Disclaimer: *Panabelle sleeps-completely drugged on Codine-as Chibi Trunks and Jack plot world domination*

A/N: *gnashing of teeth, gnashing of teeth* I don't like being sick, but a third week of Christmas break isn't a bad thing is it? Considering I actually watched Pokemon of my own free will yesterday, I'd have to disagree. Anyways, you asked for a new chapter. Here ya go. Don't bother going to my site, until I get better, I won't be updating there; I'm 3 chapters behind as of now, and am going to be swamped with make-up work when I finally go back to school. So, enjoy.

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Petrified Tears
chapter 75



He rocked his shoulders, lower, and upper back against the desk, relief flooding across his features as the stiff joints popped, as he slowly stretched out his legs in front of him, each pop and crack waking his mind from the doldrums of work. He leaned forward, clasping his fists together and stretching them towards the door across from him, locking his elbows as his torso was pulled forward with his arms, then curling his back inwards and stretching his arms up and over his head, then back and behind him.

Content, he yawned and stood, pushing himself up with the palms of his hand, picking up the old handmade mug as he changed elevation.

"I'm going to go get some coffee, you want some Pan?" he asked, his mouth opened widely, his words coming out all vowels with no breaks, just changes in pitch. He looked over at his unwilling assistant, only to find her curled up in the same position she'd been in 3 hours ago when she'd decided that she'd shared enough with him: legs crossed and tucked under her, her form stooped over on herself, head held up by the arm supported on her knee, hair spilling majestically around her.

Trunks smiled and set the coffee cup down on his desk, walking over to the petite girl-woman who slept peacefully and well-deservedly with her back to the sunlight, careful not to step on the stray papers and possibly disturb her rest.

"What'd I tell you Panny?" he chided playfully to her sleeping form, kneeling down before her and brushing her hair out of her eyes, gently pulling the notebook and papers from her lap and fingers. Carefully wrapping an arm around her back to support her, he straightened her figure and tilted her head away from the floor with his finger, supporting her neck as her cheek fell against his shoulder. He pulled the pen from her grasp and set it on the floor, easing his other arm under her legs and slowly standing, holding her lovingly against his chest. "Turn your back to the sun and you fall. Dreams don't lie in darkness little girl."

Lightly pushing off on his toe, he glided towards a small couch against the North-Eastern wall of the room that was intended for entertaining during long private business meetings. Now past the sea of paper, he landed quietly, silently crossing towards the couch, his sneakers silent on the worn plush carpet. He lay her down on her back, smiling to himself as she instinctively turned her face towards the early morning sunlight, curling up on her side, her knees slightly bent, one leg slightly farther forward than the other, one leg slightly farther back.

"It's true Panny, you are a little girl; you're all grown up, I can't deny that, Gohan can't deny that. But only children know the innocence you have, no grown woman could ever see things in the clouds. I know, I'm surrounded by them daily. But you aren't one of them; you're mature, in every way imaginable. But straight to your core, you're innocently naïve and childishly insecure and still searching for yourself." He knelt before the couch, sweeping hair out of her eyes, his fingers following the strands past her shoulder, sometimes curving along her cheek to her chin instead. His blue eyes were gentle, his eyes peering curiously with youthful persistence, watching and loving the way the sunlight played across her features and sparkled on her hair. "But that's the beauty of it, Panny. You still have a chance to find yourself. Most of us call ourselves grown up and stop searching."

She stirred and he paused, adrenalin spreading into his limbs at the thought she might be able to hear him, that she might be waking or have already waken.

But he didn't know if he was afraid she was waking, or if he wanted her to.

A tiny hand lifted and tucked itself next to her cheek, her eyes staying peacefully closed, a quiet sigh escaping her lips as she settled herself.

He smiled, closing his fingers over hers, wishing she would close hers around his as well.

"That night, last Friday, you told me you were still a little girl pretending she was a woman. But you aren't; you're a woman seeing the world with child's eyes. To tell the truth, I don't know what's worse; a little girl pretending to be a grown woman, or a grown man pretending he's still a little boy." He laughed quietly to himself, shaking his head, lifting his hand and pushing it into her hair, not caring anymore if he woke her; he didn't care if she heard him, he half wished she would. "Because that's how I acted that night. That entire weekend actually. I went back to being the spoiled little brat I was when I was seven, only a lot meaner. And if you want to know the truth, I killed a part of myself off that night. It was either admit I can't do a damn thing about this, or say good-bye to you forever. Kill my pride, or keep it till it kills me. For a while I didn't know what part of me had won, but I know now. I have nothing to hide from you, Panny. There's only one thing about me that you don't know, and I don't know why you can't see it.

"But you're young; you stand a better chance at doing something useful than the rest of us. You're one of those people who can make a difference in the world, and who will. I don't mean by saving it; I mean by changing it. You don't need to fight for anything you don't believe in, and need only fight for what you do. But you already know that." He sighed, surprised that he hadn't consciously thought any of that before.

"And you have no idea how gorgeous you are."

The sunlight twinkled on her sleeping face, painting her hair indigo. Beads of light played across her eyelids, clinging to her eyelashes, and suddenly a lone tear slid into the corner of her eye, catching in the fold of her eyelids. He lifted his hand to wipe it away, but then his face softened, all of the exhaustion melted from his features. His eyes quieted, and he set his hand along her cheek, leaning forward and kissing the tear away.

He pulled away slowly, hardly daring to breathe. Blue eyes half-shut and half-scared, he glanced cautiously up at her, then drew his thumb tenderly across the quiet lips of the sleeping beauty. He moved as if he thought to really kiss her, but stopped himself.

"No."

The word came as if the breeze through the parted window had placed it on his lips. He sat back on his heals, pulling his hand away.

"No," he repeated, smiling sadly to himself. He looked down at her, smiling lightly, tight-lipped, and quietly moved away, leaving the room and sliding the door silently closed behind him.

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A/N: I must drugged if I'm actually answering all of those questions I've tossed in throughout the fic and haven't really added any new ones. Anyways, short, sweet, and surprisingly coherent. Not me: I may be shorter than all my friends, and I can be sweet at times, but I hardly make much sense. ;P

-Panabelle ;P