::Bows:: Gomen!!!! Totemo Gomen!!!!! I did not mean for me to go this long without writing, but I just didn't have any inspiration!! It was writer's block at it's worst…. I also have been really sick lately and we just found out one of our good friends has cancer. So even though I have not given you a name, I ask you to keep him in your prayers. Onegai!! Hope you like it!
Chapter 3
Rage bubbled through her veins before a few seconds before it cooled into something much more dangerous. Lita watched as the black haired girl made a move to grab something out of the tiny pocket on the side of her dress…and narrowed her eyes when she saw a piece of wrapped meat emerge. 'You mean she's actually been planning this for enough time to figure out how to get Ace out of the way?'. She stepped forward before the dog could even sniff at the proffered meat.
"Is there a problem here?" Dana whirled around and her eyes flashed dangerously for a split second.
"No. Not at all. Just looking for the restroom." Lita almost snorted. Instead she raised a single eyebrow and let her gaze flick down to the meat in the other girl's hand.
"With a piece of meat?"
"Oh. This. It's just… a little present for Ace. Because he's such a good boy." Ace growled in response and Lita smiled slightly. At least the dog had the good sense her best friend was lacking.
"Uh huh. I should let you know that Uncle Bruce doesn't like anyone but himself feeding Ace. The restroom is that way, for you information." She jerked her thumb in the opposite direction. Dana gave a tight smile before walking off in the direction Lita had pointed.
Lita looked down at Ace and patted his head. "Good dog. Very good dog. Good judge of character, too." She sighed. "Let's go find the boys." Ace whined and lay back down in front of the door. "Protecting something, huh? Well, we've all got our secrets, I suppose." She patted him one more time before turning to head back to the dining room, her mind turning over how to find out exactly what Dana was trying to do. Hearing an odd grating sound she turned around just in time to see the clock move out of the way ad her best friend appear. All she did was raise her eye brow.
"Something you want to tell me?"
* * *
Dinner was an unpleasant time to saw the least. Dana kept sending unpleasant glances towards Lita and continually draped herself over her boyfriend. Lita finally decided that her best course of action would be to ignore the girl and escape at her earliest opportunity. As soon as dessert hit the table, she excused herself and headed to the work out room in the basement and proceeded to lose herself in exercise and music for the next hour. She was in the middle of doing a particularly complex kata that Gohan had taught her, barely remembering not to use any of her powers when someone shut off the music. Ignoring whoever it was, she continued-until someone put they body in her way. Glaring at the figure, she frowned.
"Problem?" It came out as a snap. Terri raised his eyebrow.
"No. But I thought that you might have one. With Dana?" She simply turned and headed towards the punching bag. "Lita?" Terri followed and turned her around. "What's wrong, jealous?" His voice was teasing. She frowned.
"Of her? Not really. But she's up to something. I found her with a camera in front of the clock before you emerged. Ace was backed up against it growling and she was trying to feed him a piece of meat after mumbling about turning you back into the lap dog you'd been before and ruining Uncle Bruce." Her voice had turned angry. "She's trying to ruin you and Bruce, Terri."
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" His voice was angry too.
"Because-" she snapped her mouth shut and turned around. 'Because I didn't want you to think that I lying because was jealous of her'.
"Because why?" Terri forced her to face him. "If you're making this up, Lita-"
"Making it up?! Why would I make this up?!"
"Because you're jealous! You hated Dana from the first minute you met her. Your smile cooled and held just like it did when you told me you had to leave. Just like…" He let go of her shoulders. "I was a kid, Lita. You were a kid. Did you expect me to wait? Did you wait for me?" Her eyes flashed and she pushed him back.
"No. No, damn you, I didn't wait. And I didn't expect you to. And YES, goddamn it, I was jealous when I first found out you had a girlfriend. I hated her for having you when I couldn't, when I didn't deserve to. Hated her for being there for you when I couldn't. But I couldn't be there for you, Terri, so I would have accepted your girlfriend, just like I accepted Max. I really like Max. But Dana is up to something foul. And I wouldn't make that up. I trust you enough to let you keep whatever secret has you crawling behind clocks because I have plenty of my own. But I cannot let someone hurt you the way she will. I won't."
"I've known you a long time, Lita. And I love you, you're my best friend. But I've known Dana a long time too. And I'm sure it was just jealousy speaking, that you misunderstood what she said. Dana told me that she thinks you don't like her, that you caught her trying to make friends with Ace and made a big deal. The camera? She wanted some pictures of all three of us but was afraid to ask because you were glaring at her all during dinner." Lita's face fell and then hardened.
"If you don't want to believe me, then don't. But I have better things to do, more important things to do, then to try and convince you your girlfriend is plotting against you and my uncle. So you'll excuse me, Terri. I'll see you tomorrow." Turning on her heal, she started to stalk out of the room without looking and ran smack dab into a hard chest. Giving a frustrated scream, she looked up… and then threw her arms around the figure in front of her. "GOHAN!"
"Hey Mako." He gave her a one armed hug. "Having problems?" She glared behind her and noticed that Terri had turned a little pale.
"No. How'd you get in?"
"You're uncle let me in…"
"He just let you in?" Terri's voice was unbelieving.
"No. Haruka and Michiru were with me. He told me you'd be down here… with you friend." His gaze landed on Terri. "You are?"
"Terri McGinnis. And you?"
"Gohan Son."
"Gohan," Lita started, "let's go upstairs and talk. We have plenty of stuff to catch up on."
"I can't stay long, actually I have to leave later this afternoon. I just have a message from my sister."
"Is she okay?" Senshi instincts thrumming, Lita took a long look at the boy in front of her. There was no panic hidden in his eyes, no unusual tenseness running through his body. Instead he flashed an easy smile.
"She's good. But we need too-" A beeping noise came from his pocket. He gave another smile and pulled out a small screen, switching to Japanese. ~"Good timing, sis."~
~"Gohan! Is Mako there?~
~ "Yup, right here."~ He turned the screen towards the Jovian Princess and saw a wide grin wipe away the lingering anger and hurt that had been in her gaze.
~"Heya hime-sama. How are ya doin'?"~
~"Good, I miss you. And I need to talk to you all in one room. But on top of that I'm KNOCKED UP!"~ Lita took a minute and blinked before turning to Gohan. In her anger and surprise she switched back to English, her native tongue.
"Who did it?" He laughed.
"Trunks, of course."
"And he's still living?" Her eyes flashed dangerously and Terri moved to hold her back. "Let me go, Terri. Why would Trunks hit her?!" Gohan looked confused for a minute before Usagi's voice came from the screen, also in English.
"Knocked up, Mako. He got me pregnant, he didn't hit me! Pregnant! We're having a baby!!" Lita blinked again. Once. Twice. Then smiled big.
"Oh my god! I'd forgotten that term! I-you-Trunks-he-YES!! Little pitter patter of baby feetsies on the palace floor!" She jumped into Gohan's arms and hugged him tight. "Go-chan, I want one!" She giggled and smiled at the still beaming Usagi. "That's great Usa!"
"I know!" She squealed. "Rei's already started making the proper charms. I'll talk to you all when you get to Haruka's. Love ya! Ja! Oh, and Mako, you might want to let my brother breath before he dies!" The screen went blank and Lita let Gohan twirl her around before she delivered a smacking kiss to his lips. Only the dark haired sajiin noticed the dark glare he was getting from Terri. He just smiled easily and set her down, putting his arm around her shoulders. His hearing had picked up on most of the argument, and he decided to try and help one of the girls that had become his best friend.
"Let's go upstairs Ko-chan." She smiled and jumped from his arms. "Walk up with Terri, I gotta go tell the girls I won the baby pool!!!" She ran upstairs faster then either boy chose to follow. Terri turned and glared.
"Keep your hands off her." Gohan just raised an eyebrow.
"I wasn't aware you had a claim on her."
"I-you'll hurt her."
"I thought you'd already done that." Terri snarled. This was insane! He'd just been on Lita about her being jealous and then this guy showed up and he could practically see red when they did nothing more then hug. Okay, she'd kissed him and implied she wanted children with him, but…
"She's my friend, I don't want her to-"
"Let me tell you what I saw when I came down here. One of my best friends, a girl whom I love very much, was hurting more then I've seen her hurt in a long time. Let me tell YOU something. I can't imagine, no matter how much time has gone by, that she was ever different in integraty then she is now. Here's one. She does not lie to those she cares about. Did you read Harry Potter?" Terri blinked at the change in conversation.
"Yes."
"Then you may remember that Albus Dumbledore said two things. One. The Truth is a terrible and dangerous thing and should therefore be treated with great caution. He also said that it takes courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends. Lita has always treated the truth with the utmost caution because it can make or break a person. She also stood up to you just now over that truth." He turned and glared at Terri. "Let me issue my own warning. You hurt her, I will hurt you. She is important to me, McGinnis. And about thirty other powerful people. Tread carefully." Gohan turned and walked up the stairs.
End chapter.
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