A/N:                Hehe… Did you guys say you didn't want to wait longer than one week for a new chapter? Oops… I'm sorry, but you also have to understand that I have a job now – that means I first can start writing in the evening – and also two other stories that need to be updated once in a while, and right now they all have the same priority… I know I promise this every time, but I really try to write the chapters as fast as possible… If I wrote any faster, first my fingers would start to burn and the fics just get crappier…. Well, that was what I wanted to say about it… But there's still something else I wanted to tell you… Have you ever known this feeling that you're being followed by something, maybe a name or something else, everywhere you go, to everything you're doing? Well, I have this feeling. I've just today finished a book. It's called "Fear Nothing" and written by Dean Koontz. Well, in one small part of this story one of the characters, Bobby Halloway, wears a Hawaiian shirt and tells his friend Chris Snow that it has been produced by the Kamehameha Garment Company… I almost fell of my couch, when I read that. I did then a bit research about Kamehameha and found out that Kamehameha was the first King of Hawaii. Who would've thought that?

                        Okay, but now enough of my incessant rambling and let's start with the story…

Chapter 06: Final decision

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~Angela~

Trunks Briefs, huh? The President of Capsule Corporation and Pan Son? That was something I would've never guessed, if I hadn't just heard his statement with my own ears, a statement that was way too familiar to the story Pan told me, and my friend's own admission. So, he was the one who had baby-sat Pan – I have to suppress a chuckle as not to disturb the sobbing girl in my arms, as I suddenly get the mental picture of a diaper changing Trunks Briefs in front of my eyes. He was the one who Pan had always confided in, her best friend. He was the reason why she decided to go to a school so far away from her parents. He was the man she had tried so hard to forget in the last seven years. He was the one the formerly tomboyish and plain Pan Son fell so desperately in love with over all those years of their friendship. He was the one the now gorgeous and confident Pan Son fell in love with all over again, after she came back home – just that he had no idea that she and Pia Shen were the same person. He was the one who first returned the feelings and then pushed her away after finding out, who she really is. And he is the father of her yet unborn child.

I still have to get used to that thought. The next thing she tells me is that her grandfather is Mr. Satan. Yeah right, Angela. Knowing one famous person doesn't imply being related to another one – especially not to the world savior!

But now back to the crying girl in my arms. I have no idea what to do with her, now that Trunks had done this. I think that conference must've cost him a lot. No, not money, but pride. I've heard how proud his whole family shall be, especially his father, and I doubt that saying this in front of the whole world was that easy for him.

But I also know Pan and her stubbornness. And her pride. She's the proudest person I've ever known and has the thickest head I've ever seen. When she had once made a decision it is almost impossible to talk her out of it. When she really doesn't want to go back, I think I wouldn't be able to force her to. She always finds the right arguments and even if I try to force her with brute strength I would loose. After everything I've seen her doing during PE in High School I do sometimes think that she really has the blood of the world's strongest pumping through her veins. So all I can do is try to talk to her, not prying, just talk. And maybe, just maybe she listens to me… Even though it is almost hopeless.

"Hey Pan," I whisper and carefully peeled her off of me, holding her now away at about arm length. "I thought you didn't want to cry anymore…"

"I didn't," she answers sniffing and wipes the tears away with the back of her hand. She raises her head to look at me and has a small and almost embarrassed smile on her face. I smile back. "I really thought I would be over him by now. At least so much that I wouldn't shed anymore tears over him."

Okay Angela, remember: no prying. "Pan, it has just been two days… You can't expect to be over him within 48 hours, especially not when your carrying his child and he just proclaimed his love to you via TV."

Suddenly Pan gets up and walks over to the window, looking out of it. She seems to stare out of it, watching the people down there, the happy people. But I can see that she's with her thoughts somewhere else. She has her arms wrapped around her petite body and I can see that she's trembling ever so lightly. Her lips are set in a firm thin line. Moments pass until Pan begins to speak again, her voice being barely above a whisper. "He doesn't love me…"

She says that with so much conviction that it was hard to believe that just minutes ago he has said the totally opposite. "What?" I blurt out.

"You've not just broken my heart, but also the trust I had in you. That's what he had said during our fight. He was so angry when he said it, so full of hate. And you can't hate the person you love," she explained, and strangely enough it sounds like she really believes it – or rather, wants to believe it. "That's not the only evidence that proves it. Have you noticed how he stuttered when he said that he loved me? Or, if he really loves me, why did he go into the bar in the first place instead of looking for me? If he really loved me, would he have held this conference to tell the whole world what has happened?"

I notice how she clenches her fists so tightly that her knuckles are becoming white. I can see that she is quite worked up about this whole thing and if I didn't know any better I would say that it is getting warmer here in the room - warmer, not cooler as most people would think in this situation – and I would bet that this heat is radiating from her.

"This conference was just for Capsule Corporation's reputation – for his reputation – and to satisfy the reporters. It had nothing to do with me," she hisses the last part and I can see new tears in her eyes, which she doesn't even bother to wipe away. She seems now to be really angry and disappointed at Trunks for holding the conference, telling the world something that should have been just between him and her. I can understand her, but I still think that Trunks isn't as coldhearted as she wants to make me believe. In my opinion he deserves another chance. Now, how to tell her that?

"You're wrong and you know it," I interrupt her softly. "At least about the last part. After everything you have told me about Trunks in the last years I can't believe that he held this conference just for Capsule Corporation. You've told me often enough how much he hates his job and he really doesn't seem like the guy for whom his job is more important than anything else."

The grip of her fists loosens and her arms hang now almost limp at her sides, as if admitting defeat. But I know Pan too well to know that this is true. If she admits something, then never fully, and does always have another argument by hand. "You may be right about that… Here's another reason for the conference. When he tells me via TV that he loves me he doesn't have to look at my face, into my eyes… That gives him the possibility to lie. He had never been able to lie when he looked into my eyes…"

"You're scared," I notice. She has been my best friend for so long now that it wasn't difficult for me to read her body language, or recognize her mood by her voice.  Just what kind of fear is it? Fear of what Trunks really thinks of her? Fear of seeing him again? Or even the fear of meeting her family again and their reactions? I guess it's a bit of everything, but mostly the last two. But whatever it truly is, I know that she's scared. I don't even expect a reaction from her. As I've already mentioned is Pan the proudest person I know and she would never admit to anyone that she is scared. But she is also a person that never ceases to amaze me.

She shrugs, still not looking at me. Her voice is soft now. Soft and clear, free from any of the previous clearly visible hatred. "Maybe… But I'm not scared of him… More worried - worried for him… Despite of everything he had done to me, I still love him and I don't think I will ever stop. Even this love for him is one reason that keeps me from going back. I already told you about my father and what he would – no, will – do to Trunks once he finds out about me - us. Sure, he has hurt me, but he had his reasons, because I hurt him first and I would never wish him the pain my father would inflict on him." She takes a deep breath and finally turns to me and I instinctively hold my breath, waiting for her to continue. "Go and spare everyone the disappointment. That's exactly what I'm planning to do. I think my parents are better off when I'm not coming back, so that they wouldn't know what stupid things I've done. So they will remember me like I've been seven years ago. And not what I've become…"

"A successful, confident, beautiful, young woman, of whom every parent would be proud," I throw in.

Pan shook her head vehemently. "You're talking about Pia, not about me."

"Pan, you are Pia."

"But they don't know that and it will hurt them more than you could imagine when they find out that I've lied to them." She sits again down on the bed next to me and takes my hand. The room had cooled off again and she seems now much more confident and determinant to pull this whole thing through. "We've already had this Angela and I ask you to understand my decision. I won't go back home. Sure, you always hurt the ones you love, but this way it will hurt them less…" She squeezes my hand lightly. "Please Angela, be my friend and help me through this. Because I sure as hell know that I won't be able to do it alone… My child needs you, too."

Well, what was there to say? I still disagree with Pan in many things concerning this whole situation, but it's her life and I can just help her to live it as well as possible. This is just Pan for you. Proud, stubborn, but she has the heart at the right place and just wants to hurt others as few as possible, and even though her way of judging how much she would hurt her friends and family with this is different from mine, I just wouldn't want my friend to be any different. "Of course, Pan… You know that you don't have to ask for my help. I'll do whatever I can…"   

I just feel sorry for Trunks.

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I know, again an awfully short chapter, but what do you like more? Shorter chapters but faster updates, or longer chapters and maybe waiting two weeks for a new one? ^-^ But I really don't have much time right now with work and all… I'd rather go again to school… But sometimes the real life has to begin, huh?

So, please review and make a poor soul with not much time happy, okay? Thanks a lot!!!

Eternally yours

ChibiChibi