I don't own DBZ

A/N: I've decided to go on the somewhat mean yet ever-effective 'review or no more chapters' method. I want 35 reviews, or no chapter 10! Mean? Sorry, I need to know people are reading this! (And they are! o.o 30 reviews! I love you guys!)

Granny Adams: o.o;;; I feel you have deep, suppressed feelings. Feel free to hate Paris in this fic ^^

Juunanagou4ever: right on! *.* all hail Trunks, the Greek god of… hotness! And about pairing Trunks and Paris up… maybe… hah hah… hah hah… bwahahahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ahem.

Pan+marron=PARRON: soon enough?

What's Betrayal Among Friends?

Chapter 9 – Troubles in the Family

"Pan?"

"Panny?"

"Pan-chan, are you ok?"

Deep black eyes opened slowly as the girl came to. She found herself lying on the couch in her living room, the faces of her mother, grandmother and best friend looking worriedly at her.

"Well, good morning, sleeping beauty!"

Bra said, arms crossed, smirking.

"I thought we'd have to bring in a prince to kiss you."

Chichi got a dreamy look and quietly uttered:

"Great grandchildren."

Videl ran a hand through her daughter's hair, sitting on the edge of the couch.

"You gave us quite a scare, Pan. It's not like you to faint. Are you eating your vegetables?"

Pan growled. She was no kid! She more than proved it, going to space with Goku and… Trunks. Her eyes flew to Bra's face, who blinked, and then Pan looked at Chichi.

"Grandma! That ring, can I see it?!"

"What ring?"

Both Videl and Bra asked. Chichi giggled.

"It's out of my hands now."

Pan paled and held her head.

"I feel dizzy. I better lie down again."

Videl looked at Chichi questioningly.

"Ring?"

"I can't teeeeeeell yoooooooou!"

Bra and Videl sweatdropped.

"You have a really mature mother in law, Videl-san."

"I know, Bra-chan. I know."

Pan sat up again. She felt tears in her eyes. She was so frustrated! Bra sat next to her; Videl led Chichi outside, giving the girls privacy.

"We need to talk."

Both said at the same time, in the same serious tone. Then they both chuckled.

"You go ahead."

Bra said, and moved a bit, allowing Pan to sit up. Pan took a deep breath.

"Well, after I felt you, Goten and I went to the ice cream parlor. And guess who was there."

"No way! What, she's stalking you or something?!"

A bitter chuckle.

""I donno, but she was there. And she acted all lovey-dovey with Goten."

Bra felt the blood rush to her face, but allowed her friend to continue.

"I could see she didn't like me. Not that I blame her, if someone else would've been there while she was trying to manipulate someone… wait, I can blame her! Goten loves her so much, and what does she do?!"

'Oh, rub it in, why don't you.'

Bra thought bitterly, but she couldn't blame Pan for being inconsiderate. After all, the only ones who knew were her father and brother, just because they listened to her and not her words. Unlike her mother, for instance.

"She even complained about not being invited to the party and Goten said that he'd get Trunks to invite her. I bet this is a plot! Trunks probably invited Paris, but she couldn't just show up there! She had to excuse it to Goten!"

'Dear god, am I like this when I'm jealous about Goten?!'

The bluette thought horridly.

"But how can they do it to him?! Doesn't Trunks care about Goten?! That creep!"

At this point, Bra's sisterly instincts kicked in.

"Now wait a minute, Pan…"

"I can't believe I fell for a guy like him! To think I once thought he was a nice guy!"

"PAN!"

"I can't believe it! I hate him! He's a jerk! I hate him! I hate him… I… I LOVE HIM SO MUCH THAT IT HURTS!!!"

When Bra stood up to slap Pan, Pan fell to her knees, sobbing.

"You go, Pan!"

Chichi's voice came from outside, unnoticed by the girls. Bra hugged her friend, her anger soon forgotten.

"Come on, Panny. Calm down."

"I… I can't believe it, Bra. I… I just can't…"

"Don't."

The bluette said strictly. Pan looked at her, doubting.

"Wha…"

"Don't believe it. Just don't."

Bra didn't know what to say next.

"Look, honey, don't hate my brother. He's not to blame, I know it's hard to believe but, it's the truth."

"How do you know that?"

"From the best possible source."

It was obvious Pan was doubting it, but she was too distressed to argue.

"Bra-chan!"

The two girls froze as Gohan walked into the room. Pan quickly wiped away her tears while Bra rearranged some loose strands of hair.

"Hi, dad."

"Gohan-san."

"Bra-chan."

The two exchanged welcomes.

"I saw your mother and grandmother outside. What's going on?"

"Nothing, dad."

"Bra?"

Onyx met blue, and for the briefest of moments, Bra noticed how alike Goten and Gohan looked like, and looked away with a blush.

"Nothing, Gohan-san. Just some girl stuff."

Gohan's reaction, though much less obvious, was the same as Vegeta's was to the two words.

"I… see. Well, I got some work to do, so I'll see you later, honey."

"Ok."

He left, and Pan glared at Bra.

"Why on Earth were you blushing in front of my dad?!"

Bra blinked.

'Oh, Geez!'

Trunks never thought he'd be happy to see paper work in his life. The irony.

'Who'd have thought…'

The intercom sprang to life, and the secretary's voice came in.

"Sir, Son Goten is here to see you. You don't have an appointment for another hour."

Trunks paled. He came to work to get away from it all. Why'd it have to come hunting him?!

"Sir?"

"Se, send him in, Claire."

The door opened and in came a happy looking Goten. Scratch that. An overjoyed Goten.

"Well, look at you! Since when's that an outfit for work?!"

He teased his year older best friend. Trunks was wearing the black shirt and bandana he was wearing when he went to space, only a pair of blue jeans. Not really office wear.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't really planning on coming to work today. Just grabbed whatever was clean in the closet."

"Get real."

"Ok, I wanted to annoy my secretary."

Goten chuckled, then sat on the chair in front of the desk. Trunks would usually sit next to him or on the desk, but the desk being in between them made him feel a bit more comfortable. Or, more precisely, less UNcomfortable.

"So… what brings you here?"

Goten took the black box out of his picked and threw it on the desk. Trunks tensed when he saw the ring inside.

"Goten, I love you too, but not this much!"

The Son boy laughed, not noticing how tensed Trunks was.

"So… do you think she'll like it?"

Trunks, for some reason, pictured Bra wearing it. He half smiled.

"I'm really the wrong person to ask about jewelry."

He said as he handed the ring back to his friend.

"I'm sure she'll love it."

Goten looked at the ring sadly.

"I wanted to get her something fancier. A diamond, maybe."

Trunks, even though wanted nothing more than to shout the truth, offered his friend a comforting look.

"Goten, if you needed money…"

Goten looked at him, hurt and insulted, with a touch of anger.

"Trunks! You know I'm not one to take charity!"

Trunks raised his arms in defense.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down! I didn't mean it like that…"

"And I can't pay back a loan."

"I'd have given you a job! I know what you're capable of, and I'd have made sure you got paid well. Yet not more than what you deserved."

Goten nodded, then scratched the back of his head.

"I… I guess."

There was a pause then. Both seemed rather tense.

"Um, Trunks?"

"Yeah?"

Both knew what this was all about, but Trunks being so nervous affected the other young man, and the two life long friends had a hard time doing something that would've been natural for anyone else with their friendship.

"Trunks, will you be my best m…"

Trunks stood up and turned to the window. Goten was caught off guard; he blinked.

"Trunks?"

"Don't say it."

Goten looked at his friend's back, and smiled.

"Aw, I'm touched."

Trunks stared at Goten, confused.

"Wha…"

"Trunks, don't feel like that. I can't think of anyone worthier for being my best man!"

The older among the two looked at the floor.

"…I'm not…"

"Sure you are! My best friend since when? Age 0? Trunks, we've been there through thick and thin. Heck, we've become a single entity! How much closer can you get?!"

He didn't get a response; only a slight smile.

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Trunks murmured. Goten raised an eyebrow, but was put at ease when Trunks gave him a brotherly hug.

"Congrats, bro."

"Thanks, but I still need to propose to her!"

"I'm sure she'll say yes."

Trunks said, his gaze downcast.

"Wish I was this confident about it."

"Don't worry. You'll be just fine."

"Thanks. Hope you have a tuxedo in stand by!"

The two shook hands and smiled.

"Go get her."

"Will do. See ya, Trunks!"

Trunks was left alone to be mad at himself. His best friend came and told him he wanted Trunks to be his best man; and he couldn't even smile properly for him.

'Paris, when I get my hands on you, I'm gonna make you wish you were never born!'

A/N: @.@ poor Trunksie. Remember: 35 reviews. Please more, no less. ^^ arigatou.