I do not own Dragon Ball Z.blah blah blah.I'm just borrowing the characters.

Waiting for the Moon Chapter 5

30 minutes later.

Hearing the soft sound of bare feet hitting the linoleum flooring in the hallway, Bulma looked up from the data sheet she had been working on in time to see her son and Pan slowly making their way down the hall. Trunks had his arm wrapped around Pan's waist steadying her but she was walking under her own power. As they entered the room Pan flashed a small but triumphant smile towards Bulma; Bulma gave a quiet sigh and silently sent prayers of thanks to Dende for the young woman's continuing recovery. Giving Pan the once over, she noted that her color had improved remarkably and that she looked relaxed and comfortable in a faded pair of Trunk's old boxers and wife beater with her hair pulled up in a messy bun. Bulma gathered what she needed to give Pan her medication, turning she smiled as her son boosted his mate up onto the exam table. Setting up the syringe and measuring out Pan's dosage, she took up an alcohol swab and prepped Pan's left bicep for the injection. Readying the hated, but necessary, shot she asked, "Ready?" Pan nodded, grabbing Trunks hand and burying her face in his neck. As she administered the shot Bulma looked up at her son's face as Pan hissed in reaction to the burning sensation that was brought on by her body's reaction to the drugs; a questioning look spread across his face as he made to question his mother about what was going on, but she shook her head 'No' and mouthed 'It's Pan's place to tell you about it.' Satisfied he returned his attention to Pan and began to rub her back as his mother covered the puncture site with a small band-aid.

"Alright, you're done. Do you feel like trying to eat something?" Bulma asked the raven beauty as she slid off the table. "I think so." Pan answered quietly as another yawn escaped her and with that they headed for the kitchen.

After eating a small meal, small in terms of a saiyan meal, of some toast, juice, fruit, and cereal (by this time its almost 6am) Trunks scooped up Pan from her chair where she had been nodding off and headed upstairs to her bedroom. [Pan has her own room at the Brief's house since she spends so much time there training and spending time with Bra.]

Gazing intently at the face of his dozing mate as he made his way down the hall to her room, a smile of contentment settled across his face. Using a small amount of ki, he levitated her body and pulled down the comforter and sheets and settled her into the position he knew that she slept in. After tucking her in, closing the blinds, and placing one final kiss on he forehead he turned to leave.

"Trunks?" her voice called out suddenly, startling him, "Will you please stay with me? I don't want to be alone." She asked quietly as he turned to look at her. Running his hand through his purple locks he responded. "Are you sure?" Her lithe figure sat up and nodded. "Alright, I'll be right back." He said and left the room. Several minutes later he returned dressed in a pair of old basketball shorts worn over his boxer briefs (they're so sexy!) and no shirt. Watching as she scooted over to one side of the bed he went to the vacated side and slid between the sheets. Some how knowing that she needed to be close to him right now he set about making a small nest out of the pillows, when he was satisfied he laid back on his side and opened his arms as she moved towards him. Gathering her close he felt her relax and sigh softly as she began to drift off again, not wanting to go to sleep without kissing her one more time he called her name softly. She looked up at him with dark, sleepy eyes and was caught up in a soft passionate kiss full of promise and understanding and together they drifted off as the sun began to peak over the mountains.

Down the hall Bulma awoke as her husband rose to go train, "Vegeta, what time is it?" she called mutely from the pillow she had buried her face in. "Almost noon, lazy wench." Teased Vegeta with a smirk at the squawk of aggravation that came from the bed. "Hush, woman." He stated before silencing her with a kiss, "Do you want to check on the brats with me or not?" nodding silently she slipped from his grasp and tied a robe around her and ran a brush through her bed tousled hair. Making their way down the hall to Pan's room, Bulma grabbed Vegeta's arm to stop him "Vegeta, they didn't, haven't." she trailed off. "No, their ki's have been at level the last 5 hours. I believe that they're sleeping still." Opening the door with the silent practiced ease of parents on the snoop, Bulma and Vegeta stuck their heads into the room. Bulma sighing inwardly with relief as she watched Pan's body rise and fall in a steady rhythm with Trunks breathing. Squeezing her mate's hand at the scene before them; Pan was as close as physically possible to Trunks with her face buried in his neck and her one free arm was clutched in Trunks' and pulled into her chest like a life line. Suddenly Pan gasped softly in her sleep and struggled briefly with an invisible assailant and threw her leg over Trunks' hip, Bulma watched as her son's other arm snacked out and around Pan's back and drew her closer to him. Closing the door softly as Pan quieted again, Bulma turned to Vegeta, "How long do you suppose they'll sleep?" she asked as she followed him down the hall. "As long as their bodies need it, until hunger wakes them, or a certain father comes to see his daughter." Chuckled Vegeta as he kissed his wife again and headed downstairs to train.

Pan awoke to the now familiar achy, groggy feeling of her body's reaction to her birth control and the pulsing of cramps in her groin. Disentangling herself from Trunks' she managed to get free without waking him and made it to the bathroom in her room. While she washed her hands she noted that it was almost two in the afternoon, yawning again she headed back to her bed. As she settled back into the covers, a very masculine voice filled with sleep startled her. "Everything okay?" "Yeah, just had to take care of something." "Oh, are you in pain?" "Yes, but nothing that I haven't dealt with before." She sighed as she looked into his blue eyes. "Come here." He beckoned softly to her, taking his hand she let him pull her to him and turn her over so that he was now spooning her. She gasped as his hand found the edge of her tank top and slid underneath, as well as, under the elastic of her boxer shorts. Feeling her breath quicken he softly kissed the back of her neck and moved his hand slight lower. "Shh, it's okay. I'm just going to do a pain relief technique that my father taught me." he whispered to her. Carefully, he began to massage and knead the area with short circular motions using the entire area of his hand. Pan could feel the calluses on his palms that existed from years of training and the smooth round edges of his fingertips that spoke of a man who spent his days doing paper work and meeting clients. Slowly, she could feel her muscles begin to loosen as Trunks' added a bit of ki to his touch, just enough to ease the pain and warm her knotted muscles. Yawning and stretching slightly under his touch as the pain ebbed away she turned and kissed him softly before slipping back to sleep still curled into the curve of his body. Allowing sleep claim him again he continued his ministrations until he joined his mate in the realm of dreams.

"Trunks, Pan wake up! Come on you two, you've slept the entire day away. Aren't you hungry? Besides Pan your parents are here for dinner. You've got to get cleaned up. Please you guys?" Bra pleaded as she tried to wake up her best friend and brother. "Alright, Bra I'm awake." Came Trunks muffled voice as he tried to swat at he is sister. "Me too." Yawned Pan from under the pillow she had pulled over her and Trunks head when Bra had entered the room. "Okay, you guys have 20 minutes till dinners ready." Called Bra as she flounced out of the room. Throwing back the covers and stretching like a lion that just woke from a long nap Trunks rolled to his right, trapping Pan in a gentle embrace under him. Tugging the pillow from her face he kissed her deeply, drawing away he stroked her cheek as he gazed into her dark eyes. "Think you can handle getting cleaned up and dressed by yourself?" he teased "I think so, considering my dad's downstairs." She smirked back at him. Kissing her once more he levered himself off the bed and headed for the door and his room. Stretching herself and groaning as her ribs shifted, she slowly made her way to the shower.
Gohan stood in the kitchen chatting with Bulma and Vegeta about the events of Pan's emergence from the regen tank, while Videl helped Chi-Chi finish making a salad for dinner and asking questions when she had one. Hearing noise on the stairs and then the hall he looked up as his daughter entered the room. She was holding Trunks' hand as much for help to remain steady as in an outward expression of their new relationship. She had obviously dried her hair using her ki since it fell down her back in a dark waterfall that she could only manage when she did just that. She was wearing a light blue polo shirt and a pair of jeans that showed off her belly button ring and the tattoo of Shen-long curled around the seven dragon balls that she had gotten on her lower back right above where her tail would have been. She looked healthy and relaxed though a little tired looking still; over all she appeared no worse for wear from her ordeal and smiled re-assuredly at her father. Excusing himself he moved to her and caught her in a hug that threatened to break her ribs again. Everyone in the kitchen watched silently as a million and one things past unsaid between father and daughter, finally Pan whispered "Daddy, you're going to break my ribs if you hug me any harder." She stated with a soft chuckle. Laughing himself he released her, with a kiss on top of her head on top of her head, into the arms of her mother. Mother and daughter hugged, shed a few tears, and spoke quiet words that no one else could hear. "Tables done!" called Bra from the patio breaking the silence in the kitchen and Pan went to greet her grandparents and uncle.

After the last dishes had been taken away and everyone had had their fill of tea and dessert, the Son's minus Gohan and Videl, said their good-byes and Pan promising to train with her grandfather in the coming weeks to work on her SSJ2 form. Bra left to go back to school (freshman at a university two cities over), which left the three couples to discuss things and for parents to catch-up with their daughter. By ten Pan was beginning to wear out and her parents left to let her get some more rest, with the promise that she would be home tomorrow. After reassuring Bulma that she was feeling fine, just tired she and Trunks said good night to Vegeta and Bulma and headed upstairs. Reaching the top of the stairs Pan turned to Trunks and kissed him, whispering "Stay with me again?" more of a question than a statement. "Where else would I go with you here?" he whispered back and caught her in another kiss. They both went to their own rooms to change, Trunks finished first and headed back to Pan's room. Once there he heard the sound of running water coming from her bathroom as she got ready for bed. Grabbing a blanket off the love seat that Pan had found at a yard sale and brought over to C.C., he opened a window and flew up to the roof and waited for Pan. When she finished getting ready for bed, Pan walked out into her room only to find it empty, but quickly saw the open window and sensed Trunks on the roof. Throwing a short summer robe on over her pajamas, she gathered her ki and levitated up to join her mate. She found him lying on a blanket, gazing at the waning moon that hung low in the sky seemingly lost in thought.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she questioned him using an old American saying. Looking up he smiled as he took in the sight of her floating above him. She was wearing a pair of cotton board shorts done in yellow with tiny cherries dotted across the material and a yellow tank top with a cherry in the center. As well as, a short red summer robe that hung open around her and her hair braided in a long braid that hung over her shoulder. "Hmm, not a penny but I'll settle for you instead." He answered with a groan of controlled desire, and plucked her from the air, pulling her to him. Capturing her mouth he let himself become lost in the sight, taste, smell, and feel of her against him for a few moments, letting his thoughts slip away. He pulled away slowly resting his forehead against hers and kissing her nose while she kissed him back on the chin in the way that their Saiyan ancestors had done before recorded history began. Settling back onto his side he steeled himself for what he was about to do.

"Pan." "Mmmhmm?" "I have something I need to tell you." He looked down at her; she was regarding him with solemn eyes, but that also reflected the depths of her feelings for him. "Pan when I woke up to find you dead in my arms the other day I thought I was going to die myself. Not just because of us becoming mates but because I've had feelings for you for quite awhile. I'm not sure when these feeling started, but all I knew was that I couldn't tell you or act on my feelings without disrespecting you father or the press hounding us and ruining any chance of us having a relationship. I had to wait for the events of the last few days to happen, for me to acknowledge my feelings to your parents and mine, and now I can share them with you. I've watched you grow from the young girl who went on a dragonball search with me to a beautiful woman who's love for life is as infectious as her smile. Pan, I want to be part of your life, but not just as your mate; I want to be your husband, friend, lover, father to our children, protector from the evils of this life, but most of all I want to love you. Son Pan, know that when I say this I mean it with every fiber of my being, I love you." He watched her closely for any signs of a reaction to his sudden confession. Silently, a single tear welled up in her eye and fell softly down her cheek. He went to wipe it away but instead she grabbed his hand and drew it into her own and kissed it.

"You don't know how long I've waited for you to say that to me." she whispered. "Kami, we must be the most stubborn love struck couple ever." she chuckled softly. "Trunks, I've felt the same way for what seems like an eternity. I couldn't tell you because of my father, our age difference which I know doesn't matter to us but to the press it would look like I was gold digging, and the fact that I was afraid you didn't return my feelings. When your father told me what I was going through I was horrified, but I realized sometime after that the only man I would ever want and love could only be you." She pushed herself up using Trunks as leverage, but pushed him down under her. She leaned over him, ensnared him a soft kiss and whispered, "Trunks Vegeta Briefs, I love you." as she gazed into his azure eyes. They briefly became caught up in flurry of touching, soft words of want and desire, and kisses. When they broke apart they lay intertwined in each other's embrace, lost in each other's thoughts. Catching one of Trunks thoughts as it passed through her subconscious she turned to him and asked "Do you want to know what the injection your mother gave me was?" he nodded as she sat up and pulled him upright as well. "Basically, it's a form of birth control that she developed for me so that I wouldn't get pregnant when we umm, mated for the first time when either you or I claimed one another. I still go through a quote on quote heat when the moon is full just now I won't get pregnant, but now that I guess we've at least partially bonded I'm not sure what it will be like next month in terms of my behavior. Several hours or up to a day after I get my injection my cycle will start and I'm left with what feels like a 24-48 hour cold, the first injection I had landed me in the medical ward here for a few days. Don't be upset please, I want children in the future but I want to finish school first and of course I want to be with you." She rushed out and waited nervously for his reaction. He sat quietly mulling over what she had just told him, finally he took her hand in his and kissed it much as she had done earlier to his and pulled her into his embrace. "Why would I be upset? I'm a jealous man, I don't want to have to share you just yet with a bunch of brats." He stated much like his father would, unable to control his laughter he kissed her and opened his mental link to her. "Whenever your ready to have a baby just let me know, I'm in no rush. I want to spend time with you and enjoy our life together some before we try for a baby. But like I said before, I love you and when your ready I'll be ready." She gapped back at him and slapped his chest lightly before kissing him and sending back "You purple hair jerk! Don't do that to me! But I love you too." Together they discussed plans for the future until Pan began to yawn again and they retired to her bedroom to sleep.