Author's Note: Well, well, here I am, back again. Thank a certain someone whose name and status I will not mention here. He'll probably read this someday. Look at the bright side: he's fueling my career.

Disclaimer: HONESTLY! It's not mine!

Broken

by Supaa Saiyajin Trinity

Chapter 4

Pan sighed as she ushered the dark-haired cyborg into her room and closed the door. Another confrontation like that and it could be all over.

"Wait here," she directed, standing him next to the doorway of her closet. He looked at her curiously, gazing at her in such a way that he almost reminded her of

She shook her head firmly, fighting back tears as the old familiar pain that she'd been able to stifle for a while began to creep back into her heart. "Just" Her voice began to break. Clearing her throat, she continued. "Just in case, you know, if he comes in. Then you can hide easily."

Juunana-gou nodded his affirmation. "Gotcha."

Hurrying to her dresser, Pan pulled out an extra-large green T-shirt and a pair of oversized jeans that she often liked to wear because of their size and color. Hey, she rationalized, they were the only black pair she owned. "Well, these'll have to do, I suppose," she said calmly, having regained her composure, however temporary it might be. "I'm pretty sure they'll fit." She handed them to him, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

He studied the white printing on the shirt. " 'Who needs presents when you have me?' "

She swallowed thickly and faked a laugh. "It was a birthday present."

He looked up at her. "From who?"

She stopped. "Oh, well, it was actually a gift that I" She coughed. "...never got to give to some boy--I mean, somebody."

"Oh." His eyes wandered back down to the shirt. "Somehow I get the feeling it must've been a pretty special somebody."

Pan flushed with anger. "Yeah, well, it's none of your business!" she snapped.

"Hey, cool it!" He held a hand up in defense. "Don't take your anger out on me."

Pan sighed. "You're right, I'm sorry."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing."

"Does have anything to do with me finding you in the forest completely--"

"I SAID, it's nothing!" she shouted, glaring at him.

He sighed and started pulling on the clothes.

***

"Pan! Telephone!"

"Coming!" she called back. "Hold on, Juu-kun," she said to Juunana-gou. "I'll be right back."

"Okay--What? 'Juu-kun'?"

Pan giggled slightly as she bounded down the stairs and took the phone from her father. "What're you so happy about?" Gohan asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Nothing, I was just reading something," Pan lied. "Hello?" she spoke into the phone.

"Hi, Pan? This is Bulma."

'Ohcrap,' Pan thought. "OhBulma-san!" she said aloud with fake enthusiasm. "This is a rare treat. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"Well, this may sound a little odd, butwould you go shopping with me?"

Pan blinked so hard she was almost positive Bulma must have heard it. "What? Shopping?"

"Yep. See, Chi-Chi's out doing some errands of her own, Bra's out with her boyfriend, and Gohan just told me that your mother's not home. I don't really know anyone else, and it's not something I can do with Vegeta or Trunks"

Pan's thoughts were racing now: Does she know? Is she planning to bombard me with questions? What's the real reason she's asking me this?

"So, yeah, you're really the only person left to ask. Not that I don't like you or anything, it's just that, well, I wouldn't really consider asking you since shopping's not really your thing. Is it? Or have you changed? Well, anyway, as I was saying"

There was something odd in Bulma's tone of voice, Pan noticed, that seemed to be urging her to accept. All this talk was just to distract her from it. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, it wasn't doing a very good job.

"So, will you go with me?"

"ISure, Bulma-san, I guess I could," she accepted, albeit somewhat reluctant.

"Great! I'll come pick you up in a little bit, then. Bye!"

"Oh no, wait, wa--" CLICK.

As the dial toned droned in her ear, panic began to descend upon Pan's mind. She'd only met Juunana a few hours ago. Was she really ready to abandon him so soon? Leave him alone? In her home? While her father was around?

She let the phone slip from her fingers and clatter on the floor. Maybe she was blowing this out of proportion, but no matter what, there was NO way she was leaving that boy alone with her father. The risk was just too high. She was going to have to figure out somethingand soon.

******

Yes, I know: this chapter was LONG time in coming, and this is all you get. Don't hate me. ::hangs head:: I'm sorry, this is all I have at the moment. But don't worry, I have some BIG plans for later chapters. I swear on the honor of Trunks!

[Trunks] Hey! Leave me out of this!

Sorry, Trunksie, but you're already in too deep.

[Trunks] ::huffs::It's bad enough that you tease me all the time and make me the bad guy in this fic; now you're using me to prove a point! Sheesh

::shrugs:: Yeah, well what're ya gonna do? Reviews please, people! Listen: If I get at least 10 more reviews (NOT from the same person), I PROMISE I'll get another chapter posted by early to mid-May at the latest. If I don'tthen, I dunno, you think of a punishment. But I want those reviews! Bai-bai! ^^