AN: Hey you guys, sorry this is so late. College is keeping more busy than I thought it would but here is the chapter you have all been waiting for! So enjoy, read, and review! Michelle

Chapter Twelve

Pan could only blink as the long appendage seemed to wave at her. Her first instinct was to reach out to touch it but her memory prevailed. The way his tail was moving was predatory and was strangely reminiscent of her Great Grandfather Bardock. He had moved his tail almost the exact same way before he had attacked her.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously and her stance tightened in preparation.

Zarah's lips spread into a dangerous grin.

"Zarah, I forgot . . ." Bra poked her head into the office, "Zarah! What do you think you are doing? Put that thing away!"

Bra rushed into the office aimed straight at her cousin to forcibly replace his tail if he had to.

Zarah became alarmed as she came toward him, the last thing he wanted was for her to touch his tail. Especially after the experience with Terry fondling his tail between her fingers. . .

Zarah took a step back while simultaneously snapping his tail around his waist.

"I thought you were gone," he huffed at her.

Bra glared at him for a long moment, "Are you ok, Pan?"

"I'm fine," Pan snapped, tired of all the warnings and unneeded protection.

"Why wouldn't she be fine, you were gone for what ten seconds," Zarah adjusted his shirt irritated.

"You were about to attack her," Bra accused him.

Pan turned her glare back on the male, so I was right.

"The thought did cross my mind," Zarah picked up his jacket, "Be careful cousin. I did give you my word or does that mean nothing to you?"

Both girls shivered slightly at the mocking tone but for vastly different reasons, Bra was thinking of how eerie it was that Zarah could sound so much like her dad and Pan was just letting the deep tone travel over her skin.

Involuntarily, of course.

Bra had the sense to look contrite as she pouted, "It's not that I don't trust you."

"Then what is it?"

"It's the fact that you're male," Bra could do nothing but shrug.

Zarah crossed his arms, amusement written all over his face.

"I can's change the way I was born Bra."

Bra rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to reply when Pan beat her to the punch.

"No but you could change your sex," Pan winced as soon as the words left her mouth, idiot! You did not just suggest a sex change to your date! Stupid!

The Briefs cousins were both staring at Pan with varying expressions. Bra was somewhat amused by the turn of events while Zarah was mostly horrified. Why would he want to become a girl? After all there was Sasoli to consider . . .

"Are we going or not?" Pan blustered, heading out the door of his office.

Bra narrowed her eyes considering at her cousin's aghast demeanor before patting him on the back softly.

"You better get a move on, Zar," Bra told him cheekily, "It isn't nice to keep a lady waiting."

Zarah barely nodded as he followed Bra out the door, the only thought on his mind was, a sex change?

**

Terry glanced up wearily as a man called her name.

"Ms. Britham?"

"Yes," Terry felt hope bubble in her chest as she recognized the Capsule Corp. logo on the man's clothes.

Zarah! He's come for me! Terry felt a blush burn onto her cheeks, that means he loves me! He must have hung up on me earlier because he had already sent this man to bail me out.

"I have been tracking you down for awhile Ms. Britham," annoyance rang in the man's voice confusing Terry.

"I don't understand," Terry frowned, I told him exactly where I was . . .

"As of now you are no longer a Capsule Corporation employee," the man intoned mockingly, "Due to a failure of coming to work on time, or in your case at all."

"B-b-but," Terry stuttered in disbelief, "I called Mr. Briefs and explained."

"You called President Briefs?" Disbelief sat heavily in his tone.

"No--"

"Then it bears no significance. It is by the President's orders I fire you for gross misconduct," the man took out an infamous pink slip, "and it is my job to serve you your dismissal papers."

The man in the Capsule Corp. clothes put the paper on the ground outside her cell where she could reach it but be unable to grab him. Without another word, he left her alone.

Terry stared dully at the paper outside the cold metal bars. She didn't understand, why Zarah would abandon her? Why did President Briefs fire her? Why didn't Zarah stand up for her?

Flashback. "You're my secretary and I am not allowed to involve myself with fellow employees." End flashback.

Terry grinned suddenly as the only possible solution hit her smack in the face.

Zarah must have asked his cousin to change the policy so he could date her but since the President couldn't abuse his power like that he must have convinced Zarah that the only way for them to be together was for him to fire her. Only then would they be able to date freely without worrying about repercussions. He must have wanted to move our relationship to the next level and wanted to surprise me!

Terry giggled as she picked up the pink slip and held it to her heart like a love letter.

"This is the closest we can be together for now," Terry smiled, "I see now. . . it all makes sense."

It would have been too suspicious if he came and bailed her out himself. The other girls at the offices would have found out for sure that she was fired just so they could date and then all the girls would quit for a chance at the President. The effects would have been disastrous on the company of which Zarah was intimately attached to and would suffer the guilt of ruining.

The man was a genius.

She should know, after all she was his secretary.

**

Pan glanced uneasily at her date as they flew deeper into a forest territory. He wasn't going to turn into a mass murderer, was he?

"What's wrong?" Zarah flicked his blue eyes in her direction.

He was pleased to note that she was easily keeping up with him and trusted him enough to follow him into the wilderness without hesitation. Mates should trust each other after all.

"Just where exactly is this house?" Pan muttered more to herself than to him.

"It's not a house exactly," Zarah flew closer to her so she wouldn't have to strain to hear him, "but it is a home."

"What do you mean?" Pan unconsciously moved closer for his reply.

"You'll see."

She saw him wince slightly before he dropped to the ground.

Pan followed noting that the area was devoid of any sort of houses or technology to support houses. There was nothing, only the wild life and trees. Where had he taken her?

"I thought we were going to your parents?" Pan couldn't help the accusing tone that was laced thoroughly in her voice.

"That's where we are," Zarah was only semi-amused, he hadn't taken Bra's words lightly concerning Pan's reaction to the caves.

If she couldn't accept his parents domestic habitat then how would she react to his? How would she act when she found out she would have to live with him in the cave for the rest of their lives together once they were bonded?

Pan opened her mouth to protest when she heard it. Someone or something was growling menacingly.

Zarah had his head tilted, concern inching onto his face.

"BASTARD!!!"

Pan half darted and was half yanked out of the way as two blurs nearly collided with her.

A lip curled disdainfully, "Give me my meat."

The words were low, threatening, and made chills run up Pan's spine. A woman who looked remarkably like Sasoli was pursuing Bra's Uncle 17 with determined purpose. Despite the seemingly mortal danger, the Android's blue eyes danced with delight as he dangled a rather large piece of meat above the woman's reach.

The woman's tail lashed angrily behind her as she lunged for the meat only to miss as 17 yanked it out of the way at the last moment.

Pan felt more than heard Zarah sigh his discontentment that was when she realized she was pressed intimately into his side. He must have grabbed her trying to protect her and tucked her under his arm without a second thought.

This left Pan in an interesting predicament.

She could stay within his arms and just enjoy the sensation then claim innocence or she could pull away from him alerting him to their position.

"What's wrong?" 17 teased, "It's just meat--"

With a roar of frustration the woman barreled into his torso tackling him into the ground. Startled 17 almost dropped the meat but managed to keep it both off the ground and in his grasp.

Pan watched shocked as the woman quickly straddled the android to reach over him to grab at the meat.

Zarah released Pan to grab his mother around the waist to lift her off his father.

"Damn it!" She thrashed violently within her son's arms.

"Zarah," 17 scolded from the ground, "Put her down!"

Pan blinked, he wants her to attack him?

Zarah quickly whispered into his mother's ear and slowly she relaxed.

"Zarah, he has the ceremonious meat," Ava looked over her shoulder at her son.

"I am sure Sasoli has more in the cave," Zarah sighed.

Ava put her nose in the air and Zarah let go of her.

"You hear that, heathen!" Ava huffed at her husband before turning on her heel to spot Pan.

Pan stiffened as the volatile female eyed her with glittering eyes.

"Mom," Zarah intoned, "This is Gohan's daughter, Pan."

Ava tilted her head curiously.

"The son of Kakarot has spawned?"

Pan's eyes narrowed, "Apparently."

A sharp grin spread on Ava's face as she regarded the quarter saiyan before her.

"I am Ava," she flicked a spike away from her face, "Twin to Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans. Behold my son, Zarah, heir to my legacy of royal blood and that of his father's technological advancements. He will make a fine husband. I have trained him myself."

Zarah eyes had widened in horror at the words that had left his mother's mouth.

Pan blinked, "Um . . ."

17 lifted a black eyebrow as he dusted off his pants with one hand.

"Ava, you might have put it on a little thick."

"Hn," she sniffed arrogantly, "She is saiyan and it is my duty to test her."

Zarah quickly stepped between his mother and his date.

"She is not a warrior."

Pan fumed silently at Zarah's back as his mother regarded her with surprised black orbs. Why did everyone say that like it was a bad thing?

Ava studied the girl before her with different eyes, when Sasoli had said the girl was a saiyan it had never occurred to Ava that she might not be a warrior. Now, faced with this information she didn't know what to think. Saiyan tradition would say Pan was not worthy of her son.

17 slung an arm around Ava's shoulders unintentionally or intentionally, one could never tell with him, interrupting his wife's thoughts.

Ava's eyes softened, saiyan tradition also said 17 was not worthy despite being a warrior of great power and skill though that was mostly based on being different species which is void when there isn't a saiyan race any more. She glanced at the girl her son thought to protect from her to see fire. This 'Pan' was not happy about his intervention, she looked like she wanted to tear him into pieces. She showed promise.

"She is training to be one," Sasoli appeared in the caves entrance, "Bardock is putting her to the test."

"Interesting," Ava smiled, extremely pleased.

She had been about to accent to the match, warrior or not, but now there was no issue. Pan would become part of their family, no one else was worthy.

**

Everyone let out a small breathe of relief when Ava smiled and disappeared into the cave.

"What was all that about?" Pan muttered to herself.

Sasoli raised an eyebrow, "You just have been approved. Honestly, I don't know why you bother, you won't pass any tests she might think to give not a lowly fighter like you. If you were a warrior you might have stood a chance."

Zarah's eyes narrowed in annoyance as his sister retreated within the cave, "What is her problem?"

17 shook his head, "They have been malfunctioning since yesterday."

"Malfunctioning?" Pan frowned, confused with his meaning.

"Acting weird," Zarah translated absently.

Pan mulled the thought around in her head before deciding that, yes, it did make sense. How weird, he must use terms like that all the time. Pan smiled genuinely at the android turned father making 17 eye her curiously before he turned to his son.

"They're running an alternate program on the sly," 17 flicked his eyes at Pan, "I'd be careful if I were you."

Translation, the girls are planning something and I think it might concern her so watch it.

Zarah nodded, "We'll just have to put a few bugs into their system."

"What do you think I was doing when you flew in," 17 grinned and lifted the meat, "She almost killed me when I grabbed it and started to toss it around."

Zarah boomed with laughter at that and the image of his father juggling a piece of meat with his mother chasing him around the cave.

Pan's lips twitched, she could now see the resemblance between father and son she had missed earlier. Both of their light blue eyes were full of light and playfulness, she had never seen Zarah like this before, except briefly when she had entered the 'Restricted Area' and he had tossed her out on her ass.

17 regarded the meat in his hand puzzled, now that he had it he didn't know what to do with it.

"Hungry?" 17 offered the stolen bounty to his son.

Zarah shook his head and gestured for Pan to walk with him to the cave.

Pan glanced at the cave entrance warily as her date entered without hesitation only to be followed by 17.

This was it, the point of no return. Here was where she was going to find her destiny--

"What's wrong?"

Pan whipped around to find the elusive Sasoli leaning against the cave's opening.

"Not afraid are we?" A slight sneer curled her lips, "A mere fighter who is saiyan. I thought that was an oxymoron."

"I surprised you know what an oxymoron is," Pan snapped back.

Sasoli allowed a thin smile before walking right up to the quarter saiyan, leaving barely an inch of space between them. The blue eyes she had inherited from her father were devoid of lightness, in fact, had future Trunks been there to see them he would have had chills of foreboding. He would have thought it impossible for someone who wasn't an android to have those cold lifeless eyes. It was a look she had learned from her mother when she was five.

"Once you enter there will be no escape. You are not worthy of my brother, turn back now, and I will overlook your existence."

Pan responded with a look of fury, "No one tells me what to do. If I want your brother then he is mine."

Sasoli's eyes lightened with amusement, "Well done."

Pan blinked as the half saiyan bowed to her.

"Maybe you are worthy after all."

End of Chapter Twelve