Chapter Seven

With scarce another thought Sasoli was on him.

She growled as her hand slipped through Zarah's spikes without gaining a handhold. Using the moment to his advantage he grabbed her hair and yanked her off of his back.

He growled when his grip was lost, her spikes were just long enough to grab but enough to hold on to. . .

He had to applaud her haircut.

And so they waged war on each other, their blood demanding that they be the victor. They ended up in a tangle rolling on the ground, vying for dominance. It was good to be saiyan. . .

17 sighed at the sight, they always ended up doing this and no one ever won.

With two quick hands he grabbed the back of his children's shirt collars and separated them. His hands let go of their collars to grip the back of their necks. Giving them a practiced shake so they wouldn't struggle 17 guided his offspring into the cave.

"Can't you just hug and greet each other like normal people?" 17 shook his head with mock regret, "Ava! Look what you've done! You turned them into . . . saiyans!"

Ava smirked, "It is better than machines, don't you think?"

17's eyes narrowed as he released his offspring.

"Touche."

"Very," Ava sent him an intense look which promised dark delights.

Zarah and Sasoli tuned out their parents.

"So you're still working for Trunks?" Sasoli picked up a cup of juice.

"As are you," Zarah remarked dryly, "By the way we need you to break into the Capsule plant in Canada."

"Reason?" Sasoli smiled into her cup.

She was an unofficial spy/saboteur/security system checker for Trunks. Being the head of the biggest company in the world wasn't easy especially when people were out trying to topple their empire. If there was some fishy business going on in one of their companies Sasoli would hire on as an employee, infiltrate, and fire the ones responsible.

Once there was a gang who went publicly against a company in the New York area. Sasoli had joined the gang and tore it apart from the inside. She had a hell of a time and enjoyed every minute of it.

"Just convince them to update their security," Zarah informed her, "Can't let the company secrets filter out to the world now can we?"

"Hn," Sasoli shrugged.

Scaring the more isolated companies into upping security was standard procedure at this point. Charge the company, letting them see only a figure in black, and steal the latest design. She would then pretend to arrive the next day to give stern lectures, equipment, and the ultimatum of upgrade or find a new job.

Sasoli was known as the scalpel since she could slice through any problem with surgical ease.

"So Sas," Zarah's expression narrowed slightly, "Anyone I should know about?"

Sasoli locked eyes with him before flicking a stray spike away from her face. "No, do you?"

"Sasoli, do you mean to honestly tell me that in all you little ventures you haven't met a male to challenge you?" Zarah leaned back into his chair.

"There are always men who will challenge but none of them win," Sasoli copied his relaxed pose, "Should I be on the lookout for a new female?"

"Sas, I didn't answer your inquiry because there wasn't anything to tell," Zarah snapped at her, "Besides, I'm much too busy--"

"Right," Sasoli interrupted him, "She would be happy if you would just look for a potential mate."

Zarah turned his nose up at her, knowing by 'she' Sasoli meant Mom.

"Why doesn't Mom ever ask when you are going to quit your job?"

"Because," Sasoli's smile was pleasantly amused, "She sees it as an honorable occupation for a saiyan opposed to sitting behind a desk."

"Hn," Zarah turned the thought over in his head before pushing it back to think about later.

"We really should go on another hunt," 17's voice was slightly lower than usual.

Flicking a glance at their parents the twins weren't surprised to find them standing within personal boundaries.

"I think a hunt would be . . . interesting," Ava lifted her face to her mate.

Zarah frowned, that's what Terry . . .

17 happily leaned in to accept her offer.

Well, they're are being more public, Sasoli smiled with amusement.

Sasoli turned away when they started to kiss. She turned to her brother to ask him about Trunks and stopped to stare at her him. His gaze was glued to their parents, his eyes contained surprise and recognition.

"Zarah?" Sasoli frowned as he jerked at the sound of her voice, "What is it?"

Zarah swallowed as his sister eyed him with concern, his thoughts were anywhere but in the cavern. Terry had wanted to kiss him! But why?! It didn't make any sense! They had just met!

"Zarah!" Sasoli grabbed his arm to get his attention.

"What?" Zarah jerked away from her, the movement gaining their parents attention.

"What is going on?" Sasoli demanded, "You're blushing!"

Zarah's eyes widened with alarm, had he lost that much control over his body?

Ava was there suddenly and took hold of his chin to study his face. Quickly noting the slight pink across his cheek bones.

Zarah desperately tried to suppress the redness but--

"17," his mom frowned, "your son is flushed."

His face got hotter. He didn't dare move within his mother's grip.

"Ava, leave him alone," 17's hand moved his wife's hand away from his son's face.

"I demand an explanation," Ava growled, "What could possibly cause Zarah to be embarrassed?"

Sasoli winced, Zarah was going to get back at her for this . . . she should have waited to ask.

17 put himself between Ava and Zarah.

"He's a grown man, Ava," 17 voice was steel, "He has a right to privacy."

17 loved his wife but there were times when she went too far and he had a feeling this was going to be one of those times.

Ava met his gaze haughtily before turning to her son, demanding an explanation.

Zarah stood up, he wasn't a little boy any more.

"I had an epiphany, that is all." Without another word he stepped out of their home and disappeared into the night.

**

Sasoli wasn't happy.

The whole dinner fiasco had been her fault and now she felt guilty.

She lay on her furs and stared at her brother's unoccupied pile. It was past midnight and painfully obvious he wasn't coming back.

Blushing, she mused thoughtfully, what could make him blush?

She turned on her side restlessly as she contemplated her brother's strange actions. He'd been completely normal until their parents had started to kiss . . .

Sasoli sat up with sudden realization, in all her life she had never seen them express their bond so openly. Still, the action didn't surprise her, her job had put her into situations which had surrounded her with such things but Zarah . . .

He wasn't used to seeing any forms of affection beyond a pat on the head. Of all the kids, Zarah was the most isolated and antisocial. They hadn't gone to school with regular kids but with their cousins and the Son kids. Chichi wasn't going to risk another Gohan incident, one Saiyaman was enough thank you.

Sasoli got to her feet and left the room soundlessly.

The recognition in his eyes must have meant he had seen the position before while the blush indicated he hadn't understood it until that moment.

Sasoli's eyes narrowed as she served herself a glass of water from the stream.

Some woman had offer her lips to her brother. But who?

Sasoli sipped from her cup and leaned against a chair.

How naive are you Zarah? She wondered absently.

His job didn't help at all and encouraged him to become a recluse while hers had force her to become more familiar with human habits. Sure, she could gut a man about fifty different ways but that information didn't help her in the middle of a night club. She learned the many different courting techniques of humans but stayed true to her saiyan heritage.

Zarah's job didn't entail human contact at all, when he had to talk to anyone than it would be Trunks or Bra.

Sasoli set the cup down on the table before heading back to her room.

Her brother probably had many admirers, only he didn't know it.

She made herself comfortable, with one thought in mind.

This ignorance was a weakness so it was up to her to observe the women around her brother and inform him of their intentions. Her brother would not be exploited, Canada could wait.

**

Pan stumbled into her house, her body was filled with numerous bruises and sore joints.

The light turned on.

"Pan," the quiet voice of her dad made her wince, "What do you think you're doing coming in this late at night?"

Pan squinted at her dad blearily, she was exhausted and only wanted to go to bed. Bardock had put her through her paces and then showed her new ones.

"Pan," hands gripped her face, "What happened? Who did this to you?!"

She flinched as her father's hand lightly touched the forming scrap on her face. The result of Bardock getting tired of telling her to guard her face.

"Dad," Pan pushed his hands away, "I was just training with Grandpa B."

Gohan's eyes narrowed.

"You've trained with him before and he didn't send you home in the middle of the night with injuries."

"That's because he was making sure I could defend myself. Now he is making me a warrior," Pan straightened her spine.

"What?" Gohan took a step back from his daughter to look at her fully, "Why?"

"I am a saiyan," she stated simply.

"You more human than any of us, Pan," Gohan's eyes showed his concern, "You don't have to let the thrill of the fight rule you as we do."

Pan licked her lips as she contemplated his words.

"Pan, you don't understand what it means to fight . . . to kill . . ." Gohan lowered his head, "To suffer loss . . ."

"I'm not a little girl anymore," Pan turned her face away from him, "You can't protect me from life, dad, you can lose things just as easily if you don't fight."

She didn't see him smile ruefully.

"Oh, Pan. We didn't get that choice but you do. Please think about this before it's too late," Gohan kissed her forehead, "because there is no going back."

Pan felt her first flicker of doubt as she watched her father walk away. He knew what he was talking about, having faced Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu. She heard stories about how her dad faced them though many said he never had the will to fight. He fought because it made him closer to his family and to protect his family, otherwise he would have been happy to lead a quiet life. He had become a teacher.

Pan shook away her doubt. She was different from her dad and had lived with the benefits of peace, it had left her with an empty feeling. One day of harsh training with her great grandfather which left her with barely enough energy to make it to her bed . . . the emptiness disappeared and she felt . . . more complete than she had in a long time.

"I'm sorry, dad, but I've made up my mind," she whispered before continuing to her room.

**

Terry smiled as she entered her new office.

Today was a new day for her to become more intimate with her employer. She had went into his personal records and found out he had a weakness for food so she had compiled an assortment of muffins to leave on his desk. If asked she could simply say it was from a secret admirer.

She slipped the door open carefully not wishing to be caught again.

Tiptoeing in she set the basket on his desk when a low sound caught her attention. It sounded like . . . breathing.

Not daring to hope she rounded the desk to find her boss curled under his desk fast asleep.

Her breath caught in her throat as she took in his unguarded features, he was so handsome! She let her eyes roam down his body hungrily when she realized something was off. . . His waist looked narrower . . .

His belt, her eyes lit up, he's not wearing his belt!

Hurriedly, she glanced around his chair for it. If she found the belt than she could take it and hold it while she thought about him.

Grinding her teeth with frustration she glared at him, as if he had hid his belt with the sole purpose of thwarting her. With a sigh of resignation, she let her eyes roam her employer's figure once more thinking what a pity it was that he was curled towards her in such a way she couldn't see his butt.

Terry's eyes lit up as she spotted something on the ground behind him, further under the desk. Of course! She grinned triumphantly, where else would his favorite belt be! Now the only tricky part is how to get to it.

She bit her lip as she carefully leaned over him to stretch out her arm. She froze when his body seemed to tense.

Now or never, she curled her fingers around the rather thick article of clothing when the door swung open.

Three things happened at once.

Zarah's eyes snapped open as he sprung to his feet only to encounter his desk with his head.

Terry jumped and tried to yank the belt behind her but it was somehow torn from her grasp.

And last but not least, Sasoli's mouth dropped open in shock as she crossed the room to find a rather disheveled brother and his flushed secretary on the floor together.

"Zarah, what the hell is going on here?"

End of Chapter Seven