I don't own DBZ, duh! That's why I'm writing on FANfiction.net. ^_^
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Girl of My Dreams
Chapter 15
Charles drove Pan back to their little hut. Pan sat as quietly as she could while she was in the car. "If I don't say or do anything, he won't have a cause to hurt me," was all that Pan thought. He said not a word to her, didn't even look at her. Once they were inside, Charles grabbed Pan by her arm roughly and led her back to her room. He threw her inside and said, "If you behave like a little girl should, then maybe I'll feed you. Oh, and by the way, don't keep that silly hope of yours that they will be saving you anytime soon. I've gotten a restraining order against them." With that, he left and locked the door behind himself.
Pan looked around at her familiar pink room, saw her bed, just as she had left it so long ago. Pan walked over to her bed dejectedly and took out the journal she had hidden in her purse. She never wanted to lose it and she wanted to carry it around with her wherever she went, that was why she had put it in her purse.
"I guess it was a good idea I did that," she muttered.
She sat on her bed and started writing in it.
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Today Trunks gave me this journal and I really like it. No one has ever really given me a present. I'll treasure this for the rest of my life, even if I never see Trunks again.
Speaking of Trunks, I read his journal. He said so many sweet things in there. He said that he wants to protect me from everything that might happen. Too bad he didn't today, because now I'm back here on the farm. I don't blame him though. He was arrested thanks to this man who has pretended to be my father for so many years. I know both my real father and Trunks will find me again and help me somehow. They both love me so much and I'm grateful for that. I've never really known what love felt like until I got it from my real family and Trunks. They were so caring compared to this guy…I don't even really know what to call him anymore.
So now I'm kidnapped again, and Charles, I guess is what I'll call him, has the police on his side. I hope my mom an dad can some way find a loophole and can come and get me. Dad must be so mad right now. He'll probably kill Charles. I don't care though. Dad's so overprotective, but in a way, I don't mind because I've only been hurt throughout my life, not protected. I'm not used to it. When I was at the house, I just wanted Dad to leave me alone and get out of my room, but now that he's not here with me, I miss him and want him here.
I'll have to talk to Trunks using my telepathy. At least I'll have that comfort. Before, I didn't have a friend to talk to, but now I know I do. I love Trunks too.
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Pan closed her journal, not sure what else she wanted to write, and put it back in her bag.
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Gohan and Videl kept true to their word and bailed me out of jail. Mom is going to be so mad when she finds out that I went to jail and now have a police record. But Dad, well, I think he might end up being proud of me just this once. I'm still staying at Gohan's house. He is the worst I have ever seen him and there is really no way to describe him. He's just a walking ball of emotion. I mean, obviously he is angry, sad, ready to kill, lost, and just a little insane at the moment. He just keeps wandering around the house and always ends up in Pan's room, just looking at the bed, then he wanders around the house again. Personally, I think he's planning something. We're all worried about him, especially Videl. She has been trying nonstop for the past three days to get him to calm down. He won't stop, even at night, so she has to coerce him to go to bed.
I even tried asking him if he wants to spar. I know I'll get hurt, but if it will take away some of his pain and I'm still alive at the end of it, then that's all right with me. But, he just ignores me and everyone else in the house. Goku came and tried to get Gohan to talk, but it was no use, he won't talk to anyone. He has to be planning something. I wish I knew what it was.
Pan contacted me the day Charles took her. She told me he hasn't done anything to her yet, he just locked her in her room. But since that day, I haven't heard from her again. I'm really worried about her, because I can't sense anything through our bond either.
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It's later tonight and I was just dreaming about Pan. She was scared and the dream was still a little fuzzy like all the other ones, but that's okay. I showed her in the dream some moves that she could use to tackle Charles or to get away from him. I hope they will work. Oh, what am I saying? She's Gohan's kid! She has an inbred sense to fight. In the dream, she understood what to do and when she did those things to me, it worked. At least she learns quickly. I just hope that she won't have to use any of those techniques, but knowing Charles, she probably will have to. Tomorrow I think I will have to tell Gohan about this dream, if nothing else but to reassure him that Pan knows how to defend herself at least a little.
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I don't know how much longer I can last. Ever since a few days ago when I was brought back here, Charles hasn't given me any food whatsoever. I haven't even heard him in the house once sine I've been here. If only those idiot policemen knew what they've done to me. If they only knew that I'm not being given any water or food. I have to drink out of the faucet in the little bathroom next to my room and that's all I have to keep me sane. I just have to remember that at least I have a bathroom and I'm not dead and I have to be grateful for that. But it's just so hard to be thankful for being alive when I'm here, with no food and thinking that soon I will be dead because of starvation. I don't even allow myself to talk to Trunks. It's been five days since I last contacted him. Last time I came to him in a dream and he showed me how to defend myself. It was a nice thought, but Charles is so much heavier and stronger than I am I don't see how any of this will work, especially since Charles isn't even here.
I miss my family. My REAL family. They have treated me better than I have ever been treated in my entire life. And I found my one true love while I was away from this place. I never even hoped that I would get away from here, but now that I have, I know that there are better people out there in the world and things don't have to be the way they are in this house. I love my life away from here. My mom is so nice, she always takes me with her when she goes shopping. She's so cool. My dad, well, what can I say about him? He's so overprotective, but I'd rather have him being overprotective than punching me. I love him too. And Joey, he's so sweet. Trunks. What I wouldn't give to have him hold me again. I know he wanted to before, but I just wouldn't let him. Even if he were here right now, I'm not sure if I would let him. I want a hug from him so much, but I don't know if I can handle that.
I hope that I'll get out of here soon. I don't want anything to come between me and my family ever again. I've had enough of being apart from the people who truly love me and who wouldn't hurt me for any reason. I miss you all. I don't know how much longer I can go without food. I'm so hungry…
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"Gohan, where are you going?" Goku asked the apparently demented Gohan.
"Out."
Videl rose up out her seat on the couch. "Oh, Gohan, don't. You'll get arrested." She walked cautiously up to Gohan who was now pulling his coat on. He only pushed her away.
"I have to. Don't you understand that my little girl is out there? Who knows what he is doing to her now. I'm going to go and get her."
"But Gohan, then you really will be kidnapping Pan!" Trunks exclaimed. "You can't do that! Charles will only use that against you."
Gohan shook his head. "No, you don't understand. She is MY daughter. Once we go to court, we can get a DNA test and that will prove that she is mine and Videl's daughter. Plus, we still have those photos of her bruised and bleeding body. Now if that doesn't convince a judge to give her back to us, I don't know what will. Now, I'm going to go and get her, and no one is going to stop me." He threw a threatening look to every person in the room to dare to stop him. No one moved. Goku stood resolutely with his arm still across the door, blocking Gohan's way out. Gohan's glare finally rested on him and it was a few seconds before Goku gave up and let Gohan leave.
"Oh, Goku, you have to do something," Chi-Chi begged. "He's not all there. Who knows what he will do!"
Goku sighed. "I can't. I have to let him do this."
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"Let's see him try to get past me," Gohan thought to himself.
In no time, he had landed very near to the farm where he knew Pan was being kept. It was the same that Trunks had saved her from. The wind was cold and whipped his face as he stood looking at the little hut in the distance. Then he turned and looked at the neighboring farm, only a few yards away.
He looked once more at the hut and said, "I'll be right back, Pan."
Gohan walked to the neighboring farm and knocked on the door. He heard some shuffling and a frail old woman opened the door.
"Hello there, young man, how can I help you?" Her eyes were squinted so that she could see Gohan better. She was maybe 4'5" tall at the most and just a little on the plump side and had wrinkles etched deeply into her face, but she had a kind and warm smile.
"Good evening, ma'am. I came here to ask you about your neighbor named Charles."
"Oh! That man! He's always yelling," she answered. "Please, come in dear, it's a little chilly outside."
Gohan stepping into the house and sat down into a large and comfortable chair once she had invited him to.
"What is your name, dear?"
"My name is Gohan, ma'am."
"Well then, Gohan, what would you like to know?"
"Actually, I wanted to know about how he treats his daughter?"
"Oh…well, not very well I'm afraid. Why do you ask?"
Gohan shifted in his chair. "I'm her father," he said seriously. "My wife gave Pan up for adoption when she was born. Charles adopted her and brought her here. I want to regain custody of my child, but Charles has turned the police against me and he is trying to keep Pan. When Pan came to us, there were bruises on her and Charles came and kidnapped her while she was staying with us. When we saved her, she was very badly beaten, raped, bleeding, the worst that you can imagine. That was close to a little over a week ago that we got her back, but about 5 days ago, the police came with Charles and he took her away from us and accused us of beating her."
The old woman nodded. "If I didn't know better, I would have thought that you were lying to me. But, I myself have seen what has been done to that poor girl, so I know there is at least a little truth to what you are telling me. I remember back when Charles brought home a beautiful baby girl. He was single, not much luck with the ladies, but he desperately wanted a child. I don't know how he adopted her, I understand that it is very hard to do so and the agencies look for two parents, not one. You do look like Pan though. I can see you two share a few features. She's a very beautiful girl."
Gohan smiled. "Thank you. So, you have seen what he has done to her?"
"Well, I've only seen him slap her a few times, but I have heard her screams many, many times."
Fury bubbled inside of Gohan, but as calmly as he could, he asked, "Why didn't you do anything about it? You could have called the police."
"Oh, but I did, dear," she replied. "Probably not as often as I should have, but I did call in a few times."
Gohan shook his head and placed it in his hands. "I don't understand how an agency who claims to do so much checking up on people who are trying to adopt, would allow this kind of person to adopt a child. Even if he was a good person way back when she was born, what could have happened to make him become like this? The agency had to have checked on him once he had gotten Pan, why didn't they see this?"
"He treated her like a princess when she was a little girl. Right up until she was seven, I believe. Around that age was when I first started hearing her screams."
"Would you testify to this in a court?"
"Yes, yes, of course. My name is Francine Maktahi."
Gohan said goodbye to Francine and walked back to Charles' farm. He knocked loudly on the door.
"Hey!" he heard Pan's voice calling on the other side of the house. "Over, here! Come around to the back of the house! Please!"
"She sounds weak," Gohan thought fearfully. "I hope nothing is wrong with her."
He did as she instructed and saw a light through one of the opened windows. Inside, he saw Pan pacing back and forth.
"Pan!" He said as he ran to the window.
"Daddy! The window is stuck. I think he glued it down or something. Please, open it!"
Gohan easily opened it and lifted Pan out and cradled her in his arms.
"I…need food," Pan whispered and fainted in his arms, just like she had when he rescued her the last time. Gohan took off into the air and flew back home.
From her window, Francine watched all that had unfolded at Charles' house. Her kitchen window was directly in line with Pan's bedroom window and she saw father and daughter reunite. She watched as Gohan flew in the air back towards his home and thought, "I'm glad that poor girl got out of there," and sighed.
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