said and sat down. "I guess that is what happened, huh?" He sat silent for a bit. "I was only worried about her. I mean, I was worried about the baby and all, but, you know. I was worried that she wouldn't come back. When Goku fused with the dragon, it took him five years to come back. Well, nearly six, but it was a very long time. I didn't think that I could be without her for that long."
Trunks nodded.
"I went searching for her everyday and I couldn't find her. I could always find her - well, most of the time - and it really disturbed me quite a bit," Goten said. "She doesn't deserve to go through any of this alone, even though she tries."
That was his daughter all right. She never thought that she needed any help.
"We will work through all of it together," Goten said standing up. "No matter what the obstacles are, and no matter how hard she pushes me away. We never know what the future can hold for us but I know that I won't leave her. I know that she doesn't mean to do the things that she does. She can't help it though."
"You sound like a good man," Trunks said.
Goten looked a little shocked and then laughed slightly. "Hey, I almost forgot that you are my REAL father-in-law."
Trunks smiled. "You just treat my little girl right."
"I have never done anything but that, um, sir," Goten said. He looked all nervous again. That was all right. He was glad to see that she had married such a good man that obviously cared for her a great deal. A great deal. "I promised her that I would stick by her side and I don't plan on changing that. Ever."
Trunks smiled brightly. That was what he wanted to hear. "I am glad to hear that."
There was a moment of silence between them and Trunks couldn't help but wonder why he was so familiar looking to him. Maybe it was just because he wanted it to be that way. He didn't know and it really didn't matter. He looked like a guy that could stick by his daughter, as stubborn as she has become. He promised himself that he could make sure that his little girl didn't turn out like the older version.
Goten stood. "I should call Raymond," Goten said and went to the phone. "Just to make sure she is okay. I mean. I wouldn't want something to happen to her. She is more fragile than she lets on at times."
He just nodded to that. She never would admit when she was to hurt to go on. He knew that all to well! His stubborn little girl would do the same thing to him, when they spar and he got a little carried away. Bulma always said that she acted just like Vegeta did. She would insist that she was okay and go on with the fight, or at least try too. Just like Vegeta.
"Who's Raymond?" he asked after he got off the phone. She never mentioned a Raymond.
"Oh, Bra's husband. He has sort of become our local physician, even though he didn't want that," Goten said.
Was that supposed to explain who Raymond was? Oh well. He had other things to worry about.
"I would like to see my grandchildren," he said. He felt kind of odd saying this. "I may never get another chance to see them." This part he was nervous about. He so wanted to see them, for all that he did to his little girl and how alone she was for most of it. The children that he never got to see.
"Well, only Flint and Flare are here right now and they must be sleeping. You could go peak on them. Legen is over with Fry right now and Benot is over with Bulma and Vegeta. Benot doesn't really want to be around me right now." Goten said. "How long are you here for?"
Trunks sighed. "I think I have 3 days, I could have up to five." No matter how long it was, it was never going to be long enough to make up for all that he did to her.
"Oh!"
He turned and saw a pretty blond girl enter the room. "Trunks! What are you doing here? Your arm! Did you get a sensu bean?" she rushed over to him and grabbed his left arm and touched his cheek. "Your eyes isn't swollen either! Were you able to talk to Corin and Yajerobi?"
"Uh?" he said and took a step back. He did not know this girl, but she seemed to know him. Was his other self hurt?
Goten pulled Marron back. "Uh, Marron, I didn't know you were still here."
"Oh. Well, we didn't even hear you come home, much less Trunks come over. You look a little dazed. Are you okay Goten?" she said and pressed her hand against his forehead. He backed away.
"I'm fine," Goten said then smiled brightly as if he had just remembered the most wonderful thing. "Soyna is back! She is upstairs right now. She is sleeping. I just called Raymond to check on her. She looks like she is okay."
The blond squealed. Literally squealed and gave Goten a big hug. "I'll go tell Junior."
"Tell me what?" Junior said as he walked in the room and froze.
He knew the boy on sight, from what Soyna told him and what his gut told him. That was his boy. He stood and looked at him. He didn't know what to say. This was a son that he had abandoned as much as his daughter. He looked so strong and boy did he ever take after his grandfather. Spiky hair and everything. Expect for the green eyes. He definitely had his mothers green eyes!
Junior dropped the glass that he was holding. "Dad?"
He smiled.
He knew it too.
"Hi," he said. "I brought your sister home."
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The phone kept ringing but he didn't want to answer it. It was most likely Pan again calling from her parents place. He rubbed his sore arm and sighed. He just wanted to sleep and forget that it ever happened. Tomorrow he would talk with her. But not tonight.
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Turnks looked in on his two grandchildren who were sleeping nicely together in their cribs. The girl sure looked like Soyna when she was that small. The boy, sure looked like his father! They still had their dark reddish brown tails curled up behind them. He wanted to scoop them up but he stopped himself. These were grandchildren that he was never meant to see. It was too late to go see the other two, but he would see them in the morning. He really wanted to see them now. He felt as if his time here was rushed. There was so much to see and so many people to talk too.
He did want to go talk to his father. He had no idea what he would say to him, but he did want to thank him for watching over his daughter as if she were his. He knew he could get that much out of his mouth. He remembered how stoic his father was last time. He hoped he was a little more open than that.
That Raymond fellow and his... well... sister was here. Bra was frantic when she saw him asking him, why he took his cast off and he got a glare from Raymond until Goten explained who he was. It took a while for him to get over the shock as well. He never knew he had a sister. He knew his mother and father remained in this time together, but he never knew that he had another sibling.
Raymond was currently checking on his daughter. She did look better than she did when he first laid her down, her color was much better and quite a bit of the dragon escaped from her skin.
"Dad?"
He turned and saw his nervous son. Was he always like this? "Yes," he whispered as he closed to door. He knew how precious sleep was for the little ones.
He rubbed the back of his head and gave a crooked smile. "It's really good to see you." His eyes were on the floor. "I missed you a lot." His voice cracked. He felt pain in his chest. What did he do to his children?
He patted his son on the shoulder and looked at him in the face. He was not going to make the mistake that he did with them. He was not going to repeat it. He was not going to end up with broken children. They did not deserve this! And his son wasn't even born yet and he felt so bad... He would make sure that they would not loose their mother and this Krad was dead before he could even see the planet earth! His eyes must have gotten dark for a second because he saw a confused look on his son's face.
"I'm sorry," was all that he could say.
"Sorry for what?" Junior said. They all called him Junior here, instead of his real name. They didn't want to upset Vegeta Sr.
"I didn't want to have you miss me," he said. "It won't happen again.
Junior smiled a bit. "That's good. You don't know how hard it was growing up with a sister like her," It was a humorous smile. "I won't miss the arguments you had. You were the only one that I ever heard her yell at. Well, most of the time." He smiled. "She sure is happy that you are here."
He could hear some hushed voices coming from the room. Goten and Raymond were talking about something, he could see them by the door. He wondered where his (OTHER SELVES) sister and his son's woman went too.
"Um, and dad," Junior said. "Well, Sis, doesn't yet know about me and Marron yet," his voice was hushed. "So, don't say anything until I tell her, okay."
He raised his eyebrows. "Sure, son," he said. Why was he keeping his relationship secret? Oh well. He didn't need to understand this time. "I am just going to take a peak in on Soyna and do you think that Vegeta will still be up and about. I would like to talk to him."
Junior looked at his watch. "I would be shocked if he was sleeping. I don't think he has slept since Soyna left and I think he would be relieved to hear that she was back too."
He went into the room and saw that Soyna had changed into a pair of pink flannel pajamas. He could never get her to wear pink! They tried but she always insisted that it be green or black. Sometimes she would wear red, but that was as colorful as she would get. She smiled as soon as she saw him. She did look better.
"You look better," he said. "You should wear pink more often."
Did her cheeks turn pink? "They were a present from Benot. I think he is a little color blind."
"You rest now," he said and gave her a kiss on the forehead, like he did to the smaller version he was used to, "and I will see you in the morning."
"Will you be okay?" she asked.
"Fine. As long as you get some rest," he said. That seemed to satisfy her as she curled up in the bed again.
He turned to see Raymond and Goten looking at him. "How long are you staying," Raymond asked.
"A couple of days," he responded and Raymond got a dark look came on his face as he said that.
"I was hoping it was longer. She really doesn't listen very well to me," Raymond said. Bra had entered and gave him a gentle tap on the chest at that comment. "Well, she doesn't. None of your family does! It is as if they have a death wish!"
He didn't doubt that. It seemed at times that they did.
"If you don't mind, I am going to stay with her," Goten said. "I don't really want to leave her alone right now." He almost blushed a he said this.
"Sure." He said. "Junior already promised to show me around." They all left the room and let the husband and wife be alone with a word of caution from Raymond. "Do not upset her. I don't want to have to put her in the hospital or give her any more sedative." The words were directly at Goten who just nodded and promised.
................................
Her eyes were bright as she sat up in bed as he joined her. "I..." was all that she managed to get out before he grabbed her and kissed her. He didn't want to talk. He was just so happy that she was back. His wife! She was back! She had given him the saddest look that he had ever seen and all he could think of doing is kissing her.
They finally parted and he just grinned at her. She looked at him with confused eyes. "Your not mad at me?" her voice was that soft voice that she talked to the children with it or when they were alone in bed.
"Why would I be mad at you?" he said. "Your back."
She rubbed her hand and he could see the faded tattoo of Shelong there. He knew what she was thinking.
"I had a talk with your dad." He said. "He sure is different from the Trunks we know here. He is so worried about you and he wanted to make sure that I was okay for you, I guess," she saw her stunned look on his face, but they could talk about that later. "I know what you did, you did because you saw no other choice. I saw Benot with his throat cut and I... well, I didn't know what to do. Ligh kept making his wishes and the dragon wasn't listening to us, but he listened to you...I was so worried about you," he gasped on his words. "I am glad to hear that you were not alone."
"Shelong thought it best to go where I was the happiest to recover and rest for a little while," she said. "He knew I still pined for that time and my old home." He could never blame her for that. Her home was here now, but that was her childhood home and she was happy back then. With her father and mother. A happy little family. He was just happy that she came back. "It has helped sort through a lot of anger that I had and made me realize that I have a lot to make up for."
"You are back. That is all that matters," he said and he meant it.
"I am sorry for saying that it was just a wish," she whispered and looked at the mark on her hand again. He was stunned that she was still thinking about it. It had been so long ago it seemed that she had said that. "Without the wish it would have taken me a lot longer to open up to you though. It allowed a bunch of walls to come down that I had pushed up, which was why I was in so much pain and my head hurt. Seeing Brennen snapped the wish. It was broken and it snapped me too. I was torn between two of me. The warrior and the woman that I was trying to be. Shelong understood and was trying to help me, but then, he also had other motives for his behavior and it didn't help that Goku didn't understand what he was trying to say to him. A wish had never been broken before and it created a great deal of trouble inside Shelong, which is why he asked for his freedom and... I... I ... I never meant to say yes." She rubbed the spot even harder as if she were trying to rub it out. "I do love you Goten, no matter what was going through me head before. I could only think of you when I was with my father back home. I wished you were there. I wished you could met my real dad and that you could see how good things were when I was little. You could see that I wasn't always so cynical," she sighed. "Does that make sense? I am not even sure what I just said."
He smiled at her and pulled her close to him. "Everything is going to be alright now. We will work through this pregnancy, even if I have to tie you to the bed and hope the best for the child. But no matter what, you won't be alone."
...............................
"Wow," Trunks said as he looked at the compound. "This is a pretty big place. So, the Son's and the Brief's all live here together? Wow? I never thought that would happen."
Junior smiled, "Well, it just kind of was easier, with all the kids and stuff always running between houses. Trust me, I wasn't too happy at first! Goten and I had to total revamp ChiChi's garden and we had to leave it. A whole weekend of slave labor lost and then we were kind of forced to rebuild it here!"
He looked confused. All the kids and stuff? Why would that matter?
"That is Gohan and Videl's house over there," he pointed. Wow, Gohan got married! "Over there is where Goku and ChiChi live. That house there, well, that is Trunks and Pan's. Pan didn't want to be to far from her parents."
"I'm married in this time?" He said. He wondered who this Pan was. And where was her parent's house?
Junior just grinned. "I don't think I could deal with that story in one night. Let's just get you over to see Vegeta."
They walked past the garden, which was quite beautiful, with the ponds full of fish. Wow, what a wonderful place to be.
"Trunks!" He turned around and saw a slim woman with long dark hair looking at him. "Trunks!" She rushed at him and threw herself at him. He caught her and she kissed him fiercely. "I am so sorry. Please. Please forgive me. I was so stupid!"
He was to stunned to reply and looked up at Junior for help. Junior looked a little taken aback at first but then could see a smile on his face. Great, his son had a warped sense of humor.
"Uh, Pan?" Junior said.
"Well, say something will you!" Pan said and shook his shoulders. "I'll do anything to make it up to you! Hey! What is your problem! Don't look at me like that!"
"Uh, Pan!" Junior said as he grabbed her arm and gently pulled on it.
"Go away Junior. I need to talk to my husband, here!"
He gasped. "HUSBAND!" this was the girl that his other self was married too! Oh great.
"Don't sound so shocked," she said and was now standing above him as he still sat on the walkway path. "Hey, did you get a sensu bean or something. You don't have your cast on. I am really sorry for talking to daddy before coming to you! I just lost my temper! Forgive me?"
"Pan..." Junior said and got shot a death glare. Woah. Did all women have that look? They must get taught that look from their mothers. His wife even had that look and he didn't care that he could turn into a supersaiyian. He never wanted to piss his wife off to get that look again!
"Well, I am not the Trunks that you think that I am," he said. Boy, that sure sounded lame.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she said and put her hands on her hips. "There is only one Trunks that I know and you are it."
"Well, Pan," Junior said. "This Trunks is not the one you know, this Trunks is my..."
She turned and glared at Junior. "This is NONE OF YOUR BUSNESS Junior." And then turned back to him and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears. "I am so sorry for accusing you Trunks. I just missed you so much and you were spending all the time at work... I thought that I lost you and I lost my mind."
"Um, okay," he said and started to stand, wiping the dirt off his clothes. "But I am not the person you should be talking too."
That anger came into her face again. "What the hell are you talking about!"
"PAN!" Junior said sharply. "This is my dad! He brought Soyna back."
She got a weird dazed look on her face and blinked a few times at him.
"Nice to met you," he said and watched her faint dead cold.
Junior grabbed her before she crumpled to the ground. "Well, that went well," he said with heavy sarcasm. Boy, he hoped that he could get all these people straight soon. He didn't want anyone else thinking that he was this other Trunks and from the sound of it, he needed to have a sensu bean.
He was also curious as to who her father was, if his other self needed a sensu bean, the guy had to be strong...he would think about it later.
..................................
